"The Werewolves of Hanson Mall Collection", Volume 1 (MFM) by Cara Adams
In Publicly Exhibited, sisters Willow and Hawthorne Cunliffe are fleeing from Hawthorne's ex-boyfriend, who thinks she's insane and wants to force her into a mental health institution because she saw a shape-shifter. They arrive at Hanson Mall not knowing it's a shape-shifter community. Cadfael Hanson, the Alpha of the pack, and his second-in-command, Rhion Jones, are instantly attracted to Willow, but revealing their identity could send the women running away again. They offer the women safety. The women begin to relax, but can they ever be safe while Hawthorne's ex is searching for them?
In Doubly Protected, Willow and Hawthorne Cunliffe decide it's time to sell their parents' house and reclaim their lives. But someone still wants to find them. Werewolves Maelor Powell and Dylan Upjohn are determined to protect Hawthorne until the problem is resolved and the safest place for her is in their bed. But she hates being confined and refuses to believe she should hide away indefinitely. This problem has to be solved before the men explode with repressed desire.
In Dangerously Attracted, to prove Jackson Hamilton's well-being center is kidnapping people, security guard Dakota Rutherford contacts him pretending her grandmother needs care and accommodation. Lewis Bowen, who escaped from the center, and Andreas Llewelyn are horrified by her risky actions. But she refuses to listen to them or accept their protection. Andreas has loved Dakota for a long time but she won't listen to him either, and now he sees the adoration in Lewis's eyes when he gazes at her. Maybe together they can convince her to let them keep her safe from harm.
All 3 books for $4.99.
http://www.bookstrand.com/book/the-werewolves-of-hanson-mall-collection-volume-1
"Archer's Revenge" (MM) by Cara Adams. "The Swordsmen" book 2.
Archer Goldenvoice and Drake the Swordsman are swordsmen for hire, determined to help Bancroft the Bold and his lover Winston the Warrior win their castle— and themselves a secure job for the future. Fighting the masterless men is just the first of a series of obstacles they must overcome to gain the castle.
Life in England in 1320 is not safe. Edward of Caernarfon is a strong king but he has his own problems to deal with in battling the Scots, as well as a wife, and a lusty love life. With the death of both Lord Howard and Lord Bolton the swordsmen head north to see if reclaiming Lord Denzil’s castle is possible. Success offers them all the opportunity of safety behind strong stone walls, and a future of ongoing employment. But such a huge undertaking was never going to be that easy to accomplish...
STORY EXCERPT
The door fell in with a mighty crash, and Archer raced after Baxter and Cedric into the hall. He was just in time to see a man’s feet disappearing up the stone stairs so he ran after him.
“Coward! Stand and fight,” he roared. The man kept running so Archer threw his ax at the man’s body. The coward had been warned so hitting him in the back wouldn’t be dishonorable, although a face to face fight would be better.
The man ran into a room and Archer almost lost him because he stopped to pick up his ax. His throw had missed the man thanks to his sidestep into the room. Archer stepped slowly into the room, looking around but no one was there. He was about to look under the bed, although that would have required him removing his helmet, when he realized one of the hangings on the wall covered another door.
He ripped the hanging open. The ancient fabric disintegrated in his gauntleted hand. Archer stopped instantly as he stepped into the inner room. The man he’d been chasing held a woman front of his body.
His arm was across her neck, almost choking her. The woman’s feet were scrambling to reach the floor as he was a lot taller than her, and he kept her shielding his entire torso.
“Such a brave man to hide behind the skirts of a woman. Step out and fight like a man,” Archer challenged him.
“Like fuck I will. Get out of this room and leave me or she dies.” The man raised his sword to the center of the woman’s body and her legs flailed even more as she tried to move. But his arm across her neck held her much too tightly. Archer thought the man might choke her anyway, just out of spite. But that wasn’t his concern. His job was to kill the coward.
Archer ignored the woman and the sword, watching the man’s face intently. Many fighters signaled their movements with their eyes. It was slight, almost indiscernible, but a true swordsman learned to read the tiniest of signs.
As Archer gazed into the man’s black eyes, the years fell away and he saw another cowardly soldier. Another man with a sword. One who had grabbed an elderly monk delivering food to the poor. The elderly monk had made no attempt to save himself as the earlier coward had slashed his neck to free the strap holding the pouch of food and alms. The monk had dropped dead at Archer’s feet and the soldier had laughed at Archer and run away before he could do anything more than fall to his knees by the old monk’s side. But his mentor, his teacher, the man who’d helped him, was already dead. Killed for some bread, a small jar of oil, and a few copper coins.
Archer’s blood, hot as fire as he’d chased the coward up the stairs, turned to ice in his veins as he recognized the man.“Ten years ago you murdered a monk in cold blood. A monk. A man of God. He carried no weapon and was no danger to you. Yet you killed him without a moment’s thought. Today Father Kirby will be avenged. I will kill you for your infamous treatment of him.”
“I’d forgotten about the monk. He was a nobody. Now this little cunt might give you some fun tonight if you treat her right. I’ll give her to you if you let me go.”
“She won’t give me nearly as much fun as I’ll get killing you.” Archer swept his war ax up at the man’s sword arm, causing him to step to the side away from it. In the same movement Archer brought the flat of his sword down as hard as he could on the man’s bare head.
The soldier sank to his knees, and the woman scrambled away from him and took to her heels out the door.
“Now stand up and fight like a man. Prepare to meet your maker, you coward who hides behind women and murders the innocent.”
The man jumped to his feet, taking his own sword in a double handed grip. Now the fight could begin in earnest. Archer watched his face, not his hands. This man was a murdering coward and Archer already knew he wouldn’t fight honorably. The man would fight to win. Archer had his honor to maintain, but once the man broke the rules of fair combat, he could, too.
They thrust and parried, moving slowly around the room, staying just out of each other’s reach between blows. Then Archer realized the man was trying to wear him down, so he stepped in closer and thrust hard, putting all the force of his arm behind each blow.
The other man wore ordinary clothes and Archer was in full armor. That meant he would tire more easily, but he could make more dangerous moves with the chain mail to protect him. The battle raged for several long, fierce minutes of thrust and parry, slash and withdraw, only to attack once more.
Archer slammed his sword down on the hilt of the other man’s weapon, and he dropped to his knees. There was no reason for him to do that. It was a feint. Sure enough, he thrust upward with his sword, hoping to catch Archer leaning over him. Archer wasn’t that naïve. He jumped to the side and brought his sword down on the man’s shoulder with all the strength in his arm.
The man fell flat on his face, not acting this time, as blood welled up through his clothing.
“Confess your sins and I’ll bind your wound,” Archer offered.
http://www.bookstrand.com/book/archers-revenge
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