Kayden/Simon
Bayou Heat Novellas
By Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright
1001 Dark Nights
Kayden/Simon
Bayou Heat Novellas
By Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright
1001 Dark Nights
Copyright 2016 Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright
ISBN: 978-1-942299-28-8
Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose
Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.
Book Description
Rage/Killian
Bayou Heat Novellas
By Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright
ENEMY TO LOVER
Kayden is obsessed with revenge after his parents disappeared when he was just a cub. Now the gorgeous Hunter has discovered the man responsible for betraying them - Joshua Ford - and it’s time for payback. Beginning with the kidnapping of Joshua’s daughter, Bianca. But last thing he expects is to be confronted with the horrifying realization that Bianca is his mate. Will he put revenge before his chance for eternal happiness?
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Sexy male model, Simon refuses to give up his exciting life in New York City to return to the slow heat of the Wildlands. For a decade, many Pantera have tried to capture the rogue Diplomat and bring him home, but all have failed. Now it’s Tryst’s turn. The hard, brilliant, and gorgeous, Hunter is the ultimate tracker. But can the admitted beast-girl of the Wildlands capture her prey without losing her heart in the process?
About Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright
Alexandra Ivy is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Guardians of Eternity, as well as the Sentinels, Dragons of Eternity and ARES series. After majoring in theatre she decided she prefers to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She lives in Missouri with her family. Visit her website at alexandraivy.com.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Laura Wright is passionate about romantic fiction. Though she has spent most of her life immersed in acting, singing and competitive ballroom dancing, when she found the world of writing and books and endless cups of coffee she knew she was home. Laura is the author of the bestselling Mark of the Vampire series and the USA Today bestselling series, Bayou Heat, which she co-authors with Alexandra Ivy.
Laura lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two young children and three loveable dogs.
Also From Alexandra Ivy
Click to purchase
GUARDIANS OF ETERNITY
When Darkness Ends
Darkness Eternal
Hunt the Darkness
Embrace the Darkness
When Darkness Comes
MASTERS OF SEDUCTION
Volume One
Masters Of Seduction Two
Reckless: House Of Furia
ARES SERIES
Kill Without Mercy
BAYOU HEAT SERIES
Bayou Heat Collection One
Bayou Heat Collection Two
Angel/Hiss
Michel/Striker
Ice & Reaux
BRANDED PACK
Stolen and Forgiven
Abandoned and Unseen
DRAGONS OF ETERNITY
Burned by Darkness
Scorched by Darkness
SENTINELS
On The Hunt
Also From Laura Wright
Click to purchase
MARK OF THE VAMPIRE
Eternal Hunger
Eternal Kiss
Eternal Blood (Especial)
Eternal Captive
Eternal Beast
Eternal Beauty (Especial)
Eternal Demon
Eternal Sin
BAYOU HEAT SERIES
Raphael & Parish
Bayon & Jean-Baptiste
Talon & Xavier
Sebastian & Aristide
Lian & Roch
Hakan & Severin
Angel & Hiss
Michel & Striker
Rage & Killian
Ice & Reaux
WICKED INK CHRONICLES (New Adult Series- 17+)
First Ink
Shattered Ink
Rebel Ink
CAVANAUGH BROTHERS
Branded
Broken
Brash
Bonded
MASTERS OF SEDUCTION
Volume One
Masters Of Seduction Two
INCUBUS TALES
SPURS, STRIPES and SNOW Series
Sinful in Spurs
Acknowledgments From The Authors
From Alexandra:
For the men in my life. David, Chance and Alex
From Laura:
Love and thanks to the wonderful and very brilliant duo of Liz Berry and MJ Rose. So proud to be a part of this kickass world!
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One
Click here to explore
FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black
CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham
CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart
SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom
DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake
AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione
NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones
SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair
ROPED IN by Lorelei James
TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
THE FLAME by Christopher Rice
CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner
Also from 1001 Dark Nights
TAME ME by J. Kenner
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two
Click here to explore
WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan
WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham
EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby
MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair
CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner
ADORED by Lexi Blake
HADES by Larissa Ione
RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton
DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout
STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James
RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright
DRAGON KING by Donna Grant
PURE WICKED by Shayla Black
HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye
STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham
KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice
DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster
TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti
THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart
Also from 1001 Dark Nights
THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice
SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair
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1001 Dark Nights story
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Table of Contents
Book Description
About Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright
Also by Alexandra Ivy
Also by La
ura Wright
Acknowledgments from Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two
Foreword
Legend of the Pantera
Kayden
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Simon
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Three
Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights
An excerpt from Kill Without Mercy by Alexandra Ivy
Discover more Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright
Special Thanks
One Thousand and One Dark Nights
Once upon a time, in the future…
I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.
I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and
the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast
library at my father’s home and collected thousands
of volumes of fantastic tales.
I learned all about ancient races and bygone
times. About myths and legends and dreams of all
people through the millennium. And the more I read
the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered
that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually
become part of them.
I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher
and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I
would not be telling you this tale now.
But I was foolhardy and confused¸ showing off
with bravery.
One afternoon, curious about the myth of the
Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to
see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar
(Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then
sent yesterday’s wife to be beheaded. It was written
and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,
the vizier’s daughter, he’d killed one thousand
women.
Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived
in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged
places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had
never occurred before and that still to this day, I
cannot explain.
Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have
taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can
protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to
protect herself and stay alive.
Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.
And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a
point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.
And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that
he might hear the rest of my dark tale.
As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new
one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before
you now.
Legend Of The Pantera
To most people the Pantera, a mystical race of puma-shifters who live in the depths of the Louisiana swamps, have become little more than a legend.
It was rumored that in the ancient past, twin sisters, born of magic, had created a sacred land and claimed it as their own. From that land was born creatures who were neither human or animal, but a mixture of the two.
They became faster and stronger than normal humans. Their senses were hyper acute. And when surrounded by the magic of the Wildlands in the bayous of Southern Louisiana, they were capable of shifting into pumas.
As the years passed, however, the sightings of the Pantera became so rare that the rumors faded to myths.
Most believed the entire species had become extinct.
Then months ago, they’d been forced to come out of the shadows when it was uncovered that a secret sect of humans have been experimenting with Pantera blood and DNA.
It’s a battle for the future of the puma-shifters.
One they dare not lose.
No matter what the cost.
Kayden
Chapter One
Deep in the bayous of Louisiana
Success.
Grim satisfaction surged through Kayden Segal as he rose to his feet with a speed that knocked his chair backward.
A handful of fellow Geeks glared in his direction before returning their attention to their computers that were stationed side by side on a long table in a cramped, dark room.
Since the official headquarters of the Pantera had been destroyed by a suicide bomber, the computer specialists had been forced to use temporary lodgings that were hastily built in the center of the Wildlands. The overcrowded space had only served to further fray the nerves of the puma shifters that had already been scraped raw by the recent attack. None of them had been prepared for the brash intrusion by Christopher Benson’s soldiers. Or for the plot to destroy the computer files that the Pantera had managed to steal from Benson Enterprises.
Thankfully most of the Geeks were all too preoccupied with restoring the files from the remote servers to pay attention to Kayden as he pocketed his phone and headed out of the narrow, wooden cabin.
Although he’d been working as hard as the rest of his people to discover what Christopher Benson had been so anxious to destroy, he’d had a secondary mission.
After all, as devastated as they’d been by the various skirmishes over the past months, the Pantera had managed to inflict their own share of damage on their enemies. Which meant that their security had been compromised.
It was during his search through the files they’d managed to steal from a lab in New Orleans a few months ago that his life had been changed forever.
But it wasn’t until this moment that he finally had the last piece of the puzzle.
* * * *
Xavier, the leader of the Geeks, winced at the noise assaulting his sensitive ears.
The center of the Wildlands was usually bustling with activity. It was the heart of the pack. The area where the Pantera gathered to enjoy meals and watch the cubs play in the dappled sunlight.
Over the past few weeks, however, it’d been crowded with the temporary shelters used by the various factions—Diplomats, Geeks, and Hunters—while the main headquarters was being rebuilt.
Standing at the edge of the clearing, the two males studied the roof being nailed down on the large, colonial-styled structure. The new headquarters would look a lot like the old one, although it would be larger, with the latest technology built in.
Xavier had just received an update from the electrician who was preparing to install the solar panels. He was a tall male with mocha-toned skin and brilliant blue eyes. He had powerful shoulders, a broad chest, and sharp features that were emphasized by the buzzed cut of his dark hair.
Beside him was Raphael, the head of the Diplomats. He was equally tall, although his frame was lean rather than heavily muscled, and his blond hair was long enough to brush his shoulders. His eyes were jade, until his inner puma was aroused. Then they smoldered a pure gold.
The two alphas had been working closely together to not only repair the damage from the recent attack, but to reassure their people they were doing everything in their power to keep them safe.
Xavier was just filling in Raphael on the status of the electronic surveillance they were installing on the border of the Wildlands when he caught sight of the male Pantera strolling toward him with a grim de
termination.
Kayden.
The younger male was a fellow Geek with short dark hair that always looked messy to Xavier, but his mate told him was mussed in a sexy way. Just as she claimed that Kayden’s neatly trimmed goatee was sexy. Whatever. Women were the strangest creatures.
The male’s eyes were a dark gold that changed to cognac when he was in his cat form. His features were lean, and his skin a rich shade of bronze. At the moment he was wearing a cream knit sweater and charcoal gray pants. The early February weather was gray and chilled, with a persistent drizzle falling from the low clouds.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Kayden said, not sounding a bit sorry as he came to a halt directly in front of Xavier.
Xavier arched a brow. He could practically feel the tension radiating from the younger male.
“What’s going on, Kayden?”
“I need a few days off,” he said, the words clipped.
“A few days for what?” Xavier demanded.
Kayden’s lean face gave nothing away. “It’s personal.”
Xavier scowled. He knew that he could be unreasonable at times. Especially since the attack. But his nerves had been scraped raw.
“You do realize we’re in the middle of war?” he snapped.
“I’ve been doing my part,” Kayden reminded him, the air heating with his irritation even as his expression remained stoically calm. As if his inner emotions were so intense he had to keep them locked down tight. “I didn’t sleep for a week after the attack.”