Willing Captive by Ashlynn Monroe ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #WillingCaptive #AshlynnMonroe #LGBTQ #Romance

Willing Captive by Ashlynn Monroe

An LGBTQ+ BDSM Sci-Fi Romance

Date Published: June 19, 2026

Publisher: Changeling Press 

"Humans are a legend. They don't exist."

When Lord Xev and his lover, Ra, leave their home in search of a woman to bond with them, they know exactly where to go. Risen Outpost is the most lawless place in the galaxy, and Pale Moon Auction House offers the finest sex slaves on the market. What the Zaronians don't expect is to find one of the legendary humans for sale to the highest bidder.

Kirin Ellison doesn't know what's happened to her. The shock of discovering aliens exist is bad enough, but realizing they plan to sell her as a sex slave is far worse. Kirin watches the other women preening and displaying their attributes, begging to belong to someone, with growing alarm. She wants her freedom. At least she thinks she does --- until one touch from Xev and Ra enslaves her in a far more binding way than a simple exchange of a currency could ever manage. She longs to feel everything the strange beings have to offer, but unless Xev is willing to make a sacrifice of his own, she dare not let him capture her heart.

 

 

Read an Excerpt:

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2026 Ashlynn Monroe

Music reverberated through Kirin Ellison's Mazda as she drove down the lonely two lane country road. Humming along to the radio, she glanced up at the sky. The black velvet above was dotted with stars. In the city, she never really had the chance to see the night sky -- the view here was breathtaking.

No one was expecting her back in Chicago until tomorrow. She didn't need to rush. Her camera lay on the passenger seat beside her. Pulling over onto the gravel shoulder, she parked next to a fenced pasture.

The warning bell dinged as she carefully pulled out her beloved equipment. Wedding and graduation photography paid the bills, but she couldn't escape her true calling -- she felt drawn to beautiful panoramic landscapes.

Kirin looked up at the silky night sky and began to visualize the shots she would take. The rural beauty was exactly what she wanted. These prints would sell fast in the city.

Chuckling to herself, she shook off the feeling that she was being watched. "I've been in the city way too long," she muttered as she made sure the tripod was stable.

A sudden flash to her left made her straighten and turn. She gasped as three bluish-green lights hovered in the air.

"Oh my God!" Kirin's hands shook as she began frantically snapping pictures. Kirin focused intensely on the lights. She wished her camera had video capability. She expected the hovering lights to fly away, but they didn't. These prints were definitely going to be a moneymaker.

The lights suddenly catapulted forward and to her horror, they now hovered directly over her car. Her courage held her for only three more shots before her shaking hands managed to free the camera from the tripod. Snatching up her equipment, she rushed back to the car, but froze when a bright light illuminated the area around her. Her eyes widened as the car levitated off the ground. The pulsating yellow light was actually pulling the Mazda skyward.

Kirin bit her lip and stumbled backwards. She had no interest in finding out where her car was going. Her foot slipped on the dew-damp grass and she tumbled backward into the darkness. Pain radiated through her head and her teeth clicked as her jaws snapped together. She blinked up and the darkness vanished. She lay bathed in bright yellow light. Something trickled down her neck and she realized she was bleeding, but that was the least of her worries right now.

Blinking rapidly, Kirin tried to clear her vision, but the lights went in and out of focus. She felt her body lifting. "No," she moaned.

Unconsciousness claimed her.

When Kirin next opened her eyes, she blinked up at a bright light. She tried to swallow but something was down her throat. Soft plastic cradled her nose and mouth. She looked down her nose at the strange mask. The effort gave her an intense headache and she tried to groan, but the tube down her throat didn't allow the sound to come out. She lay in a warm cocoon, perfectly cradled in softness. To her horror, she realized she was naked. She tried to move, but she couldn't. The paralysis was surreal. Her vision was blurry and she blinked rapidly, but it didn't seem to help. She felt as if she were floating.

Vaguely, she wondered if she'd been drugged.

A dark shadow blocked the light to the left and she tried to focus on what -- or who -- it was. Her eyes widened and she tried to scream. Being immobile added a sharp bite to her terror. The creature was tall and blue. It had tentacles jutting out of its rather large head, and it didn't look happy. Coming closer, it made some sort of gibberish noise and ran its hand down her arm, then her hip and leg. She shuddered. Something moved in a blur to her left and she felt a quick stab of pain before her eyes fluttered closed and darkness dragged her back into oblivion.

About the Author:

Ashlynn Monroe is a busy working mom. She loves her kids and family. Her greatest joy is creating stories to entertain others, and she hopes they bring a little more romance into the world. She's been writing since her teens for her own enjoyment but decided in her thirties to share her imagination with readers. Ashlynn enjoys biking, camping, reading, video games, and filling her home and life with love. If she's not working or chasing children, you can find her daydreaming up her next tale of romance. 

