Featured Title of the Day: The Darkness Within by K.J. Dahlne

Please welcome mystery/suspense writer K.J. Dhalen author of The Darkness Within.

Excerpt

The Darkness Within

K. J. Dahlen

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

I am just a simple man, living the American dream;

I might be just like you except for the fact that

I am also a serial killer. At first I hated that part of myself, I tried to deny the truth for a long time but I couldn’t deny the excitement that I felt when I began hunting an innocent woman only to end her life. The more I hunted the better I became at hiding from the world my dark secret. Over the years I began to crave the rush I got when the raging beast inside me reared its ugly head. The obsession grew until all I could think about was the next kill, the next young woman whose life I would cut short.

Sable’s hand gripped the pages of what she had just read as she looked up at her boss. “Nick,” she wet her parched lips with the tip of her tongue.

Nick glanced over at her and frowned. Sable’s face was pale and there was a quickness to her breathing that wasn’t normal. “What is it?”

Sable held out the pages to him and sat down at her desk carefully. She put her hands to either side of her head and slowly closed her eyes against the shock she felt. She rubbed her aching temples in an effort to calm her nerves. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the plain manila envelope lying on her desk. The envelope had her full first name Sabella scrawled in ink on the outside of it. This was the envelope she had opened moments ago. Sable frowned as she reread the name on the front of the envelope. It wasn’t a name she used and no one other than her mother ever called her by that name.

Sable opened her desk drawer and pulled out a large clear plastic bag and carefully tucked the envelope inside. Looking up she saw concern on the faces in front of her. Without saying a word she handed the envelope to her boss, Nicholas Ramer.

Nick glanced at the envelope and compared the writing to that of the letters. Sable’s name was written by the same hand as the pages. He was surprised to find there was no return address on the envelope, and it hadn’t been run through the post office. It had been hand delivered. “What the hell? How did this get in here undetected?”

Nick looked over at the other members of his team and handed the envelope to Quentin Parks. “Run this over to fingerprinting and see who besides us has handled it.” 

Nick glanced at Brandi Nichols. “Get a board in here and set it up with the pages. Let’s get a handle on what exactly we’re dealing with.”

He looked over at Max. “See if you can find anything on the surveillance tapes from last night. I don’t like the fact that this guy just walked into our offices without being stopped along the way. This is supposed to be a secure FBI office.”

Max nodded and left the room.

Nick pulled a chair up beside Sable and sat down. “Do you know anything about the pages? How they got into the office or who wrote them?”

“No,” Sable replied. “I found the envelope sitting on my desk and I opened it. I guess I really didn’t think about it.” She looked at Nick and had to ask, “What’s going on here?”

Nick shrugged. “That’s one of the things we need to find out. We also need to find out if this is real or a hoax; and if it is a hoax, we still need to find out who is responsible. I’m not sure I like the fact that someone can just walk in here off the streets and leave a package on one of our desks then walk out again undetected. If it's real, we need to find out who this killer is and how to stop him.” He stood up and held out his hand to her, “Let’s find out what this guy has to say. Let’s do our job and get him off the streets.”

 Review

AlexJouJou for Manic Readers says: "The way all the pieces fit together is actually quite a feat--and a big kudos to the author for that. There are major bestselling authors that couldn't tie up a plot as nicely as this one does."

Featured Title of the Day: The Body Guard by Genene Valleau writing as Genie Gabriel

Please welcome Genie author of a contemporary three book series.

Excerpt

The Bodyguard

Genie Gabriel

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 3

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Two weeks before Christmas, Mitch decided he had waited long enough.

"Come on, mutt." Mitch grabbed his coat and a pair of work gloves. "Let’s go find the twins."

Gabe bounded to his feet and bumped the doorknob with his nose. He sniffed and marked around the yard while Mitch pulled the Ferrari out of the garage. As soon as the dog jumped into the car, Mitch drove to a lot selling Christmas trees. He selected one that would fit nicely in Julia’s small apartment and strapped it to the top of the car.

The mutt hung his head out the window, riding in silent watchfulness until the apartment building was in sight. "Woof!"

"You have to be quiet or we’ll get caught smuggling you in." Under cover of the falling twilight and a bushy evergreen tree, Mitch and the dog walked quickly toward Julia’s apartment.

As soon as Julia opened the door, the dog pushed inside and sniffed out the twins, quickly falling back into their game of hide and seek. Within seconds, the twins’ giggles let Julia know the dog had found the children.

"I brought a tree." Mitch stood the evergreen upright.

"I see that." Julia bit her lip as she walked around the tree. "Nice choice. Bushy all around."

"I had three picky sisters who trained me in the fine art of Christmas tree selection."

Julia smiled. "They trained you well."

"I thought we could decorate it tonight and maybe have cookies and hot chocolate."

The wistful look on Mitch’s face tugged at Julia’s heart. She didn’t want to disappoint him--or miss the chance to spend time with him. "That would be great. Except..."

"Except?"

"All the decorations were left behind."

Understanding dawned in Mitch’s eyes. "I’m sorry, Julia. I didn’t think--I’ll go buy some."

"Wait--" Julia didn’t want to owe Mitch anything more, and she couldn’t afford to buy decorations for an entire tree right now. "Let’s make decorations. We have construction paper for paper chains and snowflakes, and we can pop corn to string together. I haven’t done that in years. It will be fun."

"How about the angel for the top?" Mitch asked.

Julia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Origami. We can do a fancy folded paper one." She hoped.

"Sounds great to me." Mitch took off his jacket. "I did remember a stand."

While Mitch set the tree in the stand, Julia gathered supplies for ornaments and explained to the twins what they were going to do. The twins were delighted, as they hadn’t been allowed to touch the fussy tinsel and glass ornaments on the tree in the West Hills house. Just one more reminder of how suppressed her children’s joy had been. Julia much preferred this homemade Christmas tree.

The tiny apartment soon became littered with scraps of paper, as loops of red and green chains took shape. The popping of corn rattled a cheerful accompaniment to the giggles of the twins as Julia brought another bowl of popcorn for Mitch to add to the string the dog snitched pieces from.

"Why don’t you just give him some popcorn?" Julia asked.

"He won’t eat it except off the string." Mitch threw a disgusted look toward the dog. "It must be a new game."

Julia turned away to hide her smile. The tree was shaping up beautifully, even if Angelina insisted on hanging all her handmade ornaments on the same three branches. "Anyone want refills on hot chocolate?"

When Julia returned from the kitchen, the room had grown quiet.

"Your helpers are asleep," Mitch said.

