Tuesday Talk

How about a day where characters from different books are interviewed? I'll start with an old, old post with Jag Arizon from WITH EXTRA CREAM and his best friend, Leron Wilder, from HOT TIN ROOF. The men are jaguar shifters from the Kind species--big cats infected with vampyre blood--their growl is as big as their bite! Each story is now available in a box set at Changeling Press and most other ebook outlets. Changeling has the better price and they'll have your format or lead you to all the places you can purchase a copy.

I’ve never missed MCs as much as these guys. Hmm… A story to reunite them all one last time? I don’t like Christmas so they don’t either. Maybe Valentine’s Day? Too late for that and, no, buying flowers, candy or dressing up to go out for dinner isn’t their thing at all! 4^th of July with lots of  fireworks? That’s an idea I’m going to float around in my head. Oh Lord, it's floating...

Meet Jag and Leron:

“Hello. My name is Jag.”

“Dude! Why you talking like that?”

“Shut up, Leron. J. Hali asked me to do this. I brought you along for moral support. Don’t give me no shit.” He shook his head. “I knew I should have asked my lady to come with me.”

“You sound like a freaking robot. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Can you do better?” Jag was pissed.

“Yeah, here you go: What’s up people? Glad you stopped by. See, something natural like that.”

“Oh, right, that was so much better.”

“Hey, Jag, can I tell them about my book – HOT TIN ROOF?”

“That’d be great, man. They know about me and Barbara from WITH EXTRA CREAM already. Go ahead. Cripes, what the hell, Leron…why’d you change to your beast?”

Because I can. I like this freedom. How long is J. gone for?

“Who knows and get out of my head. She’s usually around. Wait, what if she doesn’t come back?”

So what? Hell, if she comes back she might want to be writing about Trent or something else totally. She’s always going on about those freaked out angels.

“Hey, did you lose words in the edit thingy?” Jag asked.

Leron nodded his large feline head and changed back to his vampyre form. “Yup. Not too bad though.”

“Damn, man. Cover your ass. What if someone walks in?” Jag’s brows raised and he peered at the mirrored glass around the small room.

“Who’s coming in here? It’s hardly big enough for us.”

Jag relaxed a little. “Tell us about your story.”

The smile that covered Leron’s face was pitiful. Jag laughed long and hard at his friend.

“She’s hot, Jag. Everything I want in a mate is wrapped up in that one gorgeous bundle. She’s tall as hell, too. I like that. What if she doesn’t want me?” Leron’s eyes bugged out. “Hell and damnation, I just thought about that.”

“I don’t know if the people care how she looks, dude.”

“Screw ‘em then. I’m not telling them anything if that’s the case.”

Jag’s clothes disappeared, a growl to wake the devil erupted from deep in his chest and thundered through the tiny interview space. Fur traveled up his naked torso, Rosette-spotted hair raced up his arms. Claws protruded from large paws that slammed to the floor and shook the room.

Talk about the story or I’ll bite your ass off.

“Oh, it’s okay for you to screw around in my head?” Silence. “Christ, you’re serious?”

Yeah. I promised J. I’d do this for her. I’m gonna do it right.

“Okay already. Let me see…how about I do one of those blurb things she’s always writing?”

That’ll work.

“You’ll be sorry you didn’t let me describe my babe. She’s hot.”

Shut up and post the blurb, Leron. Damn, Trent wouldn’t have been this bad.

“Why don’t we just send them over to Changeling Press? They can read blurbs and more plus they’ll find links to other places to buy us…err…the books.”

Jag had resumed his human-like appearance. “Sounds cool.”

“Thanks. Now they’ll have to see Cory anyway.”

“Jeez, it’s not like she’s as good looking as Barb.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me.”

All hell broke loose. An unearthly sound traveled halls of the small studio as jaguars clashed together in battle. The room’s walls vibrated. A crashing sound was followed by explosive pops and smoke as electrical equipment tumbled from racks.

Unbeknownst to the male combatants, two women watched from the other side of the glass.

“Should we break it up?”

Barbara smiled at Cory. “Let them fight it out. We get to fawn all over them afterward.”

Visit Changeling Press:  https://tinyurl.com/y8gobdob

The Extra Cream box set includes: WITH EXTRA CREAM, HOT TIN ROOF, COUGAR BY THE TAIL and ZADER’S MENAGERIE.

