Such is the case with Malcolm from my Black cougar trilogy. He’s done some pretty bad stuff. More than once and I wasn’t sure I could do his story justice. But I sat down and wrote the book and cried like a baby when I ripped his heart out and stompted on it. So lest you think he didn’t pay for his sins…he does.

This excerpt might be a bit of a spoiler but its the first really bad thing he did and the one that would torment him for a very long time.

Excerpt from Malcolm: Chey has had to reunite with Malcolm for the greater good and this is the memory that she is reliving that forever changed both their futures. It’s dark and it’s heartbreaking, but it’s real. Just as life often is.

On the drive back to Malcolm’s house at the edge of the Nantahala national forest, Chey’s skin crawled from doing nothing. She desperately wanted to glare at him, yell at him—hell, even jumping from the Jeep and disappearing into the early morning light just peeking over the horizon sounded good.

Arousal, anger and guilt were not a good combination and she needed some time to clear her head.  It was the arousal more than anything that puzzled her.  Her body burned for a man that was, for all intents and purposes, a criminal. The profile she’d compiled on him over the years spoke of a rebellious but loyal teenager who’d worshipped his mother. After she died, things began to change. For one, he’d met her. Unfortunately, she remembered the day as clearly as if it had been yesterday, not five years ago.

She’d crossed over into his clan’s territory on a dare and he’d hunted her. From the moment she’d scented him something shifted inside her. His presence tugged continuously at her mind. However, fear of a black cougar had practically been bred in her so she raced back to the neutral zone where she belonged. That first day she’d not seen him, but she’d known he watched her from somewhere close by. His scent enthralled her.

Chey’d returned every single night, playing chicken with a Death Enforcer. Until one night, he’d decided to capture her. He’d gone from cougar to man in an instant, pouncing on her before she even blinked. Every cell in her body had lit up that night and she’d been prepared to take him as her first. They’d wrestled and fought, scratched and bit until finally Malcolm pinned her to the ground belly down.

He’d entered her from behind in one dark, fast and thrilling thrust that made her scream from the glorious pain and pleasure. Their cries of passion and lust filled the night air until they were both lost in the frenzy. Then he’d frozen above her. He’d scrambled to his feet spewing insults she’d never expected from the man she’d inexplicably trusted. He shifted back to the sleek cougar she’d been awed by and disappeared into the woods.

Left confused and hurt, she’d curled into a ball and wept. She’d lost her innocence and ability to trust that night and all she heard in her head over and over were his parting words.

Not in this lifetime or any other would he mate with a half-breed.

For more shameful moments from intriguing characters, be sure to follow the trail:

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Rhian Cahill
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker>
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane

Today’s theme is emotion, one of many critical aspects that make up each book. However, finding the right balance is individual to each story. For this snippet I have chosen an excerpt from Power Play which is probably one of the most intensely emotional stories I’ve written. The scene below is right after Jennifer has run from the hero. Intimacy is not her strong suit and she’s really struggling with the torrent of emotions he creates in her.

Power Play has recently hit the Kindle erotica best seller list and I owe a big thanks to the readers for putting it there. Thank you!

Enjoy!

Snippet:

Jennifer stood at her car door, legs trembling and hands shaking. She needed to get in her car and drive far away from here as fast as possible. When Daegan discovered her gone, he was not going to be happy. He’d probably come looking for her, and she couldn’t face him now. Unfortunately, her body was being uncooperative. With her key at the ready, she reached for the lock, and her hand shook harder. Tears streamed down her cheeks and into her mouth and none of it mattered.

She’d run. She’d done exactly what he said she would. Her head buzzed with the words he’d spoken the night before. Disappointment slashed deep.

So what. She didn’t owe him a thing. She’d agreed to his offer in the heat of the moment before she’d had time to think about it. It wasn’t like her to make spur-of-the-moment decisions. Over the years, she’d learned to carefully consider all of her options and not rush into anything with the potential to backfire on her. Jennifer laughed through the tears. What a joke. She was like her mother always said. Fickle.

