Lia Davis's Blog, page 52

A few updates and just saying hi

Hello! It’s been awhile since I’ve sat down and posted. I’ve been busy with my new shifter series, Ashwood Falls and loving my leopards and wolves and the world they live in.  Book 2 is on its way! It’s currently in the editing stage and will release June 11. I can’t wait to share Blaine and Cameron’s story and introduce you to Graham, their third.

I will be sharing the cover and blurb with everyone on Wednesday. So be on the lookout. Also the quotes of the day will start soon.

What am I working on now?

More Ashwood! Keegan’s story is next and the title is Surrendering to the Alpha. You meet his HEA (happily ever after), Addyson, in A Mating Dance.

I’m also working on a special novella that go in the Fated Desires Anthology, Ever After, due out in November. It will be Sarah’s story. Sarah is Nevan’s stepmother and you first met her in Winter Eve.

Great things are coming and I’m so excited to be sharing Ashwood Falls with you.

Have a wonderful week!

Back to the grind

Hello and happy Monday! I just got back from an  awesome weekend with my writing partner/BFF Carrie Ann Ryan. She flew down to Florida and we spent the weekend in St. Augustine. There we are to the right. We had so much fun. It was wonderful to finally meet face-to-face.

We had a reader/writer lunch on Friday where five readers came out. It was great to meet everyone and spend four hours talking, laughing, and eating. A few stayed overnight and went to dinner with us.

Did we get any work done? Yep! Carrie Ann and I got the major plot arc plotted for the Keys of Fate series — our co-authoring hot angels series — and the outline for book one done! Plus we got words down on our current WIP. I’m hoping to send A Mating Dance to my editor next week. Then I can start on The Dark Divine (The Divinities book 3-Zach’s book). I’m really in a time crunch to get Zach’s book finish because of a few commitments I made. But the outline is done and all I need to do is not sleep and write. I can do it, right? o.O

Have a wonderful week!

Guest Author spotlight with Ashlynne Laynne

The Progeny Series

v  The Progeny (Book One)

v  Blood Bonds (Book Two)

v  Blood Promise (Book Three)

About The Progeny Series

At its core, The Progeny is simply a story about a man and woman who fall in love, and the fact that he’s a half-blood (half-human, half vampire) and she’s a Wiccan human are secondary factors. When we meet Ascher, he’s grumpy. Frankly, who could blame him? He’s engaged to seal to Ursula—a cold and careless vampire who wants nothing more than to get her hands on a bloodstone— and he feels conflicted about his existence.

All of that changes when he meets Shawnette McCutchin. She’s beautiful, intriguing and possesses some of the most potent blood that he’s ever smelled. A war immediately begins inside Ascher. He craves Shauna’s blood just as much as he craves her body and the closer they get, the harder it is for him to control his urges. After Ascher calls off the sealing to Ursula, the trouble begins. His family’s peaceful period ends when Ursula’s army attacks the Rousseaus.

This series encompasses a family dynamic of which we’ve never seen. The Rousseaus share a common mortal and immortal bloodline, but loyalty is the thread binding this clan. Shauna and Ascher’s dissuaded love only strengthens the family bonds. Their unique union transcends bloodlines and completes the prophecy, defying the archaic beliefs of centuries old covenants while shattering the wall between the Wiccan and vampire worlds that has existed for ages. This series is erotic paranormal romance intended for adults, as it contains adult sensuality, language and themes.

 

Blood Promise (The Progeny Series #3)

“Their love is fated by an ancient prophecy. Now the promise is fulfilled.”

Ascher Rousseau is a half-human, half vampire whose life has been a series of prophecies and predictions. After finding incredible love and passion with Shauna—a Wiccan with powers beyond anything he’s ever known—he seals to her and hopes for happiness. But his enemies seek to destroy all that he loves, and he finds that happiness never lasts for long.

