Thursday, October 31, 2013

Book Tour and Review - No Shelter From Darkness by Mark D. Evans



No Shelter From Darkness
(The Cruentus Saga, Book One)
By Mark D. Evans
Genre: Paranormal, Horror
Publisher: Booktrope
Number of pages: 304
Cover Artist: Greg Simanson
 
Buy Links:
Amazon  *  BN *  iTunes
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Book Description:
“Her hands began to shake as she looked down wide-eyed at the blood-soaked cotton that covered her.”

London emerges from the Blitz, and every corner of the city bears the scars. In the East End—a corner fairing worse than most—thirteen year-old Beth Wade endures this new way of life with her adoptive family. She also suffers the prejudice against her appearance, an abiding loneliness and now the trials of adolescence. But with this new burden comes a persisting fatigue and an unquenchable thirst that ultimately steals her into unconsciousness . . .

What happens next is the start of something Beth will fear more than the war itself. She begins to change in ways that can’t be explained by her coming-of-age, none more frightening than her need to consume blood. The family who took her in and the former best friend who’s taken refuge in their house can never know. Aware of the danger she poses to everyone around her, Beth has never felt more alone. But someone else knows Beth’s secret . . . someone who understands just how different she really is. He alone can decrypt her past and explain her future. But he’s been sworn to destroy her kind, and as Beth grows ever more dangerous, he’s forced to take sides.

Can Beth keep all of the secrets? Can she trust a man sworn to kill her? And can she stop the vampire within from taking her humanity?

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Short Excerpt:

Beth breathed furiously. She was exhausted, but the air she breathed had a new scent to it. It stopped her short. Her insides jumped in excitement at the rusty metallic scent. Her jaw twitched and her body flinched. She spun her head around, toward the aroma. Oliver had felt his way back to the uneven wall and leant against it cradling his arm. He sobbed and whimpered, while looking aimlessly at it. Beth could see what he couldn’t: a jagged edge of bone poking out from his forearm. He was slightly sheltered under the broken floorboards above him, and the rain wasn’t washing away the blood that now oozed freely. Beth didn’t need to see everything. She could smell it.
Beautiful, delicious, unparalleled and unbeatable human blood.
Her head tipped forward. Her nose flared involuntarily and her lips snarled into a sadistic smile. She felt the four pointed canines being pushed out; unsheathed. The tip of her tongue curled under one of the two fangs that slid down. Her heart deafened the rain and the approaching bombers. Almost subconsciously, she lowered herself into a half-crouch, ready to pounce, and though her nails were trimmed short, her fingers curled into claws. She couldn’t even feel the hole in her palm any more. She felt nothing at all except raging bloodlust. Her brother leant there sobbing, oblivious to the bloodthirsty creature no more than a yard away that wanted nothing more than to cover everything with his precious life force. To swim in his blood.
Beth could almost taste it.
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My Review: 

I enjoyed this interesting story.  I did not know what the Blitz was when reading the blurb for this book and for others who could have no idea, it is 1940's London, where citizens had homemade shelters to protect themselves from dropped bombs.  I was slowly pulled into caring for Beth and felt for her in her confusion and fear in this scary time period. Her struggles to just get through the days, between her mysterious disorder and being bullied in school. This book did start out slowly but eventually did inch its way into my mind until I did not want it to finish.  The mystery surrounding Beth was so absorbing and intriguing that I was disappointed when it ended.  I am truly looking forward to the next book in this saga, hoping that more of the enigma is revealed.   This tale is filled with dramatic suspense and leave you craving more.
 
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About the Author: 
MARK D. EVANS was born near London, England. He graduated university with a degree in something not even remotely connected with writing and went on to become a successful consultant. Then he threw it all away to chase his dream of being an author, via a considerable amount of travelling. Today, his life largely resembles that of a nomad, and he can currently be found typing away in a tiny flat in north London, sustained by coffee. 
He is the author of two short stories, one of which made it into a Kindle Top Ten.
His latest work is his debut novel, No Shelter from Darkness, which is the first book in his series, The Cruentus Saga. 
Visit Mark online: 
Twitter: @TheMarkDEvan
 

 

Tasty Blurb Tour and Giveaway - Bought, Branded & Bound by Lynn Richards


Bought, Branded and Bound

Texas Billionaire Box Set

By: Lynn Richards

 

Blurb:

Macy Trent was a chubby girl but that didn't mean she obeyed anybody's rules but her own. That is, until her drop-dead gorgeous boss blackmailed her into submitting to his will. She agrees to spend the weekend with Logan and obey his every command.

