EXCERPT: Vengeance is Mine by Harry James Krebs

Title: Vengeance is Mine

Author:  Harry James Krebs

Published:  January 30th, 2014

Publisher:  Peak City Publishing

Word Count:  96,000

Genre:  Mystery

Content Warning:  Profanity, Aftermath Violence

Recommended Age:  16+

Synopsis: Driven by a traumatic, violent event in his teenage years, Benjamin Tucker, bestselling true crime author, is obsessed with helping authorities solve savage crimes near his home turf of Holly Springs, North Carolina. When a series of decapitated female victims is found in neighboring communities, he is helplessly drawn in to the investigation to help bring the killer to justice. But in a bizarre twist of events, the psychopathic murderer becomes fascinated with Tucker and stalks him, presenting him with unimaginable, grotesque gifts. The hunt for the killer turns personal and Tucker is not sure if he’s become the killer’s idol or his next victim. Vengeance is Mine, a gripping thriller with a healthy dose of droll humor, is a tale of sadistic revenge guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

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Excerpt:

Another ten minutes passed before I answered the call that would change the entire investigation–for me.

“Crime tip hotline,” I said.

“Is this Benjamin Tucker?” It was a male voice.

“Yes, it is. I need to tell you that this call is being recorded.”

“I was expecting it would be. May I call you Ben?” 

“Yes, how can I help you?” 

“I’m the man you’re looking for. I’m Jack Plum.” 

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sorry if I sound skeptical, but you’re the third person today to make that claim. Can you give me information or some detail that will confirm you are, in fact, whom you claim to be?”

His next words made my blood run cold. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” 

I jumped out of my chair, snapped my fingers twice, and pointed to the phone. The dispatcher understood, nodded, and immediately dialed someone to begin a trace of the call.

I took a deep breath. “You have my attention,” I said.

“Is this call being traced?”

“No. All calls are anonymous unless requested otherwise.”

“You’re lying to me, Ben. But it doesn’t matter. I saw you on TV the other night, and I knew when I saw you that the two of us have a destiny.”

The dispatcher had patched into the call and was now listening. She gestured for me to keep Plum talking.

“How do you figure that?” I asked.

“You are the one to write my story. I read your book and it was … inspirational. I knew you were the one. I researched you, and now I know everything about you…and that rich wife of yours. She’s very beautiful … so is Sally Briggum.” The statement scared the hell out of me.

 “Let’s leave them out of this,” I said. “Why is it you’ve taken the lives of two women?”

“In due time, Ben. In due time.”

“Will you surrender to authorities? I can make arrangements so you’ll be safe.”

The caller laughed softly. “Please. Don’t insult my intelligence. Besides, I’m not through yet. I’ve only just begun. I can’t tell you how much I’ve been invigorated since finding you.”

“Please don’t hurt anyone else. Maybe we can meet–just the two of us. We can talk–figure things out.” 

The dispatcher was violently shaking her head, as if saying, “No! Are you freaking crazy?” 

“We will meet, Ben … someday.” He paused. “I have a gift for you … a very special gift. I’m looking at it right now.”

I became nauseous. “What is it?” I asked. There was no reply. The dispatcher motioned for me to keep him talking.

“Jack?” I asked. “Talk to me. Hello? Jack? Are you there?” I put the system on mute, and turned to the dispatcher.

 “I don’t think he’s there anymore,” I said.

She looked at her control console. “The line’s still connected so try and get him to talk.”

“Jack? Let me know what you want. I can get you some help. Jack? Are you there? Hello?”

The dispatcher jumped up and I muted the system again. “We have it!” she said. “237 West Bradford–about three miles from here!”

Ice ran through my veins, and I tore the headset off as I instantly recognized my former address. I collapsed in my seat with my face in my hands.

“Oh good Christ!” I cried. “Amanda Jane!”

