Looney Snow Days

I can't seem to get motivated for the past couple of snowed in days, yet I stay up until 1:30 am to update my website (thanks to my new Christmas present to myself - my graphics tablet!).

It still has a couple little bugs - but I am too tired to iron them all out tonight. It is working 99.9% at this point.

Go check it out. And lemme know if you see something not quite right :)

www.alexandraohurley.com

NEW RELEASE - THE LOTTERY

Living in a world where men were treated like a rare commodity, Ethan Spears did what he could in order to survive. But when the proverbial rug was pulled out from under him, desperate measures called for desperate actions. To save his sister, he entered The Lottery, offering himself to one woman for a year.

Karlyn Bowman was a rebel in her family, choosing not to climb the corporate ladder in order to pursue her love of art. Lonely, ostracized by the family who should have loved her, she pushed forward trying to become a success. When her friend gives her a lottery ticket to cheer her up, she puts it aside and forgets it. Imagine her surprise when the knock came to her door and her life—and his—were changed forever.

BUY HERE

Be Warned: anal sex, masturbation, orgies, bondage

Excerpt

They stood there staring at each other for what seemed like hours, but couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes, Ethan, with one eyebrow cocked, and his hands on his hips. She was almost ashamed, but it was the first time she had seen a man this tasty up close and personal. Letting her eyes roam over his lean body, enjoying the way he filled out the pair of blue jeans, her eyes traveled from the top to the bottom and back up again. He was all lean muscle, from the short tawny strands on top of his head to the large booted feet that held promise for what he had inside those jeans. Hell, promise? The bulge at his groin was all the promise any man needed to offer.

Ethan let out a soul deep sigh and asked, “Are you going to let me in, or am I going to bunk out here in the hallway?”

“Bunk?”

“As in sleep.”

“You are going to be sleeping here?”

“Those are the guidelines of the game. I move in and fulfill your every fantasy for the next year. And you offer me food, lodging, and necessities.”

“You are going to move in and be here…a year?”

The eyebrow lifted again, and he began speaking to her like she was a child. “You bought a ticket…for the lottery…yet you didn’t bother learning what it entailed? Yes, I will be grabbing my bags and hopefully pulling them inside your apartment, which hopefully is not as dirty as you are, and I will be living in there for the year I signed up for. Believe me, at this moment, it is the last thing I want to do.”

“Okay, so the details are hazy, you don’t have to be so rude.” Turning, she started to walk in through the door, hurt a little that her present was apparently prettier on the outside. “I just didn’t realize that you would actually live here, nor did I realize it was for an entire year. But don’t let me stop you, by all means gather your junk and drag it inside my dirty apartment.”

Halting, she stopped him, placing a finger into the middle of his yummy, broad chest. “And by the way, it isn’t dirt, its paint. If you are going to live here you had better get used to it.” She knew her crabbiness and her mouth was all driven by the hellacious hangover she had, because under normal circumstances, his words would have turned her into the mouse Sam always claimed her to be.

“Big difference. Dirt, paint, it’s all a mess.” He pulled his bags inside the door and dropped them. He was so tall and wide, he barely fit through the half opened door, and it made her insides melt. He stood with his hands on his hips, and looked around her space. Looking back at her, he glared. “Where do I go from here? Where is our room?”

“Our room? Umm, I don’t know.”

He looked at her like she had sprouted a second head. “You don’t have a bedroom?”

“Of course I have a bedroom. I just have no idea where you will be sleeping since I didn’t think I would win; I did not make arrangements for you.”

“Well, if you have a bedroom, then I have a bedroom. What is there to arrange?” He finally gazed past her and spotted the large artist’s loft beyond. “Oh, well, artist rustic…how…quaint.”

The way his nose curled up when he said the word quaint further pissed her off. “I’m so sorry my lodgings are not up to your standards, but it is what it is. I am a painter, and I live and work out of this studio. I live completely alone, and was not expecting a year-long house guest, so plans will have to be made as to where you will sleep and all that.”

“Great. What do you have against me sharing your bedroom? I will be sharing your bed at night. That’s usually the plan.”

“Sharing? Mine?” Karlyn blushed. “Can you..uh..excuse me for a moment?”

Before she could pull away to compose herself, she felt his hot fingers wrap around her wrist, and she was pulled against his muscular chest. The air was knocked out of her lungs as she looked up into his face, noting the perfect curve of his lips and the deep cut angles of his face. She could lose herself all day just staring at him.

She had seen pictures of men this gorgeous, but had always thought they were a myth. As his sweet smelling breath warmed her face, drawing her attention back to that perfect mouth, she felt the hot brand of his cock resting on her stomach. Tingling sensation raced to her nipples and her mound, as she watched transfixed while his mouth descended towards hers.

Pulling back, afraid of what was happening, she attempted to pull from his arms. His steely grasp was too strong and she could not free herself from his grip. A tremor flitted down her whole body at the strength he seemed to wield, and she felt dampness spread in her panties. His lips neared hers again, and she pulled back once more, but not enough and she felt the soft graze of his mouth against hers. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and he appeared to take the sound as he acquiescence. When he tightly pulled her to him, the hard ridge of his manhood showing her how ready he was to fulfill the promise his kisses made.

