It's Live! Their Ex's Redrock Midnight is here

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All she had to do was say “yes.”

Rusty Jean Harper’s life changes the minute Cabe Santos enters her taxi and he demands she take him to a place he has been before, but that place is destroying him.

But Rusty can’t break him like that. Instead she tries to save him.

Cabe isn’t a badass Indian like his best friend Vincent Whitehorse he’s just a badass with chunky, dark blonde hair and one that has noticed Rusty’s violet eyes. But Cabe is a man pushed beyond his limits. Until he collides with Rusty and her voice sets him free.

Second chances and sparks fly between them. Boundaries collapse, busting into flames of desire neither can control. Rusty finds fire in Cabe arms and she holds on through a manipulative ex, protective custody, Tess and Vincent’s wedding, and even a couple hot, bad boys after her booty. But Rusty’s booty might already be taken. And destiny in a small town could be knocking ... again.

Coming Next Week! Their Ex's Redrock Midnight

Coming soon!

Winner! For Tess' Wedding Dress

We have a winner for the evening wedding of Tess and Vincent in Redrock Midnight the next standalone novel in the Redrock series. 







Her wedding shoes!

Rusty's heels for the wedding!

Rusty's maid of honor dress

Let's have some fun!

Help me pick Tess' Wedding Dress!

As I write my way to the finish of Redrock Midnight the hot alpha love story of Rusty & Cabe I am near to the wedding I planned for Vincent and Tess. I thought it would be fun if you all helped me pick out their wedding outfits. 

I have marked each dress A, B, C, D, F and you can leave your vote in the post comments. I will use the dress that gets picked! You can also see this poll on my facebook page if that is easier to post your vote. https://www.facebook.com/shirlanders

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Their Ex's Redrock One (Texas Alpha Erotic Romance)
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THEIR EX'S REDROCK TWO

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Available Now! Their Ex's Redrock FOUR (Texas Alpha, Erotic Romance)

    

How bossy does Tess like Vincent? Not bossy enough to stay away from the concert their cheating spouses are putting on. Where both their cheating ex’s finally learn Tess and Vincent are together and their marriages to them are history.

Then Tess and Vincent see about piecing together their own happily ever after. But first Vincent’s got to see Tess in that freaking hot dress one more time ... just for him. Then will he be able to keep her out of his bed like he vowed. Until they can figure each other out and where what they have tigether is going...

Probably not. 

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Excerpt:

It was noon when Tess heard the bell on the door ring to her shop. She swiped at her eyes, looking up to see Vincent striding toward the front counter. Wow … he was in her shop, she should be excited.

“Beautiful, what is it?” Dang, she couldn’t hide anything from him. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Shannon was in the walk-in cold locker as Vincent rounded the counter and arrived next to her. For a second she thought about fibbing, because he had enough problems with Luna.

But Vincent curled her into his embrace and the words just fell out of her mouth. “I’ve lost the shop, unless I want to send Steven to prison.” Then, horribly, she burst into tears and burrowed into Vincent.

“Let me guess,” he said. “He forged your name and double mortgaged it.”

She nodded against him, crying harder, while praying Shannon or even worse a customer wouldn’t walk in. Then Vincent rocked her world, shaking it to the core and rearranging it.

“It’s you, baby, not the damn building. You’re the business.”

Why that made her cry harder, she didn’t know, but Vincent took it all with his hand cupped to the back of her head, while holding her tight. She didn’t know what she’d do without him.

Her sobs finally quieted into the shoulder of his thermal, wet from her tears. Then he did a pure Vincent thing. “Here, use the end of my shirt to wipe your eyes.”

That’s how Shannon found them with her pulling up Vincent’s thermal, exposing his ripped abdomen, while she bent forward as if she were drooling over his six pack abs.

“Sorry!” Shannon squeaked. She was a tad shy.

Tess unbent from Vincent and the bottom of his shirt. “It’s okay, Shannon. This is Vincent.”

