by Amy Cross
“Come back,” I mutter, trying to stay calm. “Please, just come back. Don't -”
Hearing a noise nearby, I turn and look back across the kitchen. I swear the noise came from this room, much closer than before, but I can't see anything so far. I make my way slowly around the kitchen table, constantly on edge in case I'm not alone, while telling myself that this is all in my head. I'm just being paranoid, and there's no way that there could be anyone else here. Still, I can't help worrying that those creatures might have come back. Even though I'm reluctant to go through to Rachel, I figure I need to make sure that she's okay. I head through as fast as my crutches can carry me, but when I reach the door and look at the bed I pull up short.
Rachel's gone.
From the kitchen, there's another faint creaking sound.
My heart pounding, I stand completely still for a moment before realizing that this is insane. Rachel's a one-month-old child and there's no way she could ever hurt me, even if something was in her mind and controlling her. Still, the way she looked at me earlier reminded me of the way those infected creatures used to look at me, and even though I'd desperate not to admit it, there's a fear in the back of my mind that maybe Rachel has succumbed. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to head back through to the kitchen, but there's still no sign of anyone.
“Rachel?” I call out.
Silence.
“Rachel?”
Slowly, I make my way over toward the back door, constantly looking around for any sign of her. When I get to the middle of the room, I stop for a moment and turn, convinced that I'm going to see her at any moment. The problem is, it's so dark in here, I can barely make out a damn thing. Heading over to one of the cupboards, I reach out to grab a candle, but as I glance over at the window, I spot a reflected flash of movement in one of the cupboard's glass panes. Turning, I almost expect to find Rachel right behind me, but there's nothing.
I open my mouth to call her name.
Seconds later, I hear a noise outside. Someone's coming. Filled with relief that it must be Toad, I run to the back door, but before I can get there it's pushed open and three figures burst into the room, wearing army camouflage clothing and aiming guns straight at my head.
“Put your hands up!” shouts one of the men, his face hidden by a mask. “Drop to your knees! Now!”
I stare at him, barely able to believe that this isn't some kind of horrific dream.
“I won't tell you again!” he shouts. “Drop to your knees!”
I hear a creaking noise nearby. Instinctively, I turn to see if it's Rachel.
“I -” I start to say.
A fraction of a second later, a gunshot rings out and I feel a sharp pain burst through my shoulder, knocking me off my crutches and sending me crashing to the floor with such force that the side of my head bangs against the wood, knocking me out cold.
COMING SOON
Mass Extinction Event:
The Complete Fourth Series
(Days 54 to 61)
For Thomas and Elizabeth, everything is about to change.
Working with Quinn in an attempt to get the mysterious man out of the bunker, Thomas also has to contend with the growing realization that Mark and the rest of the survivors aren't quite who or what they claim to be. As more and more bodies are taken to the mysterious second site along the shore, Thomas learns the shocking truth behind the next stage of a deadly plan that aims to reshape humanity forever. As for Quinn, she's got her own secrets, and soon she's forced to make a horrific choice.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth wakes up at a remote military facility. There's still no sign of Toad, and Rachel has been taken away for a series of experiments. Having survived the first extinction wave, a small group of politicians and soldiers has gathered to come up with a solution. As she gets to know the staff at the facility, however, Elizabeth learns that a deadly virus is being used as the basis for a new study. If everything goes well, the human race could be saved, but it soon becomes apparent that some of the technicians have other plans.
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The Dead and the Dying: A Joanna Mason Novel
Twelve years ago, rookie cop Joanna Mason was nearly killed by serial killer Sam Gazade. Now, just as Gazade is about to be executed for his crimes, a copycat emerges, replicating each grizzly murder in excruciating detail. Now a thirtysomething police veteran, Mason has a reputation for making brilliant, instinctive deductions during investigations. However, her skills have been dulled by the cocktail of drugs she's taking as part of her chemotherapy program. Stricken by cancer, Mason must make a choice: either she continues with her treatment and lets her mind become fuzzy, or she stops taking the drugs and tries to track down the copycat killer before more people die.
