Brannan Black

Life as we knew it pretty much ended with the lightning fast spread of the plague. The media called it Werewolf Syndrome. Women got sick, many died. They were the lucky ones. Men got sick, too, but those who didn't die... changed. A few immune men, like myself, joined the bands of refugees, scrounging for survival in the post-apocalyptic devastation.

I lived in a fortified compound with a couple dozen women, a bunch of kids and two asshole straight guys. Sounds like a man's wet dream -- unless you happen to be the last gay man standing. At the time, risking my life scavenging in the city sounded like a fucking vacation.

I went out hunting supplies and found something else. Not a quick death, or even a slow, painful one at the hands of the beasts -- no such luck. Instead I find myself captive to the largest, most well organized gang of beast men ever. Their leader, Mace, wants more than just a generator -- he wants my body. Oddly, a certain part of me likes that idea. The other part -- the part with working survival instincts -- insists I get the hell out of Dodge before my smart mouth gets the shit kicked out of me. Again. Tradeoffs...

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Wolfman 1: Apocalypse
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2010 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Loud growls reached my ears as soon as I stepped out of the building. I crept along the shadows to peer around the corner. Son of a bitch! A couple of beasts lounged around my truck.

Four years ago the world ended, or at least that's when the government collapsed. The plague had hit a couple years before that. It spread so fast all the doctors in the world couldn't stop it. The media dubbed it Werewolf Syndrome. Women and children got sick, some died. Older guys or those physically weak didn't survive what the virus did to them.

The men that survived turned into something from the Twilight Zone. They grew larger, with denser bones, stronger muscles, and deadly claws. Slightly elongated jaws came complete with lethal fangs. Their weird yellow eyes could see in the dark, and with the depth perception of a falcon. Faster reflexes and endurance made them a top predator. One of the last newscasts I saw showed one ripping an African lion apart at the local zoo and eating it.

Oh, and aggressive? 'Roid rage is nothing compared to these guys. They either wanted to kill it, fuck it or eat it, sometimes all three, and not in any particular order. No one knows if they lost the memory of who they'd been or if they didn't care anymore. Maybe they just plain went nuts. No one could get close enough to ask, not and live to tell about it. Not that it made them stupid. Might have been containable if it had.

Once it got started the world just tore itself apart. A fucking apocalypse. There just weren't enough women with the combat training to handle the beasts. The women and children who managed to escape joined the few of us immune men in hidden fortresses, fighting to survive.

Unfortunately, despite the danger, sometimes we had to go scrounge for supplies. I'd seen a few bodies. Not pretty. Night Of The Living Dead not pretty. But I had the training to find what we needed. Plus, after a winter locked up with two guys I've got nothing in common with, a few dozen lonely women and about a dozen kids, I needed to get away. That's how I ended up alone in that alley staring death in the face.

Two of them were leaning up against my only way out of the city. OK, I suppose I could walk the forty-plus miles back to our camp but it'd take forever and leave me exposed to more roaming beasts. I fingered my .45 but doubted I could shoot them both dead before they could get to me. Unless you hit one right between the eyes, one shot wouldn't do more than piss them off.

Shit, my ass was fried.

A subtle breath of air raised the hair on the back of my neck. I whirled just in time to miss the full impact of the blow aimed at the back of my head. Even so, the glancing blow spun me into the wall. They jumped me so fast I had no chance at defense. Within seconds, my face ground into the cracked, muddy pavement, both arms twisted behind me so hard I thought it'd rip them out.

Muddy black biker boots filled my vision. I tried to look up, only to have my face smacked back into the pavement. "You're not rabid, not pack. What are you beside weak and slow?" The boots came with a deep voice that rumbled out in a growl.

I was still puzzling over what he meant by "pack" or "rabid" when boots connected sharply with my ribs. Pain erupted along my hip and ribs from the other side. My yelp set off a round of cruel sniggers and growls. Fuck! Now they'd start tearing me apart for sure.

"Knock it off! Get him up." The deep voice headed in the direction of my truck.

Rough hands with inch and half long claws on each finger jerked me to my feet like a rag doll. I'd never really worked out but at six foot with muscles gained from an active life, I wasn't small, either.

They shoved me along behind the deep-voiced guy. Long black hair pulled back in a loose braid spilled halfway down his back. A worn black leather jacket hugged his broad shoulders. Tight, worn jeans wrapped an ass that, under other circumstances, I'd be drooling over. Shit, my cock didn't seem to get the message that death, ugly painful death, lay just ahead.

Did I mention I'm gay? So now I could add painfully confined erection to my growing list of aches.

Three more large beasts -- OK, so they're all large -- stood near or leaned against my truck. A shove sent me face first across the hood and a body slammed against me, pinning me there. Shit, the guy's cock felt huge, and more than ready, jammed up against my ass. I was so fucked. Probably literally, and then they'd rip what was left apart.

"So, not pack, not rabid. Human, but not female. Huh. Didn't think any human males still lived." That deep voice moved casually around me as he spoke. The slightest movement when I tried to look at him got me shoved harder into the truck with a clawed hand gripping the back of my neck. I got the message and held still.

"Still nothing to say, little human male?"

Leave out the menacing words and that beast had one of the sexiest deep voices I'd ever heard. It pissed me off how it turned me on. "What, you want me to compliment you on how fucking smart you are?" I groaned inwardly. I couldn't believe I'd just said that. Angry growls closed in around me. I squeezed my eyes shut figuring the end had to be near. Me and my smart mouth, I just couldn't shut the fuck up.

A soft, throaty chuckle hit me like ice water on bare skin, shocking me back to the here and now. "I can smell your fear, and yet you defy me?" The voice leaned so close I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. "Not very smart, little human. Any one of us could rip you apart without raising a sweat."

He nuzzled into my neck more like a lover than someone ready to rip me to shreds. His measured breathing tickled along my neck, the side of my face. I'd never found scared shitless to be sexy before, but more blood rushed south when his lips nibbled along my jaw.

"I wonder if the rest of you tastes as good." Those had to be his fingers grazing my cheek. Shock waves of desire spread out from his touch. How the hell could I find this arousing? It'd been years since I had a lover, but still...

He moved around to the front of the truck where I could stare at the sizable bulge in his low slung jeans and the hint of ripped abs just above. My stupid cock must have liked the view because despite being smashed into a car hood, it got even harder.

"Where are the rest of your humans?"

He wanted to talk before ripping me apart? Unheard of, didn't even know they could hold a conversation. "I'm here alone." Fuck, they just wanted to find more victims.

