Release Day Blitz + Excerpt: A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley

A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch
Author: Sarah Hawley
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: November 28, 2023
Publisher: Berkley

Description:

Calladia Cunnington curses the day she met Astaroth the demon, but when he shows up memoryless, why does she find him so helpless...and sort of hot?

Calladia Cunnington knows she’s rough around the edges, despite being the heir to one of small-town Glimmer Falls’ founding witch families. While her gym obsession is a great outlet for her anxieties and anger, her hot temper still gets the best of her and manifests in bar brawls. When Calladia saves someone from a demon attack one night, though, she’s happy to put her magic and rage to good use...until she realizes the man she saved is none other than Astaroth, the ruthless demon who orchestrated a soul bargain on her best friend.

Astaroth is a legendary soul bargainer and one of the nine members of the demon high council—except he can’t remember any of this. Suffering from amnesia after being banished to the mortal plane, Astaroth doesn’t know why a demon named Moloch is after him, nor why the muscular, angry, hot-in-a-terrifying-way witch who saved him hates him so much.

Unable to leave anyone in such a vulnerable state—even the most despicable demon—Calladia grudgingly decides to help him. (Besides, punching an amnesiac would be in poor taste.) The two set out on an uneasy road trip to find the witch who might be able to restore Astaroth’s memory so they can learn how to defeat Moloch. Calladia vows that once Astaroth is cured, she’ll kick his ass, but the more time she spends with the snarky yet utterly charming demon, the more she realizes she likes this new, improved Astaroth...and maybe she doesn’t want him to recover his memories, after all.

Astaroth of the Nine-demonic high council member, legendary soul bargainer, and renowned liar-was having a very bad day. 

He limped down a firelit stone corridor within the high council's grand temple on the demon plane, leaning heavily on his cane sword and cursing witches and traitor demons under his breath. His former protégé, Ozroth the Ruthless, had just handed him a neat and complete defeat, turning a soul bargain that ought to have been a coup for Astaroth into an embarrassment. And for what? 

Love. 

Astaroth scoffed at the absurdity. A demon soul bargainer falling in love with the witch whose soul he was supposed to take? Human-demon pairings were rare, but they did happen-Astaroth knew that all too well-but this was unprecedented. 

It should have been a simple bargain. After Ozroth had shown signs of decreased performance as a soul bargainer, thanks to accidentally gaining a human soul during a bargain gone awry, Astaroth had been determined to help his protégé recover his edge. When Mariel Spark, a powerhouse of a witch, had accidentally summoned Ozroth for a bargain, it had seemed the perfect opportunity to resurrect Ozroth's ruthlessness and gain a beautiful, bright human soul for the demon plane. 

Ozroth hadn't claimed the witch's soul though. No, he'd dawdled and brooded and pined for the witch like bloody Lord Byron himself (and Astaroth ought to know, since he'd shagged that dramatic bastard for a few months in the early nineteenth century). Unlike old Georgie, though, Ozroth lacked the charisma and sartorial panache to pull off romantic brooding, so Astaroth had quickly stepped in to make the deal himself and save both of them embarrassment. 

Then it had all gone wrong. 

A few impossible spells later, Ozroth and Mariel remained in a disgustingly happy relationship with both partners still in possession of their souls. And Astaroth had bargained away any leverage he might use to punish them. 

He scowled at a torch sconce shaped like a hellhound's three gaping maws. The other members of the demonic high council would rip into him as viciously as a pack of hounds if they sensed an opportunity to reduce his influence and promote their allies. The scent of his blood was in the air, and there was no shortage of aspirants in the hunt for power. 

The huge black doors leading to council chambers loomed ahead. Each was banded in silver and held half of the crest of the high council: a nonagon with nine spokes arrowing toward a stylized flame in the center. 

Dread squeezed his insides with an iron fist. Astaroth rested with his back against the wall for a moment, closing his eyes and breathing through the surge of undemonlike fear. After six centuries, he knew how to force his secret weaknesses under control. 

