Friday, June 28, 2013

Why a Necromancer? Guest blog with Mimi Sebastian


Why a Necromancer?
I often ask myself that question because I never thought my first paranormal story would involve zombies and demons. When I’m asked about my protagonist by family or friends, I’m not always sure how to respond without sounding more bizarre than they already think I am J
I have a five year old son and two older step kids, and wonder, what would my younger son think? He’s already discovered zombies, and they still scare, somewhat fascinate him.
Ultimately, my necromancer, Ruby, started speaking to me, and what really fascinated me was this story about a supernatural individual who has this very dark power, and the idea of exploring her journey intrigued me. She’s not a kick-ass vampire. Her strengths lie elsewhere. She’s seen lots of tragedy, yet she perseveres and values her independence, her own sense of identity beyond the supernatural community. To that end, I wanted to ground her character, make her somewhat relatable. She’s a professor. How does the necromancer power affect her professional career? Her love life? Her approach up until the events of the book was to basically disavow her supernatural side. But things change, as they always do, and once she becomes embroiled in supernatural affairs, she faces some difficult decisions.
I also enjoyed writing about her necromancer power, and knew necromancers could reanimate people, make zombies, but I hadn’t read a whole lot about them. I’d encountered a couple of minor necromancer characters in a couple of urban fantasy books. Neither went into much detail about the mythology for necromancers, so once the idea struck, I became fascinated with researching necromancers and developing my own mythology.
In reviewing literature, Greek mythology, and even gaming, necromancers have the ability to bring to dead back to life, but there are multiple classes of the undead. This is an important distinction for my Necromancer Books. At times, Ruby simply reanimates a corpse to get information, then puts it back down, or she makes zombies or revenants. Both are fun to write. Revenants are interesting in that they are basically zombies with their soul restored. They come alive with their minds and emotions intact and can be powerful and, of course, struggle with an insatiable appetite for flesh. The revenant that Ruby creates is Adam, a slain witch. The best part with Adam’s character was exploring how he dealt with returning to life and realizing he was now a nightmarish creature. He was pretty pissed at Ruby, and controlling him proved to be quite a test of her power.
Some other interesting necromancer abilities I’ve come across include: ability to communicate with spirits, travel to the underworld, curse or hex the living, extracting disease from the dead and inflicting them on the living, even remove living souls. Necromancers have created undead armies, and at times, have joined the ranks of the undead themselves, which leads me to my next point. In much of the gaming world and movies, necromancers are bad, which I get. Wielding the power of the dead probably warps a person.
The Hobbit includes the necromancer who Gandalf battles and turns out to be Sauron. One of my favorite necromancers is Evil Ash from the Army of Darkness movie. Evil Ash himself rises from the dead and raises an army of “deadites”. And I can’t discuss necromancers in movies without mentioning Re-Animator. I don’t plan on writing any scenes with reanimated, decapitated heads, because you just can’t top Re-Animator! Their take on reanimation was interesting in that Herbert West is a scientist who invents a serum to bring the dead back to life. (Re-Animator was based on the H.P. Lovecraft story titled simply, Herbert West-Reanimator.)
All of this leads to the best part of Ruby’s character and why she spoke to me so strongly. How does she use her power for good without losing her humanity? Not easily. Her power is almost a character unto itself. It sometimes urges her to use it in ways she knows is wrong, and when she does use her power, it gives her a rush similar to a drug induced high. In my mythology, many necromancers turned evil, succumbed to the temptation to use their power in negative ways.
Ruby is going to stumble quite a bit and be tempted by the “dark side”. But it’s that struggle and how she transcends it, that makes for a stronger heroine and more interesting character.



The Necromancer’s Seduction
The Necromancer Series, Book One
Mimi Sebastian

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: ImaJinn Books

Cover Artist: Patricia Lazarus

Book Description:

She has never feared the walking dead. It’s the power required to reanimate the dead that startles her, seduces her. The power that dwells inside her…and is growing.

For Professor Ruby Montagne, being a necromancer has brought her nothing but heartache, and she walked away from that part of her life long ago. However, her quiet existence in San Francisco is shattered when she stumbles upon the body of a slain witch, and the supernatural community insists she transform him into a revenant to track the killer. But his murder was just the beginning, and Ruby soon realizes that the stakes are higher than anyone can imagine—and that revenants have nasty minds of their own.

Now demonic creatures have escaped into the human world, and zombies once again walk the streets. For humanity’s sake, Ruby forms an unlikely alliance with a witch, a zombie, and Ewan March, a demon warrior who sets her senses on fire.

