Getting Naughty Pre-order Special #99cents #ContemporaryRomance #BoxedSet

Now available to pre-order for 99¢ before the price increases on release day, January 23rd

Getting Naughty: Twenty Tantalizing Tales 

includes Twenty Contemporary Romance Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati!

Grab this steamy collection for only 99¢ at all retailers:

ALICE’S SHEIKH ~ Suz deMello
A virginal English noblewoman finds herself under the complete control of an autocratic sheikh—an unexpectedly sexy one, who will do whatever he must to have her.

STEP BENEFITS: CINDERELLA SCANDAL ~ Nicole Austin
It was a onetime indulgence—a random encounter between strangers. A good girl’s dirty little secret with her bad boy stepbrother. Anything else is forbidden. Or is it?

BUYING ADAM ~ Marianne Stephens
Under false pretenses, Jessica wins Adam at a Charity Bachelor auction. Secret desires for each other ignite into passionate lovemaking. Will the truth divide them?

THE LOCH NESS MONSTER, ROMEO, AND JULIO ~ Berengaria Brown
Fraser Campbell and Cameron MacDonald are sent to Glasgow on business. Cam’s determined to see the Loch Ness monster. Fraser just wants Cam.

CHASING FLAVORGASMS ~ Francesca Hawley
When food blogger Taylor Simmons writes a scathing review of his restaurant, John “Doc” Holliday challenges her to return so he can give her the flavorgasm she’s been chasing her entire life.

MY WISH COME TRUE ~ Tina Donahue
Baby, it’s hot inside… For Laurel, Christmas so sucks. She’s out of a job, money, and luck until her neighbor, Scott, plays Santa. This tall, dark, and sexy hunk delivers sweet decadence and holiday magic that makes being bad oh-so-good.

THE LAKE BY MOONLIGHT ~ Katherine Kingston
Julie Forrester returns to Lake Como in Italy to evaluate some paintings for a former professor—and to re-evaluate her relationship with the man.

NAUGHTY BALLS ~ Suz deMello
Two college basketball players find themselves alone on V-Day evening. (M/F)

STEP BENEFITS: DIRTY PRINCESS ~ Nicole Austin
I’m sure there’s a rule in the friend code that makes lusting after your bestie forbidden. But if giving in to this off-the-charts chemistry is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

BACK IN YOUR ARMS ~ Marianne Stephens
Liz blames Brian’s family for the loss of her family’s inn. Seeking revenge, she contracts Brian to restore it. Will rekindled love spark between them?

CHOCOLATE-COATED REUNION ~ Berengaria Brown
Jake refuses to talk to Matt after he was very late on Christmas Eve. Matt’s determined to reconnect with Jake on Valentine’s Day.

SILENT SKY ~ Regina Kammer
I watched in horror as the twin towers collapsed, trying to remember if I’d told Scott I loved him before he left for New York.

HOT BUNS ~ Marianne Stephens
Angela offers to pay Vinnie to use his bakery ovens until hers are delivered. For financial reasons, he agrees. Being near her threatens his determination never to forgive her betrayal. When the truth surfaces, both must share the blame. Can smoldering love between them flame into passion once again?

THE RIDE OF HER LIFE ~ Tina Donahue
Maddy’s so desperate for fun, she’s signed up for speed dating. Ew. Before she can ditch the event, Ben, her sexy driver, arrives. After one sinfully hot kiss, they’re breaking all the rules, and then some, on a sensuous spring night.

FIREWORKS AT THE LAKE ~ Berengaria Brown
Andrew didn’t want to spend the Fourth of July long weekend with the people from the office so he goes to Lake Superior instead. There he sees Luke, a blond Viking who arouses every craving for love and lust inside him. But can he overcome his low self-esteem from when Rory rejected his love and open his heart to another man?

STEP BENEFITS: ROYAL BRAT ~ Nicole Austin
Loving two men—my stepbrothers—got me exiled to a foreign country. Without them I’m lost and alone, cast adrift on turbulent seas without a compass or rudder. In order to finally be together we’ll have to navigate a course through the landmine-infested waters of my traumatic past.

SAVING SOPHIA ~ Suz deMello
 “It doesn’t matter” is cynical Sophie Fortune’s motto. Then her best friend is killed and Sophie herself is attacked. Can Detective Inspector Nick Wendell keep her safe and heal her heart?

WINDOW DISPLAY ~ Regina Kammer
The apartment in Zurich was supposed to be the perfect disruption-free place to finish my dissertation. Trouble is, my room came with a very distracting view.

DEAR SANTA…I WANT A MAN FOR CHRISTMAS ~ Marianne Stephens
Frustrated with untrustworthy men, Melissa orders a man doll. When delivery guy, Nick, shows up, she has second thoughts about how to satisfy her needs.

FIST ME ~ Berengaria Brown
Maeve nearly fell off her barstool when sexy Taryn asked her to fist her. But is it the right thing to do?

*All titles have been previously published in Naughty Literati anthologies.*

Getting Naughty Contest

To celebrate the release of Getting Naughty: Twenty Tantalizing Tales, the Naughty Literati are giving away a 7" Kindle Fire loaded with books by our fabulous authors including:

The Naughty Literati’s complete boxed-set collection
Abducted by Lynn LaFleur
Alpha vs Alpha by Francesca Hawley
Charming the Masters by Katherine Kingston
Chocolate Coated Reunion by Berengaria Brown
Desire in Tartan by Suz deMello
Double Down: The Complete Duo by Nicole Austin
First Comes Desire by Tina Donahue
Not Too Tall To Love by Berengaria Brown
The Pleasure Device by Regina Kammer
The Woodsman by Belle Scarlett (Audible audiobook)
  
There are many ways to enter, including a daily bonus entry, so come back every day to increase your chances of winning. Good luck and happy reading!