His aching leg welcomed the respite. It had been broken during his defeat thanks to one of Mariel's allies, a violent blond witch wearing spandex, of all things. Humiliating enough to be punched in the throat, kneed in the groin, and nearly launched into the stratosphere by the witch; her naff attire had added insult to injury. The same accelerated healing that kept demons immortal allowed him to walk on the damaged leg, but he hadn't had time to change out of his dirt-and-blood-stained white suit before being summoned to council quarters. 

It's fine, he told himself, tapping his sword cane against one white, stack-heeled dress shoe, as if that could knock off the grime ground into the leather. So you lost this bet. Make another one, then win that. 

The high council was fond of bets and wagers, which were an excellent way to test rivals, since it was dishonorable to refuse a bet. Frustrated after centuries of deadlock with his main rival on the council, an aggressive demon fundamentalist named Moloch, and with the council muttering about Ozroth's fitness to continue as a soul bargainer, Astaroth had rolled the dice. If Ozroth succeeded in his next bargain within the allotted time, Astaroth would win whatever prize or punishment he wanted from Moloch. If Ozroth failed, Moloch could decide the prize or punishment. 

A wager with open-ended terms was a risky move, but Ozroth had never failed to complete a bargain, even if he had felt some guilt about it recently. Astaroth had been sure Ozroth would seize the witch's soul and win the bet. 

Ah, to return to such an innocent time. 

The door's silver sigil gleamed in the wavering glow of torchlight like a bright, flame-pupiled eye, judging Astaroth with its stare. Bets had been lost in the high council before. The results were never pretty. 

But Astaroth had centuries of cunning and experience on his side, and he was determined not to go down without a fight. Besides, any legendary schemer had a backup plan. He'd been investigating Moloch for years, looking for a weak spot to target, and he'd finally discovered the evidence he needed to take out his greatest enemy on the council. Moloch might win this bet, but he would soon lose everything else. 

Astaroth straightened, cracking his neck before shifting his weight onto both legs. Sharp pain shot through the injured leg, but he gritted his teeth and started walking without a limp. 

The scent of his blood might be in the air, but Astaroth had fangs as sharp as any hellhound's. 

Time to show them.

Excerpted from A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley Copyright © 2023 by Sarah Hawley. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

Sarah Hawley is a cohost of the Wicked Wallflowers Club podcast and the author of A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon. She has an MA in archaeology and has excavated at an Inca site in Chile, a Bronze Age palace in Turkey, and a medieval abbey in England. When not dreaming up whimsical love stories, she can be found reading, dancing, or cuddling her two cats.

Dark Whisper Blog Tour: Excerpt

Dark Whisper (Carpathian #36)
Author: Christine Feehan
Release Date: October 11, 2022
Publisher: Berkley

Description:

Embrace the seductive call of the latest novel in Christine Feehan’s #1 New York Times bestselling Carpathian series.

Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva is a Lycan of royal blood. She knows what’s expected of her, but all she wants is to be out from under her family’s watchful eyes. There is a fire inside her that is building. A restlessness coupled with a sense of growing dread. Every day she feels the weight of the legacy passed down through generations. The prophecy that says a man will come to claim her as his mate and that she will guard his soul. She knows nothing about him, except that he is hers. But nothing seems real until the night she meets him in the flesh....

Afanasiv Belan is a Carpathian, and an ancient one. In all the centuries of his existence, no one has ever affected him like Vasilisa. He can see into her mind and feel what’s in her heart. They are so alike, warriors bound by honor and plagued by secrets. They both know they must reveal the darkest parts of their souls if they hope to survive and protect the ones they love.

But if they claim each other as lifemates it will change them down to the bone. They will become something more—something both of their kinds fear....

In the distance, Vasilisa caught the faint sound of air moving through labored lungs. There he was. She had him now. She waited until she was positively certain that this was the man she was connected to. Her man. The man whose soul she guarded so carefully. She began to match that labored breathing, allowing her lungs to take on the same ragged gasps struggling for air. Once they were in perfect sync, she began to even the two of them out slowly. He became aware of her instantly.

