Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

~*~

Here’s a snippet from my current work in progress titled, Slow Burn (which is the third book in the Rebirth series). Fresh and shiny, so any editorial mistakes are my own.

“Guess everyone has to have something.”
“That they do. Speaking of which–shall I run you a bath and we can talk about your something?”
That dark fire kindled in his eyes and I was  instantly drawn to it. I’d first glimpsed it just forty-eight hours after his rebirthing and  it was something I was weak against when it flared. I’d only seen it a few times since and every occasion, I’d known exactly what it meant without him saying a word. “What about you, Logan? What’s your something?”
“You,” he stated simply, his voice thick with emotion. I knew what it meant and was pleased to discover, I was just as interested as he appeared to be.
“Good answer. Smart answer even, but I’m serious. Whips, leather, collars, water–everyone has something–just like I said.”
The fire in his eyes banked a little and he shrugged off his jacket. “Nothing so elaborate. I like to keep things simple.”
“You don’t have a simple bone in your body,” I scoffed.
“No, but I’d like to have my–”
I held up a hand to stop him. “That’s not an answer.”
Logan tilted his head and gave me a curious look. “I thought you’d have figured it out by now.”
“Oh, so you want me to work for it. Is that your kink?” I thought about the first time we’d been together, how he’d stared at me while I’d had him in my mouth. How’d he been unable to take his eyes off me after I’d turned Julian to vampire toast and we’d been together. Even how he’d stood outside the shower to watch me on more than one occasion. “No, that’s not it. You like to watch.”
He threw his head back and let out a deep laugh. “Wow, I am much more transparent than I expected. Here I thought you weren’t keeping track.” He moved and pushed against my side. His voice was a deep growl in my ear. “But yes, you’re right. I do like to watch and what I’d like to watch right now, is you.” His finger trailed down the front of my dirty shirt and flipped open a few buttons.
“And what is it you want me to do?” My voice was a husky whisper and my fingers tightened against the solid oak dresser in anticipation.
My shirt brushed against my arm as is fluttered to the ground and he hooked a finger through the waistband of my jeans. I let myself be guided to the bed where he stopped before pushing my jeans and underwear over my hips so I stood before him with nothing on. I cocked one of my eyebrows at him, but he just returned the look with a sly smile.
He pushed into me again, the cotton of his shirt and pants brushing against my already warm skin. “I have to say, it was really hot watching you back at the museum. You really know how to take care of yourself and I find that extremely attractive.”
“Thank you. But I’m failing to see how this relates to my current state of undress. Not to mention why you’re still fully clothed.”
“Ah, something I’m not so transparent with. Very nice.” His fingers traced the line of my collarbone a few times before he continued. “Watching a strong woman defend herself is incredibly arousing to me. I have no doubt that you are more than perfectly capable of taking care of yourself in other matters.”

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers

Jaleta Clegg, Science Fiction (PG 13)
Penny Dune, Romantic Suspense (PG 13)
Kaige, Historical Romance (PG 13)
Debbie Mumford, Contemporary YA Fantasy (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Historical (PG 13)
Jeanette Murray, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Dara Young, Steampunk (PG 13)
Ryan, Mystery (PG 13)

Kendal Ashby, Contemporary Romance (R)
Stephanie Draven, Paranormal Romance (R)
Lauren Fraser, (R)
Cate Hart, Historical Romance (R)
KJ Reed, Erotic Romance (R)
Ali Katz, Contemporary M/M (R)
Cherrie Lynn, Paranormal Romance (R)

Sara Brookes, Urban Fantasy Romance (NC 17)
Carly Carson, Futuristic (NC 17)
Lisa Fox, Paranormal/erotic romance (NC 17)
Bryl R. Tyne, Contemporary M/M/M (NC 17)

Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

~*~

This month’s snippet is from my upcoming release, Blood Fever, the second in the Rebirth series. I teased with just six sentences from it yesterday during Six Sentence Sunday, so here’s the rest of the excerpt. Hope you enjoy!

