By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Heather Long
&
Blake Blessing

Kill them all

It was always me and Daddy, but now I have another family to protect.

From the day my father didn’t come home, my life changed irrevocably. From my earliest memories, I’d always known what I would do. Daddy hunted the monsters and when I was old enough, he let me help.

Under his tutelage, I trained, studied, and learned. I was his apprentice, his partner, and eventually, I grew up enough to strike out on my own. It was always the two of us. Sometimes we shared targets, but more often, he had his and I had mine.

I always thought we had no secrets, but my hunt uncovers more and more questions.

Then I met Rick, Fletcher, and eventually Cash. Rick shattered the loneliness around me and for him, I broke Daddy’s rules. Fletcher burrowed into my heart with his quirky mannerisms and vulnerability, and for him, I threw the rules out entirely. And Cash?

His relentless, damn near fearless pursuit turned everything I knew upside down all the while he filled in a hole in my defenses. For him, we’ve rewritten the rules entirely. They are my apprentices, my support, my team, and very quickly, they have become my partners in both life and business.

Most of all, they are mine.

I won’t stop hunting for those who took Daddy while I continue his work. But I won’t do it alone. And I won’t let anyone take Rick, Fletcher, or Cash from me.

No one.

Don’t touch what’s mine. They will fight for me and I will kill for them.

NOTE:
LAST WORD is a full length dark adult romance and psychological thriller with suspenseful themes. Any trigger warnings will be included in the foreword. Some situations may be uncomfortable for readers. This is a reverse harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is the fourth and final book in the series.

This is it, the final book, the one where we learn all the answers. If you haven’t read the other books in this series, STOP, go back and read them. This book continues where the last one left off after a prologue starring Cash. A most interesting prologue to say the least.

This should have been a joyous homecoming, instead all Rick, Fletcher and Cash saw was Thackery’s coldness and Vienna’s pain.

This is a favorite scene.

The dining room was already set. I’d taken a few minutes to add an extra place setting while they were upstairs.

Vienna’s lost expression as she followed on Thackery’s heels tugged at my heart. I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and let her know that everything was going to be okay, but comfort wouldn’t be welcome in any form right now. Not under the watchful gaze of her father.

As soon as she looked up and saw the platter in my hands her face brightened.

“Daddy, this is Rick. He’s the one I told you about that saved me in an alley.” Her lips twisted up for a fraction of a second before lifting in a too bright smile again. “He’s a master in the kitchen. You wouldn’t believe the meals he’s created for us.” Her voice rose as her hands fluttered over the back of her chair before she pulled it out.

Cash stepped up behind her with a hand on her hip, guiding her to her seat as he pushed in her chair. He didn’t usually show such manners, but he seemed to understand, maybe better than Fletcher and me, how unsettled Vienna was.

I was glad he was trying, in his way, to soothe her.

The head of the table was usually my spot, but I took a side chair so Thackery could sit there. This was his house after all.

He seemed to understand we were deferring to him as he settled in the stiff, formal chair.

Fletcher came waltzing in with a glass filled to the brim as he moved to his seat. While everyone unfolded their napkins, I served the food to make it as pleasing to the eye as possible.

“Mr. Drew,” I started, hoping a bit of polite conversation would dispel some of the tense air. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Vienna has only sung your praises, so I know how much it must mean to her to have you home.”

Even if she hadn’t told us specific stories in the beginning, the affection in her voice when she mentioned him and the profound grief when she discussed his loss told me all I needed to know. This man was important to her.

That made him important to me.

Without responding, he studied the food in front of him as though he wasn’t certain of it. My culinary choices weren’t for everyone, but our little family seemed to enjoy it.

“If that’s a little too rich,” I continued, mentally kicking myself. Cash said he’d been in a cell. We had no idea on what condition he’d been kept in beyond how gaunt he’d appeared upon arrival.

Gaunt and filthy.

The food might upset his stomach.

“Actually, it might be. I can fix you something a little simpler if you’d like. Toast. Eggs. Basic fare and probably not as tasty, but I wouldn’t want to make you ill.”

The man lifted his gaze from the plate to fix it on me. The thorny exterior seemed to intensify and the air shifted again. I didn’t retreat from that measured stare though. While there had been a warmth and curiosity to Vienna’s eyes when she looked at me the same way— none of which appeared in her father’s— I understood what he wanted to see.

Was I genuine?

I wouldn’t shy away from him. Vienna was my whole world. Though room for Fletcher had been found and Cash had begun to make himself at home. I would make room for this bristly, unfriendly man because it would make her happy.

He didn’t have to like me. I could accept that.

Yet, he offered no rejection or acceptance. In fact, he offered nothing at all. Instead, he cut a look at Vienna. “Are they staying here?”

“Yes,” she said, lifting her chin and it was the first time a waver of uncertainty had filtered out of her voice. I frowned. That sound wasn’t Vienna at all. She leaned forward. “Rick is an amazing cook, Daddy. He’s right, you probably do need something a little blander. I’d say we should call one of the doct—”

“No.” One word, cutting her off with a sharp shake of his head.

“I know, we don’t know if we can trust them.” She dropped her hands to her lap and sighed. “But you can trust Rick and Cash and Fletcher—”

“Can I?”

Cash hadn’t taken a seat yet and it wasn’t until Thackery Drew asked those two words that our former guest’s posture registered with me. He had a hand planted firmly on the back of Vienna’s chair and a second one on the back of Fletcher’s.

Guarding them.

“Daddy—”

“Baby Girl, no. These men are your guests. If you want them here…” He pushed back his chair and rose. While his tone didn’t change significantly in volume, the disappointment registered. “I seem to have been gone longer than I realized.”

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Cash demanded as the older man turned on his heel. The question crashed through the bubble of pressure squeezing the air out of the room. It lanced through it, rupturing the false sense of peace with a very real anger.

“Cash,” Vienna murmured, it was almost a plea. She was on her feet, but Cash shifted all of his weight. He wasn’t just backing her up anymore, he was getting between father and daughter.

Most of the time, he was too heavy-handed in his responses.

Most of the time.

The hurt in Vienna’s eyes though, held me prisoner for all of a split second. Then I set the serving platter down to free up my hands.

“I’ll leave you to play house,” Thackery continued without a glance at Cash. It was as though he’d weighed, measured, and dismissed him. Or maybe he hadn’t even bothered. He wasn’t looking at me or Fletcher either as he left the table and went to the hall closet.

Inside was a panel I’d never seen and a small rack of keys.

“Daddy,” Vienna attempted again, circling Cash and heading for her father. Fortunately, Cash didn’t try to stop her but the riot of emotion vibrating off of him was damn near as thorny and uncomfortable as the wall around Thackery.

“I’ll be fine,” her father said, pausing as he pulled on a jacket to look down at her. “You have enough to deal with here. I’ll use one of the other houses for now.”

“You just got here…”

Crushed. His decision to leave crushed her. Jaw tightening, I tried to keep my glare in check. Still, I kept a wary eye on her father. This man had the power to hurt her.

Was hurting her…

From my periphery, I caught Fletcher tossing back all of the wine before he rose to his feet. His attention was firmly on Vienna. Good. He could get her out of here if Cash and I had to deal with Thackery.

“And you seem to have moved on quite well,” Thackery continued. “This—” He gave a wave to the table. “This is not for me.”

“It can be for you.” Strength that had been missing threaded through Vienna’s voice. “Having someone to come home to after a job is nice. Comforting. Welcomed.”

She stopped in front of him as he gripped the keys in a tight fist. It was the only sign he was bothered by our presence at all. Otherwise, his harsh words and unimpressed stare said he didn’t approve but couldn’t care less.

“Please don’t leave, Daddy,” she whispered.

I almost raised my hand to clutch my breaking heart. This, her sorrow at her father turning away from her, was not okay.
Heather Long, Blake Blessing. Last Word (Kindle Locations 254-312).

As this story unfolds, we learn more about Cash’s dad, Fletcher’s family and even more about Vienna. We see a lot more of ‘Ratio’ and Dae, a new entity joins the fray.

We also know at this point her Uncle David has been behind this and so much more.

Some very startling truths are unveiled involving Vienna’s friend Mart. I found myself laughing and crying as well as holding my breath as some things finally come to light.

Truly a worthy ending for this unusual and captivating crew!

5 Contented Purrs for Heather and Blake!

Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas in the summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories–her characters drive the books.

