This paranormal novella appears in the anthology Growl. Each of the stories includes a cat—domestic or wild. Mine is the love story of a shifter, a Siberian Amur tiger, chosen because they are the largest tigers in the wild and endangered. I found all I needed on the tigers. Setting a story in Siberia with Siberian lovers was the real challenge.
Blurb
When the moon is full, Sergei changes. If their love survives what he is, might he someday kill Grigorij, his lover?
EXCERPT
Sokoloff tried to turn the spigot lever instead of lifting it up. On impulse, Sergei placed his hand on the other man’s and demonstrated. Again, the sense of connection sparked through him as his skin made contact with Sokoloff’s skin. He jerked his hand back, and for a moment neither of them moved or spoke.
The professor moved first, letting the hot water dilute the tea to his taste and, still, neither of them said a word.
Sergei slid a biscuit onto a small plate and they returned to the table. Sokoloff sat in a chair behind the leather pouch he’d laid out there, so Sergei set the plate in front of him.
Avoiding further physical contact, Sergei didn’t sit next to his guest. He put one foot on a chair at the end of the table and held his tea on his knee. Even then he was close enough to look down on Sokoloff’s head of thick, dark hair which was as neatly trimmed as his beard and mustache. As he studied the finely shaped fingers holding the biscuit and glass, the sense that he knew something more about him cropped up again. What that something was stubbornly refused to be remembered.
As he watched the finely shaped lips close on the rim to sip the steaming liquid, emotions stirred at his center and he looked away.
Sokoloff shut his eyes and put his head back. “Hmm. Perfect. I like it strong and hot. Is it Russian Caravan?”
Sergei nodded, wondering why the response pleased him as much as it did. It was such a silly thing. What could it possibly matter that they liked the same type of tea?
They sat in comfortable silence until they’d almost finished their tea, and then Sergei nodded toward the leather satchel on the table. “Tell me about your project.”
The professor sprang to life with an enthusiasm Sergei could almost feel.
“What do you know about Siberian tigers?”
Sergei choked on his tea.
For more see:
http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1966-The-Siberian.aspx
http://www.Carolina Valdez.com
http://www.twitter.com/carolina_valdez
http://www.facebook.com/author.carolina.valdez
Blurb
Blaze Canis is doing what he loves best. As a shooting range instructor just outside Yellowstone National Park, the former Navy SEAL sniper is still handling firearms. When Shoshoni native Logan Rider walks into his class one morning, the attraction each man feels for the other is sudden, almost mystical. Since Blaze’s teammates never knew he was gay, let alone a werewolf, he’s confident in hiding his wolf nature from Logan, too.
But will keeping this secret work, or will it blow up in his face as his relationship with the American native deepens?
EXCERPT:
“I understand you give private shooting lessons,” Logan asked.
Blaze nodded. “I do. Hand and hunting guns.” He looked directly into the dark eyes, and, for one still moment in which the world seemed to stop on its axis, he believed he gazed on the sacred heart of this man. It was a weird, almost fanciful feeling, one he hadn’t had before. A little spooked by it, he dropped his gaze. “I’d be glad to help you. I’m not sure of my schedule for the next two weeks, but they’ll have it in the main office where you can sign up.”
Logan extended his hand.
Because of what had happened when their gazes met, Blaze hesitated a split second before extending his to shake. As soon as the smooth skin of the new man’s hand gripped his, his inner wolf paced restlessly. Blaze ended the shake fast.
He watched Logan leave, unable to avoid noting wide shoulders that tapered to a narrower waist and hips in just the right proportions. He turned away before he could take in the man’s ass. Instinct told him that might bring trouble he didn’t need. Just keeping his wolf shut down took enough energy.
For most of his twenty years as a Special Forces warrior, he’d had it under control, fighting the need to change, hunt and howl during the three days of the full moon. Usually, he handled such urges when off duty stateside by taking long runs as a human or riding his top model Yamaha motorcycle and driving his sports car at lightning speeds until the moon waned and he was exhausted.
Unbeknownst to his teammates, on a few occasions he’d used his wolf to scout for his unit, especially when they didn’t have a K9 warrior with them. His nose was as sensitive to the scent of explosives and enemies as the best of the K9s. His ears heard what the ears of any other wolf or dog would. Dogs, after all, had developed from wolves, inheriting their keen hearing and unique scent abilities.
Most of the time he’d been able to override the powerful urge to shift with the moon because he was on a mission—maybe moving with stealth to rescue a hostage, perhaps engaged in a firefight or traveling to another black op—now, here in The Yellowstone, the pull to change had become almost irresistible.
Available now- http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1905-Awaking-The-Alpha.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Awaking-Alpha-Carolina-Valdez-ebook/dp/B00IA6Q72G/ref=sr_1_19?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1406419125&sr=1-19&keywords=Carolina+Valdez
Carolina’s Books are also available at All Romance eBooks and Barnes and Noble
