Cover Reveal & Giveaway!!: The Seventh Layer by Rachel A Olson

The Seventh Layer

by Rachel A Olson

(Already Released – August 17, 2012)

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As if growing up Amish wasn't hard enough, Sarah Miller receives information just before her eighteenth birthday about a childhood she can't remember. Accompanied by long lost friends and a few unlikely relatives, Sarah learns of her supernatural destiny and the race to piece together the jigsaw of her life begins. Amidst the whirlwind of unanswered questions, one stands prominent: will the world meet the foreshadowing doom that lingers in the near future, or will Sarah complete the puzzle in time to save her people and ensure the continuance of mankind?

Prologue

 It crept down the window like an epileptic spider, jittering from side to side, pausing ever so slightly before continuing its descent.The rain.It always fascinated me. I often sat on my bed at night watching it shatter against my window, then travel slowly out of sight, dancing a sorrowful waltz with the low light coming from the oil lamp on my bedside table. It mattered little if I had to be up at dawn to start my daily chores with Sister. Nothing truly mattered when it rained.“Sarah, is everything alright?” Mother stood in my bedroom doorway. She was a plain woman, light brown hair lacking radiance, dull gray eyes, and thin pale lips that almost matched the color of her near-white skin. Her cheekbones curved high beneath her eyes, the lines sharp. Almost too sharp, almost masculine. But she was a kind, gentle woman. No one could deny her that. “Sarah,” she said again when I didn’t reply right away. I looked over my shoulder at her then, grinning briefly.“Everything is fine, Mother. I was simply admiring the rain.” She smiled, but there was a flash of sadness in her eyes. I knew that sadness, but we never spoke of such things. Sadness in our community was often seen as a weakness of faith. Mother sat next to me on the edge of my bed. She smoothed down her skirt until it lay perfectly across her thin frame. Folding her hands in her lap, she let out a soft sigh.“It is a beautiful sight to behold,” she said quietly, gazing out the window. When she turned to me again, her eyes were brimmed with tears. I hugged her quickly, letting her cry silently into my hair. Three days left. That’s all we had. When she finally pulled away, she dabbed lightly at her eyes and nose with the cotton handkerchief she always carried tucked in her sleeve.“I will always remember you,” I said just above a whisper before laying a chaste kiss atop her hand. “Though I know you’ll all forget me, in time.” She started to shake her head, but she knew it was true. No one remembered, the human mind was too simple to comprehend it. I had begun to notice just over the last week that people in the community were already beginning to forget. Mainly just the ones I wasn’t in contact with everyday, but they were forgetting just the same. It seemed strange to a point. They were all I had known for the last ten years. How could anyone be in your life for so long and so quickly forget who you were entirely? Yet, somehow I knew and understood it. No one ever had to explain it to me, I just knew.
Mother tucked a strand of hair that had fallen out of my braid behind my ear. Her hand cupped my cheek, warm against my skin. I watched her study my face, trying to memorize it before kissing my forehead and leaving my room. I stared at the empty doorway, my heart heavy. Three more days.Just three more days.

READ ON WATTPAD  -  READ ON SCRIBD

Somewhere amidst her forty-hour job and playtime with her three-year-old, Rachel finds time to walk the streets of worlds only existing on manmade paper. She resides in small college town Northwestern Nebraska with her young son, just across town from her parents. She enjoys socializing with adults, sipping strawberry wine, and head banging to music that doesn't carry a beat worth the effort of rock star hair slinging.

Website  -  Blog  -  Facebook  -  Twitter  - Goodreads -  Amazon

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Cover Reveal: The Broken Prince by Jen Wylie

The Broken Prince

(Book 2 of The Broken Ones)

by Jen Wylie

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Reveal Host:Lady Amber's Tours

Sometimes, when you're broken, you can heal on your own. Sometimes, you need the help of your friends, your family, and the people you love. Keeping those pieces together when the world seems intent on ripping you apart is the greatest challenge of all. Especially when the ones you love, the ones who hold you together, start falling apart themselves. 

