Release Blitz: Rex by Saskia Walker #eroticromance @saskiawalker #billionaire

New from award-winning author Saskia Walker: Rex (A Stepbrother Romance)  #eroticromance  @saskiawalker #billionaire #stepbrother

Book Description:

Rex Carruthers can have any woman he wants, but he wants only one - his stepsister, Carmen Shelby. Their desire was once forbidden, and Rex walked away from his heritage as a result. Now, the reading of a will brings them back together, and Rex has something Carmen wants - his birthright, the stately home, Burlington Manor. 

Carmen Shelby is haunted by her desire for her stepbrother, Rex - a dangerous, masterful player, the man who broke her heart. Then Rex makes an outrageous suggestion - he will give her the Burlington Manor Estate, in exchange for the affair they were denied. 
 
Carmen must risk her fragile heart and explore a new, submissive sexuality with Rex, a natural Dom. She quickly discovers Rex may be her true master, but can he control the powerful family secrets that both drew them together - and threaten to tear them apart. 

Buy links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Coming soon in print. 

EXCERPT

Carmen’s attitude triggered something dark in Rex. Something that was hungry and demanding to be fed. “Crawl to me,” he commanded.
Carmen’s head dropped back as if she’d been physically slapped.
The urge to push her some more roared in on him, taking charge. He strode to the chair where his clothes lay abandoned from the night before.
Swiping up his jeans, he fished into the pocket. He tossed the key chain out across the floor, holding on to the end of the long chain. “Get down on your hands and knees and crawl over here for it.”
When the key landed on the Persian rug, she stared down at it.
Rex jerked on the chain.
The key flipped over on the floor between them, like bait. Like a lure.
“Show me what you want, what you came here for,” he said.
Carmen shook her head.
“I want to know exactly what you wanted when you stepped through the door. The truth.”
She stared up at him. “I can’t do this.”
“You can, because you want the Manor, and you agreed to do whatever I said to get it.” Would she use the safeword? Would this push her humiliation trigger just that bit too far? He didn’t care, as long as it got the truth out of her. He had to know. “Why are you here? What did you want? Just the property?”
“Yes.” She dropped onto her hands and knees. Her voice was weak, forced. “It’s a fair exchange, that’s what you said.”
The light outlined her body, drawing his eye to her curves.
She moved suddenly, jerking forward and crawling toward the key, but she was in turmoil. He could sense it. He could see it.
The sight of her that way made him painfully hard and yet his sense of frustration only grew. He wanted to understand this woman more than anything in the world.
When she got to it, her hand wrapped around the key, but she stayed there, shifting uneasily. The light from the window fell across her naked form, delineating the arch of her waist and the curve of her hip. Her soft skin glowed in the morning light. In contrast, her face was shadowed by her hair as it fell forward, and she looked up at him like a wild creature, her eyes blazing.
“Tell me why,” he demanded, and he held tight to his end of the key chain.
Her body rippled, her back arching. Her head swung to one side. She whimpered. Taking a deep breath she moved again, gathering the chain up in her hand as she went.
“Just the house?” he asked. “That’s all you wanted? You were that mercenary?”
She froze, then sat back on her heels. Her breathing was labored. She was battling inner demons.
He pressed her further. “Why is this so hard for you to talk about?”
“Because I’m scared.” She stared up at him, and her eyes looked wild.
Rex swallowed. “Why are you scared?”
Her eyes flashed shut. “Because I wanted you.” Her voice was scarcely above a whisper “I didn’t realize how much, at first, but I came here because I’ve always wanted you.”
Rex's chest felt tight and restricted.
He let go of the key chain, throwing it down on the floor, and clicked his fingers. “Then come to my side.”
She moved fast, kneeling at his feet, her arms wrapping around his thighs. The key and its chain lay abandoned on the floor. Rex stared down at it, assuring himself of what had occurred.
She clung to him, and he felt damp tears against his skin. “Please don’t tease me about it.”
Rex let his head drop back, relief barreling through him.
Grateful, and empowered, he stroked her head possessively, admitting to himself that a month would never be enough.
Never enough.

