biancadarc.com Blog

DRAGON STORM Excerpt

Here’s a little excerpt from my upcoming book, DRAGON STORM. Enjoy!

Copyright © 2009 Bianca D’Arc

Days later, they were flying to the Northern Lair, as scheduled, when a freak storm came upon them.

The sky burned black and green, a roiling mass of clouds and electricity. The two black dragons powered through the gusts that threatened to down them. Their task was clear, their mission imperative. They had to make it through the storm to their destination. Turning back was no longer an option. They were too far into the storm.

Lightning arced from cloud to cloud, barely missing the twin black dragons as they darted to and fro, flying as they’d never flown before. The elder of the two—by minutes only—cried out as a jolt of electricity rode up his left leg and through his entire body. His brother came to his aid immediately, only to be hit by the same bolt of lightning, traveling from the cloud, through the first black dragon, arcing into the second and back to into the angry black and green clouds.

Time ceased to exist as the two dragons were tossed into a vortex and spun. Sky became earth, and earth became sky. Over and over they tumbled, each certain the hard landing to come might be their very last. Their massive wings beat franticly, trying to regain some equilibrium, but neither of the two dragons could discern what was up and what was down as they were pulled and stretched by currents greater than even their own immense strength.

Darius came awake in the middle of a forest. One wing was badly damaged, bloodied and torn undoubtedly from his trip through the leafy canopy. Looking upward, he could see the hole he’d made on his way down. He craned his long black neck to seek a similar pattern. His brother had to be nearby somewhere, but the trees here were too dense to navigate in his bulky dragon form.

Marshalling his strength, he changed from dragon to human, willing his clothing back from wherever it went when he changed. While some of his injuries improved in the magical transition, his left arm was still a mess. Nothing broken, thank goodness. Only a long, shallow gash graced his arm from shoulder to elbow. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. Nothing looked familiar. Nothing at all.

When the storm had come upon them—so suddenly it didn’t seem natural—they’d been flying northward over their own territory. They’d grown up in Draconia, learned to fly there and knew every inch of forest and field. This pine forest was familiar, yet not. This wasn’t like any of the forests in his homeland. It looked different, sounded different and even smelled different.

He also scented something that immediately raised the short hairs on the back of his neck.

Magic.

The air reeked of the residual scent of massive and powerful magic.

“I don’t think we’re in Draconia anymore.”

“No kidding.”

Darius was relieved to hear the voice of his twin strong in his mind.

“Where in the hells are you?”

“Step to your right and look up about twenty feet.”

He did, relieved to see the black dragon clinging to a solid-looking pine tree. Connor was in better shape than Darius, with no visible injuries. He was relieved they’d both survived that wild trip.

“Well, we wanted adventure,” Darius mused, looking around.

“Looks like we got it.”

Coming November 17th from Samhain Publishing.

New Excerpt – Grady’s Awakening

Another excerpt from my newest release, GRADY’S AWAKENING. This scene is from a little later into the manuscript. It’s the first time Gina and Jim meet after many years. While the book is named for Grady, Gina is his true mate and Jim is also Gina’s true mate. Yep – it’s an m/f/m menage. Enjoy!

BLURB:

An alien warrior discovers what it is to love… and to share.

Alien super soldier Grady Prime’s missions routinely lead him in unexpected directions, but his latest assignment—to kill a rogue warrior—is far beyond routine. This time he meets a woman who embroils him in an adventure of the highest order. Love.

Gina has lived among aliens so long, she’s lost her fear of them. She is undeniably attracted to Grady, even though their respective duties force them apart. Then, on a mission to a far-flung outpost, an encounter with a man from her past leaves her torn between her flaming desire for Grady, and her still-simmering love for an old flame.

Jim and his group of human dissidents live in secret, away from alien patrols. He has responsibilities, and covert operations to manage. But when Gina re-enters his life, only one thing matters—being with her.

Brought together by chance, the three form an alliance that pushes the boundaries of desire and make unexpected connections that could save the human race from alien conquerors…

Warning: This book contains red hot alien loving, ménage a trois, super sexy alien soldiers, wicked fast martial arts masters, explicit language, explicit sex and explicit love. Always love.

EXCERPT:

(c) 2009 Bianca D’Arc. All Rights Reserved.

Gina made it to the entrance to the old tunnel system that led to the underground facility. It was dark—inside and out. Night had fallen and there was only a sliver of moon. Its illumination didn’t reach inside the old tunnel complex. Gina walked into the darkness, sensing the others there…waiting. Clearly this was an ambush, but there was no other way. She controlled her breathing, ready for anything.

A fist came at her, out of the dark.

Gina ducked and spun, coming up fighting as her opponent engaged. She was fighting blind. She’d trained to do this many times in her youth, and many more since then in her time with the Zxerah. Her psychic gifts also allowed her to sense displacement in the air. That skill usually helped her stay well ahead of the blows headed her way. Her opponent either had to be as telekinetically gifted as she or else he was using night vision goggles or something similar. There was no hesitation in his strikes or his blocks. He was one hell of a fighter, whoever he was. Gina marveled at his skill even as she spun into a flying roundhouse kick aimed at his head.”Hold!”

It was the single command given in the proper tone of voice that would stop Gina dead in her tracks, as she’d been trained since childhood to do in her father’s dojo. She landed and stood ready, waiting, prepared for anything that might come at her out of the darkness.

“Lord help me, but I’d know that flying roundhouse anywhere.” The man’s voice stirred a distant memory. “Is there a Hanson under that ninja suit?”

“Show yourself.” Gina whispered, careful to keep her voice husky and low.

A flame flared in the darkness and a torch was thrown down in front of her. Gina wasn’t fool enough to follow the torch’s progress. Instead, she protected her night vision as best she could, seeking the shadowy man who stood some distance in front of her in the darkness.

The man strode forward into the small pool of light created by the torch. His face was only a little older than she remembered, his eyes even harder than they’d been when he’d trained with her father. She knew this man. He’d been one of the elite the government had sent to study with her father–one of the few men who had caught her eye when she was just a teenager, striving to compete for Olympic gold.

He’d been a defender of the innocent in those days. Some kind of top secret operative she hadn’t been supposed to meet, but had run across from time to time as he came and went from her father’s studio. On one memorable occasion, she’d been part of an advanced class he’d participated in. He was a good fighter. Honorable and fair. It was good to see his skills hadn’t diminished over the years.But was he the same man of honor her father had trained? Many years had passed. He looked roughly the same, thanks to the aliens changing their DNA to slow everyone’s aging. She needed to know what kind of man he was on the inside.

There was really only one way to find out.

Gina took off her mask and held his eyes as she bowed. The shock written plain on his face was almost comical. The joy that followed made her feel warm inside.

Buy Now: http://new.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/gradys-awakening

Grady Awakens Today!

Grady’s Awakening is the longest book I’ve written for Samhain to date. It packs a heck of a lot of story in with a sizzling menage romance and development of a lasting relationship.

Buy eBook Now from MBAM 

Here’s a little excerpt:

Everything was set when Grady Prime walked back to the mess hall. He had left early, intending to intercept Gina before she had a chance to go inside. He arrived in the nick of time, calling out to her as she was about to open the door. She spun, a smile lighting her face when she saw him. She moved toward him and he stopped dead, entranced for a moment by the feminine loveliness of her.

Her smile turned questioning as she neared, her head tilting to one side. “What?”

“You are beautiful, Gina.”

A becoming blush stained her cheeks, and he could tell she was pleased with his unguarded words. He breathed a sigh of relief. This small woman could easily send him off course. She shook him up almost as much as he wanted to upset her composure—in the best possible way. So far, so good, judging by her expression.

“I have a surprise for you. Will you come with me so we can dine alone?”

Her expression softened with pleasure. She agreed, preceding him down the path. When she hesitated where the path forked, he placed his palm on the small of her back, guiding her. He kept his hand on her until they reached their destination, liking the feeling of her supple body under his fingers.

He guided her to a small clearing he’d found under the shelter of one of the largest of the redwood trees in the grove. So massive was the tree’s girth and the spread of its leaves that the ground around its base was relatively bare except for a soft layer of compacted leafy debris. With the moon just rising overhead in a twilight sky, the setting was perfect for romance.

Grady had thought ahead and had a small lantern ready for when darkness fell completely, but since the moon was nearly full and shining through an opening in the leafy canopy, he didn’t think they’d have to use it except perhaps when they made their way back to the encampment…eventually.

He’d taken a thick blanket from his quarters and spread it in the open area, then topped it with a snowy white tablecloth. The glasses, dishes and utensils he’d borrowed from the cooks were set out on top and the meal was waiting. It had been kept warm in self-heating containers the cooking staff had packed for him, ready to serve.

Grady had even gathered a few blossoms from the surrounding forest and placed them in a glass of water at the center of the tablecloth. He knew females appreciated flowers, and he also liked the scent.

Gina turned to him as they reached the clearing, and she saw what he’d arranged. There were tears in her eyes he found hard to interpret, and his heart stilled.

“You don’t like it?”

“No, I love it.” She bit her lip to still whatever emotion she was feeling while Grady’s emotions rode a wave of high and low. He didn’t understand. Was she happy or sad?

“Something is wrong?”

“No.” She turned to him, placing a hand on his forearm, squeezing once as she looked up at him. “This is the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a very long time. I could almost believe I’m back in the old world, on a picnic. You thought of everything. Flowers, dinner and is that wine?”

“It is.” He began to feel better about her reaction, though the tears in her eyes worried him. “Do you like wine?”

“I do. Even living with the Zxerah, I don’t get to have it often. Only on very special occasions.”

“This is a special occasion, Gina.”

“Our first and last date.” She looked so sad. He had to kiss her. Just once. Just a light brushing of lips to take her mind off whatever he’d done to make her sad.

Grady leaned forward, taking her in his arms at the same moment he claimed her mouth with his. She was as sweet as he remembered, as warm, as delicious in every way. The salt of her tears brought a pang of regret to his heart. He didn’t want to think of how little time they had together before they had to part. He pushed that thought aside in the glory of holding her, the feel of her feminine curves that were made to fit so perfectly against his body.

She gasped when he pulled her closer and he took advantage, licking inside her mouth like he wanted to lick her lower down. Soon that wasn’t enough. He ran his hands over her lithe body, wishing the fabric that separated them away. Eventually the distraction of her clothing brought him to his senses.

He lifted away from the kiss by gradual degrees, his head spinning in the most amazing way.

“Dinner first,” Grady said when he could speak. The smile she gave him tempted him to forget dinner altogether, but good sense won out. For the time being.

He led her to the edge of the blanket, charmed when she kicked off her shoes. He followed suit and assisted her to sit, though in truth she needed no help at all. He didn’t want to completely let go of her and the lovely tone they produced when they touched. It vibrated through him, making him feel alive as nothing else. Even the new emotions coursing through him and making his life so very precious these last few months was nothing compared to the sound of their Hum.

“You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.” Her quiet words brought back his wandering attention. “This is really lovely. I haven’t been on a picnic in years, and never in such a romantic setting.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He reached for the wine as he sank to his knees opposite her, across the center of the improvised table setting. Removing the already loosened cork, he poured two glasses of the light-colored vintage.

