Eliza Gayle's Blog, page 13

Snippet Saturday

This week's theme is Odd or Quirky. Hmmm. I don't know about quirky but I often think many of my stories fall under the odd category. lol

For this week I chose to focus on Burned because it's officially re-releasing on Tuesday. Woohoo! (yes, I can hear all of you going "finally")

Each Purgatory story focuses on a different fetish and Burned is all about Fire Play. I've heard many people call that odd. Me not so much but I'm weird like that. I've been to a few fire shows and observed some BDSM fire play on more than one occasion and I find it hypnotically fascinating.

I'll let you be the judge.

Excerpt:

She peered into the crowd amidst the haze of fake smoke and the neon lights coming from the performance stage seeing nothing but a sea of faces she didn't recognize scattered among some of the regulars. The crowd had surpassed Gabe's expectations, and she'd been running ragged all night long. Every hour a new group had come on stage and she'd held her breath, hoping not to see Zane.

Now the crowd at the bar had thinned to almost nothing, which meant only one thing. The main act was about to start, and she had an unobstructed view of the stage. Just great.

She busied herself with gathering the empties and either throwing the bottles in the recycling bin or stacking the glasses on the trays she'd arranged in the corner. With any luck she wouldn't even notice the show. Yet the moment the first streaks of fire lit up the darkened club Ruby turned, unable to stop, and stared. She was doomed.

The girls were first, and she reveled in the familiar glow and imagined the heat streaking across her arms every time one of them stroked her skin with a firestaff. Chills raced up and down Ruby's spine and her hands shook with rising need.

Who was she kidding? She couldn't not watch. She made a beeline to the other bartender to tell him she was taking a break.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You want to watch the show." He grinned. "I don't think I'll ever understand your fascination with fire."

Ruby shrugged. He wasn't the first person to say that. "I've always loved it. The heat…the beauty. It's mesmerizing."

"Uh huh. And painful."

"Half the time I don't even feel it that way. I focus on my breathing and the warmth. All it takes is the right person wielding it to make you soar."

"I think I'll take your word for it." He waved her away with his hand and she moved towards the stairs. She didn't have to worry about the crowd—they'd all moved front and center of the stage as she made her way through the staff area to the side. She'd be able to watch unseen from here and would have plenty of time to get away before anyone spotted her.

Another woman had joined in, this one a spinner using two implements lit on the ends. Neither of the women wore more than pasties over her nipples and the skimpiest of panties that hid very little. Not only did it draw the crowd, but it cut down on accidents happening if your clothes caught fire. Annoyed with herself, Ruby shook the thoughts of fire safety from her head and focused on the actual flames.

The heat only ran along arms and legs for a split second, but she moaned every time. It wasn't hard to conjure the memory of the delicious warmth on her own skin as the fire caressed her body. How long had it been since she'd last played? Forget Doc, she'd definitely have to look up Gabe tonight and see if he was up to a nice long session after hours. She'd save the payback for setting her up for another night.

Zane walked onto the stage and yanked Ruby from her thoughts. His presence invaded her from head to toe. Her nipples tightened painfully and her sex squeezed sharply. She hadn't exactly forgotten how breathtaking he was, but time had allowed her some distance. No longer.

Firelight gleamed across his shaven head and lit up the multitude of tattoos that emphasized his bare torso. Muscles bunched and flexed in rhythm with the music so she almost missed the glint across his pecs. Oh, wow, that was new. He'd added nipple rings since the last time she'd seen him. As if he needed anything else to make him hotter. She forcibly closed her gaping mouth. If she wasn't careful she'd be drooling long before his show ended.

Not that she'd come to see the man.

He carried his personal firestaff and moved closer to the women, maneuvering the flames over and around their writhing bodies in an erotic dance. The fire from all the implements swirled and swayed until they blended and the eye could no longer tell where each one started or where they ended.

Before long her body thrummed and pulsed in sync with their movements, as she stood mesmerized. When the girls switched out their tools for the short fire breathing sticks, Ruby turned her focus to Zane and his performance. His movements seemed effortless, but she knew better. He kept his gaze on the fire at all times so he could study its patterns. He controlled it, dominated it every second.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, she'd never seen a fire performer with his natural abilities. He probably understood fire even better than she did. Yet he'd taken the time to learn to wield it as if he'd been born to it. Gabe had a proficiency for fire play like nobody's business, but his skill paled in comparison to the possessive style Zane exhibited. What would it be like to let him control both the fire and her pleasure? If only he didn't want to force her submission…

I hope you've enjoyed this snippet and will follow the trail below for lots more from some incredible authors.

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Leah Braemel

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Zoë Archer

Snippet Saturday – Friends

This week's theme is friends and I've chosen to highlight Eve and Jennifer from Power Play. Jennifer comes from a not so great background that has her leery of friendship on anything more than a surface level. So when Eve befriends her she isn't quite sure what to do or how to handle it.

Jennifer is near and dear to my heart. She's so messed up and confused sometimes but she's also fiercely independent and determined to overcome her shortcomings. If she could only learn how. And that's where her friends come in.

Excerpt:

Jennifer stood at her car door, legs trembling and hands shaking. She needed to get in her car and drive far away from here as fast as possible. When Daegan discovered her gone, he was not going to be happy. He'd probably come looking for her, and she couldn't face him now. Unfortunately, her body was being uncooperative. With her key at the ready, she reached for the lock, and her hand shook harder. Tears streamed down her cheeks and into her mouth and none of it mattered.

She'd run. She'd done exactly what he said she would. Her head buzzed with the words he'd spoken the night before. Disappointment slashed deep.

So what. She didn't owe him a thing. She'd agreed to his offer in the heat of the moment before she'd had time to think about it. It wasn't like her to make spur-of-the-moment decisions. Over the years, she'd learned to carefully consider all of her options and not rush into anything with the potential to backfire on her. Jennifer laughed through the tears. What a joke. She was like her mother always said. Fickle.

"One minute you want one thing, and the next it's something else. Which one is it, Jennifer?"

She heard her mother's voice in her head as if it'd been yesterday, not a decade ago. How long had it been since she'd talked to her mother? A sob sounded in her throat. She had to get out of there before someone found her like this. She tried again to put the key in the lock, and the keys slipped from her hand.

"Fuck!"

Jennifer slid to the ground and plopped on her butt. She couldn't drive across town like this. Maybe she could hide in the studio until she got herself under control. Yeah right. The minute Daegan found her car in the parking lot, the first place he'd look was the stupid studio. Thanks to his role as contractor, he had access to the entire building. There was nowhere for her to go. With trembling hands she fished her cell phone out of her purse and turned it on.

Who are you going to call?

She had no one. Story of her fucked-up life. For now her life consisted of her career. Friends were hard to come by, but she kind of had a few. She considered Chase and Murphy her friends, even if they'd betrayed her with that asshole and allowed him to say she couldn't work. Jennifer swiped at the tears that continued to flow. There'd be no talking to them. She'd watched them interact with Eve when they didn't realize she was looking. Her friend submitted to them on a level she couldn't comprehend. No matter what they asked for, she gave willingly. And with a smile on her face. Hell, the woman practically glowed.

Eve. That's it. She jerked open the cell phone and dialed the number she knew by heart before she had a chance to change her mind.

On the fourth ring, Jennifer's hope wilted. Not available. Then Eve answered.

"It's-a-Jennifer," she spat, knowing there was no way to hide her distress.

"What's wrong? Are you all right? You sound like you're crying."

Regret lanced through Jennifer. This was a dumb idea. She began to pull the phone away from her ear and disconnect.

"Don't you dare hang up on me, young lady. Where are you?" The demand in Eve's voice startled her. She'd never heard the other woman talk like that before.

"Downstairs," she whispered.

"Good, don't move. Seriously, if you don't wait for me, I'll have Murphy track you down and whip your hide. You know he'll do it."

Jennifer nodded her head and felt a ghost of a smile cross her face. "Okay," she mumbled. "I'm in the parking lot." She folded the phone and pushed it into her pocket. She had about two minutes before Eve found her, and she didn't know what to do. There'd be no hiding the tears or getting cleaned up. With one last glance at her car and her only chance for escape, she turned and shuffled back toward the building.

Eve burst through the door, and all the emotion inside Jennifer boiled over. "I tried to run," she blurted.

Her friend wrapped her arms around her. "Of course you did, sweetie."

She held up her shaking hands. "Fingers wouldn't work. Can barely hold the keys." She knew the words tumbling from her mouth made little sense, but they were the best she could do at the moment.

"Come back inside, and you can tell me what happened." Eve ushered her through the front door and steered her in the direction of the studio. "In here." She pointed to Chase's private office, and Jennifer hesitated.

"Don't worry. Chase and Murphy aren't here."

"But Daegan—"

"Won't dare come in here without an invitation. Trust me."

Trust her. Eve had no idea how foreign those words were to her. And what the hell was up with everyone today pushing her to trust them? Jennifer gritted her teeth against the desire to spit on that word.

"Have a seat. I'll grab us both a drink. I think we're going to need it."

Jennifer nodded before collapsing into the closest chair. Eve reached into the credenza behind Chase's desk and pulled out a bottle of vodka and two tumblers. Desperate to think of anything other than what had happened with Daegan, she sat mesmerized while watching Eve go about retrieving ice, pouring generous shots of the alcohol into the glasses, and restoring things back to their original order. Even in the face of a crisis, the woman had efficiency down to a science.

She swatted at the fresh tears trickling down her face before Eve could see them.

"Here, drink this. It'll help." The other woman thrust a glass into her hand and waited while she gulped at the clear liquid. Instantly the fiery burn singed her throat, and Jennifer began to cough uncontrollably. She grabbed the box of tissues Eve had set out on the coffee table and swiped at her watering eyes and worked to get herself under control. After a few minutes, the burn receded, and she was left with a warm sensation low in her belly. In a not so ladylike fashion, Jennifer blew her nose and lifted her lashes to find Eve waiting patiently across from her.

"Better?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now tell me what happened. Every detail from the beginning. I want to help you."

"Why?"

"Jesus, Jennifer. Why not? We work together all the time. My men care about you a lot, and that means something to me. I'm actually flattered you called me."

"I didn't have anyone else."

Eve winced.

"I mean…"

Her friend held up her hand. "I know what you mean, and I'm still flattered. Leaning on anyone is hard for you."

She wasn't sure that was meant as a question or not. Either way she had no desire to go down that road. "Daegan wants to dominate me."

 

For more snippetty goodness be sure to follow the trail…

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Myla Jackson

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Shameless Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop as part of the super awesome Shameless Giveaway Hop. If this is your first visit to my site, WELCOME! If you are returning, it's so good to have you here again.

First off I'd like to thank three wonderful bloggers for hosting this event and allowing me to participate.

Props to Jen at Red Hot Books, Brie at Romance Around The Corner, and Michelle of Michelle's Book Blog.

Since this hop has inspired me to look at hot guy photos (such a rough job), I thought I'd post some of the pics I've used to inspire some of my heroes.

My next release is Burned, which is the 4th novella in my Purgatory series and focuses on fireplay. This is the photo that inspired me.

I am also currently writing my next shifter book, Bad Kitty. This is the hotness that is in my head when I write Rafe.

And last but not least is the yummy guy I thought of for the upcoming Vampire Awakening.

My Shameless Giveaway:

If you leave a comment on the blog you'll be entered to win an Advance Digital Copy of my January 31st release, Burned. Contest is open to US and International.

Here's the unofficial blurb for Burned:

Welcome back to Purgatory! A club for every fetish…

Ruby has come to terms with her fire fetish as a fire inspector and a part-time bartender at the fetish club Purgatory. As part of the staff she can experiment with her desires without worrying about going too far or too deep into a scene she is certain she doesn't belong in. But there's one Dom in town who makes her burn for things she wishes she didn't and his ability to take control of those around him goes against what she needs.

Zane made sure he was on the roster at Purgatory for charity night with the assurance that Ruby would be on duty. He's respected her wishes as long as he could but tonight while his fire burns bright he'll take possession of the willful beauty who has captured his heart.

Be sure to click the image below and visit all of the participating blogs for more exciting pics and fun!

Saturday Snippet – Setting

Since I'm already in Purgatory as I work on the next fetish story I figure why not use one of stories from the series to showcase a little about the setting–the club.

Half goth nightclub and half fetish club, Purgatory is an exciting place. It gives it's patron a free space to explore whatever kink they may possess. For the voyeur it's an amazing experience. This excerpt is from the second book, Displayed. Em's fetish is exhibitionism and here's a glimpse into both the club and Emerson.

