Phoenix Crossing

By Cara Carnes

She’ll commit the ultimate betrayal to save those she loves....

Xandra was forged in the fires of heaven’s nemesis and sharpened by humanity’s executioners. As a child, she failed to protect her little sister. With Riles located, Xandra will do anything to save her—even if it means committing the ultimate crime. Forced into a perilous situation, she’s drawn to the Alpha wolf shadowing her every move. Trust comes with a high price—one she’s paid too many times to count. But the sexy man her inner beasts desire refuses to give up.

The half-phoenix, half-angel was an assignment at first, a potential threat to the campus pack Lane had assumed leadership of. The longer he follows her, the more his wolf is drawn to protect her. Frustrated with her inability to trust him and his pack, he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Claiming the curvaceous hellion would be simple, but he’s determined to win the trust of the warrior beasts within her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Sep 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781613338780

Cara Carnes

Born in small-town Texas, Cara Carnes was a princess, a pirate, fashion model, actress, rock star and Jon Bon Jovi's wife all before the age of 13. In reality, her fascination for enthralling worlds took seed somewhere amidst a somewhat dull day job and a wonderful life filled with family and friends. When she's not cemented to her chair, Cara loves traveling, photography and reading. For more information, check out her website at www.caracarnes.com. Please feel free to drop me a line at [e-mail]. For the latest information, sign up for my newsletter. Subscribers will receive bonus material from The Arsenal series. https://www.subscribepage.com/d6r0q6 Happy Reading!

Book preview

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition

Phoenix Crossing

Copyright 2015 by Cara Carnes

ISBN: 978-1-61333-878-0

Cover art by Syneca Featherstone

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

ROAR

Mischief, Mongrels & Mayhem by Heather Long

Sorority Wolf by Rebecca Royce

Phoenix Rising by Cara Carnes

Imperfect Mate by Lia Davis

Shifted Plans by Brandy Walker

Tempting Her Tiger by Virginia Cavanaugh

Craving Cameo by TL Reeve

Changing Her Tune by Brandy Walker

Phoenix Crossing by Cara Carnes

Also by Cara Carnes

Phoenix Rising

A Wolf’s Promise

Dedication

Thank you to the fabulous staff of Decadent Publishing for all their hard work and to the fabulous Rebecca Royce for reading every word as though they were your own. I’m thankful every day for your friendship.

Phoenix Crossing

A ROAR New Adult series

By

Cara Carnes

Dear Reader,

Welcome to autumn, 2014. It’s a time for pumpkin spice lattes, cooling days, and kids heading back to school. I swear it feels like just yesterday that we were doing this last year. You know, I have a deep and abiding love for paranormal romance. I actually fell in love with urban fantasy and by extension paranormals thanks to two authors: Anne Rice and Emma Bull. If you’ve never checked them out, you should.

Fortunately, in the years since I read those the genre of paranormal romance has grown by leaps, shifts, fangs, and fur. I’ve always had a soft spot for shifter romance, and if you told me a book had wolves or cats or bears in it—well, I was so there. This hasn’t changed, not one bit. I don’t think there’s enough shifter romance in the world, but I did want to see more—what happens when young shifters leave their packs? What if they go off to school? How do they start over? How does a young wolf or cat or bear or any young person really make that final leap to adulthood?

I am thrilled to introduce Decadent ROAR as an answer to those questions. The line is dedicated to featuring stories about young weres and shifters who have come of age but now must determine the path of the rest of their lives. It's an exciting time of making your own decisions and not having to seek permission, but freedom always comes with a cost. Fortunately for these burgeoning adults, they have the ROAR hotline to reach out to.

Run by the mysterious siblings Hui and Min, 555-ROAR is a line shifters can text or call for help, whether it’s, What’s the best spot to hunt, or I’m in danger. What should I do? It’s a helpline, and a lifeline in some cases. Growing up is hard—being an adult is harder.

So what do we have to kick you off as ROAR launches a new school year? How about a mongrel attending college close to home who must contend with a sexy Alpha and his pride moving into her region? That’s the problem Mischief Missy Jones faces in Mischief, Mongrels & Mayhem by Heather Long.

Pledging a sorority can be hell, but is it so bad when you have a demon on your side? Werewolf Alexandra will have to decide when Kieran promises to turn over heaven and hell to help her out in Sorority Wolf by Rebecca Royce.

Not everyone gets encouragement when they head off into the big, bad world on their own. This couldn’t be more true for fragile and abused Riletta who’s dumped at school with no options, no fallback, and no hope—that is until delicious Macen intervenes in the hot ride that is Phoenix Rising by Cara Carnes.

Choosing college can be a grueling experience, but, then again, so can diving into adulthood and taking responsibility for your actions. Samira faces s a lot of hard choices, none tougher than accepting human Gavin might be her mate in Lia Davis’ Imperfect Mates.

Life is what happens when you’re not paying attention, and the best things don’t always occur in the order you expect. They sure don’t for Avery and Declan. Both are busy setting up their lives but the allure of mating throws them for a loop in Brandy Walker’s Shifted Plans.

Attracting attention from the male species is a hard job, even more so when that male is a shifter. Some lines, though, are hard to cross, and Jordan will fight his attraction to his best friend’s sister, Stacia, with everything he has in Tempting her Tiger by Virginia Cavanaugh.

