Fur For Christmas

December 2012 marks my sixth Changeling Christmas release.  And this year’s book, Wolf Run, was as enjoyable to write as Santa Six, my first holiday tale. Santa Six was a sci-fi Christmas story and the following year I wrote a werewolf tale, Canine Cop. Since then I’ve written Canine Call, Canine Christmas and Holiday Moon. Each book is about a werewolf/human relationship making each story a little bit furry.

This December is no exception. In my latest tale, Wolf Run, my werewolf hero, Cade is very attracted to Stella. Although Stella’s human, Cade really likes her scent. Stella knows what she wants for Christmas, fur.

If you like fur, I’ve posted a short excerpt from Wolf Run.

Merry Christmas

B.J.

Blurb

A winter storm has closed the highway to Ridgetop, but two werewolves refuse to disappoint the orphans at Iverson School on Christmas morning. Acting as Santa’s helpers, Cade and Oliver pack the presents on sleds and make a wolf run.

Iverson employees, Stella and Charlotte are waiting for the gifts to arrive, but are the sisters prepared for two hunky werewolves and the most memorable Christmas of their lives?

Excerpt

A tiny gasp escaped Stella's throat and her fingers gripped his shirt.

Cade wanted more. He ached to kiss her senseless, strip her naked and make love to her. Instead, he controlled his urges and released her. He had no idea if she'd ever been with a werewolf or how comfortable she was with his kind. The last thing he wanted to do was frightened her.

Stella opened her eyes and released his shirt. "I should open the wine," she said, her voice breathy. Then she spun on her heel and headed for the kitchen.

After he showered and changed into a clean shirt and jeans, Cade joined Stella in the living room. She'd turned off all the lights, except for those strung on the tree. Christmas music played softly and the earthy smell of pine competed with the sweet scent of woman.

Stella touched her glass of wine to his. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Stella."

As they sipped their wine Cade slipped his arm around Stella's shoulders. She leaned against him as if they'd cuddled before.

"You must miss being with your family."

"I'm surrounded by family daily. I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with tonight than you."

She turned toward him, pressing her breast against side.

"I've been thinking about you, a lot," Cade said.

"I was tempted to write my phone number on the thank-you note as a hint for you to call."

"I wish you had. I was planning to look you up but thought I'd wait until the holidays were over. I figured you'd be busy with family."

"My parents are on a cruise, so Charlotte and I decided to stay in town."

Cade set his wine on the end table and cupped her face. Her features were so delicate and her skin was so soft. He prayed he wasn't misreading the look in her eyes. "Stella."

He settled his mouth over hers, kissing her gently. When her lips parted beneath his, Cade deepened the kiss. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her tight, but Cade needed to gauge her response.

Their tongues touched and Cade molded his mouth to hers. He sensed the increase of her body heat and the subtle change of her scent indicating her arousal. Still, he moved with caution. Werewolves accepted their primal urges, but they were raised to respect their partners and not treat relationships with casual indifference.

Cade lifted his head, breaking the kiss. He took her wine glass and set it next to his. He drew her back into his arms. This time she'd have to make the move. "Stella."

She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.

Delicious and enthralling, the kiss changed from a gentle exploration into a heated meeting of lips and tongue. She gripped his shoulders, digging her nails into his muscles. Cade cupped her breast and felt the hard nub of her nipple through the soft material of her sweater. The heat of her arousal penetrated his nostrils.

His instincts told him she wanted him, but he had to be sure. It was Christmas Eve, and he was Stella's houseguest. Tonight wasn't about only sex and momentary lust. He wanted more than a one-night stand.

Cade cupped her face in his hands and broke the kiss. "I want you, Stella." He was so hard he hurt. "But I have to ask, how far you want this to go?"

"Because of what you are?"

"Yes."

Her green eyes sparkled. "Is sex different with werewolves?"

"When I'm in human form, the parts are the same as any man. And no I won't shift into a wolf when we make love." Cade inhaled a deep breath. The heat of her arousal was driving him crazy. If she didn't want to have sex, he was going to have to go outside and roll around in the snow naked.

Her eyes widened. "I hadn't thought about that. It's difficult for me to imagine you in wolf form. You're my first werewolf."

He took an alpha male pleasure in knowing Stella hadn't been with another wolf. Cade rose from the sofa. "This has to be right for you. I'll be right back."

He walked into the hallway and stripped off his shoes and clothing. He shifted. Fur sprang out, covering his skin as bone and muscle reformed. His jaw and teeth elongated, his ears became furry and pointed. Walking on four paws, he returned to Stella.

"Ohmigod. Can I touch you?"

Cade was pleased she hadn't reacted in horror and hadn't asked to pet him. He wasn't a dog or a wild animal. He looked her in the eyes. He wanted her to see him within the wolf. The man and the wolf were one in the same, only the physical forms differed.

"Your fur feels softer than I had imagined," she said, stroking him on the head. She looked him in the eye. "I see you, Cade."

Pleased with her reaction, Cade laid his head on her lap.

"I'm okay with this, Cade."

He shifted, forcing the change so quickly he transformed back into a man in seconds. Naked, he kneeled at her feet.

"Wow. It's amazing how you can do that."

He reached up and cupped her face in his hands. "I really like you, Stella. I want to make love to you, but you have to be completely comfortable with me."

Happy Holidays

Wolf Run is part of Changeling Press’ multi-author Christmas series, Santa’s Helpers.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1951

Buy a Santa’s Helpers book in December and you’ll be automatically entered in Changeling’s Very Merry Christmas Contest. Details at  www.changelingpress.com

www.bjmccall.com

    

Subbing For Santa

Each year I’m inspired by the Christmas theme chosen by Margaret Reilly, owner/publisher of Changeling Press. You never know what idea Margaret will toss out to her authors. When the call went out for Santa’s Helpers, the hot Christmas theme stories for 2012, I had to write a story about a werewolf subbing for Santa.

My story this year is Wolf Run and I’d like to tell you a little bit about it.

A winter storm has closed the highway to Ridgetop, but two werewolves refuse to disappoint the orphans at Iverson School on Christmas morning. Acting as Santa's helpers, Cade and Oliver pack the presents on sleds and make a wolf run.

Iverson employees, Stella and Charlotte are waiting for the gifts to arrive, but are the sisters prepared for two hunky werewolves and the most memorable Christmas of their lives?

Merry Christmas

B.J.

Here’s a short excerpt.

Cade Winter stepped out of the ranger office and approached the vintage red pickup. The driver, wearing a Santa hat and sporting a long, white beard, rolled down the window. “Merry Christmas, Officer. I need to get to Ridgetop. A slide has closed the highway, and I’d like to use your road.”

There were only two ways to reach the small town of Ridgetop, the state highway or the road that ran through pack land.

“Sorry, the road’s closed,” Cade said. A big storm had slammed into the area yesterday, and it was still snowing. “If this weather holds, it will be closed for days.”

His shoulders drooping, the man sighed. “I don’t know what to do. Every Christmas I play Santa at the Iverson School. If I don’t get up the mountain, these presents won’t be under the tree tomorrow morning.”

Iverson School was one of the best private boarding schools in the state and the financial lifeblood of Ridgetop. Most of its students came from wealthy families, but every year the school offered two slots to underprivileged orphans. Most of the children went home for Christmas, but the orphans remained.

Cade glanced at the bed of the pickup. A tarp covered the cargo. “That’s quite a load.”

“Every year my church group buys gifts for the orphans. My family’s all gone, so I deliver the presents every Christmas Eve.” The bearded man chuckled. “The little ones think Santa drives a truck instead of a sleigh. The older ones know better, but they like the presents just the same.”

“You look like you could use a cup of coffee. I just made a fresh pot. Will you join me?”

The plump man climbed out of the truck. Besides the Santa hat, he was wearing a red shirt, jeans held up by suspenders and boots. In a red suit, he’d look like Santa.

“Thanks. I’m Alden Watts.”

They shook hands and stepped back into the heated office. Cade poured two mugs. “Thanks, I’m about froze,” Alden said. “Heater in the truck don’t work like it used to.”

Cade leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. He thought about Alden’s problem and the kids at the school. The image of the new office manager he’d helped with a flat last week came to mind. She was a knockout with long blonde hair and bright green eyes, but it was her scent that made her unforgettable. Cade still had Stella Summers’ thank-you note in his desk drawer. They’d had a laugh about their last names. She’d said if he was ever in Ridgetop to look her up.

Cade had planned to do just that, after the holidays, but maybe fate had intervened. “Alden, I think I know how to get those gifts up to Ridgetop.”

Happy Holidays

Wolf Run

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1951

The Santa’s Helpers Christmas books are available now at Changeling Press. Purchase one and be automatically entered in Changeling’s Very Merry Christmas contest. Details at www.changelingpress.com

www.bjmccall.com

Christmas is White Hot

If you write holiday stories, Christmas comes early. My Christmas stories are written
in summer, when the sun is high and the days are hot. I love the images of

falling snow, hanging icicles and lighted Christmas trees. I think of cozy
mountain cabins with logs burning in the fireplace.

I like to take my hero and heroine out of the cities and the suburbs and isolate them in snow-covered mountains and forests. I’ve written three holiday books for Changeling Press: Canine Christmas, Canine Call and Canine Cop.

As you can see there’s a theme developing. I love writing paranormal stories about werewolves and their Christmas adventures. This year the images of falling snow and a cozy cabin didn’t
inspire me, but watching a news story about soldiers serving in Special Forces did. An idea began to spin in my brain and I decided to write a story about a female soldier. Sgt. Sezri Adar is a female werewolf who leads her Special Forces werewolf team on a covert operation on Christmas Eve. Wounded, Sezri orders her team back to the helicopter pickup point. Alone in hostile territory, Sezri must survive for the next twenty-four hours and make it to an alternate
pickup point.

But a holiday romance needs a hero, a handsome, brave man with a good heart. Lt. Calix Klatt is human and heading a werewolf Special Forces Unit has been a test of his leadership ability. Now he’s faced with the ultimate challenge: follow protocol by waiting out the holiday and hope Sezri
makes it back alive or put his career on the line and go after the woman he secretly loves.

My heroes are hunky and my stories sexy, but when writing holiday stories I aim to warm the reader’s heart along with other parts. I hope Holiday Moon does both.

Happy Holidays,

BJ