By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

Rowan hopes that the deep emptiness inside him might possibly heal—if he just finds the retired K9 Hershey, named after an old trainer buddy. Nothing can hold Rowan back from locating his old K9 friend. What he didn’t expect was his old friend had found a new friend, with puppies of her own.

Brandi had just lost her grandmother, her home, and her best four-legged friend, Lacey, in a horrible forest fire that swept through town. Everyone said to not give up on Lacey, as dogs often disappeared only to reappear later. That one thought calls her to spend every spare moment she has at the site, calling for Lacey. When she realizes someone else has the same idea, she’s happy to join forces.

When things get ugly, she’s glad to have someone at her side because she hadn’t seen what ugly could really look like … until now.

The dog Rowan is going to California to locate has special meaning to him, he was on the mission where Hershey’s handler was killed. If he had known Hershey was retired and up for adoption he would have taken him in a heartbeat. The problem now is the family had been living where one of the wildfires destroyed everything. They’ve had to leave the state and if Hershey is found they don’t want him.

Brandi was in Europe when the rampant wildfire took over her neighborhood. She lost everything, her grandmother died in it and there’s nothing left of their home. She’s been coming back to the area every day since she got back but can’t find her pregnant retriever Lacey.

When she first meets Rowan she’s skeptical but decides to give him a chance when he’s back for a second day. They split off so they could cover more area. It’s Brandi who hears the growl and Rowan joins her. Putting out some food Brandi has, they are surprised by two puppies. He’s not sure if Hershey’s the one guarding them and he’s also worried because his voice is different and he’s not sure if his scent is the same.

Rowan being prepared, manages to get some pictures of the puppies and the other dogs, discovering in the process the mother dog is injured and there’s another puppy not doing well. They need to get them help and soon. But as they’re deciding how to go about it, a shot rings out, and Rowan has Brandi hide while he chases, unsuccessfully, after the shooter. Knowing they have no choice but to get the dogs out now, Rowan concentrates on Hershey.

This is a favorite scene.

As he took a third bite, he broke off a third piece for Hershey and threw it out to him but, this time, not quite as far. If Hershey wanted this piece, he’d have to come out of the shelter a little bit. And Rowan turned his head away and had another bite. As he broke off another one, he turned to look up and found himself staring straight at Hershey’s eyes.

He took a slow, deep breath and said, “Hello there, buddy.” His heart lit with joy. “I’m so sorry my voice is different now, but you know one thing? Hopefully my scent isn’t. My body’s been through a lot of doctors and hospitals and all that good stuff,” he said, “but it’s still me on the inside. That hasn’t changed.”

Afraid to talk too much to the dog just yet, much less reach out, Rowan continued giving Hershey time and little bits of the protein bar. At one point, he looked up, and the dog stared at him in confusion. “Hey, Hershey,” he said, as he reached up a hand.

The dog leaned forward and sniffed his fingers. He reared back and then leaned forward again. Rowan knew Hershey was confused; the scent was close but not quite right and from a long time ago. Rowan leaned forward again, and this time he put up the other hand, the one that hadn’t had surgery. Hershey sniffed and then whined.

Rowan smiled. “Hey, boy. I am so glad I found you.” And just like that, a switch flipped, and Hershey launched himself at Rowan. Hershey’s tail wagging, he jumped, circled him, jumped again, this time completely tackling Rowan to the ground. Rowan lay here on his back, laughing, letting the dog greet him.

“It’s been a long time, boy.” He gently cuddled the great big goof, walked his hands across Hershey, gently loving him, caring and rejoicing in Hershey’s greeting, knowing that this bond had never been broken. That was the thing about animals. They remembered. It took Hershey a bit to get around Rowan’s different smells and his different voice, but, after that, it was a done deal.

Finally Hershey laid down, half on top and half beside Rowan, and dropped his head on his chest. Rowan just held Hershey for a long moment. “It’s been a tough couple years, hasn’t it, buddy? I heard you got to retire and yet look at what happened to your retirement, but then something similar happened to me too.” He reached up and gently scratched the dog.

He heard Brandi’s voice off to the side, who said, “The two pups are coming out toward you.”

He reached up a hand gently, coming in contact with soft fur. The pup backed away a little bit and then came back again. Hershey barked, and pretty quickly both pups surrounded him. Rowan chuckled at the furballs. He said to Brandi, “You can try coming up, if you want.”

“Is it safe?” she asked in a dry tone. He shrugged. “No clue, but Hershey recognized me, and he trusts us enough that he got the pups here now.”

While Hershey was busy, he managed to get a rope and hooked it around the dog’s neck. Hershey didn’t appear to be bothered in any way. As part of his training, he was used to being on a leash. Used to having commands and somebody in authority over him. So this was a good thing.

With a big smile Rowan sat up gently, moving slowly, so that the pups wouldn’t get too scared, and gently he wrapped a rope around the first one, making it snug enough so that he couldn’t pull his head out of it, letting the rope trail behind him, getting him used to it. The pup seemed to treat it more like a toy than anything, rolling around, grabbing the rope, chewing it. When Rowan had the opportunity, he slipped a rope around the second one too.

“These three all have ropes now,” he said. “Do you want to come see if you can contact Lacey from here?”

“I guess that’s my best bet, isn’t it?” She walked up slowly and crouched. Hershey turned to look at her and growled.

Rowan reached up immediately and said, “Friend, Hershey. She’s a friend.”

Hershey’s ears came forward, and he looked down at Rowan. He smiled gently and rubbed Hershey’s forehead. “I know it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? But she’s a good person. It’s okay. We’re here to help Lacey, not hurt her.”

Brandi came closer and greeted the pups, who didn’t seem to think that she was anything other than part of the landscape. They rolled around, grabbing their ropes and tugging.

“They’re so special,” she whispered.

“Pups,” he said with a chuckle, still sitting on the ground. “Now we have ropes on these three, so it depends whether you can get up close and talk to Lacey as to how we handle her.”

She looked at Hershey. “Have you got him under control though?”

Rowan recognized the nervousness in her tone. “He’ll be fine,” he said. “I’ve got him now. He’s on a rope. He’s always been very well leash trained. Just don’t make any sudden moves, and go on up and talk to Lacey.” He watched as Brandi shifted closer toward the den that the dogs had created together, talking to Lacey gently. When he heard a whine on the inside of the hollow, Rowan smiled and said, “Give it a shot. I believe another pup is also in there.”

“If the pup is alive,” she murmured.

“We can only deal with what we have to work with,” he said. “So let’s hope everybody is alive.” He watched as she slowly crept a little bit closer and closer. Hershey watched, his ears forward, obviously disturbed at the turn of events but not enough to do anything about it. “Good boy,” Rowan whispered. “Good boy.” Hershey looked down and nuzzled his nose against Rowan, blowing deeply against his neck. Rowan wrapped his arms around his scruff and burrowed his face against his neck. He hoped that she had as much luck with Lacey as he was pretty sure that Lacey was badly hurt.

When he heard a strangled voice calling out to him, he turned to see her saying, “Rowan,” and she held up a third pup. “It’s alive but in rough shape.”

“Can you see why?”

“No,” she said. “It was just lying here.”

He shifted ever-so-slowly so that he could reach up a hand, and she gently placed the pup in his arms. And he tucked it against his chest, while Hershey nuzzled it. “Is this your adopted daughter?”

Rowan checked over the pup, but nothing was obviously wrong. Yet she was malnourished and suffering. “It’s a good chance Lacey has no milk,” he said, “and this one is too weak to eat otherwise.” He turned to look for Brandi, but she was inside the brush again. He didn’t hear any growling, so he hoped for a good outcome because, going into a hollow with an injured dog was never a smart idea. But just like he had a bond with Hershey, he could only hope Brandi had the same bond with Lacey. He called out, “Is she okay?”

“No,” she said, her voice thick with tears. “Her back end is damaged.”

“Like from a car accident or the fire?”

“I don’t know what I’m looking at,” she said, “but I think it’s an ugly injury and likely a broken leg.”

At that, he swore and said, “That would explain Hershey’s reaction.”

She lifted the brush and looked at him. “Why is that?”

“Because he knows exactly what those look like,” he said.

She stared down at her beloved dog, and the pain in her dog’s eyes just tore at her. But her tail moved in greeting and hope. With the brush matted down, she could see that this was where the sick pup and, of course, Lacey had bled all around. It didn’t look like she’d gotten up in a couple days. “We have to get her to a vet,” she said.
Dale Mayer. Rowan (Kindle Locations 581-645). Valley Publishing Ltd.

Getting Lacey and the pups to the cars was a bit of an adventure at least for Brandi. Then comes the hard questions about being shot at. As things get even more interesting and suspenseful, Rowan calls on Badger and the guys for help figuring things out. A relationship begins between Brandi and Rowan and there’s hope that maybe they can stay together. You know for the sake of the dogs (grin).

I love these stories so much. This one especially tore at my heart, knowing the devastation of the fires in California.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

Energy is the life-force of inherent good…
and the vigor of unnatural evil.
Which is stronger?

When she was young, Tia was forced into a prison, studied and tortured, because of her special talent. The chance for escape led her to run as far away as she could…but she quickly discovered there is nowhere she can hide that they can’t find her. Stefan Kronos, a psychic who’s formed a community of those like her, is the only person she believes can help her. When she begs him to help her, she awakens from a coma six weeks later. Her problems have only just begun, chief among them that she’s still being hunted.

Now you see her…

Dean is moonlighting as a guard at the hospital Tia finds herself in upon rousing from unconsciousness. Between a rock and a hard place, Dean has met Tia, a woman he can’t forget…and equally can’t believe the insane things she’s telling him – until there’s absolutely no other choice. What’s at stake becomes only too clear when Tia’s problems become Dean’s, entwining them so neither knows where one stops and the other starts. If she runs again, how can he find someone of her unbelievable talents?

Now you don’t…

Tia has been hiding for years, she can’t let him find her. She has a unique talent, she blends into the energy around her, making her invisible. She’s tired of hiding and turns to Stefan for help. However the person looking for her attacks her, and Stefan gets her to the hospital. What she doesn’t realize at first is that she is safe and among friends, she feels the need to run.

Dean is on guard duty, watching over Tia for Stefan. It’s been weeks since the incident that left her comatose. He checked on her, turned around and she was gone. Fortunately Stefan was in the hospital at the time and joins him, explaining Tia’s ability. Dean’s more than a little grateful that at least Stefan understood what was going on. He certainly didn’t. As he goes off duty, he’s going to check on Tia’s friend Simone. Tia’s worried about her since she helped set up the meeting with Stefan. What he didn’t expect was Tia to slip away and join him. First to an address that wasn’t correct, but was actually Tia’s family dwelling, then to the correct place.

This is a favorite scene.

Tia raced through Simone’s house, following on Dean’s heels. This didn’t make any sense. She made it to the bedroom as he stepped into the bathroom. Her heart stuttered to a stop when she heard him say, “Shit.”

She glanced around the light disarray in the bedroom. Simone was meticulously clean. She’d never have let her bedroom look like this. And…her suitcase was gone.

She brightened. Good. Simone had managed to clear out.

Dean came out of the bathroom, his phone against his ear.

“Stefan. She’s gone. There’s a dead man here.”

What?

Tia snuck around him and raced to the bathroom to see the folded body of a man. “Oh God,” she whispered. “It’s Brennan.”

And heard a sound behind her.

She spun around.

Dean glared at her.

As in he glared at her.

As in he could see her.

Shit.

She caught her breath and waited, her eyes darting to the entrance where he spread his legs in a square stance, effectively filling the doorway. He wasn’t going to let her out. Did he know she was there or was he only guessing? He’d had wonderful hearing in the hospital. And she’d just spoken out loud.

But he didn’t know for sure.

She slowed her breathing down.

“You might as well show yourself. I’m not letting you out of here.”

The nerve of him. What did he know? This was her friend’s house he was searching. Did he have any answers – no. He couldn’t stay here all day. She’d just wait him out.

“Stefan, your little tricky friend is here too.” Dean grinned. “At least I think it’s her. I can hear her, not see her. She’s in the bathroom with the dead man.”

There was silence while she considered her options. She felt like a school kid caught out on a prank.

“No, I’ve called in the police. The place will need to be gone over. So far I’m not sure where Simone is, but it looks like she left in a hurry. The question now is did she kill this man before leaving?”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Tia muttered. “They’d been together for years.”

“Ah, she speaks,” mocked Dean.

“Did you hear that Stefan? Tia says the man was Simone’s partner.”

Dean listened for a few more minutes. “You can make that decision. I’m not. She’s here and she’s your problem. Finding a dead man shoots my chance to get some sleep tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow if we find anything.”

He closed his phone and tucked it into his pocket. “Why waste energy trying to hide? I know you’re here. You obviously came in my truck so stop being a child and show yourself.”

“I’m not a child.” She dropped her energy guard and showed herself. “It’s been a long time since I was a child – if I ever was.”

And something in her voice must have gotten through to him for he stared at her hard for a moment then gave a clipped nod. “Then stop disappearing and running away.”

“I’m being hunted,” she said sarcastically. “Maybe that doesn’t mean anything to you, but I’d kinda like to stay alive, thanks.”

“I got that. But if you’re going to hide from those trying to help you, how far do you think you’re going to get?”

She hated the truth of his words, but trust wasn’t something she did easily. “What do you think happened here?” She motioned to the bathroom, deliberately not mentioning the body at her feet. She had no trouble recognizing Brennan. Simone had talked about him for years, even sending Tia photos, but Tia hadn’t actually met the man as he hadn’t been home last night – deliberate choice on their part. The less people who knew she was here the better.

Not that her attempt to keep him out of this mess had done anything for him.

“She either was attacked by him or someone else came in and killed him but she got away. Or she killed him then left.”

But Tia was already shaking her head. “She wouldn’t have killed him. They had arguments like any relationship, but she’d never kill anyone. She was a nurse. She lived to help people.”