Dinner progressed from there. They ate slowly, savoring the excellent food, the exceptional company and the beautiful night. Gina enchanted him with her conversation. At first they talked of simple things, recent events and their thoughts about the Zxerah. Eventually, they strayed to more emotional topics. Gina told him about her family and her sorrow at losing them. Then she asked him about the experiment and what prompted him to take part. She went further, asking him what he thought would come next and Grady felt a sense of ease, sharing his hopes and fears with this warm, intelligent woman. Her compassion was genuine and easily seen on her beautiful face. She also had some good insights into things that had plagued him.

“It was difficult to accommodate the aggression at first. Warriors are trained to control it, of course. Even that training failed when I felt real anger for the first time,” Grady admitted. He’d never discussed this with anyone—not even the techs who had witnessed his near meltdown.

“What did you do?”

“When I started fantasizing about smearing one of the scientist’s faces against a wall, I took myself to the gym for some unscheduled training. I pummeled a training droid, all the while imagining it was that scientist.” He had to laugh at the memory now. “I actually broke the droid.” Gina gasped, then laughed along with him. “I knocked its head clean off. The gym tech said they’d never seen anything like it before.”

“We have a few of those things at our home base. They’re built solid. I can’t believe you did that!”

“Neither could I. The gym tech explained it away, saying the droid must’ve had a flaw in manufacture, but the lab techs walked wide around me for the next few days. They’d heard the story and had of course been monitoring my levels. I wore sensors at all times in the early days of the experiment. It was actually an adrenaline surge that gave me that momentary strength. The techs were dumbfounded by it at first. Apparently the level was off their charts.”

“Oh, I’ve heard about that kind of thing in humans. In moments of utter rage or dire need, an adrenaline surge can give someone a moment of super strength. It’s not common, but in the old world, it did happen.”

“Well, it hasn’t happened in Alvians—at least not at that level—in generations. They tried to get me to repeat it, but I never could. Frankly, I didn’t want to feel that kind of raging anger ever again. I was close to murdering that man. It’s not something I’m proud of or want to repeat.”

“That says a lot for you, Grady.” She raised her glass and drank, watching him over the rim of the stemmed wine glass. “And the fact that you controlled your anger and channeled it into something that wouldn’t hurt anyone. Well,” her eyes sparkled with merriment, “except for the droid.”

Buy GRADY’S AWAKENING today from MBAM: http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/grady-s-awakening

DRAGON STORM – Snippet

I’m editing this right now and I just wanted to share a tidbit from the part I’m working on right now. I’m evil that way. >:)

DRAGON STORM is scheduled to come out in ebook this November (print in 2010). This is from early on in the book…

She reached the final corridor that would lead her to one of the many landing areas for the multitude of dragons that came and went from the castle daily. This corridor had arched windows every few feet that looked out over the city far below. The sun shone bright inside at this time of day. It was a lovely place with little bench seats placed in some of the alcoves between windows for both utility and comfort. Knights often paused here to settle their packs on their backs when they came in from patrol or a longer journey. And she’d seen others just sitting, enjoying the morning sun from time to time as she traversed the long hallway.

Shanya was about halfway down the corridor when she felt the distinct lightheadedness that usually prefaced a strong vision. She stumbled for the closest seat but was too far away to make it before the vision hit her full force.

When she would have fallen to the stone floor, a pair of strong arms came around her, catching her as she swooned.

That was all she knew until the vision released her some minutes later.

Her eyes blinked twice, able to see the real world once more—no longer seeing the future possibilities. She was confused as the faces above her came into focus. She’d just seen them and now here they were. Then she realized she’d seen their future. The very men she’d seen in her vision were here now, with her in the present.

“You will travel far in search of the one with ancient magic who will help you defend the Citadel.”

Excerpt – Grady’s Awakening

This just went up over on the Samhain site, but I figured I’d post it here for you all to enjoy. It’s a little excerpt from GRADY’S AWAKENING, which will release in ebook formats on August 18th. Enjoy!

Copyright © 2009 Bianca D’Arc

Everything was set when Grady Prime walked back to the mess hall. He had left early, intending to intercept Gina before she had a chance to go inside. He arrived in the nick of time, calling out to her as she was about to open the door. She spun, a smile lighting her face when she saw him. She moved toward him and he stopped dead, entranced for a moment by the feminine loveliness of her.

Her smile turned questioning as she neared, her head tilting to one side. “What?”

“You are beautiful, Gina.”

A becoming blush stained her cheeks, and he could tell she was pleased with his unguarded words. He breathed a sigh of relief. This small woman could easily send him off course. She shook him up almost as much as he wanted to upset her composure—in the best possible way. So far, so good, judging by her expression.

“I have a surprise for you. Will you come with me so we can dine alone?”

Her expression softened with pleasure. She agreed, preceding him down the path. When she hesitated where the path forked, he placed his palm on the small of her back, guiding her. He kept his hand on her until they reached their destination, liking the feeling of her supple body under his fingers.

He guided her to a small clearing he’d found under the shelter of one of the largest of the redwood trees in the grove. So massive was the tree’s girth and the spread of its leaves that the ground around its base was relatively bare except for a soft layer of compacted leafy debris. With the moon just rising overhead in a twilight sky, the setting was perfect for romance.

Grady had thought ahead and had a small lantern ready for when darkness fell completely, but since the moon was nearly full and shining through an opening in the leafy canopy, he didn’t think they’d have to use it except perhaps when they made their way back to the encampment…eventually.

He’d taken a thick blanket from his quarters and spread it in the open area, then topped it with a snowy white tablecloth. The glasses, dishes and utensils he’d borrowed from the cooks were set out on top and the meal was waiting. It had been kept warm in self-heating containers the cooking staff had packed for him, ready to serve.

Grady had even gathered a few blossoms from the surrounding forest and placed them in a glass of water at the center of the tablecloth. He knew females appreciated flowers, and he also liked the scent.

Gina turned to him as they reached the clearing, and she saw what he’d arranged. There were tears in her eyes he found hard to interpret, and his heart stilled.

