Spotlight on 2015 Releases: His Girlfriend's Brother

Gabe never meant to fall for his girlfriend’s egotistical Alpha male brother, but when his second-self materializes, Gabe has no other choice but to embrace his chosen mate. Soon, Gabe’s future is sealed by fate and blood. 

Gideon Barshone is a bleeder mate for one of the most powerful supernatural creatures in the world. Destined to bleed and mate with more than one vampire, Gabe understands his purpose once he and Gideon form their bond, but Gideon’s little sister isn’t happy with the new arrangement. She reminds Gideon of one harrowing fact and Gabe’s obligation to the vampire race is destined to break her big brother’s heart.

Excerpt

“Father have you seen Gabe?” Julia rushed in the living room dressed like a mortal. Her hair was up in a ponytail, tied back with a poufy lime green hair band. It was sticking up all over the place thanks to some sort of wet goo.

Seth focused on his golf ball. He gripped his club a bit tighter and narrowed his eyes. And right when he made up his mind to swing, Julia darted in front of him and plucked the ball from the floor.

“What the—”

She held up the golf ball. “Now that I have your attention, I asked you a question.”

“You had my attention when you walked in here wearing those dreadful clothes. Which poor street bum did you strip of his breeches? I need to find him and apologize.”

“Father, you aren’t funny.”

“I don’t think so either.” He grabbed a handful of dried berries from the teacart and returned to his putting green. “Go upstairs and change and I’ll tell you where your brother and Gabe are.”

Julia gasped. “Gabe and Gideon are together?”

He snatched the ball from her hand. “Do you want to know where they are or not?”

“For your information, Father, I’m fashionable.”

“If tacky is the new ‘in’ then forgive me if I can’t give the latest designers my nod of approval. Once you dress for success, come back and I’ll tell you where you can find that boring mortal.”

By the time he ate another handful of ripe fruit and repositioned his ball, Julia made another clean sweep and interrupted his game once more. Seth studied her latest fashion choice. Dressed in a turtleneck and navy dress slacks, she looked more prepared for prep school than a date. “See there. Was that so hard? Now you’re dressed like a lady.”

He gave himself a proverbial pat on the back. Gabe would probably think she looked like a prude. Seth needed to start shopping with his daughter. Maybe if Julia stopped flashing so much skin, the mortal would quit hanging around whenever he was ‘off’ work. “Honey, I’ve been meaning to ask you. What is it that Gabe does?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, like a job or school. What does he do when he isn’t here with you?”

“He’s twenty-four. He has a job.”

“Did he go to college?” Seth remembered hearing something about a degree.

“He majored in business, Daddy. He works for an accounting firm but he wants to start his own business.”

“Excellent,” Seth said, thinking he’d never be able to afford his daughter’s spending habits.

“I’m glad you approve.”

“Absolutely, darling. If he makes you happy, he makes me happy.” Seth forced a smile. He’d learned valuable lessons from his older children. If he didn’t like one of their ‘friends’ then he would get along with them, even take their side when there were disagreements. Eventually, his approval would provoke his children into disapproval and they’d move on to someone else.

He took a shallow breath and tried to think about that for a moment. Come to think of it, none of his children had mentioned the dirty ‘m’ word, the one that typically popped up when mortals became obsessed with their perceived life partners. That could only mean none of them had found their mates.

A father could drink to that.

He traipsed to the wet bar and uncapped several blood vials. He always made sure the donor’s name was on the label so he could determine if one human tasted better than another. “Now, what was it that you wanted from me?” He poured himself a Bloody Veronica.

“You were about to tell me where Gideon and Ga—” Julia stopped midsentence and cocked her head. “Did you hear that noise?”

Seth set aside the small cylindrical containers and sipped his bloody cocktail. “I was too busy listening to—”

A low, guttural wind-like howl resounded in the distance. If the weather hadn’t been so doggone predictable lately, Seth would’ve banked on a pending storm and a mighty one at that. The oozing growl intensified. There wasn’t enough kick behind the racket to warrant a pending wind yet the eerie whines filling the halls suggested someone had left a door ajar and the weather outside was frightful.

Julia said, “Guess it’s getting ready to storm.”

