Once Forbidden (11 page)

The End

Continue
on for a sneak peak at the first chapter of
Once Bitten
, the second book
in The Hunted Series available now at Amazon.

Author’s Note

Dear
Reader,

I hope you’ve
enjoyed
Once Forbidden
as much as I loved writing it. It was a blast playing
with the vampire lore to create this story. I have thus far four books planned
in the series, with all connecting characters and cameos of characters from
previous books as the series progresses.

I write mainly
paranormal romance. I love the genre. I like to just close my eyes and see what
my characters have to tell me about their lives.

Sometimes,
stories come with little effort on my part. Book two in this series, for
instance, simply arose from the opening line in the story. The first draft,
believe it or not, was written in one weekend. It wrote itself more or less. I
just listened to them tell me their story. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Linked
was written as an entry in a short story contest. The characters had different
ideas, and it was much too long for that contest. The story has an ancient
evil, a sexy shape shifter and a woman that isn’t anyone’s simpering female. I
hope you’ll enjoy it as well.

I love to hear
from readers. You can visit me on the web at the links below. I often run
contests on my Blog.

Website
 

http://hopewelsh.com

E-mail

[email protected]

Blog
 

http://hopewelsh.blogspot.com

Twitter

http://twitter.com/hopewelsh

Amazon Author Page

http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Welsh/e/B004FRT66I/

Look for Book Two
in The Hunted Series,
Once Bitten
, available now at your favorite online
retailer. In it you will find Bennett’s story. Book Three,
Once Hunted
will be available early this fall. You’ll find a sneak peak at chapter one of
Once
Bitten
at the end of this book.

Linked
is
available now exclusively on Amazon. It is book one in the Prophecy series.
Book two,
Holding The Link
will be available this fall. This is a
paranormal series with a delightfully sexy shifter.

The Storm
Within & Table For Two
is a two story anthology which is available now
on Amazon and other online retailers. Both are romantic suspense.

I would also be
remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful artwork on the covers for this series.
NinjaMel Designs
has done several of
my covers, and her work is outstanding.

I’d also like to
thank those that have read and critiqued these stories for me. A writer is lost
without great critique partners.

One final thanks
goes to my daughter for her patience while I spend hours in front of a computer
screen. Love you, kiddo.

Happy
Reading! 

Hope

P.S. As an added
bonus for my readers, just leave a review on Amazon and e-mail me with a link
to the review and I’ll send you a copy of
The Storm Within & Table For
Two
anthology.

Once Bitten - Chapter One

I
don’t usually dress like this. I don’t wear short black leather skirts and
matching tops that most people would consider to be from the ‘sluts-are-us’
store. I don’t wear heels that are so high that they add four inches to my
five-four frame.

 But,
tonight is different.

 Tonight,
my friend Keri Henson and I are headed out to a bar. I just broke up with my
boyfriend—trust me, no great loss, but still; it’s made me a little down. Okay,
I’m a lot down, but I’ll get over it.

Keri
had insisted that I wash my hair and leave it to fall in dark sable waves to my
waist. Her “You have sexy hair, Hailey” had actually made me blush. I always
control the wavy mess with a French braid, but to keep her happy, and to keep
her from harping on me, I let it flow freely.

We
took a cab. Neither of us was going to risk a DUI, and we both figured the
least we could do is drink—a lot. Of course, Keri had fond hopes of finding a
man to take her home. I wasn’t so sure that was my plan for the evening. In
fact, I was pretty darn sure it wasn’t. One night stands? Just not my thing.

Now,
here we sat in a bar named
Low Down.
What kind of a name is that for a
bar? Oh well, I guess it beats sitting at home or going to McDonalds again.
Keri looked hot. There was no other word to describe it. She has gorgeous black
hair, and to complement it, she decided to wear a red mini-skirt and a leather
halter top. Her breasts, at least a cup bigger than mine, are damn near
spilling out at the sides. Definitely a ‘sluts-are-us’ outfit, but what the
hell.

“So,
what do we do now?” I asked.

Keri
gave me a look that only a best friend could interpret. “We sit here until one
of the hunks across the bar buys us a drink,” she explained patiently, as if
she were speaking to a five-year-old. “And we smile.”

I
rolled my hazel eyes, but I did put a patently fake smile on my face. “If you
say so,” I muttered, not at all convinced. I just wasn’t into the bar scene and
never had been. I’d met my ex-boyfriend Robb in high school. Lord that was ten
long years ago. Where had the time gone? We’d been living together for eight
years—until I came home from work sick one day and found him screwing my friend
Felecia. Make that ex-friend. She’s welcome to him, I thought grimly. He sucked
in bed anyway. Well, at least things I’d read said that he’d sucked in bed.
He’s the only one I’d ever gone to bed with. I’m not exactly the party-girl
type, although no one would guess that by looking at the outfit Keri talked me
into tonight.

So,
here we sat in a loud dark bar, with lousy rock music, and way too much
cigarette smoke. Smoke is hell on my asthma. I mentally did a check, trying to
remember if I’d remembered my inhaler. I couldn’t remember, so I glanced in my
purse. Damn it, I’d forgotten it. Why did women change perfectly normal purses
for the hot little sexy ones? “Keri, I forgot my inhaler,” I said tiredly.

Keri
laughed, a rich tinkling sound. I wished I could laugh like that. “You’re not
going to need it. When was the last time you even used it?” she demanded.

I
gave her a pointed look. “The last time you dragged me to a smoke-filled bar.”

Keri
gave a long-suffering sigh. “Do we have to go back and get it?”

I
shook my head. I wasn’t going to ruin her evening just because I’d been stupid.
To be honest, I really didn’t want to be here anyway. “No, I’ll grab a cab and
go get it. It shouldn’t take me more than half an hour.” We only lived a few
miles from the bar. Keri had let me stay with her after I’d left Robb. I stood
up and glanced around. “Don’t leave,” I said. “I don’t want to come back here
and be by myself.”

Keri
nodded, her hair glistening in the dim lights. “I don’t plan on it. But, if Mr.
Right-For-The-Night shows up, I’ll call your cell.”

“That
works.” Hell, with luck, she’d find Mr. Right and I could just go home, get out
of these killer heels and watch reruns of Stargatge. Wasn’t that how most women
spent their Friday night?

I
walked to the payphone and frowned when I saw the out of order sign on it. And,
of course, there wasn’t a phonebook in sight. I didn’t have the first clue what
the number was for the cab company. With any luck, there would be one around
outside. I made my way to the front of the bar, wiggling through tons of
people, and opened the door. I saw a few sets of eyes on me as I made my way to
the door, and made a point to ignore them all. I didn’t want to pick up anyone
for the night. I’d had no intentions of going home with anyone, even though I’d
half toyed with the idea earlier.

The
wind was cold on my bare arms and I shivered, but at least the air was fresh. I
hadn’t even remembered to bring a damn wrap with me. God, this entire night was
a disaster from the get-go. I really just wanted to go home and go to bed.
Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

Just
as I was sure I’d end up having to go back in and ask for a taxi cab’s phone
number, I felt a warm jacket go around my shoulders. Surprised, I looked over
my shoulders.

I’m
sure my mouth gaped open at the sight. Behind me stood the most beautiful
specimen of man I’d seen in a long time. He was at least a foot taller than my
five-four and all of it solid muscle. His grin showed a lot of even white
teeth. Not a smoker, I thought idly He had a dimple in his chin—of course, men
called them clefts, but they were really dimples. “Thanks,” I said huskily in a
voice I didn’t even recognize.

His
eyes twinkled. “Anytime, darlin’. Who are you waiting on?”

“A
cab,” I replied. “I forgot something at home.”

He
studied me for a long moment. “Live far?”

I
shook my head. God, he had a damn sexy voice. One of those voices that was
whiskey and honey all at once. It reminded me of Rob Thomas the singer. He has
a song out called
Damn
and he just purrs in it. This guy purred. Anyone
who has ever heard that song would know exactly what I’m talking about. This
guy purred when he talked. I was getting turned on by a voice. That had never
happened before in my entire life!

“Not
far, no. My friend and I took a cab here, and I forgot my asthma inhaler,” I
explained. Great, Hailey, I thought a little wildly. Why don’t you tell him
your whole life story? I felt heat rise in my face.

The
twinkle went out of his dark brown eyes. Teddy bear eyes, I decided. They were
teddy bear eyes. “You’re asthmatic?” he asked.

“Yes.
Especially when I’m around cigarette smoke,” I explained. “So, I figured I’d go
home and get my inhaler.”

He
seemed to ponder that for a moment. “I’ll give you a ride,” he decided.

I
have him a dark look. I wasn’t about to get in a car with a complete and total
stranger—even if he was sexy enough to make me damp!  I had a sudden thought of
him driving himself inside me, and shivered again; this time with desire not
cold. His bare chest would be rubbing against my breasts, and his hands would
be in my hair, or on my breasts, or teasing my…no, I wasn’t going there. But
still…maybe he’d suck my nipples.
Stop it!
 “Um, no, that’s okay,” I
said a little dejectedly. Part of me wanted to say yes. A big part of me, in
fact.

He
smiled gently. “You don’t remember me, do you?” he asked.

“Should
I?” I asked, studying him closely. Hell, I’d remember if I’d seen this guy
before!

He
grinned, showing me those perfect teeth again. What can I say? I’m a dental
hygienist. I appreciate a good set of teeth! “Bennett Wilmont. We went to high
school together.”

My
mouth dropped open. I remembered Bennett Wilmont. He was a tall geeky kid with
braces and glasses. But, as I studied him, I realized that it really
was
Bennett. “Well, hi! Wow, you’ve changed.” Brilliant, Hailey, just brilliant.
Talk about the understatement of the year, though.

“A
little,” he admitted with a chuckle. “I was in the military for a few years. I
worked out a lot.”

And
how, I thought. He was gorgeous. His tight jeans left very little to the
imagination. He was built all right. “Oh,” I said, flushing again.

He
smiled and touched my cheek. “You’re cute when you blush,” he teased.

I
know I blushed hotter. “Stop teasing me,” I mumbled.

He
tossed back his head and laughed, then crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“Would it make you feel any safer if I told you I was a cop now?” he asked in
that whiskey voice.

“Are
you really?” I asked, surprised. I didn’t know any cops. It sounded exciting.