“Hey, Shannon,” Vincent said, pulling her back into his side, where his arm crossed her back, then his hand fitted into the waistband of her jeans skirt.

“Hey, Mr. Whitehorse,” Shannon answered.

Okay, so Shannon did know Vincent. “I’ll be back in time to close, Shannon. You call if you need anything, okay.”

“Sure, Tess.” Shannon did a small wave, then marched back into the cooler.

“Good kid,” Vincent said. “Know her dad.”

Ah yes, Tess thought, she remembered then that Shannon’s dad might work at Redrock. She picked up her purse from under the front counter, and then Vincent guided her outside. Once in his truck they sat to talk.

“So if you sell the building, you get out from under?” he asked quietly.

She sighed heavily, nodding as he reached over and clasped her hand, and she answered, “It should sell for at least the amount of the mortgages.” She tilted her head, glancing at him. “I’m surprised you aren’t advocating I send him to prison.”

Vincent squeezed her hand. “Thought about it. But it’d break that sweetness you got and I want that for me.”

Oh my god. Tess sucked in an amazed breath. “Okay,” she whispered. She never thought she could find a man that would make her feel so good even in the midst of an awful situation.

“Got space at Redrock. For a bigger flower shop.”

“Vincent!” she gasped, then he pulled her across the seat, until he had his arm around her and his hand on her chin lifting her gaze to his. He studied her astonished gaze for long moments.

“Give you a really good break on rent, until you sell this place.”

“I can’t believe...” she started to say. “You, you can’t. Not with us … together. It won’t look right and...”

“Hush,” he all but ordered, and her lips pressed shut. “I’m doing it for me and I can do for me what I want too. But, beautiful, it’s really good business for Redrock. I know once you calm down, you can see that.”

Doing for me. Oh my god. Her fingers curled against his side. Maybe he was right if she could think straight about it. But right then tears started filling her eyes.

“Aw, baby,” he murmured, and his lips touched hers lightly.

“For me,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he breathed against her mouth, then he kissed her deeper and her tears dried into the beginning heat of passion.

But at just a slow burn, Vincent pulled back, let go of her chin.

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Vincent had to leave Tess in the dark. But she lingers on him in ways he thought a woman never would again. The mob wants in at Redrock casino and they think they’re going to use Luna to get there through Vincent. They also have Tess in their sights and Vincent’s not letting that happen. But he has friends like Cabe and unexpected help from Finn, who might not be who he seems.

Tess has unexpected feelings for Finn too, and then there is Cabe, looking too smoking hot, but Vincent’s ex threatens her and Tess has to try to stand up and learn to defend herself.

Then she’s back at Vincent’s hideaway ranch house with the promise he won’t stay there. Until he calls her in the dark, asking her to let him in.

All the way, until they admit they have a thing for each other so strong they need to back off the bedroom antics to see what their “real” together is like.

Next, Vincent’s showdown with Luna and the “big” concert that never was...  

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Excerpt:

Even as he was trying to let her go, give them space … he didn’t. He brushed her hands aside when she tried to dress herself, doing it for her … slowly.

“Hands up,” he ordered, and when she complied he pulled her sports bra over her hands, wrists, then upper arms, where he stalled. Looking down at her raised breasts feeling the intensity inside him at having her slightly captive, arms raised and bound. He damn well loved it.

“Christ, Tess,” he muttered. “Things you do to me.” Then he gathered some of the resolve he used to own and he pulled her sports bra down to cover her breasts. Her gaze was heated and a bit timid, wondering about this theme they fell into with his power and her submission. Submission to him.

Then he knelt on one knee, holding out her exercise pants for her to step into, with his nose straight across from his perfect pussy. He damn well liked dressing her … pulling that spandex up her bare legs, up to her slit and over her hips.

“My thong,” she said.

His gaze turned up to her as he tugged the spandex to her waist. “Mine now.”

