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A Beast Within
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: Malcolm looked in his rear-view mirror at the car and its driver growing smaller by the second. “I feel bad about leaving him there.” He slowed to a stop, then shifted the stick into reverse. “What are you doing? This is insane!” Helena protested as he reversed the Wagoneer. “Yeah, but if anything happened to him, I’d never forgive myself. Besides, I can’t just drive past him.” “Course you can. Just press the accelerator and go.” He brought the Wagoneer to a halt a few feet from the Buick and yanked up the handbrake. “I won’t be long.” “Malcolm. Malcolm!” Helena hissed as he got out. The stranger stood staring at the front left wheel, not acknowledging Malcolm’s presence. “Howdy, sir. Having car trouble?” he asked the chubby driver who appeared to be in his fifties. “Got a flat. Can’t change it with my back.” “I can do that if you like? Got a spare?” “That’s mighty kind of you, fella. Uh . . . yeah, in the trunk.” “Let me get my wrenching nut.” Malcolm opened his own trunk and took out the tool. He kneeled down and began unscrewing the nuts. “You from around here?” “The next town a few miles ahead. You?” “We live about three hours away. Hartford Town. Ever heard of it?” “Never, sir. Thanks for doing this. I’m starvin’, I’m just waiting for my brother-in-law to come. Lazy bastard probably hasn’t even left the house yet.” Malcolm chuckled. “Got one of those myself. Just don’t tell her I said that.” “Yeah, God I’m hungry. Good thing you came along.” As Malcolm continued to unscrew the nuts on the flat tire, he noticed the driver walk a short distance away from him. Next, he heard the cracking of bones and popping sounds, as if joints were being dislocated. Low grunts soon transformed into growls. Malcolm turned to look at the man but stood up, his jaw hung in terror. “What…the…fu—” he uttered while retreating slowly to the Wagoneer. The stranger’s shoulders grew wider as his shirt tore. Black fur replaced the man’s chubby stomach. “Holy crap!” Malcolm exclaimed. The only reply he received was a quick snarl as the man turned around, no longer bearing a human face but a wolf’s instead. Sharp, yellowed teeth dripped with saliva. Helena’s screams confirmed she saw it too. “Hurry, Dad, get in,” David cried, as tears streamed down his pale face. Malcolm threw the wrenching nut, hitting the beast on the forehead. It staggered back, shaking its head, momentarily dazed. Malcolm dashed into the driver’s seat, his trembling hands fumbling for the keys. He jumped when the creature let loose a feral howl. “Come on, start the damn car! David, honey, lock both doors and get down,” Helena said. The werewolf started walking towards the driver’s door as the engine roared into life. As Malcolm pulled out onto the road, the beast ran after them, leaping into the air. A thud let them know he was on their roof. “Oh, Christ. Lose him,” Helena shouted. Malcolm let loose a few expletives as an enormous paw smashed into his window. He swerved left and right to throw the monster off. Malcolm then slammed the brakes. The beast rolled forward, digging his claws into the metal to keep himself on the car. Malcolm feared that they were so sharp, if the werewolf reached the windshield, it would slice or tear off the roof. “Crap,” cursed Malcolm as he drove again, unable to loosen the monster’s grip and knock it off. The tormentor crawled up towards the windshield. When it was on the hood, the creature went on all fours. He reached back his arm, ready to smash into the glass. “Oh no you don’t.” Malcolm slammed on the brakes again, catapulting the beast off the Wagoneer. When it hit the ground, the werewolf tumbled and rolled around before coming to a stop, its left arm bent out of shape. All the Boyds stared on in disbelief. Helena glanced down at her skirt; shame washed over her face as a circular patch of urine soaked her crotch. Malcolm gave another quick glance in the mirror. David’s face was whiter than normal, his eyes wide in horror. Malcolm grabbed his own right hand to stop it shaking. They all jumped when the beast grunted again and raised its head, his bright green eyes locked menacingly on them. 
