There are two things Darby Adler wants more than anything: to take a vacation, and to find who is responsible for the rash of witch abductions in Knoxville.
With an ancient vampire in town and a slew of fugitives on the loose, her suspect pool is vast. But Darby has a sneaking suspicion she knows the culprit all too well.
And if she can’t catch him on her own, she might just have to resort to more creative measures to get the job done.
Here’s hoping she doesn’t lose her soul in the process.
Hooking a finger in the bridge of my sunglasses, I pinned him with a cold glare. “Tell me, is it fibbies in general, my gender, or me in particular you don’t like, Preston? Because this is the second time in a matter of days that you have skirted around another agent to tell me to get off a crime scene, and I gotta say, it’s pissing me off.”
A sneer curled his lip as he planted his feet, leaning forward just a touch too close for my comfort. “Maybe I don’t like your kind, Warden,” he growled, cutting through any and all levels of pretense. “Maybe I don’t like trying to clean up arcane fuck shit on my only day off. Maybe I—”
I caught sight of his KPD brethren stopping to stare, and cut him off.
“Shut. Up,” I growled, fighting off the urge to cover his mouth with my hand. The absolute last thing I needed was a cranky beat cop exposing the arcane world to all a fucking sundry. “If you know who I am and even an inkling of what’s good for you, you will keep your fucking mouth shut until I tell you to open it.”
Snatching my cell from my back pocket, I dialed Tobin’s number.
“Yeah, boss?” he answered, the timid waver to his voice gone now that he was alone in the house and couldn’t see my face. Tobin didn’t like direct contact of any kind, but on the phone? In front of a computer? He was an absolute powerhouse.
“I need everything you have on an Officer N. Preston.” I squinted at the shield pinned to his chest. “Badge number 745632. And I need it yesterday, if you please.”
Tobin paused briefly, a faint snicker rattling down the line. Tobin loved it when other people were in trouble. His keyboard clacking like machine gun fire was music to my ears. “On it. Give me five.”
Without so much as a nod to polite phone etiquette, the line disconnected, and I stuffed the cell back in my pocket. I’d have to talk to him about that.
Staring at the prick whose face had turned an unhealthy shade of puce in the short time I was on the phone, I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes.
“Now that’s done, what were you saying about my kind, again? Not that you know what my kind even is or what I’m capable of.” The subtle buzz around the guy had a solid human flavor to it, but I’d been wrong before. I’d been wrong about a lot of things.
Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.
Title: Siren’s Song Author: Erin Ashley Tanner Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cursed with a voice that can kill, Aariyaa Milan is a mermaid princess denied her song. An outcast among even the magical Mer, the only thing she desires is to be accepted, but fate has other plans. When she unexpectedly saves a human from drowning, Aariyaa soon finds herself irresistibly drawn to the handsome Jason, oblivious to the fulfillment of a curse that she has unknowingly set in motion.
Shortly removed from a broken engagement, the last thing Jason Michaels expected was meeting a real-life mermaid. Between an ex that won’t quit, and a colleague determined to steal his job, Jason has his hands full. But when his chance encounter with Aariyaa leads towards forbidden love, things go from stressful to even more complicated.
Forced into a betrothal with a neighboring Prince, Aariyaa now has her grandmother’s prophecies of doom, to deal with as well. With time running out, Aariyaa is forced to leave her watery world in search of the one human that might be able to help her break the curse and her engagement…Jason. But between Jason’s amnesia and the unholy alliance of his colleague and ex determined to separate Aariyaa and Jason, breaking a curse might be the lesser of two evils.
Jason couldn’t stop looking into her face. A force that he didn’t understand had complete control of him as she sang. Her voice soaked into his soul, coating him in a haze of something he never wanted to wake from. He grew hard, his desire rising against her.
Aariyaa.
His siren.
His.
Completely at her mercy, if she decided to drag him out into the ocean right now, he’d happily follow her to his death. Fire swam in his blood, an aching desire that held his body taunt.