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out. - J. Hali Steele

It's Caturday!

With a wolf thrown in for good measure....err, good menage. Available in the EXTRA CREAM box set at Changeling Press.

Zader’s Menagerie

The right wolf will make this cat howl at the moon.

Zader Montana is Sovereign Kind, a mountain lion infected with vampyre blood. He refuses to

embrace his undead half, the part of him that prowls the night looking for the she-wolf he desires. His problem -- she’s mated to the alpha of the wolf pack sharing his mountaintop.

Skye wants a taste of the cat who trails her every night. Convincing her mate to let her have a bite won’t be a big deal. The wolves are infected with the blood curse too, and they’re not finicky. Skye’s willing to be shared by both leaders as long as she gets what she wants.

Excerpt:

Skye had stayed in her wolf, enjoyed walking through the quiet forest. Where was Leaf, and why hadn’t he come to her? A slow throb started at the top of her head, made her eyes water, her nose run. What now?

A sound to her left caught her attention, but too late. A wiry cheetah came into view, spittle dripping from its fangs. Damn it to hell, she should have paid attention to her surroundings. Then she heard it—a howl that sounded like it came from the bowels of the earth. Leaf.

The big wolf flashed in front of her, tail high and swishing in agitation. Cat got your tongue, baby?

Leaf… She watched as the thick fur receded and he stood naked and tall in the form of his vampyre. His eyes glared red, his fangs were long and deadly.

“I’ve been with you the whole time.”

Pulling her wolf back, she stood beside him, her eyes pinned on the deadly transgressor in front of them. “I didn’t feel you.” But she felt Zader.

“Skye, I need to tell you something.”

Before he could finish the animal lunged, taking a swipe across Leaf’s chest. Blood bubbled from the wound which could kill even the strongest Kind. It was one reason she and Leaf should have remained in their animals.

“And the other reason is why we don’t use our Balkan cousins’ power to kill them. They deserve to die with respect because many of them were Reign warriors, and they are what we all should have remained. Animals, beasts, that should have lived and died in the wild.”

Zader’s eyes glared red from across the clearing before he released his cat. The tan fur barely covered his torso before his paws slapped the ground. He growled, circling the spotted cat.

Skye quickly changed into her wolf, prepared to fight alongside the cat that belonged to her, just as she had planned to do with Leaf. Before she reached Zader, he’d pounced on the wiry animal. Cries split the night as his cougar latched onto the thinner cat’s neck, delivering a vicious bite to the jugular. The cheetah fell to its side, gasping for air. With quickness unknown to normal animals, Zader’s beast ripped into the belly, disemboweling the transgressor and putting it out of its misery.

Leaf had slumped down against a tree trunk, blood flowing freely from the gouges. Skye’s wolf rushed to his side and licked at the wounds to heal them. He’d need strong blood, and she hadn’t taken any. Turning, she saw that Zader had regained his man form, and watched them from across the clearing. Taking her animal inside her body, she sat next to Leaf. “Zader?” He wouldn’t deny her, but would Leaf want a cat’s blood?

“Does he want to live?” He’d do anything to make Skye happy, even share his blood.

Leaf raised his head and stared at Zader. “Yes.” A small smile curved his lips, “Just don’t give me too much or I’ll kill you.”

She watched Zader move closer with a gleam in his eyes. “You’d die trying, bastard.” He stooped down and bared his wrist to Leaf. “Take too much and there might be a definite improvement in your scraggly ass.” His head tilted. “Who the hell holds a conversation while there’s a transgressor not ten feet away?”

Finished taking sustenance, Leaf sighed. “Was pretty damn stupid, huh?”

“We’ve both got something to live for now.”

“Guess you’re right.”

There was a new respect for each other in their words, but Skye sensed sadness in Leaf that she didn’t understand. And there was a definite difference in the way Zader acted. His eyes were filled with wildness, a certain abandonment. The scent of anger mixed with fear of the wolves was totally absent from the cat.

Zader did something she wouldn’t have thought him capable of—they were all clothed by him and transported to his house. Only a very strong vamp could perform that feat. How long had he been taking the blood again to have such strength?

Settling Leaf into a guest room, she and Zader went to rest by the fire. “You respect him now?”

“Always did. I respect, even more, that he would have done anything to save you.”

“He’s not as uncaring or mean as he sometimes appears.”

“I know that. As a leader, I understand we have to do things others don’t like.”