Excerpt:

"Em, are you really going to go through with this?" Katie yelled over the loud industrial music pounding through the club.

"Of course I am. It's what I've been working up to for months now. Why would I back out now?"

"Oh, I don't know. Because maybe when you take off that mask and Rio gets one look at the real you, you'll be a dead woman."

Em looked at her friend's frightened expression, trying not to laugh. It had taken a long time getting to know the people here at Purgatory before she'd built up the nerve to tell anyone who she really was. Now she was tired of hiding, and ready to unveil her identity once and for all. She didn't want to think about the public humiliation Rio could put her through if he made a scene. She worried too much about him as it was.

"You know they don't allow masks at the private after-hours party. If I want to take the next step in my journey, and I do, then I have no choice but to reveal myself. Rio be damned." If the man wasn't already damned. She looked up to the second floor landing where he stood, watching one of the play stations. Master D's station, of course. She couldn't tell what he was doing tonight, but she knew it was one of the more hardcore stations they offered where they did things like violet wand or needle play.

From this vantage point, she stared at Rio's profile. Wavy dark hair, tanned skin from working outdoors with her brother, and all black leather—from the vest to the pants that hugged what she knew was the most perfect ass on the planet, to the black leather boots he wore on his feet.

Here in this environment, he made it impossible to read his body language. She found him guarded, more often than not with a stern expression. Some went so far as to refer to him as El Diablo, the devil himself.

"Em, last dance of the night and I have a slot center stage with no one to fill it. You want it?" Gabriel, the club manager, had sneaked up behind her while she ogled Rio for the umpteenth time that night. She tore her gaze away and turned to Gabe with a smile on her face.

"You want me?"

"Ahh, my dear, you have no idea. Everyone wants the elusive Em."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Why is that?"

She shrugged. She wouldn't get into her insecurities with Gabe. Here in the club things were different for her. She wasn't the sweet little Emerson whom no one ever spoke to.

No, here she was bold and wanton, and reveled in the attention of the many patrons who liked to watch her dance. Even Rio. He'd been cool about it, of course, never showing too much interest, but there'd been a few times where she'd caught his gaze as he watched her play. She'd thought the heat in his eyes matched the arousal coursing through her body at his perusal, but so far he'd been aloof, never approaching her.

"So, darlin', do you want to take the chains?"

She'd been eyeing that platform for a long time, wondering what it would be like to get up there, helpless in front of everyone.

"Yes, actually I do." Already her body hummed with anticipation. What better way to kick off the rest of her night than by putting herself out there in a new way?

"Come with me then and I'll get you set up."

She followed Gabe through the crowd as they headed for the cage in the middle of the room. The energy of it all vibrated through her core, turning her on. She'd certainly come a long way from the first night she'd stepped into the club. Gabe held his hand up and she allowed him to lead her onto the small stage.

Her stomach tightened, partly from nerves, but mostly excitement. She looked down at her outfit, grateful that she'd chosen to go bold and daring tonight. The miniscule leather skirt didn't quite cover her ass, and the fishnet halter-top allowed a peek at her nipples that were currently straining against the fabric.

At the top of the steps, Gabe motioned for her to step into the small space.

"Raise your arms for me, Em." She did as he asked and he placed the manacles around her wrists, fastening her arms to the chains hanging from the top corner of the cage. Emerson spread her legs and allowed him to fetter her ankles as well.

"You comfortable?"

She nodded. Excitement coursed through her.

Gabe stood back and appraised her appearance. "You picked the perfect outfit for tonight. If I didn't know better, I'd say you had something like this in mind to begin with." Heat flared in his eyes as he reached for the hem of her skirt. For a split second his fingers flirted with the crack of her ass before he rubbed his palms down the back of her thighs and up again, lifting her skirt to reveal her bare bottom and get the show started.

The crowd around her roared their approval as a shot of excitement rushed through her chest and straight to her clit. Large, strong hands massaged her ass as her body writhed in tempo with his movements. God, she loved this. Her head buzzed with the rhythm of the music and the heady sensations of Gabe stroking her ass while everyone watched and chanted for more.

