SPOTLIGHT: First Contact

Posted on May 22, 2016 by JessicaS

As some of you now know (thank you for subscribing to my newsletter (http://eepurl.com/01Eef) ! Sign up today if you haven’t already!) I have decided to self-publish a couple of books. This isn’t something that I took too quickly, in fact it’s something I’ve agonized over for a while now.

As you all know I once wrote as Honor James. I was with another publisher and wrote a series called Knights of Ares. I loved these men and when I left the publisher I thought that I would lose them forever. I couldn’t do that however, but part of me needed a fresh start as well.

Knights Of Ares Symbol

So….

All six books of the Knights of Ares series have been re-written (I only saved the names of the men because they were so close to my heart) and I’m going to self-publish the series. I hadn’t intended on this series coming out yet – however I guess I uploaded it far too soon to the retailers and boom, here it is!

So, without further ado here is the first book of the series.

First Contact 1800x2700

Blurb

The Knights of Ares are a joint Navy SEAL and Army Ranger team that has been tasked with a new war. One that needs to be kept from being discovered, at all costs.

Mikhail “Wolf” Rossov and Gareth “Gunner” Gruffyd are part of the team that are fighting a war no one knows is happening. Out on the job, they end up saving a woman who turns out to be more than they could have believed.

Morgan Berry is a kindergarten teacher. The most dangerous part of her job is a wide spread flu epidemic in her class. Being a teacher is all she’s ever wanted, she never thought she’d soon be part of something bigger.

Kidnapped to become a pawn in a dangerous, violent game, Morgan has only one hope. For her men to come to her rescue, before it’s too late. She knows that they would walk through the fires of hell for her. But will they make it in time?

buy links

All Romance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-firstcontact-2036708-348.html

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FI4EG0W/

Amazon CA – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01FI4EG0W/

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FI4EG0W/

Barnes & Noble – *coming soon

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/635616

Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/first-contact-21

I really hope that you enjoy these books.

thank you

Avril Stepowski Who edited the book

Jess Buffett Who did the cover

Doris O’Connor and Kacey Hammell Who critiqued the book before I sent it for edits (thank you, Doris!)

Rhonda Butterball – Thank you for being you!

And last but most certainly NOT LEAST!!

Moira Callahan Who was there for me while I waffled on what I wanted to do with this series. Seriously, Moira, love ya lots lady and you are really my best friend and I’m so freaking grateful to have you in my life!

—

PS – this does NOT mean that I’m no longer writing for Evernight Publishing, I am. I have several books slated in the “coming soon” area of Evernight and I’m working on more for them. These six books however will be self-published.

***

Now, how about a couple of excerpts? Mmmm I love reading a little about the books, don’t you?

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general

Location: Classified…

It was good to be back on American soil. While he thought of himself as more Russian than American, America had been his home for all his life and would always be home.

Stepping out of the steam from the bathroom, he finished toweling off as he padded into the locker room. Nodding to his teammates who were scattered around in various states of undress, he grabbed up a pair of jeans and pulled them on.

Three weeks since their mission to extract the CIA operative from Greece without anyone, official or not, the wiser. While it hadn’t been smooth, they’d gotten in and out without alerting anyone that they’d ever been there. Bad guys notwithstanding of course.

Buttoning up his fly, Mik crammed his feet into a pair of boots. Grabbing his shirt, he hauled it on before dropping to sit on the bench to do up his boots.

They’d been in various meetings and sessions to debrief since they’d gotten out of Greece with the operative. All they knew about her was her code name for the op, Sugar. Not exactly fitting given the venom she’d directed their way the entire flight out of the country and then back to the States. But then again, she hadn’t looked all that happy before they’d met her so, really, who was he to judge.

What her mission had been in the country he couldn’t say. But since they were, currently, on friendly terms with Greece, who the fuck knew. Especially when it came to the spooks. Those guys just loved to root around in the darkest of corners looking for enemies and, if they couldn’t find one, making new ones.

Getting to his feet, he stomped them a little to settle the boots in place. Just as he grabbed his leather jacket, the door into the locker room crashed open and four MP’s came in.

“Sorry, sirs. The Admiral has requested your presence, immediately.”

Shooting his team mates a look Mik knew it wasn’t an actual “request.” No one, an Admiral especially, needed four heavily armed MP’s to pass on a “request”. No, it was an order that if not obeyed, he would bet the MPs had very specific and detailed instructions about what to do.

Shrugging into his jacket, he leaned against his locker as his cohorts got dressed. Not a one of them in any apparent rush. While the MPs had said immediately, and he was sure the Admiral had meant yesterday, they weren’t really going to just give in. That wasn’t how a one of them was made. He watched his fellow team members as they all seemed to gravitate into their duos, as usual. He wasn’t surprised when Gareth shot him a small crooked grin. The men weren’t couples, but they all worked together very well and at least where he and Gareth were concerned, shared women more often than not.

Rubbing a hand over his mouth, he hid his smirk as James “Fury” Ashton asked one of their team, Anton “Viper” Lueger, which shirt went with his eyes better. Always pushing the envelope that one. Catching the look on the MP’s faces and the way they were fiddling with their sidearms, he cleared his throat. Catching everyone’s attention he gave them a couple of signals out of sight of the MPs.

It got everyone moving faster. If a bunch of highly trained military cops were that twitchy, something big was going down. No need to provoke them more than absolutely necessary.

Leaving the locker room as a unit, they all shared a look. No one had a clue what was going on and not a one liked it. Especially since they’d all just been told they had three weeks leave. Which, in their minds, meant they got to leave, no questions asked. Not good.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes later Mikhail could not believe how fucking right he’d been. “Excuse me, sir. I mean zero disrespect, sir, but are you off your fucking rocker?” he asked.

His teammates all nodded. Yeah, every single one of them had been thinking it. He was just the craziest of the bunch to actually say it out loud. But it was part of his rep, and he so did love to live up to his rep.

“I wish,” the old man said. He rubbed a hand over his military regulation cut and looked at them all.

Mik couldn’t believe how old the Admiral looked right then. Sharing a worried look with Marius, he shook his head. “Sir, this is crazy. I might buy that Marius might believe in the Greek Gods, growing up as he had, but coming from you,” he shook his head again. “I’m sorry sir, but I’m not buying it.”

“You’d better,” a new voice said. One that was deep, bowels of hell deep, and sent a shiver down every man’s spine.

Spinning Mikhail stared up, yeah up, at seven and a half feet of solid muscle covered in leather. Holy shit, where the fuck had this guy come from?

“Olympus by way of Athens,” the large male said. He turned his blacker than night eyes to the Admiral. “Andrew, sorry I’m late. Had a small family matter to attend to.”

“No apologies needed, come on in and grab a seat. I think I’ll let you tell them the rest of this, as they don’t seem to be taking me seriously.”

The large man chuckled and, not kidding, Mikhail could have sworn the room actually pitched and rolled like the deck of a battleship on high seas.

