“I love you too, Alan. For all eternity.” She leaned forward and ran her tongue down his stomach. “Now, let’s get started on making up for lost time.”
He couldn’t have agreed more. He bit back a grin. “So, now that everyone is gone, want to peek in the drawer?”
THE END
About the Author, Mandy M. Roth
Mandy M. Roth grew up fascinated by creatures that go bump in the night. From the very beginning, she showed signs of creativity. At age five, she had her first piece of artwork published. Writing came into play early in her life as well. Over the years, the two mediums merged and led her to work in marketing. Combining her creativity with her passion for horror has left her banging on the keyboard into the wee hours of the night. Mandy lives with her husband and three children on the shores of Lake Erie, where she is currently starting work on her Master’s Degree. She was nominated for Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Paranormal Erotic.
Mandy has topped the Amazon bestselling charts more than once and has a loyal and steady following. She does cover art under the brush name Natalie Winters and is very involved with helping authors learn to market their books. In 2009 she and fellow author Michelle M. Pillow started their own self-publishing endeavor named The Raven Books. It spawned from the name of a nightclub in Mandy’s wildly popular Daughter of Darkness Series. In July 2010 they opened The Raven Books to third party distribution and by Dec 2011 had sold WELL over 150,000 ebooks.
Mandy writes for The Raven Books, Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Harlequin Spice, Pocket Books and Random House/Virgin/Black Lace.
To learn more about Mandy, please visit www.mandyroth.com or send an email to [email protected].
For latest news about Mandy’s newest releases subscribe to her announcement list in Yahoo! groups. http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/Mandy_M_Roth
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The Raven Books’ Complimentary Material
The following material is free of charge. It will never affect the price of your book.
Cowboys and Supernaturals
Blaze of Glory
By
Mandy M. Roth and Rory Michaels
Sheriff Jonathan MacSweeny is in charge of keeping the peace in Prospect Springs. Frontier living isn’t what it used to be. It’s hard to survive in the New Old West and it’s even harder when your area doesn’t exactly embrace supernaturals—and you howl at the moon. That being said, he’s good at his job and has a reputation with the ladies. When he learns his childhood sweetheart is to be married off to the town sleazebag, he goes in guns blazing to see to it she’s his. Problem is, Molly isn’t the same girl he remembers from ten years prior. Now she’s a gun-toting, foul-mouthed, vixen with a badge of her own.
Special Marshal Molly Cogan never planned to set foot back in Prospect Springs. When her friend gets the harebrained idea to steal her identity in an attempt to protect her from the bounty the outlaws have on her head, Molly finds herself standing right smack dab in the middle of chaos—or home in her case. It isn’t long before Jonathan is there, flashing that famous MacSweeny boy smile and tempting her in ways she wasn’t prepared for. This heart-hardened Marshal has her work cut out for her if she plans to face her past fears and her past sweetheart.
Warning: This novella contains strong language and shape shifting cowboys who will melt your socks off. This novella also has explicit, graphic sexual content and is not for the faint of heart.
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Chapter One Excerpt
New West Frontier, Prospect Springs, New Earth, 2807
“Jon, what the hell do you think you’re doing? You can’t go riding into town, kicking up a row and laying claim to another man’s property.”
Jonathan MacSweeny glared at his best friend and cousin, Eli MacSweeny. Jonathan’s temperament had been bad to start with. It only worsened since he’d gotten up and this wasn’t helping it along any. At the current rate of progression, he’d be likely to shoot fire from his eyes and tear a man limb from limb before the night was out. The first was out of reach even for someone like Jonathan, but the second was a distinct possibility.
“Just because the man had a hand in fatherin’ her doesn’t mean he owns her,” Jonathan stressed. “And if I feel like making a scene, I will.” He fisted the reins of his horse—the need to be on their way was great for Jonathan. Every second they delayed was a second he could have had with the woman who turned him inside out with nothing more than a glance.
“According to the law, her daddy does own her. Least ‘til she’s married off, then her husband does.” Eli tipped his head slightly, sending dark strands of hair over his shoulders. The jet-black hair was a MacSweeny trait, one the ladies seemed to adore and the church-going elderly women seemed to take as a sign of the devil. Probably didn’t help much that the boys had inhuman eyes. They weren’t exactly human so it sort of went hand-in-hand.
Thankfully, over the years, the religious people in Prospect Springs had come to understand that although by all outward appearances the MacSweeny family was touched by the devil, they meant no harm and were honest boys. Who and what they were wasn’t a total secret because the rumors floated. The boys did nothing to stop the scuttlebutt.
Almost all of them had remained in the area. None had started families yet. It was probably a good thing since there were so many of them. Hell, there were four in his immediate family alone. Eli had two brothers. That had them up to seven already and Jonathan hadn’t even begun to think about his other two uncles and their boys.
All boys.
All rowdy.
All different.
All special.
“The law is wrong, Eli,” Jonathan said. “Plain and simple, the man has no right to force his daughter to wed a lecherous bastard just because it’ll get his parish bigger donations. Gerald Wilson is a snake who has raped more women than not and I’m not about to let him get his hands on Molly.”
