The Darkness Series
If you're afraid of the Dark...
 you're screwed!
 

Seducing the Darkness
Book 1

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An outcast by her kind, Trinity Ford has learned how to live on her own. And it isn't easy doing so, considering she is a Vampire. 

Once a fragile girl, taken by a powerful vampire prince, Trinity had relied on Basil for support. But finding him in the arms of another woman was more than she could take. On her own, she has decided to protect her city from the predators of her kind that prey on the innocent. Another tough thing to do when you're heart is broken.  She's had to learn fast, how to be tough, how to survive, how to stay alive. And she's doing a pretty damn good job of it. Until Basil walks back into her life.

Basil Hawthorn has been the reigning prince of vampires since banishing his father to the Realm of Darkness decades earlier. When his father comes to him in a dream, threatening Trinity’s life, he knows the only way to save her is to push her away. Doing so is not easy, especially when she is the only woman he will ever love.

Rumors in the underworld talk of raising the vampire King and blotting out the sun.  Basil knows that if his father rises, he will be put to death for his betrayal. Trinity knows that if the King returns, no human would ever be safe again. Despite the betrayal and the threat, neither can stay away from the other. But can the two work together to stop the Ritual before the King is resurrected?

Or will the darkness capture them both?

 

 That damn itch she’d been having lately was back, and it was driving her nuts. Rolling her shoulders, she watched two redheads staggering from the bar’s exit and towards a dimly lit street.
Here we go again, She kept to the shadows as she followed after them. Uneventfully, they made it to their car and drove off. She hoped the cops were out tonight and those two were hauled in to sleep off their drunk.
Turning back to the club, she waited and watched for the next two hours and was glad nothing had happened. So far. But the night was still young.
“Can you smell it?”
She didn’t jump, but slowly looked over at Basil who appeared next to her. She hated when he just appeared out of thin air, but she knew he loved that entrance the best. “Your stink? Always.”
He didn’t sneer at her but slowly lifted his hand and lit the cigarette between his fingers. “The blood of a human. Does it still draw you in, make you hunger, make you want?”
“I’ve got a strong will.” Deliberately, she shifted away from him. It wasn’t only the smoke that bothered her—and always had—but his scent. It pissed her off that he could still make her ache.
She waved the smoke away annoyingly and shifted just a bit farther away. “Why are you skulking, Basil? Because if you’re following me, I am going to so kick your ass.”
“I was in the neighborhood.”
She glared at him and growled her response. “If you’re here to drink, let me warn you now that I won’t allow it.”
“Who am I supposed to drink from now that I no longer am nourished by your blood?”
She chose not to answer that. “Why does it seem that you’re always around, lurking in the dark, around places that aren’t your usual hangouts? Unless….there’s a reason?” The thought stabbed into her, and though she didn’t want to believe it, she had to ask. “Are you trying to take more females of your own? Are you the one abducting young girls?”
With one quick and easy flick, he tossed the cigarette into the darkness. The red tip glowed as it flew through the air before landing on the gravel to bounce and spit out a cloud of red sparkling fireworks. “I will not even dignify that with an answer.”
“It’s so obvious, now that I think about it. I was young when you took me, made me yours. Is that what you’re doing, Basil, making another mate?”
His icy blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he stepped closer. “I have a mate and to think you would even have such a thought sickens me.”
“You don’t have me, Basil.” Her voice grew dangerous. “If I’m so wrong, then do explain to me why you’re always out in the darkness, skulking near all these young girls?”
“The very same reason you are, my dear.” He ran a finger along her face, making her scowl.
She snorted, stepping away from him before he decided to do something stupid, like kiss her. “Please, I hardly think you’re out here looking to find the person or persons responsible for taking four innocent girls.”
Leaning against the building behind them, Basil looked off into the direction of the bar and the people waiting in line to be allowed inside. “You think so little of me and that’s a shame. But I suppose I’ve done it to myself. Yes, Trinity, I am looking to find out who took those young girls, as you are. And why you might ask?” He shifted towards her, sliding in nice and close and making her pulse speed up. He laid his fingers on her cheek, then slowly slid them along her face. “Because I have a feeling I am connected to the reason they’ve been taken.”
She had all but a moment to open her mouth to respond when he closed it with a mind numbing kiss, then pulling away, turned into a dog and scampered away.
Now what the hell did he mean by that?

