Surprises Around Every Corner in This Snippet of The Sheva Chronicles Book 1
Surprises around every corner, whether in a dark alley or sliding across the desk at work.
Three young thugs, more stupid than thug, headed in her direction as she walked toward the government building along the sidewalk in the early morning.
It looked like they had stayed up all night and were probably heading home.
They eyed her dress and made assumptions. Annoying assumptions. Knowing the way humans and their television exhibited women dressed like her, she guessed they thought she was one of those girls who dressed up and went to comic-cons or other conventions for fans of movies and TV.
Valerie KuriaKen took a left and stepped into the alley to allow the young guys to either pass or make a poor decision and follow her.
A voice spoke in her mind. Five dollars says they come in here.
“No bet,” she whispered. “And what money are you betting with?”
She stopped talking because the three guys had made a poor decision.
Sixty seconds later, she left the groaning young men behind her. “Next time, figure out who you are going to touch before you do any touching,” she called over her shoulder. At the corner of the sidewalk and the alley, she tossed a final suggestion. “In fact, just ask, and don’t be a dick.”
It was a shame. If the guy in the middle had been polite, she wouldn’t have minded a conversation with him.
Chapter One
FBI offices were not the place for paranormal introductions. Hell, nowhere was a good place to learn about witches that can destroy cities.
Well, not unless it was “one of those days.” And for Benjamin Carter, it was going to be one of those days. It was a shame no one gave Ben a signal about the day to come.
Unless the “signal” was a discussion with his boss about his milk challenge. If that was the case, Ben would later decide it was a shitty signal.
He stifled a yawn. A cell phone rang in the office in front of him. He hesitated before the slightly open door to see if his superior would answer it. He didn’t want to interrupt.
Nope.
Behind the desk, Samuel Patterson ignored the ringing phone and continued to type. His beefy fingers flew across the keyboard, rapid-fire.
Now feeling in the clear, Ben tentatively pushed the door open and poked his head in. “Now an okay time, boss?” He looked around to make sure no one else was there.
“Come on in, Benny.” Sam waved at him but didn’t look away from his computer as he spoke.
Must be working on something important, Ben thought. Figures.
Ben plopped down in one of the scratchy office chairs near the desk. As usual, towering stacks of books, folders, and notebooks covered the surface. Sam was one of the agents at Salem’s FBI Headquarters who’d never taken to paper-free workflows, and his desk was a flagrant example of his outdated ways.
Ben surveyed his boss. Looks more tired than usual, he thought as he took in Sam’s deeply creased face and the saggy pockets beneath his eyes.
In other offices where Ben had been stationed since starting with the Bureau, he’d been wary of informal chit-chat. But with Sam, it was the norm. The expectation.
Sam actually encouraged it.
Ben took a moment and stretched his legs. “You got something big on the line, there, boss?”
Sam’s fingers didn’t stop as he lifted his gaze and nodded. When he looked back at the screen, it was with concern. His brow creased as he pecked one final key, then sat back in his office seat, shoulder blades kissing the worn leather.
“You could say that.” He tented his fingertips together.
Ben nodded. It wasn’t a surprise. Seemed like all the good, high-stakes cases went to the higher-ups at this office. He tended to get stuck with the administrative stuff and worse. He had to pay his dues before getting a good case, or so he was told.
Frequently.
“Good weekend?” Sam wanted to know. “How’d the bust go at the farm?”
Ben chuckled. “You make it sound like I got some action. All I did was close down Myron Pickram’s illegal milk business.” He cringed at the memory.
Sam’s gray eyes sparkled with subtle amusement. For the moment, whatever had concerned him on the computer seemed forgotten. “There are laws. Milk’s gotta be pasteurized before it hits the shelves.”
“Sure, but really?” Ben eyed his boss. “Rolling up on him with backup didn’t seem justified.”
“Ha. I can imagine the surprise on his face. He cooperated?”
“He was as polite as can be. The whole thing was wrapped up by Saturday morning, nine o’clock,” Ben admitted.
“How about the rest of your weekend? Everything good on the home front?”
Ben’s brow furrowed. Home these days was a barren, sterile-feeling apartment, moving boxes still lining the walls.
He’d unpack one of these days.
“Eh. Okay, I guess. I’ve been catching up on that docuseries, the new one about paranormal encounters. Fascinating stuff. The one I watched last night was about this old hotel out west. There’s been a string of documented ghost sightings, and the interesting thing is that all the guests—”
Sam cut him off with a raised palm. “You can tell me about it another time, Benny. Right now, we’ve got a more important challenge on the table.” He pursed his lips as if considering whether his decision was right before he shrugged and plowed ahead. “I might have something more stimulating than dealing with milk shenanigans if you’re up for it.”
For the first time since waking up that morning, a zing of energy jolted through Ben. It was better than the cup of java he’d picked up on the way to the office.
“Yeah? Don’t tease me, Sam.”
Sam chuckled. “You young ones are always so eager. You get to my age? You want those sleepy office days. Close that door, would you? I’d do it myself if my knees were less creaky today.”
Ben raked his fingers through his hair as he crossed the room. With a push, he secured the door, making sure he heard the click, then returned to his seat.
He pulled out his phone so he was ready to take notes. He wished he’d brought his laptop. Maybe this wouldn’t be a humdrum debrief on the Pickram Farm Case after all.
He leaned forward, fingertips over his cell with a notes app pulled up.
“What’ve you got?” Ben asked.
“The Boston office has been on me since ten last night about a series of hospital visits they’re seeing at various clinics across the city. Bunch of people, same symptoms, checked in to ERs, raised that good old red flag. I investigated it myself, though it wasn’t easy accessing records. Been up all night, mostly talking with hospital administrators.” He scrubbed his hand over his face.
That explains the bags under his eyes, Ben reasoned.
“My wife wasn’t too impressed with all the calls I made,” Sam added with a shake of his head. “I need to get a soundproof office at home or start making calls in my car. She barely slept, and lord knows I didn’t.”
One of the perks of being single, Ben supposed. No partner to get upset about noises at night. Not that I’d mind much. If I had a woman in bed next to me, I’d want her to get her beauty sleep.