“Let’s say I believe you for the moment, what do you think happened here?”

“I think I made a mistake and somehow someone followed me to her place and went after her. She might have had a warning considering she packed a few things. Simone is very street smart.” She’d have disappeared by now. Chances were good Tia wouldn’t ever see her friend again. As long as Simone was free and clear, Tia would be happy for her.

Her heart tripped over the thought of Simone not being free. Could she have been taken? She was a beautiful woman and she was Tia’s friend. She didn’t know if the asshole would do anything to Simone or if he’d keep her as part of his living collection. If so, maybe then Tia could get to her and save her before it got too bad. As long as she was still alive, she could heal. But Tia had to find her and save her. If she hadn’t been taken then there was no finding her. She had street smarts. She’ll find you – if she cares to.

She walked out of the bathroom and collapsed down on the side of Simone’s bed. “I suppose the cops will be all over the place now.”

“In a few minutes, yes.”

“And you have to stay here?”

“Not for the whole mess of things about to happen, but I will have to for at least an hour or so.”

She nodded. It was just setting in. Simone had lost Brennan and she had lost Simone. She stared dry-eyed at her present life and didn’t like the look of it. The future was even more depressing. Shit.

“You can go into my truck and wait. Don’t let them see you. Oh wait, damn it. What about your fingertips. Do you leave prints?”

She nodded absently. “I do but I haven’t touched anything.” She straightened. “Oh, but I did earlier.”

He nodded, his tone serious as he said, “We might need to take your prints to compare to the ones here.”

A broken laugh escaped her. “No, you won’t need to. You’ll run the prints and mine will come up.”

“Come up for what?” He walked to stand in front of her, effectively caging her in case she tried to bolt.

Only she had no plans to bolt. She was just realizing what kind of trouble she was in. Stefan might not be able to save her this time.

“Just how much trouble are you in?”

“Prison type of trouble,” she said shortly. “Maybe.”

“What did you do?”

“I escaped a place where I was supposed to stay. Only I was a prisoner. When I had an opportunity, I ran and never looked back,” she said softly. “With my prints all over the place, they might think I did it.”

“Did what?”

“Killed the doctor,” she whispered. “But I didn’t kill anyone. I’m not even sure he’s dead. If he is, then I think whoever did kill him is after me…and if he’s not dead…then he’s the one chasing me.”
Mayer, Dale. Psychic Visions: Books 7-9. Valley Publishing Ltd. Kindle Locations (4931-4989). Kindle Edition.

This is the beginning of a very interesting relationship, Dean can hear and sense her when she’s invisible. This makes for some amusing conversations. There’s also the fact that someone is hunting for her but the main suspect is supposedly dead.

Dean finds himself unable to stay away from her, even as some very strange things happen to her. Dr. Maddy and Stefan are concerned because her energy appears to be shorting out, causing only parts of her to disappear, very disconcerting.

There’s plenty of things going on to keep you turning the pages as Dean, Stephan and Dr. Maddy try to figure out what’s going on. Both with Tia’s energy and who is looking for her.

I was truly surprised at the conclusion of this one, I never saw it coming.

Suspense, intrigue, romance and so much more.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

Even when a person can see something, it doesn’t necessarily mean he should look…

Celina Wilton is technically blind, but, given the alternative of being dead instead, she’s learned how to adapt to a condition she finds far from ideal.

Leader of a community of psychics, Stefan Kronos is often asked by the police to help out on special cases where his unique abilities assist with investigations. When he’s called upon to consult on a case, Celina falls squarely on his radar. For a long time, he’s wanted to get to know Celina better, and the only reason he’s gotten as far as he has around her walls is by proceeding in unusual ways. He’s had to cautiously watch his every step…and now, in order to protect her, he has to watch hers as well.

But, to unravel the threads tangling their lives with a vicious killer, Celina will need to trust Stefan enough to let him inside her barriers.

This stalker is like none other Stefan has encountered. Before long, he realizes he’s not the only one with eyes into Celina’s soul…

At the end of ‘Rare Find’ I was happy dancing over this next book. Finally it’s Stefan’s story. He’s with Dr. Maddy and Drew, Tabitha and Ronin and Shay at the symphony when Tabitha lets out a delighted gasp. Stefan had his eyes closed enjoying the music but opens them to see what’s happening. Colors danced with the music in the ethers. It’s Dr. Maddy who points out they are coming from the harpist. Stefan follows the colors to the source, he knows her, she is his beloved, the other half of his soul.

Now it’s one thing to get to know someone and fall in love, but Celina doesn’t know Stefan as he is now. He’s kept his distance, first because he’s older, then later waiting for the right opportunity.

Celina has a problem, there’s someone in her head, asking her for something she can’t do. A repetitive ‘Let Me See’ is only part of the torture he is putting her through. As Celina and a few friends from the symphony are celebrating the new season, he decides to offer her proof of what he could do and that begins a very interesting cycle of events.

Celina’s always seen ghosts but this one that has attached to her is decidedly malicious in intent. Unlike Mimi who is more of a friend and confidant. Celina is also blind, her surgeon is puzzled because there doesn’t appear to be an medical reason for it.

We get to see a lot of Samantha in this book, she’s having visions that are very disturbing. Brandt is trying to make sense of them and needs Stefan’s help. It’s through this connection that Stefan gets to meet Celina, although it’s in regard to a disturbing message written in blood on her bathroom mirror.

This is a favorite scene.

The doorbell rang once, and then a second time. Celina’s stomach sank. Great, here was round two. “That’s the cops. A different group,” she muttered, pushing her chair back to stand up.

“Ugh,” Jillian said.

Celina called back, “I know you can’t stay for long. If you want to take off now while they are here, you could always come over later.”

“Will do.”

Celina opened the door and frowned. Heat and power radiated toward her. “Hello?”

“Hello,” said a calm, masculine voice. “I’m Detective Brandt Sutherland and I have Stefan Kronos, a consultant working with the department, with me.” He hesitated. “May we come in? We won’t be long, but we’d like to see the crime scene.”

She stepped back and away from the entrance. By rights she shouldn’t even be here, but it wasn’t like she had any place to go. She motioned in the direction of the bathroom. “Help yourself.”

“Thank you.” Two men walked past her. The second one caught her attention as he moved past her. She lifted her head and sniffed gently. She recognized that aftershave…and there was just something else about him…she recognized him…or maybe it was his name.

Celina waited at the door but the consultant didn’t say anything. She wracked her brain as to why his name rang a bell in her memory.

Jillian stepped closer and whispered in Celina’s ear, “Oh my God, they are both hunks.”

Celina’s lips twisted. “Really? Well, their looks don’t do anything for me.”

“Maybe not, but wow.” Then her voice changed. “I feel like I should know the first guy but can’t place him.”

“Hmm. I thought I recognized the consultant’s name, but I don’t know from where.”

“Think about it, and be good while I’m gone.”

“Like I have a choice,” Celina muttered as she closed the door behind her friend. She really needed to give up her self-pity and get on with her life.

“Like hell,” she said to no one in particular, then realized how odd she must look standing in the hallway talking to herself. She made her way back to the kitchen where she sat down with her tea and waited. She lifted her cup ever so slightly when she felt it – almost a ghostly poke.

It was a weird, snaky, sneaky feeling. She frowned and lifted her face in the direction of the doorway.

“Did you want to talk to me?” That deep milk chocolate voice that promised a million midnight dreams spoke, his tone curling her toes and making her drop her cup. She knew that voice. Oh dear God, she did. “You,” she whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“Do you know me?” the consultant asked. “From where?” The smile in his voice sent shivers down her back.

It was stupid, but she felt she’d touched this man before and had been touched by him. Finally, forced by a compulsion she couldn’t understand, she whispered the truth under her breath, “From my dreams. I’ve seen you in my dreams.”
Mayer, Dale. Psychic Visions: Books 7-9 . Valley Publishing Ltd. Kindle Locations (975-999). Kindle Edition.

Stefan is a bit puzzled, but takes it all in stride knowing that everything will eventually come together and make sense. In a bit of a twist, Celina’s surgeon calls Dr. Maddy in for a consult on her eyes. This turns out to be even more interesting.

I love the peeks we get at the bad guy’s thoughts as this story unfolds it kept me trying to guess who it is and why. Thanks to Dr. Maddy, Stefan is finally able to get close to Celina. Although Lissa, the teenage ghost who’s attached herself to Stefan isn’t happy with her.

I loved this complicated tale with so many different things going on that are all related and just a touch of sizzle. I’m so glad I was able to get this in another bundle so I can just start on the next book.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

Injured people in need of aid call out to friends and family or even strangers for help. Who can animals turn to who would not only hear them but understand their cry for help? Such a creature would truly be a rare find.

Determined to bury her aching heart in service of her animals at Exotic Landscape, Tabitha is caught unaware when she’s yanked out of her cozy little retreat by the appeal of someone needing rescue. Responding to that call gets her more trouble than she bargained for.

Understanding secrets isn’t difficult for someone with quite a few of his own, but Detective Ronin Chandler learns that the mysteries of the universe can take on a whole new level of meaning. With the woman he loves in jeopardy, Ronin struggles to comprehend what’s happening, what Tabitha needs, and how to even help her…before he loses her, maybe forever.

Danger escalates at every turn. Determining who to trust – and who not to – becomes as much of a challenge as figuring out who wants them dead.

We met Tabitha in ‘Knock Knock…’ her animal refuge is one of Shay’s Foundation’s benefactors. Ronin is our local detective with his own abilities. There is a lot of attraction between him and Tabitha, as we saw in that book.

Now with the death of Tabitha’s grandfather Ronin is even more protective of her. She’s also been having headaches since returning from hiding in the ether and having a slow recovery that required hospitalization. I’ve loved the way animals come to play in these books, they are a way to find peace in their crazy world. In Tabitha’s world the animals are both pets and shelter. I wasn’t surprised to see her with a massive dog, a three-legged Bull Mastiff named Tripod. Her other pet however, gave me pause, Tango is a very affectionate white tiger. Raised from a cub Tango and Tabitha share a special bond one I’m sure is aided by her gifts.

Ronin is in for a big surprise though, he’s never been in her home, they’re taking things slow. He does have a problem with cats though, he’s going to have to get over it if he wants to continue his relationship with Tabitha. He’s at still at work when Stefan calls him to get to Tabitha, that she’s been attacked psychically. It took a bit of doing but Ronin makes friends with Tripod and gets Tabitha the help she needs. However, it’s Stefan who get her back to herself and home since medically there isn’t anything wrong with her.

Ronin was there waiting with dinner, but when Tango roars Tabitha knows she has to introduce Ronin.

This is a favorite scene.

“Jesus. What the hell is that?” Ronin half jumped out of his chair and leaned forward to look out the window.

“Ha. It’s my cat. That’s Tango.”

He shot her a disbelieving look, catching the amused glitter in her light-green eyes. “There is no way a cat makes that kind of sound.”

Tango roared again. This time though there was something off. Tabitha went to the living room and pushed some kind of button. Ronin followed more slowly and watched as the whole wall retracted.

What the hell kind of wall was that? And damn if she didn’t have some kind of fine mesh cage behind that wall. Thank God. He was half afraid she was one of those crazy people who got so super cozy with their wild pets that they ignored common sense.

Then she pulled the wire mesh completely back.

Oh shit.

And didn’t the biggest damn white tiger, with a head the size of Mount Rushmore, saunter toward her.

“Watch out,” he cried as the tiger jumped. Instantly his throat clogged and his chest tightened. Christ, he could hardly breathe. He swallowed. And then swallowed again. He couldn’t help the instinctive clenching of his fists. Inside, insidious emotions shifted through him. Panic. Pain. Sadness. So much worse than the last time he’d been in the house.

He took a shaky breath. This was not happening.

He was halfway to her when he realized the tiger had stopped with complete control and was on his back legs, Tabitha crushed in his embrace.

Jesus.

Ronin prided himself on being a brave soul, but he was not going that close. And he didn’t care how tame the damn thing was. A wild animal was a wild animal.

Unless it’s not a wild animal.

Stefan. And did one ever get used to this guy in his head?

Ronin snapped out mentally, If you’re trying to convince me that this thing is safe to be around, forget it. I have too much respect for human life to believe you.

And in many cases you could be right. In this case however, you’d be wrong.

And why is that? Has she got some kind of special powers or something? Right about now he wished she did. He’d believe that as much as anything.

No, but they do have a special connection.

See, that’s where you are wrong. All pet lovers say that about their little pooches. And he couldn’t help the disgust from rolling through his voice. He was a cop, damn it. And he’d seen more than his fair share of animals both domesticated and wild. Sometimes the domestic ones were the more dangerous.

Stefan laughed.
You’ll have to see for yourself. And take a deep breath. You will survive this.

“Promise?” Ronin muttered.

With a last laugh, Ronin’s mind emptied. Damn, that was weird.

“Ronin, come and meet Tango.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Damn it, he wasn’t a wuss. He took a couple of steps forward and stopped. And struggled to breathe. He so didn’t want to pass out. Not here. Not with her. Not with that carnivore looking on. “I’ll stick to dogs.”

“Tripod is here, too.”

He groaned silently and took another step into the living room.

Tango dropped to the floor and stared at Ronin, a howl starting deep in the back of his throat. The hairs raised on the back of his neck.

The look in those damn eyes…

Ronin took a deep breath and tried to stop the shakiness that was starting to vibrate his insides, making his stomach acids turn to cheese.

“Why is he howling?”

“I’m not sure. He doesn’t normally do that.” She reached down to place a hand on Tango’s head. The howl changed. It wasn’t the same tenor as the first time, but it was hardly welcoming.

Then all of a sudden, the howl cut off.

Thank you. Ronin much preferred the silence. Except now a dull roaring sound was in his head. Almost a buzz. He shook his head, trying to clear it.

Tabitha sighed heavily. “Come over here and meet Tango. He’ll calm down once he meets you. And maybe you will too.” She tilted her head and studied him. “And make sure that gun is safely away. Tripod hates them.”

“I’ve already made peace with the dog.” He didn’t move.

“And you’ll make peace with Tango, too. It’s much better to meet him on equal ground. If you take one step backwards, he’s got you.”

“Damn.” Ronin stepped forward. He could feel the heat, the intensity of that deep blue feline gaze following his every movement. Like a cat watching a mouse.

Ronin had always felt sympathy for the mouse.

For a cat, the animal was damn beautiful. The markings on its head, the eyes, the shocking white fur were something he’d never expected to see up close. And never inside a house. Not sure he wanted to hear the answer, he asked, “Do you let him out of that cage much?”

“All the time. The house is his, too.”

Double damn.

When he was a couple of feet away, Ronin stopped, his gaze on the cat.

“Now what?”

She grinned. “Say hi.”

He shot her a fulminating look. “Just like that.”

“Well, to him of course.”

His gaze zipped back to the waiting tiger. Did she mean it the way Stefan had said to talk to Tango? ’Cause there was no way in hell he’d be dropping to his knees and closing his eyes in front of a tiger. Talk about being a sacrificial offering. Then as if to accentuate the fact that the tiger was waiting for the appropriate response, it sat down and waited.

Taking a deep breath and feeling like an idiot, Ronin said, “Hi, Tango. Nice to meet you.”

No response. Then again, what had he expected? He shook his head then winced at the heavy buzz in his ear. Under his breath, he swore again.

“That ringing inside your head… It’s because he’s talking to you and you’re not listening.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “How did you know my head is ringing?”

She snorted. “Because I can sense it. Normally I only listen to my animals but now… some things have changed and I can sense more with people too. And behind your lovely front of ‘I don’t like cats’…I see fear.”

Heat washed up his cheeks. Damn. So what if there was fear? Hell, there was a tiger in the room. Anyone with an ounce of working brain matter would understand. Besides, it’s not as if he was afraid of cats… He knew there was fear there, he just didn’t understand what exactly frightened him.

And the last thing he wanted was her laughing at him.

With a final glance at the still gaze of the tiger locked on him, Ronin decided enough was enough for this time. He’d done well but he didn’t want to push it. He turned and headed back to the kitchen, putting a little distance between him and Tango. “While you’re having your fun, I’ll go finish eating. Unless you’re planning on feeding dinner to the two of them.”

Turning his back on that damn feline was the hardest thing he’d done in a long time. And he was proud that he’d managed to do it in a calm, nonchalant manner.

Then he found the two empty plates on the table and the guilty party still licking the tomato sauce off his face.

Tripod.
Mayer, Dale. Psychic Visions: Books 4-6. Kindle Locations (10180-10234). Valley Publishing. Kindle Edition.

It’s bad enough for Ronin to get through that but to realize Tango frequently sleeps with her is quite another. He stays the night with her, and when she wakes feeling hunted he’s right there. After that he’s in her bed, not going to do anything but sleep but her restlessness leads to conversation about him and cats and then to other things.

It’s not long after that feeling of being hunted comes back, Tabitha decides to try something and ends up being yanked out of her body to somewhere else. It takes a while but she finally realizes she is inside a large cat. She doesn’t know where and that’s a problem. She has to find her way back in order to save both of them.

Ronin also figures out his issue with cats, and yes I cried.

This book pulls out all the stops and is extremely emotional. With nail-biting suspense and an unusual twist on the psychic abilities.

I am already starting the next bundle of three.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

There’s no best-by date for revenge.

Wealthy and beautiful Shay Lassiter runs the prestigious Lassiter Foundation, but her connections and resources prove worthless when her fiancé tries to murder her. Now, she’s guarding her heart and using her knack for reading people’s intentions – both good and evil – to guide her. But when the Foundation’s clients start dying, she must turn to the new man in her life…one who’s giving her mixed signals.

Computer specialist and ex-cop, Roman Chandler, has a secret. It involves Shay and could ruin the fragile relationship he’s building with her. Though he can’t tell her the truth, he needs to convince her to trust him. He fears that whoever is behind this is about to turn his vengeance on Shay…

And vengeance can be deadly.

We meet Shay at the start of this book, she’s woken with a sense of dread. Her ghost cat Morris a blue ball of energy at her shoulder. What ensues is a psychic battle with her fiancé. One she almost doesn’t survive but with the help of Stefan and then Morris she does. She sees something as the end is near but it was too late to stop the process. Darren and who or what was inside him died. A bittersweet moment as well since Morris was gone too.

A year later, Shay is looking forward to meeting Roman Chandler, they connected through their grandfathers who are close friends. She already knows his twin brother Ronin, a detective in Portland. However, hadn’t lived here until recently. She didn’t know what their relationship could be but she does want to find out.

Shay runs a foundation and uses her ability to read energy to be sure what is on paper matches the intent of the person requesting the grants. Beatrice Folgrent, her godmother, also runs a similar foundation and they often compared applicants to see which foundation they would be better suited to. It’s a grand fundraising event put on by Beatrice that Shay finally gets to meet Roman in person. Aside from the immediate attraction something else happens at the same time.

This is a favorite scene.

Shay was part of the same world. Dealt with the same driven – and sometimes desperate – people. She had her own methodology for finding the shysters and removing them from the honest applicants for her own foundation. And because they shared similar challenges and experiences, Bernice and Shay often compared notes and worked closely on joint projects. Their assistants also stepped in to help resolve problems on each other’s projects. It helped to have that type of close working relationship. They watched each other’s backs.

“Roman, darling. Here is the young woman I adore as if she were my own.” Bernice reached out, latching onto the arm of a tall, suited gentlemen. She tugged him around and pointed to Shay. “Isn’t she gorgeous? Just like I promised.”

Oh lord. Shay groaned inside. Bernice really hadn’t needed to make a public spectacle of this meeting. But why was she surprised? This was typical Bernice.

“Shay, this is Roman Chandler, the grandson of my dearest friend, Gerard Chandler.”

Heads had turned at Bernice’s loud introduction and color stroked up Shay’s neck as she fought back her embarrassment. She should be used to it. But wasn’t.

Still, she faced Roman, kept her plastered-on smile in place and lifted her gaze to his.

And sucked in her breath.

The look in his eyes. It was so…intimate. So knowing…as if he knew her…all of her, inside and out. And as if he liked what he knew.

They’d emailed. Chatted. Though they’d corresponded for a few years, over the last year they had built a friendly almost… intimate… relationship over the Internet and phone. And they had talked – like really talked. Theirs was a relationship she hoped would grow. But she’d never met him before. Hadn’t shared everything with him. She didn’t know him – not in the way he seemed to know her.

The heated look in his eyes unnerved her…and yes…intrigued her.

And she had to admit…sparked an answering awareness.

Shay had no illusions about her looks, regardless of Bernice’s constant matchmaking attempts. She was too tall for many men, was slim, with milk chocolate brown shoulder-length hair and a largish mouth, and instead of symmetry, her nose was slightly crooked and one eyebrow was slightly off line. All minor in the scheme of things but those same flaws had given her terrible, angst-ridden moments through her teenage years. Now she could brush off the negative thoughts as they came and even though she could get her nose fixed, it no longer mattered to her.

According to the look in Roman’s eyes, her flaws didn’t matter to him now either. Of course he’d seen pictures of her. But that wasn’t the same thing as this. She secretly had high hopes about Roman, but she’d never expected this level of appreciation from him right off.

When he spoke, his voice held both promise and familiarity. “Hello, Shay. I’m delighted to finally meet you.” He glanced at Bernice, standing beside them both with a smug, knowing look on her face.

“Hello, Roman.” Did he look at all women as if they shared special memories? She so badly wanted to ask. Instead, she said, “How nice to meet you.” She paused then added, “Finally.”

His gaze deepened to midnight blue, and he smiled. That wide movement of his lips released her from the intensity of his gaze. She could breathe easy again.

“This is so much better than email,” he murmured, “and you are so much better looking in person than in photos.”

Under Roman’s midnight blue gaze, Shay’s stomach churned with unanswered questions and delight. She wanted to take a more in-depth look at his energy, but thought she’d better save her strength for when a deeper reading might be needed.

A strange sound had her turning to face Bernice, her hostess and mentor.

Bernice opened her mouth to speak when she suddenly stopped, an odd look on her face. Her breath sucked in so loudly, Shay leaned closer in concern. “Bernice? Are you all right? What’s the matter?”

Silence.

Shay studied her old friend, but Bernice’s face had turned ashen, her eyes locked on something behind Shay’s back. Shay twisted around to look, but the only thing behind her was a wall. A blank wall.

Turning back around, and seeing no change in her friend, she said, “Bernice, talk to me. You’re scaring me.”

Bernice’s breathing turned ragged, stuttered then almost appeared to stop. Her features locked in place yet her chest rose and fell in a natural movement.

The hairs on the back of Shay’s neck rose.

Jesus, she must be having an attack of some kind.

“We’ll get you some help. Can you talk to me? Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

Roman bent to study Bernice’s face. “I’ll get a doctor.” He took off.

Bernice’s mouth worked. Still, no sound came out.

Silently, Shay willed Roman to hurry. But from the looks of it, he wasn’t going to be fast enough. She raised her hand to call for help when her arm was grabbed. She stared, surprised to see Bernice’s bronzed nails cutting into her soft skin.

“Bernice?” Shay rubbed the papery skin on the back of Bernice’s fingers with gentle soothing strokes. “Hang on. Help is coming.”

From a distance, she could hear rapidly approaching footsteps. Thank God. Please let her friend be all right.

Worried, Shay stared into Bernice’s eyes, and Bernice stared back. Her gaze dark. Bottomless. Blind. Shay’s heart squeezed in fear. “Bernice. Damn it, stay with me. Please talk to me if you can.”

Shay willed Bernice’s eyes to return to normal. Willed them to blink. To move. To do something.

Then something else happened. Inside, deep inside, Bernice blinked. A clear movement that Shay could see and understand.

Except for one thing.

On the surface, Bernice’s eyelids never moved.
Mayer, Dale. Psychic Visions: Books 4-6 Kindle Locations (5231-5272). Valley Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Things start to go a bit crazy after this. It appears someone is targeting people who run places funded by Shay’s foundation. Even with all that going on, the attraction between her and Roman is growing. He’s hiding something and that scares her. She’s afraid he’s hiding things like her now dead fiancé.

Roman wants to share his secret, but he’s afraid of her reaction. He’s beginning to get a reputation as an artist and it’s his ‘model’ that might get him in trouble with Shay. He’s been painting her for years with no face showing. She’s his muse, he’s tried other media but they never work for him.

Once again it’s Stefan who helps get that ball rolling in the right direction. All that and tracking down the person responsible for the attacks. Ronin is also helping with Roman handling her security and computer work.

Plenty of intrigue, some laughs, some sizzle and yes, I even cried in this one.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

Zack wasn’t someone to focus on his mistakes, but he’d made a big one, and it was hard to move on from it. Still he was determined to work with Levi’s team to find new meaning in his life and to get his head on straight. At least that was the plan. When he ends up part of a two-man team to rescue a kidnapped woman, the daughter of a former politician, Zack doesn’t know how to react—she’s certainly unique. Not the least of which, she didn’t appreciate the rescue. … At least not once she learns the details.

Zadie knew her father was guilty of the crimes he’d been accused of. She was more concerned about her mother, who’d always been the downtrodden and obedient wife. But, as more and more evidence shines a light on their lives and her kidnapping, the issue is no longer as clear.

Heartbroken at the losses that keep mounting, Zadie knows she needs a second rescue—hopefully by her same rescuer. Only it’s not as simple this time, and it’s infinitely more dangerous …

This book opens with a very interesting conversation between Levi, Ice and Zack. He wasn’t sure if he was in or out, until he was in. Confusing but not, given how Levi hires and the fact that very soon Ice would have her baby so they aren’t going to be chasing the bad guys for a while. The case Zack is given is to find and rescue Zadie Nather. The daughter of a former Turkish politician. His partner will be Bonaparte, a friend and he had served with him in the SEALs. They don’t have a lot of time and there’s little information.

Zadie was grabbed and drugged while she was planning her own getaway. Her parents were under house arrest due to her father’s crimes. She has no doubt about his guilt, but her mother needs to get away too. Now she doesn’t know where she is or what the motives of her kidnappers are.

With some incredible luck, Zack finds Zadie. Now he has to get her away, interrupted she stays put while he hides. They are going to need to get away quickly once the coast is clear.

This is a favorite scene.

“It’s me. Stand back.” He unlocked the door again, standing there like a badass.

She stared at him in shock. “How did they miss you on the search?”

He smiled and said, “Come on. Let’s go.”

“I have no shoes or coat.”

“Grab one blanket,” he said.

She quickly snatched up a blanket, wrapped it around her, and, leaving the door closed, as if locked, followed him silently through the basement, only able to see him in front of her. The rest of the floor was so dark; it was void of light. When they got to another room, he spoke again. “This window is broken and doesn’t have bars. I will lift you up, and you go through the window and wait for me on the other side.”

Before Zadie had a chance to make a sound, he boosted her up and popped her through. She fell out of the small window ledge onto the grass below. Immediately she untangled herself from the blanket. The blanket had stopped her from getting cut; by the time she had the blanket off and on her feet, he stood beside her.

He quickly tossed the blanket back inside and replaced the wood that covered the broken window. “Now,” he said, “we have to be beyond careful.”

She looked at him in surprise.

“We have absolutely no cover from here to the tree line,” he replied to her look. “This is where it gets dicey.”

She whispered in a low voice, “They saw someone outside. That’s how they knew that somebody was probably inside.”

“No,” he corrected. “That’s how they worried somebody might have been inside. Now we have to make sure we get you away from here before they can confirm it.”

She looked back. “I should have brought the blanket with me.”

“No, don’t worry about it. They’ll know soon enough how we got you out.”

She winced at that. “Do we just run as fast as we can?”

“How tired are you?”

“I’m exhausted and terrified,” she said. “However, believe me. When it comes time, I’ll be able to run, just not too far.”

He pointed to a series of trees, about one hundred yards away. “Can you make it there?”

She looked up to see a flashlight shining above. He immediately pulled her flat against the house and held a finger against her lips. He pointed to a cloud moving across the sky. “When the moon goes dark, we will go like bats out of hell,” he murmured.

She nodded, her breath caught at the back of her throat as she watched the clouds drift across the moon. She could hear him counting down beside her.

“Four, three, two, one, go.” And they raced into the night.

Zadie ran as hard and as fast as she could. The cold basement room she had endured over the last few days— plus her lack of food— had already taken a lot of her energy, but the panic she felt at being recaptured lit a fire to her heels. She stumbled several times, but her savior always pulled her forward again until she regained her feet. By the time they reached the trees, her head pounded, and pain seized her chest as it tried to rise and fall. She struggled to catch her breath. Collapsing to the ground, Zadie rolled to her side, pulled her knees against her chest, and gasped for air. “Did we make it?”

“I’m checking,” he said.

She watched as he peered through the trees back at the house. The same house her parents were in. She couldn’t believe she was still here, still in the same damn place. Were they okay? Was her mother okay? From where she lay, it seemed the same. She needed to get out of here, make a new plan, and see how to get her mother out of her prison, possibly with the help of this new guy. Her previous plan would no longer work, what with the house-arrest guards and now this inner element of kidnappers involved, all at the same house.

She understood the two brothers wanted to get their father out of jail, but, according to the one woman, the father was somebody who shouldn’t come out of jail. It made little sense why they kidnapped Zadie when she was already a captive. But, as usual, more than one game plan was happening here, involving different political ideologies, she presumed. She lay on the ground, wondering if her body would ever feel normal again. For all the debilitating cold she experienced inside, a weird numbness now spread up her legs.

Finally her rescuer dropped beside her and asked, “Are you okay? We have to get out of here.”

“I’m okay,” she lied. “Help me to my feet.”

He reached down, she clasped his forearms, and he helped her up. “We will go around the back,” he said. “We can’t risk staying here any longer.”

“I know,” she said. “They have some sentries around, and another two guards were looking after me, but also a woman is with the two jailers. I don’t think she would come outside.”

“They will have more men around. Let’s go.” She did her best, really she did. She thought she was in great shape physically, but he was moving too fast, too steadily ahead of her. Even with her best efforts, she fell behind.

Immediately he corrected his pace, and he whispered, “Come on. You can do this.” He reached out a hand, and she grabbed on, as if it were a lifeline.

“Says you,” she said. “Where the hell are we going anyway?”

“Off this property into a couple estates on the other side. I’m not out here alone. I do have a partner. We have a vehicle not too far away.”

At the sound of a getaway car, she almost cried with relief. Every step was bone jarring. “I’m not feeling too well,” she gasped. The stitch in her side made it difficult to breathe.

He slowed his pace to a walk, and she bent over double, gasping for breath. “It’s hard when you go past the normal pace,” he said. “We have to get your breathing back down, before we can speed up again.”

She just nodded.

He kept walking, nudging her forward, not allowing her to stop longer than a few seconds. She really needed a ten- or a fifteen-minute break, but she understood why she couldn’t have it. She said, “Are we going straight to the vehicle?”

“In a roundabout fashion,” he responded. He pulled out his phone and quickly sent several messages as he kept walking. “Damn it.”

He seemed to be one of those incredibly solid people who could continuously multitask. She knew she texted better when she was stationary or sitting down. She marveled at all those people who could do it while walking or even running. For her, doing such would have caused her to fall.

When his phone vibrated, he nodded with satisfaction. “We are confirmed to meet a couple estates over,” he said. “It’s not far, about two miles.”

“Why can’t they pick us up here?”

“Because the two of us are here on the property,” he said. “We parked the vehicle so it was hidden from view near the house.”

“Two miles is a long way,” she said.

He looked at her, concerned. “Did they beat you?”

“No. Starved, yes. And drugged. I’m still dealing with those aftereffects.”

Understanding whispered across his face. “I’ll see if he can find a closer rendezvous point.” Even as they talked, he quickly sent off a text.

She was grateful and said, “We need probably what? A half hour to go two miles?”

“At least,” he said. “If we were running, we could do it in fifteen minutes, but, if you can’t run, then we’d be hard-pressed to walk it in that time.”

“So let’s go,” she said bravely.

He picked up the pace slightly, and she caught him glancing at her several times in concern. She thought she’d been doing better, keeping up fine.

Then he said, “This isn’t working.” He bent down and picked her up.

She gave out a small shriek as she was suddenly airborne. He was carrying her at a run, and she was no lightweight. She was 130 at least.

He started to jog now.

“Good Lord,” she said. Her arms went around his neck, as she hung on tightly, trying to stop the jostling. For whatever reason, it was killing her. Racking pain ran up and down her body. But she pursed her lips and hung on.

“It’s the only way to get there in time,” he said.

“Nothing closer?”

“Nothing doable,” he murmured. “Just hang on, and this will be over soon.”

“If you say so. How is it you can even do this?” she whispered. She could sense the effort he was putting in, and his body was already streaked with sweat as he carried her. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I wish I could do more.”

That startled a laugh out of him. “Don’t be,” he said. “If you were on my back, it’d be a different story. Carrying you like this is a little harder.”

“I can go on your back, if that’s easier?”

“Maybe,” he said. “I’ll let you know. In the meantime, I’ll keep going this way.”

“But you can hardly see,” she said. “I can barely see anything.” Indeed, her vision had closed down to a light gray everywhere. She closed her eyes and clenched them tight as she tried to catch her breath. If she could at least do that much, she could regain her feet and run beside him. “I used to run,” she said, “but I haven’t in the last few years.”

“Not an issue,” he said. “Let’s just keep moving.”
Dale Mayer. Zack’s Zest (Kindle Locations 410-485). Valley Publishing Ltd..

By the time Zack makes it to Bonaparte, he realizes Zadie is injured. Now she needs medical care. I have to say I was impressed with the way Levi seems to find what they need from so far away.

This mission is far from over though, Sadie’s mom is in trouble. Her father is dead and she absolutely needs to get her mother. You know that’s not going to be easy, right?

A suspenseful and intriguing tale with a relationship that blossoms in spite of everything going on.

I can’t wait to read Bonaparte’s story.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Dale Mayer

After spending a brutal year trying to cope after the loss of her sister, Alexis Gordon knows she needs to get on with her life. Only, instead of the normal work day she’d anticipated as the means to begin her journey back to the land of the living, reality as she knows it disappears…

Kevin Sutherland is a detective and a psychic. Recognizing Alexis’s gift and aware she has no idea what’s happening to her, he calls his friend and frequent case consultant, Stefan Kronos, an artist with psychic gifts. Stefan leads a community of psychics able to help Alexis understand and develop her unique skills.

Alexis has unwittingly become involved in a case unlike anything Kevin has ever seen before. The killer seems to have a personal vendetta against Alexis herself. He intends to eliminate her before she uses her psychic gift to discover not only his identity but the garden of sorrow he’s buried his long-dead victims.

Only Alexis can stop this madman who fully intends to survive … even after death.

While all these books are standalone, I am really enjoying reading in order. As we meet different women with unusual psychic abilities, there are some stranger than others, some somewhat aware, others clueless and scared.

Alexis Gordon is a gardener with the city, she loves plants and although she doesn’t recognize it as such she boosts plants energy with her thoughts and actions. That has been all it is until this political filled groundbreaking for the new gardens. Alexis makes a startling discovery when she falls into a ditch that is being dug for new sewer lines. She’s never had a vision before and the one she has as she holds a skeletal finger is both scary and disturbing.

Kevin Sutherland is also attending this event, he is there in a supposed official capacity. Not that there is any case to investigate but he does use his psychic abilities to scan the area looking for possible issues. He senses something is wrong and moves away from the crowd to find the source. When he finds Alexis, he also finds the source of her need for help, a child’s skeletal body in the wall of the ditch.

When Alexis gives her account of finding the body, she doesn’t mention her vision of the child. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, and didn’t want to be labeled as crazy. Her friend and co-worker Scott understands something happened. An older gentleman she regards him as almost a father figure, he refers to her gift with plants as sight which she rejects. Now she’s just not sure of anything anymore. She needs help to understand but doesn’t know anyone or even how to explain this turn of events. Especially the vision in her apartment hallway and the appearance of her sister Lissa’s ghostly form.

Kevin is trying to find out what she’s hiding, and is surprised when she felt his psychic probe as a physical caress. Yet he gains no further information as she leaves for home. However once she arrives home he hears her cry for help and needs to get to the bottom of it all. He was more than a little surprised to find she has no clue how strong a psychic she is.

This is a favorite scene.

Time stopped.

A transmitter? Is that what she was?

She rolled the idea around in her head, trying it on. Did it fit? Maybe…in some ways. But there was so much more to it than just that. Like seeing the vision of the little girl, seeing the hallway shift and even hearing the voices.

And if she were transmitting like Kevin said, how come no one else was hearing her but him?

Another thought struck – what about her plants? She’d thought she just talked to them. Was she transmitting when she talked to them? Yes, that made more sense. But what about her understanding of their needs, colors and even their sounds – didn’t that make her a receiver, too?

Was there such a thing?

“Does everyone have this ability?” she asked cautiously. “Lying latent until something brings it to their awareness?”

“Researchers say we do, but only a small fraction of the population uses it or even knows those abilities are there to be used. It can also get more confusing because all receivers are transmitters but not all transmitters are receivers.” He leaned forward, locking his hands together in front of him. “This whole idea is</em? new for you, right?”

“Absolutely.” And with the word came a question. Should she tell him everything, or wait?

He cocked an eyebrow in surprise at her answer, but he continued, “Chances are something triggered this. Something like finding the body, maybe?”

“The finger,” she added softly, needing to tell someone. Maybe he would understand. “Something happened when I picked up the bones and realized they belonged to a child’s finger.” The horrific memory made her wince. God, she didn’t want to revisit this.

“Tell me,” he urged. “Exactly what started with the finger?”

Slowly, haltingly, she related the weird series of events from the ditch. He let her get it all out, and somehow, in the process, her hand ended up cradled in his.

Mesmerized, she watched the strong, sinewy thumb stroke and slide over her palm, warming and comforting on a level she hadn’t felt in many years. It moved over the rounded pad, sliding down the valley between her fingers, sensuous, sexy and definitely seductive.

She ordered her hand to withdraw. But her long fingers had a mind of their own and refused to obey. They chose instead to nestle against his much larger and stronger ones. As if they belonged there…

Enough. Alexis broke the trance and snatched her hand free, tucking it into her pants pocket.

“What else?”

She glanced at him. “Is there anything else?” His question prodded gently for more.

Alexis wavered, but there was no point in keeping the rest from him. As clearly and as succinctly as she could, she described her visions of the hallway, and of little Daisy – and Lissa.

“When you heard the little girl calling you, did it come from outside your head or inside?”

She smiled without humor. “Believe it or not, I’d wondered that myself. I don’t have a definitive answer.”

Kevin seemed to consider her words. “Is that everything?” he asked.

She flushed.

“It would help if I knew it all,” he suggested quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.

She wanted to believe in the understanding, compassion and acceptance he offered. Taking a chance, she shared the last bit about her gardens and the need to transplant the suffering plant to the child’s grave.

“You planted a daisy on her grave, and you’re saying the ghost child said the same word as her name? That’s odd and too much of a coincidence to ignore.”

“I know. I’m presuming it’s her body we found.”

“Anything’s possible.” He pulled his sleeve back to check the time. “I need to leave. Let me know if anything else like this happens.” He paused, gave her a wry look and added, “Or else I’ll find out the same way I did last time.”

Alexis almost laughed but now that he spoke of leaving, Alexis found the thought of being alone, disconcerting. How stupid. She hadn’t wanted him here in the first place. Still he’d gone a long way toward helping her tonight.

“Are you going to be okay here?”

“Of course. This is home.” Even though she hadn’t put much effort into making it hers. She cast an unhappy glance around the cold place.

“We need to talk some more about your abilities and how you can learn to control them. I have a friend, Stefan, who might be able to help. I’ll talk to him.”

He walked to the doorway, jacket in hand.

She’d trailed behind him, helpless to abate the sense of loss already threatening.

Slowly, she closed the door behind him and turned to look around the empty room. An odd thought struck. Outside of Scott, Kevin was her first real visitor in a year.

How pathetic.

When her sister’s cancer had first been diagnosed, priorities had to be set. Everything had been about Lissa. Afterwards, Alexis had remained secluded, inside a wall of pain that refused to ease.

When had that changed? When had the pain reduced her to the point that she’d just been hiding?
Mayer, Dale. Psychic Visions: Books 4-6. Kindle Locations (736-779). Valley Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Stefan becomes a friend helping her to navigate the ethers and control how much she puts out there. She sees her sister in the ethers and having her there brightens Alexis even more as she realizes she can move forward. It’s while she’s with Lissa that she sees ‘evil’ for the first time. It’s a threat to her personally and somehow involves the child she found.

Stefan jumps in at her cry of fear, and of course Kevin shows up at her door. There’s a relationship brewing there one that will complete the two of them.

Plenty of anxiety, suspense, romance and so much more as Kevin and Alexis work to solve the mystery of the child’s identity.

I am really enjoying these books, I love the pairings so far, cops and psychics. I can’t wait for Stefan to find his, it’s being hinted at in almost every book. I’m so happy these books are offered in bundles so I can just move on to the next one.

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.