Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon

“Live and breathe your darkest fears!”

Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon – Synopsis

Crystal Bouchard awakens imprisoned in an underground cell with no recollection of how she got there and with no memory of her prior existence. Held against her will, her captors threaten to kill her son unless she fights to the death in the underground fighting circuit. Nicknamed “The Dragon,” she spends the next several years among werewolves and vampires.

 
During the course of searching for her son, she slowly begins to recollect her prior existence before her imprisonment, pushing her deeper within the fighting circuit.

***

Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon – Reviews

“Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon takes your darkest fears, your primal desires, and your fondest hopes into the realm of vampires, werewolves, and hybrids, which will leave you breathless and begging for more. A definite MUST read!!!” – Lisa Randolph Truelove, Actress/Voiceover Artist

 

“Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon is an edgy, well-written novel. Character development is very good, with believable personalities that develop at a nice pace over the course of the story. It is dark and at times quite intense with elements of erotica that work well within the story, as opposed to being gratuitous.

Crystal is like a tank on steroids when she’s in the ring; she is strong, determined and a survivor. She is wary and watchful during her captivity but ever hopeful that she’ll escape. Crystal and other characters in Bad Elements deal with issues of loneliness and trust and each deal with those issues in their own way. The end was a bit predictable but also has some surprises. The only complaint I have with the novel is that at times it gets too close to Paranormal Romance for my taste, which is something I’m just not into.

Overall, Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon is an entertaining read. I give it three chainsaws out of five.” – Colleen Wanglund, Reviewer at MoreHorror.com

 

“Lynn Mullican’s debut novel Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon delivers with its believable characters and serves up a solid one-two punch with its distinct and often bleak atmosphere in underground fighting.” — Dale L. Murphy, Owner of Graveside Tales

***

Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon – Excerpt

After the commentator announced Kara, the crowd chanted her name. Kara entered the arena. I had to admit, I stood in awe of the woman. She was at least a foot taller than me and exceptionally muscular. I looked like a midget compared to her. Her hair was straight, black, and shoulder length. She looked like she might have been on steroids.

I would have to get the upper hand early in the fight, then go low and take her down. As Kara and I faced off, our fans screamed.

Kara threw the first punch which I was able to dodge. I sidestepped her and caught her in the rib.

She groaned and doubled over.

I moved in, grabbed her by her hair and brought my knee up into her face. 

That was when she wrapped her arms around me, and tried to take me to the ground.

Instead, I ran into the wall behind me. An uppercut rocked my head back, banging it against the wall. I groaned. I took a shot to the stomach before I was able to get her off of me.

While we fought, the fans slammed each other against the bars. The commentator made the announcement for the fight to stop. We glanced up at him.

Recognizing it was for the fans to stop, we returned to our business. I rushed her, going low for the legs, and slammed her into the barrier. Even though she struck the concrete wall, she was still able to elbow me in the middle of the back.

I yelped in pain. The riot started above us again. A corpse struck the bars. The snarls and growls escalated, catching our attention as they echoed throughout the arena. Kara and I glanced at each other and then at the chaos above. The bars had been bent.

Kara stood near the barrier, trying to focus in on the crowd.  Blood poured out from the bars, drenching her from head to toe. She stared at me, wide-eyed, as if she knew the inevitable. My mouth fell open. Fear set deep inside me, and from this point on everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Kara stood frozen in place. The bars moaned beneath the massive weight, continuing to bend in multiple areas behind the steel barrier. Fearful that the bars were going to split wide open, I took a couple of steps back, ready to run.

The bars exploded throughout the arena. I threw myself to the ground and covered my head. Steel echoed off of concrete walls, rebounding around me. Two of the bars struck me in the legs. They were heavy, but not heavy enough to seriously injure me.

I glanced behind me at Kara, who had fallen to the ground with a male corpse atop her. It had been torn to shreds. I gasped in horror. Blood soaked the dirt surrounding her and the body.

She barely managed to get the man off of her and stand up when several fans jumped into the arena. I pulled myself up, watching them circle Kara. Covered in blood and guts, she gave me the look which I recognized as defeat.

She was defenseless against the lot of them.

I took one step toward them and then halted in terror. She was shredded within seconds. They devoured her, some still feeding off of her while she fell to the ground. More fans followed the others into the pit, coming towards me. Their lips curled back, revealing their elongated fangs.

I backed up, recognizing the difference between their fangs and Wayne’s. At first, I thought they were werewolves too, but their flesh was white and their eyes darker.

Then I made the connection: they were vampires.

I turned and ran straight for the open concrete door behind me, my heart pounding in my chest.  I never ran so fast in my life.

Wayne stood just on the inside of the gate and yelled at me to hurry. There was no sign of Alex. My guess was that he had booked it, for he was mortal like me. He needed time advantage.

Something grazed my back. I screamed. The tiny hairs on my neck stood up. I was no match for these creatures. They were closing in on me. Wayne lurched forward and pulled me to safety behind the wall, gate and door.

Some of the vampires got stuck in the small room that barricaded the corridor from the main arena. This didn’t stop them, though. They tore through the door, blowing it apart. Pieces of it flew in all directions, striking us and the walls. We ran down the corridor.

Vampires shrieked behind us, followed by unhinged metal and something heavy rebounding against the wall. Wayne and I had already passed the commentator and were coming up fast behind Alex.

The commentator screamed. I presumed the heavy object had been the door to his small office. Blood sprayed the wall next to me.

Wayne let go of me and pressed me onward, before transforming into his alternate form.

Two of the vampires jumped him while he was still in mid-transformation. He slammed them into the walls.

I screamed. He received several bites before he fully transformed. His massive body took up most of the corridor, blocking us from all of the vampires except one. I ran through the door to our right, after Alex. The one vampire who was now amongst us jumped Alex just on the other side of the door.

Alex swung the door shut and fought back. He was thrown to the ground, the vampire atop him. I jumped on the vampire’s back, wrapping my arm around its neck. The door broke into pieces around us. Wayne stormed in, still in wolf form, and bared his teeth. The creature threw me off of its back. I struck the wall behind me, my head rebounding off of it. The vampire glared at me.  I thought for sure I was dead.

Wayne ran full stride at the vampire. His claws echoed off the concrete floor and drove him into a wall. Alex jumped to his feet, threw open another door, and pushed me into the dark room. Screams and other noises which I associated with being mauled escalated in the room behind us.

