This week’s Wicked Wednesday brings you another installment of my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

Ramon has made love to Catalina to help her maintain her human form for as long as she can, but now the transformation begins and Ramon must watch helplessly as Catalina becomes the wolf she hates.

For those of you who may have missed the first seven chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

He quickly slipped from her side and stood to view her transformation. It began slowly at first, with the thickening of her muscles and the shift of them as they rearranged themselves. As the change gathered speed, Catalina writhed on the bed, yanked at the chains. Moaned as bones, sinew and muscle moved and morphed. Parts of her body popped and cracked as they slipped in and out of place.

He could only wonder at the agony it brought her. As a doctor, he knew just how a human reacted to such trauma. Did Catalina feel it as well?

Combined with the violence attacking her muscles and bones, fur quickly sprouted. A thick rich fur obliterated her alabaster skin. Finally, her beautiful face elongated, her mouth and lips losing most semblance of the human as her wolf’s muzzle erupted. She uttered something. It sounded like his name, but was lost in the growing cavity of her wolf’s mouth. In the strong jaws that could take life with just one snap.

Razor sharp fangs emerged. Glistened brightly. He imagined her slashing and killing with them. The wolf totally assumed control now. A wolf like no other within the pack.

Despite the many months they had shared together, the change still fascinated him. Maybe even repulsed as well.

Catalina’s wolf pulled at the shackles, trying to free itself. Bayed loudly at the frustration of imprisonment. When long minutes passed and the transformation finished, the animal’s attempts for freedom lessened, as if it sensed that to struggle against the restraints would be useless.

Ramon laid a hand on the wolf’s side and brushed the silky fur, a reddish brown color unique amongst all the wolves. A color so much like Catalina’s hair that he wanted to weep for the woman trapped within the beast. The werewolf didn’t shift beneath his caress, but whimpered, like a dog in pain and maybe it was. Maybe this was still Catalina responding to him. To his anguish on her behalf.

He met the werewolf’s gaze and as always, Catalina’s green-gold eyes stared back. The look there screamed human, which made him risk it all to reach up and rub his hand gently over her head. At that, the large animal closed its eyes and finally stopped struggling against its bonds.

He was mesmerized by the differences between Catalina’s wolf and a real one. Hands which while not human, could still grasp a weapon. The wolf-like body that could walk and fight upright, but on all fours, loped along elegantly. Quickly. A body stronger and larger than a real wolf and therefore, more dangerous.

Ramon gave Catalina’s head one final stroke, and then rushed over to secure the door to the room. Striding back across the large space, he armed himself from the weapons closet. He eased on the specially made armor — a gift from Catalina. Buckled on not one but two swords and for good measure, grabbed a loaded shotgun. The shells in the gun were packed with silver pellets laced with silver nitrate. Equally as effective against a vampire or werewolf.

Remembering what had happened in the last few days, uneasiness grabbed him more completely now that Catalina lay defenseless. He snatched a few extra shells and tucked them into his pocket. After, he returned to the pallet in which Catalina’s wolf rested and sat on the floor beside it, the shotgun across his lap; the swords within easy reach.

If anything decided to try and take advantage, they would have to get through him first. He only hoped he would be strong enough. With one last look back at Catalina, he considered what would happen if he had to set her free to protect herself.

He prayed the wolf might remember who he was and spare his life.

Copyright 2008 Caridad Pineiro Scordato www.caridad.com

Today’s Wicked Wednesday is a little treat from my NY Times and USA Today Bestseller MOON FEVER, an anthology with the amazing Maggie Shayne, Susan Sizemore and Lori Handeland. I loved creating a mythology based on shapeshifters and setting it in the Amazon. My hope was that you’d not only enjoy seeing a different kind of creature, but that you’d take away some of the concerns about human encroachment and destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Today’s tidbit comes after the heroine, Jessica, is attacked outside her hut and the hero, Javier, comes to her rescue — not that she needs rescuing!

Also, my friend LA Banks sent a link to some pictures from RT, so click here to check them out!

Jessica took hold of his hand and led him into the hut.

She flipped on a battery-powered lantern she had brought with her and quickly pulled a small first aid kit from her supplies. Placing the kit on the desk to one side of the hut, she removed what she would need to dress the wound.

As she turned, she realized Javier had come to stand close and her elbow brushed across the hard muscles of his midsection, reminding her of all his blatant masculinity.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, but then laid a hand against the taut muscles at his waist to urge him to toward the light so she could examine the nature of the wound.

The knife had caught him across a rib, preventing the blade from biting too deeply, but the long cut would need to be closed somehow. “This may hurt,” she said as she wet a piece of gauze with some antiseptic.

“I think I can handle it,” he replied, but he flinched and his muscles jumped as she applied the gauze to his side. He muttered a curse beneath his breath even though her touch was gentle as she cleansed the area.

She told herself not to appreciate his amazing body as she worked, but it was nearly impossible with so much lean muscle and creamy skin so enticingly close. She hurried as much as she could, using the various butterfly bandages in her kit to close the gaping edges of the wound before taping a piece of gauze over the injury.

Lightly she smoothed the tape around the edges of the gauze, trying to ignore his physical presence. Trying not to see how the reddish rosette patterns played across his skin and the palm bands hugged an impossibly lean waist and thick-muscled chest.

As she shot a glance up at him, she realized that he was as affected as she, no matter their earlier enmity. His breath was ragged, but not with pain.

With desire.

He bent from his greater height until the edge of his jaw brushed the side of her forehead. His breath was warm against the sweat-damp skin there.

She stroked her hand over the gauze covering the wound, but he laid his hand there and stilled the motion.

His hand was hot. His palm deliciously rough and the pull came between her legs again as she imagined him touching her. Her nipples tightened in anticipation and to battle that feeling she asked, “Who was that man who attacked us?”

Javier stroked her hand lightly. Slowly shifted his hand upward to caress her forearm. “One of Armando’s goons.”

Needing to touch him as he caressed her, she picked up her other hand and mimicked his action, laying her hand on the sculpted biceps of his arm. As she stroked the hard moist flesh there, she asked, “Is the timber valuable enough — “

“To kill for? No. Armando has other reasons for hurting the tribe,” he said, moving his hand upward to cup the top of her arm, where he lightly caressed her skin with the pad of his thumb.

Her gaze locked with his, searching the strange gold-green gaze which revealed nothing but desire.

“What kinds of reasons?” she asked as she shifted her hand to his chest and traced the edge of the palm band encircling it. As she did, she fingered the hard nub of his nipple, dragging a ragged breath from him.

“Isn’t it enough for you to know you need to watch yourself?” Even as he said it, he cradled her breast and tweaked her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, causing a shudder to rip through her body.

“Well?” he challenged as he snaked his hand upward, slipped it beneath the edge of her tank top and drew down both the shirt and her bra to reveal her breast.

“Do you think you’re owed this little look because you came to my rescue?” she asked, but didn’t stop him as he lowered his head to taste the nipple he had exposed. If anything, she held him close, cradling the back of his head with her hand as she said, “Or do you think this is how to say thanks for my tending to you?”

He chuckled against her breast and gave an enticing lick with a cat-rough tongue before pulling away.

“You’re quite different from what I expected,” he said, stepping back to break contact with her as she rearranged her clothing, suddenly embarrassed by the unexpected interlude. It had to be the alcohol and guarana she told herself, denying her attraction to him was based on anything else.

“Why’s that?” she said, crossing her arms before her as if to provide some defense against his still hungry gaze.

“Because you’ve got more balls than most men I’ve met. Regardless, remember to be careful in the jungle tomorrow.”

With that he turned and walked out of the hut, leaving her to ponder just what had gone so wrong that she already had someone after her ass.

As she recalled Javier’s gifted mouth, she amended that thought with a smile.

Make that two people after her ass because she had no doubt that she and Javier would eventually finish what they had started tonight, although part of her was annoyed that he had managed to deflect her questions by arousing her passions.

She had come here in part for answers. To find out about the plant with the healing powers. To learn more about where Victor had died and possibly the why of it.

After today’s run-ins with Armando and his goons, she was wondering if they had anything to do with her friend’s death and vowed to find out.

As promised, here’s some photos from this year’s RT Convention in Pittsburgh! I had a great time with my friends and meeting lots of interesting new people. The panels were great and very exciting. We had standing room only for a number of them! Met lots of booksellers, readers and other authors not to mention the cover models.

If you’re not seeing the file below, try clicking on this link to view the file (FLASH is required)(and it may take a little bit for it to load since there’s lots of photos!): Romantic Times Photos

To advance through the photos, click on one of the blue arrows at the bottom left hand side of the slides.

Sorry to not have given you a Fun Friday, but I’ve been swamped with both legal and writing work!! Plus, I’m off to RT. Hey Gretchen, there’s that picture of me and Adrian (NOT!)(although I am probably that short compared to him!).

I will try to get a picture for you, but as I mentioned, they are charging for that meal so I’ll have to stalk the corridors, waiting for him. LOL!

On another note, since I am going to RT, look for me to be a roving reporter this week from the trenches of this amazing romance book convention. Hopefully I can provide you some comments from other romance writers, booksellers, readers, the parties, you name it! Also, I’ll be blogging on the RT site on Thursday as well as offering some workshops. I’ll try to get a link for you soon.

Have a great Monday and I’ll keep you posted on my wild times at the convention.

Before we get to this Wednesday’s Wicked Excerpt, a big WOO HOO to the women of THE BIGGEST LOSER who finished 1 and 2 and may actually become the FIRST female Biggest Loser winner! Now, you can help make that happen since for the first time ever, THE BIGGEST LOSER is allowing the audience to chose who will be the third finalist!

So how can you help the women win? Vote for Mark to be the third finalist! Why Mark? He has less weight to lose and may not post as big a weight loss as Roger. Also, Mark has really shown that he’s a changed man in many ways. Give him a break since he would have likely been the women’s choice for the third finalist as well. To vote for Mark, please click here!

So now, here’s this week’s Wicked Wednesday which brings you yet a little heat from a story you’ve seen before — my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

This is the continuation of the love scene between Ramon and Catalina as Ramon tries to help Catalina maintain her human form for as long as she can before her transformation to the wolf she hates.

For those of you who may have missed the first six chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6

He slipped his body between her thighs and brought his mouth to the center of her. As he nibbled and sucked at her clitoris, he slipped his fingers inside her vagina, his strokes sure and increasing in strength and penetration when she responded more eagerly to his caresses.

She pushed her hips up into his mouth and hands, pulled at the shackles keeping her prisoner. Every movement of her body, of Ramon’s tongue and lips and fingers, brought her closer and closer to the edge until finally, something inside of her — maybe the wolf that was so close to being released — took hold and sent her senses tumbling on a wild ride.

She gasped. Her head fell back as she called out her completion.

Ramon experienced her climax beneath his fingers as it crashed through her body. He heard her wild call. Not a gentle, satisfying release that would leave her sated, but a savage hunger that still wanted more because the wolf waited to emerge.

He sensed it in her body, although he didn’t know how, but he did. It brought both fascination and fear. Shooting but a quick glance at his watch to check the time, he confirmed that the moon would be rising shortly.

Catalina knew that the beast threatened as well, for she whispered to him, “Keep me with you for just a little longer, amor.”

He knew what she needed. Sex and pain helped her to keep control, if only for a few minutes more. That was important to her. But he couldn’t relent and make love to her. Doing so would lead them on a road to much greater agony.

Catalina watched as he stood and stepped away from her. For a moment he hesitated, standing beside the edge of the bed and looking down at her. She hoped he would undo his pants and release the magnificent erection beneath the denim. She ached to feel him inside her. To hold him. She yanked at her restraints, aching to hold him, but he had done too good a job. She could not get free.

“Easy, love,” he said, sat on the edge of the bed, and caressed her breast. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His hand trembled at her breast for a moment and his tender gaze met hers. “We both know we can’t.”

“I’m sorry. I know this hurts you.”

He grasped her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and tweaked it harshly, dragging a gasp of pleasure from her. With a tight smile, he wondered aloud, “Maybe I like the pain as much as you do? Maybe that’s why I linger here when I should leave.”

Even as he said that, the first stirring of the wolf crept into the edges of her consciousness. The wolf who devoured the scents of her musk, ripe in the air. The rapid beat of his heart and his unfulfilled passion. Saliva dampened her mouth at the thought of feeding on that passion. On his flesh. She shook her head, forcing such feral thoughts away.

“Por favor. It’s coming.” As her gaze met his, he recognized her plea for what it was.

“Stay with me, amor,” he said and slipped his hand down between her legs once more, found her with his fingers.

Sensitized from her barely completed climax, his touch immediately brought a response.

He stroked her roughly, rousing the desire she wrapped around herself like a protective cloak. She concentrated on the movement of his fingers. The slip and slide and pull of them. On the sensitive skin on her back, awakened with each restless shift of her body.

She howled, but the combination of pain and passion helped her drive the beast away. After the howl, she quickly met his gaze. His troubled eyes, dark with emotion, asked what he could not.

“I’m . . . here,” she confirmed and yanked at the chains on the wall in frustration at the rumble of the wolf in her voice. She closed her eyes, focused on his fingers caressing her nether lips and clitoris. Imagined that it was something else, stroking, bringing the heat of sexual release. A heat that felt almost cold now compared to the fire building within her body as it prepared to transform.

Ramon must have felt it also since he plunged his fingers inside her with more force, trying to satisfy her in the only way his honor allowed. A way far removed from what she wanted, but that she would accept . . . for now.

She called out at the pleasure of his fingers filling her and opened her eyes, kept them trained on his face as he pleasured her, his movements sure and strong, growing more forceful as her body responded yet again to his caresses.

Her breath rasped raggedly in her throat. Her body shook with not only the pleasure he brought to her, but with the awakening wolf as her muscles clenched and quivered, battling for dominance. She tugged at the chains and kept her mind centered solely on her lover as he moved his hand between her legs. As he dipped his head and suckled at her nipples and then, with a rough bite, brought a pleasure strong enough to let her hold onto herself. To keep the wolf in check.

He picked up his head at her human cry of satisfaction and knew that what was she needed. What she wanted. Pain. Human pain. Passion. A woman’s passion.

Replacing his lips with his fingers, he tweaked her nipples more forcefully. Buried his head in the crook of her neck and sucked until her skin bruised from the force of it.

“Dios, that’s . . . good. Harder, mi amor. Harder,” she urged him on.

When he tightened his fingers on the sensitive tips of her breasts and bit down on her neck, she cried out her need and raised her hips. He returned his hand to her center, increasing his penetration until it, too, reached the point of pleasure-pain. All that was within her consciousness now was his presence. His love keeping her with him until finally, regretfully, another climax ripped through her.

Ramon’s breath was rough with his own need as Catalina’s release rocked his senses. As she screamed his name in her human voice and struggled against the shackles to be able to hold him, he sucked in a breath and imprisoned the desire raging in him. One that wanted to tear off his clothes and plunge into her, howl like the wolf she would become as he imagined how she would feel surrounding him.

Somehow he drove that vision away and ran his hands up her arms, laced his fingers with hers to keep her human self with him.

She gripped his fingers tightly, but as her body relaxed, she softly said his name one last time.

She had lost the battle for the control she treasured so greatly.

So sorry to be late with today’s Guilty Pleasures Monday, only it was quite a weekend! I was busy finishing up A SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD which will be out from Silhouette Romantic Suspense very soon and getting to work on the proposal for the next book in THE CALLING series — VENGEANCE CALLS (#11 if we count the two novellas!)

Of course, doing the synopsis for that one got me thinking about the two that preceded it. You may remember that bad boy Blake will be the hero in #9 - FURY CALLS. Blake’s been in a number of books already, but had a sexy time with Stacia in DESIRE CALLS, which is still a free read at eharlequin.com.

Stacia is the heroine in #10 — ARDOR CALLS and as you can guess from her various appearances, it’s going to take quite a man to be able to stand up to her and reach her heart after the nearly two millenia that Stacia has been a vampire. The hero in ARDOR CALLS — Alex Garcia — is someone you’ve seen already in DEATH CALLS. He’s Diana ex-love and a Miami DEA Agent.

Alex is sexy and slightly exotic, much like Stacia. He’s also determined and passionate. So far, the sparks are flying in the draft I’ve done and I hope you’ll think so as well when I get the okay to post an excerpt. In the meantime, here’s my idea of what Alex might look like as he takes a dip in the South Beach waters. FYI — this novel in THE CALLING will be set in Miami and I hope you’ll enjoy the tropical change of pace.

Also, for those of you with the Kindle, Amazon has an amazing price on the entire CALLING Collection — 9.99!

