Semblance (30 page)
Authors: Logan Patricks
Lincoln closed his eyes for a brief moment, and when they opened again, he wore the same determination on his face as Shadow had.
I had nothing to offer, feeling like I had no place here with them--no place in Shadow’s heart anymore. I turned and began to walk away but it was Lincoln--not Shadow that called my name.
“It’s safer staying here with us,” he said.
I looked at Shadow, but he didn’t look at me. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Memories of the past three weeks flashed like snapshots. Twenty-one short days and the life I knew had been obliterated. I hated Calisto more than the cancer that stole my father away from me.
Shadow wanted to find his sister and kill her, but he’d have to get in line.
#
End
Thank you.
A writer without readers is like a sad clown holding a broken umbrella in the rain during a thunderstorm. The fact that you made it to this page means that you’re a reader--not just a one-click book addict (nothing wrong it you are).
Semblance was a tough one to write because I wrote much of this book on the train ride to work and I struggled to keep nosy readers from staring at my screen while writing the words “nipples” and “erection.”
If at any point in this book you swooned, blushed, gasped, cringed, cried, locked yourself in the bathroom to read more, and stayed up to the wee hours of the morning finding out how Semblance would end, I did my job as a writer. I graciously ask for you to:
a)
Leave me a wonderful review on
Amazon
so I get motivated to get book two of the Midnight Society out faster. (Seriously positive reviews are like power ups for me).
b)
Sign up for my
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c)
Tell your friends about Semblance so you can speculate what happens in book 2 of the Midnight Society series together. (Reading shouldn’t be a lonely hobby. Save that for writing).
d)
Say hi to me on my
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e)
Listen to the song
Breathless
(yes it’s a real song written by myself) on the piano!
f)
Join the
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Dedications and Acknowledgements
This book is dedicated to the two most beautiful girls in the world. Waking up to you lovely ladies every morning is a joy--despite me having to change poopy diapers for one of you.
There are many individuals as well who helped shape this book as well as spread the word of its existence. To my lovely beta readers Ms.
Gabi Daniels
and Ms. Kristin Zika, thank you for all your efforts in shaping this book, pointing out that “checkered shirts” on men aren’t in fashion (ugh there goes my wardrobe), and reassuring me that the direction I went with this book was perfect. You two ladies eased a lot of my fears and gave me the confidence to keep on going.
To my editor Shawna, who helped me fix a lot of stupid mistakes (such as
writhing
and screaming instead of
writing
and screaming--though there was a lot of the latter) as well as pointing out when I crossed the line that sometimes I just can’t see.
To Danielle Young over at
Consuming Worlds
for being the first to share the cover of Semblance to the world.
To my lovely wife who sat on the kitchen table performing manual labor formatting my book. I love you.
And finally to my daughter, who just crapped herself. I love you more than you can ever imagine and I will write you that young adult fantasy book very soon, just so you can read something of mine that’s rated PG. I better change your diaper right now before the poop spreads up your back....
I closed my eyes for fifteen seconds and listened to the rain splattering against the tin roof of the old abandoned theatre and for a brief moment, it almost sounded like applause coming from the empty seats before me; old ghosts from a past life, worshipping me for the woman I once was.
However it didn’t take long before the image of my best friend burning alive to slither its way into my memories.
It killed me--absolutely killed me.
Lincoln repeatedly told me it wasn’t my fault, but he wasn’t there to know that my failure as a pianist--the only thing I was good at--cost Justin his life.
The person who
was
there to share that horrific experience with me has hardly said two words to me since we escaped from the Inferno hotel--a place where we all suffered the wrath of the evil bitch’s twisted mind fuck.
In the span of a single night, Shadow had undergone a metamorphosis: from being my passionate lover to a silent stranger.
I felt as welcome as constipation, and I just couldn’t understand why? So what if he was brainwashed into loving me? The love was still real, or at least I thought it was, so how could he throw it all away so easily?
I wanted to reach out to Shadow and have him tell me why I deserved his ‘get lost’ attitude.
For fuck’s sake, I went down on him--that at least bought me one sentence from Shadow didn’t it? I deserved to know why he went from loving me to hating me so suddenly.
“There’s a piano hidden behind some of the junk on the stage Aria.” Lincoln’s warm voice dispersed the dark fog that clouded my thoughts.
I turned around to see him standing there in a form fitting t-shirt and faded jeans instead of his usual business suit. He smiled at me, that boyish grin of his which tried to tell me everything was fine. However his tired eyes told a different story--he had gone to hell and back.
#
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The Last Sin of Snow White (An Erotic Short Fairytale)
There’s no such thing as happily ever after, a cruel lesson that Snow White learns after a century of misery. Never one to miss out on an opportunity in tempting a weary soul, Lucifer offers Snow a mysterious gift to ease her emotional suffering. However deals with the Devil often come at a high price, one that Snow might be unwilling to pay.
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Shadow of Wrath
In the Arena, you’re either a killer or a victim.
A homeless boy--starving and desperate--is kidnapped from the city streets and forced to fight in gladiator matches for the pleasures of sick and twisted criminals. Renamed Dog, the boy discovers that in order to survive, he must transform himself into a violent and cold-blooded killer.
Can Allegra, a slave to the Arena, save Dog before he loses his humanity, his soul, and ultimately his life? Or will she also become a victim to the Arena’s cruel master?
The Arena turns everyone into sinners.
Praise for Shadow of Wrath
“Shadow of Wrath is by far one of the best books I have read this year” - All in One Place
*****
“One of the most evil villains I have EVER read in a book...this book was addictive.”- Novels on the Run. *****
“Mindblowing, disturbing and thrilling! Hunger Games fans beware!” - Books, DIY’s and Randomness. *****
Logan discovered both love and heartbreak at the tender age of seven, when the pretty little blue-eyed girl next door stole his kit-kat bar and shared it with the bad boy from across the street. Devastated, Logan found solace by escaping into the imaginary worlds he forged with his words, creating kingdoms where chivalrous knight always got the princess.
Twenty three years later, Logan spends his days in a suit and tie, working for the government on matters of network security. However his thoughts never strayed too far from the incendiary nature of love -- the passionate fire that's both scintillating and dangerous. Obsessed with exploring the steamy and mysterious side of human nature, Logan continues to create worlds filled with thrills, mystery, and of course, sex.
Author's Note:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via Internet or any other means without permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.
Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Published By: Strange Crow Publications
Copyright © 2013 Logan Patricks
All rights reserved.