Enter To Win A Kindle Fire Loaded With Books

Kindle Fire Winner

Congratulations to Erin M from Brooklyn on winning the Kindle Fire loaded with  books by the Naughty Literati authors.

Our sincere thanks to all who  entered and helped us celebrate the release of Naughty Beasts.
Happy reading!

Love Regency Romance? I sure do! And Here's Another by Suz deMello (#RegencyRomance)

Will he choose love or honor?

Orphaned Kate Scoville is trapped in a tower prison by her scheming uncle, who plans to wed her to his loathsome son in order to gain control of her fortune. Plucky and resourceful, Lady Kate escapes to London to ask for help from her guardian. She's sure the elderly Earl of Devere will help her in her plight.

Kate is astounded to find that the Earl has died, and his son has become her guardian.

Quinn, the present Earl, remembers Kate from his childhood as an awkward child he loved to taunt and tease. But now his ward has grown into a beautiful young woman. Though honor prevents Quinn from making Kate his, their attraction is irresistible…

Will Kate tempt Quinn into abandoning honor? Will the wicked uncle trap Kate, compromise her and steal her fortune?

First published as Hopelessly Compromised by Kensington/Zebra Books. Winner of the Beacon Award for Best Historical Romance.

What readers said about previous editions:

Five Stars! Regency Romance is Alive!

--B. Berry

Five Stars! Thoroughly Engaging Regency Romp

--Catherine Cavendish

Five Stars!

--Pandora

Five Stars! …so charming and lively…

--ldsfrost

Five Stars! Regency at Its Best!

--Judith Dedek

Here’s a snippet to pique your interest:

Kate smiled at Quinn. "I believe I've won your prize, my lord."

"So what shall you demand of me, sweet Kate?"

She tipped her head to one side and regarded him, still flirting with her eyes, her smile. He could tell she was nervous, yet expectant. He did not know if he should encourage her.

"I'm not quite sure yet." She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. "What do you have to give me, my lord?"

His voice rasped in his throat. "Quinn. Please, call me Quinn."

"My lord Quinn," she said, with just a trace of mocking good humor in her tone.

"Kate," he said, taking her chin gently between his long, strong fingers. She quivered slightly but did not pull away as he stroked her cheek. Her response rippled through her body as he drew her into his arms.

Yes. The first kiss was as sweet as he had known it would be. For a few moments, he forgot why he had denied his desire, and hers, for so long.

As he touched his lips to hers, it was as though a spark flashed between them, igniting their emotions. Their mouths caressed and danced. When his tongue sought admission, she did not refuse him entry. He groaned as his embrace tightened, pulling her onto his lap. She reached up, touching his shoulders, tentatively at first, then with more confidence as their kiss deepened. Her arms wound around his neck as he held her close. He could feel her breasts, barely confined by the flimsy muslin, pressing against his chest. Her heartbeat was quick as a rabbit's, and knowing she was excited aroused him all the more.

When they finally parted he regarded her with amazement. "My darling Kate. Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

Want to score a copy? 

Buy links:

Smashwords 

Amazon

(and why Smashwords, you ask? You can purchase any format you please there, and we authors get a bigger cut of the profits. So...Go, Smashwords!)

The Westerman Affair #NewRelease #HistoricalRomance #Erotica by Regina Kammer

The Westerman Affair is out!!

An acclaimed painter. His provocative muse. Her obliging husband.
The Westerman Affair.
A tale of spanking and polyamory in the Victorian art world

This is my first new full-length novel in a very long time and I am really excited to share it with you! (Isn't the cover gorgeous?!)

Amazon USA * Amazon UK * Amazon Canada * Amazon Australia

Barnes & Noble/Nook Press

Google Play

iBooks/iTunes

Kobo USA * Kobo Canada * Kobo Australia * Kobo New Zealand * Kobo UK * Kobo South Africa

Loose Id

The Artist
Charles Westerman, Victorian England’s most sought-after landscape painter, is finished with love affairs. Yet after a taste of forbidden passion at a private art exhibition, he knows he’s met his muse in Rosamund. Problem is she’s married. For the sake of his career, Charles simply cannot afford to be distracted by another disastrous entanglement, especially one with a married woman.

The Muse
Art curator Rosamund, Lady Threxton, needs a man to satisfy her predilection for spanking. Her husband, Jeremy, does not relish the role of chastiser and, besides, has his own mistress to please. Jeremy, however, is quite amenable to Rosamund seeking out another. Hired men from her favorite erotic club provide her with only a modicum of relief. The furtive fling with Charles, though, leaves Rosamund certain she’s found her perfect match.

The Arrangement
Rosamund and Jeremy’s marriage is curiously modern for stodgy Victorian society. Together, the couple try to entice Charles into an unusual arrangement. Will Charles risk the threat to his reputation to explore passions and proclivities he never knew existed—and discover desires he never knew he had?

The Westerman Affair
A tale of spanking and polyamory in the Victorian art world.

Add The Westerman Affair to your Goodreads shelves!

For excerpts, reviews, and more see the book page on my website!

About the Author

Regina Kammer is a librarian, an art historian, and an award-nominated, best-selling, multi-published writer of erotica and historical erotic romance. Her short stories and novels make history sexier, whether the era is Roman, Byzantine, Viking, American Revolution, or Victorian. She’s even sexed up contemporary settings, Steampunk, and Greco-Roman mythology. She has been published by Cleis Press, Go Deeper Press, Ellora’s Cave, House of Erotica, Story Ink, Loose Id, The Naughty Literati, and her own imprint, Viridium Press. She began writing historical fiction with romantic elements during National Novel Writing Month 2006, switching to erotica when all her characters suddenly demanded to have sex.