Darkness is descending and a vampiric revolution is nearing. A new brood of hatchlings is born to join their darkling brothers, in preparation for war. A preordained chain of events is set into motion that could lead to the rise of the demonic “cloaked one” and his half-human fallen children, while ending humanity—as we know it.

Can a supernatural love and the loyal bond of a family save the Rousseaus and the world from certain extinction?

 

Excerpt From Blood Promise

Cuff me…is she for real? Of course she means it, you idiot. What did you think the handcuffs were for? Now anxious with anticipation, he obeyed her command, allowing her to restrain his wrists in the cool metal. Stepping backward and keeping his gaze riveted on his brutally hot wife, Ascher fell back into the sofa, naked and with bound hands that rested at the small of his back.

Straddling his lap, her hips circled against his hardness, pushing his restraint to the bitter edge. Her kiss was different, her tongue deeply probing and her lips crushing against his, brash to the point that they bruised the flesh, causing a dull ache that radiated to every cell in his body.

“The venom, baby, please be careful.” Overcome with lust and approaching the brink of his sanity, he was still lucid enough to remind her about the poison in his blood. He was grateful that the venom only bonded with vampire black cells; otherwise, he’d never allow her to go down on him. The pleasure wasn’t worth the risk of turning her.

She nodded as though she understood, kneeling in front of him. “I was going to blindfold you but decided against it. I want you to see what I’m going to do. You’ve been a very bad boy.” Tilting forward, her ruby lips formed an “o” as she blew a teasing stream of breath against his rod, initiating contact and taunting him until his fevered body pained with the need for any form of her. With a stiff tongue, she lapped a slick circuit along the veins coursing his pulsing length and around the delicate skin of his cockhead.

A wave of desire swept him, submerging his human nature, awakening the primitive beast within. A throaty growl emerged from the depths of his belly as her mouth slipped up and down his thickened shaft. Her full lips drew in his swollen crown, gently pulling on the tender tissue. His eyes rolled as her tongue tunneled into the sensitive slit, leaving behind her crimson lipstick kiss as she extracted a thick bead of pre-cum.

The telltale tingles in his hands preceded the claws springing from his fingertips, as the lengthened points of his fangs bit at his bottom lip. A combination of wet warmth, hard suction and expertly timed motion lashed at him, bringing his release painfully close to the cusp.

She seemed just as turned on as he was. Her moans reverberated through his dick, while her eyes fixed on his unmoving gaze. Steadily fisting him with her right hand, Shauna’s left hand masturbated her clit as her head bobbed up and down—working him hard, milking him with a gentle strength that echoed her familiarity with his cock and what made it explode.

Blood pounded in his head and swirled in his vision until he was lightheaded and panting for more, begging for mercy. His hips pushed upward, meeting each thrust of her mouth with one of his own. Pleasure ebbed and crested as everything inside him coiled and tightened with tension, his vision blurring blind with fang pulsing, blood boiling insanity. “Yes—yes—fuck me with your mouth, baby…make me come.”

Ascher’s throat rumbled with animalistic growling that mimicked the most primitive of mating sounds. A hot mix of heat, bloodlust and unbridled strength welled inside him. The flexing of his hands slackened the bite of the silver manacles, until the sound of twisting metal pierced through Shauna’s mouth-filled moans.

He was free, but remained glued to the couch as climax weighted his yearning body. Heated waves travelled through him, bringing the pleasure and prompting the pain of a release brought on so violently…so quickly. “Oh, God.” A moan resonated from within. “Suck me harder, faster…Oh, Shauna—baby, I’m going to…”

The Progeny Series Extras

THE PROGENY/BLOOD BONDS TRAILER

 

~About Ashlynne Laynne~

Ashlynne Laynne has always had a soft spot in her heart for vampires but grew tired of the garlic fearing, sun-loathing creatures of old. An avid horror movie fan, she tends to enjoy media and music that is of a younger, more eclectic nature. This was the catalyst for her writing The Progeny. The vampire/witch pairing is unique and different when most books pair vampires with werewolves.

