Motorcycle fun! Escape from Devil's Den

 

My latest Harlequin romantic suspense book is out July 23! Escape from Devil's Den was a fun book to write and I adore these characters. 

She's found the perfect disguise…

Until he uncovers the truth!

FBI agent Jace Beckett goes undercover to infiltrate the motorcycle gang Devil’s Patrol. But he never expected to encounter his stunning former fiancée, Kara Wilmington, hanging around the criminal organization. The gorgeous businesswoman is determined to protect her property—and her family—when she finds out that her cousin is involved with the DP. But as Kara and Jace relentlessly pursue the DP's ruthless jewel-theft ring, it's not only Jace's cover that's at risk. It's their lives…

From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.

Get the book on Barnes and Noble. 

New romantic suspense release this year from Harlequin

 

I think he looks sexy. I love this cover. It has a sea turtle theme and is about a sea turtle biologist threatened by a dangerous stalker and the dedicated bodyguard determined to protect her. 

Release date is October 2023. 

To find her attacker…he must stay in the shadows.

Assigned to protect sea turtle biologist Peyton Bradley from a dangerous stalker, former SEAL Gray Wallace is determined to save his headstrong charg­e—even if she doesn’t want to be saved. Their attraction is powerful. But damning rumors around the handsome bodyguard’s past get him fired. Only when Peyton is kidnapped and loses her memory does Gray reveal his startling—possibly deadly—secret.

Click here to learn more! 

Book release update.

 Look forward to more Werewolves of Montana - sexy paranormal romance novels featuring werewolves. 

And featuring wizards, dragons and other creatures. 

Right now, THE SEA DRAGON is available. 

Cursed by the powerful Shadow Wizard, Sebastian knew his only path to redemption was sweet Jessica’s proclamation of love. When she fails to declare her feelings on board his ship The Sea Dragon, Sebastian is doomed to live for three centuries as a sea monster. Now the 300 years are over, and Sebastian walks as a human once more. His broken heart demands revenge upon the fair Jessica, who has been asleep since she banished him to the watery depths.

Jessica has no memories of her past, only faint ones of a mysterious stranger awakening her after a long slumber. When she finds a handsome, naked man washed up on shore, his sexy smile and rugged charm awaken a long-forgotten passion. He reminds her of the man she dreams of each night, a dangerous, seductive pirate intent on ravishing her body, and soul.

Sebastian must coax a declaration of love from Jessica or he will turn forever into a scaled monster feared by all. He desires only that Jessica pay her debt for her betrayal on her back, until his sexual appetite is sated. But seduction is a double-edged sword and in doing so, will he once more risk losing his heart?

Order The Sea Dragon. 

Also coming soon, THE MATING QUEST, Werewolves of Montana Book 17. 

An ancient and powerful Mage must team with her nemesis to lead a mysterious group of female werewolves on a quest to find four missing talismans before evil forces use them to destroy the powerful wizards of the Brehon.

Coming soon! The Sea Dragon.

 I'm almost finished writing this book - part of my Werewolves of Montana series. I'll post more in the next two weeks. I love this book and I'm excited to finally release it! 

NEW release, out tomorrow, Oct. 9!

 When darkness gathers, he will protect her from the growing evil with every last breath in his
body…

Kicked out of his pack for being different, Troy Gilbert knew from experience life on the road is rough for a lone wolf. When he rescues a woman in trouble, Troy knows he’s met his true soulmate and feels driven to protect her. Jenny possesses extraordinary magick while she’s in human form. Unlike Troy who wishes for a pack to call home, she’s determined to avoid pack life and stay in wolfskin to suppress her frightening abilities.

Jenny Logan’s been a wandering soul since the day her pack died from a violent shooting that she blames on her magick. Yet frightening as her powers are, she senses they call her to a higher purpose. When Troy convinces her to stay at Aiden Mitchell’s werewolf ranch in Montana, Jenny knows something evil is afoot. She and Troy must find the darkness seeping into the ranch and destroy it, before it destroys all in its path…

Preorder on Amazon

Preorder on Apple Books

New cover!

