Friday, April 30, 2021

INTERVIEW WITH MILA NICKS (Black Moon Rising)

 



Lucky us! Here we are at the end of a busy month and author Mila Nicks has made time to come chat with us. Welcome, Mila!

SC: Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.

MN: Selene Blackstone is my female protagonist. She’s a lunar witch who was once cursed to remain in a small town called Brimrock. Another part of the curse was that she would never find love or happiness. Book two opens with the curse broken and Selene able to travel for the first real time in her life. She and her boyfriend, a paranormal investigator named Aiden O’Hare, are sightseeing before their first case begins. Selene loves books and snacking. She’s a very friendly and engaging person, though she can be a bit shy. She’s still coming into her own in terms of her witchy powers, because her mother (also a witch) raised her to be afraid of them. In book two she slowly starts coming into her own.

Aiden O’Hare is my male protagonist. He’s a sarcastic, practical and prickly paranormal investigator. He met his witch girlfriend Selene when he was in town in Brimrock investigating her grandma. Book two opens with him traveling with Selene and soaking up the time off before their next case begins. Aiden is a huge book lover and tends to lead with his logic, meaning he doesn’t usually believe in the paranormal. He’s not really a people person, though he can be funny using his wit and sarcasm. He tends to be emotionally detached thanks to a cold upbringing, but he’s slowly changing thanks to his relationship with Selene.

SC: Oh, we love paranormal investigators around here. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

MN: I’m more or less undecided. I’m open to the possibility of paranormal activity being real, though I’m not certain it is. I will say I do have an experience from when I was a child. I believe I was about five or six when my mother left the living room to go do some laundry. I was sitting around watching TV and eating a snack. There was a vase on one of our shelves that randomly tipped over and shattered on the ground. Of course I was blamed, but I didn’t go anywhere near the vase. I was terrified for weeks after that, because I was convinced there was a ghost in our home.

It's more than twenty years later, and I’m not sure what caused that vase to tip over and fall. My mother was always cleaning, so it could’ve been she moved the vase to the edge of the shelf when dusting and the vase ended up tipping over later. OR my six-year-old gut instinct could’ve been correct, and it really was a ghost! I guess I’ll never know for sure. :)

SC: Maybe not, but keep your eyes open! What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

MN: I’m working on a few different projects right now. My next upcoming book is called For Vacation Only. It’s a fun vacation romance between a wealthy jilted groom and a quirky cruise ship singer. It’s a great summertime read if you’re looking for something light and fun.

Black Moon Rising
Paranormal Hunters 
Book Two
Mila Nicks

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 23 April 2021
ISBN: 
ASIN: B08L8W4YCF
Cover Artist: Red Leaf Book Design

Tagline: Dreams aren’t always so sweet

Book Description:

Philadelphia. Boston. New York City. 

Selene Blackstone is finally getting the chance to explore like she’s always dreamed. Once stuck in her hometown Brimrock, with the curse broken, she’s a free witch. Together in their trusty caravan Ghost, she and her paranormal investigator boyfriend Aiden O’Hare are traveling cross-country filming for their show, Paranormal Hunters. 

Their first case brings them to the colonial town Maresburg, Virginia, where the Mhoon Hotel is said to be one of the most haunted in the country. At the century-old hotel, guests experience nightmares so frightening they’re heart-stopping—literally. Selene and Aiden only have a couple of weeks to figure out if this case is a scammer at work, or if there’s some truth to what they say: dreams do come true. And so do nightmares. 


Black Moon Rising Excerpt 1:

“We’re here. Time to get up,” Aiden said, but Selene didn’t budge. He draped her arm over his shoulder and lifted her into his arms, carrying her down the passage leading into the hotel.

The foyer lights were already off except for the desk lamp at the reception counter. He staggered up the stairs, keeping his balance while holding a dozing Selene. He had no clue where her key card was and didn’t have the energy to stop and search. Instead, he fumbled for his own, sliding it into the slot on his door handle. The lock clicked and the door swung open. He delivered Selene to his bed, figuring she would wake up once she realized they were no longer driving.

But she didn’t. Aiden spent the next half hour showering and shaving. He emerged in his glasses, T-shirt, and pajama bottoms and discovered Selene was still deeply asleep. A frown curled itself onto his lips as he debated if he should try waking her again. He lowered himself at her side on the bed and gave her a gentle shake.

