New Release: Kiss of the Moon (Dark Moon 1)

Gerard has been told what his destiny is his entire life. He’s different from humans, he is “of the Blood,” destined to become a vampire. However, he defies his heritage, becoming a werewolf to avoid being forced to become a vampire, even though the werewolf clan he joins believes he has come to them to prophetically end the war between werewolves and vampires. He soon finds himself playing a strange and twisted game with Morgaine, the queen of the vampires. One moment she’s offering protection from the vampires, the next she seems determined to have Gerard, body and soul. Every encounter with her pulls him deeper into her demented world, but with his lover and his new allies in danger, he has few choices. She could destroy them all with a thought, but if the prophecy is true, he may find the ultimate way to end her dark reign.

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Excerpt:

Gerard knocked on the door, but before he could even take a breath and collect his thoughts, the door swung open. Aria stood there, her long black hair flowing down her back, her blue eyes sparkling. She pulled him inside, a smile exploding across her face. And then she kissed him full on the mouth, taking away what breath he’d had left.

She sighed as she pulled away. “I’m so glad you’re safe. Let’s get out of here.”

She grabbed some bags and pointed to two others. “I’ve got everything. I’m never coming back here.”

Gerard still stood stunned. “Morgaine explained everything?”

“Yes. Come on.”

“Okay.” He shut the door and carried her bags out to Erika’s car. He opened Aria’s door for her, then put the bags in the trunk.

Just calm down. You’ve talked to the queen of all vampires, you can talk to the girl you like. He took a long, deep breath. The beautiful girl you hardly know who just kissed you.

He got in the car and started back to Simon’s. “So you’re okay with this?”

“Yeah, I am. I nearly freaked out when Morgaine showed up in my living room, but I’m handling it just fine.” She paused for a moment, but then asked, “So you didn’t know I thought you were hot?”

“No,” he managed to say. “I’m psychic, actually, but I never probe people. It’s not polite.”

“Opening doors and everything. God, you’re so nice. Such a gentleman.”

He laughed. “I hope that’s a good thing.”

“Of course it is, but you always looked so…I don’t know, forbidding. That’s why I never tried to talk to you. I’m not shy, in case you haven’t noticed, but you never smile. You always wear dark clothes, and you hide behind your hair a lot, and never talk to anyone. You look like you’d rip someone’s throat out if they said the wrong thing.”

Gerard couldn’t help feeling taken aback. “Are you serious? Hell, no wonder even my sister thinks I’m a brooder. Do I really look like that? Do I really give off that vibe?”

“You definitely have that dark, brooding, romantic look down. And I’m certainly not objecting to that. Can you see something if I think about it?”

“What? Oh, yeah, in your mind I can. Hang on, let me pull over.”

She laughed. “Safety first. Morgaine was right. You’re adorable.”

Gerard concentrated on what he was doing, trying to keep his face from flaming red. Geez, how am I suddenly every girl’s sweet gothic dream?

“Okay. Think about whatever you want to show me.”

She looked into his eyes, and he found it hard to get a fix on her. That had never happened before. He didn’t want to read her thoughts. He just wanted to kiss her.

He saw himself in Crimson, a club where goth kids and vamps alike hung out. He sat at the bar, alone, drinking a beer. He stared at the bar in front of him, occasionally looking around. His body looked tense as he slumped over the bar in black jeans and one of his old leather jackets. His eyes were narrowed, giving him a defensive look, and his hair was falling over his face and shadowing it. He had to admit, he did look brooding and a little mean.

Yikes. No wonder everyone avoided me.

“I just heard that.”

Gerard blinked and looked at Aria. “I was still in your mind. I can tell you things if I concentrate hard enough. It’s hard because you’re not psychic, but the blood helps form a link.”

She nodded. “See what I mean, though?”

He shrugged. She liked me? Even when I looked like that? “Yeah. It’s probably because I was around vamps. I get defensive. I used to be that way around my sister too because she always defended them.”

He started the car and got back on the road.

“Are you going to ask me out, or are we going to go straight to me being your girl?”

Gerard smiled. “I think you’ve always been my girl,” he said softly.

“What?” She leaned close to him.

He laughed. “Yes, you’re my girl.”

“No. You said, ‘I think you’ve always been my girl’. I just wanted to hear you say it again. It’s a great line.”

“But it’s not a line.”

She put her head on his shoulder and then whispered in his ear, “That’s what makes it so great.” She kissed his cheek and settled her head back on his shoulder.

He tried to concentrate on the road, hoping his cock wouldn’t get any harder, because there was no way she’d miss seeing it from her present angle.

Apparently she did notice it. She ran her hand over his hard length and asked, “How far away are we?”

“It’s about five more miles,” he said tightly.

“You wanna pull over?”

He took a deep breath. “We hardly know each other.”

“Since when do guys care about that?”

He slowed down, trying to keep his body and his emotions under control. “Not all guys are alike, and we aren’t all like that anyway.”

She laughed. “I know. I’m just teasing you.” She stopped caressing him, but her hand stayed on his cock.

“I mean,” he said, struggling to get the words right, “really and truly, I would love to pull over, but I’d rather wait.”

She moved her hand to his waist and hugged herself to him. She felt good and natural there. They didn’t know each other at all, yet it just felt right. Was this how Erika felt when she met Lucas? Was this really what it felt like to have an instant connection with someone?

He put his hand on her leg and squeezed her knee, needing to touch her more. Maybe this is why I see her in my dreams. Maybe I knew from the moment I saw her we were meant to be together.

He took his hand off her knee and put both hands on the wheel, pushing the accelerator down.

“You were saying?” she asked, a hint of laughter in her voice.

“Huh? Oh, right. I was saying that I’d rather wait until we get back to the house. My room has the hugest bed you’ve ever seen.” He smiled down at her.

“That’s beautiful.”

“What?”

“Your smile.”

He looked back to the road. “Glad you like it. It’s gonna be there all night.”

New Release: Bind Me (Year of Gods 2)

Bind Me (Year of Gods 2) is here. It's the 14th book set in Valladora, which you can learn more about by clicking the links above.

When Jensen wasn’t prepared to commit to his fated mate, he let Ciel walk away, thinking he’d get over the human soon enough. But a year apart has proven that what he felt for Ciel went far beyond lust. He wants a second chance, and he’ll do anything to convince Ciel to give it to him.

Ciel thought he’d moved on, but when Jensen comes back begging for another chance, he finds it hard to deny the vampire. His heart’s been broken once, yet Ciel can’t make himself walk away from Jensen again. Will they be able to make it work, or will the pain of the past prove too much in the end?

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Excerpt:

Jensen stood in his father’s study looking at the tapestries his mother had embroidered over the years. He’d spent the morning hovering in the courtyard hoping to see Ciel, but after lunch he’d retreated inside to avoid attracting too much attention. His father’s steward, Gregor, had taken ill. He’d been on the mend when Jensen arrived, but this morning he’d worsened. The physicians had been sent for, and Ciel had been given even more duties. Jensen had ordered a few tasks to be assigned to others, but he still might not see Ciel until that evening, if at all. He had no idea what Ciel might’ve thought of the gift and the note. Never before had Jensen been this nervous. He’d been rejected many times, but none of those people had meant anything to him.

Jensen stepped out onto the balcony, which led down into the gardens, and his gaze zeroed in on Ciel talking to a gardener. They laughed together, but then Ciel looked up. His face grew serious as he turned back to the other man and gave a final order. The man walked away, and Ciel stood alone looking down at the ground. Jensen didn’t dare go down to him or go back inside. He wanted to see what Ciel would do. After what seemed an eternity, Ciel moved toward the stone steps and opened the little gate that usually blocked access to this private part of the castle. He closed the gate again and walked up slowly.

Ciel came over to him and said, “I’d ask you to walk in the garden with me, but that’s how all this began. If we’re making a new start, things should be different.”

“Yes. Different is exactly what I want.” Jensen glanced around. “No one will bother us here if you’re willing to be seen with me.”

“Of course I am. No one knows about this.” He sighed. “Or do they?”

Jensen swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. “What do you mean?”

“At the matehood ceremony last week, Lucas was so kind to me. Too kind. I thought he was trying to make me feel better after our little incident, which I’m certain you know about because you’re so nosy about me.” He glanced up as if seeking confirmation.

“Yes. I asked Erik why you really left, and he told me.”

“Of course you did.” Ciel ran his hands over the stone railing. “This morning I gave it more thought. Erik kept watching me. And you. So I’m assuming they know.”

“They do. I told Erik, and he confided in Lucas. And you were right about Erik’s reaction. He was furious with me. Called me an imbecile and many other things. Lucas said I was a fool.”

“I brought Lucas to his senses for many reasons. He was upset with Erik and wanted to sleep with me to ease his pain and get back at the mate he thought didn’t want him. All I could think of was all the pain you’d caused me. I didn’t want anything like that to exist between Erik and Lucas. I love them both so much.”

“And they love you.”

Ciel leaned on the railing and gazed at the mountains in the distance. “I read your note several times. Tell me what you want to know about me.”

“I’m not sure. Everything. Anything you wish to tell me.”

Linking his fingers in front of him, Ciel said, “The number of people I’ve slept with since we were together?”

“If you’re willing, that’s a start.”

“None. I kissed Lucas, and that was it. Nothing beyond normal flirting and banter.” Ciel turned to study him. “Will you tell me your number?”

Jensen thought quickly to both be truthful and answer without too much of a pause. “Three. All women.”

His eyebrows twitched as if the answer had surprised him, but Ciel paused before responding. “No men at all? Hmmm. Am I supposed to see a meaning in that?”

