The V V Inn Series by C.J. Ellisson (Spotlight/Excerpt)

Today we would like to share with you a series from contemporary fantasy and erotica author, C.J. Ellisson, as well as a delicious new upcoming release! 

Vampire Vacation (The V V Inn #1)

Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.
Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests.
Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn't easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?

Warning: This story contains some explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18.
Purchase Links:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble




The Hunt (The V V Inn #2)

Vivian thinks she can control every aspect of a deadly game with her usual manipulations… but what if she can’t? Journey along, in this next installment of The V V Inn series, for a wild ride as the tale is told through the eyes of all her new seethe members.
Seven vampires and seven werewolves pay to hunt a supernatural criminal across the cold, vast grounds of an Alaskan resort. The one to catch her, and live through the encounter, will increase their power by feasting on hers.
The tiny vampire they track is more than she appears, however. To escape a fate of ten years in silver chains, she'll do anything to survive the weeklong excursion. This time, the darkness holds more than just the stinging bite of the Arctic—it holds death.

Purchase Links:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble



Big Game (The V V Inn #3)

In this much-anticipated third installment of the V V Inn series, our sexy couple journeys to Argentina, bringing half their seethe along for the ride. Vivian and Rafe venture into the Seat of Darkness, the Tribunal's base, to uncover who's plotting against them and why. From a cold, windy island off the southern Argentine coast, to the decadence of Buenos Aires, the group has plenty to keep their attention--seductive twins, deadly games, and a bunch of bloodsucking fiends who hate our much-loved, despotic innkeeper enough to see her dead. Asa and Jon remain in Alaska, to manage the famous inn as it opens doors to a new type of guest. Visiting werewolves go on their first exploration of the property, looking for big game--hormones run high and shots ring out across the tundra. Soon, the hunters become the hunted and the peaceful getaway resembles a battleground. How many will survive the next five days and will they ever be the same again? 

Warning: This book contains very explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18
Purchase Links:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble




Coming Soon...

VANILLA DOM by CJ Ellisson

Unlucky in love and desperate not to be alone, Heather attends a speed-dating event. A drop-dead gorgeous man sits across from her, who she impulsively orders to get off his phone. Sparks fly as the quiet woman assumes a role she’s never taken before in her romantic life—the one of being in charge.
Tony’s burning drive to succeed transformed him into to a controlling man who always gets what he wants. The stress propels him out of the office where he meets Heather… and discovers losing control to follow all her sexual commands may be exactly what he needs. Her sensuality fills his every waking moment, obsessing his thoughts until he can’t function, consuming him beyond reason to possess her.
When Heather and Tony explore their erotic passions, they’ll uncover each other’s secrets… and possibly reveal all their hidden desires as well.

Excerpt from Vanilla Dom: 

Chapter One

Heather

The bartender approaches us carrying our drinks, a lopsided grin on his aging face. “Gin and tonic?”

“That’s me,” I reply, reaching for the squat glass.

He sets the wineglass in front of Carla, my best friend.  She accepts it with a nod and turns her perky blondness my way. “Who orders mixed drinks at a wine bistro?”

I refrain from rolling my eyes and the urge to remind her why I need something sterner this evening. I’m not nearly as bold as she is. “Sometimes wine doesn’t cut it.”

The elegant room fills with bodies and my temperature rises. So many good-looking guys, I’m afraid to open my mouth and trip on my tongue. What in the hell possessed me to try this type of outing again?

Carla eyes the variety of men pouring through the double doors. “Linda out did herself with tonight’s event. There weren’t this many hotties at the last one.”

I shudder at the memory of the first speed-dating attempt she dragged me to three months ago.  The experience was good for a laugh if nothing else and the drinks were free, so I figured why not try it again?

God, what an idiot.

I clearly blocked the humiliation of how I didn’t meet anyone who wanted a date with me afterwards. My mouth hardens into a thin line. Then again, the prospect of being alone the rest of my life doesn’t sit well either.

“Yup, our lovely organizer did a great job with the men showing up tonight.” I force a laugh to hide my awkwardness and lift my inner doubts. “Maybe one will even call me later.”

“Hey, cut that long hair into some semblance of a style, you might have the same luck Julie did.”

I self-consciously tuck a strand of fine black hair behind one ear. I have no intention of getting the cute pixie haircut she’s got and I’m not risking going to her hairdresser to find out if he could do anything tamer with my hair. It’s one of the few things about myself I like right now. “Your sister lucked out with her hotshot property developer, but let’s be real. Most of the good ones in this city are gay or married.”

“Not true! I refuse to think there are no good ones left.” She nudges me with her shoulder while pointing her glass at some of the men around the room. “Take a good look. I bet there are at least six here who aren’t married or gay and looking for a beard.”