Supple leather cupped itself around me as I settled into the passenger seat and I couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped past my lips. If there ever was a heaven on Earth, this was certainly it.
Logan’s throaty laugh merged with the snarl from the car as he stomped on the gas and we spun out of the parking lot in a spray of rocks. He shifted the gears effortlessly and the car leapt forward onto the highway. The white dashed lines on the road bled into one another forming a long single line that stretched out in front of us. He shifted gears again and the needle edged up past one hundred.
She didn’t give a shimmy or a tremor and even seemed to be egging him on to push her even harder, faster.
Slut.
This was a vast improvement over the van, I had to admit, but anything would be a vast improvement over that piece of shit. How do people drive that sort of death trap on a daily basis?
“Where to?” Logan asked.
I could hear the joy in his voice, a marked difference from when he mentioned the job he’d evidently lost, and I thought the grin was nearly going to split his face into two. His eyes glittered in the passing lights and seemed to be like a kid in a candy store. While I’d certainly had some sort of instant attraction to him back at my apartment, he was even more handsome now. Seemingly, in his element streaking along in a fast car and appearing as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
I knew that wasn’t the case, but the illusion of it was dazzling.
Despite this, I had a choice to make that I was dreading. Ultimately, I knew where we were heading even though I kept telling myself that wasn’t the case. I was lying to myself and it could only continue for so long. “Roark, Kentucky. Should only be a few hours away.”
Wanting something to distract myself from what waited for us in Roark, I punched a few buttons on the screen recessed in the Mustangs’ dash. A feminine voice filled the cab of the car, questioning where we would like to go. The provocative tone made you think she was asking if you wanted a blow job.
My puzzled expression obviously amused Logan because he shook his head as he spoke to the machine, tapping the screen to confirm his selection. “You’re obviously a born New Yorker since you don’t have a clue about GPS. Dare I ask if you even own a car?”
I confirmed his suspicions. “No car. Really no need for it, if you think about it.”
The car roared as he urged more speed from her. “There’s always a need for a machine like this beauty.” A few miles ticked away before he spoke again, gesturing to the map on the display screen between us. “Never heard of this city.”
“Friend of mine lives there. He’s got a fairly secure location and we should be safe for a few days.” It was then I wished I was a little more technologically inclined and owned a cell phone. I would have liked to get in touch with Quinn to give him some advanced warning and let him know we were coming. We hadn’t spoken in years and here I was, with a newly rebirthed vampire, showing up on Quinn’s doorstep.
I wouldn’t blame him if he tossed us out on our immortal asses.

~*~

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers (Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site)

Leslie Dicken, Historical (PG 13)

Danie Ford, Contemporary YA (PG 13)
Babette James, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Historical Paranormal (PG 13)
Kaige, Historical Romance (PG 13)
Shawntelle Madison, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)
Debbie  Mumford, Fantasy (PG 13)
Ryan, Mystery (PG13)
Madison Woods, Fantasy (PG 13)
Stephanie Draven, Dark Fantasy (PG 13)

Kendal Ashby, Contemporary YA (R)
Ali Katz, Historical (R)
Vivien Jackson, Paranormal erotic romance (R)
Rhiannon Leith, Fantasy (R)
Alexia Reed, Urban fantasy (R)

Elizabeth Black, gay m/m erotica (NC 17)
Sara Brookes, Urban Fantasy (NC 17)
Angeleque Ford, Contemporary erotic romance (NC17)
Lisa Fox, Paranormal erotic romance (NC 17)
Christa Paige, Regency romance (NC 17)
Gail Roarke, Paranormal erotic romance (NC 17)

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

~*~

This month my newest release, Midnight’s Ghost, is one of those books. So, after reading this exclusive excerpt, head on over to the EM website to leave a comment to be entered to win!

~*~

“Let’s go, Reece. We need to get out of here fast,” I issued the order, slapping at the gantry lift panel as the three of us dove into Eidolon. I winced as I heard a few shots ping into the hull of my ship and wondered what kind of damage I was going to have to repair if we managed to get out of this unscathed.
Kerr started to head to where his cramped quarters were while he was onboard, but I managed to grab him by the scruff of his neck before he could escape. His arms and legs flailed as he protested my method of ensuring that he followed, but ceased when Wallace gave him a stern look.
“Thanks,” I said gratefully, knowing that in a pinch, we could probably use another pair of hands on the deck. Even if he didn’t know what he was doing, Kerr was obviously physically capable of helping out wherever he was needed. Since I thought this fell into the category, and Wallace’s statement earlier had marked this as Kerr’s problem, I dragged him onto the bridge with us.
Wallace slid into the chair beside mine; examining the status of the systems we would need online in order to leave. The same systems we just completely shut down an hour ago so we could dock inside the station.
“I see your talent for causing unrest isn’t just predicated to the bars on Nagol, Captain.” Reece’s sarcasm was unmistakable and I wondered if he’d been taking lessons during his downtime.
“Shut up or I’ll turn you into a trash compactor. Thrusters on full.” I was pleased to see several systems come online faster than Reece and I could have done alone. It was one of the advantages of having someone else onboard who knew the basic ins and outs of the ship. The extra pair of hands would be helpful, regardless of who they belonged to.
Reece, keying in systems of his own, added to his streak of being a master of the obvious. “We’re still tethered into dock, Captain.”
I slapped the release controls for the lines that kept us connected to the station. “Not anymore.”
Wallace shook his head as his fingers worked the controls to help out Reece, his motions just as quick and precise. “Theirs, not ours.”
“Blow them,” I ordered, my fingers flying over the panel in front of me as I saw a group of IGP guards closing in, weapons firing so even more shots pinged off the hull. Eidolon was going to look like a block of Swiss cheese if we didn’t get out of here soon.
“We can’t, there are too many people out there.”
I studied the images on the screen in front of me and realized Wallace was right; firing our shipboard weapons inside the docking station would surely result in unnecessary innocent casualties. Sure, the IGP was chasing us, but that didn’t mean the Surmies mother and child sitting peacefully on the bench just a few yards away needed to suffer as well.
With a low growl of frustration, I threw myself back from the helm controls, unbuckled my harness and stormed through the bridge. I ignored the alarms blaring a warning about a possible breech in the hull as I stalked through the corridor.
I toed the access cover at mid ship as I drew my weapon and dropped onto my stomach with a grunt. Stale heated air had me wincing as I dropped my head out of the hatch and looked around. I sighted the tethers securing us and studied them for a few seconds. It only took a few shots more than I would have liked, but I managed to hit the two deck clamps. Their power panels went dark as they short circuited and much to my satisfaction, the clamps withdrew their hold.
I heard the shouts of protest from the IGP guards over the increasing whine of Eidolon’s engines. Annoyed, I fired off a few quick shots at the group closing in and was pleased to see one of them drop their weapon as he fell to the ground incapacitated.
I slapped at the panel to close the hatch as I pushed myself up and jogged back to the bridge, a pleased smile on my face. I kept any comments I was going to make about sending a woman to do the job to myself and slid into my chair, ordering Reece to get us out of here.
Amid the hail of weapons firing at us, we blew through the docking hatch for incoming shuttles, narrowly missing a civilian transport coming in to dock.

