Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 269

Music Playlist Vices and Virtues An Anthology of the Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Dark Virtues

Wolf by First Aid Kithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czj7SyPNRto
Every Breath You Take by The Policehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs
Fairy Dance on Peter Pan Soundtrackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtxT-bn18OY
My Way by Frank Sinatrahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E2hYDIFDIU
Twilight Zone by Golden Earringhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1sf2CzEq0w
Blood in the Cut by K.Flayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2WcOdz96ko
Kill of the Night by Gin Wigmorehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGju9VaQuyg
Jack the Ripper by Short Stackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx4ssWgRpts
Bella’s Lullaby on Twilight Soundtrackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoBoeg-oyBA
Cruel to be Kind by Nick Lowehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0l3QWUXVho
War Pigs by Black Sabbathhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQUXuQ6Zd9w
Believe by Secret Nationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdBm8_yq3D0

Vices and VirtuesAn Anthology of the Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Dark Virtues
Genres: Horror, Supernatural, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Suspense/Thriller
Taglines: Because sometimes, the virtuous are as frightening as the sinful…
About the Anthology
Sins will weave you into their webs. They become the Vice you’re unable to shake. There are the values, taught from birth, which ride a razor’s edge. They turn into Dark Virtues, a twisted mockery of their true meaning.
Pride, envy, lust, gluttony, anger, greed and sloth all have their place in the tapestry of life. They are the Vices who lost sight of the Virtues: charity, temperance, forgiveness, humility, kindness, chastity and diligence.
Enter the worlds where the tales of the most sinful of Vices and the darkest of Virtues will entice and intrigue you…
…for even among the most devout there is a dark side.
Amazon


SINS OF THE FLESH (Gluttony)BY STACEY BROADBENT
It was a balmy Spring evening when I first discovered a taste for human flesh. It was a happy accident really. After having my heart broken one too many times, I'd abstained from any type of physical relationship with a man for years, so when one fell in my lap, it came as quite the surprise.

EXCERPT SINS OF THE FLESH:Throwing caution to the wind, I slipped my feet into a pair of runners and walked down the road, telling myself it was to clear my mind. But really, I was on the prowl for fresh meat. Someone vulnerable—easy prey. I had to be smart about it; it was broad daylight after all.Every person who walked past became a possible target. In my mind’s eye, I pictured a computer log for each one, listing their attributes. Having limited knowledge on the ins and outs of cannibalism, I had no idea what the perfect body type was for consumption. Would it matter if they were male or female? Was it better if they were lean and muscular, or was a layer of padding more flavourful? How was I to choose?Turns out, I didn’t need to think about it at all. On my walk back home, I was knocked off my feet by a man out for a jog. He’d been too busy flicking through the playlist on his phone to see me, and by the time we’d both looked up, it was too late. We collided, my forehead into his chin and mouth. My hands automatically went up, pressing against his chest and sending us both bouncing off each other, landing on our behinds. Apologising profusely, he offered me his hand and pulled me to my feet. The impact had left a red egg on my head and skinned my palms raw. He, however, came across a little worse for wear, sporting a newly chipped tooth, and fat, bleeding lip. As soon as I got a whiff of the blood on his breath, I knew, he was the one.I pointed to my house across the street, inviting him in to clean up while he called the emergency dentist. It was the least I could do.Ushering him into the bathroom, I had him perch on the edge of the bath while I rummaged through the cabinet for the first aid kit. I needed to knock him out somehow. There was no way I could do this without it… unless…

About Stacey Broadbent:
Stacey lives in Ashburton, New Zealand, with her husband and three children. An avid reader and self-confessed book-a-holic, she has always had a love of the written word, so it was only a matter of time before she took pen to paper and began on her writing journey. Stacey is a multi-genre author, with books from light-hearted comedies to zombie thrillers. She is also part of the writing duo 'The Ink Slinging Sisters' with friend S.K. Lessner. You can often find her lurking on social media so don't be afraid to reach out and have a chat.
Website:  http://www.staceybroadbent.weebly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StaceyBroadbentAuthor
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/BStayc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorstaceybroadbent/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cULu_f



A MILLION CLAY WOLVES (Greed)BY AMBER K. BRYANT
Living in a squalid encampment in the shadows of a towering city, a young woman able to endow objects with magical powers struggles with her brother's growing determination to use her gift for his own selfish means.
EXCEPRT A MILLION CLAY WOLVES :“Do you remember Jamey? Has a tattoo of a whale on his right arm, wears a red and white striped tank top—Sound familiar?”Mora nodded. “He juggled knives and guns.”“That’s right. Jamey is my boyfriend and we’re very happy, only… He has this crazy idea that he should give up the troop, join the army instead. He thinks it would provide a better life for us, but he’s wrong. This is the only life I want and I don’t want it to change. I need you to change his mind.”“What?” She took a step away from Dare. “I… I can’t do that!”“You don’t realize it, but you can. I saw it in you. The ability to endow magic. You just needed a jumpstart, and yesterday…” she pointed to the feather, “I gave it to you.”Mora stared at the feather, still crumpled in her hand.“Tell the feather that Jamey’s place is with me. In the troop. Tell the feather it needs to change Jamey’s mind. Go on.”Mora lifted the feather halfway to her face, then paused. This would never work. Clearly circus life had taken its toll on Dare’s mental health. Or perhaps unstable people were attracted to the quirky life the troop seemed to lead. It was silly to give in to Dare’s demands. Then again, if she didn’t do it, perhaps Dare would become so angry, she’d bust out of her purple corset and become a rage-fueled She-Hulk. Perhaps the simplest way out of this situation was to tell the feather to become a mind-changer and then get the hell out of there.“Fine, whatever.” She brought the feather to her lips and blew words into it. “Change Jamey’s mind. Make him stay. Oh!” She jumped as a tingling sensation moved through her body, from the soles of her feet up her legs and spine, then out to the tips of her fingers and into the feather. “What… what just happened.”Dare’s face went back to its friendly older sister mode. “Exactly what I thought would. Thank you, Mora.” She took the feather back from Mora and pinned it into her dark, shimmering hair. “Wiser people than me would tell you to be careful with this gift of yours. Magic can be used for good or for evil. It doesn’t care which, most of the time.”Confused, Mora toyed with a stray thread from the hem of her t-shirt. “But you’re… not telling me to be careful?”Dare grasped Mora’s chin and tilted it so their eyes met. “We don’t find out what we’re capable of through advice.” She gave Mora’s face a tiny squeeze and then let her go. “Trial and error, darlin’."

About Amber K Bryant:
Amber K. Bryant is an award-winning author and a librarian living deep within Sasquatch territory in Washington State. She has co-authored a short story with R. L. Stine, won a Watty for her novella UNSEEN, and won three contests judged by Margaret Atwood. When not glued to her keyboard, Amber can be found spending time with her husband and son, hiking, gardening, and searching in vain for the illusive Sasquatch.
Website:  https://www.wattpad.com/user/amberkbryant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amberkbryantauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amberkbryant

CONFESSIONS OF AN HONEST MAN (Chastity)BY CYRIL BUNTWhen I was thirteen I took my oath, I never broke it. But apparently, I broke many others.
About Cyril Blunt:
My name is Cyril and I'm 32. I've loved writing since I was very young and so I try to create believe lies, one day I hope to be good enough to make a living from writing.
Website:  https://www.wattpad.com/user/cyrilbunt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cyril_bunt
DO NO HARM (Charity)BY J.M. BUTLER
What if someone offered you exactly what you needed?
Ethics and vampirism hardly go together, and Aestan has concluded he is trapped between two bad situations. A chance meeting with his neighbor Summer changes everything as she offers the solution to his problems. He can have her blood. She's more than happy to give it if it keeps him from robbing blood banks or killing people. Though at first he is relieved, he soon realizes that even what is freely given may yet have consequences he does not desire.
EXCERPT DO NO HARM:"Summer...I can't take your blood." "Yes, you can. And if I were a stranger, you would. But we're friends." "Friends?" Aestan couldn't suppress the sharp laugh. She had an oddly vague definition of friendship. Surely this was a joke. Summer finished the prep and took a deep breath."Yes, of course we are. Now...don't attack me or anything, okay?" She stuck the needle into her arm and balled her hand up before flexing her fingers and clenching again. "I can't let you have the blood we collected for the drive, but I can let you have some of mine. And then you know...we can start looking for some substitutes." Words failed Aestan as he watched. A tantalizing scent rose from the glass, thick, slightly metallic. How could she be serious? Was he dreaming?

