"Lovers lost to each other must reunite to save their people"
Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko
Posted June 7, 2013
Romance Paranormal
In PHANTOM WOLF Sam Shaymore and Kelly Denning should have
been enemies due to class differences but most of all
falling in love should never have happened. But it did
until a horrible disaster, one family to another, tears
them apart and they go their separate ways.
Sam is an Elemental Mage who becomes a member of the Navy
SEALs. Kelly, an Arcane Mage, who are looked down on by the
Elementals, moves on too. She works with a group who
protects Mage children, both Arcane and Elemental, who are
being kidnapped. But because of the type of Mage she is it
is assumed she and her group are the kidnappers.
What is found goes deeper than either of them dreamed. Will
it be possible for the past to be forgiven? Even if it's
just long enough for Kelly and Sam to work together to stop
the conspiracy that could either unite or ... if the evil
wins ... destroy both of their Mage kind and perhaps the
world as it is known.
PHANTOM WOLF starts with a blast and keeps exploding
through out the book. There is a lot of intrigue, subtle
twists with the added humor that is the team camaraderie;
all things expected in any SEALs book. And I do have a
weakness for the SEALs and their hijinks that I think
always add a touch of humor and realism to a storyline. I
enjoyed the way author, Bonnie Vanak combines the
action of the modern day SEALs with the strong magic of the
mages. This is the second of her Phoenix Force series and
with all the hunks on the team; I foresee a lot of
fantastic reading ahead.
SUMMARY
Some fires still burn when star-crossed lovers
reunite… When a dangerous mission leads him deep into
the jungles of Honduras, Navy SEAL Sam Shaymore is
confronted with his fiery past in the form of Kelly Denning.
Once their romance had been forbidden because of class
differences. Then a tragedy drove them apart. But the minute
he looks into her eyes, Sam knows he's never forgotten the
sultry kisses and luscious curves of the beautiful Enchanter
Mage. Nor can he turn his back on helping her. Sam's
unit has been charged with arresting Kelly. But if he can
believe her, Kelly needs his help now to save some kidnapped
Mage children and to stop a conspiracy with far-reaching
implications. Threatened with being kicked off his SEAL unit
if he does not follow his orders, Sam must risk
everything…even his heart
Excerpt"Please, don't let him take me."Kelly Denning's heart twisted as his large blue eyes
be-seeched her. "I won't, Billy. I'll do my best to keep you
safe." "Promise?" Kelly made a large X over her rapidly beating
heart. Nothing was going to happen to Billy. "Cross my heart
and hope to…" Die. Not today. Not on my agenda this week. She forced a bright smile, hoping the terrified child could
see it in the dimness. "Cross my heart and hope to never lie." "But you're an Arcane. My mommy says Arcanes lie all the
time because your magick is weaker, not like us Elementals.
Is she right?" His voice shook. "I don't know what to
believe anymore. I just want to go home." Not wanting his mother's prejudice to shake his faith, Kelly
chose her words with care. "I promise you, I'll do
everything I can to get you back to your parents." "They won't want me anymore after this," Billy said in a
small voice. "I won't be an Elemental if they drain my
powers like they keep saying they will." Emotion clogged her throat. Billy wouldn't be alive, either.
But she had no intention of scaring him further. "Your powers are still inside you. No one can take away who
you are, honey." "Not even a Dark Lord?" Kelly sucked in a breath. Dark Lords were rare, but they
were the most powerful Mages of all, created from pure evil.
Only Arcanes were known to achieve this transformation
through an ancient spell, which gave Elementals a natural
fear of their weaker brethren. "Especially not a Dark Lord." "Will anyone save us? My dad knows some navy SEALs. They
rescue people." Billy's voice trembled. The two fangers upstairs would drain a navy SEAL dry.
Ordinary navy SEALs couldn't save them. They needed someone
higher on the food chain. Her thoughts drifted to Sam Shaymore. He was a powerful
Elemental Phantom Mage and, her sources said, a navy SEAL.
Sam would rescue Billy, but Kelly doubted he'd take her
along. Because, like other Elementals, Sam Shaymore blamed
her father for killing his entire family. I'm not like my father, Sam. "Maybe," Kelly ventured. "But if they don't, we have to save
ourselves. Just stick close to me, and do as I say." No matter what happened to her, Billy must live. Kelly hugged her knees, winced. Not a good idea. Still
hadn't healed yet. Scanning the inside of the cramped, dark
room, she assessed their prison's weak points as Billy
huddled close. He was the privileged son of a powerful Elemental Phantom
Mage. Someone had stolen Billy out of his bed and brought
him to this island to siphon away all his ripening magick.
The process would kill him. Not as long as I'm here, Kelly thought grimly. Kelly's organization, Sight Finders, rescued Mage children.