Twenty four hours later…Oh my God what have I done?

That’s Macy first thought upon waking and finding herself in Logan Quinn’s bed. As memories of the night before – and her wanton behavior – come flooding back, Macy realizes last night wasn’t her biggest regret, it was falling in love with her drop dead gorgeous boss.
Logan’s curvy assistant is sarcastic, willful, and deliberately disobedient and he’s had enough of her attitude. He knows the only way to get her out of his system is to make her submit. He also knows being a Dom is all about maintaining control. So why does his curvy secretary make him want to break his every rule?
Come join Logan and Macy on their incredibly erotic journey and find out what happens when a good little submissive makes her dominant lose control…

WARNING: For mature audiences only - contains elements of discipline, submission, dominance, hot sex and . . . romance
 
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Excerpt:
“Again, Macy, why are you being punished?”
Macy was sitting on the end of the bed like a good submissive when Logan entered the bedroom almost an hour later. Luckily he hadn’t finished sooner. She’d taken a quick shower before donning one of his dress shirts and even answered a text from her sister.
“Because I put two sugars in your coffee instead of three.”
“Did you do that deliberately, Miss Trent? You have made coffee for me almost every day since you’ve been in my employ. And you have put one cube of sugar in my coffee each time. Why forget today?”
He stood there, watching her, his eyes flashing with fire. She didn’t know if it was anger or desire. She hoped it was desire.
“Do you know why I think you forgot, Miss Trent?”
She shook her head, unable to speak.
“I think you want to be punished. You want to feel the heat of my hand on your backside. You want to see how much you can tolerate before using your safe word, don’t you, Macy?”
He stepped back and pulled the t-shirt over his head. Next he hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his pajamas and let them slide to the floor. He wore no socks or shoes. Or underwear.
He walked over to the sitting area and placed one of the high-backed chairs in front of the mirrored closets. Taking a seat he motioned her over. “Come, stand in front of me the way you did last night.”
Macy complied, stepping in front of the chair with her back to him. She could feel her blood thrumming through her body. Even though she couldn’t comprehend the satisfaction to be had from spanking—yet—she was excited. Aroused at the thought of having Logan’s hands on her again.
Would she ever get enough of this man?
He reached out, his hands going under the tail of her shirt to trace the shape of her ass. His hands were warm, his touch firm as he stroked her soft flesh, making her tremble.
“Do you like that, Macy?”
Her breathing hitched. His touch was like a narcotic. One simple stroke and she’d do anything to have more. “Yes.”
“Unbutton my shirt.”
As soon as she’d undone the last button, he was tugging her down across his lap, her torso resting on the large curved arm of the chair. The fingers of one hand threaded through her hair, pulling the errant strands away from her face. Suddenly, she could see them in the mirror. He was watching her. Gauging her reaction.
“I want you to watch me spank you, Miss Trent,” he murmured. This was it. The thought both frightened and aroused her.
Macy watched his face, the brooding, hungry look—like a starving man offered a feast, yet afraid it was going to be snatched away before he got a taste. Fascinated by his expression as he stared raptly at her plump cheeks, she missed the rise of his hand.
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Buy Links:

Link to Follow Tour: HERE
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Author Info:
Lynn Richards is actually the pseudonym chosen by two best friends who started writing together back when they were both young and idealistic. Though no longer exactly young, they are still best friends and still pretty idealistic. They enjoy reading (and writing) romances ranging from sweet and pure, to spicy hot and erotic. Nothing pleases them more than hearing from their readers. Please E-mail them at lynn.richardsromance@yahoo.com and tell them what kind of reads you like and what you'd like to see from Lynn Richards in the future. And thanks for taking time to read Lynn Richards’ romances!
Author Links:
Rafflecopter Giveaway
Two Print Copies of TEXAS BILLIONAIRE BOX SET
 


 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Book Spotlight - Jessica Frost's Sexy Men of Mystery

Jessica Frost's Sexy Men of Mystery are here!

 
 A Witness's Submission
Sexy Men of Mystery, Book 3
by Jessica Frost
Genre: Erotic MM Paranormal Romantic Suspense, vampires, light consensual BDSM, whipping
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Date of Publication: August 3rd, 2013
Number of pages: 103
Word Count: 27,284
Cover Artist: Harris Channing
Buy Links: 


Book Description:
After witnessing his father’s murder, Victor Bronte runs for his life. He hides out in a pub where he meets Mark Murphy, a charming, handsome guy who’s had his share of bad luck. They quickly hit it off, making Victor forget the killer’s after him.
Mark Murphy’s been wallowing in self-pity ever since his cheating ex broke his heart. When he meets Victor, the sexy hunk who offers him a supporting ear and a drive home, he quickly forgets his woes and becomes smitten. As their love blossoms, they promise to take things slow. Not an easy feat when the urge to tear each other’s clothes off and make passionate love dominates their every thought. 
But that’s the least of their problems because the killer’s still out there, and now he has a new target. In order to protect Mark, Victor has to give the killer what he wants. But he has to figure out what it is first. To do that he has to go back to the very place his father was murdered. Time is ticking, and so is the killer’s patience and desire for blood.

A Witness’s Submission Excerpt:
It was like the Fourth of July! Stars exploded in Mark’s head right before the shock subsided and the pain set in.
Victor just punched him smack in the eye! Moaning, he tried to stop the throbbing.
“I’m so, so sorry, Mark.” Guilt plagued Victor’s face as he jumped off the bed and ran to the kitchen to get a hand towel. He tossed ice cubes in it and came back a few seconds later, placing the towel on Mark’s right eye. “Please, put this on it to stop the swelling.”
Mark did what he asked and stared at him with his good eye. “What was all that?”
Victor sighed. “A nightmare, I guess.”
“Was it a nightmare? Because the look in your eyes now that you’re awake tells me differently.” He paused. “You have the fear of God in you.”
Victor turned his gaze away. “It’s probably my imagination.”
Mark placed his hand gently on Victor’s. He was obviously hurting and Mark wanted to help him like Victor had helped him the night before. “You can talk to me, you know. I’m a real good listener.”
“I can’t,” Victor stated with fear in his eyes.
“Victor, I can see how much this is bothering you and how scared you are now. Even last night, I saw how emotional you were and how you tried to hide it from me.” He remained motionless. “In your dream you were shouting at someone that they wouldn’t win. That they murdered your father and that now you’d be coming after them.”
Tears began to film Victor’s eyes and he turned completely away. He waited to compose himself, before replying, “It was just a dream. It wasn’t real.”
Mark gently pushed his shoulder, so he would turn and look at him. Cupping his face, he peered long and hard at Victor. “Something is bothering you. It manifested itself in your dream. Please tell me what it is. Maybe I can help you, even if it’s just by listening.”
Victor shook his head. “If I tell you, I’d put your life in danger.”
Mark eyes widened. “Then it’s true. Your father was killed?”
Victor leaned into Mark and let the sorrow break free. He cried silently, only a few tears escaping his eyes. But Mark’s strong, wide shoulder and his kind and gentle strokes on his arm seemed to be enough to help him find courage inside to speak. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he sat up and peered into Mark’s eyes.
“My father was a private investigator. My mom was his research and office assistant until she died four months ago. After that, I took over helping him. He was working on several cases, which I assisted him on. But there was one that he worked on alone for months. When I asked him if I could help, he refused. He’d get nervous whenever he had the file open on his laptop and I’d walk into the room. I’d see him rushing to change the screen before I could see anything he was investigating on that case.”
He took a deep breath and continued, “A few weeks back, he started acting weird. He was nervous, scared. I asked him what it was, but he said he couldn’t tell me. Not yet. And on the morning of the day he was murdered, he warned me. He had said if anything ever happened to him, that I shouldn’t trust anyone, even the police. That I should just get out of Tinley Town, go far, far away, and never come back.”
Mark frowned. “Why would he say that?”
Victor shrugged. “I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me more. And now I’ll never know because he’s gone forever.” He sighed and blinked, trying to dry the tears that threatened to escape.
Victor continued to tell him the graphic details of his father’s murder and when he was done, Mark rubbed his back and hugged him. “I’m so sorry for what you went through. And you had no one to talk to, just keeping it all inside you.” He kissed his cheek sweetly and hugged him tighter. “I’m here now for you and I will help you through this.”
Victor didn’t speak. He closed his eyes and hugged Mark back for a few minutes. Breaking free, he added, “This may sound crazy, but I have this uncontrollable feeling in the back of my mind that the killer is following me. He can see me. He knows who I am.”
Mark furrowed his brow. “You feel like he can see you now?”
Victor shook his head. “No, not now. This sounds so crazy!”
Mark tilted his head and shrugged. “It could be you’re paranoid. And I don’t blame you after what you’ve been through, what you saw. Or maybe you’re right. Maybe the killer has been following you ever since you ran out of your house door yesterday. Either way, you need to call the police. They need to investigate your father’s murder.”
Victor moved to stand, pure terror resonating from his eyes, his body. “I know, but whatever my dad was investigating was big, real big. He didn’t trust the police on it. And he said I shouldn’t, either!”
“Calm down. I’m not the enemy here, Victor. I’m your ally, your friend who wants to help you in any way I can.”
Victor sat back down, his eyes cast to the floor. “I’m sorry for over-reacting, but my nerves are rattled.”
 “I know.” Mark sighed, then after some thought added, “You still need to report your dad’s murder to the police. You can’t let his body rot, abandoned in the house. You also need to bury him.”
With the word “bury,” Victor’s eyes seemed to water. He blinked. “I know that. That’s why I plan on going back there today. Report the murder. But before that, I need to get my dad’s laptop and all his files on this mysterious case he didn’t want me knowing anything about.”
Mark’s heart began to beat faster. “No, you can’t. Your dad said it’s too dangerous. He said you should get out of Tinley Park and never go back.”
Victor gazed at him. He cupped his cheek and kissed him lightly on the lips. “You’re an amazing, sweet, kind guy, Mark. I can see in your eyes you’re worried.” He sighed. “But you have to understand that I’ll never be able to live with myself if I don’t solve this case. I need to know what my father was investigating and more importantly, I need to know who murdered him. I want justice served, my father’s murder avenged.”
“Even if it kills you?” Mark said, his voice cracking with stress.
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Covet Thy Neighbor
Sexy Men of Mystery, Book Two
By Jessica Frost
Genre: Erotic M/M Paranormal Romantic Suspense, vampires, light consensual BDSM, whipping, paddling
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Date of Publication: April 15th, 2013
Number of pages: 103
Word Count: 31,700
Cover Artist: Harris Channing
Buy Links:
Print: Amazon   BN
e-book:  Bookstrand  Amazon  Amazon.uk   Amazon.ca  BN  KOBO  Sony 
Book Description:
Detective Nicola Dupré is back at work after a six-month sick leave, but he’s still haunted by his sister’s tragic death. When Captain Moore gives him an unofficial undercover assignment to befriend the sexy, charming Nero Thorn, the erotic writer Nicola idolizes, he quickly accepts. He thinks it’s an easy job until he gets to know the mysterious BDSM author. Overwhelming emotions he can’t explain draw him ever closer to Nero.
Nero Thorn’s a recluse and he likes it that way. When he literally bumps into his shy, handsome new neighbor, Nicola Dupré, sparks fly. He’s drawn to Nicola like a moth to a fire and he quickly falls in love. But he has a dark, dangerous secret he’s kept hidden from the world for years. If Nicola ever finds out who he really is, he’ll run away in fear.
There’s a serial killer out there, and the murder of his sixth victim was written in Nero’s last novel before it ever happened. There’s a connection between Nero, the sixth victim, and the killer, and Nicola has to figure it out before the killer strikes again. 
Excerpt Covet Thy Neighbor:  
Nicola gazed at the book, then up at Adam, who peered at him with a curious look as if he waited for some type of reaction. “A book? You give me a book.” The poor lighting had Nicola turning and twisting the book so that the streetlight’s illumination a few feet away could beam on it. 
“Look at the name.” Adam gestured with his extended finger.  
Nicola’s brow lifted when he read the name Nero Thorn. “Look at that. One of my favorite erotic suspense authors has a new book out.” He flipped the trade paperback over to check out the back cover blurb, but the unreadable black print made him squint. “You shouldn’t have,” he joked. 
Adam’s eyes rolled. “It’s not a present.” 
Nicola nodded. “I figured that. But how is this book The Messenger’s Gift going to prepare me for my meeting with Captain Moore tomorrow?” 
“Read the back cover and see if it reminds you of anything.” 
Nicola groaned. “Sorry, I can’t see it. It’s too dark.” 
“Wait a second…”Adam took out his cell phone and slid his thumb on the screen until he found whatever he looked for. “I have the perfect app for just this situation.” All of a sudden a bright light beamed from the phone’s screen. 
“A cell phone and a flashlight, too. Will wonders never cease.” Nicola marveled at it. 
Adam half laughed. “I got a ton of apps just as cool as this that I can show you.” 
Nicola put up his hand. “Nope. Not interested. A cell phone was made to make calls, not be a multipurpose gadget.” 
Adam grumbled, turning off the light feature, and began to place the phone back in his pants pocket. “Fine, then forget the whole thing.” 
Feeling like a horse’s ass, Nicola halted his movement. “Sorry. Bad joke. But you know I’m not a tech geek.” He pointed a wagging index finger at the phone. “Go on, give it to me.” 
Once Adam did as he asked, Nicola began to read the blurb, which described one hell of premise. “Damn, that’s good,” he said once he finished. 
Adam gave him a big-eyed, sideways glance. “And?” 
“And what?” 
Adam rolled his eyes. “Doesn’t it remind you of a murder that happened here just two months ago?” 
Nicola shook his head. “Sorry. I hadn’t been keeping up with the news in Chicago. So, a dismembered body was found in this park?” 
Adam nodded. “Exactly how it’s described there in that book.”
 
Nicola frowned. “Well, it’s probably some whacko who wanted to make Nero’s fiction story reality.”
Adam shook his head. “No, can’t be.”
“Why?”
“Because the murder happened before this book was ever released.” Adam crossed his arms.
“So then Nero based his story on the murder.” Nicola shrugged.
Adam chuckled. “How could he base his story on a murder that still hadn’t happened?”
He shook his head. “What? You’re not making any sense, dude.”
Adam exhaled deeply and then answered, “Nero wrote the story a year ago, before the murder ever happened. But the story was only released a month after the murder happened.”
“Well, maybe the murderer got an advanced copy of the book and was inspired by it.”
Adam shook his head again. “Not possible as no advanced copy was available yet. The book was supposed to be released this week, but the publisher decided to publish it little more than a month after the murder happened. They thought it would boost sales. And they were right. Sales soared and it’s a best seller.”
Nicola stared at the copy. “Okay, that’s creepy and one hell of a coincidence. But I don’t get what it has to do with us and why we’re here talking about it.”
“Because, partner, that is what Captain Moore is going to talk to you about tomorrow.” 
“What? About the murder?”
Adam added, “Yeah, we’ve been assigned to the case. You and I. I’ve been working closely with the captain for the past month and he’s been prepping me.”
It dawned on Nicola. “Oh, so that’s why you know so much about this book and the murder.” He flipped the book in his hand as he stared at it. “So Nero is a suspect?”
“Sort of. But he has one hell of an alibi for the night of the murder. And reliable witnesses to back up his alibi, too.”
“Then he’s not the murderer.”
Adam tipped his head from right to left. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
Nicola stood and stretched his legs. A cramp had begun to form, tightening his neck and shoulder muscles. “Did Captain Moore tell you what I’ll be doing?”
“Oh, yeah. Since Nero isn’t considered an official suspect, it won’t be your everyday detective’s work. So you don’t have to take it if you don’t want to.”
Nicola knew that look Adam gave him. “Oh, no. It’s that bad?”
“Well, it depends on how you look at it. If moving into the condo next door to the sexy author who you once told me you’d do anything to have one night with, just to see if he’s as good in bed as the heroes in his stories, doesn’t appeal to you, then yes, it’s that bad.”
Nicola’s jaw dropped and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. “Excuse me! Did I hear correctly? The captain wants me to move into the condo next to Nero’s?”
 
Adam’s lips tightened and he nodded.
“What, as in an undercover operation?”
“Exactly! An unofficial undercover operation.” Adam pointed at him as if he had just deciphered a phrase in the game of charades.
“Why me? I’ve never done undercover work. What if I goof up and blow the whole operation?”
“You’re the best man for the job. You’re one of Nero’s biggest fans, and since you don’t yet feel up to working full-time in homicide at the precinct, it’s a good assignment to start getting your feet wet.”
Nicola sat down again and shook his head. 
Adam frowned. “Why are you doing that?”
“I’m still in shock. It’s like I’ve just been cast in the lead role for a story in The Twilight
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To Serve and Protect
Sexy Men of Mystery, Book One
By Jessica Frost
Genre: Erotic MM Paranormal Romantic Suspense, vampires, light consensual BDSM, whipping
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Date of Publication: January 4th, 2013
Number of pages: 84
Word Count: 25,727
Cover Artist: Harris Channing
 
Buy Links:
Print: Amazon   BN 
E-book: Bookstrand   Amazon  Amazon. uk  Amazon.ca  BN  KOBO  Sony 
Book Description: 
When Detective Jacob Brown arrives at the scene of a massacre, he sees a mysterious man escaping. One victim’s still alive. It’s Vincent Brewster, Jacob’s ex-lover who dumped him months ago, breaking his heart and then disappearing.
Later at the hospital, when Vincent sees the handsome detective, he thinks it’s love at first sight. Although Vincent can’t remember who he is, he’s sexually attracted to Jacob.
While Vincent wants to get closer to him, Jacob wants to run away.
But the killer’s still loose. Jacob must protect Vincent and help him get his memory back. This means he has to remind him of their past, including the bondage sex they enjoyed. He vows to do whatever it takes to get Vincent to remember. When his and Vincent’s feelings of love resurface, it’s hard to resist Vincent’s seduction.
What they don’t know is Vincent and the serial killer now have a connection—a supernatural one. And the killer’s coming for him. Can Jacob protect Vincent and help him get his memory back before the killer finds him?
Excerpt To Serve and Protect :
“Man, sometimes I hate my job,” Troy Adams, Jacob’s partner of three years, said as he walked ahead through the debris and darkness in the narrow alley.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Jacob looked at him, noting his friend pinched his nose in disgust when he turned to face him.
“But like it or not, we have to scout it out. Captain’s orders.” Troy shrugged.
Jacob huffed, nodding. Troy was right. They had no choice.
The anonymous call the station received an hour ago led them to this search. The robotic voice claimed a third body in The Cleansing Killings would be found here. It was only the twelfth call of this sort they had received this week. All the others had led Jacob and Troy, the detectives assigned to the killings, on a wild-goose chase. Odds were this one would turn out the same.
Yet he couldn’t quite shrug off the funny feeling crawling up his spine that danger lurked not that far off. The peculiar sensation that someone was watching from the shadows in the corner behind them kept haunting him. He twitched as a cold and then hot bolt of panic possessed his body.
Damn it, relax, Jacob! Pull yourself together. He needed to calm down. Big time! Five years on the police force and three years as homicide detective had conditioned him to always be prepared, never lose his cool. He knew if he did, he could put his life, or worse the life of his partner or an innocent civilian’s, in jeopardy. But knowing this didn’t help him at all. His fears and untamable imagination had thrown him a curveball he couldn’t control.
He tried to direct his mind off his paranoia by taking several deep breaths. Speeding in his gait, he opened his mouth to say he should lead and Troy could follow him, when his partner stopped in his tracks. Unprepared, Jacob almost plowed into him. Jumping to the side to avoid the collision, he cursed. “Watch where you’re going.”
His friend and partner didn’t hear him. He was too busy taking out his gun from his hidden holster and shouting, “You over there, freeze!”
Jacob gazed in the direction Troy aimed his gun while reaching for his own. About ten yards ahead of them two lifeless bodies lay on the ground and someone was crouched over one of them. The giant male held what looked like a machete over the torso.
When the mysterious person heard Troy’s warning, he stood up and darted over the body, heading in the opposite direction.
Troy sprinted after him, shouting back to Jacob, “We got him. It’s a dead end up ahead. He’s got nowhere to run.”
“You go after him and I’ll check on them.” Jacob motioned as he ran to the two men lying on the ground.
The second he reached them, he knew it was too late. At least for one of them. One of the men, who appeared older and shorter, lay on his back, his chest split open and his heart cut out. This was The Cleansing Killings killer’s signature MO, no doubt. The two other recovered bodies had had their hearts cut out of their chest cavities in the same barbaric way. And later, after the coroner did an autopsy, they were found to have had their blood drained from their bodies, as well. What a sick bastard they had on their hands with this case.
 