 

About the Author: 

Harry James Krebs was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. After receiving his BA in applied physics from Aurora University in Illinois, Harry spent thirty-seven years with United States Department of Energy Contractors as a senior mechanical engineer. He designed, built, maintained, and operated large experimental detectors for high-energy physics experiments at national laboratories such as the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the Superconducting Super Collider, and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University. Krebs always wanted to write mystery novels, but his engineering career left him little time to write until now. The author and his wife currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina with their Chihuahua, Lucille. 

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Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• 1 Print copy of Vengeance is Mine
• 1 Print copy of Fractured Persona

Giveaway is International.

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REVIEW: Two Brothers: Heritage by Sofia Diana Gabel

Title: Two Brothers: Heritage
Series: Ramtalan Trilogy #2
Author: Sofia Diana Gabel
Published Date: March 26, 2014
Publisher: Escargot Books and Music
Format: ebook
Pages: 345
ISBN: 1496139836
Copy provided by: Promotional Book Tours
Genre: sci-fi YA
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: In the second book in the Ramtalan Trilogy, Argus Dachel, a far-from-ordinary half-alien teen, finds himself mixed up in the battle between a hostile faction of Invaders and the peaceful Ramtalans he’s come to know as his friends. With his brother Tai held captive at the Citadel and disturbing news about his father, Argus has to come to grips with the truth about who he really is. Not only is the government agency, the Astronomical Urgent Recovery Administration, AURA, hot on his tail, but his relationship with his girlfriend Lola is in jeopardy. As his special abilities increase and become stronger, he risks exposure and capture. When the enemy closes in and the Citadel is attacked, it seems victory is impossible, but losing means certain death. He must find some way to protect everyone around him, but winning is impossible. Or is it?

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second in the Ramtalan Trilogy, and beware, it is definitely not a stand-alone. It starts off exactly where the first one ended. There were starts and stops of the action, so it didn't seem to flow as smoothly as the first book. Just as you would get used to the speed of one line, the author seemed to jump into another character's line of action. Yet, there was a ton of action going on, from the twins' point of view, then you had the Ramtalans' point of views (two different ones), you had Max's storyline. It was a very busy look. Sometimes it worked well for the book, other times it jerked like I do when I try to drive a stick shift.
Max....I didn't know how to feel about him. There were times he was a real jerk, other times I felt kind of sorry for the bumbling idiot. Lola seemed to take a backseat in this book, which was fine. The new characters of Lenox, Ari, Galena and Neb were okay. The twist behind Argus and Tai's heritage seemed to be a theme that I've seen before, done many times.
I enjoyed reading the book, I think where the author ended it was great. I can't wait for the next.

BOOK EVENT: Marry Me For Money by Mia Kayla

Leaving her small town behind, Bethany Casse moves to Chicago in search of a new life. Working at a top financial bank brings her into contact with two men who are as different as night and day. 

Kent Plack, heir to Plack Industries, has no interest in being with a woman for longer than one night. A spoiled and lazy man-whore, he is completely content with his playboy lifestyle, and Beth is surprised when they form an unlikely friendship.

Brian Burcham, a finance banker, is gorgeous and respectful. A man plucked from Beth’s dreams, he is definite husband material. Unfortunately, Beth has a hard rule against dating coworkers, but Brian is determined to change her mind. 

When a deadbeat mother and money problems follow her to Chicago, Beth is offered a solution that could fix everything. Marrying for money seems simple enough, but when lines become blurred, Beth faces difficult choices, making her realize that the easy way out just made her life even harder than before. 

Join the event on Facebook!

Connect with Mia Kayla:

http://www.miakayla.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authormiakayla

https://twitter.com/authormiakayla

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18777683-marry-me-for-money

 Hope to see you all there!!

Brought to you by the Release Day Diva

 

REVIEW: Defending the Line: The David Luiz Story by Alex Carpenter

Title: Defending the Line
Series: ZonderKidz Biography
Author: Alex Carpenter
Published Date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: ZonderKidz
Format: paperback
Pages: 107
ISBN: 0310746418
Copy provided by: author
Genre: children sports religious
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: The story of David Luiz, 2010 player of the year and a rising star in international professional soccer, whose faith and success are inspiring to young athletes.

