Southern Sanctuary Series by Jane Cousins

It was common knowledge that Hadleigh Valhalla was a complete failure when it came to men. Too blood thirsty. Too tall at 6.6ft and without a coy bone in her too voluptuous body. If there had been a ‘fun, flirty and feminine’ test she would have failed it hands down. Thankfully she was much more suited to her role as an Enforcer, protecting her magically enhanced eccentric extended family on a daily basis from all kinds of nasties... moreIt was common knowledge that Hadleigh Valhalla was a complete failure when it came to men. Too blood thirsty. Too tall at 6.6ft and without a coy bone in her too voluptuous body. If there had been a ‘fun, flirty and feminine’ test she would have failed it hands down. Thankfully she was much more suited to her role as an Enforcer, protecting her magically enhanced eccentric extended family on a daily basis from all kinds of nasties. It was a job she loved, much preferring to be out there beheading the baddies than dating any day of the week … much less stressful. Except now there’s a new threat in town. Great Aunt Alma, the family match maker has returned to the fold and set her sights squarely on all the singletons. Hadleigh will do anything she has to in order to avoid Alma’s matchmaking manoeuvres even if that means signing on as the newest member of the hit reality TV show ‘Paranormal Exterminators.’ Vaughn, Captain of the Goddess Maat’s elite warriors has a mission, to find and annihilate any and all magical beings that threaten to tilt the scales of justice into chaos. A paranormal reality TV show provides the perfect cover. But there’s trouble on set. Their only female cast member has gone missing and they need a replacement fast. Enter Hadleigh Valhalla, the most luscious thing on two legs he’s seen in a century. From the moment he sets eyes on her he’s determined to make her his. There’s only one problem, Hadleigh insists she has a strict no dating policy. Claiming she’d rather be fighting than flirting. A series of mishaps means it’s a race against time for Vaughn and Hadleigh to discover just who is targeting the show and stop them before someone gets seriously hurt or dead. While doing so Vaughn intends to teach Hadleigh to break all the rules and prove to her she is just as much woman as she is warrior. less

What Nell needs is a man - a completely shocking, ridiculously inappropriate, insanely unsuitable, ludicrously improper man. Considered too vanilla in a world full of flavours, Doctor Nell Montgomery’s dating life is a barren waste land with few prospects on the horizon. Tired of being labelled the nice girl, she’s decided she needs a life make-over stat. With that in mind she instigates a bold plan to shatter her nice girl image irretrievably... moreWhat Nell needs is a man - a completely shocking, ridiculously inappropriate, insanely unsuitable, ludicrously improper man. Considered too vanilla in a world full of flavours, Doctor Nell Montgomery’s dating life is a barren waste land with few prospects on the horizon. Tired of being labelled the nice girl, she’s decided she needs a life make-over stat. With that in mind she instigates a bold plan to shatter her nice girl image irretrievably. All she needs is one shockingly inappropriate man. When she does find him she intends to seduce the heck out of him and bury her goody two shoes reputation once and for all. There’s only one seven foot tall problem standing in her way. His name is Drum, an elite warrior in the Goddess Maat’s guard. He’s spent over a hundred years killing magical nasties in the most vile, bloodiest manner possible – and quite frankly enjoying the hell out of himself. With a reputation as the big bad, Drum is used to dangerous women throwing themselves at him. What he isn’t prepared for is one gorgeous Doctor who challenges and tempts him at every turn. When the baddest of the bad and the sweetest of the sweet are thrown together on a tropical island with a nameless, faceless danger stalking Nell, it’s up to Drum to protect her and at the same time prove to his little temptress that she’s the perfect not so nice woman for him. less

Serena Chastain, former reality TV - sparkly purple shorts wearing – starlet, and Earth Witch is having a really bad five months. Imprisoned in a mental facility by two Chaos demi-gods bent on revenge, Serena is drained of her magic and only days away from dying. Truth Mage Locke Valhalla battles evil every day… in the boardroom, wielding the contents of his briefcase like a sword, his platinum credit card his shield. His life is pretty much perfect... moreSerena Chastain, former reality TV - sparkly purple shorts wearing – starlet, and Earth Witch is having a really bad five months. Imprisoned in a mental facility by two Chaos demi-gods bent on revenge, Serena is drained of her magic and only days away from dying. Truth Mage Locke Valhalla battles evil every day… in the boardroom, wielding the contents of his briefcase like a sword, his platinum credit card his shield. His life is pretty much perfect. He’s established very firm boundaries to ensure his loving but interfering family are kept at bay and his immaculate home is the equivalent of the fortress of solitude – only much cleaner and better decorated with a big screen TV plus an expensively stocked bar. Unfortunately Locke’s perfect world is about to come crashing down. Blackmailed into rescuing Serena, what’s a three piece suit wearing corporate lawyer with a slight dirt phobia supposed to do when he’s saddled with an Earth Witch with a bounty on her very fine - but definitely off limits – ass? A woman who insists upon rolling around in the mud to reconnect with her magic! A woman who refuses to wear clothes and seems to take great delight in twitching all her mouth-watering assets in his face at every opportunity! With a Kiss of Vampire Assassins also chasing that very fine butt, it’s up to Locke to protect Serena from the bad guys whilst the Earth Witch teaches him that only good things come to those who are willing to wrangle with a Witch. less

Being a Siren sucked! Charisse Bright could attest to that. Admittedly, the supernatural package came with a face/body to die for and the ability to manipulate others with her stunning voice, but there’s a major downside to being a songstress of the high seas and she wasn’t just talking about the never-ending compliments, the incessant flattery or the drooling… ick, the drooling! No, she had a deep, dark secret... moreBeing a Siren sucked! Charisse Bright could attest to that. Admittedly, the supernatural package came with a face/body to die for and the ability to manipulate others with her stunning voice, but there’s a major downside to being a songstress of the high seas and she wasn’t just talking about the never-ending compliments, the incessant flattery or the drooling… ick, the drooling! No, she had a deep, dark secret. Being a Siren meant bonding with a possessive, bitchy and hungry… oh, so very hungry, rock. Charisse has enough on her plate dealing with the demanding bitch-rock on top of her extensive, magical, high-maintenance family. The last thing she needs in her life is a man. One who keeps scowling at her rather than flirting, kissing her one moment, insulting her the next. And worst of all, he appears to be completely an utterly immune to her Siren powers. No, the last thing she needs in her life is an uncontrollable, annoying man. Women! Women of all shapes and sizes love Maat warrior and world-class superflirt, Nate, but after a hundred years of flirting - with the best of intentions - Nate is kind of weary of the whole meaningless dating scene. He wants a relationship, with a nice, easy-going, uncomplicated woman. Problem is, the two women currently in his life, couldn’t be more different, or problematic. One’s a bat-crap-crazy, assassin vampire Queen, stalking him, determined to make him her eternal chew toy. And the other… well, the other is a gorgeous woman with way too many secrets. Common-sense tells him he should steer well clear of Charisse Bright, but there’s just something about the woman that he finds impossible to resist. Nate’s determined to rise to the challenge. Protect Charisse. Kill the vampire Queen. And along the way seduce a Siren into giving up all her secrets… he won’t settle for less than her body and soul. less

Berry Malone’s life was currently ranking a D minus. Divorced, destitute and desperate. Returning home to the Southern Sanctuary to take on the role of local magistrate sounds like the perfect solution to her problems. A place to heal and recover. Regain her self-confidence as a single, empowered – sworn off men for life – woman. Unfortunately, her interfering extended magical family, along with the local devious cats, have other plans for her... moreBerry Malone’s life was currently ranking a D minus. Divorced, destitute and desperate. Returning home to the Southern Sanctuary to take on the role of local magistrate sounds like the perfect solution to her problems. A place to heal and recover. Regain her self-confidence as a single, empowered – sworn off men for life – woman. Unfortunately, her interfering extended magical family, along with the local devious cats, have other plans for her. Plans that include shredding every article of clothing she owns and throwing her into the company of the new Chief of Police as often as possible. A man too irritating for words, with all his heated looks, intentional looming and flirtatious comments. So what if the man sends her hormones into a tizzy, Berry is determined not to be led astray by her untrustworthy instincts or magic ever again. Ramsey Hughes is desperate to be declared mentally fit enough to return to his job as an undercover cop. If that means temporarily filling in as the Southern Sanctuary Chief of Police, so be it. Except the place is weird, and the inhabitants, even stranger. Then he runs across Berry Malone… naked, vulnerable and spitting mad. Damn, he loves to see her eyes spark with fire. Although she seems to be under the misapprehension that he’s some sort of smooth talking, playboy flirt. With bullets flying and danger stalking them, the two must unite to survive. As they grow closer, Berry remains wary, resolved to keep Hotshot Hughes at arm’s length. She’s too smart to fall for another lying, no-good - can’t be trusted - man. All Ramsey knows is that he wants Berry Malone in his life and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her there, even if that means taking a leap of faith and believing that magic is real. And if that doesn’t work, then he’ll poke, prod and bedevil a beauty, until Berry Malone is willing to commit herself to him heart and soul. less

Librarian Cara Devigne was beyond shocked to discover that she was the long lost relative of Apep, the God of Chaos. Though that information went a long way in explaining why madness, mayhem and pandemonium broke out all too often in her vicinity of late. More disturbing, she learnt that the only way for her ruthless relatives to awaken Apep is with her blood… all of it. Accepting a job at the Southern Sanctuary, located in far off Australia, is her best option of staying alive... moreLibrarian Cara Devigne was beyond shocked to discover that she was the long lost relative of Apep, the God of Chaos. Though that information went a long way in explaining why madness, mayhem and pandemonium broke out all too often in her vicinity of late. More disturbing, she learnt that the only way for her ruthless relatives to awaken Apep is with her blood… all of it. Accepting a job at the Southern Sanctuary, located in far off Australia, is her best option of staying alive. A place where magic is real and she should be safe. Except she keeps bumping into gorgeous - off limits - Erik Valhalla, and her unstable chaos whammy powers appear to be intent upon killing the man. Maybe it’s because he acts like a grade-A jerk, leering at her and talking to her breasts… so it was a complete mystery to her, why, when she wasn’t trying to kill Erik, all she could thinking about was kissing him. Erik Valhalla is a man under extreme pressure. His mother has gone grandbaby crazy. Desperate to see her son melded she has instigated a major harassment campaign in an attempt to present him with suitable baby-mama candidates. So when gorgeous Cara Devigne practically throws herself at his feet he rightfully panics. He’s determined to act the jerk because he knows bone deep if he doesn’t scare her off, his single status is seriously under threat. Despite knowing that, he can’t seem to stop thinking about unwrapping the shy unassuming librarian package and discovering the fiery gorgeous woman lurking beneath the surface. Constantly thrown together, it will take all of Erik’s magic to protect Cara from the two evil demi-gods hot on her trail and somehow convince her to stop trying to kill him long enough to prove that even though the woman is a walking disaster… she’s his walking disaster. less

The Merrow were a notorious bunch of liars, cheaters and scoundrels. Descended from a long line of swindlers, conmen, pirates and politicians. Unfortunately for Devon Patel, Makura Princess, she’s expected to marry one of the Merrow Royal Princes. Hiring the services of the Southern Sanctuary match maker therefore seems like a smart first move. But before Devon can blink she’s trapped in the Southern Sanctuary and suffering through fourteen blind dates from hell... moreThe Merrow were a notorious bunch of liars, cheaters and scoundrels. Descended from a long line of swindlers, conmen, pirates and politicians. Unfortunately for Devon Patel, Makura Princess, she’s expected to marry one of the Merrow Royal Princes. Hiring the services of the Southern Sanctuary match maker therefore seems like a smart first move. But before Devon can blink she’s trapped in the Southern Sanctuary and suffering through fourteen blind dates from hell.Worse still, it seems someone out there really wants Devon dead. Lumbered with the annoying Liam Chambers, who says he just wants to protect her. Devon’s not sure if she can trust a Merrow who smiles at her all the time and has a sneaky way of getting under her skin. Decisions? Decisions? Should she go with her gut and kill the Merrow, or go with her heart and kiss him?Liam Chambers isn’t your typical Merrow. He doesn’t lie, cheat or steal. Which is probably why his family hate him so much. And whilst he may not be interested in getting married, to his complete shock he finds himself very interested in the Makura Princess he has sworn to protect. The more the royal diva snaps, snarls and threatens to kill him, the more Liam wants her. Before too long Liam doesn’t just want to protect Devon, he wants to shackle himself to the shrew for life. less

Thanks to her magic, Eli Stevens is quite literally forgettable girl. Ten seconds out of her presence and no one remembers who she is. Which makes her an awesome master thief, but lousy girlfriend material. Resigned to a long lonely life, Eli focuses all her energy on her job as Retrieval Expert for her eccentric, magical family, who have a tendency to misplace dangerous be-spelled objects... moreThanks to her magic, Eli Stevens is quite literally forgettable girl. Ten seconds out of her presence and no one remembers who she is. Which makes her an awesome master thief, but lousy girlfriend material. Resigned to a long lonely life, Eli focuses all her energy on her job as Retrieval Expert for her eccentric, magical family, who have a tendency to misplace dangerous be-spelled objects. Drafted to snatch five rubies containing the God Apep’s chaos magic, Eli finds herself partnered up with Rafe, elite warrior of Maat, and logistics genius. The man is the epitome of walking temptation, but Eli has been burnt too often in the past to believe this time will be any different. Rafe might be a gorgeous semi-immortal being but she’s forgettable girl. It’s time to lock up her heart for good and throw away the key, before she gets it shattered into a million pieces. For Rafe, falling in love with gorgeous thief, Eli, was easy… remembering her was the hard part. Now he just has to convince Eli to fight for them. To trust that in working together they will find a way to overcome her magic. It will take all of his skill and charm to steal Eli’s heart and thrill a thief. less

Brodie Buchanan lives for war, the bloodier, the better. But lately, even her fellow Valkyrie have become concerned with how single-minded and blood thirsty she has become. Forced to take a holiday at the Southern Sanctuary, Brodie's boss has warned her not to return until she is completely chilled. Or in other words, bang a guy, they are the best stress relievers out there. There’s nothing more dangerous than saying no to a Valkyrie. Doubly so when they are demanding you have sex with them... moreBrodie Buchanan lives for war, the bloodier, the better. But lately, even her fellow Valkyrie have become concerned with how single-minded and blood thirsty she has become. Forced to take a holiday at the Southern Sanctuary, Brodie's boss has warned her not to return until she is completely chilled. Or in other words, bang a guy, they are the best stress relievers out there. There’s nothing more dangerous than saying no to a Valkyrie. Doubly so when they are demanding you have sex with them. Unfortunately for Fen Valhalla, fireman, and air mage, there is only one option available to him if he wants to escape the dreaded machinations of the Southern Sanctuary match maker, celibacy. As much as it pains him, the only way for Fen to remain single, is to swear off women completely. Problem is, he failed to factor in one very determined six-foot Valkyrie when he took his vow of abstinence. With a magical arsonist wreaking havoc in the Sanctuary, it will take Brodie and Fen working together, to hunt down and stop the firebug menace before anyone is killed. There is only one small problem, the more time Brodie spends with the vexing man, the more she finds herself wanting not just merely sex from Fen… she wants it all. Damn, so all she has to do now is convince Fen that love is not a dirty four-letter word. Or, she could just kill him… decisions, decisions. less

Psychiatrist and Seer, Quinn Bennett, is haunted by her cursed bloodline. Afraid that if she ever strays from her strict, rigid lifestyle, that she will succumb to insanity Every day Matias Yanez’s memories reset and he wakes tormented by the fact his parents have just been murdered and his sister is missing. Except, that happened ten years ago. All he can do now is grapple with this crappy half life and act the gruff jerk, so no one discovers his secret... morePsychiatrist and Seer, Quinn Bennett, is haunted by her cursed bloodline. Afraid that if she ever strays from her strict, rigid lifestyle, that she will succumb to insanity Every day Matias Yanez’s memories reset and he wakes tormented by the fact his parents have just been murdered and his sister is missing. Except, that happened ten years ago. All he can do now is grapple with this crappy half life and act the gruff jerk, so no one discovers his secret. When these two touch, wildly unpredictable things happen. Flashes of an impossible future. Gateways opening to a terrible past. Quinn is terrified that her fears of going insane are about to become a reality. Matias is hopeful that he’s found the one person to help him find his missing sister and bring his parents’ killer to justice. Together they will travel through time. Fight deadly hybrid Jaguar creatures. And face off against a power-hungry High Priest who wants to rule the world. Quinn has never been more terrified of losing everything. Matias is determined to tempt Quinn from her straight and narrow existence. And maybe, just maybe, surprise a Seer with true love. less

Darcy Montgomery, Spider Mage and sociopath with well intentioned homicidal tendencies, has a lot on her plate. As Special Liaison it is her job to protect and defend the inhabitants of the Southern Sanctuary, by any means necessary. Juggling multiple crises is her forte, but this hellish week is proving more challenging than most. There’s something up with Hadleigh and Gaia’s babies. An Incubus is missing. A posse of Priestesses have just arrived in search of their Love God... moreDarcy Montgomery, Spider Mage and sociopath with well intentioned homicidal tendencies, has a lot on her plate. As Special Liaison it is her job to protect and defend the inhabitants of the Southern Sanctuary, by any means necessary. Juggling multiple crises is her forte, but this hellish week is proving more challenging than most. There’s something up with Hadleigh and Gaia’s babies. An Incubus is missing. A posse of Priestesses have just arrived in search of their Love God. And most annoying of all, she is saddled with Apprentice Enforcer, Declan Benavidez, babe magnet extraordinaire. Who appears determined to prove that Darcy isn’t as immune to his charms as she thinks she is. Declan Benavidez has an annoying Pagan Love God living in his head. But he’s never let that fact get in the way of going after what he wants. Pursuing his goal of becoming a Southern Sanctuary Enforcer. And loving ornery Darcy Montgomery. And finally it looks like all his dreams might come true. He just needs to avoid a posse of determined Priestesses. Oust the Love God from his head. Find that missing Incubus, passing his final test to become an Enforcer. And win Darcy’s heart. All without her killing him when she discovers that he was the one who magically marked her, claiming her. His mission is greenlit, it’s time - To Handle a Hellcat. less

Patricia Bennett, Head Librarian, was quickly coming to believe that her matchmaking Great-Aunt was losing the plot. Oh, sure, the warrior that turned up in her Library fulfilled all her secret fantasy requirements; gorgeous and tall, but he was also irritating and bordering on being an Alpha-hole. Besides, she really didn’t have time to bring him up to scratch, she was too busy working on ousting the arrogant - thinks he’s always right - Cullen from the Southern Sanctuary. The gall of the man... morePatricia Bennett, Head Librarian, was quickly coming to believe that her matchmaking Great-Aunt was losing the plot. Oh, sure, the warrior that turned up in her Library fulfilled all her secret fantasy requirements; gorgeous and tall, but he was also irritating and bordering on being an Alpha-hole. Besides, she really didn’t have time to bring him up to scratch, she was too busy working on ousting the arrogant - thinks he’s always right - Cullen from the Southern Sanctuary. The gall of the man. First he steals her library books. Then he sets up his Potting Shed as a Library Annexe. Enough is enough. Descended from the Camelot Archers, Cullen has devoted his life to protecting the sovereign soil. But when he’s betrayed and forced to go into hiding, the Southern Sanctuary appears perfect for his needs. More so when he meets the riveting Patricia Bennett. But who knew the Library world would be fraught with just as many dangers as that of being a spy. With magic in the mix. Peril at every turn. Cullen must defeat a warrior-rival. Organise a high tea for a Chaos God. Hang some Christmas ornaments. Expose a traitor, and somehow convince Patricia that he belongs in the Southern Sanctuary. It’s no longer just a battle of wits when Patricia and Cullen team up to go after a traitorous spy. They must learn to trust one another if they want to survive. But before too long Patricia is in danger of becoming addicted to the excitement, the adrenalin rush and worse, the man of mystery himself. less