Dec 31, 2012

Review of The Unforgiven: The Crave by D.J. Kile



Title:     The Unforgiven: The Crave                                           
              (The Unholy Trinity Chronicles)
Author:  D.J. Kile
Pages:   106
Genre:   Paranormal Fiction
Source:  ebook via author

Rating:  4 STARS
Book Synopsis:

In times of Chaos a choice has to be made, not all of which are made for the greater good...rather revenge.       Dean Cathal, not an ordinary man, A Diavol Strigoi , a creation of desperation living thousands of lifetimes. Wreaking havoc across the world gets lured to New Orleans where a southern girl is trapped in the realm of dreams. He wants her... he has to have her.. but she belongs to another, Mica Navarre.    Every touch, every kiss drives him faster towards destruction. So another of his kind is sent to make him give into his nature, a demon of old...Sebastian.      Will Dean prevail? And end up with his obsession, turning her toward the dark. Or will she chose human love? and leave a heartless creature in despair to become the ultimate evil.

Dec 30, 2012

Book Tour: Surrender by Rhiannon Paille




Surrender (The Ferryman and the Flame #1)SURRENDER
The Ferryman and The Flame Book 1

Rhiannon Paille


Genre: YA Fantasy, Paranormal Romance 


ISBN: 978-1480029859

Number of pages: 402
Word Count: 100k

Cover Artist: Marc Wolfe www.marcwolfeart.com








Book Description:

How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?
Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is--a Flame--one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

Dec 20, 2012

Mid-Winter's Eve Blog Hop


 
Welcome to the Mid-Winter's Eve Blog Hop
Hosted by: I Am A Reader Not A Writer & Oasis For YA

My favorite thing about Winter is the SNOW!  Nothing more beautiful than watching snowflakes fall.  Excitement is in the air as the weather channel is calling for 1-2 inches of snow on 12/21/12. 

 Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow.......

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Dec 19, 2012

Ruined by Kinley Baker Book Promotion



I'd like to welcome Ruined by Kinley Baker to our site today!  Hope you enjoy reading the excerpt and watching the book trailer below in the post.  Hope you all show Kinley some love my following her on twitter, facebook, and her blog!!  


RUINED:          Shadowed Love Book One

BY:                    Kinley Baker

GENRE:           Fantasy Romance

PUBLISHER:  Crescent Moon Press


BLURB:



Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he's given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family's hold on the land--and his deceiving advisors aren't afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them in a union that lasts forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

               Barnes & Noble                            Amazon

EXCERPT RUINED:

"You." Fury burned hot under Jessa's skin as she glared at Vale. "Who do you think you are, demanding I come live in this castle? You can't just order your guards to enter a woman's home and pack up her things."

"Well, I did." Vale came around the desk and propped one hip against it, more of a threatening than casual movement.

"Someone tried to kill me. It makes sense that I have my Healer close by."

She released a pent-up breath. "Why couldn't you have explained that instead of mandating?" Silly. Her imagination had run away with her. The king needed his Healer. But the realization he didn't want her made her angrier.

"Because I didn't want to give you the option of saying no."

She most definitely would have said no.

"If you would have explained your reasoning, I would have complied. Your safety and health come first, even if I-"

"Even if you what?"

"Loathe you." She bunched her fingers into two fists, seriously tempted to hit him. For all the nonexistent pain it would inflict upon him.

"Do you?" His tone deadened with calm. "Because I can't stop thinking about you."

"That's normal." She brushed off the claim. "I saved your life."

He moved in a blur. A true Shadow Shifter. One second he stood near his desk, the next he had her in his arms, one locked around her waist and one hand tangled in her hair. Their lips almost brushed.

"I can't stop thinking about you." His murmur played down her spine, leaving a tingling trail. His scent invaded her. His voice embraced her like bare skin against satin sheets.

Her heart beat fast, her pulse jumped.

She disliked him, but didn't want him to let her go.

"Have you been thinking about me?" His soft tone feathered over her flesh.

"Only how much I dislike you." Lust pulsed in her belly.

He pulled her head back gently by her hair, so they looked straight into each other's eyes. Their bodies pressed tightly together. "Liar."




About the Author:
Kinley Baker is the author of the fantasy romance series, Shadowed Love. She read her first romance at the age of thirteen and immediately fell in love with the hero and the genre.

She lives with her husband, Benjamin, and her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. Ruined, Denied, and Freed are all available now from Crescent Moon Press.

Look for a new paranormal romance series in 2013. As a firm supporter of all supernatural lifestyles, she writes fantasy, paranormal, and futuristic romances.

You can find Kinley at http://www.kinleybaker.com/



Twitter       Facebook         Facebook Author Page        Goodreads     



Dec 10, 2012

Night Secrets by B.K. Walker Virtual Book Tour & Kindle Fire Giveaway




Please welcome Night Secrets by B.K. Walker Virtual Book Tour to My Paranormal Book Review! B.K. is sharing with us a really steamy excerpt from Night Secrets. What would a Virtual Book Tour be without a giveaway? That's right...B.K. is doing a GIVEAWAY!!! The giveaway includes....

Kindle Fire, 1 hour Coaching Session, 1 Free Ad Space, 1 Free Custom Graphic Design, Free 5 Blog Stop Tour, 5 Ebooks for choice of book from backlist, free To Love A Wolf Wallpaper, $25 Amazon Gift Card

To enter for a chance to win these amazing prizes, complete the rafflecopter at the end of this post. Good luck everyone!


Book Blurb:

Night Secrets
Genre: Paranormal Romance (intened for 18+)
Publisher: Amazon Kindle
Release Date:  July 2, 2011



Vampire twins – one wants to love you, the other wants your blood. A Werewolf – vows to protect you. Magic – stirs within you.

Imagine if Maggie Steifvater, Stephanie Meyer, and Laurell K. Hamilton sat down together to write a fast paced, steamy, paranormal romance full of thrilling twists and turns, featuring thirsty vampires and sexy werewolves.

That’s Night Secrets, a suspenseful paranormal romance written by B.K. Walker, author of Dares and Dreams and Death Upon Me.

After Keira Crosby spends months mourning her parents’ death, Jared, her best friend, is determined to get her out and moving on with her life. Night Secrets, a new club in town, has a grand opening bringing with it dark secrets of the night and magic within Keira she never knew she had.

For Corbin, Keira ignites his passion. For Dante, she ignites his thirst. It’s up to Channing and his pack to keep her alive from the supernatural beings he hates most…Vampires. As the secrets of the night and Keira’s heritage unfolds, her world is turned inside out. Who will be the last one standing?

Dec 4, 2012

Review of Kept by Shawntelle Madison

Kept (Coveted, #2)Published: November 27th 2012 by Ballantine Books
Pages:  336
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: NetGalley (ebook provided by the publisher)
Ratings:  4 STARS!!

Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a loveable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door.

Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected…or else risk losing everything.

Dec 3, 2012

Dracula's Desires by Linda Mercury Excerpt Tour & Giveaway



Please welcome Dracula's Desires by Linda Mercury Excerpt Tour!
Linda will be giving away one hand painted fan to one randomly drawn commenter on the blog tour.  Increase your chances of winning by following the tour and commenting at each stop.

Click here for a list of participating blogs.

Blurb




Revealing herself as the Dracula of legend, much less a woman, should have been Valerie Tate’s greatest challenge. But with her longing for blood quenched by the one man she couldn’t resist, Valerie now finds herself in an impossible circumstance…

Out Of The Shadows…

It’s a fact that vampires do not get pregnant. But Valerie is definitely pregnant. Worse, six months ago her lover, Lance Soleil, abandoned her. Determined to find answers, Valerie goes on a quest—one that leads her to Lance’s childhood friend, John Janté, a man with whom she shares a strong bond—and an intense lust. But when John is kidnapped, Valerie’s attempt to rescue him uncovers more than she bargained for…

Into The Fire…

Scouring parallel realms and pocket dimensions, Valerie soon finds that Lance has regained Paradise as Angel of the Lost…John is hostage in a bizarre world that resembles Victorian London…and most shocking of all, Valerie’s greatest love may be within her reach once more. For the soul of Dracula’s dead wife, Ilona, is trapped within John’s captor, a mad woman robbed of her humanity and manipulated by a conspiracy of Fallen Angels. Now, torn between past and present loves, Valerie must contend with emotions that threaten to break her. And in a desperate show-down, the reunited triad of a vampire, an angel, and a human, must face their deepest fears—with the future of an unborn angel-to-be in the balance…

Nov 28, 2012

CIN by Christina Leigh Pritchard Book Tour



I'd like to welcome CIN by Christina Leigh Pritchard Book Tour!  First, I'd like to apologize to Christina and Embark on an Arc Tour for my late post.  From now on I must remember to double check to make sure  I click on Publish when scheduling a post in advance!   Hope you both can forgive me.   Keep reading to find out more about this excellent book and author.  BTW,  there is a great excerpt for you to read below the book blurb.

Blurb:
                                                                            
The Doctor said I should be dead.
My heart beat furiously. I looked up at the flashes of lightning in the sky. Yes, I should be dead.
Why wasn’t I?
Seventeen year old Lisa Brown’s life is falling apart. First, her mother and father divorce, then their house forecloses and now, her mother has decided to commit herself to a psychiatric hospital.
If that weren’t enough, she must leave sunny south Florida to attend a boarding school full of geniuses in cold, Lynn, Massachusetts. The city where the locals chant “Lynn, Lynn, city of sin; you never come out the way you went in.”
And, they aren’t kidding. Lisa must live in a tiny shack with two strange teenagers, a dog named Pig who growls when you look at him and a cat named Rat. “Mind the cat,” everyone says. What the heck is wrong with this place?
Lisa thinks she’s landed in her own house of horrors with the anti-social Alex and his facetious sister Ally. But, the real drama begins the day she is struck by lightning…
Watch the book trailer! http://youtu.be/yRdrGVinWdQ


Excerpt:   

  “Is Aunt Millie paying you to take me to this party?” I blurted. Michael stared numbly.
     “No, I just thought I’d be nice.”
     “Sorry,” I said. “I just thought after how mad I made you yesterday that—”
     “Lisa, please. You don’t faze me. I’d like to think I was a bit more mature than that.” He poked me in the cheek. “I will race you.”
     “Hey, no fair!” I grabbed his jacket and ran along with him.
     I turned around to check on Pig. He stood at the entrance of the woods. I stopped. “Bipolar, come on, boy!”
     Michael leaned over my shoulder. “You named him Bipolar? Well, if that isn’t just the perfect name for him. He will be right there waiting for you to get back, don’t worry. He’s not a people dog. It’s a miracle that he follows you around. Actually, it’s weird and disturbing.”
     “Leave my dog alone.” I shoved him. He gently pushed me back.
     “Lisa Brown, I think you just might be all right. I didn’t really like you at first but when you dared to make faces at Ally, well, let’s just say you practically stole my heart.”
     “You better hurry home.”
     I turned around to see where the voice came from. It wasn’t Michael’s. I searched the woods. It almost sounded like Alex but he was still on his purple porch swing.
     “Did you hear that?”
     “Hear what?”
     “Someone said that we should get home. You didn’t hear them?” I scratched my head and examined the treetops. My heart fluttered. Was someone playing a practical joke on us? “Pig, where are you?” I clapped my hands and the Boston terrier came to my side.
     “Let’s go, Lisa. I think these woods have you spooked. I promise they’re not haunted.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and dragged me forwards.
     The sky grew dark and thunder rumbled. Pig barked and stood on his hind legs. I giggled. He looked almost as if he were a prancing show dog.
     “Who would’ve known, Pig can do tricks!” Michael laughed, too. “What did you do to him? He’s a different dog. I have been coming here since forever and that dog has never been so friendly.”
     “How old is he? He doesn’t look old.” I knelt down and searched his face for any gray hairs. There weren’t any. “He looks almost like a teenager.”
      “You better hurry home.”
     There it was again! The voice rang in my ears and I winced with pain. The same pain I’d felt when Alex touched me. He was still on his porch, right? I turned to double check. Yes, he was still swinging; staring intently at Michael and me.
     Suddenly, lightning flashed in the sky. I grabbed Michael’s arm and Pig barked. It shot through the sky like a bullet of fire. It was pink in color. Rain pelted me in the forehead. It began to pour.
     “We better go back to Millie’s house until this rain stops.” Michael guided me out of the woods. He pulled the hood of his ski jacket over my head so that I did not get drenched.
     When we got inside Millie’s house I stripped out of my two wet jackets and stood in front of her small portable heater, shivering. On one of the bistro chairs was the jacket Alex tossed at me in the henhouse.
            I reached over and snatched it.


About the Author:

Christina Leigh Pritchard was born and raised in South Florida. Her first stories were written at the age of nine in $0.15 wide ruled spiral notebooks (which were supposed to be used for class) ;o)~ and in the various diaries she kept. Stories she wrote from age nine to twelve fill about four storage boxes!
Since she's upgraded to a computer, she's completed over fifty books and still going strong. Her genre's include dark fantasy, young adult, drama, suspense, historical romance, multicultural, comedy, poetry and many more.
Her main aspirations in life are: her dog, Teacup; the beach, writing and well, writing! The author says, "I breathe novels. Is there really anything else worthwhile besides writing and of course faith?"
What she says the most rewarding thing a person can do:
1. "Give all of your excess. You don't need it so why store it and allow it to collect dust?"
2. Listen to the stranger next to you whether on a bus, plane, park bench-whatever. Learn all you can about them and then notice how in such a short amount of time they had the ability to teach and/or change you! 
Embark on an Arc Tour

Nov 19, 2012

The Forest Portal by Melody Dempsey Book Tour & Giveaway





Today, I'm happy to host The Forest Portal by Melody Dempsey!  Melody will be giving away a Signed Paperback to one lucky individual.  For the giveaway, complete the Rafflecopter  below the author information.  Continue reading to learn more about The Forest Portal.....




Genre-Young Adult -Science Fiction/Fantasy

Publisher-Publish America

Release Date- October 29, 2009

The Forest Portal tells the story of three teens as they embark on an amazing journey through time. Thrilled about the last day of school, Cameron Maine, his younger sister Collette, along with their friend Taden, decide to go to the beach for an afternoon of fun and relaxation, but Cameron has other plans he has not revealed to the other two. He tells them he wants help collecting seaweed, shells, and other seashore items. Taden questions his friend’s request, but reluctantly decides to lend a hand.

Cameron has plans to develop a sealant that turns old wood new again. Taden, feeling doubtful about the plausibility of Cameron new project soon discovers, along with Cameron and Collette that the sealant actually turns out to be a paint that has the ability to turn wood bight, rainbow colors. Excited, the three decide to paint some trees in a heavily wooded area behind Cameron and Collette’s house. The three soon discover, to there amazement that the two freshly painted trees has the ability to transport them into another time, another place. The trio find themselves probing even more into a dimension so bizarre, deeper into the realm of an unknown world that they discovered, sending them on a journey that makes a summer they will never forget!

Buy at Amazon | BN

Excerpt one

Taden grabbed Collette and held her tight to him, her face only an inch
from his. She looked surprised. He looked intently into her eyes, his still
filled with anger.
“Look, I’m not going to let you go through by yourself!! We’ll just get
in trouble together, ok?”
“Ok” Collette answered softly, a look of surprise filled her face.
Taden loosened his grip a little, still looking into her eyes; the anger
quickly leaving them as a look of warmth and desire flooded in. He gently
touched her face.
“I couldn’t take it if something happened to you Collette,” he said
softly, then he gently kissed her, pressing her closer to him.
Collette put her arms around his neck. She started to run her fingers
through his hair. She felt herself liquidate as he pressed her body closer
to his; kissing her with more passion. Collette could feel his strong body
getting more intense. She started to try to loosen his hold on her, afraid
she may completely let her guard down. Taden pulled her closer to him.
“Taden, no!” she cried, as she pulled away from him. The sultry look
on Taden’s face was quickly replaced with a look of embarrassment.
“Collette, God, I’m sorry. I don’t know…” He wished the ground
would open up and swallow him.
Collette gazed at him, still feeling the heat of his kiss on her lips.
Taden was tall and well built from doing work on his aunt’s farm from
time to time. He was an excellent horseback rider.
“It’s ok Taden. I got carried away too,” she said, trying to avoid
looking at him too hard.
She noticed that he was aroused, but she didn’t want him to know that
she knew. Taden sighed and sat on the ground. He rubbed his hands
through his thick dark brown hair. Collette sat down opposite him.
Taden found himself melting back into the memory of Collette’s soft,
sweet tasting lips; the feel of her sensuous slender curves under his hands
as he caressed her delicate body. Collette reveled in the memory of
Taden’s sensuous, strong arms holding her; his kisses gently smothering
her lips. After a few moments of silence, Taden spoke up. “Well, we had
better go and find Cam.”
Collette agreed. They both got up and stood in front of the two trees.
Taden took Collette’s hand. “Ready,” he asked, giving her a slight smile.
“Yeah,” she replied
They both stepped through the two trees.
Cam was over by the big rock, squatting down. They ran to the rock.
“Cam, what the hell did you come back here for?” asked Collette.
A very surprised Cam quickly turned around. “Collette! Shit! Squat
down!!” he demanded in a loud whisper.
Both Collette and Taden quickly squatted down. Cam glared at his
sister and his friend.
“What in the hell are you two doing here?” he growled, scowling at the
both of them. Collette looked at her brother.
“What the hell are you doing here Cam, and what’s going on?” she
asked.
“Shhh! Keep your voice down!” he whispered loudly, the scowl, still
on his face. Taden gave his friend a hard look. “Cam, she and I were
worried about you,” he snapped in a low voice.
Cam looked at Taden, then at Collette, his expression softening.
“Listen guys, I just heard that guy standing by the apple tree just
threaten someone. I think it’s another man,” he said, pointing towards
the big tree.
“I didn’t see the other guy. He’s behind that tree somewhere, but I
heard him. They were yelling at each other. I heard the man by the tree;
see, the one standing there.” Cam pointed to the large apple tree.
“I heard him say something about killing some girl the next time. I
don’t know what that’s all about, but it sounds serious to me.”
The trio looked towards the tree. The two men continued to argue.
Suddenly there was a gunshot! The man that was standing by the large
tree fell to the ground. They saw another man with a gun emerge into
sight. Collette made a sound as she drew back her breath. Cam quickly
put his hand over her mouth.


Author Information

Born in Chelsea Massachusetts, she has two grown daughters, and seven "furry babies. Three cats, two dogs and two pet mice. 
She's always enjoyed writing ever since she was in Elementary school. Melody can remember the feeling of excitement she would get whenever her English teacher wanted the class to write a story. Once when she was in the third grade, the teacher wanted all of the class to write a short story of any topic of their choosing. Melody wrote a comedy about a dog and a cat. Unable to remember all of the story now, she does remember reading it and the class loved it! Ms. Dempsey also remembers the story was about the comedic antics of one dog and a mean cat. The story ended with the dog being chased up a tree. That image is still funny and it got her the first place blue ribbon!
Melody actually started to write seriously when she was around 14 years old. During the summer months she found that she had more time on my hands, loving to read more in her early teen years.
After reflecting back on the materials read, she would find herself with pen in hand, paper in front of her,(there were no home computers back then), and she would start to create her own stories. Ms. Dempsey's always been very fond of fiction, adventure, human interest stories, mystery, and thriller novels and also enjoys comedies, and of course, stories about animals.






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nov 16, 2012

The Sixth Precept by Larry Ivkovich Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway


Today, I'd like to welcome Larry Ivkovich's The Sixth Precept Virtual Book Tour.  Larry is giving away 12 signed printed copies of The Sixth Precept! To enter the giveaway, please complete the rafflecopter located after the author information.  

The Sixth Precept
Genre – Urban Fantasy
Publisher – IFWG Publishing
Release Date – November, 2011

The Sixth Precept In 16th century medieval Japan, Yoshima Mitsu, who is gifted with psychic powers, uses her prescient abilities to send her young attendant, Shioko, into the future. There, Mitsu believes Shioko will be safe from the purges of the maniacal warlord Omori Kadanamora, his warrior monks and his half-human, half-bestial Shadow-Trackers. In present-day Pittsburgh, police Lieutenant Kim Yoshima is attacked by a creature out of someone’s twisted nightmare. In the aftermath of that terrifying struggle, Kim finds a young Japanese girl named Shioko, lost, confused and calling Kim “Mitsu” and her monstrous attacker a “Shadow-Tracker.” Wayne Brewster dreams of the costumed hero, ArcNight. But more than that, he feels bizarrely connected to the fictional crime fighter as if ArcNight and his comic book world are real. And in all of his dreams, Brewster sees one constant, one face repeated over and over--the face of Kim Yoshima. Empowered by a mysterious book, The Five Precepts to Enlightenment, Kim realizes her destiny is in the past. Using her own burgeoning esper powers, Kim, accompanied by Shioko and Brewster, travel by means of a temporal rift to feudal Japan. There they must assume different personas to fight Omori and creatures of Japan’s mythological world to fulfill ancient prophesy and modern historical fact. If they fail, history will be altered and the world will change forever.


Purchase Links –



EXCERPT  – Pittsburgh, PA 2010

Kim heard the shot just as she was putting her briefcase into her car. She didn’t think twice, her instincts taking over. She pulled her Sig P228 and an extra clip from her backpack, threw the pack into the back seat and headed for the lot’s exit door.
The door had a special keyed locking system on the outside to keep possible intruders out. From within the parking lot, it was essentially an emergency exit. She looked up at the security camera stationed above the door and thought about contacting Joe, Lazo’s security head. No time, she decided. Besides, there was no need for two people to be in a possible line-of-fire. Once she took stock of the situation, she’d call for backup on her cell phone. She punched the button and as the door shussed open, exited the lot.
The humidity was all over her; heavy, moist air settling on her skin like a hot towel. It had stopped raining but the streets steamed; the glow of the streetlights cast an eerie luminescence throughout the empty block. She blinked, creeping into the shadows at the side of the garage and then, quickly, opened the section of gating outside the emergency exit and jogged out into the street.
No sounds. Nothing. The street was devoid of life.
That was when she saw the figure walk out into the light.
~~~
It’s her. The Yomitsu. The Eminent Lord be praised!
The shadow-tracker felt a thrill of another kind as he saw his target, gun in hand, crouching across the street. Her scent, even at this distance, filled him to the bursting.
I can take her, he thought, his head throbbing as he blinked the spots from his eyes. I can bring her back to the masters myself! The hell with their rules! The situation had become something entirely different. She was so close! Why shouldn’t he take advantage of this? The masters would know then, that despite his miscalculation on the three gang members, despite the wound he had incurred as a result, that he had still served his purpose.
Yes, he thought, rising to his feet. He would make his mark, no matter what. He walked out of the alley.
~~~
The silhouette was tall, lean, moving like a dancer, sinuous and mincing. The muted light revealed some kind of tight-fitting garment clinging to its body. Its hair was long, knotted into thin corn rows. Its eyes reflected the light as…yellow?
Something sharp glinted from the tips of its fingers.
What in heaven? Kim raised her gun. The figure stopped, its form backlit by a wavering glow from the alley behind it.
Trash fire? This one doesn’t look like your typical street person.
The figure began to move again, loping (yes, loping was the right word) toward her, its motion controlled and precise like a gymnast.
“Stop right there!” Kim cried. “Police officer!”
The figure entered a pool of streetlight, its face briefly illuminated.
It was the face of an animal.
“Freeze!” Kim yelled, a chill running up her back. “Stop or I’ll shoot!”
The creature speeded up, suddenly charging like a sprinter on overdrive. Kim fired once over its head. No effect. It was only a few feet away now, its arms and legs moving in a whirlwind of motion. My God! Kim thought, her fear building. She aimed a kill-shot, straight at the creature’s head.
The thing shifted to its right, dodging the bullet as if the deadly projectile was moving in slo-mo. It reached a clawed hand out toward Kim, its suddenly visible face stretched into a ghastly parody of a smile.
Kim threw her body sideways. She fell, rolling on her side, the pavement smacking her hard. She felt a crunching pain on her waist.
She pulled herself to her feet, breathing fast, holding her luger with both hands extended in front of her.
Her breath caught in her throat. The creature was down.
Kim blinked. The thing was fast, unnaturally fast. It should have had her. She was positive it had dodged her bullet.
Yet, it lay facedown on the street, struggling to get up. This close, Kim could see the blood on the side of its head.
And that face. Inhuman features glared up at Kim. Man? Dog? It looked a combination of both—exaggerated bone structure, sharp teeth, high cheekbones, sloping forehead, yellow eyes.
Kim fell back a step, a sudden, unreasoning fear taking control. What is it? Both her hands shook as she tried to hold the gun steady. What—?
The creature suddenly leaped to its feet and flung itself at her, arms wide, mouth open. Kim fired and fell back, flinging her arms up over her head.
What? Kim looked wildly around her. The thing was gone. Where had it vanished to?
Have to call for backup! she thought frantically. And surely Joe saw what happened on the security cams! She started back towards the garage, hoping the gate would open again as she fumbled at her belt for her cell phone, looking over her shoulder. The fear was like a burning fire running through her system.
A low moaning floated through the night air. Kim stopped and turned back towards the alley. Someone’s hurt, she thought, licking her lips. Probably by that dog-thing.
Taking a deep breath, she jogged back toward the alley and stopped at its entrance, the skin between her shoulder blades tingling. If this dead-ends, I’m trapped. And yet I just can’t leave someone in there if they’ve been injured.
The moaning increased, a desperate sound radiating pain and confusion. Kim got her cell phone off of her belt. Got to call Lazo, she thought. Have to get—Damn! She stared dumbly at the cracked  casing of the now-useless phone. That’s what I felt breaking when I hit the street. Cheap shit! The Captain’s going to hear about this!
She snorted. Listen to me. Come on, Yoshima, get your act together!
Darting another look back towards the street, Kim took a few tentative steps into the alley. “Who’s there?” she called, her mouth dry. “Are you hurt? I’m a police officer!”
A gurgling, wet sound answered her, a barely recognized imitation of speech. Gritting her teeth, Kim entered the alley.

Author Information


Larry Ivkovich is an IT professional and the author of several science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories and novellas, published online and in various print publications and anthologies including M-Brane SF, Afterburn SF, Penumbra, Twisted Cat Tales, Abaculus III, Raw Terror, Triangulations, Shelter of Daylight and SQ Magazine. He has also been a finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest and was the 2010 recipient of the CZP/Rannu Fund Award for fiction. His debut urban fantasy novel, THE SIXTH PRECEPT, is now available from IFWG Publishing, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. He is a member of two local writing/critique groups, the Pittsburgh Southwrites and the Pittsburgh Worldrights, and lives in Coraopolis, PA with his wife Martha and cats Trixie and Milo. 

Author Links –
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