Laurel O'Donnell's Blog, page 41
October 22, 2015
Frightening First Kiss Friday – Evenshade by Kathryn Le Veque
This week, I’m featuring the fourth Frightening First Kiss from Evenshade by Kathryn Le Veque! Welcome, Kathryn! Here’s the first kiss between Dr. Alix Hendry and Cord Trevor. Enjoy!
At some point during the conversation, Alix got up to see where Rose had gone and found her daughter playing in the living room with the television on. When she returned to Cord, she noticed that he had moved his chair much closer to hers. Fighting off a grin, she resumed her seat. He was bumped right up against her.
“I can’t help but notice either this table has gotten smaller or you’ve moved your chair,” she commented.
He looked completely innocent. “It’s me,” he said. “My size makes everything look smaller. I’ve been sitting right in this spot the whole time.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “I’m surprised I didn’t notice before.”
“Me, too. How much more obvious can I be?”
Her smile broke through. “Obvious about what?”
With a grin, he reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss. Alix watched him, smile quickly fading, as a tremor of lust ripped through her. It was the single most sensuous kiss she’d ever had and she watched his mouth as he kissed her fingers again. By this time, her heart was pounding and her smile was completely gone.
“Oh, God,” she breathed. “When you do that….”
He didn’t even let her finish the sentence before he was leaning over, slanting his lips over hers. He took her comment as an invitation. It was a sweet, very timid kiss at first, as if just testing the waters, but somewhere in the first few moments she gasped and he lost his control, pulling her against him.
The sweet and timid kiss turned hot and lusty in an instant; it wasn’t slobbery or gross, but as delicious and tender as either one of them could have possibly imagined. Alix wrapped her arms around his big neck, holding him close as he devoured her mouth.
His hands ended up in her hair and he inadvertently shoved her back against the kitchen wall, positively consumed with her. She was unbelievably sweet and soft, smelling like heaven, and his male senses soaked it up like a sponge. He’d never had a kiss like this in his life, not ever.
But before he could lose his control completely, they could hear Rose in the living room and he abruptly let her go, sitting back in his chair and just staring at her. Her lips were swollen and red, and when she inadvertently licked them, he snapped again and descended on her, kissing her so forcefully that he ended up driving her teeth into her lip. He could taste the blood. But Rose’s voice reached their ears yet again and he forced himself away from her again, fearful that a four year old would see them in a clutch.
Alix sat plastered back against the wall, breathing as if she had just sprinted a mile. She couldn’t catch her breath. She stared at Cord with big eyes, a bit dazed, when he suddenly bolted out of his chair and ended up against the counter over by the sink. As Rose chatted out in the living room, presumably talking to her dolls, Cord stood against the sink with a hand over his mouth.
“Wow,” he finally breathed. “That was… was….”
“Really good,” Alix finished for him. Then she just grinned.
Cord’s hand was over his mouth still, but he ended up grinning in return. “Do you really think so?”
“Uh… yes.”
“Want to try it again sometime?”
“Anytime.”
His eyes widened. “Really?”
She just nodded. Then she cocked her head, quirky. “You don’t greet all the new neighbors this way, do you?”
He broke down laughing. “No, never.”
“Be honest,” she pushed, teasing. “Women? Young or old? Maybe even men if they’re hot enough?”
His laughter grew. “Never in my life, Alix.” He held up his hand as if swearing, his eyes warm on her. “Only you. And I’m trying to decide how I feel about it.”
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
October 21, 2015
Conjuring Fright!
How about this picture? I don’t know about you, but if I run into anyone, especially a scarecrow, wielding a sharp scythe… I’m running the other way!
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
October 20, 2015
Start the Kindle Countdown Deal!
The Lady and the Falconer is in a Kindle Countdown Deal!
Get The Lady and The Falconer for the best price all year! Only 99 cents! It goes up to $1.99 in 2 days!
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
October 18, 2015
Last Day for FREE!
Today is the LAST day to get this ghostly read for FREE! Just in time for Halloween.
