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Justine's books

Last Sacrifice
My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep
My Soul to Steal
Wings
Spells
Illusions
Sing Me to Sleep
Girl Stays in the Picture
The Eternal Ones
Beastly
Ash
Huntress
Secret Society
The Trust
Ascendant
Rampant
0.4
Fairy Tale


Justine's favorite books »

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Review #82: Eleven Minutes- Megan Miranda


Book Description: Fracture is told from Delaney's perspective, and if you've read the first two chapters, you know that she falls through the ice in chapter one, and she wakes up 6 days later. And what happens in between—well, that's Decker's story. 

This is the story of those eleven minutes, and the six days that follow, from his perspective. Because while it must be terrifying to be trapped under the ice, it's a different kind of terror seeing your best friend trapped... 

Especially if it's your fault.
Title: Eleven Minutes
Author: Megan Miranda
Pages: 28
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Review:  After reading Fracture and finding out that there was this short story, I knew I had to read it. I LOVED IT!! I love that it was from Decker's point of view. I love that it counts the minutes that Delaney is submerged and tells what is happening outside the frozen lake. I love that we got to hear Decker's thoughts through all of this. The only thing that I thought was missing was when Decker and Tara are in the elevator, I would have liked to know how that conversation happened. Oh well it was still a great read. I would recommend this to everyone that has read Fracture. Thank you Megan Miranda for pointing me in the right direction to obtain a copy to read.



About this author


Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.

Review #81: This is Not a Test- Courtney Summers

Description: 

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually wantto live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Title: This is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Pages: 323
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: I had a really hard time trying to write a review for this book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but to try and get all of my feelings to words is really proving to be difficult. I thought this book was going to be about zombies and is group of kids trying to survive, think The Walking Dead but with teenagers. The book did have zombies they just weren't the main focus. This novel deals with something that may be hard for some readers, that concept being a suicidal teen. The only thing is this suicidal teen survived the end of the world.
Sloane lived with her sister and abusive father until the day her sister left and abandoned Sloane. This broke Sloane. Lily had promised they would leave together. Lily always told Sloane that she would die with out her. I felt really bad for Sloane. She had a crappy childhood and I feel like her sister kind of brainwashed her into thinking she couldn't survive without her. Therefore, once Lily left and the end of the world happened, Sloane kept trying to find ways to off herself but in ways that the others wouldn't know she was actually suicidal. I'm hoping if there is a second book Sloane realizes that she has survived when others didn't and that she deserves to live. There are quite a few secondary charcters that I liked but I don't want to give to much away. 
I enjoyed reading this book. I really hope that there is a second book so I can find out what happens to Sloane and I also hope the author makes a prequel from Lily's POV. I would recommend this book to people who want a new take on zombies or those who just want a good read. If you have a chance to read this book, do it.



About this author



Courtney Summers can't wait for the zombie apocalypse. Also she is the author of CRACKED UP TO BE and SOME GIRLS ARE, FALL FOR ANYTHING and THIS IS NOT A TEST, four edgy young adult novels published by St. Martin's Press. 


Review #80: Fracture- Megan Miranda

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Pages: 264
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: This is another book that is have had sitting on my self to read for quite awhile. Fracture is the debut novel by author Megan Miranda, it was a pretty good read. Fracture starts off with a tramautic accident and shows how our main character Delaney Maxwell overcame it. I would consider this book pretty controversial because it delves into the question of if someone is surf wring and they are going to die, would you help them die without pain sooner or let them suffer until the end? I like that it is a YA contemparary, but borders on the paranormal side. Plus it deals with a situation that actually happens a lot in real life and most of the people involved dont survive.
I enjoyed reading about Delaney because first you think there is no way that she could survive that, then she does and you think okay but she will most likely not "be all there". But then she is fine, well for the most part. I liked following her along this journey of discovery and I'm glad she decided to be on the side of trying to save people and stayed there. I liked Decker too, but I wished that he would have told Delaney how he felt sooner so that Tara wouldn't have been in the picture. At first I really liked Troy too, I thought he would be Delaney's salvation, but as I learned more about him, what he does and what he tried to do to Delaney, I'm not a fan anymore.
There was only one thing that really bugged me in the book. On page 142, when Delany is talking about in phiolosphy class and Justin Baxter says his Uncle has Down's syndrome and he has one less chromosome, that fact is incorrect. People who have Down's syndrome actually have a extra chromosome. But other then that I enjoyed this book. Fracture was a fast read because it was interesting and flowed well. I would have liked to see more background on Delaney's mom but maybe in the next book. Also there is a short story fallen Eleven Minutes from Decker's point of view that I really want to read and there is a companion novel, Vengance, set to come out in 2014. I can't wait.


