His instincts blared. Someone was in the room. He trained his sensitive ears and heard breathing. A rapid heartbeat. It came from the closet. Melissa? No—the scent was decidedly human.
He walked over and eased the door open, trying not to make any noise to alert the guys downstairs. Female clothing packed the closet—dresses and suits hung from hangers, filling the entire space. He didn’t see the woman, but the staccato beat of her heart and the metallic scent of fear drew his attention to the back corner.
With a swift movement, he yanked the clothing to the side and reached out to snatch her, clamping one hand over her mouth to keep her silent. He hadn’t planned for her knee connecting with his groin.
He doubled over, only barely preventing a groan from leaving his mouth.
The young woman tried to shove past him, but he grabbed her from behind, wrapping one arm around her waist, covering her mouth with the other hand. The contact sent a jolt of something unfamiliar through him. Like a warning, only more pleasant. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck. “Melissa?”
Maybe it wasn’t her. The human struggled with more force than he’d expect out of a woman, her body lithe and strong beneath the soft exterior. Wrestling her aroused his inner beast, his cock thickening as if this were some wild mating dance, instead of a life or death situation.
“Ben Stone sent me,” he growled low in her ear, in case she was the female he was supposed to save. Her scent filled his nostrils, exciting his body, despite the situation. Despite the fact that wolves aren’t attracted to humans.
She went still.
Okaaay. Ben Stone’s sister-in-law was human. Which meant Stone’s wife must be, too. He hadn’t heard that, although Stone’s pack would probably not be in a hurry to spread that information.
She twisted to look back at him, eyes wide with fear. Her beauty struck him like another jab to the balls. Her eyes were wide and blue, thick glossy hair hung in long reddish-brown waves. He’d never seen such a beautiful human in his life. He eased the hand from her mouth to reveal lush lips, trembling with fear.
“I’m the rescue wagon,” he said sardonically. It sounded more bitter than he felt, only because his attraction to her had taken him by surprise and he didn’t like surprises.
Her lips parted but she didn’t speak.
He didn’t have a weapon and those guys down there had guns. Which meant fighting their way out was a no-go, especially since she was a weak human. “We’ll have to go out the window. I’ll jump down and catch you when you follow.”
Her big blue eyes bugged out. “We can’t. This is a second story,” she whispered.
He turned her around to face him. “Do you know what I am?”
Please say she at least knew that her brother-in-law was a shifter.
She gave him an up-and-down sweep, gaze traveling over the paint-splattered clothes, the tattoos on his arms, his unshaven face. He realized his appearance was in sharp contrast to hers—she wore a tight pencil skirt and silk blouse, like some kind of young professional. Her lip curled with condescension.
It was a look he was well familiar with, the scorn for an uneducated manual laborer who looked more like a criminal than Colorado Springs’ top real estate investor. For some reason, it bothered him this time, when usually he didn’t give two fucks what people thought of him or his tough-guy appearance.
She swallowed, then licked her lips. “Wolf?”
He nodded, taking her hand and tugging her toward the window. “That’s right, princess. Your wolf in shining armor. You jump, I’ll catch.”
Doubt scrambled her features. She glanced over her shoulder at the door, perhaps wondering if there was another way out. Her skin appeared ashen, but she nodded.
He jumped out the window, landing in a crouch on the grass below. When he turned to look for her, though, she stood frozen, looking down.
Shit. Come on. He wanted to yell up, but of course couldn’t risk making a sound. A sense of urgency washed over him, his instincts roaring danger, his need to protect a pack mate—even a new foster mate like her—kicking into high gear.
He gestured urgently.
Still, she remained, looking again to the door, then down at him.
Hell, if one of the assholes from downstairs walked in there, he’d have no way to protect her now—he wouldn’t be able to climb back up quickly enough. And he’d made a sacred oath to keep her safe.
Her head whipped back from looking over the door, eyes looking wild. Someone must be approaching. She squatted on the window’s edge.
He made a frantic motion for her to jump. She twisted toward the door again and gave a scream, then launched herself into the air.
A male shout cracked the air as she plummeted toward him, but he didn’t dare take his eyes from her falling body to see who had arrived. She dropped into his arms and he staggered at the impact, but then took off running, as fast as he could.
More shouting.
He made it to his bike and dropped her on the back of it, wishing he had a helmet for her fragile human skull. She looked horrified, her pencil skirt forced all the way up so she could straddle the seat, revealing creamy white thighs and pink lace panties.
Too bad, princess.
He hit the ignition button and the motorcycle spluttered. Dammit.
Two men ran out of the front door, waving guns.
The bike roared to life. He hit the gas and the back wheel skidded out behind them as they charged away.
The Alpha’s Promise by Renee Rose
A DOMINANT ALPHA. A TEMPTING HUMAN. AN IMPOSSIBLE ATTRACTION.
