Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Caressed by the Edge of Darkness by Amanda J. Greene

Paranormal Romance

Date Published: 10/10/17

Hardened by centuries of torture, former blood slave, Gabriel Erhard, is driven by an insatiable need to destroy his enemies. Violence darkens his battered soul, leaving no place for mercy in his world. Gabriel’s only desire is vengeance—until he finds her.

Seized by vampires, bound as a slave, and placed on the auction block, Jordan Culver is instantly entranced by the dangerous male who claims her. Jordan’s new captor vows to set her free, but his haunted gaze burns with savage desire and his wicked kiss makes her crave his touch and...complete surrender.

While Gabriel battles his enemies, he will break every sacred law to achieve his ultimate goal—uniting the Outcast Society and creating a new vampire Clan. But the distracting human with mesmerizing violet eyes jeopardizes his plans. With very soft whisper she evokes his tormented memories, testing his sanity and challenging his every boundary. Can Jordan help him overcome the miseries of his past and find a future with her?

EXCERPT:

When Jordan heard Ross’s blood chilling growl, awareness plowed into her, overwhelming her delicate senses. The lights were blinding and she had to will her eyes to focus while the sounds of cracking bones and pained moans assaulted her ears. Her instincts recognized what her brain couldn’t seem to process, a fight had broken out.

As her vision cleared, Jordan swallowed a scream. The hostess lie in a heap on the floor, bodies of guards with their necks twisted and bone extending from distorted limbs were piled high, blocking the door.

This wasn’t a fight. She was in the middle of a battle and, thanks to Ross whose’s arm was like a steal band around her waist, she had the privilege of being front and center.

The nauseating sound of crushing vertebra drew Jordan’s gaze to the dark figure in the corner. He held a guard off the ground, his large, black leather clad hand wrapped around the weaker vampire’s throat. He guard’s neck snapped, his head wrenching to the side when the figure released him.

Had he done all this?

Ross slowly retreated until the heel of his boots hit the wall. Jordan could feel the chill of the winter storm seeping past the glass of the window behind them.

“Who the fuck are you?” Ross demanded.

The figure slowly turned. His perfectly black tailored suite with matching back shirt and tie were a striking contrast to the white walls. The black paisley bandana concealed his face, the fedora he wore cast shadows over his features. Thought she couldn’t see his eyes, she felt his burning gaze.

Oh, god. Was he the man who purchased her?

The dark male rolled his wide shoulders, ready and waiting for his next opponent. The distant pounding of boots splintered the strained silence that filled the room. Jordan recognized the sound. More guards.

“Who are you, asshole? Who do you work for?” Ross commanded.

The figure shook his head. “Give me the girl.”

His deep, rough voice brushed over her. Calming. Soothing. Enthralling. Jordan began to tremble.

Me. He wants me. Fear, hope, and…excitement quickened her pulse. She knew it was foolish to think this new vampire would be any better than the slave traders, but she now had the element of surprise on her side and a chance to escape. Ross would never share that she had killed two of his men. The dark figure was dangerous, but he would underestimate her like all the others. Jordan just needed to survive the moment. Ross was using her as a human shield. If the mysterious vampire attacked, she’d be a goner.

“You haven’t paid,” Ross sneered. He tightened his grip around her waist.

Jordan gasped in pain and the dark figure growled low, “Careful.”

Ross laughed. “Worried I might injure the little mortal?” His hand slipped around her throat, his fingers bruising. “I can break her neck if I want.” Ross nipped at the tip of her ear.

Jordan cringed and craned her neck, trying to turn away, but he held her firm. Using the only play open to her, Jordan turned toward Ross and sank her teeth into his cheek.

With a vicious roar, he shoved her away. Jordan fell hard to her knees, landing beside the hostess. She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn’t support her. God damn it, the drug was still in her system.

“Bitch!” Ross seethed. Grabbing her by the hair, he drew her up. “You’ll pay for that.”

Jordan spit his blood in his face and smiled when Ross’s eyes turned pure black with rage.

“Your death won’t be easy,” he hissed.

Jordan struggled for freedom, but her limbs remained useless.

Guards began to bang on the door. It wouldn’t be long until they busted in, sweeping the bodies aside. They would swarm the small office, kill the dark vampire, and Ross would punish her.

“Enough,” the figure commanded, his voice deathly calm.

Jordan was spun around, her back hitting Ross’s chest once more. His arm snaked around her middle his finger digging into her hip while his other hand continued to grip her hair.

The dark figure tore off the bandana, the fabric floated down to cover the face of his last victim. His long, gloved fingers gently pinched the brim of his hat. With a nonchalant air and smooth movement, he flipped the fedora from his head, tumbled it down his arm and carefully sat it on the desk.

Jordan sucked in a painful breath, her eyes going wide, her mouth falling open, her mind went numb. It couldn’t be him. He couldn’t be here. Not really. She must’ve finally lost it. Her mind must have finally cracked. She blink once, twice, three times and he remained there, standing just a grasp away.

He was even more stunning than she remembered. Strands of blond hair fell across his brow and framed the hard, sculpted lines of his face: perfectly square jawline, full lips, and defined cheekbones. Crystal green eyes, threaded with threads of obsidian, locked on her. His gaze was mesmerizing, beautifully dangerous. Entranced, Jordan reached for him. The tips of her fingers tingled. She wanted to touch him. She needed to touch him, to feel him, to make certain he was real, that he wasn’t just a figment of her imagination. A character created by her brain to help her cope with the horrific memories of the night she’d be captured. But he had been there. He’d come to see her preform. He’d followed her backstage.

“Gabriel Erhard,” Ross snarled.

Gabriel? Yes, yes! This was the man that had come to her show. This was the man who made her heart skip. The man that had offered her a record contract. No, he was the vampire that attacked Boras’s territories and freed the slaves. He had been her only hope for escape and he was here.

“Give me the girl.”

The pounding on the door intensified, the guards would be in any moment.

“All those raids on my warehouses,” Ross chuckled. “All the slaves you released.” His fingers squeezed around her throat. Jordan gasped for air. Her lungs began to burn. She clawed at his hand, her nails scratching, drawing blood. Still, Ross held her. “Have you been searching for her?”

The black shards swirled in Gabriel’s eyes, darkening the gentle green and bleeding in to the white until his gaze was completely consumed by wrathful darkness. Demon eyes. His lips pulled from his long, razor sharp fangs.

Ross growled, “She’s mine, Erhard!”

The door splintered, the bodies of the incapacitated guards were shoved aside as vampires rushed in, filling the room, surrounding Gabriel.

Ross pressed his lips against her temple and whispered, “You’ll never have her.”

His grip on her throat eased as he swung her around. Glass shattered and rained down upon them, nicking her cheek, her arms, and legs. They were falling. Jordan managed to suck in enough air to scream.

About the Author

Amanda J. Greene creates paranormal romance for ravenous readers. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys escaping the rewarding but hectic world of writing by spending time in the sun and sand with her military husband and their two dogs.

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Book Tour: The Stark Divide by J Scott Coatsworth

Sci-Fi
Date Published: 10/10/17
Publisher: DSP Publications

Some stories are epic.

The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed.

Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her.

From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.

Humankind has just taken its first step toward the stars.

Book One of Liminal Sky

About the Author

Scott spends his time between the here and now and the what could be. Enticed into fantasy and sci fi by his mom at the tender age of nine, he devoured her Science Fiction Book Club library. But as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were in the books he was reading.

He decided that it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at his local bookstore. If there weren’t gay characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

His friends say Scott’s mind works a little differently – he sees relationships between things that others miss, and gets more done in a day than most folks manage in a week. He loves to transform traditional sci fi, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something unexpected.

Starting in 2014, Scott has published more than 15 works, including two novels and a number of novellas and short stories.
He runs both Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction that reflects their own lives.

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Book Tour: Fire War Trilogy by T T. Michael

Fiction/Political/Science Fiction/Dystopian

Book 1: Fire War, published 10/3/2015

Book 2: Fire War II: Treason, published 3/31/2016

Book 3: Fire War III: Uprising, published 9/17/2016

Trilogy Box Set

Fire War Book 1

“Man up,” he told himself. “Man up.” It was what his father always told him, and there was nothing more that he wanted than to be a man. So he took a deep breath, filling his nose with the scents of baseball and looked up to the sky, squinting a little.

It was a plane, not far from the blimp he noticed earlier; that was all. Nothing to be afraid of. A tiny sigh of relief escaped his lips as he saw the familiar shape outlined over his head, wings spread out against the sky.

It was the last thing he saw before the explosion ripped his small body apart with the force of a hundred suns. The quiet of thousands of lives extinguished in the blink of a second took over, disturbed only by falling rubble. The sun beat down again, hot and sticky, on what remained of Tom, his father, and all the others who had been unfortunate enough to be at Wrigley Field for the biggest game of the season."

---

Late in the 21st century, the United Continental States of America is running smoothly.

Unemployment has been eradicated, terrorism is no more, and any internal dissent diminishes by the day. Most give credit to President Meyers, and many can no longer remember the last election, but it is a small price to pay to keep the country safe from the terrorist group Hariq Jihad.

Things aren’t as they seem, however, as Gunnery Sergeant Anthony Jackson is conscripted into the personal security detail of President Meyers. While the only thing he places above his country is his family, he begins to feel that not everyone is content with how things are. Even more, he begins to fear for his oldest daughter’s life as she begins to question the eroding personal freedoms and democratic rights. Considering that entire families have disappeared over the slightest infraction, one cannot be too careful.

Torn between liberty and safety, family and country, can Jackson balance his loyalties, or will he be lead to an explosive collision with the system he has dedicated his life to serving? In this explosive and highly acclaimed dystopian political thriller novel, the world you live in will never look the same again!

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Fire War II: Treason

Anthony Jackson, military veteran, member of the Presidential security team, father, husband, patriot and spy. His daughter safely recovered from a government detention centre, Jackson's role as a spy for the anti government Apocolyte group is firmly cemented. All he needs to do is keep his head down, do his job, and get intel back to his rebel handler. But as Jackson's suspicions about President Meyers are proven true, and the tasks he's asked to handle become more and more immoral, his loyalties are becoming strained.

Where is the line between truth and lie? Between loyal citizen and blind follower? Between right and wrong? And who gets to draw that line? The Apocolytes are growing stronger, but Meyers is too, and only one of them can be the bad guy. But which? Jackson needs to choose sides, and he needs to do it fast. But in the end only the biggest tragedy of them all can force his hand.

His life will never be the same, his family will never survive, and his ideals can be shattered or overturned. Assassinations are all part of the job, he's always dealt in lies and secrets. But now there's something much more personal on the line: vengeance. Saving the world from terrorists is no big deal, knowing who the terrorists are is the real trick.

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Fire War III: Uprising

Anthony Jackson. Patriot. Spy. Widower. Still reeling after the death of his wife, Jackson is numbly training antigovernment troops. Confident that his role in political affairs has dwindled to being a glorified shooting teacher, Jackson is slowly trying to piece his heart back together. Until the call comes. The rebels are far from done with Jackson, and this time the promised reward is big and juicy: the Presidency.

As the world slowly falls apart, men fight and men die, and Anthony Jackson cannot simply watch. Something has to change, and someone has to change things, and deep down, Jackson knows that he's the only man that can do the job. But as cities fall, the eternal question continues to burn in his mind: just who can he really trust?

In a world of lies and secrets, where even the ones you love can betray you, Jackson must find right and justice. Only then can he lead the country that he loves. If he survives that long.

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Perhaps you wouldn’t characterize the Finance Manager of your local automobile dealership as an Amazon best-selling author—until you get to know T.T. Michael. He has worked for the past decade at a Toyota Dealership in Illinois, but he is in the driver’s seat as the writer of, Fire War, a political thriller set in the year 2076. See what happens when the United States, Canada, and Mexico all join forces to make one super country. See more about him and his book Fire War at www.ttmichael.com

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Promo Blitz: The Devil's Dragon by Jason F. Boggs

Space Opera, Science Fiction
Date Published: January 2017

Set 80 years into the future, Nelson Jones, a young military cadet full of optimism and  hope is enlisted into the New Era - a fascist regime that arises to rule the world after a horrifying attack from an alien species known as the Great Tribe.

Under the leadership of Earth's dictator, President Jacob Freeman with his ruthless enforcer, Major Ira Bilis, Nelson witnesses horrible abuses of power and is forced to confront his values and his world view to make difficult choices. When he happens across a small faction of resistance against this tyranny, Nelson must consider whether to risk his life to do what he feels is right.

Praise for The Devil's Dragon:

Choosing to persevere had been one of my better decisions as of late.  As I read on, the tale improved vastly and almost before I realized it, I was hooked. It wasn't love at first sight, but the diverse cast of characters and the intriguing story line eventually drew me in. I'm glad this is a trilogy and I will be eagerly awaiting news of the next two releases. Well worth the read! 4/5 stars. - Bookplex

First in a trilogy, THE DEVIL'S DRAGON is a fascinating futuristic first contact story that challenges ideas about government, humanity and the fine line we walk between right and wrong. - IndieReader

Excerpt

Chapter 21: The Devil's Dragon

Ira Bilis stepped up to an awaiting shuttle, a lieutenant saluted her at the base of the landing ramp, she ignored this and walked past him to the top of the ramp, the loud clacking of her jack boots on the steel seemed to contradict her demure figure, she turned to regard the camp one last time, it was swarming with Aesini warriors, a small contingent of Paladins in defence formation were picking off any of the aliens who dared shoot at or make a rush toward their position.

She breathed in the carnage for a short time before regarding her junior officer with a smirk as he walked up to join her "It makes you feel alive doesn't it"? "Uh, yes ma'am".

"Is the shuttle loaded with what I ordered"?

"Yes ma'am, the storage containers have the trinkets that you selected from the local villages".

"I know what there are"! She tightened her grip on her riding crop, the familiar ominous leather on leather sound made him flinch. He knew that these cases of plunder was everything she had stolen from the Aesini, bracelets, earrings, fine fabrics, jewels, even some gold. He guessed that these spoils of war would fund her retirement.

"Give the order". She nodded to him who saluted, turned and barked to the small group of soldiers below. "Move out, go go go"! He made a wind up signal. "Yes LT"! They clamoured up the ramp and as it was closing, enemy bullets hit the steel door making a loud pinging sound. The shuttle took off with two dragonfly escorts, the last of the fighters that remained, the roar of its engines punctuated the tumult below, Nadija heard the turbulence and looked up to see the spectacle of the three ships taking off and shook her head with dismay. "She escaped didn't she"? Horx shared her conclusion.

"There are other ways to exact justice, the Gods will see to that". Seric sought to offer some comforting words, Nadija gave him a sinister grin "No, not the Gods, we will".

Seric gave her a look of displeasure and cleared his throat for a rebuttal; however, Nadija felt the need to supplement her thoughts.

"We don't have time to discuss the finer points of faith and philosophy my friend but suffice it to say, we are all made of stars and both of us are tiny insignificant life forms scuttling around under the same sun like microbes in a Petri dish, that makes us more or less the same under any God or Gods that you nominate, whether there is a God or Gods or not, whether we're here because of evolution only or evolution assisted by intelligent design from a higher power, it doesn't really matter in the end, I just do what I do because it makes me feel good".

"Doesn't really matter? Creation is not purely by chance look around you! We are the instruments of the Gods, some are called upon to carry out their will, others work against it merely to benefit themselves, most do nothing overall, I most certainly disagree with your simplistic assessment". Seric coughed with incredulity.

"That's your right, let's just keep moving". Horx wasn't inclined toward profound conversation at this point. "Wow Nadija that's kinda deep, here I was thinking you were just a soldier".

"No one's just anything Evan, what we are isn't nearly as important as who we are". Her eyes had a sparkle in them whenever she looked at him lately and it made his heart skip a beat. "To be continued over some noodles". He smiled, hoping she understood that noodles was a euphemism for so much more.

They ran down an embankment until they arrived at the main entrance to the camp, Seric took his temporary blanket robe off "I think we'll be safe here". He declared as he waved to a group of about a hundred Aesini, clearly this area at least was secure and although gun shots could still be heard in the distance, Nadija gestured for Horx to put his weapon away.

There were at least fifty Paladins squatted with their hands on their heads. As Seric was greeted by his fellow warriors, Nadija asked "You guys are taking prisoners?"

Seric glanced at the POWs and nodded "They can be used at the negotiating table, they will be treated with more kindness then you humans afforded us".

"Present company excluded, don't paint us all with the same brush". Nadija protested.

"Right, of course, I'm sorry it's just that whatever the outcome, prejudices will remain, so much damage has already been done".

An elderly warrior rode up atop a strider and peered down with a smile "Seric, the fact that you’re still alive proves that the Gods have a sense of humour".

"Chief Naid, the convert Nelson Jones is at the base hospital with Meaghan, we have to go rescue them". Nadija looked up to regard him.

"Lead the way then". Naid let out a whistle to summon a mank, when one appeared Alene's face was already on its belly.

"Nelson's at the infirmary with Meaghan". Naid reported.

"That area is in the middle, still unsecured, gather up your troops, I'll head in from the West, you take the south and we'll meet up there, the dragonflies have retreated to their mother ship for now, probably to resupply so we must act fast".

Naid saluted his daughter. "Alright, you heard your queen, move out"! And enthusiastic roar of approval erupted from the warriors as they swarmed up the alley that Seric and his entourage had just come from.

Nadija held out her hand to Horx to stop him and shook her head. "We've done enough fighting, let's find a safe area and see if your little experiment worked".

Horx nodded and turned on his tablet, scrolling through some menus, Wong's concerned face appeared on the screen. "Report Evan".

"Mission failed but I think we still have an outcome that may be to our advantage".

"I have heard that the Aesini have overrun the camp yes"?

"True enough, it's safe for you to meet up with us now, we'll be in guard post...". Horx looked up and saw some large numbers emblazoned on the side of a white tower, a single Aesini warrior was in position at the window. "... Sixteen".

"What will you be doing up there"? Wong cocked an eyebrow.

He glanced at Nadija who blushed. "Watching some TV" Horx smilled.

The atmosphere inside the shuttle was sombre, Resen had fallen to the enemy and the soldiers had their heads bowed with the shock and disappointment of defeat, except Bilis who strode up and down between them with her head held high, she gently tapped each of their knees with her riding crop to get their attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen". They all regarded her, including Botany who sat silently between the crates at the back of the cabin, almost unseen like he was part of her loot.

"We are now in space, about to dock with the command ship, despite appearances, we have not lost, this is part of a greater plan that the President has foreseen". She smiled menacingly.

"There is a moment of truth that is about to occur, a moment of reckoning that will determine the outcome of this struggle against the alien menace, I'm taking overall command of this mission to ensure final victory and I need to know if you are with me or against me, right now".

She peered into each of their eyes, one by one and in turn they answered "with you ma'am", "loyal and true", yes sir", "to the end", "now and forever".

She didn't bother with Botany; he sat there expressionless, silent in the shadows.

"Good, when the moment comes, I will give you the codeword "downfall", at that moment you will not hesitate to open fire on Admiral Reece, he has refused a direct order from the Central to fire upon the enemy which has now taken over the camp, once we take command

of the Gilly, we bomb the shit out of them, we do not tolerate weakness in the new era do you get me"?!

"We get you sir"!

When the shuttle landed in the main docking bay, Reece was there with a ceremonial compliment of troops to greet her, she was obviously outnumbered, now was not the right time.

"Major Ira Bilis, it's good to see that you made it out, I've been in contact with the President and have given him an update of the situation". She saluted Reece who returned in kind.

"Admiral, it was by the skin of my teeth that I escaped and the bravery of my Paladins shall not be forgotten, by the way it's General Bilis now". She turned to look at her troops and gave them a small smile.

"I didn't hear of this promotion, congratulations". His face had a sceptical expression.

"May we meet in private"?

"Of course, there is much to discuss". Reece gave a junior officer a nod who gave the order to dismiss the honour guard, as they marched off, Reece held out his hand for her to walk toward another exit which would eventually lead them to the ship's meeting room.

"You may dismiss your troops General; they've fought well and must be eager for R&R".

"They will have earned it before this day is over". She agreed, her pace was slow as they walked, it didn't occur to him that she was stalling for time, waiting until his troops had entirely left the docking bay before confronting him.

"Are you injured"? He feigned concern.

"Just fatigued sir, a little battered and bruised too". This was the truth.

When they got to the exit door, Reece's troops were finally gone but Bilis's contingent remained in formation behind her, Reece's face had a growing look of concern. "Dismiss your troops General or I will for you".

"Not yet".

