HARD CASE - A Recommended Read by Joyfully Reviewed...

Tres Moran stole glances toward Alek’s table and wondered about the guy who sat with him. Her hostess caught her.
“Interested in big cats now, are you?”
She and Holly had worked clubs like this together as a team for a lot of years now. They’d been together long enough to know each other’s likes and dislikes. The only difference—Hol thrived on the performance. Tres was a watcher. This job would be a piece of cake. Tres hoped to settle down this time. This close to Big Bear and Arrowhead, she could let her leopard enjoy the snow. Hot weather for long periods didn’t suit her.
“Big is not bad at all, but he’s a warm cat. He likes the heat, and he probably has fleas. Plus, I can smell the vamp in his ass from here. And you can’t trust those Kind cats. They’re deadly mothers.”
“You like Alek just fine.”
“He’s one of the good guys, keeps his paws to himself, and tigers like snowy, cold climates.” Tres knew her friend wanted to get it on with the tiger. “Anyway, we’re friends, there’s no attraction there. You know that, Hol. Wish things could be different because he sure is good to look at.”
“Well, the one your eyes are glued to is no slouch. The phrase ‘eye candy’ certainly pops into my mind. A real sweet piece of candy.”
Tres agreed with her assessment. The guy was huge, way over six feet. Those green eyes could drag you to hell and back. And you wouldn’t mind the trip. His mouth held her mesmerized. Lips looked so soft, yet they were held in a tight line of control. Ash-blond hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail that grazed his shoulders. The hair color indicated a difference from other lions. This cat would be white when he changed. Something she’d never seen before. Tres wouldn’t mind a peek under the designer suit he wore. Shit, wouldn’t mind a quick ride either. Okay, down girl, back to work. Tres faced her hostess.
“Did the shipment of Chilean merlot come in?” She looked at Holly.
“Yes, twelve cases of good vintage.”
“Nice. Make sure it gets put up in the cellar. I don’t want it to sit at this temperature long.”
“Taken care of already,” Holly said.

Tres dripped. A state of moist heat settled between her thighs while she watched the guy talk with Alek. He turned her on. If he became a regular customer, her desk drawer would need to be filled with a change of clean, dry underwear. Not her typical reaction to lions. Warm climate cats never turned her on. This one would be trouble. Thank God she had a strict policy about customers. Maybe he’s visiting.
Things had been really slow in her life lately. Over the last five years she’d chosen her partners wisely. The minute Tres felt more than a slight attraction, she ran. By no means would she consider herself promiscuous, but lately the word “celibate” came to mind. If Tres didn’t get some soon, her maidenhead would grow back. Her leopard was even starting to complain. It was bad when a lion turned her on this much.
She stopped at the door of one of the private booths and thought, what the hell? A peek that’s all. The pile of paperwork on her desk could wait to be handled. Tres promised herself it would be next.

Blurb:
Leron Wilder is a jaguar of the Kind species, big cat shifters infected with vampyre blood. Nothing has gone right for Leron since his best friend Jag mated with the owner of the local coffee shop. Stuck training a new cat shifter who’s a badass wannabe, Leron stops by the coffee shop to seek his ex-partner's advice.

Corinne Nelson loves her new home and her new job as a waitress at the Coffee Swirl, and she’s really hoping she won't have to move on this time. Life’s finally looking up -- until the hottest man she’s ever met walks into the shop -- and licks her hand?

Mating is not something Leron is looking forward to. Yet the minute he tastes the new waitress, he knows he’s in serious trouble. She’s a flavor he could find addictive. But she’s not who she says she is, and everything’s falling apart around them. He’s starting to feel like a cat on a hot tin roof…

Excerpt:
"Here's your black coffee." It was her. The silken sound of her voice slid right down to his cock. As she was putting his cup on the table, he tried to touch her hand. She pulled away and the hot liquid sloshed over the side and burned her. The cup rattled in the saucer and tilted over. "Oh, my God, I'm so sorry."
Leron spoke quickly. "It was my fault. Are you okay? Let me look." An angry red blister had already formed. His cat instincts took over and he brought her hand to his mouth and began to lick the red welt. His tongue lapped at her like she was today's special. He had lost his mind and didn't know where the fuck to find it.
Her body trembled and she tried to pull away. "Mister..."
"Let her go."
Jag's tone was soft and non-threatening, but Leron saw red. Best friend be damned. He had no right to tell Leron he couldn't touch her. Suddenly, some sense came back to him. "Cory, right? I'm sorry... I..." He never got to finish. She left so fast, his head spun. He watched her tight ass move away down the aisle. Son of a bitch!
Confusion rained down on him. His heart beat out of control, his lungs were full of her scent, and his dick was ready to explode. The taste on his tongue was divine. He heard Jag's laugh from a million miles away. "What?" The sound of the swinging door to the back drew his attention. Barb stormed their way. Hell.
Jag said, "You're in for it now."
She stopped at the table, and her brow quirked up. He looked down at the spilled mess still there. "Look, you can't come in here and lick my employees. Keep that catty stuff outside. And you," she wheeled around to Jag, "are no better. Why didn't you stop him?"
"For the same reason he couldn't stop me when I wanted you."
Leron's head snapped up, and he looked from one to the other with his jaw hung open. Sometimes their blood bond was a pain in the ass. "No way, dude. No. Fucking. Way."

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POSTING PLACE FOR
NC-17 AND XXX EXCERPTS
BLURB
Getting enough cream is a problem for this cat…

Jag Arizon has a plan to correct that. A jaguar from the Kind species, big cats infected with vampyre blood, he walks in both worlds. Aside from blood, he’s addicted to cream, and only one person can cure him. In convincing her to donate to his cause, Jag gets much more than he bargained for.

Barbara Dorsey, the uptight co-owner of the local coffee shop, has all the cream this cat needs. But she’s only giving it away in dreams to the one man who not only opens the door to her every desire -- he can change her world forever.

EXCERPT
    She unsnapped the button and tore the zipper down. His cock fell out in her hand. It was hot and felt like velvet on steel. His musky scent rose up and made her whimper with desire.
    Barbara dropped to her knees and began to run her hands along his shaft. She let her fingertips brush his balls, and drew a hiss from his lips. Cupping the head of his penis, she smeared the moisture there and used her hand to masturbate him. The tight skin moved back and forth with her motions.
    The teardrops of precum dribbled from the slit on his cock’s broad head and called to her. She slowly descended and flicked her tongue across the tip to collect the fluid. “Mmmm,” she moaned as she slipped her lips over him.
    “Jesus, please,” he begged her with his head thrown back.
Barbara swallowed his whole length and started a slow rhythm of back and forth. Her hair bounced around her head as she licked up and down and sucked his cock while his body quivered.
    She had to catch her breath, and while she did, Barbara kissed and nibbled on his balls. She pulled one then the other into her warm mouth. Releasing them, she ran her tongue back up the tender underside of his erection and took him back in her mouth. He tried to shove it all down her throat. And she took it. Over and over. He was relentless.
    His body bowed as he stabbed his cock into her mouth. “Come up here,” he whispered.
    She stood between his legs and pressed into him. The front of her skirt showed spots of his wetness. His hands dropped down and pulled at the hem until he ripped it right up the front. Barbara gasped in surprise. She felt so wild, so wanton. “What are you going to do?”
    “I’m gonna take what I want.”
    Still trapped between his legs, she leaned into him. His cock jerked against her stomach and made her knees weak. Barbara trembled. He grabbed her full ass in his large hands massaged and stroked her cheeks. Air locked in her throat as his fingers brushed over her puckered anus. Without entering her, he rubbed and played at the rim. She’d never been touched like that and it sent a taboo thrill racing through her body.
    “What do you want?” Her eyes explored his and saw the need stamped in them.
    “You know what I came for.”
    His hands spanned her waist, turned her and lifted her to the desk. Going down on his knees between her legs, he took deep breaths as though he absorbed her scent into his body.
    “You smell like heaven,” he said, so softly she barely heard him. His tongue darted out and grazed her labia. Then long, slow strokes covered her pussy. He delved between the folds with his mouth and took everything. Fingers joined his tongue as he explored her cunt and made her drip more. “So damn good.”
    His tongue poked and stabbed her until Barbara couldn’t hold back. She flooded his mouth with her desire. Wave after wave rushed from her.
    He groaned. “Yeah… cream, sweet cream.”
    He stood and grasped her legs, wrapping them around his waist. His cock slipped noisily into her wet channel. He bent his knees and started to stroke inside of her.