“Hmm,” Seth said, paying closer attention to the volume level as a soft thudding resounded followed by another series of muted wails and low whimpers.

“Maybe I should call and check on Mother.”

Seth wasn’t concerned about his wife. He was more concerned about Gideon. What was that boy up to now? “Where is your mother?” His wife was more equipped to deal with Gideon.

“She went to a town meeting,” Julia replied. “She wants to start a program for the homeless children in—”

A hissing sound now filled the room followed by a whistling racket and another thump. This time it sounded like it was coming from another part of the house.

Seth went to the window. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful day. The sun was out and the trees were unusually calm.

“Father, Gabe’s car is here. You mentioned he was with Gideon?”

Seth’s senses were alert then as he considered the noises he’d heard—thumping, whistling, moaning, and guttural sounds more reminiscent of pleasure than turbulent weather.

He approached the foyer and stared down the dark hall leading to the old house. The same noises shot through the corridor and Seth gasped in understanding. He immediately turned to his daughter and draped a protective arm around her shoulders, guiding her back to the living room.

“What do you say we sit on the terrace and wait for their return?”

“Dad.”

“Don’t “Dad” me. That’s too ‘human’ for my blood.” He cut his gaze at the foyer and thought of a few other things that were ‘too human’ for his blood. He felt his incisors poke at his gums as he considered the betrayal in motion. “Yes, Julia. Let’s sit outside for a bit. It’s a beautiful afternoon and we shouldn’t miss a minute of it. You never know when your days with loved ones are numbered or when a beautiful day is nothing more than the calm before the storm.”

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Spotlight on 2015 Releases: Devil's Deception

While traveling, Liza Cartwright lands in Devil’s Valley and she’s not sure why. Greeted by a witch while trying to rent a room, Eliza is greatly disturbed by what she learns. According to a legend, those who arrive in Devil’s Valley, never leave. Unwilling to accept some crazy myth, Liza goes to Gideon’s Hall looking for the vampire who can change her fate.

Convinced Liza is the mate they’ve awaited, Jake and Nicholas Devil dupe her so she can’t leave Gideon’s Hall until Gideon can meet her. When Gideon sees Liza a few hours later, he’s mesmerized. He soon realizes his attraction is mate lust but since Nicholas is the youngest “Devil” son and they can’t share a mate, he seeks answers by turning to a dangerous witch.

Soon, Liza is inexplicably drawn to Gideon and Jake Devil, but she’s horrified to learn all the ways they’re connected. Inevitably doomed to a fated love thanks to a curse she can’t escape, Liza gives up her traveling dreams for two sexy vampires and a family full of blood drinkers. And she makes it her mission to find out about the witches and their curses so she can do whatever necessary to break them.

Book Excerpt

“Well, well, well,” Matilda drawled, taking a seat at Luke’s and Nicholas’s table. “I didn’t expect to see you two out and about tonight.”

“Matilda,” Nicholas grated out, not making eye contact.

“What’s a young girl like you doing in a place like this?” Luke asked, staring at her like he wanted to bed her.

“I could ask you the same thing, Luke.”

“Clearly, I’m not a little girl.”

“Do you see me toting along my dolls and toys?”

“I do not,” Luke said, nursing his whiskey. “But if you were, those toys would be for adult play." 

“So the insults are already over?” She clucked. “Damn. You’re no fun at all.” But he sure was easy on the eyes.

“We know what kind of fun you like, Matilda,” Nicholas ground out, apparently still bitter. They’d met on a few occasions and each time they’d met, Matilda had thrown around a spell or two.

“Why don’t you tell me, cowboy,” she drawled, flirting with the vampire who’d dared to embarrass her in public. The first time they’d met, he’d told a saloon full of patrons who he thought she was. She reached for him, eager to see how he responded to her now.

Nicholas jerked his arm away. “Don’t touch me.”

Matilda held up her hands. “Excuse me for trying to make up.”

“You can’t excuse what you did to me.”

“He has a point,” Luke said, apparently wise to what had happened.

“What if I make it up to you,” she offered, dragging three fingers up and down her cleavage.

Nicholas looked away. “You couldn’t if you tried.”