“One minute you want one thing, and the next it’s something else. Which one is it, Jennifer?”

She heard her mother’s voice in her head as if it’d been yesterday, not a decade ago. How long had it been since she’d talked to her mother? A sob sounded in her throat. She had to get out of there before someone found her like this. She tried again to put the key in the lock, and the keys slipped from her hand.

“Fuck!”

Jennifer slid to the ground and plopped on her butt. She couldn’t drive across town like this. Maybe she could hide in the studio until she got herself under control. Yeah right. The minute Daegan found her car in the parking lot, the first place he’d look was the stupid studio. Thanks to his role as contractor, he had access to the entire building. There was nowhere for her to go. With trembling hands she fished her cell phone out of her purse and turned it on.

Who are you going to call?

She had no one. Story of her fucked-up life. For now her life consisted of her career. Friends were hard to come by, but she kind of had a few. She considered Chase and Murphy her friends, even if they’d betrayed her with that asshole and allowed him to say she couldn’t work. Jennifer swiped at the tears that continued to flow. There’d be no talking to them. She’d watched them interact with Eve when they didn’t realize she was looking. Her friend submitted to them on a level she couldn’t comprehend. No matter what they asked for, she gave willingly. And with a smile on her face. Hell, the woman practically glowed.

Eve. That’s it. She jerked open the cell phone and dialed the number she knew by heart before she had a chance to change her mind.

On the fourth ring, Jennifer’s hope wilted. Not available. Then Eve answered.

“It’s-a-Jennifer,” she spat, knowing there was no way to hide her distress.

“What’s wrong? Are you all right? You sound like you’re crying.”

Regret lanced through Jennifer. This was a dumb idea. She began to pull the phone away from her ear and disconnect.

“Don’t you dare hang up on me, young lady. Where are you?” The demand in Eve’s voice startled her. She’d never heard the other woman talk like that before.

“Downstairs,” she whispered.

“Good, don’t move. Seriously, if you don’t wait for me, I’ll have Murphy track you down and whip your hide. You know he’ll do it.”

Jennifer nodded her head and felt a ghost of a smile cross her face. “Okay,” she mumbled. “I’m in the parking lot.” She folded the phone and pushed it into her pocket. She had about two minutes before Eve found her, and she didn’t know what to do. There’d be no hiding the tears or getting cleaned up. With one last glance at her car and her only chance for escape, she turned and shuffled back toward the building.

Eve burst through the door, and all the emotion inside Jennifer boiled over. “I tried to run,” she blurted.

Her friend wrapped her arms around her. “Of course you did, sweetie.”

She held up her shaking hands. “Fingers wouldn’t work. Can barely hold the keys.” She knew the words tumbling from her mouth made little sense, but they were the best she could do at the moment.

“Come back inside, and you can tell me what happened.” Eve ushered her through the front door and steered her in the direction of the studio. “In here.” She pointed to Chase’s private office, and Jennifer hesitated.

“Don’t worry. Chase and Murphy aren’t here.”

“But Daegan—”

“Won’t dare come in here without an invitation. Trust me.”

Trust her. Eve had no idea how foreign those words were to her. And what the hell was up with everyone today pushing her to trust them?

Be sure to follow the trail for more snippetty goodness!

Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Lissa Matthews
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Leah Braemel
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane

From Vampire Awakening:

For more snippetty goodness be sure to follow the trail:

Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Lissa Matthews
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Leah Braemel
Shiloh Walker
Shelli Stevens

This scene comes later in the book. Jennifer’s gone missing and Daegan is anxiously searching for her. It’s a really long scene so this will be just a tease. Thought I’d warn you this time.

Excerpt:

Ten minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of Purgatory and killed the engine of his car. He didn’t have to search for her car; it stood out like a fucking beacon in a sea of dark SUVs. He was going to kill her.

