Short Stories/Novellas
Sadie Townsend’s lover is dead. She buried him. She mourned him. So…how in the sweet hell is Liam “Sully” Sullivan standing across the bar from her? He isn’t dead. He’s undead. When Sully was turned into a vampire, he had no choice but to leave his beautiful Sadie. He didn’t think that she’d ever want a monster in her bed. But now Sadie is in front of him, reminding him of everything that he lost…and he’s never wanted another woman more. There’s a whole lot more to Sadie than meets the eye. Sadie isn’t afraid because her ex-lover is a vamp. Surprise time…she’s a leopard shifter, and she’s more than able to handle any threat that comes her way. An FBI agent, she’s hunting a supernatural killer, and she’s not going to let anyone or anything get in her way. Certainly not an extremely sexy, extremely unforgettable, and extremely frustrating vamp. One taste, and he can’t let go. Sully didn’t think he had a chance with Sadie, but now that he knows the truth about her, all bets are off. He’ll join her on this hunt, he’ll prove his worth to her, and he’ll convince the only woman he’s ever loved that he’s one vamp who intends to stay by her side…forever. Author’s Note: Ready to slip over to the supernatural side? COME BACK TO ME was originally released in the “Belong to the Night” anthology (published in 2010), and, back then, the novella had the title of IN THE DARK. I’ve updated the sexy tale (this story contains 31,000 words), and now Sully and Sadie are ready to hunt…for love and for a killer. Thrills, chills, and paranormal romance are waiting!
A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames. A BIT OF BITE is a short paranormal romance–the story contains approximately 11,000 words. A BIT OF BITE is intended for adults–it includes hot werewolves, a dangerous heroine, and graphic language. Consider yourself warned. A BIT OF BITE was originally published in the 2011 charity anthology, ENTANGLED.
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Cynthia Eden’s sexy romance, FIRST TASTE OF DARKNESS, will take you to the dark edge of desire… It was supposed to be a one-night stand. Hot sex. No regrets. Jess Delaney has spent her life playing the role of the good-girl. On a trip to Vegas, she decides to walk on the wild side when she meets mysterious Blake Landon. Rich, powerful, and carrying plenty of secrets, Blake is unlike any man she has ever met before. Blake is also far more dangerous than anyone she’s ever encountered. When enemies from Blake’s past attack, Jess finds herself caught in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Her only hope of survival? Trusting a man who knows too much about the dark side of life…and a man who—with every sensual touch—binds her to him with a desire that burns red-hot. Once you step into the darkness, there’s no turning back…
Heat up your holiday with some sexy suspense… Everyone in town thinks that Jemma White is as sweet as the delicious treats she makes at her chocolate shop—but they’re wrong. Jemma is ready to let her wild side out, and she’s just found the perfect man to make all of her fantasies come true. Grayson Cole is a too-sexy-to-be-true stranger who has escaped to Holly for the holidays. He is her perfect temptation, and Jemma can’t wait to steam up the cold winter nights with him. But when danger from Grayson’s past follows him to town, she realizes that the man she is falling for has been keeping some very dark secrets…secrets that may just get them both killed. Author’s Note: CHRISTMAS WITH A SPY is a sexy holiday romance with a touch of suspense. It was originally published as THE SPY WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS in the ALL HE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS collection back in 2015, but it is now available as a stand-alone title.
PI Mick Swayne has seen it all—his clients have included liars, thieves, and even killers. He thinks he can handle anything and anyone. Then she walks into his office. Savannah Moreau is beautiful, seductive, and…a vampire? The gorgeous vamp hires Mick to help her track down a killer who is hunting in Chicago, but as Mick slips deeper into Savannah’s paranormal world, he wonders if he can really trust his new client… New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Cynthia Eden introduces readers to a vamp with real bite in her sexy paranormal tale FEMME FATALE. Author’s Note: FEMME FATALE was originally published in the Dark Secrets anthology. The Dark Secrets anthology is no longer available.