“They are trained to believe what they can see, hear and touch, Andrew. Of course, they are not going to just take you at your word,” the male said. He walked around them all, he was light on his feet too, and took the seat that the Admiral had offered.

Shooting Marius a look, he saw the same WTF expression he was sure was on his face. The guy was on a first name basis with the Admiral and seemed to be buying into the same delusion, too. This would be interesting to hear.

“It’s not a delusion, Mikhail,” the guy said. “The Greek Gods are real, all of us.”

“So, we’re to believe you’re one?” Meirion “Saber” Jamison asked.

“Yes,” the male told them.

“Right,” Thomas “Brick” Gordon drawled out in his Southern manner. “Which one, just so we keep it all straight and shit?” he asked.

The Admiral looked like he was either going to shit himself or be sick. Not a look one expected of a career military man who’d been through more wars than most could lay claim to. And all on the front lines for the most part.

“Ares,” the male said.

“God of War,” Stefan “Orion” Patras said softly. “Son of Zeus and Hera.”

“Bingo,” the big male said. “Got it in one. Which, considering your heritage, I’d be truly miffed if you hadn’t.”

Shooting his Greek teammate a look, Mik shook his head. “Okay, I have a question, if we’re all going to play along with this delusion.”

“It’s no delusion and yes, the Gods are real.” Ares, or whoever the fuck he was, got up from his chair. He pushed it out of the way and settled with his feet spread so they were right under his shoulders.

A flash of light and they were staring at the guy in full battle regalia. As in, ancient armor with one hell of a big ass sword in hand, tip to the floor. Oddly enough, the guy even seemed bigger.

And he was walking straight toward Mik.

Standing his ground Mikhail notched his chin up to keep eye contact with the guy. Which was a lot harder than he’d thought now that they guys eyes were silver swirling pools, much like a whirlpool, trying to suck him in.

“Military men are always the hardest to convince,” the God, or whoever he was, said. Then he smiled, perfectly straight white teeth no less, and lifted a hand. “Let’s see if I can’t convince you, shall we?”

Mik would have protested, but he wasn’t quick enough. The Gods’ hand landed on his shoulder and suddenly he was being torn apart and then rebuilt molecule by molecule. He saw the beginning of the world, Zeus’s creation of man, the “birth” of the other Gods and times in history that even scientists and the best historians could only make educated guesses on. He saw battlefields where the God before him was in the thick, covered in blood and other bodily gore.

He watched as cities burned, crumbling into dust, and civilizations fell. He watched the march of the Roman empire across Europe and their eventual retreat. Cities rose, fell, changed, grew and then technology began to come into sight. Then they were back in the room, in the present and he was staring up into a pair of swirling silver eyes.

The hand on his shoulder squeezed before falling away. “Believe now?” the deep voice asked softly.

Stumbling back Mikhail groped for a chair and fell into one when it was close enough. Shivering he couldn’t tear his eyes off the guy. “What the fuck?” he asked.

Ares just nodded. “Good. Now we’re getting somewhere.” Another flash and he was back in his leather striding back to the head of the table to sit down once more. “Gentlemen, sit,” he told the rest of the team. “We have a lot to discuss and very little time.”

He could feel the worried eyes of his teammates on him, but he couldn’t say anything. His mind was still fighting to resolve all he’d just witnessed and make sense of it. And he was failing miserably.

SPOTLIGHT: Desire Protected

Posted on May 8, 2016 by JessicaS

Thank you for having me today. I’m so excited! Desire Protected is now FREE everywhere.

I’m in LOVE with my Assassins and Sweethearts and I’m working hard to bring you more in this series. Until then, I give you a romance that will rock your world. With Desire Protected, I explore a couple who has already fallen in love. They’ve already committed their lives to one another. BUT, that’s not where their story ends. Desire Protected explores what happens next. Nadia is in love with an assassin. It isn’t going to be easy.

Will love conquer all?

Will love protect?

Find out in this sexy suspenseful NEW FREE Read.

Amazon | Evernight | Barnes & Noble

Bookstrand | All Romance Ebooks

Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords

Desire Protected

Assassins and Sweethearts Series

by: S.J. Maylee

Contemporary Erotic Romantic Suspense

FREE READ!!

Book Description:

Nadia Duskin has already found her hero and she’s determined not to lose him…

Ethan Wright has just been handed one of the most disturbing jobs of his career, killing a vicious madam who’s tricking her employees and selling them to human traffickers. He’s determined to take the woman out, and all is going according to plan, until Nadia shows up and everything veers off course. Now he must find a way to complete his mission and save the woman he loves.

Be Warned: light BDSM and spanking

Desire Protected Teaser 2

Early praise for

Desire Protected:

5 stars from Liz’s Reading Life: Desire Protected is a quick, sensual, heart pounding read that will have you desiring more.

5 stars from a reader, Tracy W: Another well done story from an author I come back to again and again.

5 stars from a reader, Doris O: Suspense, heat, and above all love. Read it, you won’t be disappointed.

Excerpt:

Coming here had been stupid. If she left quickly, Ethan would never know she’d been there.

A step inside and she knew she’d made the wrong decision.

Ethan stood and came at her. “What are you doing here?”

“Ah.” She pushed the door closed behind her and stayed put. “I’m ah…”

“How did you get in here?”

“I took a cab. You’re busy. I’ll just get back in a cab and go home.” She turned around.

He stepped in behind her and placed his hand on the door above her head. “Don’t make another move.” He kicked her feet apart and pressed his body to hers.

She stared at the door. An ache rushed from her chest to the back of her throat, and then she heard a tiny little click.

He pulled her hair back and brought his lips to her ear. “They can still see us but our voices are blocked for thirty seconds.”

She had no idea what to say to him. Many times they discussed how dangerous it would be for her to get caught up in his business. “I’m sorry.” What a pathetic thing to say. She knew better.

“You followed me here?”

“I did.” Her stupid jealousy had gotten her here. She felt like a child. Maybe she should be punished like one. She tapped her head on the door.

“We’ll have a long talk about this when we get home.”

“I understand, Sir.” Her voice came out crackly.

“How did you find my room?”

“I may have told this second blonde woman I just started working here.” She wanted to crawl under the table.

“You did what?” His tone had gotten awfully low. “What do you mean second blonde?”

“Shit.” She tapped her head on the door again. Then she remembered the cameras. “I’m supposed to be in here making you happy.”

“You’ve failed.”

“Hey!” She turned around and he plastered himself to her.

“You have no idea the kind of danger you’re in this very minute.”

“From you? Yeah, I have an idea.”

“I’m the least of your worries. I’m working tonight.”

She sucked in a deep breath. Her heartbeat raced. “I’m so sorry.” Not only had she betrayed her promise to Ethan, but she’d put both their lives in danger.

He put his hand around her throat and squeezed. “Shhh.” He stroked along the back of her neck. His touch may have been gentle but his palm pushed her head back, bringing her gaze to his. “Follow my lead and I’ll get you out of here, but first I will make good use of our time.” His beautiful hazel eyes turned dark as night.

“Okay.” She trusted him and believed with her whole heart he’d get her out of this situation. A tiny click signaled the end to their privacy.

“Are you sure about that?” He hauled her back to the couch where he’d been sitting and pulled her over his lap.

“What are you doing?” She kicked her legs.

“You need to make me happy, wouldn’t want you getting fired on your first day.” He flipped up her skirt and yanked down her panties.

Ethan2.2

Praise for the first book in the Assassins and Sweethearts Series

Desire Unexpected:

5 stars from Cocktails and Books: “Their love for each other was very fierce, and when they began to have sex, it goes completely off the charts. Their love scenes were intense and oh, so hot! They had feeling of a kind of desperation to them. They’ve found what they were looking for in each other, and they’re clinging to it with everything they had.”

4 Hearts from Sizzling Hot Reads: “It had the hot steamy sex scenes but also the mystery behind the group Ethan belonged too. I look forward to more from the Assassins and Sweethearts series.”

4 stars from Redz World Reviews: “over all this is a great start to what promises to be a good series”

AandS book 1 and 2

S.J. MAYLEE BIO:

S.J. Maylee fell in love with storytelling at a young age and with it came a deep-seated desire for everyone to find their happily ever after. She’s finding the happy endings for her characters one steamy story at a time.

When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her caring for her garden, laughing with her two young sons, or dancing to her husband’s music. She’s a PMP (Project Management Professional), Nia instructor, and coffee addict.

As a writer she has a tendency to break hearts, but she always glues them back together.

New Release Newsletter

WHERE YOU CAN FIND BOOKS BY S.J. MAYLEE:

Evernight Publishing | Amazon US CA UK| Barnes & Noble | Nook UK

All Romance eBooks | BookStrand | Smashwords | iTunes

SPOTLIGHT: Late Shift

Posted on April 21, 2016 by JessicaS

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Essentials

Title: Late Shift

Author: Alexa Sinclaire

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Release Date: April 19th, 2016

Genre: M/F Erotic Romance Novella

Blurb

She knew his name. He was always on the late shift at the construction site she walked past every night on the way home from work. Beyond that, he was a mystery. None of that stopped her from inviting him up to her apartment every night and letting him give her the best orgasms she’d ever had. She couldn’t trust herself to give him anything else. And he never asked for more.

He knew it wasn’t right—night after night he walked her home during his break and she always let him have her, anyway he wanted. She never said no, never turned him away, and she brought him apple pie to top it all off. He knew she deserved more but he wasn’t sure he could give it to her.

When disaster hits, can they confess that they both wanted more?

Purchase Links

Evernight Publishing: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/late-shift-by-alexa-sinclaire/

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lateshift-2024071-149.html

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/late-shift-mf

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Late-Shift-Romance-Alexa-Sinclaire-ebook/dp/B01EGG3R6C/

Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Late-Shift-Romance-Alexa-Sinclaire-ebook/dp/B01EGG3R6C/

Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Late-Shift-Romance-Alexa-Sinclaire-ebook/dp/B01EGG3R6C/

Excerpt

“So tell me, Tilda, do you often invite men you meet on the street up to your apartment for hot cocoa?” His voice was deep and as he drew out ‘hot cocoa’, she realized how suggestive her invitation must have sounded.

“Oh my God, no, never. Of course not. That’s just stupid. And dangerous. And irresponsible. And stupid. I said that already.” Shit, she was rambling.

Ryan tilted his head to the side, observing her, and she bit her lip to stop herself from spitting out some other moronic reason as to why she shouldn’t invite strangers into her apartment.

“But you invited me up here. And you didn’t even know my name. I could do anything to you. No one even knows I’m here. No one saw us go inside together. You’re a tiny little thing and I could do whatever I wanted.”

He lowered the hot cocoa to the counter behind him and took hers from her hands. Tilda tried not to tremble as his fingers brushed against hers. He was right. Under normal circumstances, she would never bring a strange man up to her apartment, especially in the middle of the night. She wouldn’t have even let him walk her home.

But how she was responding to Ryan was not normal. None of this was normal.

“Don’t you want your hot cocoa?” Her own voice had become husky, and she hated how aroused she sounded.

“I think you know exactly what I want, but first you need to answer me.”

“I didn’t realize you asked me a question.” He smirked and she had to stop herself from reaching out and touching the dimple in his cheek. Shaved head and tattooed paired with a dimple? God, he was lethal combination.

“Why did you invite me up if you know how dangerous it is?”

“Because I know you won’t hurt me.” It sounded so stupid, so ridiculously stupid, but it was the truth. She was drawn to him and she knew by the way he couldn’t stop staring at her that he felt it. “You had plenty of opportunity to drag me into a dark alley on the way here if you wanted to hurt me, and you didn’t.”

He ran his knuckles down her cheek before cupping her face with his large hand. She leaned into it without noticing. He felt so good, so strong, and she would be lying if she said she didn’t crave his touch elsewhere on her body.

Social Media & Contact

Email: alexasinclairewrites@gmail.com

Website: http://www.alexasinclaireauthor.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexaSinclaire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010325858012

Tumblr: http://alexasinclaire.tumblr.com/

About Alexa Sinclaire

Alexa Sinclaire writes erotic romance: the hotter the better. Originally from the East Coast, she now lives in England with her very own Alpha male British husband.

Late-Shift-EvernightPublishing-JayAheer2016-evernightbanner

SPOTLIGHT: Protected

Posted on March 20, 2016 by JessicaS

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Protected, Warriors of the Light 3

Written by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover and artwork by Jay Aheer with Simply Defined Art

Purchase Links

Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand | Evernight Publishing

About the book

~Editor’s Pick~

epeditorsesal1s

For the first time in her life, Vivian Duffy is pushing herself to the limits of her abilities. With people dying in her city she seems to be the only one willing to dig for the answers when the evidence isn’t making any sense. But when her sister fits the profile of the killer’s victims, Viv knows she may need to make some hard choices.

Jason has walked the Earth for more years than he cares to remember. Always with the singular goal of ensuring the safety of all the humans around him. Meeting the woman who was meant to be his was never even a consideration for him, not until Vivian crosses paths with him at the scene of a murder.

The danger is growing around them, and with the fate of his woman on the line this Argonaut will do whatever is needed to keep her protected.

This is a previously published work. It has been revised and edited for Evernight Publishing

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Excerpt – G Rated –

Dropping his carry-on at his feet, Jason stretched his arms over his head. The flight into Seattle had been damn long. They’d had to make an impromptu landing when one of the passengers had gotten out of hand. Then there was a wait while the local police had pried him and his pissed off wife from the plane.

There’d been further delay when a storm had blown in, leaving them sitting on a runway for another three hours. Finally, they’d made it into the air during a break in the squall and were back on their way.

