Scepter of Fire by L.M. Preston

Scepter of Fire

The Vigilant

Book 2

LM Preston

Publisher Phenomenal One Press

Date Published: May 1st, 2020

Genre: Urban Fantasy/YA

Book Description:

Dexter didn’t like being a pawn. It seems life was taking him there though. His father and he never saw eye to eye, but being captured and tortured for his father’s mistakes gave Dexter too much to think about.

First, the girl he lost, he’d never forget what they did to her. It changed him, and made him see the small city his father moved him to for what is was, a prison for magicals, the damned, and now him.

Too bad, the creator of the void didn’t realize they would be better off if they’d set him free, because now, he was fighting for his life, and someone he’d have to hide his feelings from to protect, not just from those that want to drag them back, but from him -a vigilant.

Amazon     BN     Kobo      iBooks

Excerpt 1:

Dexter kept his eyes closed.  The binds at his wrist were cold, unforgiving and rigid chains. He needed to stay calm, take it all in and wait until they’d left him alone. His shirt was loose, and his sleeve covered one of the chains on his wrist while the other was rolled high on his shoulder.

  “Doctor Rutherford said to hold him until they come to take him,” a woman who adjusted his head on the pillow mentioned.

  “How long has he been like that?” a male asked.

  Dexter remained stone still, keeping his breathing even as his eyelid nearly twitched from the man’s breath near his face. He felt the lift of his eyelid. Keeping his eyes still, while the man flashed a light into them was nearly impossible. Dexter forced himself not to focus, but noted the man’s dark skin and brown eyes. He could have sworn the guy winked at him. Still, Dexter didn’t trust it, he didn’t budge. The man let Dexter’s eyelid go. Dexter almost sighed. It was hard to not blink. He had to wait though, for that one chance to get out.

  “The others he came with will be taken also. Don’t get in the way of those that come to collect. If you do…” the woman warned.

  Dexter forced his fist not to clinch at the mention of his family that was in the car crash with him. He remembered when they sunk into the water. He’d fought to get the door opened and his younger siblings out. Then something hit his head, and he’d drowned in water when everything went black.

  “Like you, I just work here for the paycheck. This hospital needs to be condemned anyway. I was there when they bought them in from the emergency room. I wanted to see how he was doing myself. I swear he wasn’t breathing when they pumped his stomach of water from the lake.”

  “Nathan, just give him the shot and clear out, you don’t want to be here when they take them. It’s never pleasant. I like you. You’re new here, and if you want to keep your job, you will stop asking questions.”

  “Got it.”

  Dexter heard footsteps. Light, and sure, it was the female nurse. Nathan remained there though, still, but the heaviness of his presence was over Dexter.

  “I can’t help you much, but if you have it in you, get the hell out of here. The hospital is going up in flames. Your father and oldest sister, are on this floor, the others... Sorry we couldn’t help all of you.”

  Dexter didn’t trust it. He remained still as the chains on his feet were removed.

About the Author:

L.M. Preston, a native of Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. She is an author, an engineer, a professor, a mother and a wife. Her passion for writing and helping others to see their potential through her stories and encouragement has been her life's greatest adventures. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

Website: https://lmpreston.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LM-Preston-Author-Page-127604857259681/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LM_Preston

Blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3348681.L_M_Preston

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lmprestonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lm_preston/

The Killer In The Woods by Rick Van Etten

The Killer in the Woods
A Robert Vance Novel
Book One
Rick Van Etten

Genre:  Crime Fiction/Mystery

Publisher:  Proud Point Press

Date of Publication:  June 1, 2020

ISBN:  978-1-7348269-0-6

ASIN: B087Y9ND2M

Number of pages:  254

Word Count:  78,000

Cover Artist:  Eric Labacz

Book Description: 

ROBERT VANCE IS A MAN WITH A SECRET…

Robert Vance is a magazine editor who works from home and lives in a house full of books. His neighbors think of him as a quiet, unassuming man. His passion for pheasant hunting with Preacher, his German wirehaired pointer, is typical of sportsmen living in the Midwest. But what isn’t so typical—and what his neighbors don’t know—is that occasionally Robert hunts something besides pheasants.

