Teaser Tuesday: Ravished Prologue! #thriller #romance

Happy Tuesdays, lovelies!

You've heard a lot about Ravished over the course of the last six months, but haven't gotten to see a whole lot of it yet. I thought today would be a great day to remedy that, so I've got the entire prologue for you. Yay! The prologue takes place immediately before the story begins, and focuses on Kalani Abrams, a former "employee" of the Vetrov family.

This novel is the first of three in an erotic series chock full of romance, crime, mystery, violence, hell... even explosions! It's only just gone to the prereading team for approval, so don't hate me too much if there are errors, mmkay?

Summary: Lillian Maddox is trying to put her life back together after a tragic attack destroys her future as a ballerina. Special Agent Tristan Riley is racing against the clock to stop one of the most ruthless drug manufacturing outfits to set up shop in Seattle in years. When they meet on the dance floor at Teplo, neither is prepared for the explosive chemistry between them, nor for the devastating repercussions of their tryst. In a matter of days, their lives careen wildly off course.

 

After mistakenly accusing Lillian of horrible crimes, Tristan finds himself in a very uncomfortable position. He now has to convince her to go undercover with him to stop the Vetrov family from spilling more blood by unleashing a potent new club drug to the masses. And he has to do it while keeping his hands to himself.

 

Lillian has no intention of making his life easy. In fact, she's made it her mission to make him as miserable as possible for the duration of their time together. But the way he looks at her, and the wicked things he says to her, makes her yearn for something more than the emptiness she's felt since her accident. But she's not prepared to give her heart and her body to Tristan when the world he lives in terrifies her either.

 

Can they find a way to let go and work together, or will the sparks flying between them send everything up in flames?

* * *
Prologue

Paulo Vetrov's heavy steps sounded behind Kalani Abrams, his boots striking the hardwood floor with ominous thumps. Terror fired through her like mortar exploding from a cannon. Everything raced… her mind and heart pounding so fiercely she couldn't catch a breath. Sobs wracked her body as she ran, her bare feet flying across the cold living room floor.

"Why are you running from me, Kalani?" Paulo asked, amusement lacing his deceptive, friendly tone. "My father misses you. He asked me to come speak to you."

Kalani sobbed louder, the reminder of her former employer sending another wave of terror crashing over her like waves. They threatened to drown her, crushing air from her lungs as dread and certainty grasped at her like choking vines.

No way had Anton Vetrov sent a bastard like Paulo to speak to her. Oh no, she'd warmed Anton's bed long enough to know better. His son was the worst sort of monster, a soulless sociopath who terrorized others for the fun of it. Anton set him loose on those who betrayed him as if setting loose a hellhound.

Already, Kalani's cheek throbbed where Paulo had struck her after forcing his way inside her home. Her eye had swollen shut almost instantly, the pain numbed only by the horror of the moment.

God, why had she answered the door in the first place?

Let him wrest her cell phone away from her?

That stupid mistake would cost her everything.

"Please, please," she cried, the words little more than incoherent babbling as she raced into the kitchen, wishing desperately for Thomas to appear on her porch again. She'd give anything to see him. To tell him she was sorry for kicking him out. That she loved him and didn't mean the horrible things she said to him during their fight the day before. That she wanted to be with him, had left Anton's employ to be with him.

If Paulo caught her, she'd never see Thomas again. He'd never know the truth.

Kalani rounded the kitchen table, reaching blindly for the carved wooden chair pushed neatly up against the table. The cool wood glided against her palm. Clutching the edge, she jerked downward, praying the obstacle slowed her assailant down even an instant.

The chair hit the floor with a solid thump.

Kalani kept running.

No more than five feet stood between her and the back door, the promise of freedom and safety beckoning to her like a lighthouse. If she made it outside, she could scream for her neighbors to help her. They'd call the police, and she could tell them everything about Anton Vetrov and his horrible family. In ten years as his paid whore, she'd seen enough. But their new scheme… it was the worst of all.

"You can't outrun me," Paulo sneered behind her, kicking aside the chair as she stumbled toward the patio door, hope spurring her onward.

The chair crashed into the wall half a second before she slammed into the faded wood.

Kalani clawed at the door, desperately trying to unlatch the sticky lock.

The salt of her tears burned her injured eye. Sobs caught in her throat, choking her.

"I told you," Paulo said, so close his hot breath washed across her neck.

"No," Kalani cried when the lock refused to cooperate. "No, no, no."