“See whatever you like. Looking at other men does make me think of you these days. On the way here, I actually had various plans for sneaking into your bed. Biting you and reminding you of how we were together. I see now what a poor idea that was. Immature, especially for a man of my years.”

“Yes, forcing yourself on someone is no way to endear yourself.” Ciel pushed away from the railing and walked inside.

Jensen stared after him. “Excuse me?”

Ciel halted in the doorway. “Having to sneak into someone’s bed implies you aren’t wanted there. And if I needed to be bitten to be with you, that would make me unwilling. No one talks about it, but it happens all the time. The power of a vampire’s bite is frequently abused. And since I’m your mate, I’d likely have let you do anything you liked. It would’ve been wrong, Jensen.”

Jensen held his hands up in surrender. “I see now how that sounded. I worded it very poorly. I intended seduction, not force. But I changed my mind and saw it as a bad idea. Doesn’t that count? Don’t censure me for something I didn’t actually do. I’ve done more than enough things for you to criticize as it is.”

Ciel nodded slightly and continued inside. Jensen followed and watched him sit down on a loveseat. He waited a moment and came to stand behind a chair close by, resting his hands on the ornate back.

“I feel like you used me. Can’t you understand that?” Ciel said. “I expected a one-night stand as well. I’d always been curious about being with you. But when you bit me, I thought things would be different. You went mad, kissing me all over and telling me how sweet my blood was. Then you took me so gently as you looked into my eyes and told me how perfectly you fit inside of me. I thought it was a declaration, and you spent a week being so tender and loving, and then…” Ciel bolted up and turned away.

Jensen watched him go to the bookshelf and grip the edge. Ciel wasn’t crying. Another emotion ruled him at the moment. “Ciel?” Jensen said as he inched toward him.

Ciel rounded on him and began beating his fists against Jensen’s chest. “How could you do that to me? How could you?”

Jensen struggled to breathe but didn’t try to stop Ciel. He let the young man exhaust himself with the blows. When Ciel finally pushed away from him, panting heavily, Jensen said, “Yes. I do understand it. I made a terrible mistake. When you told me how many lovers you’d had, I thought we were alike. And you were so young I imagined you wouldn’t want to be tied down. But instead of talking about it with you, I simply assumed and got it all wrong. I deserved your rejection for presuming what I did.”

Ciel wiped a hand down his face. “I was a wreck after you left. I actually developed a fever, so I pretended to be sick. It bought me a week alone to recover and get my head straight.”

“If I hadn’t come here and asked for another chance, would you ever have brought it up?”

Ciel considered this a very long time, which made Jensen nervous. “I can’t answer that. As you said, I’m young. Maybe I’d have met someone who could’ve helped me forget.”

“Is that what you wanted? To forget?”

Ciel sat down again. “Most of the time. I’d get angry when I found myself thinking of you and how we might be able to work things out.”

Jensen went still and cleared his throat before taking a few steps forward. He knelt on both knees a foot or so away from Ciel. “So you have considered it?”

Ciel nodded slowly. “A few scenarios. But I focused on getting over you. It was hard to keep those thoughts away. Harder than I’d imagined.”

“I tried to forget you, too. Made me miserable. It all came flooding out when I arrived at Erik’s and found you gone. No one had any idea why you’d left. Kept saying my father called you back. I knew that wasn’t possible. Father would never have taken you away from Erik.”

Ciel turned his body a bit and tilted his head. “Your eyes are gold.”

Jensen blinked. “And?”

“I suppose you’ve already implied it, but you’re jealous of Erik, aren’t you? Of Lucas, too, maybe.”

Jensen took a deep breath, his chest puffing up defensively, but in the end he slumped down with his hands on his knees. “Yes, all right? You’ve always loved Erik the best, and you had actual feelings for Lucas. I don’t give a damn who you’ve slept with. But you’ve clung to Erik your entire life practically, and it only takes about ten seconds for anyone to fall in love with Lucas. Yes, I’m jealous.”

“I’m glad you can admit it.” He reached out his hand as if he meant to ran his fingers into Jensen’s hair, and Jensen half closed his eyes to savor the touch. But then Ciel pulled away after lightly touching his shoulder, and Jensen blinked and looked up.

“There was a spider on your shoulder,” Ciel said, letting the arachnid crawl from one hand to another.

Jensen shuddered and jumped up, batting at his shoulder and his robes and then shaking his head and running his hands through his hair.

Ciel laughed as him the spider crawled up his arm. “This one isn’t poisonous. It’s incredibly useful in gardens.” He took it into his hand and rose to deposit it outside. When he came back, he said, “You’re a vampire, you know. You shouldn’t be scared of anything.”

“Everyone’s scared of something.”

Ciel stared at the rug beneath their feet and traced the swirling pattern with the tip of his boot. “Yes, they are.”

“I’ll make that my first official question. What are you afraid of? I don’t recall anything ever scaring you.”

“Losing the ones I love.” Ciel gave him a sad half smile. “The only thing that’s ever scared me at all.” He turned away. “I should go for now.”

“One more question, please. You don’t have to answer, but I have to ask.”

Ciel paused and then came closer. “All right.”

“Do you still love me?”

His gray eyes filled with a much deeper sadness as he leaned in and whispered, “Yes, I do.” He moved in until their lips almost touched. “And if you prove yourself worthy, I’ll be yours until the day I die.”

A week ago, Jensen would’ve grabbed him and kissed him, but those kind of actions belonged in his old life. Instead he gazed into Ciel’s eyes and said, “Then I’ll keep trying one day at a time.”

Ciel backed up and took a deep breath. He bowed as he let it out and left without another word. Jensen slumped down on the couch, knowing this encounter had only been the first of many, many steps.

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Theodore has already been disappointed in love twice, and he isn’t looking for any more heartache. So when the handsome Nicholas, who happens to be suffering under a curse placed by Theodore’s mischievous godmother, informs Theodore that his love is the only cure, Theodore refuses to believe it. But Nicholas knows from their very first kiss that Theodore is the man for him. He isn’t going to give up until he convinces Theodore their love is what they’ve both spent years longing for.

Braden and Ville met by chance, lust drawing them to each other. But when they discovered they were mates, Ville only laughed and fled. After completing his mission, Braden finds Ville and demands more than one night from the man who insists his demon blood is too strong for love to ever enter his heart...

New Release: Elysian Dreams (Olympians 6)

The sixth Olympians book is here!

Aphrodite wants to right a wrong from many years ago. Her petty quarrel with Apollo resulted in him being separated from the woman he loved. Until now. With Zeus’s help, Aphrodite has given Apollo and his beloved Daphne a second chance. Will they find happiness together? Or will they find that the years of separation have drastically changed what each of them once wanted?

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Excerpt:

Aphrodite stood in a field and stared at a very unusual laurel tree, which was not a tree at all. It had once been a girl named Daphne, and soon it would be again. She held her hands over the center of the trunk and concentrated. When she lifted her hands, a large lead arrowhead was there, stuck deep into the tree. Zeus had helped her with the spell once he and Hera had agreed to let her lift the enchantments on Apollo and Daphne without their consents, so this time she trusted her magic. She would not make the same mistake she had made many months ago with the spell she cast on Ares. She wanted to give Apollo and Daphne a second chance since her meddling had ruined their first one.

She tugged on the arrowhead, but it didn’t budge. She wiggled it a little, and that seemed to loosen it. She pulled on it again. This time it came out quickly. Sap began to pour out of the tree. Before long though, it turned to blood.

Aphrodite looked at the arrowhead and threw it down. She tried to stop the blood with her hands. The tree felt hot. She felt the bark turn to soft skin, saw the tree shrink and transform into a girl who immediately began to moan in pain as her knees buckled and she crumpled on the ground.

“Apollo! Apollo!” She tried to support Daphne as best she could. Apollo had the ability to heal all of the gods and other beings of Olympus, and surely he would help the woman he’d loved for centuries. He didn’t answer at all though, and he didn’t appear. Damn it, he must be hurt too!

She looked around, but she saw no one. “Zeus! Help us! Please!”

Zeus immediately appeared. He knelt down and took Daphne in his arms. “Hypnos!”

Hypnos, the god of sleep, appeared within seconds. He looked angry.

“What have you done?” he asked with obvious venom.

Zeus looked shocked, and Aphrodite understood why. No one questioned Zeus, and Hypnos never spoke to anyone like that. He was always quiet and gentle. With a chill Aphrodite remembered that Hypnos was now the god of death again as well as the god of sleep and dreams. Thanatos, whom they had all known as the god of death for centuries, had never been real at all. He’d been part of Hypnos, the darker part, living a separate life at the will of Zeus and the Fates to protect the other Olympians from Hypnos’ ambition and darker desires. Since Thanatos’ duel with Zeus, Hypnos had been made whole again, reabsorbing everything the Fates had extracted. All his powers were fully restored, so Aphrodite couldn’t help feeling nervous about his unexplained anger. She still remembered the days when wondering what he might do had caused great fear.

“I said, what have you done?” Hypnos repeated.

“A spell seems to have gone wrong. We didn’t foresee this,” Zeus said. “Help Daphne, and then I’ll explain.” He looked up at Aphrodite. “Apollo may need help too. Go to him and let us know.”

Aphrodite nodded and snapped her fingers. She had no idea why Hypnos was upset, but she knew Apollo just might be out for her blood if he wasn’t in the same state Daphne was.

* * * *

Apollo lurched forward as he threw up on his living room floor for the third time. His head pounded, and his heart felt as if it was being ripped apart. Something tore at his throat. He looked down and saw an arrowhead in the pool of bloody vomit. He stared down at it in disbelief.

