Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 60
April 26, 2016
Jessica E. Subject’s Weekly Writing Update ~ Revisions, Reading & Getting Ready for RTC
Hello! It’s Tuesday, and time for this week’s Weekly Writing Update. We had more great weather, and on Saturday, I had lunch with some of the romance authors who live in the area.
REVISIONS ~ I’ve been working on revising BEYOND REACH over the past week. I don’t have a new word count for you, but I am still working on expanding the story. I also received notes back from one of the readers of BRYCE. She gave me some great tips to expand and amplify the story from what it already is, so I have been working on that as well.
READING ~ I finished CRUZ this week, the second book in Anna Hackett’s Hell Squad series. You can find my five-star review here. I also finished listening to the audio book of CHAMPION by Marie Lu. Another five-star review here. I’ve started reading CAPTURED BY THE CYBORG by Cara Bristol and am listening to THE CRUSADER’S BRIDE by Claire Delacroix. I also thought I’d mention the books that recently made their way to my Kindle bookshelf or the physical one…
Wyvern’s Mate by Deborah Cooke (dragon shifters in space!)
A Lover’s Lament by K.L. Grayson & BT Urruella
Collide by Melissa West
Super Starella by Aurora Springer
GETTING READY FOR RTC ~ Romancing the Capital begins on the evening of May 5, with the signing on May 7. Over the weekend, I packed all my books and other goodies in preparation for the event. I still have a couple of things to grab, and my actual clothing and such to pack, but I’m almost ready to go. I just have to make sure I have everything else ready before I go.
FREE READ ~ Don’t forget, Alien Adoration, the first story in my Alien Next Door series is now free at most ebook retailers. You can find all the links here.
SALE ~ Another Night, Another Planet, my erotic sci-fi adventure romance is on sale for 99¢ at Amazon and All Romance for the month of April.
GOALS FOR THE WEEK ~ I will revise Bryce and Beyond Reach. I will read and listen to my audio book while finishing up preparations for RTC.
Please share what you have been up to this week. Are you reading or writing anything new?
The post Jessica E. Subject’s Weekly Writing Update ~ Revisions, Reading & Getting Ready for RTC appeared first on Jessica E, Subject, Author of Sci-Fi Romance.
April 25, 2016
She’s never met a man she considered a match until now ~ THE SHADOW & THE SUN by @MonicaEPierce #romance
THE SHADOW & THE SUN
by Monica Enderle Pierce
Among the living or the dead, he’s never needed anything from anyone.
Shadow Mage Gethen is a powerful necromancer, keeper of the border between the living and the dead, and brother to the king of Besera. But with his dark powers failing and a vengeful entity attacking, Gethen should be happy when a formidable lady knight appears at his gates. He’s not. The price for her aid is steep—his allegiance in a war against his brother.
In battle or in bed, she’s never met a man she considered her match.
Militess Halina is undaunted by the threat of war between her country and neighboring Besera. She earned her titles by shedding blood and breaking bones. She uses her body to reward soldiers who serve her loyally, and to punish those who don’t. And Halina’s never met a man she couldn’t command or crush.
Until now.
Passion and power unexpectedly ignite when a blizzard traps Halina at Gethen’s citadel. With the evil entity’s onslaughts rapidly deteriorating Gethen’s sorcery, they have little time to understand their unexpected attraction. But could their passion be the key to defeating an ancient enemy that’s hell-bent on obliterating their world?
Amazon US | UK | Canada | Australia | Germany
From Chapter Ten of The Shadow & The Sun
The set-up: Gethen is treating wounds that Halina sustained in fighting a wraith the previous night…
The liquid churned as Gethen said more incantations. Vapors rose to fill his nostrils with a harsh, bitter odor. When the concoction finally quieted, he ceased the incantation and stoppered the metheglin bottle. He fetched clean rags from one of his cabinets and a jar of healing unguent then went to the infirmary and offered the dram to the militess.
She took it, sniffed its contents, and grimaced. “Gods, that’s foul.” She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Is this what made me insensible last night?”
“Metheglin, yes, but this is a different variant.” He folded his arms. “Don’t you trust me?”
A small smile curved Halina’s lips. Then she downed the tincture like a soldier drinking soma before a battle. She coughed, shuddered, and held out the empty cup. “Not at all,” she croaked.
Gethen arched a brow at her. She had spirit, and that made her powerful and attractive. He held up the jar of unguent and the rag. “That’s unfortunate, as now I need to come closer, Your Ladyship.”
Halina eyed the shallow dish in his hand. “Wonderful.”
“The wounds on your shoulder require stitches.” He held up the small dish. “Fortunately for you this will numb your skin.” Gethen sat, laid a leather medical roll on the bed, and spread it out.
