Tagline: Can an eighteen-year-old virgin fulfill her succubus duties without losing her innocence?
Book Description:
Death isn’t the end for eighteen-year-old Avery Williams, and her final resting place isn’t beyond the Golden Gates. No, the Queen of the Damned has plans for her and, unbeknownst to Avery, fought hard to gain possession of her soul.
As Hell’s newest succubus, Avery is expected to siphon life from the living. It only takes a long, meaningful kiss, but for a virgin like Avery, kissing guys she barely knows isn’t something she’s comfortable doing. Avery focuses on the upside of her fate—she’ll be returning home, or so she thinks.
When the Queen of the Damned cuts her off from her old life, Avery is determined to find a way back to her family and friends, even if it means facing Hell’s fury if she’s caught.
We
got to Brookfield Zoo around ten, and even though I had forty dollars in my
purse, Cole insisted on paying for the both of us. We entered through an
underground tunnel that led to the main entrance. Images of ostriches and lions
watched us pass as we followed the crowd to the turnstiles.
Cole
handed a heavyset guy in a blue uniform our tickets and then held his hand in
front of him.
“Ladies
first.”
“Thanks.”
I tucked my hair behind my ear and asked, “Are you sure your friends won’t mind
me tagging along?”
During
the drive over, I envisioned Cole’s friends as a group of unruly demons. I
couldn’t believe I hadn’t asked him what to expect when he first mentioned
getting out of the apartment. When I voiced my concerns to Cole, he let out a
loud guffaw. A minute later, he assured me there wouldn’t be a demon in the
bunch, except for us. He also told me that Luz was psyched to meet me. She was
tired of being the only girl in the group.
Cole
and I headed toward a large water fountain at the center of the zoo. A boy
wearing a lion sun visor held his little hands up as if they were paws and
roared. His sister—who was about half his size—screamed. I couldn’t help but
laugh. Then I remembered Cole’s comment back at the apartment.
“Are
you really a fan of leopards?” I asked.
“Snow
leopards,” he corrected. “They’re smaller than other wild cats, but they’re
graceful, cunning, and exceptional survivors.”
I
got the feeling he related to them on a personal level. Cole had said incubi
were low on Hell’s totem pole of bad asses.
“What’s
your favorite animal?” he asked.
I
tapped a finger to my lips. “Hmm—”
He
jumped in front of me, walking backward with a bounce in his step. “Don’t tell
me. I’ll guess.”
I
giggled. Cole’s behavior was so human it was hard to believe he was a demon.
But then again, so was I.
“You’ll
never guess.”
He
tipped his head to the side. “Is that a challenge?”
“Maybe,”
I replied with a smile.
He
slowed, avoiding bumping into a stroller even though his back was to it.
“How’d
you know they were there?” I whispered, fully expecting to be told that demons
had the radar-like senses of a shark.
“Reflection
in your sunglasses.” He wiggled the ones he wore.
Darn
on the supernatural radar, or lack thereof.
“Where
were we?” he asked.
“You
were about to admit there is no way you’ll guess my favorite animal.”
“You
think so.” Cole smirked. “Let’s make it interesting…winner sleeps in the bed
tonight, his choice if he wants to share.”
“Or
hers, and just so you know, I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you.”
“You
did last night.”
“I
was passed out due to being drugged. It doesn’t count.”
I
hadn’t given much thought to the fact that Cole and I shared everything in a
one-bedroom apartment. “Does the couch pull out into a sofa bed?”
“Nope.
I usually don’t have company sleep over. I discovered last night you’re a cover
hog.”
Since
most mornings I woke tangled in the sheet, I knew better than to argue with the
latter statement. “Don’t you have girls over?”
“Definitely
not. Except Luz, but she’s a friend and doesn’t stay the night.” His expression
became serious. “No bringing work home. House rule.”
I didn’t plan on hooking up with anyone, so that rule was fine by me. “Deal.”
His
lips curved upward into a devilish smirk. “Which one: you won’t bring strange
guys home, or you’re willing to risk losing dibs on the comfy mattress?”
I
began to think Lilith had purposely paired me with Cole as a way to add to my
own personal Hell. He was seriously charming and—had we been human—the type of
guy I went for.
But he’s not human, and the only reason you find him charming is because he’s
the only person you’re still allowed to talk to.
Even
Gregory Davis—the geeky brain from school with thick black glasses and a
never-ending supply of sweater vests—would look appealing when you’re staring
down eternity and he’s the only person you know.
I
shook my head to clear my runaway thoughts and replied with confidence, “Both.”
