Eden turned and looked at the man on the bar stool behind her. He had a half empty gla.s.s of Guinness in front of him and a bowl of bat-shaped pretzels. His grey-green eyes stared at her unblinkingly from behind wire-rimmed gla.s.ses. She frowned.

"You're immortal. Why are you wearing gla.s.ses?"

Karl gave her a look that would have withered most people. "I'm told wearing gla.s.ses gives you character. Since I don't have any character, I figured I'd manufacture some," he drawled. Her blond hunk openly grinned now. Apparently, he found Karl's snarky sarcasm amusing. "I watch your show all the time. You have plenty of character. You're funnier than all the shows on TV.".

"Tell that to my producer. He b.i.t.c.hes daily that he's gonna fire me." Karl took a sip of his ale.

"I meant what I said, you know. Get a room. All this grinding and humping is for the kids who got nowhere to go. You two are obviously old enough and wealthy enough to afford the room. So go there and grind. I don't like having to protect my drink from elbows that are in the throes of l.u.s.t,"

he complained.

Mr. Sugar Cookie Scent chuckled. "Sure, Karl. Nice meeting you." He took hold of Eden's elbow.

Karl raised one brow at them. "We haven't been formally introduced, but I know who you are. And more importantly, I know who you are," he said, his eyes landing on Eden with a wicked gleam.

She opened her mouth to tell him to shut up when he waved a hand at her in a shooing motion. "I'm not telling. Names or lack of them is strictly between you two grinders. Now, would you mind letting me get back to my drinking here? f.u.c.king h.o.r.n.y immortals," he grumbled, turning away from them.

The blond man pulled her away from the bar toward the exit. "Where to?" he asked as they stepped out onto the street.

A cab whooshed up to the curb beside them and she opened the door, getting in. The blond man followed her. She gave the cabbie the name of a posh hotel on Park Avenue. As the cab took off, the blond man smiled. "From out of town? Me too."

Eden shrugged. "I'm here more than anywhere else. I travel almost constantly for work so I don't have a permanent place to live unless you count a dozen boxes of c.r.a.p at my brother's house," she said in a dismissive tone.

"I can't imagine not having a home. I'm from the west coast myself."

Tall, blond, and vanilla's chatty behavior started to annoy her so she slid her hand up his jean-clad thigh and squeezed his half hard d.i.c.k. It responded instantly to her touch. She smiled at him, her curved dragon fangs showing.

He sucked in a breath, his hand coming up to cup her breast. "I gather you're not much for chitchat," he said, his thumb teasing her nipple through the soft material of her dress.

"Nope," she replied. Naturally reticent, when her h.o.r.n.y dragon raged, she was even less inclined to words. Only action of a s.e.xual nature would calm the beast inside her. "Just looking for some vanilla s.e.x. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Well, just in case you feel the urge to shout my name later, it's Colin," he said and grabbed her by the back of the head.

Shock rippled through Eden as he held her firmly. He kissed her deeply, ravaging her mouth with the kind of kiss she'd expect from an Alpha, not a Beta like Colin. If his kiss hadn't completely overwhelmed her and made thinking next to impossible, she would have wondered if she had pegged him wrong. Where his kiss had been leisurely before, now it burned hot and urgent, demanding a response from her rather than accepting what she doled out to him. Abruptly, he let her go. Her chest heaved as she sucked in great gulps of air. Colin's eyes glinted enigmatically at her in the dim light of the cab. "You gotta be more careful about judging a book by its cover," he growled.

She blinked. He looked at her with a feral light in his eyes. Ho-ly s.h.i.t. She'd never misjudged an Alpha before. Of course, her familiarity with vampires fell far below that of dragons and fae men. She'd always been rather skittish around vamps. All that biting and blood sucking...

Colin took her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. The midnight blue irises glowed preternaturally again, and she could feel the steely strength in his long elegant fingers. "You're lucky I'm a nice guy and all I want is to f.u.c.k your pretty pink p.u.s.s.y," he whispered. "Walking into a vampire club and making snap judgments about my kind can get you drained, despite the fact that you're a dragon."

Her eyes widened a little. He smiled then, and the sunny, amusing persona he'd displayed at the club, the persona that had shouted Beta to her, snapped back into place. "You are going to let me f.u.c.k your pretty pink p.u.s.s.y, aren't you?" he asked as his fingers turned from steel to silk, sliding warmly across her skin.

Eden nodded. Several strands of her raven hair caught in the golden stubble that covered his jaw. His vanilla, sugar cookie scent grew stronger and she realized his arousal intensified it. The more aroused he became, the stronger the scent grew. The sweet smell flooded her entire being, making her mouth water. She wondered what he tasted like...