Arowyn and her family continue on their journey to return the Elven Prince, Shael, to his homeland before he fades and dies. A journey full of triumph and horror, love and sorrow, rips them apart with every fighting moment, and yet brings them together as a family. They don’t allow the prophecy to rule their lives. Some don’t believe, some don’t care. Prophecies aren’t written in stone. Events can change. People can change. They are only words. From besieged cites, to the elusive Were and wild Fey, nothing quite prepares them to face their deadliest of enemies, one they didn't know existed.

Damon knelt before them."Will she get better? Will she…" Prince’s voice trailed off.Her eyes locked on Damon’s face as he regarded her thoughtfully. His hand came up and she flinched as it rested on the top of her head. No pain came. She felt…nothing. If he tried to speak to her, she couldn’t hear him."No," he said finally. "There has been damage to the brain. There is bleeding and swelling inside."Prince’s cry startled her, almost as much as the sudden clutching of his arms around her. "Can you do anything," he choked out. "Please, I am responsible. I can not…I will pay–"Damon chuckled. "It is not your life that needs saving." He stared at Prince for a long moment. "I see." He shook his head. "Perhaps I was wrong and she isn’t the one. I read so few pages of the book." He turned to Kei."No," the Fey said. "I don’t remember.""Pity.""Dragos, I beg of you," Prince began again."The Elven prince begs, and for a human. How very far you have fallen." He looked down at her again.Blinking up at him, she tried to get her scattered thoughts to work. She’d barely comprehended what he’d said past the inference she was dying. The words sent an icy chill through her body. Terror crawled through her, speeding her heart. Sweat broke out on her forehead and all she could hear was her increasingly frantic breathing.Kei startled her, leaning forward over her to press a kiss to her forehead. She tilted her head back, trying to see him."I’m with you."Damon’s fingers brushes her cheek, drawing her attention back to him. "Do you wish to live, young Arowyn?"Words refused to pass her lips. Somehow she managed to nod. She didn’t know what the cost would be, certainly there would be one. Right then, she didn’t care. Rot it all, she wanted to live!"Very well." He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. "Dragos rarely heal others. I do know the magic, but it is difficult. Your story has barely begun. I find I would actually attempt it, just to see what you might become and how it will unfold."He sat back and gestured to the pile of furs next to him. "Lay her down. This will take some time and I’ll need no distractions."Prince carefully set her amongst the furs, arranging her arms so her hands rested on her chest, tucking stray locks of hair behind her ears. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead for a moment against hers."Get well, Arowyn."Bo appeared next, smoothing the hair back on the top of her head and squeezing one of her hands. "You can do this, pup."Garen pressed his wet nose against her temple. If he spoke, she didn’t hear him.Kei pushed the wolf aside and took her face in his hands. His eyes glowed with that strange orange inner light. Tears streaked down his cheeks. Despite the awkward position he leaned down and held her close for a moment. "Remember our promises," he whispered in her. "I’m always with you." He choked on a sob and squeezed her tightly again. "I love you," he whispered fiercely before quickly pulling away.She wished she could speak. More than anything, she wanted to tell him she loved him, too. She wanted to tell all of them she did. Tears filled her eyes and slid down her face.Damon knelt beside her and turned her head to look at him. "I will do what I can," he said. "However I can’t guarantee it will work. I have never tried to heal a human before. Understand?"She managed a faint nod and pressed her quivering lips together.He glanced up and gestured the others away. "Stand back and be silent." His eyes found hers again. "Don’t fight me this time, little one. Fall into my eyes…"Blinking once more to clear the tears away, she tried to do as he asked. Damon’s eyes were strange enough she found it not difficult to stare. They had vertical slits and no whites at all. The iridescent color was a wash of blue-green with streaks of gold and red. The colors began to swirl, making her dizzy as she tried to watch them. A comforting thrum emanated from his chest, soothing her as his power wrapped around her. Her thoughts drifted into nothing.

Jen Wylie resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her  two boys, Australian shepherd and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories.

Website  -  Blog  -  Twitter  -  Goodreads  -  Facebook  -  Amazon

Cover Reveal: Branded

Branded

(A Sinners Series #1)

by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Cover design: www.maeidesign.com
Cover Model: Talia Haugdahl

Full Wrap Cover

Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams.
The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough.
My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back.
Death and I glare at each other through my tears.
I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here.
I’m ready to go. On the count of three.
I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.
A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls.
Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head.
Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home.
It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me.
My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name.
On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.
Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.
“Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners.
Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying.
Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now.
My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest.
Gotta keep going.
“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me.
I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost.
My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.
I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped.
Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.
“You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.”

For the entire First Chapter go to the Authors' website here!

Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan.

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Twitter - Website/Blog - Facebook - Goodreads (Abi) & (Missy)

Meet the Author Event

https://www.facebook.com/events/289430807854428/?fref=ts

Cover Reveal: Octavian's Undoing by Airicka Phoenix

Octavian's Undoing

(Sons of Judgment Series)

by Airicka Phoenix

Release date: May 2013

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Warnings: Sexual content, Language

Formats: eBook & Paperback

Octavian Maximus has already given up his life once for a love that left him empty. He isn’t about to give up his afterlife for a green-eyed, red-haired spitfire with no sense of self-preservation and a smile that could melt even his icy heart, especially since he’s so close to being given a second chance at living again. For a Son of Judgment, being offered life is the reason they were so willing to murder without remorse. Octavian is one of the best. He’s never failed to take out a Mark, until the night one got away and he let it, unsuspecting of the consequences of his mistake. When the Mark tracks him, hell bent on revenge, Octavian is ready for it. What he isn’t prepared for is Ryleigh jumping in to protect him or her death because of it.

Ryleigh Masters has her own problems. Her father was laid off… again, bills are piling up and the rent is due. When she’s given the waitressing job at Final Judgment, it’s a dream come true, until she meets the owner’s son. Octavian makes it no secret that he wants her gone, but Ryleigh has already signed the contract and she needs this job. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep it, even put up with the unreturned feelings Octavian provokes in her. The night he’s attacked, the last thing she expected to happen was to die and wake up with Octavian’s knife at her throat and her life irrevocably changed.

Airicka Phoenix is the best-selling author of the Touch Series with short stories in Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and Midnight Surrender Anthology. When she's not hammering away at the keyboard, she can be found banishing pirates or crawling through the attic looking for lost treasure with her kids. She loves baking, gardening and reading. She also likes to travel and take pictures of everything she comes across. When asked, Airicka describes herself as a sarcastic basket case that has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate, old movies and really bad jokes. She loves to laugh, make friends and write. If she could have one wish granted, it would be to spend one day as a fly-on-the-wall inside Stephen King's mind. If she could have two wishes granted, she would ask for a castle dedicated entirely to her overwhelming collection of books.For more about Airicka, also on how to win giveaways, read author interviews and reviews, visit her on all her sites.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - FB Airicka's Mystical Creations - Goodreads - Pinterest

Other books by Airicka:

Touching Smoke   -   Touching Eternity   -   Games of Fire

Dangerous Release Day Blitz & Giveaway!

DANGEROUS

by Suzannah Daniels     

Release Day: April 9th, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemprary Romance

Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Amazon   -   Barnes & Noble   -  Smashwords

Stone Hamilton had never known fear...until the accident. Since then, his life has spiraled out of control. He's been kicked out of private school, deemed a disappointment by his father, and forced to endure his own guilt, anger, and grief. The last thing he wants is a relationship with someone who will have expectations of him. But once he's enticed by the shimmering-pink lips of the oh-so-popular, academically-excelling, straitlaced hottie from his new school, he knows he's in trouble.

Seventeen-year-old Dara Golding has one goal for the summer: make enough money to buy a car, so that she can drive to school her senior year. After starting a new job, she realizes that she'll be working with the brooding, motorcycle-riding, bad boy who started attending Quail Mountain High last year. With his less than stellar reputation, he's everything she's afraid of...and that makes him dangerous.
Their undeniable attraction has Stone struggling with his inner demons. As Dara slowly allows Stone to claim her heart, a little white lie to cover an ugly truth could determine whether she's his savior or the final straw that will break his sanity.