 

When darkness gathers, he will protect her from the growing evil with every last breath in his body…

Kicked out of his pack for being different, Troy Gilbert knew from experience life on the road is rough for a lone wolf. When he rescues a woman in trouble, Troy knows he’s met his true soulmate and feels driven to protect her. Jenny possesses extraordinary magick while she’s in human form. Unlike Troy who wishes for a pack to call home, she’s determined to avoid pack life and stay in wolfskin to suppress her frightening abilities.

Jenny Logan’s been a wandering soul since the day her pack died from a violent shooting that she blames on her magick. Yet frightening as her powers are, she senses they call her to a higher purpose. When Troy convinces her to stay at Aiden Mitchell’s werewolf ranch in Montana, Jenny knows something evil is afoot. She and Troy must find the darkness seeping into the ranch and destroy it, before it destroys all in its path…

COMING SOON ON AMAZON, APPLE, KOBO, NOOK AND GOOGLE!  

Coming soon!

 A NEW Werewolves of Montana story. This one is set on the Mitchell Ranch. You'll catch up with characters such as Aiden, Tristan, Nia and Nikita, and more. Stay tuned! I have a cover and it's gorgeous! 

Some publishing news...

Been a long time since I posted. Life for us, as it is for everyone, has changed with the Covid19 pandemic. But we are safe and healthy, and I'm grateful for the gift of good health.

I wanted to provide an update on the publishing front. My new release from Harlequin, Rescue From Darkness, is out July 1. An embittered FBI agent who doesn't trust doctors has to team up with a pretty physician to find a missing child.

Click here to buy from Amazon!

Secondly, I am writing a NEW Werewolves of Montana novella, hopefully to be finished the middle of next month. I will write Caderyn's story, but I have other projects, and a day job, that come first.

Third, I signed a new contract with Harlequin to write a Colton romantic suspense book. This looks like an intense and fun project. I have a deadline the end of the year, so that will occupy my time in the fall.

I hope everyone is staying safe and coping well. Happy reading!

A sexy wizard, the elusive dragon he wants, and a dark book of magic

Coming Oct. 25! The Mating Claim, Werewolves of Montana Book 14. This is the book about Drust, the powerful and remote Coldfire Wizard. 

Dragon shifter Lacey McGuire is in big trouble. Not only is she flat broke, but she has an immortal wizard pursuing her for possessing an illegal book of spells. Drust, the Coldfire Wizard, needs to destroy the book, but Lacey sees the book as her financial salvation. What Lacey doesn’t know is that the dark magick within the book can unleash a horde of demons hell bent on taking over the world. Equally dangerous are Lacey’s growing feelings for the sexy, intriguing Coldfire Wizard, for love is more lethal to her than any magick book.

Controlled and disciplined, Coldfire Wizard Drust has vowed never to fall in love with a dragon shifter, but elusive Lacey threatens his resolve. Her fiery spirit and wicked sense of adventure bewitch him as much as they vex him. Drust must convince Lacey to surrender the book so he can destroy it. When a desperate Lacey uses another spell from the book, Drust will go to extreme lengths to protect her from the evil threatening to steal her very soul…

Apple
Amazon

New release!

It's here!

The Mating Magic is now LIVE on all ebook platforms!

One desperate dragon with a crippled wing and one stolen potion granting powerful magic equals one furious, immortal wizard who wants it back.

All Evie ever wanted was to fly like other dragons, and win the heart of sexy dragon Chase Burke. After she’s snubbed by Chase’s wealthy family at an elegant society ball, her sister Lacey concocts a powerful potion to give Evie magick beyond her wildest dreams. The problem is, Lacey stole the ingredients from the immortal Coldfire Wizard and now an infuriated Drust wants it back or there will be hell to pay.

Chase Burke has secretly loved Evie, but pressured by family demands, must hide his true feelings. To grant Evie’s dearest desire, he’s apprenticed himself to the Coldfire Wizard. But when Chase accidentally consumes the immortal elixir and becomes as powerful as Drust himself, he threatens the welfare of every fire-breathing dragon on earth. Evie and Lacey must find a cure for Chase before Drust is forced to exterminate him, or Chase threatens to destroy everything in his path, including those he loves…

Apple:   https://apple.co/2MORjKM

Amazon:   https://amzn.to/2Xg8cSn

NOOK: http://bit.ly/2XLfNEA

Google: http://bit.ly/2SfVVsb

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2LQNouQ

Here's THE MATING MAGIC, my new Werewolves of Montana story! This is NOT the book about the Coldfire Wizard, Drust, but this story features the "meet cute" with Drust's future mate. It's now available for pre-order on Amazon and Apple books for only 99 cents!