“Selene,” he said. His insides knotted with a strange premonition. “Wake up. We’re back at the hotel.”

Selene was the lightest sleeper he knew. It was what made her insomnia that much worse; the slightest noise normally woke her. She needed a perfect temperature and often even the bed itself kept her up if not comfortable enough. She wasn’t someone who fell into a deep hibernation type of sleep.

Her only answer to him was another sleepy moan. She rolled onto her side and snuggled one of the bed pillows. She really was knocked out.

“I didn’t realize she was this tired,” he said, sighing. He unzipped her boots, tugging them off, and then pulled the bed comforter over her.

He dimmed the lights and picked up his book for some bedtime reading. Before he made it to the armchair on the other side of the room, he stopped short. Outside the door there was an unmistakable whispery sound, like the soughing wind.

It only grew louder as he stood still and listened. The low whispering noise transformed into something rougher—something borderline ragged—and then it dawned on him. The sound wasn’t the wind but one of lungs, intaking a breath. Who those lungs belonged to, he hadn’t the faintest clue.

Aiden’s heart started racing and he straightened his shoulders. The sound was going nowhere, hovering outside the door. He had to check it out, investigate what was going on. In two of his long-legged strides, he crossed the room and pressed his eye to the peephole.

The hall was blanketed in darkness. Staring into the peephole was like staring at the inside of your lids. Yet, as Aiden held his eye against the hole, another strange premonition panged in his stomach. Whatever was on the other side of this door was staring back at him. It was peering into the same hole.

Gooseflesh pricked Aiden’s skin and he backed away. The ragged breathing carried on for another few seconds, an ugly sound to Aiden’s ears, before it faded. Farther and farther away it drifted until the sound died out and silence weighed in.

Aiden hurried over to his desk, grabbing the spirit box, the flashlight, and his copy of War and Peace. The spirit box and flashlight were to detect any unusual activity in the area. The thousand-plus page book was to use as a weapon if necessary. He threw a glance over his shoulder at the bed. Selene was still fast asleep, buried under the covers looking cozy and comfortable. He marched to the door and pulled it open.

Shadows ruled the hallway. Aiden stepped over the threshold, shuddering at the arctic cold in the air. He flicked on both the flashlight and spirit box, which crackled to life. Shining the flashlight down the hall, the shadows scuttled away. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The hallway looked as it always did, a stretch of oil portraits on the walls and doily-like area rugs sprinkled throughout.

The spirit box continued to crackle, its green lights weakly blinking. Aiden scanned the hall some more, his brow furrowed. If there wasn’t anything amiss, then was he imagining the sound? Maybe he was more exhausted than he realized…

He was a second away from turning back and heading into the room. The lights on the spirit box flashed bright and the crackling noise intensified. His eyes snapped to what it had picked up on and his gooseflesh only spread across his skin in a cold wave.

Black ink dribbled from the vent in the hall. It trickled down the striped wallpaper in a slow descent. He walked over and shone his flashlight onto the vent. Selene had been right all along. Whatever it was they were dealing with wasn’t human.

 

About the Author:

Mila Nicks is on a mission to pen heartfelt and entertaining love stories featuring women of color. 

When she isn’t writing diverse love stories, you can find her globetrotting, sampling new cuisines, and spending quality time with her spunky pet Chihuahua, Zayden. 

For more on Mila, including news on upcoming releases and story freebies, check out her website and subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.milanickswrites.com/










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GODDESS OF MAGIC by TAMARA HUGHES

 


On the last day of the month, we're taking a look at book three of Tamara Hughes' series Bewitching the Beast. Let's find out more about THE GODDESS OF MAGIC.
 
The Goddess of Magic
Bewitching the Beast
Book Three
Tamara Hughes

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Date of Publication: 4/28/2021
ISBN: 978-1-64716-212-2
ASIN: B08ZL6ZGG9
Number of pages: 220
Word Count: 75,000

Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

Tagline: He was supposed to keep her safe, but the beast spares no one.

Book Description:

Socialite Holly Ellison’s best friends are immersed in a fight against evil. They don’t want her involved, but she’s determined to keep them safe. Little do they know she’s the key to everyone’s survival.

Dr. Peter Rennick hears his brother’s rumblings about witches, magic, and dragon spirits possessing people’s bodies only to find out what he’s saying is true. Peter witnesses firsthand the destructive powers of the beast and demands a role in the fight.

When Peter is put in charge of Holly’s safety, the intense attraction between them is a distraction they can’t afford. They must focus on destroying the beast, a powerful spirit that has its sights set squarely on Holly.

Each book in this series can be read as a stand-alone.

Amazon US      Amazon UK     Amazon CA      Amazon AU

Excerpt:


I, Holly Ellison, am an idiot.

Grinding her teeth, Holly marched down the hospital hallway, away from the emergency room cubicle where her father was being treated for a broken arm. All this time she’d been working her butt off at her father’s art gallery, and for what? She should have seen her father’s betrayal coming. And in a sense she had. She just hadn’t wanted to believe he thought so little of her. Her throat tightened. They weren’t extremely close, but their relationship was good, wasn’t it?

Her footsteps faltered. She wasn’t being the best daughter. Only hours ago her father had fallen down the staircase in his Upper Manhattan duplex apartment. No, other than a broken arm, he was fine. Besides, he had his newest girlfriend at his side. The same girlfriend who would no doubt soon be his traveling companion. Now that he’d had his epiphany that life was too short to continue to run the Ellison Gallery.

Her blood pressure rose again. But instead of passing the reins onto her, his only daughter, the daughter who had been working for him since high school, the daughter who basically ran the gallery when he was gone, he would hire a “professional” to manage the place.

A professional. What was she? A trained monkey?

She pushed open the door to the street and braced herself for the early December nighttime chill.

Sure, she’d never gone to college, but she’d learned on the job. That had to count for something. Her father had given her an office and put her in charge of various aspects of the business. Had that merely been nepotism? His way of showing affection—a pat on the head and, once in a while, telling her she’d done a good job?

A biting wind hit her, but the cold wasn’t an issue. Not tonight. She was too hot under the collar for the icy temperature to affect her. Maybe she should walk all the way to Tess’s apartment. It might cool her off, so she sounded halfway sane when she vented to her best friend. Best friend? The one who kept secrets from her. Ugh. She should go home. A glass of low-cal wine might help just as well.

She rounded the corner of the building and came face-to-face with a . . . masked man? Holy hell! Holly turned tail but got only two steps away when she was grabbed around the waist from behind. Her heart beating so hard it might leap from her chest and pound on the guy for her, she screamed and twisted in his hold as he stuffed a silver compass into his pocket and dragged her toward a parked car.

“No! Let go!” She lost her purse in the midst of stomping on his feet, kicking his legs, elbowing him anywhere and everywhere. The few times she made contact had little effect. “Help,” she yelled as her attacker opened the car door to the back seat and shoved her inside.




About the Author:

A small town girl with a big imagination, Tamara Hughes had no idea what to do with her life. After graduating from college, she moved to a big city, started a family and a job, and still struggled to find that creative outlet she craved. An avid reader of romance, she gave writing a try and became hooked on the power of exploring characters, envisioning adventures, and creating worlds. She enjoys stories with interesting twists and heroines who have the grit to surmount any obstacle, all without losing the ability to laugh.







Goodreads: 

Amazon Author Page: 





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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

CO-VID 2020 by MIKE SCANTLEBURY

 





Co-Vid 2020
Amelia Hartliss Mysteries
Book Twenty One
Mike Scantlebury

Genre:  Crime Fiction mystery thriller
Publisher: Draft2Digital.com
Date of Publication:  27th August 2020
ISBN:  9781393529453
ASIN:  B08SVPGY8K
Number of pages:  88
Word Count:   26588
Cover Artist:  Mike Ather

Tagline:  “It’s the biggest buried treasure in North West England. Who wants it?”

Book Description:  

Melia is facing yet another change of boss. Somehow the government doesn't seem happy unless they're shaking up British Security Services and making the agents uncomfortable and insecure. Captain Gibson isn't around. Some say he has been sent for 're-education'. Meanwhile, a jumped-up little idiot from London has been sent up north to Salford to show the natives how to do stuff. So far, according to all reports, he has been a miserable failure.

Meanwhile, an older woman from Melia's past, Jan Branch, re-appears after many years away. Jan's mother has died and she is there to clear her old house and tidy up loose ends.

