My book unexpectedly took the December spot in the Monster Brides series for this year, coming out a year ahead of its original release date, but it was a great way to get my behind into gear to get this story out!

I’m super excited to reveal this BEAUTIFUL cover done by Cangxxx Graphics Book Designs. I’m in love! Here’s what you can expect to find in Venom Kissed:

*Language barrier
*Forced proximity
*Marriage of convenience
*Stranded together
*Soul bond (because I just adorrreee this trope)

Blurb

Monsters are captured for one reason only—to be experimented on and forced to serve in the king’s army.

Betrayed by the people she loved the most, Kikka Takasi has known nothing but pain and misery throughout the long ten years of her captivity. A strong will and pure determination have been the only things keeping her from losing herself entirely, even if she lost something as precious as her voice during one of their experiments. Convinced she would die in captivity, she’s stunned when a group of Umazi warriors breaks her free and absconds her to safety.

In his quest to rescue and protect monsters, Warren Steelsworn has vowed to keep himself from falling for one of them again after the tragedy of what happened the first time. But everything changes when he meets Kikka, a winged-snake shifter who shares a special spark with him. However, she doesn’t speak, and it only makes him want to learn more about her. Despite his vows, he can’t help the feelings of attraction and desire growing between them.

But peace is short-lived when the king wants her back, and he will stop at nothing to reclaim her. Can Warren honor his vow to himself and let her go? Or will he shatter bonds and risk everything for the woman his heart has wanted all along?

Excerpt

With one hand, she flinched as she expected an oncoming attack, and with her other hand, she managed to draw her dagger from her belt and held it with a shaky hand between her and the threat, terrified breaths heaving from her lungs.

But it wasn’t a threat standing over her with a shocked expression.

It was Warren.

Kikka dropped the dagger, and it fell to the ground with a clatter of metal. She hid her face inside her hands to hide her mortification at her instinctual reaction to a man’s unexpected touch.

“Forgive me,” Warren rasped, his voice closer as if he now knelt in front of her. “I wasn’t thinking… It won’t happen again. I swear it.”

She shook her head, taking deep, calming breaths as she dropped her hands from her face.

It’s not your fault, she wanted to say but didn’t know how. You just startled me.

Instead of saying the words she truly wanted to say when her voice wouldn’t work, she lifted her hand and touched his cheek while shaking her head. Hear me, she begged, even though I am silent. See me, even though I’m a mystery to you. Touch me…

Her thoughts trailed off, not daring to finish the sentence even in her mind. The beast within her desperately wanted a mate. To kiss and hold and warm themselves with someone else’s heat. The need was instinctual, and she was unable to fight against it.

But…

Why would he choose her as a mate when she was maimed? When he clearly had someone else still weighing on his heart when the reminder of her dangled from his neck in the form of a yellow feather?

A shaky breath escaped her lips when she realized he’d moved closer, leaning into her, hovering above her. He captured her heart and soul with a single intense stare from his blue eyes burning with emotion. Though, she wasn’t sure what emotion it was.

One of his hands braced against the ground while the other flirted with the hair brushing against her side.

Kissss, her beast rattled.

She wasn’t sure if she moved closer or if he did when she felt his delightful heat emanating from his body and soaking into her like sunlight on a frosty morning.

“I will never hurt you,” he promised in a husky tone as he grabbed her dagger from the ground and placed it into her hand, giving her fingers a squeeze. “You can trust me. Always.”

I know.

Again, her beast rattled with desire as Warren’s scent made her heady with longing, as his warm presence wrapped her up in safety, as his hooded gaze dropped to her lips.