Sugar walked to the Omegas’ apartment. Quiet dominated their corner of the building since Mr. Pal Robi’s arrival last week. She’d seen them when she went out on her garden balcony to water the plants last night. They jogged with their vampire trainer on the sidewalk. He ran, and they straggled behind. Other than that she hadn’t seen any of them. No one came over to visit. Not even Katrina, who had become a permanent fixture in her home.
She stood in front of their door and wiped her sweaty palms on her old, worn jeans. Maybe I should have changed.
The thought irritated her. She’d never worried about her looks before he moved in. She’d never lusted after a man like this either. Her past lovers always started as emotional relationships, then grew into something physical. What she experienced with Daedalus seemed more animalistic. If she fucked him and got it over with, then maybe her mind would clear. The memory of his sexy half-smile with a wink haunted her every night. Those blue eyes, broad shoulders, firm body, bald head—
The apartment door swung open, and the demon of her fantasies stood staring at her, shirtless. A thin sheen of sweat covered his pale skin as if he’d been doing some vigorous exercises. It made him shine. The circular tattoo she’d glimpsed through his shirt on their first meeting covered his heart, a black snake eating its tail.
He gave her a crooked smile, melting her to the spot. “Hello, sweetness. I got tired of waiting for you to knock.” He stepped back and gestured for her to come in.
As she entered the Omegas’ apartment she noticed the place looked cleaner than usual. Five wolves under one roof could make quite a clutter. Daedalus must have them run a tighter ship.
“How did you know I was out in the hall?” A little shaken after his sudden appearance, her concentration slipped and she couldn’t remember her reason for being there. His being half-naked didn’t help.
“I have a good sense of smell.” He closed the door behind her.
“You smelled me? Good to know for future reference.”
Fingers ran through her curls as she walked past him. She glanced over her shoulder, but his back faced her while he locked the door. It must have been her imagination. The touch felt real though. Did he move that fast?
He finished with the locks and turned around. “I heard you walk down the hall too. Why were you waiting?”
She didn’t know, looking for some courage maybe or a little self-confidence with an internal pep talk. “I was thinking about going back for a book Sam wanted to borrow,” she lied. Something unsettling occurred to her. “Can you read minds too?”
He chuckled and leaned in close, his nose almost touching hers. “Possibly. Are you thinking dirty thoughts?”
“No!” Her cheeks burned.
“Then I guess I can’t.”
Did that mean he was thinking them?
He brushed past her to sit on the worn, beige couch. His touch sent a thrill through her, it unnerved her too. He tapped the cushion next to him.
Out of her element around him and his flirtatious ways, she sat in the armchair across from the couch. His request to sit next to him ignored since she couldn’t trust herself to not jump on his lap. Her lack of self-control surprised her. She allowed her eyes to roam his handsome face to his bare chest, each time she jerked them back up to meet his stare, they’d meander back down to those well-defined muscles.
An unfamiliar quiet filled the living room, where laughter and banter normally flooded the space. “Is anyone else home?”
“No.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. The heat in his gaze grew as he made his interest in her clearer. “We have the place to ourselves. What did you have in mind?”
At the breakfast table near the kitchen, Izzorah waited with hands folded in his lap for Luc to join him. He perked up his ears at the sound of his lover's footsteps.
Luc bent down to kiss him. "Good morning, love." He joined him at the table. "Are you sore?"
Drooping both ears down and back, Izzorah lowered his gaze and gave one negative shake of his head. I spent the night stark naked around this man, yet here I am blushing over a question? Izzy, get a grip. He aligned the flatware at his place. "Are you hungry?"
"Starved." Luc snapped open his napkin. "I think we both worked up an appetite."
Izzorah's cheeks blazed. He bit his lips, chuckling. "I know I did." He smiled up at Luc through his lashes.
They'd slept until they felt like rising, and woke to make love one more time. A leisurely shower where they'd scrubbed and shampooed each other had led to another quick session in the water. Izzorah was barefoot, but had pulled on his favorite Iron Soul T-shirt and a pair of loose jeans. Luc wore slippers, dark lounge pants, and a white T-shirt covered by his robe.
Does this man ever go barefoot or dress sloppy? Izzorah grinned. Prolly not, since a former supermodel used to live in his house. Or had Luc always been this well groomed? Hmm. Guess we'll see.
Luc's scent changed so subtly, Izzorah almost missed it.
He's hiding something! Izzorah flicked his ears outward, listening for clues, and gave a few sniffs. Something good. But what? Oooh, a surprise. He cleared his throat. "Um, Luc? What are you planning?"
"Planning?" He smiled, his scent full of conflicting layers of smells. Definitely hiding something.
Izzorah sniffed again.
"What?" Luc folded his hands on the table. "Your Kin nose is working overtime this morning. What is it you smell?"
