Friday, December 30, 2016

Regeneration Cover Reveal

Today I'm happy to take part in the cover reveal blitz for Louise Lyon's new eBook, Regeneration! Make sure you put Regeneration on your TBR list or pre-order your copy with the links below.


Release date: January 15, 2017
Genre: Gay fiction, science fiction, MM romance
Length: 75,000 words
Cover design: Simon Searle

Blurb
In the 23rd Century in the galaxy of Sigma Kappa, Kim Fortune was the first surviving experimental enhanced human—a regenerate. Aged fifteen, he escaped the lab and years later, his failings as a regenerate and the suspicion of regular humans, leave him lonely and lacking in self-worth. Stranded on an abandoned planet, the arrival of a stricken ship and its crew give him hope that he may finally find what he always longed for—love.
Christian Novak is a successful regenerate with all the intended attributes—including lack of human emotion. Despite their immediate attraction to each other, Kim's failing confidence, and Christian's inability to empathize are a recipe for disaster. But war, imprisonment, and danger throw them together, and after each saves the other's life, their feelings begin to change.
Can a seemingly unsuitable pair ever find love, or is a future together destined to fail?

Pre-Order Links



Author Bio
Louise Lyons comes from a family of writers. Her mother has a number of poems published in poetry anthologies, her aunt wrote poems for the church, and her grandmother sparked her inspiration with tales of fantasy.
Louise first ventured into writing short stories at the grand old age of eight, mostly about little girls and ponies. She branched into romance in her teens, and MM romance a few years later, but none of her work saw the light of day until she discovered FanFiction in her late twenties. Posting stories based on some of her favourite movies, provoked a surprisingly positive response from readers. This gave Louise the confidence to submit some of her work to publishers, and made her take her writing "hobby" more seriously.
Louise lives in the UK, about an hour north of London, with a mad dog called Casper, collection of tropical fish and tarantulas. She works in the insurance industry by day, and spends every spare minute writing. She is a keen horse-rider, and loves to run long-distance. Some of her best writing inspiration comes to her, when her feet are pounding the open road. She often races home afterward, and grabs pen and paper to make notes.
Louise has always been a bit of a tomboy, and one of her other great loves is cars and motorcycles. Her car and bike are her pride and job, and she loves to exhibit the car at shows, and take off for long days out on the bike, with no one for company but herself.

Social Media
Email: louiselyons013@gmail.com




Wednesday, December 28, 2016

All Romance eBook BS!!



I'm sure most of you are aware of the total BS that All Romance eBook has pulled on authors and readers. I'm outraged on both ends, and for so many authors who are far more affected than I am. I have pulled down all of my self-published titles, though my Dreamspinner titles may still be available. I would ask you don't buy them though. Go to Dreamspinner, which is still having a 30% off sale.

For now, and the foreseeable future, my self-published titles will be available through Amazon and Smashwords, as well as the sale sites Smashwords distributes to, such as Barnes & Noble.


Wednesday Briefs: Mine! Chapter 33


Did you have a good Christmas? I did! Here's another present I hope you'll enjoy, this week's flash update!

Chapter 33


Kraig’s insight sent the alphas into an uproar. They spoke over each other, everything from denying the possibility to declaring it a reason to hunt down and eradicate everyone involved. I let them get it out of their system before I spoke up.

“You’ve seen the evidence I’ve presented.” I pushed my chair back and stood. “My streak has born the burden of this discovery, but and the ongoing conspiracy against all werekin. We know, from my mate, that those who set this in motion will harm those innocent and unwilling to further their cause. I call upon the alphas attending this counsel to authorize an investigation with the full weight of all our power behind it.

“They’ve had years to prepare, and we have far less time to prevent a catastrophe of such proportions we might risk humans learning about our kind. An all-out war would do just that.” I knew that fear; all werekin were raised to know the danger humans learning about paranormal beings could wreak on the secret societies hidden among them. It was our cardinal rule, the one never to be broken. “We must stop this before more people are hurt.”

I met each alpha’s gaze, letting them see my conviction and dedication. I may have been young, but I was my father’s son, his heir, and he’d prepared me well to wield the power of my position. “What say you?”

Those calling for extermination quickly stood. They were convinced, but it wasn’t enough. I looked to Durant who was frowning as he stared at the table. His eyes were troubled when he looked up. “I fear that this hunting down of our own people may be the undoing of our society.”

“That’s already begun. And we have no one to blame but the alphas of the clans who’ve showed so little disregard to their own members. There’s no other way to protect ourselves.”

Durant sighed. “I fear you’re right.” He slowly stood, and the alphas still undecided followed him one by one.

“Thank you.” I sat and the rest of the alphas followed suit. “As my beta is the most familiar with the case, I believe he would be best to lead the investigation.”

Valon protested, “He is too young, and his father was the traitor. What if he—”

Park’s snarl was drowned out by mine and Kraig’s. I cast a warning look at Park, and he subsided, but there was no quelling my mate. Kraig leaned forward over the table, his claws scraping grooves in the lacquered surface. He snarled again. “Don’t you dare impugn my brother’s name or my alpha’s power. My father might have been a traitor, but do you really think Deke would allow any risk to his power, much less his streak?” He sneered as he raked Valon and the other alphas who dared try to stare him down with an equal challenge. “If you do, you’re a fool.”

I squeezed Kraig’s leg and then rubbed it to calm him down. He lifted his hands, seeming to just notice the damage to the table. He glanced at me, and I gave him a reassuring nod.

“My tie to the members of my clan have never been tighter. I know where the risk lies, and it is no longer inside my borders. I would like Park to lead the investigation, but Ritch was the only one who met the doctor. He may have met other werekin who were involved, even if he didn’t know it. Since Trein has proved himself unwilling to assist with a member of his clan, I would request that Ritch fulfill that role.”

This time the murmurs around the table were muted, with more than a few glances sent Kraig’s way. I could scent fear, wariness, and a distinct bitter odor coming from my mate.

Hate.



It took another hour, but the investigation team was declared. It was decided each alpha would imbue their chosen representative with their power and authority, and they would meet back here and report to Park within two days.

The uneasy truce between us sizzled with the power not even the most experienced alphas could contain for long in the presence of so many others. My tiger soul was restless, needing them off his territory. I was happy when they didn’t linger.

“Let’s go sit down,” Kraig suggested after I closed the door behind the last beta.

Lydia bustled in the kitchen and brought out drinks and food, her not-so-subtle looks at Kraig making it clear who she was trying to feed. He took a second sandwich as soon as he finished his first one.

“Thank you, Lydia. I think that’s just what we needed.” I was calmer now, and exhaustion dragged at me.

Park was sitting next to Ritch on the couch while Kraig took up residence in my lap. His presence soothed me further. Still…

“You’ll find out who is behind this and bring stop them. I know you will. I wish I could go with you though.” Losing my dad had been hard, but taking up the mantle of power was harder. I wanted to hunt down those bastards and gut them like I had the doctor who hurt Kraig. But I couldn’t. I had to stay to lead my streak and protect my mate.

“I won’t stop until I do.”

Ritch, still uneasy in my presence, actually met my eyes for the first time that day. “I will too. They left me all alone in this world, killed my family. They need to pay, and it’s the least I can do for you protecting me from Trein.”

“You’re not alone,” Park said. He squeezed Ritch’s leg just above his knee, then patted it. “You have us now. You heard what Deke said to your former alpha. You’re welcome here.”

Kraig turned in my arms and rubbed his cheek against my neck. “I’m full. Can we go lay down?”

TBC

Want more to read?

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Christmas Present!

How about a Christmas Eve present from Dreamspinner Press? I do so love a good sale!

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/alicia-nordwell-571-a

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Celebrating 5 Years for The Novel Approach!

http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/category/uncategorized/5-year-blogiversary/

The Novel Approach is celebrating their 5 Year Blogiversary!! I am taking part in the celebration by featuring my newest eBook release, Disastertastic. Head over, check out my post, and enter for your chance to win an eBook copy for yourself (or to gift to someone else if you already have it).

http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/category/uncategorized/5-year-blogiversary/






Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Wednesday Briefs: Mine! Chapter 32


Another week, another flash! This week's update was inspired by the prompt, "Who died and made you boss." Does someone die? o.0


Chapter 32


“An army of feral human werekin?” Alpha Trein snorted. “Ridiculous. This is why you called us all here?”

“You were informed of the basics when I called for the counsel. You have copies of the information we’ve discovered.” I leaned forward and glared at Trein, the sanctimonious ass, and growled. “You’ve heard everything we said, and you still doubt the threat? You’re a fool.”

I’d had it up to here with the older alphas who sneered down on anyone younger than them. I held far more power than many of them, which is probably why we’d become the target of the human werekin who had Kraig kidnapped, and why the doctor continued to target us when their original experiment failed.

“This could be a few discontented individuals,” Durant said in a neutral voice.

“It could be far more than that too.” I spread my hands. “There’s no way to know. They’re not in any one territory… and worse, we don’t even know who they are, or could be, because so many of the human werekin are relegated to second-class citizens in our culture. They may be the face of the clans to the humans, but among our own kind, they are kept in the shadows. Why? Because idiots feel there’s some sort of shame they should feel for being born the way they are.”

“He wasn’t born that way at all. Your mate”—Trein curled his lip—“should never have been allowed to live. It’s not natural. He’s not a bonded werekin and the mixture of two souls is abomination.”

Kraig flinched beside me, and I barely restrained myself from leaping over the table and attacking that smug face. “Kraig was a victim! But he is my mate, and you will treat him with the respect that deserves or I will have my beta expel you from this meeting and my territory.”

Park looked all too eager, his fangs bared as he stood by the chairs lined along the wall, hovering close to Ritch.

“We all know why you’re here, and it has nothing to do with my mate or the attack that could be coming. You’ve seen the body of my clan member, you’ve met his wife. She’s alive, yet he is very dead. That, if nothing else, should convince everyone here what we’re facing is no shadow and a very real danger. A bonded werekin’s soul has been stripped from his body and given to someone else.

“If it could happen to him, it could happen to anyone. We need to bring all the human werekin together and talk to them all. Hidebound tradition and blind bigotry”—I cast my glare wide, knowing more than one of the alphas at this table didn’t share the progressive attitude my father had taught me—“have put us here. Everyone born into our clan deserves a chance to make a life for themselves. We need to change our ways.”

“Who died and left you boss?” Price snarled.

“My father.”

Some of the other clans who had agreed with my dad had also eased the restrictions on their human werekin and began to expand their businesses into the human world. The widening territory and additional income the individuals, and clan as a whole, was also apparent. Ritch had told us exactly how hard it was for the members of his old clan to survive the harsh winters that could come, much less acquire luxury items or advanced schooling.

“Besides, we all know why you’re here,” I said. “It has nothing to do with the doctor and his experiments, and everything to do with Ritch being sold to another you by his alpha, who it seems didn’t see fit to come today. They cast him out of his herd, and he refused to accept your claim. I would be more than willing to allow him to live here with my streak, though. He has proved himself, sharing everything he knew to help us learn about this threat.”

“A human werekin cannot just leave their group and join another.” Trein stood up, snarling. “He belongs to my streak, not yours.”

“And yet he was never made a part of your clan. You claimed him, kept him captive, but you never made him one of you or your mate. You have no legal claim to him, and as a cast out werekin, he can petition any clan to take him in. He came to me,” I hissed. He’d come to Park, not me, but as my beta that was the same thing. “So now he’s ours.”

Ritch shuddered, and Park put a hand on his shoulder. My tiger soul was live inside me, furioius at the challenge and ready to take over. If Trein didn’t stand down….

“You’ll regret this,” Trein blustered. “And the rest of you are idiots if you listen to this kit.” He stormed out of the room, and Park waved at the guard who looked inside the open doors. He quickly followed the retreating alpha.

Kraig put his hand on mine, and I stretched my fingers, which ached from being fisted as I confronted Trein. “If any of you believe I’m some nervous kit, and that this isn’t a threat facing us all, then leave now. I only hope that your territory isn’t going to be struck next, and your people won’t be killed and stripped of their souls.”

Price looked skeptical but he didn’t stand up, and neither did the other alphas who were unconvinced. I nodded at the remaining guard to shut the doors. “There just aren’t that many human werekin. Even if they were all changed, that’s a few per clan.”

Kraig leaned forward. “The doctor found a way—even if he didn’t mean to—of bonding two animal souls to a human werekin. What if they found a way to bond a werekin soul to a human?”

TBC
Nope. No one's dead, but I but there are a few Deke would like to kill.

Want more flash? Check out these other updates:

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

eBook Review: Claimed Beauty - The Cubi Book 2

Today I'm happy to feature Meraki P. Lyhne's newest eBook, Claimed Beauty, Book 2 in The Cubi series.

Genre: Paranormal
Length:
Blurb: Daniel was an Untouchable destined to be trained as a companion to a high ranking Cubus. A red-eyed Incubus screwed all that up at a dinner party, and Daniel is now a confused Changeling with a libido far exceeding anything he could ever have dreamed off.

Seldon failed in keeping the Untouchable under his care safe, and he accidentally dosed the too young human. His worst fears came to pass when Daniel turned out to be a Changeling, and Seldon now has to face the Cubi justice for turning someone so young.

Luckily, Seldon has a powerful friend at his side—one who also has an eye for the young beauty.




My Review

Claimed Beauty follows immediately after the first book in the series, Untouchable Beauty. Both books showcase the incredibly ancient and rich world of the Cubi, succubi and incubi who depend on sexual energy for nourishment. The first book is a rather harsh look at how the Cubi manage to keep themselves fed, and it was almost uncomfortable to read which is mostly due to the difficulty the main character, Daniel, had adjusting to his new status.

With Claimed Beauty the world the Cubi is further shared because Daniel is no longer an Untouchable... exactly. With the tension of the ending of book one, I was in dread of what was going to happen to the other main character, Seldon. I can say I was extremely happy with how the storyline flows, though I won't say anymore about the plot for fear of ruining it for new readers.

The sex scenes were graphic, plentiful, and HOT. There's a fine line between an erotic romance and porn thinly veiled as plot, but Claimed Beauty stayed firmly on the right side to balance out the need for sex based on the Cubi's need for nourishment with the extra plot events. Another thing that amazes me is that the whole timeline is extremely short, even though the eBook is quite long. Yet it doesn't feel overly-detailed.

There's a twist in the story toward the end that I was pretty sure was coming, but I loved the characters' reactions to the surprise. It also sets up even more to learn about the Cubi culture and Daniel's new life if there's a book three. (I really hope there's a book 3!)

Claimed Beauty is a sexy, exciting story that kept me up too late, awake too early, and made me far too willing to ignore the rest of my daily life until I finished it. So go buy your copy today, but make sure you have plenty of free time to read it!

Buy it for yourself!
Amazon

All Romance eBooks

Add it to your Goodreads shelf


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Featuring Pushing Back Oblivion with Dreamspinner's Anthology: Love Wins


http://www.prismbookalliance.com/

Today I have a guest post over at Prism Book Alliance. My post is a prequel scene to my short story, Pushing Back Oblivion, that's part of Dreamspinner Press's Love Wins anthology. All stories in this eBook were donated, and all proceeds will go to helping the survivors and families victimized by the attack at Pulse. Don't wait, pick up your copy now!!

Fighting a rapidly growing brain tumor, Cohen promises his partner, Jaime, that he’ll never give up. Through surgeries and setbacks, at times that promise and Jaime’s voice are all Cohen has to cling to.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Featured eBook: This Wish Tonight Anthology



Today I'm happy to feature my review and an exclusive excerpt for This Wish Tonight, a holiday anthology by J. Scott Coatsworth, Gregory L. Norris, and Wendy Rathbone.



This Wish Tonight


Publisher: Mischief Corner Books
Authors: Gregory L. Norris, J. Scott Coatsworth & Wendy Rathbone
Cover Artist: Freddy MacKay
Length: 40.8k, 228 pages
Format: eBook, Paperback
Release Date: 12/14/16
Pairing: MM
Price: 4.99, 10.99
Genres: mm romance, holiday, Christmas, gay science fiction, gay contemporary

Blurbs:
Warmth, family, good cheer? Not everyone associates these things with the winter holidays. For some, it’s a time of longing and reflection. Mischief Corner Books invites authors to create stories set during the holiday season and centered on the fulfillment of a wish or desire.

Fear of Fire by Gregory L. Norris
Glass Artist Lucius Price works desperately to create a holiday symbol intended to help the town of Villatopia heal from a rash of unsolved hate crimes against gay men. When he is targeted next and his studio set ablaze, handsome firefighter Oscar Ramos rescues Lucius from the flames, creating a different kind of fire during an unforgettable Christmas.

Wonderland by J. Scott Coatsworth
Zeke is a loner his late forties, living in a small cabin in rural Montana. Nathan has been traveling across country on foot since the zombie apocalypse, dealing with his OCD in an empty world.  Zeke just wants someone to love. Nathan just wants to be home again.

Fate brings them together in a winter wonderland, but their own fears and baggage may tear them apart.

Is there still hope for love at Christmas, at the end of the world?

Eve of the Great Frost by Wendy Rathbone
Remi has prepared for over a year to be the king’s gift at the annual celebration of the Eve of the Great Frost on the planet Niobe. Twelve men, taught under the tutelage of the Pleasure Master, hope to be the one (or one of several) chosen to spend an erotic night with the mysterious alien king who always wears a mask. But when Remi’s turn comes to be presented to His Majesty, everything goes wrong from a costume malfunction to breaking protocol. What happens next is a shock, and a night he will never forget

My Review:
Wonderland: Okay, so you have me with post-apocalyptic! That's all I needed to know to rub my hands together and settle in to read this story with relish. It made me laugh when it was a winter storm trapping the main characters, because I was trapped at home by an ice storm. The best part of this story is that there was realism from the lack of food, to the personal grooming, to the struggle to keep some semblance of normalcy by both Nathan and Zeke. But then there's a wrench thrown into the works... Andy. Who is he? What role does he play? I won't give that away, but I found that a very interesting twist in the story, and I really hope that we learn more about Zeke and Nathan down the road. This story didn't have a strong Christmas theme, but I liked the sweetness it did bring into their lives at the end.

Eye of the Great Frost: This story was a mix of fantasy and science fiction. The vast majority of the story feels like you're in the distant past, but it's actually a world with a people who hadn't quite progressed as far as they should. The symbolism of their mystical culture, especially during the presentation on their holy day, is vivid and fully-realized even with how short the story was. I found the science fiction aspect to be far more vague beyond explaining some of the backstory of Shin, the king, and giving us an idea of where Shin and Remi end their story after 'The End', and most of that came from Remi's voice as the 'narrator' of the story. With length constraints, that was a good vehicle to share information with readers when it couldn't be shown.

Fear of Fire: This story had a strong and beautiful Christmas theme. I also really enjoyed the technical aspects when we see the main character, Lucius, working the glass. I could tell the author either had firsthand experience or did the research to bring that part of the story to life. I also loved the visual of the Tree of Tolerance and the idea of the interlocking glass pieces topped off with a beautiful star. The overall plot and the characterizations were done well, and I liked there was an external conflict. What I didn't like was the constant use of epithets. "The artist" and "the fireman", or variations of those, were used so many times it got tedious. People just don't think of themselves and others by descriptions all the time, nor do they tend to be so... lyrical during sex. Probably the biggest push out of the story was the lack of medical realism during the two scenes where injuries were possible. I don't want to give everything away by being more explicit, but I really wish that aspect had been more believable.  



Exclusive Excerpt from Wonderland:
Knock, knock, knock.
Zeke looked up, perplexed. He hadn't heard a knock on his door in years, even before the plague—part of that whole loner thing, he was sure. It was probably just one of the trees banging its branches against the cabin.
After a moment, he went back to the book. Now, where was I?
Knock, knock.
It had been very distinct that time. He set the book and his wine glass down and sprang toward the front door. He pulled the door open, certain there would be no one there.
There was a low moan, barely audible above the wind.
He looked down, and it took a moment for his brain to sort out what he saw there.
"Jesus Christ!" It was the prostrate form of a man—or a woman? It was impossible to tell. They lay facedown in the snow.
He knelt and put his finger on the person's neck. It was still warm, and there was a pulse.
"Come on," he said, though whoever it was seemed unconscious and unlikely to hear him. "Let's get you inside." He hooked his arms under the person's armpits and pulled them into the living room, then closed the door to block out the cold. How do you treat frostbite again? "Blankets. I need blankets." Zeke pulled off the stranger's backpack and set it aside. He turned the body over carefully. It was a man, and a good-looking one at that, from what he could see under the snow and grit.
He lay the stranger gently on the thick rug by the fireplace, went to grab a pile of blankets from his closet, and set a few by the open flames to warm up.
Then he set about stripping the man. He'd dreamed of such a moment for years but under much more romantic circumstances than this. Still, he was in good shape. Zeke's hand lingered on his flat stomach for just a moment.
The man's left pant leg was shredded. It looked like he had been bitten, maybe by a wild dog. He would need to cleanse the wounds. He poured some of the hot water from his fireplace kettle into a bowl to cool off.
Zeke pulled off the man's boots and socks. His feet were rank, but nothing like he would have expected. Hopefully frostbite hadn't set in yet. Where did you come from, my friend?

Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAEIP8C (preorder until 12/14)
Apple: Coming Soon
Barnes & Noble: Coming Soon
iBooks: Coming Soon

Author Bios:

Gregory L. Norris

I am a full-time professional writer, with numerous publication credits to my resume, mostly in national magazines and fiction anthologies. A former writer at Sci Fi, the official magazine of the Sci Fi Channel (before all those ridiculous Ys invaded), I once worked as a screenwriter on two episodes of Paramount’s modern classic, Star Trek: Voyager and am the author of the handbook to all-things-Sunnydale, The Q Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Alyson Books, 2008).

In late 2009, two of my paranormal romance novels for Ravenous Romance (www.ravenousromance.com) were reprinted as special editions by Home Shopping Network as part of their “Escape with Romance” segment – the first time HSN has offered novels to their customers. In late 2011, my collection of brandy-new terrifying short and long fiction, The Fierce and Unforgiving Muse: A Baker’s Dozen From the Terrifying Mind of Gregory L. Norris is being published by Evil Jester Press. I have fiction forthcoming from the fine people at Cleis Press, STARbooks, EJP, The Library of Horror, Simon and Shuster, and Pill Hill Press, to name a few.



J. Scott Coatsworth

Scott has been writing since elementary school, when he and won a University of Arizona writing contest in 4th grade for his first sci fi story (with illustrations!). He finished his first novel in his mid twenties, but after seeing it rejected by ten publishers, he gave up on writing for a while.

Over the ensuing years, he came back to it periodically, but it never stuck. Then one day, he was complaining to Mark, his husband, early last year about how he had been derailed yet again by the death of a family member, and Mark said to him "the only one stopping you from writing is you."

Since then, Scott has gone back to writing in a big way. He has sold more than a dozen short stories - some new, some that he had started years before. He is currenty working on two sci fi trilogies, and also runs the Queer Sci Fi (http://www.queerscifi.com) site, a group for readers and writers of gay sci fi, fantasy, and paranormal fiction.





Wendy Rathbone

Wendy Rathbone has been writing for many years in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance and erotica. Her poetry and short stories have been widely published in magazines and anthologies, and won many awards. She is a Writers of the Future alum (second place, vol 8) and has two stories in the classic, still in print, Hot Blood series, as well as a story in the scifi volume of the classic gay anthology Bending the Landscape.

While she has always written GLBTQ characters in her fiction and fan fiction, in 2011 she began to delve deeply into the realm of male/male romance and erotica. She has many indie m/m romance novels, the most recent being “The Moonling Prince” and its sequel “The Coming of the Light”. This year she sold her newest novel “The Android and the Thief” to Dreamspinner Press for publication in April, 2017.

Wendy lives in Yucca Valley, CA with her partner of 36 years, Della Van Hise, and is currently hard at work on a new m/m romance novel.




Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Wednesday Briefs: Mine! Chapter 31


This week has a prompt inspiration! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter inspired by, "I didn't think about that, I'm sorry."


Chapter 31


“What do we know?” I asked.

Uncle Radford spoke up first. “The doctor was working on a drug to incite Kraig’s two souls, creating a feral stronger than any alpha. When you killed him, all he’d managed to do was bring one soul to the foreground.”

“So what? He was going to incite my animal souls and set me loose?” Kraig shook his head. “Even if I was stronger than Deke, I couldn’t beat the whole streak, and no one would accept me as their alpha.”

“No, but an army of werekin just like you could take out all resistance and let the people holding your leash take over.”

“But the doctor wasn’t working with the human werekin anymore,” Park said. “Right?”

Ritch leaned forward. “Maybe not the way they wanted, but if he could create an army for them? He could’ve garnered a lot of power, money, and property from the decimated groups.”

“That’s not an option, but I’m worried that we don’t know what these human werekin have been doing since the doctor left them. They killed Henry, but his soul still lives”—I winced when Lydia wrapped her arms around her chest—“so clearly they know how to strip souls from the bonded werekin’s spirit. They also have to know that we know at least part of what’s going on.”

“Christian will be here any minute. I want everyone to stay close while we investigate and then be back here first thing in the morning. Enough alphas were willing to attend a general counsel without a presentation of proof, but I want everything here, laid out and ready for them. Make sure you have extra copies,” I told Uncle Radford.

He pursed his lips but nodded grudgingly. “I’d like to get back to my classes as soon as possible. I have been away long enough.”

“I understand you have a life that you can’t just walk away from, but this is important. You can leave after the counsel if we don’t need your expertise.” I tried to keep my tone calm; the next day would be tough on all of us, but especially anyone the majority of alphas considered beneath them—basically anyone who wasn’t another alpha, but especially human werekin and women.

I stretched out my claws and then sheathed them until Kraig put his hand over mine. I let out a slow, deep breath. “Thank you. Dismissed.”

Lydia stayed behind when Uncle Radford, Ritch, and Park filed out of my office. “What are you going to do with Henry’s body?” she asked.

“I’m leaving that up to you,” I said. “He was your mate, and I wouldn’t presume to tell you what is best. Whatever you want to do, we’ll do.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. He was a traitor. He hurt our son. It tears my heart out.” She rubbed her chest. “I don’t want to honor him, but I don’t want him burned and his ashes scattered either.”

“We can do a quiet burial in a corner of the streak plot?” It was more than a traitor deserved, but I was more concerned with the peace of mind of the ones he left behind.

She thought for a minute and then nodded slowly. “Thank you, Alpha.”

I got up and went around my desk. I pulled her out of her chair and into my arms. So often she loomed larger than life; now she was a small, fragile figure even smaller than Kraig. “Why don’t you go rest?” The dark circles under her eyes pained me.

“Okay.” She didn’t even argue, just walked out with her shoulders slumped.

Kraig stood and nestled against me. I put my arm over his shoulders and held him close. “I hate this,” he said.

“Me too.”



The next day dawned without any of us getting much sleep. Christian had packed up everything he could find in the hotel, but it wasn’t much. There were no secrets to be found in Henry’s belongings or his body.

But we had the doctor’s computer files and the ones I’d found. We had Kraig, who was clearly a hybrid of more a tiger and cheetah soul. Ritch would testify to what he’d witnessed of the doctor’s actions as well as his cousin and his mate’s disappearance.

“Stay next to me within arm’s reach the whole time,” Park warned Ritch.

Ritch nodded. “I will.”

I didn’t have to tell Kraig the same. A general counsel was held under a promise of peace only, with any alpha violating the tradition with harsh penalties, but it was a risk. Ritch’s previous alpha was a vicious and unpredictable man.

Not too unlike a feral, though he held just enough control to stay in power.

The meeting hall off the right side of the house was warm and reeked of chemicals. Lydia had been out banishing dust since the early hours, but I didn’t want the alphas too comfortable.

“We’ll convince them,” I told Kraig. “They’ll listen to us.” I was reassuring myself as much as him.

If they didn’t listen….

Tires on the gravel of the driveway was the first sign the alphas were about to arrive. As my beta Park took his place on my right. Kraig began to move back with the others who were arranged behind us, but I grabbed his hand and hauled him back to my side. “Where are you going? You’re my mate. You stand on my left.”

“I didn’t think about that, I’m sorry. I was always in the back, before.”  

I squeezed his hand. “You’ll get used to it.”

Heavy footsteps came up the walk, and Christian opened the door just as they neared. The alphas filed in the room in order of power. This many in one room was electrifying, and I felt the tingles as my tiger soul began to pace in the back of my mind.

 TBC

Want more story updates? Check out these other Briefer updates:

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Wednesday Briefs: Mine! Chapter 30

Have you picked up your copy of Disastertastic yet? No...? Why not! This never been released before contemporary novella features Kable and Sawyer as Kable tries to teach Sawyer what the holidays are really about... but it doesn't go so smoothly. Of course, if your eBook budget can't stretch this month, I'm always happy to post another update to my Wednesday Brief story for readers to enjoy. Happy reading!!

Mine! Chapter 30


We slept hard, and my head was throbbing when I woke up. The emotional toll and the physical release on top of it left us unable to do more than stumble into bed. It was after noon when the buzzing of my phone woke me up. I had four messages, none of them were good, and the coffee was taking forever to brew.

“What are you doing?” Kraig asked.

I turned. “I thought you were still asleep.”

“The smell woke me up. Is there enough for me?” Kraig yawned.

“Of course.” I interrupted the brewing long enough to pour Kraig a cup. I could wait. “Are you hungry? I’ll make something.”

“Not really.”

“Something light.” I popped a few slices of bread in the toaster. Honestly, my stomach wasn’t up to a full breakfast either. “Jam or butter?”

“Butter.” Kraig sipped his coffee and sighed. “A lot’s going to happen today, isn’t it?”

I nodded once, resisting the urge to rub the back of my neck or my temples. “I have some calls to return, a few more to make, and Christian will be here soon.”

“What do you think they’ll say?” Kraig stirred his coffee, the spoon tinkling against the sides of the cup.

Maybe I didn’t have enough sleep, or maybe it was the headache, but I asked, “Who?”

“The other alphas? You asked Park to call a counsel, remember? To tell them you mated a human werekin, that some doctor was doing crazy experiments, and now you think the human werekin are trying to… I don’t know, become stronger than alphas? Take over?”

“We don’t know why the human werekin had the doctor experiment on you. And, in case you forgot, you’re not a human werekin anymore.”

“Nope,” he muttered. “Went from having no animal soul to being a freak with two.”

The plate dropped down on the table with a thump. I narrowed my eyes and growled. “I thought I told you not to talk about yourself that way.” I sat down beside him and consciously tried to calm down. “I don’t care if you’re human werekin, bonded werekin, or a pink elephant with blue stripes. You’re my mate. I’ve wanted you forever, and you’re mine now, so that means I could give a fuck what anyone else thinks. Our bond is not up for debate.”

Kraig took the hand I offered him across the table and squeezed it. He looked up briefly. “Yeah, okay.” Not exactly the most convincing agreement, but it would work for now. He let go and pulled the plate closer. “Thanks for the toast.”

“No problem.” Mine popped up so I went to get it from the toaster. The coffee pot was finally full so I poured a cup into the biggest mug I could find and sat down at the table again.

“So who called?” Kraig asked between bites.

“Park to let me know he made the counsel request. Christian checking in at nine to say he’d be here by four, at the latest, and two alphas.”

Kraig pulled the crust off one side of his toast. “And?”

“Durant, Alpha of the Eagles will come. Ritch’s former alpha is coming too.” And that was why I had to make another call to Park. I hope he’d gotten some rest.

“Is that wise? He could challenge you.”

I snorted. “He could try.” A fully-mature Tiger alpha, strong with a full clan believing in me? I’d have the edge. “He might have information we need. From what Ritch said, he’d have nothing to do with a plot to elevate human werekin, but it’s better to keep him close.”

“I’m going to go get dressed,” Kraig said. “You could join me.”

That sounded wonderful, and I was very tempted, but our little interlude shutting out the world last night and this morning would have to hold me over. “I really need to call Park,” I said.

Kraig sighed but nodded.

When he was safely out of distance in my suite, I picked up my phone and pressed on the picture of Park flipping me off. Three rings went by before he picked it up. “What, Deke?” he growled.

Another Alpha might punish him for using that tone, but this was Park. He’d just been reunited with his brother, found out his father was a traitor and then dead, and he was playing host to an abused human werekin. He deserved a little leeway. “I only got two calls back from other alphas today.”

“That’s because five of them confirmed they’d already heard rumors and would be arrive for tomorrow’s counsel. Two refused outright, and another four are considering it.”

“Okay. Christian will be back today around four. I need to call my uncle and then we’ll all meet here afterward to lay out everything we know, all the evidence, anything that might make these archaic assholes listen to us. If I can convince enough of them, we can go beyond a regional counsel and call for one country-wide.”

“Good. I want a pound of flesh off whoever started all this shit.”

“Agreed.” I’d have no qualms about taking out anyone who was part of hurting my streak. “Bring Ritch with you.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Park said.

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t have told you to do it. He spent more time with the doctor than anyone but Kraig, and he’s lived in two different groups as a human werekin. His insight could be invaluable.”

Park sighed. “Fine. We’ll be there between three and three-thirty. Make sure there’s food.”

“Your mom is my next call. She deserves to be here too. I’m sure she’ll handle that.” Who knew if we’d have the stomach to eat after going over everything? “Your dad’s body—”

“Burn it and scatter it to the winds,” Park growled. “His soul is in another body anyway.”

I winced. “I understand, but I think that’s your mom’s call.” I wasn’t going to take any decisions away from her.
TBC

Still in the need for more? These other authors have updates as well:
Briefers Website