After one loser boyfriend too many, Melissa Bell swore she was done with bad boys, but when her ex puts her life in danger it is a buff, tattooed, dirty-talking alpha shifter who shows up to save her. More disturbing still, her rescuer makes it clear that he regards Melissa’s safety as his personal responsibly, and defying his instructions soon earns her a painful, embarrassing spanking. Though the punishment is humiliating enough on its own, however, it is her body’s reaction to the tough, handsome wolf’s stern dominance that truly leaves her blushing.
It doesn’t take long for Cody to find himself wishing he’d never made an alpha’s promise to protect Melissa, yet for some reason he can barely control himself around her. His inner wolf craves the beautiful human in spite of her snobbish attitude and constant sass, and when she is writhing over his knee with her bright red, well-spanked bare bottom on display it is all he can do not to mark her and mate her right then and there.
Each moment he spends with the alluring, feisty girl only increases his hunger for her, but Cody promised himself long ago that he would never take a human as his mate. Will his pride push Melissa away forever, just when he realizes he can’t live without her?
Publisher’s Note: The Alpha’s Promise is a stand-alone book set in the same world as The Alpha’s Hunger. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
Want FREE Renee Rose books?
Go to http://owned.gr8.com to sign up for Renee Rose’s newsletter and receive a free copy of Theirs to Protect, Owned by the Marine, Theirs to Punish, The Alpha’s Punishment, Disobedience at the Dressmaker’s and Her Billionaire Boss. In addition to the free stories, you will also get special pricing, exclusive previews and news of new releases.
Or Check out Renee’s Zandian Masters Series!
COLLARED AND CAGED, HIS HUMAN SLAVE AWAITS HER TRAINING.
Zander, the alien warrior prince intent on recovering his planet, needs a mate. While he would never choose a human of his own accord, his physician’s gene-matching program selected Lamira’s DNA as the best possible match with his own. Now he must teach the beautiful slave to yield to his will, accept his discipline and learn to serve him as her one true master.
Lamira has hidden her claircognizance from the Ocretions, as aberrant traits in human slaves are punished by death. When she’s bought by a Za
ndian prince for breeding and kept by his side at all times, she finds it increasingly harder to hide. His humiliating punishments and dominance awake a powerful lust in her, which he tracks with a monitoring device on her arousal rate. But when she begins to care for the huge, demanding alien, she must choose between preserving her own life and revealing her secret to save his.
Other Titles by Renee Rose
Paranormal
Bad Boy Alphas Series
Alpha’s Desire
Alpha’s Obsession
Alpha’s Challenge
Alpha’s Prize
Alpha’s Danger
Alpha’s Temptation
Love in the Elevator (Bonus story to Alpha’s Temptation)
Alpha Doms Series
The Alpha’s Hunger
The Alpha’s Promise
The Alpha’s Punishment
Other Paranormals
His Captive Mortal
Deathless Love
Deathless Discipline
The Winter Storm: An Ever After Chronicle
Sci-Fi
Zandian Masters Series
His Human Slave
His Human Prisoner
Training His Human
His Human Rebel
His Human Vessel
His Mate and Master
Zandian Pet
Their Zandian Mate
His Human Possession
Zandian Brides
Night of the Zandians
Bought by the Zandians (coming soon)
The Hand of Vengeance
Her Alien Masters
Dark Mafia Romance
The Russian
The Don’s Daughter
Mob Mistress
The Bossman
Contemporary
Black Light: Roulette Redux
Her Royal Master
The Russian
Black Light: Valentine Roulette
Theirs to Protect
Scoring with Santa
Owned by the Marine
Theirs to Punish
Punishing Portia
The Professor’s Girl
Safe in his Arms
Saved
The Elusive “O”
Regency
The Darlington Incident
Humbled
The Reddington Scandal
The Westerfield Affair
Pleasing the Colonel
Western
His Little Lapis
The Devil of Whiskey Row
The Outlaw’s Bride
Medieval
Mercenary
Medieval Discipline
Lords and Ladies
The Knight’s Prisoner
Betrothed
Held for Ransom
The Knight’s Seduction
The Conquered Brides (5 book box set)
Renaissance
Renaissance Discipline
Ageplay
Stepbrother’s Rules
Her Hollywood Daddy
His Little Lapis
Black Light: Valentine’s Roulette (Broken)
BDSM under the name Darling Adams
Medical Play
Yes, Doctor
Master/Slave
Punishing Portia
About Lee Savino
Lee Savino is a USA today bestselling author, mom and choco-holic.
Warning: Do not read her Berserker series, or you will be addicted to the huge, dominant warriors who will stop at nothing to claim their mates.
I repeat: Do. Not. Read. The Berserker Saga. Particularly not the thrilling excerpt below.
Download a free book from www.leesavino.com (don’t read that, either. Too much hot sexy lovin’).