For kids ages 8-12 and soccer fans of all ages comes the newest addition to the Zonderkidz biography series,Defending the Line: The David Luiz Story. One of the rising stars in international soccer, David Luiz made his debut in professional soccer as a teen and has since become a star player whose faith and success inspire athletes young and old around the world.

As part of the Zonderkidz biography series, Defending the Line reveals the true story behind this sports celebrity, motivating young readers and giving parents, youth leaders, and librarians an inspirational new hero.

My Review: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
This was a very good book to read as an adult. Giving it to my 8 year old daughter, I found it was a little too much for her. She's a great reader, but I think my 11 year old would appreciate it more. I don't know much about soccer and there is a lot of soccer terminology in there. I found myself having to google some of the sports terms.
Towards the end of the book was where it became obvious how strong of a faith David Luiz has and how it has affected his life. I really enjoy how he has used his fame and money to help the poorer in the area he grew up in, as well as being there for children who look up to him.

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY: In the Foothills of Mt Empyreal by Connor Titus

Title:  In The Foothills of Mt. Empyreal: The End is Now
Author:  Crystal Connor, writing as Connor Titus
Published:  May 26th, 2014
Word Count:  approx. 81,000
Genre:  Horror, Dark Fantasy, Apocalyptic
Content Warning:  Adult content and violence
Recommended Age:  17+
Synopsis:
The Order of The Sentinels.
The Order of The Learned.
The Order of The Writs.
The Order of The Cloth.
Angels.
Demon.
In the foothills of Mt. Empyreal the most powerful forces in the world are drawn into combat.
And the fate of all the world hangs in the balance.

Amazon

Excerpt from The End is Now by Connor Titus:

For  hours,  she  drove  in silence, enjoying the beauty of  the  wintry  landscape  that seemed somehow amplified in the quiet of a planet without the noise of technology. The  rumble  of  the  engine against  the  backdrop  of  the stillness lured Khrystle into a state of calmness that she had never  before  achieved,  but when the abomination wrapped its  tail  around her  wrist,  she was jerked back to reality by the  sounds  of  her  own screaming.

She slid to a screeching stop and  jumped  from the  ATV. After a deep breath, she put the demonic  spawn  back  in  the cargo space and picked up her shotgun for comfort.
The reprieve was short-lived.
It was a military plane, a fighter jet, and its silent descent from the sky was nothing short  of memorizing. There was an earth-shattering explosion. Moments later, she was blasted off her feet by the hot wind.
Standing,  she  watched  the black  smoke  climb  into  the bright sky. How long  she   stood  staring, she  couldn’t  remember, but after a while, she straddled the vehicle and started the engine.
It  had taken her two days to reach the …
… Devastation.
It took Khrystle a moment to realize  that  the  dissemination before her was the result of the fighter  jet  slamming  into  an Amtrak. The sickly sweet,  acrid smell that  seared her  throat  was so strong she could actually taste it. When it donned on her that it was the smell of burning flesh, she fell to her knees and soiled the pristine snow as her body violently emptied the meager contents of her stomach. At  that  moment,  she couldn’t remember  a  prayer,  so  she wept instead.
The dog’s growling was barely heard above the girl’s sobbing, but was loud enough to cease her tears. Rising from the basin with the black  smoke  and  red-orange flame was a man. She stood as she watched him stumble, fall, and struggle to his feet, only to fall again.
Blood poured from beneath his hair to fall across his swollen face like a cascade. The purple bruising around his  right  eye had caused it to close; his left eye stared at nothing. The  threads  of  his  charred pants  billowed  in  the  winter breeze,  exposing  muscle  and bone  from the  rip  in  flesh above his right  knee.  Second and third degree burns covered his  skin  and  a  book  was clutched  within  his  blistering arms.
How was it, she asked herself, that this man would be able to walk away from a train wreck?
When he was mere feet from Khrystle, he collapsed. She ran to him. Kneeling, she  unzipped her  duffle  bag,  but  was distracted as she reached in for her medical kit. It was a feather, a large black feather  from  a  crow.  She looked up in time to watch the black bird land on the power line. Before she had the time to look away, another bird landed. And  then  another,  and  yet another.
In  just  minutes  hundreds  of crows  were  assembled judiciously above her. Their  silence  was  alarming. She dragged her attention from the birds to the man who lay injured. That  simple  act  caused  her vision  to  blacken  along  the edges. Her  question  was  answered when  she  saw the  book  he clutched. The storm that surged across her mind was as forceful and devastating as a category five  hurricane, leaving debilitating  fear  and  biting goose bumps in its wake.
… And through the dark,  he will come to shield the book.
The  embossing  on  the  book was written in Aramaic, but she knew what it said anyway.