“Eros,” he called, his voice barely audible. Then he stopped. Eros had shot the arrows at him and at Daphne, but he had done so at Aphrodite’s command, her vengeance for Apollo mocking Eros’ archery skills.

He’d thought Daphne was the loveliest girl he’d ever seen. She’d been shy, but he had persisted. Just when he’d felt she might be warming to him, Eros had shot them both. Apollo had fallen madly in love with Daphne in an instant. He’d reached for her, only to see her face curl up in disgust. She’d pushed him off and ran from him. Not knowing what was wrong, he’d pursued her. He hadn’t understood her cries of terror or her disgust at the idea of him being near her. Then she’d called for her father to help her.

Apollo had stopped short, but had still run face first into a tree. He soon afterward learned the tree was Daphne. Her father had protected her the only way he could. The poisonous lead arrowhead had lodged deep in her heart, and she preferred life as a tree to life in a world with him in it. So the spell had never been lifted. He’d loved her and been forced to live without her, thinking only of how much she loathed him, for centuries.

He mustered all his strength. “Aphrodite!”

“I’m already here.”

He rounded on her, though he was too weak to stand. Blood flowed from his mouth, and he could feel the warm liquid also running down his throat. “What have you done?”

“How can I help? I was afraid to speak. I’m sorry. The sight of you shocked me. Please tell me how to help. Then you can yell at me all you want.”

He pushed his rage down as the pain surged. “The bottles, there.” He pointed to the left side of the bar. “The ones on that side aren’t alcohol, they’re potions.”

“Which one?” she asked as she ran over.

He squinted. “Blue. Top shelf, second bottle.” He cringed. “I need to stop the bleeding.”

She rushed over to him, and he gratefully took a long drink.

“Didn’t you learn your lesson with Ares? Zeus should forbid your use of magic.”

She knelt by him and wrung her hands. He could tell she was fighting tears. “It wasn’t my own. The spell was Zeus’, but something went wrong.”

“Zeus helped you?” He puzzled over this, but then thoughts of Daphne sent a jolt of fear to his heart. “Where’s Daphne?”

“With Zeus and Hypnos.”

He struggled to stand. “She may need me.” He braced himself on the bar. She tried to steady him, and he grabbed her by the throat. “If she dies I will never forgive you. Zeus may have to keep me from killing you.”

Aphrodite didn’t seem concerned for herself. “You’re weak. I’ll take us there. Zeus and Hypnos wouldn’t let her die.”

“But she may need something only I can give. Zeus is not omnipotent. I am the only one who can heal. Hypnos could only slow down her death.”

Aphrodite snapped her fingers, and they appeared in the field where Daphne had lived so long as a tree. Hypnos cradled Daphne in his arms. He looked furious, and Apollo wondered what could have happened. Zeus stood watching at a distance.

Hypnos spoke up quickly, cutting Apollo off as he opened his mouth. “Help her. A few more minutes and I will have no choice but to take her back to the Underworld.”

Apollo nodded and allowed Aphrodite to help him to Daphne. The intensity in Hypnos’ voice had chilled him. Apollo knew it was urgent if Hypnos had to fight against his instincts. He touched her forehead. She’d lost too much blood, and her mind was catatonic. He concentrated, and three bottles appeared. Two contained orange liquids, one blue. He took the blue one first. “Hold her up. She has to swallow all of it.”

Hypnos helped Apollo pour it slowly down her throat, pausing to make sure it wasn’t choking her. Apollo rubbed her head, and then her throat, and finally her chest just over her heart. He felt his hands warming as his powers returned. He took one orange bottle and smelled it. He set it down and reached for the other. He smelled it as well and then handed it to Aphrodite. “Cover your hands. It will coat them like honey. Work it deep into her scalp. Rub until it is absorbed, and use the whole bottle. When you are done, there should be no trace on your hands or her skin or hair.”

Aphrodite nodded and did as she was told. Apollo looked up at Zeus, too afraid to be angry now. In his mind he told the king of the gods, She might be insane. She might never be as she once was. She’s only a nymph, not a god like us. I can only do so much.

This should not have happened, Zeus replied.

Apollo picked up the last bottle and gave it to Hypnos. “Make her drink this slowly as well, all of it.” He touched her hand, which was cold. He looked down at her pale face. She was still perfect to him. He wanted nothing more than to see her open her stunning green eyes.

“Tell me about the spell, Zeus. If all this doesn’t cure her, we’ll have to try something else.”

“It was supposed to reverse time for both of you. Removing the arrowheads removes the spells that were a part of you. You should both be as you were before.”

Apollo nodded and squeezed her hand. He smoothed her skirt over her legs. She wore the simple green and brown dress she’d been wearing that day long ago as they’d strolled in the field together. Her feet were bare. He remembered how much she loved walking barefoot in the grass. “That explains why I still care so much for her. I was already falling for her then. I was trying to make her see how much I wanted her.” He felt tears in his own eyes. “She said no to this, to the lifting of the spell. I would rather you’d left her a tree for all eternity!” His voice echoed throughout the valley.

