“Get off of me,” she shouts, and I cover her mouth with my palm, my hand so large I damn near cover half her face. Fuck she’s small. Fragile. I know she isn’t human. Isn’t weak like some of the others who roam these halls, but the difference in our size makes my protective instincts spring forward.
Her eyes blaze and I lean in, ensuring she sees that I am not fucking around right now. Not when it comes to something like this.
“Don’t you dare open that pretty little mouth of yours and scream like that again. Do you feel me? Unless you’re ready to tell me who the fuck was dumb enough to hurt you, or decide to drop down on your knees and wrap your lips around my cock, your mouth is going to stay closed.”
Her eyes narrow, nostrils flaring as her tiger glares at me through her gaze. She’s so fucking pissed, and I wish I had more time to enjoy it. I’ve worked hard this past year getting Meiying to hate me. It makes keeping her out of my bed a hell of a lot easier that way. But damn if seeing her like this doesn’t make my dick hard, and the thought of her on her knees for me … fuck. I can’t be the only one affected by that image.
Her small fingers wrap around my wrist, pulling to get my hand off of her mouth.
“Are you going to behave?”
If looks could kill I’d be dead right now with the way she’s glaring at me.
“It’s a yes or no question, kitten. Blink twice for yes. Once for no.”
Her eyes narrow to slits. Seconds pass and the air grows impossibly thick. I’m sure she can feel my hard-on pressed against her stomach, but neither of us is going to acknowledge it. I catch a hint of arousal in her scent, throwing me off when she finally blinks twice and concedes. A rush of satisfaction swells inside my chest. I drop my hand, but don’t step away. I rationalize that the moment I do she’ll bolt. It has nothing to do with how fucking good she feels with her tight little body up against mine. Her lips are pressed into a thin line, her cheeks scarlet. A mix of anger and indignation. She is so fucking beautiful like this.
A few strands of her black hair fell from her hair tie during our struggle and I slowly reach out, tucking the flyaways behind her ear. Her eyes are guarded as I trail one finger down the side of her face before cupping her jaw. She closes her eyes, a small shudder moving through her.
“What’s his name, Meiying?” I ask, and there’s a bite of steel in my tone.
Her eyes snap open and she bears her teeth. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing. It was an accide—“
“No man leaves a mark on a female by accident.” My voice is deceptively calm. I lean down closer to her until our breaths mingle. “Was it Hunt? Did he do that?” The sudden widening of her eyes gives her away, and my vision goes red.
My jaw flexes and I go to step back, but she latches onto me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Whatever it is you’re thinking of doing, don’t. It was an accident. I don’t think he realized his rings would hurt me.” I fight the urge to encircle her waist and rise to my full height, taking her with me. Her arms tighten as her feet lift from the ground. “Desmond—”
I’m a Mexican-American author with an obsession for Marvel movies, a love of all things Urban Fantasy, and a cheerleader for the underdog in any given story.
If you’re looking for a heroine you can root for … someone who defies the odds and gets up every time they’re knocked down … then look no further because that’s what you’ll find in my books.
They say you should never make a deal with the devil, but what about with the Prince of the Underworld?
Fresh off a breakup and an eviction, I started my day like any other: a book in one hand, a coffee in the other, and faking that can-do attitude inspirational memes are made of. I was ready to take on the world—and I did. Unfortunately, it was the Underworld.
One freak accident later, I’m standing face to face with the sexy-as-sin and dangerously powerful Prince of the Underworld. He has a few burning questions for me—like how a mere human unlocked the door to the Underworld’s prison and released its prisoners.
I’d sure as hell like to know, too, because I have no freaking clue.
Now, instead of a forgettable bookstore clerk, I’m newly famous for doing the impossible. The wrong people want to thank me, and the rest want me dead. Spoiler alert: The Dark Prince definitely doesn’t want to thank me.
I’ll do anything to get my life back to normal and he’ll do anything to recapture the escapees. We make a deal: He’ll keep my enemies at bay, and I’ll find a way to return the prisoners.
“I’ve been pulled into something that I definitely don’t want to be in, dealing with people I hope to never encounter again. I want it to be over. I want to have nothing to do with this situation or you dreadful people.” I lifted my hand, presenting the markings. “If working with you is the only way, then I’m in. If we are working together, no more threats. I don’t care how thinly veiled they are. You will not bully me. Are we clear?”
His expression changed but it was still indecipherable. Understanding? I don’t think that was it. Amusement? Definitely. Portentous? It better not be.
His lips curled slightly into a small, tight, mirthless smile. He looked over his shoulder at Anand who flashed a grin. “I’ve been commanded to behave,” Dominic said to him. The laughter in his voice made its way to his eyes.
“Little Luna.”
“It’s just Luna,” I shot back.
“Luna. You are correct. I want to find the person behind this, especially if it is a Dark Caster. I know their history and the chaos and destruction they enjoy. It needs to be stopped. And to do so, we will have to work together.” I’d been abducted and attacked by a vampire, sniffed by a lion, interrogated by a witch, and nearly devoured—or whatever his intentions were—by a wolf. I had every right to be overly cautious and I didn’t like the subtle undertones in his response. A limited alliance.
McKenzie, as a child, discovered that her life could be a whirlwind of adventures by simply opening a book. To this day, reading is still her favorite activity. She has a fondness for fantasy and mystery, which is probably why she writes urban fantasy.
When McKenzie isn’t working on her next book she is usually binge-watching paranormal and comedy shows, maintaining her title as “favorite auntie”, or trying to create a tasty low-calorie pizza. McKenzie loves to hear from her readers. Feel free to contact her via her website, Facebook, or email.
Ginny Colburn can’t believe she’s been dumped by her wedding date. And everybody knows it.
So when a cute, younger man serving champagne to the guests flirts with her, she decides to really give the guests something to talk about and flirts back. But the incredible, rebound, one-night stand gives her more than great memories. A few weeks later she’s holding a positive pregnancy test.
Josh Anderson finally has his degree and is ready to make his mark on the world, but then he finds out he’s going to be a father. He’s too young to settle down and Lakeside is way too small for his big dreams. Ginny doesn’t expect him to stick around anyway and makes it clear she’s ready to be a single mom, but Josh won’t run away from his responsibilities.
But just as they’re starting to think maybe what they have is real, Josh gets a job offer he can’t refuse. Surely Ginny can’t follow a guy half her age across the country just because they’re having a baby together… Can she?
About Natasha Moore
Natasha Moore fell in love with the written word as soon as she could read. As she grew up, she discovered romance and now enjoys the chance to add some extra sizzle to her stories. She writes sexy contemporary and erotic romance, and believes there’s nothing better than a happy ending. She lives in New York State with her real life hero who is happy to tell everyone that he’s her inspiration. They travel in their RV whenever possible. The great thing about writing is she can take it anywhere.
