Amanda Archer is on
the fast track to success. At twenty-five she has just about everything she’s
ever wanted. She has complete control of her life…until she meets Marco.
Marco De Lucia is a very influential man.
Handsome, rich, and very powerful. Marco has a secret that few know about and
live to tell it. He’s a wolf.
From the moment Marco steps into Amanda’s life
everything spins out of her control. Marco tells her about fate, destiny and
her obligations. She was born to be his...
Marco has waited three hundred years to finally
find Amanda and fulfill their destiny. He knows who she is...he just has to
convince her of that.
There are others that aren’t too excited that
Marco’s found his mate. Others that will stop at nothing to make sure the
prophecy isn’t fulfilled...
Amanda stood outside Mr. De Lucia’s closed door, trying to put her thoughts together. “Entri Benvenuto, Amanda, si prega di avere un posto a sedere.” Amanda felt a moment of panic. “Huh?” she managed to squeak. “Uh, I mean pardon me?” She heard him chuckle softly through the closed door, and the sound reminded her of the man in her dream. The memory sent goosebumps up her arm. “I said ‘Come in. Welcome, Amanda, please have a seat.’” Maybe it wasn’t a dream, she thought. That voice is the same. But that’s impossible...or is it? What do I do now? “What do you do? You do as you’re instructed, tesoro. Entri now, per favore...please.” Did he just hear my thoughts? “I am not accustomed to repeating myself, tesoro.” “Yes, sir,” she said as she twisted the knob and pushed the door open. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been myself today. It’s been a weird two days actually. I—” Her train of thought fled as her gaze now rested on the elusive Mr. De Lucia. The eyes, they are the same eyes in my dream, but how? Forget the eyes, and don’t be stupid, Amanda. You need to look at the total picture. Stacey wasn’t exaggerating, she thought. The man’s gorgeous. He smiled as if he heard her thoughts, flashing perfectly straight white teeth, and she felt her heart flutter. His features were classic Italian…firm jaw, straight nose, well defined lips, black wavy hair framed his face, and he sported a slight five o’clock shadow. As he stood, he held out his hand to her. The man was tall, well over six feet as Stacey had said. The dark grey Armani suit fit well and accentuated his muscles. Her gaze caught a glint of gold from his left hand pinkie finger. The ring was a snarling wolf with rubies for eyes. “Do I measure up?” Startled, she only half heard what he said. “I’m sorry, what?” Her gaze met his. “You are staring. Do I measure up, tesoro?” She felt the heat rise to her cheeks. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me,” she said as she reached for his outstretched hand. “I’m not normally this flustered…it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. De Lucia.” “Marco,” he said as his hand enveloped her smaller one. His touch sent sensations up her arm, causing her eyes to widen. “Think nothing of it. It is nice to be regarded so well by a bella donna. Please, be seated.” He let go of her hand and leaned on the edge of his desk while she sat in the chair. He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded her. “I trust you’re feeling better?” “Feeling better?” “You missed work yesterday.” “Oh, that.” She looked away. “I wasn’t sick…I can’t really explain it.” “Do you make a habit of missing work?” She looked back to him sharply, emitting a low growl. “Certainly not!” He laughed softly. “Good, good!” he said as he clapped his hands together once. “You do have some spirit after all. You’re not the timid mouse you just portrayed yourself to be.” Amanda blinked in shock. “But…but I just growled at you. I’m sorry, I…I don’t know what came over me.” Marco pushed away from the desk, then took her hands in his. “Do not apologize for being yourself il mio amore. You hide your passion, deep within yourself, but I can see it there, the alfa lupo, begging to surface. I can sense her calling to mine. Do not be afraid to be yourself around me. Eravamo fatti per stare insieme, il mio amore.” “I don’t speak Italian, Marco, so I don’t understand. What is an alfa lu—?”
He squeezed her hands, then let go and leaned back against the desk. “Alfa lupo is alpha wolf.” Alpha wolf, what in the hell is that supposed to mean? And what does he mean, mine calls to his? He smiled again as if he heard her thoughts. Did he just read my thoughts? The smile broadened. She narrowed her eyes and slammed her hand down on the arm of the chair. “Tell me what that last sentence you just said means.” “Eravamo fatti per stare insieme, il mio amore?” She nodded. “It translates to ‘we were meant to be together, my love.’” She stood, then started backing toward the door. “And tesoro?” “Sweetheart.” Amanda’s back slammed against the door as her fingers fumbled for the doorknob. “This, this is sexual harassment. There are laws against this kind of behavior in a workplace.” “Human laws do not concern me, tesoro.” He took a step toward her and she plastered herself further against the door. “And they shouldn’t concern you either, il mio amore.” “You talk like you’re not human.” When he nodded her eyes bugged. “You’re implying that you’re not human?” “No, we are not.” “We?” She swallowed hard. “You and I….” She shook her head frantically. “I am not a human.” He reached up and ran his knuckles gently across her cheek. “Neither are you, il mio amore.” “If you’re not human, then what are you?” Her voice was barely a whisper. “We are lupo, wolf.” Amanda felt light headed and swayed on her feet. Marco pulled her into his arms and rubbed his cheek against hers. “Tu sei la mia anima gemella, Amanda. Ho aspettato 300 anni per la vostra nascita.” He sighed. “Scusi. In English. You are my soul mate, and I have waited three hundred years for your birth.” Amanda pushed away, then sat back down hard in the chair. “You are crazy. I am not a wolf and neither are you. Werewolves are myths, stories told to frighten children and the weak minded.” Marco flashed her a another smile. “Stories like this?” His soft brown eyes changed shape, turning golden and emanating a soft glow. Her own eyes saucered as she cringed in the chair. “This isn’t possible.” The smile left his face as he leaned forward and gripped her shoulders, his eyes now normal. “Never cower away from me.” His tone was forceful and commanding, then softened. “I will not hurt you, and I never meant to frighten you. You just needed a little convincing. Most all myths are based on truths, and this one is very true. We are lupo, il mio amore.” She took a quivering breath. “I am not a wolf and you…I don’t know what you—” “Liar!” he yelled as his grip tightened on her shoulders. She grit her teeth, emitting a low growl. “I. Do. Not. Lie!” Marco yanked her out of the chair, then turned her to face the mirror, forcing her to look at herself. “Look at your reflection, Amanda. See what I see when you are angry.” Amanda’s mouth dropped open as she gazed at her reflection. “You see, il mio amore? Look at your eyes.” She reached up and touched her face and then the mirror, her anger turning to disbelief as tears pooled on her bottom lashes. Her eyes glowed like his. “In the beginning, anger will be your trigger for the change. Your hormones will be raging and you will anger very easily. This will pass, and you will learn to control it.” “I…I don’t understand what’s happening to me.” Her voice broke. “This…this is not normal.” Her gaze met his in the reflection. “Last night I was eating raw meat and hearing
things I couldn’t possibly be hearing. This morning I nearly attacked a co-worker over something stupid, and now this.” The tears spilled from her lashes to course down her face, then her bottom lip quivered. “You’re obviously behind all this. What have you done to me? I’m a freak.” Marco gently turned her to face him, cupping her face in the palms of his hands, gazing intently into her eyes. “What have I done to you?” She swallowed hard, then nodded. “I have done nothing but awaken your inner wolf. She has always been there just below the surface…impatiently waiting.” “She?” He nodded. “What is ‘she’ waiting for?” The corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile as he answered. “She was waiting to be claimed by me.” Amanda caught her breath. “Was?” “We are a proud and superior race, Amanda.” His thumb slid across her cheek, brushing away a tear. “Be proud of who you are. You are not a freak, you are my miracle, il mio compagno.” “You didn’t answer my question.” “You are mine, Amanda. You bear my mark.” He moved her open collar aside and brushed the marks on her shoulder with his fingertips. Her brow furrowed as she strained to see. She pushed away from him and turned to the mirror, baring her shoulder fully, and glared at the marks in the mirror. “No other would dare touch you.” Amanda lifted her hands and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. Her eyes narrowed as she scowled at him in the mirror’s reflection, her jaw set, her upper lip curled back in a snarl. He threw his head back and laughed. “Tu sei magnifico, il mio amore. Tale fuoco e bellezza.” (You are magnificient, my love. Such fire and beauty.) She balled her fists and whirled around to face him. “I’ll show you a firey beauty!” He stopped laughing and regarded her statement, a slight smirk still remaining. “So, you understood what I said?” “Sì,” she seethed as she reared back her fist and punched him in the nose. Marco’s eyes widened in surprise as he brought his hand up to cover his nose. “Arrogante bastardo!” she spat as she brought her fist up again to strike. His open palm caught her fist, and he wrenched her hand behind her back, bringing her chest up to his. Her chest heaved against his body as she struggled to free herself. “Let me go, Marco, or I swear to God I will hurt you. I can see for myself that you bleed as any other man.” Even as she spoke the words the blood faded. He brought his other hand up and brushed the hair from her eyes. “You cannot hurt me, my little alfa lupo. We are mates. It is in our genes that a mate cannot hurt the other.” Her mouth dropped open. He smiled. “You see, between mates the sex can get a little...rough.” He shrugged. “Our genetics protect us from unintentional harm from the other.” “How about intentional harm?” she growled as her knee connected with his groin. He let go of her hand, but didn’t double over as she had expected. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her body fully to his. She brought her hands up to push against his chest. “That hurt,” he said, his lips a hair’s-breadth from hers. She grinned. “Good. I meant for it to hurt. Now let me go.” Marco quirked an eyebrow, then brought a hand down to cup her ass and brought her hips firmly against his erection. “No.” The smile dropped from Amanda’s face as her brow furrowed in disbelief. “That’s impossible. I just kneed you there. There is no way—”
His lips covered hers, taking her by surprise and halting her protest in mid-sentence. Amanda’s body betrayed her turbulent thoughts by clutching him to her, relaxing further in his arms as his tongue slipped past her parted lips to dance frantically with hers. The kiss was electrifying, setting her body on fire as she kissed him back. A yearning settled deep in her core. A low moan escaped the back of her throat when Marco deepened the kiss and pushed her back up against the wall, wedging his leg between hers. He lifted her leg, draping it around his hip, and rocked into her. She tore her mouth from his and stared into his eyes as she lifted her other leg and locked them both around his hips. She breathed in deeply and felt her canine teeth elongate as his scent overwhelmed her. Placing her nose in the crook of his neck, she inhaled again. “You smell like ambrosia.” Her voice sounded foreign to her ears. “You smell the same to me.” She nodded as his lips grazed her neck. “It is the way between mates.” Tilting her head, she allowed him better access. “Soon you will sense me even though you cannot see me.” “Intoxicating…I feel so strange…I want to taste….” Amanda closed her eyes and ran her tongue from his collarbone to nip his neck just below his earlobe. “Mmmmm.” He tasted as good as he smelled. The urge to bite was almost overwhelming as she felt his cock swell more, and he rocked into her again. “Keep that up, il mio amore, and you won’t be leaving my office anytime soon.” Her eyes flew open and locked with his. “I would love nothing better than to tear the clothes from your luscious body and pleasure us both until we are both sated...but?” Amanda dropped her legs and looked away. “Oh, God. What am I doing?” She pushed away from him and took a step toward the door, making an effort to hurriedly tuck in her blouse. “I’ve got to go…this can’t happen again.” Marco gripped her shoulders from behind, stopping her in her tracks, and nipped at her neck. She closed her eyes and shivered. “This will happen again, il mio amore. Count on it. You are mine. Next time?” “Marco, there can’t be a next time.” “Next time I will lay you over my desk and feast upon that luscious body of yours.” She shivered again. “And I will not stop until you’ve screamed my name at least a dozen times and we’ve both had our fill.”
As an Author, I love romance.
Paranormal Romance happens to be a favorite of mine. I have always been an avid
reader and a few years ago I discovered a passion for writing as well. I live
in the Panhandle of Florida, and I have been happily married to a wonderful man
for the last twenty-seven years. I have two grown children and 1 grandchild.
When I am not writing and running my own publishing company I can be found
camping with my husband or attending a NASCAR race. Please visit my websites. I
am always adding something new.
ONLINE LINKS:
Website~http://www.karenfullerauthor.com/
Facebook~https://www.facebook.com/karen.fuller.908?fref=ts
Goodreads~https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1377008.Karen_Fuller?from_search=true