I gaze at my friend and appraise her good-naturedly. With her curvy good looks and low cut blouse, she has a better chance of snagging a guy than I do.

Linda waves at us from across the bar, gesturing we should head over to the tables like she explained earlier. Carla and I select small two-seater tables next to each other, sliding into the cushioned seats at almost the same time.

“Smile, Heather,” Carla says with a cheeky grin. “You’ll do fine.”

“Oh, yeah.” I hold back my grimace, reminding myself of the free booze. Maybe if I drink enough I’ll say something charming and one of these men will select to meet me. “I’m sure I will.”

Carla leans over and swats my arm playfully. “Step out of your comfort zone, girl. Slip on a new skin while you’re here.”

Putting on a brave face, I nod. “I’ll try.”

I swirl the thin red straw in my gin and tonic while looking over the prospective men.  There’s a tall, dark and handsome one in the corner. He’s sporting a blinding white smile, offset nicely by his coco-colored skin, deep brown hair and trim sport jacket instead of a suit. Yum. My lips tilt up at the corners and I drop my glance to the clipboard on the table in front of me. I’d die if he caught me staring at him.

Carla once labeled me a doormat while we were commiserating over my past relationships. She might have been right. I’m always bending over backward, sometimes literally, to make a guy happy. And what has it earned me? An empty bed, lonely nights, and lots of meals for one in my freezer.  I take a long sip of my drink.

Maybe I could slip on a new skin. Honestly, this current one isn’t working too well. I stiffen my spine as I glance once more around the wood-paneled space. I know there’s a guy out there for me. I just have to find him.

Two men arrive together, one looking slightly more harried than the other. The first one is sandy-haired and built like a runner, slim hipped and lean. His tailored pinstriped suit still looks fresh at eight o’clock. He’s got a dimple in his chin and an infectious grin as he looks around the room at the available ladies.

Quite a few women look older than me or are more than slightly overweight, so even if I’m not stunning, I’m still sitting near the top of prospects for the evening. This may turn out to be my lucky night, yet. The man behind the runner makes me pause. He’s easily the best looking guy in the bistro. And sure enough, by the way heads are turning, I’m not the only one who notices him.

Slightly shorter than his lanky friend, he must outweigh him by thirty pounds or so. He’s... arresting, there’s no other way to describe him. Sable brown hair, cut short and styled in a lazy fashion that somehow looks professional on him. His dark charcoal suit drapes across his broad shoulders and defines his narrow waist like it was custom made for him. His white shirt contrasts with his Mediterranean complexion, and when he looks up at his friend’s teasing tone I get a glance at his light brown eyes and chiseled cheekbones. What I would give to run my fingers through his hair and kiss him senseless.

I shift in my chair, aware of a growing dampness in my panties. God, how embarrassing. To be drawn to a man I’ve never talked to and who is obviously way out of my league. I probably don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of attracting his attention. I wish I had something prettier on. This slim black skirt and snug spring sweater might emphasize my build nicely, but I’m betting it will take cleavage and a lot of leg to attract a man like him.

My eyes shift sideways to Carla sitting next to me. The deep vee of her shirt showcases her plump, high breasts perfectly, and her tousled hair simply screams, I’m a fun girl, date me.

A small part of my eagerness for the night deflates over my chances of meeting him compared to hers. The two good-looking friends finish their paperwork and saunter to the bar. What am I really doing here? Sure, I might have a chance of meeting a guy for midnight hook-up, but really... speed dating? People have to be desperate to try this crap, right?

Makes me wonder—what’s wrong with these guys if they can’t find a date on their own? Shut up, Heather! I scream at myself. You sabotage everything before it even starts!

All right, all right, some of the men could be normal. I sip my drink and scan the room once more. My eye stops on a man whose shirt strains across his expanding middle. Too fat. Imagine what he’d look like in a few years after settling down and no longer pretending to keep himself up. No thanks.

Next to him stands a man in rumpled clothes who needs a shave. His appearance screams lazy and sloppy. I can just picture him burping on my couch and ordering me to get him a beer. A shudder runs through me.

An acceptable looking guy with reddish-brown hair and a fit build stands near Mr. Lazy. A shiver of instinct creeps up my spine. Something about him feels off. He’s staring way too hard at the women, like he might be a serial killer in the making. His predatory gaze roams across the room.

The only decent ones here are the man with the blinding smile, the runner, and Mister Italian Stallion who came in last. A sigh escapes me as I realize I’m close to drooling. Each one of them looks utterly delicious and I pray they’ve got brains behind the pretty faces and gorgeous bodies.

Now, if I can just say something interesting to one of them in the allotted two minutes, I might have a chance.

