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​The three left their cabins and headed upstairs and then out to the ship’s deck. When they stepped out, Bree pointed to the front of the ship. “There they are.”
The ladies walked past the crowd at the middle of the ship to the front where only two other couples had tables close to where Alex, Greg and Ty were seated. The three stood when the girls approached. Bree smiled when she noticed the three men had also opted for casual clothes. The women sat down followed by the men.
Alex smiled. “Hope you don’t mind sitting up here. It’s a lot less crowded.”
Bree smiled. “I like it better this way.”
Hannah and Megan both nodded their agreement. Hannah looked up at the night sky. “Has anyone seen anything yet?”
Greg shook his head. “Not really, but it should be starting fairly soon. I heard it’s supposed to be one of the biggest meteor showers to happen in quite some time.”
The couples all looked up in anticipation. A few minutes later Ty pointed to the sky. “There goes one.”
As the couples looked up, three more streaks of light flew across the darkened sky. Within ten minutes all of those at the table were pointing and exclaiming at the show in the night sky. Bree was pointing at a long burst of light when her watch band broke and her watch fell to the deck. She bent to pick it up and a light ahead of the ship caught her eye. Bree turned toward it and gasped. “What the hell is that?”
The others turned from the show in the sky to where Bree was now pointing. Alex stood up. “Jesus, what is that?”
Greg and Ty stood up next to Alex. Greg shook his head at his friends. “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t look good.”
The women stood up and each stepped closer to her date. They stared at the thing taking shape about a half mile straight ahead of the ship. At first the round shape appeared to be a shade or two lighter than the sky around it. Inside the shape lightning seemed to be flashing and flickering across the interior of the circle, which looked to be at least sixty feet high. 
As the three couples watched, the circle slowly began to spin. As it did colors appeared inside until all the colors of the rainbow’s spectrum seemed to be represented.
Greg looked at the three women and then scanned the deck around them. In the middle toward the front of the ship, two flag poles three inches in diameter were standing about six inches apart. Greg took a hold of Hannah’s arm. “Listen I think the safest place for you three ladies is sitting down on the deck and hanging on to those poles.”
Hannah frowned at him. “Shouldn’t we get to the back of the ship, or even inside?”
Greg shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Alex nodded and grabbed Bree’s arm. “I think Greg’s right. If we go through that thing anything might happen. I’m sure we’ll be better off going through first and safer out here than inside where things might fall or collapse.”
Bree turned to Hannah and Megan. “I think we better do as they say.”
Hannah and Megan sat down at one flag pole facing each other and wrapped their legs around it. Megan’s legs lay beneath Hannah’s.
Bree did the same at the other pole. She looked up at Alex. “What about you three, you’re going to be coming down here too aren’t you?”
Alex nodded. “We’ll be right behind you hanging on.”
He turned to check on the other two couples who had also been at the bow with them and was surprised to find them already gone. Alex shook his head and looked back to where the larger crowd had been gathered. They all had seen the phenomenon in the sky just above the ocean in front of the ship. About half were lying on the deck toward the back of the ship’s deck and the other half were running inside. Alex looked at Greg and Ty. “I think we better join the ladies.”

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Excerpt

My cell vibrates, so I speed through washing my hands to answer it.

“Hey,” I say, really trying the innocent thing, but I’m too stoked to pull it off.

“Are you in the bathroom?” Theresa sleepily chuckles. “Your voice is echoing.”

“I’m not peeing.” I crack the bathroom door and check on Landon. His entire body is covered with the comforter minus one leg dangling off the edge. I press the door closed and whisper into the phone. “So, can I cash in?”

“For real?”

“Hell yes.”

“You need a maid of honor?” Her voice squeaks on the last word, and I do a total Snoopy dance, buck naked in my bathroom, stifling my squeals with my girlfriend. Theresa asks question after question, but she’s rattling them off so fast I don’t understand them.

“Wait, what?” I say through my smile.

“When? How?”

“Few hours ago.” A large sigh flits through my lips as I grab a towel for my waist and slide to the chocolate brown bath mat. “It just fell out when we were in the shower.”

She snorts. “It wasn’t in the middle of sex, was it?”

