#StompVsRomp; Top 10 Reasons with Cecy Robson

Top 10 Reasons It’s Awesome to be a 

Kick-Ass Golden Tigress

by Celia Wird

10. If you find me licking my paws, it’s probably blood . . . and you should probably step away.

9. Disemboweling, decapitation, sending ghosts back to hell, and scrap-booking are my hobbies.

8. Unless you’d like your hand snapped off at the wrist, do NOT try to pet me, call me “kitty-kitty”, or wave anything slathered with catnip in my face.

7. If I’m hacking something up, it’s not a fur ball. Most likely it’s a foot, kidney, and / or heart of the last person who pissed me off. Again, step away. Bad cat jokes and humor at my expense will only earn you a severed liver.

6. Spinal columns are my scratching posts.

5. The faster you run, the quicker you die.

4. Pounces without warning, armed with sarcasm and clever banter.

3. I’m quiet. Very quiet. You won’t know I’m there until you see your blood dripping down my fangs.

2. If you find my piercing gaze locked onto your jugular, it’s a very bad sign. Screaming won’t help you.

1. Werewolves love pussies.

A CURSED EMBRACE
(Weird Girls #2)
by Cecy Robson

After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being "weird" isn't always welcome.

To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead-with evidence pointing to the vampires-she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen-and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters.

          

Cecy (pronounced Sessy) Robson is a full-time writer, registered nurse, wife, and mother living in the Great Northwest. She attributes her passion for story-telling back to the rough New Jersey neighborhood she was raised in. As a child, she was rarely allowed to leave the safety of her house and passed her time fantasizing about flying, fairies, and things that go bump in the night. Her dad unwittingly encouraged Cecy's creativity by kissing her goodnight wearing vampire fangs. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, she began writing her first urban fantasy series, Weird Girls, in May 2009.

            

Yolanda Sfetsos Talks About Inspiration

On Pins and Needles

by Yolanda Sfetsos

Sierra Fox, Book 3

All it takes is one freak to turn everything into a demonic ritual.

Sierra Fox’s relationship with sexy werewolf Jason Papan is going great, but it doesn’t take a psychic to tell her someone’s out to get her. As usual, though, there’s too much else going on to worry about just another assassination attempt.

In addition to the demon-possessed freaks that still want her, a whole new bucket of trouble has been dumped in her path. The half-sister Sierra never knew she had isn’t a typical teenager. Willow comes with supernatural baggage that grows heavier every time someone close to her dies. And the load gets bigger every time the police find the body of another young girl.

Now Sierra’s not only dealing with the target on her own back, but the one that a power-hungry woman has painted on her poltergeist-magnet sister. As she finds herself drawn into the thick of a murder investigation, Sierra must face her deepest fears and embrace the darkest of her powers to overcome the looming threat. Or the prediction of her death might just come true.

Warning: Spook catching: never gets any easier, neither does trying to avoid being killed by a shadowy organization. Always expect the unexpected—dangerous vampires, poltergeists and demon-obsessed freaks. At least the werewolf is pleasurably safe.

ON PINS AND NEEDLES is now available from Samhain Publishing.

Inspiration

Hello, it's nice to be here today. Firstly, I'd like to thank The Book Nympho for having me over.

The third book in my urban fantasy series was released a few days ago from Samhain Publishing. On Pins and Needles is part of the ongoing story of Sierra Fox—a spook catcher from Sydney, Australia. Her life keeps getting more complicated and dangerous with each installment.

I remember when this character was nothing but a small idea with big potential. Years ago, hubby and I watched a movie called Thirteen Ghosts. It wasn’t a great movie, but the ghost hunter angle totally captivated me. Afterwards, I remember the whispers of a character and the beginnings of a world where ghosts lived alongside humans starting to take shape. It wasn’t much to go on, but it was a spark that I carried around for a while. Until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

That was how Sierra and her world were born. It took me several years to actually write it, and the first book went through some pretty severe changes. I think I rewrote it twice, until everything started to flow together and led into a much bigger story.