Robert hates bullies and injustice. When someone has a problem with either, he or she can hire Robert to make the situation right.

But Robert isn’t—in his own mind—just a contract killer. He lives by a set of rules that dictate who, where, and why he can kill. So when a well-meaning citizen discovers Robert’s latest target and winds up being charged with the killing, Robert must take steps to ensure the man’s freedom.

STEPS THAT WILL MOST LIKELY INVOLVE KILLING AGAIN…

Amazon

Excerpt Chapter 1

The money is good, but that’s not why I do it.

Kill people, I mean. That’s what I do, and I’m very good at it. And yes, the compensation is usually more than adequate.

But don’t start jumping to conclusions. I’m not a spook. I’m not some ex-Agency, ultra-ultra-deep-cover, government-trained assassin who got my start in the military and, having discovered a unique talent, couldn’t let it go. Nor was I ever encouraged by my “Uncle” to put my special skills to use for the common good, in which capacity I might still have the occasional brush-up with colleagues who might or might not be among the so-called good guys and might or might not be people I should trust.

No. I don’t play at espionage. I don’t call secret phone numbers and get my orders from people who use lots of acronyms and won’t allow their names to be spoken aloud on an open line, and I don’t have hidden files tucked away somewhere that I can use as leverage if I find myself running afoul of a power player. I never served in the military, and the extent of my contact with the government consists of filing my income taxes every year, renewing the registration on my SUV and voting in the occasional election. The few times I’ve been called for jury duty I’ve managed to get myself excused.

Sounds pretty dull, doesn’t it? You’re right; it is. And that’s by design.

If you saw me on the street or in a restaurant or a shopping mall or an airport—and there’s a reasonable chance you have seen me in some of those places—you’d most likely give me no more than a passing glance. There’s quite a bit about me that’s just plain average—size, looks, clothing. I wear glasses, and my hair is getting thin on top.

I dress comfortably and rather conservatively. I recently became eligible for Social Security—I’m old enough to have served in Vietnam, but I was in college at the time and my number in the draft lottery was high enough to keep me there.

I don’t go out of my way to attract attention, but neither do I live an introverted, reclusive life. I’m not married, but I date casually, and I occasionally get invited to parties and cookouts and can hold my own in a conversation on a variety of subjects. People usually laugh at my jokes, and I keep myself reasonably well informed about most current events. I read extensively, and my house is full of books.

I also have a Browning gun vault full of shotguns, but those are primarily related to my regular job—I’m the editor of an outdoor sporting magazine, a “hook and bullet rag,” as such publications are irreverently referred to within the publishing industry. I’m a bird hunter by avocation, and a six-year-old German wirehaired pointer named Preacher—for Clint Eastwood’s grizzled character in the movie Pale Rider—shares my home.

Sometimes I use one of my shotguns for something besides upland game or waterfowl. That’s a safe enough practice, as I’ll explain later. When a shotgun is too large for the job at hand—when it’s necessary to get up close and personal to the target, in other words—I’ll occasionally use a handgun. But I never keep these after the job is finished. That’s Rule Number 3.

I travel a good bit for my job—I get quite a few invitations from advertisers throughout the hunting season, and by taking advantage of these invitations I’ve hunted in many locations and at many top-drawer facilities around the world. Sometimes—not frequently, but once in a while—my two jobs overlap. The advertiser picks up the tab for my hunt (in exchange for some editorial ink), and by staying an extra day or two—usually on the pretext of visiting an old childhood friend or a seldom-seen relative and always at my own expense—I manage to take care of the other assignment while I’m at it. It doesn’t happen that way very often, but it’s convenient when it does.

OK, so if I really don’t do it for the money, why do I do it?

Simple.

There are two things I can’t abide in this world—a bully, and injustice.

The two often go hand in hand, and when I encounter either, I bristle. When someone else has a problem with either, he or she will sometimes seek me out to make the situation right.

