Wonderful World if Book: Spellbound Hearts Book Tour & Giveaway!

Title: Taken By The Huntsman

Series: Spellbound Hearts #1

Author: Mistral Dawn

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Adult Fantasy

Discarded and ignored by those around her for most of her life, Cassie is a lonely human woman struggling to find her place in the world and meaning in her life. Cadeyrn is the Erlking, the leader of the Wild Hunt, a hundreds of thousands of years old Fae who has always known his purpose.

He has spent his entire long existence tracking the criminals of Fairie and punishing them for their crimes.

While hunting for the murderer of a child who has escaped to Earth, Cadeyrn comes across Cassie and realizes that she is the one that the great mother goddess has designated as his soul mate. He kidnaps her and takes her to his fortress in Fairie to protect her from his many enemies.

He knows she will be angry and that he'll have to work to earn her trust, but he finds his task to be even more challenging than he had thought it would be due to Cassie's difficulty in opening her heart.

Will Cadeyrn be able to convince Cassie that the bond between them is real and earn her love?

As she began to move away from him and prepared to sprint into the underbrush she found herself lifted off of her feet and into the air. She squealed as he swung her around and over the log. He was careful to lay her down gently but he came down on top of her, pinning her. -

Cassie moaned as she felt her lover’s weight on top of her. She writhed beneath him and felt as his cock rubbed between the cheeks of her ass. -

Cadeyrn ran his hand over the curve of her thigh, between their two bodies, and up between her legs. He found her pussy sopping wet and when he ran his fingers through the moisture she gasped and squirmed. “Oh god, Cadeyrn, don’t make me wait just fuck me Now!” -

He felt his breath catch in his throat at her words and he growled as he pushed her down over the log and used his thighs to spread her legs wide. She groaned as she felt him position himself at the entrance to her body and bucked to try to slide him in further. -

He growled again and slid his hand over the back of her head, gripping her hair and holding her firmly against the log. Slowly he slid himself inside her, drawing the movement out as much as he could. -

She tried to buck and squirm against him but he used his grip on her hair to hold her down. When he finally slid all of the way inside her she was panting and nearly sobbing with desire. He stayed there, not moving, for several moments until she screamed her frustration and nearly tore her hair out in an effort to move. -

“Move damn you, stop teasing me and fuck me!” Cadeyrn smiled fiercely and slowly began to withdraw. Cassie’s scream of frustration echoed through the woods. -

Finally he began thrusting into her steadily and she began to moan her satisfaction until he could tell she was about to cum and he stilled inside her. -

As his Anamchara screamed and cursed him Cadeyrn grabbed ahold of the very last of his control and said “Say please.” “Please!! Damn you, please fuck me noooowwww!” Her demand trailed off into a scream of pleasure as he began pounding himself inside of her. -

Bound By The Summer Prince

(Spellbound Hearts #2)

The Summer Court is in an uproar. The king has just been executed for unpardonable crimes, and the queen is prostrate with grief over his loss. This leaves the Summer kingdom bereft of true leadership; a problem which is compounded by the fact that the laws of Fairie require balance to be maintained by having a male and a female ruler for both Season Courts at all times.

Uaine, the Summer prince, is the only one who can put things right, but he is without a mate. Knowing that he must take a bride quickly, for the sake of his people, even though he is struggling with his own feelings of pain and anger over his father's treachery, he goes for a walk in a forest near the palace to try to clear his head and determine how best to choose a female to rule beside him.

While walking Uaine discovers a human female running loose in Fairie, which is against the most basic tenets of Fae law. Furious at one more problem he must deal with, he takes her prisoner and locks her in the dungeon; only to discover later that she is his soul-mate. The magical bond between them means they are meant to be together forever, but humans can't feel the magic of Fairie. Will Uaine be able to win her heart and convince her that she can trust him to keep her safe from all the dangers of Fairie...including himself?

Roni is a human con woman and petty thief. Having run afoul of the local crime syndicate in the city where she is staying, she finds herself running for her life. Trouble is no stranger to her, but when she falls through a hole in a wall and finds herself in a world with carnivorous trees and rocks that eat people she realizes she may have found more of it than she can deal with. Rescued/arrested by the prince of the Summer Court, it doesn't take long for her to formulate a plan to use him to get herself home.

