Book Spotlight on Forever Wolf by Maria Vale (GIVEAWAY)

A wolf sent away for being different finds a protector in the young woman who discovers him abandoned in the forest in this tale of superstition and fate.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Forever Wolf by Maria Vale, then add this paranormal romance to your bookshelf.  In honor of this third installment in The Legend of All Wolves series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of the first book in this series too!

Born with one blue eye and one green, Eyulf was abandoned as an infant and has never understood why, or what he is...Varya is fiercely loyal to the Great North Pack, which took her in when she was a teenager. While out on patrol, Varya finds Eyulf wounded and starving and saves his life, at great risk to her own.

Legend says his eyes portend the end of the world...or perhaps, the beginning...

With old and new enemies threatening the Great North, Varya knows as soon as she sees his eyes that she must keep Eyulf hidden away from the superstitious wolves who would doom them both. Until the day they must fight to the death for the Pack's survival, side by side and heart to heart...

EXCERPT:

“There were gunshots,” Eyulf says as I clean out the reopened wound with a rag dipped in the last of the Seagram’s. “They could have hurt you.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have followed me. You could have killed them. Turn over? Wolves don’t reveal them- selves to humans, and they certainly don’t kill them unless it is a matter of the life or death.”

He turns onto his belly, and I start to pick out more embedded forest litter.

“But it was a matter of life or death,” he says. “They were shooting at you.”

“The life or death of the Pack. A single wolf means nothing.”

I pluck out several bits of fur. And a beetle wing.

“It does mean something. You mean something. You mean something to me.”

And small stones.

And a single pine needle. “I have to tell the Pack.”

“Are you listening to me?” He turns quickly, his hands on either side of my face.

“Your leg is—“

“Fine. My leg is fine. I could leave now and be no worse off. It’s what I do. A new place. Another page in my book. Except I would be worse off because now I know what’s here and what I want but don’t have.”

I stare down at the collection nested in my palm— stone, fur, wing, needle. Tesserae in the mosaic of the Great North. Of Homelands.

What have I done? Wolves are raised with uncompromising loyalty to Pack, to land and to our wild. Even our exiles would never betray our existence, but Eyulf was not raised like we are.

“You can’t tell anyone about the Pack.” My voice sounds panicked. Not at all like the Alpha command I’d intended. “You can’t—“

“I wasn’t talking about the Pack, Varya. That’s where your mind always goes, but not mine. I was talking about you.”

He bends down, looking me in the eye. How could anyone think his eyes were a curse? Blue and green. The promise of heaven and earth.

“I’m talking about you,” he says again.

He moves his hand to my hair and sweeps it back, touching my neck gently. He leans close. “You said before that another wolf’s mark had to be offered. That it meant they are responsible for each other. That they belong together. I want to belong. But not to the Pack. I want to belong to you.”

His thumb moves across my cheek and moves until his jaw almost touches mine, and then he stops. Waiting for me to say no or simply move away. I move closer, partly because I feel woozy and partly because this is what I want. I have only taken the Alpha’s mark, the mark that binds me to the entire Pack, but now…now I want this single scent, this single wolf, this single belonging.

Eyulf takes a deep breath and rubs his cheek along mine. “Is this how you do it?”

I feel everything: the coolness of his skin and the sharpness of his cheekbones and the cool eddy as he sucks in my scent and the warm current as he sighs.

Yes. That is how you do it. This—I turn my head so more of my skin touches his—this is how you do it.

He nuzzles closer, the damp softness of his lips against the spot where jaw joins neck, and I feel the promise of it all.

Then he whispers in my ear.

The weight is heavy on two legs, and the ground is uneven and cold and covered with rigid twigs that puncture and scrape my bare soles.

It’s good, I think. The distraction. Reminding me always of the harsh realities of Pack life. Surviving means strength to strength and power to power. It does not accommodate the coming together of two scarred and lonely wolves.

“Yours,” he said. “Mine.”

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AUTHOR INFO:

Maria Vale is a journalist who has worked for Publishers Weekly, Glamour magazine, Redbook, the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is a logophile and a bibliovore and a worrier about the world. Trained as a medievalist, she tries to shoehorn the language of Beowulf into things that don't really need it. She lives in New York with her husband, two sons and a long line of dead plants. No one will let her have a pet. Visit her HERE.

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Book Spotlight on A Phoenix is Forever by Ashlyn Chase (GIVEAWAY)

A woman looking to put her criminal past behind her decides to use her powers for good in this paranormal romance that finds her becoming attracted to the rookie cop hoping to use her psychic abilities to find a missing child.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of A Phoenix is Forever by Ashlyn Chase, then add this sensual and suspenseful tale to your bookshelf.  In honor of this third installment in the Phoenix Brothers series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of the first book in this series too!

She didn't see this hot cop coming.

Dawn Forrest is ready for a big change. She's determined to put her criminal past behind her and only use her extraordinary psychic abilities for good from now on.

Luca Fierro is a Phoenix shifter and rookie cop with something to prove. The last person he should tangle with is a newly reformed bad girl, especially one as irresistible as Dawn. But he needs her help to find a missing child, and every minute counts. This case is going to put their skills to the test and force them to keep their sizzling attraction at bay...

EXCERPT:

Instead of going straight home, Luca parked nearby and started to walk off his hurt and frustration. He wasn’t in the best part of town, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t in the best mood either. How the heck had he gotten to this point in his life? Up until a short while ago, he had been hopeful about his future. Now, he wasn’t so sure. Still wearing his police uniform, he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and walked aimlessly with his head down.

Half an hour later, nearing the fountain of the Christian Science Center, a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, he barely noticed the regal elegance of the domed structure overlooking the calm reflecting pool. But in the quiet of the early morning, his ears perked up in sudden alert when he heard a woman’s strained gasp.

He glanced up and saw a young woman standing near the fountain. She was about five six with short, spiky brown hair, wearing a black leather jacket. Neck tattoos and a lot ofpiercings gave her a bad-­girl vibe, but what was even odder was that she was staring right at him, wide-­eyed. Then she passed out.

“Shit,” he muttered and ran over—­faster than a human could. Worried she could wind up with a concussion, he cradled her head before she hit the pavement. He shook her shoulder and shouted, “Hey! Are you all right?”

Eventually, she opened her eyes. Big gray-­green eyes. Unusual. Supporting her back, he helped her sit up.

“What’s the matter?” He was tempted to ask if she’d ever seen a cop before, but that was because he was in a crappy mood. Sarcasm aside, he was trained not to assume what was going on in a person’s brain. Asking open-­ended questions would gain more information.

“I…saw blood.” She paused and closed those big green eyes again, taking a deep breath. “I always faint at the sight of blood.”

“What do you mean? You saw an accident or someone get hurt?” Luca gentled his voice in concern. Perhaps she’d witnessed a murder and had a delayed reaction.

She shook her head and reached out to grasp his hand. “Look, this may sound crazy,” she said, “but I’m a psychic. I saw you walking this way, and I got a dreadful feeling. Did something just happen to you? I see auras and have premonitions. Your aura is just…well, terrible. Then I had a vision. I saw you covered in blood.”

Blood? Luca helped her to stand. He believed in psychics—the genuine kind. After all, he was a shape­shifter, and he came from a family of shifters. But there were a lot of charlatans out there.

Given where his head was at after just being dumped by Lisa, he could only imagine what kind of energy he was giving off, let alone his aura…but blood? This chick could just be some wacko.

He folded his arms. “Do you want money to tell me more?”

“No! I’m not like that. I help people. Maybe the accident I just saw is something you can prevent from happening.”

He cocked his head. “You saw an accident? Where?”

“On a side street. It looked like an older part of town. They were just kids. Maybe sixteen or seventeen at the most. It looked like they were drag racing. A little kid rode his bike into the street and he was struck by one of the cars.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes I see through other people’s eyes. I think I was looking through yours.”

Luca wanted to stay open­minded in case she was the real deal.

“Some more weird energy is clinging to you,” she went on, her expression seeming earnest. “I think it has to do with other people in your life. Your aura is red. Angry. But it feels justified—and not just that. I-­I feel as if someone is out to get you.”

Who could be out to get him? Was it just his fellow cops, taking advantage of the rookie? Doubtful. That was just for their own chuckles and part of the usual hazing. Something all newbies went through.

No, his dark mood was due to getting dumped. Lisa had acted strange that morning, but he didn’t see her as a danger. Did she have someone else already, and maybe that someone considered him a threat.

He was still mulling over the possibilities when the spiky-­haired girl pulled out a card and wrote her name and number on the back.

“I’m sorry if you think I’m trying to take advantage of you. I’m not. Knowing that cops are usually close-minded about psychics, I wouldn’t have even bothered, except I think you’re in danger. And those kids certainly are.”

Glancing at the card, he saw the name she’d written. Dawn Forest. He flipped the card over. It read ScholarTech: Academic Software for Brilliant Minds.

“Is that your real name?”

“Yeah. If I were going to come up with a fake name, it would be better than that.”

“You mean something exotic, like Zelda the Magnificent?”

She laughed. “No. Something like Susan Jones. I don’t think my mom realized how many times people would ask me if my name was fake or if my middle name was ‘in­the.’”

“So you work at this software company?” He wondered why someone who looked like her, with her tats and piercings, would be working for a company that created academic software.

“Yes, I just started there last month. Someday, I’ll get my own business cards instead of the generic ones.”

“Your look doesn’t exactly scream ‘corporate head office.’”

“Well, your assumption is outdated,” she retorted, hands firmly on her hips. “I have a college degree and was top in my class. Not to mention, I’m the only person at ScholarTech, including the engineers, who can recite the entire software manual by heart.”

“Wow. And you’ve only been there a month? How did you learn everything in so short a time?”

“I have a photographic memory.”

“You’re a psychic and you have a photographic memory? Shouldn’t you be raking in the big bucks on Wall Street?” Luca flashed her his trademark grin. It usually got him out of hot water. She smiled back and visibly relaxed.

He took a good look at her, past the tats and piercings and spiky hair, and noticed how pretty she was. Her nose was slightly turned up and covered with cute freckles. The tiny diamond stud in her left nostril almost got lost among them. Her hair made her look like a pixie. Maybe the badass tattoos and piercings were a way to counteract all that cuteness and be taken seriously.

“So do you do anything with your psychic talent, professionally?”

“Like working at a tea room? Or doing parties? No.”

“Anything other than stopping strangers on the street?”

She looked at her feet and kicked at the pavement with the end of her leather-­booted toe. “Sometimes. If friends ask me for help, I do what I can for them.”

There was something about her body language that had him questioning that statement.

He tucked her business card into his jacket pocket. “It was nice to meet you, Dawn Forest. I should be getting home though. I worked the night shift, and I need to get some sleep.”

“Okay. Watch your back,” she said and returned to her spot by the fountain to retrieve her backpack.

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AUTHOR INFO:

Award winning author, Ashlyn Chase specializes in characters who reinvent themselves, having reinvented herself numerous times. With a degree in behavioral sciences, she mainly worked as a psychiatric nurse and Red Cross RN. She’s happily married to her true-life hero husband who looks like Hugh Jackman if you squint. Visit her online HERE.

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Book Spotlight on The Infamous Duchess by Sophie Barnes (GIVEAWAY)

A woman with a questionable past devotes herself to charity while keeping from forming attachments until a charming man pursues her and helps her when she needs support most in this historical romance where things aren’t what they seem.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Infamous Duchess by Sophie Barnes, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this fourth installment in the Diamonds in the Rough series visit the link below for the chance to win print copies of the first three books in this series too!

A woman with a shocking past...

Branded a money-hungry con artist for marrying the elderly Duke of Tremaine days before his death, Viola Cartwright has found refuge in her work at St. Agatha’s Hospital. No one must know the painful reason behind her marriage. She steers clear of attachments—until Henry Lowell, heir to Viscount Armswell, lands on her operating table after a duel. Charming and wickedly handsome, Lowell is one of London’s most inveterate scoundrels. Yet he may not be all that he appears.

And the man who can promise a future filled with love...

Posing as an unrepentant rake has helped Lowell avoid women pursuing him only for his title. But now that duty has finally called on him to marry, he finds himself entranced by the mysterious, independent-minded Viola. Then her late husband’s son returns from overseas, contesting Viola’s inheritance. Lowell longs to help her and sets out to convince Viola that a strategic union may be the best way to save all she holds dear. But can he also persuade her to take a chance on love…?

EXCERPT:

When Henry Atticus Lowell awoke, the first thing he became aware of was the gentle tread of someone moving carefully about. He flexed his fingers and felt the soft cotton of a sheet draped over his body. Well, it would seem he was still alive, thanks to his brother’s miraculous efforts. And the pain . . . it was more of an ache now, which was a definite improvement.

Hesitantly, he opened his eyes just enough to let a bit of light in. It was blinding, the sunshine spilling in from a nearby window with unforgiving brightness. He winced and immediately closed his eyes again.

“Mr. Lowell?” The voice that spoke was feminine, soft and soothing, a mere whisper almost. Henry grunted his response and sensed the woman come nearer. “I hope I did not disturb you.” A soft hand settled upon his brow for no more than a fleeting second. “You do not seem to have a fever, which is excellent news.”

He drew a deep breath, focused on the tightening effect it had on his chest, and gradually expelled it. “No.” Again he tried to open his eyes, to see the nurse who’d come to attend him. She sounded lovely and . . . The light was no longer as bright as it had been. It shone at the woman’s back, surrounding her in a halo of gold. She was fair, with dark blond tresses catching the sun and tossing it back. Her face, however, was perfection itself, a pair of pale blue eyes and full lips portraying the deepest shade of rose he’d ever seen.

Perhaps he had died after all.

Henry closed his eyes on that thought and allowed himself to drift off again, certain he’d just caught a glimpse of heaven and one of its prettiest angels. But the matter of leaving his earthly state was quickly dismissed when he woke again later to find his brother sitting nearby. The room was now cast in shadows, alerting Henry to the late time of day.

He tried to speak but wheezed instead and was grateful for the glass of water Florian swiftly pressed to his lips. “Thank you,” he managed after savoring the cool liquid flowing down his parched throat.

Florian eyed him with stalwart gravity. “I was worried about you for a moment.”

Henry grinned and immediately regretted doing so when his wound stretched uncomfortably in response. He winced and grew serious, making every effort to relax. “Is that really all I deserve? A mere moment of concern?”

“Humph! I’ve enough faith in my own skills to know when more is unnecessary. That’s the moment I’m talking about. The second it took to assure myself that I wouldn’t have to convey the news of your death to our parents.” He paused for a second, and then, “What the devil were you thinking, antagonizing a cocky lad who’s barely quit his leading strings? You know someone like that is going to fight before he thinks.”

“You’re lucky he isn’t here to witness your insult or I daresay he’d call you out next. All I did was tell him his orange jacket looked ghastly and that his tailor ought to give better advice.”

“Christ, Henry.”

“What? Would you not prefer for someone to tell you that you look ridiculous instead of continuing to parade about as if you’re presenting high fashion?”

“Of course I would, but that’s hardly . . .” Florian let the words fade and placed his hand on Henry’s arm instead. “I’m glad you’re all right and that you’re still here. The alternative would be unthinkable.”

Henry allowed a faint smile. “I made you miss your ship.” He felt terrible about upsetting his brother’s plans, but he’d also been more afraid than he’d let on and had wanted his brother’s medical expertise to be available.

“Yes. You did.”

“Can you forgive me?”

“After everything you’ve done for me? How could I not?”

Grateful, Henry sank further back against his pillow. And yet . . . “I haven’t done so much.”

Florian held his gaze. “No. Of course you haven’t. You only helped me fight Bartholomew after discovering I’d lied to you about him for fourteen years.”

“Telling me he was your father was not a simple thing.”

“No. It was not. But that doesn’t change the fact that perhaps it is I who should ask for your forgiveness?”

Henry sighed. “You’re my brother, no matter what. Forgiving you was easy.”

“Thank you.”

Florian shifted as if discomforted by the intimacy of their conversation, so Henry decided to change the subject. “There was a nurse here earlier, or at least I believe she must have been a nurse. She placed a compress on my forehead.”

The edge of Florian’s mouth lifted. “And?”

“Well, I was merely thinking that if she’s been assigned to my care, it would be nice to know her name.”

“Hmm . . .” Florian didn’t look convinced by this explanation, as evidenced when he said, “I don’t want you flirting with the staff, Henry. You need to recuperate and they need to do their jobs without you ta—“

“For God’s sake. I only want her name. You needn’t make it sound as though I have questionable intentions.”

Florian sighed. “Fine. If you can describe her to me, I might be able to help.”

Pleased, Henry couldn’t stop from smiling. Especially not when he thought of the woman he’d seen. “She’s fair with golden hair and eyes the loveliest shade of blue I have ever seen.”

“Ah. I believe you must be referring to Emily.”

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AUTHOR INFO:

Born in Denmark, SOPHIE BARNES spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She's lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian. But, most impressive of all, she's been married to the same man three times-in three different countries and in three different dresses. When she's not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

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Book Tour for His Secret Love by Anya Summers (GIVEAWAY)

Things turn sizzling the moment a sexy and dominating man comes to the rescue of his best friend’s sister-in-law, a woman who’s been hiding her attraction to him, as an unexpected night of passion becomes something more permanent.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of His Secret Love by Anya Summers, then learn even more about this erotically-charged romance by visiting the other sites hosting this tour.  In honor of this seventh installment in the Cuffs and Spurs series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $15 bookstore GC too!

Meghan Mallory has a plan for her life and it does not involve falling in love. She doesn’t have the time nor the inclination. She’s too busy trying to save the world. But when a freak snowstorm puts her in the path of a man she has secretly been fascinated with for years, she is forced to reconsider her stance on dating. Spencer is rude and obnoxious with his bad boy swagger but then he rescues her when she gets stranded on the side of the road, like a knight in tarnished armor, and sweeps her away to his house to ride out the blizzard.

Spencer Collins likes his life just fine, thank you very much. As the owner of the lifestyle club Cuffs & Spurs in Jackson Hole, he has a bevy of available subs who are his to command – not that any of them have held his interest in longer than he can remember. When his best friend’s sister-in-law gets herself into trouble, Spencer heads out to rescue the little brat who is in need of a firm hand. But he never expects to be forced to confront the incendiary heat that has always existed between them.

As the storm rages around them, they surrender to a passion hotter than the sun. Now that he has felt her surrender, Spencer attempts to lure Meghan into his world. But will they let go of their pasts or will they allow secrets to destroy them?

EXCERPT:

“I’m to tell you that your sister is pissed you worried her this way.”

Meghan squelched the ever-present guilt when it came to her sister and sighed. “She always worries. Why aren’t we going to Carter’s? It’s a hell of a lot closer than your place in Jackson.”

She studied his profile, the angular, firm jaw covered with a neatly trimmed black beard.

His gaze was trained on the road as he navigated. The way his big hands—the fingers long and bluntly tipped—kept a firm hold on the wheel made driving in these horrendous conditions appear effortless. “We aren’t going into town. My house is roughly ten minutes from here.” His gruff voice, the deep, rather exasperated, bass slithered along her spine like a caress.

“But I don’t want to stay with you,” she protested. She’d rather be stranded on Hoth or on the U.S.S. Enterprise without power. Plus, she’d been looking forward to a night or two at Casa Jones with lots of yummy food and the chance to hang with her nephew. She was indoctrinating him into her love of pop culture and science with measured success. Then there was also the tiny little fact that the thought of being cooped up with Spencer, alone, made her entire body simmer, and not in anger but anticipation.

“Why? Chicken?” he dared and glanced her way.

Meghan’s heart thudded. Her mouth went dry. And deep down she knew the answer was a resounding yes, not that she would ever admit it. With a deadpan glare, she snorted. “Nope. In your dreams, big guy.”

“Relax. I don’t bite. I have guest rooms you can pick from and we will hardly see each other.”

“Sure. Thanks. I just don’t want to be an inconvenience.” Not just to him but to anyone. Not ever again.

He rolled his shoulders in a manly shrug that was so distinctly bored alpha male, her entire body whimpered with the desire to feel all that strength against her.

And then he opened his mouth. “There are always ways in which you can thank me.”

The innuendo flash-fried her brain, bombarding her with carnal images she wanted to deny. But her body told a far different story. Stupid hormones. Her blood ignited. She pressed her thighs together to squelch the distinct throbbing and felt her nipples bead into hard points. Thank god the parka cloaked and hid her desire. She didn’t want to feel this way about him—or anyone, for that matter.

She cast him a withering stare. “Ew. Thanks, but no. You can let me out right here if this rescue comes with those kinds of strings.”

“Just saying, if you really feel that bad, I can find plenty of chores to keep you occupied.”

“Chores?” She glanced his way. His lips were compressed into a thin line but those midnight eyes of his, the ones she saw in her darkest fantasies, danced with merriment. He was teasing her, the big lug.