Heat erupted all over her body as his hands skidded down her back and onto her bottom, and the only thought that crossed her mind was taking off her clothes and allowing him to finish what he had started.

As one cool hand snaked up the back of her shirt and moved to the clasp of her bra, she was reawakened. Pushing against his hard chest, she took a deep, calming breath, attempting to cool the ardor he had flamed.

She backed away, not able to look him in the eye; embarrassment over nearly succumbing to his charms within five minutes of him walking through the door was nearly devastating.

Guest Blogger - Ruby Storm

I am excited to have one of my favorite authors - Ruby Storm - as a guest blogger this week. Hers was one of the first erotic romance novels I ever read, and her titles were the first to stick in my head. She is my rock star.

So say hello to Ruby and check out her newest novel...

~Alex

Diamond In the Rough
by Ruby Storm

With a stroke of Cupid's red pen, Claire Holliday and Brian Valentine's lives are changed forever. Two lonely people, each coping with emotional wounds, each believing wholeheartedly that exceptional love and fiery passion will forever be beyond their reach.

Little do they know that love cannot be suppressed. The heated touch of shared acceptance can capture the wounded heart and magically heal it. Who's to know what force really brings lonely souls together. It could be simple fate, or maybe Cupid actually exists, and continually stands guard over our hearts.

Ruby's Website

Buy Diamond in the Rough

“Oft have I heard both youth and virgin say
But by their flight I never can divine,
When I shall couple with my Valentine.”

Herrick
Prologue

Claire Holliday rolled slowly to her back, cloaked by the heavy darkness that surrounded her body. Where is he? Just minutes before, Scott had cradled her in his muscular arms, pressed a deliciously wicked kiss to her already swollen mouth, and then carried her down the hallway to her bedroom.

Her fingers fluttered across a bare breast. The feel of warm, naked skin surprised her. When had he removed her clothes? Claire had no time to ponder the situation, however, because her attention instantly returned to the masculine hand that touched her midriff with light, feathery strokes as its counterpart glided over the soft curve of her hip. He was back! Her body surged against the pressure of searching fingers between her thighs.

The mattress dipped beside her. Those masterful fingers now rustled through the downy pubic hair surrounding her pussy, then traveled a delightful path to her breasts, paying no heed to the fact that Claire had just arched her mound against his hand, signaling her urgent need. Her heart beat rapidly when he took a breast in each hand, squeezed the generous mounds together, and then tweaked her rigid nipples.

“Scott…” she whispered.

He bent forward and leisurely kissed her full lips. A hand traveled back between her legs to toy with her frustrated emotions. “What do you want, Claire?”

“I want you,” she moaned. “I want you to fuck me. Please don’t make me wait…”

A light gasp left her lips when a finger slid teasingly through her wet slit. The tip flicked her clit, worked its way back between her labia to be moistened, and then returned to torture her throbbing bud.

“Please, Scott…” Her body jerked with desire when his teeth nipped at a swollen breast. Her mind jumped from the sensation of his moist tongue at her nipple to follow his one wayward finger as it circled her clit, and then swirled through her pubic hair again. The sexual tension heated her blood. Her vaginal muscles clenched with the aching desire to be fucked. She had to be fucked…

The heat of his naked skin warmed her body as he slid between her open thighs. Claire spread her knees wider and pressed her pubic mound against his erect cock. She bucked beneath him, her body searching for his penis, ready to capture the velvety length and suck it inward.

Hot breath heated her neck; the wetness of his tongue dampened the inside of her ear.

“I’m going to fuck you.” His murmured promise echoed around her head where it lay on the pillow. He shifted above her body and reached down between them.

Claire’s heart pounded quicker as she followed the motion in her head. Maybe now he would stick his cock inside her. Instead, the round head of his penis rippled through her moist folds as he held them open for entry, but still refused to enter her heat. She squirmed and arched her hips yet another time when the pressure of his hard cock left her gasping in the dark. The heat continued to build in her lower body. Hot sparks in her groin intensified when the full, hard length of his cock pressed against her mound once more.

“Oh, God…I’m going to…”

Instantly, the tip of his cock circled her throbbing clit…teasing, promising that soon she would tremble with sexual release. She was powerless to stop the aching waves of pleasure building in her womb. Claire groaned as the first burning spark of an orgasm ignited in her belly. The tip of his cock continued to coax her further into the fire as it bounced against her clit. The orgasm exploded through her belly, heating her breasts as masculine lips suckled one nipple, and then the other. She bucked and gasped for air; the intense feeling suffocated her as she mindlessly searched for something to fill her…

“Oh…” she gasped as her body throbbed with the intense orgasm. Her body arched on the bed as her fingers curled around the soft pillow beneath her head. The shudders slowed and perspiration dotted her forehead; a single tear slipped down Claire’s cheek.

She was alone in the bed and had only dreamed once more.

Chapter One

“Hurry, Larry! We’re gonna to be late!” Rosebud beat her wings crazily as she darted through long green stems that supported bright yellow peonies. Her shimmering pink tights reflected the Miami midday sunlight, sending out a beacon to any human enjoying a late afternoon lunch in the park. No one took note, however, as she buzzed past two women who ate from plastic containers. She really didn’t have to worry about being seen anyway; humans didn’t believe in fairies. Therefore, the only thing Rosebud needed to worry about was if someone mistook her for a small irritating bug and tried to flatten her with a rolled-up newspaper.

