Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Sins of Long Ago by Naomi Bellina

 UFI welcomes Author Naomi Bellina. Thanks for Joining us!!

What super power would you chose? 

Let's pick a super power. Do you remember playing that game when you were a kid? Okay, a few of us still play. Several times a day, sometimes. Is that bad?  ☺  So let's see, what would I select if I were suddenly granted a choice? How about super strength? It would be cool not to have to ask for help opening pickle jars, and be able to leap over tall buildings. Invisibility? Nah. I can't really think how I'd use it except to spy on people now and then. Mind reading? Same thing. Honestly, I don't really want to know what most people are thinking. What about some of the cool powers, like the X-men have, to be able to freeze objects or whip up a storm, or start fires?

I think I'd chose the power of flight. Best reason? To avoid airport security! I'd be able to visit my family out of state more often. It would give a whole new meaning to the drop in visit, 'cause I'd land right on the roof!

Vincent and his werewolves have power. They're strong, healthy, and as Gen finds out, wicked good in bed. Not really super powers, but these guys have a butt-load of fun and use their talents to help others.

What super power would you like? Enjoy the excerpt and thanks for reading.
__________________________________

Naomi lives in sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical calico cat. She writes for various fiction and non-fiction markets but is drawn to romance because her characters insist on canoodling and falling in love. So she lets them. Her interests include dancing, motorcycle riding, drumming and creating healthy meals. She takes the opportunity to play whenever possible.

Her motto:  Never pass up the opportunity to have an adventure!

Find Naomi and her books
__________________________________

Sins of Long Ago
Nocturne #2
Liquid Silver Books All Romance Amazon BN
Kobo Google Play  iTunes Amazon UK
Werewolves and humans don't mix. Until danger forces an alliance and desire demands satisfaction.

Leading his pack of werewolves keeps Vincent plenty busy, and now with a predator out to harm them, life is more perilous than ever. The last thing he needs is a woman to complicate matters, especially one who sets his body and soul on fire. She's a human and a witch — totally the wrong woman for him. Even if he could take a mate for his own, he refuses to put her in the danger his life has become. No way can they ever be together. Werewolf-style love is fine anyway. No permanent partner, no bullshit, no heartache.

Genevieve has never known true love. Cursed by an enraged woman long ago, females in her family are doomed to go insane if they fall in love. Life has been fine without a man around-- until a hot werewolf drops in and captures her heart. Though they have plenty of obstacles to overcome, Gen knows they can work past them. Tell that to Vincent, as he struggles with old pack rules about love, sex, and consorting with humans.

As Vincent searches for a killer, deals with death among his own, and tries to keep his hands off Gen, she attempts to end her family curse. Together, they must find a way to break free from the sins of long ago.