“Sure. I could use a maid or a cook.”

She couldn’t help it. Really, the man drove her to it. And perhaps her brain had not yet completely defrosted from her sojourn on the side of the road and then the tawdry images her brain had conjured at his innuendo… Her fist curled of its own accord. She punched him in the arm.

“You’re such a jerk. You had me thinking—“

Before she could retract her left fist, he snatched her wrist. “Careful, brat. Had you thinking what?”

And his dark gaze glittered, bored through her defenses before shifting back to the road.

What did he see? Did he intuit that she was fascinated by him? That the thought of him putting his big hands on her again liquefied her insides? Just the simple contact of his hand gripping her wrist, his thumb pressed against her wildly beating pulse, made her panties wet.

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

BUY AT AMAZON here.

BUY THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE CUFFS AND SPURS SERIES AT AMAZON:  HIS SCANDALOUS LOVE (Book #1)  |  HIS UNEXPECTED LOVE (Book #2)  |  HIS WICKED LOVE (Book #3)  |  HIS UNTAMED LOVE (Book #4)  |  HIS TEMPTING LOVE (Book #5)  |  HIS SEDUCTIVE LOVE (Book #6)  |  HIS CHERISHED LOVE (Book #8 - releasing April 25th)

AUTHOR INFO:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

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Book Blast for Trailblazer by Michelle Diener (GIVEAWAY)

Fans of sci-fi romances will find themselves drawn to this tale of two people brought together on a dangerous mission that puts their lives in jeopardy from an unseen enemy.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Trailblazer by Michelle Diener, and learn even more about it by visiting the other sites hosting this tour, then add this exhilarating read to your bookshelf.  In honor of this third installment in the Verdant String series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $25 bookstore GC too!

He's on a mission...

She's running for her life...

And if they get off-planet alive, she'll have to trust he won't reveal her darkest secret.

Tally Riva is not what she seems, and even she's not happy about it. Infected, invaded, she's not quite sure how to describe it, but on a disastrous mission to a ghost ship, something burrowed its way into her body. Into her mind.

When her commander decides the best cure for what he thinks is Tally's trauma is to send her on the famous Veltos Trail, Tally goes without revealing what's really behind her mental anguish. Anything to be seen as normal again, anything to ignore what she's afraid is happening to her.

But Veltos isn't the safe place it seems. The chosen military personnel lucky enough to be offered the chance to walk the Trail are supposed to be the only people on Veltos. But Ben Guthrie, a captain in Arkhoran Special Forces, knows they're not. He and his team have been on Veltos for a month already, tracking suspicious enemy activity, and he's gone undercover on the Trail in search of a satellite his superiors are sure has been shot down.

When Ben's worst fears become reality, and they find themselves hunted by a cunning enemy through the thick forests of Veltos, Tally and Ben fight together to survive. And Tally has to decide if accepting the changes inside her will save them both, or be her doom.

EXCERPT:

Ben stood outside to watch the military runner come in.

The flare of the engine was visible because dusk had already fallen and the sky was the indigo blue that shouldn't be unique to Veltos, but somehow was. There was just something special about the color here.

“Nervous?” Irwin stepped out to join him and looked up, following the runner as it fell toward them.

Ben glanced at him, wondering if the guide actively worked to be this annoying, or whether it was just a gift.

“Should I be?” He kept his tone mild.

Irwin glanced at him, shrugged. “Most people are a little nervous to meet their fellow Trail walkers. It's a two week journey, and there's no getting away from anyone who's difficult.”

And certainly no getting away from them if they were the guide.

Ben crossed his arms and watched the runner touch down lightly on the hoverpad a thou away. It was close enough that he could hear the hum of the engine and the silence when it cut off.

“So you never said which warship dropped you off.” Irwin had turned to watch the runner, too.

“No, I didn't.” Ben kept his answer short.

Irwin gave a snort. “Super secret, huh?”

Ben said nothing.

“Do you Arkhorans actively try to irritate the living shit out of the rest of us, or is it just how you're made?”

Irwin's comment was so similar to what Ben had thought about the guide, he couldn't help the laugh that burst from him.

“Let's leave it at 'super secret'.”

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AUTHOR INFO:

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters and wondering which part of the world she can travel to next.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and children. When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her at her website, or online at Twitter and Facebook.

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