Category: giveaway

Vampocalypse by E.S. Brown Genre: SciFi Fantasy

Vampires have infiltrated the highest offices of the United States government. Secretly working with top scientists in the CDC and the nation’s most prestigious universities, this clandestine network creates the ultimate weapon for the undead: a particle bomb that, once detonated, transforms any humans within the blast radius into vampires. The world’s human leaders deploy nuclear weapons in a desperate attempt to quell the out-of-control vampire infestation. In their quest for global domination, the vampires propel the world into the greatest of all wars. A nuclear winter envelops the planet, which provides a haven for the vampires to rise up and fully realize their domination over humankind. Prater Saxon, a half-human/half-vampire survivor in the post-apocalyptic aftermath of the war, lives alone in a world in ruins. Despite his efforts to maintain his solitude as he makes his way through the desolate wastelands, Prater finds himself drawn into a new war brewing between the humans and vampires.For millennia, humans ruled the Earth. Their rule…may have finally come to an end. VAMPOCALYPSE is a dark, gritty, post-apocalyptic tale of survival in a land out of resources, high in crime, and overrun with vampires. When the military can’t stop the danger, it’s up to one man to lead the charge against annihilation. Fans of The Walking Dead will love E.S. Brown’s newest novel. Goodreads * Amazon Book Trailers https://youtu.be/9lUlutWb85Y

https://youtu.be/h5Uys3h- GU8

E.S. Brown has lived nearly his entire life in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, which has provided the ideal climate for him to foster his love of writing. He is fueled by an overactive imagination and caffeine – a perfect storm that has translated into many late nights researching and working on any number of fantastical tales waiting to be told. His interests include a love of living a healthy lifestyle, inspiring others, and simply enjoying life and all its wonders. VAMPOCALYPSE is his second novel, following the release of STARPHOENIX in 2014. He is also a poet and is working on a self-help book (a journey of healing following his divorce in 2014). Other works in progress include sequels to Starphoenix and Vampocalypse, as well as a supernatural spy-thriller tentatively titled CODENAME: SCARLETT. E.S. Brown lives in Puyallup, Washington, where he balances writing with his day job and his cat and his two amazing kiddos. Website * Facebook * Vampocalypse * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

PRATER

I fucking hate vampires.
They’re vile, disgusting creatures. And they’re everywhere.
I see what the world has become. My gray eyes take in the world around me as I walk
among death. The never-changing monochrome skies – the result of the ensuing war that took
place after the Great Turn – blanket each day with a gloomy hue. I wear sunglasses to filter out
the sickening tone, to put a damper on the dead sunrays that have been all but dispelled through
the damaged atmosphere.
True sunlight no longer touches the earth. And the world is all the worse for it. Without
the sun to shine through, the vampires no longer just rule the night; they rule the day, too.
A putrid odor permeates the air and saturates everything. Some may grow immune to the
smell, but not me. I remain acutely aware of what has become of our world. Adaptation is for the
weak, for those whose only means of survival is conformity.
The roads are long and the land is desolate. I spend much of my time wandering. There
are cities and towns, but I try to avoid them. I occasionally come across other wanderers. Some
travel alone, others in groups. Or if they’re vampires, they’re usually – though not always – in
packs.
Those in charge of this…new world…play a dangerous game no better or worse than
when humans ruled. A precarious existence has developed between vampires and humans,
though there’s no mistaking the vampires are in control.
Human or not, you never truly know who to trust. For most that’s a problem. For me it’s