The twins lay curled like cherubs next to the dog beneath the spreading limbs of the now decorated tree.

"Do you want to move them to bed?" Mitch asked.

Julia nodded. Soon the twins were settled in their beds for the night.

"Sometimes I just want to watch my children." Julia’s heart swelled with joy as she gazed at Abraham and Angelina. "If I could have one thing for Christmas, I’d ask for my children to be safe."

Julia and Mitch lapsed into silence for a moment, absorbing the innocence of the twins as they slept. "What would you ask for, Mitch?"

Mitch stared at Julia for a moment longer. His gaze caressed every inch of her face and finally settled on her mouth. "A kiss from you."

Startled, Julia tried to cover a thrill of excitement by folding her hands primly in front of her. "That’s all?"

"Maybe that kiss could be delivered early." The hunger in Mitch’s eyes generated a tingle between Julia’s breasts.

"Maybe it could." Julia didn’t believe the words slipped from her mouth. However, the expectant look in Mitch’s eyes confirmed Julia had spoken her thoughts aloud. And now she felt honor-bound to carry through. She could do this without acting like a fool. It was just a kiss, right?

Featured Title of the Day: Shattered Tomorrows by C.L. Kraemer

Please welcome C.L. Kraemer mystery/suspense writer of Shattered Tomorrows.

Excerpt

Eight

The door slammed, the sound echoing against the bare walls. A slumped figure shuffled in the room and plunked down a green garbage bag, aluminum cans clinking noisily. Each lock slid satisfactorily into the matching bolt receptacle. He trundled to the kitchen area and threw the bag in a corner populated by similar green holders.

Leaning over the sink taking great care not to touch the counter, he used his index fingertip and thumb to turn on the hot water faucet. He proceeded to stick his hands under the scalding liquid holding them in position until he saw the dark spots before his eyes that usually signaled he was about to pass out. With a forefinger, he stopped the flow of the steaming liquid and stood letting the liquid drip off his hands into the sink.

“Must be more careful next time. Can’t… touch… anything. Flower…”

He shuddered.

“…DDT. Door has millions of germs.”

His eyes darted wildly about the room as his feet began moving.

The extensions at the end of his arms were swollen an angry red. Skin had begun to blister and peel, and he knew if he bumped them they would bleed. But he needed to go—really bad.

Bleeding was acceptable. It would flush away the poison. Wetting himself was not. It would result in punishment. He flinched at the memories of childhood so vivid he could feel the sting of the belt leather and unconsciously gritted his teeth against the sharp pain of the buckle hitting his raw, wet skin.

He walked stiff legged to the small bathroom. After relieving himself, he examined his throbbing hands. They hadn’t bled. He must be toughening up.

Richard would have to be tough if he was to protect Lucy from the danger.

He growled through a grimace.

“Why don’t they learn? If she surrounds herself with evil, I’ll be forced to protect her from those forces.

“They only seek the pure ones.”

He gingerly pulled the shirt over his head tossing it in the trashcan when he’d freed himself from the material. His jeans followed.

“Poisoned, deadly, bad.”

Turning every light in the small studio apartment on, he curled up on his plastic wrap covered couch. He drew his knees to his chest shivering in the cold room.

“Need to turn on the heat.”

“NO! Germs, poison.”

He lay shivering until his eyes closed and he floated to the land free of worry.

A new face invaded his sleep time. That bartender from Lucky’s, Gregg. This was one he needed to keep an eye on.

Richard could sense the danger. In his dream world, he warned the Lady Lucy and she came to his side after he ran his blade through the evil Gregg. 

He needed to be cautious and watch the man. His Lady Love was in danger.

Review

SHATTERED TOMORROWS
C.L. KRAEMER
ISBN- 978-1-936403-34-9
August 2011
Rogue Phoenix Press
http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/
E-book/ Paperback
$ 3.99/$17.95
105/144 Pages
Mystery/Crime
Rating: 4 Cups

A huge secret is something Lucy Daniels has kept for the past thirty years. But a trip to a lawyer’s office with her best friend has triggered two demons she faced in her past.

Her friend corners Lucy and insists on her spilling the beans on what happened all those years ago, and why she is so affected by it now. She is in for one wild story.

Her story about a man she fell in love with, and the face of pure evil she encountered years ago, is hard to tell, but Lucy needs to finally face her demons in order to move on.

Shattered Tomorrows is a great story of love, loss, fear and horror. The story Lucy conveys is nothing you would expect, and it makes for a very entertaining read. It is even a bit shocking at times, which adds to the book’s appeal. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Matilda
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Featured Title of the Day: Shadows by A.W. Lambert

Please welcome mystery/suspense writer A. W. Lambert

Excerpt

Shadows

A. W. Lambert

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

There were three of them. They had been watching him for the last twenty minutes and the signs were not good. He could tell from the body language; the lowered mutterings between them, the constant hooded glances in his direction. He raised the glass of lemon and lime to his lips and took a slow drink, his eyes flicking toward the bar, quickly assessing the situation before dropping back to the newspaper spread in front of him.

The headline followed a familiar theme; Afghanistan, two killed; a roadside bomb. He read the article from start to finish, but there was little need so familiar was he with the situation he could have written it himself. Maybe not, he thought, not quite. His was a different scenario. Death visited the SAS it was true, but frequently in the world of covert operations where men stalked forbidden areas; it was a death covered with a shroud of silence, such headlines suppressed.

His stomach turned a notch as the scene of only a few weeks before invaded his mind. It shouldn't have happened, of course; the advance bombing, the Intelligence report - area clear. But then they were trained, weren't they? Expect the unexpected and deal with it. And they had. That would be of little comfort to Robbo's family, though. Their only compensation would be they wouldn't have heard the sudden withering, incoming. Neither would they have to live forever with the vision of the human form being sliced in two.

It was the largest of the three that made the first move. Leaving the other two at the bar he approached the table, standing for some moments looking down, the derisory expression saying all.

"Army, right?"

He looked up, but said nothing. He knew whatever he said would be of little use.

"I said you're army, right?"

More silence, but with the belligerence emanating from the man standing over him he felt the change begin. Green already beginning its move toward amber.

"Cat got your tongue, has it?" the man sneered. "Or are you just frightened to admit what you are?" He looked back over his shoulder, toward the two grinning at the bar. "Don't need to speak, though, does he, lads? We know what he is, don't we?"

He looked back down, shoulders back, confidence growing.

"Well if you know what I am there's no need for me to speak is there?" The words were soft, tightly clipped. Amber overpowering green now.

"Well, well, it does speak. Bit quiet though. Maybe that's because it ain't got its gun, ain't got all its mates to help it out. Or maybe it's because it ain't just facing a bunch of unarmed civilians it can shoot and nobody gives a toss."

He was hanging in there, his breathing slow and deep, but amber was now firmly in control, tinges of red hovering in the wings. "I came in here to have a quiet drink and read the newspaper," he said softly, his voice only just under control. "Whatever I am is no concern of yours. I would really be obliged if you would go away and leave me in peace."

"Peace?" the man snorted. "Your lot don't know the meaning of the word. You go charging into other countries, especially those you know can't defend themselves, and carve them up. Arabs trying to live a peaceful life, never done any of you lot any harm, and you go in with your guns and knock seven bells out of 'em. Big brave boys, ain't you?"

His breathing was becoming less controlled now and he felt the tremors begin. He wished this would stop. It wasn't how things should be. The ignorant moron standing over him had no idea, couldn't imagine. He closed the newspaper, folding it neatly, taking his time, fighting for composure. Finally, standing, he eyeballed the man in front of him.

"You just don't know," he said.

"Don't know," the man spat. "I'll tell you what I do know. I know when you lot went into Iraq it was illegal. I know you invaded a country you all knew couldn't defend itself and was an easy target. And I know you killed thousands of innocent civilians. I know that."

He stood, his face only inches away from the spitting tirade confronting him, his whole body now bowstring taut, his insides in turmoil. Slowly the fear began to creep into him. Not a fear of the man opposite, but a fear of himself, a fear of knowing what could happen. He said nothing. There was nothing to say, nothing he could say. He needed to get away, to leave this place, but the man stood before him, blocking his escape and now red was moving in and fast.

Featured Title of the Day: Shadow Warrior by Courtney Renee

Please welcome Courtney Renee author of a three book young adult series.

Blurb

Sunny finally makes her first jump to the Kingdom of Acadia that is on the other side of the shadows, for what she hopes is a vacation.  Only her vacation turns into quite an unwanted adventure.  Aside from new and unexpected issues regarding her relationship with Leif, Sunny meets the rebel group, makes new friends, fights with controlling her powers, and finds herself neck deep within a county that is torn apart by two sides, each fighting for power.  Acadia is not quite what she imagined.  How is she, one young girl, supposed to unite the Kingdom as well as unseat a King to take her place as ruler of Acadia.  

Excerpt

Shadow Warrior

Courtney Rene

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

"Mom, we have been through this. It's only ten days." My mom and I were at it again. The same fight we had been having for the past month. Spring break had finally arrived and would officially begin the next day, and that was the day that Leif and I had decided to make my first trip to Acadia. It was the perfect time to go. I was thinking of it as a much needed vacation. It was a chance to pop into Acadia, have a look around, and come home. Do the whole meet and greet thing. The how we were getting there was still a mystery, but I would figure it out soon enough, or as soon as Leif told me.

My mom, well she was not real keen on the whole idea. In fact, you could say that my mom and dad weren't too happy with the whole shadow walking thing at all, which means, they were pretending there was no such thing. I could try and bring it up, try to get them to understand, but they just changed the subject every time and stayed in their nice, safe reality. I understood, really I did. It was just a bit annoying.

"You are not going, and that's final."

"Mom," I said, sighing the word. "How do you plan on stopping me? You know this is something I have to do. We've been through this."

"I'm telling you, you're not allowed, that should be enough." She stood there, wringing her hands which made me feel a twinge of guilt. Her brown eyes were upset, and her lips quivered. "Please don't go, Sunny. You won't come back."

I told Leif my parents would be a problem. He never listened. "Of course, I will. I'll come back. This is my home."

"No, you won't. You'll leave to go to that...place, and I'll never see you again."

I walked over and stood directly in front of her and took her cold hands into mine. She was several inches taller than my five feet four inches, so I had to look up to see her face. "I promise I will come back, in ten days. Easter Sunday, I'll be back. I expect turkey and homemade noodles to be waiting," I added with a smile.

I didn't want to fight with her. She didn't really want to fight with me either. We both knew I was going, and we both knew there was nothing she or dad could do about it.

Everything had changed since August when I'd discovered that a race of humans existed that could walk in the shadows, and that I was one of them. I was not the easy going, boss me around girl that I had once been. Learning that I was a Shadow Walker was hard enough to take, but learning that I may also be royalty, was even harder. My Thanksgiving night battle with the Shadow Guard from Acadia had taken away the innocence that other girls my age still had.

I was afraid all the time now. I was afraid of the dark. Not really the dark, but what I couldn't see in the dark. I was afraid of being alone. Bad things happen when you're alone. Leif was taking my phobias rather well, thankfully, hardly ever leaving my side. He seemed to understand, which was a surprise, as I didn't. Then you had what no one knew but me, that I was afraid of my gift of energy control.

What a crock, I couldn't control it. Sometimes it seemed to be trying to control me. I would get startled, or when I was afraid, I would instinctively pull the energy to me and inside. I wouldn't even know I was doing it until I'd feel it zipping around in me.

I didn't want anyone to know, so I would slowly push the energy back out of me through my feet, into the ground. It burned and tore at me every time now. I hated that gift. Why did I have the gift of energy control when I was afraid to use it? What was the point? I was afraid of hurting someone, and I was afraid of the slicing pain that came with it every time.

Leif said time and again how cool my energy gift was. If he only knew what a real burden the gift was, I don't think he would have felt that way. Why didn't I tell him? I didn't want him to think of me as weak.

Featured Title of the Day

Please welcome Courtney Renee author of a three book young adult series.

Excerpt

Shadow Dancer

Corutney Rene

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at   www.roguephoenixpress.com

“My Lady? I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what else...I think we need to call for help.”

“Where is she? I can’t see her.”

“She’s fine, my Lady. She’s sleeping, right over there. Can you see her?”

“Bring her to me. I want to hold her.”

“My Lady, you have lost too much blood. We need to get you to a hospital or something. Please.”

“Star, it’s already too late. You know it. We can’t call for help. We have to keep her safe. She’s all that’s left. She is worth that and so much more. God, I am so tired. Please bring her to me.”

“My Lady...“

“Even now Star, after all these years, can’t you just be my friend?”

“I will always be your friend, my Lady, but you will always be my Queen. Even now, even later, that will never change. Here she is. Do you have her?”

“I’ve got her. Please don’t hover over me, Star. I’m alright. Look how beautiful she is. Can you believe Malcolm and I made something so beautiful?”

“Yes, I can. She looks like you. She has your hair, all golden and soft. She has your mouth too. Don’t you think?”

“Yes. Oh God, I want to hold on to her forever. I never want to let her go. Star, you have to promise me that you will keep her safe. Whatever you have to do, you have to keep her safe. Promise me.”

“No, my Lady, we will keep her safe. You and I together.”

“No, Star, this burden will fall to you. You already see the truth of it, right here in front of your eyes. I’m just so tired. Here, you’d better take her. Bye, my baby girl. I love you so.

Star, promise me. You’ve done all you can here. All that is left is her. Malcolm is gone, and I…”

“Stop it! You can’t just give up! Don’t laugh! Can’t you see that it’s tearing me apart? I can’t do this without you.”

“Star, I’m not laughing. I promise you. There just isn’t anything I can do to stop it. You can do this. I believe in you. Star?”

“Yes. My Lady?”

“Promise.”

“All right. I promise I will do everything I can to keep her safe.”

“Do you think you will ever return?”

“I don’t know. Everything is changed now. Our whole world has changed.”

“Star?”

“Yes?”

“Stay safe. You have always been my very best friend. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Thank you, so much, for everything.”

“My Lady...“

“Keep her safe...“

Blurb and Review

Title: Shadow Dancer

Author: Courtney Rene

Publsher: Rogue Phoenix Press

Buy Link: Buy Shadow Dancer Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed by:  Brynna

Blurb: 

Sunny has a gift that she has no idea how to use, until she meets Leif, a boy from the kingdom of Acadia, on the other side of the shadows.

Leif teaches Sunny about Shadow Walkers and how to use her new found gifts. As they grow closer and their gifts grow stronger, a threat arrives. The Shadow Guard has been sent to bring Sunny back to Acadia, to determine if she is a threat to the king as the rightful ruler of Acadia.

As Leif and Sunny prepare to defend themselves, Sunny finds that Leif has also been sent to bring Sunny back to the kingdom but for very different reasons. As a battle for possession of Sunny wages, she is struggling to come to turns with her feelings of inadequacy regarding controlling her gifts as well as the hurt regarding the lies and deceit of everyone around her.

Review: 

After learning she has special gifts, Sunny meets Leif of the kingdom of Acadia which exits on the other side of shadows. Soon the Shadow Guard are dispatched to bring Sunny before the king and determine if she's a threat to the throne. Leif has also been sent to retrieve her for different reasons. As the war for her power rages she struggles to come to grips with the betrayal all around her.

Shadow Dancer is a fun read. When Sunny realizes she is a Shadow Walker, life starts to get strange. Able to manipulate the shadows around her to make herself invisible she becomes a target for the Shadow Guard. The king of Acadia wants her dead. Leif also wants her powers but for other reasons. Sunny is strong, funny and smart never failing to hold up when it counts, she's no wilting wallflower. And though she comes to love Leif, she doesn't fall blindly into anything. Leif is patient, kind, a protector of sorts. A tracker, he can tell where Shadow Walkers are which certainly is a help to Sunny. I found all the characters endearing. If you like your stories with tons of world building and sweet romance, you'll love Shadow Dancer.

Shadow Dancer is a fun, light read with some action, some romance and some kick-butt abilities. 
LunaMoth for Far from Reality Reviews

Featured Title of the Day: Secrets and Lies by K.J. Dahlen

Please welcome mystery/suspense writer K.J. Dahlen

Excerpt

Secrets and Lies

K. J. Dahlen

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Jack Bracken sat in the dark, waiting. He had been expecting trouble all day, and he was scared to death. The more time passed the more frightened he felt. The shotgun in his sweaty hand slipped and fell to the floor. The thud it made when it hit the floor startled Anne Marie Bracken as she waited with her husband. She sat on the floor in front of the couch and peered toward the stairway as if checking whether the sound had awakened any of the children.

Anne Marie peeked at Jack. Crawling to where he sat on the floor opposite the front door of their home, she whispered, "Maybe they’re not coming. Maybe they didn’t see you and Adam."

Jack’s stomach had been tied up in knots since this morning and his mind filled with dread at what was about to happen. "No…they saw us and I told you earlier, they know it was us."

"How do you know?" She whispered.

"I just know." He closed his eyes for a brief moment and leaned his head on the barrel of the shotgun. With a soul filled with dread he turned toward Anne Marie, "I’m sorry I went hunting with Adam today. If we hadn’t trespassed onto the logging road, we wouldn’t have seen what we did."

Anne Marie stared hard at Jack. "You still haven’t told me what you saw," she reminded him. She had seen his pale face when they returned this morning and asked about it, but Jack stared at his children and covered his eyes with his hands. She’d tried to get him to talk about what happened all day, but he wouldn’t tell her.

A couple of times during the day the phone rang and when Jack answered it the first time, his face paled and he slammed it down. He asked her not to answer the phone the rest of the day. A few minutes later it rang again and Jack let it ring.

As soon as they had topped the hill this morning and Jack gazed down the other side he knew a moment of sheer panic. When he looked down and saw the two men with automatic rifles, he understood he was in big trouble.

He and Adam hadn’t seen the ‘NO TRESPASSING’ signs but Jack had forgotten the unspoken rule about the hills behind the Hawken Mill.

They had been searching for wild turkey signs this morning. He and Adam had been out squirrel hunting when they ran into Milo Wilks. He had told them about seeing wild turkey tracks on the hill east of town. It was too early in the season to be hunting turkeys, as it was late September, but Adam had begged his father to see if they could find the trails and Jack hadn’t been able to resist the enthusiasm in his young son’s eyes.

They had been told the tracks began about half way up the eastern slope of the hill and when they came across them, Adam had been elated. They continued up the hill and while Adam was busy searching for the elusive wild birds, Jack had happened to gaze down the hill to the clearing below.

When he saw one of the men below lift his scoped rifle to his shoulder, he knew in a moment the man behind the gun recognized him.

He hustled his son off the hill, but the damage had already been done. He had been expecting a visit from them all day. He hadn’t told anyone, not even Anne Marie what he’d seen, hoping if he were the only witness, they wouldn’t hurt his family. After the children had gone to bed, Anne Marie had asked him again who or what he was waiting for. As much as he wanted to keep the information to himself, he told her what might be coming.

The grandfather clock read four-fifteen. The sun would be up soon. If they were coming, he wished they’d get here and get this over with. He crawled to the window and checked outside. The full moon lit up the front yard, and he could see the driveway from where he sat. The shadows of the outbuildings didn’t reveal anything, and he hadn’t heard any vehicles on the road for awhile now. He rejoined Anne Marie when he saw the silver truck slowing moving along the highway. The truck pulled into the driveway and cut its lights.