Aphrodite didn’t speak. Tears flowed freely down her face. Apollo couldn’t feel anything for her. After what she’d done to him, he’d become obsessed with her. He’d wanted nothing more than to have her, to fuck her and completely have his way with her. Once he’d done that, he’d been disgusted with her and himself. He’d hurt someone else in the process, Alala, who would soon be Ares’ wife. When they’d been lovers for a time, he’d finally gotten his chance with Aphrodite. The day Alala had found him fucking Aphrodite, she ran from him, just as Daphne had so long ago. Alala was the only one who’d shown him kindness or love in the bitter centuries he’d been forced to live through without Daphne. He blamed it all on Aphrodite.

Daphne stirred. She opened her eyes and looked around. She seemed panicked until she realized Hypnos was holding her. “Hypnos!” she whispered. She threw her arms around him. “Where am I? What has happened? Every inch of my body hurts.” She rubbed her head and then looked up. “Who are these people?”

They all stared at Hypnos, who smoothed her hair and held her close as if none of them were there.

“I can explain. You’re going to have to remember things you’ve forgotten.” Hypnos stood and lifted her in his arms. “Talking to her will only confuse her. She drank from the Lethe years ago to stop the pain of her memories. I couldn’t refuse her.”

“What?” Apollo demanded. “How did you help her? How could she drink from the Lethe? She’d been a tree for centuries. She wasn’t dead. She couldn’t have gone to the Underworld.”

“I am the god of sleep and dreams. She hovered near the Valley of Dreams, alone in her own world, and my friendship is the only reason she is sane. She begged to forget, so I brought her water from the Lethe. It seems the spell hasn’t altered that.”

Apollo felt his rage boil over. “That’s why she stopped talking to anyone years ago. You wanted her for yourself, and you forced her to forget!”

She whimpered and buried her face in his neck. “Hypnos, take me home, please!”

Hypnos glared at Apollo. “I am her friend, only her friend, but I will fight you as though I were more. Let her be with her only friend. She doesn’t remember any of you. I will explain everything to her.”

“I don’t trust you to do that,” Apollo said as he stepped closer.

Daphne flinched as he approached, and Hypnos took a defensive stance. “Back off, right now. You’re frightening her.”

Fierce jealousy filled Apollo’s heart as he watched her cling to Hypnos. “No. I won’t let you take her. She’s mine!”

She jerked her head up. “Are you crazy? I don’t even know you!”

His heart thudded painfully. He saw once again that same look of revulsion on her face. He turned from her. “Go. Get out of here!”

Hypnos nodded to Zeus. “I will explain all, to her and to you.”

Zeus nodded quickly and waved him away. Hypnos and Daphne disappeared.

Apollo turned back to Zeus. “How could you let Aphrodite do this? I am going to lose Daphne a second time. Do you know what that is going to feel like? Do you have any idea?”

Zeus sighed. “Let’s wait until Hypnos has explained things to her. We can do nothing until then.”

Apollo turned his back on Zeus and walked away, slapping Aphrodite’s hand back when she reached out to stop him. “I am going to get rip-roaring drunk! Keep that blonde bitch out of my path, or I will kill her!”

The two remained silent as he headed to the mortal world, ready to make a few bartenders very happy.

New Release: Descent into Desire (Olympians 5)

The erotic tale of Hades and Persephone is here!

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Blurb:

Hades has fallen in love, but the woman has no idea she’s been chatting online and texting with the god of the Underworld. Persephone is a goddess herself, but she is innocent, sheltered and forced to live in her mother Demeter’s shadow. She loves to stay in the mortal world where she can be herself and escape her mother’s control, but Hades has plans for her. He wants to bring her to the Underworld as his queen. When Persephone decides she’s tired of being controlled, she demands to meet him so they can run away together. He agrees readily, anxious to finally hold her in his arms and longing to awaken the passions he knows she possesses. He knows he’ll be able to satisfy her body, but when he reveals all, will he also be able to possess her heart?

Excerpt:

Persephone brushed her hair and thought of her first night in the Underworld. It hadn’t been that long ago, but in a way it seemed like a completely different part of her life. Cerberus sat watching her. He wandered off some days, but he spent most of his time by her side.

“Are you going to come on our walk with us?” Persephone always talked to animals. They never talked back, and never would, but she’d taken care of enough over the years to know it did make them smarter.

He came forward a few feet and sat down again.

She smiled. “Good.”

There was a knock at her door, and she stood up. “Come in.”

Hades opened the door and stepped over the threshold. “Are you ready?”

She nodded and patted Cerberus’ head. “We are.”

Hades held out his hand for Cerberus, and the hound walked forward to sniff it and be petted. Persephone smiled.

“What?” Hades asked.

She laughed. “Both of you are supposed to be scary, striking fear into mortal hearts. If they could see you now.”