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The Pen and Muse Reviews

Stewart creates a well written story, well rounded characters, great dialogue, and also great erotic romantic scenes. Those who love both the romance genre and that of erotic romance will enjoy this read. I look forward to reading more from this author

Siren Song Reviews

This is a unique story of a demon who just wants to be loved and not be lonely anymore.
This book I could absolutely not put down once I started and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. I give this book a 5 Stars and a 4 Adult Smoking Hot, hope you all enjoy.....I know I did.

Sensual Reads

"Sheila Stewart's Seducing the Darkness is a compelling tale of love and betrayal."

Sensual Reads

"Sheila Stewart takes us further into Darkness with her third book in this series, Embracing the Darkness."

Whipped Cream

Ms. Stewart’s Darkness Series captivated me immediately. I like the world of Jacob’s Cove and the cast of characters within it. I felt like I was right there with them going through the travesties of the post Darkness time.
 

Charming the Darkness
Book 4

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Danny Vega had never been comfortable as a human, unlike his twin brother. When he was offered a new life, Danny took it. As a vampire. Turning his back on his family, he welcomed the darkness. But when Chaos, the one man he has always looked up to most goes missing, and Danny is shunned by his kind, he decides to leave Jacobs Cove.

That is, until he’s run off the road.

As a witch, Starla Raine is fascinated by the ritual used to cast Jacobs Cove in darkness and decides to check it out. Entering the city she’s mesmerized by the blanket covering the city, and accidently runs someone off the road. When she discovers the man behind the wheel is connected to the spell that cast a shadow on the city, she decides to hold him captive until he agrees to help her find the spell book. And she’ll use any means possible to convince him, including seducing him.

Annoyed at being held against his will, Danny caves to Starla and agrees to help her find the ritual as long as she helps him find Chaos. He doesn’t mind using her magical abilities, or her body, for his own gain. Sex is just sex, until his heart gets in the way. But when she pushes him to make amends with his brother, or lose her, he finds letting her go isn’t that easy.

Can he open his heart to the light, or give in to the darkness once more?

EXCERPT:

“You’re a vampire?” She backed away from him, her brown eyes wide.
“Well…yeah. What the hell is wrong with me? Why can’t I move?” It was like his brain had lost communication with the rest of his body. Yet he could feel everything.
Weird.
“I froze you. You were going to bite me.”
“Once again, yeah. Vampire here. And what do you mean you froze me?” He was straining so hard to move that if he wasn't careful he was going to drop a load in his pants.
“I’m a witch.”
“A what?”
“A witch.”
At least he could use his face and, frowning at her, said, “You’re a witch?”
She folded her arms over her chest and cocked her hip to the side. He corrected his earlier thought. She wasn't just hot. She was damn hot! “Yeah, what’s wrong with being a witch?”
“Nothing wrong with it. You just don’t look like a witch.”
“Why, because I don’t have a green face and a pointy nose?” She rolled her eyes.
“No, because…well, you’re hot!” There was no denying it, the woman had curves in all the right places and that tight, black, v-neck t-shirt she wore teased of ample breasts. Never mind the blue jeans that looked painted on. “Only children think witches look like that. I’m not that stupid.”
She planted her fists on her hips and gave him an indignant look. “I don’t like your attitude.”
“No problem. Unfreeze me or whatever you need to do to give me back the power of my body and I can be on my merry way. Killer, hurry your ass in there already!” Where was that cat anyway?
“Killer? There are more of you in here?” She spun around, facing towards the entryway to the kitchen.
Oh, this was too perfect. “Oh yeah, there’s a whole bunch of us here and we’re all going to take turns sucking the life right out of you.”
She glared as she turned to face him. Maybe he should have used less sarcasm. “I don’t believe you.”
“Suit yourself. Come on out, guys!” This was too much fun.
Then Killer walked in, meowed, and wound his body around Danny’s legs. How was he supposed to pretend to be mean when the cat was cuddling up to him?
“There’s no one else here, is there?”
“Sure there are.” He was losing her rapidly.
“I don’t think so.” Daringly, she inched towards the doorway, peering around the corner.
Danny just couldn’t resist. “Get her!”
She jumped, spun around in some sort of karate kick, her fists raised and ready.
It was the hottest thing he’d ever seen.
“I knew it! There is no one else here.” She spun back towards Danny. “You lied.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying. All right already, Killer, go lay down on the sofa or something.” The cat was annoying him only because he was tickling Danny’s shins and there was nothing he could do to stop it, being frozen and all.
“Killer? That’s Killer?” she chuckled as she made her way to the cat, scooping him up. “You don’t look so fierce.
“Come here pretty girl.”
“He’s a guy.” The nerve of her assuming Killer was a girl!
“Aren’t you a sweetie pie?” She nuzzled her face into the cat’s fur. “Yes, you are.”
Killer was loving every minute of it. “You wanna unfreeze me now?”
“Right, because I look stupid.”
“Well—”
“Don’t.”
“You walked into it, toots.”
She narrowed those big, brown eyes at him. “Don’t call me that. If I let you go the first thing you’ll do is jump me and bite my neck.”
“Doesn’t have to be the neck and I’d probably do more than just jump you.”
Her eyes narrowed a little more. “What does that mean?”
“Just forget it. If I promise I won’t bite you, will you let me go?”