Heat level: 3 out of 4

Excerpt #2 (Rated PG):
Lying in bed with a pleasant wine buzz, she was almost asleep when the sounds of Sally and Greg making love pulled her back to consciousness. She smashed the pillow over her head, but it was no use. Passionate moans filled the air, reminding her of what she’d almost had hours before. Gen tossed and turned, twisting the sheets into a knotted mess. Her skin still smelled of wood smoke, even after a shower, and she could swear the faint aroma of Vincent clung to her body too
The noise finally stopped but, wide awake now, Gen pulled out her phone to read a book, hoping to lull herself back to sleep.
Nope. After twenty minutes of reading, her brain refused to quit. The more she thought about her present situation, the angrier she became. Though it had been brief, the intensity of passion she and Vincent had ignited burned like the embers in the fire. Screw it. Some asshole had spoiled her evening; she’d be damned if she would let him ruin the rest of her night. Her heart and her body demanded satisfaction. She got out of bed, dressed quietly, grabbed her things, and crept down the stairs to call Vincent. He answered on the first ring, and she spoke in a low tone.
“I know this is silly, but…”
“I’ll be at your place in ten minutes.”
“What? Ten minutes? Where are you?”
“I just left Nocturne. I took a sniff around, watched your shop for a while to see if the robber would come back, then went to your apartment to look around. Go to your place. If you get there before me, wait outside in your car, don’t go in.”
“You’re being mighty presumptuous. You don’t even know what I want.”
“I know what you want.” His deep voice sent the same intensely pleasurable shudder through her body his thumb on her cheek had earlier.
“I’ll be there soon.” Two hours. He’d hung around Nocturne for two hours. For her.
She found a piece of paper and started to scribble Sally a note. What could she say? Got horny and left? Thanks for the wine and movie? The kitchen light flicked on, and Gen jumped.
“Hey, Sally, just getting ready to write you a note. I’m going to…”
“I know where you’re going. You’re going to hook up with your hot man.”
“Uh, yeah. How did you know?”
“The way you two looked at each other. I could have fried an egg on your head. Why didn’t you just stay with him tonight?”
“I thought it would be presumptuous to ask and anyway, we don’t know each other all that well. I don’t know how he feels about me.”
“Are you kidding? That wolf has it bad for you. He’d walk across broken glass to get some of your lovin’.”
Gen’s mouth fell open. “You know he’s a werewolf? How do you know that?” Her eyes narrowed. “You’re some kind of magic woman, aren’t you?”
Sally laughed. “Yes, I am kind of magic. I’ve got this weird telepathy thing, where I can read other people. I keep it turned off most of the time, but I did a quick scan of Vincent in your shop. He sent out powerful vibes, and I wanted to make sure he was safe for you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to violate your privacy.”
“No problem, I guess. What did you pick up from him?”
“He’s wildly crazy about you. He might not even know it yet, but he is. Then I saw his wolf side, trying to get out. He’s got control, but the animal is there, right beneath the surface.”
Gen shifted her feet around. Crap. Did she just get Vincent in trouble? “You can’t tell anyone, about him. Promise you won’t.”
__________________________________ 
Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Releases: 10/4-10/10


Mon. Oct. 5th

 Wicked Ever After (Blud #4) by Delilah S. Dawson

Tue. Oct. 6th

 A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
 Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith
 It's a Wonderful Death by Sarah J. Schmitt
 Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis 
 Undead and Unforgiven (Undead #14) by MaryJanice Davidson 
 Wild Sky (Night Sky #2) by Suzanne Brockmann, Melanie Brockmann

Happy Reading!

Monday, October 5, 2015

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Harvest Moon by Lisa Kessler

UFI welcomes Author Lisa Kessler. Thanks for Joining us!!

Hi everyone –

I’m super excited to be here on the Urban Fantasy Investigations blog to celebrate my new book, HARVEST MOON with all of you!!!
This is the 4th book in my MOON SERIES which centers around a werewolf pack in Reno Nevada…  I have such a blast writing these books. They’re action-packed and usually play out like a movie in my head and I write the story as fast as I can to keep up.
I hope readers feel immersed in the action like a movie as well, and that leads me to my Top 10 Werewolf Movie List. Perfect as we head into Fall and Halloween, right?
Get your popcorn ready and let’s do this…
Lisa

