Teaser Tuesday

 Forged in Fire

The love of a good woman is worth the pleasure of ten.
 

 

Maeve held Gin in her arms as he passed out. He looked like hell. She laid him gently down and pulled Luna away from him. Maeve took her to a small outcropping of rock, telling her to stay put. If Gin was dying, Maeve didn't want Luna to see his final moments. Once Luna was settled Maeve returned to Gin's side. His face was raw, and he'd obviously hit his head pretty hard. The entire left side of his skull was swollen. She pulled up his shirt, hanging in tatters over his torso. She grimaced at the mess on his side. He'd been stabbed by something sharp and jagged. The wound was covered, but his movements had opened it and it was bleeding freely through the bandages. She peeled back the towels. It was a through-and-through wound, about three inches long. Under his arm she saw he'd managed to bring along his pack. She pulled it off his arm and opened it.

Inside she found some water bottles, and some dried food. She dug deeper, looking for something to close up the wound. She grinned when she found a tube of Meyerson Glue at the bottom of the bag. Meyerson was a staple for swords on deployment. They used it to hold together their boots, their weapons and whatever else needed mending. She'd even seen them use it to glue flash grenades to debris, making homemade bombs. It would do in a pinch to close up the wound.

She opened one of water bottles, grimacing. The water was already warm inside. The specialty plastics that Dinarans used would keep it from stagnating, but it might still grow bacteria. With no other option she liberally doused the wound. She ripped off a strip of Gin's shirt and dabbed it dry. Once the area was clean enough she squeezed a long line of the thick glue down the side of the skin. Carefully she pulled the open flap over the wound, pinching the sides together until the blood flow was next to none. She looked at Luna, whose eyes had never left them.

"Come on over here and help me roll him over, baby."

Luna nodded, walking quickly to them. She knelt by Gin's head, holding it steady as Maeve rolled him over.

The back of the wound was much worse. Whatever had stabbed him had torn through muscle and tendon, exposing it all. The bleeding was less, but the wound was much larger. Luna kept her eyes off the blood and held Gin's head in her lap as Maeve set to work gluing the edges of the big tear together.

"Will it help, Mama?"

Maeve looked up and smiled at Luna. "It will, baby. Daddy's hurt pretty bad, but this will help."

Luna stroked Gin's hair, her hand gentle.

"He finally came to get us, didn't he Mama?" Luna's eyes stayed on Gin's head as his face pressed into her legs.

Maeve nodded, tearing off the rest of his shirt and using it to bind the whole area. Once the glue set, usually two or three minutes, she'd be able to move him. "He sure did" She looked at Luna and zipped up Gin's bag, handing it to the little girl. "We're going to have to find a place to sleep tonight, Lu. It's going to be cold and we need a fire."

The little girl pulled the bag over her shoulders, and she grinned.

"I saw a cave, Mama. Over there." She pointed to a large group of rocks a few hundred yards to the west.

Maeve rubbed her hand over the little girl's dirt-smudged cheek. "Good job on sentinel, baby girl." she praised. Luna grinned proudly. They'd played this game a thousand times. Maeve would walk and Luna would play scout, her eyes on any potential hiding places. Maeve had known that someday the game would pay off.

"We have to drag Daddy." Maeve said, sitting down with her elbows on her knees. "We have to clear the path so we don't hurt him anymore. Can you move all the big rocks out of the way?"

Luna nodded and Maeve smiled at her.

"Okay, sweetie. You start on clearing the way. I'll bring Daddy."

Luna got up, placing Gin's head gently on the ground. She stood staring down at him for a while. She turned and started walking, stopping now and then to move the larger rocks off the path. Maeve sighed, her over-tired muscles already aching. She stood with a groan. Gin weighed nearly two hundred pounds, and he was completely unconscious. She rolled him over gently, grunting as she untangled his legs. She cursed his mother and father for producing such an ox as she grabbed him under his arms and started to drag him toward Luna's cave. She just hoped it wasn't too far.

http://www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-AR-DeClerck-ebook/dp/B00R3B0ZFE/

 





Teaser Tuesday

 

Share a moment from Mythical Madness Book II:

Providence (releasing May 22nd)

 

Kai looked up to see Sheridan and Edmond standing close, their hands together. He growled low in his chest as jealously and fury warred within him. So that was her plan, then. Play with him, enslave him to her whims, and keep Dantes on the side. He shook off Dee's hand as the old sailor tried to get his attention.

"Not right now, Dee."

He stopped in mid stride as the old man's voice whipped at him sharply. "You better think before you act, son."

Kai turned to Dee, raising an eyebrow. It wasn't like him to snap and snarl at the crew, but it was even more odd to hear Dee snap back.

"I don’t know what you mean."

Dee's face was worried as he took Kai's shoulder in his gnarled hand. "We often think before we act, Kai, and it haunts us. Don't let a moment's anger addle your brain."

Kai shrugged off the hand, the hollow weight in his stomach growing. He could not stand idly by and let Sheridan plot with his mothers, and play him for a fool.

"I have done plenty of thinking, Dee."

"I can see that you're angry about something, Kai. If it's the goddess, you'd best talk it out with her before we reach Asgaard. You need to have your mind on the mission and not on the woman."

Kai bent to look into the old man's eyes. "My mind is not on the woman, Dee. Now turn the sails toward the wind and carry us on to Asgaard."

Kai turned and stomped away, never seeing Dee's worried frown as he left.

 

Kai stayed away from Sheridan and Dantes, keeping the rum handy and his eyes on the horizon. He caught her worried frown pointed in his direction more than once, but he turned his back and kept working next to the men. He'd hoped to be able to woo her, to fake a smile and a gentle word, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Yes, he wanted her to pay for plotting with his mothers, but he wasn't a good enough actor to pull it off. Every time he looked at her, saw her smiling at the others or talking with Dantes, the rage boiled up so fast and so furious that he couldn't hide it. It was eating away at his resolve, making it harder and harder to concentrate. Every time she passed within breathing distance he smelled the jasmine and lilac, and the feel of her silky skin would come rushing back to him. He cursed under his breath as the line he was holding slipped from his grip and the man next to him nearly lost his footing. Kai mouthed an apology to the sailor and tried to get himself under control.

The day wore on as the ship made good time toward the northernmost part of the mythical realms. The air between the kingdoms was heavy with rain as they made way toward the area Dantes had circled on the map. From this point, once Asgard became visible, they should be able to use the All Key to enter the kingdom. Kai looked up from his work as the first drop of rain hit his bare shoulders and lighting lit up the sky. He'd buried himself in physical labor all day, until now his body and his mind were both nearing exhaustion. He looked up at the darkening clouds as thunder shook the ship.

"Better tie off the sails and batten the hatches." he said to the man next to him. "It looks like a storm is brewing."

The sailors began moving quickly, tying down anything that could be lost overboard in the storm. Kai lifted the tail of his shirt that he'd tied around his waist and wiped off his forehead. He glanced down as Sheridan hurried up.

"The crew is saying we're in for a terrible storm." She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Aye. Don't worry. We've been through storms before." He took the flagon of water from her and gulped it back. He wiped his mouth. "You'd best return to your cabin, though."

She stepped closer, her hand going to his chest. "I want to stay with you."

He pushed her hand away as another rumble of thunder rolled past. The ship rocked as the wind began to pick up and the clouds rushed by them in a frenzy.

"I'll be on the deck with the crew."

"Kai, please. I'm afraid."

He laughed, and tried to force down the prick of guilt he felt at her hurt look. "You'll be fine, goddess. Dantes can take care of you, I'm sure."

"Damnit, Kai, I don't want Edmond. I want you."

He faltered for only a second, almost believing her before the memory of her plan wormed its way back into his brain. She had promised his mother that he would be eating from the palm of her hand.

"Go back to your cabin, goddess. The weather is worsening and I don't have time for games."

She caught his arm as he turned to go, and he turned back so fast and so furiously that she nearly fell as he rounded on her.

"What's going on, Kai? What have I done?" She trembled as the wind and rain began to pound the ship, and them, mercilessly. The thunder shook the ship and she stumbled into him. He righted her, and pushed her away before he could become tempted to hold her closer.

"Go back, goddess."

The wind buffeted the ship and lighting hit the mast, the crack of the wood nearly deafening. She hurried after Kai as he tried to help the crew hold the sails in place.

"Captain!" He didn't turn as she stood behind them. "Talk to me!"

He ignored her as the ship rocked and the storm began to worsen. He saw the bank of heavy black clouds ahead and knew that they had no time to change course before the worst of the storm was upon them.

"Everyone below decks!" he shouted, waving the sailors away from the dangerously swaying sails. If the wind gained any more strength the sails might come down, and anyone in the way would be crushed by their weight.

He turned, cursing as he bumped into Sheridan, still standing directly behind him.

"I told you to go below decks!" he yelled over the cacophony of the storm. He dodged her, hurrying to the wheel. He tried to hold them steady as the angry clouds got closer and the rain intensified. He could barely see his hand in front of his face as it pounded down around them. Sheridan struggled up the steps, the wind nearly knocking her over as she tried to get to him. She pushed the wet hair from her face and grabbed onto his arm.

"You have to come downstairs with me!"

He shook her off, and kept his hands on the wheel. The weight of the ship was agony on his arms as he widened his stance and tried to hold the wheel steady. He tried to ignore the sight of her, shivering and bedraggled next to him as the lightning lit up the deck.

"Go inside, Sheridan." It came out more gently than he'd planned, but she shook her head, a stubborn frown on her face.

"Not without you."

"Damnit, goddess. My mothers will protect me. The magic will protect me. Go inside."

"No!" She crossed her arms, her lips frosty blue with cold. "Not without you."

"I'm not going to die, Sheridan. You can try to tempt me with your wiles and have me eating out of the palm of your hand some other time. Go inside!"

Her eyes widened as he used the words she'd said to his mother. He turned back to the wheel, cursing as the clouds began to envelope them and they flew directly into the heart of the storm.

"Where did you hear that?" Her hands were icy on his forearm. He could feel them trembling as she shook his arm. "Where!"

"From your very own lips, goddess." He didn't look down at her, but he heard her gasp of surprise even over the pounding of the rain and the wind. "I won't be tamed, and I won't be toyed with. Now go downstairs."

"Kai, please, you don't understand."

He looked down at her then, some part of him still affected by the soft note of sorrow in her voice. "I understand perfectly, goddess. My mothers hoped you could make me give up the ship. I'm just glad I happened upon your plot before I did something stupid."

"Like falling in love with me?"

He couldn't look at her, wouldn't. He groaned as the wheel pushed against his arms. He held it, but only barely. Lightning struck the deck, a smoldering black ring left on the cypress.

"We can't discuss this here, Sheridan. Go downstairs before you get hurt."

"What does it matter, Kai?"

He turned to her, but she was already walking away. He blinked as she turned back, taking advantage of his position to put her hands on the side of his face and put her lips to his. He was nearly stung by the bite of frost on her lips as she kissed him, almost making him loose control of the ship. She backed away, and stood shivering in the driving rain. Thunder shook the ship and lightning flashed, and in its glow he saw her face illuminated for a second.

"I was trying to save your life, you oaf. Your mothers have seen your death in Asgaard, and only a woman you love can save your life."

"I don't understand." He felt his mind reeling, and that most terrible of blights arising in his chest. Hope. "You want me to love you?"

"If you love me, truly, then you will live."

"That's not how love works, goddess." He staggered as the ship listed and she stumbled back a few steps. "You can't force someone to love you. You can't trick them."

"I don't want to trick you, Kai." Sheridan swayed with the ship. She shook her head, the water cascading over her. "I just wanted you to live. I was willing to do anything to see you survive. I had hoped that I could get you to return my feelings before we arrived in Asgaard."

"Return?" Kai nearly lost control of the wheel as her words rocked him. "That implies you love me already."

She laughed, the wind whipping the wet tendrils of her hair around her. "Gods help me, Captain, but I really do. I wanted to protect you because I love you."

"The magic will protect me, goddess." Kai grimaced as the rain became impossibly heavier and the wind listed the ship again. The framed groaned and he worried it might break apart from the sheer pressure of the storm in the air. He could feel it pushing down on him.

"I hope you're right." She started to turn away, and he saw the lightning. He screamed for her, his mind going blank as it struck him. It hit his chest squarely, and he saw that it wasn't a simple lightning bolt, but a hand, made of lightning. It reached from the darkest cloud overhead and wrapped its fingers around him. He let go of the wheel, not caring as the ship began to tailspin in the wind. He reached for Sheridan, trying to hold his footing on the slippery wood of the deck, but as he leaped for her he was lifted into the air by the fulmination. It illuminated her face, and she was reaching for him as he was pulled away from her. She stumbled at the railing as the lighting lifted him high. He almost grasped her hand, but it slipped away as he was pulled upward.

"Kai!" She stood on the railing, her hand outstretched. He saw his own face mirrored in her eyes, and he was terrified. In an instant, as he was pulled away from her, he knew it himself. He loved her too. It was as plain as the rain on his face.

She watched in horror as he was lost in the fog as the hand made of lightning pulled him into the cloud. He was gone in an instant, only her scream echoing over the wind.

 



 



 

Cover Reveal Sunday!

 

Blurb: 

Jack Kershaw just wants to hold on to his new job at Lisa Alioto's pizza parlor, and to keep Lisa from finding out that he's a zombie. But Jack learns that he and Lisa are in serious danger. His second chance at life is the inadvertent result of a lab experiment by two graduate students, and Winthrop University-- a school which knows how to keep its secrets-- will do anything necessary to conceal that someone on campus raised the dead. With the help of Boston's zombie horde, can Jack and Lisa escape Winthrop's sinister clutches?

Bio:

Nora Fleischer has a PhD from Winthrop University, and promises every word of this story is true. She lives in Minneapolis with her lovable husband Sven and children Wolfgang and Anastasia.  You can find her on Twitter at @zombinanora.

 

 

 

 

Cover art by Philippe McNally

 

http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-Love-Nora-Fleischer-ebook/dp/B00NUA5CJ/

 

 

 

Forged In Fire

Excerpt

Gin Draven is the Sword Guardian of the planet Dinara, charged with keeping his galaxy safe in the midst of a war with the savage Boderians. On his way home after a harrowing adventure with his wife and daughter he experiences a few precious moments of happiness:

 

Maeve watched Gin sleep. She'd forgotten that he snored. Not loud, but enough. He mumbled and pulled her close. She saw something on his face she hadn't seen before. Peace. He looked content. Usually his sleep was full of nightmares and remembered pain. Even before, on Prioni the first time, he'd slept fitfully if at all. Tonight he slept like the dead. She pulled the blanket over them both, her head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart reassured her.

 

She'd come very close to losing him on the asteroid. She rubbed the scar on his side. An inch to the left and the shard would have severed his renal artery, killing him in minutes. A harder blow to the head and he might have died from the concussion's swelling. She tried to calm her heart as it fluttered in panic at the thought. Gin was strong. The toughest man she knew. The fact that they'd survived the crash was a miracle. She didn't want to put him in danger again. Once they reached Dinara she'd tell him everything she knew about Boderia. She'd help him kill those bastards once and for all and put the war behind them for good. Gin might still be the Sword Guardian, but he'd be in less danger once the Boderian Prince was dead. 

Maeve closed her eyes, clutching her to him. The faint purple light of the moon shone through the windows. She frowned, sitting up. The security system wasn't armed.

 

She climbed out of bed, tiptoeing to the security panel. As it slid open she input the code, letting her shoulders drop with relief as it flashed red. Nothing could get in with the system armed. She slid back under the covers and Gin rolled, caging her with his arms. "Go to sleep, Maeve." His voice was fuzzy with sleep and she laid down. It was awhile later when she finally slid into sleep.

 

***

 

Their next days were filled with laughter and a happiness that Gin had never known. Every so often he caught Maeve looking at him and Luna with a sad smile, but she always managed to ease his mind. She was worried, but she didn't want to share it with him. They made love every night underneath the moon after they put Luna to bed. He shared with her every thought he had. He'd never had this kind of life. He'd lived for war, and the destruction of the Boderian threat for nearly his whole life. Aside from his year with Maeve the first time, he'd never imagined a life with a home and a family. His best bet, three weeks
ago, had been to die an honorable death watching the Boderian Prince burn in hell. Now he opened his eyes every morning hungry for the sight of her. He craved the sound of Luna's laughter and Maeve's touch.

 

He caught himself smiling and had to shake his head. He'd gone from a harsh, scary Sword Guardian to a soft, mellow pussy. He wasn't complaining. Hell, he probably owed Bry a thousand apologies for all the times he'd berated the man for acting so damned whipped. He understood now what a woman could do to a man. Tie him up, wrap him in knots, tear him down and rebuild him from the feet up. Always better, always stronger. He could only imagine the walking disaster he'd been before Maeve had schemed her way back into his life.  