“Oh but I could,” she promised, aware of his true reason for being so bitter. Nicholas was a real looker and the whores had thoroughly enjoyed him, but not even half as much as he’d once enjoyed them. That is, until Matilda made sure he’d never find satisfaction with anyone else again.

Nicholas rose to his feet. “I’m leaving. Somebody needs to keep an eye on the cattle.”

“Gideon out tonight?” she asked, grinning as she considered the rumors flying around Devil’s Valley. Apparently the female newcomer had already raked her fingernails down the head Devil’s back or soon would, which was probably the straight of it since Petra had said the woman was a real lady.

“No,” Nicholas bit out, turning his attention to Luke. “You staying or going?”

Luke moistened his lips and stared at Matilda’s. “I’m staying.”

“Suit yourself.” He stomped away without saying goodbye.

Matilda stroked her bottom lip with her middle finger, ogling Luke with nothing more than illicit intentions. “So, tell me, Luke Devil. What are we going to do with our time?”

Before she could turn on the charm, Luke snatched her around the waist and dashed up the pair of stairs leading to the hotel’s rooms. Pausing in the hallway, he pinned her against the wall. “Which room is yours?”

“You tell me.”

“You’re staying here for the night or you wouldn’t be here,” Luke said.

“I am indeed,” she said. She’d rented a room for one purpose, too. She’d hoped the Devils would show up and she could pump one or two of them for information, not literally of course, but since Luke was there and apparently willing, she wasn’t opposed to the idea.

“I’m famished, Matilda,” Luke said in a tight voice. “And unless you want to become my next meal, I suggest you tell me which room you rented.”

Taking a moment to decide whether or not she’d play along, she finally nodded at the room across the hall. “Over there.”

In a matter of seconds, they were behind closed doors. His hand landed against the wall next to her head and she would’ve bet a sack of gold that his next move would’ve been a delivered passionate kiss. Instead, he leered at her as if he couldn’t stand the sight of her. Then, his nostrils flared, his eyes widened, and he undoubtedly knew in that instant what she had always known.

He belonged to her.
She belonged to him.

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Spotlight on 2015 Releases: UNQUENCHABLE

Dear Person, Vampire, Shifter, or Whatever You Are,

First let me point out the obvious. You aren’t supposed to be in my room.

Since you are, you might as well read this:

Life has become chaotic and I don’t know where to turn. I’ve loved and lost so many people. I’m starting to understand how Elena feels. Well maybe not Elena. She has her own unusual way of dealing with death.

Stefan is off trying to find a witch who will bring Bonnie and Damon back from the Other Side. I’m starting to think it’s a hopeless cause.

Only it’s not.

Maybe that’s why I feel so guilty. Maybe that’s why I’m writing this down on paper so if I’m the next to go someone will see this and know where to turn. See, there’s one person—well, I’m not sure if person is the right word here but for the sake of all vampires we’ll call him that—and he may be able to help.

May is a little word with a big meaning where Klaus Mikaelson is concerned. If I didn’t fear letting my real feelings take hold here, maybe I’d just go ahead and call it as I see it.

Klaus can help.

If there’s one “person” who has always been able to save the day when no one else is able to turn things around, it’s Klaus.

See, he’s an original vampire. 

In case you’re reading this and don’t know what that means, pay attention. Klaus and his siblings were the first of their kind. All vampires are linked back to one of the original family members. Klaus is also a hybrid which means he is part vampire and part wolf. Oh and the best part—or worst if you happen to be his enemy—he can’t be killed.

Because of his immortal life, he’s the one person who can bring my friends home. Klaus once promised he would leave Mystic Falls and never return but he will break his promise for me. Not that he needs to break his promise at all. I’m not exactly in Mystic Falls.

Besides, all I need to do is ask and Klaus will be on his way. Unless…

What if he’s moved on? What if everything I believed about him turns out to be a lie? What if he’s found someone special, someone to love? What if he isn’t the one I will always be able to depend upon?

Even as I read over the questions above, I feel the truth. He cares for me in a way I can’t explain. Maybe I’m too young to understand his devotion. According to Stefan, I turn a blind eye to what everyone else can seemingly see. 

