Death's ServantVV Inn #0.5
Jonathan Winchester has clashed with his alpha one too many times. After another argument he leaves the Manitoba pack, his only home since the werewolf attack that changed his life. He returns to his home state of Virginia to start a new life free of pack politics. Jon finds work and meets a young waitress, Raine, who appears to be a lone werewolf, too.
As their relationship progresses, Jon’s embroiled in more intrigue than he bargained for and a danger bigger than he can handle. He's running scared until his own alpha tendencies surface, making him unable to leave the pretty werewolf’s problems behind. The young man is desperate to save Raine—even if his efforts may lead him straight to death.
Journey along in this first prequel novel involving the favorite characters from the bestselling V V Inn series. Written at reader demand, this stand-alone story explains how the beloved Jonathan came to serve the deadly redheaded vampire, Dria.
Chapter One
“Jon!” Romeo’s deep voice follows
as I stride quickly down the hall. “Get back here.”
I round the top of the
stairs and descend at full speed, skipping steps in my haste to leave. Anger
pulses like a living beast beneath my skin. If I don’t get the hell out of
here, my alpha and I will come to blows.
The urge to fight, to
answer the call of my inner wolf, colors my vision, tinting the werewolf pack’s
large home in a wash of red haze. Claws itch to descend through my clenched
fists, and the brush of fur waiting to erupt tingles my skin.
“This is not over.” Romeo’s
booming shout thunders through the house. “Get back here now, or don’t ever
come back!”
This time he’s getting what
he threatens. What’s so crazy about suggesting a support network for wolves?
Why am I suddenly the object of scorn and ridicule? Is organizing packs somehow
a threatening concept to our way of life?
A tiny voice inside whispers,
Your suggestion of such a change goes against everything a werewolf pack
stands for.
Could that be true? Would
instilling communication among hundreds of Weres hurt us as a species?
I block the denials I’ve
heard for months. Doesn’t make sense. Could Romeo’s resistance stem from
something bigger? Should I listen to the gossip saying I’ve evolved into an
alpha faster than anyone expected? There is only one male alpha per pack, not
two; one mated pair deciding the fate of their wolves, and those who don’t
agree must leave. Or fight for supremacy.
I barrel out the front door
and sprint toward the detached garage, where a few of the single wolves have
bedrooms in the space above the cars. I throw open the door, the heavy steel
bouncing off the siding in my unchecked rage. I need to talk to Lori, my
werewolf girlfriend in the pack. I’m ready to leave and want her with me.
My inner beast gnashes its
teeth, ready for a challenge, eager to return and face the man who saved my
life less than a year ago. Tamping down the temptation, I rush the inner stairs
three at a time. The scent of half a dozen wolves lies heavy in the confined
space, confusing the rational part of my mind struggling to remain in control.
I recall our past in an
effort to still my raging desires—I owe this man my life. Romeo found me lost
and afraid when I awoke in the hospital, uncertain of what I’d become. Elsa,
his wife, sensed immediately I was different, discouraging her mate to allow me
into their pack. Romeo didn’t care. He recognized me for what I truly
was—a scared college kid who didn’t know what the fuck happened to his
well-ordered life.
When I reach the upper hall,
I’m jolted out of my calming reverie by sounds of passion. I smile, wondering
who Kotsana has lured to his waterbed now.
“That’s it, baby,” a
familiar female voice coos softly. “You know I like it good and deep.”
The instant anger near the
surface of my mind threatens to overwhelm me. I stop cold—leaning a hand on the
wall, gasping to catch my breath—while my packmate screws my girlfriend beyond
his shut bedroom door.
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C.J. Ellisson is the USA Today Bestselling author of the NYT Bestselling book, Vanilla on Top, the bestselling V V Inn series, and several erotica shorts. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze. Unlike most full-time authors, she's also battling severe chronic illness. C.J. works daily to put her Lupus into remission and continues to fight numerous bacterial infections while her immune system slowly attacks her body. She turned to writing when she could no longer work outside the home and claims the escape of penning contemporary fantasy, erotica, and erotic romance has helped save her sanity.
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US only
