Santa Paws

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws Lena Austin All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2008 Lena Austin

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is

illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary

gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison

and a fine of $250,000.

ISBN: 978-1-60521-098-8

Formats Available:

HTML, Adobe PDF,

MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader

Publisher:

Changeling Press LLC

PO Box 1046

Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046

www.ChangelingPress.com

Editor: Katriena Knights

Cover Artist: Reneé George

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws Lena Austin “’Twas the night before Christmas…” JR Thornton seeks redemption for his many unwitting evil deeds by dressing up in a Santa suit to deliver gifts to an orphanage, but the angry wood fairy guarding the house is more interested in blowing his head off. Phaedra hates JR for destroying her home forest and the lives of her family. Now a caregiver putting herself through college, she’s determined to give the most evil and handsome man she knows a piece of her mind. So why does she want so badly to sit in Santa’s lap?

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws JR Thornton pulled his Mercedes to the side of the road long enough for him to check his newest delivery at the construction site just down the road from his destination. Yes, the huge truck was there, waiting for his crews to return after the holiday. One repayment on the long road to his redemption. He smiled to himself. Despite what his sister-in-law had advised, JR just couldn’t seem to let go of his lists and plans. “Learn to be impulsive, you big furry idiot!” she’d told him. Charm wasn’t known for her tact. He was trying, damn it. That was why he’d sent his chauffeur home, donned a Santa suit -- God help him if any of his colleagues saw him like this -- and was now on his way to an orphan’s group home on Christmas Eve to deliver presents to a bunch of kids who weren’t even there. He pushed the accelerator and eased the car back on the road. The Lucky Charms Group Home stood isolated in the middle of his project. He’d cleaned out the rest of the rundown subdivision surrounding the group home. In its place would be a planned community with modern homes, a shopping complex, community center, and even a library and post office. The fifty-year-old one-story ranch, owned by Charm and his brother, was the only remnant of the old neighborhood. ’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. At least he hoped the children were all nestled in their beds. This shit was still new to him, but damn, he felt strangely good. JR parked and nervously jingled the keys, feeling very awkward in the padded costume. According to Charm, who was on her honeymoon with Lucky, the kids were

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

-6-

at an all-night sleepover party in town. All JR had to do was lug in the presents, meet the caterer bringing the feast for the kids, and leave to spend another lonely holiday. Funny how you could be lonely in the middle of a werewolf pack, even if you were the heir presumptive to the pack leader. He wished he could linger to see the kids open their presents. Children had a joy for life he’d lost somewhere along the way. He first grabbed the big red sack from the back seat, which contained the smaller presents. He’d worn the suit, despite assurances that no one would be there, just in case one of the kids caught him. No spoiling their little illusions. If he hurried, he could get back home in time to watch the old Rankin/Bass classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He was a sucker for that movie show, though no one would believe it of him. Next year, he’d bring the disc with him and watch it with the kids here. Yeah, that was the solution. Holiday specials and cookies until they nodded off and were put to bed. Damn, why did Christmas only come once a year? He’d make a note in his planner to return next year with a holiday movie marathon and all the trimmings. The key turned easily in the lock, and JR stepped quietly inside. The tree twinkled from its position on the wall opposite from where he stood. He hefted the bag and made one step toward his goal. The clear ka-chink of ammunition loading into the chamber of a rifle stopped him cold.

Phaedra held the big rifle steady on the back of the sofa and hoped the intruder couldn’t see her trembling with fear. Her laptop hummed quietly in the silence, and she prayed it wouldn’t chime an announcement of new mail or something. She’d freak and pull the trigger. “There’s nothing here to steal. Leave. Now. Or we’ll see if a silver bullet loaded with holy water can stop just about anything.” The large, indistinct figure remained frozen in his tracks. “I’m not here to steal. I’m here to deliver presents. Charm told me there would be no kids here tonight.” The low, masculine voice was at least properly respectful and educated.