Her light blue eyes drew a darker shade as her soft lips parted. “I keep losing my panties to you,” she teased.

Yeah, the ones he didn’t keep, he ripped off. He stood slowly, easing up her body. Then he reached in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open under her nose. A shiny platinum business credit card was on the top, which he pulled free, turning it too her. “Buy more. Skimpy. Sexy. Lots. I’ll get your name put on the card.”

Her gaze lifted to him, with those blue eyes widening. “Vincent?” She shook her head lightly. “Oh, I couldn’t.”

His gaze narrowed and he grabbed one of her hands placing the card in her palm. “Anything touching my pretty pussy I’m paying for.”

She gulped as he closed her fingers over the card. “Wow,” she whispered.

He chuckled. “Babe. Most women would be snatching that from me, while trying to dick the amount I offered higher.” He clasped her nape. “You are not most women.” Tess was still staring at the card as he chuckled again, and murmured, “Breathe, baby.”

She sucked in a breath and he tilted her chin up. “You getting me naughty panties to look at?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Good,” he offered. “Let’s sit.” He guided her to the chair, where he pulled her onto his lap again. “Any bras or lingerie comes with that. I’m good.”

Her arms wrapped around him with his card still clutched in one hand. “Thank you, honey,” she murmured, then she dipped to kiss him. The kind of lip action that told him she really liked him, and she really liked going out shopping for sexy things to wear for him. It was very good. 

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Their Ex's Redrock Two Available Now!

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Vincent and Tess are supposed to stay away from each other. They both agreed. Their cheating spouses are too crazy. Tess doesn't know Vincent has been there, watching out for her. She doesn't know Vincent runs Redrock the local Indian casino that just called her to do a last minute florist job. 

But she can't take her eyes off Vincent once she arrives at Redrock ... that is until both their spouses show up. Cruel and unusual punishment. Vincent's cheating wife is model gorgeous and Tess' cheating husband ignores her like they’re not married.

Vincent is forced to play a game with his soon to be ex, to get her off the board of his charities, before he cuts her loose for good. He needs to stay away from Tess, but when he sees tears in Tess’ eyes and feels her in his embrace again, all bets are off.

Then his crazy wife breaks them apart, again ... but Vincent has had a taste of sweet and he’s determined to have more. Can he convince Tess, against all odds, to believe in him when things around them seem unbelievable?

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Excerpt:

Tess drove toward Redrock casino out on the far side of town. She’d been called late that day by Redrock’s community event director. Then she'd been hired over the phone as a last minute plea. It seemed there was a wedding going on that night in one of the big banquet rooms at Redrock and they had flowers, but no one to arrange them.

Tess was still unclear how that had come down, but one; she couldn’t let anyone get married on their special day without lovely flowers, and two; it was too big an ‘in’ into more business from Redrock. Besides she had nothing planned for the evening except sitting in a very big, very well furnished condo by herself.

“Except maybe feeling sorry for myself,” she muttered, pulling out on the highway to take the short drive to the Indian casino.

Her husband wasn’t acting as if he even cared that she wasn't living at their house anymore. She thought he rarely came home either. But she couldn’t take the chance going back to live at home, because Steven could show up anytime. Lately, she’d been thinking maybe just complaining to Steven about money and such might be enough to get a lawyer and start divorce proceedings. Steven was so preoccupied at the moment with his newest lay ... it might be the very best time. Then, she could be free.

She nibbled on her bottom lip wondering what Steven might have done if he ever found out she’d been with Vincent. Steven could act like she didn’t exist, yet the second he thought another man might take his place, he started paying attention and acting creepily possessive. She thought it might be those mysterious associates he’d hooked up with, which she thought acted weirdly like mob guys.

But she didn’t think there were mob guys nowadays. Besides why would mob guys be into a low-tier, wannabe talent agent? Tess would be more inclined to think those mob guys would have been more interested in Steven’s former job of being a securities trader and fund manager. But now he was around those guys, she bet Steven didn’t want to look weak to them and that's what was spurring on any selective possessiveness he felt toward her.