Website:  www.jmbutlerauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmbutler1728/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessicabfry
Newsletter: http://forms.aweber.com/form/13/666935913.htm
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/121313168524170/
SEVEN DAYS (Humility)BY LENORE CHEAIRS
TBA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterAmandaLenore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/acheairs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acheairs
A SINGLE MIND (Pride)BY ALANA DELACROIX
Neil Clarins is a very important man with very important research.  He could save the world.  And he won't let anyone stand in his way.
EXCERPT A SINGLE MIND:Neil straightens his back and keeps his hand away from his pocket. He’s right. His work is good and more than that, it’s needed. The entire world is about to go up in flames. The environment is a mess. People are fucking dying and what he has in his lab will save them. No way he’s going to let some petty bureaucrat like Mike Bell get in his way. And if using his own brain as a testing ground is the way it has to be done, so be it. Knowing he’ll be out for at least a day, Neil puts messages on all his corporate tethers: email, messenger. I’m sick, it says. Sorry, back soon. He goes to his room and shaves off a small patch of hair. Underneath, the skin that’s never seen the sun is a sickly white-green. He swabs his temple with a topical anesthetic and sits on the bed for a long time, staring at the syringe with its small bolt gun mechanism, so like the one used to kill cattle. He has no idea if he’ll be able to walk after the injection and he doesn’t want to pass out in the bathroom. Too much risk of injury. Neil takes a deep breath, then another. He thinks of the other scientific greats. Salk and the polio vaccine. Newton digging around his own eyeball with a bodkin. Then, before he can think any more, he thrusts the needle against the side of his head and pulls the trigger.
About Alana Delacroix:
Alana Delacroix lives surrounded by  books in Toronto, Canada. She loves exploring the city, on the hunt for both the perfect coffee shop as well as ideal locations to set stories. Her debut novel, Masked Possession, a paranormal romance, is available now from Kensington Publishing.
Website:  https://www.alanadelacroix.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alanadelacroix
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanadelacroix


YOU MADE ME (Envy)BY CHRIS FARMER
I envied the time I watched you eat, hoping to taste even a crumb of that sandwich. I envied the time you got to stay warm while, I nearly froze on the street. I envied the power you had to destroy my life.
Now it will be you who envies me. Your gluttony has come to an end. One way or another, you will feel the agony of want.
About Chris Farmer:
Chris Farmer is working on a debut novel, One and Done, releasing in December 2017.
Website:  https://www.chrisfarmernovels.com


DEATH THROES (Sloth)BY LISA GOLDMAN
Born into prestige and wealth, twenty-year-old, indolent Chandler Wentsworth’s biggest worries are working to smooth over his constantly disappointed family and friends. He doesn’t realize how easy his life is until he and his friend go to a carnival, where Roma, an eccentric psychic, delivers improbable predictions and a frightening warning that the eyes are the window to one’s soul. Soon, he not only discovers the true evil behind black oily eyes, but Roma’s atrocious predictions has begun a series of catastrophic events, including soul-shattering death throes.

ONE FORGIVES AS ONE LOVES (Forgiveness)BY TRINITY HANRAHAN
I can have peace of mind only when forgiveness has been earned and granted.
About Trinity Hanrahan:
Trinity lives with her husband and five children in Virginia. She grew up overseas in Turkey and Japan, where her love of reading developed due to a lack of English-speaking television. As her need for written works grew, so did her desire to create worlds for others to enjoy. By the time she was in middle school she had started writing short stories. She endeavors to break the mold where modern stereo-types are concerned and create engaging characters.
When she’s not writing or working, Trinity still enjoys settling down to read a book or doing graphic art in her spare time.
Website:  http://trinityhanrahan.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trinityhanrahan
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/thanrahanauthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/trinity.hanrahan


CAVEAT EMPTOR (Diligence)BY KRISTEN JACQUES
Captain Niels Fizarian prides himself on quality product: weapons, rare goods, even concubines. It's one thing to be an unscrupulous scoundrel, another to be a poor businessman. But with early retirement looming, what could cutting a few corners hurt? When it comes to interstellar trade, Captain Niels may just learn the hard way to pay his due diligence. 
Website:  http://www.kristinjacques.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krazydiamondwrites/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Krazydiamond07
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krazydiamond_writes/


THE DEVIL YOU KNOW (Lust)BY REBECCA NOLAN
Ivy feels like everything is finally falling in place from her now that she has a new home. To make things even better, her landlord is sexy, caring Drake Hunter. The problem is Drake isn't what he seems. Will Ivy get her happy ever after or is she doomed to end up in tears.
About Rebecca Nolan:
Rebecca Nolan is an aspiring writer with several anthologies under her belt. She loves being able to bring characters to life through words. In her spear time she is often found reading or spending time with her family.
Website:  https://wordsaccordingtome.blogspot.com.au
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rnolanauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msrnol
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5278657.Rebecca_Nolan
THE PAIN OF A KINDNESS (Kindness)BY TAMMY OJA
Anna works with an appointed psychologist for answers when her mother goes missing.
About Tammy Oja:
Tammy Oja is an active reader and lover of all things word related. She currently writes on Wattpad under the pen name tamoja. Previous works include being published by Gallery books in the anthology Once Upon Now (2016).  Her short story Darla was a top 10 finalist for TNT and was optioned for film.
Her favorite things to write are short psychological horror stories that leave you thinking long after the pages are closed.
She currently lives in Michigan and you can usually find her staring at a screen at her kitchen table.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammy_oja


HELL'S MATCH (Kindness)BY ARIA PEYTON
In my world, too many people are lonely. So out of the kindness of my heart I help them. Those who want someone by their side forever get it. Only they never read the fine print and forever means just that.
EXCERPT HELL’S MATCH:In a sinuous motion, Cheshire slides off the machine and backs away, book held out in front of her in a warding-off gesture. Anger fuels her when she speaks. “Am I being set up? Did you follow me here? What’s going on?” I know better than to move, so I stay put, my body jerking with the motion of the tub beneath me. “No, of course—” The rest of the sentence dies at her raised brow and sceptical glare. “Yes. I followed you here.” I act all resigned to this fact but surge on when she tries to interrupt. “But only because Grandmother asked me to make contact with you, and when I got to your apartment, you were already on your way here. I was so intrigued by how you rebuffed her on the phone last night, I had to meet you myself.” I may have just painted myself into a corner here as I watch the thoughts swirling in her head. I’ve given her too many inconsistencies to process and I know she’ll have a question for each one. But I already have the answer, and realistically, so does she. “How did she know where I live? How the hell did she know what I look like? And how the fuck did you think this would look, stalking me into the damn laundromat?!” Her voice gets louder and squeakier with each word until others here start backing away. Soon the place is empty and Cheshire is alone here with me. The predator within can’t believe its luck, while the other side of me is fascinated that she didn’t run with everyone else. “You spoke to her last night. What did she know about you then, huh?” The glare eases a little, but she still keeps her distance. “Too much is what she knows. I’d love to know what little tricks she has up her frock sleeves to know so much without a word.” “It’s just her ability. Some would call her clairvoyant or psychic.” “Or just plain freaky,” she mutters under her breath. “Or that.” I release a chuckle to lessen the tension hovering between us. Even though it’s refreshing to have a normal conversation with someone, the urgency to get her back to the office of ‘Madame’ still hangs over me. She’s the next match to be made and that contract needs to be signed.

About Aria Peyton:
I've been a covert operative in a foreign country, jumped out of helicopters for fun, and bungee jumped over the side of a Styrofoam factory into a vat of beans made for beanbags.
I can also leap Lego towers in a single bound, pack school lunches like a boss, and burn myself on any hot surface.
My multi-skilling is out of this world and I successfully masquerade as an average parent 24/7.
Website:  www.ariapeytonauthor.weebly.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorariapeyton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariapeyton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorariapeyton


EVELYNBY QT RUBY
Dr. Evers says the only way for Evelyn to be free is to remember her past, but is that really such a good idea?
EXCERPT EVELYN:“Why am I restrained? There is no escape from this room.” Dr. Evers releases a little sigh. “For my protection.” “Against?” “You.” “Me? What could I do to you?” She waits to respond. I’m unsure if it’s because I have to remember like she said before, or she’s just a withholding bitch. “You will remember. So . . . please, continue.” I sigh and growl a little. “My family . . . they loved me.” Dr. Evers writes down my words. “But they were afraid of me.” “How do you know?” “Because . . .” I pause to remember, to allow memories to solidify, sharpen. “Because I used to harm things.”

About Q.T. Ruby:
Q.T. Ruby, author of A Matter of Trust and its sequel A Moment of Truth, regularly escapes real-life to fall into make-believe worlds of her own design. Living in her native Connecticut with her two sweet kids, a wonderful husband, and a cat that doesn’t like to get picked up, she teaches tweens full time, hunkers down for cold winters, and tries to write like the wind in the summer.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorQ.T.Ruby
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Q_T_Ruby
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quiet_ruby


A SORCERER'S ROAD TO TEMPERANCE (Temperance)BY MAGGIE JANE SCHULER
Temperance Blanco served to bring order to her family and small town. She thought if she practiced her craft and lead the immoral on a path to restraint, life would be perfect. What she didn't count on was her intense draw to her employer, the handsome new night club owner Raiden Spellman. She thought she had tricks up her sleeve until she found herself captivated by Raiden and unaware of her place in the Cards of life.
EXCERPT A SORCERER'S ROAD TO TEMPERANCE :Her reaction to him was…extreme, unexpected and intense…and she wondered in what other subtle ways Tempest would affect her. It almost felt like a spell, and somewhat forbidden, but it also felt…good, too. Whether it was the natural lure of a new establishment, or Mr. Spellman was doing something himself to cause such havoc lately, she had to find out either way.

About Maggie Jane Schuler:
Maggie Jane Schuler is a wife, mother of three almost-grown children, and teacher by day. While she has always loved to read, the thought of writing her own prose did not strike until she was in the middle of writing her Master’s Thesis. From that point on she was hooked.
She Resides in Southern California. Besides the family and books, she loves baseball. Since the Dodgers, Angels, and Padres are all within a short distance, and the Giants and Athletics a nice weekend jaunt away, she’s got plenty of games to take in during the season. Additionally, she enjoys cooking, movies, the beach, and the local mountains. She’s most content being with her family engaged in whatever activity they have planned.
Website:  www.maggiejaneschuler.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaggieJaneSchuler/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MJ_Schuler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiejanenerdynovelist/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cId4S9

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Spotlight- Excerpt from Last Resort by Amber Malloy

Last ResortAmber Malloy
Genres: Interracial/BWWMRomance/Suspense
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Book Description:
African American socialite and bestselling crime writer Cayden Young returns to her high school stomping grounds to solve a cold case. Unfortunately, her hot business partner is in her way. In love since high school, they couldn’t work out their rich-girl, poor-boy differences. While she attempts to put the past to rest, she ends up unearthing a more than a decade-old secret that could get her killed.
Former Marine Levi Scott is ready to take over his family’s resort fulltime. The only problem is he needs to buy out his partner, who he happens to be in love with. Always on unsure footing with the wealthy beauty, he is determined to get her out of his life for once and all, and decides the best way to do so is offering to help her solve a thirteen-year-old cold case. Soon, they figure out the murderer may still reside in their posh resort town … and Cayden could be next on their list.
Evernight Publishing     Amazon      Goodreads     Smashwords

Excerpt:
Since the third step always creaked under foot, he counted to ten before he flipped on the lamp and loosened his tie.“Holy shit, Levi! What the hell?” She jumped while he bit back a chuckle. “Isn’t that my line?” Beads of water from her shower gathered on her skin. She wore a pair of barely-there yoga shorts, and Levi could see straight through her tank top. Round, full breasts were easy to make out beneath her stretched-too-thin material.“There’s no way that event ended this early,” she scolded him.“Forgive me for ruining your heist … should I leave and come back to let you finish?” Everything about the woman turned him on, starting with her messy bun and black-framed glasses.No rich-girl representative or spoiled brat came to steal time in his shower spa. Instead, the real girl next door stood in front of him. “My shower was one thing, Ms. Young, but my last bottle of wine?”She held onto a bottle of Riesling, shipped from the Italian vineyard that wanted the resort to use them exclusively. “Do you not remember telling me to stop taking wine from the resort?”“There’s this thing called inventory, and if a bottle is missing,” he spoke slowly as if talking with a child, “it is considered stolen. Much like what you’re doing right now.” He pointed to the contraband in her hand.“I beg to differ. You don’t even like Riesling, Mr. Scott.” She smiled innocently. “So what happened? Did you forget something?”“Now that you mention it…” Taking off his tux jacket, he threw it off to the side. “What do you think about this couch?”Cayden shook her head, probably not following his line of questioning. “Heirloom? It doesn’t really go with the décor.”“Exactly! I worked my ass off to make this place look … what’s the word?”“Modern,” she offered.“Manly. But we’ll go with your term. Look at this craftsmanship … dark, hardwood floors, straight lines, and that kitchen is a work of art. I made that farmhouse table by hand,” he bragged, glad she didn’t interrupt. “Then there’s this monstrosity … a red velvet Victorian. And let’s not forget the piano. No one plays that shit. Why the hell do we even have it? My mother claims it’s too valuable to put in storage, so she leaves this crap here.”“I’m guessing you want to get rid of it?”“Of course, but you know Lydia’s weapon of choice is guilt,” he complained while rolling up his sleeves. “I was thinking if I changed or altered it in some way, then maybe I could tolerate it.”“Hmmm.” She tilted her head to the side while she relaxed her stance. “What do you have in mind?”“For starters, I’m going to put you on top of it, and eat your pussy until your head explodes. After that, we can wing it.” Levi didn’t know if she would accept his proposition, but he didn’t anticipate the smile that slowly graced her pretty lips.




About the Author:
Amber Malloy dreamed of being a double agent but couldn’t pass the psyche evaluation. Crushed by despair that she couldn’t legally shoot things, Amber pursued her second career choice as pastry chef. When she’s not writing or whipping up a mean Snickers Cheesecake, she occasionally spies on her sommelier. Amber is convinced he’s faking his French accent.
Amber loves to talk to her readers and can be found at www.ambermalloy.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authambermalloy
Website: http://ambermalloy.blogspot.com/