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

-7-

Phaedra narrowed her eyes, but didn’t lower the gun yet. He’d invoked the owner’s name. He might be legit. “There’s a light switch on the wall to your left.” The lights blazed up, and a tall man wearing a Santa suit spread his arms wide and low in the classic “I’m harmless” gesture. “Um… Ho-ho-ho?” The snicker rose from her core and bubbled out. His big brown eyes twinkled with humor, and a doll one of the kids had particularly begged for peeked from the top of the red sack at his feet like one of Santa’s elves. There was something charming about a guy who’d put on a Santa suit and deliver presents to orphans. She lowered the rifle, but didn’t put it back in the special locked case yet. How she’d gotten the safety lock off in the dark was still a mystery to her. Dumb luck, she guessed. “Okay, you pass.” The big guy breathed a sigh of relief and picked up the sack. He looked around furtively. “Are you here because one of the kids got sick? I was told the place would be empty.” Phaedra shook her head. On cue, her laptop chimed for new email. “No, I just took the night off to get my college thesis cleaned up.” “Santa” blew out a breath. “Good. This beard thing itches.” He took it off, revealing his chiseled chin and smoothly shaven face. A face she knew very well. Phaedra’s lip curled and her fists clenched. Now she was sorry she hadn’t shot first and asked questions later. She’d have happily danced on his grave. She put as much hatred and anger in her voice as she could manage without her magic giving him a donkey’s ears and tail. “JR Thornton.” “Guilty as charged.” JR picked up the sack and started distributing the toys beneath the tree, adding to the meager stack already waiting. He sighed again. “What did I do to you?” Phaedra changed form to her true self and flittered over to perch on one branch of the Christmas tree, deliberately eclipsing the twinkling LED light with her own. “I used to live in the forest here, that’s what, you asshole.”

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

-8-

JR’s eyes widened, and he sat down on his rump right on the hardwood floor, the latest hot commodity cartoon character action figure in his hands. “Holy shit. A wood fairy. There were fairies in that forest?” “My whole fam-damn-ily! Shithead.” Phaedra shook her fist at the most handsome and evil man she’d ever known. Here she was face to face with him, and she was going to give him a piece of her mind. “We were taking care of the termite and Dutch elm disease problem, thank you very much! But nooo! Mr. Powerful Werewolf had to come in with his bulldozers and destroy the good part with the diseased!” She stamped her tiny foot so hard the branch bounced. “And our homes, I might add!” JR opened his mouth to say something, but a firm knock at the door interrupted. Phaedra snarled in frustration and zipped off to answer. She changed back to a human-sized form and opened the front door. Three men, each carrying a huge pile of boxes with one of the local catering company logos in bright red on the side, nearly bowled her over in their haste to get out of the cold and deliver their burdens. “Merry Christmas!” “Here’s your order, Mr. Thornton.” “Where would you like us to put this stuff?” Phaedra looked at their burdens and managed a weak “Kitchen, please.” She shut the door hurriedly and ran to keep up with their questions as to where to put the perishable items, did she want the cakes and pies on the table, and “Oh, yeah, here’s your instructions for warming the ham and fixin’s for tomorrow, ma’am.” Efficiently, they did as she told them, buried her under a pile of the instruction papers, and set the most beautiful floral display -- no poisonous poinsettias, thanks! -on the table where the children ate. Then they accepted their generous tips from Evil Santa and left, cheerfully arguing over which guy had the most toys to put together when they got home to their families. Phaedra took her time arranging the food in the fridge and tried to figure this whole thing out. Why was JR Thornton delivering presents and feasts to orphans on