Paulo's arms closed around her, dragging her backward, away from the door and the promise of safety on the other side. He spun her around, one hand raised. His dark hair lay perfectly on his head. His brown eyes were too lovely, his face too beautiful.

Kalani wanted to vomit at the excited gleam lurking in his dark gaze. He looked as if watching her scramble for her life turned him on.

She kicked her feet, trying to kick him.

Paulo grunted when her bare toes connected with his shin.

His hand came down across the side of her face again.

Pain ripped through her already throbbing cheek, stealing her breath.

"Where are the papers you stole from us?" he asked her.

"Go to hell," she tried to scream at him, but the words were little more than a pathetic whimper. Kalani tilted her head back to spit in his face, determined to fight until she couldn't fight anymore. If Paulo wanted to kill her, she intended to make him work for it. She wouldn't go quietly like his other victims. Victims she'd kept silent about for so long, pretending they didn't exist. Pretending her boss wasn't a monster just like his son.

And for what? A steady paycheck? A life off the streets? A few hits of Ecstasy?

Maybe she deserved death.

"Stupid woman," Paulo snapped, shoving her to the ground. He dropped to his knees above her as she struggled to catch her breath. In one quick, effortless move, he captured her arms between his legs before reaching into his pocket to withdraw a plastic baggie.

Horror turned Kalani's vision black for a moment when she caught sight of the syringe inside the bag. "Please. Oh god, please. Don't," she pleaded as Paulo loomed above her, his weight crushing her.

He ignored her, instead reaching inside the baggie.

Kalani attempted to thrash beneath him, fighting for escape that eluded her. Paulo was too big, too strong. Try as she might, she barely managed to wriggle beneath him.

He jerked the needle from the bag, and leaned forward, grabbing a handful of her hair to wrench her head to the side.

"No!" Kalani screamed as he pushed the needle into a vein in her neck. "No!"

"Quiet," Paulo whispered, depressing the plunger. "This won't hurt at all."

Kalani's neck burned, giving away his lie. She jerked beneath him again, unwilling to give up and just let him kill her even if that is what she deserved. She might as well not have bothered though. He merely sat still, seemingly unaffected by the way she tried to buck beneath him in an attempt to throw his weight off her.

"No one steals from the Vetrov family," he said when she stopped fighting him, stopped fighting the inevitable. "While you choke on your own vomit, I'll find those papers. You'll die, and no one will even know why, you stupid little whore."

"Oh god," she groaned when the drug hit her system in a rush. Her heart rate sped, faster and faster. Her body jerked involuntarily. Everything around her slowed, blurring, fading. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she tried to say, though whether she apologized to god, to Paulo, or to Thomas, who she'd never see again, she didn't know. And it didn't really matter anyway. The words were little more than soundless gasps.

Fluid filled her mouth, gagging her.

She scratched at the ground, grasping for air, for breath, for another chance, but it didn't come. After everything she'd done in her life, she should have expected that, she supposed. But she hadn't.

Death, it seemed, didn't care if she regretted her choices or wanted to make amends.

And neither did Paulo.

Kalani's fingers twitched, and then lay still.

"Whore," Paulo whispered, reaching out to stroke her cheek.

His hateful, angelic face was the last thing Kalani saw.

FALL– The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million

Myth or Monster Monday: Loki's Children #mythology

Loki's Children - (c) 1905, Carl Emil Doepler

It's been a while since I've done a Myth or Monster installment, (Sorry, lovelies. I've been slaying dragons in real life.) so I thought I'd pop in today with a few of my favorite monsters... Loki's Children!

Like many Gods in mythology, Loki wasn't particularly discerning about who or what he slept with. As a result, he fathered a handful of frightful children, a few of whom play major roles in the Norse Ragnarok myths. Interestingly enough, Loki is also mama to one of his children.

Loki mated with Angrboda, a Jotunn witch, and sired Hel, Fenrir and Jormungandr. These three caused more than a little trouble with the other Gods. Fenrir frightened Odin so badly, he used a magical chain to bind Fenrir in the bowels of the earth, where Fenrir promptly swore vengeance and sets in motion the Ragnarok myth we all know and love. When Fenrir eventually breaks free and Jormungandr releases his tail, death and destruction ensue. Jormungandr and Thor kill one another. Fenrir kills Odin and is then killed by Odin's son Vithar.

