Dariel Raye's Blog, page 9
January 14, 2019
Wings of the Wicked Excerpts: “Heaven Can Wait” by Lynda Kaye Frazier
Heaven can Wait
by
Lynda Kaye Frazier
@lynda_kaye
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
What if you found out the woman who caused your death is a fallen angel plotting to take your daughters life? What if the only one who can stop her is an Arch Angel who broke your heart and left you surrounded by demons he left behind?
Amy’s life was filled with heartache and loss. She searched for love, acceptance, and found it in a stranger, a drifter like herself. He loved her for her, but left, breaking her heart, but giving her a reason to go on. Amy struggled against the evil that surrounded her to protect her daughter. But lost her battle. Leaving her baby alone. She now fights God, and Michael, The Angel that broke her heart, to return to earth to protect her daughter from Satan himself. Will she be able to return home in time to save her daughter, or will a secret from her past keep her locked in her own private hell behind the gates of heaven?
Excerpt:
“I can’t be dead. Just look at me. Do I look the angelic type?” Amy’s words fell on deaf ears.
“Humor is welcome, but sarcasm isn’t, Ms. Waters. It would be good of you to remember that.”
Jacob wasn’t a push over like the others. That’s probably why she got assigned to him.
“You can’t keep me here forever you know. I don’t believe this is even heaven. Where are all the angels? Where are my parent’s? I think this is a weigh station for those who got here too early, like me.”
“Amy, we have been over this, many times. This is heaven. You are here for a reason and you are not ready to mix with the general public. You have much to learn yet.”
She didn’t plan on being here much longer and opened her mouth to voice that as Jacob slid a white leather-bound book across the table.
“Open this, and read the first few chapters.”
She flipped through it and gasped. “You can’t be serious. Happiness, peace. Where’s the chapter on fixing mistakes you’ve made? And I’m not talking about mine.” Her temper began to flair, but his golden light squashed it before she could let him have it. Not fair. She needed to go back. Her daughter’s life depended on it and would agree to any terms put before her. But there’s no chapter on returns either.
“This is a joke, right? You can’t expect me to be all pleasant and thankful when my daughter is in danger. Emma won’t be able to resist their ploy, fight their magic, she’s just a child. ” Amy hated the nightmare she found herself in. And wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Jenna, the witch that she was.
“I can’t stay. This was her plan and you know it.” Amy Waters wanted to throw anything she could get her hands on, but you can’t do that here. No temper tantrums or hissy fits. Peter made sure she knew that the day she arrived.
“Amy, you have been fighting us for months, and why?” Jacob passed in front of her. She hated how he made it all look so graceful, peaceful. She just wanted to pinch his holy head right off.
“This is a place people pray to go. Work their whole life to achieve. But all you want to do is fight, argue, tell us this was a mistake. You know he doesn’t like that.” Jacob stood tall before her. His presence calming, like a drug, but not today. Emma needed her.
“If it were under different circumstances then I would be overjoyed. But I was set up, put here against my will, It’s not my time, he knows that.”
Amy just wanted to scream. Emma always kept her grounded, calm, peaceful, and she saw the good in everyone, even Jenna. Amy knew when she found Jenna’s book that she was part of the dwellers. The dark ones Michael warned her of. They called themselves a church. But their worship wasn’t of anything Amy had ever seen. They tried to pull her in, but Michael saved her.
“He knows your situation is of special circumstances, but you’re here, so let’s make it work.” Jacob drifted towards the door. “Now read, I’ll return when you are finished.”
Amy dropped her head into her hands as that day replayed in her mind.
The rooms were filling fast, and the Ambulances kept coming with victims from the accident. Amy grabbed the next gurney and took the report from the EMT as they raced to the trauma bay. The driver, a woman, so young, was fighting for her life. Fear ravaged her face. She was gasping, trying to talk, pointing to the door. Her eyes widened and she grabbed Amy’s shirt, begging her to run. Amy shook off the feeling of dread as the patient stopped breathing. Amy grabbed the Ambu bag, turned on the oxygen, while the nurses started chest compressions. The paddles were ripped from the defibrillator and Dr. Jackson yelled clear. Amy jumped back, hands raised, but she was shoved forward, falling onto the stretcher. Amy fought, but it was too late. Dr. Jackson pressed the red button on the paddles and the last thing she saw was Jenna, by the door, walking out of the room, invisible to everyone but her. The witch wanted Emma. Now she has her and Amy was helpless from up here.
Heaven can Wait
by
Lynda Kaye Frazier
@lynda_kaye
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Order ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
January 13, 2019
“Wings of the Wicked” Excerpts: “Son of Chaos” by Lexi C. Foss
Son of Chaos
by
Lexi C. Foss
@LexiCFoss
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
A simple mission turns deadly as the Daughter of Death is kidnapped by an old enemy seeking revenge.
A simple mission turns deadly as the Daughter of Death is kidnapped by an old enemy seeking revenge. Now it’s up to me to find her and I will kill anyone who steps in my path.
The Son of Chaos isn’t playing. I’m armed, I’m pissed, and I want my Evangeline back. It’s time for Heaven and Hell to meet the real Archangel inside of me.
Everyone will pay.
Many will die.
Silver will slay.
And a new power will ascend from the Shadows…
Excerpt:
“How are you feeling?”
“Irritated,” she replied, her blue eyes flaring.
I cocked a brow. “Irritated?”
“Yes.” She stared me down. “I’m naked, Xai.”
“I see that, Evangeline.”
“Do something about it.”
My lips twitched in amusement. “I would offer you my shirt, but I’m not wearing one.” That seemed to be my constant state these days—bare feet, jeans, and shirtless. Oddly, I didn’t miss my suits.
Her gaze narrowed. “You know that’s not what I want.”
I cocked my head to the side playfully. “What do you want, love?”
“Right now? To kill you.”
“An entertaining proposition,” I mused. “Try and maybe I’ll reward you.” It would serve as a dose of foreplay shrouded in a test of her strength. I refused to push her until I knew she could take it.
We didn’t make love. We fucked. Hard.
I widened my stance and taunted her with a doubtful look.
Her resulting growl went straight to my groin. Coupled with her lack of clothes, well, my pants were suddenly feeling a bit tight.
“Having second thoughts, darling?” I took a step toward her. “Worried you might be out of practice?”
Son of Chaos
by
Lexi C. Foss
@LexiCFoss
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
“Wings of the Wicked” Excerpts: “Soul Collectors” by LaVerne Thompson
Soul Collectors
by
LaVerne Thompson
@lavernethompson
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
Betwixt heaven and hell a world exists called earth. Otherwise known as the battlefield for souls.
Angelique is an Angel Soul Collector.
She collects the souls of those who died in fear, anger and pain. She is there to bear witness to the suffering, give comfort and hope and determine if they are worthy of heaven.
Some choose not to go with her and instead thirst for revenge; those refuse to give up their earthly ties and she leaves them to their fates. Some find satisfaction and will be given another chance to cross over, but most doom themselves to wander the earthly realm for an eternity. The ones who surrender to her, to the light, she opens the doorway and escorts them to a better life.
But then there are the others.Nathanial is a Demon Soul Collector. He collects souls for his master from those who died in fear, anger and pain. Those who thirst for revenge he encourages to remain on earth and cause havoc. Others that have their names already written in his little red book he opens the gateway and shoves them straight into hell. For him it’s a job. He was born of a human father and demon mother and raised in hell to become a collector.
They are enemies. But once they were something else.
Excerpt:
He didn’t know what he’d looked like to the mortal men but his rage burnt bright. He could see a red hue before him. The soldiers straightened, their mouths opened in shock and their eyes held a hint of fear, at the appearance of this seemingly young boy. One who radiated fire.
The men soon learned he was anything but human. No need to hide what he was any longer. He placed Angelique on the ground and drew the sword from the sheath he carried between the obsidian colored wings at his back. No need to hide at all. His hands glowed bright orange, the pain almost more than he could bear. Blood seeped from his palms, he used the power in his blood as he used his blade to channel powers born of hell. Red flame raced down the blade and shot hellfire, coursing unerringly toward the beating hearts of the men. Spreading the stench of burning flesh as they fell, leaving nothing but a pile of ash.
Soul Collectors
by
LaVerne Thompson
@lavernethompson
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
January 12, 2019
“Wings of the Wicked” Excerpts: “The Promise” by Kim Carmichael
The Promise
by
Kim Carmichael
@kimcarmichael4
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
A mistake brought a demon to her, a promise bound them together.
Demon Dolan Ciar embodies three simple words: desire, denial, and destruction. Every two years, he is allowed one night of earthly passion to punish a deserving female. By the time he is finished, his victims are left as willing receptacles for demons yet to come.
Since she was four, a demon has been the only constant in Leora Desmond’s life, returning to her on every visit because of a promise he cannot break. Though he is in misery and suffering, as she grows he teaches her how to cope and to always go after what she wants. Now as an adult what Leora wants is wants Dolan, and she won’t be dissuaded.
Returning again to ask for his freedom, he finds a demanding Leora who insists he make her his next conquest. The ultimate retribution would be to take from her the ultimate symbol of her selfishness. Dolan must decide if he can doom her to life in living hell or face his own set of unearthly consequences, while Leora must choose between her pleasure and her heart.
The Promise blurs the line between good and evil, desire and love, and promises and commitment.
Excerpt:
Leora knew he was here before she ever saw him. It was always the same, the tingle, the electric sizzle that indicated his arrival intensified. “I know you’re here.” Leora fought the urge to wrap her arms around herself and glance over her shoulder. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and straightened up. The echo of her designer stilettos tapping on the worn wood floor let out a much deeper and richer tone than her normal work pumps, but he would notice the difference.
She closed her eyes and inhaled. The change in the air was palpable. Damn him to Hell for making her wait yet another two years. She shook her head. He was already in Hell. She would have to damn him somewhere else.
Every minute he wasn’t here with her was one less minute she would have. She opened her eyes, glancing at her watch and the window. The sky was black. She returned her hand to her hip, not able to watch the seconds count down.
“If you knew I was here, then why are you looking at the time?” His voice surrounded her as it did the first time she heard it. As a six-year-old, she would have called his tone strong. At twelve, it was healing. By the time she was sixteen, she would have called it sexy. Today, his voice was heated as it coiled around her, squeezing her, making it hard to breathe.
“I’m bound to you.” His voice came closer, his footsteps echoed on the stairs. “How could you doubt me after all the torture I’ve gone through at your hands?”
Doubt. She wasn’t certain doubt was the right word. More like anticipation. But always there was the nagging worry that he wouldn’t show. She supposed her disbelief was her punishment for having expectations. “No, you’ve never broken a promise to me. Not that I would allow it.” Once she gained her composure, was able to slow down her heart just a bit, she turned.
Dolan never changed. Her whole body froze, reacting to his presence and allowing herself the time to take him in, though she knew every one of his features by heart.
Until she got older, she didn’t realize how evil exuded from him. Different than monsters or devils, his evil was shrouded in dirty blond hair that grazed his shoulders, a face both masculine and beautiful, and one naughty dimple on the left side of his smile. No one who saw him would ever suspect who or what they had encountered.
Only his copper eyes revealed he was something other than human.
By the time she was a pre-teen, she knew enough to realize his body was sinful. His tall frame filled out his clothes, allowing her to assess every muscle, ridge and bulge. Tonight, he stayed true to his classic fit and style choices in a pair of black jeans and a matching button-down shirt. The only addition to his repertoire was her grandfather’s ring, something he still wore on the fourth finger of his left hand, as if to mock her.
He tilted his head and tossed his sunglasses aside. “Are you ready?”
“I was ready last time, and have nothing to show for it. I suppose I should be the one asking you that question.” She stepped forward, stopping less than a foot away from him. The back of her throat dried out, and she swallowed. “Am I finally worthy of a demon or do I end up with another limp dick?” Yes, she went for the jugular, if he had one.
“Why don’t you open your eyes?” he hissed.
A quick glance down put a swirl in her stomach. The bulge in his jeans crept down his legs. She trembled, but at the same time her mouth watered. She moved closer, step-by-step. “I suppose I get what I want after all.”
As she reached out to touch him, he caught her wrist, holding her hand above her head. “I’m giving you exactly one chance.”
“For what?” In utter defiance of him, she lifted her chin.
“To release me, to save you, to save me.” His tone lowered.
“I don’t need saving,” she countered. “For better or for worse, I will never allow you to break your promise to me.”
He opened his mouth.
She put her fingers over his lips. “You said one chance. I’m not taking it.”
“All this time I have spared you.” He pulled her closer. “Never forget that.”
She stared right into his eyes. No weakness was allowed tonight. “It’s me, Dolan. Me, or you can be celibate until the decade I do you the favor of dying. I don’t care about your pain.” She tensed, preparing for his retaliation.
“I thought I taught you better than to make demands of a demon.” He pressed his palm to the side of her face.
Heat radiated through her body, sending a warning to every one of her nerve endings. “A demon who comforts a child is a failure of a demon in my book.”
His jaw tightened. “That was a mistake. An oversight.”
“You came back.” Her heart rate increased, but she stayed her ground, pushing until she got her desired end.
“You made me promise.”
“Who says a demon keeps a promise? Aren’t you supposed to lure unsuspecting woman into your depraved traps? Why would you keep a promise to a mistake?”
“Because I’m forced to.” He never took his eyes off her and moved his hand down her cheek to her neck. “Maybe the biggest mistake I made was not realizing how unsuspecting you are.” His hand traveled to her chin where he rested his thumb on her lower lip. “You only want what you want, and you don’t even know what that is.”
“My wants are the only reality there is. I have the power.” Fire flashed in his eyes as she practically quoted him. His finger moved with her lip.
“Fine, you will at last get what you want. Your reality tonight will be to see what a real demon can do.” He pressed his thumb down and smeared her lipstick down her chin.
She pushed herself into him. “Promise?”
The Promise
by
Kim Carmichael
@kimcarmichael4
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
“Wings of the Wicked” Excerpts: “Chasing Fate” by J.R. Thorn
Chasing Fate
by
J.R. Thorn
@JRThorn3
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
A young psychic named Renee inherits her grandmother’s terrifying powers and summons two hot (and very naked) angels to help her save the world. Paired up with her ex-boyfriend turned vampire, she’s in for a hell of a ride.
Every thousand years the cycle of death comes to claim the three major realms: Earth, heaven, and hell. It’s her turn to chase fate and stop the cycle from devouring her world, bringing heaven and hell down with it.
When the echoes of calamity begin to take form and destroy her beloved Fortune Street, she’ll have to race against the clock to stop her new vision from coming to fruition. Earth in ashes and heaven and hell collapsed in a ball of flames.
Edwin and Devon aren’t the kind of angels she’d expected to conjure with her new gifts for such a monumental task. With Devon’s constant flirting, and Edwin’s sexy brooding, and Jeffery’s distracting fangs, she’ll have to hope they’re more useful than they are distracting in the game of chasing fate.
Excerpt:
Leora knew he was here before she ever saw him. It was always the same, the tingle, the electric sizzle that indicated his arrival intensified. “I know you’re here.” Leora fought the urge to wrap her arms around herself and glance over her shoulder. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and straightened up. The echo of her designer stilettos tapping on the worn wood floor let out a much deeper and richer tone than her normal work pumps, but he would notice the difference.
She closed her eyes and inhaled. The change in the air was palpable. Damn him to Hell for making her wait yet another two years. She shook her head. He was already in Hell. She would have to damn him somewhere else.
Every minute he wasn’t here with her was one less minute she would have. She opened her eyes, glancing at her watch and the window. The sky was black. She returned her hand to her hip, not able to watch the seconds count down.
“If you knew I was here, then why are you looking at the time?” His voice surrounded her as it did the first time she heard it. As a six-year-old, she would have called his tone strong. At twelve, it was healing. By the time she was sixteen, she would have called it sexy. Today, his voice was heated as it coiled around her, squeezing her, making it hard to breathe.
“I’m bound to you.” His voice came closer, his footsteps echoed on the stairs. “How could you doubt me after all the torture I’ve gone through at your hands?”
Doubt. She wasn’t certain doubt was the right word. More like anticipation. But always there was the nagging worry that he wouldn’t show. She supposed her disbelief was her punishment for having expectations. “No, you’ve never broken a promise to me. Not that I would allow it.” Once she gained her composure, was able to slow down her heart just a bit, she turned.
Dolan never changed. Her whole body froze, reacting to his presence and allowing herself the time to take him in, though she knew every one of his features by heart.
Until she got older, she didn’t realize how evil exuded from him. Different than monsters or devils, his evil was shrouded in dirty blond hair that grazed his shoulders, a face both masculine and beautiful, and one naughty dimple on the left side of his smile. No one who saw him would ever suspect who or what they had encountered.
Only his copper eyes revealed he was something other than human.
By the time she was a pre-teen, she knew enough to realize his body was sinful. His tall frame filled out his clothes, allowing her to assess every muscle, ridge and bulge. Tonight, he stayed true to his classic fit and style choices in a pair of black jeans and a matching button-down shirt. The only addition to his repertoire was her grandfather’s ring, something he still wore on the fourth finger of his left hand, as if to mock her.
He tilted his head and tossed his sunglasses aside. “Are you ready?”
“I was ready last time, and have nothing to show for it. I suppose I should be the one asking you that question.” She stepped forward, stopping less than a foot away from him. The back of her throat dried out, and she swallowed. “Am I finally worthy of a demon or do I end up with another limp dick?” Yes, she went for the jugular, if he had one.
“Why don’t you open your eyes?” he hissed.
A quick glance down put a swirl in her stomach. The bulge in his jeans crept down his legs. She trembled, but at the same time her mouth watered. She moved closer, step-by-step. “I suppose I get what I want after all.”
As she reached out to touch him, he caught her wrist, holding her hand above her head. “I’m giving you exactly one chance.”
“For what?” In utter defiance of him, she lifted her chin.
“To release me, to save you, to save me.” His tone lowered.
“I don’t need saving,” she countered. “For better or for worse, I will never allow you to break your promise to me.”
He opened his mouth.
She put her fingers over his lips. “You said one chance. I’m not taking it.”
“All this time I have spared you.” He pulled her closer. “Never forget that.”
She stared right into his eyes. No weakness was allowed tonight. “It’s me, Dolan. Me, or you can be celibate until the decade I do you the favor of dying. I don’t care about your pain.” She tensed, preparing for his retaliation.
“I thought I taught you better than to make demands of a demon.” He pressed his palm to the side of her face.
Heat radiated through her body, sending a warning to every one of her nerve endings. “A demon who comforts a child is a failure of a demon in my book.”
His jaw tightened. “That was a mistake. An oversight.”
“You came back.” Her heart rate increased, but she stayed her ground, pushing until she got her desired end.
“You made me promise.”
“Who says a demon keeps a promise? Aren’t you supposed to lure unsuspecting woman into your depraved traps? Why would you keep a promise to a mistake?”
“Because I’m forced to.” He never took his eyes off her and moved his hand down her cheek to her neck. “Maybe the biggest mistake I made was not realizing how unsuspecting you are.” His hand traveled to her chin where he rested his thumb on her lower lip. “You only want what you want, and you don’t even know what that is.”
“My wants are the only reality there is. I have the power.” Fire flashed in his eyes as she practically quoted him. His finger moved with her lip.
“Fine, you will at last get what you want. Your reality tonight will be to see what a real demon can do.” He pressed his thumb down and smeared her lipstick down her chin.
She pushed herself into him. “Promise?”
Chasing Fate
by
J.R. Thorn
@JRThorn3
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
January 11, 2019
“Wings of the Wicked Excerpts: “Fragile Magick” by Heather Adkins
Fragile Magick
by
Heather Marie Adkins
@hmarieadkins
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
The narrow stone staircase sloped further at every turn,
until I had to hold the wall in one hand to keep myself from tumbling down. I
took step after step, the earth bearing down on me more with every sweep of the
staircase. I walked forever, until I felt the sun had risen above and the world
had turned on its axis to begin anew without me in it. Still, the staircase
went on.
When the end came, it was so abrupt I nearly fell over my
own feet on solid ground. I leaned against the wall, dizzy and
disoriented. A hallway stretched into an apex of night before me, my little
flashlight revealing nothing.
I fought back a thrill of terror and pressed on.
If the staircase took forever, the hallway took longer. An
entire age of mankind could have passed in the silent solitude of my journey. I
felt so outside of myself, as if I’d born, lived, and died to walk this tunnel.
I passed no cross tunnels. No doors. The never-ending coffin
of stone made my skin crawl until I was ready to claw my way to the surface
with only my fingernails.
“Fucking ridiculous,” I spat, kicking at the dusty floor.
Something about my voice steadied me. Reminded me I was real. “What am I doing?
Where the hell am I? Hello!”
My yell echoed. I laughed, a little hysterically, because it
was better to do that than cry.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the hallway. I thought I’d
imagined it at first — a gray shadow with no substance, a trick of the eye
because I’d clearly lost my damn mind. But then the shadow blinked, and I was
no longer alone.
He was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. Messy
blond hair fell into eyes that shone mahogany in the light from my camera. He
was huge, taller than me by a head, wider than me by a world. Shadows painted
hollows on the sharp planes of his face, and he looked like someone’s
interpretation of classic beauty in blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt.
Then he slammed me against the wall.
Fragile Magick
by
Heather Marie Adkins
@hmarieadkins
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
“Wings of the Wicked” Excerpts: “Unsuitable Companions” by Erin Lee
Unsuitable Companions
by
Erin Lee
International Bestselling Author
@CrazyLikeMe2015
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
Free will is for both angels and demons too.
Sandra lacked the tools to identify a scorned soul when doctors handed her a perfect rosy bundle. She had no clue that her progeny, called Lilith, was actually a demon set on reclaiming her rightful companion. As years passed, the humble woman did her best to ignore doubts that crawled at her like the insects Lilith’s angelic lover obsessed over. Even then, she wanted to believe she was wrong and that Lilly was merely peculiar. But in the City of Eden, where all things seemed to begin and end, nothing was ever that simple.
In truth, Sandra knew. She couldn’t ignore it when her cunning spawn cut into adult life with a long resume of tools: Manipulation at the top, viciousness at the bottom, lies all over. Ordinary skills were unnecessary. Lilly could always find someone to do her bidding. A woman like Lilith didn’t need a helpful companion. She was nothing to the mortal she’d been created for. Neither was the woman, and Lilith’s nemesis, who’d come after her – Eve.
***
Adam, an athletic blond-haired graduate student studying the natural habitat of insects, had better things to do than listen to the brass words of a spoiled vixen like Lilly. This, of course, only enticed her. Lilith was willing to do whatever it took to earn her destiny. And, more importantly, this time, keep him in spite of Eve. But Adam had a few tricks of his own. He had learned to be cautious when dealing with temptation. Now, he merely sought a suitable helper. In the City of Eden, where all things are created, everything is possible.
There was only one thing no creator had ever accounted for: The vengeance of a determined temptress and the blurred turns of time to identify exactly who was who.
Excerpt:
Eve smirked, reaching out her hand for Adam. Pulling on his thick arm with her other hand, she couldn’t resist, “Come on Adam. This is just too much. Tell me what it is! All this waiting is making me crazy.”
She’d tossed the next step right back at him, ignoring his suggestion to bring her glass. He knew she was wondering why they were headed for the studio as they’d promised no working today and the gallery wasn’t even open. Mortal man of the flesh or not, Adam wasn’t stupid. He picked up her glass, balancing it between the Chateau Lafite bottle and servant-made card in his one free hand.
“I won’t Eva—he liked calling her that when it came to serious matters simply because he could, and it made her twist her hair at the ends—you’ll just have to wait until I show you.” They walked in giddy anticipation to the entrance of the studio before Adam finally stopped. “Here, let’s fill up our glasses for the coming toast, shall we?” he asked, finally holding out the bottle and handing Eve her glass.
When the red juice was spilled perfectly into their glasses, they continued on toward the painting. Adam could almost feel the heat coming off Eve’s body and certainly his own. It was time.
“No way. Adam, no way,” she said, her mouth hanging open.
“Yes Eva, I’m going to break my own rule and show you. It’s time for you to meet yourself―the way I see you,” he left a dramatic pause to linger before continuing and motioning toward the veiled painting. And then, “I’ll show you…an angel.”
With that, he pulled the sheet off the unfinished painting.
Eve sucked in a sharp stream of air. She held it as she sipped at the myriad of colors on the thick canvas. She had no words as Adam watched for her reaction. He could not resist soaking up every nuance of her reaction: Her pink tongue wetting her lips, the way she moved with exaggerated steps to get closer to it, how she tilted her head just enough to tell him she was trying to make sense of it. Her blue eyes were wider than he’d ever seen them.
Finally, she released her breath with an audible gush.
“Oh. My. God.” Eve’s free hand came up with delicate a fingertip which she placed against her peach, lush lips. Now rooted in a small “O,” she tilted her head again, before repeating her words. “Oh. My. God.”
He had no idea what this moment would ultimately do to her – changing their destinies forever. He did not know that angels and demons both have free will…
Unsuitable Companions
by
Erin Lee
International Bestselling Author
@CrazyLikeMe2015
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
January 10, 2019
Wings of the Wicked Excerpt: “Torn” by Ditter Kellen
Torn
by
Ditter Kellen
@DitterTheGreat1
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
One angel’s redemption and the love that saved his soul…
A fallen angel desperately seeking redemption, a terminally ill girl hoping for a miracle she believes will never come, and a demon who will stop at nothing to keep them apart.
When Exodus and Niki’s worlds collide, they just might find what they’re looking for.
If they survive…
A heartfelt story of hope, forgiveness, and a love that won’t be denied.
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Exodus stepped from his cabin and climbed behind the wheel of his shiny black Jeep. He didn’t need the vehicle to get where he wanted to go, but he couldn’t simply appear out of thin air in the middle of Hazel’s Diner either.
He inserted the key in the ignition, loving the feel of the power vibrating beneath him as the engine sparked to life.
Humans were amazing creatures, with their cool inventions and mouth-watering foods, he thought, putting the Jeep in gear and easing out of his driveway. Yet, they weren’t immortal. Their lives were a mere blip on the radar of time…and then they died.
Of course, some of them were destined to have wings in the afterlife. Some…but not all.
If they had any idea an angel lived in their midst, there would be hell to pay for Exodus. Not everyone believed in angels, and the few that actually did would likely fear the unknown.
Exodus thought about the billions of humans walking the face of the Earth, with their thousands of different religions and beliefs. Most of them rarely prayed anymore, and when they did, it was usually when someone became sick.
“And where might you be going on this fine Saturday morning?”
Exodus didn’t need to look to know who had appeared in the seat next to him. He would recognize the voice of Leviticus anywhere. “Hello, Levi. You do realize you’re going to get caught one of these days, showing up here as you do? This is the third time you’ve been here this month.”
“Keeping count, are we?” The other angel lifted his hand to study his fingernails. “I only came to warn you of Delia’s presence in the area.”
Stepping on the brake, Exodus brought the Jeep to a stop and cranked his head in Levi’s direction. “Delia’s here in Helen?”
“Not in Helen, per se, but she is definitely on Earth. And I’d be willing to wager that she’ll be heading this way as soon as she has her ducks in a proverbial row.”
Exodus turned his head to stare at the mountains in the distance, his stomach tight with anger. “When was she released?”
“A little over a week ago.”
“Of course she would be released near the time I’m due to be judged.” Exodus kept his gaze on those mountains. “Well, if she shows up here, I’ll send her back to Hell without her pretty little head.”
Exodus had been forced to spend a thousand years on Earth for his sins— sins that Delia had tempted him into. She’d seduced him with her beauty and charm. And like an idiot, he’d fallen for her, taking her to his bed without a thought for the consequences.
Naturally, his fornication had been discovered soon thereafter, and he was cast from Heaven. He’d been sent to Earth for a thousand years, where he would then be judged to determine his eternal fate. He would either return to paradise completely forgiven, or he would spend eternity in Hell alongside Delia.
Delia, of course, had been ordered back to Hell from whence she’d come, to be chained there for a thousand years.
“Why has Delia been released?” Exodus met Levi’s gaze. “I mean, I have less than a month left until I am to be judged. She was sentenced the same amount of time as me.”
Leviticus shrugged. “My guess is she most likely bargained her way to freedom. Probably with the promise of bringing ole Lucy your soul. You are one heck of a prize, you realize.”
Exodus shook his head. “It makes no sense. Why now? Why not a year ago? She’s cuttin’ it kind of close, isn’t she? And Lucifer will never get my soul.”
“I hear you, but we are talking about Delia. If she can tempt you to fall while you are still on Earth, perhaps she feels that you would be sentenced to Hell and she would win her freedom by being the one to make that happen.”
“Hell,” Exodus repeated, his stomach clenching. “I have remained celibate for nearly a millennium. And in that time, I have seen more change than I care to remember. But I have yet to be tempted. No matter how beautiful they are or how alluring, no one has come close to crawling into my bed. Nor will they.”
Levi touched him on the shoulder. “Lust is a powerful emotion, X. Especially when fueled by the powers of Hell. Delia has had nearly a thousand years to plan your demise. Just be on your guard.”
Nausea rolled through Exodus. He couldn’t imagine what Delia had in store for him. She’d already caused him to fall from grace, to be cast out. “You’d better get back before you are missed, my friend. Else you might find yourself building a cabin next to mine on this mountain.”
“Not a chance.” Levi chuckled a second before he vanished from view.
Chapter 2
Niki Stanton stared up in dismay at Randal Johnson, the main cook at Hazel’s Diner. “What do you mean the refrigerator is out?”
Randal shrugged a beefy shoulder. “I mean it ain’t workin’. As in, it’s tore up.”
“Customers are starting to come in.” Niki’s voice grew in volume with the panic that began to set in. “The refrigerator can’t be broken.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I know it’s not what you wanted to hear first thing this mornin’, but it ain’t the end of the world. I put a call in to Carl up at Dover’s Appliances. He’ll be down here directly. He already knows what the problem is, seeing how he’s fixed it a bunch of times before. That fridge should have been replaced years ago.”
Niki pushed her glasses up on her nose. “I’ll go turn the Closed sign on and let the customers that have recently arrived know we won’t be feeding them today.”
Randal’s eyes grew round in surprise. “There ain’t no need in doing all that, ma’am. The food is still cold. My guess is that the fridge went out about an hour before I got here. If Carl can get it up and running fairly soon, we probably won’t lose anything in it.”
A spark of hope flickered to life inside Niki. “I pray so, Randal. I really do.”
“I told your granny a few years ago that we needed a new fridge,” Randal confessed. “But she was bound and determined to hang on to this old thing.” He jerked his thumb in the direction of the double-glass-door cooling unit. “I reckon she couldn’t really afford to get a new one.”
Niki could relate. She couldn’t afford a new one either. “Yes, well let me know when Carl arrives. I’m going to run upstairs for a few minutes and take my medications.”
Worry sparked to life in Randal’s eyes. “You okay, ma’am?”
“I’m fine,” Niki hedged, glancing away from the pity she saw swimming in his gaze.
Everyone that worked at Hazel’s seemed to be privy to Niki’s health problems. Hazel had never made it a secret that her only granddaughter suffered from a debilitating heart condition known as Atrial Septal Defect. Though it was fixable in some, Niki hadn’t had such luck.
Niki had never been allowed to play like other children, and she’d struggled through school due to the numerous days she missed after her open-heart surgery.
She’d suffered another heart surgery during her senior year in high school. The long pink scar down her chest was a constant reminder of how close she’d come to losing her life.
“All right,” Randal murmured, turning back to flip the sausage patties on the grill. “If you need anything, just give a holler. I’ll let you know when Carl gets here.”
Niki nodded her thanks and left the kitchen through the back door. She gripped the railing to the stairs that led to her apartment above the diner and slowly ascended them.
She found herself stopping about halfway up to catch her breath. Dizziness overtook her, and spots began to dance through her vision.
Squeezing her eyes shut, Niki leaned heavily against the railing, holding tightly to the weather-damaged wood.
“Are you all right, miss?”
The deep voice coming from the bottom of the stairs could barely be heard over the rapid pulse pounding in Niki’s ears.
She attempted to answer, but her mouth didn’t seem to work. Her knees grew weaker the longer she stood there fighting to breathe, until they eventually buckled beneath her.
Niki cried out as her hands slipped helplessly from the railing and her body began to topple over backward.
I’m going to die, she thought in panic, unable to stop the inevitable catastrophe.
Strong arms came around her, sweeping her off her feet and holding her tight.
“Easy there, little one. I’ve got you.”
That deep voice again. As much as Niki wanted to lift her head and thank the stranger for his quick intervention, she couldn’t seem to do so.
“Do you live up here?”
Niki nodded against his chest, unable to do much else. “I have…a…dog.”
Warmth and muscle moved beneath her cheek where she rested against his shoulder. Even in her weakened state, Niki couldn’t help but notice how clean the man smelled. “My…dog… He…”
“Shhhhh,” the man responded as if he weren’t the least bit concerned about the threat of a dog. “It’ll be okay.”
The sound of her apartment door creaking open reached her ears a moment before her savior stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him.
She could hear his shoes trailing across her hardwood floor, yet no barking from her dog ensued.
That’s odd, Niki thought, swallowing back a bout of nausea. Why wasn’t Lucky going berserk over the stranger in her home?
And then her body slowly descended until the soft mattress of her bed touched her back.
“Where is your phone? I’ll call 911.”
“No,” Niki moaned, nausea still rolling through her gut. “My pills…medicine cabinet…bathroom…”
Over the sound of her rapid heartbeat, she could hear the man hurrying across the room.
He was back in less than a minute. “I wasn’t sure which ones you needed, so I grabbed them all.” He eased his arm behind her neck and gently lifted her head from the pillow. “Here, have some water.”
The cool temperature of the water made some of Niki’s nausea ebb. She reached for her pills.
“I’ll get them,” the stranger rumbled, removing his arm and propping some pillows behind her head. “Tell me which ones.”
Niki swallowed, taking deep, calming breaths. Breathing techniques had always worked to hold back the blackouts.
She somehow managed to instruct the man on proper dosages, accepted the pills he handed her, and then washed them down with the water she held.
He took the glass from her fingers and placed it on the nightstand. “Are you sure you don’t want me to call an ambulance?”
Niki shook her head, forcing her eyes open a crack. There, sitting on the side of her bed was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen in her lifetime. And Lucky sat near his feet, calm and relaxed like he’d known the man all his life.
“No,” she croaked, instantly embarrassed to be caught in such a state by someone as perfect as the man perched next to her.
Not only was she sick and weak, but her hair was twisted on top of her head, and her forehead had broken out into a sweat with the presence of the nausea. “I just need a minute.”
“Are you sure? You look awfully pale.”
A knock sounded on the door before Niki could form a response.
Her beautiful savior lifted his eyebrows in question. “Want me to get that?”
Niki wanted to tell him no, but she couldn’t. Randal had put in a call to Carl, and he was due to arrive at any moment. “Please,” was all she said.
The man got up, sauntered toward the door with Lucky tight on his heels, and opened the door.
Ellen Martin’s voice floated into the room, full of surprise and more than a little flirtation. “Well, hello, Mr. Brooks. What are you doing up here?”
Lucky growled low in his throat.
“Oh goodness,” Ellen gasped. “Does that thing bite?”
The deep voice of Niki’s savior reverberated throughout the room. “I’m not sure, Miss Martin. May I help you with something?”
It wasn’t lost on Niki that Ellen knew the tall man’s name or that he knew hers as well. Of course, it wasn’t surprising. Ellen was a beautiful girl, after all. A bit too flirtatious in Niki’s opinion, but beautiful nonetheless.
Where Niki had brown curly hair, green eyes, and a stick-thin body, Ellen had platinum-blonde hair, luminous blue eyes, and a figure any woman would envy.
