Zoe Perdita's Blog, page 18
April 23, 2014
First Chapter Sneak Peek: Omega in the Shadows (Lost Wolves Book One)
The release date for Omega in the Shadows is sneaking up on us! I hope you guys like this new series, since I've had a blast writing it. Crazy world building and ambiguously moral characters -- my favorite two things besides chocolate.
The book will be out April 29. Mark your calendars!! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!
Here's a look at the first chapter. Nothing says romance like a stoic alpha and a deadly omega assassin, right?
If you want to read the second chapter, I'll send it to my mailing list on release day. Join here to read it first!
Omega in the ShadowsLost Wolves Book One
Chapter One
Elijah Kane sounded like an assassin’s name. Rowan Gregor frowned. He didn’t like the idea of hunting his own kind. Yue, the moon goddess, wouldn’t approve. But Rowan lost faith in her a long time ago. Even if she tugged at the alpha roaring inside him, begging him to shift and howl at her beauty, he wouldn’t give in.She let him down when he needed her most. Never again.“In position,” Brooks, the wolf’s human partner, grumbled over the Bluetooth headset lodged in Rowan’s ear. “Copy,” he muttered back, hoping the inconspicuous microphone on his shirt collar caught the words. The reception in Český Krumlov was spotty at best, even with the signal booster close by. The air chilled his skin. It was unseasonably cool for October with a thick sheet of clouds blocking the sun. The perfect day to kill an assassin. He wanted to zip up his jacket, but he needed easy access to the gun in his holster. All of his senses had to be sharp – ready to sense Kane.Rowan leaned against the ancient stone church in the middle of the square and gripped the newspaper. He ran Kane’s suspected crimes through his head. How the man thought. What he might do. Only it was a whole lot of ‘if’ and ‘maybe.’ They didn’t know enough about the infamous assassin to create an in-depth psychological profile. Hell, they didn’t even know if he was real, or a mixture of different men smashed together into one myth. Twenty known kills – several of them people the CIA didn’t want dead. Yet. That’s why Rowan and Brooks were after Kane in the first place. To take him out before he messed things up for the agency’s plans. Then there was the other thing – no one knew what Kane looked like. He slipped in and out of countries as if he moved through the shadows and not in the sunlight. Not to mention some of the kills weren’t what most people called normal. Humans couldn’t rip a man’s heart from his chest – but a wolf could. That’s how Colonel Greer, Rowan’s boss, knew what they were dealing with, and why he sent Rowan. The alpha was the only wolf in their unit, after all.The streets were crowded at this time of day. People walked to work under the slate gray sky. A few held umbrellas tucked under their arms, and everyone wore clean, simple clothes. Typical European style. The cobblestone streets invited one to trip, so he’d have to watch out for that. Falling on his face wasn’t the way to start a mission, and the oxfords he wore to blend in didn’t exactly serve as running shoes. Rowan flipped a page in the newspaper, his eyes trained on the crowd. “Got anything?” Brooks asked and slurped his coffee. Impatient as always. “Not yet. I’ll let you know when I do.” If I do, Rowan amended in his mind. No saying the tip was good. Maybe Kane wasn’t going to march into a crowd and take out a dirty politician in the middle of the day. Then again, he might. One could never tell. He was too unpredictable. Maybe too good. Or Kane didn’t even exist, Rowan reminded himself and scowled. It wouldn’t give him away – everyone in Eastern Europe scowled. And who wouldn’t? Europe’s Old One territory wasn’t well integrated with its human territory. That meant human cities were squished into all the areas they could fit. Meanwhile, wolves and other shifters roamed free on their own land – land that didn’t support modern technology due to the presence of the Old Ones, ancient shifters who supported the flow of magic. Unlike America, wolves and other shifters weren’t welcomed in the human territory throughout most of Europe. Centuries-old wars saw to that – war and hunters. Shifters were snuffed out and killed on sight, giving everyone another reason to be wary and on guard. Not that America was perfect, far from it. But at least a wolf could wander into human territory without getting his head chopped off if someone found out his secret. Rowan grimaced. That didn’t mean humans cared about shifters, not really. His past attested to that. Yet here he was. Hiding in an old Czech city and working as an attack dog for a human organization. This was a choice he made a long time ago. Don’t get involved with other shifters, especially wolves. Getting close to other wolves meant he’d have to deal with losing them, and Rowan wasn’t going to lose anything he cared about. Ever again. Living as a human was the only way to accomplish that. He caught sight of the mark across the street. Miroslav Tesar. The man the CIA thought Kane was hired to kill. Rowan gritted his teeth. Tesar wasn’t an innocent. Not by a long shot. He took bribes. Visited countless whorehouses filled with girls there against their will. And he had ties to the warlords farther east. The ones that ran the borderlands between human and Old One territory. No one else wanted to live that close to monsters.But that didn’t mean they could let an assassin finish him off, right? Not when it went against orders. Tesar strolled down the other side of the street. Like most of the Czech Republic, this town’s history stretched back over a thousand years. The architecture, countless alleys and side streets, reflected this history and made tracking a skilled assassin that much more difficult. Too many places for the bastard to hide. The church bell rang across the square. Rowan folded the newspaper and fell into step behind Tesar. “Target in sight,” he said. “Headed in your direction.”Brooks huffed on the other end of the line. No doubt antsy for action after being holed up in town for the last week. Rowan didn’t blame him. The alpha clawed at his insides, urging him to shift and charge through the crowd. His old habits weren’t controlling it as well as they used to. No matter how many women he took to bed, they couldn’t calm the beast.Hopefully a good old-fashioned hunt would do the trick.Rowan couldn’t remember the last time they didn’t know what they were up against. Maybe never. It sent a little jolt of excitement through his veins. The alpha simmered inside, raising its mighty head and ready to howl and rip. To kill. Rowan shoved it down. He needed to focus on the mission. His training. Not the wolf bristling just under the surface, willing him to surrender his control to the animal. Two bodyguards flanked Tesar. The politician smiled at pretty girls on the street, his head held high. The bastard knew he was rich and untouchable. Rowan stamped down the urge to punch the asshole and kept his eye on the crowd. Anyone unfamiliar. Anyone dangerous. Scratch that. No one ever spotted Kane because he blended in. Either he wore disguises, or he didn’t stand out. “Two more blocks,” Rowan said and crossed the street. His shoes slapped against the cobblestones. The weight of the gun at his side was comforting, but only if he knew where to shoot. “See him,” Brooks said.“Kane?” Rowan muttered, looking around casually. “No. The mark. I’ll lead.”Rowan sighed. “Copy.”If Brooks spotted Kane first he’d probably do something stupid, like open fire without a word. They needed to make sure the person they brought down wasthe mysterious assassin – or that he could lead them to the man. Kane was causing too many problems for the agency to sit back and let him be. Brooks slipped out of his seat at the café and stepped in front of Tesar by several paces. “Anything?” If Rowan’s superior senses couldn’t find Kane, no way Brooks would. “No visual that I’m aware of.” “I’m tired of this bullshit,” Brooks said. “If we don’t know what Kane looks like, how will we find him before he shoots Tesar?”Because I can smell a fellow wolf, Rowan thought, but he didn’t say that. Like most humans, Brooks preferred not to think about Rowan’s dual nature. He had no idea what shifter senses were like – how powerful they could be. The crowd dissipated at the end of the road. They neared Tesar’s office with every step. If Kane struck inside they wouldn’t be able to stop him in time. It’s not like Tesar knew the CIA kept an eye on him, and Colonel Greer wanted to keep it that way. He gritted his teeth and studied every face he passed. A few blonds and redheads, but everyone else was plain. Brown hair. Light eyes. Dull and ordinary. Kane probably slunk among them without a care in the world.Then a shock of stylish black hair caught his attention. The man wasn’t tall, just under average height and slender. He wore an expensive suit, perfectly fitted, and the way he held himself told Rowan he knew he was attractive. The man’s eyes were the most striking thing about him. The gray blue of the sky right before a thunderstorm. The color clashed with his dark hair. Those eyes caught Rowan’s and held. The man smirked, and Rowan caught the scent on the wind. Heavy with musk and tantalizingly sweet. A jolt of recognition hit him in the belly. A wolf. Kane!Rowan pushed his way through the crowd and bit his tongue. If he warned Brooks about Kane, the assassin might hear him. Wolf senses were sharper than those of normal humans, even in a crowd like this. Rowan had to handle this guy on his own. Kane didn’t quicken his pace, but Rowan saw the man slip a hand into his suit jacket. A gun. He was going to slip past the bodyguards and shoot Tesar at pointblank range. Even in a crowded street the confusion that followed would allow him to slip into the shadows like he always did. Not if Rowan got to him first!“Hey,” he called, trying to get Tesar’s attention. “You see him?” Brooks asked and spun around. Shit! Rowan didn’t answer. He broke into a run, but a bodyguard turned and shoved him back. Wrong guy, asshole, Rowan thought and swung his fist into the brute’s gut. The man’s eyes widened, and he doubled over in surprise. He stood as tall as Rowan, a towering six foot three, but wolf strength bested human strength every time.“Who is it?” Brooks hissed. The other bodyguard turned at that moment, and Kane stepped in close. Rowan shoved forward, but the quick whish of a silenced gun rang through his ears.Right to the chest. Tesar crumpled to the ground. His heart stopped.The crowd erupted into screams as the bodyguards turned their attention to the man they should’ve been protecting. Rowan caught a glimpse of Kane disappearing into a side street and ran after him. They may never catch him again if they lost him now. “Gregor? Dammit!” Brooks cried. Rowan ignored his partner as he moved through the bustle of bodies. Kane slipped through the crowd like water. His pace quickened, but he didn’t run. Then he slid into an alley and Rowan pulled out his gun, took a deep breath, and rounded the corner. Clear. He sighed and stepped forward slowly. If he was Kane, he’d focus on escaping. But Kane obviously didn’t want people to know what he looked like. That meant he’d try to kill Rowan. He scowled at the thought and listened. Footsteps pattered in the distance, and Brooks’ breathing huffed in his ear. Part of him wanted to rip out the headset and move on his own, but that was breaking all kinds of protocol and putting his partner in danger. “Got him,” Brooks grumbled over the headset, and Rowan froze. “Do you now?” someone asked on Brooks’ end. His voice was smooth and rich, unconcerned. How the hell could he sound like that when he had two unknown assailants on his ass?Kane knew he was good. Egotistical asshole. “Brooks,” Rowan whispered. A gun cocked. “I’m not arresting you,” Brooks said.