Dariel Raye's Blog, page 5
January 28, 2021
Interview With a Hero – “Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin”
Real estate lawyer, Stephanie Bates, has risen to the top of her field through meticulous sacrifice and goal setting. She has no time for distractions – and that includes pets, messy relationships, and loose ends.Torin DuMont is a forensic scientist who chose the profession to avoid dealing with people as much as possible. Raised by a stepfather who hated him, he’s been forced to live a life of solitude, fueled by anger and distrust. When wolves and shifters start turning up dead, Torin must battle an enemy bent on destroying those he was born to protect. His greatest challenge, however, is Attorney Bates and the surprising affect she has on his heart.
January 20, 2021
Backlist Spotlight “Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin”
Real estate lawyer, Stephanie Bates, has risen to the top of her field through meticulous sacrifice and goal setting. She has no time for distractions – and that includes pets, messy relationships, and loose ends.
Torin DuMont is a forensic scientist who chose the profession to avoid dealing with people as much as possible. Raised by a stepfather who hated him, he’s been forced to live a life of solitude, fueled by anger and distrust. When wolves and shifters start turning up dead, Torin must battle an enemy bent on destroying those he was born to protect. His greatest challenge, however, is Attorney Bates and the surprising affect she has on his heart.
“Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin” ExcerptShe was too tired to argue with the dictator, his unfriendly sister, and their silent, dangerous-looking friends, so she quietly slid into his SUV as soon as he opened the door for her and relaxed against the leather seat. Uneasy about the break-in and the whole situation, she jumped as Torin whipped the seatbelt across her waist and clicked it in place before walking around to the driver seat.“Um, thank you.” She smiled, unable to remember a time when anyone had ever fastened her seatbelt for her before Torin. Even that strange action was oddly comforting. She found herself wondering if he did that for anyone else.She turned toward him, struck by the hard lines of his profile and his broad shoulders. His clothes were worn, a black T-shirt washed nearly dark gray to match his eyes, revealing a sculpted six-pack and fitted blue jeans that hugged a perfect, muscular ass and an impressive front bulge. Steph looked away, embarrassed by the direction her mind kept taking with a man who had shown no interest in her other than responsible concern.She crossed her arms over her breasts. “So…did you get things taken care of?”Torin shook his head once, watching the road. “No.”When he didn’t elaborate, she tried again. “Sounded like it was pretty important. I’m—”“Don’t want to talk about that. You have any neighbors around during the day?”Now it was Steph’s turn to shake her head. “No, not really. I’m pretty sure most of them work.”Torin glanced at her with emotion in his eyes just a moment before he turned back to the road. Was that warmth or pity? It occurred to her that she would have been more than annoyed with anyone else who abruptly changed the subject on her like he’d just done, but somehow she was learning to accept his differences. She realized in the moment that Dr. Torin DuMont could very likely get away with things she wouldn’t tolerate from anyone else.Steph caught herself staring at his hands as he gripped the steering wheel. She couldn’t help imagining them on her body, replaying steamy scenes from her dreams. She took a deep breath and turned to look out of the window, seeking the same mental escape she’d sought the first time she’d been in his SUV.Torin glanced at Steph when they arrived at her apartment, silently commanding her to wait until he opened her door.She took his hand, allowing him to help her out of the SUV. Heat suffused her entire body, an electrical current sizzling along the path from her breasts to her core as soon as she touched him. The intensity of his touch, his very presence, elicited flashes of something wild, uncontrollable.He froze, a nearly inhuman stillness, a slight frown marring his handsome features. He felt something, too, and he didn’t appear to be happy about it.Tasha, Moon, and Sphynx got out of Steph’s car and stepped up behind Torin.It wasn’t until he released her that she realized Torin had been holding her hand while he was standing completely still.Torin reached in the back seat and removed what looked like a medical bag, then glanced at her briefly before walking toward the apartment complex, Sphynx, Moon, and Tasha falling in behind him.“Oh no!” The pitiful moan escaped Steph’s lips as soon as she saw the condition of her apartment again, this time getting a better look at it since the initial shock had worn off. Drawer contents littered the floor, closet doors were open, and cushions were ripped, their stuffing adding to the chaos.Torin touched her hand, eliciting a visceral response, despite the situation. He was donning gloves, and with those gloved hands, he removed something from his bag, then turned to her again. “While we see what we can find, pack what you need.”“Pack? Why? Where am I going?”“You’re coming with me.” He stepped away from her and started dusting every surface, placing items in plastic bags, as if no one would dare ever question his commands. Obviously, in his world, his word was final.“I’m what?”Torin turned toward her again, addressing her as if she was a distraction. “You’re coming with me. I can’t protect you from a distance, and I certainly can’t be in two places at once.”“But I-I can’t just drop everything and go with you.”He made a sweeping motion across the room. “Would you rather stay here? I’m not gonna argue with you, Ms. Bates. You called me. If you want my help, you’ll do as I say, and you’ll do it now. It won’t take us long to sweep your place even in this condition.” His raspy voice seemed to grow even deeper as he spoke barely above a whisper, his demands allowing no argument.Steph rolled her eyes, then headed to her bedroom to start packing. Torin was no diplomat, but he would keep her safe. This was no time to let her pride get her killed. The sight greeting her as she stepped in her bedroom was even more depressing than her living area. Packing would be no easy feat with her belongings dumped from her drawers, clothes strewn across the floor. She couldn’t possibly find, let alone pack what she needed in a few minutes.She had second thoughts and nearly turned around to tell Torin she had someplace else to stay, but the time for wishful thinking—let alone prideful stupidity—was over. She couldn’t stay here, and there was no place else to stay. She needed his help now more than ever, even if she didn’t want to need anyone.
December 9, 2020
“Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish #3” is LIVE!
“Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish #3”
Allegra Malachi, Lee Lee for short, has always been smart, talented, and popular, but she is not having a good year. Following a painful and embarrassingly public encounter with her wealthy ex-boyfriend, she finds herself fired from the lucrative Fortune 500 company job she’s held for years. Now, she’s back home in her small town, living with her parents, and generally feeling like a complete failure.
Nash Edmonds is a reclusive billionaire who is considered to be a ‘ghost’ according to the press because no one has been able to find anything about his background or personal life. He’s been abroad for years, traveled the world, and dated many women, but as far as he’s concerned, there’s only one woman for him – his first love. Only, that was nearly 20-years ago and he hasn’t seen nor spoken to her since. Now, he has to figure out how to bring Lee Lee into his life without sacrificing his privacy or hers. But first, he needs to win her heart.
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November 27, 2020
A Secret Admirer from Afar
“Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish #3”
Allegra Malachi, Lee Lee for short, has always been smart, talented, and popular, but she is not having a good year. Following a painful and embarrassingly public encounter with her wealthy ex-boyfriend, she finds herself fired from the lucrative Fortune 500 company job she’s held for years. Now, she’s back home in her small town, living with her parents, and generally feeling like a complete failure.
Nash Edmonds is a reclusive billionaire who is considered to be a ‘ghost’ according to the press because no one has been able to find anything about his background or personal life. He’s been abroad for years, traveled the world, and dated many women, but as far as he’s concerned, there’s only one woman for him – his first love. Only, that was nearly 20-years ago and he hasn’t seen nor spoken to her since. Now, he has to figure out how to bring Lee Lee into his life without sacrificing his privacy or hers. But first, he needs to win her heart.
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November 25, 2020
Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish #3
“Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish #3”
Allegra Malachi, Lee Lee for short, has always been smart, talented, and popular, but she is not having a good year. Following a painful and embarrassingly public encounter with her wealthy ex-boyfriend, she finds herself fired from the lucrative Fortune 500 company job she’s held for years. Now, she’s back home in her small town, living with her parents, and generally feeling like a complete failure.
Nash Edmonds is a reclusive billionaire who is considered to be a ‘ghost’ according to the press because no one has been able to find anything about his background or personal life. He’s been abroad for years, traveled the world, and dated many women, but as far as he’s concerned, there’s only one woman for him – his first love. Only, that was nearly 20-years ago and he hasn’t seen nor spoken to her since. Now, he has to figure out how to bring Lee Lee into his life without sacrificing his privacy or hers. But first, he needs to win her heart.
Sometimes, a little Christmas magic delivers love in the most inconvenient places.
Cheryl Hightower has an iron-clad mind for figures, statistics, and organization. That’s all well and good, but she also has a creative side screaming to be unleashed from a desk, computer, and horn-rimmed glasses. When she finally finds the courage to follow her heart, her orderly life seems to unravel, leading her to a new job with vipers at every turn, and leaving her in a position of uncertainty for the first time since childhood.
The resulting encounter with the object of her secret crush – who also happens to be her new boss – prompts both of them to acknowledge the emptiness they’ve endured for far too long. The challenge is figuring out what to do about it.
When a former ugly duckling and the former class heart-throb come together as adults, they find out they have more in common than they realized.
Glenda Shaw knows firsthand what it’s like to be an ugly duckling, and now, she is roped into helping to organize her tenth-year class reunion. The speaker this year is none other than Hunter Teegs, the object of her dreams since their sophomore year in high school. She’s a dedicated social worker with a heart the size of Texas, but her hectic schedule doesn’t allow much time for dating or entertainment.
Hunter Teegs is a self-made financial powerhouse with a boatload of charisma and a winning sense of humor. He’s also a notorious womanizer and heartbreaker. He has no interest in settling down any time soon, if ever. To make matters worse, he has recently noticed details from his childhood that cause him to question everyone and everything he’s come to believe.
When Glenda and Hunter are brought together again, fireworks nearly knock both of them off their feet, and not necessarily in a good way. Glenda knows more than one secret about Hunter, and sharing the most crucial one could mean the end of their relationship before it even gets started.
November 16, 2020
“Gideon’s Light: Orlosian Warriors Bk. 3”
Gideon always thought he’d be the last to fall. His life depended on it.
Iris Johnson is a brilliant astrophysicist who has always believed in keeping her emotions under wraps. Adopted as a baby, she has never felt truly loved. After a terrible accident and a failed relationship, she swore off men, content with working long hours and stargazing.
Born nearly 200 years ago, Gideon is an Orlosian Warrior, a descendant of angels, and in his world the ratio of men to women is 500 to 1. Willful, insubordinate, and impetuous, he is one of the most feared seekers – elite law enforcers – because of his exceptional ability to kill.
When Gideon is severely injured in battle, his contact with Iris puts her life in danger and awakens desires he has never known. To save her, he will have to make impossible choices, commit a cardinal sin, and break the law he has sworn to uphold and defend.
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March 25, 2020
With Love, Sammy
With Love, Sammy
“Love is as love does.” My mom always told me that. Time and experience have a way of clarifying the significance and accuracy of those words. I’d like to tell you a story about love and the impact Sammy’s love has made in my life. In order for you to understand my level of gratitude, I need to tell you about my journey and the ordeal from which he rescued me.
While working as a therapist in Gautier, MS, about 40-miles from my home, I carpooled with a neighbor who also worked at the mental health center. Intermittent bouts of dizziness and exhaustion had plagued me for months, but I shrugged it off. With graduate school (I was working on my Ph.D.) and the demands of two jobs, anyone would be exhausted, I thought. I had no idea what I was about to face.
Riding home from work in June 2005, my vision dimmed. Darkness closed in on me and I started sinking. My neighbor and friend, Tracy, was driving, so I leaned forward. My body couldn’t maintain a sitting position any longer, and I knew death was imminent. The exhaustion I’d felt for months had never been so extreme or sudden.
Tracy raced along I-10, nervously glancing in my direction, her voice coming in and out as I faded. “Let me take you to the hospital. I can’t leave you like this.”
Stubbornly maintaining my state of denial, I refused to go to the hospital.
Tracy pulled into my driveway. I was divorced, so it was just me and my 3 large dogs, a broadhead black Labrador Retriever, a Doberman/Coonhound mix, and a Rottweiler. I don’t know how long Tracy sat with me in that car, watching and waiting for a sign that either I would be okay or that she should disregard my refusal and rush me to the hospital against my wishes.
Eventually, the symptoms faded, and I promised Tracy I would call my doctor and schedule an appointment. It was already after my doctor’s office closed when Tracy finally left. The symptoms did not return that night, but the next day, I kept my promise and called to schedule an appointment with my doctor.
When I saw Dr. McDaniel, the best diagnostician I’ve ever met, a real-life Dr. Gregory House, he immediately sent me for a specific battery of tests. The tests were relatively painless, but two days later, the information I received from them would change my life forever.
“Are you sitting down?” Dr. McDaniel’s voice was calm, but since one of his nurses had always called in the past, I immediately knew it was serious for him to personally make the phone call.
He instructed me to pack a bag and meet him at the hospital for admission. “Kidney failure,” he said.
Kidney failure.
I sat on the side of my bed in shock for several minutes before calling my mother.
My stay at the hospital proved physically and emotionally arduous. The tests were many, and several were painful, particularly the kidney biopsy. Following the definitive diagnosis, I was prepped for surgery.
Fast forward two-months, and I began training for peritoneal dialysis. Peritoneal dialysis was a treatment I had never heard of for kidney patients, but I had three excellent teachers, all nurses. For four-years, I performed my own daily treatments at home. My health improved, and I maintained my independence. Unfortunately, I was extremely susceptible to infections.
Eventually, I ended up with an infection that forced me to do hemodialysis. Starting hemodialysis required several more surgeries, further disrupting my life.
I lost most of my independence.
The treatments and restrictions left me so weak, anxious, and depressed, I could no longer work.
I had to go to a clinic and depend on others for my treatments 3-days each week, and the days I didn’t have treatments were spent recovering.
Life was rapidly passing me by.
For someone like me, used to being independent and in charge, growing accustomed to the pain of large needles in my arm for 4-hours per treatment was the least of my problems. Depending on others for my care was traumatic, to say the least, and many people working in healthcare should not be. I’ll leave that topic for another day.
I’d rather take time to thank God for the caretakers who treated me with humanity and compassion. A few of them are such wonderful people, we became friends. They are rare and precious, and I’m grateful to have met them.
I had to endure hemodialysis for five, long years. During that time, two of my beloved dogs passed. I could see their compassion and sadness for me in their beautiful eyes, and I believe they would have lived longer if I had been well, physically and emotionally.
Fast forward again to March 25th, 2014. I was in CVS that afternoon with a basket full of medicine and other random things when my phone rang.
“We have a kidney for you,” the young woman said. She’d told me she was from the University of Mississippi’s transplant center.
I stopped mid-stride. Only six-days had passed since my name had been added to their transplant list. I asked two or three stupid questions about the kidney. I can’t remember what my questions were, but I know they were stupid because I should have run for my car the moment I heard the words, “we’ve got a kidney for you.”
I had to get there as fast as possible so they could prep me for surgery, and I had to have someone else drive me. The transplant center was three-and-a-half hours away from my home, but my friend, Kevin, came over to dog sit and my family got me there that night.
I’ll skip the grueling preparation because it fades in comparison to the joy of receiving a working kidney the next morning. Some time later, I would learn about the extraordinary young man who had loved me, someone he’d never met. Sammy gave me a second chance to experience the fulness of life.
Following some extended stays at the transplant center due to complications, I received a beautiful, heartfelt letter from Diana Walto, Sammy’s mom. In the letter she told me a little about him. Her love for him and grief over his death sprang from the page and I cried with her. I eventually met his sister, Ashley, and his dad, Sammy, Sr., online, learned about his life, his sense of humor, and I already knew first-hand how he had touched so many lives.
Born July 17th, Sammy Walto, Jr. loved people. He enjoyed cooking, fishing, laughing, making others laugh, and most of all, he loved his wonderful family. Killed in a car accident on March 21st, 2014, Sammy gave his heart, literally, to a young man who wrote that he had a “heart of gold,” and I carry a living part of him, one of his kidneys.
Sammy, I think about you every day, but on today, our anniversary, March 26th, 2014, I think about you even more. I also pray for your family as they continue to grieve the loss of seeing you here with us. You are an exceptional young man. Words cannot express how grateful I am to you, and how much I love you for this gift of a second chance at life. Love is as love does, and you left no doubt about the love in your heart. I pray that we will meet in Heaven one day. I’ll throw my arms around you, then we can continue to tell our stories, laugh together, and live forever.
March 2, 2020
Flash Giveaway – “Outreach: An Orlosian Warriors Novella”
More Info
I’m hosting a flash giveaway today at Dariel’s Den . If you’re a member of my newsletter but you’re not on Facebook, just comment on this post to enter for a chance to win a copy of “Outreach: An Orlosian Warriors Novella.” Winner will be announced tomorrow night!
He slid his tongue across his pointed
incisors…
While the world changed outside, he
had undergone a secret metamorphosis inside these walls, and searching for
answers about who and what he was had turned up absolutely nothing.
Whatever the explanation, the sense
of something lying in wait was always with him, ever present, and it had been a
part of him as far back as he could remember. Everyone around him felt it,
their fear of him instinctual. The reaction he received from most people
reminded him of deer sensing the presence of a lion, but Helen, his adoptive
mother, had been different. She had accepted him, even when she saw his skin
instantly knit together seconds after being wounded.
February 18, 2020
Win a Signed paperback or Mardi Gras King Cake
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Drayden saved her life— but her incessant need for vengeance could mean the end of his.
Thirteen years after the brutal murder of Treva Evers’ entire family, a cloaked stranger shows up just in time to save her from the same fate. When he disappears as quickly as he appeared, she is drawn into an underworld replete with magic and long forgotten customs, a place where nothing is as it seems, including her mysterious savior, and every word or action could result in brutal consequences.
*Note* 18+ – Contains sexually explicit content. No cliffhangers. Contains additions scenes and over 3K more words than ARC.
More about the Book
This is something you won’t find on Amazon 
December 14, 2019
Win a Signed Paperback Gift Basket: “Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish”
Enter to win one of two “Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish” gift baskets. Each basket includes a signed paperback of “Secret Admirer’s Christmas Wish 1 & 2,” a spiral notebook with 2020 calendar, a coffee/hot cocoa mug, and a few surprise bonus goodies [image error]