Stone
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered frantically. “Are you okay?”
I rubbed the side of my temple, trying to determine the answer to her question. I felt a lump rising, and I closed my eyes for just a moment and breathed deeply.
“Let me see,” she said.
I held my palm up toward her. “I’m fine.” I dropped my palm to my knee, not yet rising from my stooped position.
Before I knew what she was doing, her fingers were in my hair, her gentle touch skimming over the spot where our heads bumped. She was so close that I could smell the delicate fragrance on her skin, and I found myself enticed by her.
“Oh, my gosh!” she exclaimed. “A knot. Great. My first day of work, and I’ve already given someone a concussion.”
I laughed, but I didn’t move. I didn’t know why I found her comment so amusing or why I didn’t want her to move her hands. Slowly, I rose, catching her slender wrists in my grasp. “I’m fine,” I said, feeling the pulse in her wrist quicken against my fingertips. Her brilliant green eyes widened, and her full, shimmering-pink lips parted in surprise. “What about you?” I asked.
I wasn’t sure if she heard my question. She stared at me in shock as if she had just been caught making out behind the bleachers by the principal.
“Dara?” I asked, starting to wonder if she was the one with the concussion.
“I’m…fine,” she said breathlessly.
I’d been around enough girls to know when I had an effect on them. And she was definitely affected.
Dara wasn’t the type of female I usually hung out with, but it was nice to know I had the same effect on the goody-two-shoes that I did on the bad girls.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket, glancing at the caller’s name. Speaking of bad girls, Jessie was calling.
Dara I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. If I hadn’t still been freezing from the cold rain that soaked my hair and clothes, sweat would’ve been trickling down my temples. The warmth from his hands was like heaven against my icy skin, but his close proximity was dangerous to my hammering heart. In fact, if I had to describe Stone Hamilton in one word, it would be dangerous.

Suzannah Daniels has had an affinity for words for as long as she can remember.  She grew up in North Georgia with four brothers, so she learned at an early age to admire snakes and motorcycles.  When she wasn't pestering her brothers, she could usually be found reading or writing.
She is the author of Viking's Embrace, a historical romance, Ghostly Encounter, Book One of her Ghostly series (young adult paranormal romance), and Dangerous, a young adult contemporary romance.
Currently, she lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband and her teenage daughter.  Her son lives nearby.  The family pets include a Lab mix, a Basset Hound, a Shih Tzu, and a sweet, little kitty.

Website   -   Twitter   -   Facebook   -   Pinterest   -   Goodreads

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Star Cursed Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway!

A huge Thank You to Lady Amber's Tours and Ashley Lavering for the opportunity to be a part of the Star Cursed blog tour!

**Please make note that this is the second book in the series and the synopsis may have spoilers if you haven't read book one: Curse of the Beast. Also, please check out the giveaway at the end of the review! Tons of prizes are being given away - WooHoo!**

Star Cursed
(Curse of the Beast, #2)
by Ashley Lavering
Published: February 8, 2013
Published by Silvermist Publishing LLC
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/ Beauty & the Beast Retelling
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Book Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Tayla will never forget Beast’s fiery-venom spreading through her body like an infection. Now, with her best friend Chel’s help, she must find a human true love before the last petal falls from her enchanted rose or the full moon will transform her into a wolf forever.

But Tayla never expected that her biggest obstacle would come from inside—a wolf presence threatening to take her very soul. At every turn, the she-wolf exploits Tayla’s weaknesses and gains enough control to sabotage her dates. Tayla struggles to control her unruly wolf and her forbidden attraction to Beast. But can she resist his southern charm, the she-wolf’s attraction to his alluring scent, and still fall in love with a human?

Tangled in a web of wills, Tayla must risk everything to break the Curse of the Beast. With failure and possible death looming overhead, Tayla will do anything to find true love. But will one moon cycle be long enough to conquer her wolf and remain human? Or will she become a permanent member of Beast’s pack? Find out in the second installment in the Curse of the Beast series.

Kindle - Nook - Smashwords - Amazon(Paperback)

***Warning - If you have not read the first book in the series, Curse of the Beast, then you should not read this review as it has some major spoilers from book one!!***

 "I want you, and I want you to want me, not because your wolf calls to mine, but because you want me."

After that GIANT cliffhanger that we were left with in Curse of the Beast, I was ready to finally find out what happens with Tayla and Beast. I was on the edge of my chair the entire time! The plot thickens and new characters come forth and I was completely enthralled.

Tayla is infected with Beast's venom, if you will. And if she wants to stay with Beast and turn, then great, let fate progress. But life and love are never as simple as that. Tayla is afraid of what could happen and has made a sorta decision: she must - with the help of Chel - try find a human to fall in love with before the full moon rises and the last rose petal falls or she turns into a wolf forever.

Beast is set aside, but they still are bonded and he must watch Tayla play her version of the Bachelorette. But ever the gentleman, he remains very stoic and charming. However, there is a new player in town: a female wolf that has it in for Tayla. She thwarts every attempt Tayla makes at finding someone other than Beast. But why? What is in it for her? And why does Tayla feel so possessive towards Beast when she is clearly trying to find some way to leave him?

I am totally Team Beast! I know that she is scared and afraid of what is to come, but Beast is a "man" that I would want for myself! Who cares if he is a wolf every now and then? I was completely captivated by Ashley Lavering's rendition of Beauty and the Beast. The writing is near flawless and the descriptiveness puts you right into the story. My heart ached through much of this book, and my anger flared and I was on the verge of tears at some points. I loved every minute I spent reading Star Cursed! As for the ending? Well, you will have to find that out for yourself! Does she choose Beast? Does she find a human true love? And what about her soul? These are just some of the things that you will find out in Star Cursed. So read it, you won't be disappointed!

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review as part of a blog tour. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.

My nose pressed up against his shoulder, a potential happy place for me if it wasn’t for my wolf. I was too close and could taste the tang of animal blood on my tongue. I quickly closed my mouth. When I was forced to breathe, the smell of farm animals was strong, but not as strong as the metallic smell of blood. It all reminded me of the first time I met him.
The smell overwhelmed my senses and I felt my control slip. I closed my eyes, focusing on restraining the wolf struggling against her cage. She wasn’t going to ruin this for me. I refused to pull away, but the thought of dead animals was too disturbing, and the smell was stronger than that day in the gym. My mind wandered from its task. Had he killed an animal today? But the horror that should have washed over me was replaced with a heady need. I breathed deeply and pressed my body closer, quickly losing control. The smell was delightfully tantalizing and my stomach grumbled, transporting me to a childhood memory of Aunt Lily’s jello cake.
My mouth watered, as I pictured the cake. It smelled so real that I could almost taste it. I opened my mouth and skimmed the cake with my lips, biting down softly. My teeth met more resistance than I was expecting. I was about to bite down harder when large fingers slid between my teeth preventing me from my dessert. I growled and threw my head back, only to have Beast’s strong arms capture me in a vice grip around my torso.
“What the—?”
Brayden’s voice snapped me out of my delusion of a childhood dessert. My eyes flew open and I took in his disgusted expression as he rubbed his neck. His hand came away wet with my saliva. His gaze darted to his left shoulder where his shirt was several shades darker, thanks to my drool. Horror washed through me, but before I could utter a word of apology, Beast tugged me out of my seat and hauled me out of the theater. I could still hear Chel and Brayden.
“Oh,” Chel said. “Eww. I’m so sorry. Maybe her blood sugar was low.”
“What?” Brayden’s disbelieving voice sliced me. How would he love me now?
“You know people do all sorts of weird stuff when their blood sugar is low,” Chel explained.
“Oh, like biting me?”
I could imagine his eyes narrowing in anger.
“Umm,” Chel hesitated, obviously surprised I had actually bit him. “Was it just a nip? I don’t see any broken skin.”
That news sent a trickle of relief over me. At least, I hadn’t drawn blood.
“That isn’t the point. She bit and slobbered all over me. My animals don’t even get me this bad!” he hissed back. His voice sounded like he had stood and was walking out of the theater as well. Chel didn’t respond. I’m sure she was trying to process the whole thing.
“And who was that guy?” Brayden asked.
“Oh, just a friend.”
“She has some stalker friend to pull her from dates when she starts biting them?”
“No.” She giggled nervously. “I guess you smell so good she just wanted a taste.”
I cringed, mortified even more than I already was. Way to go, Chel, now I really want to hide. The night air hit my face as we exited the theater house. Beast strode a few yards more before depositing me against the wall, where I slumped down to the ground and hugged my knees.
---------------------
“What just happened?”
I scowled at my knees. “He must’ve slaughtered a cow or something yesterday because his stench was so much stronger today, and my wolf got the better of me.”
“But you bit him?”
“It’s her! I would never do that. Eww. He must think I’m a freak.” I groaned, placing my head in my hands. “He was so perfect, too.”
Chel patted my shoulder, but it wasn’t soothing; nothing was, with this wolf in my head.
“You know what the worst part is?” I ask, looking up to see Chel raise her eyebrow. “She tricked me. She used my memory of Aunt Lily’s jello cake to convince me to bite him. I didn’t even know she could do that!”
“Jello?” Chel asked.
Beast cleared his voice.
“What?” I demanded.
“That isn’t exactly true,” he said. I lifted a disbelieving eyebrow at him. “Just hear me out. The smell, it was delicious to you?”
“Only after she tricked me into thinking it was cake. If I had consciously thought of it as blood, animal, whatever, I never…” I couldn’t say the rest.
“That is where you are wrong.” Beast paused until I looked up at him. “To your wolf, animal scent and blood are delicious, and so the best way you could understand those feelings was to relate it to cake.” His voice lost its teacher tone when he got to the last word and turned more playful. “It must’ve been some delectable cake. Maybe my blood lust would curb a bit if you made it for me.” He winked.
“Shut up.” I smacked him in the leg, but couldn’t resist the smile that spread across my lips. I had my wolfish friend back and was determined to side-step as many rift-creating topics as possible.
Chel bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure I can fix this, Tay. A little drool I could explain away, but…”
My frown was back. I’d lost Brayden. “Thanks for trying. I guess we should stay away from cowboys.” I gave Chel a rueful grin.
Chel puffed out air and rubbed her temples. “Friday night is a cancel then.”
“Oh?” Why did things always go to crap?
“Yeah, one of Brayden’s roping buddies. But after he hears Brayden’s story, he’ll be canceling before I get a chance to do it.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll find a replacement.”
“Ah!” I buried my face in my hands. “Why did she have to bite him? Stupid wolf.” She growled at me and nipped at my mind, causing a throbbing headache.
Beast crouched down to my level and tucked a finger under my chin. His touch held soothing warmth, but I fought it. I deserved to feel the crushing weight of my actions. The pressure on my chin increased until I could no longer resist his strength. My face tilted up to him, but I refused to look him in the eyes. At least, in that I still had the power to defy.
“Stupid is the last word I’d use to describe you.” As if by its own accord, my gaze lifted and was met by the warmth coming from his eyes. His thumb grazed my jaw, and both my wolf and I trembled ever so slightly. He noticed my reaction, and his eyes lit with mischief. “And if he had been a werewolf, I guarantee you would’ve gotten a different response.”
I couldn’t breathe. What he implied was too direct to misinterpret. A horn blasted, and I jerked, breaking the spell. Beast lifted his head to look at Dalyn, giving me the needed release to breathe.

A nomad at heart, I currently claim Nevada as my home. I have a wonderful husband and two young children that put up with my “writing time.” When I’m not pondering on a spell that will magically calm the ferocious winds that plague the air around me, you can find me, with notepad in hand, frantically jotting down ideas in those short moments between caring for my girls.
Art and science have always been my yin and yang. Throughout my college career, I shifted between the two, but in the end I graduated with a Bachelors of Mathematics and Science from the University of Wyoming.
Charging into adventures and discovering something new has always been a passion of mine, but as a teenager I use to run screaming from a reading or writing assignment. Looking back, the irony isn’t lost on me. Now you can’t catch me without a book in hand or without an open word document. Every time a new idea pops into my mind my heart races and my hand twitch to write it. In that moment, I have my writer's high and pray it will sustain me through thousands of hours of revision.

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