About this author


Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Review #79: Variant- Robison Wells



Summary: Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.


He was wrong.

Now he's trapped in a school that's surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school's real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape--his only real hope for survival--may be impossible.

Title: Variant
Author: Robison Wells
Pages: 376
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: I have been meaning to read this book for awhile now, I would put it in my bag to take to work but then I would push it to the wayside. I'm glad I finally picked it up. It is a present day/ futuristic dystopian that kept me guessing throughout. Variant started off pretty normal then things got crazy, and crazier and finally the ending was the craziest. It really he'd my attention because there was so much unbelievable stuff happening. There are also a ton of secrets that I need the answers to.

Benson is a great character to read about. He never gave up and he fought for what he believed in. Benson is one of the smartest characters that I have ever read about. He doesn't act on impulse, he uses slow calculating moves.i also grew to like a lot of the secondary characters but then things started happening that changed my perception of most of them.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and interesting. I was on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen next. I would recommend this book to dystopian lovers. I will be continuing with the series.


Robison Wells lives in Holladay, Utah, with his wife and three kids. He recently finished graduate school, during which he read and wrote novels when he should have been studying finance. He is also the author of Variant.

Review #78: Beyond- Willow Rose


Title: Beyond
Author: Willow Rose
Pages: 267
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Review: I've had this book sitting on my kindle for quite some time. I believe that I purchased it while it was free on Amazon. I was looking for something to read and I liked the looks of this premise and decided to read it. And I'm glad I did. This story takes place in an academy setting which I love, and its about the afterlife and spirits which is a new concept for me. I felt like I learned a lot about what the students have to go through before the can graduate from the academy, but I can't wait to see what other cool stuff they need to accomplish first. I also feel Ike there is lots of stuff that the teachers aren't telling the students so that really intigues me. I want to know what and why they aren't telling the newcomers everything.
I really enjoyed going on this life after death adventure with Meghan. She seems like such a sweet and caring person, she try's to help everyone even if it hurts her. But I really want to know what happened to her! Ill have to keep reading and find out. I feel like she might be a special spirit and just no one knows it yet. Jason was also a great character. He is so brave and would do anything to protect his mother. I just feel bad for the way things ended, so hopefully in book two we can learn what is to become of Jason. I also really loved Mick. I felt like Meghan kind of shafts him because he has already graduated , but if I was in her shoes I'd date him. He just seems like such a gentleman and he too tries to help people. 
If you are looking for an afterlife read with a bit of a twist, I would recommend Beyond. It is a great read for people of all ages. I can't wait to get my hands on book two.


About this author


I am a Paranormal Romance, fantasy and mystery/horror/thriller writer. I am originally from Denmark but currently living in Florida, USA. 

I am the author of the Afterlife-series. It is a Y/A Paranormal Romance-novel for the young reader with a twist of both fantasy and mystery in it. Currently I have released three books in the series, Beyond, Serenity and Endurance. They are both available on Amazon.com, Smashwords, Barnes and Nobles, etc. and as paperback if you prefer that.
I have also written a mystery-novel called One, Two... He is coming for you, and a fantasy novel called The Eye of the Crystal Ball.
Latest I have released the first two books in a new series called Daughters of the Jaguar. The first book Savage is out now and so is the sequel Broken. It is a shapeshifter/paranormal romance series for the adult reader over 16 years of age.
Right now I am working on a sequel to my mystery/horror thriller "One, Two ... He is coming for you".
Don't hesitate to contact me either here on Goodreads, twitter, on Facebook or my blog www.willow-rose.blogspot.com

Blitz Day: Love & War (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles)- Jennifer Malone Wright


Book Title:
Love & War (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles: Book 1)

Author Name:
Jennifer Malone Wright

Author Location (for press releases)
Laclede, Idaho

Name of series and book number in series:
The Arcadia Falls Chronicles: Book 1

Genre:
YA paranormal

Publisher: Self

Date of Publication:
December 2012

Formats Available:  in Ebook only

Word Count: 24,629

Purchase Links:


This is the FREE part of the prequel series, The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter that I like to always let everyone know about.
The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part 1

Blurb/Book Description:
A war is brewing between the hunters and the vampires and Chloe is determined to strike against the vampires before they have a chance to attack the hunter community.