#10 - This isn’t my favorite werewolf movie, but without it, werewolves may never have reached their legendary status.
The Alpha of my Pack in Reno is Adam, and he named his Jeep, Chaney, after the man who put werewolves on the map…
TheWolfMan.jpg
#9 - Okay I’m already going to break the rules of this list and include an AMAZING werewolf TV Show on Netflix! If you haven’t checked out Hemlock Grove yet, it’s definitely worth watching! :)
Hemlock_Grove.jpg
#8 - Okay this one was cheesy and silly, but you can’t help but fall in love with Michael J. Fox and his wolf family. I haven’t seen the tv show yet, but if you’ve never seen the movie, you should check it out. It won’t change your view of werewolves, but I bet it’ll make you smile.
TeenWolfMovie.jpg
#7 - And because I’ve already broken the “movie” rule, here is another AWESOME werewolf TV show you should binge watch if you haven’t seen it! Unlike the movie, the show isn’t a comedy and it’s VERY addictive…. TEEN WOLF!
teen-wolf.jpg
#6 - Okay you might be scratching your head here, but hear me out…  This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and Rutger Hauer is cursed to be a wolf by night, so he’s not a traditional full moon werewolf, but I think it still counts, right?  Also the scene where he and Michelle Phifer start shifting (she’s cursed to be a hawk by day) and they almost touch… Heartbreaking! Love this movie! So it might not be a traditional howl at the moon werewolf movie, but definitely worth seeing!
Ladyhawke.jpg
#5 - I wish I had seen this one in the theaters. I let wishy-washy reviews keep me away and watched it on HBO instead, but WOW! I thought the special effects in this one were AMAZING! The dark tones of all the lighting and the gothic feel of the atmosphere put it over the top! I thought it was also fabulously acted with just enough romance to tear your heart out at the end.
TheWolfman-New.jpg
#4 - This one is a two-fer rule breaker, because I’m going to recommend the book series AND the TV Show!!! Can you guess? That’s right…. BITTEN!!! And definitely read the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong… The books are even better than the show!
Bitten.jpe
#3 - LOVE this movie!!!! The rich backstory that began the battle between the vampires and the lycans made for an action-packed film with werewolves to DIE FOR!!! Loved all the passion and forbidden love… The special effects were also amazing. You definitely feel for the werewolves in this one.
UnderworldRiseoftheLycans.jpg
#2 - Hugh Jackman as a werewolf. Need I say more?
*ahem*
It was a really wild ride of a movie with fun special effects and an ending that made me cry! (OF course I’m a total sap so your movie mileage may vary) Love this one and the Dracula was fabulous too!!!
VanHelsing.jpg
#1 - My all-time still-to-this-day favorite werewolf movie is An American Werewolf in London. It’s got funny cheesy moments like all the dead in different states of decay haunting him in a movie theater, but man is it ever fun! I’ve never seen another werewolf movie like it and it still has lots of heart even after all these years!
AnAmericanWerewolfinLondon.jpg
Thanks again for letting me visit…  So what do you think? Did I miss any of your shifter favorites? Let me know in the comments…  And I hope you’ll check out HARVEST MOON too!
Lisa 
_________________________________

Lisa Kessler is an Amazon Best Selling author of dark paranormal fiction. She's a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance, as well as the Romance Through the Ages Award for Best Paranormal and Best First Book. She currently writes the Night Series and the Moon Series for Entangled Publishing.

Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.

When she's not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, and has performed with San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.

You can learn more at http://Lisa-Kessler.com
 
Stay up-to-date on new releases and giveaways by subscribing to Lisa's newsletter here: http://goo.gl/Rxg5fR

Find Lisa and her books
__________________________________

Harvest Moon
Moon #4
Goodreads Amazon BN Entangled
Some wolves were never meant for a mate...

Dr. Jason Ayers unleashes all of his rage and his frustration through fists and brute force in an underground boxing ring. The werewolf may be the pack’s doctor, but he can’t even heal his coma-stricken father after the Nero Organization’s attack stopped his heart. And as his Pack brothers settle down around him, he still refuses to believe in the fairy tale notion that every wolf has a true mate...

In hiding and on the run, nurse Kilani Akamu is a loose end that Nero is desperate to tie up. She can't afford to be attracted to a doctor—especially one as unexpectedly hot and complex as Jason. Yet the sexual sparks arcing between them are undeniable...and Kilani's precognitive senses warn her that temptation is inevitable.

