I actually meant to post this on Friday, but I forgot. Oops! But better late than never. These books are on sale for under $2 (some are even free) right now so get to one-clicking!!
When she first came into my captivity, I found her unremarkable. But now, I thought she was exceptional.
The Scotch King by Penelope Sky
Scotch #1
Release - August 15, 2017
Genre - Dark Romance/captive
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 346 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - August 15, 2017
Genre - Dark Romance/captive
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 346 pages
Publisher - Indie
Joseph Ingram made the mistake of stealing from me—four million dollars. He took my intelligence without paying for it. And thought he could get away with it.
Think again.
Now I’ll take something from him—something irreplaceable.
His sister.
Collateral.
But even when Joseph doubles the amount of money he owes me, I don’t give her up.
Nope. I have an image to maintain.
So I keep her.
And I’m not giving her up.
Find The Scotch King on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gIJhju
Crewe was delicious! Let me just get that out there before anything else about this book. He was freaking yummy!! Penelope Sky did me a huge favor with this character. I find that usually, when an author calls their story a dark captive story, that they will still soft sell it. Not this author. When his captive acted up, he was quick to put her in her place... until he fell for her.
After catching her hand as she went to slap him, Crewe gave her a backhand across the face... "If you don't want me to slap you, don't slap me. If you don't want me to hurt you, do as I say."
A New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Penelope Sky is known for her dark romance that makes you fall for her characters….no matter how dark they seem. Her books are being translated into several languages around the world, and she’s sold more than a million books worldwide. She lives in a small town in California with her husband, where she spends most of her time writing on the back porch.
Visit https://penelopesky.com/ for more info!
She was already a part of him, a piece of his soul. Maybe she even was his soul.
Drakon's Promise by N.J. Walters
Standalone - Blood of the Drakon #1
Release - December 5, 2016
Genre - Paranormal Romance/dragon shifters
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 352 pages
Publisher - Entangled: Select Otherworld
Release - December 5, 2016
Genre - Paranormal Romance/dragon shifters
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 352 pages
Publisher - Entangled: Select Otherworld
Goodreads / Amazon
Darius Varkas is a drakon. He's neither human nor dragon.
He's both.
He's also the target of an ancient order who want to capture all drakons for their blood. When fresh, a drakon's blood can cure any illness and prolong a human's life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.
When librarian Sarah Anderson stumbles across a rare book belonging to the Knights of the Dragon, she's quickly thrust into a dangerous world of secrets and shifters and things she never would have believed possible. When the Knights realize Sarah has a secret of her own, she becomes just as much a target as Darius. Her scary dragon shifter just might be her best chance at survival.
After falling so deeply in love with The Forgotten Brotherhood series by N.J. Walters, I added her all of her books to my to-read list. Drakon's Promise is the first in a series about dragon shifters and I was super excited to read it because... DRAGONS!!
Darius - a four thousand year old drakon, he has only feared one thing... either himself or one of his brothers being captured by the Knights of the Dragon, where they would be tortured and drained for the power in their blood. This was a fear he was familiar with, however, when he met Sarah, he realized that his long, lonely existence would never be the same and that fear for her safety was a whole other terror of its own.
Sarah - quiet and unassuming, she had a special affinity for objects, especially books. Her new job comes with new problems and when she finds out her new boss intends to kidnap and possibly kill someone (Darius), she feels duty bound to warn him.
Karina Azarov - a young, ruthless woman who happened to be the learder of the Knights.
I absolutely loved Darius and I'm intrigued by his brothers. I'll definitely be continuing this series because I have to know how these drakons eradicate the Knights. While this story was just as brilliantly written as I expected it to be, the heroine was a drag and took away from how much I could have enjoyed it.
My Notes
I haven't come across a heroine I've disliked as much as Sarah in a while. Every moment spent with her was its own special torture. Her words and actions inspired huge eye rolls and anger.
I'm not a feminist. I'm a realist. In my opinion, women cannot do everything a man can do, just like men cannot do everything a woman can do. Yes, we are equals, but it's our very uniqueness that makes life interesting. There's a reason for the difference in the sexes. So when a woman like the heroine of this story, who has never done anything heroic, has no physical strength, and merely has a strong will, comes across a male who is half-man and half-dragon, who has lived for thousands of years, who is battle tested and possesses strengths far greater than any human, she shouldn't expect to be able to do what he can do. When this man knows more about the world he lives in than you because he's lived for thousands of years and until recently you didn't have a clue that the supernatural world even existed... maybe take his direction. Maybe you don't complicate things with your nonsense. Maybe tone down the harpy and act like a sensible person.
“Sarah, it’s vitally important I get that book. I need you to think about the security at work. Cameras, guards, alarms, everything.” He’d need to get schematics of the building and more. But he’d start here, with his best inside source. Of course, if she was working with the Knights, this might be nothing more than an elaborate plot to capture him. It was a risk he had to take.
“You don’t need to know that,” she began.
Darius caught her face in his hands and cradled her cheeks in his palms. “I do, Sarah, I really do. I’m not worried about my life, but those of people close to me.” That was the most he could give her.
“No, you don’t.”
Disappointment seeped into him, and he released her and straightened to his full height. “How much?”
“What?” She sounded bewildered, but he wasn’t buying it. If she wasn’t willing to give him the information he needed, it was because she wanted something. In his vast experience with humans, that meant money in one form or another. It used to be gold and jewels. Nowadays, it was more likely to be a simple bank transfer.
He put his hands on his hips and simply stared at her, trying not to get lost in her chocolate-brown eyes. They appeared so innocent. “How much for the information?”
She jumped to her feet and glared at him. “You son of a bitch. I’m risking a lot to warn you about the book and everything else.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” No way could he let her go until he had the information he needed. “The quicker you give it to me, the faster I can pay you. Then you can leave.”
She fisted her hands at her sides. “I ought to let you pay for it.” Then she fumbled with her knapsack and yanked open the zipper. He wondered if she had a weapon of some kind, and cursed himself for not searching her earlier. Not that it would do her much good. Most conventional weapons, at least any that could fit in her bag, wouldn’t do much damage to him. But it would piss him off.
She reached inside the bag and, instead of a weapon, pulled out an old, leather-bound book. She thrust it against his stomach, and he caught it before it dropped to the floor.
“Here’s your damn book. I smuggled it out of work at great personal risk. You’re welcome.” She stepped around him and strode to the elevator. Sarah slapped her palm against the panel, but nothing happened. Only he could make it work.
Darius stared at the book and then back at the very angry woman waiting for an elevator that would never come.
An unusual sensation enveloped him, one he’d rarely felt in the thousands of years he’d been alive. It was shame with a hint of bewilderment.
He might have just made the biggest mistake of his life.
“You don’t need to know that,” she began.
Darius caught her face in his hands and cradled her cheeks in his palms. “I do, Sarah, I really do. I’m not worried about my life, but those of people close to me.” That was the most he could give her.
“No, you don’t.”
