New Release of STRONGHEART'S WOMAN by Zeece Lugo

Title: Strongheart's Woman

Series: Before Daniel Fork's Series #1 (Stand Alone)

Author: Zeece Lugo

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Romance 

Release: June 1, 2015

Two young girls close as sisters. Two lives to be lived. The world to be discovered.

One man to be loved! 

Lord Strongheart arrives to meet the princess that by written accord, he must take as wife. Annasai Songbird is everything a man could want: stunningly beautiful, sexy, bright, willing. Strongheart could not be happier. Her beloved cousin Setiyah is all nettles and stings, dark and dangerous as a stormy night. The lord is glad not to be marrying her.

Until Setiyah dances in the moonlight! Under the glow of a full moon, the bewitching girl moves to the beat of tribal drums. Firelight lays shadows on the hollow at the base of her neck. The soft slope of her breasts glows golden and warm. She whirls, and the sound of the tiny beads woven into her myriad of braids is like the patter of raindrops on a summer’s eve. 

Lord Strongheart, his beautiful promised bride at his side, watches as one enthralled, bewitched. He knows well that the heart is a treacherous thing, and his has just betrayed him.

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Lord Strongheart followed the sounds drifting to him in the wind like the sweet, clear tinkling of wind chimes over the babble of flowing water. They were the chatterings and laughter of females where there should be none, but who was he to mistrust his own ears. The warrior-lord moved with a hunter’s stealth and followed the path parallel to the river. As the sounds grew louder, he dropped into a crouch and almost belly-crawled his way until the swimming hole came into view.

It was a beautiful spot indeed, clear and deep, with a large, smooth boulder perched on the edge of the water, great for jumping into the river. Surrounded by sheltering trees and shrubs, it was the perfect place to bathe and frolic. That was exactly what the dozen or so young women were doing. The lord realized what he was doing was not in any way dignified. However, the most honorable man in the world would be hard pressed to pass by a flock of naked young ladies and not stop for a tiny, indulgent glimpse. A wicked smile spread across his face as he settled to do some strategic and absolutely necessary spying.

Out of the water came the most tempting water nymph any man could imagine. The young girl made her way up the boulder to join her friends. Long, dark, wet hair clung to smooth shoulders and down her slim back, to drip over the deep curve that gave way to luscious, firm buttocks. Thighs, long and smooth, met at the juncture where a small triangle of space between the legs could be seen.

As the girl bent at the waist to gather her wet hair and squeeze the water from it, a full view of her fleshy little mound, pink, moist, nestled under her perfect ass rewarded his appreciative eyes. She stood, turned, tossed the wealth of wet hair over her back and raised her face to the sky, seeking the warm kiss of the sun upon her face. From round, firm breasts crowned with pebbled, rosy nipples, dripped iridescent fat drops of water.

“Enjoying yourself?” whispered a voice next to him, and he almost flew out of his skin.

“Hush, my friend,” he whispered, “that we may enjoy the view a bit longer.” As the two men watched, other girls came out of the water and climbed the boulder. Some squeezed out long, wet tresses. Others settled down with knees slightly apart to allow their intimate nooks to dry out in the sun, and a few sat combing their hair with hand-carved wooden combs. One young girl, lush and soft like a mouth-watering peach, arranged herself on the smooth boulder while a friend rubbed her with a white cream scooped out of a small clay pot. Beside him, his companion’s breath caught at such a tempting sight. “Such treasure to be had among the Choctaw,” the lord whispered to his friend.

A few moments later, a rider crested the rise on the far side of the river and rode down the embankment. She wore baggy trousers of faded black cotton, a white, long-sleeved tunic belted around the waist, and a dark length of cloth wrapped around the head and shoulders to protect her from sun and wind.

“Annasai,” the young woman’s voice rang out from her perch on the horse. “Your father sends for you. The visitors are expected any time now, and he wants you at his side and looking presentable when they arrive.”

“No,” the beauty that first caught his attention called back. “The day is too beautiful to spend with boring old men. You go, Setiyah. You stand for me.”

The rider took a deep breath, considering her options. She dismounted and, not bothering to tether her mount, walked down to the boulder. “You know I can’t do that. You are the chief’s daughter. I’m only his niece. It’s your duty to be there. Are you not curious to see the man who will become your husband?”

At this point, Eric Salvo turned to the man who was both his lord and closest friend and grinned. “You are a lucky bastard! That stunning girl is the chief’s daughter. I bet the Accord will not be so hard to keep after all.”

Victor Strongheart, lord of Daniel’s Fork and commander of its warriors, smiled so widely, his face threatened to crack. “Not hard at all.” On the far bank, the argument continued.

“Annasai, quit being such a child and come down. We must dry and braid your hair and make you presentable. There’s little time. Hurry.”

“No, Setiyah. Go back, wear my clothes, cover your head, and stand for me. No one will know the difference. Please, please? Do it for me, my love. I will be there tonight for the feast, I promise.” Annasai pouted her lush lips in a pleading gesture.

Setiyah stood there awhile longer, gazing in frustration at her beautiful cousin. How Annasai always managed to wrap her cousin around her little finger was something Setiyah had long ceased to ask herself. The girls, born six months apart with Setiyah the eldest, were extreme opposites. One acted like she was the mother, and the other behaved like a child. Where one was serious and contemplative, the other was all laughter and impulse. While one was responsible and sensible, the other was wild and selfish. One was mindful of the future of the tribe, but the other thought only of the moment and her own fun.

Still, Annasai was neither evil nor hurtful, as Setiyah well knew. She was just like a songbird, light, playful, wanting to have fun while her beauty was fresh and her power strong. Setiyah sighed and took up her task. These were the careless, wonderful days of youth before Annasai had to settle to a husband, children, and the rigors of duty. The last freedom before she had to marry a man she did not know, maybe even an ugly, mean-tempered brute.

All because the Accord between the tribes and the territory must be upheld. Setiyah mounted her horse and left, and the girls all jumped back in the water with much laughter and careless abandon. The two men took the opportunity to make a quick, quiet retreat. Ten minutes later, they were back on the trail with their men. 

Zeecé Lugo was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in Brooklyn, and lived in many places. She spent seven years in the U.S. Air force, taught for many years in Miami, and even spent a year working for the IRS. 

Her early love was reading. The worlds of Pern, Middle-earth, St. Mary Mead, and Shrewsbury Abbey had an incredible influence and hold on her imagination.

She wrote her first novel, Daniel’s Fork, in two months, spending long hours at her task. During that time, she ensconced herself in her bedroom with her computer, barely coming out to grab a cup of coffee or a snack. One day, her nearest neighbor came desperately knocking at her bedroom window, afraid that Zeecé might be dead; no one had seen her for days!

Daniel’s Fork was meant to be the first book in a romantic trilogy. Little did Zeecé know that stories have a way of going where they want to go. Daniel’s Fork turned out to be a journey to the future past! It is a sexy mystery set in the future, giving birth to a fictional universe: the Daniel’s Fork universe. 

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Meet R Weir and his new novel TWICE AS FATAL

   

Meet R Weir and his new novel TWICE AS FATAL

So, Randy, Tell us about your newest release.  What is the title?

The title of the book is “Twice as Fatal: A Jarvis Mann Detective Novel” This is the third in the series.

I want to interject that I just finished reading your second book, TRACKING A SHADOW, and you can read my review HERE.  I really enjoyed Jarvis Mann’s character and you can see my interview with him HERE.  I’m looking to reading your new book.

Now, what is your new story about?

Jarvis is working two cases at the same time, one with a missing college football player, the other following a cheating husband to gather evidence so his wife can divorce him. Both cases turn out to be much more than they appear on the surface, once Jarvis starts digging in.

Who is the main character?

Jarvis Mann, who is a Private Detective, with a sharp wit, a wandering eye for the ladies and a knack of getting himself into dangerous situations in his cases.

What inspired this tale? 

How did the story come to you?

I wanted to do a story where Jarvis was working two cases at the same time, the balancing act of handling the cases, and how they would come together to a big finale. The cases were different, yet had some common themes and it mostly worked its way out as I wrote it. I don’t do a lot of outlining. I start with a basic idea and work through it as I write, then tweak what needs to be tweaked after the first draft. I’m a seat of the pants type of writer.

Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?

I researched concussion issues football players deal with to understand what they go through, especially when it happens more than once.

If you did research, what do you think surprised you most to learn and why?

The scary nature of the side effects of concussions and how they can destroy a players life, driving them to extremes, including suicide. It’s a terrible toll they pay to play the game they love.

Do you relate to your character?  Is your protagonist anything like you personally?

Since I write in first person, yes in some ways, though in many others no. I’m his eyes and words, though like an actor, I’m playing a part outside of my own character. There are many things Jarvis does which I could never do.

If yes, then how?

The humor he uses, especially in tense situations to defuse the moment and to mask his fear, is very much me. He is also a bit of a smart-ass, which I tend to be and which gets me in trouble.

What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?

I’ve always enjoyed gumshoe stories, and wanted to use a classic style in a more modern setting, dealing with some of today’s social issues. I also wanted him to be very much human, with many of the same personal failings we all have. He does not leap over tall buildings in a single bound, and screws up much as we all do, sometimes with dire consequences.

Is there anything specific you want readers to know about this piece of work?

I would say it’s a wild story, with many plot twists and a couple surprises at the end. There are several returning characters from the previous book TRACKING A SHADOW and several new ones, both good and bad. And it won’t be the last of the Jarvis Mann PI stories as the first draft of book 4 in the series, Blood Brothers, is already written.

When will the novel be available for purchase?

Release of “Twice As Fatal” is May 29^th on Amazon, in both eBook and paperback format

Has the book already been published?

Yes, you can pre-order on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/1FDDBwX
 

Thank you, Randy.  You can connect with R Weir at:

Twitter      Facebook    Google Plus

Blog/website   Amazon Author Page

Meet Sharon Delarose and her novel ALIEN NIGHTMARES

Meet Sharon Delarose and her novel ALIEN NIGHTMARES

Today, I’ll be interviewing Sharon Delarose.  Thank you for taking time for this interview.  Before we get started, I want to mention that I’ve already read and reviewed your book, and you can see my review HERE. 
I’ve also had my share of close encounters, which no one in my family knows about.  Actually, the only person I every told, was my husband, and he was also plagued with them.  They continued while we were together.  A lot of my dreams felt like tests, to see how I would respond to different, nightmarish scenarios.  
Anyway, on with the questions.

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

Alien Nightmares: Screen Memories of UFO Alien Abductions.

What kind of research did you do for Alien Nightmares?

You wouldn't expect a true-life account of UFO abductions and extraterrestrial encounters to involve research, but the one thing that being touched by aliens does to you, is leave you with a lot of questions. Especially when your experiences appear on the surface to be different than other people's that you've heard about. They aren't unique, as I've since discovered, it just isn't in the mainstream media.

The first question was a simple one: During the most active period of "alien nightmares" that I experienced as a child, from about 1963-1969, did anybody witness UFOs over my city in Upstate New York? One of the recurring dreams that I had as a child did not involve an actual UFO sighting, it was of an entity‚ my childhood monster‚ that wasn't yet public knowledge, and it turned out to be the big-headed gray aliens.

I did not have a specific date to research for that, and I didn't expect to find anything, being so vague with the date. I was stunned at what I found out. Absolutely, and utterly stunned.

What surprised you the most to learn, and why?

I didn't find just one meager sighting to corroborate the childhood alien nightmares, I found WAVES of UFOs flying the skies over my state in the mid-1960s.

The year 1965 brought a massive power outage known as the Big Blackout which encompassed the entire states of New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and portions of Canada. Just before the blackout, numerous UFO sightings were reported, including one over the Sir Adam Beck power plant in Ontario, Canada, and another over the Niagara Falls power station in New York. People reported UFOs, and military jets chasing those UFOs.

One month later, the incident known as the Kecksburg UFO crash, where an acorn-shaped craft streaked across the sky like a fireball, and then crashed near Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. Of course, officially it never happened, just like Roswell never happened.

The year 1966 offered several UFO reports, the closest being 7 miles from my house.

Then came the 1967-1968 wave of UFOs in Ithaca, New York, where for several months, people experienced crop circles, close encounters, and over a thousand reported UFO sightings.

If that wasn't enough of a shocker, discovering another wave of UFOs from 1987-1993 in the Southeastern United States, during my adult period of intense UFO activity, I literally stood open-mouthed staring at the computer screen after creating a map.

Atlanta, Georgia, where I was living, sat on the direct flight path between two major UFO waves: one in Virginia and one in Florida. I pinned the map and added a note to each pin, and the map is in the book, along with descriptions of the various UFO waves.

But the surprises didn't end there. I had a "dream" during the 1980s UFO wave, where I saw something travel across the sky. I was with two men, one of which had red hair, and we thought surely we must be seeing Santa Claus. I was in my mid-thirties when I had the dream.

Now this on the surface seems totally irrelevant, but I decided to research it. I was curious about the red-haired man because my biological father, whom I hadn't been in contact with since toddlerhood, allegedly had red hair. I did not reunite with him until I was in my forties, long after the Santa Claus dream.

I described the "dream" to him and asked if it rang a bell. He said, "Well yes! I remember that night perfectly! It happened in 1959 and you were two years old. You, me, and my best friend Pete went to Cobb's Hill, and we saw it‚ and it was all over the newspapers the next day.

He did not remember the specific date, only that it was the latter part of 1959. I found the incident just as he'd said, in the newspapers. It happened in December, so of course two men would point to an object in the sky and tell a two year old that it was Santa Claus.

So here I was, reliving childhood experiences in my dreams, in exact detail, decades after the events took place. And now I had corroboration. Even today, that gives me chills, considering the many other dreams that started with a UFO sighting that turned bizarre.

Is there anything specific you want readers to know about the book, Alien Nightmares: Screen Memories of UFO Alien Abductions?

Yes. Knowledge is power. I spent decades being scared out of my wits but not knowing why. Now that I know why, it no longer frightens me. The unknown is a lot scarier than the known.

Has the book already been published?

Yes. Alien Nightmares is available on all of the major eBook vendors: Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes. It's also available in paperback, and audiobook. I chose to narrate the audiobook myself, so that you'd hear it straight from my own lips, as if I were sitting in the living room with you, telling you my extraterrestrial and UFO experiences.

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

The question? Why do you narrate under the name Allie Mars, instead of Sharon Delarose?

I gave the name a lot of thought. What if someone reads a book that I wrote, decides that they absolutely MUST read another of my books, and they look me up on Amazon only to find a long list of books by other authors that have nothing to do with me? All of those books would show up under Sharon Delarose if I used that name as a narrator. It would confuse my readers.

I was hoping to narrate other UFO-related books, so I opted to use Allie Mars even when narrating my own books. I haven't narrated another UFO book yet, although I have narrated quite a few others.

And yes, Allie Mars is a play on words :-) Just because you have extraterrestrial experiences, doesn't mean that you can't have a sense of humor about it.

Did the book, Alien Nightmares, play a role in you becoming an author?

No. I've always been an author, even as a child. Maybe not a PUBLISHED author, but the words have always hollered at me to let them out. Alien Nightmares: Screen Memories of UFO Alien Abductions is my sixth published book, of those published in both eBook and paperback.

How long did it take you to publish your first book, after you started trying?

Decades. One of the first books I wrote was The Cantor Dimension, which I copyrighted in 1993. It was typewritten, because computers, internet, and self-publishing were things of the future. I sent it to publishers and agents. I'm sure you know how that went ;-)

It wasn't until 2012 that the book was officially published, having been rewritten. Yankee Go Home suffered the same fate ‚ written decades ago, only to have the typewritten pages languish in a drawer.

What advice would you give to a new author?

Don't do what I did. The Cantor Dimension, Yankee Go Home, Bad Dog to Best Friend, Alien Nightmares‚ these are very different genres. Your odds of becoming a successful author are crippled when you spread yourself over too many genres. Marketing is a nightmare. Even deciding the aura of your website, when one book says Humor, but another says Serious Scientific Research, or Paranormal, or Nature, or Children's Books. I've got them all.

Pick one genre, and think SERIES. That way, if a reader enjoys your book, they have another book OF YOURS to move on to. To that end, I have two ancient alien books out as well, Ancient Aliens and the Age of Giants, and Ancient Aliens and the Lost Islands, both non-fiction.
 
Also, brand your book covers in each series. Make sure that the covers are visibly consistent with one another, so that with one glance, they are recognizable as a series.

Where can we buy Alien Nightmares: Screen Memories of UFO Alien Abductions?

Kindle: http://amzn.to/1p0yna2
Paperback: http://amzn.to/1FzIcAg
Audiobook: http://amzn.to/1FbyvWa
Kobo:  
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/alien-nightmares-screen-memories-of-ufo-alien-abductions
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/alien-nightmares-screen-memories/id839984439
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alien-nightmares-sharon-delarose/1112418339

You can connect with Sharon Delarose at:

Blog: http://www.alliemars.com
Website: http://www.sharondelarose.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SharonDelarose
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/108929804437471661391/posts
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Sharon-Delarose/e/B003XCHFLO

Meet Connie Stephany and her novel SECOND CHANCES

Meet Connie Stephany and her novel SECOND CHANCES

 

Welcome, Connie, and thanks for taking the time for this interview.  If you don’t mind, I have some questions for you.
 

How would your best friend describe you?

I believe a hand towel that I received from my friend for my 40^th birthday describes it best.

“You drink too much, you swear too much and you have no morals. You are everything I wanted in a friend.”

Your most embarrassing moment in three words.

I’ll have semen.

Wait, what? I was at a lunch with the big wigs at work. The lunch specials were Sea Bas and Salmon. Everyone around us was waiting to have their orders taken, and when it came my turn, I said, “I’ll have semen.” The look on the waiter’s face was priceless. I was mortified.

What do friends/family think of your writing? Being a writer?

They are extremely supportive and excited for me! My husband is my biggest supporter. I have friends who have helped me do a book signing at a local bar where they did magic tricks. It was a total blast!

My friends have read and loved my book. Of course, fluffy romance is not for everyone. However, many have said that even their husband liked my book. I’ll take that as a compliment!

If you were casting the characters in your book for a major Hollywood Blockbuster, who would you pick?

This would be a dream!

Abby: Diana Agron
Max: Channing Tatum
Adam: Alex Pettyfer
Colleen: Zoe Deschanel
Madeline: Olivia Newton John

Favorite/Least Favorite aspect of writing and publishing?

My favorite part of writing is getting the stories that are in my head out on paper. I love to be descriptive, and write to resemble a movie playing in my head, and that is what I try to accomplish in my writing.

My least favorite aspect of writing is reading my book over and over and over again, until I cannot stand the story! I think after a while, I lose sight of what it should be, and since I’m a perfectionist, it is just never quite good enough.

Have you ever been in trouble with the police?

Well, two times actually.

Once, I got arrested for being out past curfew when I was 17 years old. Was hauled off in a paddy wagon with several of my friends, and they called my mom and dad at about 3am to come and pick me up. Imagine a phone call at 3am from the police, asking if they were my parents. What would your first thought be? My mom was angry, but not at me. She let the cops have it when she got there!

The second, we didn’t actually get caught, so I guess it doesn’t count? Let’s just say when we were 20, there was a high-speed chase with my BFF, who drove a hot pink car, and we got away. Maybe that’s why pink is my favorite color?

Thanks, Connie.  Now, give us a brief description of your book:

Second Chances

What’s a girl to do, when she has two hot men vying for her attention?

Abby Simon, successful baker extraordinaire, never thought she’d be in this situation, much less with two men from her past.

One is her ex-fiancé; he dumped her on the day of their wedding and she has no idea why. He’s been working out, looks more handsome than ever and is finally ready to give her an explanation. The other is an old crush; boy, he was cute back then but now he was positively steamy. He wanted nothing to do with her at the time of her crush but that doesn’t seem to be the case any longer .

Now all Abby has to do is figure out which man deserves a second chance.

Piece of cake.

You can purchase Second Chances at:

Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SecondChances_By_ConnieStephany
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1KsUPkN
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/second-chances/id953528482?mt=11&uo=6&at=&ct=
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-chances-connie-stephany/1120908559?ean=9781483421919

You can connect with Connie at:

Twitter   Facebook  Website

Amazon Author Page

TRACKING A SHADOW by R Weir

TRACKING A SHADOW by R Weir

You can read my interview with the main character, Jarvis Mann, HERE

Jarvis Mann was feeling pretty lucky, as over the past few months, he’d scored some decent P.I. work that didn’t involve taking pictures of sordid affairs.  Then he receives a voice mail from a sexy, female voice, asking for help.  To his immense delight, he discovers that the voice does match the person, as a frightened, sexy Emily proceeds to tell him she thinks she’s being followed, by person, or persons, unknown.  She has a history of being relentlessly stalked by her ex-husband, who one day, just disappeared.  With very few clues to go on, Jarvis agrees to take the case, as Emily is willing to pay whatever it takes to find her stalker.  Is it her ex-husband, or some other jilted lover?

The story starts out slow, as Weir fills in the background of Emily, Jarvis and a few other key players in this mystery.  As Jarvis starts untangling the webs of deceit, he’s approached by a well-know mobster type.  What does he have to do with Emily?  There are plenty of twists and turns, as the list of suspects slowly dwindles.  Jarvis also finds himself in a relationship with Melissa, which gets tangled up in the same webs of deceit.  But who is lying?

The characters are well-developed, along with the plot and dialogue.  I really liked Jarvis and his persona.  I can see me tooling around with him in his classic Mustang.   I also liked Melissa and I would love to see her and Jarvis find their way together again. 

As for the plot, I must say I usually have most of them figured out way in advance.  But this one had me guessing, which was fun for a change.  I love puzzles.  When the final culprit was revealed, we got to see what a subliminal, twisted mind they had.  In this story, I felt sorry for the victims as well as the perpetrator. 

If you love mysteries and thrillers, with a dash of romance, you’ll want to check out this book.  I’m looking forward to the next one in the series.  I give this tale 4 feathers.

HIS DESIRE by Sheila Kell

HIS DESIRE by Sheila Kell

FBI Special Agent Kate Ross is thrown together with ex-FBI agent Jesse Hamilton, now working for a private security firm called H.I.S.  They are tracking down a hitman known as The Facilitator. The Facilitator has a personal vendetta against Jesse, but, for some unknown reason, is targeting Kate. Who has hired the notorious hitman, and who is the actual target?

There's a lot of conflict and action in this fast-paced, romantic, mystery thriller. I loved Kate and Jesse's characters and the steamy dynamics between the two. They each have suffered past tragedies, which has caused hem to close off their hearts to love and the consequences of giving your soul to another person. There were plenty of secondary characters, and my favorites were Reagan, Jesse's daughter, and A.J., Jesse's brother and Kate's partner. It appears the next book in the series will be dealing with A.J. Hamilton. 

And talk about a bunch of hunky men carrying firearms. I love them. As plot twists go, about one third of the way into the book, I had a niggling idea of who the ultimate villain was, so there were no surprises on that front.

What I didn't like were all the redundances as Kate and Jesse sorted out their feelings. A good copy editor would have helped eliminate these issues, along with the lack of commas. 

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for people who like mystery thrillers. I give it 4 feathers.

Excerpt from CLUB NUMBER FIVE by Jennifer Loiske

Excerpt from CLUB NUMBER FIVE by Jennifer Loiske

Before we get started, I just want to say that I really enjoy posting these chapter excerpts for readers who are looking for a new book or author.  I read a wide range of books, almost all genres, and something I’ve discovered, my TBR is getting longer and longer.  After reading this chapter, I see I have one more to download.  SIGH!! 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Part One of Immortal Blood Series.

Samantha Green wanted nothing but to be normal, have a shallow life with smoking hot Jonathan Blake and an unforgettable senior year at Regents East High. But one morning she wakes up as a vampire. She has no idea who bit her or why. All she knows is she didn’t want it. Now her new life is full of secrets, deceit and fear, not to mention raw meatballs and red nectar that is definitely something else besides strawberry juice. Samantha tries to act normal. She pretends to like her mom’s chicken salad, goes to school and learns how to survive on her own, but what can she do when she finds herself inside of a devious conspiracy, strikingly fast hunters, secret clubs and mouthwateringly gorgeous boys and the only food she can catch is her best friend, Kate Walker’s, wrist?

 

CHAPTER FIVE

It took only ten minutes to get back to my house and then I had nothing else to do but wait. While waiting I cursed myself with all the nasty words I knew and created a few new ones, too. What kind of person even thought about biting her friend? A horrible one. And what if she refused to let me bite her? Could I force her? The hunger inside me made me sick and I knew the answer immediately. Yes, I could. She was my only hope. If I didn't do it I'd have to go inside my house and bite some of my family members. And that I could not do. At least I hoped so.

A quiet knock woke me from my miserable thoughts. I opened the door, sighing, and watched Kate rush onto the couch and look at me with her eager eyes. I sighed again. I could tell she was bursting but I didn't know how to start. Should I just blurt it out or should I smoothen the edges and tell her gently? Oh God! Why did this have to be so difficult? I glanced at her and saw how she was struggling not to talk. Not to ask anything, like she wanted to prove she was worthy of my trust. Oh, what the hell. I decided to spit it out.

“I think I'm a vampire.”

Silence. Kate's eyes widened and she opened and closed her mouth in turns. “You think you're a vampire.”

I nodded and she lifted her finger. She formed questions like what, when, who with her lips but nothing came out. I nodded again and saw an angry flash in her eyes.

“And that's why you dragged me here in the middle of the night?” Kate's voice rose alarmingly.

“Shh,” I hushed. “I don't want to wake my parents and neither do you.”

Kate got up and paced back and forth. “You don't think you're a vampire, Sam. That kind of thing you know.”

“Okay,” I sighed. “Let's assume I know I’m a vampire. Will you help me or not?”

“What kind of help are we talking about exactly?” Kate asked suspiciously. I licked my lips. I couldn't help it, but just the thought of her blood made me crazy. “Oh, no,” Kate backed away. “I'm so not going to let you bite me. Besides, what evidence do you have that you are a vampire besides your new gorgeous look? I thought you didn't believe any supernatural crap.”

“I didn't,” I admitted. “But something happened to me.” I opened my scarf and let her see the small fang marks on my neck. “I got bitten.”

Kate leaned over and looked at my marks. I couldn't help but sniff her heavenly smell and reveal my fangs. She glanced at me weirdly and I felt embarrassed. “Okay,” she said slowly. “So, you have fangs. What other proof do you have?”

I laughed nervously. She hadn't run yet and that was a good sign, right? “I don't have any pimples anymore.” I raised my brow.

“Right,” Kate's mouth tugged. “Anything other than what Clearasil won't cover?”

“My eyes hurt in the daylight and I look like a supermodel,” I grinned. “And I'm hungry.”

Kate went pale. “How hungry?”

“Don't worry, I won't jump on you. I can perfectly control myself.” I think, I added in my mind.

Kate sat down again and eyed me warily. We didn't speak for a while. I pressed my knees together with my hands as if my life depended on it and tried to ignore my ever-so-growing hunger. Five minutes had passed and I couldn't even look at her anymore. My throat was like sandpaper and my fangs hurt.

“Don't lie to me,” Kate said quietly.

“I'm not lying,” I managed to hiss. “I won't bite you. Scout's honor.”

“You're no Scout,” Kate sneered. “Tell me exactly how bad it is.”I glanced at her and shook my head. “Honey, your eyes are already reddish and I bet in a minute or two you’ll drool,” she said gently and moved closer to me.

“I will not drool,” I said between my teeth, “but I suggest you don't come any closer.”

“That bad?” Kate said shakily.

I nodded. If she came any closer I couldn't give any guarantees. I may or may not jump on her and I didn't want to do that. I wished she'd go away, and I wished I'd been wiser than to ask her to come here.

“How do you want to do it?” she whispered. I stared at her, stunned. She rolled up her sleeves and unbuttoned her shirt. “What's the best spot?”

“How would I know?” I hissed. “I've never bitten anyone before.”

She swallowed and I tried to smile encouragingly. My fangs burned and all I wanted to do was to grab her arm and sink my teeth in it. However, she was my best friend and she had a right to say no. I just hoped I could respect her choice if she refused to be my feeding machine.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I sighed and tried to turn my eyes off her beating veins. “I mean, after I start I don't think I'm strong enough to let you go. Not even if you begged.”

She looked straight in to my eyes and nodded firmly. “I'm sure.”

I grabbed her hand and tried to hold back. I didn't want her to see how animalistic I'd become. My instincts were guiding me and somehow I seemed to know exactly what to do. I glanced at her apologetically and sank my teeth into her wrist.

She flinched but didn't pull her hand away. I tried to be gentle but she tasted so good. Her blood was like the sweetest candy I'd ever tasted. Something I could just drink forever. I felt my senses getting sharper and my body recover. My skin tingled and I was becoming dizzy. I knew I was getting drunk and I knew I had to stop. I tried to let her go but after my endless hunger had eased, something else filled me. Something I didn't want her to see, but didn't know how to stop either. My lips weren't sucking her blood anymore. They were caressing her skin like a lover and I felt insuperable lust taking me over.

“What are you doing?” Kate asked and tried to push me away.

I didn't answer. I couldn't, as I was trying my best to fight against a lust so bad I couldn't have imagined it existed. My tongue moved slowly over her skin and I couldn't help it when a small moan broke from my mouth. My body was burning and I knew exactly what would help with that, but before I got my satisfaction someone pushed me away. I looked at Kate with eyes that saw nothing and licked my swollen lips sensuously.

“Ew,” Kate puckered her lips and stared at me. “Ew, ew, ew!”

I still couldn't understand what had happened. A minute ago I was swimming in a sea of pleasure and now Kate had retained that pleasure from me. I tried to take her arm again, but she was quicker.

“Don't even think about that!” she sniffed. “I don't know what got into you but you're acting like a pure A-class slut!”

“Excuse me?” I asked, stunned.

“You heard me,” she snapped, pretending to be hurt. “This is not you. I know you and you are not a slut. For God's sake, Samantha, you're a virgin!”

I stared at her, not able to understand what she was saying. She stared back, rubbing her wrist with a piece of cloth. Her eyes looked hurt but she didn't seem to be scared of me. I touched my lips and suddenly I blushed. Oh my God! I licked her arm! I'd wanted to do things to her that I hadn't even imagined doing with a boy. Oh crap! I buried my head in my hands and whispered, “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Kate. Did I hurt you?”

“No.” She sniffed again. “Well, not really. It didn't feel like anything special. Actually, it felt just like donating blood at the hospital.” She looked thoughtful. “I think I know what happened to you.” I lifted my gaze. “I think you were having after-sex hunger, but just the other way around.”

My mouth dropped open.

“You know,” she continued. “Like when you have sex, and I mean really good sex, and after that you're so hungry you could kill.”

“And how would you know anything about sex like that?” I asked slowly.

She shrugged and smiled wickedly.

“You're a virgin, too. For heaven's sake, Kate!”

“So?” She sat next to me. “I read books.”

I shook my head. This couldn't be happening. I had just bitten my best friend and tried to seduce her and she was just sitting there and talking calmly about sex. Like this was normal to us. Like it was nothing that I was a vampire. I touched her hand softly and took the cloth away. Her wrist didn't look too bad. Okay, it was swollen and there were two small fang marks on it, but it wasn't a bloody mess or anything. I took my scarf from the floor and tied it around her wrist. She smiled.

We sat there in silence and were so absorbed in our own thoughts that we didn't notice the sound at first. Then Kate winced as she reached for her purse. Her cell was ringing. She closed it and sighed.
“It's seven thirty and school starts in half an hour.”

“Right,” I breathed. “What do we do now?”

“Nothing.” Kate shrugged. “We go to school and act like nothing happened. And you better act good. I don't want any bloodsucking in public, okay?”

“Okay.” I smiled at her.

“Okay.” She smiled back. “But you have to give me a ride. My hand hurts like hell.”

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About the Author:

 

 

Jennifer Loiske lives in Finland in Naantali, which is a small sunny town on the southwest coast. She is a Teen/YA paranormal fiction author, with four exciting series available worldwide. McLean Twins series for teen readers, Immortal Blood series for mature young adult readers, Blood Hunters series, also for mature young adults, which is a follow up for Immortal Blood series and is created by the readers’ requests, and The Shape Shifter series for anyone age 16 and up.

Jennifer’s stories are full of creatures of the night. Vampires, demons, witches, shape shifters…but even if they are mostly fiction you can find a hint of a truth in every story. Jennifer loves to research so every time she gets an idea of a new story she does a crazy Google session looking for places, old myths, names, folklores, magical items…anything that could spice up her story and make it more real for the readers. Jennifer is also part of Authors For Charity, an international author alliance, and team member in Epilepsy FI magazine. She is a pre-school teacher by profession.

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