Broken Souls Cover Reveal & Giveaway!

Today I'm excited to help reveal the cover of the fourth book in the Primani series, Broken Souls which comes out September 5th. Check out the Ab-mazing cover and what the book is about. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy!

Broken Souls by Laurie Olerich Series: Primani, #4 Publication Date: September 5, 2014 Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

About the book:

Stalked by evil?

Psychic Rori Austin's life is over. She just doesn't know it yet. Plagued by recurring nightmares and terrifying fugues, she's hanging on by a thread. When she blacks out and wakes up in 1969, she knows she is out of control. Broke and alone in the city that never sleeps, she is desperate to find someone who can hold back the darkness in her mind. When gorgeous Declan shows up out of nowhere, she is thrilled until he starts asking questions she has no intention of answering.

Haunted by guilt?

Primani Declan Manning is a ruthless killer and a renowned healer. Demons fear him. Humans love him. Life is good. The last thing he needs is a human woman. After saving Rori's life, he walks away but can't forget the fear in her exotic eyes. They haunt him, dredging up memories better left buried deep. Intrigued by her secrets, he uncovers the horrifying truth. She's been marked for Hell, and her time is up. He'll risk his own immortality to save her soul; if they can find the demon in time.

Find the book on Goodreads   

About author Laurie Olerich:

Hi! I'm Laurie Olerich and writing is my passion. I love to create guilty pleasures full of exciting locations, rollercoaster action, strong, quirky heroines, and steaming hot heroes who'll raise the temperature in any room you're in! Paranormal romance? Check! Urban fantasy? Check! Romantic suspense? Check! My Primani series combines the best of the three. When I'm not plotting, writing, or fantasizing about my next hero, I'm planning parties, traveling, and spending lazy nights with my son, my Dal pals, and my friends. If you'd like to get to know me better and keep up with my works in progress, look me up on the Internet. I'd love to hear from you!

Find Laurie:   Website   Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads 

Giveaway:

Enter to win an ebook copy of Broken Souls.

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Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)

About the book (from Goodreads):
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best- but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option—even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break.


Review:
I just fell in love with a new series. I couldn’t put the book down once I started reading it. This is the first book in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series and Singh does an amazing job introducing readers to her world where Archangels create and control vampires. It is a different spin on the run-of-the-mill vampire novel. And Singh’s world is only enhanced with a relatable main character, Elena, and a mix of personality types in the vampire and archangel society.

Elena Deveraux was born with the unique ability to scent vampires, and that gives her an edge as a vampire hunter. That ability also makes her highly desirable to an archangel, Raphael, who needs her to scent out an archangel that is on a killing spree. Although Elena wants to turn down the job, Raphael will not take no for an answer. Together they must track down and destroy the rogue killer before more people are killed.

Singh’s writing style that is natural and quickly draws readers into her story. She creates a strong lead female character who doesn’t take well to being bullied and bossed around. Elena has been rejected by her family because of her career choice, so she has put up emotional walls to prevent herself from getting hurt again. When Raphael comes into Elena’s life, he’s the wrecking ball that is ready to break Elena’s walls. Try as Elena might to ignore her desire for through her defiance and smart mouth, eventually the archangel gets what he wants.

The ending has a nice twist that will have readers eager to continue on in the series. What will happen with Raphael and Elena’s relationship? How will Elena cope with the changes in her life—both emotionally and physically? I know that the next book, Archangel’s Kiss, will be a bit different from the first and I am eager to dive back into that world.

For readers that enjoy mystery, romance, danger, a little action, and of course fantasy, then this book is a must read!

About author Nalini Singh:
I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.

I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.

Find Nalini Singh:   Website   Twitter   Goodreads

The Reckoning excerpt and giveaway!

About the book:
Only One Can Survive The Reckoning

Erin Radkey has always known the day would come when she would have to personally confront the Triad leader of the power-hungry Emporium. But she never thought it would be with a snake in her head that feeds on her energy. Or that she’d be in the company of an uncertain ally who might turn on her at any moment.

The stakes are high as new intel uncovers a startling Emporium plot that will catapult the entire world into war. Erin is determined to save not only the mortals but also her friends—even if it means sacrificing herself and her newfound love for Ritter Langton.