Inside the club, he stood to the side of the entrance and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark interior. Music thumped from speakers surrounding the main floor of the big room. He didn’t even bother checking the dance floor. His wayward sub would be on the second floor where the play stations were located. When he reached the stairs, the club manager, Gabe, blocked his path.

“You’re looking a little pissed tonight, Daegan. What’s going on?”

“Let me pass. I’m looking for someone.”

Gabe shook his head. “Now that definitely doesn’t sound like a good idea until you calm down, my friend.”

“I’ll be perfectly fine just as soon as I find my sub.” He started to push his way up the stairs.

“Ahh. I’d heard you and Jennifer had come to an agreement. Although I have to admit it came as a total surprise. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more reluctant sub in my life.”

Daegan stopped and eyed Gabe warily. In the short time he’d known the man, he’d learned he had an uncanny ability to read people. “I don’t think you understand her. Sure she’s complicated, but underneath all her bluster she’s soft and far more fragile than anyone realizes.”

Gabe snorted. “I can’t say fragile is a word anyone’s used to describe her before.”

The implication that he’d discussed his sub with other Doms annoyed the hell out of him. Despite the anger, all of his protective instincts rode close to the surface, and it wouldn’t take much to provoke him. “Trust me, I know.”

The other man narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure about that? You seem like a good guy, but Jennifer has been a member here a lot longer than you have. If you aren’t willing to finish what you’ve started, then I think you should walk away now before it’s too late.”

The warning burned in Daegan’s mind. “I appreciate that your job is to protect the members here, but this time you’re wrong. I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Gabe studied him for a minute more before letting his guard down. He stepped to the side and swept his arm in the direction of the play area. “Then I suggest you check out the flogging station first.” With that, Gabe disappeared into the crowd and left him to stand and gape. With a last glance into the sea of people, Daegan pushed his way upstairs and into the overflowing play area. People were crammed into every available inch, making it difficult to see the flogging station. The sound of a whip cracking screamed through the air, accompanied by a few gasps and a delicious cry of agony when the leather tip hit flesh.

A few people glanced his way and immediately moved out of his path. When he got through enough of the crowd, what he found boiled his blood. Jennifer was being strapped to the St. Andrew’s cross by a dark-haired sub. The attendant at the station plucked a flogger from the wall and made his way toward his sub.

Mine.

“Touch that flogger to my sub’s skin and you’ll not be able to wield it again for a week,” Daegan growled in a low voice.

Several people behind him sucked in sharp breaths, and the area around him turned quiet and still except for the music coming from downstairs. Even with clothes covering her body, Daegan saw Jennifer’s back go ramrod stiff when she heard his voice. ‘That’s right, love. Busted.”

The man glared at him for a few seconds before he took a step back. He twisted the implement in his hand and offered Daegan the flogger. A dungeon master pushed through the crowd. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“I need some scissors,” Daegan said.

The DM ignored him and repeated his question to the attendant.

“He claims this is his sub, and I’m guessing by the look on his face she didn’t get his permission to do this.”

The man walked to Jennifer’s side “Is this true?”

A few seconds ticked by before she nodded her head. The tension among the crowd grew palpable. She’d just damned herself to a very painful or public punishment.

The DM approached him. “Do you want me to bring the punishment box?”

“Not yet. I need a pair of scissors or a knife,” he repeated. “After, you can bring the box.”

The DM’s eyes grew wide. “As you wish, Sir.”

Everyone stayed rooted in place until one of the young women from up front arrived with a pair of scissors. The DM placed them in his hand. “You do remember the rules of the club, right? No blood.”

Daegan nodded and took the offering. He stalked toward Jennifer until he was close enough to touch. He wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and bent toward her ear. “Have you ever heard the saying be careful what you wish for?”

She nodded.