Disappointment seeped into him, and he released her and straightened to his full height. “How much?”
“What?” She sounded bewildered, but he wasn’t buying it. If she wasn’t willing to give him the information he needed, it was because she wanted something. In his vast experience with humans, that meant money in one form or another. It used to be gold and jewels. Nowadays, it was more likely to be a simple bank transfer.
He put his hands on his hips and simply stared at her, trying not to get lost in her chocolate-brown eyes. They appeared so innocent. “How much for the information?”
She jumped to her feet and glared at him. “You son of a bitch. I’m risking a lot to warn you about the book and everything else.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” No way could he let her go until he had the information he needed. “The quicker you give it to me, the faster I can pay you. Then you can leave.”
She fisted her hands at her sides. “I ought to let you pay for it.” Then she fumbled with her knapsack and yanked open the zipper. He wondered if she had a weapon of some kind, and cursed himself for not searching her earlier. Not that it would do her much good. Most conventional weapons, at least any that could fit in her bag, wouldn’t do much damage to him. But it would piss him off.
She reached inside the bag and, instead of a weapon, pulled out an old, leather-bound book. She thrust it against his stomach, and he caught it before it dropped to the floor.
“Here’s your damn book. I smuggled it out of work at great personal risk. You’re welcome.” She stepped around him and strode to the elevator. Sarah slapped her palm against the panel, but nothing happened. Only he could make it work.
Darius stared at the book and then back at the very angry woman waiting for an elevator that would never come.
An unusual sensation enveloped him, one he’d rarely felt in the thousands of years he’d been alive. It was shame with a hint of bewilderment.
He might have just made the biggest mistake of his life.
Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.
One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel and life would never be the same. N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
Visit http://www.njwalters.com/ for more information!
There was something about the girl that made me feel again.
Lights to my Siren by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - The Heroes of The Dixie Wardens MC #1
Release - January 22, 2015
Genre - Contemporary Romance/motorcycle club
Primarily Dual POV - 1st person/Sebastian Sue Mackenzie & Baylee Roberts
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle gift
Length - 313 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - January 22, 2015
Genre - Contemporary Romance/motorcycle club
Primarily Dual POV - 1st person/Sebastian Sue Mackenzie & Baylee Roberts
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle gift
Length - 313 pages
Publisher - Indie
You’re The Lights...
Sebastian had one rule.
No women on the back of his bike. Period.
The one time he broke that rule, he killed the woman that was carrying his child.
Then comes Baylee Roberts. She makes Sebastian want to break every single rule he’d ever implemented. Hell, but she even makes him consider that dreaded H word. A helmet.
To My...
Baylee Roberts innocently walked into her bathroom never expecting that she’d find a man in there. It is her bathroom after all, and she lives alone.
From the instant he placed his hat on her head to protect her from the sun, Baylee’s mind becomes filled with thoughts of a certain biker.
She really shouldn't go there. There’s no telling what kind of dangerous things he does for The Dixie Wardens MC.
Siren...
Nothing is ever as easy as it should be. Their relationship’s one of them.
Baylee’s brother is a cop. Baylee’s father is a cop. Which inevitably means that Baylee’s going to have certain hang-ups about being with a man like him.
Sebastian has a lot on his plate with his busy job as a firefighter, a single father, and the vice president of The Dixie Wardens MC.
Not enough, though, to keep him away from Baylee.
When a series of arsons rattle their hometown and puts Sebastian’s life on the line, Baylee finally realizes the only fire Sebastian can’t put out is the one inside her heart.
Find Lights to my Siren on Amazon: https://amzn.to/35oxbp1
I'm sure it's obvious by now, but I can't get enough of this author's books! I've already met and fell in love with the second generation of LLV's characters and I'm loving getting to know and love the first gen.
I first met Sebastian in a previous book, when he was in a horrific traffic accident that killed the woman who was carrying his son. I was kind of desperate to learn more about him and I'm thrilled that I got this opportunity. He was the VP of The Dixie Wardens, a heroic firefighter, and one heck of a dad. He had a huge heart, cared about his people, and was in love with Baylee.
Baylee was Luke Roberts's sister. She was a paramedic who had a bunch of health issues, which wasn't surprising because it seems that this author loves to give her characters problems to overcome. She also had a huge heart to match Sebastian's and she loved him just as much as he loved her.
I have to say that watching Johnny, who I got to meet in Get You Some, and how much of a crazy little monkey he was absolutely made this read for me! I'm really appreciating seeing some of my absolute favorite characters as babies!!
There were some trials, there were some tribulations, but above all, there was happiness and joy. Getting glimpses of other club members (I'm looking at Kettle and Trance) made me excited to read more of this series and I'm on tenterhooks while I wait to get to Silas's book. That man seems like he's going to be a riot to read!
Sebastian & Baylee family tree:
Their children
Johnny Mitchell Mackenzie - Get You Some
Blaise Mackenzie - Kitty Kitty
Sebastian's family
Silas Mackenzie (dad) - Counter to my Intelligence
Samuel Cash Mackenzie (half-brother) - Boomtown
Shiloh June Mackenzie (sister) - Texas Tornado
Amelia Mackenzie (half-sister) - Any Day Now
Baylee's family
Lucas "Luke" Roberts - Center Mass
My Notes
⮞ there was what I believe to be an inaccurate description of Blaine from Baylee's perspective. She's always been referred to as tiny, even in her own book with Elliott, I Don't Dance, she was characterized as petite. In this book, Elliott is described as 5'11" and 200lbs and that Blaine is only four inches shorter than him. I don't think so.
⮞ I didn't like Baylee's terrible assumptions about Sebastian or his club. Did she really think the good people of the Free community would have Sebastian casually hanging around them and their children if, in his off time from being a firefighter, "he pedaled flesh and had a titty bar he laundered money out of"? If he were a criminal, he wouldn't be around, no matter that he's Sam and Shiloh's brother. And if he was really as awful as she thought, what did it say about her and her lust for him and her observation skills (or lack thereof)?
⮞ at about 79%, Baylee puts herself in a dangerous position, knowing that it was very possible that she was carrying Sebastian's child. Of course he went off on her, as any sensible and rational person would. He basically told her to grow up and stop using her disability as an excuse. Amen! While the author worded the scene in a way that made it seem that the women who overheard Sebastian were pissed off and the men were in agreement, I was turned off. Heck yeah, I agreed with him and every word he said. I wish he had screamed it in her face! The man was right and Baylee knew it.
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
Never in her life had she felt anything more arousing than his weight on her or smelled anything more exciting than the spicy, manly scent of him.
Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Standalone - Hunter Legends #2
Release - October 13, 2002
Genre - Paranormal Romance/vampires & demons
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5
Format/Source - paperback purchase from Amazon
Length - 324 pages
Publisher - St. Martin's Paperbacks
The Dark-Hunters are ancient warriors who have sworn to protect mankind and the fate of the world is in their hands. . .
He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance. Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win.
He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance. Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win.
Find Night Pleasures on Amazon: https://amzn.to/35hIEXG
Kyrian's story was heartbreaking. Over two thousand years ago, he was the general of the Grecian army, holding back the invasion of the Romans. He was also a prince, destined to inherit a grand kingdom. He was also a human being who was feeling the flush of young love. He was so in love with his wife that he ignored the warnings of his father and his friends. So blindly in love that he didn't see the truth of who he was in love with until he was tortured to death while staring into her cold eyes.
When Kyrian died so long ago, he gave up his soul to become a Dark Hunter in Artemis's army against evil. He had condemned himself to a lonely existence. However, when the most powerful daimon ties him to Amanda, a seemingly ordinary human who belongs to a family of extraordinary humans, Kyrian starts to question everything he knows. He feels connected to her in a way he's never felt before and she feels emotions for him that are unexplained. It's almost like they were fated, although there was no mention of this.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the creation of vampires mythos that the author illustrated, I did feel like I was dumped in the middle of a story. Quite a few characters were introduced that I'm guessing have had or will have their own story and I'm interested enough to want to read them. I liked learning about the other hunters, the types of hunters, the goddess they serve (and what's the story between her and Acheron?), and how getting their souls is different for each individual.
Kyrian was blessed that Amanda, despite the fact that she continued to refer to him as a vampire after learning he wasn't one, loved him the way he deserved to be loved.
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series.
Visit http://www.mysherrilyn.com/ for more information!
There she was. Light exploded inside of him and he relaxed into it.
Rebel's Karma by Rebecca Zanetti
Standalone - Dark Protectors #13
Release - June 8, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Length - 320 pages
Publisher - Lyrical Press
There’s no denying destiny . . .
For too long, Benjamin Reese has masked his deadly skills and temper with loyalty and humor. A vampire-demon hybrid, he fiercely protects his family, guards his brothers, and destroys the enemy without mercy. But when he discovers one fragile, beautiful blonde—a woman once mated to a Kurjan, no less—every primal instinct he has buried for centuries roars to life. With the mating mark she roused on his hand entwining their fates, no one will prevent him from keeping her safe and making her his, forever . . .
Or desire . . .
Karma wishes she could remember her last name. Or if she even had one. All she has in this confusing new world is a desperate duty to save the innocent. That means destroying the dark, dangerous, and desirable Benjamin Reese and everything he loves—an impossible task even before his touch arouses a passionate hunger she can’t afford. She’s certain a deadly enemy watches her every move, but it’s not until Benny kisses her that she tastes true danger…
For too long, Benjamin Reese has masked his deadly skills and temper with loyalty and humor. A vampire-demon hybrid, he fiercely protects his family, guards his brothers, and destroys the enemy without mercy. But when he discovers one fragile, beautiful blonde—a woman once mated to a Kurjan, no less—every primal instinct he has buried for centuries roars to life. With the mating mark she roused on his hand entwining their fates, no one will prevent him from keeping her safe and making her his, forever . . .
Or desire . . .
Karma wishes she could remember her last name. Or if she even had one. All she has in this confusing new world is a desperate duty to save the innocent. That means destroying the dark, dangerous, and desirable Benjamin Reese and everything he loves—an impossible task even before his touch arouses a passionate hunger she can’t afford. She’s certain a deadly enemy watches her every move, but it’s not until Benny kisses her that she tastes true danger…
I'm still pretty new to the Dark Protectors series, only joining in the fun since Vampire's Faith, but I can say that this is a journey not to be missed. Zanetti knows how to write a paranormal romance that grips you by the throat, leaving you dangling with your feet off the ground, and I love it!! It's probably why I have all of these books in paperbacks on my shelves :)
I've been looking forward to Benny's book for what feels like forever. He's the funny one, the crazy one, the one who seems to be the most carefree. Rebel's Karma gave me the many dimensions of this character. I got to see his huge heart, his compassion, his vulnerabilities. If I didn't already love him, I would after reading this story.
I don't want to give anything away, but there were many moving parts to this instalment of the series...
⭐ There was a time when I believed that Hope and Drake were destined for each other. Who wouldn't dream of peace by uniting warring nations? But for the last two books, my dreams of the future have changed. Then again, the author has introduced a twist that changes things. Maybe Hope and her best friend, Paxton, are fated. What are Drake's true motives? What is Paxton up to with his uncle? And why is Hope so blindly believing?
⭐ I know that Sam is Logan's older brother and that he has a big part to play in the Seven ritual, but beyond that I realize I know nothing about him. Please tell me I'll be getting more of his story.
⭐ Although what is going on with Garrett seems minor, I'm sure it will play a big part in the future and my heart already hurts for him. I need to know what the fates have in store for him and when I will be getting his book!
Seriously, when is the next book coming out?
My Note(s)
I can't be the only one who wanted to punch Karma in the chest. I just can't! She gave me so many reasons to be compassionate and understanding towards her, but she bothered me too much to care.
* she made horrible assumptions about anyone who wasn't Kurjan or Cyst. Obviously she was brainwashed or suffering from some form of Stockholm Syndrome, but I can't really get onboard with that. See, she was able to point out the horrors she witnessed and suffered at their hands... the fact that they lied all the time, and yet... she couldn't see beyond her programming. I can't respect that.
* she was deceitful, even after figuring out that the Seven and the Realm were the good guys. Could she not write? I'm just saying, what stopped her from writing a note explaining her situation with her eyes closed? She was just too intent on doing the bidding of the Kurjan despite knowing that they weren't trustworthy.
* I was so over her whole damsel-in-distress who can do bad all by herself routine. She's never been able to fend for herself. Nothing about her would lead anyone, not even herself, to believe that she could accomplish anything much less more than the warriors she was surrounded by. Her words: "I'll do whatever I have to in order to save them. Just stay out of my way." Are you freaking serious???
The smell of the earth, deep and true, centered her as she traversed the hastily created tunnel. It probably said something about Karma that she preferred darkness, muddy walls, and being underground to any other circumstance. Battery-operated lanterns had been dropped haphazardly along the trail, their artificial light dancing across the packed dirt walls, highlighting minerals she couldn’t name as she descended quickly, the swish of her skirt the only sound she made.
She bent her head, trying to stay in the moment and not panic at the job to come. One she was no more prepared for than she had been for mating a Kurjan general nearly two centuries ago. Or was it closer to three?
Taking a deep breath, she turned the corner and faced the cell. The cell that had been dug just the day before, in case it might be needed.
It was.
She swallowed.
The male was sprawled across the ground, so large he could probably spread his arms and reach the cement blocks on one side and the steel bars on the other. If he’d been conscious. Bruises mottled his face and neck, while a wound bled freely beneath his jaw. Blood ran past his ear to pool on the dirt beneath him.
She couldn’t breathe.