Larry zipped across the concrete sidewalk and tried to catch up to his dearest friend in the world. A deep scowl lined his forehead just beneath the brim of his black felt derby. Rosebud always did this to him. From the time they were fairylets and just out of diapers, he’d spent most of his days watching her pixie ass bounce in front of him, because before Rosebud finished one thing, she was on to the next, leaving him spinning in her fairy dust.

He grabbed his hat just before the wind whisked it away, flew between two thick stalks in the
peony garden, and hollered to get her attention. “Slow down, Rosey! I’m getting airsick!”

He nearly smacked into her ass when Rosebud skidded to a stop and hovered in place while glancing over her shoulder with a harried look in her soft brown eyes. Her little breasts swelled and contracted from her speedy flight across the park. “Do you realize how important today is?”

“Of course I do,” he scoffed. Larry automatically timed his wing beats to keep himself hovering. “We’ll get to our meeting in plenty of time. Slow down, hey? You’re gonna give me a fucking heart attack.”

Rosebud clapped her hands together and a ruby-red smile creased her elfin face. “I’m just so excited! I’ve been waiting for this day my entire life. Just think, Larry, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we’ll be off and flying to our first assignment. We’re finally gonna get our Gold Wings!”

Larry watched her execute rolling somersaults through the air with joyful giggles, before she stopped to hover smack-dab in front of him. Her slanted eyes shone with suppressed energy and blonde ringlets fluttered on a breath of wind. He couldn’t help but respond to Rosebud’s enthusiasm with a rare smile of his own. “You’re a real nut-cake, Rosey. All right, let’s keep moving.” He grabbed her hand to assure she would stay beside him. “But let’s keep it at a steady pace.” With transparent wings beating in unison, they continued their flight above the curving sidewalk and headed for Cupid’s office.

* * * * *

Cupid flipped open a red, embossed folder on his desk. His blue eyes thoughtfully scanned the list of this year’s human names of lonely, forlorn people who needed to discover love in their lives. It was his job to pair a human female and male, forward their names to the recruits, let the magic begin, and hope like hell it worked.

Tilting his head slightly to the side, he gazed over the thin wire rims of his bifocals and pursed his lips. The two before him, however, had Cupid somewhat apprehensive in regard to the poor humans who would be assigned to this rather young and overexuberant team of fairies.

Realizing that their boss scrutinized them, Rosebud squared her slender shoulders, elbowed Larry to the side despite her petite stature, and took a dainty step forward. Darting her thick-lashed eyes sidelong, she cringed when Larry puffed up his cheeks and noticeably blew the edge of her wing from the side of his face where it poked one brown eye. A second later, a slight jab to her rib cage signaled his reaction to her stepping front and center stage.

Cupid’s eyebrows lifted as he watched their antics and his eyes rolled heavenward before he brought his gaze back to their resumes. “Rosebud Kisses and Larry L’amour. I see this will be your first mission. Do you think you’re ready?”

“Yes, sir!” the two shouted in unison.

Cupid put a finger in his ear, wiggled the tip to stop the ringing, and shook his head. “Rather enthusiastic, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir!”

Cupid winced. “You realize that if you accomplish the mission, you both will be granted your Gold Wings for permanent fairy status?” His hand shot up as the two before him opened their mouths again. “No need to answer. I see that you’ve both finished at the top of your classes. That’s very good. The only thing left is to see how you work out in the field.”

Rosebud dipped forward a step, clasped her tutu’s gauzy short hem and curtsied over her pink slippers. “You won’t be disappointed, sir.”

Not to be outdone, Larry scuttled forward, tipped his derby to his boss, and smiled. “We’ll do a wonderful job, sir. When we’re done, there will be one more couple on this earth madly in love.”

One thick brow cocked over Cupid’s eye. “Well, yes…we’ll see about that.” Studying the names scribbled across the paper, his fingers shuffled across the surface of his desk to grab a red pencil. He closed his eyes and let the tip of the pencil drop haphazardly to the paper. Peering beneath one eyelid, he drew a red heart around two names.

God help them—and I don’t mean these two in front of me…

* * * * *

Larry and Rosebud sat cross-legged on her grass couch, but only Rosey stared reverently at a shiny metal box given to them by Cupid. Nestled inside was an inventory of Valentine weapons for them to either use or discard in their effort to generate an amazing love between two humans.

“Who’s gonna open it?” Rosebud breathed quietly.

“Why in hell are you whispering?” Larry boomed out.

His loud voice startled her. “You don’t have to holler, Larry.”

“I wasn’t. It just sounds like I was to you because you’re…ah, hell, forget it. I wouldn’t get anywhere anyway. Go ahead. You’re the one that’s so damned fired up. You open it.”

Rosebud rose and cautiously approached the box as if it were a land mine ready to detonate. Her gossamer wings accordioned beside her body with uncertainty.

Larry placed his slippered feet on a small rock coffee table, crossed his ankles, and looped his fingers behind his head. “You crack me up, Rosey. It’s not going to explode. Just open the damn thing.”