Keep up with Regina on her website

Subscribe to her newsletter Kammerotica News

Read her blog

Follow her on Twitter @Kammerotica

Or Google+

Like her on Facebook

Connect with her on Goodreads

See what’s new on her Amazon Author Page

Charlotte Boyett-Compo Book Winner

Congratulations to Jennifer H. from Florida on winning the one-of-a-kind Charlotte Boyett-Compo print book. 

Our sincere thanks to all who  entered and helped us celebrate the life of this strong, charismatic, sarcastic, creative, prolific author and dear friend who left us way too soon.


Happy reading!
The Naughty Literati authors

NAUGHTY BEASTS - Available Now!

NAUGHTY BEASTS: EIGHTEEN FABULOUS FANTASIES
Available Now!

Contains 18 Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Steampunk Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurbs:

BUY ME A ROSE

Francesca Hawley

Jessica and Nathaniel Whitewolf celebrate their thirtieth anniversary as True Mates, but they’ve lost their bond. Now a hot couples’ retreat will get it back.

HOW TO BLACKMAIL A VAMPIRE (BLOOD MATES 1)

Belle Scarlett

In the spring, a vampire’s fancy turns to the blood lust mating hunt. A pretty, human blackmailer becomes the object of his thirst, but she’s not into vampires. Yet.

HYBRID MATES: MERRY CHRISTMAS, KITTEN

Nicole Austin

Sirena Petra wants one thing for Christmas—an orgasm. And sex toy expert Kenyon Fort has exactly what the lion shifter needs to find more than just her happy place.

VIKING IN TARTAN

Suz deMello

Medieval romance from the Highland Vampires series. A Viking raider brings change to little Clan Kilbirnie, especially to the chieftain’s daughter, Rhona.

HYBRID MATES: MY VALENTINE LOVERS

Nicole Austin

All I want for Valentine’s Day is to get barbed by a feline shifter and act out a few of the naughty twin fantasies getting me hot and bothered.

PERFECTLY PRESENTED

Berengaria Brown

Blake sees Xavier agonizing over unclaimed gift tags for poor children on the holiday tree. Will Blake tell Xavier about his past and his problem?

HYBRID MATES: MY KIND OF LOVER

Nicole Austin

Badass biker girl, accountant, lioness shifter—I’m all that and more. And this hybrid wolf thinks he can take me on? Bring it, you sexy beast! I’ve got this.

SOPHIE’S CHRISTMAS GARGOYLE

Katherine Kingston

When Sophie helps rescue a battered woman, she gets more than one surprise from the woman’s other self-appointed protector.

HYBRID MATES: SEX ME UP

Nicole Austin

One night at a Paris sex club—no strings, complications, or inhibitions—just lots of fantasy sex. But in the morning I forgot the most important rule. Never run from a feline predator—they live for the chase.

IMMORTAL HUNTERS

Suz deMello

Vampire Rama avoids attention by working nights as a private investigator. No one cares if some bad guys disappear on her shift. Then Detective John van Helsing shows up. Bearing the name of the vamps’ greatest foe, he interferes in her case and in her life. Friend, lover, or enemy?

THE BERMUDA LOVE TRIANGLE

(PACK MASTERS 1)

Belle Scarlett

Castaway in the Bermuda Triangle, Trista finds herself torn between two sexy shifters. Neither will share her so she must choose between them. Decision, decisions…

OCEAN DREAMS

Suz deMello

Marine biologist Sandi has never forgotten Blue, the baby dolphin with whom she bonded. Reunited with him years later, she discovers he’s a shapeshifter in the sexiest possible way.

HER GARGOYLE GUARDIAN

Katherine Kingston

Ginny decides to pursue a relationship with Ben despite the risks to her heart. She can cope with his claim that he’s a shape-shifting gargoyle, but his warning that they will have only a short time together gives her pause.

NO GENTLEMAN

Francesca Hawley

Librarian Abby Kelly comes west finding a roguish shapeshifter who desires her. Will Goldwolf is no gentleman, but Abby discovers he’s just what she wants.

WERE THE HELL?

Berengaria Brown

Septimus has to learn why no female weres have been born into his pack. When he walks into the meeting room he smells his mate. A male.

*These titles have been previously published in earlier Naughty Literati boxed-sets.*

Naughty Beasts Contest

To celebrate the release of NAUGHTY BEASTS, the Naughty Literati are giving away a 7" Kindle Fire loaded with books by our fabulous authors including:

The Naughty Literati’s complete boxed-set collection
Abducted by Lynn LaFleur
Alpha vs Alpha by Francesca Hawley
Charming the Masters by Katherine Kingston
Chocolate Coated Reunion by Berengaria Brown
Desire in Tartan by Suz deMello
Double Down: The Complete Duo by Nicole Austin
First Comes Desire by Tina Donahue
Not Too Tall To Love by Berengaria Brown
The Pleasure Device by Regina Kammer
The Woodsman by Belle Scarlett (Audible audiobook)
  
There are many ways to enter, including a daily bonus entry, so come back every day to increase your chances of winning. Good luck and happy reading!

Contest begins December 12th.

Enter To Win A Kindle Fire Loaded With Books

Excerpt from Were the Hell? by Berengaria Brown

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
Septimus has to learn why no female weres have been born into his pack. When he walks into the meeting room he smells his mate. A male.

