The contest for the pretty journal continues. See yesterday’s post for details! ~DD

Last night was exciting—wind causing the trees to bend and crack, thunder and lightning, tornado warnings… You get the picture. I had the red-headed hellion, the six-year-old and the two-year-old camped out in my basement as we listened to the weather radio. Then the power goes out. Luckily, I have a thing for candles too. They climbed into the bed down here and went to sleep. I stepped outside under the covered deck to watch. Mother Nature gave me quite a show. No funnel clouds, but lots of jagged lights.

So, not much sleep. I’m on my third cup of coffee and starting to feel alive again. 🙂

Today, what I’d like to do is tell you about a story that’s releasing in a little over a week. It’s my first Nocturne Bite for Harlequin. I’d love for it to be a success, because I’d like to do more of them.

The story isn’t one I would have conceived on my own. The concept was already born as part of Nocturne’s Time Raiders series. I was invited to write a Bite to continue the series and given a premise to work with. Or at least a historical/mythological figure to build a story around. I’m flexible like that. You know that about me if you’ve roamed my site before. I have little control over the direction of Bad Moon Rising, which is the story my readers have helped me plot every step of the way. Anyway, the figure I was given was Queen Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons! Fun, right?

If the premise and the excerpt from The Warrior’s Touch intrigue you, click on the cover and head over to Amazon.com right now to pre-order this story! And I don’t have to tell you, you’re gonna love the hero, melt over the sex, and have a spanking good time.

Lieutenant Farideh Kalani expected her time-traveling assignment in ancient Scythia to be difficult, but fitting in with Amazon warriors is easy compared to being partnered with Sergeant First Class Caleb MacAvoy. The Texan soldier is infuriatingly smug and undeniably sexy. Then with one kiss, he awakens all Farideh’s desires. Now she’ll have to keep an eye on her mission and try to resist her attraction to Caleb. Because he’s the one man who might be able to breach the walls she’s built around her heart….

Farideh Kalani gritted her teeth to keep them from chattering as she felt herself being pulled one way and then another while spiraling downward. She arrived with a jolt, her thighs spread over the back of a large black stallion, her body bent over his neck as the two of them thundered across rolling hills, the horse’s hooves cutting into grass and stone. Which would have been a problem before the time jump, because she’d never ridden anything larger than a pony at the county fair. However, now she reached down to catch the trailing reins, and forced herself back, pulling at the stone bit in her mount’s mouth.

The horse gave a shrill whinny and a little buck, but Fari pressed her knees into his sides, and gradually he gentled, easing into a trot.

She grinned, then raised her head and breathed the clean, brisk air of ancient Scythia. Heavy gray storm clouds were rolling in from the south, whipping up a wind that carried the scent of the sea, and salt she could taste.

Glancing down, she noted she sat atop her horse with only a padded saddlecloth between her dark wool trousers and the animal’s warm back. Her boots were stuck in leather stirrups sewn to the saddlecloth. She wore an embroidered jacket trimmed in fur around the cuffs and neck, with a row of gold appliqués embossed with gryphons and lions along the hem. She slipped a gloved hand under her sleeve to check for the silver ESC cuff, her ticket home, and breathed a sigh of relief to feel its warmth against her skin.

Grasping the reins with confidence, she trusted the skill that had been implanted in her mind, along with her new knowledge of the geography around her.

If she didn’t make the fortress city of Tanais by nightfall, she’d be pitching a tent, of sorts, in the rain, tying together two cushioned saddlecloths with those leather stirrups.

Although she had the knowledge to construct the tent, she wasn’t eager to lie on the hard ground within the tiny shelter, huddled for warmth against her current companion.

Sergeant First Class Caleb McAvoy was already too smug and too sexy for her peace of mind.
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This week’s topic is characters doing something active. Get your minds out of the gutter! In my case, Shanna and Bo are dancing, and it’s the start of Four Sworn. Shanna is one of my favorite heroines because even though she’s very earthy, she’s also innocent. She’s a coltish, clumsy, vulnerable woman who won’t admit to herself that Bo’s “the one”. Enjoy meeting Shanna and Bo as we meet them for the first time.

“…what you get is explosive, emotional and endearing, something Delilah Devlin does better than anyone…” 4 Cherries, Whipped Cream

There’s a wild child trapped inside her, and they’re hell-bent on unleashing it…

As the pretty daughter of the town whore, Shanna Davies has always tried hard to toe the line. But she just can’t help it. Her boyfriend, Bo Crenshaw, has lured her untamed spirit out to play once too often. It’s time to get the hell out of Dodge and make a new start where no one knows her past. After she fulfills one last, wicked fantasy.

Shanna is Bo’s first everything. First kiss, first sexual playmate, first love. Yet he’s never managed to convince her that he accepts her—good girl and bad—just as she is. So, she wants a memorable send off? No problem. He’ll give her one that’ll make her think twice about leaving.

On the appointed night, Shanna expects nerves. Yet once she crosses the threshold, the prospect of surrendering to a night of unrestrained passion with Bo and the three Kinzie brothers makes her mouth water—and her courage dry up.

But she asked for it, and now she’s not about to blink first in this game of sexual chicken…

Warning: Four lusty cowboys prove a little domination goes a long way in breaking a stubborn woman to saddle. Lots of spanking, binding, flogging, and double-dipping can keep a girl on her toes, her back, her belly, her knees…

“Dance with me, cowboy.”

Bo Crenshaw didn’t know what surprised him more. Her wanting to dance—or her asking him. She always cringed over her inability to master a simple two-step, and she usually avoided him like the plague in public.

But he wasn’t arguing. It was Friday night after a long week of wrangling cattle. He wanted to replace the musky smell in his nostrils with something a whole lot sweeter. Giving his drinking buddy a shrug, he let Shanna Davies tug his hand and lead him onto the dance floor, pretending a reluctance he didn’t feel.

Not that dancing with Shanna wasn’t pleasurable—if a little painful. She danced the same way she lived—a little too fast and completely out of synch with everyone around her.
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I’m baaaack! The conference was worthwhile for the connections I made and the friendships I renewed, but I am soooo glad to be away from California pollen! I have pictures, but have to unpack to get to my camera. I’ll do that today, so stop by tomorrow for a peek!

Just a reminder—today’s the last day you can buy Moonstruck for $.99! It’s also the last day to enter the contest Myla and I are sponsoring. We’re offering two $25.00 gift certificates to two lucky winners. What you have to do is send us a link to where you talked about the book, posted a review, or posted the cover and the blurb. And you can enter multiple times, so if you are smart, send me a link for each individual posting to this address: Email Delilah!

Those of you who are hooked on the My Immortal Knight stories, won’t want to miss my quickie novella in Moonstruck! Here’s what one reader said about She’s All That: “Moses is a hot cop on the paranormal beat. His coworkers think it’s a super great joke. Melanie is a woman who went to a bar looking for a one night stand and ends up learning about vampires and other paranormal beings. Things go crazy from there. Now I don’t want to give away the um…big…um moment(?) but I will say that there is a sex scene. When I finished it, I backed up and read it again!… This story read with a wink and a nudge and the humor just screams out of the pages.”

Yeah, there is this one big scene I’m dying for you to read… Don’t wait. Get your copy today!

There’s still time to win one of two gift certificates from Amazon.com! See details on Tuesday’s blog: Contest Details

I’m still here in LA. Still under the freaking weather. My sniffles and sneezes are now full-blown honks. Scratch LA off as a place I can travel to, at least not during the spring. Today’s the big Book Expo. Tomorrow, I’m on the plane home! Yeehaw! I think the next time I spend this much on a trip, I better be getting more than a mint of my pillow. 🙂

“Delilah Devlin delivers an erotic tale of good and evil elevated to a higher level… The erotic scenes in this book are hotter than Hades and ten times more tempting. I dare you to resist!”
5 Cups, Coffee Time Romance

“Darkness Captured is…another steamy sensation!… Delilah Devlin is definitely the mistress of erotic romance!”
Reader to Reader Reviews

“Another hot read of dark sensuality, riveting situations and jaw-dropping desire.”
Fresh Pick!, Fresh Fiction

“Devlin creates memorable characters with exceptional emotional depth. Her magical worldbuilding sets an atmospheric scene for a fast-paced story. The sexual tension runs high and the encounters are smokin’ hot.”
4 Stars, RT Book Reviews

Driven by insatiable desire, a werewolf will enter hell to rescue a princess captured by the Master of Demons…

Headstrong and proud—a royal creature of sinuous grace, all primal instinct and lethal beauty—the shapeshifter Gabriella has agreed to serve as emissary to the vampires who rule in the shadows of the New Orleans night. But she cannot resist the pull of the demon she glimpses on the other side of a mirror, and she is drawn to him hungrily, through a magical portal into the Land of the Dead. Now an eternal nightmare awaits Gabriella at the hands of a mesmerizing dark lord who satisfies her every erotic need…while slowly devouring her soul.

The powerful warrior wolf Guntram Brandt is responsible for the safety of the vanished princess he swore allegiance to years before. Yet it is more than a soldier’s loyalty that pulls Guntram down into the depths of nightmare—for Gabriella ignites within him a burning animal passion that must be satisfied.

But when offered an escape, will she follow her rescuer to safety—torn between her lustful obsession with the dark lord who has enslaved her and her fierce sensual attraction to the only wolf who could ever master her?

Alex, the prince of the vampires, has left Gabriella in a magical bolt-hole to get her out of the way and ensure her safety while he wraps up loose ends after his successful takeover of the vampire council. Now that he’s found his true mate, his and Gabriella’s affair is at an end…

Her features tightened and the corners of her lips curved downward. She shut her eyes and downed the contents of her glass. When she opened them again, she stared at the mirror and set down her drink.

How many times had Alex stared into the glass, looking into that dreadful room—the hall where the demons and the dead feasted on each other in Hell. Remembering Alex’s warning about the mirror, she reached up and gingerly touched only the frame.
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Yes, the cover is to die for! And the stories? Well, you’ll get a chance to see for yourself. I’m working feverishly to get Moonstruck up on Amazon and Smashwords today! Be sure to check back here today. I’ll post the links as soon as they’re live! ~DD

Two sizzling tales by two very twisted sisters…

Heart of the Jaguar by Myla Jackson

When jaguar shifter Reme Denux stumbles into his ex-girlfriend’s palm reading parlor in the French Quarter of New Orleans, he’s fuzzy about how he got there. The last thing he remembered was a drink at a bar and having another man’s dark, sensuous dream.

As soon as Reme enters her building, Sybille can sense the black magic haze hanging over the man she still loves. With the full moon on the rise, she has to do something to save him from a death-swapping hex or lose him forever. With the help of a voodoo priestess, Sybille and Reme weather the moon’s supremacy and the soul-stealing storm, forging a bond of lust and love, neither has the strength to resist.

She’s All That by Delilah Devlin

Librarian by day, Melanie Bradshaw, is driven to desperation by her torrid dreams. However, when she acts on her desires, things go horribly wrong and she witnesses the murder of an overly amorous lounge lizard. With the body disintegrating before her eyes, who’s going to believe her?

When Detective Moses Brown gets the latest Full Moon case, he’s hoping it’s no more than another crazy looking for attention—until he meets the delectable librarian. Melanie took a walk on the wild side straight into vampire territory. They know her and now she’s not safe. Until he can find out why, he’s going to stick to her like glue. If his own attraction gets between him and his good intentions, he’ll just grit his teeth and do his best to ignore it.

But pretty little Melanie has designs on his body. How’s a brother to resist?

Do you want the left or the right side of the bed?

Already stripped to his briefs, Moses glanced at the bedroom door and grunted. The shower had stopped running. Maybe now he’d stop thinking about her being naked and wet and less than twenty feet away.

Despite her invitation, he was taking the couch in her small living room. She’d been scared and wanted someone, anyone trustworthy, close by. So long as the door remained open between them, she’d feel secure enough to sleep. He didn’t dare read anything more into her word choice.

Glancing down at the wood tenting his underwear, he figured she’d be the only one getting any rest. From the moment he’d breathed in her fragrance, stood close enough to see the fine porcelain quality of her skin, and looked into her soft brown eyes, he’d been hard as a post.

He’d give anything for a few minutes alone in a soundproofed room to relieve the ache, but her apartment was small, the walls paper-thin. She’d know, and he didn’t want her uncomfortable with him. Didn’t want her to be afraid he’d made the suggestion of accompanying her home to get into her bed.

As soon as he’d followed her into her tiny apartment, she’d been nervous, her glance cutting to him and darting away. No doubt he looked like a bull in a china shop. Too large and intimidating for her to relax. He’d shooed her to the shower then, with gritted teeth, listened to the whispers of her clothing as she undressed in the other room.

Moses rubbed a hand over the top of his head and sat on the edge of the couch. His phone vibrated on the coffee table. He reached for it and flipped it open. “Dammit, Viper. What the hell’s goin’ on?”
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This is a brand new story! And since I will be flying to LA this next week, I wanted to give you a preview of what’s coming. Handy Men releases next Wednesday.

Two very handy men mend a divorcée’s broken heart…

Rather than cry over spilt milk, a newly divorced woman throws caution to the wind and decides to seduce her neighbor’s handsome handy man.

Jeff isn’t stupid—Pamela tossed those screws into her sink to get his attention! The fact she’s beautiful and vulnerable convinces him she needs “special” attention. When he has her hot and horny, he surprises her with his partner Casey and a threesome.

What starts for Pamela as a wild, no-holds-barred fling quickly gets stickier as the guys push for something longer lasting.

The impulse came like a flash of lightning—hot and searing—all the way to the bone. An idea born of a need she hadn’t felt in a long, long time…and inspired by one red-hot handyman in butt-hugging jeans and a t-shirt.

The man fired the militant gleam in her eyes as she brushed bronzing powder across her cheeks and swiped carmine “eat me” red lip stain across her mouth. She didn’t give herself time to rethink the decision, reaching for the phone before her usual, cautious self reasserted control. No more couch potato cry-ins for her. No more self-imposed exclusion while she figured out what to do with the rest of her life. Today, a new Pamela Dwyer was reaching for the damn gusto.

The anger felt good. Especially after the shock she’d received moments ago when she’d surfed the web for the latest gossip about her ex.
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[Don’t miss the winner announcement at the bottom of this post!]

My horoscope today: “You are fortunate in that you have a clear vision of what you want out of life, Delilah. Many people never truly know what it is they are meant to be doing. Even with the distinct advantage that you have, however, you may still find it difficult to “live your bliss,” as the expression goes. Too many people, all of them well meaning, try hard to impose their opinions on you. Stand firm. You better than anyone know what’s best for you.”

When a horoscope is good, I thank the cosmos for the good advice. When it’s bad, I quickly hit delete and thank goodness I don’t believe a word of it! Today, I’m grateful. 🙂

Anyway, Lesbian Cops, the latest erotica anthology from Cleis Press (the same folks who are publishing Girls Who Bite), is out on Amazon.com early!! Click on the cover for the Buy Link!

Yeah, the cover is a little strange, but hey, the stories HAVE to be hot, right?

What is it about lesbian cops that pushes all the right buttons? It’s not just the uniform, with handcuffs and weapons, or the confidence, authority, and sense of danger. There’s something more as well, an irresistible force that these writers have channeled into fiercely erotic stories of policewomen in or out of uniform, on patrol or undercover, in charge or in need of healing, on the case or under the sheets.

The action can be gut-level tough, as in Jove Belle’s ”Hollis” where anti-terrorism boot camp surges over the inevitable edge into BDSM, or heart-wrenching as in Evan Mora’s “A Cop’s Wife” when death threats sharpen the need for life-affirming sex to a keen edge, or quirky as well as steamy while Teresa Noelle Roberts’s cop finds a way to maintain respect for her own “Dress Uniform” while indulging her anime-girl lover’s cos-play kink. Delilah Devlin, Andrea Dale, R. G. Emanuelle, Cheyenne Blue, and all the other contributors offer their own sizzling visions of the complexity and depth, the strength and vulnerability, and above all the commanding, overwhelming sex appeal of Lesbian Cops.

From my short story, The Only Game in Town, about the budding relationship between a bicycle cop and a patrolwoman:

The next few days were a little strained around the guys. Word got around. Sly glances followed me everywhere. But since I didn’t rise to any of their innuendos, the excitement faded and they found someone else to hound.

This day, I’d parked my car at the Stop ‘n’ Go. It might be small-town Louisiana, but bandits still preferred the ease of a quickie robbery when they were low on cash. The store had been hit twice in the past six months and the sheriff had promised a “presence” to the owner. So in between calls, I parked in the hot sun at the edge of the parking lot, running my AC with the window open to ease the humidity inside the vehicle.

The whir of spokes catching the wind whizzed by my car. Little black shorts hugging a nicely rounded backside caught my attention.

Ramona halted at the edge of the curb next to the shop’s front door and eased off her helmet. Sweat stained the center of her back, her hair lay in wet tangled spikes around her head. She glanced my way and gave me a smile that set my heart beating faster, and then entered the store.

I opened my car door and dumped the fresh cup of coffee I’d bought just a few minutes before then headed inside.

“Back so soon?” Dolores asked from her seat behind the counter.

I gave a quick glance around the aisles but didn’t find my quarry. “That cup went right through me,” I said, making my way to the restroom in the back.

Once the door swung shut behind me, I quietly locked it.

A toilet flushed. The stall door opened. Ramona stepped out and her eyes widened. “Didn’t hear you come in, Cath.”

“I won’t keep you long.”

She walked to the sink, soaped up and cleansed her hands, then used a paper towel to wipe the sweat from her face. “What is it you want?”

I leaned against the bathroom door and folded my arms over my chest. “You said we should take some time to know each other, but that’s never gonna happen if you’re avoiding me.”

She met my glance in the mirror. Challenge glittered in her golden brown eyes. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Why’d I come here when I could have chosen a dozen other businesses to stop in?”

I raised a brow. “Maybe because it’s public and you could say you weren’t avoiding me and get away with it?”

She grunted, her lips twisting. “Again, what is it you want?”

This wasn’t going well. Again, I felt like I had two left feet. “How about a yes or no?” I blurted. “Wanna go out?”

She gave a feminine grunt. “No.”

The disappointment cut, but I nodded, firming my chin, and began to turn.

“There’s not anywhere in public we can go together, Cath. The sheriff wouldn’t like it if we paraded a date. But I’d like you to come over for dinner.”

“Your place?” I said, forcing the words past a tightened throat.

“Yeah. Tonight.” She sauntered forward and tucked her fingers under the sharp edges of my buttoned collar. Her hand twisted, cinching it around my throat and pulling me down.

I’d kissed women before. Even kissed a few men. This was hotter than I’d ever had—even with two layers of Kevlar between our chests.

Her mouth smoothed over mine then suctioned. Her lips were thick and juicy, her tongue rimming me. I waited, not charging in, and was rewarded when her tongue pushed against mine. Just a touch, and then it was gone. I tasted mint. She had to taste the coffee I’d guzzled all day.

She leaned back, her mouth open and air gusting as she licked her lips. “Tonight.”

She strode past me. I heard the snick of the lock as she opened it. The door whooshed closed.

“Oh, fuck.”

And someone today is going to be particularly grateful for the gooey goodness that is The Hillbilly Calendar! Drumroll…the winner is…Estella!