Page 71 of The Tenth Muse

about whit lavonne

Whit is a romance and fantasy reader and writer living in Detroit and probably dreaming about the beach. She loves Marvel, dogs, and all things theater. Her favorite travel destination so far has been Cuba and her favorite job has been working attractions at Disney World. She teaches 6th grade students how to write the best theme sentences this world has ever seen and her most ordered take out meal is chicken tikka masala.

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also by whit lavonne

Mine to Claim

These aliens are looking for refuge… and mates. Would you deny them?

Lance

Living in Alaska has brought me closer to my roots, but also keeps me rooted in the same small town as my toxic ex-girlfriend.

A trip to Cancun, Mexico is starting to look like the perfect breath of fresh air. But when I meet a girl on the beach who says we’re mates, things start to get a little weird.

And that’s not all; she says she’s from outer space and was sent to Earth along with twenty-nine other aliens to await her planet's rebirth.

Talk about an unforgettable vacation.

Georgia

Being a beta in a lycan pack isn’t as glamorous as it looks. Especially when you’re the runt of a pack living on a planet experiencing the Great Mating Ceasement. It makes me unnecessary, insignificant, a throwaway.

But on Earth, I can be more than that. So when the opportunity arises, I say to hell with my pack and make a break for it.

I thought hours of pawing through forest floors were in my future; who knew I would actually find a mate, would actually beworthyof one.

Now all I have to do is keep him.

“Mine to Claim” is the first book of the Desperately Depraved series following a pod of refugee aliens searching for connection on Earth. It’s great for Kimberly Lemming and Ruby Dixon readers, as well as anyone looking for something short andspicy. This novella contains adult language and sex scenes. Please see the author's website for content warnings.

a wild, wild west

Heather Nix

author’s note

Content Considerations

A gothic tale of sapphic vampires in the American West, “A Wild, Wild West” explores love, hunger, identity, and reinvention on the edge of a changing nation.

Contains sensual and violent content, period-accurate prejudice, gender disguise, and richly historical atmosphere. For readers who like their history with bite.

one

. . .

November 20, 1870

Luciana

We arrivedseven weeks ago to the harsh grey shores of New York; factories and railways belched plumes of smoke into the wide sky, and men in their wool frock coats and bowler hats scurried about the streets like flea-ridden rodents. I longed for London, with its clean cobblestones and crisp silks, but Marguerite scolded me like a child, pinching my upper arm and hissing, “Settle your features Luci.” Yes, yes, my lip had curled, but when confronted with filthy cotton calico and wagon wheels kicking dust into my nostrils, how else should I have looked?

I did not want to come here. My love’s quest for broader horizons, her big brown eyes filled with pleading and promises, took me by the wrist and tugged me aboard a sprawling steamship. The stink of it curdled my stomach, as did the bitter tang of the repulsive men we fed upon during the journey. I am unaccustomed to slinking around corners and dimming the sky-blue shine of my eyes, but by the fourth night of travel my hunger required tending and my Maggie was sweet enough to facilitate my meal.

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