Unfortunately for her, she soon finds that her heart, which she had thought long ago turned to stone, has begun to feel the love she has been playing at. Will she be able to overcome a lifetime of caution and allow herself to follow her heart? Can a criminal love a cop?

Please be aware that this book contains explicit sexual scenes, depictions of BDSM, and anal play. If these things disturb you, then this may not be the book for you.

Roni wasn't quite sure how she had made it through the night. It had been so dark she couldn't see her hand in front of her face, and continuing to travel had been impossible. Yet, sleep had been equally impossible. Every sound, every gust of wind, made her jump and long to start running again. -

She hadn't forgotten all of the dangers she had seen, and the darkness only made them multiply in her mind. As the endless hours trickled by, she sat, cold and frightened, clutching her key chain and wishing she were safely back in her prince’s arms. -

To top her misery off, it had started to rain sometime during the night, and now her clothing was soaked through. Given the humidity in the forest, she didn't believe there was much chance that her clothes would dry anytime soon. She had opened her canteen, trying to catch some of the falling water; but judging by the weight, not much had made its way inside. -

When morning found her, she was wet, exhausted, strung-out, hungry, and thirsty; but she was alive and in one piece. Looking around, she saw that while her movement might have been restricted by the darkness, the same wasn't true for all of the denizens of the forest. Approximately five feet from her, in all directions, a web had been woven and several spider-like creatures sat on it looking at her. -

She looked back at them and tried to decide what to do. There were four of the creatures that she could see, and the smallest was about the size of a Chihuahua. The largest was about the size of a beagle, and they all had formidable looking fangs. Varying in color from greenish-gray to greenish-yellow, their red striped abdomens pulsed rhythmically. -

The eyes they trained on her were multifaceted, and a fathomless black; each one had at least nine eyes on its head. Their legs, of which each had ten, had wicked-looking, serrated, double hooks on the ends. The hooks had a joint between them, which allowed the creatures to use them to grasp objects. All-in-all, they looked like big trouble to Roni, but she noted that, while they had trapped her, none of them came anywhere near her. -

It seemed as though her cold iron key chain had protected her while the night had held her hostage, she wondered if it would free her now. Taking the cord she wore it on from around her neck, she held the key chain in her hand. She looked appraisingly at the trap, and tried to determine the best place to break through. -

The web had been woven between the tree trunks, and there was one place where the weave of it stretched wider than anyplace else. One of the spider-creatures sat on that section, but it was not the largest of the creatures, and she thought she might be able to get by it. The question was: could she get past the web? -

She picked up a rock off of the ground, and after making sure it wasn't inclined to come alive, she threw it at a different area of the web. It stuck to the web but didn't tear it. Apparently the web material was quite strong. -

Picking up another rock, this time she threw it at the creature sitting on the web. It was the largest of the creatures, and the rock bounced off of it. The creature responded to the blow by hissing at her, and excreting several drops of liquid from its fangs in her direction; but the venom fell far short of her position. From the lack of apparent damage to the creature, Roni surmised she wouldn't be able to stone them to death. -

She held up her key chain and took one step in the direction of the creature she had thrown the stone at; the effect was immediate. The creature again hissed, but this time it scuttled away from her and hid behind the web. Roni backed up to the center of the ring and considered her situation. -

Clearly the web was sticky, and she didn't want her key chain to get stuck in it; but she had seen how cold iron burned the Fae, and she wondered if it might have that effect on the web. Since the creatures seemed inclined to run from her key chain, she thought she might be able to test her theory safely. -

Before she did, it seemed like a good idea to take the opportunity to eat and drink something. The spider-creatures had refrained from coming close to her all night, so there was no reason to expect they would change that now as long as she had her key chain, and their web kept everything else away from her. -

Pulling her bag around, Roni ate one of the sandwiches the cooks had given her; looking at the rest of the food, she knew it wouldn't last long. She drank half the remaining contents of her canteen, and hoped she would chance across a stream soon. Having completed her hasty meal, she closed her bag and shifted it onto her back. -

Taking the key chain in her hand, Roni approached the section of the web she had decided looked the thinnest. The creature hissed and spit at her, but retreated before the iron. As she came close to the web, the creature fled to another section, leaving her target abandoned. -

Getting a firm grip on the key chain, Roni touched it to the web, and was thrilled when the sticky substance began to smoke and run. Slowly but surely, she was able to burn a tear in it; at last the section fell to the ground, creating an opening. Careful not to step on the fallen web, Roni hurried between the trees. -