Ashlynne loves writing on the edge and teetering between the erotica and romance genres, and thinks of Ascher and Shauna as the wicked, damned version of Romeo and Juliet. She is currently working on book four of her Progeny Series, book one of her upcoming Rocker Series, and an untitled novella WIP. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her family. She juggles the hats of wife, mother, full time employee and part-time writer, hoping to write full time one day soon.

Ashlynne lives in North Carolina with her husband and teenage son.

Ashlynne on Facebook ~ The Progeny Series Facebook Page ~ Twitter ~ Manic Readers ~ Blog ~ Website ~ Reader Email

 The Progeny Series is available for purchase worldwide at Amazon US  Amazon UK   BN  Amazon Spain  Amazon France  Amazon Austria  Amazon Italy  Amazon Germany      Smashwords

Bump in the Night Blog Hop: Paranormal meets romance

What’s the appeal about things that go bump in the night? Better yet, why do some find it sexy in a romance novel?

Well I can’t speak for everyone, but I love it. A novel has to keep my attention from beginning to end. Paranormal does that for me. The thrill of the unknown and the suspense of the dangerous hero, or heroine, was the first thing that drew me to paranormal romance. Fear is a powerful emotional. And mixed with sexual tension and a need for survival will send the characters, and the readers, into a heart thumping ride.

I like things that bite, or could bite if you want them to, like sexy shifters.

Check out my newest release, A Tiger’s Claim, book one of my new shifter series, Ashwood Falls.

A Tiger’s Claim – Ashwood Falls, book 1

As the Alpha’s only daughter Shayna Andrews has always been treated like a rare gem, protected like royalty, and she’s suffocating.  Her longing to be independent has driven her to sneak out one evening after dinner. After relishing in being able to run free without an escort, she finds herself face-to-face with the enemy, miles from home, and nearly loses her life until a lone wolf comes to her aid.

Travis Hunter’s main objective is to destroy the Onyx Pack—a group of drug using, murdering rogue shifters. His seek-and-destroy plans are put on hold when he rescues a female from a brutal attack. The beautifully exotic tiger shifter, Shayna, stirs a passion he thought died with his long-lost mate.

When Shay’s first heat cycle slams into her, Travis has no choice but to submit to her needs—and his own. But there is always a price to sleeping with the Pack princess. Not only will they have to face her Pack, Shay and Travis will have to deal with a mating that is beyond a single night and could have consequences more than either of them had thought. And when Travis finds out Shay wears the enemy’s brand, things will go from bad to worse.

Warning: One alpha female who doesn’t take no for an answer, a wolf with more on the line than just his heart, and a combustible attraction that’s sure to cause more than one sweaty night.

  Find it on:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  | ARe |  Kobo

Find it in Print (also includes the prequel, Winter Eve):

eStore  |  Amazon

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY!

Each author is doing a giveaway and ONE winner will be chosen from all the blogs collectively to win all 5 prizes! Don’t forget to leave your email addresses in your comments.

The Prizes!

My giveaway ~ a copy of Winter Eve, Ashwood Falls prequel, $10 Amazon or B&N GC (winner’s choice) and a swag pack.

Mare Hart ~ $15 Amazon e-gift certificate as well as any 2 of my backlist in ebook format, your choice.

Carrie Ann Ryan ~  eARC of Her Warriors’ Three Wishes (Dante’s Circle 2), Special Swag Pack, $15 Starbucks Gift Card

Gabrielle Bisset ~ A signed copy of one of the Sons of Navarus series books: Blood Avenged,Blood Betrayed, Blood Spirit, or even the upcoming Blood Prophecy (which will be released in print in early May 2013), Sons of Navarus swag, and a handmade Sons book thong featuring one of the four Sons of Navarus books.

Ranea Rose ~ a signed paperback paranormal romance and a $10 Starbucks gift card.

Follow the hop and comment on each blog for more changes to win!

Carrie Ann Ryan 

Gabrielle Bisset

Marie Harte

Ranae Rose

Dante’s Circle Book 2 – Coming April 23rd

Her Warriors’ Three Wishes

by Carrie Ann Ryan

Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?

Ambrose Griffin is older than most, if not all, civilizations. As each year passes, he submerses himself into his training, only relaxing around his protégée and friend, Shade.  After losing his wife and children in the last Angelic Wars, he guards his heart and has no desire to share it with another.

Bookkeeper and romance novel enthusiast, Jamie Bennett dreams of being swept off her feet by a white knight. However, her life is no romance book. Since meeting Ambrose—a sexy, delicious angel—she’s been twisted inside out and doesn’t know why.  Things are happening that she can’t control and now her life is in danger.

Balin Drake is stuck in hell, literally. His life of refusing to take souls, even though it’s part of his demon nature, has caught up with him. He’s dying and now must search for his true half, but even a mating may not save him. When he meets the two people who could fill that part, he’ll need to fight for something he hasn’t felt in over a century—hope.

Warning: Contains a rigid angel who needs a certain sexy woman to help him unwind, a book keeper who finds herself the creamy center of the best cookie ever, and a demon who has a certain taste for pressing them both against walls.

Meet Travis Hunter, hero of A Tiger’s Claim

I’m getting wonderful feedback from readers about the first two books in Ashwood Falls. I couldn’t be more happy that my readers are loving the stories and begging for more. Thanks so much for your praises and encouragement.

So you want to meet Travis? Of course you do. lol.

Travis Hunter was born to be Alpha. Tragedy by the name of Onyx took his Pack from him. So he made it his new purpose in life to track the rogues down and kill them. All the while he protects his four year old daughter and his mother.

His specs:

Age: 232

height: 6’1″

Special gift: Pyrokinesis

Strength: His daughter and his ability to track down rogues

Weakness: His heart, which seems too big at times, especially when it comes to his family and Shayna Andrews.

 

Travis’s story id told in A Tiger’s Claim. Below are the buy links.

Find it on:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo

Find it in Print (also includes the prequel, Winter Eve):

eStore | Amazon

 

It’s here! Yay!

I am so happy to announce that A Tiger’s Claim is now available! And a day early!! So go pick up your copy today.

It is also available in print with the prequel, Winter Eve.

 

A Tiger’s Claim Blurb

As the Alpha’s only daughter Shayna Andrews has always been treated like a rare gem, protected like royalty, and she’s suffocating.  Her longing to be independent has driven her to sneak out one evening after dinner. After relishing in being able to run free without an escort, she finds herself face-to-face with the enemy, miles from home, and nearly loses her life until a lone wolf comes to her aid.

Travis Hunter’s main objective is to destroy the Onyx Pack—a group of drug using, murdering rogue shifters. His seek-and-destroy plans are put on hold when he rescues a female from a brutal attack. The beautifully exotic tiger shifter, Shayna, stirs a passion he thought died with his long-lost mate.

When Shay’s first heat cycle slams into her, Travis has no choice but to submit to her needs—and his own. But there is always a price to sleeping with the Pack princess. Not only will they have to face her Pack, Shay and Travis will have to deal with a mating that is beyond a single night and could have consequences more than either of them had thought. And when Travis finds out Shay wears the enemy’s brand, things will go from bad to worse.

Warning: One alpha female who doesn’t take no for an answer, a wolf with more on the line than just his heart, and a combustible attraction that’s sure to cause more than one sweaty night.

 

Find it on:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo

Find it in Print (also includes the prequel, Winter Eve):

eStore | Amazon

 

Lucky in Love Blog Hop

Lucky in Love? Well, are you?