One call and he’ll be here.                                                                                     

Why am I so sure? Because Klaus cares for me. In fact, he loves me. Even my friends believe his love is true.

The Salvatore brothers often used me to exploit him. Whenever they needed something from Klaus or wanted someone to distract him, I was their go-to girl.

Now, here I am again. This time, Damon and Stefan aren’t here to guide me. Then again? I don’t need their help. I’ve dealt with Klaus on countless occasions.

I stare at my phone again. It’s right here beside me.

One call. That’s all it will take. 

And I have to make it.

Bonnie is counting on me.  Damon is depending on me, even though he would never admit it.

Poor Damon. He’s probably sitting on the Other Side right now telling Bonnie not to worry, certain Elena or Stefan will save the day. I wonder what he would say if he knew I was planning to turn to Klaus for help.

Well look at that why don’t you…guess my mind is made up.

I’m making the call. Then, I’ll brace for impact.

Caroline

Chapter One

In New Orleans, Klaus couldn’t shake the unsettling surges of angst. The unfamiliar feelings, a mix of disturbances and anticipation, had kept him awake for most of the night. He stood at the double terrace doors overlooking Bourbon Street and tried to pinpoint where the nagging torment had originated.

Below him, the weekend crowd stirred with an abundance of energy. The drunkards took to the street and the midnight hour approached. Debating on whether or not to join the party below, Klaus turned to acknowledge his buzzing phone. He hesitated for a moment but then reminded himself of one pertinent fact. When his veins burned and throbbed, it was generally a reliable sign of things to come, events he actually cared about.

He rushed across the room and snatched his phone, never bothering to look at the caller ID. “Yes?”

 “Klaus. It’s—”

“Caroline,” he breathed her name like a reckless lover might, but he quickly rebounded when Elijah quietly entered the room. “How nice of you to call. Let me guess, you broke a fingernail and it’s somehow my fault?”

She didn’t say anything right away but he heard her light breathing. He could almost picture her smile, the way her lips twitched as they often did when she tried to pretend he hadn’t amused her. As par for the course, he grinned at the image, too. What was it about Caroline that always made him smile?

When she didn’t respond right away, the overwhelming need to devil her a bit drove Klaus to add, “No? Then if this call isn’t related to cosmetic damage or perhaps a need for vintage clothing from the Mikaelson attic, it must certainly have something to do with that annoying breath of stale air.” He sighed in theatrical despair. “So tell me, love, what did the young Benedict Arnold do this time?”

That traitorous Tyler Lockwood had once been the very bane of his existence.

Caroline and Tyler had shared a romantic past. Still, Klaus had recently received the news of Tyler’s and Caroline’s seemingly permanent separation but celebration had turned into despair when she hadn’t reached out to him. Now, here she was on the other end of the phone and he couldn’t help but taunt her.

“This isn’t about Tyler,” Caroline said, a compelling note of seriousness to her voice. “I need your help.”

“But of course you do, love,” Klaus said, matching her tone and immediately blaming his sleepless nights on their undeniable if not seemingly fated connection. “And I’ve been right here awaiting your call.”

*****

At Whitmore College, Caroline clutched the phone with a trembling hand. How long had she waited to hear that raspy yearning in Klaus’s sophisticated voice? How many days, hours really, had passed since she’d felt his arms around her, his lips against her own? Pushing aside the warm and fuzzy feelings, she asked, “Will you help me or not?”

“You haven’t told me what you need, love.” The typical play had begun. Klaus apparently had a very difficult time maintaining any element of seriousness when he dealt with Caroline. More often than not, she found him positively annoying.

“You said you’ve been expecting to hear from me so you know why I’m calling.”

“I have my suspicions, yes, but for the sake of polite conversation, why don’t you tell me?”

“You want me to ask you to come home.”

“That is why you’re calling. Isn’t it, Caroline?”

She thinned her lips and paced. Why did he always do this? Why couldn’t things be simple with them? Why couldn’t they just be friends and leave the bantering to people like...well she couldn’t think of anyone. The more volatile couples had parted ways either by choice or by death.

