Category Archives: romance
A Wicked Halloween Tour and Giveaway: Erzabet Bishop with Malediction
See what the reviewers are saying…
“Oh wow!! This box set is impressive!!”
5 stars
Christine Croke
Goodreads
“This was by far the best written box set that I have had the pleasure of reading! There wasn’t one story that didn’t carry it’s weight. I am a huge fan of Paranormal Romance and this set definitely delivered.”
5 stars
Allie
Goodreads
when she approached the refreshment table, he followed. For a millisecond he’d
taken her for the scrawny woman in the red dress, but on closer inspection he
was pleased to note the differences. Same dress, but the way this woman wore
it, he was tempted to peel it from her, inch by scrumptious inch.
poured a few bottles of something into the punch and, while it was entertaining
to watch some of the guests succumb to the antics of the season, he didn’t
quite feel the same about the sexy female in front of him. This woman would be
far more interesting sober, he had a hunch and his predictions usually turned
out to be spot on. The markings on her arms intrigued him and he wondered if
they covered more of her body. Like tendrils of smoke curling around her flesh,
they spiraled around her skin in an unending pattern, giving him the urge to
trace every single one and see where it led.
brought him here to make sure Jessup didn’t get too out of hand. So far the pup
had been a bit mischievous, but nothing that would make him worry. Whatever
concerns he had melted when he gazed at the beauty in front of him, his animal
taking control.
black mask and he had the urge to peek beneath it to see what she was hiding.
Full lips bowed below the mask, and her mass of dark hair was wound into an
up-do that he longed to plunge his fingers into while he explored her mouth
with his.
instinct to bed her followed in quick succession. He shook it off with a frown.
One night stands were not his style, especially with women he didn’t know. He
had other concerns and, as soon as he made sure Jessup wasn’t going to fuck up
and intoxicate half of the wealthier citizens of Salem, he was out of here.
Duncan was still missing and he’d left Laurel in charge in his stead.
socked him in the gut as they watched him from behind the mask. When she wet
her lips and took her bottom lip between her teeth, he almost lost the battle
with himself not to let his beast take over and drag her into the nearest coat
closet.
the growl threading through his voice.
in a compromising situation with a stranger?” He grinned and, seeing Jessup
approach, steered her away from the refreshment table. Alistair wanted her to
himself, at least for a little while.
that could lead towards all kinds of infractions.”
relishing the sensation of his hand on her lower back. The plunging view
offered by her bodice made his body stand at attention and the wolf beneath his
skin whined with want. “So, which deadly sin could you possibly have that would
sink a guy faster than lust? That dress…”
could look at them all night long.”
Her eyes snapped with amusement. “Then you try wearing them.”
more obvious it was going to become. He weaved her around the dance floor, her
movements matching his. Her perfume and the spicy scent of her hair were making
it hard to concentrate. At the look in her eyes, he dragged her back hard
against him, his animal wild in his blood.
Alistair led her out onto the balcony, the twinkle lights flickered making the
grounds outside the hotel look enchanted. He had to clear his head.
her face.
you?”
force of his arousal. “I don’t know. I’m not feeling much like a girl right
now.”
her lips curving up in an inviting smile.
question.”
forced her mouth open with his thrusting tongue. She gasped, trembling within
his embrace and he pulled her deeper into the shadows, away from prying eyes.
who loves to write naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Crave, Snow
(Three Times More Lucky Box Set), Malediction (A Wicked Halloween Box Set), Map
of Bones (A Wicked Affair Box Set), Sanguine Shadows (Vampire Bites Box Set),
The Science of Lust, Wicked for You, Heart’s Protector, Burning for You, Taming
the Beast, Bayou Shadows (Nola Naughty Nine) Hedging Her Bets (Alpha Fever Box
Set), Cat’s Got Her Tongue (Alpha Heat Box Set), Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit
Board, Holidays in Hell, Mallory’s Mark (upcoming),The Devil’s Due (upcoming),
Charity Benshaw’s Enchanted Paddle Emporium (upcoming), Sigil Fire, Written on
Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Sweet
Seductions, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and
Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor to many anthologies. She
lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and can often be found lurking
in local bookstores. She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch
monster movies.
http://www.theromancereviews.com/100004193823883
https://www.facebook.com/erzabetbishopauthor
https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/ErzabetBishop
A Wicked Halloween Tour and Giveaway: Hope Welsh with Pandemonium Unleashed
See what the reviewers are saying…
“Oh wow!! This box set is impressive!!”