Darper Danver: The Complete First Series
Five years ago, three friends went to a remote cabin in the woods and tried to contact the spirit of a long-dead soldier. They thought they could control whatever happened next. They were wrong... Newly released from prison, Cassie Briggs returns to Fort Powell, determined to get her life back on track. Soon, however, she begins to suspect that an ancient evil still lurks in the nearby cabin. Was the mysterious Darper Danver really destroyed all those years ago, or does her spirit still linger, waiting for a chance to return?
Asylum: The Complete Series
After killing her younger brother, Annie Radford is sent to Lakehurst Psychiatric Hospital. But Lakehurst hides some dark secrets. Patients are regularly subjected to 'special treatment' in the basement, while the cruel Nurse Winter rules the hospital with an iron fist. As Annie struggles to retain her sense of identity, she finds herself being drawn deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Lakehurst. Suffering under the horrific conditions imposed on her at Lakehurst, Annie starts to doubt her own sanity, especially when she once again starts to hear the voices that plagued her when she was younger. Who is the strange old man in the attic? What does Jerry keep in a jar in the basement, and why is he so keen to continue with his macabre and vicious experiments? Where did the husks come from? And how is this all linked to mysterious radio signals being monitored in a forest hundreds of miles away? Out now for just $2.99!
Dark Season: The Complete First Series (All 8 Books)
When Sophie Hart is rescued from a mugging by a mysterious, silent vampire, she discovers that she is part of a dark prophecy. Patrick is the last vampire on Earth, having killed the rest of his species at the end of a bloody war, and he has plans for Sophie. But will she survive? This volume collects together the first 8 Dark Season books, covering the entire first series. Along the way, Sophie encounters not only a vampire but also werewolves, ghosts, evil maids with sharp teeth, crazed psychiatrists and dream-sucking Tenderlings. She travels to Gothos, the ancestral home of the vampires. She discovers a secret hidden inside the body of an old woman, and later she finds another dark secret hidden inside her own body. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!
Dark Season: The Complete Second Series (All 8 Books)
Picking up where the first series left off, the second series of Dark Season follows Sophie's attempt to discover what has happened to Abigail. Meanwhile, the mysterious Nimrod has arrived in town and he's determined to gain his revenge on Patrick. This volume collects together the 8 books of the second series of Dark Season, plus the prequel book 20th Century Vampire. As Sophie tries to find Abigail, she comes up against Nimrod's blood-lust. From old country houses to the sewers of Dedston, and from the bottom of a haunted well to an underground hall filled with spiders, the second series of Dark Season takes Sophie to the brink of death and puts her faith in Patrick to the ultimate test. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!
Dark Season: The Complete Third Series (All 8 Books)
The third and final series of Dark Season tells the story of Patrick and Sophie's daughter Abigail, and her journey to discover the truth about her own identity. Having been raised as a normal human, Abigail is suddenly thrown into a dangerous new world as she discovers
that she possesses unique vampire DNA. With Sophie dead and Patrick having apparently vanished, Abigail quickly falls under the wing of the mysterious Benjamin and his organization, the Watchers, and soon she finds herself trapped in a desperate fight for her own soul. This volume collects together the 8 books of the third series of Dark Season. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!
The Night Girl: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)
When she starts her new job as a night shift assistant, Juliet Collier has no idea that she's about to meet a mysterious entity that lurks in an abandoned part of the building. Soon, Juliet finds herself granted a gift that means she can kill indiscriminately, and apparently without consequences. Meanwhile, eleven years earlier, a young Juliet makes a terrible mistake that sets her on a dark course. This is the story of a girl whose decisions lead her to a devastating end-point, as she struggles to reconcile the voices in her head with the reality in front of her eyes. This volume collects all 8 books in the series.