Christian Thompson is killed in a car accident but refuses to pass into the afterlife because of his protective need to shelter his daughter Aurora from her cruel mother. He soon discovers there are others like him, other wandering spirits trapped between the world of the living and the dead. He joins this larger group of Lost Souls in their struggle to destroy the evil endangering their existence.
Unholy creatures threaten both Christian’s new world and his old. They are entities called the Changed, beings who were once Lost Souls but who are now dark, dangerous and disturbed monsters. Their ultimate goal is to return to the land of the living by possessing the body of a human.
Little does Christian realize that his decision to refuse his own death will endanger the very life of the daughter he has vowed to protect.
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
October 15, 2015
Frightening First Kiss Friday – The Caretaker of Showman’s Hill by Elizabeth Rose
This week, I’m featuring the third Frightening First Kiss from The Caretaker of Showman’s Hill by Elizabeth Rose! Welcome, Elizabeth! Here’s the first kiss between Cassie Briggs and Basil Wensilton III. Enjoy!
Blurb:
Cassie Briggs is a reporter looking for her missing sister when she is sent to the Showman’s Hill Cemetery at night to cover a story. There she meets Basil Wensilton III, a man who is as handsome as he is mysterious. He’s known as The Caretaker, but little does she know that what he’s taking care of is not only the cemetery, but a lair of vampires and a two hundred year old secret. (Inspired by a true story of a circus train wreck, and the cemetery that holds the dead bodies of the performers called Showman’s Rest.)
Excerpt:
“You want to kiss me,” Basil whispered.
“No, I don’t,” Cassie lied, though it was exactly what she was thinking.
“I don’t buy it.” His face got closer to hers, and his gaze dropped to her mouth. “So go ahead.”
Daringly, she leaned forward and boldly placed her lips on his. So soft, so sensuous, so alive as he gently rubbed his lips against hers. Then she realized just what she was doing. She tried to pull away, but his arm tightened around her and he pulled her closer. Instead of kissing her mouth this time, his lips wandered to her forehead, then down to her cheek, then around to the back of her neck.
Next he did something that she found to be very strange, yet erotic. He licked her skin. If any other stranger had tried this, she’d be disgusted. But when Basil did it, she oddly welcomed it.
A combination of licks and kisses covered her neck, and worked their way down to the collar of her low cut shirt. It didn’t matter how dark it was, her eyes were closed now anyway. She wickedly wanted him to nuzzle her breasts and push his hips against hers. Something about this man made her feel horribly out of control – and she liked it.
His next move was what she’d been anticipating. She could feel his arousal as he pushed his leg between hers and backed her against the wall. His mouth nibbled at her breasts right through her blouse.
“Cassie, I can’t stop myself. You’re driving me mad.”
She rather liked the way it felt to have such control over him. Not to mention the fact she was feeling the same way, and with a man she barely knew. It only excited her more.
“Do it,” she whispered, being close to shattering in his arms. She wanted so much more, that she could barely contain herself. The passion between them was like a raging, uncontrollable fire.
“You don’t mean that.” She could hear the wanting in his voice.
“I do.” When had she become so carefree as to want to do something like this? She felt she barely knew herself since she’d met this man named Basil.
He pulled her to the floor and got atop her. His tongue licked her neck again, and this time she felt his teeth as he playfully nipped at her skin. Then his teeth felt sharper and the bites not as playful. Fear coursed through her as she came to her senses. What started out as nothing more than lust was going to turn into a very dangerous situation.
She turned her head away from him wondering what to do, when she came face to face with a horrid creature. Too frightened to even scream, her eyes bulged as she surveyed a bat. Its furry face was covered with blood, its mouth wide opened – its fangs getting ready to sink into her skin, she was sure.
She screamed like she’d never done before. Basil quickly held his hand over her mouth to silence her. This was it. He was going to kill her. She was trapped in an attic with a sex-starved murderer and it was all her fault for being so careless and stupid. That was her last thought before her world went black and consciousness slipped from her.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BA5AD9C
(Also available in print.)
Website: http://elizabethrosenovels.com
Booktrailer: https://youtu.be/3wc_wkuADhE
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
October 14, 2015
Scary House!
