Thursday, December 31st, 2009
In the Twelfth Night anthology, I have a story called Three’s a Charm. Enjoy! Reminder: The entire anthology will be available in one big book (that’s all 12 stories) on January 6th.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
TJ Michaels
Award Winning Author of Multicultural Paranormal Romance
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Archive for December, 2009Monday, December 28th, 2009
December 28th – Stroking Midnight by Raine Weaver December 27th – The Best Santa Ever by Katie Allen Saturday, December 26th, 2009
The Twelfth Night anthology contains 12 hot stories by 12 unique authors (many you are already familiar with). The entire antho will be posted for you on Jan 6th. In the meantime, this story by Lacy Danes is number two in the anthology. Enjoy your free copy (Click Here) along with several others I’ll be posting. Saturday, December 19th, 2009
The scene Kenoe rushed in on would have been somewhat satisfying if Shinju hadn’t been covered in blood, both hers and her attackers’. The air was full of the scent of rogue, rotten to the core and unmistakably rancid. The smell mixed with Slade’s and all three women’s. Slade was injured and crawling with the last of his strength to get to and cover Shinju’s body with his own. Bowie knife still drawn, Carin was trying to push Slade back enough to examine Shinju. Tameth stood guard at the alley entrance. With an aggravated tap on his earpiece Kenoe called in the cavalry. “Hatsept here. Clean up, fast. Sending GPS coordinates. One Seeker injured. Four rogues down.” Not just the two Slade originally reported as tailing her. Squashing his rage, he spoke through gritted teeth and reported, “And one human also down. Dr. Carin is already on the scene.” Thank God. Shinju lay flat on her back twitching weirdly. A strange yellow foam bubbled up out of her mouth and dribbled down her chin. Two steps had him at her side. “Is it okay to move her? Anything broken, severed? How can I help? What can I do?” “Kenoe,” Carin snapped. “Get hold of yourself. Her vital signs are weakening, but none of her injuries are life threatening. Something else is going on here.” Easing Shinju off the cold, hard pavement and carefully into his arms, Kenoe saw Carin was right, as usual. A quick inventory revealed no serious wounds at all. A few cuts and scrapes along her arms and legs, a cut under her eye and a goose egg over her brow. One injury, a deep sluggishly bleeding slash from her left ear down to her collarbone made it appear the dogs had aimed to kill but simply missed by sheer luck. None of it explained the woman’s deep level of unconsciousness or the frothing liquid pouring past her lips. What the hell had they done to her? Slade filled in some of the blanks. “They were waiting for her.” Kenoe looked up and briefly met the gaze of his fellow Seeker. Slade had managed to push himself up against the wall to sit up. His eyes were bright, unclouded. And pissed off. “I followed them around the corner expecting two bad guys. Instead there were five. One got away. Outnumbered, the women were already kicking ass and holding their own pretty good. Even without a weapon, Shinju was in the thick of it. Next thing I know she screams like you wouldn’t believe. I turned in time to see one of them stick her in the neck with something. She fell to the ground and started flopping around. I was running to her. That’s when one of the bastards got me in the back.” “So how are they down if you were already out of the fight?” Kenoe wondered aloud. But he never took his eyes off the now convulsing body of his woman, her skin so unusually pale, clammy and blood slick. Where the hell was the clean-up crew, damn it? “I said one of ’em got me in the back. Never said I was down,” Slade grunted with a wry, tight smile as he sat up a bit straighter, one hand holding his ribs. “I sliced ’em, then I hit the pavement.” Slade’s chuckle became a hack, then he spat a wad of mucous-laden blood off to the side. Tameth strode over, reached down to help Slade up then turned to a sulking Kenoe. God, he never sulked. This was new. Couldn’t look past the fact that his best friend thankfully had been there for Shin when he hadn’t. “Come on, Key. The ambulance is here.” Tameth paused and cocked her head sideways. The fat braid down her back was mussed as it flopped from side to side. “Kenoe, I know that look. This is not your fault.” Easing to his feet, he moved to one of the unmarked ambulances that had just backed into the alley. Trying not to jostle Shinju’s battered little body, he kept his eyes front and his gait smooth. “Thanks for being in the right place at the right time, Tam. I should have been with her.” “But it would have been worse if you hadn’t put Slade on her. You knew she was going to sneak off. I’d fault you if you knew it, but did nothing about it.” “I knew she would pull something. It’s in her nature to work things out on her own. But I should have been the one tailing her. It’s my responsibility.” “Yes, but it was her choice.” Tameth said gently, firmly. Carin had already climbed into the ambulance and was busily, and