Monday, October 3, 2016

Monday's Montage Mantlepiece: Weapon of Choice Volumes 1 & 2


Title: Weapon of Choice
Authors: Samantha Jacobey, Jami Brumfield, Ella Medler
Amelia Price, Traci Hayden, Julie Elizabeth Powell
CA Newsome, Joanie Chevalier, Martin Molsted, Kendra Hale
Cherime MacFarlane, Teri Riggs, Sean P Gallatin, Maria DeSouza
Genre: Crime, Mystery
Release Date: October 1, 2016
Summary:
WEAPON OF CHOICE is an astounding collection of crime and mystery stories, suspenseful, ingenious and captivating, with original features that will lead your imagination on a wild adventure. 15 new worlds to explore, 15 mysteries to investigate, 15 new sets of characters to root for — who can ask for more? The perfect companion for a leisurely weekend away is at your fingertips. Add it to your kindle with one click now.

Due to mature content, situations and language, this collection is recommended for audiences 18+. All works in this box set have been professionally proofed by Paper Gold Publishing and RE Hargrave, unless this service was expressly refused by the author. Some stories are written in American, some in Canadian, and some in British English. The authors have chosen to stay true to their heritage.

Includes a mix of already released and never-before seen stories, all complete works. Those books which are part of a series can be enjoyed fully without the need to read the complete series (though there is a chance you might develop story-addiction issues—for that, we apologize).



Stories Included:
Chasing the Storm by Martin Molsted
A gripping, high-octane, Assassination Thriller from debut author Martin Molsted!

What do you get when you take one dose of high-level gangsters, one dose of corrupted politicians, add to the cocktail a missing ship and then blend it with an unstoppable Russian journalist, an awesome hacker and a former elite soldier who’s become an alcoholic, fed-up, office rat?

You get Chasing the Storm!

Great characters, Exotic locations, a dash of Mystery, a tad of Romance and a lot of Thrilling high-octane action!

While in Hamburg, lawyer and former elite soldier, Torgrim Rygg, witnesses the assassination attempt on Marko Marin, a Russian journalist investigating the disappearance of a ship ostensibly carrying timber bound for Algiers. He gets drawn into a world of conspiracies, cover-ups and the relentless search for a missing ship. Disenchanted with his mundane office-life he agrees to help Mr. Marin, and together with Marin’s girlfriend, Lena, and their hacker, Sasha, he sets out on a journey to discover the truth about the missing ship.

Their truth seeking kicks off a series of life-threatening events and a relentless race against time to foil whoever is behind the disappearance of the ship, The Alpensturm. Their revelation puts not only their own lives at risk but the safety of the whole world …


Wired For Sound by Cherime MacFarlane
It is 1988, and the band Bushmaster is on its 4th album and 2nd US tour. A bagpipe lament at sound check invades MacGrough’s head. He doesn’t know his second sight is trying to warn him. Hamish and Vincent started the band, Bushmaster, in college. Vince's nastiness causes someone to exact the ultimate revenge, death.

Lori has already been burned by one man. Can she trust her Scottish keyboard playing husband to respect her career? Will their marriage survive Hamish’s suspicions and this last gig?

Hamish knows he coerced Lori into marrying him and isn’t sure how long she will stick around. His focus has been on keeping his wife happy and getting out of the band. When Vince is murdered, MacGrough must find answers. Lori’s secrets terrify him. Was Vince the man who broke her heart? Hamish must find the killer. But when he finds the murderer will he be forced to protect that person? In a race to discover the answer before the police, MacGrough has to use every resource he can, including the wife he fears may be a prime suspect.

A Murderer's Heart by Julie Elizabeth Powell
Anne Blake, psychiatrist, is good at her job and believes that even the most sick-at-heart can be cured...or at least saved enough that they can lead a better life.

But maybe she's wrong?

Maybe within a murderer's heart, evil lurks, and nothing can be done except to save yourself?

This murder mystery will sharpen your senses, puzzle your brain and thrill your heart.


Dream Noir and Other Tales by Sean P. Gallatin
An adult only trio of short fictional crimes stories of the dark underbelly of Alaska as only the locals ever get to see. Alaska - Land of high mountains, high prices, and high drama. The age old questions prevail regardless of location. How far would you go for those you care about? Do you like a good game - or even a bad one? Can you really do what you have to do?

The Eyes Die Last by Teri Riggs
What happens in Vegas—

Could be Murder…

The Las Vegas Mayoral race is heating up, and the incumbent doesn’t have a prayer. Wealthy real estate speculator, Nick Campenelli, who wants to legalize prostitution in Clark County, and former pastor Louis St. Louis, running on a ‘clean-up-Vegas-by-getting-rid-of-the-whores’ platform, are the front runners.

They’re also front runners on the suspect list for a string of murders. Kennedy O’Brien, a homicide detective with cop blood running in her veins, and her partner Wilder “Wild Thing” James, a veteran, are determined to find the man who’s murdering prostitutes who work the wrong side of the street, and they don’t care how important or politically active he is.

The killer is a man with a mission. He stalks the women before he kills them, leaving a “BEFORE” photo on their bodies, and sending an “AFTER” shot to the local news hound. Ed Hershey, an aging newscaster is determined to turn this story into a network gig, and his interference, along with the LVTVS legal team, are making Kennedy and Wilder look bad. Campenelli’s good looks and charm, and St. Louis’ vitriolic hatred of prostitutes are muddying the waters too, and now the killer seems to have taken a liking to Kennedy.

Can Kennedy stop the killer before he stops her?

A Shot in the Bark by C. A. Newsome
Would you recognize a serial killer if you talked to one every single day?