Gracefully, she sank to her knees and, with trembling hands, gingerly turned the key to open the lid. “Oh, look Larry,” she gasped. “Arrows. Two of them.” She gasped louder and spun in one quick movement to stare up at her friend. “These are the arrows Cupid told us about.”

“No shit.”

Her eyes bulged, and she gulped once, ignoring his flippant response. Her voice returned to the whisper. “They’re magic…”

“They’d have to be in order to work.”

Pivoting on her ass, she gazed into the box again. Her eyes darkened to a soft, doe-like brown as she smiled, deep in thought, but talking aloud nonetheless. “Just think. Because of these arrows, we can help two humans to fall in love.” She clasped her hands together and rested the back of one against her cheek. “How romantic is that?”

Larry observed her theatrics. Rosey was pretty fucking cute. Funny, it was the first time he’d noticed that. Well, maybe not the first time. Lately, fixating on her firm little ass was starting to give him half a hard-on more often than not. His brow wrinkled. Rosey was his bud for chrissakes, his pal, his amigo and nothing more.

Suddenly, he bounded up from the couch to get his mind off the strange excitement he felt at times when he thought about her. “Okay. Let’s just get this over with. Where’s the list with the names? If we don’t haul our asses out of here, we’ll never get our two humans to fall in love by Valentine’s Day.” The sound of her soft, happy sigh floated past his ears. He stared at the glazed look in her eyes. “Sheesh. This is our job, Rosey. You can’t get so mental over a mission or about the humans involved. I really want my Gold Wings, so quit the mushy shit.” His eyes narrowed when she spun three circles in the air and landed on her tiny feet with her back to him. “What are you doing now?”

Rosebud’s perky little ass pointed straight up to the heavens as she dug around inside the box. A second later, she yanked a wrinkled paper out and waved it about in the air. “Ha! Here’re the names of our humans and all the pertinent information.” She plopped onto the couch, her lips silently moving a mile a minute as she read.

Larry just shook his head again as he noted how her chin moved like the carriage of a typewriter as she read line after line. He bent over, pushed his hat further off his forehead, and tapped her shoulder none too gently. “Are you going to share that?”

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, you can have it in a sec. You’re not gonna believe this,” she beamed. “Our lady’s name is Claire Holliday and our guy…well, this is absolutely marvelous. His name is Brian Valentine. How cool is that?” She continued to read, but second by second, the upturned corners of her red mouth sagged until finally, her lips parted and a tiny moan escaped past their fullness. Her tiny brow creased in a sudden frown. She glanced up, surprising Larry with glistening tears.

He rested his fists on his spandex-covered hips. “What are you crying about now? I thought you were happy about this?”

Rosebud clutched the paper to her small bosom and took a deep breath. She blinked her big eyes, her long eyelashes spiked with tears. “Our humans? Oh, Larry, it’s so sad.” She clutched at his arm and clamped onto his hand. “We can’t make a mistake. We have to get them together. No matter what, our Gold Wings won’t mean anything if we can’t make this first one work.”

“Let me see.” Snatching the paper from her fingers, he shook out the wrinkles, held it up to the light, and began to read. “Brian Valentine and Claire Holliday…hmmm…addresses…yadda…yadda…ya…”

His voice lowered as he met Rosebud’s sad gaze, his eyes as serious now as his best friend’s. “I see what you mean. Okay, I think we definitely need to use the arrows, don’t you?”
Rosebud’s small head bobbed in instant agreement.

Larry tipped his head toward the box. “See if there’s anything else we might need from in there and let’s get going.”

“Where do we start?” she asked as she dug around. “We never received any directions about the first step—just the expected end result.”

Larry spun his hat into the thinking cap position. One furry brow dipped over an eye and one finger came up to tap his cheek thoughtfully. “Let’s see. First off, we need to familiarize ourselves with our subjects.”

Rosey levitated with beating wings. “Oooo! Good idea. I can’t wait to see Claire. She sounds so pretty. And Brian’s description said he’s got a great butt. Okay, then what?” She did a loop and nearly knocked Larry’s hat off his head.

He straightened the derby with an irritated smile. “Son of a bitch! You gotta stop doing that.”
She spun once more and hovered upside down in front of his face, waiting for his answer. Her brown eyes blinked innocently. “Doing what?”

“That!”

My brain has been sucked out...

I went from a publisher who did grammatical editing only to a publisher who actually had editors who READ my work and made revision suggestions.

No throwing under of the bus, no bitching and complaining, my original publisher opened the door for me to get into the industry and I made some money. This is not be a nasty wanker and cry time. Simply put, I never really got edits.

I wanted a new publisher because I WANT to develop my craft...I want to see where I need to work on my skills and be mindful of things in future writing. It is the reason why I am in a Creative Writing class in college currently. This is a BUSINESS, and potentially a full time CAREER. (Gawd, PUHLEEEEEZE!!!)

In order for you to be successful in any career, you have to work hard and push yourself for the best you can be. And to be better, I needed editing!

Before the past two weeks, I had no idea what head hopping was. But boy do I now...as apparently I do it. A lot. And I am comma crazy...forgetting them here and there.

I agreed with 97% of the suggestions my editor made and I think the book is definitely stronger for it. And I appreciate the work my new publisher has put into helping me improve my writing.

Now, after sitting in this chair for the past thirteen hours, only getting up to pee and make two cups of hot tea (my daughter delivered me food - what a great kiddo she is!) my butt is numb, and my brains have been sucked out. There is nothing left.

Other then butt and brain numbness, and a minor power outage, where my puppy unplugged my laptop without me knowing it - and suddenly I was at black screen trauma (didn't seem so minor at THAT moment)...I think it has been a good experience.

I know I have missed Sexy Man Monday. I will repay you all tomorrow, after I get some much needed rest.

~Alex

PS - Does anyone know why track changes would disappear in Word when you have a power outage, and had SAVED all along?? HELP!

Guest Blogger - Ashlynn Monroe

Protector Mine

Larissa is on the verge of complete insanity. She has grown up feeling a connection to the rural woodlands near her home. She has never been able to find what or who has been calling to her.

Dante comes from an ancient line of shifters whose sole purpose is to keep their charges safe from vampires. Dante is Larissa’s Protector. There are only two rules- never talk to your charge and never let them know that you are watching. Dante breaks every rule when it comes to Larissa when they are swept into a torrent of desire that threatens to consume them.

Will the price of breaking the rules to follow their hearts be too great? Hunters lurk in the forest. Vampires are coming. Dante is all that stands between Larissa and the monsters who want to make her one of them

Find Ashlynn as well as many other great authors HERE at the Evernight Publishing Site.

Find Ashlynn's Blog HERE.

Protector Mine

Ashlynn Monroe

Copyright © 2010

Chapter One

Bright sun burned Larissa’s eyes as she helped her father and two older sisters with rock picking. It seemed as if her dad always picked the hottest day of the spring for the odious task, and every year she wondered where all the rocks came from. Acres of uneven, dirty countryside lay before them, and they had to remove all the rocks laying in the field so the spring planting could begin.

Both of her sisters had left home to go away to college, but they returned at her father’s insistence for the wretched rock removal tradition. She would be leaving in the fall for college herself. Taking time off to decide what she wanted to do for the rest of her life had only prolonged the inevitable. She would have to leave the peace and tranquility of her family’s home and move into the dorms as her sisters had.

They had scrambled away quickly, but not Larissa. Something about the dark woods had always drawn her. It called to her very soul. As rattlesnakes and other wildlife were abundant in the hills, her parents had never allowed the girls to just run and explore the potentially dangerous area alone. For Larissa, the call had been so strong she had frequently disobeyed her parents; the longing to go into the cool shadows of the trees felt irresistible.

Dark shadows and thick undergrowth had never deterred her. She always felt safe there, and as of yet, she had never seen a rattlesnake. Once in awhile, she was sure she had caught a glimpse of something larger moving through the brush, but she could never run fast enough to catch up to it. Fearlessly, she had pursued the movement, unconcerned it might be dangerous. On several occasions, she would just wander for hours looking for something intangible.

Her sisters thought she was deranged and her parents had tried every punishment they could think of, but she kept going. There was something about this place that went beyond childhood home and hearth. This place was in her blood. Generations of her family had lived on the land. Larissa always felt very earthy and sometimes she thought she could feel something watching her, protecting her. The feeling was probably the reason she had rejected going off to college so far. It was foolish, but Larissa always felt an overwhelming sense of acceptance when she was near the shadows of the trees. The thought of leaving that behind was daunting.

Thinking about living away from that feeling of security scared her, and she could not imagine waking up and not seeing the tree line when she looked out her window. When Larissa had voiced her feelings to her siblings, they had laughed at her. Both of her sisters were afraid of the shadows and lonely darkness behind the tree line and both of them claimed it was haunted. She did not believe in ghosts, but she knew there was something mystical, special, about the place. She was the youngest and they usually thought her dramatic personality was over the top, but when it came to the woods, she knew that it freaked her family out something fierce.

College would be a big change, but she was looking forward to pursuing her interest in photography. She was good at capturing the essence of nature or people. She wanted her inspiration immortalized in the pictures she took. She planned to major in photography, and become a nature photographer.

Crunching, rumbling tires over the gravel field road brought the group’s attention away from the dreaded chore. Yes, it did appear that Paxton London was driving toward them, but he could have any number of reasons for coming, most likely to speak to her father. Hanna, Larissa’s eldest sister, made a kissing noise at her while Belicia made an “oooh” sound. Larissa rolled her eyes at their feigned immaturity. She felt overcome with mortification when her father joined in by subtly humming the wedding march. How did she deserve such a horrible, mean-spirited family?

Larissa desperately hoped he wasn’t coming to see her. Paxton was sweet, ethical and had the rural grit that made them a well-matched pair, but she didn’t feel a connection. Larissa was young and inexperienced, but a spark was a spark…or lack thereof. Paxton was her friend. They understood each other because of having similar childhoods and growing up in the same community with the same values. She knew he was a good man, but he was not a man she wanted forever tied to as his bride.

Hanna was the same age as he was and Larissa knew her sister had always harbored a secret crush on him. When Hanna looked at Pax there was a softness to her eyes. Anytime she talked about him the little hitch in her voice made her feelings perfectly clear. Larissa was in tune to other people’s emotions, especial those of her sisters.