As we ran into the room, Alex flipped on the light switch. Wayne mutated into his human form and ran into the room after us. He slammed the door shut, separating us from the vampires.

***

Bad Elements series: Crystal Dragon – Quotes

While I debated the thought of suicide by vampire, he lifted my face to meet his. Our eyes rested on each other’s. “Now you, on the other hand, are not dispensable. I need you.”

***

I had one advantage here over my prior situation: I wasn’t caged up in a cell. That upped my chance of escape by probably twenty percent. Now, it was a matter of opportunity.

***

It was not the kind, serene face I had seen earlier; a menacing, deformed scowl now stood out on it. His fangs protruded grotesquely against his lips. I stared at him, aware I was committing suicide by vampire.

***

I was afraid to see my reflection. The dirt washed away and revealed what looked like a Halloween mask. I stared in horror at my reflection. I wanted to cry.

***

I started to back away from him when Goldie forcibly shoved me out the door and into Wayne. Wayne’s gruesome fangs were in my face. I fell back onto the ground and turned my face away from him, waiting for the attack but it wasn’t me the werewolf was after.

***

Great, I was done. Drop the casket and bury me now. I might as well go down fighting. The blonde vampire growled behind me and the wolves snarled in front of me. I was ready for action and ready to be killed.

***

Fear surged through my body, fear that had not been this strong since I first awoke. What happened to me? What couldn’t I remember that put me in this position? Was I in jail?

***

I lay on my stomach, thinking about turning over when the werewolf’s hot breath was on my neck. It blew my hair forward into my face. A low growl echoed in my ear.

***

Oh, if Warrant only knew. A bad situation with a man? More like a monster.

***

He should have killed me when he had the chance, or he should have never come in here in the first place.  He’d imprisoned himself inside a cell with a killer unlike himself.

***

Bad Elements series: Crystal Dragon, Blood for Blood & The Hybrid Unleashed – FAQ’s

Describe your main characters: 

Crystal Bouchard AKA “The Dragon” is an amnesiac victim, a martial artist, a prisoner in an immortal world. She is a fighter and a survivor, a lover and a killer. Crystal is a determined mother on a mission to find and protect her family.  She is stubborn, headstrong, intelligent, and beautiful. Crystal has unwitting sarcasm to aid and jeopardize her situation no matter what position she’s been put in.  

Robert Bouchard is a law enforcement officer with secrets of his own. He is driven to find his mother who has been missing for several years. He’s a young, married man with a “special” wife and three half-bred werewolf children. 

Tristan Ayers is a “unique” individual with extraordinary talents and abilities. He’s a special agent investigating unethical practices within the vampire and werewolf communities. One of his current missions is a role as protector. He is rugged looking with handsome features and has multi-faceted characteristics.

Jace Templeton is a strong, powerful and rogue vampire with unethical practices and habits. He is always looking for a new project and relies on his associates for mundane tasks. He is very intelligent, cunning and forceful. He is very passionate about his new venture. 

Provide setting – time period and locations: 

The book spans approximately a five-year timeframe from mid-2007 to about 2012. Some of the locations include the forests of Payson, Flagstaff, Munds Park and Prescott, Arizona. Some of the small towns and bars are located in Payson and Flagstaff, Arizona.

***

https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Dragon-Bad-Elements-Book-ebook/dp/B0088FAQS0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1470534214&sr=8-1&keywords=lynn+mullican#nav-subnav

 

---

Bad Elements: Blood for Blood

“When Death comes for you, fight back with all that you have!”

Bad Elements: Blood for Blood – Synopsis

Crystal Bouchard AKA Crystal Dragon is re-united with her family after spending five years imprisoned as an underground fighter for the vampire/werewolf community. As her familial ties are woven, Crystal’s prior kidnapper, vampire Jace “J.T.” Templeton and his henchmen seek revenge on her, forcing her to make a decision that could kill her and her family. Only this time she brings a new breed to the fight.

***

Bad Elements: Blood for Blood – Reviews

“This is a genuine pleasure to read no matter what genre you generally prefer. At times it reminded me of the ’30 Days of Night’ series by Steve Niles with the intricacy of vampiric story-telling. Nevertheless, Lynn has also managed to balance that with a heartfelt story of a family, reminiscent of the ‘Ender’s Game’ series by Orson Scott Card or Tobe Hooper’s ‘Poltergeist’. That makes the action all the more deeply impactful in that the characters are people and not just plot devices. There are elements of mystery as well with the shrouded past of the main character. I usually pride myself in being able to figure out the ending about halfway through. I must confess, with this story, I was not able to, but I had so much fun reading it that I didn’t mind and when it finally came to light, I was very pleased. The surprise at the end gave me chills and made me want to read more!” – Paul Loh, Author of The Greater Number

 

“Have you ever read a book with vampires in it? Sure, you have. What about werewolves? It’s possible. Werewolves and vampires? Hmm…sounds a little familiar? What about a werewolf and a vampire who both like the same woman? Uh oh. We’ve seen this play out before. And it gave some of us an upset stomach.

But wait. Have we seen werewolves, vampires, the girl and Fight Club? Fight Club? Yeah, that’s what I said.

In the second book of the Bad Elements series, Blood for Blood, we get all of this. Unlike that other book which focused on the love affair between a teen-aged werewolf, a vampire and a young lady, Blood for Blood focuses more on, well, family. Yes, family. And fighting. In Blood for Blood, Crystal is reunited with her son and daughter and her son’s family, only to be stalked by what amounts to a promoter—granted, a very angry promoter. As their house in the country is surrounded, danger lurks everywhere. What are they going to do and how are they going to protect themselves? And why is Crystal being stalked?

I did say there was a Fight Club element to this story, right? There is. Crystal just happens to be one of the best fighters in an underground fighting circuit. Everyone wants to fight her. And certain people want to control her.

For those who like romance and sex, there is a bit of that in here as well. Truth is, this story has a bit of everything. Monsters? Check. Action? Check. Sex? Check. Family ties? Yup.

 

I said this story was based a lot on family, and it is. Throughout the book we see the characters’ concerns over family members. We see Crystal struggle at times, especially where the safety of her family is concerned. We see her son and daughter struggle with their emotions at being reunited with their mother. This is where this story is the most human, in the struggle to protect their family.