Again.
He didn’t voice his last concern but it was evident from the tension that filled the area. Jonathan would rot in the pits of hell before he ever allowed Gerald Wilson near Molly again. He’d spent a decade regretting having been foolish enough to leave her accessible to Gerald to begin with. He should have claimed her as his mate the minute he’d realized that’s what she was to him.
It was an absurd thought and he knew it. They’d been too young for him to go with his gut. Gerald hadn’t cared a bit about Molly’s innocence. For that alone Jonathan had watched the bastard from a distance, waiting for him to step out of line so he’d be justified in killing him.
“Yap, yap, yap,” Parker, Jonathan’s older brother, said, as he rode up next to him. He steadied his horse and nodded out toward the night. “I hear ya talkin’, little brother, but I don’t hear you saying what it is you’re going to do to rectify the situation.”
“Rectify?” Eli grinned. It didn’t take much to figure out he was in the mood for mischief. “Trust the doctor to swoop in and start up with fancy words. We might need to stop by a Frontier Stall and look that there one up.”
Parker put his middle finger in the air and offered a cocky smile. “Doctor that, asshole. And seems to me the lawyer in the family would have some pull in regards to changing the laws but it’d appear you are as worthless as your last girlfriend claimed you to be.” He let his middle finger droop slowly as his gaze slid to Eli’s groin.
Eli shrugged. “Seein’ as how I had her screaming my name out in ecstasy behind the General Store I can’t see how I’d be labeled worthless. A bit randy maybe, but worthless? No.” He rubbed his chin, doing his best to conceal a wicked grin. They got entirely too much joy out of poking fun at one another. “As far as laws go, I don’t get to change ‘em. I only get to twist the already existing ones to my advantage.”
Jonathan’s ears perked as he fingered his sidearm and then his badge. The silver burned slightly as he touched it but still, his hand remained. It was a r
eminder of not only who he was but what he was. He was the sheriff but was also more than a man. The beast, who suffered a sensitivity to silver, swore an oath to protect Molly and the man supported the decision wholeheartedly. The two had come to a conclusion long ago—she was not to be harmed and, one day, she would be his. “Got any law-twisting planned, cousin?”
“A whole lot of begging, Jon. That’s ‘bout it.” Eli chuckled. “Well, that and I told Parker to bring along some aspirin. You might need it after you go and get yourself hung over a woman. Be thankful a hangin’ won’t kill ya. Just make your head and neck hurt for a few days. Now, if they decide to run silver spikes through your heart or chop your head off, well, that’s another matter.”
“Wonderful.” He didn’t bother to hide his sarcasm. “And thanks for the show of support. It warms me to know my kin are positive I’ll get my neck snapped before the day’s out.”
The tiny snort that came from Eli wasn’t lost on him, neither was the piercing gaze the man gave him. Those lavender eyes always seemed to know the truth.
Eli stated the obvious anyway. “Jon, this is an awful lot of trouble to go through for a girl you ain’t even seen since she was but knee-high. What’s it been? Ten years now?”
It was the truth. Jonathan hadn’t seen Molly Cogan since she was sixteen but that didn’t matter any. When word of her father’s plans reached him, he’d been blinded by rage. Molly had been a free spirit, a female renegade. So much so, her father had sent her away, shamed by her even though there was nothing to be ashamed about. Molly was a rare treasure, or at least she had been.
And damn well always will be, MacSweeny.
He smiled as his inner voice chastised him as quickly and as sharply as Molly would. He held tighter to the reins of his horse. It would’ve been faster to take his steel steed. They were built to look like real horses except for the legs. Steel steeds had none. They hovered just off the ground, six to eight inches. Jonathan had mounted handlebars on the neck of his. They helped to steer better and allowed him to lean forward more, cutting wind resistance. All the MacSweeny boys had steel steeds but the damn mechanical beasts tended to be unpredictable and since they ran on both fuel and solar power, one needed to be sure one had plenty of both. Fuel wasn’t an issue, it was sunlight. There wasn’t a whole heck of a lot of it left for the day and there was no way in hell Jonathan was gonna chance anything ruining him getting to Molly. No, he’d take what was tried and true, his mare.
“Let’s ride.”
END EXCERPT
www.ravenhappyhour.com ~ www.theravenbooks.com
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Also from The Raven Books
SOLO TU by Mandy M. Roth
Paranormal Vampire Shifter Romance
A witch by birth, Francy Montgomery feels she's merely a fledgling in the eyes of the supernatural world. Only one man believed in her abilities, a man who ignited a magical fire within her that burns for his touch, despite his rejection. Now she has to face him again, and tell him of her intent to marry another rather than wasting her life wanting what she can never have.