In a split second, the dragon within her roared to life. She pushed Colin against the back of the cab's seat and kissed him hard, her lips and tongue sucking urgently at his. The heat and depth of the kiss pushed her arousal up several notches. It had been a long time since a man had affected her so strongly, and never had one's scent overpowered her as Colin's did. Potent and distinctive, she would have been able to find him in a crowd of thousands at Madison Square Garden. Definitely something to remember if she ever had to hunt for him.

Colin's hands slid up under the hem of her mini dress, his fingers digging into her a.s.s. She rubbed herself against him and he rewarded her with another growl. Pure s.e.x emanated from the sound, with none of the male fierceness that had colored it previously. The sound skittered along her nerve endings, reaching her inner dragon and rousing the beast's tremendous s.e.xual appet.i.te.

Heat and wetness rushed to the sensitive flesh between her thighs. Colin's nostrils flared and she knew he had caught the scent of her s.e.x. Beneath her hand, his c.o.c.k had swollen to a satisfying proportion. The long thick ridge behind the zipper of his jeans promised to fill her as no one had before. Size had never mattered to her, but then, she'd never had someone as big as Colin promised to be.

The cab screeched to a stop, the centrifugal force pushing her back against the seat and away from the press of Colin's body. She sprawled awkwardly; her skirt hitched up so far her thong showed. The driver didn't even bother to look in the rear view mirror at her. Colin ran his hands over his face, then opened the door and got out. He reached in, holding out a hand for her. She put hers in it and let him pull her out of the cab. Tugging her dress down, she waited as he paid the driver.

When Colin turned toward her, she saw the feverish glitter in his eyes. He apparently didn't care that anyone who chose to look at his crotch would see the bulge of his erection. He took her arm and they walked boldly into the lobby of the expensive hotel. Exhilaration swept through Eden as they headed toward the elevator. Once in the car, she pushed the six and the car swept upward. Her dragon clawed at her insides. She was so aroused, she expected her cream to drip down her bare thighs any moment.

At her floor, they got off the elevator, and she turned down the plushly carpeted corridor, her long legs eating up the distance to her room. As she neared it, she took out her keycard. She stopped in front of 669, slipping the keycard in the slot. Colin chuckled at the room number.

Moments later, he closed the door, sticking the Do Not Disturb sign on it. When he turned toward her, she reached back and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor.

Standing in front of Colin in her black silk thong and leather boots, a sense of empowerment filled her. Her fingers twitched, aching for the thick handle of her whip. Colin looked at her hand and arched one blond brow in amus.e.m.e.nt, almost as if he could read her thoughts. He casually pulled off his jacket and tossed it on the chair, following it with his shirt.

Eden's eyes raked over the muscles of his arms and chest. He had a fine boned aristocratic caste to his build, with pale gold skin, a shade or two lighter than her own tan. The muscles of his arms, pecs, and shoulders were sculpted and well defined, but not bulky. His rock hard abs had cla.s.sic six pack ridges. A fine dust of blond hair encircled each of his pale brown nipples... pale brown pierced nipples.

Her lips quirked in a smile. He really wasn't what he appeared to be, she thought as he bent and removed his shoes and socks. When he straightened, she briefly eyed his long narrow feet.

Elegant like his hands. Her gaze shifted to those hands. They pulled down the zipper of his jeans, pushing the denim down his muscular thighs. He kicked the jeans away and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxers. She stared at him thoughtfully, deciding that he had predictable taste in underwear. He seemed like a boxers kind of guy. With a practiced flick, the garment in question hit the floor and he kicked them in the same direction as the jeans.

"Will I do?" he asked, as her eyes wandered his hard body. Dark gold hair arrowed from his navel to his groin. She saw that he kept himself well trimmed and thought that it extended to his b.a.l.l.s too. Even from a distance, they seemed smooth. He had a larger c.o.c.k than the bulge in his jeans had given away, she noted, taking in his girth and length. Her mouth watered at the thought of licking him.

"I believe you will." Desire turned her voice husky and unconsciously, her fingers reached down to her panty line to stroke over her clan mark. The dragon inside her began to pace.

Touching the swirling lines of the clan mark that covered the soft skin inside her hipbone made her even hornier.

"Your clan mark?" he asked quietly, watching her stroke it.

She nodded and he walked toward her, reaching out to brush one long finger over the mark.