“Sure. NOT!!” She laughed at him then took a seat on the sofa with the cat. “What’s a pretty kitty like you doing with a big, bad vampire?” Her head jerked up and her eyes went wide making them look even bigger than they already were. “Oh my Goddess! You don't drink from him, do you?”
That was just the most appalling thing he’d ever heard. “What? No way. Killer and I are tight. We’re pals.”
“You’re pals?”
“Yeah, I saved him from a bunch of hungry dogs a few weeks ago and we’ve been roomies ever since.”
“You’re roomies?” Her lips twitch with a grin.
He wasn't impressed. “What’s wrong with that?”
“That’s sweet. You have a kitty as a pet.” Snuggling the cat to her face, she flashed a huge smile at him.
“Wanna release me now?” He didn’t like the way she was looking at him or being called sweet. He was anything but.
She leaned back and Killer made himself right at home on her lap. “Not yet. So why were you leaving—I don’t even know your name.”
“Danny.”
“Cool. I’m Starla Raine. So why were you leaving?”
“Starla Raine? What kind of name is that?”
“It’s a perfectly fine name. Starla was my grandmother’s name.”
“So Raine is your last name?”
“Yes. Why were you leaving?” she repeated, gently stroking the cat’s head.
Maybe if he played nice and gave her what she wanted she’d release him and then he and Killer could go on their merry way. “I’m tired of this town.”
“I would think someone like you would love living here where there’s no sun to burn you up.”
“The sun doesn’t kill us. That’s just a myth. But it does give us a nasty third degree burn. I’ve spent twenty years learning to live with the sun, doing so now won’t be any different.”
“Twenty years?” She frowned. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-three.”
“Get out? Wow, how old were you when you were taken?”
“Thirteen. I answered your questions, so you wanna let me go now.” His body was starting to cramp up and it was not a good feeling, especially since he couldn’t rub the tightening muscles.
“The response you gave to my question was lame. Now tell me the real reason you and Killer,” she smiled down at the cat on her lap, “were leaving.”
“Why does it matter to you?” She was pissing him off now.
“Just curious. What’s the real reason?”
She just wasn't giving up. “If I tell you the truth, will you please release me?”
“You bet.” She kicked her legs up onto the couch and
Killer stretched out, placing his paws and his face on her knees.
“You are just loving this,” he growled at Killer. “Okay, I’m kind of an outcast here. I used to be part of the group of vamps that started this whole darkness crap, but I disobeyed the leader and so he kicked me out. Now no one wants to hang out with me even though Chaos has been taken hostage and is hidden somewhere. So why stay where I’m not wanted?”
“Chaos was the leader?”
“Yeah. Now you know the truth you can let me go.”
She stood up holding the cat in her arms. “I don’t think so.”
“What? You said you would?” This was bullshit!
“Yes, I did, but that was before I knew you were connected to the darkness.” She walked right up to him, her face a breath away. “I came to Jacob’s Cove to find out everything I can about the ritual that cast the city in darkness. I’m thinking you might come in handy.”
She walked off towards the kitchen, the cat in her arms.
“What? No way! Get back here. Did you hear me, Starla? Get your ass back here now!” If he had the ability to chase after her she would so be on her face right now. “Damn it, Starla. Let me go!”

