Book Blast: Rendered by Samantha Jacobey @SamJacobey

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Rendered SERIES – Irrevocable Series AUTHOR – Samantha Jacobey GENRE – New Adult PUBLICATION DATE – June 2, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 226 pg. / 54K+ words PUBLISHER – Lavish Publishing, LLC COVER ARTIST – Nicolene Lorette Designs

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

How do you survive, when the only life you’ve ever known disappears in a single night?

With more friends than she could count and the daughter of two wealthy attorneys, Bailey Dewitt had a life most kids dream about. A cheerleader, the auburn haired beauty lived in a large house, where she could afford to be and do whatever she wanted. Residing in a smaller community outside of Chicago, she attended high school, getting ready for college and the fabulous career that would one day be hers. And in a single night, she lost it all; the night her parents died.

Dragged away from the only home she has ever known and forced into the care of her renegade uncle, Bailey must learn to play by a new set of rules. Faced with tough choices, she soon learns that nothing will ever be the same. When she meets Caleb Cross, she realizes her life in Illinois had been a lie. For the first time in her life, she has the chance to be happy. That is, if she can earn her place among the people in the tiny prepper community of Lawson…

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US AMAZON KINDLE CA AMAZON KINDLE UK GOODREADS

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EXCERPT

“Ok,” he agreed reluctantly, his lips curling downward, “But you said a few minutes. Let’s say goodnight first,” he twisted them into a smile, sliding his hands up her arms and around her back. His mouth pressed to hers, her resolve softened, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Slowly, he inched between the shrubs along the edges of the walkway and worked her towards the building.

When her spine met the brick wall, she felt a brief surge of excitement, hiding in the shadows with him and his body pushing against hers. A moment later, panic gripped her; his fingers had found flesh and tickled her waist. “Ked, stop,” she managed to free herself enough to protest, before he reclaimed her, holding her in place while he continued to pull at her clothing, trying to force her onto the ground behind the short bushes.

Falling, Bailey hit the earth beneath her, bruising her knees as she went down. Rolling onto her back, she flailed her limbs wildly, the weight of him making it hard to breath. She emitted a loud shriek, and a hand clamped over her mouth, pressing her cheek painfully against her jaw and teeth.

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AUTHOR BIO

Samantha Jacobey is a middle aged woman who earned a BS in Business Management and has worked in half a dozen fields. With a relentless zest for life, she enjoys action and adventure, as well as all the love and romance it has to offer. Creating stories in her mind for many years, she has put some of them into print for the world to share, and hopes you will enjoy reading them as much as she did creating them. What drives her most is the love of a good story and is confident you will enjoy her latest creation.

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Book Blast: The Hut in the Woods by VLZ @justv58

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – The Hut in the Woods AUTHOR – VLZ GENRE – Mystery/Suspense PUBLICATION DATE – 07/13/15 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 10hrs 46min PUBLISHER – vlzbooks

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Carly Ruth Laden moved away from the small town she was born and raised in, and headed for the city of Carmingden. At the tender age of 22 years, Carly met her husband, Dorian Shiffer, a man every woman wanted for their very own. Dorian carried a secret which Carly unearthed and that secret shocked not only Carly, but her family as well. Strange events began to surround the Laden family. Unanswered questions along with the disappearance of Carly Ruth Laden Shiffer set in motion a series of events that would forever haunt the townsfolk of Burl and Helmsdale. Versions of the truth were what gathered together the townspeople of both these small towns. Everyone had their own opinions as to what happened to Carly and her brother, Decker Laden, and to Dorian Shiffer. Carly felt her seemingly perfect marriage was crumbling because her husband was having an affair. When she discovers Dorian was in fact having an affair, the truth of her husband’s apparent change is a shock Carly was not prepared for. Things turned from bad to worse when Carly decides to confront Dorian. Carly disappears. Her parents, Barbara and Drew, and her brother, are left to endure the agonizing and horrifying events about to take place. Events that no one ever thought possible. Carly’s past nightmares come back to haunt her, to take revenge. The Laden family becomes swept inside a tornado of changing degrees, where their lives are turned inside out, and where hope becomes a lost treasure buried somewhere unknown, somewhere deep and dark. No one is aware of the evil lurking in the woods along Laden Lane. Carly informs the sheriff of Burl of a mysterious truck parked just near Laden Lane. No one pays much mind to Carly’s suspicions. Everyone believes Carly has a crazy head. Since childhood, Carly has had an over-active imagination. Carly Ruth Laden Shiffer had become the boy who cried wolf.

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BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON AUDIO VERSION US AMAZON KINDLE US AMAZON AUDIO VERSION UK AMAZON PAPERBACK GOODREADS

         

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AUTHOR BIO

VLZ is an Auburn, New York born author currently living in Savannah NY. Due to hard work and perseverance, VLZ believes writing is her way to reach readers so that they can escape for a while from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, where they can enter her imagination. When VLZ is not writing, she enjoys the theater and the arts and loves to dance. The author thanks her mother who believed in all she strived to achieve. Born and raised in a small town, being one of ten children, the youngest of ten, the baby, VLZ’s daddy died when she was but five months old, and so she never got to know her daddy. Her mama raised ten children all on her own. Dirt poor in the 50’s was a hard time, but times were much different then. VLZ persevered through many tribulations. Tuberculosis at age six. Polio at age nine. The loss of her mother due to pancreatic cancer was a very hard time. Now retired and doing what she loves most, writing for you so you the reader can have a moment to yourself and a moment with her as well, VLZ looks forward to hearing your praises as well as any complaints. So look for this inspiring writer and welcome her into your home and your imagination.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

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This Blitz Has Been Organized By

Book Blast & Interview: Spinner by Michael J. Bowler @BradleyWallaceM

 

 

 

Spinner

Michael J. Bowler

Genre: teen horror/mystery

Publisher: YoungDudes Publishing

Date of Publication: August 5, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-9946675-1-9

Number of pages: 464

Word Count: 138K

Cover Artist: Louis C. Harris

Book Description:

Fifteen-year-old Alex is a “spinner.” His friends are “dummies.” Two clandestine groups of humans want his power. And an ancient evil is stalking him. If people weren’t being murdered, Alex might laugh at how his life turned into a horror movie overnight.

