Shira Anthony's Blog - Posts Tagged "shifter"

Check out the amazing cover of Into the Wind by cover artist Anne Cain! I think it's stunning. Even better? You can now pre-order your very own copy of the book Dreamspinner Press by clicking here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4975

Don't forget that I'm still running a pre-release giveaway. Up for grabs? Winner's choice of a cool, nautical leather wrap watch, or a signed paperback copy of Stealing the Wind , the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series. US readers only for this one, please. I promise I'll have some goodies for non-US readers in upcoming giveaways, though.

How do you enter? Leave a comment on this blog post and tell me what you like best about the ocean (feel free to let your imaginations run wild!). I'll choose a winner on May 4th from all the entries here.

Into the Wind is the direct sequel to Stealing the Wind, and takes up the story of Ian Dunaidh and Taren Laxley, shape-shifting mermen (Ea). There are a few surprises in this book I hope you'll enjoy, and the book starts off with a bang (literally), as the Phantom is attacked on her way to the Gateway Islands, where the crew hoped to locate the cruel pirate, Odhrán.

Here's the blurb: Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.

After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

Want to read an excerpt from Chapter One? Click here. So go snag yourself a copy at Dreamspinner Press and don't forget to enter the pre-release drawing by commenting on this post! -Shira

It's release day for the 2nd Mermen of Ea Series book, Into the Wind ! I can't tell you how excited I am to share Taren and Ian's continuing adventure with you! The book is now available for download at Dreamspinner Press and All Romance Ebooks, and should be available on Amazon.com by mid-afternoon. I'll update this post with the Amazon link when I have it.

The Into the Wind Blog Tour starts today, and the Rafflecopter link is now active, so you can start entering by tweeting, liking, and commenting on blog tour posts. Here's the link to the giveaway widget: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/

Or enter right here on my blog if your device permits:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Up for grabs? Some really cool gifts, including the grand prize of a stunning unisex Ea pendant, handmade by artist Martin Brodour. Also to be won, a cool Mermen of Ea gift basket that includes an autographed copy of the first book, Stealing the Wind, a great cover art t-shirt, and lots of other fun, nautical themed goodies! For non-US residents, I've got several prizes, including a $10 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate you can use to buy any Dreamspinner books! The contest ends on May 31st at midnight.

Here's a list of blog tour participants:

5/5 Release Day – Smoocher’s Voice (Interview with Shira)

5/6 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words (Ocean Inspiration)

5/8 Mrs. Condits and Friends (Merman Sex 101)

5/9 Tali Spencer’s Brilliant Disguise (Series and Worldbuilding: Recreating the Merman Myth)

5/10 Prism Book Alliance (Character Interview with Ian Dunaidh)

5/13 Joyfully Jay (Character Interview with Taren Laxley)

5/15 Book Suburbia

5/16 Jase’s Atenaeum

Haven't read the first book yet? Now's a great time to start, because you can segue right into book two! Click on the Stealing the Wind book cover to purchase at Dreamspinner Press, or check it out on Amazon.com, AllRomanceEbooks, or your favorite online ebook seller!

Please join me over at Smoocher's Voice today for an interview and more chances to enter the blog tour contest! And have a slippery, hot merman day, everyone! -Shira

 

Just sharing the love... All my books are 30% off through May 17th at the Dreamspinner Press online store! So if you've been waiting to start the Mermen of Ea Series, this is a perfect time to pick up both books for just about what you'd normally pay for one. You can find all my books here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_484

Also happening now, the Into the Wind Blog tour is getting ready to wrap, although the blog tour giveaway will still be active until the end of the month. Here's the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway widget: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/

Up for grabs? Some really cool gifts, including the grand prize of a stunning unisex Ea pendant, handmade by artist Martin Brodour. Also to be won, a cool Mermen of Ea gift basket that includes an autographed copy of the first book, Stealing the Wind, a great cover art t-shirt, and lots of other fun, nautical themed goodies! For non-US residents, I've got several prizes, including a $10 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate you can use to buy any Dreamspinner books! The contest ends on May 31st at midnight.

Here's a list of all the great blogs I've been visiting along the way:

5/5 Release Day – Smoocher’s Voice (Interview with Shira)

5/6 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words (Inspiration for the Mermen of Ea Series)

5/8 Mrs. Condits and Friends (Merman Sex 101)

5/9 Tali Spencer’s Brilliant Disguise (Series and Worldbuilding: Recreating the Merman Myth)

5/10 Prism Book Alliance (Character Interview with Ian Dunaidh)

5/13 Joyfully Jay (Character Interview with Taren Laxley)

5/15 Book Suburbia (Tired of Vampires and Werewolves? How About Mermen?)

5/16 Jase’s Atenaeum (TBA)

 

Good luck to everyone entering the giveaways! I'll leave you with an excerpt from the new book at the bottom of this post. Happy reading! -Shira

******

Blurb : Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.

After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

Excerpt from Chapter Two:

TAREN CHASED Ian through the surf, the water flying about him as his bare feet slapped the sand. The warm autumn sun on his shoulders and the salty tang of the water made him smile.

“You’re too slow!” Ian called from halfway across the beach.

Taren laughed and dove into a wave, swam in his human form until he came upon Ian, grabbed him around the ankles, then knocked him into the water. Ian spluttered and transformed, planting his powerful tail. He paused for only an instant, then pivoted and swam against a wave that crested and broke near shore.

Taren looked around, trying to sense Ian. During the time they’d spent together at Callaecia, the powerful sensations he shared with Ian had only grown in their intensity. Even though he couldn’t see him, Taren felt Ian’s heart race as he swam, felt his pleasure, heard his lungs fill with water, and knew he was nearby. He didn’t see Ian until he surfaced in a spray of foam, took Taren’s hands, and dragged him down, forcing him to transform as well.

You cheated! Taren wriggled away from Ian and took off for one of the underwater caves near the cliffs. He flicked his tail harder when he sensed the movement of water behind him. Ian was the stronger swimmer, although in the months Taren had lived amongst the Ea at Callaecia, he’d learned to use his Ea body to its greatest advantage.

Ian caught up with Taren a moment later, swimming beneath Taren before encircling his waist with his powerful arms, capturing him in his embrace.

I yield! Taren laughed and allowed Ian to pull him closer. Besides, you’ve long ago captured my heart. He nipped at Ian’s neck, eliciting a low rumble he could feel in his belly more than hear with his ears. Taren still marveled that in his Ea form he could hear so much under the water. He’d asked Ian once why the Ea didn’t choose to spend their lives in this form, so taken was he with the joys of his Ea body and the beauty of the sea. Ian had just shrugged and told him that the Ea viewed their transformation as a gift from the goddess that set them apart from humans, but that they believed they were meant to live on land.

They swam out from land as they held each other, tails beating the water in tandem as they spiraled in a dizzying dance. More than anything, Taren found the Ea mating ritual a beautiful thing. Ian’s Ea body was also beautiful. In this form, Ian’s chest was broad and the muscles of his belly and arms more powerful. As a human, Ian was strong. As an Ea, he possessed strength and surprising grace few others did. Taren loved to watch Ian swim, watch the sinews of his body ripple as he moved his tail, watch his hair twist in the current. More thrilling, perhaps, was the knowledge that Ian was his, that Ian desired him above all others, that Taren held Ian’s heart.

Ian released Taren as they glided over the sand at the bottom. Large schools of silver fish followed the contours of their bodies, calling to mind the shimmer of moon across the waves. Here, many feet below the surface, the pressure of the water created a warm cocoon around Taren and drove the warmth in his chest to his extremities, making his fingers more sensitive.

Taren flicked his tail to propel him around so that he and Ian swam toward each other, arms extended, then moved upward as they laced their fingers together and floated perpendicular to the sea floor. They kissed and their tongues entwined. Ian tasted of the ocean and of the promise of Taren’s new life. Their former incarnations, Treande and Owyn, had been equals in everything. Partners, friends, lovers. Taren both relished and feared the power of his connection to Ian and the unexpected turn of fate that had brought them together, as well as the revelations of their past.

With a grin, Taren spun around so that he faced Ian’s tail. He rotated his arm so that the sharp tines that ran from his fingers to his wrist grazed the slick surface. He’d learned how to retract the barbs so they would not injure; he’d also learned that if used properly, the gentle scrape of the barbs was a sensual treat Ian could not resist.

“Goddess!” Ian shouted in his mind. “Is it your wish to render me completely helpless with lust?”

Taren repressed a chuckle as he continued to stroke Ian’s body. He might not be able to best Ian with his physical prowess, but he knew he held a stronger power over Ian. He relished the thought that he possessed Ian’s heart and soul, for it made his own uncontrollable hunger to be near Ian bearable.

With the final Mermen of Ea Series book, Running with the Wind , to be released on June 8th, and the cover reveal only 2 days away (Thursday, May 7th!), I wanted to share some more amazing artwork with you. This is the fabulous Ea universe map Dreamspinner Press created by artist Margaret Warner. The map will be included in Running with the Wind.

For those of you who have read the first 2 installments in the series, Stealing the Wind and Into the Wind , you'll recognize the Kingdom of Derryth, where Taren starts his journey when he's kidnapped by the captain of the Sea Witch and finds himself at sea. You'll also find the Luathan Islands and the tiny island of Ea'nu, where most of the merfolk are hidden behind enchantments. The map also shows the location of the fabled Eastern Lands and the country of Astenya, the land of the high mountains, where much of the final book takes place.

I grew up with my father reading the Lord of the Rings stories to me and my sister, and I remember being enthralled by the maps of Middle Earth on the inside covers. As I was working on the Mermen of Ea Series, I created my own map so I would be able to move the characters about and not get completely turned around. Just for giggles, here's my map, which Margaret turned into the beauty you see above.



I hope you'll join Taren and Ian in this final series book as they fight for the survival of their people. And if you've been waiting to start the series because you wanted to wait until it's finished, the wait is over! Happy reading! -Shira

******

Blurb:

Sequel to Into the Wind

With the final confrontation between the island and mainland Ea factions looming, Taren and Ian sail with Odhrán to investigate a lost colony of merfolk in the Eastern Lands. Upon their arrival, the King of Astenya welcomes them as friends. Odhrán, however, isn’t so quick to trust the descendent of the man who held him prisoner for nearly a decade, especially now that he has someone to cherish and protect—the mysterious winged boy he rescued from the depths.

Armed with the knowledge he believes will save the Ea, Taren returns to the mainland. With Ian at his side, Taren convinces Vurin that their people must unite with their island brethren before it’s too late. When Seria and his men attack, Taren must call upon the ancient power of the rune stone to protect his comrades. But using stone’s immeasurable power commands a hefty price—and Ian fears that price is Taren’s life.

Buy links (active late on May 6th):

eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6455

Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6456

Running with the Wind , the final installment in the Mermen of Ea Series from Dreamspinner Press, is now available for preorder here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6455! You can find the complete series on Dreamspinner Press's website: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=914 The gorgeous cover art is by the incomparable Anne Cain. Read to the bottom for an excerpt from the first book in the series.

The Mermen of Ea Series is high fantasy, adventure, and romance set on the high seas. It follows the story of Taren Laxley, an indentured servant who works as a rigger repairing the ropes of ships putting into port in Raice Harbor. When Taren is kidnapped by the lusty captain of a pirate ship, he finally realizes his life-long dream of sailing on the ocean. After Taren falls overboard trying to save a fellow crewmate, he is plucked from the water by the crew of the Phantom, a mysterious ship captained by the seemingly ageless Ian Dunaidh. What Taren soon learns is the Ian and his crew are not human at all, but Ea, merfolk shifters who can take human form. More surprising still, Taren discovers he, too, is Ea.

The final book in the series, Running with the Wind, takes up where the second book, Into the Wind , left off after a battle at sea that culminates in the destruction of the Sea Witch. Haven't read any of the books yet? You'll want to start with the first book, Stealing the Wind .

I can't wait to share this last series book with you! I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. -Shira

Blurb: Sequel to Into the Wind

With the final confrontation between the island and mainland Ea factions looming, Taren and Ian sail with Odhrán to investigate a lost colony of merfolk in the Eastern Lands. Upon their arrival, the King of Astenya welcomes them as friends. Odhrán, however, isn’t so quick to trust the descendent of the man who held him prisoner for nearly a decade, especially now that he has someone to cherish and protect—the mysterious winged boy he rescued from the depths.

Armed with the knowledge he believes will save the Ea, Taren returns to the mainland. With Ian at his side, Taren convinces Vurin that their people must unite with their island brethren before it’s too late. When Seria and his men attack, Taren must call upon the ancient power of the rune stone to protect his comrades. But using stone’s immeasurable power commands a hefty price—and Ian fears that price is Taren’s life.

Excerpt from Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #1):

Chapter One

The sound of thundering hooves outside the door of their one room hut caused the wooden table to shake and the lamp light to flicker. Surprised, Taren met Borstan’s wide, fearful eyes over the top of the book he’d been reading.

Borstan jumped up from the bench. “Hide, boy! Quickly, now!” he hissed as he shooed Taren up and away from the table.

“Who—?”

“Go! Now! And not a word from you!” Borstan shoved Taren hard and he scrambled behind the stores of rope and flour.

The heavy thud of a battle-axe nearly shook their wooden door from its ancient hinges. “Rigger Borstan Laxley! By order of Lord Grell, we seek recompense for your gambling debts!”

Taren peered around a flour sack. Borstan stood next to the door, his back flat to the wall, his eyes squeezed shut.

“Who are they?” Taren whispered loudly.

Borstan put a finger to his lips to silence Taren just as the men broke through the door, only Borstan’s body kept it from banging against the wall. Borstan yelped as four ironclad giants stormed the room. “Borstan Laxley!” the leader shouted as he dragged a terrified Borstan from behind the door. Another man pulled the bench, their only bench, from the table and aligned it in front of the fireplace. “Tie him!” the leader commanded.

“No, please. No! I told his lordship I’d have the money to pay in a fortnight.” Borstan shouted as they lashed him, face up, to the bench with his own finely crafted cordage.

Taren started when the first blow landed. He huddled in the corner, trembling like a newborn leaf, and buried his head beneath his arms. He couldn’t bear to hear Borstan’s mewling cries with each successive blow. Hot tears quavered on his cheeks for the only master he’d ever known.

“Use the tar!” the leader shouted.

Taren’s head snapped up. No. The cauldron over the fire held the boiling tar they used to coat the rigging they made. Borstan began to scream in earnest and Taren, no longer able to contain himself, shot to his feet with a shriek, his voice cracking with emotion and youth. “No!”

The four soldiers turned to Taren in unison, one holding the dripping tar swab in his hand.

“Y-y-you... you cannot do that to him!” Taren forced out in terrified effort, fists balled at his sides.

The leader advanced on Taren, a wicked grin of rotted teeth filling his rat’s nest of a beard. “What have we here?”

Taren backed up quickly. His heels met a flour sack and he fell on his ass, the sack bursting and caking him in fine white powder.

The brutes roared in laughter as the leader’s beefy hand claimed the front of Taren’s cotton shirt and hauled him into the air with a single, powerful arm. The man’s odor was an acrid stench in Taren’s nostrils as his feet left the floor. “Who are ye?” Taren’s shirt pinched his throat as the man shook him violently.

Taren desperately batted at the man’s powerful forearm in an effort to loosen the grip on his shirt. “Taren.” The single word was a strangled breath on the air.

The leader leered at him. “Yer a right pretty one, boy.”

“Leave ‘im be! He’s mine!” Borstan mewled.

“Yer what?” he demanded with another suffocating shake to Taren. Spots of gray filled Taren’s vision. His tongue felt thick from the lack of oxygen. The soldier who had held him put Taren back on his feet. Taren struggled to stay standing.

“He’s my apprentice! Leave ‘im be. Leave ‘im be.” Borstan struggled against his bonds. Taren saw the red marks where the soldiers had beaten the old man begin to blossom into purple.

The soldier who’d held him now looked Taren over, head to toe. “He’s yer pretty little slave, ye mean to say!” All four soldiers roared in laughter.

“He’s mine.” Borstan’s voice was less forceful this time. His eyes darted between Taren and the men, as if he were considering something.

“He’s a bit spare, but he’d be an extra pair of hands for Lord Grell,” said one of the other men. “No doubt he’ll grow.” In two big strides, Taren found himself thrown over one of the men’s shoulders like the sack of flour he resembled. Blood rushed to his face as he gulped air into his lungs.

“Aye,” Borstan agreed. Taren looked at his master with a dawning sense of horror. Surely Borstan wouldn’t let them take him away?

The leader strode back over to Borstan. “Yer debt is ten silver coins, Laxley. Ye willing to trade ‘im?”

“He’s worth more than ten,” Borstan replied.

“Master?” Taren looked to Borstan, but the old man would not meet his eyes.

“Fair recompense, I’d say. Will ye sell the lad, or not?” The leader made a fist and covered it with his other hand. “Or perhaps we should talk some more.”

Borstan’s eyes widened and he nodded quickly. He did not look at Taren. “Aye. Fair recompense.”

Cold terror clawed at Taren’s gut and he fought the powerful arms that held him fast. “No! No! You can’t sell me! I’ve worked hard for you. I’ve done all you’ve asked of me. Please, Borstan, no!”

The leader nodded to one of the other men, who untied the bloodied and beaten Borstan. A moment later, the soldiers walked out the doorway with Taren, who continued to fight to free himself. “Borstan, no! No! No! Borstan, please! I beg you! Don’t do this! Please, I beg you!”

The complete Mermen of Ea Series is 30% off at Dreamspinner Press right now to celebrate DSP's 8th anniversary! You can find all three books here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=914

The final book in the series, Running with the Wind , will be released on June 8th, so if you haven't already started the series, or haven't finished the second book, now's a great time to catch up! Not sure about hot, mermen shifters? Check out the NSFW excerpt below for a taste of what's to come.

The Mermen of Ea Series is high fantasy, adventure, and romance set on the high seas. It follows the story of Taren Laxley, an indentured servant who works as a rigger repairing the ropes of ships putting into port in Raice Harbor. When Taren is kidnapped by the lusty captain of a pirate ship, he finally realizes his life-long dream of sailing on the ocean. After Taren falls overboard trying to save a fellow crewmate, he is plucked from the water by the crew of the Phantom, a mysterious ship captained by the seemingly ageless Ian Dunaidh. What Taren soon learns is that Ian and his crew are not human at all, but Ea, merfolk shifters who can take human form. More surprising still, Taren discovers he, too, is Ea.

The final book in the series, Running with the Wind, takes up where the second book, Into the Wind , left off after a battle at sea that culminates in the destruction of the Sea Witch. Haven't read any of the books yet? You'll want to start with the first book, Stealing the Wind .

I can't wait to share this last series book with you! I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. -Shira

~*~

Blurb: Sequel to Into the Wind

With the final confrontation between the island and mainland Ea factions looming, Taren and Ian sail with Odhrán to investigate a lost colony of merfolk in the Eastern Lands. Upon their arrival, the King of Astenya welcomes them as friends. Odhrán, however, isn’t so quick to trust the descendent of the man who held him prisoner for nearly a decade, especially now that he has someone to cherish and protect—the mysterious winged boy he rescued from the depths.

Armed with the knowledge he believes will save the Ea, Taren returns to the mainland. With Ian at his side, Taren convinces Vurin that their people must unite with their island brethren before it’s too late. When Seria and his men attack, Taren must call upon the ancient power of the rune stone to protect his comrades. But using stone’s immeasurable power commands a hefty price—and Ian fears that price is Taren’s life.



NSFW/18+ Excerpt from Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #1):

IAN led Taren to a secluded cove about an hour’s walk from the village, where they sat and ate the meager lunch Ian had purchased on their way. Taren knew they would fish later, but the small meal satisfied him like a feast, and the crisp scent of the salt water reawakened his spirit.

They undressed in silence under the shade of the palm trees. Taren admired Ian’s beautiful skin as it shimmered and rippled with each of Ian’s movements. Once beneath the waves, Taren swam against the current, his belly full, the water warm on his skin. How long had it been since he’d felt the sun on his back? It had rained nearly every day in the prison, the weather mirroring the bleakness of his future. He’d expected to die there. Worse, he’d wanted to die.

At this thought, the warmth of the sunshine seemed to fade, and Taren let himself sink to the sandy bottom. He wished the dreams would find him once more, but they did not. A wave of grief and the memory of pain washed over him as surely as the sun had only minutes before. His eyes burned. Could an Ea cry?

“Taren?”

Taren felt the reassuring pressure of Ian’s hand clasping his own, willing him back from the depths of his despair. He forced a smile before taking off in the direction of the dark shadow of a reef in the distance. He didn’t want to show Ian his weakness. Ian had done enough already. He didn’t need a simpering fool for a companion.

“You’re running from me.”

I’m fine. He knew that would do little to assuage Ian’s concern. Just tired.

“You lie. I can sense it as clearly as I hear your thoughts.”

Taren swam away, slipping between two large protrusions of rock and coral and out of the sunlight. A parrot fish swam up to him, eyed him warily, then darted away. He turned to find Ian directly behind him, blocking his exit. I thought you couldn’t read my mind unless I wanted you to.

“It’s different with you.” Ian did not move—a challenge, no doubt.

Taren was half-tempted to simply accept Ian’s dominance. He wanted to go home to Rider and Bastian; he wanted to go back to his life aboard the Sea Witch. He knew he could do neither. How could he? He wasn’t one of them and he never could be. Now that he understood what he was, he wished he could forget it and return to the simple life of a slave. What Ian asked of him—whatever it was—Taren feared it. He feared a future with choices and uncertainty.

Leave me be. Taren pushed past Ian, brushing his slippery skin and emerging on the other side only to feel Ian grab him around the waist. Still weak from his time in the prison, Taren struggled to escape Ian’s grasp. He finally gave up and laid his head on Ian’s shoulder. Ian stroked his hair, calming him. For the longest time, Taren allowed Ian to hold him.

“You’ve suffered.” Taren sensed the guilt in Ian’s words. He knew as surely as if it had been his own thought to share. “And you fear the future.” Ian kissed Taren again, and Taren released a long, slow breath. Ian’s tender embrace seemed to ease the painful turbulence in Taren’s heart.

They continued to float, Taren’s face pressed against Ian’s chest. Taren could sense Ian’s physical desire for him, but Ian waited patiently and held him close. The feeling of peaceful repose settled deep within Taren’s heart, and Taren became slowly aware of how much he wanted Ian. Not a new feeling, but this time Taren’s doubt had fled with the onslaught of Ian’s embrace.

Taren reached up and kissed Ian. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected of the kiss. He’d never kissed anyone under the water. Ian’s mouth felt hotter than before. The saltwater caused Taren’s mouth to vibrate with sensation, as if Taren could taste Ian’s desire. Ian’s scent was powerful and primal, more like those of the other creatures Taren had smelled beneath the waves. No longer human. Taren’s body responded to the scent even more strongly than to Ian’s touch. The stirring inside his body felt both strange and wonderful. They swam side by side a few feet above the sand.

Taren’s heart beat a steady tattoo, and his body heated under Ian’s intensely possessive gaze. Taren’s need to submit was primal and demanding. Ian flicked his tail and moved to nuzzle Taren, brushing against Taren’s skin in a sensual and dizzying dance. Around and around they swam, spiraling, their bodies always in contact. Without thinking, Taren nipped at Ian’s neck. Ian swam on his back, exposing his neck to Taren’s mouth and teeth. Taren continued to bite and lick until Ian hissed in reply. The sound was like a soft whistle, audible through the water.

“Goddess!” Ian’s voice in Taren’s mind was a husky growl. “Where did you learn to do that?”

Taren had no answer except that his body knew this. He floated just above Ian, their bellies now pressed together, tails propelling them in unison. They moved in a slow, languid line above the sand. Taren nearly laughed to feel Ian’s cock hard against his own, where before they’d been hidden inside their bodies. He stopped moving and reached down to clasp it, surprised at how human it felt, hard and veined. He wanted to taste it, to learn its secrets with his lips.

Ian gazed down at Taren and stilled so Taren might better explore his body. Taren wrapped his arms around Ian’s tail and hooked his own tail around Ian’s body so they floated as one, their bodies rocked on the gentle current. With a quick glance upward at Ian—Ian’s expression was serene, even vulnerable—Taren took Ian in his mouth.

Ian’s cock was long and thick. Taren licked around the tip, flicking his tongue in tiny circles until he felt Ian’s body shudder with pleasure, then swallowed Ian’s erection until it tickled the back of his throat.

Ian moved his tail just a bit, sending them spinning again as Taren continued to explore with his tongue, reveling in Ian’s sweetness. How strange it felt to hear the surf as he coaxed Ian’s body to the brink. Stranger still, Taren’s mind filled with images from Ian’s thoughts, as if by giving his body over to Taren’s attentions, Ian had given all of himself to Taren.

Through Ian’s eyes, Taren saw the waves buffet the Phantom and felt joy stir in his heart as the mighty ship rode the crest of a wave and fell, the spray cool on his face. He saw himself asleep on Ian’s bed, his head in Ian’s lap as Ian stroked his hair and spoke softly to him. He felt Ian’s concern for his welfare, Ian’s need to reassure himself of Taren’s well-being. He felt the freedom of Ian’s transformation, the power of Ian’s body as it cut through the water and chased dolphins in the surf. He felt his own lips on Ian’s member, his mouth hot and hungry, and Ian’s climax as it exploded through Ian’s body. When Ian finally spent himself in Taren’s hungry mouth, Taren experienced Ian’s climax as if it were his own. Taren’s orgasm sent him over a cascade of emotion and physical sensation.

 

THEY drifted near the sandy bottom, and Ian held Taren as he dozed. “Do you know how truly beautiful you are in this form?” Taren had also been beautiful as a human, but there was something about him now, when his mind was open and his heart full, that Ian found particularly striking. To Ian, finding Taren felt like a homecoming after years spent at sea. Was this the connection of which Renda had spoken?

Taren awoke and stretched catlike, arms over his head. Ian secured Taren around the waist and sucked at a pale nipple. He flicked it between tongue and teeth, continuing to work the flesh until it pebbled. Taren arched his back to meet Ian’s tongue, and Ian moved his hands over Taren’s tail, cupping Taren’s ass and squeezing it.

“What was that? Before, when you spent, so did I, as if I were the one…?”

It isn’t just thoughts we share, Taren. When Ea mate in this form, they share sensation as well. Ian didn’t need to hear Taren’s thoughts to know this pleased Taren. He smiled, then went back to work, making sure to give Taren’s other nipple its due.

Ian. Please don’t make me wait.

 

Hey! Shira Anthony here. Gay romance writer. Total geek. Weaned on original Trek and Harlequin romances. So it makes total sense that I’m writing my first story for Dreamspinner Beyond, Dreamspinner Press’s new line. Think Harlequin meets “Paranormal Activity.” Contemporary paranormal category romance. That’s a mouthful!

It’s also a blast to write.

Dreamspun Beyond mixes sweet category romance and contemporary paranormal for a new take on the genre. My story, working title Finder’s Keeper, is just about ready to submit to Dreamspinner Press, so I thought I’d share a little bit of it with you.

It’s been interesting striking a balance between the romance and the fantasy in less than 60,000 words. Until now, most of my fantasy novels have been considerably longer. Some have even spanned a trilogy. Finder’s Keeper has to pack enough worldbuilding so the reader can comfortably navigate the fantasy universe, but still keep things romance forward. Low angst, lots of romantic tension, and a paranormal plot.

Zane is an engineer who decides to move into the old gothic brownstone in Cleveland, Ohio that once belonged to his uncle. There he meets Kit, the caretaker of the house, who just happens to live in the basement. Kit is charming, sweet, and an amazing cook. He’s also the guardian of a gateway between the human and spirit worlds. Though he doesn’t know it, Zane is descended from a long line of keepers, humans who attend the gateways between the worlds. And he’s in for a very big surprise….

 

The room was huge. At least ten times bigger than Zane expected. Bigger than the footprint of the house. Near the doorway, a simple cot was pushed against a bare wall. Next to it an alarm clock and a book on a table. All normal, everyday things. The rest of the room was something out of a dream.

The far end was completely taken up with a set of heavy wooden doors. Simple inlaid handles joined to create a square with a single character in silver paint—like a letter from a strange alphabet—in the center. The space between the bed and the doorway reminded Zane of a Japanese rock garden with matching benches on either side of a walkway. The stones that formed the garden substrate glowed blue and seemed to oscillate, first solid, then flowing like a liquid.

Someone stood between the two benches, his back to Zane, dressed in hooded robes of deep blue with silver embroidery at the end of sleeves that hung well below where his hands would be. The same letter painted on the doors had been sewn into the fabric at the back of the garment in silver thread. The scent of something familiar and sweet danced around Zane’s senses, reminding him of the delicate perfume his mother had worn with its hints of citrus and ginger. In the face of the impossible beauty of this place—was he still in his basement?—the fragrance felt familiar and warm.

“Kit?”

“I didn’t want you to find out this way.” Kit’s shoulders rose and fell as he drew an audible breath. He turned around. In the dim light of the room, his eyes glowed amber and his pupils looked much like a cat’s. His skin was so pale, it seemed nearly translucent. He pressed his lips together and held Zane’s gaze before he reached up and drew the hood off his head.

Kit’s hair tumbled over his shoulders and down his back in waves, the red silk of it like glowing embers in the hottest of fires. Zane gasped to realize that atop Kit’s head were two large ears, like those of an animal, pointed and furred. Like a wolf, or a dog, or a—

“Fox,” Kit said as if he’d heard Zane’s thoughts.

With this, a wave of something black flew toward him. It wrapped itself around him and began to squeeze. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t breathe. His head spun and the room shifted sideways. The last thing he remembered were two strong arms, catching him as he fell.



In the meantime, my second Dreamspun Desire title, Forgotten Paradise , is set to be released by Dreamspinner Press on April 15th. Yes, Tax Day and dreamy, fun, sweet gay romance. Hopefully that balances out the tax part of the equation. My trope du jour? Amnesia. Totally fun to write. I can’t wait for you to read it!

Cheers! -Shira

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Bio: Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, i Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle. You can hear Shira singing "Vissi d'arte" from Puccini's Tosca by clicking here: Shira's Singing