Unfortunately, she is not the same person she was when she left town. Where she lives now, in the East Indies, they call her the 'Gun-running Granny', for that is her new profession. She hadn't planned on staying long back in England, but two things delay her departure. One, there is an Arms Fair in the city and she sees an opportunity to do some deals and make some money. Second, she hears that a successful property developer, Jimmy Batter, has amassed a fortune which he intends to divide amongst his ungrateful family. Unluckily for them, the 'Treasure' is hidden, and although various relatives are falling over themselves to find the money, Jan thinks she has a much better chance than most. After all, she used to be a film-maker, and captured Old Jim on video, back in the day. Those films, made by the group known as 'Co-operative Videographers', maybe provide all the clues necessary to unearth the fortune.

Melia might care, but she has other things to do. After the trauma of the last few months, a holiday in Spain led to a liaison with a young man who wants to save an unfairly imprisoned journalist. Melia is eager to help, and for one reason only - she is in love. She doesn't want anyone to know, but John Lewis has stolen her heart. She would do anything for him, and before long, we find out exactly what that is.


Amazon


Excerpt

Jan Branch stared at this greasy little man. Him? Him? Surely he wasn't capable of murder! Bim Turkay?

"Me," Bim said, just so there was no misunderstanding. "I was offered the job, and I took it. I was handed a pre-prepared file, photos and everything. I am now an assassin. It fits in well. I’m here in Manchester for the Arms Fair, so it’s like killing two birds with one stone."

Jan Branch was dumbfounded. She liked Melia. She couldn't imagine anyone would want her dead. And yet this little weasel had promised to do it –

Then Bim Turkay said something even stranger, confounding her completely.

He said: "I'm sure you're good for ten grand, Jan. You want to chip in to the pot? I'm sure you hate Ms Hartliss as much as the rest of them."

Why? Jan demanded. What on earth would make you think that?

"Well, she did kill your husband."

Jan blanched. That was never proved! she wanted to say.

Of course, she knew nothing for certain. She'd packed her bags and left the country before it happened. She heard - from old neighbours, keeping in touch - that Mark had been accused of murdering someone at the Irwell Arts Centre, down on Salford Quays, opposite the BBC complex. There had been several unexplained deaths, she was told, and Melia had been around at the time, looking into some other mystery.

Completely coincidentally, she had been with him that dark night, up on the roof of the Arts Centre, when he went over the edge and plunged to his death. But, so what - what happened? Was Bim saying he might have been pushed? By Melia?
That sounded completely unbelievable!

Bim went on: "Well, I can't speak for you, of course, but I've been assured that his first wife hates Melia too. Oh, and her God-daughter. They don't have the money to join the Consortium and pay for this job, but they've been told about the plan, and offered their approval, apparently."

Jan couldn't think what to say.

His first wife? She never discussed that bitch!

As for 'hating' Melia - No, she might resent her a little. Melia had been a bit standoffish, over the years. They weren't really 'close friends', but -
Bim had only one more thing to say.

"Look, Jan, I've been honest with you. So, tell me, now you know what my contract is asking me to do, you want to stop me? Do you want to pay me to NOT do it?"
Jan Branch was floundering.

She supposed that if she'd known about this little 'plan' earlier, she might have had a chance to develop some sort of point of view about it, maybe some opinion. But, having it all sprung on her like this - she wasn't really sure what she thought.
The only thing she was certain about was that this latest news only made her despise Bim Turkay more than before.

No, she wouldn't be contributing to the consortium’s fund, purely because of that. She didn't like the man, and wanted distance from him.
But he couldn't let it alone.

"After all," he said, "we both know we've done similar things in the recent past."

She gasped. He was going to bring that up?

He was untrustworthy!

Sure, the Arms business was no ice-cream stall. There had been plenty of threats, rivalries and outright promises of retribution. Sometimes Jan Branch had been forced to act before someone acted against her. But she hadn't killed anyone!

Not directly. Not with her own hands.

"When are you planning - " she started.

"Oh, not immediately," Bim assured her. "I have another 'Mission'. Something personal. A private little obsession of my own to take care of."
Jan noticed, for the first time, that he was holding a plastic carrier bag, down by his side. He lifted it now, and let her peek inside.

It was half-full of hand grenades.

"I need to get down to Irlam," he said. "Time is wasting, and I need to get started."

Jan Branch nodded, no longer surprised by anything the man said.

Except - that would make it 'three birds', she was thinking.



About the Author:

What can you say about Mike Scantlebury -that isn't taught in schools already

Well, he says he was born in absentia (the small town on the Bay of Biscay), beside the dock of the bay, but moved to England when  young, and not yet able to navigate astutely. His family settled in the West Country of England, near a cross cultural crossroads called Temple Cheney, where his father became a map maker and mushroom farmer.

When the borders were changed in the 1980s, and old maps became outdated and invalid, Mike packed a service record and moved to an apartment in the nearby city of Bristol. This is where he first got involved in folking, flaking and faking. Later, he became disenchanted and moved to the other extreme, the North West of England, where he encountered education.

One of the books he read was by Raymond Chandler. It started him off in an exploration of Private Eye fiction, (which he doesn’t do), Police Procedural and cosy mysteries, (which he can’t write), and romances set in exotic parts of the world like Los Angeles. When Mike met the lost angels of Manchester he decide to set his novels around that area, using their stories as a bedrock. His action adventures have never strayed far from the North West of England, but then, what happens there today, happens elsewhere tomorrow, as they have always said.

Website:  http://www.Salford.me

Twitter:  https://Twitter.com/MikeScantlebury

Facebook:  https://www.Facebook.com/mikescantlebury99/

Blog:  http://www.mikescantlebury.blogspot.com/

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5404567.Mike_Scantlebury

YouTube:

 https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UChNCqTPL_K8u7wGBTGNw-0A/playlists


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Sunday, April 25, 2021

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INTERVIEW WITH R.L. McINTYRE (The Trial of a Tyrant)

 



We'd like to welcome author R.L. McIntyre here today. Grab a cup of tea and come join us!

SC: Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.

My main character is Serena Nightshade, an Acreage Assassin orphaned during the conquering of Acreage by the Templarians. Serena excels at being an assassin. She’s the best assassin in all of Acreage known as the Death Sparrow. However, she’s stuck between the world she’s always known and the new one offered to her. One where she can choose who she wants to be, but to do gain it she’ll have to face her own secrets and help dethrone the King. Her biggest secret, that magic runs in her veins can change everything.

My other two main characters are Daryl Merriweather, Heir Prince to the combined throne of Templaria and Acreage, and Wesley Trylo, Captain of the Royal Guards, and son of the King’s General. These two have been best friends since they were young, and both suffered through similar childhoods devoid of mothers and with tyrannical fathers. Daryl is a timid Prince hiding from his father’s wrath but to save both lands he must find the strength to not only dethrone his father but execute him and take the throne. Wesley is a tragic protector. He has spent his life protecting Daryl from harm both within the palace and without. This has left him to suffer much and trust little, but Serena’s presence changes his perception. The lies he’s told himself, the self-doubt that plagues him, and the guilt he harbors for actions he did to survive threaten to crush him. Especially, if he can’t reveal his own secret before others find out. He isn’t the hero he pretends to be.

 

2. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

Yes. I totally do. I lived on a college campus that was haunted. There were plenty of strange cold spots, lights going on and off with no one in a room, and the occasional slammed door. My friends and I sometimes even went ghost hunting on campus and spoke to school workers who had plenty of strange stories about the buildings like the hand dryers going off when no one was in the bathroom and the feeling of being watched. There of course like on any college campuses there were tons of urban legends about ghosts specifically about a reflection pool.

 

3. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Besides working towards finishing this series with books three and four releasing around June and August respectively, my latest project is a historical fantasy. It’s an Irish myth retelling that also blends historical events like the Roman invasion of Caledonia (modern day Scotland). At the moment that’s all I’m going to share but the hope is to be ready release in fall of this year, fingers crossed. Maybe even some more announcements about it dropping during the summer.

The Trial of a Tyrant
The Assassin of Acreage 
Book Two
R. L. McIntyre

Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Indie publishing on KDP
Date of Publication: 4/24/2021
ISBN: 978-1-7365182-3-6
ASIN: B08WX7TYJ1
Number of pages: 370
Word Count: ~ 90,0000
Cover Artist: Getcovers

Tagline: Nothing cuts deeper than the truth.

Book Description:

Putting a tyrant on trial could cost everything.