Once she was through, Roni turned and looked back at the trap. The creatures had swarmed to the center, and seemed to be searching for their lost prey. She didn't want to find out what they would do when they accepted that she had slipped their noose, so she hurried away. -

Bound By The Summer Prince On Amazon

Intrigue In The Summer Court

(Spellbound Hearts #2.5)

Jillian knows something bad is going to happen! She has been a loyal adviser to the throne and friend of the queen, Briallen, for thousands of years, and now Roni and Uaine's wedding and coronation are to take place in just a couple days. The Summer Court will have a new king and queen, who, it is hoped, can repair the damage and heal the schism the late king created.

But Jillian can't shake the feeling that trouble is brewing. Many of the Summer nobles aren't happy about the changes that are taking place in the Summer Court, and many of the other Fae just aren't too sure about having a human on the throne...even if she has been blessed by the goddess.

When Angelica, the leader of the Pixies, comes to her with news of a plot to murder the prince and princess, Jillian's suspicions are confirmed. Will the two of them be able to unravel this conspiracy in time to save the royal couple? Or will prejudice prevail, and the hope for peace in Fairie be lost forever?

*This is a novella and is number 2.5 in the series. Taken By The Huntsman is the first book in the series, and Bound By The Summer Prince Is the second book in the series

**This story contains adult material, BDSM play, and explicit sexual scenes. If that is not your thing, this may not be the story for you.

~ Chapter One ~

Jillian had a bad feeling. Her eyes searched through the crowd assembled in the throne room of the Summer Court; her gaze flitting from one Fae to the next, searching for some clue as to the source of the threat. For days she had stood quietly behind the queen, as Briallen welcomed the dignitaries who had traveled from all over Fairie to witness the wedding and coronation of Roni and Uaine. It wasn't every day that new rulers assumed control of one of the Season Courts. -

Once the young people were properly crowned, they would ascend to the throne of the Summer Court, and Briallen would step down. Never had Briallen looked more regal than she did now, as she fought through her grief to formally represent the Summer Court for the last time. Jillian's heart broke for her queen, even as her trepidation built. -

What truly maddened Jillian was that she couldn't identify the source of her unease. Ever since her encounter with the goddess, her instincts seemed to have been heightened. At times, it seemed as though she could tell what would happen before it came to pass. She was still learning how to use this new ability, but she knew that ignoring a gift from the goddess was never wise. Right now, every instinct in her was screaming that something was wrong. -

Taking a deep breath, Jillian reached into the bag that hung over her shoulder to pet the rabbit who sat patiently inside. The feel of Patches' soft fur under her hand calmed her, as it always did. Her sweet bunny friend, sensing her disquiet, nuzzled her fingers in an attempt to reassure her. Unfortunately, in spite of Patches' best efforts, Jillian's feeling of foreboding persisted without abatement. -

She continued to seek a hint as to what direction the peril might strike from by observing the crowd. Jillian noted that the Erlking and his Anamchara, Cassie, had finally arrived. The presence of Fairie's Huntsman gave her some comfort; a Fae would have to be bold indeed, and foolhardy, to instigate trouble in the presence of the goddess's own enforcer. Still, Jillian couldn't escape the feeling that something bad was going to happen. -

Her attention was caught as Ankou, the king of the Winter Court, approached Briallen and nodded to the queen. Jillian marveled at how strong the king looked, in spite of all of his loss. A lesser Fae would have long since decided to allow themselves to fade, but Ankou appeared as solid and powerful as ever. The thought of his long eons of existence gave even Jillian, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, pause. As she observed the large male moving through the throng of Fae around the throne, her heart ached for the mantle of sorrow that surrounded him. -

Shaking herself from her reverie about the Winter king, Jillian tried to focus on the niggling feeling at the back of her mind, and identify just what was causing it. With so many gathered to celebrate Roni and Uaine's union, a premonition of danger couldn't be dismissed. She shook her head, it was no good, any Fae with enough status to be invited to such an important event would have long since learned to control their reactions. Perhaps if she withdrew and sought some quiet for meditation, then clarity would follow. -

Just as Jillian turned away to find the desired solitude, she was approached by Angelica, the head of the largest of the Pixie villages, and so by default, the representative of the Pixies. "Greetings Jillian, you look pensive," said the tiny Fae as she hovered in front of Jillian's face on wings beating as fast as a humming bird's. -