About the Author:

Saskia Walker is a USA Today Bestseller and award-winning author. Her short stories and novellas have appeared in over one hundred international anthologies and several international magazines, including Cosmo, Penthouse, and Bust. After writing shorts for several years Saskia moved into novel-length projects.
Fascinated with seduction, Saskia loves to explore how and why we get from saying "hello" to sharing our most intimate selves in moments of extreme passion. Her novels Double Dare and Rampant both won Passionate Plume awards and her writing has twice been nominated for a RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award. She has lots more stories in the pipeline! Saskia lives in the north of England on the edge of the Yorkshire moors, with her real life hero, Mark, and a house full of felines.

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Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

His Everything: A Taboo Love Story by Delilah Hunt

Out Now—His Everything: A Taboo Love Story by Delilah Hunt #eroticromance

Book Description:

Jules and I grew up together, living as brother and sister. Two different moms and the same drunk, abusive sorry excuse for a father Larry.

I’d always wondered why the old man and I couldn’t stand each other, until the day he let me know the truth–he wasn’t my real father.

When social workers finally took Jules and me away from him, she became adopted, and I bounced from foster home to foster home, landing myself in trouble until I wised up, trained like a beast and became an MMA champion fighter.

On the day Jules re-entered my life, I took one look at her cute round face and luscious curves and knew I was a goner.

There’s not a damn thing brotherly about the way I feel for my girl. Jules belongs to me, always has and I dare anyone to tell me what I feel for her is wrong or that we shouldn’t be together.

Warning: This is a sweet romance, packed with tension and explicit scenes and language. This is a pseudo brother-sister theme. Please do not read if this might offend you.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2qrEXJE

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2pShRKc

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2rl11Vr

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2pEMQhM

 
Excerpt

That single realization settles everything. Jules has to be my girl. One way or the other, she has to see we can be more to each other. On that thought, I swallow down the round of nerves threatening to take control of me and hop into my car. Half an hour later, including a drive across the bridge that connects our cities, I find myself pulling up outside the bookstore she’d mentioned. Jules is already on the sidewalk waiting for me.

I rake my gaze over her and feel my balls grow heavy with cum. Only for her. My girl’s hair is held up in a ponytail high on her head with wisps of hair tumbling beside her ears. Her dress is tight at the top, outlining her breasts and cinched at the waist. The thin material flows over her sexy hips downward to the middle of her thighs.

“You have a test or something coming up?” I ask, clearing my throat as she climbs inside to sit beside me. I hope my voice sounds normal, not shaky like I’d just imagined tearing off that dress and whatever she had on underneath to feast my eyes on her naked pussy.

She smiles at me. “Hi to you too.”

Heat races up my neck up into my cheeks. Point taken. That was less than smooth. “I only asked because you were at a bookstore and all. Figured it had something to do with your classes.”

“No,” she says, biting her lip. “I read sometimes–just for the fun of it. Once in a while, it’s nice to go inside an actual store instead of buying online.”

“All right.” I steal a glance at her while watching the road. The truth is, I’m relieved this has nothing to do with her schooling. If Jules gets ready to start talking about college and all that stuff, I won’t have anything to say. The last thing I want is to open my mouth and have her look at me like a dirty ex-con, high school dropout. Then again, I’m not even sure she knows about my time in prison.

“You don’t look bad,” she murmurs out of the blue as the car winds around a curved path leading back to the bridge.

“No?” I chuckle, wondering where she was going with this. “I never thought I did. You trying to tell me something, Jules?”

Her cheeks turn a dark strawberry shade of red. So damn sweet. Exactly how I imagine her lips to taste. “I meant because of the fight. I guess it’s a silly comment though, considering I read that the guy you fought ended up being taken to the hospital later that night.”

“He’s okay, Jules. It was just a precaution because of the strikes he took to the head. More for insurance reason than anything else. Trust me; he’s gonna take a whole lot more if he wants to stay in this sport.”

“What about you? I didn’t see you getting hit in the head.”

Concern for me again. “I know all about how dangerous head injuries are. I don’t train as hard as I do to take hits better. I train to avoid them, especially the ones to the head. It’s all a part of Harv’s coaching method and one of the reasons I train with him.”