A very good thing about Blood for Blood is that you don’t have to read book one to be able to follow it. You can pick it up and jump right into the story. There are a lot of things I could talk about here, but to do so would give away parts of the story. If you like your action and fighting you’ll probably like Blood for Blood. If you like the romantic, sexual side of things, you’ll probably like Blood for Blood as well.

To sum it up, Blood for Blood is a bit Buffy, a bit MMA, a bit that other book, and quite a bit entertaining.”—A.J. Brown, Author of Cory’s Way

 

“This is the series for anyone looking for their next Twilight or Hunger Games. Author Lynn Mullican nails it with a fantasy novel involving classic creatures and a gripping story!  Not to be missed!”—Michael S. Fields, Author: Spirits of the Darkness/The Blackwood Conspiracy

***

Bad Elements: Blood for Blood – Excerpt

In a heartbeat, they were both on me, throwing me backwards off of the chair, slamming us all down to the floor. Although I landed with a thud, one of their hands cradled my head so my skull wouldn’t crack open on the hardwood floor. They pinned me down, each on half of my body, with a leg in between mine. I tried to fight back but was powerless against them.

I started to scream when one of each of their hands grabbed and pushed my head backwards to angle my neck towards their mouths, forcing mine shut. I hissed through my teeth. The piercing of their fangs slid into my skin. Blood oozed from the bite marks that now scarred my flesh. The tension of my muscles made it that much worse. My muscles strained against their strength and power. I trembled beneath them. I could actually sense the blood draining from my body. It was as if somebody had hooked up a water hose. It sucked the life out of me. I fought to keep my eyes open, to fight the inevitability of death.

As I stared up into the light above me, it looked as though it swayed…and then it dimmed. A thought deep in my brain told me I wasn’t going to make it through this. Oh, God—I was going to die! I tried to raise my arms to fend them off, but instead my arms lay limp, next to me.

When I closed my eyes, warm liquid enveloped my back, my neck, my shoulders, and my chest. My breath came in short gasps. As I fought to retain life, their mouths released my body. Lying there, I struggled to open my eyes. I gazed up at the two men who had taken my mortal existence away from me. In their dim outlines above me, they looked like angels, but angels they were not. Blood dripped down their chins. They lowered their wrists to my mouth, lines of blood dripping down their arms and into my lips. Tristan propped me up to suck the blood from their wrists. I recognized the coppery metallic taste Wayne used to feed me. Although I should have been disgusted by it, I welcomed it, savoring every morsel. I took turns on each of their wrists, slowly regaining my energy.

A renewed energy flowed through my body. As I licked Tristan’s arm clean, Warrant whispered in my ear.

“Tristan will take care of the rest.” He stood and left the room.

Tristan tried to pull his wrist away from my mouth, but I continued to hold on, my mouth seeking his life force. I lapped up the rest of the blood on his forearm. My tongue traveled up his arm to his shoulder. I sought out his neck, his ear, and then his mouth. He responded back, clutching and pulling me in closer to him. I thought our bodies were going to merge into one. He pulled away. Not wanting him to recoil, I tried to move in closer. I halted, then lunged for him again.

“Crystal, I’m so sorry. We figured it would be best that you not know when it was coming. I’m…” 

I cut him off with my mouth, our tongues seeking each other’s. I drove him backwards onto the floor and ripped his shirt apart with my hands. My fingers had elongated into claws.

He stared back at me, grabbed my wrists, and drove them down next to him. My claws connected with the wooden floor. I curled my hands inward, cutting deep scratches into it. My tongue trailed down his neck. He rolled me onto my back, and pinned me down. 

He whispered, “Control, Crystal, control.”

***

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Bad-Elements-Lynn-Mullican-ebook/dp/B00VOG9JRO/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51OZaPtrc-L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v7%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-50_OU01__BG0%2C0%2C0%2C0_FMpng_AC_UL320_SR210%2C320_&psc=1&refRID=8BEMWWTQ2YWABR0F58E2#nav-subnav

 

---

 

Bad Elements: The Hybrid Unleashed

“Unleash the beast in you!”

Bad Elements: The Hybrid Unleashed – Synopsis

Adapting to a normal life in the immortal realm, Crystal finds her familial ties in turmoil. As Crystal’s son becomes obsessed with a string of recent deaths, his marriage to his witch wife grows weak, forcing her to turn to her sister for guidance.

Meanwhile, Crystal’s daughter, Jennifer struggles with her immortal hormonal imbalance, attracting two teenage boys, one of whom is not what he seems.

With the appearance of her ex-husband, Wayne, Crystal becomes the target of the elite immortal agency, the Underground Secret Service, its affiliates, and its primary targets, including the notorious and dangerous biker gang, The Hells Changelings—her lover’s brotherhood.

Gaining some of her memory back, she discovers secrets and uncovers the truth behind her captivity, pushing her into the primary focus of annihilation by the hunters and the hunted in this sequel to the dark and edgy novel, Bad Elements: Blood for Blood.

***

Bad Elements: The Hybrid Unleashed – Reviews

“Riveting! A dark and engrossing read that pulls you in and rips your heart out! It leaves you begging for more!” – DM Wolfenden, Author of Double Trouble

 

“Underground Paranormal Monster Cage Matches, Secret Police, Cruel Experimentation…what doesn’t this book have? Hybrid Unleashed is the third book in Mullican’s Bad Elements Series. It follows the saga of Crystal and her family as they try to heal from the past and forge a somewhat normal existence, or at least as normal as you can be when your family is made up of werewolves, witches, and hybrid paranormal creatures. I have to be honest, I’m reading them out of order.

While it is the third book in the series and I’m reading things completely out of order, I found the story fairly easy to follow. The cast of characters is huge and they’re apparently involved from Books 1 and 2. I wasn’t lost, but I definitely know I’m now going to read the first 2 novels, just for pure character insight. It was also fairly easy to pick up this book and start because Crystal is having flashbacks of her forgotten past, so if I was confused, she usually had a memory emerge just when I needed it.

This book isn’t a YA Novel and the supernatural creatures can be brutal, but it plays more like a Charlaine Harris type of novel…you love them even when they give in to their primal instincts.