Inspiration strikes when I least expect it, but when it does I know it’s best to jot everything down as soon as it hits. Something really small can spark it—like a not-so-great horror movie, lol—but my subconscious can turn it into a whole story pretty quickly. There are also particular times when I get inspired—going for a walk usually floods my mind with ideas, snippets, and even answers to problems I might have been pondering beforehand.

I find research really inspiring too. Sometimes while researching, I might be reading over an article and something clicks into place. While I was brainstorming On Pins and Needles I was especially inspired by a picture I found online of a mythological creature. As soon as I saw it, I knew exactly who the villain would be!

Like I said, inspiration can strike just about anywhere and anytime. I just have to make sure I have a pen and paper handy, or my Galaxy Note. ;)

What inspires you?

Thanks for reading, Yolanda

Wife. Mother. Writer. Bibliophile. Dreamer. Animal lover. Intrigued by the supernatural. Horror freak. Zombie enthusiast. Movie & music fan. Slave to her muse. Yolanda lives in Sydney, Australia with her awesome husband, lovely daughter, and cheeky cat.

  

#AADSAV Spotlight on Kait Ballenger

Author Note: For anyone who has had the chance to read an advanced copy of Twilight Hunter, book one of the Execution Underground series, you know that despite being fellow hunters of the supernatural, vampire hunter Damon Brock, leader of the Rochester division of the Execution Underground, and werewolf hunter Jace McCannon don’t exactly see eye to eye. In Shadow Hunter, a prequel novella to the series in the After Dark anthology, we see Damon assemble the hunters for his team based on their initial profiles, but what we don’t get to see is the follow up interviews with Damon’s potential division members. So after some discussion, the lovely Jennifer here at The Book Nympho and I thought it would be interesting to see the first time Jace and Damon meet face-to-face. Enjoy this exclusive scene!

Two hunters down, three to go. Damon Brock leaned back in his chair and read the next name on his roster. He shook his head. This was the one he’d been waiting for. It’d only taken Damon one initial look at his profile to know he’d have trouble keeping Jace McCannon in line, but if the werewolf hunter wanted his request of transfer to Rochester to stick, he’d shape up or Damon would send his sorry ass straight back to headquarters. Near perfect kill record or not.

Glancing down at the initial profile information, Damon made mental note of the basic stats.

Name: Jace McCannon 
Hometown: Honeoye Falls, New York 
Specialty: Werewolf Hunter 
Experience: Three years field training. 
Current location: Atlantic City, New Jersey

Without warning, the door to the warehouse creaked open and a man stepped inside. McCannon, no doubt. He looked exactly like his profile photo, aside from the cloud of gray smoke surrounding him.

Jace slipped inside, a Marlboro in hand. “Hey.” He nodded toward Damon before he dropped his cigarette to the ground and butted it out with the heel of his boot, just slightly more forceful than necessary. It didn’t take Damon even five minutes to analyze Jace and figure out who he was. Something the Execution Underground had taught him well. From the way Jace carried himself all the way down to the look in his eyes, Damon knew he’d be a royal pain in his ass. But he couldn’t argue with a 95% success rate on cases.

Jace walked toward Damon. Damon eyed his fellow hunter as he approached the interview table. Around 6’4 and well muscled but not bulky. Built like a linebacker. He’d be able to hold his own against a werewolf.

And a face Tiffany had whistled at...She’d called Jace his best looking prospect. He clenched his jaw. He wasn’t going to go there. Not now.

Damon stood before he stuck out his hand.

Jace grabbed Damon’s hand and gave it a strong, forceful shake. Confidence was not a problem for McCannon, that much Damon could tell. Damon cleared his throat. “Good. You’re on time.”

Jace flashed a grin that was more trouble than kindness. “I can be when I feel like it.”

Damon huffed. Definitely no problem with confidence. “Sit.” He gestured toward the chair across from him. Jace took a seat across from Damon, before leaning back and propping the edge of his massive snow covered boots on the table. Damon frowned. Better to get this little tea-time chat over with. Snatching his clipboard of the desk, he rolled his ballpoint pen between his fingers.

“We’ll get right to it. Why are you requesting a transfer to Rochester?”

Jace placed his hands behind his head and stretched himself out. “I’ve been working Atlantic City for a while and it was getting a bit dull. The cases there are pretty cut and dry. I’m up for more of a challenge and I hear the wolf packs here in Rochester create a shit ton of cases, lots of rogues passing through the area. And I’m sure you saw in my paperwork I’m from here originally. No place like home sweet home.”

Damon tapped the edge of his pen against his clipboard. “How good are you with a knife?

Jace reached inside his coat and removed a dagger. He held it up for Damon to see. The smooth surface of the blade glinted off the overhead drop-hat lights. “Pure silver.” Jace used his free hand to point to an empty wooden crate on the other side of the room. “Third crate down from the top, on the left hand side.” He throws the knife with all his strength. The dagger tumbles over in the air several times before it pierces the wooden crate. The now damaged wood holds the dagger parallel to the ground. Jace turns toward Damon again. “That good.”

Damon made a note on his clipboard for the files for Headquarters. Excellent accuracy with a blade. He’d give Jace that much. “How good of a shot are you? And don’t demonstrate for me this time.”

Jace crossed his arms over his chest and met Damon’s gaze. An angry fire burned behind the hunter’s eyes. “When I shoot, I don’t miss. My dad gave me my first gun when I was five. Should’ve used it on the bastard when I had the chance.”

Harsh, but Damon didn’t give a flying shit about whatever family issues Jace had. Not his problem. His problem was how Jace would operate as a member of his team. “Do you follow orders well?” he asked.

Jace grinned and removed his boots from the tabletop. “I have a problem with authority figures, but yeah, I can follow orders well...when I choose to.” He leaned forward in his seat. “You gonna keep asking me a million questions or let my stats speak for themselves?”

“Two more questions,” Damon said. First, one from the shrinks at H.Q.” Damon glanced at his paperwork again to make sure he was reading this correctly. He shook his head. “What kind of tree would you be?”

Jace chuckled as he leaned back in his seat again. A wide smirk crossed his face. “A lemon tree. Life doesn’t give me lemons. I’m the one who gives the fucking lemons.”

Damon clicked his pen one last time before pointing it straight at Jace. “Most important one: why should I hire you?”

Jace met Damon’s stare head on. “Because I’ll get the fucking job done.”

Kait Ballenger is a full-time paranormal romance author, wife, professional bellydancer, graduate student, and soon-to-be-professor. She is the multi-published author of the Execution Underground paranormal romance series about an international network of supernatural hunters who fight to protect humanity alongside the powerful women they seduce.

With a B.A in English from Stetson University, Kait is currently a student in Spalding University’s M.F.A in Writing for Children and Young Adults program, where she studies dual-genre in screenwriting. She writes dark paranormal romance with drool-worthy heroes and kickass heroines as Kait Ballenger, and sassy YA urban fantasy under her maiden name, Kaitlyn Schulz.

When Kait’s not preoccupied with paranormal creepy-crawlies, she can be found slaving over endless amounts of schoolwork or with her nose buried in a book. She lives in Florida with her husband, their doggie-daughter Sookie (yes, like the heroine in Charlainne Harris’ books), and two mischievous cats Elliot and Olivia (yes, like the Law and Order characters), near the love and care of her supportive family. Kait believes anything is possible with hard work and dedication. One day, she will be a bestseller and have people name their pets after her characters too.

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Ann Mayburn Talks About Classic Hot Men + Giveaway

Hello ladies.  I was talking the other day with one of my readers about guys that are classic hot, and we started naming off a few of our favorite guys. As I was writing ‘My Wicked Nanny (Club Wicked, #2)’ later that day I realized that the hero of the book, Jesse, is very much a John Wayne kinda guy. Not physically, but they both have that quiet inner strength, and dominance, that just kind of radiates from them.

You know, the kind of energy that makes women flock like moths to a flame. ;)

Jesse embodies that good, old-fashioned kind of man that will always take care of his woman and put the needs of those he loves first. But what’s a little different about him compared to most heroes that you see in modern day romance is that he’s a Dad, and a good one at that. He’s the kind of man that adore his children and does everything he can for them, doing a great job despite facing the challenges of raising his children as a widower. I can’t think of one woman I know who wouldn’t find that sexy in a man.


Now, add to that his hot cowboy good looks with a killer bod and you have a man that would devastate any woman. Oh, and did I mention that he’s rather skilled at BDSM? ;)

Yep, this is not a book for the faint of heart. If you are on heart medication, or you get choked up at descriptive and panty melting sex scenes, this isn’t the book for you. But, if you like some sweet with your steam, and a bit of pain with your pleasure, I think you’ll really dig my Club Wicked series.

My Wicked Nanny

by Ann Mayburn

Club Wicked, #2

Young nanny Anya Kozlov takes a job at the elite BDSM club, Wicked, in order to pay for her upcoming trip to Paris for her costume designing internship. Donning a mask to disguise herself, a scandalous outfit, and assuming the fake name of Dove, Anya is at once fascinated and terrified about her new job. On her first night she is shocked by the pure decadence of the club, but her greatest surprise comes when she finds out that the man she is a nanny for and has an enormous crush on, Jesse Shaw, is also a member of Wicked. When Jesse expresses his interest in teaching her about the dark pleasures of Dominance and submission Anya is helpless to resist, even though she is lying to him about who she is.

Jesse can't seem to get the new hostess, Dove, out of his mind. It's been five years since his wife passed and for the first time he feels something beyond physical lust or friendship for a woman. Entranced by the sweet and submissive woman, he is angry and hurt when he finds out that Dove is really Anya, his meek and mousy nanny. With only a few weeks left before Anya leaves for Paris, Jesse is determined to get her to not only tell the truth, but also to put his mark on her soul so deep that no man could ever take his place.

Just like the mark she has already put on his.

Tell me below some other traits that you find sexy in a man and you’ll be entered to win a faboosh Club Wicked swag bag. :D

Don't forget to include your email address. 

And giveaway is open to US only. 

Closes Friday, April 12th.

You Can't Yada Yada Sex! with Jeanette Grey

You Can't Yada Yada Sex!

Elaine: I've yada yada'd sex.
George: Really?
Elaine: Yeah. I met this lawyer, we went out to dinner, I had the lobster bisque, we went back to my place, yada yada yada, I never heard from him again.
Jerry: But you yada yada'd over the best part!
Elaine: No, I mentioned the bisque.

-"The Yada-Yada", Seinfeld

It's a moment from classic TV history from the 90s sitcom Seinfeld. Concerned that his girlfriend glossed over telling him that she'd slept with her ex, George asks the gang if it's really possible to 'yada yada' over sex. Elaine insists that it is—especially when it's hardly the highlight of the evening.

Sadly, I have to agree with her. When it comes to sex scenes in romance novels, sometimes it's all I can do to keep my eyes open. Don't get me wrong, I love a good sex scene, but if I'm not invested in the characters, if the writing isn't visceral, if the passion isn't there…well, let's just say that 'yada yada'-ing would be a mercy sometimes. I get bored if I'm reading a love scene that doesn't deliver. And as a writer, there is nothing scarier than thinking readers will be bored by your words.

My latest book, Take What You Want, is easily the steamiest one I've written to date, and as I was going through edits, I bit my nails ragged worrying about the love scenes.

In the end I came up with a few criteria to help me decide if a sex scene was pulling its weight or not:

1. Does it reveal something about the characters? There are a lot of things that can be conveyed about a character in a love scene. An over-obsession with protection or a reluctance to try certain positions can speak to issues with trust. Bad experiences in past relationships can manifest in shyness or surprise when a lover is giving and considerate. How the characters interact tells us about who they are, and a love scene involves a unique kind of interaction that tells you things you wouldn't learn in any other way.


2. Does it advance the relationship? Two people enter into a moment of intimacy, and they leave it with something new forged between them. I want to see a new closeness, a discovery or a new understanding—even a backwards step, if it's appropriate. The physical is most powerful when it echoes the emotional, and what better way to reach new emotional heights than through this singular shared experience?


