T.G. Ayer's Dead Wrath + Giveaway

Dead Wrath (Valkyrie #4)

Ragnarok is upon the worlds, and the time to fight is now. They come from all of the Nine Realms. Dark Elves, Dragons, Frost Giants, Elves ... They all come to fight for Odin.

And they answer to Valkyrie Brynhildr.

While Bryn grieves, struggling to cope with Sigrun's death, she knows too there is no time for tears. Odin is still a shade of himself and though there is no sign of Loki in all of the Nine Realms - Thor knows he is hiding in Midgard. As the Warriors gather, Bryn must head the offensive and enter the Human Realm in search of the Trickster and his henchman.

The war is silent and it rages all across the planet.

Ragnarok is here ...

In this, the 4th thrilling instalment in the Valkyrie series, Bryn takes the war to home turf. From New York to London, Interpol to CIA, Bryn and her team risk their lives to save their families, to the All-Father. And to prevent the end of the world.

Goodreads | Kindle | Nook | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

If you would like to sign up to be kept in the loop on the Valkyrie Series via newsletter, be sure to sign up HERE

I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognize that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practice given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes... I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It's a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each others loves - it works wonderfully...

My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands - I shall forever remain cross-eyed.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Blog | Web Site | Facebook | Twitter | Smashwords

I love talking to my readers so email me if you have any questions or even if you just want to chat...

Email: tgayer@xtra.co.nz or tgayerauthor@gmail.com

Keep up to date with news, release dates and giveaways by subscribing to Tee's newsletter HERE.

Book 5 in the Valkyrie series releasing early 2015

Ragnarok is upon the worlds, and the time to fight is now. They come from all of the Nine Realms. Dark Elves, Dragons, Frost Giants, Elves ... They all come to fight for Odin.
And they answer to Valkyrie Brynhildr.
Tricked by Loki, Bryn is now imprisoned and finding a way out is harder than it seems. Time is running out for those who fight for Odin and while Aidan's absence is felt by all, Bryn and her team know there is no time to waste.
But Bryn is determined to find him, and stop him using every means necessary. From poisoned water to black goo, to an electronically monitored Bifrost, Bryn will use all the tricks up her sleeves to save Odin and the Nine Realms.
The war is nature and there is disaster all across the Nine Realms.
Ragnarok is here ...

In this, the 5th, and final, exhilarating installment in the Valkyrie series, Bryn takes on Loki with her eye on bringing him to the Vigrid Plains, the site of the final battle of Ragnarok. From all across the world, Bryn and all her teams do all they can, battling naturals disasters and murderous attackers to prevent the end of the world. 

Add to your Goodreads 

Tour Organized and Hosted by:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amy McClung's Parker Harris Series

Cascades of Moonlight (The Parker Harris Series Book 1)

Pages: 259
Publication Date: May 13, 2012
FREE

****UPDATED VERSION 07/11/13****
Parker Harris was a normal teenage girl with a normal teenage life. That was true until two years ago when she was bitten by a werewolf, forcing her to endure the painful shifting each month during the full moon. She has kept this secret from everyone she loves. One day a stranger enters her small town and knows this secret. Nothing ever happens in the small town of Cascade Idaho, and new people rarely move in, but its Parker's senior year now and two new faces show up in town. Shortly after their arrival, there is a brutal murder which becomes the first in Cascades history.

Dreams, Spells, and Moonlit Tales (The Parker Harris Series Book 2)

Pages: 278
Publication Date: December 18, 2012
$1.99

This is Book #2 of The Parker Harris Series. (Cascades of Moonlight Book #1) Parker Harris desires a normal life, but it's just not in the cards for her. Parker is a werewolf. She has been for three years now. It’s the summer after she graduated high school and she is preparing for college. If only grades and college classes were her only worries. Parker and Jackie are trying to mend their fractured friendship from her betrayal. Jackie and Mitchell are working on their relationship, fighting jealousy and trust issues of their own. Quinn, a vampire, is the love of Parker’s life. He begins to look into his family’s past and what he finds is not pretty. In fact, it could mean the end for his relationship with Parker. A mistake from Parker's past is revealed and proves to be more enormous than she realized. Dreams—Parker is having dreams and visions of Will. She can’t decipher real from illusion it seems. Spells—Charisma, a new friend to the group, brings magic into the fold. Moonlit Tales—it seems that the full moon is not only a time for Parker to feel the pain of shifting. It’s also a time for unexplained occurrences and secrets being revealed. Can Parker and Quinn's love survive the obstacles they encounter? Is Jackie trustworthy? Are Parker’s feelings for Mitchell becoming too strong for her to ignore? Dreams, Spells, and Moonlit Tales summarize the events of Parker's life in this book.

The Dark Moon (The Parker Harris Series Book 3)

Pages: 251
Publication Date: May 5, 2013
$1.99

Book #3 of The Parker Harris Series. This book picks up from the moment we left off in book two. Quinn received a call from Parker stating Will is alive. Quinn drops everything to rush to her aid. Will he make it in time or will his father stop him? Parker and Mitchell's feelings are not going away and they begin to take a toll on Mitchell's relationship with Jackie. Everyone seems to have a secret they are keeping from Parker and it seems they have feel "there's something she should know" and now is the time. Parker is overwhelmed with all the new information coming her way. Parker's secret life as a werewolf is on the brink of being exposed.

Novella: The Cold Moon, The Parker Harris Series Book #3.5

YA Paranormal

Released: Aug 22, 2014
.99¢

This is a story told from Mitchell's point of view. This is Book 3.5 in The Parker Harris Series. This novella is broken into three parts: The Change: In this portion we will learn what events happened leading to Mitchell's change into a vampire and how he dealt with it. Lupita and Fangs: The story of how their friendship blossomed into something more. What Happens Next: The lead in to the spin-off series, The Crispin Sinclair Chronicles. We'll learn what happened to the fab four after The Dark Moon ended. We'll also meet a new character who will be pivotal to Crispin's storyThe Shimmering Pool.

The Crispin Sinclair Chronicles Book #1 (spin-off from Parker Harris)

YA Fantasy
Releasing: Oct. 3, 2014
.99¢

Crispin Sinclair isn't your average teenage boy. He inherited precognitive dreams from his mother who died during childbirth. His other unique quality was inherited from his father; Crispin is a werewolf. Growing up as a supernatural being in a world that doesn't know they exist is difficult to say the least. Crispin's been lucky that his family is made up of supernaturals; witches, vampires, and werewolves. As he begins to obtain his werewolf abilities, his life will be thrown into turmoil placing everyone he loves in danger. Amytha Roberts feels like the most ordinary girl in the world. She was adopted at age five but not by your traditional idea of parents; her mom's a werewolf and her dad's a vampire. Amytha's best friend Crispin is a werewolf with futuristic dream abilities, while she is a normal sixteen year old girl surrounded by paranormal beings. Stories of Amytha's past begin to surface causing her family to investigate more into where she came from. Crispin and Amytha take turns telling this story of being in a family that you choose, being abnormal in a normal world, and the importance of friendship. Together they will go on adventures into a faraway place where they'll encounter new creatures and discover truths they never imagined.




Author Bio:

Amy McClung was born in Nashville, TN. She is the second oldest of four girls. She married Daniel McClung in September 2005 and they currently reside just outside of Nashville. She graduated from Father Ryan High School in 1996. In 2002 obtained her general certification in medical coding and billing and in 2009 she obtained a specialty certification in Hospital medical coding and billing. Amy and her husband are both fans of fantasy novels as well as avid movie collectors. The Parker Harris Series is the first series of books by this author. Cascades of Moonlight is Book #1, Dreams, Spells, and Moonlit Tales is Book #2, and The Dark Moon Book #3 and The Cold Moon Book #3.5 a Novella from Mitchell's POV. Her second series is a New Adult Contemporary Romance, The Southern Devotion Series, with each book having as a standalone novel with crossover characters. The first book in that series is For the Love of Gracie. Curves in the Road is her newest release as Book 3 in the NA series. Her favorite past times include watching movies, drawing, and reading fantasy novels. Her first book was a means of therapy for her as it enabled her to escape reality for a while during a difficult transition in her life. Her current work in progress is a spin-off of The Parker Harris Series called "The Crispin Sinclair Chronicles" that will be released in October 2014 as a YA Fantasy series.

Social Links:

How to Write by the Seat of Your Pants: Outline or No?

 I have only used an Outline in one of my seven current books. I used the outline due to the series of events went back and forth between the past and present and the outline helped me keep the flow. When I start a book I begin writing until I run out of what I have running through my head at that time. Normally my book will be about sixty pages of events that lead up to a finale. At that point, I start at the beginning and fill in the spots of the stories leading up to each event. That seems to be easier for me because I will think of an ending before I can determine the middle piece on how to reach that conclusion. The outline I used for Curves in the Road helped me keep up with where I was in the timeline but I haven't felt that any of my other stories needed it. I feel like it is a personal preference. Some people cannot work without an Outline, I'm more of a play it by ear story teller. Most of my stories have begun with one ending in mind and end up taking a completely different turn than I originally planned.

The Devil's Liege by Danielle DeVor

Vampiric Virtual Book Tour

The Devil's Liege

Being a vampire isn't all it's cracked up to be- in fact, it kind of sucks. After surviving his duel with Lilith, Mathias thought that he could relax. That is until he discovers that, Nossy, the new king, has been kidnapped. When the investigating vampires seem to have no clue how to rescue Nosferatu, Mathias must step in. Everything is peachy until Mathias is named the next new king in order to stop the man behind Nossy’s kidnapping from taking over the throne.

ALICIA'S REVIEW - 3.5 stars

I'm not sure if it was because I was unaware that this was the second book in a series until after I started reading and went searching or what, but I just was able to get emotional involved in this book. The story line seems interesting enough, however the book just lacks emotion. I plan to go back and read book one and then attempt this book again to see if it changes me perspective, and I certainly hope that it does because I really wanted to like this book. 

Ashley Stoyanoff's Deadly Pack

Ashley Stoyanoff's Deadly Pack, the final book in her young adult paranormal romance trilogy, the Deadly Trilogy.

I feel in love with Ashley after reading Deadly Crush last year. I won a signed copy of Deadly Mates when it came out and bought a signed copy of Deadly Crush so it wouldn't be lonely on my shelf with all my other signed books. Now I just need Deadly Pack to complete the trilogy.

Book Description:

Since becoming the alpha female of the Dog Mountain pack, Jade certainly has had her share of challenges.  She’s had to prove herself to a bunch of werewolves that she spent years hating; forgive her mate who’d done nothing but lie to her, and face the grueling fact that her father leads a pack of werecougars, who are responsible for tormenting her werewolves for many years.

On the upside, the Dog Mountain pack is finally coming together—now that Jade and Aidan’s mate status is official.  And now that they know where her father’s been hiding his nasty pack of beasts, Jade and Aidan can concentrate on stopping them once and for all.

But when Jade’s dad finds out that she’s become Aidan’s official mate, all hell breaks loose, and Jade and Aidan soon learn that his plans for their werewolves are bigger than anyone could have ever suspected.

ALICIA'S REVIEW

Deadly Pack picks up right at the end of Deadly Mates. A lot of things will come to light in Deadly Pack, like the motivates behind Jade's father. While the ending was a happy one, with a lot of what I had envisioned, it wasn't entirely as I saw it ending. However, that did not make it a bad ending at all. I actually think with the way some of the earlier events played out that the ending fit. It's sad to see the Deadly trilogy come to an end. We've all fallen in low with Aidan and Jade. Routed them on and silently screamed at her for being a stubborn brat at times. I can totally see a spinoff and or novella at some point in the future (hint, hint) however, if it never happens I can say that I feel sated with the Deadly Trilogy. 

 Don't delay, buy the Deadly Trilogy today!

ABOUT ASLHEY

Ashley Stoyanoff is an author of paranormal romance books for young adults, including The Soul's Mark series and the Deadly Trilogy. She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, Jordan, and two cats: Tanzy and Trinity.

In July 2012, Ashley published her first novel, The Soul's Mark: FOUND, and shortly thereafter, she was honored with The Royal Dragonfly Book Award for both young adult and newbie fiction categories.

An avid reader, Ashley enjoys anything with a bit of romance and a paranormal twist. When she's not writing or devouring her latest read, she can be found spending time with her family, watching cheesy chick flicks or buying far too many clothes.

Ashley loves hearing from her readers, so feel free to connect with her online.

Website: www.ashleystoyanoff.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshleyStoyanoffTheSoulsMark
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ashley_stoyanoff
Email: ashley@ashleystoyanoff.com

T.G. Ayer's Dead Wrath (Valkyrie #4) Cover Reveal

Title: Dead Wrath (Valkyrie, #4)

Author: T.G. Ayer

Expected Release Date: November 2014

Publisher: Infinite Ink

Add to Goodreads

Pre-Order Link

Ragnarok is upon the worlds, and the time to fight is now. They come from all of the Nine Realms. Dark Elves, Dragons, Frost Giants, Elves... they all come to fight for Odin.

And they answer to Valkyrie Brynhildr.

While Bryn grieves, struggling to cope with Sigrun's death, she knows too there is no time for tears. Odin is still a shade of himself and though there is no sign of Loki in all of the Nine Realms - Thor knows he is hiding in Midgard. As the Warriors gather, Bryn must head the offensive and enter the Human Realm in search of the Trickster and his henchman.

The war is silent and it rages all across the planet.

Ragnarok is here...
In this, the 4th thrilling installment in the Valkyrie series, Bryn takes the war to home turf. From New York to London, Interpol to CIA, Bryn and her team risk their lives to save their families, to the All-Father. And to prevent the end of the world.

Click HERE for more information about the Valkyrie series

I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognize that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practice given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each others loves – it works wonderfully…

My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Facebook Page |Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Shelfari

 

Ashley Stoyanoff's Deadly Pack ~ Cover Reveal

Ashley Stoyanoff is thrilled to release the cover of Deadly Pack, the final book in her young adult paranormal romance trilogy, the Deadly Trilogy, which is set to release on September 27, 2014.

Book Description:

Since becoming the alpha female of the Dog Mountain pack, Jade certainly has had her share of challenges.  She’s had to prove herself to a bunch of werewolves that she spent years hating; forgive her mate who’d done nothing but lie to her, and face the grueling fact that her father leads a pack of werecougars, who are responsible for tormenting her werewolves for many years.

On the upside, the Dog Mountain pack is finally coming together—now that Jade and Aidan’s mate status is official.  And now that they know where her father’s been hiding his nasty pack of beasts, Jade and Aidan can concentrate on stopping them once and for all.

But when Jade’s dad finds out that she’s become Aidan’s official mate, all hell breaks loose, and Jade and Aidan soon learn that his plans for their werewolves are bigger than anyone could have ever suspected.

About Ashley Stoyanoff

Ashley Stoyanoff is an author of paranormal romance books for young adults, including The Soul's Mark series and the Deadly Trilogy.  She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, Jordan, and two cats: Tanzy and Trinity.

In July 2012, Ashley published her first novel, The Soul’s Mark: FOUND, and shortly thereafter, she was honored with The Royal Dragonfly Book Award for both young adult and newbie fiction categories.

An avid reader, Ashley enjoys anything with a bit of romance and a paranormal twist.  When she’s not writing or devouring her latest read, she can be found spending time with her family, watching cheesy chick flicks or buying far too many clothes.

Connect with Ashley online.

Goodreads

Grab Deadly Crush and Deadly Mates today! 

Ashley will be over at BookHeathens tonight starting at 5pm EST for #TakeoverThursday Be sure to join us for games, teasers, giveaways, a Q and A, and F-U-N!!!!!!

Touching Fire by Airicka Phoenix ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

---

Airicka Phoenix   International Best-Selling Author of The Touch Saga, Sons of Judgment Saga, Lost Girl Duology, Betraying Innocence & Games of Fire

---

   Book Name: Touching Fire  Author: Airicka Phoenix   Series: Touch Saga, book 2   Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing Release date: March 28, 2014   Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance.   Warnings: Strong language and mild sexual content   Formats: eBook & Paperback   Other Novels: Amazon Book List

---

Finding her past was supposed to end the nightmare. Only it was just the beginning. Entrusting the fate of the world, not to mention her and Isaiah’s life to a father she’s never met is a big leap of faith on Fallon’s part. But it’s a necessary risk. Ashton is the key to protecting Isaiah and keeping her out of Garrison’s clutches. He is also the only one who can tell her what she is, except what she learns is that she is from a world that is far more dangerous than anyone could possibly imagine. As her powers grow out of control, Fallon must pick between her mortality and a legacy that does not include Isaiah. She must summon the courage to face a destiny that will test the boundaries of everything she has ever known. But most of all, she must protect Isaiah from the monster within herself and trust the man whose toxic blood runs through her veins. Danger builds as power clashes between two evils, both seeking her to tip the scales to eternal darkness and suffering. Can humanity rise to face an ancient calling to which Fallon is powerless to stop? Can she protect those she cares about, or will their blood forever stain her hands? Touch Vengeance. Touch Malice. Touch Fire.

---

I was going to die in a park surrounded by little kids. There was probably some irony there; I just couldn’t bring myself to focus enough to find it. Truthfully, I probably couldn’t bring myself to find my own nose at that moment. The prospect of dying had that effect on me. The sun shone brightly, blanketing the grass in a yellow glow that hurt the eyes. Only in British Columbia could it be winter and sunny enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt. It was like the tropics of Canada. As final resting places went, it wasn’t too shabby. It was better than the dank, urine soaked alley we’d nearly died in last week, or the deodorant aisle at Walmart the week before that. It seemed like every week we found new and more creative places to meet our demise and frankly, it was getting tedious. There we were, adamant not to die while Garrison’s goons were adamant to change our minds, and we were just very stubborn people all around. We were at a park, in the middle of December, watching a kite flying contest. For someone who had survived some of the worst winters in Canada, only in British Columbia was something like that possible in a sundress without freezing your pants off. But even this boggling climate mystery wasn’t enough to overshadow the fact that it was nearly noon, which meant we were minutes away from meeting someone, a man … my father to be exact. My real father, not Garrison who was the genius behind me being cooked up in a lab like an omelet with animal DNA and who knew what else. Isaiah sat beside me, his confidence and assurance a toasty blanket. It took a great deal of resistance not to give in and curl up into his side. I knew he wouldn’t push me away. I knew he would draw me in close. It was solely the fact that we were surrounded by screaming children and their watchful parents that kept me at arm’s length. It was just a hunch, but I was almost certain they would not take too kindly to me jumping Isaiah and doing very non G-rated things to him in front of their offspring. Parents were just weird like that. They didn’t understand that I didn’t have a choice. Granted, even if I had, I would still jump the guy. He was freaking delicious and I was still just a teenage girl with raging hormones and a thirst for blood. You know, average. There were often times when we were trapped in a motel with nothing but a black and white TV for company and I would find myself watching him, studying the powerful silhouette he made in the dim light. In the last month since our escape from Garrison’s clutches, I had noticed a few interesting things about my companion. He never slouched. His body was perpetually frozen in an unyielding rigid tension that seemed to never lessen. It was as though his mind and body were continuously in attack mode. The first few nights after our escape, I understood. I was on edge, too. Every little noise had me bolting upright, heart wedged in my throat in panic. It was Isaiah who assured me nothing was out there. The guy had the senses of … well, a wolf. But eventually, I toned it down a notch. Isaiah, on the other hand, was hanging onto that promise he made to Ashton as though it were a brick of gold; he was going to protect me if it killed him. Sweet, right? Wrong. If someone could reach into my chest and tear out my heart and turn it into a living, breathing person, Isaiah would be it. He completed me. Most people had to live their whole lives wondering if they would ever find their other half, their soul mate. Well, I didn’t. I shared a soul with mine, literally. But there was nothing remotely romantic about it. Our love was genetically engineered to make us the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. So for all I knew, it wasn’t even real. Because being a teenager and worrying about break outs, pit stains and PMS wasn’t bad enough. I had a genuinely good reason to wonder if he really loved me or not. Plus, I perpetually had a guy in my head. Isaiah knew every one of my secrets without me ever telling him. He knew what I was thinking and feeling before even I did. It was a major pain in the ass. A girl needed her secrets, needed to be able to ogle a guy coming out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel without him getting a full wash of her not so G-rated thoughts. It didn’t help that the guy could elicit dirty thoughts wearing a snowsuit. I may have been biased, but he really was just that sexy, and all mine. As odd as it may sound, I wasn’t all too pleased about the latter. Guys like Isaiah didn’t pick girls like me in the real world. I knew that had, we met under normal circumstances, he would never have given me a second glance. He’d no doubt have his arm around some leggy blonde with big … personalities and … ugh! I couldn’t even think about it. The chick didn’t even exist and I wanted to throat punch her. That was how low I had sunk on the spectrum of things. I blamed Isaiah for driving myself crazy wondering if he would just go away one day. No. Wait. I blamed Terrell Garrison. He was the reason we were in this mess. He was the reason I was on the run. He was also the reason I would die if something happened to Isaiah, not just because I was just that deeply gone over the guy, but because I needed Isaiah’s blood to live. Seventeen years of human food, gone the minute I sunk my teeth into him. So when I say the guy was delicious, I don’t just mean someone better call Calvin Klein and let them know their underwear model was missing. The guy was literally delicious. His blood was just euphoric. There were no words for the taste. “Okay?” Isaiah took my hand from my lap. I started to nod, because I sometimes forgot I didn’t need to lie about how I felt. Mostly because lying was impossible when he already knew my answers. Maybe it was because he knew how uncomfortable it made me when he poked around in my head, but he always asked anyway. It was his way of making an effort to give me a shred of normalcy in our bizarre relationship. “Nervous.” I moistened my lips and darted an apprehensive glance over the sea of faces. “It’s kind of … open, here, isn’t it?” There was so much movement. Too many people that could get hurt if Garrison was there amongst them. “How would we know?” I said the last part out loud, already knowing Isaiah had heard the rest without words. “I would know.” He squeezed my hand. “He’s not here.” Even while I believed him, I still couldn’t bring myself to relax, because there were bigger things to worry about than just Garrison, although he was reason enough. “You look beautiful.” He pressed a kiss to my temple and stilled the restless picking I’d been doing at my clothes. “What if he doesn’t like me?” I hated myself for confessing such a vulnerable fear, but I couldn’t help it. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.” “Fallon.” He nudged me lightly with his shoulder. I groaned, squeezing my eyes closed tight. He was right. I was overthinking it. Whether my dad wanted anything to do with me or not, I’d be fine. I was a survivor. It was the one thing my mom had spent my whole life teaching me. I just had to keep moving. I could do that. Being on the road was second nature to me. I didn’t need approval from a man I’d never met. “He’s here. Ashton,” he said quickly when I bolted to my feet, gaze searching wildly for an oncoming attack. “Oh!” Except, that was equally as bad. It was just a different sort of attack. I wiped the sweat off my palms onto my new dress, hoping he wouldn’t want to shake hands. I’d taken a shower that morning and had lathered on the vanilla scented deodorant, but it didn’t seem to be doing its job; my armpits were sticky with sweat. I also prayed he wouldn’t want to hug. Then, because freaking out was what I did best, I wondered about my makeup. I didn’t usually wear any, but it wasn’t a usual day. What if it was running down my face? Was my dress okay? Isaiah had sworn the soft, lavender sundress with its white knitted sweater brought out the mix of colors in my eyes, but he was a guy, what did he know about women’s clothing? Still sitting on the bench, Isaiah chuckled. “The sales lady agreed with me.” “She could have been lying just to make a sale.” I muttered, wringing my hands anxiously at my abdomen. “Will you get out of my head? It’s a mess up there without your prodding.” I knew it wasn’t his fault. I was the one who had to calm down. My overflow of emotions was what sucked him into my head in the first place. It didn’t help that I was being swept away in a storm of emotions at that moment. There was no real stopping it. He rose to his feet and took my shoulders in his firm grip. “Then you need to calm down.” I did take a deep breath, closed my eyes and willed myself to remain as calm as possible. Yet, the second I opened my eyes, I was pulled under by my uncertainties and fears. I didn’t know what I was looking for and that made it worse. I had shared no resemblance with my mother at all. For I knew, he could be six feet tall, black and a wrestler. Isaiah snorted a laugh. “He’s not.” He leaned into me and brushed the side of my head with a kiss. He’d been doing that a lot that morning, soothing me with his touches and kisses. It was his way of reminding me that I wasn’t alone. “You have his eyes and the color of his hair.” As though for emphasis, he wrapped a strand of my unbound hair around his finger and gave a playful tug that made me laugh. He smiled and I felt my heart stutter in my chest. The worry took a momentary backseat as I fell into his beautiful eyes, eyes so blue they could have been strips of raw electricity. They were surrounded by lashes that I would have killed for, long, thick and dark. They matched the perfect shade of ebony tumbling over his prominent brow and curling behind his ears. Glossy strands had escaped the band at the base of his skull and fluttered temptingly in the breeze. I was always so fascinated by his hair. Maybe because he rarely ever took it down from its confinement, but I always had an inexplicable urge to tear the band away and replace it with my fingers. I reached for him and touched the side of his rugged face in a feather light caress from temple to jaw. I caught a strand and nimbly tucked it behind his ear. “How do you do that?” I murmured, turning my body to his and being rewarded by the feel of his hands going to my waist. His head bent to the side. “What’s that?” “Make me feel not so crazy.” His eyes glittered as his lips pulled into a heart melting smile. “Maybe because you were never crazy to begin with.” He touched his brow to mine and I was drawn into his scent of toothpaste, soap, rain and leather. “Or maybe we’re both crazy.” I became painfully of his lips hovering dangerously close to mine and his hands burning through the fabric of my dress. The rest of the world faded as the rush of his blood racing through his veins roared in my ears, calling to me, begging me to do what I swore I wouldn’t. The gums above my canines began to itch deliciously. My fingers tightened in the fabric of his shirt. My lips parted, my breathing ragged even to my own ears. “Isaiah…” His gaze sharpened. They became dark slits of hunger I recognized all too well. His fingers gouged ten holes into my side as he tightened his grip on me. In a single yank, I was crushed into the shelter of his chest. His heart tattooed a desperate beat against mine. I trembled. My body ached in places I could do nothing about. I felt his fingers tangle into my hair to cup the base of my skull. His breath burned the side of my face, coming out gruff when he growled into my ear, “I told you to feed.” He had … insistently for a month. “You know we can’t.” My hands trembled and I was sure I was cutting holes into his shirt with my nails and causing irreparable damage to the fabric, but I couldn’t let him go. “We agreed—” His eyes narrowed, reflecting his anger and frustration. “I never agreed to anything.” What we were doing was playing with fire and toying with things that neither of us fully understood. What we did know was that our need for each other, our insatiable hunger was the thing that would burn the world to the ground. The fire between us was as wild and dangerous as it was beautiful. The world may not have wanted to burn in its glorious embrace, but I did. I wanted nothing else. Succumbing to the untamed temptation was vastly more alluring than the alternative, which was the perpetual distance I had to put between us. “There’s still time,” he murmured directly into my mind. “You’ll feel better once you’ve eaten.” Screw the world, this is what you want! A very persistent part of me insisted and it wasn’t wrong. I did want this. It wasn’t fair. Being strong and resisting wasn’t quite as simple when I was being prodded from all sides. He touched the side of my face, tracing the contours of my cheek with his finger and coaxing me to nuzzle his palm. My eyes closed as I leaned into him. There were insane moments when I saw no reason to stop, but then commonsense always prevailed and I forced myself to step back. Lately, those lucid moments were becoming few and far between. “I hope I’m not interrupting.” And just like that, the calm within me erupted. I was slammed with an avalanche of panic and dread that had my heart jumping into my throat. Sweat returned to my palms and I was left with no way to wipe them without giving away how nervous I was. “Ashton!” Isaiah stepped forward, hand extended to the other man. I heard the slap of palms and happily shared murmurs. I let it all wash over me, biding my time before facing the man responsible for bringing me into the world—more or less. He was handsome, all chiseled features, twinkling eyes and blinding smiles. He stood brushing six feet, slender with a head full of salt and pepper hair and eyes the same turquoise-blue with flakes of green, gray and brown as mine. He wore casual clothes; black slacks and a white dress shirt. There was nothing intimidating about him, or so I thought until he finally turned those eyes on me, and I froze like a deer caught in the headlights of a semi. “Fallon.” His smile was soft, sad, but blazing with a light only my mother had ever worn when looking at me—love. “You’ve grown.” It was a lame joke, yet it was kind of funny. The last time he’d seen me, I’d been four so, yeah, I had grown since then. “Yeah…” I voice hitched embarrassingly. As tense, awkward moments went, it was the worst. My mind remained stubbornly blank, probably giving me an air of idiocy. I didn’t know what to do with my hands; they suddenly seemed so big and dumb hanging at my sides uselessly and I couldn’t stop wondering if I was slouching. “How are you?” he asked. I did that stupid shoulder jerk thing. It was a toss between a shrug and a nervous twitch. “Okay. And you are? Okay, I mean. Are you okay?” I grimaced at my own rambling. “How are you?” His lips curled in the faintest smile. “Nervous.” It was comforting how easily he said it. It was also really good to know I wasn’t the only one. “I’ve been waiting for this moment a very long time.” He moved then. It was quick, or maybe I blinked, but he was suddenly in front of me and I was engulfed in a fierce embrace so tight I almost couldn’t breathe. I didn’t complain. It wasn’t tight enough. He smelled like a dad, or what I always imagined a dad would smell like—warm, loving and strong. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured vehemently into my temple. “I missed you, too,” I replied, still grappling with the knowledge that I had a dad, a dad I was told was dead my whole life. A dad who wanted me. He pushed me back to arm’s length and stared down at me, his eyes unnaturally large and bright. Mom used to get that look during romance movies, just before she started crying. But nothing about Ashton suggested he was a closet romance crier. No, he was impenetrable, resolute … sturdy. Still, his eyes shone down at me like liquid pools. My own were filmy. He smiled, giving my shoulders a squeeze. “Call me Ashton, unless you prefer Dad or Ash. Whatever is easier for you.” He paused, before adding, “You must have a million questions.” My smile quivered. “Yeah.” He gave my shoulders another squeeze. “Let me take you home. You must be starving.” Home … I’d never had one of those before. I grew up in motel rooms on greasy, cardboard food and plastic cups. I lived out of a single duffle bag, out of the back of my mom’s Impala. The closest thing I’d ever come to healthy living was the tomatoes and lettuce on my burger and remembering not to fall asleep against the car window while the sun was highest in the sky. But I didn’t eat food anymore. At least, I hadn’t in almost a month. “Actually, there are a few things we need to tell you first.” Isaiah took a step forward. Ashton glanced from me to Isaiah, curiosity bright in his eyes. He straightened, removing his hands from my shoulders, leaving a cold sensation behind. “Is here all right?” Isaiah glanced around at the people rushing around us. “Perhaps somewhere else?” Ashton nodded, all business now. He surveyed the park, the movement quick, but I knew it was thorough. He didn’t seem like the sort to leave anything half-assed. “There is a café down the block. It’s usually very quiet around this time and the staff doesn’t meddle.” I learned quickly what that meant. As soon as we walked into the tiny corner café, the staff vanished. Not into thin air, but they got one head nod from Ashton and walked a straight line into the back room, closing the door behind them. “I own the building,” Ashton said when he caught me staring in awe. “I guess being a doctor pays really well, huh?” I mused. “Doctor?” Ashton peered over his shoulder at me, his features perplexed. I looked towards Isaiah, waiting for him to explain, because he’d been the one to tell me my father was a doctor. But he was equally puzzled by Ashton’s confusion. “Oh!” Ashton seemed to realize something. He nodded. “Yes. Doctor.” He closed and locked the glass door behind us. He turned and motioned towards the fifteen or so empty tables around the place. “Why don’t we talk?” After a curious glance between me and Isaiah, we took the seat furthest from the wall of windows, right in the corner so we had a clear view of the whole café, including the front door. “You are a doctor, right?” I pressed. “I mean, that’s how you met Garrison, isn’t it?” He cleared his throat and I could tell right away I wasn’t going to like what he was about to tell me. “I’m not a doctor,” he said slowly, looking from me to Isaiah. “That was what I'd told your mother I was when we first met.” “So what are you then?” This was from Isaiah, who looked even more betrayed by the confession than I felt. Ashton lowered his gaze to the tabletop. “I’m many things,” he began slowly. “But all these years…” Isaiah shook his head. “You told me—” “I know.” Ashton looked him square in the face. “I will explain everything in due time, Isaiah. For now, I think we have more important things to discuss.” He cast me a pointed glance. The muscles in Isaiah’s jaw flexed, but he reined in the frustration I could feel pouring off him into me. I had to restrain the urge to reach for his hand. “Garrison has become more persistent in his hunt for Fallon,” Isaiah mumbled, unable to conceal the grudge in his tone. “We can hardly go a day without an attack. Whoever his tracker is, they’re very powerful. I haven’t been able to sense them anywhere near us, yet they always seem to know where we are.” Ashton nodded as though this made sense. “My sources have informed me of a great surge in numbers this last few weeks. Terrell has found a new source of power from somewhere and he’s not wasting any time using it. I think it’s only a matter of time before his forces close in on you.” “Are you a spy?” I blurted. Ashton blinked. Then he broke into a deep rumble of laugh. “No, but I make it my business to keep feelers in all things noteworthy, and Terrell has particular place in my interests.” “Isaiah tells me you’ve been rescuing the children Garrison—” “He’d be both wrong and right,” Ashton interrupted. “I do my best to rescue those I can, but they aren’t as many children as there once had been. There are a few, but those remaining, Terrell guards very closely. I haven’t rescued anyone in nearly a year.” “If not children, then what—” Ashton put his hand up, stopping my tumble of questions. “Let’s talk about all that later. Right now, I want to hear your news.” I wanted to press. I still had so many questions. But he was right. We could talk about those things later. We had, after all, all the time in the world. “I told you about our run in with Maia and Yuri,” Isaiah began. Ashton nodded. “Yes, how they found Fallon. Terrell no doubt sent them out of desperation. Maia is not someone Terrell would send if the situation hadn’t gotten out of hand. She’s the most evil creature I have ever encountered and that is saying quite a bit.” Isaiah nodded. “We managed to evade him for a while, before we were captured. We were taken to Garrison’s home just north of Whistler. I don’t know the exact location, but I can find it if I tried.” Ashton shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve known for a while where he calls home. However, had I known you were there, I would have come to get you myself.” “Contact was impossible,” Isaiah replied. “We were heavily guarded, right until the end when we managed to escape.” “And did he ever tell you what his plans were?” Ashton wondered. I shook my head before Isaiah could tell him otherwise. Ashton may have been my father, the man whose blood ran through my veins, but he’d also been partners with Garrison once upon a time and I was too paranoid to trust anyone. I trusted people who lied even less. Whether or not he’d ever been a doctor was a moot point. It was him lying about it that only increased my distrust. Plus I hadn’t forgotten Mom’s last warnings to me not to trust Ashton. Isaiah must have sensed my need not to share the fact that we were potential weapons of mass destruction, because he didn’t bring it up. Instead, he veered the topic back to our escape. “Fallon saved my life.” Isaiah cast me a level glance as though daring me to contradict his claim. He was wrong. I hadn’t saved his life. He may have gotten shot, but with his accelerated healing, he hadn’t been in any real danger. “Well, you did what you had to,” Ashton said at once, voice unwavering. “Had it not been them, it would have been you.” Was that how murderers looked themselves in the mirror? Justification? How did one justify taking a life? “After we escaped, we laid low for a couple of weeks and tried to regroup before we contacted you,” Isaiah finished at last. By laid low, he meant me vehemently dragging my feet on the whole situation and him needing a month to convince me that it was time I met my father. Despite my need for answer and safety, I could never shake the uncertainty the idea of meeting Ashton always provoked. But I was really tired of running. I was tired of not having options. I was tired of being tired. Plus, Isaiah was so adamant that Ashton was the good guy. Maybe he was right. Ashton, who had been listening attentively to Isaiah, beamed. “Remarkable!” he said, shaking his head. “Absolutely remarkable. I always knew Terrell was unstable, but this proves that his lunacy goes much deeper than face value.” You think? I wanted to say. His brilliant observation was, oh, seventeen years too late. “There’s more,” Isaiah murmured, hesitant. “Garrison’s still alive and out for blood.” Ashton nodded. “You’ll be safe at Luxuria. I made the mistake of letting you fend for yourself once. I won’t—” “I didn’t fend for myself!” My tone came out sharper than I’d intended. “I had Mom and we were doing fine until this crap happened.” Ashton visibly winced. “Yes, of course. I apologize.” He lowered his head. “I should have done more to protect you both and for that, I am eternally guilt ridden. I failed you.” “You couldn’t have known,” I murmured. He wouldn’t meet my eye. “Perhaps.” He placed a gentle hand on mine. “I can’t replace what you had with your mother, Fallon, but I promise that I will protect you in every way that I can. You’re safe now.” It was daunting to accept. It seemed too easy, and even as a part of me salivated at the possibility of being wholly and truly in the clear. Yet the part of me that had seen and done too much, refused to believe it. Also, I knew firsthand what Garrison was capable of. I knew that he would never give up looking for me. I was too valuable. But my options were slim. My life was in danger and because of me, Isaiah was in danger. In order to keep him safe, I had to trust Ashton. I had to believe that he meant what he said about keeping us away from Garrison. The shriek of Isaiah’s chair sliding viciously across the smooth laminate sent my heart scuttling up into my throat even before he shouted, “We need to go!” and grabbed my arm. I was hauled to my feet and dragged behind him. Ashton was up and out of his seat with much less haste. He twisted his body to the window even as his hand went around behind him. The movement was so quick, so fluid like he’d done it a million times, a frightening thought when, a second later, he was cradling a sleek, black handgun. It was almost reassuring to know my father packed heat like some mafia guy, if not a bit daunting. But even that wasn’t as blood chilling as the three familiar silhouettes making their way with great ease across the street in the direction of the cafe. “Take her through the back.” Ashton passed Isaiah the gun, who took it and seamlessly slipped it into the waistband of his jeans. “I’ll deal with them.” “Wait!” I lunged after him when he made for the door, ignoring Isaiah’s grip on me when I grabbed Ashton’s arm. “You can’t go out there without your gun! You have no idea—” Ashton smiled calmly at me. It was so off-putting considering the situation that I dropped my hand. “Don’t worry about me, dearest. I don’t need a weapon.” Then, with a wink that only sealed my theory that my dad was suicidal, he strolled out of the café to meet the Shadow Brothers.

---

a Rafflecopter giveaway

---

~ Facebook ~ Touch Saga ~ Design Page ~ Morgana Phoenix Page ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Wattpad ~ LinkedIn ~ Kobo ~ Barns & Noble

---