Book Excerpt

Dante headed out of the vendor’s area, toward the escalator. He’d barely reached it when he smelled the pantheress again. He turned sharply to the left expecting to see her.

She wasn’t there.

Still, he was hard for her. Ready. The animal inside was growling for a taste of her body.

He headed up the escalator to escape the scent.

It seemed to grow stronger.

His head low, he scanned the crowd intently, but there was none of his people there.

Closing his eyes, he sniffed the air. Her fragrance was subtle now. And it was…

He whirled around.

There was no woman there, only Romeo and he wreaked of the pantheress. Dante couldn’t stop himself from sniffing Romeo who immediately shoved him away.

“Man, you skeeve me when you do that. And don’t do it in public. Someone might get the wrong idea about us.”

He ignored his brother’s reprimanding tone. “Where is she?” Dante demanded.

“Out of reach.”

Her scent washed over him, even stronger than before. His body was raw. Needful. Every part of him craved her.

And it wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Where?” he growled.

Romeo shook his head.

But then he didn’t have to tell him. Every hormone in his body sensed her. Against his will, Dante took off at a run as he cut through the crowd toward the elevator.

Without thought, he flashed himself from the lobby to the sixteenth floor.

The scent was even stronger here.

More desirable.

More intense.

Dante stalked his way down the hall until he found her door. He couldn’t breathe as her scent filled his entire being. Leaning his head against the wood, he closed his eyes and fought the sudden urge to kick the door in.

That would probably scare her and it wouldn’t do to have an audience for what he intended to do with her.

He knocked on the door with a clenched fist and waited until a small, petite brunette opened it. She had large, lavender eyes and long hair that curled around an oval face.

His breathing ragged, he stared at her, wanting her with every piece of him.

But for all his sexual hunger, he knew that it was now her move…

Pandora couldn’t breathe as she saw the tall, sexy panther in her doorway. He embodied everything that was primal and male. His hands were braced on each side of the frame as he stared at her with an intensity so raw, it shook her. Masculine power and lethal grace bled from every pore of his magnificent body.

He had long black hair pulled back into a queue. His eyes were a clear blue that appeared almost colorless against his tanned skin and long midnight lashes. His face was elegantly carved and yet held a rugged quality that kept him from being pretty.

He was dressed in black jeans and a black poet’s shirt. There was something timeless and old about him. Something that reached out to her and set her entire body on fire.

Without her invitation, he stepped into the room and bent his head so that he could rub his face against her hair.

Pandora gasped as that simple action sent chills all over her. His breath scorched her extra-sensitive skin that wanted only to be touched by him.

“Gataki,” he breathed the Greek word for kitten as he took a deep breath in her hair.

The human half of her wanted to shove him away from her. The animal part refused. It wanted only to cuddle with him. To rip his clothes off and know once and for all what it would be like to have sex with a male.

The door to her room slammed shut of its own volition.

Pandora circled around him, rubbing her body against his as she fought the urge to cry out in pleasure.

“Do you accept me?” he asked rhetorically. It was technically the woman’s choice who she took for a lover, but when a female was this sexually aware of the male, there was really no way out.

All Pandora could do was nod. Her body would never allow her to deny him. He was too virile. Too consuming.

Too much of what she needed.

Book Synopsis

Setting: Atlanta, GA/DragonCon

Sherri’s contribution: Winter Born

Dante is in Atlanta at the biggest SF fan convention in the world to scope out bands for his club. What he never expects to find is a Were-Hunter pantherswan on the run from her enemies.

All Pandora wants is to be left alone, but when she comes face to face with Dante, she learns that even feral panthers can have a heart…

Sherri’s contribution to this anthology is the story Winterborn which features Dante. The title is taken from one of her favorite songs by the band the Cruxshadows who plays at DragonCon every year. Their lead singer Rogue is even mentioned in the story.

The Story Behind the Story

The backdrop of the story is DragonCon which is Sherri's favorite con. She's been attending it, off and on, since the late 1980's and couldn't think of a better place for the story. Not to mention, it's Ash's favorite con, too. Nowadays Sherri has a booth there so that she can meet her fans, and swap stories.

She grew up in the back room of Titan Comics on Riverdale Road which is the year round address for Comic-Con, and she's long time friends with many of the volunteers and staff.

In 2010 Sherri was the Literary Guest of Honor at DragonCon and couldn't have been more thrilled.

Book Benies

The title Winterborn is taken from one of Sherri's favorite songs by the band Cruxshadows, who plays at DragonCon every year. Their lead singer Rogue is even mentioned in the story.