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Sacred Bloodlines (Book
1)
by Wendy Owens
Free Everywhere
Blurb
Tragedy has defined Gabe's short existence in this world.
An ominous darkness lurked on the edge of his existence until one day in a
subway, strange things start happening. A series of events lead Gabe into a new
and fascinating life filled with angels and demons, but he isn't sure if he
wants to be a part of it.
Gabe is thrust into the middle of this exciting world
that is full of things he has longed for in his life but it comes with a price.
This new life also promises constant terrifying dangers that Gabe fears he may
not be able to survive.
Excerpt
Gabe closed his eyes and leaned
his head back against the cool subway tiles. The pungent smell of urine and
burnt electrical wires filled his nostrils as the loud roar of a passing train
erupted in his ears. His social worker’s words replayed again and again in his
head, “difficulties with home placement,” “a past filled with tragic
incidents,” “more time needed to find the right parental candidates.” Gabe knew
what that meant, after years of being shipped from one foster family to the
next, it was clear what people thought of him. He was cursed. “And why wouldn’t
they,” he thought. It was even obvious to himself.
The bustle of the station
increased as the train squealed to a halt. Gabe grabbed his ragged black
backpack and headed to the nearest set of open doors. He twisted and turned,
trying to make his way through the thick crowd. A chill came over him, one that
was all too familiar and Gabe found himself filled with dread. Coming to a
sudden stop he looked around at the sea of people. Just steps from the train
doors he was unable to move. He was staring and searching, his breath now
shallow. The voices around him were instantly silenced as a pulsing white noise
consumed his mind.
Gabe’s hands were clammy and he
felt his legs weaken. “Are you getting on or what?” the man behind him shouted.
The man was wearing a plain, tan trench coat and carried a briefcase. Gabe
looked back at him, not able to hear what he was saying for a moment, still
distracted by the deafening white noise in his head.
“Come on, some of us have
places to be,” the man grumbled as he rudely pushed past Gabe and boarded the
subway car. Stumbling to a nearby column, Gabe steadied himself, attempting to
regain his composure.
As sounds came flooding back,
he heard the buzzer warning that the doors would soon be closing. Gabe looked
up and prepared to make a dash for the opening. Before he could make his move,
he caught sight of a young woman standing in front of the subway doors. She was
wearing a long, black leather coat that was cinched at her waist. There was an
odd grey color that surrounded her, creating a halo effect around her entire
body. He had seen this before, actually more times than he cared to recall. He
even saw the same grey aura the night his parents died.
Gabe stared intensely at her
back as she stepped into the subway car. She slowly turned around, her black
hair was short, cut just above the chin, which she wore slicked back, tucked
behind her petite ears. Gabe thought she looked as though she were trying to
remove the femininity from her small frame in any way she could. Her skin was
pale; the color reminded Gabe of milk.
He watched, frozen, as the girl
lifted her head and looked directly into his eyes. She flashed him a small,
wicked smile as the doors closed. He saw her eyes flicker a hint of red. A
moment later, the train pulled away. Gabe slid to the cold floor as the
crushing weight of impending doom filled him.
Gabe had been plagued by these
feelings and visions his entire life. He could remember being sent to at least
a dozen different therapists all over the city. Their diagnoses were all the
same; however, ‘hallucinations brought on by depression caused by the tragic
loss of his parents.’ Some had him writing his feelings in journals, but most
of them found it easier to load him up on medication and send him on his way.
He had learned a long time ago that the easiest thing to do was to lie about
the visions.
Gabe wondered if the therapists
were all right. Perhaps he was just crazy with grief. His parents had died when
he was only five years old. He found it hard to believe such grief could plague
a person for eleven years, but what did he know, he was no ...
A loud
explosion suddenly interrupted Gabe’s thoughts. He reached out his hands to try
and steady himself as the ground under him shook violently. He threw up his
arms to cover his head, plaster crumbling and falling like rain from the high
ceilings.
Cursed (Book 2)
by Wendy Owens
Blurb
Some people are born into love,
some people are born into war, when Gabe discovered he was a Guardian Angel,
his life was suddenly thrust into both. If this hidden war wasn't enough to deal
with, Gabe learns he is fated to be the great protector who will one day
deliver the last prophet to either safety or death. All of these revelations
didn't matter for Gabe, he only cared that his new life included Sophie.
Sophie and Gabe grew closer over
the summer. She is now a fixture in his life that keeps him moving forward.
Evil doesn't stop stalking him just because he found happiness. This time
darkness finds it's way into Rampart manor and Gabe will have to decide if he
is willing to risk everything to try and stop it.
Excerpt
As the door creaked open, a small hint of candle light peeked out.
"Why is it so dark in there?" Gabe asked, glaring back at Haim.
"The overhead light seemed to agitate her; she seems to like the candle light. The barrier shield can only be removed by Michael, but if you want, you should be able to cross in," Haim explained.
"Wait, what are you talking about? What barrier shield?" Gabe demanded.
"Michael thought it would be best if Sophie couldn’t leave the room in her condition," Haim said, attempting to delicately shed light on the reasoning behind the imprisonment.