5 stars
Christine Croke
Goodreads
“This was by far the best written box set that I have had the pleasure of reading! There wasn’t one story that didn’t carry it’s weight. I am a huge fan of Paranormal Romance and this set definitely delivered.”
5 stars
Allie
Goodreads
A Wicked Halloween Blog Tour and Giveaway: Kiki Howell and Gina Kincade with A Modern Day Witch Hunt
See what the reviewers are saying…
“Oh wow!! This box set is impressive!!”
5 stars
Christine Croke
Goodreads
“This was by far the best written box set that I have had the pleasure of reading! There wasn’t one story that didn’t carry it’s weight. I am a huge fan of Paranormal Romance and this set definitely delivered.”
5 stars
Allie
Goodreads
Luca is an immortal Watcher from the River of Light. Sent to Earth to help Kamillia, whose true heritage has yet to be revealed to her, Luca is caught off guard by the fighting spirit of the woman, and unnerved by the way his human body betrays him in her presence.
Research for her next novel requires Kamillia to travel to Salem, MA the week of Halloween, where she and Luca are forced to join together, overcome numerous obstacles, and conquer the evil of many centuries blocking a portal. Only then can she return to the problems awaiting her in her own city, with or without this stranger who has captured her heart but cannot share her future.
The hefty breeze pushed the small, blue, rolling waves into white, jagged peaks with the same urgency he felt inside as he sat gazing out upon the vastness of the water. Leaning against a weathered retaining wall with an audible sigh, Luca glanced behind him at the blue-gray haze over the small town cityscape silhouette. The pollution, a mixture of smoke and sky, presented itself as an omen of great significance to him. He knew the buildings, along with some of the houses beyond, already held within them the inhabitants he’d both come to protect and come to battle. In his five hundred years as a Watcher, the energy of the Earth had changed, negatively affecting the human condition.
He viewed their existence from his realm on a daily basis, a place just beyond this one, a small segment of space that served as a window to the world. From his perch there, each city had its own fundamental haze blurring its buildings and beings. This mystical force field, referred to as The River of Light, or simply The River by Watchers such as Luca, formed an energy grid covering the earth.
The grid could be seen as a matrix of light, sound, and colors forming geometric patterns around the planet. Humans had attempted to observe such patterns in the study of Sacred Geometry, but the immortal Watchers watched over and recorded the changing spiritual energies of history from their posts at The River. Ever shifting, the ebbs and flows of the negative and positive life energy swirled and moved over the varied landscapes of the Earth much like waterways. Therefore, it was critical for him to witness when certain changes emerged, what energy the events causing the changes added to the collective conscious of the world, and how the energy impacted the flow of The River. Recently, this city in the northeastern part of the United States had grown darker and darker until it choked under a bout of polluted smog-like energies. To give an ironic but truthful view of history, this was the first time Salem, Massachusetts had looked this bad. Even then, the frenzy of the only spiritual pollution inspired by the hunters during the witch hunts hadn’t darkened things to this extent. The residual energy that lingered here had been built upon since and currently required his intervention.
On Earth, back in true human form, a Watcher could see through this haze to the true souls of the people revealed to him in the colors of their auras. Both systems simply mirrored each other. Just as the human body had a meridian system with vital life force energy flowing through it, the world had a similar system of passageways through which the collective life force flowed. They not only mirrored each other, but affected each other, too. On the astral plane, the integral energy of human thoughts, words, and deeds combined into the mystical force field he kept watch over. Although he’d been sent to Earth many times before, a greater sense of foreboding gripped him this time. The places where the lines of the energy grid intersected and channeled to the earth had become blocked at alarming rates here these last few days, warning of impending danger. At portals such these, the energy proved stronger in its effects on the surrounding area.
Luca felt Ahti, the Watcher who’d called him from his post, approach with a peace so strong it preceded him even as he crossed realms. He knew the moment to begin his next assignment arrived with the sound of grains of sand rubbing together, large feet pushing the granules aside with each step. A large shadow covered over the thin line of debris-filled foam along the shore. Ahti spoke to Luca in an oddly comforting voice for the exigency of his message.
“It is time, Luca. It has begun to worsen here beyond what we’d anticipated. The River of Light is polluted greatly over this region. The black forces, which some ignorantly mess with, have charged the air with a significant amount of negativity. It darkened just this morning, causing the ripple effect to the flow at this portal greater than we’d initially feared. I’ve granted humanness to many of the immortal watchers like you this time. You each know the job you have to do to help the human you’ve been assigned to. You know what is at stake. She’s soon going to be at an inevitable crossroad, and her decisions will have a major impact on The River. Such is the human condition these days, I often feel the fate of the world is being decided with each mission.”
“Yes, Ahti, I will do my best to help to clear the portal here,” Luca assured the Watcher.
“I’m afraid this mission will not be so simple. Sometimes Watchers are called for anomalous reasons. Depending on why a Watcher was called in the first place, these exclusive missions, deviating from the norm, can be much more involved than they usually are. So, you’ll need to follow the signs without questioning them. You are a Watcher with great powers, but you also have been matched to Kamillia for unique reasons not yet revealed. Trust, Luca. You understand why it has to be so. I cannot explain any further at the present, though, without jeopardizing your part in the whole.”
“She is still unaware of her heritage, sir?”
“Very much so. The history you were given of your charge when summoned was very much up-to-date despite the haste of its delivery. You know Kamillia has been back in her hometown now for over a year. The first threats toward her by the Mastema began a few weeks ago. Yet, Kamillia is a strong woman, despite being unaware of all she is. The Mastema have been playing with spells of black magic they do not truly understand. With their frail human knowledge, they do not realize their actions are slowly condemning the world. The men lust for power and material possessions and, in their ignorance, have succumbed to any means necessary to obtain such things. The Mastema have become mere pawns to the evil they have played with. The demons rule the men now. Therefore the portal here has darkened. The nature of the depravity they have invoked goes beyond what we have seen in centuries. The negative energy of their thoughts and actions greatly interrupts the flow of The River. If cleared, their so-called powers will be gone as the demons and dark energy cultivates for centuries will be forced out.”
Luca turned to look at the Watcher, whom he trusted enough to do whatever was asked of him with blind faith in the protector’s wisdom. A smirk marred his features as a fleeting thought occurred to him: for one so great and wise, the man in front of him looked the part. Watchers were all stuck at the age their lives had ended on Earth. Ahti had reached a wise old seventy-nine when he was granted his immortality, so he appeared like the mage he was with his long beard comprised of scraggly gray hairs. The elder served a bigger role among them as messenger and guide. Unlike him, Luca’s final life had been cut short, making him an eternal twenty-five. He had no memories of his time alive. Like all Watchers, his past lives had been erased. Along the same reasoning, he was not allowed the knowledge as to why he had been chosen.
The sky behind the formidable figure of Ahti lurked with unnatural shades of jade and agate, creating an ominous darkness resembling the coming of a storm.
“What is with the sky?”
Ahti turned so rapidly, his cloak of white rippled like the white caps on the angry water. “I do not know. Go. Now!”
A Wicked Halloween Blog Tour: Release Day
See what the reviewers are saying…
“Oh wow!! This box set is impressive!!”
5 stars
Christine Croke
Goodreads
“This was by far the best written box set that I have had the pleasure of reading! There wasn’t one story that didn’t carry it’s weight. I am a huge fan of Paranormal Romance and this set definitely delivered.”
5 stars
Allie
Goodreads
A Wicked Halloween Blog Tour and Giveaway: Charlie Daye with The Party
Raina had the perfect life, until the day she lost everything. Wanting to pull her out of her depression, her best friend Gaby suggests a Halloween escape to the spooky town of Salem. It’s a weekend to indulge and forget about everything else.
Upon entering one of the many psychic shops that call Salem home, Raina is handed a flyer for one of the biggest Halloween parties of the year. It’s a promise of good music, mysterious drinks, tempting men, and a night she won’t soon forget.
Hallow’s Eve. Be thrilled and chilled by these tales set in Salem—the ultimate
city for witchy and shape-shifting fun. Each story features sexy heroes and
spellbinding characters. Salem has never been so hot!
middle and end…no cliffhangers! They are an introduction to the longer books
in the companion box set, A Wicked Halloween.
http://goo.gl/dOpHXL
A Wicked Halloween Blog Tour and Giveaway: Linda Thomas-Sundstrom with De-Witched
1) husbands (mine)
2) love
3) diamonds (and other things that sparkle)
4) horses
5) castles
In Salem for business, werewolf Kade Willis’s new hostess is an intriguing woman whose species begins with the same letter of the alphabet. She’s a WITCH. The way Loren Beck Broom gets his fur twitchy might be due to the laws of animal attraction. It might be the way she handles her magic when dark forces come calling. Or . . . she might just truly know the ins and outs of a decent lust spell that will require him to be “de-witched.”
web site: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com
About me: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com/About.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaThomasSundstrom
Newsletter: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com/newsletter.htm
Street Team: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com/streetteam.htm
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Thomas-Sundstrom/e/B002BMBNS8/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1455986.Linda_Thomas_Sundstrom

Hallow’s Eve. Be thrilled and chilled by these tales set in Salem—the ultimate
city for witchy and shape-shifting fun. Each story features sexy heroes and
spellbinding characters. Salem has never been so hot!
middle and end…no cliffhangers! They are an introduction to the longer books
in the companion box set, A Wicked Halloween.
http://goo.gl/dOpHXL
A Wicked Halloween Blog Tour and Giveaway: Debbie Herbert with Charmed by the Salem Witch
“At the Women’s College of Salem, Sarah hopes to meet like-minded students of The Craft. But after joining a coven, the other girls seem to have it in for her and she can’t figure out why . . .
. . . until Tanner, the new, cute IT guy, helps uncover her family’s dark secret. Sarah will have to learn to trust Tanner if she’s to survive a killer freshman year. And Tanner must accept his paranormal powers to save Sarah when the blood moon rises at Samhain, the witch’s Halloween.”
his eyes and tried to focus on a string of computer code. Some fun. He could
have stayed in Alabama if he’d wanted to be stuck in a boring tech job.
Sighing, he shoved out of his chair and walked to the window. In the darkness
of late afternoon, a light shone in the library next door on the campus quad.
again. Sitting alone at a table, her long, brown hair swept to one side, her
enchanting profile glowing like a halo of warmth against the New England chill.
Damn, the unbearable cold had turned his brain to poetic mush. She was just a
girl, and he’d had more than his fair share of dating last year. Before
everything had turned to shit.
was nothing special. Tanner abruptly closed down the computer, grabbed his
coat, and walked down the semi-deserted hallway. “See you in the morning,” he
called to his boss.
didn’t bother looking up from his hunched position over a computer. “Night,” he
mumbled, pushing up wire-framed glasses from the bridge of his nose.
shuddered. Would that be him thirty years from now? Buried in an academic
environment, wearing old-man woolen sweaters and deciphering endless lines of
computer code with steadily declining eyesight? Not how he’d envisioned his
future. He closed his eyes and remembered the thrill of catching his one and
only touchdown pass—the cheering crowd, outrunning the opposing team’s
defenders, the ball tucked safely in his arms, and crossing the goal line.
Score!
changed in one year. And not for the good.
slammed into his body as he exited the tech lab. He clutched his leather jacket
tighter, glumly trying to imagine how much colder Salem would be in winter.
Back home, he’d still be in short sleeves and enjoying sunshine.
throbbed, as it always did in cold weather. Damn nuisance. You’d think he was
ninety instead of nineteen. He walked as quickly as he could with the bum knee,
grateful for the warmth of the library as he pushed open its heavy, wooden
doors. The cozy scent of old books and weathered oak lifted his sour mood.
scanned the towering rows of books and the whispering crowd of students at the
center tables. In the far right corner, on the second level, she was bent over a book, her long hair
a veil, covering her face.
groaned as he climbed the stairs, trying to avoid wincing at the darting pain
needling through his knee. A gaggle of girls passed, shooting him sly glances.
He winked at the boldest one, who had flaming red hair, dressed all in black,
and sported a large pentacle pendant. Back home, she’d have stuck out like a
black widow on a bed of white linen. But at the Women’s College of Salem, she
was part of a notable minority that flaunted a belief in witchcraft. She smiled,
but her eyes held no warmth. She turned her back and elbowed the girl nearest
her orbit. “He’s cute but . . . all crippled up. Too bad.”
The remark had been whispered, but it was loud enough to carry—as the girl no
doubt intended. He was used to being called cute, but not to people wondering
at his injury. At least, not that he’d overheard. Way to build his confidence
as he approached the girl to whom he’d been drawn for the past few weeks.
shoulders, determined not to let the offhand comment ruin his plans. If he’d
learned nothing else from his old football coach, it was to persevere, no
matter the obstacles. Still, he was used to outmaneuvering three-hundred-pound
linebackers, not pathetically limping like an old man as he climbed a set of
stairs. All while a group of girls insulted his dignity.
their way, chattering, never sparing a glance behind them. Amazing—not in a
good way—that he’d gone from a rising football star to nearly invisible.
caught his attention. Tanner bent over, picking up a small, black feather with
a skein of red floss clumsily woven into its spine. A few inches of the red
thread formed a tiny circle, perhaps large enough for a small wrist. Some kind
of Native American bracelet, perhaps? He looked around, but nobody caught his
eye. It probably belonged to one of the girls who had laughed at him. Too bad.
He wasn’t going to search them out and ask. He shrugged and stuffed it into his
jacket pocket, intending to throw it in the nearest trashcan.
reached the top. Tanner gripped the railing, collecting his breath and his
pride. Once both were again intact, he walked toward the mystery girl, his
footsteps creaking on the old pine flooring, but she didn’t look up from the
book held in her hands, a heavy, dusty tome—Salem
Witch Trials and Mass Hysteria: 1692—1693.
his index finger against the book’s spine to get her attention. “A little light
reading?” he joked.
a November sky regarded him with a decided chill. He was definitely striking
out with the ladies today.
smooth and cold as ice. “Nothing light
about the killing of innocent women.”
call irony.” Tanner pulled out a chair across from her and sat, uninvited. “You
writing a history paper on the trials?”
head to one side and regarded him with a raised brow. “Yes. Do you need to use
this book?”
a student.”
sharpened her delicate features, and her fingers gripped the edge of the table.
Real smooth there, Tanner. Now you’re scaring the women away.
said quickly. “I work here. In the IT department. My uncle—Ralph Landers—is the
college dean.”
on the book relaxed a fraction.
it.” He dug in his coat pocket and fished out his employee ID. “See? I’m
totally legit.” He slapped the card on the table and slid it toward her.
she read aloud, comparing his face to the awkward employee picture. “Computer
tech, WCS.”
his name with her proper, reserved New England inflection was strangely sexy.
She pushed his ID card back on the table, and their fingers touched. Chills,
the good kind, vibrated through his entire body.
Hallow’s Eve. Be thrilled and chilled by these tales set in Salem—the ultimate
city for witchy and shape-shifting fun. Each story features sexy heroes and
spellbinding characters. Salem has never been so hot!
middle and end…no cliffhangers! They are an introduction to the longer books
in the companion box set, A Wicked Halloween.
http://goo.gl/dOpHXL
Coming In Hot Release Day Blitz and Giveaway
Tales of Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Demons, Doctors, EMTs, Nurses
and More
we’re Coming In Hot with paranormal to contemporary, and sizzling to seductive
bedside manners by the doctors, nurses, paramedics, and more in this **BRAND
NEW & EXCLUSIVE ** boxed set.
https://goo.gl/kDTJ5L
For the price of this boxed set you simply can’t go wrong.
A Wicked Halloween Blog Tour and Giveaway: Cecilia Dominic with A Million Shadows
to figure out five favorite things, so I decided to try and do something a
little bit different than the usual. So, here we go:
early classic “Girl Just Want to Have Lunch.” It’s the perfect meal of the day.
Don’t feel like real food? Have breakfast, call it brunch, and claim to be all
fancy on Instagram! Can’t decide whether you want to have caffeine or alcohol?
No problem – have both! No one’s going to be judging you unless you’ve brought
beer into McDonald’s. And hey, if you have brought beer into a fast food joint,
I salute your determination to embrace the noncommittal nature of this meal,
especially if you then order breakfast.
having a mimosa whenever I can.
really hot summer, even for us. I have naturally curly hair, and it has its own
ideal range for humidity separate from the rest of me. This summer has
definitely tightened my curl to its limit. The funniest was after going for a
long run in Florida on a recent vacation. Yes, my husband convinced me to go on
a long run while on vacation. I’ve never seen my hair curl as tightly as it did
that morning. If I’d been wearing a hat, it would have popped off. Ugh, that
was miserable – blazing sun, humid as anything, and no breeze.
in the air. I love cool, cloudy days with a breeze and the occasional mist.
It’s perfect for all of my favorite things – napping, writing, reading,
napping, drinking warm or alcoholic beverages while watching the mist, napping,
and sometimes running if I’m in the mood for it. I missed my geographical
calling – I should’ve moved to the Pacific Northwest.
graphics.
trying to not let unnecessary negativity into my mental space. So, graphics! I
think they relax me by allowing me to use a different part of my brain. I live
in the world of words for both my careers, so it’s nice to get a break and do
something different.
I was good at them. I’ve just gotten a trial for Illustrator. Wish me luck. I
may disappear down the Adobe rabbit hole and never emerge. Deadlines, what
deadlines?
Pentel RSVP pens, specifically the narrowest ones. They’re great for writing
and doodling, which I do during webinars and lectures but not client sessions.
I can’t doodle during session – I use electronic health records, which makes it
hard.
while pretending to take notes. I told him no, but really, would I admit it if
I did?
don’t think sleeping is a competitive sport, you’ve never been at my house on a
Sunday morning. No, I’m not inviting you for brunch, although I’m sure that
would be lovely. I don’t typically watch sports, and if I’m going to compete,
it’s going to be something I’m good at. I’m a reluctant runner but a champion
sleeper.
I won’t make fun of you for being pretentious. Just don’t come over too early,
and be sure to bring mimosa fixins. It’s hot out.
Former model and heartbreaker Kyra Ellison is accustomed to making trouble, not being on the receiving end. When she’s kicked out of her family’s Ozarks cabin where she’s been taking refuge – okay, hiding – after a wicked ancient syndrome wrecked her old life, she’s forced to go to Salem, Massachusetts. Yes, that Salem, where a murder, witches with secrets, and handsome billionaire make danger irresistible. Kyra finds she’s not the only one with secrets and skeletons in her family closet, but some are more deadly than others. A confrontation with ancient danger and a new foe forces her to choose between the old life she’s been craving and the new love that might make everything worth it in the end..
I pulled the T-shirt I’d slept in over my head just before my hands curled into paws. My fingernails turned into claws, and the change came on from my extremities. It felt like I curled inward and folded into shapes no human body should endure. The fur itched as it pushed through pores I hadn’t had before, but I couldn’t control my paws enough to scratch it.
The final thing to change was my face, and that was the worst sensation, of someone taking my nose and pulling so hard it brought my skull with it.
Then the pain stopped, and a sense of strength, grace, and deadliness unfurled like a flag in my middle and filled me with purpose. To my wolf eyes, the room seemed awash in daylight—not moonlight—and my lips curled.
There was an intruder in my house, and I wanted to tear him or her apart.
No tearing apart, I reminded myself. Not unless I want a visit from that nice policeman later.
I jumped off the bed with as little noise as possible and slunk into the hallway and down the stairs. My fur was the same color as my hair—almost black—so I knew I would blend into the shadows.
Whereas the sulfurous smell had dissipated to my human nose, it was still very strong and present to my wolf nose. But that wasn’t what made me stop, all fur on end, when I turned toward the front hall. The sand I had stepped in glowed an opalescent blue, and I saw it was in a circle shape about three feet in diameter. I could see the panes of the front door through the ghostly figure that struggled in the middle of it.
My wolf brain, eminently practical, noted that I couldn’t do anything about a ghost because it wasn’t solid enough to be afraid of me, so I should just turn around and go back to bed.
But then I heard my name.
My ears perked up, and I moved closer, sticking to the darker patches. Why was the ghost calling my name? Was it a deceased family member visiting for the Festival of the Dead? What was I supposed to do about it?
“Kyra, where are you? I’m trapped. I just want to talk to you.”
The ghost pushed against some sort of invisible barrier. When I got close enough to make out its features, I gasped, which came out as a canine huff.
Jared Steel was the ghost trapped in the circle.
“What are you doing here? Are you dead?” I didn’t know if he would hear my mental voice, but he spun around.
“Where are you? I can’t see you.”
“I’m right here. It’s nighttime. Why are you here in my parents’ house? Are you dead?”
“No, I don’t think so. I think I’m dreaming.” He looked at his hands and grew more solid. I moved out of the shadows to sit in front of him, and he tried to back up, but he bounced against the back of the circle.
“Kyra, wherever you are, go! There’s a wolf.”
He looked so bewildered I wasn’t sure whether to laugh at him or comfort him. I still didn’t know whether he was dead, but I suspected not. If some wolves could spirit-walk, then I supposed some humans could, too.
I did want to know who had made a binding circle in my foyer, but I guessed it wasn’t my confused astral projection house guest.
And if he was projecting while he was asleep, I could have some fun. My instincts told me he didn’t realize he had this ability and would just write all this off to a strange dream in the morning.
As he came more into view, his attire resolved itself into shorts and a tight-fitting T-shirt that hugged the muscles of his upper arms, shoulders, and chest. Dark hair showed above the rim of the v-neck collar, and I licked my lips at the sight of his lightly fuzzed and nicely shaped legs.
Yes, Jared Steel was quite nice out of his work clothes, and I found myself disappointed that he didn’t sleep naked.