3. Does it advance the plot? This is trickier if the main conflict in the book is something external to the central relationship, but it's possible, and when it happens, wow.


4. Does it communicate something that can't be said with words alone? He may not be able to say he loves her, but he can show her tenderness when he touches her. She may not be able to beg for patience, but she can show her commitment when she gives him everything in the moments they spend alone. Sometimes, characters can express so much without saying anything at all.

Think about a favorite book or a favorite steamy scene, and I bet you'll find it meets at least one—if not all—of these criteria.

For example, a favorite of mine is from J.R. Ward's Lover Awakened. (Warning: spoilers!) When Bella goes into her needing, she and Zsadist come together with a passion that sizzles off the pages, but it's memorable not just because it's oh-so-sexy. Zsadist's self-loathing and his history of abuse have been hinted at, but we gain a whole new understanding of it when he obsesses about getting his ugliness on Bella. We see Zsadist let someone touch him; we see him let himself be vulnerable. We see these two people grow from being drawn to each other to being completely bared before each other. And really, there's nothing that advances a plot faster in a romance than an unexpected pregnancy, now is there?

For me, what it comes down to is that a great love scene has to be integral to the story. It has to mean something to the characters. And if it does…well, then it's bound to also mean something to me.

And you simply can't yada yada over that. …

Take What You Want 

by Jeanette Grey

Publisher: Samhain; ISBN: 978-1-61921-374-6

She needs an escape…and he’s exactly what she had in mind.

College senior Ellen Price spends every spare minute studying to get into medical school. Until spring break yawns before her, as empty as her wallet.

With no money to hit the beach, she fills her empty to-do list with a plan: for just one week, she will become the kind of take-no-prisoners woman she secretly wishes to be, starting with the hot guy at the bar. It's a no-risk situation: at the end of break, he’ll head back to his campus, and she’ll go back to hers. No muss, no fuss.

At first, Josh Markley isn’t sure what to think when the quiet, intense beauty from his pre-med classes approaches him for a night of casual sex. Even more mystifying, she doesn’t seem to return his recognition. But if she wants to play “strangers in a bar”, he’s game.

Their passionate night is a welcome respite from life’s stress, but afterward, Josh realizes he wants more—from himself, from life, from Ellen. Except she still thinks he’s a one-off she’ll never see again. Confessing the truth now—before she figures it out on her own—could shatter the fragile beginnings of just what the doctor ordered. A forever love.

Warning: Contains mistaken identities, a sometimes-glasses-wearing hottie, deep questions about figuring out what you want from life, and a red-hot college romance.

Goodreads   Amazon   Barnes and Noble  Samhain

Jeanette Grey started out with degrees in physics and painting, which she dutifully applied to stunted careers in teaching, technical support, and advertising. When none of that panned out, she started writing. Her stories include futuristic romances and erotic contemporaries, and almost all of them include hints of either science or art.

When she isn't writing, Jeanette enjoys making pottery, playing board games, and spending time with her husband and her pet frog. She lives, loves, and writes in upstate New York.

Website   Twitter   Facebook   Blog

Devri Walls Talks About Her Awesome Husband

As I was bemoaning having to choose a blog topic I asked my husband what I should write about. His answer? “Write about how awesome I am.” (For those of you wondering, that would be code for – I am on the Ipad right now, don’t bug me!)

But, as luck would have it- I do need something to write about, and he is pretty awesome.

Now, you may scoff and say, “How is she going to tie that in?” Oh, just you wait you doubting mufasas! Here’s the deal- if you are going to write you really, really need a support system. For some of you that may be a group of writerly friends. For me, it’s this man sitting across the room from me trying very hard to be polite and not tell me he is busy and that I should stop bugging him.

This journey is crazy. For some of you it may not be so bad because you started as one of those weird calm people that I will never understand. But for those of you who may be a little neurotic at times, you will need a calming voice of reason. The one that says- “I would tell you if I thought you were wasting your time. I would tell you if your work was garbage. But it is not. This is worth your time, you will make it through this. Do it because you love it. I believe in you!” Luckily for me, I said “I Do” to my calming voice of reason. (Although I do feel pity for him once in a while. You see, you cannot escape the demands of being the calming voice of reason when you live with the crazy author)

Once you release your creative work you will be slammed with both positive and negative from the public. It is what you are asking for. You released your work for public consumption, which makes it fair game for public opinion. And anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves and should find another line of work. Your super fans will both befuddle you with their absolute love of your work and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The haters will- well, it hurts. Even when you say it doesn’t matter, it takes a while for that skin to get nice and thick. Which again, is why you need SUPPORT! Support you can trust. Support you can talk to. We have had many soggy shoulders over this-a-way.

Starting on this crazy journey can be a little mind boggling at first. I am always more than happy to talk to budding authors and will answer any questions I can. So come on over, talk to me on Twitter, Facebook, whatever! Let it be noted, long distance shoulders are not quite as comfy as the real ones to cry on so I would suggest finding yourself some closer support, and soon!

By the way, if you are a creative storm that cannot shut your imagination off, but struggles with basic things such as proper punctuation- having a support system to double check your blog posts is also a very good thing. In other words, if there are errors in this post please see afore mentioned awesome hubby.




Wings of Tavea 
(The Solus Trilogy #2)
by Devri Walls
November, 2012

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros. Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Devri Walls lives in Kuna Idaho with her husband and two kids. She has worked as a music teacher and currently, a preschool teacher. She majored in theater and her love of a story still drives her today. Thankfully, she has finally found an outlet for all the voices in her head. Her first novel, Wings of Arian, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and Apple. The second book in the Solus trilogy, Wings of Tavea is scheduled for release Nov 2012.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Valentine with Ares & Lisa Beth Darling #Giveaway

Valentine's Day on The Island: Ares

by Lisa Beth Darling

For the three days leading up to his Valentine's Day date with his Wife, the God of War could think of nothing else. Alena had been wonderful, no warrior could ever ask for more from his Wife. She'd been patient, strong, and brave. She'd stayed with him when he was deep in the clutches of Major Falls, a time he had not been kind to her. Lost to the fever and the delusions of the weaponized version of rabies, he'd done something unforgivable that nearly cost him her life. Yet she did forgive him, she even continued nursing him back to health refusing to give up on him when others would have done just that.

If that wasn't a miracle enough, when Zeus died, she'd stood by his side as they crowned him King of Olympus even though his Family would not accept her as their Queen. Other than to say that she wouldn't return to Olympus to live until the Mortal World was secured, she put up no fuss, no argument, and never gave him an ounce of grief over his new position among his Family.

Ares wanted to do something very special for Alena, something that would show her how much he appreciated her and loved her. Problem was he couldn't come up with anything. So, the day before the big day, Ares went to visit Eros in his Tower on Olympus to seek his Son's advice. After all, Eros was the world's foremost authority on Valentine's Day. Ares found Eros in an uncharacteristically bad mood.

Eros was blunt and to the point as they sat in his living room on plush white sofas, "All she wants is you. That’s it."Ares groaned, "I secured forty-eight hours with her, but that's not enough. I want to dazzle her."

"Show up," Eros huffed knowing it had been at least three months since Ares even stopped by the island to visit with his Wife. The Winged God of Love, who went often to visit with his step-mother, was keenly aware of how hurt and lonely Alena felt in Ares' continued absence. "No matter what happens on Olympus or with the Mortals, don't let anything interrupt you."

Taken aback by the sharpness of Eros' tone, Ares folded his arms over his broad chest, "I have duties and responsibilities…"

"Chief among them is to your Wife, not to them," Eros spat, "if you lose her, Father, you lose everything."

"Such hostility and drama," Ares remarked darkly, "she knows that…"

"That you're not with her, that's what she knows," Eros insisted as his white wings ruffled. "She's lonely more than that she feels alone, as though you've abandoned her in favor of your War and your new crown."

Ares quieted his tongue and thought for a few moments. Having remained single before Alena he never had to leave a beloved woman behind when he went into battle. Standing here in Eros's parlor, Ares remembered the morning he left, how she woke in his arms, enticed him to stay in bed with sex, and how her arms clasped around him a death grip when he finally rose from the bed to prepare for the coming battle. Her nails sank deep into his flesh and her fearful eyes pleaded with him to stay. Then he'd begged her not to make the departure harder than it had to be, he promised to come home if only for a few hours at a stretch, he'd been very lax in keeping that promise. "Me, huh?"

"You and your undivided attention," Eros huffed. "That's all."

"What is it you're not telling me?" Ares intoned darkly as he captured Eros' gaze. "Are you screwing my Wife? Getting close to it? I know you've always had a thing for her."

"Oh please," Eros protested indignantly, "she loves you, she'd never take a lover…never." Eros huffed hoping his emphasis caught his Father's attention but it did not. Eros couldn't prove what he suspected Apollo was doing to Alena in Ares' absence or how Ares' miraculous recovery from Major Falls really came about but he had deep suspicions. He even came right out and asked Alena while she tried to laugh it off, her eyes told a different tale, a tale of torment and someone on the edge of breaking. "Go down there and show her you're worthy of being her Husband, that you haven't forgotten her, or abandoned her in favor of your never ending passion for war."

Feeling duly chastised, Ares disappeared from Olympus to wander around the Mortal World for another day growing more anxious about his upcoming date. He knew he'd been away a long time, war didn't stop because he wanted a night off to make love with his Wife. Surely, Alena knew that and Eros was wrong, she didn't feel abandoned or forgotten by her warrior Husband. He thought about her every day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Wandering the deserted streets of New York City he came upon the remains of a once famous jewelry store; Tiffany & Co. The windows were busted and the heavy security door was off its hinges hanging open in a slightly sinister crooked smile. Stepping inside, Ares saw the interior was worse than the exterior with every single case having been smashed to bits and the contents emptied. The once fine floor with its plush Tiffany Blue carpet was covered with shards of glass and even a few small pieces left behind from the shattered cases. In this Brave New World, money was obsolete, the only things left of value were food, fuel, guns, gold, and jewels. Shiny cut rocks meant nothing to a God outside of their innate beauty but Alena seemed to enjoy them from time to time.

Ares wandered around the mangled store peering into one broken empty case after another before he wound his way to the back rooms. These were also gutted but it seemed the looters hadn't been smart enough to be able to open the safes. "What do we have here?" Ares wondered aloud looking a row of seven safes, each safe six feet high by four feet wide. "I bet there's something good in there." Pointing at the safe directly in front of him and flicking his fingers in the air, the door flew off to reveal the glittering contents. "Ooooo, very nice," he muttered as he ran his big paw over cut but not set diamonds, pearls, rubies, emeralds, and so much more. Opening the next safe in the same manner, Ares found what he was looking for; boxes and boxes of finished jewelry, each with a name and address of is respective owner, an owner who would not be coming to collect their prized item. Ripping the tops off boxes, he threw necklaces, bracelets, watches, and rings over his shoulder tossing them as they were nothing more than yesterday's fish but knowing a looter would return and be very happy with the booty he was leaving them. Reaching way into the back, he pulled out a long box that was very wide. Pursing his full lips and narrowing his dark brows, Ares plucked the top from the box. "Oh, now that's better." He proclaimed as he stared at matching set of earrings, bracelet, and ring. Each piece handcrafted of the biggest and brightest cut rubies he'd ever seen. The earrings were large, each with a dangling teardrop ruby the size of a quarter, each rimmed with white diamonds and held to the ear by a pink diamond roughly the size of a dime. Ares thought of how well these would go with Alena's wedding necklace. Picking up the bracelet and holding it the fading sunlight he thought it would need to be smaller to fit Alena's delicate wrist but it was beautiful with its half-inch wide band of shining silver holding up the matching jewels. The ring was the finishing touch to the set with its own centerpiece a teardrop cut ruby to match the earrings, it was surrounded by three layers of sparkling white diamonds. "You're coming home with me," he crooned to the jewels as he popped the top back onto the box then stuffed it in his vest.