Hawthorn’s watering hole was a favorite of
law enforcement. The tables and barstools were placed so no one had his back to
the single door. Robby J, the jovial owner, knew he’d have free security around
the sixty-hour clock. In this neighborhood, it was indispensable.
Kylie parked her vehicle, then crossed the
busy street with long strides. Nefarious characters leaning against the wall
next to the heavy plaz door stared. She ignored them.
Inside, she got the same treatment, that
fascination. She could have been a model, like her sister Nissa, but intrigue
and innards fascinated her more than fashion and fame.
On the other hand, her appeal could be
useful. Sometimes it got her free drinks.
She nodded at some of the local cops and
took a stool at the end of the bar. One of Robby’s girls, Lin, came to wipe the
polished plaz counter in front of her. “What’ll it be?”
“Something quick-acting,” Kylie said. “Then
a bottle of Jack.”
“You got it.” Tongue flicking out to wet
her lips, the girl studied her. “You’re the lizard cop, aren’t you?”
Really? The lizard cop? Where was the
dignity in that? Holy Sprechan’s ass.
“I can’t discuss cases, Lin. You know that.
You got something for me, or not?”
“Sure, honey. Coming right up.”
The jukebox played an upbeat tune with
stringed instruments and a strong drum beat. Kylie approved. She poured two
shots from the bottle Lin brought. After her third shot, the memories of the
dead woman, the photos and dumpsters started to fade. The music seeped in,
creating a pleasant haze. Background noise filtered the conversations.
A man near the door stared at her,
dissecting past her skin, into her psyche, perhaps her soul[EE1] . Kylie stared back. Usually, that was enough to scare off a
would-be masher. But it didn’t seem to faze this one.
The man’s persistence made her lose
interest in the alcohol. She left coins on the counter, then headed for the
door.
As she approached the man’s table, he stood
up. “Please join me,” he said. His eyes were the exact yellow tone of the dead
woman’s. Exact. They compelled her to wait.
“Why?”
His voice softened. “I have information for
you.”
“Then you should make a formal report.” Her
mind clicked along frantically trying to overcome the half bottle of alcohol
she’d consumed. Something about this man,
something about him.... Taller than most, and broad-shouldered. Hair,
perfectly combed; his skin, without a blemish. Not even the hint of an old
scar. Clothing, unremarkable. Fingers a little long, the nails even but lengthy
for a man.
“Now.” His gaze continued to dance with
hers.
She blinked and looked away. “Come to the
Cendiary in the morning.” She turned to go, but he caught her wrist.
He held no apology in his eyes. His
expression was grim. He nodded to the empty chair beside his. “I need to talk
with you, Investigator Kylie Sanderson. Before any more females are damaged or
killed.”
Blurb--
Even the smallest degree of hope can spark
love.
Against her wealthy
father's demands, and the usual blockades of a male dominated profession, Kylie
Sanderson proves worthy of her position as lead investigator of planet Andan's
Scientific and Investigative Research Taskforce. Someone is killing Andan's
women in an attempt to mutate them into reptiles. Kylie makes it her mission to
discover who's behind the murders and prevent more grotesque deaths.
Shapeshifting lizard
Griff comes to Andan to stop his brethren from mutating other planet's women
into mindless breeding stock. Overcoming Kylie's suspicious and defensive
nature proves difficult, but he must in order to help the SIRT team thwart his
planet's scientists.
When Kylie is abducted
and becomes the first human to survive the transformation, it's up to Griff to
rescue her so SIRT can restore her human form. On the run and desperate to
unravel the mysteries of Kylie's past to solve the crimes of their present, can
she and Griff forge a future for themselves?
BIO:
Lyndi
Alexander dreamed for many years of being a spaceship captain, but settled
instead for inspired excursions into fictional places with fascinating companions
from her imagination. She has been a published writer for over thirty years,
including seven years as a reporter and editor at a newspaper in Homestead,
Florida. She writes urban fantasy and science fiction, and The Elf Queen, her first novel, was released by Dragonfly
Publishing in July 2010. The series continued with The Elf Child, The Elf Mage
and The Elf Guardian. She’s recently completed the space opera Horizon Crossover series, and a YA
post-apocalyptic trilogy, The Color of Fear. A SMALL DEGREE OF HOPE is her
eighth novel.
She is
a single mother of seven, with one last special needs child at home with her in
Pennsylvania, and she volunteers making blankets for Project Linus. For more
information, see Lyndi’s blog at http://lyndialexander.wordpress.com;
or her Facebook page.
She also writes at http://awalkabout.wordpress.com,
where she talks about life, autism, travel and writing.
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