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

-9-

Christmas Eve? “Don’t you have glamorous parties to attend so you can plot whose lives you can destroy next, Mr. Thornton?” “Please call me JR. And your name is?” Mr. Fanged and Toothsome -- cripes, could she stop looking at him like he was a giant pile of chocolate? -- finished stuffing the last pitifully handmade stocking above the mantle. And filled all the stockings and turned, the Jerk. Her traitorous mind changed the words to the old poem. “Phaedra.” She folded her arms and remained in human form. No tiny fairy was intimidating. “Okay, you’ve done your little good deed for the year. Now get out.” “I’d like to do more.” His eyes -- how they twinkled! He remained standing by the corner of the fireplace and casually put one elbow on the mantle to lean against, like Santa had suddenly gotten very suave and sophisticated. And handsome. His dimples, how merry! He did have dimples, too. Phaedra was so interested in telling her traitorous mind to shut up, she was momentarily confused. Her feet were freezing, and she closed the refrigerator door. “More? More evil things?” The charming dimples disappeared, and the big brown eyes turned as sad as an old hound’s. No smile now. “No, more good deeds. I’ve a lot of making up to do.” For a few moments, Phaedra felt guilt for being a buzz-kill on Christmas Eve. The big guy in a Santa suit looked like she’d busted his bubble, poor -- Evil bastard! “Oh, you’re a prime manipulator, aren’t you? I almost felt sorry for you there for a moment. Yeah, right. Sure, you want to do nice things, buster. What, like hike your furry leg up against another tree to give it a good watering before you cut it down?” “Ouch. For a beautiful fairy, you have a razor-sharp tongue.” Now JR stepped away from the mantle and walked toward her until he shook his finger under her nose. “As a matter of fact, I have a very long list of --” He shut up mid-sentence and looked chagrined. “Damn. Charm told me I needed to learn to be impulsive and let go of my plans and lists, but I don’t know how.” Now if there was one thing a fairy understood, it was giving into impulse, and she had a big one. She’d pay for it later. “Yeah? It’s as easy as doing what you want to

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 10 -

do without worrying about consequences. Like this.” She put her arms around JR’s neck and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips. “See? I may hate you for what you did to my home, but that’s a tribute to how handsome you are.” His perfect black eyebrows tried hard to mingle with his equally dark hairline. How did he make his brown eyes twinkle like that? His hands clamped on both her upper arms. “Like this?” With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head and suddenly Phaedra had plenty to dread. She deserved to be yanked off her toes and swooped down on. Her gasp of surprise was reflex. Unfortunately, that left her mouth open for the hardest, most demanding kiss that had ever fizzled her brain. Which promptly melted. Cernunnos, but JR could kiss. Anyone could rub lips, but very few knew how to make a simple kiss into an art. Yeah, just the right amount of friction. Nibbles with just the perfect force. Oh, baby! To hell with consequences. To hell with her thesis. Even her image of JR as the most hated and evil man on the planet broke into a thousand motes. Evil people didn’t care about how their partners felt. They just took. She tried to pull away and clear her head. No matter how much she wanted JR, she hated him, too. At least, she’d thought so a few minutes ago. “This is so wrong. I’m supposed to hate you.” JR nibbled on her jawline as if he had all night. Well, okay, he did. Big, mean… oh, my! Was that his cock or an anaconda pressed against her body? “Hate me later. No, that’s wrong of me, too. You cloud a wolf’s senses.” He let go of her and stepped back a pace. “I promise you I’ll do my best to make things right by you and your family. I can prove it in the morning, if you wish.” While not full thought-sensors, fairies could read truth. Phaedra recognized pure conviction in JR. He was sure he had a method already in place to “make things right” for the Fair Folk who had once graced the forest here. Whether his restitution would satisfy her and her family remained to be seen, but he believed. Belief counted highly for her. Her heart and body cried out for a night of pleasure with this werewolf, and she saw no reason not to indulge. “I’ll take that promise. You owe me and mine big, furface.”

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 11 -

“You’re a handful enough for me.” He took her hand and led her to the small sitting area in front of the fireplace. His nearly empty sack crinkled when he moved it, and a sly smile lit his face. “It’s said fairies like sweets. Is it true?” He reached in and pulled out a long, thick peppermint stick, striped like a candy cane. “I know I do. I brought one for each of the employees. This one is yours.” Oh, she knew what to do with the candy, and more than he probably expected. Fairies only looked sweet and innocent, but they were nature elementals, and nature meant sex, among other things. “I love peppermint sticks.” She expertly peeled off the wrapping and deliberately took the sweet length in her mouth, knowing what images her actions would conjure in Santa Wolf’s mind. His eyes hazed and the lids drooped down while JR watched her deliberately perform fellatio on the candy. “Evil fairy. You certainly know how to make me howl without even touching me.” Mission accomplished, Phaedra pulled the candy out of her mouth so she could talk and laid the stick on a side table. “Yeah, Santa Paws? Well, you won’t get to howl more until you peel out of your suit. Be lively and quick, ’cause I want to suck St. Nick.” He spoke not a word but went straight to his work. Accurate description of how fast a man could get out of costume and padding when he had the right motivation, even if he choked on his own laughter at her parody of the old holiday poem. Boots, belt, coat, and padding sailed around the room as dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly. Her mind would not stop giving her lines of the poem, not even when she had her focus on something much more immediate. Phaedra knelt and attacked his cock even before JR could do more than get the red pants around his ankles. The remains of peppermint still in her mouth would stimulate every nerve ending he had on an already sensitive cock, and she intended to torture him for as long as the mint lasted. JR moaned and swayed, with his head thrown back in a silent bay at the moon. His right hand touched her head, as if seeking balance. He was completely at her mercy.

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 12 -

She could have bitten him, had she not preferred better plans for the delicious and long sausage in her mouth, harder and better tasting than any old dried thing she got from mail-order catalogs to go with crumbling cheese and cardboard crackers in a box. JR’s moans would have satisfied any girl’s heart, he was so completely in her power. He didn’t care how ridiculous he looked, flung back on the sofa, arms akimbo, dressed only in a Santa hat. His trust in her was absolute, and nothing said more about him than that to Phaedra. “My God, Phaedra! My whole dick is tingling. Is that the peppermint from the candy cane?” Phaedra giggled around the big mouthful she had and signaled in American Sign Language, “Yes.” JR could read ASL as easily as Phaedra could. She’d watched him on a newsvid where he’d given a speech and signed simultaneously, citing a deaf cousin when questioned how he knew ASL. Werewolves had huge families, and the Thornton Pack was the largest in North America. “It’s a little spooky that you know I speak ASL.” He moaned once more. “Please stop, Phaedra. It’s been a long time and I need a few minutes to cool off, so to speak.” Phaedra couldn’t resist the temptation to show off her fairy abilities, and frankly, she didn’t try very hard. All it took was a small pull from the wintry weather outside. A light snowfall and chill settled over just the couch area. Then she sat back and batted her green eyes as innocently as possible. In human form, her brown hair was nothing much, but when she chose to permit it, the brown tint became as green as ivy. JR looked up and shivered. A particularly large snowflake settled on his long, wolfish nose before melting. He grinned and stuck out his tongue to catch another like a child. “Never ask a nature elemental for a cool off. I get that.” The snicker bubbled out of her like a hot spring, impossible to stifle, and burst forth into a geyser of laughter. In between gasps for air, Phaedra tried to explain what was so funny. “Hee hee! Do you realize -- ” snort, giggle “those big brown eyes of yours

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 13 -

cross --” bwahahaha! “when you try to catch a snowflake with your tongue?” She fell over on her side on the rug, laughing hysterically. JR dove off the sofa and fell beside her on the rug, catching the remote to the fireplace on his way down. Expertly, he flicked on the flames and tossed the remote back on the side table. “Naughty, evil little fairies have to be punished with tonguelashings, you know. Please keep your hair green. It’s so beautiful that way. So calm and peaceful, just like the holiday tree.” Phaedra blinked up at him in surprise. Wood fairies were much less beautiful than some of their elemental cousins, and she’d always accepted her plainness as fact. She hardly noticed when he unbuttoned and peeled off her flannel shirt, and came back to herself just in time to lift her butt and let him remove her blue jeans. At least she’d let Charm talk her into her new thong and bra when they’d shopped together last month. Lust fired up in JR’s suddenly golden lupine eyes. “You’ve been hanging with my sister-in-law, haven’t you? What other things did she do to corrupt innocent little fairies?” Obviously, he didn’t know fairies well at all, but she’d play along. Phaedra bit her lower lip to keep from laughing in his face. “My nipples are pierced.” He threw back his head and howled. Literally howled. Then her bra shredded beneath werewolf fangs. He tore open the shutters and threw up the sash so fast, she found the fastener to her bra on the mantle the next day. Not that she cared. Her tits were happily being ravaged by a man getting furrier by the moment. Phaedra tugged on one soft, hairy ear to get his attention. “Hey! Mr. Silky Fur! I’m not into bestiality, here.” She raised herself on both elbows to stare down his long nose at him until he caught on. His big, lupine eyes registered chagrin. The fur receded back into his skin, and gradually a more human-like shape returned to his face. “Forgive me. I’d forgotten you were not one of my own kind.” He ducked his head to look like a small boy caught in a minor infraction. “It’s not bestiality if you both can shift.”