"No shit, or they'd be joining you. Bet you aren't collecting this shit just for fun. So where are the other humans? Or are you part of another pack?" His voice no longer sounded sultry. It sounded like pain, followed by death.

I swallowed hard and pulled up every ounce of courage I could muster. "I don't know what you mean by pack. I'm alone."

A heartbeat's pause, and then claws yanked me up and slammed me back down, making sure to bounce my face off the hood this time. Son of a bitch! A gush of blood flew from my nose. I didn't think it was broken, but with so many other things hurting, who could tell?

"Fuck! OK, pretend, for a minute, I do live with others like me. Do you really think I'd tell you? And just to speed this up, is this where you promise to let me go if I tell you? Or maybe just kill me fast instead of really slow. Either way, if I did have people I cared about, I would rather you fucked me half to death before eating me for dinner, alive, than tell you anything. I'm pretty damn sure you will anyway but at least my hypothetical friends stay safe."

Silence fell and oddly, I didn't get smashed into the car again. The overgrown beast pinning me down leaned down where I could see him. "We're pack. We don't eat our own kind, or your kind either." He flashed me a wicked grin. "At least not for dinner." The others raked me over with lewd looks and suggestive grins. One went so far as to lick his lips while staring my ass. So maybe they still wanted to fuck everything. Something of an improvement over being eaten alive... maybe.

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Joyfully Recommended by Joyfully Reviewed

While reading Apocalypse I honestly felt like I was reading what could be a summer blockbuster movie script. It’s dark and dreadful, dripping with conflict, yet has all the things that will make your heart flutter and your pulse race while you ride the edge of your seat…hot man love. Daniel’s story from getting caught to falling for an infected human ranged the scale from everything from scary to humorous, and everything in between. I had to laugh at Daniel’s antics, and there were times while reading I wanted to reach through the pages and tell him “shhhh” to keep him out of trouble. Apocalypse is an amazing story with a fresh twist on m/m romance novels, so I’ve chosen it as a Joyfully Recommended Read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Apocalypse and I look forward to the continuation of the Wolfman series.

Reviewed by Raine

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Rated 5 Nymphs by Literary Nymphs!

"Apocalypse is the first book in the Wolfman series. The well written and, at times, humorous story has a world building plot. Imagine starting over in a world with no electricity or running water, with danger at every turn. Survival depends on combining everyone’s knowledge, as well as joining their skills. The characters are convincing. Before his capture, Daniel lived in a compound outside of the city comprised of mostly women and children. Daniel is an intelligent, proud, outspoken gay man; he refuses to bow down to the abusive wolfmen. It is Daniel’s pride that provokes some of the pack members to continuously assault Daniel in an attempt to break his spirit."

"Mace is desperately trying to hold on to the honorable man he was before he was infected with the virus. Mace organized pack standards, as well as maintains peace within the pack. He is considerate of others; his goal is to restore the comforts of life before Apocalypse. Mace’s initial interest in Daniel was the possible mechanical skills Daniel may have. However, recognizing the mutual desire exhibited, rapidly leads Mace into a sizzling sexual affair with Daniel. Brannan Black has created an exceptional launch to this expressively compelling series. I look forward to the next enjoyable installment. "

Reviewed by Chocolate Minx

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Dawn's Reading Nook  awards a 5 out of 5

"You know you found the perfect book when all you can do as you read that last page is go "WHAT???? What do you mean there is no more?" in a wail that probably rivals a banshee's call. Brannan Black delivers all that and more in the introduction to a post-apocalyptic world where men are turned into stuff of nightmares and myths."

"Brannan Black is one talented author in my opinion. Here we have two strong alpha males, granted one has claws, sharp teeth and brute strength & the other a penchant for mouthing off. Hey, I didn't even think Daniel was going to live long past chapter one until you saw the sparks fly between Mace, the leader of this band of civilized, or I should say, somewhat civilized pack of wolfmen. Each page was something new in the story...be it Daniel mouthing off, Mace seducing him or something new that added dimension to this novella."

Reviewed by Rachel Cron  

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Rated 4 1/2 hearts by Love Romances and More 

"Love, love, love WOLFMAN APOCALYPSE. This was one hot, steamy story with the right amount of sass to keep me intrigued to the very end. Brannan Black delivers the introduction into a world that had me glued to the pages. The characters were quite life like and the story flowed so smoothly, I was shocked when I read the last page. Where did the story go? I laughed at Daniel’s smart ass comments, cringed when it looked as if it was the end and sighed when Mace delivered his brand of lovin’."

"WOLFMAN APOCALYPSE is one wild ride from start to finish. Brannan Black delivers a strong novella that will get your body humming and you racing to the computer for book two."

Reviewed by Dawn 

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Rated 4 1/2 cherries by Whipped Cream reviews

"I hate to admit it but I almost let this book pass me by -- but after reading a few excerpts I just had to listen to that little voice saying "read me". Now I am glad I listened. Wolfman Apocalypse is a great read. I don’t read a lot of male/male books and the ones I do read really have to catch my eye. This one did just that. I was caught hook, line and sinker and enjoyed the ride through and through."

"Brannan Black weaves a great tale with fantastic characters full of emotion and depth. I was pulled in right from the start and couldn’t put it down. Wolfman Apocalypse grabs your attention from the first page and keeps you on your toes all the way to the end making this a book that should not be missed."

Reviewed by Mistletoe

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The world fell apart after a virus killed billions. Those men who didn't die... changed. The media called it Werewolf Syndrome. Life as we knew it pretty much ended. Those of us scrounging for survival in the post-apocalyptic devastation have one chance left -- learn to work together, or face extinction.

It wasn't much of a choice. Return to Mace's den with him, or stay here, alone, with the women -- and the most bigoted redneck in the world. I didn't count on getting attacked by rabids -- violent, crazy rabids -- or rescuing two slightly less crazy wolfmen and a blind woman. Or ending up back at my mother's compound.

My mother's a surgeon. With any luck she'll be able to save Derek. And convince our two factions not to kill one another. And maybe -- just maybe -- find some common ground between us that offers some hope for the future. Because where Mace is concerned, I kind of like the idea of us staying alive...

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Wolfman 3: Judgement
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

I jerked up in bed, sweat beading my brow, my heart pounding.

"Daniel?" Mace stuck his head in from the bathroom.

"I'm OK, just had a bad dream." A fucking nightmare! Tat was tearing Mace apart while the Major and Frank held him down. The rest of the compound just stood around laughing while I tried to get someone to help me stop them.

