At First Sight (Kitsune's Raven Book One)

by Gina Kincade

  Praise for Phoenix Johnson

  "I was hooked faster than crochet addict in a yarn store. In The Wolf in the Neighborhood, Phoenix creates well-rounded and interesting characters that have an undeniable depth to them. The passion between Krissy and Derek toes the blurry line between insta-love and whirlwind romance. There is no denying they give truth to the idea of soul mates, and Phoenix does a great job of blending that concept with the dark nature of Derek’s secret – and James’ personality."

  — A.P Bullard, Triskele Reviews

  What an incredible book! The characters are compelling! The story line is amazing!

  This book is amazing with suspense, action, Humor and awesome wolfy love."

  — Rose13, Amazon Customer

  "Having just spent the afternoon reading this wonderful book, I have to say that not only it is as captivating as it is sexy. The story moves along at a fast and furious pace taking you into a world of whirlwind romance and the paranormal. It kept me on the edge of my seat taking me into the story with every page. Phoenix sets up her story well and leaves you wanting more at the end. I can't wait to see where the next book takes us."

  — Rhonda B, Amazon Customer

  "I was blown away by the characters and the imagination of this wonderful author. As a vet assistant myself, I was instantly drawn to Derek, who is a vet. One of my issues with any kind of romance is the female lead is usually a bit on the ditsy side, naive and has to have the male lead come to her rescue as she is defenseless. Krissy is no such heroine. Krissy is a strong woman, something I think is lacking in the literary world. Add that she defends herself from her dislikable ex and she's not a stick made it even better. Her characters touch you in a way not many authors can achieve."

  — PLane, Amazon Customer

  "Author Phoenix Johnson’s The Wolf in the Neighborhood is an exciting erotic paranormal romance. Phoenix creates complex and interesting characters. She builds a sweet, passionate and deep relationship between Derek and Krissy, albeit a quick one. The scenes were sizzling and tasteful. Phoenix composes beautiful, touching moments as we learn more of the characters’ pasts. I enjoyed this story and recommend it to those who enjoy erotic paranormal romances. Phoenix gives the reader an unforgettable story!"

  — Lena Winfrey Seder, Amazon Customer

  "One problem often encountered with adult fiction is lackluster characters without depth, however, Phoenix Johnson clearly isn't having any of that in HER books! She really wow'd me with the how much personality her characters were. Just as the clothes are stripped one layer at a time, so are the character's personalities. Krissy was a vibrant lead character from the word GO, and Derek...well, I just want to lick him. What a knock-out duo these two make! Also, it's worth noting that this book isn't lacking in plot, as many other erotic novels are. (Not that I mind, when it comes to erotica, but for an erotic book to really be SPECIAL to me, it needs to have something more going for it--and The Wolf In The Neighborhood accomplished just that. A chilling villain, a girl who can take care of herself, and a man that ensures she doesn't have to. What more could you ask for? Plus, to be honest, those steamy passages sure didn't hurt "

  — Book Crazy, TOP 500 REVIEWER

  "If you believe in love or lust at first sight then you will find The Wolf in the Neighborhood a delightful story. Well-rounded strong characters that are able to hold their own. Hot, sexy and perfect for bedtime reading. Everything you need for a good read.

  — Robin, Amazon Customer

  "This book was amazing. Persephone is an amazingly strong woman, who has lived through hell and still perseveres in her life and keeping her promise to Adrian. Her life before him was lonely and horrible. But upon leaving her family and village she finds a whole different life. The life she deserves. This book is filled with tears and courage. The story flows so thoroughly you won't want to step outside the pages within this book."

  — Mezmerising, Amazon Customer

  Praise for Gina Kincade

  "A Shot at Love by Gina Kincade, was a very well done, emotionally moving story of an eagle shifter in love with a panther shifter. These two men were very attractive characters in different ways, and I loved how they were together. I hadn't read anything by Gina Kincade before and I loved her writing style."

  — Amazon Customer

  OMG!! Hot, Hot Hot!!!!

  "A very short story about Micah and Jason finding love! I sooo needed more of these two! The chemistry and the emotions between them were amazing!!!! Hope to get to see more of these two!"

  — Amazon Customer

  "Great storyline with characters that make the pages steam. Loved all the Christmas elements added into this spicy little tale. Do yourself a favor and gift yourself this story then, then put yourself on the naughty list by taking some time to indulge in this read."

  — Kirstein Howell, Vine Voice

  This was a really fun, and hot, read. I spent most of the story grinning, heart pounding, eager for what would happen next. It's so great to see Gina writing again, as we're gifted with gems like On Santa's Naughty List. This story made me wish that I was in an area where we got a White Christmas, because it's perfect to warm you up on a cold winter's day.

  Regardless of the temperature of the day, this is a scorching read. It aims to delight, and succeeds. I highly recommend it for anyone after some Christmas kink!