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Ky’s Revenge by Mikala Ash ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #KysRevenge #MikalaAsh #postapocalyptic @ash_mikala

 

The Rebellious Slave 3

Ky’s Revenge by Mikala Ash

Post-Apocalyptic SciFi Action Adventure Romance

To Be Published: May 30, 2025

 

 

Rowan teaches the art of love to a lusty novice, while Ky suffers at the hands of an old enemy.

The lusty adventure continues!

 

Slave girl Rowan attempts a daring escape from her mysterious kidnapper. She hopes to be reunited with Ky and find the Key that will release her from the bonds of slavery and let them love as equals. Rowan is found by Lopi, a virgin fisherman, and she gratefully teaches him the joy of sex.

Ky has sworn revenge against the bearded man who took Rowan from him. However, he’s been handed over to his old enemy, the evil Warlord Thorfin, who seeks Rowan for his own purposes. Will the conjoined twins, Pus and Tule, be able to help Ky escape with his life? And what of Chin Lau? Rowan’s fellow slave has accepted the wolf brand and is the personal bodyguard and lover of the beautiful war chief, Tamin Gutra. He soon discovers she demands much more than his satisfying skills in bed.

To unlock the secret of this strange medieval world that coexists with advanced technologies, Rowan must first survive and then be reunited with the love of her life.

Read an Excerpt:

Copyright ©2025 Mikala Ash

 

Ky’s head felt as if it was going to burst. It throbbed in time with the beating of a drum that seemed to be not two inches from his ears. This wasn’t his only torment. His wrists and ankles were cruelly knotted with thin twine that cut deep into his inflamed flesh. When he struggled, a wave of nausea overturned his consciousness. He dry-retched, which sent fresh stabs of lightning through his tortured brain.

He forced open his blood-encrusted eyes. The bizarre scene caused a moment of confused alarm. Everything was upside down. The pain emanating from his ankles was explained; he was hanging by his feet. He reasoned, after a few moments, that he was inside a vast tent, and against the walls the flaring torches cast dancing shadows of a parade of exotic animals and bizarre circus performers. Ky caught sight of Pustule, the ridiculously named two-headed dwarf. The cunning oddity was the loyal creature of Boss, the carnival’s owner. Laughter erupted from the audience who sat at long tables, amply supplied with wine bottles and ale mugs. Ky licked his dry lips.

What is this place? In brief disordered snatches he recalled his and Rowan’s attempted escape from the caravan, the fight with the bearded man, the taking of Rowan, the boss’s betrayal, and the arrival of the Skolls, the vicious marauders of the wastelands. He recalled that instead of just taking him, the Skolls had captured the whole caravan. After that the numerous beatings, too many to count, blended into one continuous thread of pain.

Nausea again threatened to take him out of his pain when a bucket of foul wastewater from the cook tent was emptied in his face. He coughed and spluttered as the stale liquid filled his nostrils.

Before him, only a few yards away, flanked by guards armed with spears, a naked gargantuan occupied an ivory throne. The big man pushed away the thin whore who’d been curled in his lap sucking his engorged prick. She slid to the floor gasping. Ky experienced a pang of recognition, but in his confused state he couldn’t put a name to her. Released from her immediate duty, she crawled away into the shadows.

The giant gave a hand signal, and the drumbeats ceased, as did the chattering of the assembled guests.

“He lives, does he?” he asked a thin, rat-faced man who stood by Ky.

“As you ordered, Captain,” the man replied.

Ky cursed the fiend who obviously revelled in inflicting pain with skills designed to take a living body to the brink of death and coax it back again.

“He hangs by his feet so as not to drown in his own blood.”

“Call me Lord Thorfin!”

“Lord Thorfin,” the man hastily corrected himself.

That some sort of promotion had occurred mattered little to Ky. It was the name that stabbed him in the heart.

Thorfin!

He hadn’t recognized the warlord from his dizzying position. He doubted he would have known him under normal circumstances. Thorfin had grown prodigiously fat during the dozen years that had passed since Ky had been on the losing side in the War of the Three Sovereigns. Filled with rage and grief, he’d stood with his father and brother while Thorfin personally walked among the ranks of prisoners choosing those who’d be sacrificed to Po. Ky had stared defiantly into the eyes of Thorfin, who laughed and chose his older brother, Sandor. Ky had rushed forward only to be beaten to the ground, his head held up by the hair so he could watch Sandor dragged to the crude block to have his body ripped asunder.

Ky had screamed every curse known to man till his voice failed. In the cells he’d watched helplessly as his father died of grief. Then, after a month-long trek, he’d been returned to Slavin Hold and pressed into service as a guard. At Slavin he’d started every day by swearing bloody revenge, an impotent gesture, as it turned out. Now the tyrant had him trussed up like a beast ready for slaughter.

Ky forced his mind to rise above his pain to concentrate on Thorfin’s words.

“I am bored with this,” Thorfin said. “Will he talk, Greeg?”

The torturer slapped Ky’s arse. “If he knows what’s good for him he will.”

“Then put him to the question.”

What question?

Greeg extracted an iron poker from the fire and waved it so close to Ky’s eyes it felt as if his tears would boil. “Where is the girl?”

Of course. This was about Rowan!

Rowan, the rebellious slave who he loved. Ky spat a wad of blood from his mouth. If he told Thorfin that Rowan had been taken by the bearded man, he might know who that mysterious fellow was and go after her. Did he really want Thorfin to get his hands on her? Even if he lived beyond this day, could he protect her?

Then, in a moment of clarity he realized that Boss, the corpulent owner of the carnival who had handed him over, would have already told Thorfin everything. There was no reason not to speak what he knew.

“The man with the beard,” he said his words barely audible.

Greeg struck him with an open hand. “Speak up!”

Ky repeated his answer.

“Yes, yes,” Thorfin said irritably. “I know of him. Who is he?”

“I don’t know. He never said his name.”

“No one in the town knew him either,” Greeg confirmed. “I asked them most pointedly.”

“You haven’t killed them all, have you?” Thorfin demanded.

Greeg chuckled. “Not yet, but they wish for it.”

“They must know something. There are more clues to a man’s identity than just his beard.” Though a beast in human form, and despite consuming a vast amount of wine, Ky knew Thorfin was not without intelligence.

“I will persist in my questioning, my Lord Thorfin.”

“I want answers.” Thorfin returned his gaze to Ky. “She means something to you, this slave, Rowan.”

 

About the Author:

Aussie Mikala Ash used to be a mild-mannered training & development consultant by day, and a wild sci-fi and paranormal adventure writer by night. Now she is a brazen full-time writer and nature photographer who is concentrating on having among other things, “… bags, and bags of fun!” Mikala can be found on Facebook and on Twitter.

 

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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Poseidon’s Daughters: Reckoning (Poseidon’s Daughters Book 1) by Reign Reeves Pearson #SciFi #Thriller #Excerpt @notorious_rrp

Poseidon’s Daughters: Reckoning

Poseidon’s Daughters

Book 1

Reign Reeves Pearson

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller

Date of Publication: March 21, 2025

ISBN: B0DZNZ6QPC

ASIN: B0DZCKJBGX

Number of pages: 262

Word Count: 62,400

Cover Artist: Reign Reeves Pearson

Tagline: They wanted a ghost, she’ll give them a reckoning

About the Book: 

They trained her to be a weapon. Now, she’s turning the blade on them.

Eirianwen was Poseidon’s crowning achievement—until she walked away from everything. She’s evaded them for years, carving out a life in the shadows, leaving behind the bloodstained world they forced her into. Now, the past she’s been running from has finally caught up. A storm-wracked night. A breach in her sanctuary. Someone is watching. Someone is waiting. And this time, they don’t just want her dead—they want her to doubt herself. They want the world to believe she’s lost her mind.

They’ve been watching her. Manipulating her. Preparing for her downfall.

Now, the elite organization that built her is coming to collect. Not to kill—to control. They don’t need to break her. They just need to make sure no one believes her when she starts screaming.They want her to understand that her escape, her freedom, was all an illusion.

Erased. Discredited. Untouchable.

But Eirianwen has spent her whole life surviving. And when the walls start closing in, she doesn’t run. She hunts.

Poseidon wants her desperate. Unraveling. Helpless.

They’re about to learn just how dangerous she can be.

Purchase from Amazon

Watch the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/hpJsOfvRKxI

Read an Excerpt :

Eirianwen ripped out the earpiece and slammed it onto the desk. Panic swirled at the edges of her mind, but she forced it down. Now wasn’t the time. She grabbed a larger bag from under the desk, slung it over her shoulder, and stormed out. In the closet, she set the bag aside, pressing a hidden panel on the side of her bed. A drawer slid open, revealing her arsenal. Her hands shook as she armed herself, snapping a knife into its sheath and loading a handgun with quick, practiced movements. Now, to find them. Moving swiftly, she ran through the house, slipping out the back door and straight into the storm-charged air. Sullivan’s workshop. If she was going to do this right, she’d need a shovel. She yanked open the heavy wooden door, eyes darting over the mess inside.Where the fuck is it? Why is this place always such a goddamn disaster?