"You still worried about Tat?" He walked back in the bedroom, naked. Fucking sex god naked. Even bandages and a cast looked sexy on him. He'd pulled his hair over one shoulder while he finished braiding it. I wanted to yank the braid back out and wrap my hands in it while I fucked him senseless.

"Fuck it, Mace. After all you've done to convince everyone you're a good guy, you really want the whole compound to watch you two try to kill each other?"

He stalked over to sit beside me on the bed. That man never just fucking walked. Not like a human, anyway. He moved with an animal grace that never failed to get my cock hard. "There won't be any trying, Daniel. He put the pack at risk. He lied to Hawk about what I told him and he came within minutes of starting an attack on this compound. I won't tolerate that."

"Right, and did you forget you have one arm tied behind your back, so to speak?" I rapped my knuckles against his cast.

"It's healed enough for your mother to remove it. I can and will take Tat down, Daniel. Don't ever doubt that." His eyes glowed brightly to match the deep growl in his voice.

"Fuck, Mace. Don't pull that show no weakness crap with me. We both know you're not one hundred percent. And you said your first fight was close. You won't have Slade or Hawk to watch your back. Don't do this."

He stepped up and cupped my cheek with his palm. "I have to, Daniel. He challenged me, and most of the pack knows it." He shrugged and let out a deep breath. "I take him down now or face even more challengers. And they won't wait for me to heal, either. Besides, I've got you watching my back."

His sly wink had me wondering just what he meant by that. In a dog pack, caveman sort of way I understood why he had to face Tat. And I fucking hated it. Images from my dreams cooled the heat in my cock.

Mace leaned against me, his naked body pressing mine back into the bed.

"I know you're just trying to distract me." I arched a brow at him and leaned away.

He mirrored my moves. "Umm, you sure that's all?"

I chuckled. "Fucking horny wolfman." I tried to crawl out the other side of the bed. "We've got shit to do, starting with breakfast."

His strong grip held me in place while he crawled over me, pinning me with his weight. His hands trailed down, teasing through my chest hair. He slid his thigh between mine, pressing and rubbing the underside of my balls.

"Fuck, Mace..." I promptly forgot what I was going to say as his tongue danced across the hard peak of my nipple and a hand stroked down my reemerging hard on.

"Exactly." He punctuated each word with a hot, sucking kiss lower down my belly and a firm stroke of my cock. "What. I. Had. In. Mind!"

by Joyfully Reviewed

Daniel is one of the few men who were not turned by the virus that swept the world and killed billions. Most of the men who caught it were turned into a half wolf half man hybrid, not a true werewolf but not completely human either. Part of finding his place in the post apoplectic world also has allowed him to find his true mate in Mace.

What will happen though when he is forced to fight again to maintain his place in his mates pack? One thing he doesn’t expect is that he will end up back at his mother’s high security compound with Mace and others of the pack in tow. Can they all figure out how to live together and start rebuilding society or will they continue to tear each other apart?

This was my second book in the Wolfmen series and while I was surprised to find that I was reading a M/M story (the first one I read was not) it continues to be an intriguing series. While there is a huge threat of violence and a fight for dominance; there are also struggles with figuring out ones place in a romance and a family. Judgement is a solid offering in the Wolfmen series and will intrigue M/M fans as well as those who enjoyed the first two of the series.

Reviewed by Tanya

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Rated 4 Stars by Dawn's Reading Nook

I love this author's wolfman series so much. It has some amazing characters, scorching hot sex scenes and a storyline that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Wolfman 3: Judgement continues right after book two ends and we find Daniel and Mace dealing with Daniel's "Pack"-his mom and the rest of the human survivors he lived with.

Ms. Black does it again in her latest release and I am eager to see what else she has planned for Mace, Daniel and the rest of these wonderful characters. Will the friends and family of Daniel accept he is the chosen of Mace, a wolfman they fear? I am looking forward to more continued adventures with Mace and Daniel as they adjust to a virtually different world that they live in. If you are looking for a well written story to enjoy at the beach, grab the entire wolfman series and settle in for hours of reading pleasure. 

Reviewed by Dawn

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The world fell apart after the virus killed billions, turning most male survivors into violent monsters. Then I met Mace and he changed everything I thought I knew about wolfmen. Mace is my mate. And I'm his.

Unfortunately the new psycho rabid wants to destroy Mace's pack with extreme prejudice. Our defenses are damaged and supplies are running low. Mace is going to have to reach out to other packs to hunt down and eliminate this new threat.

Wolfmen. Working together. What's the world coming to? Maybe the dawn of a new kind of civilization. A new beginning. One thing's for sure. Things are going to get a lot uglier before they get better.

If we survive at all...

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Wolfman 5: Genesis
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

 I ran down the dark street, heart pounding in my ears, lungs heaving, desperate for air. The hounds of hell ran on my heels, terror weighting my feet. Mace. I had to get to Mace. I rounded a corner, nowhere left to go.

Turning back, I fired my shotgun at point blank range.

RK's head exploded like a ripe watermelon. A scream rang in my head.

It still echoed around the room as I jerked awake, soaked in sweat, heart pounding and sucking air like I'd just run a fucking marathon. The miasma from the nightmare left me shaking. At least it wasn't Mace I'd shot this time. The running was new, too. Was that a good thing? Maybe I was getting over it.

Or I could just be losing my fucking mind.

Mace's spot on the bed felt cold, like he'd been gone a while. Where the fuck was he? Why hadn't he woken me? RK's whine came through the door just before he stuck his head in. "Daniel? OK?"

"Yeah, RK, just a fucking nightmare. Where's Mace?" I flipped the switch for the bedside lamp I'd recently installed. I'd never take flipping a switch for granted again after a month of oil lamps and candles.

The loud sounds from the hall clued me in that it wasn't early. I really, really wanted a fucking window! Or even a skylight. On the other hand, if the lower windows hadn't all been boarded up, those fucking rabids would have gotten in. Hmm. Maybe skylights with iron cages over them.

Nah, still wouldn't reach a first floor room.

"He's in the yard with others. Want breakfast?" RK's answer left me scrabbling to remember the fucking question.

"Well, I'm awake now, so how about you get me some coffee while I get dressed?"

RK cocked his head, thinking or looking, I couldn't tell. He shrugged. "OK."

I sighed and hurried to dress before my own personal wolfman lackey came back. Not what I had in mind when I saved his life.

I was dressed, been to the head, and still no coffee. If RK was going to hover, the least he could do was get me coffee. I let out a deep breath. Fucking nightmares, always left me grumpy and more than a little scattered. I mentally shook it off.