In his line of work, Jacob should be used to seeing this type of mutilation on dead bodies, but he still cringed and shuddered every time he first laid eyes on the dead victims, the exposed flesh, and the gore. Jacob’s stomach lurched and he tried to hold back the bile and the tacos he ate for dinner that kept threatening to regurgitate back into his esophagus.
It was too late for this man, but what about the other? The other victim lay on his right side, his back facing Jacob. Jacob quickly knelt and felt the man’s pulse. It was weak but steady. He sighed in relief. As he let go of his wrist, the man moaned and turned onto his back. The streetlight above them beamed on him then.
In utter shock, Jacob stared at the familiar face. He felt the blood drain from his head, and his limbs went weak. Dizziness overcame him and the taco dinner finally won the battle with his stomach, rising up and escaping his mouth. Vomit spewed to the ground in front of him, splashing his black leather shoes.
Once the flood ended, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand. His throat and tongue felt like they were on fire.
From his peripheral vision, he saw Troy quickly making his way back to him alone, no apprehended suspect in tow. He said, cringing as he stared at the mess at Jacob’s feet, “Oh, that is nasty.”
Quickly recovering, Jacob whisked his cell phone out and made an emergency call to 911 on the police department’s direct line. “We need an ambulance at Park and Beacon Street ASAP. A man is wounded and another dead.”
He stared at the unconscious man while worry ran through his mind. Please, let him be all right.
Troy glanced at the dead body and said, “The killer got away. I thought I had him. There was no way he could have escaped, but somehow he did. One second he was there running, and the next it’s like he disappeared into thin air.”
Jacob didn’t speak, didn’t move.
Troy asked, “Did you hear me?”
He only nodded, unable to break his gaze from the unconscious, injured victim.
Troy snapped his fingers in front of Jacob’s face. “Earth calling Jacob Brown. You in there?”
Jacob blinked several times before looking up at Troy. Yet, he didn’t reply.
Worry overtook Troy’s features. “What the hell is going on with you, Jacob? You all right? Are you dizzy or sick? Do I need to call an ambulance for you, too?”
Jacob shook his head. “I’m all right.”
“Then why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”
His gaze returned to the injured man, and he said in a low voice, barely a whisper, “I know the victim. We were lovers.”
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About the Author:
Jessica Frost has always had a passion for fiction and the written word. Add to that her wild, vivid imagination and her pure romantic tendencies and she soon realized she had the traits needed to become a romance author. She decided to take the very big first step not that long ago and wrote her first erotic romance story. And she has not looked back since.
Being a romance writer is a dream come true for her. Having the opportunity to create fantasy worlds where anything and everything can happen is an amazing feeling. She hopes these worlds and the delightful characters she creates will bring hours of enjoyment to her readers as they have done for her. 
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