His mission: Get close to Alice May. Learn her secrets. Expose her lies. And if she’s guilty…lock her up. Undercover FBI Agent Zander Todd typically spends his days and his nights tracking killers. But, lately, he’s been pretending that he’s a different man. He’s been working his way into the life of beautiful but reserved Alice May. He’s supposed to make her trust him completely. Alice is the key to a serial murder case that the FBI has been working for years. She’s also the chief suspect. Alice was engaged to Hugh Collins, the man who turned out to be the elusive “Secret Admirer” killer. Hugh picked women that he thought were perfect, he seduced them, and when they failed to live up to his image of perfection…their Secret Admirer brutally killed them. The only time that Hugh broke his MO–that was with Alice. Hugh was on his way to the chapel to marry Alice when the FBI killed him. The FBI has long suspected that Alice may have been involved in the killings, but they could never find solid evidence to tie her to the crimes. Her goal: Bury her past. Pretend to be someone new. Live a lie. Alice May knows better than to trust a handsome man with a seductive smile. The last time she fell for a charmer, she learned her lover was a serial killer. Not the news a woman expects to learn on her wedding day. Since that brutal revelation, she’s sworn off men, she’s gone into hiding to get away from voracious reporters, and she hasn’t let herself get close to anyone. But…a year has passed since her life fell apart. And it’s hard to be alone all the time. She thinks that one night, one date with Zander might remind her of what it’s like to be alive. To feel normal. The passion that burns between them is white-hot and electrifying. It’s so intense that it scares Alice. She never expected to ever want anyone that much. He will punish her. Their passion ignites the fury of a killer who has been watching her, waiting for her. A man who has finally decided that Alice isn’t quite so perfect. And if she’s not perfect, then Alice has to die. When Alice’s life is threatened, Zander must reveal his true identity. The new betrayal batters at Alice’s soul, but when Zander takes her into protective custody, they are forced into close proximity. With a killer watching her every move, Alice has no choice but to trust Zander. Because her past isn’t dead, but if Alice isn’t very, very careful…she will be. Author’s Note: SECRET ADMIRER is a romantic suspense novella of 43,000 words. It is a complete, stand-alone story.
A kiss on New Year’s Eve is supposed to be lucky…but a vampire bite? That’s not exactly something a woman dreams of getting. And when Lark Kinsley gets bit, all bets are off. She stakes her date, runs into the night, and tries to put the whole nightmare behind her. Only she can’t. Because she immediately runs into trouble—trouble in the form of a tall, dark, and deadly sexy vampire prince named Devereaux. He claims that he’s there to help her, but she’s not buying his story. The guy is no Prince Charming. After all, Prince Charming isn’t supposed to come with fangs and an appetite for blood. But Devereaux says that he’s been waiting centuries for her. That she is meant to rule with him. Obviously, he’s wrong. And possibly insane. She’s not meant to be the queen of the vamps. No matter what Devereaux says. But he’s not the only one after her. Paranormal monsters are coming out of the woodwork. And the bite that she got? It’s making her feel strange. Hungry. Her self-control is shredding, and Lark knows she’s changing. She just doesn’t know what she’ll become. The new year won’t go out with a bang…it will end with a bite. Author’s note: Hey paranormal romance fans! MIDNIGHT BITE is a sexy vamp novella—expect danger, expect hot times, and expect naughty language as you ring in the new year. Let’s celebrate with some undead style!
She’s desperate… Serena Tyme is a witch in trouble, serious trouble. The kind of trouble that gets you killed. Someone is trying to bind her powers and make her helpless. Since she’s not in the mood to be helpless, Serena works a dark spell and summons a very unlikely protector… He hunts. He kills. He lives forever. Luis D’Amil isn’t your typical good guy. Mostly because he’s not good. He’s an immortal soul hunter. He has all the powers of a demon and the strength of a witch, and he doesn’t bow to anyone’s command. He’s the boogeyman, the creature that people always fear in the dark. She thinks that because she summoned him, she can control him. She’s wrong. No one can control Luis, but he does agree to help Serena. Mostly because the idea of anyone hurting her enrages him. After centuries of being alone and feeling nothing, the feisty witch has managed to break past his defenses. So, yes, he’ll help her. He’ll find the enemies trying to destroy her, but there will be a price. The price is her. Luis intends to claim his witch…and keep her, forever. Provided, of course, he can convince Serena to give her heart to a man who destroys souls… Who said life was easy? Author’s Note: Luis D’Amil is dangerous, gorgeous, and, yes, he might be on the bad side, but even soul hunters can fall in love. Well, maybe. When he meets Serena, Luis knows that he will never be able to let her go. This is a short and steamy novella (32,000 words) of paranormal romance. Lust comes fast and first, but hold on tight because the danger will soon follow. Don’t worry, there’s a HEA. I got you covered. Spooky spell casting, sizzling scenes, and hot romance. Bam. PUT A SPELL ON ME was originally released in September 2008 as part of the EVERLASTING BAD BOYS anthology (back then, the novella had the title of SPELLBOUND). I’ve revised and updated the story, and now Luis is ready to take you on a sexy supernatural adventure. You’re not afraid of monsters, are you? Because the creatures that hide in the dark aren’t always bad. Sometimes, they’re just…hot. Have fun and dive in!
