Rising from Ashes (The Maricopa County Shifters Book 3)

Book summary

Shifters Luke and Elisa's engagement plans are derailed when Elisa's not-so-dead husband reappears, forcing them to seek refuge with the Phoenix shifter community. With friends Ravi and Erica, they must navigate a tumultuous community to secure their future. "RISING FROM ASHES" is a gripping shapeshifter romance full of passion and peril.

Excerpt from Rising from Ashes (The Maricopa County Shifters Book 3)

“What are you typing, babe?” Luke’s chin comes to rest on my shoulder as he peers at my laptop screen. “Not grading today?”

“No,” I agree hesitantly, rolling my shoulders against the back of the dining chair I’ve pulled up to the table in his home’s tiny great room. This displaces Luke’s chin, and he wraps his arm around my waist. I lean my head back on his chest. “Um, I decided to try writing a book. I… um…” I stammer to a halt, glancing out the picture window across from the table at the Phoenix neighborhood in which Luke lives. Cacti, pebble lawns, and dry, twisted trees front the typical subdivision houses.

That’s great!” His warm breath skims the side of my neck. I shiver, my body tightening, and turn to face him. Warm brown eyes that plead like the golden retriever he sometimes is glow from behind the square lenses of his glasses. A full, tidy brown beard covers most of his face, but his lips show, and they’re lovely.

His silver-dappled brown hair has grown a bit too long and is trying to stick out. I smooth it down. “What kind of book? Didn’t you get on that committee to create an open-access textbook?”

“I did, but that’s for work. I do it on the clock. No, this is a romance novel that…” I blush. It sounds so stupid when I say it aloud. “Um, it’s a retelling of ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ but with vampires.”

“Hmmm,” he hums. No judgment, but…

“Dumb, right?”

Luke’s hand closes around my shoulder. “Of course it’s not,” he says, suddenly serious. “If that’s what’s in your heart, write it.”

My eyes burn at his unreserved support. I should be used to it by now. In the two years we’ve been a couple, he’s never shown the slightest inclination to put down anything I want or care about. Of course not. He’s a good partner and a genuinely good person. When someone like that loves you, they want you to do what makes you happy.

I smile, rising from the chair and turning to face him. Or, well, to look up into his face, as he’s nearly a foot taller than me. I reach up and lay the palm of my hand on his cheek, threading my fingers into his beard. The hair is soft. Softer than any facial hair has the right to be. His eyes meet mine with an expression of tender affection. I rise on tiptoe as he bends down to meet me. Our lips touch.

Warmth rolls through my body to my core, where it turns to tingling arousal.

His hands come to rest on my hips, pulling me forward against him. He’s soft. Huggable. A bit fitter than when we got together—hiking, cooking, and eating together has been good for both of us—but I never want him to become a hard-bodied workout guy. He’s plenty strong enough.

Another wave of warmth runs through my body. “Luke?”

“Yes?”

“I’m getting turned on. Are you doing anything that can’t tolerate an interruption?”

He backs up, mischief sparkling in his warm brown eyes. “Not a chance. Will you lose momentum if you take an hour away from your writing?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t even know what I’m trying to accomplish at this point. Maybe doing something relaxing will get me past this mental blockage.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” His hands fall away from my body and his fingers lace through mine, tugging gently to lead me to the bedroom.

Excitement flares in my belly. I’m still blown away that not only can I have sex whenever our moods align—which is often—but I enjoy it. Crave it.

“Um, Elisa?” Luke asks, and there’s a note in his voice that sends a thread of anxiety through me.

“What’s up, honey?”

“Um…” He pauses, pulling back his thin, blue comforter to reveal cream-colored sheets underneath. “Um, there’s something I’d like to try if you’re open to it.”

“What do you have in mind?”

He removes his glasses and lifts his black tee shirt over his head, revealing a furry chest and tummy with the perfect amount of squish. “There’s a kind of… advanced sexual technique that’s become a legend among us shifters.”

“Oh?” I shimmy my sundress over my head and reach behind me to unhook my bra.

Luke’s eyes lock onto my chest as I reveal my breasts to him. The front of his denim shorts is starting to look uncomfortably tight, and sure enough, he reaches for the button. “Um, yeah, so… the idea is that we… well, we get into it. And while I’m inside you, we… let ourselves lose cohesion so our bodies sort of merge in a more, um, literal sense.”

I pause. “Isn’t that dangerous? Ravi said shifters won’t shift while touching each other because the results can be unpredictable.”

“He’s right. I’m not sure about all the details, to be honest. I’ve never tried it before, but… Well, this is supposed to be one of the most intense experiences two people can share… and a sign that they’re soulmates. Because if it doesn’t work…”

“If it doesn’t work, what? Will someone be injured?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t think so. I think it just doesn’t happen.”

I sigh. Loving someone means putting up with their less-endearing habits, and Luke does have a couple. Most of all, the desire to make some big plan and then get all pouty when it’s not perfect. This feels like one of those times. “Hmmm. Sounds risky. Are you sure this isn’t something we should research a bit more before we dive in?”