Copyright © Berengaria Brown, 2017

Septimus had sometimes wondered if he’d only ever been sexually attracted to other males because there were so few younger females in his pack, and the few there were didn’t light his fire. But the minute he walked into the meeting room with the weres from the Forest Hill pack, he knew he was genuinely, one hundred percent gay. He could smell his mate.

His cock stood up and fought to get out of his jeans, stretching the fabric so tight that he was going to have blue balls for a week. The tiny hairs on the back of his neck were also standing straight up. His skin tingled, electrified with sexual arousal. And the scent of his mate was overpowering him, dragging him into the room with almost physical force.

His nose led him unerringly to his mate—a tall, lean man of about thirty, with tanned brown skin, dark brown hair, and liquid chocolate eyes. Those eyes were staring at him, and the man’s strong nose was flared, smelling his scent. From the huge bulge in his pale cargo pants, the man was every bit as aware of him as he was of Mr. Tall, Tan, and Delectable.

As Septimus walked across the room, his cock leading the way, the man moved to meet him. Their gazes were locked, and Septimus was totally oblivious to everyone else in the room and the task he’d been sent to do. He was about to put out his hand when the other man reached him and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him in for a hard, body-blending hug.

“I’m Dai. We’re mates.” The words were harsh, bitten off, said almost as a challenge.

“Septimus. I know.”

The Alpha of the Forest Hill pack stood just a few feet away. He coughed, cleared his throat, then said, “Gentlemen, let’s get this meeting underway. Dai, you should sit next to Septimus, not in your usual place.”

So even the Alpha smelled their attraction. That certainly proved he was not being misled by his cock.

Excerpt from No Gentleman by Francesca Hawley

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
Librarian Abby Kelly comes west finding a roguish shapeshifter who desires her. Will Goldwolf is no gentleman, but Abby discovers he’s just what she wants.

Copyright © Francesca Hawley, 2017

Chapter One

Whitewolf, Colorado, December 1905

“All the books have been shelved, Mrs. Kelly.” Lizzy Redwolf pinned on her hat. “With it being Friday night, you’d best be leaving shortly. You know how those men at the saloon can get.”

“Yes, I certainly do, Mrs. Redwolf.”

Abigail Kelly straightened her shoulders as she finished cataloging the newest books for the library. It wouldn’t be long until the noise of her nearest neighbors took over the night and brawls would spill out the doors and into the streets. So far she’d managed to avoid all of it.

All of it but the saloon owner himself. William Goldwolf made his disapproval of the new town library—and by extension, the new librarian—perfectly clear. The kindest thing he’d said was that the library was a waste of taxpayer’s money. Abigail fought her habitual scowl when thinking about that man. Unfortunately, she found herself thinking about him far too often.

“Well, now. I’m off to feed my husband and young’uns.”

“I’ll walk you out and lock up.” Abigail stood and took her keys off the ring at her waist. “Did you lock the back entrance?”

Lizzy stuttered to a halt and put her hand to her mouth. “Oh no. I’m sorry. I forgot.”

Abigail smiled and patted her shoulder. “I’ll get the door after I lock up the front. This is where all the rough types are, after all.”

“Right you are, and it’s early yet,” the other woman laughed, “Now, in an hour…”

“Just so.”

“Night, Ma’am.” Lizzy opened the door and headed out into the late afternoon sunlight.

“Good Evening.”

Abigail carefully adjusted the evergreen wreath hanging there, locked the door and tested it. The last thing she wanted was some hooligan coming in and spilling beer or worse, on her fine marble floors. She went directly to the rear entrance of the library and locked that door as well.

She’d leave by the back when she’d finished her business. The further she was from the saloon, the happier she’d be. Drunken men brought back unpleasant memories of her late husband. Drunk or sober he'd been charming, but when he was drunk he gambled and when he gambled, he lost. She hated having her hard earned wages lost to the turn of a card or the roll of the dice. In spite of it all, she missed him and she missed their loving even more. Just the thought of a man's strong arms around her caused her breath to catch and her body to tremble.

Abigail sighed, then set about tending the fireplaces, putting out fires and laying a new one for the morning. It was growing colder, and it had snowed that morning. She was used to snow, but not quite so much as fell in the mountains of Colorado. Christmas was less than a week away and the countryside looked like a painting. Peaceful. Beautiful. It would be her first all alone. She was pleased she’d accepted this position, but she wished for some friends to share her time.

She returned to the main desk and began to put away her work for the day. The cards she’d created for the card catalog would need to be filed in the morning and the new books shelved. So many things to do.

A battered snow-dusted hat landed on her desk and she jumped with a shriek. Her gaze flew upward. Straight into the ice blue eyes of William Goldwolf. She couldn’t contain her growl of exasperation.

“How did you get in?”

He dangled a key in front of her.

“I see. Well, good evening, Mr. Goldwolf. What brings you into this useless house of worship for slow minds?”

He chuckled as she quoted him verbatim from the last library board meeting. She still couldn’t understand why he’d been asked to be a member of the board. He didn’t support their mission to educate the citizenry. She'd yet to meet a more quarrelsome man and she utterly refused to acknowledge the thrill that went through her whenever they were in the same room.

A smile tilted the corner of his mouth as he sat down on her desk, knowing how she hated it. Abigail bit the inside of her cheek to keep from chasing him off her desk, aflutter like an angry wet hen. An epithet he’d used to describe her on more than one occasion. She clutched the back of her chair, hoping to keep her temper…this time.

“Maybe I want to check out a book, Mrs. Kelly.” She raised her brows but kept her mouth closed. Abigail could do without further provocation this evening. “Isn’t it your job to help me find somethin’, what did you call it? Ah yeah, improving to the mind,” He chuckled as he quoted her, eastern accent and all.

She clutched the chair harder because she refused to get into an argument with this man today. “I can recommend a number of possibilities. Perhaps the Bible might be fitting.”

“Improving to the mind, sure enough, but where’s the fun in that?”

“Fun?” Abigail's mouth fall open.

“Yeah, shouldn’t readin’ be fun?” He leaned over, set a single finger under her chin and pressed. She closed her open mouth and pulled her head away from his touch. Exasperating man! She would absolutely ignore that his touch had set her heart fluttering in a way she’d forgotten she could feel.

Excerpt from Her Gargoyle Guardian by Katherine Kingston

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
Ginny decides to pursue a relationship with Ben despite the risks to her heart. She can cope with his claim that he’s a shape-shifting gargoyle, but his warning that they will have only a short time together, gives her pause.


Copyright © Katherine Kingston, 2017

The part of Washington, D.C. where Ginny lived, in the shadow of the national cathedral, got quieter at night, but never completely silent. Traffic sounds, a constant buzz, mixed with the occasional distant roar of an airplane or clatter of a train to form a white noise backdrop to her quick walk from the bus stop to the apartment she rented in an older house. Getting home late in the evening was one of the downsides of her second-shift job at the hospital. Once she could afford a car, it wouldn’t be a problem, but she still had student loans to pay off.

Moments after she got off the bus, the other sound was there as well. For the past several weeks, she’d been noticing an odd noise as she headed for home. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear it was the sound of wings flapping. Whenever she turned to look, though, she didn’t see anything or anyone there. It added to her uneasiness on the walk.

When trouble did come that night in late fall, though, it hit her from a different direction entirely. As she turned a corner, an older man in a ragged trench coat reached forward from the wall he leaned against and snagged a hand around the strap of her shoulder bag, yanking it toward him. Ginny wrapped her wrist around the strap and wrestled him for it. At the same time she fought her reaction to the miasma of fumes surrounding the purse snatcher, a ghastly mix of alcohol breath and unwashed body. Nothing she hadn’t smelled before at the hospital, but at least there she could don a mask.

The guy was surprisingly strong and she was losing the tug-of-war for her purse when a new party entered the fray. A tall dark figure did a karate-type chop on the purse-snatcher’s arm causing him to howl and let go of the strap. Ginny rocked backward but found her balance.

“Never again,” the newcomer growled in a deep, gravelly voice that didn’t need much enhancement to sound menacing. “Never again attack a woman. Or anyone. No stealing.” Ginny shivered, though the words weren’t directed at her.

“I won’t,” the purse-snatcher stammered. “Promise I won’t. Think my arm’s broken.” He cradled it against his body.

Ginny sighed and approached him, steeling herself against the smell. “Don’t touch my bag again. Let me feel your arm. I’m a nurse.”

Trembling, he held it out to her. She ran her fingers over a very thin arm from wrist to elbow and stopped when he cried out in pain. She pulled her cell phone from the bag and called 9-1-1, explained that she’d found an older man on the sidewalk who seemed to have a broken arm. They promised to send an ambulance.

“I’ll wait here with you,” she told the old man. Her rescuer, a very tall figure wearing a dark, enveloping cloak and a ball cap with a long bill pulled down low over his face to hide his features, hadn’t said another word, but he stayed close by.

To pass the time and distract the man from his pain, she asked, “Why did you try to take my bag?”

He took a long time to answer. “Need money. Hungry. And thirsty. Know it’s wrong, but the urge just took me.”

“And now you have a broken arm as a result. There are easier ways.”

Ginny sighed and fumbled in her bag. She took out a ten dollar bill and handed it to the man as a siren wailed in the distance. “After they treat you get some food.” The screech grew rapidly closer, until the ambulance stopped beside them and the medics jumped out. After some checking of vital signs and condition, they put a splint on the arm and loaded the man into their truck to take to the hospital.

Her rescuer had hung back in the shadows while the medics were there, but once they departed he came to her again.

“You took care of him and gave him money even though he tried to rob you. Why?” he asked bluntly.

“He’s a poor, sick old man. It was wrong to try to steal, but he’s paying a stiff price for it. I feel sorry for him.”

The stranger made no reply to that directly, but moved with her when she turned toward home. “I’ll stay with you until you get to your house.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” His cloak flapped in the gentle breeze. “It’s been you. I’ve thought someone has been following me from the bus stop to the house for the last few weeks. Who are you? Why are you doing that?”

“It’s what I do.”

“Guard people? Not just me?”

“Not just you. But you...” He hesitated. “You interest me the most.”

Excerpt From Ocean Dreams by Suz deMello

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
Marine biologist Sandi has never forgotten Blue, the baby dolphin with whom she bonded. Reunited with him years later, she discovers he’s a shapeshifter in the sexiest possible way.

Copyright © Suz deMello, 2017

...the first encounter between a dolphin shifter and his human mate.

*****

She framed his face in her hands, thinking, I’m insane, but kissed him anyway.

He kissed back, a little hesitantly, and she thought, He’s never done this before. At least, not with a human. She was both scared and excited. She didn’t want to rush him, so she opened her lips just a tiny fraction.

He followed, and after their lips had melded and played, she opened a little more and allowed her tongue to gently touch his mouth. When he seemed accepting, she used the tip to tickle the sensitive inner lining of his lips.

He gasped and bucked against her, his substantial erection thrusting against her mound. She slid her hands down his back, finding a small hard lump near the spine. She wondered what it was, but chose to ignore it, instead dropping her hands to his hips. She pressed him against her more firmly while continuing to introduce him to deep kissing.

