MUST READ MONDAYS ~ Drive by K.S. Thomas

Title - Drive

Author - K.S. Thomas

Genre - Action/Suspense/Romance

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Blurb

Jordan Hall's shift is cut short when she takes yet another risk she shouldn't have. Not only does it lead to a suspension, but her partner of four years decides it's time to move on and team up with another paramedic who's less keen on breaking all the rules. Then, when Jordan's ambulance is high-jacked with her still in it, things quickly go from bad to even worse.

Sawyer Lazzaro, the mysterious stranger who kidnaps Jordan at gun point, is an absolute enigma. In spite of the fact that her life is in danger from the moment they meet, Jordan can't help but be drawn to him and soon finds that beneath the dangerous exterior lies her own personal safe haven.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Jordan jumps into the driver's seat as the two make a run for it, evading enemies on both sides of the law and searching for the road that will get them out alive.

**CONTENT WARNING: Language/Some Violence**

Excerpt

 Jordan’s hand was still resting on her keys, preparing to take them from the ignition when the passenger side door flew open and a man climbed into the seat. He wasn’t much older than her, with blond slicked back hair and two days’ worth of scruff collecting on his chin and jawline. His piercing blue eyes glared at her as he lifted the barrel of his gun until it was even with her head and shouted, “Drive!” He briefly lowered the weapon to use its handle to smash the radio before pointing it directly at her temple again.

Jordan bit down on her lip as she considered the predicament she had suddenly found herself in. Given her reckless tendencies, being at the wrong end of a weapon was a place she was not surprisingly not unaccustomed to. To say she was entirely comfortable there would have been a stretch, but it didn’t send her into a panic which was more than most people could say. Of course, even by her standards, having a gun pointed at her twice in one day was borderline ridiculous.

Feeling particularly defiant after her meeting with Brenson, Jordan gripped the keys and turned them, bringing the engine back to life.

She looked over at the gun toting stranger and nodded, “You got it.” Then she pushed her foot down on the gas and peeled out of her parking spot, knocking the guy back into his seat with a thud. He cried out in pain and reached for his shoulder. When he did so, his leather jacket slipped up just far enough for Jordan to see his blood stained shirt underneath. From the looks of it, she guessed he had been shot himself. Dealing with this asshole was going to be easier than she had anticipated.

With her eyes locked onto the road, Jordan’s mind began to focus on the game again. She took in every detail of her surroundings as she led the ambulance down the busy nighttime streets of the city. She didn’t even bother to ask the guy where he wanted to go. She had her own destination in mind. Just in case he had started to think she was driving aimlessly, Jordan pressed down on the gas harder, gaining speed with every second.

“What the hell are you doing? Slow down!” the guy demanded, the tip of his gun brushing against her skin. It was cold and wet, probably from his own blood. Out of the corner of her eye, Jordan could see that the deep red stain on his shirt was expanding. This guy was losing more blood by the minute. Deciding that he really wasn’t in any position to shoot her just then, Jordan ignored his demands and floored it. The highway ahead was wide open and there wasn’t a soul in sight to stop them.

“I mean it! Stop this fucking ambulance now!”

Without looking up, Jordan said, “Fine.”

She slammed on the break and jerked the steering wheel as far left as it would go, sending the ambulance spinning. By the time it stopped moving, Jordan’s entire body was shaking from the adrenaline while her passenger had been thrown pretty unceremoniously. He landed head first in the windshield before getting pushed back into his seat from the momentum of their vehicle spiraling out of control.

Jordan unbuckled her seatbelt and moved out of her seat to get a better look at the man’s injuries. He had a pretty decent gash on his forehead now to go with the already blood gushing gunshot wound right below his shoulder. Still pretty dazed from the impact, the guy was in no condition to move very much, let alone threaten her again anytime soon.

Jordan picked up his gun from where it had fallen to the floor and shoved it into the glove compartment. Then she shifted back into drive and made her way toward the next exit, leaving the guy still slumped half on the floor while she drove. She didn’t intend to go very far.

A few minutes later the ambulance was pulling into the back parking lot of a strip mall. At this time of night there would be no one around to ask questions.

Jordan climbed into the back of her rig and collected the items she would need to tend to her passenger. After a moment she was hovering over him and putting pressure on his chest. The pain of her pressing down on his wound brought him to instantly.

“What the hell happened?” he asked trying to get up. He didn’t get very far before he gave up again.

“You hit your head. You know, you should really wear a seatbelt. Even in a car heist it’s important to put safety first.” The sarcasm in her tone brought a faint smirk to the man’s lips, but he didn’t say anything. So, Jordan continued, “Maybe you should tell me what’s going on. You’ve obviously been shot, but based on the way you went about getting a ride, I’m guessing you weren’t wanting me to take you to the hospital.”

The guy shook his head, “No. No, hospital.”

Jordan looked up from what she was doing. She couldn’t get a read on this guy. In spite of everything, she wasn’t afraid of him although she knew she probably should have been.

“Relax, I’m not taking you in. I’m off duty anyway.”

“You’re being pretty cavalier about this whole thing. This sort of stuff happen to you often?”

“You mean do I frequently get abducted at gunpoint and forced to treat GSW’s to the chest in the front seat of my ambulance because my patient is a criminal who can’t go to the hospital? No, this is a first for me.” Jordan stood up to get more supplies. From what she could tell the bullet had gone straight through, but the wound would need to be cleaned and stitched up if she wanted to get it to stop bleeding anytime soon. And since she didn’t have any blood on hand to give him a transfusion, sooner would definitely be better than later.

“So, given your, uh, predicament, I don’t expect you to give me your real name or anything, but there’s gotta be something I can call you other than gun toting stranger. It just seems so impersonal, and quite frankly, it’s too damn long.”

His blue eyes watched intently as Jordan cleaned up his shoulder, using one had to cut away a section of his shirt for better access, while still keeping pressure on the wound with the other. When she lifted his arm to try and remove the sleeve of his jacket, it sent a piercing pain through his chest and he coughed out loud.

Finally he said, “Sawyer. My name’s Sawyer.” His voice was hoarse and strained and Jordan was certain he was in more pain than he was letting on. She had already given him something to try and make him more comfortable, but there was only so much she could do given the circumstances. So, she kept him talking while she worked, cutting away sections of his jacket to grant her better access and hoping the distraction would help until the meds kicked in completely.

“Sawyer it is then. My name’s Jordan by the way. Not that you asked, but I’d personally prefer you call me that over ‘crazy bitch’ which I imagine is what you’ve been silently referring to me as since we first met.”

Sawyer studied her curiously.

“Why are you doing this? You could have delivered me to the cops by now.”

Jordan finished what she was doing and looked up at him.

“I may still do that. Just seems inefficient to drop you off in such a mess when I have the means to clean you up a bit first.”

Sawyer reached for her wrist and held it.

“I’m serious.”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’m pissed at my boss and this just seems like a good way to stick it to him, I guess.” She tossed the bloody gauze pads into the trash and stripped off her gloves. She had done all she could for the time being. “Just tell me that you didn’t shoot any women or children – or innocent people, period – and I can pretend this whole thing never happened.”

Sawyer sighed loudly.

“I promise there were no women and children. And nobody there was innocent.”

Jordan nodded, satisfied with his answer. She was about to suggest they get him up off of the floor and onto the gurney in the back when the glare of headlights caught her eye.

“That’s weird.”

“What?” Sawyer was straining to try and see out the window.

“No, it’s just, I’ve never seen anyone here at night. We park here quite a bit when we have some down time, and it’s always completely empty.”

As she spoke, the car slowly cruised up beside them. Hearing the quiet hum of the motor hovering outside his door, Sawyer reached for Jordan’s arm and yanked her toward him.

“Get down!”

Jordan didn’t even have a chance to process what was happening when an explosion of bullets came crashing through the passenger side window.

“Who is that?!” she shouted over the noise.

“I’ll explain later. Right now we need to get out of here!” Sawyer yelled back. Jordan couldn’t argue with him there. Keeping her head down, she crawled backwards until she reached her keys and the gear shift. She couldn’t hear the motor over the gunfire, but she could feel the vibration of the engine as she shifted out of park. Without hesitating, she used her right hand to press down on the gas with as much force as she could, sending the ambulance flying through the parking lot in reverse and stunning their unknown attackers just long enough for the bullets to cease. Jordan took advantage of the momentary silence and took her seat, putting her back in control of her own destiny as well as anyone else’s, should they decide to get in her way.

It took less than thirty seconds for Jordan to steer the ambulance back onto the main drag. As tempting as it was to flip the switch and activate the lights and sirens to guarantee her a clear path ahead, it just didn’t seem logical to stand out like a shining beacon in the dark of night while someone was following them, bullets flying and all.

FRIDAY FEATURE ~ Salty by K.S. Thomas

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Author: K.S. Thomas

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Synopsis: 

Tritonia ‘Salty’ Casavant has spent her entire life out at sea on her parents' sailboat. Raised by a marine biologist and her mother’s extended family of modern day pirates, her perception of the world isn’t exactly normal.

Now a single mother herself and living alone on the boat her parents left her, she enjoys her private paradise as she cruises back and forth between the Islands of Hawaii.

Everything changes when a local gang begins using her strip of ocean as a dumping ground for smuggled drugs and firearms. Soon Salty is in the middle of an all-out turf war she inadvertently started and the only way out is through Detective Finn Murphy.

Excerpt 

As the challenger approached, it became apparent that Chick was bringing visitors. Salty frowned as she spotted two haoles standing at the helm. Even from where she was positioned she could tell that they were cops. Given her life experience, she knew the type inside and out. Then, having written those characters a hundred times over in her stories as the antagonists and the nature of the heroine in her novels, it was hard for Salty to muster any warm fuzzy feelings at the sight of the two police men as they pulled up beside her sailboat.

     From the look on Chick’s face, she could tell that he wasn’t thrilled either, although those feelings were probably partially directed at her now that he had likely discovered Amaui’s identity.  Regardless of the reason, the strangers’ presence seemed to be a necessary evil for the time being, so Salty made her way to the stern and waited for Hani to toss her a rope. Once the speedboat had been securely rafted off the Salty Kisses, all four of the men aboard the A'ole Aina found themselves standing on Salty’s front step.           

“Salty, this is Lieutenant Pierce and Detective Murphy. They’re colleagues of Detective Mahelona’s.” Chick made a face as he said Amaui’s name.

     “That’s nice. Why the hell did you bring them here?” Salty replied, completely ignoring the two men wearing badges.

     “Because we asked him to,” Lieutenant Pierce interjected. “Ms. Casavant, you were witness to a crime. We were hoping you could recount the events that took place the night you met Detective Mahelona for us.”

     Salty eyed the man from top to bottom. He was almost as tall as Chick, but considerably leaner. His hazel eyes had a youthfulness about them, but the flecks of grey he had spread throughout his hair and goatee had Salty gauge him to be at least in his early forties, forty-five at the most. Even though he was a white guy, he had the distinct look of someone who had lived on the islands for a very long time. With his loosely fit grey cargo pants and navy blue polo shirt it was about as lax a uniform as you could find. Not uncommon for Hawaii though. Pierce’s partner, on the other hand was as much of an outsider as the tourists who trampled the beaches year after year, season after season.

     Murphy was shorter than Pierce with dirty blond hair and blue eyes that matched the surrounding waters. He was stocky and muscular and wore his black pants and fitted blue button up shirt nicely. The sleeves had been rolled up, but that was the only indication Murphy gave that he was aware of the summer climate and its accompanying 83 degrees.

     Salty glanced back and forth between the two one last time, trying to decide whom she would rather deal with, when she heard Murphy mutter, “This is a complete waste of time.”

     “Whose time is that exactly, Detective?” Salty demanded.

     “Ours. We should be out following real leads, not wasting our time taking boat rides out to see some modern day pirate princess who’s probably been out at sea for so long she no longer has a real grasp on reality!” Detective Murphy ranted at her.

While Salty had been sizing up the two officers, Murphy had apparently done the same with her. Judging from his little speech, he hadn’t been too impressed with what he’d seen. Maybe it had been the fact that she was barefoot and wearing nothing more than her standard shorts and bikini top. Or perhaps it had been the sight of her tattoos which spanned the greater part of her body. Salty had to take a mental account of what her hair might look like at that very moment. She had washed and brushed it just that morning, but the ocean air and constant breeze wreaked havoc on her long brown locks, and most days Salty found herself staring at a wild woman anytime she came face to face with her reflection. She never bothered with make-up, but her permanent golden tan, sparkling green eyes and wind burned red lips had made it unnecessary anyway.

     “What are you doing, Finn? You can’t just insult these people!” Pierce sounded appalled as he scolded his partner. He turned to Chick and Salty, looking mortified. “I am so sorry. Please, let me apologize for Detective Murphy.”

     Salty was starring daggers at Finn Murphy and he was locked onto her returning fire.

     “No, I agree with your partner. This was a complete waste of your time. You should go.” She turned on her heel and began to walk away. “For what it’s worth, this wasn’t the first drop the Kakumei have made. I’ve counted at least seven, always between the hours of midnight and 2am. By sunrise some local fishing boat comes tugging along to retrieve the shipment. It’s never the same boat, but twice I noticed they had the same colors. I was never close enough to make out any lettering, but I could still give a pretty good description if I needed to.” Salty didn’t know what had possessed her to divulge all of that. Probably the part where that idiot Murphy had implied that she was crazy and incompetent. It’s not like he could have known that it would strike a chord with her, but it had…and not in a good way.

     So much for not getting involved, she thought. She could already feel Chick’s glare burning through the bare skin of her back and she reached up absentmindedly to rub the spot.

     “How do you know it was the Kakumei?” Murphy asked.          

“For starters, I’m not an idiot. Just because I don’t spend my time on land doesn’t mean I don’t know what happens there. It’s all about perspective, haole. When you’re standing directly in front of a tree, all you can see is that tree’s bark. But, if you back away a bit, you start to see the entire forest…or, as it is in my case, the entire island.” Salty was slowly meandering back over to where the men stood. “Look, if you don’t believe me, send a dive team out. Last week they made a drop. Three times I heard something hit the water, but the next day the crew only pulled out two shipments. I’m guessing whatever else they dumped is still sitting at the bed of the ocean in hopes of never being found.”

     The officers exchanged a glance. Both Chick and Salty noticed.

     “What?” Salty asked. “You already know what it is, don’t you?”

     “Eric Choy’s father went missing ten days ago. He’s been a prominent player in the business world for many years, not just on the island but internationally. We think his shipping company may have been compromised somewhere along the way…and we think the Kakumei had something to do with it,” Pierce expounded stepping forward.

     “That explains what they were doing with Eric. How did Detective Mahelona end up in the mix?” Salty wasn’t even sure why she wanted to know. If nothing else it was potential material for her next novel.

     “Amaui’s his girlfriend. It was just an unlucky coincidence that she was there when they grabbed him,” said Murphy. Pierce shot him a look suggesting he zip it, but Murphy just shrugged and said, “What? Now we’re not disclosing important information regarding our highly sensitive, open investigation? My mistake. I was just following your lead, buddy.” For the first time since meeting Finn Murphy, Salty had to fight back a smile.

     “Anyway,” Pierce continued, “any information you can give us regarding that night, or any others involving these ‘drops’ would be greatly appreciated.”

     Salty twisted her mouth from side to side as she mulled it over, purposely avoiding eye contact with Chick as she did so. Finally she said, “I’ll tell you whatever I can, but honestly I don’t see how any of it will help. I mean, sure, I can identify boats, but not people. I doubt any of my information will trump what Amaui already knows.”

     “That might be less than you think,” Murphy said, shaking his head and turning away. Neither he nor Pierce elaborated on it any further.

So, Salty began to recount everything that had happened, starting with the first night she had heard the plane down to the night she pulled Amaui and Eric from the water. She was sure not to leave out even the tiniest of details, not because she wanted to be thorough, but because she simply couldn’t help herself. Details in descriptions had become a hazard of the job a long time ago. Even Finn Murphy seemed pleased with everything she was able to give them.

     “That was incredibly meticulous. Are you sure you don’t have a background in law enforcement?” he joked.

     Salty snorted. “Not exactly. I write about a lot of cops in my books though.”

     Chick chuckled.

     “Why’s that funny?” Murphy asked.

     “Because the cops I write about aren’t exactly the most observant. They can’t be. I mean, it wouldn’t work very well for my heroine if they were stellar members of the force,” Salty explained. She knew she wasn’t coming off well, but then Murphy and Pierce had to have known when they were coming on board that they wouldn’t be held in the highest regard. Cops and pirates just didn’t mix.

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Meet The Author

Author K.S. Thomas

Dog Lover who likes her pastries full of cream and sugar….oh…and I write some 

Aside from being an author, I am also a mom to a beautiful 5 year old little girl. I tell everyone I named her after my great-grandmother (because that’s the mature answer), but really, I named her after my favorite princess – just so happens I got lucky and they had the same name…If I wasn’t a writer, I would work on a horse ranch – I’m an animal lover (in addition to dogs, horses are at the top of my list). I wear flip-flops pretty much everywhere I go. I would rather stay awake until 5 am than get up at 5 am (years of bar tending have left their mark), if I can, I’m going to the beach AND I will always be nice to people who bring me chocolate…or coffee…if you bring me both, I’ll probably love you forever.

A gypsy at heart, I write the way I live, following the story wherever it may lead, always ready to start the next one. This is clearly reflected in my body of work which to date includes everything from Children’s Lit to Thrillers.

I happily reside in sunny Florida (for now) and can be contacted via my blog, my website  or the following social media sites ~

Facebook: www.facebook.com/friedgatortail

Twitter: @friedgatortail

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/friedgatortail

Other Books by K.S. Thomas include ~

Country Girls

Blood Bound

Drive

This Christmas

Lucky In Love

Getting Lucky (A Lucky Novella)

The Final Descendants And The Well Of Wishes Lost (Book One)

Upcoming Releases for 2014

Diner Guy

The Final Descendants “Et Calceum” (Book Two of The Final Descendants Series)

Sign up HERE to stay up-to-date on all of her upcoming releases.

WISH FOR IT WEDNESDAY ~ Everlasting by Candace Knoebel

What if your destiny lay on the other side of death?

The annual Culling ceremony is a day every coming-of-age novice looks forward to within the Primeval Coven. It’s the start to being initiated into the Night Watchmen, humankind’s protectors, and it’s the long-awaited day when novices discover if they’re a Hunter or a Witch. But this day is not a happy one for Faye Middleton. Not when she’s known her whole life that she’s a Defect and is about to face banishment in front of her fellow novices. She’s forced to attend the Culling with little hope for her future, but what she discovers about herself is far worse than she could’ve imagined. And far more dangerous. Thrown into training and separated from her friends, Faye must learn to adjust. She struggles to find her place within the Coven, and with Jaxen Gramm, the darkly handsome and extremely unnerving man assigned to watch and protect her. Emotions run high, and when she discovers a deadly secret about him, her struggles deepen. As corruption within the Coven begins to unravel, Faye pieces together her role in saving the future of her people, and within Jaxen’s life...but will the truth save her, or be her undoing?

GENRE: Paranormal Romance

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

Excerpt:

“This way,” Nathaniel says from the side of the stage. We’re like cows being herded into individual pens to await sacrifice. There are closed-in cubicles constructed backstage, and each of us is placed in one without a word of guidance or encouragement. “Wait a second,” I say as I try to scan down the row one last time for Katie, but I’m shoved into my cubicle and the door shuts, enclosing me in between four confining walls with only the light of a lamp. I drag my hands down the fabric of the walls until I fall down into my seat. I tug on my braid again and again and again. Calm down. Breathe. Calm down. I chant this over and over again, imagining that Katie’s the one who’s coaching me. I shut my eyes and am back in her room. The scent of her perfume overwhelms the small space, but instead of making me sneeze, it comforts me. It makes my imagined state more real. I hear loud clapping coming from off the stage and know someone must’ve just gone. They obviously weren’t a Defect. No one wants a Defect at their ceremony. A voice shouts, “Let’s go, Todd Jenson. It’s time to meet your partner.” I wonder if it was Katie on stage. I wonder if he’s her partner. I wonder this through eighteen more times worth of clapping and cheering and name calling. Anytime now, they’ll open my door and force me to stand before the crowd, force me to touch the quartz, force me to face my peers in shame. If they deem me a Defect, I’ll be the first this Culling, and most likely the only. I twist my hands into knots and think about my parents. They have to be out there by now. I’m going to walk out there and they’re going to be in the front row smiling. I open my eyes. Four walls. They’re closing in on me. They’re suffocating me. I have to get out. “Faye Middleton?” The door opens and air rushes in. I draw sharply on it as the cheering continues. Another novice and her new partner walk off stage. It’s the girl with black hair. She’s coyly looking at him from under her lashes. He looks pissed. Nathaniel guides me forward, and I want to yank my arm from him. I want to tell him I left my courage back in that cubicle, but I don’t. I can’t. My lips are glued shut by fear. My knees have turned into two extremities of doubt, and I know I’m going to fall. I’m going to forget how to speak. Steel blue eyes find mine from across the stage. Elder Maddock. He bows ever so slightly in my direction, his eyes seeking past my outer appearance. I wonder if he knows who I am. He has to. I stop right before him and feel like a bird trapped in a cage. I can’t escape the thousands of eyes studying me. I can’t escape the hundreds of assumptions building me into something I’m not. “Faye Middleton,” he says, his voice eager and curious. There’s a friendly lightness in his voice I don’t expect, a sound that makes me feel safe and comfortable under his gaze. He has thick, golden brown hair combed neatly over to the side and back, showing off the squared planes of his face. He looks much younger than he should, but older than my father. “Are you ready to begin?” I turn to the crowd and scan desperately for my parents. Eyes. There are so many eyes. Too many. They form together, creating an awful monster that wants to swallow me whole. I can’t find them. The eyes have hidden them from me. I’m all alone. I try to swallow, but my mouth is so dry. I bite the inside of my cheek, curbing the need to release tears. The Witch standing next to him says, “Faye, he asked you a question.” I take in a tight breath and force myself to look away and back at Maddock. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my stomach twisting a little tighter. He pretends not to notice the panic I’m sure my face is masked in and offers me the kindest, most patient smile. “Everyone is nervous on the day of the Culling,” he says knowingly. “I was a wreck the day of mine.” Polite laughter comes from the audience, and I feel myself relax just enough so that I can breathe again. He offers me a small wink…a knowing sort of wink, and says, “Your parents will be proud.” He says these words carefully, evenly, and I know he’s trying to tell me something. They’re okay? He’s aware of who I am. “So are you ready to begin?”

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About The Author

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-a young adult fantasy trilogy.

Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. Embracing the Flames, the second in the trilogy, is scheduled for release in the summer of 2013. Candace Knoebel discovered through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. Since then, she crawled out of Purgatory and has devoted her time to writing and sometimes heelying.

Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ @candaceknoebel

Everlasting Teasers

From Chapter 3

“This way,” Nathaniel says from the side of the stage. We’re like cows being herded into individual pens to await sacrifice. There are closed-in cubicles constructed backstage, and each of us is placed in one without a word of guidance or encouragement.

“Wait a second,” I say as I try to scan down the row one last time for Katie, but I’m shoved into my cubicle and the door shuts, enclosing me in between four confining walls with only the light of a lamp. I drag my hands down the fabric of the walls until I fall down into my seat. I tug on my braid again and again and again. Calm down. Breathe. Calm down. I chant this over and over again, imagining that Katie’s the one who’s coaching me. I shut my eyes and am back in her room. The scent of her perfume overwhelms the small space, but instead of making me sneeze, it comforts me. It makes my imagined state more real.

I hear loud clapping coming from off the stage and know someone must’ve just gone. They obviously weren’t a Defect. No one wants a Defect at their ceremony. A voice shouts, “Let’s go, Todd Jenson. It’s time to meet your partner.” I wonder if it was Katie on stage. I wonder if he’s her partner. I wonder this through eighteen more times worth of clapping and cheering and name calling. Anytime now, they’ll open my door and force me to stand before the crowd, force me to touch the quartz, force me to face my peers in shame. If they deem me a Defect, I’ll be the first this Culling, and most likely the only.

I twist my hands into knots and think about my parents. They have to be out there by now. I’m going to walk out there and they’re going to be in the front row smiling. I open my eyes. Four walls. They’re closing in on me. They’re suffocating me. I have to get out.

“Faye Middleton?” The door opens and air rushes in. I draw sharply on it as the cheering continues. Another novice and her new partner walk off stage. It’s the girl with black hair. She’s coyly looking at him from under her lashes. He looks pissed.

Nathaniel guides me forward, and I want to yank my arm from him. I want to tell him I left my courage back in that cubicle, but I don’t. I can’t. My lips are glued shut by fear. My knees have turned into two extremities of doubt, and I know I’m going to fall. I’m going to forget how to speak.

Steel blue eyes find mine from across the stage. Elder Maddock. He bows ever so slightly in my direction, his eyes seeking past my outer appearance. I wonder if he knows who I am. He has to. I stop right before him and feel like a bird trapped in a cage. I can’t escape the thousands of eyes studying me. I can’t escape the hundreds of assumptions building me into something I’m not.

“Faye Middleton,” he says, his voice eager and curious. There’s a friendly lightness in his voice I don’t expect, a sound that makes me feel safe and comfortable under his gaze. He has thick, golden brown hair combed neatly over to the side and back, showing off the squared planes of his face. He looks much younger than he should, but older than my father. “Are you ready to begin?”

I turn to the crowd and scan desperately for my parents. Eyes. There are so many eyes. Too many. They form together, creating an awful monster that wants to swallow me whole. I can’t find them. The eyes have hidden them from me. I’m all alone. I try to swallow, but my mouth is so dry. I bite the inside of my cheek, curbing the need to release tears.

The Witch standing next to him says, “Faye, he asked you a question.”

I take in a tight breath and force myself to look away and back at Maddock. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my stomach twisting a little tighter.

He pretends not to notice the panic I’m sure my face is masked in and offers me the kindest, most patient smile. “Everyone is nervous on the day of the Culling,” he says knowingly. “I was a wreck the day of mine.”

Polite laughter comes from the audience, and I feel myself relax just enough so that I can breathe again.

He offers me a small wink…a knowing sort of wink, and says, “Your parents will be proud.” He says these words carefully, evenly, and I know he’s trying to tell me something. They’re okay? He’s aware of who I am. “So are you ready to begin?”

MUST READ MONDAYS ~ Taming Romeo by Rachelle Ayala

TAMING ROMEO

by 

Rachelle Ayala

“Passionate, raw and sexy.” 

*** CONTENT WARNING *** Strong language and sexual content - Recommended for readers 18+

Evie Sanchez is recovering from heartbreak by working at her parents’ Filipino restaurant when in walks Romeo Garcia, the boy she left behind. Only now, he’s a hot movie star surrounded by gorgeous actresses and adoring fans.

Bad boy Romeo Garcia never understood why Evie stood him up at the prom. When he rescues her from a flying coconut in the dumpster, he is determined to dig into her heart for the reason. Their mutual attraction and unresolved feelings ignite in a scintillating night of daring sex, and Romeo shows Evie what she’ll miss the rest of her life if she walks away again.

Evie lands a part as Romeo’s co-star and falls into her role, totally in love. He plays his part, too, with his romantic gestures and skillful lovemaking. But is the fantasy real or revenge? Evie and Romeo are about to discover if their buried feelings will explode in pure delight or utter disaster.

Taming Romeo is a contemporary romance featuring family secrets, delicious food, and hot, steamy loves scenes. Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+.

Download your copy HERE!

Meet The Author

Rachelle Ayala is the author of four romantic novels. Michal's Window is a powerful, emotional journey as lived through the eyes of Princess Michal, King David's first wife. Broken Build is a story of healing where a man learns to love and trust the woman who destroyed his life. Hidden Under Her Heart is a heartfelt love story mixed with controversy over difficult decisions. Finally, Knowing Vera is a multicultural romantic suspense involving family secrets, disability, and an unsolved murder.

Rachelle is currently working on a Wall-Street-meets-People's-Park romance between an investment banking intern and a part-time barista/homeless advocate. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers.

AUTHOR LINKS Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

FRIDAY FEATURE ~ Angel Interceptor Series By Elizabeth Corva

 Angel Interceptor Series by Elizabeth Corva

Tour Schedule Link

Book: A Million Miles Away

Series: Angel Interceptor #1

Author: Elizabeth Corva

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour Organized by: Indie Sage, LLC

Purchase Link:

A Million Miles Away

Goodreads

SYNOPSIS:

Molded by tragedy and pushed into emotional independence from a young age, Jasmine Ashcroft thinks she has this whole adulthood thing all figured out. College? Bring it on. Career planning? No problem. Dating? Sure! Well…maybe. After she gets the rest of her life dialed in.

But an unexpected meeting with the musician who created the soundtrack to her life puts those beliefs to the test. Can Jasmine find a safe–and sane–place in his high-stakes, jet-setting world without nuking her future, her family ties, or her heart?

Book: Give in to the Night

Series: Angel Interceptor #2

Author: Elizabeth Corva

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour Organized by: Indie Sage, LLC

Purchase Link:

Give into the Night

Goodreads

SYNOPSIS:

It’s been three years since Jasmine Ashcroft got her innocent heart skewered by her teenage crush, singer Jonathan Fox. Since then, she’s had plenty of time to grow up. To get over him. To move on. Or so she thinks…

Jonathan Fox has been burned by love. Again. Now he’s ready to jumpstart his career and become the most Eligible Rock Star in Town. Which town? All of them. While he tours the world, he’ll also play the field. Or so he thinks…

Jasmine and Jonathan’s paths are about to cross in an unlikely place. For once, the timing is right: Jasmine wants someone to rock her lonely nights. Jonathan wants someone who can keep up with his wild life. But when regret and unrequited desires collide, the resulting firestorm of emotion might be too much for them to handle. Or so they think…

About the Author:

Elizabeth Corva is a headbanger cleverly disguised as an ordinary office drone. Before she fell down the rabbit hole into the corporate world, she held various jobs in the music industry. Most of them were gruntwork and none of them paid worth a hoot, but she got a treasure trove of good band stories out of it. She’ll tell you some of the juicier ones if you ply her with the right beverages.

The Angel Interceptor series was conceived as the sun was setting on Hair Metal, born during the early days of fictionpress, and came of age in 2013 when the author finally worked up the nerve to try self-publishing. All of Elizabeth’s works are dedicated to the men who play Metal and the women who love them, even though they should know better. She pinkie swears to stay far away from insta-love, cheating, and nausea-inducing baby drama.

AUTHOR CONTACT INFO

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Tour wide giveaway:

Elizabeth Corva is offering an ecopy 5 ecopies of A Million Miles Away and 5 ecopies of Give in to the Night. 

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EXCERPTS

A MILLION MILES AWAY

Like Silver, Jonathan was also clad in jeans with damp hair falling loose over his just-scrubbed chest. Even taller than he looked in photographs, his narrow-waisted, wide-shouldered frame seemed to fill the door frame. “Hiya. Didn’t realize I had an audience out here,” he told her. His expression wasn’t angry, but it wasn’t exactly one of pure delight either. Jasmine realized that he was giving her a chance to explain her presence.

“H-hi. I’m here with my…friend,” she told him. “She’s with Silver. Back there,” she added, pointing toward the closed door on the other side of the room.

“They left you on your own while they tryst? Very poor!”

Even though the singer spoke with a little laugh, Jasmine still felt a stab of anxiety. “I can wait for them outside if you want me to,” she offered, placing her hands behind her back like an errant schoolgirl called to the headmaster’s office.

“How could I kick out a fellow Waterboys fan?” The frontman walked over and held out his hand. “Jonathan Fox.”

Oh yeah, I know. “Jasmine Ashbrook,” she replied, trying to stop the trembling in her extremities as he enclosed her hand in a firm grasp. She greedily inhaled the smell of his shampoo and the hint of another warm fragrance, like a cross between cinnamon and ozone. Was it aftershave? Soap? Or just him?

Jonathan gave a disbelieving laugh. “You’re not having me on, right? Your name’s really Jasmine?”

“No joke, that’s my name.” She thought about producing her driver’s license as evidence, but decided against it because the picture sucked. “Smile!” the DMV employee behind the camera had growled so fiercely that Jasmine was terrified into doing the opposite.

After he retrieved a green-bottled beer from the cooler, Jonathan leaned against the makeup counter. His expression was still neutral, but his grey eyes were starting to warm. “Go on, take your kettle off the heat,” he offered with a nod at the plush armchair.

Jasmine sat down and leaned back, trying to affect a nonchalant attitude. “Thanks-whoa!” She nearly dropped her water as the backrest tilted toward the wall behind her while the lower part of the chair slid forward until she was almost flat on her back.

Jonathan laughed, but in a sympathetic way. “Don’t feel bad. I didn’t realize that was a stealth recliner when I first sat on it either. But unlike you, I spilled my drink.”

Embarrassing though the incident was, Jasmine realized that it had turned out to be the perfect icebreaker. With most of her anxiety gone, she gave Jonathan a tentative smile as she sat up. It was hard not to stare at him. His lightly muscled torso was tantalizingly smooth except for a narrow line of golden-brown hair that trailed down from his navel to disappear beneath the waist of his low-riding jeans. She ever-so-briefly let her gaze drop a couple of inches lower before catching herself. Whoa, Nelly. Stick to the view above the shoulders.

GIVE IN TO THE NIGHT

All she had left to do was put on makeup and she would be ready for her not-a-date. Back in the bathroom, she got out her eye shadow compacts first, trying to decide on her look. Hmm, smoky or understated? Smoky, she decided. That was the look she had the first time she met Jonathan. Her friend Marianne had helped with her makeup that night, and the teenage Jasmine had learned firsthand what a powerful thing it could be when done right.

Thinking she was older than 17, Jonathan had invited her to his show in Phoenix. By the time he learned her true age, it was too late to stop their blooming friendship…although he did wait to see her again until she turned 18 a few weeks later. Even though they never did get to the next level, Jasmine was still proud that she had gotten the notoriously picky Rock star’s attention in the first place.

Her makeup seemed to take forever. She wanted everything to be perfect - not an eyebrow hair out of place. Once she was satisfied, she dropped her eye shadow and lipstick in her clutch bag and left the bathroom, her breath as quick as her steps.

After a detour through her room to put on a black metal mesh cuff bracelet that matched her dress, Jasmine went out to the living room and peeked through the vertical blinds just as the kitchen clock hit 8:00. Right on time, Jonathan’s Aston-Martin pulled up to the curb.Okay. Let’s do this.

As she stepped outside, Jonathan got out of the car and started walking up the concrete stairway that led to the house. Jasmine met him halfway, trying not to gape at the sight of the immaculately clad British man. He had paired a gunmetal grey shirt with sleek black trousers, held on his slender hips by a grommet-studded leather belt. Tonight, his hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail that allowed the longer layers around his face to swing free. He extended a hand to her, exposing the tattoos on his wrist underneath the cuff of his shirt.

“Evenin’ Jas. You look stunning,” he told her before bringing the knuckles of her right hand to his lips, playing the Gentleman Rogue role to the hilt. If she had still been 18, she would have hyperventilated herself into a coma on the spot.

Arm in arm, they descended to the sidewalk. “Bianca’s is that way,” Jasmine told him, jerking her head toward the north.

“Are you sure the walk isn’t too far?” Jonathan asked, glancing at her platform wedges. She had gone with the tallest pair she owned so she wouldn’t have to crane her neck looking up at him all night.

With a breezy laugh, she waved off his question. “They’re more comfortable than they look. And it’s only three blocks to the restaurant. I’m good.”

“Right, then. If you say so.” Jonathan reached out for her hand and her heart went into a barrel roll.

*****