Apple books 
Amazon

One desperate dragon with a crippled wing + one stolen potion granting powerful magic = one furious, immortal wizard.

All Evie ever wanted was to fly like other dragons, and win the heart of sexy dragon Chase Burke. After she’s snubbed by Chase’s wealthy family at an elegant society ball, her sister Lacey concocts a powerful potion to give Evie magic beyond her wildest dreams. The problem is, Lacey stole the ingredients from the immortal Coldfire Wizard and now an infuriated Drust wants it back or there will be hell to pay.

Chase Burke has secretly loved Evie, but pressured by family demands, must hide his true feelings. To grant Evie’s dearest desire, he’s apprenticed himself to the Coldfire Wizard. But when Chase accidentally consumes the immortal elixir and becomes as powerful as Drust himself, he threatens the welfare of every fire-breathing dragon on earth. Evie and Lacey must find a cure for Chase before Drust is forced to exterminate him, or Chase threatens to destroy everything in his path, including those he loves…

Out May 31! TOUCHED BY MOONLIGHT

A fiercely independent Fae princess on the run finds erotic passion with three sexy, mysterious biker werewolves who want to claim her for their own.

A powerful Fae princess…

Sienna is laying low and pretending to be human as she hides from the enemy who wants to kill her. When she encounters three strong, sexy werewolves determined to protect her, the mutual attraction is powerful.

A pack of werewolves at her back....
Grayson and his beta wolves want to claim her for their own, as she finds pleasure and passion in their beds. But can she trust them to keep her safe? Or are they just as dangerous as the creatures who hunt her?

A trap closing...
As her enemies close in, Sienna must decide who she can trust, A wrong choice will lead to her death and allow her magick to destroy all living creatures…

Read the prologue FREE on Book Funnel. Click here. 

Order on Amazon, click here! 

New story coming soon!

It's been a long time since I last posted in this blog. I've been super busy with contractual obligations for Harlequin, and finishing the first romantic suspense book in my contract, along with the proposal for the second book. But I'm happy to report I'm writing a NEW paranormal romance that is reverse harem, and expect to release it in April 2019.

This is the second book of the Shifters Wild & Free series. It took a different departure from what I anticipated, with a stronger, more kick ass heroine. Sometimes you have to let the characters flow as they are created. She's on the run from her previous life and bad experiences, trying desperately to hide her powers, but Grayson, alpha werewolf of his pack, needs her for himself and his beta wolves.

I'll post more information as it becomes available!

NEW Werewolves of Montana release!

A fiercely independent werewolf must choose between prison and mating with the wolf whose heart she broke years ago.

Feisty & curvy Jordan Baxter has a choice. Either mate with rugged, sexy Nolan Mitchell, the Lupine she loved and left, or go to shifter prison for setting a fire to smoke out humans beating an innocent child. Jordan chooses Nolan, but it won’t be an easy mating, for Nolan is now alpha of his pack, and doesn’t tolerate rule breakers. Domineering in bed and possessive, Nolan is also fiercely protective of what he claims, and he intends to claim her fully. 

If Nolan Mitchell doesn’t take a mate before the next full moon, the Fae protecting his vineyard from fires will leave. He’s never forgotten Jordan, even after she broke his heart. He hungers for her lush figure and passion in bed, while her spark for life equals his own. But taking a free spirit like Jordan as his mate will turn his world upside down and inside out.
Jordan has a painful secret she’s desperate to keep from Nolan, the real reason she left him six years ago. As they grow closer, she is torn between trusting him and running away again. For someone on the Mitchell farm is trying to force her into leaving, either dead or alive…

Amazon

Apple

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Kobo

Google

Taken by Moonlight now available!