When Gabe pulled his hand away she didn't expect the loud smack across her skin that came next. The stinging pain caught her breath until his hand returned and smoothed the pain away.

"I'll bet your pussy's soaked right about now."

"Maybe." Hell yeah, she'd felt a liquid rush from the moment she'd stepped up to the platform.

"Ahh, darlin', your teasing days are over now, aren't they? If you stay for the private session, one of these Doms here tonight is going to show us all just how tasty you are."

Emerson's muscles jolted deep inside her. Gabe had no idea how much she longed to take her education and experience to the next level. As much as she wanted Rio to be the one to do it, she wasn't waiting for him anymore. It was now or never.

Another resounding smack on her opposite cheek brought her focus back to the here and now, and the crowd cheering in front of her. Automatically her hands fought at the bindings around her wrists, her mind shrieking for her to touch herself.

"Everyone in the VIP area is watching you right now. Speculating…planning. But don't worry. Dan came up with the perfect idea for your introduction tonight. Something more civilized than just fighting over you." Gabe's breath tickled the back of her neck every time he spoke, only increasing the madness building inside her—and he knew it.

"Who is watching me?" She couldn't see the area behind her and she didn't have the guts to ask him if Rio watched.

"Everyone." With a final smack to her ass, Gabe strode from the platform, leaving her body on fire and pulsating with the music. Just the way the patrons liked it.

Emerson bucked and swayed her hips to the beat of the music as the image of Rio standing behind her, staring at her, burned into her brain. This wouldn't be the first time he'd seen her naked butt in the club, but it was the first time she'd gone to the cage to be chained. From everything she'd heard, that's how he liked his submissives. Chained and helpless…

Be sure to follow the trail for more snippety goodness:

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

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Thursday Tease – NSFW

No. Seriously. This is not safe for work so do not hit play. lol

Many of you will be happy to know that the below video is a great tease for the book I am working on today. Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Saturday Snippet – Fears

I'm waaaay late with this today but I didn't want to not post all so here I am.

This is a brief and slightly explicit excerpt from Power Play, my new BDSM romance that is second in the Pleasure Playground series.

*erotic content below*

Excerpt:

Unease gripped Jennifer's stomach at the same time fire erupted between her legs. She'd had no idea how hard this would be without her sight. She'd never once allowed someone to blindfold her, and this was much worse. She couldn't just reach up and rip a cloth from her eyes and watch her world rebalance. Absolutely nothing would take away the darkness until morning.

She took a deep breath and let her mind wander to her normal comfort zone, the place where she was in control despite what happened to her body. On autopilot as if she were at a modeling job, she pushed her hands through the leather restraints and grabbed on to the metal bars. Although no amount of previous experience stopped the tremors shaking her muscles like jelly.

Daegan's big hand cupped her pussy and pressed a finger against her clit with steady pressure that shot pleasure straight to her core. Her head buzzed with sensation.

"Do you really want to stop now?" he asked. She opened her mouth to answer and no words came out. If she said yes, it would only be another lie on top of all the other lies she'd used to try and convince them both she didn't want this.

"How do you feel, Jennifer?"

"I don't…"

He growled before she could finish.

"Yes, you do. Your legs are shaking, your pussy is dripping, and I'll bet your clit aches for me to move my hand like this." He swept his wicked fingers in a short tight circle over and over again. More pressure built. Her insides tightened in a bright coil. The orgasm she'd fought earlier climbed ever closer. Much more and she'd lose all control, becoming mindless to the pleasure.

Then he stopped as quickly as he started.

"Submission isn't about learning to overcome fear. It's simply accepting it. Fear is your body's natural response to the unknown, and it's not going away. Fear excites you, doesn't it, love?"

Oh God, she didn't want to admit it. Everything excited her. The more depraved, the better. She wasn't afraid of what he'd do to her physically. In fact, if she believed he simply wanted a physical relationship, she'd be all for it. She'd overhead Chase and Eve discussing Daegan's sadist tendencies. But this… She'd never felt this.

"I don't understand it," she admitted. He wanted the truth, and that was her truth. Nothing less and nothing more.

"Do you even want to understand it? You hide too much. You push people away. You run away like a jackrabbit if someone gets too close. You'll never get very far like that. Is that what you want?"