Her voice.
God her voice.
Every note came wrapped in longing, and unearthly desire. Jason understood now. The compulsion men felt to give it all up. The hunger that could only be satisfied by possessing a mermaid. As she closed her mouth, stopping her song, the haze that had surrounded him started to slip back and disappear, and the mesmerizing storms in her eyes flickered away. A small smile curved her full lips, drawing them into a subtle pout.
“How do you feel?” she asked in a soft tone.
Almost robotically, he told her, “Like I would follow you anywhere.”
She laughed, another beautiful sound. “Tis the point, I think.”
“Point made.”
His gaze concentrated on her lips. The plump softness calling out to him just as her song had.
“Jason…”
Jason’s eyes searched her face, unsure if she could feel it too. The force that seemed to hum in the very air between them. It was more than just the magic of her song. It had to be. His heart wouldn’t be beating a mile a minute. His soul wouldn’t feel like it was on fire if this wasn’t more. He had to know. Before he could talk himself out of it, he leaned down and kissed her.
The first taste of her on his lips made his knees buckle.
Salty, sweet, exotic; her taste was all that and more. Aariyaa’s pillow soft lips moved against his own, opening to allow him access to the heat of her mouth. His tongue slipped inside, doing battle with her own. Grabbing the back of her neck in a tight grip, he kissed her harder and harder, even more eager for everything she had to offer. He could feel the tips of her nipples pressing hard against his chest, her arousal evident.
A proud Alumna of Chipola College, the University of Central Florida, Florida State University, and Valencia College, Erin Ashley Tanner creates romances with high stakes and happily ever afters.
Erin is the author of the paranormal romance series, The Demi-God Daughters with Evernight Publishing. Erin is also the co-author of the Gun Moll series with author Bethany-Kris and the creator of two soap opera style mafia romances. Maiden is the first release in her fairytale retellings Fractured Fairytale Series.
Title: Surrender Author: Ariana Rose Genre: Contemporary Romance
Ava Caron, a successful and hardworking PR strategist, finds herself in unfamiliar territory when her engagement is unexpectedly and dramatically called off. A getaway with her best friend seems to be exactly what’s needed to clear her mind, body and spirit. She never expects to make a connection with a man who appears to have walked right off the silver screen and into her life without warning, much like the heroes of her favorite fairy tales.
Rafael Varallo is made of leading man material with his rugged good looks, chivalry, and charm that would make any woman fall at his feet. The last thing he’s expecting is to take a fall of his own, when an accidental encounter involving spilled coffee and a pair of beautiful hands capture his attention immediately. His proposal for adventure to step outside of their comfort zones is all it takes.
To surrender isn’t weakness, it’s strength.
Sand, sex, laughs and perhaps even love make for a heady combination and in paradise things may not always be what you expect.
Author and hopeless romantic, Ariana Rose, dabbles in all forms of contemporary romance. All of her novels do have one thing in common. Her heroes and heroines are as passionate about life and love as they are about each other.
A proud mother of two, she was born and raised in the Minneapolis area. She’s always been a storyteller and known to have a flair for the dramatic. Her daughter is just across the border finishing her college career and is a go to for all things graphic design. Her son is a busy middle schooler who loves all things penguins, science, gaming, cars and the weather. Ariana’s fur baby (a beagle/lab) can be found curled next to her while she writes unless chasing squirrels and finding puppy friends become a higher priority.
When Ariana is not writing, she can be found at the rink in a figure skating lesson, binge watching her favorite shows, screening an 80s movie she’s seen hundreds of times, exploring history or traveling to any of her current or new favorite places.
Ariana first published in August of 2018. Her Stone Series was the leaping point. It’s fourth installment will debut in October 2021. She has two novels in K. Bromberg’s Driven World, Twisted with its sequel Entwined. The concluding chapter Pivot, will follow in February 2022. You can find her first sports romance, Bitter Edge, in the Cocky Hero World. Double Exposure, her first co-write, also releases in February 2022.