Late morning sun streamed in from the high windows highlighting the chaos running rampant in the main room. A little over twenty-four hours after the rabid attack and it looked like a fucking gun factory. Weapons were being stripped and cleaned. Others were inventorying ammo. Yum, the smell of gun oil mixed with coffee.

Doc leaned over a whining Eagle, smearing ointment on his many burns. On the nearest couch, Fox lay in an odd twisted pose, I assumed to miss the worst of the burns scattered over his body. A couple of the younger wolfmen who'd been injured while defending the den lay sprawled around the room and were being tended by their buddies.

Finding the normal kitchen crew hard at work cleaning up the mess the guys left surprised me. Guess it was OK for the women to be back in the main room even with the former rabids about. The women seemed awfully quiet, focused on their work. I knew from experience that getting back to a normal routine after a loss helped. And maybe we'd get some better meals. Anything but mystery meat on a stick sounded like gourmet fare.

RK stood by the stove waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.

I wove my way through the crowd. A wave of quiet spread out around me like ripples in a pond. The pack tracked my course across the room. Fucking reminded me of when I first arrived and they looked at me like prey.

"What?" I snapped, staring hard. A few tilted their heads in my direction and sniffed, loudly. I did a quick check to make sure I didn't have my clothes on backward or something. Nope, relatively clean jeans, no holes. Black T-shirt with a tribal design in grey, right side out, no bloodstains.

"What the fuck is up? Did I sprout fucking horns and a tail or something?" I yanked out a stool at the kitchen counter. "Anything edible over there?"

Den-Mom, one of the rare women affected by the virus, snickered and passed me a plate with fried mystery meat and a bowl of oatmeal. A little canned fruit topped the oatmeal. Wow, a veritable feast! RK passed my coffee over as well. I plopped onto a barstool at the counter to eat. If I ignored them, maybe they'd go away.

"They're just curious to see if you smell different, like Mace does." Den-Mom leaned across the counter, sniffing.

I jerked back. "That's just fucking weird. And why would Mace smell different?" Granted, that knot thing on his penis hadn't ever happened before. Part of the mating thing I'd assumed. "Something wrong with him?" Surely they couldn't fucking tell he'd bottomed? Something told me that wouldn't sit well with the rank obsessed pack.

"No, not wrong, just different. And he looks a lot more relaxed. Something happened between you two last night." She leaned closer, gaze boring holes in me.

I took that first sip of coffee and sighed. Damn, that tasted good, even without milk. "What's between me and Mace isn't your fucking business." I took another sip of coffee to cover the stupid ass grin spreading over my face. Fuck, that had been amazing sex. And Mace giving himself to me like that... might piss the pack off, but it meant the world to me. I'd never felt so loved, cherished. No, that didn't even begin to explain what I felt.

"He's our pack alpha. If it affects him, it's our business." She growled and flashed fangs at me, pulling me from my reverie.

I shrugged and dug into breakfast. She could growl all she wanted. Didn't fucking scare me anymore. "Thanks for the fruit. Mmmm." I savored the sweetness with closed eyes. Chewing while smiling, that didn't happen to me often. Felt weird. Good but weird.

"Daniel!" Claws hooked into my shirtsleeve and tugged. "You two have been at odds for days and all of a sudden everything is fine? Spill, brain boy."

Was she that fucking dense, or did she want a blow by blow? "If you haven't figured it out, go ask my mate." And that was all they were getting.

Den-Mom smiled triumphantly. "I knew it! You are mated now!"

The quiet of the room erupted in yips, howls and excited voices. A loud growl stood out among the noise. Alpha glared at me with death in her eyes.

"Sorry, sweetheart. You never really had a chance anyway." I smirked at her and turned back to savoring my meal. My stomach felt like a black hole. When was the last time I'd had a good meal? When was the last time I'd really felt like eating?

Oh yeah, before that brain splatting incident. My stomach roiled and I mentally slapped myself for digging that fucking memory up again.

Doc slouched into the kitchen, snagging some coffee. "God, that's good!" She turned to me with a smile. "So, you two found a workaround?"

No point in answering. The stupid shit-eating grin on my face said it all. The front door banged open. Mace, Slade and a few others came in from the yard. "We need a better damned fence!" Slade snarled.

Calm, cool Slade fucking snarled at Mace? What the fuck?

Mace's deep rumble stirred my cock to life. Fucking thing ought to be tired after last night, but no. "I'm all ears if you've got a suggestion." Yellow-gold eyes focused on me, the wolf spotting his prey.

Immediately the room stilled again. They all watched him stalk over to me. His broad shoulders stretched his grey T-shirt tight across chiseled muscles. Those jeans looked painted on, nicely accenting his impressive package, lean hips and strong thighs. For once, my hardening cock avoided getting cramped up. I stood, leaning against the counter, waiting for him. That silly grin just got wider. My fucking cheeks were starting to hurt.

Mace stopped right in front of me, staring down. For a heartbeat we just drank each other in. As one, we grabbed hold and leaped into a scorching kiss. The pack must have approved, because the noise they made nearly deafened me. Mace pressed me against the counter; his hard cock nestled next to mine. I moaned softly and rolled my hips, rubbing us together. Hot desire flooded me. The room vanished into the background. It was just me and Mace and a burning need for each other.

"God, mate, I want you."

I laughed against his lips. "So what's new?"

Hawk spoke softly as always, kept his eyes down. "Hate to break this up but we need to figure something out about that fence." Still earned himself a snarl from Mace. Despite Doc snuggling up to him, Slade scowled.

"So what's up with the fence?" That turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Slade looked like he wanted to strangle me.

"It needs to keep those damned rabids out! We're not losing more women to those bastards!" I'd never seen Slade so pissed off. "And you could learn to hit what you shoot at!"

"Good luck with that. Fuckers are damned hard to keep out." No point arguing that last bit. I had hesitated. And missed killing the lead psycho rabid. Pissed me off, too.

Slade snarled again. "Any bright ideas, genius?"

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Rated 4 Nymphs by Literary Nymphs

Alpha Mace and his wolf-men pack send out a call for help; their goal is to eradicate the psycho rabid who wants to destroy the civilized packs dwelling in and around the city once known as Denver. 

Brannan Black’s Genesis is the fifth book in the Wolfman Series.  In this episode, Mace’s pack is joined by fifty wolfmen from various packs to hunt down the cannibalistic rabids plaguing the territory. The storyline features plenty of battle action, as well as the pack’s intimate bedtime bonding tradition.  Daniel’s loving influence with Mace lends a hand in forming a coalition of most of the packs in the metro area.  The other packs saw the benefit of cooperation and trade.  Daniel traded his innovative skills in exchange for fresh meat, produce and other useful items. Genesis is an impressive and exceedingly enjoyable installment to this world building series.  

Reviewed by Chocolate Minx

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Rated 4.5 Stars by Dawn's Reading Nook

Have you ever found a series that just kept you highly entertained to the point where you stalked the author just for word when the next book was coming? I found that with Brannan Black's Wolfman series.  

"Genesis is a fast action thrill ride that will leave you breathless in the end. Brannan Black keeps the reader glued to the edge of t heir seat with this latest installment and I was hard pressed to put it down. I am hoping the author returns to Mace, Daniel and all their friends/allies in the future. Would love to see how they are doing and maybe see if Mace hasn’t killed Daniel yet-either by loving him to exhaustion or smacking him around from his smart mouth.

If you enjoy a story that will leave you on teeter hooks and at the same time, squirming in your seat, then grab the Wolfman series and settle in for some reading enjoyment. "

Reviewed by Dawn

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Rated 4 Stars by Valentina Heart

Violence, hot and rushed sex, fights for dominance and pack mentality, yes, it's another book in the Wolfmen series with Daniel getting into his own and Mace grinning more than he did in all the other books combined.

This time round, the rabids are on the rampage and a serious threat to not only Mace's pack but to all the other as well, including the compound where Daniel's mother still has the last word. The whole pack is trying to survive the best they can and secure their home against an attack. But it's obvious that just one pack can't handle the situation because Psycho – the main bad guy, has an unlimited access to all the wandering rabids around and when a wolfman is scared he submits.

Trying to do what's best and thinking about the future, Mace approaches the other packs and organizes an attack to solve their mutual problem while leaving the connections open for a future possible trade.

I honestly loved this sequel as much as I did all the rest. Daniel was much more respected in this one and his brain worked better against the threats leaving him with minimum injury – yes that is surprising for anyone following the series. Mace showed a whole different face to him where he was secure in his dominance and where he was comfortable enough with Daniel as his mate not to see every little transgression as a challenge. It was refreshing as well as interesting because through all that violence and blood, the guys were true romantics.

Maybe I'm just seeing the sweetness in the gore, but with each book I read I feel closer to the couple and fall a bit more in love with the amazing world Brannan Black had created. This is the type of writing I like the most, without sugarcoating and with pure rawness at every step. I do hope we get more. 

Reviewed by Valentina Heart

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The world fell apart after a virus killed billions, and turned most male survivors into violent wolfmen. Five of us, my family, found refuge in an abandoned bomb shelter. Over the last three years I've lost them all. Now I'm trapped here. Alone.

Food stores running low, I resolved I would not die down here in the stark silence of my burrow. I know there are dangers outside: wild animals, fatal injuries, and worst of all, the beasts that had once been men. Wild, feral creatures infected with a virus that turns normal men into half animal beasts.

But I needed to feel the sun on my face, hear the whispers of the wind as it caresses my skin. To smell the earth, the flowers, the freshness after it rains. To know life goes on outside my isolated tomb. It was worth the risk of a horrid death for even one hour of such ecstasy.

I never imagined coming face to face with two young beasts. They want my burrow -- and me. And they aren't planning to take no for an answer. It would seem my loneliness has ended. At least until they realize what a burden I will be. In a world where only the strongest survive, I'm excess baggage. Unless I can convince them otherwise.

Available at Changeling Press.

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Blind Passion
A Wolfman Tale
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright (c)2011 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

It'd been a week since I'd started venturing out of my burrow, slipping along the side of the building, checking out what I could around it. A lot of weeds, but some flowers grew in the bright Colorado sun, too. I pulled some of the weeds in hopes that more flowers would grow. It lifted some of the dark depression from my soul, just being in the sun again.

Mostly, I heard only birds, squirrels and the wind. Occasionally something would rustle somewhere near, and I would scamper like a frightened bunny back into my burrow. Around the far side of the shed, I'd found a nice spot of shade to sit and enjoy the air, dreaming of days gone by or a future where my sister Jian returned.

Maybe she'd found a refugee camp that would take us. Or others who would come here to live.

Sometimes, far more often than I dared admit, I would imagine a man coming to save me like some prince in a fairy tale. Knowing I was alone, I played out these fantasies wherever I was. After all, who would see me lying naked in the grass with my fingers in my lonely pussy? Surly if anyone, even beasts, were around they'd have come for me by now.

A snap of sound pulled me from my dozing. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, and I jerked up, fully alert. I heard a sound, a rustling in the grass, too constant to be the wind, from around the left side of the shed. The breeze carried a musky odor unlike any animal I knew.

Every time I went out I took the rifle Jian had left me. Not that I could hit a damned thing with it, but maybe it would make whatever was out there pause long enough for me to get back inside. I threw the bolt, chambering a round.

"I'll shoot if you don't back off!" I put all the confidence I could muster into my vain warning.

A deep, growling voice chuckled from far too close. "I should warn you that getting shot pisses me off." His voice sounded almost normal, almost human. Almost. Which meant a beast had found me. He'd stopped moving. I could hear his breath now, just around the corner.

I backed away toward the other corner, ready to make a dash for the door. Over the pounding of my heart I heard the grass rustle. I threw the gun at him, whirled and ran. Straight into a hard wall that shouldn't have been there.

Confusion sang through my mind for the few seconds it took the wall to move. I screamed as a hard body twisted me around and slammed me face-first into the ground.

Growls seemed to come from everywhere around me. I struggled to crawl out from under the beast that had me but I knew it was futile. Strong claws tore into my clothing, holding me fast. Sharp fangs closed on the back of my neck. I sucked in a sob. This was it. The end. If I were lucky it'd be quick. An odd peace swept over me. I'd have died when the food ran out, anyway. I let out a deep breath, and the peace deepened. It was over. At least I wouldn't be alone any longer. At that moment, death seemed just fine.

I rested my head on the ground, a slight smile curving my lips as I let out another deep breath. Time seemed to slow, and everything magnified in that instant -- the brush of his beard on my neck, a fall of lank hair brushing the side of my face, the smell of his breath, oddly sweet, and the musky male smell under the need for a shower. Every rock under me and the smell of sun-warmed grass -- all seemed amplified in those last moments of my life.

The fangs on my neck released. Shock flooded my already overwhelmed nerves. He rubbed his head along my turned cheek, surprising me with the softness of his beard and hair.

"Good, very good. Not prey. Knew you weren't prey."

Rated 4 cherries by Whipped Cream Reviews

"I have followed Ms. Black's Wolfman series from the start, simply because I love her writing style and her imagination. Even though we know wolfmen do not exist in our world I still love how the author uses a virus to transform normal men into beast in a post apocalypse world. Blind Passion: A Wolfman Tale is the third book I have read in this series and think the theme is still entertaining and unique."

"The male characters, Derek and Jay, were so loveable and you cannot help but laugh when the two wolfmen had to remind themselves that the human female Mei was fragile and that care had to be taken to insure they did not hurt her or tear her clothes."

"Ms. Black does an amazing job of introducing new and creative elements to this series, a series that I would recommend to anyone that loves wolfmen and their wild adventures. I was surprised by some of the twists in the story line and fell in love with the characters as the tale unfolded. For a short read, you will find the details and plot well thought out and written. I did enjoy the author's witty sentences; one that had me laughing was “a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
"Blind Passion is a stand-alone story that is guaranteed to keep you grinning from ear-to-ear. "

Reviewed by Myrtle 

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Rated 3 1/2 hearts by Love Romances and More

"If you haven’t read this author’s hot and steamy Wolfman series, then I highly suggest you snap to it. BLIND PASSION is a quick, short story set in that same universe and it is smokin’ hot. Brannan Black weaves her spell around the reader with a new cast of characters and smoldering hot sex. The writing is tight, the story fast paced and the sex scenes accent the storyline instead of taking over, which is what I liked the most out of this short story. I don’t want to say too much since it was only fifty pages long. The author keeps the readers’ attention from the first page to the last."

"WOLFMAN 1: BLIND PASSION is a short, sexy tale that will leave you squirming in your seat and aching for more. If you enjoy hot ménage action set in a dystopian world, then you need to grab the Wolfman series from Brannan Black. It’s hot, sexy and oh so delightful. Ms. Black has another winner on her hands with her spin-off Wolfman Tales and I cannot wait to for the next installment. I just hope it won’t be a long wait."

Reviewed by Dawn

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I was one of the ones left behind when the virus hit. A blind woman, trapped in my isolated subterranean prison. Now there are three of us -- me and my saviors, Derek and Jay, the two young wolfmen who rescued me.

Attacked by vicious rabids, Derek's life hangs in the balance. Jay fears our rescuers have ulterior motives. Why else would they offer to help? It's not like we have a choice, not with Derek's life at stake. Meeting a compound full of lonely women adds a whole new set of problems. And then there's Frank. He just can't leave well enough alone. And if he's not careful, my boys are going to rip him to pieces.

Available at Changeling Press.

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Blind Devotion, A Wolfman Tale
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Laughter and the clang of pots and dishes pulled me into waking. For a few moments, I thought I was at home before the virus, when people still laughed. But these laughs didn't sound like my family. Memory flooded back as I came fully awake. Beasts. A sly grin stretched across my face. Insatiable sex beasts!

I stretched and felt a delicious symphony of sore muscles and a well-satisfied pussy. I ran a finger gently over one bite-mark, then the other. They hadn't broken my skin those few days ago when they mated with me but the bruises still hurt if I pressed on them.

Mated. It sounded so oddly romantic. Like married, only more? Mentally I shook myself. That these two hard bodied hotties wanted me for their mate still blew my mind. But did it really mean what I thought? Did they understand what they meant by mate? Sometimes they seemed so young.

"Hungry, Pretty?" Derek called from the kitchen.

I sat up and heard the sudden catch in their breathing. Damn. I pulled the sheet up to cover my nakedness. "Um, any idea where my clothes are?" They'd stripped me on the way to bed last night.

Jay snickered from nearby. "Here, Pretty. Not that we mind seeing you naked but we thought you might like to eat first."

First? Oh lord, those two had one thing on their minds. Not that I objected. As lovers, they were considerate and skilled. I dressed and headed for the bathroom. My bare feet tangled in something that shouldn't have been there, but Jay caught me before I hit the ground.

"Whoa, easy, Pretty." He steadied me.

I took a deep breath and hoped they would understand. "It's important that nothing be left on the floor or moved out of place. That way I can move around freely without help or hurting myself." I'd warned them before but experience told me it might take a while until they remembered. I'd dated one guy who I swear would leave stuff around on purpose!

I heard rustling and soft whispers of movement.

"It's good now. All picked up." That was Jay again.

"Thank you. Living with a blind person is different." I hated to remind them but at the same time I needed to be able to move around without help or risk of injury... or embarrassment.

A warm body hugged me from behind. Make that hot, and hard. Derek's unique sent filled my nose. A familiar warmth sparked inside me. "Worth every effort for our Pretty." Derek gave me a kiss on the neck to emphasize his words. He let me go with a light push forward.

As soon as I'd finished in the bathroom, Jay escorted me to the table. They'd raided the storeroom and made a passable stew. For some reason, I'd expected breakfast. Living underground killed any chance I had for keeping track of time. The guys didn't seem to care. Now mattered, and they ate whatever was to hand whenever they got hungry. So I could be having stew for breakfast.

"You need some fresh meat, Pretty."

I snickered and licked my lips, getting the appreciative whines I wanted.

"Hmm. Raw, hot meat. I'd love some of that."

They both laughed. "Happy to satisfy your hunger, Mei. Just not for the stew pot!" Jay shot back, the teasing in his voice barely covering the lust.

It was so easy to forget they weren't quite human anymore.

Someone very tall snatched me up against his hard chest. My yelp of surprise turned into a moan of desire. His lips nibbled along my chin, up my cheek to land butterfly kisses on my eyelids. The heat of his hard cock started a fire low in my belly. My hands caressed around his naked chest and down over his firm and very naked ass.

I heard Jay suck in a breath and felt Derek pressing my hands into Jay. I slipped them around Derek and hugged Jay between us. Jay's sexy growl vibrated deep inside me. My pussy swelled and moisture pooled.

Hands, two sets, now caressed me. Jay's longer fingers cupped my ass as Derek stroked whatever he could reach, regardless of whose body. He slid his hand down and worked in between us. I tilted my hips back. Jay's gasp told me Derek had him firmly by the cock.

"I want to fuck you while you're inside Mei. God, it would be like having you both at the same time." He rubbed the broad head of Jay's cock against my mons. I parted my legs and he slipped it between. Jay flexed his knees while I rose on my toes. I was still too short for this to work.

"Um, let's move this to the bed." I tugged softly on Jay's arms and stepped back. A low growl was my only warning before I was swooped up. Two long, fast strides and he dropped me on the mattress.

