A Glimpse into the Two-Natured

What if you could turn into not one animal but two? Do you really think it's possible to have two great beasts living inside of you? 

Well here is my answer to those intriguing questions.

Check out Awakening the Lion coming soon from Amira Press. 

Blurb:

Illiana and Belik set out on a journey to discover more about her ability that she gets from her father to shift into two different animals.

Ohanzee’s an outcast among his people because he can only shift into one animal instead of two. When he meets Illiana, he knows she’s the woman from his dreams and must have her.

Belik will do anything to make Illiana happy, but he’s worried what impact Ohanzee will have on her. Can she withstand another heartbreak? When crisis strikes Ohanzee, Illiana risks everything to save him. This calamity will either bring them together or break them apart for all time. 


 Excerpt:

Ohanzee found the spot where he normally worked. He leaned his back against the stone, gaining strength and peace of mind from the earth. From the outcropping he was hidden from view while he had a good view of the village. The treeline was to his left that led into denser foliage up the mountain. Once the earth had steadied him, he glanced up at the half moon hanging in the sky. The hawk yearned to be free, but he would not fly tonight. He closed his eyes and felt in his mind where his other animal should have been, but he was met with the dark barrier he always came upon. No matter how much he tried to go beyond the wall, he could never penetrate it. Frustrated, he opened his eyes and saw a black wolf emerging from the forest around the village. It did not see him, and he did not recognize it as anyone from the village. There were a handful of people in the community who could shift into a wolf. The largest he had seen in the village was Ranolo. The beast walked closer to him. All the while, the wolf was changing back to human form and finally became the woman he had led into the village. Ohanzee held his breath. Bathed in the moonlight she was the most amazing creature he had ever seen. Her copper skin glowed in the light. Her hair hung to her waist and covered her breasts. She was curvy and voluptuous. Ohanzee had never seen anything like her with full hips and thighs that made his mouth water. She seemed comfortable in her own skin, and he could barely take his eyes from her.

Illiana bent down to get her dress, when she stopped. He heard her take in a long inhale. “I know you’re there. I can smell you. Come out.”

Damn. Ohanzee stood slowly and walked out from behind the outcropping that had concealed him. Her dress was pressed against her body so it covered her nakedness. He wished she had not noticed him. He glanced at her once more and then back at the ground. “Sorry, Illiana. I didn’t realize that anyone else was out here. So you can shift into a wolf.”

She giggled. “Ohanzee, you can look at me. Growing up in the flock you get used to being naked around everyone. We’re always flying around from place to place. And, yes, my other form is a wolf. Does it bother you?”

He looked up and was dazzled by her eyes. Those same eyes he had seen in his dreams, all black irises with silver pupils in the center. He sucked in a quick breath and tried to find the words. He stared at her for a moment and saw she stared right back at him. “Sorry. No. It doesn’t bother me. There are those among our village who are also wolves. You surprised me because I didn’t know you were two-natured. You never mentioned it.”

“It didn’t seem to be important. All that mattered was getting Marta here so she would be safe. Now she is.”

Ohanzee thought about what she said, and he sensed Illiana was not telling the complete truth. “There’s more to it than that. The pendant you wear is one of ours. My sister thinks you procured it through trading. But . . . ”

Illiana slipped the necklace over her neck and also tied her dress, exposing her luscious body to him once more. He tried to glance away, but he could not take his eyes from her, for the desire he had for her was unfathomable. He had never wanted a woman more. “But you don’t think so. You’re right.” She trailed her fingers along the chain and settled over the pendant. “I came here searching for people like myself. Thanks to you, I found them. I’m grateful that you showed us to your village. I’m in your debt.” She took his face between her smooth hands and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Ohanzee could not help but press his lips into hers and return the kiss. Her scent intoxicated him, a mixture of the forest and the musk of the wolf. Illiana drew away quickly. Her eyes widened with surprise with the silver burning into his. “I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I thought . . . I’m sorry.”

He backed away and ran into the forest. As he ran, Ohanzee shed his clothes and left them where they fell so he could take to the skies on wings. The air caressed him, but the taste of her lips did not leave him, nor did how the warmth of her body felt or how it had fit against him. She would be a wonderful fit if she did not have a mate—but she did. When she discovered he was different, Illiana would be like the rest, and he could not fathom the rejection in her eyes. Instead, he flew relentlessly until he was far away from the village.

Ohanzee found the spot where he normally worked. He leaned his back against the stone, gaining strength and peace of mind from the earth. From the outcropping he was hidden from view while he had a good view of the village. The treeline was to his left that led into denser foliage up the mountain. Once the earth had steadied him, he glanced up at the half moon hanging in the sky. The hawk yearned to be free, but he would not fly tonight. He closed his eyes and felt in his mind where his other animal should have been, but he was met with the dark barrier he always came upon. No matter how much he tried to go beyond the wall, he could never penetrate it. Frustrated, he opened his eyes and saw a black wolf emerging from the forest around the village. It did not see him, and he did not recognize it as anyone from the village. There were a handful of people in the community who could shift into a wolf. The largest he had seen in the village was Ranolo. The beast walked closer to him. All the while, the wolf was changing back to human form and finally became the woman he had led into the village. Ohanzee held his breath. Bathed in the moonlight she was the most amazing creature he had ever seen. Her copper skin glowed in the light. Her hair hung to her waist and covered her breasts. She was curvy and voluptuous. Ohanzee had never seen anything like her with full hips and thighs that made his mouth water. She seemed comfortable in her own skin, and he could barely take his eyes from her.

Illiana bent down to get her dress, when she stopped. He heard her take in a long inhale. “I know you’re there. I can smell you. Come out.”

Damn. Ohanzee stood slowly and walked out from behind the outcropping that had concealed him. Her dress was pressed against her body so it covered her nakedness. He wished she had not noticed him. He glanced at her once more and then back at the ground. “Sorry, Illiana. I didn’t realize that anyone else was out here. So you can shift into a wolf.”

She giggled. “Ohanzee, you can look at me. Growing up in the flock you get used to being naked around everyone. We’re always flying around from place to place. And, yes, my other form is a wolf. Does it bother you?”

He looked up and was dazzled by her eyes. Those same eyes he had seen in his dreams, all black irises with silver pupils in the center. He sucked in a quick breath and tried to find the words. He stared at her for a moment and saw she stared right back at him. “Sorry. No. It doesn’t bother me. There are those among our village who are also wolves. You surprised me because I didn’t know you were two-natured. You never mentioned it.”

“It didn’t seem to be important. All that mattered was getting Marta here so she would be safe. Now she is.”

Ohanzee thought about what she said, and he sensed Illiana was not telling the complete truth. “There’s more to it than that. The pendant you wear is one of ours. My sister thinks you procured it through trading. But . . . ”

Illiana slipped the necklace over her neck and also tied her dress, exposing her luscious body to him once more. He tried to glance away, but he could not take his eyes from her, for the desire he had for her was unfathomable. He had never wanted a woman more. “But you don’t think so. You’re right.” She trailed her fingers along the chain and settled over the pendant. “I came here searching for people like myself. Thanks to you, I found them. I’m grateful that you showed us to your village. I’m in your debt.” She took his face between her smooth hands and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Ohanzee could not help but press his lips into hers and return the kiss. Her scent intoxicated him, a mixture of the forest and the musk of the wolf. Illiana drew away quickly. Her eyes widened with surprise with the silver burning into his. “I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I thought . . . I’m sorry.”

He backed away and ran into the forest. As he ran, Ohanzee shed his clothes and left them where they fell so he could take to the skies on wings. The air caressed him, but the taste of her lips did not leave him, nor did how the warmth of her body felt or how it had fit against him. She would be a wonderful fit if she did not have a mate—but she did. When she discovered he was different, Illiana would be like the rest, and he could not fathom the rejection in her eyes. Instead, he flew relentlessly until he was far away from the village.