It really was him. Despite the bruises, blood, and dirt covering his face, she recognized him from more than three years ago. He’d tried to pull her into a helicopter with him after he’d attacked the Kurjan stronghold where she lived. He was bad, he was the enemy, and yet…he’d saved several kidnapped human females from the Kurjans. The Kurjans were an immortal species more powerful than any other. It had been a miracle that the male before her had succeeded in taking those gifted human females away from the Kurjan nation. He’d almost taken her at the same time, but she’d fought him.
Had he thought he was saving her? Had he hurt those human females? Were they now in worse danger than they’d faced when captives of the Kurjan nation?
She waited patiently, as she’d been taught. The guard would get to her when he had time. The medical supplies in her pack became heavy, so she set them down, stepping closer to the bars to study the male.
Benjamin Horatio Lawrence Reese. He was a vampire-demon hybrid, large even for his kind. At about six-foot-seven, or maybe eight, he was as tall as many Kurjans. The wideness of his torso tapered down at his waist, matched by the length of his legs. His boots had to be a size eighteen, and his hands were big enough to cause colossal damage. Oh, she’d been hit before, but one punch from him and she’d be dead.
He could never learn how much she already knew about him. How she’d been preparing for this day for three years—since he’d tried to take her from another Kurjan holding. Her home. With the Kurjans, since she’d mated one centuries ago and thus had become immortal, even though she’d started out as a human female.
A see-through figure hovered behind the male.
Karma sighed. “Loti? I thought you’d moved on.” She’d helped the Kurjan spirit accept his fate after he’d been killed in a training accident, or so she had thought.
The kid, his hair black yet see through, rolled his eyes like any teenager. “I’m going now. Just wanted to say goodbye.” Then he stiffened. “The guards are coming. Good luck.” He wisped out of sight, and hopefully out of this world to the next one.
The air changed, and Karma stiffened as the guard made his way down the tunnel, his white hair glowing as he came closer. He was a Cyst: one of the elite soldiers and spiritual leaders of the Kurjan nation. A single line of white hair bisected his pale scalp, leading down to a long braid. His eyes were a deep purple tinged with red, and he spared her not a glance as he unlocked the cell and then stepped back.
She took a deep breath and entered, wincing as the coppery smell of blood assaulted her nostrils. Then she dropped to her knees and reached inside the pack for the materials that would clot the bleeding wound. The hybrid must’ve been badly injured in the skirmish if he was still bleeding.
A ghost popped up in the other cell, and she ignored him. He was wavering in and out of her sight and would soon cross over; there wasn’t time to help him.
The second she touched Benjamin’s head, his eyes opened.
He was fully alert in a second, his deep eyes a strange metallic color. “Karma,” he murmured.
She drew back. He remembered her name? Nobody remembered her name.
“Do you need blood?” she whispered, leaning closer, even as the guard locked the cell door and disappeared down the hallway, leaving her alone with the enemy. Right now she was useless to the Kurjans, so if the prisoner killed her, they’d find a plan B.
“No.” Benjamin sat up, looked around, and put his back to the cement brick wall. His impressive body seemed to take up all the space in the cell.
She shook her head, her lips trembling. “You must be badly injured, or you would not have been captured. You need blood.” It would hurt if he bit her, and he’d have to be quick to avoid touching her skin for long.
“I let them take me. I’ve been searching for you for three years.”
God. The Kurjans had been correct. He really had been looking for her. He’d been caught twice and both times had asked about her, so it wasn’t like he was keeping it a secret. “The baby? Rose?” Karma held her breath. When Benjamin’s people had attacked the Kurjan holding, she’d gone with her instincts and forced him to take a toddler who had been kidnapped by the Kurjans—and she’d paid for that decision. “Is Rose well?”
Benjamin nodded. “Rose is fine. She’s at Realm Headquarters with a nice family.”
Relief and fear made an odd combination in Karma’s body. “Realm Headquarters?” The Realm was the enemy of the Kurjans. Its people were evil, or so she’d been taught. She’d always wondered, because lies were everywhere. She held out bandages and antibiotics, although the wound beneath his jaw was already closing as he sent healing cells where they were necessary. “I don’t need those,” he murmured, studying her with an intensity that shot tremors through her abdomen.
“I don’t understand why you would come looking for me,” she said, sitting back and keeping her knees covered with her dress. The Kurjan leaders had noted that this male kept showing up in different attacks, and he took ridiculous risks for a soldier with his experience. They’d been sure he was coming, based their plan on that knowledge, but she hadn’t believed it. Why would this male put himself in danger for her? “You let them take you hostage?”
“Yes.” Benjamin’s voice was low and rough, hinting at demon ancestry.
She rested her hands on the thin material over her knees. “I don’t understand.”
A bone snapped loudly into place somewhere in his body, but he didn’t even flinch. “Let’s start here. I’m Benny Reese.” He held out a hand the size of a frying pan, as if they were meeting at a village game instead of in a cell.
She hesitated and then slid her palm against his. “Karma.”
His hold and shake were gentle, and he released her before the mating allergy could hurt either of them. She’d been mated centuries ago to a Kurjan, and no other male could touch her for long without both of them developing terrible rashes.
“What’s your last name?” he asked. Another bone popped into place.
She jerked at the sound. “I do not have a last name.”
“Oh.” He looked beyond her at the steel bars securing the cell. “I was out for a while. Where are we?”
“In a temporary holding area where you will be kept until you are transported to a more secure location.” She coughed. “For questioning.”
His smile nearly knocked her over. Even the slight tipping of his lips turned his rugged face from dangerously hard to nearly boyish with charm. Amusement glimmered in his eyes for a moment. “Darlin’, I’ve been tortured before. You don’t need to trouble yourself about that.”
She had bigger things to worry about than the life of this massive hybrid. She allowed herself one moment to stare into his unusual eyes. Oh, many immortals had metallic-silver eyes, gold eyes, even copper or purple. But his were a combination of all argent colors, mingling into a hard-edged glint, even with the humor lurking there. In another time, she might’ve thought him beautiful. She’d learned long ago that beauty could mask the darkest of evils.
Vampires were bad, demons were bad, and this male was a hybrid of both. When he decided to kill her—and he would at some point—she wouldn’t stand much chance of surviving. Yet she still couldn’t comprehend why he’d come for her. “Why are you here?”
“For you. To rescue you because I couldn’t last time.” He stretched out his arms and healed a broken finger in his left hand.
His words didn’t make any sense. “Why?” Surely his ego wasn’t such that he’d risked his life just because she’d rejected his help last time. She wasn’t worth that.
He sighed. “I’d hoped to ease you into the truth, but here it is.” He held up his right hand, showing a demon marking with a jagged R in the center. The R was a crest representing his surname: Reese. Demons mated with a branding and a bite—the marking was transferred from the demon to the mate during sex.
Her mouth dropped open, and she hurried to shut it. “You’re mated?” Why did that thought nauseate her? How odd.
“No. The brand appeared when I touched you three years ago.” His chin lowered, and he studied her, towering over her even as he sat. “When you shoved me away and refused to get into that helicopter with me.” He didn’t sound happy.
She snorted and then quickly recovered. “Impossible. I’m already mated.” Well, she had been mated a couple of centuries ago, although her Kurjan mate had died shortly thereafter. Sometimes she forgot what he had looked like, and that was fine with her. “Your brand must have appeared for someone else.”
“No.” Benjamin looked down at the dark marking. “The mark hasn’t faded a bit, and it’s pulsing like a live wire now that you’re near.”
Oh, Lord. Her research on Benjamin suggested he might be insane. Dangerous and unstable? There was no way she could succeed in this mission. “Benjamin—”
“Benny. Might as well get cozy with me now.” His smile held charm and determination that warmed her in an unexpected way.
For the second time in her life, she let her instincts take over. “Just leave. Take an opening and find freedom,” she whispered tersely, her stomach cramping. “Forget about me.”
“Not a chance.” His gaze ran over her face like a physical touch.
Movement sounded down the tunnel, and she stiffened.
Benjamin tensed and set his jaw. “Get ready, darlin’. We’re about to escape this place.”
She bent her head, trying to stay in the moment and not panic at the job to come. One she was no more prepared for than she had been for mating a Kurjan general nearly two centuries ago. Or was it closer to three?
Taking a deep breath, she turned the corner and faced the cell. The cell that had been dug just the day before, in case it might be needed.
It was.
She swallowed.
The male was sprawled across the ground, so large he could probably spread his arms and reach the cement blocks on one side and the steel bars on the other. If he’d been conscious. Bruises mottled his face and neck, while a wound bled freely beneath his jaw. Blood ran past his ear to pool on the dirt beneath him.
She couldn’t breathe.
It really was him. Despite the bruises, blood, and dirt covering his face, she recognized him from more than three years ago. He’d tried to pull her into a helicopter with him after he’d attacked the Kurjan stronghold where she lived. He was bad, he was the enemy, and yet…he’d saved several kidnapped human females from the Kurjans. The Kurjans were an immortal species more powerful than any other. It had been a miracle that the male before her had succeeded in taking those gifted human females away from the Kurjan nation. He’d almost taken her at the same time, but she’d fought him.
Had he thought he was saving her? Had he hurt those human females? Were they now in worse danger than they’d faced when captives of the Kurjan nation?
She waited patiently, as she’d been taught. The guard would get to her when he had time. The medical supplies in her pack became heavy, so she set them down, stepping closer to the bars to study the male.
Benjamin Horatio Lawrence Reese. He was a vampire-demon hybrid, large even for his kind. At about six-foot-seven, or maybe eight, he was as tall as many Kurjans. The wideness of his torso tapered down at his waist, matched by the length of his legs. His boots had to be a size eighteen, and his hands were big enough to cause colossal damage. Oh, she’d been hit before, but one punch from him and she’d be dead.
He could never learn how much she already knew about him. How she’d been preparing for this day for three years—since he’d tried to take her from another Kurjan holding. Her home. With the Kurjans, since she’d mated one centuries ago and thus had become immortal, even though she’d started out as a human female.
A see-through figure hovered behind the male.
Karma sighed. “Loti? I thought you’d moved on.” She’d helped the Kurjan spirit accept his fate after he’d been killed in a training accident, or so she had thought.
The kid, his hair black yet see through, rolled his eyes like any teenager. “I’m going now. Just wanted to say goodbye.” Then he stiffened. “The guards are coming. Good luck.” He wisped out of sight, and hopefully out of this world to the next one.
The air changed, and Karma stiffened as the guard made his way down the tunnel, his white hair glowing as he came closer. He was a Cyst: one of the elite soldiers and spiritual leaders of the Kurjan nation. A single line of white hair bisected his pale scalp, leading down to a long braid. His eyes were a deep purple tinged with red, and he spared her not a glance as he unlocked the cell and then stepped back.
She took a deep breath and entered, wincing as the coppery smell of blood assaulted her nostrils. Then she dropped to her knees and reached inside the pack for the materials that would clot the bleeding wound. The hybrid must’ve been badly injured in the skirmish if he was still bleeding.
A ghost popped up in the other cell, and she ignored him. He was wavering in and out of her sight and would soon cross over; there wasn’t time to help him.
The second she touched Benjamin’s head, his eyes opened.
He was fully alert in a second, his deep eyes a strange metallic color. “Karma,” he murmured.
She drew back. He remembered her name? Nobody remembered her name.
“Do you need blood?” she whispered, leaning closer, even as the guard locked the cell door and disappeared down the hallway, leaving her alone with the enemy. Right now she was useless to the Kurjans, so if the prisoner killed her, they’d find a plan B.
“No.” Benjamin sat up, looked around, and put his back to the cement brick wall. His impressive body seemed to take up all the space in the cell.
She shook her head, her lips trembling. “You must be badly injured, or you would not have been captured. You need blood.” It would hurt if he bit her, and he’d have to be quick to avoid touching her skin for long.
“I let them take me. I’ve been searching for you for three years.”
God. The Kurjans had been correct. He really had been looking for her. He’d been caught twice and both times had asked about her, so it wasn’t like he was keeping it a secret. “The baby? Rose?” Karma held her breath. When Benjamin’s people had attacked the Kurjan holding, she’d gone with her instincts and forced him to take a toddler who had been kidnapped by the Kurjans—and she’d paid for that decision. “Is Rose well?”
Benjamin nodded. “Rose is fine. She’s at Realm Headquarters with a nice family.”
Relief and fear made an odd combination in Karma’s body. “Realm Headquarters?” The Realm was the enemy of the Kurjans. Its people were evil, or so she’d been taught. She’d always wondered, because lies were everywhere. She held out bandages and antibiotics, although the wound beneath his jaw was already closing as he sent healing cells where they were necessary. “I don’t need those,” he murmured, studying her with an intensity that shot tremors through her abdomen.
“I don’t understand why you would come looking for me,” she said, sitting back and keeping her knees covered with her dress. The Kurjan leaders had noted that this male kept showing up in different attacks, and he took ridiculous risks for a soldier with his experience. They’d been sure he was coming, based their plan on that knowledge, but she hadn’t believed it. Why would this male put himself in danger for her? “You let them take you hostage?”
“Yes.” Benjamin’s voice was low and rough, hinting at demon ancestry.
She rested her hands on the thin material over her knees. “I don’t understand.”
A bone snapped loudly into place somewhere in his body, but he didn’t even flinch. “Let’s start here. I’m Benny Reese.” He held out a hand the size of a frying pan, as if they were meeting at a village game instead of in a cell.
She hesitated and then slid her palm against his. “Karma.”
His hold and shake were gentle, and he released her before the mating allergy could hurt either of them. She’d been mated centuries ago to a Kurjan, and no other male could touch her for long without both of them developing terrible rashes.
“What’s your last name?” he asked. Another bone popped into place.
She jerked at the sound. “I do not have a last name.”
“Oh.” He looked beyond her at the steel bars securing the cell. “I was out for a while. Where are we?”