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

****

For this month’s Excerpt Monday here’s a excerpt from my newest release, Midnight’s Ghost.

****

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

****
One of my favorite things to write is a couple’s first kiss. I thought I’d share another of those, this time from a Work in Progress I’m currently working on. The scene finds Allison and her date, Patrick, at the movies for a Hitchcock festival. As you’ll find out, Patrick’s a bit of a gentleman. Don’t let him fool you however, you won’t see it in this scene, but there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Enjoy!

**

“May I kiss you?”
“What?” It took effort for her to cover just how surprised she was to hear such a thing from him.
“I asked for permission to kiss you.”
Tension flared in a knot between her eyes and she rubbed absently at it. “I know. I just – most guys just kiss you and worry about the consequences later.”
“You assume I’m not still worried about the consequences.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” she asked, completely confused by his questions and actions. What was he playing at?
“What if one kiss isn’t enough?”
Allison snapped her mouth shut because that hadn’t been the answer she’d been expecting. The lights overhead flickered twice as a signal the next movie would be starting in five minutes and she shifted back into her seat, thoughts of visiting the restroom completely eradicated thanks to Patrick’s questions. She found herself staring blindly at the curtain in the front of the theater and even scolding herself because she couldn’t think of anything to say. How was she supposed to respond to something like that? It had caught her off guard, especially since she’d just been musing about what he was looking for from her.
The house lights dimmed and her breath quickened as she felt Patrick lean over to press his lips against the exposed skin of her shoulder. The moment his mouth touched her flesh she felt as if she’d grabbed a live wire. It was as if she was suddenly alive and wide awake for the first time in her life.
“You didn’t answer me,” he whispered against his skin.
Arousal did a lazy somersault in her gut as the soft sound of his voice slid through her. Despite his hushed tone she could detect the sound of need in his voice.
“Yes,” she said quietly, feeling a little out of breath as her heart started hammering in her chest.
Patrick emitted a soft moan of approval and she wondered if she’d done something wrong. Gentle fingers tucked under her jaw and his warm palm pushed lightly on her chin in order to turn her face to his. The theater lights went off at that moment and his lips met hers with a quiet sigh.
They both breathed into their first kiss and Allison waited for Patrick to immediately turn up the heat by angling his mouth over hers. However, he surprised her – yet once more – by keeping the kiss light. Despite his casual kiss she could smell the overwhelming heat of arousal surrounding them both and it puzzled her as to why he seemed to purposefully be holding back.
Just as she was about to pull away to ask, she felt his other hand slide up under the weight of her hair. Despite her hesitation, she felt herself melting into his touch and marveled as both of them shifted to completely face one another in the seats. Her knee banged hard into the metal arm between them but she pushed away the pain, focusing instead on him.
The air around them seemed charged and she felt herself opening to him more easily than she would have guessed possible. He seemed to be feeding off the building heat between their bodies and she realized she didn’t know which way was up anymore. What Allison did know was her body had never felt more responsive.