He moaned into her mouth and tangled one hand in her hair. The other stroked her face, then slipped downward, caressing her throat with respectful fingertips before palming her breast.

 He’s never touched a human breast before me. He took his time, which wasn’t surprising, molding and cupping before he tugged up her pullover and found her bra. He explored it, the lace scratchy against her sensitized skin, then drew it aside to find her nipple.

 Or a nipple.

Human nipples weren’t much like dolphin nips and he seemed quite interested, lingering long, circling the nipple. The flesh hardened, and an “oh” escaped his lips.

Intoxicating, the combined sensations—the kissing, the breast play and his cock against her mound. She was swelling along with him, dampening, ready. Very ready.

Excerpt from The Bermuda Love Triangle by Belle Scarlett

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
Castaway in the Bermuda Triangle, Trista finds herself torn between two sexy shifters. Neither will share her so she must choose between them. Decisions, decisions…

Copyright © Belle Scarlett, 2017

“MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. Miami Tower this is Whiskey Tango Foxtrot 3, a Cessna 152 with total engine failure attempting emergency water landing. Repeat, we are going to ditch. Last known position nine hundred and thirty-two miles northeast of Miami from Bermuda. Latitude 25.48North, 80.18West. Fifteen hundred feet heading two hundred degrees…no, wait. My magnetic compass just went tits up. It’s spinning like a top. Last stated known position is…incorrect. We are off course and broadcasting in the blind. Do you read, Tower? Repeat, do you read? My altimeter is going haywire. I’ve lost all navigational systems. I’m losing airspeed. Tower, please advise…”

Trista stared in shock at the back of the pilot’s head of thick brown hair. His rugged frame filled the small cockpit directly in front of her. As he barked terse intel into his headset mic, the small aircraft jolted and lurched through the choppy air over the Atlantic. Meanwhile, her heart felt like it was pounding somewhere in the vicinity of her throat.

Her fingers dug into her passenger seat armrests. She automatically looked for reassurance at the dark-haired, broad-shouldered man folded into the spare passenger seat to her right, also sandwiched behind the cockpit. As if feeling her panicked gaze upon his skin, his sharp, dark-green eyes swerved to hers in silent reply.

This was bad. Shitty bad. And they both knew it.

“Well, I suppose they don’t call it ‘The Devil’s Triangle’ for nothing,” she quipped weakly. Neither man in the small plane laughed.

Up front, the pilot’s deep, resonant voice tenaciously repeated the distress call on his headset, apparently still getting no reply from Miami. “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. Miami Tower this is Whiskey Tango Foxtrot 3…”

The small plane’s nose dipped sharply. Then came a giant bang. The passenger-side door popped open followed by turbulent air rushing in with the force of a giant’s warm breath.

Trista’s stomach lurched at the turbulence. Had her seatbelt not been clipped snugly across her lap, she no doubt would have been tossed to the low ceiling of the small plane like a piece of hollow straw and sucked right out of that open door to free fall a couple of thousand feet into the sea.

The pilot struggled expertly with the plane’s yoke to control the craft’s wild descent.

“All things considered, I have to say this has been one hell of a vacation I’ll never forget,” she whispered to no one in particular.

Outside the small circle of glass to her left, the vast, dark-blue Atlantic was getting far too big in her window.

“Don’t look. Hold on to me,” the other passenger by her side commanded over the din of rushing air. She loved his voice—strong as oak and calm as a summer night. She clung to it like a beacon in a maelstrom.

“Whatever happens, don’t let go of me. Do you hear?” His firm, confident tone acted like smooth, aged whiskey to dull her jumpy nerves. She nodded dumbly and found her hand engulfed in the warm grip of the large man seated next to her. Her fingers curled trustingly around his. If he said everything would be okay, it would be.

They were falling into the sea with alarming speed now. Yet his touch had the ability to make her feel as safe as if she were in a peaceful meadow.

The plane rattled uncontrollably as it glided just above the waves. She squeezed her eyes shut.

The Cessna skipped off the ocean’s surface. And broke apart.

*****

She sank into the liquid darkness that enveloped her. A sudden reverse current of warm seawater sucked her away from strong, grasping hands that had somehow held her fast during the final moments of the crash. Those capable fingers had managed to unbuckle her seatbelt as the ocean rushed into the open passenger door, filling the small craft’s submerged passenger compartment and cockpit with seawater and a plethora of furious bubbles.

Now she was free of the plane, drifting under the ocean surface. It was like bathwater, really. She was quite content—relaxed even. Except that her head throbbed. And she couldn’t open her eyes. Where was she? What had happened? All of a sudden, answers to those questions were cloudy.

There was a more immediate problem. Her burning lungs were now trying to breathe in saltwater. That wasn’t exactly going well.

She felt a relentless grip on her arm. Someone pulled her upward, toward the surface. The air hit her face. A sharp blow landed between her shoulder blades. She choked and sputtered, the seawater spewing from her lungs and out of her mouth. All at once she could breathe again, but still her eyes did not open.

She was spent, draped limply against a muscled torso, her nose and lips buried in the curve of his neck. The sensation of bobbing buoyantly in the swells assailed her as he treaded water for them both with powerful sweeps of his legs. By now, she’d know his touch in the dark. But who was he? It seemed important that she remember that detail.

“Do you have her?” he shouted from somewhere over the waves.

“Over here,” the same male voice growled a reply somewhere in the vicinity of her right ear.

Her mind slipped into blankness after that. She didn’t know for how long.

Then the two voices that were one and the same echoed again in her ears from opposite directions mingled with the sloshing of waves. The words were fuzzy and made little impression on her, except that the voice in her ear and the one a short distance away sounded like the same man. How strange that he should be talking to himself. Whoever he was.