He lifts an eyebrow. “Where or how would we even research something like this. It’s probably not the kind of thing textbooks are written about.” His shorts fall to the floor.

“I’m not sure, Luke. This sounds like it might mess with our lovemaking and put a bunch of pressure on us. It would be easy to assume the results means something about our relationship that probably isn’t warranted.” I tug my panties down my thighs. “Babe, I love you. We don’t need to play kinky shifter games to prove it. And I know you. You’re going to get way too caught up in something like this and forget…” I ease his underwear over his erection and let it drop… “that all that matters is us loving each other.”

I wrap my hand around his penis. Feel the pulsing thickness. Smear a drop of pre-ejaculate with my thumb. This idea really does turn him on. I sigh internally. There’s no way he’s going to be low-key about it. He wants all the shifter magic.

“Tell you what,” I suggest. “Let’s just see how things go. No pressure, okay? Can you do that?”

“I can try.” His voice has taken on quite a growl. No wonder. I’ve dropped to my knees in front of him. “Babe?”

“Shhhhh,” I hush him a moment before I suck his erection into my mouth.

“Arrrrgh,” he moans. “That’s so good, baby.” His fingers slide into my hair, though he applies no pressure. He would never do that. When I go down on him, he always takes it as a gift and lets me set the pace. Today is no different. My lips slide along the length of his shaft until his head touches the back of my throat. I caress the underside with teasing jabs of my tongue. I can feel the folds of my sex growing wet.

I slide my lips back until only his head remains in my mouth, and then release him to tease with flirty licks.

“Enough, babe,” he urges. “Get into bed. It’s your turn.”

I ignore him, sucking him deep again.

He eases his penis out. “Easy does it, sexy lady. Come on now.” He holds out a hand to me and I take it, smirking as I get to my feet. He gestures toward the bed.

I lie down, smelling the luscious cologne and man scent on the sheets.

He joins me, propping himself beside me on one elbow and with the other hand, stroking my torso. I reach for his face, bring him down to kiss me while he teases my breasts, gently tickles my belly, and finally makes his way between my legs.

I open wide, eager for what he has to offer. This man has talented fingers. I can’t wait to feel them.

He doesn’t delay, delving through the folds and shoving two thick digits into my vagina. “You’re so wet, baby. Is that for me?”

“It’s not for the mailman,” I tease. Then a moan escapes me as he works his fingers deeper. We kiss again as his thumb homes in on my clit, which he massages with gentle insistence.

Romantic feelings swell with my arousal. God, I love this guy. Love him beyond anything that makes sense. I bend my knees, changing the angle of his touch, and another moan tears itself from me. I’m getting close now. So close. THERE. My muscles lock, back arching, and toes clenching.

Luke knows just how to tease every last ounce of pleasure from me, keeping me immersed in a lovely orgasm.

At last, I fall limp.

He withdraws his fingers and moves around my body, opening my legs wider and kneeling between them. I meet his eyes. See the love glowing in them. Then he eases his erection between the lips of my sex and thrusts deep.

Aftershocks ripple through me. I whimper.

“You feel so good, Elisa,” he whispers in my ear. “So good.”

“I love you, Luke.”

He pulls back and shoves in again. Tingles radiate through every nerve of my body. I’m going to come again. “Take me hard, babe,” I urge. “I need it.”

Luke’s a big kid sometimes, and he likes to tease me. Apparently, he’s in high spirits today. “Like this?” Mischief twinkles in his eyes. He eases back and sloooooowly inches his way into my core.

“You’re evil,” I snarl at him, digging my fingers into his side.

“Hey!” he protests.

This is turning silly. Of course, there’s something to be said for being silly in bed. It’s fun. We’re having fun. No need to be so serious, right? I tickle him again and buck my hips.

He leans down and kisses me… and pokes me in the belly.

I swipe at him with my tongue and the kiss explodes into heat. Heat that radiates through my entire body. Luke finally settles into a serious rhythm, driving into my core. Giggles turn to moans as we begin to make love in earnest.

Now, this is what I crave. Luke is able to dominate my senses while never pushing my boundaries. He’s forceful yet tender. Loving and aggressively passionate. His hard thrusts set me on fire again.

I think back to Luke’s request. Should we try it? I haven’t known about shifter stuff for long, and there’s much I need to learn. Why not this?

Because if it goes badly, it could send Luke into a days-long sulk, rationality reminds me. Which is possible, to be fair. Though he doesn’t do that as often as he used to.

“Babe?” I ask.

“Hmmm?”

“We can try that thing if you want to, but please don’t get hung up on the results.”

His eyes light up. “Really?”

“Mmm hmmm.” Hope I don’t regret this. “How does it work?”

“Let yourself go formless. No need to call the dragon, just release cohesion.”

He continues his vigorous thrusting. It’s hard to think. Another orgasm is rising, though it’s not quite here yet. Taking a deep breath, I relax and then relax more, in the way only a shifter can. The bonds between my cells and systems slacken. I can feel my body melting into the bed… and Luke’s body melting into mine. No longer two people coming together, we’re merging into a single shapeless entity.