"And a guard isn’t sufficient?" Gabe asked defensively.
"I just think Michael wanted to make sure she was safe," Haim replied.
Gabe hung his head; he had no words left to say. Part of him just wanted to close the door and walk away. To close the door on the entire situation Sophie was trapped in. Somehow, if he could close that door, perhaps everything would return to the way it was. Things could go back to the way they were over the summer when Sophie and he were happy and together, back to when Sophie was the light that made all of this worth it.
Gabe took another deep breath. He knew there was no going back, this was their reality now. He needed to go in and confront his fears, confront the situation they found themselves in. He had to be strong for Sophie’s sake.
As Gabe stepped inside he heard Haim interject, "Stay close to the walls," just before the door closed.
Gabe squinted, trying to readjust to the darkness. To the side, he saw a small table with a candle perched on it. Under his feet he heard cracking. Looking down he could see the floor was covered in straw. Gabe’s stomach twisted. He couldn’t stand the thought of Sophie being kept like this.
In the far corner of the room, Gabe saw a figure curled up in the corner. A pale blanket wrapped around them. In the dark, Gabe could not even make out the color of the person’s hair.
"Sophie?" Gabe spoke softly.
The figure trembled, but barely stirred at his voice.
"It’s me, Gabe."
Gabe watched, holding his breath as the figure slowly turned. The body moved in an almost unnatural way as it shifted and crawled slowly on all fours across the floor. When the candlelight at last fell on the figure, Gabe could make out the auburn hair of his beloved Sophie. Her hair was matted, greasy, and hung in her face.
Gabe saw her shoulders were hollow looking and her skin was almost glowing white. Gabe caught sight of Sophie’s fingers, her knuckles were bloody, and her nails cracked and peeling. Instinctively, Gabe fell to his knees and crawled to Sophie. Without even giving it a thought, he grabbed her hands and pulled them closer to the light.
"Oh Sophie, what happened to your hands?" Gabe cried.
Sophie jerked her hands from Gabe’s grasp. Arching her back she sharply hissed as she flipped her hair back and glared at him. Gasping, Gabe fell back on to his butt, crawling towards the door backwards on his hands. His beloved Sophie’s blue eyes were gone; instead a deep full blackness stared back at him. Her lips were dry, cracked, and appeared almost blue in color, at least at the places that weren’t covered with spots of dried blood. Unlike the skin on the rest of her body, her face her face was the color of ash. It was marbleized by black veins that crawled up her neck and splintered around her eyes, making them appear even more haunting.
"Oh God, Sophie!" Gabe shrieked.
"Hst!" Sophie spat and bared her jagged, sharp teeth at Gabe, the spaces filled with a rotting blackness. She hovered close to the ground like an animal.
"Sophie, please! It’s me, Gabe. Don’t you recognize me?" Gabe begged as he searched for any part of Sophie.
Blankly, the creature stared back at Gabe. There was nothing left of her true eyes, nothing of what they had been, nothing of his former love.
by Wendy Owens
Blurb
Five years have passed since Gabe
abandoned Rampart, deserting his destiny and closest friends. The struggles
Gabe has endured to stay alive have changed him, hardening him into a man
unwilling to trust anyone or anything, dealing with difficulties connecting
with the outside world.
Gabe has finally found a certain
paradise--a peace in solitude--until a familiar stranger shows up on his
doorstep, pleading for Gabe's help.
Now he has to decide if he is truly
content in his new life, or if he is willing to risk his solitary happiness for
a little piece of the world he left behind.
Excerpt
Rachel looked back into Gabe’s
eyes as she reached out and took hold of his shirt; she began to unbutton it,
catching a glimpse of his bare chest. In an instant she saw a hint of a smile
curl at the edge of his lips, the sight of which made her flutter. She slowly
continued disrobing him, releasing each button from its hold. Once the job was
done the white shirt fell open, exposing his chiseled physique.
Running her hands up his tight six pack, she
lingered for a moment before continuing over his strong, broad chest. She moved
her hands up to his shoulders, causing the shirt to slip off and fall to the
floor. Gabe’s slight smile widened as he continued to allow Rachel to take the
lead.
Her hands explored his warm
chest for a few moments longer. With each new crevice she discovered, she would
lean in and memorize the line with a small kiss. Her hands working their way
down to the waist band of his pants that hung low on his fit body, revealing a
glimpse of the rigid v-cut below his hips.
Gabe moaned in delight, a low
throaty sound that vibrated through his chest, tickling her lips. Gabe reached
out, pulling Rachel in, his intense gaze so full of passion it nearly made her
melt. His lips met hers, the intensity causing her to tremble. Reaching up, she
clasped her arms around his neck in an attempt to steady herself. He pulled
away, pleased with himself as he heard her sigh, watching her eyes flutter in
ecstasy.
Rachel tugged and pulled at the
stubborn button of his slacks. The longer she took, the more increasingly
embarrassed she became. Gabe growled a deep and almost silent laughter.
“A little help here,” Rachel replied, throwing
her hands up in despair.
