Saturday, November 30, 2013

RBTL Presents: Firebolt



Title: Firebolt
Author: Adrienne Woods
Series: The Dragonian Series
Publisher: GMTA Publishing Mythos Press
Release Date: Nov 20 2013


Back Cover Blurb:
Dragons. Right. Teenage girls don't believe in fairy tales, and sixteen-year-old Elena Watkins was no different.
Until the night a fairy tale killed her father.
Now Elena is in a new world, and a new school. The cutest guy around may be an evil dragon, a prince wants Elena's heart, and a long dead sorcerer may be waking up to kill her. Oh and the only way Elena's going to graduate is on the back of a dragon of her own.
Teenage girls don't believe in fairy tales. Now it's time for Elena to believe in...herself.
Promotional Blurb:
I’m going to create with my illustrator a book trailer out of this. But it won’t be available for a couple of months.
       The Belly of a huge blue beast on four legs, the size of tree stumps, stood in front of the pickup.
Elena Watkins loved the fairy tales her father used to tell her.
     Another dragon came out of nowhere. His scales appeared to be copper. He sank his jaws into the blue dragon.
Tales of heroes. Tales of magic.
    The copper dragon bit fiercely into the blue dragon's neck. Blood pooled on thick puddles on the road.
Tales of dragons.
     The copper dragon trudged toward the pickup. He hooked one of his talons into the windshield - and ripped it off.
But that was when she was little. Sixteen year old girls know the difference between fairy tales and real life. And everybody knows...
     The dragon started to shrink.
there are no such things ...
     The dragon's huge figure melted away into a copper blob. I shrieked...
as dragons.
     as the blob transformed into the fugure of a man crouching low to the ground.
Elena knew that too. Until that night. The night a dragon...
     My father. And he was dying.
...killed her father.
Now there's a lot more that Elena has to learn. And not just about dragons. Because for Elena, not all the fairy tales are false - and not all the real world is real. And if Elena is going to get through what's coming, she's going to have to know a lot more that the difference. She's going to have to get to know someone she's never met. Someone she doesn't know if she can believe in.
Herself.

For the love of blueberries, Elena Watkins was destined for greatness, even though she didn’t know it. Forced to travel from home to home every three months Elena’s life was a never ending blur of new towns and new faces, that is, until the night her father was killed by a creature she thought only existed in fairy tales – a dragon. With her father’s death leaving her orphaned, Elena is whisked away to her true birthplace, Paegeia.
Arriving at Dragonia Academy, the premier school for young Dragonians, she begins to feel a sense of belonging in this strange world; a school she was never meant to attend because her father was a dragon. Elena is soon swept up in the rigor of her new life and the new set of skills she now needs to survive: Latin, Art of War, and Enchantments.
Entranced by her new reality Elena learns about the dragons and humans who inhabit her new home. There are two classes of dragons that soar through Paegeia distinguished by their instinctual pretense for either good or darkness. The distinction between these two very different species is vital to Elena’s success in her new world because she has been marked as a Dragonian, a human preordained to ride and tame a dragon of her very own.
With the help of her new friends, Elena is able to navigate the complexities of her new home. Her new roommates Becky and Sammy are even more amazing then she could have ever imaged and to top it all off, Sammy was a dragon. Sammy’s is also the devoted sister of Blake, the most attractive boy at school and the Rubicon; the only dragon of his kind with the abilities of all the dragon species with a pretense for evil. Elena soon finds the love she always wanted with Lucian, the Prince of Tith, who actively pursues Elena throughout her time at Dragonia Academy, winning her heart with his absolute adoration and unshaken dedication.
Unbeknownst to Elena danger is lurking behind the enchanted vines concealing the once thriving capital of Paegeia – Etan. Goran, the darkest sorcerer to ever practice his evil arts in the realm, has lain dormant for over a century behind the crumbling city. The first step in his menacing plan is to destroy the only weapon that can kill him – the King of Lion Sword.
When the sword is stolen Elena doesn’t think twice about seeking it; knowing deep down that it is her destiny to save her new home. She travels to the Sacred Cavern, and discovers the nefarious actions of an unknown man lead to the swords destruction as she follows the trail revealed in the prophetic waters of the cavern.
Elena and her friends engage the mysterious man revealing their existence to Goran and fighting for their very lives.


I was born and raised in South Africa, where I still live with my husband, and two beautiful
little girls. I always knew that I was going to be a writer but it only started to happen about four years ago, now I can’t stop writing.