Keeping secrets is never easy, but for the past twenty years, Cooper Hawthorn has managed to hide his perfectly well. Until love entices him to reveal it all.

Despite the darkness still encasing the city, love is in the air and one by one, Cooper watches his friends fall head over heels. Longing for what he once had, he makes a critical decision. Waking his wife from her comatose sleep…and turning her into a vampire.

Waking after years of sleep, Gabriella Hawthorn is relieved to see her beloved Cooper. But when he informs her that her cancer has not been cured, she fears he’s woken her to say goodbye. Until he betrays his most sacred promise, and makes her one of his kind.

 For so long he’d kept his wife and his life with her a secret. Cooper realizes what he is risking by waking her and turning her into a vampire. What he doesn’t expect is for everyone he loves to turn their backs on him. Including his wife. Devastated, Cooper is tempted to use his powers of mind control, a gift bestowed to him from being created by the king—another secret he has kept.

Will he be able to see the light, or will the darkness capture his soul?

EXCERPT:

Cooper stood outside the bedroom door and felt the love pouring out from the room. It warmed his heart to know the two people he thought of as his family were finally getting back to where they were meant to be.
It made him long for what he had lost so long ago.
Making sure no one was around to see him, he sent himself away, setting down just outside the secured door to his wife’s room. “You may take a break,” he instructed the guard. Keying in the code, he entered the room. When the door closed, he walked to the glass case that held his love.
She looked as pure and beautiful as she had the day he had sent her to sleep. The day he promised her he would not wake her until a cure was found. Twenty years had passed and he was no closer to a cure today than he had been on that fateful day he said goodbye to his one true love.
Yet he longed for her as much now as he did then.
“I’ve lived without you for so long. I cannot bear another moment. I miss your gentle touch. I miss your sweet voice. I miss the conversations we would have. I miss you, my love. I need you. I cannot live without you any longer.”
His eyes flicked to the control panel that kept her in her stasis. All it would take would be to key in the code—which he alone had—and press one button to wake his sleeping beauty. He paused, his mind working feverishly.
Should he wake her?
What then? Spend a few months with her, at best. Watch her wither away as the cancer robbed her body of life? He couldn’t do that to her, to himself. But he needed her so desperately. He was tired of being alone.
The love between Basil and Trinity reminded him of his own desires and love. Once, he’d had what they have now. Like Basil, his love was human. Though Basil made Trinity his by siring her, Cooper had promised Gabriella he never would.
Yet…
What kind of life was this? She was frozen, asleep, and wasn’t truly living anyway. Sure, he could see her any time he liked, but it wasn’t the same as having her. He missed having her.
And what if something was to happen to him? There had been some close calls over the past twenty years, especially these last few months Jacob’s Cove had been engulfed in darkness. What would happen to Gabriella then? Who would take care of her? How would she feel if she woke up to find that he was no longer with this world? He didn’t want her to have to feel the pain he had felt for the past twenty years.
There was one way he could cure her. One way he could have her for his from now on. Though he promised her he would never turn her, he saw no other way to curing her.
Without wasting any time, he hurried to enter the code. He took a deep breath, then pressed the red button that would shut off the liquid nitrogen that had cooled her body to preserve her DNA. He watched as her life support continued to breath for her, continued to cause her heart to beat, knowing that the instant he shut them off, he would have to revive her himself. It would take several minutes for the cryogenic freezing to shut down. While he waited, Cooper prepared the medications and tools he would need to bring her back to life. Setting the syringe filled with adrenaline to start her heart on the table beside her, Cooper watched the seconds tick away, waiting for the green light to indicate it was time to shut off the life support. When it beeped and turned green, he flicked the switch to stop the machines. Pressing the button to open the chamber, he anxiously waited for it to open. The instant it did, he was there with the syringe.
Pressing the needle over her heart, he injected the adrenaline, then set it back on the tray and prepared for other methods of CPR.
When her body jolted, so did his. When she gasped for the air that hadn’t been natural to her for over twenty years, he was right there, prepared to give her his.
Her eyes flew open and she gasped several times before finally relaxing.
“That’s it, my sweet, come back to me now.” He stroked her face, watching the machines emitting her pulse and heart rate. They were erratic, but that was to be expected.
She coughed, she gagged, then drew in one long breath before settling.
“There you go, that’s my girl.”
Her eyes drooped and she blinked them several times. Her mouth worked as she tried to swallow and attempted to speak.
“Just relax, my sweet. Take your time. I’m here. I’m here for you.”
She turned her head to him and her eyes lit up. Then she smiled and said, “Cooper.”

