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In the long chronicle of Black Swan knights, Torn was one of only a handful who were not second sons. His particular life circumstances, otherwise known as fate, created the perfect storm necessary to build a potential Black Swan knight.

His mother had died when he was a toddler too young to retain any conscious memory of her. His father was a drunk, on the dole, and the town joke. By the time he was seven he’d learned to fight and was ready to take on all comers, even much older kids, anyone who had something untoward to say about his old man. Even though he’d be the first to acknowledge that there likely had never been a sorrier excuse for an elf.

Other elflings had an arsenal of hurtful things to say.

“He’s a shtate gobshite.��

“He’s a pox�� or “eejit�� or “maggot��.

Torn knew his father had given up, crawled to the bottom of a whiskey bottle and stayed there because he’d lost his mate. He wanted to shout at his da; that he was still there, that his father still had work to do. But he didn’t. He learned to make modest meals and put a besotted Mick Finngarick to bed.

If tears were shed, they fell with no one to see.

As word spread that a person should think twice before insulting Torn Finngarick or his father, opportunities to find release by pounding someone bloody became fewer and farther between.

He’d grown to just under six feet by the time his thirteenth birthday came around. By that time he’d taken to traveling to nearby towns and hanging around outside pubs in the hopes that somebody who hadn’t heard of him could be goaded into a fight. When he scored a taker, they were always put off by the grin that communicated pure pleasure. Sometimes it was accompanied by outright laughter.

That would have given a wise man pause. But a wise man wouldn’t be taunted into a street fight with a kid like Finngarick. So Torn was free to show exactly how much he relished the lesson he was about give on the stupidity of engaging in rough play with strangers.

On one such occasion he stole a car and drove to Derry, the seat of the Irish Elf kingdom. He knew there would be a sea of possible victims there, particularly on a Saturday night.

As it happened, a knight named Draglanore was in Derry having a pint with a friend while standing at the bar at the Crow’s Cock on Queen’s Quay. He overheard the patrons behind him talking.

“The boyo’s fuckin�� put down four hale and hearty men and still ready for more. Ne’er saw nothin�� like it.��

Sir Draglanore turned his body toward the elf who’d been speaking and said, “Pardon me for overhearing. Are you talking about an altercation in progress?��

The man looked Draglanore up and down, undoubtedly thinking the man’s speech was a bit highfalutin.

“That’s right,�� he said, eyeing Draglanore with a modicum of suspicion. “Outside in front. Boyo too young for drink, but not too young to fight.��

Draglanore nodded. “Thank you.�� As he turned back to his friend he acknowledged the quiet, but insistent voice. All knights are trained to pay attention to the inner prompting that pulls in one direction or another. Some said it was a function of the mystic. Some said it was a brain mechanism yet to be fully understood. Black Swan was far more concerned with practical application and function than definition. Turning back to his friend, he said, “You’ll have to forgive me, John. I need to check on something.��

John was agreeable. “Go ahead. I’ll keep the beer warm and the women cool.��

Draglanore laughed. “Indeed. Exactly what I fear when I wake each day.��

It wasn’t difficult to find the subject of bar talk. Finngarick and the small crowd he’d drawn had retired to an alley a few doors down from the pub so as not to draw the attention of law enforcement.

Draglanore arrived just as Finngarick delivered a knockout punch to a man who was in his late twenties and muscled to a point that suggested the use of enhancement drugs.

Finngarick was smiling like he was having the time of his life. Draglanore stepped in front of him and turned to the crowd.

“That’s all for tonight folks. The kid has had enough.��

The idea of being shut down by a prissy-talking stranger infuriated Torn. He pushed Draglanore’s shoulder from behind and was surprised when that had no visible effect on the man.

“Ain’t your fuckin�� business, eegit. You wantin�� some? I got enough for you and them, too.��

Draglanore turned slowly and deliberately. When Torn got a look at his face he could see that Draglanore wasn’t like the other men who showed up to fight him. He was self-possessed in a way that was foreign to Finngarick.

“What’s your name?��

“Who’s askin��?��

“Gray Draglanore. And you are?��

Torn huffed and looked up and down the alley, but said, “Torrent Finngarick.��

Draglanore nodded. “A fine name.�� Torn snorted, which made Draglanore cock his head to the side. “You from around here?��

Torn wasn’t sure why he hadn’t already turned and walked away. It crossed his mind, but there was something compelling about the man. So he decided to let things play out a bit and find out what his angle was. “No.��

“Just passing through?��

Torn’s eyes skittered away in the direction of the stolen car. “Maybe.��

“I see. What year are you in?��

“And why would that be your fuckin�� business?��

“I might have an offer for you. I might not. I won’t know unless you answer my questions.��

Again, Torn thought about walking away, but the event in progress had the potential to be the most unusual and interesting thing that had ever happened in his short life.

