Carnal 1
by Kate Hill
Series: Carnal
Format(s): Ebook
Heat Level: Erotic
Pairing(s): (M/F)(Multiple)
Genre/Themes: Paranormal
Length: Collection
Cover Art: Sahara Kelly
Purchase Links: Changeling Press
Altah, Ruler of the Vampire Nation, must bond with her werewolf guardian to seal the pact between their races. The best warriors from each werewolf family do battle for the right to serve the woman who holds the greatest power in the world — but no one, not even the Ruler of Vampires, can tame true alpha werewolves.
This collection contains the previously released novellas Carnal Surrender, Carnal Indulgence, Carnal Obedience, and Carnal Discipline.
Excerpt:
Tradition stated that each Ruler accept a Werewolf guardian to remain by her side until death claimed one of them. Their bond, sealed through mating, was among the strongest in the world.
Vampire Rulers rarely married and created heirs through artificial insemination with selected donors to ensure an untainted bloodline. Though marriage between a Vampire Ruler and a Werewolf was not allowed, their relationship with their guardian often turned to love. Over the centuries, many feverish affairs had heated the palace’s walls. Altah believed her mother’s love for her Werewolf had hastened her death. When her guardian passed on, the old Ruler had followed less than a month later.
Altah had never understood the attraction. To her, Werewolves were arrogant, disrespectful and filthy. Sure they had a certain physical appeal and she wasn’t exactly opposed to mating with her new guardian, whoever he might be, but to fall in love? The chances of Vampires giving up blood drinking were better.
Below, two pairs of Werewolves grunted, growled, and tore at each other with fangs and claws. Blood sprayed the white stone ground. A vast crowd filled the courtyard. Wealthy spectators, both Vampire and Werewolf, had the best seats on the colonnade. Poorer folk packed in as best they could along the walls while armed guards stood watch. Everyone booed and cheered throughout the fight.
Almost simultaneously, two of the Werewolves defeated their opponents, knocking them bleeding and unconscious to the ground. Altah stared with great interest at the winners, for these two would fight for a place at her side.
Both tall and well-formed, they were of similar height and weight. One was black-haired, the other blond and both had eyes of such vivid blue that Altah could see them clearly from her balcony. Both wore their beast shape for the fight. Though crude, the beast form was nevertheless intriguing. They stood on two legs, like men, but their naked bodies were covered with an animal-like pelt, one blond, the other black. Elongated ears, thick fangs and curved claws on their hands and feet completed their bestial features.
Once the defeated Wolves’ bodies were dragged away, the referee — a burly middle-aged Werewolf with a grayish-brown pelt — signaled for the last fight to begin.
The two wolves didn’t hesitate. They sprang at each other and their bodies locked with a slam that echoed through the courtyard. Their claws sank into each other’s backs and dragged downward, leaving deep, bloody gashes from shoulders to buttocks. Savage fangs, far thicker than any Vampire’s, ripped and gouged flesh.
Frenzied, the Werewolves fought as if rabid, lasting longer than any match yet.
As the battle raged on, Altah’s belly clenched, her fists squeezed so tightly her fingers ached. Surely if they continued this brutal fight they’d kill each other. The onlookers had fallen silent, so only the growls and ragged breathing of the Werewolves sounded in the courtyard. They broke apart, circling one another, their eyes tinged red from fury and exertion, yet neither looked ready to surrender. Again their bodies locked and crashed to the ground. The blond landed atop the black-haired Wolf. With a mighty heave, the black-haired one reversed their positions. They rolled along the pavement, their powerful limbs squeezing one another while they bit and clawed.
Altah wasn’t sure how much time passed before their movements slowed. Though completely exhausted, neither was willing to give up. At a motion from the referee, several Wolf guards armed with rifles approached the two warriors. It took several moments for the guards to pry them apart. They stood, panting and growling, their faces masks of pure rage.
Torn between disgust and arousal, Altah stared at the Werewolves.
“My Lady.”
She turned to a young female messenger standing beside her holding a sealed note atop a gold tray. Immediately she knew it was from one of the Wolf leaders, for they were among the few left in the world who still used handwritten messages. Annoyed at the interruption, Altah snatched the note, broke the seal, and read.
If she were the fainting kind, she would have hit the floor from sheer excitement laced with fear. The message, signed by the leaders of the two families who had sent the blond and black-haired Wolves, suggested that she accept both as her guardians.
Altah drew a deep breath and released it slowly, once again staring at the Wolves who were still restrained by the soldiers. As far as physical appeal, both were magnificent representations of their race. Yet their excessive strength and stubbornness made them even more dangerous than normal Werewolves. If she agreed to accept them, she must mate with both to seal the traditional pact between their kind and hers.
Altah picked up the gold pen resting on the tray and willed her hand to remain steady as she wrote her consent on the message and resealed it.
Her heart throbbing so hard she thought it might leap through her chest, she waited. Though only moments passed before the messenger approached the referee, to Altah it seemed like hours.
The burly Wolf broke the seal, read the message quickly, then announced in a deep, rumbling voice, “By royal decree, it has been decided that Altah, Ruler of the Vampire Nation, shall claim an unprecedented two guardians. The Werewolves Rex and Kyros will be bonded to her this night. The battle for dominance is officially over.”
Murmurs swept throughout the crowd and the Wolves, Rex and Kyros, ceased struggling. Their expressions changed from anger to shock then back to anger again. They no longer glared at each other, but turned their fierce gazes to Altah.
In spite of the fear winding through her, Altah wore her most regal expression and held each of their gazes in turn. No one, particularly such savage beasts, would intimidate the Ruler of the Vampire Nation. They were born to serve her and she would see that they never forgot it.
Reviews:
For Carnal Surrender:
“There’s plenty of sex and action to go around in this intriguing story. Carnal Surrender is not a story you’ll want to miss.”
— Julia, The Romance Studio
For Carnal Obedience:
“Ms. Hill does a great job of defining the characters, building them, helping them learn to depend on and trust one another.”
–Dee Dailey, The Romance Studio