It had been a very long day in the air and on the ground. He was where he needed to be, though. Now all he had to do was find James so they could get their behinds moving. Which, knowing the cowboy as he did, the other man would likely be in the nearest bar. Grabbing his bag, he scoped out the area and spotted the one that would call to the Wild West gunman.

Too easy. Rolling his eyes, Jason slung the duffel over his shoulder and made his way to the tavern. Inside, he spotted James easily. The man was holding court with a gaggle of women, who were all drooling over his authentic accent. Why Mercury had thought putting the two of them together on a mission was a good idea, he’d never figure out.

Reaching the table, he dropped his luggage again. “James.”

“Jason!” James popped to his feet and came around to hug Jason, pounding his back. “Good of you to join us. Ladies, this is Jason. Jase, these are the ladies. They’ve been keeping me company while I waited for your flight. I heard ya’ll had a bit of trouble, got stuck through a bit of a storm. Bad luck, that.”

“Yeah, to say the least.” Jason gave a slight bow to the women. “Which means we really should get going, James. We have a job to do, and I’m sure you’ve had more than your fair share of drinking already today.”

“Right, true enough,” James said with a nod. “Sorry, ladies, but the man has a point. So, if ya’ll want to give me your numbers, I’ll call each and every one of ya’ll as soon as I can.” He leaned over and grinned at a blonde. “Especially you, sugar.” He handed off his phone and collected from all six.

When he had gotten his cell back, plus a few kisses, they paid his tab and went to collect the rental car. Passing James the folder from Mercury, Jason settled behind the wheel and got them moving.

“Shit, this here’s rather thin,” James said.

“I know. There’s not a lot to go on. A few really old cases that may or may not be related, and then the two newest ones. I don’t have a clue if this is anything more than a wild goose chase.”

“Damn,” James breathed. “Well, I guess all we can really do is check them out and see if it was human killings, or if it was more. Really wish these assholes would leave us calling cards. Be so much easier in the long run.”

“Yeah, just what we need. The evil ones leaving calling cards at their murders. Then we’d have the feds on each of the cases, looking for a serial killer that apparently hops from one end of the country to the other and back again. Somehow, I don’t see that as something that would work out well for us.”

“No, I guess not,” James muttered. “So, which one do we want to look at first?”

“Given where we are, we’ll look at the scene that was out north of Jefferson Park Golf Club. It’s the closest,” Jason answered. “After that, we’ll head to the one that happened in the Lower Queen Anne district. I doubt there will be much left after all this time, but you never know.” They could get lucky, though he didn’t hold out much hope for that. It hadn’t done him a lot of good over the years.

Twenty minutes later, they were studying the scene a block north and slightly east of the golf club. As he’d surmised, there wasn’t a lot left beyond some scraggly pieces of police tape and stains on the concrete.

But Jason wasn’t really interested in the scene itself. It was what was around that counted. Moving to where the body had been found, he turned his back. He wanted to know what the victim, a young woman by the name of Katy, had seen in her last moments.

It wasn’t a horrible area, not by a long shot. A little wear and tear, but nothing that jumped out and screamed “worst neighborhood on the planet.” There was some graffiti, but again, nothing that stated they were in gang territory, or a place most folks wouldn’t enter in the middle of the afternoon, let alone after dark.

For all intents and purposes, it was an average area, in an average American city, with nothing to make it stand out. Except for one thing. “We need to get Helen to pull the video feed from the night of the murder.”

“Wouldn’t the police have done that already?” James asked him.

“Possibly, likely even,” Jason said. “They’re not us, though, and they may not see what we will. Most humans don’t want to acknowledge the strange and unusual. Their minds automatically cover it up, and they play it off as a trick of the light, a shadow, or something else that allows them to sleep at night.”

“Good point.” His partner nodded. “Well, we might as well head to the next scene. Maybe there will be video around there, too.”

Jason was hoping so on the drive into Lower Queen Anne. They needed a break on the case, if there really was one. Reaching the corner of West Republican Street and Second Avenue, they found a parking spot. Jason climbed out of the SUV and looked around. Apparently, luck was on their side this time. “We have cameras,” he announced.

James nodded. “So I see. I’ll call Helen and get her to do her thing. Be nice to know if we’re just dealing with a regular old killer or a monster. Not that a regular killer is all that great, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the alternative.”

While James made the call back to the Mountain, Jason headed for the alley between buildings, where the murder had occurred. Ten feet in, he stopped. The police tape that remained was in slightly better condition than at the last spot. Turning, he gazed up at the buildings on each side.

A lot of windows, but given what was in each building and the time of night the young man, Vern, had been killed, there wouldn’t have been witnesses. Unfortunately, he didn’t think the video would be all that helpful, either, given where the cameras were located.

Walking back out to the street, he headed for the truck and James. The cowboy was off the phone and lounging back against the bumper, checking out women as they went past.

“Tell me you’re not checking out women on the street?”

“All right, I’ll tell you I’m not checking out women on the street,” James answered. “Even though they are damn fine.” He nodded to another one, receiving a smile in return.

“Anyone ever mention you are—what is that quaint saying? Ah yes … you are a dog,” Jason said.

“Woof.” James grinned at him. “We done here?”

“Yes, there’s nothing to see. We’ll need to hope we get some video. Did you contact Helen?”

“She’ll be pulling it as soon as she can. She said she had to find it first but will call as soon as she has something for us.”

“Good,” Jason said. “We might as well go to our hotel. I doubt we’ll get anything from her today, and I’m starving. They didn’t even have those little pouches of peanuts on the flight.”

“That’s because everyone’s all paranoid by the rise in allergies. They ditched the peanuts off flights, banned peanut butter from schools, and are coddling everyone. Too many people have turned into pansies. It’s deplorable,” James muttered with a sneer.

Jason wasn’t about to argue with him. Climbing into the truck, he put it in gear and got them moving toward their hotel. Food, a shower, and then sleep. In that order.

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GIVEAWAY!

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Double ‪#‎ReleaseDay‬ ‪#‎Giveaway‬ from April Zyon and Sydney Lea!

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/51a2233fbbee66cc

AND

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SPOTLIGHT: Hiding in Plain Sight

Posted on February 15, 2016 by JessicaS

Hiding-in-Plain-Sight-evernightpublishing-jayAheer2016-smallpreview

BUY LINKS

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Plain-Sight-Hidden-Dangers-ebook/dp/B01BKVFFF2/

Evernight Publishing

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/hiding-in-plain-sight-by-angela-evans/

All Romance eBooks

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hidinginplainsight-1983704-149.html

Bookstrand

http://www.bookstrand.com/hiding-in-plain-sight-mf

BLURB

Kierra Centerand was once vivacious and outgoing, but that all changed the night her stepfather killed her family in an explosion that authorities wrote off as an accident. Now, ten years later, Kierra has returned to the small town of Briarview to find answers, confront her demons, and see if she can finally move on with her life. Not much has changed, Briarview is still the quaint, charming, small town Kierra left behind. Only now her high school boyfriend, Bryan, is the sheriff, and her stepfather is somewhere in the town, hiding in plain sight.