“I’m in seven.��

“Seven.�� Draglanore nodded. “Do you by chance have an older brother?�� Torn shook his head. Draglanore showed mild surprise, but quickly recovered his passive expression.

“Just me and my da. Why are ye askin��?��

Draglanore ignored the question. “Are you smart, Torrent Finngarick?��

Torn’s lips twitched in a way that told Draglanore what he wanted to know. The kid was angry, handy, smart, and on the way to being on the tall side for an elf. He was already six feet and probably looking at another two growth spurts. At least.

“Do you like what you’re doing now? Your friends? Where you live? Where you go to school?�� Draglanore already knew the answers to those questions. Black Swan knights are good at reading people.

Torn barked out a laugh, spat on the ground and wiped a rolled up sleeve across his bloody mouth. “No�� even a little.��

“Well, in that case, I may have an alternative to suggest. I work for an organization that recruits people like yourself. You would get the best education anywhere, see the world, meet people you can respect, and, if you’re interested in that sort of thing, make a lot of money. I can send someone to talk to you and your father if you’re interested.��

Torn narrowed his eyes. “Gangsters? Lookin�� for somebody who can fight.��

It was Finngarick’s turn to be surprised when Draglanore laughed out loud. “No.�� The knight shook his head, clearly amused by the idea. “Not gangsters. Although we do know something about fighting.��

D.I.T. Book 2, Get it HERE.��

Torn Finngarick despises the phrase ‘bad boy��. Sheridan O’Malley is on her way to becoming a Black Swan legend. Together they make one hot and contentious pair of demon hunters.

He thought she was gone forever, but what if��?

New York Times bestselling author, Victoria Danann, introduces a new Black Swan series with this enchanting novella that will make you want to pack your bags and move to the world of Black Swan.

“Heart-warming, witty, quirky, a little racy and completely engaging!�� ���� Amazon Reader

Rosie Storm is about to get the chance to head up a new Black Swan unit, D.I.T. The Department of Interdimensional Trespass.

Twenty years ago Sir Simon was a vampire hunter. He took three month’s bereavement leave to go wild camping in the far north of Scotland following the death of his team leader. He expected solitude and fresh air to clear his mind and heart. He did not expect to fall in love. While wild camping on the stark landscape of the Orkney Islands, she disappeared into the standing stones. She faded into nothingness, a look of panic frozen on her face. As she reached out and silently called his name, he lunged to grab her an instant too late.

Her memory has haunted him every hour since.

Simon channeled his sorrow and loneliness into work until he eventually rose to the most powerful position ever held by an ex Black Swan knight. With tireless dedication, he built a congregation of talented misfits, watching and waiting for the one who could find Sorcha.

��

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Book 3

Rosie Storm is about to get the chance to head up a new Black Swan unit, D.I.T. The Department of Interdimensional Trespass.

D.I.T. Book 1 will be followed by two others to release between now and October 31st.

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Sending out a blessing to every one of you who took the time to cast a vote! May that gesture come back to you quickly and be joyfully multiplied.

Working harder than ever to earn this recognition. �� Victoria

Nominated for Paranormal Romance Novel of the year:

Falcon��FIRST PLACE

Journey Man��SECOND PLACE

Carnal

Nominated for Best Paranormal Romance Series:

KNIGHTS of BLACK SWAN FIRST PLACE

KBS NEXT GENERATION SECOND PLACE

EXILED

��

Three of my books were nominated for Paranormal Romance Novel of the year:

Falcon�� FIRST PLACE

Journey Man�� SECOND PLACE

Carnal

��

Three of my series were nominated for Best Paranormal Romance Series:

KNIGHTS of BLACK SWAN FIRST PLACE

KBS NEXT GENERATION SECOND PLACE

EXILED

AMAZON

APPLE

NOOK��

a stunning new young adult series like��nothing��else.

When it came to the attention of the old ones that their creations, the Earth gods, had been playing games at the expense of humankind for millennia, they put a stop to it. But the rebellious gods were far too addicted to their games to give them up. After several summit meetings, they voted to use their own children as players and locate the playing field in the most treacherous environment in the known universe…��high school.

To make it even more interesting, they would strip their children of their memories and withhold the rules of the game.