“Of course not. You’re going to try and kill me. Try being the operative word. Well, go for it,” the man said. The hairs rose on the back of Rowan’s neck. He had to get to Brooks before his partner did anything stupid!“You Elijah Kane?” Brooks demanded. He probably took Kane for granted since he wasn’t large or powerful looking. It’d be the last mistake he ever made.Rowan crept down the alley. Kane and Brooks couldn’t have gotten far. “The one and only. And you’re here all alone. Doesn't that scare you?” Kane asked and a footstep clacked.Brooks snorted. Typical response. A siren wailed on the main street. Shit. They had to get this done before Czech authorities caught them. Not only did the CIA need to keep this mission a secret, but Rowan also wasn’t too keen on the local authorities finding out his real identity. His shifteridentity. If the Czechs caught him, they’d turn him over to hunters. His blood froze at the thought. Silver bullets. Wolf’s bane. Death. That’s what hunters did to wolves.Then a shot rang through the air and the headset buzzed with static. Rowan ran toward the sound. He slipped around one corner, down another alley and stopped dead. Brooks slumped on the cobblestones. The back of his skull decorated the wall with brains and blood. His gun sat limp in his hand.Kane stood over him, but he was looking at Rowan, eyes sharp and bright. “Let me guess, CIA? If it was just you I’d have thought M-16, but he made it painfullyclear how American he was.”Rowan almost bristled at the insinuation. He was American too, but they stationed him in Eastern Europe because he blended in with the people, even with his shock of auburn hair. Shifters didn’t look any different from normal humans, besides the small things, like slightly sharper canines. Kane’s gun hung at his side, like an afterthought, but Rowan didn’t push his luck. Wolf reflexes were superior to human reflexes. Everythingabout Kane was superior to a human. “You’re smarter than your partner, but I’d expect that from a wolf,” Kane said and smirked. “An alpha.”“And you’re an omega,” Rowan said carefully. Kane sneered. “Obviously. I’m too small to be anything else. Isn’t it funny how we stick to meaningless ranks even when we don’t have a pack to enforce them?”Rowan shrugged. He wasn’t going to get into a discussion about wolf politics with the most elusive assassin in Europe, maybe the world. Anything he said might piss Kane off enough to shoot him. If only he could get the gun away, he’d be able to overpower Kane with brute strength. Alpha beat omega every time. Except this omega wasn’t normal.“You want to kill me, don’t you?” Kane asked and sighed. Rowan pointed his gun at the assassin and nodded. “You know I have to. You killed my partner.”Kane rolled his eyes. “You didn’t care about him. An idiot who charges in like that was going to get killed sooner or later. I hope you’re better than that.”This was some kind of game. A man as dangerous and as intelligent as Elijah Kane was a master of lies and intrigue. Best to keep him talking while Rowan could. “I am an alpha.”“Than catch me,” Kane said and dodged around the corner. “Fuck!” Rowan grumbled and ran after him. The town was a maze of side streets and rivers, all surrounded by lush farmland and forest. The closest Old One territory started over a hundred miles off, and he doubted that’s where Kane would head. A lone omega would fare as well in strange Old One territory as he would in human territory. Not well at all. Even if a fellow wolf pack lived there, it didn’t mean they were friendly. They’d just as soon slaughter a strange shifter as a hunter. Rowan kept Kane’s trail for a good twenty minutes. He slid through alleys and over one of the many bridges in the city, dogging Kane’s steps. Then the damn assassin slipped into a crowd, and Rowan lost Kane’s scent. Too many other smells filled the air, and that intriguing musk dissipated. Shit. He shouldn’t find the scent of an assassin omega intriguing in the least, Rowan told himself as he went back to Brooks’ body. Well, he found Elijah Kane but lost his impulsive partner. He’d have to report this – and Colonel Greer would not be happy with the results. Even worse, a strange sensation tugged at him. The alpha stirred, scratched at the confines of its cage. Rowan’s chest tightened, like something wound itself around it.Through it.
He pushed the feeling – all feelings – aside and got to work.
The book will be out April 29. Mark your calendars!! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!
Here's a look at the first chapter. Nothing says romance like a stoic alpha and a deadly omega assassin, right?
If you want to read the second chapter, I'll send it to my mailing list on release day. Join here to read it first!
Omega in the ShadowsLost Wolves Book One
Chapter One
Elijah Kane sounded like an assassin’s name. Rowan Gregor frowned. He didn’t like the idea of hunting his own kind. Yue, the moon goddess, wouldn’t approve. But Rowan lost faith in her a long time ago. Even if she tugged at the alpha roaring inside him, begging him to shift and howl at her beauty, he wouldn’t give in.She let him down when he needed her most. Never again.“In position,” Brooks, the wolf’s human partner, grumbled over the Bluetooth headset lodged in Rowan’s ear. “Copy,” he muttered back, hoping the inconspicuous microphone on his shirt collar caught the words. The reception in Český Krumlov was spotty at best, even with the signal booster close by. The air chilled his skin. It was unseasonably cool for October with a thick sheet of clouds blocking the sun. The perfect day to kill an assassin. He wanted to zip up his jacket, but he needed easy access to the gun in his holster. All of his senses had to be sharp – ready to sense Kane.Rowan leaned against the ancient stone church in the middle of the square and gripped the newspaper. He ran Kane’s suspected crimes through his head. How the man thought. What he might do. Only it was a whole lot of ‘if’ and ‘maybe.’ They didn’t know enough about the infamous assassin to create an in-depth psychological profile. Hell, they didn’t even know if he was real, or a mixture of different men smashed together into one myth. Twenty known kills – several of them people the CIA didn’t want dead. Yet. That’s why Rowan and Brooks were after Kane in the first place. To take him out before he messed things up for the agency’s plans. Then there was the other thing – no one knew what Kane looked like. He slipped in and out of countries as if he moved through the shadows and not in the sunlight. Not to mention some of the kills weren’t what most people called normal. Humans couldn’t rip a man’s heart from his chest – but a wolf could. That’s how Colonel Greer, Rowan’s boss, knew what they were dealing with, and why he sent Rowan. The alpha was the only wolf in their unit, after all.The streets were crowded at this time of day. People walked to work under the slate gray sky. A few held umbrellas tucked under their arms, and everyone wore clean, simple clothes. Typical European style. The cobblestone streets invited one to trip, so he’d have to watch out for that. Falling on his face wasn’t the way to start a mission, and the oxfords he wore to blend in didn’t exactly serve as running shoes. Rowan flipped a page in the newspaper, his eyes trained on the crowd. “Got anything?” Brooks asked and slurped his coffee. Impatient as always. “Not yet. I’ll let you know when I do.” If I do, Rowan amended in his mind. No saying the tip was good. Maybe Kane wasn’t going to march into a crowd and take out a dirty politician in the middle of the day. Then again, he might. One could never tell. He was too unpredictable. Maybe too good. Or Kane didn’t even exist, Rowan reminded himself and scowled. It wouldn’t give him away – everyone in Eastern Europe scowled. And who wouldn’t? Europe’s Old One territory wasn’t well integrated with its human territory. That meant human cities were squished into all the areas they could fit. Meanwhile, wolves and other shifters roamed free on their own land – land that didn’t support modern technology due to the presence of the Old Ones, ancient shifters who supported the flow of magic. Unlike America, wolves and other shifters weren’t welcomed in the human territory throughout most of Europe. Centuries-old wars saw to that – war and hunters. Shifters were snuffed out and killed on sight, giving everyone another reason to be wary and on guard. Not that America was perfect, far from it. But at least a wolf could wander into human territory without getting his head chopped off if someone found out his secret. Rowan grimaced. That didn’t mean humans cared about shifters, not really. His past attested to that. Yet here he was. Hiding in an old Czech city and working as an attack dog for a human organization. This was a choice he made a long time ago. Don’t get involved with other shifters, especially wolves. Getting close to other wolves meant he’d have to deal with losing them, and Rowan wasn’t going to lose anything he cared about. Ever again. Living as a human was the only way to accomplish that. He caught sight of the mark across the street. Miroslav Tesar. The man the CIA thought Kane was hired to kill. Rowan gritted his teeth. Tesar wasn’t an innocent. Not by a long shot. He took bribes. Visited countless whorehouses filled with girls there against their will. And he had ties to the warlords farther east. The ones that ran the borderlands between human and Old One territory. No one else wanted to live that close to monsters.But that didn’t mean they could let an assassin finish him off, right? Not when it went against orders. Tesar strolled down the other side of the street. Like most of the Czech Republic, this town’s history stretched back over a thousand years. The architecture, countless alleys and side streets, reflected this history and made tracking a skilled assassin that much more difficult. Too many places for the bastard to hide. The church bell rang across the square. Rowan folded the newspaper and fell into step behind Tesar. “Target in sight,” he said. “Headed in your direction.”Brooks huffed on the other end of the line. No doubt antsy for action after being holed up in town for the last week. Rowan didn’t blame him. The alpha clawed at his insides, urging him to shift and charge through the crowd. His old habits weren’t controlling it as well as they used to. No matter how many women he took to bed, they couldn’t calm the beast.Hopefully a good old-fashioned hunt would do the trick.Rowan couldn’t remember the last time they didn’t know what they were up against. Maybe never. It sent a little jolt of excitement through his veins. The alpha simmered inside, raising its mighty head and ready to howl and rip. To kill. Rowan shoved it down. He needed to focus on the mission. His training. Not the wolf bristling just under the surface, willing him to surrender his control to the animal. Two bodyguards flanked Tesar. The politician smiled at pretty girls on the street, his head held high. The bastard knew he was rich and untouchable. Rowan stamped down the urge to punch the asshole and kept his eye on the crowd. Anyone unfamiliar. Anyone dangerous. Scratch that. No one ever spotted Kane because he blended in. Either he wore disguises, or he didn’t stand out. “Two more blocks,” Rowan said and crossed the street. His shoes slapped against the cobblestones. The weight of the gun at his side was comforting, but only if he knew where to shoot. “See him,” Brooks said.