OMG!!! CAPTIVE TEMPTATION HAS A HOME WITH RED ROSE PUBLISHING!!!!

That's right Book one of my Captive series Now has a home with Red Rose Publishing. While I am very prould of this book I am extremely excited to have another book out and about. It's like sending the kiddies off the college or something. So in all the excitement I'm going to share this wonderful book with your.


Captive Temptation

Gage Tallon stood above the rest when it comes to apprehending fugitives of Law Enforcement. Because of his troubled past and a failed military career, being a bounty hunter is the perfect position. No boundaries yet still so disciplined. Yet, those skills are put to the test when Naeva, his long time friend and former lover, is framed for the murder. Not only is there danger lurking in every nook and cranny of Prixa, but after years of being apart, feelings he though were long dead began to resurface, leaving him quaking with a need so strong it can’t be denied. The moment he looked into her eyes he knew he was lost and helping her clear her name seemed to be the only way to finding himself.

Dr. Naeva Orien lived a life of solitude and seclusion while working as a hematologist for one of the largest medical research companies in the sector. The daughter of a renowned doctor and heiress to a very profitable medical facility, she throws herself in to her work making bionics and improving blood healing qualities in humanoids. Yet her world is turned upside down when her lab is attacked she learns she is framed for not only the death of her colleagues but her father as well. Fearing the worst for her own fate she runs only to fall into the arms of the one man she would never expect, Gage Tallon.

Together, the two dodge bullets and a vicious enemy who threats to tear them apart. With the company of some powerful friends and gracious allies, it’s an all out fight to clear Naeva’s name and stay alive . . . or die trying.



Sexy exerpt


From the look in his glowing green eyes, she could tell he was angry. No, past that. The man was pissed, and with all that muscle, he could do to her whatever he wanted.

“Come here,” he said in a low growl. Didn’t this man say anything normal?
Swallowing the lump in her throat she took a tentative step forward. Then another, until she was directly in front of him. He towered over her, looking ever so intimidating. She wasn’t about shrink away like a little mouse, no matter how scared she felt. Instead of shrinking back (like she felt), she squared her shoulders and met his gaze. She wasn’t about to let some 6 foot 4 hunter intimidate her, no matter who he was.

This wasn’t the same boy she left on Hudani or the man she’d saved a year ago. This man looked crueler, the face of a mercenary, with a heart of silver, unbiased. Gabriel was gone, replaced with a harder, meaner looking Gage who always had a ‘my way, no highway option’ attitude, and to her horror she felt compelled to be with him every time.

Old feelings began to surface the moment she saw him. The ice chipped off her heart enough to let him in always, her mind thinking back to the time she’d given herself to him, teenagers in love. The heartache that followed the next day when she had to leave him behind. There was no doubt she had hurt him. She never truly got over leaving him on Hudani. The pain of it all still fresh in her heart. How could she tell him how much she really missed him? That she still loved him in some way? That she was grateful that it was him that found her of all the hunters registered in Law Enforcement? Trusting him would be a good start.

“Computer, engage magnetic lock antigrav.”
Naeva shrieked as her hands jerked into the air connecting with the invisible force of the magnetic lock. She looked at him, eyes widened with shock, her feet dangling several inches from the floor.

“What the hell are you doing?!” She jumped as she felt the warm touch of his rough hands against the silk around her waist. She shivered despite her shock and anger.

“Searching for weapons.” The low whisper of his voice in her ear threatened to damage her calm.

He circled her, his hand never leaving her waist. She felt his warm breath fan the gentle hairs on her neck causing another shiver to escape. He growled as his gentle touch scaled down her arms to her shoulders.

“You’re shivering. Scared I’m going to do something to you?”

Nothing I don’t want done to me already. “N-no.” Her voice still held a tremble. “Why?”

“You’re heart his racing.”

The warmth of his gentle hands on her fevered flesh stole her breath. He smoothed the fabric underneath her out stretched arms to the front just below her breasts. She remained still but a brutal battle waged within her. If he would only move his hand a little higher...by the Goddess! Just touch me. Her breast adamantly screamed.

She whimpered in surrender when he finally cupped them. He paused, seemingly fighting a dilemma within himself as well. Strong fingers tested their fullness, molding almost caressing her taunt nipples. The torment nearly sent her over the edge.

His hands lingered there gently molding her breast before slipping over the expanse of her stomach. Liquid heat pooled between her thighs at his slow and endless torture. She had to fight everything not to allow her head to drop back or even whimper. His hands felt so good on her body…so right.

Great Goddess, he still had the touch. The touch felt as if his energy passed into her, strengthening and weakening her at the same time, pitting deep inside her womb with a throbbing ache that couldn’t be denied. And the whole time she craved more of it. More of him.

Naeva bit her lip, fighting back the strong urge to moan. “Find any weapons yet?” She grounded out.

“No,” his voice a low sensual purr. His hand coming back to her breast to pinch her nipple. A delicious shiver rippled through her. “If I find any, it would make this an interesting search.”
Goddess, wouldn’t it? The fire within her burned hotter.

“Spread you legs.” The fight in her gone, and the antigrav at her disposal, she spread her easily. His hands gently moved to her inner thigh to help the spread. Behind the thin layer of her thong, her clit ached to be touch, caressed.

Her blood boiled threatened to burst from her very veins. She felt him bend down as he continued his sweet torture down her legs to her sandaled feet. Then he made his way back up molding her ass possessively. His hot breath fanned her neck again. She heard the loud roar of blood rushing through her ears. She shivered so badly by the time he finished she shook in mid air. Had her knees been together, they would’ve knocked.

Then it was over. He moved away from her taking the warmth of his body with him.

GO RRP!!!!!

OHH WOW!!!!

Red Rose Publishing is featured on the Essence Magazine Website with big hitters such as the wonderful, talented Ms. LA Banks, the phenomenal Actor/Writer Michael Boatman (OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!)!! Congrats Wendi and her high-flying, over-the-top super team of editors, designers, and administrators. They have come a long way from their start two years ago with just a few books to now measuring over the scale topping sales!!! I am proud to be part of such a wonderful company!!

Check out the Essence website for more details.

http://community.essence.com/events/red-rose-publishing

Warrior's Heart Exerpt

Hey Peeps!!


I’ve been working a little bit trying to get Warrior’s Heart off the ground. Trust me I haven’t forgot about it. Just to give you a little treat, because you have been so patient and understanding, here is a little tidbit on the beginning of the book. I totally rethought Nah’Dara. Of course she’s going to be head strong (and what woman you know is going to sit by and be cooped up in a castle all day and not be able to have any fun).
I had some pondering to do and thought that if I wanted her Uncle to just ship her off on some other person without any regard for her say-so, especially if the story is set in the future, I didn’t want her uncle to be a good guy. This took a huge amount of thought since this is my first baby and I’m giving her a face lift. Mind you it’s a cold draft so please be gentle with me. I just pulled this out of the top of my head. Tell me what you think??

Love ya

Leah V.

Mini exerpt from Warrior’s Heart.

Nah'Dara stared coolly ahead trying not to look her uncle in the eye. The cold green eyes seemed to pierce though her as he took his seat behind the desk. She could almost feel the faint shiver from Kianan as she stood next to her. She almost felt sorry for her. Her father wasn't the easiest disciplinarian...well to her, he wasn't at all. Yet instead of shrieking and yelling as if he'd lost his mind, he just sat there, the ice in his eyes froze her in her place.
He watched the playback from the vid of what happened. After he finished, he leaned back in his chair pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fighting? Fighting?" Duh, got that. Move to the next section. "After I forbade you from leaving the planet. Let alone the castle.” His cultured voice rumbled with repressed anger. “I'm having a hard time understanding this."

"Uncle Trent, let me explain--"

"I don't want to hear you pitiful explanation. Do you know that the person you hit was the son of a really powerful King in that sector. You could have started a war."

Kianan stepped forward. "Father, it wasn't her fault. She was just protecting me."

"I told you I don't want to hear any explanations. Not even yours. I'll deal with you later." Kianan stepped back, her head dropped slightly. "I put too much time in this position to see it fouled up by a woman who doesn't make good choices. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Nah’Dara just stood there, trying not to let her already boiling anger seep out of her ears. The night had already been a total bust. All she just wanted to go to my room, enjoy the sonic shower, and forget it ever happened.

“I’m waiting on an explanation.”

“Oh, so now you want me to give you one?” She folded her arms across her chest. “I thought you didn’t want to hear it.”

“Don’t test me, child.”

“Don’t make it so easy,” Nah'Dara murmured shrugging my shoulders.

Uncle Trent sat up sharply in his chair. His eyes blazed like fire. “I don’t have time for this foolishness, Nah’Dara and not enough for me to clean up your messes.” He looked to Kianan shaking his head. “Your actions have corrupted Kianan as well.”

Kianan stepped forward giving her chin a defiant rise. “She didn’t corrupt me, father. I asked to go.”

I could practically hear the water boiling around his brain. “Silence, Kianan. This has nothing to do with you.” Kianan scoffed as if offended but didn’t refuse. Trent pushed a button on his desk activating the comm. “I need someone to escort Kianan to her room.” The guard was there within seconds. “I don’t want her to step one foot outside her door unless it is to go to the dining hall. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.” The guard took her shoulder guiding her out of the room. When the door shut behind them, she turned her gaze back to Uncle Trent.

“Now we’re prisoners?”

“If that’s what it takes then…” He shrugged not finishing the sentence. He didn’t have to finish. She knew what a slime he was and what he was capable of. “And you know I’m all for what works.” Gone was the anger in his face cooled by the icy chill in his green eyes.

He walked over to her. Before she could brace herself, Trent slapped me across the face. The sting of the impact stung her jaw.

“Nah’Dara, do you have any idea on what this has cost us?” He gripped my shoulders harshly giving them a firm shake. “The Sultan of Kahan doesn’t want anything to do with you now. This little transmission got out to him and now he has pulled back all ties from us. Do you understand how much money that’s cost us? How vulnerable we are?”

Nah’Dara yanked out of his grasp. An angry chuckle rose from her lips as she raked her tongue across the slightly blooded area on her lip. She stilled herself as best as she could trying my best not to come unglued.

“And I care that you didn’t receive any money for my marriage because…”

The anger in his eyes glinted as he smiled. “You should care because every bit of money that comes in to this house, comes in for the betterment of keeping you on the social latter and available.”

“More like money in your pocket. I think it’s the only reason why you’ve stayed.”

The anger returned to his eyes quickly. “I don’t give a damn why you’ve think I’ve stayed. The only thing you have to be worried about its fixing this matter with the Altarian government before we get into a bigger mess than we’re already in.”

“The war with the Altarians isn’t my fault. I didn’t borrow money from them and never returned it. That was you.”

“That’s besides the point.” I held my remark resulted to arching a brow and folding my arms.

“The point is that we have to fix the relationship between us. The Altarians are powerful allies and it would be best to have them in our corner.”
She knew what he was referring to. He was going try and force her into another unwanted marriage. And that is something she had no intention of ever going through again. “I don’t think so.”

As Nah'Dara turned towards the door. He called to her.

“You have no choice. I decide who marries you. Whether you are willing or not.”

“I do have a choice.”

“Says who? No one would dare go against me in this. I am the only legal guardian you have since your brother disappeared months after your father’s death.”

Her temper surged to live again barely restrained by a then thread. “You leave Erion out of this.”

Damn, she hated when he brought up her brother. The one topic that could set her over the edge. As bad as she wanted to slap the cool smile off his face she didn't move. “Why Nah’Dara. Hit a nerve did I? You have no one. No friends. No family accept me. It’s bet you accept what life I’m trying to give you and go on.”

Who could have respect for someone who treats her like she is some possession to be sold off at the highest credit? Certainly not me, and I won’t have it.