“Be
prepared to lose.” He turned and fell in stride with me. In a low voice, he
said, “Luz, Nick, and Dylan are human. Hunter’s something else.”
I stopped. “What’s Hunter?”
About the Author:
Professional network technician by day, novelist by night, Cherie lives a quiet life in the Chicago suburbs with her charming husband. She has four amazing sons who she loves dearly. Cherie magically weaves together stories with a paranormal twist. She’s the author of the Embrace series (Embrace, Hold Tight, and Entwined), Challenging Destiny, Damned When I Didn’t, and Friends to the End. She waltzes into the adult novel world with this enchanting holiday romance, Merry Little Wishing Spritz.
Anna Koray is back with another chilling case in Bayern County. When mysterious drownings grip her small town, the detective - haunted by her serial killer father - must unravel whispers of witches, curses and revenge. But something darker waits in the water, and it’s out for blood. 🌊🩸 Book 2, The Sister’s Curse by Nicola Solvinic Now available for PRE-ORDER! bit.ly/4jBXbCc
Tagline: When the elite own everything and are immune to consequences, trespassing may be the only way to survive…
Series Description:
Cape Cod is a community divided between wealthy socialites who established the town and the working class responsible for running it. Every year it is getting harder for residents to even make a living.
Logan Harrison is an average student attending Nauset High School, he just wants his life to be something more, to mean something. As his sophomore year comes to a close, his world is shattered by a tragic suicide that fractures his friends. In an attempt to understand what happened and deal with the guilt, Logan uncovers a twisted secret that is subtly tearing the community apart with a deadly cost.
When the elite own everything and are immune to consequences, trespassing may be the only way to survive…
It’s the last day of sophomore year for Logan, just one more day until summer vacation, and the whole school is buzzing. Someone called into the local radio show with an alarming confession, and at Nauset High School it’s all anyone can talk about.
Logan is more focused on just making it through the day. He has developed a reputation, and it comes back to haunt him at the worst times, even for those who supposedly know him. He just wants to make it to the end of the year party to kick off summer and ensure his girlfriend, Hailey, doesn’t break-up with him. Or his car doesn’t breakdown.
As the night progresses, Logan learns that secrets will always be exposed, and the cost of those secrets can have a deadly price. Who was responsible for the confession, and will they make it through the night?
A Senator’s daughter is dead, Nauset High School and the Sheriff’s Department are under fire. They knew something was going to happen and failed to prevent it.
Logan is struggling with his loss, and the guilt that he now has to hide from his friends, along with the new secrets that turned the night into horror. As the funeral approaches, more questions are raised that put him in the Senator’s crosshairs. Kayla, the dream girl he met by chance, believes that there is something more going on, and pulls Logan into her world where privilege and entitlement are the norm.
Can Logan trust her? Is she who she seems to be? Logan is starting to learn that he isn’t the only person who has secrets that he doesn’t want revealed.
A scandalous party at the County Club has left Logan isolated and alone. His friends, old and new, have fallen victim to the gossip that is now swirling about him.
A chance encounter at the beach helps him to realize that he’s not quite as alone as he thought, and his new accomplice, Devin, shows him that not everyone wealthy is untrustworthy. She has her own secrets and is willing to confide in Logan in exchange for his help. But trust does not come easy when former friends are involved.
When another shocking confession hits the airwaves, Logan begins to suspect that the spiral of death and tragedy is only just beginning. And Logan and Devin may have their own role to play.
Summer is over, it’s the start of Junior year but Logan and Devin can’t easily move on. Someone else is dead, and they were involved.
Logan is trying to protect his new accomplice, Devin, unfortunately, she is also being blackmailed. Not only did someone assault her - they took pictures, and are distributing them through the school. And she isn’t the only one. What first seemed like an isolated incident that caused their friend to commit suicide, is now turning into a disturbing trend.
A search for answers leads Logan and his friends only to more questions and yet another death. One that they may have caused. Summer may be over, but Logan’s problems are just starting.
Logan and Devin have confronted the classmate who drugged, assaulted, and humiliated her. Unfortunately, he was murdered in front of them before Devin could get any answers or satisfaction.
Now, the Sheriff’s Department is investigating the death of a Nauset High School star athlete, and Devin is their only suspect. This puts Logan in a race to prove Devin’s innocence, before she is locked up and he becomes an accomplice to murder.
When a suspicious video surfaces that misrepresents the night of the murder, Logan and Devin realize that they are up against something more sinister than they ever suspected. Logan is determined to clear Devin’s name, but his quest for answers may put his own family at risk.