This is the Book of the First.

About the Author:
Crystal Y. Connor grew up telling spooky little campfire-style stories at slumber parties. Living on a steady literary diet of Stephen King, Robin Cook, Dean R. Koontz and healthy doses of cinema masterpieces such as The Birds, Friday the 13th, Hellraiser, The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone it surprises no one that she ended up writing a horror novel!  Crystal now living in Seattle has been writing poetry and short stories specializing in the Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, and  Horror since before Jr. high School. The Darkness, her début novel and book I in The Spectrum Trilogy has been selected as a two time Award-Winning Finalist in the 2011International Book Awards in the fiction categories of Cross Genre Fiction and Multicultural Fiction.

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Title:   The Guardians of Man: Black Feathers Fell in the Foothills of Mt. Empyreal
Author:  Lori Titus, writing as Connor Titus
Published:  May 26th, 201
Word Count:  68,000
Genre:  Horror, Dark Fantasy, Apocalyptic
Content Warning:  Adult content and violence
Recommended Age:  17+
Synopsis: In the mountain community of Fate’s Keep, the battle for mankind had begun.
After a geometric storm plunges the world into darkness, destroying electronic communication, light, and power, residents living in the shadow of Mt. Empyreal struggle for survival. Terrified of what is yet to come, they hide in their homes, waiting for the first, overdue snowfall of the year to come.
Along with the snow comes an ancient evil, free after centuries of imprisonment. The birth of a child and the worldwide power outage are only the start of events that have been prophesied.
With time running out, and supernatural enemies surrounding them, will The Guardians of Man be able to save the Earth?

Amazon

Excerpt for The Guardians of Man:
And through the dark, he will come to shield the book.

Jessica heard the words as if they came to her from some faraway place, but she was very sure of what was being said. Despite the fact that the words were not English, some primal instinct made the words as clear as her mother tongue.
In the dream, she was outside in the snow. From a mountain top she looked down and saw the town below. Part was lost in smoke and ashes. She could make out movement in the streets. Black crows rose in the air, unfettered by the acid snow that fell upon them.

About the Author:

Lori Titus is the author of Lazarus (September 2010) and Green Water Lullaby: A Collection of Short Stories (March 2011), and Hailey’s Shadow (June 2011).
Lori is also the Managing Editor of Flashes in the Dark, a website that features flash fiction, serials, and author interviews.
Lori splits her time between blogging, and working on several writing and editing projects.

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Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• One lucky winner will win signed print copy of BOTH books, T-shirt of each book, Signed print copy of The Darkness: Book 1 of the Spectrum Trilogy by Crystal Connor, Signed print copy of Hunting in Closed Spaces: Vol 1 of the Marradith Ryder Series by Lori Titus (INT)

Giveaway is International.

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COVER REVEAL: Abiding Flame by Pauline Creeden

Abiding Flame Cover Reveal

Darkness can be overcome… Terminally ill Lynette Lamb is forced to reunite her wayward son and grandson. Her options are as limited as her strength and mobility. Through a fateful series of events, the rejoined pair will leave Earth to become part of a colony orbiting a new planet. Sam Austin and his wife mourn the loss of their only child and decide to make a fresh start at the space station. The same ship holds the one who will fulfill the dark planet’s prophecy, but a demonic force boards to stop the vessel. The demon’s obedient but unwilling servant is sent on a suicide mission to keep the ship from reaching its destination.

Expected Release Date: June 24, 2014

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Author Bio:

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and is now available as an audiobook. #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Christian Sci/Fi and Fantasy (October 2013) One of Pauline's short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group.

Find it on Goodreads

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Excerpt:

“Freak,” a boy in green yelled, drawing Lynette Lamb’s attention from her second story window. Three boys caught up with her eleven-year-old grandson, Jeremy, and blocked his path. “Why you look so weird?” “Do–” Jeremy clenched a pharmacy bag. “Why do I look so weird?” The green one laughed. “That’s what I asked. See, he doesn’t even know.” Snickering, two of the boys punched each other in the shoulders. Lynette could smell their bloodlust on the breeze. Like rough burlap, her tired lungs scratched against her rib cage, but she ignored the pain and watched the three boys who harassed her grandson. One wore red, one blue, and one green. Otherwise only a modicum of disparity existed among them. That was the problem with normalization. In an effort to make everyone look the same, society succeeded in taking away individuality. She could hardly tell the kids apart anymore. She coughed, and splatters of blood stained the washcloth she gripped in her weak fingers. “Is your doctor blind or sumthin’? ’Cuz I can almost see through you, white boy.” Green smacked Jeremy in the chest to punctuate his words. “And what’s with those teeth? Was yo’ momma a horse?” “No.” Jeremy attempted to cross the street. The boy in red pushed him and knocked the pharmacy bag to the sidewalk. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere.” The one in blue giggled like a hyena. “Yeah. Unless it’s to a doctor. It’s called normalizing. Ain’t you never heard of it?” “Shut it.” The one in red smacked Blue in the back of the head. Blue cowered, nearly falling backwards as he stepped off the curb. Jeremy focused on the bag at his feet and stood still. His tall, lanky frame and pale skin made him an anomaly to the normalized, olive-skinned children his age. Because of his recent growth spurt, he seemed to be more knees and elbows than his limbs accounted for. Next to the other children, he stood like an awkward, leafless cedar. Lynette clenched her teeth, hoping none of the young brutes held a weapon. If only she had the strength and wind in her lungs to yell at them! Tears filled her eyes. It crushed her that she could no longer take care of her grandson like he needed. Green poked Jeremy in the chest to emphasize each word. “Why. You. Look. So. Weird.” “I look the way God made me.” Lynette’s heart swelled. But the primary colors doubled over and slapped each other on the backs. Green barked laughter, but stopped, spit on the ground, and said, “You one of those religion freaks, ain’t you? I knew it.” Blue giggled, hand over his mouth, and pointed at Jeremy. “My dad said you was extinct!” Red gripped the front of Jeremy’s shirt and growled, “Well, I says we make you extinct.” He rammed his fist into Jeremy’s stomach. The other two boys jumped into the fray, arms thumping in a wild rhythm.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Abiding Flame

by Pauline Creeden

Giveaway ends July 01, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

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REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: Cade by VA Dold

Welcome

to my Review of Cade by V.A. Dold

Sexy billionaire wolf shifters, BBW as their mates, Vampires for friends, evil ex-husband and mob boss. Put it all together in the French Quarter and Bayou and you have CADE.

Anna James is single again, finally. In her opinion, men are self-centered and will never love her for who she is, a beautiful, plus sized woman. All except the fantasy man that she’s been meeting in her dreams for five years.

She just never expected her fantasy to be a real live alpha shifter...

Cade Le Beau isn't what he seems. He’s a billionaire wolf. A Shifter. He laments his missed chance six months ago to meet his fantasy woman in the flesh. Just as his second chance presents itself, his fantasy woman, his mate, is threatened by the local mob boss and her ex-husband. Now, he has forty eight hours to deal with this threat once and for all or chance losing her again.

Is it Anna who’s in danger, or the humans who unwittingly threaten her?

The heat is on the moment they lay eyes on each other. Neither, age, children, horrid ex-husbands, nor mob bosses will stop this love affair. 

Buy it   Amazon   B & N

RATING: 4 stars

MY REVIEW: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and have not been swayed by receiving said book.

Boy, did I need this book! You know when you've been reading so much lately, and so many books that have content you have to actually pay attention to? Isn't it nice to find a book to just soak in, and not have to think about too much? That's what this book was for me.
A nice, hot paranormal romance between a shifter and a human. Of course, my hometown of New Orleans and the surrounding swamplands are the backdrop. And yes, Cade's mother is a Voodoo priestess. I promise you, we're not all Voodoo priestesses, we can't all speak Cajun French, and I have yet to meet a shifter. As unbelievable and fantastical as this whole book was, it was just the right amount to let me relax and delve into it.
The only problem I have with the book is that there are a lot of cookie cutter parts of it. It disappointed me to see the entrance of vampires in the storyline. Really? Since when are vampires and werewolves so intertwined in their societies? It seems nowadays that when there are either vampires or shifters in a book, then it automatically brings the other into it eventually.
Other than that, this was a great paranormal romance to read and I hope to be able to read the others soon!

 Prologue

Prologue- The Plan




“Emma, we need to take matters into our own hands or they’ll never find their mates.” Isaac Le Beau set his snifter down before he crushed the glass in frustration. “We have seven virile, grown sons, who after two hundred years haven’t found their mates. If we don’t step in and give a hand to the wolf-goddess Luperca, our sons may spend their lives alone, without children to raise and without their other half to love. Dang it, I want some grandchildren, while I’m still young enough to enjoy them.”
He slowly raised his head and gazed at the love of his life, Emma. She was a unique blend of Romanian gypsy heritage and a very powerful voodoo priestess. Even after two centuries her exotic sparkling dark eyes and compact killer soft curves left him breathless. Some would classify her as a big, beautiful woman. He called her ‘sex on a stick‘. He swore she controlled every beat of his heart.
The warmth and agreement in those mesmerizing eyes silently prompted him to continue.
“Would you do your high-priestess voodoo thing and ask the spirits to identify their mates? With some influence we could bring them together, so they can recognize them on their own. I don’t want to force a meeting. Simply provide the opportunity. How about it, will you give it a try?” Isaac asked.
He knew Emma wouldn’t deny him. “Of course, I’ll perform the ritual, but I can’t give you any guarantees. All I can do is try. If we are truly blessed, Luperca will appear to me and give this endeavor her approval. I want our sons happy and I’d love to have a dozen grandchildren running around the house, too.”
Isaac opened his arms wide, inviting Emma to slide onto his lap. He buried his face into her hair breathing in her unique scent. The familiar fragrance calmed him like nothing else. He was confident everything would change for his sons very soon. He could hardly wait for each of them to meet their one true mate. No wolf should go fourteen hundred years alone.