“Kane?” Rowan muttered, looking around casually. “No. The mark. I’ll lead.”Rowan sighed. “Copy.”If Brooks spotted Kane first he’d probably do something stupid, like open fire without a word. They needed to make sure the person they brought down wasthe mysterious assassin – or that he could lead them to the man. Kane was causing too many problems for the agency to sit back and let him be. Brooks slipped out of his seat at the café and stepped in front of Tesar by several paces. “Anything?” If Rowan’s superior senses couldn’t find Kane, no way Brooks would. “No visual that I’m aware of.” “I’m tired of this bullshit,” Brooks said. “If we don’t know what Kane looks like, how will we find him before he shoots Tesar?”Because I can smell a fellow wolf, Rowan thought, but he didn’t say that. Like most humans, Brooks preferred not to think about Rowan’s dual nature. He had no idea what shifter senses were like – how powerful they could be. The crowd dissipated at the end of the road. They neared Tesar’s office with every step. If Kane struck inside they wouldn’t be able to stop him in time. It’s not like Tesar knew the CIA kept an eye on him, and Colonel Greer wanted to keep it that way. He gritted his teeth and studied every face he passed. A few blonds and redheads, but everyone else was plain. Brown hair. Light eyes. Dull and ordinary. Kane probably slunk among them without a care in the world.Then a shock of stylish black hair caught his attention. The man wasn’t tall, just under average height and slender. He wore an expensive suit, perfectly fitted, and the way he held himself told Rowan he knew he was attractive. The man’s eyes were the most striking thing about him. The gray blue of the sky right before a thunderstorm. The color clashed with his dark hair. Those eyes caught Rowan’s and held. The man smirked, and Rowan caught the scent on the wind. Heavy with musk and tantalizingly sweet. A jolt of recognition hit him in the belly. A wolf. Kane!Rowan pushed his way through the crowd and bit his tongue. If he warned Brooks about Kane, the assassin might hear him. Wolf senses were sharper than those of normal humans, even in a crowd like this. Rowan had to handle this guy on his own. Kane didn’t quicken his pace, but Rowan saw the man slip a hand into his suit jacket. A gun. He was going to slip past the bodyguards and shoot Tesar at pointblank range. Even in a crowded street the confusion that followed would allow him to slip into the shadows like he always did. Not if Rowan got to him first!“Hey,” he called, trying to get Tesar’s attention. “You see him?” Brooks asked and spun around. Shit! Rowan didn’t answer. He broke into a run, but a bodyguard turned and shoved him back. Wrong guy, asshole, Rowan thought and swung his fist into the brute’s gut. The man’s eyes widened, and he doubled over in surprise. He stood as tall as Rowan, a towering six foot three, but wolf strength bested human strength every time.“Who is it?” Brooks hissed. The other bodyguard turned at that moment, and Kane stepped in close. Rowan shoved forward, but the quick whish of a silenced gun rang through his ears.Right to the chest. Tesar crumpled to the ground. His heart stopped.The crowd erupted into screams as the bodyguards turned their attention to the man they should’ve been protecting. Rowan caught a glimpse of Kane disappearing into a side street and ran after him. They may never catch him again if they lost him now. “Gregor? Dammit!” Brooks cried. Rowan ignored his partner as he moved through the bustle of bodies. Kane slipped through the crowd like water. His pace quickened, but he didn’t run. Then he slid into an alley and Rowan pulled out his gun, took a deep breath, and rounded the corner. Clear. He sighed and stepped forward slowly. If he was Kane, he’d focus on escaping. But Kane obviously didn’t want people to know what he looked like. That meant he’d try to kill Rowan. He scowled at the thought and listened. Footsteps pattered in the distance, and Brooks’ breathing huffed in his ear. Part of him wanted to rip out the headset and move on his own, but that was breaking all kinds of protocol and putting his partner in danger. “Got him,” Brooks grumbled over the headset, and Rowan froze. “Do you now?” someone asked on Brooks’ end. His voice was smooth and rich, unconcerned. How the hell could he sound like that when he had two unknown assailants on his ass?Kane knew he was good. Egotistical asshole. “Brooks,” Rowan whispered. A gun cocked. “I’m not arresting you,” Brooks said.“Of course not. You’re going to try and kill me. Try being the operative word. Well, go for it,” the man said. The hairs rose on the back of Rowan’s neck. He had to get to Brooks before his partner did anything stupid!“You Elijah Kane?” Brooks demanded. He probably took Kane for granted since he wasn’t large or powerful looking. It’d be the last mistake he ever made.Rowan crept down the alley. Kane and Brooks couldn’t have gotten far. “The one and only. And you’re here all alone. Doesn't that scare you?” Kane asked and a footstep clacked.Brooks snorted. Typical response. A siren wailed on the main street. Shit. They had to get this done before Czech authorities caught them. Not only did the CIA need to keep this mission a secret, but Rowan also wasn’t too keen on the local authorities finding out his real identity. His shifteridentity. If the Czechs caught him, they’d turn him over to hunters. His blood froze at the thought. Silver bullets. Wolf’s bane. Death. That’s what hunters did to wolves.Then a shot rang through the air and the headset buzzed with static. Rowan ran toward the sound. He slipped around one corner, down another alley and stopped dead. Brooks slumped on the cobblestones. The back of his skull decorated the wall with brains and blood. His gun sat limp in his hand.Kane stood over him, but he was looking at Rowan, eyes sharp and bright. “Let me guess, CIA? If it was just you I’d have thought M-16, but he made it painfullyclear how American he was.”Rowan almost bristled at the insinuation. He was American too, but they stationed him in Eastern Europe because he blended in with the people, even with his shock of auburn hair. Shifters didn’t look any different from normal humans, besides the small things, like slightly sharper canines. Kane’s gun hung at his side, like an afterthought, but Rowan didn’t push his luck. Wolf reflexes were superior to human reflexes. Everythingabout Kane was superior to a human. “You’re smarter than your partner, but I’d expect that from a wolf,” Kane said and smirked. “An alpha.”“And you’re an omega,” Rowan said carefully. Kane sneered. “Obviously. I’m too small to be anything else. Isn’t it funny how we stick to meaningless ranks even when we don’t have a pack to enforce them?”Rowan shrugged. He wasn’t going to get into a discussion about wolf politics with the most elusive assassin in Europe, maybe the world. Anything he said might piss Kane off enough to shoot him. If only he could get the gun away, he’d be able to overpower Kane with brute strength. Alpha beat omega every time. Except this omega wasn’t normal.“You want to kill me, don’t you?” Kane asked and sighed. Rowan pointed his gun at the assassin and nodded. “You know I have to. You killed my partner.”Kane rolled his eyes. “You didn’t care about him. An idiot who charges in like that was going to get killed sooner or later. I hope you’re better than that.”This was some kind of game. A man as dangerous and as intelligent as Elijah Kane was a master of lies and intrigue. Best to keep him talking while Rowan could. “I am an alpha.”“Than catch me,” Kane said and dodged around the corner. “Fuck!” Rowan grumbled and ran after him. The town was a maze of side streets and rivers, all surrounded by lush farmland and forest. The closest Old One territory started over a hundred miles off, and he doubted that’s where Kane would head. A lone omega would fare as well in strange Old One territory as he would in human territory. Not well at all. Even if a fellow wolf pack lived there, it didn’t mean they were friendly. They’d just as soon slaughter a strange shifter as a hunter. Rowan kept Kane’s trail for a good twenty minutes. He slid through alleys and over one of the many bridges in the city, dogging Kane’s steps. Then the damn assassin slipped into a crowd, and Rowan lost Kane’s scent. Too many other smells filled the air, and that intriguing musk dissipated. Shit. He shouldn’t find the scent of an assassin omega intriguing in the least, Rowan told himself as he went back to Brooks’ body. Well, he found Elijah Kane but lost his impulsive partner. He’d have to report this – and Colonel Greer would not be happy with the results. Even worse, a strange sensation tugged at him. The alpha stirred, scratched at the confines of its cage. Rowan’s chest tightened, like something wound itself around it.Through it.
He pushed the feeling – all feelings – aside and got to work.
April 17, 2014
Spanish Translation of Crash (La manada de lobos de Westside 1)
A couple months ago, a lovely young lady in Spain contacted me about translating Crash (Westside Wolf Pack Book 1) into Spanish. So I hired her, and the book is now available on all of Amazon's sites in Spanish!
Check it out:
Amazon (USA)
Amazon (Spain)
Amazon (Mexico)
Ben Singer, un hombre-lobo omega, ha estado enamorado de su antiguo mejor amigo y heredero del alfa de su manada, Axel,desde que eran adolescentes. Ben pensaba que eran compañeros, pero las normas de su manda los mantuvieron separados.
Axel Cros era un jodido. El sexy y tatuado lobo tiró por la borda sus posibilidades de convertirse en el alfa de su manada a los diecisiete, y Ben no tenía ni idea de porqué.
Cuando el tío de Axel echa a Ben de su manada de Pittsburgh, es la oportunidad que el omega había estado esperando. Entonces, Axel exige acompañar al lobo más pequeño. El único problema es que Ben quiere escaparse para siempre, escaparse de la manada que el tío de Axel había decidido que el omega debía de unirse y alejarse de Axel.
Pero Axel no admite un "no" por respuesta. Está decidido a ir con Ben, incluso si el omega no lo quiere tener alrededor.
Mientras el deseo se agita entre Axel y Ben, años de dolor de corazón los persiguen. ¿Puede el alfa y el omega dejar ir el pasado y su antigua manada para encontrar un nuevo y brillante futuro juntos?
Advertencia: Contiene escenas sexuales gráficas hombre/hombre
Check it out:
Amazon (USA)
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Ben Singer, un hombre-lobo omega, ha estado enamorado de su antiguo mejor amigo y heredero del alfa de su manada, Axel,desde que eran adolescentes. Ben pensaba que eran compañeros, pero las normas de su manda los mantuvieron separados.
Axel Cros era un jodido. El sexy y tatuado lobo tiró por la borda sus posibilidades de convertirse en el alfa de su manada a los diecisiete, y Ben no tenía ni idea de porqué.
Cuando el tío de Axel echa a Ben de su manada de Pittsburgh, es la oportunidad que el omega había estado esperando. Entonces, Axel exige acompañar al lobo más pequeño. El único problema es que Ben quiere escaparse para siempre, escaparse de la manada que el tío de Axel había decidido que el omega debía de unirse y alejarse de Axel.
Pero Axel no admite un "no" por respuesta. Está decidido a ir con Ben, incluso si el omega no lo quiere tener alrededor.
Mientras el deseo se agita entre Axel y Ben, años de dolor de corazón los persiguen. ¿Puede el alfa y el omega dejar ir el pasado y su antigua manada para encontrar un nuevo y brillante futuro juntos?
Advertencia: Contiene escenas sexuales gráficas hombre/hombre
April 10, 2014
New Series Cover Reveal: Omega in the Shadows
I'm working on the final edits of Omega in the Shadows right now and plotting Tiger's Den, all at the same time! Crazy? Maybe, but I love my job ^_^
It's the first book in the Lost Wolves series. I've had a lot of fun working out the rules of this world, since it's a little different than my other shifter/werewolf worlds (the Haven City and Wolf Pack worlds). It also features some lovely dark and sexy characters. I mean, the omega, Elijah, is an assassin and the alpha, Rowan, is a CIA agent hunting him down. That just screams romance, right?
It does to me!
Omega in the Shadows will be out April 29, 2014!