They bought her virginity for one enchanting night in their bed. They never told her they want to claim her forever.

Psychic Peyton struggles each day to cope with the drudgery of work and routine, except for the nights when she moonlights as a mood bouncer at an upscale gentlemen’s club for shifters. Denied a promotion that will give her the bonus she desperately needs to pay off a debt, she sells her virginity at auction. She finds herself in the arms of the winner - ruthless, powerful alpha wolf Dante Carrington, who shares his prize with his sexy beta wolves - bad boy biker Gabriel and sensitive poet Alexander. They want more than to ravish Peyton’s virgin body for one night. They want to claim her body, heart and soul.

When loan sharks threaten Peyton, Dante whisks her away in his limo to his pack’s private ranch to keep her safe. Dante, Alex and Gabriel are determined to protect Peyton and seduce her until she submits to them … and her own desires. They will take her hard and take her gentle, coaxing her to the heights of a pleasure she has never known. But Peyton is human and knows the rugged world of shifters can be dangerous. Torn between the erotic world she’s plunged into and the familiar, safe surroundings of the human lifestyle, she must choose between listening to her head or following her heart. Because everyone knows when you play with wolves you risk getting hurt… forever. 

Excerpt copyright 2018 Bonnie Vanak

My stomach did little flip flops as I ground to a halt. The delicious scent of spices and leather teased my senses. Sweat trickled down my backside, banding in the waistband of my jeans.

          “Hello Mr. Carrington.”

          One did not hurry past Dante Carrington, alpha wolf of a pack sixty miles north of Cheyenne. Not if one wished to get fired for ignoring the greeting of the club’s wealthiest, and most important, patron.

Dante Carrington. Black hair clipped short, except for the silky hank that hung over his forehead. Eyes dark as night, his facial features handsome and perfect. In his dinner dress, he looked good enough to lick.

Down girl.

Owner of the Bar B Q ranch, also known in were circles as Dante’s Inferno for the excellent cookouts they held each summer. He started coming to the club a year ago.

          To his right sat Alexander Smith. Gabriel Sharp sat across from Dante. Both were Dante’s betas in the pack, his close friends. Like the others in the lounge, they wore black silk tuxedos, but they looked elegant and refined. Even the rougher Gabriel, who preferred biker boots and black leather while riding his Harley.

          The auras of all three glowed a calm blue. Weres usually had blue auras, except when they were sexually aroused, and then they flared crimson.

          “Mr. Smith. Mr. Sharp.” I kept my voice even and friendly, though inside I shook a little. This trio had that effect on me. They oozed masculine power and strength, and sexuality.

          Three different males, all different, and all intriguing and handsome.

          “Peyton please. How many times have we told you to call us by our first names? No formality needed,” Dante gently chided.

Alexander lifted a hand in greeting, his dark eyes framed by round glasses. Lean and tall, he had curly black hair spilling down to his shoulders and reminded me a little of Jon Snow from Game of Thrones. Alex was smart and shy.

Shifters are physically stronger and healthier than humans. I always suspected Alex wore glasses to hide himself, not because of a defect with his eyesight.

Bad boy Gabriel gave a toothy grin. A short-cropped brown beard covered his lower face, and the black silk jacket hid a body lined with sinew and muscle. Gabriel was the largest of the trio, standing more than six feet, five inches tall with thick muscles and a shock of brown hair streaked gold tumbling down past his broad shoulders.

Thick, dark brows arched over blue eyes that suggested he liked to party hard, but I’d seen those eyes flash with tenderness when he’d wistfully mentioned how much he adored children. I’d also seen them turn stormy when he bristled with rage when someone tried to abuse one of the girls.

No formality? I gave a pointed look at their dinner jackets. “Then why the fancy duds?”

They all chuckled. Dante lifted his glass. “Touché.”

“Not quite so fancy.” Gabriel stuck out a foot covered in black Doc Martens.

Grinning, I showed him my pair – covered with little colorful flowers. Gabriel fist bumped me.

          “How are you, Peyton?” Gabriel asked. “We were hoping you’d show up tonight.”

