New Release! Lost Faith, The Firm Series 1 by April Zyon @aprilzyon

Posted on July 21, 2017 by S.J. Maylee

About Lost Faith:

Gabriella Moreno was just a job, in and out to gain the objective, the death of her father. She turned out to be far more than that to Tobias Casey, however, from the moment he laid his hands on her too hot for words body.

Gabriella had just come home from a two-year stint abroad. The first night home she snuck out, never dreaming for even a moment anyone would be stupid enough to take her. Boy, was she wrong.

Faced with brutal truths, Gabbie followed her gut, and her heart, which, it seemed, all led to one place, Tobias. The heat of her homeland was nothing compared to the touch of this man. In his arms, she found something she had craved all her life, the other half of her soul.

Yet, how can she ignore the fact that the man who owns her heart is also the man who wants to take the last of her family?

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Find it here:

Kindle Unlimited for FREE!

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

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Teaser

Another day, another dollar. Only these days, Tobias and his team were getting paid a hell of a lot more than they had been in the military. Now they could set their own fees for doing the jobs that no one else wanted to do, or maybe couldn’t do, since they did on rare occasion work for their government’s shadier sectors. But there was no oversight, no backseat driving, and they paid big to get shit done.

Their current operation was one they’d been working on for nearly three weeks now with no success. The first week had been recon, getting oriented, and making sure they had their exits memorized for when they achieved their strike.

The only thing was, as they’d discovered during week two, the target they were after didn’t ever leave his super secure compound. Not that Tobias could blame the guy. Their target was a dictator, an arms dealer, a drug dealer, and a mass murderer. There were people worldwide hoping that Tobias’ team finally managed to do what no one else had to date.

Now it was week three and they were still watching the compound to figure out their way in. Or as Tobias was beginning to believe would be easier, how to get the asshole to come out. They’d tried forty different ways to infiltrate the compound. None had worked. Which actually made sense, given the target, Juan Moreno, or Senor X as they referred to him over com, had hired himself an ex-Special Forces soldier to be the head of his security. Tran Quan was American born but had ties to the Yakuza. Extra weight to be brought to bear should it be requested.

Taking a small drink from his canteen, Tobias ignored the sweat trickling down his spine. His attention was locked on a small group of vehicles approaching the compound. Binoculars up, he brought the lead car into focus and easily recognized one of Moreno’s drivers. His attention moving to the second car, he was surprised to see Quan in the front passenger seat. The man was normally glued to Moreno’s side so to see him out without Moreno… this was big.

“Ripper, we have four cars approaching the compound. I need to know who exits the second car once they stop inside. Get pictures.”

“Roger that, Rogue.”

Ripper and Cherry were up on the mountain using some seriously high-powered tools to stare down into the compound. Their position was treacherous since they were, literally, dangling off the face of that mountain. One wrong move and they’d be headed straight down toward death.

“They’re turning toward the gate now. Not stopping either, they’ve been waved right through,” Tobias reported. The gates slid shut but not before he spotted a slender leg wearing a dainty shoe at the end slipping out of the door being opened by a guard. Instantly, he felt his gut clench in need to see the body went with that limb.

A soft whistle came through the com. “Damn, she’s fucking hot. Think she’s banging senor X?” Herc asked.

“Too young for him, you oaf,” Cherry said.

“Like that would stop the old fucker. We all know he doesn’t care about age. One of the reasons why we’re here to see him shot,” Herc told her. “Personally, it’s my only reason to see his head explode under the impact of my bullet.”

“Cut the chatter. Tell me you have photos for everyone that came in those vehicles.”

“Confirmed,” Ripper said.

“Good, get your asses down from there. Scout will be here to relieve me soon, then we need to get back and review everything.” Tobias was hopeful that somewhere in those photos he might find a way to pull Moreno away from his security blanket.

* * * *

“It’s his daughter, Gabriella Moreno.” Rainer said. His words had everyone’s attention. Tobias couldn’t figure out who was more shocked. Turning in his seat Rainer shook his head. “I had to dig, and dig deep. The old man has her buried.”

“Makes sense,” Winston muttered. “She’s his Achilles.”

He was right. “We need to keep eyes on her. If we get the opportunity, she’ll be the one we grab. I have a feeling that even with all his enemies gunning for him, he’ll do anything to protect her.” All they had to do was get their hands on her and use her to bait Senor X.

Picking up the picture Rainer had printed out Tobias stared at it. It wasn’t a shot from the compound but one he’d pulled from social media. Gabriella had her head tipped back, laughing at something or someone. She looked carefree and totally at ease. Young, too.

The young woman was just over five foot three inches but those come fuck me heels made her closer to five feet seven, she was thin but not waiflike like so many of the women today. Her hair however, was a riot of auburn red curls that seemed to have a mind of their own, and she didn’t bother trying to tame them. Which said something about the woman herself. She might not have the largest breasts that he had seen in his life but hers seemed to work her body perfectly, like a perfect handful, that distracted him completely.

“We need everything on her from birth until the moment she went through those gates, Rainer. Leave no stone unturned. I think we’ve just found our hot button for daddy Moreno. We grab her and he’ll deliver himself right to us.”

“You sure you want to do that, boss?” Cherilyn asked. At his sharp look, she held up her hands. “I’m down with it, but even if she does leave the compound, you know she’ll have a taskforce worth of guards with her. No way is Moreno letting her out in this country without protection up the ass.”

“And we’ll be ready for that. Our best shot will be if she goes into the city. It’ll allow us to blend in and when the time’s right, grab her up.” At Cherilyn’s snort, Tobias turned a glare on her. “What?”

“Dude, no offense or nothing, but you do not blend.”

Rainer was shaking his head. “I have to agree with her, boss. You tend to stick out.”

“I can blend just fine, I’ll have you know.”

“You keep thinking that. In the meantime, I think I’ll update the other boys and we can add their hilarity to the vote count against you.” Cherilyn patted his chest, walked past, and promptly burst out in laughter.

“I can and will fire your ass,” Tobias called after her.

“No, you won’t,” she bellowed back.

No, he wouldn’t, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t think about it, in great detail.

New Release! A Mate for the Sheriff by April Zyon @aprilzyon #shifters

Posted on March 13, 2017 by S.J. Maylee

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A Mate For The Sheriff

Shifters Match.com book 4

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover by Jay Aheer

buy-links

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

Barnes & Noble | Evernight Publishing | Bookstrand |

Smashwords | iTunes

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blurb

Jessica Morris has a secret that could get her killed. Hiding in plain sight, pretending to be normal, is all she’s ever known. And even though she’s been lucky so far, she knows that she can’t hide in Shifter Falls forever. Getting involved with the town sheriff is the last thing she needs, but lately it’s all she can think about.

Novak Porter has watched Jessica since the first day she came into town. He suspects that, like everyone else in Shifter Falls, she’s got a skeleton or two in her closet. She’s nervous around him, and for years he’s forced himself to give her time. But when a chance encounter throws them together for more than five minutes, Novak decides he’s tired of waiting. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep her around. Convincing her to work for him is easy, but getting her to believe in happily ever after might be a little more difficult.

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Jessica turned to the voice in the darkness. The sexiest voice on the face of the planet. “Sheriff,” she said, her pulse increasing when she turned to look at him.

He looked as if he had been built of stone, and again she wondered just exactly what sort of shifter he was. No one seemed to know, or be willing to share, which was very strange in a town like Shifter Falls. Then again, she didn’t let anyone know what she was, either, so it could just be a privacy thing.

“I’m not sure what’s going on, but suddenly all the electronics inside the car went completely dead. The lights, dash, everything. I’m afraid it’s the alternator, since it has a brand-new battery.” She might be a lot of things, but she wasn’t completely stupid. “And I think that Jagger’s cub swiped my cell phone, again, so do you think you could maybe call a tow for me?” She shook her head. “That little guy gets me every single time. I swear he’s taken more cell phones off of me than I can count. Phi is never able to find them, so there’s no telling what he does with them.” She was snickering as she said that. She didn’t know why she was talking so much, but she was.

The sheriff was watching her intently and didn’t seem all that bothered by her random rambling. He merely pulled out his cell and put in a call for a truck. “Mick will come get your car. He said to leave the keys on the passenger front tire since he might be a while. They had to pull a couple cars from a slough after some young twits decided that drag racing with their parents’ cars was a good plan. Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.”

She whistled. “Oh boy. I bet there are going to be some kids in serious trouble about right now. Thanks for the offer of the ride.” She grabbed her purse, locked the car, and put the keys on the front passenger tire as she had been instructed. “You’ll probably be going out of your way a bit. I live at twenty-nine Forest Acre Road.” It was a dirt road surrounded by forest and she loved it. Nature called to her, and at least there she didn’t have to worry about nulling any abilities as she typically did when she was near other witches.

“No worries at all. It keeps me out of the station until the parents have finally wound down to a dull roar and the kids have had a few minutes for everything to sink in. Anyhow, I think that an hour’s worth of stewing before I arrive to come up with some interesting charges might help the situation. By then I’ll know if the lawyers have actually been called in or not and can figure out how to play this to keep the kids from doing something worse down the line.” The sheriff held her door for her, then shut it when she settled into her seat. A minute later he was setting out reflective markers behind her car before sliding in behind the wheel to take her toward town and home.

“You are a good man. Too bad you can’t keep a secretary to save your gorgeous ass.” She felt her face turn red from heat when she realized she’d blurted that out. “Crap, ignore me. I don’t know what I’m saying.” She cringed, but then shrugged. Since it was too late to take her candid observation back, she pressed on. “Well, from what I understand, you have gone through thirteen of them inside of three months. That’s outstanding right there.”

He leveled a look on her she couldn’t read. She was only thankful he seemed to ignore her initial comment and it allowed her cheeks to cool. “I have a specific way I expect things to be done. And, I admit, my temper can get the best of me. Everything we do can be called into question inside a courtroom. If even one I isn’t dotted right, or a T was missed being crossed, that is potentially a dangerous offender being allowed out on the street due to clerical error. Unacceptable in my book so, yes, I have some impossibly high standards I expect to be carried out by every man and woman in the department.”