Ritter is just as determined to save Erin and prevent what would usher in the most bloody century the world has ever known, but even he might not recognize the person she becomes.

Every day the enemy grows stronger. There will be no second chance.

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Excerpt:
I started firing. My third man fell and Mari’s second before the group turned in our direction. Two men at the back dropped from Ritter and Stella’s fire, followed by two more. Nine down. They opened fire. The rat-a-tat-tat of their automatic weapons sliced through the stillness of the night. We had to hurry. Mari crouched behind the car, while I went over the top, using Ritter’s speed. He was already there. I landed on one rotund Hunter while bringing my trangue gun down on another. I rolled as I fell. Another turned his gun in my direction, but I was already diving away, the bullets spraying the short grass. Twisting, I came around, my foot out, kicking the gun from his hand. He slammed his fist at me, but I deflected it with my left arm and jabbed my right hand into his gut. He grunted and leaned forward into my next punch. I looked around as he fell, but I already sensed everyone was down.

“Get them into their van,” Stella said. “It won’t be long before someone comes to investigate those shots.” She grabbed a Hunter and started tugging him across the ground.

I sent my thoughts out wider, finding two more life forces slinking in our direction. They were dimmer than the average life forces, which meant they were shielded. Before I could warn the others, Desoto’s two patrolman emerged from the trees only twenty feet away. I caught a glimpse of automatic rifles before a spotlight blinded me.

“Stop,” said a voice I recognized as belonging to the Unbounded who’d found Walker asleep in the security room. “Put down those weapons.”

Unbounded. Both of them, I told the others. Mari, stay behind the car until I tell you.

Ritter, Stella, and I dropped our tranques and raised our hands as the Unbounded moved closer. I could see a red dot on Ritter’s forehead, and as there wasn’t one on Stella’s, I figured another must be on mine. Though the bullets wouldn’t kill us, we’d be out of commission long enough to lose the information we’d obtained unless Stella had already uploaded it to our servers. Worse, we’d be back in Emporium hands.

I’d rather die a true death.

“Surprising plot twists” -Publishers Weekly

 

Grab your FREE copy of book 1, The Change today!

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About author Teyla Branton:

Teyla Rachel Branton grew up avidly reading science fiction and fantasy and watching Star Trek reruns with her large family. They lived on a little farm where she loved to visit the solitary cow and collect (and juggle) the eggs, usually making it back to the house with most of them intact. On that same farm she once owned 33 gerbils and 18 cats, not a good mix, as it turns out.

Teyla always had her nose in a book and daydreamed about someday creating her own worlds. She is now married, mostly grown up, and has seven kids, including a two-year-old, so life at her house can be very interesting (and loud), but writing keeps her sane.

She thrives on the energy and daily amusement offered by her children, the semi-ordered chaos giving her a constant source of writing material. Grabbing any snatch of free time from her hectic life, Teyla writes novels, often with a child on her lap. She warns her children that if they don’t behave, they just might find themselves in her next book!

She’s been known to wear pajamas all day when working on a deadline, and is often distracted enough to burn dinner. (Okay, pretty much 90% of the time.) A sign on her office door reads: DANGER. WRITER AT WORK. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

She loves writing fiction and traveling, and she hopes to write and travel a lot more. She also loves shooting guns, martial arts, and belly dancing. She has worked in the publishing business for over twenty years.

Giveaway:
Enter to win a $50 amazon gift card.

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Zylan's Messengers

About the book:
Not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi novel.

Three civilizations separated by billions of years in time and millions of light years in distance, come to life as their disparate histories converge to help the human race survive in 2408, when all of their bad decisions come back to haunt them.

Ecological disasters, resource depletion and pollution have finally overcome technology’s ability to cope, as a last minute technological reprieve is offered from one of the alien races … but with a cost.

Zylan’s Messengers reveals how one alien race was the proximate cause of the most destructive event in recorded human history; one that has never been fully explained, and how it forever altered the course of human development.

Zylan’s Messengers is a story of the human condition, and humanity’s unique ability in the animal kingdom to make conscious choices that were bad for their own survival as a species.

Review:
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

After trying a couple of "space" books and finding them fascinating, I jumped at the chance to read Sid Goodman's book, Zylan's Messengers. I was also interested to see how he would describe the various alien species and how the people of Earth would react.