You can find her exclusively in Kindle Unlimited. You can also sign up for her newsletter, watch her website or find her on all her social media to catch all the latest and greatest on upcoming projects.
Always remember that passion is never a bad thing, it’s where dreams and reality collide.
Title: Hard Count Author: S.R. Grey Series: Men of Fall #5 Genre: Romantic Sports Comedy
Pro footballer Mike Vinceton desperately wants to get away before the Comets’ new season begins.
Lucky for him the tropical destination he chooses turns out to be perfect.
Not only does he find himself rested and refreshed, but he just met the most tantalizing woman. Her name is Lexi, and their connection is insane.
Too bad their time is cut short—before Mike can learn her last name . . . or where she lives.
Alas, such is life.
Resigned that he’ll never see Lexi again, Mike returns to Ohio to head off to training camp. But what he doesn’t know is he’s about to run into her again, in a most unexpected place.
See, Lexi is the Comets’ owner’s daughter. And though her dad would love for her to take more of an interest in the team, that definitely doesn’t include her dating a player.
Hell no!
Cue the sneaking around . . . and Mike and Lexi praying her dad doesn’t find out.
S.R. Grey is a USA Today Bestselling Author of the popular Boys of Winter hockey books and Men of Fall football novels. Both series can be read in any order or as standalones. Other New Adult and Romantic Suspense works of hers include the Judge Me Not books, the Promises series, the Inevitability duology, A Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy, and the Laid Bare series of novellas. When not writing Ms. Grey can be found reading, traveling, running, and cheering for her hometown sports teams. Sometimes all at the same time!
Title: Honestly Yours Author: Jaime Reese Genre: Contemporary LGBT Romance
The truth hurts. But in the end, honesty wins. Or does it?
Warren Prescott loves a challenge. He knows how to play the game and adapts when necessary to succeed in his cutthroat world. Tired of pining for a man he’s wanted for months, Warren intends to seal the deal. Until that man throws him an endearing curveball…
Be honest.
Gian Benedetti doesn’t play games. Success has cost him the personal connections he craves, and he doubts he’ll take another chance on a relationship. Until the attractive, younger man with the brazen personality and confidence stirs his interest.
Except…someone else is playing games. And threatening everything Gian has worked hard to achieve.
Warren won’t rest until he uncovers the new player and gets his forever with Gian.
But they’ll soon face a hard truth— Honesty may be what brings them together… Or it could be the one thing that tears them apart.
[Warren] stepped out of the car and rested his hip against the front fender, taking in the casual sexiness of an at-home Gian.
Gian arched an eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. “Like what you see?”
“I didn’t think you could look hotter. I’m man enough to admit I was wrong.”
Gian chuckled and ducked his head.
“So. Very. Wrong.”
He swore those tanned cheeks darkened.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be able to make it on short notice.”
Warren shrugged. “I’ve got Mack handling the club. Besides, there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d miss you cooking for me.”
“Ah.”
He walked up to Gian. Not only did the man look good, but he smelled good too. Freshly showered, a subtle hint of cologne, and… “What are you cooking?”
Gian grabbed his T-shirt collar and pulled it up to his nose for a sniff. “Don’t tell me I smell like garlic or onions. Shit.”
Warren smiled and inched closer, burying his nose into the crook of Gian’s neck. He inhaled, deeply. “You smell like…cake. How the hell do you smell like cake?” He brushed his nose along the exposed skin. “And cookies. Or is that vanilla?”
To satisfy his curiosity, he bit into the flesh at Gian’s neck.
That groan nearly undid him.
“So you like to bite?”
“No.” He softened the sting with a kiss to Gian’s skin. “I just wondered if you tasted like cake too.”
He crowded Gian against the doorframe, nuzzling his neck, jaw, and side of his face. He smelled good, but he felt even better.
