Summer Reads Blog Hop

Summer Reads!

Know the great thing about summer? Sitting outside with a really good book, enjoying the gorgeous weather. In the summer, I adore reading super sexy books filled with action and danger. Seriously, what's hotter than a summer day? An alpha male :)

Hop Blurb

Summer's in full swing! Come in out of the heat and check out our favorite Summer Reads! Each blog will feature their favorites and a giveaway so visit them all! Plus there's a Grand Prize giveaway happening too!

I will be giving away a 5 dollar Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. That winner just may be you. Leave a comment telling me what your favorite summer read is! You MUST leave your email address so I can contact you.

Click the link to keep hopping!

An InLinkz Link-up

Getting By Claudia Burgoa Spotlight

Getting By (A Knight’s Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa is a new-adult contemporary romance novel, published February 18, 2014.

Synopsis:

When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.

Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

Excerpt:

“You sure about being here?” She nodded, answering my question. Then I slipped one of the migraine pills in her hand and opened a bottle of water. I noticed that Mom and Dad had walked over to Gaby, who waited for them on the corner of the street. After gulping her medicine and water, she handed the bottle over to me. “Text me if you need me to pick you up earlier, Pretty Girl.” She nodded again and I kissed her temples. “Liam, can you walk her to the shop, please?”

Mitch couldn’t hold his tongue any longer, and spoke up, saying, “What was that about?” I glared at him. “Mom being too quiet is scary, right? You want to throw her at her own game? Am I next to be extremely nice with Emma, as if she was my girl?” I grinned, he got me. “Pointers for it to work. Try to change your concerned look, stop drooling and perhaps Mom might believe you.” I narrowed my eyes. “Yeah, it was that obvious since we hit the hotel restaurant at eight this morning, Jay. You were too couple-like. Let’s run you through the breakfast highlights.

“You spotted the girl and ran to her whispering in her ear, giving her a stupid smile I’ve never seen you wear before.” I smirked, remembering the fork, and snorted. Ignoring me, he continued, “At breakfast you two were sitting too close for comfort. Not even Mom and Dad were that close. The best part wasn’t the medicine errand you ran for her. No.” No? I put a hand on the back of my neck and continued listening to the play by play that made me look like a moron in love. “The freaky part, where everyone dropped their jaw at the table, was when Emma reached toward your plate and grabbed strips of your bacon.” I shrugged, what was wrong with it? “Not once, but several times. No one is allowed to touch your food, Jake. Ever since we were little, you hated it. Yet, Emma touched your food, and while she was doing it, you were a millimeter from kissing her. You two are too comfortable with each other, and the daunting part, Jake, is that the two of you fit so well that you don’t realize how wrong everything looked for the ones that don’t know about your relationship.”

“Or for the ones that know you two broke up,” Liam added. I didn’t notice when he came back. “The parental units are suspicious, Jake. Come clean and put some space between you and Emma before Mom chooses the wedding location and makes Dad buy the two of you a house next door to theirs.”

“Did you have to deal with the TMI all the time, Li?” Mitch shivered after Liam nodded with a blank stare. “I never checked to see if the girl I slept with used the pill or not. Add to that the hot factor that she carries condoms in her magic bag.”

“It’s different when you’re with a girl for more than one n—” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Can we not talk about my girl?” I gulped after uttering the last two words and began to think about some form of rehabilitation to move on.

 Goodreads link

 Amazon link

Barnes and Noble link

This is the first book in the 4 book series.  The second book will be released later this year. 

About the Author:

Claudia lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. While managing life, she works as a CFO at a small IT Company. She’s a dreamer who enjoys music, laughter and a good story. Claudia writes romance, sci-fi, and fantasy. She has published two novels: Where Life Takes You and Getting By. Claudia is currently working on Standing By, the second book in the Knight series. For 2014, Claudia plans to released three, perhaps four novels.

Website: http://www.claudiayburgoa.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202946.Claudia_Y_Burgoa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaYBurgoa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yuribeans

Return of my (in)sanity

Hello my lovelies! I know I don't update my blog like I should, but I'm sure that's no surprise to many of you. For those who haven't been following my journey, I struggle with anxiety and sensory processing issues. Last year, I let things get too overwhelming and completely vanished for a while. Now, I'm trying to manage things a bit better, yet I still have to disappear for a bit at a time.