He opened the scissors and sliced one side of her top open. The crowd behind him gasped. Oh they had no idea. She’d triggered the sadist inside, and he had every intention of making her beg for everything tonight. He continued to cut away her clothes until she lay against the cross—naked and exposed. She’d uttered not a single word of protest, and he’d lay money on how aroused she’d become.

“Do you remember your safe word, Jennifer?”

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered on a shaky breath.

“Good. You might need it.”

For more snippetty goodness be sure to follow the trail:

Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
Shelli Stevens
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels

I’m very often a smart ass in real life and that certainly comes through in many of my heroines. So today there is no shortage of books to choose from, it’s just a matter of which sassy character do I feature.

For today I’ve chosen an excerpt from Malcolm. There is sarcasm, resentment, physical violence and a whole lot of lust. The perfect combination.

Excerpt:

attention before you did anything stupid. I’m not here because I missed you. There is an actual purpose to this little surprise reunion.”

Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Leah Braemel
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels
Zoë Archer

Whipped is the third book in my Purgatory series and is the only book I’ve written solely from the male point of view. Walker is sexy as hell and he finds more than he expected in Cass.

While you enjoy this snippet, I’ll be running from Zombies today as part of the Runforyourlives.com Zombie infested 5k obstacle course. lol It’s been storming so it’s going to be a good old fashioned muddy, bloody mess. You can check me out on facebook or twitter if you’d like to see pics as the day progresses.

Enjoy this scene from Whipped.

Excerpt:

Enjoy this snippet from Burned:

Zane opened the door with a scowl on his face. “You’re la—.”

“I’m sorry. I lost track of time in the investigation, and when I noticed that the sun was going down I lost my balance and I fell and now I’m a crazy mess and I wanted to go home and clean up, but I didn’t want to leave you hanging any longer. Really, I’m so sorry. I thought about dinner all day long and have been looking forward to talking to you.” She heaved a sigh.

A wide smile spread across his face. “Are you done?”

Before she could answer, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

“No. I’m fil—”

“Stop talking, Ruby.”

In an instant, his command caused some of the stress she’d been suffering to drift away. She sagged against him.

“I have the perfect solution. Come with me.”

For once in her life she didn’t argue. She let Zane lead her into his bedroom where her attention was drawn to the bed they’d occupied together less than twelve hours before. She choked back a whimper as they walked past it and into the master bathroom.

“I think you’re going to like this.”

He sat her on the edge of the giant tub dominating the room, turned on the water and then went to a panel in the wall. He pressed a button and fire erupted in the middle of the wall separating the bathroom from the bedroom.

“Whoa. I didn’t even realize that was a fireplace.”

“Uh huh. Somehow I knew you would appreciate that,” Zane said as he quickly removed her disgusting clothes.

“C’mon, climb on in.” Zane stripped and stepped in behind her. He maneuvered her around until her back rested to his front.

“Why are you being so nice to me? I showed up late and probably tracked dirt all through your condo. Is this all part of the submission game you want me to play?”

An arm tightened around her waist. “No, Ruby it’s not a game. Is it so surprising that it pleases me to care for you?” He pressed his lips to her nape. “This is just life.”

“What does that mean? I thought we were just having dinner but this feels like more than that. But how can so much change in just twenty-four hours? That’s crazy, right?”

“I’ve been waiting a while for you so it’s been agonizingly slow for me. You were right when you said I wanted a submissive.”

“I knew this was too good to be true. I’m going to go now.” She tugged, but his embrace didn’t give. Tears sprang to her eyes. Sitting naked in the tub with the man she craved left her too bare—vulnerable.

“You didn’t let me finish. I want a submissive who will submit to me sexually like you did last night.”

Last night had been incredible for her. “Not all the time?”

“I’ll probably be a tad overprotective at times. It’s the nature of the beast.”

Ruby smirked. “In case you haven’t noticed. I can hold my own when I need to.”

“Bring it on, babe. I relish the challenge.”

No I don’t want this. She could see herself falling in love with him and then where would she be? Way too risky.