When Bryan Donaldson sees Kierra again for the first time, he is surprised—she’s no longer the fun blonde he remembers, but rather she’s shy, prone to panic attacks, and hiding from the world. When Kierra’s stepfather starts making threats, Bryan is determined to keep her safe in his arms, and in his bed, for life.

EXCERPT

Kierra’s chest suddenly felt too tight to take a breath. She desperately wanted to tell him to stop talking, to run away. She wished she had never come to town, and that she was anywhere but here listening to Bryan’s calm, soothing voice.

“I can also tell you the thing that’s going to be the hardest to hear. The explosion was ruled an accident. It appears that they only did a cursory investigation, but there was no reason to suspect foul play. It was ruled an accidental gas leak. Most importantly, in that investigation they didn’t find a fourth body in the house. The only victims of that explosion were your grandparents, and your mother.”

Somewhere in the distance a bird chirped and parents cheered at the Peewee football game. Kierra heard it all as though it were a million miles away. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think.

Her stepfather was alive somewhere.

No one believed her ten years ago, no one was going to believe her now, but she knew for certain that somehow he was responsible for the explosion that killed her family.

And he was still out there somewhere.

PRAISE FOR HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

“…breathtaking romantic suspense!” —Roxanne St. Claire, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author

Shadowhunters on FreeForm

Posted on January 20, 2016 by JessicaS

I admit, I went and saw Mortal Instruments at the theater when it came out, and then I was bummed when a second movie wasn’t forthcoming. So when I heard it was being made into a television show, I decided to give it a chance. Now the downside is that they’ve started over with book one. The movie, in my opinion, was much better. That being said, I’m enjoying the show and will probably continue to watch it, but I’m not hooked to the point I’ll be upset if I miss an episode or two.

I did read all of the books but the last one before I went to see the movie, so I knew what to expect. Or I thought I did. As always, the books are way better than the movie or the show, but I think they’ve done a nice job with them. If you’re watching the show and you haven’t read the books, definitely read at least the first one.

So, what’s your opinion? Did you read the book? Did you watch the movie? If you’ve read the book, do you think the show is an adequate representation or are there things they could have done better?

SPOTLIGHT: Inspiring Anusha

Posted on January 14, 2016 by JessicaS

Inspiring Anusha

by M.L. Sawyer

BIN: 07615-02455

Genre(s): Humor, Guilty Pleasures (Contemporary), New Releases, Romance

Theme(s): Interracial/MultiCultural

Length: Novella

Blurb: Mara Loughlin is a depressed and struggling songwriter. After being abandoned by her boyfriend, and receiving harsh criticism on her latest works, she embarks on a soul searching journey to India for inspiration. On a train tour through the Indian countryside, she meets Nirav; a kind and charismatic Indian native who teaches Mara (who he affectionately calls “Anusha”) about culture, passion and love. This is the first steamy, short-read, novella in an upcoming international romance series.

About the author:

M.L. Sawyer is an avid writer and fan of the Romance genres. She has written lyrics, copy and poetry for many years, and being enamored with the exotic, M.L. has now incorporated her own life experiences, and love of storytelling to venture into new literary territories. Her music has appeared on nearly forty albums, and has had radio airplay in major market stations including New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. She’s received many songwriting awards, and is excited to venture into the world of romance writing. M.L. Sawyer lives in North Carolina with her husband and son. Set in India, “Inspiring Anusha” is the first novel in an upcoming international series.

Excerpt: We smiled, shook hands, and offered polite, “It’s nice to meet you’s.”

With the whole tour group accounted for, the conductor prepared to depart and the waiters, dressed in deep burgundy, took our drink and lunch orders.

“Might I join you?” asked Nirav.

“Yes of course. You can help me order.” I laughed a little too loud at myself.

“Well, to start, what do you like to drink?”

“Beer?”

“Beer they have.” He proceeded to order for me in Hindi although I knew the waiter spoke English. The conversation sounded like it was going on far too long to just be ordering beer. They shared what seemed to be a private joke and I shifted awkwardly in my seat, feeling out of place.

“Very good, sir,” said the waiter before turning on his heels.

“I am sorry. I took the liberty of ordering for you. I told him to put the monkey brains on the side.”

I felt the color drain from my face.

“Kidding. I assume you have seen the Indiana Jones movies.”

“Oh, yes… That’s very funny,” I answered sarcastically. Within moments, but still not nearly fast enough, the beer arrived and I was surprised to see an American beer with its trademark Budweiser label.

“So, Mar-a. What do you do?”

“That is very American of you to ask what I do before asking for any other details about me,” I said rather bravely as the beer kicked in.

“Right. Ok then. When is your birthday?”

“April 14th. Yours?”

“February 2nd. And now, what do you do, Mara?” The way he said my name made me nervous. He spoke to me with too much intimacy. As if he already knew me but was going through the pleasantries. There was tension, and I wasn’t sure if he felt it himself. Was I tense or was it sexual tension? I found myself feeling… restless.

He was still waiting for an answer.

“I am a songwriter.”

“That’s very interesting. What do you write about?” His eyes were piercing and intolerably sexy.

“Oh… I write about my life, mostly. My own experiences and things.”

“And you are here for inspiration, perhaps?”

I was stunned.

“Yes, something like that.” The words caught in my throat.

I continued, suddenly feeling flushed and a little naked. “Work has not been going well and I’m discouraged. I wanted to find something new. I wanted to see India after hearing some music at a festival.”

“And how are you liking it so far?” He licked his thumb where droplets of water from his glass were clinging.

“Well. I liked the inside of the airplane just fine. As well as the London airport. I got to see the inside of a cab, followed by my hotel room, and then the inside of my own eyelids before getting back into the cab and coming here. So I have not seen much to be inspired by just yet.” I laughed.

“We’ll have to do something about that then, won’t we?”

I was in love with the waiter for bringing food and breaking the unbearable tension.

“Here you are, sir,” he said as he put a few dishes on the table.

“Thank you.”

“So what am I eating, Nirav?” This was the first time I said his name out loud, and blushed at the ease of it. How intimate I sounded.

“Well, you have basmati and surmai. Rice and fish. And then this plate is Maharashtrian chicken tikka.”

“Do you like hot food?” he asked.

“I do. The spicier, the better for me.” I took a bite and immediately guzzled a glass of water and contemplated pouring it directly into my eyes while I was at it.

“Ha ha! American spicy is a little different, no?” His eyes lit up when he laughed. Dammit.

“A little.”

“Well, we do have McDonald’s if you prefer,” he joked.

I was momentarily offended until I realized that it would be completely American to look for a McDonald’s while in India. I was secretly waiting for Lillian and Jim to ask about one.