Starving artist Lia Anderson doesn't. Neither do her friends at the Mount Airy Dog Park. But a violent death brings Detective Peter Dourson into the tight-knit group and he's convinced someone is not who they seem. As his investigation uncovers secrets, a grieving Lia fights her growing attraction to the laid-back detective. Meanwhile, a killer lurks, desperate to stay ahead of the investigation-no matter who has to die.

If you like believable characters, a multi-layered plot, and a compelling sense of humor with your intrigue, pick up this can't-put-down whodunit for a romp through the dog park with Lia and the gang.

Teach Me To Prey by Samantha Jacobey
Rebecca Stewart had never let things get personal with her students; a mistake that could cost her far more than a broken heart. . Jason and his friends enjoyed tormenting teachers. When they set their sights on Miss Stewart, nothing would prevent them from bringing her down. . Avoiding Jason’s advances and navigating an epic clash of wills, the young woman felt relieved to see graduation day finally arrive. Little did she know, it wouldn’t end there. Pregnant and alone, she could only keep her secrets for so long. . After one of the boys is found murdered, the police haul her in, but she denies having done anything wrong. Can she convince them of the truth before all three of the young men fall victim to a killer, forcing her to raise her child alone? . Find out in the action packed thriller...TEACH ME TO PREY.


Lost Plane by Jami Brumfield
ADULT PARANORMAL MYSTERY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Vampires, Bear Shifter, Alien, God and Goddesses, Time Travel, Banshee, Science Fiction, Cyborg

The PBI (Paranormal Bureau of Investigation) agents are called in to investigate the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a commercial airplane. Their partnership with ABI (Alien Bureau of Investigation) division is designed to prove this tragedy was not done by supernatural or alien means. As they delve into the lives of the 214 missing passengers and crew members they will meet an ancient relative of the missing that will shed some light onto the case, just enough is uncovered to make another agency to get involved, one which will do anything to keep the secret behind the random disappearances hidden.

The very existence of the human race is on the line, and the team must make difficult decisions. They are forced to choose sides that could impact the present and the future.

Fang and Francesca, and Devon and Sarah continue to play their dangerous romantic dance, and a new player enters the equation. The team also uncovers a new break in the Hollister cold case.



Stories Included:
Blood is Heavier by Ella Medler
They kidnapped his son.

They killed his wife in front of his eyes.

Now they want him to carry out the ultimate evil. Will he do it? If it meant saving his son, is there anything a father wouldn't do?

A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read that will keep you turning the pages to the very end.

Binding Contracts by Holly Barbo
What do you do when you no longer want something? You discard it, right? Which is exactly what happens when Keith gets tired of his wife. But there are signed contracts and someone hasn’t read the fine print.

The Perfect Spirit by Traci Hayden
28 year old writer, Vanessa Fortney, has travelled the world, living life to the fullest. When she comes home due to the unexpected death of her only blood relatives, she only has one regret; never finding a love that triumphs all others.

In a beautiful valley in the Rocky Mountains, Nessa finds herself wondering about a mysterious stranger who saved her after a nearly disastrous car accident. The mystery that surrounds Daniel is quickly replaced by the increasing attraction Nessa feels for him.

Will she find that love that transcends all love or will an unforeseen tragedy keep them apart?

The Hundred Year Wait by Amelia Price
It's been one-hundred years since Watson died and Mycroft still doesn't understand what Sherlock saw in having such a companion, but after so long alone and somehow still as young, he is starting to wonder what it might be like to have a disciple of his own.

Life for Amelia Jones is dull, she's spent all her years writing about the adventures other people have, and then she meets the Holmes brothers. Can she persuade the most intelligent person in the world to trust her? And if she does, can she survive the danger that surrounds them?

Vengeful Legal Deal by Kendra Hale
When psychic antiques dealer Michael Sheridan buys a Victorian photo album in auction, he doesn't expect to unearth a Pandora's Box of lies, deceit, and revenge. As fate would have it, the villain looking to settle the 130-year-old vengeful score through murder is closer than he thinks.

With his father and best friends becoming involved, Michael has to stay a step ahead to keep them safe, a task more difficult now that the beauty in the Victorian photo is calling for help.

Love Lost by Maria DeSouza
Love can come into your life in an instant, and leave just as quickly....

Jason Straiz is a New York detective working on a case to bring down a major crime lord. He keeps his life simple. Work. Family. Friends. Until he meets Selene.

Selene is a lawyer on a mission. Her goal is to bring down the monster that has been terrorizing her for years. When she meets Jason, the attraction is intense. When Jason comes to her aide after tragedy strikes, he becomes a target.

When her case and their relationship collide, will her secrets destroy a future they could have together? Can he handle the truth about her?

Can love truly conquer all or is there a limit?

Deadly Dating Games by Joanie Chevalier
MURDER. BLACKMAIL. ROMANCE.

Four women. Four personalities.

Alyssa: Cougar~complete with short skirts, stiletto heels and an insatiable appetite

Bess: Desperate~looking for love in all the wrong places

Julianna: Girl-Next-Door~low self-confidence and bad judgment leads her astray

Traci: Cunning~determined to get what she wants, no matter who gets in the way

Aaron: Is he part of the crime circle or will he save the woman he loves?

After being divorced for several years, Julianna joins a book club she finds online to make new friends and to read a good book or two. Soon after, the leader of the book club convinces the women of the group into filming their dates so that the group can “critique” them with the pretense that it will improve their dating skills. Innocent “critiquing” soon turns into blackmail - and murder - and a few of the women are unwilling participants, unable to get out from under the leader's web of deceit and sinister plans. They are now too deep into the crime spree to go to the police. Soon, a few of the women are fleeing for their lives.

Dirty Business by Julie Elizabeth Powell
Gavin Bloom and Alex Moore run an online magazine for an adult market; although each insists it has to be within the limits of not only the law but to their sense of decency. Gavin is on the edge of developing a revolutionary turn for that very magazine, a programme that will no doubt secure the business, maybe forever.

Amidst the excitement and enjoyment of its success, however, is the mysterious and heinous murder of one of their own.

Who can have done it? And why?

And who is the woman fastened by a chain to a wall?

Follow the twists and turns and perhaps you can solve the puzzle before they do.

Warning: some strong language, violence and moderate scenes of a sexual nature.

Author Bios:
Samantha Jacobey
Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations any where at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.

I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.

Jami Brumfield
Jami Brumfield has a passion for the paranormal, supernatural, and mythological worlds for most of her life. She believes there is a kernel of truth in every story and loves playing detective to discover what that hidden truth is. She has written most of her life. She started with poems and short stories, then graduated to journalism working for online websites. It was only a natural progression that her love of writing and her passion for the unknown would combine. Her books are a product of that union. She lives in Arizona with her amazing husband and two fur-babies, Maximus and Zeus.

Ella Medler
Ella Medler is a U.K. author and editor. She writes fiction in many genres in a seemingly vain attempt to slow down her overactive brain enough to write non-fiction on subjects she knows a thing or two about. She also does not believe in the starchy use of English and ignores the type of rule that doesn’t allow for a sentence to be finished in a preposition. Her books are action-driven, and well-developed characters are her forte. Loves: freedom. Hates: her inner censor.

Amelia Price
Jess was born in the quaint village of Woodbridge in the UK, has spent some of her childhood in the States and now resides in the beautiful Roman city of Bath. She lives with her husband Phil and her very dapsy cat, Pleaides. Jess can often be found either in a cafe, grinning behind a large mug of hot chocolate, at her desk, getting annoyed with her cat for sitting on her keyboard, or on her comfy corner sofa with friends, enjoying a vast array of films.

You can read about all the different things Jess does with her work time by checking out all the other pages here. Seperated by type of artistic endeavour they explain all the many different things she enjoys dabbling in.

Traci Hayden
My love for books began at a very small age. I lived inside the many worlds the local library could provide. The characters within those pages were my companions and my support when I needed someone most.

My imagination began to soar as I grew. I began writing small poems as a teenager, but never thought much about publishing or expanding beyond put my words to paper.

After my children were born our love for a certain TV show fueled my love for writing. Using my children as inspiration, I began to write fanfiction, my children being the characters within the stories.

My passion for putting words to paper (or screen as is the norm now) has turned from passion to obsession. I've made some incredible friends through this journey and in turn, have become not only an author but a promoter and supporter for those whose imagination dreams character and worlds that I can lose myself in.

I thank my precious children, my beautiful soul-mate and my forever sister and best friend for being my constant rock and support as I continue to walk this road called life.

Julie Elizabeth Powell
I cannot ignore my dreams, so many of them, with names and places and ideas that spark my imagination and compel me to write; to create stories, whether fantasy or horror, or mystery or psychological thriller or murder or even humour and adventure. So, my garden is sown, flourishing, with all manner of growth, and still the dreams come.

Julie Elizabeth Powell, my soul lingering within my imagination; maybe you’ll join me?

C. A. Newsome
C. A. (Carol Ann) Newsome writes the Lia Anderson Dog Park Mysteries, a series of fun, romantic suspense/mystery novels which are inspired by and centered around her mornings at the Mount Airy Dog Park with her trio of rescues (rowdy hooligans).

A life-long lover of fiction, Carol turned to books and audiobooks during her decade-long recovery from a head injury that occurred when she and her bike were struck by a car. Years of immersing herself in popular fiction lead to imagining the book she wanted to read, and wondering if she could actually write it.

She is also an artist with an M.F.A. from the University of Cincinnati. You'll see portraits of some of her favorite four-footed friends on the covers of her books. She enjoys creating community-based public artworks. As an artist, she is best known for her New Leaf Global Good-Will Guerrilla Art Project.

Her other interests include astrology, raw food and all forms of psychic phenomena. She likes to sing to her dogs. The dogs are the only ones who like to listen.

Joanie Chevalier
Hi! I was born in the L.A. area and our family moved up and down the West Coast for most of my childhood, finally settling in Washington State when I was about 12. After living many years in Washington State, where it is gray for 350 days of the year (might be an exaggeration but it's close!), I finally decided I needed more vitamin D and made the decision to move to the San Francisco Bay area. I pay more taxes in California but I call it the "Sun Tax," so it's okay! Since I didn't know anyone when I moved, I decided that I could write in (all) my spare time (besides working full-time). In addition to writing, I love being out in my yard, planting rose bushes, and creating color in my flower beds. I also love camping in my teardrop trailer in and around California, as well as all the surrounding states where I have found beautiful camping sites and National Parks. I'm lucky that I have one fantastic boyfriend who loves traveling with me and I live with my son, an awkward teenage boy/man who does laundry when he can't find anything clean to wear from his floor.

Martin Molsted
Chasing the Storm is Martin Molsted's debut novel, although he has been actively engaged in writing shorter fiction, as well as screenplays since 2009. When he is not working as an Archivist in a Fortune 500 engineering company, he writes fiction and non-fiction.

He enjoys playing music, singing, travelling, nice food, great wine, tasty beer and awesome custom built motorcycles.

Martin Molsted lives in Asker, a small town between the greater cities Oslo and Drammen, in eastern Norway. He lives together with his French wife and their two daughters. No animals.

He is currently working on the storylines for a trio of further Rygg & Marin thrillers, so stay tuned for more compelling and intriguing action.

Kendra Hale
For Kendra, who has lived in Canada, the USA and on the European Continent, Great Britain, or the UK, will always be home. Her love for the UK is apparent in The Snow Crystals, and her other/future books, which are all set here. Kendra’s knowledge and life-long interest in the world of antiques, collectibles and such, finds its way into her writing. She writes fiction in different genres.

Cherime MacFarlane
A prolific multi-genre author, she has a broad range of interests that reflect her, been there-done that, life. Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, all sorts of characters and plots evolve from a vivid imagination.

I came to Alaska kicking and screaming in 1976, and I never want to leave. I cut firewood on shares for money to get through the winter. I swore I would not live above the Alaska Range because it was too cold there and wound up in the Copper River Basin where it got just a cold as Fairbanks.

My second husband, a Scot from Glasgow, was the love of my life. When I write Scots dialect, I experienced hearing it from my in-laws. When my husband got on the phone to Scotland after five seconds, I could hardly understand a word. I was my second husband's chief mechanic's helper and roadie.
I live in a cabin which is slowly being surrounded by the city and wish I was further out. My two cats and Husky-Collie mix dog are happy in our little slice of heaven called Alaska. In the silence of winter dreams of people and places provide a rich pool of ideas to delve into.

Teri Riggs
As a child, USA Today Bestselling Author, Teri Riggs, made up her own bedtime stories. When her children came along, Teri always tweaked the fairy tales she told her daughters, giving them a bit more punch and better endings when needed.

Now she spends her days turning her ideas into books. She lives in Marietta, GA with her husband.

She writes romantic suspense.

Maria DeSouza
Maria DeSouza is a New Jersey native with a love for writing. She has two children, who are her life, and family that makes her want to scream at times, but still loves them. She started her affair with reading and writing at a very young age. She loves where books take her, and always wished for the day when she would meet her very own dream boat. She grew up on Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and anything her library would let her borrow. She would always grab a notebook and start writing about the books she read about because she wanted the story to continue. She never took it seriously until a friend a few years ago told her that she needed to publish her work after she wrote down a short story. The words stuck with her and she was constantly asked, “Did you write more? Are you done?” A back injury put her writing on hold for almost 2 yrs and last year, she found the short story and started reading. Then, she started writing and adding to it. That little dream turned story turned into her debut novel, Love Lost.

Holly Barbo
Holly's world is shaped by her love of family, the beauty of the natural world and an irrepressible creative drive. She has always been curious and sees life through questions. These four characteristics color her writing voice. Holly's stories are mostly in non-urban settings and usually have some focus on nature, building discordant themes inside a seemingly peaceful refrain.

My motto: Weaving Alternative Worlds with Threads From Today.


Samantha Jacobey
WEBSITE  /  AMAZON  /  GOOGLE+

Jami Brumfield
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
BLOG   /  NEWSLETTER  /  YOU TUBE
BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Ella Medler
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Amelia Price
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Traci Hayden
BLOG  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Julie Elizabeth Powell

C. A. Newsome
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Joanie Chevalier
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FIVERR  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Martin Molsted

Kendra Hale
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Cherime MacFarlane
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BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Teri Riggs
WEBSITE  /  GOOGLE+  /  BOOKBUB

Sean P. Gallatin

Maria DeSouza
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Holly Barbo
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
NEWSLETTER  /  PINTEREST  /  KOBO
B&N  /  iTUNES  /  SOCIETY6  /  SCRIBD



Volume 1

Volume 2






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Untethered: A Magic iPhone Anthology

Title: Untethered
Authors: Rhiannon Held, Manny Frishberg, Edd Vick
HM Jones, Kris Millering, Raven Oak, Jon Lasser
Sarina Dorie, Jonathon Burgess, Jeremiah Reinmiller
CS O’Cinneide, Stevehen Warren, Aaron Giddings, Sr
Amanda Hackwith, Dale Cameron Lowry, Dawn Vogel, Kyle Yadlosky
JS Rogers, Angela Dell’Isola, Stephanie Djock, A. Moritz
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Release Date: October 1, 2016
Summary:
20 stories of magic and technology

Almost everyone carries a smartphone these days. They sit in pockets and on tables. They sleep on headboards and are the first things their owners check in the morning. They’ve edged out more mundane equipment like calendars and MP3 players.

They aren’t magical, of course. Or are they?

In Untethered: A Magic iPhone Anthology, 21 authors twist reality and call into question the mundanity we hold in our hands. They ask the question, “Is that smartphone completely explainable by science?” and they decide the answer is a resounding “No!”

From award-winners and bold new voices, from experienced fantasists and professional technologists, these stories are fun, clever, and often positive about the power of technology.

Enjoy new stories from:
Rhiannon Held - Manny Frishberg - Edd Vick - H.M. Jones - Kris Millering - Raven Oak - Jon Lasser - Sarina Dorie - Jonathon Burgess - Jeremiah Reinmiller - C.S. O’Cinneide - Stevehen Warren - Aaron Giddings, Sr - Amanda Hackwith - Dale Cameron Lowry - Dawn Vogel - Kyle Yadlosky - J.S. Rogers - Angela Dell’Isola - Stephanie Djock - A. Moritz

At the intersection of fantasy and technology, iPhones could go either way.

Magic knows your number, and it’s calling you.

What You’re Called To Do by  Dale Cameron Lowry(M/M Romance):
Justin never knows how to address people who wear nametags as a requirement of their profession. He feels like the balance of power is tipped in his favor because he knows something important about them, while they lack the same information about him. Even if he’s told them his name before, they might have forgotten it. By using their names, he would be flaunting his position of power.

Things were easier when he was a reporter and always had a press badge dangling around his neck. He didn’t have to worry about anyone not knowing what to call him. But he’s not a reporter anymore. The only name on his chest is the brand name of his fleece jacket.

So Justin always avoids calling the guy at the front desk of the Washington County No-Kill Animal Shelter “Mark,” even though: one, that’s what the nametag says; two, Justin could practically be considered a regular; and three, they flirt every time he visits.

Justin doesn’t want to come off as a conceited prick who tosses out people’s names like used Kleenex.

But when he walks through the front door on his fifth visit in two weeks, the first thing he hears is a hearty, “Hey Justin!” Mark hops up from his chair and eyes the blue plastic carrier in Justin’s hand. It wobbles to and fro from the relentless pacing of the cat inside. “Let me guess. Another stray?”

“How’d you figure that one out, Mark?” Justin feels giddy finally saying the name, and relieved that the balance of power is finally equal. He sets the carrier on the desk. “I spotted this one a couple days ago, but it took me a while to gain her trust. She’s got a tag but the phone number’s outdated and I couldn’t figure out who it used to belong to. Maybe you guys can?” It’s a humiliating request for an unemployed journalist to have to make. He should be able to unravel any mystery if he works at it long enough. Of course, cats aren’t very good at giving interviews, so that complicates things.

“Sure. We’ll give it a try.” Mark turns to peer at the cat through the crate door and says in a soothing voice, “I bet you regret trusting him now, don’t you, pumpkin?” The cat is an orange tabby, so the nickname is inevitable even if she’s so skinny “carrot” would be more accurate. “Don’t worry. You’ll be out of that horrible crate in a minute, and maybe we’ll even find your people.”

The cat gazes at Mark with curious green eyes. She twitches her nose and lets out a tentative meow.

Mark looks up at Justin. “Where are you finding all these cats, anyway?”

Justin shrugs. There’s no way he’s going to tell Mark the whole truth. Mark would think he’s crazy. Even Justin is beginning to think he’s crazy.


**$2.99 for a limited time only**
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  KOBO




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Sunday, October 2, 2016

Sunday's Safe Word Shelf: Tame a Wild Human by Kari Gregg


Summary:
Drugged, bound, and left as bait on the cusp of the lunar cycle, Wyatt Redding is faced with a terrifying set of no-win scenarios. Best case: he survives the coming days as a werewolf pack’s plaything and returns to the city as a second-class citizen with the mark—and protection—of the pack. Worst case: the wolves sate their lusts with Wyatt’s body, then send him home without their protection, condemning him to live out the rest of his short life as a slave to the worst of humanity’s scorn and abuse.

Wyatt’s only chance is to swallow every ounce of pride, bury his fear, and meekly comply with every wicked desire and carnal demand the wolf pack makes of him. He expects three days of sex and humiliation. What he doesn’t expect is to start enjoying it. Or to grow attached to his captor and pack Alpha, Cole.

As the lunar cycle ends, Wyatt begins to realize that the only thing to fear more than being sent home without the pack’s protection is being sent home at all.

READER DISCRETION ADVISED.


Chapter One
Sweat trickled down Wyatt’s temples and pasted the thin cotton of his oxford to his shoulders and spine. Muzzy headed, arms and legs as heavy as cement, he fought to swim up from the deadening lethargy, but it was no use. He must’ve been drugged. He didn’t remember that happening, only his brother’s jeering voice reverberating inside the hood that had dropped over his head in the parking garage at work.

Whatever Andrew had injected into him had numbed the fear, or he’d be pissing in his pants right now.

Judging by the puff of humid air that whispered across his brow, he was free of the burlap shroud, but more fabric pressed his eyelids shut, so Andrew must have blindfolded him after he’d passed out. Gagged him too. He yanked his hands, but his wrists were bound tightly behind his back. He couldn’t budge his legs, either. The steady engine rumble and vibrations under his aching body suggested he was in a car, probably the trunk. The lack of traffic noise told Wyatt they were outside the city.

During the onset of the full moon.

The gag muffled his scream. Damn Andrew’s greed! As Wyatt struggled, he knew there would be no escape, just as he knew the fault lay on his shoulders as much as his brother’s. Andrew was dangerous. Impulsive and reckless. Occasionally cruel. But Wyatt hadn’t wanted to believe his brother was ruthless enough to throw him—a source of steady income—to the wolves. At best, his brother would seize his property and obtain a few years’ access to the whole of his income rather than the monthly payments he made to buy his safety. His brother’s profit would end when either the wolves or humans in the city inevitably killed Wyatt—and the longest a caught human had lasted was a scant three years. With Wyatt’s long-term earning potential, he was more valuable to his brother alive, as a free man. So he’d been certain Andrew wouldn’t dare.

Wyatt had rarely been so catastrophically wrong.

Tiring under the dizzy spin of drugs, he stopped struggling. He wouldn’t get away. Andrew was feral, but smart. He would’ve arranged this betrayal too neatly. Wyatt had to relax and find a plan. What had the firm’s security expert advised in abduction scenarios?

Acceptance. Passive submission. Wolves might let him live if he didn’t fight them. Human enemies were far less merciful.

And if he was careful, if he was clever, he might one day escape. Like everyone who could afford to, he’d prepared for the possibility of fleeing the city by hiding money and supplies. If he made it out of the next three days alive, and if he could evade his brother, other humans, and the wolves who secretly prowled the streets to keep a possessive eye on those who’d already been claimed as theirs . . . Running to a place no one knew he’d ever been the plaything of wolves and humans alike would be his only chance.

He just had to survive this full moon. Only three days. If he won a wolf’s token, the city’s citizens wouldn’t risk harming him. Once he could retrieve his emergency fund and supplies, he might be able to finesse an opportunity to slip away.

But the next three days would change him forever. The life he’d known was over. The first wolf hadn’t even touched him yet, and already his world had disintegrated to dust. No more plans for attaining a corner office. No more dates with Sandra ending in a sated and sweaty tangle in her bed. The Mustang convertible he’d driven, the Italian shoes lined up neatly in his closet, the partnership he’d been working toward—all of that was gone.

If he survived the full moon, cameras at the city gates would record his return. Andrew would loot his property. Only the few survivors who earned a wolf’s token were permitted to work for wages, which were turned over to the survivor’s next of kin. And if he didn’t earn the token, he’d be trading his mouth and his ass to colleagues for a dirty corner of the firm’s basement between full moons. But life with his brother would be worse. At least the firm wouldn’t whore him to outsiders if he failed to earn a token. Peterson, from the tax division, hadn’t been prostituted, anyway. He served his typical ninety-hour weeks, except now for free, and bent over for the firm’s senior partners alone. Not that Wyatt had ever been tempted to try him, or any other survivor who’d returned without a token. Watching his father, who had been lost to the wolves when Wyatt was just fifteen, fade and die by inches in the slow aftermath of the full moon—until he’d just disappeared completely—had cured Wyatt of that. But he numbered among the very few who didn’t join in such abuses.

Maybe dying quickly would be best.

No!

Wyatt had never backed down from anything in his life. He hadn’t given up after his dad had been taken. He hadn’t stopped scrabbling for a better life in college, and he sure hadn’t let the smear his father’s fate had left on his reputation stop him from attaining a position in the city’s most prestigious law firm. He wouldn’t give up now, either.

The only way out was through.

He’d be compliant. Meek. He’d do whatever he had to do to stay alive and keep the wolves happily entertained. Because his best and only chance was to return to the city in three days wearing that token in his ear. When the rabid attention on him slackened, Wyatt would grab his bugout bag and run. Not to the neighboring city, which was too close. Maybe the other side of the country would be safe. Wolves didn’t like the desert, or so gossip said. Wide open spaces without concrete, noise, and pollution sounded amazing. A place where no one would hurt him. He could live simply and in peace. That was worth fighting for. Even if wolves chased him or humans killed him in his trek to safety, he had to try.

First, though, he needed to become a pack’s bitch.

His heart beat a frantic tap against his rib cage when the car slowed and the crunch of rocks under the tires overwhelmed the roaring of his pulse in his ears. He forced his taut muscles to unclench, made his body loose. Andrew would abandon him in wolf territory faster if he believed Wyatt was unconscious. When the trunk lid squealed as it rose, he schooled his features as best as he could, tried to ease his trembling.

Andrew snorted. “I know you’re awake.” But his brother didn’t waste time taunting him with his helplessness or gloating over his looming debauchery. He didn’t land unnecessary slaps and kicks as he muscled Wyatt’s deadweight from the trunk. He simply dropped him to the gritty earth, the impact shooting pain down his arms bound at the base of his spine. “Be as smart as you think you are, for once. Trussed up tight, there’s no reason you can’t earn a token from one of them.”

Wyatt’s rage flashed hot, but his brother only laughed at the taut stiffening of Wyatt’s muscles. “Fail to win a token and I’ll be the least of your worries. You’d never reach your condo without a pack’s protection. The crowd would take you first. If it wasn’t for your salary, I wouldn’t mind watching them wreck you.” Andrew laughed and roughly patted Wyatt’s head, snorting when Wyatt jerked away. “But I want your pay more. Your assets will settle my gambling debts, and your salary will stake me for a few more years. So get a token . . . or don’t bother coming back to the city at all.” He tugged hard at Wyatt’s so-far bare earlobe. “Have fun, Counselor.”

The muffled thump of the car door closing followed moments later, then the revving of the engine. His brother, his last link to the human world he had scrambled his way to the top of, disappeared down a country road Wyatt couldn’t see around the blindfold.

On the positive side, Andrew hadn’t shot him in the head and then blamed his murder on the wolves.

On the negative, Wyatt’s ability to move freely was limited to shaking.

Had the sun set yet? Did that even matter?

Three days. Everyone in the city locked themselves behind fortified doors for the three days the wolves ran freely under the sway of their cursed full moon. Seventy-two hours. Wyatt just had to hold on that long.

Cold sweat slicked him at the snap of twigs and the steady cadence of breathing marking someone’s approach. He froze, still as a statue, hoping Andrew hadn’t left him in an open area, vulnerable to whatever wolf happened to be nearby, but knowing his brother had. The sooner his deflowering and humiliation began, the better from Andrew’s perspective.

He told himself not to panic, not to flinch, to take whatever they dished out to him, to survive, but he shuddered at the brush of hands up his chest, the press of a thankfully still-human nose in the crook of his neck. The stranger sucked in Wyatt’s scent, his touch turning rough as it skated across his shoulder. Wyatt froze, heart pounding madly. Waiting to see what the wolf would do. Then he yelped at the first slash of claws.

The wolf was careful. Wyatt had to give him that much credit, but stoned and ruled by mindless fear, he cried out at the rip of fabric and cringed from scratches as the wolf efficiently shredded Wyatt’s clothing.

“Be still and I won’t hurt you,” the wolf said with a low growl, and slowed to take greater care slicing the cloth. That the beast was preserving the bindings that immobilized Wyatt’s wrists and ankles didn’t occur to him for terrifying minutes. He squirmed a little more, earning a few nicks and cuts when his writhing fouled the wolf’s precise slashes that freed the remains of Wyatt’s trousers.

“Be still!”

Gasping in great gulps of air, Wyatt froze. The wolf removed the rest of Wyatt’s pants and then his underwear by strips. He tugged to pull loose tattered cloth under Wyatt’s bared backside.

He tried not to think about how vulnerable he was, his ass naked in the stony dirt. Just a nudge. That was all it would take. Push Wyatt onto his side and the wolf could shove his cock deep into his untried hole. No action Wyatt could take would prevent that from happening now. Or ever again.

The wolf didn’t rape him, though. Wyatt couldn’t see through the blindfold—God, Andrew was a vicious bastard—but he knew the wolf couldn’t have left him, wouldn’t have gone far. Was he staring at his prize? Reveling in Wyatt’s helplessness? Or deciding how to hurt and humiliate him first?

That question was answered when the wolf pushed him more firmly onto his back, the position uncomfortable with his bound arms stuck underneath. When the wolf had maneuvered Wyatt as he wanted, his touch—ripping claws now retracted—moved to Wyatt’s hips, pressing his ass into the rocks beneath him. A nudge on his thighs spread his legs, presenting his limp cock for the wolf’s inspection. Wyatt whined piteously through the gag. He couldn’t help it, but the wolf didn’t seem to pay that any mind. He held Wyatt splayed and wanton for moments that felt like lifetimes, until Wyatt’s noisy distress quieted.

When Wyatt’s tense muscles relaxed, then—only then—did the wolf react. “Good boy.”

A shiver of dread shot up Wyatt’s spine at the wicked sin in those two words.

Apparently satisfied with his new toy, the wolf lifted off Wyatt, but his relief was short-lived. Wyatt screamed as his doped senses took a chaotic tumble. The wolf heaved him into the air and slung him over what felt like the wolf’s shoulder, barren of fur, thank God. Wyatt’s blood rushed to his head. A fireman’s carry? He shrieked again at the crack of the wolf’s hand on his tender skin and the sudden sting in his ass cheek. “Settle down,” the wolf ordered.

Wyatt wanted to live. Very much. But it still took two more swats on his ass to convince him that wriggling and yelling would only result in displeasing the wolf, who would do what he liked with Wyatt anyway. Frustration burned his eyes behind the blindfold in odd juxtaposition to the burning from the smacks the wolf had landed on his upended ass, but Wyatt wrestled control over his terror. Somehow. He shut up, and when he stopped fighting the wolf, the hand that had abused his ass patted it instead. “Good boy,” the wolf said again.

They sprang forward. Behind his back, Wyatt’s hands clenched. He couldn’t see. The wild tang of the wolf’s scent flooded his nostrils. Leaves and thin twigs whipped his skin as the wolf raced through the woods. Wyatt concentrated on not throwing up or hyperventilating. He focused on doing whatever it took to stay alive.

He wished to God he’d surrendered to Andrew’s demands for more money.

He hoped, when they raped him, that it wouldn’t hurt too much, that he wouldn’t cry or beg.

The wolf finally slowed. The crackle of a campfire blended with the low murmur of others. Wyatt tried to count the voices so he’d at least know how many would fuck him, but he was too quickly distracted by the wolf stroking his ass. The wolf halted and dumped him, unceremoniously, to the ground. For the second time today, he landed on the earth, but this time his fall was cushioned by a thick carpet of grass. The background hum of voices didn’t falter or come closer as the wolf who’d captured him fisted Wyatt’s hair to pull him awkwardly to his knees. The wolf’s claws sliced a corner of the gag near his ear, drawing only a little wet blood. The foul twist of fabric finally fell away.

“Please don’t hurt me,” Wyatt tried to say, but the words came out in a slur, roughened by the dryness of his mouth and the remnants of the sedatives. He worked his jaw to try to relieve some of the ache and tried again. “Please. I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t hurt me.”

“Prove it,” the wolf said. “Lick.”

Chapter Two
Panting, Wyatt flinched when something hard but silky skimmed his parted lips. The hand in his hair quickly forced him back. He smelled piss and sweat as the brush of warm skin slid over his mouth again.

Oh God. The thing tapping against Wyatt’s lips was the wolf’s cock. Had to be. Wyatt’s gut knotted, stomach churning with sick fear. He would’ve cringed again if the wolf’s steely grip had allowed that, but the wolf only pulled Wyatt’s mouth nearer so the satiny tip rubbed more urgently against his face.

“Lick!”

Quivering all over, Wyatt struggled to relax the muscles that had bunched tight in instinctive resistance. He wanted to live. He must survive this. So he swallowed his pride and forced his stubbornly taut body to go lax. He did as he was told: He stabbed a tentative tongue from his dry mouth. And he licked.

The wolf’s salty, bitter flavor swamped him, not entirely unpleasant or as horrible as he imagined the taste might be if he’d been given more than a few seconds’ opportunity to consider what a dick on his tongue would be like.

Wyatt wasn’t gay. He’d never had another man’s cock near his mouth before and didn’t especially want one there now, but no matter what, he had to comply with the wolf’s every demand. All the wolves of this pack, the voices in the background he hadn’t been able to distinguish, would require his unwavering submission. He wouldn’t become a statistic, another disappearance. He would get through this—and by the next lunar cycle, he’d be hiking to the desert where he would never worry or be afraid again. He’d be free of the city. Of the wolves too. For that, he’d give this wolf whatever he damn well wanted.

