Primal Bonds
Table of Contents
Praise for the novels of Jennifer Ashley
PRIDE MATES
“With her usual gift for creating imaginative plots fueled by scorchingly sensual chemistry, RITA Award-winning Ashley begins a new sexy paranormal series that neatly combines high-adrenaline suspense with humor.”
—
Booklist
“Delve into a gritty world where inequality and prejudice are the realities of shifter life. Award-winning Ashley develops a new series, Shifters Unbound, that is sexy but with a hard edge.”
—
Romantic Times
“A whole new way to look at shape-shifters ... Rousing action and sensually charged, Mapquest me the directions for Shiftertown.”
—
Publishers Weekly’s
Beyond Her Book
“Absolutely fabulous! ... I was blown away by this latest release. The action and romance were evenly matched and the flow of the book kept me glued until the last page ... Paranormal fans will be raving over this one!”
—
The Romance Readers Connection
“Ashley has created a riveting tale that ... explores different interpretations of human and nonhuman interaction.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“A very promising start to what should be a fresh take on a well-worn idea ... A clever, quick book with some interesting twists that has whetted my appetite for more.”
—
The Good, The Bad and The Unread
LADY ISABELLA’S SCANDALOUS MARRIAGE
“I adore this novel: It’s heartrending, funny, honest, and true. I want to know the hero—no, I want to
marry
the hero!”
—Eloisa James,
New York Times
bestselling author
“Readers rejoice! The Mackenzie brothers return as Ashley works her magic to create a unique love story brimming over with depth of emotion, unforgettable characters, sizzling passion, mystery, and a story that reaches out and grabs your heart. Brava!”
—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick)
“A heartfelt, emotional historical romance with danger and intrigue around every corner ... A great read!”
—
Fresh Fiction
“Skillfully nuanced characterization and an abundance of steamy sensuality give Ashley’s latest impeccably crafted historical its irresistible literary flavor.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“A wonderful novel, filled with sweet, tender love that has long been denied, fiery passion, and a good dash of witty humor ... For a rollicking good time, sexy Highland heroes, and touching romances, you just can’t beat Jennifer Ashley’s novels!”
—
Night Owl Reviews
THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE
“Ever-versatile Ashley begins her new Victorian Highland Pleasures series with a deliciously dark and delectably sexy story of love and romantic redemption that will captivate readers with its complex characters and suspenseful plot.”
—
Booklist
“Ashley’s enthralling and poignant romance ... touches readers on many levels. Brava!”
—
Romantic Times
(Top Pick)
“Mysterious, heartfelt, sensitive, and sensual ... Two big thumbs up.”
—
Publishers Weekly
’s Beyond Her Book
“A story full of mystery and intrigue with two wonderful, bright characters ... I look forward to more from Jennifer Ashley, an extremely gifted author.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Brimming with mystery, suspense, an intriguing plot, villains, romance, a tormented hero, and a feisty heroine, this book is a winner. I recommend
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
to anyone looking for a great read.”
—
Romance Junkies
“Wow! All I can say is
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
is one of the best books that I have ever read. [It] gets the highest recommendation that I can give. It is a truly wonderful book.”
—
Once Upon A Romance
“When you’re reading a book that is a step or two—or six or seven—above the norm, you know it almost immediately. Such is the case with
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
. The characters here are so complex and so real that I was fascinated by their journey ... [and] this story is as flat-out romantic as any I’ve read in a while ... This is a series I am certainly looking forward to following.”
—
All About Romance
Berkley Sensation Titles by Jennifer Ashley
LADY ISABELLA’S SCANDALOUS MARRIAGE PRIMAL BONDS
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India
Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
PRIMAL BONDS
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / March 2011
Copyright © 2011 by Jennifer Ashley.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eISBN : 978-1-101-47746-5
BERKLEY
®
SENSATION
Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY
®
SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Heartfelt thanks go to my editor, Kate Seaver; her assistant, Katherine Pelz; publicist Erin Galloway; and everyone at Berkley Publishing who makes a book happen.
I also want to shout out a big thank-you to my readers who loved
Pride Mates
and asked for more Shifters! This book would not have happened without you. For more details on the series, please visit the Shifters Unbound page at
www.jennifersromances.com
.
CHAPTER ONE
A
ndrea Gray had just set the beer bottle in front of her customer when the first of the shots rocketed through the open front door. The bar just outside of the Austin Shiftertown had no windows, but the front door always stood wide open, and now a cascade of gunfire poured through the welcoming entrance.
The next thing Andrea knew, she was on the floor with two hundred and fifty pounds of solid Shifter muscle on top of her. She knew exactly who pinned her, knew the shape and feel of the long body pressing her back and thighs, trapping her with male strength. She struggled but couldn’t budge him. Damned Feline.