"Angelica, welcome," Jillian nodded to the winged female, "I hope the Pixies are pleased with the new trade agreements." -

Angelica gave her a predatory smile. "Oh, they'll do for now. But what could be causing you to look so serious on such a happy occasion?" -

"Do I look serious?" Hedged Jillian. She made a mental note to control her face better, now was not the time to show weakness to outsiders. -

"Oh, I think you know you do," the Pixie gave her a sharp look, "and I think I know why, as well." -

Jillian just raised an eyebrow and looked at Angelica. The delicate Fae's tiny face betrayed nothing. -

"Do you think it is only the high-Court Fae who are capable of smelling trouble in the air?" Angelica gave the Sidhe a bitter look. "We lesser Fae have noses as sharp as yours, my lady," she added, the honorific thrown in ironically. -

Jillian's second eyebrow joined the first, just below her hair line. "I never suggested that you don't, and the only one calling you 'lesser', Angelica, is you. If you have knowledge of danger brewing, then by all means, speak up." -

"Ah yes, how could I have forgotten? It is a new day with a new regime," she cut a contemptuous glance towards Uaine and Roni standing near the queen, "about to rise. The past is now over, and we are all one Court once again. Not all of us forget centuries of injustice so easily, Jillian." -

Grimacing, Jillian acknowledged the truth, "Ithel's behavior was inexcusable, but he is dead, and his vision for the Summer Court died with him. The goddess made her judgment known, and the wise will do their best to abide by it. The past may not be forgotten, but we cannot change what was done. All we can do is make the future better." -

Sighing, Angelica crossed her arms over her chest. She looked down, and then back up and cocked her head to the side. "Perhaps. We shall see. Your prince and his mate will be under close scrutiny, I hope you know that." -

"Our prince and our princess are well aware that they have much work to do to heal the Court of past hurts. Is that the trouble you spoke of?" -

Flipping her lilac hair over her shoulder, the Pixie gave Jillian a sly look. "No," she floated over to settle on Jillian's shoulder, "I have reason to believe that the prince and the princess may not live long enough to be king and queen," she whispered into Jillian's ear. -

Jillian gave Angelica a sharp look out of the corner of her eye. "Why would you believe such a thing?" -

"There have been whisperings. You must know that Deirdra's family is not pleased with her fate." -

"That is hardly a revelation," said Jillian, thinking of how the Elf female had been killed by the spell she tried to use to kill Roni. -

"No, of course not, and you don't truly believe they will not retaliate, do you?" -

Jillian fought to conceal how startled she was by the thought. "The goddess herself has bestowed her protection on the princess, and her blessing on the royal wedding. Are Deirdra's relatives foolish enough to challenge the goddess?" -

Angelica snorted. "Not directly, of course, that would be suicide. But you know perfectly well there are always loop-holes in any magic. All they need do is find one." -

"Do you have specific knowledge of any such plots, or is this merely speculation?" -

The Pixie gave Jillian a smug look, as she lifted off of the Sidhe's shoulder to once again hover before the larger Fae's eyes. "Why don't we go somewhere more private to discuss the matter?" -

Jillian gave the Pixie a searching look and then nodded. "If you'll follow me...?" -

Captivated By The Winter King

(Spellbound Hearts #3)

Kate is a woman on the run. After years of being physically and emotionally abused by her fiance, she's finally had enough. But leaving might be even more dangerous than staying, so she needs to get as far away as she can as fast as possible. A late night, desperate drive through the pouring rain ends suddenly when a cat appears in the middle of the road. While trying to avoid the half-drowned creature, Kate loses control of her car and crashes through a portal to Fairie. -

Ankou is a fallen God of Death and the king of the Winter Court of Fairie, and he's facing pressure from every direction. The magic of the Court is out of balance due to the centuries-long lack of a queen. He is harried constantly by the Court nobles who want him to either step down or take a mate. All the duties of a ruling pair rest squarely on his shoulders. And added to all this is a soul-crushing loneliness.

His existence stretches back hundreds of millennia, and in all that time he has never found the one person who could warm his lonely heart. He is exhausted and discouraged, and the last thing he needs is to go tearing off into the night on a fool's errand. But one of his lingering god powers is the ability to sense the right course of action to follow, and his instincts are screaming at him to go to a particular place in the forest of the Winter kingdom and wait. Imagine his surprise when he finds the one he has been waiting for his whole life!