In my free time, If I get any because Moms don’t really have free time, I love to spend time with friends, if it’s a girls night out, or just a movie, I’m a very chilled person.

My writing career is starting with Firebolt, book one with the Dragonian Series, there will be four books in total and two to three books that is about the stories taking place inside The Dragonian Series.

I do write in different Genres, I have a woman’s fiction called the Pregnancy Diaries, but it would be published under another name. And then I have a paranormal series, called the Watercress series. There are about ten novels in that one.

So, plenty of novels to come out, so little time.

I hope you are going to embrace the Dragonian Series as much as I loved writing them.

Kind Wishes,

Adrienne Woods

Author Links


     A girl singing her heart out about a miracle boomed inside my ear. A miracle would get me what I needed: a chance at a semi-normal life.
     The bedroom door hitting the wall expelled the thought from my mind. With his hand tangled up in his copper hair and with huge brown eyes, Dad's figure filled the entire doorway. “Pack your bags.” He had that set to his jaw, the one that meant there was no way out of this. He bolted out of the room just as suddenly as he had appeared.
     My teeth ground hard against each other, and the sharp pain behind my eyes, I guessed from the lack of sleep, grew stronger. Every fibre of my being wanted to explode.
     Ever since I could remember my name, Dad and I had been on the run. From what? Beats me.                  
     For the last two weeks, I'd been pacing up and down through the house, struggling to fall asleep at night, waiting for this day.
     For the love of blue berries, no sixteen-year old should live this way!              
     I climbed off my bed, and the first step I took left my toe tangled in the wide leg of my jeans.  I tried to regain my balance as the closet inched closer, but with wildly flailing arms, I came crashing down. The thud reverberated across the wooden floor, and it sounded as if I'd broken something.
     Dad darted back into my room. "Are you okay?" He lifted me back onto my feet as if I weighed nothing.
     Tears lurked in the corners of my eyes, threatening to burst, as I stared up at him.
    "Don't give me that look, Elena. Please, we need to hurry.” He pulled my suitcase from the top shelf and chucked it haphazardly onto my bed. “We need to go. Now.”
    "Dad…"
     He started to grab my clothes from the shelf and tossed them messily inside my small suitcase. Then he paused, sighed, and looked up with soft eyes. He stroked the side of my cheek with his hand gently. “This wasn't the right place, bear. Please, you’ve got to trust me.”
     His hand reached back to pull everything off my shelf, while my hands curled up into balls of fury. My heart pounded fast as those two words bounced inside my skull. “Trust you, Dad?”
     "Elena, we don't have much time,” he yelled. “Pack your bags! You can ask questions later." He left, and the hollow “doof” sound from his footsteps stomped loudly as he made his way into the hall.
     Ask questions? Yeah right! I’ll only get answers that don’t reveal why we are on the run for the gazillionth time.' “Trust me” and “I'll tell you when the time is right” were the only two answers Dad gave. 'Guess time with him will never be right.’
     It was no use arguing with him anyway. The last time, he threw me over his shoulder and carried me out without any of my things.
     So I grabbed the stuff I needed: my mp3 player, a photo of Mom that Dad didn't know I had, and my journal from underneath my bed. I tossed them into my backpack. It wasn't much, but it was the stuff that made my miserable life felt less pathetic. I zipped up my suitcase and took a deep breath. Looking around my bedroom for the last time, I said goodbye to my sixtieth-something room.
     Dad almost ran me over in the hall with his army bag slung over his shoulder. He grumbled, which I assumed was an apology, took my suitcase, and ran down the stairs. He always rented these huge old houses, pre-furnished and near the countryside, and we always left after three months.
     The pickup's horn honked as I shut the front door. I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. Just two more years, then I'll be eighteen and free from this freak show. Huge raindrops fell hard onto the ground. The smell of wet dirt filled the air. It was my favorite smell.
     The water that pooled on the ground covered all the gaps in the driveway, forcing me to hopscotch around all of them. My shoe got caught in one of the gaps and I smacked down hard in a huge puddle. By the time I reached the truck, my jeans and shoes were soaking wet. 
     Warm heat from the vents inside the truck hit me full blast as I jumped in; a million goose pimples erupted across my skin.  As soon as I shut the rusty door, Dad floored the gas pedal. Tires screeched and the truck spun away as if the Devil chased us.  My lower lip quivered softly as he swerved onto the road. The streetlights flew by in a blur as I plugged in my earpieces. The same stupid song about a miracle boomed from my mp3, drowning the sound of the engine and the hard dribbles on the roof, a percussion that became the perpetual soundtrack to my misery.
       A feeling of utter loneliness consumed my heart as I stared out the window. Homes with white picket fences and the convenient store whizzed by in a flash. A tear rolled down my cheek as I said goodbye, and my breath on the glass created a foggy condensation. Reaching out my index finger, I drew a small heart. These were the reasons why Mom had left. She couldn't handle his paranoia, but why she’d left her daughter to deal with it was a mystery. Dad constantly reminded me of the latter, and that was the only time he ever spoke of her. If he ever discovered I had that picture, he would kill me. That was how much he hated her for leaving us.
     The lights of a vehicle in the upcoming lane shone directly into my face. I shut my eyes, waiting for it to disappear. As a little girl, I used to watch Dad as we drove away from yet another house. He would glare into his rearview mirror every five seconds, every muscle in his face clenched, and his knuckles white on the steering wheel. I hadn’t been able to force myself to peek out the window then, as it used to scare the living crap out of me to consider the possible reasons he was fleeing from, or who might be following us. Now, I didn't look at him or care much for what he was going through. He created this problem. With me becoming the luggage. It was a ritual I endured every three months, and nothing over the past sixteen years had ever changed that.
     The “Interstate 40” sign flew by in a whirl, and the pickup slowly moved onto the turnoff lane.
     My eyes started to burn as I stared at the rain running down my window. Each rivet resembled another town, another place I would never again call home. Exhaustion consumed me and my eyelids felt heavy. I laid my head against the window and struggled to stay awake.
     Suddenly, a dark and huge figure flew past me. Dad swerved to the left, which made me crushed into the side of the passenger’s door. My entire body pumped with adrenaline. I jumped straight in my seat and wrenched the seatbelt over my shoulder to buckle myself in. I tore out my earpieces as I tried to process what had just happened.
     “What was that?” I looked at Dad.
      He stared straight ahead with huge eyes. Beads of sweat rolled from his hairline down to the side of his temple. He looked terrified, something that conflicted with his personality. I'd never seen Dad look that scared in my entire life.
     “Dad!”
     “Did you see where it went?” he asked, attempting to inject calm into his voice, but I could hear the fear lacing each syllable.
     “See where what went? Dad what was that!”
     “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
     “For once in your life, just tell me!” I screamed. Sixteen years of frustration exploded from my lungs. I couldn't take the unknown anymore.
    “Fine.” He mumbled something else that I didn't catch. "Do you remember the stories I used to tell you?"
    “Stories? What stories?”
    “The ones about Paegeia, Elena.” He looked in his rearview mirror again with huge, unblinking eyes.
     Vaguely, but I didn't tell him that. "What does that have to do with this?"
     “They're real.”
      I froze and I stared at him.

