Creole Moon
Lucas Blackmane has no illusions about himself. He's Wulfren and on the cusp of turning feral. He may be the most powerful werewolf on two continents, but without a mate, his days are numbered. Hey, but that's okay. He's accepted that finding his mate just isn't in the cards. Which is why he's totally blindsided when a witchy woman with blood in her eyes and a heavenly scent walks into his casino and turns his world upside down.
Alisha Leveau is Sosye, which is just another way of saying she's a badass witch with attitude. She doesn't like the Wulfren, even if her adopted brother is one, and the hairy-ass predators had better hand him over or she'll give them plenty of reason to howl at the moon.
So how the hell did she end up in Blackmane's bed?
Genre: Interracial, Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 28,799 words
CREOLE MOON
Karen Benjamin
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
CREOLE MOON
Copyright © 2013 by Karen Benjamin
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-776-5
First E-book Publication: April 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
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This is Karen Benjamin’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Benjamin’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
To my husband, who always believed in me.
CREOLE MOON
KAREN BENJAMIN
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Salinas Island. Midnight.
Oh yeah, he really was all that…and then some. Lucas Blackmane was the biggest, meanest looking S.O.B. she’d ever seen. She judged him to be around seven feet, give or take an inch, and the light-gray business suit he wore somehow managed to conceal and emphasize his muscular build. She wasn’t close enough to tell what color his eyes were, but his hair was jet black, and he wore it pulled back and secured at the nape of his neck. He was brutishly handsome, powerfully built, and oozing enough Wulfren pheromones to make every woman in the casino, and several of the men, take a second look as he walked past. Oh yeah, Blackmane was everything she’d been told to expect…and then some, but she was still going to jam her foot up his ass if he didn’t tell her what he’d done with her brother. She’d had enough of being put on hold, enough of being told Mr. Blackmane was unavailable, and enough of the “oh, not her again” eye rolls from his bug-eyed receptionist. He might be Wulfren and Supreme Alpha of the North American Packs, but she was Sosye, and nobody got away with messing with her family.
She slid off her stool and stepped directly into his path. He pulled up short, and then shifted to move around her. Alisha mimicked his movement again, blocking his path. He froze in place, his black-as-night eyes sending a chill racing up her spine as he glared down at her. He was clearly not amused, but the big blond accompanying him wore a smile as bright as his island shirt.
“You’re new to the island,” he said, eyeing her in a way that said he liked what he saw. “My friend isn’t interested, but I’d love to show you around. Or maybe we could meet here at the bar for a drink?”
Alisha cocked her head to the side, looking first at Blackmane and then at the man who’d spoken. Blackmane looked bored and more than a little irritated. The blond looked as if he thought she was a hottie looking for a one-night stand and he was quite happy to volunteer his services.
Alisha tossed her head back, sending her long red braids cascading over one shoulder, and returned his smile. “You’ve got the wrong idea, mes ami. But judging by the company you keep…” She flicked a disdainful look at Blackmane. “I guess I ought to be happy you didn’t cock your leg and piss on me.”
The blond’s smile widened into a grin, his eyes gleaming with suppressed laughter, but Blackmane stared at her as if she’d crawled from beneath a rock. Good. For a moment, she thought he’d just push past her. No chance of that happening now. She’d just called him a dog, and nothing pissed a Wulfren off more than being reminded of their familial link to man’s best friend. Add to that the Wiccan symbols embroidered on the border of her long white shirt and peasant blouse, and most Wulfren wouldn’t have a problem using her for a chew toy. Of course, since the Pact of ’06, Wulfren and Wiccan were no longer sworn enemies, but they weren’t exactly friends either. That was okay by her because she didn’t care much for the hairy-ass canines, even if she was related to one.
She took a step toward him, moving close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. “You’re Lucas Blackmane.” She was pleased that she sounded so calm when inside she seethed with rage. “I’m Alisha Leveau. Alan Leveau is my brother.”
The moment she’d said her brother’s name, the big blond’s hand snapped forward. He gripped her forearm hard enough to send pain spiraling up her arm, and she acted on pure instinct. Her head whipped around, and the moment his eyes locked with hers, she thrust the vision into his mind of a steel rod ramming through the center of his forehead. He stiffened, his eyes wide with horror, and then fell face down onto the floor.
Her gaze
swung back to Blackmane, fully expecting to find him rushing toward her, but the man hadn’t moved an inch. In fact, nothing about him gave any indication that he thought he was in danger, but if looks could kill, she’d be long gone from this world. She took another step in his direction, but pulled up short when she saw a huge man barreling through the small crowd that had gathered around them. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have given the rent-a-cop a second glance, but the three-inch claws protruding from his fingers marked him as a shape shifter, and most likely a Wulfren. She kept her eyes on Blackmane, but she rammed the vision of a huge snake sinking its fangs into the security guard’s neck and he, too, fell to the floor, battling an attacker only he could see.
She looked across at Blackmane and shook her head. “If this is the best you’ve got, your organization has been grossly overrated.”
Blackmane shifted his gaze to a point over her shoulder, and she slowly turned her head to look behind her. Thirty or more Wulfren were standing in a loose semicircle less than ten feet behind her. Every single one of them looked pissed to the max and there were plenty of teeth and claws on display to back their attitude. Okay, maybe she’d spoken a little too soon. But how had they managed to slip up behind her without her knowing it? She was Sosye, damn it. Her magic should have alerted her to their presence. Unless…presence…unless…
“You have witches on your payroll.” When a mocking smile lifted the corners of his mouth, she didn’t bother to hide her surprise. “Wulfren and witches rarely mix, but somehow you’ve managed to entice a very powerful one into giving you a masking spell. Good move, but it changes nothing. I came here knowing the odds weren’t in my favor.”
His eyes slid over her, his gaze intensifying as he openly studied her. “Then you came to die.”
“I came here to find out what’s happened to my brother, and if needed, to open a can of whup-ass on you. I don’t plan on dying, but if it comes to that, I’ll make sure you keep me company.” Her words fell like a ton of bricks into the silence of the room, but she meant every very word of what she’d said. He’d tell her what he’d done with her brother, or all hell was going to break loose. At the end of the day, she might not be the last one standing, but Blackmane and his pack would pay a heavy price.
Several low growls rang out from behind her but she ignored it. She knew enough about Wulfren culture to know none of them would attack her from behind. Wulfren had a rigid code of honor, which frankly she didn’t understand. When she fought, she fought to win…a shot of magic to the balls, a punch to head, whatever it took. She hadn’t always known how to summon her magic, and as a five-foot-three afro-centric chick living on the streets of New Orleans, fighting dirty had saved her butt on more than one occasion.
“I know you’re holding my brother somewhere on the island and I want to see him.” She let her power swell until her eyes glowed bluish white and her red braids fanned out around her head like snakes rising from the pit of hell. On more than one occasion she’d been told she was “one scary bitch” when her magic rose, and for once she was glad for it. She knew she couldn’t frighten Blackmane into giving her what she wanted, but he needed to see her power, to know she could and would hurt his people if he denied her. She only hoped he cared enough to not want any of them to die needlessly.
“So what’s it going to be, Blackmane? You’ve studied my magic long enough to know visions aren’t the only gift I hold. You can come clean about what you’ve done with Alan, or you can stand there and watch me drive every Wulfren in this casino mad. They’ll turn feral, unable to distinguish friend from foe, and they’ll rip each other to shreds.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to make demands, Ms. Leveau.” His deep voice crackled with power, and as if to make his point, his gaze moved over the small crowd that had encircled them. This time, she didn’t need to follow his gaze to know what he wanted her to take note of. She’d felt most of the bystanders surrounding them shift. Some had become the stuff of nightmares, while others had shifted into various forms of the supernatural. Damn, she’d known Salinas was a sanctuary for Others, but she hadn’t counted on them backing Blackmane.
“You will release my men,” he said, his eyes touching briefly on the security guard and the big blond writhing on the floor between them. “Until you do, there will be no discussion between us. But”—a slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth—“perhaps you need to feel a little of my power to give you a better understanding of what you’re up against.”
A musky odor, pungent but pleasant to the senses perfumed the air and a second later she almost doubled over when her feminine core clenched with sexual need. She managed to remain on her feet, but there was nothing she could do about the burning need between her thighs. Fucking Wulfren pheromones! She’d been warned not to underestimate Blackmane, but nobody had mentioned the man could use his pheromones as a weapon. Only Ma’mon, her long-dead spirit guide, had hinted that there might be more to Blackmane than met the eye. What was it she had said? Take care, girl. No one knows all the Wulfren can do. Dey be fearsum mon beast for sure, but sum say dey be fearsum lovers as well. Able to bring the strongest woman to her knees. If she survived this, she was going to have a serious discussion with Ma’mon the next time she put in an appearance. She loved the old woman with all her heart, but she was going to have to drop the mumbo jumbo stuff and do some straight talking to be of any use to her.
“Impressive,” Alisha hissed between clenched teeth. “You fight dirty. Unusual for a Wulfren, but then that was the point of your little lesson. You’re Wulfren, but you’re also something more. Round two goes to you, but I’m betting I can hold out against anything you throw at me long enough to send your men off the deep end.”
“You have a high opinion of yourself but you care very little for your life.”
“Some things are worth dying for.”
“So I’ve been told,” he returned dryly. “But I don’t think your brother is one of them.” He stared at her for a long second, almost as if he was puzzled by something, before he shifted his gaze to his waiting pack. “A truce is called. There will be no battle here today. Return to your post.” Several of the more aggressive-looking Wulfren growled low in their throats, but Alisha felt the dropping of the power level in the room. She wanted to drop hers as well, but until she knew the reason for his change of heart, her guard would stay up and her magic close at hand.
Blackmane shifted his dark gaze back to her, his expression thoughtful. “You interest me, Ms. Leveau, and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.”
She gave him a look of patent disbelief, but he continued without comment. “In any case, there’s no need for anyone to die today. Your brother lives and I have no real objection to you seeing him.”
Alan was alive! She had hoped, even prayed that it might be so, but she hadn’t really believed it. She blinked to hold back the tears of relief filling her eyes and met his gaze. “Take me to him.”
He looked pointedly down at his friend and the security guard who lay on the floor between them, their bodies unmoving except for an occasional twitch. She immediately sent her magic out again, this time to calm their minds and soothe their frayed nerves. She hadn’t enjoyed hurting them, just the opposite in fact, and she was ashamed that her thoughtlessness had prolonged their pain.
Both men made a rapid recovery, and once they were on their feet, they growled deep in their throats and took up a menacing stance directly in front of her. She wanted to offer them an apology, but knew that would be adding insult to injury. You didn’t kick ass and then say sorry to a Wulfren unless you wanted another go at him.
“Back off, boys,” she said, holding her hands out in the age old gesture of peace. “Your Alpha called truce.” When they didn’t move an inch, Alisha looked at Blackmane. “Call them off or I’ll be forced to deal with the matter myself. I’m not going to hold a conversation with the two of them poised to rip my throat out.”
“They won�
�t attack, but it would help if you didn’t look them directly in the eye. Wulfren perceive it as a challenge and after what you did to them, it’s like throwing fuel on a fire.” He looked away from her, his gaze touching on several of the humans standing motionless on the casino floor. “My people have protected the humans by placing them in a state of stasis. None of them will remember what happened here, but this is not the place for the kind of conversation we need to have. I suggest we adjourn to my office.”
He didn’t wait for a response from her, but turned to stare for a long moment at the big blond, and then held the gaze of the security guard briefly. Whatever he communicated to them, it had an immediate effect. Both men lowered their eyes to the floor and stepped to the side.
Without another word, Blackmane walked off, leaving her with no alternative but to follow in his wake.
Chapter Two
Alisha followed Blackmane to an elevator marked private, and did her best to ignore the low growls emanating from his pack. None of his men had followed them, but she knew her every move was being carefully watched. She kept her magic close at hand, her mouth shut, and her eyes on Blackmane. He might have called “truce,” but she wasn’t taking any chances. Wulfren had remarkable healing abilities, and she didn’t. If he changed his mind and went for her throat, she’d be dead before she hit the ground.
The elevator doors swished open, and Blackmane stepped back, allowing her to enter first. As she moved past him, he turned his head toward her and inhaled sharply. How rude. Wulfren weren’t known for their social skills, but she’d expected better from their leader. She opened her mouth to comment on his bad manners, but held back when she saw his face. He looked as if he’d been sucker punched. Something had caught him off guard, but she wasn’t going to ask him about it. The Wulfren were a weird lot and you never knew what would set them off.
Benjamin, Karen - Creole Moon (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 1