Using a careful blend of patience, seduction, and domination, the Winter king tries to win his soulmate's love. Feeling safe and valued for the first time in her memory, Kate explores her new freedom by agreeing to try the BDSM games her lover suggests. As she experiments with both domination and submission, she learns just how liberating surrender can be.

Will Ankou be able to convince Kate that she can trust him with her feelings as well as her body? Will Kate find a way to overcome the trauma of her past and open up her heart to accept the love that is offered to her? Can these two broken people find a way to fit all their disparate pieces together into a stronger, united whole? You'll have to read to find out!

**Trigger Warning: please note that this story contains depictions of domestic violence and other forms of familial abuse. If these types of situations cause you distress, this may not be the story for you.

**Please note that this story contains scenes of violence and explicit sexual scenes including BDSM. If this type of material offends you, this is probably not the story for you.

Kate opened her eyes, confused about where she was. Looking around, she saw the remnants of a fire glowing in the fireplace and a large expanse of well-muscled chest. Raising her eyes, she saw Ankou's face still relaxed in sleep and the memories of the night before came back to her. -

They had started her recitation of her history on opposite ends of the sofa, but when she told him about the first time Erik beat her she hadn't been able to control her tears. Ankou had moved closer to comfort her, and it had felt so good she hadn't moved away. Somehow, the horror of the past few years seemed more distant when she was in his arms. -

She didn't remember falling asleep, but it seemed they both had. Thinking about that, Kate realized she wasn't upset about it. It was nice to wake up next to someone and not be afraid. And she wasn't. It took her a moment's reflection, but she determined that she felt relaxed and content. The absence of fear in another person's presence was a heady sensation, and it made her feel bold. -

For a long time, she had craved a connection with another person. She had always wanted to be close to someone who would stand by her and love her for who she was. Such a relationship had eluded her for her entire life, but she still yearned for it with a desperation that often left her breathless. Her doubts lingered, but she hoped that Ankou might be that person for her. -

He claimed they were soulmates. Did a deeper understanding of another person exist? Maybe, finally, she had found someone she couldtrust. Ankou's full lips were just out of her reach, but by stretching just a little bit she could meet them with her own. Did she want to? Did she have the courage? Her desire for touch and affection burned within her, and she decided the answer to both questions was yes. -

Reaching up, she grazed his mouth with her lips and inhaled his scent. He smelled sweet and spicy at the same time. Feeling warm and relaxed, Ankou came awake to find his Anamchara's mouth hovering over his own. He waited to see what she would do, not wanting to rush her to do more than she was ready for. -

When her eyes met his, he saw the question in them and silently gave her consent to proceed if she wished; leaving the decision in her hands. The moment she made up her mind, her lips met his in a gentle caress and he groaned his approval. -

The teasing brushes of her mouth against his caused his body to react, and he was aware of every point of contact between them with painful acuity. The feel of her lying against him, her body melting into his, made him want to tear the clothes from her and explore every inch of her delectable form with his tongue. -

But he knew he couldn't do that. If anything had been made clear during Kate's description of her relationship with the odious human male who had tried to claim her, it was that this woman needed to know her needs would be considered and her limits respected. -

A precipitous coupling would not give her that reassurance. So he would be patient and proceed at her pace. The gentle butterfly kisses she gave him progressed to soft nips and firmer contact between their mouths. After some hesitation, she eased her tongue between his lips and he met it with his own. -

As their kissing deepened, she began to run her hands experimentally over his body. He mirrored her actions; careful only to follow where she led. In time, his patience was rewarded as she moaned in satisfaction and shifted so that the contact between their bodies increased. -

Changing the angle at which his thigh lay, he pressed it between her legs and was delighted when she rubbed herself against it. She slid her hands under his tunic, and he shivered as her slender fingers teased his nipples. -

Moving so as to be able to raise his shirt higher, she was thwarted when it caught under his body. Ankou moaned in ecstasy and shifted in an effort to make it easier for her to remove his clothing. -

Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who has lived on both coasts of the US, but somehow never in the middle. She currently resides in the Southeast US with her kitty cats (please spay or neuter! :-)).

She has written three full-length novels in the Spellbound Hearts series, Taken By The Huntsman, Bound By The Summer Prince, and Captivated By the Winter King.