Ellora's Cavemen: Tales from the Temple IV [Paperback]

Night Scream by Denise A Agnew
Special agent wannabe Evelyn Layne is working late when strange screams echo through the building. Leaving her office to investigate the disturbance, she runs into Special Agent Conall Tierney, a man she has been secretly lusting after. It is only when they join forces to hunt down the disturbance that Evelyn begins to realise Conall isn't quite human.

Body Chemistry by Tawny Taylor
Lukas Brenner, the resident genius of a pharmaceutical company and total loser with women is working on an interesting compound which he clumsily smashes and douses himself with. Not realising that he has drenched himself in a powerful pheromone, he unwittingly heads to the company party. When women flock to him he is convinced his friend John is playing an elaborate joke and is amazed when the gorgeous Allie Larson agrees to accompany him home.
Allie has always been drawn to the underdog and feels that Lukas is in desperate need of help. Unfortunately most women are so put off by his geeky conversations that they fail to note the killer face and body hidden beneath the lab coat. Lucky for Lukas Allie has noticed his physique, but she now has to convince him her feelings are not just chemically induced.

Earthwork by Annie Windsor
Dram Wolfel, a warrior of Ais is asked to bond with Keli Dunkirk, a young woman of incredible power due shortly to graduate from her studies. As a foul evil threatens their lives it will take their combined strength to protect their people and land from dark magic.

Ghost of a Chance by Shiloh Walker
Dr Chelsea Jane Stivers (CJ) returns to her old home to heal her broken heart. Her stay in her childhood home stirs memories of her father, a cold man who refused to ease her fears as a young girl. As an adult she now knows better - ghosts don't exist. Whilst investigating the attic she discovers journals written by Katherine Greene, describing her forthcoming marriage to Collin Lucas in the 1800's. Never having had faith in the supernatural, CJ cannot explain her intimate knowledge of a stranger named Luke and her strange connection to the tragically deceased Katherine Greene.

Past Running by Mlyn Hurn
Aeryn thinks she's free of her possessive ex-husband Craig after he lands extended time in jail following a violent robbery. Unfortunately he and 2 fellow inmates escape and after capturing Aeryn and her friends, take them to her remote cabin. Aeryn is aware of Craig's heated looks in her direction however his desire no longer holds any interest for her; in fact she now has a new man in her life in the form of local Sheriff Devlin MacDonald. Using knowledge drilled into her from Devlin, she desperately hopes her signals are spotted and help arrives before anyone gets hurt.

The Beckoned by Jaid Black
Wai has never found a real man to compare with her fantasy lover Jack Elliott, a man who has visited her dreams since early childhood. Travelling to a tiny town in Ohio she is drawn to an abandoned Amish settlement and discovers not only Jack's grave but her own as well. Thrown through time, she knows she and Jack will marry, however as the date of their deaths loom she frantically grabs her chance with Jack and lives for the moment.

I was left surprised by this anthology. Ms Black as always wrote an excellent story; however Annie Windsor's and Shiloh Walker's offerings were the worst short stories I have read by these normally exciting authors. The surprise entry in this volume was from Tawny Taylor - her "Body Chemistry" was highly entertaining and erotic. Without her and JB's stories I'd rate this book 2 stars and add that overall this anthology failed to incite me to purchase volumes 2 and 3.