“I’m sure I’ll get used to it. It’s delicious though.” I tried to appear sophisticated while my nose ran relentlessly.

I attempted a distraction. “So what do you do?” (despite the fact that I already knew what he did).

“I am a teacher. I teach computers at a boys high school.”

“What made you decide to teach computers?”

“It is very hard in India to find jobs. I found that if you can learn a universal skill, you have a better chance of finding work in other countries as well. It broadens the range of possibility for many.”

“And you, Mara, how did you get involved in songwriting?”

He took a small bite of food after his question, put his fork back down, folded his hands on the table, and waited attentively for my answer. I was horribly, horribly nervous.

SPOTLIGHT: Black Magic Cafe

Posted on January 2, 2016 by JessicaS

Conway Witches, 1

Blurb:

Love that is forbidden is always the sweetest…

Elodie Conway is the owner of The Black Magic Café, where
love and chocolate go hand-in-hand. She runs the enchanted café with her cousin Madison, and together, they help lovers tie the knot with the assistance of a few spells and some delectable chocolate recipes.

When journalist Jason Thibedeaux, who is also a werewolf
from a rival family, runs a scathing critique of her business in his newspaper, the fur is sure to fly. He visits the café to sample their most famous culinary delights, and ends up wanting far more than what’s on the menu. Can a Thibedeaux wolf and a Conway witch truly be fated to love each other for all eternity?

This is a previously published work. It has been edited for Evernight Publishing.

Buy links:

Amazon: http://rxe.me/00Q5F8

Evernight Publishing:
http://goo.gl/Ba68zy

All Romance E-books:

Excerpt:

Elodie Conway was nothing like he had expected. As he ate
her signature cake, all Jason wanted to do was savor her lips and run his hands down her very ample hips. Hers was a body a man could hold onto during sex and not break her. His wolf was awakened, and it prowled just beneath the surface.
What Jason saw, he liked. Very much indeed…

The chocolate wound through his system, and with each bite,
all other preoccupying thoughts faded into nothing. Images of him thrusting deep inside of her and winding his fist in her mane of dark hair flashed in front of his eyes, and he almost choked. His hands trembled as they reached for the bottle of water she’d set in front of him.

What the hell was that?

He twisted the cap and drank the entire small bottle in one go. As a journalist, he had little time for romance. A quick tumble in the
moonlight during one of his runs, maybe, but this girl was something
special––he didn’t know why he didn’t notice it before. Jason took another bite of cake and shifted his weight as his erection made its presence known. He could take her here, right over the top of the table, her heart-shaped ass in the air as he sank his cock deep in her pussy and fucked her until she screamed his name.

His wolf liked the idea. A whole fucking lot. Jason laid down the fork and smiled. Standing up on shaking legs, he picked up his now empty plate. Things were about to get interesting. This wasn’t just any woman.
He raised his nose to the air and scented her.

Mate.

She was his fucking mate. How could he have been so blind?
Did it take a hard-on for his wolf to get through to him? Apparently, because his wolf was ready to claim her by any means necessary, even it meant fucking her over the top of one of her own tables.

About the author:

Erzabet Bishop is an award winning author who loves to write
naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Dinner Date, Crave, The Science of Lust, Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit Board, Holidays in Hell, Mallory’s Mark (upcoming 2016),The Devil’s Due (upcoming 2016), Charity Benshaw’s Enchanted Paddle Emporium (upcoming 2016), Sigil Fire, Glitter Lust (upcoming 2016), Written on Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Fantasies in Red, Sweet Seductions: The Erzabet Bishop Collection, Holiday Cruise, Fetish Fair, Temptation Resorts: Jess, Temptation Resorts: Marnie, Taming the Beast, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor to many anthologies. Erzabet has been a finalist in the GCLS awards for 2014 and 2015, winning the Goldie for her spot in two anthologies. She lives in Texas with her
husband, furry children and can often be found lurking in local bookstores. She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch monster movies. When she isn’t writing, she loves to review music and books.

Coming soon:

Wicked for You, Salacious box set, Alpha Fever Box Set, Glitterlust
and more…

Follow her reviews and posts on Twitter @erzabetbishop.

Links:

Google +: https://goo.gl/YJnNmd

Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/ErzabetBishop/

The Romance Reviews:
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Newsletter
and website: http://erzabetwrites.wix.com/erzabetbishop

Are:
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About Me: http://about.me/erzabet.bishop/#

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Amazon author page:http://www.amazon.com/Erzabet-Bishop/e/B00AVSDUBC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_7

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SPOTLIGHT: A Christmas Home

Posted on December 18, 2015 by JessicaS

***

ChristmasHomeBanner

A Christmas Home

www.shifters-match.com book 1

By April Zyon

Genre: Paranormal, Rubenesque, May-December, Shifters

Release Date: December 15, 2015

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Blurb:

Ophelia Lambros thought her life was in order, until she lost her fiance and job all in one day.

She couldn’t return the honeymoon trip she’d been given so she takes the opportunity to find herself on the slopes of Wyoming on the back of a snowmobile.

Jagger Morris was perfectly happy running his repair shop in Shifter Falls, his home for years. As the Kodiak Bear Alpha, he has a lot on his plate. When a new pack asks to join them, Jagger’s hackles rise, but he doesn’t know why.

When he meets his fated mate, Ophelia, she shares a piece of herself that confirms his suspicious nature was spot on. As a seer, she can see death coming their way. Can she make her new mate and his friends understand the risk before time runs out?

Purchase Links:

Evernight Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon CA |

Barnes & Noble | Bookstrand | AllRomance

Stalk me later links:

Website | Facebook | Facebook Reader Group | Tsu

Twitter | Tumblr | Goodreads

AChristmasHome-evernightpublishing-JayAheer2015-smallpreview

Excerpt:

Throwing the wrench down onto the tool pad, Jagger scrubbed a hand down his face. There were days he loved being a mechanic. Then there were days like today where he knew he should have listened to his mother and gotten into something else. Not that he’d ever tell the woman, even if he was still speaking to her. She already thought too highly of her own opinions. Gods only knew where the woman was today, at least she wasn’t in Shifter Falls giving him even more trouble so that was good.

He grabbed the bottle of water he’d been working on and took a long haul while staring at the engine in question. He was missing something, and it was really starting to piss him off that he couldn’t figure it out.

For the last ten years, he’d been head mechanic at the only automotive shop in Shifter Falls. They were the only one there because they only hired the best and did the best work. Competitors didn’t stand a hope in hell. There had been a few other places that had tried to start up in the Falls. But they’d all shut down within a year because they hadn’t had what it took to work in such a closely knit town. That and they’d been outsiders, something that didn’t go over well with the very private residents who ran the town.

Founded by a shifter pack more than two hundred years prior, the town was home to six different types of shifters. Only through harsh laws and firm hands at the helm of each pack did it work. Especially considering the mix the Falls had running around.