Jay's rougher chest hair tickled me as he kissed up the insides of my thighs. Derek's weight shifted the bed and he gripped my chin, turning me to his kiss. I moaned and opened to his probing tongue. He swept inside, laying claim to every bit of my mouth. I sucked on his tongue. He groaned, his body pressed to my side, hard cock thrusting against me.

I gasped, letting Derek go. Jay's agile tongue swept across my lower lips then he gently sucked one side. I arched and cried out.

Not to be outdone, Derek had taken my breast, suckling my nipple and rolling it with his tongue. Sensations threatened to overwhelm me. My hands clenched into their hair, then at a warning growl, loosened so I could stroke their heads.

Pleasure rolled through me in waves... 

Coming Soon

Life among humans. Not something my two wolfmen ever expected to experience again. The women at the compound are just as surprised to find themselves sharing their sanctuary with the very wolfmen they're trying to protect themselves from. Learning to trust each other won't be easy but I have faith, in my wolfmen and our love. Love conquers all. Right? If only it were that easy.

Available at Changeling Press.

Blind Faith, A Wolfman Tale
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

 The waiting room smelled of warmed fake leather, worn carpet and antiseptic. Some heat radiated off the windows. I bet it was nice outside. Being cooped up here sucked, major sucked.

A loud bang rattled a glass window.

"Eeek!" I nearly fell off the stiff seat of the waiting room couch I jumped so hard.

"Sorry, Mei, didn't mean to startle you." Derek flopped down on the couch next to me with a frustrated huff. I pulled him to lay his head on my lap and ran my fingers through his silky hair, gentle little strokes designed to soothe. He let out a deep sigh and let go of a small amount of the tension thrumming through his body. I ran soft, teasing caresses over the tight line of his jaw, smooth since he'd just shaved. He settled a bit more.

The sound of Jay's pacing echoed around the otherwise too quiet waiting room. My boys did not take inactivity well. Especially not forced inactivity. And until the women of this refugee compound said otherwise, here we had to stay.

Actually, they had to stay; I could leave anytime. I think that irritated them even more, that I could come and go at will while they would be shot for poking their noses out the door.

"Jay, sit your ass down. You're making me crazy!" Derek snarled. All the tension he'd let go returned with friends. It radiated off him like sparks of electricity.

Jay's frustration came out in a deep growl. "Sorry, Derek, I just hate sitting still."

Derek growled back, a deep dangerous sound that vibrated from deep inside. His head jerked up from my lap.

I offered soothing strokes through the tangle of his long hair and a gentle tug. "Shh, Derek. It's OK. It'll work out." I hoped to distract them from their restlessness. No such luck. My guys were more about action than words. It made me realize just how much time we'd spent rolling around in bed or asleep those first few days. After that, they roamed near the shelter while I enjoyed the fresh air. Were all wolfmen this active by nature? "Have you had any more thoughts on how to help them increase their security?"

"How am I supposed to do that when we're caged up in here?" The tight clip of his words expressed his agitation quite clearly.

Gently, I tugged at his hair, urging him to lie back down. "I know, lovers. Waiting is never easy, but we don't have a lot of choices at the moment."

I heard rustling and then Jay sank down against the front of the couch. He flopped back against me and I stroked his head. "Jay? What happened to your dreads?" A short wiry brush replaced the tangled mat that turned into nature's own dreadlocks.

He leaned into my touch, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Derek helped me with it this morning. Do you like it?" He sounded hesitant.

I ran my fingers all over his head searching through tight curls no more than a quarter inch long. "Yes, mate, I do. Nice to card my fingers through your hair."

We stayed like that for a while, me stroking them. Contentment filled me, something I never thought I'd feel again. And love. God, how I loved my wolfmen!

Derek shifted in my lap, leaning over to nuzzle Jay's neck. Jay turned, kissing the inside of my wrist. With my hand on his cheek, he leaned in to kiss Derek. Strong jaw muscles danced under my hand as their kiss swiftly moved from sensual to heated. Tingles flowed up my arm, lighting sparks all along my skin.

Hot, moist lips kissed my hand, my wrist. Derek sucked my thumb into his mouth. Ahh, that felt amazing! A zing of passion zipped down to my pussy.

Jay nibbled down my arm until he kissed Derek with my thumb sucked from one mouth to another. My breath caught. Heat flushed my body.

I ran my now wet thumb down Jay's throat as my other hand tugged and stroked in Derek's silken locks.

They went back to kissing each other, encouraging me to "watch" them with my hands. Soft sexy rumbles purred through their bodies and right to my sex like great big vibrators.

Derek rolled over so his face was buried between my legs. "Mmmm, Mei smells hot!"

Having a man's face sniffing my crotch shouldn't have been as sexy as it was. The little growly groans had my panties wet in no time. Next thing I knew, Jay was on the couch with me, laving hot kisses on whatever wasn't covered in cloth. His big strong hands cupped my breasts, tweaking my nipples with his thumb.

I sucked in a deep breath, desire radiating out from his touch. Derek had pulled his head out of the way and skilled fingers rubbed over my mons. God, I was burning up! And then it stopped. Completely stopped. Irritated growls issued from both guys.

"What?"

"Got an audience."

Coming Soon

Marooned. Alone with only the voices in my head -- and an island full of sex crazed wolfmen... They call this Paradise? Really?

What started out as a romantic cruise -- a last ditch effort to save our fading marriage -- turned ugly when my wife, Cecily, dumps me off me on an island in the middle of the Caribbean. To be fair, the virus was turning the men into monsters. All the men got left behind, to keep the women safe. But did she have to look so happy to get rid of me?

Immune to the virus that's ripped our world apart, I'm the only human left on this damnable island. I'm a slightly neurotic forty-year-old college professor playing Robinson Crusoe on the Island of Dr. Moreau.

"Oh please, Ari. You're far from Robinson Caruso. He was a real man."

Oh, and my wife? She's still nagging me, if only in my mind. And now there's a certain wolfman after me who just doesn't understand I'm not looking to switch teams. Then there's the heat and humidity, wild wolfmen ready to attack, and a hurricane looming on the horizon.

Island life is far from paradise.

Available from Changeling Press.

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Island Wolfman: Paradise
Brannan Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2010 Brannan Black

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

 I fled through the trees, ducking and squeezing between trunks and bushes. I could have run faster out in the open but I had no chance of outrunning the monsters chasing me in a straight race. I slammed through the brush, squeezing through thickets too dense for their larger bodies to pass. They'd have to tear through the vegetation or go around, hopefully slowing them down enough to allow me to escape. Or convince them I wasn't worth the trouble.

A slim hope, but all I had. Never before had they come to this side of the island. Not in all the years we'd been marooned here by an insidious pandemic that provoked a worldwide panic. A panic way too late to stop the spread, I might add. That virus turned men into monsters. Werewolves, the talking heads crowed. These man-beasts don't shift back and forth. They're wolf/human hybrids all the time. But that wasn't sensational enough for the media. Stupid media; I hate when they mislabeled things just for the thrill factor.

"Focus, Ari! Run!"

Why the hell don't they give up? My lungs burned with the exertion. Fleeing for my life fueled my legs, but that energy was burning out fast. I enjoy the outdoors, but this? This was way beyond any extreme sport I'd ever heard of. Certainly not the kind of thing a tenured professor like myself indulged. Not to mention I'd just celebrated my fortieth birthday, I think. I dodged a tree and jumped the roots. And slipped in the constant mud.

"Ahhhh!"

I shot down the slick game trail, headed straight for the cliff. I scrambled for purchase, snatching at vegetation only to have it tear loose. A second hasty handful sliced open my palm. I slipped over the lip and, by some miracle, grabbed a vine that held. Mulch sprayed off the cliff side, rocks jarred loose and rattled against the sides.

I flew out just a bit before my grip slammed me against the side of the cliff. A jutting rock kicked my chest hard enough to knock a grunt loose. Only instinct kept me holding on. I struggled to breathe, dimly aware of the hundred-foot drop to the small stream in its rocky bed below.

"My, my, that was impressive. Planning a career as a stuntman next?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Not now, Cecily, hanging on for dear life here." I knew she wasn't really here. She was on the cruise ship with the rest of the women, staying safe from us virus-twisted men.

The real irony? She was the one who insisted we come on this cruise -- to "save our marriage and reignite our passion." Every time I thought about it I wanted to laugh. Except right now, while swinging from a vine, hanging on for dear life.

My hands cramped; the sliced right one screamed for me to let go. My arms burned and my whole being narrowed to my hold on those vines. I twisted slightly, coming face to face with the cliff. My feet scrambled for purchase, sending cascades of rocks and dirt pinging down the rocky wall.

Blood slicked my cut hand, which kept sliding on the vine. My left hand, arm, and shoulder, had most of my weight. They ached. I was going to fall! Panic raced through me, shooting adrenaline through my veins. My heart pounded so hard I thought a heart attack was imminent.

"Breathe, Ari, just breathe." Years of solitude, and I talked to myself as well as my long gone wife.

"Sure, blame it on the solitude, Ari."

I really wished she'd shut up.

From above, a strong grip circled my wrist. Saved! I didn't pause to think. I twisted my hand to grab that muscled arm... At the same moment as a strong yank pulled me up, nearly ripping my arm from the socket. I might add, I noted the claws on those fingers.

Damn it all! Wolfmen. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. Guess they preferred their meat alive and kicking rather than splattered all over the rocks.

He yanked me over the edge and face down in the muddy trail. Would I have been better off falling? At least the cliff wouldn't rape me and eat my alive. A little luck and I'd have been unconscious before it hurt too much. Uh huh, wishful thinking, Ari.

He let go and I scrambled for the brush. A clawed foot dug into my back, pressing me down and tearing into skin and flesh. I screamed like a bimbo in a slasher movie, surprised I still had the breath, but a kick knocked the scream right out of me. I gasped, got a knee under me and heaved, twisting as I did. Unbalanced him enough he stumbled off, leaving a trail of gouges behind.

Big mistake. The rest pounced on me like starving dogs on road kill. Claws bit into tender flesh as a fight broke out over possession of my bleeding soon-to-be corpse. Instinct kept me fighting, blocking blows and curling to protect vulnerable soft spots. Fangs raked across my throat, but the owner of those fangs was tossed aside before they could close around my windpipe.

Snarling, a trio of beasts ringed me, fighting off the others. Most backed off, heads down, shoulders slumped in submission. One of the trio, a buff blond, pulled me out of the way and shoved me down, keeping a vice-like grip on my shoulder.

Blood flew, with snarls and mud churned from the ground as the other two fought off four attackers. Clawed toes bit into to the mud for traction right in front of me. The two defenders looked like the fight wasn't going their way, being outnumbered two to one. The one holding me leaped in to save his buddy from getting his throat torn out.

One of the attackers darted around, reaching for me. They move inhumanly fast, but he must have expected me to run or it wouldn't have worked. I came up inside his reach, twisted, and used his momentum to toss his very heavy ass to the ground, followed by a kick that sent him sliding through the mud to knock others down. They pounced on him.

I dove for the brush but didn't make it. The yank on my hip twisted me into a tree, slamming my head against a low branch. Stunned, I crumpled to the ground, easy prey for the winners. Claws pricked at the skin on my neck as a hand closed over the back of it and shoved me hard into the ground.

I gasped out a breath, more sob than anything. I didn't have the strength to keep fighting. I was done.

Claws sliced through the bloody tatters of my last shirt. I closed my eyes, tried to focus on happy memories, determined to spend my last moments at peace. Prayed my kids were safe somewhere.

But instead of claws or teeth digging into me, soft dabs wiped mud from the furrows in my back. I sucked in a breath at the sudden pain. A hand gently stroked uninjured skin. I shivered, more than a bit freaked out by the contact. It'd been years since anyone had touched me at all, much less so sensually.

Hell, my wife barely even touched me like that during sex. Touched me like I was precious.

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4 Stars, A Night Owl Reviews Book Reviews

Ari was left on the island when the wolfman virus hit. He didn't change from the virus but the others did. All alone now, he carries on conversations with his wife (the one who dumped him on the island) in his mind. He's managed to avoid the wolfmen until now. Trapped and taken, Ari finds himself strangely attracted to one of the 'beasts'. Zack makes his interest known in a very physical way. As Ari fights to find a place in the pack, he must also fight the voice in his head if he is to face his own aching need.

Ms. Black is back with a new story set in the world in which a virus turned most men into monsters. I must admit that the wolfman series is one of my favorites. Paradise brings back the same mix of sex, humor and angst found in the first books. I like the setting and the plot has a lot of potential for future stories. Ari is an off-beat character and his smart mouth is an endearing quality. It's also interesting to follow him as he 'finds' himself. Zack is incredible and his pack members are fascinating. They are a powerful combination of innocence and instinct. Although I'm still partial to Daniel and Mace from the first series; this one has all makings of another great ride. I can't wait for the next.

Reviewd by: Emma

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