“I’ve got it inflated…”

“…her into the raft. Hurry.”

“I’m trying, Thane. Damn it…”

“Hold her steady, this is…”

“…damn the sharks.”

“…careful with her, Alec!”

She yearned to open her eyes. She wanted to see the owner of that intoxicating whiskey voice and thank him. But her eyelids felt like lead. If she tried to force them open she just knew the pain in her head would split her skull in two.

She felt a firm but gentle touch all over her body, checking her limbs and the sensitive area at the top of her ribcage, just underneath her breasts. Even in her slumbering state that light, probing touch created a primal sense of warmth and well-being deep within her.

“No broken bones.”

Her mind tried to focus on his soothing, deep tones as an anchor to keep her floating near the surface of consciousness. It was no use. She drifted down again, in and out of partial consciousness, only overhearing occasional snippets of urgently spoken words here and there like a radio station broadcasting with a weak signal.

“...do something about that cut on her head…”

“Over there. Do you see it? It’s…”

“…current’s pulling us away from the shoreline.”

“…keep paddling, Alec.”

Her mind eased back into full, blessed unconsciousness. She knew no more for some time.

*****

She heard a rustling in the foliage behind her and whirled around. The giant wolf emerged from the tree line that ended many yards from the precipice where she stood nude in the moonlight. Her shoulder-length hair stirred against her bare neck in the island breeze sweetly perfumed by the indigenous fauna. The wolf padded silently toward her, head raised proudly to look her in the eye.

“Stay back!” She took an unconscious step backward toward the cliff’s edge.

“…you hear me? Trista? Wake up, cowgirl.” The man’s deep voice sounded from somewhere above her. She was glad he was back.

Excerpt from Immortal Hunters by Suz deMello

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
Vampire Rama avoids attention by working nights as a private investigator. No one cares if some bad guys disappear on her shift. Then Detective John van Helsing shows up. Bearing the name of the vamps’ greatest foe, he interferes in her case and in her life. Friend, lover or enemy?

Copyright © Suz deMello, 2017

 

Chapter One

Being a vampire can suck… Oops, sorry about the bad pun. Well, it’s true, it can bite… Yikes, there I go again. What I mean to say is that it has its ups and downs. I’m virtually immortal, which is pretty cool. My hair and nails don’t grow, but when I awaken, they’ve been restored to the state they were in when I became undead. It’s inconvenient, since I grew up in a shithole with no running water. A mani-pedi was not merely unavailable but unimaginable. I was an unkempt mess when I was changed, so every evening when I awaken, I devote an hour or two to personal grooming. My long black hair is a no-brainer. Up it goes into a French twist or a braid. Nails are more difficult.

So there I was one night on surveillance, tucked into the comfy front seat of my undistinguished Camry in a dark corner of Santa Martina, contemplating the choices I faced—Mango Madness or Ruby Delite? Through my increasingly foggy windshield, I occasionally cast a glance at the crappy apartment half a block away where I’d run my quarry to ground. Soon I’d take him, after the lights were doused and he’d fallen asleep.

I work for a private investigation firm, and my boss understands my rules. First of all, ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies. Second, night jobs only.

And if a bad guy or two—or three or five or seven—disappears during my shifts, nobody really cares. Operating in Santa Martina is especially convenient due to its location, the northern California coast. Offshore lies a marine mammal sanctuary. Because of the plethora of seals and otters, lots of great whites come to call. The occasional surfer gets chomped. Bodies disappear, or they may wash up on shore, drained of blood.

Get the picture?

As I was saying, there I was one night, picking at a chipped edge of the Ruby Delite flaking off my left index fingernail when someone tapped on my window.

I could see a uniform, so I unrolled. “What’s up, officer?” I asked in a pleasant tone. No sense offending local law enforcement, you know.

“We’ll have to ask you to move along, ma’am,” he said, an officer at his most officious.

We? I looked beyond the uniform and there he was—a suit. An undercover dick on my turf.

In gray pinstripes, he would have been as inconspicuous as I if it hadn’t been for his cornpone, white bread, wheat-fed wholesome handsomeness. Blue-eyed and blond, he would have screamed “farm boy” in TV Land, but in California most farm workers are Hispanic or Asian immigrants.

“Well, if it isn’t John-Boy Walton,” I drawled.

He drew closer, no doubt taking in my black hair, black eyes, black leather, red slash of a mouth and white, white skin. ”Well, if it isn’t Ms. Goth Barbie,” he drawled. Back atcha, honey.

I couldn’t stifle my smile. I like a man with a quick tongue—they have more than one use. “It’s Hestia, actually. Hestia White.”

“Hestia? The Greek goddess of hearth and home? That’s incongruous.”

My smile broadened. I knew few men with “incongruous” in their vocabularies, and fewer still who knew the meaning of the name I cynically used. I liked him. Shame I had to run him off.

He leaned against my door panel, ignoring the condensation wetting his elegant gray pinstriped sleeve. “Well, Ms. Hestia White, you do need to move on out. Police business.”

I lounged back in my seat. “But I kinda like it here.”

“Why? This isn’t the nicest part of Santa Martina. Completely lacks the charm of the marina or the nightlife in downtown.”

I looked into his blue, blue eyes. “I prefer down and dirty.”

He met my gaze without faltering. “I could arrest you for loitering.” He leaned closer, partway into my window. “Take you in. Lock you up.”

“Ooh, handcuffs.” I shivered theatrically.

“Actually, Ms. White, we’re on the job.” His voice had gone crisp and businesslike.