She’s always distrusted demons and Ewan is no exception, but circumstances push them closer together, and Ruby not only finds it harder to resist him, she isn’t sure she even wants to. But she suspects his job of patrolling the portal separating humans and demons conceals a dark and deadly past that may consume them both.

With events spiraling out of control, Ruby unravels a plot that not only threatens the human and demon realms, but puts Ruby’s very soul in jeopardy. Because when the dead walk, no one is safe. Especially Ruby.


About the Author:

Noemi Ghirghi writes as Mimi Sebastian and raised herself on books and the strange and unusual with an unhealthy dose of comics and Scooby Doo. Loving angst-filled romance thrown in the mix, she decided to blend all those elements in a steamy mix in her first Urban Fantasy series, the Necromancer Books. The first book, The Necromancer’s Seduction, debuts July 15, 2013, with ImaJinn Books.

Noemi spent two years in the Ivory Coast with the Peace Corps and loves to introduce tid-bits from her experiences in her writing. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA. A transplant from the beaches of Florida, Noemi now wanders the desert in Phoenix, AZ, and attempts to balance writing with a day career, fantastic family, and household diva: her Amazon parrot.





Thursday, June 27, 2013

Guest Vlog- Humans as ‘Other’ with JC Andrijeski









Shield
Allie’s War, Book Two
JC Andrijeski

Genre: New Adult / Urban  Fantasy/ Romance

Publisher: White Sun Press

ISBN-10: 1456555731
ISBN-13: 978-1456555733
ASIN: B004TXR750

Number of pages: 432
Word Count: approx. 160K


Cover Artist: White Sun Press

Book Description:

“And they say Death will live among them in the guise of a child....”

Grappling with her new identity as “Bridge,” a being meant to herald the end for all of humanity, isn’t even Allie’s biggest problem. She’s also coping with a whole new set of rules around her seer marriage, as well as the power-hungry Rook she helped put in the White House, who is currently doing his best to start a war with China.

Then the boy appears. A sociopath with all of the energetic markings of Syrimne, a highly dangerous telekinetic seer who killed thousands during World War I, he doesn’t appear to have aged in one hundred years.

Worse, he thinks Allie belongs to him.

About the Allie’s War Series:

An urban fantasy paranormal romance set in a unique, gritty version of Earth, populated by a second race of beings called seers, the Allie’s War series centers on the relationship of a strong female protagonist, Allie Taylor, and her antihero guide, Dehgoies Revik. Falling into the new adult genre of books, the Allie’s War series takes place in a modern version of Earth you’ve never seen, that spans centuries along with the lives of its main characters, the seers, and the wars they fight with themselves and their human allies and enemies, (steamy sex scenes in parts!).

Amazon  Smashwords  BN   Kobo



Allie's War series

Shield: Allie’s War, Book Two

About the Author:

JC Andrijeski has published novels, novellas, serials, graphic novels and short stories, as well as nonfiction essays and articles, including the Allie’s War series, The Slave Girl Chronicles and bestselling novella, The Alien Club. Her short fiction runs from humorous to apocalyptic, and her nonfiction articles cover subjects from graffiti art, meditation, psychology, journalism, politics and history. JC has traveled extensively and lived abroad, but currently lives and works on the Oregon Coast.

Please visit JC's blog at http://jcandrijeski.blogspot.com  or her website at www.syrimne.com




Goodreads author page:


@jcandrijeski



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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Talking About PTSD with Maria Hammarblad Author of Flashback


In today’s world we’re surrounded by acronyms. I mean, LOL, ROTFL, ADD, AFK, OCD, LMAO, BBL, PTSD… Mixed together they all look cute and funny. Still, while some are a joke, others change people’s lives and can at times be the difference between life and death.

I thought I was on top of things. I didn’t know what everything was, and it took a while for me to figure out ASMSG means Authors’ Social Media Support Group. For some reason I thought the letters meant something really dirty. I still think the combination of them looks dirty. Guess I have a dirty imagination…

Anyway, I was able to tell the difference between LOL – Laugh Out Loud – and OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – just fine. Go me!

Or, maybe not so much.

I wrote the first draft of Flashback convinced I made it up. Seriously, I put the hero through hell on Earth. Nothing that bad could possibly be real!

I worked on the book intermittently for a couple of years and was finally so happy with it I submitted it to my publisher. She wrote back, “Maria, you really surprised me. I didn’t expect you to write about PTSD.”

Dooh-moment: “Uuh, I write about the what-and-the-what now?”