Recently, I had the awesome opportunity to go to Lori Foster's RAGT and it was a BLAST. I met so many amazing authors and readers and I'm one step closer to fulfilling the job of my dreams by becoming a full-time author. I can't even begin to describe how exciting it was, but it was also stressful for me. I do well one on one and I had some coping mechanisms in place, but being around that many people and that much noise was very difficult. Combine that with the week before having a different kind of insanity with my best friend having her baby 5 weeks early, and it was a perfect storm. Then there was the weekend after RAGT where I had a signing and my sister's baby shower. Suffice it to say, I've needed to decompress.

As you've probably figured out, Waking the Phoenix is still not released yet. With the pressures of everything going on (I haven't even mentioned what's happening in my day job), I couldn't give the book the attention it, and my readers, deserve. I'm so blessed to have an amazing publisher who encourages me to focus on my writing instead of meeting the deadline when I'm stressed out beyond belief.

Things are calming now so it's back into the writing! I'll be finishing Waking the Phoenix, and I'll also be working on my new project, Dante. I pitched this at RAGT to Carina Press and also had a critique session with the editorial director of Carina and she's so excited about it :) This will be a paranormal romance line completely separate from my Mythrian Realm.

As always, thank you all so much for your support. I couldn't do what I love without you all, especially the encouragement you all give me as I share my struggles. I truly adore writing and one day, it'll be my full time career. Until that day, I'll do my best to squeeze it in :)

I do love hearing from readers so please, if you've enjoyed any of my books, feel free to email me at pa.lindsayavalon AT gmail DOT com. Also, please take the time to leave a short review and find me on Facebook. I should have some more updates and snippets soon!

Caught in a cycle of life, death and rebirth…

Cursed with immortality, Nicolei believes the vampire blood coursing through his veins means he will forever be alone. As he prowls through the countryside, draining peasants one after another, his hatred for his existence only grows. Until one night fate shows him a life of possibilities with a beauty that deserved more than a dingy tavern. Claiming Katarina was easy; taming her was more of a challenge. She would be the life or death of him with her mischief, but her bewitching ways would keep him chasing her for centuries.

Is it merely Déjà vu or fate that brings us together?

Rispa takes refuge in New Orleans during a desperate attempt to escape a treacherous life with her sadistic husband, Thorn. Drawn to the Big Easy by an unknown force, she prays the spirits said to haunt the city will protect her. Her senses come alive while walking the streets of the French Quarter, and an intriguingly familiar woman named Onyx enters her life. As their passions rise, whispered voices and memories of the past help unlock the secrets of their souls…

Immortal or mortal, can love truly last the ages?

Buy it on: Amazon or Nook

CHAPTER SIX

Onyx woke as the sun’s bright rays pierced the room. Stumbling out of bed, she cursed under her breath for not closing the curtains the night before. With one hand over her eyes to shield them from the light, she made her way to the windows pulling the curtains closed. Welcoming the darkness again, she approached the bed to gaze at the lovely Rispa, still in peaceful slumber. The last twelve hours sent her life into a whirlwind. A woman she’d dreamt about walked into her life yesterday. It’d started out as a normal day. Today she felt like she was stumbling down a long black top road, not knowing what might jump out in front of her. Rispa’d started a chain reaction of events when she entered the shop yesterday. Okay, here was the damsel to rescue, now what? After hearing Rispa’s story, Onyx knew a battle was yet to come. Onyx was aware of their past lives together. She’d dreamt of this woman her entire life and knew Rispa was the one she’d been chasing for centuries, one lifetime after another. They would be born, find each other and end tragically at the hands of their enemy time and time again. I always have to rescue her. And here once again, it’s him. Do we have to do this every time?

Onyx returned to bed and snuggled beside the sleeping. Trying to fall asleep again, she realized she’d been waiting for Rispa by the water in her dream, but she never came. She wondered if she concentrated now, could she find Rispa in her reverie and take her back to the beginning where they first met all those centuries ago. Traveling back to that time might open Rispa’s eyes to the connection between them. When sleep overcame Onyx again she searched for Rispa through the dimensions of her dreams. She had a hunch as to where to find her. Rispa was still a lost soul adrift in this lifetime, so Onyx went to the one place she knew was a safe haven—the clearing in the woods.

Making her way through the trees Onyx saw Rispa sitting in the middle of the clearing, knees drawn to her chest. A dark shadow loomed over her, keeping her captive. She made her way toward Rispa as the shadow shrank back and disappeared. When they were in this dimension together, the smoky apparition was powerless.

Onyx moved like lightning to Rispa and placed a hand on her shoulder. She called Rispa by her first given name, “Katarina.”