While Chloe tries to convince the hunter community, and most especially tries to convince Drew, that they should move against the vampires first instead of waiting for an attack, the group of new friends—Oscar, Alice, Drew, Chloe and Christina—are distracted by news reports of a vigilante who is saving innocent humans against what can only be vampire attacks. Fearing this vigilante will cause unwanted attention that will expose the vampire-hunter community with each person he rescues, the group attempts to discover who this mysterious potential vampire hunter is.

When they catch up with him, the group learns a shocking revelation that might just change everything for everyone in Arcadia Falls, but will have the most profound impact on Chloe herself.

The Arcadia Falls Chronicles is the continuation of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter. Following the format of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter, The Arcadia Falls Chronicles is serialized into several novella-length stories.

Short Excerpt:

                                                                     ~~~***~~
Prologue—Chloe's Diary
~~~***~~

January 15:

Sometimes, when the sun goes down, I stare out the window of our house and wonder how much of the city beyond our community is being ravaged by vampires. How many people will die? How many will become newborn vampires?
I know I am not strong enough to kill them all… but that won’t stop me from trying.
The next chapter in my life has begun.

I received this journal as a gift from Oscar for Christmas this year and decided it would be a good place to chronicle the events of my life. Who knows what will happen to the hunters after this is all over? If it ever is all over. I feel like there should be some documentation of how things went down.
So here you have it: The life of Chloe Kallistrate, in my own words.

I never thought there was anything special about me. Actually, I still don’t, but apparently, because I'm the distant offspring of angels and demigods, there is something in my DNA that creates what I truly am: a vampire hunter.
Yeah, a vampire hunter. From angels and demigods. Un-freaking-believable.
It seems, a long time ago, there was a warrior angel sent to rid the world of vampires. This warrior angel, during his time on earth, found love with a warrior woman. The warrior woman was a killer, too. She was a hunter, the daughter of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt.
Yes, I know. Artemis. Like… from mythology.
It’s true; I'm a distant descendent of Artemis, and more directly, her daughter, Sostrate. I know this because I’ve met Sostrate. She has visited me on more than one occasion. I can’t say I look forward to her visits all that much. The last time she appeared, she told me a war loomed between the hunters and the vampires, that the hunters needed to train even harder.
Sheesh.
Oh, it gets better. Not only am I carrying on the bloodlines of angels and demigods, but I just happen to be a dhampir, too!
What is a dhampir? Oh, that is the best tidbit of all. Remember when I said I was a vampire hunter? Well, that part of me is from my mother’s side. She fell in love with one of those we are supposed to hate the most: a vampire.
Out of that lovely relationship, I was born.
My father’s name was Trevor. My mother apparently loved him more than she loved killing vampires, because they had me.
That is where the story gets really strange. Right, like it wasn't strange enough.
My mother was born in an exclusive and unique gated community, properly named Arcadia Falls. The community is unlike any other of which I have ever heard. It's a vampire-hunter community. There, vampire hunters are born, and they train to kill, pretty much from the day they learn to walk. Only in Arcadia Falls can one find people strolling down the street with loaded guns and crossbows strapped to their backs.
This community is a peaceful, mountainous place. It is our safety from the demons on the outside.
I love Arcadia Falls. I love our house, where I live with my grandfather, my mother's father, who I didn't meet for the first time until after my mother was killed. I love sleeping in my mother’s childhood room, and I love that I am surrounded by others who cannot claim to be normal.
On the inside of the protective wall that surrounds us is our little town, just like any other town one might come across. We have a grocery store, a video store, even a bakery and coffee shop. Hunters’ homes cover the expanse of forested hills that make up Arcadia Falls, and the hunters rarely need to leave unless they are on missions.
I know my mother loved this place. She was one of the most renowned hunters among them. Trevor claimed, even after he met his final death, that he loved my mother, but that love did not guarantee he would love me. I only know this story as it passed Trevor’s lips, but I can see how it would be true. He fell in love with my mother, who left the community to live with him. She soon became pregnant with me. Apparently, he was ecstatic over the announcement of my birth. My mother must have been relieved, but she ran from him before I was born, for reasons I didn’t know until I was fifteen.