Here's a look at the cover:
Rowan Gregor is a CIA agent who vows never to get close to another wolf after his pack is brutally murdered by hunters. Enter Elijah Kane, an efficient assassin omega on the run from the CIA. When Rowan is tasked with hunting down Kane, he ends up at the mercy of a wolf with nothing left to lose -- a wolf who is sure Rowan is his mate.
It's the first book in the Lost Wolves series. I've had a lot of fun working out the rules of this world, since it's a little different than my other shifter/werewolf worlds (the Haven City and Wolf Pack worlds). It also features some lovely dark and sexy characters. I mean, the omega, Elijah, is an assassin and the alpha, Rowan, is a CIA agent hunting him down. That just screams romance, right?
It does to me!
Omega in the Shadows will be out April 29, 2014!
Here's a look at the cover:
Rowan Gregor is a CIA agent who vows never to get close to another wolf after his pack is brutally murdered by hunters. Enter Elijah Kane, an efficient assassin omega on the run from the CIA. When Rowan is tasked with hunting down Kane, he ends up at the mercy of a wolf with nothing left to lose -- a wolf who is sure Rowan is his mate.
April 2, 2014
Free Autographed Books: Alpha's War Goodreads Giveaway
So, I'm almost done with the first book in my new series, Omega in the Shadows (Lost Wolves Book #1). It will be out at the end of April (29th, I think). Assassins and wolf shifters and sexiness -- that's my new motto.
Then I'm going to start writing the next book in the Haven City Series, Tiger's Den. It'll finish up the Black Wolves story arc.
But for now I have a new Goodreads giveaway to announce. You can win a autographed copy of Alpha's War now through April 30th on Goodreads. You need to have an account with them, or use your Facebook account. Check it out!
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Alpha's War by Zoe Perdita
Giveaway ends April 30, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win
Then I'm going to start writing the next book in the Haven City Series, Tiger's Den. It'll finish up the Black Wolves story arc.
But for now I have a new Goodreads giveaway to announce. You can win a autographed copy of Alpha's War now through April 30th on Goodreads. You need to have an account with them, or use your Facebook account. Check it out!
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; } Goodreads Book Giveaway
Alpha's War by Zoe Perdita
Giveaway ends April 30, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win
March 19, 2014
All Romance Blog Post!
Oh, I did a guest blog post at the All Romance Cafe on March 17 for Alpha's War. Check it out here. But first, enjoy this picture of Tom Hiddleston. ^_^
March 3, 2014
Release the Wolves: Alpha's War is Out!!!
Yeah, that didn't have the same ring as 'Kraken,' but I'm standing by it.
Black Wolves: Alpha's War is live right now -- and it's only $3.99 through March 19!
Check it out:
Sebastian knows criminals. He was raised in a family of thieves. But nothing could prepare him for the charming and dangerous gang leader and alpha wolf, Ian Black.
Since Seb isn’t strong enough to protect himself, he seeks aid from the Black Wolves – the most infamous shifter gang in the city. While the alpha promises to protect Seb, Ian wants something in return. Seb has to pretend to be Ian’s sex slave in public.
Only problem is Seb’s straight – or he thought he was. Ian’s insistence tests his resolve at every turn.
As violence explodes throughout the city, desire sizzles between the cat and wolf. But giving into passion is difficult for Seb who spent his entire life pushing other people away.
Can these two broken men find love in the midst of chaos?
Warning: Contains graphic gay sex scenes.
Amazon
All Romance
Barnes and Noble
Black Wolves: Alpha's War is live right now -- and it's only $3.99 through March 19!
Check it out:
Sebastian knows criminals. He was raised in a family of thieves. But nothing could prepare him for the charming and dangerous gang leader and alpha wolf, Ian Black.
Since Seb isn’t strong enough to protect himself, he seeks aid from the Black Wolves – the most infamous shifter gang in the city. While the alpha promises to protect Seb, Ian wants something in return. Seb has to pretend to be Ian’s sex slave in public.
Only problem is Seb’s straight – or he thought he was. Ian’s insistence tests his resolve at every turn.
As violence explodes throughout the city, desire sizzles between the cat and wolf. But giving into passion is difficult for Seb who spent his entire life pushing other people away.
Can these two broken men find love in the midst of chaos?
Warning: Contains graphic gay sex scenes.
Amazon
All Romance
Barnes and Noble
March 2, 2014
Alpha's War Launch Special: Haven City Series Sale!
To celebrate the release of Alpha's War, I'm having a super special sale on all my Haven City Series books!
That's right, folks! They will all be on sale from 80% to 20% off! That means the books will be priced as follows:
Shadow Scars: 99 cents!
Alpha's Shadow: $2.99
Rogue Wolf Book Set: $3.99
Thief: $2.99
Alpha's War: $3.99
The sale will run on Amazon, All Romance and Barnes and Noble starting March 3rd and running until March 19th.
It's cool if you want to dance. I know Sam and Dean do ^_^
That's right, folks! They will all be on sale from 80% to 20% off! That means the books will be priced as follows:
Shadow Scars: 99 cents!
Alpha's Shadow: $2.99
Rogue Wolf Book Set: $3.99
Thief: $2.99
Alpha's War: $3.99
The sale will run on Amazon, All Romance and Barnes and Noble starting March 3rd and running until March 19th.
It's cool if you want to dance. I know Sam and Dean do ^_^
March 1, 2014
Alpha's War Print Cover Reveal!
The lovely print cover for Alpha's War is here. I'm happy how it turned out, simple and clean. Like that song from the first Kingdom Hearts game (yeah, I'm a dork). Before this devolves into a Riku/Sora fanfic, I'll let you enjoy the cover.
Get ready for the book release on March 3rd -- this Monday!!!
Get ready for the book release on March 3rd -- this Monday!!!
February 28, 2014
Black Wolves: Alpha's War Chapter One Sneak Peek!
Only a few more days until the new Haven City book comes out!
Alpha's War picks up a couple weeks after Thief left off. Seb moved in with Ian, and they're having issues dealing with each other. Oh, and there's a brewing gang war with Triad, Bears and Wolves -- oh my!
Check out the first chapter ^_^
Like usual, my mailing list will get the second chapter. Join if you want it too!
1
His twin might be a better thief, but Sebastian was the better liar. The cat shifter told himself that as Ian Black fitted the collar around his neck, those long slender fingers brushing his skin. Goose bumps rose with the touch. Seb narrowed his eyes and snorted, swatting Ian’s hand away. The wolf smirked. Ian might be an alpha and the boss of the most dangerous shifter gang in Haven City, but he wouldn’t hurt Seb. Not now. Ian promised to protect him – if you could call this ruse protection. “You have to look the part,” Ian reminded him. The bright Chinatown lights shone on one half of his face through the car window while the other half stayed in shadow. His blond hair was brushed back and curled around his earlobes and the base of his neck. The hair that was probably soft and smelled like wolf musk and spice. Fisk, Seb’s identical twin, would know. Fisk fucked around with Ian before he settled with the enforcer, Breaker. Not that Seb was interested in finding out what Ian’s hair smelled like or felt like. He wasn’t interested in other men, like his twin brother was. Seb glowered. This was the price of protection – the price of being involved with a changing world. Better than sitting on the outside, rotting in that hole of an apartment and waiting for the axe to fall. “I’ve done it before,” Seb said.A smile slipped over Ian’s perfect lips as his eyes took in Seb’s outfit. The tight leather pants. The bare chest. He looked like some gay club kid ready to party. Or a member of the Village People. How embarrassing. “Oh, I remember,” Ian said.“Yeah, because you’re the one who forced me and Fisk to dress like this.” Seb wiggled in the seat to show off his discomfort with the clothes. The leather squeaked when he moved. Besides feeling ridiculous, the biggest thing he didn’t like about the outfit was the color – black. It made him look pale. Sickly. Fisk and Seb might be twins, but Seb wasn’t as healthy or athletic as his brother. An old case of silver poisoning saw to that. Ian straightened his tie. “Well, you are my pet.” “I’m playing your pet,” Seb reminded him through gritted teeth. He hadn’t run afoul of the Black Wolves and gotten himself mixed up in their business like Fisk had – even if that was partially Seb’s fault to begin with. Seb remembered when they first met, just over a year ago. Ian Black stuck out on the street. His whole demeanor screamed ‘rich guy’ like it was tattooed on his forehead. Seb caught the wolf musk on the air and glanced at his feet, heart pounding. His fingers itched for something to do, and the spare cash would help since Fisk wasn’t in town at the moment. As they passed on the sidewalk, Seb slipped his hand into Ian’s pocket and grabbed the wallet. The wolf didn’t even notice. Then Seb snatched the folded cash (only one hundred and seven dollars in bills) and dumped the evidence in a trashcan down the street. He looked at the name on the driver’s license before disposing of it. Ian Black. The infamous gang leader of the Black Wolves and the reason Fisk split town. At the time, Seb laughed. Now, it didn’t seem as funny. Because of two minor indiscretions, Fisk had to work off his debt to the wolf shifter gang in Seb’s steed. Fisk did it to keep Seb safe, and he knew that. But that didn’t mean Fisk could always keep Seb safe, or that he would even try. Leaving town didn’t do a damn thing for Seb’s well being. It took too long for his twin to realize it. After Fisk pulled that last job for Ian, his debt to the Black Wolves was forgiven. But Fisk stuck around this time, not for Seb, but for the beta wolf enforcer, Breaker.Only problem was now they were both trapped in the middle of a gang war that was designed to end the shifter violence in the Flats – the poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhood in Haven City. How were they going to end said violence? With more violence. Seb almost laughed again, despite himself. Ian studied him from the shadows. His bright blue eyes, the same color as a magic user, made him stand out. Most wolves had dark eyes, like Breaker. Of course Ian Black couldn’t be like most wolves. Then Ian leaned toward him and grabbed Seb’s chin in his firm hold. His eyes shone in the darkness of the car, and Seb sat still, waiting for the perfect moment to yank his chin away. “You could be my pet. Wouldn’t that be fun?” he breathed.Seb moved, glad the shadows hid the heat seeping up his cheeks. At least his heart didn’t pound in his chest. Ian always flirted like that, and it meant nothing. He probably did it to get on Seb’s nerves. “Not interested.”