“No. It was . . . sweet.” I let my mind replay Landon’s eyes, his words, his hands. “Perfect.”

“Good. You deserve nothing less.”

“Thanks.” My fingers splay across the bath mat, and I mindlessly pick at the fraying edge. “We did it after though.”

“Ah, engagement Chocolateville.” She sighs now, and I laugh picturing her taking that huge bite of cheesecake. “I’ve heard it’s up there with make-up sex.”

A weird weight sinks into my stomach. “It was nice.”

“Nice?” She gasps. “Oh no. Less than stellar, huh?”

“It was fine. I’ve just had so many mood swings. Then we couldn’t find a condom, so we had, like, a halftime breather. So, you know, not totally revved up. Not his fault.”

“That’s too bad. I’ve heard that engagement sex is better than the actual wedding night.”

“What? No.” I wrap my finger around a loose string in the mat and pull. “The wedding night will beat out everything.” It has to. I am determined to find our spark again specifically for that night.

“Think about it. You’re running around all day. Waking up early, getting dressed, undressed, standing in heels, hugging a million people you don’t know, lugging the presents up to your apartment after, or even worse . . . you might jump right onto a plane and the second you get to your hotel you’re jet-lagged and beat. You’ll probably draw straws for who can just lay there while the other person does the work.”

“Wow, thanks for that thought of encouragement.” I pull my towel around my chest and rest my forehead on my knees. “I was really looking forward to that night. First time with him as my husband.” My heart thumps hard when the word tumbles out. “He unzips my wedding dress, and I rip off his tie. We’re on a California King somewhere tropical and fun.” The honeymoon had better be somewhere tropical. My Southern ass freezes here on Long Island. I constantly have to put my feet against Landon’s legs to warm them up at night.

I blow out a breath, making the line fuzz. “Kind of ruins the whole picture if you’re telling me the sex will suck.”

“I’m just saying you’ll be tired.”

“I’ve been tired before and had epic sex.” Landon was gone for a month visiting his parents, and I jumped him the second he got off the plane. It was four in the morning, I hadn’t slept all night, and he was majorly jet-lagged. Did not matter at all. We started up in the car, he had me screaming in the front seat, screaming against the door when we got home, and we made it as far as the living room couch before landing double-fudge raspberry cheesecake together.

But that was, oh hell . . . I don’t know, a year ago? Maybe more.

“Well, do whatever you did that time.” Theresa laughs, and I sort of chuckle with her, my buzzed brain skipping tracks left and right. It was epic sex because we’d been waiting for it . . . anticipating it.

“Hmm . . .”

“What?” she asks through a yawn.

I pull at the bath mat again. “Do you think . . . ?” My thoughts steal my voice as they run through my head. Sex with Landon is good. Always fun. It’s just not new. It’s . . . longtime- relationship sex. Scheduled, predictable, and usually ends with a snoring Landon and a bowl of ice cream. So how can I make sure I land a ticket to Chocolateville the day we become husband and wife? Oh my hell . . . will we even have sex on our wedding night?

Theresa clears her throat. “Do I think what?”

“You think maybe . . . we should wait?”

“Wait for what?”

“Like no sex until that night. Then it’ll be amazing because we’ll be dying for it.” It’s ridiculous. I don’t think Landon will go for it. But Theresa will tell me if I’m totally craz--

“I’ve heard of couples doing that,” she says, her tired voice picking up. “Sounds like a test in great restraint if you ask me, but also could be . . . well, fun.”

“You think?”

“Totally. When was the last time you guys went as far as you could without going there? I think it’s exciting. Might bring something back . . .”

I want to defend my sex life, but my mind is on the track she painted. My heart warms and thumps as a grin spreads across my face. Foreplay without sex could amp us both up so much our wedding night will be one I can guarantee we won’t forget. I have to clench my legs together just thinking about it.

It will be like new relationship sex all over again.

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Excerpt

Godly Acres

Setting: Godly Acres, the world’s premier rehabilitation center for gods and goddesses.

At rise: Six chairs are arranged in a circle. DIONYSUS, god of wine, HERMES, god of wealth, ARES, god of war, CRONUS, former ruler of the universe, and ZEUS, who has nasty red sores all over his face and is current ruler of the universe, are dressed in togas and sandals (except for Ares, who is dressed in battle armor), waiting for group therapy to begin.

ZEUS
I can’t believe Mom is making us do this…it’s really cutting into my getting laid time.

CRONUS
You could’ve stood up to her and said no.

ZEUS
Yeah, but when she gives me the whole “if it weren’t for me, your father would’ve eaten you” guilt trip, it’s hard to say no to her.

(WILLOW, a bubbly twenty-something, enters holding a notebook and a pen.)

WILLOW
(annoyingly upbeat)
Hello, everybody! How are we today?

ZEUS
I’m great…why don’t we get out of here and go somewhere a little more private?

WILLOW
(uncomfortably)
I don’t think that would be a good idea.

ZEUS
Of course it would. Come on…I’ll let you buy me a drink.

WILLOW
You’re being inappropriate.

ZEUS
It’s what I do.

WILLOW
(taking a seat)
Let’s get started, shall we? Why don’t we go around the circle and introduce ourselves? I’m Willow.
(pause)
You’re all supposed to say “Hi, Willow” now.

DIONYSUS, HERMES, ARES, CRONUS, AND ZEUS
(unenthusiastically)
Hi, Willow.

WILLOW
Hi! I’m new to Godly Acres, and this will be my first time leading group therapy. I’m twenty-six years old, have two sisters-

ZEUS
Nice!

WILLOW
And I enjoy scrapbooking and knitting sweaters for my cats.
(pointing to Dionysus)
Your turn!

DIONYSUS
I’m Dionysus, and I’m an alcoholic.

WILLOW, HERMES, ARES, CRONUS, AND ZEUS
Hi, Dionysus!

WILLOW
When did you first realize you were an alcoholic?

DIONYSUS
Pretty recently. I’ve always enjoyed alcohol-I’m the god of wine, I don’t really have much of a choice-but I was mostly a social drinker. Somewhere along the line, it stopped being about fun, and it got to the point where I had to have it every day. Everyone around me wants to party all the time, so it’s pretty hard for me to avoid alcohol. After a particularly wild party resulted in me getting a tattoo of Pegasus on my lower back, I thought it would be a good idea to try to quit drinking.

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Elsie winced as the bright light from the car behind her made her eye hurt even more. She hadn’t yet concocted a story to tell Orlando and Santiago when she saw them. As police detectives they weren’t likely to let the matter slide. And, then there was Zander. To make matters worse, the swelling had spread and her face throbbed insistently from the pain. Every breath she took was a stab to the side, convincing her that she had, indeed, cracked a rib. If she was smart, she would stop hunting vampires, but that wasn’t going to happen. Mack and SOVA had given her life purpose again and she wasn’t about to give that up.

She parked her car and looked into her rearview mirror. Mack was right, she looked like she had gone ten rounds in the ring. Her cheek was already a deep purple and her eye was nearly swollen shut. She had no makeup, not that there was a way to hide the injury. She’d better come up with something fast.

She looked over and saw Zander’s intense blue eyes and serious expression as he approached her car. She took a moment to admire the blue cotton t-shirt straining over his gorgeous, muscled chest. She opened her door and climbed out of the car, finding him right next to her. Orlando gasped from behind Zander and Zander’s body had gone rigid.

“What happened?” Zander said through gritted teeth. Elsie began to sweat and her mind went blank.

She blinked up at him and opened her mouth only to close it. She couldn’t tell him the truth and for some reason she didn’t want to lie to him either. “My friend and I were, uh, kickboxing and I didn’t duck fast enough.” That was close to the truth, she hadn’t ducked fast enough. Zander eyed her suspiciously and she quickly turned to glance at Orlando.

“You need to stop kickboxing, cupcake. Clearly, you’re not very good at it and if you don’t watch it, you’ll get seriously injured,” Orlando chastised. 

She half-laughed and walked to her front door. “Come on in,” she invited after unlocking the door.

Zander’s gaze slowly trailed down her body, causing a searing heat to take her over. “Aside from the bruises, you look tired. How did you sleep last night?” He paused next to her and grasped her hand, bringing it to his lips. The kiss released electrical tremors, and his words caused blood to flood her face. Her words froze in her throat. Could he know she had dreamt about making love to him last night? 
“I slept okay,” she stammered.

Zander’s expression said he knew every dirty detail and he wanted it for real. Oh God. “I brought you more chocolates, as well as, other surprises.” He remained in place, despite the fact, that they were crammed face to face in the narrow entryway.

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"Well, which one do you guys think she'll like?" I question Becky and Kyle. We are all gazing down at a jewelry tray full of engagement rings. It took a lot of begging on my part, but I was able to convince my best friend and one of Holly's best friends to come with me today. I understand Becky's hesitation in coming along. She hasn't known Holly for very long and wasn't sure she'd be teh best choice to help me choose her engagement ring. Kyle, however, has no excuse. We've been friends for too long. He tried to pull the I-just-had-a-baby card with me. That shit didn't work. Amber just had a baby, not him.

Somehow, I was finally about to convince them both. I need the ring today. Amber and Cody are coming home from the hospital later this afternoon and Holly being Holly is throwing a little welcome home party at their house. All of the people we love will be there. Most people would propose in a quiet and romantic setting, but I know my girl. After being alone for such a long time, Holly and I never timagined we'd find each other, let alone a group of friends who are more like family. So, asking her to be my wife in front of all the special people in our lives will be her idea of perfect. I have to admit, I kinda think it's perfect, too. That's not to say I'm not nervous as well, though. Looking down at the shiny diamond rings, my throat goes dry and my heart beats rampantly in my chest. Why? I don't know. I'm postive she'll say yes, so why I am still so fucking nervous?

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I turn off the TV since I can’t concentrate on what I’m watching, but that only worsens my problem. In the dark, I can feel her more intensely. Her energy creates an image of her in my mind like if I can see her without light. Every time she shifts, every time she breathes, I feel her energy rise and move. There’s no way that I can sleep like this. Without the distraction of the woods, or the worry over her grief that I experienced the first nights we stayed together, I am consumed by her presence.

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“Bossman, what are my shoes?” I asked and leaned back in my chair to put my feet up on his brand new desk.

“Stilettoes?”

“Wrong, for starters, no one calls them that these days. They’re either pumps or heels. Normally, if they’re designer, you just give people that name. What color is my shirt?”

“Red?” he asked, puzzled at where I was taking this.

“No, it’s burgundy. My hair is also in a low twist to the side, but you’d say that it was a ball of mess on the side of my head. My point is, no female author should write her male lead so . . . girlie. He shouldn’t know what cut her dress is or what the exact shade of her nail polish is, because, putting it simply, men don’t know these things. They don’t want to know. The second real men start showing an interest, their girl will never stop asking for their opinions. All men want to do for an easy life is say ‘Yes, dear’ and scratch their balls while watching a game,” I ranted. All the while his eyes got wider.

“You need to calm down, Princess,” he finally said, but I shook my head.

“But why? As readers, we are basically paying these authors to produce shit work. I don’t want to read that every male character has a monster cock and can give award-winning oral sex. No virgin can deep throat on her first go and the wording, oh my God. Do I really have to read every character announce that they’re coming like a freight train in every sex scene. If the sex is good enough, it should be clear to the reader in the description, not through ‘Incoming orgasm approaching platform three, please stand clear of the gap!’”

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“Why do you want to be a wizard?”

The question came as no surprise to me. After extensive research on the prestigious, secretive university, I knew this was one of the questions they used in considering admittance as well as graduation. In my own personal opinion, it was ridiculous. 

“I want to help people,” I answered, as I had practiced.

The headmaster and deputy principal glanced at each other with obvious suspicion. I wasn’t worried even as Headmaster Logan Hunt folded his hands across the dark blue folder on the table and leaned forward.

Twelve of the teachers along with the headmaster sat in high-back chairs at the long table. Rumor had it they were all graduates aside from the headmaster, which I found difficult to believe since one of the four women looked about sixteen. On the other hand, that was assuming she was even human. Each of the staff members wore black robes over their dress clothes, which probably had more to do with the frigid temperature of the room and less to do with stereotypes. 

The council room was lit with five torches positioned around us, forming the five corners of a pentagram. A massive fireplace dominated the north wall behind them while the east wall sported a floor to ceiling bookshelf. Between me and the school board members was a small metal folding table and an intentionally uncomfortable metal chair. Upon the table were various objects used to test my mental skills and natural talent in magic. 

One object was a candle, which they sat before me and demanded I light. When I took out my lighter and lit it, they were less than impressed. The second object was a rock, which they told me to move without touching. I tipped the table until it rolled off, but that also failed to amaze them. When they told me to draw water out of the air, I picked up the mirror, which they hadn’t asked me to utilize yet, and breathed on it until the reflective surface fogged up.

The young-looking woman smirked while the man on her left glared. He had shoulder-length dark brown hair with a five o'clock shadow. There was a glint in his amber-yellow eyes that put me on edge. I was familiar with the sensation; every shifter made my skin crawl. It wasn’t the fact that he could shift into a powerful predator, nor the ability to growl like the wolf inside him that irritated me. Something about an animal and a person combined into one being seemed unnatural to me. I imagined the person side of the shifter had to be a little savage, while the animal part had to be especially intelligent. I knew predator shifters were much more common, which explains why I never met a bunny shifter.

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"9-1-1 What is your emergency?" 

"I just got home and I found my husband lying on the floor. He’s unconscious and his breathing is slow. Please send someone quick!" I yelled into the phone. 

Trying to get me to calm down the operator started asking questions until help could arrive. 

"Ma’am, does your husband have any medical conditions that would cause him to be like this?" 

"No, he has never had any issues. WHAT should I do?" 

"Can you check for a pulse? Do you see anything around him that may have caused a reaction? Help is on the way." 

I set the phone down and I tried feeling for a pulse, but could not tell if what I was feeling his or mine... I could still see him breathing and when I turned there it was—an empty pill bottle with a few left scattered by it. 

Whimpering I return to the phone, "I—uh—I just found a pill bottle lying by him and there are ANTS crawling out of his MOUTH!" 

This was where I woke up. It was always where I woke up when I had this particular dream.

Excerpt

The Dracul was one of Hollywood’s hot spots, a place for the beautiful people to see and be seen. On any given night, Hollywood stars could be seen mingling among the crowd or holding court in one of the private rooms that dotted the periphery. The club’s owner, Morgan Blackstone, stalked through the center of the packed dance floor, rage rolling off her in frozen waves. She paid no attention to the loud music thundering through the converted church, or the mob parting to let her pass. James, the head of security, walked at her side, and it didn’t take them long to reach one of several doors that led to the employee-only sections. She entered a code on the small panel beside the door and pushed it open. James followed her into the maze of halls, letting the door thump closed behind them.

“What happened?” she asked, her words clipped and precise.

“Apparently the two we are about to see, decided it was okay to harass a regular about his job.” James answered, being cryptic, since it was possible that a human staff member might hear.

“Was it one of the VIPs?”

“Yes. Christophe is taking care of him,” he answered, all cool professionalism.

Morgan nodded. She trusted her Blood Son to see to it that the situation was defused. 

“The other two are in the security office,” James continued. “A couple of my people are making sure that no one goes in. Danny and the rest of the team are out on the floor making sure that nothing else happens.” He finished as they stopped in front of a door marked ‘Security.’

“Good,” she answered. She stepped into the room, feeling the emotions of the two men inside permeating the air. “Idiots,” she muttered under her breath and crossed to the table where the pair sat on opposite sides. The door closed, and James leaned against it, arms crossed over his chest.

The vampire was dressed in unrelieved black. His hair fell in long lanky shanks, and he looked as though he’d forgotten to feed for the past few days. His flesh was pale and drawn tight over his bones. The werewolf was just as bad, in a flannel shirt with the sleeves ripped off, and tattered jeans. 

“Goddess! Could you two be any more cliché?” Morgan rolled her eyes and set her cane on the end of the table. “Do either of you have any idea of the trouble you caused?”