Goodman takes readers billions of years into the past and thousands of years into the future. Trying to grasp this enormous span of time had me feeling small and insignificant. Hundreds and thousands of years are skipped at a time to propel the storyline. One character is alive more than 100,000 years before the Earth characters come into the storyline. If that doesn't make you seem small and insignificant, I don't know what would. 

Because of the vast timespan and the distance between the characters, the story is told through multiple points of view. Readers begin with the Zylan, Aaldn, then we get to see the story through Tydon from Pracma, then finally Jason of Earth.

I love the depiction of the various alien races. Although all are humanoid, each race has its own distinction about it. The Zylans are extremely different from humans. I love how their emotions are projected. The Pracmas are closer in appearance to humans than the Zylans are, but have the forehead dimple that the Zylans have too. I only wished the messengers would have picked up a few more alien races in the galaxy. It would have been interesting to see more aliens come out of Gooman's imagination!

By the end of the book, readers will be frustrated with how lazy and selfish the human race is. When conflict arises between the people of Earth and Pracma, you might just be pulling for the Pracmas to win. I know I was. Sadly, I could easily see this being a possible future--if humans were ever put in that situation with a peaceful alien race. The solution to Pracma's water dilemma was brilliant. I should have seen that coming!

After finishing the story, I noticed that the alien races never actually "meet". They easily communicated, and could see each other in their dream spaces, but they weren't ever in the same physical location. Yet, the bonds created between them were strong--thousands of years communicating can form that kind of bond. The ending resolves this situation, sort of, and lets you feel good about leaving the characters behind.

The big takeaway I received from this story is that the human life is over in a blink of an eye. Our decisions have major consequences down the line into our future. Don't be selfish. Put your own comforts aside for the benefit of others.

I'd recommend this book to older teens and adults. There is some mature content with murder, and a sex scene that's done tastefully. The mix of science and fantasy along with drama and just a smidge of romance creates an interesting story that both males and females can enjoy.

About author Sid Goodman:

Born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated with a BS in Accounting from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  Became a CPA and converted to being an entrepreneur where I was awarded numerous patents and founded several companies.  Moved to San Diego, CA in 1986.  I am divorced with three great children and four great grandchildren.  In 2007 I moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where I now live with my new husband (get it?).

This is my first novel. I’ve always been creative and have been fascinated with science ever since an early age.  I read about the Tunguska Event a few decades ago and was fascinated by it.  I began to write Zylan’s Messengers late in 2011,  When a similar but much smaller explosion occurred in Russia in 2013, the comparison to Tunguska was stark.  The 2013 incident left a trail of debris sixty miles long.  There has never been a speck of debris found from the Tunguska Event.  I felt compelled to incorporate that into the novel making it all the more relevant.

I am an activist for the conservation of Earth’s resources.  They are finite and we are in trouble. 

 

It began as a short story and then became a screenplay.  My hope was to get the movie made. Relatives in the movie industry told me that the only way to get recognition was to write the novel. Two years and 85,000 words later it was born.

Find Sid:   Website   Twitter   Facebook

Coexist (Keegan's Chronicles #1)

About the book:
Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends--she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans.

In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves.

Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known.

An ancient prophecy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?

Find the book: Goodreads  Amazon.com  Barnes & Noble

Review:
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Prophecy, and elves, and a great battle, and budding romance, and magic, and supernatural creatures, and ...

Author Julia Crane weaves a mix of many elements in her book Coexist. That mix creates a story that draws readers into her world, especially lovers of paranormal books.

What makes Crane's elfin society different from other mythical/paranormal societies such as werewolves, fae, etc? I was surprised to realize that the main difference was the life mate situation. There isn't such things as divorce in the elfin society. Your life mate is your perfect match, and you don't get to meet him/her until your 18th birthday. Other than that, Keegan could have been any other mythical creature. She could have been a witch or fae. Members of their society have various powers, but that isn't only contained to that species.

The story uses multiple points of view to move the plotline forward. Readers get a peak inside the head of Keegan, Rourk and Thaddeus (Keegan's brother). I enjoyed seeing how Keegan and Rourk connected when they had never met each other. If I were Rourk and knew every time my chosen life mate thought about me, I'd be tempted too to go spy on her!