“In me or anyone?” Ian mused, brushing his hand over his suit. It was a nervous habit he had meant to look carefree. Seb spent enough time reading people to know better. “Just because I don’t want to hop in bed with every girl I meet, doesn’t mean I’ve never dated anyone.”“Girl, huh? You should at least try women. They tend to know what they’re doing,” he said, his voice light and playful. Seb rolled his eyes. “I thought you were gay.”Like Fisk. His stomach clenched at the thought. Not that he cared if Fisk was gay. When his twin came out at fifteen, before their mom died, she hugged him and said she’d love him no matter what. Center of attention, like always. While Seb sat in the corner quietly picking up the pieces of their shattered lives. Ian shrugged. “I experimented in my misspent youth. You should try it.”Deep breath. Ian was goading him. And the only way to win was to play along. Seb smiled and leaned forward. “I’d love to experiment. But not. With. You.” He poked Ian’s chest with every word. The wolf took a sharp breath, his mouth dropping open just a fraction. What the hell was that look about? Seb scooted back and forced himself to smile coolly.In the rearview mirror, Breaker glanced at them, but he didn’t say a word. He already aired his discomfort with the plan before they left the penthouse. With his usual restrained tone, Breaker reminded Ian about the current situation in the Flats. “Two more attacks at the docks. Milo said the Dragons were involved. And the Bears shot up a poker game in Chinatown last Saturday.”Of course he wouldn’t like it. They were marching into Mao’s Tiger den right at the start of a war between the Russians and the Triad. Sergei, the leader of the Bear shifter gang, would be pissed when he found out, and an unpredictable Russian wasn’t something Seb wanted coming after the Black Wolves. But Ian was hell bent on staying neutral in light of this – probably because the gang war was his idea all along. If the shifter gangs fought it out with each other, the Black Wolves wouldn’t have to take them on. Good thing too, since his operation was all smoke and mirrors. The Black Wolves only consisted of three wolves and, now, two cats. The odds weren’t in their favor. Well, they weren’t before Seb and Fisk joined. This crazy ass idea would work if they all played their parts to perfection. If not, they’d all be dead anyway so it wouldn’t matter.That meant Fisk had to get the Tiger’s ledger while Mao entertained them tonight. Just another way to antagonize the Tiger gang leader. And there’d be no proof Ian was involved because according to the rest of Haven City, Fisk and Seb didn’t exist. They were one person – Tommy Booker. A poor high school drop out with a petty theft record who was now Ian Black’s personal sex toy. Since Fisk was burgling Mao, Seb got to play Tommy. Lucky him. Breaker pulled into an alley on the side of the Jade Palace restaurant and turned in his seat. “We’re here,” he said, his deep voice rumbling through the car.Seb snorted. “You don’t say?”Breaker’s bland expression didn’t falter at Seb’s sarcasm. The enforcer was probably used to it with Fisk. He nodded once and stepped out of the car. Then he opened their door like a good bodyguard. If only the shifter gangs understood how capable Breaker was at more than just guardingIan Black. But Breaker swore he hadn’t rid Haven of the other shifter gang’s top enforcers. A little over a year before, someone started killing all the worst of the worst in the local shifter gangs. These were the guys that didn’t get put in prison with a sentence that stuck. Guys with little to no redeeming qualities. Seb researched each case when Fisk got involved with the Black Wolves and realized someone in that gang was responsible. Which meant either Breaker was lying – unlikely. Or someone else did it. Someone who was also a member of the Black Wolves, but it couldn’t be Milo, the techie omega. He was too small and too weak.That left one possible answer. Seb was sitting right next to the man, and strangely he couldn’t muster up the energy to be frightened. Ian looped his hand around the chain and pulled lightly.Seb stepped into the alley after him. The cool air struck his bare skin, and he fought the urge to shiver. Fisk wouldn’t do that, and he couldn’t show weakness in front of the Triad. They might find out the truth – that Tommy Booker was just a cover. And that Fisk was upstairs robbing their boss’s office while they ate dumplings and chicken feet below. Breaker knocked once and a tiger opened a slot in the door. He glanced at them all and the lock slid open. Then the tiger ushered them inside. His dark eyes sized them up, and his jet black hair was pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. Like most tigers, he was sleek and slender, his cheekbones cut high. His body was all sinewy muscle. He smiled at Seb shyly, his cheeks dimpling. Taking a chance, Seb smiled at the tiger. The warmth of the kitchen colored his face. Good. It made it look like Ian’s pet was blushing. He needed to play the part to perfection or someone might be suspicious. He might not be gay, but Tommy Booker was.Ian yanked on the chain, and Seb stumbled after him, schooling the glare into a look of bewilderment. He couldn’t give that look to his owner without the Tigers getting suspicious. They were already on edge after what happened to the Russian’s stronghold and the fire on the docks. Even with the siege on Sergei’s mansion, the Bears still held all their territory in the Flats. Most of the Russians the cops caught were released. The ones they held would be out of jail in a few years. They didn’t have the evidence to put them away long term. The raid put all the shifter gangs on high alert – tension buzzed across the Flats like static electricity. Seb wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. As they walked in, Seb caught snippets of conversation. Hushed and worried voices whispering in Cantonese about the cops and the bear shifters. At least, that’s all Seb understood. He had so much free time growing up that learning the languages of the shifter gangs seemed like a good idea. Especially since he was stuck in the Flats. The tiger led them to a backroom. The walls were covered in a gaudy gold leaf wallpaper, Victorian with an oriental touch. Two large Ming dynasty vases sat on either side of the room – priceless. A huge scroll hung on the eastern wall, a serene scene of tigers playing in a river. From the look of the parchment, Seb guessed it was from the Sung Dynasty. He’d never seen anything else like it. Did the other Triad gangs have similar artifacts? If Fisk could get in here and burgle the place they’d make a fortune. Mao looked up when they entered. She was draped in a red silk dress that plunged dangerously low in the front. A slit came up to her thigh. Her black hair, sleek as ever, hung loose over her shoulders. Her entire body tensed, like a windup toy ready to move. “Black,” she growled and motioned for them to sit. The table was set for dinner with white and blue china – Ming Dynasty. Antique. Most people would keep that locked away – not use it for dinner. She was trying to show off her wealth and power. Ian nodded but didn’t move to a chair. “Mao. You invited me here for?” he asked, a note of restrained anger in his voice. Seb watched Ian’s jaw tighten and his knuckles blanch on the leash in his hands. He was almost as good an actor as Seb himself. Almost. Her dark eyes flashed, and Seb felt Breaker stiffen behind him. The enforcer was ready to draw his weapon, but if that happened, Fisk would never have the chance to get what he needed and frame it on the Russians. Plus, they were surrounded by tiger shifters. Not good. If things got violent they’d end up at Mao’s mercy. From what Seb heard she didn’t have any. “I did. We need to talk, and I need to apologize,” she said through gritted teeth. Seb glanced at Ian, and silently congratulated the man for his stone like appearance. “Do you think an apology is enough? I spend half a million for Rapture, then the Triad destroys my supply. Was it Tigers or one of the other gangs?”The two men in the corner stepped forward, but Mao put up a hand to motion them back. “It wasn’t Tigers. Dragons or Monkeys, but they’re not saying. Not to me,” she said and glanced at the guards. One of them lowered his head, and the other held his chin high. Seb studied them – they weren’t tigers. The one who bowed his head had a mossy, wet fragrance lingering around him. A dragon. The one who jutted his chin looked like he was about to laugh, and just barely held it back. He smelled like a jungle rich with spice and adventure. A monkey.Seb heard of his practice before – a way to keep each member of the Triad honest. Every gang had certain members inside that belonged to a different shifter gang. That meant Mao had Tigers working with the Dragons and the Monkeys. Must make things difficult when the Triad gangs started fighting with one another.Division between the Russians and the Triad was expected. Not division amongst the Triad itself. They might consist of three separate Chinese shifter gangs, but they usually acted as one force. Maybe this gang war was going to work better than the Black Wolves originally anticipated. Although this was only the beginning. Who knows what might happen in the long run, Seb told himself. The cops couldn’t free the Flats of shifter gang control, who said one tiny wolf pack with crazy ideas could?