"A surprise."
Luc widened his dark eyes and rested against the back of his chair. "How the hell do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"How do you know what I'm thinking?"
"Oh, I -- uh..." Luc's scent filled with an almost burnt butterscotch smell. Worry. Izzorah put his ears down and placed both hands in his lap. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spoil it."
"It's all right, love. I've never met a Kin who could smell emotions as precisely as you." He rubbed a hand across his mouth. "Have you always been able to scent this well?" He propped both elbows on the table and rested his chin on both fists.
"Ever since I can remember."
His scent held overtones of cinnamon with crisp mint, very unique to Luc. Contentment and gratitude. When he smiled like that, it smelled like it came all the way from the depths of his soul.
"I love you, Rah." He drew Izzorah's hands to his mouth and kissed the back of his fingers. "But you already know, don't you?"
He nodded and gave Luc a human smile, showing fang. "So, do you really have a surprise for me?"
Luc laughed. "Yes, love, but you'll have to wait until later."
"I love surprises! It's hard to surprise me, you know."
"No! Really?" Luc leaned back in his chair.
Izzorah hooked a claw at him.
"Don't give me any claw." Luc shook a finger at him. "Not showing you till later."
He gave a short sneeze to clear away the various scents so he could focus. "Can I guess?"
"No." Luc folded his arms, lashes lowered.
Uh-oh. That really means no. Hmmm. Izzorah's napkin started to slide off his lap, and he hooked a claw into it and put it back. Once I learn what all these human facial moves mean it will be a big advantage. It'd be a lot easier if they had decent ears.
Luc picked up his coffee mug, looked into it, and frowned. "I need some coffee." He lifted his head. "McDoth!"
"Is it another sex game?" Izzorah scooted his chair forward. "Does it involve more chocolate body paint? I liked that."
Luc chuckled. "Wait and see." He looked up as McDoth entered with coffee. "Finally!" He rubbed his hands together. "My caffeine system has too much blood in it." With a glance at Izzorah, who had lifted both ears, he added, "A joke, love. Means I need coffee."
"Oh! I get it." Izzorah leaned back in his chair. "The guys in the band run on that kind of system, too." He lowered his gaze briefly before lifting his lashes and giving Luc a slow, satisfied smile. "You seem to function pretty well in the mornings without it."
“William sent you here, didn’t he?” Sarah laid her hands on Jake’s shoulders, wondering if she’d lost her mind. For a lifetime, she’d wanted to make love to him. Now, he covered her chest, stomach, legs.Now available at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=180&products_id=730
“Yes, and he’s the reason I shouldn’t let this go any further.” Jake shifted her hips to the edge of the narrow bed. “My assignment isn’t to sample the pleasures of your body, but to free you from here and carry you home to your family.”
His gaze fell to her breasts. Sarah smiled. The fire in his dragon blood demanded the same relief hers did. “But you will, won’t you? Because if you don’t, I might press the button by the door. You know it’s the responsibility of every cadet to report to security when a stranger enters their room.”
Jake’s eyes lifted to hers. “Are you trying to force me into complying with your will?”
“Do I need to?” Sarah raised her upper body so her breasts brushed against his chest. The hard evidence of his desire bit into her thigh. She wished he'd find a better place to rest, like deep inside her. “We both want the same things.”
“You have no idea the things I long to arouse in you.”
Please welcome my fellow Phaze author Sapphire Phelan!
Congratulations to our Blog Tour winners! Thanks for participating. Our next blog tour will be for Valentine's Day!
Eva S.
Waiting for the Big One by PG Forte
Flash of Dark by Sara Brooks
Rip Cord by Jeanne St. James
Doll by Juniper Bell
Once Bitten by Trina M. Lee
Stephanie
Bound by Deception by Christa Paige
Preja Vu by Alanna Coca
For a Price by Olivia Brynn
Fireproof by Tina Holland
Joder
Destiny's Magick by Rae Morgan
Alitus, Tales of the Chosen by Kayelle Allen
Satisfy Me by Madison Scott
April M.
Baptism by Fire by Keira Ramsay
Black Cat Beauty by Savanna Kougar
Intimate Strangers by Gem Sivad
Sophia P.
Bait by Annie Nicholas
Breathing Shallow by Stephanie Adkins
The Company of Fools by Annemarie Hartnett
Gayle O.
Choice of two books by Lexi Ryan
Safe from the Flames by Sandra Sookoo
Hearts Afire December by Elise, Ella, and Emily
This is a game that was passed on to me. I can't play it because I would have to be drunk to watch The Bachelor in the first place!
