Ashlynn Monroe

A Gift of The Darkest Magic

Ashlynn Monroe is a busy wife and mom. She enjoys writing about anything and everything paranormal or fantasy related. She spends most of her time daydreaming up her next tale of romance.

Visit her website at http://ashlynnmonroe.com/ to learn more about the worlds she imagines.

She’d love to hear from you at authorashlynnmonroe@gmail

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Would you be willing to betray the person you love in order to save their life?

Clarissa’s husband Matt is dying of cancer. They’ve tried everything that medicine has to offer, both traditional and experimental, and nothing’s worked. Clarissa spends her days in the hospital, watching the man she loves slip closer and closer to certain death.

When her sister tells her she knows a way to save Matt, but it involves visiting a local club run by vampires, Clarissa is outraged that her sister would believe something so insane. But then she learns the truth.

Braden, the sexy and mysterious vampire who runs the club, does indeed have the means to save Matt, but he demands a high payment in return. He doesn’t want money, her blood, or even her life…he wants something she never expected. Clarissa has a choice—spend twenty-four hours in Braden’s bed or let her husband die.

But what she never foresaw was how much more the vampire would truly want after he’d given her the gift of the darkest magic.

Content Warning: infidelity, light bondage, anal sex, and rough sex

Excerpt

The quiet drip of the IV and the occasional bleep of the monitor were the only sounds in the dim hospital room. Clarissa Blair held the cold hand of her husband, Matthew. Matt’s diagnosis of cancer, just after Christmas, had been a horrible surprise. His condition rapidly deteriorated. The vibrant forty-year-old lay reduced to a thin husk, wasting away in the mediumroom on the fourth floor of Mercy General Hospital. Clarissa could only wait and mourn quietly. She’d tried to hide her pain and stay positive for Matt, but it was getting harder to pretend as he slipped closer to the end of his life.

Their twin seven-year-old daughters spent a lot of time with her mother. She didn’t want them to remember their father as the corpse she saw each day when she came to the hospital after work. Her life was a cycle of working and grieving. She knew the girls missed her, but she just didn’t have the strength to be there for them and keep up with the day-to-day battle of holding herself together. Matt was leaving them.

The sound of the door opening roused her from the dark, sad thoughts. She stood up and hugged the visitor. “Hi, sis.”

Caren, her younger sister, breezed into the room smelling of sunshine and fresh air, in contrast to the stale stench of death she’d come to associate with her husband’s hospital room. “How is he today?”

Her sister’s sadness only added to the weight in Clarissa’s heart. “About the same. The nurse said last night was tough, but he pulled through. He’s a strong fighter.” She knew the last words sounded bitter. He was the strongest man she’d ever known; she couldn’t understand why he couldn’t beat the disease ravaging him. His once handsome face was pale and sunken. Her Matt had left long ago, leaving the dying man in his place. Her Matt would never have abandoned her and their daughters as this man was doing.

For a long moment, Caren looked into her face. She knew Caren wanted to say something, but was holding back.

“Go ahead and say what’s on your mind. You’re always so afraid of saying something that’ll make me cry. I’m past that stage now. Just talk, you’re irritating me.” She knew her shrill statement bordered on cruel, but she didn’t care. What was the use of pleasantries when her whole life was over and she’d never be happy again?

“Sorry, sweetie,” Caren whispered, laying a gentle hand on Clarissa’s shoulder.

The simple act of kindness tore at her soul, making her want to lash out again. She shrugged off her sister’s caring touch. The unwavering love in the deep turquoise eyes, the same shade as her own, sent a little stab of guilt through Clarissa. “I’m the one who should be sorry, but seriously just tell me what’s on your mind.”

Caren gave her a weak smile. “You know I love Matt too.”

Clarissa nodded. Matt had no siblings. She’d married him when Caren was still in high school and he’d taken to her sister as if she were his own. “I know.” She sighed.

“I think I know a way to save him, but I need your help,” Caren whispered.

Clarissa’s eyes narrowed. Her whole body began shaking. “How dare you!” She hissed at her beloved younger sister.

“Really. I mean it, Clarissa. I think I know a way that we can save Matt’s life.” She said the words with genuine hope.

“We’ve tried faith healers, herbs, expensive specialists, what more can there be? I can’t believe you’d spout such bullshit. Especially when he’s so close to…” She couldn’t say “the end”, but it was true. Her husband only had a few more weeks to live, maybe less. The doctors had made it perfectly clear. It was time to give up hope. She’d already picked out his casket and bought the plot. Matt was gone.

“I’m not pulling your leg, or giving you false hope. I saw it work!”

Cherish

Ann Mayburn

Order here: Amazon | B&N

 What started out as a one night stand has turned into the best decision of Sam’s life after he marries the formerly straight man of his dreams, Cody. When his new husband tells Sam he has a special surprise for him on their honeymoon Sam can’t help but wonder what he has in store for him. Secluded from the rest of the world in the cabin they built together in the mountains surrounding Las Vegas, the two men begin their life together with plenty of passion and love.

X rated Excerpt:

Sam glanced out the windshield, as familiar with the winding road to their cabin as his own backyard. Heck, he should be. They’d made over four dozen trips up and down the mountain as they built their log cabin on the edge of the National Park. Their ultimate mountain retreat was almost complete, and he couldn’t think of any place he’d rather spend his honeymoon than surrounded by the solitude of the wilderness and Cody.

The big truck easily navigated the final stretch of road before they reached their destination. Anticipation hummed through Sam and his cock twitched to life. Cody wore a white T-shirt that stretched over his thick muscles, and a pair of silky jogging shorts. Perfect for what he had in mind.

He leaned over and kissed the side of his neck. “Move your seat back a couple inches.”

“What?”

Sam grinned and unbuckled his seatbelt. “Look, I don’t want the steering wheel embedded in my skull. Move your seat back.”

He did as he asked then gripped the steering wheel with both hands until his knuckles turned white. “Just let me pull over.”

“Nope.” He hummed deep in his throat at the erection tenting the other man’s shorts. “Keep driving. You stop driving, I stop sucking.”

“Sam, this is a really bad—”

He stretched to lower his head and capture the thick rim of Cody’s cloth-covered prick between his lips, effectively cutting off his partner’s words. It had been two weeks since they’d had any kind of sexual contact and the need for release tightened his balls. He tugged at the waistband. “Look, you’re the one who wanted to take a break before our wedding so our honeymoon would be special. Well, it’s our honeymoon and this is special.”

In a gruff, strained voice, Cody said, “I’m going to hit a pot hole and you’re going to bite my dick off.”

Sam chuckled. “Lift your ass off the seat.” With some maneuvering, he managed to get the shorts down enough so that Cody’s hard sex sprang free. Saliva filled Sam’s mouth at the sight of the hard male flesh. He grasped the base of the thick penis, noting with delight that Cody had shaved his balls. “Well, well, what do we have here?” The shaft jumped in his fist and he ever so slowly licked from the base to the tip, pausing to suck at the little slit.

Cody’s thigh muscles tensed and he spread his legs as much as his shorts bunched around his thighs allowed. Sam’s own cock pulsed behind the tough fabric of his jeans, but he ignored his needs. Taking control of his partner’s pleasure always turned him on. They drove down the road in plain sight of anyone passing by and there was something deliciously forbidden about blowing him in broad daylight. True, the only things around here with a heartbeat were animals, but he still liked that edge of the forbidden.

About the Author:

Ann is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful husband and three sons in the mountains of   West Virginia. In her past lives she’s been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist,   a US Navy Civilian Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan    Renaissance Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead-though she will deny to her children that it ever happened.    From a young age she’s been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she  sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and  plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she’s never looked back.

Now Ann  spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get  into her ‘sexy space’ and has learned to type one handed while soothing a  cranky baby.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Hidden

A Bone Secrets Novel, #1

Excerpt:

“Dr. Campbell!”

At the sharp voice, Lacey popped out of her coffee musings, froze, and fought the instinct to look for her father—also Dr. Campbell. The bright blue tarp at Lacey’s snowy boots framed the partial recovery of a skeleton. Another step and she would’ve crushed a tibia and sent Dr. Peres’s blood pressure spiking through the tent roof. As she ignored the doctor’s glare, Lacey’s gaze locked on the bones and a sharp rush surged through her veins at the sight of the challenge at her feet.

This was why she accepted assignments in freezing weather. To identify and bring home a lost victim. To use her unique skills to solve the mystery of death. To put an end to a mourning family’s questions. To know she made a difference.

The cold faded away.

