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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Excerpt and Giveaway: Ahead of the Darkness (The Darkness #1) by Simone Nicole

Published: March 13th, 2014

Description:

It has been a long, long time since I’ve seen your little face, chérie. Not once did you visit. That really hurt; after all, it was thanks to you I was convicted. That’s not something you forget. 

I thought it was time— a visit was due. Seeing as you wouldn’t come to me, I thought it only right I come to you. Sadly, you weren’t home, but your furry feline was more than accommodating . . . 

I’ll be seeing you soon, mon chérie. I’ll always find you . . . 

For six years, a letter has dictated Amelia’s future. She’s running from a past that refuses to stop, always trying to get one step ahead. Amelia is clever and resilient, and refuses to slip up. 

Relying only on herself, she’ll be anything and anyone she needs to survive. But everyone slips up . . . eventually. You can’t always stay ahead of the darkness.

EXCERPT 


“Take a deep breath,” he moved on without comment, “duck ye head under the water, and exhale through ye nose. When ye run outta air, pop ye head back up.” I bit my lip and nodded, but I was less than confident.

“But, what if, what if the water goes up my nose?” I whispered. I sounded like a small child, but I was too panicked to care.

“Hold ye nose, love. Like this.” He pinched his nose and dropped under. It was silly, but I gasped. A second later he reappeared, shaking his head like a dog, spraying water all over me. I smiled as I tried to hide from the spray. He seemed to know just how to diffuse me. It was bizarre, to say the least, but I was a little grateful.

“Yer turn. Do you need me to hold ye hand?” And sweet Drew was gone. He was back to his usual self.

I scoffed at that offer. “No.” But it might have been nice.

“One. Two.” I pinched my nose, and my pulse beat a million miles per minute. “Three!”

And I was under.

Oh God, oh God, breathe, no, don't breathe, just … don't breathe.

So I counted. I counted to ten and that was enough. I broke the surface, and gasped for breathe.

“Ye did good. Just next time, breathe first, aye?” Oh, yeah.

“Yeah, okay. Now what?”

“Now ye try holding yer breath for longer.”

“Really?”

“Aye. The fun comes later.”

I raised an eyebrow. The boys had clearly started to rub off on me. He smirked in return.

“How long can you hold your breath?”

“A while. Why? Ye want to challenge me?”

Do I? “Always.”

He smiled, and shook his head.

“One. Don't forget to take a deep breath in. Three!” I sucked a huge breath in and we ducked under the cool water.

I watched a little in awe as tiny bibles left Drew's nose. His hair sort of hovered in the water. He looked so beautiful that I found it easier to be still under the water just staring at him. He wiggled his eyebrows at me and it took all my strength not to laugh, expelling all my air. I did, however, poke my tongue out at him. It wasn’t the smartest thing to do, as when I pulled it back in it, tasted like manky seawater, and I wrinkled my face up in disgust. Surprisingly, I still managed to hold the little breath I had left in. Drew, however, lost all control at my tongue poking or face pulling, I wasn’t sure which, most likely both. He laughed heartily, expelling all his air in a great, big, gust, and had to go back up for air. I broke the surface to hear Drew coughing and spluttering.

“Ha! I won.” I’d be lying if it didn’t give me a little satisfaction that I sort-of won, by default but a win all the same.

“Ye’re a pisser. And ye didn’t win, ye cheated.”

“Oh, and you weren’t trying to cheat by wiggling your eyebrows at me? All’s fair in love and war, baby!”

“Which are we?” he asked softly, and my heart stuttered.

“Ah … definitely war.”




About the author:
Self-confessed chocoholic and undiagnosed crazy person, Simone can be found climbing Himalayan mountaintops like a ninja, sky diving backwards and rubbing shoulders with billionaires. She is also full of crap, but can read backwards and upside down.

Simone loves all things Disney and alcoholic, and is rarely seen not reading, writing or wearing lipstick, usually of the red variety.


Author's Giveaway
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Asta este o carte ce-mi place enorm de mult. Imi place coperta si subiectul, par interesante si te conduc intr-o alta lume. Unele carti chiar nu o fac din descriere, dar asta da.

Catalina Mihaela said...

Interesting cover and concept and the title it gives so much mystery.