Published January 28th 2013
Description:
Dutiful soldier Callum
Renwick wakes up in the underground laboratory of a mercenary
organization. He learns he was the sole survivor of an attack that
destroyed his unit, his hometown, and his family. In addition to the
loss of his loved ones, he discovers that due to his injuries, half his
body has been supplanted by artificial skin and cybernetic parts.
Once he has recovered, he is assigned to the care of Ro Bernard, who leads the effort to turn him into a powerful assassin. She is outspoken, yet secretive, and uses unconventional means to mold him into a depraved killer. Mind games and rough sex are in her repertoire of training tactics, and Callum is both infuriated and fascinated by her.
As he comes to terms with his grief and his new role, many of his biological body parts fail and must be replaced. Will he adapt to survive in Ro’s world and exact vengeance on the woman who ordered the attack that changed his life?
Once he has recovered, he is assigned to the care of Ro Bernard, who leads the effort to turn him into a powerful assassin. She is outspoken, yet secretive, and uses unconventional means to mold him into a depraved killer. Mind games and rough sex are in her repertoire of training tactics, and Callum is both infuriated and fascinated by her.
As he comes to terms with his grief and his new role, many of his biological body parts fail and must be replaced. Will he adapt to survive in Ro’s world and exact vengeance on the woman who ordered the attack that changed his life?
About the author:
Thea Landen lives in New York with her
husband and a variety of houseplants. A former educator, she strives to
encourage creativity and passion in all those around her, and uses writing to
help inspire. Though she reads and writes in nearly all genres, she has a
special fondness for science fiction and fantasy and anything that pushes the
imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, or thinking about
writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing
games.
Excerpt #2:
A picture of a woman filled the screen. She wore a navy blue uniform, adorned with badges of all different colors. Her bright red hair was twisted and secured on top of her head in a tidy bun. Green eyes peeked out from behind a smattering of freckles, which gave her the illusion of being younger than Callum initially thought. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, hinting at a smile that would be inappropriate for an official portrait.
“Do you know who this is?” Zedek asked.
He shook his head. “She doesn’t look familiar.”
Zedek’s gaze flicked back to the screen. “Tanith Vaile,” he stated. “Executive Director of Charytar Intelligence. A very efficient, very capable woman who showed promise from her earliest days at their military academy. She does her job well and deserves her title.”
Callum finished his thought for him. “And you want her dead.”
“Yes.”
So much for answers. “I suppose it’s not my place to ask why you want me to kill her.”
“Normally, it wouldn’t be.” Zedek sighed. “But there are a number of reasons I’d prefer to see Ms. Vaile taken out of commission. Some of them are relevant to you, personally.”
He’d succeeded in further piquing Callum’s interest. “Oh?”
“Let’s start with the bigger picture first. She has long decried the existence of the Midnight Scorpions and has tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to shut us down in the past. It seems she has forgotten that her superiors have relied on us for intelligence and other resources. Without us, the wars they waged could have had a much different outcome, even if they don’t care to openly admit it.”
“I don’t see the personal relevance you mentioned.”
Zedek sighed again. “Are we forgetting where our loyalties lie already? She wants us gone. You’re one of us. Think of it as self-defense, if you must.” The irritated expression disappeared from his face, yet his ice blue gaze never wavered. “And if that’s not enough for you, there’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned revenge killing.”
A knot formed in Callum’s stomach. He had his suspicions about what the doctor implied, but he needed to ask the question. “Revenge for what?”
“She’s a high-ranked government official. Haven’t you figured it out yet?”
He clenched his jaw. “Tell me what you know.”
“It goes without saying that she was involved in planning the attack that nearly killed you. It is her job, after all.”
“And…?”
Zedek’s tone was casual, as if he were reciting a weather report. “Our sources say it was Ms. Vaile who set up the temporary alliance between her country and Palavia. She offered some intel she had on the Tektani forces to make the deal sound more enticing.”
“I’d figured out by now that the cease-fire was a ruse, but—”
“Also her idea, from what I’ve been told.”
Callum studied the image on the screen. Tanith didn’t resemble his notion of a ruthless murderer, someone who treated life and death as nothing more than objectives in her game. As he stared, the portrait shifted and twisted before his eyes. The serene, fresh-faced woman morphed into something darker, something more sinister. The sparkle in her eyes revealed her malicious intentions. Rosy lips mocked him with their prim smile, moments away from laughing at his misfortune. Her cruelty seeped into his blood, sending pure hatred flowing throughout his body.
Zedek stood behind him and followed his gaze. “She took from you. She tried to destroy you. Your daughter will never have the opportunities this woman had. She erased that.”
He glanced to the side. Ro sat in the corner, silent and unmoving. The light from the screen illuminated her face, tingeing her pale skin with a viridian hue. If she was affected by anything she saw or heard, he couldn’t tell based on her blank expression.
It was easy for him to say the words he knew they wanted to hear. “She deserves to die.”
Giveaway
Prize is 5 eBooks copies of any title from author's back list (winner's choice; 1 each to 5 winners) PLUS swag (magnets). Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Apr 13. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveawayExcerpt #2:
A picture of a woman filled the screen. She wore a navy blue uniform, adorned with badges of all different colors. Her bright red hair was twisted and secured on top of her head in a tidy bun. Green eyes peeked out from behind a smattering of freckles, which gave her the illusion of being younger than Callum initially thought. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, hinting at a smile that would be inappropriate for an official portrait.
“Do you know who this is?” Zedek asked.
He shook his head. “She doesn’t look familiar.”
Zedek’s gaze flicked back to the screen. “Tanith Vaile,” he stated. “Executive Director of Charytar Intelligence. A very efficient, very capable woman who showed promise from her earliest days at their military academy. She does her job well and deserves her title.”
Callum finished his thought for him. “And you want her dead.”
“Yes.”
So much for answers. “I suppose it’s not my place to ask why you want me to kill her.”
“Normally, it wouldn’t be.” Zedek sighed. “But there are a number of reasons I’d prefer to see Ms. Vaile taken out of commission. Some of them are relevant to you, personally.”
He’d succeeded in further piquing Callum’s interest. “Oh?”“Let’s start with the bigger picture first. She has long decried the existence of the Midnight Scorpions and has tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to shut us down in the past. It seems she has forgotten that her superiors have relied on us for intelligence and other resources. Without us, the wars they waged could have had a much different outcome, even if they don’t care to openly admit it.”
“I don’t see the personal relevance you mentioned.”
Zedek sighed again. “Are we forgetting where our loyalties lie already? She wants us gone. You’re one of us. Think of it as self-defense, if you must.” The irritated expression disappeared from his face, yet his ice blue gaze never wavered. “And if that’s not enough for you, there’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned revenge killing.”
A knot formed in Callum’s stomach. He had his suspicions about what the doctor implied, but he needed to ask the question. “Revenge for what?”
“She’s a high-ranked government official. Haven’t you figured it out yet?”
He clenched his jaw. “Tell me what you know.”
“It goes without saying that she was involved in planning the attack that nearly killed you. It is her job, after all.”
“And…?”
Zedek’s tone was casual, as if he were reciting a weather report. “Our sources say it was Ms. Vaile who set up the temporary alliance between her country and Palavia. She offered some intel she had on the Tektani forces to make the deal sound more enticing.”
“I’d figured out by now that the cease-fire was a ruse, but—”
“Also her idea, from what I’ve been told.”
Callum studied the image on the screen. Tanith didn’t resemble his notion of a ruthless murderer, someone who treated life and death as nothing more than objectives in her game. As he stared, the portrait shifted and twisted before his eyes. The serene, fresh-faced woman morphed into something darker, something more sinister. The sparkle in her eyes revealed her malicious intentions. Rosy lips mocked him with their prim smile, moments away from laughing at his misfortune. Her cruelty seeped into his blood, sending pure hatred flowing throughout his body.
Zedek stood behind him and followed his gaze. “She took from you. She tried to destroy you. Your daughter will never have the opportunities this woman had. She erased that.”
He glanced to the side. Ro sat in the corner, silent and unmoving. The light from the screen illuminated her face, tingeing her pale skin with a viridian hue. If she was affected by anything she saw or heard, he couldn’t tell based on her blank expression.
It was easy for him to say the words he knew they wanted to hear. “She deserves to die.”
Giveaway
Prize is 5 eBooks copies of any title from author's back list (winner's choice; 1 each to 5 winners) PLUS swag (magnets). Contest is tour-wide, open internationally and ends Apr 13. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
The event's schedule can be find here
Event and giveaway organized by CBLS Promotions
sounds like a fun book!
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