In a wheelchair since birth, his freakish ability has gotten him kicked out of ten foster homes since the age of four. Now saddled with a sadistic housemother who uses his spinning to heal the kids she physically abuses, Alex and his misfit group of learning disabled classmates are the only ones who can solve the mystery of his birth before more people meet a gruesome end.

They need to find out who murdered their beloved teacher, and why the hot young substitute acts like she’s flirting with them. Then there’s the mysterious medallion that seems to have unleashed something malevolent, and an ancient prophecy suggesting Alex has the power to destroy humanity.

The boys break into homes, dig up graves, elude kidnappers, fight for their lives against feral cats, and ultimately confront an evil as old as humankind. Friendships are tested, secrets uncovered, love spoken, and destiny revealed.

The kid who’s always been a loner will finally learn the value of friends, family, and loyalty.

If he survives…

Available at Amazon

 

Chapter One

What Are You?

Alex felt uneasy as he lay in his bed and listened to the wind outside. It had been an okay day at school – he’d only been called “Roller Boy” twice, which was almost a world record. After school, he’d kicked it at Roy’s house and they cranked some Hawthorne Heights tunes and chilled. Even Jane hadn’t bitched at him. So why can’t I sleep? He didn’t know the answer. His eyes returned to the dancing shadows that flitted across his floor from the window. His drapes were closed, but the wind whistled through the trees, and the shadows mesmerized him. The patterns of light and dark pulled on his eyelids, dragging him slowly under. A dream loomed at the edges of his consciousness. One of those dreams. Sleep overcame him, and the dream began….

Ms. Ashley trudged down a flight of stairs from her second floor apartment to street level, carrying several overflowing bags of trash. The traffic sounds were omnipresent, but otherwise the night was calm and clear.

A slight breeze ruffled her long brown hair as she slunk quickly to the rear of the complex. Rounding the building, she passed alongside a sloping hill of ivy-covered ground toward the row of trashcans in the far corner.

Looking chilled and unsettled, Ms. Ashley lifted one lid and struggled to get all her bags in without spilling anything.

A rustling noise startled her and she whipped her head around to the left.

The ivy-covered hill ascended upward into darkness, but there was no movement. Only a creepy silence.

She quickly tossed her bags into the can and dropped the lid back in place with a hollow clang.

Suddenly, a large cat dropped onto the top of the can from somewhere above. She uttered a startled cry and leaped back a few steps.

The cat meowed and she chuckled, extending one slightly trembling hand. The animal snuggled against it, wanting to be stroked. She ran her fingers through the fur around the cat’s neck and under its chin.

More rustling leaves drew her attention to the ivy.

The darkness in this corner was deep and penetrating, making the vines and leaves snaking their way up the slope barely visible. Another cat materialized from beneath the thick cover of ivy. Then another. And another.

In seconds, the hillside crackled and seethed with cats of all shapes and sizes. Their glowing eyes shone like eerie beacons in the night. The cat beneath Ms. Ashley’s fingers hissed and swiped its claws at her, raking the top of her hand and drawing copious amounts of blood.

Startled, she cried out and yanked her hand back, gazing in shock at the dark liquid gushing forth and spilling onto the concrete at her feet.

Terror etched her face.

She cautiously backed away.

The cats crouched on the hillside, poised and threatening.

The huge one she’d been petting wailed into the night, and then they were on her, leaping and clawing at her face and hair. Hundreds of cats streamed down the hillside and flung themselves at her while the big one sat and watched like a general commanding his troops.

Ms. Ashley screamed, but loud traffic sounds drowned out her cries. Flailing wildly, she turned and stumbled along the side of the building toward the street, desperately crying out for help.

Claws dug into her back and raked across her neck.

Teeth sunk into her arm.

She shrieked in agony as they yanked out chunks of her hair and raked at her legs, shredding her sweat pants and digging viciously into her soft flesh.

Blood spilled from everywhere on her body.

The street loomed just ahead. She tossed one cat off in a frantic attempt to save herself, only to have three more replace it. She clearly didn’t have much time before she’d topple beneath a tidal wave of claws and fur.

A large truck roared along Lincoln Boulevard as Ms. Ashley staggered toward the curb. The headlights were bright and blinding. The biggest cat now flew from the retaining wall at her face and gouged a chunk of flesh out of her cheek, exposing the bone. She wailed in agony.

Her knees buckled, but Ms. Ashley managed to stay on her feet while stumbling headlong into the street at a frantic pace.

Suddenly aware that the truck was almost on her, she clutched at the nearest light post in desperation. One bloodied hand caught the post and slowed her momentum as the cats ceased their brutal attack. She gesticulated frantically with her free hand, hoping to attract the attention of the driver. With her urgent gaze fixed on the truck, she didn’t see the figure in black leap from behind the retaining wall right at her.

Strong hands pressed hard into her back and propelled her forward.

The truck mowed her down in a splatter of blood and gore, flinging her broken body to the pavement and then crushing it beneath massive tires.

As the truck screeched to an ear-piercing halt near the corner, the figure in black melted into the darkness. Several cats sniffed the dead woman's remains before they, too, disappeared into the shadows. The first cat was the last to depart, watching as the horrified driver jumped from the truck cab and pelted toward Ms. Ashley’s broken body.

The cat seemed to grin before vanishing into the night….

Alex screamed and bolted upright in bed, sweating profusely, his young face etched with horror, hair plastered to his sweat-sheened forehead. Heart thumping with urgent terror, he scanned his darkened room. The door leading outside was closed, but the ominous shadows still crept through the window. His desk was messy as usual, and the door to his bathroom stood ajar, but he’d left it that way. Everything looked like it had before he fell asleep.

Dropping onto his pillow, Alex fought to control his breathing and calm his pounding heart. A dream. That’s all it had been. He’d known one was coming, and he’d been right. God, he hated those dreams! Poor Ms. Ashley. He lay there, sweat making his t-shirt cling uncomfortably to his chest as his heart rate slowly drew down. Could this dream be like the one about his parents? He hadn’t had one like that in years. It seemed so real!

He lay in bed worrying about the morning, and what he’d find when he got to school, even though there was nothing he could do to change anything.

Gradually, he calmed down; the tree branches outside tapping against the house lulled him to sleep. The last image to assail him before he went under was that ugly-ass cat grinning at him before running off into the dark.