“You don’t like it?”

“No, I love it.” She bit her lip to still whatever emotion she was feeling while Grady’s emotions rode a wave of high and low. He didn’t understand. Was she happy or sad?

“Something is wrong?”

“No.” She turned to him, placing a hand on his forearm, squeezing once as she looked up at him. “This is the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a very long time. I could almost believe I’m back in the old world, on a picnic. You thought of everything. Flowers, dinner and is that wine?”

“It is.” He began to feel better about her reaction, though the tears in her eyes worried him. “Do you like wine?”

“I do. Even living with the Zxerah, I don’t get to have it often. Only on very special occasions.”

“This is a special occasion, Gina.”

“Our first and last date.” She looked so sad. He had to kiss her. Just once. Just a light brushing of lips to take her mind off whatever he’d done to make her sad.

Grady leaned forward, taking her in his arms at the same moment he claimed her mouth with his. She was as sweet as he remembered, as warm, as delicious in every way. The salt of her tears brought a pang of regret to his heart. He didn’t want to think of how little time they had together before they had to part. He pushed that thought aside in the glory of holding her, the feel of her feminine curves that were made to fit so perfectly against his body.

She gasped when he pulled her closer and he took advantage, licking inside her mouth like he wanted to lick her lower down. Soon that wasn’t enough. He ran his hands over her lithe body, wishing the fabric that separated them away. Eventually the distraction of her clothing brought him to his senses.

He lifted away from the kiss by gradual degrees, his head spinning in the most amazing way.

“Dinner first,” Grady said when he could speak. The smile she gave him tempted him to forget dinner altogether, but good sense won out. For the time being.

He led her to the edge of the blanket, charmed when she kicked off her shoes. He followed suit and assisted her to sit, though in truth she needed no help at all. He didn’t want to completely let go of her and the lovely tone they produced when they touched. It vibrated through him, making him feel alive as nothing else. Even the new emotions coursing through him and making his life so very precious these last few months was nothing compared to the sound of their Hum.

“You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.” Her quiet words brought back his wandering attention. “This is really lovely. I haven’t been on a picnic in years, and never in such a romantic setting.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He reached for the wine as he sank to his knees opposite her, across the center of the improvised table setting. Removing the already loosened cork, he poured two glasses of the light-colored vintage.

Dinner progressed from there. They ate slowly, savoring the excellent food, the exceptional company and the beautiful night. Gina enchanted him with her conversation. At first they talked of simple things, recent events and their thoughts about the Zxerah. Eventually, they strayed to more emotional topics. Gina told him about her family and her sorrow at losing them. Then she asked him about the experiment and what prompted him to take part. She went further, asking him what he thought would come next and Grady felt a sense of ease, sharing his hopes and fears with this warm, intelligent woman. Her compassion was genuine and easily seen on her beautiful face. She also had some good insights into things that had plagued him.

“It was difficult to accommodate the aggression at first. Warriors are trained to control it, of course. Even that training failed when I felt real anger for the first time,” Grady admitted. He’d never discussed this with anyone—not even the techs who had witnessed his near meltdown.

“What did you do?”

“When I started fantasizing about smearing one of the scientist’s faces against a wall, I took myself to the gym for some unscheduled training. I pummeled a training droid, all the while imagining it was that scientist.” He had to laugh at the memory now. “I actually broke the droid.” Gina gasped, then laughed along with him. “I knocked its head clean off. The gym tech said they’d never seen anything like it before.”

“We have a few of those things at our home base. They’re built solid. I can’t believe you did that!”

“Neither could I. The gym tech explained it away, saying the droid must’ve had a flaw in manufacture, but the lab techs walked wide around me for the next few days. They’d heard the story and had of course been monitoring my levels. I wore sensors at all times in the early days of the experiment. It was actually an adrenaline surge that gave me that momentary strength. The techs were dumbfounded by it at first. Apparently the level was off their charts.”

“Oh, I’ve heard about that kind of thing in humans. In moments of utter rage or dire need, an adrenaline surge can give someone a moment of super strength. It’s not common, but in the old world, it did happen.”

“Well, it hasn’t happened in Alvians—at least not at that level—in generations. They tried to get me to repeat it, but I never could. Frankly, I didn’t want to feel that kind of raging anger ever again. I was close to murdering that man. It’s not something I’m proud of or want to repeat.”

“That says a lot for you, Grady.” She raised her glass and drank, watching him over the rim of the stemmed wine glass. “And the fact that you controlled your anger and channeled it into something that wouldn’t hurt anyone. Well,” her eyes sparkled with merriment, “except for the droid.”

INFERNO Excerpt

Here’s a sneak peek at part of the vampire ball scene from INFERNO, which comes out tomorrow from Samhain Publishing…

Inferno

Copyright © 2009 Bianca D’Arc

All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

The men included the women in their conversation again, talking about the excellent musicians the Deans had managed to hire for this party. To her surprise, they talked about other performers, from rock stars to opera companies that had either played at or been booked to play at future vampire get-togethers. It seemed these immortals liked to party.

Or perhaps the Deans hosted such events in order to keep an eye on their people. Dante had spoken of tonight’s invitation as a summons. Maybe the Deans liked to dress up their public audiences in the form of parties. It made sense. People were less inclined to start trouble at a festive event and more likely to attend, even if they understood there was an ulterior motive.

Sort of like a business conference. You went for the food and freebies and tried not to mind the sales pitches that happened along the way. Very clever indeed of the vampires to use that old stratagem. Then again, they might’ve been the ones to come up with it in the first place.

“Shall we dance?” Sir Heathclif’s cultured tones shook her out of her internal musings.

