Templar Vampires - Midnight Sun Part 29

Rene Lyons Devouring books since the age of fifteen, Rene Lyons always knew that writing was something she just had to do. With her great love of history and all things dark and mysterious (especially vampires), she couldn't resist the call of the Templars. They pounded on her brain, leaving her no choice but to write them (they haven't shut up yet!). Then came the hard part: Sending it out to a publisher. The rest, as they say, is history.

Rene lives in New York with her incredible and supportive husband, her adorable daughter (who she calls her miracle), and two crazy cats.

Rene loves to hear from her readers. You can drop her a line at: [email protected] Rene's website and Yahoo Group: www.renelyons.net http://renelyons.blogspot.com/

Enjoy this excerpt from

Lord Night 2006 Jessie Verino,

An alternate dimension...demons...a dangerous game...will fiery pa.s.sion be their only defense?

A dark fantasy romance available August 1st, 2006 for download from Samhain Publishing.

"Allow me to satisfy all your hungers this evening."

He led her inside, closing the doors behind him. She settled on the plush rug, leaning provocatively against silk pillows before the warmth of the fire. The little gold clasp of her robe winked at him, inviting him to explore the secrets it hid. But he wanted to go slow and savor the rest of the evening. Enjoy Shannon. He backed away from her before he acted on carnal impulse, and turned his attention to the champagne.

The loud pop brought an explosion of bubbles over the lip of the bottle and sprayed his chest with the cold liquid, helping him maintain control. After he placed the two flutes filled with the sparkling wine on a silver platter, he added a little taste of everything, and two personal fondue bowls br.i.m.m.i.n.g with warm melted chocolate.

The mirror above the mantle reflected his nude image bearing the large tray. Rather like a male slave of ancient Greece servicing his mistress. He smiled at the thought of playing the meek role before turning the tables and dominating the unsuspecting mistress with his dark pa.s.sions. The thought had him hard and throbbing.

He placed the tray beside her on the floor. "Mistress, my humble offering."

He watched her gaze move from the tray to his rigid c.o.c.k. Her tongue moistened her lips. "Not so humble a feast at all."

"Champagne?" he offered.

She took the flute and held it high, never looking away from his midsection. "To feasts. May they always be...bountiful."

He held the other gla.s.s to hers and answered. "May you always have your fill."

She bit on her lower lip. "Everything looks delicious. I don't know where to start."

He settled on his knees next to the tray. "Allow me," he said and reached for a plump strawberry. He bit into the succulent fruit, releasing the sweet red juice. He traced the fleshy morsel over her parted lips, tempting her, before allowing her to take it into her mouth.

Sweetness burst on her tongue when she sank her teeth into the berry.

She watched in antic.i.p.ation as his fingers hovered above the tray, but he didn't choose another strawberry. Instead, he produced a small red mask from the tray. "I have a few surprises myself. This will make the experience more...tantalizing, more daring."

Her stomach quivered at the thought, and a delicious shiver ran from her hardened nipples to her swollen l.a.b.i.a, releasing a scintilla of moisture. She leaned back into the pillows when he moved to straddle her, and she stretched languidly, rubbing her legs together, trying to increase the sensation.

He placed the mask over her eyes. "Turn over," he commanded.

She felt the tug of the mask as he tied it into place. When she rolled onto her back, she opened her eyes, testing it, but couldn't see even a speck of light through the thick red silk.

Even sensing his movements, she still gasped in surprise when the next strawberry touched her lips.

Warm, creamy chocolate coated the fruit and it spread over her tongue as she ate. Oh yeah, she could get used to this.

"I need another sip of champagne."

The brush of his fingers against her bare skin tickled, but the light caress didn't linger. He grasped the amethyst and pulled gently on the chain. "You didn't say please." She arched her back and lifted herself to her elbows, careful not to let the slight tension lesson. "Please?"

The word escaped her in a breathless supplication.

The cool rim of the flute coaxed her mouth open, and he allowed her one sip of the sparkling liquid before denying her another.

