The Wolf Who Played with Fire
(Cry Wolf #2)
Author: Sarah MäkeläGenre: New Adult Paranormal Romance 18+Publication Date: June 20, 2014Publisher: Kissa Press, LLCCover Designer: Kim KillionEvent Organized by:
Synopsis
Some magic can’t be unspun…
Meddling in magic…
If Mia Brooks could turn back time, it would be to when she used her fledgling magic to craft a potion for an injured werewolf. It nearly killed the Pack Alpha, and now the lives of her witch mentor, Jessa, and her soldier boyfriend, Ethan Parker, have been changed forever. Jessa is in hospital after a vicious werewolf attack. And, Ethan, having being bitten, is becoming a werewolf himself.
A wolf at the door…
Mia can’t turn back time, but she can try to make things right with the two people she cares about most. She’s keeping Jessa’s shop, Eternally Magick, open, and she’s there for Ethan as his inner wolf grows. But, by the next full moon, his transformation will be complete. Can she really be the mate of a half-man-half-wolf, living within the law of the Pack?
Under his spell…
Struggling to contain his new lupine senses, Ethan goes missing on active duty. When Mia realizes her werewolf lover has been abducted, she knows must harness every magic power she possesses to get him safely back…Excerpt 1: The Wolf Who Played with Fire
Water slid over my body, and I lifted my face to the warm spray. Delicious soreness ached in my muscles as I reached for the shampoo. Crashing at Ethan’s house was dangerous, but the romantic rendezvous we’d shared had taken me to new heights of pleasure.
However, not all good things last forever.
My brother, Nolan, lived with Ethan, keeping an eye on the place while Ethan was deployed with the Army. Neither of us knew exactly when Nolan would arrive home from spending the weekend with his girlfriend, but he had work in a few hours. The chances of him swinging by were high. That meant I needed to leave as soon as possible.
Part of me hoped I could slink away before Ethan woke up, but it was only a matter of time before he stirred. The fact he hadn’t yet indicated to me just how ‘active’ we’d been last night, since not only was Ethan a trained soldier, but now he was becoming more and more of a werewolf. That last part scared me.
I leaned my forehead against the white tiled wall. Regret squeezed my heart like a vise. It would be so easy to blame Jessa, my friend and mentor, for pushing me into the werewolf debacle, and even easier to torment myself for having used wolf’s bane. If I’d gone with the common method of crafting the salve instead of making my own potent blend, then this would not have happened.
Those thoughts led to madness. I balled my hands into fists. Neither Jessa nor I could’ve known what was going on.
The supernatural world was one of magic and potions. Witches were real since I was one. Werewolves, on the other hand, were beasts of legend, not fact. That shocking revelation brought fear and pain crashing through my door and harmed those I cared about.
Both Ethan’s and Jessa’s lives were changed forever, because I couldn’t protect either of them from the werewolf’s attacks. The ramifications of my failure were incomprehensible, especially for Ethan.
Releasing a sigh, I focused on the bar of soap and reached within myself for my magic. Jessa made telekinesis appear so effortless. If I’d learned one thing recently, it was that I kept myself locked away, hoping others wouldn’t burn me at the stake. Being powerless wouldn’t help those I cared about, or me, when the time came to protect them.
Fear and atrophy shriveled my magical muscles. While I still wasn’t convinced about using my power, especially not as openly as Jessa did, I refused to wait for the next disaster to hit before I acted. Something deep inside me knew we weren’t out of the woods yet.
No matter how hard I concentrated, the soap remained rooted in place. Ugh.
How could I measure up as a witch if I couldn’t even accomplish the basics? If my grandmother were here, life would be much easier. Instead, she rested in her grave.
The bathroom door creaked open and my heart leapt into my throat. Panic pushed me to remain small and silent, even though the spraying warm water gave away my presence. If Nolan was home before work, I would be screwed.
My brain scrambled for excuses about why I was here, much less why I was taking a shower.