The skull was present, along with most of the ribs and the longer bones of the extremities. At the far end of the tent, two male techs in down jackets sifted buckets of dirt and rocks through a screen, painstakingly searching for smaller bones. A huge, gaping hole in the concrete wall of the crawl space under the building indicated where the remains had been discovered.

“Don’t step on anything,” said Dr. Peres.

Nice to see you, too.

“Morning.” Lacey nodded in Dr. Peres’s general direction and tried to slow her racing heart. Her eyes studied the surreal scene. Bones, buckets, and bitch.

Dr. Victoria Peres, a forensic anthropologist, was known as a strict ball breaker in her field, and she didn’t take flak from anyone. At six feet tall, she was an Amazon incarnate. A recovery site was her kingdom, and no one dared step within breathing distance of her sites before she gave her assent. And don’t dream of touching anything without permission. Anything.

When she grew up, Lacey wanted to be Dr. Peres.

Lacey had worked with the demanding doctor on four different recoveries before the doctor trusted her work. But that didn’t mean Dr. Peres liked Lacey; Dr. Peres didn’t like anyone.

Black-framed glasses with itty-bitty lenses balanced on the narrow ridge of the doctor’s nose. As usual, her long black hair was in a perfect knot at her neck. No stray hairs had escaped the knot, even though the doctor had been on site for five hours.

“Nice you could make the party.” Dr. Peres glanced at her watch and raised one brow.

“I had to wait ’til my toenails dried.”

A sharp snort came from the woman and Lacey’s eyes narrowed. Wow. She’d actually made Dr. Peres laugh. Well, sort of. Still, it should give Lacey some bragging rights among the ME’s staff.

“What’d you find?” Lacey’s fingers yearned to start on the puzzle. This was the best part of her job. A mystery to decode.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

Kendra has been sweet enough to give me a copy of Hidden to give out to one lucky follower.

To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter below.

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two is enough, but three could be everything.

Kit and Adam Jacobs know what their marriage needs—Gavan Karik. He’s the one man they both want and the only one who can make their relationship complete.

Making Gav part of the family comes with a price. Family, infidelity and self-worth issues plague Gav, but Adam and Kit are willing to tackle those issues if Gav is willing to commit.

For every problem they conquer, another one pops up. Not only are the three adults working to meld a broken family into one, they’re also struggling with a blackmailer threatening to out the two men’s sexuality and issues with the kids being mistreated at school. With each battle all three have to decide if the vision each sees for the future can match and if the reward is worth the fight.

Content Warning: Strong language, graphic sex, and explicit incidents of laundry washing within.

Available in print and digital

Beachwalk Press / Amazon / Allromance / B&N

Excerpt

“And the sleeping arrangements?” Gav asked.

Adam knew this question had been weighing on the other man. Gav had played thirds in relationships before. Usually, the third was a plaything, in for pleasure, out for the intimacy.

“You’d be in our room. The ‘our’ would include you,” Adam told him. “I’ll steal your t-shirts to wear to bed, and we’ll share the task of warming Kit’s cold toes every night. We’ll have amazing sex when we’re all in the mood together. We’ll have nearly as amazing sex in pairs if the third is in the mood to watch or sleep. There won’t be favorites, but, because we’ve been together so long, Kit and I might slip up there on occasion. You’ll have to be patient with us, Gav.”

“And once our open relationship includes you,” Kit said, “it turns into a closed one. We don’t cheat or lie, and we tell each other if our needs change.”

Adam watched to see what Gav’s reaction to that big rule would be. It was one he supported wholeheartedly. Within the terms of their relationship, he and Kit had never once cheated. They were open, honest, and made the decisions and compromises needed to keep them happy. But his heart was hers. Always. If Gav decided to take the plunge, Adam’s heart would grow to include him, and he would never cheat on him either.

Loyalty and faithfulness in an open relationship seemed like oxymorons, but not the way he and Kit worked. They were a unit, a family. If Gav chose, he could be the piece that had been missing from the start.

Gav covered his face and rubbed much harder than Adam would have rubbed any place on his lover’s body. He didn’t like to see Gav being so rough with himself. He hated when the other man treated his body harshly. It was because no one else had cared for him. He saw himself as worth less than most and acted on that vision. If he’d quit being stubborn, Adam would try every day to prove him wrong. There would be fabric softener for Gav’s clothes and something sweet for him when he wanted a treat. It was the little things Adam knew he and Kit took for granted that would make the most difference with Gav.