She'd discovered the missing Billy's whereabouts through an
anonymous email tip. But the words that chilled her the most
had been these: Arcanes are conspiring to create a Dark
Lord. They plan to execute all Elemental Mages. The email warned Billy was in Florida, where he'd be
transported to this tiny island in the Caribbean. She'd
stolen aboard the boat in Miami and nearly succeeded in
freeing him. But the fangers had caught her and imprisoned
her, as well. Kelly stood, wincing at her protesting leg muscles. She
peered out the slats of a narrow window. A thin ray of
sunlight speared the darkness. They'd have to make a break
for it now, before the vampires awakened. She could create a
diversion and. "Someone's coming," Billy whispered. Heavy footsteps. Her palms grew clammy. Kelly rubbed them
against her dirty jeans. Oh, gods, she knew what was coming
next. She slipped the silver pendant off her neck and put it
around Billy's neck. "This will keep you safe. The triskele has much power." Billy's eyes grew huge. "No, Kelly, what about you? You need
magick protection, too!" "I'll be fine. Stay in the corner. They can't hurt you if
you wear the necklace." "Kelly." The little boy's voice came as a whisper. "You're
an Arcane. My mother says Arcanes are bad people. They're
different from us and can't be trusted to be anything more
than servants." Grief twisted her heart. She knelt by the little boy and
gathered his hands into hers. "Listen to me, Billy. Whatever you've been told is wrong. My
people are gentle and would rather practice their craft of
chanting spells. Yes, they've been subservient for
generations to Elementals. But they would sooner die
themselves than turn to darkness and kill another to gain
more power." Billy's eyes were solemn. "But someone among your people has." She squeezed his hands, unable to argue that point. The door opened, showing a shaft of sunlight. Kelly winced
as someone seized her wrist. The Arcane Mage grinned,
showing a row of yellowed teeth. Her stomach roiled at the
thought of a fellow Arcane hurting an innocent child. She
laughed, hoping to calm Billy's fears. "Time to play the
game again, right boys? It's a fun game." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another Arcane slap a
heavy stick against his fat thigh. Her knees felt weak. "Right," said the voice thick with menace. "Time to play the
game." As he swam through the clear Caribbean water, U.S. Navy SEAL
Sam "Shay" Shaymore fought the instincts of his Mage shifter
magick to change into an ocean-dwelling animal. With the
three other SEALs using the nav boards equipped with
compasses, they moved silently in swim pairs, their Drager
rebreathers showing no telltale bubbles. He kept his breathing even, slowed his banging heart rate.
Dangerous as hell executing an op in broad daylight. But
their orders were clear. Attack in the daylight, soon as
possible. Ensign Grant "Sully" Sullivan had done recon on
the target's mansion. Billy was being held in a first-floor
room, guarded in daylight by two Arcane Mages armed with
M16s and two nasty vamps at night. The heat sig from the
night-vision binocs showed that he was still alive as of
last night. A female, probably the nanny who'd kidnapped
Billy, remained with him. The top brass ordering this op knew nine-year-old Billy
Rogers, the only son of a powerful U.S. senator, was being
held captive. Keegan Byrne, the four-star admiral and
Primary Elemental Mage who commanded the SEALs, knew a
little more. Like the fact that Billy's dad was also a
Phantom Elemental and an Elder on the stately Council of Mages. It was an op loaded with policy-maker land mines. The worst
kind for a SEAL on the elite Phoenix Force, a secret group
of navy SEALs who were all paranorms. A human media
explosion would ensue afterward, followed by the paranormal
uproar created by the powerful Council of Mages. Shay didn't care. The hell with afterward. Billy was all
that mattered. He and his teammates surfaced near the seawall. Blending in
with the craggy rocks, they removed and stashed their gear. Shay slicked back his hair with a hand, scanning the lush
grounds for movement. Their point man, Lieutenant Matthew
"Dakota" Parker, gave the signal for all clear. No one
around. Time to move in, boys. With a flick of his wrist, Shay cut the alarm by sending an
electromagnetic current rippling into the system. The four
SEALs crept up near a stand of palms, HK416 assault rifles
at the ready. Silent as wraiths, they slipped away. Shay hunkered down behind a group of palm trees, watching
the other SEALs. Dakota shifted into a wolf and ran up the
outside stairs. The Mages on the balcony would catch his
scent and investigate, leaving the way clear for Sully and
Petty Officer Third Class Ryder "Renegade" Thompson to
capture the nanny and dipatch the vamps and Mages and grab
Billy. He clicked his radio twice. Answering clicks signaled as
they all moved into position. And then a woman stepped out of the house onto the patio and
sank into a chaise longue by the pool. Damn! Shay lifted his binoculars. The female daylight hugger
must be the nanny. He bit back a curse and spoke into his
throat mic, breaking radio silence. "Alpha One, this is Bravo Two. I have a visual on Tango
Five. Oscar Mike." Double clicks on the radio acknowledged the transmission. It took seconds for him to analyze the new threat. He could
take her out, but brass wanted her for questioning. Instead
of stealth, he opted for shifting. His magick was powerful,
but the form was nonthreatening. Inside he smiled. Little Miss Sunshine, you're all mine. Every bone in her body hurt. As part of the game, they'd
beat her while she tried to stifle her screams to keep from
terrifying Billy. Kelly refused to talk as they tried to get
information on how she'd discovered their operation. As
punishment, the Mages would dump her in the cell for a few
minutes to assure Billy she was still alive and then put her
into the sunshine. Unlike other Arcanes, Kelly healed from exposure to direct
sunlight. Probably a result of wearing the powerful triskele
for so many years. They'd bring her back into the darkness when she recovered.
Just to hurt her all over again. Only this time, they'd
beaten her a little harder. Billy had given her back the
triskele to wear. "Please, Kelly. It has good magick and will help you," he'd
whispered. She closed her eyes, and the ache in her muscles eased as
the triskele amplified the sun's gentle strength. She heard
a small, hopeful meow. House cat. She gave a vague smile. "Where did you come from, kitty? I thought the vamps didn't
let anything smaller than a tank hunt on their turf?" Too
hurt to wonder what it was, she closed her eyes. And then
she heard a scream upstairs. Billy! She started off the chaise. Bam! Next thing she knew she was lying flat on her stomach,
a heavy male weight pressed into her back. "Chief Petty Officer Sam Shaymore, U.S. Navy SEALs," he
whispered into her ear. Warm breath feathered over her cheek. The delicious
masculine scent of leather and sage became stronger and
enveloped her like a lover's arms. She knew this scent. Knew
this body…had felt it atop hers years ago. When he'd laid her down on his bed, kissed her and then had
taken her virginity. The muscled SEAL's heavy weight shifted, allowing her to
roll over. He straddled her, sitting on her hips, his hands
easily pinning her down. Indifferent, almost cruel concentration on his face turned
to shock. Those penetrating hazel eyes widened and then
darkened. "Kelly," he said softly. A gleam of recognition and pure sexual awareness. She felt
the jolt as if Sam had branded her with a white-hot iron.
Sheer desire whipsawed through her, making her tremble as he
held her down. The last time they'd been in this position,
Sam had been thrusting deep inside her, as she'd clung to
him and moaned. The erotic current between them fizzled as anger flushed his
handsome face. "What the hell are you doing here?" Power hummed in the air, radiating off him in waves. Sam
could generate electromagnetic current strong enough to turn
a building into dust. A navy SEAL and a Phantom Mage? Forget
the vampire guards. They had baby teeth compared with Sam's
T. rex magick. Fear coated her mouth. Kelly wriggled, but he held her down
easily. Disgusted with her weakness, she scowled into his face. "Mind getting off me, Sam? We're not lovers anymore, and
this brick is awfully hard." Those chiseled features narrowed. He wore a black headband
around his forehead, keeping his shoulder-length brown hair
in place. A nasty-looking weapon hung from one broad
shoulder. He was clad in some kind of green camouflage.
Kelly felt a shiver snake down her spine. "Let me go. I have to get to Billy…" He touched an earpiece and glanced upstairs. "Billy is safe." "But the Mages." "Dead." His gaze flattened. "Why did you take him, Kelly?
This your new hobby, stealing innocents?" "I didn't kidnap Billy. I was trying to free him when I got
caught. My organization is Sight Finders." Those dreamy hazel eyes widened. "Those nutjobs? The ones
who steal Mage children in domestic disputes?" "My organization rescues Mage children in trouble." "My organization is the U.S. Navy. You're my prisoner." Sam
eased back and snapped plastic ties around her wrists. Her jaw dropped. "You can't do this!" "Just did." "But I'm on your side." "Can't trust that, until the situation is secured." Then for
a sheer moment, the indifferent mask dropped. Torment
shadowed his face as he stroked a light finger down her
cheek. His touch made her shiver, and remember. "Sam," she began, but he slid off and pulled her upright.
Even with his incandescent rage, his touch was considerate
and gentle. Always the Southern gentleman. Even when taking prisoners,
she thought dully. She struggled against the ties but failed to break them. Sam
gave her an amused look. "Don't waste your energy. I laced
them with magick. I'm an Elemental." "You were," she whispered. "Now you're just a bastard. When
did you become one, Sam?" Regret flashed in his eyes, and then the hardness returned.
"The day your father escaped after killing my whole family." He walked her to a sturdy coconut palm. Before he secured
her to it, he cupped her cheek with his palm. Despite the
wet, thick gloves, she felt the warmth of his touch like a
brand. He studied her solemnly. "Kel," he murmured. So close he seemed ready to kiss her. She closed her eyes,
remembering those firm, warm lips nestled against hers. When she opened her eyes, he'd vanished. Kelly struggled against her bonds. Gunfire erupted amid loud
explosions upstairs. A SEAL emerged from the house, carrying
a terrified Billy. He was sobbing. "Give him to me," she cried out. Sheer strength and her own secret store of magick shattered
her bonds. Kelly rushed forward, only to feel the cold
pressure of a gun barrel pressed to her temple. "Don't
move," came Sam's deep voice. "I'm here to save Billy. I'm not his enemy!" "Maybe not his," he said in a soft, drawling voice that
rubbed against her skin like warm velvet. "But, sweetheart,
you are most definitely mine."
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