Snippet Saturday--Action

Ready! Set! Action!

That's the themes this Saturday. I couldn't resist the fight scene I wrote in A Diamond at Midnight, which happens to be my one and only vampire romance. You can get it for .99 on the Kindle and Nook.

Hope you enjoy it!

He kept her at his back as he left the bedroom, his senses open to danger at all times. To Rafael.

Just as he entered the living room, he felt the change in the air.

Evil brought a heavy, dark scent wherever it went.

“I see you’ve come to save your little gem. How sweet.”

The lamp beside the couch was on, and Rafael’s blond hair gleamed in the light. Cain had always thought the man looked angelic. Too bad his nature was as black as hell itself. The six- foot-six vampire sat at one end of Diamonique’s couch, one leg crossed over the other, his huge body relaxed, as if he’d come to have tea instead of torturing and killing Diamonique.

Cain was angry with himself for not sensing Rafael sooner. For sleeping, when he should have been alert—watching over Diamonique. Christ, he’d practically drawn The Dominion a map straight to her door!

“You’re too late, Rafael. But then, what else is new,” Cain shot back, as he ran through his options. He could easily dematerialize, take Diamonique to safety, then come back and kill Rafael. But, who was to say that Rafael hadn’t already planned for that outcome. Hell, he probably had his minions all over the place, ready to do his bidding.

“See how differently we view things, Cain? From where I’m sitting, I’m right on time.”

Rafael in all his arrogance thought himself unbeatable. Cain would use that character flaw to kill the twisted being. “This is between you and me. Leave Diamond out of it.”

Rafael made a tsking sound. “Wish I could, but it’s too late for that, isn’t it?”

“Your fight is with me. You want ancient blood? Come and get it, asshole, but she stays out of it.”

With slow, careful movements, Rafael rose to his full height. Anger made his face contort into the hideous creature he truly was. “You dare dictate to me, Cain?”

“You have no hold over me anymore, old man. You haven’t for a long time.”

In a heartbeat, Rafael was across the room, his long, bony fingers wrapped around Cain’s neck, squeezing. “You think you’re so goddamn smart. That was always your problem, Cain. You never could see the forest for the damn trees.”

He squeezed harder. Instinctively, Cain grabbed Rafael’s arms and dug his nails into his skin, knowing any blood loss would weaken him. Blood coated his fingertips, and Cain scraped his sharp talons upward, creating deep furrows. Rafael never loosened his hold and hatred fueled the other vampire’s rage.

“I despise you, Cain. It’s going to be a pleasure taking your precious diamond from you.”

Fear for Diamonique pushed Cain into action. He drew his right arm back and slammed his fist into Rafael’s face. The force of the blow thrust Rafael several feet to the side. He stumbled and came right back, his teeth gleaming, spittle dripping from his mouth.

“You little prick! I never should have made you one of us,” Rafael raged, then his fist shot out. Cain was faster as he swiftly ducked the punch. He grabbed Rafael by the front of the shirt and used his other hand to rip open several deep slices down the vampire’s cheek. Rafael howled in rage, then delivered a right hook. Cain lost his hold on Rafael, but recovered from the blow quick enough to see the depraved bastard’s fist coming at him again. This time Cain was prepared and dodged to the left, then delivered an uppercut of his own.

“You’ve lost it, Rafael,” Cain taunted, as he continued to duck and punch. “You need to be put down. You’re a goddamn embarrassment.”

Cain dodged a roundhouse kick, then delivered a swift jab to Rafael’s jaw. Bone crunched beneath his fist and blood spurted. Finally, the ancient showed signs of weakening from the deep cuts. Then his gaze shot to Diamonique. In an instant, Cain leaped in front of her. Rafael vanished, then reappeared behind Diamonique. He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her backwards. Diamonique slammed a hand into Rafael’s nose, surprising Cain and Rafael both. It was all the time Cain needed to get a message to her.

Cain pulled her away from Rafael and growled, “Dissolve, Diamond, go to our private place!”

Diamonique shook her head, denying him. “I won’t leave you to deal with this alone.”

He wanted to kiss and throttle her at the same time, but there would be time later for that. He hoped. For now, he needed her gone. “Go now! I cannot fight him if I’m worried about you. I’ll come for you, Diamond, just leave now!”