Giveaway - Phoenix Rising Books One and Two by Alexandra Christian

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
Thanks so much for having me at Fang-tastic! I read the blog and am pretty excited to be here. I live in a tiny town in South Carolina that is the epitome of the southern gothic town. My husband and I are both writers and we think of ourselves as the Herman and Lily Munster of our neighborhood. We don’t have kids, but we do have an epileptic wiener dog named Murphy that we’re hoping will take care of us when we’re old. I started writing stories to entertain myself when I was just a chap, but my first novel was published in 2010. I started writing paranormal romances in a desperate attempt to have something to read. I’ve always loved stories with a romantic element, but the bodice rippers that my mom kept on hand never had enough story. I wanted to write the books that I wanted to read: high stakes adventure, hot sex, and happily ever after.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
I’m a huge fan of vampires, but strangely, I’ve only written one exclusively vampire book: the novella, Sanguine Kiss. But vampires always play a part. I can’t escape them, it seems. I think so many of us are inspired and fascinated by vampires because of that immortality aspect. I freely admit to being terrified of dying, and vampires aren’t because they can’t. Being a death-obsessed (I read books about funeral practices and mortician manuals), aging goth is my way of coping with that fear and vampires are just natural companions to that.
Please tell us about your latest release.
My latest, NeoGeisha (Phoenix Rising #2), is another adventure in the life of genetically-altered super spy, Cage St. John, and his partner and lover, Phoebe Addison. They’re on a mission to thwart the plans of the vampire clans (in my world the vampires operate like an immortal organized crime family) and end up being separated. Phoe is kidnapped by space pirates and taken to the pleasure planet of Sugoi to be auctioned off as a NeoGeisha, and Cage is presumed dead. The two have to fight their way back together and escape the clutches of an old enemy in the process.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Cage is a spy, so I’ve done a lot of research on spy-craft and vocabulary. It was challenging because you don’t want him to sound like a caricature of James Bond, but you do want to lend some authenticity to the character. While I love spy movies and books, writing one was a completely different experience.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
In NeoGeisha, one of the characters is a little boy named Ben who is about seven years old. I really loved writing his interactions with Cage and Phoebe. I tried to draw on my own experiences as a teacher and a “crazy auntie” to make Ben intelligent and childlike, but also really funny.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
It really depends on the book. I think all characters develop and grow over the course of writing the book, but there are some, like Cage and Phoebe, that I did do complete character profiles of them before I began writing. My character profiles are very informal and I like to think of them like the character sheets we used to use to play Dungeons and Dragons. They’re full of basic information as far as how they look, age, nationality, etc. But then I usually just write down anything I can think of about their personality. I may even write little backstories about them. I like to know everything I can about the main characters before the start, but those things aren’t necessarily for the reader to know.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
It’s hard to choose a favorite scene. There are so many that I love, but I am particularly fond of the meeting of the vampires at the beginning of the book. Phoebe has gone undercover in Las Vegas as Delphine LaLaurie (yes, that one) who is the vampire king of New Orleans, though no one has seen the real Delphine in many years. Here’s just a little….
“Ladies and gentlemen, let us get this meeting started.” Tristram banged on the mahogany conference table with enough force to crack the finish. “I know that each of us has guests to attend to.” There was a rumbling of laughter around the room that turned Phoebe’s stomach. The partygoers in their imitation finery who had been dancing so carefree and clueless were most likely tonight’s meal.
“I thought Ankhil called us here,” the shout from the vampire beside Tristram made him growl.
“The Quorti will arrive in his own time and not before,” Tristram snapped. “You would do well to remember your place, Balthazaar.”
Balthazaar snarled then lunged forward and bared his teeth. “I am the vampire king of Las Vegas and do not take orders from sniveling secretaries.”
“Do you mean to threaten me even when you know I could have you torn limb from limb and tossed into the fireplace with the slightest glance?” Tristram gestured toward the fireplace in question where several overgrown drones stood with their arms crossed, obviously waiting for the opportunity to attack.
Phoebe stood and placed calming hands on both their shoulders. “There now, let us not fight amongst ourselves,” she purred, drawing her vowels out in a slow, Southern drawl.
 “Balthazaar is merely trying to ascertain the purpose of our little soiree, love.”
“Yes,” a stocky vampire called Gerhard said, stepping into the light. Two babydolls hung from his massive shoulders like a human scarf. “It isn’t often that Ankhil appears in a place so… unprotected.” Something about the vampire’s grin betrayed his intentions.
“I assure you that the Quorti is well-protected,” Phoebe said, flashing Delphine’s vampire eyes. “Not that anyone here would dare challenge him.” Balthazaar backed off, obviously realizing how close to the line he was. She smiled to herself, enjoying the feeling of power and dominance. Why on earth hadn’t she started consorting with spies years ago?
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
The world where Phoebe and Cage live is a strange place. It’s in the not-so-distant future and the Earth is being overrun by strange creatures known as The Others that are pouring in through an underground portal opened before the beginning of book one. The Others are pretty much any supernatural creature you’ve ever heard of. Some are animalistic monsters like dragons and hellhounds. Others are organized and intelligent like the vampires. Those who can afford it are slowly being evacuated on to space colonies, most of which are owned by a diabolical psychopath named Derek Machine. The colonies are basically like Disney World for adults. New London is an ultra-modern, clean version of the London on Earth. Sugoi, the colony in book 2, is a cyberpunk pleasure colony where anything goes. The next book will be set on the colony of Absinthia, which is like a Victorian Era London theme park. The fun part about the world building has been coming up with all of the technology. The autopistols instead of regular guns with bullets. Prowlers, or cars that fly. Eslates that are like your tablet, phone, and computer all in one handheld device. They don’t have a screen, but holographic messages that are interactive that appear over the control panel. I didn’t want it to be too far out there, but still fun.
With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?
The books can be read as standalones for the most part, but there are themes that connect throughout the series. For example, years before when Cage was a spy for MI:6, his wife and young child were killed by a warlord in retaliation. Derek Machine, the villain from book one, appears throughout the series. He’s the mogul that controls Manticore Technologies who are responsible for the construction of the colonies. And of course, Phoebe and Cage meet in book one and establish their relationship which will continue throughout the series.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
As I said, I’ve been writing for my own entertainment as a child, but it wasn’t until I finally let others read it that I felt like a writer. I got into fanfiction (BIG surprise) in college and once I started getting positive feedback from those readers, I felt like I could write stories that people were interested in.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
I’m a HUGE fangirl (as evidenced by my previous answer) of several shows and movies, especially the BBC’s Sherlock series. I also really like the reality TV show Moonshiners—I’m so ashamed.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Other than writing, I love to travel and take road trips with friends. I’m also an amateur artist and actress. The stage was my first love.
What was the last amazing book you read?
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
What can readers expect next from you?
My next release is the first novella of a completely different series under my other pseudonym, A.C. Thompson. It’s called The Ghost and Dr. Watson and it chronicles the adventures of Dr. John Watson (sidekick to Sherlock Holmes) as he battles monsters in Victorian London.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Website: http://lexxxchristian.wixsite.com/alexandrachristianBlog: http://lexxxchristian.wordpress.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSouthernB... https://twitter.com/lexxxchristianNew... http://eepurl.com/b5c_Un
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Of course! I love to tease. And this book has everything—including space pirates. Here’s an exclusive little taste…
It became evident that they were getting nowhere fast. They were surrounded on both sides of the narrow corridor and despite their accurate kill rate, still more Corsairs were dropping from above. The bridge was most definitely lost at this point and there was no way they could hide. Their only hope now was to talk their way out of it.“Enough.” Without warning, all the shooting ceased and the Corsairs backed off. They lowered their weapons and turned to the man who stood at the head of the corridor. Cage tried to shield Phoebe behind him, but she peeked over his shoulder as he pointed his weapon at the figure. “Hardly, mate. You can either get yourself and your manky squabs off my ship or I can shoot you in the face. And I can assure you that my aim is better than my disposition.” The man raised his hands and started toward them, chuckling softly. His shadow was slight and he had an obvious limp. He was dressed much like the others, all in black leather, pieced and patched together from several sources, but as he got closer Phoe could see a strange turquoise scarf around his neck and what appeared to be an old-fashioned fedora perched on his head. “Come now, Mr. St. John. Clearly I have the upper hand. There’s only one of you and…” With this he paused, gesturing to the hooting hoards lining the gallery above them and at the ends of the corridor. They looked like futuristic parodies of Blackbeard’s crew with their multicolored hair and makeshift pistols. “Many of us.” “They might take me down, but I promise you’ll die first.” He cocked the pistol to prove his resolve. “So dramatic,” the pirate said. His voice had a heavy accent that dripped slowly from his tongue. He might have been sexy if not for the smell of rot emanating from the boils on his ringed fingers and under the collar of his shirt. “Look at you,” he cooed. “Your reputation doesn’t quite do you justice.”“Am I supposed to be flattered?”“Of course. It isn’t often that a man can look me in the eye, much less offer such insolence. But fearlessness is just a nice word for foolish.”“Funny, you seem to know so much about me, but I’m afraid I’ve never heard of you.”“Anton Blauvelt,” he said with a flourishing bow. Cage hesitated before shaking his head. “Nope, sorry, mate. Never heard of you.” Blauvelt’s smug grin faded. “But you will.”
NakedPhoenix RisingBook OneAlexandra Christian
Genre: Sci-Fi/ Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Date of Publication: April 13, 2017
ISBN: 1545383235 ISBN: 978-1545383230ASIN: B071CRSKV2
Number of pages: 210Word Count: 70,000
Book Description:
OUT OF THE STACKS
Librarian Phoebe Addison has lived her entire life within a seventy-five mile radius of her small Louisiana town, but when she receives a strange medallion from her adventurous, off-world sister, reality tilts toward the bizarre. Everything Phoe thought she knew is…well, wrong. Dead wrong. But bone-numbing fear has no place in this brave new world—nor by the side of the dangerous, exquisite man who saves her life.
…AND INTO THE FIRE
Following the tragic slaughter of his family, operative Macijah “Cage” St. John understands evil in a way no man ever should. He traded happiness for a magnificent and terrible power, and fate isn’t done with him yet. He wasn’t looking for comfort. He didn’t need tenderness. But today he’ll play hero to a damsel in distress, and his quest will deliver him to the uncanny Martian colony of New London—and his heart to the demure Phoebe Addison. The bookish beauty’s hidden talents and deep abiding love just might save Cage from himself.
Boroughs Publishing      Amazon       BN      Kobo      Smashwords      Print


Neo-GeishaPhoenix RisingBook TwoAlexandra Christian
Genre: Sci-Fi/ Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Date of Publication: October 26, 2017
ISBN:ASIN: B076DDG8MX
Number of pages: 167 pagesWord Count: 65,500
Reluctant to become a spy again, Macijah "Cage" St. John's instincts prove correct when all hell breaks loose for him and his lady love, Phoebe Addison, who is also his new partner.
Book Description:
BACK...
Macijah "Cage" St. John' didn't want the spy life anymore. He would have been thrilled to spend every morning lying in the field behind Phoe's home in smalltown Louisiana watching the clouds roll by. But his Miss Addison wanted to spread her wings, literally. So Cage accepted a mission that teamed him up with his lady love. If only he had trusted her.
TO THE FUTURE
Everything about being a spy was a million times more exciting, and scarier, than the books she'd read in her former life as a librarian. When her first mission with Cage turned into a colossal clusterf*ck because he withheld information and kept secrets, Phoebe's world narrowed into a long tunnel of betrayal. Captured by space pirates and delivered to a horrible fate, she wished the last words between them had been of love, because she was certain she would never see Cage St. John again.
Amazon      Boroughs Publishing




About the Author:
Alexandra Christian is an author of mostly romance with a speculative slant. Her love of Stephen King and sweet tea has flavored her fiction with a Southern Gothic sensibility that reeks of Spanish moss and deep fried eccentricity. Lexx likes to keep her fingers in lots of different pies having written everything from sci-fi and horror to Sherlock Holmes adventures. 
A self-proclaimed “Southern Belle from Hell,” Lexx is a native South Carolinian who lives with an epileptic wiener dog and her husband, author Tally Johnson. Her long-term aspirations are to one day be a best-selling authoress and part-time pinup girl. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America.

Website: http://lexxxchristian.wixsite.com/alexandrachristian
Blog: http://lexxxchristian.wordpress.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/b5c_Un
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSouthernBellefromHell/
Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheHellsBelles/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexxxchristian
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4684601.Alexandra_Christian
Amazon Author Central:https://www.amazon.com/Alexandra-Christian/e/B009QU3UD4/
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A CHAT WITH MEREDITH ALLARD (author, HerDear and Loving Husband) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/vTU730gxndv

Guest Blog, Excerpt and Giveaway - The One Apart by Justine Avery #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Q46m30gxnOu

Interview & Giveaway with Meredith Allard #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/uydK30gxneY

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Guest Blog, Excerpt and Giveaway - The One Apart by Justine Avery

What I Enjoyed Most About Writing The One Apart
Writing, for me, is all about the discovery: all the things I’ll learn, realize, or find to share while writing a new story.  I don’t begin writing with an outline or plan; I don’t even know what makes my characters really tick.  I don’t know them yet.  Some of them don’t even exist.  

I begin only with a situation, a puzzle, a strange circumstance.  And then, I write to uncover the full mystery, beginning to end.  That’s how The One Apart came to be.

I woke up one morning with one mysterious sentence that carried a lot of impact, a tiny grain of a story idea: “He remembered everything.”  I knew that remembering everything was a huge deal—for this character, for others around him, and for possible evildoers that might not be happy to discover the main character knows more than he should.  And I began writing to learn what these memories were, what they meant, and how they would impact the character.

In just a few sentences, the main character, Tres, was born with all his struggles and under the weight of impossible memories.  In a few more sentences, I realized he, within the story, was actually about to be born!  He was still in his mother’s womb: an individual with full adult awareness and all the memories of all his former lives, trapped inside an infant’s body.  And he would be born to those already struggling themselves: a teenage mother not ready to have a child and a grandmother who would fight to keep her family together.

What I enjoyed most about writing The One Apart was looking into their lives together, witnessing the rollercoaster of emotions they’d each experience through all of life’s ups and downs, love and loss, tragedy and miracles.  I was there, uncovering the story as I wrote it, when a dark presence first appeared in Tres’s life.  I was there as Tres sensed or revealed many more mysteries to himself and his family and as he finally discovered who and what were the source of them all.  I was there for every shock and surprise; I was astonished at every turn of events that you will be.

And that’s what I love most about writing any story.  Writing is every bit as much an adventure as reading, and every story holds its own unique gifts for those that experience it.  The One Apart may be the most unique story you’ve ever read.

The One ApartJustine Avery
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Justine Avery
Date of Publication:  December 4, 2017
ASIN: B076B7RDWY
Number of pages: 568Word Count:  109k
Cover Artist: Oishii Designs
Only one obstacle stands in his way of enjoying a normal life. He remembers—every life he's lived before.
Book Description:
Tres is about to be born... with the biggest burden any has ever had to bear. He is beginning again—as an ageless adult trapped in an infant body.
He and his teenage mother face life filled with extraordinary challenges as they strive to protect, nurture, and hide how truly different he is. But Tres alone must solve the greatest mystery of all: who is he? The answer is linked to the one question he's too afraid to ask: why am I?
In his quest, Tres discovers that all is considerably more interconnected and dynamic than he could ever imagine—and fraught with far more danger. He cannot hide from the unseen threat stalking him since his birth.
Life as he knows it—as all know it—is in peril. And Tres is the only one aware.
Amazon The One Apart by Justine Avery – Excerpt 1
Tres felt his body abruptly drop around him with overbearing weight, encapsulating him once again.The mental images, the overpowering memories, finally faded. Only an ominous stillness remained.Every cell within him began to twitch, infusing with energy—even as he felt immobile. Every joint, tendon, and bone ached under the pressure of being alive.A deep sadness engulfed him. He pondered possible reasons. And, just as quickly, he was distracted by the presence of his own simple thoughts.Thoughts. He realized his own thinking.This mind—certain of its own newness—desired to explore, feel, do, be. Tres opened his eyes—tried to open his eyes. He found his eyelids fused shut.He opened his mouth. Thick, warm syrup seeped inside his swallow. Intense fear washed over him, even as he knew exactly where—and how—he was.Oh, no.Tres was aware, more aware than any had ever been. In this moment, he knew everything—and yet, nothing.He was beginning again.

About the Author:
Justine Avery is an award-winning author of stories large and small for all. Born in the American Midwest and raised all over the world, she is inherently an explorer, duly fascinated by everything around her and excitedly noting the stories that abound all around. As an avid reader of all genres, she weaves her own stories among them all. She has a predilection for writing speculative fiction and story twists and surprises she can’t even predict herself.
Avery has either lived in or explored all 50 states of the union, over 36 countries, and all but one continent; she lost count after moving 30-some times before the age of 20. She’s intentionally jumped out of airplanes and off the highest bungee jump in New Zealand, scuba dived unintentionally with sharks, designed websites, intranets, and technical manuals, bartered with indigenous Panamanians, welded automobile frames, observed at the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo in Noba, Japan, and masterminded prosperous internet businesses—to name a few adventures. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree that life has never required, and at age 28, she sold everything she owned and quit corporate life—and her final “job”—to freelance and travel the world as she always dreamed of. And she’s never looked back.
Aside from her native English, Avery speaks a bit of Japanese and a bit more Spanish, her accent is an ever-evolving mixture of Midwestern American with notes of the Deep South and indiscriminate British vocabulary and rhythm, and she says “eh”—like the Kiwis, not the Canadians. She currently lives near Los Angeles with her husband, British film director Devon Avery, and their three adopted children: Becks, Sam, and Lia. She writes from wherever her curiosity takes her.
Avery loves to connect with fellow readers and creatives, explorers and imaginers, and cordially invites you to say “hello”—or konnichiwa.
www.JustineAvery.com
Twitter: @Justine_Avery
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JustineAvery

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Release Day Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway: Dangerously Dark by C.J. Burright

Dangerously DarkThe Dreamcaster SeriesBook ThreeC.J. Burright
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 11/13/17
ISBN:  978-0-9961472-4-8ASIN:  B076PNNCR9
Number of pages:  321Word Count: 96,065
Cover Artist:  Fiona Jayde
Some call him Purgatory’s Missing Prince. Demon Master. Overlord of Shadows. Only one woman may call him hers.
Book Description:
A master of dreams, a failure at life…
After another botched career attempt, Quinn Carmichael escapes to a remote lodge for a weekend recharge, needing respite…especially from the nightmares that haunt even her days. When a wounded, sexy-as-sin stranger faceplants unconscious on her kitchen floor, there’s something disturbingly familiar about him—as in he’s the boy from her childhood dreams. Mr. Dark, Dangerous, and Diabolical may be the key to unlocking the mysteries of her past and future, and Quinn isn’t about to let the opportunity—or him—escape without a fight.
His time is running out…
Known as Purgatory’s Missing Prince, Zaire’s existence has been one of endless pain, torture, and loss. Resigned to his fate, his final goal is simple—rescue his nephew before succumbing to the deadly darkness inside him. But when a fateful misstep brings him face-to-face with the one woman who could have saved him once upon a dream—the one woman he treasures above all else—he battles to keep his distance before he destroys her, too. But he would gladly sell his soul for just one taste.
Love draws them together, destiny will tear them apart
With ruthless enemies closing in, Quinn and Zaire must fight to save each other and those they care for before it’s too late—even if it means they’re doomed to live apart forever.
Amazon          Kobo       Goodreads       BN       Google Play       iBooks

Excerpt 2:
Quinn lifted her face to the night-canvassed sky, to the blood-red moon, and refused to tremble, denied the fear a foothold in her soul. Already, she’d come too close to that happening, and the dreams had only just begun. She had the entire rest of the night to survive.A chittering echoed from beyond a sand dune. Whatever had made the noise remained out of reach for now, but not long enough. She slouched. So much for downtime.Weariness shuddered through her. It would be so easy to curl up on the cool white sand beneath her boots and surrender. To let whatever monster came next do its worst and slip into oblivion for a while, despite the cost. Gripping the iron cross, its chain wrapped around her wrist, she closed her eyes. Relaxing for even a second was dangerous, but she was so tired, she almost didn’t care. “Quinn.” Close, so close, the musical voice sang a shiver through her, more sinister for its serene softness. She didn’t want to open her eyes, didn’t want to know what new horror haunted her nightmares and knew her name.With a resigned sigh, she faced the voice and froze. Zaire stood in the sand a foot away. He was different than outside the dream. His dark hair was shorter, in a skull cut. Same olive skin, same kiss-me mouth, but his eyes…she inhaled. His eyes, black velvet in life, now held an abysmal void, deeper and more potent than when he’d been a boy. The darkness there pulled at her, grasping for her soul.She forced her attention to the rest of him, and her brain blanked while her body purred. Black leather boots. Trousers covered in blue-black metallic scales. And a shirt of the same iridescent material as his pants, only lighter. Black weapons hung everywhere, sword at his lean hip, knives strapped across his broad chest, on his belt, in his boots. The whip-end tail of one silver tattoo poked past his collar and licked his collarbone.Lethal. Vicious. Magnificent.He was her midnight fantasy and nightmare combined. Fantasy because he embodied everything she wanted. Nightmare because he wasn’t really Zaire. In her childhood, he’d snuck into her dreams, a dark presence watching over her, but whatever wore his face now wasn’t the boy from her past or the man she’d finally met. She gripped her cross tighter.“Nice sword,” she said, her voice raspy with regret. “Come here often?”He watched her with those fathomless eyes, unblinking, and she had the strangest impression that he memorized every detail of her. Probably searching for her weak points.The chittering beyond the sand dune grew closer, and she nearly slumped beneath another wave of fatigue. Fighting a manifestation of Zaire along with whatever else came along made her want to cry.“Why so sad, dearling?” Deep and soothing, his musical voice only added to her misery. Dearling. She wouldn’t have minded Zaire calling her that, but she wasn’t about to put up with endearments from a demon, and dishonesty was a waste of time. The demons always knew the secrets she tried to hide. “Oh, you know. All the usual.” Quinn straightened, pushing the exhaustion aside. “Nonstop nightmares. Delusions in the daytime. Trying not to ruin my mother’s political career. Figuring out what to do with my life. Meeting you.”“Meeting me brought you sadness?” His voice lowered another octave. He shifted slightly, and his clothing shimmered, like dragon scales in the moonlight. His dark beauty squeezed her heart. What she wouldn’t give to have him be real and with her now, fighting the nightmares together. Calling her sweet names.“It’s not you, not really. It’s the idea of you. Your existence. Knowing you want to leave.” She should kick herself. Conversing with a demon. Brilliant idea.“Want and need are not always equal.” Flames danced in his eyes, stirring up annoying embers in her blood.“Right.” She snorted. “I’ve been around the block a time or two, pal. You read my thoughts, manipulate my desires, and use them to tempt me into despair. Demons one-oh-one.”He frowned. “I am not your…pal.”Cresting the dune, a shadow raced toward them, white sand churning beneath it. In archetypal demon fashion, tendrils of fear preceded its arrival, which Quinn ignored. She had enough experience with fear to resist its pull, and the demon two steps away was much more treacherous.And undeniably intriguing.“Sorry about that. Do you prefer buddy?” She grinned at an unusual burst of energy. “How about chum, bro, dude, or ol’ chap?”“Zaire will do,” he said stiffly.“Nice Zaire costume, by the way. Pal.” She rocked back on her heels, biting her lip to keep from grinning like a crazy person. Typically, a demon staring at her with murderous intent would batter her senses with wave after wave of horror. Instead, she had the irresistible need to bedevil the demon.Behind him, the darkness loomed larger, speeding closer with each heartbeat. A shadow man, common, familiar, and not particularly threatening. It couldn’t do much physical damage, not when she was ready. She jerked her chin at the phantom barreling down on them, five seconds away tops. Maybe that was what this Zaire waited for, backup. “Friend of yours?”Smooth as any practiced dancer, Zaire freed a knife, pivoted, and threw it at the shadow three yards away, all before she could flinch. The darkness exploded into black and silver glitter, sparkling and lovely in the night.He waited in silence until she met his gaze again. “I don’t have friends.”A thrill coasted down Quinn’s spine, not the type of thrill she’d ever experienced in her nightmares. This one spun warmth all the way to her toes and back to her scalp. This demon was dangerous, and she wasn’t even referring to the blades strapped to every limb—weapons that destroyed other demons. He made her needy and achy and tingly in all the right places.

About the Author:
C.J Burright is a native Oregonian and refuses to leave. A member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal special interest chapter, while she has worked for years in a law office, she chooses to avoid writing legal thrillers (for now) and instead invades the world of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, or fantasy. C.J. also has her 4th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and believes a story isn’t complete without at least one fight scene. Her meager spare time is spent working out, refueling with mochas, gardening, gorging on Assassin’s Creed, and rooting on the Seattle Mariners…always with music. She shares life with her husband, daughter, and a devoted cat herd.
Website:  http://cjburright.com
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/cburright
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/CJBurright
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CJ-Burright-362988090450604/
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Release Day Blitz Down and Dirty: Jag by Jeanne St. James

Is the setting to your story important? 

Yes, the MC was established in Shadow Valley which is southwest of Pittsburgh, PA in 1974 by to Vietnam vets. So this whole series is based in Shadow Valley where the club lives, has their church (clubhouse) and runs their businesses.

What were your goals as an author and have any of them come true?

One of my goals was to become a USA Today Bestselling author and that recently became true with my book Damaged.

Now that you have a feel for the publishing world, would you do anything different if you had to do it all over again?

Yes, I was first published in 2009 and published three books back to back, then I took a writing hiatus for six years. If I had to do it over again, I would not have done that. Then when I reentered the publishing world everything had changed, self-publishing was huge. Unfortunately, I published 5 more books with a publisher before branching out on my own and self-publishing. I wish I had done that from the beginning. Self-publishing gives an author so much more creative control.

What genres do you normally write in? 

I write contemporary erotic romance. One of my series is m/m. One is m/f BDSM. One is interracial MMF ménage. The rest of my books are m/f.

Is there a genre you haven’t written in that one day you’d like to tackle? 

I think I’d like to try paranormal.

What was the first book you ever published?

The first book ever published was Damaged (formerly Banged Up) in 2009. It was recently reedited and rereleased and became a USA Today Bestselling book. It’s a m/f contemporary erotic romance with light suspense. This is a single title romance. I usually write series like my Brothers in Blue series, my Obsessed Novella series, my Dare Ménage series, my Rip Cord trilogy and my most recent series: Down & Dirty: Dirty Angels MC series.


Down and Dirty: JagDirty Angels MCBook TwoJeanne St. James
Genre: Contemporary Romance /MC Romance
Date of Publication: 11/11/17
ISBN: 978-1977950727ASIN: B075H63XVY
Number of pages: 236Word Count: 61k
Cover Artist: Susan Garwood
Book Description:
Welcome to Shadow Valley where the Dirty Angels MC rules. Get ready to get Down and Dirty because this is Jag’s story…
The only thing Jag, DAMC Road Captain, loves more than his custom bike is Ivy. He’s wanted her ever since he could remember. However, through the years, he’s had to watch her date anyone but him since she avoids dating bikers like the plague. Instead, she gravitates toward the complete opposite: geeks and nerds. Something Jag will never be.
Smart and independent, Ivy wants to be the property of no man. Growing up in the club, she knows firsthand how they treat women. She regrets the mistake she made by dragging Jag upstairs to his room at the club one drunken night. Ever since then, she’s been doing her best to keep him at arm’s length, though it’s proven difficult. Especially when she finds out his secret, which only endears her to him even more.Between secrets, lies, and a violent tangle with a rival club, can these two passionate hot-heads find the love and solace they’re looking for in each other’s arms? Or will everything just tumble down around them?
Note: This book can be read as a standalone. It includes lots of steamy scenes, biker slang, cursing, some violence and, of course, an HEA. If you like alpha males who like to take charge, this book is for you.
Amazon      Paperback

Excerpt 1:
He was going to kill the bitch.Jag pounded on the door. Again.She was pushing him to his limit. And that was not good.For him.For her.For the human race in general.“Fuckin’ open the door or I’ll bust the fuckin’ thing in, got me?”He was going to knock politely only one more time, then that was it.He politely kicked the door with his heavy biker boot. That was going to leave a mark.“If you don’t open this fuckin’ door right—”The door jerked open and something—or someone—tried to fly by him.Jag reached out a hand and snagged the fleeing body. With a grip around a skinny bicep, the guy came to a screeching halt.Jag flung him around to face him. He scowled. “Who the fuck are you?”The already pale guy turned sheet white. With eyes wide, mouth open, he had a discarded shirt bunched in his fist and his pants hung loosely around his hips, since he apparently hadn’t taken the time to finish fastening them before the man decided to jet.Which was a smart move. But then, Ivy tended to pick smart dudes. Though, they never hung around long. Geeky dudes and a biker babe don’t mix no matter how many times she tries.And he got it, he really did. Ivy was smart herself. Genius even. And she needed a challenge.Other than becoming a biker’s ol’ lady. Or his ol’ lady, more like it.Jag looked down at the guy’s bare feet. It seemed he forgot his fucking shoes in his haste.Stupid fuck. Maybe he wasn’t so smart after all.“You touch Dirty Angels property?”The guy’s mouth opened and closed like a guppy as he stared up at Jag, who towered over him by at least five inches.“Asked a damn question. Did you—”“Get gone, Jag.”His eyes slid to the woman now standing in the doorway, holding out a pair of loafers with socks tucked into them. The one wearing a fucking robe and probably nothing else.The guy’s eyes dropped to his offered shoes, then he snagged them and clasped them to his chest as if they were a lifeline.“Get in the house. Deal with you shortly.”“The hell you will. Get gone, Jag.”His head twisted in her direction and he took his time inspecting her from top to toe. That fucking deep red hair of hers spilled around her shoulders, clearly messed up from a fresh fuck, which he hoped he’d interrupted. Because if anyone should be in her bed, it should be him.Her lips were swollen and pouty. Goddamn, if she had those lips around this nerd’s cock, his brain would explode. Her green eyes snapped in anger.Whatever. She could be mad all she wanted. He was just as pissed. No, more.“Who I fuck is none of your damn business,” came out of that smart mouth.He gritted his teeth before answering. “The fuck it isn’t. Anything to do with DAMC property is my business.”Especially after she climbed into his bed all those months ago.“Well, I’m not DAMC property. So GET GONE!”Jag released the now very scared guy with a shove. He stumbled, caught his balance on the veranda railing, then ran down the metal stairs, taking two at a time. Like a scared mouse, he sprinted toward a car parked on the street.He should’ve known the guy drove a fucking Prius. He should’ve slashed the geek-mobile’s tires for dipping his dick in DAMC property.“Fucker doesn’t even ride a bike. You’ve got shit taste in lays, Ivy.”“Don’t I know it,” she muttered, making Jag’s jaw tighten.“Don’t come back here,” Jag yelled his warning through the dark to the guy scrambling into his car like his ass was on fire. “If you know what’s good for ya,” he finished under his breath. He turned back to face the pissed-off redhead dressed in black silk that hugged all her damn curves. His balls tightened as hard as his jaw. “Probably needs a dick extension to fuck you.”“I don’t know if that’s an insult to me or to him. Either way, you don’t belong here, Jag. So, I’ll say it again, get gone.”“Not leavin’.”Ivy lifted a shoulder. “Okay then. You’ll be standing out here all night while I’m sleeping soundly in my bed. Thanks to you, alone. Normally, I’d say good night, but... fuck you.”The door slammed shut and Jag heard the deadbolt click. He grimaced and stared at the door.Little did she know that her uncle, Ace, had given him the key.He grinned, turned on his heel and jogged down the steps to where his bike was parked at the foot of the stairway in the pawn shop lot.She may not let him in, but his mission was accomplished. He chased away Ivy’s latest conquest.And he’d keep doing it until she got some sense and realized everything she needed has been right in front of her all along. He put his girl between his legs, hit her starter and closed his eyes for a moment, surrounded by the smooth rumble of his straight exhaust pipes.His bike was everything to him. The only thing he wanted more between his legs was Ivy.The only thing he loved more than his bike was... fucking Ivy.And she was a fucking bitch.

About the Author:
JEANNE ST. JAMES is a USA Today bestselling erotic romance author who loves an alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing and her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages.
Want to read a sample of her work? Download a sampler book here: BookHip.com/MTQQKK
To keep up with her busy release schedule check her website at www.jeannestjames.com  or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jeannestjames.com/newslettersignup
Blog: http://jeannestjames.blogspot.com
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Her Dear and Loving Husband, a paranormal/historical sweet romance, by Meredith Allard #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/l7yK30gufMY

Author Spotlight ~ New York Times Bestselling Author C. L. Wilson Presents: The Sea King - Weather Mages of Mystral: Book Two
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Free Book Friday November 10 - She Speaks to Angels by Ami Blackwelder

Friday November 10 Grab Your Free Kindle Copy of She Speaks to Angels by Ami Blackwelder 

She Speaks to Angels
AngelFire Chronicles 
Book 1
Ami Blackwelder


YA Manhattan Urban Angel Suspense

If you enjoyed Wicked Lovely, Twilight, Hush Hush, Unearthly, you will enjoy this. 

Ali Maney is a typical high school teenager. Nothing special ever happens to her. As a student at Millennium High in Manhattan, sure, a few weird things have happened, a few suicides over the years, but nothing really bizarre. 

Until one day, in English class, when a hugely popular football player, Tyler, suddenly pitches himself off the roof to his death. Ali and her two best friends, Molly and Jen, are positive that Tyler’s death was not intentional. As they investigate, the bad boy in town starts to notice Ali. Daemon is gorgeous! Ali is shocked, but amazed. What could he want with her? 

As she ponders this, three new students arrive. Kian, Krysta, and Nathaniel all seem to have something…..different about them. Ali is floored when Kian appears more than interested in her too. What is she to do with two gorgeous guys after her? 

But not everything is as it seems. As Ali gets closer to each Daemon and Kian, the forces of the supernatural will come closer as well. One has been sent to protect, one has been sent to kill. Can Ali be saved? Or is she in way over her pretty little head? Enjoy this first book in the YA Manhattan Urban Angel Suspense.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PSPT5Q



*A Night Owl Review Top Pick! 4.5/5 stars!* 
What I found was a beautiful novel that, although it is quite dark in many spots, tells the story of a young girl who is torn between the powers of good and evil and trying to protect her heart and those she cares about. I am quite eager to read Falling Angels.

Damned Series by LM Pruitt

DamnedLM Pruitt
Release Date February 15
Book Description:
From the writer of the international bestselling WINGED series comes a look at the other side... where it's good to be bad....
I was thirty years old when I chose to die--or rather to give up my soul.
Eternal youth, endless money... and sex.
Mind blowing, life changing, otherworldly sex.
For all those things, being damned is a small price to pay.
WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND EXTREMELY GRAPHIC SEX SCENES. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Amazon
See the Entire 4 Book Series on Amazon
Excerpt Damned:“I’m Lacey Jackson.” She stuck out one hand, something in her eyes daring me to not take it. “And you are…?”“Julie Watson.” I took her hand, making my reluctance more than obvious. The second my skin made contact with hers, a spark of energy shot through me so violently I couldn’t help but gasp. Swallowing, I said, “What brings you to Savannah?”“Oh, I’m here for work.” Without releasing my hand, she slipped out of her seat and slid in to the one across from me. Leaning in, she lowered her voice and said, “I was fully prepared for it to be another dull, routine trip but now… well, now I think I’m glad I got assigned this route.”“Oh.” The low fluttering in my stomach wasn’t unfamiliar—I was far from a virgin and I’d not only done Mardi Gras and Spring Break in Miami but I’d also spent a month in Europe after my college graduation. But this… this was something different. And not because it was caused by a woman.This was… raw. Visceral. Almost feral. Like she’d tapped in to some hunger I wasn’t even aware I’d had and now that I did the idea it would go unfulfilled was almost too much to bear.“You should come work with me.” She lifted our joined hands, brushing her lips over my knuckles. “I have a feeling you would be… amazing.”“What?” It was as if all my attention was focused on the small bit of skin where she’d kissed me, tendrils of lust spooling out through the rest of my body in lazy ribbons. “What do you… what do you do?”“I collect souls.” Her eyes darkened, her breath catching in her throat and I realized for the first time I wasn’t the only one affected by our contact. “Or rather the energy from them. The actual soul is taken up by someone else—it doesn’t matter, the details can be explained later.”“You collect….” I trailed off, part of me sure she was joking and an even larger part of me sure she wasn’t. “Really. Why?”“Because I can.” She flicked her tongue over her lips and I sucked in a shallow breath. “Because it’s fun.”“But that would make you….”“A demon, yes.” This time when she smiled, a dimple appeared in her left cheek and I was caught with the sudden urge to kiss it. “More specifically a succubus.” My confusion must have shown because she laughed. “I fuck people for their energy—sometimes to death, sometimes not. It all depends.”“And you want to do that to me?”“Oh, no.” She shook her head, her hair sliding across her shoulders, the tips curling over the swell of her breasts. “I told you. I want you to work with me and my sisters and Lilith.” She leaned closer and I breathed deep, the scent of her perfume almost painfully exotic. “I want you to join the ranks of the Morning Star and spend eternity tempting the weak and the wicked.”What she was suggesting was lunacy. Madness. Even if I believed her, the idea of giving up my life to be some sort of demonic minion was ridiculous. Although….What would I be giving up? A lifetime spent catering to David’s whims, denying myself the things I truly enjoyed because it would be bad for his reputation or his political chances or his weight? A lifetime attempting to please my parents and knowing it would never happen because nothing would ever overshadow Joanne’s sacrifice? A lifetime being nothing but the substitute?What, exactly, would I be giving up?“Jules.” The nickname I hated hearing from David sounded and felt like a caress coming from Lacey. Lifting our hands again, she ran her tongue over one of my fingertips before nipping lightly. Her voice was heavy with promise when she spoke again. “Come play with me.”“Yes.” I breathed out the single word before leaning over the table and crushing my mouth to hers.Who needed a soul anyway?

WickedA Damned NovelLM Pruitt
Release Date: April 2017
All things truly wicked start from innocence.
—Ernest Hemingway
Book Description:
Being a demon isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Especially when you make a massive mistake your first month on the job.
Even more so when your sister is one of the all-star players on the other team.
Add in the rumors of not one but two coups and it’s not hard to see—something wicked this way comes….
Amazon

Excerpt:“Julie, is it? When you died, what did you see? And please don’t insult us or waste our time by claiming you saw nothing.”I studied him for a moment, torn between doing just that and telling the truth. There was something about meeting the be-all-end-all as far as the creation of everything went which made me want to keep our conversation to ourselves. On the other hand, I didn’t relish having to go through the whole dying thing again and I had a feeling the key to my miraculous return rested in those few minutes when I was, to quote the younger dead, all dead.“There was a white room. And a woman.” I paused, hesitating another moment before continuing. “She said She was the Power.” I took a deep breath, holding it a few seconds before exhaling. “And when I asked if She was going to kill me, She said no, it wasn’t my time to die. And then I was back here.”“It’s not enough.” Joanne shook her head, her hair sliding over her shoulders. “Michael, it’s not enough. You know how She is. She could have been playing one of Her fucking word games and any minute now—.”“I know, girl.” The almost giant next to her knelt down, kissing the side of her head before murmuring something in her ear. Whatever he said reassured her enough to have her letting up some of the death grip on my hand although she still didn’t let go. Michael turned to Gabriel, standing silent and watchful in the back of the room. “Can you speak with Her?”“You think She’s less likely to lie to me?” Gabriel snorted. “You know She doesn’t play favorites.”“And we all know that’s a lie. She was willing to sacrifice innocents to keep you whole, if not happy.” Gideon’s gaze flicked to the tall redhead who, if I was keeping up with the names being thrown around earlier, had to be Lucinda. “She’ll answer your questions, even if She doesn’t want to.”“I didn’t say She wouldn’t answer me. I said there was a good chance She would still lie to me.” Gabriel sighed. “But fine—as the patron saint of women and children—.”“We already know your resume.” Joanne’s voice was so acidic every person in the room, archangel or not, flinched. I lifted my brows but stayed silent. This Joanne wasn’t the one I remembered. This Joanne seemed as if she could not only reduce a person to tears with a few words but she would enjoy doing it. “Now go do your job.”“As the queen wishes.” Gabriel offered a bow which was just a shade shy of mocking, his smile dying away when he glanced at Joanne. “Right. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”His departing flash was enough to blind me but thankfully sulphur free. Although I was feeling less and less like death with each passing second, I wasn’t quite ready for the scent of brimstone.“You had to piss him off, didn’t you, Mom?” Olivia widened her eyes, blinking rapidly. To be fair, the majority of the people in the room were reacting the same way, the only exceptions being Joanne, Barry, Raphael, and Michael. “You know how he feels about being ordered around.”“Much the way you feel.” Joanne’s face softened ever so slightly, her lips curving upward. “In case you wondered where you get that particular quirk from.”“Yes, blame it on my brother.” Michael kissed her cheek again, tucking her hair behind her ear and studying her face. Whatever he saw there had him nodding. “Why don’t we all go in to the other room for a few minutes? Leave the two of you alone?” He glanced over at Raphael and Gideon, standing silent and watchful with matching looks of suspicion. “Do you think that will be a problem?”“If she were human, hell, yes—she had multiple seizures leading up to a massive cardiac episode and she was dead for damn near ten minutes.” Gideon paused, sighing and shaking his head. “But I’ll admit, I don’t have a goddamn clue what’s happening here. Even when the Power is generous enough to provide a miracle, She still tends to make it hurt, just so you don’t mistake her kindness for weakness.”“Gideon, please.” Joanne’s voice broke and once again the entire room responded, although this time there was a definite degree of panic. People all but tripped over themselves in an effort to exit the room, the sole exceptions once again being Michael, Raphael, and Barry. “Just a few minutes.”“Fine. Yes. Fine.” Gideon shoved Lucinda toward the flap which apparently served as a door, nodding rapidly. “If anything happens, yell.”“If you need us, we’ll be outside.” Olivia scooped up Douglas, ignoring his whines to stay with Nana. She paused with one hand on the flap, glancing over her shoulder. “Do you want me to go get the others?”“Not yet.” Joanne shook her head, clearing her throat before continuing. “I need a few minutes.”“Okay.” Olivia shifted her gaze to Barry. “Are you coming?”“In a moment.” Striding across the room, he nudged his way between me and Joanne, kissing the top of her head and then mine. “Let me know if you need anything.”It was a tossup as to who his statement was directed toward and right then it didn’t matter. Joanne nodded, stretching up and kissing his cheek. “I don’t know why you were there but thank you.”His only answer was a nod before he followed Olivia out of the room.“We’ll be right next door.” Raphael leaned across the bed, giving Joanne a hard, brief, almost possessive kiss. Glancing at Michael and lifting his brows, he said, “Call if you need anything.”“Don’t be a hero, girl.” Michael didn’t kiss her, instead simply pressing his forehead to hers. “Call.”“We’ll be fine.” She glanced at me, her smile clearly forced. “I promise.”The two men exchanged another look before leaving the room, the flap dropping shut behind him. For long minutes, there was only silence. Finally, Joanne sighed and shook her head.“Julie—what the fuck have you gotten yourself in to?”

RuinLM Pruitt
Release Date: May 31, 2017
Book Description:
I can resist everything except temptation—Oscar Wilde
But what happens when temptation is everywhere?
Cam is tempting to me toward the darkness.
Barry is tempting me toward the light.
And I want them both. I want it all.
Temptation will be my salvation. Or my ruin.
Amazon
Excerpt Ruin:
“Is it done?” Cam strapped the saddle bags he’d somehow managed to stuff all my clothes in to the little bike—not quite a motorcycle but bigger and less dorky than a scooter. When I didn’t answer right away, he stepped over to me, grabbing my face in his hands and squeezing. “Coniglietto. Is it done? Did you take care of her?”“Yes.” Even to my own ears my voice sounded dull and lifeless. Considering the fact I felt high as fucking kite, I could only assume it was shock. “I took care of her.”Not in the way he meant, not exactly, but I’d taken care of her the best way I knew how.I’d done a lot of horrible things, on purpose and accident, and I had no doubt I would do more horrible things still. But I’d be damned even more than I already was before I actually killed my sister.“Good girl.” Cam pressed a quick, hard kiss to my forehead before steering me toward the bike. “I have little doubt the archangels will be here soon—so we shouldn’t be.”“Where are we going?” It didn’t matter. I had, for all intents and purposes, hooked my wagon to his. If anyone threw doubt on my commitment to the so-called cause, all Cam would have to do was point out what I’d done to Joanne. Sure, there might be trouble when it came out she wasn’t actually dead but it could all be explained away as yet another newbie mistake.After all, they taught us how to not kill people. Not the opposite.“I’m thinking Prague.” He settled himself on the bike, gesturing for me to do the same. He handed me a helmet, his lips curving upward when I stared at it blankly. “Safety, little rabbit. And a disguise. It’s safer for us to blend in at the moment.”“Right.” My hands felt thick and clumsy as I struggled to strap on the protective headgear and I cursed under my breath when Cam finally took pity on me and did it himself. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”“Change is hard, little rabbit.” He brushed his lips over mine before flicking the tip of my nose. “Now, let’s go take over the world, hmm?”



TormentThe Damned SeriesBook FourBy LM Pruitt
Release Date August 8, 2017
Genre: PNR
Book Description:
Enemies are so stimulating.--Katherine Hepburn
If you can look past the part where they're trying to kill you.
The Damned want my head on a platter. The Winged have similar plans.
As for Morning Star and the Power... well, only They know.
One false step... and everything is lost.
CONTAINS SCENES OF GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Amazon

Excerpt Torment:
“You’ll catch cold if you stay out here much longer.”I didn’t turn around, continuing to study the skyline. “I’m fine.”“It’s three in the morning. You should be asleep.” He didn’t sound angry about the fact I wasn’t or the fact I was standing outside in late September in sleep pants and a thin cotton tank. If anything, his scolding sounded as if it was for form and nothing else. “It’s been a long day for all of us.”“Yes.” Now I did turn around, studying Barry with the same intensity I’d shown the various buildings of Prague. “Why are you mad at me?”“I’m not mad.” He pulled a cigar from the pocket of his sleep pants but didn’t light it, staring at the tip for a moment before sliding it back in his pocket. “I’m tired, Julie. As I said, it’s been a long day. The next few days—weeks, rather—promise to be equally long. We all need to sleep, to keep our strength up for what lies ahead.”“You haven’t touched me since we got back.” Since he stood in front of my sister and ripped her heart out and then walked away without a backward glance. “You’ve barely said anything all night long.”“As I said, I’m tired.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long sigh. “There’s been quite a bit of upheaval in the last thirty-six hours or so. Quite a bit. Forgive me if I’m not my usual charming self. You have more than enough people here to pay you attention if you’re feeling uncared for.”“That’s not what I meant.” I turned back to the city view, widening my eyes and blinking rapidly in an effort to keep the tears at bay. I didn’t have a problem with using tears as a weapon when they were called for but I wouldn’t use them with him, ever. “You’re right. It’s late. Go to sleep. I’m fine.”“We both know I’m not going to sleep until you do.” I heard the sound of metal scraping over concrete and glanced over my shoulder to find he’d pulled one of the patio chairs free of the table. Sitting down and stretching out his legs, he said, “As long as you’re here, I’m here.”“Barry—.”“Arguing will only frustrate us both, Julie Elizabeth, and we’ve had enough frustration for the day.” He slid further down in the seat, almost slouching, and crossed his arms. “As long as you’re here, I’m here.”“But do you want to be here?” The question tumbled out before I even realized it was in my mind and I bit my tongue, already regretting it. “Never mind. You don’t have to answer that.”“Come here.” When I didn’t move, he uncrossed his arms and held out one hand. “Please.”Crossing the balcony, I took his hand, curling up in his lap and resting my head on his shoulder. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he cleared his throat. “I don’t know any other way to say it. I can simply say as long as you’re here, I’m here. When you want to leave, we’ll leave.”“And where would we go?” Joanne’s face in the instant after Barry verbally sucker punched her, Asmodeus’s face the second after I shot him, flashed through my mind and I hunched my shoulders as if the memory carried a physical blow. “There’s no place left. We burned all those bridges today.”“The thing about bridges is they can always be rebuilt and when they are, they’re stronger than before they burned.” He brushed my hair away from my face, stroking one hand down my back and pulling me tighter against him. “But since you don’t want to leave, the discussion is moot.”“We’re doing the right thing.”“The right thing done the wrong way is no longer the right thing.”“If there was a way to do this differently, we would have taken it.” We’d tried to take it. We’d tried to meet the others halfway. Nobody—Lilith, Asmodeus, the Power, Morning Star—wanted to bend.So we would have to break them.“After the raids begin today, there is no turning back. You and your supporters will be branded traitors. There will be bounties on your heads.” He pressed his lips to my hair, breathing deep. “On all our heads. You’ve never lived through a war.”It wasn’t a question but I answered anyway. “No, I haven’t.”“I’ve been through more than my fair share, even considering my age. When it’s impossible to die from manmade weapons, you tend to fight in wars simply to alleviate the boredom.” He turned, pressing his face in to my hair. “And they’re nothing compared to supernatural wars. So far you’ve only seen the pretty side of Hell. There are things which will be unleashed which should never exist out of nightmares.”“On us or by us?”“Both.” His hand shook as he stroked my back and I wasn’t sure if he was trying to comfort me or himself. “Some things can’t be unseen or unfelt. You’ll carry it with you until the day you die.”“Are you trying to scare me?”“I’m trying to warn you. Up until now, everything about this war has been theoretical. Until today, no true shots were fired.” He drew back, his face unnaturally somber, even for him. “I know you did what you had to do and I don’t fault you for that decision.”“But I officially started the war.” I nodded. “I know. I’ll live with it.”“Things will get worse.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “They always do.”“And then they get better.” I had to believe that. If I didn’t, then there was a good chance I was wrecking and ruining lives for no reason at all. I pressed my lips to his, lightly, for comfort more than anything else. “Things will be better. We’re going to make them better.”
We didn’t have any other choice.

About the Author:
L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.
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