Even Katherine, Elena’s doppelganger—only they weren’t anything alike—had finally met her demise. With the thought, a flash of memories burst inside her head. She couldn’t help but think of Katherine’s last days and how Klaus had returned from New Orleans to apparently witness her final breath.

Illicit memories danced in front of her mind’s eye. She and Klaus were in the forest behind the Salvatore home. Her back was against a tree. Klaus had just ripped open her shirt and…

“Caroline? Are you still with me, sweetheart?”

“Stop doing that,” she snapped.

“We’ve been on the phone less than a minute and you’re already blaming me for something else.”

“You know what you did. You’re in my head and I don’t have time for this.”

“If I’m in your head, it’s because you want me there. While I’m quite certain to find your thoughts excessively entertaining, I only take credit for things I can see.”

Caroline stopped pacing. Perhaps he was right. Maybe she couldn’t blame him for thoughts about their history. Wasn’t it normal for young women to daydream about past racy encounters?

“Caroline?”

Normal or not, the amusement in Klaus’s voice led her to believe he was behind her daytime fantasies. Not fantasies, she reasoned, but memories. 

“I need you here at Whitmore. Will you help me or not?”

“But you haven’t told me what you need.”

“Klaus, if anyone is ‘in the know’, it’s you.” And it irked her to the ends of the earth and back.

“I’m capable of a lot of things but—”

“You know what? Forget it. I’ll ask Enzo. I should’ve buzzed him in the first place.” Enzo was Damon’s friend or at least she thought they were friends. Then again, they’d probably tried to kill one another, too. Caroline had a challenge ahead of her. Damon had pissed off pretty much everyone he knew and he had killed most of their friends at least once. No one was jumping up and volunteering to bring him back from the Other Side.

“And is Enzo well connected, love?” Klaus’s voice jerked her away from her private thoughts.

“Hello? Enzo probably doesn’t have several hundred years’ worth of enemies trailing him.” 

“Former foes often make the best allies. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Is that a yes?”

“You suspected as much before you dialed my number.” 

Perhaps she should’ve stroked his impossible ego. She hadn’t punched in his number. Oh no. Klaus was on speed dial.

“Klaus?” She sucked in a deep breath. “This is really important. If you don’t have any new friends, do me a favor and start compelling everyone you meet on the street. We may need them.”

“Sounds serious.”

“It is.”

“Tell me something, Caroline,” he said, his thick accent driving her mad. When she dreamt of Klaus, she always imagined his hypnotic voice at her ear. “Are we friends?”

Caroline swallowed. Her mouth dried. She recalled so many memories all at once, a mix of good and bad.  Klaus was complicated. He confused her more than any man on the planet and yet she found herself inexplicably drawn to him. She even trusted him.

She trusted an original, a vampire others considered dangerous—no, deadly—and downright despicable. Shaking off the thought, she released a sigh of true relief. Klaus would soon be on his way and the thought of seeing him again left her skin covered in goosebumps.

“It’s a simple question actually. Are you my friend, Caroline? Can I trust you?”

“Yes, Klaus. You can trust me.”

“Very well then. It’s you and me against the world. We don’t need compulsion or friends. I’ll see you soon, love.”

“But I didn’t tell you what I wanted.”

“As always, you were right. I know why you called and understand what you need. You don’t have to ask. I’ll be there soon.”

Caroline disconnected the call and turned to find a brooding Elena.  She slammed the door behind her and zipped across the room with an enraged vampire’s speed. “What have you done, Caroline?”

“What I should’ve done a long time ago. I called Klaus.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Elena balled her fists as she stomped back and forth across the room. “How could you do this?”

She wasn’t surprised by Elena’s fury. When Klaus first came to Mystic Falls, he’d arrived there with an agenda. He had planned to kill Elena and while she had lived to tell about it, her aunt hadn’t been so lucky.

“Klaus is a monster!”

“And some would’ve said the same about Damon but you fell in love with him anyway.”

“I’m not discussing Damon with you.”

“Forgive me,” Caroline snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m so forgetful these days. You of all people should know how that is. When something is too uncomfortable, you pay Alaric a visit and he erases it from your memory.”

“Klaus is dangerous.”