She hoped one day Paxton would see it and turn his attention where it would be more appreciated. Her family toned down the teasing as Paxton shut off the engine and stepped out of the truck’s cab. He walked over to the group, and she noticed right away he seemed a bit awkward. Normal Pax had a confident gait, but he seemed hesitant as he approached. Larissa noticed that he looked like he might be flushed. It was a bit puzzling because he had known her family his whole life. She had no idea why he’d suddenly be uneasy with any of them.

Larissa decided to ignore Pax’s visit and started to pick rocks again. The sooner she finished, the sooner she could find some shade, and the lemonade she wanted to quench her thirst. Distracted, she only half listened to the conversation until her name made her perk up. Then she heard it again. What was Paxton discussing with her dad? She desperately hoped he was not ratting her out for getting too drunk at the party he had thrown the previous weekend. He probably wanted to rent more fields and was trying to kiss up. She plopped her bucket down and went over to where her sisters’ stood in the field unabashedly listening to the conversation. When she approached, they both looked like they wanted to say something but couldn’t. Larissa laughed to herself and knew this would be a day she would mark on the calendar. Belicia holding back, wow. However, when she heard what Paxton said she could feel her own cheeks heating.

Angry beyond words, she pushed past her sisters and stepped between her father and Paxton. She left her fury explode as she yelled at him. “How dare you, Paxton! I can’t believe that you would come up here and ask for me like I was livestock you wanted to buy. If you want to go out with me, ask me. It is the freaking twenty-first century, not the Middle Ages. Go home, Pax and if you want to go out with me, call me. My dad can say yes or he can say no, but it’s what I say that matters.” She panted with fury.

She’d always hated the old fashioned approach the farm families had to dating. She also hated that as the youngest everyone treated her like a mindless infant. A long, low howl not far off in the distance made the group jump. It didn’t sound like a coyote. Paxton took a step back and reached into the cab of his truck. Her father looked around nervously. There hadn’t been wolves in the area for centuries. However, reports always surfaced of some crackpot claiming to see a wolf or a pack of wolves; no one ever found any of them. Paxton quickly pulled his gun from his truck and loaded it, looking at her father.

“You want me to go take a look? If it’s a coyote, I’d be glad to go take care of it.”

Her father shrugged. “If you want to go you can, but if it’s not a coyote, don’t you dare shoot it. I don’t need the DNR on my ass.”

Paxton gave a firm nod and they watched him trudge toward the wood line. When he was far enough away not to hear, Belicia exploded. “Oh em gee. I so cannot believe that you did that. He’s cute, and you’re single. Why would you yell at a hottie who asked

you out? I know it was stupid, really stupid he was so formal and asked Dad if he could take you out. Nevertheless, it seems like a total sign of adorable respect. Or maybe he just wants to get into your pants.” She continued, “How are you not running after him and apologizing?”

Their father walked past them and grumbled. “I am going to pretend I did not hear the pants comment. How do you know what that boy wants? Wait. Oh please, don’t tell me. Talk to your mother.”

Larissa exchanged a look with her sister, and she tried not to laugh. Larissa had plenty of chances to have some backseat fun, but something always stopped her from having sex. Larissa was saving herself, but she didn’t know why.

Both of her sisters hadn’t felt the need to wait, and she hated to admit, had reputations. Unfortunately, just sharing the family name caused her to slap more hands than she cared to remember. She glanced up just as Paxton entered the woods, and was consumed by the lush darkness of the wildness. She hoped whatever had made that noise would run away. She felt a nervous discomfort seeing him go into her woods with a gun. For some reason, she was not a bit concerned for Pax, but she felt like she should protect her special place. It really made no sense, and she did her best to ignore the odd feelings and worries.

****

Dante watched the man walk through his woods. He had felt Larissa’s anger toward the man, which gave him an irrational need to rip the stranger’s throat out. Dante could hardly blame the bastard— even covered in dirt and sweat, the girl radiated a natural, sweet beauty that made him regretful of his position as her guardian. If he had been a regular man like the one a few feet away with the gun, he would have been falling at her feet, too. He also felt the disappointment and embarrassment the other man felt. He knew he’d sensed him around before and this one had irritated him in the past with his hidden feelings for Larissa. Today, he radiated his lust completely unchecked. This man wanted her, and it made Dante furious that he could never have her. He wasn’t human. Guardians didn’t show themselves to their charges. Even holding her was out of the question.

Reining in his uncontrolled thoughts, he reminded himself she was only his charge and nothing else. His job was to keep her alive and stay under her radar, undetected. The connection between them was stronger than what he'd learned was normal. Was it his early transference of the guardian that made him feel more than he should for her? His passion for her was frightening, and he knew it jeopardized his existence. If the counsel found out how much he desired her, he'd be sent away. Guardians did not fuck those under their protection. If the council knew how he felt, they’d consider his feelings dangerous to the order of the rules.

Dante suddenly felt the pain of long suppressed memories.

His father’s pain. A vampire had attacked and his father was losing. Family telepathy told him clearly that his mother and sister were already there, fighting for their lives. Feeling an echo of terrible pain, he realized his father’s leg had been broken. The wound was as good as a death warrant for a wolf.

He was almost to where his father fought to save the ten-year-old farmer’s daughter who was surely asleep in the house, unaware that her life was in danger. Dante ran down the hill. He saw the bloodsucker throw his sister and her pain radiated through his body.