      “All of it, it’s real. The dragons, the magic, the wall, everything is real.”





Monday, November 25, 2013

RBTL presents: Luminous





Title: Luminous
Author: Jasmine Angell
Series: The Psyne Series (#1)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Saga Ventures, LLC
Release Date: Aug 12 2013
Editions/Formats Available In: eBook


Blurb/Synopsis:

What would you do if the world you loved was taken from you forever?
...and what would you sacrifice to get it back?

Magical, Mythical, Mesmerizing…
A powerful race of beings lives and works among us and we don’t even know it. To us, they are known as mermaids, sirens and water nymphs, but they call themselves the Psyne. They have lived on Earth since ancient times, wield powerful magic and have only one weakness—love.
When Psyne suddenly start disappearing around the globe, the remaining aquatars are evacuated to their home world and a ban is placed on Earth. Ilauria, a devoted servant to the Psyne Council, can’t abide abandoning the missing eight, and with the help of her long-time friend, Shivan, and a subversive member of the Venvian Psyne named Adante, she embarks on a harrowing rescue mission to uncover who or what is powerful enough to subdue her kind.
What Ilauria discovers will cause her to question her loyalties, re-examine her dual nature, and will shake the very foundations of the truths her society holds dear.

Book Links 

About the Author


Jasmine was born in Tucson, Arizona, the oldest of two children. She spent her teen years living in Phoenix, Arizona and then attended the University of Arizona in Tucson where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing. She married and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where her husband attended graduate school at the University of Utah. There she adopted a love for the changing seasons, snowboarding and the beauty of the mountains.
She spent several years working on a literary novel but found her heart wasn’t in it. Finally she quit her day job to write full time and embraced her life-long love of fantasy fiction.  She wrote Luminous, the first novel in the Psyne series (pronounced "sign") and followed it up with the sequel, Prism, due out the summer of 2014.  With a third series novel in the works and no end in sight, Jasmine will be spending a great deal of time in the Psyne Universe over the next several years.  When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she loves to horseback ride, dance, make elaborate costumes just for the fun of it, and is always planning her next decadent tea party.

Author Links


Blog  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  LinkedIn  |  Twitter  |  Website

My Review


Going into this book I knew it was going to be a long read because it had so many pages. It helped that it was easy to read with lots of fast-paced action to keep me interested.

Ilauria and Shivan are magical mythological creatures sent to earth as protectors. Pulled away by the Council, they secretly return to earth to find their missing sisters.

A love story that is centuries old, Ilauria walked away from the human she loved. Can she see past his anger to find out how he really feels?

I absolutely love how the author wove her tale around so the different tales and brought them all together. She puts a new spin on mermaids creates an interesting world for them. I really enjoyed the details the author went into to make this story feel real and come alive. She did a wonderful job and I cannot wait until I can read the next book. 

Excerpt #1:  THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Ilauria proceeded down a short set of iridescent stairs and breached the invisible membrane holding the ocean back.  She dove into the water gracefully and her dress rippled away as she shifted into her Psyne form.  Her legs gave way to an opulent fish tail that shimmered blue, green and purple depending on how the light hit it. 
Shivan dove in after her, shape shifting with ease.
Like the quintessential mermaid, Shivan’s tail propelled her through the saltwater.  The delicate scales of her tail were the same light green color of her eyes and narrowed from her hips only to fan out into resplendent flukes.  Gold bands encircled her arms above the elbows and ribbons of light green fin hung from them as a faint glow emanated from the pale skin of her face and arms.
Ilauria paused suddenly, eyeing the two immense statues that flanked the entrance to Aquatarius.  They were Psyne, like Ilauria and Shivan, and seemed to stare down at them, their eyes gleaming defiantly with their abundant hair spread out behind them.  They were pinnacles of strength, a tribute to the ancient Psyne who had sacrificed so much in order for their descendants to live in peace, without fear of the Fury, their mortal enemies.   
Then as quick as Ilauria had paused, she was off again with a flick of her peacock-colored tail, as graceful as a seal. 
Shivan pushed against the water and followed her.
The silence of the water enveloped them, with the exception of far off whale song and it was a welcome sanctuary from the babbling voices of Aquatarius. 
But it didn’t last long. 
As easily as hearing verbal speech, the telepathic announcement from the Council went out to all Psyne: 
As of this moment, all aquatars are being recalled from Earth and travel to that planet is hence forth banned.
Psyne as far as the eye could see halted in mid-swim and took in the news.  Hearing the Council’s decree again cemented the raw feeling in Shivan’s throat as they swam onward without missing a beat. 
As they rounded the edge of a swaying kelp forest, Shivan looked back at Aquatarius looming behind them.  The walls of the aquatar headquarters shimmered with mother-of-pearl and were bathed in the blue light of the zenethen energy spheres hanging suspended in the water above it.  Shaped like a sea star, the monolithic structure possessed five towers, one between each arm, the intricate spires swirling up towards the ocean surface. 
Shivan set off after Ilauria, thrusting her tail to keep up with the furious pace Ilauria had set through the ocean.  Their pale skin glowed in the dark water until the sea floor of opalescent sand began to slope ever steeper and the water began to lighten with the shifting bands of sunlight filtering through the waves above.
They swam past a gamboling herd of giant seahorses tossing their heads as Shivan studied Ilauria’s calm demeanor, knowing it wasn’t like her friend to be so stoic. 
Ilauria, are you okay?
Shivan felt her telepathy gently blocked by her friend and she didn’t persist but her worry grew more intense.  Perhaps she was going to need time to adjust to this new reality where the Council would abandon their sisters.

GIVE AWAY


  


Thursday, November 21, 2013

RBTL Presents: Tempting Grey Release Day Blitz





Title:
Tempting Grey
Author: T.A. Grey
Series: The Untouchables (# 2)
Genre: Paranormal Erotic (high heat level with graphic language)
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Nov 21 2013
Edition/Formats Available In:  E~Book



It all began nearly 600 years ago…
A dangerous vampire, mated to a woman his heart no longer beats for.
A mistake that would change his entire life.
A mistake so horrific it would lead Grayson Blackmoore back to one woman.
A woman who holds the power to shatter him completely—Arabella Donahue.
Vengeance, bloodshed. The hunt is on and Grayson won’t stop until they're all dead.

Book Links 

ARe  |  Amazon  |  Goodreads Add Me

I love to write the kind of stories that will keep you up late at night and make your heart pound. It’s my
goal in writing to make each new book better, more exciting, more action-packed, not only to test myself as a writer but to keep thrilling you. I’m always trying to push the boundaries with my imagination, and yours, to create something new and different.
If you’re a fan of paranormal romance novels then you’ll love my Bellum Sisters Trilogy. This isn’t your typical romance story, so be prepared for a kick of heat and tons of action. The Bellum Sisters Trilogy has received excellent reviews from paranormal bloggers and two of the three books are Top Picks from Night Owl Reviews.
Now, if you like shorter books with quite a bit of heat, humor, and action then I’d recommend the Kategan Alphas series. This erotic series features the sexy Kategan family and all the lucky men and women who get to meet them and complete their lives.
Visit my website to learn more about me and my books at www.tagrey.com


Author Links 


 
She smiled and held his hand a little tighter where their hands joined, energy swirled. He couldn’t see it but he could feel the presence of something special in her. Maybe she really was his bruid. A flicker of hope sprung. That could explain why she made him feel so strange…so good.
“My mother’s not around. My father’s always traveling so I go with him. He’s really good at finding people.”
“My father is Argonzo Blackmoore, president of the were and vampire council.”
Her fingers flexed at the name. Everyone knew the name of his father. He was one of the most powerful people in the world. “That’s if you’re really that awful Grayson.”
“Awful?” Surprise got the better of him.
A playful look crossed her face. “I hear Grayson is a stalwart hero who’s as impenetrable as rock in a fight.”
That almost made him laugh. “No one says anything so poetic about me.”
“True. I believe what they really said was that you were a quiet vampire with a temper.” She threw her head back and laughed, revealing the smooth length of her neck, and the thumping pulse beating beneath the skin. Gray had to force his gaze away from her vein.
Too late!
He saw the throbbing vein. The muscles in his neck locked tight in a painful knot as he straightened his spine. His fangs distended. Only weak, or young, vampires couldn’t control their compulsion to feed at the sight of a vein. Panic grabbed at him. How shameful to reveal his fangs to her, to show weakness to this woman. No! Grayson’s heart beat frantically, sweat slicked the back of his neck, he wouldn’t do it. Even if he had to kiss her to keep her from seeing those vile teeth. Wait. His mind slowed. Kiss her? Grayson froze, his wayward thought garnering far too much consideration.
“Are you feeling well?” Concern pulled the girl’s eyebrows into a furrow that still made her look impossibly sweet.
His eyes locked on her mouth. All he could manage in answer was a brisk shake of his head—no.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.
Again, he shook his head. How was it he knew he needed to open his mouth and speak to her, yet he couldn’t think of a single thing to say?
He was nearly hugging her. They’d long stopped dancing. They merely stood there touching each other. Suddenly words he hadn’t known he wanted to say burst from him. “Please tell me if you are her!” He shook her with the question. “I must know.”
The smile on her face faded. Sadness transformed her face into something beautifully bad. The look made his own heart break into pieces at the sight. “Are you truly Grayson Blackmoore or are you funning me, my lord?”
Just then the sound of rocks being removed began. They’d been found. People on the other side of the rubble started clearing it out. The crashing of stone made it difficult to answer her without yelling. Grayson grabbed the girl’s hand and pulled her further back into the room as dust and small rocks trickled down from the pile.
When he had her attention he told her, “I am.”
She blinked as if she’d forgotten what he was talking about. Then she remembered.
Grayson must admit he wasn’t prepared for the impact her stricken face had on him. He nearly took back his words—however stupid that’d be. He nearly denied truly being Grayson, he’d do anything, to remove that expression from her face. Anything.
The rocks were being pulled away faster. They didn’t have much time. Grayson felt like he
held a delicate kite in his hands on a thin string and the wind was whipping by trying to tear the kite from him.
Leaning close he asked, “Are you her?”
Her lips parted before she fixed her expression into an unreadable mask. He hated the look; she was hiding something. That secret look made his stomach plummet. But her next move caught him completely by surprise. The beautiful blonde were, not the dark-haired vampire who he’d be mating with tonight, stepped up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his.
It was Grayson Blackmoore’s first real kiss.
Grayson jerked in surprise, but didn’t sever their tentative connection. Their breaths stirred, mingled. Eyes stayed locked in a warm embrace. Gently, he pressed his lips more firmly against hers. Their lips touched completely now. He yearned to close his eyes and kiss her properly how he’d really like to, but he could hear voices now. The wall was nearly torn down.
Grayson stepped back from temptation, feeling as dazed as the girl looked. The stones were removed moments later and a flood of faces swept into the small room. His father was before him, angry. Not that anyone but close family could see that the president of the were and vampire community was anything more than mildly annoyed. No, Grayson had been around his father long enough to recognize the stiff upper lip and quickened steps.
He was dragged to a room the size of an area. It was packed full of unfamiliar faces, both were and vampire. The room smelled of expensive cologne, blood that filled glasses, and sweetness from poppy flowers used to decorate the occasion.
“We do not have time to idle, son. The Redenver father has it in his head this is a poor sign of tidings to come. Hurry, we must begin the ceremony before he reneges on his deal.” Argonzo Blackmoore was a tall, slender figure with the nose of a hawk, and the complexion of an Italian.
“Now?”
His father cast him a spared glance, watchful. “Yes, now. Are you ready?”
It was time. He would meet and mate with his one and only now. How strange that a cool stillness crept over him, bracing him, in that moment. Those unfamiliar faces turned to watch him and his father as they made their way to the center of the room to the dais on which stood the awaiting Blackmoore and Redenver family.
It wasn’t her.
Tongue dry as parchment, Grayson licked his lips. It couldn’t be her. The possibility of it was next to nothing. Yet, as his father released him and Grayson marched up the dais to meet his bruid, he yearned for that familiar face to stare up at him from beneath the veil. One that could dazzle him with a smile.
His father announced the families to the quieting crowd. Grayson stood tall next to a girl wearing a loose white gown with a veil obscuring her face from view. Grayson would soon pull that veil up to reveal her. And so it began.
He and the quiet girl who had yet to speak a word were positioned to face one another. Grayson swore everyone could see the sweat dripping down his temples. He was sure of it. Everyone knew he didn’t want to be here right now. They had to see it in the strain on his face. His hands managed not to tremble as he took his bruid’s slender hands in his own. For a second he found himself trying to learn if this girl’s hands were the same as the girl he’d danced with. The girl had been wearing gloves so he didn’t have any clue how her hands looked. Were they slender fingered with long nails like the girl next to him had?
The moment came crashing over Grayson with staggering finality. A priest spoke vows before them, his words sounding as if they came from far away. On a final word, the bruid before him slowly pulled back the veil.
It felt like someone was skinning him alive, such was the agony of waiting to see.
Was it her?
He didn’t think he’d ever wanted anything so badly in his life as he wanted this. The first strands of hair came into view. The very world rolled before him making the room spin in a whirlwind of motion. Grayson rocked on the heel of his boots nearly losing his balance before he caught himself. Did anyone see him losing control right now? Did anyone even care that his world was completely upside down?
Across the room stood a girl. In front of him, a lovely girl with eyes the color of coal and hair dark as night looked up at him with calm acceptance. Across the room, his eyes stayed locked on a girl with the wildest blonde hair he’d ever seen. She stared at him with an expression
Grayson knew he’d never be able to forget. For her look showed exactly how he felt right now—ravaged. Like he’d found something precious and perfect for a few minutes but now had to put the gift down and walk away from it. She shook her head as if to clear her head from what she was seeing. His body nearly surged towards her, wanting, no, needing to go to her and comfort her.
Then Anita of Redenver spoke, and in a strong voice vowed to stay beside Grayson for eternity.
It was his turn. His role had already been cast. His mother, his family, were more important than him.

Grayson Blackmoore delivered his vows as succinctly as Anita had. Applause broke out as Argonzo presented Grayson and Anita to the crowd. Shiny teeth flashed in forced, over-bright smiles from the faces below. But across the room, the face he sought to look upon one final time was gone. And he realized, it would never be there again.