Hel, of course, rules over the underworld where Odin banished her in an attempt to thwart the prophecies promising nothing but trouble for her and her siblings. During Ragnarok, she's destined to lead an army of the dead, with Loki at the helm, to wreak havoc on the world. Because, why not? Odin kind of set himself up for that one when he tossed her into Niflheim and gave her dominion over the nine worlds... Ever noticed how the Gods tend to be their own worst enemies? It's almost human of them.

In addition to these lovely children, Loki also fathered Vali, though we don't hear much about him, save what is relayed in regard to his role in his brother Narfi's demise.

With Sigyn, Loki fathered Narfi and Nari, who may or may not be the same person. Narfi was killed by Vali, who was transformed into a wolf. Once dead, the Gods used Narfi's intestines to bind Loki, because why not punish Loki for being a liar by wrapping him in the entrails of his slain child and then turning those bonds into iron?

Finally, Loki gave birth to Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse. To accomplish this feat, Loki transformed into a mare and mated with Svaðilfari, the horse owned by the builder killed by Thor when he didn't finish the walls of Asgard as agreed (because Loki intentionally slowed him down by sleeping with his horse). Sleipnir became Odin's steed, and was ridden into Hel for various reasons. Unlike Loki's other children, Sleipnir didn't cause mischief. He was, as promised, the best horse in all the land.

I find myself fascinated by the tangled branches of this family tree. Loki's offspring are as twisted in myth as is Loki himself. Had Loki behaved himself, he wouldn't have had many of these children, who wouldn't, in turn, cause mischief and problems of their own, eventually threatening the very survival of the world. And like Loki himself, their relationships with the rest of the Aesir are incredibly complex. It's Sunday dinner with the family... Norse style!

In all seriousness, Loki's children are a study in the twisted dichotomy of Norse mythology. Their existence changes things in pretty monumental ways as is seen throughout the stories surrounding the Norse Gods. Their stories are definitely worth a read.

xoxo,

Ayden

FALL– The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million

Official Playlist for Branded by @KatieTeller1 #blogtour

Hello, lovelies!

The lovely Katie Hampstead is joining us today to share the playlist for her new release, Branded! Please check out the tunes below, enter the giveaway, say a huge congrats to Katie, and then grab your copy of Branded and get to reading! :)

The Playlist

1. Titanium by David Guetta feat. Sia

2. Where I Stood by Missy Higgins

3. We Are Australian by The Seekers*

4. The Battle Hymn of the Republic*

5. Broken - Seether and Amy Lee

6. Beethoven's 5 Secrets by The Piano Guys

7. Hero by Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott

*These two songs are actually mentioned in the story itself.

Summary: Terrorists have invaded Sydney, and Allison King barely escapes her brother’s wedding reception alive. She and her siblings flee, but their parents are killed by firing squad.

Now Ali’s on the run and terrified. While searching for other survivors, she is captured by the General who leads the invasion. He’s smitten by Ali, and when she refuses to submit to his whims, he brands her for death. In a wild act of defiance, she snatches the branding rod and sears the mark onto his face. Marking not only him but also sealing her fate. Ali manages to escape and flees into the bush once more where she finds a group in hiding. Even with the scars left by the General, Ali learns to love and falls in love with the young man who found her—Damien Rogers.

But the General is hunting her. When he discovers their location, and finds her with another man—Damien—his wrath is kindled and his obsession is inflamed. Ali must put herself on the line or the General could kill her family, those who help her, and most significantly, the man she loves.

Branded is now available at Amazon!

Giveaway

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About the author:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

You can learn more about Katie on Facebook, Twitter, or at http://kjhstories.blogspot.com.

Crescent: A Valentine's Drabble #erotica #flashfiction

            "Oh, please," she groaned, her eyes falling closed. That little action seemed to be her only remaining defense against her lover. The rest of her defenses lay in tatters around her, little more than scraps of fabric littering her bedroom floor.

He’d started slow, innocuous brushes of his fingers against her soft flesh. Her shoulders. Her arms. Her neck. His simple touches and soft whispers wrecked her.

"You’re beautiful."

"You’re so soft, so warm, cara mia."

Each touch, each word, a melody lulling her further and further into here and now. Here, with her clothing strewn across the floor. Now, with her eyes closed and her body numb and on fire in turns.

This was what she wanted, and it was torture. Exquisite, painful torture.

Her lover was light and shadow, fire and ice. An artist working with tongue and teeth, until he molded her into a piercing, all-over ache. She could take no more of his torment. Her body, soft, fragile . . . human . . . wasn’t designed to take any more.

The biggest part of her wanted it anyway.

"Please, I can’t." The plea sounded so faint, she didn’t even know if he heard it.

She needn't have feared.

He heard every little sigh that passed her lips.

"Open your eyes, cara mia," he whispered. "Open your eyes and let me see."

Her body arched toward his cold touch of its own accord even as her head moved side to side on the pillow in a slow denial. "I can’t."

He trailed his fingertips across the valley of her stomach. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the weight of his gaze devouring the way her body arched, begging for another caress.

Every inch of her craved him, golden brown silk against pale white stone.

"I can't."

"You can, cara mia/" His fingertips swept across her hipbones as he spoke, pulling another soft groan from deep within her throat. "I need to see."

"Please," she said again.

"Show me, beautiful girl."

She tried to resist again, but she'd never been particularly good at refusing him. She knew he needed that connection with her, maybe more so than she needed it herself. Her eyes were his gateway into her soul, the only one between the two of them. The soul was hers, but he’d taken up residence there too. Her goodness and his darkness met in those deep recesses like yin and yang, sustaining both of them.

She gave in.

"Cara mia." His gratitude came in a soft sigh as her lashes fluttered.

Her dark emerald gaze met his.

She let what she felt for him – what he made her feel – shine for him; pleasure and pain settling like teardrops upon her lashes. Desire for more warred with an intrinsic need to protect herself, buttress walls, and build defenses against him. She let him see that, too. She couldn't hide it from him.

He’d taken her so far already, playing her body like a finely tuned instrument. For him, it was an instrument. One he seemed to know better than he knew himself. One she thought he'd been created to play. In the dark of night, when he came to her, he whispered that his existence was hers. That her pleasure was his.

She believed him.

The way he looked at her, tenderness searing his dark eyes seemed more painful to her than even the burning, shredding, unending desire she felt to wrap herself around him and stay there.

His cold hands swept across her overheated skin like an artist with his brush, blending light and shadow. His cool breath wafted across those secret places only he knew. It fanned the flames inside higher and soothed the burn all at once.

His tongue dipped, traveling the same path he’d explored a thousand times already. Down the valley of her stomach, across the soft curve of her waist, and then around the peak of her hip. He raked his teeth across her skin, a stinging nip bringing her to the edge of heaven.

She felt that tingling pleasure all over. Felt everything he did to her, all the way to her soul.

"Please." This time, that word wasn't a plea that he stop, but a request for more. For everything. Her body arched beneath his mouth, seeking relief, an end, a beginning.

"Close your eyes, cara mia," he whispered, his cold breath fanning across her hip again. His tongue followed, tracing that delicate bone as she shuddered beneath him.

Her eyes fell closed.

"Ti amo, cara mia. Ti amo." He dipped his head again, his hair brushing like silk across her stomach, her hips . . . her inner thighs. His tongue touched first, tentative, soft. His lips followed.

Starbursts of warm, white light danced behind her lids as his mouth worked against her. They danced again as he rose up over her. And again when he slid himself inside.

"Ti amo," he breathed against her neck, planting gentle kisses across her face. "Per sempre." His body tensed like a spring atop of hers, "cara mia" falling from his lips like a prayer.

Hot, happy tears made silent tracks down her cheeks.

He raked his teeth against her neck, whispering his soft promise as starbursts ruptured behind her lids again, tumbling her over the edge into warm waves of forever. He followed quickly behind, not letting her drown alone.

"Are you ready, cara mia?" he whispered, resuming his pace as she drifted in that radiant spot between life and death; la petite mort.

She nodded her head and reached for what he offered. A crescent mark upon her skin. A promise. Forever.

"Ti amo," she whispered. "Ti amo."

He dipped his head, his fangs sinking into her flesh.

Happy Valentine's Day, my loves,

Ayden

FALL– The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million

Guest Post: Top Ten Valentine's Gifts Your Partner Will Love by @jamiemayres

I love Valentine’s Day . . . I don’t care if some people think it’s just a cash cow created by retailers. Needless to say, I'll be celebrating! I'm so thankful to have a Valentine that’s been married to me for 15 ½ years!

I’m not sure what I’m getting for hubs yet, but I’ve been brainstorming, and I think I’ve created the perfect Top 10 List of Valentine’s Gifts Your Partner Will Love:

10) If you’re into geek love like me, then you might enjoy ordering a pair of matching T-shirts (not the exact same shirt, but the same theme—I’m that dorky but hubs would never go for it, lol). Some of our favorite sites are: teefury, 6 dollar shirts, shirt punch, and five finger tees.