“No, not impossibly high standards. They are perfectly reasonable. The way that everyone made it sound you were seriously a neat freak nut job, but what you’re saying doesn’t sound like that at all.” She understood the importance of perfect record keeping, of ensuring that everything was where it should be at all times. “When the council took me on as their secretary, I had to redo a hell of a lot of stuff because the person before me couldn’t seem to understand that paperwork is filed by number then letter. Idiots.” She smirked and looked over at him. “I guess I have high standards as well. Then again since I’m a witch without abilities, I have to be able to contribute somehow, right? Especially with my mother’s coven proclaiming me to be nothing but a human.” That’s what all of Shifter Falls thought of her, and she was happy to keep it that way. When she’d first started out on her own, she’d wondered if it wouldn’t have been smarter, and safer, to try to hide even the fact that she’d been born into a witch family. Ultimately she’d decided that it was better to stick as close to the truth as possible. So she never tried to hide the fact that she had been born to witch parents. It was unlikely that she would ever run into anyone from her old coven, but on the off chance that she did, she didn’t want to arouse suspicion by being caught in a lie. Besides, being known as a witch without powers—therefore, more or less, human—kept her just as safe as if she’d tried to pass herself off as a normal human.

“I’m glad you understand. Few do,” he muttered. “I think the council foisted their rejects my way for some form of payback. They all loved the idea when the mayor had me run for office and I won by a landslide, but the minute I arrested the first council member and wouldn’t take a bribe, they started to wonder. Told them the same thing I told the mayor when he hired me—I was going to run things my way, and if they found someone that could run against me and get elected that would be the only way they’d get me out of that seat. They haven’t had any luck yet.”

Jess knew it was because the sheriff was respected by every citizen in the Falls as well as the other two cities that made up their exceptionally small county. While not everyone agreed with his methods and strict by-the-book ways, they liked how he’d cleaned up and kept the area protected from a drug problem several years back when he’d first taken the position.

“You cleaned up the area. No one would run against you. You’re too good at your job, so it is what it is.” She shrugged. “You are strict and you can be an ass from what I’ve been told, but then again there are a lot of falsehoods that fly through Shifter Falls, aren’t there?” she asked with a smile.

“True enough. The trick is determining what’s truth and what’s lie in everything that goes around town. It’s amazing what one can discover the moment they find that tiny thread and give it a tug. After all, there’s not a soul in this town that is exactly who they appear to be on the surface once you dig down a little further.”

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other-books-in-the-series

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Book 1 – A Christmas Home – http://www.evernightpublishing.com/a-christmas-home-by-april-zyon/

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Ophelia Lambros thought her life was in order, until she lost her fiance and job all in one day.

She couldn’t return the honeymoon trip she’d been given so she takes the opportunity to find herself on the slopes of Wyoming on the back of a snowmobile.

Jagger Morris was perfectly happy running his repair shop in Shifter Falls, his home for years. As the Kodiak Bear Alpha, he has a lot on his plate. When a new pack asks to join them, Jagger’s hackles rise, but he doesn’t know why.

When he meets his fated mate, Ophelia, she shares a piece of herself that confirms his suspicious nature was spot on. As a seer, she can see death coming their way. Can she make her new mate and his friends understand the risk before time runs out?

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Book 2 – The Kodiak’s Mate – http://www.evernightpublishing.com/the-kodiaks-mate-by-april-zyon/

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An ancient evil has come back to Shifter Falls…

Living in a town called Shifter Falls isn’t always easy. Alaska Ceridwen has lusted after Harley Ogden for years, even though she learned the hard way that you can’t trust bears. But when Alaska becomes the target of a dangerous stalker, Harley may be the only one who can save her.

Harley thought that rescuing a terrified, bound woman on the street would be the most excitement he’d see all day. Then he found out she was his mate. Now he’s fighting to hold on to what’s his. He knows that keeping Alaska safe and teaching her to let go of her fears won’t be easy, but for Harley, nothing less than forever will do.

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Book 3 – The Jaguar’s Mate – http://www.evernightpublishing.com/the-jaguars-mate-by-april-zyon/

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Quinn Ash is as human as they come. She came to Shifter Falls to hide from the danger. Too bad trouble always has a way of finding her.

Piran Raske works with wood. It makes his Jaguar happy, plus he makes a great living doing it. But he’s lonely and needs more to keep him and his cat satisfied.

Quinn comes into Piran’s life with her shockingly dark secret, and he knows he must protect her. As much as he doesn’t want to, Piran asks his friends for help to keep his mate safe. But is it too late to save the love of his life?

Be Warned: light BDSM

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New Release! Hacked, Warriors of Light by April Zyon @aprilzyon #Giveaway

Posted on September 20, 2016 by S.J. Maylee

It’s special treat day! April Zyon is back with her brand new release, the latest in her Warriors of Light Series, Hacked. AND she’s brought a fabulous giveaway. 😀
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Blurb

Holly Smith has always had a certain affinity with computers. By day, she strengthens Internet security for corporations. By night, she’s a hacker. When she hits upon what she believes to be an author’s unpublished manuscript, she finds herself reading about a world where warriors of old wage war against a dark force bent on consuming everything it touches. Then she finds out it’s all true.

Demaratus of Corinth has seen a lot during his lifetime. And while many things prove useful, he finds technology to be a greater hindrance than a help. Sent to find the hacker who managed to penetrate their base’s security, he is stunned to realize who she is to him. As the darkness closes in on them, Demaratus and Holly will have to battle to survive not only the coming fight but the war that is gaining momentum.

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Buy Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYIBZY6/

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LYIBZY6/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LYIBZY6/

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01LYIBZY6/

Evernight Publishing: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/hacked-by-april-zyon/

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/hacked-mf

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hacked-2098645-147.html

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Excerpt:

A couple warm fingers pressed to her throat, over her racing pulse point. “You’re going to hyperventilate if you don’t calm.” The large, rough hand moved to the back of her neck, where he squeezed the muscles for a time before releasing. He massaged the area slowly.

She closed her eyes and let her head fall forward. He’d done this when she had been freaking out as a child, too, in her dreams. “I’m trying to calm down, but you try having a gun pressed to your head and a bunch of oversized GI Joes pulling you out of your home, and then we’ll talk about not freaking out. How do I know you aren’t taking me somewhere to kill me?”

“If we wanted you dead, we wouldn’t have used the hood to obscure your view of the destination.” His thumb and fingers were working up and down the length of her neck, along her spine.

They took a turn a little too hard and she felt herself falling toward him. But his grip kept her more or less upright. Then they came to a sharp stop. His hand dropped away as doors were opened, then slammed shut. Hers opened a moment later. The seat belt was removed, and a big hand on her arm guided her out to the ground.

“Thank you, Demaratus.” Holly spoke his name even though no one had said it aloud. She simply knew it. She stood still and took a deep breath. “Okay, where are we going? I really suck at walking on good days, so having a hood on my head is only a disaster waiting to happen.” She heard a snicker and shrugged. “I can’t help it. I’m a bit of a klutz, and I embrace it.”

“You won’t fall. Walk,” Demaratus told her. He didn’t acknowledge the use of his name. He lifted his hand up higher on her arm and led her along at a slow pace. She knew he was making sure that he could catch her if she stumbled. There was asphalt under her, but even a smooth surface wouldn’t stop her from taking a tumble if her feet had other plans.

She was walking along at his side, and that’s when it happened. Perfectly straight asphalt was nothing compared to her clumsiness. She tripped and would have fallen if he hadn’t wrapped his arms around her and caught her. Where her shoulder hit, she sensed heat before she was hauled back upright. “Sorry. I told you that I wasn’t exactly the most graceful person. Give me a computer and I’m a goddess, but make me walk, and I suck.”

He put his arm around her and scooped her up. Carrying her, he moved at a quicker pace, bouncing her a little with each stride. He only slowed when he seemed to be climbing up something. Then she was in another seat, with another seat belt put around her waist, and what seemed like headphones dropped over her ears.

“Oh now, this isn’t fair,” she grumbled. She felt someone sitting at her side. It wasn’t Demaratus. She pushed the sudden hurt away. These men were essentially kidnapping her, so why would she care about them? “So, tell me, boys, is this something you do often?” She couldn’t hear them, but they could hear her, and she was going to make sure that they knew she was still there by talking. A lot.

Whatever she was sitting in began to vibrate. The person at her side suddenly left his seat, and someone else settled next to her. Wider than the last one and warm. Demaratus, she was sure.

“Do what?” came through the headphones to her.

“Kidnap women. Are we in a helicopter? If so, keep the bag on my head. I’m afraid of heights, too.” She had a list a mile long of the things that scared her.

“We’ve never kidnapped anyone before.” This time it was Demaratus’s voice in her ears. “As they say, there’s a first time for everything. And yes, we are in a helicopter. If you need anything to drink, let us know, but be aware there are no facilities on this thing, so we’d have to open a door, hold you out there, and let you do whatever was needed that way.”

“Oh now, that is just so totally gross.” She frowned and laughed at the same time. “You guys are seriously not funny. Nothing to drink. Just knowing that I’m in the air is enough to wig me out, thank you very much. Thanks anyway, DC.” Another moniker she had given the man who looked like him in her dreams. Demaratus Corinth was how he had introduced himself. The motion of the helicopter made her briefly sway toward Demaratus. There’s that heat again. Strange.

“You will explain how you think you know me later,” he said quietly. “For now, it might be best if you closed your eyes and tried to sleep. We’ll be in the air for a while, without anything to do up here.”

“Jesus, you did that in my dreams, too. You’re a bossy bit of goods,” she grumbled. Oddly enough, she did find herself yawning. The warmth from the massive man at her side had her calming, even while the more logical part of her railed against it. He felt so right. She had grown up with this man in her dreams. She had lived with this man giving her his faith and his support, and even now she felt herself giving in to the comfort that he offered.

He cut the restraints loose from her wrists. “Since I know you won’t be going anywhere given our current location, those are not required.”

She moved her hands so that she could rub at the skin. “I always talk. I’m a talker, and when I’m not talking, I’m coding, and when I’m not coding, I’m talking to all things electronic. It’s just who I am.”

“I’m beginning to see that. I should have brought a gag.” He spoke in a tone she thought might have been teasing. “Sleep, Ms. Smith. We have a few hours ahead of us.”

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About The Author

Having been a lover of the written word all her life April has always wanted to expand her horizons and write something that could be shared with the world. Only one thing held April back, the fact that the letters and numbers mixed and jumbled more often than not. Diagnosed with Dyslexia when she was eight years old April had to work her butt off just to be able to keep up with the other kids in reading and writing, so her love for fictional writing was tossed to the wayside for the moment.

Time marched on, as it always does, and she forgot her childhood dream of becoming an author and instead focused on what she had to – creating a career for herself.

As the endless waves of time passed the shores became less rocky and more sandy, a place where she could find an even foot. That and Microsoft invented Word. Hallelujah.

This is where April began her journey into the written world, the world that her imagination had been ceaselessly creating for her entire adult life.

Now she has been given a chance to let her literary wings unfold and fly, thanks to the amazing publishers with Evernight Publishing and Secret Cravings Publishing.

Now its time to let the dream take flight and watch it soar!

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Social Media Links

Website – https://april-zyon.com/

Blog – http://april-zyon.blogspot.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/april.zyon.fan.page/?ref=hl

Reader Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/moira.april.readergroup/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8509166.April_Zyon

Google + – https://plus.google.com/u/0/112813890022691516603

Tumblr – http://aprilzyon.tumblr.com/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/april_zyon/

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Thank you S.J., for having me on your blog! I appreciate you for allowing me to share my book with your readers.

As you well know I’m doing a giveaway as well.

As part of the release for Hacked I’m giving away the following:

First Place: $50 USD Gift Certificate* + 1 Free eCopy of HACKED
2nd Place: $25 USD Gift Certificate*
3rd Place: $10 USD Gift Certificate*

* Winner has choice between Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Bookstrand, Evernight or Smashwords

So, the word that you would need to email to me at april.zyon@gmail.com from S.J.’s blog is:

“Corinth”

New Release! His Mafia Princess, Family First Series by April Zyon @AprilZyon

Posted on September 6, 2016 by S.J. Maylee

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His Mafia Princess

Family First, book 1

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover by (the amazing!) Jay Aheer

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Blurb

Gregorio Bosco worked his way up the ranks of The Family. He never had trouble killing, selling, or anything he was tasked to do. He’d been trained to take over for Giovanni when he stepped down, but that all changed when Alessandra was taken. She was the only good in his life, and he’d do anything in order to protect her—no matter the cost to anyone around him.

Alessandra Morello was born into a life that she didn’t understand. She thought she was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, however she learned it was far from the truth. She’s pulled into the center of a war with Gregorio as her only constant. Her attraction for the older man has only grown over the years, but can there be a future for them in their twisted world?

Be Warned: BDSM, anal sex, sex toys, orgies

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Buy Links

Evernight | Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

Bookstrand | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords | iTunes

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Excerpt

Gregorio was pissed off that he had been called to the mansion, again. He had to get a hold of his men, or the Boss wouldn’t let him take over in the timeframe given to them. It wasn’t because of his fuck up, but one of his underlings. The little bastard was dead now. Greg had personally seen to it. No one got away with stealing from the family, not under his watch. Period. Now if only he could get the Boss to agree that times needed to change and the stakes had to be higher so that their family ran even tighter, because the Russians were trying to move in on their turf and usurp their power. It was up to Gregorio as the Boss’s right hand—and eventual heir—to ensure that they died trying instead of taking over the area that they had carved out for themselves.

When he was let into the Boss’s study, he stood loose in front of the man. Gregorio was armed and ready for anything. “You called?”

“Gregorio, take a seat.” The man didn’t pose it as a question, and Gregorio knew it. It was an order. Once he was sitting, the Boss nodded. “I hear you took care of the mistake.” The Boss sneered as he said the last word, as if it were dirty. “And you made an example?”

“Yes, sir. I did. He’s currently hanging with his hands cut off and his gullet filled with molten silver. His silver-filled body was left on the lawn of the Russian Boss’s home, as per your request. We will need to be more careful with our recruits. How this one passed as Italian, I will never know. It was the theft from the small general store that got him. The girl recalled him speaking Russian as he stole from her. She was injured and in the robbery, she remembered our underling because he had come to collect the protection fee two days earlier.”

Gregorio smiled. It was a smile of pure darkness as he thought of the pain the man suffered. He then tilted his head slightly as he asked the next question. “You let your daughter leave without a guard?” Gregorio changed the subject to one he really wanted to know. That woman had gotten under his skin and had been there since she was sixteen when he saw her naked in the pool house. That was when he was third in the organization. Gregorio killed the second because he was jacking off to Alessandra. Only he was allowed to even think of her in that capacity, and he ensured that every-fucking-one knew it. Even the Boss knew now that Gregorio had declared himself to the man.

“She plays golf with her friends every Thursday. Her guards are with her. Have you learned more of her mugging?”

“I have.” Another reason Gregorio was angry; he was here when he should be tracking the bastards that hurt her. No one hurt her and lived.

“And?” the Boss asked impatiently.

“One of them is sitting in my basement tied to a chair. I was in the middle of discussing respect with the man when you called.”

“It’s more than respect,” the Boss said angrily. “You would do well to remember respect yourself.”

Gregorio had to bite the inside of his cheek. “Yes, Boss. I’m sorry.” He hated those words because it was a reminder of just how much more Gregorio had to learn. Just saying them had him wanting to kill someone.

“That’s better. You have to remember who you are speaking with at all times. Yes, I have been grooming you to take over, but that’s in the near future. In the meantime, you’ve much to learn, things I had to learn the hard way through trial and error and a lot of blood lost.”

“Thank you, sir.” Those words came from his mouth in a near growl. It wasn’t that Gregorio didn’t appreciate what the Boss was doing for him, but the simple fact was that he was impossibly impatient at times.

“Now, what was offered to Tomas to make him turn from his Family?”

“Half million and the promise of a new life. Beyond that, it was the tie to his long lost relative who was a Russian that we didn’t know about.” He shook his head decisively at that statement.

“The Russians are growing bolder. They are searching out long lost Russians in our family’s men and enforcers. Seems as if we need to work on our own genealogy so we can head these off at the pass when possible.”

“They want what we have. They want the docks. They want the refinery and everything else we have. Everything we’ve worked so hard to get.”

“That I worked so hard to get. That my Father worked so hard to get. Don’t forget, Gregorio, you are only being groomed because I didn’t have a son but a daughter. One that I would kill for and one that will never know the reality of her life.”

Greg knew the truth though. The old man had twin sons that were older than Alessandra, but they were born from his whore so they would never hold any sort of position of power inside of the organization.

“I agree. She’ll never know the truth of this life. Not as long as I live. That’s my blood vow to you, Boss.” He would give it too, his blood to keep Alessandra safe, to keep her pure and to keep her out of this life.

He was going to say something else when the doors opened. Gregorio was on his feet with his weapon drawn on reflex.

The man who stood in the doors literally pissed his pants. “I’m sorry, Boss, but we got a note you have to read.”

“Bring it.”

Gregorio holstered his weapon and watched. He was curious about what would have anyone daring to open the door when he and the Boss were in a conference. No one but Alessandra dared do such a thing. She would breeze in when they were planning war and not realize what she walked in on.

When the Boss stood fast enough to send his chair flying behind him, Gregorio knew it had to involve Alessandra. She was the only one that would garner that sort of reaction in the man. “Those fucking bastards!” The Boss yelled out his frustration. “Get everyone here.” He looked at Gregorio. “Someone took Alessandra. Took her in the middle of a crowded lunch at the Country Club.”

Gregorio saw red. He shook in his fury. “Who?” He spoke to the man that brought the note. “Where are her guards?”

“They were found in their cars, both with holes in their foreheads. Whoever did this made it personal. They wanted these men to see who killed them.”

“Boss?” Gregorio waited for his orders to find the woman that held both of their hearts.

“Go. Find her. Take her to safety. I’m done with these Russian bastards on our turf.”

“You calling a war?”

“They did when they took her,” the Boss said as he pulled his weapons from his desk.

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New Release! The Royal Mate, Space Wars, book 6 (The Final one) by April Zyon

Posted on July 26, 2016 by S.J. Maylee

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The Royal Mate

Space Wars, book 6 (The Final one)

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover by the Fabulous Jay Aheer

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blurb

It all comes down to this. The truth about what started the war between the Imarian and Craegin is coming out, along with the fact that there is one true royal left. One man to rule them all.

Markus Rothschild wants to live a simple, quiet life but when faced with the truth of what’s happening in his world, he knows he has no choice but to take his rightful place.

Paisley Ralston is a woman who loves teaching small children. She’s never even held a weapon, let alone fired one. Playing bodyguard to the royal heir is the last thing she expected to do. But when Markus’s security team is sabotaged, she may be his only hope.

Paisley didn’t realize that meeting Markus meant finding her mate. Hidden in a special bunker, Paisley and Markus will test their limits and prepare for what’s coming. Together they will come out stronger, bonded, and ready to face both galaxies.

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Buy Links

All Romance Ebooks | Amazon | Bookstrand | Evernight Publishing

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download Excerpt

She looked at her mother and frowned. She couldn’t have heard the woman correctly. Paisley wasn’t a militant; she wasn’t a protector. For the love of all the saints, she was a teacher for young children.

The marshal looked at Paisley with a frown, then sighed. “Because you are about the one and only person that I will trust to be around him right now, and since you know where the safe house is I will leave you to take him. It’s too dangerous right now for him to remain on his ship with Fintan.”

“Wait, you mean, The General?” There was awe in Paisley’s voice and she knew it but she had seen what the man had gone through for his mate. He was the only reason that Paisley believed in love once more. It was the reason why, with her mother’s help, she’d broken the arranged marriage and begun to live for herself and not for what she should do.

“He’ll be arriving soon with several guards. You are all going to the bunker. The guards will take the outer shelter, and you and Markus will take the inner sanctuary.”

The inner sanctuary was a place that none could enter if they weren’t of the Ralston family. It literally took living blood and a tie to the blood and heartbeat of a Ralston to keep the air actually on in that sanctuary. It would be either a haven or a tomb depending on if people knew it or not.

“And what about you, Mother? You’ve kept a low profile while they sorted out the issues that were evidently in your offices.”

“This is very true and it’s past time for me to get back to what it is that I do. Besides, this way I know that you will be safe as will Markus.”

“You could always go into the shelter with him instead of me,” Paisley pointed out.

“No, because they would use you to get to me. You are my one weakness, Paisley.”

Paisley moved and gave her mother a hug. “There are not many that know of me, Mother. You’d probably be safe, you know, and so would I.”

“No, there is too much to be done.”

“But—”

“No buts, Paisley. This is an order. You are to keep him safe.”

Paisley bowed her head and nodded. “As you say. Just remember I don’t know how to fight.”

“You don’t, but he does.” Her mother gave her another hug, then pushed her toward where the family bunker was. It was something that no one and nothing could get into. Even if the world exploded, the bunker would eject into space and hook up with a waiting ship that would become their own private spaceship. It had been designed with the ultimate of protections in mind. Her great-grandfather had designed it and it had kept her mother safe when this war began to truly heat up as it had in the last several months.

“I trust you,” Paisley told her mother. She took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ll go pack.”

“Your things are already in the bunker. I had my assistant go to your home and empty your closets and drawers, and I personally put everything into the bunker. It’s fully stocked with food for the two of you for as long as you might need to be in there as well as the machines to recreate foods if you wanted or needed it. I doubt that much time will be needed, but just in case.”

“A career military man,” Paisley mused. “And how does he feel about having to hide?” she asked with a knowing grin. She knew the type.

“About like what you think he’s feeling,” the marshal stated with a laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Fin had to tranquilize him to bring him in. Now, go.”

And just like that Paisley was summarily assigned a duty that she had no business taking care of. She wasn’t a fighter and never had been. She was soft, short, and more than a little pudgy. Paisley was not anything that anyone really would ever look a second time at.

Chapter One

“No, not happening.”

His commanding officer gave him a look that would have made Markus squirm when he’d first stepped on board the cruiser. Now it only had him digging his heels in further. “You know that it is not even an option, Markus. For your safety, and for the future of both our races, we need to make sure you remain alive until the general public is made aware of everything.”

He hated when Fintan Daykin made complete sense. The man already thought too highly of his logic for his own good.

Yes, Markus was important, but to his thinking, he was no more important than any other Craegin. Or Imarian, if he wanted to get technical. He was, after all, a byproduct from both races, although the Imarian in his blood was definitely diluted.

Growling under his breath about his stubborn commander, Markus shoved a hand through his short, dark mahogany hair and paced around the office. Fintan held his tongue for once, a blessing and a curse all at the same time.

Markus wouldn’t be in this situation where he was being ordered by not only Fintan but by the marshal of the Craegin people to go into hiding for his safety if not for a wedding most Craegin and Imarian people did not know occurred.

If not for the fact the entire crew aboard the cruiser he was currently on would also be in danger, he wouldn’t even consider leaving. But he could not willingly and knowingly put others in danger because he was stubborn. Yes, he was stubborn, but he was not stupid. And while it grated severely on his nerves to admit it, Fintan and the marshal were correct. Not only were there factions on the Craegin home world who wanted him dead and buried where no one could dig him up, but there was the entire ruling body of Imara to take into account. They likely had spies in place on his home world and moon outposts, hoping to get a shot at him.

Markus stopped near the vid monitor in Fintan’s office, which showed the view from space of the outpost planet they were currently orbiting. Most folks down there didn’t have a clue about the ticking time bomb floating in space above their heads. The wars that were held in the ships in space sometimes pelted down upon the heads of those on the planets below, something they tried hard not to allow happen. Never had he hated knowing about his heritage more than he did right then.

“Fine, I’ll go. But I don’t need a watcher. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. You and I both know that. And it is much easier to deal with anyone that may get wind of my location if I am alone. Having someone either interfering or uselessly getting in the way will only get me killed.”

“It’s not my call, and it’s definitely not yours. You will have a watcher, but I’ve been assured by the marshal that this individual will follow your orders to the letter unless they are a direct threat to your own life. I cannot, nor would I, change that.” Fintan pushed up from his chair to come stand by his side. “I know that your heritage weighs heavily on you. I wish I could carry the burden with you, my friend. But I will do whatever is necessary to keep you alive. Once the general public of Craegin and Imara know about you, and your lineage, then you can step from the shadows and into the light.”

Snorting at his words, Markus shot a look over his shoulder to the other man. “That was rather poetic, Fin. Love has changed you more than even I realized. Although I don’t know if this new streak you are showing is for the better.”

“Shut up,” Fin muttered.

Amusement coursed through him for a moment. He knew Fintan was doing it on purpose, and that made Markus appreciate the man’s friendship all the more. But the knowledge that he, Markus Rothschild, was the only living heir to the crowns of both Craegin and Imara… The reason he was the only living heir was tragic, according to many. His parents had both been killed while on a tramp headed for a fundraiser event on a Craegin moon base. They and nine others including the pilots died instantly. Markus had not been with them like he normally would have, because he’d come down with a cold and had been too ill to travel.

The official report was a rogue micro-meteor shower had compromised the tramp’s hull. While it had been a cold comfort to him at only ten summers old at the time, he had at least known the reason why they would never be coming home again. There had been closure. Now that he knew about his lineage he had to wonder if perhaps someone had taken them out. But that didn’t really work, either, because he was still alive. Why kill his parents but leave him breathing?

It was only one of many questions that haunted him since he had been told he was descended from royalty. The royalty, if he wanted to get technical. Shaking his head mentally to get back on topic, he turned partially to look at Fintan without straining. “Basically, you are telling me I’m stuck with the marshal’s chosen watcher.”

Fin nodded. “Whoever it is will probably be nothing more than a large, silent shadow that lurks in the background while you try to keep from going insane with boredom.”

Right, there was that issue, too. “What exactly am I supposed to do during this unwanted hiatus from my career path? I don’t mind the idea of a couple days of downtime to relax and rest, but being stuck somewhere indefinitely is less appealing.”

“I’m sure we can find something for you to do. You might even be able to finish all those reports I know you have been ignoring.”

Markus plastered on his best innocent face and blinked at his commanding officer. “Reports? Whatever do you mean, General? I always do my reports promptly.”

Fintan’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead at that bold-faced lie. “Right. Do them all up. Wherever you are going will likely have the capability of secure transmissions, so you can send them all back here and I will sign off on them before submitting them. Sadie can make sure there are no electronic tags on any of those files that could potentially lead back to your location.”

Sadie, Colonel Bracken Kauller’s wife and family friend to the Daykins, was a genius with anything electronic. Her doctorate in AI and destroyer programming spoke for itself, but her skills were known across the quadrants even if people did not know her name. “I will make sure all the reports are completed. I make no promises on when I will get them done, though. It will depend on wherever you and the marshal are planning to stash me and this watcher you are saddling me with. My first priority will be security since that is why I am leaving the safety of a Craegin destroyer.”

“You cannot guilt me, Markus. I do this not only for your own good but for the good of two races. All of the Craegins and Imarians need you.”

“No, you’re right.” Damn but he felt like a kid being chastised right then. “I’m sorry. This situation is not our making, but it is our responsibility to see it righted. You and the marshal believe this is the best course to take, so I will bow to your wishes and let you handle it. But swear to me one thing, Fintan.”

“What is it?”

“Be expedient handling all this. Be careful, but do not dally. I am not now nor have I ever been one to sit idly by while my friends take the risks pointed toward me.” Markus had always preferred to face whatever came at him head-on, which made having to step aside and allow others to handle things grate on his nerves.

“I’ll do all I can to make sure we all come out of this alive and in a better position. Now go pack your bag and get your reports. The tramp will be here soon to take you to the cargo vessel that will shuttle you to your destination. I know it will not be the most comfortable ride, but no one would ever expect it.”

A few more words were exchanged before Markus left Fintan to his own duties. Heading to his quarters, he mulled everything he knew over in his head yet again. Before he ever got near the symbolic throne he was to take, he was going to drive himself crazy. And that did not even take into account whatever nightmare of a watcher he was being saddled with. He was definitely not looking forward to meeting whoever it might be.

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Brand New Release! Chevon’s Mate, Space Wars by April Zyon @AprilZyon

Posted on June 3, 2016 by S.J. Maylee

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Chevon’s Mate

Space Wars 5

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover and Banners by Simply Defined Art by Jay Aheer

About Chevon’s Mate:

Laura Troxell was a Craegin woman who had everything in place for a long and loving life. She was engaged to the man of her dreams, had a brother that adored her and a position she absolutely loved. Well, that was until her world fell apart and the truth about her brother and fiancé came to light. Dumping her ex had her taking a nice long trip on a pleasure cruise around the Craegin universe, including traveling close to the neutral zone with Imarian space. It was thrilling and fun all in one. It was a non-stop party until someone decided to dump her like the proverbial trash, thankfully they, at least, dumped her in a life pod instead of just shoving her out of an airlock.

Chevon von Janus was a man who held his duty to train the next soldiers very seriously. He was a man that was a stickler for the rules, even when it came to an unknown life pod coming toward them from the neutral zone. Everything went by the letter in saving whoever was in the pod, he just never expected for the person to be a woman, a Craegin woman at that, but more than anything he hadn’t expected her to be his soul bonded mate. Talk about a surprise to the by the books commander.

The combustion between the two was felt immediately. However Laura had another secret to tell him, one that she was certain the Craegin’s wouldn’t want the Imarian’s to know about and when she did it certainly did heat up the war that was already sizzling between their peoples.

Chevon first has to keep Laura safe from his crew and then he has to work with old friends to figure out how to keep all of them safe. Life was going to get very interesting for these two very quickly. But no one ever said that love was easy, at least not when you were from two different cultures, cultures that happened to be at war.

Good thing that they had such amazing friends ready to go to the mat for them or their love would never know the light of day.

** read to the end for a link to the complete first and second chapter of the book **

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About April:

April is a lover of all things romance, and a writer with an imagination that goes on for miles and miles. Writing for Evernight Publishing is a dream come true for her and something she wants to continue for the rest of her life.

Living in the great state of Indiana I’m now 42, married with 2 children aged 20 and 18 as of 2016 so life is always going. I live with the husband, both kids, my mom and her (our) puppy as well. 🙂

I work third shift and work odd hours and days so generally when I am awake no one else is, so I write 🙂

That’s about it for me!

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The books of Space Wars…

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*** Coming sometime in 2016 The Royal Mate, the final book of the Space Wars series. ***

Read the complete first and second chapter of Chevon’s Mate by clicking here… (use password AprilZyon)

New Release! Protected, Warriors of Light by April Zyon #EditorsPick

Posted on April 19, 2016 by S.J. Maylee

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Protected, Warriors of the Light 3

Written by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Cover and artwork by Jay Aheer with Simply Defined Art

Purchase Links

Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand | Evernight Publishing

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About the book

~Editor’s Pick~

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For the first time in her life, Vivian Duffy is pushing herself to the limits of her abilities. With people dying in her city she seems to be the only one willing to dig for the answers when the evidence isn’t making any sense. But when her sister fits the profile of the killer’s victims, Viv knows she may need to make some hard choices.

Jason has walked the Earth for more years than he cares to remember. Always with the singular goal of ensuring the safety of all the humans around him. Meeting the woman who was meant to be his was never even a consideration for him, not until Vivian crosses paths with him at the scene of a murder.

The danger is growing around them, and with the fate of his woman on the line this Argonaut will do whatever is needed to keep her protected.

This is a previously published work. It has been revised and edited for Evernight Publishing

Excerpt – G Rated –

Dropping his carry-on at his feet, Jason stretched his arms over his head. The flight into Seattle had been damn long. They’d had to make an impromptu landing when one of the passengers had gotten out of hand. Then there was a wait while the local police had pried him and his pissed off wife from the plane.

There’d been further delay when a storm had blown in, leaving them sitting on a runway for another three hours. Finally, they’d made it into the air during a break in the squall and were back on their way.

It had been a very long day in the air and on the ground. He was where he needed to be, though. Now all he had to do was find James so they could get their behinds moving. Which, knowing the cowboy as he did, the other man would likely be in the nearest bar. Grabbing his bag, he scoped out the area and spotted the one that would call to the Wild West gunman.

Too easy. Rolling his eyes, Jason slung the duffel over his shoulder and made his way to the tavern. Inside, he spotted James easily. The man was holding court with a gaggle of women, who were all drooling over his authentic accent. Why Mercury had thought putting the two of them together on a mission was a good idea, he’d never figure out.

Reaching the table, he dropped his luggage again. “James.”

“Jason!” James popped to his feet and came around to hug Jason, pounding his back. “Good of you to join us. Ladies, this is Jason. Jase, these are the ladies. They’ve been keeping me company while I waited for your flight. I heard ya’ll had a bit of trouble, got stuck through a bit of a storm. Bad luck, that.”

“Yeah, to say the least.” Jason gave a slight bow to the women. “Which means we really should get going, James. We have a job to do, and I’m sure you’ve had more than your fair share of drinking already today.”

“Right, true enough,” James said with a nod. “Sorry, ladies, but the man has a point. So, if ya’ll want to give me your numbers, I’ll call each and every one of ya’ll as soon as I can.” He leaned over and grinned at a blonde. “Especially you, sugar.” He handed off his phone and collected from all six.

When he had gotten his cell back, plus a few kisses, they paid his tab and went to collect the rental car. Passing James the folder from Mercury, Jason settled behind the wheel and got them moving.

“Shit, this here’s rather thin,” James said.

“I know. There’s not a lot to go on. A few really old cases that may or may not be related, and then the two newest ones. I don’t have a clue if this is anything more than a wild goose chase.”

“Damn,” James breathed. “Well, I guess all we can really do is check them out and see if it was human killings, or if it was more. Really wish these assholes would leave us calling cards. Be so much easier in the long run.”

“Yeah, just what we need. The evil ones leaving calling cards at their murders. Then we’d have the feds on each of the cases, looking for a serial killer that apparently hops from one end of the country to the other and back again. Somehow, I don’t see that as something that would work out well for us.”

“No, I guess not,” James muttered. “So, which one do we want to look at first?”

“Given where we are, we’ll look at the scene that was out north of Jefferson Park Golf Club. It’s the closest,” Jason answered. “After that, we’ll head to the one that happened in the Lower Queen Anne district. I doubt there will be much left after all this time, but you never know.” They could get lucky, though he didn’t hold out much hope for that. It hadn’t done him a lot of good over the years.

Twenty minutes later, they were studying the scene a block north and slightly east of the golf club. As he’d surmised, there wasn’t a lot left beyond some scraggly pieces of police tape and stains on the concrete.

But Jason wasn’t really interested in the scene itself. It was what was around that counted. Moving to where the body had been found, he turned his back. He wanted to know what the victim, a young woman by the name of Katy, had seen in her last moments.

It wasn’t a horrible area, not by a long shot. A little wear and tear, but nothing that jumped out and screamed “worst neighborhood on the planet.” There was some graffiti, but again, nothing that stated they were in gang territory, or a place most folks wouldn’t enter in the middle of the afternoon, let alone after dark.

For all intents and purposes, it was an average area, in an average American city, with nothing to make it stand out. Except for one thing. “We need to get Helen to pull the video feed from the night of the murder.”

“Wouldn’t the police have done that already?” James asked him.

“Possibly, likely even,” Jason said. “They’re not us, though, and they may not see what we will. Most humans don’t want to acknowledge the strange and unusual. Their minds automatically cover it up, and they play it off as a trick of the light, a shadow, or something else that allows them to sleep at night.”

“Good point.” His partner nodded. “Well, we might as well head to the next scene. Maybe there will be video around there, too.”

Jason was hoping so on the drive into Lower Queen Anne. They needed a break on the case, if there really was one. Reaching the corner of West Republican Street and Second Avenue, they found a parking spot. Jason climbed out of the SUV and looked around. Apparently, luck was on their side this time. “We have cameras,” he announced.

James nodded. “So I see. I’ll call Helen and get her to do her thing. Be nice to know if we’re just dealing with a regular old killer or a monster. Not that a regular killer is all that great, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the alternative.”

While James made the call back to the Mountain, Jason headed for the alley between buildings, where the murder had occurred. Ten feet in, he stopped. The police tape that remained was in slightly better condition than at the last spot. Turning, he gazed up at the buildings on each side.

A lot of windows, but given what was in each building and the time of night the young man, Vern, had been killed, there wouldn’t have been witnesses. Unfortunately, he didn’t think the video would be all that helpful, either, given where the cameras were located.

Walking back out to the street, he headed for the truck and James. The cowboy was off the phone and lounging back against the bumper, checking out women as they went past.

“Tell me you’re not checking out women on the street?”

“All right, I’ll tell you I’m not checking out women on the street,” James answered. “Even though they are damn fine.” He nodded to another one, receiving a smile in return.

“Anyone ever mention you are—what is that quaint saying? Ah yes … you are a dog,” Jason said.

“Woof.” James grinned at him. “We done here?”

“Yes, there’s nothing to see. We’ll need to hope we get some video. Did you contact Helen?”

“She’ll be pulling it as soon as she can. She said she had to find it first but will call as soon as she has something for us.”

“Good,” Jason said. “We might as well go to our hotel. I doubt we’ll get anything from her today, and I’m starving. They didn’t even have those little pouches of peanuts on the flight.”

“That’s because everyone’s all paranoid by the rise in allergies. They ditched the peanuts off flights, banned peanut butter from schools, and are coddling everyone. Too many people have turned into pansies. It’s deplorable,” James muttered with a sneer.

Jason wasn’t about to argue with him. Climbing into the truck, he put it in gear and got them moving toward their hotel. Food, a shower, and then sleep. In that order.

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New Release! Cecilia’s Mate, Space Wars 3 by April Zyon

Posted on November 2, 2015 by S.J. Maylee

April Zyon is in the ehouse! I’m super excited to be sharing the newest installment in her fab Space Wars Series, Cecilia’s Mate!

To catch up you can start with Adira’s Mate which is the first book in the series. After that book is Sadie’s Mate.

The third book in the series is Cecilia’s Mate. I’m excited about this book because Cece is the baby brother of Bracken, the hero in Sadie’s Mate.

Enjoy!

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Cecilia’s Mate

Space Wars 3

by April Zyon

Published by Evernight Publishing

Erotic Sci-Fi, BDSM

Blurb:

Cecelia Kauller has always felt invisible. First with her family, and then with the man she knows is to one day be hers. But things are about to change, and not for the better in her mind. When Cecelia discovers she’s about to be sold off to a man her older sister plans to have as a lover it all becomes too much. She can’t take any more and runs to the only place she knows she will be safe, with her brother.

Lieutenant Colonel Draven Ackermann has always felt out of place in life. Being a part of the Craegin Armada gave him purpose, and a sense of being. Now that he’s reached a point in his life where he can focus on more than a career, he only wants one person to fill that void. Unfortunately she happens to be his commanding officers baby sister.

Although they can now finally admit who they are to one another there is still one important step both must take, telling Cecelia’s brother that they are bondmates. Not an easy conversation, but one that is necessary for the happiness of them both.

As they settle into their new lives, and prepare for the next step of marriage, the universe decides to shake life up a little more. Draven receives news that shatters all he’s ever known, and turns his life upside down.

