Booktip: So far Ive given tips on novels that are either funny, romantic or mystical in one way or another. I think now its time for something thats so thrilling it nearly knocks you off your seat Which is why I have decided to pimp one of my favorite authors Jeffery Deaver. The Bone Collector is his fist novel in the Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia Sachs series and its also the first book Ive ever read by him. Have you seen the movie? Yes? No? It doesnt matter because the movie was rubbish (especially compared to the book) its only redeeming feature Angelina Jolie. Lincoln Rhyme is one of the worlds foremost forensic criminalists. Hes also a quadriplegic paralyzed from the waist down. He is also the only one who can decipher the clues left by the Bone Collector, a killer and kidnapper who selects unsuspecting innocent citizens of New York as his victims. With the help of Amelia Sachs Rhyme must try to stop this killer and save his victims But it appears that there might be one victim they cannot save Rhyme himself If youve seen the movie Dont worry The movie had different characters, different victims and even a different killer. I absolutely loved this book and could not stop turning the pages I literally finished it in one breath Its fast paced, clever, exciting, action packed And says great things about the rest of the series Try it I guarantee you will like it ~AceofHearts_1@hotmail.com

@All – Who do you think Belle is? So far I’ve heard Cherie… And Peggy Peabody… Anybody else care to venture a guess?

@m_rave – I think it’s safe to say Alice keeps everyone on her toes… Before long we’ll all be ballerinas… ~grins and falls flat on her face trying to do a pirouette~

@Amazed – Thanks… Well… not so much action at the moment… But there are some pretty wicked things just waiting to happen…

@JanetM – 5AM?! Damn I can’t beat that… What if I just don’t go to sleep at all? Wait till you see Dana actually go all furry… I wonder if she’s gonna start coughing up furrballs ~rubs her chin~ Thanks for the clarification about SE2 ~thumbs up~

@CFone – I think your psychic powers are way better than Yoda’s because I do think there are great things in Alice’s future… As soon as she stops flying all over the place hahaha..

@bvhall – You had me worried there for a moment about SE2… As for the patience… I’m afraid you’re going to have to have a little patience… Especially if you’re curious about who’s going to part of the grey crowd ~winks and waves~

@Liz – Lots of fun to be had… especially when there’s casual nudity hehe… As for your guess… Peabody?! That is absolutely wicked… You might be right… You might be wrong… Only one way to find out… Don’t stop guessing though… Unless of course these are the only two people you can think of as Belle ~absolutely adores the way you think~

@Trysian – Crazy huh? Well… I can’t say whether Anita and Shane are going to get it on yet… But to tie you over I’ve thrown in a gorgeous blonde…

BLOOD HEIR

Chapter 17 – Casual Nudity

Knock it off, Al, Shane snapped as she slapped away Alices hand for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. For the last half hour Alice had managed to pinch, touch or prod Shane at least once every two minutes and Shane was starting to feel like a pincushion. She loved her friend to bits, but at the moment the thought of being cooped up with Alice in a house for an undetermined amount of time filled her with dread.

What?! Alice asked her face the epitome of innocence.

Stop feeling me up! Shane glared at Alice menacingly.

Jeesh, Shane, chill out. I was just trying to see if you could give me another wicked ***** almost ***** without the pain of course. No need to get your boxers in a bunch. No sooner had the words left her mouth or Shane felt a finger poke her in the ribs.

Al, I mean it. If you dont stop poking me, Im gonna hit you.

Well, if I cant poke you, who am I supposed to poke? I could poke Dana, but she might get pissed off and get all furry. Dana turned in her seat and growled slightly baring her upper teeth.

Which reminds me, Dane, Alice continued unperturbed, Did you guys read my Top Ten Beauty Enhancing Devices? There was this really cool gadget. Kinda like a mouthguard only different Anyway, Dane, you might wanna try it out Alice paused scrunching her face up in thought.

Im not sure if you could use it if you were all furry unless of course you filed down your teeth or something

Oh God, Dana moaned. Ever since she had met the girls, shed been worried about how they would react to her condition. She had never expected any of them to take it in stride quite the way Al had. There was no way she could have ever prepared for the questions and remarks that just seemed to fly out of Alices mouth. Shed almost peed her pants when Alice had asked her if she could have ***** with a girl as a werewolf.

Oh and we also did a whole piece on waxing

Stop being such a pain in the *****, Al, Dana snapped. She slumped further down in her seat and balled her fists to keep from strangling her. Shane chuckled as she heard Jason try to stifle his laughter from the front seat.

I am NOT being a pain in the *****, Alice said indignantly, Im CUTE. With a wicked grin on her face she added,

Dontcha just wanna eat me up? wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at Dana.

Before Dana had a chance to pounce on Alice, the car mercifully pulled up to a two-story house literally in the middle of nowhere. There didnt seem to be anything but trees as far as the eye could see.

Damn, youre not very sociable, are you? Didnt feel like having to invite the neighbors over for a barbie, huh?