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The Doomsday Code
Only 99c for a limited time! -- EXCERPT: Adrian expected to see the other agents descend at any moment. Instead, a flash of movement from the top of the stairwell caught his eye. He looked up just in time to see a small metal object clattering down the stairs. A cold rush of panic coursed through him. “Run!” He took two large strides and then shoved Olivia as hard as he could. They flew sidelong down the hallway, landing hard on stone, his body crushing hers in a protective shield. A second later, his night vision goggles flared painfully, and the entire room erupted in flames. The grenade was as loud as a sonic boom in the silent chamber. The blast threw everyone to the ground. Shattered stone exploded from the walls and ceiling, followed by the thick pall of smoke and rock dust. Adrian’s heart hammered in his chest. Someone is still here. His gaze shot to Wu. The agent was clearing rubble from around his legs and then proceeded to army-crawl back towards the stairwell, retrieving his CF-05 submachine gun. He pointed at the door. “You two—out, now!” Before Adrian could react, a crack from overhead stopped him in his tracks. All eyes shot to the stairwell. A dark figure appeared, silhouetted by a hellish inferno behind him. Another gunshot blasted, followed by the whine of the man’s semi-automatic weapon as it unleashed a round past them. The attacker wheeled back from the force of the weapon’s discharge. Bullets rained from the ceiling, sparking, and ricocheting off stone. Adrian’s whole body tensed, pressing down tighter on top of Olivia. When the bullets finally subsided, Agent Wu burst to his feet, streaking low across the chamber. He ducked into a cross-corridor and skidded to a stop, leaving only the barrel of his weapon visible around the corner. Taking advantage of the momentary chaos, the assailant leapt from the stairs, charging headlong into the chamber and towards the solitary exit. He passed in a blur, leapfrogging over bodies as he went. He was almost to the door when another round cut the air, this time coming from Wu’s weapon. The fire caught the man on the back of his torso. Within seconds, his bullet-riddled form crumpled to the floor and the temple fell silent again. Swearing, one of the agents next to Adrian rose to his feet. “You okay?” “I’ll live.” Adrian’s eyes were on Olivia. “How about you, ma’am?” the agent said. “I’ve been better,” Olivia said, rubbing her arm. “You’re lucky he got you out of the way before the grenade detonated,” the agent said. “If you had been at the bottom of that stairwell . . .” Agent Wu joined them. “You’re safe now.”
GIVEAWAY! --
Love Songs and Ferry Tales
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble -- EXCERPT: She honestly doesn’t know who I am. I can see it in her gigantic green eyes. I didn’t get the oh-my-gosh-you’re-Johnny-Nickel eyes or the swoony here-are-my-underpants look. She’s standing at the end of the counter, brown hair in one of those cattywampus buns, in an oversized white tee hanging off one shoulder and ripped jeans. Looking hella sexy as she tried to stab me with a key. Paul walks in, rubbing his eyes. “It’s early, man. What’s with the commotion?” “This here is Jac, and she claims she lives here.” I point to the room we’re standing in. “I do live here! I’m not just saying I live here! Well, I mean. I used to live here. I grew up here. My parents live here now. Who are you?” She stares right at Paul. “Paul Brown, and there must be some mistake. We rented a house from a couple who’s away for the summer. Clearly, you’re not away. I hope you’ll be able to find another place to stay,” says Paul. Her cheeks are red, and her green eyes look teary. She sniffles. Please don’t cry. She bites her lip and picks at her nails. “Yeah. You’re right. I probably should find a place to stay. I’m the idiot who thought a surprise visit was a good idea. But I have nowhere to go because my husband left me six months ago, and I had to give up my apartment. And I just really needed to sleep in my bed with the comforter my mom made from all my t-shirts.” She takes a breath. “I can call my brothers. They’ll take me in, but I didn’t want to have to ask them for anything. I wanted to do this on my own. Which doesn’t even make sense because I ran home to the house I grew up in, but I at least wanted to do most of this without anyone’s help. I wanted to prove to them, to myself, that I am ok.” She takes a big sniff and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. I’ve only just met you and I’ve already jumped up on my emotional soapbox.” Her speech grabs at my heart, and I want to help this adorable creature. “Hold on a minute,” I say, turning toward Paul. “Let’s talk about this. It’s her house. She doesn’t have to go anywhere yet.” “It’s not her house,” he says, with quotes around her. “It’s her parents and we have an agreement with them.” “Surely we can be gracious until this gets figured out,” I plead. “Regardless, we’ll need you to sign an NDA,” says Paul and walks out of the room. “An NDA?” Jac’s eyes get even bigger when she looks at me. “Sorry about this. He’s kind of a stickler for procedure.” I shrug my shoulders because the actual answer is way more complicated. “Why is there an NDA and a procedure for me staying in my house?” she asks as Paul returns with papers and a pen before I have to answer. “Ok. So, these are legally binding. Once you sign, you agree you will not share any information you overhear or anything you see with anyone or discuss it in the future. Any mention of anything you see or hear will result in a penalty and a date in court.” Her eyebrows arch up her forehead. “Who are you guys? Mafia? Drug lords turning the house into a meth lab?” “I told you. We’re in tech. No need to worry about your safety.” I glance at Paul, who looks at me and mouths, really?
GIVEAWAY! -- #Book Blitz #Losing My Breath by J.Rose Black #Romcom #Contemporary Romance @Xpresso Book Tours17/11/2023
Losing My Breath
-- EXCERPT: “You’re following me.” Callan placed the dumbbells on the mat and straightened. His neighbor rolled her eyes as she stood. “I happen to work out every Tuesday and Thursday at this time.” She flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder. “This is the first time I’ve seen you here.” She pointed at him with her water bottle. Nice of her to offer. He grabbed the beverage, uncapped it, and took a nice long drink. “Thanks,” he said, and handed it back. She glared. “Are you this big of a jerk to everyone here, or do I get some special treatment for living across the hall from you?” “I thought you were offering it to me. It’s bad manners to point,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re lecturing me on manners? The guy who can’t even introduce himself?” The frown on her face wasn’t even close to cross. She was clearly too good-natured for her own sake, and—if their interactions were any indication—she was also far too naïve. She shouldn’t be in a place like this. Maybe locked in some ivory princess tower, guarded by a monster. Prissy Neighbor huffed as she stepped around him. She bent down, in those short running shorts with the open sides—to whip a pair of fifteen-pound dumbbells off the rack. He sighed. Yet another one I’ll need to keep an eye on. Trouble will find her. I have zero doubts about that. The only question is: How bad will it be when it does? He grimaced. It’s like she doesn’t even live in the same world. Where dark and twisted people exist, killing and preying on the weak. Innocents. She hefted one weight up to her shoulder, turning the grip as she went. But she slung the other dumbbell—engaging back muscles and using momentum to help propel the heavy weight. She’s mad at me. So she’ll end up injuring herself. He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Your form is wrong.” She met his gaze in the mirror. Sweat dripping from her temples like the rain on that day . . . His eyes drifted to his own reflection. A hard-assed former Marine glared back. She turned her back to him and repeated the awkward movement. He sighed. “You should lower the weight and go slower. You’re slinging the dumbbell and not getting the full benefit of the effort.” Prissy Neighbor pivoted and faced the mirror again. He could see her brain processing the information. Her first instinct, the stubborn side of her, stuck out her chin and glared, again, at his reflection. But her more reasonable side must have won out. She put the dumbbell back on the rack—with a loud clatter. Then she repeated the hammer-curl movement with the lower weight. “You’ll get better results if—” “What now?” She planted her free hand on her hip. Her lip curled into a snarl. What do you know? She has some fight in her after all. “I can show you,” he offered. She flipped the weight to her free hand, then met his gaze. One light-colored eyebrow rose. Another wave of heat flared in his abdomen. He moved behind her, sliding his fingers along her tricep toward her forearm. He lifted the weight from her hand and set it beside her, then held her wrist in a straight line out from her shoulder. “Hold, right there.” Warmth radiated from her skin in waves. Her pulse beneath his fingertips. The telltale flutter in her neck. Life. It mattered, was precious. And could be taken away in an instant. The urge to remain there, connected to another human being, stirred an ache in his chest. Her hair smells like strawberries and coconuts. He fitted one palm against the back of her hand; the other held on to her elbow. “This isolates the bicep.” He helped her complete the movement without a weight. “One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand.” Her knuckles tapped her shoulder. “Now down in one fluid movement.” He helped her repeat it once more before retrieving the weight at her feet. She performed eight full reps, then switched hands. She met his gaze in the mirror as she executed the same movement—working the other bicep. He gave her a slight nod, and his reflection added an even smaller smile. After finishing sixteen reps, she lifted one side of her mouth. “Thanks, Umbrella Guy.”
GIVEAWAY! -- #Book Blitz #Flame and Shadow by AK Nevermore (The Dae Diaries 1) #Urban Fantasy @Xpresso Book Tours17/11/2023
Flame & Shadow
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks -- EXCERPT: I stabbed a stupid crepe, trying not to think about Kyle and Berk back in Vel. I was sure they were okay. I just wasn’t sure I’d ever see them again. Who was I kidding? They, and everyone else in the pub, would’ve written me off, and they’d be right to. I told you, getting snagged by a fae had a survival rate of zero. At least, nobody I’d ever heard of had come back to tell the tale. Despite my cheery thoughts, I won’t lie, the crepes were just about the best thing I’d ever eaten. I figured I could die happy with them in my stomach. The imp seemed pleased when I said so and asked for seconds. As soon as I’d finished, the daemon tucked away his paper and lit a long, gold-filtered cigarette. The imp came back with espresso. I was feeling fancy and had mine with a twist. “Thanks for that with the golem… I mean, it was a golem…?” He blew out a long stream of smoke. It was a gross habit, but he made it look worth taking up. “Yes, and you’re welcome.” “Uh, any idea why it was there?” “For you, otherwise it wouldn’t have revealed itself.” He didn’t seem particularly concerned, but my mouth went dry. Had he been watching me? Did he have anything to do with the dae Calista had been screwing? And more importantly: “Are you going to eat me?” He took another drag and raised a gorgeous eyebrow at me. “Would you like me to?” Yeah, I just about died. That totally wasn’t what I meant.
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Rumor: Kingston City Nephilim
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble -- EXCERPT: As I scan the room full of party people, I see Jared and wave at him. He’s Madison’s favorite cousin and they spend a lot of time talking on the phone together. It’s funny. I feel like I know him already, just from the way Madison speaks of him. Jared’s smile fades when we make eye contact. Before I can stop him, he leaves the dance floor and disappears into the kitchen. Weird. When I met him after the graduation ceremony, I assumed he wanted to talk to me. “That guy has a weird vibe. Stay away from him, Rumor.” Turning around, I find Rex glaring in his direction. “What in the world, Rex? Have you been glaring at Jared? Why would you do that?” I cross my arms over my chest, waiting for him to answer. “I’ve been looking for the two of you.” Madison is at my side, looking at us. “What’s going on?” Before I can say anything, Rex responds. “Nothing, just reminding Rumor that she needs to behave herself like her dad told her to.” He smirks. “Seriously, when has she ever done something she wasn’t supposed to?” “Hey, I’m right here.” I’m not happy about how this conversation is going. My best friend laughs, then gives me a quick hug. “We’re teasing you. You and I have our own priorities, and breaking rules isn’t one of them.” She’s right. There’s no reason to rock the boat. My dad has done so much for me, and I have no desire to repay him by causing trouble. And Madison? All she wants is to become an attorney. So neither of us have any intention of getting ourselves into any trouble that would tarnish her record, or my dad’s, for that matter. “Are you ready for vacation? I mean, will all of your family be going, or is it just like your mom and dad with your brothers and sister?” Rex asks. She glances over the room and sees her extended family having a good time. “No, it’s just gonna be Mom and Dad and my brothers and sister, that’s it. I don’t expect that we could handle traveling with all forty of us. It would be fun at some point.” She’s sounds amused. “But not this trip. It’s just us and the beach. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the ocean, and I’m looking forward to it.” Madison’s mom is waving at her. “Whoops. Forgot, I need to go help Mom in the kitchen. Have fun, you two. I’ll be back soon.” Madison maneuvers through the crowded living room, meeting her mom in the open kitchen. The music changes from a fast pounding beat to a slow-paced ballad. “Dance with me, Rumor?” The fine hairs on my arms stand up. “Um, not right now. Okay?” I like Rex. He’s become one of my best friends and I’m feeling a little awkward around him right now because I’m getting mixed signals from him. 
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Murder Before Dawn
-- EXCERPT: Feeling much better about where she stood with Thorn as far as Thompson’s murder went, Jessica had the cop take her and Thorn back to her place to get her SUV. Upon hearing her enter the yard, Tracer, her beloved basset hound, came barreling out the dog door that had been incorporated into the back door. Sudie followed close behind him, laughing. “He said you were back here, but I didn’t believe him. He always knows where his mama is.” “Detective Thorn Wilder, this is my friend and housekeeper, Sudie. Sudie, meet Thorn.” “Are you the one investigating what happened up at DeeDee’s place?” “I am.” “And you think Jessica had something to do with it? I wish Tracer was trained to attack; I’d have him bite you,” said Sudie. “Not to worry,” said Jessica to Thorn. “The most Tracer would do is beat you to death with his tail or knock you down and drown you in drooly kisses. Other than that, he is completely harmless.” “But that boy can track anything. If you need something followed, you get Jessica to lend you Tracer. He found a lost little girl last year. Everybody was so worried for her. By the time they caught up to him, he was bouncing and barking with her, and she was giggling away.” “You trained your dog to track?” he said, kneeling down to offer his hand to Tracer to let him sniff it before giving him a tummy rub when the dog flipped over onto his back. “It’s not hard with a basset. Their noses are the best in the business. They’re especially good at finding kids because they’re so non-threatening.” Thorn stood up. “Are you saying that if we found some kind of scent item, we could use him to track something?” “Not only that, you don’t have to have a scent item per se. If we let him sniff around that footprint, he’d probably be able to track where it went.” “Good to know.”
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Kiss in the Dark – The End Zone
-- EXCERPT: “What the hell was that?” I demand, my blood boiling. “Making a big scene over that guy in front of everyone?” “I wanted to protect you,” he says, but my adrenaline is too high for me to accept it. “I can handle myself, thank you!” My voice reverberates down the hallway, booming enough to make Hunter wince and look around. “Abby, calm down.” Ah, the magic words. Just what every woman wants to hear when she’s upset—a man’s reminder not to let her emotions show. “Don’t tell me to calm down!” I shout, hoping to hell somebody hears. Hunter scans the hallway again, then grabs me by the arm and pulls me to a door beside the entrance to the hall. It’s a coatroom, and a pimple-faced attendant looks up from his seat, shocked at the two of us barging in. “Beat it,” Hunter tells the kid, who complies without a word. The door shuts, and I wrench myself free of Hunter’s grasp yet again. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I growl, squaring off against him. “We can’t fight like this in public,” he counters, his voice every bit as hard as mine. “I’m not going to let you ruin this event for those kids.” “Me?” I clamp my teeth together to keep from calling him every name in the book. “Last time I checked, you were the one who went all alpha male in there and threw a guy out.” “His hands were all over you,” Hunter shoots back, the color in his face rising. “Maybe, but what does that have to do with you?” “Everything!” He looms very close, and the musky scent of sandalwood that always clings to his skin floods over me. “Abby,” he says in a tight whisper. “You have no idea what it does to me to see someone else touching you like that.” “You’re jealous,” I spit. “So what if I am?” Suddenly his hands are on me, crushing me against his massive body. “Jesus God,look at you,” he says, feasting his eyes on me. “How could I not be?” His mouth dips down for mine, ready to crush our lips together, and I turn my head just in time. Partly to avoid igniting whatever memories a kiss might spark but also to keep from giving him the satisfaction of winning the prize of my mouth through sheer dominance. But all my turning away does is offer him my neck, and he finds it readily, ravaging the crook above my collarbone with greedy kisses. The stubborn fire in my chest flares. No matter how determined I am to resist him, the primal effect he has on my body is undeniable. 
GIVEAWAY! --
Jumper
-- EXCERPT: PrologueI dial Jumper’s number for the third time. When it goes to voicemail, I growl. It’s just like the jackass to stand us up. Crux, Tobin, Jumper, and I all had plans to go to Sapp’s Coffee Shop for breakfast, but it was two now, and I’d heard nothing from him all day. I stretch and yawn. If I’d known he was going to flake, I would have slept in. “Becca, mail for you,” Andy says, grinning and tossing me a handful of college packets. I don’t order them, he does. I flip through them. “Northwestern? You think the four of us are going to Illinois?” I raise a brow. “I don’t care where you go, as long as you don’t end up a statistic,” my brother grumbles. “Where are dumb and dumber?” “Making food with Adina,” I nod toward the kitchen. “I know they are your Tethers, but look at me and Adina… we waited, and we survived. You don’t have to rush things. Go to school first, Becca. Claim one another later. Real love can stand still for five minutes.” Andy stands and leaves me with that. I grab my phone and call Jumper again. When it goes to voicemail this time, I leave him a quick voice message. “Thanks for canceling, drummerboy. Next time, actually let me know you aren’t showing.” My phone rings as soon as I hang up. Thinking it’s Jumper finally calling, I answer. “Hello, shit-for-brains–” I start. Lilah cuts me off. “Is he with you!?” “Is who with me?” I ask. “Jump. Is Jump with you?” she asks, tension high in her voice. I shake my head, though she can’t see it. “No. He’s not with me. He stood me up this morning.” “When did you last talk to him?” Lilah asks quickly. “Two days ago,” I answer with my heart racing. I just know something is wrong. “He’s missing, Becca. Jump is missing. No one has seen him in two days,” Lilah sobs. 
GIVEAWAY! --
Finding the End Zone
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: “You know what I’ve been thinking about all day?” I smirked. “Football?” He tugged at my curls, and I inched closer. “No. I’ve been thinking about an even more fun game.” Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “There’s a game you like playing better than football?” “Mmm-hmm.” “What game do you like better than football?” With his eyes zeroed in on my lips the way they were, my question came out on a whisper. “Tongue tag.” His warm lips covered mine, and I sighed into the soft pressure of his mouth. 
GIVEAWAY! -- |
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