Serena, the great Death Sparrow, saw the sacrifices made at Bathon. She knows to dethrone the Tyrant King would require more than even she is willing to give. The only advantage Serena has left is her magic. As she begins to explore this part of herself, the ever-watchful gaze of the General follows her. He knows that his son Wesley, and her are involved, and relishes in this new game of cat and mouse. It isn’t just Serena who is ready to do anything for her friends. Wesley will risk the same to see his father stays far away from Serena, but he cannot stop the King alone. Together they must keep nine lords alive during the trial or risk the gallows ending everything.

Serena vows to do the unthinkable at every turn. Bow before the Tyrant and his General, play the role of a court Lady and use her magic in secret to give them a fighting chance. However, in this game of secrets, it isn’t only the King’s that are under scrutiny.

The Shadow Heir is coming, and he knows everything about the Death Sparrow and her friends, including her magic. 



Excerpt

Serena scowled as she worked on Wesley’s tattered back. The General’s hand, his father’s hand, was crueler than even she realized. He was in considerable pain but hissed through his breaths with controlled ease. Her anger rattled her breaths as she grabbed the nearby bandages.

“Sit up,” she ordered.

Wesley sat up on the bed turning to face her. He removed the remains of his shirt leaving her face to face with his naked chest. Several white scars decorated it, but her eyes rested on the well-formed mountains he had for muscles. His abs were perfect. His whole body reminded her of a warrior God. A blush grew on her cheeks as she remembered feeling his muscles through his shirt, but now she could see them without interference. She sucked in a breath, trying to focus on the task while her eyes wandered every inch of him.

A smirk crossed Wesley’s face. He gently grabbed her hand, pulling her closer.

“Do you like what you see?” He held her hand against his chest. She could feel his muscles shift with his every breath. It ignited a warmth in her stomach she tried to control.
Her face flushed, and she pulled back steadying her breaths. “Stop distracting me,” she said, unrolling the bandage and holding it to his chest as she reached around him to wrap his back. He placed his hand over hers. The warmth of the touch drew her eyes to his. The look in them held her still. Without words she could feel his every thought. The blush on her cheeks grew as the fire in her stomached grew even hotter.

“Stop,” she breathed.

“Are you sure you want me to?”

Serena took a deep breath that filled her nose with myrrh. She nearly whimpered at how it only seemed to make things worse but still she pulled her hand away. She focused on the bandages. The soft, cold bandages. The feel of his naked body against her arms continued to fluster her. His breaths seemed to pull her closer as she tried to finish quickly. Wesley grabbed her waist and pulled her tight. She tripped into him, her momentum almost knocking him onto his back. He chuckled, holding her close as his arms wrapped around her. She glared down at him, while a playful grin covered his face as he looked up at her.

“I fear I am a distraction.” He smirked. Daryl left the room as she bent her head down towards his, so her lips hovered above Wesley’s. There was a hunger in his eyes. She felt it too, but she refused to let him know so easily.

“I may be distracted,” she said, letting her eyes drop to his lips before gently licking her own. He edged up towards her. “but it isn’t enough for me to lose focus.” She pushed him back a smirk gleaming on her lips as she returned to the bandages. Wesley sat stiffly, almost pouting as she finished. His eyes carefully watched her ever move. She began to wash her hands in the basin when he bolted up behind her and snatched her waist. She yelled out, his warmth and presence keeping her assassin instincts at bay as he spun her, pinning her between the pole of his bedframe and him.

“You’re finished now. So, stop teasing and kiss me,”

“Is that an order?”

“We both know I cannot order you to do anything.”

She smirked and leaned up to him. His lips laid on hers. A gentle kiss that filled her with a warmth that chased away the darkness that suffocated her heart. He kissed her harder, igniting the hunger she barely kept at bay. He pulled her waist tight, drawing her even closer to him. She gasped at the sensation, continuing their kiss as she moved her hands to his neck and cheek. She carefully avoided his back as she tried to feel as close to him as possible. Her hands wandered as his possessively held her still.

“Can you please not,” said a voice. She looked at the door, lust heavy in her eyes as she saw Sam. Her stomach dropped as she understood what he just saw.

“Sam-”

“I know you chose him; I’d just not like to see it. Now I was here on business, not pleasure like some people.” He said coldly.

“Sam, that isn’t what-” she started feeling the pain that was in his eyes. It felt like tiny shards of glass piercing her skin.

“Enough, Serena!” he snapped angrily. “I don’t have anything to say to you.” She flinched at those words. The pain quickly turned to anger as she moved past Wesley to Sam. He would not talk to her like that. Of all people he knew better.