“I guess I won’t get my money back,” Ian growled, leaning over one of the high backed chairs. Mao’s eyes narrowed into black slits, and she crossed her arms. Seb wondered if he should be interested in women like her. Dangerous and beautiful. Shit.Those words described Ian to a tee, but he’d never admit that out loud. “We made a deal, Black. I don’t want this to dissolve our business relationship. I can get you more Rapture, but I can’t give the money to you,” Mao said, every word sounded like she had to work to get them out. The leader of the Tigers disgraced in front of the Black Wolves – no wonder she hated the position she’d been put in. Ian better not press his luck, but what the hell was he going to do with more Rapture? The reason Ian burned the R he got from Mao in the first place was to keep it off Haven’s streets. It was a dangerous drug that destroyed every city it touched. They’d never clean up the Flats with a new group of R junkies hanging around. Another shipment disappearing in the same manner would put more suspicion on their gang than needed. The boss better be able to see that. Ian licked his lips and sighed. “You strike a hard bargain. Fine. More R. How soon can I get it?”What the hell was Ian thinking? Seb studied Ian’s face, but he came up blank. Mao pointed at the table again. “We can discuss this over dinner, Mr. Black.”Then Ian smiled that dangerous smile that didn’t reach his eyes. It lingered on his mouth like he was deciding what kind of terrible thing to do next. A shiver trailed up Seb’s spine. “You’re not trying to stall me, Mao? Or poison me?” She snorted at that assertion. “Poison? You should know me better than that by now. I’d slit your throat with my claws not use a coward’s weapon. I’m trying to apologize.”Ian nodded and slipped into a seat, pulling Seb onto the floor next to him. Then he glanced at the cat and tossed him a pillow, like an afterthought. Seb grabbed it and knelt, unclenching his fists. This was the worst, most humiliating part of the whole game. And Ian, of course, played it up like he always did. Breaker stood behind Ian, his handsome face blank, but his gaze ever watchful. His brown eyes pinched at the edge, and Seb figured that expression was for Fisk. The enforcer worried about his mate. Every time they pulled a stunt like this one of them got hurt. That sent a whole new shiver up Seb’s spine and sweat beaded on his back.Fisk, don’t do anything stupid, he begged his twin silently. Ian’s hand clamped on Seb’s shoulder. A hand that already touched Fisk more times than he cared to think about. Seb bit his bottom lip hard and focused on looking innocent and scared. This was going to be a long night. The servers brought in plates of food. Appetizers of raw meat they cooked over bright flames. The fat dripped into the fire and the scent made Seb’s stomach grumble. Ian held one to Seb’s lips with a serene smile on his face. Obediently, Seb opened his mouth and chomped on it. The meat melted on his tongue – better than canned tuna or baloney any day. In any other situation, he’d grab it from Ian’s fingers and shove it into his own mouth, but he couldn’t do that in front of Mao without giving himself away. No wonder the boss always chose Seb for these parts now that he had both twins in his gang. Breaker wouldn’t let Ian mess around with his mate, for one. The other reason, well, it was all too obvious. Ian Black was an annoying asshole, Seb thought as he chewed. Then Ian held a tiny cup of tea out to Seb, and the cat took it. Thankfully, Ian didn’t insist helping him drink too. Ian would probably spill it on purpose just to wipe it off Seb’s bare body, knowing him. “Your pet seems more relaxed than the last time I saw him. You treat him well?” Mao asked as she ripped a hunk of sizzling meat in half with her fangs. Seb froze and looked at the floor, holding the teacup loosely in his hands before taking a sip. How the hell did Fisk act around Mao? Seb wouldn’t know – he wasn’t there. The last time he played this part no one caught on, but that’d been in a crowded Russian nightclub, not at an intimate dinner with the Triad.“I treat him as well as he deserves to be treated,” Ian growled and yanked at the leash, forcing Seb’s head up. “Isn’t that right, pet?”Acting time. Seb’s bottom lip trembled, and his green eyes widened into great orbs. The fringe of caramel colored hair fell over his forehead, cheeks heating, as Ian pulled him closer. “Y-yes,” he stammered. Mao leaned forward and grabbed a fried shrimp. Seb’s mouth watered at the smell. “How insolent that he looks straight at you.”Bitch, Seb thought, but kept the frown from his lips. The tiger who smiled at Seb on the way in stared at him now. His dark eyes as unreadable as his expression. Ian chuckled, a rich and easy sound, and a manicured finger brushed the hair from Seb’s eyes. “That’s not how I see it. He’s so enamored with me he just can’t look away. Can’t get enough, can you?”Of course he’d push it in that direction. Seb nodded, shoulders trembling, as the finger wound over his collarbone and down the smooth expanse of his chest. Like Fisk, Seb was compact and lightly muscled, but he was slender due to his illness. Physical activity weakened him, which made working out regularly difficult. Good thing Mao didn’t notice that detail. Or maybe she thought he lost weight due to his imprisonment. Ian’s fingers flitted over Seb’s exposed nipple, and it nubbed into a dark pink ball under the touch. Seb schooled his glare, staring at the man right in front of him. What the hell was Ian up to? Pushing it a bit far.Even Breaker stared at them, brows furrowed, before clearing his throat and glancing away. He was trying to get Ian’s attention discretely, like he usually did when his boss was acting like a fool. Seb wished the alpha paid attention to it. Ian didn’t. Then he leaned into Seb, his mouth so close their lips brushed. “To be fair, I can’t get enough of him either.”Seb took a sharp breath through his nose. A light sweat broke across his forehead, and his entire body sizzled and crackled, like coal on the fire. What the hell was Ian doing? Showing his weakness to an enemy in her own house. How stupid could he get? The door opened, and Ian leaned back slowly as the servers set another number of plates on the table. Mao eyed them with amusement. She was no doubt hatching some scheme none of them would like. And Seb had to wait until they were in the car to even bring it up. No wonder Breaker was so exasperated with Ian on a regular basis. It didn’t help that his lips burned, like they were covered in cinnamon, and he flicked his tongue over them telling himself he was notdisappointed in the lack of a kiss. Kissing Ian Black wasn’t something he wanted. Ian picked up a piece of fish with the chopsticks, his fingers as dexterous as always, and held it to Seb’s lips. Seb opened his mouth and chewed without tasting it. How could he after Ian pulled that little stunt? They were half way through the main course when a tiger slipped into the room and whispered in Mao’s ear. “Someone’s upstairs,” the tiger hissed in Cantonese. Mao tensed and looked at Ian, waiting a beat before she said a word. “Something the matter?” Ian asked casually, feeding Seb another piece of fish. He chewed and glanced between the two of them under his lashes. No use giving away how carefully he paid attention to their conversation. Especially since that damn tiger in the corner kept a close eye on him. Was the man suspicious or interested? Hard to tell.“No. Not at all. Can you excuse me for a moment?” Mao said and stood. “If you need my help just ask. Breaker here can lend some extra muscle to your tigers.”Mao’s black eyes narrowed. “Are you implying my tigers need help?”Ian waved his hand like he was swatting a fly. “Not at all. Just an offer. What’s the matter? I can tell by that little wrinkle you get between your eyes that something’s wrong.”Seb expected her to claw him across the face for that insult, but Mao tensed her jaw and smiled instead. It was just as cold as Ian’s own smile. “You would send your one bodyguard away in the middle of my territory? I’m not sure if that’s brave or idiotic, Mr. Black.”Ian shrugged and sipped his tea. “Or it shows how deeply I trust our relationship. Plus, you don’t think a wolf can take care of himself?”Seb’s heart held still in his chest. Behind them, he felt Breaker standing just as frozen. The Tigers knew Fisk was there – maybe they already caught him. No. If they caught him they’d have something to say about Seb. Most likely, Fisk was on the run while they sat in a room with the most dangerous woman in the city. And Ian was stalling her while giving Breaker an excuse to go after Fisk. Seb hoped she bought it.Mao glanced at Breaker, then back at Ian. “Fine. He can do as he likes, but I want that thief alive. For now.”Breaker glanced at Ian, who nodded once. Then the enforcer slipped out the door. Seb wiped his sweaty palms on the leather pants and focused on finishing the meal as if nothing was wrong. Outside the door, tigers shouted in Cantonese and the restaurant bustled with activity – activity aimed at hurting Fisk. His stomach twisted and he took a deep breath. Seb put his twin in danger by calling him back to Haven City, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to help now that Fisk was here. “Tommy?” Ian asked, and ran his hand over Seb’s forehead. Seb glanced up at Ian, true concern shining on the wolf’s face. Right. He was sweating. Stress did that to him. The silver that weakened him had to act up at the worst possible moments. His heart hammered in his chest, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it besides getting out of the Tiger’s den. “I’m fine,” he mumbled. Mao stepped back into the room, her eyes on fire. Hopefully, that was good news for them. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our dinner short.”Seb held back a sigh of relief.Ian tore his eyes from Seb and stood. “Not a problem. Things come up. I completely understand. If Breaker finds your thief, I’m sure he’ll bring him back. If not, good luck.”Mao nodded stiffly, her eyes boring into Ian’s back as they left. Seb felt her fiery gaze graze him and looked away. The tiger in the corner, the one with the dimples, watched Seb too. The cat caught the man’s intense gaze, and the slight twitch of his lips. Did Mao ask him to watch Ian and Tommy during dinner?She couldn’t know. No one could – their entire plan hinged on it. “Am I supposed to drive?” Seb asked as they stepped into the alley. His limbs trembled and he pretended it was a shiver and not the effects of the silver.“Contrary to popular belief, I can do some things for myself,” Ian said and opened the rear door, tossing the leash onto the seat. Seb climbed in after it. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. He always got this same sickening fear every time Fisk went on a job – the dread that maybe his brother wouldn’t come back. Maybe he’d leave Seb all alone, like their mother had when she died. Like their dad had when he ran off. Or when Fisk ran off. Everyone left him in the end. That’s just the way it was.Ever since they joined forces with the Black Wolves the feeling just got worse. Ian started the car, then turned in his seat and looked at Seb. His blue eyes shone in the shadows. “Are you feeling well?”“No, but you can’t help it anymore than I can,” Seb said with a bitter smile. Ian stared. “The silver. Do you need a healer?”Their thief was on the run from the Tiger gang. The enforcer was trailing after him, and Ian wondered if Seb needed a healer? What kind of priorities did this man have?Seb shook his head and fingered the leash. “I’ll live. And Ari’s gonna get suspicious if he has to make another house call.”Silence hung in the air around them, and Seb wished Ian would get his damn eyes on the road so they could go. Get back to the penthouse. Wait for Fisk and Breaker. Find out what the hell happened. “He’ll be fine,” Ian finally said. Seb rolled his eyes, pulling up his armor. “You can’t promise that.”“I just did,” Ian growled. “You’ll both be safe as long as I’m alive.”As long as Ian Black was alive they’d both be safe. The thought should warm him, but a shiver raked across his skin instead. What happened if Ian died?
Seb didn’t want to think about that.
Alpha's War picks up a couple weeks after Thief left off. Seb moved in with Ian, and they're having issues dealing with each other. Oh, and there's a brewing gang war with Triad, Bears and Wolves -- oh my!
Check out the first chapter ^_^
Like usual, my mailing list will get the second chapter. Join if you want it too!
