Release Blitz for Join The Club – Club Aegis Series by Christie Adams

Join The Club – Club Aegis Series by Christie Adams @ChristieAdams #clubaegis #britromance

Series Blurb: Club Aegis

Aegis – the shield of Zeus, and by extension, a means of protection. The men and women who are members of Club Aegis have all played their part in protecting their country. They work hard…and they play hard. Their lives are not always easy – and sometimes they have to put their lives on the line, not just for their country but for those they love.

Purchase Links

The Velvet Ribbon (Club Aegis 1)       

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Jy3VHg

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1h2aYRG

Love Is Danger (Club Aegis 2)             

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1RaW6xC

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1iEheQS

A Wanting Heart (Club Aegis 2.5)       

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Fvpz43

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Jy47q1

Blurb: The Velvet Ribbon (Club Aegis 1)

Alex Lombard is a Dom with a dark past. The former SAS officer, now a successful businessman, carries the scars of his past both on his body and in PTSD-induced nightmares resulting from more than just his service to his country. The light in his life takes the form of his assistant, Beth Harrison, the woman whom he has secretly coveted since she came to work for him.

Beth has been attracted to her employer from the day she met him. When not at work, she fills her time with writing stories featuring the BDSM lifestyle she craves but has not yet found the courage to explore. Though she knows nothing of his extra-curricular interests, Alex is the inspiration for the Dom in her latest novel.

Then Alex makes a chance discovery, and when Beth becomes the victim of a street crime, the two of them come together to find what is missing from both their lives. However, their path to happiness is beset not just by the teething troubles of a new relationship—a ghost from Alex’s past has returned, bent on revenge, and Alex is not the only one in his sights…

NOTE: This work was previously published. It has been retitled, expanded and re-edited for this release.

Blurb: Love Is Danger (Club Aegis 2)

Having only just dumped her lecherous two-timing boyfriend, Stacie Matheson never expected, when her car broke down in a storm, to be rescued by a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed knight in a shining Jaguar. Cam is everything her ex was not—and more besides.

Now that his old friend Alex has settled into married life with his submissive, Beth, Cameron Fraser is ready to surrender his single status. What he isn’t ready for is being blindsided by a beautiful curvy damsel-in-distress.

Fate has brought them together – the Dom who needs a submissive, and the woman who takes her first steps into the world of submission at his side. However, there’s more to Cam’s life than the sensual games he plays with Stacie. When that life intrudes on their relationship, neither is prepared for the devastating consequences.

Blurb: A Wanting Heart (Club Aegis 2.5)

What happens when a former Royal Navy officer is given a second chance with the woman he loves?

Ryan Quinn is still in love with the woman he lost three years ago. For him, there can be no other. When he sees Fiona again at her sister’s wedding, he has no choice but to risk his heart for a second time, by reminding her of what they once shared.

How wrong can a woman be?

Tragic and complicated family circumstances had left Fiona Pearce with no option but to turn her back on the man she loved and drive him out of her life. When his path crosses hers again, she feels compelled to apologise, even though she fears she may be opening old wounds that are best left undisturbed.

Events take an unexpected turn, giving Ryan the opportunity to suggest that they go away together for a few days. To his surprise, Fiona agrees. In the remote cottage their love is rekindled, but it takes a blizzard to erase the past and allow them to start finding out who they really are – together.

NOTE: This is a previously published work. The title, author, and/or publisher may have changed.

Author Bio

When she isn't actually writing, Christie is often thinking about writing - either the book she's currently working on, or one of the dozen other stories she'll have percolating away at the back of her mind.

In addition to writing, she also loves lazing around with a good book, or browsing the internet in search of cute pictures of dogs and puppies, a pastime that often helps with writer's block - or so she claims. She likes James Bond movies, and cries at the end of "You've Got Mail" every time.

Good chocolate is also one of her passions in life, often accompanied by a glass of her favourite tipple, English sparkling wine. And if she can be persuaded to abandon her writing for a while, she finds that chocolate, wine and a good movie on TV is an excellent way to pass a dark winter's evening.

Social Media

Twitter                                            https://twitter.com/ChristieAdams

Facebook                                        https://www.facebook.com/christie.adams.author

Website                                           http://christieadamsauthor.com/

Excerpt: The Velvet Ribbon (Club Aegis 1)

The sound of heels on hardwood provided the metronomic fanfare that alerted Alex to the imminent arrival of Beth Harrison—his executive assistant, right-hand woman and, of late, source of growing frustration. He looked up from the correspondence in his hand, eyes narrowing at her approaching reflection in the tinted window that gave him a panoramic view over London.

Those damn fuck-me shoes! A muscle tensed in his tightly clenched jaw. While her working wardrobe went from black to white, with every shade of grey between, her footwear was downright rebellious—immaculate heels, never less than four inches in height, in a myriad selection of styles and eye-catching colours.

Which ones today? It was a question that crossed Alex’s mind every morning. He’d never considered himself to have any kind of shoe fetish until Beth came to work for him. Every morning it was the same, and the litany of colours was ever-expanding. As for today—would it be the peacock blue? Or the metallic purple, perhaps? He was rather fond of the latter.

No, today it was a new pair…new to the office, at any rate. The vivid red patent leather heels, with an ankle strap adorned with an eye-catching bow, were incredibly flattering to her slender feet and shapely ankles…and those gorgeous legs clad in sheer black nylon with seams straighter than an arrow. Oh, the fantasies he’d had about having those legs wrapped around his hips while he sank his cock into her lush body, felt her contract hard around him, heard her panting cries as he spilled inside her at the moment of her climax…

His eyes continued upward, taking in the flannel-grey pencil skirt—the fabric clinging to her curves, so fitted that it gave her hips an ultra-feminine sway as she walked. He experienced a sharp, momentary twinge of disappointment; for the lines to be that smooth, there was no way she was wearing stockings. He tried to curb his disappointment that beneath the skirt, there would be no tantalising exposure of creamy skin at the top of her thighs.

She wore the crisp, brilliant white cotton blouse with the top buttons undone, hinting at a delicious cleavage, the long sleeves fastened at her delicate wrists with mock cufflinks. French-manicured nails tipped elegant fingers that clasped a notebook and pen.

And then there was her face: heart-shaped, lightly made-up, alluring green eyes behind unremarkable spectacles, all crowned by upswept, luxuriant, brown hair threaded with gold, and not one strand out of place. In the three years that she’d been his assistant, he’d never seen her anything less than cool, calm and utterly professional.

What he’d give to see her come apart under the force of the orgasms he could give her.

Guest Post: Eva Lefoy and Shiloh Saddler

Today, it is my great pleasure to welcome two talented authors to the blog! 

Put your hands together and help me say hello to Eva Lefoy and Shiloh Saddler!

What is the Perfect Ride?  by Eva Lefoy and Shiloh Saddler

For a cowboy, the perfect ride might be out on the range in a sunny meadow with no predators around and cows that don’t stray. For a horse riding relay team, it might be beating the clock without dropping the baton and no mid-stride collisions. For a bull rider, it’s getting to that eight seconds buzzer and then letting go.

If a bull rider can last the full eight seconds sitting astride a massive, angry bull, fame and fortune await. Enough to turn the head of any man. But while fame and fortune is nice and also quite addictive, it isn’t the only ride in town.

Yes, I’m talking love. Well, love and relationships.

Two time bull riding champion Garrett Anderson has had sex, and though he has loved once, it was long ago. By the time he meets bull tender Cole Richards, he’s half convinced fame and fortune are all he needs to be happy.

But then this wouldn’t be a romance if that were the case!

Cole Richards is the cream to his coffee, the soft to his hard. And whoa, boy, are they both hard where it counts! Unfortunately, Cole is hurt and Garrett is all but run-off by Cole’s sort-of ex-boyfriend. By the time Garrett gets his head screwed on straight and heads back for Cole, it’s almost too late. Why is love always under the gun?

Guess it makes for a pretty good ride!

Eva

Here’s more about Perfect Ride:

Blurb:

Professional bull rider Garrett Anderson lives for the next town, the next trophy and his next ride. When he rolls into Sheridan, Wyoming, the last thing he expected was to meet a cowboy like Cole—a man who corrals his heart and leaves him aching for a love he never realized he’d been missing.

Surrounded by hate, Cole Richards wasn’t prepared for Garrett’s passion or the longing their night together leaves him with. But when he’s shot, and stuck in his hospital bed, Cole watches every second of Garrett’s disastrous ride, and is heartbroken when the battered and bruised bull rider leaves town.

Attacked again and knee-deep in trouble, Cole wants only Garett at his side. But can his bull rider trade fame and fortune for a lifetime with his one perfect ride?

Excerpt:

“There he is.” Cole put a foot up on the lower slat of the fence and rested his arms on the upper. “Take a good look at him while he’s standing still. You won’t see him like this in the ring.”

He eyed the bull with respect. He stood out from the rest of the top ten. Spitfire was big, over sixteen hundred pounds of pure, cream-colored power, topped with foot-and-a-half long horns. The way Spitfire eyed him and began to dig at the ground like he wanted to test the limits of the temporary fence sent a shiver up his spine. He’d have to be careful with this one. He gave Cole a sidelong look and studied the man as he watched his bull.

He liked the sandy-blond stubble dusting the man’s chin and cheek. Liked the way his lips were wide and meaty and showed a bit of wear at the edges, betraying either late-night trysts or the tendency to chew on them as he worried. Garrett voted for the latter. Oh, he could picture Cole bent over taking it from another man easily enough, but the thought made him instantly jealous, so he squelched the notion. With nowhere to set his still full plate, he perched it on the top of a post. “You keep a pretty close watch on him?”

Cole nodded. “He’s a rebellious one. An escape artist, too. A little too smart for his britches. Someday he’ll end up in the slaughterhouse if he’s not careful.”

Garrett laughed and slapped the dust off his thigh, the motion garnering Cole’s attention. The heat of Cole’s gaze flushed him warm all over. He couldn’t help but engage in a little appreciation of his own. His tongue wetted his lips as he took in the round curve of Cole’s ass, his narrow hips, up his wide, work-chiseled chest, and finally his face. The man’s gaze blazed hotter as Garrett brushed his hand closer to his groin. “That’d be a waste if you ask me.”

Cole swallowed and snapped his attention back up, his eyes shining. “Yes, it would be. A real shame.”

Buy Links:

 Amazon: 

Decadent Publishing: 

Amazon UK:

All Romance Ebooks: 

Eva's Bio: 

Eva Lafoy writes and reads all kinds of romance and is a certified Trekkie. She's also terribly addicted to chocolate, tea, and hiking. One of these days, she'll figure out the meaning of life, quit her day job, and go travel the galaxy.  Until then, she's writing down all her dirty thoughts for the sake of future explorers.

Shiloh's Bio: 

Shiloh Saddler likes to do research for her steamy romances first hand. She has invented a time machine and travels back to the 19th century on a regular basis. There are experimental settings on her time machine which could propel her into the future or even other worlds. She believes love and a good book make anything possible. 

Eva Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eva-Lefoy/344907072265234 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eva_Lefoy 

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elefoy/

Blog: http://writery.wordpress.com/

Shiloh Social Media Links:

Blog: http://shilohsaddler.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiloh.saddler?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShilohSaddler

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00H6CN5D4

Spotlight on Kayelle Allen and Keeper of my Pleasure

I'm so excited to welcome my next guest. My friend and fellow author, Kayelle Allen stopped by to tell us about her recent release, Keeper of my Pleasure, available now from Ellora's Cave! 

Be sure to leave a comment for Kayelle today because she has a very special giveaway! 
See details below!

Welcome Kayelle Allen!

Keeper of My Pleasure by Kayelle Allen

Rai trusts Koo to submit. To keep him, she must trust her heart.

A Romantica® BDSM erotic romance from Ellora's Cave
This book is in the Taboo line -- one of the Ellora's Cave Quickies

Blurb

A recent college graduate, Koo hires Rai as his attorney after thieves total his car and then dare to sue him. She wins, and takes him out to celebrate. Dinner leads to the hottest sex in his life, and a long-term relationship as her submissive. He adores the way she makes him feel, and the way she makes him burn. He longs to show her he has more to offer. He has a heart, and it's hers, if only she'll let him give it.

A successful attorney in her late thirties, Rai has a penchant for handsome young men with long hair. Koo, her newest client, becomes more than her usual boy toy. He likes being tied up and whipped, and he yields the way she'd always dreamed. But he has a future ahead of him, and she's a jaded lawyer. He wants sex, not love. Right? He wouldn't stay with her forever. She trusts him to submit. To keep Koo, Rai is going to have trust her heart.

Excerpt:

This scene takes place in Rai Whethen's estate home. She and Koo Ayakura have spent the evening enjoying dinner, flirting, anticipating their session, and now it's time for him to perform for his mistress.

In Rai's bedroom, Koo stood before her. She'd stretched out on the bed and was watching him, hands tucked behind her head, legs crossed at the ankles.

"I'm ready to see you strip, Koo. Do you need music?" She lifted one eyebrow.

"No, mistress, but if you want music, I'll use it."

"Hmm." She picked up a remote and pointed it. A dance tune started, and she skipped it, listened a moment, and skipped again. Two more songs and she turned it off. "No. I only want you. No distractions. Strip for me." She tucked her hands behind her head again. Quite unlike her, she added, "Please."

Koo began by unfastening his hair. Straight, healthy, it reached halfway to his waist, and shone like raven's wings. He'd inherited it from his Japanese father. His Irish mother had imparted the splash of freckles across his nose and shoulders, and grey eyes. Rai liked his hair down, and he ran his fingers through the long tresses, shook his head, and let it fall.

Rai's eyes gleamed, and she licked her lips.

He lifted one foot at a time to unfasten the plain black shoes, and slipped them off, pulling off each sock. He crossed his arms over his chest, slowly opened them, and pulled his tuxedo coat down his shoulders. It slipped down his arms, and he caught it, held it, and then slid it all the way off and tossed it over the hassock.

He reached up to the front of the vest, unfastened it one button at a time, doing it as slow as he could, taking care to keep her gaze on his hands. He pulled it open, let it slip down his arms, and then caught it at his elbows. He crossed his hands over his chest, hands spread.

Rai pushed herself up, hands braced on the bed.

Koo opened his arms, and let the vest fall. He caught it, tossed it after the jacket.

He opened each button on the shirt with the same slow care. Rai tugged up her skirt, and sat with legs folded, watching him like a cat in front of a mouse hole.

He opened the cufflinks, slid them into his pockets, and then shrugged out of his shirt. He held the collar between his teeth, folded the sleeves, and laid it aside.

Rai chewed on a knuckle, but didn't speak.

He reached over his back, pulled off the T-shirt in one move, and cast it onto the pile of clothes. Bare from the waist up, he tucked his hands behind his head, lifted his hair, and let it fall over his shoulders. He'd always worked out; he also ran, and swam. He knew his body pleased women. But the way Rai looked at him, as if he were a tasty treat she craved... that made this more than a strip show. He was preparing himself for his lover.

Koo unfastened the waistband of his trousers, lowered the zipper, and then eased them partway down.

He'd worn nothing underneath.The tuxedo's material against his cock had aroused, and he'd been semi-erect all night. Knowing what Rai planned, he'd been hard from the moment they'd left the club and headed home. Now, as he dropped the pants and stepped out of them, his cock stood upright, ready to play.

"Oh, baby." Rai held out her hands to him. "Come here, Koo."

He walked over to the bed, and stood with hands behind him, offering all he was. Please let her see how much I love doing this. How much I love her.

Rai reached out and fondled his cock, sliding a hand along his length. "You're beautiful, Koo. I can hardly wait to get you tied up." She climbed off the bed. "Come with me."

Inside Scoop: Our hero willingly submits to his Dom lady love and all her toys in their BDSM play, including whips and bindings and more.

http://ellorascave.com/keeper-of-my-pleasure.html

Word count: 7170
Genre: BDSM Romance

ISBN: 9781419946592
Author: Kayelle Allen
Editor: Victoria Reese

Cover art: Ellora's Cave
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Trailer for Keeper of My Pleasure http://youtu.be/pXmsf8gb6DI
Music is "Road Adventure" from iStockPhoto, used with permission.

Giveaway

Inside Peek: Keeper of My Pleasure This free, illustrated eBook provides insight about the book, its characters, and its creation. When you click the link, it will either offer you a download, or open in a new window, depending on your settings. To read it, you need Adobe Reader, available free. http://is.gd/meet_Rai_and_Koo

About the Author

Kayelle Allen is a multi-published, EPIC Award winning author. She writes Contemporary Romance, Gay Romance, Erotic Science Fiction Romance, Mainstream Fantasy, BDSM, and non-fiction. She likes to attend Science Fiction conventions, and has been a speaker at DragonCon, Outlantacon, and Gaylaxicon. Kayelle is the founder of the author-mentoring group Marketing for Romance Writers, and manages the successful Romance Lives Forever blog. She is a US Navy Veteran, and founded the graphics and eBook conversion company The Author's Secret. Kayelle is married to her personal hero, and makes her home in the southeast.
Homeworld http://kayelleallen.com
Unstoppable Heroes Blog http://kayelleallen.blogspot.com
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook http://facebook.com/kayelle.allen
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/kayelleallen/
Goodreads http://goodreads.com/KayelleAllen
Shelfari http://shelfari.com/kayelleallen
Romance Lives Forever http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/
Marketing for Romance Writers http://marketingforromancewriters.org/
The Author's Secret http://theauthorssecret.com

Spotlight Grace Elliot and Verity’s Lie

My guest today is author Grace Elliot. Grace's new release, Verity's Lie is available now at third party retailers. 

Welcome Grace!

Verity’s Lie by Grace Elliot

Charles Huntley, Lord Ryevale, infamous rogue…and government agent.

In unsettled times, with England at war with France, Ryevale is assigned to covertly protect a politician’s daughter, Miss Verity Verrinder. To keep Verity under his watchful eye, Ryevale plots a campaign of seduction that no woman can resist– except it seems, Miss Verrinder. In order to gain her trust Ryevale enters Verity’s world of charity meetings and bookshops…where the unexpected happens and he falls in love with his charge.

When Lord Ryevale turns his bone-melting charms on her, Verity questions his lordship’s motivation. But with her controlling father abroad, Verity wishes to explore London and reluctantly accepts Ryevale’s companionship. As the compelling attraction between them strengthens, Verity is shattered to learn her instincts are correct after all – and Ryevale is not what he seems. If Lord Ryevale can lie, then so can she…but with disastrous consequences.

Excerpt:

Verity closed the library door and wilted.  With toe-curling embarrassment she recalled her prudish disapproval and cringed afresh.  Why couldn't she have appeared worldly and calm, instead of behaving like a stuttering, prissy schoolgirl.  And why Lord Ryevale, of all people?  If she hadn't been distracted by plans to confront her father, then she wouldn't have been caught so off guard.  Verity took comfort in that it was unlikely their paths would cross again.

            Clutching Cicero against her chest like a shield, Verity composed her thoughts before facing her father, then made for the garden.  The root of her discomfort lay in noticing Lord Ryevale earlier that evening.  When he arrived, the atmosphere had changed tangibly; women became more vivacious and men bristled defensively.  He moved with the self-assurance of a pack leader and, when he passed close by, a wicked smile quirked across his intriguing lips—and Verity didn't usually notice mouths.  But more alarming still were his eyes—nut brown and intense—and when he had glanced in her direction, she felt as if he could read her mind.  Shaken, she wondered if she had inherited her mother's weakness for the opposite sex, a sobering thought that worried her.

            From his wide chest and broad shoulders, to the square jaw and strong cheekbones, Ryevale filled her mind; so when she had received her father's note to fetch his copy of Cicero, she had welcomed the excuse to leave the ball and calm her wits.  That was, until she opened the library door to find the man she was running from in a compromising position with another man's wife.

            After three laps of the garden, her cheeks had cooled and her mind felt more ordered.

            Tonight she would seize the moment; before her father left on business, she would appeal for more freedom.  Her speech planned out, she was ready to face him.

            Verity hurried along the corridor, pausing outside the study door to straighten her hair. This was it: now or never.  She knocked and, at a gruff acknowledgment from the other side, entered.

            Between the gloomy room and being a little nearsighted, it took Verity a moment to assimilate three men were present: her father, the prime minister and a figure in the shadows.

            "Father.  Lord Liverpool."  She squinted, trying to identify their guest.  As Ryevale stepped forward, her pulse hit a crescendo.  Alarm fluttered in her breast, threatening her ability to breathe.  "My lord."  How her voice held steady, she had no idea.

            "Good evening."

            He stood at ease, which irritated her.  Why did her wits scatter like pigeons before a cat when he smiled in that bone-melting way?  Annoyed at herself, she answered his smile with a glare before turning to her father.  "Your book, Father."

            "Ah, Verity.  Thank you."

            Her father took a cursory glance at the spine then set the Cicero aside.

            Verity longed to escape, to be able to breathe and to release the tension swelling in her chest.

            "If that's all, I won't intrude further."  She felt Ryevale's gaze, hot against her skin, and some unnamed sensation coiled and tightened inside.

            "Ah, Verity, let me introduce my guest."

            "We've already met," she replied tartly.

BUY LINKS

Amazon .com http://amzn.to/13CxrN1

Amazon.uk      http://amzn.to/12aEqI6

Author bio and links

Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace lives near London and is passionate about history, romance and cats! She is housekeeping staff to five cats, two sons, one husband and a bearded dragon (not necessarily listed in order of importance). “Verity’s Lie” is Grace’s fourth novel.

Subscribe to Grace’s quarterly newsletter here:  http://bit.ly/V7T6Jd

Grace’s blog ‘Fall in Love With History’  

Website         

Grace on Twitter:        @Grace_Elliot

Grace’s author page on Amazon

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Spotlight on Olivia Starke and Project Terminal: Legacy

Today, I'm so pleased to welcome Olivia Starke. Olivia stopped by to tell us about her latest new release, Project Terminal: Legacy from Beachwalk Press.

Welcome Olivia! 

Available from Beachwalk Press, Kindle, NOOK, ARe, GoodReads

Be sure to follow my virtual book tour 07/15/13-08/02/13 with Shades of Rose Marketing! I’ll have a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $25 gift card to winner’s choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble PLUS a free ecopy of Project Terminal: Legacy. For information on where I’ll be, drop by my website www.authoroliviastarke.com OR Shades of Rose Marketing.

Olivia Starke

PROJECT TERMINAL: LEGACY Book 1

Zombies and super soldiers? Laura is the one hope for a world gone Hollywood crazy.

In only a matter of hours Laura Swift has been bitten by a zombie, rescued by Mr. Tall, Dark, and Foreboding, and thrown into a world gone Hollywood crazy. She has no choice but to follow Damian into his underworld of manipulated viruses and genetically altered super soldiers. Even as her life hangs in the balance, she can't deny the attraction she feels for the incredibly sexy and thoroughly imposing Infantryman.

Damian Gonsalves believes he has a cure for the virus changing innocent people into bloodthirsty undead. Within Laura is the key to stopping the horrific plague. All he has to do is keep her alive and safe, and stay one step ahead of those pursuing them. Her stubbornness frustrates him to no end, while her body drives him to distraction.

When they discover the secret behind Project Terminal, will they survive long enough to help stop the unleashed horror? Or will they just be two more victims of a virus threatening all of humanity?

Content Warning: graphic sex, strong language, and violence

Excerpt:

"Four more hours. We have to prepare."

Laura went cold. "Prepare?"

"The progression will snowball from here." His voice dead, he continued to stare at some unseen view.

He'd kissed her with such passion, now he spoke without emotion. How could someone do such a turnabout? The lousy bastard. Rage, white hot in intensity, shot through her, her head swimming with it.

"Maybe you're just stupid, Damian. Stupid for allowing a zombie thing to attack me. I wouldn't be dying if it wasn't for you. You deserve this, not me." Her fists balled at the injustice of it all. "You should die for this."

She sucked in wheezing breaths, unable to fill her lungs, and fell back on her butt. Her eyes widened, searching a darkened corner of the room, a distorted face appearing from the shadows. It grinned with broken, yellowed teeth, its eyes glowing in the dimness.

She gagged over raw terror.

"Oh my God, I saw something over there." She scrambled backward. "Damian, one of those things is in here."

* * * *

Damian glanced around the sparsely furnished room. Other than a few flies and mosquitoes buzzing around them they were alone.

He closed his eyes, the weight of guilt pressing down making it difficult to speak. "We're alone, Laura. Nobody else is in here."

The night wore on, and fits of anger mingled with her confusion. Several times he'd had to prevent her from dashing out the door. He paced the confines of the living room, waiting for the last of the madness to run its course. Laura lay on the floor, lashing out toward some unseen attacker, before her breathing became rapid, labored pants. White foam bubbled from her mouth.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, turning away. He'd become disillusioned with the system he'd given his life to shortly after discovering they'd screwed up royally in creating the virus. In a lab he'd watched a man succumb to it, changing into a soulless corpse. It'd been horrific the first time he'd witnessed it. Afterward Headquarters had assigned him to track down an infected woman outside of the facility. It was his duty as a super soldier to clean up their mistakes. Now he wanted nothing more than to see the lab destroyed, something he should've done in the first place. He should've listened to Doug and Max, two of the doctors from the early days of the project. Their warnings had come to pass, but he'd been a stubborn, misinformed jackass.

Curled in the fetal position, Laura looked like a sick child, fragile and broken. His throat constricted, even though it was ridiculous to have feelings for someone you didn't know. He was military, Army Infantry, for Christ's sake, he knew how to pull a trigger without regret.

Laura rolled onto her back, staring toward the ceiling with glassy eyes. Despite the tremulous hold she had on life, she was already dead.

He existed as a government killing machine—an automaton they'd designed. Nothing more. He'd given his humanity away to the project. He wasn't much better than the corpses he hunted.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, baby. You were right, I deserved this, not you."

His vision blurred when he stared down the barrel, the silencer aimed squarely between her eyes, his heart beating a crazed rhythm in his chest. His finger squeezed ever so slightly on the trigger. Outside a mourning dove called to its mate, a haunting song echoing in the room. He recalled a story from his youth about how a dove would arrive to carry a person's soul to the afterlife. If he believed in anything but the here and now, in that moment he would've thought it true.

Laura's mouth gaped open, strangled noises escaping her throat, seizures taking her into death throes.

He lowered his arm and thumped the butt of his gun against his thigh, waiting for the monster to appear. When she became the undead, when she moved to attack him, he'd have the power to destroy her. She deserved one last try to get the best of him. Maybe it wasn't Laura anymore, but he'd honor the fighting spirit within her. She'd never get past him, but if she took a piece of him in the process he'd have an excuse to end the whole goddamned thing here, in this stinking house. If he ever got infected his duty would be to put a bullet in his own head.

Laura's body stilled, her eyelids drifting closed.

Any moment…

Her eyes popped wide open, her back arching. She sucked in a breath as if surfacing from deep waters. He turned his body sideways, leveling his gun in dead aim, waiting for the corpse to lunge.

"Damian?"

Available from Beachwalk Press, Kindle, NOOK, ARe, GoodReads

We have a winner! Congratulations Author Tess MacKall!

As promised, we have an announcement today and some big news.

We received several entries for the Breakfast by the Sea contest posted last month.

Please note: In order to make sure all qualified entries were counted, I emailed those who appeared to be trying for the grand prize through the various blog comments left at participating blogs. Individuals were asked to forward their original entry on the chance an entry was missed somewhere. In the end, we only had one qualified entry and a winner has been determined. If you have reason to believe you had a qualified entry, please contact me for information regarding your entry and I’ll explain why it was disqualified.

Now, the good stuff—We have a winner!

Please put your hands together for Tess MacKall! Tess will be spending a week at the beach in 2011. To find out more about what Tess has to look forward to, visit here: http://destinyblaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/enter-to-win-breakfast-by-sea-with.html

*Please note: During the contest, some of the posts were not coming through as comments posted on the blogs participating in the Breakfast by the Sea Contest. During the qualification period if someone couldn’t see their attempted post, their entry still counted as a qualified entry for the attempt after verification. Tess met the qualification period and followed the rules for entry. Congratulations, Tess! See you at the beach!

Shiela Stewart Visits Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday Today

Shiela Stewart joins us today as our special featured guest at Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RomanticSuspense_/

Shiela will be in the house from 12:00 EST until _ so come on over and get to know Shiela Stewart! Hope to see you today at Somethin’‘Bout a Sunday and in the meantime, visit Shiela on the web at:

www.shielasbooks.ca
www.cafepress.ca/shielasbooks

Today at Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday We're Talking About Endearing Love and Lorrie Struiff's Gypsy Crystal

Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday Welcomes Guest Author Lorrie Struiff
Author Lorrie Struiff joins us today at Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday. She’s talking about her new book release, Gypsy Crystal which released last week from Eternal Press. To discover more about Lorrie and her romantic suspense thriller, go to: http://struiff.wordpress.com. Join us now by following the link to Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RomanticSuspense_/.



Ask Lorrie about her ‘squished novellas’ and play a little trivia today. You could win a free copy of Gypsy Crystal.

Lorrie provides readers a behind-the-scenes-look into this fast-paced romantic suspense novella while posting topics certain to appeal to the romantic at heart. She started out the day with questions like, “How did you meet your husband or wife? What attracted you? Where were you? How did you feel?”
We’re hearing from some of your favorite authors as they tell us about their husband/wife’s most endearing traits. Several authors have amazing love stories to share with you today. Be fair warned, if you stop by our place, you'll want to fall in love with someone, anyone, all over again.
Do you have something you want to contribute? Don’t be shy! Come on over to Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday and say hello.

Love,
Destiny
P.S. Recaps will post soon from our mini blog tour.