Penetrating the Darkness
Book 6

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Breathless Press
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Felicity Hawthorne is finally waking up—literally. Everything about her sheltered life in the Land of Mystics has been a lie, including the whopper that her natural mother is evil. Determined to find the truth, she breaks free…and touches down in the middle of stark, cold Jacob’s Cove, surrounded by a pack of bloodthirsty demons.

Dusty Ryder didn’t ask to be turned into a vampire. Even now, on the brink of his unwilling initiation, he is looking for a way out. A reprieve comes in the form of a dark-haired goddess whose beauty drives him to rescue her from his new “family”. Except she’s not quite as helpless as she looks.

As they embark on a journey of self-discovery, they uncover more secrets that bring Felicity face to face with her forgotten past—and make Dusty wonder if he’s gotten in over his head. But it’s too late. Now that he’s had her in his arms, he can’t bring himself to let her go.

Until Chaos rains down on them, threatening to end it all.

Warning: Reading this book will have you reliving how you lost your virginity and damn glad you don’t have to do it again.

Dusty dove behind a turned over car, covering his head. He heard shouts from the men behind him, more crackling before everything went silent. He waited a bit before taking his hands off his ears. Carefully, he inched over to peek around the car. Seeing Slasher along with the other creatures get to their feet, Dusty kept behind the car, still not sure what was happening.
“What we got here?”
“She looks real pretty.”
“Maybe she’s an angel, dropping from the heavens like she did.”
“Looks ripe to me. Smells fresh too.”
Curiosity getting the best of him, Dusty shifted from behind the car, keeping low to the ground in hopes he wasn’t noticed. He ducked behind another vehicle, peering around the edge to see who they were talking about.
He heard whimpers that sounded distinctly female.
“Aw, look, she’s scared. We should hold her and make her feel better.”
Dusty watched as Slasher moved forward and lifted someone up. He caught a glimpse of something white with feet kicking out. He moved closer, wanting to get a better look.
“Ooh, she feels real soft.”
He saw her now, a frail-looking woman dressed in some sort of white dress with hair as dark as the night that came just past her waist.
And the beasts were having fun with her.
“Leave her alone,” he bellowed, bravely standing up from behind his hiding spot. Her eyes met his, a blue so beautiful he was lost in them. What happened next left him stunned.
She began to glow—there was no other explanation for it. A white light began to shimmer off her and as if it burnt him, Slasher dropped her quickly and backed away. When she began to glow brighter, burning his eyes, Dusty ducked down behind the car. He heard the screams, all male, ricocheting off of the vacant buildings around him, bouncing off of the pavement and filling the air.
Then it all went silent.
Dusty inched his way to the edge of the car. Slowly he lifted himself into a crouched position and looked out over the hood. All he saw was a bundle of white curled in a ball on the sidewalk. No signs of any of the animals that had surrounded her.
What the hell?
She moaned.
Looking around, he didn’t see anyone else. He moved out from behind the car, slowly making his way towards her. As he got closer, he smelled burnt flesh. It stung his nose, so he pulled his arm over his mouth and nose as he inched forward.
He sidestepped around a pile of ashes on the ground. A sparkle of silver caught his attention and he recognized it as the ring Slasher had worn.
The girl whimpered, drawing his attention. “Um…are you okay?” She jumped when he spoke, startling him. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” He held his hands up as she spun around to face him. Her eyes were almost hypnotic.
“You called out to stop them,” she spoke softly.
He blinked away his daze. “Yeah. Um…are you okay?”
"They wanted to harm me.”
“Yeah. Do you know what happened to them?”
“They were going to hurt me. I didn’t mean to do it, but they frightened me and when I get frightened sometimes I have difficulty controlling myself. I didn’t mean to hurt them.”
Her voice was like a dove’s song. Soft and soothing. He felt drawn to it. He looked down at the piles of ash, then back up at her. “Did you…kill them?”
“I was frightened and then they started to scream and it frightened me even more. They all just crumbled.”
He looked down at the piles, his brow lifting “You turned them to dust.” He whipped his head up to her. “Please don’t do that to me.”
“I would never—I never meant to—they frightened me—” Her head jerked to the side at the sound of a crashing trashcan in the distance.
She ran to him, into his arms, and he was compelled to hold her as she stared with fright. “It’s okay. Probably just cats or a dog.”
“You’ll protect me? Please, don’t let me harm someone else.”
“Okay, just stay calm.” He had to get her someplace safe. Looking around, he saw one of the few buildings that wasn’t charred or broken down and decided it would do. “Come with me.” She clung to him so he started walking across the street to the building. “What’s your name?”
“Felicity.” She quivered in his arms.
“My name is Dusty. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Felicity.”

Consuming the Darkness
Book 7

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Breathless Press
All Romance eBooks

He needs your heart to live.


In Jacob’s Cove, where death is as common as apple pie, a serial murderer is a first. Lieutenant Sienna Storm, the town’s newly minted homicide detective, is eager to prove she’s up to the job of tracking down the demon who rips out his victims’ still-beating hearts. Even if it means using her innate ability to connect with him through his blood.

Detective Nathan Powers lost his partner to the aptly named Heartless Killer, and the trail of bodies leads him straight to Jacob’s Cove. However, this is no typical small town. It’s a strange world populated with bloodthirsty demons and run by a vampire. Still, the leggy blonde Sienna is a pleasant distraction. Until he discovers she’s after the same killer—and she’s not sharing.

Minds clash as the hunt intensifies, but the more they run into each other, the harder it is to stay apart. Together they discover not only clues, but a searing need that rises higher by the day.

That need may be their downfall when Nathan becomes the killer’s next target, and Sienna must risk everything to get him back.

Excerpt:

“Behind you! Get down.”
The gun came up in his hand, aimed at her head. She felt the presence of the vampire as he jumped out from behind the dumpster. As she spun around to take him down, the gun fired, hitting the vamp in the right shoulder. He jerked back, screeching like a banshee.
“What the hell are you doing?” she yelled at the man with the gun as she ran to the vamp. “Daisy, stay!” Daisy sat as she’d been instructed while Sienna knelt down beside the screaming vamp. She pressed her knee to the vamp’s bleeding shoulder to ensure that he wouldn’t move. “You are under arrest for breaking the laws of human and vampire and will be detained in the local jail while awaiting trial.”
“You’re a cop?” the guy behind her responded.
“Yeah, I’m a cop. Oh, stop your screaming already,” she yelled at the vamp, then flipped him onto his belly and pulled his arms to his back, pinning them in one hand while she searched for her handcuffs. “Damn it, why don’t I have my cuffs on me. Wanna tell me why you were about to attack me?”
“I wasn’t…honest…I was only…out for a walk. Yeah, I was walking. I’m going to sue the cops for harassment. I was minding my own. Fuck, my shoulder is killing me. Police brutality!”
“Shut the hell up. No one gives a damn.”
“Here.”
Sienna glanced up to see a set of shiny silver handcuffs dangling down before her. Glancing up, she took a moment to survey the gentleman and noticed he wasn’t bad on the eyes. His dark brown hair was messed up but somehow looked natural. And wow! The guy had a hell of a body. Broad shoulders, wide chest, and narrow waist. His face was pretty decent to look at, even with that thin line of hair over his upper lip that ran down the sides of his mouth to cover his chin. He had nice eyes, dark, round, with long lashes. “I’d prefer a regulation set rather than your bondage toys.”
“These are regulation. I’m a detective. Nathan Powers,” he introduced in a deep, throaty voice that sounded as if he’d had one too many cigarettes.
The vamp squirming beneath her, she took the cuffs. Before slapping them on the vamp’s wrists she made sure they were regulation. Flipping him onto his back, Sienna pinned him with her knee as she had before. “Don’t try anything stupid.”
“Bitch!” the vamp spat.
“What the hell’s with the yellow contacts and fake fangs?”
Sienna glanced over her shoulder as she responded to the detective. “What? You’ve never seen a vampire before?”
“A what?”
“A vampire.”
“I heard you. I thought I’d seen it all, but I guess not. Now we’ve got junkies playing vampire,” The detective chuckled with a shake of his head.
One look at the guy told her he was serious. “Oh jeez, he’s a virgin.” She rolled her eyes. “I told you to shut up.” She yanked the screaming vamp to his feet. “This is a vampire, not a fake, the real deal and if you plan on being in Jacob’s Cove for any amount of time you might want to be on the lookout for them. Some of them refuse to abide by the new laws. Isn’t that right, screamer?”
“Seriously though, he’s a vampire like the blood-sucking kind?”
“Don’t know any other kind.”
“Shouldn’t you like…you know, jam a wooden stake through his heart? I can’t believe I just said that.” He laughed boldly.
Was he for real?
She didn’t care for the sarcasm in his voice. “Neither can I. We prefer to rehabilitate them rather than turning them to dust.” Holding the vamp in one hand, she pulled her cell phone out with the other and dialed the station. “Lieutenant Storm here. I have a rogue vamp I need brought in.”
“I wasn’t doing anything, you stupid bitch.”
She clamped onto the squirming vamp a little tighter as she gave her location. She slipped her phone back into her shirt pocket when she was through and gave the vamp a hard shove against the dumpster. “Right, you were only skulking in the dark because you needed a smoke, right?”
“It’s a free world last time I looked.”
“Sure, except when you’re attempting to drink someone dry. Save it for the judge; I’m done listening.”
“You can’t prove anything. I’m innocent.”
“Do you know what I am?” she asked as she leaned in real close. “I’m a Tejakkan which means I have precog abilities. I saw you moments before you jumped out and I saw just what you’d planned to do so save your ‘I’m innocent’ act for someone who gives a damn.”
“Bitch!”
“That’s right and remember it.”

Surviving the Darkness
Book 8

Available at
Breathless Press
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When death is on your trail, the only thing you can do is run.

Heading home to Jacob’s Cove after her abductor is released from jail, concert pianist Deborah Carmichael just wants to find some peace. What she finds is a town run by monsters, and a kind night club owner willing to help her get her self-confidence back. Problem is, he’s a shape shifter and his bar is frequented by demons.

Owner of the Demon’s Lair, Zachary Adams has had to deal with all sorts of evil. Hearing about Deborah’s horrifying ordeal, breaks his heart and he is determined to help her overcome it as best he can. But as the two grow closer, someone is lurking in the shadows. When Deborah is abducted again, Zach is willing to do anything to get her back.

Will he be able to save her before it’s too late?

