Book 1 on sale & book 2 release date & a sneak peek

Ok, so yes... I am running behind. But hey, it's not all my fault, my editor is slacking too. By slacking, I mean managing her real life (since I don't pay her to edit... yet). Working full time while trying to write, rewrite and edit kind of sucks, but hey... one day, right?

So... tentative release date for book 2... I'm going to say Oct. 20, but I hope that it will be more like the 15th. Excited? I hope so, because this story just keeps getting crazier!

AND... book 1 is now 99 cents everywhere, and will most likely stay that way for a while. Spread the word, get it cheap, and please, please, please, PLEASE leave a review somewhere!!!

Finally, for those who miss Tori & Ryn, here's a lil' some-something from book 2 for you!

WARNING: contains naughty bits!

~*~

 

 

         “You know,” Tori barked, “I am quite capable of sitting in a chair, Smoky.”

Ryn only smiled, pissing her off even more. “Yeah, but why would you want to when you have this?” He held his hands out, offering himself to her, then reached out and yanked her onto his lap.

Tori sighed and snuggled against him. “Kind of hard to pack like this, babe.” Despite her protests, her hands traveled up Ryn’s chest, over his shoulders, up his neck and into his hair.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said, “about your riding back home.”

“I told you; I’m not riding bitch on my own bike. Hell, no.”

“I get that, baby,” he said, the endearment sending a tiny shudder through her, “but I still want to go with you. I’m thinking I should buy a bike.”

Tori pictured Ryn in leather, straddling a steel beast. That, she thought, was a most excellent idea. She told him so, then emphasized the point by kissing him senseless.

He flipped her around so that she was straddling him, then took control of the kiss, tangling his hands in her hair. Fuck packing, she thought, breaking the kiss long enough to yank her shirt over her head. Ryn groaned, burying his face in her chest. She could feel his smile against her skin.

“Something funny?” she panted.

“I’m just damn happy that you’re so cooperative now. Not that these aren’t worth working for,” he mumbled before clamping his mouth down on her nipple. Tori grabbed his head and held him against her.

“That’s really nice of you to say,” she said on a sigh, “but Ryn?”

“Yeah?” he answered around her flesh.

“Shut up,” she said, pushing harder on his head.

 

 

~*~  Faetal Illusion - Oct. 20  ~*~



Random Snippet: Abel is Tested

Out of the blue, the bedroom door flew open as Tori burst into the room.

“Jesus!” Abel cried out, gasping for air and looking over to make sure he didn't wake up Mae.

“Come on,” Tori barked at him. What was happening? He didn't think he'd done anything wrong.

Abel took off down the hall, all but running to keep up with Tori as she stomped up the stairs and out the back door. She marched up to a pile of swords laying in the grass and stopped, spinning to face him. Her hands landed on her hips and she nodded toward the pile.

“Choose one,” she said sharply.

Good God, she intended to kill him.

“I can't fight you,” he said, staring at the pile warily. “Did I offend you somehow?”

“What?” She looked confused, then snorted. “We're not going to duel. I can slap you with a glove if you'd like, though.” She grinned, looking so much like Mae in that moment. “I've always wanted to do that.”

“Possibly some other time.”

“Then choose,” she waved at the pile. “We're just going to test your skills a bit, see what you got.”

“See if I have magick...” he said quietly.

“Yes,” she said, smiling as she appraised him again, “that's right. Although, we know you have something. It's fucking amazing, by the way. Congratulations on that shit.”

“Thanks,” he chuckled, relaxing enough to study the swords.

“And the whole rescue-by-mural thing? Bravo. That was brilliant. Really...” The purest of emotions flashed through her eyes for just a second. “Thank you, Abel. You saved my sister.”

He wasn't used to Tori showing any kind of vulnerability, and it choked him up.

“Abel?” she said, cocking her head.

“Yeah?”

“I dig you, I really do, but if you cry, this sparring match will become a real fight. Got it?”

“Got it,” he said, his eyes wide. He might have actually gulped. He hoped not.

Then she smiled- yes, it was a bit sinister, but still a smile- and whispered, “Choose.”

 

 

Faetal Illusion - Late 2013

Poor Lea (a random snippet)

   “Why are you trying to enthrall me?” she asked quietly.

His eyes widened in surprise. “I’m not,” he assured her, “but I find it very satisfying that you’re enthralled by me.” He was sliding under her bedspread, turning down her side. “Now, come to bed.”

Once again, her traitorous body inserted itself right beside him. They were all cozy and warm. Son of a bitch.

“No cuddling,” she warned him, hoping he didn’t hear the quiver in her voice.

Dain touched the lamp to turn it off, then chuckled quietly in the dark. “For now,” he said gruffly.

Though Dain fell asleep right away, it was a long time before Lea could get comfortable. Obviously, he had some kind of agenda, but she didn’t have a clue as to what it might be. Unless it was to drive her crazy, in which case he was doing a stupendous job so far.

Sleep finally rescued Lea from the awkwardness of being so close to Dain. Unfortunately, he was right there waiting for her in her dreams.

 

 

Faetal Illusion
Late 2013

Sneak preview from book 2

A little something from the current book... my sister Laura and I chose this passage to share, because it's a rare glimpse at an emotional Mae. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

 

The most important achievement of humans, in Mae’s opinion, was coffee. Well, that and the disco ball. And french-fries.

Mae closed her eyes as her latte warmed her throat and tickled her taste buds. “Liquid ambrosia,” she muttered happily.

 

“Excuse me, Miss,” a soft, frail voice said from behind her.

 

Mae turned around to face an elderly, human male with hardly any hair, a million wrinkles, and kind eyes. Familiar eyes.

 

“Yes?” she said, searching those eyes in hopes of sparking some kind of recognition. It was there, at the edge of her mind, but she just couldn’t figure out where she knew him from.

 

“This may sound strange, but are you related to… that is,” he shuffled nervously as he tried to find the right words. Clearing his throat, he started again. “My name is Marcus Allerby.”

 

His wrinkled hand reached out and she took it, shaking it gently. His skin was so soft. As memories of her beloved Marcus rushed back to her, emotion caught in her throat, and Mae had to blink hard to keep the tears away.

 

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Allerby,” she managed. “I’m Mae.”

 

Marcus smiled, and for an instant, it was her Marcus that stood before her. “Mae,” he said softly, “that was her name. You look just like her.” His voice was wistful. “Just like her.”

 

“My grandmother’s name was Mae,” she lied. “They say I look just like she did at my age.”

 

He accepted that, as well as the bits and pieces of her grandmother’s history that she gave him. It was enough to convince Marcus that he had the right granddaughter, and they spent the next hour chatting about the past.

 

She’d met Marcus just after WWII had ended, on his first night home, in fact. He was handsome and charming and the sweetest boy Mae had met in a very long time. The romance had been brief but intense. She’d loved him. With all of her heart. But…

 

He was human, and he wasn’t her anam-cara… but mostly, he was human, so she couldn’t hold on to him. Marcus would eventually grow old and Mae wouldn’t, and unfortunately, only Mae understood that. So, in typical Mae fashion, she’d disappeared.

 

Never had she thought, even in the middle of a Reckoning, that she’d see this man again. But here he was, telling Mae her own memories and shattering her heart with his quiet words and his twinkling eyes. Marcus wasn’t bitter about the past. He didn’t understand Mae’s disappearance, but had decided, as the years went by, to let go of wondering and just hang on to the memories they’d shared.

He'd married a beautiful woman that he truly loved, and had five grown children and a gaggle of grandchildren. As he proudly showed off the pictures of his family, Mae choked down the overwhelming urge to explain everything. Suddenly, it was very important to her that Marcus understand what had happened, though she knew it was impossible to tell him the truth.

He'd had a good life and he had wonderful memories of a lost love. Mae had to leave things as they were, not only for his sake, but for her own.

 

As they said good-bye, Marcus took her hand and kissed it sweetly, wishing her well and thanking her for her time. It was bittersweet for Mae, and a good reminder of why she did not get involved with humans anymore. By the time she reached her apartment door, the tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and she was helpless to stop the memories rolling through her head.

 

Thankfully, the apartment was empty. Mae flopped down on the couch and blew across her palm, allowing the memories to play themselves out. The crying ended as the exhaustion took over, and her heavy eyelids slid closed as Mae and a very young, very handsome Lieutenant Allerby danced the night away in her hand.

 

 

 

Faetal Illusion (late 2013)