There were plenty of humans living and working there, too, but the majority of the population was other. Sometimes there were problems. Sometimes there were all-out fights, but in the end they all knew they had to live together so things had better damn well work out. Which they usually did, eventually.

Moving to the open door of the bay he was working in, he stared out at the falling snow. The weatherman had predicted another couple of inches throughout the day, and more overnight. Great for all the tourists currently running around Shifter Falls in search of as many wintertime activities as they could find. It also had its perks for the business. It was amazing how many out-of-state tourists had no idea how to handle driving in snow.

He spotted a friend and lifted a hand in greeting. Conroy Hayden was the owner of On The Plate, one of four restaurants in Shifter Falls. The guy was a damn connoisseur when it came to flavors. Likely why his restaurant had managed to get rave reviews in several travel and food magazines. Since then people had come to Shifter Falls not only for the events held but in the hopes to get a table in his restaurant.

“Con, good to see you. I have to admit I didn’t think you’d actually get out during the lunch rush.”

The large redhead shrugged and shot him a smirk. “Figured I should bring you something to eat or you’d forget. Again.”

Jagger spotted the bag then and felt his belly rumble. He’d only had a piece of toast and several cups of coffee for breakfast that morning. It was already one in the afternoon and he wasn’t exactly a small guy. Waving Conroy into the bay, he followed behind the man, shooting the troublesome engine a glare. He cleared off a spot on his work table before grabbing a couple stools to set in front. He took one while Conroy unloaded the bag, hitting Jagger with the scent of cooked meat and spices. His stomach let out a hungry snarl that earned him a knowing look from his friend. Jagger held his tongue, knowing anything he said would only provide Con with more ammo to use against him at a later date.

He accepted the plate from his friend and unwrapped it. A huge pile of roast beef he knew was slow cooked, mashed potatoes, and seasonal greens from the greenhouse at the end of town. Con handed him a little container which held gravy, utensils, and a napkin.

“Thanks,” he said. Cutting off a piece of the beef, Jagger slowly chewed the perfectly cooked meat. It practically melted on his tongue. “Damn this is good,” he practically moaned. Another bite he chewed slowly. He knew better than to shove Con’s food down his throat as fast as possible. The man would beat him silly. And Con was nearly as large as Jagger. They’d both taken boxing as kids, but Jagger had plain meanness on his side. Con was a good soul who wanted to help others, which was why he’d gotten into feeding folks. He said the food was good for the soul and part of why On The Plate did the soup kitchen for those who needed a helping hand.

After finishing the meal, Jagger wiped his mouth while Con packed up the dishes. The secondary dish caught his attention. “What’s that?”

“Dessert,” Con told him.

Accepting the dish, he pulled the top off and inhaled the scent from the hot dessert. It was a crumble of some sort. Rhubarb, for sure, definitely strawberries, but there was something else. He took a bite and let out a moan of pleasure.

“I’m going to assume you like it.”

“Dude, this is spectacular. What all’s in here?”

“The usual, but I threw in some cranberries this time for a more seasonal flavor. Gives it a different taste.”

He nodded, it did at that. Scraping out the last, he licked off the spoon under Con’s knowing watch and passed it back. Another wipe with his napkin before he tossed it into the garbage closest and leveled a look at his friend. “I guess this wasn’t just your need to feed me, since you usually dump and run. What’s going on?”

“Don’t know yet but figured I’d give you a heads-up. The sheriff and a couple deputies were in for lunch today and we got to talking. Apparently there are rumblings from the city council about another pack wanting to set up shop here. They’re calling an emergency meeting tomorrow night to discuss it with the alphas and their seconds. You’ll be getting the call soon, but I wanted to let you know before you got it. I know how much you hate surprises.”

That was an understatement. The last surprise Jagger had gotten was his parents divorcing, his father leaving the Falls, and his mother hooking up with the first of many younger males to keep her bed warm. Since then he’d managed to avoid being surprised with the help of those he called and considered to be true friends, like Conroy. Without them, he’d have been caught with his pants down more than once. But they looked out for him, and he helped look out for them in turn. They were more his family than his parents ever had been.

“I’ll be ready, thanks.” Standing, he gave his friend the quintessential man hug and walked him out of the bay. He stayed there a moment longer to watch the comings and goings of the locals and tourists before turning to face his current nemesis. One way or another he was damn well going to get this thing running. Then he could take it over to the hotel and return it to the tourist to which it belonged.

“All right, you giant hunk of metal, let’s get down to business.”

For more information on the shifters-match.com series click the logo above

SPOTLIGHT Holidays in Hell

Posted on December 15, 2015 by JessicaS

Title: Holidays in Hell (Demons in Darkness Series #1)

Publisher: Etopia Press

Pages: 64

Tags: bdsm, bondage, demons, dom, domination, erotic
fantasy, erotic romance, erzabet bishop, holidays, incubus, kink, paranormal erotic romance, paranormal romance, redemption, sub, submission, succubus, wax play

Blurb:

This year Christmas just got a little hotter.

Deck the halls with all things kinky. Jonas is an incubus with an incurable lust for women, gingerbread, and holiday lights. He needs one more soul to meet his quota. Amid the baubles and frivolity of the Winter Carnival, he meets Holly Pendleton—a woman with emerald green eyes and a body
built for sin—and marks her as the final soul to end his contract. But now
Jonas faces a heart-wrenching decision: take what he needs to feed his hunger, or sacrifice himself for the woman who has lit his own demonic soul on fire. Tied up with red ribbons, Holly just might be Jonas’s deepest Christmas wish and the one woman who could set him free.

Holly Pendleton is still recovering from the death of her husband and Dom. The holidays are especially lonely until a dark stranger walks
in the door to Harlowe’s Bookery and Christmas Shoppe. The man’s enigmatic gaze holds her and ignites her body and her mind. When Holly accepts a job to decorate the sexy client’s apartment, she unknowingly steps into an age-old battle between the forces of darkness. Jonas Corsair is a man who makes her blood run hot and her dreams even hotter. But will she survive his hold on her soul?

Buy Links:

Etopia Press: http://goo.gl/QxC433

Amazon: http://goo.gl/Ks8Ris

All Romance: https://goo.gl/LmnoQL

Excerpt:

Holly Pendleton balanced a pile of books in her arms and made her way out of the stockroom. She glanced over at her boss and best friend, Gracie Harlowe, at the register and smiled. She enjoyed the busy throng of people at the winter carnival and usually looked forward to it. She had worked other retail jobs in the historic downtown shopping district, but working here was a dream come true. When Gracie had called her up three months
ago and offered her the assistant manager’s job, she had taken it and hadn’t looked back.

Teetering on the edge of depression for months after watching her husband die of cancer, Holly was having a hard time finding the
holiday spirit this year.

Derek had only been thirty-four, she thought bitterly.
They’d been married for nine years, but she had known him since she was a geeky freshman in high school. The hole was too big to fill, and it left her feeling empty.