          “Peyton Jackson. Our favorite waitress,” Alexander’s smile put me at ease. Usually he was so quiet, you barely knew he was there. I always sensed something deep about Alexander, as if he were a wounded were hiding a secret. Such a sensitive soul.

          Still, one had to be mindful these were shifters. With fangs and claws. Never let down your guard around shifters.

          

FREE on Amazon Kindle Unlimited - $2.99 to purchase

Battling burnout

Burnout is real for authors. I know this. 

This article on burnout struck home with me. I don't write a book every two months, but I've noticed over the past year that I've slowed down to the point where I am dragging. Once I ran a race and now I am slogging through mud, or so it feels when it comes to writing. 

 I returned to full-time work in May after being part-time for three years. Another writer resigned and while my employers were searching for her replacement, they asked me to return to FT. And so I did, and with those increased hours came the responsibility of traveling to poor countries once more. Of course it also came with more money since I was working more hours, which was also good since my book income hasn't been what it was back in 2012.

Since my work situation changed and I no longer get benefits, when I don't work I don't get paid. We took a much-needed two week vacation the end of July. Preparing for that vacation was like readying a castle for a siege. One of our dogs has renal failure, so it meant preparing her medications, home-cooked meals and finding enough people to care for Holly in our home. 

It was a wonderful vacation, and I started a new story while there - Wild Wolf, another Werewolves of Montana story. The itch to create burned inside me. I wrote in the car, while sitting outside our rental home in North Carolina, and on the deck of our bed and breakfast in TN. It felt freeing!

But soon as we returned home, the regular routine of responsiblities resumed. Laundry, housework, grocery shopping, caring for the dogs, and going back to the day job. Hubs helps with chores. Every day at 5 a.m. he gives sub Q fluids and meds to our Holly, our renal pup. It's a huge responsibility to care for a sick dog. 

I worked crazy hours upon my return that first week to make up for the fact that I was out for two weeks. In one week, I logged nearly 50 hours at the day job. I would get into work around 7:30 and leave at 6:30. 

I came home, gulped down dinner, watched TV for an hour and cuddled with hubs and doggies for an hour, and then crashed. Then it was up at 4 a.m. all over again (hubs works in a hospital and rises at 4 a.m. each day). 

Two weeks after vacation, I was in Haiti for the day job. This time I worked 60 hours in the field - standing in the hot sun interviewing poor families, long drives in the back of a pickup as we were squashed like sardines. It was exhausting. 

Last week, my first week back, I worked about 40 hours in four days.  We both took Friday off and went to the west coast for a weekend away to celebrate hubs' birthday, taking the dogs with us. Again, it was like packing for a month away.

When we returned Sunday, we weren't refreshed, but exhausted all over again. While on the west coast, hubs went shopping so I could write. This is our usual routine when we go away to the west coast. 

But instead of my fingers flying over the keyboard, I slogged. Goal was to write 3,000 words on Wild Wolf. I barely made it to 1,000 words. This was a story I had planned to write only 25,000 words on and I now have 27,000 words. It will be around 32,000 by the time I finish. 

While we were gone, my new reverse harem story released. I didn't have time to promote it as I should and it's slogging in sales as much as I am slogging in energy. 

I'm burned out and it shows. 

I have another, contracted deadline to meet. I have a book due for Harlequin in two months. I've been trying to figure out a writing schedule to meet that deadline. I love the book and I'm looking forward to writing it, but I also know me, my body, my energy.

I need a break before I burn out. I've been on the gerbil wheel going faster and faster and it's dizzying!

The good news is that I am back to PT at work. I'm looking forward to Friday, when I can rest. Perhaps plans will include a half day of filling the well by walking on the beach before it gets to 98 degrees, or reading a book, or working in the garden. I don't know yet. 

I do know this. I have to watch myself from burning out before it's too late to recover. 

New book!

TAKEN BY MOONLIGHT, my reverse harem werewolf tale, is available for pre-order for August! I delayed the release in order to make it a longer book. 

They bought her virginity for one enchanting night in their bed. They never told her they want to claim her forever.