1
His twin might be a better thief, but Sebastian was the better liar. The cat shifter told himself that as Ian Black fitted the collar around his neck, those long slender fingers brushing his skin. Goose bumps rose with the touch. Seb narrowed his eyes and snorted, swatting Ian’s hand away. The wolf smirked. Ian might be an alpha and the boss of the most dangerous shifter gang in Haven City, but he wouldn’t hurt Seb. Not now. Ian promised to protect him – if you could call this ruse protection. “You have to look the part,” Ian reminded him. The bright Chinatown lights shone on one half of his face through the car window while the other half stayed in shadow. His blond hair was brushed back and curled around his earlobes and the base of his neck. The hair that was probably soft and smelled like wolf musk and spice. Fisk, Seb’s identical twin, would know. Fisk fucked around with Ian before he settled with the enforcer, Breaker. Not that Seb was interested in finding out what Ian’s hair smelled like or felt like. He wasn’t interested in other men, like his twin brother was. Seb glowered. This was the price of protection – the price of being involved with a changing world. Better than sitting on the outside, rotting in that hole of an apartment and waiting for the axe to fall. “I’ve done it before,” Seb said.A smile slipped over Ian’s perfect lips as his eyes took in Seb’s outfit. The tight leather pants. The bare chest. He looked like some gay club kid ready to party. Or a member of the Village People. How embarrassing. “Oh, I remember,” Ian said.“Yeah, because you’re the one who forced me and Fisk to dress like this.” Seb wiggled in the seat to show off his discomfort with the clothes. The leather squeaked when he moved. Besides feeling ridiculous, the biggest thing he didn’t like about the outfit was the color – black. It made him look pale. Sickly. Fisk and Seb might be twins, but Seb wasn’t as healthy or athletic as his brother. An old case of silver poisoning saw to that. Ian straightened his tie. “Well, you are my pet.” “I’m playing your pet,” Seb reminded him through gritted teeth. He hadn’t run afoul of the Black Wolves and gotten himself mixed up in their business like Fisk had – even if that was partially Seb’s fault to begin with. Seb remembered when they first met, just over a year ago. Ian Black stuck out on the street. His whole demeanor screamed ‘rich guy’ like it was tattooed on his forehead. Seb caught the wolf musk on the air and glanced at his feet, heart pounding. His fingers itched for something to do, and the spare cash would help since Fisk wasn’t in town at the moment. As they passed on the sidewalk, Seb slipped his hand into Ian’s pocket and grabbed the wallet. The wolf didn’t even notice. Then Seb snatched the folded cash (only one hundred and seven dollars in bills) and dumped the evidence in a trashcan down the street. He looked at the name on the driver’s license before disposing of it. Ian Black. The infamous gang leader of the Black Wolves and the reason Fisk split town. At the time, Seb laughed. Now, it didn’t seem as funny. Because of two minor indiscretions, Fisk had to work off his debt to the wolf shifter gang in Seb’s steed. Fisk did it to keep Seb safe, and he knew that. But that didn’t mean Fisk could always keep Seb safe, or that he would even try. Leaving town didn’t do a damn thing for Seb’s well being. It took too long for his twin to realize it. After Fisk pulled that last job for Ian, his debt to the Black Wolves was forgiven. But Fisk stuck around this time, not for Seb, but for the beta wolf enforcer, Breaker.Only problem was now they were both trapped in the middle of a gang war that was designed to end the shifter violence in the Flats – the poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhood in Haven City. How were they going to end said violence? With more violence. Seb almost laughed again, despite himself. Ian studied him from the shadows. His bright blue eyes, the same color as a magic user, made him stand out. Most wolves had dark eyes, like Breaker. Of course Ian Black couldn’t be like most wolves. Then Ian leaned toward him and grabbed Seb’s chin in his firm hold. His eyes shone in the darkness of the car, and Seb sat still, waiting for the perfect moment to yank his chin away. “You could be my pet. Wouldn’t that be fun?” he breathed.Seb moved, glad the shadows hid the heat seeping up his cheeks. At least his heart didn’t pound in his chest. Ian always flirted like that, and it meant nothing. He probably did it to get on Seb’s nerves. “Not interested.”“In me or anyone?” Ian mused, brushing his hand over his suit. It was a nervous habit he had meant to look carefree. Seb spent enough time reading people to know better. “Just because I don’t want to hop in bed with every girl I meet, doesn’t mean I’ve never dated anyone.”“Girl, huh? You should at least try women. They tend to know what they’re doing,” he said, his voice light and playful. Seb rolled his eyes. “I thought you were gay.”Like Fisk. His stomach clenched at the thought. Not that he cared if Fisk was gay. When his twin came out at fifteen, before their mom died, she hugged him and said she’d love him no matter what. Center of attention, like always. While Seb sat in the corner quietly picking up the pieces of their shattered lives. Ian shrugged. “I experimented in my misspent youth. You should try it.”Deep breath. Ian was goading him. And the only way to win was to play along. Seb smiled and leaned forward. “I’d love to experiment. But not. With. You.” He poked Ian’s chest with every word. The wolf took a sharp breath, his mouth dropping open just a fraction. What the hell was that look about? Seb scooted back and forced himself to smile coolly.In the rearview mirror, Breaker glanced at them, but he didn’t say a word. He already aired his discomfort with the plan before they left the penthouse. With his usual restrained tone, Breaker reminded Ian about the current situation in the Flats. “Two more attacks at the docks. Milo said the Dragons were involved. And the Bears shot up a poker game in Chinatown last Saturday.”Of course he wouldn’t like it. They were marching into Mao’s Tiger den right at the start of a war between the Russians and the Triad. Sergei, the leader of the Bear shifter gang, would be pissed when he found out, and an unpredictable Russian wasn’t something Seb wanted coming after the Black Wolves. But Ian was hell bent on staying neutral in light of this – probably because the gang war was his idea all along. If the shifter gangs fought it out with each other, the Black Wolves wouldn’t have to take them on. Good thing too, since his operation was all smoke and mirrors. The Black Wolves only consisted of three wolves and, now, two cats. The odds weren’t in their favor. Well, they weren’t before Seb and Fisk joined. This crazy ass idea would work if they all played their parts to perfection. If not, they’d all be dead anyway so it wouldn’t matter.That meant Fisk had to get the Tiger’s ledger while Mao entertained them tonight. Just another way to antagonize the Tiger gang leader. And there’d be no proof Ian was involved because according to the rest of Haven City, Fisk and Seb didn’t exist. They were one person – Tommy Booker. A poor high school drop out with a petty theft record who was now Ian Black’s personal sex toy. Since Fisk was burgling Mao, Seb got to play Tommy. Lucky him. Breaker pulled into an alley on the side of the Jade Palace restaurant and turned in his seat. “We’re here,” he said, his deep voice rumbling through the car.Seb snorted. “You don’t say?”Breaker’s bland expression didn’t falter at Seb’s sarcasm. The enforcer was probably used to it with Fisk. He nodded once and stepped out of the car. Then he opened their door like a good bodyguard. If only the shifter gangs understood how capable Breaker was at more than just guardingIan Black. But Breaker swore he hadn’t rid Haven of the other shifter gang’s top enforcers. A little over a year before, someone started killing all the worst of the worst in the local shifter gangs. These were the guys that didn’t get put in prison with a sentence that stuck. Guys with little to no redeeming qualities. Seb researched each case when Fisk got involved with the Black Wolves and realized someone in that gang was responsible. Which meant either Breaker was lying – unlikely. Or someone else did it. Someone who was also a member of the Black Wolves, but it couldn’t be Milo, the techie omega. He was too small and too weak.That left one possible answer. Seb was sitting right next to the man, and strangely he couldn’t muster up the energy to be frightened. Ian looped his hand around the chain and pulled lightly.Seb stepped into the alley after him. The cool air struck his bare skin, and he fought the urge to shiver. Fisk wouldn’t do that, and he couldn’t show weakness in front of the Triad. They might find out the truth – that Tommy Booker was just a cover. And that Fisk was upstairs robbing their boss’s office while they ate dumplings and chicken feet below. Breaker knocked once and a tiger opened a slot in the door. He glanced at them all and the lock slid open. Then the tiger ushered them inside. His dark eyes sized them up, and his jet black hair was pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. Like most tigers, he was sleek and slender, his cheekbones cut high. His body was all sinewy muscle. He smiled at Seb shyly, his cheeks dimpling. Taking a chance, Seb smiled at the tiger. The warmth of the kitchen colored his face. Good. It made it look like Ian’s pet was blushing. He needed to play the part to perfection or someone might be suspicious. He might not be gay, but Tommy Booker was.Ian yanked on the chain, and Seb stumbled after him, schooling the glare into a look of bewilderment. He couldn’t give that look to his owner without the Tigers getting suspicious. They were already on edge after what happened to the Russian’s stronghold and the fire on the docks. Even with the siege on Sergei’s mansion, the Bears still held all their territory in the Flats. Most of the Russians the cops caught were released. The ones they held would be out of jail in a few years. They didn’t have the evidence to put them away long term. The raid put all the shifter gangs on high alert – tension buzzed across the Flats like static electricity. Seb wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. As they walked in, Seb caught snippets of conversation. Hushed and worried voices whispering in Cantonese about the cops and the bear shifters. At least, that’s all Seb understood. He had so much free time growing up that learning the languages of the shifter gangs seemed like a good idea. Especially since he was stuck in the Flats. The tiger led them to a backroom. The walls were covered in a gaudy gold leaf wallpaper, Victorian with an oriental touch. Two large Ming dynasty vases sat on either side of the room – priceless. A huge scroll hung on the eastern wall, a serene scene of tigers playing in a river. From the look of the parchment, Seb guessed it was from the Sung Dynasty. He’d never seen anything else like it. Did the other Triad gangs have similar artifacts? If Fisk could get in here and burgle the place they’d make a fortune. Mao looked up when they entered. She was draped in a red silk dress that plunged dangerously low in the front. A slit came up to her thigh. Her black hair, sleek as ever, hung loose over her shoulders. Her entire body tensed, like a windup toy ready to move. “Black,” she growled and motioned for them to sit. The table was set for dinner with white and blue china – Ming Dynasty. Antique. Most people would keep that locked away – not use it for dinner. She was trying to show off her wealth and power. Ian nodded but didn’t move to a chair. “Mao. You invited me here for?” he asked, a note of restrained anger in his voice. Seb watched Ian’s jaw tighten and his knuckles blanch on the leash in his hands. He was almost as good an actor as Seb himself. Almost. Her dark eyes flashed, and Seb felt Breaker stiffen behind him. The enforcer was ready to draw his weapon, but if that happened, Fisk would never have the chance to get what he needed and frame it on the Russians. Plus, they were surrounded by tiger shifters. Not good. If things got violent they’d end up at Mao’s mercy. From what Seb heard she didn’t have any. “I did. We need to talk, and I need to apologize,” she said through gritted teeth. Seb glanced at Ian, and silently congratulated the man for his stone like appearance. “Do you think an apology is enough? I spend half a million for Rapture, then the Triad destroys my supply. Was it Tigers or one of the other gangs?”The two men in the corner stepped forward, but Mao put up a hand to motion them back. “It wasn’t Tigers. Dragons or Monkeys, but they’re not saying. Not to me,” she said and glanced at the guards. One of them lowered his head, and the other held his chin high. Seb studied them – they weren’t tigers. The one who bowed his head had a mossy, wet fragrance lingering around him. A dragon. The one who jutted his chin looked like he was about to laugh, and just barely held it back. He smelled like a jungle rich with spice and adventure. A monkey.Seb heard of his practice before – a way to keep each member of the Triad honest. Every gang had certain members inside that belonged to a different shifter gang. That meant Mao had Tigers working with the Dragons and the Monkeys. Must make things difficult when the Triad gangs started fighting with one another.Division between the Russians and the Triad was expected. Not division amongst the Triad itself. They might consist of three separate Chinese shifter gangs, but they usually acted as one force. Maybe this gang war was going to work better than the Black Wolves originally anticipated. Although this was only the beginning. Who knows what might happen in the long run, Seb told himself. The cops couldn’t free the Flats of shifter gang control, who said one tiny wolf pack with crazy ideas could?