“There’s something… different about you.” She moved to his side, ran her fingers over his chest. “Something that makes me want you even more.” Zader removed their clothing with a thought.

“Something that makes you want me with your alpha under the same roof?”

“Maybe it’s because he’s here.” Continuing to stroke his face, play in his hair, she moved one hand to his crotch. His cock was swollen, the tip wet with pre-cum. “You seem stronger, more settled into the idea of being with us.”

“Skye, part of you is mine, and taking that doesn’t trample what belongs to Leaf.” His head bent, cool lips brushed her brow. “I’d never stop you from having anything you love.”

He nudged his tongue between her lips, delved deep into her mouth, proving how much he wanted her. She felt his hands cup her breasts, squeeze her taut, painfully engorged nipples. Skye arched into him, her body asking for more. Before she could say it, they were in his bed, Zader beneath her. Pulling her head away, she said, “Take me, take what’s yours.”

Skye gloried in the feel of his large hands caressing her back, covering her ass to nudge her closer. “That’s exactly what I intend to do.” His whispered words were rife with desire.

“She’s mine too, cat.”

Leaf!

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out. - J. Hali Steele

ALL ROMANCE eBOOK SALE!

Zader's Menagerie is available at Changeling Press... now's a good time to catch up on the first books in the Extra Cream series at All Romance eBooks, if you haven't read them yet!!
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All Romance eBooks

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele

Coming Soon

The right wolf will make this cat howl at the moon.

Zader Montana is Sovereign Kind, a mountain lion infected with vampyre blood. He refuses to embrace his undead half, the part of him that prowls the night looking for the she-wolf he desires. His problem—she’s mated to the alpha of the wolf pack sharing his mountaintop.

Skye wants a taste of the cat who trails her every night. Convincing her mate to let her have a bite won’t be a big deal. The wolves are infected with the blood curse too, and they’re not finicky. Skye’s willing to be shared by both leaders, as long as she gets what she wants.

ZADER'S MENAGERIE

     It had grown dark, the moon crested the tree tops, and the only thing Zader heard was another melancholy howl echo across the mountain as he licked and closed the tiny pricks. Soon the eerie sound became a chorus as more wolves joined. Feeling their leader's anger and dismay, they cried out with him. Biting her was the last thing he wanted to do, but Skye was so sweet, he got carried away. Damn it, afraid of how it would make him feel, he hadn't planned on taking her blood.
     He didn't want to know what she shared with Leaf, Zader didn't think he could stand it when she was with him. The bloodsucking creature he was needed to taste her completely, claim her as his. Surprised anguish raced with the blood in his veins. No way was he sharing his life force, and giving Skye's mate access to his deepest thoughts. It would never, ever, happen. Yet the raw pain heard in the plaintive howl seconds ago told him there would be hell to pay for what he'd done. Leaf expected to know him in the same way. Zader felt it through the woman beneath him, didn't blame the animal one bit. What now?
     It couldn't be undone, there was no way to take it back. His cat pranced inside, yet seemed calmer in its knowledge of the woman who lay so still under him. Her mental path was open, but there was a dark spot, a place he was unable to enter. For a brief moment, Zader forgot about Leaf. No thread of Skye should ever be closed from him. This was his mate, seeing, knowing all of her was part of mating. More, if he took more blood, she'd open up to him totally. He leaned toward her, flicked his tongue across her nipple, prepared to bite again.
     Skye shoved him from her. "Zader, no… no!" Fear, or confusion blazed in her red eyes. "Leaf will kill you."
     "I'm not afraid of him." She struggled to close off her thoughts, keep them to herself, but to no avail. Anger pulsed in waves through her mind as Leaf's rage boiled over. "Skye, I want to give you every part of me, but not that, I won't let him into my mind, I can't."
     This was his mate, she should be all his. Alone. It was unimaginable to stand by and feel her pain, the abnormal fear she had of the wolf. Odd because a wolf would never hurt its mate, even the vamp side would protect her at its own peril. Zader didn't like what he felt one bit. Pushing with all his might into her mental path, he slammed the misery and pain from her, sent it with even more force back at the wolf.
     Don't ever hurt her for what I do. I'm here, come for me.
     The night lit up with howls from every crevice of the mountaintop.
     One stood out above them all. Leaf.

May 27th from Changeling Press

Are you THIRSTY yet?

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele