Blurb:
On the run for her life, Toni finds safety with an uncivilized group of people living deep in the Carolina Mountains. Direct descendants from a legendary creature, they are more human than beast. With the exception of being big and tall, they no longer carry any of the original Bigfoot hairy, monstrous traits. Yet they prefer the simple, uncomplicated life their beastly ancestors lived. They remain far away from civilization, feeding the locals with rare sightings that help keep the myth alive.
Toni is captured by their rugged leader, Cormac, and must undergo an ancient mating ritual in order not to be claimed and mated by any of the other males. Once Cormac mates with her in front of the whole village, she will be off limits to everyone but him, something Toni is grateful for. She gradually falls for the powerful leader, willingly giving in to his ravenous demands for sex. He vows to protect and love her, but can she give up everything to live with him in the mountains?
Unedited excerpt –
“Stop, woman!” He growled.
She stopped at his command, and stared up at him, frightened. It was then she noticed he was bleeding where she’d hit him. She’d apparently opened up a wound on the verge of healing.
“I need to get away from here. Some men─”
He let go of her long hair, and grabbed the fur from her, wrapping it around his hips. Then he took Toni by the upper arm. “Go.” His tone was unbending as he pushed her in the direction that led deeper into the cave.
“What about me?” She swung around and pulled her arm from his grasp. “What do I wear?”
His gaze fell to Toni’s large breasts, which she knew her bra left more exposed than covered. She didn’t like the strange light that came into his eyes. It wasn’t much different from the look she’d seen in her last boyfriend’s gaze, when he was horny. When Cormac’s gaze roamed down to her thong a flush of heat spread throughout her body, surprising her. It was as if he was touching her with his hands. In spite of her precarious situation there was something raw and basic about her captor, and it was having a strong effect on her libido.
“Please let me go.” A different kind of threat entered her mind, one that involved him and the fur around his hips. He looked too male, and capable of anything for her peace of mind. “There are men looking for me.” She wasn’t sure if she said that to scare him or take his mind off her lack of clothing.
“Only mated females wear coverings.”
“What?” For a moment Toni had forgotten what she’d asked him. Then his words registered, turning her blood cold. “But I’m not one of your females,” she said. “Where I come from everyone wears clothes.”
“Not last night.” He pushed her in the direction he wanted her to go.
How was she going to explain last night? As she unwillingly walked deeper and deeper into the cave she began to hear voices. She started to drag her feet, afraid of what she’d see at the other end.
“Please let me go. There are dangerous people looking for me. If they find me they’ll kill me.”
He continued to push her. “I will protect you.”
Toni turned and stopped, but he didn’t. And as big as he was, when he hit her she went flying backwards, and would have hit the wall had he not pulled her to him. All at once her breasts flattened against him. She instantly struggled, feeling his hands everywhere as he subdued her. In the end she was no match for his strength.
“I have to go home!”
The next thing Toni knew they were flush against one another. She felt her nipples become hard, and a strange feeling fluttered in her belly. She had to look a long way up to meet his flashing eyes. What she saw frightened her. His nostrils were flaring, as if he was taking in her scent, and his eyes narrowed. She knew arousal when she saw it, and with him it was palpable. She shook her head no, because she felt it too. And that was crazy!
It didn’t matter to him. He picked Toni up until their faces were level. She opened her mouth to say no but the words locked in her throat. His warm breath bathed her face and then his tongue was against her lips, tracing them. She gasped at the sensuousness of it, and waited for his kiss. But he surprised her by lifting her higher, until her breasts were even with his mouth.
Her eyes rounded, and she caught her breath. He wouldn’t! But he did. His tongue traced her hard nipple through the thin film covering them. Then he took one into his mouth, and sucked on it as if he was getting nourishment from it. Toni moaned against her will, coming alive. She couldn’t believe what she was feeling, what he was making her feel. Her heart raced. She waited with breathless anticipation when he finally moved onto her other breast. A sharp, tingling sensation zinged down to her pussy.
Oh God! This isn’t real! Only it was all too real. And she was feeling way too much. She was shocked that she was enjoying his foreplay, which was amazingly erotic. How could such a man, who appeared uncivilized, and was probably the descendent of some mysterious beast, be this intuitive to a woman’s needs, to her desire?
Toni realized the moans echoing through the cave were hers, mingling with his low groans. She felt something long and hard poking into her, and knew it was his cock. Good God, hard it was huge! If he fucked her would she be able to take all of him? Then all she could think of was the warm mouth covering hers, and the rough texture of his tongue against hers. His kiss started out tenderly, until she squirmed against him, inadvertently trapping his penis between her clenched thighs.
The grunt that escaped him sounded more animal than human. Toni should have been frightened except that she knew it was a sound of animal lust erupting from his monstrous chest. His kiss turned forceful, his tongue thrusting halfway down her throat, and nearly gagging her. She was on fire inside. So many forbidden and lusty thoughts were running through her mind. Least of all that she was responding to his advances as if she’d done it hundreds of times.
Without warning he lowered her to her feet, ripped off the fur from around his waist and laid it on the ground. Then he lowered Toni, following her there. He didn’t lay on her as she expected. He arranged himself on his knees between her legs. His gaze zeroed in on the triangle covering her pussy. She caught her breath when he hooked a finger beneath the elastic and pulled it from her body with a sharp jerk.
Author bio – Tory Richards is the pen name for Debbie Wallace. She’s a daughter, mother, aunt, sister, grandmother, and writer of smut, otherwise called erotic romance. Born in Maine, she’s lived most of her life in Florida. She’s been writing since the age of ten but didn’t get serious about it until her family encouraged her to submit to a publisher. Her first book, Cupid’s Arrow under her real name was on the publisher’s best sellers list for two consecutive months!
Tory likes to travel. She likes sweet iced tea, good coffee, and any kind of sandwich. A couple years ago she retired from the happiest place on earth, Disney, and moved in with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. These days she spends her time with family, friends, her four cats, and writing. Email her at tory.richards@yahoo.com; she loves to hear from readers.
Website – http://www.toryrichards.com
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Giveaway: 5 copies of The Mating Ritual a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thx for highlighting this book. Oh MY, now I can’t wait til the 15th!!
I enjoy following your blog. Thank you for having me. 🙂
Shauna
Thank you so much for organizing this cover reveal for me, Stephanie.
Tory