Excerpt of The Claimed by Caridad Pineiro

Victoria ambled beside Christopher along the hard-packed sand at the water's edge, her insides in knots as attraction and common sense battled it out. There was no denying the strong pull of something elemental between them.

She narrowed her eyes to try to make out the faint hint of energy surrounding him. In the dark it was less visible than before, but nevertheless registered against her aura. She had to try to find out more about him and if he was aware of his abilities. "So you say you moved here permanently from the city? You can do that just with your programs?"

A casual shrug rippled across his broad shoulders. "The royalties for using the software are quite generous."

"It must be nice to live a life of leisure and enjoy the nature around you." She hit a watery patch of sand where her foot sank deep, making her wobble and bump up against him. The moment her skin met his, the buzz of his power radiated throughout her, awakening desire along her sex, which quivered in reaction.

Totally not a human life force. Caught off guard, his energy was clearly discernible and much more powerful than what she had expected.

He stopped walking and shifted away, but kept a gentle hand on her arm to stabilize her. From that point of connection, warmth and energy continued to travel between the two of them, making it impossible to deny the Hunter blood in him.

"What are you?" she asked, looking into his eyes. It was clear as she met his gaze that he understood her question had nothing to do with his home or employment or anything else two normal people would discuss on a first date. That lack of confusion confirmed she was not off in her observations.

"What's more important to you: What I am or who I am?" he replied, his grip tightening on her arm for a moment before he relaxed it and instead brushed his hand from wrist to elbow in a simple caress. But beneath the physical touch came one of energy. Strong and demanding, it created a glimmer of aqua wherever his fingers touched her and traveled straight to her Hunter center.

The motion sent a shiver of anticipation through her and created searing desire deep within.

She imagined his touch along other parts of her body and how their energies could meld, bringing even greater satisfaction. Dangerous thoughts considering how little she knew about him. Plus there was the fact that it was painfully obvious that he was not only aware that he possessed such power, but also seemed to know that she did as well.

She should have been more worried,  since so far she had not been able to determine if he was Hunter or Hybrid. And if he was a Hunter, she had no clue if he was one of the Dark Ones or a Light Hunter, which was equally troubling. But there was one sure thing on which she could rely: If he was a Shadow something bad would have happened long before now.

As he took hold of her hand, the sizzle of power continued. She glanced down to where their hands were joined and the glow intensified. Tendrils of silver and blue twined around the spot and she waited, fearing that if he was a Shadow he'd sink his ravenous filaments deep into her aura and try to drain her of her life force.

But he didn't.

If anything, his power seemed to be similar to hers, complementing it—arousing physical passion and bringing immense curiosity about him.

"So who are you?" she wondered, following his lead for the moment, allowing her fascination with him to overrule common sense.

One side of his lips quirked up with the first hint of that sexy smile and boyish dimple. The moonlight cast a silvery glint to his gaze,  which gleamed with intent as he said, "I'm a man who desperately wants to kiss the beautiful woman beside him."

This time it was his words that dispatched a wave of heat over her. Man-woman heat that she didn't want to deny because more than almost anything, she wanted to have normal in her life.

"What's stopping you?" she said with an inviting arch of her brow.

He bent his head and she raised on tiptoe to eliminate the couple of inches that separated them. His lips were warm as they covered hers, hesitant at first, but from the moment skin met skin, desire grew until Victoria wanted more.

She laid her hand on his shoulder and leaned into him, opened her mouth to taste him and savor the shape of his lips with hers. Hard-edged, but tender at his full bottom lip. Tasty, she thought, nipping at that fullness.

Her inviting bite dragged a groan from Christopher and he eased his arm around her waist and drew her close, pressing her long delicious curves against him. He explored her mouth with his tongue as she opened to him.

The heat of passion grew in his gut until he wanted to touch more. Taste more.