He went from near unconsciousness to his mind on complete alert. She felt him pushing into her mind, and he was extremely strong. Like a battering ram. A tidal wave.

Be careful, she cautioned. There are others who might overhear if you aren’t cautious. How badly are you injured?

He didn’t withdraw from her, but he remained silent as though thinking whether or not he was going to answer her. You are?

She sighed. She should have known he would ask. There was no getting around this. Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva. And you?

I am called Afanasiv Belan. Or Siv for short. The daughter of the royal wolf, he mused. Are you aware of what you are to me?

Vasilisa didn’t know if it was because they were speaking telepathically to one another that his voice stroked and caressed like a deep, husky velvet brush. Soft. Gentle. He sounded as if he belonged to the night, just as she did. She only knew it was one of the most sensual experiences of her life.

She wanted to lie to him. She didn’t belong to any man. She was her own person and she went her own way. He was the one who needed help, not her. She didn’t say any of that. Yes, of course. I connected to you when you were first injured. Your head.

Forgive me. Had I known, I would not have allowed you to feel anything. You must leave this place. I will find you once I know you are safe.

Her belly grew hot, and she knew her temper was fighting for supremacy. She hadn’t just sauntered down a brick road to get to him. She’d fought a battle and killed men to make certain he was all right. He was laid out like bait in a trap. He was bait in a trap. He’d been nearly unconscious when she’d first arrived. A small kernel of doubt seeped in. Hadn’t he? He’d come alert awfully fast. Had he been faking?

I do not allow strangers to be accosted on my lands without retaliation. In any case, I believe they are using you as bait to draw me to them. It would be nice to know why.

I wanted the answer to that question. That is why I am lying here on the ground looking pathetic with my head bleeding. They did a poor job of weaving magic to tie me to the earth.

How many? And describe them, please. She ignored his high-handed order to leave. She was born into the house of Korolyvolk—the royal wolf. She was royalty, and while she didn’t hold that over the head of her people, no stranger was going to tell her what to do on her own land.

You are one of the very modern women who simply ignore anything her partner wants or needs.

She felt him heave a tremendous sigh. It was there in his mind. She might have found humor in the situation, but there was something else she caught a glimmer of—the smallest of scars, although its thickness gave her pause. That scar shouldn’t have been there in his mind. It wasn’t a barrier. He had those in abundance, hard walls she couldn’t penetrate, nor was she attempting to do so. That thick scar wasn’t actually in his mind, he’d been thinking of it in some conjunction with him. Sorrow had been instantly overwhelming.

Excerpted from DARK WHISPER by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2022 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Torpedo Ink series, the Shadow Riders series, and stand-alone romantic suspense novels. Learn more online at www.christinefeehan.com. 

Photo: Michael Greene

 

 

 

 

Fate Awakened Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the FATE AWAKENED by Jocelyn Montana Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

FATE AWAKENED
Author: Jocelyn Montana
Release Date: July 25, 2022
Publisher: H. Delaney Publishing, LLC
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 330

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

 Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited membership!

A fierce werewolf consumed by his past. A human used as bait. A connection neither expects.

A MONSTER TO EVERYONE BUT HER …
Hans lives only for vengeance. No more Pack. No friends. Only the dark void inside him tormenting him about his past. Yet when he meets a dark-haired beauty, desire tears through him and changes everything. But werewolves never take mates, and to claim her would doom him and ensure the rising evil wins.

AN ORDINARY HUMAN TO EVERYONE BUT HIM …
One moment Briony’s eating in the tavern, and the next a necromancer has her tied up in a cave as bait for a werewolf. Stuck in the middle of a centuries old battle, she needs to escape. Now. Except when the werewolf arrives and she gets her chance, she doesn’t run. No—she helps him and decides to join him to face a formidable enemy who will do anything to kill her. And with each day that passes, every gentle touch, every silky purr, the werewolf claws his way further into her heart.