Over the years, I’ve become very good at this. And that’s my real motivation—the feeling of satisfaction that comes from having done a job well, righted a wrong, balanced the scales or eliminated an oppressive threat.

It’s my way of leaving the world a little better place than I found it.

About the Author:

Rick Van Etten is a former college English instructor, corporate communications professional and retired magazine editor whose numerous articles and features have appeared in Gun Dog, Wing and Shot, Sports Afield, Ducks Unlimited, Game and Fish, Petersen’s Hunting, Farm and Ranch Living and Reader’s Digest. An Illinois native and lifelong upland bird hunter, Rick now lives in Iowa with a middle-aged Irish setter and an elderly tortoiseshell cat. The Killer in the Woods is his first novel.

Website: https://proudpointpress.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Van-Etten/e/B087Z4VHVV/    

Columbian Betrayal by Randall Krzak

Colombian Betrayal
A Bruce and Smith Thriller
Book One
Randall Krzak

Genre: action-adventure thriller, political thriller, suspense thriller
Publisher: Randall Krzak Books
Date of Publication: March 30, 2020 (Kindle)

ISBN: 0978944100

ISBN-13: 978-0978944100

ASIN: B0854CFJTV

Number of pages:  330

Word Count: 82,039

Cover Artist: Matt at www.darngoodcovers.com

Tagline:  Colombian Betrayal exposes the death and violence behind the entangled interactions between governments, revolutionaries, terrorists, and drug lords.

Book Description: 

Colombian Betrayal tears the cover off the drug trade and exposes the death, and violence behind the twisted connections between governments, revolutionaries, terrorists, and drug lords.

Watch as an unholy alliance is formed when the profits of a Columbian drug lord Olivia Moreno, begin disappearing and deadly new international competitors appear on the horizon.

Moreno, head of the Barranquilla Cartel, strikes a deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Little does she know she is signing her own death warrant! FARC has a group wanting a foothold in South America—the Islamic State, and she is in the way.

On the run, Moreno is captured by a CIA team. She spins a tale to use her money and manpower to destroy ISIS in an effort to save herself. Laws and rules of engagement are meaningless to Moreno, her life and her family are her only concern. Will the CIA leader fall for her offer?

Will team leader AJ Bruce strike a deal to turn the tables on Islamic State? Can she stop them from launching an attack on the United States? Or will she be too late?

Is it worth trading control of Afghanistan’s poppy fields with Moreno as a reward for her cooperation? Or is Bruce playing her in an attempt to double-cross her and kill two birds with one stone?

Get your copy today, and watch this high stakes game of kill or be killed.

Amazon     Amazon AU     Amazon CA     Amazon UK

Excerpt 1 (688 words)

Dawn broke with birds twittering outside Olivia’s country estate. She opened blue-green eyes and focused on the view through the open window. Tinges of red and orange stretched across the horizon, seeking the deep blue heavens. More songbirds joined in, their melodious voices adding to the morning’s chorus. Nearby, a rare Colombian screech owl hooted. Other birds shrieked, their wings beating the air as they scattered.

Olivia yawned and crawled out of bed. Twinges cascaded through her aching muscles caused by overexertion in yesterday’s intense personal security training. Time for some fresh air while it’s quiet. She slipped a purple velvet robe over her slender athletic body and pulled on matching slippers. Padding toward the balcony, she opened the doors and stepped outside. She gazed at the tranquil countryside and smiled.

Craack! Craack!

Bullets ricocheted off the stonework, missing her head by inches. She dropped to the floor amid a hail of flying rubble and dust. Hunched like a hermit crab, Olivia crawled inside and slammed the doors.

“Madre de Dios!”

Stomach lurching, chest heaving, she rolled across the floor to the bedside table. Her hands shaking, she grabbed the handle, opened the drawer, and removed her FN Five-SeveN handgun. She fumbled for a second magazine and stuffed it into a pocket on her robe. Keeping out of view, she crept back to the side of the balcony and slid down the wall.

She peered through a small opening, looking for signs of intruders.

Nothing. All seems normal.

Pushing through the doors, she dashed around the corner, squatted, and fired three times without aiming. An incoming round smashed into the wall in front of her. She leaned into the stone for cover as rough-edged shards whirled toward her face. Startled by the fast-approaching slivers, Olivia ducked and dropped the pistol. Blood trickled from a cut above her right eye. She sucked in her breath and wiped it away as anger replaced fear.

“Alto.” A man of medium height climbed over the railing from the patio. Piercing dark eyes shone beneath a mop of black hair as he plopped into a chair at the small bistro table, and helped himself to a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice.

“Diablo.” Olivia spat the word as the man with the physique of a bodybuilder stood and helped her into the other chair. “Ramon, one day you’ll cause my death. The training becomes more intense every day.” She grabbed his goblet. “Salud.” She drained the glass.

“Doña Olivia, you hired me to provide protection. When I’m not here, you must do this for yourself and your family. Your enemies will give you no warning, which is why the lessons must become more realistic.”

Olivia nodded. “Si, you are correct. I want to live a long time and enjoy my fortune—unlike my father, brother, and first husband, who died before their time.”

Ramon Cristobal Alvarez and Olivia Perfecta Moreno gazed at each other.

* * *

The following morning, Olivia woke again to the hoot of the owl. She rushed to the balcony to find the bird’s hiding place. Two shots rang out. Following her training, she crashed to the floor and squirmed back into the bedroom.

She grunted and laughed, thinking Ramon had upped the training. A moment later, a loud thump resounded against the door as Ramon forced his way inside, gun drawn.

“Olivia, this isn’t training—it’s real.”

Ramon pushed aside a balcony door. He crawled outside, peeked between ornate pillars, and scanned the area for would-be assassins. After completing his sweep from the balcony, he returned inside.

“They’re gone.” He twirled his right index finger in the air several times. “Stay here. The guards will scour the full perimeter for those seeking to harm you, while I check on Pedro, Alonzo, and the girls.”

Olivia nodded. Shaking, she wrapped her arms around herself.

Ramon walked to the door. Before he opened it—

A gunshot echoed in the corridor.

“Madre de Dios!” Ramon leaped toward Olivia, shoving her to the floor with one hand, a weapon in the other.

A high-pitched scream pierced the air, followed by a second.

Silence.

About the Author:

Randall Krzak is a U.S. Army veteran and retired senior civil servant, spending thirty years in Europe, Africa, Central America, and the Middle East. His residency abroad qualifies him to build rich worlds in his action-adventure novels and short stories. Familiar with customs, laws, and social norms, he promotes these to create authentic characters and scenery.

His first novel, The Kurdish Connection, was published in 2017, and the sequel, Dangerous Alliance, was released in November 2018. Both placed in the 2018 Global Thriller Book Awards sponsored by Chanticleer International Book Awards, with The Kurdish Connection finishing as a semi-finalist and Dangerous Alliance being selected as one of seven first in category winners. The third novel in the series, Carnage in Singapore, was released in August 2019, and is currently a semi-finalist in the 2019 Chanticleer International Book Awards. He also penned "A Dangerous Occupation," a winning entry in the August 2016Wild Sound Writing and Film Festival Review short story category.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland and a general Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a MBA with an emphasis in Strategic Focus, both from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland. He currently resides with his wife, Sylvia, and six cats in Dunfermline, Scotland. He's originally from Michigan, while Sylvia is a proud Scot. In addition to writing, he enjoys hiking, reading, candle making, pyrography, and sightseeing.

Website: www.randallkrzak.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rjkrzak

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randallkrzak/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011369255833

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Letters to God by Krystal Doolittle

Letters to God
Krystal Doolittle

Genre: Religious/Spiritual
Date of Publication: March 13, 2020
ISBN: 9798612411468
ASIN: B08544CKH9
Number of pages: 120
Word Count: 37,413

Cover Artist: Krystal Doolittle

Tagline: What if God looked like you and me?

Book Description:

Rowan MacAllister never realized that she had become stuck in a boring cycle in her life until one day everything comes crashing down. Her best friend insists that they go to a new local psychic shop as a way to break out of the rut she’d been stuck in. But Rowan finds herself receiving wise advice that she takes to heart. She should start writing letters to let out everything that had been bottled up for far too long.

Penning a letter to God, she finds strange things happen the next day along with meeting an older woman named Mary. The two become fast friends and Mary seems to unknowingly address the letters that Rowan continues to write to God while they are apart. The coincidences become too much for Rowan who begins to wonder if perhaps Mary IS God.

Rowan searches for answers while putting the pieces of her life back together. Meanwhile learning that her thoughts truly do alter her reality and that sometimes the things you think are a curse can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Amazon

Excerpt:

She stood and hurried toward the hall and I saw her slip into the bathroom. After a moment, I heard the sink turn on with a rush of water. Soon, it was turned back off and she reappeared with a damp rag.

“Here,” she said as she draped it over my face. “Lean back and relax for a moment.”

I did as I was told, resting my head on the back of the couch and closed my eyes. She positioned it so that the bulk of it was on my swollen eyelids. It was cold, but it felt good against my skin.

“Your clothes are fine, so you don’t need to change. But where could we go?” she said as if she were speaking to herself. Plus, I had to admit that it felt nice to have someone taking care of me at the moment. Even if she was trying to force me out into the world.

“We can go nowhere,” I pointed out. “That would be a win in my book.”

“You need to get out of your rut,” Lila said, sounding unperturbed by my stubbornness. “That means we need to do something you’ve never done before,” she mused.

“I’ve never stayed home and eaten a whole pizza by myself,” I said as I lifted the washcloth from one eye so I could look at her.

“You aren’t winning,” she said raising an eyebrow at me. “So get over it.”

“Ugh,” I said as I dropped the washcloth back. “Why am I friends with you again?”

I could hear the smile in her voice when she responded. “Because I’m the only one that can put up with that stubborn streak you have. I know how to get you to open up and see what a wonderful world awaits you. There’s a big, bright world out there waiting for you, Rowan. I’m the one that can convince you to do things that you don’t want to do but are actually good for you.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, not convinced. “You’re doing a bang-up job at that, you know?”

“Oh hush,” she said. Finally, I felt as if my face had cooled and my eyes weren’t as puffy, so I pulled the washcloth off and tossed it on the glass coffee table.

“Look, I don’t really have the money to go out anyway,” I said shaking my head.

“Oh, I got it!” she said loudly as she clapped her hands. “I know the perfect place.” I looked at her, waiting for her to tell me what it was but she kept talking. “It must be luck that I drove by and saw the place. But it’s absolutely perfect. I wanted to go anyway, I just didn’t know who else to take.”

“Earth to Lila. What are you talking about?” I asked as I waved my hands in front of her.

“Sorry,” she said as she turned to me. “I saw this place that must have recently opened. It’s a psychic reading shop. They had a sign out front that said two readings for $100.”

“I definitely don’t have that kind of money right now,” I sighed. “I’m a single woman now with bills to pay.”

“Don’t worry, I do,” she said waving her hand at me. “It’s perfect. You can get a reading to find out what exactly is going on in your life and how you can change things up!”

“I don’t know. That’s a lot of money for someone to tell you a bunch of vague words and silly predictions,” I said shaking my head.

“Oh, come on. Live a little, Row. Let’s go have some fun and see what’s in store for your future.” She wiggled her fingers at me and I laughed.

“If I do this with you, does that mean I’m off the hook for the next nail salon trip?” I asked. Lila was always convincing me to go with her so she had someone to talk to. I, on the other hand, hated having my nails done.

“Yes,” she said with a nod before grinning so wide I thought her face would split.

“Fine, I’ll go then,” I said. “As long as you’re paying.”

“Definitely,” she said with a nod. “Oh my gosh, Rowan! I’m so excited.” She couldn’t seem to hold still which for me, wasn’t comforting.

“Well, that makes one of us,” I said grumpily. “Let me get my shoes.”

 

About the Author:

Krystal lives in rural southeast Kansas, on the outskirts of an official ghost town with her husband and children, along with a multitude of animals. She can often be found taking a walk in nature, shuffling one of her many decks of tarot cards or finding something new to watch.

As a writer, she loves to craft stories that may be shorter in length, but are packed with unforgettable characters and situations that her readers can relate to. She understands that every villain can be a hero and every hero a villain.

My website is: https://www.krystalthewriter.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krystalthewriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystalthewriter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5224372.Krystal_Doolittle

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krystal-doolittle

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Circle of the Pack by Jane Morrissey

Circle of the Pack

Quytel Series

Book Three

Jane S. Morrissey

Genre: Paranormal Romantic Fiction

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, New York

Date of Publication: March 4, 2020

ASIN: B083G2SZX1

Number of pages: 286

Word Count: 77,009

Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde, Soul Mate Publishing

Tagline: Pulled together despite themselves, Maliha and Ash join forces in a battle to save their souls. 

Book Description:

The mysterious and illusive Maliha Courtland has ensnared Ash Montgomery and he’s not happy about it. When she disappears, he is the only one who can track her. What he finds will change his life forever.

Not long after her recovery from a brutal demon attack Maliha finds herself a prisoner. As she fights for her sanity, she uncovers a part of herself she never could have imagined. Ash may be the one person who can keep her safe, but what will he have to sacrifice in the process?

Amazon

Excerpt:

Ash approached her slowly, afraid she might dart into the woods. Moonlight lit the clearing and highlighted the silver streak running down the right side of Mali’s long dark hair.

He knew her energy now; it was as much a part of him as his next breath.

Standing with her hands on her hips, she looked nervous but determined. He stopped about two feet from her and waited, relishing the flare of desire mixed with apprehension.

“Okay.” She held his curious stare and inhaled as if she would say something. Closing her mouth, she paced a short distance away, muttering something curiously like a curse before pacing back. “I need to ask you a favor.”

Lips twitching with an effort not to smile, Ash put his hands in his pockets and waited. “Shoot.”

Pacing back to him, she planted her feet so they were nearly nose to nose. A spark of defiance glittered in her energy and ran cautious fingers through his. The sensation was . . . interesting.

About the Author:

Jane Morrissey is a paranormal romance writer who loves romance, magic, and writing. Her paranormal romantic mysteries will keep you reading late into the night. Jane spends her time writing, enjoying the glorious California Coast near her home and spending as much time as she can with family and friends.

www.janemorrissey.com

https://janemorrissey.com/circle-of-the-pack-out-march-3rd/

https://twitter.com/janesmorrissey

https://www.facebook.com/janemorrisseyofficial/

https://www.pinterest.com/janesmorrissey/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50603969-circle-of-the-pack

Thrall by Carrie Harris

Thrall
Supernaturals of Las Vegas
Book One
Carrie Harris

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Inked Entertainment
Date of Publication: 3/7/2020
ASIN: B084RGTXNF

Number of pages: 234

Word Count: 52,000

Cover Artist: Inked Entertainment

Tagline: Undeniable attraction. Blood magic. Vampire politics. Murder...Just another day in Las Vegas.

Book Description:

Liss Lorensson is a thrall–born to be a servant of the vampire crown prince.

Gregor Valdemar is a vampire prince who chafes under the strict rule of his sire and longs for a different life.

When the two finally meet on Liss’s 21st birthday, sparks fly. But blood magic, murder, and political intrigue stand in the way of their growing romance. Vampire seduction meets the power of the blood in this first volume of the Supernaturals of Las Vegas series.

Amazon

Excerpt

Liss Lorensson fastened a length of pearls around her neck and tried not to think about biting. It would happen right there, at the sensitive juncture where the shoulder met the neck, just under the slightly uneven orbs that distinguished real pearls from fake baubles made in factories. She was resigned to getting bitten—it was part of her new job, after all—but after all of the time she’d spent preparing for this night, it had gotten built up in her mind. Anyone who knew her would say that Liss Lorensson was never nervous or underprepared for anything. She’d practically sprung from the womb with a to-do list, according to her mother. But now, she felt both of those things, and she didn’t quite know how to deal with it.