Her inner dragon preened at his touch. She knew the mark just looked like a tribal dragon tattoo to the uninitiated. However, Colin seemed to know about clan marks and how they reacted to touch.

"You're a black dragon. I'm not sure I recognize the clan though," he murmured, circling her and looking up and down her body.

"It doesn't matter. All you really want is to f.u.c.k my pretty pink p.u.s.s.y, right?" she reminded him with a lift of her brows.

Colin smiled angelically. "For now, yes, although, you have yet to show it to me..." As his voice trailed away, Eden bent over and unzipped her boots. She could feel Colin's eyes on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as if he touched her. The weight of his gaze made her rush and she kicked the expensive designer footwear off, something she never did. She lifted her head, her eyes holding his as she shimmied out of the black silk thong.

Inside her, the dragon roared, knowing that the tension they shared would soon be released.

Eden walked over to the bed and ripped the covers back. Lying on the sheets, she spread her legs so that Colin could see the p.u.s.s.y he'd promised to f.u.c.k. She didn't need a mirror to know that her flesh glistened wetly in the low light. She could feel her swollen, sensitive lips throbbing. She stroked her hand over the clan mark and her nipples tightened painfully.

If you want it, come and get it, bite boy. Standing there staring at it, doesn't do either of us any good.

Colin's eyes jerked to hers and for a split second she had the weird sense that he had heard her thoughts, something that sent fear arcing through her. But then he flashed a seductive smile that widened as he started toward her. In a flood of l.u.s.t that drowned her momentary fear, she gazed mesmerized at the thick erection that bobbed with each of his steps.

"It really is very pink and very pretty," he said softly, his tone filled with satisfaction.

When he reached the side of the bed, his long fingers trailed over her knee and up the inside of her thigh. Her heart thundered in her chest and her dragon's harsh breathing sent a trail of smoke from her nostrils.

Colin leaned over her, his hands denting the mattress on either side of her hips as he sat on the edge of the bed. "How much foreplay do you want, baby? Because as far as I'm concerned, what happened in the cab was all I need."

Eden licked her lips, watching as Colin's eyes darkened even more. "I don't need any more teasing. Just f.u.c.k me hard and fast before I explode from looking at you."

She didn't know what to expect, but what happened next still surprised her. With an economy of movement that made it all seem like a single smooth move, Colin reached out, flipped her onto her belly, pulled her hips back against his and thrust the entire length of his c.o.c.k into her throbbing wetness. She let out a startled half yelp, half moan. He filled her so tightly it bordered on pain. Taking someone as big as him without any warning had driven every ounce of air from her lungs.

Colin's fingers roughly pinched and twisted her hard nipples. Pleasure ripped through her in a great wave. She had no idea how he knew what she liked. He certainly didn't look like a rough s.e.x sorta guy. He looked cultured and refined, the elegant and arrogant sort who liked to order women to service him.

He jerked her up off her hands, his chest cradling and supporting her torso. His hips stilled as his hands swept over her body, finding all the places she most liked to be touched. When she moaned uncontrollably, he licked her neck and she shivered. The most incredible sensations buffeted her body when his tongue stroked over her skin. She almost asked him to bite her, but he bent her over again. Her palms. .h.i.t the mattress as his hips slammed into her a.s.s. He pulled back and thrust into her forcefully.

Eden's p.u.s.s.y stretched to accommodate him while clinging to his thickness. He f.u.c.ked her harder than she'd ever been f.u.c.ked before. The head of his c.o.c.k battered her G-spot with every thrust. Shivers of pleasure racked her body. Her o.r.g.a.s.m crested and she cried out, tossing her head.

Colin chuckled but his tempo didn't lessen. He gave her exactly what she'd asked for. She shuddered and gasped for air, her heart racing thunderously. Unbelievably, as one long finger flicked over her c.l.i.t, she found herself coming again.

She knew he could feel her spasms, feel her p.u.s.s.y clamping down on his thick c.o.c.k. His strokes became shorter. The slap of his hips against her a.s.s grew more frantic. His teeth nipped the back of her neck as his hands tightened on her thighs.

"Oh, baby. Come for me one more time. You can do it," he growled.

His tongue licked at her neck in time to the glide of his fingers against her c.l.i.t. His c.o.c.k filled her so full he could barely press inside her despite the fact that she was wetter than she had ever been. His thumb stroked over her mark and inside her, the dragon roared as heat flooded her veins. Her p.u.s.s.y clutched his c.o.c.k as her whole body vibrated in a third o.r.g.a.s.m.

With a m.u.f.fled cry, Colin came. His c.o.c.k jerked inside her and she could feel the gush of hot seed that filled her. Shaking uncontrollably, her arms gave out and her face landed on the sheet, her a.s.s still in the air as Colin's c.o.c.k throbbed inside her, spurts of c.u.m still erupting from him.

Finally, he pulled out of her. She moaned at the feel of his flesh separating from hers, leaving her sensitive, open and exposed.

Colin flopped onto his back beside her and her knees gave out, her lower body sprawling bonelessly on the bed. They looked at each other, both of them gasping for air. Then Colin reached out and brushed a lock of hair off her face.

"I'll give you fifteen minutes to recover. Then I'm pounding that pretty pink p.u.s.s.y again after I lick it into submission."

Eden's eyes popped open in astonishment. She didn't know what astonished her more, the fact that he would be ready again so soon or the way he took control. His lips curved in a grin.

"I don't think you'll need any of the toys I'm sure you have here. We'll just f.u.c.k. I'm good at it and I like to do it for hours." His midnight blue eyes twinkled at her. "Unless you're sending me away now that you've come."

Although he hadn't framed his words as a question, she shook her head anyway. "I don't think I can send you away. At least, not until I'm worn out and can't walk," she replied, her own smile growing as approval flashed across his face.

"Good." He leaned over and kissed her hard. "Time for tongues and fingers to discover c.o.c.ks and p.u.s.s.ies."

He grabbed her hand and placed it on his half-hard c.o.c.k, still wet with her juice and his seed.

She stroked him, wondering why she'd never been into biters before. Unbidden, her mind went back the phone call that had sent her storming into Carpe Noctem looking to get laid. An outcast to her family, she rarely went home, rarely partic.i.p.ated in family events. Even so, she loved her siblings. When one of them had accused her of being the Queen of Kink, an unfeeling b.i.t.c.h of a s.l.u.t who lived to get off, it stung. Those words from someone she had looked up to her entire life, struck deeply into emotions she struggled daily to control. To survive the pain, she'd retreated into the cold b.i.t.c.h persona she'd been accused of. Now, that same self-preservation kept the lid on her emotions, when she looked at Colin. The core of her wanted to know him, but the icy b.i.t.c.h who'd taken control of her during that painful phone call refused to let go. The b.i.t.c.h coolly surveyed Colin, wondering why she hadn't hit on vampires before. She snarkily thought that if she had known biters were this good, she would have been picking them up regularly from Carpe Noctem. And that same cold b.i.t.c.h decided that she had more one item she could add to her s.e.xual buffet menu now that she knew about vampires' stamina.

Inside her, behind the icy b.i.t.c.h, the real Eden gazed at Colin's beautiful face and wished her life was different. Ghost Redeemed By Mary Winter Available Now from Pink Petal Books Shay's stomach flip-flopped. Looking at Kyle standing just outside her bathroom door, a boyish grin on his face, made her wonder what would happen if she invited him to join her. She'd planned on taking a shower, figuring that would be the easiest way to wash the wound on her back. But with Kyle there, she wouldn't need to go to such lengths. Then again, maybe she would anyway.

She stepped back and opened the door, suddenly nervous about her plan. "I guess you're right," she said, trying not to sound too eager. "I will need some help." Turning from him, she pulled her shirt over her head. She swore she heard Kyle's swiftly indrawn breath. She glanced into the mirror and saw the angry red gash start just below her shoulder blade to disappear beneath her bra clasp. She reached around her and unfastened the hooks. Her peach lace bra hung loosely on her shoulders, and she noticed Kyle trying hard not to look at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s in the mirror.

She slipped the lingerie from her shoulders. "The peroxide and some antibiotic ointment are in the medicine cabinet."

Kyle opened the mirrored panel. She watched, noticing the light glow surrounding his skin. If it weren't for that, he'd look completely normal standing in her bathroom, reaching for the brown plastic bottle of peroxide. He grabbed several cotton b.a.l.l.s and turned his attention to her back. His movements seemed slow, as if he had to think about each action.

"This is going to sting a little. There's not much I can do about that." He unscrewed the lid of the peroxide bottle and doused a cotton ball. "Are you ready?"

"I'll be fine," she said. His fingers brushed her skin, and tiny shivers darted from the touch.

Her nipples pebbled, and she resisted the urge to cover her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with her hands. A soft fizzing sound filled the bathroom, and then the wound stung. Shay sucked in a quick breath and gritted her teeth.

"I'm sorry." Kyle continued to dab the cotton ball on the wound.

