Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 97
March 2, 2015
It’s READ-AN-EBOOK Week! Check out the Jessica E. Subject titles on sale!
Hello my dear readers! The first week in March is always a time to celebrate reading, no matter what format and genre. The majority of my titles are published as ebooks, so I’ve decided to participate in Read an Ebook Week. A few of my titles are on sale at various e-retailers, so I decided to share the sale with you.
To start, I’ve enrolled two of my titles in the sale going on at Smashwords right now. So, from today through March 7, you can get Alien Adoration and Alien Admirer for 50% off using coupon code RAE50. And as always, Last Minute Customers is available there for FREE.
All month long…
Get AN UNEXPECTED RETURN for 99¢ at Amazon.com
Get ALIEN ADORATION for 99¢ at Coffee Time Romance
Get ALIEN ADMIRER for 99¢ at Coffee Time Romance
Save 25% on all my Decadent Publishing titles at Coffee Time Romance
99¢ Box Sets
I have several 99¢ box sets, some with multiple stories, and others with my stories and those from multiple other authors. If you’re looking to try my stories for the first time, the box sets are a great way to check them out.
Box of 1Night Stands Volume 1 – 21 Sizzling Nights
Box of 1Night Stands Volume 2 – 17 Sizzling Nights
March 1, 2015
#SFRMonday ~ Can she bring peace to a galaxy threatened by war? TETHERED by @PippaJayGreen
Check out Pippa Jay’s futuristic tale TETHERED, soon to be release in print!
TETHEREDby Pippa Jay
She can kill with a kiss. But can assassin Tyree also heal one man’s grief, and bring peace to a galaxy threatened by war?
For Tyree of the Su, being an assassin isn’t simply something she was trained for. It’s the sole reason for her existence. A genetically enhanced clone—one of many in Refuge—she’s about to learn her secluded lifestyle, and that of all her kind, is under threat by a race capable of neutralizing their special talents to leave them defenseless.
For Zander D’joren, being a diplomat has not only cost him his appearance, but also the love of his life. Scarred, grieving, he must nonetheless continue in his role as co-delegate to the fearsome Tier-vane or risk a conflict that could only end one way.
Now both of them need to keep each other alive and maintain a perilous deception long enough to renegotiate the treaty with the Tier-vane, or throw their people into a war that could wipe out Terrans and Inc-Su alike. But there’s more at stake than humanity, whether true or modified. Can the love growing between them save them both? Or merely hasten their destruction?
Available from:
Breathless Press | Smashwords | Bookstrand | All Romance ebooks | Amazon
Print coming 24th March – watch for pre-order at Breathless Press!
Add TETHERED to your Goodreads TBR
She shed the copper dress Visaya had persuaded her into, but guilt poked at her as she stepped out of it. With a little more care than she would have shown her clothing back in Refuge, she gathered up the garment and draped it over the back of a plush, plum-colored sofa that curved around one corner of the room. The white silken shift she wore underneath clung around her torso and hips, but left her limbs free. Swaying to the music, she pulled the pins and clasps that bound her hair, releasing it one braid at a time. With each loosened and the soothing rhythms, her tension eased. She could do this. It wouldn’t be so hard.
The last braid fell and she massaged her scalp, breathing out a thankful sigh. The music wrapped around her like cammer, a mild tranquilizing drug favored by some rhythmic trancers. She’d taken it a time or three while waiting on a target, though their use was forbidden in Refuge.
Warmth flowed through her body, and all her concerns seemed to wash away. This would be easy. She twirled beneath the bubbles of light, submerging into the pulsing beat of the song. It filled her thoughts, blanked all her worries. The music possessed her, moved her body without her conscious control. Her arms lifted of their own volition. Colored light glided over her vision, and the room seemed to vanish. She giggled as she floated.
But I haven’t Misted out, she thought suddenly, with a faint twinge of alarm at the strange euphoria that filled her. She couldn’t feel her body, only a heated glow and the racing pulse of her heart in time with the music.
She tried to draw breath, panic coming in a cold sweat and a convulsive jerk of her body. The floor smacked into her side and pain crashed into her skull. She lay on the carpet, her limbs twitching spasmodically and her throat closed tight. The rhythm of the music spiked into her mind, agony piercing her body.
Drugged!
But how? She fought to pull in air but nothing responded. She tried to move her arm and it jerked, not fully under her control. Her vision shifted in a sickening lurch that tossed and turned the features of the room in a miasmic swirl. Light and music continued to play over her skin, hypnotic in their intensity.
No!
The paralysis deepened, and yet her body juddered as she went into a spasm.
The ring.
She needed to squeeze the ring.
Her hand twitched; the circle of silver a gleam of hope. She tried to crush it between her fingers, but they’d gone numb, all sensation a vague and distant thing.
Suffocating, heart pounding, she couldn’t even manage a whimper as darkness swamped her mind and blackened her vision.
After spending twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay is now a stay-at-home mum who writes scifi and the supernatural. Somewhere along the way a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moment playing guitar very badly, punishing herself with freestyle street dance, and studying the Dark Side of the Force. Although happily settled in the historical town of Colchester in the UK with her husband of 21 years and three little monsters, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.
Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade, blogging at Spacefreighters Lounge, Adventures in Scifi, and Romancing the Genres. Her works include YA and adult stories crossing a multitude of subgenres from scifi to the paranormal, often with romance, and she’s one of eight authors included in a science fiction romance anthology—Tales from the SFR Brigade. She’s also a double SFR Galaxy Award winner, been a finalist in the Heart of Denver RWA Aspen Gold Contest (3rd place), the EPIC eBook awards, and the GCC RWA Silken Sands Star Awards (2nd place).
You can stalk her at her website, or at her blog, but without doubt her favorite place to hang around and chat is on Twitter as @pippajaygreen.
Sign up to her no-spam newsletter to get updated on Pippa’s latest releases, giveaways and special offers. Exclusive snippets and stories coming soon! http://pippajay.blogspot.co.uk/p/newsletter-signup.html
Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+ | Wattpad | Amazon page
March FB chats with author Jessica E. Subject
Hello all! This month I’ll be participating in four Facebook chats. So, mark your calenders and come ready to chat. If you want an invitation to any of these chats, just leave a message below, or DM me on Facebook.
March 3 – Dark Tales Diaries Audiobook Party
I’m helping London Saint James celebrate her latest audiobook release, and I’ll be talking about mine as well, with some giveaways.
My time slot is 10 AM to 11 AM EST
March 8 – Meet the Authors of Romance Eh? Canadian Style
Most of the Romance Eh? authors will be attending Romancing the Capital in April. But, if you cannot join us, or would like to chat with us online before meeting us in person, come join in the fun. There will be some event giveaways.
My time slot is 12 PM to 1PM EST
March 25 – Beyond Fairytales Author chat
Join me and some of the other Beyond Fairytales authors for a fun chat. More details to follow.
April 1 – 1Night Stand Author chat
Join me on release day for HER ALIEN HERO, as I’m joined with other 1Night Stand authors for all kinds of fun. More details to follow.
February 28, 2015
In danger of a spanking. Or, what happens when @AnastasiaVitsky and I get together…
Hello all! I had a really great time being interviewed by Anastasia Vitsky today about my new release. Things may have gotten a little out of hand, but don’t worry, Ana always comes prepared with a wooden spoon.
You can find the interview here: https://governingana.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/spanking-androids-wooden-spoons-rebels-and-more/
Oh, and check out her titles while you’re there. It’s her birthday tomorrow, the same day as her new release, Mistress on Her Knees.
February 27, 2015
A private moment ~ #MySexySaturday from THE COMPLETE UNDERGROUND SERIES #MMromamce #99cents
Hello peeps! It’s the 81st 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…
MY SEXY ADDICTION
Here’s seven from NEVER GONNA SAY GOODBYE, an M/M futuristic dystopian romance, which is the third story in my new box set release.
Set-up: The rebels are about to attack, but the leader and his lover take a much needed break. They have spent many months apart, with Tim gathering information from inside the corporation. Now they will spend a very hot and private moment together.
Will twisted around, grasping his hands. “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Everything will happen exactly as we’ve planned. In the evening, we’ll be celebrating again. Our victory.” He wrapped his arms around Tim, kissing his hard lips. A moan escaped, hunger rushing through his veins.
“But let’s forget about that for tonight.” He needed to be reminded of his purpose for fighting, too. Freedom. Freedom for the people, and freedom to love whomever he wanted.
Tim stroked the front of his pants. He hardened under his touch, aching with need. Bulge pressing against an open palm, Will craved the warm physique of his lover. So much time had passed since they’d last been intimate. Even with Tim’s return from Airondelle as their medic three days earlier, they’d had no time alone, due to their hasty preparations to attack Planet Core. His intense longing left him vulnerable, thinking unclearly. He needed a release to purge his mind, regain focus. And by the hard lines on his lover’s face, so did Tim.
Gripping the edges of the cotton material, he pulled the medic’s tunic over his head and untied the rope holding his pants up, releasing his thick sex. A deep grunt echoed through the room. He ran his hands down Tim’s strong arms, across the hardened planes of his chest. A figure any man would be jealous of, and one he never wanted to stop touching. “God, I’ve missed you.”
Pressing against his lush mouth, he sucked in his bottom lip. Tim’s erection pushed on his own. Sweet heavens. He longed to spin him around, shove him against the wall, and fuck him until he burst. Instead, he dropped to his knees and gripped his lover’s cock, running his thumb along the slick slit.
Tim quivered under his touch. “And I’ve missed you, too.” He leaned back, thrusting his stiff dick toward him.
Teasing his swollen head with his tongue, Will tasted his lover’s salty fluid. A flavor he could never get enough of. And after they took down Planet Core the next day, he could have his fill whenever he wanted. He wouldn’t have to hide his love for another man.
~ About THE COMPLETE UNDERGROUND SERIES ~
In the future…
The corporation Planet Core holds all of the power. They place restrictions on the lives of those living within their boundaries, including who they can love. And there is no escape.
Deception runs deep…
The rebel group, calling themselves The Underground, is disputing the corporation’s leadership. With the desire for freedom, they will fight.
And betrayal can come from anyone…
Will the rebels defeat Planet Core, or end up fighting for their lives?
Only 99¢ from:
Amazon US | UK | Canada | Australia | Germany
Decadent | All Romance | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo
For more My Sexy Saturday postings, check out the participants’ list here.
The Rebels from THE COMPLETE UNDERGROUND SERIES are on tour! #boxset #99cents
Hello! My box set containing all three of The Underground stories released this past Tuesday, and today it’s on tour. I’m visiting several wonderful authors and taking Melinda, Calla, Erik, Brook, Will, and Tim along with me. Read more about them in excerpts and learn some insider secrets about the series.
Here are the authors I’m visiting today…
Sara Daniel
London Saint James
Cara Bristol
Pippa Jay
Tara Quan
Gina Wynn
Thea Landen
Erotic Romance News
Kacey Hammell
Lea Bronsen
Hawt Reads & Dirty Talk
V.S. Morgan
February 25, 2015
Secrets can reveal the deadliest of truths ~ THE HIDDEN LIBRARY by Heather Lyons @HYMHeather
THE HIDDEN LIBRARYby Heather Lyons
Sometimes, the rabbit hole is deeper than expected . . .
Alice Reeve and Finn Van Brunt have tumbled into a life of secrets. Some secrets they share, such as their employment by the clandestine organization known as The Collectors’ Society. Other secrets they carry within them, fighting to keep buried the things that could change everything they think they know.
On the hunt for an elusive villain who is hell-bent on destroying legacies, Alice, Finn, and the rest of the Society are desperate to unravel the mysteries surrounding them. But the farther they spiral down this rabbit hole, the deeper they fall into secrets that will test their loyalties and pit them against enemies both new and old.
Secrets, they come to find, can reveal the deadliest of truths.
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo
THE HIDDEN LIBRARY on Goodreads
Don’t miss the first book in this series, THE COLLECTORS’ SOCIETY!
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo
We are about to open the conference room door and enter the hallway when he stops. He turns to me, his lovely eyes achingly sincere. “I want to take you on a date when all of this craziness is over. A real one. We’ve kind of gone about this all backwards, haven’t we?”
One corner of my mouth lifts up. “Are you saying you’d like to court me?”
There is no playfulness to his face, no quirk to his own lips. My heart flutters at his seriousness. “Yes.”
He wants to court me.
Too many emotions rush around in a caucus race throughout my body. I have no doubts of Huckleberry Finn Van Brunt’s feelings toward me. I understood them two minutes ago just as well as I did this morning when I woke up and from the night before and from the day in Wonderland where he said, in not so many words, that he was falling in love with me.
I told him he was my north star, and meant it. He countered we are binaries.
He and I . . . We’ve never said those words, though, not the ones that truly spell out fragile, deep secrets of a heart and soul. Words so easily and yet unfortunately uttered by many, be it to express their appreciation of fried bits of potatoes to sports teams on the television. Words offered so frivolously about a variety of subjects and yet can be the most difficult, most painful, most meaningful, most cherished syllables we gift another person.
I have said these words before, to another man. Another man I still love. One I know, in the deepest confines of my heart, that I will love until the last breath escapes my body. A man who courted me in secret and then publicly in the face of astonishment, disapproval, confusion, and, in the end, prophesies.
I have willingly given the man in front of me my heart, though, whether he knows it or not. He now holds it in his hands, and while I pray he is my future, there is still a part of me that bucks in conflicted confusion and delight by this declaration of his.
He wants to court me.
And yet, as sweet and romantic as such a gesture might be, I require no such formalities. My affections for Finn Van Brunt have already solidified into something real and wonderful and meaningful.
Heather Lyons writes epic, heartfelt love stories and has always had a thing for words. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.
Website: http://www.heatherlyons.net
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/heatherlyons
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hymheather
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherlyonsbooks
February 24, 2015
Sexy Dragon Shifters & Heartwarming Romance in @KaliWillow’s DOUBLE DRAGON’S BLOOD
DOUBLE DRAGON’S BLOODby Kali Willows
Print Length: 222 pages
Publisher:Decadent Publishing (February 10, 2015)
Hidden within the pages of this anthology, are the impassioned journeys of four separate, erotic, urban fantasies. All are connected by the mystifying ancestry of descendants of the dragon. Two star-crossed lovers are torn apart after a single night of passion ends in tragedy, a three-way tryst that becomes a life or death ordeal, a jilted love triangle in an exotic land, a centuries old curse and ancient lineage that haunts a blood line for generations to come.
The Double Dragon’s Blood Series comes jam packed with tantalizing sex, riveting action and heart warming romance. Inspired by continuous requests of fans, Kali Willows has brought together her best selling stories of her delicious dragon twins and other sensational characters in one complete collection for you to indulge in. With the mysterious match making skills of Madame Evangeline and her 1Night Stand service, explore how it all began and unravelled for our dragon heroes and heroines.
Dragon’s Bond
In 1952, it’s not proper for a woman to chase after a man, but Lien Long is no ordinary woman. Shattered by his abandonment after their single night of passion ends in tragedy, she travels from a life of sexual servitude in Shanghai to San Francisco to chase her career, her dreams, and her one true love. Armed with new knowledge of her dark lineage and at the encouragement of a colleague, she enlists the help of Madame Eve to arrange a 1Night Stand, in hopes to find her way into the arms of her soul mate once more.
Cursed with an ancient legacy he knew nothing about, Shen Li flees to San Francisco after the devastating death of his twin brother. Tormented by the guilt and shame of his indulgence in lust and his longing he cannot diminish for his beloved, he accepts the advice of his mentor and boss, to contact the 1Night Stand services. He seeks an escape of passion to release his sins of the past and move on with his life. What awaits Shen is eye-opening truth about the life he had forsaken. Will he find the night of fiery paradise he hopes for?
Double Dragon Seduction
Gwen Trembley is disturbed by the upcoming wedding of her reprehensible ex, and coping with her emerging fiery talent. Gwen seeks the services of 1NS for a night where new carnal knowledge will revive her damaged soul. Madame Eve has the perfect arrangements, but perhaps twice what she bargained for.
Twin brothers Tatsu and Yong Li, are in desperate need of a unique woman who can accept them as inseparable. They carry not one, but two secrets. These exotic brothers can’t be with just any woman, and if Gwen is willing to try, she will face the most passionate, lust-filled night of her life, but will she survive? Will they? 1NS finds a match they never expected possible.
Dragon Temptation
Cindy Dunham has become sexually emaciated, after a long dry spell and no prospect of romance in her near future. With her best friend’s upcoming wedding, loneliness is taking the lead, and she is starving for erotic rhapsody. The prospect of a blind date for the nuptials is embarrassing, but a necessary evil. The match Madame Evangeline finds for her leaves her reeling with conflict and jealousy. Will she ever get her carnal hunger gratified?
Yong Li, is no longer satisfied being the third wheel in his brother’s love life. Desperate to branch out and have an experience all his own, he is fraught with his ancient affliction that runs interference with the prospect of any normal relationship. Having had a life altering 1Night Stand before, he seeks the help of his old friend, Madame Eve to find a new mate just for him.
Dragon’s Breath
Eternal suffering is the fate dealt to Roark Blackwell. A fierce protector under a curse, he longs for a woman can never have. By day, a hideous stone creature, and by night, a flesh and blood immortal, starving for the touch of a single woman. After centuries of torment, he takes his destiny into his own hands and seeks the help of Madame Evangeline. For a single night, he wants to feed his carnal cravings, but what happens when morning comes?
Living dangerously comes second nature to Kaida Lee. Struggling with her dark sexual appetite, her fiery temper and her ancient lineage makes finding an ideal match impossible. A descendent of the dragon, she has a genetic burden that no mere mortal could withstand. Having two cousins succeed in romance with the aid of their friend Madame Eve, she seeks satisfaction through the services of 1Night Stand.
Available from:
Decadent Publishing | iBooks | Amazon | Kobo | Google Play
About the author
When Kali Willows isn’t busy being the married mother of two, certified trainer or consellor extraordinairre, she is shadowing worlds of paranormal passion & intrigue.
Her goal in life? She has many, but her writing goal is creating emotional, compelling stories and characters you can’t help but love, hate and cheer for.
A good cup of tea with the crackling fire gets her creative juices flowing in the wee hours of the night, when the house is quiet and she can type away to her heart’s desire.
Follow Kali at any below links
Twitter – @kaliwillows
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kali.willows
Website – http://www.kaliwillows.com
A War That Determines the Destiny of Galaxies ~ THE CHALICE OF KARI by @CahiraODonnell
THE CHALICE OF KARIThe Daguronian Chronicles Book One
by Cahira O’Donnell
Better to Die
Exploited by the government for her psychic gifts, Kahara Mitchell has unwittingly been trained as a deadly assassin. Unwilling to be used to kill innocents, she goes AWOL until her journey ends with her dying – buried under rubble in the wake of a tsunami. At her darkest hour, Lords Rom and Rah Andor, mirror twins from another galaxy rescue her – taking her to their intergalactic fleet where they heal and court her, determined to make her their own.
To Die For
Karinian Lords, Rom and Rah Andor are the co-ruling kings of the entire Daguronian Sector. They have waited over nine hundred years to find their destined mate. Now the two gigantic alien warriors must win Kahara’s love and willingness to bond, or die trying. Conspiracies abound to sabotage the triad union in an attempt to destroy the brothers and take down House Kari.
The Mission
The royal triad is prophesized to be the powerful force uncovering an ancient exploitive system that has driven many races to near extinction. But to do so, the protective brothers must allow their beloved mate to endanger herself as she uses her gifts fighting by their side in a war that determines the destiny of galaxies.
Available from Amazon
She looked around the large sterile room, noticing a raised metal platform with a man lying on it, covered with a sheet. Hearing her arrival, he turned his face toward her and pinned her with molten silver eyes.
“Lady, you have come to me,” Rom rasped.
“Rom! Are you sick?” Kahara rushed over to him in concern.
He did not answer, silently drinking in the sight of her.
At the side of the platform, she put her hand on his forehead to find him burning with fever. He shook under her touch. Looking around in desperation, she noticed a pitcher of water and a glass on a side table.
“Are you thirsty?”
Rom nodded slowly, never taking his eyes from her. “Can you hold your own glass?” A slow shake of his head her only answer. “Can I touch you to help you take a drink?”
Rom’s grey eyes turned to molten silver and his nostrils flared with a quick intake of breath. A muscle in his jaw tightened visibly, his entire body becoming rigid, yet he remained still. His steely gaze never left her eyes, as if he could reach inside her soul.
Oh no, now she had done it. She had pissed him off. She tried not to let his rejection hurt, as she stepped back from the platform, giving him space.
“You may touch me any way you like,” he surprised her by saying.
His words, softly spoken in his accented, smoke and whisky voice, were so at odds with his body language, Kahara took another step back.
“Kahara, never fear me. You must know I would cut off my own hand rather than harm you in any way.”
Uncomfortable with his mixed message and embarrassed by her cowardly retreat, she changed subjects.
“Are you ill?”
“No”
“Then why are you in bed?”
“It is not a bed, it is a restraining platform.”
The hair rose on the back of Kahara’s neck at his words. She had to know. She approached him slowly.
His nostrils flared as if taking in the scent of her. She carefully reached up, pulling the blanket to his waist, and was greeted with a view of his bare, muscled chest. The unexpected sight of his bronze skin made her weak in the knees. Undressed and lying down, he appeared even more massive.
Seven feet of prone, honed warrior was a formidable sight. His arms were straight down by his sides, biceps bulging, while his wrists and hands were still covered by the now tented blanket.
Careful to not touch him or uncover anything vital, she lifted the side of the blanket to see his wrist and hand. As she had feared, he was restrained to a metal platform.
Having been brought up overseas and living with local families in many cultures, Cahira O’Donnell has a rich history to draw upon. Throughout her life and her travels she has been a dedicated student of shamanism and an explorer of the esoteric realms. Being psychic herself, Cahira’s real-life experiences with the supernatural infuses her paranormal romance writing with profound accuracy.
Armed with her history, combined with a degree in Psychology and a deep understanding of human nature, Cahira creates stories that are engaging, dynamic, realistic and boldly erotic.
Cahira now lives in the beautiful mountains of Colorado where she enjoys a quiet home, beautiful scenery and immersing herself in the art of storytelling.
To learn more about Cahira and her novels visit: www.cahiraodonnell.com.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Dark River Publishing Facebook
February 23, 2015
It’s Release Day! THE COMPLETE UNDERGROUND SERIES is available for #99cents! #boxset
This series started many years ago in my high school Science Fiction English class. I didn’t expect it to become a series when I decided to expand on what I’d written all those years ago, but in writing the first story, I knew it had to continue the rebels fight against the corporation, and the love story between many of the characters.
I hope you’ll check out THE COMPLETE UNDERGROUND SERIES…
In the future…
The corporation Planet Core holds all of the power. They place restrictions on the lives of those living within their boundaries, including who they can love. And there is no escape.
Deception runs deep…
The rebel group, calling themselves The Underground, is disputing the corporation’s leadership. With the desire for freedom, they will fight.
And betrayal can come from anyone…
Will the rebels defeat Planet Core, or end up fighting for their lives?
Includes:
Never Gonna Let You Go – #1 Amazon UK Bestseller in the Gay & Lesbian Literary Criticism category, an All Romance eBooks Bestseller in the Lesbian Romance category, and Received Honorable Mention in the Science Fiction/Futuristic/Dystopian category for the LR Cafe Best Of 2012 Awards.
Never Gonna Desert You – An All Romance eBooks Bestseller in the Lesbian Romance category.
Never Gonna Say Goodbye – Winner of Best Science Fiction/Futuristic Book in the LR Cafe Best Of 2013 Awards.
Get the Box Set for only 99¢ USD!
Decadent Publishing | All Romance | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo
Amazon US | UK | Canada | Germany
Enjoy an excerpt from the first story in the series, Never Gonna Let You Go…
When the glide arrived at her stop, she stepped off with a swell of other riders. She crossed the asphalt road, once used for gas-powered vehicles, and took a deep breath. I’m finally home. Sliding her card to gain access to the secure building, her heart raced in anticipation. She needed to be with Erik, find out the truth, and reunite with the man she loved. However, her apartment door didn’t open.
“Access denied,” the robotic female voice rang out.
What? She tried again with the same result. Sliding the card faster or slower didn’t make a difference. She couldn’t get into her apartment building.
“Please vacate the area. Authorities have been notified.”
Calla’s stomach twisted. Her throat tightened. Was this Malock’s doing?
She pulled out her communicator and contacted the building manager. “Taylor, it’s Calla Jacobs. My card won’t work in the reader. Can you please open the door for me?”
He grimaced at her. “I’m sorry, Jacobs, but I’m under strict orders not to let you into the building. Your apartment has already been assigned to another employee, and your belongings were taken a week ago to Planet Core.” He disconnected, leaving her to stare at a blank screen.
A week ago? Malock had planned her demise before she’d even left for Airondelle? Tears threatened to fall. She wiped them away. With PC cameras all over the city, she imagined he watched her and laughed. She stood tall, not letting him get to her.
Although she had no possessions, no place to live, she could still live a happy life with Erik. But where was he if not at her apartment? After they’d decided to return to being friends, he’d moved to Planet Core claiming she would be too much of a temptation for him if they continued living together.
She dialed his communicator, hoping he’d be nearby. When he failed to answer, not once, but five times within ten minutes, Calla lost hope. Malock had ruined her as he’d threatened. She had nothing left. Her only option was to return home to her parents. A glide could get her there by nightfall.
She squashed that irrational thought. No! She’d rather live in the rumored underground cities than go crawling back to the two people who’d admitted they’d only had her to gain status in the business world. She couldn’t go back there. She’d rather take her chances and return to Planet Core.
Sirens hauled her back from her thoughts. A police hover bike flew past her and ground to a halt. Glancing in her direction, the officer pointed at her.
I haven’t done anything wrong!
When the bike circled toward her, she ran—her first instinct. Malock knew too many people, and he’d reminded his recruits every day when he’d dropped in on their training. She hadn’t realized how those words would affect her until now.
The siren on the bike screamed behind her. She motioned to cross at the intersection where people and hover vehicles waited for the lights to change. But instead, she spun around the corner, hoping to throw off the officer. She peered over her shoulder to see if the bike followed her, and smacked into what felt like a brick wall. Landing on her ass, she stared up at the mountain of a man before her.
The guard from Planet Core.
She crab-walked backward across the concrete sidewalk. Hopping onto her feet, she fled back onto the main street. She traveled the way she’d come, unsure if anywhere would be safe. No one could escape the cameras.
Hurrying past her building, she spotted the hover bike reflected in its dark glass walls. The siren had been turned off, and the officer was almost on her. She scanned her surroundings for an escape route. Similar glass buildings lined the next few blocks, all owned by Planet Core. She couldn’t get into any of them now, and there was no place she could hide.
Her lungs ached from running. Maybe she should surrender. What then? I’ll be killed.
“Stop!” The officer on the bike rocketed in front of her.
At the same time, something grabbed her arm and yanked her into darkness. A cloth slammed over her mouth, muffling her cry. Shit! Things just went from bad to worse.