Dante Guerrasio's patience has just run out. The mate he's waited centuries to find is now at a point in her life that's she's ready to be claimed as his. In fact, she'd be his already if some meddling magic hadn't interfered and kept him at bay when she was eighteen. The wolf inside him needed her then, but the man he is knew that Francy needed to taste her freedom before he could taste her. How did his suggestion that she experience life for herself lead her into the arms of another man—his sworn enemy.Rating: Contains graphic adult material, multiple partner sex, adult language, and explicit sexual content not suitable for sensitive readers.
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Chapter One Excerpt
Francy Montgomery pulled her silver sedan to a stop outside of the three-story cream-colored home and killed the engine. It was strange being back after so long but it was necessary. A strange calm surrounded her as she stared up at the house her longtime friend, Dante, insisted wasn’t a mansion. With nine bedrooms and ten bathrooms it counted as one in her book. Trust Dante not to think so. The man had been born in the lap of luxury.
Getting out of her car, she took in a deep, fresh breath of country air. The very sight of the place took her breath away. It was both overwhelming and exhilarating to see it again. Part of her wanted to get back in her car and drive away. Another part wanted to lay down roots and never leave again. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do that. Running wasn’t an option either.
Letting her power rise, Francy let it run out and over the grounds in search of Dante. A witch by birth, she had only learned to control her powers in the last several years. Being under thirty years of age made her a fledgling in the eyes of the supernatural world. Her lack of control and five-year span of trying to harness her powers was unacceptable by many, but not Dante. He made controlling supernatural gifts look simple and always made her feel good about what she’d accomplished. The minute she sensed his magik, Francy drew hers back quickly. Her entire body tingled from the rush of power and from the thrill of having brushed against Dante, even if it was only mystically.
I should have just called. I can’t face him.
It had been over five years since she’d been able to visit Dante and she wasn’t sure what to expect. Sure, they kept in touch as much as they could on the phone but they both led very busy lives. With the bombshell she had to drop on him, she was positive that their days of doing their best to stay in contact were numbered. Still, it was important that he hear the news she had to share before anyone else told him.
Red rows of tulips flanked the limestone circular drive, giving the illusion of a red carpet welcome. The arched, notched-out entranceway had potted plants on it, consisting mostly of ivy. Italian herbs were randomly growing throughout as well. That suited Dante.
The plants softened the hard edges of the entranceway perfectly. Francy could still remember Dante planting them. She had been in high school, visiting her family’s cottage, and he’d seemed desperate to find things to do to occupy his time. After all, the man had centuries under his belt and countless more to come. Immortality had its price—boredom seemed to be part of it.
Desperate for anything to avoid one-on-one time with me.
It was a harsh thing to think and not entirely true. So much had transpired between them that it was hard to pinpoint what they had. In her mind and her heart, she would always hold Dante near—love him with more of herself than she would ever offer another. In reality, he was her friend. Nothing more, and now she was promised to another. That in itself was something she was coming to terms with.
Francy didn’t bother knocking. It wasn’t something she was known for when it came to visiting Dante and it would seem time hadn’t changed the habit. She opened the heavy wooden door and smiled when she found the front room hearth covered in fruits and vegetables. It was an open layout, leaving the hearth in close proximity to a large wash basin. It was Dante’s stopping spot from the garden. Francy could still picture him spending time cleaning all that he brought in from the garden in preparation for whatever feast he was planning.
She smiled as she stared at the hearth. The charred backdrop made her laugh as she remembered how and why it was that way. Stepping closer to it, Francy put her hand out, almost touching the scorch marks. The marks had been made when they had decided to enjoy a late-night meal together with a soothing fire going. Dante had insisted on cooking for her and there was no way she’d ever pass that up. Not with as excellent a chef as he was. His ability to turn ordinary pasta into something extraordinary had always won her over.
The way to your heart, Francy, is through your stomach. Dante’s words echoed in her mind.
Francy let out a soft laugh at the thought of her friend’s comment and how he would tease her that he had but to cook and she’d forgive him for just about anything. In truth, it wasn’t quite that easy. There were things she wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive him for.
Sta
ring at the charred wall, she thought back to five years ago, when she’d last seen Dante. The meal had started out like any other but had ended in a way she’d never dreamt possible—with the two of them teetering on the edge of making love. They had come so close yet hadn’t completed the act. It was a regret she would forever live with.
So many nights, when she should have been thinking of another, she’d lain in bed touching herself. Making herself come with the use of her fingers and memories of her night with Dante.
That night, Francy had been so aroused, so in need of Dante to be in her, fucking her, taking her every way possible that she’d been careless with the gifts she’d been born with, accidentally releasing her magik and sending a charge into the fireplace. A second before Dante was about to slide his long, thick cock into her, huge flames shot forth, charring the cream-colored stone wall. It had left the two of them in an awkward spot, lying on his kitchen table, staring at the wall, and ended what could have been the beginning of something else entirely.
Francy still wasn’t sure what Dante’s reasoning was for casting her aside, telling her to go and live her life, but she did know that she’d never truly gotten over it. The odds were against that ever happening. Various scenarios had raced through her head but the best she could come up with was he didn’t feel the same for her as she felt for him.
Mating Behavior Page 7