What I liked about Crystal, the main character, is that she is struggling to find her place within her family. After years in the underground, as a captive, she’s adapting to life as a mother and grandmother. As you can imagine, it’s pretty hard to navigate. She does it with strength and determination.

I’m giving this a 5 out of 5 stars and eagerly looking forward to “starting” the series. This series is recommended for MATURE Audiences and probably 18+ due to the violent content and sexual content.” –Rebecca Milhoan, BiblioGal

 

“This book reminds of Twilight but more risqué…if that makes sense. I’m only going by the movies since I actually did hate Twilight but this book is more violent and mature than that of the Twilight movies. Be forewarned: these characters have a mouth on them. If you are offended by the description of blood or bad language and can only handle PG-related material, this book may not be for you.

I like to think of this book as being more like The Howling: a far superior movie than Twilight anyway. This is the third in the book series where the characters are trying to live a normal life but then a biker gang comes along. Pretty soon it’s pretty much an all-out war and people turning into hybrid of creatures. One person is a hybrid of werewolf, vampire, and other things. It’s pretty crazy. At one point it even reminded me of a role-playing game with werewolves, vampires, and a witch (like the magic user) and even gargoyles appearing off of tattoos.

There is a lot of cool stuff in this book and if you are a fan of Twilight, role-playing games, or even The Howling I highly suggest picking up this book. If you can get past the R-Rated material, then you are in for a ride.” –Michael S. Fields, Author of Spirits of the Darkness

***

Bad Elements: The Hybrid Unleashed – Quotes

 

“I trusted you…even then,” she whispered.

 

***

There was something there! He glanced up at one of the caskets on the opposite wall. A human reflection stared back at him. It advanced on him.

***

He had never seen her like this before, her needs were so primal.

***

The iciness from his tongue and the grazing of his fangs upon my skin sent a chill down my spine. It enticed my inner beasts.

 

***

Time stopped everything within the house. Movement became null and void except for the presence. The spillage of blood ceased to move. Droplets hung in midair. A dark mist moved into the home from the open back door. It swirled about Raelin and the children first. Then, brazenly it merged further inside.

***

Bad Elements: The Hybrid Unleashed – Excerpts

Rapid gunfire spread throughout my living room, penetrating the walls to where my children would sleep, had they been in bed. Instead, they screamed, cried, and clung to me. My son, Robert, was ten years old, and my daughter, Jennifer, was only four. We huddled together in the corner behind the oak entertainment center.

Bullets riddled past, striking the wall to the right of us. The suppressor on the gunman’s rifle kept its noise to a minimum. Dressed in black, the gunman swept the room with his rifle. Then, he turned and pointed the gun at me and my children.

Tears flowed down my cheeks. “No!” I screamed. I squeezed my children tighter, pressing their heads against my chest.

“Please no!”

The gunman grinned. As he readied himself for another shot, my husband Wayne, rushed through the front door. His footsteps resonated throughout the house.

The gunman whipped around. As he turned the rifle on my husband Wayne grabbed the barrel, yanking the rifle and the gunman, at an inward angle, toward him, the barrel pointed at the floor. The gunman jerked forward, his finger still on the trigger.

Another succession of bullets fired into the Spanish tile floor sending pieces of the tile flying everywhere. Then another bullet struck the television and the stereo system to the left of us. Sparks shot everywhere, igniting a fire to the entertainment system.

Jennifer’s screams died down to a coughing, crying fit as Robert’s echoed throughout the room.

I was afraid to move.

My home was no longer my safe haven. It had been intruded upon, and I was scared. If I didn’t do something to help my husband, we might all lose our lives. Robert and Jennifer needed to know mom and dad were here to protect them. But, huddling here in the corner was not protecting them. I had to step up and do something even though I had no weapons in my hands.

A fight ensued between Wayne and the gunman. Wayne spun around, driving an elbow into the man’s ribcage. Snarling, he ripped the gun out of the man’s hands and tossed it to the floor. The werewolf within Wayne came forth, revealing his large canine fangs.

If we made any noise, we might attract the werewolf’s attention. That was the last thing I wanted to do, so I tried to keep the kids silent. I pressed my finger to my lips to indicate they needed to keep quiet. Robert understood. Jennifer did not. She was too young.

Wayne’s fingers transformed into claws. They dug into the man’s arm. Blood oozed out from the wounds. Then Wayne latched onto his head, his fangs penetrating the man’s skin. The gunman screamed.

“Mom…”

I clamped my hand over Jennifer’s mouth as she wriggled in my arms. The man’s cries overrode her voice. Thank God. My heartbeat raced.

“Shush,” I whispered.

To our left, the fire traveled up the walls and onto the floor. Next, it would be us. We had to get out of the house. The nearest exit was our living room window, so we crept over to it. I motioned for Robert to keep quiet as he opened the window and scrambled out of it. Tears streamed down his face.

My adrenaline sped up, my heart beating faster by the second. The werewolf was too busy with his kill to notice us.

Trembling, Robert reached through the window and grabbed his sister. Without hesitation, he covered her mouth, turned, and ran away toward our neighbor’s house.

I hesitated, contemplating grabbing the gun, or immediately following my kids. At least with the gun, I could shoot whoever attacked us.

Then two figures emerged from the shadows. They moved toward my children.

“No!” I screamed.

I grabbed the windowsill to jump out of it. Behind me, Wayne growled.

Glancing back, I cried, “Somebody’s after the kids.”

Our children screamed.

Snarling, Wayne leaped at the window. I backed away as he crashed through the glass. It shattered everywhere.

Just then the entertainment center erupted into a full-blown fire. It was growing out of control. I couldn’t wait any longer. My only chance of escape was through the window, so without question, I grabbed the windowsill. Broken shards of glass penetrated my skin. Shit!

Groaning, I glanced out at my children. They struggled against the two men who fought to control them. As Wayne leaped at the man who held Jennifer, another figure emerged from the darkness. In his hand, he held a Taser.

“No!” I screamed.

An electrical current shot out, connecting with Wayne. It sent my husband into seizures as he fell to the ground.

Heads turned toward me.

Fuck!

No time to wait! I snatched up the rifle. When I spun around to aim it, an electric current shot through me. The rifle fell from my grip. As if in slow motion, I fell to the floor. Red and orange embers danced, gracefully and rapidly moving in toward me.