****

Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG13)
and
Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R)

Joining us this week:

Leslie Dicken, Historical (PG 13)
Victoria Dixon, Fantasy (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Contemporary romantic elements (PG 13)
Shawntelle Madison, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)
Debbie Mumford, SFF (PG 13)

KB Alan, Erotic Paranormal Romance (R)
Stephanie Draven, Fantasy with romantic elements (R)
Cate Hart, Paranormal YA (R)
Jeanne St. James, Interracial Menage (R)
Ali Katz, Historical (R)
Tara Miller, Memoir (R)
Danielle Yockman, Steampunk (R)

Sara Brookes, Contemporary Romance (NC 17)
Christa Paige, ContemporaryRomance (NC 17)
Mary Quast, Contemporary Romance (NC 17)

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published
books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t
have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to
share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday
site! or click on the banner above.

****

Normally, I just give short excerpt blurbs for whatever it is that I feel like pulling for the month (for instance, last months selection was the first kiss from Flash of Dark), however, this month I decided on something a little different. This is the entire first chapter of a current WiP which is untitled at the moment as it’s only about 1/2 complete, but will be a full length Fantasy novel once complete. Do keep in mind this is in its early stage and any errors/mistakes are to be blamed on my cats.

The music was rough but practiced as the band undeniably knew what it was doing. They weren’t novices at this and judging by the screams from the crowd, it wouldn’t have mattered if they were. All eyes were focused on the man standing center stage, microphone just a few inches from his mouth while his fingers danced over the strings of a guitar. His throaty voice swept over the audience as they undulated in time to the bass pulsing through the amplifiers.
He was free here, standing in front of the audience. Yet, it wasn’t something that was a part of him any longer. He didn’t pour his soul into the lyrics – not anymore – but he did sing with every last breath he possessed. His eyes scanned the sweaty crowd as he sang one of his best friend’s favorite songs about how he wanted to have sex with every woman he came across. Just because Nathan didn’t share the sentiment, didn’t mean he couldn’t give the crowd what they wanted tonight.
Above all, Nathan Flynn knew what they public wanted. Unfortunately, the public took and took until there was nothing left and didn’t bother to give anything in return. That particular soul draining attitude is what caused him to leave the spotlight after the accident. Forgetting who he was wasn’t an option.
As the song was nearing its finish, he nodded to that best friend, Tanner Compton, who was responsible for the rhythm guitar. They timed a smooth transition to the next song so the two blended seamlessly together. Nathan swung his guitar around his shoulder, pushing it behind him so he could pull his microphone away from the stand. He intentionally missed his normal cue for the band’s most popular song in order to get a few additional breaths and the band automatically adjusted. The rhythm of the music grew more feral as the song progressed and the addition of his voice added another layer to the sexual vibe swelling through the audience.
The song was upbeat and intense as the lyrics spoke about how no matter what, sex could solve anything. He took a few steps forward and tapped one of his security guards on the shoulder with the toe of his boot. It had long been a signal the show was wrapping up for the night and security could let a few of the screaming fans through to the stage so they could spend the rest of the concert on the stage with the band. Despite the fact Nathan wasn’t regularly performing any longer, the rules hadn’t changed.
A few of the typical rock band fans, all female, trickled through the line and bounced their way on the stage. Considering the performance was outside under the mid-summer stars on Glass Beach, their bikinis were skimpy and nearly non-existent. The way the women looked was never something Nathan was attracted to, even when he’d been riding at the top of his fame. Everyone in the hard rock music business however seemed to expect it and it had become a regular staple of their show. Since everyone here was a paying attendee for the annual – and only – concert they gave anymore, Nathan didn’t want to disappoint.
His tastes always ran the opposite of what everyone expected despite the myriad of tats winding their way up both of his arms and down his back and the few piercings he had. He’d always gone for the more natural type of woman who didn’t look like she needed to spend four hours getting ready for a trip to the grocery store.
Nathan tapped the security guards’ shoulder as another signal the few women on the stage were enough and he pushed up and away from the edge of the stage. The women surrounded him almost immediately, each vying for their moment with hom. He continued to sing, even grinding his crotch half-heartedly against two of the women’s hips in time with the music and lyrics.
One of the women made a grab for the zipper of his tight pants and he spun around to duck away from the group. Their pouts only last a few seconds as Tanner stepped into Nathan’s place and the women were allowed to freely grab whatever they wished. It was a long standing arrangement Tanner and Nathan had to accommodate each of their wishes and one that worked for both of the men.
The song continued on uninterrupted and Nathan’s sharp eyes continued to scan the crowd. As he sang, he made eye contact with someone in the crowd who didn’t appear to be the sort who was a typical fan. She wore a simple white t-shirt and her caramel colored hair was pulled back into a ponytail while a pair of sunglasses sat perched on the top of her head.
He marked her as summer tourist immediately.
Compared to the way she was dressed, she made the women around her seem practically nude in their skimpy bathing suits. While she was certainly drawn into the music, it seemed to be fueled more by the crowd she was surrounded by instead of the actual knowledge of the music and lyrics. Her startlingly clear blue eyes met his and she stopped dancing around long enough to give him a slight smile with a tilt of her head. The lyrics stopped to allow for Tanner’s guitar solo and Nathan knelt behind Pete, his personal security guard during these concerts.
“Straight ahead. White shirt, ponytail – looks completely lost.”
Pete nodded and dove through the crowd without asking any questions. A roar went up from the crowd as Nathan stood and encouraged the crowd to make even more noise. He turned his attention back to the stage, picking up the lyrics when the refrain was over and kept his distance from the gaggle of women writhing around Tanner as he played. No doubt, he would hear of his best friend’s exploits with a few of those women in the morning. Freely flowing beer after a day spent in the sweltering sun often had the female summer tourists regularly stripping themselves of their clothes for the chance to say they’d bedded Tanner.
Nathan belted back into the lyrics, his voice flowing from the tall speaker next to him as he sang about sex in the back of a classic muscle car.
The woman from the crowd appeared at the far end of the stage to Nathan’s left and he worked his way over to her. He thought she’d looked lost out in the crowd before. Up here, she appeared positively petrified. He offered a comforting hand to her and she hesitantly took it as she let herself be pulled to the middle of the stage. She stood awkwardly, her hands making jerky movements as if she didn’t know what to do with them before she clasped them behind her back. Nathan circled her a few times as he sang lyrics better suited for what was happening with Tanner on the other side of the stage.