Rispa looked over her shoulder to see Onyx standing behind her. She struggled to stand like she was trying to escape a puddle of molasses.

Facing one another, Onyx looked deep into Rispa’s soul through the windows of her eyes hoping for recognition.

When their eyes locked and their souls met, the trees around them and the ground beneath them faded away. The dimensions of the shared dream shifted as time unwound. The trees around them were replaced by buildings and the dirt beneath them turned into cobblestone streets.

The two found themselves in a dim alleyway. Onyx pushed Rispa against the crumbling exterior of a building. Rispa’s hands were pinned above her head, held tight in Onyx’s grip. Looking down, Rispa realized she was wearing a long burgundy velvet dress. As she wiggled beneath Onyx’s hold, she found it was hard to breathe. She felt the laces of the corset pressing into her back and how tight it cinched around her waist.

“Am I dreaming?” Rispa asked.

Onyx fed more of her weight to Rispa, putting her lips to her ear. “A dream you say?”

Rispa tried to move, but every time she did, Onyx pushed harder against her.

She felt Onyx’s breath in her ear again. It caused goose bumps to form on her arms. “Do you remember the very first time we met…Katarina?”

Struggling against Onyx’s vice-like grip, Rispa tried to free herself. It was no use. She was no match for Onyx’s strength. “What did you call me?”

“I called you Katarina. You must remember that name,” Onyx’s lips traced a kiss on her neck.

Rispa’s heart raced. Her pulse beat rampant. Warmth spread throughout her body causing her to feel her own blood coursing through every vein in her body. The mortar from the bricks pierced her skin through the soft fabric of her dress as Onyx ground her hips against her. Memories flooded Rispa’s mind. “Yes, I know who you are.”

Onyx repositioned Rispa’s wrists so she could hold them with one hand. She used her other to lift Rispa’s dress high enough to put her hand beneath it. Once her palm touched Rispa’s flesh, she moved it up, teasing.

Rispa moaned in pleasure. Onyx kissed the pulsating vein of Rispa’s neck and sucked the skin between her teeth.

Onyx’s mouth watered with anticipation, breathing in innocence and the metallic scent of blood. She moved her hand up Rispa’s thigh, pausing to press her thumb hard against the pulsating artery on the inside. She felt heat emanating from between Rispa’s legs. Tugging harder at the silky skin of her neck, Onyx suppressed the urge to rip her skin to shreds. Instead she quickened her rhythm, rocking her hips harder and faster against Rispa. As a scream escaped Rispa’s lips, Onyx slowed her pace, moving her hand upward to the moist folds of Rispa’s sex. She rubbed back and forth until Rispa was so drenched she could hear the slippery connection. With her thumb on Rispa’s clit, she pressed down hard, and slid her finger deep inside her channel. Onyx’s body responded as the crotch of her pants became soaked. Rispa clenched around Onyx’s fingers as they moved in perfect rhythm thrusting in and out. Their climaxes built as sweat beaded on their skin. It was a slow passionate heat rising from the core and spreading throughout every inch of their bodies. Energy glowed around the two, illuminating the darkness with bright blue light.

You can STALK .....I mean FOLLOW Cozie on Facebook

Cozie is a true Southern Belle, born and raised in LA (Lower Alabama). She moved to Mississippi in 1992 to attend Belhaven College and decided to make the state her home. Today she is a full time paralegal, mother of three and has a crazy obsession with vampires and bats. She has two vampire and nineteen bat tattoos. Her fascination with the undead spilled over into her writing. She puts a new spin on the typical vampire in her book Blood & Roses which takes place in her favorite place to be…New Orleans. Writing this novel was not just a task, but a spiritual journey for Cozie. Much of this book is based on her personal experiences intricately weaved into her storyline and disguised as fiction.

Dangerous Protector by Milly Taiden

Welcome to the Dangerous Protector Cover Reveal!

 Dangerous Protector is Book 2 in the Federal Paranormal Unit.

 (Pssst! You should begin this awesome series with Wolf Protector. Meet Trent, Erica and the gang and enjoy a #1 bestselling paranormal erotic suspense!)

So without further ado…*drum rolls please*

Dangerous Protector

Federal Paranormal Unit 2

If you run from love, you're asking for a chase...

James Brock lived the past ten years without the woman he loves. Using his job as head of the Federal Paranormal Unit to help others, he's done a good job of ignoring his lack of a personal life until she returns. His salvation. His first love.

Cynthia Vega had a very good reason to leave the only man she loved after she'd accepted his marriage proposal. Now she's back as his boss. And he's not willing to ignore their chemistry or the past.

Brock is determined to claim his mate and prove that their passion is even hotter than before. He wants her and her explanation behind their separation. Except, some secrets won't stay buried in the past. Brock will fight his demons to follow her lead, but Cynthia's reluctance to explain their lost love may be the one key to their destruction...

Add Dangerous Protector to your GoodReads TBR Pile!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21881163-dangerous-protector

Book Trailer – Check out this sexiness!

Excerpt

Dangerous Protector
© Milly Taiden, Latin Goddess Press 2014
Chapter One

Sirens blared. One after another the police cruisers and fire department vehicles sped by in a rush. A honk sounded from behind James Brock’s SUV. He glanced over his shoulder.
“This moron is trying to cause an accident,” Tony Ramirez, one of the Federal Paranormal Unit team members, yelled at the rearview mirror.
Brock glanced over his shoulder. A black Sedan tailed close behind them. Too close.
Ramirez gripped the wheel so hard his tanned knuckles turned white. “I’m already doing eighty.”
“Tony, let them by.”
There was something big going on. He curled his hands into fists in his lap. He knew what it was. They all knew.
“Where do you think they’re all going, Brock?” The concern in Jane Donovan’s voice momentarily choked him. Her soft lilt reminded him of his mother’s voice. At first appearance, you’d think Donovan was a weak woman, but make her angry, and you’d have hell to pay.
Tension turned palpable with its own heartbeat in the fast-moving SUV.
“I can take a wild guess.”
They made a sharp corner on a bend into a dirt road. The SUV skidded on its wheels for a second. Everyone held on while they bounced in their seats.
“Jesus H. Christ, Ramirez! Can you not to get us killed before we get there,” Donovan growled.
“Sorry, cariño, but there is no time to be worried about your delightful ass bouncing on the seat when we have to find a missing kid.”
“I told you to stop calling me darling!”
“Ramirez…” Brock sighed.
Their constant bickering wasn’t unusual, so he ignored it and focused on the scene ahead. Multiple police cars parked outside the house he’d called the local PD on. The house he knew had the latest missing person they had been searching for.
“Oh, God!” Fear laced Donovan’s whisper.
They were thinking the same thing. That whoever kidnapped little Kyler Jones had killed her. That his request for the county to get to the house in question had been too late. His gaze roamed the area through the darkness of the early evening. Multitudes of tall willows surrounded the large house set in the middle of nowhere. Perfect. If he’d been looking for a place to do some of the things the person in that house was known for, this was the right spot. There wasn’t a body around for miles. Nobody to get help. Nobody to hear the screams.
Ramirez hadn’t fully stopped when Brock jumped out of the SUV, his feet hitting the ground with a thump. Immediate perspiration gathered on his upper lip. The humidity from August had brought intense heat. Though it was closing in on nighttime, the air sizzled with the high temperature from earlier.
He ran for the SWAT van. Instinct told him they’d know more than the local sheriff’s department. Radios beeped. Concern expanded in his chest. Everyone seemed to want an update on the situation. He recognized one of the FBI department heads—Martin Galvez—standing off to the side of the SWAT van.
The older man stopped mid-sentence to give him one of his degrading piercing glares. “Brock. What are you doing here?” Command oozed from his Latin accent.
Brock glanced from Galvez to the other two lower ranked agents. Took both men all of a second to move away. That allowed him and Galvez to talk.
“This is our case. We found Kyler Jones through intense searching of phone records and—”
“Save it,” Galvez cut him off. He turned away from Brock to study the area.
“How are you going to retrieve the child? Do we know if she’s alive?” Brock tried to tamp down the surge of power dancing through his veins. It wasn’t usually difficult to do. He’d mastered his darkness. But Galvez had a tendency of pushing his anger. The older man’s attitude lit a fire in his stomach.
Galvez smirked. “We have a man who went in through the back.”
Gathered men and women avidly stared at the house. Watching. Waiting. Brock knew there were no guarantees of getting the child out alive. They all knew that. It’s what made his job that much harder.
Power swirled at his fingertips. He need only know what to do, and he could end the entire thing in a matter of seconds. “Do you need me to—”

“What I need, is for you to keep yourselves out of the way,” Galvez ordered.
Anger licked at his skin, growing at the speed of a derailed train. He shot a glance at Galvez. For a split second, Galvez paled.
“I’d watch how you talk to people, Galvez,” Brock said, no longer caring that his voice sounded hard. Steely. Deadly.
An explosion rocked the ground. He jerked his gaze to the house. Flames consumed the structure. Screams and shouts filled the night. Men moved in all directions toward the house, but gunfire blasted through the shouts. Brock’s muscles tightened.
“Can we do anything?” Donovan yelled over the sirens and shouts. She ran a hand over her mussed up ponytail. Her fingers shook. He saw the desperate need to help in her eyes. It went against her nature not to.
Brock shook his head. “We wait.”
The thought of doing nothing didn’t appeal to him either. In fact, it was hell to hold back and not run into the house and get the kid himself. His power shoved outward. Pushing to get out. To take control.
“Finally!” Galvez sighed.
Brock’s vision followed Galvez’s line of sight until he saw a woman running out through the flames with a bundle covered in a dripping blanket.
Breaths thundered in his ears. Everything narrowed until the only thing he saw was her. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Was his mind playing a trick on him? After all these years? But no, it wasn’t a trick. She was soaking wet as she ran from the burning house toward them. Paramedics surrounded her and took the covered bundle from her arms. She was gasping for air, coughing through the smoke she’d inhaled before she finally glanced up and met his gaze.
He didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, watching everything like a spectator versus an active participant. The beast inside him roared. After all the years they’d been apart, after she’d left him for no apparent reason, she was back. He watched her march toward him. Her dark gaze slid from him to Galvez.
In the background, firemen fought the burning house. Sirens continued to blare. Loud. Driving the point that chaos had ensued around them. But he couldn’t find it in him to care. His sole focus was on the woman he’d loved. Hard. The woman who’d left him.
Cynthia Vega.
“Vega.” Galvez’s tone was clipped. “What took you so long?”
Her brows dipped low, eyes flashing. “Get over it. I got the child out alive. That was my main concern. I did what was needed. If it took all night…” She shrugged. “It would have taken all night.”
The black T-shirt soaked and plastered to her brown skin, showing off the curves Brock had always loved. Curves he’d kissed, licked, and bit in the heat of passion.
Brock’s hands itched to grab her. Power surged inside him. Dark. Deadly. It swarmed his veins and expanded through his limbs in a wave of heat. A haze of red clouded his vision.
Cynthia met his gaze. Her perfectly arched brows rose. “Brock.”
He took a deep breath. Inhaled the soft scent of Jasmine she loved to wear. Fear seeped from her pores, mingling with the sweet Jasmine scent. But this wasn’t the time or place to discuss their past.
“Vega.”
Pain flashed through her eyes for a millisecond before she went back to the detached professional. But he’d seen it. Knew that she’d heard the anger in the way he’d softly growled her name. She folded her arms over her chest. Defensive. He’d gotten to know each of her quirks. This was her I’m-not-at-fault move.
“We don’t need you here, Brock.” Galvez’s voice broke through the tension between him and Cynthia.
He eyed the older man. Saw the curious way he glanced back and forth between them.
“As you can see, we have it under control. You and your—” Galvez’s gaze slid over Brock’s shoulder to where Donovan and Ramirez stood behind him. “Team can go. The child’s safe.”
He wanted to argue with Galvez, but it wasn’t his fault Cynthia had messed with his concentration.
Cynthia swallowed hard. Indecision skated her features. He gave her a slow once-over before turning on his heel to face Donovan and Ramirez. “Let’s go.”
“But—”
“The child’s safe, Donovan. That’s what we came for.”
Confusion sparked in the depths of her eyes. “Are you sure she’s okay?”
“I wouldn’t leave otherwise.”
That was the absolute truth. All his team members knew it. He’d never leave a crime scene unless the victim was safe or— in a worst-case scenario he was much too familiar with—dead. While his gift was seen as a dark destructive force, he preferred to use it for the safe return of those victims he could help find.
Donovan gave a quick nod. He marched past her toward the SUV, leaving her and Ramirez to follow.
“Relax, babe. If he says the kid’s okay, then the kid’s okay,” Ramirez whispered at Brock’s back.
“Will you please stop calling me babe?” Donovan hissed.
“Brock!” The sound of Cyn’s yell reached him just as he was about to hop into the passenger side of his vehicle.
He stopped. The frustration he was tamping down surged all over again. She reached him a moment later, still panting from the run out of the burning house.
“I just want to say…thank you.” Her gaze dropped down to his mouth. Lust bubbled up inside him. At her slow lick of her lips, he had to grit his teeth to stop himself from hauling her to him. To taste her. “I know your team found the child.” She met his gaze. Desire sparkled in the depths of her hazel eyes. “I appreciate it.”
The beast he never allowed control roared inside, demanding a taste of her lips. Ah, those lips. She had the full luscious bow shaped lips that he knew were soft, decadent, and fit perfectly against his. Her lips, along with every abundant curve on her sexy body, had been his downfall.
“You don’t need to thank me. This is our job.”
“I know I don’t need to thank you. But you and your team…” She glanced over his shoulder into the SUV. Ramirez and Donovan were actively studying them with interest. “You got her and called for help before anything could happen. You saved this child.”
He gripped the door handle. “No. We found her. You saved her.”
“James…”
The hairs on his arms rose. Something unlocked inside him. Her husky voice, pitched with that sexy Latin accent, was like a punch to the gut. It was low, so low over the still blaring sirens, over the shouts from the firefighters, if he hadn’t had enhanced hearing, he’d never have heard it. None of that mattered. To hear her say his name so softly instantly brought back memories of another time, another place. A time when they’d done much more than mere talking. She shifted. His attention was drawn to her chest. The material of her top plastered to her body, showing off her full breasts.
Ignore it.
He pushed the unwanted memories and feelings back. “You got the kid, Vega. That’s what matters.”
Hurt clouded her eyes. Should he care that she’d been hurt because he called her by her last name? No. He couldn’t care. She’d left him and never returned. Until now. Those emotions weren’t part of him any longer.
“Brock—”
He turned his back on her. He’d never done it before, but he did it now. Dammit, he hadn’t expected it to be so hard. He hopped into the SUV. Shut the door. And shut her out. Fuck. It filled his chest with a dull pain to leave her there with that gratefulness shining in her eyes. But he refused to glance out the window once he was in his seat. Instead, he turned to Ramirez and saw the questions in his team member’s eyes and ignored them.
“Let’s get out of here.”

Cynthia watched the red tail lights from the black SUV shrink with the distance. Drops crawled down her arms. It was soothing to have the coolness from the water beat away the heat from the summer. Plus, just seeing James again really knocked her axis off center.
“Anything you want to tell me?” The question came across as a demand for information.
She turned to the sound of Galvez’s voice. Short cropped, salt-pepper hair, perfectly coiffed showed off his wrinkled forehead and deep-set dark eyes. A thin mustache covered the pursed line of his lips. For an older man, he wasn’t hard on the eyes. Well, not for women who liked the know-it-all types, anyway. Unfortunately, for him, Cyn wasn’t the least bit impressed by him.
“We’re on a need to know basis here, Galvez.” She wrung the water out of her ponytail and headed for her car.
“Obviously there’s something I need to know about the relationship between you and Brock.” He barked the words over the shouts, following her toward her black, rusty Camry.
She stopped, whirled in place, and shook her head. Was the man growing delusional with his position? “Hang on a second here. You recruited me. You requested my expertise for the team. You wanted me to help lead the FPU. My past with Brock or anyone else has no bearing on my ability to do the job.”
“You know you’ll be working close to him.”
“And?” Anger simmered inside her.
Galvez’s nostrils flared. Disgust lit his eyes. Figures. He had never been the type for warm and cuddly conversations. And the last thing Cynthia expected was for him to encourage employee relationships. “He isn’t normal. He’s… He’s—”
“I know exactly what he is. If I were you, I’d be very careful what you say about him.” She snapped her mouth shut to keep from adding anything that could, and would get her fired. Dammit, she’d just started the job.
She yanked on the handle to her car. The metal creaked as it opened. Galvez placed a hand on the top of the door, stopping her from moving it further.
“Look, Cici—”
“Don’t!” She hissed. “Only my family calls me that. You’re my superior. Don’t get it confused. My accepting your job offer doesn’t make us friends. It doesn’t make us buddies. It just makes me your employee.”
“I’d like to think of us as more than just employer-employee. Possibly move things to where they should be between us.” His facial lines smoothed out. There was concern in his eyes for a flash of a second. Then an iciness entered his gaze as she shook her head.
“I don’t think so. All we’ll ever be is co-workers. Don’t confuse yourself.” She met Galvez’s stare with her own angry glare. He should know by now that intimidation wouldn’t work on her. Being raised by her grandmother, because her father had been missing in action, had toughened her up. Especially when her mother was more trouble than she wanted to think about. When her family’s reality finally hit her, some hard choices had to be made. And the result had been losing the only man she’d loved.
Galvez’s brow puckered. “If you can’t handle working with Brock, for whatever reason, just tell me. I won’t hold it against you.”
Yeah, she just bet he wouldn’t. He’d recruited her as a test. To see her fail. She knew what he was after, but she wouldn’t give it to him. He’d come to her. Right now, she had the upper hand. An upper hand she wasn’t willing to lose.
Her gaze strayed past Galvez to the ambulance where the child was taken. A paramedic shut the doors. It took off, sirens wailing. The thickness she’d felt growing at her throat expanded. Fuck. She had to hold it together or Galvez would see her as nothing more than a weakling.
“What happened to the suspect?”
His question brought her attention to his face.
“When I entered the house from the back, he was in the kitchen.” She gulped at the memory of the man, of what he’d been doing.
“And?”
She ground her teeth. “And he was sharpening some large butcher knives, happily singing a song about making stew. Kyler stew. There. Are you happy?”
Galvez’s unwavering gaze was stuck on her face. She tried not to flinch, knowing that any sign of discomfort would be seen as a weakness. She inhaled slowly, mentally preparing herself for the torture of reviewing what just happened.