The back door opened, and in strode a man with dark-colored boots. Though I was unsure and fearful of who stood over me, I could do nothing about it. My body was paralyzed and before I knew it, I lost consciousness.

Awakening from a deep sleep, I bolted upright. I glanced around. My dream was a distant memory. My hair was wet and it clung to my face. When I touched my cheek, I found my fingers soaked with blood. Bloody tears streaked my face.

Memories of my past were coming back.

***

I sat on the roof of our house, overlooking the forest. Though my memory was slowly coming back, I had not regained one hundred percent of it. In due time, I would remember everything including why my ex-husband Wayne held me prisoner for almost five years in an underground prison cell, and why he had forced me to fight to the death with vampires and werewolves in attendance.

I laid back, recalling my latest memory, and stared up at the night sky. Why had somebody come into our home and tried to kill us? And why couldn’t I recollect much of my life since then? I closed my eyes and tried to force the memories to come forth. But, the shooter and the fire remained a vivid visual.

My reunion with my family snuck into my head, along with the reminder of our fire loss. A small section of the house had remained untouched, that portion included my bedroom. After my disappearance, my parents moved my children to the Munds Park area near Flagstaff, Arizona. Since then, they raised my children until they passed on. Then, my children inherited the house, of which they still lived in. After being reunited with my family, I moved in.

The clouds loomed overhead. A pale face appeared above me. Tristan, my lover, stood there. Deep lines and scars, primarily the one by his eye accentuated his middle-aged face. Most who met him, on first glance, might be deceived by his hardcore biker style—but I knew him better. Tristan was trustworthy and respectful. He was a man of honor and valor, and would lay his life on the line for many, but very few, in his eyes, deserved it.

Though my children and granddaughters were cursed with the werewolf bloodline, the vampire in Tristan was still able to respect that. He had even put his life on the line for them. He was centuries old, but through those years, he had learned to control his thirst for blood and his distaste for his natural enemy, the werewolf. Had he been part of a vampire clan, he most likely would not have been able to control his appetite. Even though Tristan had built a rapport with my family, there was still some primitive vampire/werewolf tension.

As for me, I was a hybrid baby in this underworld. Three creatures lived beneath my flesh—vampire, werewolf, and another one, which had not revealed itself. Until then, it remains hidden.

I gazed up into his intense blue eyes. Then he offered his hand, of which I accepted. As I stood, he swept me up into his arms. My hair clip fell, allowing my long auburn hair to flow down my back.

Then he kissed me. The passion between us invoked the strong burning desire to bed him but it was not the time. We were hungry. Instead, it was time to hunt.

***

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0N5WPH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10

 

---

 

The Awakening

“When your nightmare becomes reality!”

The Awakening – Synopsis

When Jessica Dorsey’s alien nightmare feels too real, she questions whether she’s actually awake. 

***

The Awakening – Reviews

 “Ever watch a really good X-Files episode and then it just goes off. You’re left kind of confused and you really need another episode quick to take the edge off. This short story made me feel like that. I’m also using the X-Files as a comparison because

A: It’s True (I was expecting Mulder and Scully at any moment)

B: This is a short story about alien abduction

C: It’s Scary

Jessica suffers from several sleep disorders including night terrors. She also believes she is being abducted and tortured by extraterrestrials. No one believes her, and during one terrible incident, the worst happens and she ends up in a psychiatric ward. The story ends with the reader not knowing what’s true and what’s a result of her sleep problems. It’s not for people who don’t like unresolved endings. Basically, it’s like a sliver or glimpse into poor Jessica’s life, the reader only sees one episode of it. This would actually make for a great comic book series (Hint, Hint, Author)

I’m giving it a 4 out of 5 stars. The content was creepy and I want to know more about the characters. It’s also a quick read and would be a good campfire story to tell your friends.” –Rebecca Milhoan, BiblioGal

***

The Awakening – Excerpts

Since I couldn’t sleep anyway, I sat up. The hallway light shone through the bottom crack of my door. The shadow of Phillip’s feet stood there. My heart skipped a beat. He never came to my door after drinking. Usually, he would sneak into his room. So, something had to be wrong.

As I threw the covers aside, he walked away. Quickly, I dressed and headed for the door. I inched it open. The hallway light went out. The light switch was around the corner, so Phillip had to be standing there.

“Phillip?” I whispered.

No answer.

I proceeded down the hallway. The tile was cold. I stopped and glanced down the curved hallway. The entryway was bare. His room was on the other side of the house, so he couldn’t have disappeared that quickly. He must have walked into the living room.

I walked through the hallway, past the partition wall, and into the living room. The carpet was warm and plush. Again, my husband left the blinds open. Damn him. The moonlight lit up the room.

As I walked over to the front window, I shook my head. I reached behind the couch and grabbed the rod. Something shifted behind me. 

“Phillip?”

He didn’t answer. Something moved.

I froze. My eyes drifted to his bedroom door. It was closed. Darkness enveloped the room. Phillip was not home.

My heart raced. Slowly, I turned around. Somebody hunkered down by the partition wall. Phillip? Something about the figure was not right. It was much smaller than my son. And, the eyes appeared much larger. It was not Phillip. My hair stood on end. 

The head moved. The reflection of the moonlight shimmered in its dark oval eyes. I couldn’t move. It took a step toward me, emerging into the moonlight. It wasn’t human. Instead, it was an alien.

I gasped. My jaw dropped.

It stood about four feet, its skin leathery looking. Its lips peeled back, revealing rows of sharp tiny teeth. A long slender tongue snaked out of its mouth.

I bolted. The moment my feet hit the tile, it slammed me into the wall, pinning me against it. Its jaws snapped at me.

I struggled to push it away, but my hands slid off of its oily skin. Its clawed human-like fingers raked across my stomach. I screamed. Blood oozed from the open wound. Razor sharp teeth scraped against my forearm.

“No! Help!” I struggled to push it away.

It snapped at me again. I turned my head, barely avoiding its mouth. It lashed out again, its claws cutting deeper into my arms. Its teeth gnashed together. Then, my gaze fell on my son’s karate spear that stood in the corner by the front door. He kept it there as a reminder to not forget it.

I wedged my knee up in between us and kicked out. The alien fell back. I lunged for the spear. Grabbing it, I spun around. The alien attacked again. I jabbed the spear at it once, twice—then as it neared me, I thrust it. The spear slid down its body, catching the side of it. It shrieked. 

Then, its dark eyes met mine. It hissed. Then, it rushed me. 

I turned with my back toward the bedroom, keeping the spear tight against my hip. The second it followed me around the corner, I thrust the spear, impaling it.

It flailed about on the tip of the spear. Blood spewed from the gaping wound. Its childlike cries filled the house.

“Oh God…,” I cried.

Its clawed hands gripped the spear. Twisting it, the alien pulled on it, working it out of its stomach.

What the hell? Although its small frame appeared limp and frail, it was much stronger than an adult human male. A low and menacing growl escaped its lips.

 

***

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017GQDWYQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i9

 

---

 

The Awakening II: Nexus

“When reality becomes into your nightmare!”

The Awakening II: Nexus – Synopsis

Jessica Dorsey has been locked up in an asylum for killing her son, Phillip, and now, her husband, Drew has gone missing. As Jessica continues to have nightmares about aliens, the investigation into her husband’s disappearance takes a turn when Officer Ranier delves further into the case, making him question his sanity.

Is Jessica really a mad woman? Or are her nightmares about to come true? 

***

The Awakening II: Nexus – Excerpt

The following day, I was escorted into an office occupied by Jessica Drake’s doctor, Dr. Lane. The tall, thin man sat behind his desk, his eyeglasses set halfway down his nose. His beady eyes met mine as I sat down on the chair opposite him.

“So, Nurse Callahan said you want to see me regarding one of my patients?”

He pushed the glasses further up his nose.

“Yes, I do.” I fidgeted until I got comfortable and then propped my arm on the side of the chair.

“I’m working on a missing person’s case right now which involves the husband of one of your patients.”

“Oh, I see.” He folded his hands before him. “Which patient is it?”

“Jessica Drake,” I answered, leaning forward. “Her husband Drew Drake is missing. He hasn’t been heard from for a couple of weeks.” I sighed. “I heard there’s an investigation into the death of their son, as well, and that Mrs. Drake is the sole suspect in his death.”

The doctor removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Officer Rainier, that’s up to your police department to investigate, not me. I’m strictly a psychiatrist, and I’m not at liberty to discuss anything about my patient.”

I bit my lip. This was not going to be fun. “Listen, doctor, I understand that, but there’s been some talk, and it’s been in the media that your patient, Mrs. Drake, claimed space aliens killed her son.”

I rubbed my forehead. “Listen, I want the best for your patient as well as you do, but I don’t believe in space aliens.”

The doctor chuckled.

I ignored him and continued on. “Now, somebody killed her son, excuse me, their son, and now her husband is missing. I want the best for your patient as well as you do, so I would like to clear this up as soon as possible, so anything you can help me with, as far as what she saw, what she heard, and so forth, would help us to catch the suspect. With that said, we would like to talk to her.”

The doctor leaned back in his chair. “That’s out of the question.”

“Doctor…”
The doctor folded his arms across his chest. “She’s under heavy sedation and being monitored. We can’t risk…”

Risk? “Risk? Risk what? She’s a suspect in the death of her son. Now, her husband is missing, quite possibly dead. A pool of blood was located in the entry way of their home. Now, if her husband had been killed in that very spot, the murderer would probably have left his body there. So, why the hell would the murderer remove him from the house?”

The doctor raised his eyebrow. “He was killed in his home?”

Sternly, I said, “We don’t know if he’s dead. The body is missing, yet there was a large pool of blood in the entry way.”

The doctor leaned forward, his hands still folded. “Are you aware that their son was killed in the entry way? Maybe that was his blood.”

What the hell…? My heart skipped a beat. Why would anyone leave their son’s blood in the entryway?

 

***

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077K6XQ7M/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i11

 

---

 

Raven’s Hill

Raven’s Hill – Synopsis

Raven’s Hill, known for its history of murder, mystery and mayhem, has gained yet another owner, Serena Goodwin. Upon learning that she bought a haunted house and a private cemetery, she becomes interested in learning more about the unique occupants of the house, Asmodeus and Gisela. Serena soon makes a terrifying discovery and learns of their mysterious and dangerous love affair, a love that could endanger Serena’s life. 

***

Raven’s Hill – Excerpt

The cabin was warm and cozy with a historical gothic feel to it. One of the major things that sold me on it was the dark and ominous cellar. I was interested in restoring it. I would have to fix the staircase first, maybe even rebuild. It was rickety and not very stable. I would also need to install some lighting in down there.

The house was a fixer upper but that didn’t matter. I was looking forward to making some alterations, and starting my life over again in a new town, with no house for miles, surrounded by the forest and the wildlife. After my last relationship, I needed some alone time, away from my ex-boyfriend, and the big city. Being out here with mother nature gave me the opportunity to jump into what I loved, writing and photography.

Now, that everything had been delivered, and the furniture was where I wanted it, I grabbed my camera and walked into the living room. Boxes were piled everywhere, some contents draped over the side, some full, and some empty. The wooden floor creaked beneath my feet.

Smiling, I walked toward the red brick fireplace, and turned. The picture frame window behind the couch looked out onto the patio and the gazebo in the front yard. The mountain top in the near distance completed the view. Now, that would make a great picture!

I opened the front door and stepped outside onto the wooden deck. It groaned beneath my feet. I leaned on the rail, steadied my camera, and took a picture of the mountainside.

As I turned to my left, something moved near the apple tree. I zoomed in.

Oh, yes! A doe stood frozen near the tree, her eyes on me. I snapped another picture. As she turned her head, I hit the button, again, and again.

A cool breeze whisked past, blowing my blonde hair around my face. The wind picked up, blowing the branches around above the doe’s head. Her ears perked up. Somewhere a branch broke. Then, she was gone.

I took the steps down to the gazebo and looked around. It needed a lot of work. Some of the wooden flooring was broke, and the paint was old.

I ran my finger down the pillar. Flakes of paint fell off. Then, something on one of the other pillars caught my attention.

 

Asmoedus

+

Gisela

 

Smiling, I ran my finger over their names. How unique! Their names sounded so…ancient.

Something moved in the forest. I glanced up. Was it the doe? Or was it just the wind?

Another branch broke. Maybe I could get another picture of her, preferably one with her body in it.

I walked past the gazebo and into the forest. The scent of pine filled the air. Leaves crunched and twigs snapped beneath my feet. If I was lucky, I might find a squirrel. Now, that was a possibility.

I held my camera up, ready to take a picture. Something moved behind the nearest tree, which was thick enough to hide a person, maybe even the partial view of a deer.

I approached the tree, slowly moving around it, coming within inches of a squirrel. I jumped, accidentally hitting the button on the camera. It flashed, scaring the squirrel and running it off. My heart leapt into my throat. I gasped, clutching at my chest.

I glanced at the tree. The deep engraving of a cross drew my attention. Something had dried to it. Sap, maybe? I picked at it, pulling some of it off, yes, sap—thick, sticky sap. I shook my finger to get it off but it clung to me. Dammit!

I tried to wipe it off using my jeans, but it didn’t work. Frowning, I pried at it with my fingernails. My gaze fell to the foot of the tree. A cross had also been engraved into a rock. Interesting!

I knelt down and touched it. It was smooth, almost too smooth. I glanced around. For the first time, I noticed a natural, almost perfect, circle in the formation of the trees. How weird?

Then, something else caught my eye. A small patch of roses stood at the base of another tree. Had they grown there?

Then, the odd formation of the tree drew my attention. Parts of the tree were missing, making it appear as if it had female curvature to it, like legs, hips, a torso, even the breasts, arms, and head of a woman. It was amazing!

I approached it, taking several pictures along the way. Once I was beside it, my gaze shifted to the roses. They appeared to be growing near the rock, which had an engraving on it, as well.

 

Asmoedus

+

Gisela

 

Hmm, just who were Asmodeus and Gisela? I had to know.

 

***

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0786DKSX7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i5

---

 

Raven’s Hill II: The Ritual

Raven’s Hill II: The Ritual – Synopsis

Women are disappearing, and Gisela’s husband, Nate is acting strange. So, when a stranger arrives in the small western town, Gisela doesn’t know who to trust. Is the stranger the prime suspect? Or is her husband?

***

Raven’s Hill II: The Ritual – Excerpt

Nathaniel loved me at one time, I know he did, but in the last few days of my life, it seemed otherwise. It started October 13, 1891 when I awoke to him throwing a tantrum in the middle of the night. His scream filled my ears, awakening me from a dead sleep, startling me. I scrambled to sit up, almost falling out of the bed. My heart raced, my eyes wide with fright, as I struggled to see him in the darkness.

“Nate? Nate?”

He wouldn’t stop screaming. As my vision cleared, I saw him clawing at the air, fighting with something invisible. I was sure he had a nightmare, as there was nothing there. The wild-eyed look in his eyes forced me to reach out to wake him.

“Nate!” I screamed, touching him.

He lashed out at me, his nails gouging my breasts. I gasped, winded, shocked he would attack me. This was not normal for him, for us. I glanced down. Blood oozed down my breasts, staining the white gown I wore.

I bolted from the bed, aware he was not yet awake. From the opposite side of the room, I screamed at him to stop. His voice echoed within my ears, filling my head, my ears ringing from the constant shriek.

“Nate! Please, stop!” I screamed, throwing a book at him.

That was when he awoke, completely oblivious to what had just happened. A look of confusion settled on his face, his brows furrowed in, his gaze narrowed in on me, the muscles in his face relaxed. It was as if the nightmare had never happened.

“Wh…wh…what are you doing over there, Gisela?” he stammered.

“I’m over here because you attacked me,” I said, turning on the light.

His eyes widened. “What happened? Why are you bleeding?” He climbed out of bed, his eyes never leaving my chest. “Gisela, why are you bleeding?”

I stepped back, unsure if he would flip out again.

“Nate, don’t you remember anything? Anything at all?”

“No, I don’t.” He fell to his knees before me, taking my hands in his. “Why? How?” Then he saw the blood on his hands. “Dear God, what happened? Tell me what happened?”

“Do you not remember your nightmare?” I asked.

“Nightmare?” he asked, trembling. “No, I don’t.”

His eyes fell upon the gown, the one his mother had given me before she passed away.

“Oh, my dear. I am sorry to ruin your nightgown…”

Tears filled my eyes as I gazed down upon my breast.

He pulled at the fabric and tried to wipe away the blood, instead it stained the fabric.

What about my chest? I was sure I would have scars.

“I’m so sorry. Gisela, I didn’t mean to…,” he cried, tears streaking his face.

He touched my wound but the pressure was too much. Pain settled within it. I backed away, glancing in the full-length mirror. He was right, my gown was ruined. I stripped it off, but not before catching sight of someone sitting at the head of the bed. What the hell…?

My heart raced. Who was that? I spun around to stare at an empty bed. Where did he go? I glanced around. Nate followed my gaze. He, too, looked at the bed, his eyes narrowing in, a look of confusion on his face.

“What is it, my dear?”

I glanced around. “I thought I saw someone sitting on the bed.”

“There’s nobody here, but us, otherwise I would have seen them.”

He was right. Maybe I was losing my mind, after all, his nightmare not only affected him, but me. Glancing around, I entered the bathroom, turning on the light. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Behind me, Nate stood in the doorway.

“Are you alright, love?” he asked.

I couldn’t help but wonder who was alright, me or him? After his nightmare, he should have been freaking out, not me.

 

***

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FM2R3Q4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

---

 

Sacrificial Blood

“When blood is all you have left to give.”

Sacrificial Blood – Synopsis

A one-day excursion takes Don and Catherine into a historical museum where things are not quite what they seem. Catherine, a horror fanatic, loves to torment her husband with little quips while he faces his worst fear straight on but, when things take a turn for the worse, Don must conquer that fear or die trying.

***

Sacrificial Blood – Reviews

“Catherine and Don are visiting a little hole in the wall museum during a weekend trip to the desert. Don’s a scaredy cat and Catherine loves to scare him. The museum has a frumpy and grumpy curator, and a basement full of lifelike mannequins. It’s definitely a setup for a typical horror flick and I’m okay with that.

While exploring the basement, the couple encounter some truly terrifying things…basically your worst nightmare if you were to find yourself inside a basement full of lifelike mannequins. Don has to man up and face his fears in order to get the couple out alive. This is a short story, and you can probably read it in under an hour. It moves fast, as most short stories do, and the ending is a jaw dropper.

I’m giving this one a 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it as a good story to read aloud in the car while on your way to one of those haunted house excursions you’re likely to go on this time of year.” –Rebecca Milhoan, BiblioGal

***

Sacrificial Blood – Excerpt

Seemingly more alert, Don looked around. His chest tightened.

“What’s wrong, Don?”

Eyes wide, he asked, “Why are we the only ones in the museum? Have you noticed that? I haven’t seen anybody else.”

Silence.

Goosebumps broke out on Catherine’s skin. “When we started through the museum the cashier disappeared, too,” she said.

He glanced back at the mannequin. Chills ran up his spine. It was time to go. Then, something caught his attention. He froze.

He stared at the mirror next to the mannequin’s face. It had a smoky substance on it. The smoke dissipated. He swallowed hard.

It wasn’t smoke…the mannequin was breathing.

An eerie whisper escaped its lips. “Blood…I need your blood.”its lips, “I’m coming for you mommy… I’m coooommming for you…”its lips, “I’m coming for you mommy… I’m coooommming for you…”

A door slammed shut. He spun around. Their only exit was the basement door. It was closed. He turned to grab his wife. She was nowhere to be seen.

The wooden floor creaked behind him. Something moved.

Where the hell was Catherine? The floor creaked again. It was subtle. He was afraid to turn around.

It was not his wife’s footsteps. It could only be the mannequin. Then, it touched him. 

The hand tightened on his shoulder. He cringed. The hand was cold. The mannequin’s fingers should have been rigid, not limber and soft. Was his wife behind him?

Hesitantly, he turned his head. The mannequin stood before him. Half of her face was broken away. The eyeballs stared at him. A bloody mass of muscle and tissue under human skin was openly revealed on the left side of missing plastic. He screamed.

The other hand reached for him. It was plastic, but it moved more human-like, which scared him even more. He recoiled.

In his haste to get away, he slammed into the wooden wall behind him. The wall shifted. Several pieces of décor and artifacts rained down upon them.

 

***

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D9WCS0G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i7

---

 

Zero Sixx

“A battle for survival.”

Zero Sixx – Synopsis

Three spaceships are sent on a rescue mission when a spaceship collides with their space station. Their rescue mission turns into a deadly discovery when they find two alien beings who are intent on destroying each other, including those who get in their way.

***

Zero Sixx – Excerpt

Peter clutched onto the radio, sweat beading on his forehead. He glanced back at the steel door. He had managed to escape the quarantine area where they housed the alien they had found. It had been knocked unconscious when they found it but now it was awake…and angry.

Peter sat in the spaceship’s cabin, the door locked behind him, staring out of the window. Chaos had filled the spaceship, followed by blood and death. Now, all was silent. It was dark inside the spaceship and the air was stale. A pungent odor filled the cabin. He sat on the edge of the seat and continued to glance back at the door, waiting for…

Loud static came over the radio. Peter fumbled with the receiver, almost dropping it. Finally, he grabbed it and silenced it. The stench was growing stronger by the minute.

He brought the receiver up to his quivering lips and whispered, “This is Zero Sixx. Come in, Andro Forty-two.”

Peter looked up at the pilot’s seat where Derek’s dead body sat. Derek was decaying right before his eyes. The alien had stung Derek with its tail before he made it into the cabin. Peter could only assume the injected venom caused his death and the decay.

He pressed his lips together and slowly let up on the button, as if doing so, would delay the noise. The static erupted, echoing within the cabin. He pressed the button to eliminate the noise. He didn’t want the alien to hear it and find him in here.

Peter peered back at the door. It was steel and it was locked. The alien couldn’t get through, could it? It was steel after all.

He whispered into the receiver, his voice shaking. “This is Zero Sixx. Andro Forty-two, come in. This is an emergency.”

He released the button and looked at the console. More static. The spaceship was still on auto-pilot, so it would float in space until Andro Forty-two or even Maxx Nine found him. He glanced over at Derek again. The stench was coming from him.

Peter spun in his seat and stared at the console, trying to figure out his next step. Andro Forty-two wasn’t getting back with him. He could land the spaceship, but in doing so, he would bring the alien back to his own planet, and suffice to say, could engage a war between the alien and his own people, especially after the attack in quarantine.

Something brushed against the steel door, scraping it. Peter spun around, searching for the nearest weapon. That was when he spotted the gun on Derek’s hip.

Eyes wide, he reached for it, trying to avoid touching Derek’s skin which had almost completely melted away. Bile rose in his throat.

Then Ellen, the medic, yelled through the door. “Peter…”

Peter grabbed the gun and started to stand, forgetting to unsnap the gun holster. Derek’s body fell toward him. He scrambled to get away and lost his grip on the gun. The captain’s body fell on top of the weapon, preventing Peter from accessing it without having to move the body. Peter yelped. Derek’s body fell across the walkway to the console, blocking him from accessing it.

“Peter, are you in there? I’m hurt,” she said with a weak tone.

Peter looked around the room, opening consoles.

“Peter, please, I’m hurt. Are you in there?”

First aid kits, towels, and other items spilled from the consoles but no weapons. He could help her but he needed something to defend himself with and he sure as hell wasn’t going to touch Derek. That could be certain death but if Ellen was near the door and the alien wasn’t near her, then maybe he could pull her into the cabin.

Peter ran to the door. “Ellen, I’m here. Is that alien near you?”

“Oh, thank God!” she screamed.

He winced. “Shush, Ellen, it will hear you. Keep quiet.” He unlocked the door. “Now listen to me, I’m going to open this door. Please keep quiet and…”

She screamed, a blood curdling sound that sent chills down his spine. Peter flipped the latch and locked it again. He backed away from the door and stared at it, afraid the alien was going to bust through it. Then, a male voice came across the receiver.

“Zero Sixx, are you there?”

Peter snatched it from the seat. “Andro Forty-two, there’s…” Static interrupted him. “Andro Forty-two, can you hear me? We have an emergency.” More static interrupted. “Forty-two!”

Something heavy hit the door. Hair rose on the back of his neck. He lowered his voice and stared at the door. “Andro Forty-two, there’s…”

Something punctured the door, gouging a hole in it.

Peter’s heart raced. The alien was coming through. “Andro Forty-two, there’s…”

 

***

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JF173GT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i13