I am! I’m lucky enough to have found my soul mate,  real life romance hero, and best friend. We’re connected on a level I have never felt with anyone. And yes, we’ve been together almost 13 years now. I’m looking forward to another 13!

Welcome to the second annual Lucky in Love Blog Hop where we want to hear about your love, your romance, and how much you love St. Patrick’s Day!!! Are you wearing green? Ready to get pinched…or wait…do you like that?

Almost 300 bloggers have giveaways and posts about those men we love!

But that’s not all….

We have TWO grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

2nd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

I’m so excited to finally be able to share the first novel from my new shifter series, Ashwood Falls. A Tiger’s Claim is book 1 and releases on Tuesday! Although if your lucky you may be able to find it a few days early on Amazon. here’s the blurb and an excerpt. Enjoy!

 

A Tiger’s Claim – Ashwood Falls, book 1

Publisher: Fated Desires Publishing

 

Blurb:

As the Alpha’s only daughter Shayna Andrews has always been treated like a rare gem, protected like royalty, and she’s suffocating.  Her longing to be independent has driven her to sneak out one evening after dinner. After relishing in being able to run free without an escort, she finds herself face-to-face with the enemy, miles from home, and nearly loses her life until a lone wolf comes to her aid.

Travis Hunter’s main objective is to destroy the Onyx Pack—a group of drug using, murdering rogue shifters. His seek-and-destroy plans are put on hold when he rescues a female from a brutal attack. The beautifully exotic tiger shifter, Shayna, stirs a passion he thought died with his long-lost mate.

When Shay’s first heat cycle slams into her, Travis has no choice but to submit to her needs—and his own. But there is always a price to sleeping with the Pack princess. Not only will they have to face her Pack, Shay and Travis will have to deal with a mating that is beyond a single night and could have consequences more than either of them had thought. And when Travis finds out Shay wears the enemy’s brand, things will go from bad to worse.

Warning: One alpha female who doesn’t take no for an answer, a wolf with more on the line than just his heart, and a combustible attraction that’s sure to cause more than one sweaty night.

 

My Giveaway!

Don’t forget to put your email addresses in you comments in order to eligible for the grand prizes.

TWO winners will each receive an ARC Print copy of A Tiger’s Claim and swag pack.(US and Canada only)

I will also choice ONE international winner (please indicate this in your comments) to receive an eCopy of both Winter Eve and A Tiger’s Claim!

Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the hop here: http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

A Tiger’s Claim chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

Shayna Andrews’s paws pounded against the earth as she ran through the forest of the Smokey Mountains. Her heart thumped behind her ribs, and the cool air of early spring blew through her fur. She’d have to stop soon to catch her breath, but she didn’t care. Never in her twenty-five years of life had she felt so free. And she was free.

For the moment.

It’d been about an hour since she’d left home to run off her anger from the heated argument she’d had with her father. When was he ever going realize that she was a grown woman, strong and capable of making decisions for herself? Sadly, she didn’t think he’d ever let her have the independence she desperately craved.

So, with her emotions running high, her anger at his stubborn ‘father knows best’ attitude pushed her to run, even if it was just for an hour or so.

Now that she’d calmed a bit, she did find it odd that neither her brothers nor her father had come searching for her, with their worry and anger leading their way. Could they be allowing her the independence she deserved?

Maybe.

She slowed to a walk and scanned the area. This part of the woods was farther than she’d ever gone before. The forest grew thick with large trees and underbrush, while the smell of melting snow and earth wrapped around her. She inhaled deeply, relishing the natural world around her.

She was still within Ashwood territory, but several miles outside of the town she’d called home since she was two; the home in which she had always felt like a prisoner.

Sure, she was loved whole-heartedly by her adopted family and both Packs that made up Ashwood Falls, but they suffocated her.