Her frustration mounted as he played with her this way. Each time she felt the tug of the chain or the taste of sweetness on her lips, she begged him to satisfy her, or end the torment. He refused to do either.

He sucked her firm nipples, holding them taut with the chain, until she cried out from the agonizing pleasure of it, only to be rewarded by the caress of his breath across the wet buds and nothing more. She squirmed beneath him, trapped between his strong thighs and the chain, helpless to do anything but whimper in pleasure.

When he finally unfastened the gold clasp of her gown, it fell away, exposing her fully to his gaze. The head of his shaft played against the skin above her mound. The little droplets of moisture he left behind only heightened her fervor.

"Do not move," he commanded. The weight of the chain lessened and he placed the amethyst between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

She had begged for relief from the sweet torment earlier, but now the loss of it made her crave it all the more. The heat of his breath caressed her bare stomach when he crouched low over her, like a predator stalking her scent.

She fisted her hands in the plush rug underneath to keep from moving and held tight when he nipped the sensitive flesh below her navel. The sensation of his love bite stayed even as he backed away until she couldn't feel any part of him touching her.

"Spread your legs for me."

The skirt of her gown feathered over her legs when she opened for him. She held her breath in antic.i.p.ation, fully aware of his gaze on her. She felt his triumphant smile when her juices surged and flowed over her swollen l.a.b.i.a.

He nestled between her legs, and she clenched her hands in an effort to keep from raking them through his hair and pulling him closer. An eternity pa.s.sed, but she lay motionless as he had instructed, refusing to beg him. Every muscle in her body trembled, taut with expectation.

She squirmed beneath him, exposing more of herself to his mouth. The moist warmth of his tongue penetrated her swollen flesh, sending waves of ecstasy through her. He kissed her opening, plunging into its hot depths. Her muscles tightened around him.

He pulled out before she came. "You have a greedy little p.u.s.s.y, Shannon. Fortunately, I'm a generous man."

Suffering from lack of completion, a low cry of frustration escaped.

"I'm going to kiss you again. Sample your sweet nectar until I'm drunk from it. Don't come until I allow you." Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s swelled and ached. She moved her hands to ma.s.sage them, but he caught them and placed them back at her sides. "Every part of you ismy pleasure." His strong fingers found her nipples and squeezed as his tongue delved deep inside her once again.

Enjoy this excerpt from

Dragon's Birth 2006Jennie Andrus

With her personal mission no longer relevant, can Lexanii take on a new task and become one of the creatures she's long sought to destroy?

A s.e.xy hot fantasy, available now in digital formats from Samhain Publishing.

She didn't think, didn't even hesitate. Lexanii gathered up ten years of anger and pain and stalked forward until she was only a foot away from him, then slapped him as hard as she could.

Miserable b.a.s.t.a.r.d didn't even flinch.

"You slimy, cowardly son of a b.i.t.c.h!"

"Nice to see you too, Lexanii."

She lifted her arm to slap him again, but he caught her wrist easily. Without an ounce of regret, she brought up her knee and smashed it into his b.a.l.l.s.

He dropped like a stone, and G.o.ddess help her, she wanted to drag him off the floor and do it again.

Maybe a good swift kick in the ribs would be as satisfying.

The older man rushed forward to pull her away from Argon as she prepared to find out. "Light of the G.o.d child, that's your commanding officer you just attacked!"

"The h.e.l.l he is! He's an insensitive a.s.s who obviously cares nothing for the family and friends he left behind. You should be whipped. Stoned." The short man leapt forward now, pinned her arms to her sides with his huge hands. Her skin crawled and she wanted to run, but more than that, she wanted Argon to suffer.

She spit on him. He didn't notice, wrapped up in the pain she'd inflicted on him, but it made her feel better-a little better. Nothing short of skinning him alive would make her feel totally better. "How dare you! You insufferable pig. Why aren't you dead?"

"Good question," he gasped. "At this moment, death would be welcome."

