Welcome Cynthia Eden!

Please welcome our first guest of honour to the party, the fabulous Cynthia Eden! Cynthia has some of the most appealing butt-kicking heroines in the business, and here she is to to tell us more...

Kick-Ass Heroines by Cynthia Eden

I love a strong heroine.

Sure, in all of my stories, I write about fierce, protective alpha males. But my females? They aren’t exactly delicate princesses in need of rescue. They’re heroines who are just as tough, just as fierce, as the heroes in my books. My heroines can kick-ass any day of the week, and, normally, they do.

To me, a heroine’s power isn’t just in physical strength.  I enjoy heroines who are risk-takers, quick-thinkers, and ladies who will do anything within their power to protect those that they love.

Standing in the corner and *waiting* to be rescued? No, thanks, the heroines I love the most enjoy getting their hands dirty as they fight to rescue others.

The heroine in my current release, HOWL FOR IT, definitely falls under the “kick-ass” category.  Kayla Kincaid is a hunter—and her prey of choice? The paranormal creatures that terrorize humans. Her latest assignment has her tracking down the big, bad wolf (rather literally) in the form of the story’s hero, Gage. But when Kayla falls for her prey, she prepares to battle anyone—and anything—who wants to take out her man.

Here’s a little excerpt from HOWL FOR IT, the moment when Kayla and Gage drop their secrets:

***

“Are you really going to kill me now?” Gage asked as he pulled back to study her with a cocked head. “On our wedding night?”

She was supposed to.

That was her job. As a hunter, she was the one sent out to keep the humans safe in this world. When a supernatural crossed the line and started killing, her team was sent in. They delivered justice. They were the heroes.

Only she didn’t feel like any kind of hero right then.

Killer.

“Was screwing me part of the deal?” Gage demanded as his voice roughened.

Her eyes slit at that. Maybe it was deserved, and maybe it damn well wasn’t. Instead of stabbing him, she wanted to punch him right then.

“If so,” Gage continued with a shake of his head, “that was a rather fatal mistake.”

They were at a supernatural standoff. Claws versus silver. If he’d just sheathe his claws…

     “Cause now that I’ve had you…” Gage smiled at her, and revealed his growing canines. Sharp. “I think I want another bite.”

     He’d kept his fangs from her. Kept the claws away last night. But it looked like he was done playing nice.

     So was she.

     The bed was rumpled. The air smelled of sex. He was naked.

     She stared into his eyes. If he knew what she was, then Kayla had no idea why he’d married her. Sure, she’d been ordered to say the “I do” bit. She’d been told to do anything necessary in order to get past his defenses.

     Gage ran the wolf pack in Vegas. Since the wolves had moved to town just eight months ago, hell had hit the city. Supernatural madness. Attacks. Killings.

     The pack had to be stopped. By any means necessary.

     But sex wasn’t a means. Making love was more. Far more.

     “Lower your claws,” she told him and managed to keep her voice totally calm. Rather impressive under the circumstances, but she’d been trained to be cold. Passionless. I’m not that way with him. “You aren’t going to kill me.” Those words were the truth because she’d learned a few things about Gage during their time together.

     More than a few.

     He wasn’t a heartless bastard. Not a cold-blooded killer.

     I won’t be wrong about him.

     His eyes narrowed as he studied her. Then that half-smile that had always charmed her curled his lips. “Killing you isn’t what I have planned at all.”

     He dropped his claws and there still wasn’t so much as a scratch on her skin.

     Gage glanced down at his chest. She’d nicked him with the blade, and drops of blood slid down his flesh. Blood—and the faintest plume of smoke.

     The old legend was true. Werewolves—or, in this case, wolf shifters—and silver just didn’t mix.

     “Now are you gonna cut my heart out?” he asked and his smile hardened. “Though to confess, sweetheart, it sure feels like you already have.”

***

Thanks so much for checking out my post—and my HOWL FOR IT excerpt about Kayla and Gage!  (And a big thank you to Marie for inviting me to the party!)

Now…how about some contest fun? Tell me your favorite kick-ass heroine, and you will be entered in a contest to win a $15 Amazon.com gift card. The winner will be randomly selected.

Good luck!

Cynthia Eden

www.cynthiaeden.com

www.twitter.com/cynthiaeden

HOWL FOR IT—Available now from Kensington Brava

To enter Cynthia's contest for $15 Amazon.com gift card, answer her question above, in the Comments. The contest will close at midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow on this thread.