This is Keegan's story, but half of the prophecy (and in my opinion, the more important part) is about her brother, Thaddeus. I wish that we could have seen more about what was going on inside of his head during this stressful time. The prophecy states:
 An elfin child on the side of light,
born with the gift of sight,
tells when light and dark shall meet,
but not who will face defeat.
Eldest son of warrior great,
the child will determine elfin fate.
Keegan is able to describe when the war will happen, but it is her brother that "determines elfin fate." The way he does this is by using his brain and wits. It was a fairly simple idea that took some guts to pull off. Crane's solution of ending the battle is very young adult friendly.

It seemed that for a great battle--the battle that was foretold long ago--to put it all in one book, kind dumbed down the importance of it. If the battle itself was spread out over several books, then it would have seemed more epic. My guess is that Crane did this because the story is more about Keegan's relationship(s), than about a battle. The author did a good job of describing the battle and keeping it geared to the young adult audience. It wasn't too graphic or gory.

I was confused about the importance of Keegan's and Rourk's connection. Keegan's brother saw that she would die and that she should call out for Rourk. The story focuses on keeping Keegan safe, and then when the time comes, she spontaneously runs into the battle and gets injured. Rourk actually had to be told about what happened.  If she were so important, you would think better safeguards would be in place, and that Rourk would stay by her side.

I enjoyed how Crane solved Keegan's "situation" after the battle. It was a nice surprise in the plotline. It also sets up the tension/drama for the second book in the series, Conflicted. Ha, yes, I definitely believe Keegan will be a bit "conflicted" in that book!

Readers who enjoy a good paranormal book should pick up Coexist. It is geared to teens, but older readers can enjoy it too.


About author Julia Crane:
Julia Crane is the author of the Keegan’s Chronicles, IFICS. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination.

Find Julia:  Website   Twitter   Goodreads

Release Day Blitz: Witch Hunter Olivia by T.A. Kunz

About the book: 

In the town of Piedmont Pointe, where paranormal is the norm, a girl can easily get herself in over her head with a single wrong move. Unfortunately for Olivia Adams, she’s about to make several.

 

Starting over is never easy, but it seemed like the only option to Olivia. The decision to turn her back on the Guild of Witch Hunters, the very group she devoted her entire life to, was one of the hardest things she ever did. It meant leaving her family, her friends, and her old identity behind forever. Coming to terms with what caused her to abandon her duties in the first place was even harder.
 

While trying to lay low and stay off the Guild’s radar, Olivia finds herself thrust back into her old ways after unknowingly interrupting an assassination hit on a powerful witch. What follows is the last thing she ever thought she’d agree to do—protect the very thing she was groomed to hunt.
 

To complicate things even further, Olivia begins to develop feelings for a tattoo artist who also happens to be half warlock, and no matter how hard she tries to fight it, she can’t resist her inescapable draw to him. Olivia’s forbidden relationship isn’t her only issue though, because once the mystery behind the assassination attempt starts to unravel, she’s forced to choose sides when the loyalties still tied to her past life are tested again.

So much for the idea of a fresh start.

*A New Adult Urban Fantasy Novel*   Find it on Goodreads  

Buy it:   Amazon US   Amazon UK    Amazon AUS   iBooks   B&N   Kobo
 

Excerpt:

He takes my hands in his before standing up. I feel him pull up slightly, and before I know it, I’m on my feet. My legs wobble and I stumble into his arms. Our faces float near one another and I feel his mouth break into a grin next to my forehead. I pan my eyes up to meet his, and he steadies me again by wrapping his arms underneath mine so I have a chance to catch my balance.
 

“Whoa, easy.” His breathy whisper has me looking up at him again. “Maybe you should sit back down.”
 

“No, I’m okay. Really,” I reply, finally able to stand on my own without having to brace myself with the assistance of his strong, muscular arms.

 

I find myself unable to take my gaze away from his baby blues, and we stand here staring at each other. It’s like I’m seeing Heath for the first time. My heart pounds within my chest, and my palms begin to moisten—both classic signs of attraction. We’re standing here chest to chest, and what I initially thought was my own heartbeat hammering furiously in my ears is actually Heath’s.

 

He begins to say something, but I interrupt him by bringing my hands up to his razor-sharp jawline and draw his mouth down to mine. The first contact is soft and smooth, like Heath’s lips. He seems hesitant, so I pull back to look at him.

 

“Something wrong?” I inquire, feeling confused by his apprehension.

 

“Not at all. It’s just I told myself the next time we kissed, it’d happen after an actual date.”

 

“Oh ... well, what do you call tonight?”

 

“The strangest date I've ever been on?” he replies before leaning down and locking his lips with mine again. 

 

Warmth caresses my mouth and works its way up through my cheeks as Heath’s tongue gently maneuvers along with the kiss. His hands travel along my arms before transitioning to the small of my back, leaving trails of heat in their wake. He deepens the kiss while tugging me closer to him. My arms wrap around his neck and prop up on his broad shoulders. I feel like I've been set ablaze as Heath’s hands get antsy and begin searching my body for another resting place.

 

I gently guide him toward his father’s tattoo chair while maintaining our secure lip lock. When we bump into the chair, Heath laughs softly into my mouth, which only makes me kiss him harder. He eases himself down onto the chair and allows me to straddle his lap, one leg on either side of his hips. His hands run up and down my back underneath my blouse, and the intense heat almost becomes too much to handle. It feels like the sun is beating down on my skin, leaving me slightly burned, but in the best way possible.

Heath hooks his hands around my hips and slides me closer to him as his mouth trails from the crux between my neck and shoulder across my collarbone. He ends at the plunging neckline of my blouse and runs his lips over the entire area before continuing onto the other side. A moan of pleasure seeps out from me when I can’t hold it back any longer. The girth in his pants grows as he grinds into me while never removing his lips from my skin. It inches down his pant leg and rubs against my inner thigh, making me want to strip down and have him inside me right now. The more time that passes, the more it becomes a yearning or desire than just a want to be closer.

 

About author T.A. Kunz:

T.A. Kunz has always had a fondness for reading thrilling mysteries and action-packed urban fantasies. So, it was no surprise when T.A. decided to write stories that they’d fall into one of those two genres. T.A. lives in Central Florida with two fur babies and a mechanical engineer who also happens to be quite the culinary badass, which there are no complaints about. Being a self-diagnosed caffeine addict, many joke that T.A.’s addiction to Starbucks coffee will likely be their downfall later in life.

 
Find T.A. Kuntz:   Website   FB Author Page   Twitter   Goodreads

Enchantress of Books Blog Tours

Blood & Thunder (Thirds Series Book 2) cover reveal

 

About the book:

When a series of bombs go off in a Therian youth center, injuring members of THIRDS Team Destructive Delta, and causing a rift between agents Dexter J. Daley and Sloane Brodie, peace seems unattainable. Especially when a new and frightening group, the Order of Adrasteia, appears to always be a step ahead. With panic and intolerance spreading and streets becoming littered with the Order’s propaganda, hostility between Humans and Therians grows daily. Dex and Sloane, along with the rest of the team, are determined to take down the Order and restore peace, not to mention settle a personal score. But the deeper the team investigates the bombings, the more they believe there’s a more sinister motive than a desire to shed blood and spread chaos.

Discovering the frightful truth behind the Order’s intent forces Sloane to confront secrets from a past he thought he’d left behind for good, a past that could not only destroy him and his career, but also the reputation of the organization that made him all he is today. Now more than ever, Dex and Sloane need each other, and, along with trust, the strength of their bond will mean the difference between justice and all-out war.

 

Release date: August 4, 2014

 

Book Links:   Goodreads   eBook   Paperback  

 

About author Charlie Cochet:

Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From Historical to Fantasy, Contemporary to Science Fiction, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

 

Currently residing in South Florida, Charlie looks forward to migrating to a land where the weather includes seasons other than hot, hotter, and boy, it’s hot! When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

 

Find Charlie:   Website   Blog   FB Author Page   Twitter   Goodreads   Pinterest   Newsletter 

  

Excerpt:

 “It is exceptionally important for you to know when your partner is playing and when he or she is irate. Agent Daley, please demonstrate.”

 

Dex arched an eyebrow at the instructor. “Which one?”

 

“Both.”

 

“You want me to piss him off?” What kind of class was this?

 

“In a matter of speaking. Yes.”

 

“Great.” Okay. How could he piss off his partner without losing a limb? What he needed to do was annoy Sloane, really annoy him. Shouldn’t be too difficult. Dex had annoying down to an art. He thrust a finger in Sloane’s face, knowing how much his Felid partner hated that. Then he started singing. Nothing annoyed his partner like Hall and Oates.

 

Sloane let out a fierce roar, and Dex started dancing around him, his voice going high-pitched for certain lyrics while he snapped his fingers. Sloane pawed at him, and Dex spun on his heels, avoiding getting smacked. His partner hissed, baring his fangs before he took off after Dex.

 

“Shit!” Dex bolted, weaving through the rows of agents who were either laughing or watching him in disbelief while their instructor narrated as if this was nothing more than some nature video. Dex could see the title now. National Geographic presents Predatory Partners.

 

“Understand your partner’s behavior. Why is he or she behaving in such a fashion?”

 

“Because I pissed him off?” Dex called out over his shoulder, dashing back toward the instructor.

 

“Very good. Thank you, Agent Daley. You may now soothe your partner.”

 

Clearly, Dr. Eldridge didn’t personally know Sloane Brodie. Dex put his hands up, walking backward slowly as he spoke to his partner.

 

“Hey, buddy. Just following orders, you know? You heard him. I wasn’t the one who wanted to piss you off.” Dex crouched down and held a hand out. Please don’t bite me. Please don’t bite me. Sloane blinked before jumping up on his two back paws, his front paws pushing against Dex’s shoulders and knocking him onto his back. Sloane pinned him, and Dex braced himself. When Sloane started licking his face, Dex shut his eyes tight. “Okay, I get it. Payback. Take notes people.” Dex pointed at his partner. “This is what I meant about payback.”

 

“Agent Brodie, if you’ll resume your place beside your partner. Agent Daley, you may return to your mat.”

 

Sloane did as asked, and Dex wiped at his face with his sleeve before returning to his spot. He was never more grateful not to have ended up partnered with Ash than he was at this moment.

 

“Once you have assessed your partner and deduced he or she is irate, you will want to give your partner space. If you feel it’s safe to approach, you will do so with caution. Deal with what’s causing the issue. For example, Agent Fuller, please approach Agent Daley. Slowly.”

 

The moment Agent Fuller got to his feet, Sloane’s ears twitched. “Um, I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Dex said, watching Agent Fuller creep toward Dex, as if Sloane hadn’t noticed. The Human rookie was clearly unaccustomed to dealing with Felids. “My partner’s a little on the grumpy side and poking the sleeping jaguar with a pointy stick might not end so well.”

 

Agent Fuller paused, his panicked gaze going to their instructor.

 

“It’s all right, Agent Fuller. Proceed.”

 

Doing as instructed, Agent Fuller resumed his prowl, while Sloane resumed his grooming of Dex, his heavy tail thumping against the floor. Uh-oh.

 

“As you can see by Agent Brodie’s movements, he’s fully aware of Agent Fuller. His tail is telling Agent Fuller to be cautious, Agent Daley is his, and he will not take kindly to any aggression toward his partner.”

 

Dex held up a finger. “Can I just—”

 

“Please stand, Agent Daley.”

 

Dex did as asked, and Sloane released a huff at having his grooming session interrupted. This was going to end badly. Dr. Eldridge had no idea what he was about to unleash. Sloane Brodie chewed rookies for breakfast and spit them out. Dex should know.

 

“Agent Fuller, please advance with the intention of striking Agent Daley.”

 

Dex didn’t bother taking a stance or prepare for a blow that would never land. His fellow rookies looked at him as if he was crazy, but soon they’d understand. Poor Agent Fuller. The guy pulled back a fist and the moment he took a step, Sloane’s roar echoed across the field. Ears flattened, fangs bare, Sloane leapt toward Agent Fuller who screamed like a preteen at a Bieber concert and made tracks across the field, Sloane on his heels looking mighty pissed.

 

“Thank you, Agent Brodie,” the instructor called out.

 

Agent Brodie wiped his ass with their instructor’s polite orders and chased Agent Fuller down the length of the grassy pitch. Dex glanced around. “So which of you is a medic?”

 

A few shaky hands went up.

 

“Great. Get ready for the next lesson. How to patch up a Human scratching post.”

  

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