She was nearly to the casino when her cell rang, startling her out of her intense thoughts. She used the hands-free button on her dash to answer it.

“Tess Navarro? This is the events coordinator for Redrock, Mary Runninghorse.”

Tess greeted her, then listened to Mary saying, “Just valet park out front. There will be someone to walk you back.”

Mary said goodbye rather quickly before Tess could get more details, such as who to look for.

“Darn,” Tess muttered, pulling up through the valet parking lane. She just hoped they had some fresh flowers so she could make a good impression. She parked, grabbed her shoulder purse, then got out to hand her keys to the attendant with a smile. He was just tearing off the claim ticket, to hand her, when her gaze rose. Vincent. She felt her belly tighten as she watched Vincent getting out of his parked truck. An instant kick of excitement shivered through her.

Distractedly, she took the claim ticket as she tried to figure out why Vincent got away parking where he had, and then she wondered if she had enough time to avoid being seen by him. Or if she wanted too. Of course she wanted to see him, desperately. She constantly fought the feelings. However seeing him right then was too quick to erect any walls, and Vincent turned straight toward her as if he knew she was there.

She pulled in another breath at how virile and extremely hot he was as he took long strides toward her. Her memory hadn’t been wrong about his pure masculine attractiveness, and his wife was a complete idiot for wanting Steven over him. Vincent wore a black cowboy hat, tip back on his brow. The hat tamed his shoulder length hair down around his neck like an inky black fall. He wore faded jeans and a long sleeved, black tee that had “Redrock” printed across his chest in red lettering with slashes of silver behind it. He had on a big, silver belt buckle and when he got closer she saw a flying hawk embossed in the silver.

His black boots brought him towering over her with his gaze intense. It licked fire through her the moment their eyes met.

“Boss,” the valet attendant said beside her. Tess scrunched her nose wondering what that meant as she watched Vincent nod to him. “Keep her car close, Daniel.”

“Okay, boss,” Daniel, the valet attendant replied, then he scooted around and got into her car.

“Hey,” Vincent said, looking down on her as his hand settled on her waist as though it belonged there. 

“Hey,” she replied tipping her gaze up to him, too confused to come up with more to say.

But internally, her concentration was latched to his wide, really warm hand curling over the indent of her waist. It was as if he had to touch her when they were this close and she immediately felt their connection. His dark eyes spoke of intimate things between them ... sexy, naughty, and wild things and she blushed, thrilled to see him. Too thrilled, because soon they’d have to force themselves apart again.

When she blushed, his hand squeezed her waist as if he knew she was thinking about them having wild sex together. “Too fucking sweet,” his voice rumbled, and he said it like a curse, moving her forward. “Come on.”

She automatically followed him as if she couldn’t disobey him. Ever. But then she realized … “Um, I have a job to do here...” she started to say.

He interrupted her, “I know.” Then he pulled one of the casino’s large front doors open. She walked past and he followed, keeping his hand on her waist as he opened the next set of doors for her. “You know?” she questioned.

Casino sounds filled the air and the lighting was dim like in all casinos. She slowed to a stop looking up at him. His hat came off but his hand didn’t move from her waist, while his gaze swept her face.

“Hey, boss.” Tess looked over Vincent's broad shoulder at a young, cashier runner, smiling at Vincent, who looked over his shoulder at her.

“Hey, Becky. Keep it tight.”

“Right boss.” Becky nodded and moved away.

“Evening, Mr. Whitehorse.” This came from behind Tess.

Vincent nodded to a security guard, who passed by.

Tess turned back, and grabbed a fistful of Vincent tee by his waist, feeling the ripple of his six-pack abs beneath. “Boss? You’re the boss.” It was not a question, it was a demand.

“Kinda,” he said, then he used his hand on her waist to move her forward and she lost her grip on his tee. Oh, he so was the boss. That meant her impromptu job was very suspect.