In a flash of color, Diamonique was gone, leaving him alone with an enraged six hundred-year-old vampire.

--Be sure to skip to these other blogs for more action scenes!

Lauren Dane
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Selena Blake
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shelli Stevens
Lacey Savage


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Snippet Saturday--Sexy!

The theme this time around is 'sexy'. I knew I had to pick a scene from Tasting Candy. I just LOVE Blade Vaughn. Yum! :)

Also, the winners of my giveaway are:

Joanne
Jewel
ClaudiaGC
Deana
Mai

Please email me (annerainey11 at gmail dot com) with your mailing address so I can get the books to you. Thank you ALL for commenting!

Blade woke when Candice started to shuffle out of bed. "Where you going, baby?" he asked in a sleep-roughened voice as he grabbed Candice’s arm to halt her escape.

"I need a hot shower." She looked at him a moment, a pretty, content smile lighting her drowsy eyes. "You may be used to all this…activity, but I’m not."

Blade smiled with possessive delight. "Yeah, I know. Pleases the hell out of me, too," he said, starting to get up with her. "Come on, we’ll shower together."

"Together?"

Candice sounded scandalized by the idea. Amazing after all they’d done together, she still blushed over the idea of him seeing her wet. He’d never figure out the female mind, not as long as he lived.

"Together," he reiterated, then proceeded to drag her cute, naked body from the room.

"Blade, I’m not entirely sure about this."

She frowned, biting her lip and trying to cover her breasts with her one free hand. Which wasn’t really working out too well for her. He stopped in his tracks as a horrible thought occurred.

He lifted her chin with the side of his fist. "Are you sore, baby? Was I too rough?"

Candice’s expressive blue eyes grew large. "Oh, Blade, it was wonderful. You were wonderful."

"That doesn’t answer my question. Are you sore?" he asked again, with more force this time.

She shrugged and stared down at the floor. "A little."

He was an animal. Scum. The lowest form of scum. "Shit, I should have left you alone after the first time."

Candice quickly shook her head. "Don’t you even think it, Blade Vaughn. Every minute, everything you did was worth some soreness this morning."

He stared another second, then visually scanned her. He didn’t see any bruises, and considering how vigorous he’d been that was amazing in and of itself.

"I’ll wash you," he stated. Candice blushed. Her modesty had him smiling. He moved behind her and kissed the delicate skin below her ear. "Real gentle. It’ll feel good, I promise, baby."

Just the idea had his usual morning erection going harder. He seemed to sport a permanent woody around Candice.

Blade gave her a nudge, spellbound as her ass swayed while she moved the rest of the way down the hall. It was a sight he could get used to.

Once in the bathroom, Candice bent and turned on the overhead spray. Blade couldn’t resist a quick feel. He reached out and slid two fingers over the silky seam of her bottom, causing her to jump and screech.

"Blade!" she yelped.

He chuckled shamelessly. "Well, you stuck it right out there for me. What’s a guy supposed to do? Besides, you do have the sweetest ass, sweetheart." Blade growled.

"Oh."

He chuckled at how naïve she was to her own sex appeal. The woman had set his blood on fire the night before and yet she still acted like a virginal school girl around him.

Blade kissed her forehead, enjoying her more by the minute, then gave her butt a swift swat, ordering, "In you go, Candy girl."

He waited for her to step into the tub before moving in behind her. "Which soap?" he asked, perplexed by the countless bottles that littered every flat surface of the tub.

Candice had about five different scents from what he could tell. What was it about women that they thought they needed to be all smelly? It was the feminine scent they were born with that a man liked best.

"How about this one?" She held up a short, fat bottle with some sort of milky stuff inside.

He popped the top and sniffed for himself. "Mmm, yeah, I like this."

She beamed at him, apparently pleased by his comment. "Milk and Honey. It’s my favorite."

"Ah, I see. Well, let’s find out what it smells like on, shall we?" he asked with wicked delight.

Washing a woman, washing Candice Warner, would undoubtedly be on his top ten list of favorite things to do.

Blade located a peach-colored puff and squirted some of the milky liquid onto it. He squeezed it, watching the bubbles appear and started on her arms. He moved downward, washing each finger with great care before moving on to her back and finally her feet. She had cute toes. Her middle toe was somewhat crooked, and Blade found it adorable. She giggled, and he looked up from his kneeling position to see her holding back a laugh.

"Ticklish?" he asked with mischievous intent. Candice squinted suspiciously down at him and gave him a petulant shrug.

Seeing that little movement as pure challenge, Blade purposely washed the soles of her feet, loving the laughter that spilled out of her. He kept up his gentle torture until she cried uncle.

Candice was becoming so free with him, it turned his heart to mush. Damn, he was in love with her. It was as plain as the impish nose on Candice’s face. An easy sort of contentment washed over him.

He moved up her strong calves, past her knees to her soft thighs. Candice’s laughter died, giving way to fast breathing and languorous eyes.

"Spread your legs for me, baby." When she did as he asked, Blade dropped the puff and poured the soap directly into his palms. Nothing was getting in the way of his hand and her flesh.

 Tasting Candy

And be sure to hit these other snippets for more sexyness!

Lauren Dane

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Selena Blake

Taige Crenshaw

Vivian Arend

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shelli Stevens

Lacey Savage

Selena Robins

A Little Bit Naughty--out now!

http://annerainey.com

Snippet Saturday--Setting

It's Snippet Saturday and this time around the theme is 'setting'. I've decided to go with a public setting from Touching Lace. In this excerpt, Nick and Lacey are at the gym working out. At least, that's what they're supposed to be doing. Nick has other ideas.

SPECIAL NOTE: Throughout the month of November, Touching Lace is being offering for FREE on the Nook and Kindle devices. Sweet, huh?

And be sure to leave me a comment at the end of this post becuase I'm giving away 5 print copies of Pleasure Bound! Winners will be announced next Saturday! :)

“Damn, woman, are you trying to kill me?”

“What’s the matter, Nick? Am I too much woman for you?”

“Not a chance, baby. You and I are a perfect fit.” His voice dropped an octave as he leaned toward her to whisper, “You’ll soon see just how perfect.”

“Nick,” Lacey groused, “focus, damn it.”

They’d been working out for only half an hour and she was having the hardest time keeping his mind off her and on their exercise routine. Now, as they did crunches side by side, he kept looking over at her, groaning and saying completely inappropriate things. It obliterated her concentration, and she was growing increasingly warm. Unfortunately, the burn had nothing to do with their workout and everything to do with Nick.

“Oh believe me, I’m totally focused.”

“Nick,” she said in warning.

He placed his palm to her lower abs. The movement thrust Lacey back into her dream as she remembered him doing the very same thing while they made love. She dropped down onto the floor and looked at him. “What are you doing?”

“You promised an answer for me. I’ve yet to receive one.”

“Will you let me finish working out first?”

“I don’t think I can stand the suspense. Please, I need to know if you’re willing to let me help you get over this silly fear you have of being an inadequate lover.”

“Yes!” Lacey blurted.

“Yes?” Nick’s voice sounded harsh, as if raked over hot coals.

“Yes. I want you to…instruct me,” she explained, her stomach clenching tight.

“Fuck, Lacey.”

Nick’s hand began to massage her stomach, and she nearly forgot where they were. She quickly put her palm over his, stopping his actions. “We’re in a gym full of people here.”

Nick looked around them then back at her, a cocky grin on his handsome face. “Everyone else is in the main area, baby. We’re all alone back here in your little private workout room.”

“We need to finish exercising. Don’t we?” All of a sudden, she wasn’t so sure. His hand had drifted downward and it cupped her mound through her black workout shorts.

“We’ll get a workout, don’t worry. For now, I just want to touch you. May I?”

“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “I suppose that wouldn’t be too bad.”

The carnal expression that spread across Nick’s face wasn’t at all reassuring. The little lopsided tilt to his sensual lips gave her body an inner jolt, which went clear to her toes. Nick was so clever in his movements, too, and Lacey had the feeling he would be the most adept man when it came to foreplay. As his mouth skimmed below her ear, touching a particularly sensitive spot, she became aware of one other thing. She really didn’t want to think too much about how he’d come by such expertise. Enjoy and learn, she reminded herself. This was only the first in many such moments. Once Nick was through with her, Lacey would have the confidence to get any man she wanted.

Which was exactly why they were doing this.

If that were the case then why was she so easily imagining Nick making love to her, as opposed to what he would really be doing, which was teaching her? Helping her get over some insecurities. Lovemaking didn’t have anything to do with it.

That was a given.

Her thoughts scattered to the farthest corners of the earth as Nick’s fingers found their way beneath her shorts. “Damn, I can’t believe I’m touching lace.”

“I’m wearing cotton,” she mumbled.

“Mmm, yes you are.”

Then his fingers moved past her panties as he stroked the curls of her mound. It was such a forbidden thing for Lacey, making out in her place of business. She always left her feminine side outside the gym. Here she was a personal trainer. She helped men and women alike learn to live a healthy lifestyle. Only now, all she saw was Nick. All she felt was his overheated skin, his breath against her neck. All she smelled was the potent mixture of sweat and man and desire. She was more aroused than she’d ever been, and he hadn’t done a single thing but touch.

“Nick, please,” Lacey found herself pleading.

Nick leaned over her until he was staring directly into her half-closed eyes and growled, “Please what, baby?” He skimmed his thumb over her clitoris and asked teasingly, “Please do this?”

She wanted to speak, really she did, but his touch was electric. Lacey was a marionette, and only Nick had the power to make her come alive.

Be sure to leave a comment in order to be entered in the giveaway!

Also, check out these other authors' snippets!
Lauren Dane
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Selena Blake
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon

A Little Bit Naughty--out now!
http://annerainey.com

My November Pick!

I forgot to mention that I've posted my November hunk. Check out the left sidebar and let me know what you think of my choice. Oh, and if you click on the hottie you'll see a larger view of him. Just sayin'. LOL

TGIF!



A Little Bit Naughty--out now!
http://annerainey.com

A Nook Freebie & Upcoming Book Giveaway!

I have a couple of things to tell you all about. First, Touching Lace is also available for free on the Nook!

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

Touching Lace — book 1, Vaughn Series


Taking friendship to a whole new level…

Lacey Vaughn is tired of being dumped on by men. It’s clear she needs help in the ways of seduction. Over cappuccinos, Lacey shares her worries with pal Nick Stone. Being the good friend that he is, Nick offers to give Lacey a few pointers in the ways of sexual pleasure. From his first touch, Lacey forgets all about lessons. Now all she wants is more of his luscious body and skillful touches.

Nick’s craved Lacey for months. He’s done watching her waste herself on losers. It’s time she saw him as more than the dreaded good friend. He’ll do nearly anything to have the little spitfire all for himself.

But in order to get Lacey past her insecurities, Nick will have to put it all on the line—including his heart—and pray he doesn’t lose her forever.
Get it FREE on the NOOK!

Go to my Connecting Stories page to see the entire series!

Head's up.

Tomorrow I'll be giving away 5 print copies of Pleasure Bound.

So be sure to stop back by and leave me a comment!

A Little Bit Naughty--out now!
http://annerainey.com

Touching Lace--FREE on Kindle!

A quick note to let you all know that right now Touching Lace is FREE on Kindle!


Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

Touching Lace — book 1, Vaughn Series


Taking friendship to a whole new level…

Lacey Vaughn is tired of being dumped on by men. It’s clear she needs help in the ways of seduction. Over cappuccinos, Lacey shares her worries with pal Nick Stone. Being the good friend that he is, Nick offers to give Lacey a few pointers in the ways of sexual pleasure. From his first touch, Lacey forgets all about lessons. Now all she wants is more of his luscious body and skillful touches.

Nick’s craved Lacey for months. He’s done watching her waste herself on losers. It’s time she saw him as more than the dreaded good friend. He’ll do nearly anything to have the little spitfire all for himself.

Nick Stone

But in order to get Lacey past her insecurities, Nick will have to put it all on the line—including his heart—and pray he doesn’t lose her forever.

go to my Connecting Stories page to see the entire series!

Amazon Kindle
 


A Little Bit Naughty--out now!
http://annerainey.com