Practical Melanie Middleton hates to admit she can see ghosts. But she's going to have to accept it. An old man she recently met has died, leaving her his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog -- and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her their secrets. Enter Jack...  more

Practical Melanie Middleton hates to admit she can see ghosts. But she's going to have to accept it. An old man she recently met has died, leaving her his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog -- and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her their secrets. Enter Jack Trenholm, a gorgeous writer obsessed with unsolved mysteries. He has reason to believe that diamonds from the Confederate Treasury are hidden in the house. So he turns the charm on with Melanie, only to discover he's the smitten one... It turns out Jack's search has caught the attention of a malevolent ghost. Now, Jack and Melanie must unravel a mystery of passion, heartbreak -- and even murder.

Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own...  more

Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer -- even her closest friends. Or a vicious killer? Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever seen: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realizes that the ground could hide hundreds of victims. You won't know until the 11th hour A reporter launches a series of vicious articles about the cases and Lindsay's personal life is laid bare. But this time she has no one to turn to -- especially not Joe.

It's finally time! Detective Lindsay Boxer is in labor -- while two killers are on the loose. Lindsay Boxer's baby is finally born! But when her husband Joe gets back from Washington, DC, he has terrible news -- he's lost his job. After only a week at home with her new baby, Lindsay...  more

It's finally time! Detective Lindsay Boxer is in labor -- while two killers are on the loose. Lindsay Boxer's baby is finally born! But when her husband Joe gets back from Washington, DC, he has terrible news -- he's lost his job. After only a week at home with her new baby, Lindsay has to return to work. Then she finds that her replacement, Detective Mackie Morales, has taken over the department's biggest case: A football player for the San Francisco 49ers has been accused of murdering his girlfriend. At the same time, Lindsay gets one of the strangest cases of her career. An eccentric English professor has been having vivid nightmares about a violent murder. Lindsay doesn't believe him, but then a shooting is called in -- and it fits the professor's description to the last detail. But all the crimes in the world seem like nothing when Lindsay is suddenly faced with the possibility of the biggest loss of her life.

Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return, the average law-abiding, solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen... Mechanic Mercy Thompson has...  more

Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return, the average law-abiding, solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen... Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places - and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind. But this new vampire is hardly ordinary - and neither is the demon inside of him.

Landmark coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi has served her share of New York's rich and famous, but even she is surprised by her explosive introduction to a mysterious Internet billionaire…. When a car bomb nearly kills the charming young tech whiz Eric Thorner, Clare comes to his aid...  more

Landmark coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi has served her share of New York's rich and famous, but even she is surprised by her explosive introduction to a mysterious Internet billionaire…. When a car bomb nearly kills the charming young tech whiz Eric Thorner, Clare comes to his aid and receives a priceless thank you. Not only does the billionaire buy her a barista's dream espresso machine, he hires her for an extraordinary project: creating the world's most expensive coffee blend. The police arrest Eric's alleged attacker, yet death continues to surround the unlucky mogul, leading Clare to question whether the lethal events are premeditated or merely freak accidents. Clare's boyfriend, NYPD detective Mike Quinn, has a theory of his own -- one Clare refuses to believe. Meanwhile, Eric jets Clare around the world on a head-spinning search for the very best coffee, and Clare gets to know his world -- a mesmerizing circle of money with rivalries that could easily have turned deadly. But is this mysterious young CEO truly marked for termination? Or is he the one making a killing?

Love at first woof.   When Denver-based Were blogger and founder of Honoring of Werewolf Legacy (HOWL) Kate Stillman agrees to take on political “bad boy” Duncan MacDowell in a public debate about werewolf segregation, she’s confident she'll sail through the...  more

Love at first woof.   When Denver-based Were blogger and founder of Honoring of Werewolf Legacy (HOWL) Kate Stillman agrees to take on political “bad boy” Duncan MacDowell in a public debate about werewolf segregation, she’s confident she'll sail through the challenge without letting down her guard.   And what can go wrong while hanging out with the sexy Scottish founder of Werewolves Optimizing Our Future (WOOF) long enough to convince him his views on interspecies mating are mistaken? Plenty, when Kate discovers that she’s actually wildly attracted to her opponent -- who by all accounts prefers dating human women!   But what hope can there be when this irresistible werewolf-with-a-cause believes their future depends on Kate losing the argument?

One fateful night, Toni Langston seduces her best friend, the guy she's been in love with forever. Two problems -- he doesn't remember a thing that happened and now she's pregnant. Toni Langston has been in love with Simon, her best friend, for years. The night Simon breaks up with...  more

One fateful night, Toni Langston seduces her best friend, the guy she's been in love with forever. Two problems -- he doesn't remember a thing that happened and now she's pregnant. Toni Langston has been in love with Simon, her best friend, for years. The night Simon breaks up with his long time girlfriend, he and Toni make love. Toni is devastated and humiliated when, in the heat of the moment, he calls her by his girlfriend's name. The next morning, Simon remembers nothing of the previous night and Toni is only too relieved not to remind him. Two months later, she discovers she's pregnant. She wants Simon to love her, apart from any obligation he might feel because of the baby. So she embarks on a quest to seduce her best friend, to make him see her as more than a little sister, to make him love her as much as she loves him. It works. Maybe too well. Now when things are perfect, she faces telling him of the secret she's kept.

Once Upon A Time, They Loved Each Other Nothing about the room that Eppie awakens in feels like home -- not the furnishings, the ill-fitting clothes, or the Colorado sunlight streaming in through the windows. And certainly not the stranger with long dark hair and silver eyes who claims to...  more

Once Upon A Time, They Loved Each Other Nothing about the room that Eppie awakens in feels like home -- not the furnishings, the ill-fitting clothes, or the Colorado sunlight streaming in through the windows. And certainly not the stranger with long dark hair and silver eyes who claims to have been waiting for her for three long years. Micah Spalding has spent each day hoping that Eppie would open her eyes and return to him. Yet the Eppie he loved was spirited and outspoken -- utterly different to this reserved, aloof woman. Since her injury, Eppie has no memory of Micah or their daughter, or of a passion that was powerful enough to defy every convention. And though his scent and touch trigger something deep within her, Eppie can't bring herself to believe in him.

Betrayed By Her Own Heart Sarah Spalding has learned to forge her own way and never to trust anyone -- least of all a Yankee. But when her companion abandons her while on a train to Colorado, Sarah begrudgingly accepts the help of Whitman Kendrick -- a Yankee, yes, but one with the most...  more

Betrayed By Her Own Heart Sarah Spalding has learned to forge her own way and never to trust anyone -- least of all a Yankee. But when her companion abandons her while on a train to Colorado, Sarah begrudgingly accepts the help of Whitman Kendrick -- a Yankee, yes, but one with the most bewitching green eyes. Allowing Whit to be her traveling escort is one thing, taking him as a lover is another -- even though she's tempted beyond reason... Whit Kendrick isn't quite sure what to make of the sharp-tongued, sassy woman sharing his train compartment. All he knows is that Sarah is refreshingly different from most women -- and his urgent, primal attraction for her is unlike any he's experienced. Breaking down Sarah's wall of defense won't be easy. But Whit is determined to prove to Sarah that they're more alike than different -- and loving each other is all they need.

As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, ace car mechanic Mercy Thompson has had to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so-human within the Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington on more than one occasion.  But this time she may be in over her head. Marsilia, the local...  more

As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, ace car mechanic Mercy Thompson has had to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so-human within the Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington on more than one occasion.  But this time she may be in over her head. Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her.  Now she's out for blood.  But since Mercy is protected from the vampire's direct reprisal by the werewolf pack, it's not Mercy's blood Marsilia is after... It's her friends'.

Being a mechanic is hard work. Mercy Thompson, for instance, just spent the last couple of months trying to evade the murderous queen of the local vampire seethe, and now the leader of the werewolf pack -- who's maybe-more-than-just-a-friend -- has asked for her help. A book of fae secrets...  more

Being a mechanic is hard work. Mercy Thompson, for instance, just spent the last couple of months trying to evade the murderous queen of the local vampire seethe, and now the leader of the werewolf pack -- who's maybe-more-than-just-a-friend -- has asked for her help. A book of fae secrets has come to light and they're all about to find out how implacable -- and dangerous -- the fae can be. OK, so maybe her troubles have nothing to do with the job. But she sure could use a holiday ...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions,...  more

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

A computer techie by trade, Dewey Pellicano would rather swallow needles than be pinned down to a life of quilting. But when her mother passes away, Dewey must exchange code for calico as the new proprietress of Quilter Paradiso. Between learning the business and dealing with a conniving...  more

A computer techie by trade, Dewey Pellicano would rather swallow needles than be pinned down to a life of quilting. But when her mother passes away, Dewey must exchange code for calico as the new proprietress of Quilter Paradiso. Between learning the business and dealing with a conniving employee who is also her sister-in-law, Dewey is ready to snap. During a national quilt show, quilting celebrity Claire Armstrong offers to buy the shop. But before Dewey can accept, she finds the famous quilter lying dead on the floor—a bloody rotary cutter at her side. When hunky homicide detective Buster Healy enters the scene, romance flourishes... until another murder takes place. Can Dewey thread together the pieces to this murderous pattern before the killer strikes again? Wild Goose Chase is the first book in the Quilting Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Dewey Pellicano.

When his friend's death is ruled a suicide, Kevin Connor -- a hustler by trade, sleuth by default -- sets out to prove a case of murder. It doesn't help matters that the victim's grown children, who disapproved of their father's gay lifestyle, are only concerned about their...  more

When his friend's death is ruled a suicide, Kevin Connor -- a hustler by trade, sleuth by default -- sets out to prove a case of murder. It doesn't help matters that the victim's grown children, who disapproved of their father's gay lifestyle, are only concerned about their inheritance. But they are not Kevin's only problem. His high-strung mother has moved in with him -- and she knows nothing about his questionable . . . job.  Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Mystery, 2009.

When college student Jack Coleman meets Derek Malone at a party, it’s mutual lust at first sight. Lies and secrets almost derail the relationship, but they face the problems head on, and it isn’t long before Jack and Derek decide to take their relationship to the next level....  more

When college student Jack Coleman meets Derek Malone at a party, it’s mutual lust at first sight. Lies and secrets almost derail the relationship, but they face the problems head on, and it isn’t long before Jack and Derek decide to take their relationship to the next level. That’s when things get complicated. It turns out Derek and several other people Jack thought he knew are werewolves... and so is Jack. In fact, his unusual birthmark brands him as a Chosen One, a werewolf of great power destined to be alpha. But Jack isn’t sure he’s cut out to be a leader. When a pack rival, Elias Fairchild, kidnaps Derek to force Jack’s hand, Jack has to make up his mind: Will he deny his newfound heritage or risk it all to save Derek’s life?

Six years ago, a hoof to the head ended Leslie Hardin's show-jumping career and his relationship with the man he loved. Broken, hurt, and rejected, Les has focused his energies on rebuilding his life. Les' accident has shown him that the most valuable treasures are usually found under an...  more

Six years ago, a hoof to the head ended Leslie Hardin's show-jumping career and his relationship with the man he loved. Broken, hurt, and rejected, Les has focused his energies on rebuilding his life. Les' accident has shown him that the most valuable treasures are usually found under an imperfect surface, and his reputation for taking in strays starts to grow. But it's one of these strays in particular, injured rodeo cowboy Randy Hersch, who captures more than just his compassion. Between his disapproving father and his chosen career path, Randy has always felt the need to deny his passion. But when Les takes him under his wing, Randy begins to realize that he is truly strong enough to admit his true self -- to himself and the rest of the world. But in the arms of a broken man, can he find acceptance -- and love?

Defense attorney Andy Carpenter manages to sail through any tough situation, whether inside the courtroom or in his personal life. But this all changes when his marriage breaks up and his father suddenly dies, leaving him distraught -- and 22 million dollars richer. Andy doesn't know how his...  more

Defense attorney Andy Carpenter manages to sail through any tough situation, whether inside the courtroom or in his personal life. But this all changes when his marriage breaks up and his father suddenly dies, leaving him distraught -- and 22 million dollars richer. Andy doesn't know how his father accumulated this fortune or why his father begged him to take on the appeal of a death row prisoner. With the help of his new found love, P.I. Laurie Collins, and the support of his golden retriever companion, Tara, he discovers a link between three of the most prominent men in New Jersey, including a senator, and his new client, Willie Miller. Willie was framed, there's no question about it, and Andy soon learns how far powerful men will go to protect their secrets.

Claire Parks has been very sick, but she's fine now -- just fine -- and ready to paint the town red.  Well, pink.  On her first excursion into the wild world of dating, she nets Bud, a tall, sexy, good-looking lumberjack.  She won him fair and square, her prize for not...  more

Claire Parks has been very sick, but she's fine now -- just fine -- and ready to paint the town red.  Well, pink.  On her first excursion into the wild world of dating, she nets Bud, a tall, sexy, good-looking lumberjack.  She won him fair and square, her prize for not dying.  But after a weekend of wild sex, she discovers he's not what she thinks he is.   Undercover police officer Lieutenant Tyler "Bud" Morrison can't believe his eyes.  What's a "princess" doing in a dance club known for its rough trade?  She needs rescuing, and rescuing women is what Bud does best.  He saw Claire first -- finders keepers.  After a weekend of the hottest sex he's ever had, he's definitely keeping this one.   When trouble comes her way, he pulls out all the stops to protect her.  Except Claire doesn't want Bud at her back.  She wants him in her bed.

Her nightmares don't stop when she opens her eyes... In one night, talented musician Allegra Ennis lost her sight, her father and her career in a brutal attack she can't remember. Now she's alone in a world of darkness, her only company the nightmares in her head...and a killer...  more

Her nightmares don't stop when she opens her eyes... In one night, talented musician Allegra Ennis lost her sight, her father and her career in a brutal attack she can't remember. Now she's alone in a world of darkness, her only company the nightmares in her head...and a killer is stalking her every move. Scarred and disfigured by war, tough former SEAL Douglas Kowalski never thought a beauty like Allegra could love someone like him. He doesn't expect more than a one-night stand. But when Allegra's life is threatened, Kowalski realizes he will do anything to keep her safe -- and by his side.

A vacation fling. No complications. No connections. And no regrets. Trauma surgeon Jae Sun Kim has just lost the job he wanted more than anything else in his life. Looking for a way to hit the reset button, he takes a scuba vacation. He didn’t plan on seasickness, or a dive master who is...  more

A vacation fling. No complications. No connections. And no regrets. Trauma surgeon Jae Sun Kim has just lost the job he wanted more than anything else in his life. Looking for a way to hit the reset button, he takes a scuba vacation. He didn’t plan on seasickness, or a dive master who is sex-on-the-beach personified. Shane McCormack’s tendency to drift away from complicated situations has landed him a job as a dive master in Belize, which isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. But with the big three-oh looming, asking his parents to bail him out again isn’t an option. The job isn’t without its perks, though, and as soon as he figures a way to keep that hot but arrogant ass of a doctor from tossing his cookies over the side of the boat, he plans to flirt the control freak out of his brittle shell. The close quarters on the ship generate more heat than either expects, but a vacation fling is all that’s in the plans. An unexpected adventure leaves them changed in ways that make it impossible to go back to their old lives. The risks they’ll both have to take could leave them with nothing but more scars, or the best souvenir of all.

Got an investigation situation? Call the Gemini Men: Ethan and Derek Taggart. Yeah, they're twins. Double the trouble and twice as sexy -- women can't get enough of them or their older brother Danny, who keeps 'em in line when things get wild. The three Taggart men are hot, hard, and...  more

Got an investigation situation? Call the Gemini Men: Ethan and Derek Taggart. Yeah, they're twins. Double the trouble and twice as sexy -- women can't get enough of them or their older brother Danny, who keeps 'em in line when things get wild. The three Taggart men are hot, hard, and ready to take on all comers. Ex-military. Tall. Chiseled. Intelligent and arrogant. And so hot he's on fire. That's Ethan Taggart. Male to the max. Toni Crawford, computer genius turned PI, can't stop looking at him and Ethan's returning the favor. Nice and slow. Those piercing blue eyes of his are about to melt her down but … nothing doing. Toni has to stay cool. Focus on the assignment: the teenage daughter of a multimillionaire just vanished in plain sight. Chasing down leads, investigating every freaky angle, pushing past the boundaries of a hellish underworld of sex and drugs, Ethan and Toni are forced to work closely to stalk an unseen enemy with a taste for cruel games. Risking their lives to save the missing girl is only half the battle. Their blazingly sensual attraction grows every second, until there's no turning back. Their passion is about to explode … and Ethan and Toni soon find that danger breeds the hottest desire of all.