1.Whenever a bachelorette cries -- fake tears = sip
-- real tears = shot
2. Whenever a bachelorette claims to be in love. This should be a sliding scale decreasing as the episodes go by. Episode 2 full shot, by the end, a wee dram
3. Whenever a bachelorette says something that will be used as evidence to issue the restraining order against her = shot
4. Whenever someone claims that "I am not here to make friends" = shot
5. When it is announced that the rose ceremony is THE.MOST.DRAMATIC.EVER = sip
6. Whenever the bachelor is very confused about his choice = shot
7. Whenever a bachelorette rolls her eyes (better make that one a wee dram)
8. Whenever a bachelorette is drunk (sip)
9. Whenever the bachelor is drunk (shot -- unless he turns out to be like Charlie then we better make it a sip - I almost needed a liver transplant that season)
10. Whenever Mr. Obvious (Chris) announces that it is the last rose (sip)
4 5-STAR REVIEWS ON AMAZON!
...Ms. Quijas' prose and elegance leaps from page one, and holds the reader captive until the last. For fans of lush, delightfully dark romance, this is a must-read!
...wonderful, exciting, well written story that I had a hard time putting down...
...Ms. Quijas has a way with words, the likes of which we don't often see anymore...
...A great contemporary vampire romance that is actually plot-driven!
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CHAPTER FOUR
The smell of stale sweat mixed with athletic socks assaulted Gil’s nostrils as he followed Rip through the door.
Rip hit the switch, flooding the locker room with harsh fluorescent light.
Dizziness rocked Gil as the nightmarish memories returned in full force.
“I’m not so sure…” he began, but the rest of the words caught in his throat.
“What,” Rip prodded, clearly not noticing the beads sweat forming on Gil’s forehead and upper lip.
As they weaved their way through the aisles of gym lockers and wooden benches, Gil wondered what the point of coming into the locker room was. They could have stopped at any restroom throughout the hallways for Gil to clean up.
“I’m sure you have a better memory of this room than I do.”
“Well, this was my second home.” Rip continued to wind through the lockers without even looking back. “Still is.”
“I’m sure.” Gil studied Rip’s legs as they moved farther into the room. He imagined those legs, the corded muscles of his thighs and calves, encased in the snug Lycra of his uniform pants.
Rip stopped and turned suddenly, a fierce expression on his face. Gil bit back a surprised yelp.
“Gil, I want you to feel comfortable with me. I know how much everyone played tricks and jokes on you.”
“Why… Why didn’t you come to my rescue?” Gil cursed himself for letting his disappointment be so recognizable in his voice.
Rip looked away. Good. Let him be uncomfortable. Rip’s small pang of guilt now could not compare to what Gil had gone through then.
“I had a reputation to uphold. I was a tough football player. I was captain of our team. I was someone the guys looked up to.” He blew out a harsh breath, dragging a hand through his hair. “Wrongly so.”
Gil studied him for a moment. “Why, Rip? Why was that more important? Why couldn’t you have stepped up and told them to stop?” Gil’s voice caught. “Do you know how many times I was stuffed into a locker? Do you how many times I received a wedgie? Do you know how many times I was dumped into the bin of wet, dirty towels?” Tears burned Gil’s eyes. But he refused to break down. He was a man now, not that weak, confused teenage boy.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Rip clenched and unclenched his fists, which were held stiffly by his side. “I feel I still have a reputation to live up to. I’m the Bad Boy of the NFL. That’s who I am. Who I’m expected to be. I don’t know how to be anyone else.”
Gil was almost afraid to ask, but he asked it anyway, “Can you be yourself with me?”
Rip spun away and continued through the locker room. “I don’t know. Sometimes I just don’t know myself anymore.”
A show of weakness, a break in Rip’s hard exterior was one more mind-blowing occurrence tonight. And the night wasn’t over yet.
A sudden, overwhelming urge to be completely naked with Rip came over Gil. He would love nothing more to have sex with him properly. In a bed. Not rushed. With cuddling time afterwards. Gil had a feeling that cuddling and Rip just didn’t go together. His display of affection would be more like pat on the back or even a smack on the backside.
“It was in this room I realized how much I liked men.”
His softly spoken confession caught Gil off guard. “Really? I’m sure that went over well with your teammates.”
Rip shot a glance behind him at Gil, his face grim. “They didn’t know.”
Rip finally stopped in front of the large cavernous shower room. Shower heads lined all three tiled walls and several large drains dotted the floor.
Gil had never wanted to shower after gym class. He never was brave enough to bare himself in front of his schoolmates. He had been skinny and lanky back then. He had worked hard over the years to develop some muscle and weight. He would never be as built as Rip or one of his fellow football players. But with weight gainer and some working out, he had matured enough to have some lean muscle and was no longer so self-conscious of his body.
At least none of his former lovers had pointed and laughed.
“Anyway, I know what you went through. It’s too late to do anything about that now. But it’s not too late to make a new memory here. A better one.”
A better memory? Here?
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