rather loudly, batting away the hands of the attendants. “Damn it, I’m not the one who’s hurt. Stop groping me already!” But her hair was plastered against the side of her face with a clotting bloody gash, and more of the red stuff was sprayed down the front of her shirt. The hands kept reaching for her. “Shinju is the one who needs your attention. Now quit it or I’ll put something in your food to give you a flaming poo!” Then she looked up and locked eyes with Kenoe. Confusion, concern, it was all there in her expressive eyes as she motioned for him to move faster. Before he handed his lovely mate over to the ambulance techs, he cut Tameth a glance and said, “What a fucking mess, Tam. First Max and Sasuke, and now Shinju. I mean, what are the odds that my woman and her only family in all of Japan would be laid up in the hospital at the same time because of the same shit?” A low, miserable groan from behind them caught Tameth’s attention. But Slade was there first. The vamps they’d knocked out all had been cut in one place or another. They were now semi-conscious and barfing like dogs. Good. All hail Dr. Carin’s barfinator serum smeared on the edge of their blades. A nondescript van pulled into the alley just as the ambulances pulled away. Bix and Alaan jumped out, followed by Alex and several more Clan Li Iudex Judges. Yep, interrogation was going to be fun. Ashley Ladd Anya Bast McKenna Jeffries Taige Crenshaw Shelli Stevens Shelley Munro Eliza Gayle Victoria Janssen Juliana Stone Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Congratulations to the winners of the Christmas Goodies Twitter contest! I put all of the entries into a list randomizer from www.random.org (see results below) and selected the top four as our winners. So winners are: janastocks – Tempting Adam & Dangerous Grounds by Shelli Stevens E-mail me your mailing address to tj@tjmichaels.com by tomorrow, Thursday, December 17th by 5:00pm. No exceptions. List Randomizer 1. janastocks Monday, December 14th, 2009
For each author mentioned in this contest I’ll be giving away two books from one of their popular series, including: Lauren Dane’s Federation Chronicles, Mark Henry’s Amanda Feral series, Shelli Steven’s Seattle Steam series and Yasmine Galenorn’s Sisters of the Moon series! This contest will only run for two days – December 15 and 16, but I’ll be giving away lots of books in that short time. After announcing on Twitter and here on my website, I must have ALL winner responses (basically name and address for shipping) by 5:00pm Pacific time on December 17th in order to get your prize to you by Christmas. Here’s how to play – simply retweet the announcements on Twitter (www.twitter.com/tj_michaels) with the name of the authors whose books I am giving away and you’ll be automatically entered. Please enter only once for each author (if you are interested in books from only one author, only retweet with that author’s name. If you’re interested in them all, you may retweet once for each author. Hope that makes sense ;D). Your name will go into a random name picker and that’s it! Good luck all! And Merry Christmas! Saturday, December 12th, 2009
I was in the airport yesterday on my home from a business trip and I saw this very elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair. She was having a friendly conversation with the security agents as they worked with her to prepare to go through the security screening. That woman wore the most stunning red jacket I have seen in a quite awhile. I turned to her and said, “Ma’am, that is the most snazzy red jacket. I love it. It makes me think of Christmas.” And with a lovely smile she proceeded to tell me that her late husband had purchased it for her at about this time of year. I love Christmas. And with that fabulous holiday coming up I got to thinking and came to this conclusion: Nothing says ‘holidays’ like a good party, whether it’s just family and friends or out on the town. And nothing says ‘good party’ like fabulous food and even more awesome music. In this snippet our hero and heroine in Carinian’s Seeker get up close and personal on the dance floor at a celebration at the Western headquarters of the Vampire Council of Ethics. Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit all the other Snippet Saturday authors listed at the end of this post! Vampire Council of Ethics Book 1 by TJ Michaels Copyright 2007, CAPA Award Nominee  Note for Readers: You must be over eighteen to read this excerpt. Carin was amused at her current conversation. These boys were fine as hell with some serious pick-up lines. All of them looked related to the vamp who’d pissed Bix off when the Council had come to see her. Every one of their heads was stark white, some straight, some curly, some loc’d. The thick burgundy drapes were pulled back to allow the moonlight to glow through the crystal floor-to-ceiling windows along one whole wall of the ballroom. The lunar beams cast a bluish sheen on their gorgeous heads, surrounding them with the illusion of faerie dust. Too self-assured by half, their athletic, muscular bodies and devilish good looks ran the gamut from