Someone has confessed to the murder of Nausett High School’s star athlete, but a seemingly random accident has left the shooter critically injured, leaving Logan and Devin cleared of suspicion, but without answers.
When they start to realize that other individuals involved with the murder and assaults have started to go missing, Logan and Devin feel compelled to dig deeper, pulling their new friends and allies along with them. As they discover more connections, they start to learn that there is a mysterious figure coordinating things behind the scenes.
Logan, Devin, and their closest friends are starting to learn that the deeper you go, the higher the extremes someone will take to protect themselves. The deaths at Nauset High haven’t stopped just yet and the worst is yet to come.
Logan is now starting to realize what he is up against. He is facing some very powerful and wealthy opponents, and even the Sheriff’s Department is complicit. When you can’t rely on the people hired to keep you safe, who can you rely on?
After the drive-by shooting deaths of his friends Logan and his allies have decided to take matters into their own hands. They don’t want justice for their lost friends, they want payback. The Sheriff’s Department refuses to investigate, but consumed by guilt and anger, Logan will not stop looking for answers.
As Logan continues to uncover the secrets of the Cape’s elite, he begins to realize the depth of corruption in the community. Exposing secrets to the light can bring answers, but it can also lead to more deaths.
Logan and Devin finally are starting to feel like they have answers to some of their questions, but corruption in the Sheriff’s Department continues to block them from truly understanding what is happening.
Finally, fully recovered from their injuries, Logan and Devin decide to dedicate time to their growing relationship but find themselves in the right place and the right time to prevent a deadly car accident. When they learn the identities of the victims, they realize that they are closer than ever to uncovering some of the secrets that led to Scarlett’s death and started them on this path of tragedy and murder.
Scarlett’s secrets take them to the elite and foreboding Nausett Academy - former school to Scarlett, Devin, and Hailey - and the home of their elusive opponent. What Logan finds will give their opponent a name - but will show who can be trusted, who has ulterior motives and what that cost will be.
After the traumatic events at Nausett Academy and discovering that evidence went missing after it reached the Sheriff’s Department, Logan and Devin have decided to go on an extended Spring Break. What’s the point in having your own boat if you can’t just take off? They are done with dealing with murder, lies, and corruption. They are ready to start a new life, one where no one knows who they are, or their history.
When they discover that their friends are being investigated for murdering the no-longer elusive mastermind behind the drugging and blackmail of their peers, they realize that you can’t outrun your problems. Logan and Devin are confident that their friends are being framed for murder and are determined to catch the true killer.
Logan and Devin may have a name and a face for their opponent, but they are learning that they are always steps ahead of them, and not even death can stop their devious plans.
The thirty-minute drive from Ocean View down to the gallery had taken less than half the time. It was surprising that no one had complained to send the Sheriff’s Department our way. We had jumped curbs, cut across lawns, and even taken an insane drive through the park to shave off as much time as possible but it still felt like an eternity. Orange streetlights flickered past us as I was able to put my foot down on the straightaway.
Every minute Hailey was flipping between calling and texting without a single response. Even Liz wasn’t responding to her. I completely understood her paranoia. I had felt the same thing when Hailey texted me out of nowhere to apologize. I would’ve ignored it entirely if Scar hadn’t changed my thinking. If things were large enough for us to notice, then there was infinitely more that was hidden.
Last year Jen was just a princess, pretty and bitchy with too much attitude. Everything was beneath her. No matter who she was hanging out with, the attitude never changed. She was miserable and I just kept out of the way. After Scarlett, she had changed, like all of us. She actually was nice and funny. The world was different. I actually cared about her. She wasn’t the closest of friends, but she was a friend now.
The headlights swept over a large gray clapboard building on the corner. The black shingle roof and white trim kept with the Cape-aesthetic, but it was a strange design split between a Cape home and a large boathouse. Serenity Sea Gallery was Jennifer’s burden. Her mom’s gallery was dedicated to local artists and seascape style art, she had opened it ages ago, but it never really was her priority. Much like Jen, it was just an after-thought for her mother.
I took my foot off the gas.
“No!” Hailey snapped at me. “Around back. She uses the backdoor.”
“Right.” I put my foot down again making the engine growl.
The tires screeched as I cranked the wheel to turn us around the corner of the gallery. We swerved through the narrow space between the building and a privacy fence. Standing on the brakes, I cranked the wheel again to spin the Bronco around and face the back cinder-block wall of the gallery. We slid to a stop with a pair of black steel fire-doors directly in the headlights.
Hailey didn’t even wait for us to come to a full stop. She had the door open and was out and moving by the time I took my foot off the parking brake. I didn’t bother shutting it off, instead I copied her and jumping out to sprint for the door.
“Jen?” She called out as she reached the doors trying one side without luck. “Jen?” Hailey called out again as she pulled the second door open. She ducked inside and I was a half-step behind.
“Jennifer?” I called for her.
We entered a darkened area of the gallery filled with metal shelving and wooden crates. Once the door closed to shut out the headlights it took a moment for our eyes to adjust to the room. Somewhere off to one side, the darkness wasn’t nearly as bad.
“Jen?” Hailey tried to hurry through the space but kept bumping into things as she made her way down the aisle. “Jen? Ow. Jen?” I jabbed my hand out in front of her to keep her from banging her head on a crate that was sticking out.
“Jennifer?”
“Jen?” Hailey let out a shriek when she reached the end of the shelves. “Jen!” She darted forward and I kept pace with her. We had reached a prep area with a couple of long counters, tools, and a small office just beyond. There was just enough light from the office to reveal a long shape near the center of the space. “NO!” Jennifer was hanging from the exposed metal rafters. Her bare feet lightly brushed against a work stool that had been knocked over.
I couldn’t manage a sound as the world slowed. Hailey screamed. I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around Jennifer’s legs. Lifting with all my strength had her roughly sitting on my shoulder.
“Get something to cut her down!” I commanded, but Hailey wasn’t moving. “Hailey! Get something! NOW!”
Hailey darted around and came up with some form of wire-cutters. She frantically circled around us before she scrambled up onto the closer workbench. Teetering overhead, she stretched out to cut at the cord above Jen’s head. There were a few seconds of her trying to cut it before Jen fell into my arms.
Jennifer Maack was a Pack girl, pristine, flawless, and small. Not quite as small as Devin but as soon as she fell into my arms, she felt heavier than any of the girls. She was a ragdoll, limp, and hard to balance. I shifted her around until I could carry her in my arms to a clear spot away from anything. As gently as I could, I set her on the cold concrete floor.
“Call 9-1-1,” I said and leaned in to check her. Glancing up, I saw Hailey was a complete wreck crying but still not moving. “HAILEY!” I shouted to get her attention. She finally looked at me. “CALL 9-1-1!” She gave a quick nod and pulled out her phone.
Leaning in close, I couldn’t see Jennifer’s chest moving and I couldn’t hear her breathing. I untangled the noose to give her more space before I placed my hand on her neck. She was still warm. I fumbled around and thought I felt a pulse, but it was hard to tell.
About the Author:
Born in California, P.W. has spent most of his life traveling throughout the US. P.W. draws inspiration from many adventures, turning his strange reality into fiction.
Over the years, P.W. has found himself in many unusual situations, ranging from hanging off an 80 foot cliff-face in New York, to sailing off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts. P.W. has hosted archaeological excavations, and have even reported from the middle of a police stand-off.
When a teacher asked in the second grade what he wanted to be when he grew up, he didn’t have an answer. He lets the characters make that decision for him.
As a joke you had always said "I dedicate this to Hades" as you threw away food scraps from your cooking and cleaning your plates. When you die you find yourself in front of Charon's boat with Hades sitting in it, seemingly very excited to see his most devoted follower in recent times.
Jake had to give his trip to Paris mixed reviews. Beaten and broken by seemingly invincible men with eerie red eyes marked the low point, but abduction by a sexy, knife-wielding vampire? Better than fireworks on the Fourth of July. https://books2read.com/u/mdRqxW
Anna Koray is back with another chilling case in Bayern County. When mysterious drownings grip her small town, the detective - haunted by her serial killer father - must unravel whispers of witches, curses and revenge. But something darker waits in the water, and it’s out for blood. 🌊🩸 Book 2, The Sister’s Curse by Nicola Solvinic Now available for PRE-ORDER! bit.ly/4jBXbCc
Anna Koray is back with another chilling case in Bayern County. When mysterious drownings grip her small town, the detective - haunted by her serial killer father - must unravel whispers of witches, curses and revenge. But something darker waits in the water, and it’s out for blood. 🌊🩸 Book 2, The Sister’s Curse by Nicola Solvinic Now available for PRE-ORDER! bit.ly/4jBXbCc
As a joke you had always said “I dedicate this to Hades” as you threw away food scraps from your cooking and cleaning your plates. When you die you find yourself in front of Charon’s boat with Hades sitting in it, seemingly very excited to see his most devoted follower in recent times.
writing-prompt-s