Nah, they wouldnt have come anyway My neighbors tend not to like me too much on account of people keep shooting up their doors, Anita grinned at Alice. She found the perky blonde kind of amusing in a really annoying sort of way. She might have appreciated her more if her mind wasnt still trying to process the assault by Belle Morte and the images of flayed corpses. Alice looked like she was about to say something, but all of a sudden she turned away and bounced out of the car.

Dana and Shane exchanged a glance as they watched Alice bound up to the house. Anita and Jason followed closely behind.

Youre friend is uhm very interesting, Jason whispered in Shanes ear. He sounded like hed wanted to say something else but had opted for the safe version. Shane grinned.

Dont worry you can say it, she chuckled as she made a circling motion next to her right temple with her index finger.

Uh oh Dana said softly as they saw Alice come to a sudden stop a few feet away from the front door. She turned around and looked at the troupe inquisitively.

This looks kinda normal Where are all the vampire things You know garlic, stakes, crosses, coffins, Alice said ticking off the items with her fingers. And what about graves? How do you raise dead people if you dont have any dead bodies lying around besides of course all those yummie vampires Jason glided over to Alice and put his arm around her shoulders.

How about we get you inside and get you some coffee? Anita watched Alice nod her head enthusiastically.

Maybe coffee isnt such a good idea, she murmured.

*****

A small opening in the drawn curtains in the kitchen let a little light into the dimly lit room proving that dawn was mere minutes away. Nathaniel was bustling around as usual. He had made them all coffee. Alice had been swayed to drink hot chocolate instead although Shane wasnt sure sugar would have a more calming effect than caffeine. The sweet scent of cinnamon cookies in the oven wafted through the kitchen creating the illusion of blissful domesticity. That this was merely an illusion was clear considering the topic of conversation. Although Asher was technically responsible for trying to ferret out exactly what motivated Belles interest in Shane, Anita couldnt help but try and dig herself. She sensed that the key to Belles interest lay in Shanes powers. They, however, werent any closer to determining how these powers had come to be in Shanes possession so to speak. And Shane wasnt helping much. Anita had tried various tactics to try and get Shane to open up about her life, but Shane remained closemouthed.

Alice looked from the one to the other. The more insistent Anita became, the more Shane seemed to withdraw which was evident from the way she sat slumped in her chair nonchalantly sipping her coffee like it was just another morning at the Planet.

Maybe something happened to you when you were a kid Anita gently prodded. She tried to look Shane in the eye, but she stubbornly kept glancing at the cup in her hands. Nathaniel moved up behind Anita and placed a hand on her shoulder. When she gazed up, she saw a sad look cross his face as he was staring at Shane. It was at that moment that Anita understood that Nathaniel saw a kindred soul in Shane, which only made her wonder more what Shanes past looked like.

Same old, same old Born grown up and now Im here. Shane finally looked up and stared Anita right in the eyes. There were no emotions in that look though. Her eyes had grown cold and distant. More than anything she looked tired.

Maybe its time we all got some rest, Nathaniel spoke softly. Ill show you to the guest bedrooms. Im afraid we have some other guests as well so you might have to bunk up together.

I dont care as long as theres a bed and no one snores, Dana said pushing her chair back. Alice snorted.

What difference does it make if anyone snores? Id be surprised if you could hear anything over your own snoring.

I do NOT snore.

Nah of course you dont. And you also dont turn furry. Dana glared at Alice.

Do I have to bunk up with her? One more word and I might decide to eat her.

You should be so lucky, Ms. Fairbanks, Alice quipped. Dana grunted and got up. The moment she turned around her cup fell out of her hands and crashed on the floor. In the doorway stood a beautiful blonde woman. Dana sucked in a breath as she gazed down from her well-formed ***** to her slender waist and curvaceous hips. She didnt have to look far to see that the woman was indeed a natural blonde. She walked over to the refrigerator seemingly oblivious to the fact that she wasnt wearing any clothes. She pulled out a bottle of orange juice and twisted the cap off.

When did you guys get back? she said trying to suppress a yawn.

Glass, Nathaniel said and handed her a clear glass he took out of one of the cupboards over the sink.

About an hour ago, Anita replied. She watched Cherry move around the kitchen completely comfortable with her own body. She still had to get used to the casual nudity all wereanimals preferred. In fact if she wouldnt put her foot down, she was sure no one would ever bother to get dressed unless they were planning on leaving the house.

Whats wrong with them? Cherry asked pointing at Alice, Dana and Shane who had all gone silent at the sight of the naked woman and were now blatantly staring at her. Dana quickly closed her mouth and turned away bumping into Nathaniel who was cleaning up the glass Dana had dropped. The motion made her spin backwards right into the blonde womans arms. The moment she felt their bodies touch her beast awoke. She felt that first rush of lycanthrope energy flow through her body as her beast tried to reach out and touch Cherrys beast. Their beasts were circling each other slowly drawing nearer until they wrapped themselves around each other. That touch was more intimate than anything Dana had ever experienced and she felt heat creep through her. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the feeling completely. It wasnt until she heard a soft whisper in her ear that she realized shed forgotten to breathe.

Breathe darlin, Cherry chuckled softly as she let go of Dana and moved away to lean against the kitchen counter.

Youre a werewolf, Dana gasped looking a little shocked from the intense connection she had just felt. Cherry shook her head.

Cherry is a wereleopard like me, Nathaniel said and he moved to the dustbin to dispose of the shards. Cherry grinned as she watched Dana trying to regain her composure.

Ive never felt anything like that before.

Told you there were perks to being part of a pack, Jason laughed.

Is she part of your pack?

No. Werewolves are part of a pack. Wereleopards are part of a pard.

So, how come shes here? Alices curiosity finally managed to take over from her shock of seeing a naked woman leaning against the counter a few feet away sipping orange juice from the carton the empty glass discarded on the counter.

Uhm its complicated, Anita started. She wasnt sure if she could explain this to someone who had no knowledge of pack or pard business. It was hard enough trying to get her friends to understand the complex relationships in her life, let alone a couple of strangers.

How complicated can it be? Alice asked getting more curious by the minute. She finally managed to rip her gaze away from Cherry and looked at Anita with inquisitive eyes.

Ok Anita said hesitantly, Jason is a wolf and hes part of Richards pack. Richard is the Ulfric of the local werewolf pack. It means hes their leader. Im his lupa it kinda means Im uh

His girlfriend, Jason added smirking. Anita gave him an extremely dirty look.

Ex-girlfriend actually. Im sort of filling in till he can uh.. This time it was Nathaniel who took over the baton.

Find a new one. Shane raised her eyebrows at this and if she hadnt known better she could have sworn she saw Anita starting to blush.

Ok you can stop helping now. She looked warningly at both Jason and Nathaniel who were obviously having trouble hiding their amusement at Anitas predicament. It wasnt easy explaining the situation without sounding either freakish or loose.

Anyway Cherry and Nathaniel are part of a pard. Im their Nimir-Ra, which means Im their leader. Thats kinda how

Wait REWIND Youre their leader. So you turn furry too? Alice looked utterly dumbfounded now.

Not exactly I uh

Snuffed our last Nimir-Raj and now shes stuck with us, Cherry piped in. Alice shook her head.

Wow Do you even have time for a social life? Although if I had naked women walking around in my house I wouldnt need to go out for a social life, she let out and she looked Cherry up and down appreciatively. Instead of looking embarrassed or uncomfortable Cherry just smiled and bowed her head a little in thanks.

Speaking of which Is there like a no clothes policy in this house? Dont get me wrong I could totally go for that. Of course it might not be such a bad thing I didnt bring any clothes or anything anyway. Alice looked at Anita expectantly as if she thought Anita would jump up and start stripping right away.

Its a wereanimal thing You dont have to walk around naked Jason said, Unless of course you want to. He grinned and winked at her. Shane let out a soft chuckle.

Do you walk around naked, Dana? I mean you could I just might not have been around. Come to think about it, Ive only seen you naked once and that was in the shower. Of course I barely saw anything anyway cause the shower cabin was completely fogged up. You can start being naked around us you know I mean youre my best friend and Shane well, Shanes seen so many naked women, theyve probably all started looking alike anyway, Alice ranted turning around to face Dana who looked utterly horrified her monologue.

I am NOT walking around naked, Al.

Too bad, Cherry whispered as she brushed passed her to put the orange juice back in the fridge. In a much louder tone she said,

Well, Im going to get ready for work. See you all later. She looked over her shoulder and winked at Dana who had turned crimson all the way to her roots.

Lets go, Alice exclaimed pushing back her chair so hard it fell on the floor.

Oops sorry Anyway, Im ready to go to bed. There ARE other naked women in the house right? Nathaniel and Jason both let out a snort of laughter before they recomposed themselves.

Al! Shane said smacking her on the *****.

Come on, Ill show you guys up. Shane got up at the same moment Anita did causing the table to rock slightly. A big manilla envelop which had been lying on the edge, fell on the floor with a resounding thud spilling all the papers that had been inside. Anita quickly bent down to pick up the photographs before anyone got a good luck but she hadnt counted on Alices inquisitive nature which always made her almost stealth like. Alice gazed at the crisp images in the picture shed managed to pick up, but instead of looking horrified she looked almost pensive.

So you ARE working those murders? Dyou know who did it yet? Anita looked at her puzzled.

You know about those? Alice snorted at this.

Of course I know about the murders. Im a reporter you know. Besides it was all over the papers.

Oh, Anita let out, I cant really say anything about an ongoing investigation.

Ok no problem. Im a reporter. Ill find out one way or another anyway, Alice shrugged. Anita reached for the photograph in Alices hands.

What did the cops say about all those other murders? Alice handed Anita the picture.

What other murders?

Duh, those murders all over the country And I thought you were some hotshot executioner person thingie, Alice exclaimed in exasperation. The incompetence of these people was simply baffling. Shane watched Anitas face as it grew slightly paler at the mention of even more murders. What other murders, she thought.