The mugging wouldn’t work anymore. Things had mostly gone back to normal. I spent more time at home whipping up potions for Jessa’s new age shop, Eternally Magick.
With Jessa in the hospital, she couldn’t run the shop, and I needed to help. What family she had was several states away, and they couldn’t or wouldn’t take time from their lives to assist her.
Besides, Ethan and I didn’t need to be as careful about Nolan coming around to my place. He rarely swung by these days, and when he did, he usually called first.
“Mia? Everything okay in there?” Ethan nudged back the shower curtain, tension tight in his naked shoulders.
Air whooshed from my lungs in a rush and my shoulders slumped forward in relief. “You scared me.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. I felt a lot of energy buzzing in here. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He let go of the curtain, and it fell back into place. The slightest twinge of sadness nibbled at me, but this was for the best. If he got in the shower with me, I might never leave.
Excerpt 2: The Wolf Who Played with Fire
Strength drained from my body. I had no idea they would’ve killed him. “God, Ethan.” I braced myself against the tiled wall, uncertain if my legs would hold under the weight of that revelation. “You should’ve talked to me. H-how could I have helped to stop them if they’d tried to... kill you?” Nausea bubbled within my stomach and I wrapped an arm under my breasts, cradling my belly. An urge to puke lingered at the back of my throat.
The shower curtain jerked open, and Ethan leveled his gaze at me.
My heart skipped a beat and my foot slid on the wet tub. I tumbled forward, the fall happening in eerily slow motion.
Ethan caught me and pulled me against his solid chest. “Careful.” He kept a steady grip on me as I regained my shaky balance. “There are dozens of werewolves in the Pack. How do you expect to cause much damage?”
His words stung. Even though I wanted to be defensive and lash out, he was right.
While I tried to convince myself I was some badass witch capable of raining down chaos on the werewolves, that wasn’t me. They would squish me like a bug under their feet, especially since wolves worked together.
I pushed past Ethan and grabbed a towel. Standing naked before him had lost its appeal. Maybe if I hadn’t tried telekinesis and gotten so emotional, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“Come on, babe. Don’t pull away.” He grabbed my hips, turning me around to face him. “I don’t want you to get hurt, okay? Not after the close call in the parking garage. Plus, your friend is in the hospital because of a werewolf. I don’t trust the Pack, and they don’t trust you after you nearly killed their Alpha.”
A shiver chased across my spine that was only partly due to the air’s coolness. “I don’t want you hurt either,” I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “I’m willing to risk my safety for yours.”
The gentle touch of his warm hands shifted, and his fingers bit into my skin. “Mia, I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m worried about.”
Through the heat of his words, a sting of power and desire set me alight. The sensation dimly reminded me of what I’d felt when Mr. Sexy...er…Jared...had touched me in Jessa’s shop.
Planting my palms on Ethan’s chest, I refused to let those memories take hold of me, except the feel of my palms on his hard chest melted my insides and made me pliant and willing. My body wanted Ethan more than it wanted its next breath.
Ethan stared into my eyes transfixed. He bent for a kiss, and any desire I had to keep my distance evaporated as our lips met. Lust crashed through me, and my only need was to be intimate with him. Within seconds, he propped me on the bathroom counter. His hands slid down to my knees before he made his way back toward my naked thighs.
Passion warmed me, taking away any chill I’d felt, and I parted my legs, anxious to be one with him. “Ethan, I want you inside me.”
Whatever negativity from the argument vanished like waking from a bad dream. The only importance now was getting his boxers down and rolling a condom on him. Did he have any in here? Because I didn’t know if I could wait until we reached his room.
He parted my towel and tugged me closer. My backside dangled rather precariously over the counter’s edge, but he wouldn’t let me fall. Despite, or maybe because of, all we’d been through, I trusted him. He looked out for both our relationship and for me.
Wetness formed between my legs at the fierce hunger in the way he claimed my mouth. His tongue speared me, brushing along mine with a need to possess. He slid his hand between my legs, teasingly trailing it over my lips.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and he gripped my hips, lifting me into his arms. Apparently, we were headed to the bedroom. The press of his hot erection between my thighs as he adjusted my position sent heat through me like a wildfire.
For a moment, I didn’t care we had responsibilities outside of these four walls. If he asked me to spend the day with him in bed, I would do it.
Ethan strode toward the door with the towel forgotten on the bathroom counter. As we approached the exit, he sucked in a breath and froze.
Loud banging on the bathroom door nearly made me scream, but I slapped a hand over my mouth. If it wasn’t for Ethan’s warning, I might have blown it.
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The Cry Wolf Series
The Witch Who Cried Wolf
(Cry Wolf #1)
Author: Sarah Mäkelä
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publish Date: December 2, 2013
Publisher: Kissa Press LLC
Event organized by:
~Synopsis~
Be careful what you wish for…
A potion gone wrong: Mia Brooks is a reluctant witch, with powers that she tries to hold in check. But when her magic gets mixed up, supernatural forces are unleashed and suddenly she’s being pursued by werewolves—that she didn’t even realize existed…
Hidden emotions: Ethan Parker, Mia’s brother’s best friend, is home from deployment for the holidays. Mia’s not only hiding from werewolves, she’s trying to keep her feelings for Ethan secret; it would be a disaster if he knew she’s been nursing a long-time crush…
The power of love: Things take a terrifying turn when Mia and Ethan are attacked by a werewolf. Ethan is amazed when Mia reveals her paranormal prowess as she tries to shield them from danger. But can she really protect them from the darkness that lurks? And how can he tell her that, for ages, he’s been denying what he really wants? Mia...
Excerpt: The Witch Who Cried Wolf
Jessa’s New Age shop—Eternally Magick—was empty. Usually, Jessa was around. But, right now, she wasn’t. I leaned against the front counter, resting my forehead against the cool glass. Athames, crystals, jewelry and really cute dragon statues were locked in the case beneath my fingertips. While I enjoyed hanging out at the shop and seeing what new potions were available, I wished Jessa had given me some kind of clue as to why she wanted me here. But she was my best friend and mentor; the reason had to be important, if for nothing else to spend much needed time together.I glanced over my shoulder at the wall of ingredients lining the shelves, ripe for the picking. It had been a while since I’d made a new potion. Maybe if I could stock up on a few things...“Not what you’re here for,” I whispered to myself. The urge to see what she had nearly drove me away from the counter, but I held myself in check.Making potions was one of my hobbies. I loved the creativity and excitement that went into building something from nothing, and the brief connection with my power.Tapping my fingers on the counter, I stared at the curtained-off backroom. Worry crept into my chest. Why wasn’t Jessa here? She never stood me up. This wasn’t like her.“Jessa?” Usually she came right out when the bells on the door chimed. Biting my lower lip, I considered going into the back. Someone could steal things without her keeping an eye on the store.“Coming,” Jessa called. The black-haired and blue-eyed beauty swept into the front of the store like a hurricane of flowing skirts. She always looked like she’d just come from a Renaissance fair.I loved the way she dressed, but I knew that style would never be my thing. My parents would think I’d flipped my lid, and my older brother.... Shudder. Nolan would laugh at me, probably joking with his best friend—and my crush since forever—Ethan Parker.“Where have you been? I was getting concerned.” Stepping around the counter, I wrapped my arms around her and she embraced me in a hug smelling of lavender and honey.“Just in the back. I had to wrap up a call and I guess I didn’t hear you come in.” Jessa smiled, but something was up. She appeared a bit too eager to pretend everything was fine.“What’s going on? Are you okay?” I placed my hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting.The door chimed, and we turned in unison toward the shop’s new arrival.I blinked in surprise.The man towered in the doorway, over six feet of pure muscle. If his shirt were a little tighter, I probably would’ve been able to see six-pack abs through it. What was he doing here?He strode in as if he owned the place. There could be no doubt: ladies would drop their panties at his command. If I didn’t have a boyfriend.... Stop it, Mia!“I’m looking for the owner,” the man said, his deep voice as smooth and sinful as his looks. Yet beneath his delicious exterior, something about him put me on edge. The hint of arrogance in his eyes and the sharp flare of power as he walked in the room were instant triggers. This guy wasn’t a mere mortal. He was something else, but I couldn’t put my finger on what. Aside from Jessa, I’d never met anyone else with this level of power.Maybe I needed to get out more.Jessa cleared her throat, as captivated by him as I was by the sound of it. “I’m the owner.” Her voice hit all the sultry tones and she swayed her shoulders. “Can I help you?” I wished I could pull her aside and tell her my feelings, but that would look way too awkward.“We spoke over the phone. I’m interested in the potion.” He leaned his hip against the counter, standing only a couple feet away. Too close for comfort.Since Jessa had business to take care of, I sidestepped toward the wall of ingredients, but Jessa grabbed my wrist, keeping me beside her. I cast her a dirty look, but she didn’t pay me any attention, focusing her gaze instead on Mr. Way-Too-Sexy.“Right, I don’t have any of that in right now, but this woman makes some of the best healing salves I’ve seen.” Jessa nudged me forward, nearly throwing me into Mr. Sexy’s arms.Glancing up his body to his eyes from so close strained my neck. My five-foot-six frame probably looked tiny beside him. An overwhelming sense of lust and intimidation washed over me.“Hi.” I fought against a shiver.Purchase Links
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Title: Cold Moon Rising (Cry Wolf, #1.5)Author: Sarah MäkeläGenre: New Adult Paranormal RomancePublish Date: Feburary 17, 2014Publisher: Kissa Press LLCEvent organized by:
~Synopsis~
Passions flare when the cold moon rises…
Kelly: a normal college girl, who knows what she wants—to survive her final exams, and find someone to share her life with. Studying with Jacob is becoming too hot to handle; she’s falling for him, but he’s going too fast…
Jacob: a not-so-typical frat guy, who hides a secret—he’s a werewolf. Whenever the moon is high, he’s driven to shed his human form and satisfy his powerful desires. He craves Kelly, but she’s pushing him away…
Fallout: Jacob can smell Kelly’s arousal, but she insists she doesn’t want sex. A wolf can only take so much before his natural instincts win out. When the tension between them explodes, Jacob has no choice but to walk…
Kidnapped! Kelly is abducted by evil scientists who’ve mistaken her for a female werecat and, despite their differences, Jacob has to try and find her. But it’s a race against time and the lunar tides. The scientists have taken Kelly to their lab and turned her into a shapeshifter for real. The full moon is rising, and soon neither Kelly nor Jacob will be able to control their inner beasts. Who knows what the consequences will be when they are consumed by unquenchable animal lust…
Excerpt 1: Cold Moon Rising (Cry Wolf, #1.5)
With Jacob this close, it took every ounce of focus to keep my thoughts on the impending exam. More than once, I caught myself staring at his lips wondering how soft they’d be as they kissed my skin. I only hoped he didn’t notice my glances that might make things highly embarrassing.The fresh scent of my clean sheets ever so slightly mixed with his musky, warm aroma that fascinated me to no end. The way his hair moved when he turned his head in my direction caught my attention. His presence in the apartment made life seem more bearable, from the studying to the incredibly noisy neighbour who thought everyone wanted to hear his heavy metal albums all throughout the night.“Think you’re up for a break, Kelly?” He shut his textbook with a loud clap and quirked his lips to one side. “We’ve been going at it for a while now.”My notecards toppled from my hands, and I jerked back, caught off-guard by his words. “Uh, yeah...” If we’d really been ‘going at it,’ I would’ve refused to take a break. Stop thinking about him like that. “Yes, that sounds good. Want something else to drink? Maybe a coffee or Coke?”The amused twinkle in his emerald green eyes melted my insides. Maybe studying on my bed hadn’t been the best idea. However, the dinette set would barely be enough room for one of our textbooks, let alone...“Water.” Jacob leaned over me, brushing his palm over my exposed knee as he reached for the fallen study cards. “It’s kind of hot in here, isn’t it?”He had to be kidding me. With him this close, it was like a sauna in here. I wanted to touch him, show him that all of this flirting was more than I could handle. My heart pounded in my ears. If I didn’t do something to him soon, I might explode.As if on cue, he turned to face me. Our lips were barely inches apart, and I saw flecks of gold in his green eyes. Seconds ticked by. Was he going to make a move? I didn’t have the strength to sit by and not take this chance. Not if it meant this brief encounter would pass by forgotten.I leaned into him. The moment our lips touched, a spark of lust... desire... chemistry burned its way inside me. One brush of lips wasn’t nearly enough. My body thirsted for more kisses.Jacob froze in place, and I wondered for a split second if what I felt was only me. Maybe the flirting had been meaningless to him. He pulled me up so we stood beside my bed. His messy blond hair brushed across his forehead, and I ran my hand through his hair, savoring the softness.He held me ever closer, his lips caressing mine. The kiss was gentle, careful as if afraid to take things too fast. This moment was heaven.My arms circled his neck of their own volition, and I trailed my hands down Jacob’s back. The hard muscles flexing beneath my fingertips sent heat coursing through me. This so wasn’t a good use of our study time, especially now that final exams were on top of us, but I really didn’t care.He’d been the only stable thing in my life since I’d come to college last September. We had three classes together that first semester, which was kind of crazy, but I didn’t mind. Ever since, we planned our courses together, as much as we could, at least.Two of the three classes we had this semester were science and math, so I didn’t hesitate to take him up on study sessions. Fortunately, the last was English, my forte.Jacob nibbled on my ear lobe, and tingles of pleasure blanketed my body. “Your skin is so soft, Kelly.” He slid his hands along the hem of my skirt stroking the backs of my thighs, the intensity of his touch growing less controlled by the second. His palm brushed against my backside.If this kept up, we’d hit the point of no return. The simple kiss had gone far beyond what I’d anticipated. While I really enjoyed making out with Jacob, I wasn’t ready for sex with him. Intimacy shouldn’t be rushed. I wanted to wait for the right one, for a committed relationship. One-night stands weren’t in my vocabulary.Besides, why give something away too fast? Most guys moved on after sex, right? Not that I suspected Jacob was that way. Besides, I counted on him studying with me. Without his help, my chances of doing well on finals for College Algebra and Physics were slim to none.He slid his hands higher as his tongue slipped down the length of my neck, making my insides weak along with my self-restraint. A moan rasped from my throat, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure that had been my voice.Could going to bed with him be that bad?
Excerpt 2: Cold Moon Rising (Cry Wolf, #1.5)
“Fuck me. Please.” The ache between my legs was almost physically painful. If he didn’t give me release, I would wither and die from the overbearing torment. It was almost as if I was an animal in heat.
He pressed a fingertip against my lips. “No, it’ll be different from that. I’ll make love to you. However, I need to get you to safety first.”
I wanted to scream in frustration at him for denying my request. An animalistic growl rumbled in my throat. “Now.” My voice was gravelly and alien from how I normally sounded.
Jacob jerked away from me. Horror widened his eyes, and it smelled like a fine perfume. However, unlike the scientist, his pulse didn’t accelerate much. “What did they do to you?” He shook his head. “Never mind that. We need to figure out how to get out of here. Do you understand?”
Emotions welled in my chest, and tears rolled down my cheeks. I didn’t want it to be this way, but I nodded. “Even if we escape, they know where I live.” I looked him in the eye, despair wrecking my insides. “They did something to me. I’m different.”
“It’s going to be okay, Kelly. I’ll make sure they never find you again, and I’m different too.”
My mouth dropped open, and I stared up at him. “What are you?”
“We’ll talk about it later, okay?”
“Promise me?” I tugged my lower lip between my teeth, surprised to find that my lip no longer hurt from biting into it so hard earlier. My body was healing at amazing rates.
Shedding his shirt, he handed it to me. I marveled at his sculpted chest, wanting to run my hands all over that muscular expanse. The burning desire inside me didn’t need more fuel to fan the flames.
“I promise. Put that on. It might not cover a lot, but I don’t want them seeing you naked.” When I was clothed, he pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on the top of my head. Anger vibrated in his strong grip, but somehow I knew he would never do anything to hurt me. He lowered his voice so that I could barely hear him. “There are others like me. Others that will look for me.”
“How do you know they’d think to look for you here?” I pushed back from him just enough to look into his eyes.
The muscle in his jaw ticked, and he glanced out over my head again. “I know because I... I just have to believe we won’t die here. Or worse. If we could get to my car, I could get my phone and call my brother.”
He had family. Someone who cared about him. Yes! We might actually survive this. No one would care if I made it out, alive or not, except for Jacob, and he was right here with me. The fact he had someone who cared for him meant we might actually be rescued, especially if that someone was a shapeshifter. Hope wasn’t pointless.
“I just don’t know how we’ll manage that.” Jacob pulled away from me and inspected the bars. He grabbed them and the muscles in his back and arms flexed with the strain as he tried bending them. “These bars are not prison quality.” He glanced back at me, grimacing. “Please don’t ask.” He closed the distance between us and then leaned against the concrete wall next to me. “Even with both of us trying, I can’t see how we’d be able to break out of here unless the scientist gets close again.”
“The last time he got that close I attacked him. I doubt he’ll do that again.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I guess it depends on if we give him a reason to or not.” He ran a hand through his blond hair, and I wanted to do the same to him. I wanted him to fulfill my needs, so we could forget about what was going on around us. Besides, it didn’t look like either of us would be getting out of here anytime soon.
His nostrils twitched, and he shot a look my way. Hunger flashed through his eyes, and I knew he wanted me as badly as I wanted him, if not more. “We can’t, Kelly. What if someone—” He trembled with effort, and his jaw clenched and unclenched, then he closed the distance between us. His mouth descended on mine, and we toppled to flat mattress, my hands racing to memorize every inch of his body.
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About the Author
Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she’s written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy…
even a sweet contemporary romance!
A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies and Ghost Adventures, and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.
- Nominated for GraveTells January 2013 Reader's Choice: Favorite Author.
- Jungle Fire was a The Romance Studio 2011 CAPA Nominee in Paranormal Romance.
- Techno Crazed tied for first in Changeling Press’s Shamrock Challenge Contest. May ’11.
- Melody of Love published by Firedrakes Weyr Publishing. April '08.
- Became a Romance Writers of America PRO member. January '08.
- She sold a short contemporary romance to Firedrakes Weyr Publishing. January '08.
- The Aftermath of Love published in Winter Issue by Runes Online Magazine. February '06.
- The Torture published in Between Kisses Dec. '05 Issue by Sam'sDotPublishing. December '05.
- A poem accepted to Runes Online Magazine. November '05.
- A poem accepted to Between Kisses. November '05.
- Flight For Peace published in Issue 25 by Dragons, Knights & Angels. October '05.
- The Graveyard Wedding published in Fall Issue by Runes Online Magazine. October '05.
- A poem accepted to Dragons, Knights & Angels. September '05.
- A short story accepted to Runes Online Magazine. September '05.
- Under Meadow's Moon published in Issue 2 by Sage of Consciousness Online Magazine. August '05
- A poem accepted to Sage of Consciousness Online Magazine. July '05
- The False Friend published in Summer Issue by Runes Online Magazine. June '05
- A short story accepted to Runes Online Magazine. May '05
- Won a contest and received a prize at Romance At Heart. July/August '04
- Received an Excellence in Writing Award.
Changeling Press, Encounter #189
Hacked Investigations: Internet Dating for Gnomes by Sarah Mäkelä
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