Book Blast: The Love Map: Reignite, Reconnect and Repair Your Relationship by Jeannie Daly-Gunter #BookBlast @transformtolove

THE LOVE MAP: REIGNITE, RECONNECT AND REPAIR YOUR RELATIONSHIP
Jeannie Daly-Gunter, MA
* Self-Help *

Title: THE LOVE MAP: REIGNITE, RECONNECT AND REPAIR YOUR RELATIONSHIP
Author: Jeannie Daly-Gunter
Publisher: Phoenix Rising Press
Pages: 232
Genre: Self-Help

If you aren’t growing together in your relationship, you are likely growing apart. The Love Map: Reignite, Reconnect and Repair Your Relationship, gives couples a blueprint to help navigate the inevitable ups and downs of love. This book is a practical guide, an engaging story, and a workbook. Unlike many of the psychological relationship books on the market today, The Love Map is a compelling ‘teaching story’.  This story follows the marriage of the main characters, Taylor and Jaymie, as they work through an ongoing conflict that has been weighing them down for a year. Sophia, Taylor and Jaymie’s marriage counselor, guides the couple through ten sessions of relationship lessons, that ultimately supports the couple in working through their conflict. Along the way, the reader is encouraged to do the relationship exercises at the end of each chapter as “home play” along with Taylor and Jaymie. This comprehensive ‘self-help story’ is endearing, motivating and practical all at once.  In addition, there are links to workbook pages and videos to support couples in integrating the lessons in the book. The Love Map has been recommended by therapists and those in the personal growth industry as a powerful resource for couples wanting to deepen their connection and create a more conscious and meaningful relationship.

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★ CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY AT AMAZON ★

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Can You Please Just Listen?!

Sophia waited until they were settled on the couch before she continued. “During our first session, I like to take some time for us to get to know each other. I know this is a big deal for you to reach out for support, and I’m honored that you have chosen to work with me. Did you watch the intro videos, and do you have any questions for me before we dive in?” 

Taylor squirmed a bit. “Well, I’m wondering how long this is going to take and if it’s really going to work.” 

Jaymie shot him a did-you-have-to-say-that look?

Sophia smiled. “That’s a fair question. Based on my experience, I recommend starting with ten sessions. That gives us a chance to create a really strong foundation of understanding and essentials for helping you communicate better, learn how to deal with conflicts over time, and experience what it’s like to work through some issues. Some couples need more sessions than that to start with, and it’s something we can check in around along the way. You can also stop at any time if you feel like this isn’t for you. Some couples prefer to meet in a long-weekend intensive and some couples like to pace this out over time.”

“That makes sense,” said Jaymie, wanting to get off to a smoother start. “I like having homework between sessions, so doing this over time makes sense to me. You know, I would love just a bit more clarity on the differences between coaching and therapy, just so we know what to expect.” 

“Sure,” said Sophia. “I know we talked a bit about this on the phone, but basically I combine a lot of approaches based on what you need. In a nutshell, coaching looks more toward what you want to create in the future, while counseling or therapy excavates some of the underlying emotional undercurrents of your present conflicts. Although a lot of couples get stuck in conflict, I think it’s equally important to keep putting proactive energy into our relationships. There is a saying I heard once that, ‘If you’re not growing, you’re dying.’ I believe that is really true in love. I’d say that most couples let their relationship flat-line at some point. They’re too busy or too stressed out dealing with work and family to tend to their love. I like to think of my work as a ‘jump-start’ to help couples reinvigorate their love again.” 

“I like that,” said Jaymie. “I think you’re right, sometimes we do get too busy with other things we think are more important than our relationship. That’s weird isn’t it?”

“Unfortunately,” said Sophia, “I see it all the time. There are three main reasons couples come to see me. They need to repair a conflict or betrayal, they feel emotionally disconnected and they are growing apart, or they want to breathe love back into their relationships. Successful couples are always doing ongoing work to repair, reconnect, and reignite their love. 

After this introduction, Taylor and Jaymie took turns explaining their perspectives on their main conflict and how they had been arguing about the same thing for a year. Taylor began to warm up to Sophia and feel more engaged in the process. 

“We love each other and want to work through this; we just aren’t sure how,” concluded Taylor. 

Jaymie sighed, “Yeah, we just aren’t getting anywhere with resolving this and it’s turned into a yelling match at times.”

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Jeannie Daly-Gunter, MA is an author, speaker, relationship coach, seminar leader and Co-Founder of The Transformative Loving® Institute. She has facilitated personal and professional development programs for over 25 years. Jeannie and her husband Mark have committed to walking the path of their relationship as a personal and spiritual growth path. Their passion is to support other couples on that path, and help them to create the extraordinary relationship they really want. They combine various modalities in the healing arts, rites of passage, and psychology, to create a powerful container for couples to do their healing work together. Jeannie and Mark make their home near the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Boulder, Colorado.

★ WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS ★

Website:  www.thelovemapbook.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/couplesseminars

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/couplesworkshops/

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Book Blast Feature: A Burdened Novel Series by Felisha Antonette @pieriann #YA #paranormal #romance

A BURDENED NOVEL Series by Felisha Antonette, YA Paranormal Romance 

FOUR TIMES BROKEN (A Burdened Novel – Book 1)

When Tracey’s life spirals out of control, who will help her pick up the pieces?

Tracey Warren’s last year of high school is mapped out: stay focused, graduate in a few months, and get the hell out of Bennington, Virginia. The finish line is in plain sight and everything is going according to plan. Until a car accident sends her plans spiraling out of control.

After a chance encounter with a diabolically handsome stranger, she is left with questions that only Nathan Newcomb can give her the answers to. But being around him makes her head spin and being away from him makes an unbearable pain consume her.

There is only one cure, and being the girl mated to a Burdened Sephlem won’t be an easy road. It will be destined for chaos, but Nathan’s magnetism draws Tracey in, and she can’t resist him. Once they are bonded, danger lurks around every darkened corner, and the greatest one may be coursing through the bloodlines running through Nathan’s veins.

Can their love survive or will their burdened souls surrender and fade away?

 
 

THREE TIMES TORN (A Burdened Novel – Book 2)

Tracey’s fun and free life has taken a nefarious turn. Since releasing her heart to Nathan, the repercussions for choosing to love a Burdened Sephlem have been deadly, daunting, and more dangerous than she ever predicted.

If life only allowed her a moment to breathe, to break away from her tainted father and chaotic friend, the injurious bonding may be easier. But there are sentiments rushing through her veins that is twisting her through a whirlwind of bliss and chaos. And a breath of fresh air only resides in one place. . . Until he’s changed. . .

Someone who lives to destroy Tracey’s mate, Nathan, has the perfect concoction for tragedy and Tracey is his primary ingredient. Influenced by the sinister intentions of Roehl, Nathan’s half-brother, Tracey’s outlook on her bond has faltered. She will be required to choose again, and all signs point in the wrong direction; for her and her friend.

We’ve made it onto Lunis’ radar. A full-blooded Sephlem who’s driven by torturing others. He claims he’s owed a debt and Nathan will do anything to protect his family from him. He’ll put his life on the line if needed, and Lunis guarantees he will take it. This threat seems far more likely to succeed when we invade his guardhouse to rescue Olar.

Can bonds tied to the soul be broken, or will a Burdened Sephlem have to bare his soul to keep his mate?

 
 

TWO TIMES SLAIN (A Burdened Novel Book 3)

Loyalty, deception, honesty, and death.

These factors in Tracey’s life have taken her from an innocent teenager to a strong-minded young adult when she took the leap that no human or Sephlem would dare to. And while none of the promised perils have materialized, her strength has yet to be tested. Now, the secrets behind the midnight eyes of her mate have started to come to light, and this unbalanced truth affects her, her parents, and what’s left of her friends.

When her mate’s mother gets abducted and everyone leaves to find her, Tracey’s left to fend for herself. She finds peace in finally being alone without the bond of her mate overwhelming her and revels in a freedom that she has tried to obtain since mating. But it is short lived. She wakes, bound and blindfolded, awaiting a torturous greeting from an unlikely foe… Someone who has an appetite for vengeance.

The Burdened has rule over Nathan and his life. The more he fights it, it prevails. But rescuing his mate and his mother is a dead cert, and Nathan will destroy anything and anyone who stands in his way.

A prophecy has set the fate of Nathan and Tracey’s relationship and the Sephlem race—their union more significant than either realizes. As the future unfolds and their love is tested, will it endure the deepest pain of their loss?

Love has found its match.

 
 

ONCE TIME PASSED (A Burden Novel Book 4)

Loyalty, deception, honesty, and death.

These factors in Tracey’s life have taken her from an innocent teenager to a strong-minded young adult when she took the leap that no human or Sephlem would dare to. And while none of the promised perils have materialized, her strength has yet to be tested. Now, the secrets behind the midnight eyes of her mate have started to come to light, and this unbalanced truth affects her, her parents, and what’s left of her friends.

When her mate’s mother gets abducted and everyone leaves to find her, Tracey’s left to fend for herself. She finds peace in finally being alone without the bond of her mate overwhelming her and revels in a freedom that she has tried to obtain since mating. But it is short lived. She wakes, bound and blindfolded, awaiting a torturous greeting from an unlikely foe… Someone who has an appetite for vengeance.

The Burdened has rule over Nathan and his life. The more he fights it, it prevails. But rescuing his mate and his mother is a dead cert, and Nathan will destroy anything and anyone who stands in his way.

A prophecy has set the fate of Nathan and Tracey’s relationship and the Sephlem race—their union more significant than either realizes. As the future unfolds and their love is tested, will it endure the deepest pain of their loss?

Love has found its match.

 
 

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I flick my enamored gaze back onto the black-and-white tiles, cheeks on fire. Crap! He probably thinks I’m like the floozies from earlier, stupefied by a cute smile and well-lined beard.

And to make it worse, he cackles, head falling forward, having a few strands of his hair fall onto his forehead.

I snort, hating I’ve become his amusement today.

There’s cautiousness in his movement when he drags his hands from his pockets and approaches me. “Let me help you,” he drones. His reach is precarious, but when he latches onto my waist, his grasp is steady. I’m ambushed by a plethora of sensations from the contact; my heart stutters and my breaths rush from my lungs as he lifts me off the bed.

“Thanks,” I mutter, meeting his eyes. Which, is something I’ve been trying to avoid since I had passed out.

They take me in, and the hazel-brown swirls. I stare in awe as liquid emerald blends with milk chocolate.

He blinks and backs away, releasing his hold. I didn’t notice how aware I was of his hands being on me until they fall away, an immersing sense of comfort and warmth going with them.

“Let’s go. It’s getting late; you need to get home.” His rigid, deepened voice differs from the discerning one he used only moments ago.

“Um,” I mumble.

He lifts his gaze and looks past my shoulder toward the doorway, eyes brown again.

My eyes narrow and I point to his face. “That’s different.”

“I know,” he says. “It’s also a pain in my ass.” He sweeps his hand toward the door.

Not wanting to pry, I shrug and walk out of the room.

“Hi, Mrs. Waturstrom,” I greet the woman behind the nurse’s desk. “I’m a little better, but my head still hurts. May I have something for my headache that’ll tide me over until I get home, please?”

“Of course, Tracey. Nice to see you’re okay. I’ll give you a Tylenol for your pain and a bottle of water. Wait there a moment,” she adds, turning away to her cabinet of pain-relieving goodies. Our school nurse is a nice little lady whose smooth skin and perfect posture is a compliment to her age. She says it is because her late husband kept her young. He passed away a year or so ago, and it’s noticeable his passing broke her heart. She lost the spring in her step. Now, she’s the basic happy nurse, keeping a smile on and speaking with a slight hint of excitement but it’s not from her heart. If it weren’t for the small, tear-shaped scar under her right eye, she’d be flawless for her age.

I rest against the counter. “Thank you.”

“Now, Tracey. I’m not trying to meddle, but sometimes I can’t help myself.” Mrs. Waturstrom examines the label of a pill bottle and continues, “Are you two dating?”

My eyes bulge. I hurry to sober them, knowing he can see my expression with him only being a foot away. “No, ma’am. I don’t even know him,” I hurry to say, wanting to clear up any confusion. “There was an accident.”

“Oh!” she gasps as if my denial of our involvement is unbelievable. “I’m sorry, dear. I thought, well, with the way he carried you in here and his concern over you being well. That boy even fell asleep in that hard chair, waiting for you to wake up.”

 

Felisha Antonette writes young adult and new adult romance, paranormal and contemporary, sweet and sexy. There’s a little bit of something for everyone! She cares most for the enjoyment of her readers and loves making others happy may it be through her stories, encouragement, or volunteering. When she’s not writing and ‘momming’ she’s a team leader for kiddos and teens at her church (Cornerstone – Chandler, AZ), working out at the gym, binging on a Netflix series, or trying to defeat Mr. King Dice in Cuphead with her daughter Namia!

Website: www.felishaantonette.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/peiriann
Facebook: www.facebook.com/feeantonette

GIVEAWAY!

Felisha Antonette is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a 4 book set of her A Burdened Novel series!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive either $25 Amazon Gift Card or the whole 4 book A Burdened Novel series!
• This giveaway ends midnight July 19.
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 20.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

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Dreams That Never Were Pre-Release Book Blast @gregmessel #bookblast

DREAMS THAT NEVER WERE by Greg Messel, Political Thriller/Romance, 296 pp.

Title: DREAMS THAT NEVER WERE
Author: Greg Messel
Publisher: Sunbreaks Publishing
Pages: 296
Genre: Historical Fiction

On June 5, 1968 Senator Robert F. Kennedy, then a candidate for President, is mortally wounded by assassin Sirhan Sirhan in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Among the innocent bystanders who were also shot that night is a young idealistic reporter from San Francisco, Alex Hurley.

The tragic incident changes his life as he’s swept up in the turbulent events of 1968.  Alex is conflicted about the Vietnam War after spending several months there as a reporter. The war costs him his first marriage and threatens to tear his family apart. However, he meets a woman who’s love restores his hope and together they forge a new life set against the backdrop of the war, the civil rights struggle and political upheaval in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alex Hurley’s story is part political thriller and partly a romance in “Dreams That Never Were,” the latest historical fiction novel by award winning author Greg Messel.

The title comes from a famous quote of Robert F. Kennedy’s “Some men see things as they are and say, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’”

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I heard unfamiliar voices talking.

“He’s starting to open his eyes,” someone said.

“That’s a great sign,” commented another.

I detected a pain in my side, just below my rib cage. I tried to open my eyes, but they seemed to be glued shut. The voices resumed—talking about me as if I wasn’t there. Finally, I blinked my eyes, trying to focus, and soon realized  I was in a hospital bed. Standing by me, with concerned looks etched on their faces, was an odd collection of people from my life. 

Through my bleary eyes, I saw my ex-wife Brenda; John Greer, my photographer pal from San Francisco; and Darlene Harvey, the reporter from the Los Angeles Times, I’d been admiring from afar since I had arrived in Southern California. 

Brenda moved forward and tenderly gripped my hand in a way that she had not done for a long time. 

“How are you, Alex?” she asked softly. 

I gave a weak shake of my head. “I dunno. What happened?” 

“Don’t you remember, mate?” John jumped in. 

“Remember what?” I mumbled blankly, as my weak voice tailed off into nothing.

“He’s still coming out of the drugs. Give him a minute,” Brenda pleaded. “They’ve been keeping him kind of doped up since the surgery. This is the first time I’ve been able to talk to him.”

“Surgery?” I asked. 

Brenda shushed me and gently ran her long, slender fingers through my hair. “Take it easy. Don't try to talk right now. Take your time. Then we’ll help you understand what happened.”

I groggily attempted to get my bearings. “We were at the hotel. Everyone was celebrating Bobby’s victory. I was following him out of the ballroom, and there was like a riot. I was suddenly on the floor and couldn’t get up. It was strange. All of these people kept stepping on me—on my arm and on my legs.” 

I glanced at my right hand which was heavily bandaged. “I got knocked down. I’m sorry. Everything is a little hazy. I’m having trouble getting my brain to work.”

The three people hovering over me could not have been more different—two beautiful women and John, with his long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a scruffy beard covering his face. The trio exchanged concerned glances, whispered, and nodded at one another. I started to shift in my bed and was met with a jolts of pain in my side and my leg. 

Brenda attempted to lighten the mood. “I was afraid you’d wake up in your hospital bed, see your ex-wife standing over you, and think you’d died and gone to hell.”

I gave her a weak smile, while the others chuckled to break the tension. 

Brenda was trying to make sure my re-entry was a slow descent, but that strategy was quickly dashed when John started blurting out all the details of the last 14 hours. “Take it easy, Alexander. You’ve had surgery. You were shot, man. They removed the bullet. The doc says you’re going to be fine. Some people from San Francisco are on their way down here, including our boss. Everyone’s been worried about you after they saw the news.”