“You’re incorrigible. And just looking for a reason to do something crazy like spank me.”

For a moment his lips brushed over her ear. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

End of excerpt tease.

For more snippetty goodness be sure to follow the trail:

Rhian Cahill
Anne Rainey
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Alison Kent
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Zoë Archer
Lacey Savage
Leah Braemel

Frost Bitten is my latest shapeshifter book and features two hot cougar shifter heroes and one spunky jaguar shifter heroine. Here’s a taste:

Excerpt:

Daisy shuddered in front of the roaring fire with her hands held in front of her, desperately trying to get warm. Her idea to escape to the mountains for a little peace and quiet had turned into a case of insanity in the making. Never in her life had she seen this much snow and the radio forecasted for another heavy snowfall overnight thanks to the front moving right over this mountain.

Not that a little cold weather would necessarily kill her but it made her teeth chatter and did nothing to assuage the agony of her sexual cycle. She pressed a hand to her abdomen and willed the cramping to go away.

Why had no one warned her how bad this would get if she refused help? Because you live and work with men, stupid.

There was that. A poacher in the midst of the Everglades had killed her mother when Daisy was still a cub. Fortunately the game warden had discovered her after only a few days and he’d scooped her out of the water and brought her to a new family. People like her. They’d taught her how to live as a shifter and loved her like their own.

The next twenty years had gone by in a blur and she’d taken over a different game warden position about five years ago. Not that it had been an easy transition. She’d literally fought for it—tooth and claw. She loved her brothers, but their ideas about her future were antiquated beyond belief. Overcoming their objections had not been easy. Fortunately, for her, the men of her kind always underestimated her because she was so small. Daisy smiled. They never saw the ambush coming—ever.

Another chill swept over her. She rubbed her hands together frantically to generate friction. No, she was not used to this kind of bone deep cold. The backwoods of coastal South Carolina, where she now resided, were nothing like this.

After several minutes of trying everything save for dousing her head in the flames, her head popped up and her nose flared. The scent outside changed.

Intruders.

She dropped the blanket and ran for her gear. She could certainly smell them now. Whoever they were they were not trying to hide. She shoved her feet in her boots and donned the rest of her newly purchased winter wear. She wasn’t about to sit here and wait to be hunted. She was jaguar for Christ’s sake. If anyone would be hunting around here it would be her.

Fortunately, she’d already scoped out the entire property around the small cabin. She’d been assured by the rental agency that she would be completely isolated with many miles between her and the nearest humans. Exactly how she wanted it.

Daisy’s gaze swept around the room one last time, accounting for any potential outcome. While it had gone dark outside she’d not needed to bother with the lights. The glow from the fireplace provided more than enough illumination for her exceptional eyesight.

Daisy eased the back door open and slipped outside and into the cover of the brush surrounding the back deck and far edge of the property. Now the scents of the intruders hit her full on. Male both of them and if she had her scent right, and she usually did, they were cougar shifters.

She’d been informed of the territorial nature of the shifter clans in the area so she’d made sure to steer clear of what could be considered their land. Now they were at her back door and certain to have scented her by now as well.

Shit. Fuck. Damn.

This was about to get complicated. For a few seconds she considered shifting and going on the attack. They outnumbered her but she had confidence that in a fair fight she could likely take them both. Except…

She pressed her hand to her stomach and prayed for some divine intervention. The minute they scented her heat the frenzy would begin. She hung her head and dug deep for a shred of control. She wasn’t the animal, she could control this. She repeated it over and over. Willing it to be true.

A gust of wind blew snow in her face, freezing on impact with her skin.

Yeah this cold weather snow crap can bite me.

The two men grew close enough for her to hear voices but not yet make out the words. Whatever their plans, they obviously were not trying to sneak up on her. Idiots. If she were the stalker and they the prey, they’d practically rolled out the welcome mat. Their skulls would be crushed in minutes.