Not one to give up easily, Nathan knew he’d seen her enjoying herself out in the crowd and he was determined to see if from her again. After all, that was what the summer concert benefit was all about and she had paid for the opportunity to see the band.
The song slowed and Nathan’s voice dropped to a low growl as he sang the bridge. He circled around, stopping behind her and pushing against her with his hips as the music and lyrics dictated. Nathan expected her to just stand there, but as the music swelled, she let herself get caught up in the moment and began rotating her hips in time to his. The crowd roared in response and approval and she began moving even more with their encouraging screams.
Nathan let himself be swept away as well, finally succumbing to the powerful vibe swelling through the crowd. The woman in front of him spun on the balls of her feet and knelt, her hands gripping his hips and moving them as he sang about blow jobs. He arched back for the long note that would melt into the end of the song and felt her hand slide over his abdomen and chest as she slowly pushed herself up to stand.
Her finger brushed over the ring through his nipple and he felt a rush of adrenaline spear through him when she began writhing against him in time to the music. He finished the note and the crowd went wild as he grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her mouth to his.
She responded at once and he pulled her tighter against him and let his tongue slip past her teeth. The band continued to play, ending the song without him even though he missed the last three bars of the song. Nathan felt the woman’s voice vibrate in her throat and chaos erupted around them as timed fireworks went off behind the stage and about two hundred yards off shore. The celebration continued for the next seven minutes both in the sky and on the stage.
Nathan couldn’t bring himself to pull away from her and end a kiss, but she did nothing to stop him and seemed to be encouraging him to continue with arms clutched tightly around his waist. He felt a stirring deep inside him that spread like lightning and flash white hot to heat the blood racing through his body.
The bright light vanished as the entire area was plunged into darkness and he finally, and reluctantly, pulled away from the woman he held in his arms. He studied her face in the fading light of the finale for the pyrotechnics and felt as if he would drown in her eyes.
The spotlights lighting the beach flared to life and he blinked away the haze he’d been lost in as he realized there was still a job to be done. Nathan waved to the crowd with one hand as he held the woman he’d just kissed with the other. His attention was fully on her still and he marveled at the fathomless blue eyes he was staring into. She laughed as well and joined the small crowd on stage when they bent over for the closing bow.
A din immediately flooded the area as the buzzing crowd began filtering in off in all directions to visit the various booths and vendors set up for the last night of the Glass Beach Summer Festival. Most of them were tourists vacationing for the summer on the island and never passed up the opportunity to shop.
A crew member held out a hand for Nathan’s microphone and he gladly turned it over as he began peeling away the clear tape holding his earpiece monitors in place. Nathan thumbed off the battery pack at his back and let the wired earpieces dangle on either side of his neck.
“Thanks for the help closing the show.” He noticed his voice was pitched low and rough from singing for the past two hours. Swallowing carefully, he noted the scratchiness that would inevitably plague him in the morning if he didn’t do something about it soon.
“You do that every night?” she asked in response, clutching her hands in front of her as she broke away. Her voice was not what he expected at all and wondered what other surprises were in store. Despite her outward appearance he could see her nerve endings firing off. What he couldn’t determine is if she still vibrated from the music or his kiss. Some of the nervousness he’d glimpsed earlier had returned and didn’t help him gauge her emotions.
“Well, I don’t kiss a gorgeous woman every night.” He scooped up the shirt lying on the speaker in front of him as he turned his guitar over to another stagehand. She was smirking as he settled the shirt around his shoulders and he stretched and moved as the material clung to the sweat beading on his body. “But, no, I only sing for this charity concert once a year.”
“So you’re not a true rock star who will take me to your dressing room for a quick bang like that guy over there?” She hooked her thumb over her shoulder. Tanner was still surrounded by the women Nathan rebuffed earlier and was pulling two of them along behind him as he made his way off stage.
Nathan ran a towel through the sweaty hair brushing the collar of his shirt and let the damp fabric settle around his shoulders. “Ah, no. That’s Tanner’s gig, not mine. I’m going to politely thank you for a very electrifying kiss, take that steaming mug of lemon tea from my assistant over there and try not to fall asleep in the shower as I wash all of this sweat and smoke from my skin.”
A salty ocean breeze blew then, lifting the fine hairs on his arms and he shivered despite the stifling humidity that had settled over the entire island in the past week. He’d hoped it would ease before tonight’s performance but like a true showman, he knew the show must go on – especially when it was for such a good cause. The only one, in fact, he came out of retirement for.
The woman before him tilted her head to side, watching him as he brushed away the out of place breeze. “Well then you’re welcome. You guys sounded great.”
“First time?”
Her thin eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Being kissed by a rock star?”
Nathan noticed the sparkle in her eyes and it wasn’t caused by the spotlights illuminating the area around them. “No, I meant here on the island. Besides, you just said I wasn’t a true rock star because I didn’t have any illicit plans for you.”
“You’re right, I did.” She laughed lightly and tugged on her earlobe. “Ears are still ringing.”
“Understandable…I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Grace Kent. And yes, this is my first time here. Just arrived yesterday, in fact.”
Nathan decided immediately the name suited her and wanted to know what other things suited her. However, Kettie would kill him if he waited too much longer. “Nice to meet you, Grace. I’m Nathan Flynn and if you don’t mind I’m going to go before my assistant there has a panic attack. Enjoy the rest of the festivities.”
As he stepped away, he felt a tug in his center that nearly made him turn to her again. He resisted, but just barely. Kettie’s smile grew as he approached and he mouthed a silent thanks to her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead before taking a sip.
The heated liquid relaxed the muscles in his throat and he took another sip as he watched Grace gingerly make her way down the stairs and begin making her way up the beach. He could hear the bustle of activity all around him as the crew he’d hired began taking down the equipment and he knew he should help, but something kept him watching Grace until her lithe form vanished in the darkness.
“Good show tonight huh, Uncle Nathan?”
Nathan turned his attention back to the teenager who handed him the tea and tried desperately not to think about the woman who, for the first time in six years, made his blood boil. “Very good indeed.”
“Do you ever miss all of this?”
“Sweetheart, I only miss you bringing me this wonderful beverage every night.” He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and took another sip.
“No one makes it better.”
Pride was evident in his niece’s voice and he chuckled and shook his head. “Just like your father. Come on, I’ll get washed up and we’ll go see if the crew needs any help packing all this equipment away. Then you and I will go ride the Gravitron about a dozen times to see who throws up first.”

****

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers

Danie Ford, Young Adult (PG 13)
Babette James, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Nadia Lee, Futuristic Romance (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Contemporary romantic elements (PG 13)
Caitlynn Lowe, Fantasy (PG 13)
Shawntelle Madison, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)
Debbie Mumford, Science Fiction/Fantasy (PG 13)
Erica Ridley, Historical Romance (PG 13)
Dara Sorensen, Historical Romance (PG 13)

Kendal Corbitt, Erotic Romance (R)
Mary Quast, Contemporary Romance (R)
Danielle Yockman, Steampunk (R)

Stephanie Draven, Fantasy with Strong Romantic Elements (NC 17)
Angeleque Ford, Contemporary, Interracial, Erotic Romance (NC 17)
Elise Logan, Sci-Fi/Contemporary (NC 17)
Emma Petersen, Erotic Paranormal Romance (NC 17)

Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Also, I did an interview over at The GeekyBookworm today and I’ll be stopping by off and on to say hi. I talk a little bit about the world I created for my characters and even talk about my next book, Midnight’s Ghost. Be sure to stop by.

How about we get what you came here for, right? Here’s an excerpt from Flash of Dark, and it’s all about first kisses. Who doesn’t like a first kiss? These two certainly do not seem to mind in the least.

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

FLASH OF DARK
Sara Brookes

~*~

Surprise had him stopping in the middle of the path we were following and I stopped as well, turning slowly around to face him. “Most women would take offense to being referred to as ‘turf’”.

