Showing posts with label Paranormal Excerpt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paranormal Excerpt. Show all posts

Friday, October 8, 2010

LIVING ON THE EDGE by LaVerne Thompson

LIVING ON THE EDGE by LaVerne Thompson

As one of the few female bounty hunters in the country and with a nickname like Edge, she enjoyed living on the edge and always got her man....one way or another. As an executioner for her shifter clan she was relentless, but finding a mate was not something on her radar, having to hunt him down and execute him even less so.

But could she trust her instincts?

Ethan Graves was a hunted man, not quite a man but a Leo of his kind. When he found out he was hunted by a sexy bounty hunter, he let himself be caught. He just had to convince her of his innocence before she killed him, then confess to wanting her as his mate.

But could he trust his instincts?

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Excerpt:

The place was dark but he didn’t need to turn on any lights, he saw quite well in the dark. He found the fake flooring in the bedroom, pried it up and unlocked the safe. It was her birth date, she used that for everything. A sound, too low for normal senses to hear but not for his, and not part of the night had him jerking his head in the direction of the front door. He couldn’t see the door from the bedroom, but he had to hurry someone was walking around the pool area. Sticking his hand into the chamber he felt the outline of a slender book. He grabbed it and shut the safe, replacing the flooring. A different sound, closer this time, like someone was trying to get into the pool house through the front door. He stood up and made his way back to the front room, glad now he’d had the forethought to change the door code so no one else could come in behind him. Staying in the shadows of the room, he moved over to the blinds and peered around the edge to look outside. It was none other than Richard. The light beside him perfectly illuminated the pissed expression on his face because he couldn’t open the door.

It took all the self-control Ethan could call upon not to open the door and beat the shit out of Richard. Get him to confess that he was the one who had been having an affair with Sharon and killed her. As satisfying as that seemed, Ethan knew it wouldn’t work. Without proof a confession from Richard to him would be meaningless. Even if they had been having an affair that still wasn’t quite enough to shine the light on Richard. Unless Richard was there for the same reason he was. Ethan glanced down at the red velvet journal he held in his hand. This was what Richard came here for. Richard knew just as well as he did Sharon kept a journal, and since the police didn’t have it, it was still somewhere on the grounds. Now if Ethan were lucky it would contain the proof he’d been seeking.

Richard kicked the door and headed back toward the house. Ethan heard him open the patio doors closing them behind him, but Ethan stayed where he was. Richard was still in the house and might be able to see the pool area. But he couldn’t stay in the pool house long, it was too dangerous. He moved into the sitting area toward the back of the house where there was a large window facing away from the main house. The curtains in there were pulled back, but he could see nothing but trees beyond the dark expanse of lawn. He’d be in an open area a little but the land slanted downhill and if he kept low and in the shadows he should be able to make it back into the woods. He’d hidden his motorcycle there so it wouldn’t be spotted from the road.

In order to get out he’d have to turn off the alarm, so he went back to the front room and did that. Time was getting away from him, the longer he stayed the greater the risk Richard would return and decide to just break in. He could be right now calling the security company. Since Ethan’s arrest, Richard now had access to lots of information. Ethan opened the window and climbed out into the bushes flanking the area. Keeping his body hunched over, he stayed in the shadows and between the trees until he made his way back to his bike. As soon as he reached it he stored the journal in his saddlebag hanging off the back, but survival instincts had him whipping his head around. He wasn’t alone.

A woman stepped from behind a large tree. He didn’t recognize her scent, and even with his night vision, he couldn’t see her features clearly but her silhouette showed her to be tall and willowy. It took him a moment more to realize she also held a dark shiny object in her hand and it was pointed in his direction. Even though it was in shadow he recognized the shape. A gun. She had a gun.

He held his hands palms up and at his sides. “Ah, sorry if I’m trespassing,” he said thinking she might have been a neighbor. “I just had to take a quick bathroom run into the woods I’m leaving.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

Her voice was soft, sexy. Not the kind of voice you’d expect to find coming from a woman holding a gun, but then again he’d never expected a lot of the things that had been happening to him lately.

“Look, I don’t want any trouble.” He moved to climb onto the bike. She moved closer to him planting herself directly in the only clear path for the bike to get out onto the road.

“Sorry, Ethan Graves, but you’re a wanted man, and I’m here to take you back into custody.”

“What the hell?” he said, not understanding entirely what she was saying. The clouds parted just as she stepped out of the shadows and he could see her features clearer now. A sliver of moonlight bathed her body. She had brown skin, like chocolate melted in warm milk, a heart shaped face, and high cheekbones accenting a plump bow of a cherry mouth, and a feminine body built like a dancer. Broad shoulders, tiny waist, and long legs. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail the end rested across one shoulder ending just above her breast. In another life he would have wanted her name and number, but that was a long time ago.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

HIEROGLYPHS by Kit Wylde

HIEROGLYPHS by Kit Wylde

When a new hieroglyphic alphabet is discovered on an ancient Egyptian scroll, expert archaeologist Joslyn Wetherly is called in to decipher it. Joslyn is obsessed with the scroll, and that obsession threatens her marriage.

But soon her life is threatened as the secrets of the scroll prove dangerous. Before Joslyn realizes what is happening, she is embroiled in a rivalry between two long-dead pharaohs, their Egyptian gods, and past life karmas.

Will Joslyn survive the secrets revealed in the scroll? Or will she be the next victim of the ancient feud?

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An Excerpt from: Hieroglyphs
Copyright © 2001 Kit Wylde

All rights reserved, Wild Child Publishing.

Joslyn shivered in the oppressive, summer heat. The taxi, an old Mercedes, conveyed Sam and her to the university. It darted in and out of traffic, narrowly missing pedestrians and other vehicles on the packed roads. Her stomach churned as she clutched the safety strap.

When she’d come to Egypt for her thesis, its exotic culture, people and energy had enthralled her. The massive entrance building to Cairo University, with its white marble dome and beautiful Arabic architecture, never failed to humble her. It bespoke a veneration of learning seldom seen in the West. But the looming university’s white marble façade looked soiled from smog at a distance, and a mantle of foreboding settled over her.

Sam leaned forward, pointing to the entrance steps. “Right here.”

The taxi bumped up the curb and stopped partly in the walkway. Mistrusting, black eyes flicked over Joslyn’s blond hair before focusing on Sam. In heavily accented English, the driver demanded, “Forty pounds.”

“But you said thirty at the hotel,” Joslyn protested.

The man shrugged and smiled. “Forty pounds.”

“But....”

Sam cut her off. “Here.”

They climbed out of the taxi and started up the steps with Joslyn still objecting, “Sam, he said thirty.”

“So he did, but ten pounds is less than three dollars. Besides, I’d rather not waste time in an argument that wouldn’t have changed his mind.”

In companionable silence, Sam and Joslyn entered the university. The huge, marble columns beckoned. She wanted to lean against one and absorb its soothing coolness. Instead, she turned to Sam.

“Why meet here? I thought you and Dr. Yousef were friends.”

“We are, but Ali thought you might feel more comfortable in a more formal setting than his house...at least for the first meeting.”

“I don’t foresee us needing a second, Sam.”

“You never know.”

She studied him, not trusting his enigmatic reply. “Sam....”

“Ah, there you are, Sam.” A beautifully modulated voice broke in using perfect English. “And you must be the Miss Wetherly that Sam talks so much about.” Keen, dark eyes swept over her in an appraising manner. “It is a pleasure to meet such a lovely colleague.”

He said the words with such honesty she couldn’t take offense. “Thank you, Dr. Yousef.”

“Please call me Ali, and I will call you Joslyn. We do not stand on ceremony here, do we, Sam?”

“No, we don’t.”

“Now that we have that out of the way, why don’t we adjourn to my office so we can begin. Do you have the scroll?”

“Yes, of course,” Joslyn replied. She had to lengthen her stride to keep up with his quick pace.

“Have you been to Cairo before?”

“Yes. I came here for six months while I finished my Master’s thesis.”

“I don’t remember you.”

“You were on sabbatical that semester.”

“Ah.” Ali turned to Sam. “How long will you be staying?”

Sam glanced surreptitiously at Joslyn before answering. “A few days.”

“A few days?” Ali looked at Sam.

“Unless we have to stay a little longer.”

Joslyn eyed the two men. An undercurrent ran between them. Sam wasn’t telling her everything, but she couldn’t decipher his reasons for withholding any information. Any questions would have to wait until they returned to the hotel, if she read Sam right. “Well, I am expected back on Friday, but I will do everything I can to see that this is completed by then.”