Google gave a quick answer. PTSD isn’t just a cute acronym for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s a very real affliction and can happen to anyone. It’s not a mysterious disease that only affects people in the military. It can happen to anyone who faces a situation larger than themselves.

A few examples are car accidents, death of a loved one, robbery, home invasion, working in any type of emergency or medical field, an animal attack, or a natural disaster. The list could be much longer. These situations don’t have to lead to PTSD, but they can.

It was time to study. Most literature I came across was dry and filled with facts. Sure, facts are great, but everything I read lacked the human touch. Knowing what something is doesn’t translate to understanding how it affects people, their own lives, and loved ones.

I finally stumbled over a Facebook page called A Spouse’s Story (https://www.facebook.com/ASpousesStoryPTSD).

This page changed my life. It’s run by the wife of a military veteran with PTSD, and they share the good, the bad, and the ugly in a way so frank and openhearted their posts make me both laugh and cry. People living with PTSD also come here to share, ask, and give advice. Reading this page and interacting with the wonderful people on it opened my eyes for another thing: PTSD applies to people close to me, to people I know and love.

Becky’s posts on the page have taught me to handle situations I didn’t understand. With increased tolerance, my own life worked much better!

There is too much wisdom in her words and in her posts to summarize in one blog post, but I recommend everyone to visit her page and look around.

Going back to Flashback the book, it is a figment of my imagination. In the book, the heroine learns to handle her new way of life with relative ease, and the hero gets over the bulk of his problems quickly. It’s a book. Allowing them to do so is convenient for me as a writer.

In real life, it’s not that easy.

In real life, there are good days and bad days. Healing takes time, and some scars never close completely.

Keep PTSD in mind. Sometimes we think people around us act strangely, but there’s so much in everyone’s past no one else knows. For some people, stepping out the front door can be a battle. Being patient and kind can mean the world to another person.






Flashback


Maria Hammarblad

Genre: contemporary romance/suspense/military

Desert Breeze Publishing

Release Date: June 21, 2013

Book Description:

Steve Petersen is a Very Troubled Man. Sole survivor of a Taliban POW camp, he often thinks only parts of him returned; his sanity appears to have been left behind. He seeks solace in alcohol and drugs, but nothing helps block the images from his mind for more than minutes at a time, and he is trapped in horrifying flashbacks.

He is more than surprised when he wakes up in a bright and merry bedroom that turns out to belong to the widow Anna, a woman he has rudimentary memories of meeting. Knowing he should leave isn’t the same as doing it, and before he knows what’s happening, he finds himself pulled into a world with real life problems, such as folding laundry, and what’s for dinner.

Whiskey is no longer his first priority, and not being alone in his waking nightmare is a relief. That is, until Anna disappears. Steve finds himself forced to return to Afghanistan, a place where he’ll have to face both external enemies and himself.


About the Author:

Born in Sweden in the early 1970's, Maria showed a large interest for books at an early age. Even before she was able to read or write, she made her mom staple papers together into booklets she filled with drawings of suns and planets. She proudly declared them, "The Sun Book." They were all about the sun. She also claimed, to her mother's horror, that her being on Earth was a big mistake and that her alien family would come and bring her home at any moment. This never happened, but both the interest in space and the passion for bookmaking stayed with her.

As an adult Maria's creativity got an outlet through playing bass in a number of rock bands, and through writing technical manuals and making web pages for various companies and organizations. She did write drafts for a few novels, but the storytelling muse was mostly satisfied through role playing online on Myspace. It was here, while writing stories together with people from around the globe, she stumbled onto Mike. They started talking out of character, and she moved over to Florida to him late 2008. Today the two are married and live in the Tampa Bay area with three rescue dogs.

Besides writing and playing bass, Maria enjoys driving off-road, archery, and Tameshigiri.

Upcoming releases

Operation Earth, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing August 2013

Borealis XII, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing November 2013

Fun Facts

Favorite color:                        Blue
Favorite food:             Chicken with cashew nuts
Doesn't eat:                 Mammals
Favorite TV Show:     Star Trek TNG and Leverage
Favorite animal:         Border Collie
Quotes:                       "Full Speed Ahead" and "Caffeine is good for you"




Spotlight and Giveaway Hell's Belle by Karen Greco

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Release Day Blitz Fling: A BDSM Erotica Anthology by Sara Fawkes, Cathryn Fox and Lauren Hawkeye



Fling: A BDSM Erotica Anthology
Sara Fawkes, Cathryn Fox and Lauren Hawkeye

Genre: erotica/BDSM

Publisher: Avon Red

Release Date: June 25, 2013

ASIN: B0092QKX3W


Book Description:

Fling, an erotica collection of three steamy BDSM novellas set in Italy’s kinky Mancusi Resort during its infamous Fetish Week, features Take Me by New York Times bestselling author Sara Fawkes, Teach Me by Cathryn Fox, and Tame Me by Lauren Hawkeye.


TAKE ME BY SARA FAWKES
Kate Swansea’s fiancée dumps her a day before the wedding. Will wealthy Greek businessman Alexander Stavros convince the BDSM virgin that a sexual adventure is the cure for her broken heart?

EXCERPT:


“You knew nothing of the theme for this week?”


 That deep voice was difficult to ignore, but too many things clamored within Kate’s head to give those words the attention they demanded. Had this been the plan all along? Ted had been the one who’d wanted to come here; surely he’d known of a theme. Then why hadn’t he brought it up when they made their plans? More importantly, why had he never mentioned it leading up to their trip. Was it meant as a surprise? A joke? Had he ever really intended to go with her in the first place?


 “Ms. Swansea.”


 The deep voice cut through Kate's thoughts, dragging her back to the present. A strong hand on her shoulder pulled her gently around until she was facing the same man who had helped her. Tilting her head back, a slightly hysterical part of her brain marveled at how tall he stood above her. His dark features were pulled together into a frown that might have made her nervous except, at that moment, her brain was too jumbled to allow any emotion.


He reached out and put a finger beneath her chin and gave her a level stare. “Were you not made aware of the theme for this week?”

 “My fiancé,” she started, and then paused as a pang went through her chest. “Ex-fiancé,” she amended before continuing. “He made the reservations but never said anything about…”


 Regret laced the large man’s eyes, and an echoing emotion reverberated through Kate. It was absurd, but she didn’t want to disappoint the man before her. Raising herself to her full height, which still wasn’t enough to get her past the Greek man’s shoulder, she said, “I’d like to stay.” 


 Under that scrutinizing gaze, it was difficult not to tack on an extra “please”, but she managed to keep her mouth shut. Meeting and holding his eyes was even more difficult; a huge part of her being wanted to defer to him, let him decide what to do with the situation. Which was absurd - she didn’t know him enough to trust him. Indeed, he’d yet to even tell her his name. 


 Anyway, giving up control wasn’t at all her style. Running her PR business, small though it was, kept her on top of everything and didn’t give her any chance to relax. Planning the wedding had been similar; she’d thrown herself into the fray as fully as she did her career, with Ted’s full support of her making all the decisions. If she was honest with herself, she’d resented his unwillingness to help with the details (barring the honeymoon plans), but confrontation had never been his style. Nor was it hers, but she wished she’d been more adamant about getting his input. 


Perhaps if she’d thrown her attention into their relationship instead of the wedding, his surprise text message might have been easier to bear.


 Alexander peered down at her, cocking his head to the side. “You must understand,” he said slowly, lowering his voice, “I need to keep the safety of my other guests in mind. Not all who come to these places wish to have their presence here known to the world.”


 “I’ll be the soul of discretion,” Kate promised, understanding what he meant. 


 “Attendance of the orientation this afternoon will be mandatory for you. Also, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me or any of the staff.” 


 She nodded emphatically, and was rewarded by an approving crinkle of his eyes. “Then welcome to the Mancusi Resort, Ms. Swansea.”


 “What’s your name?” The words were out of Kate’s mouth before she thought about how uncouth they sounded. “I mean,” she amended, “I’d really like to know who exactly helped me.”


 The words sounded flat to her ears, but the large man turned and gave her his full attention. “I am Alexander Stavros, the manager of this hotel and the one in charge of monitoring this week’s activities.”


 “Oh.” Kate’s face flamed as she realized he very likely came from a fetish background himself, and may have been offended by her initial reaction. “Look, I’m sorry if…”


 “No need for apologies, Ms. Swansea.” He reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips like before, and once again that burst of heat inside her belly made Kate swallow. “It appears your journey to our resort has followed a very crooked path indeed. Now allow me to escort you to your room.”



About the Author:


Sara Fawkes has always loved spinning tales. One who's been writing since she was a little girl (and has the home made books from preschool to prove it), she loves creating stories and characters and interesting messes for them to get into. And for the handsome guy to always get the girl in the end. An avid traveler and adventure motorcyclist, her dream job includes selling everything off and leaving civilization to see the world on two wheels, writing in cafes in each country she visits, and living off her writing. In the meantime however, she lives in California with her menagerie of pets and, when not writing, loves to rebuild old motorcycles/cars and practice her fiddle. You can find her online at http://sarawriteserotica.wordpress.com or Twitter @sarafawkes talking about whatever strikes her fancy.


TEACH ME BY CATHRYN FOX
Tycoon Luca Mancusi whisks fashion intern Josie Pelletier off to his private resort to negotiate a deal for her boss’s lingerie line. But, by negotiation, he means a long, slow, spicy seduction…

EXCERPT:

Luca slipped his hand around the waist of the gorgeous woman at his side and guided her to the port side of the boat, where they could find a modicum of privacy. When she lifted her gaze to his, a nervous, hot pink flush staining her cheeks, the Dom in him bristled. The second he’d set eyes on her, he’d known she was out of her element, in more ways than one. And while he had no idea why Ms. Kenyon would send someone with little to no experience, he was only glad she had.

She smoothed her dress down, and the look on her face told him she wanted to talk business. “When we return tomorrow—”


“We won’t be returning tomorrow.”


Her eyes widened, and her head came back with a start. “What do you mean?”


He pointed a finger, and she followed his gaze. “We’re heading to that small island over there, my private resort,” he said, neglecting to tell her it was Fetish Week at said resort. Soon enough, she’d find herself surrounded by something that would undoubtedly shock and positively excite her.


“I have to get back.”


“For what?”


“I have to work.”


He angled his head. “Am I to believe that you only planned one night in Italy? That you came all this way and hadn’t cleared your schedule to take in some of the sights after we concluded our business deal?”


She toyed with the top button on her black dress, one that hugged her curves to perfection. His glance raced over the fine detailing, and he knew it was that attention to the little things that would make her an apt pupil in the bedroom.


“Well …” she began, her words falling off.


“Well?”


“Well, of course I did, but my plans didn’t involve going to your private resort.”


He took a step closer, crowding her, and didn’t miss the shiver that moved through her body, a shiver that told him so much about her and about what she needed from him. There was no mistaking that sweet little Josie Pelletier was a submissive at heart, and while she might not know it yet, Luca knew how much she craved to hand her pleasures over to a man. Oddly enough, he felt a strange, possessive tug on his emotions because there was no denying that he wanted to be the Dom to guide her, the man to train her in the ways of pleasure and make sure she was properly introduced to the darker side of love and appropriately cared for in the process.


“But we have unfinished business, Josie.”


“Then perhaps we should just finish it now,” she said.


“It’s not that simple.” He filled his lungs with her scent, and continued, “Sometimes negotiations can go on for … days.”


She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. “Days?”


“Yes, sometimes it can take many, many long hours before both sides are completely satisfied. But don’t worry, after we finish hammering out a deal, you’ll be free to enjoy the sights.”


Luca thought more about their negotiations and wondered exactly how far she’d go, how far he could take her. She might be young and naive, but she was all woman. Sensual, curvy, with a body made for sin—a body he intended to train—in all the scintillating ways she needed him to train her.


Josie swallowed a huge gulp of her champagne, and he took the empty flute from her hand. “Would you like another?”


“No,” she rushed out. “I think I’ve had enough.” Her glance left his. “When will we be docking?”


“Not until tomorrow.”


She looked around. “Where will I sleep tonight?” she asked, panic widening her big blue eyes.

While he’d like her to stay with him, he knew it was too soon to take her to his bed. Too soon indeed. Not that he was in a hurry; after all, anticipation was half the fun. No, sweet little Josie Pelletier was an innocent, one who needed to be trained in the ways of pleasure as much as business.

“I have a room prepared for you.”


She faked a yawn, but he didn’t call her on it. The first night he’d let her get to bed early because come the morrow, he’d want her wide-awake and ready to negotiate.


With a snap of his fingers, Charles was at his side. “Please escort Ms. Pelletier to her room.”

She turned to go, but Luca put his hands on her shoulder to stop her. She spun to face him, and he purposely put his mouth close to her ear. “Just so you know, Josie, my approval doesn’t come easy.” Her face warmed, and when he felt a fine shiver move through her, he added, “Your designs will be tested.”

About the Author:

Cathryn Fox is a multi published author in the romance genre.  Cathryn is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and watermelon. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cathryn can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.

TAME ME BY LAUREN HAWKEYE

Ariel Monroe, pop-star princess, refuses to sign a contract with CEO Marco Kennedy. She’s furious when he follows her to Fetish Week, although she could use a hot BDSM play partner. If he’s up to the challenge, of course.