Psychic Peyton struggles each day to cope with the drudgery of work and routine, except for the nights when she moonlights as a mood bouncer at an upscale gentlemen’s club for shifters. Denied a promotion that will give her the bonus she desperately needs to pay off a debt, she sells her virginity at auction. She finds herself in the arms of the winner - ruthless, powerful alpha wolf Dante Carrington, who shares his prize with his sexy beta wolves - bad boy biker Gabriel and sensitive poet Alexander. They want more than to ravish Peyton’s virgin body for one night. They want to claim her body, heart and soul.

When loan sharks threaten Peyton, Dante whisks her away in his limo to his pack’s private ranch to keep her safe. Dante, Alex and Gabriel are determined to protect Peyton and seduce her until she submits to them … and her own desires. They will take her hard and take her gentle, coaxing her to the heights of a pleasure she has never known. But Peyton is human and knows the rugged world of shifters can be dangerous. Torn between the erotic world she’s plunged into and the familiar, safe surroundings of the human lifestyle, she must choose between listening to her head or following her heart. Because everyone knows when you play with wolves you risk getting hurt… forever. 

Here's a sample:

Taken by Moonlight copyright 2018 Bonnie Vanak

“Do I hear five thousand?”

          Someone must have raised their card because the auctioneer nodded. “Five thousand. Do I hear ten?”

          I glanced downward and saw Dante sitting front and center. His gaze met mine; calm, thoughtful, assessing. And then he took a blush pink rose from the centerpiece, inhaled it.

Stunned, I watched him leave the table and walk over the stage. He reached up, handing me the rose.

          “For the beautiful lady,” he said in a deep, distinctive voice.

          I was beautiful?

          I glanced down at him. He rested his hand on the stage. “Don’t be scared, Peyton. You are beautiful.”

          Something flickered in his dark gaze. “I want you,” he murmured.

          Then he resumed his seat.

          The most powerful alpha wolf in the room wanted me. Me, Peyton with the wide hips and the human blood.

          Confidence filled me. I can do this.

          Dante resumed his seat, the glass of whiskey on the table. He and his betas looked at me, but not with the cynicism on the faces of the other males.

          Anticipation filled their expression as they leaned forward."

Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited! It will be made available on all platforms - NOOK, Kobo, Apple and Google in three months. 

New reverse harem story this month!

Watch out. This one is going to be my steamiest book ever! 

I decided to write a reverse harem werewolf book, and perhaps expand it into a series, if it does well. It's first person, and I've enjoyed writing it so much that I made it much longer than I originally intended. 

Title Taken by Moonlight, I anticipate a release date of later this month. Cover is coming soon. I'm hoping to finish this weekend.

Here's the blurb:

They bought her virginity for one enchanting night in their bed. She didn’t know they wanted to claim her for a lifetime…

Psychic Peyton struggles each day to cope with the drudgery of work and routine, except for the nights when she moonlights as a mood bouncer at an upscale gentlemen’s club for shifters. Denied a promotion that will give her the bonus she desperately needs to pay off a debt, she sells her virginity at auction. She finds herself in the arms of the winner - ruthless, powerful alpha wolf Dante Carrington, who shares his prize with his sexy beta wolves, bad boy biker Gabriel and sensitive poet Alexander. They want more than to ravish Peyton’s virgin body for one night. They want to claim her body, heart and soul.

When loan sharks threaten Peyton, Dante whisks her away in his limo to his pack’s private ranch to keep her safe. Dante, Alex and Gabriel are determined to protect Peyton and seduce her until she submits to them … and her own desires. They will take her hard and take her gentle, coaxing her to the heights of a pleasure she has never known. But Peyton is human and knows the rugged world of shifters can be dangerous. Torn between the erotic world she’s plunged into and the familiar, safe surroundings of the human lifestyle, she must choose between listening to her head or following her heart. Because everyone knows when you play with wolves you risk getting hurt… forever.

NEW RELEASE! THE BLACK DRAGON

Justin never forgot Ariel, the bewitching beauty who ensnared him and caused him to become her father's prisoner. Ariel's father tortured Justin as he tried to extract the powerful black dragon's magick, but Justin managed to escape. Now the black dragon has returned, demanding that Ariel spend three nights in his bed. But in claiming his revenge, will Justin surrender his heart?