Linda, the busty brunette in her forties who’s organizing the event, stands near the middle of the bar area and raises her arm. “Attention Speed Daters!” All eyes turn her way. “We’re ready to begin. You all know the guidelines. Make polite conversation, ask questions that matter to you, make notes on your card and move on. All in good fun!” She smiles and nods to a few of the participants around the room. “You never know. You just may meet your one and only match tonight.”

I stifle an involuntary snort. I can already guess how the evening is going to play out. The creeps who want to take home the librarian type to their controlling mothers will fawn all over me, and the wild ones who want a good time will be begging Carla for her number, even though asking is strictly against the rules. You only get to meet someone for a date if they want to meet you, too.

I sigh and plaster on a happy face. Still better than sitting home alone with another microwaved meal, so I’m not going to complain. I slurp the last of my drink through the tiny straw. Damn. Need to take advantage of that free booze or it will definitely be a wasted evening.

After getting a refill at the bar, I saunter back to my little table for two, ready to meet my first speed date of the evening. “Serial Killer in Training” sits across from me and immediately asks if I’m a vegetarian... thank God for this second drink.

In thirty minutes, the Italian Stallion slides into the chair at my table. He’s just come from Carla’s and is smiling from ear to ear. A lump forms in my throat from looking at him close up.

A small scar traces the left side of his jaw, its pale color faded with age. I’d like to hear the story behind the old wound. His full lips look soft enough to kiss and his classic Roman nose would be better suited on an Abercrombie model than a businessman in Manhattan.

His eyes glide over me, a slight spark of what I hope is interest in their depths. The man’s charming grin remains in place. A good sign so far. Right as he opens his kissable mouth to speak, his phone rings. His relaxed expression turns into a grimace as he digs in his pocket to retrieve the offending device.

“Sorry,” he mumbles my way before answering. He turns slightly in his seat, angling himself away. “Yes?” he barks into the phone. “No, I won’t be back in tonight. The instructions are in the email I sent.”

At least I had the decency to turn off my phone before I came in. Hell, unless you’re a doctor on call then I doubt anything is life or death requiring your phone to stay on for two hours. He looks into the distance and I feel a twinge of annoyance.

“No,” his tone comes out authoritative and powerful. “You need to listen to me, Brian. The directions are in the email. You follow them precisely and the deal will close. Call me again and I’m going to be really pissed.”

He clicks his phone shut and closes his eyes. Tension spills off him and I hesitate to break the silence. What could be so important that he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders? He takes a deep breath and opens them again, staring straight into my eyes.

“I’m sorry, that was rude of me.” He angles toward me. I nod my reassurance that it’s okay, but inside I can’t help but think I’ve lost even more of my precious allotted time with this desirable stranger. He really is way out of my league.

“You know what I want more than anything?” he says with a touch of longing. “I want someone else to take control for a while. I’m really sick of being the guy in charge all the time.”

I smile, not particularly sure I can relate, but willing to appear understanding. His phone rings again and sharp anger stabs my gut. “Turn it off,” I say, with a challenge in my tone. I sit up straighter and stare into the depths of his caramel eyes. “You want someone to tell you what to do?” He nods, his calculating gaze on me as the phone continues to ring. “Turn off that damn phone.” I bite out, pretending I’m issuing a command. “Now.”

Shock registers across his expression, but he hides it quickly. I raise an eyebrow and feel the sparks fly across the table between us. He holds my eyes and smiles, the first real one I’ve seen on him since he came into the restaurant. The phone rings a third time and I break our stare and glance away, tilting my chin an inch higher, showing my displeasure in his lack of action. He fumbles for the phone on the table between us and shuts it off.

My pulse races and a part of me waits for him to shout I’m the rudest bitch he’s met tonight. Well, I tried my hand at ballsy and domineering—worth a shot. My one moment to not be a doormat in a relationship. I look toward him and smile, catching him off guard if his raised eyebrows are anything to go by. The interest I thought I saw earlier still lurks in his eyes.

Hmmm… Maybe tonight won’t be a total wash after all.

I pick up my drink and tilt it toward him in greeting. “I’m Heather.”

He raises his to meet mine and clinks it across the space. “Tony.”

“What do you do, Tony, that has people calling you after office hours?”

His spine stiffens and his tone holds not a hint of apology. “I head acquisitions in a large shipping conglomerate. We’re organizing to buy out a small firm this week.”

I nod, not sure if knowing what he does matters. He seems wired pretty tight, poor guy. “Who did you arrive with, the guy with the sandy-colored hair?”

Tony lifts a brow at and interest colors his expression. “Why?” His grin broadens. “You want me to introduce you to him?”

I stare back at him with a feigned confidence I don’t possess. “I’ll meet him soon enough, won’t I?”

“Touché.” He touches the timer on the table. “We are at a speed dating event.”

“That’s why I asked. You don’t seem like the type to be here.”

“Probably not, but Marcus talks me into lots of stuff I might not normally try on my own. He’s an old college buddy. Dragged me here ‘cause he said I needed a break from work.’

I glance down my nose at his phone, angling my head a bit. “He might be right.”

“And hey—what makes you think I’m not the type to try speed dating on my own?” he asks, a twinkle in his eye.

This man doesn’t know me from Adam. I could be anyone in this moment, anyone who is brash enough to tell a stranger to turn off his phone. Carla said to slip out of my skin… maybe she was onto something…

I reach across the table and trace a finger down the back of his hand. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“You’re wound too tight,” I say, dropping my voice, trying for a seductive tone. “Like you’re going to snap.” I look at him through my lashes, hoping I can pull off a sexy look like I’ve seen in movies. “What you need is to let off a little steam.”

Heat lights in his caramel eyes and he turns his hand over to grasp my own. “Really? What did you have in mind?”

I shrug and pull my hand away. “Why don’t you follow me to the patio and find out?”

The two-minute timer dings and the prospective dates around the room say their goodbyes and shift out of their chairs, eager to move on to the next person down the line.

Tony appears intrigued. There’s no doubt I’ve peaked his curiosity. I pick up my drink, still staring into his stunning eyes, and circle my tongue around the tiny swizzle stick before slipping the red plastic into my mouth for a sip of my drink.

Tony’s lips part in an exhalation of breath, his eyes locked onto my mouth.

I smile at his expression, pleased I’ve made an impression. He seemed to like when I told him what to do. I wonder how far I can take this with him willing to follow? I slide from my chair, glad I wore a pencil skirt that emphasizes my ass, and walk out of the room, without a backward glance, hoping he takes the bait.

My stiletto heels rap against the marble tile of the bistro as I swish my hips toward the narrow door leading to the closed outside seating in the rear of the restaurant. I push the door open and step through. The metal door whisks shut behind me. It’s early spring and unseasonably warm outside tonight, but the timing is still too early for the bistro to have the area set up for customers.

My heart races as I lean against the cool brick. What the hell am I doing, trying a stunt like this in a public place? Will he come out here? If he does, what do I do then? Anyone could walk out here, and by the full ashtray on a stack of tables, it looks to be a common spot for smokers.

Can I talk my way through this? Well, why the hell not? If he follows me out here then I’ve definitely intrigued him enough to learn more about me. But how do I set myself apart from the countless women who’ve thrown themselves at him before?

The door creaks open and Tony steps out. You can do this, Heather. Take command. Tell him what you want. Tell him what to do, just like he said he wants. Now or never.

I smirk with a confidence I’m not completely feeling. “Nice of you to join me, Tony.” I relax back against the brick and look him over from head to foot, making sure he knows exactly how desirable I find him with just my eyes. You can do this, don’t panic. He won’t laugh at you.

 I nod toward the stacked chairs. “Take off your coat.” He slips the expensive garment from his shoulders, pulling the starched fabric of his shirt across his defined chest. I nod my approval and his eyes glint with desire in the diming light.

He smiles, seemingly eager to play whatever game I’ve got in mind. “Anything else?”

I push down my inner anxiety and grin, in what I hope is a teasing manner. “Your tie.”

His eyebrows shoot up, but he loosens the knot and pulls the material free. The red silk slides over his shirt, carelessly tossed toward his coat.

Holy crap, he’s doing it. He’s listening to me. What now? “Unbutton the top two buttons of your shirt.”

He complies and the golden skin of his chest is revealed, with a few stray chest hairs visible near the neck of his undershirt. He looks so good I’d like to grab his shirt and rip it open, licking the skin as it’s uncovered. Where did that come from? I’m not this aggressive woman I’m pretending to be.

“How’s that?”

My pulse pounds so loud in my ears I can only nod, afraid I’ll give too much away if I answer. I clear my throat, reaching for nonchalance. “It’ll do.” My hands slide to my hips and I take the plunge, pouring every ounce of courage I possess into my next actions.

I grab my skirt’s black material and work it slowly up my thighs. Tony’s eyes go round as he follows my movements.

“Get down on your knees,” I say, forcing out my voice in a firm tone.

About C.J. Ellisson:
C.J. Ellisson, author of contemporary fantasy and erotica, lives near DC with her husband, two children aged eleven and nine, two Staffordshire Bull Terriers and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze.
After spending most of her working life dealing with real estate - either as a sales manager in wholesale mortgage banking, a corporate trainer, a Realtor, or as a property manager - she's now writing full-time and happy for the first time in years. 
Writing has become her passion and to find people want to read her stories feels like a dream come true.

To find out more about C.J. please visit her online:  Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads