sneak peek!

I have such beautiful covers and this has quickly become one of my favorites. The cover artist is April Martinez and she did several of my covers. Justin James and Valerie Tibbs are the other cover artists that I've been blessed with! You can view all my covers at my bio page.

The Hunter Within is the second book in the series featuring French tiger Antoine Fortescue and super soldier Jack Hunter. The book will be available at Loose Id on Tuesday, October 25. The Hunter Within continues Jack and Antoine's love story. This book is a short novel, meatier and full of angst as Jack struggles with his sexuality. Their nemesis – Eidolon is back and causing more havoc, this time in  the U.S.  It's 1949 – a few months after The Tiger Within. You will find out more about Antoine's shape shifter world and why Eidolon wants him dead. Here's a sneak preview:

Unedited version of The Hunter Within, copyright Viki Lyn, 2011:

Lowering his gun, Jack kept his gaze on the beautiful creature. A sleek tiger wrapped in snowy white fur and chocolate stripes. Le Tigre stopped a few feet from where Jack knelt, icy blue eyes blinking. Then the body shimmered, and before Jack could stop him, Antoine transformed into his human form.

Naked, on all fours, licking his lips, Antoine grinned. A dazzling smile lit up that aristocratic face, a face belonging in the past.

“Darling, it’s been too long,” Antoine drawled, then sat cross-legged on the ground.

Jack averted his gaze from that too-tempting thatch of dark curls. He stood up and put away his gun, swallowing the lump in this throat.

“What are you doing here?”

Antoine’s mouth puckered into a sultry pout as he rose to his feet and brushed off pine needles from his body. “I’ve missed you.”

Jack rolled his eyes as he slipped off his coat. He walked over and draped it around Antoine’s shoulders. If he stared at that sleek, strong body for much longer, he’d do something rash, something totally foolish.

Returning to his surveillance, he could hear Antoine stir behind him. Then a moist, hot tongue licked the curve of his ear. Shivers raced along his arms and legs. He parted his mouth, yet his breath caught in his throat. A groan formed, but he held it back, afraid if it escaped, he’d be lost to Antoine’s charms.

“Antoine, stop.” Jack twisted and pushed away the roaming hands. He looked Antoine over and noticed how his coat hung like a sack on him. Had the shifter lost weight? He’d always been slim, but his cheekbones were more pronounced, and there was a hint of fatigue in his eyes. “Where did you leave your clothes?”

“Near the highway, safely tucked away in my suitcase. It’s lovely here.” Antoine inhaled deeply and swept back his tousled curls.

The man insisted on keeping his hair in the style of his youth. Unfortunately the eighteenth-century do screamed flaming poof. But the truth was, Jack loved the springing chocolate whorls, how soft they felt when he buried his fingers in their thickness, and the long hair, much as he hated to admit, looked devastatingly sexy on Antoine.

Now if he could just talk him out of his frilly shirts…

Wait — what did he care? He should end the absurd relationship between them. If he could just concentrate on his task and not be lured by the temptation Antoine presented…naked under the coat…willing…

“You haven’t answered my question.” Jack scowled to cover up the nervous excitement coursing through him. Already an uncomfortable swelling fought against the confines of his pants.

“I’m here to help you,” Antoine said.

Jack narrowed his eyes. “How did you find me?”

“Ricky. He’s a lovely young man. He misses you. He doesn’t like to go to the cinema alone. You really should send him that postcard you promised him.”

Jack turned on his heels, away from Antoine’s prying eyes and dripping sarcasm.

Antoine turned Jack around by the shoulder to face him and slid his hands around Jack’s waist in a viselike grip. It always surprised Jack how such a slim body held such strength. He had seen it — experienced it — firsthand. This silly fairy could wrestle him to the ground and completely overtake him if he so desired. And the way Antoine looked at him — passion leaping from those ice blue eyes.

God have mercy.

His cock stirred as he breathed in Antoine’s scent.

“I’ve longed for you, my khalid.”

Jack stiffened and pushed away from the warm embrace. He missed the companionship of holding a man who he cared for, but the comforting sensation was the problem. He refused to acknowledge Antoine’s belief that he was the shape-shifter’s khalid. They were not soul mates.

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