Mark of the Beast
Book 1 of theAnimal Urges series
Blurb:
City girl Abby Clumm wouldn't normally travel to remote cabins in Alaska alone. But with the expectation that her friend will be arriving shortly, she makes the journey to their rented cabin solo. Unfortunately, things don’t go as she plans--no real surprise there, when do they?--and her first night she finds herself alone in the boonies, a shotgun she doesn’t know how to use and a failing wooden door the only things standing between her and some kind of very hungry animal outside. She’s now caught in a battle for survival.
Research scientist Tarik Evert has no idea what’s wrong. He’s suddenly driven by a need so urgent it’s painful. The scent of a woman nearby beckons him, sends him staggering outside into the cold. And then somehow he’s at her door, not sure what just happened...or what is about to happen if she lets him inside.
He only knows one thing--the hunger that brought him to her in the first place.
Excerpt:
The pain. Unbearable. Excruciating. His muscles burned. His bones felt like they’d been shattered and glued back together. He was dizzy and confused. Still, one thing drove him. The excruciating hunger for the woman cowering before him. He didn’t want to take her, he needed to take her. The compulsion threatened to take him over, completely. Just as it had earlier when he’d been lying in his bed at home and had caught a whiff of her scent.
That had been the first time he’d felt like this, the first time he’d changed into whatever beast he was now. It had surprised and confused him, both times.
Trying frantically to hold on to his humanity, which seemed to be fading quickly, he looked down. Thick white fur covered his arms and hands. His fingernails had lengthened into long black claws. What was happening to him? This was impossible.
He looked at his woman. Her eyes. She was terrified. He could smell her fear. The scent was bitter, like burned coffee. It called to the beast, to the predator he had become. He wanted to chase her. He wanted to take her.
* * * * *
Abby knew it was futile, that nobody would hear her, but she screamed again. Mid-shriek, though, she realized that her reaction to the animal seemed to be making things a whole lot worse. The louder she screamed, the fiercer the animal’s stance, the more it bared its teeth and the louder it growled.
Somehow, she shut up, smacking her hand over her mouth to make sure she didn’t scream again. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her hand, which was still firmly holding back another shriek by some miracle, shook so bad she struggled to keep it in place. But with her silence, the animal’s terrifying growling stopped.
In serious need of oxygen, she choked on a sob of relief and released her mouth to drag in a much-needed deep breath. Her eyes never left the huge animal standing on its hind legs in front of her. It sniffed the air, kind of shuffled back and forth.
It looked…confused.
To think a man lingered inside there somewhere. A man who seemed so normal and levelheaded. Right now did the human being—or more specifically the conscience only humans possessed—rule the animal or did raw, untamed instinct? How could she know? She believed she would be safe if it was the former.
And dead if it was the latter.
Her reactions mattered somehow. Why, she had no clue. Hadn’t she read that animals could sense a person’s fear? Was that it? Keeping her eyes on the animal, she consciously tried to slow her breathing, calm her nerves. It was close to impossible with an animal that big and potentially dangerous standing a few feet from her, but she knew she had no choice. More than any other time, she was grateful for the yoga she’d practiced for years. It seemed to be helping both of them. As she calmed, the bear tipped its head, regarding her like a puppy. Yes, it seemed to be true. Somehow the bear sensed her terror.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, willing her heart rate to slow. The fear to leave her.
Inside the animal lay hidden the heart and soul of a man. A man she didn’t know, granted, but a man she’d sensed was not a cold-blooded killer. She rejected the fear. It would do her no good. A tentative peace took its place. Blinking open her eyes, she checked to see what the bear was doing.
It was on all fours now, its head lowered, its gaze traveling over her. Had she discovered the key to taming the beast? Could it be so simple? “It’s okay, Tarik. It’s okay,” she murmured in the most soothing voice she could muster.
* * * * *
His mind fought a battle with the blind instinct trying to take over. Caught in the middle of an inner war, Tarik backed away from the woman. His body, this strange new body, wanted to claim her. But what little remained of the man he had once been wouldn’t allow it. He sat back on his rump, raised his head and sniffed the air again. The bitter scent of her fear had faded.
Then she did what he hadn’t expected. Her gaze focused on his face, she slowly stood, lifted her hand and stepped forward, whispering comforting words as she walked. Like magic, her gentle touch released him from the beast’s grip. His roar of agony as the change reshaped his muscles and bones turned to a fading scream.
The room fell silent.
She visibly swallowed. Her eyes were wide as saucers. “Y-you changed. You’re back.”
