Title: Bona Fides Author: Ash B. Whitley Genre: LGBTQ Science Fiction
With great power comes horrific possibilities…
Former child prodigy, Rowyn Miller, needs to prove her incarcerated and spiralling dad isn’t a murderer. It should be a piece of pish—she is his ‘victim’, after all.
One problem: not a soul has been able to see or hear her for 1,573 days.
Being a living ghost is hell. For starters, her available investigative methods leave Rowyn lagging miles behind the shadowy forces who set-up her dad. Plus, she’s desperate for a proper blether instead of the increasingly gloomy one-sided chats.
At least the creepy government scientists and unkillable terrorists can’t get their hands on her, though, and Rowyn will soon discover there are far worse ‘super’ powers she could have been lumbered with…
I was the winner—and the envy of many. What I didn’t realize is that I was a pawn in a game I’d already lost…
It isn’t every day a dying girl wins the chance to live. Ten years ago, I was that girl. The first winner of the vampire lottery. And my prize? A new life as a bloodsucker.
No one told me that winning the lottery would cost me everyone I loved. But I still have Dimitry—I only have Dimitry—the sexy, inscrutable, Russian vampire who saved me from certain death. My protector. For a hot minute, there was a spark between us until it fizzled to a barely glowing ember.
Now Dimitry and I have been summoned from Moscow to the politics and the cruelty of vampire-controlled Las Vegas right when the city is going to pot. I swore I would never return to a place I will only ever be a pawn, but the alternative is much worse. Deadly.
I’m nothing there. Small-fry. But maybe it’s time I changed that.
“If you’re not meeting gangsters, then where are you going?”
“To make some preparations.”
I wait, but apparently, that’s all I’m getting. “More, Dimitry. I need more words,” I tell him, with my eyes still closed and my head resting on the side of the Jacuzzi-style bath.
“For a new challenge. Perhaps some excitement.”
I prick up my ears. “Sounds interesting. What’s the catch?”
There must be one. It feels too much like Dimitry is tempting me into doing something I won’t like. He’s already noticed I’m bored. But here is safe. A little empty and meaningless, but safe. Nothing can take Dimitry away from me here.
“No catch. But there will be no more need for Russian lessons, for one.”
“You know full well I didn’t even make it through a week of those, never mind ten years. Now, what are you hiding? What preparations are you making?”
“For a trip filled with adventure. Perhaps you may receive some answers to questions I haven’t been able to answer over the years.”
That’s when every single alarm bell starts going off because he’s using terms he knows will grab and hold my attention. They’re all there: excitement, adventure, and the biggest hook to lure me—answers to questions.
He also sounds like he’s been reading fortune cookies. That or stealing the lines from some cryptic psychic with dangly earrings and a colorful scarf in her hair.
Maybe that’s where he’s been going on his errands: visiting psychics.
“You’re not telling me everything, Dimitry,” I say, in a voice filled with suspicion. “What are you hiding?”
“Since Russia bores you, perhaps it’s time we returned to the States.”
“I told you, I am not b—wait, what? What do you mean, return to the States?” My eyes snap open and I start to sit up before remembering at the last minute why that might not be such a good idea. Flashing Dimitry once is one time too many. Twice in one night might have him convinced I’m throwing myself at him. Again.
“Da.”
For a second, I meet his gaze, then I shake my head. “No. No, Dimitry. No. What’s the Russian for no again?”
“Net, zaychik.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why am I getting the sense you’re just calling me little rabbit in Russian?”
His expression doesn’t change. “Are you? Perhaps you’ve been in the bath too long.”
What my being in the bath has to do with anything distracts me for a second. But only for a second. Soon I’m glaring at him because it wouldn’t surprise me if distraction wasn’t his intention in the first place.
At any other time, I’d push him on this Russian word, but not now. Not after the bombshell he’s just thrown in my face. “I’m not going back there, Dimitry. It’s not happening.”
“Little rabbit…”
“Net. A thousand times net.”
His lips curve at what has to be the worst Russian to come out of a human mouth, ever. “Unfortunately, matters might mean that decision is soon taken out of our hands.”
Panic ignites in my belly because this is not happening. Not Vegas. Not with Dimitry. Not ever.
Eve lives in London. She writes steamy and suspenseful paranormal romances about heroines who grow into strong women, and the alpha heroes who love them.
If you want to receive updates on new releases and grab your free copy of ‘The Lottery’ (a prequel for the Bladed Princess series), you can join her mailing list here: www.evebale.com
Title: Wilder Games Author: Ali Dean Series: Wilder #1 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance
It’s match point in the most important tennis match in my life, and nothing can distract me. Nothing, that is, except the sight of Jude Wilder sitting in the stands with his little sister on his lap. He’s never watched me play. Never even noticed me before. And yet his eyes are on me now. I know what he must be thinking. I’m not just an outcast, I’m a social pariah thanks to my family being the town’s most notorious con artists. Jude is on the opposite side of the spectrum. Not only is he accepted, he’s worshipped. I’m nobody to him, and yet I’ve got this chance to impress him.
As it turns out, he isn’t at all impressed when I win the match, and I’m worse than a nobody to him. Jude thinks I’m a threat to his family. This should alarm me. It should scare me. Jude in protective mode is hot, all right, but I can’t afford to be on his radar. I’ve got one year to secure a college scholarship. It’s hard enough keeping a low profile with my tennis success, and the last thing I need is Jude Wilder of all people drawing more attention my way.
“I’m on to you, Karis.” I muttered the words, but her eyes widened just enough to tell me she’d heard me, and knew it was a warning.
“You might think we’ve all forgotten what your mom and sister did. How many people they hurt.” Any reaction I thought I’d gotten initially from her was now locked down. She pulled her shoulders back and let a mask slide into place. I took a step forward, getting into her personal space. Wanting to affect her. Needing to.
“Your sister tried to mess with the Jamisons, my family, and I haven’t forgotten it.”
She crossed her arms and I made myself hold her eyes, even as they begged to drop to her cleavage. She’d done it on purpose.
“I’m not them.” She said it with so much calm, I knew it was forced. There was no anger and no bite, and it all played into the image she’d so carefully crafted of herself.
“No, you’ve got a different kind of game going on. The good girl, innocent, so unlike the rest of her family, people wouldn’t suspect a thing.”
Karis shook her head and took a step back, and then another.
“What are you doing? Why are you doing this?”
It wasn’t until her back hit the side of the building that I realized I’d been matching her step for step. Like I was the predator and she was the prey. I couldn’t bring myself to put any distance between us. Instead, I found myself placing an arm above her head and leaning down. As if I was about to kiss her. It was my own little game. Would she try to reel me in tighter? Get me to fall for her? Or was I playing into her hand?
“I don’t want you anywhere near my family.” I enunciated each word. “Stay away from us.”
Her eyes continued to hold mine. She didn’t shrink back, straightening her posture. We were so close I could feel her breasts brushing against me.
Finally, after a long moment, something flickered in her eyes.
A finger pressed into my chest. “You need to stay away from me,” she hissed. My smirk was automatic. I’d finally gotten a reaction.
Ali is a USA Today Bestselling author of sports romance books. She has always loved to read, especially when there’s a happily ever after, but found that there weren’t enough books out there featuring girl athletes. So, she decided to work on that. Like the heroines in her books, Ali is an athlete, with running and skiing her favorite sports these days. Ali hails from Vermont and now lives in her own happily-ever-after in Colorado with her husband, two sets of twins, and golden retriever Pancake. When she’s not pursuing an outdoor adventure, Ali’s less healthy passions include ice cream, coffee, and beer.