She crouched low and leaned against a tree. The sturdy trunk would give her the leverage to jump when and if she needed to. An owl hooted in the distance. She had no idea what time it was, considering the position of the moon was shrouded by the storm. Any minute now, the cougars would emerge from the tree line and she’d have to do something drastic to stop them from getting too close.

Daisy inhaled deeply and counted to five before she slowly exhaled. Being in heat heightened her senses and emotions, especially fear. The last thing she needed to do was overact and land herself in hot water with the locals.

“You coming Seth?”

The deep voice of the first to step into the clearing carried easily to her ears. She tensed, waiting for him to hit her line of sight.

“Don’t be an ass, Trent. I had to stop and examine those claw marks. Did you notice the perimeter is freshly marked?”

Yeah they knew what they were walking into. Who would blame her for protecting herself?

When she spotted the first one her breath caught in her throat. Damn, he’s big…

Easily over six feet, his shoulders reminded her of a linebacker they were so wide. Like her he was covered head to toe in winter gear.

“We were right about the smoke. Plenty of smoke coming out of that chimney.”

The rumble of his voice slid over her like butter on a warm pancake. Mmm. She really loved pancakes. Her stomach rumbled at the thought. She hadn’t eaten much on the trip and since she’d hit the mountain she’d been obsessed with the cold that wouldn’t ease up.

The second man emerged from the trees carrying just as much gear. He matched the first in height although his shoulders were a fraction leaner. She swallowed thickly. Taking them both down would be a hell of a challenge. For a brief second she considered other options but she wasn’t much of a sweet talker and running wasn’t going to happen.

One hundred yards and they’d be on top of where she hid in the brush. Just a few more seconds.

The first man halted and sniffed the air. “Is that what I think it is?”

The second man stopped next to the other and they both sniffed at the air like a couple of fucking bloodhounds.

“Oh man.”

End of Excerpt

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Rhian Cahill
Anne Rainey
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Alison Kent
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels
Shelli Stevens
Zoë Archer

I have a lot of books set in Charlotte, near where I currently live, and it does get pretty darn hot although I don’t focus much on that in my stories. Then there are the shifter stories all set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains. While they get their fair share of heat I never really think of them as a warm place because the mountains are where we southerners like to go to escape the heat.

Then there are the magick books and two of those are set in New Orleans. Aha! Very warm place. And even better I have a swamp scene or two. I actually thought of Florida a lot when I wrote those scenes because my tomboy self spent many a summer in the swamps, on a boat, avoiding gators as much as possible and drinking all the sweet tea I could to cool down. So now that I’ve rambled on I give you an excerpt from the final book in the Pentacles of Magick series, Magick Provoked.

Excerpt:

“Where are we?”

“The middle of nowhere. Which is exactly where we need to be.”

Her stomach sank. “We’re staying here?” He must have read the sheer horror of that in her face because he laughed. Not a quick snort or momentary chuckle. He outright started to laugh his ass off as he opened his door and got out. She opened her own door and joined him in front of the truck.

“What’s wrong, Jessie, you aren’t impressed with my place?”

“You live here?”

“Sometimes. Stay here for a second, I’ve got to get the truck stashed.”

As Noah jumped back in his truck and headed around the bend in the road, she stood and took in the rundown fishing shack and the dirty swamp on which it sat. The damn thing was actually on stilts in the water and looked like it would crumble any second. One good wind and the place was toast. Dear Lord, there has to be a better place to hide than here.

Ignoring his request to stay put, Jessie walked toward the small dock that wrapped around the side of the building and set her bag down on the dirt in front of it. No point in getting her things wet if the dock didn’t hold up under her weight. She placed her shoe on the wood and gave it a little shove to see what happened. Nothing did. Maybe it would turn out sturdier than it looked after all.