She settled the pearls into place, eyeing her reflection, ignoring the minute tremor of her hand. No one who saw her would guess at her agitation. Her face was a perfect, pale oval with the kind of complexion that usually only comes with Photoshop. Makeup accentuated the cold intensity of her icy blue eyes. Her long blonde hair was twisted back into a chignon, not a strand out of place. A shimmery silk dress gave her an air of understated yet virginal elegance, topped off with a pair of silver, strappy heels. She usually skipped heels, since at 5’10” they often made her taller than her dates, and most men didn’t like that sort of thing. But Gregor was tall, so she’d been practicing with these particular shoes for weeks now. She could do anything in them now without stumbling—walk, dance, sneak into locked rooms, or engage in hand to hand combat.

Even so, all the preparation felt insufficient. Only a few days earlier, she’d graduated from her small private college with a dual degree in finance and political science, summa cum laude. She’d moved out of her dormitory the next day, ignoring the protests of casual friends who didn’t know anything about the world she came from. Today was her 21st birthday, and they’d begged her to stay so they could take her out on the town. A small part of her was curious to know what that would be like, to drink until her head swam, to pick up some boy she didn’t care about and do as she liked with him. She’d never done anything like that. There had never been time. She’d been taking a huge load of classes in order to graduate early and return home for her presentation tonight.

Her eyes fell on the stack of textbooks on the divan. She’d moved back to her family’s penthouse in a hurry, and her normally immaculate bedroom was still in disarray. The marble floor was dotted with half unpacked suitcases and boxes of dorm essentials she’d need to donate or move to storage. Normally, she was on top of that kind of thing, but there hadn’t been time for that either. She hadn’t even had time to process the fact that she was no longer a college student. As of tonight, she’d take her place with her family, thralls to Gregor Valdemar, prince of the vampire kingdom of Las Vegas. Each vampire was allowed four thralls, who protected their masters during the day and served them at night. She’d help her father run the Renaissance Casino and Hotel, one of the biggest resorts on the Strip. No one knew it was owned by the undead. One vampire in particular—Gregor. Her new master, as of tonight.

She’d seen him a few times from a distance, but vampires weren’t allowed to associate with thrall minors, so they’d never spoken in person. But she had pictures, of course, and plenty of stories about him from her parents and her older brother Tait. He seemed to be a good boss and patron from what she could gather. At least she wasn’t stuck with one of those anachronistic morons who couldn’t or wouldn’t change with the times, the kind that made their thralls dress up in white powdered wigs and corsets just because it reminded them of the good old days. In order to be successful, one needed to stay current, and Gregor seemed like he managed that. He’d financed her college education, for starters, and had sent her a note of admiration when she’d won a particularly exclusive finance and economics prize. She’d kept the note, reading it over and over again in the hopes of getting a glimpse at the mind behind it. But it simply said, “Congratulations on winning the Stepford Prize. I hear it is particularly competitive. Gregor.” It was handwritten in neat, small print. There was nothing to be gleaned from that except for the notability of him sending it at all. For him to take a few moments to celebrate her accomplishments before she’d even reached the age of maturity seemed to bode well for their working relationship.

Who was she kidding? She grimaced at herself in the mirror. She wanted him to like her. She wanted to like him.

About the Author:

Carrie Harris is a geek-of-all-trades who writes genre fiction for all ages. If it has monsters, mayhem, or murder in it, she’s all in. Because all authors are required to have a history of weird jobs, she worked as an autopsy coordinator and in a lab full of brains in jars. Now she’s a full time writer in Utah, where she lives with her ninja-doctor husband and three teenage children. Carrie has done a variety of cool things like organizing WriteOnCon (an online writers conference) and serving as the president of the Class of 2k11 (an author marketing group), and her book BAD TASTE IN BOYS was named a Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. If you bring any of this up to her, she will blush a ridiculous amount. As you read this, she is probably drinking something caffeinated and talking to people that only exist in her head.

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