When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Blake Blessing is no longer new on the Indie scene, but she’s still ecstatic about this chapter in life. She is a mom, wife, art enthusiast, and author.

She attended ten different schools growing up, so books became her constant friend. Escaping into books of all different genres made life fun and exciting. Blake was also raised on music and still blasts it through the house and car at every opportunity.

She has a weird sense of humor and a penchant for chocolate milk. It only makes sense she would one day go on to write her own stories.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Heather Long
&
Blake Blessing

Carve up the world…

From the moment my sexy death angel strode through that door, I’d been in lust. Or at least that was what I told myself. Beautiful, powerful, and far too dangerous for me, and I was hooked.

Utterly, irrevocably hooked.

Course, she had her own personal psycho puppy and, man, as much as I’d like to hate him, I didn’t. The dude was OCD to the point of painful when it came to cleaning, and he had the best skills in the kitchen. He also worshiped the ground she walked on.

Same, man, same.

We were making this work, even with the Fed in the dungeon. Then she didn’t come home. I didn’t care what I had to do, I was going to get her back.

If that meant letting the Fed out and working with him, then I was down. He could kick down the door and break the bones, whatever it took. If we had to take the world apart, well, then that was what we’d do.

Rick needed her. Mr. Call Me Cash was obsessed with her.

And me?

Well, I was all of the above. No way we were letting her go without a fight, not after we’d hit more than one high note together.

NOTE:
HIGH NOTE is a full length dark adult romance and psychological thriller with suspenseful themes. Any trigger warnings will be included in the foreword. Some situations may be uncomfortable for readers. This is a reverse harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is book three in the series.

If you haven’t read the other books in this series, STOP! Go back and read them this book starts where the last one left off.

When we last left Vienna, she had been abducted and was about to be interrogated. Rick and Fletcher had been fine until she didn’t call. Faced with the worst they need help to find her and free Cash from the cell in the basement.

They’re not sure if they can trust him but he will give them a different view as they retrace Vienna’s last known steps. When they finally let Cash call his answering service, they get the break they needed. An informant has valuable information, but there’s a lot more than that.

This is a favorite scene.

“What happened?” Rick asked. “We waited for you…”

Okay, even I melted a little at that quiet admission.

Drew turned and patted his chest right over his heart and left her hand there, as if she realized he just needed physical touch. “I’ll explain all that later. What’s most important right now is why he,” she pointed at Cash, who grinned like the devil he was, “is with you. And how you found him.” She pointed to the blue-eyed fucker staring intently at Drew.

Yeah, I didn’t like him at all.

We still hadn’t discovered how he was able to bring us here.

Rick didn’t seem inclined to throw himself in the naughty circle, so I explained the easiest of the two. “We couldn’t find you,” I started.

Fuck, I sounded just as pitiful as Rick.

“I knew something was wrong, and I exhausted all of my resources and skills and still couldn’t find you.” I sucked in a deep breath for courage. “Because we were desperate, we let him out to help us find you.” Tossing an arm out at Cash, I almost yelled, “And look! It worked! Because he has a spidey-network of people on your trail. You should be upset with him, not us.”

Drew should be proud. I incorporated one of her 5 Ds. Deflect. I was deflecting the blame onto the ex-Fed.

Cash shrugged, all nonchalant. “I got us here. And you look like you could use the help, even if you got out on your own.” The fucker looked so proud I wanted to punch him in the face. But from over here.

She turned to Horatio, not even acknowledging Cash. “And you?”

He stepped forward, still drinking her in. Had he even blinked?

I was on to his game. The fucker wanted her to notice his blue fucking eyes.

Rick hugged her waist from behind when she lifted a foot to get closer to Horatio.

I studied him through new eyes, trying to see what Drew saw. She obviously knew him, and that irked me.

He wasn’t the stunner Rick was, or even Cash. He was maybe half an inch shorter than me and just a little broader. Standard brown hair. No distinguishing features except for those fucking blue eyes he didn’t even try to hide beneath round frame glasses.

“When you didn’t surface for a few days, I thought you might need some help. And these knuckleheads didn’t know their asses from a hole in the ground. So, I… assisted.” One side of his mouth kicked up in a crooked grin, transforming him into a somewhat attractive man. I guessed. If you squinted and tilted your head sideways.