“This is not staying away from each other,” she accused.

He moved her through rows of slot machines with people pushing buttons and some looking as if they were hugging their machines. She was not a gambler so the rows of machines looked like rows of tricked-out arcade games to her.

“Redrock can get flowers done by anyone. Why not you?” Vincent’s voice was close to her ear, where he’d leaned down to be heard. The rumble of his voice stroked her in places she’d have to appease later with her lonely vibrator. Damn him.

She caught his tee again as they walked, keeping his mouth close as she turned her head slightly. “Because we shouldn’t be together,” she whispered fiercely. Because any second she was going to veer him off their path and mouth lock him. “Playing with fire,” she blurted.

“Just trying to help you, beautiful,” he replied. 

Excerpt from Their Ex's Redrock One (Available Dec 20th) Tomorrow!

“That your husband up there?”

She moaned and nodded. A growl rumbled from his chest. He thought she had to be, the way she’d come up on them, and the way she’d looked before he grabbed her from warning them they were caught.

“We'll talk,” he uttered, dragging her down the hotel walkway away from the balcony. What were the odds he’d meet the wife of the bastard that was screwing his wife?

He was the husband! Tess was gobsmacked as the tall man wearing a black duster and cowboy hat placed her in his big, extended cab pickup that was parked on the other side of the parking lot from “the deed.” She couldn’t think the real words of what it was.

She was shaking and wet as she watched him crossing in front of his truck, going to the driver’s side. He got in, and she exclaimed, “I’m wet.” Her teeth clattered as she tried to control them, and explain. “I’ll ruin your seat.”

“Don’t care.” His voice was a low rumbly burr that she oddly felt in all her secret girly places, but his voice was also tight, as in controlled. His wet hat came off, hitting the seat between them. From the lights of the parking lot, Tess saw he had a long angular nose, black hair that was long enough to hang slightly over his collar, and he had pinpoints in his undetermined eye color, when he glanced at her. His long fingers reached for the heater knob and he turned it on high. Just then lightning struck and she yelped, clutching the armrest on her door.

“Name?” he asked, with an apparent clipped way of speaking.

His truck started, and her voice was shaking when she answered, “Tess Navarro.”

He hissed a breath, and the sound made her think he’d heard the name.

“Vincent Whitehorse,” he offered as his long arm reach to the back of the seat, and he turned his head to look, while backing the truck.

Her breath caught and her eyes widened — she didn’t miss the incredible masculine hotness making up his rugged features. She could have hissed a breath too over his name, because she’d heard of Whitehorse Training and Security Facility. She sent them out flowers she couldn’t use in her flower shop that were good, but getting too old to sell. She liked the theme of WTSF that was helping to save single teens, young women, and young moms, by training them to kick ass, and then getting them into trade jobs or school.

Tess had heard a lot of the jobs were security or bond chaser type work. But she’d seen WTSF personal on the local community college campus passing out flyers. She’d also seen them around town doing various fund raisers for their charity work. She wondered if he was the Whitehorse of WTSF or just a relation. But the more important question tumbled from her mouth, as he took the access road down the side of the highway.

“Did you know?”

He looked as if he was holding rein on a sizeable amount of anger. Which she got. It made his features look chiseled and even more masculine, if that was possible, and she was feeling the distinct flutter inside her for the awareness of a man she thought strikingly attractive.

“Guessed,” he uttered. She kept staring at him as he clipped more words. “Knew. Done it before.”

“Oh,” she whined, dropping her gaze, then she mumbled, “Mine too. Once, I know of.”

“Fuckers,” he growled.

Yeah, Tess wanted to growl that word too, and more she wanted to ask why she wasn’t enough for Steven. What was wrong with her? And what kind of idiot was Vincent’s wife screwing around on a hot man like Vincent. Her husband, Steven, wasn’t "all man" in the hard, virile, and ripped category. He was okay, but not even close to Vincent Whitehorse’s edgy, badass kind of hunkiness.

Wow.

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Their Ex's Redrock Two (Texas Alpha, Erotic Romance)

Coming Thursday Dec 27th

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on the next Their Ex's Redrock!



I imagine Vincent looking something like this: 

And Tess like this but with red hair

Vincent again

Their Ex's: ONE: RedRock (Texas Alpha Erotic Romance

New Serial from Shirl Anders!

The spouses of two cheaters find themselves drawn to each other after they discover the affair.

Tess is set to catch her husband cheating on her. She runs toward the hotel in a thunderstorm seeing a couple in a clench on an outside balcony. Tess opens her mouth to scream at them when a man grabs her, shutting off her scream.

She finds the tall, dark, and powerful man is, Vincent Whitehorse the spouse of the woman cheating with Tess’ husband.

They have an amazing, instantaneous connection.

When Tess falls into bed with Vincent they combust like nothing Tess has felt before.

However both their spouses are crazy. Her husband has unwittingly hooked up with the mob and Vincent’s wife thinks she's the next Cher.

coming soon!

Vampire Lords of Blacknall: Trinity

Only a creature of the night can save her.

Four brothers. All turned vampires by the same evil Sire. They are the Lords of Blacknall, in this century. Trinity is the second oldest and while starting to investigate the murder of women on London's east side, he suddenly feels a woman in danger. Why can he feel her and why does this one woman's blood set his thirst on fire. Can he save Lady Beth from the monster that hunts her? Can he protect her from his own wicked urges, wanting to devour her?

Lady Beth Winslow never stays home in the evenings. She fears her despicable stepbrother. Then a monster stalks her in the dark woods and she cannot tell beast from savior. 

Gothic undertones fill this vampire regency romance novel. If you've read Shirl Anders before you will be surprised. This is a novel length story with much more lengthy romancing.

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Excerpt:

Trinity caught the flashes of alabaster skin off to the left and in front of where he ran through the brambles. The woman's screaming had stopped many minutes ago, and he had to guess the foul beast hunting her had nearly run her to ground.

He veered his headlong sprint towards the glimpses of pale flesh he kept catching sight of through thickly-grouped trees surrounded by scattered bushes. His timing to reach the young woman before the vile monster leapt to kill her was too close to think he'd make it. The threatening roar he released was of a maddened vampire reverberating through the night air. The abhorrence would recognize his thundering challenge.

He heard the woman cry out … in pain this time. Instantly he smelled blood, as he bellowed, "No!" Then his large body crashed through a small opening in the foliage.

He realized too late he was moving much too fast to halt his forward motion, when suddenly the woman was there … as if pushed forward toward his unchecked momentum. He only had seconds to react and he grasped her against his body. Her long black hair whipped around them as he turned to take the brunt of an inevitable fall. He landed on his back with the woman piled on top of him. Then he heard the triumphant howl of escape from the foul beast fading into the distance.

Trinity held tight to the voluptuous young woman as he arched his back and shouted his anger at losing his chance to kill the abhorrence. "I will find you!" he bellowed.

He became aware of the woman screaming as she thrashed on top of him. More powerful than her ineffectual attempts at breaking his hold, while she screamed shrilly into his ear, were the scents of her fresh blood, choking him. It was a quality of blood scent he'd never inhaled before.

His savage and barely-controlled inner hunter snarled to life. Fangs punched past his lips as twin weapons, gluttonous for the smell of pure virgin’s blood pumping from cuts on the woman's struggling body. Ravenous hunger clogged his throat as he'd not felt since he was a young and uncontrolled vampire. Then, before he had any hope of exerting his willpower over the sudden monstrous cravings, his body turned, flipping the woman onto her back. He landed, pouncing over her. His fangs ready to strike, while the veins in his body throbbed for the blood he could smell.

Why was her blood so fucking potent?

The animalistic snarl that lunged from his throat clashed with the woman's frightened sobs, and her wide eyes gazed up at him with horror polished in their depths. Her small hands pounded against his upper chest as her bare hips and legs thrashed, trying to push his body off. His hard erection beneath his britches pounded for her submission, ordering his hips forward to press the rigid length down into her soft center, crushing her lower body's struggle to a halt.

The woman whimpered in fear. Then she cried, "Oh no! No!"

The strangled animalistic sound he made choked the woman's cried words into panting silence, as if she believed halting any motion would make the vicious animal set to strike her miss.

Beth couldn't stand the predator's gaze of yellow eyes with red glints slashed in the centers. She whimpered with sheer terror, jerking her gaze to the side, clenching her eyelids. She'd seen the long white fangs and she'd heard the animalistic snarls that came from the beast surely set to kill her. First, a monster hunted her and now another apparition held her captive. Yet the powerful menace against her felt like a man with hands, arms, legs, and a heavy chest. She felt men's trousers along her bare legs, and she felt a jacket fallen open over her breasts. Was it a man?

Why didn't it strike? her mind wailed, as her breath heaved. Was this the beast that chased her? She thought not. But her questions and abject terror paled in comparison when she felt a hardened length pressing into her core … and what that foretold, nearly caused her to fall into hysteria.

"Don't move!" The commanding voice was a tense baritone with the aftereffects of a growl.

The appearance of human words so surprised her panicked state, she jerked her gaze toward the sound as her body quaked in reaction. Had someone come to save her?

"Don't," the beast above her commanded, "Move."

To hear the semblance of a human's voice in the world gone so mad made her hopes flare unrealistically. Yet they did all the same. She wanted to live.

"Trinity!" a man's voice shouted from the forest surrounding them.

The beast's head jerked upward to look over her head and away from stalking her with its blazing and vulturous, yellow eyes.

"Stop, brother! Don't bite her, Trinity!" the voice rang out from the distance.

Beth felt the air she held suspended leave her lungs as her hands flattened on the chest above her. Bite her? She cringed.

"Virgin's blood," the beast-man above her snarled viciously. "So potent you can smell it. Never felt this hunger before!" His voice growled, making her whimper and squirm against him with the intense need to run.

"Trinity! Brother!"

"I will fight it, Church," her beast-man vowed, half snarled, half shouted as his chest heaved into her chest. "Move away!" he yelled.

"For our mother!" the voice, called Church, returned.

Beth didn't understand anything that had happened that night. How could she end up nearly naked beneath a primal man-beast? So many things were beyond the comprehension of her innocent life. However, she did understand — or perhaps she wanted it so badly to be true — that the man called Trinity, imprisoning her, was trying to fight the urge to strike her. He couldn't be the one that had chased her through the night forest because that presence held a livid and evil malevolence toward her.

"I will rise upward and give you my jacket," the creature called Trinity said. His voice held strange inflections through the large fangs extending from his mouth. It also seemed he promised the action as though to convince himself.

Beth tensed more, trying to slow her panting breath, halfway certain he wouldn't win the battle as he began to rise upward. Then, with his arms locked on either side of her, he stopped moving, but his other worldly eyes didn't stop traveling. He looked over her face, and then he looked downward toward her bare chest. She gasped a squeal of embarrassment chasing her fear, as caution be damned, she jerked her arms between them to cover her breasts.

"You are very beautiful," his tense voice emitted lowly. His hand rose and she would have flinched away, but his gaze held her immobile. His fingers touched her cheek and they felt cold as he curled them and he stroked over the curve of her cheek with the back of his knuckles.

"Please," she begged for her life, and the red glints in his eyes seemed to dull within the yellow. His hand lifted to her temple and he did the most extraordinary thing. He wrote a cross upon her temple with his fingers.

"For my mother," he growled lowly.

Beth could feel the incredible tautness in his body above her. He nearly quivered with tenseness, and then he continued to rise off her lower body, until the cold night air flashed across her nakedness.