Harlequin Nocturne March 2016 Box Set Read online

  Do you harbor passionate otherworldly desires where the normal and paranormal collide? Let Harlequin® Nocturne bring you into dark and dangerous territory where your senses will be awakened.

  Harlequin® Nocturne features two new full-length paranormal romances every month!

  BOUND BY THE NIGHT

  by Megan Hart

  Things that go bump in the night, from the inexplicable to the irresistible… New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart captivates readers with this gripping collection of novellas.

  Monica Blackship hunts down creatures that shouldn’t exist. Stephanie Adams has the power to shape nocturnal visions. And if it’s weird, Jase Davis is on it. They’re all members of the Crew, an international consortium devoted to explaining the unexplainable. In this enthralling trilogy, these intrepid investigators face a daunting array of paranormal dangers, from deadly cryptids to dream thieves. They’re ready for ghosts, monsters and other strange phenomena. But is their greatest challenge distinguishing reality from fantasy, or separating work from pleasure?

  BAYOU SHADOW HUNTER

  by Debbie Herbert

  Bent on revenge, Native American Shadow Hunter Tombi Silver could turn to only one woman, the “witch” Annie Matthews, for help. Her ability to hear auras had allowed her to discover Tombi’s friend mystically trapped by forces that could destroy them all. The accompanying message of a traitor in their midst meant Tombi could trust no one. Dare he bring Annie along on his quest to fight shadow spirits? Putting his faith in someone outside his tribe, especially one who pulled at his tightly controlled desires, could prove just as dangerous as his mission...

  Look for 2 new paranormal stories every month from Harlequin® Nocturne!

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  Harlequin Nocturne March 2016 Box Set

  Bound by the Night

  Bayou Shadow Hunter

  Megan Hart

  Debbie Herbert

  Table of Contents

  Bound by the Night

  By Megan Hart

  Bayou Shadow Hunter

  By Debbie Herbert

  Things that go bump in the night, from the inexplicable to the irresistible... New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart captivates readers with this gripping collection of novellas.

  Monica Blackship hunts down creatures that shouldn’t exist. Stephanie Adams has the power to shape nocturnal visions. And if it’s weird, Jase Davis is on it. They’re all members of the Crew, an international consortium devoted to explaining the unexplainable. In this enthralling trilogy, these intrepid investigators face a daunting array of paranormal dangers, from deadly cryptids to dream thieves. They’re ready for ghosts, monsters and other strange phenomena. But is their greatest challenge distinguishing reality from fantasy, or separating work from pleasure?

  Praise for the novels of New York Times

  bestselling author Megan Hart

  “Hart excels at creating female leads who know exactly what they want and don’t make excuses for their lifestyle. Following this heroine’s journey is exciting.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Vanilla

  “Meticulously sensual details and steamy interludes make this an achingly erotic read.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Flying

  “Naked is a great story, steeped in emotion. Hart has a wonderful way with her characters.... She conveys their thoughts and actions in a manner that brings them to life. And the erotic scenes provide a sizzling read.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “You won’t ever be disappointed with Megan Hart!”

  —Under the Covers on Out of the Dark

  Megan Hart is an award-winning and New York Times bestelling author of more than thirty novels, novellas and short stories. Her work has been published in almost every genre, including contemporary women’s fiction, historical romance, romantic suspense and erotica. Megan lives in the deep, dark woods of Pennsylvania with her husband and children. You can contact Megan through her website at MeganHart.com.

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  BOUND BY THE NIGHT

  Megan Hart

  Dear Reader,

  Things that go bump in the night...or the daylight...monsters and ghouls and scary dreams, oh my!

  Yeah, I love writing the scary things. Also the sexy, romantic things. Put them together and you have the recipe for some of my favorite types of stories!

  In this collection, you’ll find brooding, moody heroes, heroines who kick butt, and a world in which dreams have their own reality. Meet the Crew, an international group dedicated to dispatching with the odd, the strange, the unexplained. Think a little bit The X-Files crossed with Supernatural and a dash of Kolchak: the Night Stalker.

  You’ll read about the Ephemeros, the dream world, where people with the right talents can control and influence their environment, and about a computer program that makes rough drafts turn into scary reality, as well as a swamp creature with a taste for exotic animals. Oh, and also three couples discovering passion and love even while they fight and flee!

  I hope you enjoy these three stories as much as I liked writing them! Thanks so much for reading. And remember...sometimes the monster in the closet is real.

  Happy reading!

  Megan Hart

  Table of Contents

  DARK HEAT

  DARK DREAMS

  DARK FANTASY

  These stories are for everyone who knows to keep their toes under the blankets so the Bogeyman can’t tickle them.

  DARK HEAT

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  PROLOGUE

  Everything had gone dark.

  And oh, there was pain, great slashing waves of it washing over her as though she’d fallen into an ocean of agony and was being swept away to drown. Blindly, Monica raked the air in front of her and found nothing but emptiness. Hot and stinking breath assaulted her. Then the ground came up to slam into the back of her head and the darkness became sprinkled with the sharp white points of painstars behind her eyes.

  She rolled onto her hands and knees, already pushing upward. She had to get to her feet or it would open her throat with teeth and claws like razors. And this rancid cave, this pit, was not the place where Monica intended to die.

  She’d lost her knife but swept the ground to look for it and found it with her fingertips. The slice of pain was brief but would ache and burn later. If she was lucky enough to survive being mauled, she’d take those scars gratefully. She found the hilt and grabbed it up as she got to her feet. She turned, slashing outward, nothing but blackness in front of her.

  She hit something solid, the blade sinking deep, and Monica didn’t wait but pulled it out and stabbed again. Sticky heat flooded her hands. She kept going. Something shoved her again, at the same time grabbing with thick, scaly fingers so she couldn’t fall. Couldn’t get awa