Since the rogue attack on Jared, the town’s legal counsel and close friend to her family, a couple of months before, her father—leopard Pack Alpha—had put everyone on alert. The attack itself wasn’t what had scared the shit out of everyone. No, it was the fact that the mutants, half-human, half-animal rogue assassins, had gotten past the wards undetected and ripped out Jared’s throat—something that was almost impossible for such a strong shifter. Jared had challenged Nevan, the leopard Healer’s new mate, to a Hunt. Shay knew it was to test Nevan’s strength, but she also believed Jared challenged him to see if he’d be a good mate to a leopard. Not just any leopard. Their Healer. The most loved and protected Pack member besides the princess.

Until that night, Shay never considered the true dangers of the enemy, and the lengths they would go to weaken the Ashwood Pack.

The Pack members’ sense of safety had started to crumble. No one was to leave the area without an escort. That was nothing new to Shay. She always had an enforcer nearby.

But, not today.

Giddy at her escape, she shifted to her human form, her jeans and light sweater covering her body at the same time thanks to her pinky ring, which had been a gift from her father after her first shift.

The ring was made up of a small, flat, blue opal set in silver. It was enchanted to hold her clothes while she shifted. All she had to do was think a small invocation at the same time she called her tiger and her clothes dissolved inside the stone. Somehow, the magick in the ring was in tune to her aura because the moment she changed back to human form her clothes reappeared.

She inhaled, drawing in the crisp mountain air. It was mid-March, and even though the full effects of spring were another month away, the forest already held the signs of new life. Snow was starting to melt in some places, and the trees were starting to bud. Even the air held notes of new life—the earth, trees, and the hint of floral no longer incased in ice.

A snap of a twig in the distance put her tiger on alert. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest. She sniffed the air and picked up on a musk and rosemary scent that was unfamiliar to her. Fear burned through her veins, and she started to head back to town, wishing for once that her brothers were lurking nearby.

Okay, Shay, you’re being a baby.

Closing her eyes, she calmed herself and recalled all the brutal training Blaine and Alec had put her through over the years. The hand-to-hand training was a precaution in case Ashwood Falls was attacked. Father had scowled at the bruises and cuts on her when they returned home, but her brothers brushed it off. In their defense, they claimed she needed to be trained like a soldier.

Blaine and Alec not only taught her how to fight, they taught her to draw strength from the elements around her because they believed she possessed witch’s blood.

It was true she could perform simple spells and make potions from herbs, but that was the extent of her so-called magickal abilities. However, she’d learned to connect with the earth and air around her. That connection allowed her to sense danger, like now.

Whoever, or whatever, was out there was closing in fast. She felt the eerie caress of danger against her aura. It made her tiger growl. This was so not good.

Please be an animal of some kind and not the rogue mutant kind.

She jogged ahead, not taking any chance in the event rogues had trespassed on Ashwood territory again. They’d ripped a whole through Jared’s throat, and he was a very strong alpha male. She didn’t want to hang out to see what they would do to her, a lone female, who despite all she wished, wasn’t as strong as she wanted to be.

Footfalls edged closer, putting her tiger on full alert. She ran faster. Several yards ahead, a man stepped into her path. She skidded to a halt and realized he wasn’t a man, but a mutant—half-wolf, half-man—and abomination. The rancid smell of spoiled meat lingered behind the vague scent of rosemary and another smell she wasn’t familiar reached out to her thick and oily-like.  His long, sharp claws extended from his fingertips, and his fangs elongated until they reached his chin. His eyes were the deepest brown she’d ever seen, almost black, matching his dark fur.

Wolf-man took a step forward, and Shay moved with him, backing up until she hit a solid wall of muscle. Hot fear burned in her belly and spread to her chest as a pair of clawed hands wrapped around her biceps. She sensed others lurking nearby, but she didn’t want to take her gaze from the mutant in front of her. A male in human form stepped into view and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the mutant in front of her.

Her heart raced as she struggled to push down the bile that rose in her throat. By their dilated pupils, she guessed they were on some kind of drug.

So not good.

