RELEASE DAY: Shadow of the Wolf

Shadow of the Wolf   

Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1-61921-095-0
Length: Novel
Publication Date: September 18, 2012

Strike a match, light the candle…and fall into the spell.

Christopher Beckett is from an ancient line of wizards, but with one aspect that sets him apart. His wolf. Right now that wolf is howling for a mate. Knowing it's only a matter of time before the wolf's needs override everything else in his life, Chris casts the spell all the Becketts have used to call their mates to them.

His wish list is short: She must be of a lineage at least as old as his own. And she must accept his wolf. When his mate appears, he realizes his list should have been one item longer.

Alannah Evans, a powerful witch of the Evans Coven, has no problem with Chris's wolf. It's the wizard part that sticks in her magical craw. Witches and wizards have always been at odds, so by rights, she and Chris shouldn't be striking sparks of attraction this bright. But Chris will not be denied, and gradually she finds herself trusting him—then falling into the fire of desire.

When it becomes clear an old enemy has targeted them both for death, Chris charges into a duel that could cost him his life. Or worse: Lana.

Warning: Product contains explicit sex, graphic language, magic, mayhem, and a wet, naked wolf shifter bearing hot chocolate. Mmm… chocolate.

She had to work fast. Lightning was beginning to strike all around the house, the flashes coming closer and closer together, forming a cage they might not be able to break free from. If Chris or Annabelle caught her out here she'd never hear the end of it. She just knew what she had planned would work, but she needed the time to make it work.

She took the large, glass mixing bowl and put the feathers inside. Holding them down with one hand she began to pour salt over the feathers. The salt was meant to ground the wind, represented by the feathers.

At first she wasn't certain it was working, but she persevered. She visualized the winds dying down gradually, and it began to work. When the last feather was covered the winds had died down until only a light, natural breeze remained. The lightning stopped, but the tang of ozone was still in the air.

Nodding in satisfaction, she took two wooden mixing spoons and bound them together in the shape of an x. She set the x on the wet ground just off the concrete patio and began pouring the salt over it.

"Evil storm that rides the sky,

It is time for you to fly.

Lord and Lady hear my plea.

As I will so mote it be."

The rain stopped. There was a sense of expectation to the air, like the lightning was poised to strike again at any moment. If it did, her spell would be undone.

Damn, Cole is strong. The storm should have been wiped out, but some force behind it was keeping it in place. Better work fast. She pulled out the black rope, carefully cut down to thirteen inches, and began tying it in knots. With each one she chanted, pouring her power into each knot until her hands were shaking with fatigue. If this didn't work, the storm would return in full force.

"Knot of one my spell begun.

Knot of two my words are true.

Knot of three it comes to be.

Knot of four the storm is no more.

Knot of five this spell is alive.

Knot of six my protection fix.

Knot of seven, power is given.

Knot of eight protect my mate.

Knot of nine completes my rhyme."

With a satisfied smile she saw the clouds begin to break up. She took the spoons and the rope, wrapped them in some white cheesecloth and began digging in the dirt.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

She ignored Chris's irate voice in favor of burying the spoons and knots. If she didn't hurry, the spell could still be undone. She could feel Cole's power testing the knots, trying to pull the storm free of the binding spell. The binding needed the grounding of the earth to hold it in place. Without it, her knots could be unraveled, and she'd have to start all over again, and she was already exhausted.

"Cole's storm packed one hell of a punch," she muttered, patting the wet soil down over the spell with a final surge of power. Now nothing could get to it. She sat back on her heels, closing her eyes and lifting her face to the sky. The cool wet air wafted over her face, soothing now without the wizard fury behind it.

"You should have let me deal with it."

She found herself lifted off the ground, not that she cared. Her legs were shaking so badly she wasn't certain they would hold her up.

"Sorry, Chris. There was something about the storm, something not right. It needed to be gone."

He sighed. "This is why you can't deal with Cole, sweetheart."

"Mmm?" Man, she couldn't remember the last time spell work had tired her out so much. It usually left her feeling like she needed a good nap, but this? She felt like she could sleep for a week.

"I told you before. Wizards do things slowly, in stages, needing only one small component at the end of the spell to activate it. We usually have several charms on our person at any given time, only needing the right words to activate the spells. Witches do everything at once, in one big bang. No way could you take on the multiple spells Cole would be casting. Remember how tired you were from the spell you did in the car?"

She opened one bleary eye and stared up at him. His expression was full of annoyed concern. "'Kay."

One dark brow rose in disbelief. "Really? Not going to argue with me anymore on that?"

She burrowed closer to his chest. "Sleepy. Don't wanna argue."

He sighed and settled her down on something soft. Bed, her tired brain registered. "It was a very powerful storm. No wonder you're a tired little witch." She felt him remove her shoes. "Sleep, sweetheart. I'll take care of you."

"'Kay." She struggled through the thick layers of tired to reach for him. "Chris?"

"Hmm?"

"Night."

She felt his lips brush hers before falling back through those layers and into the arms of Morpheus.

And something new! I've added glossaries for each of my series on my website. To check them out, click here!