She definitely liked what she saw. Still all black, but he was at least wearing a t-shirt and jeans. He looked nice and much less formal. She held her hand out.

He took her hand and kissed it. “Let’s go then.”

They walked through the halls in silence. Persephone looked at all the paintings. “Who painted all of these? Are they from the mortal world?”

“They’re duplicates of ones from the mortal world.” He pointed to a canvas covered in flames. “That one was painted by Thomas Miller.”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“No one else has either. He was a lawyer. He painted for his own pleasure. No one knew about it, and after he died there was a fire. His family didn’t even know what treasures they’d lost.”

“That’s sad.” She looked at another. “I’ve seen this one.”

“They’re all portrayals of the Underworld. This one’s from the sixteenth century by an unknown artist. We know his name was Daniel Roper. It’s a vague interpretation of Dante’s Inferno. The swirling colors are meant to be the different parts. The Catholic Hell of Dante’s time had separate places for murderers and atheists. The middle is blue. Do you remember why?”

She smiled. “It’s frozen. Satan is frozen in the middle of a lake.”

He nodded. “Many of these are taken from literature. The Greeks and Romans, but also men like Dante and Milton.”

“I like Milton.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. Surprised?”

“No, of course not.” He led them out into the garden. “Did you think I would be?”

“I suppose not, but no one’s ever talked to me about literature before you.”

“I see. No one down here reads that much, except me.”

“It’s the same up there. Except for Eris, no one in our world really writes either. Have you noticed that?”

He considered this, and then nodded. “You’re right. We don’t exactly have a literary tradition.”

“Just my luck. One way I could impress people, and it’s not relevant.”

He gave her a slightly warning look.

“I know, I know. People will be impressed once they get to know me.”

He kissed her hand again. “Yes, they will. Your mother kept you hidden away. It was the main reason I didn’t feel guilty for bringing you here.”

“Really?”

“Yes. My plans haven’t gone too smoothly from there, but I’m working on it.”

She squeezed his hand. She had no idea what to say to him. She tried anyway. “You’re doing fine. We had a few kinks to work out.”

“Is that what they were? Kinks?”

She looked up at him. “Yes. That’s exactly what they were.”

“All right then.”

After a few moments of silence, she took another chance. “I finally got what I wanted.”

He seemed puzzled, but also intrigued. “I’m glad to hear that, but I’m not sure I understand.”

“I said I expected certain things when we met. I wasn’t looking for a husband, remember? I was looking for a boyfriend.”

Hades smiled, and she thought he blushed a bit. When he looked back into her eyes, she was sure of it.

“You’re blushing,” she said, unable to resist teasing him.

He shrugged. “Maybe I am. It’s good though. Very good.” He lowered his head.

She thought quickly, not wanting him to feel she was teasing him because she thought it was silly or weird. “So are you. You’re not a bad boy at all. You’re the good guy every girl would try for if she had any sense.”

He was silent as they entered the maze. He held his hand in front of Cerberus, and the hound sat down. “Stay.” He pulled Persephone into the maze with him.

She felt her pulse quicken. When he didn’t speak, she asked, “Did I say something wrong?”

He turned and pulled her close. “No. It was very right. No one has ever described me or thought of me that way. I’m amazed you could think that, after what I did.”

“I already told you I forgive you. You didn’t want me to leave. I’ve done very selfish and stupid things to get my way. I understand why you did it.”

He stroked her face. “So you don’t want a bad boy anymore?”

She found it hard to breathe in his arms. “I think we all have more than one side. I’d like to see all of yours.”

He smiled and pulled away. He held out his hands and an enormous Greek helmet with a visor appeared in his hands. The Helm of Darkness. Why would he want that? He put it on and lowered the visor, disappearing before her eyes. She heard him move around her, and she tried to follow the sound. His hand slid around her waist.

“We’ll see if I live up to your idea of a bad boy. I’ll give you a head start.”

He pulled away, and she had no idea where he was.

“You’re going to chase me?” She felt that heat low in her belly again as she imagined being pursued by him. Making love out in the open on the grass.

He didn’t answer.

“Oh boy,” she whispered to herself.

She looked to the right and left. Both ways looked the same, leading her to a turn that would take her toward the center. She went to the right and then took a left. She stopped and listened. She couldn’t hear anything. She went forward a few feet and had three choices. She went straight. She paused again when she came to a fork that would take her to opposite sides of the maze. A warm breeze blew around her.

Then she felt a hand slide over her ass. She gasped and instinctively pulled away. He didn’t make a sound. She reached out, but she only felt air. She turned and jogged back the way she’d come. She took several turns and became disoriented. The maze’s walls were two feet taller than her, so she couldn’t see any landmarks.

What do you want?

She heard his voice in her head, and her knees went a little shaky. “I want you to catch me.” She didn’t hear anything, so she wasn’t sure how far away he was.