I have a confession to make. I’m a science geek. Always loved messing with all those test tubes and doing experiments which is I guess why I was a science major in college.

One of the best Christmas presents I ever got was a chemistry lab and you can bet that I did every single experiment that came with that kit and proudly showed them to my mom who appreciatively murmured her approval at the bits of black gunk floating around in the test tube.

If Fate hadn’t thrown me a curve, I probably would have continued to pursue some kind of career in the sciences, but instead I ended up in law school and eventually, took up writing again.

Writing is a wondrous thing in so many ways, including allowing me to explore my inner geek again! I’m happy to say that I accepted a two book deal from Grand Central Publishing for a new paranormal romantic suspense series which relies heavily on science. TAINTED BLOOD, the first book in the series, is about a gene therapy victim who finds herself not only developing superhuman powers, but also accused of a murder she did not commit.

So the geek in me has been busy researching all kinds of things, like gene expression and splicing. Unusual diseases and using gene therapy treatments to cure them. Lots of fun stuff.

It helps that I took genetics, immunology, biochem and a bunch of other higher level science classes during college and I’ve been keeping up off and on on with what’s happening in the bio/genetic engineering world just ’cause it’s so interesting!

I know, I know. Geek. I’d be the perfect match for CHUCK or the guys from THE BIG BANG THEORY. But that’s okay.

Someone’s got to love the nerds. Of course, the hero in this book, Mick Carerra, is anything but a nerd. He’s ex-military and a man with a past who knows only one thing — he’s got a check with a lot of zeroes to compensate him for bringing in our gene-challenged heroine.

This book is slated for publication some time in 2010, so I’ll keep you posted on the progress!

On another note, I’ve got a friend, Lisa Daily — who’s a syndicated columnist, author, media personality — and she’s got a book out right now that you might like. Lisa will be visiting on April 2nd to tell us about her new release and offer up a prize to anyone who posts a comment on the blog. So please drop by then!

For information on Lisa in the meantime, you can visit www.lisadaily.com by clicking here.

Spring is here and as you know, I was complaining about the chill in NYC/NJ. My Blog Buddy Karen T. sent me this picture of how her Easter Sunday looked — CHECK OUT ALL THE SNOW! Brrr….

Way cold and so to help Karen and others still suffering from the effects of winter, this Wicked Wednesday brings a little heat from a story you’ve seen before — my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

In this scene, Ramon is aware that Catalina’s father wants her to soon choose a wolf as a mate and is therefore denying Catalina’s demand that he help keep her wolf at bay by making love to her. Since pain will also restrain her transformation, Catalina has challenged him to bring her pain and Ramon is struggling with that request. For the rest of the scene, check out the free excerpt below.

For those of you who may have missed the first five chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5

Catalina’s words, ripe with her suffering, scourged his soul because he knew he could end her pain . . . for now. But despite knowing that she welcomed more from him, he could not give into her or to himself. Beginning something even for only the next few months would only make it harder on both of them after the Gauntlet.

She would be bound to another. No alpha wolf would tolerate his touching her. Only at the thought of someone else beside her, inside her . . .

Cold settled within him. Dead kind of cold.

But he would not love her this night or any other. He slipped the first restraint around her wrist, fastened it and said, “You know I cannot.”

“Tighter,” she commanded.

He yanked the fur-lined leather cuff just a bit more securely. Repeated the procedure with her other arm, giving one last tug to make sure the bindings were snug and then firmly chained her to the wall. The metal chain clanked noisily as she tested its strength with a pull.

“That’s it.” Her words were followed by a little mew of sheer pleasure.

He examined her face and after, her marvelous body. She was responding to the pain from the earlier whipping and from being shackled. Her nipples had remained stiff peaks and her legs shifted restlessly on the bed.

How many times had he seen her like this? How many times had he touched her? Wanted to make love with her before the moon rose and he lost her to the werewolf? Before he lost her forever?

Too many and yet, not enough. No matter how many, it could never be enough.

“Finish the job. That’s what you want since all I am to you is a duty,” she challenged, almost as if she perceived his weakness. The animal inside would recognize it. Play on it, knowing what he desired more than anything — to have her.

It wasn’t what he had wanted at first, in the days after the other wolves had saved him from a vampire attack and he had become indebted to them. It had happened slowly over the years as he had seen Catalina’s strength, goodness, and finally, her vulnerability. The last had stolen his heart despite the fact that he was human and she was wolf. Regardless of the nearly decade difference in their ages.

“What I want, amor, can never be,” he said and cradled her breast as he did as she had commanded. She gasped as he passed his thumb across her erect nipple.

“Don’t leave, Ramon. Por favor.” Catalina raised her hips in invitation.

He couldn’t refuse her plea any more than he could her command. Not when times like this were finite in number.

Slowly he inched his hand downward over her smooth skin and muscles which quivered as he got closer and closer to his destination. He met her gaze as he finally passed his hand over the dark auburn curls at the juncture of her thighs. The heat in her gold-green eyes confirmed she wanted him to touch her there again.

Catalina spread her legs and he slipped his hand down, parted her lips and sought out the center of her. She was damp and oh so hot that he groaned at the thought of what it would be like to be inside of her. His erection swelled painfully against the denim of his jeans. Somehow he controlled himself. He couldn’t take her that way.

The way others might have it occurred to him, recalling the two guards who had been there before him. He knew they had been her lovers. But he wouldn’t take her while she was chained. While she lay defenseless.

Taking a deep breath, he bent and suckled one of her nipples, teethed it gently and then just a tad harder as she raised her hips, giving him access to the swollen bud of her clitoris. As he loved her with his mouth, he scissored her clit between his fingers, massaged it until she writhed against the pallet. She dug her heels into the thick padding to urge her hips up to his hand.

Catalina sucked in a breath as he gently bit her nipple again. She pulled at the shackles at her wrists. Even with the soft fur lining, the edges of the leather chafed her skin painfully. As her back rubbed against the sheets, the welts on her flesh protested the contact. The slight sting as his teeth caught the tip of her breast combined with all the other sensations swamped her senses.

She cried out his name as he increased the pressure at the nub between her legs and after, trailed his mouth down her body until he rested between her legs. He paused but a moment to look up at her, as if asking permission, not that she had much choice.

He could do as he wished with her shackled to a wall, and yet honorable as he was, he wouldn’t do what she didn’t desire. His integrity being the reason why he was the one she wanted the most.

In answer to his unspoken query, she parted her legs in invitation.

Copyright 2008 Caridad Pineiro Scordato www.caridad.com

Barbara is an amazing supporter of fiction for women and of romance! She was nice enough to read HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE and include it with her Christmas selections.

Please drop by on this Fun Friday and wish Barbara a Happy Anniversary. You can click here to visit her blog.

And now — drum roll please — for the winner of Thursday’s B’Day Blog Contest — G. Kelly! Please send me your postal address so I can get your prizes out to you!

I’ll be posting the winner of Today’s contest on Monday, but also, starting on Monday I’ll be taking a week off! I need to finish up some writing projects and also, recharge the creative batteries, but I’ll be back on March 24th to share some fun new things with you!

I hope you all have a great weekend and St. Patty’s day on Monday! ttys.

Today’s Wicked Wednesday is what I’m calling FRESH BLOOD, namely, a free read that you won’t find in any of THE CALLING vampire novels.

This FRESH BLOOD free read occurs in the months after the conclusion of DEVOTION CALLS. I’ll be posting more FRESH BLOOD shortly to add some behind the scenes action for you to enjoy until the release of the next three THE CALLING novels in late Spring 2009. You should be seeing FURY CALLS, ARDOR CALLS and VENGEANCE CALLS by the middle of 2009!

If you like this FRESH BLOOD, also check out the DELETED BITS which are scenes that either totally ended up on the cutting room floor or have new sections you might not have seen in the original THE CALLING vampire novels.

Don’t forget that you can still read the free e-novella DESIRE CALLS at Eharlequin.com. You can click here to read it!

AND NOW — The winner of Tuesday’s B’Day Blog Contest is LISA R.! Please e-mail me your postal address so that I can get those goodies out to you.

Without further ado, here’s today’s Wicked Wednesday FRESH BLOOD!

**SPOILER ALERT**This may reveal
some information from the conclusion of DEVOTION CALLS.**

Diana Reyes stared at the pile of files precariously stacked on the side of her desk. Earlier that night she had just finished the last of the paperwork from the day before when an apologetic clerk had dropped this fresh load in her office.

Anger surged through her at the thought of another day at her desk, checking references and other information so that the subjects of the files would receive their proper security clearances. This wasn’t why she had joined the FBI, but then again, there had to be some kind of punishment for failing to prevent the deaths of so many agents during her last real assignment.

Those deaths and the nearly crippling injuries to her partner David Harris weighed heavily on her mind as did the personal aftermath from the night of the failed raid.

The santero’s words to her from months earlier still troubled her.

I can’t heal what you have.

What she had, Diana thought, laying her hands out before her and staring at them hard.

Human hands. Warm and filled with life. But within that life was something new. Different than before. And something that worried her still.

Deciding that she couldn’t linger a moment longer, she escaped the confines of her office, racing past David’s empty one and onto the elevator.

Out on the street before Federal Plaza, she stopped and breathed in the warm summer air. Thick and humid. The faint scent of garlic wafted from the Italian restaurant a few doors down. Her stomach growled with hunger.

She hadn’t eaten dinner that night, but she’d grab a bite later with Ryder.

Right now, she had something else to do. Something that called to her more than the physical demands of her body.

With a blast of inhuman speed, she surged to the nearby subway entrance. She stopped to catch a breath and still the wild beating of her heart. A wave of weakness ripped across her body, reminding her that all was not right.

The superhuman healing and powers that had taken over her body after her injuries during the raid were slowly leaving her. Worse, even her everyday tasks seemed to take more of her energy than before.

She worried that soon she might not have the strength left for even the every day things and after that . . .

Diana drove that thought away and headed for the subway for the trip up to Spanish Harlem.

Ricardo may have told her that he couldn’t heal what she had, but she had never asked him just what that was.

She intended to do so that night.

Have you seen that new Propel commercial telling you how many sit-ups/walking/jump roping you have to do to make up for drinking that other exercise water?

It says something like “492 situps to burn off this water”? I thought 492 situps to burn off 100-something calories? Wow, like can that be right? Do you wonder sometimes how many calories something is or how long it takes to burn it off?

Well, here’s some good tools for you from Kraft Foods (yes, I do love that site. Lots of great stuff!)

You can click here for all their calculators! Some of the ones you might want to use:

Calorie Burn: Find out how long you need to exercise to burn off that donut.

Food analyzer: Not sure how many calories in something? Check it out here.

So — how long would it take to burn off those 100 calorie packs? Here goes:

30 minutes of slow walking
20 minutes of fast walking
10 minutes on an elliptical trainer

Hope these calculators help you when you’re stumped!

But now for the fun part!

WOW — what a lot of March b’days in all the comments yesterday! Hubby and I had a great time down the shore. Although it was wet and windy, it was lots of fun.

I’ll be writing to each and every one of you who left a comment, it just may take a few days since I’m also trying to put the finishing touches on my next romantic suspense book — A SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD — which will be out this August!

And now . . . drum roll please . . .

The winner of Monday’s B’day Blog Contest is Stacia H. Wow — a real person named Stacia like from DESIRE CALLS and the upcoming ARDOR CALLS. Too cool.

FYI — word is that the next 3 in THE CALLING will probably hit the shelves in late Spring 2009. Sorry for the wait, but I’ll try to offer you some free reads in the meantime!

WHOA! It’s my b’day and also, happy b’day to my hubby, nephew, best friend’s daughter, colleague’s wife, hubby’s aunt, Rita’s niece and a whole mess of other people born on my b’day.

Well, can I still call it my b’day since I share it with so many other people? LOL! Since I’m about 12 hours older than hubby — a fact he never lets me forget — I guess I can!!

So, we’re starting a celebration today that’s going to run all the way to next Friday! Anyone who leaves any kind of comment on the blog will be eligible to win a copy of SOUTH BEACH CHICAS and your choice of either HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE or MOON FEVER or SECRET AGENT REUNION along with a t-shirt and some other goodies.

If you’re also a member of my newsletter/contest loop and are the daily winner, you’ll get an extra special treat — a copy of one of the out-of-print CALLING vampire novels as well as another special treat. If you haven’t already signed up, it’s not too late to do so. Just click here to get to the contest page and sign up.

Sis and I played hooky yesterday and went to the Philly Flower show. We had a blast and I’ll be posting photos from this year’s show soon for you to check them out!

Have a great day and a great weekend! Good luck with the contest. Remember, just leave a comment on the blog any day from today to next Friday and you could be a winner.

This Wicked Wednesday brings a little more of a story you’ve seen before — my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

In this scene, Ramon has found Catalina training her younger sister on the cusp of the full moon. As is the norm, Ramon has come to help Catalina deal with the emergence of her wolf since this is not something she handles well. Unlike the other werewolves, Catalina is stronger as a human and loses control when the uber-powerful wolf emerges.

For those of you who may have missed the first three chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4

Ramon had no doubt that despite Rafael’s abandonment of her, Marina had never stopped loving Catalina’s father.

He stiffly nodded his goodbye and once they were gone, rose and approached Catalina where she stood in the center of the mat.

“How was work today?” she questioned, as if it was just another day and they were just a regular human couple.

“Nothing new at the hospital. No calls for the pack either. How was your day?” he said, playing along with her. Sensing she needed the touch of normalcy.

“Just another boring day of protecting the rich, famous and assorted suits from the evils of the world,” she teased.

“So I guess that means you’re ready for a good workout?” he said with a smile.

“What do you think?” she replied, tossing him a devilish grin and raising her sword.

Ramon took a step toward her, but the look on his face went from one of humor to a mix of confusion and longing. When he stood before her, he cupped her cheek. “I think, suddenly, that this time together isn’t wise.”

Catalina covered his hand with hers, perplexed by his sudden change of mood. “I know the full moon is near –”

“It’s not that, Cat,” he said and rubbed his thumb across her lips.

The Gauntlet, she thought. Throughout the day, those who were aware of her father’s intentions had avoided facing her directly. When they did, their looks had alternated between interest and pity.

Pity because they knew that whoever won would not be her choice. She had already made that selection. He stood before her now, ready to leave her. She wanted to understand, but couldn’t. She would fight for him while he was ready to desert her.

Unwilling to make it easy for him, she stalked to the far wall and the alcove where she spent so many nights during the lunar cycle. On the wall were an assortment of cuffs and shackles along with her weapons. As she reached for the leather cuffs and shackles that would restrain her during the change, she noticed the whip.

If Ramon wouldn’t give her passion that night to keep the wolf at bay, then let him give her pain, she thought, ripped the whip from the wall and walked back across the room toward Ramon.

A puzzled look flashed across his features before she held up the whip. Then the look on his face turned to one of dread. “You can’t expect me — “

“I can. And you will.” She pressed the whip into his hand and he gripped it uneasily, but that didn’t dissuade her.

She ripped open the practice jerkin she wore and tossed it aside. The rest of her clothes followed quickly until she stood naked before him.

Tilting her chin up at a rebellious angle, she instructed, “Strike me.”

He raised the whip, but stopped mid-way. “I can’t.”

In a tone that brooked no disobedience she said, “I command you.”

“I — “

“You know the penalty for refusing me.”

Ramon knew the penalty — death. And yet, death might be easier to bear than whipping her. “Por favor, Catalina.”

“You beg? What if I beg, Ramon? Would you do it then?” she said and as if relenting a bit, turned and presented her back to him. In a softer, almost pacifying tone, she said, “If you cannot give me love to keep the beast away, then give me pain.”

It was almost like someone else moved his hand. Raised the whip and brought it slashing down across her back, yanking a surprised gasp from her and causing her to jerk from the blow.

But he had put little strength behind the lash, unable to truly hurt her. As he raised his arm for the second blow, he tightened his fingers on the thick handle of the whip. Imagined how the strands of hard leather at the other end would rake across her back again and hesitated.

Looking over her shoulder, she said, “Again. Harder.”

He lowered his arm to his side, battling with himself. His life or causing her injury? He would rather die, he realized, until his gaze locked with hers and he noted her anguish. The despair that came each month as the wolf emerged.

With a rush of speed, he raised his hand and brought the whip slashing down against her back a second time and then a third, his body jumping in sympathy with each stroke of the whip. But he couldn’t find the strength to raise his arm a fourth time. Walking to her, he laid a hand on her shoulder and the welts left behind by the whip were hard beneath his palm. The blows had left bright trails of pink against her creamy skin.

“Catalina,” he said and encircled her in his arms, unable to continue the punishment. Ready to give her the passion she demanded instead, even though it might bring greater torment.

He picked up one hand and cupped her breast. Bent and kissed the welts on her shoulder while he caressed her. Her gasp this time was one of pleasure and her hands came up to urge both his hands to her breasts.

“As you command,” he whispered as he nuzzled the side of her face and she leaned her head back against him.

He held the weight of her full breasts in her hands, brought his fingers to tweak the tight peaks of her nipples, her hands covering his. But then he reversed the position of their hands at one breast, softly said, “Touch yourself.”

She protested, but he instructed her more firmly. “Touch yourself, querida.” When she did, he moved his now free hand down her body and slipped between her legs, found the center of her. He parted the silky nest of curls and stroked the swollen nub there, drawing a moan from her.

He continued fondling her and kissing the marks he had placed on her with the whip. Her knees weakened and he scooped her up, brought her to the edge of the alcove, let her slip down.

Catalina faced him and noted the mixture of emotions on his face. The pain and passion that were irrevocably entwined in her life.

She kissed him, opening her mouth on him as she moved her hand to his erection, stroking him through the denim of his jeans. He grabbed her hand and eased it away.

“You can command me only so far, mi amor.”

Both admiring and resenting his show of strength, she knew nevertheless that she would not force him further. When he motioned for her to slip onto the oversized pallet that served as her wolfen bed, she did, settling herself in the center and raising her arms upright so that Ramon could shackle her to the wall. She lay there, waiting for him. When he hesitated, she met his gaze.

“Finish it, amor. Before the wolf steals me away.”

This Wicked Wednesday brings a little more of a story you’ve seen before — my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you. Read the rest of this entry �

Sorry to have missed yesterday’s post, but it was a rough day for a variety of reasons and also, a busy day in NYC what with all the Giants fans running around for the parade and party.

I thought I’d give you a look at Blake and Stacia who will be the heroes in two of the upcoming THE CALLING novels later this year. Blake is the hero in FURY CALLS and Stacia will be the hero in ARDOR CALLS. They were such wonderful characters from the moment they showed up, that I knew I had to one day write their stories.

You may remember Blake was originally in TEMPTATION CALLS while Stacia made her first appearance in DEATH CALLS. I managed to get them together for some romance in DESIRE CALLS, which is available as a free novella (yes, I said FREE) at eharlequin.

Today’s Wicked Wednesday is an excerpt from DESIRE CALLS and you can read the rest of the story by clicking here. In case you have missed any of THE CALLING novels, you can get the complete collection at eharlequin.com by clicking here. This collection does not include HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE, which is still available in print at various online locations.

He had never seen her in such a fine anger, Blake thought, while dangling nearly a foot above the ground. Trying to placate her, he said, “Stacia, please—”

With a flick of her hand, he flew across the alleyway and into the wall. His head connected with a loud crack and stars swam before his eyes. He struggled for a hold on the wall, but soon found himself sliding down to sit on the cold stone floor.

His vision wavered and he forced himself to focus on something as he tried to regain his senses. Her boots. Black. Shiny. Pointy. Coming toward him in a wicked, quick beat. Giving him no time, he thought, as she once again grabbed the front of his jacket and picked him up as if he didn’t weigh a thing. With him in her grasp, she entered the bar.

His head was still whirling and something wet ran down the back of it. She walked with him without laboring, her immense elder power giving her strength beyond his. As he shook his head to try to clear his senses, a lot of other things came to him about what the elders could do to him, creating a cold knot of fear in his stomach.

You can’t even begin to guess. Stacia’s thoughts entered his head as she obviously knew what he was thinking.

I didn’t want any problems for you. Things are different now, he offered in apology, but Stacia’s only response was to motion with him to the door before them.

Even in his dazed state he recognized the entrance to one of the back rooms in the Blood Bank. Foley kept them for his special visitors who would pay a fee for the use of the specially equipped rooms. Not that Foley would dare ask a fee from Stacia or, for that matter, stop her from doing what she would with Blake in that room.

“Stacia, please—”

“Don’t beg, beloved. It’s so unbecoming,” she said as she raised her hand and thrust open the door without even touching it. She strode in, shut the door with another flick of her hand and tossed him onto the metal cot along one wall.

He wouldn’t beg again, Blake thought, even as Stacia exerted her elder’s power to keep him immobile as she shackled him to the sturdy iron frame.

Blake watched as she walked to the far wall, which was equipped with an assortment of toys and other devices. As Stacia stood there considering what to choose, her mental hold on him relaxed, and he pulled against the leather cuffs that had him spread-eagled on the bed, but couldn’t free himself.

The cuffs and bed had clearly been chosen with a vampire in mind since they were thick and sturdy. He realized he could not get loose and bit back his concern as Stacia turned and displayed a rather large and nasty-looking dagger.

She sauntered over, the blade held upright in her hands, plainly visible as if to inflict some mental torture. “Do you know what you did, Blake?”

He wouldn’t show her he was worried. With what he hoped was a careless shrug—which was kind of difficult when one was lashed to bedposts—he calmly said, “I was only trying to help.”

Stacia laughed harshly. “Help? You helping me? That’s rich.”

“It’s the truth. Things are changing around here,” he said again, but Stacia would hear none of it.

She brought the blade down to his cheek. The metal was cold against his skin. Leaning close, she said, “Since when do we care whether we drain a human?”

“Since maybe some of us know that it’s wrong?” he shot back, remembering all too painfully what had happened with Meghan.

Stacia was too omnipotent not to pick up on what he was feeling. Bringing the knife to his wrist, she slipped it beneath the leather and said, “Intriguing. You actually feel…regret and love? You fancied yourself in love?”

He felt the prick of the knife lightly against his skin and then the cool air of the night as she sliced open one sleeve of his jacket, then reached over and quickly did the same to the other sleeve.

He met her gaze as she paused, the knife poised above his midsection and directly above a most delicate area. As she slid the blade beneath the hem of his T shirt, he shivered from the cold and from the anxiety he couldn’t contain. One little slice of the knife—

Not yet, beloved. I’ll have my satisfaction first.

“Well, that’s good, luv. I’d hate to pass without at least getting a look,” he said, determined to not let her be totally in control.

“What? A look? You want a look before I geld you?” she asked with an uneasy chuckle, and the knife wavered against his midsection.

“If that’s the price to be paid for a slight misunderstanding, the least you can do is let me see if what’s beneath all that sinful black leather is as beautiful as the rest of you,” he said, and surprisingly he meant it.

Stacia was a remarkably stunning woman with her exotic almond shaped eyes, dark and filled with so much emotion. Right now, a slight furrow marred the space above her brows and that one golden earring. But then a glitter crept into her eyes and was followed by a wide smile across her full lips.

“You are ballsy.”

He chuckled, shot a look down at his naked parts and said, “Definitely.”

She laughed out loud at that, strode away from him and back to the wall with all the assorted gadgets and accessories. She placed the dagger back into its holder, paused for a second before turning to look at him. She tapped her lips with one finger. “You’ve been naughty, Blake. Very, very naughty.”

Blake sensed the change in her. The playfulness in her tone that said he had reached past her anger to something else. Something way more interesting, he thought, wondering about the complex creature that she was.

As she turned away from him and toward the wall, he realized she was working at something with her hands. A second later, she shrugged off the vest she had been wearing, exposing the long, slender line of her back. The perfect expanse of creamy skin that he suddenly itched to touch, wondering whether it would feel like smooth alabaster beneath his fingers.

He had been so drawn to that sight that he didn’t realize she had grabbed a cat o’ nine-tails from the wall until she stood before him, the weapon in her hand.

But even then his mind was not so much on the pain she might inflict as it was on the truly rewarding sight of her naked. Her breasts were full. Her nipples hard with her passion and the shade of golden honey, a surprise given her dark coloring. He wondered how they might taste and didn’t even realize he had asked the question until she said, “You wanted to see and now you want to taste?”

He salivated at the thought of it, but couldn’t voice anything else as she brought the cat-o’-nine-tails to rest on his thigh, which immediately grabbed his attention.

“You are…engaging,” she said as she slowly trailed the leather strips studded with small metal balls up his thigh until they rested against his erection. The contrast of the smooth leather snaking around him together with the cold of the hard metal balls was a shock.

“I could be much more engaging if you let me go,” he said, because all he could think about was having her even if there would be pain afterward. Hell, with women there was always pain afterward.

Do you fear nothing? she asked silently as she continued to fondle him with the cat o’ nine-tails, yanking a moan from him with the caresses.

Blake met her gaze and he thought he caught a reflection of something familiar. Something they might share. “I fear living the rest of my life without love.”

She stopped her strokes and a spark of anger came to life in her eyes. “What do you know about living without love? You’ve been undead but a second compared to me.”

“That’s right. But at least I’ve had a taste of it. Can you say the same?”

Copyright 2006 Caridad Pineiro Scordato www.caridad.com

This Wicked Wednesday brings a little something more of a story you’ve seen before — an urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free read that I’m offering you. Read the rest of this entry �

As an author, you do hold the world in the palm of your hands when creating your novel. This is particularly true if you are writing science fiction, fantasy or paranormals (the SFP from now on to save some time).

What’s the first thing to do on your way to building a world for your novel? The first thing to do is to decide what kind of world it is, namely:

• Normal World: In a normal world, the SFP elements exist beneath the radar of most of the normal world’s inhabitants. The rules of the normal world are still followed. A good example of an SFP in a normal world are THE CALLING Vampire novels.

Read the rest of this entry �

Nope, you read that right! THE CALLING is headed to Miami next year. After FURY CALLS, which will feature sexy punk vampire Blake Richards and Meghan Thomas, we’re going to take a little trip south for a change of pace in ARDOR CALLS. Or should I say Stacia is going to be heading down to South Beach.

You may remember Blake and Stacia from DESIRE CALLS, but if you haven’t had a chance to read that novella, you can do that free read by clicking here. Read the rest of this entry �

It’s always nice to hear from all of you or to find out online that someone really enjoyed your book! This week it’s been a dose of doubly good online news about two different books. The new, but promising to be wonderful blogspot, PASSION POSTINGS, offered up a great review of the SOUTH BEACH CHICAS books.

As exciting, I just found out that BLOOD CALLS has been nominated for a FANTASM award at the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Paranormal Blogspot. Here are the nominees for Best Vampire Romance of 2008: Read the rest of this entry �

I could not wake the inner Fashionista this morning. The weather was gloomy and wet. The only thing I could think about was slipping on my Columbia rain/winter boots so that my feet wouldn’t get wet.

I hate wet feet. Must be the cat in me!

Actually, the more I thought about, the more I realized how hard it is for me to do the Fashionista thing on a regular basis now that my daughter is on hiatus due to the demands of school.

So it occurred to me to spice Fridays up by offering some fun stuff that I can do! So, look for Fun Fridays on a regular basis. I’ll be posting things you can do on the ‘Net as well as possibly some humorous jokes that have come my way.

To get you started - some online puzzles. When I was a kid, my mom, sis and I would spend hours together working on puzzles. One time it took us a few months to finish one of those really complex gazillion piece puzzles, but we did it!

These are simpler and hopefully will give you a fun way to take a break today. Read the rest of this entry �