Like the other players, sixteen year old Ever thinks she’s an ordinary kid until she transfers to R. Caine. After a series of close calls, she realizes she needs to figure out the mysteries behind her burgeoning powers fast; what they are, how to use them.

Because yes, she’s special. But that doesn’t mean she can’t die.

SUITABLE FOR MOST TEEN and YOUNG ADULT READERS.

My name is Ever Moore.

I know. It makes me wince every time I say it. When I’m eighteen, I plan to have it legally changed to something that doesn’t make people laugh. But right now I’m stuck.

My dad thinks puns are the highest form of humor. He calls it ‘word play��. That’s right. I’m the spawn of nerds. My dad creates video games. My mother is an ethics professor at UCLA who thinks the battle between good and evil begins at home.

If you want to know just how weird it can get at the Thanksgiving table, I can go one better. My grandfather was a big deal rock star in the seventies. You wouldn’t know the name of the band. So there’s no point in name dropping. After a visit, he exits with a two-finger peace salute like all the other well-adjusted hippie grandparents, but he doesn’t say, “Peace.��

He says, “Rock steady.��

Ugh!

My family is big on manners. They’re too strict to let me say what I think, especially about Buzz’s love life. My grandfather doesn’t want to be called Grandpa or Grandad or Gramps or anything close to normal. Oh no. He wants to be called ‘Buzz��. I have no idea why. That is not his name.

Anyway, the best protest I can mount is rolling my eyes. I keep trying to get his attention and roll my eyes back further into my head when he does the ‘rock steady�� thing, but he will not be deterred.

Anyway I was leading a completely typical and deliciously angsty teenage life in Austin, Texas when my parents were suddenly offered jobs in the LA area at the same time. It was weird, but weird is part of my normal. Always has been.

Since my grandad, the rocker, still lives in LA with the latest girlfriend who’s barely legal �� she’s two years older than I am �� moving seemed like a good idea.

To them.

��

��

“So you’re the vampire?�� Jax opened his eyes to look at the owner of the deep male voice and found a man standing in the aisle by the empty recliner next to him. He nodded. “Want some company?��

For a split second Jax debated whether to tell the truth or not. The truth was that he wanted to be alone to further contemplate the mystery of Drogheda Daley and how she’d managed to do what no other woman, out of a hundred thousand, had done. Namely, to cause Jax to think about her after what he affectionately called the ‘nip and tuck�� was over

He wanted to be alone, but didn’t want to be rude. So he motioned to the unoccupied seat.

The man introduced himself as he sat. “Blake Lavers. I’m attached to Edinburgh. Paranormal Investigation.�� The guy looked a lot younger than he sounded. He had coal black hair and pale green eyes that were highlighted by long dark lashes. Jax supposed that women probably found him attractive. “I guess it doesn’t get much more paranormal than being a vampire. So I thought I’d kill some time investigating.��

Jax rewarded Blake’s attempt at humor with a half-smile. “So this is an interview?��

Blake laughed. “Interview with a vampire? Good one. Yeah. I guess. If you’re up for it. But no matter what you say, it’s not going to end with me asking you to turn me.��

“No? And why’s that?��

Blake narrowed his eyes. “Sly. I’m the one asking the questions.��

“And I’ll answer if it’s an exchange. Perhaps you know things that would either inform or entertain me.��

Blake seemed to consider that. “Tit for tat? Quid pro quo?��

“Whatever you want to call it.��

“I should probably invite my partner over.�� He glanced toward the front of the plane where a young woman with mahogany hair and the youthful look of a cheerleader was staring unabashedly. “Megan.�� Blake grinned. “But I won’t. Maybe if you tell me stuff she wants to know, she’ll finally break down and sleep with me.��

Jax looked from Blake to Megan and back again, wondering if they were as young as they looked or if he was feeling the effects of being ancient, even if he also looked no more than twenty four.

“I’m feeling generous. You go first.��

“Any regrets? Are you glad you were turned?��

“Wow,�� Jax said in a rare use of the modern exclamation. “You go right for the kill. Maybe you should have been a journalist.��

Blake suddenly looked older as his smile widened slowly. “Making a mental note that you ducked a direct and immediate reply. You stalling, vampire?��

“I may have been remiss in not telling you my name. It’s Jaxon Kell. These days humans call me Jax. Not vampire.�� Jax gave the P.I. a slow appraisal of his own. “You’re a chess player, aren’t you?��

“That’s two evasions and a delay still in progress. You can take a minute if you need to think about the answer.��

Jax grew serious and sighed. “Honestly. I’ve never been asked that question nor have I ever put it to myself. Probably because it’s entirely impractical. What would be the point of dwelling on what cannot be changed?��

“Practical or not, if you hadn’t made a good adjustment, you’d have a ready answer about regrets. Since you don’t, I’m going to put that in the ‘no�� column.��

Jax narrowed his eyes. “Are you a mental therapist?��

Blake burst out laughing then shook his head. “Hardly. Your turn.��

“Tell me about a case you’ve worked on that would make a good movie.��

Blake laughed again. “Well, Jax. I’ve got to admit that you’re not what I expected.��

“What did you expect?��

“Which question do you want answered this turn? Number one or number two?��

“Number two.��

“Hmmm. Ego gets ‘em every time. Maybe I’m a little Hollywood-influenced myself. I guess I expected you to be grim and brooding. Angsty. And older. I thought you’d be at least fifteen years older. I mean�� Well, you know what I mean. Not in how old you actually are, but how old you look.��

“I understand.��

“When I asked the question about regret I would have thought you’d go on about what a nightmare life has been for you. I’m not getting the sense that your life has been a nightmare.��

Jax chuckled. “I hope this is not disappointing you, but I’ve had a pretty good life.��

“Yeah. That’s the vibe that’s coming through loud and clear.��

“Are you psychic?��

“A little bit. Everybody in P.I. is. A little bit. Your turn. What made you decide to, uh, come out of the shadows? That’s just an expression and not meant to cast aspersions. Can I just have a blanket ‘no offense�� waiver for the remainder of this exchange?��

Jax chuckled. Blake was the sort of person who’d be hard not to like. “Yes. You can have a ‘no offense�� waiver, but that was two questions. So it’s my turn.�� Blake smiled and good naturedly shook his head at his own folly. “Answer the movie question.��

“Okay. A case that would make a good movie. Truthfully, they would all make good movies if they involved taking the camera behind doors with Megan. I’m thinking Megan undressed would be box office gold.�� He raised his eyebrows for emphasis. “But I’m also thinking that’s not what you’re asking.�� A quick glance at Jax confirmed that. “There was this guy who was convinced his wife was shtupping a ghost. They’d bought a Brownstone in Brooklyn to renovate.��

Jax felt his eyes glaze over for a second as he calculated��the odds of talking to two humans in two days about renovating a Brownstone in Brooklyn and wondered if fate was screwing with him.

“That’s what we were doing in New York,�� Blake continued. “The guy kept telling everybody that the place was haunted and that his wife had fallen for the spirit that came with the house. The wife, who was no longer enamored with the hubby, called Bellevue and the state got involved. Somebody on the inside�� you know we’ve got people everywhere, somebody called Black Swan to report that a case involving something paranormal had been brought to their attention.

“To make a long story short. The poor devil was telling the truth. The wife was schtupping the ghost of a guy who’d been a previous owner.��

“How is that possible?��

Blake grinned and held up a finger in a way that was both dorky and utterly charming. “That can be your next question. Here’s mine. Again. What made you come out?��

“Symbiosis was upset and things had become unbalanced. If too many deadheads multiply too quickly, humans become extinct in a shockingly short time. Then where would I be? It was purely selfish. I need humans to survive. As a TV vampire once said, it’s like millions of Happy Meals walking around on two legs.��

“I see.�� Blake blinked several times.

“You look like you weren’t expecting that answer.��

“I guess I wasn’t. Makes sense though.��

“Now you. How is it possible for a ghost to ��shtup�� anybody?��

Once Blake recovered from being forced to think of himself as a ‘Happy Meal�� on two legs, he grinned. “You know the thing I love most about my job is that the unthinkable and improbable are the stuff of routine. When I come to work, I never know what’s going to happen. In this case, the spirit apparently becomes corporeal when sexually aroused. Afterward he fades into a form so diaphanous he’s virtually invisible.��

“Wow.�� Even Jax couldn’t believe he’d used that word twice in one day. “Does that kind of thing happen often?��

Blake did a bobble head. “Let’s just say it’s not novel.��

“What happened?��

“With the marriage?��

�Ԩ���.��

“I just gave you a pass on three questions. No more bob and weave. Tell me how you became a vampire.��

“I was a farmer near Yerk. That’s what it was called then. It’s known as York now.��

“E�Բ������Ի�.��

“That’s right. I met an immortal in the town while running an errand for my father. She liked what she saw and turned me.��

“With your consent?��

Jax smiled. “What happened to the marriage?��

“They’re divorcing. The husband moved out. But the ghost told the wife where to find gold that he’d hidden behind a wall. It’s enough to make her rich by most standards of comparison. So she’s going to use it to buy the house herself.��

“I wish I could think of another word besides wow.��

Blake chuckled. “In this business, that word is my best friend. I’ve got to say that it’s kind of fun to wow��a vampire with a ghost story.�� Jax grinned and shook his head. “So. Consensual or not?��

Jax looked away momentarily and sighed. “That’s a hard question. My first reaction would be to say yes and no. The immortal who made me what I am asked if I wanted a carefree life, to be as rich as a king, to travel to exotic places and see marvelous things, to have eternal youth and have sexual power over women. I was a virgin and had never even been to a town the size of Yerk before. Naturally, I thought all that sounded great. Nothing was said about the downside.��

“And what is the downside?�� Jax tipped his chin and gave Blake a slanted look. “Okay. Ask your question first.��

��

Blake kept Jax amused for most of the long flight overseas.

When the jet touched down, Blake said, “Where are you headed?��

“Venice. I’m on a recruiting mission.��

Blake smiled. “Gotta keep the Happy Meals reproducing.��

Jax grinned. “That ‘no offense�� waiver goes both ways.��

“Sure.�� Blake stuck out his hand. Jax looked at it for a couple of seconds before shaking. “Let me know next time you’re in town. We’ll get a drink or something.�� He caught himself. “I mean alcoholic beverages.��

“Yeah. I knew what you meant.��

“Maybe I’ll introduce you to Megan.�� Blake lowered his voice. “But only if you agree she’s off limits.��

Jax chuckled. “She’s very cute, but you have my word. Megan is off limits.��

TEASE! TEASE! TEASE! Here’s an excerpt to get you excited about the fact that there IS life after Xmas. Coming December 28th. PREORDER NOW! This book will be available everywhere until December 30th. Then it will be AMAZON ONLY!

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Brant shrugged a big shoulder. “Too much green to turn away even if I need to do it myself. Arnold said the dad could have taken out a contract for what he’s paying us. And he’s right. It’s a chunk of change.��

When Arnold had blurted that out in meeting, he’d gotten several awkward minutes of silent stares from around the club table. They were bikers, but they weren’t killers. Even back in the days when they operated outside the law, they hadn’t been killers. At present they were businessmen who happened to like bikes and hold a certain disdain for authority and rules of all kinds.

“What’s involved? Pick her up and fly her here?��

Brant laughed and shook his head. “If that was all there was to it, guys wouldn’t be ducking around corners avoiding me. The man has hired the club to execute the disappearance of his daughter and keep her in the wind until after the divorce is final.��

“Why does she need to disappear until after the divorce is finalized?��

“The soon-to-be ex-husband is dangerous and greedy. The girl’s father thinks he may try to have her killed before the divorce goes through. He suspects this man of devising some clever means that would give him an airtight alibi while also making him eligible to inherit her trust fund.��

“Who is it?��

“The client?��

�Ԩ���.��

“Severn Carmichael.�� Brand’s eyebrows went up and he whistled. “I suspected you’d know who he is.��

“Our enterprises have touched circuits now and then.��

“He know who you are?��

“He probably knows who I am, just like I know who he is, but we’ve never met.��

Brant seemed satisfied with that. “What do you think?��

“Let me make sure I’ve got this straight. I need to pick her up somewhere in New York, bring her to you, and make sure she’s not seen or followed on the way.��

“In a nutshell.��

“What aren’t you telling me? Why isn’t it safer to shelter in place wherever she is?��

“He’s scared. Really scared. Thinks this guy can get through any defense he can mount.��

Brandon nodded thoughtfully. “When did you tell him we’d get her?��

“Day after tomorrow.��

“Day after tomorrow? Forty eight hours to come up with a plan and make arrangements to be away from the office?��

“Security will work with you on a plan. Taking time off work? Come on. You’re the boss, aren’t you? You want the job or not? If you do, I’ll call a meeting and get a vote on patching you.��

Brandon hadn’t realized how badly he wanted that until it was offered. He’d thought it was something that would never be within his grasp, but suddenly there it was. He didn’t really have a choice. Once in a lifetime offer to get the only thing he wanted that he didn’t already have?

Hell, yes.

“Hell, yes.��

Brant smiled as they stood up. He slapped Brandon on the shoulder and it made Brand’s heart ache for the years he’d missed not having his father in his life.

“I’ll call you later with the verdict,�� Brant said.

They mounted their rides and ignited the engines. The noise made all the patrons of Chuy’s turn and look. The men wished they were on those bikes. The women wished they were sitting behind the men on those bikes.

Brant turned west on Bee Caves. Brandon saluted as he turned east.