He offered his hand to Megan and it was nearly impossible to say no to the command in his powerful voice. Still, something made her look over at Dante. She wasn’t seeking his permission exactly. It was more like a quick check on whether he thought it would be safe for her to go off with this strange man. After all, Dante knew more about these people than she did. The very idea that she would instinctively trust her safety to Dante’s judgment was something to ponder at another time.

“I’ve never waltzed before tonight, Mr. Dean,” she said, hoping to find some reason to decline. The hard expression on Dante’s face and his narrowed eyes made her want to say no, though the independent lone wolf inside her balked at any restriction.

“Please, call me Heath. I saw you dancing beautifully with d’Angleterre. All that native agility and grace makes you a natural for dancing, my dear. Please, allow me the honor of partnering you.”

Once again he held out his hand, and she had no choice but to accept. Heathclif Dean hadn’t become one of the most powerful vampires in the country overnight. He’d had centuries to hone his commanding ways and at a mere thirty years old, were or not, Megan was no match for the power of his will.

She put her hand in his and was quickly whisked off to the dance floor. The revelers parted almost magically, making way for the important man in their midst and staring at Megan with assessing eyes that made her uncomfortable. She never liked being the center of attention.

All that was forgotten as Heath led her into the whirl of an energetic yet genteel waltz. He was a master not only of men, but of the dance, leading her with subtle movements that positioned her exactly where he wanted her to go. All she had to do was follow and allow herself to be caught up in the swirl of skirts, the swish of silk and the loveliness of the music reverberating gently over the walls of the large hall.

She lost track of time and space, mesmerized by the dance and the compelling man. He looked deeply into her eyes, and she felt the pressure of his magic against her natural were resistance. He couldn’t influence her, but the dance was dreamy enough, the fact that he was trying to use his power on her didn’t alarm her as it should.

The waltz music drew to a crescendo, and Heath dipped her low over his bent knee. He moved closer. She was in no position to move, much less evade him. Her body was positioned in such a way that she had absolutely no leverage and no hope of escaping the kiss she thought he meant to deliver.

Such a public display would be embarrassing, but she would live through it. She braced herself, and when he dipped even lower she realized he was aiming not for her lips, but for her jugular.

She could see the gleam of his fangs as they descended. He struck fast, the fear only momentary before his bite seduced her senses. Vampire mojo was not to be discounted at close range, she learned, even for a _were_wolf. The bite propelled her into a hazy state of mind where she didn’t fight, only succumbed to the Master vampire.

Shocked whispers erupted all around them on the dance floor as Heath abruptly let her go with a final lick and raised her to her feet. She was dizzy. His big hand steadied her as he guided her from the dance floor, toward their small group.

Megan was in a daze. A kind of shocking sexual hunger had been aroused in her body but left unfulfilled. She’d never been bitten by a vampire before and was unprepared for the way it made her feel. Being unsteady on her feet was not something she was used to. Weres in general had excellent balance. Her balance, of course, was shot to hell by Heath’s disturbing influence.

He brought her directly to a seething Dante. The man was so angry he practically bristled. She saw the fury in his eyes even before he opened his mouth to speak.

Heath preempted him. “Come with me, d’Angleterre. We have much to discuss.”

Heath turned away abruptly, his hand still firmly grasping hers as he led them toward the door. He stopped only once, to tell his daughter he was leaving and that she should continue to enjoy herself that the party.

Thwarted in his fury, Dante followed. Megan caught a glimpse of his heavy stride as he came down the steps behind her and their host. She was ushered into a long black limousine and guided to the seat behind the driver, facing Heath and Dante. Both men looked angry, but Dante won the award for sheer ferocity.

The car began to move and Dante turned on the man who was, for all intents and purposes, Master of this region, though his daughter carried the actual title.

“You should not have done that.” Each word was bitten out between Dante’s clenched teeth.

Heath sank back against the plush cushions. “Oddly enough, I agree with you. She is poisoned.”

Phantom Desires – Releases Tomorrow!

The revamp of this short story – now a novella – will release tomorrow in ebook formats. Here’s a little excerpt to give you a flavor for the new, improved version of this fan favorite…

An Excerpt from Phantom Desires

(c) 2009 Bianca D’Arc. All Rights Reserved.

“Are you going to kill me?” She asked it straight out, with a courage he admired.

He shook his head. “I had given it some thought, but you are too interesting to destroy, Carly. Too intelligent.” He stroked her soft hair away from her face. “Too beautiful.”

“Then what are you going to do with me? Why show yourself?”

He stepped back, releasing her chair completely. He paced away a short distance, his eyes following her movements as she straightened her sleeves unnecessarily.

“Now we come to the crux of the matter.” He sighed. “I have been watching you for some time. Since you moved into the farmstead, in fact.”

“The farm? Why?”

His gaze pinned her. “Because I live there as well.” He paused but she made no comment. “Under your home, several stories down into the earth is a replica of the farmstead. I have been living there in peace and safety for over a century. For all that time, the same family owned the land and house above and we peacefully co-existed until old Jacob died. He had no family to leave the place to in his will, so it was sold.”

“To me.” Her voice was a surprisingly calm whisper.

“To you,” he agreed with a nod. “Now I am faced with the problem of a mortal inhabiting the space above me who has no idea of my existence and no loyalty to the agreement I had with Jacob’s ancestors, binding on all subsequent generations. That agreement is, in effect, null and void now that their line is ended.”

“So you want to make a new agreement with me?”

He smiled. “I thought so at first.” He moved closer to her once again.

“But?” she prompted.

“But I recently became dissatisfied with the old arrangement. I want to broker a new deal with you, Carly. A much more intimate deal.” His hands framed her face, tilting her head up to his. “I want you, Carly. In my bed at night and safeguarding my rest during the day.”

“Does this also include…um…my blood?”