EXCERPT:

“Scusi, Signorina Monroe, but this is not from our establishment.” He frowned a bit—Ariel frowned a lot—as he tapped keys on the keyboard. “This is for the Seaside Pleasures Resort. We are the Mancusi Resort. But … yes, here. You have a reservation here.” 

He beamed up at her, clearly pleased that she would be staying there. 


“Welcome to Fetish Week!” 


What the … Fetish Week? Ariel had seen a lot in her time in Hollywood, but this pronouncement took her aback, completely. She gaped like a fish as she tried to process what she’d just been told. 


A whisper on the back of her neck told her that someone had approached from behind, even before the look on the clerk’s face turned deferential. 


“Perhaps I can be of some assistance here.” 


She knew; even before she turned around, she knew. Closing her eyes, she savored the sensation of masculine fingertips dancing lightly at the nape of her neck before she looked over her shoulder to find the tall, dark, and delicious specimen of manhood that was Marco Kennedy. 


Just as when they’d met at the party and each time they’d spoken on the phone, she felt the pull between them. It was dark and intensely sexual, and she’d never felt anything like it. 

No wonder she’d run. The heat that burned between them was hot enough to reduce her to little more than a pile of ash. 

“What did you do?” She knew, without a doubt, that the enigmatic billionaire entrepreneur was behind this mix-up. He was nothing if not persistent, and she had to admit that she was enjoying being chased. 


Perversely, she wasn’t sure if she was pissed off that he’d finally caught up to her or thrilled that he’d taken the time to single her out. 


“Come have a drink with me.” Ariel tried to repress her shiver as those fingers traced a path down the curve of her spine. Against her will, her nipples peaked against the soft fabric of her blouse. 


She wanted him. Why couldn’t she have him? 


“I could just leave.” She tried to keep her voice steady. “I could just go to another resort, could go back to the one I was originally supposed to stay at.” 


“You could,” Marco agreed, as his hands stopped at the base of her spine. “But I don’t think you will. You’re intrigued, both by the business offer and by this attraction between us. I think you’ll stay and hear what I have to say.” 


Ariel felt a flush of embarrassment as he mentioned the lust that was coursing between them, hot and heavy, but she lectured herself for it. There was no shame in healthy attraction, was there? And there was no use denying that it existed. Hell, even the clerk who was watching the scene unfold before him could see it. She could tell by the look on his face. 

“Don’t get too cocky.” Stepping away from his touch, Ariel turned to face the man she had, until then, only met face-to-face for one long, heart-stopping moment. “I’ll have a drink and finally listen to your pitch—your business pitch. There won’t be any discussion of anything else.” 

“I think you’ll find that my offer ties them together in the best possible way.” Twining her fingers in his own, Marco lifted Ariel’s hand to his lips and brushed a kiss over it. When he released her, she found that he’d slid a keycard into her hand. “Now go to your room, do whatever it is you females need to do to freshen up. Your luggage has already been taken up. This resort belongs to a friend of mine, and I think you’ll find your suite to your satisfaction. 


“I’m not sharing a room with you, am I?” If that was part of his diabolical plan, Ariel was leaving immediately. Marco Kennedy might promise all kinds of dark, delicious things, but she wasn’t sure she’d survive them. 


He chuckled, and she wished the sound weren’t so damn sexy. 


“No. I would never presume that far.” Ariel’s eyebrows rose to her hairline with disbelief. Apparently, that was the only thing he wouldn’t presume. “I will meet you in the verandah bar in half an hour.” 


“You know, I’m tired from travelling. Maybe I just want to have a drink in my suite.” She didn’t really, but something about the smooth way Marco just assumed he knew what she wanted got under her skin. 


He smiled at her then, and the curve of his lips was purely wicked. 


“I’m sure we’ll be spending plenty of time in your suite before the week is over, princess. But for tonight, we’ll stay in public. It’s safer … for you.” 


About the Author:

Lauren Hawkeye is a writer, yoga newbie, knitting aficionado and animal lover

who lives in the shadows of the great Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. She’s
older than she looks—really—and younger than she feels—most of the time—and she
loves to explore the journeys that take women through life in her stories. Hawkeye’s
stories include erotic historical, steamy paranormal, and hot contemporary.
Make sure to check out her work as Lauren Jameson, where her erotic romances
take a walk on the wild side.


Fans of E.L. James and Sylvia Day will fall for Fling.