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Alek
is cursed. A tiger and lion mix, he also feels vampyre bloodlust.
Finding a mate will require finding someone to sate that bloodlust and
it has become increasingly clear that the two cats who live beneath his
skin are outrageously, unbelievably picky. Then he meets Viviana, the
one woman who ignites a fierce fire in his soul.
Viviana,
a vampyre warrior, is shocked to come face-to-face with the one
creature who can turn her cool blood into a molten river. Her powers
stolen, she has to count on the cat for everything—blood, even her life,
and when they’re together she becomes a wildcat in his arms. Viv wants
Alek as her own, and no one, not even Alek himself, will stand in her
way.
Inside Scoop:
Alek and Viviana share many erotic likings, including enjoying the
occasional voyeuristic adventure as well as exhibitionist sex, when the
desire strikes them.
A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Copyright©J.
Hali Steele, 2014 | All
Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.
Excerpt: Chapter One
Warriors, leather-clad fighting
machines with arsenals of weapons deftly hidden beneath their coats. They were
gladiators who fought to the death and belonged in an arena.
Not striding through a hotel lobby
in Amish Country.
That’s where Alek Foress had
found himself twenty-odd years ago protecting Nikolaus, the Kind prince. In
fucking Lancaster County.
All these years later, back in
the California high desert, he was still addicted to the bastard’s blood and
there were times he swore he smelled like a stinking lion.
“Damn you’re in a nasty mood.”
His friend’s laughter rang out in the little corner of the club Alek had chosen
to hide in. The sound scraped his already raw nerves. “You striped beasts
always smelled worse than us.”
“Case, I don’t need any shit from
you.” From the corner of his eye Alek saw Tres heading their way. He took in
her green hair and curvy body before facing Case. The man grinned widely as his
mate approached, a grin that reminded Alek he’d done the right thing by hiring
Tres to handle Case’s club. Initially his friend had objected to his swanky
voyeur’s club being run by a snow leopard shifter with green hair. But the spunky little cat had won the white
lion’s heart and soul.
“You both stink and have fleas.
Damn warm cats.”
“Hey, baby.”
Alek slouched deeper into the chair as he watched Case pull his mate
into his lap. These two were one of the happiest couples he knew. They were
also part of the reason for his frame of mind.
Alek would never have a mate or
know the kind of happiness they shared.
Case nibbled on Tres’ neck and
lifted her up. “Can you see to things for a bit? I need to talk to Alek.”
She leaned in and kissed Case on
the lips. “I’m famished and unless you want me biting a customer, don’t be too
long.”
“Greedy wench. I’ll take care of
you later.”
Alek watched her disappear down
the hallway of The Looking Glass. He spun on Case and cut him down before he
started.
“Here’s where you tell me so what
if I have lion’s blood running through my veins and you’re going to give me the
bullshit about being lucky I have a tie to the royal family.” He lifted his
glass, downed the Wild Turkey and fixed Case with a deadly stare. “How would
you feel walking around for twenty damn years with a hard-on for a fucking male
cat?” Lips drawn into a grimace, he ground the words between clenched teeth,
“We don’t screw males.” Standing, he leaned and banged both hands flat down on
the table. Alek lowered himself until he was eye to eye with his friend. “And
now would not be the time to tell me to ‘relax, it’s the vampyre blood’, or
‘it’s no big deal’.” He straightened up, planning to
leave.
His head flew back with a snap
and his body was flung down into the chair. It tipped back precariously on two
legs.
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
Case glared at him with gleaming red eyes. “But someone needs to so you can get
on with your life and stop this bullshit.”
“What the hell was that?” Alek
rubbed his jaw.
“That was a white lion full of
vampyre piss and vinegar trying to save his best friend from a life of
loneliness.”
He sat back and studied Case
Tangara. He’d known he had strength but hadn’t suspected anything like this.
For now, his only option was to listen.
Alek and Case were both part of
the Kind species of big cats infected with blood of the undead. Both served as
Sovereign warriors, known as the Reign, to protect the weaker of their
brethren cats
who refused to accept the vampyre way of life by ingesting human blood. They
were animals and it was what they wanted to remain.
Case continued, “We are what we
are. Embrace your vamp powers and deal with it.”
Alek’s mind wandered as Case
babbled on about it being okay if a man wanted to make love to another man.
A thousand years ago the undead
had invaded the lions’ ancestral caves in the Balkan Mountains and the sons of
bitches had contaminated the cats with their vile blood curse. Unfortunately
the lions carried the thirst across continents to a multitude of animals. He
used to lead the Reign. Stripped of his status, he didn’t give a shit anymore.
His downfall came from spending too much time in women. Literally. He
pined away even now, his cock weeping, for the wet pleasure found between a
willing set of shapely legs. Furry or not, he’d change to suit the situation.
Leading the warriors hadn’t been
his idea anyway. He’d assumed the position to stay near the prince.
“So you wanted to stay near your
blood source. Big fucking deal. You’ve had the benefit of the strongest blood
of our kind and you’ve piddled it away fucking around. I love you, man, but
it’s time to grow up.” Case leveled somber green eyes in his direction. “Are
you that worried about traveling to meet the prince?”
Zeroing in on Case, Alek hissed.
“Stay the hell out of my head. You want to know something, ask.” He could have
motioned to the waitress for a drink but what the hell, there were some vamp
powers worth embracing. He pulled a glass of alcohol out of thin air and took a
big gulp. “Don’t ever restrain me again.”
“Don’t act like an asshole and it
won’t be necessary.”
Setting his drink down, Alek
sighed heavily and settled back into the chair. “No, I’m not worried about the
royal family. Hell, his wife is half-human and will always do crazy shit.” Air
whistled through his lips. “You don’t know what it’s like.”
“I know what a vamp’s lust feels
like. I enjoy it and so should you. It’s part of what we are.”
“Male cats don’t go panting after
each other. It’s-it’s not normal.”
Case laughed so loudly a few of
the club’s patrons turned to stare. “We aren’t normal in any sense of the
word.”
The addiction to the prince’s
blood pulled at Alek, shattered his control again and again. It pushed him into
the arms of any available woman just so he could prove his manhood. The
weakness would never allow him to take a mate. He was unwilling to divulge his
dark secret—his desire to take a man, namely the prince. Have him in every way.
Alek had seen mated male cats
take sustenance often. They always went for men and then they’d go home to feed
their mates. How did they deal with it, fight the carnal urges that damn near
drew him over the edge? What made him different? This wasn’t part of the
beast’s nature. His craving came from his blood-lusting relatives. Goddamn
vampyres.
“On that thought, I need to feed
my mate. Let me say this. Tres understands my sexual urges and accepts them.
You’ll find the right mate one day and she’ll accept all that you are, Alek.”
“I’d never let her know.”
“Then you’ll never have
happiness. If that’s how you choose to live, so be it. I’ve done all I can.”
His friend sniffed loudly, wrinkling his nose. “And you do smell like a lion
today. You need a bath, my friend.”
A bit about J.Hali
I read anything, voraciously devour paranormal romances...I’m a bonafide HEA junkie! I write erotic paranormal romance, and have dabbled with contemporary. I write m/f; m/m/f; and m/m for Changeling Press/Razor’s Edge, I write for Ellora’s Cave, and I have a few stories with Liquid Silver. I’ve even been bold enough to publish a few stories on my own as Jocie Parker, you can find those at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Basically, I’m a writer, friend, mother...I'm lots of things—some unmentionable. *smile* My favorite saying: Growl and roar--it's okay to let the beast out. -J. Hali Steele
You can find J.Hali around: www.jhalisteele.com | www.sovereignkind.blogspot.com
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7 comments:
Thank you for the amazing read.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks!
I just saw you on my facebook and cant wait to read one of your books. I am always look for a great book/series to get involved in.
I forgot to put my email address on my comment. Sorry, my email address is rsb0807@gmail.com. So excited to check out your books.
Thanks, Rhonda! Hope you find something you enjoy. The vamp cats are probably my favorite to write about, though the angels are...well, they're hot! Second in that series will probably come out later this year.
thanks for stopping by - check your in box!
Quench sounds great. Thank you for the great excerpt. I can't wait to read more.
orelukjp0 at gmail dot com
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