Teaser Tuesday ~ Finders Excerpt - ON SALE Oct 4th!

When an expert Demonologist meets a Reality Show Producer on the Ghost Hunting Show Finders, sparks of true love fly so brightly even the Devil takes notice. 

Demonologist Luke Melloy has seen the face of pure evil. He's fought it and sent it back to hell. It's what he does. To Claire Westin, ghosts and demons are just great television and good for ratings. When she’s faced with the truth Luke has seen, her reality is turned upside down as the two are swept into dire straits moments after they meet. Desire sparks between the unlikely pair, throwing their hearts into chaos with a love neither of them expected nor wanted.

When the Demon targets an unsuspecting Claire with his wrath, Luke finds his focus split between his oath to God and the awakening of his heart. Together, can they face the ancient evil and defeat it, or will they lose everything?

Excerpt

She needed a hot bath to rid her of the chill enveloping her body, and a night of long, deep sleep. Claire arrived in her hotel room, immediately flipping on the light switch.

Everything was as she’d left it. A small sigh of relief escaped her chest. Pip rushed from the bedroom, looking at her eagerly. All her anxiety disappeared. She took a seat on the couch, allowing the dog to cover her with kisses.

Swirling questions overloaded her mind. Her nervous system seemed to collapse, and she fell back into the couch. Claire scratched Pip’s back and belly, taking a few deep breaths.

Just breathe.

Claire pushed the unanswered questions out of her mind. She would deal with the aftermath tomorrow.

Her thoughts swung to the left. Seeing an image of Luke in her mind, her body and nerves immediately calmed. She took it in, reveled in it, and balanced her center. She would address the ramifications of the undeniable attraction later.

Bath.
Sleep.

Claire followed her plan. She ran a bath, undressed, and slipped into the heated water. She soaked, letting the water seep into her pores, praying the chill still clutching her would disappear. After an hour of trying, Claire relented and headed for bed. Wearing her warmest pajamas and socks, she slipped under the covers. Pip jumped on the bed, snuggling in against her. The feel of him was reassuring. Instinctively reaching for the lamp, she hesitated, then turned it off.

She blinked, finding herself once again at the bottom of the well, but there was no water. Crouching down, she clawed at the ground with her nails. The injured ground began to bleed. The area around her feet pooled with the thick crimson liquid. A claw erupted from beneath her feet, grasping her ankle. Claire screamed, struggling against the grip. The blood bubbled into the small area faster. A rush of water hit her legs, toppling her to the ground, soaking her in the icy water and blood. A second clawed hand broke through the surface, pulling her down, the water reaching her chin. There was no escape. She took a deep breath. The water overtook her height. The charred skull came into her sight, waiting for her. She opened her mouth in a terrorized scream, her mouth filling with the iron-tasting liquid.

Claire’s eyes shot open, her lungs choking on a scream. Coughing, in a desperate attempt for air, she rolled. The contents of her mouth spilled onto the floor, a mixture of water and blood. Claire gasped, hyperventilating in sheer panic, her eyes tearing. Feeling the bed beneath her and Pip beside her, she reached for the light, almost knocking over the lamp. She searched the illuminated room for any shadows or signs of mischief. Her heart still thudded in her chest.

Pip turned with a jerk, jumping off the bed and staring into the darkness beyond the room. Claire’s stomach filled with dread at the adjacent living area. All her instincts told her someone or something was hiding, waiting in the darkness, watching. In confirmation, Pip growled.

Her eyes fell on the clock, 3:36 AM.

She looked for her cell phone and remembered the well. The horrid face flashed in her mind’s eye. Paralyzed by fear, she couldn’t move. Her only action was to stare at the blackness just beyond the open door.

Screw this.


Claire jumped out of bed, slammed the door closed, then scurried back to the bed like a child. Her body shook. Her only act was to stare at the closed door and wait for daylight.

****

Finders id available for Pre-Order NOW thru eXtasy Books.

Finders wide release is October 4th - Junt in time for Halloween!

Stalking - Help for Victims from Victim Connect Resource Center

All of the below information is provided at the following link. Please share, repost and support all victims of violence.
http://www.victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center/help-for-victims

Things you can do

Stalking is unpredictable and dangerous. No two stalking situations are alike. There are no guarantees that what works for one person will work for another, yet you can take steps to increase your safety.

• If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
• Trust your instincts. Don't downplay the danger. If you feel you are unsafe, you probably are.
• Take threats seriously. Danger generally is higher when the stalker talks about suicide or murder, or when a victim tries to leave or end the relationship.
• Contact a crisis hotline, victim services agency, or a domestic violence or rape crisis program. They can help you devise a safety plan, give you information about local laws, weigh options such as seeking a protection order, and refer you to other services.
• Develop a safety plan, including things like changing your routine, arranging a place to stay, and having a friend or relative go places with you. Also, decide in advance what to do if the stalker shows up at your home, work, school, or somewhere else. Tell people how they can help you. Click here to learn more about safety plans.
• Don't communicate with the stalker or respond to attempts to contact you.
• Keep evidence of the stalking. When the stalker follows you or contacts you, write down the time, date, and place. Keep emails, text messages, phone messages, letters, or notes. Photograph anything of yours the stalker damages and any injuries the stalker causes. Ask witnesses to write down what they saw. Click here to download a stalking incident and behavior log.
• Contact the police. Every state has stalking laws. The stalker may also have broken other laws by doing things like assaulting you or stealing or destroying your property.
• Consider getting a court order that tells the stalker to stay away from you.
• Tell family, friends, roommates, and co-workers about the stalking and seek their support.
• Tell security staff at your job or school. Ask them to help watch out for your safety.

If someone you know is being stalked

• Listen.
• Show support.
• Don't blame the victim for the crime.
• Remember that every situation is different, and allow the person being stalked to make choices about how to handle it.
• Find someone you can talk to about the situation.
• Take steps to ensure your own safety.

Resources

Tips for Victims
Developed in partnership with the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, this tip sheet presents victims with specific tips and information on responding to stalking.

Stalking Incident and Behavior Log (PDF | Word)
Victims are encouraged to keep a log of all stalking behaviors including e-mails and phone messages. The log, as well as any gifts or letters the stalker sends the victim, can be collected and used as evidence. The evidence will help prove what has been going on if the victim decides to report the stalking to the police or apply for a protective order.

Safety Plan Guidelines 
A safety plan is a combination of suggestions, plans, and responses created to help victims reduce their risk of harm. It is a tool designed in response to the victim's specific situation that evaluates what the victim is currently experiencing, incorporates the pattern of previous behavior, and examines options that will positively impact the victim's safety.

Also See: Stalking Sacks

The Use of Technology to Stalk
Stalkers often use technology to assist them in stalking their victims. This section provides information about how different technologies can be used to stalk, measures victims can take to keep safe, laws and legal considerations, and resources.

Also See: Privacy and Safety on Facebook, from the National Network to End Domestic Violence

Address Confidentiality Programs
Address Confidentiality Programs were created to protect victims of stalking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes from offenders who use public records, such as voter or drivers' license registries, to locate them.

Stalking: A Handbook for Victims  by Emily Spence-Diehl
This handbook provides stalking victims with the resources, choice options, safety tips, and stalker information designed to assist victims in regaining control over their lives. Also discussed are the building of criminal and civil cases against the stalker, the use of restraining orders, and victims' rights.

How to Start and Facilitate a Support Group for Victims of Stalking
A guide for victim service providers, volunteers, and other concerned community members on how to initiate and run a stalking support group in their agency or community. The guide includes information about designing a support group for stalking victims, recommendations for group membership, tips for facilitators, a sample curriculum, and much more.

Privacy and Safety Planning With Survivors - Tips When Relocating (NNEDV) This handout provides several important tips for survivors to consider when planning to relocate, in the process of relocating, or in planning for privacy after relocation.
 
Come Find Me!

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Throwback Thursday! ~ Trust Me Series - Serenity Lost

Can a man remain loyal to his brother, even if it means abandoning the love of his life when she may need him the most?

Their brief heated meeting one fateful night had singed itself into their minds. Not knowing of the other’s identity, but unable to forget, had sealed their fate. The fire smoldered quietly in each of them as they tried to move on with their lives.

Eric Stiles was in the middle of chaos, searching for a killer.

Hunted by an obsessed psychopath Rebecca Gailen was trying to be strong.

The world stopped for a moment as they looked up and saw the other standing just feet away.

His heart lurched, her armor shattered and the world started again as Eric’s brother, Charlie, appeared to take her hand.

Family loyalty isn’t a choice. When Rebecca’s stalker rages out of control, Eric’s decision haunts him and he struggles to stay away. Can he remain loyal to his brother, even if it means abandoning Rebecca when she may need him the most?

***

"Hey, thanks for coming."

“Thanks for the address.”

“What’s going on?’

“I think she got a visit from our friend this evening,” he replied, still looking for Rebecca.

“Really, when?”

“Not sure, that’s what I’m here to find out. Where is she?”

“Other side of the bar,” Donna replied with a small wince.

His eyes found her. She was sitting on top of the bar, laughing and teasing a group of men surrounding her.

“She started doing shots, as soon as she hung up on you.”

“Okay,” he replied with a deep breath and wondered how he was going to handle this. She looked like she was having fun, although his stomach clenched at the thought of someone else's arms around her. “Maybe I should just leave her be. She’s been through enough the past few days.”

“Which is exactly why you need to go over there,” Donna insisted. “She's not thinking straight. She isn't listening to me and Charlie isn't available.”

The comment wasn’t meant to, but it stung. He was third on the list. Fourth, if you counted Mindy. Eric nodded in agreement and walked around the bar to the engaging crowd. Perched on the bar, her long legs were crossed and wrapped in a mid-length black skirt. She wasn't flaunting anything, she was just smiling and laughing. The small gathering of men were making comments and even began singing to her.

Eric stood at the back of the group, waiting for her to see him. He couldn’t help but become lost in the sight of her. Since their unexpected reunion, he hadn’t really been able to just look at her, take her in and see once again how stunning she was. From her fiery locks to her thin ankles. His entire body began to pulse at the memory of her softness beneath him. He took a deep breath as her eyes caught his and instead of the expected scowl, she smiled and tilted her head as she had in the coffee shop.

“Look out, boys, the cops are here to rescue me,” she said as she leaned forward.

He pushed his way between her suitors until his chest brushed against her legs. “May I have this dance?” he asked as he looked up into her eyes.

“Depends,” she answered as her hands rested on his shoulders.

Eric grasped her waist and lifted her off the bar, resting her on the floor in front of him. “On what?”

“Whether you're here for business or pleasure.”

“Dancing with you,” he said in a low breath, as his body reacted to her softness against him, his hands still wrapped around her small waist. “Definitely pleasure.”

She looked up at him and the room seemed to disappear. A serenity that he'd only felt once before encompassed him. The weight of the world seemed to lift when he stared into the electric pools of her eyes, and he wondered how that could be.

“I wish that were true,” she said.

He saw doubt and pain flash in her eyes. “Rebecca…” he started when the popping of a champagne bottle startled her. She jumped away from him as her entire body visibly trembled. She ran her fingers through her hair, and he watched her look for something familiar. Her eyes found Donna and she walked past him to her friend...

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