Deborah stood before the rag doll dummy with pursed lips. Zach had just explained to her that she should apply all her force when punching the dummy, yet she felt foolish doing so. Not to mention she worried that if she did, the poor thing would topple over or break.
“You can’t hurt it.”
“I know that,” she sighed, then balled her hand into a fist and jabbed it at the dummy’s belly. Zach snorted beside her.
“My grandmother can punch harder than that. Come on, Deborah, give it all you’ve got.”
Deepening her frown, she jabbed the dummy one more time, with a little more heat.
“If he had a voice he’d be laughing at you right now. Hit him, Deborah!”
Shooting Zach a heated glare, she balled her hand and plowed it into the dummy’s gut. It rocked, it teetered but it remained standing.
“See. Now kick it.”
“I will not.”
“Oh for pity sake, Deborah. It’s an inanimate object. It has no feelings. Kick it.”
He was beginning to piss her off. Lifting her right foot, she jutted it out at the dummy with enough force to have it rock back and forth several times before coming to a stop. “Happy?”
“Not particularly, no.” He walked behind the dummy and lifted one ragged arm. “Is that all you’ve got? Come on weakling, bring it on.”
Rolling her eyes, Deborah laughed. “Now you’re just being foolish.”
“Look at you, all frail and scrawny. Those arms are like tooth-picks. You can’t take me; you’re too weak.” Zach played the dummy while lowering his voice.
“Why do you want me to beat on this poor, defenseless object? We both know I can punch and kick.”
“Why did I get you to scream for two days?”
“Because you’re a sadist?”
One blond brow lifted. “I’ve never been called that before. No, it was to open you up, bring out the fighter in you. Now kick me, Deb and do it with meaning.”
“You never call me Deb.” She hauled off and planted her foot in the dummy’s leg. She was sure if Zach hadn’t been behind it, the thing would have toppled over.
“Because Deborah suites you better. The dummy called you Deb. Do that again, only this time with your left.” She did, but she didn’t have as much power in her left as she had in her right. “Good, now try the side kick I showed you and go for his mid chest.”
“This is all fine and good for a dummy, but there is no way I can do this to a human.” But she did as he asked and shifting to her left, raised her right leg and jammed it into the dummy’s chest.
“Yes you can and you will. Now go with the left.”
She repeated the move with her left, frowning at Zach. “No I can’t and I won’t. I can’t hurt someone.”
“Oh, so you would rather they hurt you. It’s your life or his— which one do you value more?”
“That’s a stupid question.”
“Answer it.”
"Mine,” she demanded with a determined expression.
“I don’t think you really mean that,” Zach taunted, flapping the dummy’s arms at her. “Say it with conviction.”
“Mine,” she repeated a little firmer, throwing her right fist out to the dummy’s abdomen.
“Still not good enough.”
“Mine,” she demanded and this time put everything she had into the kick. She gasped when both Zach and the dummy went flying. Zach came down hard on his back, dummy resting on top. “I am so sorry! Are you all right?” Rushing to his side, she pushed the dummy away, noticing how heavy it really was, and placed her hand on Zach’s face.
“Now, that was better.” Looking up at her, he smiled.
“Are you hurt?”
“Nothing I can’t manage.”
The air rushed from her lungs as he yanked her down on top of him and plastered his mouth over hers. She was too dazed to reject him, and by the time her mind cleared, her body was reacting with delight. His lips were so smooth, so gifted and as he took the kiss deeper she felt herself melting. His arms wound around her waist as his hands came to rest on his chest. She felt his heart beating against her palm and realized suddenly that hers was matching his. He rolled them until she was on her back and he on top. He braced one hand to her left keeping his weight from crushing her. His free hand strolled lazily along her side, over her arm until he reached her face. Then he did something so sweet, so sensual it made her body quiver. With only the tips of his fingers, he traced her face from chin to forehead and back as he turned the kiss from an urgent battle of lips to a slow melting of mouths. She felt herself floating and never wanted to come down. Then he released her mouth and rested his forehead on hers.
“Yep, that did the trip. I feel much better now.”
“Why did you stop?” she murmured. When her eyes opened she found them connecting with his. They were so blue, so…beautiful.
“How foolish of me.” His lips curving in a smile, he leaned back down and continued his seduction of her mouth.