Lacey Wolfe's Blog, page 5

July 22, 2015

A Hint of Heaven by Nola Cross #giveaway #psychicseductions

PictureNola Cross
“Small town…big love.”

When it comes to love, sex, and seduction, these psychics break all the rules. Seven sexy stories and seven gifts of insight that will make you a believer.

What Drew You In...

 Ever since I was a small child I’ve been fascinated by “the unseen”. Fortune tellers, palm readers and Tarot card experts all seemed so exotic to me, so blessed to have access to secret knowledge that no one else could know. As an adult I was drawn to recounts of near-death experiences, and the TV show Long Island Medium. My son and I even did a few ghost hunts in our small home town. 

 All of this type of thing captivates my imagination, but for some reason I had never tried writing a story about it. But when Beachwalk Press announced they were going to publish a psychic themed anthology, I felt a definite nudge in that direction. For A HINT OF HEAVEN , I decided to see if I could combine my love of animals with the reading techniques used by Theresa Caputo, the Long Island Medium. Therefore, the heroine of the story, Carrie Westfield, helps people connect with pets who have crossed over. Of course then I needed to create an alpha hero who thinks initially that Carrie has a few screws loose. The natural conflict between them keeps things interesting from their first encounter. I hope readers will enjoy looking on as they work things out in a most satisfying way.

Picture
Firefighter Jake Manley is a no-nonsense kind of guy. So when his little sister goes to see pet psychic Carrie Westfield, he lets the beautiful medium know he’s got a watchful eye on her. But somehow she does seem to know more than she should, including painful secrets from his past. When the helpful spirit of his boyhood dog shows up, things get even stranger, making him question everything he thought was true. Can Jake accept that life doesn’t end with death and let go of the guilt he’s carried all these years? More importantly, can he let Carrie Westfield into his heart? 

Beachwalk Press - Amazon - NookNola Cross Picture I’ve always, always wanted to be a writer. It’s both funny and sad how “real life” has gotten in the way of those dreams. It’s only in recent years that I’ve consistently carved out the time and energy to get any serious writing done. Now I am hearing the call of my heart: to write bigger stories that focus on emotion, loss, spirit, and true love, stories I hope my readers will relate to and want to read more than once. Small town America is my favorite fictional setting.

 I live in a funky, comfortable fixer-upper on three wooded acres in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, in southwest Washington state. My husband and I run a family business together in a small town nearby, a town very similar to the ones I write about. Our younger son works with us too. At home, four fine cats and a collie dog act as my muses. And three years ago we welcomed our first grandchild, darling Ona Mae. I am truly blessed!

I love to connect with my readers and other authors. Please feel free to email me at nolacross@gmail.com, or friend me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/nola.cross I also invite you to check out my website: http://www.nolacross.com 

The GivawayThe authors of Psychic Seductions are giving away 2 $20 Amazon Gift Cards to celebrate the release of this spectacular collection. 

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Published on July 22, 2015 05:34

July 21, 2015

Psychic Set-Up by Lacey Wolfe #giveaway #psychicseductions

PictureWhen it comes to love, sex, and seduction, these psychics break all the rules. Seven sexy stories and seven gifts of insight that will make you a believer.
 
Psychic Seductions is a fun and sexy anthology about people with psychic abilities. My story is titled Psychic Set-Up and features a woman named Willow who can read auras. She used her aura readings to play match maker. This story was a lot of fun to write and I really enjoyed the research that went along with learning about all the different auras and how they can even be used with illness.

What Drew Me In... 

I was intrigued by the idea of the Psychic Anthology because I’ve not yet tried the genre paranormal. As a writer, it's fun to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. This anthology did that for me.
Picture
During a drunken night of self-wallowing over his failed love life, Parker Evans wanders into Psychic Set-Up to see what a matchmaking psychic can do for him. But once he meets the luscious psychic he's not interested in anyone else.

Willow Webb is an aura reader who plays matchmaker for a living. While she has tremendous success matching up others, her own love life is nonexistent. Men aren't able to handle being involved with a woman who can read their every emotion. But she finds herself drawn to her handsome new client. When it comes time to match him up, will she do her job or keep him for herself?

Beachwalk Press - Amazon - Nook Picture ExcerptThe door to Willow's home opened and she greeted him with a smile. Parker's gaze traveled over her body, taking in the turquoise dress she wore. It cinched in tightly at her waist, but was loose everywhere else. He itched to peel it off. He was addicted to this woman, and her kiss had put a spell on him. Yet she had no idea.

"What brings you by?" Willow asked. "Did you get a chance to look at Brandy's profile?"

He followed her in. "She's not right for me."

She stopped and turned to him, then pointed at a chair in the living room. "Can I get you coffee?"

"I'm good."

She sat in what looked like her usual spot with all the things around it. "How come you didn't like Brandy?"

She wasn't you, but he wasn't about to say that. "I don't like the name."

She raised an eyebrow. "I never thought you would be someone who judged a person by their name. Any other names you dislike?"

"It isn't really about the name. Look, I'm not cashing the check you sent. I asked you to find me a woman, and you did."

She lifted her mug. "Not one you like yet."

"You."

She froze a moment then lowered the mug. "Parker, I'm not an option."

"Why?"

"I don't date."

"Why?"

She groaned. "I just don't. Could you imagine being my boyfriend?"

He could. As he glanced around her tiny space, he could see them making breakfast together in the kitchen on Saturday mornings. Spending Friday nights on the couch, cuddled up together watching their weekly shows off the DVR.

"And how frustrating it would be for me to see your aura. You'd never be able to hide anything from me," she added.

"I have nothing to hide. I'm an open book. That's how relationships are supposed to be."

"Plus." She rubbed her thighs. "You just got out of a relationship. I don't want to be your rebound girl."

Since meeting Willow, his ex and friend were a thing of the past. It felt like it happened years ago, not two weeks ago. That's what she did for him—healed his heart. "You wouldn't be. I don't even believe in rebound stuff. I believe in fate, and I would think you do too."

She clasped her hands together. "Yes, fate is something I believe in."

"All right then. I believe I walked into your shop to meet you."

"Parker, you can't say things like that to me."

"Why not?"

 She rubbed her forehead. "Because I can't handle it. I've not been with a man in years. A relationship even longer. No one has shown any interest in me, until you."

About MeLacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. Her goal as an author is to have a romance for everyone, whether it’s sweet, sensual, or spicy. She’s had several books on the Amazon best seller lists. When she isn’t writing, she can be found running, talking to her pets, spending time with her family, or lost in some sort of craft. Oh, and she takes kindly to anyone who feeds her cookies.


Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter, their herd of cats and one black lab who rules the house.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AuthorLaceyWolfe
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/LaceyWolfe


The GiveawayThe authors of Psychic Seductions are giving away 2 $20 Amazon Gift Cards to celebrate the release of this spectacular collection. 

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Published on July 21, 2015 04:17

July 20, 2015

Indigo Stars by Stephanie Beck #giveaway #psychicseductions

PictureStephanie Beck
Sweetening the Edge of Romance.


I never thought I’d write a love story featuring psychics, but when Beachwalk Press puts out a call, I want to be part of it!

What Drew Me In?

I’m not a psychic follower. I don’t do my horoscope, don’t watch shows about them...really the psychic phenomenon rarely, if ever, pops on my radar. However, when the Psychic Seductions call went out at Beachwalk, I started thinking. What a challenge to have psychic abilities and also trust people—knowing their nature and judgment. Then Indigo Bravo came to mind, and with a name like that, she had to have something extra special.

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Indigo's ability to create light with her mind was always a fun parlor trick, but since her cancer diagnosis, the parlor has closed for business. On the brink of major health failure, she can't help but wonder when her good luck ran out.

Dr. Lee Russell believes in healing by any means necessary. He uses his psychic powers in special cases when modern medicine just can't help. Indigo's case is special. She's like him, yet she wastes her gift creating stars. He heals her, but doesn't expect much, not until he gets sick himself and only Indy's touch can ease his pain. He's never seen himself as anything more than a healer, but to save his own life, Lee will have to mentor Indigo to reach beyond the stars and use her gift in ways she never imagined.

Picture Even before she understood what all the thrusting meant, Stephanie Beck loved reading romance. When the stories didn't end the way she wanted, writing her own was the perfect solution. From ridiculous humor to erotica, Stephanie loves being transported within a story. When she's not elbow deep in words, her husband and three children command her attention. After they are sleeping she knits or bakes cookies…or squeezes in more writing.

Stay connected!
www.stephaniebeck.net
Facebook
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Available for .99 for a limited time only!

Beachwalk Press - Amazon - Nook

The GiveawayThe authors of the Psychic Seductions Anthology are giving away two $20 Amazon Gift Cards to celebrate our exciting release. Sign up via Rafflecopter.

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Published on July 20, 2015 04:55

July 15, 2015

Summer blues...

My kids have just over 3 weeks until they return to school. August 10th will be here before I know it. When they first were on summer break, it didn't feel real. Like, they are going to be home with me each day, this isn't real. Last school year flew by. When I look back at those months of them at school and me working, it seems like a blur. Then when I think about this summer, for the most part, it's gone by quick. Is that life? Just shoots by, hold on, or else you'll miss out?

I do enjoy the kids home for the most part. They don't bug me a whole lot. They are older. My son will be 11 on August 2nd, so I guess I could say he's basically 11, right? And my daughter is 8. Since I'm talking birthdays, hers is December 12th, so she's 8 1/2. We are a lazy bunch in the mornings. I usually wake-up a little after 7, but I don't get out of bed until 8 or after. I have my tea and then we just all chill together for an hour before we begin to move and act like living things. We begin our chores, because if we don't do them first thing, we'll just stay lazy. Our afternoons are spent at the pool a few days a week. Picture Picture So it's a little sad that in a blink of an eye, they will be getting on the school bus and heading back to school. I totally miss them the first few days and mope, I admit it. I get sad and wait for them to get home. I stand at the front door like my dog, watching for the bus to bring them home.

This year, the son goes to middle school. I have two buses to look for.

The next few weeks, I hope to give my kids a good time. Build some memories with them and give them stories to tell when they return to school.

How is your summer going? When do the kids return to school in your area?
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Published on July 15, 2015 10:37

July 9, 2015

#Giveaway - Psychic Seductions, coming soon...  

When it comes to love, sex, and seduction, these psychics break all the rules. Seven sexy stories and seven gifts of insight that will make you a believer.The Psychic Seductions anthology will be releasing soon! July 20th, 2015 is the official release date, and I'm giving away 10 Amazon copies of the book which I will have sent through Amazon on release day! This anthology is packed full of psychic goodness from some fabulous Beachwalk Press authors. My story, Psychic Set-Up will be a part of this bundle.Picture
During a drunken night of self-wallowing over his failed love life, Parker Evans wanders into Psychic Set-Up to see what a matchmaking psychic can do for him. But once he meets the luscious psychic he's not interested in anyone else.

Willow Webb is an aura reader who plays matchmaker for a living. While she has tremendous success matching up others, her own love life is nonexistent. Men aren't able to handle being involved with a woman who can read their every emotion. But she finds herself drawn to her handsome new client. When it comes time to match him up, will she do her job or keep him for herself?

To read about all the books, click HERE to visit Beachwalk Press and read all the blurbs.
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Published on July 09, 2015 07:45

June 5, 2015

My predictions for Married At First Sight season 2

Picture I can't believe I haven't blogged yet about this season of Married At First Sight. If you are friends with me on Facebook, then you know I'm obsessed with this show. I loved season 1 and I guessed right on all 3 couples on who would stick it out and stay married. However, this season, I'm on the fence.

I started this season out not sure if I liked it, but I kept watching because I feared I was just in love with the first season couples so much, it was hard to watch the new couples. As time went on, the couple I disliked the most became my favorite (and they better stay together!)

So... my favorite couple is... Picture Jacklyn and Ryan!

Oh my gosh, I didn't not like Jacklyn in the beginning. I felt like she was trying to be like Jamie and talk about how Ryan wasn't attractive, when he was. God, this man was so sweet and put up with so much from her, it isn't even funny From her ordering his food and calling him dude. But then she started to fall for him. They did get intimate, but then he took a total 180 and didn't like her anymore. Which, in his defense, she is over the top. She laughs loudly, touches a lot, and is a total pervert in public talking about sex. It probably freaked him out. But he didn't walk away. He was honest with her how he felt and I give him big props for that. And she didn't run. They stopped being intimate and have gone back a few steps, but I can see the love there when they look at each other. They are really cute and I might cry if they split up.

My prediction: They stay together. Picture My second favorite couple is Jess and Ryan.

Honestly, I liked them from the beginning. They started out as my favorite before Jacklyn and Ryan swooped in. They have done the most growth in the experiment in my opinion. Ryan had a hot temper to start and was just mean about things. And Jess just shut down because when she did try to talk, he'd not let her. I hope he watches those episodes and realizes the mistakes he's made. Even without watching them, he's grown a lot. This couple started out having sex on the wedding night and I think they've been intimate the whole time.

I really like Jess and Ryan, but I'm not sure they are right for one another. I like each of them as people, but not sure they'd make it in the long run if they stick together. They are the hardest couple for me to make my prediction on. I'm in the middle. I feel like they might split, but then Jess is so adamant that she doesn't believe in divorce, they might stay together.

My prediction: They stay together. Picture Davina and Sean

They've been my least favorite couple since the beginning. I really disliked how much Sean kissed her over and over and over and over and over after they just met. They made out like crazy on their wedding day and then it just STOPPED. They were never really affectionate again. These two are so independent, they don't know how to be together as a couple. She expects a lot out of a man and isn't really willing to make any sacrifices. He has to live where she wants, or its a deal breaker. Then Sean, he needed to man up and just take her. Not rape, I don't condone that, but she needed him to take control and show her he was an alpha male when it comes to the physical part of the relationship. Instead, he was very whiny and it got annoying. This wasn't the guy for Davina at all. I understand why the experts matched them, but it's just not gonna work out. Even if they decide not to divorce yet, it's just not gonna work. Sean isn't ready because he can't stop thinking about himself. At first I thought it was all Davina, but as the show came to an end last week, I was so angry with him. I really feel marriage and living in New York isn't in his cards yet. His marriage might have worked had he married a woman who was willing to move from New York because he just isn't a New Yorker.

My prediction: They split

Now to wait for Tuesday to get here so I can see if I am right! Have you been watching it?
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Published on June 05, 2015 07:05

May 7, 2015

A new Brookfield series book is on it's way.

Picture Many of my readers' have enjoyed The Brookfield Series, and I've gotten a lot of messages from readers wanting more. Keys To Her Heart was the last story I released. Since then, I've been so caught up in other series. Such as Carver Ranch, The Temp, and Gentleman's Club. 

I was recently asked to be a part of a Christmas boxed set. I'm not a big holiday romance reader, but then I thought why not. After I agreed to be in it, I then needed to create characters and a story. It was then I got a message from another reader, asking if there would be more Brookfield.

*ding*

Yes! Perfect. I can write a story that is written around the holiday season. Not too over the top Christmas, but also continue this great series.   Picture I've always loved this series. It was my first step into being a self-published author. I feel like I have complete control over the series and can make the stories as crazy as I want, and I don't have to fit any certain guidelines.

The stories are on the sweeter, sensual edge. My mom can read this series. :) She won't touch my other stuff.

The new story is untitled at the moment, but will be featuring Bo who we met in Keys To Her Heart. Here is the unedited and rough blurb.
Trixie Turner is on the run from her childhood when she stumbles upon the small town of Brookfield, Wyoming. Surely no one will look for her here.

Bo Higgins, ex run away himself, has straightened his lift out and is currently in the police academy. When he meets Trixie, right away he can see the pain in her eyes. She’s got a secret. That should be a sign for him to avoid her, he’s got enough going on in his life.

The two are drawn to each other, feeling as though only the other one understands who they are.

But Trixie’s secret is exposed, will she find the strength to tell the truth? And can Bo look past the lies she’s had to tell?

I think this one is going to be a fun one to write and I'm hoping my readers' will enjoy it! Thank you to everyone who pushed me to continue this series. As I stated, it was never my intention to "stop" writing it. My writing just took me elsewhere temporarily.  - Lacey
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Published on May 07, 2015 09:44

April 23, 2015

My April Birchbox

Picture I signed for for Birchox. I've never done a subscription box before so thought it would be fun to try. I got some neat little goodies in the box.

My fav is the Forever Pink lipstick from Just Kissed. It's a different color on each person and matches their bodies chemistry. So yes, it's like having the perfect shade lipstick for yourself. I don't wear a lot of lipstick, but I have found myself putting this one before leaving the house on the rare occasion I do.

I also got a new perfume called Yogini by Harvey Prince. I've never been a perfume person, but I do like it. It's very subtle scent that I could actually see myself using before a date night. There was a nice body and face lotion that came called Peace Be Still by TempleSpa. It claims you can use this on your face, but I have yet to. It makes a great lotion. It's suppose to be calming, but I can't confirm if it is. I've never felt calmer using it, but it does smell good.

I got a face peel from Real Chemistry. I've not yet used it. I keep forgetting about it. I can't report how I liked it.

And lastly, I got something called BB Cream for light skin by Supergoop. This was my least favorite product. I applied it on my face. It's like a tinted moisturizer. It felt thick on my face. I will probably use the sample for a concealer, but won't be applying it to my entire face again.

I can't wait to see what is in May's box of samples. Each box is supposed to be tailored to me. I'll update you with May's when it comes.
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Published on April 23, 2015 11:15

Fitness Friday - An Update

Yikes, so it's been awhile since I updated my fitness progress. Sometimes life just takes over. However, fitness is going really well. I'm pleased that I'm still going strong since hopping back on the bandwagon in January. I'm starting to see some amazing results in my body. My weight hasn't changed since February, but I've still had inches melting away. I'm not expecting my weight to drop too much more. I mostly have some toning I need to get done. 

The latest workout program I've been doing is the Brazil Butt Lift. I recently took my 30 day progress photos and was pleased with my booty. It's been lifted a lot and my thighs are looking a lot slimmer. Sorry, folks. I won't be showing those pics since they are my butt. Just trust me when I say that the Brazil Butt Lift is a program that works! Picture I've really been enjoying all the different programs from Beachbody. When I do get a little bored of the workout I am doing, I use their on demand videos and spice things up. I've been enjoyed Turbo Fire on days I need to change my workout. I also recently because  Beachbody coach and have started to help others with their weight loss journey's. That has been so much fun, to be honest, to be there to help someone. Plus, it keeps me accountable. :)

If you're looking for a little accountability, I do have a free accountabilty group. Click HERE to join.

I hope you're having a great Friday. I will do my best to check in much sooner! Picture
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Published on April 23, 2015 05:30

April 13, 2015

The Extraction List by Renee N. Meland

Picture Author Renee N Meland is stopping by today to share a little about her latest release - The Extraction List .
***
When fifteen-year-old Riley Crane finds out her best friend Olivia is being abused at home, she knows just who to turn to… 
Her mother Claire, writer and spokesperson for President Gray's Parental Morality Law. Under this law, Task Force Officers remove children from their homes if their parents do not meet certain guidelines, taking them to government-run boarding schools. 

Once they arrive, supervisors rehabilitate them, turning them into productive members of society. Or at least that was how it was supposed to work... 

Now, after a government official threatens to make Riley the law's latest victim, Riley and Claire must rely on Cain Foley, a gifted killer with a tongue as sharp as the knives he carries, to get them out of America alive. 

Though he slices through men's necks as if they are warm butter, Riley can't seem to keep her cheeks from flushing every time he speaks. But when they stumble upon a deserted boarding school, Riley sees that escaping the country is only part of their problem. 

Together, Riley and Cain figure out that a killer can save a life, and a mother can damn a nation.
Where to get it???? AMAZON Excerpt Sometimes a killer can save a life. In this case that life happened to be mine. I wish I had met him before the whole mess started. Maybe he could have saved more of us.

Maybe he could have saved us all.

I met the man who saved my life exactly one month after he killed his twentieth person. Of course he didn’t call it “murder,” he called it surviving, though sometimes I thought he should try to explain the difference to the people buried in the ground. To me, one label didn’t necessarily cancel out the other.

***

One of my teachers used to say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Trust me, I knew all about it; I called that road “mother.” That teacher never mentioned what the road back was made with. I figured it was because nobody’d ever found one. Hell sort of struck me as a one-way-ticket kind of thing.

The night the Taskforce showed up on our doorstep, my mom screamed. After my brother Aidan’s death, then Dad leaving, hearing her carrying on like a crazy person wasn’t exactly new and different. I didn’t even flinch at first. I figured maybe she was missing my dad all the way to the bottom of a tequila bottle—again.

After a couple minutes though I slammed my copy of Crime and Punishment shut and left my room. I took my sweet time going downstairs to see her, hoping to hold on to the little bit of normal I’d had just seconds earlier. I stopped by the bathroom and grabbed a giant bottle of aspirin. Just in case.

Then I decided I was kidding myself. I knew better. There was no way she wouldn’t need aspirin.

“Riley! Get your stuff! We have to leave right now!” I ducked as Mom greeted me with a scene full of flying paper, jackets, and a few photo albums. They seemed to spin like a paper and plastic tornado, twirling through the air and landing unevenly in a giant duffel bag spread open at her feet. Even in the chaos I paused for a second to wonder how Mom’s hair managed to stay fastened perfectly in place. The image in front of me looked almost ordinary, a beautiful blonde woman in a fitted black skirt, white blouse, and hair pinned back in a bun, with a briefcase resting just inside the door.

Except this woman had thrown half our living room into orbit.

“Mom, what’s going on? What happened?”

Mom grabbed me by the shoulders and stared right into my eyes. “We need to leave right now, okay? I need you to not ask questions and just go pack a bag. You need to just trust me and do what I tell you, okay? And do NOT come downstairs until I say so.” Mom didn’t blink. I remembered the last time she didn’t blink during a whole conversation: When she told me that she and Dad needed to “work on their communication.” I found out later that was Mom-speak for “Dad’s about to abandon us and slam the door for the last time.”

I suddenly wished for the empty tequila bottle.

“You are my life.” Mom kissed my forehead, and I ran up the stairs. I didn’t come down again until I heard the gunshots. At fifteen, I was all too familiar with the sound. A person was never too young to know the snap of a gun anymore. But it was different coming from our house, like a firecracker going off inside my brain.

When I got to the entryway, a pool of blood belonging to a man in a gray suit tried to hold my shoes to the floor. The sticky mess grabbed the soles of my sneakers and smelled like raw steak fresh out of the plastic wrap. I winced as I stepped through it toward my mom. A pink piece of paper rested on top of the pool, slowly flooding with the dark red liquid. Bo, my mom’s best friend, had appeared too. Pistol smoke swirled gently from the tip of his weapon.

It wasn’t the blood, but the paper that made me scream. I felt the color drain from my cheeks, and I wondered if I looked as white as the dead man lying on our floor. “What the hell is going on? Is that pink paper what I think it is?”

Mom ignored my question. I hated being ignored more than anything, especially by her. But since there was a dead body involved, I figured I’d make an exception.

“Oh my GOD—you KILLED him!” Mom screamed, and in all her stick-thin glory started flailing her arms, hitting Bo with the strength of a flightless bird. Her bony fists bounced off his body as if his chest were made of rubber. If it hadn’t been a murder scene, it would have been kind of funny.

“Are you SURE? I saw him push you and I panicked. Maybe he’s just wounded.”

Thank God Bo didn’t panic more often.

Mom took a deep breath and stepped through the blood. She gently picked up the man’s hand and placed two fingers on his wrist. When she released it, her fingertips were stained red. “Yes. He’s dead.” She made a grand gesture, starting at his head and finishing toward his feet. “That’s what dead people look like. What are we going to do?”

My hands shook, partially from fright and partially because no one would tell me why there was a dead guy in the entryway.

Or why he had the pink slip of paper.

Bo grabbed Mom by the shoulders and held her still. “Claire, we’re going to grab Riley and we’re going to get out of here before more people come looking for this guy. I’ll tell you the plan on the way.”

Mom scoffed at him with wide eyes. “Plan? I don’t need your plan. I’m going to go straight to President Gray about this and he’s going to fix it. He has to.”

A twinge of hope rose inside me, working its way up from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. Maybe we wouldn’t have to leave our home after all. Maybe our little visit was just a really complicated, really messy misunderstanding. “Yeah, Mom’s right. I’m sure he’ll fix this. I can’t actually be on the Extraction List, right, Mom?”

“Of course not. There’s no way.”

Mom started toward the door, but Bo stepped in front of her.

“Claire, you saw the paperwork with your own eyes. Gray knows all about this. His signature is there.” He pointed to the guy on the floor. “This guy was going to grab your daughter. We need to go right now.” Bo took Mom by the hand and dragged her out the door.

I hesitated, frozen in the growing pool of red. Sweat broke out on my forehead, and it wasn’t because of the crippling D.C. heat. If I was on the Extraction List, I was supposed to end up like all those other people from my class, the ones who the Taskforce grabbed right from their desks. Those were the ones who disappeared. Since Mom had written the law that the Taskforce was responsible for enforcing, I never thought that I would ever be a target. Politics was all about protecting its stars, and there was no bigger star than my mother.

But that little pink piece of paper could only mean one thing. I forced myself to look down at it. I searched the document, eyes falling on the bottom right corner. It was faded, stretched by the blood into an unnatural shape, but it was there—the President of the United States’ signature.

I grabbed the bag Mom had been trying to pack and zipped it shut. I swung my own bag over my shoulder and followed Mom and Bo out of our house, hoping that I would someday be able to come back. But deep down, I knew we were about to drive away forever.

About the author Picture Renee N. Meland lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two dogs. Her favorite obsessions are Rome, learning new recipes, and exploring the world around her. She is an avid reader of speculative fiction, and believes that telling stories is the best job in the world.

For more about Renee visit her websiteTwitter (@reneenmeland),Goodreads, and Facebook.

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Published on April 13, 2015 05:13