On more than one occasion, Niki had heard the blonde bragging about being homecoming queen, prom queen, and winning several pageants, including Miss Helen two years in a row.
Niki had never even attended a prom. Not that she wouldn’t have loved to, but no one had asked her. She couldn’t blame them, really. She’d been sickly all through school and spent most of her senior year being tutored at home due to her second open-heart surgery.
Ellen cleared her throat, bringing Niki out of her musing. “I just came to let Miss Stanton know that Carl is here to fix the refrigerator. And he ain’t one for waiting.”
Niki took another drink of the water, then set the glass on her nightstand, eased her feet over the side of the bed, and glanced in Ellen’s direction. “Tell Carl that I’ll be right down.”
Ellen nodded, quickly dismissed Niki, and smiled up at Mr. Brooks. “Will you be eating with us this morning then?”
“We’ll see,” he murmured, closing the door without further explanation.
He then turned to face Niki. “Perhaps you shouldn’t get up so soon. You nearly took a spill down the stairs a few minutes ago.”
More than a little embarrassed that he’d witnessed her near-fall, Niki adjusted her glasses and pushed to her feet. “I’ll be fine in a moment. Dizzy spells are nothing new to me.”
Speaking of dizzy spells, another one washed over her just then, forcing her to grab on to the headboard for support.
Mr. Brooks was instantly at her side. “Easy there, Miss Stanton. Maybe you should lie back down. The refrigerator can wait.”
“It can’t wait. And please call me Niki.” Where had that come from?
His whiskey-colored gaze softened. “Okay, Niki. My name is Exodus, but my friends call me X.”
Niki blinked. “Exodus, as in the biblical Exodus?”
His lips twitched. “I get that a lot. Which is why I prefer to be called X.”
“Yeah, like that has less shock factor.”
His mouth broke into a full-on smile, nearly buckling Niki’s knees. If she thought him beautiful before, he was downright breathtaking when he smiled. And that wonderful scent she’d noticed when he’d carried her reached her nose once again. God, but he smelled good.
His dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. Even with the shades pulled in her apartment, Niki could see the auburn streaks running through its length.
Her gaze lowered to the black T-shirt stretched across his muscular chest and further still to his faded jeans and shit-kicker boots before returning to his whiskey-colored eyes. “Thank you for your help, X. I don’t know what I would’ve done had you not shown up when you did.”
Then a thought struck her. “What were you doing behind the diner?”
He shrugged a broad shoulder. “I normally park around back. It’s a lot less congested on that side of the building. Especially in the mornings.”
“Makes sense.” She could feel her heart rate slowing to normal as the medication began to kick in. “I appreciate your help, Mister—”
“X, please.”
“Yes, well, I appreciate everything, X, but my medication is beginning to work. I can take it from here.”
His eyes twinkled. “Are you throwing me out?”
“I guess I am,” Niki returned with a nervous chuckle. “There’s only one man in town that can fix that refrigerator, and that’s Carl. If he leaves before I get down there, I’m up the creek without a paddle.”
X nodded and moved toward the door. “I don’t mind waiting. I feel like I should at least walk you down.”
If there was one thing Niki hated more than anything in the world, it was pity. She’d dealt with people feeling sorry for her her entire life. “I can manage,” she shot back a bit stiffer than she’d intended.
His head tilted slightly, and a strange look skated across his face. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Very well then.” He departed without another word.
Torn
by
Ditter Kellen
@DitterTheGreat1
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
January 9, 2019
Wings of the Wicked Excerpt: “Before the Fall” by Colleen S. Myers
Before the Fall
by
Colleen S. Myers
@ColleenSMyers
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
We all fall down
Seri’s brother was taken by their enemies. Now he’s back and they are seizing their birthright. Good and bad. If they can survive.
Excerpt:
An explosion rocked the inner city, shattering brick and stone. Debris fell like rain. Dust and smoke coated the morning sun in darkness. The echo of the blast rang in the air and then faded to silence. One minute. Two. Then a second detonation followed. And another, until the sounds of bombs and falling rock drowned out everything else.
Rael shoveled down his breakfast standing up in the cafeteria when the first explosion hit. Food flew. Chairs overturned. The long tables skidded across the floor into the wall and Rael slid right along with them. The floor still swayed when he managed to pick himself up. His ears buzzed and a headache spread across his forehead. He tasted copper as he balanced on his clawed toes, dark wings tucked tight to his back to protect them from falling glass. With a quick glance, he took stock of his surroundings and the destruction around him.
“Seri!”
His eight-year-old sister had trailed him to the dining hall this morning, begging to go to training with him. Where was she? Panic seized him as he flipped tables and screamed her name again and again. His gut churned. Please, don’t let her be hurt. Not Seri.
It felt like a lifetime before he saw her huddled under one of the fallen tables. Her golden wings spread out behind her along the wall, the adult feathers just coming in on the underside, dark against the light. Her hands covered her ears and tears streaked her face as she rocked in the corner. He saw no injuries, no blood. He let out the breath he’d been holding then ran over and grabbed her hand. “Come on.”
She rubbed her nose along her sleeve, tugging backward. “No. No, it isn’t safe.”
“Seri, come on now. We don’t have time for this. I got you. I would never let anything hurt you.” He leaned forward and bumped his head against hers, cooing lightly until she relaxed enough to let him pull her from her shelter. Her small hand gripped his in a death lock as he guided her toward the hallway.
Dozens of fighters decked out in light chainmail with bows strung across their backs marched past toward the entrance. He ached to join the fight but at sixteen, he was still too young.
He couldn’t believe they were under attack. The idea of it boggled his mind. His people, the Avaresh lived in the Forge, a city thousands of feet aloft, in a series of towers located high in the Adak Mountains. Sheer isolation kept them safe. Till today. Luckily, the Council always planned for every contingency given the war-like nature of their land-dwelling neighbors. The people practiced biannual evacuation drills, everyone assigned a task. His duty was the protection of the children.
Rael sighed and peered down at Seri as she moved closer and grabbed his pants.
“What’s going on Rael?” she asked in a small voice. Her eyes were bloodshot, her nose red. She had some tear stains on her leather and her hair was askew, thin pink feathery braids pulled out from her ponytail. His heart twisted. She was so damn cute. So innocent.
“I don’t know, but you know what we have to do right?” He set her against the wall, went to one knee, and tugged on a loose braid.
She puffed up her chest and replied. “We need to get to the tunnels and hide with the supplies.”
“That’s right. We need to get to the tunnels. Are you ready?” He ran his finger down her nose then squished the tip. She giggled just as he intended and nodded certain that he would see her to safety. Her little hand relaxed in his.
He stood and cursed his tardiness. He’d worn his leather gear, but had forgotten his blades. The training depot had weapons available so he hadn’t gone back when he realized. He went for food instead. So stupid. No one could have planned for this to happen, but he knew better. He was an Elite warrior, or well, he would be soon. He should’ve been armed. Lands. His jaw clenched, but he forced himself to relax and focus. His job was Seri. They needed to get to the tunnels.
He straightened and towed Seri behind him, dodging more guards going the other way while he moved toward the center of town. Another blast pitched them against the wall. His wings spread out protecting Seri, dark feathers stark against the white walls. He clenched his hands to stop their shaking as he righted them both and they continued on their way.
Before the Fall
by
Colleen S. Myers
@ColleenSMyers
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
Wings of the Wicked Excerpt: “Devil’s Claim” by Dariel Raye and Muffy Wilson
Devil’s Claim
by
Dariel Raye and Muffy Wilson
USA Today Bestselling Authors
@pendarielraye and @SexyMuffyWilson
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Blurb:
Generations ago, he died for her. Now, it’s her turn.
Pride kept them from looking at one another, but their bodies could not lie. Recognition lived in their souls, rekindling memories of passion, love, betrayal….and death.
Apache Elder Aidan Stringfellow, V, is a very wealthy man with one wish – to free his only son, the brilliant, yet abrasive David, from the curse that has plagued his family for generations. When his controversial plan for a cure is revealed, shock and disbelief are only the beginning, for David has deadly, yet beguiling secrets of his own.
Choosing to honor Aidan’s wishes, David and Katala unwittingly awaken an ancient evil desperate to lay claim to the last-born Stringfellow – David. The tumultuous consequences of a vengeful pact spanning generations, defies time, tradition, and death itself.
Katala finds herself falling in love with a man whose gaze and touch ignite long-forgotten passion, propelling her to fight for his life. She unearths one devastating clue after another on her winding journey toward the truth, but unseen forces escalate their attack as truth collides with myth. Clinging desperately to her own sanity, she must find a way to reconcile the two, for even her own identity comes into question. Trust no one. Not even David.
Time is running out. Promises will be kept, and if the devil has his way, souls will be claimed.
Excerpt:
David hit the button to start his playlist, then turned to face Katala. His speech was halting, but deliberate. “What do you need me to do before we move forward with this agreement?”
“Where did that come from all of a sudden? A moment ago, we were talking about work.”
Following the wedding, they used most of their extra time moving into a new free-standing flat. Katala had actually taken a six-week leave from work, but cried the night before she had to return. Now, she sat barefoot on the sofa in a long pink cotton gown.
“David, I don’t want to talk about that right now. I hate the way you change the subject in midstream like that. I – I’d just like to know you better. You know, feel more comfortable with you. I don’t want to just have sex because we’re supposed to.”
David’s gaze followed her as she moved closer to him. “What do you need to know?” he asked.
She gave a short laugh. She had to admit, she liked his straightforward manner. Despite her initial distrust, she was beginning to change her mind. One thing she realized she did not have to worry about with him was lies. He was so used to getting his way there was absolutely no guile in him. He simply said ‘I want this or that’, and people did whatever he wanted. She never doubted she would be any different. Honestly, he lit a fire inside her she’d never felt before, but she refused to give in just yet.
“David, I want to know how you feel, what you think, what’s important to you. You know – things that I’m sure most married couples know about each other. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
He smiled. “How about I don’t like waiting. Is that enough about how I feel and what I think?”
Devil’s Claim
by
Dariel Raye and Muffy Wilson
USA Today Bestselling Authors
@pendarielraye and @SexyMuffyWilson
featured in
Wings of the Wicked
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection Kindle Edition
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
PreOrder ***N*O*W***
☆.•°*°•.☆ Lock in the 99c price before it goes up! ☆.•°*°•.☆
Featuring NY Times, USA Today, WSJ Award-Winning Bestselling Authors and they’re coming in Wicked!
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
★✩★Authors Featured in this Collection★✩★
Rebecca Hamilton
Charlene A. Wilson
Dariel Raye
Muffy Wilson
Carolyn Reilly
Kim Carmichael
J.R. Thorn
Lynda Kaye Frazier
Lexi C. Foss
Ravenna Tate
Maddie Wade
LaVerne Thompson
Shereen Vedam
Colleen S. Myers
Ditter Kellen
RS McCoy
K.B. Everyly
Amara Kent
Erin Lee
Erica Gerald Mason
Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Drea Shane
Nichole Riley
N.K. Stackhouse
Amy Cissell
Leona Bushman
Betty Shreffler
Khardine Gray
Anita Hunter
Boxed Set Blurb:
Wickedly Dangerous and Sinfully Seductive.
Indulge in 25 breathtaking adventures of dangerous worlds where the lines blur between saints and sinners.
Come meet the creatures that fuel your every lust filled nightmare, where angels are not always encased in a light of righteousness and demons are not always dealing in all manner of debauchery. Where you might just end up rooting for the bad guy…
Warning: If you like demonic games, angelic interventions, and thrilling temptations, you’ll love this urban fantasy and paranormal romance collection of twisted proportions in Wings of the Wicked.
Available from All your Favorite Retailers
HERE
Get 39 Great Books for only 99cents!
Here’s How…
Pre-order Wings of The Wicked for $0.99
and
get 14 additional books
FREE!
You’ll receive a total of 39 books when you order
Wings of The Wicked:
A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection
for only $0.99
Just email laylav7@gmail.com with proof of purchase and you will receive an email with a link to get 14 FREE books! That’s over $100 worth of books all for just $0.99!
Don’t waste time!
Order HERE Now!