“In a temporary holding area where you will be kept until you are transported to a more secure location.” She coughed. “For questioning.”
His smile nearly knocked her over. Even the slight tipping of his lips turned his rugged face from dangerously hard to nearly boyish with charm. Amusement glimmered in his eyes for a moment. “Darlin’, I’ve been tortured before. You don’t need to trouble yourself about that.”
She had bigger things to worry about than the life of this massive hybrid. She allowed herself one moment to stare into his unusual eyes. Oh, many immortals had metallic-silver eyes, gold eyes, even copper or purple. But his were a combination of all argent colors, mingling into a hard-edged glint, even with the humor lurking there. In another time, she might’ve thought him beautiful. She’d learned long ago that beauty could mask the darkest of evils.
Vampires were bad, demons were bad, and this male was a hybrid of both. When he decided to kill her—and he would at some point—she wouldn’t stand much chance of surviving. Yet she still couldn’t comprehend why he’d come for her. “Why are you here?”
“For you. To rescue you because I couldn’t last time.” He stretched out his arms and healed a broken finger in his left hand.
His words didn’t make any sense. “Why?” Surely his ego wasn’t such that he’d risked his life just because she’d rejected his help last time. She wasn’t worth that.
He sighed. “I’d hoped to ease you into the truth, but here it is.” He held up his right hand, showing a demon marking with a jagged R in the center. The R was a crest representing his surname: Reese. Demons mated with a branding and a bite—the marking was transferred from the demon to the mate during sex.
Her mouth dropped open, and she hurried to shut it. “You’re mated?” Why did that thought nauseate her? How odd.
“No. The brand appeared when I touched you three years ago.” His chin lowered, and he studied her, towering over her even as he sat. “When you shoved me away and refused to get into that helicopter with me.” He didn’t sound happy.
She snorted and then quickly recovered. “Impossible. I’m already mated.” Well, she had been mated a couple of centuries ago, although her Kurjan mate had died shortly thereafter. Sometimes she forgot what he had looked like, and that was fine with her. “Your brand must have appeared for someone else.”
“No.” Benjamin looked down at the dark marking. “The mark hasn’t faded a bit, and it’s pulsing like a live wire now that you’re near.”
Oh, Lord. Her research on Benjamin suggested he might be insane. Dangerous and unstable? There was no way she could succeed in this mission. “Benjamin—”
“Benny. Might as well get cozy with me now.” His smile held charm and determination that warmed her in an unexpected way.
For the second time in her life, she let her instincts take over. “Just leave. Take an opening and find freedom,” she whispered tersely, her stomach cramping. “Forget about me.”
“Not a chance.” His gaze ran over her face like a physical touch.
Movement sounded down the tunnel, and she stiffened.
Benjamin tensed and set his jaw. “Get ready, darlin’. We’re about to escape this place.”
Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over forty romantic suspense, dark paranormals, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Upcoming series are: The Blood Brothers, The Realm Enforcers and The Scorpius Syndrome.
Visit https://rebeccazanetti.com/ for more information!
I love that when I'm with you, I don't have to pretend I'm nice. - eCard
I Don't Dance by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Freebirds #5.5
Release - December 3, 2014
Genre - Contemporary Military Romance
Dual POV - 1st person/Elliott & Blaine Masters
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 111 pages
Publisher - Indie
Her
Blaine didn't understand the true meaning of lonely until she spent her first Christmas away from her husband. She was never one to believe in love at first sight. Then she met Elliott while he was on leave from the Army. From that moment on, they loved fiercely, and never wasted a day. She knew that deployment was a very real possibility… one that scared her to death.
Him
When the orders are handed down, he has to go, leaving his new wife at home while he risks his life half a world away. Elliott did his best. He loved Blaine with his whole heart, but he had a responsibility to his team and to his country. Regrettably, that meant being away from Blaine Christmas after Christmas, year after year.
Her
Blaine made the best of her situation, and did what any good military wife should do, even if it tore her to pieces to do it. She stood by her man. Years go by, but one thing holds true. They’re meant to be. Blaine and Elliott have a love like no other, and time and distance will never change that
Find I Don't Dance on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3g4UWsp
Although this read like an extended epilogue for all of the characters of the series, I loved the glimpse inside the relationship of Blaine and Elliott. From their first meeting, which was hilarious, to their every hello and goodbye, to their Christmas traditions, it was all too easy to love this couple. They brought me immense joy and sorrow and I had a huge smile on my face by the end. Another great read from LLV.
My Note(s)
Elliott + Blaine family tree:
Their children:Baby Masters (RIP)
Justin Douglas Masters
Tawny Masters
Paige Masters
Check out my reviews of the other books in this series:
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
He held me up when I needed him the most.
There were many things that scared me on this earth, but I well and truly believed that, with James, I could accomplish anything. Be anyone.
There were many things that scared me on this earth, but I well and truly believed that, with James, I could accomplish anything. Be anyone.
Texas Tornado by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Freebirds #5
Release - July 29, 2014
Genre - Contemporary Romance/military/instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person/James Johnathan Allen & Shiloh June Mackenzie
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 420 pages
Publisher - Indie
Him
James had plans for his life. Those plans were derailed by the surprise arrival of his daughter. His life revolved around her. Then she arrived with her beautiful brown hair that was made to wrap around his wrist, and a butt that was to die for in a tight pair of jeans. Nevertheless, he didn't need any more drama in his life. His ex-girlfriend was stirring enough of that up for ten women. Yet, there was something about her that soothed his soul.
Her
Shiloh’s made it her life’s mission to protect the innocent children she can from the big, bad, scary things that lurk in the darkness. She has an inane curiosity for life and craves knowledge. Which is why when she starts poking around in her father’s business, she inadvertently starts something in to motion that threatens her very existence. Her father, the one man that was always supposed to be there for her, drops her off with a brother she never knew she had and leaves. Making her question the father she obviously never really knew at all. Then she meets him, and she doesn't think her life’s so bad after all. The sexy biker turned SWAT officer sets her nerve cells to igniting, and she relishes in every single second of it.
Him
He knew life could change in an instant. One soul crushing instant.
When he’s presented with the aspect of losing Shiloh before he’s ever even had her, he decides it’s time to grab life by the handlebars and ride it like he stole it. Then that threat not only touches his woman, but his daughter. And there’s no power on God’s green earth that can protect them from a father’s wrath.
Find Texas Tornado on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Tki8du
I have to tell you... I was really excited for this book and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it! James won a place in my heart several books ago and I was excited for him to finally get his own happy ending.
Shiloh was Sam's sister (Boomtown) and from the moment she entered the scene, her life wasn't easy. Not that she had it great to begin with. Her father dumped her on Sam because she poked her nose where it didn't belong. So she's without her dad, the brother she grew up with is unreachable, and the brother she's just met wants nothing to do with her. Good times.
James steps in and like the hero he is, he gives Shiloh her person. He became the one person she could always count on. The one person who would always give her just what she needed. Aside from his daughter, Janie, he put her first.