Anyone can be tempted… Xavier Hollow is the king of destruction. A shifter, a vampire, a demon—every nightmare you have—all rolled into one very smoking hot package. Xavier snaps his fingers, and the world falls at his feet. His enemies tremble in fear. And the women who want him? They tremble with yearning. Life (and death) is one fabulous ride…until a certain very old curse kicks in for him. A curse that threatens to take away all of his dark power. He needs someone good…to fall for him. STAT. Three days. That’s how long Xavier has to tempt one Mercy Josephine. Innocent, pure, the actual descendant of an angel, she’s all the things that normally give him hives—literally. He’s allergic to good and just can’t stand it. Committing a “good” act causes Xavier physical pain. The bigger the act, the more intense his suffering. But, for Mercy, he’ll have to pretend to be someone very, very different. Someone who is—unfortunately and ever-so-disgustingly—good. He’ll corrupt her. She’ll save him. A simple enough task. Go to the costume ball. Charm the modern-day princess. Get her to sacrifice her soul for him. Done. He could probably bring her to the dark side with just a kiss. But then he meets Mercy and realizes that he’s not the only one looking to destroy some goodness. Other beasts are closing in, and in order to break the curse that haunts him, Xavier will have to do the one thing he never expected…protect Mercy. Beautiful, brave, and—shudder— good Mercy. The plan won’t change. By the time the clock strikes midnight on the third day, Mercy will be under his spell. He’ll convince her that he’s a hero, that she’s desperately in love with him. She’ll give up her soul—and her life—for him. The desire that rages between them is hotter than the fires of—well, home. Temptation is his specialty, and he can seduce her like no other. Not like he’s going to change his mind for her. Not like… Not like anyone can teach a monster to love. Because only the good love. And Xavier is many things, but he will never, ever be good. Not when being bad is so much fun. Time for the world to burn. Time for an innocent to fall. And time for the monsters to reign… MONSTER WITHOUT MERCY is a steamy paranormal romance (41,000 words) featuring one seriously intense hero, lots of life-or-death drama, and more monsters than you can handle. HEA guaranteed and no cliff-hangers.
She not-so-accidentally married a wolf shifter… Hunter Kayla Kincaid had one job—get close to wolf alpha Gage Ryder by any means necessary. That means hadn’t necessarily included marriage, but the minute she met the shifter, Kayla began to fall under his spell. Now she’s stuck between a wolf and a serious hard place. She’s supposed to help take out her new husband. Instead, she’s trying to find a way to save his savage self, even as Gage reveals that he’s been keeping secrets of his own. He fell for a hunter, and now she is his. It’s adorable the way Gage’s new bride thinks that she has tricked him. Priceless. The truth is that he recognized her as a potential wolf mate from the first look, and Gage moved heaven and hell to make her his. Now that he has Kayla, there is no way Gage will let her go. So all of the hunters at the door had better back off. This wolf has his mate, and he will fight to the death in order to keep her. WED OR DEAD was originally released in the HOWL FOR IT anthology published by Kensington in August of 2012. It contains 44,000 words, a fierce alpha hero, and a heroine who enjoys a walk on the wild side. Paranormal fun, action, and adventure are waiting. Kayla and her alpha wolf are about to show that some bonds are absolutely meant to be. Provided, of course, that they can both stay alive long enough to get their happily-ever-after.