"I can't believe you're alive. After all these years, and I-" She couldn't go on. Her head hurt like a b.i.t.c.h, and her arms throbbed from the dragon's grip. Suddenly weary, she pulled away from the short man and stumbled backwards to lean against the stone table.

Ten years of her life she'd committed every waking hour to avenging his death, and he'd been alive, hiding like a child. What had he become? What did all this mean? She was mortally afraid she wouldn't like the answers.

Argon was struggling to get back to his feet, and she noted with some smugness that he kept his eyes on her the whole time. Good, let him worry. While he'd been playing dragon commander-whatever the h.e.l.l that meant-she'd been starving and freezing, enduring taunting and ridicule. She was suddenly conscious of the fact that she must look like lady death herself. She was filthy, scrawny, wearing shabby clothes that hung off her and smelled like h.e.l.l. Her hair was tangled and matted with dirt and gra.s.s, and the cut was uneven from the last time she'd hacked at it with one of her daggers. He, on the other hand, looked fit and healthy, except for the current paleness of his face. His clothes were clean and well tailored. d.a.m.n the man for having the nerve to look so good after all these years!

He'd filled out, lost the gangly awkwardness he'd hated as a boy. His brown hair was neatly trimmed and frosted with gold from spending so much time in the sun. Sharp blue eyes, a stubborn chin that he'd evidently gotten the hang of shaving, and the most kissable mouth she'd ever seen.

She could kick him again for looking so d.a.m.ned appetizing.

"Let me explain."

"Explain?" He was moving towards her now, slowly and with something of a limp. She wanted to back away, perfectly aware of the fact that the man she'd known so well, had loved and hoped to marry, was a murdering dragon. h.e.l.l, yeah, she wanted an explanation.

"I wanted to tell you that I was alive."

Lexii snorted and turned, deliberately giving him her back.

"Lexii, please. There was no choice. What we do here is entirely secret and too important to risk exposure just so we can ease the minds of our families. You have to know I'd never do anything to hurt you or my family."

She choked out a laugh and turned back to face him. He was close now, close enough that she could have slapped him again if she'd wanted too. Part of her wanted to. The other part, a very small but vocal part, wanted to wrap her arms around him and cry for joy that he was alive. She might have given into that urge if his words hadn't ripped open the scar on her heart, the wound he'd inflicted on her the day he'd gone missing. Had he forgotten the terrible things he'd said to her that day?

"Argon, what happened to you? What is this place? I think I deserve to know."

"Of course you do. This is the retreat, high in the Borri Mountains. We're a secret army formed five hundred years ago by the kingdom's last wizard to defend against an army he foresaw." Lexanii blinked. Stared. Blinked again. "Are you out of your f.u.c.king mind?"

He watched her like he was waiting for her to have a breakdown. "I don't blame you for being doubtful."

"I just saw three dragons turn into men. That's messed up enough, but that you're here as some secret club, waiting for your chance to save the kingdom from an enemy a long dead wizard foresaw is just ludicrous. Talk about delusions of grandeur." She was becoming hysterical, but, G.o.ddess help her, she was pretty sure she was ent.i.tled.

"Calm down, Lexii."

"Don't tell me to calm down! I've spent ten years training and studying to kill dragons. I've been ridiculed and shunned by my friends. I've broken my parents' hearts. For nothing." G.o.ddess, she was going to cry. She hated criers.

"I'm sorry, I really am. But it's not for nothing. Once you learn how to shift, you'll understand how important what we do is. All of your training can be put to use here to aid our cause. Vander will show you to your new quarters."

He'd gone all stuffy, which almost distracted her from the import of his words. "Wait, did you say when I learn to shift?"

"Of course, why do you think you were brought here?"

"To be lunch," she muttered, making the older man snort and the short man choke back a laugh.

"You're one of us, Lexii."

Why did she suddenly feel like she was looking at her parents' commanding officer? "The h.e.l.l I am. You won't make me into one of you freaks."