Her shoulders relax with what looks like relief. I use this opportunity to test the waters, see how much she’s willing to admit. “Still worrying about me after all this time?”

Jules turns to face me, her eyes locked onto mine. “Always Maddox. Always.”

Always sweetness. Always. Had she noticed what I’d called her in a moment of madness over the phone? Guess so. My throat tightens and my chest aches with so much love for this girl. A moment passes between us. It feels like the air’s been sucked dry. Focusing on the road and keeping us safe, was the only thing stopping me from leaning over and sampling her luscious lips.

No Sanity.

Jules makes a little sound in her throat then sweeps her tongue across her lips while looking at me. “Did you have fun at your party Saturday night?”

“Not as much as I should have.”

“Why not? You earned that big celebration.” Her brows go up, but her voice dips, so low for a second I wasn’t sure I’d heard her correctly, until she adds, “Or weren’t there enough girls to keep you satisfied?”

“Keep me satisfied?” My hands tremble on the steering wheel. That comment… So unexpected. Hell, that sounds like something a jealous bitch would say. Jules is the furthest thing from a bitch. Is she jealous?

Be jealous Jules. Fuck if I don’t want her to be green and bathing in envy. If she was… I draw in a low breath, my mind racing, spinning out of control. That would mean I’m right and she sees me as more than a brother. Might even be as wet for me as I’m painfully hard for her.

“Jules…”

She shakes her head and looks toward the window. “I shouldn’t have made that comment. It was out of line.”

Her jaws tighten and her fingers are locked together, resting on her lap. All right. I’ll give her some time to cool down. “I hope you know we’re not done with this conversation.”

At that she snaps to the side, facing me with a look of utter confusion on her pretty face. “I’m sorry I said anything. There’s nothing else to discuss. Really, Maddox, it’s none of my business what you do.”

I keep quiet for a while, planning my next move. Once we’re at the gym, I kill the engine and glance over at Jules. She’ still staring out of the damn window, been at it for a good ten minutes. Annoyed, not at her but myself for not knowing the best way to get around all this bullshit, I pull the keys out of the ignition, louder than necessary to get her attention. She looks at me, blinking in surprise. Good.

“Do you want to make it your business?” I grate, unable to mask the edge of anger in my voice.

“Make what my business?”

“Me. Maybe I want you to have a say in what I do. Just like I’d like to have a say in what you do. We can be in each other’s business if that’s how you want to put it.”

She stares at me, her brows furrowing then slowly relaxing. Jules sinks a tooth into her bottom lip, appearing unsure while all I can think about is taking those lips between mine and sucking deep, while I feed my cock into her.

Author Bio

Delilah Hunt lives in Germany with her husband and three children. From the moment she opened her first romance novel at the tender age of twelve, she has never looked back, holding this genre close to her heart. Apart from writing and reading, Delilah Hunt loves to be outside, going for long walks and getting ideas for her next books.

If you enjoyed this book and any of her other books, please be sure to leave a review and stop by her site at www.delilahhunt.com to see what else she is working on. Thank you.

Social Media

Twitter: @Delilah_Hunt

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012761610593 (Delilah Hunt)

Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

The Best Seller by Dina Rae #mystery @haloofthedamned

I honestly believe that The Best Seller is a “best seller” and will enter the book world at warp speed. Nancy Allen, The Avid Reader, Book Review 5 Stars

Cannot wait for the sequel! Mike Tosto, 5 Stars

The Best Seller is plot driven with a thrilling story line that will keep readers turning pages until the final climax. Michael Thal, Author, 4 Stars

This is a great story. I was instantly caught up by the aliens and Doctor Jaeger. Bonder Reviews, 5 Stars

The Best Seller
Book 1 of 2
Dina Rae
Solstice Publishing, May 31^st, 2016

Book Description:

When Maya Smock writes her first novel, everything seems to go her way. Her book practically writes itself. She marries her gorgeous agent. Her name is on all of the best seller lists. Billionaire author Jay McCallister takes an interest in her meteoric rise to fame and invites her into his world of alien-believing celebrities. Her life changes forever when he tells her that they were both created inside of a laboratory. These authors are embedding an alien genetic code within the pages of their novels that originated from Nazi Germany because…

The time has come. They are here.