Yup, still hated him.

Drew’s brows dropped and her lips pinched. “How did you know where I was?”

His grin grew. “Ah, that’s information. We could say you already owe me for getting your boys here.”

“How much?” She shot back.

“Dinner?” “I’m not going on a date with you,” Drew said as I shouted, “Hell no!”

Rick just growled. Good. We could intimidate the accountant with our psycho puppy. To him, Rick would look like a rabid rottie.

“A family dinner is fine.”

“Nope! No. Hell to the fucking no.” This man was not invited into the house. “No more.” I stopped and pointed at Horatio. “We already have enough foxes.”

He crinkled up his nose as he watched me resume my pacing behind Drew and Rick. “Excuse me?”

“No more blue-eyed fucking foxes in the hen house!” I shouted, then pressed up behind Rick’s back like he was holding me back from raining destruction on Horatio’s head. “We have enough, thank you fucking much.”

While Horatio didn’t so much as glance in my direction, Drew did. At her quirked brows, I frowned and then flushed.

“Well,” I continued in more of a mumble. “We do.”

“You never mentioned knowing her,” Cash said into the silence, his tone less arrogant and much more broody. I damn near smirked. Oh, look at that. Mr. I-Fucking-Know-Everything didn’t know something.

“You never asked,” Horatio told him without a sideways glance, then nodded to Drew. “Do you require medical assistance?”

With one question, he flipped my attention back to Drew. She really did look like death warmed over. Our death angel was still there, bruised and battered, but very much alive. Rick rumbled a sound, but she just rubbed a circle against his chest.

“I do not,” she answered. “We can discuss a family dinner later.” Then she flicked a look at Cash. Some of his smugness had drained away as he studied her in return, then eyed Horatio. “We will also discuss the releasing of dangerous individuals when they could be a threat to the two of you.”

Could be. Not was.

That actually made my chest puff out a little.

“Since you’re here, someone manage him. I need to get some more supplies.”

“What do you need?” Rick was ready to open a vein if necessary. Me too, if it came to that, despite the fact I’d prefer to never see blood again.

“Besides a steak, a hot bath, and perhaps a very large glass of wine,” I tacked on for him. There was no mistaking the faint gurgling noise that came from her stomach.

“I need to wash up,” she said, choosing her words carefully. Our accountant “friend”— okay, not our friend, but clearly he wanted to be Drew’s, the blue-eyed bastard— nodded.

“You also require rest,” he said. “If you have no objections, I’ll take care of closing the cabin.

Probably better for you to get home.” “Wait a fucking minute,” Cash said abruptly. “Wash— where’s Sandra Jane? Is that what you need help with? She should be arrested—” He stopped abruptly, and I stared at him.

Was he for fucking real, now? Did they all take stupid pills this morning? We couldn’t hand her over. I had no idea what she knew or didn’t know, but that wasn’t the point. She hurt Drew. That was unacceptable.

Period.

“Ignore the former federal officer,” Horatio said. “Some habits are almost impossible to break. He is, however, not an idiot. I also assume the two of you need to have a conversation. Those two would be better somewhere else, with you secure.”

If by somewhere secure, he meant home, and without him, I was down with it.

“And you?” Drew asked, ignoring Cash as easily as Horatio did. That was almost funny, because a vein throbbed in his forehead as he cut his glare back and forth between the two of them.

“I am a patient man. You’re safe. As for the rest, we can call it a favor…”

Before any of us could object, Drew merely shook her head. “We don’t deal in favors.”

“True,” he said with a faint smile. “But that, too, is an old habit.”

“One, I’m not interested in breaking.”

“Heard,” he acknowledged. “Then add, allowing me to bring a dessert or a bottle of wine to the family dinner for the cost.”

A troubled look passed over her face. The fact Drew let me see her feelings in her expressions at all was a gift, but this, I didn’t think was so much about allowing any of us. She sure as hell wasn’t allowing Cash. No, there was a weariness to her, a kind of strung too tightly. Now that I’d noticed it, I couldn’t unsee it.

Rick didn’t offer any objections. I expected the Big Guy to just shut this down, but he didn’t. Instead, he let himself be lulled by the contact with her. Yeah, that I got. I didn’t want to focus on them at all, just on her.

“If that means we can get you out of here,” I said. “Then let’s go. I can handle dinner with the numbers guy, as long as we don’t have to talk math all night.” Then again… “We could do group rounds of Sudoku. Pretty sure I can kick his ass.”

That pulled a smile from Drew, and she chuckled. “I think we’ll be fine. Dinner, and you may bring the wine after Rick decides what we’re having. I’ll message you the details.”

“Accepted.” Horatio turned to go back to the car, pausing only when Cash grabbed him.

Oh, was someone about to get their ass kicked?

“Ratio, you didn’t tell me you knew her.”

Yeah, we established that.

“No, I didn’t. Nor will I ever confirm it for you. The lady is tired. Try not to be too much of an ass.” Then he glanced back at Drew once more. “Unless this is another issue you need cleaned up?”

It was probably the most civilized and scary fucking threat I’d ever heard. The man was an accountant, but you’d have to be an idiot to miss the actual menace underscoring those perfectly polite words. Like said idiot, who released him with a laugh.

The Fed was definitely out there. “I’m starting to think there’s something really wrong with him,” I told the Big Guy quietly. Drew definitely heard me, but she didn’t look away from the other pair. I could imagine she weighed all the pros and cons in an instant. It seemed a very her thing to do.

“No,” she said, finally. “Thank you for offering.”

“Of course.” He shook off Cash, or maybe the Fed just released him. Either way, he returned to the car and retrieved a bag. “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” he said as he returned and headed toward the house. “Vienna.”
Heather Long; Blake Blessing. High Note (Kindle Locations 1170-1245).

Cash’s informant obviously knows Vienna but at this point he doesn’t know how he knows her. This is an interesting development, and it just gets better from here.

More clues, more things Vienna takes care of, revelations, the kindle melting scenes and an OMG ending. I can’t wait for the next book!

5 Contented Purrs for Heather and Blake!

Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas in the summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories–her characters drive the books.

When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Blake Blessing is no longer new on the Indie scene, but she’s still ecstatic about this chapter in life. She is a mom, wife, art enthusiast, and author.

She attended ten different schools growing up, so books became her constant friend. Escaping into books of all different genres made life fun and exciting. Blake was also raised on music and still blasts it through the house and car at every opportunity.

She has a weird sense of humor and a penchant for chocolate milk. It only makes sense she would one day go on to write her own stories.

By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Heather Long
&
Blake Blessing

Protect her at all costs…

The last thing I was looking for when I left the facility was a new woman, a new relationship, and a new cause. I found all three in a dark alley. Saving her life was the best choice I’ve ever made.

Now, Vienna is the center of my world. I’ve never met anyone so perfect for me and for whom I am perfect. Where others see flaws, she finds strength. When my demands and needs drove others away, she drew boundaries. In protecting her, I’ve found my purpose in life and I won’t let anything come between us.

That goal required me to deal with flirty Fletcher with his irritating concepts and desire to live dangerously. The past he was on the run from could come for him. That would make them her problem. Not acceptable. Yet as long as she wants him with us, then I’ll protect him and protect her from him. Keeping them safe will take everything I know how to do and the things I’m still learning.

Never has it been more important than now.

Because we have a new problem. I don’t know what we’re supposed to do with him. Vienna’s work demands that she hunt monsters. But when one hunts monsters, don’t those same monsters begin to hunt or at least haunt you? What does that make this latest interloper? Is he a man? Or a monster? I’m personally hoping for a monster. I know exactly what to do with those.

At least Fletcher seems to agree with me. Hopefully our first chorus won’t be our last.

NOTE:
FIRST CHORUS is a full length dark adult romance and psychological thriller with suspenseful themes. Any trigger warnings will be included in the foreword. Some situations may be uncomfortable for readers. This is a reverse harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is book two in the series.

If you haven’t read the first book in this series, STOP! GO BACK and READ IT FIRST! This book begins where that one ended.

The prologue shows us how Rick is handling being left at home while Vienna and Fletcher take care of some business. He’s not the most patient person, but also follows directions and has done some of the research he was asked to do as he watches a report on TV that will mean something later on.

First, we find out how Cash happened upon this particular warehouse. It’s sort of a twofer for him as he approaches Vienna applauding her work.

Fortunately, Fletcher had observed him entering the building and followed. Knocking the intruder out before he got any closer to Vienna. Now there’s a body and a car to dispose of and a captive FBI agent they needed to do more research on.

This is a favorite scene when they arrive at home.

“Welcome home,” I greeted her. The tawny golden brown of her eyes seemed so much darker under the yellow light of the garage, like shadows shifted in them. “What’s wrong?”

The ease in her presence seemed strained. Fletcher approached slowly, like he’d done something wrong or— no, not wrong, he looked pale and washed out.

That only confirmed my opinion that something had happened. The banging from the trunk escalated just as she opened her mouth. A faint frown tightened her brow and she glanced at the trunk. I slammed my fist against it. “Be quiet and don’t interrupt again.”

“Holy shit,” Fletcher said with a chuckle. I met his gaze and his humor only seemed to ramp up, even as his cocky grin widened. “Gonna welcome me home with a kiss? Cause if you’re worried about it, I can assure you, I’m good.”

Before I could shut that down, Vienna let out a breathless little laugh. Like falling into a gravity well, my whole being focused on her. “Fletcher, don’t tease Rick, it’s not nice.” Though her own humor seemed to betray that sentiment, it didn’t bother me in the slightest. If it made her smile, I was all for it. “And yes, we’re home, very busy day.”

At the offer of another kiss, I let out a sigh. “What can I do?”

“You two should probably go inside while I deal with…”

“No,” I told her firmly. “You’ve had a long day, if you need me to put him in one of the basement cells, I can take care of that. The wine is chilled and it’s been opened to breathe for you. You could even go take a shower if you’d like.”

Surprise flickered over her expression. “The basement?”

“Cells?” Fletcher’s shock echoed in that one word.

I gave a little shrug. I’d found the dungeon set up during one of my first days cleaning. It appeared to be in use and useful. Since Vienna hadn’t given me permission to be down there, I’d left it as I found it and didn’t open the door again.

“Fletcher,” Vienna said without glancing away from me. “Go inside, shower, and change. Then come down for dinner.”

“Yes ma’am,” Fletcher said, some of his cockiness fading away.

I sympathized with that feeling. I couldn’t read Vienna’s expression at all. She’d gone so still and neutral, worry exploded to life within me.

Then Fletcher paused to press a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you,” he said softly before he darted around me and through the open door to the house, leaving us alone.

A thump from the trunk interrupted. Again.

Well, almost alone.

Still, I waited. If I’d fucked up, then I’d take my lumps. I still wasn’t leaving her to carry that person downstairs. Not conscious. Not when I was right here.

Vienna rested her hand on the trunk as she studied me. My heart pounded against my ribcage. She’d never been upset with me before, and I couldn’t say I enjoyed the feeling. That was, if she was upset. There was no way to tell under the dim lights in the garage.

Maybe under the bright light of day, where I could see every nuance of her expression, but not right here, right now.

“How did you know about the basement?”

I released a slow breath. Her question hadn’t been accusatory, more like curious.

“One of the first times you left, when I’d been cleaning. I thought there might be supplies stocked up down there when I ran out of wipes. After I realized there weren’t any, I never went down there again.”

She stepped forward, and I cupped my hands on her hips. Soft amusement flashed in her eyes. “Hmm. No wipes down there. What did you see?”

“I saw one of the cells was occupied. I didn’t talk to him though, even when he tried to yell at me.” Tried, because his voice was reed thin from either overuse or dehydration. Maybe both. He, like the basement, wasn’t any of my business. If he was down there, then he must have done something very bad. Vienna didn’t hurt innocents. She kept them safe from the monsters.

“He never said,” she mused, then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s no longer down there.”

“Do you want me to take this person down? I’m happy to. Then you can relax and enjoy dinner. I’ve got chocolate chip cookies in the oven too.” Luckily, I’d just put them in. We had time for me to drop him downstairs.

Pulling her hand from the trunk, she slid it up my chest to rest on the side of my neck. “You’re so sweet, Rick. I’m glad you came into my life.” She glanced down where the offender waited and sighed. “We better get this done. If Fletcher makes it down before we get him secured, he might lose it again.”

“Again?” I hid the bit of glee that roused in my chest. Not that I wanted him sick, per se. I did have some guilt from when I’d gotten him drunk. But if he couldn’t handle her work, then maybe she’d take me next time.

She shook her head and motioned me to step away from the trunk. “It was a very intense situation. I’ll tell you about it later, but I’m proud of him. He surprised me, but more than that, I think he surprised himself. We still have this problem to take care of.” She motioned to the hidden person. “I need Fletcher to do some research before I figure out how we’re going to handle him.”

With a press of the key fob, the trunk popped open. Inside, a large man was crammed in the small space, his legs tied to one wrist. How must have worked one hand out because that arm wasn’t tied to anything. His pale eyes nearly glowed in the shadows as he glared at us.

That wouldn’t do at all. He needed to be fully restrained.

Moving Vienna back gently with a hand to her stomach, I cocked back and then slammed my fist into his face. I watched for a few seconds to make sure he was truly knocked out, then I unknotted the rope connecting his hand to his ankles. I tied his free hand up again. Just in case he was pretending to be knocked out, I didn’t want to inadvertently give him any advantages.

From the looks of it, he was similar in height to me, if not a little taller, but I had more weight on him. I grunted as I pulled him out and threw him over my shoulder. He was silent during the whole thing. Good. He really was unconscious. Otherwise, he would have grunted or made some noise from the force of his stomach hitting my shoulder.

“I’ll grab the door,” Vienna said as she closed the trunk, then moved around me. We’d need to vacuum out the trunk, but I could do that after dinner. I didn’t want Vienna to have to worry about anything else tonight.

Following behind her, I made sure to keep a firm hold on this guy.

I didn’t ask her any questions because I trusted her completely. But he didn’t seem like her usual target. There wasn’t anything physical that I could place my finger on. He was dressed in slacks and a button down, which was on par with many of the men Vienna had me watching.

He just seemed different. I shrugged. It didn’t matter.

She went ahead of me and opened the second cell door. It was different from the first time I’d been down here. It smelled clean, like she’d soaked the entire room from the ceiling down in bleach. Maybe she had, because the man who had been in the other cell before was now gone. Beyond the cot, the cell also had a toilet and sink. The bare minimums. A thin plastic mat covered the cot. There were no sheets or blankets. I glanced at it but decided against laying him on it. Instead, I dropped him to the concrete floor. If Vienna wanted him in this cell, he deserved no kindness from me.

“Do you want me to undo the ropes?” I turned to Vienna as the man groaned at my feet. He wouldn’t be out for very much longer.

Tough bastard.

Granted, he couldn’t have been comfortable in the trunk. The red marks on his wrists suggested he’d been working to get himself free for a while.

Behind me, Vienna sighed. With the guy stirring, I didn’t dare turn, but I wished I hadn’t asked her the question. It meant she had to consider the options. I’d rather send her upstairs to relax. Today had apparently been far more difficult than she expected.

“Untie him,” she said with a kind of finality. “He might be down here for a while.”
Heather Long; Blake Blessing. First Chorus (Kindle Locations 495-565).

This is all just the beginning. There is much history to discover here. Cash is quite the enigma as he is questioned by her. Revealing some but keeping much secret. There’s also an attraction here that will be interesting to see play out.

Interactions between Fletcher and Cash are interesting and informative while those with Rick are just routine.

Then there’s her Uncle David, an interesting character we finally see in person. His request to take care of an investigative reporter has me wondering about him more. He’s very persistent in wanting done quickly.

The research into the Vanisher still reveals nothing of use. However, Fletcher is finding more ways to search.

Plenty of intrigue, more targets and plenty of sizzle throughout this book. Although I find myself with more questions than answers as I came to the conclusion of this book.

Holy crap, what an ending it is!

5 Contented Purrs for Heather and Blake!

Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas in the summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories–her characters drive the books.

When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Blake Blessing is no longer new on the Indie scene, but she’s still ecstatic about this chapter in life. She is a mom, wife, art enthusiast, and author.

She attended ten different schools growing up, so books became her constant friend. Escaping into books of all different genres made life fun and exciting. Blake was also raised on music and still blasts it through the house and car at every opportunity.

She has a weird sense of humor and a penchant for chocolate milk. It only makes sense she would one day go on to write her own stories.