I picked up Blood Lust by Jill Cooper on a free day. That cover caught my eye and the more I checked it out, the more I knew I made the right move one clicking. Same and Dean, step aside for Jessica and Amanda. Jill Cooper is so descriptive of the world, action and characters, I could visualize what was happening. Even though it took me a little to get into it, once Jill Cooper got made me sit up and take notice, I didn’t want to stop.
The drawback…the dreaded cliffhanger…and it is not on Kindle Unlimited. Still glad I read it. I rarely buy books any more, so I may never ‘know’ the end, but I bet I can guess. The thing is…it’s about the journey, not the destination, for me.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
If you love Sam and Dean, then you’re going to adore The Blood Sisters! Hunting demons, kicking ass and saving people is what they do.
When an evil gang spreads demon essence drugs throughout the mid-west, Jessica and Amanda Blood are hot on their trail. Until Amanda is kidnapped by demons eager to collect the bounty placed on the sisters’ heads by queen of the underworld.
Jessica will go to the ends of the Earth to find her healer sister, before Amanda is sacrificed and her pure blood used to open the gates of hell. But to get there, Jessica must ride with bad boy demon hunter Duncan Jasper and his gang. Too bad the only thing tougher than fighting demons is fighting her attraction to Duncan.
Duncan Jasper left Jessica once, on his own dangerous mission. Now he’s back, and determined to keep her safe in his arms, no matter what–if she’ll let him, that is.
But with demons charging from the front, the underworld gunning from behind, and a spy in their midst, Jessica and Duncan’s fight to save Amanda–and humanity–is just beginning.
ABOUT JILL COOPER
Author of the YA Dream Slayer series, Jill loves to blend horror, comedy, the supernatural, and love, through her novels. A fan of genre blending, her work strives to cross boundries, but most of all strives to entertain.
She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances.
Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats.
Penny Nicols brings her “gift” to
Billington. Searching for her sister, she’s determined to stand her
ground. One woman holds the keys to Penny’s link between her past and
the present.
When is history better left buried?
When the Raven is the one telling the story.
Dinah, Penny’s old advocate, is struck down before her eyes.
Penny’s long-distance friend T.C.
continues to help her trail the whereabouts of her long-lost sibling and
solve the mystery. Musical clues and manic relationships crowd the
distracted Penny as T.C. supports her from afar.
Spades, the cat, charms the suspects as Penny untangles her omens.
Dinah may be victim number one, but Penny fears the Raven is just warming up.
You’ll love the sixth book in this binge-worthy paranormal mystery
series because Penny and her sleuthing sidekicks dig deep to uncover the
Raven’s evil plans.
About Sarah Hualde
Sarah lives in California, in a home
that brings her happiness and hay fever. She loves God, loves her
family, and loves freshly brewed coffee. She has a husband who cooks, a
son who stop animates, a daughter who loves animals, a dog that follows
her everywhere, and a turtle who scowls at her condescendingly.
Her mother raised her on Mary Higgins
Clark, Diane Mott Davidson, and Remington Steele. Her grandmother shared
True Crime stories with her as they plotted how to get away with the
perfect murder. It’s no surprise that Sarah became an award-winning
spinner of suspenseful tales brimming with quirky characters. Mysteries
are in her blood. Not that she could survive one of her own stories. She
confesses, “I’d be snuffed out by chapter two.”
Join Sarah’s Super Sleuth Squad and follow her on YouTube for behind-the-scenes insider info.
I love the awesome cover. Both shorts mention dementia.
MYSTERY ROAD: WOW. Mystery Road may be a short story, but it sure is powerful. Memories. Dreams. He prepares himself for his father’s death. A chance encounter leaves more questions than answers. Brought tears to my eyes. 4 Stars
A NIGHT AT OLD WEBB: Who’s to say ghosts don’t walk among us? Sometimes a nudge can take us to places we never would have reached on our own. Places where we were meant to be. We just needed that passing moment in time that lingers in our dreams, hopes, and desires. Well written, flowing smoothly to a thoughtprovoking conclusion. 3 Stars
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Mystery Road by Kevin Lucia.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Two Kevin Ellison Stories in One!
Mystery Road
Choices are like roads, taking us to destinations both planned and unexpected, but lofty thoughts like that are of no concern to young Kevin Ellison, who only cares about his dreams of basketball glory.
One day, however, while riding his bicycle to shoot baskets with his best friend, he comes across a side-road he doesn’t recognize, curving away into the woods. Intrigued, he rides down this unmarked road and encounters something both wonderful and quietly terrible, something that forever changes his understanding of the world…
A Night at Old Webb
Old Webb, an abandoned grammar school just outside Clifton Heights, is the place to be late summer nights in Webb County. A gathering place for friends to be themselves, away from grownups who have forgotten what it means to be young and free.
The summer of 1992, Kevin Ellison spent his Saturday nights there like everyone else. Everything was running according to plan: a college basketball scholarship, school, all the things everyone expected of him.
Then he met a girl named Michelle Titchner, and everything changed…
ABOUT KEVIN LUCIA
Kevin Lucia’s short fiction has appeared in several anthologies, most recently with Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Bentley Little, Peter Straub and Robert McCammon.
His first short story collection, Things Slip Through was published November 2013, followed by Devourer of Souls in June 2014, Through A Mirror, Darkly, June 2015, and and his second short story collection, Things You Need, September 2018. His novella Mystery Road is forthcoming from Cemetery Dance Publications.
WITH A SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery)
By Lena Gregory
About With A Spirit of Vengeance
With A Spirit of Vengeance (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery) Paranormal Cozy Mystery 7th in Series Setting – Bay Island (Just off Long Island, New York) Beyond the Page Publishing (June 28, 2022) Paperback Print Length : 249 pages ISBN-10 : 1958384046 ISBN-13 : 978-1958384046 Digital ASIN : B0B3GG5P68
Psychic Cass Donovan must
uncover the truth about long-buried secrets and recent murders to bring
peace to a troubled spirit and bring justice to a flesh-and-blood killer
. . .
When the spirit of Ophelia Wilson turned
to clairvoyant Cass Donovan for help, Cass was able to prove Ophelia’s
innocence in the century-old murders of her family members—and solve a
contemporary murder in the process. But Ophelia’s spirit has returned,
this time angrily demanding that Cass expose the identity of whoever did
kill her family. And then eerily, two descendants from the Wilson
family tree are murdered, suggesting that Ophelia has the power to
meddle in modern-day events to satisfy her rage.
As Cass struggles to solve the two
recent murders and unravel the sparse clues about murders from a hundred
years ago, she and those around her begin to suffer Ophelia’s
wrath—including an attempt on the life of one of Cass’s closest friends.
Relying on all of her own psychic powers, Cass has to confront the
spirit’s hunger for vengeance and track down a merciless killer before
she becomes the next victim of both . . .
About Lena Gregory
Lena grew up in a small town on the
south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold,
damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where
she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs.
Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her
love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t
sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance
editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Spells and Slip-ups Annie Anderson (The Wrong Witch, #1) Publication date: July 5th 2022 Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
I suck at witchcraft.
Coming from a long line of famous witches, I should be at the top of the heap. Problem is, if there is a spell cast anywhere in my vicinity, I will somehow mess it up. As a probationary agent with the Arcane Bureau of Investigation, I have two choices: I can limp along and maybe pass myself off as a competent agent, or I can fail. Miserably.
Worse news? If I can’t get my act together, I may not only be out of a job, I could also lose my life.
“Get out,” he barked, crossing his beefy arms
over his substantial belly. “Ain’t no way I’m gonna let a Bannister tromp all
over my shop. Who knows what you’ll break?”
Not that half the shit in this hovel wasn’t
broken already, but still, tears prickled at my eyes. Gritting my teeth against
the sting, I managed to stand my ground. This wasn’t the first time I’d been
kicked out of a witch shop, and given my history, it wouldn’t be the last.
“Please,” I begged, reaching inside my bag for
the wad of cash. Ellie and I had planned on moving in together after college,
but here we were two years post-graduation, with no apartment in sight.
Unearthing the fistful of bills, I held them in front of me to ward off my
ousting. “I can pay.”
His gaze snagged on the money in my hand, and
he licked his chops. By the looks of this place, Mr. Jones hadn’t seen a paying
customer in longer than I’d been alive. “What? You stub your toe or somethin’?
I ain’t wasting my time on no silly girl with a hangnail.”
Don’t back
talk the healer, Wren. Don’t do it.
“It’s not for me, you judgmental ass. It’s for
my best friend’s mom. Do you really think I’d be tromping through here looking
for you if it was something I could fix with a nail clipper and a manicurist?
I’m liable to get tetanus in this heap.” Gnashing my teeth, I took a deep
breath, doing my damnedest to not start screaming. “It’s systemic organ
failure. Can you fix that?”
Carmichael narrowed his eyes. “Your friend’s
mom. Not your mom?” A slow smile pulled across his lips, exposing yellowed
teeth and a fair amount of tooth decay. “You have my interest. What class is
your friend’s mother? She a witch like you or…”
This was the sticking point. If I couldn’t get
him to agree, Alice had no hope. It wasn’t like I could bribe my way into my
mother’s good graces or beg my father.
“Human,” I breathed, praying he wouldn’t make
a fuss.
He simply blinked at me for a solid thirty
seconds. “I’m sorry—what was that?”
Stomping through the piles of junk, I slapped
the money on the counter before reaching into my bag for the second roll of
bills. It was my entire savings. Everything I’d squirreled away to set myself
up. It wasn’t just an apartment I was getting. It was a chance.
But it meant nothing if Alice wasn’t
breathing.
“She’s human,” I hissed. “Are you gonna help
me or not?” The bank teller had audibly squawked when I’d pulled every dime
from my account, her face purpling when I’d asked for it in cash.
Carmichael reached for the bills, but I
slapped his hand before he could get within an inch. “Are you helping, or am I
going to have to go down to the River Walk and deal with them?”
The “them” in question were the Fae, and I had
no intention of dealing with that sort at all. Ever. Making deals with fairies
was tantamount to jumping off a cliff with piranhas, sharks, and razor-sharp
rocks at the bottom. Anyone who had ever made a fairy deal regretted it, and I
wouldn’t be making the same mistake.
Luckily, my poker face was top-notch—otherwise
Carmichael would have seen right through my bluff.
“What you’re asking for is illegal, you know.”
Author Bio:
Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.
Join us for this tour from June 14 to July 11,2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Beached Ones by Colleen M. Story Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 354 pages Genre: Paranormal, Literary, Ghost, Fantasy Publisher: CamCat Books Release date: June 14, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13 + M: The
book does explore suicide, and there is one scene indicating potential
sexual abuse (that is stopped before it starts). There is the occasional
swear word, but they are not frequent.
Book Description:
HE CAME BACK, DETERMINED TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.
Daniel and his younger brother grew up in an abusive home. Daniel escaped. Now an established stunt rider, he intends to go back to rescue his brother. But then one jump goes horribly wrong . . .
He recovers to find himself in Iowa, unscathed, yet his life has drastically changed. His best friend won’t answer his calls. Even his
girlfriend is hiding something. Increasingly terrified, he clings to the one thing he knows: He must pick up his brother in San Francisco. In five days.
From the isolating fields of Iowa to the crowded streets of San Francisco, Daniel must fight his way through a fog of disjointed
memories and supernatural encounters to face the truth and pay a debt he didn’t know he owed.
Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker who loves animals, music, and the great Pacific Northwest.
Her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. Her next novel, The Beached Ones is forthcoming from CamCat Books on June 14, 2022.
Colleen has written three books to help writers succeed. “Your Writing Matters” helps writers overcome self-doubt and determine once and for all where writing fits in their lives.
Her previous release, Writer Get Noticed!, was a gold-medal winner in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards and a first-place winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards. Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018 and was an Amazon best seller.
With over 20 years as a professional in the creative industry, Colleen has authored thousands of articles for publications like “Healthline” and “Women’s Health;” worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg’s; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She continues to work as a full-time freelance writer, helping clients create informative and inspiring communications in a variety of media formats.
Colleen frequently serves as a workshop leader, writing coach, and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and
emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.
I must confess, I am a cover…well, you know. So I am excited to have Martha Dunlop her to talk about her covers.
Designing my book covers was a treat I was
waiting for. I’d been working on my books for years, focusing on craft, writing,
getting feedback and rewriting over and over. Finally, the moment to publish The
Starfolk Arcana had come, and I got to live out the cover dream.
I knew exactly who I wanted to hire to design
my covers. There were two books I had bought in paperback, even though I’d
already read them on my Kindle. I bought them because I loved the covers so
much and that had always stuck in my mind. They had the same designer, Ravven.
My books are a love story, so I wanted people
on the front. It’s also set in historic city, St Albans, in a part of town that
has lots of Tudor buildings. I went on a ghost walk when I was planning the
novel, and the stories I heard whilst walking around the Tudor buildings were a
wonderful source of inspiration to me. And more than one ghost made it into the
final version of The Starfolk Arcana. I
wanted to capture the history and the spookiness in the cover and I think
Ravven did a wonderful job of that with the old, crumbling Tudor building, and
the ravens flying in front of the full moon.
Tarot is another important theme in the
book. The main characters are all
represented as archetypes in a specially illustrated deck. Jonan explains early
on in the book that this is no mystery.
They knew the artist and she based some of the cards on her friends. But
as more characters join the story, and their faces are also in the deck, things
become less clear. I love the way Ravven
threw tarot cards into the mix on the book cover, having them flung up into the
air to drift on the breeze around the characters.
Choosing the people was the biggest job, and
Jonan, the guy, was the toughest one to find. He had to be blond, (most of the
models had dark hair), with long hair and an angular face. In the end I spent a
long time looking before I found the guy on the cover. He was very smiley in
most of the pictures, but looking serious, and with the addition of longer
hair, he was the perfect Jonan. There
weren’t many pictures that worked, but there is a fabulous image waiting for
book three of the trilogy.
For book two I wanted a new colour scheme and
a different mood, whilst maintaining the same feel. This cover is set in the countryside in front
of an old farm building and it picks up on some scenes from the beginning of Starfolk
Falling. Beth is a lot more confident in
this cover.
In The Starfolk Arcana, Beth falls prey to my
antagonist, Amelia’s fear mongering and that is reflected in her worried
expression on the book cover. By Starfolk Falling she is far more in control,
and I can’t wait to see the cover with book 3’s Beth. I have the perfect image
for her.
I wanted these covers to feel immersive and magical, to pull the reader into the story before they even begin, and I really love the way Ravven achieved that for me. She’s a wonderful designer.
I must say, you accomplished your goal. I love the covers. Thanks so much for visiting.
Destiny calls. Soulmates draw closer. One
woman stands in the way.
Beth trusts her psychic senses. So when her
birthday visit to a daytime TV talk show takes a weird turn, she knows
something is wrong. Amelia, the celebrity on stage, is oddly fixated on Beth
and the man with the microphone is hauntingly familiar. Things become even
stranger when she buys a tarot deck, and they are all pictured in the cards.
Jonan has waited an eternity to be with the woman
who haunts his dreams. When he finally sees her at the TV studio, he hopes life
with his soulmate is within reach. But as Amelia refuses to let go of their
past together, his hopes fade.
Amelia stands between Beth and Jonan. Spinning
tales of supernatural threats to her adoring fan base, she builds a personality
cult through fear of the paranormal. As her power grows, she does her best to
scare Beth away from Jonan and plans to reclaim him for herself.
United by a destiny that spans lifetimes, Beth and
Jonan are determined to stop Amelia’s fear-mongering. But Amelia has more than
one card to play. Even though they are fated to be together, Amelia’s
destructive nature may once again tear them apart.
EXCERPT
Beth sighed and slouched down in her front row seat at the
TV studio. If she’d known she was going to be subjected to this drivel, she
wouldn’t have come. She’d been here for two hours already, and not one of the
stories had been genuine. Her so-called friend and flatmate had a lot to answer
for. She was pleased Laura loved her new job, and it had been obvious her
friend’s enthusiasm about the chat show was overblown, but this was worse than
she’d expected.
She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and
turned. Laura was standing off to the side of the set, waving her clipboard at
Beth. She shifted on her mile-high spikes. Her feet must have been so uncomfortable,
but Laura had been determined to make an impression today. Her eyes were bright
as she scanned the set, drinking in her world. This job was her triumph. Beth
couldn’t fault her enthusiasm, she just wished Laura had left her out of
today’s charade.
Seated on the dais, Katherine Haversham waited for a moment,
eyebrows raised, bright red lips pursed.
‘Thank you for staying with us over the break. I know this
is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Model and It girl Amelia Faustus is
here, live, on Deep and Dark to break her silence over the horrific out-of-body
attack that took her from the media spotlight. After weeks of fear and
soul-searching, she has decided to step back into the public eye. Amelia,
welcome. Tell us what happened.’ Katherine leaned forward. ‘Start from the
beginning.’
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Martha is a dreamer and lover of stories who likes nothing better
than spending her days getting to know the characters in her head.
She is a tarot card reader and reiki master, and loves to chat
reading, writing and all things mystical on social media, as well as posting
pictures of her fellow pack-member, Bertie the Cavalier.
A fiddle player, Martha fell in love with traditional music,
particularly Irish, and is also teaching herself to play the Irish Bouzouki.
She played her way through her English degree at York and remembers that time
as much for the music as the books.
Martha is the author of three books: The Starfolk Arcana, Starfolk
Falling, and standalone Wild Shadow. She
is currently working on Book 3 of The Starfolk Trilogy, Starfolk Rising.
Mimi Jean Pamfiloff immediately put a smile on my face with the lively dialogue.
Lake is smack dab in the middle of a fight for her world. She would need to marry Alwar, a warlord giant, to defeat the Blood King. She takes nothing from anyone, even a fifty foot giant who could squash her like a bug.
I laughed my way through the danger.
In Book I, Lake learned about Monsterland. Now, she’s crossed the bridge, entering Monsterland, and learning first hand the rules.
Mimi Jean Pamfiloff has created an amazing, original, magical and dangerous world, which she describes in vivid detail. The characters kept me engrossed and entertained for hours. I am eagerly anticipating what comes next.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wall Men II by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a suspenseful Dark Fantasy, Wall Men: Book Two, a Vow Broken.
MARRYING A GIANT IS ONLY THE FIRST OF HER MISTAKES…
Here’s
a terrifying fact: monsters live in a world only a step away from ours.
And they love eating people. I’d know because I was taken prisoner by
one, the Blood King. Vampires. Blech! Steer clear of those.
Luckily
for us, getting here isn’t so easy. They’d have to cross a bridge
that’s protected by a wall built by my ancestors and guarded by the Wall
Men.
Unlucky is that the wall is under attack, and the king of the Wall Men wants my help. By marrying him.
Did I mention he’s a fifty-foot-tall warlord? And that the marriage must be—gulp—consummated?
To
save both our worlds, I must say “I do” in a forever vow with a major
string attached. Except my giant husband kept the biggest string hidden
from me, and now it’s too late to escape.
ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF
MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold
over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her
MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she
believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet
and follow your dreams.
Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two
pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons
(really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack,
in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.
She hopes to make
you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that
leather pants will make a big comeback for men.
Rogue Tam DeRudder Jackson (Talisman, #6) Publication date: June 28th 2022 Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Baz Cormac never intended to be a rogue, but fate had other ideas.
Being forced to pledge loyalty to the evil Morrigan is its own kind of hell. So when Baz discovers the lie she’s used to keep him and his band of rogues under her power, he concocts a plan to force the goddess’s hand, which drops him in the center of a cosmic tug-o-war. No matter which way he leans, someone is going to lose—and it looks like that someone may be Baz.
A talisman fights her fate…and her fatal attraction.
Delaney Ferrell has spent her life trying to live down her uncle’s choice to turn rogue. As a warrior-talisman hybrid, she’d done her best to serve the warrior community as a protector. But a cryptic letter sends her to an abandoned home where she encounters a lone rogue with fighting skills no rogue should possess. Instead of killing her, he kidnaps her and takes her to his lair. He presents a terrible danger to the community, one she must neutralize.
So why does he have to be so damn charming?
Discovering Delaney is his fated mate throws all of Baz’s plans into chaos. And when the goddesses come calling, Baz has to choose between a rogue’s freedom and a talisman’s love.
Will they have a chance at love, or will they be torn apart?
The low rumble of a pickup pulling into the house next door brought Baz out of the barn to investigate. He’d managed to convince Rory and Jaime to take a little vacation to Vegas, hit a couple of strip clubs and casinos he knew rogues liked to frequent, and see about adding some new recruits to their little band. They could consider their trip a working vacation.
In the month they’d been away, he’d put his construction skills to work with his supernatural speed and stamina. With the exception of leveling the gravel on the floor of the barn, he’d finished his project in record time. Or perhaps in the nick of time if someone was looking to move in next door. He’d kept a close eye on Ian McCloud’s place, but until today, he hadn’t seen any activity there. Not a family member, not a realtor, not a curious someone looking to take advantage of an empty house.
He made several forays over to McCloud’s in the dead of night, looking to see what it was about the man that had the goddess’s interest. As a fighter, Ian McCloud was unremarkable from other warriors Baz had met on the battlefield. He knew the man was a widower with a small child, and that wasn’t all that attention-grabbing either. So why had the goddess keyed on him? Nothing Baz found in or around McCloud’s house had given him a clue.
The truck’s engine revved once before the driver shut it off. Simultaneously with the slamming of the truck’s door, the hair all over his body stood at attention, like a shock of static electricity zinged over him. Whoever was visiting McCloud’s house on this soft twilight evening was a member of the warrior community. Baz summoned his claymore to his hand and soundlessly made his way around the back of the neighboring property to investigate.
Whoever was visiting knew the place well. A beauty of a three-quarter-ton crew-cab pickup with a gleaming forest green paint job was parked on the tarmac in front of the double door of the garage behind the house. Through the glass of the outer back door, he could see the heavy oak inner door was wide open. The visitor was someone who wasn’t worried about being caught inside.
He debated cornering the warrior inside the house, but decided to wait from his place of concealment in the trees bordering the backyard. Though he’d been inside the house himself on more than one occasion, chances were whoever was there knew the place better than he did. Safer to wait and see who and what the person was and determine the level of threat. That the visitor was a threat he had no doubt. The hairs on his forearms and the back of his neck had remained standing ever since he’d heard the man cut the engine to his truck.
The truck was a beauty. His eyes strayed to the back door, and he wondered how much time he had to check it out. Taking a chance, he sheathed his sword in its scabbard on his back and vaulted through time and space to land on the driver’s side. He ran his hand along the paint of the fender and appreciated the tread on the tires. Though the truck was immaculately clean, whoever owned it used it to work—or play. He squatted low and checked out the suspension, confirming his suspicions that the truck was someone’s toy.
A quick glance inside the cab had him doing a double-take. He chuckled to himself. As close as the driver’s seat was pulled to the steering wheel, it was obvious the warrior who owned this rig was trying to make up for something he lacked. Baz adjusted his own package, and grinned. At six feet three with a wingspan to match, he could easily outmaneuver a warrior who had some distance to make up to reach six feet.
A sound near the back door sobered him up quick. He scanned the area for cover, sighting no bushes or flower beds or other hiding places near the house. Before he could visualize himself back to his hiding place at the back of the yard, a woman stepped through the door and pushed a key into the lock. With a flick of her wrist, she tested the handle and nodded. And stilled.
Time moved in slow motion as Baz catalogued the woman’s features. Long waves of chestnut-colored hair flowed over her shoulders to the middle of her back. Her orange T-shirt showed off toned shoulders and arms and a nipped-in waist where it was tucked into her jeans. Her jeans covered the sweetest ass he’d ever seen, rounded and perfect. Athletic. His hands itched to touch her. The dark navy wash of her jeans made her legs appear endless, and he wondered how they would feel wrapped around him. Before he could appreciate more of her, he caught the flash of a claymore as she summoned it to her hand the second before she faced him.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?”
He’d expected a scream. Instead, the woman’s soft alto washed over him, momentarily disarming him. That and the intensity of dark chocolate eyes in a perfect heart-shaped face. The last of the sun’s rays slanted off her sword, bringing him back to himself. This gorgeous woman was a warrior, a serious threat.
“I could ask you the same question.”
Author Bio:
Tam DeRudder Jackson is the author of the paranormal romance Talisman Series and the contemporary romance Balefire Series. Her favorite “room” in her house is her back patio where she dreams up stories of romance and risk. When she’s not writing her latest paranormal or contemporary romance, you can usually find her driving around with the top down in her convertible or carving turns on the slopes of the local ski hill. The mom of two grown sons, Tam likes to travel, attend rock concerts, watch football and soccer, and visit old car shows with her husband. She lives in the mountains of northwest Wyoming where she spends most of her free time trying to read all the books. Her TBR piles are threatening to take over her office, and she’s fine with that.
While accompanying his leader on a mission, Odium, an E Model cyborg, hears a distress call over the communication lines. The voice on that message makes his circuits surge with energy and all his systems light up. He has to respond to the mysterious female, would risk his lifespan and the lifespans of everyone on board their ship to protect her.
A Human Female Others Call Beast
Briella gained her nickname due to her flying abilities, her fearlessness, and her scarred countenance. Her verbal-only relationship with the sexy cyborg who answers her distress call is a steamy yet short-lived fantasy. His kind is physically perfect, and she is…not. He will uncover that truth when…if they survive the attack upon her freighter.
***
Provoking Odium is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a human female intent on remaining mysterious, a cyborg warrior determined to uncover her identity, and an enemy seeking to destroy them both before they have the opportunity to meet.
Briella should leave now, before Mohini and Odium met. Seeing the two of them together would tear her soul apart.
But then the doors opened, and the toes of two huge black boots became visible.
She lifted her gaze and her breath caught. That footwear was attached to an equally large male.
Odium was built like the warrior he was. The body armor barely contained his muscular form. Well-maintained weapons decorated the garment. His stance was strong. His hips were narrow. His shoulders were wide.
Desire hit Briella like a missile, almost knocking her over.
She’d researched E Models, had seen some of his kind on Mercury Minor, and she believed she knew what to expect.
But her overly active imagination had fallen far short of envisioning Odium. His hair was the blackest black. His skin was gray. Not one scar marred his countenance. His eyes were dark.
His face. Stars. His face.
All the cyborgs she’d met had been handsome. Odium, however, was Mohini-levels of beautiful. He was that exquisite female’s physical match.
Briella’s desolation escalated. She took a step backward.
Odium’s nostrils flared. He turned his head, gazed directly at her.
She froze in place. That was impossible. There were hundreds of beings stationed between them. He must merely be looking in her direction.
Seeking to test that theory, she shifted to the right.
His gaze tracked her.
Her warrior had somehow located her in the crowd.
Briella’s palms dampened. Her stomach knotted.
Others sought to speak to Odium. He didn’t look at those beings. His focus was on her.
It was heady, exciting, worrisome. She brushed her fingers over her goggles. They were in place, so her eyes were hidden.
He saw her scars. Those couldn’t be concealed.
But he couldn’t view the worst of her disfigurements, the part of her that had evoked fear and hatred in her kind, that made the toughest of warriors avoid her.
She could endure his perusal, could stand her ground and—
Mohini approached Odium.
His gaze flicked toward the female.
Her friend was impossible for any male to ignore. And her cyborg was certainly a male. He vibrated with vitality, with power.
Briella wanted him with every cell in her body.
Mohini appeared as enthralled with Odium. Her eyes glowed with interest. Her lips moved. Her friend’s words were too softly spoken for Briella to hear.
But she could imagine what was being said, and every flirtatious comment, every glance, every movement was a dagger stuck deep into her face. The pain, the torment lashed her again and again.
It was unbearable. Panic filled her. She couldn’t do this, couldn’t stand by passively and watch her friend seduce the male she wanted. That was beyond her capabilities.
She turned away from them and ran.
Author Bio:
For updates on characters and for very bad jokes, sign up for Cynthia’s monthly newsletter at http://cynthiasax.com
USA Today Bestselling author Cynthia Sax is currently writing cyborg and alien romances with high heat levels. These stories are set in a shared dark, gritty, sometimes violent world. There is always a romantic happy ending between the main characters and this happy ending is FOREVER. But everyone else is in danger.
Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of… top ten lists.
She loves writing fated to mate or instalove romances as this is her personal experience with love. She fell in love with her Dear Wonderful Hubby at first sight and 25 plus years later, they’re still very much in love. This is what she wishes for her characters and for her readers.
