Give A Warm Welcome to Guest Author Bebe Knight

 

An Element of Time

Eternal Flame Series: Book One

By: Bebe Knight

Releasing September 24th, 2013 through Solstice Publising

A vampire and a slayer walk into a bar… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but for Veronica and Mackenzie, it’s the beginning of the rest of their lives…

The world has seen its fair share of evil, but Veronica Chase had no idea such monsters truly existed. Werewolves, poltergeists, witches… even vampires. Ignorance was bliss. But her reality was crushed on that horrid day her family was taken away from her. Now, Veronica has devoted her entire life to hunting those very creatures, searching for the werewolf pack that murdered her parents in hopes of finding her abducted sister. Nothing will get in her way of settling the score for the hand she was unjustly dealt. That is until her newest assignment brings her to her knees.

After one hundred and eight years on earth, Mackenzie Jones thought he had seen it all. With the exception of daylight of course, but that’s what comes with the territory being a vampire and all. Perpetually damned to live his life as a bartender in the shadows of the night, nothing has sparked his interest lately. Just once he wished something exciting would happen in his mundane life. Little did he know, his wish was about to come true. Walking through the door to his bar, and into his heart, Mackenzie allows love to take the wheel for the first time. There’s just one slight problem. She’s there to kill him.

 

Author Info

Bebe Knight is the author of the paranormal romance series, The Eternal Flame Books. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband and son. Writing has always been a part of her life whether it be books, plays, or handwritten letters to friends and family. It’s a dream come true for her to be able to share her

stories with others.

 

http://www.bebeknight.com

https://www.facebook.com/BebeKnightAuthor

http://www.goodreads.com/Bebe_Knight

http://www.twitter.com/Bebe_Knight

 

And here's a little teaser 

As Veronica swayed gently in the rocking chair, she gazed up at the clear night sky and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. The nearly full moon sat right above the giant oak tree in the front yard, the one she and Stella used to climb and swing from the bottom branch, suspended from their knees. Her mom was always afraid they were going to fall on their heads. She remembered how her dad would always tell her mom, “If you don’t let them learn for themselves, they’ll never understand.”

Her attention drifted from the tree to the front steps. She recalled sitting on the steps as if it were yesterday, playing Barbie’s with Stella while her mother sat in the rocking chair and her father mowed the lawn. She also remembered sitting on those very steps the night of her parents’ murder, watching as the coroner and paramedics carried their covered bodies from the house to the ambulance. Veronica closed her eyes, trying to push back the memories, but it was too late. The thread began to unravel, undoing all the painstaking work she had done to keep them coiled up inside. Maybe it was a wasted effort. Maybe she was broken for life, forced to live in this repetitive moment of hell. Maybe, but she had to stay strong; if not for her own sake, then for Stella’s.

Give a Warm Welcome to Today's Guest Poster: KC Sprayberry, Author

Good Morning! My name is KC Sprayberry. S.D. Grimm of Naturally Grimm has let me hijack her blog today. The purpose is to tease all of her very dedicated readers with information about my soon-to-be-released YA coming of age novel, Take Chances.

Today, we're interviewing Julie's best girl friend in Landry, Heather Billings.

1. Introduce yourself to our readers. What should we know about you?

I'm Heather Billings. Saturday, I graduate high school, and I'll also turn eighteen with the other parts of the cosmic triplets – Julie Bond and Lukas Miller.

It was so cool when I met Julie. I mean, I hadn't had a BFF ever before, and we clicked from the first second we laid eyes on each other. I was part of a great group, but the rest were all guys. Imagine that! Julie was as into having fun as much as me, but we also shared another, far more horrible secret – her mom and my dad just couldn't keep their hands off each other. How nasty is that?

2. What do you think about the author? Tell us everything. We want to know.

She did a really amazing job showing the whole world what jerks my dad and Julie's mom are. Those people didn't care who they hurt, and they hurt me a lot. They caused my mom to move away six months ago. I've never stopped missing Mom, but she's coming to graduation. I told her that she had to come. No one can keep her away from me.

3. What are your feelings about this story?

Up and down is how I feel about this story. I mean, it was happening long before the total loser got into our classroom, but no one would do anything about him. He had us really scared. I tried to get help, but I never knew if that worked. And he … he … (bows head, sobs) that's too hard to talk about.

4. How do you feel about being a character in this book?

No way anyone was going to make a book about Julie and not include me. That would be like to tell her story and leaving Lydie out. Not happening. I don't like what happens to me, but it wasn't something I could stop. Can you believe my dad actually helped that creep? I mean, aren't fathers supposed to protect their little girls?

5. What do you see in your future? (No spoilers please!)

Watching my friends from up on high. I don't have any other choice. That creep destroyed my future.

6. Is there another Take Chances in the future? Will you be part of it?

I'd love to see how Julie, Michael, Hugh, Tom, and Lydie cope in the future. They're such great people, but this … this … it can just eat a person up.

7. Say a movie producer comes knocking. What actor/actress would you want to play you and why?

Oh, I'd love to see this as a movie. I'm betting Julie said she wouldn't. She's such a scaredy cat about some things, but I can talk her into it. Yeah,

people would say they don't want to see another movie about school violence, but this story is so much more than that.

Who do I want to play me? Oh, that's so easy. Absolutely Emma Stone. She's cool. She's amazing in just everything, but I love her most in The Amazing Spiderman! 

Blurb:

Julie Bond grew up in Europe as a military brat. She found her very first permanent home in Landry, GA as a teen going into high school. Almost four years later, she's having pre-graduation jitters and flashing back to an incident of school violence she experienced in Europe. She attempts to convince herself that it can never happen again, but continually finds herself flashing back to that day no matter how hard she tries.

The people around her present any number of problems for Julie, and she's hard put to keep from drowning under all the issues. Then Michael--a cool guy she's had a crush on for the last three years—returns from traveling the US as a photographer, and Julie now has one more thing to distract her as she prepares to leave high school. One thing she firmly believes in: no one will ever invade her classroom with violence again.

Once again, the impossible happens. Once again, she's in a classroom with a madman holding a gun. Once again, she must survive.

Book Trailer

Teaser Excerpt:

She turns away from me, and I have a chance to control my pounding head and drive the memories back where they belong.

In an effort to forget, I scribble a to-do list in my notebook:

1.    Call Lydie and find out when she's coming.

2.   Find out if Dad got my graduation announcement and if he's coming. Please don't let him be out of the country!

3.   Figure out a way to make WWE quit screwing around with Charles.

4.   Talk to Heather and make sure she still isn't freaking 'cause her mom won't come to graduation.

5.   Figure out what she meant about Robert Jackson last night.

6.   Stop keeping secrets.

Bio:

KC Sprayberry started writing young, with a diary followed by an interest in English. Her first experience with publication came when she placed third in a Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge contest while in the Air Force, but her dedication to writing came after she had her youngest child, now a in his senior year of high school.

Her family lives in Northwest Georgia where she spends her days creating stories about life in the south, and far beyond. More than a dozen of her short stories have appeared in several magazines. Five anthologies feature other short stories, and her young adult novel Softly Say Goodbye, released in 2012. During 2013, more young adult stories have been released: The Ghost Catcher, Who Am I?, Family Curse … Times Two, and Amazon Best Seller, Canoples Investigations Tackles Space Pirates.

You can find her on the web here:

Amazon Author Page

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Website

Blog

Authorgraph

Google +

JacketFlap

Solstice Publishing

Stick around for the full tour. Why? On September 26 through September 29, 2013, you can pick up my other YA coming of age books, Softly Say Goodbye and Who Am I? free on Amazon:

  Softly Say Goodbye

  Who Am I?

Thank you S.D. Grimm of Naturally Grimm for hosting me today. Tomorrow you will find the next Teaser Tour on Penelope Anne Bartotto of The Library at the End of the Universe.

Lifers: Installment Two

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. So hot. Who turned up the heat? And--wait. I sat up and a throbbing pain pulsed through my head. I needed water. Now.

"Finally awake?"

I knew that voice.

A blurry outline headed toward me. I blinked several hundred times before Nick's face became clear.

Nick. Memories rushed back. The alley. Nick's hand over my mouth.

"You kidnapped me!" My jell-o arms pushed against his chest. Cool water spilled onto my shirtsleeve.

"Well if you don't want any."

"I do." I grabbed the water and took a long drink. Water spilled out of my mouth and over my clothes and I didn't care.

Did he seriously just chuckle?

I wiped my mouth dry. "What?"

"You hungry too?"

"Yes actually."

"I'll get a bib then."

My first impulse was a good slug to the shoulder, but I stopped. Nick was holding me--against my will. Nick was in the same gang as Trista's brother. Nick was dangerous. I shrank away from him sinking deep into the pillows of the armchair.

"You okay, Cass?"

"You know my name?"

He rolled his eyes. "You are a regular."

"Do you seriously expect me to believe you work at the coffee shop?"

"Do you think I'd wear that sissy shirt in public if I didn't?"

What was his game? Honestly, the room didn't exactly scream dark and scary. It was a regular living room. Black leather sofa--the cushy kind, like the chair I was huddled in--a glass-topped coffee table, and even a TV decked out with all the gaming accessories. A kitchen off to the left, a dining area to the right, and a hallway which I suddenly hoped contained a bathroom.

As nice as it was, I'd been drugged and dragged here. "Where am I? And why am I here?"

Nick rubbed his hand over his neck. "This is my place."

Butterflies, a whole flock or herd or whatever, filled my tummy.

"Relax, Cass, you're not a prisoner or anything."

I wasn't? "Give me my phone."

He pulled it from his pocket and tossed it to me. "Battery's dead."

Of course it was.

"Don't worry. I texted your mom. She thinks you're with Trista."

"On a school night?"

"Yeah, well I had to do a little begging, and remind her it was the anniversary of Jason's funeral."

If hearts can stall then rev back to life, mine did. How did he know the day Jason was buried. I didn't even know the day ... "You knew her brother?"

"Yeah. Pizza rolls?"

My stomach couldn't have waited to growl? "Please. As long as they aren't laced with anything."

Nick smiled. It wasn't devious or impish. A real, genuine smile. "This is going to be a hard one to explain, but I did this to protect you."

I snorted.

"Let me get you some food and I'll tell you ... everything I can."

That sounded vague.

The oven beeped and Nick headed toward the kitchen.

Without him blocking my view, a clear view of the door lay ahead of me. I still had my shoes on. Pocketing my dead phone, I slid off the chair. The carpet squished under my shoes, still plush and new. Hopefully no squeaks in the floor then. I filled my lungs and raced to the door.

The cold golden knob wouldn't turn. I fumbled with the lock. Come on! Warmth surrounded me. I wasn't alone. The lock rattled in my shaking fingers.

Nick's fingers overlapped mine and the lock turned. "Lefty loosie."

A whimper squeaked past my throat.

Strong hands gripped my shoulders, surprisingly gentle. "Cass, I won't hurt you."

Click! The handle turned. I threw the door back, and Nick stepped away.

The hallway was lined with blue, patterned carpet that dizzied me as I ran. My heart slammed against my chest, pushing me forward. I passed a couple kissing by their front door and headed for the elevators. No. They'd take too long. Ah, stairs! I swung the door open and headed down them.

My whole body shook. My legs wouldn't move fast enough. I tripped. My hands gripped the cold rail to keep me from spiraling down the steps.

A door further down opened and clicked shut. I froze.

"The girl saw me, that's why he grabbed her."

My heartbeat thundered in my ears? Were they talking about me? Or was I paranoid?

"And you tailed him here?"

"No. I live here now. I tailed him downtown and lost him in the city square."

"What does the girl look like?"

"Leggy, dark hair, hot pink t-shirt with--I dunno a penguin on the front?"

Not paranoia.

"Tell the others. We have to find her and silence her."

"But she's with Nick--"

"I don't care who she's with. She saw you. It's your mess to clean up."

Holy crap. I clasped one hand over my mouth to hold in a scream. The other gripped the panda on the front of my hot pink shirt.

I just needed to get out of the stairwell. My legs trembled under my weight.

Shuffling steps came closer.

Up. I'd go a floor up and ride the elevator down. I'd find Nick, change my clothes and ... panic pulled my lungs tight. Calm down. Just find Nick.

And ask him what the heck was going on.

Lifers: installment one

"Ooh, let me guess." Trista swiveled her head to peruse the whole coffee shop.

"Give up?"

She didn't look at me but stuck out her index finger. "No. Someone made your eyes sparkle when we walked through that door and I'm gonna find him."

I rested my chin on my hands, content to watch her twirl her blonde curls. She always did that when she couldn't figure something out.

I leaned back in my chair smiling to myself. Trista would never guess who I was crushing on. He wasn't my normal type.

If she didn't guess, there would be no embarrassing laughter, or twitterpated eyelash flirting, or her whispering in my ear every time she saw him. That meant I might have a chance before she scared him away with her ... excitement.

The sound of nails clicking against the formica brought me out of my daydream.

Trista rolled her eyes. "What are you smirking at."

"You'll never figure it out."

She leaned over the table. "You know, best friends are supposed to confide in one another."

"Yeah, and if you hadn't chased away my last three crushes, I'd confide."

She slumped back in her chair. Then her blue eyes got all round and that famous pout that always worked on her father found a way to my heart.

She was my best friend. I didn't want to hurt her.

"Please, Cassidy? I promise I'll be good. I won't say a word." She crossed her heart. "I'll just ..." her eyes lit up. "I'll text you! You know like secret codes and stuff? We'll come up with a whole code list!"

It sounded less harmless that her typical excitement, and her eyes were so hopeful.

I smiled. "Sure."

"Really?" She squeaked. "Okay. Tell me." She sprouted a goofy grin that showed off all of her perfectly straight, brilliantly white teeth.

My eyes darted to the counter.

In that one second I took in his muscular shoulders in that tight polo with the Java House logo on it. He looked so good in teal. I could never tell what color his eyes were. Sometimes green, sometimes blue. His name tag was always crooked in a my-pecs-are-too-big-to-wear-this-thing-right kind of way. And it read: Nick. My tummy flipped.

When my eyes darted back to Trista her big smile was gone.

She sat there with her mouth open and actually dropped her phone. No fun secret code text vibrated my back pocket.

Trista shook her head slowly. "No. No, no, no."

"What? I have to get permission to like someone?"

Her eyes skirted around the coffee house, this time there was nothing flirty in her gaze. "Come with me?"

"Trista--"

"Cass, this is important." She picked up her pink bag and her latte and headed out the front door.

I followed her. Outside I grabbed her arm. "What was that?"

She turned to face me and her glossy eyes sent a cannonball crashing into my stomach.

"He's bad news, Cass."

"You know him? I thought he was new in town."

She shrugged her eyes on the sidewalk.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Trista told me everything. Sometimes I tuned out her voice.

"I've seen his picture in ... in my brother's things."

Oh.

Oh that was bad.

Very bad.

Her brother was the only subject forbidden from discussion. All I knew was that he was in a gang, and he got out, and then someone killed him. That was enough.

I linked my arm though Trista's and started walking toward her house.

Very unlike Trista, she was quiet for a long time. But she hated to cry, so I just walked with her. Arm in arm. When we were a block from her house she looked at me.

Her stare was serious--also unlike Trista. "Promise me you'll stay away fr--"

"I promise."

She smiled, though her eyes were a little dewy. "So, I was thinking maybe we could still do operation secret code with the texting. We just need to find you a new guy to gush over."

A smile warmed my face. "Sounds like a plan."

She waved at me before she went inside. I caught the time on the huge hands of the grandfather clock in the front foyer. Ten? Yikes.

I stuck my hand in my back pocket to text my mom and let her know I'd be home soon. She got worried if I wasn't home by ten on a school night. No phone.

Crap. It must've fallen out of my pocket. My first thought was to go into Trista's house and use her phone to call my mom. But my phone was probably where I'd last used it--the coffee shop. And I didn't want to explain to Trista why I was going back there.

Jogging, I retraced my steps. They took me all the way to the coffee shop, which was closed.

I pressed my face up to the glass. There was some scrawny guy taking out the trash and a girl grabbed the register drawer. I had to get inside. My phone was like ... like my connection to the world. I banged on the glass, but no one seemed to care.

I raced around back hoping to catch scrawny at the dumpster.

"I don't know." A shaky voice rounded the corner.

I raced around the building and stopped. A chill spread through my body freezing every vein.

A man stood towering over scrawny with a fist in the air. Blood dripped out of Scrawny's nose and spotted his teal Java House polo.

He saw me. His hand reached out all limp and helpless like Adam's hand on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. "Help me."

The big guy punched Scrawny again, leaving him slumped against the brick wall, then he turned to face me. A freaky yellow-green gleam flashed over his eyes.

A scream rose in my throat and I fought hard to keep it in.


Exhaust filled my nostrils.

"Get in."

I tore my eyes from big guy's lumbering form. Nick sat in a black car waving for me to get in.

Nick? This was very bad. I ran.

An engine revved.

I kept running.

Footsteps hit the hard asphalt behind me.

My lungs burned. My tired legs wobbled.

I jolted backward. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me off my feet. I flailed and kicked. I reached behind me. My fingernails found flesh and I scratched.

And then everything went dark.