Book Blurb:
I know their secrets.
Most people would end their relationships with these men. These men who betrayed my trust, and in some cases, my heart. Unfortunately for me, I’m not most people. Hell, there are times when I wonder where and when my common sense abandoned me.
Then there’s the war. The war you don’t know about. The war I shouldn’t know about. But I’m centered in it because I’m a pawn of higher beings, angels. Well, ex-angels. Exiles, to be exact.
The only way to stop this exile rebellion is to track down its instigator, prove it’s not someone I love. Only problem is that exiles can hide their face from the world if they choose, and most do. Then there’s that pesky fire, the ignes iudicii, which doesn’t just kill you, but burns you out of existence, out of history, altogether.
All I have to aid me in my quest are these men, until one of them betrays me. So here I stand, Charlotte Grace, essentially alone.
Most people would end their relationships with these men. These men who betrayed my trust, and in some cases, my heart. Unfortunately for me, I’m not most people. Hell, there are times when I wonder where and when my common sense abandoned me.
Then there’s the war. The war you don’t know about. The war I shouldn’t know about. But I’m centered in it because I’m a pawn of higher beings, angels. Well, ex-angels. Exiles, to be exact.
The only way to stop this exile rebellion is to track down its instigator, prove it’s not someone I love. Only problem is that exiles can hide their face from the world if they choose, and most do. Then there’s that pesky fire, the ignes iudicii, which doesn’t just kill you, but burns you out of existence, out of history, altogether.
All I have to aid me in my quest are these men, until one of them betrays me. So here I stand, Charlotte Grace, essentially alone.
Book Excerpt:
Having been used and abused by exiled angels
for most of my life, I have had enough!
A line was crossed with what they did to Wesley, and in turn what they
did to me. I am tired of being
manipulated; tired of being a pawn.
Walk away, you say? I desperately wish I could. But trust me, you don’t want me to. It could be your life if I did. And at
this point I can’t anyway. I can’t stand
by any longer and watch people get hurt; watch people die.
The Presidential campaign is coming to a close and the
exiles plan is becoming clearer every day, chaos and destruction across the
globe. Wars, terror, violence,
everything we think is senseless and random are all just tactics to turn
humanity against itself.
So this is it.
Charlotte Grace is going on the offensive, backed by my secret weapon,
Olivier. An exile himself who can no
longer stand idly by. I may not be much,
but you better hope that I’m enough.
Excerpt:
Moving
to put the phone to my ear, I froze before it got there. An update broke over the prerecorded news
segment to report another shooting at the parade in the heart of downtown New
Orleans. This time the feed was live and
you could hear the rat-ta-tat-tat of gunfire.
The field anchor was huddled behind the news van reporting that the
gunfire seemed to be coming from multiple directions and police were working
strategically to get people to safety.
His incessant “everyone needs to remain calm” vexed me because the
people who truly needed that information most weren’t exactly watching the news
at the given moment.
A
hollow “Charlotte” kept calling out over the noise of the TV, making it eerily
like I was there on Canal Street. I
vaguely realized Olivier was talking with someone on his everyday cell. When the blood splattered from either the
anchor or cameraman getting shot, my stomach flipped and had I had breakfast, I
would have lost it. Whatever had been in
my hand fell and shattered against Paige’s hardwood floors. The picture went black and that was when I
blinked and took in the chaos taking place in the house.
Olivier
and Paige were racing through the rooms, cell phones firmly planted in their
ears. Paige’s oldest son, Spencer, was
standing beside me and it took me a moment to comprehend he was not only saying
my name but also trying desperately to put something in my hand. Finally, the words sunk in. “Aunt Charlotte, it’s Uncle Wesley. He says it’s urgent that he talk to you.”
I
took the phone and ran back out to the backyard, to the relative stillness,
throwing myself on the swing. His name
was the only thing I got to say. “God,
Charlotte!” Anxiety laced Wesley’s
voice, making it shrill. “You gave me a
heart attack. Are you alright?” He didn’t pause to allow me to answer. “Never mind, they called us to inform us of
all the shootings. We just got word that
the school’s band was in the midst of the scene. Students are down and I was petrified Cheval
and you were there.” Everything he said
afterward I didn’t hear. We were
supposed to be there but Max, my boss, refused to let us go, what with my attackers
being out and Detective Winters saying I needed to avoid crowds.
“Oh,
my God!” I exclaimed. “Max and Liam are
there for us, have you heard anything?
Wait, you said they were down?
How many? How bad? What do you know?” The questions came rapid fire with no time
for an answer before I posed the next.
My heart was racing from worry, for our students, for their families,
for my friends. The breaths were harder
to take and I quickly found myself hyperventilating.
“LOVE!” His raised voice acted as a defibrillator for
my lungs, so to speak. The shock caused
me to take the deep breath I needed to keep from passing out. “That’s it, breathe with me, Charlotte.” Instructing me as if we were in a birthing
room, Wesley helped me regain control.
“I don’t know anything else. From
the images we’ve seen, people are just on the ground. We don’t know if they were shot or are trying
to take cover. Look, I’ve got to go but
I needed to hear your voice. I’ll keep
you posted and the campaign is headed home.
We should be there tonight. I
love you.”
I
had just enough time to say the words back before the line was dead. Olivier burst through the door and ran to
me. “Charlotte, we have to go. Paige and I are going to the scene. I’m going to try and help as many as I
can. The police are going to escort you
and the boys to the school. I’ve talked
with Max. He’s okay as well as the bulk
of our students but he wants the school closed tomorrow. He needs you to handle the logistics of
getting in touch with the families.”
It
took me longer than normal to process all Olivier had said. When I asked how he was going to help he
shifted. His crooked nose
straightened. His face grew longer. His hair became shorter and turned black and
his skin took on an olive hue. It was a
minute before I recognized the face Olivier now wore. It was the one I’d named Jeff from after the
attack. Olivier answered the question in
my eyes. “You’ve already given me a
backstory with the police. Paige can get
me close to my students.” It wasn’t
until he took me by the shoulders that I realized I was shaking uncontrollably. “Charlotte, it’s going to be okay. But Paige and I have to get going. Do not
leave the school until Breaux or I get there.
Do you understand?”
“Yes,
you think you’re going to be that long?
Why do we have to go to the school?”
I asked when I finally found my voice as Olivier shifted back to the
face I knew.
His
arm slid around my neck as Olivier kissed my forehead. “Carissime, you’d never forgive me if I left
Paige in the midst of all that bedlam and something happened to her. I’d never forgive myself. You’ll be safe at the school. The house is a logistical nightmare for one
patrolman to guard. With everything
going on downtown there isn’t anyone to spare to keep you safe. Keep the boys with you and barricade yourself
in your office. I hate that I have to
choose. I know I’ve said I’d always be
there to protect you. But I know you, of
all people, understand why I have to choose Paige, choose our students. I have to go.
Look out for yourself. I need to
have you to come back to.”
Before
Olivier could slip away from me and submerse himself in danger to protect my
friend, I caught his neck and kissed his lips.
“You look out for yourself,
charissimus, and make sure to come back to me.”
A
quick smile turned up the corners of his mouth.
“Immortal, remember? No matter
what, I’ll come back to you. I’ll always come back to you.” Then he was gone.
 |
| PM Briede |
BIO:
I am a lover of all things artistic. I grew up surrounded by the performing arts both as a spectator and performer. That love of creation and design is the fuel for my writing now. Being able to create and entertain is a dream come true.
The imagination is a powerful thing, able to take you places you never dreamed. I write realistic fantasy. The idea of the possible having impossible explanations fascinates me. That idea is the driving force behind the Charlotte Grace series.
If you are interested in receiving updates when I release new books, please visit me on Facebook, Amazon and on Goodreads
Look for an exciting announcement regarding PM's newest release, Ashes, later this week!
