9 Days Before Christmas...

KISS OF MOONLIGHT

The first book in the Lucani Lovers series

I love werewolves. They've always been one of my favorite paranormal beings, even more so than vampires because of that whole undead thing. But weres, now, they're truly magic. They're dual natured, human and beast, and that's a fascinating dichotomy.

When I set out to write my own wolves, I went looking for something different. There are loads of legends out there but I wanted to do a different take.

Since my weres are Etruscan, I thought about how they would have fit in when the Romans assimilated the Etruscans and I realized they would be the ultimate soldier. And so the legion was born. 

Of course,werewolves would be the ultimate assassin and that's were Kyle comes in. Along with Cam from SEDUCED & ENSNARED, Kyle is one of my favorite men. He's tough, he doesn't say too much but when he does he means it and when he loves, he does it with his whole heart. How's that for a great guy?

Plagued by nightmares. Stalked by kidnappers. Tamra McMillan needs a safe haven. When tattooed bad-ass Kyle Rossini steps into her life, the last thing she expects to find is a sanctuary from her demons or steaming hot sex. In fact, everything about him screams danger. But appearances can be deceiving. The tender possessiveness of his touch, the hunger in his eyes, the scorching sensuality of his kiss—all of it sears him into her soul and brands her as his for life.

But otherworldly forces are afoot and death hovers… 

Etruscan werewolf Kyle is a loner. The king’s assassin with a killer’s instincts. The last thing he needs is a mate who could be placed in danger because of him. Until he meets the one woman who needs him more than he needs his solitude. When Tamra, battered but not broken, stumbles into his world and tumbles into his bed, she captures his heart. And nothing—not kidnappers or visions of his possible death—will keep him from her.

Excerpt:

“You think I don’t want you?” His voice rumbled like the engine of his muscle car. “You think I’ve got a hard-on only because I’m worried about you? That I…what? Get off on the danger? Do you really want me to show you just how much I want you? Because if I do, I’m afraid I’ll scare you and that would fucking cut my heart out.”

The depth of emotion in his voice made her shiver. She’d never heard that tone in anyone’s voice directed at her. To say it made her hot would be an understatement.
 

“I’m not afraid of you.” She looked straight into his eyes. “How many times do I have to say it? I want you to kiss me. I’m not going to break.”
 

He took her at her word. His lips fell on hers like a man starved, like he’d longed for her for years. And this time, he didn’t hold back. He overloaded her system like an invading virus and made her shudder with desire. 

When he released her to wrap his arms around her, she practically threw herself against him, sliding her hands across his shoulders and locking him to her. 

They generated so much heat, she was surprised the kitchen didn’t catch fire around them.
 

Grabbing her beneath her arms, Kyle lifted her off her feet until her toes dangled several inches above the floor. Now her mouth was level with his and when she arched against him, she felt the hard ridge of his erection press against her mound.
 

Hot and hard, he felt huge. And she didn’t have so much as a twinge of fear.
Probably due to the fact that her brain had short-circuited with lust.
 

The little voice of reason had a brief burst of sanity, questioning why she wasn’t freaking out.
 

But just as fast, it was gone and she couldn’t care less. All she could do was feel. And be thankful for it.

Heat sizzled in her blood, pooled low in her belly and between her legs. More sensation than she’d ever experienced made her lightheaded.
 

Her hips tilted into him, seeking the relief promised by that hard rod.
 

Kyle responded with a groan and eased back on the intensity of the kiss. After a few seconds, he pulled back completely and set her back on her feet, staring down at her.
 

He raised one hand and wrapped his fingers around her neck, his thumb brushing against the hollow where her pulse beat out of control. His gaze, molten gold visible in the darkening shadows, pinned her in place as his hand slid around to massage her nape. Her muscles felt like liquid as she relaxed beneath his hand.
 

Her eyes began to drift closed but his thumb tapped her chin. “Don’t look away, Tamra. I need to see your eyes. I need to make sure you’re with me here.”
 

She had no desire to disobey the command in his voice. And the sentiment behind his words made her heart flutter.
 

“Then don’t treat me like a porcelain doll.”
 

His eyes narrowed. “You reminded me of one, the first time I saw you.” His voice brushed against her, raising goose bumps. “So pretty, so pale. So breakable.”
 

Sliding her hands from his shoulders into his hair, she scraped her nails against his nape then tugged, hard. “I’m not fragile.”
 

His smile reminded her of a predatory animal’s, one ready to take a bite out of her. “And you can’t hurt me, hon. I want to devour you, but any time you want to stop, you say the word.”
 

Instead of answering, she tugged on his hair again. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
 

“I want more than your mouth, Tam.”

And so did she. “Then take it. I won’t break.”
 

When his mouth descended this time, she tasted the difference. In the heat of his mouth, in the way his hand cupped her head and forced her to bend to his will.
 

She followed his every lead, more than happy to give herself over to him because he made her feel alive.
 

With his mouth still on hers, he picked her up again and began to move as her legs wrapped around his waist. The house fell into shadow the farther away from the kitchen they got, and 

when he opened the door to what she assumed was his bedroom then closed it behind him, darkness settled around them.
 

Kyle set her on the bed and moved away, making her draw in a sharp breath when she realized she couldn’t see a thing.
 

“Hey, babe, it’s okay,” His voice soothed from the dark. “Just give me a sec.”

A rustle sounded and then moonlight spilled into the room, revealing Kyle’s outline on the other side of the bed.
 

He looked tall and broad and he should have been menacing. But all Tam felt was a fierce and raging desire.
 

Rising onto her knees, she moved across the bed to him, grabbed his t-shirt by the hem and began pulling it up and off his body. He had to bend slightly for her to pull it over his head and when she did, he stole a quick kiss before straightening.
 

Her lips curved in a smile at the electric pleasure of that small touch. But her heart raced at her first glance at his hard, muscled chest, lightly covered with dark hair. Her hands lifted to his pecs and rested there, drawing in the extreme heat of his body. 

She felt his chest rise and fall in an ever-increasing pattern. She loved knowing she affected him just as much as he affected her. And wondered how much it was going to take to push him away from the restraint she felt in his tight muscles.

She didn’t want him thinking about what had happened to her before. She wanted him to want her so badly he couldn’t help but surrender to her.

Leaning closer, she put her lips around one flat male nipple, just below the stylized tattoo of a sun, and drew the little nub into her mouth. Kyle sucked in a deep breath as she flicked her tongue against his flesh before lightly scraping it between her teeth.

One of his hands threaded through her hair, holding her to him and she felt a slight burn on her scalp when she moved her lips to work the other nipple.

Her hands slid down his hot, silky skin to his waist where her fingers slid along his waistband before forcing the button through its hole and releasing the zipper.