A chill rippled through his body when a strong hand landed on his hip, holding him in place. “I have to stir the sauce.” Gian wrapped his free hand behind Warren’s neck and used his thumb to tilt Warren’s chin up. The hold was possessive and matched the carnal fire burning in those brown eyes. “Thanks for coming over.”
Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.
There once were two children, a girl and a boy. One could create, the other, destroy.
Within every heart lies the power to bond or break.
On an isolated port of floating garbage called Hop, Gaiel Izz and his sister, Lynd, never imagined they’d be able to change anything…
Not their nasty neighbors, not their hungry bellies, and especially not their missing father.
That will change when they discover the power of myracles — magic that either creates or destroys.
As the brother and sister set across Esa to bring their family back together, this power will either unite them or shatter their entire world to pieces.
It will all come down to what truly lies within their hearts…
What a delightful sign to have hanging in front of one’s home — a mix of “watch out” with “you’re on your own.” But that’s living in Hop for ya, a’kay?
As a floating port in the middle of the sea, there weren’t any roads to or from Hop. On their own, indeed. But it wasn’t always so lonely. Fifty years ago, Hop was a bustling pitstop for the hundreds of trade ships sailing across the Domus Gulf every year. A place to “hop” from one side of the gulf to the other. Being a travel hub made it bursting with exotic goods and fresh ideas. But the wild waters of the gulf were hard to predict, and they only seemed to grow more dangerous over time. One shipwreck was enough to send thoughts and prayers, but after ten and twenty ships washed back blown to bits, it started to nip at the profits. Soon traders found alternate land routes that may have taken longer, but at least weren’t so death-y.
Practically overnight, Hop and its people were forgotten like a used hanky in a puddle. Trapped on a floating port amid the unfor‐ giving sea, a stagnant idea stuck to them — anything made would just be unmade. What was to stop anything they worked hard to build from falling to pieces like Hop did? Nothin’ lasts butsalt in yer ass became the most graffitied words on the splintering streets, a series of long planks called “Boards.” Was there any point in shining your shoes, doing your hair, brushing your teeth? They would all end up dirty, tasseled, and yellow. Undone, eventually. Was there any point in building relationships, then? Nothing lasts but the salt in their asses, indeed.
Just behind that friendly “red tide” warning sign on Boulie Board, a skinny wreck of a home rose from the battered planks. Its number, 76, was drawn large and wide on the front and side in “Hopper White,” a local specialty paint whose main ingredient was seagull poop. Nothing could be wasted in Hop, not even waste. The pieces that made up the home had a kind of widely used look about them, like maybe that wall had once been the barnacled belly of a rowboat, and before that, it was a sign that said HOP: POPULATION 600. Its door was a full fourteen shades of a should-I-touch-that sort of green and was cracked at the bottom up to the knob. Its two sea-weathered windows were small and narrow like suspicious eyes squinting at the neighbors. By Hopper standards, the Izz family actually had quite a fine little nest.
The only reason the Izz house somewhat outshined its raggedy neighbors was because of the family’s firstborn, Gaiel Izz. Gai liked to fix things when they broke. Something about broken objects made him queasy, compulsive even; a roar in the belly yapping at him to make it better. As for the things he couldn’t fix, he’d at least insist on putting a sheet of soggy newspaper over it or something. In fact, he patched so many holes in his clothes with newspaper that it became the dominant fabric. It crinkled as he walked.
One special night, this industrious fifteen-year-old was lying motionless on the floor in one of the home’s damp upstairs bedrooms. His right ear was practically suctioned to the floorboards as he listened carefully for any signs of movement downstairs. He’d been listening so long his ear had become a bright, throbbing mushroom. This night, he’d embark on his most ambitious fixing project yet — his twelve-year-old sister, Lynd.
