I make no bones about how close Doris O'Connor and I are. I'm her youngest's grandma, adopted by most of her other kids, and she's a daughter/friend/special person to me. I can ring/text/Skype her at any time, day or night, and moan/highfive/cry/laugh and know she'll be straight with me. Be it saying forecfully suck it up woman, or sending hugs. Just what a true friend does.
With this fantastic book, yes, I have a head start. We are both very open and honest about how we 'redit' each other's work. Redit: to red pen something. I redited this. We're tend to be incredibly brutal to each other here. On purpose. We know we'll be totally honest with each other, and let's face it that is so what needed when you're about to sub a story. We accept we aren't honor bound to take each other's advice, and we don't always. But I reckon we both know that when we don't that's the bit the Editor picks up on.
Hello everyone, and thanks Raven for letting me share
my newest release in the Projects Series. The Mating Project is Maria's story,
and to tell you more about it, I've brought Cole Jackson along. Those of you
familiar with the series will recognize Cole. I told his story in book two of
the series, The Bear Project.
So without further ado, I give you Cole.
D: So, Cole, for the benefit of Raven's readers, will
you tell us who you are, please?
C: Hi, Doris and the lovely Raven, sure. I'm an
Original Bear shifter and head of the Security team. I'm also responsible for
sending Maria into the lion's den so to speak in her story. *pauses and grins*
or should that be the Professor's office.
D: Yeees, you have a lot to do with setting Maria up
in this story, don't you? You mention you're an original. What does that mean?
C: In a nutshell it means I can trace my ancestry
right back to the origins of our species. Originals are rare, as bloodlines
tend to get diluted along the way. Mine hasn't, and even though my mate is
human, our son is also an Original.
D: Okay, but how is that possible? Surely your human
mate would dilute the bloodlines?
C: *smiles* You'd think so, wouldn't you? I have no
scientific explanation for it. My gut is telling me it's due to the mating bond.
Shifters on the whole have lost touch with the ancient ways and I'm of the firm
belief that the answers to our current fertility issues lie in the mating bond.
It's one of the reasons I convinced Maria to seduce Professor Silas Deacon. We
need his expertise on the Mating Project.
D: Ah, yes, the mysterious mating project. Can you
tell us more about this?
C: In a nutshell the mating project has been set up by
the council to counteract our fertility issues. We match up genetics to achieve
the best results, and young women of pure blood are required to mate with a
council approved shifter on their eighteenth birthday. I've never agreed with
this practice. It's barbaric and doesn't take into account the mating bond at
all. Trying to convince the council of the error of their ways, however, is
somewhat of a full time job.
D: I can imagine. It's only the pure blood females who
are mated off like that so to speak? What about the males.
C: *looks uncomfortable* Yes, it only applies to the females.
That never sat right with me either, but the council is largely made of
steadfast originals and pure bloods, and getting them to change their mind on
anything… well… Though by the end of Maria's story there is somewhat of a
shake-up in progress. I can't tell you why… spoilers and all that, but the days
of an overbearing council might well be numbered. Well, they will be if I have
anything to do with it.
D: That sounds somewhat of a threat?
C: *growls low in his throat and smiles*
D: Okay, I get it. So, tell me, will readers be lost
if they start with Maria's story?
C: No, they won't be lost, though there is an
underlying sub plot with the council developments. I will be sending another
female into the foray in the next book in the series, as you well know Doris.
Each story is a stand alone but readers will get spoilers, regarding the
previous characters.
D: Okay, thanks for telling us more about The Mating
Project, and yes, I know, I'll get on with the next story. No need to look at
me like that….
Blurb:
Being
together could mean death to them all, but walking away is not an option…
Bloodlines
need to be protected at all costs and as a true-blood cougar Maria is expected
to mate with a council-approved shifter. Too bad the one chosen makes her skin
crawl for all the wrong reasons.
But
running away already landed her in hot water once before. Wolf shifter Malachi
Luca saved her life ten years ago, and then promptly disappeared with her
heart. So much for true love.
Now time
is running out and Maria is feeling the strain. Seducing Professor Silas Deacon
should be a welcome distraction except the human turns out to be her mate, too.
And that
damn wolf—yeah he's back and determined to claim both his cat and his human.
What's a girl to do? Fight for love and enjoy the awesome sex, of course.
Be Warned: menage sex (MMF), m/m sex, bondage, spanking, anal sex
Excerpt:
"Your
three o’ clock appointment is here, Professor. I did remind you this
morning."
Natasha's
melodic and slightly accented voice called through the solid oak door, and
Silas rolled his eyes. Oh yes, the big cat expert from the zoo. He'd wished
they just all left him alone, but Ms. Anderson had been most insistent. Having
checked her out, he couldn't deny that she seemed to know what she was talking
about, so he had reluctantly agreed to see her.
A
glance at the clock showed the time to be just gone three. Well, that was one
point in her favor. She was punctual.
"You
best come in then. The door is open."
Natasha
entered followed by a tall blonde who froze on the door stop when she spotted
him. Her deep blue eyes seemed to pull him into her gaze, and, his work
forgotten, Silas leaned forward in an unconscious gesture to get closer to her.
The window was open creating a draft, and it pulled her scent into the room.
Sultry, rich, decadent, it called to him on an instinctive level, and Silas was
glad for the cover of his desk, which hid his instant boner.
"Professor,
this is Maria Anderson. Maria, Silas Deacon."
Natasha
made the introductions, and when neither one of them moved, shuffled on her
feet and cleared her throat.
"Erm,
well, I'll leave you to it then."
Natasha
gave the blonde a shove so that she entered his office, and shut the door on
her way out, which left them alone in the room.
Neither
one of them spoke for the longest time, and just when the silence got
uncomfortable, Maria smiled.
"Nice
to meet you at last, Professor Deacon."
Her
voice, too, wrapped itself around his senses and added to the spell she seemed
to weave over him. Jesus, what was wrong with him? Okay, it had been a while
since he’d gotten laid, and this blonde was sex-on-legs hot, but since when did
abstinence rob him off his ability to speak?
Belatedly
he stuck out his hand and rose slightly to shake hers. The minute their fingers
touched heat travelled up his arm, and she gasped and let go of his hand. To
mask his own reaction he ran that hand through his hair and then gestured for
her to sit down.
"Please,
forgive me. I'm not normally so ill mannered. Please, sit down, Ms.
Anderson."
She
smiled and sat down on the edge of the seat. The action made her skirt ride up,
and when she crossed her legs Silas could have sworn he saw the top of her
stockings. He cleared his throat again and dropped his hands to shuffle the
paper on his desk. Anything to stop himself from reaching under the desk and
adjusting his throbbing cock. She would notice that, for sure.
Her
intelligent blue eyes crinkled up at the corners when she smiled again.
"Call
me Maria. After all, we'll be spending some time together."
The
breathy quality of her voice did not help with the predicament in his trousers,
not one little fucking bit, and he suppressed a groan.
He
had turned into a fumbling teenager for fuck's sake. What must she think of
him?
"Time,
yes … well, that's debatable. I have no intention to set foot in your zoo,
Maria."
She
smiled and crossed and uncrossed her legs, and leant back in her chair. From
his position behind his desk he had a perfect view up her skirt. He caught a
glimpse of purple, lacy underwear, and her delicious female scent intensified.
Cold sweat trickled down between his shoulder blades, and he hastily took his
glasses off to resist temptation.
There,
that was marginally better, but his cock still strained toward Maria like some
sort of heat seeking missile. The rational, barely functioning side of his
brain knew this was a set up. She couldn't possibly be as interested in him
physically as she appeared to be. Even without his glasses he was acutely aware
of every move. Her increased breathing. The subtle way in which she shifted in
her seat. The way she licked her lips, and the way her gaze kept darting to his
mouth. The intensity of that gaze was almost like a physical caress and brought
out his inner caveman, the one who wanted to simply grab her, bend her over his
desk, and fuck her silly.
He
groaned under his breath at the erotic images invading his brain, and his balls
drew tight. Fuck it all, he had to stop these thoughts, or he'd come in his
pants like a fucking teenage boy.
"Why?"
Her breathy question sounded almost like a moan, and he swallowed hard when she
got up from her chair and parked her delicious ass right next to him on his
desk. She brought one leg up, and ran the tip of her fire red engine shoes up
his left leg.
He
shot back on his chair, and she placed her foot right between his splayed legs
on the edge of his chair. If she moved even a millimeter she'd stroke his
balls, and that thought made all his leftover blood shoot straight to his cock.
Silas
grabbed the edges of his chair in a white knuckled grip to stop himself from
reaching out to her and acting on the images that bombarded his brain.
Maria,
however, had no such qualms. She picked up his glasses and slid them back onto
his nose, all the while giving him the perfect view down her cleavage. Fuck,
she had the most amazing tits. The sort a man could feast on all night long,
bury his cock between, and never want to come up for air.
And she smelled so damn good.
"Why
… what?" He finally managed to ground the words out through clenched
teeth, and forced his gaze upwards to her face.
She
was smiling at him. Rather than the calculated pout he was expecting this was
an open, friendly smile that lit up her face, and all the tension in his body
seeped away. She was fucking beautiful when she smiled like that.
"It's
crazy, isn't it?" She leant forward and inhaled deeply, and Silas stopped
breathing. "I know you feel it, too. This insane attraction between us, so
maybe we should just fuck and get it over with. That way we might both be able
to concentrate on the work we have to do."
She
winked at him and shut his open mouth with one manicured fingernail. Instead of
removing her hand however, she traced a path along his jaw, over his Adam's
apple and along his collarbone into the opening of his shirt.
Silas
swallowed convulsively, and he could have sworn she purred, which was
impossible, unless…
He
pushed her hand away and somehow got his voice to work.
"What
the fuck are you, and who sent you?"
*****
Author Bio:
Glutton for
punishment would be a good description for Doris... at least that's what she
hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of
nine children, ranging from adult to toddler and lives happily in a far too
small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies, and one very
understanding and supportive husband. Domestic goddess she is not.
There is always
something better to do after all, like working on the latest manuscript and
trying not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the
voices in her head. Her characters tend to be pretty insistent to get their
stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular
basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet and besides, sleep is for wimps.
She likes to spin
sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines
who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, BDSM to F/F, and
Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.
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