All it takes is one touch to send Jason's wolf howling. But even if he could protect her from Nero, he can't protect her from himself...
The MOON Series:
Book 1 - Moonlight (Lana & Adam)
Book 2 - Hunter's Moon (Aren & Sasha)
Book 3 - Blood Moon (Gareth & Nadya)
Book 4 - Harvest Moon (Jason & Kilani)
Book 5 - Ice Moon (in Nov. 2015)

Author's Note –
While all of the books can be read as standalone novels, you may enjoy reading the rest of the series as well.

Reviews 

If you love suspenseful/mystery shifter stories, don't hesitate to hit the "buy" button on the Moon Series! - Snarky Mom Reviews 

Dark. Sexy. Emotional. Take a wild, suspenseful journey with the Moon Series!
-Kelly Smith Reviews 

Swoon worthy werewolves fighting to protect their pack from an evil organization bent on destroying them. With true love and steamy sex scenes, what more could you ask for? The next Moon Series book to come out of course! - RPriestEllgyCo 

I love every book I have read by this author; the Moon Series is no different. An exciting run with shifters, science, and sexy sizzle. - Cosmic Palate Reviews

__________________________________
Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Week in Review: 9/27-10/3



Books Received for Review

- None this week!

Books I've Read

A Fistful of Fire by Rebecca Chastain
Boundary Lines by Melissa F. Olson

Reviews Posted

Alpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin
Firestorm by Shannon Mayer
Pale Moon Walking by Paula Altenburg

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Autumn Moon by Jan DeLima

* Tuesday- Interview + Giveaway for Updraft by Fran Wilde

* Thursday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin

* Friday- Guest Blog for Trinity: The False Prince by Sophie Masson

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Review: Alpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin

Alpha Unleashed
Author: Aileen Erin
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Publisher: Ink Monster
Alpha Girl Book #5
ASIN:   B00NX52A0M
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Publisher
Tessa McCaide has had it up to here with supernaturals. As the only half witch/half alpha werewolf around, she’s the obvious choice for ambassador to the humans when the magical communities seek to escape the shadows for good.

But coming out isn’t as easy as sending a press release. Vampire attacks are all over the news as the power-hungry witches play with dangerously dark magic and Tessa can’t promise any human safety when she and her friends are so busy battling for their lives.

Luciana leads the corrupt witches, and even though she failed to steal Tessa’s magic, she’s just getting started on her crusade for magical domination. Countless covens are turning dark, and if their demonic summoning isn’t stopped, it could mean the end of everything.

Tessa’s allies, including her mate Dastien, are ready to fight, but they’re no match for Luciana’s power. A little help (and ancient Inca mojo) from Tessa’s cousin, Claudia, may give the side of good a chance if she can make it home in time, but stopping the war is no longer an option.

When witches and wolves fight, no one wins. Only time will tell who will still be standing after the last spell is cast.

ALPHA UNLEASED starts off taking place during the same timeline as BRUJA as well as after. The flow between the two books was well executed and I liked seeing what was happening at St. Alibe’s while Tessa was gone.

Both Tessa and Dastien have grown as individuals and as a couple. I'm really glad that we got to see them mate, finally. It was a long time coming and when it finally happened I thought it was done well, but wasn't what everyone was expecting.

I thought everything written in the Luciana story line well done. She brought a lot of evil, drama and strife to the series and I loved hating her. The conclusion to her story line was well executed with a ton of action and maddeningly evil and shocking circumstances.

So, ALPHA UNLEASHED was the end of Dastien and Tessa's story and I am a bit sad. I really like them as the main characters, but I thought their story ended in a way that could have ended the series and left everyone happy with its outcome. I didn't think I was going to like Claudia as a main character, but I did and the Alpha girl series has a really great cast of secondary characters so I am sure I will love anything that comes in the future.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Guest Blog: Trinity: The False Prince by Sophie Masson

UFI welcomes Author Sophie Masson. Thanks for Joining us!!

Unusual Moscow settings for Trinity:The False Prince
by Sophie Masson

Moscow is the vibrant, diverse and exciting backdrop to Trinity: The False Prince. Everyone knows about Red Square and the Kremlin and St Basil's; but in this post I want to briefly introduce readers to some of the more unusual settings for some of the book's most important scenes.