Amazon

Apple

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NOOK

The Black Dragon available for pre-order

Out May 31, 2018. Pre-order on Amazon.
Sequel to Temptation, A Dragon Story

Justin never forgot Ariel, the bewitching beauty who ensnared him and caused him to become her father's prisoner. Ariel's father tortured Justin as he tried to extract the powerful black dragon's magick, but Justin managed to escape. Now the black dragon has returned, demanding that Ariel spend three nights in his bed. But in claiming his revenge, will Justin surrender his heart?

 copyright 2018 Bonnie Vanak 

Sedona, Arizona

Spring of 2017

            She adored dragons. They reminded her of tumbleweeds, rolling on forever, free to roam wherever the wind took them. Even when dragons were spitting mad and only a few feet away, they still fascinated her.

Powerless, immobilized by iron chains her father had found on the internet, the black dragon roared and clawed at the air, his front feet tipped with razor sharp claws.

            A lump clogged Ariel Harrington’s throat. Poor, caged creature. She dared to draw closer to the iron cage holding the dragon prisoner. On her bottom, she scooted over the cold concrete floor and wrapped her fingers around the cage’s bars.

            Even enraged, the black dragon was beautiful. Light shimmered off his ebony scales, making them glitter like onyx. Amber eyes with slit pupils gleamed as he bellowed. Two black horns grew from the top of his head, each tipped with sharp points. Pearly rows of knife-like teeth flashed as he bared his lips at her.

            And the wings, ah, the wings! Folded back, they were not impressive, but when he unfurled them like a cape, they filled the width of the cell.

Flickering torches barely cut through the gloom in the deep, dungeon-like basement. Black smoke curled upward, and then caught in the air drafts blown in through vents in the ceiling. The air was redolent with acrid smoke, charcoal and fear.

Not the dragon’s fear. Her fear for this magnificent creature.

Her father had constructed, at great cost, this room for the day he captured such a beast.

            Two months ago, he’d succeeded with her help. Justin the black dragon had pulled over to aid her with a flat tire.

            And then her father’s assistant had thrown the iron upon him, rendering him helpless.

            Sinking to her knees, she stared at the great beast, a symbol of enormous magick. Magick her father envied and hated. Every chance she had, she snuck down here to talk to the mighty black dragon.

            Ariel wrapped her fingers around the iron bars. “I’m sorry for what is happening to you, Justin.”

            Dark eyes gazed back at her in the gloom. Then the beast blinked, its black pupils turning round as her own. He blinked again, and the pupils elongated again.

            What had her father done to him?

            Eyes filled with misery and hatred, he stared at her. Justin the dragon was a little older than her, but at 25, she had few experiences in life. This dragon had seen and explored the world.  

            Justin lunged forward, nearly reaching the iron bars. Chains rattled and the beast roared again as the bonds restrained him. Overriding the scent of smoke and misery was a strong woodsy scent.

            It must be Justin’s own scent.

            Her powers as Mage grew stronger each day, especially her sense of smell. 

            She dared not inform her father, for who knows what he would do? The man coveted every flicker of energy – power he leeched each day from the dragon.

            Nostrils flared as the dragon sniffed at her, and then his gaze centered on the glowing amber crystal hanging from a silver chain around her neck.

            Ariel touched the crystal. Rare and filled with energy, it enabled a Mage or a witch to siphon a dragon’s powers…

            And then protect the wearer from the dragon. It was her most precious possession. Her father had found it in a mysterious cave he said was filled with dragons.

            Leo had taken only that one crystal from the cave and gave it to her as protection from the black dragon. He’d been using other crystals, however, infusing them with dragon magick, Leo Harrington had become capable of healing the gravest of wounds.

            Or inflicting them.

            The balance teetered on a razor’s edge.

            Ariel held out a hand to the black dragon. “I wish I had never agreed to this evil. I swear, I thought Father was sincere when he insisted he only wished to capture you for observation, not to torture you and drain your magick.”

            Even as she blinked, the dragon shifted into a man. Hair dark as ink spilled to broad shoulders. With sculpted cheeks and face carved from a master artisan’s chisel, he was quite handsome.

            And naked.

Out May 31, 2018. Pre-order on Amazon.