A glint of metal under the workbench caught her eye. She crouched, snatched up a spade, and bolted back outside. The rain had started in earnest, cold drops slicing through the thick humidity. She sprinted to where the trackers last pinged, her boots sinking slightly into the softening earth, almost tripping thanks to a low spot. Looking back at the spot, it was all wrong. She knew something was buried there.

Gripping the shovel tightly, she drove it into the ground. The soil gave easily...far too easily. The clay should have been a nightmare to dig through. Someone had already done the work for her. Within moments, her blade hit something solid, and dread curled in her stomach. She dropped to her knees, clawing at the loose earth with bare hands until the objects were free. Her breath hitched. Six trackers. All of them. Cold, useless, and buried like a mockery of her own paranoia. Eirianwen sat back on her heels, mud caking her fingers as she stared at the pile in her hands. Someone knew.

Her cheeks burned hot, but the rest of her body felt frozen. Tears welled, spilling silently down her face as the questions flooded in. Why? Why would Sullivan do this? Had he done this? He wouldn’t put the kids in danger—would he? Where were they? How long had he planned this? Her stomach twisted. Then, her phone buzzed—a single notification. Hands trembling,  she wiped her palms on her pants and yanked it from her pocket. Wi-Fi restored—a new alert. Someone had just crossed the perimeter.

“It better be Sullivan and the kids.”

Eirianwen exhaled sharply, swiping at the sweat and tears streaking her face. Standing, she brushed the dirt from her clothes as best she could, shoving the useless trackers deep into her pocket. She locked her phone and steadied herself. If the kids were with Sullivan, she needed to stay calm. Normal. They couldn’t see the weapons strapped under her clothing. At least the incoming storm gave her an excuse to rush them inside. She’d get them safe first—then she’d deal with Sullivan. She turned toward the tree line, heart pounding in her throat. The property was massive, and she had built the house at its farthest edge. Finally, headlights cut through the gloom. A vehicle emerged. Not Sullivan’s truck. A cold, electric jolt shot down her spine. Every instinct screamed at her.

No one came out here. No one. She had made sure of it. For years, she had meticulously crafted the illusion of a perfectly ordinary life. She knew everyone in town—just enough to avoid suspicion, but never enough to invite curiosity. A delicate balance of friendly but distant. She never gave anyone a reason to visit. She didn't even use their real address! She picked up all of their mail and deliveries in town. So who the hell thought they had the right to pull up to her house? The SUV slowed to a stop, tires crunching against the gravel. The doors swung open in near unison, and two men stepped out. Sheriff Ford. Deputy Pines. Ford adjusted his jacket, his gaze steady, unreadable. Pines lingered a step behind, eyes sharp, scanning. Ford closed the gap between them, and gave Eirianwen a curt nod.

 

About the Author:

Reign Reeves Pearson is a writer, storyteller, and chaos enthusiast based in Houston, where she lives with her husband, four kids, and three cats who may or may not be plotting world domination. She thrives on Kopiko, rainy days, and an endless love for Final Fantasy VII and Dungeons & Dragons.

 

She’s been writing for as long as she can remember. But in 2019, a health scare forced her to take a hard look at her life, and the answer was clear: writing wasn’t just something she did. It was what she was meant to do.

 

Her debut novel and series, Poseidon’s Daughters: Reckoning, is her first and only planned adventure into sci-fi. Going forward, expect Southern Gothic chills, cosmic nightmares, and nostalgic ‘90s horror—all infused with her signature mix of heart, humor, and a touch of the macabre.

 

When she’s not writing, she’s probably dreaming up elaborate D&D campaigns, getting emotionally wrecked by Final Fantasy VII (again), or staring dramatically out a window while it rains.

 

Follow her chaotic creative journey at:

 

https://reignvox.com/

 

https://x.com/notorious_rrp

 

https://www.twitch.tv/ReignVox

 

https://www.youtube.com/@notorious_rrp

 

https://www.instagram.com/notorious_rrp/

 

https://www.instagram.com/reignreevespearson/

 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48135392.Reign_Reeves_Pearson

 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Reign-Reeves-Pearson/author/B0DZDDF88T

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The Others by T.C. Weber ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #TheOthers #TCWeber #Scifi

The Others by T.C. Weber 

Sci-Fi / Action Adventure

Date Published: 12-25-2024

Publisher: Freedom Thorn Press

 

About the Book:

When a corpse with webbed feet and other aquatic adaptations washes ashore during a hurricane, the county medical examiner calls in marine biologist Will Myers for assistance. The deceased’s mysterious sister, Andreia, claims the body and asks Will to help figure out how her brother died. Will and Andreia bond over shared tragedies and a yearning to heal a dying ocean as they seek to learn how her brother spent his final days.

Andreia brings Will to her undersea home, part of a hidden civilization inhabited by smugglers, hackers, treasure hunters, and traders—all members of a different species, driven to the edge of extinction by human diseases and climate change. As feelings between the two grow, the investigation into her brother’s death leads to a sinister plot by a fanatical cabal. Together, Will and Andreia must find a way to save both humanity and the ocean without imperiling the existence of her species.

About the Author:

As an ecologist who grew up diving and fishing in the Florida Keys, Mr. Weber drew on his knowledge of the setting and relevant science to bring it to life. His cyberpunk novel Sleep State Interrupt (See Sharp Press) was a finalist for the 2017 Compton Crook award for best first speculative fiction novel. Two sequels, The Wrath of Leviathan and Zero-Day Rising, followed, as well as an alternate history novel, Born in Salt; a post-apocalyptic horror novella, The Survivors; and a satire of local government, The Council. He has also had numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters published. Mr. Weber is a member of Poets & Writers, the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, the Horror Writers Association, and the Maryland Writers Association.

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Book Blitz ~ The Others by T.C. Weber ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #TheOthers #TCWeber #SciFi

The Others by T.C. Weber

Sci-Fi / Action Adventure

Date Published: 12-25-2024

Publisher: Freedom Thorn Press

About the Book:

When a corpse with webbed feet and other aquatic adaptations washes ashore during a hurricane, the county medical examiner calls in marine biologist Will Myers for assistance. The deceased’s mysterious sister, Andreia, claims the body and asks Will to help figure out how her brother died. Will and Andreia bond over shared tragedies and a yearning to heal a dying ocean as they seek to learn how her brother spent his final days.

Andreia brings Will to her undersea home, part of a hidden civilization inhabited by smugglers, hackers, treasure hunters, and traders—all members of a different species, driven to the edge of extinction by human diseases and climate change. As feelings between the two grow, the investigation into her brother’s death leads to a sinister plot by a fanatical cabal. Together, Will and Andreia must find a way to save both humanity and the ocean without imperiling the existence of her species.

About the Author:

As an ecologist who grew up diving and fishing in the Florida Keys, Mr. Weber drew on his knowledge of the setting and relevant science to bring it to life. His cyberpunk novel Sleep State Interrupt (See Sharp Press) was a finalist for the 2017 Compton Crook award for best first speculative fiction novel. Two sequels, The Wrath of Leviathan and Zero-Day Rising, followed, as well as an alternate history novel, Born in Salt; a post-apocalyptic horror novella, The Survivors; and a satire of local government, The Council. He has also had numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters published. Mr. Weber is a member of Poets & Writers, the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, the Horror Writers Association, and the Maryland Writers Association.

Contact Links:

Website

Facebook

"X"

Goodreads

Instagram

Youtube

Purchase Links:

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Amazon

Other ebook outlets

 

 

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Dreams Eclipsed by Kira Stone ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #DreamsEclipsed #KiraStone #ScifiRomance

Dreams Eclipsed by Kira Stone

Sci-Fi, Futuristic Romance

Date Published: November 8, 2024

About the Book:

Janet's orgasms are earth-shattering. At least they are when she's Dreaming in the Zodiac, a virtual reality world created by Dr. Archer Tate. The problem is that, technically, a system shutdown shouldn't be possible, especially not from a mere cyber-orgasm. Gamely, Janet reveals every intimate detail of her Dreams for the team's troubleshooting analysis but several weeks later, the cause of the anomalous malfunction remains a mystery.

Archer blames Janet for the Zodiac's glitch. He just can't figure out how she's triggering it. Doesn’t help that listening to her reveal her lusty Zodiac Dreams, orgasm by orgasm, is driving him insane with lust for her. For the sake of the project and his sanity, he decides to Dream with her so he can catch her in the act and put this business to rest.

There's more to Janet's orgasmic Zodiac Dreaming than mere mechanics. It takes someone who knows Janet's heart as well as her mind and body to create the disruptive orgasm. When the team psychologist, Liam, insists he's better suited for the job, Archer realizes he could lose something more precious to him than Zodiac. Will sharing Janet with Liam solve their problems, or will he lose her forever?

Read an Excerpt:

Janet Widgeon sauntered into the smoky jazz club, her stiletto heels clicking on the varnished wood floor. Notes of sweet, sassy blues rolled down the dimly lit hall to welcome her. She was early, far earlier than she normally arrived at the Zodiac Club, but pacing in her apartment hadn’t lessened her anxiety.

Is he as excited about tonight as I am? Is he already here, waiting for me?

The burly bouncer stationed at the entrance greeted her. “Evenin’, Miss Janet.” His thin black lips curved slightly upward as he took in her skintight, siren red dress. High praise coming from the stoic man.

Though she wore three-inch heels, she had to stretch to kiss the beefy man’s cheek. “Evening, Trent. How’s the mood tonight?”

“Hotter than Maria’s gumbo.”

Janet chuckled. “Don’t let her hear you say that, or her next batch will violate our fire code.”

Trent ducked his head in agreement. “True that.”

She fingered her slim, sequined purse -- it was the same shade as the dress and shoes -- as she surrendered to her curiosity. “Any messages for me?”

“None of the friendly sort, if that’s what you’re asking.” Even in the dim light she could see his brown eyes sparkle with amusement.

With a nod, she deftly spun on the points of her shoes and headed toward the bar’s crowded interior.

“Going to your office, Miss, or should I ask one of the girls to bring a glass of white wine to your table?”

Her gaze roamed the dim interior as she considered her answer. “I’m far too restless to concentrate on paperwork tonight. I think I’ll mingle first, and then find a seat when Jim begins his first set.”

“You have yourself a fine evening then, Miss Janet.”

Janet penetrated the hazy atmosphere where a broad mix of patrons congregated around small tables in front of the stage. Tonight’s headlining act was a real coup for the club. Jim Byrnes owned a nightspot in Vancouver and rarely played anyplace else. How her manager had sweet-talked him into taking a trip to her little place in bayou country was a secret that man wasn’t telling.

A relatively new kid on the national jazz scene, Chris Thomas King was currently warming up the room with good, old-fashioned songs. Janet hummed along with his rendition of the old Blues classic John Law as she circulated through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with old and new friends.

Jim’s name was a big draw, and Janet was pleased to see her staff keeping up with the clientele’s high demand for fresh, full glasses. Most of the customers wouldn’t want a meal so late at night, just a few Cajun snacks to keep the alcohol company. Janet noted that Maria and her kitchen staff seemed to have those requests under control as well.

There was only one question remaining on her mind. By the time she completed a full circuit of the room, Janet had that answer too. He’s not here.

Instead of being disappointed, a tremor of excitement rippled along her spine. He wasn’t here. Yet. But he would come. She was sure of it.

Janet signaled for a barmaid to bring over a drink as she sat down at an empty table, the one reserved for her exclusive use, in a dark corner at the right edge of the stage. Usually, she invited others to join her, but not this time. The only person whose company she desired now knew where to find her -- and would, sometime before the night was over.

It had been exactly a month ago that she’d first met him, a friend of a friend who shared her fondness for delta blues and late-night conversation. They’d talked until dawn threatened to cross the line from speculation to fact. He’d left her with a passionate kiss and a promise to return the following Saturday.

In fact, he’d come back again and again to the Zodiac Club, never staying beyond closing, never asking if he could take her home or inviting her to his place. But after their last encounter, she knew their next meeting would end differently. The sexual tension between them had hit a boiling point. Next time, they’d either turn up the heat until their rising passion was finally given a chance to burn, or they’d shut off the gas for good.

And now that night had arrived.

Janet sat alone and waited for him to appear through the blues of Chris Thomas King and then Jim Byrnes’ opening set. She enjoyed both musicians thoroughly, yet part of her remained aware of the lingering emptiness beside her.

As Jim’s second set began, Janet succumbed to a trickle of doubt. Had he forgotten about their date? Lost interest? Met someone else? Normally she didn’t allow the presence or absence of a man at her side to cast doubt on her self-worth, but this man was the exception to every personal rule she had about dating. She’d been so sure he felt the same way and now…

“Why do you wear such a sad face, cherè?” a rich, masculine voice asked from the shadows behind her.

She gasped in surprise. She’d never heard him approach, but somehow he stood beside her, a living advertisement for sin.

Inside the dark club, his face looked chalk white. The rest of him was encased in black from neck to toe. A lightweight ribbed turtleneck tucked into a pair of pleated pants. A sports coat hung over one arm, the opposite hand rested in his pants’ pocket. So much the man she remembered, still more shadow than substance. The only part of him that vibrated with life was the pair of quicksilver eyes which now pierced her soul.

Irritated that he’d made her doubt herself, she snapped, “You’re like a damn ghost.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” he pointed out, moving to her side.

Janet knew his courtly manners wouldn’t allow him to sit in the empty chair until it was offered. She’d keep him on pins and needles for a few more seconds to satisfy her moment of pique. “You’ve missed most of the show. Jim Byrnes, for heaven’s sake!”

“Is this transgression so severe you’d rather I go?” His whisky-smooth voice whispered against her ear.

Pure lust snaked down her spine. How could she be inches away from orgasm just from the sound of his voice?

About the Author:

Kira Stone has been around the block…the writer’s block, that is.

From vamps and witches to historical heroes, from futuristic scientists to paranormal corporate executives, from Canadian werewolves to off-world shifters, Kira has written about them all. Manlove has sparked hot and heavy in many of her plots, but Kira also finds a lucky lady to keep the sexy heroes company from time to time. While Scotland remains her favorite place in the world, Kira is constantly in search of new adventures to add to the creative primordial ooze where her best stories are born.

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Susie Drake and the Stolen Memories by Jay Hall ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #SusieDrakeandtheStolenMemories #JayHall #ScifiFantasy

Susie Drake and the Stolen Memories by Jay Hall

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Date Published: 01-06-2024

Publisher: 44th Morning LLC

 

About the Book:

Haunted by insurmountable grief, the nearly indestructible Susie Drake temporarily sacrifices all memories of her human friends. Unbeknownst to her, Ren Pith, a semi-immortal plagued by seizures and OCD, snatches her remembrances in pursuit of a time traveler, with the hope of rewriting the past.

Meanwhile, recruited by the grandchildren of her forgotten friends, Susie confronts a murder investigation intertwined with her purloined past and teams up with a private eye to unravel a perplexing link between her stolen recollections and a man who taunted her nearly a century prior. Racing against the possibility of total memory loss, Susie and the detective navigate time and space to follow a lead and venture into the future of an alternate Earth.

Susie’s quest intertwines self-discovery, justice, and a high-stakes race into a tangled web bridging past, present, and parallel worlds.

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For the Love of Dog Tales 2 by I L Cannon ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #FortheLoveofDogTales #ILCannon #Scifi #SpaceOpera

For the Love of Dog Tales 2 

by I L Cannon

Sci-Fi / Space Opera

Date Published: March 20, 2023

Publisher: ‎MindStir Media

Envision and bear witness through the seemingly simplistic mind's eye of a wondrous canine!

The Canine story Ebe: Take a kaleidoscopic infinite cosmic time trek cast well beyond 100 billion light years!

The Canine Story Blu: Witness through the scientific machinations of their own undoing the violent and tragic last stand of known humanity within a futuristic icy abyss.

The Canine story Deake 0: Through his fateful origin, with police companions in tow, trudge through the battle weary pursuit for life and the unselfish drive for ultimate justice for our defenseless and the downtrodden.

The Feline story of Swiftclaw at Heroes Fall: Champion alongside once again with a now seasoned cat warrior's desperate fight against a misaligned foe with the potential for unlimited irreversible deadly possibilities in its wake.

These are the challenges, these are the conquests, these are the dreams, these are the successes, and with life, these are the sometimes tragic failures.

The story-telling, the fable, the book. For the Love of Dog Tales 2.

About the Author:

Storyteller and dreamer, Irvin L. Cannon, put pen to paper for the first time in response to a challenge. A simple challenge issued in response to his comment… “I can write a better story than that.” The challenge uttered, “Do it then”! He began scribbling story after story into notebooks. For the Love of Dog Tales is the first release from those tucked away pages birthed from that short exchange.

His vision and imagination for the art of storytelling was primarily nurtured by his love for comic books. A scientist by training, dog lover by nature, and a man with many years in law enforcement, Irvin’s experience in the inner city street wars, combine to produce a biting view of the world around us as seen through the eyes of his canine characters—characters with whom he has crossed paths.

 

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Teaser Tuesday ~ Biological Compatibility by M.A. Freeman @writingmaf @changelingpress ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #BiologicalCompatibility #MAFreeman #ChangelingPress #SciFi #PNR

 

Biological Compatibility 

by M.A. Freeman

Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi, Shapeshifters

Date Published: 09/16/2022

 About the Book:

Phoebe Walden finally has it all. She’s met the love of her life, and she has a family she can tolerate, who accept her and love her no matter what. But there’s a darkness shadowing her, waiting to destroy her chance at happiness. Not on Phoebe’s watch. However it’s not just her happiness at stake, but all of theirs if she makes even one mistake.

Scott Quinn has done the best he could, floating under the radar. Hard choices have made it difficult for him even to face himself in the mirror. But things finally looking up. He’s found the perfect woman, who seems to be into him as much as he’s into her. Yet Scott has secrets. He knows who he is and what he’s done will cause friction. And always in the shadows lurks the harsh reality that his freedom has been an illusion all along.

Read an Excerpt:

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2022 MA Freeman 

Scott

Something wasn’t adding up here. Scott Quinn frowned at the data scrolling across his computer screen while comparing it to the file sizes collated at the bottom. None of this made sense. Not the file sizes nor the access times or the user accounts identified with random files. To be honest, it looked like accidental typos or errors, yet there were too many of them to write off.