Then something else touched her, but it wasn’t his hand. A thick vine twisted around her waist and pulled her against the hedge wall. Two more bound her hands. She couldn’t move. She tried to break them, but she couldn’t. They wouldn’t obey her. All living things obeyed her above.

“Down here,” Hades said, “Everything obeys me.”

He was still invisible, and she looked all around her. “Including me?”

He removed the helmet, and he stood just inches from her. He shook his head. “No. Never you. I obey you.” His finger traced the strap of her purple sundress. “Command me.”

When she’d first arrived, she’d felt like she was being tested. This felt different. He was giving her this choice to find something out, though she wasn’t sure what. He’d said he only wanted them to have sex when she returned his love. As fast as her heart was beating, as aroused as she was, she knew she didn’t. What did he expect her to ask for then?

Since she didn’t know, she asked for what she wanted. “Kiss me.”

His finger strayed down to the swells of her breasts. “Where?”

She took a deep breath. “Anywhere you like.”

His finger moved lightly over her breasts, down to the tiny buttons he slowly undid. He moved his hands over her breasts, never reaching inside, just caressing what he had uncovered. He leaned forward and kissed the hollow between them, and she sighed.

“Anywhere, my lady?”

She nodded her head. She felt dizzy with him touching her. The pulsing between her legs returned. She felt it often when she thought of him. She didn’t have to touch herself to know she was wet.

He lowered himself to his knees and toyed with the hem of her skirt. Then in one movement he ripped it off. She gasped as he pulled her panties down. These were the kinds of fantasies she’d had, the kinds of things she’d pictured as she waited for him that first night. The real sensations flowing through her blew the imagined ones away, and he hadn’t even started yet. He smiled as he ran a finger over her shaved pussy. The look in his eyes confirmed his approval.

“You’ll have to forgive my enthusiasm.” His voice was different, deeper and darker. He was breathing as heavily as she was. “May I pleasure you?”

“Pleasure me?” she repeated, her mind struggling to make sure she knew what he meant.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her just above her clit. “You said I could kiss you anywhere. I want to make you come.”

“That’ll be quite a kiss.”

“It will be.” He lowered his mouth to her pussy and licked her slowly.

She gasped as his hot tongue delved into her. He groaned as he explored her further. After a few moments he ripped at the vines that held her, freeing her. He pulled her down to the ground and pushed her back on the grass before burying his face in her pussy again.

She wanted him to touch her everywhere, but he only held her hips still as he licked and kissed her pussy. He took her clit between his teeth for a moment, and she jerked at the sensation. A white-hot bolt of pleasure had shot through her. She’d touched herself before, and Alala had given her a vibrator years ago, but the pleasure she’d experienced then didn’t compare with this. The hum of the little toy and her own fingers were nothing compared to the powerful and passionate man eating her pussy.

She felt her orgasm coming, and she wanted him to touch her more. All she could do was moan as his tongue found her most sensitive areas.

His voice echoed in her head again. Say my name.

“Hades,” she said with a gasp.

He intensified his efforts, swirling his tongue around her clit.

“Hades!”

Come, my love.

“Oh Hades!” Her orgasm hit suddenly. The force of it and the pleasure took her breath away. She arched off the ground, and he held her down. He continued his attentions, and it drove her wild. His tongue stroked her in a smooth and steady rhythm as the energy of her release moved all over her body. Her breasts felt heavy, and her heart raced. She ran her fingers over her tingling nipples. She heard him groan and looked down to see him watching her. He pulled away from her core, and then kissed her one final time. She was still trembling as he moved up her body. She knew she’d never touch her vibrator again, not now that she knew all that an orgasm could be. It was like comparing a strong wind to a hurricane.

He hovered over her. “You’re so beautiful. So many nights when we talked, I imagined doing that to you.”

“You did?” She knew her voice sounded shaky.

He smiled and leaned closer. “Would you like to taste how sweet you are?”

She felt her pussy tighten at the suggestion, and she nodded. He brought his lips to hers, and she kissed him and tasted the tangy sweetness of her arousal. She licked his top lip, and then his lower lip before deepening the kiss.

He groaned and pushed his body down on top of hers. She ran her hands through his hair as they kissed, but he soon pulled away and sat down beside her. “Your kiss and sweet taste are overwhelming me.”

“Really?” she whispered.

He nodded. “This was not my plan. I lose my head completely when I’m near you.”

She sat up and turned to him. “I’m glad you did.” She lowered her voice. “That was amazing.”

He looked into her eyes, and yet again it stole her breath. Why would such an amazing man even look at her twice? She knew she was beautiful, but he was Zeus’ brother. Another goddess would make a more fitting queen.

His eyes darkened. “I can feel what you’re thinking. Stop it. In this, I will demand obedience.”

The firmness of his words sent a shiver through her. It startled and aroused her. “I’m sorry.”

He held up his hand to silence her. “I will have you as my queen. And when that day comes,” he said as he grasped her chin and brought her face close, “you will know how worthy you are to be so.”