BOUND TOGETHER AGAINST AN ANCIENT EVIL …
They have one month to work together to take down a sorceress. One month to decide to remain together forever. Everyone in Briony’s life has left her, and she doesn’t believe in love anymore. Secrets in Hans’s past prevent him from making Briony his. They may save the world, but will they save each other?

Publishers Note: The hero of the story is a walk-on-two-legs mythological kind of werewolf. He is not a human man who shifts into a wolf. The book cover accurately depicts what the hero looks like. He is in this form the entire book. If you like a little monster in your man—this book is perfect for you. If you enjoy sweeping fantasy with a happy ever after—this book is for you. Triggers for this book: None

Reviews:

“Fate Awakened was my introduction to the Monster/Werewolf Romance genre and I loved every page-turning second! The author's descriptive ability was a pleasure to read, and I instantly became lost in the magical world of Ulterra that she's created for us.”~ Sarah on Goodreads

The same energy when they’d locked eyes in the cave built between them. Like a bow being drawn for an arrow. In a rush, they came together in the middle of the room. His massive arms circled her, pulling her close, so close she was forced to tilt her head back to meet his glowing eyes.

He dropped his head to nuzzle her neck. “This time, the scent of your desire for me is real.”

“Yes.” She trailed her nails down his back, and he shivered.

The maelstrom swirling in her chest was the magnetic pull of him. Of their bond. It was hard to distinguish where she ended and he began.

Uncertainty threaded through her lust. “None of this makes sense,” she whispered. “But I want you more now than I did back in the cave.”

His seductive, silky growl rippled over her skin, and she gasped and pressed closer, rubbing against the soft fur of his stomach.

“The moons are low in the sky, little one.” One long lick along her neck. “The vae are busy, and the forest is safe and private. Strip. Run through the woods so I can chase you. I’ll catch you and make you mine.”

Heat pooled between her legs, and her fingers flexed. He licked again. “Okay.”

She walked to the double doors and released the laces on her bodice. Her dress pooled at her feet, leaving her naked before his gaze.

Hans’s eyes glowed brighter. Hungry. Wanting. He purred, and she wanted to run to him, not away, but she opened the doors and entered the forest.

The moons bobbed low above the trees. The shadows should be impenetrable, making it difficult to see in the thickest part of this unfamiliar forest, but instead of darkness, everything was in shades of gray, as if the moons shone brightly to illuminate the path in front of her. Her feet cushioned by soft moss, she slipped between the tree trunks.

Each footfall pounded on the forest floor, and her toes dug in to propel her forward. Her hair flew free behind her, sweeping her back, and she trailed her hand along a tree, the bark scratching her palm, to leave her scent. With a spurt of speed, she dug in and raced forward.

He was coming.

Something primal unfurled and spurred her faster. An ancient race of male and female. He’d prove he was worthy, and she’d let him claim her.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears from both desire and exertion. A boulder of limestone blocked her path. She paused for a moment, but it was long enough for an arm to snake around her waist. Hot breath fanned her neck as Hans pinned her against the rock, his thigh wedging between hers to spread her open for him. He bit the nape of her neck, and she groaned.

No. She’d barely made him earn it. When she pretended to go slack and compliant, he loosened his grip and shifted backward a step. Briony twisted free. Sucking in air, she scrambled around the rock and sprinted away.

He released a rich, pleased growl, and she was sure he pursued, but she wasn’t slowing to check. Grinning, she dodged around trees, anticipating what he’d do when he caught her, making her entire body tingle.

Jocelyn Montana is a fantasy and paranormal romance author focusing on her two series featuring the world of Ulterra. She lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts with her boyfriend of ten years and her chiweenie Marcus, also known as The Dog Who Will Do Anything for Ham. She loves werewolves, and demons, and all sorts of fun supernatural beings. She’d like to thank Disney and their movies: Beauty and the Beast, and Robinhood (animated version) for showing her that handsome heroes don’t always look like men.

Check out her website at www.jocelynmontana.com

Sign up for her newsletter for exclusive secret epilogues, and free novellas unavailable anywhere else.

Hang out with her on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.jocelynmontana/

Subscribe to Jocelyn’s newsletter!

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

(2) winners will receive a signed finished copy of FATE AWAKENED - US Only.

(2) winners will receive an eBook of FATE AWAKENED - International.

Ends October 18^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/3/2022	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt
10/4/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt/IG Post
10/5/2022	Beers Books Boos	Review/IG Post
10/5/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
10/6/2022	Jeff_of_allmedia	Review/IG Post
10/6/2022	Nagma | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf	Review/IG Post
10/7/2022	the.bibliophile.michelle	Review/IG Post
10/7/2022	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt

Week Two:

10/10/2022	See Sadie Read	Review/IG Post
10/11/2022	@jacleomik33	Review/IG Post
10/12/2022	Under the Book Cover	Review/IG Post
10/12/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
10/13/2022	@bookishreviews_byalison	IG Review
10/14/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
10/14/2022	Fire and Ice	Review/IG Post

Shadow Mate Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SHADOW MATE by Alexis Calder Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

SHADOW MATE (Shadow Wolves #1)
Author: Alexis Calder
Release Date: September 20, 2022
Publisher: Alexis Calder
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 214

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

Description:

My father traded his life for mine. And now I’m bound to an enemy.

I finally carved out a life for myself with minimal interaction with my abusive father. He might be the alpha, but he hates me enough to leave me alone as long as I don’t make him look bad.

Until he decides to challenge another alpha and offer my life in exchange for his. Now, I’m life bound to an enemy and I’m trapped in a strange pack.

Despite my attempts to keep my distance from my captor, I find myself drawn to him. But as we get closer, things get more dangerous.

There’s so much more to this than it seems and I’ve ended up right in the middle. One wrong step and it’s my life on the line. If I can't get free of this, I'm going to end up dead and I'll be taking my captor with me.

Shadow Mate is a full-length paranormal romance. 17+ for dark content, steamy scenes, and language. This is book one in a trilogy and is not a standalone. Mind the cliff.

Shadow Mate
By Alexis Calder

Chapter 1

Morgan

Water seeped from under the locked door and I pounded again. “Open it now or I’m tearing it down.”

The unmistakable sounds of sex mixed with the running water of the faucet seemed to be masking the sounds of my pounding and my screams. My little bar didn’t need any other issues. I already had enough to repair as it was. A flooded bathroom destroyed by a pair of shifters trying to get it on was not in the budget.

Shaking with rage, I stomped away from the bathroom, my shoes slipping on the aging wood floor. “Free beer for whoever can get my bathroom door open with the least amount of damage.”

Several patrons looked up at me and Kenny Jones was the first to stand. His girlfriend grabbed his sleeve and yanked him back to his stool. “Don’t you dare,” she hissed.

“Come on. One of you has to be willing to tear it down.” I glanced around the space. All the bar stools were full and several groups were gathered around the wobbly tables to my right. Shifters had good hearing, so I knew the rock music on the jukebox wasn’t the reason I was being ignored.

Nobody in this town gave a shit about anybody else. That was just the way things were. And usually, it suited me just fine. But today I had a couple of shifters about the flood my entire bar.

Stella’s wasn’t much. If I was being honest, it was more of a hallway than an actual bar. It would never pass a health inspection in human city, and the only reason I had patrons in the first place was because I didn’t water down the booze like my competition. But that wasn’t enough to earn me loyalty. I groaned. This was what I got for avoiding most pack gatherings. I wasn’t seen as one of them. Even if I’d kept them in drinks for the last five years.

“I can knock it down for you, Morgan, but it’ll be messy,” Charles, one of my regulars said.

“Same, sweetheart. I’d probably knock out most of the drywall around the door,” Manny, another regular added.

Some of my tension eased. At least I had a few shifters who were in my corner. “Thanks, guys. I’ll come get you if I can’t get it off.”