His thoughts veered toward his ex, Shaina, back in Houston. They split when he got the orders to move to Massachusetts. Of course. Ben had learned early in his career with the Bureau that he wasn’t made for long-distance relationships. And seeing as he got transferred so often, it made dating tough.
Not only tough. Impossible.
Sam tapped on his desk to get Ben’s attention, then slid a packet of papers to him. “Anyway, for the most part, I got cooperation. Especially since I hinted we’d get a warrant out and have a look through the dang records if they didn’t feel like working with us. A lot speedier. The big fish at the Boston office passed this situation our way since all the patients hail from Salem. And… You’ll see. All their symptoms have to do with a warehouse out on Dow Road.”
Ben grabbed and flipped through the packet. He skimmed the detailed information swiftly and picked up on a pattern within minutes. “These are all accounts of visual hallucinations.”
“Well, that’s what it looks like.” Sam nodded.
Ben felt his superior’s eyes on him. It was usual for Sam to fall silent like this. He sensed he was supposed to see more from the papers in his hand.
His gaze slid down the text a second time. “All told, eleven different accounts of a green glow in the sky. I see at least, uh, six mentions of shifting geometric patterns. That’s more than a coincidence.”
“What do you make of it?” Sam wanted to know.
“Well…” Ben considered his options. Actually voice his opinion, which mostly didn’t go well when it came to these things, or stick with a conservative approach.
“Go on, say it,” Sam prompted. “I know you’ve got thoughts up there in that noggin. I’m not gonna laugh.”
“You might.” Others have.
“Nope, I won’t.” Sam shifted back in his seat and kept his gaze on Ben. “This is only between us. I asked you in here for a reason, Benny. All those shows you watch, the documentaries, the books I know you keep stashed away in your desk…” He gestured toward the door and the cubicles beyond.
Still, Ben was wary.
He’d been tempted to discuss his fascination with the supernatural before, and it never, ever went well.
As a kid, he was ridiculed.
As an adult, the consequences were often more severe. It was difficult to keep track of the number of times he’d been transferred out of a field office for voicing his unorthodox views. I almost had time to unpack this time. He swallowed hard.
Sam’s fingers drummed the desk. “Okay, then. Never mind. I thought you might have an opinion on the matter. I guess I was wrong. I’ll let you get back to your—”
“Wait.” Ben’s mouth felt as dry as sandpaper. Only the dread of another case similar to the Pickram Farm yawn-fest made him decide to speak up. “I—I do have a few thoughts.”
Sam nodded his approval and settled back, rolling his hand in a circle to encourage him. “And?”
“Visual hallucinations, if they’re actual hallucinations, vary significantly from patient to patient. Given that all these people reported seeing the same thing, I think they did see a green glow in the sky, geometric patterns included. The thing is, people see these things and immediately start to doubt. They call doctors, they want MRIs. The more logical answer is that the light was there. The patterns were there.”
“And?”
The gears turned in Ben’s mind. They groaned and creaked with lack of use, the settled dust giving way to a well-oiled machine he hadn’t used in a long time. It felt good to think like this.
He glanced at the list at the bottom of the page. It was this list that intrigued him the most. “I assume these are your notes.”
“Correct,” Sam told him.
“Well, this list…” He tapped the drawings. “Every item is related to witch sigils and symbology. You’ve listed a bunch of the big hitters.” He looked down. “We have air, earth, water, fire, the pentagram, the hexagram, hell, even the Eye of Ra, Hecate’s Wheel, and the Daisy Wheel. So, I think this light people saw is related to witchcraft.”
“Is that so?”
Ben was too excited to stop there, though part of him wanted to. This was dangerous territory. Grounds for getting transferred at best, booted from the Bureau at worst. “Since they originated at a warehouse, I’m guessing something is going on in that building. It’d be good to figure out who owns it.”
“Already have,” Sam answered. “It’s back further in those notes. A gentleman by the name of Dr. Michael Chen purchased it two years ago.”
“Then I’m guessing he’s involved. He’s connected to these reported sightings. More than connected, I’d say. More likely, he’s the cause of the green light.”
Sam pursed his lips but had nothing, so he asked, “How so?”
“I don’t know.” Ben placed the packet on Sam’s desk. “Wish I had an answer, boss, but I don’t.”
Sam tapped his tented fingers together.
Ben clenched his jaw. I did it again. I said too much. No one wanted to hear this stuff, even someone as cool as Sam.
“I’ll get back to my desk, then,” he stated stiffly.
“No, you won’t. Sit.” Sam’s tired voice had the gruff notes of a man who had done this so long his skin had turned to leather and held him up on bad days simply because it could.
Shit. Ben remained in his seat. Is this it? he wondered. Did I finally say the wrong thing to the wrong person on the wrong day?
He slouched, waiting for the worst.
Sam remained quiet as he reached carefully into his desk drawer. He pulled out a photograph, looked at it for a long second, then turned it around and handed it to Ben.
Ben sensed it was something important. Secretive, even.
He peered at the image, instantly curious. In the photo, Sam appeared younger, with no wrinkles on his wide face and dark hair, unlike the silver he now sported. The young Sam crouched near a symbol etched into the earth.
Ben recognized it. Hecate’s Wheel. Beside the carving was a gruesome blood stain as large as a body.
He’d seen enough violence and brutality with the agency. Yet, for some reason, this image made him avert his gaze.
He lowered the photograph, looked out the window, and cleared his throat. Outside, the May morning sun blazed. Buds were popping out on the tree branches, and the snow had finally given way to green grass.
“I was there,” Sam spoke up, his tone hushed, somber. “You recognized the scene, right? I figure, given your interests…”
Ben nodded.
Of course he’d read about the Sisters of Hecate. The cult had been a dark joke of the last century, a bunch of “loony” women in the backwoods of Vermont. Mass media had plenty to say about their wacky, “dangerously misguided” rituals, and none of it was good. For the most part, the big-name newspapers directed the narrative with headlines like Seven Cult Members Arrested for Mistreatment of Kidnapped Woman.
“I was the first on the scene,” Sam admitted carefully. “They didn’t know I was there. Came in unannounced. You know how it goes. And, what I saw—” He paused and looked out the window. “Let’s say there’s no way to explain it given our current, accepted view of the world.”
“Our current view leaves a lot to be desired, boss.” Ben eyed the photograph, “But back then, it was worse.”
Sam nodded. “That scene… Whew. Oh, boy. I’ll never forget it. First time I ever learned about SHVAs. I saw one in action that day. Only for a moment, but damn. Most terrifying thing I’ve ever witnessed. I still have nightmares.”
“Sheva’s?” Ben had never heard the term.
“Spelled SHVA, but we call them Sheva. Special kinda witches, those. I hope I never have to see one again. A Sheva Witch is powerful, mystical, and lethal as all get-out. A real force of destruction. I learned later that they can level cities, incite wars, stir hurricanes into action. Nothing can stop ‘em. The one I saw, I still can’t really wrap my head around her.”
Sam appeared lost in time. His skin had paled to ash white. He scrubbed a hand down his face, then shook his head as if trying to clear away a haunting memory.
“Look.” He returned his gaze to Ben. “I need someone like you, Benny. Someone who’s not walled off to the possibility of this stuff.”
Ben wanted—no, needed to make damn sure he understood his boss. “You’re talking about the supernatural.”
Sam nodded. “Yes. Magic. Paranormal phenomenon. All of it. Not in theory but in actuality. I need to know if you’re open to that.”
Are you kidding me? Ben couldn’t hide a smile. “I’ve been waiting for this my whole career.”
Sam nodded, clearly pleased. He swiveled his chair and squinted at his computer screen. “I’ll only tell you what you need to know for now because we’re short on time. I requested a consult with a Diplomata Pacem. Last night was such a frenzy, talking with all the damn hospitals, I haven’t had a chance to confirm the meeting.”
Though Ben knew his boss was now intent on figuring out the details of the upcoming meeting, he couldn’t contain his curiosity.
Finally, I’m getting a glimpse into the world that fascinates me.
“Diplomata Pacem? Is that what you said?”
Still distracted, Sam waved his hand toward Ben in a throwaway gesture. “They’re friendly enough. Cooperative as all get-out. Their one aim is to help us human folks get through difficult times in a peaceful manner. I reached out, seeing as this warehouse issue intersects with their turf.”
Their turf.
Witches.
Ben’s excitement built.
“You mean, one of them is coming here for a meeting?”
Something tells me that Valerie and Ben are going to be meeting very soon. Find out on July 31st, when
The Sky is The Limit Wild Wednesday, July 24, 2024
The sky is the limit on how many deals you can get today!
Wild Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Each week we bring you a list of books from not only LMBPN authors but also friends of ours, that are on sale! Here’s a fantastic opportunity to discover some new authors or some exciting books you may not have seen yet.
Most of these books are FREE in Kindle Unlimited, but all are on sale today.
Please remember to double-check the price before you one-click.
An Aria for the Vampire Complete Series Boxed Set:
The odds of success aren’t good. Not to mention that vampires have earned a nasty reputation.
To prevent their history of hunting humans, torture, and mad science experiments continuing, vampires have formed a global coalition with the purpose of holding one another to strict standards of behavior and secrecy.
Cora’s choice is still the quickest way to becoming a magical outcast. Will her decision turn her into a dark version of herself? Or will she die?
Reach for This Deal Here
The Inscrutable Paris Beaufont Complete Series Boxed Set:
This fairy loses her lunch if she watches a romantic comedy. Love songs give her hives. She punched the last guy who tried to flirt with her. Needless to say, Paris Beaufont isn’t the romantic type. But she’s going to have to learn how to create budding love for others or she’s going to jail. When a series of criminal offenses forces Paris to attend fairy godmother college, she has to learn not to just stomach romance, but to master it. What this fairy godmother in-training learns isn’t just about love. And what she does for the college might change the planet forever—It is love that makes the world go round, after all.
Tops and Tails of Dreams:
With the same genius for characters and plots that gave readers his well received series “Dwarvish Dirty Dozen” and “Outcast Royal,” Aaron D. Schneider presents this collection of short stories that combine fantasy and horror making an intriguing page turner for any reader.
A bedraggled stranger staggers into town; a warrior bends her ancestral bow at goblin cretin; and a sad tale is told to the chime of a whetstone across a long, dark blade. The Tops and Tails of Dreams is a sampling of Aaron D. Schneider’s ability to craft narratives whose black shades bring out the raw lines of light of courage, resilience, and hope.
Reach For This Deal Here
Dragon Approved Complete Series Boxed Set:
Dragonriders are all that stand between the Nine Realms and total annihilation. But their numbers are dwindling. With every passing day, more and more Dragonriders are falling under the scourge of the Dark One. The forces of humanity and their allies are desperate. They need a new hero to step up and turn the tide. Myrddin, the resistance’s leader, thinks he might have found that someone…on Earth, of all places. Word has just come from the east that the Dark One is launching his largest assault yet, but there is still time to stop him. If, that is, they can find someone good enough to take him on. Alex Bound just might be the rider they need. But a human has never been accepted as a Dragonrider. Let alone a blind human… Alex isn’t someone to step away from a fight.
Battle for The Nine Realms Complete Series Boxed Set:
This is no ordinary VR fantasy game. It’s a portal to the Nine Realms, where dwarves, gnomes, elves, and the forces of Darkness are real. The Dark One has figured out a way through the portal.An army of humans must rise and fight the evil threatening to end life as we know it on Earth. Humans have one chance to save the world—gamers must become elite warriors who portal to the Nine Realms and defeat the Dark One’s forces on magical soil before it’s too late. Few are as badass as Robert ‘Suzuki’ Fletcher and his adventuring party: The Mundanes. The only problem? Suzuki’s dungeon delvers failed the test and were rejected by the human army. Luckily for humanity, the secret Guild known as the MERCs welcome the Mundanes into their ranks. What’s lucky for humanity is unlucky for the Dark One.
Reach For This Deal Here
Dark Gate Angels Complete Series Boxed Set:
Meet the Dark Gate Angels! Just be sure you don’t tick them off, or you might lose your head! Grab this action-packed boxed set of all ten books in this exciting series today! A battle-elf, gladiator and super genius walk into a bar… Actually, there’s no punch line. But you can guarantee someone’s getting decapitated. Anabella is a supermodel with a secret. She’s really an elf. And she’s bored, bored, bored. Born and bred as a warrior, Anabella wants nothing more than to trade her tiara for a dagger and a gun. Careful what you wish for… When orcs invade Earth, will Anabella have her chance?
Where The Battle Rages:
Eleven short stories and novelettes, including “Weaponized Math,” a 2017 Nebula Award Finalist.
This is Jonathan Brazee’s first collection of short stories, ranging from a future Marine Corps sniper as she faces deadly missions to a tale of paleontological teens to a story about augmented animal soldiers.
Reach For This Deal Herel
Bloodblade:
A night at the local tavern doesn’t go as planned.
He went for a drink, he left covered in the blood of his friends. With a bloodthirsty elf hunter chasing him down, how can a lowly thief escape the grasp of the evil elven hunter known only by the name Bloodblade?
This is a complete prequel story set in the bestselling Dwemhar Realms universe, a growing world containing over thirty novels!
Team Reaper Series Volume one:
After being betrayed and shooting the two of the most powerful men in the Irish Mob, John “Reaper” Kane is forced into hiding. Seeking refuge in the seemingly quiet town of Retribution, Arizona, Reaper soon discovers that appearances can be deceiving. Because beneath the town’s worn exterior lies the dangerous Montoya Cartel, lurking in the shadows. Meanwhile, DEA Agent Luis Ferrero has long advocated for a specialized task force to combat the cartels on their own turf. When he selects Reaper to lead the team, Team Reaper is born—a fearless group of individuals dedicated to diving headfirst into bloody battles, endless retribution, and frightening terrorist threats.
Reach For This Deal Here
Florida Man: The Complete Series:
In Florida Man, Gary Duba’s having a bad day. There’s a snake in his toilet, a rabid raccoon in the yard, and his girl Krystal’s in jail for getting naked at a Waffle House and licking the manager. Gary’s a redneck living in a trailer by the swamp, but he’s got dreams—big dreams. With his best friend, Floyd, Gary sets out to sell his prized Barry Bonds rookie card to raise the five hundred needed for bail. Too bad things always find a way of getting out of hand.
Beach Bound: $50 Storius Gift Card Giveaway
If you see this message after July 24th, 2024, and want to be notified of future price promotions, please sign up for our newsletter at www.lmbpn.com/email.
📚 Fresh off the press: Discover our two latest literary gems
We’re kicking off another week. I don’t know about you, but I like it when a book releases on Monday. It gives me something to look forward to after the weekend. And when it’s a favorite series for all of you, it makes me even happier.
Not only do we have a fan favorite series with a new release this week, but we also have a new series for you to check out as well. And from what I’ve read of it, it will also be a fan favorite! I’ve included a snippet from the book releasing on Thursday for you to enjoy!
I have 2 amazing books launching this week and one of those kicks off a new series. We also have one book already out as of this morning! That’s pretty sweet for a Monday!
- Basic Witch (Oriceran)
- The Huntress (New Series!)
This Week’s New Releases
Title: Basic Witch
Series: The Nomad Witch Book 6
Release Date: 07/22/2024
Scarlett Prynne, Runeclaw, The Spell Riders, and the Witches on Wheels beat down the Chrome Ghosts and disrupted the Luminous Veil’s plans once again.
The Veil didn’t like that. Not one murderous bit. And if Scarlett shows up in their sights again, they won’t hold back.
And, of course, Scarlett being who she is, she’s looking for an opportunity to do just that.
The Veil’s mind control collars are a looming threat, and Scarlett and her allies are doing their best to get the dirt on them.
Step one is breaking into the mansion of the one Bald Baddie they’ve identified. What’s a little breaking and entering for a good cause, right?
One clue will lead to the next, and each of them will lead Scarlett and her allies into greater danger.
Behind the scenes, Camus pushes forward day by day on his plan to use the collars to give the Veil unprecedented power in the country, and eventually, the world.
Only one troublesome witch and ferocious feline stand in their way. Fortunately, they have the Witches, the Riders, and the Federal Agents of Magic at their backs.
But will it be enough to prevent more kidnappings? More collarings? And the achievement of the Veil’s goals?
Only one way to find out.
For action, magic, snarky banter, martial arts, mystical creatures, and a dash of mystery, join Scarlett and Runeclaw on their next adventure.
Title: The Huntress
Series: Lost and Forsaken Book 1
Release Date: 07/25/2024
A human, a fae huntress, and a quest for survival.
Cian Brennan thought he was just an average guy, until he met Eilidh, a sidhe fae huntress who turns his world upside down.
Bound together by a mysterious prophecy, they must navigate a hidden world of magic and danger to uncover the truth about Cian’s past.
When a rogue mage targets Cian, Eilidh must cast aside her aloof nature and oath of secrecy to protect him.
Enlisting a quirky pixie and mischievous pooka, she draws Cian into a world of magic and peril he never imagined.
Time is running out, and the fate of both the human and fae worlds hangs in the balance.
Can Cian and Eilidh embrace their destiny and protect those they love? Or will they succumb to the forsaken forces hunting them, losing themselves and all they care for?
Life can change in a minute. For Cain, one minute he was worried about a dead-end job and what was for lunch, the next he was worried about monsters and fairies. Find out why!
Adventure Awaits This Fan Pricing Saturday, July 20, 2024
Start your next adventure at a great price!
Fan Pricing Saturday, July 20, 2024
Note: We requested the price changes from Amazon on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, they don’t change all of the prices at one time. Please double-check the price before clicking “Buy”.
All of these new releases are 99c for one day only!
And they are also available for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Grab them today before the prices go up!
The Drake Defense
May Contain Violence
Brutal Response Complete Series Boxed Set
Beach Bound: $50 Storius Gift Card Giveaway
If you see this message after July 20th and want to be notified of future price promotions, please sign up for our email list at www.lmbpn.com/about/email.
A Surprise Stop in This Snippet of Lost and Forsaken Book 1
Lost and Forsaken Book 1: The Huntress
Life can change in a minute. For Cain, one minute he was worried about a dead-end job and what was for lunch, the next he was worried about monsters and fairies.
Chapter One
Early evening, October 28th, 2023
Cian sighed as he slung his tool bag onto the T’s seat beside him for his ride on the light rail back home to his apartment near South Hills Village mall. He groaned and jammed his noise-canceling earbuds in, so he didn’t have to listen to the children scream while the accompanying adults ignored them.
At least my boss understood this morning when I told him I refused to drive my car into downtown Pittsburgh and pay the exorbitant parking rates for the day. Especially since I’m not sure when he’ll manage to reimburse me.
Although that didn’t stop him from making me cover for the supposedly “on call” downtown tech and his gout flare-up.
On a Saturday.
Of course, now I’ll probably have to drive in tomorrow—or preferably later in the week if I can get away with it—to finish fixing that last blasted copier. Figures, the parts the customer is supposed to have stocked, like fusers and drums, they don’t.
He frowned and leaned forward, elbows on his knees and head in his hand.
Who am I kidding? There is no way Stephen will be back tomorrow. His flare-ups always seem to coincide with a high number of calls in his queue, especially if it’s on the weekend. That means even though I took care of all but the last one, he’ll stay out for a few days as a cover.
Which also means I’ll be riding the T from my apartment back into town at least on Sunday, although it’ll probably be longer. Guess I’ll tote a hundred pounds of parts with me.
Cian sighed as the car of the mixed light rail streetcar-subway system started moving, and he rocked gently back and forth. As the railcar stopped and started again, a slight smile tickled the corners of his lips.
Maybe I’ll get off at Station Square instead and hit up the Grand Concourse. Treat myself today since I had to work on my day off. My inheritance will cover it, even though I don’t like dipping into it too much. After all, it doesn’t make me rich. Only makes it so I don’t have to worry about my apartment or car. Even if I don’t do that, I am getting paid double-time today. Plus, what I didn’t spend on parking downtown would cover most of a nice steak dinner.
Or…I could ride to South Park instead and go to Pasta Too. Chicken parmesan sounds nice. Then, I can either ride the T back to my place or take an Uber.
The car started moving away from another station, but before he could decide, the subway car rocked again. This time, it wasn’t the gentle back and forth of when it started moving. Instead, the sudden, violent shift threw Cian out of his seat. He sprawled into the aisle, his earbuds popping out and skittering away as his head struck the floor.
Which let him hear the intense metallic squealing as the car rocked side to side, the wheels finally breaking away from the track a moment before he was launched into the window next to his original seat. The glass cracked when his spine impacted it, and the car completely derailed.
As it hit its side, Cian looked at what was now up, seeing the sparks reflected by the windows on the opposite side. The car wiggled back and forth before coming to an abrupt stop when it felt like the rear of the vehicle snagged on something.
The passengers’ cries and screams finally broke through his stunned state. He scrambled to stand, surprised that he was able to, considering the impact between his back and the window.
“Come on, everyone, we have to get out of here!” he shouted. When everyone ignored him, he felt a growl bubble up deep inside. “Now, people! We don’t have all day! I have no idea when another T is coming through!”
Most of the screaming seemed to die away, although quite a bit of sobbing remained.
I’ll give them that. I’m sure they’re hurt, even if I managed to get through relatively unscathed.
Cian glanced at the closed door overhead. He climbed onto the side of a seat and was pleasantly surprised when he found a way to balance himself while not hitting his head on anything. He prepared to struggle to wrench the door open.
Except the door easily pulled back instead. He overbalanced and slipped off the seat before falling to the newly designated “floor” of the car.
“Mother—” He strangled down the oath when he spotted a little girl of about eight with tears in her eyes staring at him open-mouthed while she cradled her arm close to her chest. He managed a toothy smile, and she shied away. “It’s okay, young lady. I’ll help you get out of here.”
He sprang back to his feet before jumping up and grabbing the edge of the car. By pulling himself up and out with a groan of effort, he reached the “top” of the T’s car. He turned and reached back inside, offering the little girl a hand. “Come on, take it. I’ll pull you up.”
“Take his hand, honey!” a woman inside pleaded, her voice tinged with panic.
“But, Momma, his ey—” the girl began.
“Come on, take it, kid. We have to get out of the car and off the tracks. I promise I won’t hurt you,” he vowed.
“Go on, sweetheart. It’s okay,” the woman told her.
Must have cut myself near my eyes or something. I don’t feel anything, though. He took a quick glance around. At least we’re still near a platform.
He helped lift the little girl out, then her mother, then a teenage boy.
When he went to reach back in again, he suddenly sprawled onto his stomach as the entire two-car light rail lurched backward in a squeal of tortured metal. The little girl screamed as she fell. He spun toward her voice, expecting to see her falling over the side. Instead, she was lying on her stomach, eyes wide in fear as she stared back toward the station. Toward the rear of the car.
What in the unholy hell?
The entire thing was being hauled back by fleshy triangles attached to a giant worm. Gleaming, shiny black areas covered the creature, separated by thick, squiggly, deep red lines that almost glowed.
He blinked in amazement, trying to clear the vision away.
I must have hit my head harder than I thought.
But the apparition remained.
It hauled the train backward toward the station again.
At least we’ll be able to run away from that…whatever in the hell it is.
The sound of squealing metal vied with renewed screams as the creature lurched backward, lifting the rail cars and slamming them down a good fifteen feet back the way they’d come from.
The passengers raised slightly into the air, but the little girl’s lack of weight made her lift higher, and she was flung toward the edge. Cian grabbed her by her injured arm a second before she’d have gone over the side and gotten crushed between the car and either the wall or floor of the tunnel.
She screamed in pain but smiled at him gratefully.
Like I’m her hero or something.
He nodded, passed her off to her kneeling mother, and quickly started sorting through his options.
Options? No gun. No knife. Not even my tools, which are probably scattered somewhere inside. And I’ll have to replace them, of course. What was I going to do anyway? Throw a screwdriver at a gigantic worm that can derail and fling around a rail car like it’s a chew toy?
He looked from the worm to the Steel Plaza station, which it had hauled them back to, where he met the gaze of a man dressed in a black trench coat. The man’s blank, dead eyes stared directly at him without blinking. He showed no concern that a giant worm was currently eating a rail car.
The man stood at the point of four others with identical expressions, gazing at Cian while the other people cowered away, frozen in fear.
A shiver ran up his spine as he felt a tingling at the base of his skull.
That tingling spread down his body. The hairs on his arms raised with goosebumps.
A woman stepped down the stairs into the corner of his vision, drawing his attention away from the trench coat-clad figures.
She was magnificent.
Her exquisite, heart-shaped face had bright cyan eyes with thick lashes, while her full, pouty lips were painted a dark purple and currently turned down in a frown.
The porcelain white skin of her neck and upper chest disappeared into a form-fitting cuirass of shiny purple metal. Her shoulders were bare, but her upper arms down to the backs of her hands were covered in the same strange metal with swirling lines of silver wrapping through it.
She stopped as she reached the bottom of the steps, hitching her leather-encased hips to the side. Her tight leather pants had cuisses on her thighs and greaves on her shins, made from the same shiny purple metal shot with winding veins of silver.
As she tilted her head to the side, one lengthy, tapered ear parted her mass of long, wavy purple hair with cyan streaks reflecting the overhead lights. Even in the stillness of the underground air, her hair flowed around behind her in a nonexistent wind. Jagged, variegated purple butterfly wings twitched in anticipation, their black edges with shiny cyan spots gliding back and forth.
A…fairy?
She’s a giant fairy!
“You know, I’m getting fairly sick of hunting down the lot of you,” she called in a rich, cultured voice with an Irish accent. “You should have remained under whatever rock you crawled out from.”
The man at the point never moved, his eyes not straying from Cian. However, his four companions turned to face the newcomer. “If you will but listen,” the man began in a deep, ragged voice.
“Fortunately for me, it is past the autumn equinox,” the newcomer continued, ignoring the man. “That means the Queen of Air and Darkness reigns.” Her frowning lips turned up in a smirk. “Which means I don’t have to speak with the likes of you.”
Her right arm shot up, and a blinding flash of light enveloped the platform.
Cian shied away, his eyesight nothing but a mass of purple at the lingering afterimage of the intense radiance. He smelled ozone and something indescribable. He heard distant movement from the platform, the scuffing of feet, and what sounded like the metallic ringing of swords striking each other.
At least, that’s what I think it is. Movies aren’t really a good way to judge.
As he rapidly blinked his eyes, he glanced back, seeing the man who’d stood in the center on his knees.
He also saw the speckled tiles of the floor behind the man through a gaping, smoking hole in his torso.
She shot him! Killed him!
Cian shuddered, his racing mind finally latching onto three thoughts.
First, she was now holding a sword, not a gun. Plus, what handgun lights up an entire underground area with the muzzle flash while blowing a six-inch hole through someone’s torso?
Second, the rear of the rail car was glowing orange, and he could feel the temperature rising around him as waves of heat pulsed through the plaza.
Third, while three of the men were fighting with the…fairy, one was coming toward the car.
Toward him.
Great. I have no idea what they want with me, but I doubt a few years of martial arts is going to help.
Cian reached up and ran a nervous hand through his short brown hair. “Umm. I’m willing to listen, even if she isn’t?” he hedged.
The man’s lips pulled up in a smile as they opened, revealing rotting, jagged teeth. He slowly shook his head and raised his arms, revealing black nails ending in sharp points.
“Well, it was worth a shot, I suppose,” he muttered. Then, he took what he figured was the single dumbest action in his entire life up to this point.
He jumped down onto the platform to fight the man.
He squared up and managed to block the man’s first strike with his forearm, but the impact numbed his entire arm.
What the hell?
The man’s second strike was a jab to Cian’s stomach. The single, quick hit sent him sailing, but his momentum abruptly stopped when his back slammed into one of the concrete pillars. He blacked out, only to be awakened when the man’s solid, methodical footsteps stopped in front of him. His opponent reached down, grasping and lifting him by the throat.
“Die,” the man demanded in a cold, hollow tone, his breath hot against Cian’s face.
Cian’s eyes flashed open. He snapped his head forward against the man’s grip, slamming his forehead into his enemy’s nose and shattering it in a spray of brackish black blood.
Black?
The man—the creature staggered backward two steps, dragging Cian along until he slammed his right fist into the thing’s forearm.
The snapping of its bone echoed through the plaza.
Cian dropped to his feet. He met the creature’s stunned gaze and reached out with a snarl, returning the favor and grabbing it by the throat. He squeezed, seeing the thing’s suddenly black eyes start bulging as the crunch of its crushed windpipe reached his ears. He lifted the creature off the ground with one arm, grabbed its back with the other, and slammed it into the tiles, shattering them.
The creature lay in the newly indented floor, staring up at him as it gurgled in its death throes.
As he stared down at it, the fairy woman stepped into his peripheral vision. “Not that this’ll ever matter to you after today, but always make sure to take ghoul’s heads so they don’t regenerate. Or at least their spines,” she advised him.
Then, she slammed her sword into the thing’s neck and severed its spine.
Her cyan eyes met his deep blue ones.
She’s only a few inches shorter than me, he numbly thought. Probably five-ten. The fairy is five-ten. Aren’t they supposed to be tiny?
She arched an eyebrow. “Humans,” she muttered, turning away from him as the passengers from the rail cars began gathering around.
“Umm…fairy? What about the worm?” he asked.
Her head snapped around to him. “What did you call me?”
“A fairy?”
The corner of her lip raised in a snarl. “I’m not a fairy, you uneducated fool. I’m a sidhe fae. The most powerful of faekind.”
“Oh. Umm, sorry?”
She muttered something unintelligible before backing away from him. “I killed the ignermis. The fire worm.” She waved her purple-bladed sword through the air, and it disappeared. Then she held her right hand up. “Now, if you will all look at me.”
As if she has to ask. Everyone is already looking at the giant fairy. Or fae, or sidhe…whatever.
The fae scanned the crowd. “Wonderful. Now that I have your attention. This was a terrible, horrific tunnel collapse. We’re grateful you all survived.” She snapped her fingers. There was a flash of light, and everyone fell to the ground, unconscious. “Oh, well. What are a few more bumps and bruises?” She turned to walk away.
“Tunnel collapse? Are you freaking kidding me?” Cian couldn’t help himself as everything but the woman faded into background noise. He knew everyone falling over was wrong. It simply didn’t seem to matter when compared to her.
The fae spun, cyan eyes wide in surprise. “What?”
“Tunnel collapse. That has to be the lamest bunch of bull I’ve ever heard. A giant worm knocked the cars off the rails, then started eating one! I’m hesitant to even mention how you also killed five me—”
“They weren’t men. They were ghouls.”
“Fine. Ghouls. Ignoring my tiny faux pas, I’d also like to remind you that you’re a fairy!” He held up his hands when her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Sorry, sorry. A fae. You’re a fae. Like straight from myth.”
“How’re you still awake?” She held up a hand, forestalling his answer as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Never mind. I must be losing my touch.” She returned her gaze to his, staring intently as she closed the distance. “It was a tunnel collapse. You can clearly see the debris. Humans did not die. Ghouls, ignermis, and most certainly fae are myths and legends.” She snapped her fingers directly in front of his eyes, emitting another flash of light.
Cian tilted his head to look past the fingers in his face. “Dead guys.” He pointed. “Dead fire worm thing.” He pointed again. “Fae.” He pointed at her.
She blinked. “Huh. Interesting.”
The last thing he saw was her fist coming at his head before the world went dark.
As if monsters weren’t enough of a surprise. Getting punched in the face by a Fae is just adding to the long list of weird things happening to him. Find out on July 25th why the spell didn’t work on him when Lost and Forsaken Book 1: The Huntress is Released.
Catch Some Sun and Some Deals This Wild Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Catch these deals, then go get yourself a summer tan!
Wild Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Each week we bring you a list of books from not only LMBPN authors but also friends of ours, that are on sale! Here’s a fantastic opportunity to discover some new authors or some exciting books you may not have seen yet.
Most of these books are FREE in Kindle Unlimited, but all are on sale today.
Please remember to double-check the price before you one-click.
Brutal Response Complete Series Boxed Set:
It’s hard to live up to your father’s legacy when he’s a force of nature. Most young women raised in the Kerrick Confederacy of Aligned Planets go to school. Mia had daily firearms practice, tactical exercises, and pilot training. She never cared about her strange life, only about living up to the expectations of her father. His mysterious job often takes him away on secret missions, leaving her to self-training until the day she can surpass him.
Now she will never get the chance.
Catch This Deal Here
Legacy of The Shadow’s Blood Series Sale:
Book 1 FREE, Books 2-6 .99¢
From Book 1: Lexi is a magic-wielding former assassin who broke away from the shadowy organization that trained her. Working as a private investigator, her latest case takes her and her partner to Palm Springs, where a shifter is being harassed by a local businessman. But with pack politics and rivalries, this is far more than a property deal gone bad. Far worse, for Lexi, is that her local contact is her long-time nemesis, the gay vampire detective Dick. If the case doesn’t kill her, working with him again might!
Awakening:
When you wake up with no memory of who you are, you know it’s probably going to be a bad day. That’s exactly what Bentley thought — but she had no idea how bad. When she saw the wires connecting her to a strange, glowing sword, and an old guy bleeding out next to her, she started to get an inkling. And then she met the Three. Three gods cast out of the Unseen World, condemned to make their way in this universe as best they can. While desperately trying to keep from being thrown out the airlock, Bentley discovers that the Three have a secret. A secret that involves the sword, the Unseen World, and a big bad that’s hell bent on hunting her down. With the fate of both worlds hanging in the balance, Bentley has to survive long enough to figure out how to get the Three on board and stop the fabric of spacetime from being torn apart. But that starts with figuring out the significance of this damn sword!
Catch This Deal Here
Kataklysm Boxed Set Books 1-5:
Embrace the (B)light… It has been fifty years since the sun died over Ashathar. Blaike was born in the blight. As one of the “touched” he is devoid of power. He is forbidden from following the Lightweaver Path. The “touched” still serve the brightlands, working the mines to extract sunstone; to deliver it to the Lightweavers, the saviors, preservers, and rulers of Ashathar. The largest sunstone ever extracted from the mines has been found. It could empower the brightlands for months. When it is discovered that someone stole the sunstone’s power, Blaike is exiled from the brightlands. Was he really to blame? Can he survive the blight?
Catch This Deal Here
The Rogue Elf: Twilight Ascension Boxed Set:
Darkness descends and it’s up to one young high elf to stand against it… but nothing is as it appears. War has erupted across the lands and when the elves of Urlas depart for war, Kealin is not allowed to join the other warriors as he expects. His father and mother, and the elven High Council, demand he and his siblings stay behind. There’s something Kealin is not being told. When a soothsayer foretells the fall of the elves that have gone to war, it’s up to Kealin and his siblings who refuse to stand by and wait. if they’re to save their parents and the lives of their kin they must act. No matter the risk involved.
Catch This Deal Here
Rancho Diablo Western Series Omnibus:
SUDDEN DEATH, HELLFIRE, AND GUNSMOKE…
West Texas Army Scout Sam Blaylock rode into the small town of Shooter’s Cross looking for deserters, not trouble. Now he’s putting down roots with his wife and daughter, and no amount of evil can stand in the way. Secure in their out-of-the-way stronghold, the proprietors of the criminal enterprises never planned on a man like Sam—a man who would face the Devil himself to balance the scales. A man who has never backed down from a bad situation.
Will Sam and his family be able to settle in their new town, or will they be run out by the deserters Sam was sent to find?
Sterling Fierce and The Lost Dragons:
Sterling Fierce is the ultimate guardian in the enchanted realm of Everen. As the sole survivor of the ancient witch hunters, he holds the key to preserving the delicate balance of power. In a shocking revelation, he discovers that a wicked curse has befallen all the majestic dragons, with one exception—the extraordinary dragon child, a rarity beyond imagination. Time is of the essence as Sterling and his newfound companions race against the clock to evade the clutches of malevolent creatures lurking in the shadows. Failure to act swiftly will result in the demise of Sterling, his courageous allies, and the last remaining dragons. Unlock a mesmerizing tale filled with courage, magic, and the boundless wonders of Everen. Join Sterling Fierce in this epic battle against dark forces and embark on a thrilling journey like no other. Grab your copy now and immerse yourself in a spellbinding adventure that will leave you breathless!
Catch This Deal Here
Beach Bound: $50 Storius Gift Card Giveaway
If you see this message after July 17th, 2024, and want to be notified of future price promotions, please sign up for our newsletter at www.lmbpn.com/email.
🚀 Double the excitement: Two must-read new releases this week!
And just like that, we’re in the middle of July and before you know it, it will be August and school will start again. Hopefully, the temperatures will begin cooling off a little before that happens. But if it doesn’t, I’m sure there will be plenty of air conditioning to keep teachers and students cool. How are you handling the recent heat waves?
I have 2 marvelous books launching this week but none today! It’s a slower release week, so you can use it to catch up on your TBR list!!
This Week’s New Releases
Title: The Drake Defense
Series: Drakethorn Legal Book 3
Release Date: 07/16/2024
A legacy of power. A city in turmoil. One woman’s destiny.
Anastasia “Stacy” Drakethorn is a lawyer with a secret—she’s the heir to a powerful supernatural dynasty. When her mother’s tragic death leaves a power vacuum in the city’s paranormal hierarchy, Stacy must step up and take her rightful place as leader.
With enemies lurking in the shadows and her own powers awakening, Stacy must navigate a treacherous landscape of politics and magic. Guided by her trusted allies and the wisdom of her dragon father, Khan, she embarks on a journey to claim her birthright.
The path to leadership is fraught with danger. Stacy must confront not only the threats to her city but also the ghosts of her past and the weight of her legacy.
Will Stacy rise to the challenge and become the leader her city needs? Or will the weight of her destiny and the machinations of her enemies overwhelm her?
Step into a world of magic, danger, and destiny in this thrilling urban fantasy novel.
Title: Red Carpets Scarlett Deeds
Series: City of Angels and Elves Book 6
Release Date: 7/18/2024
The End WON’T be nigh…
…if Mable has anything to do with it.
When people thing the apocalypse… images of demons, rouge gods and alien invasions enter the mind.
Not ego.
Or rather, Ego… with a capital ‘E’.
Mable needs to fight, not only this enemy but herself if the world has any hope of not… well… ending.
Join Mable as she wrestles with a demon who has been plaguing her since she was a child.
Vacation Mode This Fan Pricing Saturday July 13, 2024
Grab a book at a great price and switch into vacation mode!
Fan Pricing Saturday, July 13, 2024
Note: We requested the price changes from Amazon on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, they don’t change all of the prices at one time. Please double-check the price before clicking “Buy”.
All of these new releases are 99c for one day only!
And they are also available for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Grab them today before the prices go up!
The Misplaced Warrior
Lean on Me
Oriceran Starter Pack
Jewel of The Night’s Mantle
Beach Bound: $50 Storius Gift Card Giveaway
If you see this message after July 13th and want to be notified of future price promotions, please sign up for our email list at www.lmbpn.com/about/email.
Merry Beachmas Book Giveaway Day 5
Merry Beachmas! It’s Christmas in July!
5-Day Book Giveaway
Take a closer look at today’s FREE Book
Head to the Giveaway HERE
Quantum Conjurations:
His experiment shouldn’t have wrecked his lab, created a portal to another dimension, or sucked him through said portal.
Despite all that, Charles Smith found himself landing atop the emissary of an evil group of mages called the Shadow Council.
Literally on top of him, along with half the gear from his lab, which had the fortunate side-effect of turning the evil sorcerer into paste.
This won Charles the gratitude of King Alfred, ruler of the Kingdom of Kortall and the man who said sorcerer had been threatening moments before Smith’s arrival.
But the reward for a job well done is always more work!
Alfred quickly recruits Charles to help defend his kingdom against the invading army. Wildly outmatched, Alfred’s forces are on the verge of being crushed. If he falls, there will be little to stop the Shadow Council from taking over the entire world.
Charles will need every trick he knows, including a lot of science, some engineering—and maybe even a little bit of magic—if Kortall is to have any hope of surviving!
Get This Book FREE HERE
Beach Bound: $50 Storius Gift Card Giveaway
Merry Beachmas Book Giveaway Day 4
Merry Beachmas! It’s Christmas in July!
5-Day Book Giveaway
Take a closer look at today’s FREE Book
Head to the Giveaway HERE
A Silent Death:
In a galaxy where the line between right and wrong blurs, one woman seeks justice.
Fiery and determined, Madison Justice navigates the depths of space, searching for her father and a place to call home.
Expelled from the Naval Academy for her unyielding sense of justice, she now forges her own path as a freelance mercenary.
But the void is vast and unforgiving. To find her father, the elusive captain of the Gypsy Rose, Madison must prove her mettle in a realm where morality is a luxury few can afford.
Harassed by rivals and entangled in the schemes of a ruthless commander, she fights to keep her conscience intact.
As mutiny brews and treachery lurks in every corner, Madison must summon all her strength and cunning to survive.
Will she reunite with her father and find the sense of purpose she craves? Or will the unforgiving universe consume her, body and soul?
Gritty and action-packed, A Silent Death is a tale of a daughter’s unbreakable spirit in the face of adversity, set against the backdrop of a morally ambiguous future.
Get This Book FREE HERE
Beach Bound: $50 Storius Gift Card Giveaway