She jerked, trying to break the male’s grip. He laughed and tightened his hold, making his claws sink into her skin. She bit back the sharp pain, refusing to show them any weakness. When the male’s lips touched her cheek, she winced and tried not to be sick.

“Look what we have here, boys.”

The rancid smell of his breath intensified her nausea. She jerked side to side again, trying to break his hold, his claws tearing into her skin that much deeper. He didn’t budge. The burning fear turned to ice in her veins as she stared at two males stalking toward her with a lusty hunger in their eyes.

Death wouldn’t come quick enough if she couldn’t get away.

Wolf-man tilted his head to the side and snarled to make his elongated fangs appear longer under the moonlight. “She sure is a pretty kitty. And I bet she’d be fun to play with before we kill her.”

Fucking bastards.

She had to think, outwit them somehow.

When wolf-man stopped inches from her face, her heart rate stuttered then raced as though it were trying to run away. He smiled, showing blood-stained teeth. Her dinner from an hour before threatened to reappear, and her skin moistened from sweat. She tried to kick him, but he caught her leg in his clawed hand.

Stupid, stupid, Shay.

The male holding her yanked her out of the other wolf’s grasp, pulling her hip out of place with an audible snap. She screamed as the pain shot through her, a vile agony that warred with her emotions. Tears stung her eyes. She tried to breathe through the pain, her leg practically useless.

There would be no running. Not anymore.

“You two go back to the den,” the male behind her demanded. “I’ll take care of our guest.”

They didn’t move and the human-like rogue shook his head. “You’re not having her to yourself.”

She started to shake. Adrenaline rushed through her blood, fueling the tiger’s need to fight, to hurt, to kill. Her fangs pushed through her gums, and her fingernails lengthened to claws. She reached around her and gripped the wolf’s balls, sinking her sharp nails into his flesh.

With a howl, the male pushed her away, forcing her to the ground. She managed to scramble to stand on her good leg and hobbled away from them while dragging her useless limb behind her.

But, it was no use.

She was too far from home. She couldn’t mind link with her family or the enforcers at this distance. No one would know anything until it was too late.

The male in human form suddenly tackled her to the ground. He flipped her to her back to straddle over her, putting pressure on her dislocated hip. The scream ripped from her throat and she slashed her claws down his chest. The bastard laughed and bared his teeth. She slapped his face with her lengthened nails, leaving four deep gashes across his cheek.

When he turned back to her, she gasped at the way his eyes glowed in anger. A wolf howled in the distance, freezing her blood. More were coming. She locked gazes with the wolf above her and knew he would finish her. He raised his clawed hand and swiped it across her face, then back-handed her on the other side. The scratches burned as warm blood ran down her cheek. He hit her again, harder, and all sounds and sights around her faded as she drifted into the darkness.

***

Blaine Andrews scowled at the section of barbwire blocking off a part of Ashwood’s property. It was the same area of the woods the Pack Healer, Danica, had been trapped in several months before. He clenched his teeth together and ground his molars.

Beside him, Cameron fidgeted with the snap on her thigh holster, a nervous gesture she did when she itched to shoot something or someone. Usually he would let it go, let her fume, but today they weren’t going into battle. They were investigating suspicious activity called in by a couple of the adolescents.

He clamped his hand over Cam’s, stilling her endless snap-unsnap of the holster. “Stop or I’ll give you something to fondle.”

She leaned into him, pressing her lips to his ear. “You promise?” she purred. He was nanoseconds away from dragging her into the forest to give her exactly what she taunted him with. Fast and hard, exactly what they both needed right now.

The clearing of a throat made him raise an eyebrow at the newest resident of Ashwood Falls, a human named Nevan Mathews, Danica’s mate and the head shrink in town. “You have problems, empathy?”

Nevan’s mouth twitched. “Nope. Just want to get back to my own mate.”