Two weeks later, they enjoyed the cool breeze that came off the river, flowing through the open windows. A secret little smile lit up Emma’s entire face and her fingers tapped a tune on her cut crystal wine glass. He knew that expression well.
“Out with it, Emma,” Isaac said with a grin of his own. “What is it you’re dying to tell me?” He waited patiently for her to tell him her grand news.
Emma actually bounced in her seat. “I received answers from the goddess.” She clapped her hands excitedly. “Cade's mate is in New Orleans right now. Her name is Anna James. The goddess said she has had many unhappy years, but is now open to finding her one true love. Isn’t that fantastic? Two days from now she is destined to be in Jackson Square and then stop to eat lunch at Crescent City Brewhouse. She’ll be in the bar around eleven-thirty. As for the rest of the boys, the goddess said we must have patience. She’ll grant me visions in my dreams or come to me for each of them when the time is right.”
A surge of excited energy rushed through him as a hundred butterflies took up residence in his stomach. This must be what it felt like to win the lottery he thought. “We’ll have to move fast. We need to think of a way to get Cade there at the right time.”
“Maybe we can come up with a way to use Jackson square? Cade sits there so often it might be an option?” Emma offered.
“Maybe.”
He rubbed his chin, forehead crinkled in deep thought. “First we need to get him out of his home office and into the French Quarter. The bank called yesterday about a restaurant up for sale. I’ll have them schedule a meeting with Cade to review our investments and recommend this new opportunity.” He tapped his chin as the plan took shape, mumbling as he worked it out. He stood and paced across the room, prowled like the animal he was. He couldn’t think properly sitting down.
As he strode back and forth, he noted she had settled into an easy chair to watch him.
“That’ll get him to the city,” he thought aloud as he continued to tap his finger on his chin. “You’re right about his constant people watching, I’m sure he’ll take a walk and perhaps sit a while. A possibility.” Isaac cupped his jaw in his hand and rubbed the coarse stubble.
A satisfied smile tugged at his lips. “I’ve got it! I’ll ask him to meet me for lunch at Crescent City at eleven-thirty. Richie tends the bar, he’ll know the mating signs. When Cade arrives, goddess willing, he will sense his mate. I’ll have Richie tell him I won’t be able to make it. If I’m not there for lunch he will be free to spend time with her.”
Smile broadening, he folded his arms across his chest and nodded. They had a solid plan. In less than a week he could have his first daughter-in-law. Isaac settled into his leather captain’s chair. “I’ll arrange everything with Richie." He felt two hundred years younger, like the bold robust young man who had swept his mate off her feet. By the wistful expression Emma wore, he must look it, too.
As he sipped his rich, sweet cognac, he imagined a baby in Emma’s lap, sleeping peacefully while a toddler played with blocks on the floor. His sigh brought her attention to him with a raised brow. She would laugh if she knew what he was dreaming.
A smile continued to pull at his lips. He couldn’t help it. He was very pleased with his little romance ambush, positive it would be successful. Cade was in for a wonderful surprise in two days’ time.
“Now that we have the plan, what do you think she will be like? Did the goddess give you any hints?”
She laughed. “No, you silly man, the goddess doesn’t have time for things like that.”
“You know he has always favored curvy women. I sure hope she isn’t skinny, he might not even look at her if she is.” A little shiver ran through him. “Remember the gal he dated who looked a lot like you? She was a plus sized beauty. Cade never said anything, but Marcus drove him crazy with that ‘Oedipus’ nickname.” He laughed as he recalled the antics of the boys.
“You’re right, he does like a woman with meat on her bones. All the boys do.”

V.A.Dold is the author of the Le Beau Brothers series, New Orleans wolf shifter novels. A graduate of Saint Cloud University, she majored in marketing. Prior to becoming a full time writer, she was a publicist to the authors, owning Innovative Online Book Tours and ARC Author & Reader Con's (ARC NOLA) (ARC Phoenix). Still is. The companies mesh so well together, much like PB&J.
Her idea of absolute heaven is a day in the French Quarter filled with nothing but her computer, her coffee mug and the Brothers, of course.
A Minnesota native with her heart lost to Louisiana, she has a penchant for titillating tales featuring sexy men and strong women. When she's not writing, she's probably taking in a movie, reading or traveling.
Her earliest reading memories are from grade school. She had a major fixation with horses, and the Black Stallion was a favorite. Then junior high came along and teenage hormones kicked in. It became all about the Harlequin Romances. She has been hooked on romances ever since.

ONLINE LINKS:
• Website http://www.vadold.com/
• Facebook  facebook.com/pages/VA-Dold/1404660546458551?ref=hl
• Twitter twitter.com/VADOLD
• Goodreads goodreads.com/user/show/5356266-v-a-dold

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