Very excited to announce the release – FINALLY – of the third Guardians of Atlantis novella!
Available now at Smashwords, Amazon and All Romance eBooks (coming soon at B&N)
Blurb:
Helene has been nursing her broken heart while ignoring all that’s going on in the city of Atlantis. She doesn’t care for her brother’s rebellion nor does she wish to get involved. Until she’s kidnapped by Dr. Franco and held captive in his lab. She expects her brother to come to her rescue but instead it’s the strong, silent and very sexy Raven who arrives.
Raven is a man of action and few words yet when he hears the lovely Helene has been captured he volunteers to go in after her. Knowing Sabre can trust him with her life, he takes off through the underbelly of Atlantis to get her out. Yet once he’s alone with Helene, he cannot resist her and they instantly fall into a wild, passionate, sordid affair.
Helene finds she can’t quite give him up—even with the forthcoming battle between the rebels and the filthy government. Only then does she come to realize the danger she’s in and the secrets her brother never shared with her.
Excerpt:
Helene opened her apartment door to see Sabre, her big brother, standing on the other side. As big as he was, he filled up every inch of the doorway, his long black hair tied at the nape of his neck. His mouth was set in a hard grim line, his jaw clenched making it look even more square than normal. She was in for another lecture.
She’d grown weary of his daily visits. She knew he was concerned about her well-being but she didn’t need him hovering. Couldn’t he leave her to her self-pity? Her depression? Her anger? They had been constant companions for a while now. It was all she knew. She said nothing as she turned away from the door and headed back into the confines of her apartment.
Sabre stepped inside, the door closing behind him. He paused, watching her. With concern in his eyes and worry etched on his face.
“What do you want, Sabre?” He flinched with the sharp tone of her voice. She hadn’t meant to sound so snippy. He’d grown soft these last few weeks. She suspected it had something to do with the woman he kept hidden.
He hadn’t told her much about Eden. Only that he’d brought her back from topside. It was as for bidden as an Atlantean going topside. Probably why he kept her a secret. That and to keep her from Dr. Franco. They’d had their usual argument of why she couldn’t go topside. Their conversation always ended with him stomping out of her apartment in frustration. Perhaps picking a fight with him was her way of getting rid of him. Getting him out of her hair.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” she said, tersely.
“You know I worry about you.”
“You shouldn’t.”
She flopped on the sofa, leaning back in the cushions and staring at the ceiling. She flipped her brown hair over her shoulder, hoping he’d go away. But he didn’t. He still stood in front of her door. His face was shadowed so she couldn’t see his expression but she knew he was looking at her with pity. She hated pity. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees as she scrubbed her hands down her face. Clearly he wasn’t leaving until he heard what he wanted to hear.
“What is it you want from me, Sabre? You want me to tell you all is great? That everything is okay? Well, it’s not okay. My husband is dead. I lost my child.”
The pain sliced through her as she said it. It hurt her to remember. All she’d wanted was a normal life. A family all her own. She had her brother, of course, but their parents had died when she was young. They were raised by an aunt—moved out of their northside home and to a midtown place. She’d hated it.
“I know. And I’m sorry. I wish there was—”
“Stop apologizing.” She shot to her feet, her fists clenched as she stared at him. “And stop coming here every damn day. I don’t need your sympathy. There’s nothing you can do.”
“It’s called compassion,” he snarled. “I care about you. You’re my sister. I want to help you—”
“You can’t help me!”
He inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. “I didn’t come here to argue with you.”
“Then why are you here? Tell me and get out so I can get back to my peace and quiet.”
It was her solace. The only way she would ever survive this horrid life she now lived. He wouldn’t take her topside. She’d asked him numerous times and he’d always refused. If she could escape this horrible place then she could start over. She looked human enough save for the tiny gills behind her ears. She could easily blend in.
He pressed his lips together in frustration. “We intend to take over Atlantis.”
For a moment, she thought her heart might stop. She knew her brother had been planning some sort of coup but she never expected him to go through with it. Had he lost his mind? Did he think he could really defeat President Otes and Dr. Franco?
“Who are we exactly?”
“Me. My men. I’ve been gathering a small army of Guardians. Compiling weapons. Things could get dangerous, Helene. I’m afraid they may already suspect we’re planning an uprising.”
“Why do you suspect that?”
“Because we’ve captured a hostage to interrogate. I intend to return all the human women topside.”
“And all that means what to me?” She folded her arms over her chest.
“I would feel better if you’d move to northside with the rest of us. At least there I could keep you safe.”
But she was already shaking her head before he finished. “No. I’m not leaving here.”
This place was her last link to her husband. To the man she’d loved for what seemed like an eternity. They’d lived here together all the days they were married. She had nothing else left of him. She wasn’t going to allow him to take this away from her too.
“Please, Helene,” he said. “I fear what could happen to you.”
“What could happen? I’m perfectly safe here.”
“You aren’t safe.” He stepped toward her, dropping his voice. “We’ve captured one of Dr. Franco’s leading scientists. It’s only a matter of time before he retaliates. He’s threatened you before. He’ll do it again.”
“And you think he wants me?” She snorted. “Why? I’m worth nothing to him.”
“But you’re worth something to me. And that’s why he’ll want you. Come back with me, Helene. You can stay with Eve and Eden.”
“No. I’m not hanging out with your girlfriends all day while you try to save the world. I’ll be fine here, thanks.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “Why are you making this so difficult?”
“Why are you?” she shot back. “Look, Sabre, I appreciate all you’re trying to do for me. But I’m really okay here. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“It’s not about that and you know it. Let me post one of my men outside.”
“Why?”
“In case anything happens.”
“What do you think is going to happen, Sabre?”
“I don’t know,” he growled, clearly agitated with her.
“No. No guards.”
“Then at least take this commlink.” He pressed the small cylindrical object in her hand. She clutched her fingers around the communication device.
“I won’t need it.” She tried to give it back to him.
“You are so blasted stubborn. Keep it. I insist. In case anything happens to you.”
She huffed. “Fine. But I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