She shoved him back into the parlor. He stumbled catching himself before he fell.

“Don’t disrespect your better. You want to keep things all about business. Fine, then remember who is above you, Viper.” She growled. He glared back at her.

“Fine Sparrow, but I wasn’t here to talk to you. So, if you don’t mind.” He growled, turning to Wesley.

“What do you want?” Wesley asked, an edge of annoyance in his voice. She wasn’t sure who he was annoyed at.

Sam looked at Wesley’s bandages and scoffed. “I’ve figured out how I can help. I want you to add me to your guards. Once I’m in, I can get into the King’s personal guard. I’ll earn his trust.”

“Can I trust you to not stab me in the back?”

Sam let out a cynical laugh. Serena felt more on edge with that laugh. Her muscles primed for an attack.

“Trust? Is that how you convinced her? I don’t need you to trust me. I can do this without your help if I want, but we all decided on a plan. I just need you to work with me. I’ll repay the favor.”

“That doesn’t answer the question,”

“You truly do not understand assassins.” He looked at Serena a look of mockery on his face. “We do what we must for our own gains. Why she stands by your side is as perplexing as why the moon shines when the sun is out. It is useless.” Sam stepped closer to Wesley who stood stiffly glaring at him. “Do you see yourself holding onto the things you want without my help? A few months from now summer will be in full swing. It will be the perfect time for an invasion, especially since Acreage won’t be sweltering hot like the Samorians are used to. Can you really refuse me?” His eyebrows raised to match his smirk.

“Viper,” Serena warned. Sam rolled his eyes and looked at her.

“I won’t hurt your toy. I refer to your station as long as you keep it, but the moment you lose it I won’t,” he warned.

She took a deep breath, knowing what he meant. If Gwayne heard of her relationship with Wesley, she’d lose her standing in the assassins. Gwayne would destroy her. If Sam didn’t attack her first. Looking at him, she wasn’t sure if he was still her ally or just a convenient blade hired out of necessity. When the necessity ended, was he willing to turn against her? Seeing the pain and anger in his eyes. She knew the answer was yes. So, she needed to make sure he still needed her regardless or she would suffer the fallout.

“You should remember if you want your name cleared you need me.” she retorted.

“Then perhaps when we no longer need each other, I can sever the heart you’ve so enjoyed stabbing.” She felt the pain in her own heart as if he stabbed hers. She held it back. “I expect to be added to the guard’s tomorrow. Be sure it’s done,”

He left the room falling into silence. Serena stood still a few moments calming herself. She still cared for Sam. They grew up together. He was her first everything. His pain was her pain. For so long pain and love had been the thread connecting them. For their history to stop controlling her future she could have to sever their bond, but not until it was safe.

“I should get back to Helen’s. We all have work to do.”

“I’ll walk with you,” Wesley said, throwing on a new white shirt. She looked over at him and sighed.

“I’m fine. I want to walk alone. I want to think.”

Wesley watched her walk to the door.

“Make sure to rest,” she said as she opened the door. Wesley closed the distance between and pressed the door shut. His body nearly draped over hers as she stood looking at the door.

“Serena,” His hot breath caught in the collar of her shirt sending shivers down her spine.

“I should go.”

“I don’t want you to.”

Her knees felt weak hearing those words. She inhaled deeply the scent of myrrh reminding her he was behind her. Not that she could forget. His heat was suffocating, and she didn’t care that her lungs refused to work.

She wanted to be lost with him. Lost from the world full of problems she needed to fix.

“Serena-”

“Stop.” She said forcing herself to think and not give in. Her body and heart roared against her mind. They refused to be ignored but staying would make everything more dangerous. The General could find out. That thought alone warned her that this was not the time to forget what must be done.

“Not tonight.” Her voice nearly wavered. “There is work to be done, and if I stay...” She couldn’t finish the sentence. She opened the door and Wesley stepped back letting her walk alone into the halls. Serena focused. There was no time for distractions.



About the Author: 

R. L. McIntyre is a new fantasy YA/NA writer, from the Philadelphia area, who debuted February 27th, 2021. She is a fan of all things medieval which includes her own personal sword collection. She strives to write complex and realistic characters using her knowledge of psychology. When not curled up with a book and her fur babies you’ll likely find her out on an adventure looking for her next big inspiration.








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