“He’d already started a fire in the kitchen. Stood there sharpening those knives. All the while, the flames spread through the place.” Her stomach clenched. Oxygen had frozen in her lungs when she’d seen the man light himself on fire when he’d seen her. “He walked to the blaze taking up one side of the kitchen. And just stood there. Burning.”
She still had a hard time believing what she’d seen. The maniac had continued to sing while he burned. That song. She’d have a hard time sleeping remembering the stupid song. It had made cold fingers of dread crawl up her spine.
“And the kid?”
She took a breath. Let it out slowly. “She was tied up to a tub filled with water. The entire house started to collapse around me. By the time I reached her most of it was on fire.” She gripped the door handle. Although it bothered her to have to go through what just happened, she knew it was procedure. Plus, she’d have to write it out on her report anyway. “I ran to the other room, grabbed a blanket, cut her binds, wet myself, shoved the blanket into the tub, wrapped it around her and got her out.” She swallowed hard against the dryness in her throat. “End of story.”
Thoughts kept whirling around her mind of all the possible things she could have found in that house. None of them good. She needed to go home. Right now. She was too raw. The throbbing in her chest, since she’d first laid eyes on the child, hadn’t dissipated yet. Too many emotions were clogging up her throat. Seeing that little girl tied up was like getting stabbed in the gut. Absolute hell. Kyler’s pale green eyes had been filled with fear. Watching the drenched six-year-old shaking, her lips turning purple from the icy water almost broke her. Jesus. But this was her job. She was damn good at it and no amount of stress on a case—or her pathetic excuse of a personal life—was going to make her give it up.
“Are you sure you’ll be fine working with Brock and his team?” Galvez asked. There was annoyance in the way he asked the question. Not concern. Never concern. That simply added to her rising temper.
She was tired. Tired of having to be the responsible one in her family. Of giving up everything she’d ever wanted. And she was especially tired of Galvez and his condescension. “Did you want me to promise that in blood or something?” His dark skin turned mottled with anger. Too bad. “I already said I’m fine. Now let me go home and let me do my job. I can handle Brock. And his team.”
Galvez stepped away, giving her space to slide into the car. He continued to watch her. Her muscles felt tight from the tension of the past hour. The engine’s roar was music to her ears. Galvez dropped down to eye level. Fuck. She thought he was done.
“I won’t have you or him messing with the plans I have in the Bureau.”
She bit the inside of her cheek hard, until she swore she tasted blood. Then she counted to ten before finally answering him.
“I know what it is you want.” She’d been informed he was gunning for a high-ranking position. “I don’t really care about it. That’s your problem.” She gripped the wheel, staring into his angry dark gaze. “But I think you should know, that you won’t ever be allowed to lead the FPU. It’s why they made you hire me.” She smiled coldly. “You see, you need to be paranormal to lead that team. It’s why I’m reporting to the head of the Bureau directly.”
“I don’t care what you think you know. I want to make sure that you are able to handle this. I’ll have the group reporting to me at some point,” he growled.
She shook her head. “No. You won’t. I know you’ve tried. You can’t lead a special team.” She shifted gears, put the car in reverse, and hit the accelerator. Tires squealed. Galvez rushed off in order to not be run over. She stopped, turned the wheel and put it in drive. “You know why you can’t lead a special team, Galvez?”
He stood there motionless. Watching her. His face clear of all emotions but the usual anger she’d come to know well.
“Because you’re not special.”

***

Author Bio

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Hi! I'm Milly (AKA April Angel) I love to write sexy stories. They're usually either paranormal or contemporary with a large dose of heat. My paranormal stories can be anything from wolf-shifters (my favorites) to witches, demons and anything in between. I was born the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. Currently, I live in New York City with my hubby, the bossy kiddo and our little dog "Needy Speedy". Don't ask.
When I'm not working some really long hours at the day job, or hanging out in the awful life-sucking invention known as Facebook, messaging my bestie in the UK or shopping with my sis Julie, then I can be found watching scary movies. Buuut when I'm not doing that, I'm usually writing because the voices won't shut up.
I am addicted to shoe shopping, chocolate (but who isn't, right?) and Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
Come by and visit me! I love to meet new readers!

Website: millytaiden.com

Facebook: facebook.com/millytaidenpage

Twitter: @millytaiden

Update on personal stuff :)

I know I haven't talked about my amazing blankey lately but it truly has been amazing. Things have been pretty good overall lately (I mean, hell what's better than getting to pitch at RAGT?) but more than that, I really feel like I'm better able to control things with my blanket.

Aromatherapy + blankey = awesomeness

I still have my bad times but I'm reemerging into my love of creating with my resin projects and as soon as a few more nifty things come in, I'll get to unveil a few things I'm making for the fantabulous Grace Augustine.

Not to mention that I have big plans for Waking the Phoenix and Dante and Marisa's story (the one I'll be pitching at RAGT).

Seriously lovelies, anyone struggling like I have really should look into the amazing weighted blankets made by Weighted Love- Weighted Blankets, Vest & More (Sensory Blankets) 

I still have major sensory issues, particularly auditory ones. I don't think hubby fully understands, but he tries. I can go up to him and tell him I'm overwhelmed and he'll cuddle me. His is one of the only touches that soothes me; usually I have significant issues with people touching me.

From an auditory standpoint, I can't turn off the ringing, but I'm learning to cope as well as can be. The other day, an asshole coworker was slurping like mad. Don't ask me why, but that's worse for me than nails on a chalkboard. I had forgotten my damn headphones so I was huddled at my desk trying to plug my ears and type at the same time. I'd totld said coworker before that it bothered me and he just did it more, so this time I didn't bother. Another coworker saw me and messaged me asking if I was ok. I told him the issue and he helped distract me somewhat. I made it through and it DEFINITELY helped having my shawl.

Lovelies, if someone tells you something bothers them to such an extreme, don't be an asshole and do it more. It's funny if something is just a bit bothersome to get under their skin, I admit to doing that too. But if they're fucking BEGGING you to stop, just stop.

Anyway, I hadn't shared in a while so I wanted to share with you all  Back to the writing cave before Barb sees me out of it lol

Snippet of the Day!

Hello my lovelies! I've unfortunately had a number of personal issues that have interfered with my ability to get Waking the Phoenix out when I'd originally planned. Don't worry though, it should be out by the end of April!!

I'm going to start a new segment on the blog, Snippet of the Day! Hopefully it'll help generate even more interest in the sequel to Breaking the Nexus!!

Randomly I may toss in some little giveaways so be sure to check in! Now for today's snippet :)

A prickle of awareness was Sha’s only warning, but it was enough. Sliding from beneath the heavy arm wrapped around her waist, she rolled out of bed, darting to the door. Despite a brain still hazy with sleep, she readied her power, grateful her reserves seemed to have replenished enough to formulate an attack. Bracing herself, she eased open the door, poised to strike.

“Son of a gorgon whore, are you trying to get yourself killed, Luca?”

Sha glared at her partner who was fighting a losing battle to contain his laughter. If she killed him now, maybe it wouldn’t take too long for her commander to find his replacement.

Be nice, temptress. You may want to hold off on murdering him, at least until we leave the room.

Good point, wouldn’t want to get blood on my floor. Such a pain to clean from furs, you know. Then again, I could incinerate him, leave no trace.

Stop plotting my demise and get downstairs. We let you sleep long enough and since Achaius and Saia mated, it fell to me to brave your wrath and wake you up. Have you noticed she’s not exactly a morning person?” Luca gave Connor a pointed glance. The smirk on the Elf’s face turned to a grimace. “Mother Night, get dressed. Bad enough you slept in here with my partner; I don’t want to see your naked ass. I might go blind, you know.”