"It's okay," Shay ground out. She reached in front of her and wrapped her fingers around the towel rod on her shower door. Clenching her fingers around it, she focused on breathing in and out to distance herself from the sting of disinfectant on her wound.

His motions slowed, and she heard the soft clunk of the bottle on the counter. The trash bag rustled as he tossed the cotton ball into it. The room closed in. She became aware of Kyle standing behind her, his body just inches from her. The thudding of her heart sounded loud in her ears. She longed to turn around and see him, but didn't, afraid of the desire she would see in his gaze. Keeping her eyes down, she waited.

He touched her. His fingers slid across her shoulder, a feather light touch against her skin.

Tiny sparks danced at the contact. Telling herself he was a ghost did little good, as heavy warmth filled her limbs. His hand skimmed her side, barely touching the side of her breast. She wanted more. Him. His c.o.c.k. Her lips parted.

"Kyle," she breathed.

"Shay." His other hand reached around to palm her breast, a light touch that soon had him standing against her. The ridge of his c.o.c.k pressed against her b.u.t.tocks. Her knees went weak. She leaned against his strength, not wanting to get used to his warmth surrounding her. The fact he was a ghost mattered little. Some part of her mind rebelled, but she refused to listen. Right now, still aching from the fight and heart-sore from her best friend's death, she wanted his warmth, his strength surrounding her.

She shifted her weight. Her ankle protested, and she quickly moved her weight to her good foot.

"Let me help you." His hand slid down her back, to her hip. "Turn around and wrap your legs around me."

Shay started to turn. "But you're a gh-" Words died when she saw the naked hunger in his eyes. He wanted her, his gaze sweeping over her bared b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"Perfect," he whispered, covering one with his hand. He brushed a thumb across a distended nipple, and Shay closed her eyes. His free hand slid over her back, down to her a.s.s.

Pulling her against him, he urged her to wrap her leg around his waist.

She complied. The first touch of his hard c.o.c.k against her coaxed a low moan from her throat. She wrapped her arms around him and brought her other leg around his waist. He easily lifted her, carrying her out of the bathroom.

"Where's your bedroom?" He glanced down the hall, before looking back into the living room.

The Purrfect Man By Mary Winter Available Now from Pink Petal Books "I'm sorry."

The masculine words sounded truly remorseful, and it took Althea a moment to realize she was dreaming. "It's okay," she automatically replied, though she knew not who this man was or why he apologized to her. In fact, she couldn't really see him. Instead, it seemed as if she still lay in bed, though the edges of the room seemed fuzzy. An effect of the sinus medication, she wondered, but she'd never had dreams like this before.

Gradually, her surroundings became visible. A man sat on the foot of her bed. Though he didn't move, she sensed an inherent lithe grace in his form.

"Wha--?" she asked, coming out of a medicine-induced fog. "Who are you?"

Tawny hair crowned his head and feathered over his shoulders. His brilliant blue eyes held warmth. A straight nose divided his face, leading to the fullest, most sensuous pair of lips she'd ever seen on a man. He wore no shirt, and the view of his chest nearly took Althea's breath away.

Matching tawny hair dusted his pectorals, and then arrowed over a work-hardened set of abs and disappeared beneath the waistband of a gray pair of sweat pants. His feet were bare.

She blinked at the sweat pants. Until that modern piece of clothing, she expected him to be dressed in historical clothing. She didn't know why. She saw only his body; he hadn't even spoken yet. Still, something about his manner, the way he sat with his hands resting on his muscled thighs brought back images from a bygone era. She chalked it up to the timelessness of the dream state.

He moved closer, the efficiency in the way he inched toward her pillow reaffirming her belief that this was a man unlike any she'd met. After settling himself next to her hip, he trailed his fingers over her arm. The caress, so light, reminded her of the way she'd petted the cat on her porch.

"I'm Dante," he said. Reaching out, he brushed his thumb against her lips. "So beautiful.

So warm." He bent over, replacing his thumb with his lips. Gently he kissed her, drawing her deeper into the dream, into him. His lips coaxed, nibbled, ate as daintily as a cat enjoying a tasty morsel. With his tongue, he traced her lower lip.

Althea parted her lips to allow him entrance. Dante's answering moan sent warm shivers darting through her body. She wrapped her arm around him, tangling her fingers in his silky soft hair. His hard body pressed against hers, and arousal drew her nipples into tight beads. She wanted to be devoured by him, to feel his lips on every inch of her flesh. Allergies forgotten, she clung to him and slid her other hand down over his muscled back to his b.u.t.tocks. This was a dream, after all.