Why would a woman leave a man with whom she was having a child? If he was that bad, why not kill him? Who knows? All I know is that she found out his original reason for choosing her as his mate. Love, it seemed, ended up being a bonus in his case.
He bred me.
It was his plan from the very beginning, for years and years before he met her. Apparently, I was some kind of main ingredient in his make-the-vampire-become-a-day-walker recipe. Allegedly, if a vampire drinks the blood of a dhampir, who also carries the bloodlines of a vampire hunter, on the day of the dhampir’s sixteenth birthday, the vampire will forever be able to walk in the sunlight. Typically, vampires can't be in sunlight, because it kills them.
Okay.
I had no idea, initially. None of us did.
My mother knew. She found out his plan and ran from him with me in her womb. That wasn’t as simple as it sounded. She hid me away for years and years. I never knew any family, I never had many friends because we moved so much, and I never knew the truth… until that horrible day.
The day Trevor had her murdered, right in front of me.
But he wasn't trying to get to her. He was trying to get to me.
That day is branded into my memory like a hot iron burning into my skin. Trevor’s goons broke in and murdered her. They tried to take me away, but I was rescued by the vampire hunters. My grandfather sensed the pain his daughter was going through and sent the rescue team. If it weren’t for them, I would have been taken and would have never known who I truly was. I would probably be dead already.
Drew had led the hunters. I remember him lifting me into his arms and telling me he was taking me someplace safe. They had brought me home, to Arcadia Falls. It was there I found out about my hunter heritage. It was also there I found my true supernatural gifts.
Yes, I have supernatural gifts, abilities, you might say. My element is fire. I can make flames appear in my hand whenever I want. Although, it wasn’t always as easy as it is now to control. It took me a long time to learn to control the flames. Though I'm much improved at wielding the power of the flame, I am still learning to control the fire within me.
Moving on with my story, my father attacked the hunters, and I decided I didn’t want to lose anyone else to his vampires. I willingly went with him, ignorant to his true plans. I lived with him for nearly a year, and shortly before my sixteenth birthday, I found out exactly why he had wanted me so badly, why he had killed my mother to obtain me: He had wanted to be a day-walker.
I tried to run but ended up a prisoner.
We escaped only because of Alice, the housekeeper who had lived with Trevor for a long time, serving him. But while I was there, she had been my friend. She betrayed her precious Trevor and helped me get out. Drew was a prisoner with me, and when we escaped, we found Oscar, who had been my tutor, and who just happens to be a siren. Oscar had been bitten almost to the point of death. We grabbed him and managed to escape, only to fight a vicious battle in the end.
In the heat of the battle, we were saved by Gavin—who was once my almost-boyfriend—who happened to be Drew’s half-brother. And Christina—Drew’s ex-girlfriend and probably one of the meanest girls I know.
It was a nasty fight, but we are all alive.
The question remains: What happens now?

What it comes down to is this:

On the day of my sixteenth birthday, Sostrate came to us and told us all to prepare for war. She said we all needed to train hard because we were on the brink of war with the vampires, a big war.
It was in that moment I realized this—whatever it was—was never going to be over. Just like my angel grandfather was sent down to rid the world of vampires, I vowed to do the same.

I am Chloe Kallistrate. I am the vampire-killing angel of death.

Short Excerpt 2:

Christina turned me around so I could look in the mirror.
"You look like you’re five years older now, at the very least."
She packed all her things into her bag. She had changed, too, and now her outfit consisted of a tight black dress with short sleeves and lots of zippers. Surprisingly, it did not look as slutty as I thought it might: One zipper for the whole dress and two pocket zippers on the hips, along with two pocket zippers on the breasts. She had on a pair of insanely tall high-heeled black boots. Her normally straight dark hair was done in full, bouncing curls.
Alice, who had picked out a blue-jean skirt and a shimmery white tank top that hung loose down over her hips, eyed Christina curiously. "How can you wear heels all the time? Isn’t it hard to fight with them on?"
Christina zipped her bag shut. "Nope."
"Well, where do you keep your weapons?"
With a slightly annoyed tilt of her head, Christina turned to face Alice and lifted her skirt to show us her thighs.
"First of all, I have these."
She had a knife, sheathed and strapped to each thigh.
"Then there are the guns, knives and pepper spray in my bag, and this," she reached into her boot and extracted another large knife. "There is always a place to keep a weapon. Hunter Girl 101."




Author Bio:
Jennifer Malone Wright resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children. Between the craziness of taking care of her children, whose ages range from sixteen all the way down to two years old, and being a homemaker, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on freelance work or her beloved fiction.