His smile turned carnal. “Indeed. I want to taste you, Carly. I want to drink you and take your essence into myself. But I won’t hurt you. I will only bring you pleasure, like I’ve been doing in our shared dreams, only much, much better.”

“Oh, God.” She was overwhelmed by him…by everything.

“I can see I’ve given you a great deal to think about.” He stood and headed for the door. “Finish your work here and I’ll see you home.” He turned to look at her, his dark eyes pinning her in place. “I’ll give you a bit of time to decide, Carly, but I can’t wait long. I want you more than any woman I’ve ever met and believe me, that is saying something. Call my name, and I will come when you’re ready to leave.”

* * *

How she got through the final installation and testing, she never knew. Around four in the morning, the job was finally done. True, it had taken her quite a bit longer than she had originally estimated but with such chaotic thoughts racing through her mind what else could she expect? It wasn’t every day she was propositioned by an honest-to-goodness vampire.

That thought and several others raced through her mind every few moments despite her best efforts to stay focused on the project. She had to finish it tonight. It was important she settle her work before tackling the much larger personal problem she had just inherited by buying a cursed farm.

How was she to know there was a vampire living under her house? Shouldn’t the real estate agent have disclosed something as serious as that? She laughed inwardly at the thought, knowing the old man who had owned the house before her had taken the secret to his grave as his ancestors had before him.

They had lived with the vampire, apparently with no ill effect. All the people she had spoken to about old Jacob had loved him. He had been a happy old man, always ready with a kind word or a helping hand, or so everyone claimed. No way could he have been some kind of evil servant of the undead. Right?

But Dmitri wanted more from her than peaceful coexistence. He wanted her blood and her body. He wanted her to be his mistress, she realized with some shock. Here she’d been hoping since she was a little girl to find some good man and become his wife. Apparently fate had something different in mind for her. She was to be the mistress of a vampire. Either that…or what? She realized with a shiver that Dmitri hadn’t given her an alternative.

When she could delay no longer, she called his name softly. In moments he was there, his dark gaze boring into her, watching her every move as if he could see into her mind. And perhaps he could, she thought with a gasp.

“Can you read my mind?”

He chuckled. “Actually, not well. Most mortals have surface thoughts that are easy to pick up, but your mind is more complex, Carly. Beautifully complex.”

“Well, thank heaven for that,” she muttered but still, she could tell from his amused expression, he had heard every word.

“Come.” He picked up her coat from the chair and held it open for her.

She allowed him to help her as he had the night before and, as before, he did not release her right away. He held her close, wrapped in the coat and his strong arms while his mouth teased the skin behind her ear and down to where the pulse beat strong in her neck.

She felt his sharp teeth scrape over her flesh. It sent shivers down her spine but whether of fear or arousal was anyone’s call. She knew what he was now and it gave every one of his motions a whole new meaning.

He released her and stepped back, holding the door for her. When they got to her car, he simply held out his hand for the keys before taking the wheel and guiding them safely, if a bit speedily, home. Apparently the undead liked to drive fast.

Sneak Peek: Inferno (WIP)

I’m working on the first draft of this book right now and thought I’d share a little here for those who might be interested…

(c) 2008 Bianca D’Arc. All Rights Reserved.

It was likely they’d seen the last of Patrick Vabian, though his allies in the Venifucus were still enemies to be reckoned with.

But that battle was for another time. For tonight, there were women to bed and blood to be savored. Dante followed Duncan into the night club, well aware they would find more than a few willing mortal women inside. Dante paused to sniff the air, satisfied for the moment with the ripe scent of humanity that assailed his sharp senses, but just then he noticed some other, more subtle scent lacing the air.

It was off to his right.

Dante opened his eyes and looked around, only to meet the gaze of the most alluring woman he’d ever seen in all his long centuries. Lustrous, mink brown hair framed her face and swayed gently with her movements. Snapping hazel eyes fringed with thick, dark lashes batted at him with come hither motions.

She was sitting on a bar stool, surrounded by mortals, but she shone as if she were the only being in the room. She was not human.

Dante sniffed again.

Were.

And she was looking directly at him, meeting his eyes boldly while she raised a glass of red wine to her lips. He followed the line of it as her luscious throat flexed in a swallow and he got hard. Just like that.

This woman was something else.

And she held knowledge in her eyes.

Silently, she stood from the bar and stalked toward him. She moved like a predator, sinuous and sensuous as she held his attention, and his gaze, mesmerizing him. He got the feeling he was definitely her prey and not the other way around. It was a novel experience for him. Never had a woman enthralled him so completely.

And they hadn’t even touched.

But that would soon be remedied.

“She’s a fine looking woman, but beware my friend,” Duncan said in a low voice, “she is not what she seems.”

Dante nodded, his gaze glued on the woman as she approached. “I know what she is.”

“But do you know why? Why would such a creature seek you out?”

Dante shrugged. “Probably for no good reason, but I find it hard to resist the puzzle she represents.”

“Just be certain this puzzle doesn’t get you staked out in the desert at dawn.” Duncan laughed as he moved off, two women already in his sights. “I’ll be near if you need backup.”

*

She didn’t realize he’d be so handsome, but then bloodletters were said to have a Glamour all their own. She also didn’t think she was close enough to feel his influence, but then she didn’t have any personal experience with his kind. Their powers were said to grow with the centuries, and Dante was downright ancient.

There was something about the tall man at his side too. Something that gave Megan the heebie geebies, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what the deal was with him. He wasn’t a bloodsucker. His scent was different, but very, very magical. Not human entirely, but not anything else she recognized either. She would have to tread carefully—very carefully—until she knew exactly what she was dealing with.

Still, the ball was in play now. She’d have to see it through and play the game she’d planned. Just this one last task, and she’d finally be free of those meddlesome Altor Custodis. She’d do just about anything to clear her family debt of honor, but she had to be careful. This Dante fellow was more than likely the most deadly being she’d ever meet.

