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Dreamland Book Blog


Title: Wombstone: A Vampireland Novel
Author: Jessica Roscoe
Genre:  YA Paranormal (Warning - Mature Readers only 15+. Book includes violence, swearing and sex scenes) 
Publisher: Indiana Ink Publishing
Release Date: March 1st, 2013
Edition/Formats available: Ebook

Synopsis: 

Mia Blake wasn’t the first girl to be taken by the vampires. She is kidnapped and held prisoner by Caleb, the world’s oldest and most powerful vampire. Turned against her will, Mia must find a way to free herself from Caleb’s grip and get back to those she loves. But defeating the world’s most powerful vampire isn't going to be easy…

Excerpts

Excerpt 1

“What do you want?” I kept throwing questions at him. “Who are you?”
“You are here,” he answered. “If you keep asking questions, I’ll kill you.”
“You broke my nose,” I said accusingly, narrowing my eyes. 
He raised his eyebrows, coming closer, peering at my nose. “I could punch you again, straighten it up?”
I pulled my head back, just out of his reach. “I’ll be fine, thanks.”
“Do you need anything? More blankets?”

I stared incredulously at this teetering Jekyll and Hyde who wanted to punch me and get me a blankie in the same conversation. “I need to get home,” I said slowly, as if I were speaking to a moron. “I have my geometry final in two days.”
His tone was dry. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem anymore.”
Fear shot up my spine again. “Look” - I started.
“No, you look,” he said dangerously, putting a hot hand around my throat and squeezing. “I didn’t come in here to make casual conversation.”
I gasped and choked for air.
“Just do what you’re told. Cooperate. It will be over soon enough.”
I nodded, still choking. He released his grip and I fell to my knees, holding my throat with both hands. He waited, staring at me blankly, as I found the air to speak.
As I asked the question I wasn’t sure I wanted answered.
“Are you going to kill me?”
He laughed, but his mask slipped a little, because he faltered. “Of course not.”
“Well then you’re pretty stupid,” I shot. “Letting me see your face. Your license plate. Your tattoo.” I pointed to the black, luminous symbol etched onto his wrist that looked like a pair of eagle’s wings.
“Are you trying to talk me into it?” he asked with a smirk.
I glared at him.
“I know what you’re doing, sweetie. You’re trying to provoke me.”
“How am I doing so far?”
He grinned like the smug bastard he was. “Terribly.”

Excerpt 2

Once upon a time, I was just a girl. My name was Mia. I lived a long way away from here. I had a mother and a best friend and a boyfriend I was pretty sure I had fallen completely in love with. I lived most of the time in my dorm room at my high school, because despite any other excuse, I didn’t like to be alone. 
I wasn’t the first girl that was taken.
Sure, I had heard all about the girls who were missing, and even though they were only ‘missing’ I knew in my heart that those girls were dead. And my heart scrunched up in agony for them, for their families, just for a moment. Until the thought was replaced by something else, something different, because I couldn’t bear to think about those poor dead girls any longer. 
I felt sad for them. But more than that, I felt glad that they had been strangers – not someone I knew, and certainly not me. Things like that didn’t happen to girls like me. 
They always happened to someone else, and that’s why I barely blinked as I made my way across an empty football field, through a snow–laden parking lot, to meet a fate I had arrogantly assumed was reserved for other people.
I was a stupid girl.
I paid for it.


Excerpt 3

Wake up.
Those were the first words I ever heard.
I opened my eyes. Naked save for a bloodied white sheet, my tender skin covered in sticky red blood. My broken body somehow – impossibly – repairing itself.
I tried to turn my head to the side, to see where I was, and groaned in pain. Staying still felt better. I was sticky and bruised. My body was fighting hard to mend all the deep gashes and crushed bones. I lifted an arm and gently felt my eye where I had taken the impact of the unforgiving ground. It was excruciatingly painful to the touch – but it wasn't shattered anymore. It was in one unbroken piece, as if my fall had been a terrible dream. The oddly comforting metallic taste in my mouth told me otherwise, though.
I reached out with my hands, touching stiff sheets. I was hot, but I was shivering, goosebumps lining my arms.
It was so hard to keep my eyes open, but I fought to stay awake. I wasn't dead. I still had something left inside of me. I couldn't give up yet.
A face appeared above me. Something warm and coppery touched my lips.
“Drink.”
I did.
Time passed – how much, I have no idea – and I stayed in the same spot, and I slept off death. 

Excerpt 4
“Mia!” Ryan snapped, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me out of my thoughts.
“What?” I yelled. Tears filled my eyes but I refused to let them spill over.
He let go of my shoulder and spoke in a softer voice. “I know this is hard for you. There are things happening right now that you can’t even begin to understand. Just remember this: You’re not dead. It was close – you were almost dead. You can see them again,” he gestured to the photo strip in my hand, “but first I need to make sure you’re safe. The people who were after you in Mexico still want you back.”
I glared at him. “Is this supposed to make me happy?” I asked coldly. “Because it doesn’t. At all.”
He looked genuinely confused. “I saved your life after you jumped out of a window. You nearly bled to death. You should be happy.”
“I never asked you to save me,” I snapped, feeling sick for the thousandth time. “I asked you to leave me there to die, remember?”
He shook his head, got up and left the room. I slammed the door behind him with a satisfying crash.
I took a deep breath and looked around my new cage. It sure was pretty, but it was still essentially a cage. The only things missing were a length of chain hanging from the ceiling and a dead girl in the corner.
You know, I like you. I might just keep you after Caleb’s finished.
I pressed my palms to my burning cheeks and wondered what the hell could possibly happen next.


Excerpt 5
Sam stood in the doorway that led from the bedroom to the bathroom, but I could tell he didn’t want to come any closer. I had the distinct feeling it was because I was a girl, and that made me wonder. Ryan didn’t care about my personal space. I was surprised he cared for me at all, after the things he’d said and done back in Mexico.
“You’re a doctor,” I said, turning to him. “How did I lose a massive vampire bite?”
Sam frowned. “How long since you Turned?”
“Since I was Turned,” I corrected him. “You’re implying that I did this to myself. Quite the opposite. I expressly asked that this not be done.” As I heard myself talking, I realized that I sounded like an entitled little bitch, but I was beyond caring. 
Sam blinked. “Right. How long since you were Turned?”
“I don’t know,” I answered quietly. “A few days? Less than a week. I don’t remember a lot of it.”
“Well, the good news is you’re not going insane,” Sam said, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “Vampirity is caused by a virus. It attaches itself to your DNA, makes its way into every cell in your body, and takes over. Vampires can heal from a wound in a matter of minutes. Have you attacked anyone yet?”
“What?” I looked at him incredulously. “No. Ew! Why?”
He shook his head, seemingly pleased. “It’s just ... you seem remarkably lucid for a newly infected vampire.”
“Remarkably lucid?” I echoed. “All I’ve done for the past few days is throw up, cry and bleed.”
“Thank God for that,” Sam replied. “Usually, vampires spend their first few weeks – or months – attacking everyone and everything they can.”
I cast a sidelong glance at the broken lamp and overturned bedside table in the corner and tried to appear calm and generally non–violent. “Is that what you did when you were Turned?”
He paled. He looked like an injured puppy dog.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “It’s none of my business.”
He just searched my face, as if looking for the answer to a question I didn’t know. 
This is awkward.
“That’s what all vampires do,” he said quietly. “The bloodlust, it’s quite horrific.”
“Bloodlust?” I echoed. “Like being hungry?”
He stared at me like I was a freak. I shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his eyes. 
“Like being a homicidal maniac,” he said, “with zero impulse control.”
“Oh,” was all I could think to say.

Book Links

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Wombstone-The-Vampireland-Series-ebook/dp/B00BKG8VJK/ref=la_B00BKQ5KLM_1_1_title_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1361753357&sr=1-1

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/289085

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17208007-wombstone

Blog: 
http://jessicaroscoe.net/?page_id=11 

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wombstone-A-Vampirelandnovel/119054381506021 

Goodreads Author Page:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878583.Jessica_Roscoe

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Jessica__Roscoe

Website:
http://jessicaroscoe.net/


Author Information

Jessica Roscoe is the author of Wombstone, a Young Adult paranormal novel. From a young age, she delighted in the written word and would often scare her poor parents with outlandish stories filled with the supernatural and macabre. Jessica studied film and screenwriting at university before deciding that novels were her calling. The setting for Wombstone was inspired by a six-month stint in the U.S. where she worked as a lifeguard at a summer camp in Mt Freedom, New Jersey. She is currently working on the next book in the Vampireland series. Her other loves in life include good quality tea, delicious wine, reading and hanging out with her husband and baby girl.

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Saturday, April 27, 2013 3 comments

Title: A Midsummer Night's Demon
Author: Brenda Sparks
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours


Synopsis:


Daelyn Torres is determined to break free from her over-protective brother. Born a demon, she knows little of the world outside her home and work. A chance blind date promises adventure and perhaps a walk on the wild side. But her night on the town takes a deadly turn when she is gravely injured and left to die. A handsome, mysterious stranger comes to her rescue and brings with him a passion she has never experienced.

A dark guardian sent to investigate a series of missing person cases, vampire Ky Robinson is ready for anything, except the insatiable desire that engulfs him when he meets Daelyn. He senses their destiny is intertwined and vows to do everything in his power to keep her safe. The only problem: demons and vampires go together like fire and ice.

Daelyn never believed in things that went bump in the night but is more than willing to be seduced by the sexy vampire who marks both her body and soul. 

Excerpt:


He ghosted behind the couple. Following them on silent feet, staying deep in the shadows of the buildings. Ky noted the way the woman walked as they made their way along the sidewalk. Her legs appeared unsteady, most of her weight supported by the male’s arm around her waist, which seemed strange because she had not consumed all that much alcohol at the bar. Only two glasses of wine, by his count. The agent heard her speaking throughout the night and she had annunciated clearly. Yet now she seemed unsteady, and her words slurred as they left her lips.

She stumbled. Catching on a bit of raised sidewalk, her shoe flew off behind her in Ky’s direction. She turned and looked over her shoulder. When her eyes met his, Ky’s heart hitched in his chest, time froze. 
The bronzed skin of her heart-shaped face appeared flawless. Long dark haired flowed around her shoulders with the turn of her head. Her chocolate eyes captured his, holding his gaze. The fall of her lashes broke the spell, creating dark crescents on her delicate cheekbones. Her petite nose led to full, pouty lips that sent a surge of desire through his body. His sure strides faltered under the weight of her beauty. She was a goddess.

And she was in grave danger.



Ky Robinson:  

Ky is a powerfully built vampire, with warrior’s body that could have been sculpted by God himself. A handsome male, his face is full but not heavy, with no deep hollows or uncompromising angles, but instead soft lines that blend naturally to form his features. His ice-blue eyes can penetrate a person’s very soul.

He works for a covert agency—his duty, to police his kind. His is a solitary life, one spent on stake-outs and lurking in the shadows. He takes his job seriously, putting honor and duty before all else. Until one night when the Fates intervene and send a sexy demon into his life.

Once he discovers his heartmate, she becomes the center of his universe, his reason for living. And he would do anything to protect her, to be with her.

Daelyn Torres:

Lyn is a sultry demon, with bronzed skin and a pretty heart-shaped face that boosts dark chocolate eyes and a petite nose. Like a Mayan goddess, her full, lush lips and perfect body bring most men to their knees. But it is her feisty personality that wins men’s hearts.

Willing to take on what life brings, she fights for what she wants. Whether taking on evil vampires or her over protective brother, she’s ready, especially when she has a sexy, smart vampire by her side.




Title: Weaver of Dreams
Author: Brenda Sparks
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Blurb:


When guidance counselor Maggie O’Connell is plagued by terrible nightmares, she believes stress is the reason for her torment, but she couldn’t be more wrong. Unfortunately for Maggie, in the shadows of her dreams lurks a Dream Stalker who is addicted to the dark emotions produced by her night terrors.


Zane, a Dream Weaver from another dimension, visits Maggie in her nighttime fantasies to discover there is more than just a Dream Stalker after her. As the man of her fantasies becomes real, Maggie’s true nightmare begins.




Excerpt: 


Humans had no idea Dream Weavers used what they called mirrors as portals. The reflective glass was a perfect cover to hide what lay within. Looking from the human world, people only saw reflections of themselves and their surroundings. But from the other side the vortex was an entryway from the Dream Weaver world. A threshold he used to enter or see into the human dimension.

This night Zane opted to use it as a window, remaining in his dimension as his eyes scanned the room. He needed to be sure not to alert the Dream Stalker. The negative emotions from the human’s dream came through the portal, making him feel uncomfortable. They coated his energy, wrapped around him like tentacles.

He’d never experienced such strong emotions. They weighed heavily upon his energy, surrounding him. Enticing him. But he pulled back, grateful for once that the only way he could absorb the strong emotions would be to push through into the human dimension and take human form.

His gaze swept the modest bathroom. The walls were painted apartment white, blue towels hung from a bar across from the mirror. He looked down on a utilitarian sink and white counter top. Zane was just about to push through the portal and take his corporeal form when movement from the corner of the room caught his eye. He froze, waiting.

Was this the source of the negative emotions? The Dream Stalker?

Before him appeared a human form wrapped in a white towel. The person stood facing away from the mirror, but Zane knew two things. One, there was no doubt this was a woman. The way the towel hugged her slight curves, conforming to her toned body told him that. And two, this was not one of his kind. He’d have sensed another Dream Weaver immediately which meant she had to be human.





Author Bio:


Born in Virginia, Brenda Sparks now resides in the Sunshine State with her loving husband and son.  Balancing her professional commitment to the local school district with her writing is challenging at times, but writing suspenseful paranormal romances is a passion that won’t be denied. Her idea of a perfect day is one spent in front of a computer with a hot cup of coffee, her fingers flying over the keys to send her characters off on their latest adventure.  Brenda loves to connect with readers.  Please visit her online or stop by her website to say hi. www.brenda-sparks.com



Links:

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/forBrendaSparks
Twitter : @brenda_sparks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/BrendaSparks   
Facebook Author Page : https://www.facebook.com/brenda.sparksauthor.1 
Website : www.brenda-sparks.com
Blog: www.brenda-sparks.com/blog

Buy Links:
Amazon US buy link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C16T11K/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00C16T11K&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwbrendaspar-20
Amazon UK buy link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weaver-of-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00C16T11K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364316575&sr=8-1


Rafflecopter Giveaway : for US/CA only

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MTI4YzBiMzFiYzBlNGY4ODI1NTNlZjE3YmIxM2JmOjIx/

Weaver of Dreams Swag

A Midsummer Night's Demon Swag

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Thursday, April 25, 2013 2 comments

Title : Mohawk Moon 
Author : N. Kuhn
Genre : Romantic Suspense
Blitz Tour Host : Lady Ambers Tours

Synopsis 

Janelle hasn't been home in ten years. All of a sudden, she has to deal with her mothers death, her broken relationship with her sister, and some sexy stranger following her. She doesn't know whether to be scared, or excited.

Damien needs to restore his families honor. He needs to use Janelle to do it, there's one problem. There's someone standing in the way. He's vowed that no one will stand in the way or getting what's his. 

Together they must save what's left of both their families, and along the way, deal with what's going on between them. Join them on the beginning of their journey, under the Mohawk Moon.

Review 


Romance! Needless to say, is my favorite genre. Mohawk Moon didn't disappoint! 

I was instantly pulled in by the astonishing cover and swoon-worthy blurb, but the romance between Damien and Janelle was what keep me reading, it was un-put-down-able! 

Witty and depressing at the same time, I fell instantly in love with the brooding Damien, who wouldn't? I thought the author was creative enough to create such realistic characters, and it was an intense emotional roller coaster for me, especially the sibling relationship Janelle shared with her sister, it was almost relatable. 

Yet, there was a major lacking point, the flow of the story was not as smooth as I thought, and at times I wish the story would be elaborated more. All in all, I rated it a 4 because of the creativity and originality! 

Praises to N. Kuhn!! 

Links 

Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008HHCZTC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008HHCZTC&linkCode=as2&tag=receread0b-20

Barnes and Noble :http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mohawk-moon-n-kuhn/1114777410?ean=2940016179865

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/nkuhnauthor
Blog : http://nkuhnebooks.blogspot.com/
Goodreads : http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6966339.N_Kuhn

Author's Bio 



The N in N. Kuhn is actually Nicole. She was born and raised in western New York. She grew up with a love of books, and a passion for writing. She was always found with her nose in a book. She finally decided to take the steps to embark into self publishing at the urging of her Grandmother. Mrs. Kuhn has dedicated her second book to Janet Starr, as she passed just days after being published.  

Nicole survives on coffee alone. Mostly Tim Hortons. (It’s a NY thing.) A fan of drinking it from the time she gets up, until she finally rests. When not writing, she crochets and spends time with her beautiful daughter and her husband. Her friends call her Octo-Mom because she multi-tasks so well. Between her full time job, family, crochet and writing, it’s a wonder she ever sleeps.  

Mrs. Kuhn feels that reading in our youth is a very important trait to instill. She reads with her young daughter as much as she can. “It’s the most important thing a parent can ever do with a child. Read, teach them to read. Don’t buy them toys, buy them books,” She says.  


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Sunday, April 21, 2013 1 comments



Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 

Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 

My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Chapter One
I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams. 
The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. 
My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back. 
Death and I glare at each other through my tears.
I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here. 
I’m ready to go. On the count of three.
I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.
A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls. 
Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head. 
Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home. 
It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me. 
My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name. 
 On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.
Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.
“Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners. 
Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying. 
Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now. 
My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest. 
Gotta keep going. 
“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me. 
I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost. 
My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.
I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped. 
Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.
“You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.” 
I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them even as I shiver with fear. 
“There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says. 
I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.
The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts. My dignity is all I have left.
Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. 
Did they need so many guards to capture me?
 I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that. 
The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass and the air grows warmer, more humid, the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade. 
To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.
“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told. 
“You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face.
 Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.
They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole. 
Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation. 
I lose myself in thoughts of my father. 
“Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love. 
The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. “Get out,” the guard orders while pulling me to my feet. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness. 
The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white in fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip. 
 I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying. 
“Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.
They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body. 
What do they think I could possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me. 
“MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.
“Lexi Hamilton.” 
A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then, they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.
“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.” 
A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.
Click. Click. Click. 
The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me. 
The Seven Deadly Sins:
Lust ¾ Blue
Gluttony ¾ Orange
Greed ¾ Yellow
Sloth ¾ Light Blue
Wrath ¾ Red
Envy ¾ Green
Pride ¾ Purple
 “Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.” 
Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks. 
“GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar. 
He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out. 
Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual. 
I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.
“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire from my neck to my jaw, making me wince. 
He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my new clothes, I pull the shirt over my head and try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name. 
“Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.
I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand. 
“Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg.
 “My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me. 
“It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand. “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving.
You can overcome anything… short of death.
 “You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?” 
A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.
“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance. 
“What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?” 
“Nothing,” I respond, confused.
“What color are they?”
“Turquoise.” I glower at him.
“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.” 
Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can't take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand. 
“Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside. 
“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk. 
 “Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.
“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute. 
“Let’s move,” Cole says. 
I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.

Biography
Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan. 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

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Hi! I'm Natasha! A twenty-something-year-old who has way too many hobbies and passions for her own good. I'm recently into drawing (hence, artmateur), binging shows on Netflix, reading romance novels and stalking Pinterest board for my next project.

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Natshane's bookshelf: read

Booty Camp Dating Service
it was amazing
Booty Camp Dating Service
by Debra Anastasia
Finding Dandelion
really liked it
Finding Dandelion
by Lex Martin
Saven Disclosure
really liked it
Saven Disclosure
by Siobhan Davis
Dearest Clementine
really liked it
Dearest Clementine
by Lex Martin
Killer Potential
really liked it
Killer Potential
by Aften Brook Szymanski

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