When she grew up, Jennifer always had her nose in a book. She has been writing stories and poems since grade school. This love of the written word and her strong interest in the paranormal is what has led to her first novel “The Birth of Jaiden.”
In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Jennifer is also a very proud military wife. Moving around the country for the last ten years has made her a bit of a nomad and she finds it difficult to be in one place for too long.


Author web links: (web, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads, etc)

Monday 28 January 2013

Blog Tour: Tasting Never Review and GIVEAWAY: C.M. Stunich

Title: Tasting Never
Author: C.M. Stunich
Pages: 190
Series: Never Say Never
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this story. It was full of grit and raw emotion. The feelings of the characters were portrayed so well. I could feel their angst, their feelings of worthlessness and their sexual eagerness seeping from the pages. This book was so filled with ups and downs that one minute you are laughing and the next you are crying. The characters are so well written. They are both damaged and CM Stunich has the details so perfect that you can't help being sucked into their lives and falling in love with them.you just want to give them all hugs and tell them that they are good people and that you aren't judging them. I really loved this book and I had a hard time writing the review because I am finding it very hard to write my feelings down.the only way for this book to get the credit that it deserves is for everyone to read it. But for sure 17+ due to the language and graphics. I honestly don't think that anyone could not like this book. So please give it a read. Thanks CM for blowing my mind.





About this author


C.M. Stunich was raised under a cover of fog in the area known simply as Eureka, CA. A mysterious place, this strange, arboreal land nursed Caitlin's (yes, that's her name!) desire to write strange fiction novels about wicked monsters, magical trains, and Nemean Lions (Google it!). She currently enjoys drag queens, having too many cats, and tribal bellydance.


Always a fan of the indie scene and 'sticking it to the man,' Ms. Stunich decided to take the road less traveled and forgo the traditional publishing route. You can be assured though that she received several rejections as to ensure her proper place in the world of writers before taking up a friend's offer to start a publishing company. Sarian Royal was born, and Ms. Stunich's books slowly transformed from mere baking chocolate to full blown tortes with hand sculpted fondant flowers.

C.M. is a writer obsessed with delivering the very best and scours her mind on a regular basis to select the most unusual stories for the outside world.

Ms. Stunich can be reached via e-mail or by post and loves to hear from her readers. Ms. Stunich also wrote this biography and has no idea why she decided to refer to herself in the third person.

Come visit me at www.cmstunich.com !

Happy reading and carpe diem!

Sincerely,

C.M. Stunich 


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Cover Reveal: Crimson Flames- Ashley Robertson



Title: Crimson Flames (Crimson Groves Sequel)
Author: Ashley Robertson
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Crimson Flames blurb
Half-vampire Abby Tate is determined to learn more about the sorceress powers that were awakened inside her when she was turned into a vampire—making her a whole new hybrid species. There’s a group of rogue vamps banding together and forming a Resistance against the vampire governing body, The Head Council, and Abby’s newly discovered powers are the key to the Council’s victory. Now the Resistance will do anything possible to remove the hybrid threat, and with no other options, Abby is forced to rely on the aid of the Council, yet can she trust the very vampires that hunt for her human lover? And even worse, can she fight the unwelcome attraction that’s growing between her and one of those ancient vampire rulers?

My Links







Chapter One Sneak Peek
1
The Deal


MY STOMACH CLENCHED as I sensed the vampire’s approach. He was close. So close I could feel the thrum of his power vibrating along my skin. The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I knew if I was going to use my power for defense, then I needed to bring it forth now. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe as deeply as I could—which thankfully had gotten easier with practice. I focused on the energy inside me, willing it to the surface, and as I felt it swelling, building like an approaching storm, I threw out my hand, gripped Stone’s shirtsleeve, and urged him to the floor. “Get down! He’s here!”
Stone raked me with a look that told me he was not too pleased, but then fear swept over his face when he realized just how little time we had.
