Ashley, Reviewer for Fallen Angel Reviews had this to say about BORN OF THE SHADOWS, "…a captivating story about love and forgiveness." 5 Angels!

To celebrate the wonderful review, I've posted an exclusive excerpt from the book. It's a bit hotter than the one on Cerridwen's site, so enjoy!

EXCERPT 2: Born of the Shadows

Copyright © CYNDI FRIBERG, 2008
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Naomi's head throbbed as she tried to assemble all of the fragments of information. The warmth of his palms against her cheeks distracted her, muddled her thinking.

His face descended slowly. She knew he meant to kiss her, but she didn't turn away. The harder she fought, the better he liked it. The faster she ran, the more persistently he pursued.

The first brush of his lips was soft and teasing. She inhaled his unique, spicy scent and allowed her mouth to relax, neither responding nor resisting.

"Your skin is so soft," he whispered. His fingertips danced along her jaw to stroke the column of her neck. "I want to touch you, Naomi. I want to touch all of you."

She shivered. Already liquid heat and tingling anticipation stirred within her body. He had to be a sorcerer. How could she hope to resist such skill? "You can make me want you, but it will never be more than physical desire."

His arm slipped around her waist, pressing her against his body. "What makes you think I want more?"

His mouth sealed over hers before Naomi could respond. The taunting tenderness was gone. She did her best to hold her emotions back, to feel no more than the slide of his mouth against hers and the slow stroke of his tongue. But heat and friction gradually wore her down. She felt tingling sparks shoot down her spine and her toes curled into the grass.

His fingers raked through her hair and splayed across the back of her head. Forceful now, his mouth urged her to accept the penetration of his tongue. A sharp, hollow ache erupted in response to the intimacy. She groaned and arched her body into his, needing to feel the unyielding contours of his form. Everything about him was hard and hot.

He tore his mouth away from hers and Naomi murmured a breathless protest. How was he able to command her senses so effortlessly? Her head spun and all she could think about was getting closer to him, having more of him.

He tilted her head and stroked his tongue along her throat. She had never realized her neck was so sensitive. Her breasts began to ache and the material of her chemise irritated her nipples. He scraped his teeth across her skin and Naomi moaned.

Gently his hand cupped her aching breast. Even through her clothing the pressure felt wonderful. She wanted to strip naked and offer herself to the moonlight, the night wind and this man. Wild, primal urges, frightening in their intensity, made her arch into his hand.

"Touch me, Naomi. Put your hands on me."

She didn't question the command but burrowed through layers of clothing until she found bare skin. He groaned. His fingers plucked her nipple and she parted her legs, allowing his muscular thigh to rub against her aching sex.

"Here. Touch me here." He brought her hand down along his body, frantically pushing layers of clothing out of the way. Naomi gasped. She could scarcely close her fingers around him. Hot and hard within the circle of her fingers, his shaft jerked and pulsed with a life of its own. Curving his fingers over hers, he showed her how to move, how to stroke him.

Fascinated by the mystery that was Gideon, Naomi moved her hand up and down along his shaft. He rocked his hips while he explored her body with an ever bolder touch. He found her knee and pulled her leg up, angling her calf across his hip. Feeling the cool brush of the night wind against her heated flesh, Naomi murmured a protest.

"Our first time will not be against a cold stone wall. Trust me. I'll not hurt you."

His fingers parted her passion-slick folds and she whimpered, clutching his shoulders for support.

"Keep your leg up," he said.

Then she felt him rub something hot and blunt against her. "You said—"

He silenced her with his mouth. His tongue thrust deeply while he traced her feminine slit over and over, around, but not into her.

Her leg shook, her arms wrapped around his neck as he carefully worked between her thighs. He pushed against her, venturing as far as he dared. Her folds stretched to accommodate him then his fingertips stroked that secret knot of nerves and her core exploded with sensation. She arched forward, her head thrown back as each spasm of pleasure rippled her body around his. Jerking his hips backward, he spilled his seed into the dirt.

Stunned by what they'd just done, Naomi lowered her leg and glanced around guiltily. She'd been so lost in passion, half the order could have strolled by and she'd not have noticed.

He framed her face with his hands and kissed her gently. "When we do this, really do this, it will be so much better."

Rebel Angels 1: BORN OF THE SHADOWS