He wanted to comfort her, to tell her it was okay. He wanted to protect her too. What would have happened if he’d lost the battle with the beast? What would he have done to her? “I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
“I’ll tell you what’s happening. You turned into a polar bear. Holy effing shit.”
“That’s impossible. People can’t change into animals. I know that for a fact. I study genetics for a living. There isn’t a genetic disorder known that causes animals to change into other species. It just doesn’t happen.”
She raised trembling hands to her mouth. “I’d say it’s impossible too, except I saw it with my own two eyes.”
“This makes no sense.”
“I don’t understand it either. But it seemed that when I stopped being afraid, you changed back.”
“Yeah.” He thought back to the impulses and sensations that had coursed through him when he had been a bear. “I could smell your fear. It made me want to chase you…it was like an instinct. A compulsion. I could barely stop myself.”
“But you did.” Trembling, she wrapped her arms around herself.
He scooped up the quilt and, circling her, wrapped it around her shaking form. He caught the scent of her hair as he walked. His cock stiffened.
Dammit, his libido was in overdrive tonight, even more than normal. Because he had to, because being even a few inches away from her physically hurt, he moved closer, until his chest brushed against her back and her bottom rubbed his legs. He inhaled deeply, pulling the sweet aroma of her skin and hair into his nostrils. The need to take her swelled to painful intensity.
His brain told him he should leave before anything else happened. His body refused to budge. He’d been so close to taking her. She’d been willing.
Would she be willing again? Did he have the right to even try? He had to. God help him, he couldn’t stop himself.
“You’re so beautiful and you smell so good.” He gathered her long hair into his hands and raised it to his nose. Lavender. He gently laid the tresses over one shoulder and nuzzled the sweet spot where her neck met her collarbone.
She stood stone still. Her trembling had stopped. Whether it was because of the warm quilt or something else he had no clue. Even though he was a man again, and not a bear, clear thought eluded him. Bizarre, burning impulses charged through his body. So urgent.
He wanted her. More than he’d ever wanted a woman before. This woman. Now.
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WHAT THE REVIEWERS ARE SAYING:
"I highly recommend this book to any one looking for love, intrigue, suspense and erotic sexual chemistry. Mark of the Beast is the first book in the Animal Urges series. This book is a keeper on my shelf!"
Euro Reviews
"Action and adventure are staples in this book and the readers will find themselves in the middle of an amazing adventure. Love scenes are steamy with burning sensuality that readers won’t be able to resist. Tawny Taylor has done a marvelous job of penning a tale of excitement and passion that readers won’t soon forget."
Romance Junkies
"Mark of the Beast by Tawny Taylor is just one superbly awesome ride into the world of science fiction and shape-shifting. This one gives me chills, thrills and lots of bouncy energy with all its action, romance and sun-flare hot love scenes. Abby is a lovable softy out of her element and begging for help. Tarik is one very hunky, very brainy outdoorsman with all the right elements to make a woman drool. The villain is dastardly, heartless and perfectly hate-able. Ms. Taylor weaves these three amongst the other minor players of this tale in such a manner as to suck the reader completely into her world and in such a manner to create a story worthy of reading over and over just to enjoy her pure genius in creating a unique plot. This is one of the most exciting and suspenseful shifter stories I have ever had the pleasure to read. Ms. Taylor just exploded onto my 'gotta have it' list of authors with this little masterpiece."
Keely Skillman, ECataRomance Reviews
Just when I’m sure all mixtures of shifters have been designed a new one comes along and leaves me astonished. Tawny Taylor has come up with a winner that has a possibility of becoming a fascinating series full of suspense, chicanery and animalistic passion. Turning a beast that rarely leads towards visions filled with lust into a creature of longing is brilliant. Ms. Taylor really reached outside of the box and created a remarkable tale...I hope this is only the beginning of a concept that has so many possibilities it would be almost criminal not to explore them further.
5 Angels!
Rachelle, Fallen Angel Reviews
Action and adventure are staples in this book and the readers will find themselves in the middle of an amazing adventure. Love scenes are steamy with burning sensuality that readers won’t be able to resist. Tawny Taylor has done a marvelous job of penning a tale of excitement and passion that readers won’t soon forget.
Angel, Romance Junkies
The first in what looks to be a promising series by Tawny Taylor, MARK OF THE BEAST starts off with a bang.
I highly recommend this book to any one looking for love, intrigue, suspense and erotic sexual chemistry. Mark of the Beast is the first book in the Animal Urges series. This book is a keeper on my shelf!
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
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