ruggedly handsome to male model chic. All were dressed to the nines in classic black. None of them bothered to sheathe their fangs. Of course she wasn’t interested, but any woman worth her salt would flirt at least a little bit under such yummy circumstances. “You are a beautiful woman with a body made for hot, sweaty sex. If you’re good, perhaps I’ll take you to mate,” said one Armani-clad Hatsept. “Or perhaps you will partner me. My cock is much more decadent than my cousin here. Besides, he already has three mates.” This from a vamp with such a thick head of hair she was almost jealous. Damn, a woman would kill for hair like that. “Yes, but my tongue is more talented,” said yet another gorgeous white-loc’d vamp, “so may I have this dance?” Before Carin could open her mouth to turn them down tactfully, her arm was wrapped around a tense, bulging forearm. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. She’d recognize that soul-stirring growl anywhere. “This woman is taken, Hatsept.” “Says who?” challenged all three b-e-a-utiful vamps. “Says me. Keep fucking with my woman and I’ll stomp a mud hole in your pasty-faced ass.” “Bix, don’t you dare start a fight,” Carin demanded with an exasperated, there’s-too-much-testosterone-in-the-room sigh. But Bix didn’t seem to be listening. When his and the bad boys’ fangs extended to movie-like proportions, she pinched him hard on the inside of his biceps and scowled for all she was worth. “Damn it, Bix, I mean it. You start a fight and I’m outta here. Now let’s dance.” In the end, she had to grab a good chunk of his ass to get his attention. He turned on her with a snarl. Did she care? Not bloody “You snarling at me? Don’t make me kick your ass up in here, Jon Bixler.” She was royally bluffing and inwardly relieved when a thoroughly amused smile spread across his face. “Damn, boys, my woman has more balls than all three of you.” He laughed, took her by the waist and led her onto the dance floor. The music was hip and loud, just the way she liked it. And tonight was for getting her groove on. Carin hadn’t had this much fun in ages, but she was a new woman—energized, sexy, full of passion. A new zest for life, rather than fear of death, expressed itself in her movements to the funky beat of the music. She placed her hand on Bix’s chest and traced a line about his body as she danced around him. Finally, she settled with her back to his and bent her knees to the beat, sliding her body up and down and back and forth against his. She danced with Bix until a light sheen of sweat covered her arms and put a shine on the skin underneath her sapphire jewels at the vee of her breasts, tempting her lover’s eyes to stray to the tease of cleavage. Oh, this was soooo much fun. Then the lights dimmed and a slow song began. The words were sensual, the beat sultry. Bix moved in close. She looked up into his beautiful gray eyes and gulped. A heady combination of It started tame enough when Bix pulled her close and placed a chaste kiss on the side of her temple, which barely reached his shoulder. But then he dipped his head again, this time blatantly inhaling the scent of her hair. His arms tightened around her body and one strong hand dipped low to graze the globe of her left cheek, sending a sizzle down her ass. The other hand discreetly played with the side of her breast. She couldn’t keep her breathing even. “Kiss me, Bix,” she whispered fiercely, tilting her head up with eyes closed. She knew he’d give her what she asked for. No need to look. Just feel. Bix would take care of her. She felt his mouth move towards her, but he didn’t meet her lips. Instead he tipped her chin up more and licked the side of her neck, from her pulse point up to her ear. The intense answering ripple in her womb almost made her forget to erect a psychic shield. “Oh damn, that was nasty. Do it again.” Bix gave her another hot swipe of his wet tongue along her sensitive skin. She shivered as her head fell back. Her skin felt much too tight and her body grew hotter by the second. She barely registered the crooning of the music in the background as she reached into his tailored jacket, grabbed two fists full of his shirt and held on under a sensual assault that almost bent her over backward. Moisture gathered at the entrance of her channel and even she could smell her arousal waft up from between her thighs. Finally, he captured her lips. Bix started growling again, but for a whole new set of reasons, all of which she agreed with wholeheartedly. “I can smell you, baby. Makes me want to go down on my knees and bury my head under your dress right here in the middle of this dance floor.” Lord knows she wanted nothing more than to find a dark corner, flip up her skirt and let him have at it. A primal need rose up in her, a need for him to take her. To make her his in every way. Forever. Her kneecaps quivered and she spoke to them. Don’t you dare dump me on my ass. Stand firm, girl, stand firm. “Firm? I’ve got something firm for you, baby,” Bix whispered into her head and pressed his long, swollen ridge of flesh firmly against her belly. Her shield dropped like a