Gritting my teeth I marched toward the bar. There had to be a way to do this that wouldn’t cost me all my repair savings. I grabbed a screwdriver from the cabinet under the cash register.

“Want me to give it a try?” Jasmine asked.

I shook my head. Jasmine was a witch so she didn’t have the brute strength the shifters possessed. I was worried she’d try and end up hurting herself and I couldn’t afford for her to go

down, either. Jasmine worked for a room. I knew I should pay her, but I was barely making enough to keep the bar running. Plus, she was my best friend. I couldn’t ask her to do this when it was possible whoever was in there would attack anyone who tried to open the door. “Thanks but someone needs to stay out here and monitor all these deadbeats.”

“I’ll help. But I’m going to need something in return,” Stewart Mackenzie slurred.

I lifted a brow. “I’m not giving you a blowjob.”

“Suit yourself.” Stewart shrugged and took a drink of his beer. “But you’d get a lot more response if you sweetened the pot by shaking those hips around.”

I set the screwdriver down, then leaned across the bar and yanked his mug away from him.

“Hey!”

“You will not disrespect me in my own bar,” I said. “Apologize. Now.”

“I was just teasing you,” he said with what was probably supposed to be a flirty smile.

I glared at him, holding his beer captive. “You apologize of you can start drinking at Lou’s for the rest of your miserable existence.”

His upper lip twitched and he wrinkled his nose. Lou’s was even worse than my place and everyone knew he used the cheap stuff mixed with water. Sometimes his drinks were even made with questionable moonshine. You never knew what you’d get there. The only shifters who drank at Lou’s were those who were too old-fashioned to support a female business or too broke to afford even my low prices. As far as I was concerned, Stewart could go join them.

“Sorry, Morgan,” he said quietly.

I put my hand to my ear. “What was that?”

“I said, I’m sorry,” he was louder this time.

I wrinkled my brow and acted as if I was straining to hear him.

He let out an exasperated huff. “Sorry, Morgan.” He shouted this time and half the patrons turned and laughed.

His expression darkened and I lowered my hand from my ear, a smug smile of satisfaction on my lips. I passed his beer back to him. “Don’t do it again.”

He grumbled something under his breath but grabbed the beer from me, avoiding making eye-contact.

I’d grown up surrounded by the most powerful males in the pack and I had to learn at far too young an age that if I didn’t stand up for myself, they’d take things too far. Unfortunately, too many bad things happened to me before I learned that lesson. I refused to ever be that scared, abused little girl again.

“Well done,” Jasmine said in my ear.

I nodded in response, then picked back up the screwdriver and stormed toward the bathroom.

I had started out as a much nicer proprietor. But years of getting hit on, and even some rather dangerous situations where I could have been seriously hurt or worse, I learned it was easier to be the cold hearted bitch then play sweet. It was the only thing these shifters responded to.

It didn’t take long for me to remove the doorknob so I could push open the bathroom door. Water gushed out and the door only opened so wide because someone’s naked ass was blocking it.

Rage bubbled up. I recognized that ass. Of course, of all the shifters to walk in on having sex in the bathroom at my bar. “Gods dammit, Owen. Can’t you keep your penis to yourself ever?” I shoved him aside so I could turn off the faucet.

Owen growled then spun to face me, his eyes widening when he realized who had interrupted him. I didn’t even bother to mask the anger in my expression.

“In my bar, Owen? You could have done this anywhere else and you do it here?”

“I thought you said you two broke up.”

I winced at the grating sound of Suzanne’s voice. Of course it was Suzanne Carter. Because my luck and my distrust of men really couldn’t get any worse.

“We are broken up,” Owen said. “So you have no right to be mad at me, Morgan.”

“Out. Now.” I was seething. My face hot, my hands balled into fists. It was one thing to flood my bathroom, it was another to fuck my childhood bully a week after we decided to take a break.