Ethan and Derek Taggart:  they're the men of Gemini, and when it comes to sheet-scorching undercover work, nobody does it better.  The only one they answer to is big brother Danny -- that is, until the right women come along to grab the reins and crack the whip as hard as the...  more

Ethan and Derek Taggart:  they're the men of Gemini, and when it comes to sheet-scorching undercover work, nobody does it better.  The only one they answer to is big brother Danny -- that is, until the right women come along to grab the reins and crack the whip as hard as the Taggart men like it.... Security is Derek Taggart's game, and he plays it straight -- no margin for error, no time to fool around... except with one hot little number who changes everything.  He takes her home when she needs a ride -- one she'll never forget.  The problem is Derek can't forget her, a total about-face for a guy who keeps his enemies closer than his lovers.  Then he finds out the sexy dynamo is Alyssa Miles, notorious party girl and darling of the gossip rags.  It's time to walk away and never look back, which would be a hell of a lot easier if his agency didn't desperately need the high-profile gig her family's offering:  a minor detail that consists mainly of Derek watching Alyssa 24/7.  Keeping an eagle eye on every inch of Alyssa's nubile body isn't exactly a hardship -- the problem is keeping his hands off and his brain on when things go dangerously wrong....

Danny Taggart is the biggest badass of all the Gemini Men.  And there's only one thing a woman can do with a man this hot, hard, and ready for action.... He's the oldest of the three Taggart brothers.  And the boldest.  Tall, dark and rippling with muscle, Danny...  more

Danny Taggart is the biggest badass of all the Gemini Men.  And there's only one thing a woman can do with a man this hot, hard, and ready for action.... He's the oldest of the three Taggart brothers.  And the boldest.  Tall, dark and rippling with muscle, Danny Taggart takes no prisoners.  But when his latest case puts him up close and personal with the woman who once left him raw and aching, he's shell-shocked.  Caroline Medford is still hotter than hell.  But she's also got her pretty grip on the truths that have shaped him into the soul-ravaged warrior he is today.  Burned once, Danny's plan is to satisfy his craving for Caroline and walk away.  Yet once he has her warm and willing beneath him, he can't get deep enough -- or close enough.  Not even when danger threatens to destroy everything he's ever fought for.  Including the only woman he's ever loved....

No one can separate defense attorney Andy Carpenter from his golden retriever, Tara, and she returns his affection, standing loyally beside him through every investigation, no matter how dangerous or puzzling-and he is about to be confronted with one of his most difficult cases yet. When a...  more

No one can separate defense attorney Andy Carpenter from his golden retriever, Tara, and she returns his affection, standing loyally beside him through every investigation, no matter how dangerous or puzzling-and he is about to be confronted with one of his most difficult cases yet. When a cop's body is found burned and decapitated, the last thing Andy expects is for a stranger to waltz into his office and admit to the crime. For the wisecracking millionaire attorney suffering from "lawyer's block", the case looks like a no-brainer, until the cops pick up another suspect: Andy's lead P.I., Laurie Collins, who happens to be the love of his life. Soon Laurie's case is looking bleak and Andy is becoming increasingly desperate. All he had wanted was a case to sink his teeth into. Now he gets one that's a kick in the head . . . and the heart.

Defense attorney Andy Carpenter has been successfully avoiding taking on new cases until his sometime friend and newspaper owner, Vince Sanders, calls and asks him for a favor. Daniel Cummings, Vince's star reporter, is being used as the mouthpiece for a brutal serial killer. He has been...  more

Defense attorney Andy Carpenter has been successfully avoiding taking on new cases until his sometime friend and newspaper owner, Vince Sanders, calls and asks him for a favor. Daniel Cummings, Vince's star reporter, is being used as the mouthpiece for a brutal serial killer. He has been cooperating with the police but Vince wants to make sure both the newspaper and Daniel are protected. Andy thinks the case will be a piece of cake...until Daniel is found unconscious in the park next to the killers latest victim. Daniel claims he intended to stop the murder but the police arrest him. Now, with the help of his girlfriend Laurie and his partner Kevin, Andy reluctantly plunges into the case. And as he learns more about Daniel's shady background he begins to wonder how deadly the truth might be.

Thirty-year-old techie Dewey Pellicano is trying to make a go of Quilter Paradiso, the quilt shop she inherited from her mother. But she's facing a patchwork of problems—fierce competition, an uncooperative employee (who also happens to be Dewey's sister-in-law) and, oh yes, a dead body in...  more

Thirty-year-old techie Dewey Pellicano is trying to make a go of Quilter Paradiso, the quilt shop she inherited from her mother. But she's facing a patchwork of problems—fierce competition, an uncooperative employee (who also happens to be Dewey's sister-in-law) and, oh yes, a dead body in the alley. Dewey pins her hopes on the store's huge 20th anniversary sale and appearance on national television. With the help of her smolderingly hot detective boyfriend Buster Healy, can Dewey save her shop and find the killer?

Meet David Mapstone, a recently unemployed history professor who has just returned to Phoenix, Arizona a town now brimming over-- much to Mapstone's dismay -- with rich retirees. To fill his time, Mapstone takes a temporary job with friend Maricopa County Chief Deputy Mike Peralta: Mapstone...  more

Meet David Mapstone, a recently unemployed history professor who has just returned to Phoenix, Arizona a town now brimming over-- much to Mapstone's dismay -- with rich retirees. To fill his time, Mapstone takes a temporary job with friend Maricopa County Chief Deputy Mike Peralta: Mapstone needs to look into old open cases and try to close them. But when an old flame comes to Mapstone about her missing sister, he is soon dragged deep into a forty-year-old case.

Cooper has spent the last three years running from a painful past. He's currently moving from town to town, working in restaurant kitchens, and playing his violin for tips. As soon as he starts to feel comfortable anywhere -- with anyone -- he moves on. He's aware that music may be the...  more

Cooper has spent the last three years running from a painful past. He's currently moving from town to town, working in restaurant kitchens, and playing his violin for tips. As soon as he starts to feel comfortable anywhere -- with anyone -- he moves on. He's aware that music may be the only human language he still knows. Ironically, the one man he's wanted to communicate with in all that time is deaf. Shawn is part of a deaf theater group at the nearby college. Shawn wants Cooper as soon as they meet and he begins a determined flirtation. Cooper is comfortable with down and dirty sex, just not people. As far as Shawn is concerned, dirty sex is win-win, but he wants Cooper to let him into the rest of his life as well. Cooper needs time to heal and put his past away for good. Shawn needs to help Cooper forgive himself and accept that he can be loved. Both men find out that when it comes to the kind of healing love can bring, the sleepy beachside town of Santo Ignacio, "St. Nacho's" as the locals call it, may just be the very best place to start.

An Imperfect Match Brodick McJames is an earl in name only. To secure his clan's future he needs an English wife. Mary Stanford, daughter of the Earl of Warwickshire, will suit perfectly. He's never met her, but what matter? She'll grace his bed eventually, and once she bears...  more

An Imperfect Match Brodick McJames is an earl in name only. To secure his clan's future he needs an English wife. Mary Stanford, daughter of the Earl of Warwickshire, will suit perfectly. He's never met her, but what matter? She'll grace his bed eventually, and once she bears his child he need see her no more. Anne Copper looks just like her noble half-sister, but she was born illegitimate, and can never forget it. The best she can hope for is to stay a serving girl in her own father's house. But when Lady Mary finds herself betrothed to a Scot, it seems there's a use for Anne after all . . . The woman who arrives in Alcaon is not what Brodick expects, and the passion that grows between them promises far more than a marriage of convenience. When fate draws two together, it may take more than a noblewoman's plot to part them . . .

Determined to find out what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, murdered six months earlier, Kay Scarpetta travels to the Georgia Prison for Women, where an inmate has information not only on Fielding, but also on a string of grisly killings. The murder of an Atlanta family years...  more

Determined to find out what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, murdered six months earlier, Kay Scarpetta travels to the Georgia Prison for Women, where an inmate has information not only on Fielding, but also on a string of grisly killings. The murder of an Atlanta family years ago, a young woman on death row, and the inexplicable deaths of homeless people as far away as California seem unrelated. But Scarpetta discovers connections that compel her to conclude that what she thought ended with Fielding's death and an attempt on her own life is only the beginning of something far more destructive: a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. And she is the only one who can stop it.

Livy Kowalski has no time for idiots.  When you shapeshift into a honey badger, getting through life’s irritants is a finely honed skill. Until she gets stuck housing her nutso cousin and dealing with her dad’s untimely and unexplained demise. That’s where Vic Barinov...  more

Livy Kowalski has no time for idiots.  When you shapeshift into a honey badger, getting through life’s irritants is a finely honed skill. Until she gets stuck housing her nutso cousin and dealing with her dad’s untimely and unexplained demise. That’s where Vic Barinov comes in -- or his house does. Vic can’t step outside without coming back to find Livy devouring his honey stash and getting the TV remote sticky. It gets his animal instincts all riled up. But he’ll have to woo her at high speed: all hell is breaking loose, and Livy is leading the charge…

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need -- and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the...  more

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need -- and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right. Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy. Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s stalker is more than a bad man -- in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.  

Port Mortuary, is literally a port for the dead.  A treacherous path from Scarpetta's past merges with the high tech highway she now finds herself on.  We travel back to the beginning of her professional career, when she enlisted in the Air Force to pay off her medical school...  more

Port Mortuary, is literally a port for the dead.  A treacherous path from Scarpetta's past merges with the high tech highway she now finds herself on.  We travel back to the beginning of her professional career, when she enlisted in the Air Force to pay off her medical school debt.  Now, more than twenty years and many career successes later, her secret military ties have drawn her to Dover Air Force Base, where she has been immersed in a training fellowship. As the chief of the new Cambridge Forensic Center in Massachusetts, a joint venture of the state and federal governments and MIT, Scarpetta is confronted with a case that could shut down her new facility and ruin her personally and professionally.

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now. An evil is...  more

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now. An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River -- one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman -- the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack -- has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges...  more

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman -- the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack -- has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more… After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam -- or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted. Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related -- and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely. 

They've waited a decade to come together. Long years filled with unbearable pain, and soul-wrenching torment that have changed them both. Left wounds that have laid their souls bare. Wounds that stand one chance of healing -- if only they could stop fighting each other long enough for the...  more

They've waited a decade to come together. Long years filled with unbearable pain, and soul-wrenching torment that have changed them both. Left wounds that have laid their souls bare. Wounds that stand one chance of healing -- if only they could stop fighting each other long enough for the truth to work its healing balm. Kane, a relentless warrior, lost more than his heart to Sherra in a night of mating passion that marked them both for life. But news of her death ripped his soul apart. For years he has fought to avenge the death of the woman he loved more than his own life, by revealing the deceit and cruelty of the Council that created the Breeds. But Sherra didn't die. In a cruel and evil twist she was convinced by her sadistic handlers that the man she had given her body, heart and soul to had betrayed not only her, but the child she carried and lost. Amid the rapidly escalating violence against the Feline Breeds, Kane and Sherra learn that there's more to mating than just the "heat", just as there's more to love than just the sex...

Danger prowls on two legs.... Detective Sally Decker's Wyoming trip to visit her newlywed friend, Carly, turns into a dangerous adventure into the unknown when she learns Carly's husband is a master vampire, and there's a pack of werewolves living just up the road. As if that...  more

Danger prowls on two legs.... Detective Sally Decker's Wyoming trip to visit her newlywed friend, Carly, turns into a dangerous adventure into the unknown when she learns Carly's husband is a master vampire, and there's a pack of werewolves living just up the road. As if that wasn't alarming enough, the sexy Alpha wolf has taken a shine to her. Jason Moore is an Alpha on a mission to make Sally his own. His very public seduction doesn't sit well with the pack's available females, but instinct tells him that Sally can handle anything, including any werewolf bitch dumb enough to challenge her. Romance gives way to a call to arms when the pack's children come under attack. Their rescue mission turns into a mating dance and the hunt is on in more ways than one. Their attraction is mind-bendingly hot, though startling revelations about his magic and her origins could drive a wedge between them forever. Can love help them bridge the chasm between their worlds?

It’s August in Savannah, Georgia -- hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat -- or from a cake knife in the back... Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But...  more

It’s August in Savannah, Georgia -- hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat -- or from a cake knife in the back... Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But when her dear friend Chantilly Parker is arrested for murder, Reagan vows to clear her name. The victim is Simon Ambrose, who’s found lying in his own wedding cake with a knife in his back. Chantilly has motive (Simon broke her heart to marry wealthy Waynetta Waverly) and opportunity (crashing the wedding in her UPS delivery truck). And she has cake on her face, and the stolen bridesmaid dress the killer wore is in her truck. But Chantilly would never wear crinoline to kill a man! With the help of her flamboyant auntie, KiKi, and vexing but attractive attorney Walker Boone, Reagan is determined to save her friend -- before she’s forced to turn in her brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit…

Dead Ever After marked the end of the Sookie Stackhouse novels -- a series that garnered millions of fans and spawned the hit HBO television show True Blood. It also stoked a hunger that will never die…a hunger to know what happened next.   With characters arranged alphabetically...  more

Dead Ever After marked the end of the Sookie Stackhouse novels -- a series that garnered millions of fans and spawned the hit HBO television show True Blood. It also stoked a hunger that will never die…a hunger to know what happened next.   With characters arranged alphabetically -- from the Ancient Pythoness to Bethany Zanelli -- bestselling author Charlaine Harris takes fans into the future of their favorite residents of Bon Temps and environs. You’ll learn how Michele and Jason’s marriage fared, what happened to Sookie’s cousin Hunter, and whether Tara and JB’s twins grew up to be solid citizens.   This coda provides the answers to your lingering questions -- including details of Sookie’s own happily-ever-after… The book will feature extensive interior art by acclaimed Sookie artist Lisa Desimini, including a Sookieverse Alphabet, color endpapers, and several full-page black and white interior illustrations.

Three mortal women discover the loves of their lives … the vampires of their dreams. One and Only (Brotherhood of Blood, Bk 1) Vampire Atticus Maxwell stands at the edge of his own oblivion … until the faint heartbeat of a desperately wounded mortal woman calls him back. The...  more

Three mortal women discover the loves of their lives … the vampires of their dreams. One and Only (Brotherhood of Blood, Bk 1) Vampire Atticus Maxwell stands at the edge of his own oblivion … until the faint heartbeat of a desperately wounded mortal woman calls him back. The terrible crash that almost took both their lives has brought him a woman who just might give him a reason to live again. No barrier to their love seems too great -- until they learn the crash was no accident at all … Rare Vintage (Brotherhood of Blood, Bk 2) Marc LaTour is drawn to Kelly when she goes to work for the newlyweds Atticus and Lissa at their vineyard. He moves into the mansion on the pretext of needing a place to stay while his own home is remodeled. Then an upstart vampire challenges him to a fight to the death. Kelly is willing to trade her life for his -- but can he save her from himself? Phantom Desires (Brotherhood of Blood, Bk 3) Dmitri Belakov enters the scorching hot dreams of the woman who just bought the farmhouse that rests above his secret lair. He must either bargain with her or kill her, but she is much too intriguing to dispose of so easily. When he discovers she is his One -- his perfect match -- he’ll do anything to keep her by his side…forever.

An abused woman has the power to unite werefolk, fey and vampire against an evil that would see them all dead--if she can learn to love again. Christy lies near death after a brutal beating by her estranged husband. Her preternatural friends reach a desperate conclusion: The only way to save her...  more

An abused woman has the power to unite werefolk, fey and vampire against an evil that would see them all dead--if she can learn to love again. Christy lies near death after a brutal beating by her estranged husband. Her preternatural friends reach a desperate conclusion: The only way to save her is to turn her. Sebastian steps forward to take on the burden of being her Maker. For him its no burden at all. She draws him as no other woman has for centuries. With the help of a werecougar friend, Sebastian teaches Christy about her new life and abilities, making certain she is as strong as he can make her. Only then can she face her abusive ex-husband and put her old life behind her. But Christy's ex-husband is involved in something more dangerous than any of them had guessed. Vampire, were, and even a fey knight must work together to put an end to the threatening evil. To overcome her past, help keep the darkness at bay, and fight for a new life with Sebastian, Christy must draw on all of her new-found strength. Will it be enough? Warning, this title contains explicit sex, graphic language, menage a trois, hot neck biting and werecougar stroking.

Beauty is more than skin-deep... Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful.  While she doesn't hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart.  She's free sexually -- but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly...  more

Beauty is more than skin-deep... Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful.  While she doesn't hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart.  She's free sexually -- but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior. With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit.  He's the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants.  And what he wants is Raven.  She's a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring. Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced.  He makes her break all her rules -- including her no-monogamy rule. But when a figure from Raven's past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge...

When the moon goes dark, the inner beast comes out to play.  WILDER'S MATE (Bloodhounds, Bk 1) Created by the Guild to hunt and kill vampires, Wilder's enhanced abilities come with a high price: full-moon savagery, and new-moon sexual hunger that borders on madness. Rescuing...  more

When the moon goes dark, the inner beast comes out to play.  WILDER'S MATE (Bloodhounds, Bk 1) Created by the Guild to hunt and kill vampires, Wilder's enhanced abilities come with a high price: full-moon savagery, and new-moon sexual hunger that borders on madness. Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is complicated when the man's pretty apprentice, Satira, insists on tagging along. As the search drags on, Wilder finds himself racing against time. If Satira is still at his side on the new moon, nothing will stop him from claiming her. And no one will be safe -- not even the man they're fighting to save.  HUNTER'S PREY (Bloodhounds, Bk 2) Ophelia has enough on her plate managing the Guild's bloodhound manor without her inconvenient attraction to Hunter, a new hound who was forcibly turned. Having survived the violence of the full moon, Hunter isn't looking forward to his first new moon out of a cage. Ophelia offers to be the woman who sates his needs during the three long days of sexual fury, but he can't abide the thought of hurting her in a state of mindless lust. Their mutual goal is simple: avoid entanglements. It's a solid plan, at least until a vampire drug lord forces them to work together to defend everything they hold dear.

When Christy Blake loses one of her two cats, Midnight, and her boss in what looks like a robbery attempt at her secondhand shop, Memories and Dreams, she thinks it's the end of the world. But Midnight isn't ready to go anywhere just yet, so he comes back as a ghost cat to help her track...  more

When Christy Blake loses one of her two cats, Midnight, and her boss in what looks like a robbery attempt at her secondhand shop, Memories and Dreams, she thinks it's the end of the world. But Midnight isn't ready to go anywhere just yet, so he comes back as a ghost cat to help her track down his killer. Clearly there is a bond between Christy and Midnight.

Most girls might think twice before getting engaged to someone like Reyes Farrow -- but Charley Davidson is not most girls. She’s a paranormal private eye and grim reaper-in-training who’s known to be a bit of a hell-raiser, especially after a few shots of caffeine. Her beloved Reyes...  more

Most girls might think twice before getting engaged to someone like Reyes Farrow -- but Charley Davidson is not most girls. She’s a paranormal private eye and grim reaper-in-training who’s known to be a bit of a hell-raiser, especially after a few shots of caffeine. Her beloved Reyes may be the only begotten son of evil, but he’s dark and sultry and deeply sexy and everything Charley could hope for. Really. But when the FBI file on Reyes’ childhood happens to land into her lap, she can’t help herself: She opens it...and then the real fun begins. First, Charley finds a naked corpse riding shotgun in her car. Then, a man loses his soul in a card game. Throw in a Deaf boy who sees dead people, a woman running from mobsters, and a very suspicious Reyes, and things can’t get any worse for Charley. Unless, of course, the Twelve Beasts of Hell are unleashed…

A suspenseful brew with a dash of passion High Priestess might sound like an '80s hair band, but it's Mona McGregor's life. She runs the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia, and leads a large coven. She's also raising two nieces and hasn't been with a man for fifteen...  more

A suspenseful brew with a dash of passion High Priestess might sound like an '80s hair band, but it's Mona McGregor's life. She runs the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia, and leads a large coven. She's also raising two nieces and hasn't been with a man for fifteen years -- until a handsome doctor takes an interest in her. But Mona's life really heats up when Adam Blue, a sexy werewolf, arrives at her door. Adam informs her that someone wants her dead and he is there to protect her. Hell's bells! When a demon begins stalking her, Mona has to suspect her coven members, and even her family. With two handsome men and a determined demon after her, Mona teams up with Adam to find out who really wants her dead ... and who really wants her.

HE ALWAYS BRINGS DOWN HIS PREY... Able to wield thunder and lightning, wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries.  His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the wyr's best weapons.  And he's the one sent to protect Tricks, heir to the...  more

HE ALWAYS BRINGS DOWN HIS PREY... Able to wield thunder and lightning, wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries.  His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the wyr's best weapons.  And he's the one sent to protect Tricks, heir to the Dark Fae throne, when she's almost assassinated in Chicago.  Soon Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them -- a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds.

Eryn James is a medical secretary, not a police officer, but when the police ask her to assist in tracking down a killer, she jumps at the chance. Not because she has any real desire to hunt down a killer, but because the task involves playing bait in Lifemate Connections -- one of the most...  more

Eryn James is a medical secretary, not a police officer, but when the police ask her to assist in tracking down a killer, she jumps at the chance. Not because she has any real desire to hunt down a killer, but because the task involves playing bait in Lifemate Connections -- one of the most exclusive and expensive bars in town. In a world where men outnumber women ten to one, and long-term relationships are frowned upon, bars like Lifemate provide a safe environment for women and men to meet and "test drive" possible life mates without the initial risk of taking them home. But five patrons of the bar have recently been murdered, and as a shifter with a keen sense of smell, it is now Eryn's task to track down the killer. But no matter how much she trusts her nose to get her out of trouble, she isn't about to go in there alone. The club is full of security, and there are cops sitting in a van, listening to her every word and move. How dangerous could playing bait actually be? Then she meets Grey Stockard. A man who oozes sex appeal and danger with every movement. A man she wants with every ounce of her being. A man she just might end up dying for.

James Patterson's scariest, sexiest standalone thriller since The Quickie. Ben isn't like most people. Unable to control his thoughts, he's a man consumed by his obsessions: cars, tennis, marathons, trains, yachts-and Diana Hotchkiss, a beautiful woman Ben knows he can never have. When Diana is...  more

James Patterson's scariest, sexiest standalone thriller since The Quickie. Ben isn't like most people. Unable to control his thoughts, he's a man consumed by his obsessions: cars, tennis, marathons, trains, yachts-and Diana Hotchkiss, a beautiful woman Ben knows he can never have. When Diana is found dead outside her apartment, Ben's infatuation drives him on a hunt to find out what happened to the love of his life. But Ben quickly discovers that the woman he pined for was hiding a dangerous double life. To her family, she's a sweet Midwestern girl who helped her brother get clean. But in the political world of Washington DC, she's a manipulative go-getter who uses her sexual prowess to get what she wants. And now someone is out to stop Ben from uncovering the truth about Diana's illicit affairs. In his most heart-pumping thriller yet, James Patterson plunges us into the depths of a mind tortured by paranoia and obsession, on an action-packed chase through a world of danger and deceit.

Thom and Jennifer Harlow are the perfect couple, with three perfect children. They maybe two of the biggest mega movie stars in the world, but they're also great parents, philanthropists and just all-around good people. When they disappear without a word from their ranch, facts are hard...  more

Thom and Jennifer Harlow are the perfect couple, with three perfect children. They maybe two of the biggest mega movie stars in the world, but they're also great parents, philanthropists and just all-around good people. When they disappear without a word from their ranch, facts are hard to find. They live behind such a high wall of security and image control that even world-renowned Private Investigator Jack Morgan can't get to the truth. But as Jack keeps probing, secrets sprout thick and fast--and the world's golden couple may emerge as hiding behind a world of desperation and deception that the wildest reality show couldn't begin to unveil. Murder is only the opening scene.

Diana Gabaldon's brilliant storytelling has captivated millions of readers in her bestselling and award-winning Outlander saga. Now, in An Echo in the Bone, the enormously anticipated seventh volume, Gabaldon continues the extraordinary story of the eighteenth-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser...  more

Diana Gabaldon's brilliant storytelling has captivated millions of readers in her bestselling and award-winning Outlander saga. Now, in An Echo in the Bone, the enormously anticipated seventh volume, Gabaldon continues the extraordinary story of the eighteenth-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his twentieth-century time-traveling wife, Claire Randall. Jamie Fraser, former Jacobite and reluctant rebel, is already certain of three things about the American rebellion: The Americans will win, fighting on the side of victory is no guarantee of survival, and he'd rather die than have to face his illegitimate son -- a young lieutenant in the British army -- across the barrel of a gun. Claire Randall knows that the Americans will win, too, but not what the ultimate price may be. That price won't include Jamie's life or his happiness, though -- not if she has anything to say about it. Meanwhile, in the relative safety of the twentieth century, Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna, and her husband, Roger MacKenzie, have resettled in a historic Scottish home where, across a chasm of two centuries, the unfolding drama of Brianna's parents' story comes to life through Claire's letters. The fragile pages reveal Claire's love for battle-scarred Jamie Fraser and their flight from North Carolina to the high seas, where they encounter privateers and ocean battles -- as Brianna and Roger search for clues not only to Claire's fate but to their own. Because the future of the MacKenzie family in the Highlands is mysteriously, irrevocably, and intimately entwined with life and death in war-torn colonial America. With stunning cameos of historical characters from Benedict Arnold to Benjamin Franklin, An Echo in the Bone is a soaring masterpiece of imagination, insight, character, and adventure -- a novel that echoes in the mind long after the last page is turned. Audio Review: The seventh volume in Gabaldon's bestselling Outlander saga, this lengthy novel finds twentieth-century time trekker Claire Fraser in the American Colonies during the revolution with her eighteenth-century Scots husband, Jamie. Davina Porter's virtuoso narration clarifies the leaps between the three major story lines: the Frasers in the Colonies, their daughter and her husband in 1980s Scotland, and Lord John Grey and his British family in Claire and Jamie's time. Thanks to Porter's superb voicings, especially of sharp-witted Claire and brawny Jamie, the listener follows the potentially bewildering episode changes. Porter excels in voicing their son-in-law's raspy attempts to sing with a throat injury, due to an unsuccessful hanging, and improves a few beleaguered narrative sections with snappy pacing. While this isn't the best of the series, it's still delightful. -- AudioFile 40 sound discs (46 hr.) : digital

From New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur comes a brand-new series featuring heroine Emberly Pearson -- a phoenix capable of taking on human form and cursed with the ability to foresee death....   Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save...  more

From New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur comes a brand-new series featuring heroine Emberly Pearson -- a phoenix capable of taking on human form and cursed with the ability to foresee death....   Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent it from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for. Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus, the Crimson Death -- a by-product of a failed government experiment intended to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now all those infected must be eliminated.   But when Emberly's boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames....

First in a new Trilogy from Charlaine Harris, the bestselling author who created Sookie Stackhouse and her world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, comes a darker locale -- populated by more strangers than friends. But then, that's how the locals prefer it... Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with...  more

First in a new Trilogy from Charlaine Harris, the bestselling author who created Sookie Stackhouse and her world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, comes a darker locale -- populated by more strangers than friends. But then, that's how the locals prefer it... Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It's a pretty standard dried-up western town. There's a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There's a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there's new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he's found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own). Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth...

Victor Bayne sees dead people. Working homicide is a cinch for him, since the victims can finger their killers, and give the how, when and why of their own demises. So work is no big challenge. It's the rest of Vic's life that gives him problems. PsyCop: Property contains PsyCop stories 3...  more

Victor Bayne sees dead people. Working homicide is a cinch for him, since the victims can finger their killers, and give the how, when and why of their own demises. So work is no big challenge. It's the rest of Vic's life that gives him problems. PsyCop: Property contains PsyCop stories 3 and 4 (Body & Soul, and Secrets). In Body & Soul, Victor tracks down missing persons while his lover, Jacob, tries to find a home they can move into that's not infested-with either cockroaches, or ghosts. A deceased junkie with a bone to pick leads Victor on a wild chase that ends in a basement full of horrors. Secrets finds Victor and Jacob settling into their new home, but Victor finds the notion that Jacob's been holding back on some pertinent information distinctly unsettling, to say the least. Jacob's on a case that has him stretched to the breaking point, and Victor's old partner Lisa needs him to help her work through an ethical psychic dilemma.

Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 x 12 cell, it’s not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival -- and revenge -- are worth waiting for.  Until the so-called doctor tempts his...  more

Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 x 12 cell, it’s not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival -- and revenge -- are worth waiting for.  Until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special: a woman, with a soft Southern accent and a scent like flowers. Sabine. Sabine Acadia didn’t volunteer to be dinner. She was kidnapped and tossed into the cage of a monster. A monster with fierce green eyes, a body that speaks of ruthless power -- but a touch gentle as a caress. Ryder knows things about her, secrets Sabine needs to learn fast. Because while they might soon escape this prison, she’s fighting an urge to set all her desires free…

UNDER FIRE Eve Bradley was undercover looking for a story, not a cause. But something about the man they called Subject Thirteen got her involved. The scientists said he was a devil, and they had a decent case: Terrifying power. A bad attitude. And looks that could lead anyone to...  more

UNDER FIRE Eve Bradley was undercover looking for a story, not a cause. But something about the man they called Subject Thirteen got her involved. The scientists said he was a devil, and they had a decent case: Terrifying power. A bad attitude. And looks that could lead anyone to sin... Cain O'Connor knows the minute he catches her candy scent that Eve could drive him wild. But she's a threat -- in a way no one has been for him in years. She's safer away from him, too. But with a powerful conspiracy determined to shut Eve up for good, there's no time to argue. All they can do is trust their instincts -- and their hearts...

Merit, Chicago's newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit....  more

Merit, Chicago's newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene -- and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission. Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she'll probably regret it. And she's not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals -- not least between her and a certain centuries-old green-eyed Master vampire.

Laird Keir McQuade is a newcomer to his title, and has much work before him to restore the McQuade honor. Finding a wife is an excellent start. He’s duty-bound to go to court and swear homage to his king anyway, a perfect opportunity -- were not court women trussed in stupid fashions and...  more

Laird Keir McQuade is a newcomer to his title, and has much work before him to restore the McQuade honor. Finding a wife is an excellent start. He’s duty-bound to go to court and swear homage to his king anyway, a perfect opportunity -- were not court women trussed in stupid fashions and corrupted with false mannerisms. Of course, not every lady hides behind a powdered face….   Helena Knyvett may be a daughter of the aristocracy, but in truth she is little but a pawn in her brothers ploys for power. Her smallest acts of defiance carry a heavy price. But one honorable man among a crowd of dandies could give her all she needs to change her fortunes…and set her free.   Among the ruthless ambitions of England’s powerful, love at first sight is a dangerous game. But the treachery, scandal, and treason that follow can unleash as much passion as it does adventure.

Victor Bayne honed his dubious psychic skills at one of the first psych training facilities in the country, Heliotrope Station, otherwise known as Camp Hell to the psychics who've been guests behind its razorwire fence. Vic discovered that none of the people he remembers from Camp Hell can be...  more

Victor Bayne honed his dubious psychic skills at one of the first psych training facilities in the country, Heliotrope Station, otherwise known as Camp Hell to the psychics who've been guests behind its razorwire fence. Vic discovered that none of the people he remembers from Camp Hell can be found online, nor is there any mention of Heliotrope Station itself. Someone's gone through a lot of trouble to bury the past. But who?

They are the Ghost Ops: a covert squad of super-elite soldiers. After their team was betrayed and massacred, the three surviving members went underground and built Haven, a community of misfits and geniuses. Now they're at a crossroads, facing a new threat capable of destroying everything...  more

They are the Ghost Ops: a covert squad of super-elite soldiers. After their team was betrayed and massacred, the three surviving members went underground and built Haven, a community of misfits and geniuses. Now they're at a crossroads, facing a new threat capable of destroying everything they hold dear. When Nick Ross disappears from Elle Thomason's life, she is certain she'll never see the man she loves again -- except in her dreams. Ten years later, as a respected researcher breaking new ground in psychic phenomena, she sends a desperate call for Nick's help. One by one, her colleagues have started disappearing . . . and Elle knows she's next. An elite soldier, Nick never meant to hurt Elle, duty kept him away -- and then she vanished. Now troubled by unusually vivid, disturbing dreams of Elle in danger, Nick will rescue the only woman he's ever wanted and bring her back with him to Haven. Though powerful men are after Elle and her special abilities, Nick will die before leaving her side again.  

Everything's coming together for budding fashion designer Carolina Preston. Only months away from having her own line, she could use some publicity. That's when her brother suggests his best friend as a model -- hockey player Drew Hogan. Carolina and Drew already have a history -- a...  more

Everything's coming together for budding fashion designer Carolina Preston. Only months away from having her own line, she could use some publicity. That's when her brother suggests his best friend as a model -- hockey player Drew Hogan. Carolina and Drew already have a history -- a hot one, back in college. Unforgettable for Carolina, but for Drew, just another slap shot. This time, though, it's different. His perfect body would be for professional use only. This time, she could use him. Drew is all for it. He's looking forward to the exposure. Plus, it would give him a chance to prove to Carolina that he's changed. If only he could thaw her emotions, convince her to let down her guard and let him in just one more time...

Only one man and one woman can stop the world from burning in this thrilling final volume in Lisa Marie Rice’s sexy Ghost Ops series, in which an elite super-secret military team must face down doomsday and protect the gifted women they love. Haven, a community of misfits and geniuses,...  more

Only one man and one woman can stop the world from burning in this thrilling final volume in Lisa Marie Rice’s sexy Ghost Ops series, in which an elite super-secret military team must face down doomsday and protect the gifted women they love. Haven, a community of misfits and geniuses, is one of the few safe places remaining in a world on fire. Run by the Ghost Ops team, three dangerous, fearless, soldiers who were once betrayed and disgraced will fiercely protect their country and the women they adore from a deadly plague that has turned people into violent monsters. Beautiful brilliant Dr. Sophie Daniels is trapped in her home with the only antidote to the plague. Former Ghost Ops elite operative Jon Ryan is sent on a suicide rescue mission, brutally fighting his way to her side. Together they must cross treacherous terrain before they can return to Haven. But for them to succeed, Sophie must trust this tormented soul and place her life, and her heart, in his hands. Years of combat training has prepared Jon for this moment. Unafraid, nothing is too dangerous now that he’s found Sophie. He will risk everything, fight anyone, for her and a future filled with hope and love.

The coming of the Blood Moon will lead two Lycan packs into war, spur two rival brothers into conflict, and spark an act of vengeance so evil that its effects will be felt for generations. One woman stands at the center of it all... After years of waiting, the Blood Law is at last...  more

The coming of the Blood Moon will lead two Lycan packs into war, spur two rival brothers into conflict, and spark an act of vengeance so evil that its effects will be felt for generations. One woman stands at the center of it all... After years of waiting, the Blood Law is at last avenged. Lycan Alpha Lucien Mondragon takes revenge on his brother, Rafael. Lucien is poised to slay Rafael's life mate, the Lycan/Slayer half-breed Falon- but cannot complete the kill. For Falon's mystical powers and fiery nature awaken a heart Lucien thought long dead. Instead of ending her life, Lucien defiantly marks Falon as his own, tormenting his brother to insanity and spurning Rafael's blood thirst for his own revenge. Though terrified by the savage Lucien, Falon finds herself inexplicably drawn to his primal rage and strength by a desire she cannot resist. Torn between the true love she has for Rafael and the burning hunger she holds for Lucien, Falon knows that the will of her heart will lead her to her destined life mate. But it may also doom the Alpha brothers-and the Lycan race-to extinction...

Caught between destiny and desire, only the Blood Moon Rising can unite them for eternity. The coming of the Blood Moon will lead two Lycan packs into war, spur two rival brothers into conflict, and spark an act of vengeance so evil that its effects will be felt for generations. ONE...  more

Caught between destiny and desire, only the Blood Moon Rising can unite them for eternity. The coming of the Blood Moon will lead two Lycan packs into war, spur two rival brothers into conflict, and spark an act of vengeance so evil that its effects will be felt for generations. ONE WOMAN STANDS AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL... A volatile mix of both Lycan and Slayer, half-breed Falon is Alpha female of her pack, marked by both Lucien and Rafael -- rival Alpha brothers that share equal hold on her heart.  But when Falon's mysterious past completely unravels, it is revealed she is the daughter of the Master Slayer who murdered Lucien and Rafael's parents.  The revelation throws her relationship with both brothers into chaos. Falon begs them not to condemn her for her father's deeds.  She realizes before her Alpha mates that they are destined to be one and pleads with them to accept the unusual triangle.  If the brothers accept her as their mate then the Blood Law of an eye for an eye would be null and void.  But if Lucien and Rafael cannot overcome their pride and accept their fate, the annihilation of the Lycan race waits within the shadow of the Blood Moon....

If Vivian’s life had a soundtrack, every song would be the Blues  Pushin’ Thirty (Hard Life Takes Its Toll) Singer Going Nowhere Fast Mysterious Stalker Got a Hold on Me Bullets, Blood, and Fur Long Lost Werewolf Daddy Done Me Wrong Ain’t No Pack War...  more

If Vivian’s life had a soundtrack, every song would be the Blues  Pushin’ Thirty (Hard Life Takes Its Toll) Singer Going Nowhere Fast Mysterious Stalker Got a Hold on Me Bullets, Blood, and Fur Long Lost Werewolf Daddy Done Me Wrong Ain’t No Pack War Gonna Keep Me Down Love on the Run (feat. Sexy Jason) Melting in His Icy Eyes She’s No Good (Born Under a Bad Moon) Don’t Let Her Song Be Cut Short Livin’ La Vida Werewolf (Bonus Track)

Shaun McCarry left home as a young teenager, certain that whatever he had to do to survive on his own was better than being dragged around the country by his troubled, alcoholic father. Once he got away, he vowed never to look back. But years later, on the eve of his thirtieth birthday, he...  more

Shaun McCarry left home as a young teenager, certain that whatever he had to do to survive on his own was better than being dragged around the country by his troubled, alcoholic father. Once he got away, he vowed never to look back. But years later, on the eve of his thirtieth birthday, he receives a bizarre letter from his dad indicating Shaun's in grave danger. The letter sends him on a journey deep into the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. There, he uncovers a disturbing family history that leaves Shaun questioning everything he thought he knew about his past and even his future. His only ally comes in the form of a mysterious drifter named Rannon James who seems to know more about Shaun's history than Shaun does. Shaun's drawn to the sexy and vaguely familiar man. And when Rannon tells him a story of love and loss, of loyalty and betrayal, and of two childhood friends who share a destiny, Shaun realizes he's inextricably and intimately linked to the other man. But with danger stalking his every move, and fighting a terrifying change in himself that he never asked for, Shaun's not sure who he can trust. Maybe not even himself...

Pleasure conquers all... EVERY DESIRE EXPLORED One forbidden weekend years ago, Helene Delornay found herself stranded with a total stranger.  Bold, virile, and well-schooled in the erotic arts, Philip Ross opened Helene's eyes to a world of sexual delight she never knew...  more

Pleasure conquers all... EVERY DESIRE EXPLORED One forbidden weekend years ago, Helene Delornay found herself stranded with a total stranger.  Bold, virile, and well-schooled in the erotic arts, Philip Ross opened Helene's eyes to a world of sexual delight she never knew existed.  Now proprietress of London's most exclusive house of pleasure, Helene never forgot the carnal bliss she shared with Philip -- and she never found another man who could satisfy the insatiable cravings he awakened within her.... EVERY FANTASY FULFILLED When Philip suddenly returns to Helene's life, the physical attraction they share is far too strong for either to deny.  Now as they explore their fantasies and take them beyond the limit, Helene discovers that her feelings for Philip run far deeper than that of just a lover....

Falling for her might be easy, seducing her may be damned hard, but keeping her alive might just be deadly.   Coming from nothing, Micah Ross now has more than he knows what to do with. His Hawaii BDSM club is flourishing, and he has his pick of women. Except one. Dee Sumners is cute,...  more

Falling for her might be easy, seducing her may be damned hard, but keeping her alive might just be deadly.   Coming from nothing, Micah Ross now has more than he knows what to do with. His Hawaii BDSM club is flourishing, and he has his pick of women. Except one. Dee Sumners is cute, sexy, feisty -- and, since she's on his payroll, off-limits. Plus, she insists she isn't into the life. Until one heated kiss hints that his head bartender secretly hungers to be his sub.   Life on the run doesn't allow Dee to indulge in long-term relationships. Still, Micah manages to work his way through her tough armor and under her skin. Yet even as she succumbs to his skilled seduction, her survival instinct forms a plan to leave the island she has grown to love -- and the man she's in danger of loving.   When Dee disappears, Micah's anger turns to fear when he realizes she didn't leave willingly. Calling on his skills as a former bounty hunter, he tracks her to the mainland only to discover she is entangled in a web of lies and deceit that not only threatens their love, but her life. 

What begins as a quest for submission becomes an unrelenting need for love. May Aiona’s crush on sexy Evan Chambers is a bad habit that should be easy to break. It’s not like he’s ever noticed her. Looking for a safe place to release the reins of control and explore her...  more

What begins as a quest for submission becomes an unrelenting need for love. May Aiona’s crush on sexy Evan Chambers is a bad habit that should be easy to break. It’s not like he’s ever noticed her. Looking for a safe place to release the reins of control and explore her curiosity about BDSM, May takes a friend up on an invitation to visit an exclusive bondage club -- all she has to agree to is a public submission. Evan can’t help but notice the exotically beautiful May. But despite his success, the dirty secrets of his past whisper that he’ll never be good enough for her. When Evan sees her standing in his club ready to submit to his best friend, he gives in to the thing he wants most -- May as his sub. After their session, he knows one night will never be enough. But loving May isn’t easy for a man always ready to take charge. She might like to submit in the bedroom, but she doesn’t like anyone telling her what to do outside of it. When May insists she’s not in any danger from the person seemingly obsessed with her, she ends up in the sights of a deranged stalker -- with Evan possibly too far away to help.  

When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flakey crust. But her pies aren't just delicious. They're having magical...  more

When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flakey crust. But her pies aren't just delicious. They're having magical effects on the people who eat them -- and the public is hungry for more. Discovering her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening the Charmed Pie Shoppe. But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate. and when Loralyn's fiancé is found dead -- killed with Ella Mae's rolling pin -- it'll take all her sweet magic to clear her name.

Her Charmed Pie Shoppe is open for business, but baker Ella Mae LeFaye is about to discover solving a murder is not as easy as pie…   Owning the Charmed Pie Shoppe and serving enchanted treats in the magical town of Havenwood, Georgia, seemed like a little slice of heaven for Ella...  more

Her Charmed Pie Shoppe is open for business, but baker Ella Mae LeFaye is about to discover solving a murder is not as easy as pie…   Owning the Charmed Pie Shoppe and serving enchanted treats in the magical town of Havenwood, Georgia, seemed like a little slice of heaven for Ella Mae LeFaye. But now her hopes for both a lasting romance with Hugh Dylan and business success are starting to seem like pie in the sky, and Ella's left wondering: Where has the magic gone?   When an enchanted grove is set ablaze, Ella realizes she has more grave problems. With her magic waning, she's going to have to sleuth from scratch to stop an arsonist who has no respect for sacred ground -- or human life…

Ellery Adams serves up a mystery that’s a real peach ... Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe is wildly popular in Havenwood, Georgia -- which is not surprising since Ella Mae can lace her baked goods with enchantments. The shop’s extraordinary success seems destined...  more

Ellery Adams serves up a mystery that’s a real peach ... Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe is wildly popular in Havenwood, Georgia -- which is not surprising since Ella Mae can lace her baked goods with enchantments. The shop’s extraordinary success seems destined to continue when Ella Mae meets an engaged couple who hire her to handle the dessert buffet at their wedding. But Ella Mae has a lot on her plate. She is also searching for the origin of her magical powers -- and hoping to determine if the spark of attraction she feels for the handsome Hugh Dylan is authentic or just her new abilities gone awry. Then Ella Mae discovers a high-standing member of the community dead, and a wedding guest becomes seriously ill at the event she’s catering. Now she’ll have to use all her sleuthing skills and culinary talents to prove her pies don’t contain a killer ingredient ...

These boots were made for walking.  Taking kick-ass urban fantasy literally, USA Today bestselling authors Kalayna Price and Faith Hunter bring together the best of the genre to once again prove when you’re fighting supernatural forces, it helps to keep your feet on the ground. ...  more

These boots were made for walking.  Taking kick-ass urban fantasy literally, USA Today bestselling authors Kalayna Price and Faith Hunter bring together the best of the genre to once again prove when you’re fighting supernatural forces, it helps to keep your feet on the ground.  New York Times best-selling author Rachel Caine has modern-day potions witches Holly and Andrew facing off against a firebrand politician who wears literally killer boots in a Texas-sized rodeo of trouble. Boot-loving Cadogan vampire Lindsey must team up with off-again, on-again vampire partner Luc when a woman from her past is targeted by supernaturals in New York Times best-selling author Chloe Neill's all-new adventure. And New York Times best-selling author Rob Thurman features Trixa Iktomi from her Trickster series dealing with magical vengeance and magical footwear, and more... Contents: Forked Tongues / Rachel Caine: modern-day potions witches Holly and Andrew face off against a firebrand politician who wears literally killer boots in a Texas-sized rodeo of trouble;  Stolen Goods / Shannon K. Butcher;  The Girl with No Name / Chris Marie Green;  The Devil's Left Boot / Faith Hunter;  High Stakes / Chloe Neill: boot-loving Cadogan vampire Lindsey must team up with off-again, on-again vampire partner Luc when a woman from her past is targeted by supernaturals;  The Parlor / Lucienne Diver;  Red Isn't Really My Color / Christina Henry;  Snakeskin / Rob Thurman: Trixa Iktomi deals with magical vengeance and magical footwear;  Ruby Red / Kalayna Price.

Thanks to an elderly spinster sleuth and her ingenious cat, Christopher Holmes has enjoyed a celebrated career as a bestselling mystery writer. Until now. Sales are down and his new editor is allergic to geriatric gumshoes. On the advice of his agent, he reinvents his fortyish, frumpy, recently...  more

Thanks to an elderly spinster sleuth and her ingenious cat, Christopher Holmes has enjoyed a celebrated career as a bestselling mystery writer. Until now. Sales are down and his new editor is allergic to geriatric gumshoes. On the advice of his agent, he reinvents his fortyish, frumpy, recently dumped self into the sleek, sexy image of a literary lion, and heads for a Northern California writers conference to try and resurrect his career. A career nearly as dead as the body he stumbles over in the woods. In a weirdly deja vu replay of one of his own novels, he finds himself stranded in an isolated lodge full of frightened women and not a lawman in sight. Except for J.X. Moriarity, former cop and bestselling novelist. The man with whom he shared a one-night stand -- okay, maybe three -- long ago. The man who wants to arrest him for murder. A ruthless, stalking killer, or a hot, handsome ex-lover. Which poses the greater danger? It's elementary, my dear Holmes!

A serious fall is nearly the death of Anna Hitchcock, Christopher Holmes’s former mentor. He’d like to refuse her plea to take over her annual writing retreat, but he owes her too much to refuse. For his lover, J.X. Moriarity, Kit’s cancellation of their romantic weekend is the...  more

A serious fall is nearly the death of Anna Hitchcock, Christopher Holmes’s former mentor. He’d like to refuse her plea to take over her annual writing retreat, but he owes her too much to refuse. For his lover, J.X. Moriarity, Kit’s cancellation of their romantic weekend is the death knell for their limping relationship. Snooping around the elegant, snowbound mansion for clues to Anna’s would-be killer, Kit gets the uneasy feeling that the secret may life between the pages of someone’s fictional past. Unfortunately, a clever killer is one step ahead…and this time, J.X. might not ride to his rescue.

A WOMAN OUT FOR BLOOD Nicole Martin was only eight years old when the vampire slaves rose up in rebellion and killed her family. Now she devotes her life to finding a vaccine against vampirism, hoping to wipe out her memories -- along with every bloodsucker on the planet. But there’s one...  more

A WOMAN OUT FOR BLOOD Nicole Martin was only eight years old when the vampire slaves rose up in rebellion and killed her family. Now she devotes her life to finding a vaccine against vampirism, hoping to wipe out her memories -- along with every bloodsucker on the planet. But there’s one thing she cannot destroy: her searing, undeniable attraction for the one man she should hate and fear the most . . . A VAMPIRE OUT FOR REVENGE A member of the renegade vampire MoonBound Clan, Riker is haunted by demons of his own. When he recognizes Nicole and remembers how her family enslaved his loved ones, his heart burns for vengeance. But when he kidnaps Nicole and holds her in a secret lair, his mortal enemy becomes his soul obsession, his greatest temptation, and, perhaps, his only salvation -- a hot-blooded lover who could heal him with her touch . . . or bury him forever.