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-AR-DeClerck-ebook/dp/B00R3B0ZFE/

 

 

 





Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes!!! Julies Book Review: Review of Desolation by AR DeClerck

Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes!!! Julies Book Review: Review of Desolation by AR DeClerck

There are times when a man must put aside his anger.

A teaser from Forged in Fire:

 

The former Boderian pilot was staring out the window at the purple moon when Gin found him.

"I need to know where he'd take her." Gin said without preamble. The dark-haired man turned to Gin and put his hands behind his back. He looked like a monk, Gin thought, instead of the man responsible for fourteen million deaths. He studied Gin's face for a moment before he spoke.

"There are several possibilities." He nodded to Gin, and they walked side by side. "The Prince has at least three camps off-world that he regularly visits."

"Do you have contacts? Anyone who could tell us where he is?"

The man pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Perhaps. I've already reached out to someone who may know."

Gin stopped the man in mid-step. "Why would you help us?"

Ben smiled. "I liked your wife. She's courageous and strong. The Prince is a bastard and a virus that has sickened all of Boderia. Also, you would kill me if I refused."

Gin didn't deny it, but walked in silence beside the man. He looked up when the Boderian put a hand on his arm.

"You can't hope to rescue her with this anger that clouds your judgment." Ben raised an eyebrow as he looked at Gin. "You'll get yourself killed, and your daughter will be an orphan."

Gin took a deep breath, reminding himself that the man was trying to help him. In truth, he'd had to keep a tight lid on the churning fury that filled his gut. It wanted to spill out and lay waste to everything and everyone in his path. Apparently, he wasn't hiding it as well as he thought.

"I was once as angry as you." Ben waved to the sky outside Prioni. The devastated Likyra was the dimmest celestial body in the sky. "I thought that if I could destroy the thing that had hurt me that I would feel that anger begin to dissipate. The truth is, when I destroyed the thing that had hurt me, I destroyed myself."

"How did Likyra hurt you?" Gin asked. As the philosophical seat of the galaxy, Likyra had been home to the artists, thinkers and scholars. He couldn't imagine that the peace-loving world had ever harmed Boderia.

"That's just it." Ben looked at Gin. "Likyra never harmed me at all. My family was killed on a routine scouting mission by an asteroid storm that no one could have predicted. Likyra never did a damned thing to me. By the time I'd discovered the lie, it was too late. All of Likyra was gone." Ben put a hand on Gin's arm, his face clear and serious. "Go into this mission with one goal. Save your wife. Whether or not you kill the Prince, saving her will be a win. If you go after her with a goal of destroying them all you're setting yourself up for failure."

Gin turned away and looked out the windows at the waving grass. "You're telling me that if I can get her I should cut and run. Don't stick around to kick ass."

Ben's smile was wry. "Yes, Sword Guardian, that's exactly what I was trying to say."

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-AR-DeClerck-ebook/dp/B00R3B0ZFE

 

Find out more about AR DeClerck

on facebook:  www.facebook.com/authoramydeclerck

On Twitter: www.twitter.com/@ARDeClerck

 





 

 

COVER REVEAL FOR AUTHOR

PAULINA WOODS

 

Captive Guardian

Witches Amulet #2

 

 

BLURB:

Marcus has lived his life in a small room of one type or another. Told he is only being kept alive because of the value of his seed, he has resigned himself to a life of captivity. 

Michael was born a warrior and lover. Never allowing any one male to capture his heart he quickly moves from partner to partner, living for the chase.

Forced into the same cage, Marcus and Michael find what they were not looking for; a mate.

This is book 2 in The Witches Amulet series.

 

 

GOODREADS -

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25227361-captive-guardian

 

BIO

Paulina is a small town girl with big dreams. She is the second oldest of three talented siblings.

As early as three she was directing her family around acting out whatever current story was in her head. At four between her older brother and her a whole universe was created which the younger siblings were introduced into as they were born.

Her natural ability to tell a story took her down many paths. She wrote plays, poems, small children books and short stories all before she went to high school.

When picking a career her councilor told her writing was a dying art and so she went to school for veterinarian science. Three years later she dropped out of university and went to a community college and took a journalism class. The rest is history.

In 2008 she graduated with her BA in Communication/Journalism from Cal State Fullerton.

Life got in the way but in 2013 she started a review blog and in November 2014 her first book was published.