“Fuck, Morgan. Aren’t you at least a little jealous?” Owen stood naked in all his six-five, muscled glory.

When he’d asked me out, I’d been flattered. He was the most desirable single male in the pack. I turned him down several times before finally giving in and going on a date. Somehow, that obligatory date had turned into six months of bad sex and half-assed attempts at an actual relationship.

I’d tried so hard to play along. So hard to fall into step with the pack’s expectations. I’d even gone off my tonic for a month and shifted during the full moon with the rest of the pack.

But it wasn’t right. None of it felt right. It never did.

Last week, I told him I was done. It didn’t feel right to keep faking things with him. He’d begged me to reconsider. Told me he loved me, which scared the shit out of me. Sex with him wasn’t great, but at least he’d never hurt me. Well, not physically.

When I’d hesitated, he suggested a break for a month to see if we missed each other. Reluctantly, I’d agreed.

I should have seen this coming. But I had started to wonder if maybe he was one of the good ones. Secretly, that was probably why I’d risked not taking my tonic for a month. If there was a bond between us, it would have surfaced in that time. It didn’t show. We weren’t mates, but I had wondered if being with him would be better than being alone.

I was wrong.

“I thought this might get a rise out of you,” he said. “Show you what you’re missing out on.”

Suzanne scoffed and picked a sopping wet dress off the floor. “Don’t call me, Owen.” She tugged the soaked garment over her head, then shoved past him without looking at me once.

“That was your plan?” I said. “Flood my bar and have sex with the girl who made high school a living hell for me? To make me jealous?”

He was even more stupid than I thought. I regretted every single time I ever fucked him.

“You have to know what a mistake you made,” he said. “Every female in this pack wants me. You walk away from now and there are no second chances.”

I rolled my eyes then turned away from him. I was so done. He was the one who begged for a break instead of a break-up. He made the decision so much easier. “You better clean up my bathroom or I’m filing a formal complaint with the alpha.”

“Oh, yes, run to daddy,” he said.

Without turning around, I flipped him off, then went back to the bar. I didn’t owe him an explanation. He, and every other member of this pack, knew my dad might be the alpha, but I was his least favorite shifter. In fact, I think the only time he might have tolerated me was the one time I’d shown up to run on the full moon with Owen in tow.

My dad would be more upset about this breakup than I was. Now, my relationship history was limited, but I’m guessing the person in the actual relationship should be more upset than their parents. But maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

A few catcalls and whistles sounded in my wake but they weren’t for me. I moved aside and Owen walked past me, fully naked, toward the door.

“Looking good, man,” someone called.

“You forgot your pants,” another added.

“I’m available if she’s not going to keep her claws in you,” a female voice added.

“He’s all yours,” I said.

Laughter filled the small space.

Owen growled and his body rippled as he doubled over. His transition was impressive. Graceful and fluid. The kind of shifting abilities that any shifter would kill to possess. I’d only shifted a few times, but it was always painful and forced. As if my body was rebelling against the action.

Gods damn show off.

More whistles and a few cheers. Someone opened the door and the huge gray wolf bolted out of the dingy bar.

My shoulders sagged in relief. I shouldn’t have caved when he countered my break-up, but it was officially over now. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been with the unresolved issue of our relationship. I really needed to stick to my no dating shifters policy.

Not that there was much of a choice here. Aside from our pack of wolf shifters, there was a nearby witch coven. The nearest major city was hours away and mostly occupied by humans and I wasn’t that desperate to get away. As much as I sometimes hated it here, Copper Springs was home.

The patrons were back to their drinks and Jasmine was working fast to keep everyone topped off. As long as their drinks were full, they weren’t going to even remember any of this. I wish I could say it was unusual, but there was always something going on here. Typically, it was a brawl, but it wasn’t even the first couple I had to throw out of the bathroom. With only one bathroom, if anyone was in there too long I heard about it.

I ducked behind the bar and checked on the status of the bottles of booze and the kegs. We probably had enough for the rest of the night.

