When Raine Bowe volunteers for a sleep study for the extra cash, she didn't expect to wake in a lab or to be victimized by a mad scientist. She escapes with one objective--to find someone strong enough to wage war with the evil growing inside her.
Ryder Storm is a man with a reputation--the bad boy of his own universe. He doesn't take prisoners, won't give into a sweet smile, and doesn't cut his pack an inch of slack. He knows the desperate woman in his bar is his the moment he lays eyes on her. He'll give her anything she wants, except the one thing she's begging for. Death.
Raine enlists Ryder’s help to unravel the mystery surrounding the hours she lost in the lab and to help tame the beast inside her. In their search for answers, the road will lead them to a twisted experiment involving shifters, humans, and the creation of the ultimate Alpha. He's ready for the adventure and she's ready for her answers. Neither are ready for the lust that calls down from the mating moon. But a wolf knows its mate, and an alpha will not stop until he or she gets what they want.
Excerpt:
Run!
The loud hammering of Raine’s heart drowned out the single word bouncing around her mind—and the dogs barking at her back. Their angry growls faded the faster she ran. A little further. Just a little more, and she’d be home free.
Trees swooshed past her with every step she took away from the small isolated facility. She ignored the hospital gown swinging against her legs and the blood dripping down her arms from the torn IVs. Barefoot, the rocks bit into the soles of her feet. None of that mattered. She had to survive. Her life depended on getting as far away from that place as possible.
Inhaling the comforting scent of mud, trees, and the wild, she barely heard the barking over the breeze rustling through the willows with each step she put between them. At any other time, she’d have dissected her reaction to the forest. Not now. And she didn’t stop. No way was she getting captured again without a fight.
Air beat in and out of her lungs in tandem with the pounding of her feet on the rocky ground. Moonlight filtered through the branches overhead, highlighting her path. Her hair caught on the tree limbs, snatching at the loose strands. Some of the hanging vines prodded her arms and stabbed her sides. Her breath hitched, and she missed a step, lurching forward. Something inside her tightened. Her arms swayed and her core muscles flexed. Before she face planted, everything balanced out. She blinked. More scared now than she’d ever been in her life. Something controlled her body and it had reflexes far superior to a normal human.
Moisture gathered in her eyes, blurring her vision. She blinked it away. Panic would only get her caught.
Raine glanced at the moon. It had shifted twice—now in front of her, rather than behind. She stilled. The trees rustled with the wind. An owl hooted. But she still didn’t hear the annoying bay of the dogs.
Ragged breaths beat hard in her ears. A horn’s blare sounded in the distance. Fear and excitement gave her a burst of energy. Cars meant help. She urged her body faster.
Street lights peeked through the trees. Air panted out of her chest. A second car honked, speeding past another. She was almost there. So close. Thank god. She was going to make it.
Slowing down at the edge of a hill, she darted glances around the now quiet street. No people milled about or walked around. Nothing. A big store, one she recognized from the one time she’d gotten lost in the shadier side of town, sat a block to her right. The sudden quiet made sense now. Nothing good happened this far south of Tempting Eats. It was known as the dead side. The thought alone gave her chills. Women went missing…all the time. That had been enough to keep her uptown in suburbia-peace-nation.
She glanced around, searching for anyone who might be waiting for her or even any of the dangerous men her neighbors said roamed the streets, but there was nothing, not a single being. Her feet hit the pavement in a rush. Once across the street, she hid inside a dark alley. The stench of rotting food and piss coated the air with a thick blanket of disease and chaos. Her throat convulsed, and the acidic taste of bile hit the back of her tongue.
Retreating, she took several steps toward the end of the street to a small motel. Its yellow, neon Vacancy sign blinked on and off with a buzz. A man’s yell pushed her to slink into the dark. The sound came from the shadows in front of the motel.
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Authors I Would Love to Meet
Believe it or not, I'm a huge fan of the horror/suspense genre. I especially love it in movies. But when you combine suspense and romance you definitely have my attention. I think this is why I would love to meet Julie Garwood. I have read all her romances and all her romantic suspense. One of my favorites is Shadow Dance. It's got everything I love in a novel. Romance. Suspense. A super sexy man. A smart and cheeky heroine. And a great plot. So when I think of great authors I'd love to meet, she's one.
Another author I would love to meet is Thomas Harris. I was a kid when Silence of the Lambs came out as a movie. I liked it. Then I read the book and OMG I was hooked. To be able to give me goosebumps while I read makes him amazing. When Red Dragon (the book came out) I think I was on a book high for weeks. I loved it. It was perfection to my suspense-loving eyes. Hannibal Rising was a hard read. I would start and stop because it literally made me sick. But I kept coming back. I just couldn't put the damn book down. Harris draws you into the darkness residing in the psychopathic mind until you actually relate. That's pure art.
But I prefer to write romance. Even if I shove my readers into the dark side and the blood and gore I am known for.
Author Bio:
She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee.
Contact Milly:
Books:
As Milly Taiden
Wolf Protector – Federal Paranormal Unit – Book 1
Wynter’s Captive
Halloween Heat III – Mate Event
Fate’s Wish
Sharp Change – Black Meadow – Book 1
Caged Heat – Black Meadow – Book 2
Coming Soon
Wolf Fever
Scent of a Mate
As April Angel
A Hero’s Pride
Party Crasher
Wicked Valentine – Sizzling Encounters – Book 2
Stranded Temptation
Mr. Buff – Sizzling Encounters – Book 1
Coming Soon
Lucky Break – Sizzling Encounters – Book 3
Julie Garwood is the first author I read! My alltime Favorite book is Saving Grace, I even named my son after a character in that book. <3 you Milly!!!
ReplyDeleteHi! Great looking book..
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read the next book. I have read every single one of her books and they just keep getting better.
ReplyDeleteI knew there was a reason I loved you Milly, other than your awesome books that is. Who wouldn't love a fellow Thomas Harris fan....Silence of the Lambs is an all-time favourite of mine.
ReplyDeleteI am new to this genre, but am always looking for new series to read. With more time on my hands this summer, I will definitely be picking this one up. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMel