Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway - Circle of Nine: Mercy in the Mist by Valerie Biel

CIRCLE OF NINE

by Valerie Biel

October 27 - December 31, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

 

CIRCLE OF NINE: MERCY IN THE MIST

The danger was supposed to be over.
The sacred treasures are safe.
The enemies banished to the Otherworld.

But Brigit Quinn’s dreams tell a different story.

The condemned return to haunt her sleep—pleading, accusing, refusing to be forgotten. Something is still wrong, even if the rest of the Circle of Nine insists the threat has passed.

When anonymous warnings surface and the police begin asking questions about the missing, Brigit’s visions intensify, blurring the line between dream and prophecy. The Circle is unraveling. Shadows are gathering.

To restore what’s been broken, Brigit knows they must return to the Otherworld and seek answers from the immortal Elders—knowing that to question them is to risk everything.

In this spellbinding fourth installment of the Circle of Nine series, ancient magic, mortal danger, and Brigit’s quest for the truth collide in a journey that will test the bonds of loyalty, love, and the fragile trust between gods and mortals.

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Praise for Circle of Nine: Mercy in the Mist

"Mercy in the Mist delivers spellbinding suspense. Positively enchanting!"
~ Tracey S. Phillips, award-winning author of Forewarned for CIRCLE OF NINE: MERCY IN THE MIST

Series Details:

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Published by: Lost Lake Press

Find CIRCLE OF NINE series at Amazon & Lost Lake Press

 

Author Bio:

Valerie Biel writes award-winning books for middle grade to adult audiences--stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland's ancient stone circles. She's also the author of HAVEN, a contemporary middle grade novel, and BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE, a mystery suspense story. She's a founding member of the Blackbird Writers & a member of Sisters in Crime & the Wisconsin Writers Association. When she's away from the computer, she's likely wrangling her overgrown garden, reading multiple books per week, or traveling the world--often on trips for the The World Orphan Fund charity she and her husband run. She calls a (tiny) portion of her family's century-old Wisconsin farm home, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.

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Review:

5 stars!

Could the Tuatha elders have made a mistake? 

Mercy in the Mist is the fourth novel in author Valerie Biel’s imaginative and addictive young adult paranormal mystery series, the Circle of Nine, and in it, we pick up Brigit Quinn’s story soon after the birth of her baby sister Bree, almost a year from the events that kicked the series off. Back in Massachusetts and settling into life with her reunited family now that her mother and father have reconnected, reconciled, and remarried, Brigit’s sixteenth birthday approaches. 

Bree is growing like a weed, and Brigit has discovered she can hear the baby’s thoughts when Bree is thinking about her big sister. But not all is joyful in Brigit’s life. She is experiencing frightful nightmares about the showdown in Ireland last summer between the Circle of Nice and her evil grandfather, Malachi, and his coven, which the Tuatha elders had banished to the Otherworld. She fears that Malachi compelled the coven members to support him against their will, and that the elders mistakenly punished innocent victims rather than willing participants in Malachi’s plans. 

Someone else blames Brigit’s father, Rowan, for Malachi’s doings, and he’s received anonymous messages threatening revenge for his part in the confrontation. It appears the only way to get to the truth is to return to the land of her ancestors once again. 

After such an exciting third book in the series, I wondered how the author would follow it up, but I was not disappointed. Filled with magic and infused with Celtic vibes, this latest adventure is fast-paced and another absolute page-turner, while also providing a close, sympathetic look into the daily life and feelings of the teenage Brigit, with all the normal hopes, dreams, and worries of someone growing up today. Besides her special gifts, Brigit is a regular teenage girl at heart. I loved how she immediately meshed with her new sister, easily taking on the role of a loving, protective older sister, and how she tries to gently manage the hopeful aspirations and continued attentions of her former boyfriend, Tyler, despite having moved on from their relationship. 

The story takes off immediately and is set after Christmas, or Yule, in both Massachusetts and Ireland, where readers are treated to the vivid descriptions of the sights of Ireland through Brigit’s eyes. The author does a great job crafting the story so that those new to the series can pick it up with this book and still understand and enjoy what’s transpiring. However, for the best reading experience, the first three books are not to be missed, whether read first or later. 

I recommend MERCY IN THE MIST to readers who enjoy young adult paranormal mysteries or fantasies.

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CIRCLE OF NINE Series by Valerie Biel

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Book Review: The Light in the Barn by Susan P. Baker

The Light in the Barn: A Domestic Thriller by Susan P. Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The mounting page-by-page suspense makes this book hard to put down!

The Light in the Barn by Susan P. Baker is a new domestic thriller featuring newlyweds, an old barn full of junk, and a serial killer on the loose! After a whirlwind courtship, recently-divorced Aurora married Jeff, a handsome, charming medical supplies salesman, and when her grandfather passed away soon after, they moved from Houston into the country farmhouse he left her. Ten months later, however, the honeymoon was over, as Jeff became increasingly critical of her every move and thought, maritally demanding, and spending much more time away on sales trips than at home.

Aurora, a budding mystery writer, tried to balance her time working on her who-dun-it with clearing out the years of building materials collected and stored in the barn by her grandfather for a planned series of yard sales to help fund their own renovation efforts. However, late in the night before their first sale, with Jeff still out of town, Aurora surprises a trespasser dressed all in black lurking in the barn. Knocked down as he rushed away but unhurt, Aurora is shaken but returns to bed as she needs to get up early to set up and open the sale. With her girlfriends' help and Jeff eventually making a late-morning appearance, the sale goes well, with no signs of the evening visitor's return or of anything being taken. Ian, a handsome house flipper new to the small rural community, catches the eye of Aurora's best friend, Sarah, as he browses for materials he can use in his latest home restoration.

Meanwhile, the county is experiencing a rash of young women being abducted from local shopping malls, their bodies later found dumped on the side of a road, often showing signs of having been run over. Sarah, having had no luck in attracting Ian's attention and unable to verify his identity online or through social media, begins to suspect the lifestyle of a house flipper might be the perfect cover for a serial killer. When Ian keeps showing up at the farmhouse while Jeff is on the road, wanting to search through the barn for more items he can use on his current home project, Aurora, too, begins to wonder if he might be THE ONE and that she may be THE NEXT.

The story is tension-filled and fast-paced, with suspense building with every turn of the page. Aurora has been deeply hurt by her first husband's betrayal and is starting to realize she doesn't really know much about her new one, who has stopped being so charming or attentive and has shifted to verbal abuse and gaslighting her at every turn. The couple's confrontation over Chloe, the adopted guard dog, was nasty and shocking on Jeff's part.

Everyone's suspicions grow when a murder occurs close to home, but there are a couple of good suspects to consider, complicating and already vexing case of who is really behind the disappearances and deaths of the young women. The final resolution came as an absolute surprise, with its "killer" twist.

I recommend THE LIGHT IN THE BARN to readers of suspense and domestic thrillers.

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Teaser Tour & Giveaway - The Love of a Dog: A Chronicle of a Remarkable Retriever by Jo McCauley Prouty

The Love of a Dog

A Chronicle of a Remarkable Retriever

by

Jo McCauley Prouty

Memoir / Love / Black Lab / Dog

Publication Date: February 14, 2023

Page count: 73 pages

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SYNOPSIS:

The decision to get a dog becomes a journey from high expectations through the reality of care giving and the fun of companionship to enduring love and finally loss. Dog lovers will see themselves and remember their beloved canine friends. They will wish they had known Tasha as they read about this quirky dog and her love of family and fun. Readers can applaud the transforming power of love.

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Typically, I put mulch down in the spring, but I also use mulch to prepare for winter. However, not all mulch is equal when it comes to dogs. 

I am the queen of mulch. I used it abundantly to discourage weeds and hold moisture in the soil, and to protect roots during winter. I had a preference for cocoa bean mulch, which had a delectable aroma. A neighbor at our previous home came out one day while I was spreading it and said, “Oh, I thought you were baking brownies.” That’s how good it smells! 

I had been thoughtless. The cocoa bean is just as toxic for dogs as chocolate. Mulch covered the flower beds in the backyard where Tasha played. “Tasha,” I lectured, “you are not to touch this mulch under any circumstance. Never, never, never touch the mulch.”

 You’re overreacting, Mom.

 I’m not sure how she interpreted “mulch,” but not only did she never touch the mulch, she never put a paw in any flower bed or touch even a petunia or marigold. She kept me company when I worked in the yard, and much later, I found it difficult to garden without my furry assistant.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jo McCauley Prouty spent her formative years in West Virginia and Virginia, where she attended the College of William and Mary. She is a former educator and now applies her nurturing skills to flower gardening and entertaining her grandchildren. She resides in Minnesota with her orange tabby, Cooper. Her work has appeared in The Journal of The Braxton Historical Society and the Journal of Opinions, Ideas and Essays.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway: Elmer Kelton's The Blessing by John Bradshaw

Elmer Kelton's The Blessing

A Hewey Calloway Adventure

by

John Bradshaw

Western Adventure / Historical Mystery

Publisher: Devil's Claw Press

Publication Date: December 3, 2025

Page count: 268 pages

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SYNOPSIS:

Hewey Calloway, Elmer Kelton’s favorite footloose cowboy, has always been known to have a generous nature, readily giving to those in need. Time has finally mellowed Hewey and given him some wisdom that was lacking in his youth, but deep down, he’s still the same old Hewey. In this sequel to The Smiling Country, a beneficiary to one of Hewey’s past generosities pays him back, and with interest. Knowing Hewey would decline a monetary repayment, he is gifted land back in Upton County.

Trouble is, it was bought from his old adversary, Fat Gervin, who is still as crooked as ever. Gervin finds a seeming loophole in the contract and tries to pull another fast one on Hewey, who is fed up with Gervin’s endless treachery. Tensions rise, and when Gervin is shot, it’s Hewey who’s on the hook for the crime. But things are never as they seem, and it’s up to an eclectic cast of characters to sort it out, and for Hewey to learn what’s really important in life.

Written by longtime journalist turned novelist John Bradshaw, who was selected by The Elmer Kelton Estate to continue the Hewey Calloway tradition.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

John Bradshaw is a native of the small town of Abernathy, Texas. He is an award-winning journalist with well over a thousand published stories. Elmer Kelton’s The Familiar Stranger, co-authored with Steve Kelton, is his first book.

Bradshaw attended South Plains College followed by Texas Tech University. He spent several years shoeing horses for a living as his writing career progressed.

While the desire to write books was always there, Bradshaw first pursued a career in journalism. He wrote numerous stories for ranching, horse and horseshoeing magazines.

Growing up, Livestock Weekly came in the mail once a week, as it does for most in the livestock industry. Writing for Livestock Weekly was always a goal, and in 2005 Bradshaw’s first story was published. It was a profile of Brownie Metzgar, a humorous cowboy still working in a feedlot while in his late 80s.

In 2007 Bradshaw accepted a fulltime position with Livestock Weekly. While with the paper he had over a thousand stories published, as well as enough market reports to give him permanent nightmares.

Horses have always played an important role in his life. The son of a horseshoer, he has spent a significant amount of time either on or under a horse. He still shows in both ranch horse and reined cow horse competitions.

He and his wife, Sara, live outside Abernathy. Sara owns an architecture firm, SK Architecture Group, and they raise Spanish goats, hair sheep and cattle.

In 2013 the couple had a stillborn son, Fox Joaquin Bradshaw. After several years of heartbreak they adopted an infant boy, whom they named Julian Boone Bradshaw. Boone died in his dad’s arms following an accident at the barn five days before his sixth birthday.

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Book Tour & Giveaway: Fur, Fangs, & Mistletoe by Jessica Coulter Smith

When a struggling single mom and her adorable toddler get snowed in with a grumpy wolf shifter, Christmas magic starts working overtime.

Fur, Fangs, & Mistletoe

Christmas Cove Book 1

by Jessica Coulter Smith

Genre: Paranormal Holiday Romance

Escape to Christmas Cove, a cozy small town where magic, shifters, and holiday romance collide.

After a painful breakup, Riley is ready for a fresh start in Christmas Cove. All she wants is a peaceful life for herself and her two-year-old daughter, Sabrina. Love isn’t on her holiday wish list. When she’s stuck in a blizzard, help arrives in the form of Alex Conors -- a protective, brooding werewolf.

Snowed in with a grumpy shifter and a crackling fire, Riley begins to see the gentle heart behind Alex’s fierce exterior… and Alex finds himself falling for the brave single mom who awakens something he thought he lost long ago.

Hot cocoa and toddler giggles turn strangers into something more. But when Riley’s past resurfaces and threatens the safety she’s found, Alex will have to prove that loyalty, love -- and pack -- are forever.

A warm, emotional holiday romance filled with shifter charm, second chances, and the magic of Christmas. Ideal for fans of protective alphas, found family, and heartfelt happily-ever-afters.

 

🏠 Small-town charm & found family
🐺 Grumpy wolf + sunshine single mom
👩‍👧 Adorable toddler moments
🎁 Snowed-in & forced proximity
💕 Fated mates and holiday magic

 

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The sedan’s engine rattled -- a sound Riley had learned to distinguish from its other mechanical complaints over the past three states. This particular rattle meant she’d make it another fifty miles, maybe more if she kept her speed steady. Her knuckles had gone white on the steering wheel somewhere around the state line, and she couldn’t remember now how to relax them. The GPS showed their arrival in Christmas Cove, and Riley’s shoulders tensed further, an automatic response to any declaration of reaching a destination.

Dusk had settled over the town. Main Street stretched before her, lined with Victorian storefronts that belonged in a Thomas Kincade painting. White lights twisted around lampposts, and wreaths hung at precise intervals, each decorated with the same combination of pine cones and red ribbon. Fresh snow dusted the sidewalks in a way that seemed too perfect, too deliberate. Riley checked her rearview mirror again -- the same compulsive glance she’d made every thirty seconds for the past six hours. Empty road. No one following. No one cared where she went.

She drove slowly past the Sugar Moon Café, noting its warm glow and the silhouettes of people inside. Past a bookstore with a display of holiday romances in the window. Past a hardware store already closed for the evening, its owner probably home with family, sitting down to dinner, living a normal life. The thought made something twist in Riley’s chest, but she pushed it down. Normal was a luxury she couldn’t afford to want.

The residential streets branched off from downtown. Riley followed the GPS directions, checking the crumpled paper in her cup holder against the street signs and the directions from the GPS. One too many times, it had taken her the wrong way. Oak Street. Maple Avenue. Someone had named these roads with an almost nauseating wholesomeness, as if determined to prove the town’s charm. She turned onto Pine Ridge Road, where the houses grew sparser and the forest pressed closer to the road.

A small sound from the backseat made Riley’s gaze dart to the mirror. Sabrina stirred in her car seat, her head rolling to the side as she woke from the nap that had mercifully consumed the last hour of driving. Riley watched her daughter’s eyes flutter open, adjusting to the darkness and the strange lights outside.

“Mama?” Sabrina’s voice carried that quality of toddler confusion. Not quite upset, but teetering on the edge of it.

“We’re here, sweetie.” Riley forced warmth into her voice, though her jaw ached from clenching. “Look at all the pretty lights.”

Sabrina pressed her mittened hands against the window, leaving tiny smudges on the glass. “Lights!” She bounced in her seat as much as the straps would allow. “Pretty, Mama! Pretty!”

“Very pretty.” Riley’s smile felt tight on her face. She wanted to share her daughter’s uncomplicated joy, but she kept scanning the streets, cataloging escape routes, noting which houses had lights on and which sat dark. Old habits. Necessary habits.

The GPS announced their final turn, and Riley’s breath caught. The cottage stood at the end of a short gravel drive, a small structure someone’s grandfather had most likely built and barely maintained enough to keep standing. A single porch light illuminated the front door, and beyond it, the forest loomed.

Riley pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. The sudden silence felt heavy, broken only by Sabrina’s humming as she kicked her feet against her car seat. Riley sat motionless, her hands still gripping the wheel, and studied their new home.

The cottage was smaller than the photos had suggested. Single-story, with a chimney that leaned slightly to the left. The windows were dark, revealing nothing of the interior. Snow had drifted against the front steps, undisturbed except for what looked like animal tracks, probably a deer or raccoon. The porch railing needed paint, and one shutter hung at an angle.

But for now the house was theirs. For six months, at least, with the first month paid in advance with money Riley had saved from extra shifts and skipped meals. Six months to figure out what came next. After that, she’d have to either renew the lease, or move on to another town.

“Out, Mama!” Sabrina had moved past patient and into demanding. “Out now!”

“Just a minute, baby.”

Riley scanned the neighboring properties. The nearest house sat quite a distance down the road, its windows dark. On the other side, nothing but forest. The isolation should have comforted her. Fewer people meant fewer questions, fewer chances of being found. But instead, it made her hyperaware of how alone they were. No witnesses if something went wrong. No one to hear them scream.

She shook her head, dislodging the thought. Nothing was going to go wrong. This was a fresh start in a quiet town where nobody knew her name or her history. Where Sabrina could grow up without her mother constantly looking over her shoulder.

Jessica Coulter Smith is an acclaimed romance writer with a passion for storytelling. Her works showcase the power of love and its ability to transcend boundaries, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide. With a unique writing style and perspective, Jessica continues to inspire and entertain readers from all walks of life.

Find her online…

 

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Book Review: Holidays and Homicides by 12 USA Today bestselling authors

Holidays & Homicides: short story collection by Rosalie Spielman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fun collection of short stories highlighting holiday mayhem.

Holidays & Homicides is a fun, holiday-themed collection of short stories set in the series’ worlds of 12 of the best cozy mystery writers publishing today. The theme and the shorter length of the stories make this book the perfect read during the busy run-up to Christmas and the New Year!

Each one of the included stories is a gem, and while some of my favorite authors have contributed to the collection, many are from writers I have yet to read. So, this collection was a super opportunity to sample a storyline or two from a new-to-me author featuring one of their ongoing cozy mystery series. I thoroughly enjoyed them all, and my book wish list has grown as a result.

Even with the overarching theme, the stories still offer plenty of variety. While the title and cover art hint at murder and Christmas, not all the stories are set in December, nor do they feature a yuletide tragedy. For example, in Rosalie Spielman’s A HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS, Tessa Treslow and her Aunt Edna look into the sudden disappearance of some of their downtown businesses’ holiday decorations, while A HEARTLAND HOMICIDE by Gin Jones occurs around Valentine’s Day. However, all the stories shine with the main characters, familiar settings, and charm of their authors’ featured cozy mystery series.

I recommend HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES: SHORT STORY COLLECTION to cozy mystery readers, especially those looking for a collection of holiday-themed tie-ins.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Book Review: A Retail Carol by Lee Vetter

A Retail Carol by Lee Vetter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It wasn’t the night they’d planned, but it turned out to be the night they needed.

A Retail Carol by Lee Vetter is an entertaining Christmas satire and an unexpected holiday treat; it is a story of desperation, connections, and redemption of random strangers brought together by time, place, and misdirected wants. The need they believed was critical for the perfect Christmas was the acquisition of the “IT” toy of the year – the Plastic-Thing-3000, but it turned out to be the need for human connection and understanding.

The Westbrook Trading Company, with its aging edifice and barely on-the-edge relevancy, had miraculously held back a cache of what was to prove to be the “IT” toy of the holiday season that year and planned a stunning hourly raffle and midnight-hour final release of its stockpile for Christmas Eve. With the coveted Plastic-Thing-3000 having been sold out everywhere else for weeks, desperate parents crammed into the downtown store for a last-ditch effort at winning Christmas. Among the throng is a hopeful father of two and his single best friend for company; a worn-out single mother and her young daughter; a downtrodden husband, his clueless wife, and their bored teenage daughter; a local pastor with a secret past; the exhausted store employees; and the elderly store owner, who had concocted the last-minute holiday stand-off and hoop-jumping. Each customer goes to the store in hopes of scoring the prize of the season but comes away with something much more precious.

The story is a novelization of a Christmas production and clearly conveys each scene and character encounter with precise, cinematic-quality images, humor, and touching emotional impact. The narrative unfolds from the multiple points of view of the main characters, and readers share in their thoughts and motivations for what is to come. While the story foreshadows and seems to promise that deserving characters will achieve their hearts’ desires this Christmas Eve, there are some truly unforeseen twists in the plot that will surprise, entertain, and warm the heart. I would have loved to have seen this performed on stage, and I know I will be sharing this book in the future.

I recommend A RETAIL CAROL to readers of holiday stories.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Book Tour & Giveaway: Undisciplined Catalyst (Colette Warlord, #19) by Gail Koger

I was sixteen when I found out not only am I an alien hybrid, 

but monsters called the Tai-Kok were getting ready to invade our world. 

Guess who gets to stop them? Me.

Undisciplined Catalyst

Coletti Warlord Series Book 19

by

Gail Koger

Genre: SciFi Paranormal Romance

I was sixteen when I found out not only am I an alien hybrid, but monsters called the Tai-Kok were getting ready to invade our world. Guess who gets to stop them? Me. How?

My uncle, the mad scientist, created a machine called the portal that instantaneously sends a test subject from one location to another by converting them into energy. His idea is to port me onto a Tai-Kok ship. All I have to do is leave a bomb, hit the retrieval button on my spiffy traveler’s belt and poof! I’m back on Earth before the Tai-Kok ship goes kaboom. Sounds simple, right?

Wrong. Uncle Ben doesn’t have a clue where I’ll actually appear on the ship. It could be the engine room, the crew quarters, or even the bridge. It’s like playing Russian roulette. The Tai-Kok don’t like surprises or uninvited guests.

To make things even more fun, I have an alien battle commander stuck in my head and I’m related to a powerful Coletti warlord. Yippee. The chances of me living to see eighteen aren’t good.

 

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“Give ‘em hell.” A wild look in his eyes, Uncle Ben tapped on the portal's control console.

The circles of light surrounded me, but this time it felt like a zillion fire ants were crawling over my body. Holy hell! Something had gone wrong! I appeared in midair and dropped like a rock. Smack! I slammed into someone, and my Glock went flying.

My eyes bugged. I was on the bridge of a futuristic warship, and the viewscreen showed one hell of a space battle that was going on. To make things even more fun, I was lying across the lap of a huge, muscle-bound male wearing black battle armor. Since he was sitting in the captain’s chair, I was assuming he was the boss.

A very angry-looking boss. I blinked. Holy cow was he good looking, if you were into the whole merciless predator thing. Huh? The red chains woven into his black warrior’s braids matched the communication device on his left wrist. Who knew aliens accessorized and why did I care? I took a deep breath trying to control the panic streaking through me.

A low growl rumbled in his chest

One look into his disturbingly hostile amber eyes and I knew I was in big trouble. I reached for my retrieval button.

His arms clamped around me painfully and he spat a bunch of gobbledygook.

“Sorry, I don’t speak that language,” I replied mentally. Somehow, I knew he was psychic.

A harsh voice sounded in my head, “How did you get through our shields.”

“Dunno. My uncle is the scientific genius, not me. I’m just the delivery girl.”

“What do you deliver?”

Did I look stupid? The minute I told him bombs; he’d kill me. I pasted a friendly smile on my face. “Stuff. I’m Lexi and you are?”

“Battle Commander Kaelen. I serve Zarek the Coletti Overlord.”

I had no clue who Zarek was, nor did I want to meet him. “You must be so proud.”

“Do you have a death wish, female?”

I grimaced. “Some people would think so.”

Howdy. My name is Gail Koger and once upon a time I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Too many years of wild requests, screwy questions, bizarre behavior and outrageous demands have left me with a permanent twitch and an uncontrollable craving for chocolate. I took up writing science fiction romance to keep from killing people. So far, it has worked.

 

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