“Here we are.” Ali held the door open for them to enter.

Bookcases covered nearly every inch of wall space. Books and journals filled approximately half of the shelves. She recognized most of the titles. Many were Ali’s, but there were a few by other noted Egyptologists. A large number of the archeological journals had reputations for publishing his work. The other half of the bookcase held translations of ancient scrolls. Having spent hours of research pouring over such documents, Joslyn knew with a glance which translation belonged to which Egyptologist. Again, he had a mixture of his and other experts’, including herself. He had placed a few artifacts in precise positions that displayed them to their best advantage. And the replica of.... A replica? She moved closer to get a better look.

“Ah, I see you have caught me.” A smile warmed his voice. His proximity unnerved her. Reaching around her, he gently picked up the miniature, gold Tutankhamen mask. “Yes, it is an original. It was a ‘gift’ from the government. I only hold it in stewardship.” Abruptly, he replaced it and moved away, taking a seat behind his desk. “Come. Sit. Show me the scroll.”

Reverently, Joslyn removed the scroll from its protective waterproof container and laid it out on Ali’s massive, mahogany desk. They leaned closer to examine the ancient papyrus. The sunlight pouring in from the tall window behind them cast an ethereal glow on the scroll. Before her stunned gaze, the scroll gathered the sunlight into the hieroglyphs. The faded ink lines emitted the luminous, golden radiance of the sun. With each passing second, the light grew brighter. A whirring sound, like the flapping wings of thousands of ibises rising from the Nile, crescendoed to a deafening roar. With a loud clap, the roar softened to a hum that faded away to absolute silence. Golden points of light danced around Joslyn like a halo in a mystical painting, as if she was touched by the gods.

Everything melded into one, then split into tiny molecules that bounced and cavorted in the sparkling light. It seemed to have a will of its own, swirling as if in a kaleidoscope. Joslyn tottered and struggled to remain erect. Gripping the table, she blinked several times, futilely trying to clear her vision. The light coalesced into recognizable objects, and her legs collapsed. She clawed at the table as she slipped to the floor under the weight of nearly 4,000 years of waiting. Unable to move and terrified, she watched in fascinated horror while a gold mask materialized above her and floated down to lightly rest upon her face. The mask seeped into her pores, and a surge of energy jolted through her. Her body convulsed with the impact. It was then that she knew Hatchepsut had joined them.

“Joslyn?”

Sam’s voice barely penetrated the haze surrounding Joslyn’s consciousness. His face swam in front of her. She attempted to respond, but her lips wouldn’t move. Again, she tried. Nothing happened. She felt pasted to the floor for a split second, and then her soul slipped free to hover just below the ceiling. The silver strand of energy seemed far too fragile to keep her displaced soul attached to her possessed body. In disbelief, she watched the scene unfold.

“Joslyn?” Sam crouched down next to her.

“I am Maatkare.” The thready whisper of ancient Egyptian slithered past Joslyn’s lips.

“But there was only one Maatkare...Hatchepsut.” Ali’s eyebrows rose. “Sam, what is this—hocus pocus?”

With a jerk, her body stood and faced Ali. A fiery, angry, orange circle formed around her, pulsing. Heavily accented English grated out. “You doubt me?”

Both men physically flinched. The voice sounded like sandpaper on metal.

“I....” Ali scrambled in retreat.

“So, you are an unbeliever.” Scornful eyes raked Ali’s slim frame. “Perhaps the gods were mistaken.”

Ali visibly trembled under Hatchepsut’s menacing glare. “N-no. I am the one you seek.”

“Then prostrate yourself before your pharaoh.” Hatchepsut turned chilly eyes to Sam. One eyebrow raised in question.

“I am American. We don’t have a pharaoh.”

Her nostrils twitched in irritation.

He quickly added, “But I didn’t say that I didn’t believe you.”

Her gaze flicked back to Ali. “Up. Show me the scroll.”

Ali pointed to the desk.

Hatchepsut caressed the papyrus. A small smile flickered on her face, lighting it with affection before she returned her gaze to the quaking Ali. “Merit will translate this for you tomorrow. Listen carefully.” With a sigh, Hatchepsut left Joslyn’s body.

Joslyn’s soul snapped back into her body, and she slumped over the desk, exhausted. Painfully lifting herself from the table, she said, “Sam…can we return to the hotel now, please?”

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