E.S.Brown VAMPOCALYPSE
easy.
I trust no one.
Not even the boy – I lowered my sunglasses to get a better look…what was he, five years
old? – who limped toward me that afternoon. He approached from one of the long, dust covered
driveways that led to the occasional house branching off the barren road I roamed. I kept my eye
on him as he drew closer. He was pale and a bit unnaturally thin, and was hunched forward a
little to his right.
There was a “Stop” sign on my right. Someone had written “Beware! Vampires!” on it.
An effort in futility. I quickly surveyed the area around me. From where I stood I saw half a
dozen scattered homes with no one else around. Rolling hills blurry in a fog of dust-filled air
were in the far distance off one side of the straight road. The other side was bleak and flat. Just
like pretty much everyplace else. I wasn’t exactly sure what part of the country I was in, but it
wouldn’t have mattered. Outside of the cities, from what I had seen, the entire United States was
one giant, dry dust bowl.
I stood at the end of the driveway and stared at the boy as he continued to walk toward
me. He was about twenty feet away. I pushed my sunglasses back up.
“Stop.”
The boy stopped. We stood there for a few moments, neither of us saying anything, as I
slowly raised my hand behind my head…and grasped the hilt of one of the two swords strapped
in an “X” across my back.
The boy stretched a hand out toward me.
“Mister?”
He started to move forward.

E.S.Brown VAMPOCALYPSE
“Stay right there,” I warned.
He stopped again.
“What do you want?”
The boy swallowed hard. Even at that distance I could see his lips were heavily chapped.
“I’m hungry, mister. Do you have anything to eat?”
“No. I don’t.”
The boy cocked his head to one side. “I’m so hungry and I haven’t eaten in days.”
The boy started walking forward again.
Dammit. I didn’t want this to turn into something it wasn’t. But I had the feeling I wasn’t
going to get my way.
I shifted my stance and redistributed my weight as I pulled the sword partway out of its
sheath.
Trust no one.
The boy pointed at the satchel hanging at my left side as he continued to limp toward me.
“You got some food in there? Just…a bite? Anything, sir, please…”
I drew the sword completely and held it with both hands in front of me.
“I don’t know you, boy. I’m telling you to stay back.”
The boy stopped – again – about ten feet away. He gave me a curious look then stood up
straight as if his physical ailments were suddenly gone. A crooked boy no more. I held my sword
steady.
The boy raised his arms as he sneered at me. His fingertips had transformed into sharp
talons and his snarl exposed a mouthful of razors.
I knew it. A fucking vampire.

E.S.Brown VAMPOCALYPSE
The boy – he, it – leapt at me, right at my head. The boy-creature abruptly somersaulted
midair and dropped – my blade sliced empty air, missing due to his sudden airborne maneuver –
and his feet landed squarely into my groin. Sonofabitch.
I keeled forward, the pain reverberating through every nerve ending in my body. The boy
scrambled around and was on my back before I knew it. He grasped at my head, knocking off my
sunglasses, and covering my eyes with his forearms. I tried to stab the sword blindly over my
head. Despite his small size the boy’s grip was strong and he started twisting my head sideways
as I continued my random jabs. Pain shot through my neck as it felt like it was about to be
twisted off.
One of my stabs finally nicked the boy on top of his head. He screeched and loosened his
grip. I reached back with a free hand, grabbed him and flung him forward.
The boy twisted in the air, landing in a three-point stance facing me. Saliva dripped from
his fangs as he bared them. I displayed my sword high, ready to strike.
“Stop now, boy, while you have your life.”
The boy-creature ran at me on all fours, snapping and snarling like some sort of feral
animal. Just as he was within reach of my blade he jumped over me, bounced when he landed,
went up and over me again, and bounced again. Over and over this went, faster and faster as it
progressed. It was almost as if there was more than just the one of him. Sometimes he landed
real close, and I would swing and slash but always missed.
I was growing increasingly frustrated. Most vampires I’d faced were relatively easy to
dispose of…but once in awhile I would come across one of exceptional speed and agility that
provided me a life-or-death workout I appreciated but never enjoyed.
At one point the boy cartwheeled in the air over me, close enough to where he dug the

E.S.Brown VAMPOCALYPSE
claws of one of his hands into my face as he went overhead. His razor-like fingers scratched
from my right cheek, over my eye, and partway up my forehead. Warm blood flowed into my
eyes.
The boy landed on the other side of me and hissed. I wiped the blood away and rushed at
him. Every thrust, stab, and slice of my sword was evaded through a complex series of inhuman
twists and turns. It didn’t help that he was much smaller than me. Good against an adult was one
thing…good against a child with speed and agility as if he was in the prime of adulthood was
something else. And I didn’t know how old this “boy” actually was. He could have been decades
old for all I knew…an aging soul forever trapped in the body of a child.
This was definitely no mere youth, as I was reminded when he dropped low under my
blade and swiped at my feet with one of his legs. I fell flat on my back. The wind was knocked out
of me but I was able to maintain grip of my sword.
The boy was on me in an instant. I brought my sword up just as he bore his claws down
at my face. He grabbed the blade with his hands. I pushed up as hard as I could, trying to get the
blade’s edge closer to the boy’s face, but he seemed to have the strength of five men. He gripped
the blade tighter. The sword began to cut into his palms and blood dripped from his hands and
onto my face.
For a moment I tasted the cold, dead vampire blood.
With a final push, I thrust the sword up. The flat side of the blade smacked against the
bridge of the boy-creature’s nose. His head recoiled back. I took advantage of the moment and
shoved him off me.
I rolled up onto my feet and raised my sword for the final blow. I swung down hard and
fast…but the boy was just as fast. A well-placed swift kick sent the sword flying out of my hands.

E.S.Brown VAMPOCALYPSE
To the boy’s surprise I continued my downward motion, grabbing him by one arm and
one leg. I lifted him up while he writhed and screeched. Holding him in front of me I spun
around twice. With a final grunt I released him high into the air with all my might.
The boy soared up and away from me. That is, until he twisted around into an upright
position…flight. Damn. Thankfully, not all of them are capable of flight. But it’s worse when they
are.
The boy’s arms were outstretched at his sides, and he glared down at me with a
combination of hatred and exasperation. I could only imagine that I had that same look towards
him.
The boy dove at me, claws first. Just as he was almost upon me I stooped low, reached
back and grabbed the other sword that was strapped to my back and swung it. The boy’s body
fell to one side of me…while his head fell to the other.
With the adrenaline in me receding I realized how heavy I was breathing. I shook off any
loose blood and replaced the blade into its sheath on my back.
I slumped down onto my knees next to the body and brought my breathing under control.
I put my hand to my mouth and carefully removed the set of false teeth I was wearing and placed
them in my satchel. My body tensed in anticipation of what was to come. Even though I’d dealt
with this for thirty years, it never got any easier.
The pain was no longer excruciating but was there nonetheless. The sharp points of my
real teeth broke through my gums and extended out about half an inch before stopping. At least
my gums didn’t bleed anymore whenever this happened.
I looked at the lifeless body lying in front of me. I didn’t even pause as I dropped on top
of the boy-creature and sunk my teeth into the open flesh of the headless neck – sucking and

E.S.Brown VAMPOCALYPSE
taking in his blood. Human blood was good, but vampire blood was always better. My body felt
reenergized as the nectar began to course through me…
I wished there was another way, especially when it came to children. But this was what
the world had become. Survival of the fittest. Dog eat dog.
Or, more accurately, vampire eat vampire.
‘cause, you know, we all gotta eat.
Just because I don’t like what I am doesn’t mean I don’t deny what I am.
Just because you are what you hate doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to hate. I
didn’t choose to be this way. I was born this way.
After I finished feeding, I got up and retrieved my other sword and put it away. I then
headed back to the street where our fight started.
And there they were. My sunglasses. I picked them up and – dammit – the earpieces were
bent. Again. I hate it when that happens. I gingerly straightened them back out. I’ve done that
way too much. Only a matter of time before they finally…
{{{SNAP}}}
One of the earpieces broke off.
I fucking hate vampires.

$10 Amazon gift card & a Vampocalypse T- shirt (black, logo’d with book title and quote from book)

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Mermaidia A Limited Edition Anthology Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

Love mermaids and all creatures aquatic? This limited time anthology is just for you! With more than 700 pages of captivating fiction, you’ll be enchanted by sirens, dive the depths with a mermaid, and fear whether the sea witch is friend or foe. With stories from: Catherine Banks Kai Ellory Viola Mia Ellas Anthea Sharp Kristi Lea LA Fox Nicole Zoltack Mara Amberly Raine English Margo Bond Collins Sara Elizabeth Mikayla Symonett Tricia Schneider Merrie Destefano Bokerah Brumley Rachel A. Marks and Pauline Creeden Are you ready to dive in before your chance is lost forever? Then order this limited-edition collection of exclusive material from USA Today and award-winning authors Including the following stories and more! Queen of the Island by Bokerah Brumley Fated to be together, Calder and his mate must overcome the evil nymph that would keep them apart. Seize the Storm by Kristi Lea An Isyre hides from the hunters who killed her family, as far from any ocean as she can be. The fire mage who discovers her secrets has a few of his own. Can they trust each other to face their pasts Touched by a Mermaid by Raine English A secret society. A sea witch bent on revenge. An ancient world in peril. Paranormal Maritime War by Nicole Zoltack A stolen selkie skin just might start a war between the merfolk, the selkies, and the sirens. Racing the Clock by Catherine Banks “You will seduce the prince and convince him to give you his soul. If you fail, you will give me your soul for eternity.” The Church of Moon and Sea by Sara Elizabeth She must choose between two loves – the sea or the land. Fury by Merrie Destefano To survive, she made a secret deal in the Underworld. Soul’s Reef – Kai Ellory Viola A mysterious phenomenon. A weird cult. Vaccines needed at the end of the universe – Captain Holloway just needs to get through the reefs. The Sea of Time and Stars by Mara Amberly “A woman watched from just above the water line, her sleek blue hair drifting in the water around her. One moment she was there and the next she was gone; so quickly I could’ve put it down to my imagination or a hallucination from my injuries.” **Only 99 cents until March 8th! **Goodreads * Amazon

**scroll through the slideshow to find out more about the authors!!**https://albumizr.com/a/B5rn

The palace corridors felt cold and hollow, my footsteps echoed off polished granite walls. From
time to time, a familiar face nodded and spoke a greeting, but I never heard their words.
I felt like I was caught in a whirlpool.
Because no matter how far I walked, I couldn’t shake off the warmth of Riley’s kiss.
It didn’t make sense. She wasn’t my type. She was too young and too feisty and too much like
me. I hated to admit it, but I preferred girls who were easy to manipulate and who weren’t all
that bright.
Riley was neither one of those.
The sooner I got her out of Rìoghachd, the better. Then I could get back to my regular life. I
pulled my shoulders back as I picked up my pace, walking faster, remembering how I used to
spend my days and nights. Gambling with Sea Warriors who sank and plundered human ships.
Taking midnight strolls through Scottish villages where the girls didn’t notice my blue skin.

Dining at the King’s table from golden plates and drinking salty seawine from diamond-
embellished goblets.

Everything about my life had been off-kilter since that wretched Selkie arrived.
It felt empty.
I hated it.

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The Frost Kingdom Bringing Life, Falling Ash Book 1 by CS Patra Genre: YA Fantasy Romance Adventure

In the kingdom of Themasa, sixteen-year old Alice lives as a baker with a secret very few know about; she has the ability to make flowers and leaves sprout out of living things with her bare touch. Over in the castle, seventeen-year old Princess Lavinia is locked away by her family because of her curse, the ability to turn living creatures into ashes with her bare touch. The two of them meet and realize that they both want to get rid of their abilities. Realizing that neither can survive like this forever, Alice and Vinnie decide to leave their kingdom and find a way to free themselves of their curses. Aided by the help of a thief and fellow baker Kian, strange spirits calling themselves Light and Dark, a tiny pet dragon named Elias, and an ice serpent named Madelyn, the two of them start to move out of Themasa and stay one step ahead of the king’s men. Along the way, they learn about the obstacles blocking them and that they need to cross three different kingdoms: the Frost King, the Petal Kingdom, and the Sugar Kingdom. In addition to avoiding the king’s men, they must also fight against magic as well as the forces of nature to get their goal. As it soon turns out, Alice and Vinnie realize their friendship is growing into something more. It’s something that neither has felt before and they want to explore it. The only way to do that is to continue moving forward and finding a way to touch each other with love. Goodreads * Amazon

The Petal Kingdom Bringing Life, Falling Ash Book 2

Princess Lavinia of Themasa and baker girl Alice continue to make their way to find a cure for their curses. For Alice, she makes plants grow out of living things. For Vinnie, she turns everything she touches into ashes. With some of their new friends, they travel out of the kingdom in hopes of removing said curses. However, what they do discover is danger of war that will take place between three of the largest kingdoms: Frost, Petal, and Sugar. In this journey, Alice and Vinnie move from the Frost Kingdom and head towards the Petal Kingdom where all is bright and colorful. However, that is only on the outside. On the inside, things are very quiet and no one is seen. They know find themselves in a greater mystery while trying to reach their goals. As it turns out, things are not going to be as easy as they expected. Goodreads * Amazon

CS Patra is the Amazon bestselling author of several book series. They include but are not limited to The Reaper’s Apprentices, Operation: Genome, Cirque Macabre, Portman’s Creamery mysteries, The Patterns & Parallels Saga, Ghosts of Burning Inn, and Flavors of Love. She loves to dabble in different genres and loves to cross over. Her personal favorite thing is write about female characters in different situations. She is also fond of writing many LGBT stories and stories focused on PoCs. Although she does work during the day, most of her nights are taking up by writing. A native of North Carolina, she currently lives in Nebraska with her husband. She loves ladybugs, yellow roses, movies, book signings, mysteries, watching old Youtube videos, ghost stories, gossip, music, people making her fanart, museums, ice cream, and being a wisecrack though not all in that order. Writing and peacocks hit the top of her list though. Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

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Heart of a Warrior Angel From Darkness to Light by Lali A. Love Genre: Supernatural Thriller

Award winning Author Lali A. Love provides a supernatural thriller of metaphysical and visionary fantasy with her own revolutionary philosophy and unique narrative skills to produce this emotionally invoking, heart-wrenching and gripping tale of a family’s rise from poverty, oppression and abuse. Lilac Noble must face the traumatic experiences of her childhood before she can conquer the dark entities that have wreaked havoc on her family. On this epic journey, Lilac undergoes the destructive process of spiritual enlightenment in order to lift the veil of darkness and shame that has obscured her youth. As Lilac unlocks painful memories of abuse, suppressed in her subconscious from years of fear-based conditioning, she uncovers menacing secrets feeding the evil within her generational bloodline. In an attempt to vanquish the sinister energies, Lilac finds the courage to discover her inner truth, vulnerability, and authenticity, as she awakens her divine light and overcomes her debilitating fears of the past. Lilac’s unconditional love for her family guides her through her process of healing and transformation, fuelling her instinct for survival and her burning desire to illuminate the world. Spanning two continents and three generations, this inspirational novel portrays the best and worst of humanity and shows how the “tiniest spark of light can overcome the darkness of any magnitude,” through forgiveness, compassion, and the most powerful force in the universe – Love. “Every once in a while, an author delivers an oeuvre that is so unique and transmits so many raw emotions that you can’t help but be mesmerized by it. Heart of a Warrior Angel is such a story. Author Lali Love displays such passion in her writing it immerses the reader deep in her story. Lali A. Love paints a character so powerful that it will leave a long-lasting impression on the reader. Her play with metaphysical concepts is top-notch. Brilliant and astonishing storytelling by Lali Love.” “A raw, haunting novel of an inspirational journey that showcases resilience, intuition and an inner spirit that will not be suppressed, no matter the dark truth of a life filled with despair. Peeling back the layers of Heart of a Warrior Angel: From Darkness to Light by Lali A. Love, will take you from the depths of heart-wrenching trauma to a true understanding that “the tiniest spark of light can overcome the darkness of any magnitude”. Lali A. Love wrote a magical novel, a story that will resonate, long after the last word is read. This is an author to follow!” ” Heart of a Warrior Angel by Lali A. Love is an emotionally-riveting novel that has enthralled me so much that it reminded me of reading VC Andrew’s books. Lali A. Love’s intelligent and profound story-telling style will keep you captivated. I was so spellbound and inspired by the haunting story that I was unable to put the book down. It literally had me in tears. It is a fascinating and gripping story from start to finish. Lali A. Love is a gifted and noteworthy writer. Not only is Heart of a Warrior Angel a compelling, magnetic story, but the author’s emotive words engaged me from the very first chapter. I was so stirred by her sensitive narrative which touched my heart deeply. Heart of a Warrior Angel is a thought-provoking, mesmerizing and insightful book and comes highly recommended. It is a must-read for anyone suffering from childhood trauma or troubled pasts.” Add to GoodreadsAmazon * B&NBook Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHm6xNZOOjs

Lali A. Love lives in the capital city of Canada with her husband and two beautiful children who are her greatest source of pride, joy, and inspiration. As a debut author, Lali loves to write stimulating, character-based novels that invoke an emotional response in her readers. She has done extensive research into epistemology and metaphysics to further her understanding of the Universal Laws of Energy. In her spare time, Lali is committed to writing her visionary fiction trilogy about spiritual transformation. These mystical novels are based on the journeys of three incarnated Angels that have been brought together in the third dimensional existence, to realize their Divine Feminine soul purpose. Each of them must experience unique self-realizations to overcome the dark demonic entities that are determined to destroy their inner light to derail their Soul mission. As a light worker, Lali has been called to fulfill her soul purpose to embody the light and share positive posts through social media to help uplift humanity. She is assisting this awakening process by projecting her messages of love, compassion and unity consciousness, to connect beautiful like-minded souls around the world. Through the study of quantum energy field of transmutation, Lali has refined her energy clearing techniques based on powerful visual imagery to activate a healing response in others. With humility, compassion and grace, Lali intends to elevate levels of consciousness for the highest good, empowering individuals to speak their authentic truth. She is an advocate for self-healing journeys, self-realization, and self-love. Lali is passionate about this universal call to action and continues to vibrate at high frequencies of loving awareness. Website * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Valentine’s Slay by Denise N. Wheatley Genre: Steamy Sci-fi/Fantasy Romance Novella

In the land of Zanalia, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of war. When two of the realm’s fiercest foes go head-to-head over the sacred ritual, sparks unexpectedly fly, igniting an explosion of love, lust, and ultimately, broken traditions. In a world filled with warriors, Valentine’s Day means war for the creatures of Zanalia. Mina, queen of the disciplinarian tribe, is responsible for spearheading attacks on the land’s worst enemies. Spike, the son of king Theo and Mina’s biggest adversary, no longer believes in provoking battles on this love-filled holiday. He secretly encourages the Zanalians to put away their weapons and spend time with their loved ones instead. The absurd suggestion goes against the territory’s oldest tradition and is rejected by many, to the point where Spike receives death threats. His father grows worried for his son and orders Mina to stage his kidnapping, then provide him with personal, around-the-clock protection. Mina is infuriated by the mission as she’s being forced to protect a disloyal traitor. She vows to make Spike’s time with her as torturous as possible until she unwittingly finds pleasure in the pain she inflicts upon him, while he seemingly relishes in her harsh punishments. Emotions run high between the pair, and Mina realizes that Spike’s wish to spread love this Valentine’s Day just may come true after all. **On Sale for only $1.99!! ** Add to GoodreadsAmazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Extasy Books

Denise N. Wheatley is a lover of happily-ever-afters and the art of storytelling. She is best known for her chick lit novel I WISH I NEVER MET YOU, which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2004. Since then she’s written (and ghostwritten) numerous novels and novellas that run the romance gamut, from contemporary to paranormal, sweet to steamy. Denise strives to pen entertaining stories that embody matters of the heart, while creating characters who are strong, colorful and relatable. She is an RWA member and received a B.A. in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, the city where she was born and raised. When Denise is not sitting behind a computer, you can find her in a movie theater, on a tennis court, watching true crime television or chatting on social media. Website/Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Mina slowly climbed the winding, glass staircase inside of Spike’s compound. She pressed
her back against the wall while watching every angle around her. In order to gain access to
his home, Mina had utilized her narcoleptic machine gun, which was capable of putting its
victims to sleep within less than a second. She’d shot several darts into the necks of four
armed guards manning the exterior. According to her surveillance, there were only two
guards inside of the complex. Mina planned to quickly knock them out, grab hold of Spike,
and get him inside of the transporter.
When she approached Spike’s master bedroom, Mina pressed her ear against the door and
listened as he and the creatures spoke in hushed tones. She slowly turned the knob and
cocked her gun. The minute she swung open the door, Mina shot a dart into the neck of a
watchman standing to her left, then the one to her right. Spike made a run toward the
bathroom, but just as he reached the threshold, she fired a dart into his throat. He fell to the
floor, and along with the other two guards, fell into a deep, snoring slumber.
Mina swooped in immediately, lifting Spike up off the floor, carried him out of the house and
threw him inside the transporter. There was a comfortable velvet couch that had been
placed in the back, but instead of lying him there, she dragged his body onto a hard, cold
iron bench.
“You’re going to pay for disrupting my retirement as Queen of the Disciplinarian Tribe and
betraying our beloved Zanalian tradition,” she said, her wicked tone filled with satisfaction.
Mina stripped Spike down to his scant undergarments. She handcuffed his wrists and
ankles, then wrapped a heavy metal chain around his waist and secured it with a huge
padlock. As he lay there knocked out cold, she looked down at his muscular body,
handsome face, and soft, vulnerable expression.
“Don’t you dare start that,” Mina told herself, shaking off the feeling of lust that briefly
overcame her.
She headed to the front of the transporter and typed the name of a secret back road into the
navigation system that would lead them far away from Spike’s compound and in the
direction of her quarters. Once a map popped up on the overhead screen, Mina signaled to
the horses that it was time to take off then sped away into the night.
“Help…help. Help!”
Mina’s ears perked up while she listened to Spike scream from the back of the transporter.
“What is going on?” he screeched. “Where the hell am I? Somebody, please, help me!”

“Ugh,” Mina moaned, ignoring his pleas. She grabbed hold of the steering bar and
maneuvered the vehicle through a dark, dank, hilly road. According to her digital dashboard,
they had been traveling for well over three hours. Mina had been in constant contact with
Theo, who warned her to remain on the outskirts of Zanalia as Spike’s protestors were
circling every inch of the land, waiting to attack him the moment he appeared.
“Whoever is holding me captive,” Spike called out, “you must release me at once! Do you
know who I am? Do you know who my father is? I am the prince of Zanalia, soon to be
king!”
“Please, shut up,” Mina muttered, unsympathetically. She pulled the steering bar back,
anxious to get through the swampy territory and onto smoother terrain. When the chargers
slowed down instead of speeding up, Mina realized they had yet to stop and take a break
and assumed they were exhausted.
She directed them toward the side of the road, then grabbed several buckets of food and
water and carried them outside. Once the chargers began feeding away, she hopped back
into the transporter and headed toward the back where Spike was being held.
“What the…” he yelled the moment he saw her. “What is going on here, Mina? Where are
we, and why am I in shackles? Release me, now! I insist!”
“Unfortunately for you, Spike, that is not going to happen. You see, because of your little
attempt to disrupt Zanalia’s Valentine’s Day tradition, your father ordered that I kidnap and
hold you captive until the holiday is over and our battle against Raynalium is complete. If
you’re angry, be mad at yourself, but you should actually be thanking me, because I’m the
reason you’re still alive.”
Spike glared at Mina. “If you do not remove these cuffs and chain at once, you will forever
regret it,” he spewed, rattling the restraints to the point they almost tore into his skin.
“If you keep threatening me, you’ll be the only one with regrets.”
Spike tried to sit up, but the chain around his waist forced him back down onto the freezing
bench. He jerked his head toward Mina and let out a resounding roar.
“My guards will know where to find me,” he told her. “The second they free me, I swear I’m
going to kill you!”
She walked over to Spike and leaned in so closely her face was mere inches away from his.
“You know what? I was going to play nice with you. Well…semi-nice. But now? Playtime is
over. You’re going to be sorry for the way you just spoke to me.”
Mina sauntered toward the front of the transporter, ignoring Spike’s cries as he called out
her name. She grabbed the metal suitcase she’d secretly packed before heading out on the
mission in the event she’d need its contents. Judging from Spike’s rebellious behavior, Mina
realized that she had done the right thing.

“What are you doing?” he asked when she opened the case and pulled out two steel
clamps. “What are those?”

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