DemonessTenebrae

Smart, hard-ass, capable woman? CHECK

Sexy, strong, protective werewolf? CHECK


In the fifth short story "Close Protection" from the Paranormal Protection Agency series by Mina Carter, the main characters are Ashlee Bishop, a human bar owner in need of protection and Zane Holder, a bodyguard and a werewolf.

Ashlee is a strong woman who can handle herself and her problems but when she encounters pixie problems she knows she needs help. Pixie gang led by Isaac Roth is in a business of extortion. They offer "protection" for the small business owners in the area for a price, money or sex. No need to say that the only protection those people need is from them. Ashlee contacts the PPA and prays that they will be able to help her fight against those vile creatures.

Zane Holder is an alpha werewolf without a pack who works for the PPA as a bodyguard. He was assigned on the Bishop business when he asked to be moved from his current assignment. He was a bodyguard and not a babysitter. The fact which eluded the Spoilt Bitch Morris in question. She thought he was hers to do as she pleases. Whether it was for protection, sex or blood. Zane was more than happy to take the Bishop business, in fact so much that he immediately went to work.

Zane did get to work immediately as he approached the bar. He sensed fighting, blood and fear in the air. As he helped Ashlee, he shifted to his wolf form. Since she didn't know him, she hit him, repeatedly. When she came to, she realized her mistake and his appearance. He shifted back and was buck naked. Ashlee liked what she saw. Just as he was inexplicably drown to her. She managed to command his wolf and that was unprecedented.


The author, Mina Carter knows how to build an atmosphere. Her short stories are packed with tension, sparks and passion. I would love to read a full length novel of hers. I wonder if she can maintain the same amount of built-up tension on more than 50 pages.

Her skill with words has remained unchanged. She manages to mix wit, steam and romance in the same sentence. Her stories always make me laugh and giggle at witty and ironic remarks.

  "In all his years he'd never had a human actually attack him. Most either passed out, or ran off screaming. They didn't follow him as he tried to escape, hitting him with the damn furniture."


One thing also remaining unchanged is her description of the main female character. They continue to be of midget size or as small as a child or simply put - short or tiny. They all have luscious curves on their tiny body and their hair is mostly long and dark. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. I believe it's what makes the author most confident is what matters. And if big breasts on the tiny body with long dark hair do the trick, so be it.

Character which appealed to me the most is the dryad. I found we have the most in common. The author could just as well be describing me so I felt right at home.

  "The tiny woman was a dryad, one with a chilling habit of wrapping any available wood around her opponents, idiots that pissed her off, or people who dared to talk to her before her morning coffee. The bonds then turned into living coffins that crushed them to death. To say that she wasn't a morning person was an understatement."