Character Name: Alex Maracle

Character Bio: Alex is 15 years old, in a wheelchair from birth due to spina bifida, has severe learning disabilities; he’s been an orphan since age four and shuttled from one foster home to another

 

 

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

I dunno how to answer this one. Don’t understand what you asked. If ‘quality’ means something about me I guess the best part is I stick by my friends. The worst? I’m a dummy who can’t read or write good.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

I wish people wouldn’t always look at me and just see the wheelchair, ya know? I wish they knew I was more than the chair.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

I spin things out of people, good things and bad things, like hurts and colds and stuff. But you can’t tell no one cuz people get all freaky when they find out.

What are you most afraid of?

Me

What do you want more than anything?

To be like other kids and not spin people no more.

What is your relationship status?

You mean do I got a girlfriend? I’m fifteen and a cripple. Whadda you think?

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

You ask weird questions. You’re looking at my clothes. That what you mean? I dress emo, skinny jeans, Converse shoes, band shirts and big-ass hoodies. Like I got on now.

How much of a rebel are you?

I run my own program, if that’s what you mean. I been in and outta foster homes my whole life. I do what I gotta do to keep it together. I do like doing crazy-ass stunts in my wheelchair, though. Drives Roy crazy. He thinks I’m gonna kill myself.

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

Why do you use such big words? Didn’t they tell you I’m special ed?

What is your idea of happiness?

I could be normal and walk like other kids and not spin people no more.

What is your current state of mind?

Don’t know what ‘current’ means. I’m afraid for my friends, if that’s what you wanna know.

What is your most treasured possession?

I think you mean what’s real important to me? My wheelchair. Second would be the phone Roy gave me for my birthday. I never got a birthday present before.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I don’t know that word and I don’t like people making me feel stupid by using big-ass words. I’m not stupid, but I never give up trying to be smarter.

What is it that you most dislike?

I hate living with Jane. She’s my housemother and a real bitc– sorry, she’s really evil.

Which living person do you most despise?

Jane

What is your greatest regret?

Don’t know that word. I wish you wouldn’t keep asking me questions I can’t answer with words I don’t know. Too many grownups do that to me and it makes me mad.

What is the quality you most like in a girl?

I like a girl who wants to hang out with me and I don’t gotta spin her first.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

I know the word hero so I guess maybe Batman cuz he’s so badass. For a while he was in a wheelchair like me and he still kicked ass.

Which living person do you most admire?

I think I know that word, and Roy is my best friend ever and the best guy in the world. He’s the smartest guy I know and he’d do anything for me.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

I told you before, I wouldn’t spin people no more.

What is your motto?

Don’t know that word either. Are we done yet?

 

 

 

 

 

Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author of eight novels––A Boy and His Dragon, A Matter of Time (Silver Medalist from Reader’s Favorite), and The Knight Cycle, comprised of five books: Children of the Knight (Gold Award Winner in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards), Running Through A Dark Place, There Is No Fear, And The Children Shall Lead, Once Upon A Time In America, and Spinner.

His horror screenplay, “Healer,” was a Semi-Finalist, and his urban fantasy script, “Like A Hero,” was a Finalist in the Shriekfest Film Festival and Screenplay Competition.

He grew up in San Rafael, California, and majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University. He went on to earn a master’s in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and another master's in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills.

He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several ultra-low-budget horror films, including “Fatal Images,” “Club Dead,” and “Things II,” the reviews of which are much more fun than the actual movies.

He taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with learning disabilities, in subjects ranging from English and Strength Training to Algebra, Biology, and Yearbook.

He has also been a volunteer Big Brother to eight different boys with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a thirty-year volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles.

He has been honored as Probation Volunteer of the Year, YMCA Volunteer of the Year, California Big Brother of the Year, and 2000 National Big Brother of the Year. The “National” honor allowed him and three of his Little Brothers to visit the White House and meet the president in the Oval Office.

He is currently working on a sequel to Spinner.

His goal as a YA author is for teens to experience empowerment and hope; to see themselves in his diverse characters; to read about kids who face real-life challenges; and to see how kids like them can remain decent people in an indecent world.

www.michaeljbowler.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/michaeljbowlerauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradleyWallaceM

Blog: www.sirlancesays.wordpress.com

tumblr: http://michaeljbowler.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/michaelbowler/the-knight-cycle/

Freado: http://www.freado.com/book/16160/children-of-the-knight

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938109.Michael_J_Bowler

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-J.-Bowler/e/B0075ML4M4/

Book Blast: The Companion Bundle by Susan Squires @susansquires

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – The Companion Bundle SERIES – The Companion Series AUTHOR – Susan Squires GENRE – Regency Paranormal Romance PUBLICATION DATE – August 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 1142 PUBLISHER – Independent COVER ARTIST – Rebecca Poole, Dreams2Media

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

The Companion Bundle contains the first three books in the series: The Companion, The Hunger, and The Burning

You are about to enter a world where there is no turning back. Where danger and desire become one. Where a man and a woman must face the darkest secrets of the night…though they may not survive what awaits them.

The Companion

The Captive

Ian Rufford was captured, enslaved, and then abandoned in the lonely dunes of Egypt’s desert. His tormentor was a woman of magnificent beauty…and the blackest of souls. Now, Ian prays for a death that will not come. Only after his rescue does he begin to realize how he has changed. He is carrying something strange in his blood known only as “The Companion,” and his new-found symbiotic partner will exact a terrible price in return for the gifts Ian is only beginning to understand.

The Desire

Elizabeth Rochewell’s home was Egypt, where she traveled the desert organizing her father’s archeological expeditions. After her father’s death, however, she is sent home to live a conventional life in London. Onboard ship, she finds herself drawn to her mysterious fellow passenger, Ian Rufford. He awakens feelings in her that disturb and tantalize her senses. But he hides a shocking secret. Beth has spent her life unraveling the secrets of the desert. Little does she know how dangerous it will be to unravel Ian’s.

The Hunger

An Undeniable Desire

The year is 1811, and the vampire Beatrix Lisse has spent six hundred years trying to atone for the sins she committed with her adopted sister and rival, Asharti. She’s grown weary of life, until she meet John Staunton, the Earl of Langley. John is London’s most notorious rogue, but he sees an innocence in Beatrix that she no longer believes exists. But Beatrix can’t bring herself to reveal her true nature to John, even after they surrender to their fierce passion. It’s only after John abandons her that Beatrix learns that he has a secret of his own…

Leads to Love that Burns Eternal

An undercover spy for England, John’s mission is to find out who is directing Napoleon’s network of spies. If he allows himself to get too close to Beatrix, John knows he’ll put her life in danger. But as John gets closer to completing his mission, he realizes the person he seeks is none other than Beatrix’s centuries-old rival, Asharti. With the world unraveling around them, John and Beatrix unite to fight a nemesis whose fury has no limit—even as their unquenchable passion grows more dangerous by the day…

The Burning

A Forbidden Temptation

It is 1821 and all who know the beautiful, mysterious Ann Van Helsing believe she is insane. Yet Ann’s curse is the deep psychic ability that shows her everything about another human being—their history, thoughts and desires—simply by touching them. Overwhelmed by a power she can barely control, Ann roams the quiet woods and caves near her estate, searching for an elusive peace. Here she encounters the man who will change everything…

Leaves her Yearning

To atone for an unforgivable transgression against his own kind, vampire Stephan Sincai has become a vigilante who must hunt and kill those whom other vampires have made. When Ann discovers Stephen bleeding in her cave, she reaches tries to help him. The moment she touches him she knows every fiber of Stephens being—and the knowledge is at once frightening and irresistible…

For Eternal Fulfillment

Ann and Stephen are drawn together by a powerful force. As they fight against the evil surrounding them, an enemy bent on destroying them will make them choose between what they love and what they fear the most….

GRIPPING AND UNFORGETTABLE. Romantic Times (4 ½ star review) on The Companion

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA

AMAZON PAPERBACK

BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – SMASHWORDS – iTUNES

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AUTHOR BIO

 

Susan Squires is a New York Times bestselling author known for breaking the rules of romance writing. Whatever her time period, or subject, some element of the paranormal always creeps in. She has won multiple contests for published novels and reviewer's choice awards. Publisher's Weekly named Body Electric one of the most influential mass market books of 2003 and One with the Shadows, the fifth in her vampire Companion Series, a Best book of 2007. Time for Eternity, the first in the DaVinci time travel series, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly.

Susan has a Masters in English literature from UCLA and once toiled as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. Now she lives at the beach in Southern California with her husband, Harry, a writer of supernatural thrillers, and three very active Belgian Sheepdogs, who like to help her write by putting their chins on the keyboarddddddddddddddddddddddd.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

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TWITTER – GOODREADS – OTHERS – Mailing List

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Tour has been organized by

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Guarded by Carmen Fox @authorcarmenfox

 

 

 

Guarded

The Silverton Chronicles

Book 1

Carmen Fox

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Romance/Suspense

Publisher: Smart Heart Publishing

Date of Publication: July 31, 2015

epub: 978-0-9931992-0-2

paperback: 978-0-9931992-1-9

hardcover: 978-0-9931992-2-6

Number of pages: 276 print pages

Word Count: 104k

Cover Artist: Ana Grigoriu

Book Description:

When everyone's existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn't come easy

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he's a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.

Available at Amazon

Add it to Your Goodreads Shelf

Video Trailer: http://youtu.be/9gEgmHhoABg

Review Trailer: http://youtu.be/rpI5DtqvR8E

Blurb Read by Voiceover Artist: http://youtu.be/6i3DmvcaMWs

 

A shadow peeled off a dark corner and rushed across the road. My thoughts of the unfairness of life lifted, and I smiled. Dressed in his usual muted colors, Florian gave a mock salute. Not even the lack of a California tan detracted from the fact that he was, by all accounts, a handsome devil. But it was his inner qualities that made him my best friend.

I got out and slammed the door shut.

Flo shot me his trademark grin that half begged to be mothered, half promised a naughty night. “Happy birthday, Ivy!”

“Not so far. I think my car’s kaput.” I sent an eyeroll toward the steam escaping the hood.

“Oh?” His forehead puckered. “Let’s see. Did it slug and thud into the drive?” His index finger in his ear, he shook his tilted head, as if to force out some lingering noise. “Check. Is it stinky?” He sniffed the noxious plume surrounding the vehicle. “Check. Broken side view mirror? Check. Well, I can confidently say I notice nothing out of the ordinary.”

“You’re a funny guy, mister. If you’re not too busy doing standup tomorrow night, do you think you could chauffeur me?” I pouted. “I have a work thing, and getting the car fixed might take some time.”

“Aww, come here. Of course I will.” He yanked me into a firm mother-bear hug.

I held tight. His fresh, if powerful, cologne was a scent for sore noses, and I added another couple of gratuitous sniffs. “Thanks. I needed that.”

“I’ll let you get some rest, then. You don’t seem in the mood for a birthday bash. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” Despite his curious looks at my front door, he knew better than to invite himself in. With a wave, he turned and crossed the road to the large building he and his siblings called home.

I never let anyone enter my house without at least half an hour’s notice. The metal guards on my walls would reveal my secret. And more than anything, my friendship with Florian was based on mutual subterfuge.

He didn’t tell me he was a vampire. And I didn’t tell him I already knew.

 

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

A doctor. No, a travel agent. A scientist. Then a lawyer.

It depends on what age we’re talking about. I don’t think I ever wanted to be any one thing. I studied law because it sounded fun. Then I did a few years of physics because science fascinates me. What I have always enjoyed is being creative, and after I took up writing as a serious hobby, I’d found my niche. And for a long time it remained a hobby, until one day, an editor asked to see my book.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I considered myself a “writer” the first time someone told me my writing was good. I first considered myself an “author” when my first book was published.

How long did it take to get your first book published?

A long time from when I wrote my first poem at age five, and around six years after I started being a “writer.” I got a contract for DIVIDE AND CONQUER one or two months after I wrote “The End” and it was published about a year later.

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

Yes. Sadly writing doesn’t pay the bills. And from what I’ve learned from other writers, it hardly ever does. So to earn the cash I need in order to send out swag and offer raffle prizes, I translate technical texts from English into German and German into English. I’m a geek about microscopes and diffraction gratings and all things optics. You know that phenomenon you’re experiencing right now, when your eyelids begin to close? That’s how my friends get when I talk about my work, too.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My latest book is GUARDED. To summarize it, I’d say: “P.I. Ivy must investigate her own relationships to discover who she can trust and who wants her dead.”

Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

My first book DIVIDE AND CONQUER was published by Champagne Books. My second book GUARDED is published by self-owned Smart Heart Publishing, which gives me greater control over things like book cover and offering discounts.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

Writing a book doesn’t take all that long, perhaps four months. It’s the gazillion editing stages that take forever.

What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

My trio of anecdotal ghost stories is coming out later this year, and I have a chicklit thriller all plotted, but for the foreseeable future I’ll concentrate on the two series I started. The worlds I’ve created are simply too much fun to abandon.

What genre would you place your books into?

My genre is generally a mix of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, with an emphasis on Urban Fantasy. That means I go for the Happy Ending in a relationship, but cram in plenty of plot, too.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

Ever since I discovered my first Urban Fantasy book, I’ve been hooked. I enjoy Paranormal Romance, too, but I’m not a fan of straight-forward romance. I want my characters to earn their walk into the sunset. My lead character needs to discover herself through trials and challenges before her romance gets the Happily Ever After.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

Florian in GUARDED. He’s the lead character’s best friend. Kind, goofy, funny and loyal. My ideal book BFF. I also love Lea in DIVIDE AND CONQUER, a total geek caught in a world of magic. I had so much fun writing her.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

When I was little, I wrote poems for my family on birthdays and at Christmas. I started my first (unfinished) book about five or six years ago, when my Nana asked me to “write her a story.” I sent her one chapter at a time. When she died, I put the story aside and started a new one.

Do you have a certain routine for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

Nope. I write in my lunch break, at home on the laptop or on my tablet when I’m out and about. But If I have a choice, a cup of tea by my side is a must.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Only few readers leave reviews, either on a retailer website or as part of a review blog, and I want to show my appreciation for reading my book, so yes, I try to read them all. Don’t get me wrong. Reviews can hurt. But they can also be incredibly uplifting. Either way, a review is a reader’s way to communicate with the author. I think it’s important to listen.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I write the book first. As part of writing a book, I need to find a theme. In GUARDED, Ivy uses magical plates called ‘guards’ for defense. But that’s not the only reason the title seemed appropriate. In Silverton, everyone guards their secrets, no matter if they’re vampire or werewolf or even human. Ivy herself is guarded around people. The title just seemed to fit.

How do you come up with character names and place names in your books?

Some are named after my family or were suggested by loyal readers. Then there are those that are “born” with a specific name. For others, I try to make the meaning behind the name fit their personality or their role in the book.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

That differs. In GUARDED, Silverton used to be Oakham; Ivy used to be Jazz; Parker used to be Jake, and Florian was Florien. The rest stayed as I originally envisaged them. In DIVIDE AND CONQUER, Nieve started out as Niamh, but readers, especially in the US, where unfamiliar with the Irish spelling, so I simplified.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

Both, actually. Character traits often come about as a result of the plot. With one major exception. The main character’s flaw defines the plot, since it is this character flaw the character must overcome before I allow her to get her Happy Ending.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

Not morals, only themes. GUARDED explores a few of the problems women face just for being a woman; i.e. it pits physical attraction against emotional investment.

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

I collect signed, first-edition hardbacks of modern books I love, prefer reading paperbacks, but for space, money and practical reasons usually buy the eBook.

What is your favorite book and why? Have you read it more than once?

Tough one, but I’d say Garth Nix’s SABRIEL. It’s a fantasy book for young adults, with some romance, but it doesn’t talk down to the reader. The author throws you into this world of magic with very little explanation, and once you’re in, you’re trapped. But it really depends on genre and mood. I probably have about forty of fifty “favorites.” I don’t read books more than once, because life is too short to read everything I want to read, and re-reading makes it shorter still. But I will listen to audiobooks of books I’ve already read.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?

I’ve never watched GAME OF THRONES, because I’ve read the books, and it’s tough to commit to a series if you already know what’s going to happen. It’s different for movies. I think the Harry Potter films stand pretty well on their own. Others suck. I read ERAGON by Christopher Paolini when it came out and loved it. The movie? Not so hot.

Your favorite food is?

Sweetcorn.

Your favorite singer/group is?

Bad Religion.

Your favorite color is?

Blue.

Your favorite Author is?

Ouch. Not answering this one. That’s like asking someone to pick their favorite child, which in my case would definitely be my youngest. The twelve-year-old is best described as a pain-in-the-you-know-what. – Ha! Kidding, of course. I don’t even have children.

 

 

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Carmen lives in the south of England with her beloved tea maker and a stuffed sheep called Fergus. An avid reader since childhood, she caught the writing bug when her Nana asked her to write a story. She also has a law degree, studied physics for a few years, dabbled in marketing and human resources, and speaks native-level German and fluent Geek. Her preferred niches of geekdom are tabletop games, comics, sci-fi and fantasy.

She writes about smart women with sassitude, about pretty cool guys too, and will chase that plot twist, no matter how elusive.

Expect to be kept guessing.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER, Carmen’s first urban fantasy novel, was published in March 2015. To find out more, visit her at www.carmen-fox.com.

Website: www.carmen-fox.com

Twitter: @authorcarmenfox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Divide-and-Conquer/557838687668817

Book page: www.carmen-fox.com/guarded

Book Blast & Giveaway: Intimate Fear by DC Stone @DCStoneauthor

 

 

Intimate Fear

Empire Blue

Book Two

DC Stone

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Date of Publication: 06/19/15

ISBN: 978-1-77233-392-3

ASIN: B00ZZ7S9YW

Number of pages: 256

Word Count: 86,150

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Book Trailer:

Book Description:

Dwayne Gonzalez has always had a thing for the beautiful Brooke Mason, but she married another man, had his child, and started her life without him. Now, years and a divorce later, he’s still on the sidelines, yet in Brooke’s and her daughter, Hailey’s life, but not in the way he wants.

A drug investigation brings Dwayne on the front step of Brooke’s life. With his attention distracted, Hailey is kidnapped and engulfed in a human trafficking ring. Dwayne marches in and toes the line between the right side of the law, and in it, pursues his heart’s desire.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/UzHuq11-r1E

Evernight Amazon Amazon UK

Amazon CA ARe Bookstrand

Worried about Hailey, exhausted to the bone, and slightly swaying, Brooke clung to Dwayne, took strength from this solid, very real protector. She would have to be dead not to notice his firm body beneath her fingertips, the hardness of his chest pressed to her breasts, and the wicked, clean scent drifting from his skin. While they were no longer hugging, but more her clinging to him, she didn’t want to turn away, couldn’t find the power to do so. How easy would it have been to end up with this man? She’d caught the looks he had given her before. But that had all been in the past, a separate life for them both.

She had become a mother, someone who dedicated her entire being to making sure her daughter was well-rounded, cared for, and knowingly loved. Not only that, but she wasn’t a young pup any longer, and from the few women she’d seen Dwayne with, his type seemed to have a list of traits all very similar: young, perky breasts, tight asses, single, and free of major responsibilities.

His hand tightened on her back and she held her breath, waiting to see if he would push her away.

Just a few more minutes, please.

She needed him, this close contact with another being. It had been so damn long.

Hailey refused to slow down to cuddle on the couch as she had once done as a young girl. Her daughter had her own life now, one currently held in peril, but Brooke had faith they would find her. They had to. Failure wasn’t an option.

Dwayne trailed his hand up her back and pressed a palm to her head, his other arm tightening around her waist. She went with the direction, pressed her face into his warm neck, and breathed. His skin emitted heat rivaling the summer’s sun. She grasped the back of his suit jacket, wishing she could be closer. He shifted their bodies, and her aggravation spun to something else. His lips brushed her temple, and moist air fanned across the side of her face. He hovered there. So close, all she had to do was turn her face and take his mouth. She knew he would let her, too.

So near to him, starved for human contact, she wanted to get lost for a while. She trailed her nose along his neck, took another deep breath, and pressed closer.

He grumbled something unintelligible, the sound coming from his chest more than his mouth. His hand at her waist laid flat on the small of her back and urged her closer still.

The situation was moving fast out of control. Tendrils unraveled, but she was helpless to stop it. This strong male held her as if she were a treasure. He had the power and ability to make her forget everything, to make all the stresses and danger go away.

His hand slipped beneath the back of her shirt and made direct contact with her skin. They both hissed and his breath pushed her hair from her face. His cruel yet sensual mouth continued to drift in a teasing caress across her temple. She turned her head, like molasses on a cold day, up and toward him. Her lips tingled in anticipation, waiting for his kiss. She brushed her mouth across the line of his jaw, a hairsbreadth from his skin.

His heart thudded against hers, a matching hammer between their bodies, telling her he was just as affected. The hand at the back of her head tightened. She trailed the caress over his cheek; his lips were right there, centimeters away.

The rest of their surroundings faded. She didn’t know if it was because of this man drawing her absolute attention, or because of her exhaustion.

She touched the side of her mouth to his and thought she’d be prepared for the rush of desire.

She was so wrong.

 

 

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D.C. “Desi” Stone is a best-selling romance author and full-time fraud investigator. She lives in the northeast with her incredibly supporting husband, two kids, and the ever-growing family of cats.

After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of financial crimes and became a lead investigator for many years.

Reading has always been a passion of hers, getting lost in a good, steamy romance is one of her favorite past times. She soon after discovered her own love for writing and recreating stories and characters in her head. Her writing concentrates on romantic with specifics in paranormal, suspense, and erotica.

Now, when she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hudson Valley Romance Writers, New Jersey Romance Writers, RomVets, RWA Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. She served as the 2014 NJRW Vice President and Conference Chair. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter, or her website and say hello!

Facebook PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/authorDCStone

Facebook PROFILE: http://www.facebook.com/dc.stone.92

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DCStoneauthor

Website: www.authordcstone.com

Series Blast & Giveaway: Royalty Of Vezul by C.A. Tibbitts @catibbitts

Hey everyone - thanks for stopping by - check out both of these truly amazing books by author C.A. Tibbits - Prince of Vezul: Tallen a Sci-Fi Romantic Comedy and Christmas in DC a Contemporary Romantic Suspense. And don't forget to take part in the authors giveaway as well. (Don't forget to leave a comment - bloggers & authors just love those) Thank you.

 

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Prince Of Vezul: Tallen SERIES – Royalty Of Vezul AUTHOR – C.A. Tibbitts GENRE – Sci-Fi comedy romance PUBLICATION DATE – August 21, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 34 pages/10,600 words PUBLISHER – eXcessica Publishing COVER ARTIST – Amanda Walker PA & Design Services

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Tallen, which happens to be a prince from the planet Vezul, comes to Earth seeking a woman to become his princess. He lands just outside Las Vegas, where he spies a buxom beauty named Cari. He comes to her aid when a casino patron gets a little too grabby with Cari, whom he has already decided will be his princess.

Cari lives paycheck to paycheck in her dead-end, depressing job. When a gorgeous stranger approaches her, she assumes he must be crazy with the talk of making her his princess and having his royal babies. But when he comes to her aid, she realizes she doesn't want him to get in trouble for defending her honor. She rushes him out the back door, only to have him kiss her.

When his technology shocks her into passing out, she finds herself on a spaceship that insists on being called "John Wayne" with this gorgeous alien on a one way trip to the planet Vezul.

Will an interspecies relationship actually work, and does love truly conquer all?

(story originally published in Mystical Royal Love box set)

BUY & TBR LINKS

US – CA – UK – BARNES & NOBLES – iTUNES

GOOGLE STORE – ALLROMANCE – eXCESSICA

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EXCERPT

"I would like to discuss copulation." She felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment. It felt strange to discuss having sex.

"Oh?" Tallen's face lit up with a smile.

"I would like to try it. However, I can't promise that I agree to a lifetime of matehood… yet," she advised, placing a hand on his thigh.

All he heard was I would like to try copulation, and her hand was on him. "Suits off."

Cari gasped as they were suddenly both naked. She looked over at him in time to see him leaning closer for a kiss. Oh, what the hell! She shifted to straddle his legs, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Her eyes closed when his lips kissed hers, sliding his tongue into her mouth. He began that sexy growl that vibrated throughout her body, pebbling her nipples and dampening her sex. She suspected those elusive balls of his had dropped again when his hard length pressed into her belly.

Tallen rolled over, tucking her beneath him, enjoying her gasp of excitement as she looked up at him. "May we copulate now, beautiful one?"

---

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Christmas In D.C. AUTHOR – C.A. Tibbitts GENRE – Contemporary romantic suspense PUBLICATION DATE – August 21, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 33 pages/10,800 words PUBLISHER – eXcessica Publishing COVER ARTIST – C.A. Tibbitts

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Naomi has worked as Will’s assistant at college where he teaches law classes as she earns her degree as a Paralegal.

After Naomi graduates, she learns that Will is quitting the college to work for a Senator in Washington D.C. When Will asks Naomi to work with him and the Senator. it does not take her long to accept the position.

No longer a professor and student, the attraction of this 30-something year old couple is palpable.

A terrifying act leads Naomi to a heartbreaking discovery. Did she ever really know Will at all?

(story originally published in Wickedly Exotic Winter Erotic Wonderland box set)

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BUY & TBR LINKS

US – CA – UK – BARNES & NOBLES – iTUNES

GOOGLE STORE – ALL ROMANCE – eXCESSICA

---

EXCERPT

Naomi cut him off, kissing the question from his lips.

He moaned and slid his hands down her back, cupping her ass to pull her closer. If she'd been uncertain of what he was going to ask, she would surely get the hint with it pressed snugly against her stomach and getting harder by the second. One moment her hands were on his chest, the next, his pants fell in a heap around his bare feet. Her hand cupped the bulge barely contained in his gray boxer briefs.

"Are you sure? Nay, we can't go back after this." His forehead fell against hers as they both took a moment to breathe.

In a wordless answer, she freed her ponytail, sending her brown hair cascading down her back, and tugged her pink blouse over her head. Her skirt slid down next.

---

 

AUTHOR BIO

C.A. Tibbitts lives in Oklahoma, USA, with her husband of 18 years and a bossy parakeet. She has a degree as a paralegal and worked for the District Attorney's office, and before that, she worked as a travel agent.

Though she wrote for years as a hobby, her first published book was in August of 2014. Best known for her Pepper Valley Shifters series, she also has several short stories published with the Mystical Box Set Babes and in the Wickedly Exotic seasons series.

She loves to hear from her readers, and deeply appreciates honest reviews.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK  

TWITTER – GOOGLE+ – PINTEREST  

GOODREADS – TSU

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GIVEAWAY

2 ebooks of Prince Of Vezul: Tallen 2 ebooks of Christmas in DC

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This amazing blitz has been organized by

Cover Reveal: Twenty-One (21) by Clarissa Wild @WildClarissa

 

 

 

Title: Twenty-One (21)

Author: Clarissa Wild

Publication Date: October 7th, 2015

Genre: Dark Romance (18+)
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25143793-twenty-one

Synopsis

21 years
On her 21st birthday she’s taken. Collected by a rich family as an unpaid debt. Her body sold. Her mind his.
21 weeks
For 21 weeks she carried a burden no girl should ever have to carry. Now she loses her freedom to a man born to destroy her.
21 days
His name: Angel DeLuca. His mission: to break her in 21 days before she sees through his lies. But she won’t give up without a fight.
21 minutes
It takes only 21 minutes for their lives to be forever entwined.
21 seconds
21 seconds to spill. Time is running out.

Secrets ruin them … but not all truths are worth the price.

This is a STANDALONE Dark Romance novel. WARNING: contains explicit situations, dubious consent, graphic violence, drug abuse, and other disturbing content.

 

 

 

Exclusive preorder on: iBooks

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

 

(Copyright 2015 Clarissa Wild. Unedited. Subject to change.)

 

Day 1

 

 

Sky

 

 

A never-ending darkness shrouds me, the surrounding void like space, swallowing me whole. Eyes open or eyes shut, it doesn’t make a difference to the vast emptiness around me. It seeps into my bones like poison, clouding my mind from the memories that I had.

Where am I?

My body feels cold, and my limbs solid, like they’re not mine. I notice myself breathing, however. The only thing I hear is the steady, rhythmic beating of my heart. The only sound in this dark hole. Thud, thud … thud.

For a moment I doubt my own existence.

Who am I, even?

A drop of water falling onto a surface pulls me back into reality. I’m here, but how?

My fingers tighten and relax in an attempt to regain control. My muscles feel stiff, but slowly the sensation is returning to the tips of my fingers, giving me a small bit of hope that I might find out what happened to me.

With slow movements, I let my hand slide only a few inches, but it’s enough to determine that I’m lying on a concrete floor. My head begins to hurt and every passing second the pain increases. I move my fingers to my head and touch the back of my scalp. The searing pain stops me and tells me I’m wounded.

When I touch my face I gasp. There is a bag over my head with a hole near my mouth and nose through which I can breathe. For a second, I contemplate removing it, but then I realize they might be watching me.

A buzz moves through my body, bringing life back to my limbs. And even though I’m regaining my sense of touch, my vision is still impaired. However, my eyes feel fine as I touch them, so it must be the lack of light.

I push my elbows underneath me and lean up. A sudden queasiness overtakes me, causing me to buckle and heave. I puke on the floor beside me, which surprises me, because I hardly ever puke.

I tally up the sensations that I’m feeling. Nausea, loss of motor skills, buzzing nerves, botched memory … it all leads to one conclusion: I was drugged.

Stabilizing myself on the floor, I focus on regaining control over my body before moving again. This place is unfamiliar to me, and I dig into my mind to find clues as to how I ended up here. The pain that’s slowly creeping to the surface of my skin distracts me, but I still manage to catch a glimpse of a memory in the back of my mind.

Men with black masks and fire weapons dragging me out of a room. A cloth with a sharp odor pushed against my mouth. Drowsiness engulfing me. A big SUV, also black, doors sliding to the side. A blow to the back of my head. All lights went out.

My skin pricks with anxiety, and I shiver to shake off the fear. It doesn’t help, because I know deep down that there is more to come.

There is one question in my mind that can’t help but repeat itself. Why me?

This is the single question every victim of abduction asks.

Except, I already know the answer.

It was only a matter of time before they came for me.

My papa once told me that goodness always comes at a price. Now more than ever, do I realize the truth in his words. However, I don’t regret making the decision for even a second.

Now, I’m here in a darkness so deep it consumes me whole.

And still the light of rebellion sparks inside my heart, fueling a fire I haven’t felt before. An uncontrollable need to defy whoever is keeping me here.

But I will wait. Lying in the cold, harsh, emptiness of this space, I will await my captor’s arrival and take whatever he’s going to give me. Punishment. Pain. I’ll endure it all.

Because that’s what a good person does when they’ve made their choice.

They bear the burden of their choice, because it’s the only thing they can do.

 

 

***

 

 

I don’t know how many hours pass before a noise wakes me. I can’t remember when and how I fell asleep, but I must’ve been very tired from the ordeal. A metallic door is slid open, a crack of light splitting through the opening. The burlap bag over my head makes it difficult to see, but when I narrow my eyes and focus I can still determine where I am.

Only now do I see how small my cell really is.

The vast emptiness I thought would overwhelm me, turns out to be not much more than a bedroom-sized cell. A quick look at the walls reveals iron rings of all shapes and sizes, used to hook a chain around and snare whoever needs to be contained and subdued.

In other words; me.

Squinting, I watch as a man steps inside, and I focus solely on his presence. Even though the door is open, and freedom is luring me on the other side, I stay put and watch. No matter how much I’d try, I’d never be able to flee. Not like this, with my muscles weak and my body aching. There are probably a bunch of guards waiting outside, wondering whether I’m going to try anything.

So I won’t. I’ll sit right here on this cold, hard concrete, observing my captor as he walks into the room with a certain aloofness. His feet are bold, his body brawny, his face hiding behind a Guy Fawkes mask. If I weren’t so scared, I would’ve pondered why he chose that specific mask to conceal his identity, but now is not that time.

His footsteps sound more like sand scraping off a harsh surface as he circles around me like a snake ready to attack its prey. The door is left open like a silent seducer, a tool to entice me to run. I look up at my captor, giving him a deadly stare, and even though I can’t see him, I know he can feel the determination in me.

I won’t let myself be tempted to flee like a wounded deer.

Not when I know that this is merely a distraction, like a lollypop being dangled in front of a child while the adult knows full well he’s never going to give it to the child, and the child knows he can never reach far enough to grasp it.

I refuse to be that child.

My captor walks some more, and then returns to the door to close it.

His experiment failed.

I control my emotions.

He doesn’t know who he’s up against.

In the darkness I hear him come closer, the only sound being his steady breath and soft steps. He’s still testing me. Seeing if I’ll give in to the fear. Alone with him, the predator, in a cage filled with blackness. But I’m not afraid of the dark.

My soul has already been tainted and defiled. Nothing he does can hurt me. I already went past the breaking point once … and I survived.

“Up.”

The sound of his voice suddenly breaking through the façade makes me take in a breath. It’s familiar and yet so unknown, the way he speaks to me with full authority, resoluteness resounding in every spoken letter, even if there are few.

I crawl up from the ground, slowly, steadily, maintaining my posture. My aching back and pounding head won’t stop me from attempting to keep my dignity as I stand up straight and stare ahead.

My captor’s steps are everywhere, resounding in the darkness like echoes that disappear into the night. He’s confusing me, and I try not to concentrate on the sound, but on my own heartbeat instead.

Suddenly, he’s right in front of me, and the air is sucked out of my lungs. I struggle not to let my breath come out in short gasps, but I won’t let his tactics work on me.

His breathing sounds like that of a bull, short and loud, as if he’s readying for charge.

But he doesn’t move. He just stands there, gazing at me.

“Do you know where you are?” he asks with a low, gruff voice that brings goose bumps to my body.

I compose myself before I answer. “No.”

“Good.”

I can hear a faint smile behind that word, but the second my eyebrows move, he puts his hands on my chest and shoves me. I fall down backwards on the hard floor, bruising my groin.

After a while, he says. “Do you know why you’re here?”

I don’t answer. I refuse to. Why would I? He is only here to intimidate and hurt me. There’s no benefit for me in answering his questions. As a matter of fact, I think he owes me some answers instead.

“Why am I here?” I ask.

He’s silent for a few seconds, and then a smug laugh is dulled by the mask.

“Bold. I like that.”

“Who are you?” I ask, putting emphasis on every word as if they’re the last that’ll come from my mouth.

He muffles another laugh. “Who am I? I am the man who will break you.”

I shake my head, still lying on the floor as if I’m taunting him. Maybe I am. I want him to speak, and for that to happen, I have to be the one asking the questions, not the other way around.

“Where am I?”

“Where you belong,” he growls, and then he takes a step forward, grabs my arm, and pulls me up from the floor.

“Why—”

Smack. His hand hits my cheek, silencing me.

“You do not talk unless spoken to.”

My head is still to the right, as I refuse to look at him. I will not bow to his violence. If he hits me, my body will remain rigid, unmoving. Not an inch of pain will exude from me.

“You may be wondering why you’re here, but you’re forgetting the most important question. What have you done to be here?”

My lip quivers, so I force it to stop. I can’t show weakness. Not now, not ever.

He grabs my chin. “You don’t seem to remember, so let me refresh your memory,” he says. “You stole something. It’s time to give it back. You have twenty-one days to come up with an answer.” He pulls me closer with a pinch. “Lie and I’ll know. Do you understand?”

I nod while blankly staring at his mask. If I’m to obey to survive, I’ll do just that, but no one can take away my pride.

He let’s go of my chin and pushes me away. “It’s time for you to pay back what you owe.”

Fear ripples through my veins. “Pay what back?” I say, taking a step forward.

He shoves me so hard my back hits the wall and the air is ripped from my chest. I sink to my knees against it.

“Don’t think I will go easy on you. Just because I know about you, doesn’t mean I won’t rip you apart if you don’t tell me the truth.”

“What truth?” I gasp. “What do you know about me?”

He turns around, but waits, standing still in the darkness with only the sound of ragged breaths filling the room.

“You tell me,” he says, his voice softer than before, almost as if he himself doesn’t know the reason.

Frowning, I look up at him, and for some reason the way he cracks his knuckles feels so familiar.

But then the feeling immediately disappears as he starts walking toward the door.

“Wait, you haven’t told me why I’m here yet. How am I supposed to know what to tell you?”

I can hear him knock on the door. Then there’s a pause. “Oh … you’ll now soon enough.”

The forewarning brings chills to my skin.

The door opens with a squeak and in comes the blinding light again. It’s so bright, my captor’s clothes almost look pale as snow. But then I realize that’s only because I haven’t seen light in such a long time … and I won’t be seeing it any time soon.

The last words he speaks remain with me for the rest of the day, echoing in my mind over and over again. “Welcome to your own personal hell.”

 

 

 

 

Author

 

Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, and Stalker. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

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