Cecelia stands strong at his side, as a bondmate should, and helps Draven to regain his footing. She will always do whatever is necessary to help him as he has helped her through all the changes in her life. She can do now other, he is her love, her heart, and her every dream. He is Cecelia’s mate.

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Excerpt:

Her mouth went dry when he bared himself to her. She couldn’t speak when he asked her if he passed muster. She just looked up at him and nodded dumbly. “Yes.” She licked her suddenly dry lips and let out a breathy sound. He was glorious. His body was dark all over. He was built with thick ropes of muscles, and his cock, holy mother of life it was impressive. It was thick and long and pointed seemingly straight up and toward her. “Are you sure that this will work?” He looked bigger than he had felt against her the last night that they went to sleep together. It was intimidating.

“Cecilia, little one, of course it will work. Remember that we are made for one another. You can touch, you know,” he said quietly. Reaching out for a hand, he brought it up to his chest and pressed it flat so her palm rested fully on his skin. “Touch and learn me. It will help to alleviate some of your concerns. The rest you will need to trust me on.”

She allowed her hand to move over the broad expanse of his chest. She was chewing her lower lip as she touched him. Her nails lightly scraped over his chest and she smiled at the white lines that were left in their wake. It wasn’t enough to harm, just enough to tease. “You always feel so good. I know you would never hurt me and you do have my trust, Draven, completely.”

He slid his hand up her arm, then moved it to cup her cheek. “I’m honored that you trust in me.” Draven watched her as she scratched her nails a little lower. He sucked his stomach in when she dipped even lower.

She was looking down, watching her hand as she moved it down. Her fingers lightly brushed over his cock and she gasped. Then, before she could stop herself, she closed her hand around his shaft and let it slide down slowly. Her fingers wouldn’t meet around his thick shaft so she put her other hand on his dick as well. She began to stroke him.

A low growl from him had her peeking up. His eyes were narrowed on her, his features a little harsher, color riding his cheeks. Using his thumb, he tipped her face up as he leaned in. Draven caught her mouth in a kiss that was unmatched by anything prior.

Cece allowed herself to give in to the kiss. She squeezed him gently, then began to move her hands back up his body and wrapped them around his neck. She leaned into his embrace, swaying into his touch, and moaned as she kissed him back.

Draven’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her body tighter to his own. Then they were moving, and she had the sensation of tumbling before the softness of the bed met her back. His weight pressed her deeper into the bedding while he continued to kiss her like a man starved.

She lifted a leg slightly so that it could brace against his hip. She shifted under him and tugged at his hair. When they parted she was panting, breathless and desperate. “I love kissing you, Draven Ackermann. Just so you know, I’m never letting you go.”

“You’d better not, Cecilia Kauller, because I never intend to let you go, either. You are mine, now and for all of time.” He kissed her again, this time a little gentler as he stroked his hands over her torso, his thumbs brushing to the curve of her breasts.

She shivered when his thumbs brushed over her breasts and up to caress her nipples. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes as she arched into the touch. Draven was pressing light kisses to her throat. Slowly he worked his way down to her upper chest before shifting his body a little lower, giving him the room he needed to nuzzle at her breasts. The flick of his tongue to her nipple had her jolting under him.

“Do that again, please?” Cece asked as she shifted under him to take more of what he was offering.

Draven slid his lips over her skin to her other breast. His tongue slid slowly over her tight nipple. When she gave a shiver he sucked the tight bud into his mouth to pull hard on it, drawing it in deeper. She felt the smallest scrape of his teeth to her skin before he flicked her nipple with his tip of his tongue repeatedly.

“Oh God yes.” She put her hands to his head and held him there. “Again, please,” was all she could think to say.

Cecilia could feel his laugh against her body as he gave in to her demands. He looked up to her and held her gaze as he scraped his teeth over her flesh slowly. Her nipple slipped from between his teeth when he lifted his head. Leaning up, he pressed a kiss to her chin, then wiggled down her body more. With soft kisses to her sternum, her belly, then her hips, she could feel her body winding tighter with the sensations he was helping to create.

She moved her hands to his head and touched him. “That feels so good,” she moaned, enjoying his wandering mouth. “I think I could become addicted to you doing this to me.”

“I’ll do this every single night if I have anything to say about it, a couple times during the day as well if you’re feeling adventurous, and then whenever the mood strikes.” Pushing her legs further apart, Draven got her to raise her knees so she was fully bared to him. His warm breath brushed along her damp folds as he stared at her.

“Oh I love how that sounds. Do you think that you will be able to…” She trailed off when his breath moved across her silky wet folds. “Draven.” She moaned and shuddered.

He brushed his nose to her inner thigh. “Do I think I’ll be able to what, little one?” he asked with a smile.

“I forgot.” She whimpered, then shifted slightly.

Draven chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to the seam of her leg. He blew another breath over her pussy before leaning in to run his tongue lightly up her slit.

“Holy mother. That feels so good. I’ve never felt anyone do that to me before.” Of course she hadn’t. She had never felt anyone except him touching her intimately before. “I think I’ve just found my new favorite thing.”

“I’d reserve judgment a little longer,” he advised. Sliding his hands over her skin, he pulled her folds apart. Then he mouth was on her, his tongue stroking over her, his low growl vibrating against her most sensitive parts.

“Draven” She sobbed when his tongue stroked over her clit. When he growled she felt her hips jump. “Draven, more. Please. Fuck.” She never cussed but was right now.

His mouth latched onto her aching clitoris, and he sucked hard. All the while his fingers stroked over her pussy, one finger finally sliding into her sheath to gently stroke her in time to his sucking actions.

“Ohhhhhh…” she said in a long and low moan of a sound. The finger inside of her pussy while his tongue worked her clitoris had her seeing stars, literally. She shuddered and shifted her hips slightly to take more of him into her body.

The slight bite of his teeth on her sensitive nub sent a shiver through her. But then her mind became focused on the fuller feeling of her pussy when he added another finger. His free hand stroked up her belly to her breasts, where he began to pluck at first one nipple, then the other.

She covered his hand with hers and squeezed her nipple tightly with his hands. “I love the way that feels.” She shifted to accommodate more of his body between her legs and to give him room to play more with her as he wanted to.

Draven slid his hand free from under hers. “Play with your nipples,” he ordered in a husky tone. He moved his hand down to hold her folds open and proceeded to flick the tip of his tongue to her clit rapidly while thrusting his fingers in and out of her pussy.

She moved her hand from his head and placed both of them on her nipples. She began to tug and pull at them. She twisted them and gasped just as his fingers thrust deeply into her pussy.

“That’s it, Cecilia,” he praised. Curling his fingers inside of her, he seemed to find some spot that had her toes digging frantically into the bedding. Then he put his mouth back over her clit to suck at the throbbing nub, adding in a little bite now and again.

Cece arched up against him and sobbed. She braced her feet on the bedding and lifted her pussy up closer to him. She loved the way this felt, the fabulous feeling of his hands on her body and his mouth on her pussy.

Draven cupped her ass when she lifted up, a digit moving to rub the tight bud between her buttocks. He pressed firmly while sucking harder at her clit and curling his fingers up inside of her.

With his fingers in her pussy and the one touching her anus she saw stars. It took her breath away, the sensations making her gasp. She then screamed and lifted her body up, taking his fingers deeper. The one near her anus slipped inside and she came, hard.

The next thing she knew Draven was stroking her leg gently, pressing kisses to her face, and her arms were wrapped around his neck. “Shh, I have you, little one. Slow your breathing down for me, Cecilia,” he said gently as he continued to soothe her.

Doing as he instructed, she nodded and sighed. “That was amazing. I never dreamed that an orgasm would be so good.”

“That was only the first part of it all,” he told her. “There is so much more that is to come your way.” Slipping an arm around her, he squeezed her close while pressing a kiss to her lips. “The real question is, are you ready for more, Cecilia?” She took a deep breath and licked her lips after his kiss. “I want more. I want everything.”

He gave her another leisurely kiss, curling his tongue around hers and teasing her gently. He settled his body over hers and she could feel his cock rubbing against her pussy and over her clit. His one hand didn’t stop moving but continued to stroke her leg, over her hip, and up her ribs before going back down her side.

“So good.” She lifted again and moaned. “I love the feel of you touching me.” The head of his cock rubbing against her slit had her whimpering and clutching at him.

“Easy, little one.” He cupped her face in a hand, his thumb brushing over her skin while he stared down into her eyes. “You need to relax for me and take slow, deep breaths.” His cock pressed to her opening. Moving his hand, he touched her pussy, spreading her lips as he pushed his cock to start filling her slowly.

He filled her to capacity, and beyond. She had to stop him once and shift slightly but then he pushed into her more. “Draven.” She whispered his name. This was making love. This wasn’t about the domination and submission, but this was their first time making love.

“Breathe, Cecilia,” he said in a deeper, rougher tone. “You need to remember to breathe.” His hands guided her legs up and around his hips until she could hook her ankles together over his ass. Very slowly he pulled his cock almost all the way out of her pussy, then pressed back in just as slowly.

She breathed, recalling that he had said she could control her body with her breathing, with focusing. She tried to do just that. She forced herself to breathe in and out and to watch him as he made love with her. “I’m so glad I waited for you,” she confessed, reaching up to put her hand on his cheek and pull him closer. Catching her lips in a kiss, he cupped her head between his hands. He was still moving his hips, thrusting his cock in and sliding out of her body slowly. As they kissed he began to pick up his pace a little at a time.

She moved with him, her body naturally finding its rhythm with him and causing her to brush against his chest with her breasts from time to time. Each time her rock hard nipples brushed against his muscular chest she gasped aloud, the pleasure moving between nipples and clit and back again.

“You are so beautiful,” he said, his gaze roaming over her face. “So open, so giving, and all mine. Forever, Cecilia. Nothing else will be nearly enough for me.” Putting his hands on the bed, he pressed up a little and began to thrust faster and harder into her eager body.

“Good.” She moved along with him, her body naturally finding that right rhythm with him, her legs around his hips. She dug her heels into his ass, pulling him tighter to her body as she did so.

“Touch your clit, Cecilia.” Rolling his hips slightly gave her a new sensation. “Rub that tight little nub for me.” Draven was adjusting himself over her, each movement changing how his cock slid into her.

Reaching between them, she touched her fingertips to her clit and began to rub, sobbing his name as the feelings that were coming from him pumping in and out of her body had her flying higher and higher.

“Please, Sir.” She shivered, the force of her pleasure doubling at those two small words.

The look on his face when she said those words nearly had her coming apart. But something held her back. Leaning in, Draven pressed a hard kiss to her lips. “Come for me, Cecilia,” he said in a demanding tone.

It was his demand far more than anything that had her screaming as she climaxed. She came hard, her body shaking, and felt her nails biting into Draven’s back. She whimpered and needed him to come with her.

A few more hard thrusts and she felt it. The shudder rippled through his body before his cock pulsated in her sheath. Draven collapsed over her, wrapping his arms around her to hold her tight as his seed filled her.

She felt each pulse of his seed into her waiting womb and closed her eyes. “Gracious,” she whispered softly, then yawned. “Will you hold me, please? Just keep me close?”

“You don’t even have to ask.” Pressing his lips to her cheek, he rolled them so she was lying on top. Then he covered her up, tucking the blankets around her gently before once more wrapping her in his arms. “Sleep for a little while, Cecilia. Then we need to get up for the official welcome back meal.”

“Okay.” She rubbed her cheek to his chest and drifted off into sleep.

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New Release! Sadie’s Mate, Space Wars Book 2 by April Zyon

Posted on August 10, 2015 by S.J. Maylee

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Blurb:

Family kept them apart, fate brought them together.

Bracken Kauller has been unlucky in love. Not that his family doesn’t stop trying to push proper women his way. He’s found it easiest to stay on his ship, and out of their path. When trouble starts to brew on his vessel he needs an expert he can trust.

Sadie Monterey is smart, driven, and successful. But she doesn’t have it all. The only person she’s ever loved has seemingly made it his life mission to avoid her with the help of his family. Then circumstances throw them together in a life or death situation.

The threats are mounting against them, and time is running out. With only one move left to make, Bracken throws his heart on the line. He’ll do anything necessary to be Sadie’s mate.

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Excerpt:

Sadie sat in Bracken’s office with the packet that was for her eyes only in her lap and waited, not so patiently. She looked once more at the timepiece and saw that it was now forty-five minutes since she spoke to him last. She needed him to hurry. The power supply for the facial film wasn’t one that was everlasting and it was also bloody damn well hot as well. She shifted once more. Five more minutes, that was all she was giving him until she left and let him come to find her.

The door from the command deck slid open to reveal utter chaos, then slid shut to silence the noise. “Apologies for the delay,” he said. He moved to the desk and practically fell into the chair behind it. Rubbing his hands over his face, he leaned forward to prop his arms on the desktop. “What’s going on, Sadie?”

“You and your friend, Fintan, have been playing loose with the rules. Since he wed the Imarian woman, the marshal’s office have placed spies on his ship.” She passed the package over to him. “They want to bring you all down. They’re trying to find who all is with you. I never once thought to ensure that his destroyer was protected as well. Sure I’ve hidden the telemetry on his ship when I could, but I didn’t think about scouring it clean the way that I did yours.”

Bracken waved off her concern as he looked over the pieces of the package she’d been left. Reaching out, he pressed a button. “Draven, get Fintan for me, please,” he said, then released the button. “They really are starting to get desperate,” he muttered, shaking his head slowly.

She shrugged and leaned back once more. If he wasn’t concerned, why should she be? It was likely time she stopped protecting him as much as she did. “If you have nothing else to say, I should go back to my quarters. It’s been a very long and trying day.” Especially since she had been shoved onto the one ship in the universe she didn’t want to be. Not because she hated Bracken, but because she cared far too much for him.

“Don’t move,” he said sharply. A beep sounded, and the screen to her left lit up.

“Bracken, what’s going…oh, hello.”

“Fintan, meet Doctor Sadie Monterey, friend of the family. Mainly the sisters but we’re forgiving her for her horrid taste in friends. Sadie, meet General Fintan Daykin. The marshal’s office is stepping things up, Fintan. They’re into planting evidence now, and moles.”

“I know. I caught two just this morning who are now crammed into an escape pod with three others that will be jettisoned sometime in the next hour. I’m sweeping through the crew, looking for the others they thought they could slip past me.”

“Good. I already have Draven looking into our crew as well. They actually think we don’t know each and every member by name and face.”

“Well the offices are being run by an egotistical ass who wants to make a mark by wiping out the Imarians once and for all.”

Bracken shot her a look and snorted. “They’re not above getting rid of those that could discover their plans, either. Where are you at?”

Fintan leaned to the side with a frown. “About a day out from your position. Why?”

“Because we’ve been sabotaged and I’m pretty damn sure they have a plan to ignite this war, and we’re the fucking suckers about to be splattered across the galaxy.”

“I’ll get Markus to encourage the engine room to run in the red for a while. Keep me apprised of the situation. And Bracken.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t get dead.”

“Copy that, General. See you soon.” The screen went black as Bracken turned his chair to face her once more.

“So you’ve known what’s been happening for a while now I take it?” she asked as she leaned back, tapping her finger to the arm of the chair in her telltale nervous fashion. “What I don’t get, though, is why assure that I’m on board? I’m the one who designed the AI’s and without me they will all go dormant. There is a kill switch that’s encoded with my DNA, so making me dead is a good way to kill all of the Craegin destroyers, so why?”

He lifted a brow and stared at her. “Come on, Sadie. Think about it. They have a whole new line of destroyers that are ready to be put into place if not for the fact we’re not at war and don’t need that many out here. All with a different AI system to run them. Kill all of us off with a fake Imarian fleet, and they can roll out their new ships with commanders in place who do as they are told, and don’t bother to think for themselves.”

She shook her head and leaned forward. “You really don’t know me as well as you think that you do.” Sure, everyone was certain that the new, top-of-the-line destroyers were all clearly based upon a new design, but she was a chameleon. She could change her looks at whim and did so often so that she could ensure Bracken was safe. She hid the true self that she was, the scarred woman that men only wanted for a title and money. No, Sadie was no one’s fool. Not now, not ever. “Why do you think you know me as well as you do? Yes, I’ve been friends with your sisters for as long as I can recall but you don’t really know me. No one does.” No one had ever truly tried to know her. Not after she had been disfigured. Sure she had been sought after, but they didn’t want her just the prestige of being her husband.

“You may have put in the initial systems, but they were all changed out on the sly a year ago,” he said quietly. Digging into his desk, he tossed a file onto the top near her. “We’ve been suspicious for a couple of years now, but the instant they did that we all started to cover our asses. We have enough dirt on several politicians to bury them for centuries. But we don’t yet have the one key piece. The why of it all. You’re as expendable as the rest of us, Sadie. Why do you think you were forced onto this ship with us? Especially if we’re such threats to the current government. You could have kept watch from Craegin remotely. You have access to everything here. Why put you on this ship now?”

“Don’t know.” Oh she knew all right but she wasn’t saying. “Well since you have absolutely everything figured out you really don’t need me now, do you? You can assign one of the tramps to take me back or drop me at one of the moon bases.” It pissed her off that someone was putting her shit out there. It bothered her even more that Bracken felt he knew more about her and what was happening in her life than she did. A lot.

“And leave you unprotected? Hardly,” he said, adding on a snort for good measure, she was sure. Bloody irritating was what it actually was. He looked ready to say something else to her when another beep sounded. Snarling a heap of swear words under his breath, he hit the button. “Yeah? What? When?” he asked. Then he let loose with another string of curses, some used in a rather creative manner. “Get us there as quick as you can. Alert Fintan that we’re diverting. Son of a bitch,” he complained as he got to his feet. When he reached her side he tugged on the shoulder of her shirt lightly. “Come on, doc. You’re going to want to see the evidence for yourself.”

“If you say so.” Said said as she rose to her feet and adjusted her suit. It was clear by the rigidness of her stance that the woman hated being led around on a string, but what was worse was she would do anything for this man. She was Craegin through and through; she was passionate, but she was also submissive if the right man ever came along. He never had, however, not since the right man sat before her and never once looked at her as if he wanted anything to do with her at all.

He put a hand on the small of her back as they stepped onto the command deck. The volume was intense on the deck, though it lowered for a moment as Bracken entered. Several nods came their way before everyone returned to their work.

She moved so that she had her back to the wall and simply surveyed the controlled chaos that was happening on the command deck.

Bracken went over to his first officer. She watched as he listened to the man. It was his expression she noticed the most, what she could see of it, that was. He started frowning, but slowly it melted off until she could practically feel the rage wanting to let loose. Bracken took the data pad the man passed him and came slowly toward her as he viewed what was on it.

“So, what’s happening?” she asked, shifting to better see the data pad and so that no one could possibly get behind her. She had been there before and now there were very few people she allowed at her back. “What has you looking so angry?”

“You watch and tell me what you see.” He passed over the data pad and moved so his back was to the wall at her side. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes. In a brief flash she saw how tired he was before he masked it all under a neutral look.

Sadie took the data pad and watched the horror unfold and gasped. “Holy mother,” she whispered, then touched the pad, increasing the size of the screen and replaying what was in it. “Wait.” She squeezed in closer and shook her head. “They have the Imarian insignias wrong. Look.” She turned to him. “They’re trying to make this look like Imarian, but they screwed up the insignia.” She had studied the insignias at great detail, mostly so that she could write a script into the coding of the AI’s that would recognize anything to do with an Imarian ship.

“I know. It’s begun,” he muttered. Someone called to him, and he gave a nod. Pressing his hand to his ear, he let out a sigh. “I’m guessing you’ve seen the footage so far? Yeah, we saw that here too. Better let our friend know the next step is likely already underway for the retribution. Right, let me know when you hear something. Sorry,” he said, looking to her again. “We’ll be pairing up from here out. Fintan’s going to be riding not far from us for the next while, and all those who are against our government’s tactics have been warned to do the same. It’ll stretch us a little, but the hope is that we can keep one another safe with the tactic since command won’t be expecting two ships when they start to try picking us off.”

“You need to ensure that the hidden codes inside of your communications panels are disabled. Each ship is built with a minimum of fifteen hidden codes to report back to command. I need for you to take me to engineering first, communications and then the armory. I’ll do what I can to help you. When the general’s ship is in range I’ll go to his ship and do the same.”

He stared at her long enough to make her mildly uncomfortable. “Thank you, Sadie,” he said in a low, intimate tone. Reaching out, he took the data pad from her fingers to pass off to a junior officer. “Let’s get going. We need to do this quickly because I have a feeling we’re going to need every damn advantage we can get.”

“Yes, you are.” She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. Going through her mind was everything she needed to do. “And if they are using the new class of ships there is a kill switch that I hid inside of them. They don’t know about it. Not even the people on my team know about the kill codes. It’s something that I put into place with everything that I’ve designed for the last fifteen years.” She had been a child prodigy, able to create programs for ships for as long as she could recall. It had been the one and only way to escape the machinations of her mother to try to get her sold off, married off, whatever.

“Let’s keep that as a last resort. I’m not putting you in any more danger than you already are, Sadie. I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted to keep you here and safe. Putting you on a moon base is just begging for an assassin to take you out when you’re not looking. Not even you can watch your back every moment of every day, no matter how much you would wish otherwise.”

“I’ve learned a lot over the years. I’ve learned how to protect myself and hide in plain sight.” She’d been doing it for the last six years, since she had been attacked and permanently disfigured. “Your sisters have the gift of being able to go about in the world without a care. I’m not. I never have been.” She was one of the original families’ descendants, one of the few Craegin that still had diluted Imarian blood in her veins, her family having intermarried far more often than not over the generations. Not something she was proud of and likely why her father had been as crazy as he was. “I don’t need a moon base for the kill switch. I just need to be within range and an amplifier dish.”

“If I had a bloody opinion on those females I’d lock them up in a dungeon and keep them from wreaking havoc on the world. Unfortunately only my father sides with me. Mother doesn’t see it as an issue.” He put his hand on her back as they walked through the corridors at a quick pace. In the lift he keyed in their destination before turning to look at her. “Once you’ve done this we need to have a talk. Frank, open, no more hiding, Sadie. You up for it?”

“Depends on what exactly it is that you wish to discuss. If it’s to lecture me, again, then I believe I’ll pass on that conversation if you don’t mind.” There was only so much that she could take before her heart would break. “Your sisters are only on your case as much as they are because your mother and father have forbade them from marrying until you have married. Just saying.”

“Which is utter crap,” he said. “I don’t lecture, Sadie. I pass out useful pieces of information that I believe someone could use. But to put your mind at ease, this isn’t a lecture of any sort. Truths, and nothing but truths. That’s it. I’ll tell you some truths I know, and you try and come up with excuses and blow me off yet again.” He gave her a tight smile and spun as the doors opened. Stepping to the side, he waved her out into the corridor.

He really didn’t know her at all. That much was far more apparent with each moment she spent with him. Perhaps her heart and soul were wrong; they had to be. People who belonged together didn’t act as they did to each other.

Once more his hand landed on her back to guide her through the ship to do what needed to be done to keep him and his crew safe. When they reached engineering he stayed close but didn’t crowd her. Bracken did ensure that none of the crew came wandering over to see what she was up to, mainly by planting his rather large frame between her and everyone else.

Settling into the seat before the console, Sadie pulled open the backdoor she had built into the systems and began to go through the programming. Finding the key code she needed, she just smiled. “There you are,” she said and removed the line of coding that would communicate back to the home world. “There.” She turned and looked up at Bracken. “Armory next, please. Then communications, medical and the science labs. That should take everything out so that they can no longer eavesdrop upon you or your ship.”

And so it went with each area that she had told him about. Together they traveled the ship from end to end, her removing codes as she did so. Once that was finished they were outside of hydroponics. “Now what?”

“Now we talk.” His hand landed on her arm, this time in a firm grip. Hard enough to hold her but not to bruise. Apparently he wasn’t taking any chances in her going anywhere but where he wanted.

It was the stupidest thing ever, and she chastised herself immensely when his hand landed upon her arm. The moment that he squeezed she felt her panties get wet. The touch was firm but not painful. It was the touch she had craved from him all of her life, oddly enough. She allowed him to lead her. She allowed him to take her through the ship as he wished.

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If you would like to read more about Space Wars, please pick up the first book. Here is a link for Adira’s Mate so that you can read about the book that started it all.

Blurb for Adira’s Mate:

If you had one shot at a love beyond anything you’ve ever known, would you take it? What if it meant leaving behind everything you’ve ever known? Adira Lora never thought the love of her life would be a prisoner of war who kidnaps her at gunpoint. When Craegin General Fintan Daykin forces her to help him escape from an Imarian prison, Adira finds herself ripped away from the only home she’s ever known. All of a sudden she is the captive, bound for a world where the men were born to rule…and dominance is a way of life. She never expects to realize the Craegins are not the barbarians her people have made them out to be, and soon finds herself falling for the large, strong warrior.

Spotlight: All In The Timing, Massey Texas 7 by April Zyon

Posted on January 13, 2015 by S.J. Maylee

All In The Timing, Massey Texas 7

By: April Zyon

Published by: Evernight Publishing

Cover by: Sour Cherry Designs

Purchase Links:

ARE: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=April+Zyon

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/April-Zyon/e/B00N2CC3QM/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/april-zyon

BookStrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/april-zyon

Evernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/april-zyon/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/aprilzyon

Blurb:

Rebuilding her life was never in Elizabeth Davidson’s plans, but things rarely go according to plan. At least she had Massey, TX to call home when she needed a place to tuck herself away from one mistake after another. What she hadn’t planned on was becoming embroiled in the middle of a multi-agency case. Or becoming one of the victims.

Frank Carver, Jr. loves Massey, TX. It’s the place of his birth, and will always be the place he considers home. Because of the nature of the job he chose to do, and the people he’s come across during the years, he’s always been careful to never lead that danger back home. But when danger finds its way into the very heart of his town, he has no other choice but to return. Especially when Elizabeth, the only woman he could ever love ends up with a target on her back.

Excerpt:

“I’m sure that there is a woman out there that would take you, that wants you.” She did. God help Eli, but she wanted him desperately. She wanted him to be in her life, she wanted to have him, but was too afraid to tell him. “One day, she’s going to walk into your life and you will put the job behind you and stay around. I just know it.”

His gaze clashed with hers, and held. For long moments, it felt like he was peeling away the layers, seeing farther than anyone ever should. “Oh, of that I’m quite sure,” he said. “But she’ll have to wait a little longer. I have one, maybe two more very important things I need to attend to before she’ll have my full attention. If she’s even ready for it, of course.”

Eli felt her heart fall, but she nodded, plastered on a fake smile, and pulled her hand back from him. So he already knew who it was that he wanted. Of course he did. He was an amazing man and would of course already know who he wanted to be with. “I’m sure that she would be ready. She will wait for you. You are worth it, Frank.” She would wait forever for him, and that was just plain sad. Right, so since he knew who he wanted, that meant she really did need to get on with her life. “Finish eating,” she said simply, and picked up her chicken leg.

He didn’t look away, though, his gaze steady on her long enough to start to unnerve her. Then, shockingly, his lips curled into the smallest of grins. “She doesn’t even have the faintest clue, but she will,” he said. “Eventually, she’ll clue into the fact that I know exactly how she feels and will get with the program, I’m sure.” He finally looked away from her, and returned his attention to his plate.

Whoever it was, well, she was a very lucky woman indeed. She turned her focus back to her food and took her time eating. She had to admit, the food really was very good. It was better than she had anticipated, so that was good at least.

“You’re awfully quiet,” he said a time later. His plate was cleaned of everything but the chicken bones. “Something on your mind, Eli?” Frank was leaning back in his seat, his legs stretched out under the table, his entire posture extremely relaxed.

“Just trying to think of who this woman is that you have a thing for,” she blurted out, blushing as she realized that she really had said that aloud. “So, apple pie. You want some and ice cream? I have plain vanilla to go with the pie. Works better that way, I think.”

One of his eyebrows went up, and if she wasn’t completely mistaken, he appeared to be fighting a grin. “Never liked ice cream on my pie, dilutes the flavors, to my way of thinking. So I’ll just have a piece straight up, if you don’t mind. Any thoughts on who this mystery woman might be?”

“Not the first clue,” she admitted, and stood. “Will you clear the plates? I will get the pie if you will do that, please.” She would box up the leftovers and ensure that Frank was able to take that out to the guys. “So just plain apple pie, I can do that.”

His heat was the first thing she felt along her spine. He put his hands on the counter on either side of her, effectively trapping her. “Think on it for a while, Eli. I’m sure you can figure it out. You’re a wonderfully brilliant woman, after all. I’ll even give you a clue if you think it will help.”

“I think I might need it.” She turned so she could look up at him. She had no idea who it was that he might have a thing for. Her hand braced on Frank’s chest and she bit her lower lip. “Tell me?” She wanted to know who it was that he was talking about. She wanted to be able to hate that woman.

“All right,” he said. Tipping his head slightly, he appeared to think for a moment. “She’s amazing, fierce in her own way, and pretty much thinks she’s the last person on the planet who would garner attention from me. And as a bonus clue…” He looked her dead in the eye again. “She’s the only person who I’d climb over my family to get to.” Tapping the end of her nose, he turned and went to the table to begin gathering up the dishes and food.

She just looked at him. She couldn’t stop staring. She was missing something and felt incredibly stupid at that moment. “Me?” She gasped finally, realizing exactly who he was talking about. “Frank.” She moved and reached out to grab his arm. “Are you talking about me?”