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  A Very Alpha Christmas

  Over 25 Paranormal Holiday Tales of Werewolves, Dragons, Shifters, Vampires, Fae, Witches, Billionaires, Magics, Ghosts, Demons and More

  Mandy M. Roth

  Michelle M. Pillow

  T. S. Joyce

  Chloe Cole

  V. M. Black

  Terah Edun

  Carina Wilder

  Cathryn Fox

  Cristina Rayne

  Jaycee Clark

  JC Andrijeski

  Tasha Black

  R. E. Butler

  Jaide Fox

  Michele Bardsley

  Renee George

  T.J. Michaels

  Elsa Jade

  Allison Gatta

  Arial Burnz

  Mandy Rosko

  Candice Gilmer

  Dawn Michelle

  Sylvia Frost

  Lissa Matthews

  Lexy Cole

  TheRavenBooks.com

  Contents

  Copyright

  About A Very Alpha Christmas

  Vampire Games by V. M. Black

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  About V. M. Black

  When Darkness Falls by Terah Edun

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About Terah Edun

  Wrapped Up by Cathryn Fox

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  About Cathryn Fox

  Christmas Past, Christmas Presents by Carina Wilder

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  About Carina Wilder

  Hunted by Chloe Cole

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About Chloe Cole

  Heated Holiday by Mandy M. Roth

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  About Mandy M. Roth

  Stirring Up Trouble by Michelle M. Pillow

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  About Michelle M. Pillow

  Baby It’s Cold Out Bear by T. S. Joyce

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  About T.S. Joyce

  Blitzen’s Fated Mate by R. E. Butler

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  About R. E. Butler

  Thief of Souls by Jaycee Clark

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  About Jaycee Clark

  A Glint of Light by JC Andrijeski

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About JC Andrijeski

  The Clockwork Dragon by Tasha Black

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  About Tasha Black

  An Impossible Gift by Cristina Rayne

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Epilogue

  About Cristina Rayne

  Star’s Fall by Jaide Fox

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  About Jaide Fox

  In Good Spirits by Michele Bardsley

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  About Michele Bardsley

  Midnight Before Christmas by Renee George

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  About Renee George

  Winter Blues: Kotara Pryde by T.J. Michaels

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About T.J. Michaels

  Wish Upon a Werewolf by Elsa Jade

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  About Elsa Jade

  A Christmas Caroline by Allison Gatta

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  About Allison Gatta

  Frostbitten Hearts by Arial Burnz

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  About Arial Burnz

  The Lady and The Dragon’s Holiday by Mandy Rosko

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  About Mandy Rosko

  Not a Gentleman’s Christmas by Candice Gilmer

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  About Candice Gilmer

  Claimed by the Dragon Kin
g by Dawn Michelle

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  About Dawn Michelle

  The BBW and the Beast by Sylvia Frost

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  About Sylvia Frost

  Reindeers, Elves, And Cookies…Oh My! by Lissa Matthews

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  About Lissa Matthews

  Santa Shifter in Manhattan by Lexy Cole

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  About Lexy Cole

  More from Taming the Alpha

  A Very Alpha Christmas Box Set

  Copyright © 2015

  All Rights Reserved.

  Box Set ISBN 10: 1625011229

  Box Set ISBN 13: 978-1-62501-122-0

  Individual Stories Copyrighted to the Author. All Rights Reserved.

  Heated Holiday © Copyright 2015 by Mandy M. Roth

  Stirring Up Trouble © Copyright 2015 by Michelle M. Pillow

  Baby It’s Cold Out Bear © Copyright 2015 by T. S. Joyce

  Hunted © Copyright 2015 by Chloe Cole

  Vampire Games © Copyright 2015 by V. M. Black

  When Darkness Falls © Copyright 2015 by Terah Edun

  Christmas Past, Christmas Presents © Copyright 2015 by Carina Wilder

  Wrapped Up © Copyright 2015 by Cathryn Fox

  An Impossible Gift © Copyright 2015 by Cristina Rayne

  Thief of Souls © Copyright 2015 by Jaycee Clark

  A Glint of Light © Copyright 2015 by JC Andrijeski

  The Clockwork Dragon © Copyright 2015 by Tasha Black

  Blitzen’s Fated Mate © Copyright 2015 by R. E. Butler

  Star’s Fall © Copyright 2015 by Jaide Fox

  In Good Spirits © Copyright 2015 by Michele Bardsley

  Midnight Before Christmas © Copyright 2015 by Renee George

  Winter Blues © Copyright 2015 by T.J. Michaels

  Wish Upon a Werewolf © Copyright 2015 by Elsa Jade

  A Christmas Caroline © Copyright 2015 by Allison Gatta

  Frostbitten Hearts © Copyright 2015 by Arial Burnz

  The Lady And The Dragon's Holiday © Copyright 2015 by Mandy Rosko

  Not a Gentleman’s Christmas © Copyright 2015 by Candice Gilmer

  Claimed by the Dragon King © Copyright 2015 by Dawn Michelle

  The BBW and the Beast © Copyright 2015 by Sylvia Frost

  Reindeers, Elves, and Cookies...Oh My! © Copyright 2015 by Lissa Matthews

  Santa Shifter in Manhattan © Copyright 2015 by Lexy Cole

  All books copyrighted to the author and may not be resold or given away without written permission from the author.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any and all characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or events or places is merely coincidence. Novel intended for adults only. Must be 18 years or older to read.

  About A Very Alpha Christmas

  Featuring Tales from New York Times, USA Today and National Bestselling Authors

  * * *

  Limited Time Boxed Set

  Vampire Games by V. M. Black

  Cora’s Interlude

  A yacht trip with a billionaire vampire holds even more dangers and secrets than Cora can imagine.

  1

  Still damp from the shower, I came out of the bathroom in a fresh cami and shorts, releasing the clip to let down my hair just as Dorian came into the stateroom and shut the door.

  He stopped at a small brushed steel cabinet in front of the tinted glass wall that separated the upper deck from the stateroom, pulled a bottle of wine from its silver ice bucket, and poured it into two flutes.

  Champagne for celebration. Because we were engaged.

  Behind him, an angry sun bled across the sky as it drowned in the western sea. We’d left the Chesapeake behind us hours before, and with it went my last glimpse of land. It was quiet here, almost unnaturally so, even the engine’s noise and the sound of the waves on the hull muted by the thick glass and thicker wall.

  He lifted his gaze to meet mine, and my breath stuttered under the force of his regard, my awareness of him like teeth across my nerves.

  “Do you feel better now?” he asked.

  I swallowed and nodded, knowing that he was asking not about how I felt about being in the middle of the ocean on a vampire’s mega yacht but rather about the threatening note I had found in his—our—stateroom a few hours before.

  Stay Away, it had said.

  Dorian had put it down to a cheap prank pulled by one of his enemies at his New Year’s Eve party, left for us to find after they had gotten news that the attack on me had failed.

  I wasn’t so sure it was so harmless. Still, there was no possibility that anyone could hurt me here, not when the only other people still on the boat were Dorian’s enthralled servants, who were incapable of even wishing either one of us ill. It would be weeks before we planned to return—before I had any reason to worry again. So I was willing to set it aside for now.

  I didn’t want to think about what had happened the night before. And for a while, at least, I didn’t have to.

  “To us,” he said, offering me a wine glass.

  “Us,” I repeated before taking a sip. The word still sounded strange to me.

  I’d run so hard, so long from Dorian. But in the end, I had walked onto the yacht with the vampire of my own free will—or whatever approximation of free will I had left. Now here I was with nowhere to go. No one to save me from him because I’d decided that being saved wasn’t worth losing him.

  Somewhere on the boat there were stewards and officers and a chef and all the other people who made Dorian’s lifestyle possible. And yet they were all his people, so we might as well be alone.

  My finger traced the bond mark on my wrist, the sign that I was bound to him, body, blood, and soul. I wasn’t afraid that I’d made a mistake. I didn’t think I could live without him—even breathe without him. But I was still afraid of how much it would cost me.

  And yet I felt buoyant. Effervescent. I’d made my choice, and I couldn’t regret it.

  “Reservations, Cora?” he asked. He was still wearing a three-piece suit, his only concession to the fact that we were alone together that the jacket was now unbuttoned.

  I felt absurdly underdressed. Of course, when he looked at me like he was now, I might as well be naked.

  I shrugged. “None that matter.”

  He closed the distance between us and bent his head, and as if caught in a spell, I tilted up my face toward his. Our lips met—lips and tongues and nothing more, but the reaction crackled down through my body and between my legs, and the air between us seemed to spark against my skin. I could taste the champagne in his mouth, and for a long moment, I let him take mine before I ventured in to explore his, too.

  I sighed when he finally broke away, and I opened my eyes reluctantly.

  “That’s n
ot why I said yes.” My voice was slightly husky. I took another swallow of my champagne.

  I didn’t have to voice what I meant—the sex. The spark. The fire that sizzled between us, the one that I knew I could never feel with anyone else. Because no mere man had Dorian’s powers, nor could I ever share the bond between us with anyone else.

  “Why did you say yes, then?” His gaze was sharp enough to cut, a sweet hurt deep in my belly.

  “Because you love me. And I—I can’t live without you,” I said.

  What he did to my mind, my body, was more than any mere human ever could. But that alone wasn’t enough for me to brave the dangers of being his consort—his cognate, as my kind were called. What I clung to were those glimpses of soul, his grief and his love and his terrible and wonderful nobility.

  “Is that love, then?” he asked, teasing me gently.

  I lifted my shoulders. “Love or madness—or both.”

  “Isn’t love always a kind of madness?” he challenged.

  “You should know.”

  He kissed me lightly on the forehead, then the cheek, then the place just under my jaw that made me shiver.

  But when I started to lean in to him, he broke away and plucked the champagne flute from my fingers.

  “How would you like to play a little game?” he asked with a light in his eyes that made my stomach flutter in apprehension…and anticipation.

  “It depends on the game,” I said carefully. “What kinds of games do vampires play?”

  “Agnates,” he corrected lightly, using his preferred term. He was an agnate—and I was his cognate. I could say something trite about that, yin and yang, north and south, dark and light. But none of those easy characterizations would do justice to what was between us, either to its depth or its complexity.

  He set both the wine glasses down on the cabinet, one next to the other, and topped them off—too far, for the champagne came almost to the rim. “For the next day—twenty-four hours precisely—this game will determine exactly how far I go. And when I stop.”

  “And what are the rules?” My throat felt suddenly dry.

  He came back with the two flutes and pressed them into my hands.

  “The first challenge has only one rule: Don’t spill the wine. When you spill it, the game is over.”