“The news? I was shot?”

Brenda glared at John. “Way to go slow, John. Senator Kennedy was shot. You and some other people were also wounded by the assassin.”

“No, no, no!” I yelled. “Bobby was shot? No, not this time! This wasn’t supposed to happen! Assassin? Is Senator Kennedy going to be all right?” 

John moved closer. “Bobby’s just down the hall. He’s still alive, but he’s not doing very well.”

“Not doing very well?” I snapped with rapidly accelerating alarm.

John blundered ahead. “This place is like a fortress. It was hard to get in here especially onto this floor. Cops are everywhere.”

“Maybe we should go,” Darlene said shooting a glance at John. “We’ll come back later, Alex. We just had to see you. We were so worried.” 

“No, no, don’t leave right now,” I pleaded. I repeated what I had been told to try to take in the enormity of the news. “Senator Kennedy was shot. How could… how did it happen?”

Brenda nodded to John and Darlene. “I’ll stay with him. I know you must be very busy.”

Darlene leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. She was dabbing tears from her eyes. “It’s been a long night. We’re all living in a nightmare. I’m so sorry, Alexander. It’s good to see you awake.”

Darlene grabbed John by the elbow and pushed him towards the door. John flashed a peace sign. “Peace, my brother. I’ll see you a little later. Take it easy and get better. I’ve got to call San Francisco. Everyone’s anxious to hear about you.”

After they departed, I tried to shift to get a better look at Brenda. She looked great. Her long black hair cascaded onto her shoulders. It was longer than I had ever seen her wear it. She wore a lime green mini dress with white trim and white boots. 

“Where am I, and what time is it?” I quizzed Brenda. “Actually… what day is it?”

“It’s Wednesday,” she checked her wrist watch. “It’s about a quarter to two.”

“At night? What happened to Tuesday?!”

“You had surgery earlier today, and I just got to town. I came straight to the hospital. I flew down as soon as I heard about the assassination attempt. Your name was on the television as one of those wounded with Bobby. I caught the next plane to LA to see you.”

“Uh… wow… that’s… I mean, I’m overwhelmed. That’s a lot of money. Is that all right with Tom?”

“I was very upset, and Tom immediately offered to fly me down here to see you.”

“That’s very nice… of you… and your husband.”

“Alex, I don’t think you’ve grasped what’s going on outside this room. It’s a national crisis. I wish you could look out the window at the street below. There are barriers up, and hundreds, if not thousands, of people are lining the street in the front of this hospital. News about the shooting is on TV constantly.”

“Where’s Senator Kennedy now?” I groggily asked.

“Here. Eric Sevareid and Walter Cronkite have been on CBS saying something has happened to the fabric of our nation. There are signs everywhere that say ‘Pray for Bobby.’ The raw footage of the shooting has been shown over and over again on NBC. You’re right. After the shots were fired, it was like a riot. When I turned on my television, not only did I see Bobby bleeding on the floor in the pantry, but I saw you on the ground with a pool of blood under you. You were wearing a blue blazer, lying on the floor on your side against the wall.”

 

Greg Messel grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and lives on the Puget Sound in Edmonds, Washington, with his wife, Jean DeFond. Dreams That Never Were is his 11^th novel and is a historical fiction account of a young reporter caught up in the events surrounding the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. Greg has also written a series of mystery novels set in San Francisco in the 1950s. He has lived in Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming and Utah and has always loved writing, including stints as a reporter, columnist and news editor for a daily newspaper. Greg won a Wyoming Press Association Award as a colunist and has contributed articles to various magazines.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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Running From Demons by M.K. Theodoratus @kaytheod #paranormal #fantasy

RUNNING FROM DEMONS by M.K. Theodoratus, Paranormal Fantasy, 430 pp., $2.99 (Kindle)

Title: RUNNING FROM DEMONS
Author: M.K. Theodoratus
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 279
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Pillar Beccon travels across Andor to discover her mother’s mysterious past. But danger is never far away as a demon seeks to destroy her.

An orphaned null without a hint of magic, Pillar can’t remember ever belonging anywhere, especially not in the Freemage commune where she grew up. After she graduates from high school, she jumps at the chance to learn why her mother ran away from her family.

During an accidental encounter, Grylerrque, a surviving commander from The Demon Wars, recognizes what Pillar is and decides to feed the girl’s life force to her clutch. The demon sends her minions to capture the girl. Pillar escapes with a help of an unexpected allay, only to learn she was pulled out of the frying pan and thrown into the fire.

Link to book on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVQM3VV
Link to book on B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/running-from-demons-m-k-theodoratus/1129405241

Pillar Beccon stood before the open doors of the Taddledon bus
station, steeling her nerves. She was alone with no one at her back,
not even her running buds from school. Though, now that "Te Tres
Amigas" had graduated, she'd have to get used to being alone again.
Pillar's jaw clenched as she braced herself against the coming stares.
The teen didn’t mind the double takes as she walked along a
street. They seldom pierced the walls she’d built around herself. Inside the Taddledon Station, she’d be the pale-skinned, weird-eared
weirdo caught in a sea of tan people sneaking glances at her angular,
mismatched face, wispy blond hair, and super tall height. People always gawked at her. She felt lucky when they didn’t drool when their
mouths hung open. Pillar begged the Powers for strength, not that
they ever helped nulls or mages.
Get a grip. At least they won’t tease you like the kids at school. They
don't know you're a nothing null. Pillar refused to admit she was neither human nor mage, fsh nor fowl. Besides, odds are the people waiting're only human and aren't aware.
The hair on the back of her neck prickled. When she scanned
the station, nothing around her felt threatening. You're over-reacting.
You're safe. Pillar sighed with relief. I didn’t let Delia down. I made the
test trip on my own. No glitches.

The teen had survived the day trip to the Taddledon museum
and gardens in spite of her foster mother's worries. Pillar didn't need
babysitting by the Freemage commune that had taken her in when
her mother died. Not that her mother was a born member. Mages
thought the mountain communes the only safe place for their young
since their teens made the perfect prey for demon-kind—if her yapping trainers weren't just blowing hot air. She stood taller, and her
shoulders relaxed.
Satisfaction flooded through her. I made it.
The bumblebee drone of the milling travelers bounced off the

high ceilings and washed over her. Here and there, children’s shrieks
drew scowls as they spiked above the noise. All seemed to ignore
the announcement that a bus had just arrived at the platforms. The
prickles grew sharper, and she paused.
After a glance around the lobby, Pillar guessed most were locals
returning to their surrounding small towns after shopping trips to
the big city. Te few roamers, marked by their grubby clothes and
backpacks, might be mages or might not be. Communes and towns
tended to throw out their misfits after they graduated from high
school if they didn't get admitted to colleges or tech schools.
A man near the outside door sat, slumped back on a bench and
eyes closed, with his hands resting on his ample belly. He opened one
eye and jerked. His gaze darted away from Pillar’s icy, challenging
stare, made all the colder by her pale blue eyes. A flush rushed over
his face as he ducked his head.
It’s not like I’m a total freak. All mages have long faces.
Pillar hunched her shoulders again but decided not to get pissed
off or feel sorry for herself. Both reactions were a waste of energy. Pillar ignored thousands of memories of being told nobody wanted a
null, not even the Kingscourt, unless the null was brilliant enough
to become a useful functionary. Nulls were kicked out of mage communes to fend for themselves in the slums of the cities.
RUNNING FROM DEMONS 3
Swallowing, Pillar reached out with her new, weak awareness to
a static-like buzz along her skin created by the people around her. For
her, the fluttering ambience of the station tickled rather than buzzed.
She shook her head and strode towards the end of the station's diner.
Her stomach growled its approval.
Thoughts of a toasted cheese sandwich made her mouth water.
Her always hungry stomach spurred her forward, but a jarring undercurrent sprang out from under the normal human buzz. The atmosphere of the station suddenly smelled off, like curdled milk.
Pausing again to size up the waiting travelers, Pillar chewed on
her lip. Everyone felt normally human to her. No one displayed any
obvious mage powers unless the hint of static was coming from the
security guard, a Kingscourt flunky, who would possess at least some
low-grade magic. The guarda stood alert, scanning the station with a
wary gaze.
As the waitress approached her, she chewed a wad of gum so
large her tongue appeared each time her jaw moved. Pillar lowered
her eyes at the unattractive sight, retreating into her shell rather
than feel the waitress’s turbulent emotions. But waitress's gaze rested
on Pillar’s long narrow face with its wider than normal mouth and
knife-like nose. A flash of pity crossed her roundish face. Pillar sat
straighter and smiled, revealing as many teeth as possible.
“Ham and cheese with extra cheese, please,” said Pillar.
“Cost you extra.”
Pillar almost rolled her eyes, but she had learned to contain her
reactions, much to her foster mother/mentor’s relief. “So add it to
my bill.” The waitress clomped towards the kitchen window of the
grill, writing on her pad.
Piercing shrieks echoed off the high ceilings. Pillar’s head jerked
around to see three kids running away from a taller boy, who
stomped after them like a bear. He growled, making them scream
louder. Their bright auras rose and fell with their screams.
 
Looks like they’re having fun.
The game continued until one of the kids tripped over a suitcase.
Angry words erupted from an older woman. She wore a hat, ringed
with flowers, as if she were someone important, but important people didn’t take buses. They owned their own cars. The kids ignored
her just as Pillar would have.
Scanning the area, Pillar tested her developing talent for reading
auras. The slow dance of different shimmering colors popping
through the light bluish-green glow of their life pulse fascinated her,
but she concentrated on possible threats. Everyone in the lobby felt
like nulls to Pillar. But her eavesdropping on the mage elders, talking
to her guardian, told her they worried about magical attacks from demon-kind. While no adult talked much about them, Pillar assumed
demons could camouflage themselves and hide behind shields.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so hard to find. She shuddered, not
wanting to think of demons possessing people. Doubt if any demons
would dare to hunt here, anyway.
The thought comforted Pillar, and she relaxed. The waitress arrived and picked a plate off her ladened arm to plunk it on the
counter with a sigh.
Pillar smiled as the waitress scooted around the counter to the
tables against the wall. “Thanks. It looks delicious.” The waitress bustled away without looking back, and Pillar shrugged.
Not wanting to dribble cheese on the new tee she’d bought in
the museum shop, Pillar leaned forward to take a bite of her toasted
ham and cheese sandwich. The gooey cheese oozed out the sides,
over her fingers. She licked them and her lips. The cost of adding
extra cheese was worth it, making a perfect ending to her first solo
venture into Taddledon. The ride home would be dull in comparison
to the carefree day she had enjoyed. At least her stomach wouldn't be
growling.
 
The PA system belched news of another arriving bus, adding to
the racket bouncing off the station walls. The garbled words made
no sense. Pillar ignored the announcement as she licked her fingers
clean. The tenor of the air shifted. The hair on her nape rose. Pillar
glanced back towards the benches in the lobby.
Taking another bite of her gooey sandwich, Pillar licked her lips
as she searched for the disturbance in the station’s energy. The power became so intense even Pillar’s weak talent felt the rising pulse. A
chill crawled across her shoulders and down her back. Pillar turned
around. Her eyes locked on a tangled-haired girl, clutching a backpack in her hands and using the wall by the platform doors to protect
her back. The girl's eyes grew wider as she scanned the station.
Pillar's frizzy hair stood at attention. A strange odor, the like of
which she'd never smelled in Osseran, wafted from the outside doors.
Her stomach churned, and Pillar dropped her no longer appetizing
sandwich.
What's going on? That girl just doesn't feel like a normal, but she
shouldn't make my stomach want to heave.

A Northern California gal, M. K. Theodoratus has been intrigued by fantasy since she discovered comic books and the land of Oz. Some of her early favorites were A. Merritt, Andre Norton, Catherine L. Moore, and Fritz Lieber. She has traveled through many fantasy worlds since then. Now she enjoys reading Lee Child, Patricia Briggs, Sharyn McCrumb, Neil Gaiman, and Carol O’Connell among others.

When she’s not disappearing into other writer’s worlds, she’s creating her own alternative worlds — that of Andor where demons prey and that of the Far Isle Half-Elven where she explores the social and political implications of genetic drift on a hybrid elf/human people. Magic and mayhem are her favorite topics.

She now lives in Colorado with her old man and two lap cats.

Website Address:  http://www.mktheodoratus.com
Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/kaytheod
Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/M-K-Theodoratus-Fantasy-Writer-235376633158175/