Showing posts with label Bethany Shaw. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Blackout

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Everyone Lara loves dies. All she wants is to be numb, and she's about to get her wish...

Cyborg 112115 has one mission: kill Commander Mac St. Clair. But she can't pull the trigger. There is something about him that's too familiar, and he seems to know her.

With no memories of her own, she must decide whether to trust her instinct or the chip implanted in her head.

Mac's world ended when Lara Douglas was killed in action. Eight months later, on an opp deep in enemy territory, he becomes the target of an assassin. The cyborg fails at her mission, and doesn't have any memory of who she was or how she became a cyborg. Determined to help the woman, Mac takes the cyborg with him in hopes of unlocking her memories.

If he's wrong about her, it could cost the rebellion.

But if he's right... then he might be able to save her.

Excerpt

Mac raced up faster, pistol cocked and ready to aim. He rounded the corner into the room, ready to shoot, but stopped. The sniper had Gage pinned to the floor, forearm pressed against his neck as they choked the life out of him. He paused as he stared at her. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. She was dead, or so he’d been led to believe. “Lara?” he asked, his voice coming out more of a croak. His heart raced. It was Lara. The realization made his pulse roar in his ears. Lara was alive. Thank God. It was the second chance he’d prayed for but didn’t think he’d get. She turned her head, her hazel eyes connecting with his. Something flickered over her features but flitted away just as quickly. A stony mask took over. He gulped as his heart restricted painfully. He’d seen that look before: on cyborgs. It couldn’t be. Not his Lara. What had the World Alliance done to her? Gage sputtered, drawing Mac from his thoughts and back to his sniper struggling against Lara’s grip. Mac blinked his surprise away and lifted his gun, aiming it at her head. Shit. She was killing his man. He knew he should squeeze the trigger. If it were anyone else he would’ve. “Get off him.” Lara turned back to Gage but, instead of letting up, she pressed harder. Gage wheezed as he tried to push her off. Mac cocked his gun. “Now, Lara!” He hoped she listened because he wasn’t sure he could shoot her. The eight months since her alleged death had done nothing to stifle his feelings for her. Lara was the love of his life. Losing her had been the hardest thing to accept. But here she was, alive. Gage gurgled as he flailed. “Come on. I know you; you don’t want to kill him. That’s Gage, your partner.” Mac took a step closer. His finger trembled around the trigger as he kept it pointed at her head. Lara let up and stood slowly, putting her hands up. Before he could blink, her hand went to her holster, and she’d drawn another weapon. It went off with a bang. Gage kicked her in the leg, sending her crashing to the floor. She landed on her butt. The bullet missed him for the second time today, and he couldn’t help but think it wasn’t a coincidence. Lara didn’t miss. Ever. The World Alliance might have messed with her brain, but part of her was still in there. He just had to find her. Mac sped across the room and kicked the gun from her hand, then knelt next to her, putting the barrel of his gun to her temple. She blinked up at him with her mesmerizing hazel eyes. God, he couldn’t shoot her. What the hell was he doing? But he wasn’t going to just leave her here either. “Put your hands behind your back,” he said. When she didn’t comply, he pressed the barrel harder against her temple, but not enough to cause her pain. “Now!” She moved her hands, placing them by the small of her back. He stood and pulled a few zip ties from his pocket and handed them to Gage. “Put these on her.” “Sir?” “Do it,” he said. They didn’t have time to argue. Gage eyed him for a moment before swiping the ties out of his hand. He bound her hands together, pulling the ties tight enough so she couldn’t move her wrists at all. “Gage, get her bags. You—” he pushed the gun against Lara’s face “—get up. You’re coming with us.” “Sir,” Gage said, shaking his head as he picked up Lara’s bags and gun. He pulled back the chamber. “We should kill it right now.” Mac growled. How dare he talk about her like that? “Lara Douglas is a member of the rebellion.” Gage looked from her to Mac. “She’s not Lara Douglas anymore. We’re doing Lara a favor by killing her body.” Mac sneered at the sniper. Lara was still in there. He’d lost her once — he wasn’t going to do it again. “She’s coming with us.”

This could be the stupidest thing he’d ever done but damn it, he couldn’t leave her and God knew he couldn’t kill her.

Excerpt

Lara let him lead her inside and up the steps. They stopped on the third floor and walked down a long, narrow hallway. The lights were out and most of the apartment doors had been left open after the resident’s hasty escapes. Mac chose the sixth door on the right and let them in. He closed the door behind them and pulled his gun from his holster. Lara watched as he canvassed the apartment before returning to the front room. “No one’s here,” he said. She wouldn’t expect there to be, with the bombs exploding outside. Any sane person would be running for cover. What did that say about her and Mac? “We’ll lay low here for a while. Stay away from the windows and see if you can find a camera or a phone. We’ll need something to record with. I’ll try to reach Minerva and Gage on the radio in a while once things have settled outside,” Mac said, going into the kitchen. Lara nodded as he started to rifle through the cupboards. Was he looking for food, or did he honestly think a camera or phone might be in there? She shrugged to herself and went to the living room. It was dark in here too, but the glow of the fires peeked through the curtains, letting in enough light for her to see. There was a couch, two recliners, and a small TV in an entertainment unit. She went to the stand and looked at the items. No camera or phone. Next, she went to the couch and fumbled around the cushions, but came up empty there too. She shifted her attention to Mac. He definitely wasn’t looking for a phone. It looked like he was opening a few cans of food and putting them into bowls. Food did sound good. When was the last time she had eaten? He might not be getting food for her, though. She watched him a moment longer before going to the bedrooms. The first one was empty except for a double set of bunk beds, but in the second she found a cell phone tucked in one of the nightstand drawers with the cord hanging out. Its charger was plugged into a socket in the wall. She touched the screen and smiled, finding it fully charged despite the lack of power. Grabbing both, she went back out to the kitchen. “I found a phone and a charger.” She held up the items. “Good.” Mac smiled as he slid a bowl toward her. “Hungry?” She set the phone and charger down and picked up the bowl, lifting it to her nose. It smelled wonderful compared to the grub she’d been given in the hospital. “It’s one of your favorites,” Mac said. “Not as good as fresh papaya in Hawaii, which is your absolute favorite, but it’s a close second.” “You know my favorite fruit?” she asked as she picked up a piece of pineapple and plopped it in her mouth. The fruit squished between her teeth and she savored the taste of it. It tasted really good. Greedily, she scooped more out of the bowl. “There’s a lot I know about you,” he said as he took a bite of his own food. It wasn’t pineapple but she couldn’t tell what it was. “Gage said you didn’t like me. That we didn’t get along.” Lara picked up another fruit chunk and studied it. Mac chuckled. “Our relationship was complex.” “Relationship?” Had they been more than teammates? She’d thought so until Gage had said otherwise. “What do you think?” Mac asked as he met her gaze. She inhaled and let it out. Her heart pattered a little faster against her ribs and she licked her lips. “We were lovers.” She swallowed hard and looked away, hoping she wasn’t making a fool of herself. “You remember?” Mac asked his voice dipping to a husky tone as he came around the counter to stand next to her. She shook her head and looked into her bowl. The images were true. She’d been intimate with this man. Did she love him? She must feel something for him, which is why she hadn’t been able to pull the trigger. Swallowing the chunk of fruit in her mouth, she cleared her throat. “No. I’ve had a few flashes, images really, but no real memories. Not of you — of us.” Mac reached up and touched her cheek, letting his fingers run down to her chin, tilting it so she was looking up at him. His fingers were calloused, but his touch made gooseflesh break out over her skin. She wanted more. He took a step closer, causing her to hold her breath. “Minerva said strong emotions could trigger memories. That’s what happened with Cedric, right?” His thumb grazed over her lips and she gasped as he got even closer. The mechanical heart thudded against her ribs, which caused her pulse to roar in her ears. “That’s right.” “I want to try something.” He brought his mouth inches from hers before stopping. His gaze flicked to hers as if asking for permission. He was going to kiss her, and she wanted to let him. She nodded and closed her eyes, leaning forward. Mac’s lips grazed against hers at first, caressing them lightly before he deepened the kiss. His tongue parted her mouth and dipped inside. One of his hands went to her hip, pushing her against the counter so he could press himself against her. His hardened length rubbed against her thigh, and she wondered what it would feel like to have it buried deep inside her. She shuddered at the thought. Her fingers glided up his chest to grab the lapels of his jacket.

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Pursued

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Blurb:

Trapped by a mutual enemy, they have no choice but to work together. All Sophie wants to do is escape the prison that has held her for so long. Years of abuse have taken their toll on her. After a failed escape attempt, she is imprisoned with a bear shifter. Can the two of them work together to achieve their freedom? Captured by an enemy that wants to kill him, Callum is determined to free himself and the cute tiger shifter who shares his cell. It’s kill or be killed and he’s not ready to die. He definitely can’t stand the thought of anything happening to Sophie. She’s a gentle soul who despite her circumstances still has a good heart. As he fights to free them both, he begins to fall for the tempting tiger. Can he get them to safety and win her heart, or will his enemy destroy everything that he’s working for?

Read A Few Excerpts...

Callum forced himself to his feet. His knees wobbled, but he ignored it, wanting to see what was going to happen. Sophie stood next to him. He put his arm out, keeping himself protectively in front of her. At least ten men marched toward them holding tasers and clanking chains. Callum balled his fists at his sides. This couldn’t be good. The hunters stopped in front of the door. “Get back,” one of them said, holding his weapon at the ready. Callum took a step back and Sophie followed his lead. A man stepped forward and unlocked the cell door. He tossed a chain at Sophie then to Callum. They weren’t just chains, but handcuffs and ankle shackles. “Put them on.” Sophie stared at Callum with wide eyes, and he gave her a nod, now wasn’t the time to fight. There were too many of them. It would serve them better to cooperate for the moment so they could stay conscious long enough to come up with a plan that would work. He let out breath when she bent over to pick up the chains, securing the cuffs to her feet first then to her wrists. Callum did the same. He left the shackles loose enough on his joints that if he got the ability to shift back he could, hopefully breaking the bindings in the process. The hunter nodded at them and moved with his back against the bars until he stood behind them. Another man stepped inside, holding two needles. “Don’t move a muscle.” He popped the top of the syringe with his teeth and jammed the pointy end into Callum’s bicep, effectively squashing any hopes he had of shifting anytime soon. Then he did the same to Sophie. She winced but didn’t say anything as he plunged the needle into her arm. The man behind them nudged him. “Now go. Slowly. Sophie first. Don’t try anything funny either.” Callum watched as Sophie took a few steps forward, waddling as best she could in her constraints. He followed after her. She stopped next to the hospital bed and went to lean forward. “Keep moving,” a hunter said as he shoved her forward. “But—” “Now!” The man shoved her hard enough to make her stumble. “I just want to say goodbye,” Sophie said. The hunter’s hand whipped up, connecting with her face. She cried out and fell backward, colliding with the metal bars as she struggled to find her footing. Callum roared as he moved forward. Several tasers pressed against his skin, sending charges racing through him. He grunted as he collapsed to his knees. Hands grasped him, hauling him back to his feet. “Keep him conscious,” one man said. “I don’t feel like dragging his heavy ass across the complex.” “Walk,” another man said, shoving him forward. His muscles contracted painfully as he moved forward. If he weren’t as large as he was, the jolt would have incapacitated him completely. They were led out into the sterile white hallway and Callum had to blink against the offensive brightness of the lights. The hunters led them through the complex, down winding hallways until they reached a garage. A large truck with a semi type trailer sat in the middle with its metal doors open. “Get in,” a hunter said, shoving Sophie from behind. “You too,” the man from behind him said. He walked up the ramp and took a seat on a metal bench that had been screwed into the floor. Sophie sat down and stared at him from the opposite side. A door clanged shut and they both turned. Another man, most likely a shifter, was being led to their truck too. Callum had never met the man before, but there was something familiar about him. He nodded at the newcomer, silently asking Sophie who he was. She shrugged in response and motioned with her hands. The man stumbled up the ramp and eased himself down on the bench next to Callum. He grunted and leaned back, sticking one leg out in front of him. Blood seeped through the white linen on his thigh. Callum turned his attention back to the hunters, watching as they rolled the ramp up and someone tugged each door shut. The truck rocked back and forth and he heard a clicking sound, which he assumed was some sort of a lock. Then someone tapped on the outside of the truck and an engine roared to life.

Excerpt Two...

Sophie ran a hand through her hair and let out a breath. She fiddled with the remote as she went to the bed, turning the TV on. Flipping through the channels, she paused at a news broadcast. On the screen was an image of her, Callum, and Terrence in their animal forms. The newswoman went on to say how there had been no other sightings since that day, but residents in the area were still urged to use caution. “Looks like we caused quite the ruckus,” Callum said from behind her. Sophie jumped, not realizing he was so close. He made his way to the bed and got situated in the spot next to her. “I guess so,” she said, relaxing back into the pillows. “Is that a bad thing?” He was shirtless, his hair still wet from the shower. She bit her lip, allowing her gaze to sweep over him. “They won’t find us.” Callum shook his head. “I’m sure they will have some questions – they’ll just never get answered.” She forced her gaze back to the TV, watching for a few moments as the reporter expanded on the story. “It’s nothing to worry about,” Callum said. “The world doesn’t know about us. Shifting has its benefits. Speaking of shifting, you should probably do it again soon. The more practice the better, and the less painful it will be. Plus your body craves the transformation.” “There was something freeing about running as a tiger. Obviously I can’t transition here,” she said, motioning to the room. “No, I suppose not. But you could practice partial shifts.” “Partial shifts,” she repeated slowly. “What’s that? I mean, I know what it is, I’ve seen shifters do just their hands or their eyes, but do you think I’m ready for that? I’ve only shifted once in my entire life.” Callum shrugged. “Everyone has to start somewhere. It’s a good way to appease your animal half on nights like tonight where we can’t get out.” “How do I do it?” she asked, curious. “It’s not hard really. Why don’t we start with something easy like your eyes?” “Okay,” she said. “Close them.” She did as he said. “Good. Now think about your tiger’s eyes. How sharp and crisp everything is when you look through them.” Sophie did as he asked, remembering the way her vision had enhanced the other day when she’d been a tiger. Her face went numb and she inhaled a deep breath, recognizing the odd tingles zipping through her face as a sign of her change. “Did I do it?” she asked opening her eyes. The room looked different, not because it was but because she had indeed done it. Her vision and hearing had always been impeccable in her human form, but now as a cat it was even better. Leaning forward, she smiled. She could even hear the rhythmic thrum of Callum’s heart beating. She lifted her fingers to her face. Fur had spread across her cheekbones and her nose was flatter than it should be. Her ears were fuzzy and pointed too, but her vision was what she cared about. She’d done it. Maybe not as well as some of the others who could do just their eyes, but she’d take the small win that she had. “You did good,” Callum said as she met his gaze. A wide grin was on his face and he was closer than she thought he was. She swallowed as her eyes dipped down to his full lips, then looked away. She shook her head and let out a breath as her face tingled again, returning to normal. “That was pretty cool,” she said with a giggle. “I thought you might like it.” “How often can I do that? How long until I can do just my eyes?” she asked. “You can do it as often as you like. The more you do it, the better control you’ll have,” he said. “So you can do just your eyes?” Sophie asked. Callum closed his eyes, opening them a few seconds later. The stormy grey was gone, replaced by an onyx color. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and touched his face by his temples. He stayed where he was, letting her move her fingers down his cheek before she let her hand drop back to her lap. He shut his eyes again and reopened them, allowing them to return to their natural color. “The key is to transition the animal parts of you that will be most effective depending on what the situation calls for. My eyesight isn’t very different as a bear, so I probably wouldn’t change it regardless of the situation. But say we were in a fight, I’d focus on my hands.” He flexed his fist and Sophie watched as hair sprouted out and his hand grew, doubling in size as it became a giant paw. “A good hit with my paw will knock anyone out.” Sophie reached out and trailed her fingers over his furry paw. It was soft to the touch, but she had no doubt that it could do a lot of damage if Callum wanted it to. He curled his paw inward, gently clasping her palm as if they were holding hands. She licked her lips, surprised by the tenderness of it. His bones snapped and realigned. The bear paw was gone, replaced by a human hand. Callum’s thumb rubbed tiny circles onto the back of her hand, causing her to swallow. It felt nice – better than nice. Heat raced through her, awakening parts of her body she’d never thought any man would ever touch. Callum shook his head and released her hand, turning back to the TV. She let out a breath, wondering what in the world had just happened as she stared at the screen. The news was still on and they’d moved onto another story that she had no interest in.

Meet The Author...

Bethany Shaw lives in Ohio with her husband and two kids. Writing has always been her passion and she loves sharing her stories with readers. When she isn't writing, she is spending time with her family. They enjoy bike rides, bowling, and board games. Sign up for Bethany Shaw's newsletter and stay up to date on new releases, teasers, and sales. You can sign up for her newsletter by following the link below. http://eepurl.com/75NvD https://www.facebook.com/BethanyShawNovels http://bethanyshawnovels.tumblr.com/

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Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Phoenix Rising

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Blurb:

The invasion has begun, and he’s the only one who can stop them.

Zephyr Cree has made it his mission to stop the aliens that have been terrorizing the galaxy. He takes his warship to the planet Earth to rescue what he can of the human race. But when he meets a human, Addison Montgomery, he is inspired by her tenacity, and maybe just a little bit smitten with the gorgeous human. The last thing he needs is a distraction, but fate has other things in mind for him.

Stranded in a remote location during an alien invasion was the last thing Addison Montgomery expected when she ventured out on a fieldtrip with a bus full of second graders. Daughter of one of the top generals in the country everyone is turning to her for answers. It’s a role she didn’t ask for and doesn’t want, but she knows she has to protect everyone she can. When the dangerous aliens attack, Addison prepares to fight them, but at the last minute a fiery phoenix swoops in to save the day -- literally. There’s not just one alien species on the planet but two. Now she just has to convince the hot phoenix shifter, Zephyr, to help her save the world, while keeping her libido in check around him, no big deal, right?

Read Excerpt One...

Zephyr stiffened as Addison shifted, moving so her head was on his shoulder. The couch was small and he half expected her to sit up and move away from him to finish watching the movie, but she didn’t. He peered down at her. Her eyes were shut and her breathing steady. It appeared she was sleeping and he’d wager she had no clue about her precarious situation against him. He didn’t mind her weight or closeness. It was nice. She smelled like honey and the berries they’d shared earlier. It was an intoxicating smell and he couldn’t help but study her features more closely now that she wouldn’t be aware of his staring. Physically, she looked similar to the women of his planet, but there was something different about her. She was resilient, yet passionate and she knew exactly what she wanted. Unlike many of the people on his planet, he suspected she didn’t follow orders unless she wanted to. He was one of the few people that challenged the government on Delphi, asking them to do more about the Imanji threat. That was probably part of the reason they allowed him to have his ship—to shut him up. Deep down he suspected they knew he was right. The Imanji were his people’s problem. Just because they couldn’t penetrate Delphi’s shields, didn’t mean they wouldn’t return one day and attempt to destroy the planet. The second time around the Imanji might succeed. Addison jumped as one of the characters in the movie screamed. She shot up so fast her forehead collided with his. A curse escaped her lips and she smacked a hand over her eyes, rubbing her palm over her skin as she blinked. “Are you okay?” he asked as he watched her. “Yeah. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize I fell asleep,” she said as she dropped her hand to her lap. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” The bump hadn’t fazed him at all. Addison shifted to the opposite end of the couch, pulling her feet up on her cushion and leaning against the armrest. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your space.” “It’s okay. No apology is needed.” Part of him wondered if it’d be okay to tell her he enjoyed it. He had no idea how she would respond to that. “So, what did I miss?” Addison said turning her focus to the TV. “Not much.” He opened his mouth to tell her about the movie, but stopped when she moved again and sat up straighter. “Jeesh, the movie barely started and I already fell asleep? I must be more tired than I realized,” she said as she combed a hand through her hair. “Maybe I should head off to bed. We have a big day tomorrow.” He stood and grabbed the remote. His eyes scanned over the symbols, but he had no idea how to work it. He turned to her and offered a smile. “How do you turn it off?” She waved her hand at him as she got close enough for their shoulders to brush against each other. “You just hit this button and it will turn everything off.” She touched a button that had a circle on it. “But don’t turn it off on my account. I’ve seen Terminator before. You might enjoy it.” It seemed like an all right movie, but he didn’t feel like watching it without her. “No. I should turn in, too.” “Oh, okay, then,” she said, leaning in close again to turn off the TV. Her scent hit him again and he breathed it in. His phoenix rumbled beneath the surface, begging him to reach out and touch her. His bird craved Addison, and it hadn’t needed a woman in a long time. He didn’t fraternize with the women on his ship. It was too complicated and none of them caught his interest, not like Addison had. “There,” she said as she turned to him. Her breath caught in her throat as she too must have noticed how close their mouths were. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. “I should probably go to bed,” she swallowed not letting her gaze leave his. “Addison?” he asked as he reached out to touch her cheek. Her skin was soft beneath his fingers, which he trailed over her jaw, caressing his thumb over her lips. “Yeah,” she said her voice so quiet he barely heard it. He moved his thumb and pressed his lips against hers. She gasped into his mouth, but her hands went to his shoulders as her tongue swooped out to trail over his teeth.

Read Excerpt Two...