Purchase: Amazon | 

http://dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com/

@HalooftheDamned

FB: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks/

About the Author:

Dina Rae brings an academic element to her novels by weaving research and history throughout the stories. Big Pharma, Big Agri, Big Conspiracy is Dina's first nonfiction work.
Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and dog outside of Dallas. She is a Christian, avid tennis player, movie buff, teacher, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories. She has been interviewed numerous times in e-zines, websites, blogs, newspapers, and syndicated radio programs. When she is not writing she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Stephen King, Brad Thor, and George R.R. Martin. She also enjoys reading about religion, UFOs, New World Order, government conspiracies, political intrigue, and other cultures. The Best Seller, her newest sci-fi novel, is released by Solstice Publishing.

@haloofthedamned
Blog: http://www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30286767-the-best-seller

Trailers:

The Best Seller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQER8wJmaf8
The Last Degree: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkbg6Yy8UKU
Halo of the Damned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p89LXZNxOs

Cover Reveal: Amnesia by Cambria Hebert @cambriahebert

Amnesia
Cambria Hebert
Publication date: June 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

I washed ashore in a little lake town.
A place where everyone knows everyone, yet…
No one knows me.
I don’t know me.
If a woman doesn’t know her own name, does she really exist?
I don’t know my natural hair color, my birthdate, or where I live.
I am invisible.
To everyone, to everything, even to myself.
Except to him.
I see the recognition deep in his stare, the way it lingers on my face as if I’m a puzzle he’s desperate to put together.
I just want answers, the truth… knowledge.
His lips are sealed. Still, his eyes beguile me.
I can’t trust anyone, not even myself. Someone wants me dead, the same someone who tried to bury me in a watery grave.
They’ll come for me again… I won’t know their face.
I don’t even know mine.
I am amnesia.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC. 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

COVER REVEAL: Almost Jamie by Gina Robinson @ginamrobinson

Almost Jamie
Gina Robinson
Publication date: June 8th 2017
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

A kilt meets dress modern love story.
If you like good guy geek heroes who look hot in kilts, strong, intelligent heroines, and poignant romance, then you’ll love Almost Jamie, the first book in Gina Robinson’s light, fun contemporary romance Jet City Kilt Series.
Half American, half English physician Blair Edwards has always wanted her Jamie, the Sinclair, the dashing Highland laird of the wildly popular TV series, Jamie. Unfortunately, it’s so hard to find a man like him in the modern world. When the stars of Jamie come to Seattle’s Jet City Comicon, Blair dresses up as Jamie’s Elinor in a vibrant red gown, hoping to get a seat in their popular presentation and a good view of the handsome, charming star of the show. She doesn’t expect to be called on to use her medical skills to treat an injured cosplayer who looks almost like…Jamie. And sets her wounded heart racing.
Cosplayer, geek, app designer, and cyber security expert Austin MacDougall has been styled by his matchmaker to look like the actor who plays Jamie. He’s been trying to win the prize for best amateur cosplayer for years. Against the advice of his friends, he goes to Jet City Comicon in a kilt as Jamie, the striking redheaded Highlander. When he’s injured during a mock battle with a vicious cosplaying orc, his friends get him help from a beautiful doctor in a stunning red dress.
Has Austin met his Elinor? The adventure is just beginning…
Find out why readers love Gina Robinson’s good guy heroes, the strong women they fall for, and their funny, witty, romantic stories.

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Author Bio:
Gina Robinson is the bestselling and award-winning author of the popular Switched at Marriage, Billionaire Duke, and Billionaire Matchmaker romantic comedy series, featuring a billionaire in a surprising marriage of convenience, a billionaire who inherits a British dukedom, and a playboy billionaire in business with a Manhattan matchmaker, the Reckless and Rushed contemporary new adult romance series, and the Agent Ex series of humorous romantic suspense novels. Her books have delighted readers and received praise in Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Romantic Times Book Reviews.
She writes romance and women's fiction across a wide variety of subgenres—new adult, contemporary, historical, romantic suspense and romantic comedy.
Her love stories are infused with a happy blend of romance, adventure, a bit of mystery, and humor. Readers are drawn to the light touch she gives even serious topics and the fast, fun, easy-to-read pace of her books. From college campus to Seattle to Las Vegas to England, her settings become almost characters of their own, driving the story.
She believes in the power of true love and passion, and that every great romance should have a happily-ever-after.
To keep informed of her new releases, sign up for her mailing list at www.ginarobinson.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Release Day: His Dirty Girl by Jax Hart #Giveaway

His Dirty Girl
Jax Hart
Publication date: May 23rd 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Purchase: Amazon | 

By day Ashley is a good little nurse, but at night she dreams of being his dirty girl.
The notes are blurring on the page.
I can’t think.
I can’t speak.
This man mesmerizes me and I’m in danger of losing everything if I give in to my desire for him.
But it’s not going away.
I’ve never had such dirty thoughts…never wanted a man to do such dirty things to me.
Ashley Hill is trying very hard to make a new life for herself. Falling for her boss was not on her to-do list. But she can’t control her hormones when he’s around. In her dreams, she is safe to explore her deepest desires, but what happens when the lines between fantasy and reality become blurred?
Will Ashley put her career in jeopardy just to be his?
I’ve wanted her since the first second I saw her wearing those tight ass scrubs. My mouth waters and my palms itch every time she walks by, and my dick…well you can guess what he’s doing.
Everything is getting so damn hard. I don’t care that she is off-limits. I need to make her mine, STAT.
WARNING this is a panty-melting, quick and dirty read! Standalone HEA.
Authors Note: This is book one of the Deep Desire series. Each can be read as a stand alone.

Goodreads / Amazon

 

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Excerpt & #Giveaway: When the Sky Falls by Joseph Bendoski @JBendoski

Thriller / Espionage / Conspiracy / Historical

Date Published: March 24, 2017

“What makes you believe a lie? I’m not asking how you know someone is lying. What makes you believe? Because if you don’t understand how that works, then you won’t know when you’re being manipulated.”

In 1938 the War of the Worlds hoax panicked millions of Americans, then in 1988 another fictional media broadcast convinced nearly half of Portugal that sea monsters had risen from the ocean to destroy their cities. A team of CIA agents was sent to study the aftermath of this 6th Skyfall Event in the hope that they could turn it into a weapon of war. When the team consultant turns up dead, everyone scrambles to be the last man standing: the one who will decide if or when the sky falls.

Excerpt

 “What makes you believe a lie? I’m not asking how you know someone is lying. What makes you believe? Because if you don’t understand how that works, then you won’t know when you’re being manipulated.”

William Stephenson, The Nature of Sky Fall Events

Porto, Portugal. October 30, 1988. 8:13 p.m.

            The lights flickered and went dark, that’s when it started. Luis reached up and adjusted the bulb with his fingers. The hot glass burned his skin. He gritted his teeth as the sensation grew stronger. He doubted the bulb was the problem. The TV, fan and even the street light outside the apartment all died in the same moment. “Is this normal for an earthquake?”

            Car headlights flashed through the windows reflecting off Renata’s long, dark hair. “It’s not an earthquake. They already said that.”

            Luis let go of the bulb. Only a moment ago, the emergency broadcast system had come on the air. It’s strobing red light, and high pitched siren blared through every apartment. It was followed by men in lab coats being interviewed. They warned everyone that something was coming, and before they could finish the power cut out, the one thing they had said was, “it’s not an earthquake.”

            The street outside the window was still lightless, and Luis went to check the fuse box. It wouldn’t do much good. If the entire neighborhood lost power, it clearly wasn’t a fuse, but at least it was something to do.

            Renata took his hand. Her fingers trembled. “It’s not the fuses; it’s not our lights. Let it go.” Behind her, the old cement walls were spidered with cracks. They had been like that when they moved in.

“I don’t know what else to do.” He pressed his lips together and looked out the window. Outside, a family loaded into a car; the trunk overflowed as the father kicked at it until the latch held. They piled in, each with a pack on their lap. The mother sat in the passenger seat. In her hands, she held a pistol. Her husband got in, and the car roared to life. A few people emerged onto the street carrying packs, or bags. They all headed east, away from the coast. That’s where the scientist said it would start, on the coast.

“The phone lines,” Renata’s voice wavered, “They use a different power source than the electrical grid, right?” She wiped at beads of sweat forming on her forehead. “For emergencies, right?” She swallowed hard. “I’ll try and call my mom,” She picked up the receiver and held it to her ear. The lines in her face deepened the longer she held the phone. She frowned and jabbed at the disconnect lever several times. “The phones are dead.” Her skin paled. “The phones,” she licked her dry lips, “are dead.”

Luis was still for a long time. Strange muscles deep in his stomach twisted. Something terrible was happening, and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. He didn’t even know what it was. There was a worry in her soft brown eyes; he wanted to protect her, keep her from feeling this way. He walked over and put his hand on Renata’s cheek then kissed her. “We’re leaving.”

She nodded towards the bags they’d started to prepare midway through the broadcast. “Do you think this will be enough?” She rested her head on his chest.

The electricity surged back, lights blazing to life. The TV flashed it’s red warning again. After a moment, it changed to a camera feed from inside a helicopter. A reporter bobbed in and out of the frame. “We’re flying over the city of Vila de Conde, only a few kilometers from Porto.” He pointed to something off camera. “While it seems a much weaker force is headed this way, it will strike here first. That should give us some idea of what to prepare for.” The wind whipped his hair wildly and drowned his voice out. The camera focused in over the ocean. White edges of curling waves shifted as they crashed against the shore. City lights reflected on the water; then the whole city blinked out. “What the hell?” The camera jerked up over the blackened city. A loud guttural cry screeched through the TV speakers, and the reporter's voice shouted, “What in God’s nam—” The image on the TV shook and rotated like someone dropped the camera, then the screen cut to static.

Every beat of Luis’ heart pounded in his chest, teeth, and fingers. He waited for the static to end, for someone to come back, to tell them what happened.

Renata grabbed his hand; her pulse was rapid; throbbing in the vein on her neck. When she spoke, the words sounded strange like her mouth was dry after hanging open for too long. “What’s happening?”

Through the window, they saw a car slam into the small market across the street. Glass shards toppled down and shattered on the hood. Two men got out and kicked at the remaining jagged edges. With sacks in their hands, they hustled inside and filled the bags with food and supplies. They tossed them into the backseat and doubled back for more. A box of spaghetti fell out of the passenger side and burst open. Noodles splayed out on the pavement, breaking under the boots of the men as they hurried back and forth.

“I need to get something.” Luis rushed to the bedroom and pulled a pistol from under the bed. He loaded it and placed several ammo boxes in a bag before returning to his pack in the living room.

The static on the screen finally ended. A news anchor sat at a desk; sweat dripped down his face. He wiped at his brow. “It’s clear now, from this footage.” A small image on the side of the screen grew larger. It was a distant shot of the city of Vila de Conde. The entire coastal edge was gone. The hotels, resorts, beach houses. All gone. Some bits of rubble smoldered in the darkness. “This has been some sort of attack.” He stopped, and his face became stern. He sprayed saliva as he shouted at someone, “I can’t … God damn it … I can’t say that on TV. No one will believe it!” He shoved the desk over and stood; then turned and walked a few steps towards the back of the set.

A husky male voice came from off screen. “Do you believe it?” There was a pause, but the anchor kept walking. The husky voice spoke again, pleading this time, “Someone has to tell them. They have to know.” He yelled with urgency in his voice, “We saw them!”

The newscaster stopped and looked over his shoulder at the camera. “Tell them to run.” He disappeared off camera, and the screen went to static.

The lights flickered a second time, then went dark. Luis held his hand over his mouth. He stopped breathing for a moment and counted his heartbeats. He waited, but the lights didn’t come back.

With heavy packs strapped to their backs, Luis and Renata staggered into the street towards their car. A traffic jam built up behind the vehicle that had crashed into the market. People dashed inside, stealing food. The narrow European street swelled with a growing mob as they disembarked their cars to investigate the problem.

A man got into the obstructing car and attempted to reverse out. The center of the frame teetered on the curb, and the wheels spun over the slick cobblestones.

A massive man with a thick beard exited his truck. “What’s wrong with you?” He thrust crude gestures with his hands, then stopped and summoned the other stalled drivers to the stranded car. He pantomimed his intention.

Seven men gathered around the small European car and tipped it onto its side, but the vehicle still blocked the road. They shoved and kicked, but the road wouldn’t clear. Thick-beard threw up his hands, gathered his gear from his car and started walking.

Luis’s eyes widened. “I don’t understand it.”

“Do you need to?” Renata gripped his shoulder, the tips of her nails bit into his skin. “They told us to run.”

Abandoning their car, Luis and Renata joined the panicked herd. They ran, shoved and bumped into each other as they maneuvered around the empty cars. The weight of the pack made Luis unstable as people jostled against him. As each person collided into him or reached out to stabilize themselves, his balance wavered. The straps dug deep into his shoulders. The heavy load labored his run. People were constantly pressing past. He made Renata go first so he could keep an eye on her.      

A tall man with wide shoulders shoved Luis into the side of a car. He stumbled and grabbed the mirror to keep from falling. Renata screamed. He turned as she plummeted to the ground a few feet away, disappearing into the mad swarm of human bodies.

Luis surged forward ramming people until he found her. He tried to help her stand, but the mob kept pressing forward, and Luis fell on top of her. A foot crunched down on his hand; then a knee jabbed into his ribs. Droves of people crashed against his body. His hair got caught on something, and it ripped a patch from his skull. A trickle of blood dripped from his scalp onto Renata’s face.

Luis pressed his lips to her ear. “The gun is in my pack. Fire the gun.” He didn’t feel her searching the bag, too many hands, knees, and elbows jabbed and thrust into him, but he heard the gunshot, next to his ear. It thundered, and his whole body tensed. The thundering didn’t end. His ear rang, and it felt like someone was trying to hammer a nail into his brain. He saw Renata’s face, she was shouting, but he couldn’t hear her anymore, couldn’t hear the crowd, the waves of pounding feet on stone, just a high-pitched pierce in his ears.

The crowd stopped pressing down on him. They’d backed away. He got to his feet. Renata still lay on the ground. Luis dragged her into the bed of a truck. She cried and kept trying to say something, but he couldn’t hear it. Her face flexed in pain. He scanned her body and saw the ankle. Human bodies, human feet don’t bend like that. The tibia seemed to be jabbing down through the foot, forming a large bulb at the bottom, and the ankle swelled thicker than her leg.

The crowd swarmed back. Luis slumped down beside her. His eyes lingered on her face, her eyes. She couldn’t walk, not on her own. Whatever was coming would catch them. How will you take care of her? Luis took the gun from her hands. He studied the pistol for a long time, its dark oily finish, the weight of it in his hand, a weapon. If he couldn’t run, then he would fight. He crawled out of the truck bed to the car just behind. He rested the pistol on the hood and stared out into the darkness. Luis saw the white curling waves. Whatever it was, came from the ocean, he knew that. He waited a moment, watching the water, trying to see it. Nothing, just darkness. He pulled the trigger then looked at Renata. Broken. Helpless. His eyes welled up with tears. Fight. Even if you can’t see it. Fight. He fired again, fired until the gun was empty.

------

            Pedro stood on a grassy hill overlooking the city of Porto. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Flashlights bobbed in the dark like swiveling dots, spreading away from the coast and into the countryside. He wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. It came away with a mixture of dirt, sweat, and mud. He’d marched his family through the dust cloud of the exodus. He and his wife, Beatriz, had fought with sticks to protect their young children as they ran through the streets. The blood streaks on Pedro's knuckles were only partly his. He reached for the canteen around his neck and poured out a small handful of water to wash his hands.

            Beatriz slipped her fingers through Pedro’s gray-streaked hair. “Can I have a drink?” In her arms their two-year-old slumbered, dirt crusted snot clung to his nose. One arm hung loosely away from his body.

            Pedro lifted the canteen to his wife. “Anything new on radio?”

            She finished her drink. “Still just static.” She kissed her son on his forehead, and her wet lips came away powdered with dust. “I turned it off an hour ago. We should check again.”

            “Yeah.” Pedro nodded and headed towards the tents and campfire. His two older children were sprawled out next to the flames. On a tree stump sat a battery powered radio, its antenna tilted toward the city. He could make out the larger buildings by moonlight, but nothing electrical brightened the horizon. He flipped the radio on. Static buzzed through the speakers.

            “You have to help it.” Beatriz approached and placed her hand on the antenna. The static cleared, and a voice filled the camp.

            Pedro’s entire body stiffened at the familiar voice. The reporter who had refused to say what he had seen, the news anchor that had walked off the camera. The man who told everyone to run. His voice was heavy with emotion. He admitted he was an actor, and the entire scare had been a hoax. He took a deep breath and repeated the message.

            “Holy mother of God.” Pedro dropped his head into his hands. “It wasn’t real. None of it was real.” His voice trembled. “We left everything.”

            Beatriz stumbled and then lowered herself to the ground. Her eyes welled up. “We’re safe.” She kissed her son repeatedly. “We’re safe.”

            Pedro jerked up. “Safe?” He raised his voice, the tone sharp, “Safe?” He thrust his arm towards the city and pointed. “They lied to us.” He picked up a rock and lunged to his feet, running towards the distant city. He hurled the stone into the open plain below. “Why!”

            After a long moment, Beatriz pulled him close. “The power is still out. That was real. Something happened.”

            Pedro stared down at the city. The flashlight dots had changed direction, but the city remained dark. His body numb, he slumped down, never taking his eyes from the city. The message on the radio continued to repeat. It had been a hoax, a lie. The radio cut to static and a single light sparked in the city. It grew into a massive flame taller than any building. The fire burned brighter throughout the night but never spread. Something had happened, not the lie they told, but something.

------

The Old CIA Building, Langley Virginia. 10:09p.m.

Silas Cooper sat behind his desk reviewing surveillance reports. His black hair slicked with a heavy gel that reflected the light. He ran his hand through it and some collected along the edge of his finger. He rubbed it aggressively into his skin until only a sheen remained. Someone knocked at the door but opened it before Silas could respond.

Costly, in a vested suit, entered holding a stack of Portuguese Escudo bills bound with a rubber band. He swaggered over to Cooper’s desk and tossed the money down. “Guess what?”

“I don’t have time for your bullshit. What do you want?” Silas’ lips curled downward, and his chin tightened.

Costly flashed a crooked, toothy grin. “There’s been a Sky Fall Event in Portugal.”

The room went still and Silas chuckled. “Finally.” He let out a contented sigh. “How big?”

“Half the coast. Multiple cities.”

“Jesus.” Silas’ smile faded. “Where’s Stephenson?”

 “Shit, you’re not going to like it.” Costly hung his head. “As far as we know he’s in London —“

Silas cocked his head to one side, then back to the other. He pointed at his colleague with the file in his hand. “Now, I know you're full of shit. I ought to break your teeth for this.”

Costly held up his hand apologetically. “No jokes. It happened, and he is that close, but,” he directed Silas to wait with an index finger. “He doesn’t have his plane with him. He’ll have to take the trains, and that should buy you some time.”

“Not enough.” Silas pocketed the money. “Get me Stephenson’s list. Cross out anyone not fluent in Portuguese or Spanish.”

“Already done.” Costly pulled a file from his briefcase. There were two columns of names; all but one were crossed out.

“Jay Nichols,” Silas read. “What’s his experience?”

“Two weeks here in Langley.”

“Are you God damn kidding me? You want to feed a puppy to the lion?”

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When the Sky Falls

by Joseph Bendoski

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About the Author

Joe Bendoski study psychology in college and was fascinated by all the insights it provided into human behavior, only to realize most the information never reach people, and when it did, rarely was it in a form that allowed for practical application. He started writing non-fiction, but soon came to understand how few people read that genre and began the difficult transition into fiction writing. His non-fiction works include; the Chemistry of Attraction and the Language of Emotion. 

He worked as the head writer for the television show ‘Saved by Grace.’ After being frustrated with comments like "make this scene cheaper," "What's my motivation?", and "Do we need this scene?" he deiced to go in to literature.

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