Hide From Evil (46 page)

I hope you enjoy the love story of Alex and Glynis in THE SINNER.

www.margaretmallory.com

From the desk of Cara Elliott

Dear Reader,

Starting a new series is a little like going out on a first date. I mean, doesn’t every girl get a little nervous about meeting a guy who is a complete stranger? Well, I have a confession to make: Authors get the heebies-jeebies too. Hey, it’s not easy to waltz up to a hunky hero and simply bat your eyelashes and introduce yourself!

Okay, okay, I know what you’re thinking.
How hard can it be?
After all, unlike in real life, all I have to do is snap my fingers (or tap them along my keyboard) and presto, as if by magic, he’ll turn into a knight in shining armor, or a dashingly debonair prince, or… whatever my fantasies desire!

Strange as it may sound, it doesn’t always flow quite so smoothly. Some men have minds of their own. You know… the strong, silent, self-reliant type who would rather eat nails than admit to any vulnerability. Take Connor Linsley, the sinfully sexy rogue who plays the leading role in TOO WICKED TO WED, the first book in my new Lords of Midnight trilogy. Talk about an infuriating man! He snaps, he snarls, he broods. If he didn’t have such an intriguing spark in his quicksilver eyes, I might have been tempted to give up on him.

But no, patient person that I am, I persevered, knowing that beneath his show of steel was a softer, more sensitive core. I just had to draw it out. We had to have a number of heart-to-heart talks, but finally he let down his silky dark hair—er, in a manner of speaking—and allowed me to share some of his secrets. (And trust me, Connor has some
very
intriguing secrets!)

I’ll have you know that I am also generous, as well as patient, for instead of keeping my new best friend all to myself, I’ve decided to share this Paragon of Perfection. I hope you enjoy getting to know him! (Pssst, he has two very devil-may-care friends. But that’s another story. Or maybe two!)

Please visit my website at
www.caraelliott.com
to read sample chapters and learn more about this Lord of Midnight.

From the desk of Jami Alden

Dear Reader,

I first met Krista Slater in my first romantic suspense for Grand Central, 
Beg for Mercy
. All I knew about her then was that she was tough, no nonsense, dedicated to her work and committed to right, even if it meant admitting she’d made an enormous mistake in sending Sean Flynn to death row. But it was only after I’d spent about a month (and a hundred pages) with her in my latest book, HIDE FROM EVIL, that I learned she’s also an automobile expert who can hotwire a car in less than sixty seconds.

And I knew Sean Flynn was loyal and honorable, with a protective streak a mile wide. I also knew that when he was forced into close quarters with Krista, he’d fall and fall hard, despite the fact she’d nearly ruined his life when she prosecuted him for murder. However, I didn’t know he listened to Alice in Chains until he popped in his earbuds and clicked on his iPod.

After I finish every book, I’m amazed at the fact that I’ve written three hundred plus pages about people who exist only in my head. For about six months, I spend nearly every waking hour with them. Even when I’m not actually writing, they’re always around, circling the edges of my consciousness while I think up a sexy, scary story for them to inhabit.

When I first started writing, I read books that said I shouldn’t start writing until I knew absolutely everything about my hero and heroine. And I mean EVERYTHING—stuff like the name of their best friends from kindergarten and their least favorite food. So I would try to fill out these elaborate questionnaires, wracking my brain to come up a list of my heroine’s quirks.

I finally came to accept the fact that it takes me a while to get to know my characters. We need to spend some time together before I get a sense of what makes them tick. It’s like getting to know a new friend: You start with the small talk. Then you hang out, have conversations that go beyond the surface. You start to notice the little details that make them unique, and they reveal things from their pasts that have molded them into the people you’re coming to know.

That’s when things get interesting.

It was definitely interesting getting to know Sean and Krista in HIDE FROM EVIL. Especially finding out why, despite their rocky past, they were absolutely meant for each other. I hope you have as much fun with them as I did.

Enjoy!

www.jamialden.com

PRAISE FOR
BEG FOR MERCY

“4½ stars! Top Pick! Alden’s emotionally gripping
Beg for Mercy
makes readers beg for mercy, too…this is a high-caliber romantic suspense—exactly what the genre should be!”

—
RT Book Reviews

“An exhilarating investigative thriller…never slowed down…Filled with action, but character driven by the heroine, sub-genre fans will appreciate this taut suspense…and look forward to Slater’s follow-up case.”

—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com

“The chemistry between Megan and Cole was absolutely mouth-watering. You could
feel
the sizzle when they were in the same room…I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.”

—TheRomanceaholic.com

“The sexy, heated love scenes leave the reader eagerly awaiting more, as they were well placed and a great catalyst for the ultimate showdown. I am waiting most impatiently for the next book in this series.”

—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com

“Five stars! Flawless! This novel was nothing like anything I have read to date…The twists are crazy good! Not only that but the sexual tension and encounters were phenomenal!…[Cole Williams] is sex personified!…What a rush!”

—ShamelessRomanceReviews.blogspot.com

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10