Addison opened her mouth, but her voice got caught in her throat as footsteps thundered up the wooden steps and across the front porch. Nausea rolled in her belly and she shivered. Whipping her head toward the door, she held her breath. Her ears strained to hear if the children were fleeing, but the only sound greeting her was the staccato of her roaring pulse. As the doorknob silently twisted, she lifted her arm up, ready to jab the blade into whomever came in. She glanced at Marcus, wordlessly agreeing to do whatever was necessary to keep the others safe. The wooden deck outside creaked and Addison’s breath caught in her throat as the door flew open and slammed against the opposite wall. She whirled around, shrieking as her blade sunk into yellowish skin. The alien’s red eyes widened as it squawked. Its arm reached up, grasping at her chest and propelling her backward. She tried to hold onto the knife embedded in the alien for balance, but she couldn’t. Her feet flew out from under her as she catapulted across the room, hitting a glass case. Crashing through it, she sent glass raining down around her as she met the unforgiving floor, grunting as the hardwood bit into her. Ignoring the pain slicing through her extremities, she grasped a jagged piece of glass and scrambled to her feet. Her vision blurred and she blinked rapidly to get her eyes to focus. I have to fight. “S-s-s-stop!” A voice hissed. Addison gasped as the voice echoed in her mind. Her limbs froze, refusing to budge. She whimpered and tried to force her foot to move; it shook from exertion, but lifted off the floor. “Stop.” The voice insisted again. Addison gripped her head with her free hand as the voice bounced around in her mind. Don’t listen to them! She squeezed the long shard of glass hard enough for it to cut into her skin. Fight, Addison! A shiver raced up her spine as she took another step forward. Her leaden body was fighting her every move, almost as if the aliens were controlling her somehow. That is not possible, is it? Her eyes searched for Marcus, finding her co-worker kneeling before two of the creatures with his fingers laced behind his head. “I love the defiant ones,” the voice said, as an alien cocked its head at her while approaching. She wanted to continue to move, but her body seemed to be rooted to the floor. Addison opened her mouth to cry out, but no sound came. She looked at the alien in front of her more closely. It was slender and taller than she expected and stood at least a foot over her. Its blood-red eyes bore into her as its voice spoke within her mind again. “Tell me, how many of you are there?” the alien asked. His voice raced through her mind and her mouth opened, as if ready to tell him everything he asked. Addison tried clamping her mouth shut and gritted her teeth. I’m not telling him anything. “Answer me!” Coercion swept over her, but she maintained her silence. The longer she fought, the greater of a chance the kids and the others had to get away. Every second counted. The alien reached out and touched her cheek, trailing his long, scaly finger down her face. Addison screamed as she lifted her arm and tried to jab the glass into the alien’s chest. He caught her wrist, wrenching it to the side, causing the glass to fall to the floor. She tried to tug her hand free of his grasp, but he held tight. “It’s been a long time since I found someone so defiant,” he told her as he grasped her chin. “I shall enjoy breaking you.” He dug his fingers into her chin, causing her to close her eyes. Her jaw ached as he squeezed tighter and she tried to wrench free. “Tell me how many of you are there?” She gathered spittle in her mouth and spat it at the alien. He flinched as it trickled down his face. Gazing up at him defiantly, she noticed a lime green goo oozing from his chest. Is that blood? Yes, yes it is. This is the one I stabbed. Unfortunately, it didn’t appear to be fazing him at all. If a blade to the chest didn’t hurt them, what would? Faster than she could see, his hand holding her chin whipped up and struck her. She toppled to the floor as pain sliced through her skull. Sticky warmth coated her cheek and her vision darkened. No. No. No. Don’t you dare black out! “Stop! Please. I’ll tell you what you need to know. Just leave her alone, please!” Marcus pleaded, his voice sounding miles away even though she was sure he was still in the room with her. “No,” she said, forcing her gaze to focus. She wobbled as she tried to sit up. The ground around her seemed to be vibrating. Everything was spinning. How hard had he hit her? She needed to focus and fast. The alien turned, trudging away from her. “Marcus, no,” she said her voice coming out weaker than she’d intended. Her arms trembled as she tried to get to her hands and knees to crawl across the floor toward him. Marcus met her apprehensive eyes with his and shook his head at her. “I’m sorry, Addison. I can’t let them hurt you.” “No…you…don’t understand,” she said, fighting for a breath and to stay conscious. Yet the more she moved, the worse her head hurt and the more her vision waned. “Tell me. How many of you are there?” the alien asked Marcus. “Twelve adults and sixty-two children,” his monotone voice echoed throughout the room. “Very good.” The alien nodded at his men. All the other aliens darted out the door while the lead creature glanced back at her, a wide smile on his face, his black teeth projecting his complacency. As he turned back to Marcus, he raised his hand and placed it on Marcus’ brow. Addison scrambled across the floor to help, but he seemed to be miles away even though she was sure it was just a few feet. Marcus howled as a white light encompassed him. As the light permeated his body, it began to flake away, like leaves blowing in the wind. “No! Stop!” she cried out. Her heart pounded as she pushed herself to stand. It was too late though; Marcus’ body was nothing more than a pile of white ash on the floor. She covered her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. The alien turned back to her, the wide smile still plastered on his face. He took a step toward her knowing his ensuing move. Oh my God. I’m next.