Devil's Briar: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)
In the remote wilderness of Colorado, Bill and Paula Mitchell discover an entire lost town. Devil's Briar was abandoned many years ago, and has fallen into disrepair. But it soon becomes clear that the town contains some special and highly unusual qualities, and that elements of the past are seeping through into the present. As she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery, Paula finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the bizarre time loop that keeps the entire town trapped in eternity. Soon it becomes clear that nothing in Devil's Briar will ever be the same again, and that two time periods are merging with horrific consequences. This volume contains all 8 books in the Devil's Briar series.
Broken Blue: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)
Returning home for her father's funeral, Elly Bradshaw soon finds herself drawn into the dangerous world of billionaire Mark Douglas. Although she finds Mark irresistible, Elly learns he hides a dark secret. She's quickly pulled deep into a dark sexual game that threatens to change the way she views the world forever. Meanwhile, back in the late nineteenth century, another set of players are caught up in the same game. Tortured by his role as Mr. Blue, Edgar Lockhart sets out to end the game forever. His failure, however, results in the arrival of Jonathan Pope onto the scene. Cynical and only interested in a payday, Pope begins to investigate the shadowy trio of players who keep the game alive. This volume contains all 8 books in the Broken Blue series.
Lupine Howl: The Complete First Series (All 8 Books)
Arriving in London, penniless and alone, Jess finds herself forced to live on the streets. She soon encounters Duncan, a mysterious man who seems to be caught up with some very dangerous people. Duncan is a werewolf, forced to scavenge on the streets of the city and unable to break free from his master, a vicious, cruel man named Thomas Lumic. But there's a war coming. Humanity is no longer prepared to tolerate the existence of the werewolves. Along the way, Jess encounters some truly hideous and bizarre creatures, including the haunting Flesh Weavers, the vicious Loom People, the mysterious Wormwood, the hideous Golvs, and a flesh-sucking little boy who rules a circus of fear. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!
Lupine Howl: The Complete Second Series (All 8 books)
The second series of Lupine Howl begins with Duncan and Jess being recruited for a dangerous mission, and ends with them fighting for their lives against one of the most evil creatures that has ever lived. From the moment he receives a message from Black Annis, Duncan is convinced that someone or something is manipulating things behind the scenes. His suspicions are heightened as he and Jess find themselves facing a series of unusual creatures, until finally the truth becomes clear: Thomas Lumic is still alive, and is determined to gain his revenge over Duncan. Meanwhile, Jess discovers the truth about Anna, the girl who once traveled with Duncan and whose death has haunted him down the years. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!
Lupine Howl: The Complete Third Series (All 8 books)
Having abandoned Duncan, Jess makes her way to India, where she makes a fateful decision that could affect the future of werewolf society forever. The time has come. After centuries of calm, the killing fields of Sangreth are about to be disturbed. Although he's terrified of the journey, Duncan finally accepts that he and Jess must head to Sangreth and prevent Jonathan Neale from uncovering the true secret of the werewolves. But Sangreth is more than just a place: it's a living nightmare, where every werewolf must face the ultimate truth, and where a powerful force waits to be resurrected. For both Duncan and Jess, past wounds are about to burst open and spill fresh blood. Out now from Amazon and other sites for just $2.99!
Ghosts: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)
Having been brutally murdered by her own father, Beth Keneally wakes up and discovers she's now a ghost. Determined to protect her little sister Elise from becoming her father's next victim, Beth finds herself forming an alliance with an unlikely group of other ghosts who have all found themselves trapped on Earth. Meanwhile, an angel named Kal has arrived in town to hunt down God and Satan, who have made a bet with each other that they can wipe their memories and live as humans for an entire lifetime. This volume collects together all eight books in the Ghosts series, which includes encounters with creatures such as the mysterious Red Man and a living plague. Out now - 160,000 words for just $2.99!
Table of Contents
ALSO BY AMY CROSS
Part One Day 46
Part Two Day 47
Part Three Day 48
Part Four Day 49
Part Five Day 50
Part Six Day 51
Part Seven Day 52
Part Eight Day 53
COMING SOON Mass Extinction Event: The Complete Fourth Series (Days 54 to 61)
ALSO AVAILABLE