His words hit a nerve far too deep. She struggled with the loops around her hands as tears burned her eyes. With no small amount of time, she finally managed to free one hand and started to lift from the bench.

A hand pressed against her back, pinning her in place. Then he covered her with his warm, hard body, setting off a tingling sensation inside her despite her intentions to resist.

"You've got nowhere to go this time."

"I feel stupid, Daegan. I have no idea how to be what you want me to be. I'm not—"

 

For lots more snippety goodness be sure to follow the trail below:

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Leah Braemel

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

New Year Blog Hop – Stop #22

Happy New Year everyone!

I'd like to thank Carrie Anne Ryan for hosting a funtastic New Year Blog hop where over 60 authors and reviewers are talking about their favorite New Year Memory! What does that mean for you? Well, we are giving away gift cards, books, and other swag goodies throughout the day! Each author will chose their own winner – so that means over 60 winners! And you can win on multiple pages!

And the best thing? We have TWO Grand prizes. (Visit each blog and leave a comment and you'll be entered to win 65 times!)

One being a Kindle Fire to a lucky winner!

Our second grand prize is a $80 Amazon GC!

So be sure to follow the links below and try to win some amazing prizes!

My favorite New Year memory:

There have actually been a lot of fun New Year memories that run the gamut from the crazy to the tame. I cherish every new beginning and the family and friends I get to celebrate with.

But…

One of my craziest memories that will always stand out is the New Year's Eve I spent in Las Vegas welcoming a brand new decade. I was in the military at the time and stationed in California although I'd traveled home to Florida for the holidays. After Christmas my best friend and I decided at the last minute we'd meet some friends in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve.

The car trip from Florida to Las Vegas was an adventure all its own but that's a much longer story. lol

We arrived in Las Vegas on New Years Eve day to record breaking crowds and not a vacant hotel room anywhere. No problem. We were Marines and had already been sleeping in the car during the trip. We hit the strip and partied non stop for twenty hours.

There were parties in the hotels, parties in the street, more decadence than I could have imagined, and even a few circus animals running wild. (I may have exaggerated on that last part but it was THAT crazy) At the stroke of midnight we were in the midst of a mosh pit at an outdoor concert with a lot of very friendly people. *g*

The next morning we hit Fremont street for our $2.99 steak and egg breakfast and then headed back out of town in the direction of Twenty Nine Palms and the training that awaited us. It's amazing how much you can cram into one wild New Years Eve night when you set you mind to it.

My Giveaway: An advance print copy of Bound by Magick – the print collection of my Pentacles of Magick series and some awesome bad girl swag!

This collection is also now available in an eBook bundle at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance, Smashwords and the iBookstore.

Summary:

"Each and every book of this series has been astounding." ~ Best Book Award – Whipped Cream Reviews

In Eliza Gayle's thrilling Pentacles of Magick series, four alpha male witches are bound by magick and a dark curse destined to destroy their souls. When the woman they've been taught to fear enters their lives, the brothers are forced to face the truth–all of it.

Amidst seduction, lies, betrayal, and powerful magick a quest begins to find four women, all born on the same day before it's too late.

The clock is ticking…

This 4 in 1 bundle includes Untamed Magick, Magick Ignited, Force of Magick, and Magick Provoked.

Winner drawn tomorrow from all the comments left on this post by 11:59 PM tonight EST US.

New Year, New Cover

In February I will have a brand new shapeshifter novella available exclusively with ARe as a part of their annual Perfect Stranger series.

Blurb:

Resistance may be possible, but who are they kidding?

While on a search and rescue mission in the middle of a snowstorm, Seth and his twin Trent catch the scent of an unfamiliar shifter. Drawn to locate the source they hike deep into the woods to an abandoned cabin where they find an enticing little jaguar in the throes of heat.

Tired of being smothered by her five brothers and the pressure to mate, Daisy wanted nothing more than a week alone in the middle of freaking no where. The last thing she needed was a run in with two sexy as sin–and totally off limits–cougar shifters. Unfortunately, she's not the kind of woman to leave them out in the cold.

Faced with the misery of unmet sexual desire or hot, no strings attached sex with two men… What's a girl to do?

Snippet Saturday – Endings

As I debated on which book to pull from this week I began thinking about my fae fantasy, Slave to Pleasure. Nissa was kidnapped from her home and immediately sold at a slave auction. As she scrambles for an idea to save her life she ends up making the hardest decision of all.

Excerpt:

"Have a seat here while we talk to our commander. I don't need you stumbling around anymore and getting hurt before we can get you home."

Grateful for the rest, Nissa slumped onto the wooden stool Erik had pointed out while he and Roane walked over to the group of soldiers thirty feet away.

Erik stopped and turned back. "Oh, and Nissa? Don't even think about running. Trust me when I say there's nowhere you can hide from us."

She dipped her head and leaned heavily against the stone wall behind her.

Wanna make a bet?

They had her trapped, but there was still one place to go where they couldn't follow. She glanced to the tree line and judged the distance. She'd probably make it in under thirty seconds. She wouldn't get far before they caught her, but she only needed a few minutes to give it one last try.

A check in the other direction showed Roane and Erik deep in conversation. If she was lucky, she might get twenty seconds on them before they noticed she'd run. She had to try. Magic stirred inside her and she frantically tried to hold it in. If they were paying attention, and she'd bet they were, they'd sense the magic and be on her before she could get her butt off the stool.

Her feet bounced as she contemplated her choices. Go for it and possibly leave here forever, or stay and take her chances with becoming a sex slave. Nissa focused on the group of men once more. Decision made, she dug in her heels and ran. Her bound hands slowed her speed, but she reached the edge of the forest before anyone noticed.

"Nissa!" Someone yelling her name was the last thing she heard before she disappeared into the trees.

Blood roared in her ears as the magic she'd been suppressing uncoiled and broke free. With the loud noises behind her gaining ground, she'd never make it far enough to have even a minute to create a portal.

"She's pulling magic. You'd better grab her quick!"

Nissa dove into the heavy brush several feet from the path, hoping beyond hope they would pass by her. Heavy footsteps pounded into the dirt as half a dozen men ran past her hiding spot without slowing down. On a heavy sigh she let out the breath she'd been holding and started the magical pattern her mother had taught her. Over and over she gathered and pulled and nothing happened. Tears threatened to fall and a cry of anguish tore from her throat. This had to work, damn it. She jerked hard on her power, ripping magic from every cell and fiber she found, desperate for something to happen.

She gasped and stumbled backward when the air around her shimmered and a pathway opened in front of her. Tears streamed down her cheeks at what she'd created. Her mother had been right. All she'd needed was to have a little faith in herself.

Her breath hitched. Her mother. She'd likely never see her again if she went through with taking the path to the other side. But if she stayed, she'd be watched every minute by the ruthless hunters. Not to mention the problem of Cirdan, who would eventually find out about her magic and would do everything in his power to get his hands on her—torture being his favored choice for getting what he wanted.

Nissa's back stiffened and her resolve grew as she pushed herself from the ground and into the portal. Her mother would never forgive her if she didn't fight for her freedom no matter what.

She entered the forest on the other side where a soft rain pelted against her hair and skin, soaking her to the bone. She turned back and withdrew her power, watching everything she'd ever known close behind her.

She would not give in or be weak ever again.

 

For more snippetty goodness be sure to follow the trail:

Lauren Dane

Rhian Cahill

Selena Blake

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

Leah Braemel

HelenKay Dimon

TJ Michaels

A Few Books I Loved In 2011

So far this year I've read 74 books. My goal was 100 but considering my schedule I think I did pretty darn good. Of course I didn't appear to put a dent in my TBR pile at all because I'm addicted to buying books. I refuse to count the number of ebooks on my Nook for fear of scaring myself.

This isn't a list of my favorite books that were published in 2011. I read a mix of old and new because I am hopelessly behind. This isn't even a complete list of the books I really enjoyed. It's simply a glimpse into some of the books that stuck with me.

Belong To Me by Shayla Black

 

 

 

Learning To Drown by Sommer Marsden

 

 

 

 

Primal Bonds by Jennifer Ashley

 

 

 

 

Fatal Heat by Lisa Marie Rice

 

 

 

 

At Grave's End by Jeanine Frost

 

 

 

 

Red Ribbons and Blue Balls by Tia Fanning

 

 

 

Southern Comfort by Mari Carr and Jayne Rylon