While Gai may have been on the floor, he wasn’t out of bed. The floor was both of the Izz children’s bed. Many, many things floated by Hop in the strong currents, like sunken ship junk or garbage from far off Electri City on the mainland. But few were “cozy” materials for them to scoop out and use to make bedding. Since nothing came in or out of Hop, if a Hopper wanted something new, they’d best grab a scoop and pray to Zeea that whatever they needed happened to be floating by that day. Gai once scooped an armful of braided anchor rope and wove it into a nice blanket. He looked over at Lynd sleeping on it, snoring like a ship headed out to sea
— Twaahhh! Peaceful as she seemed, her little hands kept pulling at the fraying edges of the rope-blanket, almost like tearing it apart soothed her as a babe suckling their thumb would. She was definitely not a fixer like her brother. Truly, she was quite the opposite.
Title: Arcadia Author: Al Stone Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
AN UNTOLD PROPHECY, A BROKEN COVENANT AND A FALLEN ANGEL AS AN ALLY.
WILL CHARLIE SURVIVE?
Arcadia, 10th Anniversary Edition is a complete collection, featuring three full length novels in a single volume for the first time. A young-adult fantasy series full of magic, mythology and adventure. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Lord of the Rings.
Talisman Of El They have always been here … watching in silence. Now both worlds are about to collide.
Charlie Blake has always known he was different. He hears what others don’t. He sees what others can’t. In his quest for the truth, he discovers he is the physical embodiment of a powerful ruler and finds himself locked in an ancient battle between good and evil that threatens the life of every being on Earth.
Blackout Hold your breath. It’s contagious.
Saving mankind becomes near impossible when Charlie’s visions start to invade his reality. He can no longer identify what’s real. When he starts exhibiting symptoms of a deadly disease, he faces a race against time to find a cure, but shocking revelations makes him question where his true allegiance lies.
Ground Zero Mankind’s only hope is not human. Approach with caution.
26,000 years ago, a supernatural apocalypse almost wiped out civilisation. Now that time has come again and no one is destined to survive. Charlie Blake is determined to stop the apocalypse, but fate might not have the same agenda. Is Charlie destined to save the world or destroy it?
The image vanished, and Charlie found himself staring at Derkein, who was standing in front of him, gripping his shoulders. ‘Charlie, can you hear me?’ Derkein asked.
Charlie blinked hard. He looked through the single-arched doorway behind Derkein, but all he saw was the forest.
‘Hey,’ Derkein said, ‘talk to me.’
‘There used to be a palace here,’ Charlie said.
‘Doesn’t look like a palace now,’ Richmond observed.
Derkein let go of Charlie, his expression anxious. ‘All right, I think it’s time we head back to the campsite.’
They started to head off when Charlie suddenly stopped.
‘What is it?’ Alex asked.
Charlie’s eyes swept the forest. ‘I heard something.’ He expected Candra to pop out of her hiding place. Instead, he saw the red-haired boy he had seen earlier that day, watching him from behind a tree. ‘Hey. Where’s my bag?’
The boy’s eyes widened in shock, and he took off.
‘Hey.’ Charlie chased after him.
‘Charlie,’ Derkein called. ‘Charlie, get back here.’
Charlie didn’t stop. With the burning torch still in his hand, he raced through the forest after the boy. ‘Stop!’ he yelled. ‘I just want my bag.’ The boy was a good thirty feet ahead of him. What do they feed this kid?
‘Charlie,’ he heard Derkein call. It wasn’t until a loud cry reached him that he stopped.
It was Alex.
He turned around but saw no sign of the others. Panicked, he looked back at the boy, who had also stopped, and then he turned and ran back the way he had come.
It didn’t take him long to spot Derkein. When he got closer, he saw Richmond, who was now on his feet, Alex’s burning torch slowly fading on the ground beside him. But where was Alex?
Seeing Derkein and Richmond glancing up into a tree, he followed their gazes and spotted Alex trapped in a rope net.
‘It could be worse,’ Richmond said. Charlie and Derkein glanced at him. ‘What? It could be.’