With a deep breath and a what-the-hell shrug, she walked toward the water. The wood creaked underneath her feet, but held strong and steady with no swaying, always a good sign. A smile curved at the edges of her mouth, releasing some of the tension she’d held. She could do this, she was certain. Hell, whatever it took not to end up back in that dungeon cell or in the sacrificial ceremony she’d been heading to was fine by her.

Halfway down the length of the dock, she could see a boat sitting at the end just behind the miserable outhouse. At least, that’s what she would call it because even shack was too good a name for this crumbling building. She wondered if Noah had a tent she could use, ‘cause right now that sounded more secure than his oddball shack.

She turned her attention away from the building and back to the boat. Not just any boat, though. She was looking at an airboat, the airplane engine on the back side was a dead giveaway. Not that it surprised her to find one here. They were fast and the vehicle of choice for swamplands in the bayous known for their harsh terrain of either shallow water, dry land, or tall reeds. Her daddy had always told her there weren’t too many places an airboat couldn’t go.

Fingers touched lightly on her shoulders, sliding underneath her hair to her neck. Her stomach jolted in surprise, a reaction she barely kept contained. With the initial contact of Noah’s heated skin against her flesh, her body buzzed with the familiar connection. Desire curled in her belly, spreading to her pussy and breasts, readying her body for hot, sweaty sex with the one man she wanted more than anything else. Talk about bad timing.

“Ready to go for a ride?” His breath tickled the shell of her ear and she let her head fall back against the hard wall of his chest. She imagined him lying naked and hard in the hot sunshine as she straddled his body, lowering herself until his entire length was sheathed deep inside her. Liquid trickled between her thighs at the image of their sweat slickened bodies taking what they needed from each other. Sex with Noah always changed everything.

Denying the tension between them was hard enough, but she was already tired of fighting her attraction to him. Her body needed and he had the cure. Unfortunately her tender heart and will to survive always got in the way.

He lifted her hair, baring her neck where he rained kisses and small bites all along the skin. For every sharp bite he followed with a swipe of his tongue until she moaned from the painful pleasure of it. His free hand slid under the hem of her shirt and traveled upwards toward her bare breasts. The magick emanating from his hand permeated through her skin, heating her from the inside out. She sucked in a shocked breath. Too hot. Can’t resist. Her nipples tingled, clit pulsed, and her heart raced. The darkness that was the very essence of Noah turned her on and made her hot. More. More.

The magick flooded her body, filling the emptiness Scott’s damage had left behind. When the scar on her shoulder began to heat and burn, fear rose up thick and dark, forcing her to…

“No!” She pushed away from Noah, afraid of what she’d do to the both of them if her beast still lurked inside. A lot of rage and hatred now lingered there, waiting to be unleashed, and she had no idea what would happen when or if it broke free.

She couldn’t turn and look at him. She was afraid of the recrimination she would see. She gulped in the sticky, humid air, desperate to get her body back under her own control. Giving in to Noah was no longer an option. She started to walk off until he stopped her by grabbing her arm.

“You can’t run from me this time. I’ll give you some more time considering your ordeal, but Jessie…”

She looked into his determined gaze.

“No more running. Now get in the boat.”

“The—the boat?” she stuttered.

“Yeah, you didn’t think we were going to stay here, did you?”

For more great Snippetty goodness be sure to follow the trail:

Rhian Cahill
Anne Rainey
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Alison Kent
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Lacey Savage
Leah Braemel
Selena Robins
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels

For this week I chose to focus on Burned because it’s officially re-releasing on Tuesday. Woohoo! (yes, I can hear all of you going “finally”)

Each Purgatory story focuses on a different fetish and Burned is all about Fire Play. I’ve heard many people call that odd. Me not so much but I’m weird like that. I’ve been to a few fire shows and observed some BDSM fire play on more than one occasion and I find it hypnotically fascinating.

I’ll let you be the judge.

Excerpt:

She peered into the crowd amidst the haze of fake smoke and the neon lights coming from the performance stage seeing nothing but a sea of faces she didn’t recognize scattered among some of the regulars. The crowd had surpassed Gabe’s expectations, and she’d been running ragged all night long. Every hour a new group had come on stage and she’d held her breath, hoping not to see Zane.