“Do what you want, Uncle Dear. You always do anyway.” She glared at him challenging the steal in his eyes. “Just remember that if I’m not willing, then the whole thing wouldn’t last long anyway.”

Nah'Dara didn't wait for him to excuse her to leave. She couldn’t stand to be in the same room with him any longer. She felt the ants of her unsettled nerves crawling up her arm. Besides that, the quicker she walked out the door, the better she wouldn’t hurl a crystal vase at his head. There was no way in hell she was going to go through another arranged marriage especially to some old fool that has no business marrying a young woman.

Twitting like a Pro

I’m supposed to be blogging but Twitter is so freaking addicting. It’s like the updates in Yahoo Messenger and MySpace that I used on a constant basis. I actually like it. The best thing is that I like receiving the messages on my cell phone (I’m not THAT crazy. Of course I have unlimited messaging, I only play crazy on TV!). I really like Twitter, though I’ve only been using it for about an hour now. It’s really interesting. There are 2nd grade Kids using it and people using it in church!!!(No joke! It was on the news!!). I’m not going as far as to using it in church for the simple fact that I sit next to my mom and she likes to swat me if I even think about pulling out my cell. LOL. If you wanna have a look or to even try it out, you can take a look at my page www.twitter/ladyofgrac25 (Again, It’s really cool).

Blabbing about exercise

Time for a change.


No, this is not because we have a new prez in office, or nothing like that. This has been a year of change from the get go for me starting back when I separated from my husband a year ago. After being off work for the past 6 months, I have noticed my waist spreading ESPECIALLY since my husband started back cooking. LOLOL he’s a really great cook. But what the doctor said last week really hit home. I needed to lose weight. When I weighed I was 244 the biggest I’ve ever been in my life even after kids. Now I’ve always been healthy (that’s a nice way to put that I’m fat) and have NEVER worried about my weight because of my high metabolism. Well, that was cut short since I stopped working at a high speed job where I was constantly on my feet. I know for myself I have gained 40 lbs and 20 of that over the last 6 months.
To make a long story short, it’s time I did something about it. The idea to lose the pounds does come from the way I look in the mirror (cuz, I’m still a beautiful thick sista with a lot mo’ to luv), but this is coming from a long family history of medical problems that really does have scared. There’s heart disease, diabetes type 2, cancer, lung disease, mental illness, high blood pressure. Basically what every you can think of that contributes to low activity. It really hits close to home when within the last few years I lost my dad to congestive heart failure and my mother developed type 2 diabetes. The whole thing scares me beyond belief, but I’m willing to get off my tuckus and do something about it.

MAKE AN EDUCATED EFFORT TO EXERCISE!!!!!

I’m not going to drive myself crazy on a diet that I know I’m not going to keep up or pills that are only going to make gaining the weight back fast much more easy. Counting calories on the back of boxes is about the only extent of my abilities at this moment. I made a plan to exercise. I found a really good website out there and researched as well as past exercises that have worked for me and I’m going to try them out to see if they work. I will keep you all posted. I have a goal time to at least loose 20lbs by June 5th just in time for my high school reunion. (You notice I said nothing about getting back down to my size 14 jeans as I was in high school HAAA!!!) I’m going to be realistic about the whole thing. I don’t want to do it, but with my aching knees and back screaming at me to be more active, it leaves me no choice.

Today, I’m not just typing and running my mouth. I actually got outside my house and walked for 30 minutes. I live in the country so I carried a big stick that should’ve been attached to a sledge hammer (the better to beat the hell out of big dogs with). Slow at first, then brisk, the cool off as I was told before. But by the end, because of my in activity, that old back of my started screaming bloody murder. I’m just grateful it wasn’t my knee. Music helps take my mind off the pain, too, thanks to my daughter’s MP3 player. (I gotta get me one of these!!!) And walking helped to clear my cluttered brain as well. Maybe I’ll finish working on one of the many stories swimming around in my head. LOL!!!

(LONG WINDED I KNOW, lol) Ya’ll just pray for me. It’s going to be a long ride.