Duke du Jour - Time Travel Romance - and a Giveaway #Romance #TimeTravelRomance #Giveaway

Petie McCarty is here to tell us about her time travel romance Duke du Jour.

There's also a great giveaway.

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Petie McCarty will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

She’s waiting in the past . . . He belongs in the future.

Jared Langley, present-day Duke of Reston, tumbles into an abandoned fountain on his ducal estate and is pelted back in time to the year 1816. There, Reston servants and local villagers think him a dead ringer for his namesake and rakehell ancestor—the seventh Duke of Reston, gone missing at the Battle of Waterloo. Unfortunately, Seven got mixed up with French spies out to assassinate the Duke of Wellington, and an unwary Jared ends up in their crosshairs.

Lady Ariana Hart has loved Jared Langley, the seventh Duke of Reston, since she was twelve years old, until the night the rogue broke her heart. Given up for dead, her rakish neighbor makes a miraculous return from Waterloo. Only Jared shows up a changed man and reignites all the feelings Ariana had long ago buried.

Jared is in a race against time.

His tasks?

Waylay the suspicions of his quirky servants and neighbors

Get to Wellington before the French spies do

Fix his fountain–before Seven shows up–so Jared has a way home

And definitely do not fall in love with the irresistible Lady Ariana . . .

Second Edition

Read an Excerpt

The library door crashed open, startling them both and sending them a full step back from each other. A flame-haired siren stalked through the door.

Jared had torn free from Lady Wilder, but he gaped guiltily in a frozen stare, incapable and unwilling to break eye contact with the siren who had burst into the library. He wanted to keep staring and lose himself in those amazing emerald green eyes, made even greener by the rich color of her gown.

The young woman was tall and slender, with smooth, sleek curves at her hips and breasts. Strands of red-gold curls had slipped free of her pale-gold bonnet with its sassy emerald-green trim and curled enticingly around her cheeks, marked by two bright flags of color. He felt his own cheeks flush hot when those amazing green eyes shifted downward and spied the traitorous ducal staff in full salute, then snapped back to glare at him.

“I brought your dog,” the flame-haired siren said flatly. “I feared you would forget to come for Harry. He missed you.”

An enormous mass of black fur bounded into the library and sent the squealing Lady Wilder back to Jared’s side. The immense dog promptly knocked them both to the floor.

The siren frowned her displeasure and headed for the chaise to make herself comfortable.

“Get him off! Get him off!”

Lady Wilder’s high-pitched shrieks almost burst Jared’s eardrums. He rolled her off him and reached for the dog’s collar. The massive black hound danced away, totally unaffected by Lady Wilder’s shrieks and slaps, and managed to squeeze in a few sloppy licks between her swings at the dog’s head, which would have been funny if Jared’s ears did not ache.

“Come here, boy!” Jared barked as he scrambled to his feet.

“Don’t you dare hurt him!” the siren shouted.

“You did that on purpose, Ariana! You little witch!” Lady Wilder screamed.

Ariana? What a perfect name for the flame-haired beauty.

“Don’t you yell at me, Lucilla Tartley! I am not responsible for Harry’s lack of taste,” Ariana shot back.

So Lady Wilder was Lucilla. Who was Harry? The dog?

Jared tried the name, and the black dog bounded over to him.

“I am surprised Harry even noticed you, now that Jared’s home,” Ariana told Lucilla.

Jared glanced down and noticed the dog sat patiently at his side, but only because his finger was hooked in the dog’s collar. Good Lord! The canine knew he was not the real Jared—or rather Seven. This could be a problem.

About the Author:

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—"The Most Magical Place on Earth"—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said goodbye to her "day" job to write her stories full-time.

These days, Petie spends her time writing new tales for her Cinderella series, her new The Watchers series, sequels to her Regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more contemporary romance standalones, along with her two previous releases—Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who makes a cameo appearance in Christmas Watch, Book 2 of The Watchers series.

Visit Petie at her website, www.petiemccarty.com, to get to know her, learn about her current projects, and discover her other published works.

Website: http://www.petiemccarty.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty

Twitter: https://x.com/authorpetie

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094579.Petie_McCarty

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/petie-mccarty

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/petiemccarty

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Duke-Du-Jour-Petie-McCarty-ebook/dp/B0H99Y9Z2Z.