"Here they come," he told her.

"Who?" Anne Marie wanted to know. Jack’s panic seemed to transfer to her with those three little words. "Who do you think is out there?"

"I don’t know who they are but someone is coming, and I don’t think it’s a social call." Jack watched the front door. Adrenalin pumped through his veins, and he tightened his grip on the shotgun. He pulled back the breach and checked the shells. He was as ready as he could be.

Featured Title of the Day: Safari Moon by Christine Young writing as AnnChristine

Please welcome Christine writing as AnnChristine author of Safari Moon a contemporary romance.

Blurb

Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer, is preparing for a trip to Alaska.  Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at him.  Solo doesn't know why, and he has no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women.  He finally decides to beg a favor of his best buddy Nyssa Harrington. 

In love with Solo for the past ten years and knowing he doesn't return her feelings Nyssa doesn't want to talk to Solo.  She knows if she accepts his phone call, she will not be able to resist the temptation to hope again.  

Excerpt

Safari Moon

Christine Young writing as Ann Christine

Excerpt Heat Level: 2

Book Heat Level: 2

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Wanted: A professional wildlife photographer to take pictures in the Alaskan wilderness. Experience first hand a real safari moon. Call(555)381-1252 or send resumes to 2286 Main, Suite 2D Bend, Oregon.

Solo St. John was in the middle of an erotic dream about his buddy, Nyssa Harrington, when the click of his front door shutting brought him to instant alert mode. 

Solo looked up, caught a flashing glimpse of a good deal of naked flesh; long legs, perfectly rounded derriere, and a waist he could span with his hands. The intruder's long blond hair curled around her shoulders an inch above the ties of her bikini top.

Then he saw the skunk. He blinked twice.

This woman and the skunk were not the subject of his brief and very strange dream, a fantasy that made his mind speed along at sixty in a residential zone. This was someone he had never seen before and he resented the intrusion.

"Hello," she cooed seductively from his living room. "Will you come out and play?"

The skunk stuck a black and white head around the open door to his bedroom. A second later the animal turned and lifted his tail before disappearing into the living room.

Solo was out of bed and pulling on his jeans before the count of five. Yet in that short time, the lady in question, along with the skunk that was now exploring his fireplace hearth, had taken over his living room.

The lithe, supple blond sported an expensive camera, and all the while the lady in question babbled nonsense words.

"I'm willing, able, and eager." She posed for him, a pose meant to entice.

"You're insane?" He hesitated then said to the lady, "Get that animal out of here!"

"I read the ad in the newspaper for a wildlife photographer, and I wanted to be the first one here." She smiled and tugged on a leash which was connected to the skunk. "Juniper is my pet. She's deperfumed or whatever."

Pet?

He had never, to his recollection, set eyes on this woman. Frozen stock-still in his bare feet between the bedroom and the living room of his rustic forest retreat in the hills outside Sisters, Oregon, Solo St. John was completely, utterly baffled.

After all, he had placed the ad in a few of the most widely distributed papers in Oregon. That was two days ago. Yesterday, having second thoughts and knowing he didn't want to train an assistant, he pulled it. Although none of this made sense, instinctively, he knew she told the truth. The ad was the cause of this phenomenon in his cabin.

"Come here and play." Posing seductively once again, she beckoned him with one slim index finger.

Why didn't he want to play? Wouldn't any normal, warm-blooded American male dream of waking up to an almost naked blond bombshell in his living room? Wouldn't that male want to play?

Why didn't he feel turned on and excited. Why didn't he fantasize about what would happen if he obeyed? All those lush curvaceous parts on display didn't interest him in the least.

He closed his eyes for a brief count of three. No, this wasn't a dream and the slap on the face he gave himself didn't cause the vision to disappear. He still had a good view of long, shapely legs and a bust line that threatened to pop the seams of her minuscule top.

"Lord." Only now, he realized he must have left his front door unlocked. He pulled his gaze from the fiasco on his hearth and reminded himself that a gentleman didn't stare.

"Smile." She brought the camera up and clicked a sideways snapshot of him before she stepped back and captured a print of the skunk. "You did want someone who could photograph wildlife. Didn't you?"

Solo raked a hand through short, ragged blond hair he knew had begun to stand on end. He didn't need this, and he was always hard pressed to put two and two together this late at night. He was a morning person, up before dawn. Even if he'd had all his wits about him, he wouldn't know how to politely rid himself of this strange intruder and her pet skunk.

He didn't want to admit, even to himself, but it looked like she was disrobing. Stripping was a better term. All she needed were a pair of tassels and music.

As he stepped forward in an attempt to stop her, she slipped off her top and twirling it around her index finger tossed it at him. The bikini bra flew past him and missed his nose by less than an inch. The bottoms landed squarely against his chest and slid down his body to land on his bare feet. Before he could reach her, she stood in front of him, all kinds of pale pink flesh revealed and waiting for him.

Review

SAFARI MOON

ANNCHRISTINE

ISBN# 9780982002544

January 2009

Rogue Phoenix Press

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

E-book

$3.99

154 pages

Contemporary Romance

Rating: 4 cups

Solo St. John is looking for an assistant. After placing an ad in the local paper, he stops it. Solo's grandfather, Colonel, runs an ad of his own, in the hopes of helping his grandson find a wife.

Nyssa Harrington is Solo's best friend as well as the subject of his fantasies. After leaving New York for reasons she refuses to share, she is now living in the same city as Solo. She is happily engaged to Robert, who is a state Senator, but she has one longing...Solo.

Being best friends for the last ten years, Solo has taken Nyssa off on some of the wildest adventures. Nyssa has gone on these spontaneous expeditions and followed Solo simply because it gave her a chance to be with him. Because of the chaos Colonel has caused, Nyssa promises Solo one last adventure before her wedding. One tiny problem...there is a secret they have been keeping from each other, and it is about to be discovered in the wilderness of Alaska.

What a gorgeous setting for this story! From Oregon to Alaska, the fresh air and beauty leaps from the pages. I adore the relationship Solo and Nyssa share. Best friends with the potential to be more. It is a tale as old as time itself, yet so fresh and new, I kept reading just to find out the outcome. These two people are so confident until it comes to their feelings for one another. This story will bring laughter to your life, a tear to your eye, and joy to your heart.

Kimberly

Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Featured Title of the Day Revealed by Julia Fellener

Revealed

Julia Fellner

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy now at: http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/

"Miss Watson, either you are going to be famous or you are about to die."

I blinked at the secretary of the chief editor of the Tea Party News.

"I didn't mean you were literary going to die, just your career," she amended in a perky morning person voice.

She was wrong though. My career as a journalist was my life. I didn't care for an elaboration on how my career, and thus my life, would end so I interrupted her mercilessly. "Miss Higgins, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know." She leaned forward as she said this in a stage whisper. She was old enough to be my mother and dressed as if she was the same age as me, namely eighteen, which didn't help to improve her credibility.

"No, I don't," I deadpanned.

"Of course, you know what I'm talking about." She winked at me conspiratorially.

"No, I honestly don't."

To my surprise Miss Higgins started to laugh. "You are such a good actress, Anne. I told Theodore you were perfect for the job."

I sighed. "Look, I really have no idea…"

My doomed objection was interrupted as the door next to Miss Higgins's desk was opened by our boss who strolled in.

"Anne, how good to see you. I've been dying to tell you some news. We are after all working for a newspaper." He laughed at his joke, while I smiled uncertainly back at him.

"So, you really don't know?" Miss Higgins looked at me in shock, before her expression changed back to the one of a meddlesome conspirator. "Soon you will know."

"Thank you, Miss Higgins." I said with a tight smile, before I followed my boss into his office.

He beckoned me to take a seat across from him, as I waited patiently for the big solution of this morning's mystery.

Today had started out normally enough. I got up, had breakfast and left for work.

But once I entered the editorial department of the Tea Party News, I knew something was up.

People were giving me strange glances; people, to whom I usually was invisible, started noticing me.

As if this weren't enough of a shock, after I had turned on my computer I realised I had received a mail from Miss Higgins informing me about my boss wanting to see me. It was the last proof I needed to know something was afoot.

I looked expectantly across the desk at my boss, a rather chubby and balding but caring, man who looked around fifty but was probably younger.

"Anne, the decision you make today will decide whether you are going to be one of the big, famous ones and will be admitted into the Olympus of journalists or," I wanted to roll my eyes, as he made a dramatic pause, "whether you are not meant to be a journalist."

I wanted to groan. Why was everyone making such a big deal about this…this…well, whatever it is this mystery thing was?

But since my boss was the one to sign my paychecks, I kept a big, fat and friendly smile pasted on my face.

"Today, Anne, I'm going to offer you a job of life-changing potential."

Hold on, was I going to be promoted and get a raise?

With much more enthusiasm I started to fire questions in true reporter fashion at him. "Are you serious? What kind of job? Will me being still on probation be a problem? When can I start? W-"

My boss chuckled. "Give me a second to answer, will you?"

I smiled sheepishly at him and kept my mouth shut firmly, waiting for him to explain.

"I have an amazing and yet risky job offer for you." I could see he was working himself up into another dramatic tirade. In an attempt to avoid being subjected to such a fate, I interjected with a polite smile. "Why don't you tell me what this job offer is about, sir?"

"Of course." His good mood seemed to falter for a moment before it changed back to excitement. "I need a kind of foreign correspondent." When my boss noticed I was about to interrupt him again, he forgot about his need for dramatic pauses and quickly continued. "I need someone to report from a boarding school in Ireland."

"Where's the catch?" I asked suspiciously, remembering the weird looks I had been getting all day.

"The whole reporting thing has to happen undercover. Nobody can know about you being a journalist, if you accept the job which I am sure you will."

"But how do you expect me to investigate then?" This morning was so confusing, and I hadn't even had my daily dose of coffee yet.

"It's very simple. You will go there as a student, a senior to be exact." My boss's glinted mischievously.

"You want me to go back to school?" Now, I was truly horrified.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with it?" It seemed ironic, since it was his time to be confused now. "You graduated at the top of your class. If you were valedictorian, why wouldn't you want to go back to school?"

Why? Did he just ask why I did not want to go back to a place, which was to me nothing more than a disguise for hell?

"I thought I was finally out of school." I answered diplomatically. It wasn't a lie. My last day of school was the happiest one in my entire high school career.

I didn't like school per se. I enjoyed the learning part enough. Actually, I loved it. The problem, however, were my fellow students. Being ignored and bullied were the main reasons why I loathed my high school time. Although there were also other things I loathed, like not being taken seriously because I was still a student.

All in all, I was glad it was over.

So the thought of graduating again, after I had barely survived the first time, made me want to throw up.

Nevertheless I didn't say no just yet. "How long would this take? You know I was planning on going part-time to college this fall?"

My boss shuffled through his papers, deliberately not meeting my eyes. "Well, I don't know how many days exactly…"

"Sir?"

"An entire academic year." He looked up from his files, looking guilty. "Look, it's one of the hardest assignments I have ever given out. You will have to leave everything behind you for a whole school year. But if you make it, this could be your breakthrough."

"Why did you choose me for this job?"

"You see, since such young journalists like you don't really make much money, we can spare you for a year." He said nonchalantly before he started grinning. "I am kidding. I chose you because I have faith in you. You are the perfect journalist for this job."

"You think?" I queried unconvinced.

"I know." He beamed at me. "Listen, I am going to finance you for a year in one of Ireland's finest boarding schools. This is an opportunity some people would kill for."

But I wasn't some people. I was me.

Okay, maybe at some point when I still had been in the hellhole called high school, I would have jumped at the opportunity and would have packed my suitcases without any questions asked. But now I had finally survived high school and was reluctant to go back.

"All right, let's go so far as to say I would accept this job offer. What would I be writing about?"

My boss looked happy, as if I had already accepted his offer for real. "This private boarding school I am talking about is called Panthera Academy. I have received hints from anonymous sources something big is going on there."

Oh, no. He had gone back to being mysterious and beating around the bush. "And what is this big thing?"

"It is exactly what I want you to find out." He winked at me cheerily.

"But… how am I supposed to know what I am looking for?"

He shrugged. "This is all I know. There is a secret society in the school which is sponsored by the alumni."

I frowned. "A school club which is financed by alumni doesn't sound suspicious to me."

"It is not an ordinary school club; it is a secret society." My boss's voice dropped to a stage whisper. "And the really important thing is what this secret society is doing."

"What is it this secret society is doing then?" It was unfathomable to me why I automatically lowered my voice as well.

My boss suddenly smirked as he leaned back in his chair. "My point exactly, I want you to find out the answer to this question."

This still sounded all rather mysterious so I tried gathering information from another angle. "What has a boarding school in Ireland to do with our newspaper here in Boston?"

"It is a great chance for our Tea Party News to improve our reputation and sell more issues. I am certainly the only one with this information thus making us the only newspaper, which will be able to publish anything about it. Uncovering scandals always brings in a lot of money. We will even be able to sell copies in Ireland."