So Wyatt licked. He darted his tongue along the spongy head, tracing the ridged rim. He ruthlessly stamped down his screaming trepidation and heeded the wolf, whose fist in Wyatt’s hair slowly loosened. “Every man likes his dick sucked,” the wolf said. “Just do what you like done to you. Go on. Prove you’ll obey me.”

His own cock hung limp between his legs, but Wyatt didn’t want to hurt, so he gave the wolf’s cock all the avid attention he could muster.

He dipped the tip of his tongue into the center slit, heart thundering when he scooped out a droplet of sourness that must be pre-cum. He tightened his hands behind his back into fists, but he nonetheless leaned forward and chased that droplet, swiping the wolf’s slit for more. The wolf’s low moan whispered in his ears as he slid his tongue along the underside of the head, searching out the bundle of nerves that made Wyatt tingle and his arousal surge when Sandra sucked him.

The hand in his hair petted rather than restrained. Guided him rather than forced. “Open your mouth,” the wolf said, his voice gone guttural with lust.

Wyatt didn’t hesitate. He parted his lips, and the wolf slid his cockhead right inside. Wyatt made a sound then, partially muffled by the wolf’s dick instead of the gag, but still discernible as a faint whine of protest, of plea.

The wolf chuckled. “Keep licking. And suck. Just the head. Dazzle me with how good you are going to be to us.”

More than a little afraid that he might be sick, Wyatt ignored the scared quivering of his body and gave the wolf his all. He sealed his lips around the meaty girth of the cock and sucked as though the wolf were candy. He licked, trilling his tongue. He hollowed his cheeks to vacuum more pre-cum. Remembering a trick Sandra had pulled on him that had rocked his world, he hummed as he sucked, knowing the vibrations would intensify the wolf’s pleasure. His jaw ached from the gag and his mouth was too dry for this, but he didn’t care.

If he submitted to the wolf, surrendered, showed him that Wyatt would apply himself to pleasuring him, maybe the wolf would take pity. Maybe the wolf would try to make Wyatt’s inevitable debauchery less painful.

Maybe the wolf would deem Wyatt worthy of his protection. Give Wyatt his token.

More of the length slid into Wyatt’s mouth, and he sucked, chasing the tip with his tongue as the dick withdrew, then returned. The wolf groaned and fucked Wyatt’s mouth, pushing a little more of his cock into him with each thrust. Wyatt curled his toes into the grassy earth to maintain his precarious balance as the wolf rocked in and out of his mouth.

What was his brother doing while a wolf used his mouth as a convenient fuckhole? Had he returned to the city yet? Or had another wolf hunted and caught him before he’d reached safety? Wyatt hoped another pack had ambushed the bastard. The only thing that made the wolf’s cock drumming against the back of his throat bearable was the notion that Andrew might be experiencing the same. As the wolf pushed his cock head forward, breaching Wyatt’s throat, Wyatt fantasized that Andrew might be on the receiving end of worse.

Wolves didn’t respect humans. They believed humans were weak, inferior creatures to be ruthlessly used. But they disliked predatory humans who sought to manipulate wolves into serving their own selfish purposes even more.

Wyatt choked on the dick forging a tight path down his throat. And feverishly wished for his brother to feel even a tenth of his own humiliation and fear.

“Relax your throat. Time your breaths. If you puke on my dick . . .” the wolf growled.

Since he didn’t want to find out what might happen if he puked on the wolf’s cock, Wyatt wrestled his gag reflex under control and sucked as best as he could. Fortunately, the wolf didn’t take much longer to ejaculate. No warning. He simply withdrew his cock until only the tip breached Wyatt’s lips, and sprayed spurt after spurt of sour, sticky semen onto Wyatt’s tongue. Tasted horrible. Nasty. The gobs were thick goo in his mouth. His face must have indicated his repugnance because the wolf pinched Wyatt’s chin between two hard fingers. “Swallow,” he snarled.

Belly roiling, Wyatt did what he said. He hated the salty, gamey taste and the slimy texture. More than all else, he loathed the necessity of survival forcing him to complete an act he’d never, ever wanted. But he gulped the load of semen down anyway.

The wolf let his dick fall from Wyatt’s lips and patted Wyatt’s cheek. “Good boy.”

“Well, well, well,” another voice drawled. “What do we have, hmm?”

Wyatt stiffened, alarm zinging through him. Had this wolf watched him suck the other one off? Enjoyed the show?

“Straight, judging by the lack of finesse. A virgin. Human in a red Mercury abandoned him along the access road.”

“A generous gift,” the newcomer said.

“Very,” the wolf whose cum now warmed Wyatt’s stomach said. “I got the car’s tags.”

Startled, Wyatt tipped his head up, as though the blindfold weren’t there anymore. Andrew? They’d identified his brother? Evil satisfaction exploded inside him.

“Probably stolen, but we’ll inform the Elders. They’ll track that car to the source.”

The wolf who’d used Wyatt’s mouth grunted in agreement. “What this human lacks in skill, he makes up for with desperate enthusiasm. Gives great head.”

Wyatt trembled.

“Is that so?” the second wolf said, a smile creeping into his voice that chilled Wyatt’s blood.

“Petrified we’ll hurt him,” Wyatt’s wolf confirmed. “You should try him. He’s nervous, but deliciously obedient.”

Another dick pressed against Wyatt’s lips.

Both wolves laughed as he opened wide.

Author Bio:
Kari Gregg lives in the mountains of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia with her Wonderful husband and three very Wild children. When Kari’s not writing, she enjoys reading, coffee, zombie flicks, coffee, naked mud-wrestling (not really), and . . . coffee!

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