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:

Evernight Publishing / Amazon.com / Amazon.ca  / Amazon UK / 

aRe / Bookstrand /

~~~

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…

Website / Facebook / Facebook Author Page / Twitter / Amazon / Goodreads / Pinterest

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.

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!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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:

Author Page on FaceBook | Blog | Twitter | Website

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!

The Rebels (The Empire Series) and a Giveaway

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

The Rebels - Chapter 3

A cloud-filtered sun sunk into the horizon and shadows congregated, plotting mischief, dogging their feet as the trio escaped into the heart of the forest. A carpet of pine needles solemnly swallowed the sound of their footsteps.

Birds dared to pierce the gloom with musical chirrups, which may have been enjoyable if they weren’t so cheerful; the creatures seemed to be mocking them.

Adrian's military boots gained a pound each time he had to lift them over gnarled roots that seemed intent on tripping him. Each scratch marred the well-polished sheen, rubbing away the last vestiges of the orderly world they left behind. A tight bandage formed a thick white bracer

around his forearm, but there was no pain, only icy numbness that deadened the senses. Swerving to avoid a low-hanging branch, exhaustion dragged on his limbs, making them heavier with each step.

All he wanted was peace, the calm logic of a world that followed laws he understood, that he could mold into beautiful creations of light and energy.

A streak of sunlight punched through the umbrella of reaching limbs and lit his face.

The Empire should concentrate on gathering its resources, building a massive network of jump gates. It would take time. They would have to harness the energy of a dozen suns to transport ships and men on that scale and distance, but it was possible. He had provided the calculations

and detailed plans for their best solar engineer. Camden would have the appropriate skills. Or even Zyla-sli.

“Feels like we’re going around in circles,” griped Bryce, swishing a branch with the energy of a crazed orchestra conductor. “How can you tell where you’re going? It all looks the same. Same trees, same branches, same everything.”

Adrian blinked, his attention returning to the forest, and he barely managed a raised note of sarcasm. “Perhaps you would like some signs?”

A sheen of perspiration coated his brow and he wiped a bead dripping down his nose.

“A few wouldn’t hurt,” said Bryce, jumping over a fallen log with an exaggerated leap.

Adrian scowled at the lively younger man. “Fortunately, we have the positioning unit. Far more accurate than visual indicators.”

“I wonder how the ancients managed. If it were me, I’d be lost all the time.”

“And how would that be different than now?” Focusing on the banter helped him to ignore the sheet of agony in his back.

An unseen animal scrabbled above and a shower of snow rained on them.

His mind clouded with exhaustion and with each step he moved closer to the past.

“Hello, my boy. I’m glad you still remember me.”

He lifted his head, seeing past trees and bushes to the shock of white hair that could not hide the cold, calculating eyes. So much like his own.

Dr. Ellis Rayburn—the man who had operated on his mind with clinical precision using methods that had long been outlawed, at least, officially.

What did Rayburn make him forget? What secrets had been torn from his mind? He had to find out what they took from him, he needed to know that his life had not been a lie, fabricated by others.

Buried embers flickered, the visceral recollection of anguish that had been stolen. His rational mind was only a whisper.

With a snap of the fingers, like the flick of a light switch, they had lifted the veil to his past, at least, the part concerning Rayburn.

That meant the memories must still be there, buried so deep that even Kali, with her psi abilities, had not suspected.

That small twist of concentration caused his foot to snag on an arched root and he stumbled, reaching out to break his fall, only to find Kali’s strong arms around his shoulders.

His lips thinned in irritation. She had been prepared, waiting for him, knowing he would fall.

I don’t think you’re weak, she projected into his mind.

“I am.”

“You’re the bravest man I’ve ever known.”

“Then you haven’t known many men,” he snapped.

“Maybe we should rest.” The understanding in her eyes made him look away.

“We should keep going. It’s getting dark and we’re not familiar with the dangers in these woods.”

“It will get even darker if we have to carry you.”

Bryce peered through the gloom, his neck craning. “Hey, I see something.” He pointed to a dense growth of bushes a little to the right. “Over there. I think it’s a building.”

“In the middle of the forest?” asked Kali. “Who would live out here?”

“Go and check,” said Adrian.

“Why does it have to be me?” whined Bryce.

“You’re the assistant.”

“Fine, but I expect danger pay for this.” He tiptoed forward, wincing as a twig cracked under his boots.

~~~

Tree shadows nearly made the building invisible and gnarled branches blocked the entrance, but it was a log cabin of some kind. Well, not much of one unless you liked your outdoors in your indoors. The elements ate through the wood in places, leaving jagged holes, but the roof

seemed fine, at least from Bryce’s angle. It looked abandoned.

“There’s nobody here.”

“Check it,” said Adrian.

Kicking branches away and pulling at others, Bryce got to the door. The curved handle twisted, creaking piteously, but refused to budge.

He backed up a step, angled his shoulder, and then with a half-hearted grunt, he slammed into the door, nearly flying through it when it gave way with a swoosh of dust and debris.

Bryce wheezed, as faded light filtered in, revealing cupboards, overturned chairs, a wooden table, a cooking plate on a counter, and layers of dust and leaves burying the rest.

Through a half-open door on the right, there was a crowded bedroom with a wood-framed bed, a lumpy mattress with most of its stuffing on one end, and some threadbare blankets. Piles of clothing sat on an open shelving unit. It was a sorry excuse for a shack, but it was better than

nothing.

Glowing red orbs peered at him from the shadows. Bryce yelped and backed away, grabbing at a broom and thrusting it in front of him. An angry mewl greeted his actions and the eyes slinked closer. He backed up, bumping into a table, waving the broom wildly. The animal emerged

from the shadows, a small panther-like creature with jagged teeth and blood-shot eyes. It bunched up on hind legs, ready to pounce.

Kali pushed the door open and stepped in. “Are you alright? Did you find something?”

The startled creature launched towards them, torpedoing through the air, its wings spread and eyes glowing angrily.

“Kali, watch out!”

~~~

Europa Central Spaceport stretched out with octopus arms, quivering sands churned around its energy screens, and a crush of humanity rushed about in single-minded purpose.

Charles Sester breezed through the security checkpoint with a disarming smile and the promise of favors to come.

Psychostrategist extraordinaire, the greatest in his generation, or so it was said. Not that he disagreed, but he imagined that something else was about to be plastered to his name. Wanted: Dead.

That was his reward for disobeying the Guild, for acting outside of his commission. Clients must always get their money’s worth and the Empire had wanted, had paid for, a broken Adrian Stannis.

Well—a flash of a smile fluttered at the corner of his lips—he was broken, in a way. Just not in any way that they wanted.

Adrian stared at the control unit in his hands, and then at Sester. He asked the question they both wanted the answer to, “Why?”

Sester shrugged. “I wish I could answer that for myself.”

He still didn’t have an answer for why he had committed professional suicide. What possessed him to save a man who gave him no benefit in return?A gust of frosty air from a ventilation duct grabbed at his long coat as he walked past.

Sester had no illusions. None of his carefully prepared answers, excuses, or explanations would pass the scrutiny of the Guild Master. A lance of guilt, edged with the poison of fear, pierced his chest. Perhaps he was the one who was broken.

Then why was he going back?

A wry, self-mocking smile touched the corner of his eyes, drawing tight the radiating lines. Only a fool defied the Psychostrategist's Guild.

Stars peeked through the canopy of darkness and floating, shimmering clouds played masquerade in a kaleidoscope of light and shadows. It was a projection screen, of course. Nothing was ever real under the Domes on Earth, only computer-painted approximations of what used to be.

Run far and fast, Adrian, and don’t let them find you. You will not like what they have in store for you if you do.

Death would be a mercy…

…for both of them.

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…

02/03/2013 - The Edible Bookshelf -

http://www.theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com/ - Chapter 1

03/03/2013 - Vixie's Stories -

http://vickiejohnstone.blogspot.co.uk/ - Chapter 2

04/03/2013 - Decadent Decisions -

http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com - Chapter 3

05/03/2013 - Independent Writers Association -

http://iwassociation.com - Chapter 4

06/03/2013 - Self Publish or Die -

www.selfpublishordie.com - Chapter 5

10/03/2013 - Reviews From Beyond the Book -

www.reviewsfrombeyondthebook.blogspot.com - Chapter 6

11/03/2013 - Great Alpha Speaks -

http://atrussell.com/Blog/ - Chapter 7

12/03/2013 - The Kat Daughtry -

http://thekatdaughtry.wordpress.com/ - Chapter 8

13/03/2013 - Sheenah Freitas -

http://sheenahfreitas.com - Chapter 9

14/03/2013 - Natasha Larry Books -

http://natashalarrybooks.com - Chapter 10

27/03/2013 - Castle Macabre -

http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com - Chapter 11

28/03/2013 - My World -

http://stephsgrn.blogspot.co.uk/ - Chapter 12

29/03/2013 - The Cro's Nest -

http://p45crok.wordpress.com - Chapter 13

30/03/2013 - Tink's Place -

http://myblog2point0.blogspot.com/ - Chapter 14

31/03/2013 - Reading, Writing And More -

http://stephsgrn.wordpress.com/ - 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!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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:

Author Page on FaceBook | Blog | Twitter | Website

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!