The wooden door to the pub suddenly burst open—bits of wood and dust raining down from the force. Even though Stone should’ve cowered behind me—since his gift of reading blood wasn’t something he could fight with—somehow he’d found some bravery and boldly stood by my side. Though I appreciated it, I didn’t like it, and desperately wished he had listened to me. But I couldn’t think about that and call forth the fire within me at the same time. So I pushed Stone to the back of my mind with the silent promise of dealing with him later. Then I returned my attention to the power building inside me. One last deep breath and my heart shuddered to life inside my chest, making a rhythmic pattern with my faux breathing. A tingling warmth spread from head to toe, then settled on my awaiting hands. Seconds later, there was a glowing orb of fire (about the size of a basketball) cupped inside my palms. And just as the vampire appeared through the settling fog, I called out, “Not another step, Tristan, or it will be your last!”
“I think you should reconsider your threat,” Tristan shot back. “We are on the same side.”
That I sincerely doubted, but I knew killing a member of the Head Council would definitely put me on the “Most Wanted” list. Which I might already be on, since I’d helped the human this vampire was here to claim escape.
“She’s not bluffing!” Stone said through a snarl. I wanted to glare him into silence, but I refused to take my eyes off of the vampire standing in the broken doorway, wearing a black Armani-looking suit—now lightly covered with dust. It was a custom for all members of the Head Council to wear black suits, but each of them would wear shoes and an undershirt of their own choosing. I guess it was a way to express their individual personalities. Yet this one seemed to express himself through his spiked, platinum blond hair, not the basic black undershirt and matching boots—which were much more boring compared to what I’d seen a few of the other Council members wearing. But this vampire was far from boring. He was a tracker for the Council—one of the best hunters on earth. And he was after my human boyfriend.
“You know why I’m here, Abigail,” Tristan bit out. “The human was here.”
I felt my gaze narrow as I carefully took a step forward, the ball of flames growing hotter in my hands. “Yes, he was. It’s my fault he wasn’t captured.”
“That’s not exactly true,” said Stone as he moved up beside me.
I stole a few deep breaths, fighting the urge to throw my fireball at him instead of the blond vampire in the suit.
“Please explain!” Tristan ordered with impatience. But as Stone attempted a reply, he was cut off. “Not you! I want to hear this directly from Abigail!”
“Abby,” I corrected, feeling sweat forming above my brows and pooling between my breasts.
The blond vampire smirked, folding his arms in front of his chest.
“I did not restrain him because I do not believe he will be kept safe once in your hands,” I went on. “And until I can prove his innocence in all of this, I feel it’s best that he stay far away from you.”
A tinge of red formed a ring around Tristan’s irises as he scowled. “That is not your decision. He must pay for his involvement with those rogue vampires, including Bronx. He cannot get away with helping them try to destroy our stronghold.”
“I made an agreement with the other Council members,” I reminded him. “Doesn’t that count for something? Your word is nothing if your actions do not back up what you say.” My voice was getting louder, my patience thinning. And the angrier I got, the more difficult it became to control the fire in my hands.
“Yes. We have a deal,” Tristan assured. “We will not kill him or harm him—just as we told you—but that does not mean he won’t be punished some other way.”
“I don’t believe you,” I snapped.
Stone put his hand on my shoulder. “Abby, maybe you should—”
In a flash of movement, the vampire closed the distance between us and held Stone in a headlock from behind with his fangs hovering over my friend’s neck. And since it wasn’t to drink Stone’s blood, since Stone was also a vampire, then that meant it was a threat to rip out my friend’s jugular. From there it would be too easy to finish Stone by ripping off his head. And that’s when my patience snapped. There were only two ways to kill a vampire—burning to death or decapitation—and he was about to find out firsthand just how very dangerous I was. Sure, he could threaten to kill my friend, but he’d be burned alive before Stone’s head hit the ground. I placed all my focus on the orb of heat in my hand, willing it to retract to half its size while intensifying, growing hotter, then I thrust it at Tristan’s face. In a blur of motion, he ducked, throwing Stone to the floor as the fireball grazed over his head, singeing the soft tips of his hair. A snarl erupted from his throat as his fiery gaze locked onto mine. There was a brief hesitation, burnt hair and musk filling my senses, then something similar to curiosity flashed over his eyes and he was airborne, plunging straight for me. My body shuddered as heat blasted out of every pore, radiating from me like invisible steam. Throwing his arms over his face, the vampire faltered midair and fell sideways, then jumped back once he landed and retreated by the door from which he’d entered. Satisfied I’d made my point, I pulled all the heat back inside me, then rushed over to Stone and helped him up. “You okay?” I asked.
He nodded by way of an answer, then ran his hand through his coffee-colored hair—which was completely messed up now.
My eyes narrowing, I fixed my gaze on Tristan across the bar by the door. “Do that again and I’ll kill you,” I warned.
Tristan brushed some of the dust off of his pants. “Abigail, I’d rather not have to repeat that again. Hopefully I’ve made my point by now,” he said, his mouth curling into an amused grin that nearly reached his eyes. The hints of crimson were gone—for now anyway. “I would not have harmed your friend, as I’m sure Mr. Rayver here is already aware.” He glanced at my disheveled friend, a smirk still pulling at his lips; then his gaze slid back to me. “Your powers make you far greater than just any other Enforcer. You are an equal with us. We should work side by side, you making the sixth, and final member, of the Council. But you must not argue with our protocol. If rules are broken, there are, and will always be, consequences. There are no exceptions to this. Ever. The rules of our kind are ageless. It’s been that way for centuries and shall remain that way indefinitely.”
Well that was news to me. I knew the Head Council wanted my services, but I’d thought they just wanted me to be one of their many Enforcers. Enforcers were gifted vampires like me. Well, kind of. A few months ago I’d been kidnapped by an evil vampire named Bronx and turned against my will, which awakened the sorceress’s bloodline inside me, unbeknownst to me. But Bronx knew all about it, and he’d planned to use my powers to defeat the Head Council. Only I’d killed him before he got the chance. Later on, I’d learned about my real mother being an all-powerful sorceress and how she’d used her magic to impregnate her vampire lover—my father. So I never really was just another vampire. Or even an Enforcer. I was always more than that. A whole new species altogether, a hybrid, and a hot commodity among the vampire world—since there was no other like me. Yet if the Head Council really wanted my partnership, then I just gained a whole lot of leverage. Anxiety curled through my belly. “If you want me to work with you, and of course the others, then I will need you to be more flexible. Rules are always in place for guidance, but we both know they are not in stone. Especially when I believe innocence is a key component.”
“When there is proof of one’s innocence, then we have a trial,” Tristan explained. “But there is no proof of that with this human.”
I thought about that for a moment. Sure, I didn’t have “proof” per se, but I had Tyler’s word. And though he’d lied to me about his alliance with Bronx, and the fact he’d known about my father’s death all along, for some crazy reason I believed him now. “Allow me the time to find the proof you require and I will consider partnering with you.”
Tristan shot me a lasered glare. His face softened but I had absolutely no idea what his thoughts were. Mind reading wasn’t one of my gifts—yet. Since no one could predict what other gifts I’d inherit.
“How can you possibly believe this human didn’t help those rogue vampires?” he asked at last.
Keeping my eyes on Tristan’s, I shook my head. “He was involved. I’m not saying I can prove that differently. He’s innocent of knowing what Bronx’s intentions were, what those rogue vampires’ intentions were.” I paused a moment to suppress some of the heat inside me, though I didn’t completely extinguish it just in case things got hostile again. “He thought he was helping them,” I went on. “He thought they were in trouble. He didn’t realize he was working for the bad guys until…until it was too late.”
Stone snorted in disbelief, but kept his mouth shut. Smart vampire.
Tristan’s eyes widened. “How can you possibly believe that? He must have you brainwashed!”
“That isn’t possible,” I told him.
“What are you speaking of?”—confusion in Tristan’s voice. “Bronx would have claimed you with his mind control had you not killed him first.”
 “No, it’s not possible to brainwash me,” I explained. “And that is how I was able to kill Bronx.” Saying that struck a pang inside my chest: I didn’t want to be a murderer any more than I wanted to be a vampire, err hybrid. “I have the ability of blocking powers.”
A wave of surprise flashed over Tristan’s face. “There is so much to learn about you, Abigail,” he said.
“So do we have a deal?” I asked, taking a couple steps toward him.
Tristan raised a brow. “How much time are you asking for?”
“As long as it takes,” I replied instantly. “I have a feeling you and the others will delay me, since we are all curious to learn more about my powers.”
Tristan closed his eyes momentarily, presumably using his telepathic powers to confer with the other members of the Council. I stole a moment to look at Stone. He was shaking his head slowly, azure eyes with hints of red wide with shock. I shrugged my shoulders warily, knowing fully that to keep Tyler safe, I’d break this deal and the neck of anyone who attacked him. Obviously Stone knew that too.
“We have a deal,” Tristan finally announced.
I smiled. Relief flushed through me as the remnant heat within finally extinguished. Moments later, my breathing slowed and my heartbeat completely stopped. Oh the joys of being a vampire hybrid. “I have one more favor to ask,” I said, a whole new confidence exuding in my voice.
Stone called out, “Abby, what are you—”
“Silence, Mr. Rayver,” Tristan stated. “I am very interested in what Abigail will ask for now.”
“I want to speak to Madelaine. Will Elliott do that for me?” My real sorceress mother, Madelaine, had died long ago, and I’d never even had the chance to meet her. My father and one of his female blood donors, all the while believing she was my mother, had raised me. And though I’d love for Elliott to connect me to my father, I simply couldn’t risk giving away the fact he was dead too. Who knew how that little piece of info would affect the deal I’d just made, or the innocence I wanted to prove for Tyler. Bronx killed my father. But it was because of Tyler’s gift of premonition that Bronx was able to find my dad in the first place. So I guess you could say Tyler did carry some of the blame. But he’d sworn that he never thought Bronx would’ve killed him. And I believed him, hopefully not foolishly. So far I was taking the news of my father’s death okay. Maybe my estranged relationship with him was helping me through the mourning process. After all, he’d left me when I was ten. Fifteen years later, I’d finally gotten a phone call from him, warning me I was in danger. I never had a chance to thank him for trying to help me…or see him again.
“Abigail,” Tristan said, bringing me out of those thoughts. “You’re going to make a great addition to our team. You’re already very good at negotiations.” He chuckled lightly. “It will be our pleasure to call upon Madelaine for you and an honor to introduce you to your real mother.” Holding out his hand, he moved closer, giving me a good view of his violet eyes speckled with the deepest of cobalt, not a trace of crimson in them, which calmed me further. “So we have a deal?”
I nodded, taking his hand inside mine. “We have a deal.” Then I asked, “When do we leave?”
His answer was one simple word: “Dusk.”
I felt my chest tighten as he said it, even though I’d somewhat expected that to be his answer. Moving to where Stone was behind me, I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face against the softness of his tee, yet I could feel the ridged lines of muscle just beneath. “I know I just got back here, but I promise we’ll have more time once this is all over. I will miss you,” I told him, my voice muffled.
He gently grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back, just enough for him to look at my face. “What in the hell are you talking about? Do you actually think you can get rid of me that easy?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, feeling confused.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not!” Tristan shouted from behind me.
I shrugged as a plan formed in my mind. “Wait a second. I think it’s a great idea for Stone to come.”
“No,” Tristan repeated.
“Actually, sir,” Stone said, “I can be of help to both Abby and the Council. I can help look for the information Abby seeks to clear her human while she is tied up with business affairs with you. It would make her that much more available.”
I felt my eyes widen. That was actually better than my plan. “But you hate Tyler.” And he did—with a passion.
“Oh I still hate him, but I think the world of you.” Stone gently gripped my chin, caressing it between his thumb and forefinger.
A lone tear I hadn’t felt before dripped from my eye as I smiled. Stone let go to wipe it and I glanced over at Tristan. “Please allow Stone to come with us. He would be a true asset. And he is my friend. Please.”
Tristan was quiet for a short moment, face hard, eyes studying us intently. “Very well.”
“Where are we going exactly?” I asked.
“Boston,” Tristan replied. “We have a few stronghold locations, but we are operating out of Boston right now. It’s good to move around. Staying in the same place for centuries can get quite boring. And it’s not as safe.”
I nodded. I’d never been to Boston before, but I’d heard it was an interesting place. A huge part of me was looking forward to seeing it, checking out all the historic monuments, buildings, and the statue of Sam Adams, if there would be any time for sightseeing. With Stone coming, we would certainly accomplish twice as much, twice as fast. I trusted that he would work diligently on finding a way to prove Tyler’s innocence. Though Stone despised Tyler, I was certain that he cared enough about me to do as he said he would. Yet Stone wouldn’t be upset in the slightest if he was unable to find the proof we needed to clear Tyler’s name.
There was also the uncertainty over what kind of situation I’d be getting myself into with the Head Council. Learning vampire politics and more about the new species I’d become when Bronx turned me…well, that could take more time from me than I could ever imagine. Plus meeting my mother for the first time and finding out more about her set my emotions swirling with anxiety.
I closed my eyes and let out a deep, long sigh. Just take one thing at a time, Abby. One thing at a time. Quit worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Bronx was dead. Tyler was alive and pardoned for the moment. Lily, my closest human friend and old blood donor, was okay. Stone was here with me now and would stay with me at the Head Council’s stronghold. And I’d gotten pretty good control over my amazing, awesome, and insanely strong powers. I’d say my life, afterlife, whatever, was going pretty darn well at the moment. Yet, at the time, I had no idea just how quickly everything was about to change.