I studied his face, his posture and even the way his hands dipped into the pockets of his jacket as if he needed to give them something to do. I understood that sensation all too well. I suddenly wanted to step closer to him and find out if he tasted as good as he looked—though I didn’t have the faintest idea of why. I wasn’t a stranger when it came to sudden bouts of dealing with the overwhelming sense of wanting to kiss someone I was attracted to, but like most people, I tamped down on those feelings. I couldn’t afford them, especially being Fae and surrounded by delicate humans. Sometimes, being around mortals too easily reminded me of my immortality. I pushed the thoughts away, making sure they were buried before I spoke again. He was perceptive and I didn’t want to give him anything that would give him power over me like that. “Good thing I’m not like most women.”

“No, you certainly aren’t.” He surprised me by wrapping his hand around my elbow and pulled me into his embrace while his other hand curved around my jaw, cradling it in his palm. He was obviously experiencing the same pull that I was, but wasn’t bothering to smother the sensations and leaned into me. Before I knew it, warm lips closed over mine and I felt myself being swept away by the sensation of his kiss.

Oh God, he did taste as good as he looked. There had to be some law against that.

The hold I had been keeping on what was prowling inside me for three days burst from the bindings I had carefully erected and flowed through my entire body. Everything that I had suspected about Stark, had read and sensed about him that first night the club, turned out to be absolutely true. He kissed with abandon. Drinking me in like his very life depended on it. As if he simply had to have me whatever the cost. I gave myself over to him, without thought to any consequences, encouraging and enjoying the feel as we both let the kiss shift to something more. The heat that swelled surprised us both and a soft, satisfied groan rumbled in my throat. I had no idea how or why I was reacting this way to a man I barely knew.

A man I had barely talked to for a handful of moments.

A man whose sweltering kiss made me want to strip all of our clothes off and mate, wild and frantic, right here in the middle of the park.

A soft buzzing sounded in my ears but I blatantly ignored it even as energy began humming through my veins. It crackled with renewed energy, immediately taking on a life of its own. I tried not to give into the sensations but the addictive pull was nearly too much to take. I hadn’t felt this sensation in quite some time and the lure of it would haunt me later. I knew this could quickly turn dangerous, but I didn’t seem to care.

~*~

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers

Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG13)

and

Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R)

Joining us this week:

Stephanie Draven, Fantasy with Romantic Elements (PG 13)
Danie Ford, Contemporary YA (PG 13)
Babette James, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Cynthia Justlin, Thriller with Romantic Elements (PG 13)
Kaige, Historical Romance (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Contemporary Romantic Elements (PG 13)
R. F. Long, Fantasy Romance (PG13)
Shawntelle Madsion, Paranormal Romance (PG13)
Debbie Mumford, Science Fiction/ Fantasy (PG13)

Kendal Corbitt, Erotica Contemporary (R)
KB Alan, Erotic Paranormal Romance (R)
Cate Hart, YA Paranormal (R)
Jeanne St. James, Interracial Menage Erotic Romance (R)
Cherrie Lynn, Contemporary Erotic Romance (R)
Michelle Picard, Paranormal/Fantasy (R)
Danielle Yockman, Historical Romance (R)

Sara Brookes, Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy (NC17)
Angeleque Ford, Contemporary, Interracial, Erotic Romance (NC 17)
Elise Logan, Contemporary Romance (NC17)

Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

~*~

You can find everything you want to know about my upcoming release, Flash of Dark over here. But there’s an added bonus – for New Release Monday, not only do you get a peek at upcoming releases but you’ll be entered to win these titles as well and yep – my book is included.

In addition, come join my personal celebration where I gift you with the entire first chapter. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think and don’t forget I’m running a release day contest here at my site and you can enter that here.

On to the excerpt!

~*~

Links to other New Releases
Note: I have not personally screened these releases. Please heed the ratings and
be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

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

It’s the time again – already – Excerpt Monday. This month you guys are getting a sneak peak at my upcoming release, Flash of Dark. It’s actually the first part of Chapter One and is the first glimpse the readers see of Ana’s powers as a Fae. For the blurb on the book you can head over to the books page.

Enjoy!

** If, for some reason, you can’t see the above document, you can find the file here: http://www.sarabrookes.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/fod_partialchapterone.pdf

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

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

Alright, second month participating in Excerpt Monday and a few days ago, I announced that I would post an excerpt from my current-nearly-finished-WiP which is an untitled erotic science fiction romance. Please keep in mind that since this is currently a WiP, that it is unedited.

“Yes, you can return the favor, but don’t you think we should both catch our breath first?”

“I don’t need to breathe to use these.” His fingertips dragged through the folds of flesh between my legs as he parted them and I arched my back in appreciation. Nerves, already overly sensitive from the past few hours, blazed white hot as they fired off in quick succession.