She said, “I’m disappointed to learn that you’re not nearly as monstrous as you wanted me to believe when I arrived at Ranith.”
Noni stood in the corner, watching them, and Gethen ordered, “Bring me a basin of hot water and another clean rag.” The housekeeper curtsied and left the room. He gestured toward Halina’s gown. “May I?”
She stiffened as if she was holding her breath, then she leaned forward from the pillows and pulled her braid aside. “Of course.” With deft fingers, she unlaced the front of the garment and lowered the fabric off her shoulder to reveal the bandaging and poultice that he’d fashioned earlier.
Gethen moved to get a better view of the wound.
“How do you do this?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“Heal wounds and cure illness so well. That’s always puzzled me about you, even before we met.”
“Because I’m a necromancer?” She nodded and he continued as he steeled his nerves against the first touch. “Dark sorcery doesn’t have to be destructive. There are things, invisible to the eye, which thrive on wounds and cause ague. Shadow magic can be directed against such plagues and used for healing.” Both he and Halina reacted as his fingers brushed her skin; a surge of heat flashed through his hand and she gasped. “My apologies, Militess.” He gently removed the bandaging taking care to touch her skin as little as possible.
Her voice sounded breathy as she asked, “Does that always happen when you touch people?”
His mouth was suddenly dry and he swallowed. “No. It’s never happened before.” Gethen peeled back the poultice. The wound wept and bled. Its edges were red, swollen, and crusted with blood and some foul black substance. She shivered and he asked, “Do I make you uneasy?”
“A little.”
He chuckled. “Just a little?”
Her voice was tight. “I suppose you’re the sort of man who makes people a lot uneasy.”
“I suppose I am.” He cleaned the long gouges. “Tell me if I’m hurting you.”
“It’s fine. I’m accustomed to pain.”
Gethen paused at that. No one should be accustomed to suffering. “The beast’s poison lingers.”
Reflexively, Halina turned her head and, suddenly, their faces were mere inches apart. Their gazes met and her lips parted. Gethen held his breath. She did the same. Gods he wanted to taste her mouth. Without thought beyond that overwhelming yearning, Gethen feathered his fingers from her ear to her jaw. He cupped her chin and stroked his thumb across her parted lips. Her breath was warm, her skin so soft.
Then Noni’s shuffling footsteps broke the spell. He straightened, and Halina faced forward, her expression stony and her voice emotionless as she asked, “Will I lose the use of the arm?”
Gethen swallowed that dryness again. “No, Margrave. The unguent will destroy the rest of the poison. But you’ll be my patient for at least another day.”
She looked askance at him. “I’ll strive for obedience, though I’m not known for that quality.”
“We’ve that in common.”
Monica Enderle Pierce and her characters have been kicking the crap out of evil since 2012. Her first novel, Girl Under Glass, was a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finalist and a multi-category sci-fi bestseller. Of her historical, dark fantasy novel, Famine, reviewers have said, “Jeez. Effing heck. I need more now!” and “Just fantastic… Such a great read!” And Monica’s short stories have been featured in the best-selling Future Chronicles anthologies: The Dragon Chronicles and The Doomsday Chronicles. Her stories are immersive, detailed, and character-driven, full of love, tension, and bad guys getting their just deserts. Monica has an English literature degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and she lives in Seattle, WA, USA with her husband, their daughter, a neurotic dog, two crazy tomcats, and a fish.
You can find Monica and her books via the following links:
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website | Email | Amazon
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April 23, 2016
#8Sunday: “That makes you the cause of the danger.” in Alien Attraction #books #romance
Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!
This month, I’m sharing excerpts from Alien Attraction, the third book in my Alien Next Door series. I’ve decided to share snippets about the orb that is part of every story in this series. In last week’s snippet, Angela went home to try and figure out why the orb was flashing red and blue. Her father said it might be because there was another alien race nearby. Angela has now returned to her apartment, and is confronted by her neighbor. The first two paragraphs are Chal (her neighbor) talking.
“Put it in the tub, close the bathroom, and then the bedroom. It will at least give us some time.”
“…the sphere is a Lisivian predictor, used by your kind to make decisions.” He settled into the corner of the couch, making himself comfortable as if he would be there for a while. “It flashes blue to predict a good outcome, red for a bad one, and both colors when it senses danger.”
“So, that makes you the cause of the danger, since it’s flashed both colors since you arrived.” And she could attest to how dangerous he had already proved to her heart.
“Normally, I would say yes, but not this time.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I think the warning is for me, not you, but I’m still trying to figure out why.”
ALIEN ATTRACTION
She wants to be more alien.
He wants to be more human.
Born a galaxy apart, will Angela and Chal have a chance at love, or will their extraterrestrial secrets leave them running to stay alive?
Amazon US | UK | Canada | Germany | Australia
Also part of Alien Next Door: The Complete Series
~*~*~
Weekend Writing Warriors is a Sunday short-snippet blog hop in which authors share short excerpts from their books (published or unpublished). There’s a variety of genres–something for everyone! To visit the participating authors, click on the logo:
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#MySexySaturday: Stuck in the basement with a flying saucer & a sexy alien #erotica #books
Hello and welcome to the 138th week of My Sexy Saturday.
Here are the details: every Saturday, published and unpublished authors will be sharing 7 words, sentences, or paragraphs from a work-in-progress or an already published story.
Today’s theme is…
THAT SEXY MOMENT
For today’s post, I’m sharing an excerpt from TAKEN BY THE BILLIONAIRE ALIEN NEXT DOOR.
Setup: In this alien erotica story, Erika has gone next door to find her new step-brother. Instead she finds her sexy neighbor working on what looks like a spaceship.
“What exactly do you think I am, Miss Erika?”
“An alien.” There, I’d said it, and I expected him to laugh in my face and deny it.
Instead, he placed his hands behind his back and stepped nearer. “And what if I am?”
My breath caught. “I….” I should have kept my mouth shut. No, I should have waited for Barron to text a reply, never come over to the neighbor’s house. Now, I was stuck in a basement hangar with a flying saucer and a guy who could be from another planet.
Laken inched closer, and closer still. I moved along with him until my back hit a wall on the other side of the room. Trapped. Trying to duck away wouldn’t do me any good. He’d only race around and block my way again. My heart beat so hard, I expected it to thump right out of my chest. Would he let me go, or did he have other plans? If I screamed loud enough, would someone come to my rescue?
Leaning forward, he placed his palm on the wall behind me. “What if I told you I knew the instant you came into this room?” He ran his other hand along my cheekbone, tucking my hair behind an ear. “What if I told you I could feel your attraction, smell your sex?”
A shiver raced down my spine. Sure, I wanted to jump his bones before I’d seen his eyes. Now, I yearned for a way out, a clear path to escape from Mr. Sex-on-a-stick who may or may not be an extraterrestrial.
Mr. Sex-on-a-stick who may or may not be an extraterrestrial. #Excerpt from Taken by the Billionaire Alien Next Door…
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TAKEN BY THE BILLIONAIRE ALIEN NEXT DOOR
Living on the other side of the tracks was a fantasy Erika never expected to come true. But when her mother marries an investment banker, she moves to a home larger than all her previous houses combined. While searching for her new stepbrother to help with unpacking, she stumbles upon his smokin’ hot neighbor, all alone in his mansion and busy at work on a… flying saucer? Can Erika escape before he notices her, or will she be abducted by the sexy alien?
Only 99¢ from:
Also available as part of:
Cosmic Desires
Alien Next Door: The Complete Series
For more My Sexy Saturday postings, check out the participants’ list
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April 21, 2016
Retirement for an assassin isn’t all it’s cracked up to be ~ REX’S MATE by @VSMorgan1 now an #audiobook!
REX’S MATE ~ Now in audio!
by V.S. Morgan
narrated by T.G. Burns
Former assassin Rex realizes retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be without someone to share it with. He longs for the kind of connection his friends Hunter and Casey have. Tired of meaningless hookups, Rex and his wolf are ready to find their mate. But what if his mate is the human-were bunny shifter his former boss placed in his care? Can he win the heart of this fierce and beautiful man?
Abducted and genetically altered against his will, Aaron is thrust into a world he’d thought was only make-believe. Under the protection of a Minnesota wolf pack, he struggles with his new abilities as a rabbit shifter and his growing attraction for his cocky protector. Can he trust the former assassin to keep him safe and find his brother still being held captive by the evil group responsible for changing his life forever?
Genre: m/m Multicultural, paranormal/shifter, erotic romance
Heat Level – 5
Audio Book Buy Links:
Audible.com | Amazon | iTunes
Ebook Buy Links:
All Romance | Amazon | BookStrand | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords
Something tickled his ear, and teeth nipped the lobe. Oh, he liked it a bit rough.
“Oh yeah, baby. Bite me again. Harder.” Rex opened his eyes, finding himself on his side, face-to-face with the rabbit.
“Screw that!” He scrambled back, landing bare-assed on the floor.
Screw bunny?
His wolf’s puzzled response had him crab walking toward the door. How the hell had it gotten in bed with him? Hunter. That shithead.
Leaving the rabbit there, Rex shoved onto his feet and stormed upstairs to their room. He opened the door with so much force it slammed against the wall, causing Priss to bark at the end of the bed.
His righteous indignation diminished slightly with Hunter’s Glock trained on him. Maybe he needed to rethink how soft the former assassin had gotten. His friend lowered the gun and glared at him.
“What the hell, Hunter?” He planted his hands on his hips, more confident without a gun pointed at his face.
Casey sat up and rubbed his eyes, his reddish-blond hair standing on end. “What’s the naked, crazy man yelling about?”
Hunter covered the little wolf’s eyes. Shifters weren’t prudes, but he was one possessive dude now he had a mate. “What’s your damage? And go put some clothes on. Casey doesn’t need to see your man bits.”
“As if you didn’t know. I moved here, froze my balls off last winter, and how do you repay that friendship? By putting a rabbit on my bed. That wasn’t funny. I could have eaten him.” His stomach churned even though his wolf huffed in denial, insulted by the accusation.
No eat. Wolf like bunny.
Yeah, probably too much, you dumb wolf.
V.S. Morgan has lived all over the US but calls Minnesota her home now. Her family includes her hubby, son, and a menagerie of pets.
She’s been writing stories since she could hold a pencil and dreams of happily-ever-afters – even for two hot men – because love knows no boundaries. V.S. writes IRMC contemporary, paranormal, and suspense m/m and m/f with heart.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Page
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April 20, 2016
#MidWeekTease: She was anxious to learn the identity of her date in SUDDEN BREAKAWAY #romance #books
Happy Wednesday! It’s time for Mid Week Tease. Since the hockey playoffs are happening, I’ve decided to share an excerpt from Sudden Breakaway, an erotic romance that takes place at a hockey game.
Setup: Paige works for the Space Service, recruiting new members from Earth. She doesn’t get much time to date, so she believes a 1Night Stand arranged by Madame Eve will be perfect for her. She’s just arrived in the private suite at the hockey game where her date will take place…
Running her hand along the oak chair rail, she strolled toward the windows facing the rink. She stepped down the stairs, aiming for the front row of the theater-style seating. Take it slow. She didn’t need to trip and do a face-plant into the window. Maybe it would have been easier if she’d taken the heels off, but what if her date walked in? She hoped the shoes would accentuate her ass and long legs, making her more appealing. If her date took one glance at her and walked out, she’d be crushed.
Lowering her seat, she sat down. Both teams practiced below, players coming onto the ice, stretching, and then skating around. Yum, would her date be a hockey player from the other team? A secret fantasy come true.
Her heart raced as locker room visions flooded her mind. Parading around in his hockey jersey, sex on the bench, in the showers…. Sudden warmth swallowed her up. She fanned herself. If she didn’t control her overactive mind, she would need to pleasure herself before her date arrived. How embarrassed would she be if her date caught her fingering her pussy?
The door clicked open. She spun around in her seat to catch a glimpse of the man she’d spend the rest of the day with before he saw her. A rush of excitement fueled her fire. Her heart hammered in her chest.
He wore a jersey, but not from the team she cheered for. He wasn’t a hockey player either. Her panties grew wet as she stared at his full, luscious lips, imagining them traveling all over her body, bringing her so much pleasure. Madame Eve could not have picked a better match for her. Every one of her recent fantasies would become reality.
She stood, grabbing the back of the chair to ensure her steadiness before making him aware of her presence. The shoes were bad enough, but her shaky legs—from anxious anticipation—could leave her humiliated.
The man glanced around the room. Would he be happy with her as his one-night stand? Could she satisfy him?
His eyes locked on hers.
“Hello, Jared.”
His scowl came like a quick punch to the gut. He didn’t want her. All hope she had for the date skittered away. His rejection stung almost as bad as the end of her ten-year marriage.
“I can’t believe you stooped so low to get me to join the Space Service. And to get Mrs. Collins involved? This is the last time I’m going to tell you; I’m not interested.”
Every one of her recent fantasies would become reality. #Excerpt from Sudden Breakaway by Jessica E. Subject
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SUDDEN BREAKAWAY
Dressed in her black designer suit, Paige Brown recruits men and women for the Space Service. After the end of her marriage, and several failed recruiting missions, she yearns to find a way out of her lifelong contract to live a normal life. To find love again.
Jared Barnes’s life had been flipped upside down by two little kids. When his former Commander’s wife shows up to give him a reprieve, he jumps at the chance for a break, and to visit his former squad. But it is not his buddies he meets in the private suite at a hockey game, instead a woman who has been the star of all of his recent fantasies, fulfills his wildest dreams except the one that binds his heart.
Has Madame Eve made a mistake or can two lonely hearts overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles?
Also part of Intergalactic Heat
Mid Week Tease, a weekly blog hop hosted by Angelica Dawson, where authors share snippets from their recent releases, back list titles, and works-in-progress (WIPs). So, please check out my tease and visit the other participating authors listed below.
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April 19, 2016
Jessica E. Subject’s Weekly Writing Update ~ On to new stories!
Hello! It’s Tuesday, and time for another Weekly Writing Update. This week, I have no complaints. The weather was beautiful, and I managed to get a lot done, even if I did have to skip one of my fitness classes.
BRYCE ~ I’ve finished revisions to this story, and sent it to a couple of beta readers. Soon, I will be sending off to my editor. So far in revisions, I’ve added a net of 2,861 words to Bryce, bringing it up to over 30,000 words. That means, I’m one step closer to a cover reveal and putting it up for pre-order.
IN OTHER STORY NEWS ~ I have finished a super short story (300 words exactly) called One Year that I have submitted for the flash fiction contest at Queer Sci-Fi. It is incredibly hard to tell a story in 300 words or less, but I managed. I hope.
Now, I am working at re-writing an old story to bring it back to the original way I’d written it. The original version was too dark for the line I submitted it for at my publisher, so I had to revise for them. Now that I have the rights back, I will be returning it to the darker story, but with some new elements. It will be a longer story as well, and will release under the new title Beyond Reach.
BLOG HOP ~ I’m participating in the Spring Fling Giveaway Hop. Visit my post to find out how you can win a $5 GC to Amazon.com.
FREE READ ~ Don’t forget, Alien Adoration, the first story in my Alien Next Door series is now free at most ebook retailers. You can find all the links here.
SALE ~ Another Night, Another Planet, my erotic sci-fi adventure romance is on sale for 99¢ at Amazon and All Romance for the month of April.
GOALS FOR THE WEEK ~ I will get as much done on Beyond Reach as possible, and fit in some more reading time.
Please share what you have been up to this week. Are you reading or writing anything new?
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April 18, 2016
Will she steal his heart again? Extended #excerpt from @CeriseDeLand’s new Regency Romance
Two new regency romance titles from Cerise DeLand…
MASQUERADE WITH A MARQUESS
Regency Romp #3
by Cerise DeLand
She searches for priceless treasures stolen from her. He’ll help her find her precious art even if he risks the chance she’ll steal his heart away…again.
Sophia di Contini risks her life to sail to England alone and slip into the homes of those she suspects stole priceless treasures from her family during the wars. Discovered by Victor Cameron, she agrees to search for her art his way even though she’ll live in his house, yearn for his touch, pine for his kisses….
Five years ago, Victor had to give up Sophia. Now he vows to keep her near him and to protect her from men who would destroy her. He’ll help her find her precious art even if he risks the chance she’ll steal his heart away…again.
Amazon | ARe | NOOK | KOBO | iTunes
Excerpt, All rights reserved. Copyright, 2016, Cerise DeLand.
Victor made his way toward the threesome—and stopped in his tracks.
Across the room, a woman stood near the wall. Attired in a simple gown of cream, she portrayed a Greek or Roman queen. Her half mask was white, covering a straight nose and framing eyes that darted and scanned, settling here and there and moving on. Her hair glowed like pale sunlight. Beneath a headband of gold and white satin, her tresses curled in a braid high around her head. In a bow to current fashion, delicate wisps dangled at her ears. But the disarray made her more elegant, more classically beautiful. He could not drink in enough of her—and his mind stalled.
His stomach clenched. Oh, most definitely, this was the elusive housemaid. Or more accurately, Sophia di Bertolla di Contini, the daughter of the famous Italian courtier and poet, Marco di Bertolla.
Why would she come here to this party disguised?
The irony that she should appear here in plain sight when he had searched for her for weeks had him setting his teeth. What game did she play?
The woman had disappeared from Whiting’s house that night in December. He’d run out into the streets to search for her, to no avail. He’d hired men he often employed to track thieves or those who owed him money. But they’d found no one answering her description in any lodgings in greater London. He’d extended their territory to search for her in Dover and Calais, assuming she might seek refuge there to book a packet across the Channel. They had come up short.
But here she was.
No maid’s drab cloth for her tonight. The opposite. Poised, shining and polished as a marble goddess, she surveyed the guests, all grace and purpose. She spoke with no one. In truth, she seemed to hug the walls. Was she here alone?
He made his way across the ballroom. In the crowd, that took him time. Too much, in fact. And as he wove his way among his guests, she left her secluded spot to wander toward the central hall. Odd, that. The ladies’ retiring room was on this wing. If she wondered precisely where, she need only ask a servant who would redirect her. But she didn’t.
She continued toward the foyer. Scurrying, really.
Then she froze. Her eyes rounded.
Victor followed her line of sight.
Dray appeared straight ahead of her in the doorway, his ginger hair mussed by the wind and the half-black mask he wore. She turned aside, deftly weaving around Dray with not so much as a nod of greeting. That easily, she slipped out.
Victor hastened to catch her. But damn the crowd.
Threading his way through the throng required more greetings and diplomacy than he had expected. Next year, by god, he’d stay home. He wished to speak only to this intruder who appeared here as a guest. A creature who perennially danced in his memory like Salome.
Muttering to himself about his failure to eradicate her from his thoughts, Victor picked up his pace toward the hall.
But in his path stood Dray.
“I must speak with you.” Dray stepped toward him, straightening his tailcoat but looking oddly agitated.
“Later.” Victor clasped his step-brother’s hand. “Wait for me, please.”
“This is important. Where’re you going?” He turned as Victor passed him by.
“A guest.” He’d explain her identity later. “She’s headed the wrong way to the retiring room.”
“Put a footman to the task. I have news from Windsor—”
“Dray, wait.”
“I can’t!”
Victor ignored him and hurried away.
At the first floor landing of the staircase, he came to a stop. He turned to one side, the movement of a figure catching his eye. But it was a man, not Sophia.
In a stealthy move, the man shut the door behind him. As the latch clicked, so did knowledge of who the man was.
Otis Underwood. A degenerate of the first order.
Was he stalking Sophia? Was she in that room?
The reason that she might have gone there rose like bile in his throat. Did she seek an assignation with Underwood?
Preposterous. She had better sense than that. Or had years ago. Why would she consider alliance with such a man as he? She had no reason.
But he squeezed his eyes shut a second. Of course, it was her looks. The soft blue eyes that mesmerized a man. The lush rosy lips that inspired erotic fantasies in any man who gazed upon her. Young, old, infirm, any man with blood in his veins took one long look and coveted her.
Distaste for Underwood and his nefarious actions washed away all condemnation of Sophia.
Still, why was she floating around Winterbourne’s house?
She wasn’t a thief. Or hadn’t been that night at Whiting’s.
But was she in that room and if so, what did she want?
Flummoxed, he ripped off his mask and swung about, once more in complete review of the hall. No doubt of it. Unless she’d left the house, she was in that room where she should not be.
He’d root her out. He would.
He took the hall on cats’ feet. With utmost care, he turned the knob and thrust open the door.
Ah.
Across the moonlit room she stood in profile to him facing Underwood. The man advanced on her, a salacious smile upon his fleshy lips, his hawk-like nose hooked like the predator he was.
So intent on each other, neither of them saw or heard Victor.
Underwood strolled steadily toward her and she stepped backward. “I say, my Grecian lady, you are elusive. I wished to dance.”
“I do not.”
“But you do wish to escape the festivities. I wonder why.”
She glared at her adversary. “I have a headache. I wish to rest.”
“I have a better cure for the megrims.”
“I doubt that.”
Underwood lifted a hand and crooked his fingers at her. “Come here and I will demonstrate.”
By this time, Sophia’s back was to the wall. Trapped between a sideboard and a chair, she could move neither left nor right. And to advance meant she had to push Underwood aside. He was so big, so fat, that would be a chore—and a failure.
“I would leave. And you will permit me to pass.”
“Will I?”
With a sound of frustration, she whipped off her mask. In the move, she dislodged her satin hair band and it fell to the floor. Her hair cascaded down in a riotous glory. Ruffled, her waves wended down her shoulders in glowing ripples lit by the light of the moon. She muttered to herself in Italian.
Underwood growled, lunging forward.
“I would not touch her if I were you,” Victor warned him, feral in his defense of her.
The two of them gasped.
The man peered at him. “Go away, Cameron.”
“No.” Victor advanced. He had an inch or two on the man in height and managed to convey his own predatory nature with a feigned smile. “The lady is under my protection. You will leave now and we will say no more of this.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Winterbourne takes umbrage at anyone who commits crimes in his home. And last I heard, you wished to have his cooperation for your new shipping venture in the Indies.”
That took the wind from Underwood’s sails. He ground his teeth and gave a small bow. “As you wish.”
With a glare that was a threat of violence, he considered Sophia for a second and left the room.
When the door latched shut, Victor turned to his Grecian lady.
She stared at him, wary.
“Madam,” he addressed her and she lifted her chin. “I do believe you have lost your way.”
She had no response.
He stepped toward her. And when the fragrance of lilacs hit his nostrils, desire rippled along his spine. He stiffened in an effort to stay focused, wanting to put his hands on her and shake some sense into her. He could swear he heard her heart pound. But he walked to within an inch of her, arrested by her abject beauty and his confusion about why in god’s name she wandered in this house. “Weeks ago, you were a maid in Lord Whiting’s house. Now you are a guest here and you roam this house. I am curious.”
Her lips formed words but she shook her head, remaining silent.
“Can’t explain it? I’m positive you remember the incident with a certain Lord Lester. I saw you, Sophia.” Your frightened eyes. Your appealing lips. “I do recall the evening. You must recall as well, since you disappeared immediately after you kicked him. Why?”
“I never meant to hurt him,” she said, straightening her back, her voice that melodious mix of good English and warm Italian.
“No matter. He deserved what hurt you caused him that night.” Victor admired her ethereal beauty in the soft flush of moonlight. “And my friend, Lord Whiting, wished to apologize to you for the disservice done you in his house. But that was impossible. Because you fled.”
She nodded, licked her lips and said, “I had to.”
“Did you?”
“Si. That man with the surly lips was terrible. He…he handled me.”
“I know.”
“He accused me to be a thief, too.”
Victor arched his brows. “I thought you were innocent.”
Those luminous blue eyes of hers softened into curiosity. “You did?”
“You were never a thief.” A liar. A very good one. He stepped nearer. The scent of lilacs rocked him, delicate as the first buds of spring. His mouth went dry. “You have our childhood years together to commend you to us. And you are related to Dray. To me also by law. As family, we have affinities. Why wouldn’t we think you innocent?”
Her mouth curved with relief. “I am grateful.”
“Grateful. Yes. As now I would be too if you would do me a favor.”
Wary, she regarded him. “What?”
“Be so kind as to tell me what in hell you are doing here in England.”
Only her eyes flashed, registering her recoil from his vehemence. She lifted her chin. “I—it’s a story that is complicated.”
“Oh, of that I am certain. First you are a maid, then you appear weeks later, attired as a Grecian lady at a masque where you are, shall we say, admiring the contents of a nobleman’s house?”
“I had to work. I took a position in the household. I did not think I would see you or Drayton.”
“Obviously. But why did you have to work?”
She bristled, her delicate chin up and defying him. “I needed money.”
She looked broken, tender. Fierce. Without funds, a woman would be at the mercy of any scoundrel. “Why do you need money?”
Her brows knit. “The reasons anyone needs it.”
That was a blow. Why did she have no funds? Did her husband cut her off? Her brother? “And why are you here tonight?”
She stared at him, her ethereal blue eyes clouding. “I have my reasons for what I do.”
“No doubt.” He had worked for more than two years among the Italians near Rome, Naples and Florence to oust Napoleon from power there. He spoke some Italian. But it didn’t take knowledge of the language to spot prevarication. He knew wily women when he met them. His history with her had shown him she could evade the truth among the best. His instinct assured him that tonight she was attempting not to lie. At least not about her employment as a maid. “You must share them with me.”
She drew herself up, dignity and authority in her stance. “I am in search of a few items that belonged to my parents.”
“I see.” Absently, he considered the room. Winterbourne’s library. “And you think you will find them among these books?”
“I did.” She squared her shoulders, defeat turning down her mouth.
Dammit, she confounded him. “And what would that be?”
She narrowed those beguiling eyes at him, though they flashed bright blue dangers at the moment. “I need not tell you. I owe you nothing.”
That was a lie but he couldn’t let her get the best of him. He had to challenge that. “Really?”
“I must go.” She stepped around him.
That incited his anger. “Perhaps if I summon Lord Winterbourne, you might find him more interested in your explanation?”
She whirled to face him. “Please do not.”
He had to push her to acknowledge her folly. “Did you know that lately a burglar robs London houses of money, jewels and art?”
Her blue eyes went round. “No.”
She was too sweet, too appealing and he was such a fool to protect her from others when he could not protect himself from her. “Should I hand you to the authorities?”
She grasped the edges of his cape. “No.”
A roar of voices cut the air.
He cocked his ear.
“What is that?” She froze, alarm widening her eyes.
He frowned, considering for a moment the hall and the commotion. “Something’s amiss.”
“More than,” she breathed.
“Wait here,” he told her. He strode to the door, but turned about. “I will return. Do not leave this room.”
Also by Cerise DeLand…
INTERLUDE WITH A BARON
After Waterloo, Drayton Worth watched the woman he loved suffer because of his failures. Determined to improve Emma Bedlow’s existence, he secretly aids her and curses his never-ending desire for her.
Years later, when he finally has the chance to convince her to share his life, she refuses. No man will control her ever again. She wants only an interlude with the charming baron. But Dray is determined to show her they both deserve more than a few nights of ecstasy. They deserve forever.
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Cerise DeLand loves to cook, hates to dust, adores traveling…and lives to write!
She is #1 Bestselling Regency Author of spicy romances starring dashing heroes and sassy women. Her box set THE STANHOPE CHALLENGE was recently on the bestseller list for ONE solid YEAR!
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Cerise DeLand’s Website : www.cerisedeland.com
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The post Will she steal his heart again? Extended #excerpt from @CeriseDeLand’s new Regency Romance appeared first on Jessica E, Subject, Author of Sci-Fi Romance.
April 16, 2016
#8Sunday: The blue and red lights are explained in Alien Attraction #scifi #romance
Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!
This month, I’m sharing excerpts from Alien Attraction, the third book in my Alien Next Door series. I’ve decided to share snippets about the orb that is part of every story in this series. In last week’s snippet, the orb finally started working for Angela, but due to years of frustration with it not working for her, she ignored it. Well, after the orb keeps her up at night, and ruins a date (which you can read about here), she can no longer ignore its warning. She travels to visit her family to find out what its double flashing means. Her father (Luke) is the first to talk.
“When I was really young, about four Earth years, I was confined to my quarters again. My parents, as part of the council, were meeting with another nomadic race, the Memonons. I never did meet them, so I have no idea what they look like. But, I do remember my orb flashing red and blue the entire time they were on the ship. A few hours after as well. Later, my mother told me they had to go to the other ship for the next meeting because the orbs emitted a high pitch tone only the Memonons could hear.”
Angela sat up. “Oh my gosh! Chal covered his ears at the same time I noticed the orb rolling across the floor. I couldn’t hear anything, but from the pained expression on his face, he sure did.”
ALIEN ATTRACTION
She wants to be more alien.
He wants to be more human.
Born a galaxy apart, will Angela and Chal have a chance at love, or will their extraterrestrial secrets leave them running to stay alive?
Amazon US | UK | Canada | Germany | Australia
Also part of Alien Next Door: The Complete Series
~*~*~
Weekend Writing Warriors is a Sunday short-snippet blog hop in which authors share short excerpts from their books (published or unpublished). There’s a variety of genres–something for everyone! To visit the participating authors, click on the logo:
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#MySexySaturday: The naked man behind the curtain in the sci-fi romance Another Night, Another Planet
Hello and welcome to the 137th week of My Sexy Saturday.
Here are the details: every Saturday, published and unpublished authors will be sharing 7 words, sentences, or paragraphs from a work-in-progress or an already published story.
Today’s theme is…
OUR SEXY VACATION
For today’s post, I’m sharing an excerpt from ANOTHER NIGHT ANOTHER PLANET, a sci-fi romance which is only 99¢ this month.
Setup: In this sci-fi romance, Ava works on a Mother Traveler, which is a cruise spaceship that takes vacationers around the galaxy. During their layover, she will be going on a date set up by Madame Eve of 1Night Stand. But, she is in the middle of her pre-date massage when it is interrupted.
Ava’s cheeks burned as she gazed at the naked man who’d drawn back the curtain. Nate. Her first lover. The first guy to break her heart. Tanned skin covered his muscular body. He’d kept his hair short and even his nether region was trimmed to show off his large cock. By far the most gorgeous man she had ever seen, improved even more over the star cycles, he watched her, his face void of any expression.
Yet, she could think of nothing to say to the man she’d given her virginity to, so long ago. Would he even want to be with her after dumping her as a teen? And how could she be with him again? He’d treated her the same as the other guys in her past, used her then ditched her when he’d had his fill.
Overwhelmed by the heat rushing through her body from his scrutiny, she longed for a blanket or towel to hide under, but nothing lay within her reach. She covered her breasts—what little she had—and her pubic area.
If he’d been a complete stranger, she would have loved for him to ravage her body, but not now. “Um, can I get a robe or something?”
Her question seemed to snap everyone from their frozen states. Jacobus rushed to the hot tub to grab her a veech robe. The Elatian woman pushed on her client’s chest, though she didn’t have much luck in moving him.
“Natazekial, you need to return to the massage table. I am not finished with you yet.”
He ducked past his Adamo. “It’s Nate, and I’m definitely finished.” Then he stood chest to chest with Jacobus. “This is the woman Madame Evangeline set me up with.” He grabbed the bottle of lotion from the other man. “Since she’s my date, I should be the one rubbing her down.”
Nate. Her first lover. The first guy to break her heart. #Excerpt from Another Night, Another Planet by Jessica E.…
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ANOTHER NIGHT, ANOTHER PLANET
Erotic Sci-Fi Romance
Limited by status…
Ava is a housekeeper aboard Star Spirit, a luxury cruise ship travelling between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. Coming from a middle-class family on Earth, she is considered by passengers as nothing more than an object to be tossed away when they’re done with her.
Shunned because of his lineage…
Banned from several planets across the universe, Nate struggles to run his interstellar shipping business. But the DNA of an exterminated race runs through his blood, giving him a diluted form of their powers, and leaving him labeled as a terrorist.
Both searching for the one…
Through her 1Night Stand dating service, Madame Evangeline matches these two together for a celestial escape on the pleasure planet, Elatia.
Will Ava and Nate find what they’re looking for, or will their date be just another night on another planet?
Only 99¢ from:
ALL ROMANCE | AMAZON US / UK / Canada
For more My Sexy Saturday postings, check out the participants’ list
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