“That was interesting,” Jasmine said as she pushed through the swinging door separating the bar from the patrons.

“I’m only mad at myself for not breaking it off sooner. All the red flags were there,” I said.

“Don’t blame yourself. We all know what he looks like naked. I’m guilty of making those mistakes too. I mean, sometimes you just need to work off some shit in the bedroom, right?” She rimmed a glass with a lime then set it in the plate of salt.

“He wasn’t even that good in bed,” I admitted.

She turned the glass over and scooped ice into it. “Sorry to hear that, girl. But at least he was pretty.”

I shrugged, trying to give myself at least that. He really was and I’d been completely blinded by it. There was no way I’d make that mistake again. “Yeah, he was.”

“You good out here?” I asked. “I’m going to try to get the bathroom cleaned up.”

“I’ll happily keep pouring drinks if it keeps me from cleaning out the bathroom,” she said.

“I guess this is why they pay me the big bucks,” I teased.

She laughed as she filled the glass with a generous pour of tequila. “I’m not sure this dump is worth it.”

“It’s absolutely not worth it,” I agreed. “But it’s home.”

She finished making the margarita and lifted it in a salute as she sidestepped me to leave. “To home.”

I had to smile at that. This bar was run-down and probably a public health hazard. I kept the glasses clean and used decent booze, but the floors squeaked, the walls were soft in places, and it was a miracle the roof hadn’t caved in on us.

Sandwiched between a laundromat and a liquor store, I was limited on what I could do with the space, but I did my best. More than once I’d been offered a decent sum to sell it to one of the shops on either side, but I always declined.

This bar was all I had left of my mom. It was my only inheritance and it kept me from being dependent on my father. If not for the tiny apartments upstairs, I might not bother with the work it took to keep it running. But in a pack where unmarried females were supposed to remain under their father’s care, the independence of this place was worth more than all the money in the world. Besides, I was able to offer assistance to Jasmine as well. I couldn’t help everyone who was down on their luck, but Stella’s Bar kept the two of us from a much worse fate.

Growing up in the alpha’s house wasn’t easy. Things got worse after my mom died. But my dad was all about appearances. Having a daughter who ran a successful business made him look good. Even if he was disappointed that I hadn’t settled down, he could tell people it was because I was waiting for my mate. He’d proudly crow about how I had such high standards that I’d rather die alone than settle. As if it was some kind of measure of his worth. Imagine how it would change if my mate showed up and was a complete loser.

Little did he know, I’d never have to find my mate. Thanks to the tonic Jasmine made me every month, I didn’t shift, which meant I didn’t go into heat and give off the scent that would attract my mate. After watching my dad abuse my mom, his mate, her whole life, I refused to follow in her footsteps.

This bar, shitty as it was, was my sanctuary. Which I had to remind myself over and over as I pushed water toward the drain with a squeegee. I couldn’t afford to hire anyone, but this was far better than the alternative.

Alexis Calder writes sassy heroines and sexy heroes with a sprinkle of sarcasm. She lives in the Rockies and drinks far too much coffee and just the right amount of wine.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |  Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

(1) Winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC - International.

Ends October 4^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/19/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Spotlight
9/19/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt/IG Post
9/20/2022	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt/IG Post
9/20/2022	BookHounds	Excerpt/IG Post
9/21/2022	The Reading Devil	Excerpt/IG Post
9/21/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
9/22/2022	fairrryprose	Review
9/22/2022	Epic Book Society	Excerpt/IG Post
9/23/2022	hauntedbybooks	Review/IG Post
9/23/2022	Book Sniffers Anonymous	Review/IG Post

 

Week Two:

9/26/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
9/26/2022	Book Reviews by Taylor	Excerpt/IG Post
9/27/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review
9/27/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
9/28/2022	Nagma | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf	IG Review
9/28/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
9/29/2022	The Momma Spot	Excerpt/IG Post
9/29/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
9/30/2022	Books With A Chance of Traveling	Review/IG Post
9/30/2022	bookbriefs	Review