If you asked me, we had reached the point where my boss had finally lost his mind. The newspaper was doing fine, although I didn't trust him to always make the best business decisions for the paper.

So, I asked. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am sure about this." He nodded encouragingly. "This is going to be your breakthrough, trust me."

I guessed he wouldn't give me any other details, no matter how long I continued asking. "Can I at least sleep on it?"

"Sure." He looked disappointed for a moment since I wasn't as happy to throw my life away for a year as he was. "But if you do not take the offer soon, I will have to give it to someone else. There is not much time until term starts."

"I understand." I agreed and stood up.

"Miss Higgins is going to give you information on the assignment." My boss rose and patted me on my shoulder. "I know you are going to make the right decision, Anne."

"Thank you, sir." I smiled at him.

When I opened the door, I almost ran into Miss Higgins, who had obviously been eavesdropping. She brushed back her long, blonde hair nervously, knowing I had caught her.

"Miss Higgins, can you give Anne the file on the top secret assignment? Thank you." And my boss had already closed the door behind him, leaving me alone with Miss Crazy Secretary.

"Certainly," she piped up. "Let's talk about it over a cup of coffee, okay?"

"Actually, if you would give me the file, it would be fine." I smiled at her uncertainly, scared she would attack any moment.

And attack she did. "Oh, nonsense. We are going to have so much fun together, looking at this file."

"But if it's secret, we can't talk about it, while we are out to get coffee and -" But all my protests were futile and doomed to fail. Once she started, there was nothing capable of stopping Miss Higgins, short of the news of her favourite movie star getting a divorce.

"Well, then we'll stay here and talk about it all alone in my office!" she announced good-naturedly, as she went off to get two cups of coffee.

I stayed right where I was, rooted to the spot, still in shock. This assignment better be good if I was going to spend an undefined amount of time with Miss Higgins in a confined room. Alone.

"I am back!" She announced cheerfully, as she shut the door to the office, cutting me off from my only means of escape apart from the window, which was out of the question, since we were on the third floor--I might have been desperate to get out of there, but not suicidal, before she set two cups of coffee on her desk and beckoned me to take a seat across from her.

"Miss Higgins, if I could just take a quick look, really only a peek, at those files, I-"

It was hopeless, a lost cause. So, I contented myself with drinking my cup of coffee, while I let her blabber.

"This is going to be so great. You can enjoy school without having to worry about your grades because you already have graduated." I almost felt guilty she was so happy for me. Keyword being almost. "Now, this private boarding school is called Panthera Academy--a great name for a school, if you ask me. A great name, for a place in general. Makes it sound so mysterious and romantic and -"

"Miss Higgins?"

"What is it, dear? Oh, right, the school. So, it is located near Galway. It's supposed to be a really beautiful city. At least considering what I have heard. I have never been there, although I would love to go to Europe. Have you ever gone to Europe? I have--"

"Miss Higgins?" I interrupted her again. "I think your phone is ringing."

And I wasn't lying. Miss Higgins pulled out her cell phone, a rather new model, which was coloured neon pink, and blushed once she had looked at the caller ID.

"Um, I will be right back," she declared before she jumped up and vanished out the door.

The only thing I could hear was something along the lines of "Hello, Sweetkins. I missed you my Sugar Pie."

Ew… way too much information. But at least I was rid of her, and it sounded as if she was going to chat for a while with Sweetkins.

Without thinking about it for more than a second, I snatched the file from where she had left it and began leafing through it.

There were pictures of this Panthera Academy, and I had to admit it did look amazing. The school building was actually an old castle like Hogwarts in Harry Potter.

The campus of the school consisted not only of the castle and its respective gardens, but also of stables and a few hectares of forest where one could go riding.

Next there was a sheet with a short description of Panthera Academy. It looked as if it had been cut out of a brochure.

Panthera Academy--every student and parents` dream

Panthera Academy is a private boarding school near Galway. It has its origins in the beginning of the 17^th century.

The 120 students are sorted into four houses (Vanora, Vala, Wren and Arwain), which are named after the two couples who founded Panthera Academy after their lengthy travel to Italy.

In their free time the students have the opportunity to enjoy the vast grounds surrounding the historic castle, which acts as school building and dorm for students and teachers.

The next section was obviously meant for the parents, since it was about the good reputation the school had and how much good manners mattered.

I skipped down the page. My eyes almost bugged out as I read how much a term would cost at this fancy school, let alone a whole year.

Oh boy, this story really had to be big if the newspaper was willing to spend so much money on a reporter who would spend their year doing no work except investigate this mysterious, secret society.

I leafed through the documents until I came across a list with subjects. Of course there were the normal ones like science and art. Having to relive trig class was only one reason speaking against going back to high school.

But there were also interesting subjects like Ancient History, Computer Design, Politics and Theatre Studies. What caught my eyes however, were the many languages being offered. I had always had a thing for literature and exotic cultures. The chance to learn Greek, German, Latin, French or Spanish was tempting.

On the next page there was a calendar of the school. The first day of school was on the third of September, not even a whole week away.

After a Christmas vacation, Easter holidays and a few other minor breaks, the academic year would end in June.

The rest of the file appeared uninteresting. I quickly sorted the documents and put them back into the folder, which I put onto the exact spot where I had found it. My secret manoeuvre was finished just in time. When Miss Higgins returned again, she put away her cell phone, before she took the file from her desk and opened it. "Where was I? Oh, right, the super-secret assignment. This is all so exciting, don't you think? I think so. Now, what have we got in this file? Ah, there it--"

"Miss Higgins, thank you for your time, but I think I have heard enough about it." She looked as if I had just kicked her puppy. "I need to think about this now. Alone."

She seemed disappointed but nodded and I left the office.

Back at my desk I decided to look up Panthera Academy on the Internet. But to my surprise I didn't find anything, no homepage or newspaper articles. Nothing. This only seemed to add to the mysterious reputation of this school.

The rest of the day I threw myself into my work. Only, when I was home, I started thinking about this extraordinary offer I had received.

Why in the world should I do this?

I didn't know anything about the school or this mysterious secret society and what it was about.

I couldn't just pack my things at a moment's notice and leave the country for a year.

This was madness, nothing but utter madness, even if the challenge and mystery were calling to me.

So, the next day I decided to phone my boss and refuse the job offer.

"Office of the chief editor of the Tea Party News, Miss Higgins speaking, how may I be of assistance on this exceptionally lovely day?"

"Hi, this is Anne Watson. Is the boss in?"

"Hello, Anne," she lilted. "Have you decided yet? If I were you, I would of course take this incredible chance at starting my career. This is all theoretically speaking of course. I am quite happy being a secretary, but if I--"

I took the first pause she made to breathe as an opportunity to interject. "I am kind of in a hurry."

"Oh, sure." Her disappointed voice almost made me allow her to continue her tirade, but I really was in a hurry. "I understand. I'll put you through."

"Yes?" a bored voice answered.

"This is Anne Watson, sir. I am calling about the assignment."

"Ah, Anne." His mood instantly improved. "I knew you would be brave enough to take this challenge."

"Well, actually--" Actually all I wanted to say was. I don't want the assignment, but he wouldn't let me.

"It is a hard assignment, but I know you are going to do a great job. This is going to be your breakthrough, trust me. Before you know it, you will be editor yourself."

"Sir, I..."

"You are not going to regret this. Panthera Academy is a fine school. You will get to take courses you couldn't take before. You will be able to enjoy all the fun things about school without ever having to worry about your grades. It's every young person's dream. Heck, I would do this assignment myself if I was young enough."

"Sir?" I tried again.

"I am sorry, Anne, you wanted to tell me something?"

"Yeah, I did." I was about to open my mouth and tell him I didn't want to have anything to do with Panthera Academy when all of a sudden my mind shut itself off. Was it really so bad not to at least give it a try?

Sure, I had hated high school, but wasn't this the perfect possibility to have a wonderful high school experience for a change?

I was young. What was there to lose? I could always give up and start college next semester if Panthera Academy turned out to be as bad as my old high school.

"Anne?" My boss asked. "What did you mean to tell me?"

"I…" I took a deep breath and decided to go for my spur of the moment decision. "I wanted to tell you I am going to take the assignment."

"Of course you are!" My boss chuckled. "You would have to be stupid not to."

I had been about to be so stupid. Whether my current decision was the smart one, I would only know if I went through with it.

"I am glad you agreed to do this assignment." I could hear the smile in his voice. "However, I have to warn you. You shouldn't underestimate this. It could turn out to be rather dangerous, especially, when you don't know what to expect. Are you still willing to do it?"

I thought for a short moment. "Yes. Tell me everything you have heard about this secret society."

"Certainly, you will need all the information you can get, although I am afraid it isn't much." It sounded as if he was shoving around stacks of paper on his desk, rummaging around in them until he found the desired sheet. "Supposedly this secret society is almost as old as the school itself. It is big on cloak and dagger operations and meetings in the middle of the night to do god knows what."

This didn't sound as interesting as I had expected. "So what? A bunch of kids partying secretly doesn't seem like such a big deal."

"Where it gets interesting is the number of unexplained deaths and people who died in mysterious accidents has been uncommonly high ever since the school opened."

A shiver ran down my spine. "Are you saying there is someone at the school killing students?"

"In a way--yes." He hesitated for a moment. "It doesn't happen often and obvious enough to raise suspicion. There is always an explanation for the deaths. Whether said explanation is true is another question."

"These deaths are what you want me to investigate?"

I heard him shuffling around. "They are to be the main focus of your research."

He wouldn't have had to use a word like mission to make it sound dramatic. It was scary and exhilarating on its own.

This feeling of an adrenaline rush was why I had become a journalist in the first place. Sure, I could have also become an extreme athlete, but I also loved uncovering the truth.

This did indeed sound like the perfect breakthrough, a memorable start for a great career.

"Anne, are you still there?" My boss interrupted my thoughts.

"I'll do it." I repeated with more self-confidence than I thought I had.

"Glad to hear you are so enthusiastic." He chuckled again before he sobered a little. "I have faith in you, just be careful."

"Of course." I nodded eagerly even though he couldn't see me.

"Since you will still be a minor officially you will need a guardian," he began to explain.

"My parents..."

"Don't worry about them." He cut in quickly. "A good friend of mine lives not too far away from Panthera Academy. His name is Colonel George O'Callaghan. He is going to act as your guardian."

"He is going to act as my father?"

For some reason the idea made my boss laugh. "Not at all. He is rather old, so he is going to play the role of your grandfather."

"Okay," I said, unsure of what to say.

"Don't worry. George is really nice. You will get along brilliantly."

"If you say so." It was strange how the possibility of a murderer at this school didn't scare me as much as having to pretend someone whom I had never met before was my grandfather.

"Go to Miss Higgins. She will give your visa information, plane tickets and everything else you will need."

This is how the phone call to my boss, in which I meant to tell him I wasn't going to take the assignment, ended with me going to Miss Higgins's office to retrieve the ticket and all other documents.

The idea of me having gone mad only occurred to me when I was already at the airport a few days later and had passed all the security checks.

When I was actually boarding the plane to Dublin, I started thinking about whether I had made the right decision.

Because of my doubts I was beginning to feel so nervous I wanted to jump up and leave. But I couldn't. It was too late. We were already soaring over the Atlantic.

By the time mainland was in sight again, I had calmed down and convinced myself. I had made up my mind and there was no turning back.

This decision was final.

As I stepped off the plane, I thought to myself, Panthera Academy, here I come.

And so the biggest adventure of my life began.

Courtney for Rogue's Angles says:  "I enjoyed this book very much. An undercover mission with a secret to discover, first love, and murder on top, yes it was worth the read." 

Buy now:  http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/

Review

Revealed
by, Julia Fellner
Rogue PhoenixPress,

http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/

262 pages (ebook)
Rating 4.0
Reviewed by Courtney Rene for Rogue's Angles

Summary/Blurb:

               Vampires, secret societies and first love - those are things that Anne Watson missed during her first high school experience.

               Panthera Academy is not only a place for eccentric characters, but also the home of two secret societies, the panthers and the rebels. There Anne has to deal with midnight meetings, shocking confessions of dark secrets, a mysterious death and a stubborn highland cow as she experiences falling in love for the first time.

               While her rebel friends and her boyfriend, who is leader of the panthers, accuse each other of murder, Anne tries to reveal the truth. But sooner or later she will have to realize that not everything at Panthera Academy is as it seems and that vampires might just be more than fictional creatures?

Review:

I enjoyed this book very much. An undercover mission with a secret to discover, first love, and murder on top, yes it was worth the read.  Anna Watson was a great main character. She was quirky and girlie and very real to me.  Although the beginning was a bit slow, and I didn’t quite understand the need for some of the background story, once it got moving it was a fun and entertaining read.  The author did a good job of keeping me guessing all the way to the very end as to who were the bad guys and who were the good.  Was it the groups of rebels or the groups of vampires?  You will have to read the book to find out. 

Buy now at: http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/