“I guess I won’t get my money back,” Ian growled, leaning over one of the high backed chairs. Mao’s eyes narrowed into black slits, and she crossed her arms. Seb wondered if he should be interested in women like her. Dangerous and beautiful. Shit.Those words described Ian to a tee, but he’d never admit that out loud. “We made a deal, Black. I don’t want this to dissolve our business relationship. I can get you more Rapture, but I can’t give the money to you,” Mao said, every word sounded like she had to work to get them out. The leader of the Tigers disgraced in front of the Black Wolves – no wonder she hated the position she’d been put in. Ian better not press his luck, but what the hell was he going to do with more Rapture? The reason Ian burned the R he got from Mao in the first place was to keep it off Haven’s streets. It was a dangerous drug that destroyed every city it touched. They’d never clean up the Flats with a new group of R junkies hanging around. Another shipment disappearing in the same manner would put more suspicion on their gang than needed. The boss better be able to see that. Ian licked his lips and sighed. “You strike a hard bargain. Fine. More R. How soon can I get it?”What the hell was Ian thinking? Seb studied Ian’s face, but he came up blank. Mao pointed at the table again. “We can discuss this over dinner, Mr. Black.”Then Ian smiled that dangerous smile that didn’t reach his eyes. It lingered on his mouth like he was deciding what kind of terrible thing to do next. A shiver trailed up Seb’s spine. “You’re not trying to stall me, Mao? Or poison me?” She snorted at that assertion. “Poison? You should know me better than that by now. I’d slit your throat with my claws not use a coward’s weapon. I’m trying to apologize.”Ian nodded and slipped into a seat, pulling Seb onto the floor next to him. Then he glanced at the cat and tossed him a pillow, like an afterthought. Seb grabbed it and knelt, unclenching his fists. This was the worst, most humiliating part of the whole game. And Ian, of course, played it up like he always did. Breaker stood behind Ian, his handsome face blank, but his gaze ever watchful. His brown eyes pinched at the edge, and Seb figured that expression was for Fisk. The enforcer worried about his mate. Every time they pulled a stunt like this one of them got hurt. That sent a whole new shiver up Seb’s spine and sweat beaded on his back.Fisk, don’t do anything stupid, he begged his twin silently. Ian’s hand clamped on Seb’s shoulder. A hand that already touched Fisk more times than he cared to think about. Seb bit his bottom lip hard and focused on looking innocent and scared. This was going to be a long night. The servers brought in plates of food. Appetizers of raw meat they cooked over bright flames. The fat dripped into the fire and the scent made Seb’s stomach grumble. Ian held one to Seb’s lips with a serene smile on his face. Obediently, Seb opened his mouth and chomped on it. The meat melted on his tongue – better than canned tuna or baloney any day. In any other situation, he’d grab it from Ian’s fingers and shove it into his own mouth, but he couldn’t do that in front of Mao without giving himself away. No wonder the boss always chose Seb for these parts now that he had both twins in his gang. Breaker wouldn’t let Ian mess around with his mate, for one. The other reason, well, it was all too obvious. Ian Black was an annoying asshole, Seb thought as he chewed. Then Ian held a tiny cup of tea out to Seb, and the cat took it. Thankfully, Ian didn’t insist helping him drink too. Ian would probably spill it on purpose just to wipe it off Seb’s bare body, knowing him. “Your pet seems more relaxed than the last time I saw him. You treat him well?” Mao asked as she ripped a hunk of sizzling meat in half with her fangs. Seb froze and looked at the floor, holding the teacup loosely in his hands before taking a sip. How the hell did Fisk act around Mao? Seb wouldn’t know – he wasn’t there. The last time he played this part no one caught on, but that’d been in a crowded Russian nightclub, not at an intimate dinner with the Triad.“I treat him as well as he deserves to be treated,” Ian growled and yanked at the leash, forcing Seb’s head up. “Isn’t that right, pet?”Acting time. Seb’s bottom lip trembled, and his green eyes widened into great orbs. The fringe of caramel colored hair fell over his forehead, cheeks heating, as Ian pulled him closer. “Y-yes,” he stammered. Mao leaned forward and grabbed a fried shrimp. Seb’s mouth watered at the smell. “How insolent that he looks straight at you.”Bitch, Seb thought, but kept the frown from his lips. The tiger who smiled at Seb on the way in stared at him now. His dark eyes as unreadable as his expression. Ian chuckled, a rich and easy sound, and a manicured finger brushed the hair from Seb’s eyes. “That’s not how I see it. He’s so enamored with me he just can’t look away. Can’t get enough, can you?”Of course he’d push it in that direction. Seb nodded, shoulders trembling, as the finger wound over his collarbone and down the smooth expanse of his chest. Like Fisk, Seb was compact and lightly muscled, but he was slender due to his illness. Physical activity weakened him, which made working out regularly difficult. Good thing Mao didn’t notice that detail. Or maybe she thought he lost weight due to his imprisonment. Ian’s fingers flitted over Seb’s exposed nipple, and it nubbed into a dark pink ball under the touch. Seb schooled his glare, staring at the man right in front of him. What the hell was Ian up to? Pushing it a bit far.Even Breaker stared at them, brows furrowed, before clearing his throat and glancing away. He was trying to get Ian’s attention discretely, like he usually did when his boss was acting like a fool. Seb wished the alpha paid attention to it. Ian didn’t. Then he leaned into Seb, his mouth so close their lips brushed. “To be fair, I can’t get enough of him either.”Seb took a sharp breath through his nose. A light sweat broke across his forehead, and his entire body sizzled and crackled, like coal on the fire. What the hell was Ian doing? Showing his weakness to an enemy in her own house. How stupid could he get? The door opened, and Ian leaned back slowly as the servers set another number of plates on the table. Mao eyed them with amusement. She was no doubt hatching some scheme none of them would like. And Seb had to wait until they were in the car to even bring it up. No wonder Breaker was so exasperated with Ian on a regular basis. It didn’t help that his lips burned, like they were covered in cinnamon, and he flicked his tongue over them telling himself he was notdisappointed in the lack of a kiss. Kissing Ian Black wasn’t something he wanted. Ian picked up a piece of fish with the chopsticks, his fingers as dexterous as always, and held it to Seb’s lips. Seb opened his mouth and chewed without tasting it. How could he after Ian pulled that little stunt? They were half way through the main course when a tiger slipped into the room and whispered in Mao’s ear. “Someone’s upstairs,” the tiger hissed in Cantonese. Mao tensed and looked at Ian, waiting a beat before she said a word. “Something the matter?” Ian asked casually, feeding Seb another piece of fish. He chewed and glanced between the two of them under his lashes. No use giving away how carefully he paid attention to their conversation. Especially since that damn tiger in the corner kept a close eye on him. Was the man suspicious or interested? Hard to tell.“No. Not at all. Can you excuse me for a moment?” Mao said and stood. “If you need my help just ask. Breaker here can lend some extra muscle to your tigers.”Mao’s black eyes narrowed. “Are you implying my tigers need help?”Ian waved his hand like he was swatting a fly. “Not at all. Just an offer. What’s the matter? I can tell by that little wrinkle you get between your eyes that something’s wrong.”Seb expected her to claw him across the face for that insult, but Mao tensed her jaw and smiled instead. It was just as cold as Ian’s own smile. “You would send your one bodyguard away in the middle of my territory? I’m not sure if that’s brave or idiotic, Mr. Black.”Ian shrugged and sipped his tea. “Or it shows how deeply I trust our relationship. Plus, you don’t think a wolf can take care of himself?”Seb’s heart held still in his chest. Behind them, he felt Breaker standing just as frozen. The Tigers knew Fisk was there – maybe they already caught him. No. If they caught him they’d have something to say about Seb. Most likely, Fisk was on the run while they sat in a room with the most dangerous woman in the city. And Ian was stalling her while giving Breaker an excuse to go after Fisk. Seb hoped she bought it.Mao glanced at Breaker, then back at Ian. “Fine. He can do as he likes, but I want that thief alive. For now.”Breaker glanced at Ian, who nodded once. Then the enforcer slipped out the door. Seb wiped his sweaty palms on the leather pants and focused on finishing the meal as if nothing was wrong. Outside the door, tigers shouted in Cantonese and the restaurant bustled with activity – activity aimed at hurting Fisk. His stomach twisted and he took a deep breath. Seb put his twin in danger by calling him back to Haven City, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to help now that Fisk was here. “Tommy?” Ian asked, and ran his hand over Seb’s forehead. Seb glanced up at Ian, true concern shining on the wolf’s face. Right. He was sweating. Stress did that to him. The silver that weakened him had to act up at the worst possible moments. His heart hammered in his chest, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it besides getting out of the Tiger’s den. “I’m fine,” he mumbled. Mao stepped back into the room, her eyes on fire. Hopefully, that was good news for them. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our dinner short.”Seb held back a sigh of relief.Ian tore his eyes from Seb and stood. “Not a problem. Things come up. I completely understand. If Breaker finds your thief, I’m sure he’ll bring him back. If not, good luck.”Mao nodded stiffly, her eyes boring into Ian’s back as they left. Seb felt her fiery gaze graze him and looked away. The tiger in the corner, the one with the dimples, watched Seb too. The cat caught the man’s intense gaze, and the slight twitch of his lips. Did Mao ask him to watch Ian and Tommy during dinner?She couldn’t know. No one could – their entire plan hinged on it. “Am I supposed to drive?” Seb asked as they stepped into the alley. His limbs trembled and he pretended it was a shiver and not the effects of the silver.“Contrary to popular belief, I can do some things for myself,” Ian said and opened the rear door, tossing the leash onto the seat. Seb climbed in after it. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. He always got this same sickening fear every time Fisk went on a job – the dread that maybe his brother wouldn’t come back. Maybe he’d leave Seb all alone, like their mother had when she died. Like their dad had when he ran off. Or when Fisk ran off. Everyone left him in the end. That’s just the way it was.Ever since they joined forces with the Black Wolves the feeling just got worse. Ian started the car, then turned in his seat and looked at Seb. His blue eyes shone in the shadows. “Are you feeling well?”“No, but you can’t help it anymore than I can,” Seb said with a bitter smile. Ian stared. “The silver. Do you need a healer?”Their thief was on the run from the Tiger gang. The enforcer was trailing after him, and Ian wondered if Seb needed a healer? What kind of priorities did this man have?Seb shook his head and fingered the leash. “I’ll live. And Ari’s gonna get suspicious if he has to make another house call.”Silence hung in the air around them, and Seb wished Ian would get his damn eyes on the road so they could go. Get back to the penthouse. Wait for Fisk and Breaker. Find out what the hell happened. “He’ll be fine,” Ian finally said. Seb rolled his eyes, pulling up his armor. “You can’t promise that.”“I just did,” Ian growled. “You’ll both be safe as long as I’m alive.”As long as Ian Black was alive they’d both be safe. The thought should warm him, but a shiver raked across his skin instead. What happened if Ian died?
Seb didn’t want to think about that.
February 24, 2014
Holy Covers, Batman! New Haven City Series Cover(s) Reveal!
So I decided to redesign all the covers for the Haven City Series to make them more cohesive. Busy work when I'm already strapped for time? Yep! But I'm crazy like that.
I'm going to color code the rest of my series when time permits. Haven City is red! My new series, Lost Wolves, is black. I'm not sure about the others yet.
Check them out and let me know what you think, lovely readers.
Pretty shiny or drab? Do they say "this book contains gay romance sexiness" or not?
I'm going to color code the rest of my series when time permits. Haven City is red! My new series, Lost Wolves, is black. I'm not sure about the others yet.
Check them out and let me know what you think, lovely readers.
Pretty shiny or drab? Do they say "this book contains gay romance sexiness" or not?
