Bad Moon Rising

Rock and roll relationships are complicated. They’re even worse when one of you is a werewolf.

Stevie Vane, nightclub manager of Dusk, prefers London’s nightlife to life in the pack — fewer claws, fewer challengers, far less bloodshed.

But when tragedy strikes, Stevie is forced back into a world where dominance of the pack is won by strength… and every weakness is punished. Some new members begin a brutal contest for control, and they soon discover his greatest weakness is Kat Matthews.

Kat’s band has just landed the best gig of their career at Dusk. And the instant chemistry between her and the charismatic manager is undeniable — but so are the secrets he’s keeping. Secrets that come with sharp teeth.

As the rival wolves close in and old grudges resurface, Stevie realises it isn’t just his pack at risk. It’s the woman he loves.

Witty, romantic, and gripping, Bad Moon Rising is the third book in The Immortals of London series– where feelings run wild and loyalty can cost you everything.

Amazon US * Amazon UK

*******

This is an extract from the first chapter of Bad Moon Rising by Berni Stevens.

Taurus play for the first time at Dusk and the air just sizzles with hormones.

And jealousy.

I walked over to the bar and the closer I got to the barman, the more gorgeous he appeared. Really, he should have had a public health warning stamped through him. Like a gorgeous stick of rock. He looked at me and smiled, his teeth flashing impossibly white. A serial heartbreaker this one.

‘Drinks for the band?’ he asked as I leaned on the bar.

I nodded. ‘Please. Four bottles of Sol.’

‘Lime?’

I nodded again and fumbled in my bag for my wallet. He waved the money away.

‘Bands don’t pay for their beer here.’

‘Really? Wow, that’s a first. Who made that rule?’

He gestured towards the door with his head. ‘The boss.’

I followed his gesture and saw another tall, dark, handsome man making his way towards us, a pretty little redhead on his arm. This man had a palpable, dangerous air about him, almost predatory, and I noticed people moving out of his way without him uttering a word. Scary. The woman looked more and more stunning the closer she came; waist-length copper-coloured hair, porcelain skin and a body as slender as a reed. She moved with the fluid grace of a dancer, and gave me a friendly smile when they reached us. The man’s shrewd green eyes appraised me. His penetrating gaze gave me the weird feeling he could see right through my body and out the other side. In short, he was intimidating, and I don’t intimidate easily.

‘Allow me to introduce the boss, Will Austen, and his wife Elinor.’ My new friend made the introductions. ‘This young lady is the singer with tonight’s band – I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?’

Clever. I laughed and held my hand out to him first. ‘Kat.’

He held my hand longer than is usually polite. ‘Kat … short for Katherine, or just a nickname?’

‘Short for Katherine – which I hate.’

‘I hate my full name too,’ the redhead joined in the conversation. ‘I’m Ellie.’

She held her small hand out to me and I shook it, then I held my hand out to the boss.

‘Nice to meet you, Mr Austen.’

He shook my hand, his grip firm, yet strangely very cool. The club was warm and we were nearly into June. I assumed he must just have really bad circulation or something.

‘Will, please.’ He had a gorgeous voice, deep and melodious. I would have loved to hear him sing. He turned back to his wife. ‘Elinor is a beautiful name.’

‘Only when you say it.’ She smiled at him.

Love seemed to emanate from this couple, enveloping them in their own private world. I didn’t think they could have been married long as they still seemed obsessed with each other. I’m pretty sceptical about the thing called love these days. Lust is fine. I’m only twenty-four and lust is all I need for the moment. Lust with the gorgeous hunk behind the bar seemed like a good idea to me.

Will turned cool green eyes back to me. ‘I look forward to hearing you sing, Katherine.’

Which bit of “I hate my full name” doesn’t he get?

He took hold of Ellie’s arm and guided her towards the stairs. She looked back at me and smiled again. He seemed really protective of her. I wondered why. Personally, it would have driven me mad. I can’t stand being stifled and I protect my own space like a son-of-a-bitch.

‘They seem pretty loved-up,’ I said, trying not to sound too cynical and almost certainly failing. ‘But I don’t think I caught your name, Mr Bartender.’

‘Stevie.’

‘Well Stevie, thanks for the beers. Catch you later.’

He winked as I sashayed away from the bar clutching two bottles of beer in each hand. I knew he was watching me. I could feel his eyes on my backside, and without wanting to sound smug, I knew it was pretty okay to look at. I’m taller than a lot of girls, and wearing my fave mega heels, I stood only a couple of inches shorter than Stevie and his boss that evening. I’m pretty skinny too, verging on androgynous, and I had on new black jeans with a midriff-skimming red top. I wear my black hair really long, hanging way past my waist, and to say I totally embraced the rock chick look would be an understatement. Oh, and yes, I do have a gorgeous leather biker jacket that I’d left draped over an amp in the stage area, and yes, I’d definitely put more effort into my sashay than usual. So sue me.

*******

*******

Berni Stevens lives in an ancient cottage in Hertfordshire, which sounds like it’s in the depths of the countryside, but really isn’t (because the green bits keep getting built on!)

Berni spent four years at art college in Sussex before starting her first job in publishing as a book cover and promotions designer and then solely as a book cover designer for many of the big London publishers. She’s now freelance, and designs for both publishers and many self-published authors. Although she still makes sure to leave time for her writing, and various hobbies. Berni was a finalist for the RNA Cover Designer of the Year Award both in 2021 and 2023.

Berni’s first full-length novel was a paranormal romance, called Fledgling, which was first published in the US in 2011, and retitled Dance Until Dawn, made its UK debut three years later, followed by the sequel, Revenge is Sweet and so beginning the Immortals of London series.

Veering away from the paranormal for a while, Berni’s first festive RomCom, One Magical Christmas, took some people by surprise – including herself. So much so, that she wrote three more!

With the re-appearance of the Romantasy genre … a new paranormal romance has finally broken free – Bad Moon Rising – the third book in the Immortals of London series.

Berni can be found on Facebook, X, Linkedin, Instagram and Threads … come and say hello!

Goodreads * Amazon Page * Threads * Instagram * X * Facebook * LinkedIn