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Surrendering to the Beast - Erotic Paranormal RomCom - Erotic Play - Sexy Spells -Tina Donahue Monthly Newsmagazine #TinaDonahueBooks #EroticRomance #ParanormalRomance #RomCom #Giveaways #EyeCandy

 

SURRENDERING TO THE BEAST

Erotic Paranormal Rom-Com

Book Two - Taming the Beast

AMAZON

When she's good, she's very good...

But when he's bad, she's better.

A Bad Boy to Die for

and a Good Girl Who Longs to be Bad

Good Fairy

Bad Boy Satyr with Lust on his Mind

Erotic Play

Sexy Spells

Cast Includes a Sexy Genie Who Knows

How to Get Down & Dirty

When she’s good, she’s very good—but when he’s bad, she’s better…

It’s definitely not business as usual at From Crud to Stud, a makeover service for supernatural beings. Dare we say it? Receptionist Heather—a good fairy with a pure heart, mind and body—is on the fast track to exquisite corruption with Daemon, a satyr.

Sex has never been this good or adventurous. Half-man, all beast, Daemon’s the ultimate bad boy, a follower of the god of wine and a good time. Before, during and after his makeover to look fully human, he intends to put some color into Heather’s pale cheeks.

She’s one conflicted but turned-on babe. Especially as Mistress Jin, a genie Daemon commands, agrees to show Heather how to cut loose. Under the mistress’s tutelage and Daemon’s shameless lust, Heather’s gonna find out what love and having fun is all about.

Warning:

Not your typical bedtime story. May lead to indecent behavior, a taste for voyeurism, discipline and bondage, which will result in screaming orgasms. Proceed with caution.

PRAISE FOR SURRENDERING TO THE BEAST

"Tempting the Good Fairy"

You will Love, Love this quirky, funny, and sweet unique book and series!. The story line will win your heart!. The characters are amazing. This is such a fun to read book and series!

- Roxie, Amazon.

"Surrendering to the Beast"

Taming the Beast series is a unique series featuring all different kinds of paranormal beings. From Crud to Stud is a very unique concept too! All together it makes for a very lively and entertaining read!                                                                                         - deb1210, Amazon

TEASERS

Excerpt:

      Heather pressed her hand to her chest. She’d expected to see his socks, maybe even his bare feet, not hooves. “You’re not mortal.”

“No kidding.” He puffed out another breath. “That’s why I’m here.” He gestured to the reception area stuffed with potted plants and feathery ferns. The greenery made the coral walls seem even warmer in comparison. Faux-gas fixtures provided a dated, romantic feel, like old New Orleans.

Loud hisses and teeth snapping filled the hall.

He arched one dark eyebrow and raked his gaze over her.

Perspiration rolled down her back and between her breasts.

Pleasure sparkled in his beautiful eyes. “I take it I’m in the right place for a makeover?”

Few beings had deeper voices than his. Awe blossomed within her. A pleasant feeling. Her nipples tightened. She liked that, too, when she shouldn’t have. Given the huge bulge behind his fly, she guessed what he was. “You’re a satyr, right?”

“That’s me. Wine, women and song.” He winked.

A zombie moaned.

He looked over. “Speaking of song, you should get a sound system in here. Drown out those crappy noises with some down-and-dirty heavy metal. You like Behemoth? Their Lucifer kicks serious ass.”

His bulge got bigger, the folds between her legs damper. Fighting dizziness, Heather plodded to her computer, mystified as to why he had such an enticing effect on her when other guys had only sparked panic. Satyrs were charming, sure, and natural seducers. They had to be, considering all they thought about and wanted was sex. However, they didn’t have the power to turn a good fairy against her ingrained principles. At least, she didn’t think they could. “Do you have an appointment, Mister…”

“No Mister, just Daemon. Nope on the appointment, too. I’m hoping you can fit me in. What are you?”

Heather stopped keying. “The receptionist.”

He laughed with pleasure, not derision.

The deep, virile sound rushed straight past her bones and into her marrow. Her belly fluttered.

“I mean what kind of being are you? No, wait. Let me guess.” He tapped his forefinger against his bristly jaw.

He wore an ornate silver ring with a large black stone on his right middle finger. His hands were big and rugged rather than frightening.

Heather wasn’t certain why, but she saw good strength in them, the sort that cherished and made mortal women sigh in appreciation.

She might have whimpered in delight, but didn’t have enough breath.

He made a frustrated sound. “You’re either an elf or a fairy. Damn, I can never tell those two beings apart.”

That hurt deep. Fairies and elves weren’t similar at all. No different from mistaking a satyr for a centaur. Despite his rude comment, she couldn’t be surly or sarcastic. “I’m a good fairy.”

“That explains all the white you’re wearing.” He gestured to her peasant blouse, gypsy skirt and ballet flats.

An outfit she’d bought at Macy’s, not a uniform store for fairies. Heather knew she wasn’t cool like the babes he probably knew and had been intimate with, but he didn’t have to make her feel like a total loser. Embarrassed, she lowered her face. “I like the color. It suits me.”

“Hey, I’m not arguing.” He held out his hands in surrender. “I’m all about pleasing the ladies.” He grinned.

His teeth were white and straight, his smile raffish yet charming.

Heather shook off her arousal. “I’m sure you are and you haven’t.” She hit the computer keys harder than usual and checked the appointment book. “Zoe can see to you in twenty minutes.” Zoe, another BFF, was a reformed demon who knew how to keep guys from getting too frisky. “Please grab your boots and follow me.”

He clopped after her and stopped abruptly to read the business name and its motto, Suppressing the Beast, painted on the wall. He shook his head. “Damn shame what we guys have to go through now to snag the babes.”

“You mean mortal women.” His biceps were beyond awesome, beefy and firm. Prominent veins coursed down them. “I understand nymphs are still into satyrs.”

“True, but I want to try the other side.” He planted one hand on his flat belly and swiveled his hips. 

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Play Along, Sweetheart - Contemporary Romance #Romance #ContemporaryRomance

Nancy Pirri is here to tell us about her contemporary romance Play Along, Sweetheart.

Read on for details...

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Contemporary Romance

Date Published: August 10, 2026

Their relationship is fake. Their chemistry is not.

Chicago social worker, Maggie O’Hara, arrives at the Minneapolis airport where she awaits the arrival of her family to pick her up and take her home with them for Thanksgiving. She’s nervous, due to the surprise she has for them in her arms—her newly adopted baby girl from Korea. With little thought, Maggie grabs a stranger getting off the same airplane, and asks him to portray himself, temporarily, as her fiancé. She knows that her old-fashioned family will disapprove of the adoption because she’s not married. What Maggie doesn’t count on is falling in love with Dr. Nick Capra, who does more than a passable job of posing as her fiancé that day, and over the holiday week.

From the moment Maggie snags Nick, a confirmed bachelor, his gut tells him his single days are over and that she’s the woman for him. While posing as her fiancé he tells her he wants to be a permanent part of her life. While Maggie has fallen in love with Nick, she has a secret that could ruin their chances of being together, though she refuses to divulge the secret to him—until the choice is taken out of her hands.

 

About the Author

 

 Nancy Schumacher is the owner-publisher of Melange Books, LLC, writing under the pseudonyms, Nancy Pirri and Natasha Perry. Being a publisher doesn’t allow much time for the creative process of writing and publishing her own works, but every once in a while it happens.

She is an associate member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). She is also one of the founders of the RWA chapter, Northern Lights Writers (NLW), in Minnesota.

 

Contact Links

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Satin Romance

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Valentines in the Presidential Suite - A Beach House Hotel Story - Romantic Women's Fiction #Fiction #Romantic #RomanticWomen'sFiction

Judith Keim is here to tell us about Valentines in the Presidential Suite, A Beach House Hotel Story, romantic women's fiction.

Read on for details...

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Romantic Women's Fiction

Date Published: August 25, 2026

When Morgan Riley meets Simon Weaver, an older man who’s just moved into her upstate New York town, she becomes a book review partner with him for the local bookstore owner. Coming from an unhappy childhood, Morgan treasures her relationship with Simon, who is like the grandfather she never had.

Brad Hamlin, an attractive widower, is hired as a new partner in the law firm where Morgan works. She is assigned to assist him, and they form a successful team. When Simon needs a lawyer to help him with a difficult situation with his very greedy daughter-in-law, Morgan suggests Brad. As friendship deepens between the three of them, neither has any idea what life has in store for them.

A special spin-off book in which characters have their own stories and end up at The Beach House Hotel in Florida with Ann and Rhonda. A chance to stay connected to the series in a different way.

 

About the Author

 

 Judith Keim, A USA Today Best-Selling Author, is a hybrid author who both has a publisher and self-publishes. Ms. Keim writes heart-warming novels about women who face unexpected challenges, meet them with strength, and find love and happiness along the way, stories with heart. Her best-selling books are based, in part, on many of the places she's lived or visited and on the interesting people she's met, creating believable characters and realistic settings her many loyal readers love.

She enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their adorable dachshunds, Wally and Kacy, and other members of her family.

While growing up, she loved the idea of writing stories from a young age. Books were always present, being read, ready to go back to the library, or about to be discovered. All in her family shared information from the books in general conversation, giving them a wealth of knowledge and vivid imaginations.

Ms. Keim loves to hear from her readers and appreciates their enthusiasm for her stories.

 

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Amazon

Apple

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

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The Vote - A Story of Political Peril - Fiction #PoliticalPeril #Fiction

David Swanson is here to tell us about The Vote, a story of political peril, fiction.

Read on for details...

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A Story of Political Peril

Fiction

Date Published: 09-10-2026

Publisher: Mission Point Press

A cautionary political tale that shines a light on the danger to our country when the wrong people have too much money and power.

The Vote is a political thriller built around a conspiracy among powerful political actors, billionaires, and party operatives who seek to manipulate the constitutional amendment process in order to permanently reshape the structure of American government. The mechanics of American politics, particularly the Article V constitutional amendment process, is the framework that informs the central premise of the novel. The current political landscape of the country lends credibility to the story and gives the narrative an interesting and timely foundation.

The manuscript opens with a series of interconnected storylines involving political figures, wealthy conspirators, and emerging state-level candidates. These threads gradually reveal a coordinated effort to gain control of state legislatures and Congress as part of a broader plan to fundamentally alter the country’s political system. The concept itself is ambitious and grounded in recognizable political realities.

 

Excerpt

Rudolph Conover fumed as the jet he’d sent to convey Aldon Powers to the Conover compound in Southern Illinois sat idling somewhere in Texas. No sign of Powers. No explanation. No apology. The plane should have left hours ago.

For Conover, meetings such as today’s were a carefully choreographed dance, designed to shape an opponent’s mental disposition and ultimately their amenability to whatever it was he wanted from them. Everyone was an opponent in Conover’s world and everything was meant to intimidate, from the jet’s amenities to the obsessive focus on secrecy to the quirkiness of his compound. When dealing with men like Powers, it was his way of reminding them of his preeminence in the hierarchy of billionaires. On rare occasions when someone dared to play by their own rules, he did not take it well. Today was one of those occasions.

Conover’s wife, Marcia, slipped into the war room where he sat. The meeting was scheduled to begin shortly. “Any communication from Powers?” he asked, irritated.

She shook her head.

“How can he be so disrespectful?”

She put her hand on his shoulder, “You have every right to be upset. I’ll go see if there is any news.”

Conover knew Powers was difficult and unpredictable but it was impossible not to respect him. A modern-day Edison, he was a daring visionary and the most technologically disruptive man in a century. His companies had mastered space, the Earth’s outer crust, and the ocean’s depths. The man had become so indispensable that some feared him as a veritable government unto himself, unfettered by borders and the normal rules of behavior. Everybody needed something from him that only he could give. Conover wanted to be a warlord. Powers wanted to be God.

About the Author

David Swanson was raised on a dairy farm in central Michigan. He received a degree in political science from the University of Puget Sound and an advanced degree in foreign trade from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management. Between degrees, he served a stint in the United States Navy.

In 1981, he founded Daavlin, a medical technology company that eventually grew into a prominent player in the field of dermatology. As part of his career, he stepped foot on every continent and dipped his toes in every ocean on earth. Reading, writing, traveling, acting, and directing live theater are his favored pastimes.

He’s also a lifetime political junkie. As this book goes to press, Swanson is a candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives.

Contact Links

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Purchase Links

https://mybook.to/TheVote

Amazon

Bookshop

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Reign of Silver & Stardust - Stardust Trilogy #1 - Fantasy - New Adult - Romance - and a Giveaway #Romance #NewAdult #NA #Fantasy #Giveaway

Diana A. Hicks is here to tell us about Reign of Silver & Stardust, Stardust Trilogy #1, fantasy, New Adult, romance.

There's also a great giveaway.

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Reign of Silver & Stardust

Diana A. Hicks

(Stardust Trilogy, #1)

Publication date: August 27th 2026

Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

My twin sister was murdered. To find her killer, I had to die.

CATALINA

I was never supposed to exist.

As the mortal spare to an immortal sister, I lived in the shadows

until Ry was murdered by a weapon that shouldn’t exist.

Now, justice is all I want.

To find her killer, I must take her place in the Queen’s Elite Cadre

and become the very monster everyone fears.

But becoming a weapon means losing my humanity…

and losing the one man I can’t resist.

VALOREK

The immortals bleed my world dry while my sister rots from the inside out.

I swore to burn their reign to the ground,

until I met her.

Sterling is the enemy,

a silver-blooded soldier of the regime that destroyed my family.

But the electricity between us is undeniable.

We are on opposite sides of a brewing war,

and falling for the enemy is a dangerous mistake

neither of us can afford.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

The simulation brings me back with a jolt. I land on the floor on all fours, choking on the saltwater burning my throat. Like before, once my brain catches up with reality, all the pain goes away. I hang my head and breathe easy.

If that isn’t a miserable attempt, I don’t know what is. Ry passed this level on her first try. This military stuff came naturally to her. When we were kids, the placement test put Ry and me in the Military Sector, but I never belonged or excelled the way she did.

The sleek white walls shine bright around me. Seconds later, Captain Weston’s boots come into view. When I glance up, he cocks an eyebrow at me with both hands braced on his hips. He blows out a breath, and I swear a tinge of pity flashes across his face.

“I didn’t pass your test.” I sit back on my ankles, shaking uncontrollably.

“Everyone dies in the simulation. You did better than I expected.” He scratches the stubble on his chiseled jaw. “But I do have my work cut out for me.”

“Am I in?” I meet his gaze.

“Have you talked to anyone since the accident?”

The accident? My jaw clenches.

“No.” I assume he means cadets from my unit. To Captain Weston, Valorek and his friends didn’t count.

“Good.” He clears his throat. “Because I have a proposal for you.”

When I open my mouth to speak, he brings his index finger to his lips and shakes his head once. Of course, he doesn’t want to hear about how Ry’s death wasn’t an accident. We have been doing the same song and dance for weeks. This time, I do as he asks and keep quiet, but only because it looks like I am about to get what I want—an opportunity to join the Queen’s immortal army, where I’ll have the ability to look into Ry’s murderer myself.

“You need something from me.” I meet his gaze.

“We need you to take your sister’s place as a lieutenant in the Queen’s army. You still need a lot of training before you can join Ry’s unit, but we have a bit of time.”

“Wait. What?” I gape at him as my heart thrashes in my ears. “That is not what I wanted at all.”

“I gave it some thought.” He swallows. “It’s all I can offer. It’s the only solution, really.”

“Do you have any idea how insane this sounds?” I scoff. “Ry told me everything about the QEC simulator seven years ago. This was the easy part and I still died. How am I supposed to be her when I know nothing about her world? She had her own life outside of me.”

“That’s why I’m here. I’ll be your guide.” His eyes soften.

“So what, Captain Weston? Do I now get to call you Cap or Eli?”

“You can call me whatever you want.” He offers a crooked, sexy smile. “In fact, I think that if you call me Eli in private, the transition will be easier for you.”

“Eli?” I meant to be sarcastic, but he is completely serious with his answer.

Author Bio:

Diana Hicks writes dark, emotional romance where obsession runs deep, secrets cut sharp, and love always comes at a price.

Her books blend steamy billionaire drama with forbidden marriages, high-stakes betrayal, and antiheroes who will burn the world to protect what’s theirs. Best known for The Empire Trilogy, Diana’s stories deliver heart-pounding romance with morally gray men, strong heroines, and just enough heat to leave you breathless.

When she’s not writing about power and passion colliding, she’s probably sipping coffee like it's a love language, sweating off a plot twist at yoga, or posting angsty book teasers on TikTok.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

GIVEAWAY!

Reign of Silver & Stardust Blitz

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Worse Than Any Bullet - Fidelia Mysteries #2 - Mystery - Thriller - and a Giveaway #Mystery #Thriller #Giveaway

Felicia Watson is here to tell us about her mystery-thriller Worse Than Any Bullet, Fidelia Mysteries #2.

There's also a great giveaway.

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Worse Than Any Bullet

Felicia Watson

(Fidelia Mysteries, #2)

Publication date: August 25th 2026

Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Everyone thinks their mother is murder but for mafia-family renegade Lucia Scafetti, that’s the literal truth.

When she laid her hitman father to rest, PI Lucia Scafetti thought she’d finally escaped her family’s criminal clutches. Ten years later, her estranged mom blows into Philly for a short visit and within days a friend’s dad is brutally murdered and Lucia is being menaced by her cousin and his fellow mafiosi. After her mother disappears, everyone: foes, friends, and free agents, descends upon Lucia in search of the thumb-drive her mom stole from a Caribbean drug lord. Lucia learns the hard way that the criminals besieging her will gladly kill to get their hands on that thumb-drive.

With the help of an intriguing ex-soldier, Lucia employs her skills, both detective and deadly, to solve the murder and unlock the secret of that enigmatic thumb-drive before it claims another life, be it her own – or that of her recently re-discovered son.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Someone’s in there.”

Lucia snapped into action, ordering Robbie to stay in the car with the dogs and retrieving her Glock from the secret compartment in the back seat of the Chevelle SS 454. She shook her head, indicating to Robbie he wasn’t getting an immediate explanation about the compartment and then stealthily approached the house.

Lucia decided to go around back and enter from the kitchen. The deadbolt had been defeated and there was no sound from the alarm system. This was no ordinary burglar.

Weapon ready, she crept into the living room where she could discern the muffled footsteps of someone descending the stairs. Lucia pointed her gun at the source of the noise and at the opportune moment, flipped on the lights. A hefty, masked and armed man froze on the fourth step as he realized he was facing a cocked gun.

Lucia warned, “If you’re thinking of trying anything, you better be a better shot than I am. Which is…unlikely.”

The man held his right hand out to his side, his gun loose. In a weirdly thick voice, he rumbled, “Hey, I’m not looking for trouble.”

“Breaking into my house armed with a military-grade semi is a really strange way to prove that.”

He chuckled and moved the gun slightly in a non-threatening manner. “Military grade? Nah, this is just a—”

“A Beretta Cx4 Storm. Which means you are definitely prepared for trouble.”

Rather than refuting her point, he urged, “I just want the thumb-drive, the real one. The one your mother stole from me.”

Not recognizing the term ‘thumb-drive’, Lucia silently contemplated whether this guy could possibly be looking for a body-part from someone her mother had killed. “You worked with my mom? Who are you?”

“I’m not wearing this mask ’cause I’m ugly. Who I am is none of your business. Just hand over the drive and no one gets hurt.”

“Seeing as I have the drop on you, that’s a toothless threat,” Lucia declared. “And I don’t know what it is you’re looking for, but you’re not gonna find it here.”

“For your sake, lady, I hope you’re lying.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I’m not the last person who’s gonna come looking for that thumb-drive. And I’m sure as hell not the most dangerous.”

Nodding at his gun, she countered, “Hard to believe. And I don’t even know what a thumb-drive is let alone—”

“It’s a computer thing,” Robbie announced from somewhere behind her back, his presence until that moment completely undetected. “You use it to—”

“Robbie?!” Her eyes remained trained on the masked man as Lucia barked, “What the hell! What are you doing here?”

“I was worried about you so I came to check. Don’t worry, I left the dogs in the car. You know, so they won’t get hurt.”

“But it’s okay if you get hurt?!”

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction this argument provided, the man on the stairs suddenly leapt over the banister and dashed towards the kitchen.

Lucia followed but he was too quick for her. Standing on the back deck, listening to his footsteps retreating into the darkness, Lucia briefly considered giving chase. She quickly discarded the idea. Not only was there Robbie to think of, but Lucia was loathe to incite a gunfight that might frighten Mrs. Schwartz, the elderly widow who occupied the twin house attached to her own.

When she got back in the house Robbie held up his backpack. “I got it.” He took a deep breath and then said, “Wow, that was….”

“Terrifyingly dangerous?” she offered, while surveying the wreckage around her. The intruder had obviously conducted a very thorough search.

“Nah, exciting! I knew it was safe when I heard you handling that guy like a pro. Otherwise, I would’ve stayed in the kitchen. I swear.”

Lucia sighed heavily and impulsively put her free arm around his shoulder. “Rule number one, Rob? When guns are drawn? The situation is never, ever, safe.” She pulled him to face her and stared intently into his eyes. “Capish?”

Author Bio:

Felicia Watson started writing stories as soon as they handed her a pencil in first grade. She’s especially drawn to character driven tales, where we see people we recognize, people who struggle with their mistakes and shortcomings, acknowledge them, and use that knowledge to grow into wiser human beings.

When not writing, Felicia spends her time chasing after her not-so-brilliant, but darling and beloved dogs, is chased by her truly brilliant, darling and beloved husband, is known to friends and family as an amateur pastry chef, and still finds time for swimming and her day job as a scientist.

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