Squaring her shoulders, she walked right up to him and shifted her weight to one foot, letting her opposite hip jut out toward him provocatively. Dante was certainly a tall drink of water, almost a foot taller than her own five foot four. Of course, she was petite for a wolf shifter, but then, she was only half-were by blood.

She didn’t speak, just looked him over and let him look in return. She saw the flare of interest in his eyes before he banked it to something less obvious. She was close enough to scent his magic now but was well protected against the vampire mojo. Still, he certainly did have an effect and she had to admit—mojo or not, this man was potent with a capital P.

“Do you like playing with fire, little one?”

His voice wafted over her like dark silk, caressing her pelt in the most sensuous way. She had to suppress a shiver of pleasure at the tone and timbre. And this was just his voice!

She struggled for nonchalance. “I know what you are.”

“And still you come to me? You’re a brave little shifter. Does your pack know what you’re up to?”

“I have no pack. I’m a loner.” Her chin rose defiantly.

“Ah, a lone wolf out on the prowl.” He made the words mocking, but she stood her ground. “You are a foolhardy youngster then, out to test her limits.”

“No doubt I’m younger than you, but by no means a child.” She thrust out her chest and was glad to see his gaze snagged by the motion. “I’m curious, I’ll admit. I’ve heard your kind has certain abilities for pleasure.”

Dante leaned back, studying her from under hooded eyes. He was a seducer of the sense in every word, every motion. It would be hard not to fall under his spell—magical or not. Everything female in her wanted to be with this male, regardless of his species or his power.

He watched her, seeming to come to some kind of decision. “My name is Dante.”

She laughed. “Playing with fire, indeed. I get the literary reference, Dante.” She winked at him. “My name is Megan.”

One & Only – Excerpt

Here’s a little tease from my newest release, One & Only.

     When Lissa Adams woke, darkness engulfed her. Straining to see in the absence of light, her breath accelerated as she panicked. Her apprehension only grew when she realized another person lay beside her. A soft dripping sound echoed through what she supposed was some kind of underground chamber or cave. That’s what it sounded like—and smelled like. She felt rough rock and scattered grains of sandy dirt beneath her palms.

     She knew the mountains were dotted with such places, but she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here. Or why she was so groggy.

     She tried to sit up, but the effort it required nearly blacked her out again. The being beside her stirred at her movement, and she felt more than saw the person rise to lean over her.

     “Where are we?”

     “I moved us to shelter.”

     Rich and warm, his voice bathed her senses in a dark and dangerous way.

     Sexy, she thought. She’d heard that voice before.

     It was accompanied by flashing eyes and chiseled features. A man’s face flickered through her mind. She’d been fascinated by him and instantly captivated. She remembered thinking he was quite possibly the most striking man she’d ever seen.

     “You stepped on my foot.”

     He chuckled at her innocent observation, setting her insides aflame.

     “Indeed. But that was more than twenty-four hours ago.”

     He stroked a gentle finger down her cheek and she shivered, not in fear, but in surprising arousal. If just the brush of his finger could elicit this response, she wondered what he could do if he really tried.

     That thought stopped her cold. Men like this one didn’t usually go for women like her. Better to focus on the peculiar situation she found herself in than daydream about her rescuer.

     “What happened? I remember the bus swerving…”

     “Ah, yes. Just before we rolled down the side of the mountain. You hit your head very hard, I’m afraid. That’s probably why you’re still a bit fuzzy.”

     “Where’s everyone else?”

     He paused only slightly. “Dead.”

     Her breath caught in shock as her mind raced. “How did we…?”

     “Relax, sweetheart.” He moved closer. “I pulled you from the wreckage and found shelter, but I was badly damaged in the accident as well. I’m sorry for it, but I need your essence to speed my healing.”

     “My what?” Hot breath bathed her ear as he settled closer to her side. His strong arms enveloped her shoulders as his mouth stroked over the line of her jaw and lower.

     “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you, but I need your blood, and I’m too weak to cloud your mind. You’ll have to trust me.” His words whispered against her shivering skin. He dragged sharp teeth back and forth over her jugular as if savoring the moment before the feast.

     She barely had time to take in his words before he struck. A piercing pain registered only for a flash, followed by the greatest bliss she had ever experienced. Intensely sexual, it engulfed her in a way she’d never known. He sucked at her neck, licking at the essence of her, swallowing like a thirsty man in the desert. Yet reverence and gentleness communicated through his tender handling of her bruised and battered body.

     Oddly, she didn’t object. She knew she should be afraid, but an intense arousal overwhelmed her. She didn’t have the strength to voice even the faintest protest.

Buy the eBook Now from Samhain Publishing

Jaci’s Experiment – Out Tomorrow!

Here’s the blurb and a little excerpt from my new book, Jaci’s Experiment, which will be out tomorrow from Samhain Publishing…

“Jaci’s Experiment” by Bianca D’Arc

ISBN: 1-60504-127-0
Length: Novel
Price: 5.50
Publication Date: August 5, 2008

Love… the grandest experiment of all.

As a young Alvian lab tech, Jaci knows her place in the orderly, emotionless society her race has established on the planet Earth. While preparing a batch of experimental skin patches, she is accidentally exposed to a gene-altering agent. In a matter of days, she’s assaulted with raw, primitive, forbidden emotions she has no clue how to handle. If her superiors find out, she’s a dead woman.

Her only hope is to seek help from the human test subjects held captive in pens below the city.

Before the aliens came, cousins Mike and Dave used their psychic abilities to their advantage in business dealings. Now they use them to stay alive, keeping a sharp telepathic eye out for ways to help themselves and others improve their lot… or escape. Their friendship with Jaci has always been more than simply captives and caretaker. Now that her DNA has changed, their shared resonance is the stuff of legend.

Inevitably, Jaci’s emotions expose her to deadly Alvian justice. Suddenly she’s in the race of her life, seeking the only safety she’s ever known… in the arms of her human Resonance Mates.

Warning: This book contains graphic language, ménage a trois, naughty dreamwalking and scorching hot alien loving.

EXCERPT – (c) 2008 Bianca D’Arc. All Rights Reserved.

She couldn’t wait to talk to David and Michael. She moved straight to the monitor when she entered the room. Normally she would mask her maintenance of it with her other tasks so the subjects would have no idea there was any sort of equipment in the room at all. This time, she didn’t care about protocol. She needed to talk to these men without the monitors and she would do so now, before she lost her nerve.

She disabled the system and turned to face them with her hands behind her back and her breath caught in rather desperate apprehension. Both of them were watching her carefully, inquisitive looks on their handsome faces. The moment of truth had indeed arrived.

“What’s wrong?”

David’s concern brought another of those amazing tears to her eyes. She wiped it away, noting their stunned expressions and sank onto the edge of the table behind her, resting wearily against it as she explained her tale of woe.

She told them all about how she’d exposed herself to the agent and it was tall, muscular Michael who came over to gather her into his strong arms, not David as she would have expected. David, instead, watched her in a way that was unnerving. He watched her as if she was some kind of experiment, and she suddenly understood how and why these Breeds resented their captivity and the constant monitoring.

“I’m so sorry.” She sobbed, turning her head into Michael’s strong chest.

“For what, Jaci? You’ve never done anything to harm either of us. You’ve been as close to a friend as one of your kind could be given your lack of emotion. We liked you regardless.”

She cried a bit more, waves of emotion hitting her that she didn’t know how to deal with. Michael seemed content to let her ride the storm out in his arms and she didn’t want to move. He felt so good. So powerful and protective. She wanted to stay in his embrace, safe, for as long as she could.

Of the two, Michael was the larger and physically stronger. David was more cerebral and handsome in a way that made her stomach clench. He had a cunning smile that hinted at deviltry and close-cropped hair that she’d wanted to touch for a long time, just to see if it was as soft and fuzzy as it looked. His sharp features and intelligent, dark blue eyes were aphrodisiacs of a sort different from that of his more muscular cousin.

Because of his almost frighteningly strong masculine form, Jaci would have thought Michael would be less likely to offer her comfort. He had a rough demeanor and more athletically defined physique. He spent a lot of his spare time doing push-ups and other kinds of physical exercise that kept his body at a peak of conditioning unmatched by any of her other charges. She’d been surprised when he’d been the one to gather her close to all that amazingly warm muscle and brawn, but she loved the feel of him against her. With such a man holding her, Jaci felt like nothing could ever harm her.

Mike looked from the sobbing woman in his arms to his watching cousin. Dave was taking it all in, but he hadn’t yet made a move to help the confused young woman, and Mike was surprised. He knew Dave liked the look of Jaci. They’d had enough conversations about her since she’d become their jailer to know that for a fact. She was easy on the eyes and had a graceful manner, plus she never used her position of power to intentionally harm any of her charges. She was thoughtful and kind⎯or as kind as a person without any understanding of emotion could hope to be.

“Why won’t you help her?” Both men were reasonably strong telepaths and had other gifts as well.

“She needs to cry,” Dave said firmly in his cousin’s mind. “When she’s got this out of her system, we can begin to work on integrating the emotions.”

“This could be the break we’ve been looking for.” Mike was excited by the possibilities. “If the aliens are experimenting with reintroducing emotions into their people, it could help us all. I bet the O’Haras had something to do with this development.”

The rumor mill among the Breeds was fast and furious. With so many telepaths among their number, even the separation into cells couldn’t keep many of them from communicating with each other. Word had spread quickly about the O’Hara brothers when an old O’Mara woman and her husband and daughter had been captured. She’d stood right up to the aliens and told them what the eldest O’Hara had told her to say and surprisingly, it had worked. She’d mentioned her maiden name and suddenly the family had been whisked out of the general population. They had friends down in the pens and they’d kept up the communication, telling them what had occurred.

Mike knew there were free humans working to better conditions for them all and the O’Haras were at the forefront of the fight. He’d even heard tell of the half-alien boy one of the brothers had fathered and his work to help his human kin. Harry, they called him, but the aliens called him Hara in almost reverent tones. Mike had watched and listened carefully, compiling information and looking for his own way out of the cells.

Whether that meant a breakout or cutting some kind of deal, he’d had enough of captivity. It was slowly driving him mad. Only his cousin’s calming influence had helped him through the worst of it. Of the two, Dave was the thinker and Mike was the doer. It had been that way since they’d been kids. They’d worked together to build their business. Dave had written the books and Mike had marketed them. Together they’d made millions, but it was all gone now, and Dave was putting his education and talents to use, simply helping those few people he came into contact with stay sane — or as sane as they could given the circumstances.

“From what we’ve heard, the O’Haras have influenced the aliens more than anyone could have guessed. Maybe you’re right,” Dave mused silently to his cousin as he moved nearer the sobbing girl. “Maybe after studying humans for more than a decade, the aliens are finally coming to realize their own lack of emotion and what it’s cost their people as a whole. We’ve heard the rumors about the throwback crystallographer, right? He’s teaching humans now, so maybe they’ve found some link between emotion and their prized crystal gift.”

“We’ve speculated about that before, Dave. We have no evidence to support that theory, but now that we know they’re experimenting on themselves to this radical an extent, it makes sense to think something’s spurring them on.” Mike stroked her hair as his mind raced. Dave drew nearer and reached out his hand. Mike knew his cousin had a healing touch and he could feel Jaci’s tears winding down.

“Give her to me.”

Available August 5, 2008 from Samhain Publishing.