Ashlynn Monroe Crafting Otherworldly Romance
Crafting Romance one word at a time...
Ashlynn's Blog
Welcome to my Blog.
Happy 2016!!
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Happy New Year!
Everyone is always looking for new authors to read. So hop your way through the New Year, New Author Facebook Hop and find some new authors to read in 2016. Be sure to link the authors page and enter the giveaways at each stop.
When: Tuesday, January 5th, 6am until midnight EST.
Where: On our Facebook author pages (links below).
Please email Marissa@MarissaDobson.com if you have any questions.
Spirit Bonded By Ashlynn Monroe
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When you've been deceived your entire life and everyone suddenly wants to use you for their own purposes, how do you know who to trust?
Annika thought not knowing her parents was rough, but knowing the truth is even worse. She has always felt out of touch with everyone around her. Since she was a teenager, she's seen impossible things. When she's suddenly attacked by shadowy creatures, the truth come out, and it changes her life. It appears Annika has an out-of-this-world destiny, and if that wasn't crazy enough, she's beginning to accept the fact she's an alien.
It helps that she has some friends to see her through. Cas, her best friend, is bitter that in the chaos he lost his birthright to be her magical protector, Jai is crazy and trying to make his death wish a reality, and Mikol is…hers. Her guardian is the only part of her insane new life that makes sense. The feelings growing between them are forbidden. But rules don't stop Annika from wanting more than his ability to shield her from the darkness. When Annika is with her hot-as-hell bodyguard she knows what it is to really be human.
Can she save a distant planet from a tyrannical ruler and find a way to be with the man she loves?
Content Warning: contains sex scenes and some violence
Excerpt:
“Forgive me,” Mikol spoke softly. The sensuality in the way he said the words brought a moan from her lips.
Heat filled her cheeks as she struggled to control her reaction to him. Horrified, she couldn’t meet his eyes. Having him near her was amazing. The strange contentment radiating from Mikol was suddenly euphoria. She never wanted him to leave her again. The weirdness reminded her of hearing a troubled classmate describing getting high when they were freshmen. This sensation was like being high on Mikol.
He moved closer and knelt beside her bed. He was so large and male that he seemed out of place in her pink sanctuary. He tilted her face up so that she gazed into his big brown eyes. Annika bit her lip. Her breathing came out in erratic little pants. She wanted to lean forward and kiss him. He pulled away enough that she realized she was moving toward him unconsciously and stopped.
“The creature who attacked you was an assassin sent to kill you. They know you’re here and they’re strong enough to cross the portals. Your spirit—what makes you Annika, and gives life—was almost consumed.” He paused as his tongue darted out and moistened his lips. He took a deep breath. “We have to go. Your parents understand it’s time to run. You were never destined for this world. Greatness, beyond anything Earth can offer, awaits you.”
Drama much? She blinked several times, waiting for him to crack a smile or for someone to jump out and shout “gotcha”. But he wasn’t kidding. No one could say something so wild and keep a straight face for this long unless they were serious.
“I don’t understand,” she answered, and scrubbed a hand down her face.
He touched her cheek with such tenderness her eyes watered. “You will, in time all will become clear.”
There was incredible comfort in the way his fingers ran down her cheeks. He wiped away the moisture from her eyes with the pads of his thumbs as he cradled her chin.
The soft shushing sound he made reminded her of how someone might comfort a child, but his countenance promised that wasn’t how he saw her. Attraction. The emotion hit her as if someone had thrown it at her. Somehow, she knew he was feeling it and so was she.
“Close your eyes and breathe with me,” he ordered.
She closed her eyes, and he touched her chin. He pressed his index fingers lightly against her temples. They breathed in and out. Her heartbeat synchronized with his. She didn’t question it. Mikol calmed her.
“There are many things you will learn, but for now I need you to trust me. Can you trust me?”
How could she not when his voice was compelling her to? She didn’t like this. Somewhere deep in her rational mind, she knew his calming her was wrong and he was messing with her head.
“Stop,” she pleaded as she opened her eyes to look at him.
He ran the tip of his index finger over her lip. She noticed the tattoo around his eye seemed to glow. “If only I could. Come, there is clothing for you in the bathroom. I know it looks strange, but you must get dressed. Our time is running short.”
*GET THIS BOOK NOW FOR THE DISCOUNTED RELEASE PRICE OF 99 CENTS - OFFER VALID ONLY FOR A LIMITED TIME*
Amazon: http://goo.gl/KHDUPD
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/dU1KFE
Nook: http://goo.gl/A4q09k
Beachwalk Press: http://goo.gl/SXFK38
Enter to win an awesome author swag bag full of goodies, books, and fun. I’d like to give everyone a bookmark. Just email ashlynnmonroe@hotmail.com with a mailing address. Enter below to win the swag bag.
Evernight's Birthday Blog!
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Evernight Celebrates 5 Years of Publishing!
Thanks to readers like you, Evernight Publishing has grown by leaps and bounds in five years so they’re pulling out all the stops and throwing an extreme BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BLOG HOP in your honor!
That’s right! It’s Evernight’s birthday but YOU get the presents…
Prizes include:
Apple Watch Sport
NEW Kindle Paperwhite
Fitbit Flex
Evernight, Amazon, and ARe Gift Certificates
Plus, each author on the hop will offer his/her own special prize!
I’m honored to celebrate this momentous occasion with Evernight. I have been one of the Evernight authors since 2010. Here’s a look at my first Evernight title and my latest release:
Protector Mine is one of my first titles with Evernight. I picked this instead of my first, Fallen Angels, because they have the same theme.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Protector-Mine-Ashlynn-Monroe-ebook/dp/B004BDP61A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443744218&sr=8-1&keywords=protector+mine+ashlynn+monroe
ARE link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-protectormine-481183-140.html
Larissa is on the verge of complete insanity. She has grown up feeling a connection to the rural woodlands near her home. She has never been able to find what or who has been calling to her.
Dante comes from an ancient line of shifters whose sole purpose is to keep their charges safe from vampires. Dante is Larissa’s Protector. There are only two rules- never talk to your charge and never let them know that you are watching. Dante breaks every rule when it comes to Larissa when they are swept into a torrent of desire that threatens to consume them.
Will the price of breaking the rules to follow their hearts be too great? Hunters lurk in the forest. Vampires are coming. Dante is all that stands between Larissa and the monsters who want to make her one of them.
My latest story with Evernight is Always Midnight in the M/F Bad Alpha anthology.
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Alpha-J-R-Gray-ebook/dp/B013XTFJK0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443744668&sr=8-1&keywords=bad+alpha+ashlynn+monroe
ARE Link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-badalpha-1873936-166.html
Taryne Michael is all her younger brother Travys has ever had for stability. When fifteen-year-old Trav doesn’t come home after he fights with her she spends the next week searching for him. He finally comes home he’s not the same boy who slammed the door the night he left. Something is very wrong and when she discovers he’s been transformed into a werewolf she’s at a loss as to what to do. The violent, angry boy isn’t the little brother she knows how to deal with. Teenage hormones are nothing compared to the animalistic young man emerging from the boy she’d raised.
Ax Greyson is a lone wolf, an alpha without a pack. He enforces laws non-shifters don’t know about. Celo Valley, is a place where two species co-reside. The werewolves keep the humans blind to their existence by being careful. Someone isn’t following the rules. Someone is killing, with no regard for secrets. When killing the woman seems like the only way to keep his people’s secret until Ax’s instincts find another way.
It’s a great time for an Evernight shopping spree because all Evernight titles are 25% off through October 9th at AllRomance eBooks!
Enter to win the Grand Prizes using Rafflecopter:
Hop to the next stop here:
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Erzabets Enchantments (Erzabet Bishop author)
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Beth D. Carter- Written Butterfly
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A Page In The Life: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
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Sizzling Romance with April Zyon
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Wake Up Your Wild Side ~ Gale Stanley
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Pink Lace & Silver Buckles Book Blog
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Ashlynn Monroe You Are Here!
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Beachwalk Blog Hop
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A few years ago, we had a very memorable Halloween. One of my neighbors always makes his house the most festive on the block. He dresses up and hands out candy. The man is a nice as can be, but it’s clear he loves the morbid décor of Halloween. One year the kids wanted to decorate as much as he does and I told them they had to make their own decorations because I wasn’t investing in a million dollars worth of tombstones and skulls. They used cheesecloth and glue to make ghosts and hung them in the trees. Then they used some old Styrofoam to make tombstones and sprayed them black. The effect was great and our Halloween loving neighbor even came over to compliment the display.
Beachwalk Press will be sponsoring a grand prize giveaway which is: two $25 gift certificates to the winner's choices of Amazon, B&N, or All Romance Ebooks.
Please leave a comment with your email address in the comment.
Below are the blog links to the authors participating:
Ashlynn Monroe
For The Aspiring Author #1
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I decided to offer up writing advice. I’ve thought about posting this kind of information for some time, but never felt qualified. I still don’t think I’m an “expert”, but I am experienced. I started writing as a kid, and it was my favorite hobby until I decided to do something about my dream in my thirties. This is the first post of many futures posts.
So…you write.
So what?
What? Why? When? Where? These questions will be the foundation of what you do to create your story. Maybe you have a finished book, but I’m starting with the most basic blank page.
You stare at the vast expense of white before you.
Fiction is written just like a Facebook post or text message, one word at a time. It isn’t fast and often frustrating, but you can and should write if there’s a story in your heart.
Some people outline, I’m more of a pantser, meaning I write by the seat of my pants as the story unfolds.
Your mission is to write, every day, pick up a pen or type out a line. Take thirty minutes for yourself and set a small goal. Write 500 words every morning when you drink your coffee or in the evening before bed. Don’t edit what you’ve done until you’ve finished.
Come out and play!
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I’m so excited! I’ll be meeting readers in less than two weeks. I’ve been working hard to gather all my goodies that I’m bring with me and I’m practicing the bit of Captivated I’ll be reading from. I hope to see you there! Click on the picture to sign up!
http://midwesternbookloversunite.wordpress.com/
September 26-28, 2014 in Minneapolis, MN
Welcome to the first annual Midwestern Book Lovers Unite Readers and Authors Convention in Minneapolis, MN. Are you ready to spend 3 days with over 35 of your favorite authors?!?! I know I am! This is going to be an epic time. We’ve got lots of opportunities for you to spend quality time with your favorites including a speed meeting event, meet and mingle, numerous panels, a book fair and sigining, intimate dinner with authors and a masquerade ball. There will be a fully live, real professional cover shoot with our featured cover model Justin Coale, a pure romance party like you’ve never seen and 2 hours of fun games with our naughtiest authors. Win raffle baskets, get free books and swag, and lots of other goodies plus spend quality time with fellow readers! Hope to see you all there!
Friday
12:00 Noon:
Registration begins
6:00 – 6:45 PM:
Welcome to MBLU!!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Meet some of your favorite authors in tonight’s speed dating event. Sit at the author’s table and ask any question you want but you better hurry cause you only have 7 minutes! Isabella LaPearl, Angel Payne,Shayla Black, Stephanie Beck, Jenna Jacob, Randi Alexander, Gina Maxwell, Kris Austen Radcliffe,Bria Starr, Lynn Rae, Linda Rae Sande, Jade Eby, V.A. Dold, Zoey Derrick, and A. T. Weaver will answer your questions as fast as they can!
9:00 PM – Meet and Mingle
Join us for our Meet and Mingle event. Get to know some of your favorite authors, cover models, bloggers, and reader friends during this open and friendly event. Also, hang out and listen to the authors read excerpts from their own books. Enjoy light appetizers and a cash bar during this event.
Saturday
8:00 am: Saturday only registration begins
9:00 am – 11:00 am
*Full and Saturday Only conference attendees only from 9:00 – 9:30, open to the public at 9:30*
Charge is $25/person for signing only attendees, paid at the door or $10 if you register early on theregistration page (cash or credit, no checks please). Come hang out with 35 of your favorite authors and get autographed books and merchandise. Bring your own books (all will be stickered at the door) or purchase books at the book from the authors. Attendee will receive a special souvenir bag of swag.
1:00 PM
Live cover shoot with Justin Coale
Join us for a fun filled couple of hours with the industries very own cover model Justin Coale! Sit back and enjoy the show! This is a real, professional, cover shoot and we get to watch!!
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Panels
How do three authors write together without killing each other?*
Authors of the Doms of her Life series, Shayla Black, Jenna Jacob, and Isabella LaPearl
The worlds they create that we read about*
Linda Rae Sande, Lois Greiman, Rory Ni Coileain, Kris Austen Radcliffe
YA/NA Romance Panel*
Lizzy Charles, Jade Eby, Bria Starr
Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves, Witches, and Warlocks, oh my…..*
Gina L Maxwell, Zoey Derrick, Stephanie Julian, Amy J Hawthorn, Lori King
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Tarnished Tiaras – The ladies of Erotic Romance*
Angel Payne, Robin L Rotham, Jenna Jacob, Shayla Black, Isabella LaPearl, Ashlynn Monroe
Get ready for some laughs and good times when you sit with this group of ladies while they talk about how to get a sex scene right. How to make a sex scene good and how to organize a menage scene.
Rode Hard, Put Up Wet in Western Romance*
Lori King, Randi Alexander, Sidda Lee Rain
Lori King, Randi Alexander & Sidda Lee Rain want you to experience some cowboy magic with three of today’s leading western romance authors. Live and in-the-flesh! Cover models in stetsons reenact your favorite scenes from our books, making you laugh, lust, and fall in love with western romance! Leave with paperbacks & swag! A lil’ somethin’ to remember your walk on the country side! And, don’t forget to bring your camera to have your photo taken between our two hunky honchos!
Love is never wrong – M/M and F/F Romance
Rory Ni Coileain, A.T. Weaver, Stephanie Beck
Chameleon Authors. Those who change genders when they write*
Zoey Derrick, Jordyn Meryl, Kris Austen Radcliffe, Bria Starr, Lizzy Charles, Jade Eby
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Join us for a Pure Romance party. This is a classy party for adult women. Where you can leave your inhibitions at the door and let your hair down. You will sample the best in bath, beauty and bedroom essentials. Our party hosts will be available for purchases during and after the party. We will have 2 separate parties, each an hour long so more people will get to join!
Game Show Event- Romance Novel Jeopardy!
Gina L Maxwell, Bria Starr, Randi Alexander, Jenna Jacob, Lori King, Stephanie Beck, Sidda Lee Rain, Ashlynn Monroe
Are you ready to test your skills at jeopardy?!?! Join us for a couple of hour of laughs while you show everyone how much you know 
There will be 2 separate games, each an hour long so more people will get to play!
6:00 PM
*listed in no particular order*
Shayla Black
Gina Maxwell
Isabella LaPearl
A.T. Weaver
Angel Payne
Michele Prince
Sidda Lee Rain
Robin Rotham
Stephanie Beck
Lori King
Jenna Jacob
Linda Rae Sande
Randi Alexander
Lois Greiman
Bria Starr
Kris Austen Radcliffe
Ashlynn Monroe
Jordyn Meryl
Stephanie Julian
Michele Hauf
Lizzy Charles
Zoey Derrick
Rory Ni Coileain
V.A. Dold
Reserved seats available so you can pick your favorite author to sit with for dinner. Sign ups coming soon! (additional charges will apply)
8:00 PM – Midnight
If you’re a sexy sin I wanna see some black,
if you’re a naughty secret, show me some white,
or maybe you’re a delicious combination of both?
Sunday
9:00 AM – Noon: Breakfast and Farewell Event
Continental Breakfast. Raffle basket winners chosen at this time. Key note speaker at 11:00 am. You must be present to win so be sure to be there.
All subject to change without notice
I LOVE My Readers, Really, I Do!
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Recently, there was a big hubbub about bad author behavior. The author in question is a New York Times Bestseller and she told her fans she wasn’t their personal customer service. My day job is in customer service so I was so horrified reading her outburst. I want my readers to know they can come to me for any reason.
Last week at work, we had a three-hour presentation about how the five languages of love can be adapted to the work place to show appreciation to coworkers. I kept thinking about how this author dropped the ball on two of those important points. Quality time and acts of service were the biggest languages she fumbled with during her rant.
Not everyone feels appreciation in the same way. One person might not like a new pen with my logo on it, while another reader would love one. I took a quiz and learned the language I respond to most is gifts. I'm sure this is why I tend to give away a lot of swag.
I spent several days thinking about just how the five love languages can apply to the reader/author relationship. I hope I’m giving all my readers the appreciation they deserve in the love language that appeals to them.
Authors should show their fans love. Without book sales, an author has no audience and their stories just languish away. Readers deserve credit in the creative process. Without feedback (sales, emails, or social media contact) an author doesn’t know what she/he is doing right or wrong. My readers have helped my voice evolve. My readers have put food on my table; because without sales my income takes a hit (please don’t pirate books). I have developed quality friendships with readers. Social media interaction is wonderful, and it has enriched my life. An author who is pushing fans away is doing herself a disservice.
So how can authors and readers adapt these five love languages to the modern interactive reading experience?
Authors:
Gifts: Do offer swag, signed free books, digital prizes such as eBooks, and Autography signatures.
Quality Time: Do go to conventions and online events. Facebook offers a great option for authors who can’t travel to attend real time chats. There’s always Yahoo Groups and Writers Space. Offer newsletters and don’t be afraid to tell readers about the reality of being a writer (without complaining).