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 14 -

Her lips twitched with the humor of the situation. “I suppose not, but since you haven’t got a phallus the size of a toothpick, and I don’t have fur, let’s stick to the one form we both share, please.” To emphasize the point about his size, she stroked his cock in one long, sweeping motion. “You bring out the beast in me no matter what form we’re in. Growf!” He pushed her onto her back, and her thong met the same fate as her bra. “Do fairies really taste like flowers?” His tongue remained lupine-long, and every inch of it swiped her from ass to clit in one motion. “Okay, herbs.” Her breath came in harsh pants after her initial gasp of surprise and pleasure. “I wouldn’t know, but we fart the scent of pine, if you’re wondering why the holiday tree smells like it does.” “Well, now I do.” He reached for the candy on the side table and drew it slowly along the same path his tongue had used seconds before. “In fact, you taste of peppermint. One of my favorite flavors. The candy is merely for enhancement.” He licked again. “Lots of enhancement.” She lost all ability to speak and only managed a strangled moan. The peppermint intensified every sensation her nerve endings could grab, and apparently she had billions of nerves ready and willing to overload themselves. Two more swipes of a werewolf tongue, and Phaedra was flying without her wings. Who knew a humble herb could be this much fun? To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all! With every “dash” Phaedra came again. And again in waves. There should have been a line in the poem about whirling winter storms sweeping a helpless fairy away. Too bad her attempts at poetry made advertising jingles sound like Byron. Some great poet or author -- she never could remember this stuff -- had said that females were never more ready for sex than when they’d just had the best screaming orgasm, or something like that. He’d probably said it prettier, but the point was, he was right. She wanted JR to fuck her blind. Or until she had calluses on her back. Okay, both.

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 15 -

JR, his eyes still slanted and gold-brown from his furrier side, wiped his chin and licked his lips. “Yep, fairies taste wonderful. I’m suddenly very fond of peppermint.” Phaedra, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly coherent. She meant to quote another line from the poem, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, and tell him how wonderful it was to fly without wings. However, the only word understandable was -of course -- mount. Good thing that word fit her need. Mount was entirely inadequate. JR was large -- another inadequate word. Huge was more like it. He took his time, entering with that perfect combination of caution and need very few males mastered. It hurt and felt like magic, all at once. Pain was not normally part of the fairy fun, but she didn’t give a damn if he ripped her in two while he impaled her. Yeah, now there was the right word, impaled. Oh, and getting seriously fucked. Another orgasm stopped all thought until all she could do was yell, “Ohhh, ooo-oooh!” What she didn’t expect was JR’s reverent statement, “So long. It’s been so long!” His eyes were shut, and he had the look of a man who’d found glory instead of the goofy expression most males sported when they got laid. The heat from the fireplace kept the air deliciously warm and cozy, and the rug beneath her butt fortunately didn’t slide all over the living room while they fucked each other silly. At one point, Phaedra used the element of surprise to flip JR on his back, where she rode him for a time like a human cowgirl rode a wild horse. However, she had no objections to finding herself back on her back being held by a were-critter much larger and stronger than herself in any form. He probably could have broken her in half at any time, but he was gentle and yet demanding all at once. Several times, he stopped and panted, his eyes golden and more fur than allowable by a five-o’clock shadow covering his face. Then, he’d be back, commanding she give him all. She surrendered and helplessly gave him her body, but she wanted more. Much more. She wondered if she’d stand the strain of orgasm after orgasm, riding and being

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 16 -

ridden, by a male who could barely control his furry side. Who cared? She wanted to be… devoured. “More. More. More!” The coffee table fell over with a crash, and they barely paused to acknowledge the damage done. He kissed her so hard she felt her lower lip bleed. Against her lips, he growled, really growled. “Can’t stop. Can’t hold back.” Phaedra grabbed his ears and held his golden gaze so he could focus. “Give me! Now!” JR shuddered, and then howled. Loud and long, his voice sang like he’d fucked the Moon Goddess herself. Did the werewolves believe in the Moon Goddess? Suddenly, she wanted to know more about them. Later. Oh, yes. Later. Most especially, she wanted to know this werewolf more. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name. Then she came so hard, she saw flashing lights in front of her eyes, like the lightning storms of summer. Being alive and in tune with all nature never felt so good. Was it love she felt for a male she had hated only an hour before? No, it couldn’t be. Even flighty fairies took longer than half an hour of pure sex to fall in love. Gradually, they relaxed in each other’s arms. Phaedra’s hands fell from his ears as they slowly changed back to the small pink shell of his human form. Unbelievably, she missed the feel of his silky fur. She couldn’t even manage enough breath to articulate anything wittier or snarkier than “Great tongue action, Wolfman.” “Thank you, Phaedra.” Well, at least he had enough breath. Somehow, he also found the strength to pull her into his arms so her head rested on his shoulder. “From you, that’s a compliment and a half. As soon as both of us have more energy than a mouse, I’d like to prove to you my sincerity about reforming.” It took them about an hour, but finally she gingerly sat in the passenger seat of the luxurious Mercedes. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below. Yep, another great line from the old poem, especially when it so fit the actual scene.

Lena Austin

Gingersnaps: Santa Paws

- 17 -

JR kissed her hand once more before starting the engine and pulling out carefully onto the road that led back to his construction site, where he promised the proof of his reformation waited for her inspection. She felt it just before they pulled into the yard. New life. Hundreds of them, warm and content. “Trees!” Phaedra flung open the door as soon as JR stopped the car in front of three huge trucks, their heating engines rumbling quietly. “Those trucks are full of baby trees!” JR grinned proudly. “Trust a wood fairy to recognize them before the doors are even open.” He pointed to a huge warehouse structure. “This big building is the new horticulture and greenhouse center for the hiking parks in this area.” He thrust his hands into his pockets and looked sheepish. “Do you think your family could grow their own home? I haven’t found a horticulturist yet.” Phaedra folded her arms across the hood of the Mercedes and grinned at JR. “Yes, you have, if you’ll let me finish my thesis. In January, I graduate and become Dr. Phaedra Sonierre, Ph.D. in horticulture with an arborist specialty. What else is a homeless wood fairy to do but grow her own home?” JR frowned and looked stern. “What the hell do you think you’re doing tramping around in the snow? Don’t you have a paper to finish?” “Excuse me, Santa Paws, but even fairies get Christmas Day off. By the way, how does coffee and gingerbread sound? Someone left me a fabulous feast, a holiday tree, and no children until this afternoon.” Phaedra batted her eyes. “Besides, don’t you think you need to discuss with me the perks of my new position?” Her werewolf lover licked his lips. “’I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, ‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.’ Race you to the candy canes.”

Lena Austin Someone cursed Lena Austin with “may you have a life so full you’ll have many tales to tell your grandchildren.” Lena’s a “fallen” society wench with a checkered past. She’s been a licensed minister, hairdresser, Realtor, radio DJ, exotic dancer, telephone service tech, live-steel medievalist swordswoman, BDSM Mistress, and investment property manager. Not necessarily in that order. She never finished that degree in marine archaeology, but did learn to scuba -- she’s got a lifetime of “research material!” Hey, why waste these stories on kids who won’t listen anyway? Writing them down is a nice way to spend her retirement. What? You expected an ex-BDSM Mistress to take up crocheting or something? See all her books at http://www.LenaAustin.com. You can reach her by e-mail at [email protected].