Now the crowd at the bar had thinned to almost nothing, which meant only one thing. The main act was about to start, and she had an unobstructed view of the stage. Just great.

She busied herself with gathering the empties and either throwing the bottles in the recycling bin or stacking the glasses on the trays she’d arranged in the corner. With any luck she wouldn’t even notice the show. Yet the moment the first streaks of fire lit up the darkened club Ruby turned, unable to stop, and stared. She was doomed.

The girls were first, and she reveled in the familiar glow and imagined the heat streaking across her arms every time one of them stroked her skin with a firestaff. Chills raced up and down Ruby’s spine and her hands shook with rising need.

Who was she kidding? She couldn’t not watch. She made a beeline to the other bartender to tell him she was taking a break.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. You want to watch the show.” He grinned. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand your fascination with fire.”

Ruby shrugged. He wasn’t the first person to say that. “I’ve always loved it. The heat…the beauty. It’s mesmerizing.”

“Uh huh. And painful.”

“Half the time I don’t even feel it that way. I focus on my breathing and the warmth. All it takes is the right person wielding it to make you soar.”

“I think I’ll take your word for it.” He waved her away with his hand and she moved towards the stairs. She didn’t have to worry about the crowd—they’d all moved front and center of the stage as she made her way through the staff area to the side. She’d be able to watch unseen from here and would have plenty of time to get away before anyone spotted her.

Another woman had joined in, this one a spinner using two implements lit on the ends. Neither of the women wore more than pasties over her nipples and the skimpiest of panties that hid very little. Not only did it draw the crowd, but it cut down on accidents happening if your clothes caught fire. Annoyed with herself, Ruby shook the thoughts of fire safety from her head and focused on the actual flames.

The heat only ran along arms and legs for a split second, but she moaned every time. It wasn’t hard to conjure the memory of the delicious warmth on her own skin as the fire caressed her body. How long had it been since she’d last played? Forget Doc, she’d definitely have to look up Gabe tonight and see if he was up to a nice long session after hours. She’d save the payback for setting her up for another night.

Zane walked onto the stage and yanked Ruby from her thoughts. His presence invaded her from head to toe. Her nipples tightened painfully and her sex squeezed sharply. She hadn’t exactly forgotten how breathtaking he was, but time had allowed her some distance. No longer.

Firelight gleamed across his shaven head and lit up the multitude of tattoos that emphasized his bare torso. Muscles bunched and flexed in rhythm with the music so she almost missed the glint across his pecs. Oh, wow, that was new. He’d added nipple rings since the last time she’d seen him. As if he needed anything else to make him hotter. She forcibly closed her gaping mouth. If she wasn’t careful she’d be drooling long before his show ended.

Not that she’d come to see the man.

He carried his personal firestaff and moved closer to the women, maneuvering the flames over and around their writhing bodies in an erotic dance. The fire from all the implements swirled and swayed until they blended and the eye could no longer tell where each one started or where they ended.

Before long her body thrummed and pulsed in sync with their movements, as she stood mesmerized. When the girls switched out their tools for the short fire breathing sticks, Ruby turned her focus to Zane and his performance. His movements seemed effortless, but she knew better. He kept his gaze on the fire at all times so he could study its patterns. He controlled it, dominated it every second.

As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she’d never seen a fire performer with his natural abilities. He probably understood fire even better than she did. Yet he’d taken the time to learn to wield it as if he’d been born to it. Gabe had a proficiency for fire play like nobody’s business, but his skill paled in comparison to the possessive style Zane exhibited. What would it be like to let him control both the fire and her pleasure? If only he didn’t want to force her submission…

I hope you’ve enjoyed this snippet and will follow the trail below for lots more from some incredible authors.

Megan Hart — Read in bed!
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Zoë Archer