Wallace chuckled deeply in appreciation and shifted our positions. He turned me on my side so that he could cup himself against my back and we lay spooned together on the decking. It wasn’t the most comfortable of positions, but I found that I hardly minded at the moment.

His hand snaked around my waist to continue what he had started, but this time his fingers caught on the metal band of my holowatch. His thumb traced the face of the piece and I felt a rumble of laughter in his chest.

“Never take it off, do you?”

He was referring to the ongoing joke we had kept up when we had been together before everything had crumbled around us. Nothing, short of death, was going to separate me from my holowatch because it had been a gift from my father the last time I saw him. Little did I know at the time that he would be dead a few months later.

“It’s my way of hanging on to him, Wallace,” I said quietly, staring out at nothing in particular.

“Careful, someone may see that crack in your kick ass tough girl exterior.”

I snorted and pushed aside thoughts of my father and his untimely death. “Because lying naked with you on the deck of my engine room isn’t enough to shatter that image?”

He pulled me tighter against him, his lips closing over the nape of my neck. “Hell, no. That just further reinforces it since you’re with the likes of me.”

Wallace shifted his hand around to cup the crease where my upper thigh met the curve of my ass and pushed one of my legs in front of me. The position allowed him to slide the length of himself against the same places his fingers had been just moments before. His teeth grazed against my skin before he nipped the tender flesh of my neck.

“A man whose kick ass exterior is in danger of showing cracks as well?” I felt his lips curl up into a smile against my flesh and it sent a wash of warm ice racing down my spine. He felt it and pulled me tighter, snuggling himself up close to me so that we fit perfectly together. He began to slip past already tender flesh when the collision alarms blared in warning all around us.

Moment in ruins, we both pushed ourselves up from the decking in a panic, grabbing for discarded clothing. I slapped at the communications panel as I reached the blast doors for the engine room. I had instructed Reece to watch the controls on the bridge for a time while Wallace and I had been standing watch back here. While I knew he would follow my orders to stand watch, he has undoubtedly been unnerved by the fact that it meant Wallace and I were back together again. Reece had nothing against him, per say, but he had known the pain I had dealt with because of Wallace. I would share what I had learned at some other moment in time because I had other concerns for the moment. “Reece, talk to me.”

“We’ve dropped out of transwarp, Captain.”

Yes, because the shaking of the hull hadn’t given that away. “Why? We’re not scheduled to drop until 0700 hours.” I flipped my wrist around and saw that it was about two hours short of that mark.

“My guess is the transwarp engines failed,” Wallace said beside me, obviously remembering what I had said earlier when he first hired me back on Nagol. If that were the case, we would have heard them do so regardless of the activities we had been engaging in.

“Negative,” Reece responded, hearing Wallace’s voice over the comm line and confirming what I had just surmised. “The transwarp engines were online prior to the drop. Captain, you need to see this.”

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

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R)

and

Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG13)

Joining us this week:

Jane Bled, Yaoi/M-M Erotica/Vampire/Paranormal/Horror (PG 13)
Danie Ford, YA Urban Fantasy (PG 13)
Heather S Ingemar, Dark Fantasy (PG13)
Babette James, Fantasy Romance (PG13)
Cynthia Justlin, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Kaige, Historical Romance (PG 13)
Julia Knight, Fantasy Romance (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Historical paranormal romance (PG 13)
R.F Long, Fantasy (PG13)
Shawntelle Madison, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)
Debbie Mumford, Fantasy (PG 13)
Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG13)
Megan S, Paranormal (PG 13)
Rosalind Stone, Women’s Fiction (PG 13)
Jo Lynne Valerie, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)

Kendal Ashby, YA (R)
Jax Cassidy, Contemporary (R)
Cate Hart, YA Paranormal (R)
Inez Kelley, Romantic Comedy (R)
Aislinn Kerry, Fantasy (R)
Jeanne St. James, Contemporary Erotic Romance (R)
Cherrie Lynn, Paranormal Romance (R)
Jeanette Murray, Romantic Comedy (R)
Christa Paige, Paranormal (R)
Michelle Picard, Fantasy Romance (R)
Mary Quast, Contemporary Romance (R)
Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R)
Zora Stout, Contemporary Erotic Romance (R)

Sara Brookes, Erotic Sci Fi (NC 17)
Emily Ryan-Davis, Romance (NC 17)
Ella Drake, Historical Paranormal Romance (NC 17)
Angeleque Ford, Erotic Dark Urban Fantasy (NC17)
J.W. Hankins, Dark Fiction (NC 17)
Annie Nicholas, Paranormal Romance (NC 17)
Kim Knox, Erotic SF Romance (NC17)
Michelle Polaris, Erotic Futuristic Romance (NC 17)
Bryl R. Tyne, Contemporary M/M (NC 17)