Words of Affirmation: Don’t be afraid to like a good review. I thank everyone who reviews me. Bad or good reviews sell books. If a reader reaches out take time to thank them. You aren’t doing them a favor; they are doing you a favor. Even the biggest authors appreciate the people who bestowed celebrity upon them. Small fish like me are not even close to being a celebrity, but I appreciate every single reader for taking their time to try my work. Life is busy and taking the time out of the day to read is precious time. When you read one of my books, I know you’re taking a chance in dedicating your leisure time to me. You work hard too and not all authors realize the hours readers put into reading a book is a gift.
Acts of Service: Authors need to have a website with easy to find information. This allows readers to know what book is next in a series or when a new book is coming out. An updated website is easy to create and not very time consuming once the initial time is invested. If a reader reaches out with a question a prompt response is not just warranted, but it should be given with enthusiastic gratitude.
Physical Touch: I’m not suggesting anything perverse. I’m also not telling you to run around conventions hugging strangers. When you meet a reader face-to-face, a handshake might be appropriate. The world is full of germs and not everyone wants a handshake, so use this one with discretion. If you’re not well, don’t offer to share the cold, but if you’re fine and a reader extends a hand please take that hand and give them a firm handshake. They’ve given you the privilege of thanking them for all they do for you.
Readers:
Gifts: Your purchase is a gift to the authors you read. Please don’t pirate books. If you don’t support authors by buying their work, they can’t keep writing. Each royalty check is a gift. No matter how skilled a writer becomes without people willing to buy the book they can’t support themselves.
Quality Time: Some authors don’t value this, as much as others, but most authors love reading emails and messages from fans. Everyone is busy, but if the author offers a contact page on his/her website or has a social media profile please feel free to reach out. Resist the urge to write a three-page manifesto on the mistake you found on page 147. I’ve heard of some interesting reader/author interactions revolving around issues like this. Mentioning it is fine, but do try to let the author know what you liked about the book.
Words of Affirmation: Reviews are important. Even if you buy the book second hand or from a local vendor, please don’t forget to go online and write a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads. Amazon won’t promote books with low or no reviews. Indie and obscure authors need this support the most. Don’t be afraid to be honest, but also try to frame the best of the book if you’re doing this to be supportive. Never feel obligated to lie.
Acts of Service: Street teams are becoming very popular in our connected world. Many authors will send you bookmarks and other small gifts to hand out to friends. Don’t be afraid to tell other readers about the authors you like. Helping boost an author from obscurity to massive success is a gift every author dreams their readers will give them. If you’re in a book club reach out to your favorite author. Many will even do a Skype QA. Given the opportunity, most authors love to talk about their books. We all have families and friends, but those people don’t love our characters as you do. My husband thinks I’m crazy when I talk about a character by their first name as if they’re someone in our community. My readers don’t look at me as if I’m crazy and that’s just one of the many reasons they enrich my life.
Physical Touch: If you meet an author, it is not wrong to offer a handshake. If you or the author look or sound sick, please don’t feel obligated to extend a hand in greeting because germs are nasty. If you know me from social media, I’m cool with a hug.
Every author is a little different. I’m outgoing and very open to reader contact. I’d have coffee with you anytime. If we run into each other in the big wide world please don’t be afraid to say hello. I make my public appearances known and I’m always looking forward to meeting you. I’ll even buy you a coffee and have a chat, so don’t be afraid to reach out and let me know you’d like that.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If you’re interested in learning more about this concept, you can read the original book written by Mr. Gary Chapman in 1995 called The Five Love Languages. Here’s a link to his Amazon page. http://www.amazon.com/Gary-D-Chapman/e/B000APRF2Q
Ways to show me the love:
You can like my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Ashlynn-Monroe/e/B003TYRQ38/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1410709141&sr=1-2-ent
You can like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AshlynnMonroeAuthor
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You can become a member on my website, review my books, and email me anytime at ashlynnmonroe@hotmail.com
Let me know how I can thank you for reading my work. I do appreciate you.
Giveaway...
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If you would like a few fun swag items in the mail. Please email me with a US mailing address at ashlynnmonroe@hotmail.com.
Three Good Years
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When Beachwalk Press opened its doors three years ago, I was one of the lucky first authors in the door. Slave to His Desires was my first Beachwalk Press book, but not my last. I have a July release coming out this July titled Captivated. I never thought about it when I started to write this blog, but both of these stories feature women who’ve been kidnapped by aliens. Here’s a little taste.
Captivated by Ashlynn Monroe
Genre(s): Erotic Science Fiction Romance
Digital ISBN: 9781940744346
Length: Novella
Publication Date: July 21, 2014
Price: $3.99
Will Franny choose to live or just to survive?
Hardship, pain, and strife describes life on Utopia, a mining colony far from Earth. Women are a rare commodity. When an alien trade ship arrives with a cargo containing a human woman, every man on Utopia shows up to bid. Three friends pool their funds in the hope they'll have a human woman in their beds to keep them warm on the long nights of the coming harsh winter.
Francesca Dehart suffered the terror of aliens abducting her from a country road. The horror of being kidnapped and then sold as a sex slave is beyond anything Franny has ever imagined. With no hope of being rescued she finds herself with a new definition of hell—Utopia.
Can Cade, Nebraska, and Dawson show Franny her new life is more than a prison? They need her, but will she stay with them or run at the first opportunity? Can they hold onto the woman they've grown to love and protect her from the others who will stop at nothing to have her?
Content Warning: graphic sexual content and multiple partners
Prologue
Cook County, Illinois, 2089
Music reverberated loudly through the interior of Francesca Dehart’s car. She rolled down a two-lane country road in the small electric car she’d rented to make the trip out of the city for the weekend. Franny glanced up at the sky. The black velvet above was dotted with stars. In the city, she never had the chance to see so much starlight.
It was beautiful. She didn’t need to rush, so she pulled over onto the gravel shoulder and parked next to a fenced pasture. The deserted expanse gave the city-girl inside of her the willies, but it wasn’t as if she had to worry about rapists and muggers in the middle of nowhere. Sure, there might be wildlife, but she doubted anything would bother her. She wouldn’t be out there long. Franny just wanted to see the night sky without light pollution from the city.
A momentary pang of fear made her heart race, but she managed to quell it. Chuckling to herself, she shook off the feeling of some watching her. Franny stood in the darkness, gazing skyward. It was tranquil, and she relished the quiet. Her trip had taken a toll, so this moment of peace was just what she needed. Standing there in the rural loneliness was a balm to her soul. She sighed and relaxed as her backside rested against the side of the car. A cool breeze ruffled her hair, and she closed her eyes. Nothing could be better than this, Franny thought.
There was a sonic boom and she cried out. A sudden flash of light caused her to turn and look up. The trees lining the road shook, and branches crashed to the ground. Five deer shot out of the woods and ran across the road with their white tails high in the air. They were so close to Franny she could see the terror in their eyes as they bolted through the rays of her headlights. Several other animals ran in the same direction the deer had gone. Watching the exodus in wonder, she stood immobilized. Her legs felt as if her feet had grown roots. She gasped as three bluish-green lights hovered in the air.
“Oh my God!” These visitors didn’t belong here. She didn’t see the military escort that accompanied aliens in Earth airspace. There had been no announcement about aliens in the area. Franny focused intensely on the lights. She expected them to fly away, but they didn’t. She stood frozen when a glow brightened the ground around her. Loose gravel and debris levitated and her car began to shake. Franny started to back away, out of the cylindrical illumination, slowly.
Her foot slipped on the dew-damp grass and she tumbled backward. Pain radiated through her head, and her teeth clicked as her jaws snapped together. Blinking up into the intense glow, the darkness vanished as she lay, bathed in bright, yellow luminosity. Franny squinted against the radiance and her eyes watered. Something tickled her neck and she realized she was bleeding, but that was the least of her worries right now.
Rubbing her eyes with one hand, Franny tried to clear her vision, but the lights went in and out of focus. Her body lifted. “No,” she moaned. Unconsciousness claimed her.
You can buy Captivated here: http://beachwalkpress.com/captivated/ or try one of my other great Beachwalk Press books.
Beachwalk Press will be sponsoring a grand prize giveaway, which is $100.00 to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble (reader's choice).
Hop over to these awesome author blogs for more chances to win!
Sidda Lee Tate
Tabitha Rayne
Jaye Shields
Tara Mills
M.A. Stacie
Olivia Starke
Pepper Anthony
Lacey Wolfe
Laura Beth Peters
Imogene Nix
Stephanie Beck
Ella Jade
Emily Wood
Theresa Stillwagon
Constance Bretes
Tracey Rogers
Tamaria Soana
Nola Cross
In progress...
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**Warning** This is raw and unedited. Enjoy the 1st chapter of my unpublished novella, Untaiming Delilah. The formatting didn't stick when I copied it here. The inner thoughts and telepathy is in italics.
Chapter One
“Hey there Delilah, what’s it like in New York City…” sang Jonathan Brook, her guardian’s lab assistant.
“I swear if you actually said hello like a normal person I’d think you were body snatched by aliens,” Delilah Jones interrupted his serenade. The song was his usual greeting. His cliché musical rendition of her name had been cute for about twenty seconds, and now she found it completely irritating.
He grinned. Jon was a nice albeit obnoxious senior biology major.
She stood outside the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research at the UW Madison campus. The breeze brushed her skin. A stronger gust penetrated her cotton t-shirt causing goose bumps to rise on her arms and she shivered. Cold was Wisconsin’s favorite temperature, but this was early September and she was dressed for a warmer day.
Jon held the door for her as she rushed inside the facility. Heat rushed over her and the realization the furnace was already on was a relief and surprise. Delilah’s tense muscles loosened up. Aaron wouldn’t be happy if he saw her.
“You dad is going to be pissed off if you get sick, Delilah,” Jon said, reading her mind.
She shrugged. “Aaron Amun isn’t my father. He’s my guardian and doctor.”
Aaron would freak if she caught pneumonia again. When she was sick, he couldn’t get accurate results from blood tests because her white blood cell count went up. Without the results, He couldn’t give her the right dose 5-23 injection to stave off the seizures.
“Really?” Jon genuinely sounded surprised. He had only been Aaron’s assistant a couple of weeks, long enough for her to know way too much about him, but not long enough for her to be comfortable spilling the sad tale of how she came to live with the doctor her parents had trusted.
“Yep, he’s a good man, but he’s not my dad,” she gave him as much as he was going to get from her. If he really wanted to know there were others in the facility willing to gossip about poor, sickly Delilah and her rare brain tumor that made her see crazy shit.
“What’s going on in your head? You went like a million miles away,” Jon muttered the question with a hint of annoyance in his tone.
“Nothing that would interest you, I promise.”
“I don’t know, you seeming like the kind of girl with deep thoughts and big plans?” Jon said in a flirty way that made her inner voice groan.
“I think I was wondering which Kardashian I want to be when I grow up,” she lied.
He grinned. Not easily fooled are we?
“Aren’t you cute?”
Jon put emphasis on the word cute. As soon as someone discovered she had a terminal illness, interaction always got weird. Flirting back just seemed wrong if she wasn’t going to warn him about how she held hands with grim reaper on a daily basis. Poor Jon didn’t deserve to be the next person she needed to console over her imminent demise.
“Oh, that’s right, I was wondering if they ever found the body of Aaron’s last assistant. He liked to bother me too, and then there was that experiment that went horrifically wrong…” she let her voice trail away absentmindedly and cringed a little bit for effect.
Jon’s eyes widened, just a little, and his nostrils flared. Aaron could get scary intense. Jon backed off, actually side stepping to give her more room. Relief flooded her system and she grinned as she walked a little faster towards the stairs.
****
Nik moaned. He could smell her, the perfume of her pheromones mingling with the floral products on her skin and hair. He inhaled deeply. As much as breathing her in hurt it also exhilarated him. He bucked and writhed on the thin mattress of his cage. A snarl ripped out of his throat and he his vision sharpened. He screamed as his bones started to break. Transformation. Agony. Death and rebirth, whatever he’d heard this horrific process called no name ever described the torture correctly.
“Fuck!” he screamed, spitting the foaming saliva out, as his body broke in a thousand ways at the same moment.
Yellow, sharp clarity coated his vision and every sound in the building intensified. The soundproofing was only there for the humans. He heard it all when the change stole his body. Her shoes. They had a funny, light click. Even in his torment, he held onto that little piece of her, breathing through the ripping and tearing of his skin and muscles. Her smell was a small comfort. Her. Nik’s snarling cry reverberated through the tiny room. His beastly wail caught between a roar and a bark.
I must control it. This is what that bastard wants. This is what…
Muddled and confused he couldn’t remember whom he hated. The smell. His cock went hard. Desire. Blood. Feast. Soft and delicate. Hot life filling his mouth and coursing down his throat to fill his stomach as he ripped open the weak packaging. Delicious. Delilah.
Her name put a screeching halt to the litany of tumbling consciousness and monstrous thoughts. No. I am not that. I am…
Kill. Eat. Destroy. Take. Mine. Rip. Tear. Fuck. Devour.
****
Aaron was working frantically at his computer in the lab. He leaned forward, peering at the screen. The dim room made the glow cast by the device illuminate him in a hue that conjured images of a mad scientist. Delilah smiled. Affection for her work-a-holic caretaker left her shaking her head as she watched the maestro at work conjuring magical remedies to control the forces of life and death, or at least that’s how she view her savior’s efforts.
Clearing her throat, she knocked on the door. Aaron glanced up with the barest trace of acknowledgement as he returned to his work for a few moments more. When his fingers stilled he peered at her over the thin edge of the large screen.
“Hi Del, come in and sit down with your sleeve up,” he ordered.
She took off the jacket she’d just grabbed out of the closet in his office. She kept stuff here for emergencies. His lab was her hellish home-away-from-home.
“How was work?” he asked without looking at her as he gathered the supplies.
“Coffee was made, served, and drank. Oh, and I let the customers have some too,” she joked.
Aaron grunted a dry snort of a laugh. That was the best one she’d forced out of him so far.
“Have you had any changes in your senses? See any floaters?” his voice was devoid of concern, only holding a subtle flavor of curiosity. “Are you experiencing anything unusual?”
“No, but I’ve suddenly found this strange back hair, mohawk-thing growing down my spine, and I’m wondering if I should wax or shave?” she said as a jest, flippant.
Aaron dropped the tray he was carrying to rush across the room. He moved so quick her brain couldn’t process what made his characteristic cool, calm, and collected disappear.
Delilah cried out as he jerked her forward and yanked the neck of her t-shirt away from her skin. He moved her forward and to the left. She realized he was positioning her into the light and was actually looking for unsightly hair growth. Jerking out of his grip, she pulled her shirt straight.
“Jesus. Aaron, I’m kidding,” Delilah grumbled. A quick flash of guilt kept her from meeting his eyes. “I was just messing with you.”
The troubled expression didn’t leave his face. She wouldn’t call his gaze angry, but the tick in his jaw said she’d upset him. He worked incredibly hard on her behalf. Guilt burned her as he turned away, and she noticed his lips compressing into a fine line.
Frowning, she reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry. You know how I get when I’m tired.”
“How have you been sleeping?” He was back in doctor mode.
She tried to shake the unsettled feeling that his excitement over her imaginary freakishness incited. He’d almost appeared—elated. She shuddered and unconsciously rubbed the site where he’d soon be giving her the nightly experimental injection.
“Same as usual, the dreams are still bad. I’m in a cage and I hurt.”
He grunted as he went to get fresh supplies. When he returned, she twisted her arm so he had good access to her vein. Looking at her arm bothered her and she tried to ignore the fact she had track marks like a drug addict from where he’d been taking so much blood lately.
“Don’t forget I’ll still need some of that,” she teased.
Last week she’d been dizzy after he’d finished. He didn’t even glance up as he pierced her flesh and began the process of filling vial after vial. She turned away and gazed at his desk to avoid watching. Even after all this time, she didn’t like to see.
When he finished she sagged as the tension left her shoulders. A tingling started in her temples. She could smell burnt toast. It was happening again.
“Aaron,” she cried out as blinding white light blurred her mind and the sensation of falling made her stomach jerk like a kid who’d gone too high on the swing set. Her seizures were never textbook. Then her mind wasn’t in her body anymore.
****
Nik fought to control the beast. She was there. With him. He reached out mentally and for a second his consciousness brushed hers. The subtle contact zinged through him. Sensual and alive, the connection dulled his misery for an instant when he touched her thoughts. She made him whole for a wonderful moment. She fought. Delilah always fought.
She wasn’t his kind and didn’t understand. Nik sent her reassurance, compassion, but her terror was the only thing getting through to him now. The beast reacted. He couldn’t restrain the predator when the exhilaration of her fear stirred it awake.
The man fought to stay in his head and protect her, but the wildness inside of him beat frantically at his brain demanding control and freedom.
“No,” he huffed. “Not this time.”
There was something different about the way Delilah’s thoughts moved in his cognizance this time. He wanted to understand, but the struggle to hold on made it hard for him to think. Humans didn’t mind-speak, but it was almost as if…
His body convulsed and twisted in a horrific and pure death as he became. The thinking part of him drained away as instinct and primal needs replaced his higher reasoning. Nik lost his battle with startling finality.
The creature snarled.
© Ashlynn Monroe