I love October! I love to be scared! Here’s a scary house I found for your imagination!
Ummm… I don’t care how lost I am, I am not going into that house!
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
FREE Ebook!
For 5 days only! Lost Souls: Resurrection is free! Get it now.
A great read this Halloween season!
Christian Thompson is killed in a car accident but refuses to pass into the afterlife because of his protective need to shelter his daughter Aurora from her cruel mother. He soon discovers there are others like him, other wandering spirits trapped between the world of the living and the dead. He joins this larger group of Lost Souls in their struggle to destroy the evil endangering their existence.
Unholy creatures threaten both Christian’s new world and his old. They are entities called the Changed, beings who were once Lost Souls but who are now dark, dangerous and disturbed monsters. Their ultimate goal is to return to the land of the living by possessing the body of a human.
Little does Christian realize that his decision to refuse his own death will endanger the very life of the daughter he has vowed to protect.
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
October 11, 2015
October 8, 2015
Frightening First Kiss Friday – And Richer by Jackie Ivie
This week, I’m featuring the second Frightening First Kiss from And Richer from the Vampire Assassin League by Jackie Ivie! Welcome, Jackie! Here’s the first kiss between Nigel Beethan and Mandy Robes. Enjoy!
Her heart thumped oddly. Her breath caught. A quiver went through her lower belly. Her thighs even trembled. She snuck a peek toward him again. Nigel was really handsome, actually. And he looked pretty intense with his jaw jutting forward and his unbelievably blue eyes fixated on her. As it raced down her arms, a shiver added to her problems. She rubbed them while working at stifling all the other reactions. This was really odd. She couldn’t be feeling anything for Nigel. He was a stranger. This was so unlike her.
She was getting turned on by the guy she’d promised to stay with because he was an invalid and injured, and needed her help? That was unconscionable. Probably against several medical codes. She didn’t even have a good reason. Just because it was the middle of the night? Lame excuse. She must have drunk a little too much Spritz Veneziano? Complete fallacy. Was it because he was such a great listener?
“I hope you aren’t upset,” Mandy offered when Nigel just sat there regarding her without even blinking.
“I’m…safe?” he asked.
Mandy’s eyes widened slightly. She twisted her fingers together. “It wasn’t a bad break-up, okay? It was actually a mutual thing. We ended it. He went his way. I went mine.”
“Is he out of his mind?”
“Who?”
“Your ex.”
“You’re so sweet to say so. But everyone actually…thinks he dumped me.”
“No.”
“He’s really handsome. Truly. I fell for his looks…but they can only go so far. You know? He’s just lacking…something. We just—. It’s just—. I don’t know. Some people are just not meant to be together. Do you know what I mean?”
“Mandy.”
His voice had lowered. The name resonated through the enclosure, adding to the weird sensation about them. The air had gotten electrically charged, becoming a physical presence that held weight, scent, and heat. Each breath contained a hint of spice. Musk. He lifted his arms, put his hands behind his head, and unfastened his mask. His arms came away. The mask dropped. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Except a gasp.
He looked so much like Paul Henry they could be twins.
“Who are you?”
“I told you my name. Nigel. Nigel…Beethan.”
“Nigel Beethan,” she repeated uncomprehendingly.
“Paul Henry is…a relation of mine. A close one. But he is not your mate, Mandy. I am.”
“M-mate?” Comprehension was elusive. The word had too much significance. It sent a wave of reaction along her skin.
“And safe is not a word I would apply to anything at the moment.”
He smiled. Light reflected off wicked looking spikes where his canine teeth should be. White. Sharp. Mandy’s heart did a huge leap. A lump formed in her throat, pounding in rhythm with each heartbeat. Making it difficult to swallow. Vocalize anything. Breathe. She should be shocked. Horrified. Frightened. Anything other than intrigued. Rapt. Absolutely fascinated.
“You have…fangs.” The lump shifted in her throat as she whispered it. Paining.
“I know. I am a vampire, my love.”
“A…what?”
“Feeling unsafe yet?”
Nigel loomed larger somehow, yanking his shoulders and arms free of his shirt as he moved. He tore the bandage away from his ribcage. And despite what she’d just been told, she was surprised at the clear, undamaged flesh he displayed. And then impressed at the shadow of a six pack. Nigel was lean, but it didn’t detract from a masculine physique. Her eyes hungered, and then her body reacted. Another Mandy took over. One with no qualms about lust and passion, and sexuality.
A heavy guitar riff started up from somewhere. The musician played exactly as she’d always aspired to. Loud bass tones bled into crystal-shattering high notes. The performance was masterful. The ability on the strings, pure magic. The sound hard. The cadence addictive. The scale movement rapid and massive. Sound reverberated through the chamber, dragging her pulse into rhythm with it.
Mandy arched back onto her elbows, her crossed legs eased open as they lowered. Her head went back as she inhaled for breath. The obstruction in her throat eased, dropping to join the pulsation encompassing her lower belly. Upper thighs. Loins. The nightgown had felt insubstantial when she’d donned it. Embarrassingly so. Now, it felt restrictive and cumbersome. She pulled at the neckline, lowering it to her upper arms as Nigel came back into view. His arm hooked about her waist, lifting her against him. They connected…
And the night erupted.
An invisible pressure wave pulsed through the chamber, muting the electric guitar music, blowing out several candles, causing all sorts of furnishings to rattle and crash. It bounced off the walls and returned with a vengeance. Mandy clung to him as something imperceptible rushed past, tossing her hair. Brushing across her skin. Making her gown ruffle. Her arms enwrapped his torso. She shoved upwards, lifting off the mattress. Getting as close as possible. Her breasts crushed against his pecs. Her belly slammed into his. And her legs wrapped about his hips, bringing everything in contact. Nigel might be lean, but he was hard. Everywhere. And substantial. Totally male. And infinitely dangerous.
Sinfully so.
“You are mine, Mandy Robes.”
“Yes,” she replied.
“And I am going to kiss you.”
He put his lips to one of her upper arms; slid his tongue along her shoulder to her throat. The skin singed. And then iced. Mandy squealed. He chuckled. Her body trembled with it. She clutched him tighter. The mattress swayed. His hold drew her even closer. He’d reached her neck, then the area just below an ear. And then he started talking, turning everything into a mass of shivery reaction.
“We are going to mate, my love. You and me,” he whispered against her skin.
“Oh, my…yes!” she cried.
“Be forewarned. Things may happen. Dark. Risky things. “
“No. I mean, yes. Yes! Oh, Nigel…yes!”
Mandy turned her head and slammed her lips to his. And everything went to a screeching halt. Lights extinguished, plunging them into darkness. The heavy metal guitar riff stopped, leaving a vacuum of sound. Their breaths stopped. Heartbeats ceased. Then Nigel groaned, moved his mouth on hers, and everything started up again. The guitar music resumed, added now with a wealth of drum rolls. Quick-paced. Intent. The scent of spice and musk grew stronger. A sharp pain touched her inner lip…and absolute wonder ensued. Light burst through her vision. Bright. Inexorable. It illuminated a vista of ocean. Clouds. Sky. And all from behind closed eyelids.
She’d never experienced anything so massive. Tasted anything so exquisite. Felt anything so intense. And the immediate craving was for more. Legions more. She was on fire for it. Nigel seemed to know. He broke the kiss, and plunged his fangs into her throat. Sucking. Fulfilling. And making the entire room start to rotate.
Tingling overtook her, moistening. Desiring. Her loins were alive with little sparks that struck continuously as if trying to ignite. Match to flame. Fire to inferno. Mandy ran her hands along his back. Grabbed for his shoulders.
Buy Links –
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Richer-Vampire-Assassin-League-Book-ebook/dp/B00WVLRU86/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442946417&sr=1-1&keywords=and+richer+jackie+ivie
Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/and-richer-vampire-assassin-league-25-jackie-ivie/1121834315?ean=2940151559089
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539319
Laurel O'Donnell - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy
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“What do you want from me?”
Perhaps it was ridiculous, Ryen thought. Men never seemed to have a problem with taking what, ...more
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