9) What says love on Valentine’s Day better than personalized candy hearts? It is a bit spendy, but still a cute idea if you can afford it!

8) Flowers always work. Look at the ones I got this week!

7) Of course, jewelry always works, too! I love Origami Owl for personalized creations, and who doesn’t love Pandora charms for their bracelet? Hubs isn’t big on jewelry, so I’m sort of at a loss in suggesting jewelry for men, but I did find this cool Thor themed money clip!

6) How can you go wrong with chocolate? I mean, who are we kidding? All of us have already blown our New Year’s Resolution diets anyway. Maybe you can get your sweetie to upgrade to a box of world-renowned Norman Love Confections! I’m lucky enough to live near their headquarters, but they ship all over the world! 

5) Who doesn't love to get a poem or homemade card with heartfelt words of love? The good news is, even if you’re not crafty, there are plenty of easy ideas on Pinterest!

4) How about heating up the kitchen by making your Valentine a five-course dinner? Beverages—preferably something red, like a Strawberry Daiquiri. The second course is appetizers—cocktail shrimp and stuffed portabella mushrooms are my favorite picks. The third course is salad—I love this recipe for Greek Salad. The fourth course is the main dinner—I love steak with cast-iron herbed potatoes anna; pork chops with shallot-cranberry sauce; coffee-crusted beef wellingtons with carrots (sprinkled with thyme, brown sugar, and bacon); or baked chicken breasts covered with mushrooms, onion, and bacon. Feel free to email me on my website for any of the recipes! Finally, the fifth course is dessert  . . . hmm, I think you can figure out something ;-)

3) Pop some extra buttery popcorn and enjoy a romantic movie night at home! If I was only speaking to the guys in this post, I’d suggest The Notebook, Titanic, A Walk To Remember, or Pride and Prejudice. But if you want to pick something you’d both enjoy, then you probably want to do a romantic comedy instead. Here are some of mine and hubs favorite picks: When Harry Met Sally, While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, The Princess Bride, Benny & Joon, Ever After, 17 Again, Fever Pitch, and Hitch. There are always some great new releases coming out in the theatres as well if you want a night out on the town!

2) Instead of a five-course meal, how about a five-step sensual massage? Step one: touching above the neck only is allowed—try a temple massage. Step two: touching below the knees only is allowed—try a calf and foot massage. Step three: caressing allowed only above the waist—nice time for a back massage. Step four—anything but intercourse goes. Step five—I’m sure you don’t need the details on this! Don’t forget to light some candles and put on some romantic music for this fun surprise!

1)Top of the list? A romance novel, of course! What better way to get you in the mood for romance than reading about love? And yes, my new book, 18 Truths, is a coming of age inspirational love story! Here are the dets:

Lying is unbearable, betrayal is inevitable, and choosing which path to take is impossible.

Olga Gay Worontzoff ended her senior year as an eighteen-year-old girl totally in love with Nate, enjoying their new romance and about to attend the university of her dreams. Now she’s spending her summer in the weird subculture of the Underworld, with charmingly witty and powerful angels, and problematic demons, trying to rescue Connor, the best friend and secret crush she was unable to save during a freak accident.

But Nate has other things on his mind, mainly Grace. She’s their first assignment as joint spirit guides, and Olga’s feeling hurt and jealous. His mysterious behavior has Olga questioning everything she believed about him and now she must decide whether to stick to their plan, or follow her heart.

Unfortunately, a series of mistakes threatens everyone around her and plants Olga in the center of cosmic events much larger than she ever imagined.

Only one thing is certain: the chilling truths uncovered during her journey will leave no one untouched.


18 Truths is now available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. And don't forget to add it on Goodreads!

*Do you like how I tied that in? Hahaha . . . What are you doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day (even if it’s just with your family and friends)? I hope you have a good one!

GIVEAWAY!
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 Jamie Ayres writes young adult paranormal love stories by night and teaches young adults as a Language Arts middle school teacher by day. When not at home on her laptop or at school, she can often be found at a local book store grabbing random children and reading to them. So far, she has not been arrested for this. Although she spent her youthful summers around Lake Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her prince charming, two children (sometimes three based on how Mr. Ayres is acting), and a basset hound. She really does have grandmothers named Olga and Gay but unlike her heroine, she's thankfully not named after either one of them. She loves lazy pajama days, the first page of a good book, stupid funny movies, and sharing stories with fantastic people like you. Her books include the first two installments of her trilogy, 18 Things and 18 Truths. Visit her online via Twitter, Facebook, or at www.jamieayres.com.