Caroline wasn’t afraid of Klaus. “What would you have me do, Elena? Hmm? Sit and wait? We don’t have time. There are no guarantees the Other Side will be here later today or even tomorrow. Every minute we waste is a minute we used to let our friends down. Once Damon and Bonnie slip away from us, they’re gone forever.”

Elena stared at her blankly. Tension hung in the air but Elena finally conceded. “You’re right. We have to save Bonnie.”

“And we’ll save Damon.” Caroline would never understand some of Elena’s recent choices, but she hadn’t lost someone she loved more than she loved herself.  “You wanted your memories wiped clean but one of these days, you’ll realize what you’ve done. You’ll go to Alaric and ask him to reverse the compulsion. You’ll want to remember.”

“No.” Elena shook her head. “I’m happy Caroline. Sure I miss Bonnie and everyone we’ve lost, but I’m moving on. Damon isn’t in my future. I rarely see him in my past.”

“Well that’s your problem,” Caroline said.

Elena and Stefan had handled Damon’s death poorly. Stefan had left town. Elena had slipped into some sort of delusional fantasy world right after Damon died. When that didn’t work, she asked Alaric to make her forget.

“From what I remember of Damon, he wouldn’t have been eager to accept Klaus’s help.” Elena frowned. “And Bonnie? Have you forgotten how much Bonnie despised Klaus?”

“Give Klaus the benefit of the doubt. If he helps us, he can right his wrongs.”

“Vampires like Klaus can’t redeem themselves.”

Caroline didn’t believe that. Elena didn’t know the Klaus she knew. 

“What if Bonnie and Damon won’t take his help?”

“Oh come on, Elena! They’re trapped on the Other Side. They would take the devil’s hand if he shoved it right in front of them.”

“I hope you’re right because the devil’s hand is exactly what they’ll have if Klaus reaches out to them.” Elena’s expression softened.  “His help will come at a price, Caroline. You need to ask yourself if you’re ready to pay the devil’s dues because when Klaus is through with you, the debt you’ll owe will be far more than you’re prepared to pay.”  

The Vampire Diaries: UNQUENCHABLE (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Love Bites Back Trilogy Book 1) 

New at Amazon Kindle Worlds

The Second Book in the Love Bites Back Trilogy--Out Today! 

A crossbreed with an insatiable appetite for revenge, Gage is willing to do whatever necessary to drive his half-brother Klaus Mikaelson to his knees. By removing three important people from his brother’s life, Gage gains the leverage he needs to access the other side and hurt Klaus at the same time. 

Being a hybrid will not protect Klaus from heartache. Now that his crossbreed brother is holding Caroline and Elijah, Klaus will do whatever necessary to bring his family home. Throw in the fact that Enzo and Elena are pawns in Gage’s game and Klaus must rely on Rebekah and Kol. Time is of the essence once trickery is in play and Caroline believes Klaus has moved on without her. 

Klaus faces his greatest obstacle. The game is set to begin. The winners are yet to be determined but even in victory, there will be tremendous heartache that will eventually lead to great loss or tie Klaus and Caroline to an everlasting love and a commitment that will stand the tests of time. 

Ravenous follows 

With Bonnie and Damon stuck on the other side, Caroline Forbes turns to the one person she can count on—Klaus Mikaelson. Not at all intimidated by an ‘original’ vampire, Caroline realizes the risks when she reaches out to Klaus but her heart is on the line right from the start. 

Prepared to call in favors from old Mikaelson friends, Klaus and Caroline are soon on their way to Pennsylvania in search of an infamous witch. Their trip swerves toward danger when Gage, Klaus’s half-brother, discovers Klaus has begun an initiative to contact the other side. 

Surprised to learn his estranged sibling is now an inconvenient obstacle, Klaus realizes Gage has the potential to become a real problem. Accompanied by a group of crossbreeds, Gage issues a dangerous ultimatum—Caroline or a favor. 

With Caroline’s life in danger, Klaus has no other choice but to call Elijah for help but when his brother shows up with Elena and Enzo, too, the road trip is bound to end in disaster. To make matters worse, it’s hard to outrun a stealthy creature with nothing to lose and everything to gain. More importantly, Gage knows just how far to push Klaus to ensure his brother meets every last one of his demands.