With great ease, Gabe slipped
the button from its hold, dropping his hands back to his sides. Rachel stared
at him puzzled. “Oh no, please, you were doing such a good job, you finish,”
Gabe instructed, a huge grin across his face now.
Rachel couldn’t help but also
smile, realizing how silly her frustration was. Eagerly, she slid down the
zipper of his pants, allowing them to drop to the floor. Much to Rachel’s
delight, there was nothing else beneath the thin layer of cloth, his naked body
greeting her with clear delight.
Standing there, confident in
his skin, Rachel suddenly began to doubt herself again. Gabe sensed her
withdraw and quickly combatted the back step by reaching out and pulling her
close once again. He pressed his warm lips to her, kissing her deep and long.
Slipping his hand between one of the slits in her gown, he gently caressed the
inside of her thigh before allowing his fingertips to explore inward.
Rachel cried out, her legs
quivering from the pleasure. Pulling his hand away, all he could think about
was seeing her glorious body. Yanking on the gown, he lifted it up and over her
head, letting it fall to the floor. Gabe smiled, staring at her full breasts.
Cupping one, he slipped her nipple into his open mouth. Rachel flung her head
back, closing her eyes and enjoying every second.
Rachel looked away, not able to take the
intenseness of his eyes. Pulling her chin towards him, he forced her gaze back
into his eyes. I Love You, pulling his
lips away, he mouthed the words, not uttering a sound except his heavy
breathing.
“I love you, too,” Rachel
whispered, her fears and anxieties lifting.
Gabe
pushed against her, the warmth of his chest pressing up against her breasts.
Leaning down, Gabe swept Rachel’s hair aside, kissing the part of her body
where her neck and shoulder joined. His lips trailed slow, wet kisses down her
shoulder, stopping just short of her left breast. She shook with anticipation.
The Lost Years (book 4)
by Wendy Owens
Blurb
Gabe's world was forever altered by the people he came
to know and love at Rampart Manor. Although, it wasn't only his life that was
changed when he made the choice to leave them all behind.
During his five year absence, they each had a battle with personal demons. Dina is faced with a moral dilemma, the path of good leading to certain heartbreak, or evil, and a possibility of happiness.
Uri meets a mysterious woman who seems to have a lot of
the answers that he has been searching for, and she certainly has a place in
his heart, if he can only hold onto her.
Sophie is faced with choices she never knew would be so
difficult. The question now is: will the personal demons of the remaining
Guardians of Rampart be too much for them to overcome?
The
Guardians Crown
by Wendy Owens
Release Date: September 27th
Blurb
Gabe
is finally forced to answer the ultimate question, will he give his life to
save the world? What about just to save the one he loves the most? The
Guardians struggle to find another way--ideas that don't involve Gabe's
death--to defeat Baal. Time is running out. What will Gabe choose? What price
will he pay for that choice?
Excerpt
Releasing one last big breath, pushing all
the air from his lungs, Michael emerged into the room. He opened his eyes,
wide, and prepared to greet his brethren. The room shrank inward, all around
him, as his eyes took in a sight he had not expected. He had accepted the idea
this was a trick, that perhaps he had offended the council one too many times
with his unorthodox methods. He had accepted they might, in fact, be luring him
there to imprison him for his insubordination. What he saw now though, was not
what he had expected.
A half circle of handmade bamboo tables
was sprawled out before him. At each table, a small stool perched behind it
with an elder seated in it. None of them looked up at him, their heads lying on
the table tops, the blood from their slit throats draining, and spilling onto
the dirt floor. All of them, they were all dead.
Michael’s head began to spin. He fell to
his knees, purging himself of all of his stomach contents. A tear ran down his
cheek, as he wiped away a string of vomit with the back of his hand, from the
corner of his mouth. “No,” he gasped, shaking his head, as if trying to make
the reality before him disappear.
“I knew you’d come!” a voice called out
behind him.
Michael staggered to his feet and turned
to face his worst nightmare. Baal stood before him, a smirk on his face. He
wore his signature grey, pinstripe, three-piece suit, and casually twisted his
pinky ring on his long and slender well-manicured finger. As it rotated Michael
caught a glimpse of the rubies in the skull’s eye sockets. His black hair was
slicked back, the sight of his false appearance made Michael sick to his
stomach.
A
slight panic rushed over him as he thought, you need to get the hell out of
here. But he knew transporting would be pointless. If he fled back to Iron Gate,
Baal would most certainly pick up the tracer and follow him. He would bring the
same fate of the council down on everyone he cared about. There was only one
option. He would stand and fight, even if it meant perishing like the council.
Author Bio
Wendy Owens was raised in the small college town
of Oxford, Ohio. After attending Miami University, Wendy went on to a career in
the visual arts. After several years of creating and selling her own artwork,
she gave her first love, writing, a try.
Since 2011, she has published a young adult
paranormal series, The Guardians, which will contain five books total, as well
as a novella.
Wendy now happily spends her days writing—her
loving dachshund, Piper, curled up at her feet. When she's not writing, she can
be found spending time with her tech geek husband and their three amazing kids,
exploring the city she loves to call home: Cincinnati, OH.
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