“I don’t know.” Gav didn’t look past his hands at either of them as he spoke. “I’ll think about it. There’s nothing in there I don’t think I can do, I just…I need to think.”

“That’s fine, Gav,” Kit said gently. “Time is something we have, and we’d never rush you.”

“I know that.” His sigh was heavy and haggard. “I know all the good things about you guys, and Kit, it’s nothing in you that’s missing. It’s me. You have to know that. No matter what happens, it’s not you. It’s me.”

“But I love you just the way you are,” she replied. “So that means there’s something amazing in you if you’ll let it out.”

About Stephanie Beck:

Even before she understood what all the thrusting meant, Stephanie Beck loved reading romance. When the stories didn’t end the way she wanted, writing her own was the perfect solution. From ridiculous humor to erotica, Stephanie loves being transported within a story. When she’s not elbow deep in words, her husband and three children command her attention. After they are sleeping she knits or bakes cookies…or squeezes in more writing.

Stephanie loves to hear from readers. Contact her at stephaniebeckauthor@gmail.com

Website / Twitter / Facebook

Those Who Wait:

Amazon | B&N 

Simone O’Henley, recuperating at a remote lakefront cottage from a devastating broken heart, finds anything but rest. The noises and moans she hears coming out of a nearby grove of trees terrify her, but are soon tempered by the company of handsome Jackson Taylor. The locals have never heard of him and are convinced he’s a land developer ready to snatch up their land at the first opportunity. He convinces Simone he is a simple caretaker looking over land for a friend, but her heart speaks the loudest. After he disappears, she travels far and wide to find him and the truth. A truth that turns her entire world upside down and throws everything she has ever believed into the winds of common sense and reason

Website

Married by Monday 
by Catherine Bybee 

Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook 

Carter Billings:

Sandy blond hair and Hollywood good looks, Carter Billings could have any woman he wants. However, when he makes his bid for the Governor’s seat in the state of California, he needs to settle down and become a family man. Eliza, the woman he secretly adores, embodies the perfect amount of spice and passion to suit his marital needs, but she’s not interested in becoming Mrs. Billings. She can’t even stand to be in the same room with him.

Eliza Havens:

It’s much easier to drive Carter away than to give into desire. Matching couples is how she earns a living, but getting married isn’t an option. The secrets she carries are too dangerous to entangle anyone else. When her hidden identity and past threaten her future, she’s left with little choice. Carter is quick to offer solutions to both their problems, but saying yes could mean endangering the man she’s growing to love.

Excerpt:

He folded his arms over his chest. “I suppose you could say I’m following Blake’s lead. Marriage solves a few fundamental problems in my career path.”

She stared at him full on now, not trying to look away. “Your problems. Not mine.”

“Problems you helped play a role in.” He saw the spark in her eye before she managed her first syllable of defense.

She sat the tea down and placed a hand on the counter. “That’s low, Carter.”

“And true or you’d be the first to tell me I’m wrong. If I had a choice, I’d be married by Monday to help dispel all the media crap created by yours and Gwen’s night on the Texas town. I thought I could come to you and obtain a little bit of cooperation.”

“A little bit of cooperation. Marriage is a tad more than a little bit of anything.” Her voice rose and her knuckles started to grip the counter.

“Yet you earn your living arranging marriages or partnerships on trite reasons less important than mine.” How dare she follow a moral high ground. Maybe she’d forgotten how well versed he was on her and Samantha’s business.

“You forget that our clients have to approve of the relationships we arrange. They have to like the person—”

He laughed, interrupting her. “Do you really want to pretend we aren’t friends to prove your point?”

Her cheeks grew rosy which he had to admit was a much better than the pasty color she’d been sporting when he walked into the house. He felt the fire burning inside her as she shot daggers with her eyes.

“You’re my best friend’s husband’s friend. If you’re looking for a wife you might peek into your little black book, or whatever it is you use, and draw another name.”

Carter let his arms drop and took two steps closer. The angrier she became, the more his blood churned. His body responded to her outrage, but not in anger. “I don’t want to draw another name.”

Author of New York Times Bestseller, Wife by Wednesday presents, Book Two in the Weekday Bride Series

New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Catherine Bybee has been addicted to romance since her teens. After spending a decade of her life working as an RN in urban emergency rooms, Catherine is now dedicated to writing happily-ever-afters for the world to love. Catherine is married and raising two sons in Southern California.

She loves hearing from her readers so feel free to visit her at:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter