Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Read Something New


We are all guilty of sticking with what we know. Whether it be at a restaurant, book genres, or the makeup we put on; we're sticklers for familiarity. I want to challenge you all to add some spice to your lives this next week and take the Read Something New challenge! Read a new genre, a new author, whatever—just read something new. To help, here is a list of genres. We've featured an author and one of their books or series for each genre. Hope you find something you like!

Urban Fantasy  
D. F. Krieger, Panthers in the Playground, Faxfire Series Book 1
Zoologist Dr. Zeara Faxfire and her side-kick cat, Magic, are called in to help when a panther is discovered during a police investigation. What is a girl to think, though, when the parents of a missing child keep calling her and the panther in question is writing words? Detective Jake Markovich, who is assigned to the case as well and happens to believe in the paranormal is a whole different distraction that turns Zeara's world upside down. Can she lose her grasp on the safety of logic long enough to reach out to those asking for her help?

The only thing Zeara knows for sure is that time is running out, and she must compromise a job she adores to save the panther in her care.
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M/M  
Dianne Hartsock, Shelton in Love, Shelton Series Book 1
Shelton's falling quickly for his sexy roommate, but can he forget the pain of past rejections and give Nevil what they're both aching for? 
Shelton is falling hard for his best friend and roommate, finding Nevil's dark good looks and moments of gentleness almost impossible to resist. But Nevil is more interested in affairs of the body than the heart. As Shelton's desire for the man grows, he wonders if he can change Nevil's mind. But does he even want to? Nevil might not stay, once he learns Shelton's secret, and then his loneliness would be complete.
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F/F  
Kelly Yeakle, Forbidden Desires
When Dani meets the delicate beauty that is Carmen she knows instantly that she wants her—in her life and in her bed. But can Miss. Commitment-phobic look beyond the sex to see the woman beneath?

To Carmen, the wildly beautiful Dani is a new and exciting friend. What she hadn't counted on is the simmering desire she feels when in Dani's presence. As her relationship with her boyfriend sours, Carmen begins to wonder if there is more to Dani than she realizes.

Should she give in to this, the most forbidden of desires?

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Desires-ebook/dp/B005DF6JRA/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367004723&sr=1-7&keywords=Forbidden+Desire

Paranormal  
Leona Bushman, The Ulfric's Mate, War of the Weres Series Book 1
Nolan and Alexandria fight their sexual attraction, but can't deny the pull of being mates, despite a serial murder investigation.
Nolan Littlebull is the alpha of the Wahpawhat pack of Werewolves and the lead detective on a series of murders of pregnant women from his pack. Torn between human justice and were justice, he travels deep onto the Yakama Reservation tracking the ones responsible. He is attacked by one of the rival pack, only to be defended by another from the rival pack.
Alexandria George is the healer for the Lupins. She defends the mysterious wolf in their territory from her pack's bully and escapes with the stranger. Nolan and Alex face the complications of being mated and together they must find and identify the killer while facing an uncertain future. 
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Military  
Shyla Colt, No Man Left Behind Anthology
Even after our brave men and women leave the battlefield, the scars can linger physically and sometimes mentally. Here are three tales of courage, strength, perseverance, and love that deal with both.

After a long sting in Afghanistan, Cpl. Trevor Martin finds himself home for leave and contemplating reenlistment or civilian life. Weary and tired of the grim sights he's witnessed, he turns to his old friend Carly for comfort. When Trevor shows signs of PTSD, Carly urges him to get help, hoping that Repairing His Soul won't cost them their rapidly forming romance.

After a near death experience with an IED in the Middle East, Staff Sgt Alexander Denning is grateful to be alive but scarred inside and out after his fiancée's bitter rejection of his choice to continue serving. Georgette "George" Harper is attending Jane Wayne day for her sister when she's smitten with the McMap instructor Staff Sgt. Denning. Can she convince him what they have is worth the risk? Wooing Her Sergeant may be harder than she thinks.


When Mika gets a phone call that her husband Kasey's been hurt abroad, it's her worse nightmare. Prayers and the grace of God deliver him through, but the battle isn't over yet. The journey back to happiness and health will be painful, full of setbacks and damaged feelings, but Mika refuses to give up on the man she knows is her one true love. A true Marine's wife is Always Faithful, no matter the cost to herself.

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Interracial  
W. Lynn Chantale, Indulging Sin, Love Smackdown Series
Moses Hawke has loved Sin from the moment he laid eyes on her, but being with her cost him a good friend and valuable partnership. Sin knows what Moses sacrificed to be with her and she’s willing to keep a few secrets of her own to maintain their peaceful existence. Some things are not meant to be hidden and when all Sin’s transgressions become known, she’s left to wonder if Moses will still be there to protect her.
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Contemporary  
Angeline Rain, Rescued Love, Second Chance Rescue Book 1
Can the doctor, who made a life out of helping animals, heal a human?
One by one, household dogs disappear only to come back after senseless abuse. Veterinarian Jordan Powell will stop at nothing to ensure her patients' safety. Even if that means seeking help from ex-boyfriend, police officer Nate Thrillson, the man whose heart she once broke. 
The last thing Nate wants is a relationship. He has an inoperable cancerous tumor in his brain and his days are numbered. Yet, he couldn't resist Jordan.
It's a race against time to save the dogs and the man who captured her heart. Can the doctor, who made a life out of helping animals, heal a human?
Buy Links:

Historical  
Raven McAllan, The Wager
Catherine is in despair. Her brother has lost a wager and the prize is her. The winner is the one person she dare not be in thrall to. How will she cope?
Brook suggests they wager on the outcome of the previous bet, but he intends to win.
What happens is more than either of them anticipates.
Buy Links:

BDSM  
Angelica Dawnson, Blue Moon House
Julia has the chance to become one of the vampires of the Blue Moon House. Before being accepted, however, she must prove herself to each of the vampires, and each has their own exacting cost.

Ranging from lesbian, to being forced, to physical torture, she is pushed to her breaking point time and again. Eventually her perseverance pays off and she crosses from submissive to dominant and vampire.
Buy Links:

Western  
LB Shire, The Damned
Sometimes, what a man needs is a little hope...

Travel worn, and weary, Shane Gregor rides into Hell's Hollow for a drink and answers. On the run for a crime he didn't commit his days are numbered unless he can find proof. What he discovers instead is a green eyed enchantress and a sheriff who's out for blood. When the law catches up to him, can he put his hopes in a woman he's only just met?

A widow who has fallen on hard times, Josie Talbert became a soiled dove for the sake of survival. Her life changes in the course of a night, when a dark and dangerous cowboy steps through the doors of the Dead Horse Saloon, a death sentence looming over his head. Can his words of innocence be trusted? Can a lone woman change the course of fate?
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Adult Bedtime Stories  
Doris O'Connor, Goldie and Her Bears
Take one very human girl. Add three bear shifters and one BDSM club. Shake well. What do you get? Lots of delicious fun.
When Goldie Lockwood receives an explicit note, signed by none other than the man she fell head over clit in lust with on first sight, there is only one thing she can do — obey. After all she is dying to find out what goes on behind closed doors at the exclusive BDSM club. 
Having his Goldilocks pounced on by his brother and sister had not been in Jason Stanhope's plan, even if the little human's responsiveness blows the triplets away. Porridge, chairs, beds, she tries them all.
But, can she be the sweet sub they need? Or will Goldilocks live up to her name and run away screaming? 
Buy Links:

Fantasy  
Kimberly Gould, Cargon, Honour & Privilege
Lives are won, lost and traded on the three-tiered Cargon boards.

Eve, a serving-girl, has watched the elite from the outside, seen the dramatic shifts based on the results of the Game. With a growing need to reach beyond her station, she can no longer accept her position on the edges.

Wagering her own life, she wins and emerges in a strange new world. New rules and old acquaintances tangle to make Eve’s life less comfortable than her position would suggest.
One pawn moved, but an entire world shaken – Eve will change the world.
Buy Links:

Young Adult
J. Lilley, Discovered, Shalean Moon Series Book 1
When Rach moved to Scotland she knew there would be changes. She hadn't expected them to be quite so dramatic. Not only was there a new house, new school and new friends, there was also a secret to discover.
Brios Parde was a Patriarch in waiting. When the powerful leopard shifter senses a new Shalean he is amazed to discover it's the new girl. All his senses tell him Rach will be important to him.
However the Rogues try to destroy the budding relationship. Will Rach decide to side with Brios or help stage an uprising?
Buy Links:
We hope you see something you like and wish you the best on the Read Something New Challenge!

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Trading Up with Mahalia Levey



Trading Up 
It’s Release Day!
I’m excited to be releasing my third 1NS story through Decadent. This time instead of going a exotic location or a paranormal getaway… I kept the story close to home with two likeminded individuals who couldn’t quite get it right in the romance department. Check out what happens to them when Madame Eve takes them into her care and shows them what they are missing.

Buy Links
Amazon  
Blurb: Camilla’s deal breakers make finding a man to fit her wants, needs, and desires darn near impossible. For years she’s been primped and primed to be the perfect political daughter, when all she really wants to do is let loose without her world collapsing. When a friend sends her Madam Eve’s way, she grabs the opportunity to explore without being outed to the conservative watchdogs.
Jonah Black’s career is heading for a change. His friends have dubbed him married to the military, and he can’t deny that his focus has been off center. While they enjoy the pleasures of life and wives, he has nothing to come home to. When offered the chance for a 1NS, he signs up, unprepared for the exotic woman whose sweet exterior masks enticing sexuality.
Sensory depravation and the natural freedom of anonymity launch unexpected sexual desires. Madame Eve’s only request–Enjoy the sweetness of life and let the chips fall where they may–leaves this couple eager for an eye-opening experience that breaks all the rules.

Excerpt:
The flames licking inside her were too much to take, along with his roaming hand. She leaned forward and grasped the chilled wine goblet as a lifeline. When he nudged her lips to take a second taste, she pressed them together, holding her finger up and then laughing because he couldn’t see it in the dark. She took a long cool sip, more from Jonah’s effect on her than the food. She licked her lips then tucked herself against him, momentarily satisfied.
“Better?
“Mmm.” Cam sighed. “When’s it your turn? I’m having all the fun.”
“I’m having a good time feeding you.”
“You’re not hungry?” In the dark, his heart pounded against her cheek. “I’m hungry, all right. Ravenous, even.” Jonah caressed her thigh. Cam had no doubt his eyes would scorch her to her very soul. His lazy trail along her skin left her smoldering in need. She let him ply her with another skewer to distract from the throb at the apex of her thighs. She sucked a piece of pineapple he held between his fingers. Juices trickled down her chin. He mopped the stream of liquid with the pad of his thumb and nosily sucked it off. Holy bananas, she wanted a taste of him now. Her mind kept rewinding to the feel of his finger parting her lips.
“I uh…need to use the ladies’ room.” Cam pressed the button on the table for assistance and slid off of Jonah’s lap and into her seat. Seconds later, her guide assisted her out of her chair and slid it back in.
“Here we go, Ms. Knox.”
She stepped awkwardly away from the table. Along the way, she heard soft sighs and giggles. Definitely some hard-core kissing action. The idea of giving in to the dark side and making out in public heightened her ardor. A loud bang startled her. She jumped, almost losing Cesaire’s grasp.
“Don’t worry Ms. Knox. Almost there.” A few more steps and he ushered her into a space where dim lighting burned her dilated pupils for a moment before her eyes adjusted. He sat on a lounge chair between two doors marked Men and Women. The dim glow brought her normal self-conscious thoughts raging forward. In the dark Jonah couldn’t see her physical flaws. Would that change once he saw the real her?

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Spotlight-Sweetest Salvation by Kacey Hammell


Sweetest Salvation
Contemporary Erotic Romance/Light Bondage
Content Warning: Contains Voyeurism, Spanking, Multiple Partners
ISBN: 978-1-77130-330-9
Available at EvernightPublishing.com
*An Editor’s Pick*


After the deaths of her husband and child, tragedies that she blames herself for, Andrea “Andy” Sheaver has shut herself off from the world. The only place she finds any relief from her shattered heart is Club Splendor, where she and her husband often frequented together.  There, Andy submits to pleasure and pain in situations so her grief is forgotten for a little while.
But Hunter Sullivan won’t stand idly by and watch Andy self-destruct. A friend of her husband, and the owner of Club Splendor, Hunter has kept his love for Andy hidden for years. He refuses to think of her at the club, cold and detached as she’s become, looking for an easy fix to take away the pain in her heart.  Hunter wants her to vibrant in life again and sets out to prove he is exactly who she needs.


Excerpt © Kacey Hammell, 2013
Hunter sighed, which caught Andy’s attention. Her eyes met his briefly before lowering to her hands, which were clenched tight in her lap.
“Look, Andy,” he began.
“What do you want, Hunter?” Her forest-green-eyed gaze met his. Anger swirled in their depths.
“I’m tired of this. Dammit.” He snarled, rising, and crossed to the fireplace. He ran his fingers through his hair and leaned one arm on the mantel. He looked over at her, stomach churning with indigestion and pain. He’d loved Patrick and Peter too. Could she not understand that she wasn’t the only one suffering?
“Tired of what? I never asked you here.”
“This!” Hunter spread his arms wide. “You. I’m so tired of seeing you locked away in this house, never leaving and pictures gone.”
“Go to hell,” Andy spat and leapt to her feet. She moved behind the loveseat, obvious fury making her hands shake as she laid them on the back of it. “You don’t have any say in how I live. I never asked for your opinion. If you don’t like it, get the hell out of my house. And my life!”
Hunter breathed deep, nostrils flaring. He could no more walk away from her than he could from the Sheavers. She was as much a part of his life, and his heart, as they were. 
But his love for her went far beyond sisterly.
He pushed that thought away, buried it deep within himself as he’d done for years. She was Patrick’s girl, his wife. He always honored that.
“Dammit, I don’t want to argue with you, Andy. But you really need to move on. Live life again and leave this house.”
“I leave the house. You don’t know what I do every day.”
“Oh yes, you go out. Like the other night? Why did you go to the club? I thought we agreed you were no longer a member,” Hunter demanded, curious about her answer.
“No. You decided I was no longer a member. Not me. I never said I wanted that. Who are you to make decisions for me?” Andy retorted, cheeks flushed, hands on her hips.
Hunter had to admit he was finally seeing a glimpse of the fiery, strong woman she’d been until this last year. He liked her eyes ablaze, jaw clenched and fury radiating off her body. He just needed to provoke her enough and challenge her to move beyond these walls and back to the things she loved to do.
“I don’t want to make decisions for you.” He took a calming breath. “Listen, the club is not the place for you any longer. Without Patrick… There’s no need for you to be there anymore.”
“Why do you think that?”
“He was the one who wanted to show it to you. He never really thought you’d come to enjoy it as much as you did. Neither of you interacted with others. What can you find there now without him?”
Andy smiled, cold and detached. He hated that smirk.
“Oh, come now. You know what happens in your club. Surely, I don’t have to spell it out for you.” 
Goddamn her. 
Yes, he knew what she’d done inside the room she’d once used with Patrick. Though he normally didn’t interfere in his members’ activities unless there was a problem, he did ask Paige and Nolan if Andy had simply watched. He’d been shocked, then livid, to learn a few details of what happened between the three of them.
Andy had always been a devoted wife to Patrick, faithful to the core. To know she’d been an active participant at the club for the first time had suddenly left him empty and alone. 
But he couldn’t allow his feelings on the matter to distract him from pushing her back into life. 
He shrugged. “No. You don’t have to spell it out for me. But is that what you truly want and need in your life?  Sex with strangers? Do you need to find comfort in people who don’t care about you?”
Andy glared at him. “That is none of your business.” Her voice rose as she continued. “What I do in my life is for me to decide. I never asked to have you in my life. Don’t expect me to want you there now.”
His heart clenched. Her words were like a punch to the gut. 
Yes, he’d sort of come as a package deal when she’d married Patrick. But the Sheavers were the only family he had. And when Peter was born, oh, he’d played the dutiful uncle to the little boy. Though she’d never voiced her frustration at his being in attendance at nearly all family gatherings or taking up some of Patrick’s time once a week for a guys’ night out, he’d understood the stone-faced woman who left the words unsaid.
“I always promised Patrick I’d look after you if he couldn’t.”
“Fuck off, Hunter. Don’t give me that.” Her hands fisted at her sides. “Look, please just go. I don’t need you here. I have things to do.”
He wouldn’t be so easily dismissed. 
“Things to do? Like what, plan your next adventure at the club? I don’t think so. Why? Explain to me why you felt the need to go there?” 
Arms wide, she yelled, “I wanted to fuck somebody. Is that what you want to hear? That I wanted to have a cock inside me for the first time in almost two years? I wanted to have a man inside, pounding me—brutal and painful. What better place to do that than at the club where I know I’m safe?”
Hunter’s heartbeat accelerated. To know she needed someone that close to her was agonizing. It was a barren and desperate act of someone who had nothing to live for. Or didn’t think she was worth much.
“Why pain? You couldn’t have found satisfaction in that. No pleasure, Andy? You, of all people, found pleasure in that kind of sex? I don’t believe for a moment that you’re now into rough sex,” Hunter said, gruff. His mouth was dry, and confusion made his head hurt. Would he never understand this woman?
Andy crossed her arms over her chest. She looked out the window behind him. Her gaze was unfocused, filled with pain.
“Yes, pain. It’s what I deserve, isn’t it?” Her gaze captured his. Hunter felt his heart crack at her desolate look.  


Buy Links:
~~~
Canadian author, Kacey Hammell is a multi-published erotic romance author who writes mainly in the Contemporary Erotic/Romantic Suspense genres.  She is a true romantic at heart. 


Where to find Kacey…


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Monday, March 11, 2013

Dawn of a Dark Knight and Interview with Zoe Forward



1-Tell the readers a little about yourself.
Thank you for inviting me to visit!  I’m a veterinarian with a passion for writing fiction and a special love for archaeology, especially anything Egyptian.  Although my past has taken me on field expeditions into rain forests, I’ve never had a chance to visit a hot sandy country and see a working archaeological dig site.  It’s a goal. And I’m good at goals.

2-As an author, do you take time to read? If so, what do you like to read and who is/are your favorite author/s?
I love to read, but I don’t get a lot of time to do so anymore.  Sometimes, I’ll have time to pick up a new book, but if I’m awake with free time, I want to be writing. I love paranormal romance, but also action contemporary fiction.  Some favorite authors that come to mind include Linda Howard, Christine Feehan, Rick Gualtieri, and Sandra Brown.  

3-How do you stay motivated when the Muse is uncooperative?
If I ever find myself mentally doing mud-spit wheels turns, I’ll move on to a different project until the idea surfaces as to where a stalled story is headed. So far, it’s always worked out.
4-If you could go anywhere in the world on a romantic getaway, what would you do and where would you go?
Egypt (in non-conflict time).  What a dream to take a cruise down the Nile and visit all the major sites.
5-What is the hardest thing for you to write?
When I first started writing romance, I found love scenes tough.  But now I don’t fight it.  I just let them flow as any other scene would.  I don't let the subject matter hinder me.  My job as a writer is to put what’s in my head on the page as faithfully as I can.  That includes the love scenes.

6-If you could live the life of one of your characters who would you be?
Kira.  Who wouldn’t want to be an adrenaline junkie good at handling weapons with a cousin that drags her on black market art deals?  And have a secret magical ability to heal by touch, which propels her towards a mind-blowing relationship with the world’s hottest, yet tormented hero?
7-The tag line on my blog is ‘Indulge Your Inner Romantic.’ What do you do to indulge?
Pop the cork on a bottle of Conundrum and turn on the gas fireplace.  Then…see what happens.

In the shadows of our world, a secret band of warriors fights to protect us. They are the last line of defense against an evil no human can stop.

An ancient nemesis has resurfaced. Duty demands that Ashor Vlahos, Scimitar Magi commander, recruit a magical healer to fortify the remaining eight magi. The gods' choice is the woman who helped him escape torture a decade ago. Ashor couldn't have imagined a better punishment for his vow-breaker homicidal incidents than for the gods to bind him irrevocably to the only woman in the universe he cannot have. The soul-searing desire she ignites in him is strictly forbidden.

Kira Hardy, M.D. is a brilliant, hardworking internal med resident with big secrets. But when Ashor asks for aid after a brutal daemon attack, she is sucked into his dangerous, secret world. Enslavement to the magi, no matter how hot they are, may be an unattractive life plan, but being targeted for death by their enemies is less tolerable.

She must trust the sexy, tormented Ashor to keep her safe while he must deny his ultimate desire and keep Kira at arm's length lest he bring destruction down on them both. As a centuries-old evil catches up to them, they face a crucial decision--follow the gods' rules or follow their hearts.

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Empire by Elizabeth Lang and a Contest


Thank you for stopping by and joining us for our stop on the Read-A-Long portion of The Empire by Elizabeth Lang virtual tour. We are excited to post this segment of the story and we hope you enjoy it too!


The Empire - Chapter 3

The mess hall was a crowded, elbows-required-for-movement place at this hour. People rushed about ordering, eating and disposing of breakfast. The scrape of chairs and the busy roar of animated conversations covered any whispered words but it didn’t stop Bryce’s eyes from
darting left and right like a nervous mouse in a cat enclosure. His half-eaten butter and jam-smothered toast lay discarded on the plate and he bent close, his hastily folded-up sleeve almost dipping into his steaming mug of coffee. “I’d like to help. Really I would.”

Kali took a sip of coffee. “We need to help him.”

Bryce would have preferred having this talk in the remotest corner of the ship, or not at all. The thought of Stannis in Security Section, with the therapists, chilled him in places that no fires could ever warm. There was no way he was going to end up there. No one deserved the therapists. He had heard some rumors ‘below ranks’. They had something special planned for the stubborn genius. That was never a good sign. ‘Special’ in Security Section usually meant you would come back in pieces, sometimes literally. What could he, a lowly weapons specialist, do? Better to stay out of it. Keep his head down the way he usually did. Pretend that he was blind, deaf and amazingly stupid at all the right times.

“There’s nothing we can do short of breaking him out,” he said, “and I’m NOT helping you do that.” He’d already helped enough the other day, hadn’t he?

Kali stared into the murky depths of her mug and Bryce wished he didn’t feel like such a heel, but his old mum didn’t raise a hero. They tended to end up dead..

A gray-clad tech with a breakfast-laden tray, mainly meat on meat, accidentally bumped Bryce’s chair from behind. “Oi, watch where you’re going,” said Bryce.

The broad-shouldered youth, Sanderson, a sanitation engineer by trade—in the Empire that meant he handled the better trash of the officers —laughed and asked sarcastically, “Caught with your hand in the wrong pocket again?”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see whose laughing next time I take you to the cleaners.”

“You’re lucky I have double-shift today,” said Sanderson, juggling his tray precariously as a fellow sanitation engineer bumped him in the arm.

“I’m eating in my cabin,” he grumbled. “Too many people. Later, loser.”

“That’s rich from someone who hasn’t won yet,” Bryce shouted after him.

Kali’s brows knitted. “Why are you taking him to the sanitation department?”

“Eh?” Bryce stared blankly at her.

“The cleaners. You said you were taking him to the cleaners.”

He eyed her suspiciously, wondering if she was pulling his leg. “You really are alien, aren’t you?”
She leaned forward. “What you said earlier, about breaking Adrian out.”

“Don’t even think it. They’ll be on you faster than you can blink.”

“Bryce, you know what they’re doing to him.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think I wanna to know. It’s safer that way.” He stuffed a ragged edge of toast into his mouth, biting a piece off and chewed as if it took all of his attention. Why did he feel like he was betraying someone? But he helped enough already, hadn’t he? Stuck out his neck even.
The last thing he needed was to be anywhere near someone talking about rebels. Maybe he could set her straight. That would help, wouldn’t it?

~~~

The young man’s fear had the tinge of burnt wood to Kali’s psi sense s. She hadn’t felt so alone since the day she left her home planet.

“They want to break him. They’ll do anything.” Her lower lip quivered slightly.

It had been five hellish days since Adrian disappeared into the abyss that was Security Section. Kali’s mind shields were firmly in place but ripples of agony splashed over her mental walls, making it hard to breathe, to concentrate, but it was the other sensations, the disturbing,
overwhelming urges that made her afraid for him. He was exhausted and his spirit was weakening. Her fear for him was turning to panic. She had to do something, anything. “I can’t sit by,” she whispered fiercely. “I need to do something. Even if you won’t.”

“There’s nothing you can do.” Bryce put a restraining hand on her forearm. “You need to face it. No one can defy the Empire or escape it. It’s impossible.”

“The rebels do it all the time.”

“Shhh.” His voice dropped lower. “Are you trying to get us killed? I knew you were crazy. I didn’t know you were suicidal.”

Kali tore her arm from his grasp. Maybe Adrian was right. Living on a planet without people would be paradise. “You don’t have to help.”

“I wasn’t planning to.” He looked down at his unappetizing toast and cold coffee. “Don’t think I’m hungry anymore either.”

He gathered his things on the tray and stood up. “I like you, Kali, but it’s impossible to break the Lieutenant out of Security Section. And even if you did, where would you go? There isn’t anywhere on the ship to hide him. He can’t escape. He’ll have to give them what they want eventually. You might as well—”

She cut him off. “Face facts? That’s just like Adrian. He doesn’t like doing the impossible. He considers it a waste of time. But he’s fighting them.”

“Then he must have lost his mind. And if he hasn’t, then they’ll do it for him. Don’t make the same mistake. It isn’t worth it.”

Kali’s face was hard. She and Adrian were alone. No one was going to help them. “That’s because you’ve never had anyone you cared about more than yourself,” she spat out angrily.

“Ouch. I’ll ignore that. But…” He leaned forward. “Are you sure he cares about you? This is Adrian we’re talking about.”

~~~

That night, Kali lay on her bunk, sleepless eyes searching the dull g ray ceiling for inspiration. Cabins for ensigns were cramped affairs, little larger than her closet back on Tellar, but at least they did have their own, unlike the lower ranks. She rolled restlessly, trying to find a comfortable
position, but it was like having an itch just out of reach. The white institutional sheets scraped roughly against her skin. Was it possible to get sheet burn? She might find out tonight.

At the edge of her consciousness, she felt Adrian continue to struggle, but fear gripped him now and hopelessness. He had passed the end of his endurance and was barely hanging on. Adrian had been strong at the beginning, but these people were cruel and had the relentless tenacity of
Pit Bulls with their teeth sunk into the throats of their victims. They would not release him until every drop of life had been drained from his body and soul.

Kali knew Adrian’s rational mind would tell him it was a losing battle. He should not be subjecting himself to something he could avoid. Then why was he fighting the inevitable? Was it hope? It didn’t seem possible. Adrian had lost faith in that concept a long time ago. Was he making a personal stand? This was even stranger. Adrian didn’t believe in anything and he did not make pointless gestures. Even with her psi advantage, he was still as much of a mystery to her as he was to everyone else. This man who had lost faith in everyone and everything, was fighting for a reason.

Kali steeled herself as she lowered her mental shields. A howl of agony washed towards her and she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a responding cry. Her shields slammed shut, her heart pounded wildly and she breathed heavily. As much as she hated to admit it, Bryce was right.

It was an insane idea to break Adrian out, but she couldn’t sit by while Adrian was suffering.
Maybe there was something she could do. She might not be able to break him out, but she might be able to help him a little. Among her own people, there was a way to send healing vibrations to someone who was in distress. Would it work with humans? Kali’s hands balled into tight fists and her face tensed, a fighter preparing for battle.





Have to remain in control. She lowered the shields a smidgeon. A blast of pain struck her like a fist, but this time she was prepared. Her hands tightened further, nails digging into her palms, lungs strained with the effort, and sweat beading on her forehead.

Focus. Kali gathered her strength and all the positive feelings she could muster and, as the Tellaran healer had taught her, launched it towards Adrian like a life raft to a drowning man.

~~~

Adrian’s mouth opened in a pantomime of a scream. Blood slid do wn a raw throat that could only produce strangled sounds. Drugs snaked their way mercilessly through his body. A roaring fire of pain consumed him from the inside, burning him alive. His body strained upwards; a bow
pulled tight, ready to snap. Limbs slipped and flailed on the slick surface of the metal platform; wet with bodily secretions. Sweat and blood mingled, drawing nightmarish trails down his body. Globs of vomit dried at the side of his head.

The Therapist and his people were black masked executioners, taking him apart piece-by-piece, filtered from the stomach-churning smells as they plied their inhuman trade. The only one who had to bear the stench was the prisoner, a constant, repulsive reminder that in this room he was nothing more than a helpless prisoner wallowing in his own filth. Adrian’s eyes began rolling up into his head as the darkness of unconsciousness mercifully paid a visit. The Therapist had been watching for this. He signaled with a flat hand to his assistant at the control panel. “That’s enough.

Flood him with the neutralizer. Quickly.”

The prisoner slumped back onto the cold, damp surface, his lungs wheezing for air. The Therapist looked down at the panel. The life signs were faint, the mental readings sluggish; all the classic signs of a man pushed beyond his ability to resist. The subject was ready for more
conditioning. A towering machine on wheels was pushed into place and a helmet with status lights on the outside was placed over Adrian’s head.

The irresistible boom of conditioning phrases blasted into the prisoner’s ears.

“The Empire must be served.”

“The Empire must be obeyed.”

“The Empire cares for its citizens.”

“We must give our best to the Empire.”

“The Empire protects us from our enemies.”

“We need the Empire.”

Energy waves forced his mind to match specific patterns. His head felt as if it were in a vice and his tormentors were medieval torturers intent on squeezing until it cracked like an egg. Images were fed directly through his optic nerve, overriding memories, seeking to remake his past and his present, and to control his future.

Adrian shook his head weakly from side-to-side, moaning, knowing they were manipulating his mind but unable to do anything about it. A beat pounded inside his head, the sound of a heart amplified a thousand times. Boom. Boom. Boom. He couldn’t think; he could hardly breathe.
A shuddering gasp escaped his lips as something pleasant and comforting flowed into his mind. Desperation made him reach for it. No! Dry lips cracked as they pantomimed a cry of agonized refusal. The therapists were trying to trick him again. It’s a lie! Pleasure and pain. Kindness and
cruelty. The illusion of love masking a face distorted in hate. That was what they taught him in this room. It was the lesson of his life—behind the softlined glove was usually an iron fist to smash him in the face.

Warmth continued to flow into him but he knew what it was, he would not allow it to fool him. It was beautiful, gentle, cutting through the throbbing in his head. It was a cool drink of water to a thirsty man, full of strength and peace. His breath caught.

~~~

The Therapist scratched his graying hair, resisting an impulse to yan k it out in frustration. His experiment in Multi-Signal Multiphase Inputs was failing and he had this stubborn man to thank for it.

The subject on the testing platform, with his face sickly pale, limbs shaking uncontrollably and his breathing ragged and shallow, indicated a man on the verge of collapse. It confirmed the life readings on the monitors. Only the drugs were keeping him from sliding into unconsciousness.
The disruptor machines made it impossible for him to concentrate for any length of time. His body was flooded with drugs that made him a slave to every touch on his body and intensified all the useful feelings, pain, fear, humiliation and helplessness. The subject should be begging for it to stop, but the damned fool refused to recognize the truth.

Leaning forward, the Therapist’s eyes narrowed. How could this be? The prisoner still had enough strength to resist the conditioning. The readings were undeniable. He whacked the side of the panel, startling the med tech monitoring the screens. “Double the dosage.” His voice had that particular lack of inflection that scientists used, the unemotional ruthlessness that condemned a batch of lab rats to their deaths.

The med tech looked up at him. “But isn’t that dangerous?”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” the Therapist growled.

The tech was a smart man; he entered the new dosage into the panel without another word.
The Therapist made his way to the testing platform, his masked-covered nose crinkling in distaste as his shoes slipped on the sticky fluids.

He was determined to break this man. One technique was proving quite effective. The combination of physical pleasure and the torture of the mind produced conflicting signals that made the conditioning harder to fight. He touched the sweat-stained flesh, tenderly caressing it, giving it all of his attention, and was rewarded with a reddening flush, a reluctant moan, and a slight relaxing of the muscles.

The strength of this man’s mind could not override primal reactions. Each time he responded against his will was a blow to his self-image, tearing away at his confidence, and increasing his helplessness. A curl twisted the corner of the Therapist’s lip. Bringing down a Firster was a rare privilege he was enjoying, but even more than that, his technique was working. All he needed was a little more time. 

Also Elizabeth Lang has shared with us an exclusive picture from The Empire Series

To read more of the Read-A-Long please follow the tour schedule…

03/03/2013 - Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways - http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com/ - Chapter 1

04/03/2013 - Vixie's Stories - 
http://vickiejohnstone.blogspot.co.uk/ - Chapter 2

05/03/2013 - Decadent Decisions - 
http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com - Chapter 3

06/03/2013 - Reviews From Beyond the Book - www.reviewsfrombeyondthebook.blogspot.com - Chapter 4

07/03/2013 - Great Alpha Speaks - 
http://atrussell.com/Blog/ - Excerpt - Chapter 5

09/03/2013 - The Edible Bookshelf - 
http://www.theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com/ - Chapter 6

10/03/2013 - Independent Writers Association - 
http://iwassociation.com - Chapter 7

11/03/2013 - Self Publish or Die - 
www.selfpublishordie.com Excerpt - Chapter 8

12/03/2013 - Natasha Larry Books - 
http://natashalarrybooks.com - Chapter 9

13/03/2013 - Michelle Anderson-Picarella - 
http://shellypicarella.wordpress.com/ - Chapter 10

17/03/2013 - Sheenah Freitas - 
http://sheenahfreitas.com - Chapter 11

18/03/2013 - Castle Macabre - 
http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com - Chapter 12

19/03/2013 - My World - 
http://stephsgrn.blogspot.co.uk/ - Chapter 13

20/03/2013 - Reading, Writing And More - 
http://stephsgrn.wordpress.com/ - Chapter 14

21/03/2013 - Ami R Blackwelder - 
http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.co.uk/ - Chapter 15

Page Turner Book Tours and Elizabeth Lang have teamed together to set up an amazing contest, be sure to enter today for your chance to win a KOBO MINI!!


Thank you for joining us and Page Turner Book Tours and Elizabeth Lang today on our stop.

About Elizabeth Lang:

I'm a science fiction writer who started off life as a computer programmer with a love for reading, especially science fiction, fantasy and mystery.

Being in computers, I found my writing skills deteriorating so I decided to take up writing. It became a joy to create characters, stories and worlds and writing soon became a passion I couldn't put down. As a writer, I like to explore, not only the complexity of characters but the human condition from differing points of view. That is at the heart of the Empire series, of which 'The Empire' and 'The Rebels' are the first two of a four books series.

You can connect with Elizabeth Lang at the following places:



About Page Turner Book Tours:

Page Turner Book Tours is fronted by the face behind Read2Review Kate. Page Turner Book Tours has been put together to help promote authors and give something back to the writing world. Kate has put together a team of incredibly talented people to help with the project by incorporating their individual skills into making new, fresh and exciting promotional plans that we hope you agree are amazing. If you would like to book a tour with Page Turner Book Tours please check out their tour packages. If you would like to become a tour host with Page Turner Book Tours please check out their Tour Host page. You wont be disappointed!

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