“Actually, Detective Whoever, so am I.” I flipped open my wallet to flash my P.I. license.

His eyes widened. “How come I’ve never heard of you?”

I shrugged. “I keep a low profile. Safer that way. Hey, I’ve shown you mine, so why don’t you show me yours?”

I’d teased out a reluctant smile, one that reached deep inside to heat me from my brain to my box. Yes, that box. I was surprised. Mortals don’t usually turn me on.

He reached for his wallet to show me his shield and I.D. John van Helsing. A tremor ran through me, ruffling the tiny hairs on my nape and my arms. Was it chance that this detective bore the name of the most famous enemy of my kind?

“John-Boy,” I said with phony delight.

Excerpt from Sex Me Up by Nicole Austin

Part of the Naughty Beasts: Shifters, Vamps & Gargoyles, Oh My! anthology - Pre-order Now!

Contains 15 Shapeshifter, Vampire & Gargoyle Stories from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati

Find it here:

Blurb:
One night at a Paris sex club—no-strings, complications or inhibitions—just lots of fantasy sex. But in the morning I forgot the most important rule. Never run from a feline predator—they live for the chase.

Copyright © Nicole Austin, 2017

Tessa goes first, having a private discussion with Sheila and I step away to wait my turn feeling rather shell-shocked. I step up to the bar, lean heavily into the padded edge and exhale a hard breath, blowing a wisp of hair away from my eyes. A snifter of dark amber liquid appears in front of me and I look up into the dark, knowing eyes of an ursine male.

“A Primal Delights virgin.” He nudges the glass toward my hand. “Drink this. It will help.”

I chuckle and pick up the glass with a nod of thanks. “That obvious?”

“I’ve worked here long enough to recognize the wide-eyed look of a first-timer.”

Gently swirling the glass and allowing my palm to warm the liquid, I take a deep breath, enjoying the rich scent of the cognac, feeling better before even tasting the first sip. The liquor goes down smooth, spreading fingers of relaxing warmth through me.

“I didn’t realize how involved it would be.” I gaze at his shirt, looking for a name tag.

“Conall,” he says in a thick Irish brogue and extends his hand. The butterflies are fluttering about again. I’m such a sucker for accents.

My small hand is engulfed in the warmth of his larger one and my voice comes out on a breathy rasp. “Lindy.”

“American,” he states. Leaning over the bar, Conall turns my hand in his grasp and places a warm kiss against my wrist. “How long will you be gracing our fine city?”

“Irish devil,” I remark in a bland tone, enjoying the view as his lips spread into a broad smile.

“Devilish enough to earn the pleasure of yer company in a private room?” He pours it on thick and arches his brow in inquiry.

Oh, I like Conall. He’s a welcome reprieve.

“Hmm…,” I murmur and take another sip of cognac while drinking him in. Wavy brown hair, sparkling bronze eyes, dark stubble shadowing a strong jaw, tall and leanly muscled. Handsome and charming but not flipping my lust switch, dammit. Still, I don’t want to turn him down flat. “A possibility…after I explore for a bit.”

He sighs and nods to my now empty snifter. “Favor another?”

“Yes, please.”

Conall refills the glass then glances over my shoulder. “Looks like ‘tis yer turn with the matchmaker.”

I turn to find Sheila headed my way and mutter, “Oh boy.”

As we walk over to her booth, my gaze skates around the ballroom but I don’t see Tessa anywhere. A small tendril of alarm tightens my chest. What if I don’t find her again?

Sensing my unease, Sheila stops at a door with a plaque reading Lounge. “At the end of the evening, you can reconnect with your companion in here.”

“Thank you.” Expelling a relieved breath, I start to relax, thanks to the cognac spreading through my body.

“I was approached by a male who expressed interest in you.”

And there went any sense of relaxation. Sheila’s statement takes me by surprise and has the butterflies acting up again.

“Really? Who?” I lift the glass to my lips and take a surreptitious glance around but see no one nearby.

Picking up a tablet from the counter, she taps the screen and a devastatingly gorgeous male’s face appears. He has warm, honey-blond hair with streaks of color from platinum to chestnut. Vibrant green eyes, crinkled slightly at the corners, pierce right through me. He has a broad Roman nose with a sloping tip above sensual, soft looking lips and a chiseled, square jaw with the perfect amount of dark stubble to keep him from being too beautiful.

“Hello, Lindy.” His voice strokes my name, wrapping around me, warm and enticing. It’s a deep, whiskey-rough tone that I’d love to hear whisper naughty things in my ear.

Clutching the tablet, I pause the video and wander away from the booth to sit on the edge of a plush couch. Sliding my finger over the screen, I restart the video from the beginning.

“Hello, Lindy.” A breathy sigh passes my lips. God, the way his voice caresses my name.

“My name is Sebastian.”

“Sebastian.” I breathe his name, liking the way it rolls over my tongue.

“You walked into the club tonight and took my breath away. I would love to meet you, perhaps share a drink and some conversation. See where it may lead.” His lips move sinuously, forming innocuous words. Remarkably, I feel my body heating, my breasts swelling, growing heavy. It has to be those fathomless, intense eyes. They stir something inside me, inexplicably drawing me in.

“If that interests you, Sheila will escort you to the private booth where I am waiting.” His eyes stare into me as if he sees right into my soul.

“Don’t keep me waiting.” The last comes out firm, a command.

Normally dominant males make my hackles rise, but the seduction of his husky voice has me eager to comply. Still, I take my time to consider his offer. Swiping my finger over the screen, I watch the short video again, squirming on my seat. There’s really no decision to be made. He’s the one. The male I traveled all this way for. I know it.