Blaine laughed then frowned as uneasiness settled in his blood. Cam stiffened beside him and he asked, “You feel that?”

Cam nodded. “Something’s not right.”

He connected telepathically with his brother, who was in town setting up surveillance cameras with Dane—one of the wolf enforcers. “Have you heard from Shay? Is she back from her run?”

“No, I haven’t seen her.”

Fuck. He knew he should have placed someone on her trail and never let her go out alone. But, damn it, she was twenty-five years old, an adult and fully capable of taking care of herself.

“Blaine, she’ll show when she cools down.”

Alec was right. Shayna had to learn to be on her own, even though their father didn’t see it that way. “I know. How are the security cameras coming?”

Alec laughed. “Great. We just caught the Russell twins sneaking around Nevan and Dani’s new place.”

“Those two are always in trouble. Go see what they’re up to.”

“We’re on it.”

Blaine dropped the link with Alec and peered at Nevan. “The twins are sneaking around your new home.” As a mating gift, Keegan was having a house built in town for the happy couple.

Nevan shook his head. “Last week they put mud in the drain pipes.”

“When do you two move in?” Cameron asked.

Blaine slid his gaze toward her at the hint of joy in her statement. Despite her dominance and ability to kick ass along with the rest of the enforcers, she loved her family and friends. And she also loved to drive him to the brink of insanity and need. What frustrated him the most was the fact that she wouldn’t complete the mating. They were mates. There was no denying it, yet she was still waiting for something. Blaine didn’t push because he, too, felt as though something was off, or missing, in their lives.

Nevan checked his watch. Blaine wasn’t sure if it was out of habit or he was meeting Dani somewhere. “In about two days. Construction is finished. Dani wants to paint the inside herself.”

Blaine cast a glance around the forest then back at the barbwire fence. “We’ll have to find a witch or two to strengthen the wards.” He fisted his hands at his sides then turned toward his truck.

He heard Nevan following him. Blaine allowed a smile to spread across his face. The human didn’t like being teleported, so Blaine had offered to drive. Stopping at the driver’s side door, he peered over at Cameron. “Call Dane to help with that.”

She waved her hand at him in a dismissing manner and ripped the fence out of the ground then proceeded to roll it up. Blaine shook his head. Damn stubborn jaguar.

Before climbing into his truck, he tensed. A female scream cut into his thoughts, and a cold sensation went up his spine the same time as a sharp pain stabbed his temple. Staggering back several feet, he swung around to find himself nose-to-nose with Cameron.

Dead fear shown in her dark gaze. “Shay. Something’s happened…”

His heart pounded fiercely behind his ribcage as he reached for Cam and tried to think.

“Blaine, man? What is it?” It didn’t surprise Blaine that Nevan could sense something was wrong. He was an empath after all.

Blaine tossed his keys to him. “Go tell Keegan that Cam and I are searching for Shay and to send backup.”

Cameron was the first to shift. Her clothes dissolved as a soft flash of white light completed the transition from woman to black jaguar. Blaine shifted into his leopard and ran beside her through the forest at supernatural speeds, following their instincts and the faint connection to his adopted sister.

He prayed like hell he found her alive.

*copyright 2013 by Lia Davis*

A Tiger’s Claim quote of the day #10

6 more days! and today is the final quote. Tomorrow I’ll post the full first chapter. Yay!

Travis came to stand next to her, took her hand in his, and tugged her through the kitchen to the back porch. Stepping out of the sliding glass door, she gasped at the beauty of the landscape. Large oak trees shaded the area and a tiny stream trickled in the distance.

“It’s so peaceful,” she said and followed him to a small round table. A smile lifted her mouth at the sight of two plates, fruit, pancakes, and bacon carefully placed around the table. She lifted her gaze to meet his. “Why are we eating out here?”

Travis pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. When she did, he pushed it in, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, “Because I want you to myself.”

She studied him as he sat across from her. “Are you trying to seduce me?”