Movement out of the corner of his eye drew his attention. He couldn’t help but smile at the window separating his office from the IS pool. She had arrived. Scott watched with interest as Phoebe Walden entered the outer office and took her place at her assigned computer. Only a few months had passed, but Scott was used to how she captivated all aspects of him.

Those instincts, the ones that had kept him alive, had been explicit in their need the first time he had laid eyes on her. They wanted her in their den, where they could keep her forever.

Scott knew it was crazy. But he was used to it after all these years, coming to terms with behaviors by no means human. The trick was learning to coexist with them, to incorporate them into his human life. To trust they would never lead him down the wrong path.

That meant he was planning to ask the delectable Phoebe out on a date. Now granted, there were issues to overcome. One, he was her direct supervisor, so there was an element of inequality within their power dynamics. Two, there was a company policy about fraternizing among coworkers that he was planning to disregard completely. And three, there were the secrets he carried with the potential to drive a wedge into any trust they might share in a relationship.

Scott watched through the glass. His smile widened into a grin. Phoebe had a little ritual she followed every day shortly after she arrived. It was the highlight of his morning to watch her perform it. After a thorough cleaning of everything on her desk, she would carefully unpack her messenger bag. He was amused while extremely curious about the little knickknacks she placed on her desk in full view of everyone, but mainly her.

There was a small folding picture frame and a small silver orb he thought might be a ball bearing, of all things. And last, a small wrench she propped atop the picture frame. Such a weird combination of items, yet Scott knew every one of them was significant in representing aspects of Phoebe’s life. He couldn’t wait to delve deep. To know her. To understand all the quirks that made her up.

Ping.

Scott frowned at the Instant Messenger alert. He clicked it open with a sigh. It was from his boss.

M. Foltz: Did you complete the audit?

Of course, he wanted to know if the audit was complete. Scott rolled his eyes, annoyed Miles wanted an update already when the e-mail dictating the assignment had only come out this morning. But God save him from people who were tech illiterate. Or, in Miles’s case, tech dumb.

S. Quinn: The audit is going to take the better part of a week to complete. If you allow me to bring in help from the IS pool, it can be completed in three days.

Ping.

M. Foltz: No, the data is sensitive. It requires the highest of clearances. Complete it as soon as possible. Send regular updates.

He scowled. Not only was this going to be another case where Miles took credit for all his hard work, but to complete it quickly would require more than a few nights of burning the midnight oil. His plans for the delectable Phoebe were being put on hold.

S. Quinn: I’ll do my best. There will be an initial report by the end of the day.

Fuck. Miles was really starting to get on his nerves. A low growl worked its way up through his throat while his nails scratched a set of grooves into the wood of his desk. Maybe it was time to be more proactive at home. To thin the herd.

“Ahem.”

Scott’s head jerked up to see Phoebe standing in his doorway with her eyebrows slightly furrowed. How much had she seen? Shit, how much had she heard? Because that growl was in no way human-sounding.

“I did knock.” Her voice was professional, but her face still indicated she had witnessed his less than human annoyance.

“Do you need something?” Scott cringed internally. His voice sounded sharp. Too sharp. Damn Miles.

She smiled with those fire-engine-red lips. They had him shifting uncomfortably in his chair. “Something’s wrong with my headset. It’s nothing but static. Do you have another one I can use?”

He wasn’t surprised. They worked for a multibillion-dollar conglomerate that provided substandard products for its departments. Scott got up from his desk to get one out of the supply cabinet. He always made sure to order the crap items in bulk for this very reason.

“Of course.” He grabbed a box with the right headset in it. “Here you go. Are you settling in okay?”

Phoebe gave him a genuine smile. “Yes, things have been great. I was worried I wouldn’t be cut out for this, but so far, so good.”

Scott blinked and had to yank his more animalistic instincts back. The attraction was strengthening so much, so it briefly stunned him. “I’m glad. Don’t hesitate to ask if you do need something.”

That earned him another smile before she returned to her desk to get to work. Shaking his head to clear the lust-filled fog she had caused, Scott returned to his desk. As he got back to work, a portion of his brain was dwelling on Phoebe and the best way to go about working his way into her life or her into his. 

Meet the Author:

M. A. Freeman lives near Wilmington, NC and never makes it to the beach. Any free time is consumed with books, either reading or writing. An avid traveller and self proclaimed geek, trips abroad and to cons such as DragonCon in Atlanta are always on the agenda. Currently working full time in healthcare and attending school to obtain a Master of Library and Information Science degree to compliment the Bachelor's of Arts in English and Creative Writing.

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