Reece went to grab his cylinder but Bilis put her hand on his wrist to stop him, the concerned expression now turned to alarm. "What the hell's going on Ira"?

Her troops now cocked their rifles and trained them on him.

"Oh my God".

"Admiral, I am taking over this mission, I would much prefer that you remain in command of the Gilgamesh and we'll pretend that this little awkward moment never happened as long as you acknowledge that I'm in charge overall".

"The president's in charge overall". He scowled at her. "And he has deemed me fit for command of the expeditionary forces, I am the Admiral you silly little girl"!

He regarded the soldiers behind her. "When you put on that uniform, you took a sacred oath to follow the proper chain of command put forth by the leader himself, put down your weapons, that's an order or you'll be in front of a firing squad"! He barked at them but they remained unmoved.

Bilis walked a circle around Reece, her riding crop twisting between her leather gloves at her back. "Reece, this is an opportunity for you to make things right, this is the turning point of this war, all you have to do is resume your post as fleet Admiral and follow my orders, the first being to bomb the crap out of the camp below and then Apolinya, is that understood"?

"I only follow orders from two people Ira, Jessie and Jacob, we've known each other for a long time, from the start, you know I can't change that, you know there is no compromise"!

"They're not here, they will never be here, this system belongs to us now and the only way we can rule it is with an iron fist, the outcast colonies will be a shinning beacon, an unreachable

outpost of the new era, an impregnable fortress, a utopia of strength and order defying a universe of chaos, I'm giving you the chance to be a part of that Adam, to revel in its glory!"

Her eyes sparkled with a maniacal intensity as she made a fist, Reece grimaced, she'd never called him by his first name before. "President Freeman ordered that I do not bomb the camp and withdraw the fighters, unlike you he values his personnel still down there". He looked at the troops in her entourage. "You are only here to forward her agenda, she's addicted to power, that's why Freeman held her back on a short leash, he knew she'd turn out like this, don't you see that"?

"He lies, last chance Reece, join me". She stared into his eyes at close range and for a moment he could see something he couldn't reconcile with his mind, it was fire blazing in her eyes, was it his fear playing tricks with his eyes?

"Never". He whispered.

Her troops raised their guns, ready to fire on her orders.

"Downfall".

Reece slumped under a hail of bullets, dying in a pool of his blood he looked up at her standing over him.

"You're the devil". He managed to spit out before he closed his eyes and ceased to exist.

"No, I am the devil's dragon". She whispered to herself as she walked out of the hangar, her troops marching in formation behind her. "I am what the universe has made me". The doors closed behind her, only Botany remained, standing in the middle of the bay, alone, forgotten.

Meaghan lay on the operating table, coughing meekly and wheezing she stared into his eyes. "I love you Nelson".

"That's twice I've heard that today but you're the only one I wanted to hear it from". He held her cool hand tightly as the doctor applied anesthetic over her mouth and hooked her up to various machines.

"She's haemorrhaging; I've got to go in now". He muttered. The doctor was soaked in the blood of patients he'd worked on before her, his expression was frazzled.

"Save her doc".

"I can only play with the cards I'm dealt, the less you talk from now on the better so shut up".

Her eyes closed under the effect of the anaesthesia and the doctor proceeded to cut her open, he didn't even bother cleaning the equipment first.

Some minutes of silence passed as he worked furiously over her, the doctors face was obscured by his mask so Nelson watched his eyes, he didn't like what he saw, the eyes betrayed him, they looked increasingly less confident and Nelson's heart sank, tears welled in his eyes.

"Please doc, please save her, she's pregnant".

"You don't think I know that"?!

They heard shouting and shots being fired from outside the operating theatre and for a moment they looked at each other with trepidation, the doctor then returned to Meaghan and shook his head. "Looks like your war found its way here". He grumbled.

The doors swang open to the theatre, a few Aesini walked in and raised their weapons at them, Nelson stood up, his hands raised. "I'm done fighting".

A female stepped forward adorned in a purple cape. "Are you Nelson Jones"? To his surprise she could speak English.

He nodded, his hands still raised.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to save a life here"! The doctor bellowed.

"Two lives". Nelson tilted his head toward the doctor who shook his head regretfully, one of the machines made a flat line sound.

"No, just one now".

Nelson lowered his hands and turned to look over Meaghan, she was gone.

"Oh Jesus no, no no no, why God why"? His tears now flowed down his face as he sobbed over her, his expression grew dark. "Bring her back"!

The doctor shook his head, Nelson pulled out his pistol and raised it to the doctor "Bring her back, at least try, why don't you at least try"?!

Naid leaned over and grabbed his gun, wrenching it off him, Alene held him as he cried, he wasn't even aware that he was embracing the alien. Seric walked over and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Too much death has been seen today". Naid whispered.

The doctor continued to operate "I can save the child but she will need an incubator to survive, she's premature".

"Tell me where to find this incubator". Alene said.

"There's none on this mound of shit you call Resen, the only ones we have are on the capital ships, the Gilgamesh has one.

Nelson wiped his eyes and looked at the doctor "I'm sorry about my reaction doctor".

"I've seen worse, now, can you get me on that ship"?

He thought for a moment and shook his head regretfully. "No, I don't see how".

Alene stepped in front of him and looked into his eyes "Never lose hope Nelson, the Gods have determined that we meet for a reason".

"Who are you"?

"I am Alene, first Empress of the Great Tribe and I will lead all of us, human and Aesini alike to the path of righteousness".

Naid and Seric looked at each other and said in bemused unison "Empress"?

"This is my father Chief Naid and my good friend Seric".

They nodded and Nelson let out a slow exhale. "So, what now"?

"Now you need to name this child". A small cry could be heard behind them and they all turned to see a new born baby girl being cradled in the doctor’s arms, so tiny and fragile and Nelson let out a gasp, he couldn't believe his eyes. He walked over and held out his little finger, the baby's hand could feel it and grasped at it.

"Liana".

"Why this name"? Alene asked.

"That was the name of Meaghan's grandmother, she told me about her once, right about the time my daughter was conceived in fact". He smiled, recalling the moment of his short lived intimacy with Meaghan; it seemed so long ago now. "She lived in a better time, a better world, far from perfect but better".

"Then the birth of this child shall herald better times again". Alene declared.

"Touching, but she's only got a few hours to enjoy these better times unless we get her to an incubator and a proper hospital". The doctor growled.

About the Author

After completing two degrees, Jason F Boggs has spent over 25 years in the hotel industry where he experiences peoples' true natures - both good and bad, fertile ground for these stories. Jason currently lives on the Gold Coast in Australia with his wife SueEllen who patiently endures his imagination and their two cats, who do not.

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Book Tour and Giveaway: The Witch's Handbook to Hunting Vampires

Paranormal/Witch Cozy Mystery

Date Published: September 5, 2017

Andie Taylor is your average single mom. She's got a beautiful toddler, a great job at the local preschool, a neurotic best friend and one huge secret—she used to hunt vampires. Now retired, Andie would much rather be wiping kid snot off her clothes than stalking the undead.

But after a meteor rips through her small town, strange things start happening—like the school janitor is found dead with fang marks in his neck.

Andie's retired, it's not her problem.

Until vampires attack Andie on her front lawn. Now she has to figure out who the head bloodsucker is and stop him from taking any more victims—all while juggling single motherhood, a crazy great aunt, and Andie's own lust for a fallen angel. Can she solve the mystery before the vampires claim someone else? Or will she become the next target of the bloodsuckers?

Excerpt:

ONE

“Expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to relatives.”

                             —The Witch’s Handbook

My great-aunt Dot decided to poof into my life at the exact same moment I was talking my best friend down from the comet-pocalypse that was about to hit our town.

Literally—on both fronts.

I waved away a shimmering cloud of silver dust and came face-to-face with a pink-haired, feather-jacket-wearing seventy-year-old.

“Andie, get off the phone.” Aunt Dot pulled off a pair of matching feather gloves and tossed them on a side table by my turquoise front door.

I placed a hand over the receiver. “I’ve told you a thousand times, I don’t want you working magic in my house.”

“We’ve got bigger fish to fricassee than your stupid rules.”

“I don’t want Gabby to see.”

Dot’s blue eyes sparkled. “Oh? Where is the little munchkin?”

I nodded toward the bedroom. “In there. Sound asleep.” I wagged a finger at her. “Don’t you change that.”

My newly acquired geriatric companion shuffled off to not wake my two-year-old daughter, who happened to be the love of my life. I sighed and put the phone back to my ear.

Kate panted into the line. “It’s the end of the world, Andie! I just know it.”

I grimaced. Kate McCall, my best friend and cohort in crime, pierced my eardrum with her shrieks of the apocalypse.

“It’s not the end of the world,” I said soothingly.

“Go look. Missy Burke’s already rode down my street calling it that. If she says it’s the end, then it probably is. That woman’s got her finger on the pulse of this town.”

“More like her nose up its rear end,” I said.

“Andie. Be nice.” Kate paused. “Never mind. I love you the way you are.”

I opened my front door and stepped out. A cold October wind ripped over the porch. I rubbed my arms to warm them. Boards in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint creaked under my ballerina flats.

A shiny full-size Ford pickup truck grunted down Cedar Street in my small hometown of Normal, Alabama. The driver bore down on the horn, threw her head out the window and yelled, “It’s the end of the world, y’all! The Lord’s coming in a comet to set y’all straight.”

Missy Burke was nothing if not informative. Dark hair trailed behind her like snakes as the wind whipped across her face.

She pointed at me. “Say your prayers, Andie Taylor. The Lord sees you. He knows where you’re going when you face judgment.”

Which I took to mean I wasn’t going to be standing beside her in heaven. If you asked Missy, she was the most perfect person on the planet and one of the few who’d get through the pearly gates.

I gave a friendly wave. “He sees you, too, scaring the good folks in this town half to death. You should be ashamed of yourself, Missy.”

Missy scrunched up her face and swatted at me as if I didn’t matter.

“Missy Burke just told me I was going to hell,” I said over the line.

“I’ll probably see you there,” Kate said. “I don’t think I prayed enough, Andie. St. Peter’s going to tell me I need to turn right back around and go the other way.”

I laughed. “That’s not going to happen. You’re a great person. St. Peter’s going to be excited to have you.”

With Missy gone, the night had quieted but for a white light shining in the distance. It looked like a star except it was getting bigger by the moment. “It’s a comet. Nothing to worry about.”

“It’s pretty bright. It’s going to hit my house.”

“Listen, I’ll keep an eye on it. If it looks like it’s going to destroy your house, I’ll call you.”

“Thank you. Mwuah.” She kissed the phone. “You’re the greatest friend in all the world.”

“I try.”

We hung up, and I went inside, immediately wondering if I had any chocolate in the house. I entered the kitchen, opened the fridge and found a bottle of syrup. Dot’s presence always stressed me out. I flipped the lid and squirted some in my mouth.

Better. Now I was ready to face my great-aunt. I crossed back to the living room.

Dot entered and started zipping up all the blinds.

“What are you doing?” I said.

“We’ve got to keep an eye on that comet. It’s not a natural phenomenon, Andie. It’s something magical.”

“It’s always about magic with you,” I mumbled. “Did you show up just to make my life complicated?”

Dot plumped her pink hair. “Of course not, but you’re a hunter and a witch. It beats me why you won’t use your powers.”

I crossed my arms and leaned against the front door. “Was a hunter. Witchcraft causes more problems than it’s worth. You of all people should know that.”

Dot withered a bit. I instantly felt a pang of guilt, but the truth was the truth.

“Mom died because of magic.”

Dot shook her head. “Your mother died because she called something she couldn’t control. It nearly killed all of us.”

I flared my arms. “That’s in the past. I don’t need magic and I don’t want it. My life is perfectly normal exactly as it is, and I want to keep it that way.”

Neither of us said anything. I waited a moment, letting the tension in the room dissolve.

Dot shrugged off her jacket and threw it on a chair.

“You’re not staying long, are you?” I said.

Please, don’t let her be staying long.

She plopped onto the couch and kicked up her feet. “I don’t know yet. Depends on what that comet brings.”

“How about some stardust and that’s it.”

At that moment a Magic 8 Ball sailed into the room.

Dot threw up her hands in glee. “Vordrid! Finally, someone with sense.”

Vordrid sniffed. I know that as a Magic 8 Ball he didn’t technically have a nose, but that didn’t stop him from making sounds only a person with a head could create. “I’m twelve hundred years old. I should have some sense.”

Dot turned to me. “For someone who doesn’t want Gabby seeing magic, I don’t understand why you keep Vordrid.”

“Because Vordrid is family, and he doesn’t cause any trouble,” I said, nodding at her.

Truth be told, Vordrid was the only link I had to Dex, my husband, who’d died before Gabby was born.

An arrow of pain pierced my heart. I pushed it aside, doing my best not to fall into the pit of despair that was the longing I still had for Dex.

“I wouldn’t leave Andie if you gave me a crystal skull to live in,” Vordrid said. “And according to that Ancient Aliens show, crystal skulls possess lots of power.”

Vordrid had been my mentor in my hunter days. What’s a hunter, you ask? A select group of witches and wizards employed to seek out and destroy evil beings. Dex and I had specialized in vampires, though plenty of hunters tracked other magical creatures.

Vordrid was the only piece of that old life I’d kept.

The light outside brightened. Dot flew off the couch and to the window. “Quick! This is no ordinary comet.”

“As you’ve said.” I caught my reflection in the mirror above the mantel. My thick honey- and platinum-colored hair lay in sagging curls over my shoulders, and I had dark circles under each eye that even my cute fringe of bang couldn’t draw your attention away from. What I wouldn’t give for some stress relief.

Like a massage.

I yawned. “Wake me when it’s over.”

Dot glanced at Vordrid. “Can’t you do anything with her?”

Vordrid settled himself down on the coffee table. “What can I do with a witch who doesn’t want to be one?”

I smiled. “He’s pretty much right.”

Dot clasped her hands in frustration. “Andie, you must advocate for us. For your profession.”

“Dot, I’m a preschool teacher at Giving Trunk. I advocate for children every day.”

Yes, it’s trunk, not tree. I think there was some sort of infringement thing that kept the place from being called Giving Tree.

Dot choked on something. By the sound of it, I think it was frustration. “You’re a witch.”

“Was a witch. I don’t practice.”

Vordrid pivoted toward Dot. “I haven’t been able to do anything with her for years. Not since that night.”

Dot shook her head and glanced back at the comet. “I don’t have time for your piddling, Andie. It’s coming.”

“It’s not like it’s the end of the world,” I said.

Vordrid hopped a bit. “It could be. You know that’s what killed the dinosaurs.”

“Vordrid, it’s not the end of the world.”

“Stranger things have happened.”

I nodded. “Exactly. Like me living with the spirit of a twelve-hundred-year-old wizard who resides inside a kid’s toy.”

Vordrid rattled his shell. “As I said, stranger things.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thank you for reminding me. I’m going to check on Gabby.”

I padded into the small bedroom off the parlor and placed a hand in the crib. Gabby slept soundly. I pulled the covers down over her legs and made sure she was breathing.

Because that’s what all mothers do—we sporadically make sure that our children are still breathing because we’re a little mental that way.

The house started to shake. I pulled Gabby’s crib away from the wall to make sure nothing would fall on her and went back into the living room. A couple of picture frames tumbled from their place on the mantel.

“Magic,” Dot whispered.

“Natural phenomenon,” I shot back.

“I feel a disturbance in the force,” Vordrid said.

What the…? Seriously? Were they all against me?