  — Casey Kerwitz, Amazon Reviewer

  A Fun and Perfect Read for the Holidays 5-Stars

  "Tasha, an appealing woman who used to resemble the models who are checking into a ski chalet for a model convention, is instantly stricken with Kirk, a masculine built desk clerk and all around purveyor of hotel tasks, Kirk, who is gruff and harsh from the usual rejection from the movie star status of the younger models, is overwhelmed with attraction to Tasha but doesn’t reveal his secret passion. They both are keen on a lusty affair with each other without each other’s knowledge. Tasha performs her gig for the weekend job, posing as Mrs. Claus, expecting her longtime friend to perform as Santa Claus. Due to an unusual turn of events, Kirk acts as Santa, never revealing his identity to Mrs. Claus. The chain of interactions between the two are surprisingly hot when Tasha requests a massage. This is a fun, light-hearted but torrid affair between older but still young enough to exude appealing physical appearances, with unending needs for sexual fulfillment and out of the ordinary fantasies in foreplay in satisfying their vital passions for each other. I rate this delicate but steamy story a classic 5 star."

  — Amazon Customer

  "What a fantastic story. Sexy, erotic and a great story. What a combination. The only problem? I wanted more!!! Can't wait to read more of Gina's work!"

  — John Miller

  "Having just spent the afternoon reading this wonderful book, I have to say that not only it is as captivating as it is sexy. The story moves along at a fast and furious pace taking you into a world of whirlwind romance and the paranormal. It kept me on the edge of my seat taking me into the story with every page."

  — Amazon Customer

  Smashwords Edition March 2016

  eISBN: 978-1-926514-31-4

  Published by Naughty Nights Press LLC

  http://naughtynightspress.com/

  Copyright © 2016

  All rights reserved.

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this ebook are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

  Legal File Usage – Your Rights

  Payment of the download fee for this book grants the purchaser the right t
o download and read this file, and to maintain private backup copies of the file for the purchaser’s personal use only.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this, or any copyrighted work is illegal.

  Authors are paid on a per-purchase basis. Any use of this file beyond the rights stated above constitutes theft of the author’s earnings.

  If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this ebook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the publisher and purchase your own copy.

  File sharing is an international crime, prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice Division of Cyber Crimes, in partnership with Interpol.

  Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable by seizure of computers, up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 per reported occurrence.

  The right of Phoenix Johnson and Gina Kincade to be identified as the authors of this book has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  At First Sight

  Kitsune's Raven

  Book One

  Phoenix Johnson

  Gina Kincade

  A Novelette

  Naughty Nights Press ● Canada

  At First Sight (Book One of Kitsune's Raven) by Phoenix Johnson & Gina Kincade

  She's a Fox. He's a Raven. From opposing sides of a shifter clan war, their relationship is against the rules...but nothing is sweeter than forbidden fruit.

  When Kitsune returns home for a fireworks festival, she doesn't expect to run into Karasu, a handsome young man with a smile that melts her heart and dampens her panties. Their attraction is instant, their love bright and hot. When she discovers he's from an enemy clan, and a Raven shifter, she fights her instincts and the clan laws to be with the one she loves.

  Will their love be the balm to heal the rift between the two clans? Or will it spark an all-out war?

  At First Sight (Book One of Kitsune’s Raven)

  by Phoenix Johnson & Gina Kincade

  Blood stained the pristine white snow. The female fox twitched her tail as she stood over the torn body of her lover, Karasu, a raven almost as fair as the snow. Their clans had forbidden any relationship, but the pair had flouted the rules, refusing to stop seeing each other.

  She hung her head. Maybe if they had obeyed their elders, it wouldn’t have come to this, to the brink of war. There was enough bad blood between the rival clans, and now innocent blood, belonging to fox and raven alike, had been spilled.

  Unable to contain her grief any longer, she forced the shift back to human. She gently lifted the broken body of her lover, her tears falling to sodden his feathers as his blood continued to drip to the snow below.

  “I’m so sorry, my love, my prince. It’s my fault you’re dying. I should have listened to my elders.”

  Before her, the raven’s shape began to melt, and then expand. Within moments she was holding a human form, her beloved Karasu, as he lost strength and blood.

  He coughed, the sound congested and wet, rattling in his chest. He lifted a limp hand to brush a tear from her cheek, attempting to comfort her. “Hush, my dear. We were both rash and hot blooded. Do not blame yourself for our love, for it was beautiful and bright while it lasted. My only regret is that you will now live without me to comfort you.”

  She placed her hand on top of his, still cradling her face, and leaned down to brush her mouth across his bloody lips. The gravity of the situation quieted her inner fox, which usually strived for the surface at the first taste of blood. The vixen was saddened by the loss of their mate. Hearing his shuddering breaths sounding through his chest, she knew he only had moments to live. She forced a smile to curve her lips so the last vision he would see was her loving face.

  “Watashi wa, anata o aishiteimasu.” His voice was weak, barely audible, but with her keen sense of hearing, she didn’t miss a syllable.

  “I love you too, my prince.”

  With one last weak cough and a sickening rattle, all life drained from his body. She now simply held a vessel, a shell that used to contain her greatest love.

  While she knew he would never condone it, she would avenge his death. The clans would pay for this senseless war.

  She shifted back, white fur soon covering her shrinking body. Kitsune wailed out the call of deep mourning, and the few remaining enemies fled. She bent and licked her lover’s cooling cheek, then turned on a tiny paw and ran into the forest, disappearing against the snow. She would bide her time and do whatever it took to exact her revenge on those who had murdered her lover. Her Raven. She would make both clans regret having crossed her. She would see to it this war was their ultimate doom.

  ***

  Kitsune snapped awake and bolted upright in her bed, breathing heavy. The dream had seemed real this time, more like a memory. As she recalled the dream, she shivered, as though still surrounded by the frigid snow.

  She shook her head and sucked in a deep breath to steady herself. It was just a dream, one she’d had numerous times. It wasn’t real, it never was, but this time it felt real. She had to speak to a clan elder about what was happening. It had to be something paranormal, she was sure.

  Kitsune glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. Swearing under her breath, she jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes. There was still a lot to do today before the fireworks festival this evening and she had to get going. Discussing her dream with a clan elder would have to wait.

  ***

  A few hours later, the evening sky darkened, and the warm, humid day gave way to a balmy night. People began to gather along the harbor, excited murmurs rippling through the growing crowd. Children giggled and fidgeted, the voices drowning out the usual sounds of water slapping against pylons, ropes creaking as boats fought their tethers, and cats begging fishermen for scraps.

  Kitsune veritably danced in anticipation, her backpack knocking against her back as she moved. This was her second favorite time of year, after the Sakura Festival in spring. While the blooming cherry blossoms during April brought her peace, this night, the night of the Yokohama International Fireworks, made her feel like a child again, giddy with delight. The pops and crackling as the pretty pyrotechnics exploded into twinkling bursts of color always gave her a thrill. As the city ushered in summer, promises of green tea ice cream and trips to the beach filled her thoughts, much as they always had.

  While Kitsune called Japan her true home, she lived in Australia to attend university. She was studying for her Masters of Science degree, majoring in Zoology at the James Cook University in Cairns. At twenty-three years old, she was well on her way to achieving her dream of being a zoologist. She already volunteered at the Cairns Tropical Zoo when she wasn’t studying. She loved Japan, but the variety of wildlife she worked with in Australia was something she couldn’t pass up. It had become her second home.

  She wandered along the dock, weaving between the people milling around, waiting for the fireworks to start. She barely noticed where she was going, lost in thoughts of her two homes. She didn’t see the tall, lanky stranger until he bumped into her.

  His stark blue eyes were the first thing she noticed when she looked at him. There was a sharp cunning in his gaze, and she felt as though he were sizing her up as a bird would potential prey. As her breath caught in her throat, tingles shot through her, setting her nerves on fire.

  He flicked his jagged styled fringe out of his face with a grin.

  “I’m so sorry. I was lost in my own little world and didn’t see you. The fireworks are my favorite festival, and I just get so excited, you know?”

  His eyes sparkled and she could almost feel his elation. She struggled to find her voice as the sound of his made her stomach quiver, and she thought her bones would melt.
>
  “I’m Karasu, by the way.”

  When she didn’t reply immediately, he arched an eyebrow, and his quizzical appearance warmed her heart, shaking her from her hypnotized daze.

  “Kitsune.” She smiled, hoping she wouldn’t come across as a silly schoolgirl with a crush. “I know what you mean. About the fireworks, that is. I come home every year for this.” She glanced around and sighed, content.

  “How fitting.” He grinned, giving her a wink that threatened to crumble what dregs of composure she’d managed to gather. “You certainly suit the name of Fox.”

  A second wink from him caused her to blush, warmth spreading across her cheeks, neck and ears as a pulsating heat started low in her belly. She bit her lip, pondering what it would be like to kiss him. His mouth appeared soft, gentle, and he broke into a smile with ease.

  Karasu cleared his throat, bringing her back to reality. “I know, I’m hot,” he joked, grinning once more.

  “Sorry.” She grew flustered by how forward he was. “I find it hard to wind down from my studies.”

  He cocked his head to the side, reminding her once more of a bird.

  “What do you study? If you don’t mind telling a guy you’ve just met.”

  She laughed. “Not at all. Let’s find a place to sit, though, shall we? I know a great spot to view the fireworks without the crowd.”