Derkein’s gaze shifted to Charlie, and the lines on his forehead smoothed out, his expression stern. ‘Didn’t we just have a conversation about you running off?’
‘I know,’ Charlie said, ‘but I was trying to get my bag back.’
Derkein looked confused. ‘It’s not just going to fall out of the sky.’
‘What? No, that kid –’
‘Ah, hello,’ Alex said hotly. ‘Girl in a rope here. I don’t know about you guys but I’m thinking whoever set this trap might come back.’
Charlie looked up at her, her body bent in an awkward position with her legs reaching high above her head, and a faint smile crept onto his face. ‘Hang in there, Alex,’ he called up to her.
‘You just wait till I get down, Charlie Theodore Blake,’ she threatened.
Charlie looked at him, his smile fading. ‘Shut up.’
Derkein cleared his throat to refocus their attention. ‘How are we going to get her down, boys?’ he asked.
Charlie glanced back up at the tree. The distance between Alex and the ground was at least twelve feet, twice Derkein’s height. To get her down, Derkein would have to hoist Charlie onto his shoulders and then some.
As Derkein pondered a strategy, Charlie’s focus shifted to the thudding sound he heard coming towards them. Before he even had time to panic, the sound died almost as soon as it had begun.
He turned around and froze, the sound of his heartbeat in his ears as he stared at the line of people armed with shiny blades and arrows pointed at his head.
Al Stone is the author of the Arcadia Saga (YA Fantasy). After graduating with a BA in Film & Television, Al worked in the television industry for a brief period before a disabling injury led to a pursuit in storytelling. Talisman Of El is Al’s debut novel. The sequels Blackout and Ground Zero are currently available for sale.
It’s a simple enough agreement: for one month, Silas Flynn is my boyfriend of convenience.
He needs his old-fashioned boss to think he’s ready to settle down.
I need some arm candy to prove to my jerk ex-fiancé that I’ve moved on.
Perfect, right? Except for one minor detail: we can’t stand each other.
Everybody thinks he’s this perfect guy, but I know the real Silas. He’s a cocky, obnoxious jerk who thinks he can charm his way out of trouble and get anything he wants.
But there’s one tiny problem with fake dating: it looks a lot like real dating. Worse, it feels a lot like real dating.
I know once this is over, we’ll go our separate ways. No matter the smoldering looks he gives me, the possessive way he touches me, or the dirty things he whispers in my ear, Silas isn’t falling for me.
That’s fine. No matter how good being with him feels, I’m not falling for him, either.
I love writing sexy, alpha men and the headstrong women they fall for.
My weaknesses include: beards, whiskey, nice abs with treasure trails, sarcasm, cats, prowess in the kitchen, prowess in the bedroom, forearm tattoos, and gummi bears.
I live in California with my very own sexy, bearded, whiskey-loving husband and two hell-raising cats.
USA Today Bestselling Author Renee Rose loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! She’s sold over a million copies of steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won Spunky and Sassy’s Favorite Sci-Fi and Anthology author, and Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance. She’s hit the USA Today list ten times with her Chicago Bratva, Bad Boy Alpha, Wolf Ranch books, and various anthologies.
An important undercover mission for her coven could get Lilian killed. Targeting one powerful vampire is dangerous enough, but when she’s left with his lethally seductive brother, Night, the stakes have never felt higher.
Night Van der Garde is in no mood to visit his uptight eldest brother, so when he finds Bastian flying out of his mansion door, the evening is looking up… until Bastian orders him to spend the week looking after a human—a bewitching female who rouses a fierce hunger that has him treading the fine line between duty and desire.
When a new threat to his bloodline emerges and secrets about Lilian are revealed, will Night choose to follow his heart or listen to the ghosts of his dark past?
I’m a NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and International Best-Selling Author writing passionate paranormal romance books and series for adults. I love to create detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! All of them alpha as you would expect in paranormal romance, and every book with a guaranteed HAPPILY FOREVER AFTER!