He had a ton of baby mama drama (it was pretty extreme), she had some evil chasing her, and a ton of her father's secrets were finally revealed. I'm thrilled about it and I'm looking forward to how it affects the stories to come.
If you know anything about this author's books, you know that they can be devastating, heartwarming, hilarious, sexy and necessary. If you don't know... now you know.
My Note(s)
* I suffered some confusion at different parts of this story, but it in no way took away from my enjoyment of it. So although it wasn't as fluid as I'd like, I'm sure it will make more sense with the more stories that I read. I can't wait to get my hands on Sebastian's book, Lights to My Siren.
James + Shiloh family tree:
Their children
Caroline "Janie" Jeanine Allen (James') - Kinda Don't Care
Scout Allen
Emmaline "Rebel" Allen
James' Family
Cheyenne Allen (sister) - Boomtown
Shiloh's Family
Silas Mackenzie (father) - Counter to My Intelligence
Samuel Cash Mackenzie (half-brother) - Boomtown
Sebastian Sue Mackenzie (brother) - Lights to My Siren
Amelia Rose Mackenzie (half-sister) - Any Day Now
Check out my reviews of the other books in this series:
Whom it was shouted by, I didn’t know, but I didn’t stop. In fact, I turned on the turbo blast, and took off like a shot. My adrenaline was pumping, and only pushed me faster. I so did not want to talk to anyone right now, and least of all my prick of a brother.
It’d been in my first hour on the floor of the bathroom that I decided just to say, ‘fuck it’ and ignore him from now on. I was tired of putting forth all the effort with my family and getting nothing in return. My dad. My brother. Brothers. Mother. No more, I was done. Finished.
“Fuck,” a man grunted from a good distance behind me.
I let the first smile break over my face in weeks. Did I mention that I was a sprinter, as well as a long distance runner? Yeah, I kicked ass in high school. I broke state records in the 100-meter dash and the 400 meters.
Although my distance running was lacking compared to my sprinting, I still did good when I put my mind to it. Cross-country kept me in shape during the off-season, and I made myself stick with cross-country even though I hated it with every fiber of my being. Sprinters weren’t made to go the distance.
Another curse sounded from behind me, and I let out a laugh this time. Spying my shortcut, which I rarely used lately due to the mud, I took it despite my reservations. I lost my sandals in the first mud puddle, and had to stop to go back for them, although, I didn’t put them back on. I was in the forest now, and it was very unlikely there would be anything but twigs on the ground.
Yelling sounded somewhere behind me, but I kept going. My lungs had that good burn going, and I felt exhilarated.
Running was my therapy. Although I sucked balls at the distance, I kept doing it even though I hated it.
“I’m gonna beat your ass when I catch you, you little shit.” Sam yelled.
I cackled. My ass he was going to catch me. I knew these woods like the back of my hand. I’d met with the owner, a lovely woman in her late seventies, and asked her if it would be all right. She’d readily agreed, saying I was a sweet ‘child’ and so I spent my days off exploring.
That, and hidden stashes of things in the woods, planned an escape route, and made maps of the woods for just in case.
“Mother fucking son of a bitch. Goddammit.” Sam growled.
Brother bear has a potty mouth.
It’d been in my first hour on the floor of the bathroom that I decided just to say, ‘fuck it’ and ignore him from now on. I was tired of putting forth all the effort with my family and getting nothing in return. My dad. My brother. Brothers. Mother. No more, I was done. Finished.
“Fuck,” a man grunted from a good distance behind me.
I let the first smile break over my face in weeks. Did I mention that I was a sprinter, as well as a long distance runner? Yeah, I kicked ass in high school. I broke state records in the 100-meter dash and the 400 meters.
Although my distance running was lacking compared to my sprinting, I still did good when I put my mind to it. Cross-country kept me in shape during the off-season, and I made myself stick with cross-country even though I hated it with every fiber of my being. Sprinters weren’t made to go the distance.
Another curse sounded from behind me, and I let out a laugh this time. Spying my shortcut, which I rarely used lately due to the mud, I took it despite my reservations. I lost my sandals in the first mud puddle, and had to stop to go back for them, although, I didn’t put them back on. I was in the forest now, and it was very unlikely there would be anything but twigs on the ground.
Yelling sounded somewhere behind me, but I kept going. My lungs had that good burn going, and I felt exhilarated.
Running was my therapy. Although I sucked balls at the distance, I kept doing it even though I hated it.
“I’m gonna beat your ass when I catch you, you little shit.” Sam yelled.
I cackled. My ass he was going to catch me. I knew these woods like the back of my hand. I’d met with the owner, a lovely woman in her late seventies, and asked her if it would be all right. She’d readily agreed, saying I was a sweet ‘child’ and so I spent my days off exploring.
That, and hidden stashes of things in the woods, planned an escape route, and made maps of the woods for just in case.
“Mother fucking son of a bitch. Goddammit.” Sam growled.
Brother bear has a potty mouth.
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
I saw you have tattoos and a real job, excuse me while I take off my clothes. - E-card
Last Day of My Life by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Freebirds #4
Release - June 26, 2014
Genre - Contemporary Romance/military/second chance/amnesia
Dual POV - 1st person/Jack & Winter Stoker
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 344 pages
Publisher - Indie
Her
She’s the definition of lost. Doesn’t know her name? Check. Cruelly beaten within an inch of her life? Check. No memory of anything that's happened since she woke up from that beating? Check. Losing a child she doesn’t remember conceiving? Check. She hasn't felt anything but lost in a very long time. Then an old biker tells her danger is on the horizon. He sends her to a man that she instantly feels a connection with. A bone deep connection.
Him
He’s the definition of despair. After the death of his young wife while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he hasn't seen the appeal of participating in the world around him. He’s lost the only thing he ever loved. He’s been a shell of the man he once was. His only escape from reality is feeling the wind in his hair, going as fast as he can get his old Harley to take him. That’s the only time he can push his demons back far enough to feel peace. That is until she screams his name.
Find Last Day of My Life on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3py0SgO
Another heartbreaking and heartwarming read from Lani Lynn Vale! I'm still absorbing everything I got with Last Day of My Life that I'm going to sum everything up with highlights.
☆ Winter and Jack met, fell in love, got married real quick, and he was sent off to war. He left her in good hands with his family and best friend.
☆ Fast forward 7 years and we realize that Jack lost his wife to a violent assault. At least that's what he believed until a woman, who looks a lot like his wife, shows up and starts screaming his name.
☆ Winter has no memory of who she is, who Jack is, but when she was in danger, it was Jack that she ran to.
☆ I love a good amnesia story and I loved that the author didn't conclude it quickly but also didn't draw it out.
☆ Adam's funeral... heart... broken. It actually brought tears to my eyes and I feel that the author captured the scenes quite beautifully.
☆ During the 7 years of their separation, these two were with No. One. Else!
It seemed that Jack and Winter couldn't catch a break. The suspenseful scenes were amazing! However, between a death, an assault, silly shenanigans, friends going through some ish (I'm looking at both Taima and James) and attempted murder, their love for one another persevered. I loved this couple!
My Note(s)
⭐ My only real issue with this story was that while Winter was coming to terms with everything that happened seven years ago, it seemed like she forgot that Jack was doing the same. She kept secrets from him, didn't communicate properly... I didn't like it and it didn't mesh with the strength of this couple. He had obviously suffered in ways she couldn't understand because her amnesia saved her from a lot of it, so making it appear as if she wasn't functioning as part of the team didn't seem authentic. I'm just glad that this didn't take up too much space in the story and resolved quickly.
⭐ This is the origin story for Adam Stoker (named after his father's best friend) from Any Day Now and Taima Stoker from Shock Advised.
Check out my other reviews from this series:
“Whew boy, he is fine!” A large woman said from the step to my right.
I agreed silently, but continued with my turn. My lungs were burning and my legs ached from running in between sets.
The woman was absolutely hilarious. We’d been complaining for nearly an hour now about how hard the trainer was being on us today.
“Bom-chicka-wa-wow.” She said shaking her butt.
I turned in the direction her eyes were focused on and smiled. Jack had moved to the stair climber. Now you could see the tattoo. You could also see the muscles in his back and legs bunch and contract with each revolution.
No matter how mad at him I was, I never stopped wanting to jump on his cock and ride him like a cowgirl taming a bronco. Even though he hadn’t let me have a moment’s peace, I knew he was doing it for me. He didn’t want anything to happen to me, and for that to happen, he went everywhere that I went. Or someone did when he couldn’t. It’s just that it’d been over a month and a half now, and I was just plain over it.
“That,” I said panting for breath. “is my husband.
“Damn.” She said in a dejected tone.
That’s right people; he’s all mine.
“Alright everyone,” The trainer yelled. “Have a great weekend. See y’all Monday!”
As I went to grab my phone and water, I saw some chick that looked immaculately perfect walk in the direction of Jack. Her hair didn’t have one single strand out of place. Her boobs were perky and beautifully arranged in her halter workout tank. Her tight black capri pants displayed her beautiful lower half as well.
“What the hell is she even doing here? She’s done. Get the fuck out so the rest of us don’t have to look at your perfect body.” I mumbled.
“Amen.” The lady I’d been goofing off with during the workout agreed.
“What’s your name?” I asked her.
“Cookie.” She smiled.
“See you next week, Cookie!” I said and took off towards Jack.
Rounding the gate that separated the basketball court from the gym, I saw that the woman’s hand was resting on Jack’s bicep. She smiled, flicked her hair over her shoulder and started blabbing about not seeing him in forever.
“Laura.” He nodded curtly.
Understanding dawned, and I moved to Jack’s side. “Good workout?” I asked Laura.
Her frown told me she wasn’t very happy with this newest development. Apparently I was standing too close to her prey. “And who are you?”
Jack pulled me tight against his glistening body and I grimaced. Sweat wasn’t so bad when it wasn’t pouring from you in rivulets. When two people were both doing it at the same time, it was really quite gross. I didn’t move, however.
“This is my wife, Winter. Winter,” He said gesturing with his head. “This is Laura. She works with Cheyenne and Payton.”
“Nice to meet you.” Not.
Her mouth gaped open in surprise.
Cookie laughed as she passed and saw Laura’s expression. “It’s okay, honey. I think everyone’s heart is smashed into pieces.” She said, gesturing to all the woman who were loitering and none too obviously staring.
“We went on a date a few weeks ago.” She finally said.
Jack sighed. “That wasn’t a date. That was a ‘you happened to be there when I was’ situation. And it’s been nearly two months now.”
Fury overtook her features. “But you said you’d see me some time! If I’d known you had an ugly, fat wife I would have left you alone!”
Jack took a threatening step forward, but I stopped him. “Have you ever heard the term ‘more cushion for the pushin’?”
I agreed silently, but continued with my turn. My lungs were burning and my legs ached from running in between sets.
The woman was absolutely hilarious. We’d been complaining for nearly an hour now about how hard the trainer was being on us today.
“Bom-chicka-wa-wow.” She said shaking her butt.
I turned in the direction her eyes were focused on and smiled. Jack had moved to the stair climber. Now you could see the tattoo. You could also see the muscles in his back and legs bunch and contract with each revolution.
No matter how mad at him I was, I never stopped wanting to jump on his cock and ride him like a cowgirl taming a bronco. Even though he hadn’t let me have a moment’s peace, I knew he was doing it for me. He didn’t want anything to happen to me, and for that to happen, he went everywhere that I went. Or someone did when he couldn’t. It’s just that it’d been over a month and a half now, and I was just plain over it.
“That,” I said panting for breath. “is my husband.
“Damn.” She said in a dejected tone.
That’s right people; he’s all mine.
“Alright everyone,” The trainer yelled. “Have a great weekend. See y’all Monday!”
As I went to grab my phone and water, I saw some chick that looked immaculately perfect walk in the direction of Jack. Her hair didn’t have one single strand out of place. Her boobs were perky and beautifully arranged in her halter workout tank. Her tight black capri pants displayed her beautiful lower half as well.
“What the hell is she even doing here? She’s done. Get the fuck out so the rest of us don’t have to look at your perfect body.” I mumbled.
“Amen.” The lady I’d been goofing off with during the workout agreed.
“What’s your name?” I asked her.
“Cookie.” She smiled.
“See you next week, Cookie!” I said and took off towards Jack.
Rounding the gate that separated the basketball court from the gym, I saw that the woman’s hand was resting on Jack’s bicep. She smiled, flicked her hair over her shoulder and started blabbing about not seeing him in forever.
“Laura.” He nodded curtly.
Understanding dawned, and I moved to Jack’s side. “Good workout?” I asked Laura.
Her frown told me she wasn’t very happy with this newest development. Apparently I was standing too close to her prey. “And who are you?”
Jack pulled me tight against his glistening body and I grimaced. Sweat wasn’t so bad when it wasn’t pouring from you in rivulets. When two people were both doing it at the same time, it was really quite gross. I didn’t move, however.
“This is my wife, Winter. Winter,” He said gesturing with his head. “This is Laura. She works with Cheyenne and Payton.”
“Nice to meet you.” Not.
Her mouth gaped open in surprise.
Cookie laughed as she passed and saw Laura’s expression. “It’s okay, honey. I think everyone’s heart is smashed into pieces.” She said, gesturing to all the woman who were loitering and none too obviously staring.
“We went on a date a few weeks ago.” She finally said.
Jack sighed. “That wasn’t a date. That was a ‘you happened to be there when I was’ situation. And it’s been nearly two months now.”
Fury overtook her features. “But you said you’d see me some time! If I’d known you had an ugly, fat wife I would have left you alone!”
Jack took a threatening step forward, but I stopped him. “Have you ever heard the term ‘more cushion for the pushin’?”
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
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