Ultimately, the question these six stories must answer is not who will they be as adults, but who are they? How do they reconcile everything they've ever known with what can be? It's a new type of shifter romance, with all the love and passion required to achieve a happily ever after....

Thank you for joining us as we launch a hot new series—we’ll do our best to make every single tale memorable.

Happy Reading!

Heather Long and

Decadent Publishing

www.decadentpublishing.com

Chapter One

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

—Sir Walter Scott, Marmion

Xandra

A destroyer of all species? Please. You can’t kill a gnat. I landed with a thud on the mat. My stomach continued roiling as I glared up at my current nemesis.

Vira was half demon, half vampire and one hundred percent attitude—mostly animosity and distrust. Okay, she aimed those vibes at me but, really, I deserved whatever I got. I’d taken the role of trainer and protector for my newfound little sister.

I was a total fraud.

Everyone else suspected.

Vira knew.

We’ll be watching you, Xandra.

The warning from four weeks ago echoed in my exhausted mind and made my aching body tense. I needed an exit strategy for the huge mess, a second plan of attack since my first one wasn’t working. Truth be told no such exit strategy existed for me—not with Uncle Lucian breathing down my neck with his twisted demands.

I stifled my groan and forced myself up to a somewhat standing position. Nausea kept me focused on not puking as I blinked until the three Viras became one seriously pissed-off one. Damn. My latest feeble attempt at blending in had only gotten my ass handed to me faster than yesterday. I sighed and leaned forward until the palms of my hands rested on my knees.

The training room was really the first two floors of the former Badger Hall, which Lane’s pack had gutted and turned into a massive secure compound for Riles to be trained in all things phoenix and angel. I, the self-professed warrioress sister, vowed to show her everything I knew.

What a crock of shit.

Breathe.

The warning I’d heeded so far hammered my throbbing head.

Your sister is a traitor to the throne, Xandra. You train her, I will find you and your entire family guilty of treason. I can’t stop you from severing your betrothal, but I will destroy everything you hold dear if you cross me.

Uncle Lucian never minced words. The miserable toad. As in toad with a crown. As in the freaking king of my realm. Arg. He’d made my entire existence miserable from the moment Xenia disappeared.

Riletta. Her name is Riletta.

No. Riles. Vira said the mangy mutt protectors got pissy if anyone used Riletta.

I glanced over at one of those so-called mangy mutts. My breathing erratic, my pulse flailing, I stared, unable to recall the last time any man affected me so completely. So enthralled with his presence, I’d yet to utter a full sentence to him.

Lane smirked and winked. Winked. At. Me.

My belly fluttered; my body tingled.

I was beyond pathetic. Yep. I deserved to get my ass kicked for letting my hormones take charge. I had a sister to protect, a stodgy, fat piggish fiancé to hide from, and a pissed king to appease. Somehow.

We’ll be watching you, Xandra.

The not knowing irritated me the most. Uncle Lucian probably sent one of the Realm’s assassin squadrons to watch over me. Comprised of full-blooded phoenixes of ancient bloodlines, they were the mightiest of the race and solely capable of covert existence. Translation—they could be inches away and I’d never know.

I shuddered at the thought. Fucking Uncle Lucian. The assassins were strong enough to kill me if I failed to abide by his wishes. I wasn’t too worried about the dying part—accepted my fate decades ago. I’d expected to be destroyed the night Riles disappeared.

Her kidnapping was my fault, after all. I was supposed to watch over her, and I’d failed miserably. What kind of big sister let her little charge get taken? I deserved whatever happened to me.

My head jerked backward. Pain ricocheted through my neck as I, once again, landed with a bone-jarring thud on the mat. Vira straddled me and sat hard on my belly. A blade nipped my chin.

Lesson one for battle—don’t get distracted. Vira tossed the weapon aside and wrapped a hand around my throat. I sputtered and coughed under the pressure but refused to allow fear or rage to control my actions.

I vowed to appear meek, mild. Uncle Lucian had expressed his concern if I did otherwise.

Give neither realm a reason to wage war against us. Our future rests on your shoulders, Xandra. Don’t fail me, or your family will bear the consequences.

She leaned forward until her breath was against my ear. At least you have decent taste in men, even if you are pathetic in battle. I’m thinking you aren’t woman enough to keep him happy. He enjoys his women wild and his sex rough. Think you can handle that?

Yes, please.

I remained mute despite the agitation, the awareness, her words created. How did she know? I studied her a moment. Long, ebony hair, obsidian eyes flecked with red, pale skin, a willowy figure etched in lean muscle. Soft, yet firm in all ways a man would appreciate. Every man on campus probably wanted her.

Including Lane.

Had they…?

No. I didn’t want to know. Something within me stirred, crawled beneath my skin. I shoved against her. Move.

She laughed but remained motionless. Agitation panged my patience. Something in me snapped when I realized Lane watched from the corner, and his gaze warmed my body. My inner beast refused to appear weak around him. An Alpha as strong as him would need an equally strong mate.

I wasn’t in the market to be one. Enough shit fermented on my plate, thank you very much. And I certainly didn’t need the assassin squad, assuming they watched my every move, aware I lusted after the new Alpha of Wolf Hall. Hell, Lane dealt with enough, especially since his pack had

Reviews for Phoenix Crossing

[Crush · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second book with the first phonies and Angel females fighting to stay alive and there wolf mates who love and protect them. Great follow up book.