I peeked out the window. Yellowish light filled the entire sky. People were coming out of their homes. I rushed back in to check on Gabby, and she was sleeping soundly. I glanced out the window as the comet flew over the street, scorching the tops of the trees.

A moment later it sounded like the world had split in two. A quake rocked the house. Knicknacks fell off the shelves to the floor. The shaking subsided as quickly as it started, and the night retuned to peace and quiet.

Except for the twenty car alarms blaring down my street. I guess the rumbling had set them off.

Gabby slept soundly. Thank goodness. Whenever she woke in the middle of the night, she would cry on and on. It was a nightmare trying to get her back to sleep. I had a feeling Dot may have had something to do with keeping her in slumber.

“I’m going to see what happened,” Vordrid said. His spirit lifted from the ball. It looked like strips of white gossamer as it zipped out the window.

I thought things might get back to normal in Normal for the rest of the night.

Silly me. I realized that wasn’t going to happen when Dot grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around. Perched on my couch, licking its paw, sat a gray gargoyle. He wasn’t very big, about the size of a pound of flour, but he was still a creature that wasn’t supposed to be in my house.

“What the heck?” I screeched.

Dot pushed me forward. “It must’ve hitchhiked on my back when I came up from Patagonia.”

“Patagonia?” I said.

She wiggled her fingers. “I was there learning how to touch the sky. I must’ve touched something else instead.”

“Yeah, like a monster.”

The gargoyle stopped licking its paw. It opened leathery wings lined with veins, unhinged its mouth, and shot fire at us.

I ducked. “Oh dear Lord!”

“Stop it, Andie,” Dot said, pushing me forward.

I tried to scramble back, but she held me fast. “Why are you shoving me closer to it? Are you trying to fry me?”

Dot clasped my shoulders tightly. “You’re a hunter. Use your power!”

I pressed my heels into the rug, turned around and said, “Would you quit calling me that!”

Another spray of fire shot above our heads.

“Ah,” I screamed.

“You’re going to wake up Gabby,” Dot said, patting down her pink hair.

Holy crap on a stick. She was right. If I didn’t deal with this little turdball on my couch, the toddler would wake up and that would be a crying nightmare worse than my great-aunt visiting me.

I started to pull the energy from the room and bring it into my body. The small taste of power felt good. Almost a little too good, like when you haven’t eaten chocolate in a really long time because you’re on a diet. Then when you taste it, it’s like heaven melting on your tongue.

Yeah, that’s kinda what using my magic felt like.

Don’t worry; I wasn’t going to admit it to Dot.

Speaking of my great-aunt, I glanced over my shoulder. The look of glee on her face made me stop. Something smelled funny, and it wasn’t the streak of blackened ceiling that little monster had caused.

I walked over to the creature and crossed my arms. “Okay, how much is my aunt paying you for scaring me?”

The gargoyle frowned.

I rubbed my thumb over my fingers. “How much? Because what she didn’t tell you is, if I use my power, you will turn to dust. I suggest you get out of here before that money or gold or whatever seems like nothing when you’re sewing yourself back together.”

The creature opened his mouth and screeched. He flapped his wings and, half a second later, vanished in a purple cloud of magic.

I waved the air clear.

“You think you’re so smart,” Dot grumbled.

I grinned. “You almost had me.” I pinched my fingers together. “So close, but you know, there’s a reason why I don’t invite you over often. Oh, and fix my ceiling.”

Dot snapped her fingers, and the smudge disappeared. She clucked at me. “Your daughter needs to learn witchcraft.”

My nostrils flared. “Gabby won’t get her powers until she hits puberty—if she even gets them then. The magic could skip a generation. But until that time, I want Gabby to live a normal, happy life. Magic has taken too much from me—first my mother and then Dex.”

Dot plucked her shirt from the waistband of her jeans. “It wasn’t the magic, per se.”

I shot her a dark look. “It was because of the magic, and don’t you forget it.”

Dot clamped her lips shut.

Vordrid shot back into the house and twisted inside the ball.

I rubbed at the headache that had sprouted in my temples. “What’d you see?”

He jumped up and down, making the knickknacks on the table jumble. “It wasn’t a regular comet.”

“See?” Dot said. “Told you so.”

“It’s really annoying when people use that phrase,” I said.

“We’re related. I can use it as much as I want.”

Vordrid kept jumping. “If it had been a comet, I would’ve expected to see the meteor. But instead of a rock, there was a shape formed into the ground.”

I scratched the back of my head. “Really? A shape? That’s interesting.”

“It was interesting, Andie. Most interesting of all was the shape it had taken.”

“And what was that?” I said, half listening.

Vordrid cleared his throat. “The shape of a human.”

Dot smirked. “Something just landed in Normal. Get ready, Andie. This town is going to need a witch, and that witch is you.”

About the Author


Amy Boyles grew up reading Judy Blume and Christopher Pike. Somehow, the combination of coming of age books and teenage murder mysteries made her want to be a writer. After graduating college at DePauw University, she spent some time living in Chicago, Louisville, and New York before settling back in the South. Now, she spends her time chasing two toddlers while trying to stir up trouble in Silver Springs, Alabama, the fictional town where Dylan Apel and her sisters are trying to master witchcraft, tame their crazy relatives, and juggle their love lives.

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