stone. Bix, along with a horde of other horny vamps, heard her telepathic scream. “Oh, Bix, I’m yours, baby. Please… Oh God, bite me.” He looked directly into her eyes, fangs clearly visible. “Are you sure, Carin? There’s no going back if we do this.” She rubbed feverishly against him, trying to do her best to look like she was still dancing rather than humping against his leg. “Yes, I’m sure, Bix. I’m yours, and you’re mine. I can’t imagine being with anyone else or sharing you with anyone else. Ever.” “The mating is to bind you to me, not the other way around,” Bix said firmly, all smug Seeker confidence. Alpha to the bone, arrogant and self-assured. And right now, she didn’t give a rat’s ass. “So you say, damn it. You’re mine.” She knew she could be a stubborn bitch on wheels, but this man was going to be wholly and completely hers and love it. Even if she had to kill him. Her breathing hitched with anticipation as he lowered his head to the sweet pulse on her neck. She could feel his fangs aching fiercely, his need to bite so strong, her gums tingled. So powerful it burned from where his mouth touched her down to the little hairs on her toes. He rubbed his incisors against her tender skin. A sharp voice cut through the fog of lust and need. “Bix and Carin, please join me on the dais.” Alaana Serati stood there, calling to them. “And no necking on the dance floor for you two. We will do this according to tradition.” Then she smiled at Bix’s grimace at having his love play interrupted. “Damn, her timing sucks,” Carin growled into his chest. Vivian Arend Moira Rogers Ashley Ladd Jaci Burton Kelly Maher Leah Braemel McKenna Jeffries Sasha White Taige Crenshaw Shelli Stevens Shelley Munro Eliza Gayle Jody Wallace Juliana Stone Saturday, December 5th, 2009
No story would be complete without good company for our heroes and heroines. Yes, today’s topic is secondary characters. In Egyptian Voyage the secondary characters are a pair of African lions, spirit guides to Rahn and Chrys as they pursue a killer across the high seas. Enjoy a conversation between our heroine, Chrys, and our two spirit guides, Adonei and Mahpiya, who also happen to be mates in EGYPTIAN VOYAGE. Don’t forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday authors by following the links below the excerpt. by TJ Michaels Copyright 2007 (in print and eBook)
With a smile at the light banter going on in her head, Chrys followed an immaculately clean waiter through the restaurant. Rice paper lanterns sent a gentle glow from the center of each large circular table. Japanese kanji symbols strategically placed along the walls and the rich red cinnabar ornaments here and there, gave a feeling of “rightness” to the atmosphere. She wasn’t really into Feng Shui, and doubted the decorators of this Japanese restaurant were either, considering the art was of Chinese origins. Either way, her spirit guides seemed to love the energy of the place. Chrys settled down in her chair, sat back and allowed a sense of peace and relaxation to envelop her—something she hadn’t felt since she learned of the case Rahn was working. The Mastersens were seated and already sipping on frozen, delicious-looking green cocktails. Several couples Chrys didn’t recognize were in the middle of ordering the same thing when Mrs. Mastersen spoke to her. “Chrysalyn, dear,” Mrs. Matersen beamed. “I’m so glad you could join us for dinner. You must try one of these. It’s a Midori Sunrise and tastes like tropical paradise.” Mrs. Mastersen was an all-out chatterbox. On the way back aboard ship on Ibiza, the woman had amused Chrys when she’d spotted the bag of specialty cigars she’d purchased. She’d introduced herself and her husband, then asked to try one without an ounce of shame. Gray-haired, feisty and carefree, the two were enjoying their retired years sailing around the world. Chrys had loved them on sight. “Your dress is downright sexy, young lady. Now where is that delightfully handsome beau of yours? And he let you out looking like that? He’d better be careful or Harold here might put the moves on you. Mr. Mastersen was quite the rake in his day. Still has great skill…” Chrys wondered if the woman had taken a single breath. “And even after all these years, he still makes sure I come before he does.” Chrys coughed on the iced water she’d been sipping. Way more information than she needed to know. Clearing her throat, a quiet giggle escaped between words. “Thank you for the compliment on my dress, ma’am. As for Rahn, an earlier outing took a bit longer than he thought.” Captain Laurens sat down at the head of the table and said, “That would be my fault, I’m afraid. Hope we didn’t put too much of a dent in your plans.” Chrys smiled and said, “When I left, Rahn was getting ready. He sends his apologies and should be walking in the door any minute now. So, I think I’ll order his drink for him. Waiter?” Chrys called, and another smartly dressed young man headed her way. “I’d like a glass of your best chilled rice wine for my, er, friend. And I’ll have one of those green things, please.” “Friend, eh?” Mrs. Mastersen gawked excitedly. “How fabulous for you, my dear. You’ve dated a while, have you?” “We’ve worked together for more than six years and know each other well.” The rest of it was none of anyone’s business. Out of nowhere, the image of Rahn in the shower burst into her thoughts. *I am sure my charge would blush if he knew what you were thinking just now. Can you think of nothing but his cock?* Mahpiya whispered to Chrys, her tongue lolling to the side. ‘Oh, hush up, you. You’re not supposed to tell all my secrets, and I can tell from the way the bond feels that Adonei is listening in.’ *Of course I am listening in. It is my job, is it not?* Adonei sniffed indignantly, then turned to Mah, fussing. *And do you have to speak so boldly regarding your charge’s private parts?* Chrys almost laughed out loud. Didn’t the big cat know by now not to set himself up like that? Before she could form a single smart-assed response, Mah was all over him. *My dear Adonei, I believe you are in need of schooling, and given your old age,* Mah paused for dramatic effect, *you know I certainly do not have to use the word cock. I have been a spirit guide for eons. There are many other ways to express myself, mate.* Chrys clamped her lips together, picked up her water and sipped, trying to hide the smile at the corner of her lips. Oh, boy, here it comes. *I could have called it by some of the other words I have heard over the years, like bacon bazooka…* *Bacon what?* Adonei queried, his brow pulled down in a confused frown. *Do you not like that word? ‘Tis much better than cock, don’t you think? No? Perhaps pork sword?* *What is it with you and pig meat?* Adonei groaned, clearly wishing he hadn’t said anything. *Fine. No more pork. So what about tally whacker? Tickle-gizzard? Wanker? Tube steak?* Chrys’ own eyebrows flew up at that last one. Tube steak? Eww. Adonei swiped a huge paw at Mah, but the lioness dodged it with a laugh and simply kept right on. *Maypole? Meat whistle? Milk bone? Mr. Happy?* Adonei rolled his eyes and grumbled something about the Great Spirit’s sense of humor and boneheaded mates. Suddenly, the muscled body of the tawny-haired lioness stiffened. Alarm and no small amount of fear streaked down the bond and settled in the pit of Chrys’ stomach. ‘What? What is it?’ Chrys demanded, thinking the lions were upset because Eden was headed their way. The man walked right up to the captain, bowed low and managed, yet again, to insinuate himself into their plans. But it wasn’t Eden. It was something else. Mahpiya’s head swung from side to side as if she were looking for something. After a moment or two of soft, seeking roars, her shaken gaze turned inward to Chrys and Adonei. The lioness’s answer was laced with undisguised panic. Something Chrys never imagined to see or hear from the great huntress. *My charge! He is gone! I cannot feel or hear him,* Mahpiya wailed even as Adonei tried to sooth his distraught mate with broad strokes of his tongue just behind her ear. Chrys squirmed in her chair in a subdued version of the pee-pee dance. “Excuse me, you all. I need to take a trip to the powder room.” Glad no one questioned her, she grabbed her little clutch purse and scooted back from the table, keeping her movements slow and deliberate. Out in the hallway, Chrys ducked past the entrance to the ladies’ room and hurried down the hall, speaking to her spirit guides. She tried to ease Mahpiya, who paced nervously at the forefront of her mind, *It’ll be all right. Nothing short of death could take a charge from his spirit guide,* Adonei reminded them both. *That’s what I am afraid of,* Mahpiya screeched. Adonei nipped the skin just above her shoulder with a muted growl, steel grit behind every word. Mahpiya stilled, startled into a quiet contemplation. *You will cease this negative talk of your charge. Speeding negative thoughts or energy his way will gain you nothing. Come with me, now,* he demanded with the quiet authority only an alpha could pull with one so great as Mahpiya. Before Chrysalyn’s eyes, the air in front of her shimmered and blurred as the two big cats took on their corporeal forms. It was the first time Adonei had ever come to her in this form without being summoned. She didn’t hesitate. ‘Both of you go ahead of me. Find Rahn.’ Adonei turned to Mahpiya and said, *We hunt, my love.* With a nod of her large regal head, Mahpiya agreed and let out a ground rumbling roar that would have frightened the stoutest heart. They turned and took off in opposite directions. Walking as quickly as her high-heeled sandals would allow, Chrys moved quietly down the hallways and toward their apartment. Moments later, Adonei pushed into Chrys’ mind. What he reported made her strip off her shoes and tuck them under her arm. Her slender fingers dipped down into the front of her dress to retrieve her apartment key as she ran like the wind. Moira Rogers Ashley Ladd Anya Bast Jaci Burton Kelly Maher Lauren Dane Leah Braemel Mandy Roth McKenna Jeffries Sasha White Taige Crenshaw Shelli Stevens Shelley Munro Eliza Gayle Victoria Janssen Jody Wallace Juliana Stone | ||||||
Enjoy this snippet from HATSEPT HEAT, Vampire Council of Ethics Book 3