Still, she was grateful to Gracie for kicking her in the pants and getting her out of bed and back into the world again. Just in time for the holidays too. It was a special time that she and Derek had always shared. He would have wanted her to be happy.

She laid the stack of Christmas cookie books on a festive table near the window display and straightened the array of titles. Her gaze wandered to the small kitchen at the back of the store, and she made a mental note to grab some more cookies to refill the party trays on the dessert table.

“Holly!” Gracie waved her arms. “Can you grab me another stack of Fifty Shades of Grey?”

She glanced at the display where the books were and found they were down to one copy. Not good. Sales had started to slow down, but erotica had been steadily increasing over the past few months. It made her
laugh to see the smut novels near the holiday displays, but it made the
customers happy, so who was she to quibble? Besides, she loved reading them herself.

“I’ll get them!” Holly wound her way back into the stockroom and yanked a box off the overstock shelves. She grabbed a box cutter, deftly opened the box and placed the books on a cart, adding some of the second, third, and the new fourth book in the series, as they were getting a little on
the low side too.

Erotic romance books were one of the few things she let herself enjoy these days, and she had several customers who came back to ask
her about the latest and greatest. It was a fantasy land that took her beyond the walls of hospitals and now, the silence of the apartment at night. Reading was safe. She never even considered dating again. That part of her life was over.

Holly shook off the melancholy and hoofed it back onto the
shop floor. Stacking the books onto the table, she arranged them in orderly piles of gray covers with erotic masks, ties, and handcuffs. She passed the romance section and gathered up some of her favorites to restock her promo shelf at the storefront. Cherise Sinclair, Kallypso Masters, Jasmine Haynes, Red Phoenix, Rachel Kramer Bussel…she loved them all. There were so many great writers that had made bondage erotica take off. Fifty Shades may have gotten the public reading again, but she had been a fan for years. Now the movie had come out for the famous books, and she wondered how it compared.

Smiling wistfully, she caressed the covers and wished her husband were still with her. She missed his firm hand and their power exchanges. He had been more than just her husband. He had been her Dom. Losing
him had been the collapse of her entire world. If it hadn’t been for these
books and Gracie, she would still be huddled in a miserable ball, crying her
eyes out and wondering why he had to die. He was so young, and they hadn’t had much time.

“Can you help ring for a second?” Gracie called out and made a quick jaunt to the restroom in the back of the store.

Holly moved behind the counter and smiled as a woman arrived in front of her to check out. It was a unique store, and she loved being here.
Gracie had crafted a special place for book lovers, and every holiday she
spruced it up beautifully. Even when she wasn’t working here, Holly loved to come and check out the newest selections and pick up a couple of items for the house. Halloween, Christmas, or whatever was happening, Gracie always seemed to have the perfect balance of home décor and books to dive into, whether it was a cozy mystery or a pulse-pounding thriller. In the early days, it had just been decoration, but now she had expanded the business to selling the trees and offering to spruce up clients’ homes. The shop was every bit as special as Gracie, and it had, over the years, become Holly’s second home, even before she started working there.

Decorating clients’ businesses and homes and working behind the shop counter kept her busy. Putting up a tree gave her joy, and she saw how
other lives were touched by a few twinkle lights and some tinsel. She’d done some decorations for the folks in the cancer ward, and this was a natural transition. If she could bring happiness by hanging a wreath or by delivering an order of books to a shut-in woman, then she was pleased to do it. It took her mind off the loneliness and gave her a purpose. This time of year especially.

The front door opened with a blast of snowy air, and an imposing thirty-something man sporting a thigh-length leather coat blew in. His
chiseled features and mass of dark hair made her catch her breath and falter in her task of ringing up the woman in front of her. The black sweater he wore under his coat looked striking against the dark blue of his eyes. The gray slacks draped over his frame, his black boots befitting the weather outside. He said nothing to her, his gaze captivated by the display of holiday decorations.

How odd.

He reminded her of one of the Doms in her collection of books. Heat spiked through parts of her she’d thought were as dead as her
husband. She wondered how it would feel to unwrap that package.

Blushing, Holly turned back to the customer in front of her.
Good grief, she hoped he hadn’t noticed her staring.

Holly finished ringing the books up and slipped them into a bag. She tossed in a candy cane with a card offering their holiday decorating
services attached. “Here you go. Have a wonderful day.”

The woman waved good-bye and shuffled out the door into the snow. Looking anywhere but at the enigmatic man in front of her, Holly fought
the sensation of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. He was incredible. The way his well-built form filled the space made her eyes automatically seek him out. Warmth stirred in her lower belly, and she nibbled on her lip.

“Hello. Welcome to Harlowe’s.” She fiddled with the hem of her sweater and felt a surge of heat rush up the sides of her face.

Ugh. How lame was she to just blurt that out?

The man raised an eyebrow, a dark and sensual smile sliding over his features. “Thank you.” His voice melted over her like chocolate, and
she shivered.

Holly turned away and busied herself with stuffing bags with holiday activity lists. What kind of horrible woman was she to even be reacting
to another man just a year after her husband’s passing? Lusting after the man in gray. Her lips thinned. No. She wasn’t ready for those feelings. Especially not from a stranger she had seen for all of thirty seconds.

She sneaked a glance at him while she straightened gift bags. He walked up to the Christmas tree in the front window and stroked its branches. Fingering the ornaments, he explored their small holiday store with a
reverence that reminded her of a priest in church. Men usually didn’t bother with Christmas tree ornaments, but he was enraptured. It was mystifying.

A flush crept across Holly’s face. Stirrings of longing zapped through her body as she wondered if this dark-haired stranger knew his way around a flogger. Sighing deeply, she knelt down to pick up a bag that had fallen off the counter while she worked.

“Time for a cold shower tonight,” Holly mumbled. Sensing someone in front of the register, she stood.

“Hi. Did you need help finding anything…?” The very source of her temptation stood right in front of her. Oh God. She wanted to reach
right across the counter and run her tongue over those amazing lips.

Holidays in Hell is the beginning to my new series, Demons in Darkness. The next two books will be released in 2016.

Erzabet Bishop is a bestselling and award winning author who
loves to write naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Dinner Date,
Crave, The Science of Lust, Wicked for You, Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit Board, Holidays in Hell, Sigil Fire, Written on Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Fantasies in Red, Sweet Seductions: The Erzabet Bishop Collection, Holiday Cruise, Fetish Fair, Temptation Resorts: Jess, Temptation Resorts: Marnie, Taming the Beast, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor
to many anthologies. Erzabet has been a finalist in the GCLS awards for 2014 and 2015, winning the Goldie for her spot in two anthologies. She has been nominated for the 2016 Golden Flogger Award for Crave. She lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and can often be found lurking in local bookstores.
She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch monster movies. When she isn’t writing, she loves to review music and books.

Follow her reviews and posts on Twitter @erzabetbishop.

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