Tuesday 22 March 2016

Tuesday Teaser - The Vista by SA Hoag #scifi #romance #postapoc

It's been 11 months since The Vista: Book 1 of The Wildblood was released, and it's been an interesting 11 months of learning. Promoting, ahh, now there's something to experience. The internet has made publish both easier (anyone can publish a book), and more difficult (anyone can publish a book, therefore, there are many more to wade through for readers to find the ones they'd like to read).
Anyway, on to Book 2. The Wildblood is a series - 4 full length novels and possible spin-off novellas, at this point. Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood is a WIP, but it will be released in 2016, the first half if I can. The excerpt is a reunion between Shannon and Hunter, who are both secretly working for Vista Security, while attempting to figure out where their relationship is going.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shan leaned in to whisper. “I could have gone home. I'm not here because you are. Make it worth my time.” Short and to the point. “I'm going to go drop my gear in my tent,” she told them both.
JT was grinning wolfishly as they watched her walk away. “What did she say?”
“None of your business,” Hunter said. “Why is she here?”
“Go ask her,” JT smirked. “You don't have the means to bribe me for that story.”
“Good idea. I'll see you tonight.”
“If you're lucky.”
Hunter caught up with her as she was checking tags on tents. “D3,” she told him.
“Third row, alphabetical. Why are you here?” he repeated, getting tired of asking.
“Command wants someone on the trade routes.”
“Naturally, that would be you.”
“We weren't going to establish contact until later in the year. Command and Council are probably fighting over what we should do next. But yes, it's me. I seem to have some sort of influence over Caulder men, too.”
“How's that?” he wondered.
“Your father gave me permission to join the expedition and JT volunteered to show me out here.”
“First question – how did you get my father to let you come out here?” He thought he'd start out simple, because nothing she did was ever simple, or uncomplicated.
“He's been talking with Vance. Honestly, I think they'd both rather I be out of the way than standing in their office, wanting to know everything about everything we don't know.”
“I'm sure there were conditions.”
“I sent Green and Taylor Two back to Estes Park with the promise that someone with a little more authority than me would be in contact from The Vista.”
“That's it?”
Shan found her tent. Two rooms and a skylight. “He thinks I'm a lowly security officer.” She went in to inspect her new living space.
Hunter followed. “Don't tell me you flew in during that storm last weekend.”
“I won't.”
“You did, though.”
“Green did the piloting. I just sat there, picturing how I was about to die.”
When he saw she wasn't kidding, he stifled any snide remark. “Why?”
“Chris was sick and we didn't have any other options. If Angelfire didn't answer, we were going to ditch it as close to the refueling station at the state line as we could and call for help from there.” Shan sat her gear in a corner and got a canteen out for a drink.
“You're not wearing body armor,” Hunter observed.
She glared at him, dropping her canteen and clamping her mouth shut instead of saying something rude.
He knew that look. “And you're pissed at me. Because I kissed you?”
For a moment, Shan was astonished. “You think that's why I'm angry?” She put her hands on her hips, only accentuating the fact she was mad, and that she wasn't wearing body armor.
“Apparently, no. What did I do wrong?” Hunter asked, leery.
“You could have asked me to come with you, when you left Estes Park.”
“You told me not to.”
“I might have alluded to it. The point is, you should have asked.” Shan was frustrated. He wasn't like the other men she knew, the ones she'd grown up around. She had no trouble expressing herself to the select few of Team Three's inner circle, or talking them in to things.
There was no winning the argument, he knew from past experience. “What about Mac?”
“Mac?” she repeated, puzzled.
“Tall guy. Wears a cowboy hat, watches a lot of old movies when he's off-duty. You two are . . . involved.”
Folding her arms, she sighed. “I forget, sometimes. You think my relationship with Mac has some bearing on my relationship with you. It doesn't.”
“Maybe not for you,” Hunter corrected. “And maybe not for him. I have trouble working around that.”
“I don't even know how to respond,” Shan decided after a moment.
“What did you mean, make it worth your time?”
“Exactly what you think.”
Hunter folded his arms, waiting, knowing her better than that.
“There are times I really despise that . . . smug look,” she folded her arms, daring him to respond.
He held his ground, silently.
“Fine. You're right, I didn't mean it, I meant I'm happy to see you and hope like hell you're happy to see me. I'd never try to dictate your morals or emotions to you and if someone gave me an ultimatum like that I'd . . .” she shrugged, knowing he was aware of her reactions.
“There it is,” Hunter said. “You'd slap someone trying to pressure you into a situation you weren't comfortable with. At least a slap. And yes, I'm happy to see you. I wasn't expecting to see another Vistan until damned near this winter.” Any further discussion about Mac was off-limits because he was their ace-in-the-hole. Hunter was aware of why they weren't together and it had everything to do with genetics.
“In the meantime,” Shan went on. “You get to be my guide and tell me about the trade routes.”
“This is the second time I've been out. The first was a five day trip to supply an outlying village. I'm not what you'd call a plethora of information. Talk to JT.” He knew the flaw in that line of thinking even as he said it. “Or we can figure it out, together.”
“Partners, then.”
Hunter smirked, pleased at his sudden promotion. “Yes, ma'am.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
These two need to get a room. Or a tent. Time will tell, but I'm not spoiling this. Now, promos!
The Vista: Book 1 of The Wildblood
2047. Civilization destroyed itself two decades ago. Humanity struggles on.
Part of the first generation post-World War 3, Allen, MacKenzie, and Wade are Team Three, Vista Security's top officers. They know they are different, far beyond their training. Genetically Enhanced humans were outlawed long before they were born. It's what they believe they are, the secret they try to contain.
Problem is, there's something out there, just beyond The Vista, watching them.
As Vista Security, they're sworn to protect; as Security Command, Team Three may be forced to break those oaths to save everything they've ever known.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood
Forfeiting everything they've established in The Vista, Team Three scatters across the Front Range in an attempt to determine where their enemies are hidden and if they have any true allies.



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