His mother pounced on the vampire. To Dante’s horror, his connection to her ended as the vampire broke her neck. His father’s agonized howl tore through him. Summer regained consciousness and launched herself at the vampire. Her teeth bit into its arm, but it grabbed her and he felt the pain of the vampire venom as it bit her repeatedly on her flank.

Trying to transform into his wolf form frustrated Dante. He couldn’t do it. He preferred his human form and had even been born as a human infant, not a cub as was usual. His mother blamed it on the family gossip that a human great grandmother existed in his father’s family line. Helplessly, he watched his family struggle.

Summer, his sister, managed to wriggle free despite her injuries. He heard his father pleading with Summer to run, to save herself. She obeyed and glanced at him as she ran past him, limping with the damage she’d suffered.

His father growled, taking his final stand against the vampire.

Dante could feel his desperation to protect his charge and his own children. The creature grabbed Raphael, its claws digging into his back, all but grabbing his spine. Dante felt the intense agony that blinded his father. With a quick snap the monster broke him. His father’s last seconds literally imprinted on his memory. As he died he saw the maniacal grin of his murderer.

Howling with grief, the change finally came over him. As he transformed into the wolf, Dante felt something else. Suddenly he was filled with the guardian. A warm deep communion with the universe expanded his consciousness. He felt connected to something much larger than himself. An understanding far beyond his years rushed his mind, overwhelming him for a moment. He was only fifteen, but somehow the guardian spirit chose him. It felt so intense he was brought to his knees. Dante recovered and stood.

He had a vampire to kill. Instinctually, he knew the creatures’ weaknesses and how to attack. Following those instincts, his rage soon brought the creature down, dead.

He knew his feelings for her went farther than desire—he’d grown to love her. She had such a sweet and open heart. Caring for everyone around her and ignoring her own needs was something she did without hesitation, and it galled him each and every time a friend, or one of her obnoxious siblings, took advantage of her sweet nature.

It amazed him how she knew they were doing it but never minded, happy to help them out anytime they asked. Larissa scanned the wood line with longingly in her eyes. She stared into the trees and hiked more often than not these days. Dante felt her longing to find the completion of their phantom connection.

He would have to physically restrain himself from going to her. Each day it seemed harder and harder to fulfill his duty. When his parents had died and his sister disappeared, he'd been left alone. He could not just leave his charge unprotected and vanish, but he also didn’t want to stay alone in the woods for the rest of his life.

Thinking about that time in his life was hard but the memories rushed in nonetheless.

After he’d killed the vampire that had killed his parents and disposed of it, he returned to the den with his parent’s remains. They were still in their wolf forms they’d died in. He had expected to find Summer, but the search was futile. He found himself alone with his grief and new responsibility.

When his father didn’t give his annual report, they sent his uncle to check on them. When his uncle found him alone and had heard of the tragedy, he had gone back and told the council about what had happened. Inside each wolf was a spirit, a guardian that created the bond and gave the wolf the ability to sense vampires, especially vampires who wanted to infect their charge. They had all been shocked that the guardian had chosen to inhabit him at such a young age.

They had sent his uncle back to teach him. For ten years, his uncle had lived with him, taught, and guided him. Dante loved the man, and he respected his knowledge. His sister’s disappearance was still a mystery, but having his uncle with him had kept him sane.

Without his mentor, he’d have been alone. When his uncle had left the previous year after Dante had completed his training, the man had promised him he would send visitors and potential mates his way. Dante knew his uncle suspected the unnaturally strong connection between himself and Larissa, but he had never demanded an explanation. His uncle had told him on many occasions the amount of time he spent as a human was odd, but he also never asked for a reason. His easy understanding fostered Dante’s respect for the man.

His uncle had once been a guardian, but he had lost his charge to a vampire. Imagining losing Larissa to a vampire was unbearable, and he had no idea how his uncle had survived it. He would rather die fighting than live with the knowledge she'd been infected because of his shortcomings.

Watching this man hunting made it even harder not to tear into him, because Dante knew he hunted for him. His knowledge that Larissa felt a friendly, non-sexual friendship for the man was all that spared his life. Killing the man would have caused her pain, and he would feel every moment of Larissa’s agony intensely, so he let the man leave his woods alive. He was unaware of how close to death he walked.

It appeared to him that Larissa had been angry, but more than anything, she was scared when the man had spoken of his interest in her to her father. Did she not want her father involved in her relationships or was it something more? Dante hated the idea that someday she’d fall in love. He’d know the moment it happened, and he wondered if he’d survive it. He felt their bond tug in a way that was wrong. Somehow, either he had projected his ever-growing desire and love for her, or she had a very sensitive psychic ability. Larissa seemed just as helpless as he was to pull away from the bond. He knew it influenced the course of her life, making her make decisions she would have otherwise not made. It was wrong to continue as her guardian.

Guilt over his influence made him resist thinking about what he wanted. Ignoring his longing, he focused on her safety and not her happiness. He tried not to think about how badly he wanted them to know each other. If she just wasn’t so damn beautiful, it would have been easier for him.

****

From Dante’s vantage point, he could see her well with his keen sight. A soft breeze rippled her long, strawberry blonde hair, and it hung in shining waves down her back. It was pulled off her face with a clip, but the thickness of it caused much of it to escape.

Only Larissa had eyes the color of summer green grass that held just a tint of amber, unique like the woman to whom they belonged. Her slight figure was curvy where it counted, and she had an earthiness no longer in fashion yet it suited her well. Her cute pixie-like nose was sprinkled with freckles, and her skin was already sun-kissed even though it was only spring. He watched her performing her task. He could feel her camaraderie with her family, and it made him long for his own lost loved ones.

He was a protector. His soul housed a guardian, and for him there was nothing else but his duty. Yet, in his heart he longed for more, he longed for Larissa. Dante longed for her in the way a man longs for a woman, not as the wolf or the guardian. He wanted her. He cared about her. He was an idiot. Dante berated himself even as the peace of knowing she was close by and safe filled him.

Looking at the world with passionate curiosity, Larissa only saw the happiness in life. Her sharp mind was never satisfied until she understood the people in her life and the world she lived in. She was selfless and giving to a fault. Loving her from afar was the easiest thing he had ever done and also the most foolish.

All guardians could call the counsel to them. When his uncle had come to teach him what he needed to know, it was one of the first things he had learned. His father had died far too soon, and so he had only just begun to lay the foundation of his education for a future as a protector.

Whenever her parents talked to her about her future, he could feel how much it upset her because of their bond. Every emotion and sensation was a ghostly echo in his mind, body, and soul. He wanted to her be happy, but his unhappiness was somehow carrying over to her and she sensed his longing. Because her pull to him was so strong, it was time he took the high road and removed himself as protector.

His feelings clouded his judgment. It was time he admitted to being unfit to protect her. Experience and knowledge made them wise leaders. He knew it was time to confess his feelings and let the council leadership decide what would be best for Larissa, because there was a threat to her—him.

Watching the humans finish their work and leave together in the pickup of the man who wanted to hunt him, he felt her absence manifest as a physical pain. He’d been watching as a wolf. In his wolf body, the pain was only slightly lessened. He turned and loped away deeper into the woods. The darkness of the thick forest enveloped him.

Always the darkness.

Dante decided to call to his uncle. He lived in the were community, and he would know how to reach the council. He had established familial telepathy from years of training and living with his mentor, but he did not use it except to check up on any information about Summer.

Dante felt in his heart his sister was not dead, and he hoped she would eventually surface. Calling out to his uncle, he projected the urgency of his need. *othing. His uncle was not ignoring him or blocking him, the connection was just gone. There could only be one explanation, and it tore at his heart. He felt crippling pain at the thought of his uncle, his mentor, dead. A howl of agony escaped him as he was consumed by more intense pain and confusion.

****

After the trauma of Paxton’s formal request to date her, and the long day of picking rocks, Larissa was mentally and physically exhausted. She took a quick shower. Her sisters pounded the door and demanded their turn the entire time as the antiquated farm house only had one bathroom. Once finished and dressed, she poured herself a glass of lemonade, and proceeded to swing softly on the porch swing, enjoying the slight breeze. Returning to the house with her empty glass, she went to wash it as her mother’s strict housekeeping standards demanded.

She sighed with contentment at the thought of completing her final chore of the day. Just as she finished washing the glass, a sudden intense feeling of distress gripped her so strongly she couldn’t breathe. Falling from her hand, the glass shattered on the floor, and her mother turned to face her.

Mia, her mother, rushed over to her and helped her sit down on a nearby kitchen chair. She urged Larissa to take deep breaths. Larissa suddenly felt cold, a clammy sensation consuming her whole. Something was wrong. She felt sorrow, the same as if she had just lost someone she loved, but everyone was fine. It made no sense. Her mother’s soft voice cut through the haze of nonsensical emotion.

”What’s wrong, Larissa?”

“I don’t know, mom. I just feel sick, okay?”

“I’ve seen this before. I’m going to kill your father for using you girls like field hands,” her mother exclaimed. “You have heat stroke. Honey, I want you to go lay down on the couch. I'll get something to cool you down.”

She’d experienced the feeling before, just not as strong. It left her unable to argue because an explanation of what she was feeling seemed required. She was barely able to speak. Instead, she did as her mother asked and rested. Laying on the ancient piece of furniture, she looked up at the ceiling and tried to sort out her random feelings.

What had caused her to feel the strong painful stab of grief? Why was this happening to her? Lately, at least since she had enrolled in college, she had felt such intensity, as if her emotions were no longer her own. It was terrifying.

Larissa had to get these feelings under control. She desperately wanted to understand why it was happening. She’d always had thoughts that didn’t belong to her. It felt more intense lately. She loved her family and the home she had grown up in, but it was no reason for her to react like this. Was she mentally ill? Should she tell her mother the truth so she could get proper help and treatment? She was sure something influenced her because what she felt wasn’t in the realm of normal. She wondered if maybe she had a strange allergy or had eaten something that caused her to have delusions? Endless possibilities clouded her mind and after awhile, she was just frustrated with herself. There had to be a reason this was happening to her and no one else in her family.

Enduring her mother’s endless attention, she realized how lucky she was to have a loving family, even if it was a bit suffocating at times. She would pull herself out of her funk for them, if nothing else. There had to be an explanation and she vowed she would find it as soon as possible.