Manic Readers
"Witty and sexual as the cats come out to play"
Hard Case gives us a look at the voyeuristic side as well as from the performer's point of view. It also shows us what a person is willing to go through to win his mate. It is erotic with a touch of humor thrown in here and there.
from ParaNormal Romance
by Annette Stone...read more
Visit A CHEEKY CHANGELING for an erotic contemporary free read by me titled
RING OF CHOICE  - Here
The sparks Case and Tres create are like tinder to a flame.  J. Hali Steele definitely knows how to make the most of both the voyeurism and exhibitionism scenes in Hard Case.  Both the erotic tension between Tres and Case and the fulfillment of their desires makes the book sizzle.  Hard Case works on every level and I hope desperately Ms. Steele writes a book for Case’s friend Alek.  Joyfully Recommended! Review by Shayna - read full review at Joyfully Reviewed.
Holly from Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviews gave HOT TIN ROOF 4.5 cherries. She says: The characters are fully developed and beautifully complex. The attraction between Leron and Cory is intense and almost immediate, and the scene in the kitchen of the coffee shop is as hot as any I’ve read. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who wants to visit these exotic cats and their friends. But be sure to take plenty of cold drinks and keep the a/c on high. Read more at Whipped Cream.
18 or older
Site contains
ADULT MATERIAL
With Extra Cream received 5 angels! Kimber of Fallen Angel Reviews said With Extra Cream is a fun erotic romance between a hot shapeshifter and a practical woman. Jag is one of the most playful paranormal heroes written. The beginning of the story with him strung out on too many lattes is hilarious. Read full review HERE.


“Are you certain you can handle that beauty?” Nikol asked. “She sure is a looker.” His face was scored with anxiety.
“Yeah, she is a beauty. She handles real nice too,” Fane said. He looked at Nikol and wondered what was up. He didn’t look happy.
Fane Baron had brought the new bird in this morning. A sweet little BBJ the Reign leader ordered from Boeing Business Jets was custom outfitted with all the bells and whistles. He kept busy going over the plane, a standard maintenance check before takeoff.
He ran his hand across the side of the jet. If Nikol had been in his normal frame of mind, he would have laughed at him for caressing the plane and Fane could sure use the laughter in his life right now. He couldn’t stop thinking about Sans. No matter how one put it, he’d killed him. Even if Sans’ actions begged for it, had all but signed his own death warrant, it was Fane who ended his life. The thought resided in his mind like a cancer, and every day it grew larger. One day it would eat him alive.
Fane was a black panther from the Kind species; big cats infected thousands of years ago with blood from the undead. He couldn’t escape the terrible truth of what his people were.
Vampyres had sought to escape being hunted by human slayers and their own kind who turned rogue. They invaded dens in the Balkan Mountains the few remaining cave lions wintered in. Though they didn’t kill the cats, the vampyres continued to exist because they used the lions’ blood as sustenance and contaminated them with their deadly curse. The evil traveled rampant throughout the world to include tigers, panthers and jaguars—no cat was safe.
They became known as the Kind.
One of a privileged few, Fane belonged to the Sovereign Kind, the warriors known as Reign, appointed by the council of Elders to protect his kind and humans. An appointment he took pride in until he brutally killed a transgressor: his best friend, Sans.
To defend against the onslaught of rogue vampyres and slayers, the Reign needed to be more like their creator. They inherited the ability to wield fire, enthrall the masses and dematerialize with just a thought. To use these powers, they needed human blood.
Some became addicted to the heady taste and emotions they felt when they fed. Their animal instincts took over and forced them to consume the flesh of the vamp’s kill.
They were transgressors.
Laws existed for his people to abide by, rules that kept them safe from discovery. When they were broken, the Reign made a visit. It always ended in death. Sans broke the rules and he knew what the consequences would be.
This morning he was supposed to fly Sans’ father, Thomas, and Patrik, the leader of the Reign, to the Arizona compound. They were both Elders and endowed with all of the Kind’s greatest abilities.
“Patrik wanted me to let you know…”
Fane cut Nikol off. “I already know that Patrik and Thomas won’t be flying with me. The desk got the call that Thomas’s nephew, Eddie, will be going to Sedona to handle the deal.” He didn’t really want to have this conversation with Nikol, so he continued to walk around the plane and check off items from the maintenance list.
Nikol raised his hands and shook his head in confusion. “Who the hell is Eddie?”
“They changed the name on the flight plan and added Thomas’ nephew. I haven’t seen any of the family since that night.” Fane tried to sound indifferent but it was too late. The floodgates opened and vivid memories he’d tried to suppress all morning rushed through. He still remembered the look of despair in his friend’s eyes. And the hatred. Sans’ beast had not wanted to give up its malevolent life. Everything Fane was told him that it wasn’t Sans who looked back at him in those last seconds of life. But he couldn’t forget it.
The guilt that clawed its way up his gut at the mention of Sans’ father owned a ring side seat in his life. A seat that he knew would be occupied forever.
Fane cleared his throat to hide his discomfort.
“I suppose his brother has a son now. Anyway he’ll be here shortly.” Avoiding eye contact with Nikol, he checked the last item and was ready to go. “It’ll be okay. I’m sure Eddie knows about transgressors and will understand what happened. I had hoped to see Thomas though. It’s been a long time and I thought maybe we could put this behind us.” At least Fane had hoped so. He knew he couldn’t hide from the family forever.
He missed Sans too. They often flew together on trips like this. He would have loved the new bird.
“You’re not going to like who your passenger is. Thomas’ brother does have a child but her name is Edith. Everyone calls her Edy. They must have written it wrong in the flight plan,” Nikol informed him.
Fane lifted his eyes from the list and looked toward the clakety clak sound made by wheeled luggage as it bounced across the pavement. His face was set in a grimace as he asked, “What the hell, Nikol? A female?” His shoulders slumped. “Does she know about me?”
* * * * *
Edy Adair’s face lit with excitement as she hurried across the tarmac.  This would be her first real estate deal. Uncle Thomas had called at the last minute to say she’d be making the trip alone and it took longer than they both expected to bring her up to speed. She added to that by taking extra time to assure her hair and makeup were perfect.
Her parents were concerned because her twenty-second birthday was the day after tomorrow, an important age for all Kind.
The plight of her people was attributed in part to the prophet Ezekiel and the angel Gabriel who, it was said, created vampyres. She had heard the stories as she grew up about scrolls written by the prophet that would free them from the vampyre curse. Ezekiel wrote this prophecy during his twenty-two years in Babylon. All Kind went through their first change at the age of twenty-two.
In just two days, she’d be panther for the first time and Edy couldn’t wait. Pain would be involved but she was prepared, and her mate would help. Her cat paced inside of her. It knew freedom was near. Soon she’d crave release.
She wasn’t anxious to become a vampyre.
The Elders still searched for the hidden scrolls that they hoped would rid them of their blood-thirsty half. But for now it couldn’t be avoided. It was part of who they were.
What kept her kind strong and gave them long life was blood taken in the way of the vampyre.
This made Edy think about her chosen mate. It would be his blood that sustained her. Her parents liked him and she was okay with their choice. She’d known him most of her life and they were good friends. She just wished he excited her more.
She knew she’d be back in plenty of time for the mating. She already felt the effects of being in heat. The fire that flared up inside of her was compounded by the fact that it settled right between her thighs.
It was an itch she couldn’t scratch.
Edy focused on the two men by the plane. All thoughts of her mate slipped to the back of her mind. Her uncle told her to trust Fane, he’d take good care of her. She knew he was Reign and he would be her pilot for this trip. But her uncle didn’t tell her how damned good looking he was.
She recognized the Kind prince, Nikolaus, so the magnificent creature beside him must be her pilot. Her inner cat started to purr like a motor. Wow, this guy is hot!
Close to six and a half feet tall with hair as black as a moonless sky, he wore it in a braided ponytail that hung down his back. The white shirt, partially open, clung to him in the heat and managed to accentuate a mat of dark hair on his broad chest.
Definitely panther.
The shirt couldn’t mask the muscles bunched beneath it. His leather pants strained against thighs that belonged to an athlete. She wondered how much better he’d look if he didn’t scowl.
Was she that late? She picked up her pace dragging both bags behind her. Edy was glad of the extra time spent on her appearance. She looked damned good in the dress she wore and hoped Fane would notice. Not quite normal business attire, it was one of her favorites. It gave her confidence and made her feel feminine. The discarded outfits littering her bedroom floor were a distant memory.
* * * * *
“Damn, why didn’t Patrik tell me this? A female. Hell, this is going to be a long trip.” Fane’s panther felt his distress and scratched at his insides for release.
“Everyone understood about Sans,” Nikol replied. “He was a transgressor. You did what needed to be done. No one blames you. You need to stop blaming yourself. She’s very young and probably won’t know you. You were bound to run into the family sooner or later. Anyway, an hour in, let her do her thing, and an hour back. I’ll probably see you on the compound tonight.”
The likelihood of his name cropping up around the family dinner table was zero. The subject of transgressors had always been taboo. Even though it could happen to any one of them, the Kind avoided the topic like the plague. It was a weakness none of them wanted to acknowledge.
The time to let it go had long passed. But his fear of transgressing didn’t relinquish its hold on him. He had stopped taking the blood as often as he should to maintain his powers and soon it would be evident.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Fane watched anxiously as Edy approached the plane. She was a knockout and he felt his panther change direction. It no longer prowled. It started to purr and the beast waited as she walked towards him.
When she got closer, he saw that kohl lined her sparkling green eyes and gave her an exotic look. Black as ink hair was worn tousled and short. It surrounded a face of stunning beauty. Her cheeks glowed with that just-made-love flush. Small, rounded breasts looked so right on her tall, slender body. Hips that curved sweetly above the longest legs he’d ever seen. They went on and on.
She exuded sex appeal like an expensive perfume.

Sin of TwoLips Reviews said: A Panther’s Flight is a story that shows what it’s like to love and be afraid that love alone may not be enough. J Hali Steele brought out the depth of the story. Although I enjoyed it, I would have liked to have seen more emotion. I felt compassion for the heroine and hero. What I didn’t feel was engrossed in the story. However, I am looking forward to seeing more of J Hali Steele’s work. Read more HERE

Deb from Dark Diva Reviews said:
For me, the compassion and connection between Fane and Edy only made this book more
enjoyable. I struggled right along with them as they came to terms with each other's secrets.
J. Hali Steele did a wonderful job combining these two into this book. You feel their first
meeting as though you are right there with them.
A Panther's Flight is too HOT to miss!

J. Hali Steele lets the spark's fly and the claws come out! Read Deb's full review HERE


T. S. Peters at JERR gave HOT TIN ROOF 4.5 stars. She says:
Although short, this was one of the most entertaining books I have read this season. There wasn't a minute of this book when my eyes weren't melted to the screen. The dialog, emotions and action in Hot Tin Roof will steal your breath away. I don't recommend drinking anything while you're reading this. I made that mistake and it was not pretty. Read more at JERR
Reese from NOR Reviews said:
Steele brings us another vampire tale but with a spin on it.  Panther shifters that have a vampire’s need to take blood when in their human forms.Steele does a good job though of outlining the history and race of the shifter vampires. Read Reese's full review HERE
Xeranthemum from Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviews gave 4 cherries and said: A PANTHER'S FLIGHT is a romantic paranormal tale with plenty of emotion, hot sensual buildup with some tantalizing sexual fireworks and a happily ever after that leaves you with a satisfied smile and a melted heart. It’s time well spent. Read full review HERE
Nicole from Bitten by Books said: I enjoyed With Extra Cream!
It is a short tale of a sensual nature...for as short as it was, it was enjoyable. If you are looking for some sizzle during your lunch, then this may be the one for you! Read full review HERE.