  • Izmailovo market: a fantastic, sprawling market crammed full with beautiful crafts, artworks, antiques and junk, this is a fabulous place to browse and buy gorgeous things. But it's also got a dark history as a hotbed of mafia activity and underworld goings-on.
  • The Cosmonaut Museum, located in the VDNKH exhibition park, in an outer suburb of Moscow.  This is an absolutely fantastic museum of the history of Russian space exploration, with amazing and really interesting displays ranging from the tiny, tinny capsule in which the great Yuri Gagarin went into space, to the living quarters of the Mir Space Station. And the outside features the quaintly-named Memorial to the Conquerors of Space, a beautiful aluminium sculpture of a rocket soaring into the sky, one of the best modern sculptures to be seen in Moscow. You can read more about the museum here
(In contrast to the beauty of the rocket sculpture as well as the cramped vulnerability of Gagarin's capsule, there is a gigantic metal statue of the legendary astronaut elsewhere in Moscow, on Leninsky Prospekt, a gargantuan thing which looks like something out of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings).
  • The Patriarch Ponds, famous for being a setting in one of the most beloved of modern Russian novels, Mikhail Bulgakov's fantastical allegory The Master and Margarita, and which as a homage to that book, I've also used as a setting for an important and enigmatic scene in The False Prince. When we were there in 2012, we followed a route that led from the flat where Bulgakov once lived (now a museum devoted to his work) across a tram line that also features in his book (though actually it wasn't in that spot!), and into the Patriarch Ponds park where we found a peaceful oasis of water and swans, statues out of The Master and Margarita, and promenading couples, and a couple of shy touts trying to sell watercolours of the place!
  • Mayakovskaya metro station: This is one of the most beautiful of Moscow's many lovely Metro stations. Dating from 1938, in Stalin's reign (in fact ironically all the most beautiful stations date from that dark period) it features gorgeous Art Deco architecture, and was named after the turbulent Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. It's very popular with tourists as well as locals.
  • Dacha country, Moskva riverside: This semi-rural area of parkland is on the outskirts of Moscow, following the Moskva river and its canals. It features lots of 'dachas' the country weekend retreats beloved of Russian city-dwellers, and these range from tiny shacks with a vegetable plot to extravagant mansions. Riverside paths are also popular with horse-riders and the proximity to the water means that there's always lots of people mucking about in boats, both big and little, as well as swimming. I thought its peace and laid-back atmosphere made the perfect contrast to the dramatic happenings in the climax of the book!
 
__________________________________

Born in Indonesia of French parents, Sophie Masson was sent to live with her paternal grandmother in Toulouse, France, when she was just a baby and lived there till she was nearly five, when her parents came back from Indonesia and took her to Australia. All the rest of her childhood, the family stayed in Australia, with frequent trips back to France, and this dual heritage underpins a good deal of Sophie's work.

Sophie's first book appeared in 1990 and since then she has published more than sixty novels, for children, young adults and adults. Her books have been published in Australia, the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and many other countries. She has also had many short stories and articles published in newspapers, magazines, and online journals.


Sophie holds a BA and M.Litt in French and English literature, and is on the Board of the Australian Society of Authors, the New England Writers' Centre, and the committee of the New England and North West sub-branch of the Children's Book Council of NSW.


Find Sophie and her books
__________________________________

Trinity: The False Prince
Trinity #2
Momentum  Amazon  iBooks 
Truth is the first casualty of war.

Over a year has passed since the events that changed Helen's life forever. With Maxim and her other friends, she is fighting to uphold the legacy entrusted to her, but struggles with the weight of memory, the stress of trying to keep Trinity afloat, and the continuing manipulations of the company's enemies.

Meanwhile, in a remote coastal settlement in southern Mexico, a young fisherman is made an offer he can't refuse. This triggers a chain of events which will completely transform the struggle for Helen's ownership of Trinity and the secrets of the Koldun code.
__________________________________

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin

UFI welcomes Author Celia Breslin. Thanks for Joining us!!

A Day in the Life of Jake & Lexi

Hi Everyone! 

So nice to be back on the UFI blog today to celebrate the release of Under A Mating Moon! I was here in March this year for Diamond Moon’s release party, and a fun author interview with StacyUFI. Today, I brought along Jake and Lexi from Under A Mating Moon, and they’re going to give you a glimpse into a typical day in their lives. This is before their arrival in Los Lobos, that is.  For that info, you’ll need to read the story. :-)

JAKE:  Hello all. I’m Jake Marsden. I’m a working musician/DJ and travel around the world for my gigs. A typical tour day for me goes something like this… I wake up in the afternoon, since I’m usually performing until dawn or later at all-night dance parties, and make strong black tea. Once caffeinated, I enjoy a hearty breakfast while chatting with my agent, and we go over any business needing attention. Then I break for a few hours to work on music, followed by a nice long swim, and--

LEXI:  Boring!

JAKE:  Excuse me?

LEXI:  You heard me, J-Bird, get to the good part already. Sheesh.  ::grins::  Hi Everyone, I’m Lexi Luparell, artist and video game designer.  Okay, Jake, carry on…

JAKE: ::drums fingers on chair arm::  As I was saying, wait…where was I? Thanks, Sunflower. Why don’t you describe my day, since you’re so bloody clever?

LEXI:  Ha! You’re so broody. ::bounces in her seat::  See, the part my sexy British Wolf man is glossing over is that he writes Awesome Sauce music in a bunch of different genres, including dance music.

JAKE:  Specifically techno and electro.

LEXI:  Yes, and when he plays, he uses his music and other people’s music for some killer mixes. It’s great. He’s the headliner at every party, so, lucky him, he doesn’t usually have to set up his own gear. But his gear is his Precious Baby, so he usually helps anyway.

JAKE: ::nods:: A hands-on approach is wise.

LEXI:  I’d love your hands all over my—

JAKE:  ::clears throat::  Focus, Sunflower. Care to finish up?

LEXI:  Sure thing. Jake performs, the crowd goes wild, great fun is had by all. The End.

JAKE:  Not quite. How about you?

LEXI:  Oh sure. I live in Venice Beach, California. My typical day includes a morning run on the beach, power smoothie and coffee for brekkie, then art, art, and yep, more art.  I design avatars for video games. Super fun. Okay, that’s really The End. ::waves::

CELIA:  And there you have it, dear readers. I hope you enjoyed this little peek at my characters. Now, Jake and Lexi both find themselves in Los Lobos, South Dakota, where they have a few hurdles to overcome if they’re going to find their happily ever after. Happy reading!
__________________________________

Celia lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, and the Fae. Her award-winning vampire series - The Tranquilli Bloodline - is available from Champagne Books.  Under A Mating Moon is her second werewolf story for Decadent Publishing’s multi-author, shifter line: Black Hills Wolves.

When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies.

Find Celia and her books
__________________________________

Under a Mating Moon
Black Hills Wolves #27
AllRomance Amazon BookStrand Kobo Goodreads

British Alpha wolf Jake Marsden spends his days among humans, pursuing a lucrative music career and avoiding his pack’s politics. When his current DJ tour takes him to the US, he stops in Los Lobos to visit family, and runs into the one Wolf he never wants to see again—the mate who rejected his claim.

While visiting her brother in Los Lobos, free-spirited Lexi Luparell is shocked to encounter the Wolf she’d denied when they were teens. Now she must face her guilt for the cruel way she spurned him all those years ago, make amends, and admit the truth. Jake was right all along—they’re meant to mate.

Lexi would love to explore the mate concept and her overwhelming attraction to virile, Alpha Wolf Jake, but he wants nothing to do with her. How can she break down his defenses when she’s the reason he built them in the first place?

Jake dates only human women now. Lexi had her shot at being his mate, and she threw it away. But when her life is threatened, he may have to rethink his position and do whatever it takes to claim his one true mate.
 Excerpt:
A billion butterflies battered Lexi's stomach. She shifted her attention from Ross to the piano. Sure enough, the music had stopped, and Jake faced her from his seat on the bench. Man oh man, the heavy stare from those sky blue eyes sent shivers skittering down her spine. His gaze held the same intensity she remembered from him as a kid, as if he saw into the heart of people, exposing their deepest secrets. It had driven her crazy back then, and she'd spent much time teasing him, pulling his hair, trying to distract him from being so serious all of the damn time. They were teenagers—partying was supposed to be their sole focus.

With his ice-blue stare locked on her, Jake rose to his feet, all taut muscle and predatory power. His energy swept over her like a tsunami, forcing all of the moisture to abandon her mouth while parts much lower wept with want. Her inner Wolf howled, answering the call of this Alpha, the first Dominant male ever to make her sit up and take notice. Holy crap. Her muscles shook with the need to bound over to him, jump in his arms, wrap her legs around his torso and writhe against his hard, hot, tattooed body.

Jake said something to his uncle then stalked straight at her, cutting a path right through the middle of the tables and the many, too-curious patrons.

A whimper escaped her throat.

Surprise sparked in her brother’s brown eyes. "You're kidding me. Him?" He burst out laughing. "Wow, sis, that's some major, big-time irony right there."

Darci’s expression conveyed her bewilderment. "Now what are you two talking about?"

Her annoying brother grinned. "See that angry Alpha headed our way? My sister here rejected him when they were teens and he's apparently her—"

Lexi socked her brother in the ribs. "Shut it, Ross."

"Ouch." Ross rubbed his side and chuckled at her plight. The jerk. "Come on, Lexi, you have to admit the hilarity of the situation."

No, she did not. Nor did she have to admit that J-Bird was right all those years ago. He was her mate. O to the M to the G…. They were mates.

Even so, he didn't look happy to see her at all. In fact, he looked positively enraged. Shit, shit and triple shit. What a mess she'd made eight years ago. Well, she was woman enough to pull on her big-girl panties and fix it. She straightened her spine and lifted her chin in challenge, meeting Jake's stormy stare. He halted before her.

I can do this. "Hey J-Bird. Nice to see you." Lovely. Her voice sounded like she'd eaten the gravel from the lot in front of Gee's bar. Embarrassment heated her cheeks.

One breath, two breaths, three…. J-Bird glared. Tension coiled between them in the silence. Lexi bit the inside of her cheek to avoid babbling at him. She'd said hello. It was his turn. Damn it, J-Bird, say something. He wasn't making this easy.

"Alexina."  His arctic tone dismissed her and slapped her in the face at the same time, leaving her disappointed and confused. No one called her by her full name. No one except her parents when she'd done something wrong as a kid. He might as well have said, "Screw you," while slamming a door in her face.

His focus shifted to her brother. "Hello, Ross. Been a while." His hand shot out to grasp her brother's in a cordial shake.

"Good to see you, Jake. Join us for lunch? My treat. We can catch up on old times."

"No, thank you. I'm done. Nice to see you again, Ross." Jake nodded at Darci. "Miss." He brushed past them and out the door.

"What. Just. Happened?" The, “I'm done,” he uttered in his delicious British accent seemed aimed more at her than at her brother's offer. And the fact he hadn't even looked at her before stalking out all sexy in his gloom and doom? Yeah, that hurt.

"I think you know, sis." The amusement left her brother's face and sympathy glimmered in his gaze. "Question is, what are you going to do about it?"

She'd never run from a fight in her life. She wouldn't start now. "Grab a table. I'll be back in a second. Or not." She ignored her brother's knowing grin and hurried out the door.


__________________________________
Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway