Nicole Ortiz

A vampire bit me while we were making out. Now, I'm being forced to marry him. Okay, not forced. I just don't have any other options. My family is being targeted by a dangerous wolf pack, so we turned to our king for help. But he happens to be the guy I kissed. He agrees to keep us safe—for the small price of my hand in marriage. Or mating. Whatever you want to call it, he demands my future.

Like many girls, I too used to dream of fairytales. Until that illusion was shattered, and I saw firsthand just how cruel life could be. Now I just wished my nightmare would end. The life I knew ceased to exist as I suffered at the hands of my stepmother, who hated me. I fought to escape and once I did, I thought life would become normal again, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Tragedy was woven in my bloodstream, hiding in my DNA structure. I had a sliver of peace before it all went to hell again.

To be “just friends” with a guy, you’ve got to follow The Rules: Don’t touch him unnecessarily. Don’t share your intimate dreams with him (even if he asks). Don’t kiss him, and definitely don’t sleep with him. Scout Dunne and I have been “just friends” since childhood. I’m one of the few people who knows the first-round NFL draft pick wants more than a life of sports.

I’m a no-nonsense man. As the head of a business empire, I have to be. I’m logical, cut-throat, and don’t believe in cheesy things like marriage and happy ever afters. But when my best friend asks me to be Best Man, I can't say no. En route to the wedding, I get stuck at the airport when my flight is delayed, and this obnoxious woman sits next to me. Not only does she keep drinking champagne even though she obviously can’t hold her liquor, but she seems determined to push every single one of my buttons.

Crushes are harmless—unless they involve your best friend’s grumpy, off-limits brother. Gannon Brewer is the epitome of my type. He’s at least ten years older than me, emotionally unavailable, and highly disagreeable—a walking red flag in a tailored suit. But do I listen to that? No. In fact, when his office plants start dying, I convince myself that I can ignore the pheromones and save the philodendron. Now I’m in his office every week, dodging sinful smirks and heated stares, reminding myself to reach for the watering can—not him. But one “ivy incident” changes everything.

After my human death, I found a new and purrfect life as the feline familiar to a witch. But my safe haven is about to crumble. Winnie, my witch, is performing more spells, draining both our magic reserves and acting suspiciously as she works on a secret project. Since curiosity kills cats, I escape into the arms of Charlie: the handsome and grumpy hacker next-door that I want, but can never have. When supernatural visitors show up asking him for help we are introduced to realms beyond our world.

When I first saw Aria at the auction, it was like some twist of cruel fate bringing us together. There’s just something about her that I could not resist. I had to make her mine. But now that she’s under my power, I quickly realize I’ve gotten more than I bargained for. Aria isn’t just a pretty doll to play with. No, she’s so much more than that. And no matter how many times I try to bend her, she just won’t fully break. When I find out the truth about Aria’s family and where she came from, I know my feelings for her will bring an all-out war against me and my empire.

I might be the most promising quarterback in college football today, but once I was just a boy desperately in love with the wrong girl, one I’d very much like to win back. She blocks me better than any player on the field, but to figure out my best play, first I need to understand how we got here. We have been apart longer than we were together but we can’t seem to stop torturing each other. Every guy she touches or allows to touch her is like a knife right to my heart. Not to be outdone, I play her game. No one will ever accuse me of giving less than everything.

My father really outdid himself this time. If he wasn’t already the worst, his newest demand surely gave him that title—if I wanted to take over the family company, I needed to get married. Within the next six months. He thought he had me right where he wanted me… that I’d marry one of his lackeys. A man who’d keep me in line with Dad’s vision for both me and Parker Industries. Well, dear old Dad had another thing coming. I was no pushover, bowing to the whims of him or any man. I had a plan.

As Secretary of the Untamed Sons MC, I know my place. I'm the youngest member to ever become an officer and I'm not doing anything to put that in jeopardy. Then I meet Noelle. She's a club bunny. Brothers don't claim the women who service our club, but I want her like I want my next breath. For her, I'll put my position on the line and risk the wrath of my president.