Excerpt: Sold to the Berserkers by Lee Savino
Sold to the Berserkers
A ménage shifter romance
By Lee Savino
CHAPTER ONE
The day my stepfather sold me to the Berserkers, I woke at dawn with him leering over me. “Get up.” He made to kick me and I scrambled out of my sleep stupor to my feet.
“I need your help with a delivery.”
I nodded and glanced at my sleeping mother and siblings. I didn’t trust my stepfather around my three younger sisters, but if I was gone with him all day, they’d be safe. I’d taken to carrying a dirk myself. I did not dare kill him; we needed him for food and shelter, but if he attacked me again, I would fight.
My mother’s second husband hated me, ever since the last time he’d tried to take me and I had fought back. My mother was gone to market, and when he tried to grab me, something in me snapped. I would not let him touch me again. I fought, kicking and scratching, and finally grabbing an iron pot and scalding him with heated water.
He bellowed and looked as if he wanted to hurt me, but kept his distance. When my mother returned he pretended like nothing was wrong, but his eyes followed me with hatred and cunning.
Out loud he called me ugly and mocking the scar that marred my neck since a wild dog attacked me when I was young. I ignored this and kept my distance. I’d heard the taunts about my hideous face since the wounds had healed into scars, a mass of silver tissue at my neck.
That morning, I wrapped a scarf over my hair and scarred neck and followed my stepfather, carrying his wares down the old road. At first I thought we were headed to the great market, but when we reached the fork in the road and he went an unfamiliar way, I hesitated. Something wasn’t right.
“This way, cur.” He’d taken to calling me “dog”. He’d taunted me, saying the only sounds I could make were grunts like a beast, so I might as well be one. He was right. The attack had taken my voice by damaging my throat.
If I followed him into the forest and he tried to kill me, I wouldn’t even be able to cry out.
“There’s a rich man who asked for his wares delivered to his door.” He marched on without a backward glance and I followed.
I had lived all my life in the kingdom of Alba, but when my father died and my mother remarried, we moved to my stepfather’s village in the highlands, at the foot of the great, forbidding mountains. There were stories of evil that lived in the dark crevices of the heights, but I’d never believed them.
I knew enough monsters living in plain sight.
The longer we walked, the lower the sun sank in the sky, the more I knew my stepfather was trying to trick me, that there was no rich man waiting for these wares.
When the path curved, and my stepfather stepped out from behind a boulder to surprise me, I was half ready, but before I could reach for my dirk he struck me so hard I fell.
I woke tied to a tree.
The light was lower, heralding dusk. I struggled silently, frantic gasps escaping from my scarred throat. My stepfather stepped into view and I felt a second of relief at a familiar face, before remembering the evil this man had wrought on my body. Whatever he was planning, it would bode ill for me, and my younger sisters. If I didn’t survive, they would eventually share the same fate as mine.
“You’re awake,” he said. “Just in time for the sale.”
I strained but my bonds held fast. As my stepfather approached, I realized that the scarf that I wrapped around my neck to hide my scars had fallen, exposing them. Out of habit, I twitched my head to the side, tucking my bad side towards my shoulder.
My stepfather smirked.
“So ugly,” he sneered. “I could never find a husband for you, but I found someone to take you. A group of warriors passing through who saw you, and want to slake their lust on your body. Who knows, if you please them, they may let you live. But I doubt you’ll survive these men. They’re foreigners, mercenaries, come to fight for the king. Berserkers. If you’re lucky your death will be swift when they tear you apart.”
I’d heard the tales of berserker warriors, fearsome warriors of old. Ageless, timeless, they’d sailed over the seas to the land, plundering, killing, taking slaves, they fought for our kings, and their own. Nothing could stand in their path when they
went into a killing rage.
I fought to keep my fear off my face. Berserker's were a myth, so my stepfather had probably sold me to a band of passing soldiers who would take their pleasure from my flesh before leaving me for dead, or selling me on.
“I could’ve sold you long ago, if I stripped you bare and put a bag over you head to hide those scars.”
His hands pawed at me, and I shied away from his disgusting breath. He slapped me, then tore at my braid, letting my hair spill over my face and shoulders.
Bound as I was, I still could glare at him. I could do nothing to stop the sale, but I hoped my fierce expression told him I’d fight to the death if he tried to force himself on me.
His hand started to wander down towards my breast when a shadow moved on the edge of the clearing. It caught my eye and I startled. My stepfather stepped back as the warriors poured from the trees.
My first thought was that they were not men, but beasts. They prowled forward, dark shapes almost one with the shadows. A few wore animal pelts and held back, lurking on the edge of the woods. Two came forward, wearing the garb of warriors, bristling with weapons. One had dark hair, and the other long, dirty blond with a beard to match.
Their eyes glowed with a terrifying light.
As they approached, the smell of raw meat and blood wafted over us, and my stomach twisted. I was glad my stepfather hadn’t fed me all day, or I would’ve emptied my guts on the ground.
My stepfather’s face and tone took on the wheedling expression I’d seen when he was selling in the market.