Carter Chronicles Trilogy
Book One
Morgan Kelley
Genre: Erotic suspense/thriller
Date of Publication: March 11, 2014
ASIN: B00IYH7Z7C
Number of pages: 452
Cover Artist: Laura Gordon Design
Book Description:
Doctor Callista Carter only wants to heal. Running from a near life destroying case, she’s licking her wounds in a small town and off everyone’s radar.
Only, she’s drawn quite a bit of attention.
Someone’s taking lives, disguised behind the Seven Deadly Sins. It’s stirring up the small town, making waves.
The killers want her eliminated.
And the sheriff just wants her.
When Quinton Gaines is handed a slew of killings, he’s at a loss. He, too, has escaped to sleepy Myrtle Springs to regroup. Now, he’s reminded that death has no qualms with nipping at his heels. Yet, this may be the perfect opportunity to snag the elusive doctor, who has stolen his heart.
Or so he hopes…
When the killer gets personal, Quinn wishes he didn't drag Callie into the mess. Now, not only is she in danger for helping him, she’s marked to die.
Time’s running out.
Can love beat back the vicious claws of hate?
One truth is crystal clear. Quinton Gaines has to stop running in order to save his home and woman.
It’s not going to be easy with a madman hell bent on getting one thing…
REVENGE.
The killers won’t stop at anything. It’s time to get ready, and like any good Sinner... Repent.
Sinner Repent ~ Book One~ Callie's story
Available at Amazon
Sinner Realized ~ Book Two ~ Luke's Story
Now Available
Sinner Reborn ~ Book Three~ Nate's Story.
Out Summer 2015
© Copyright 2014 by Morgan Kelley LLC All rights reserved. First Edition * No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or in an information storage or retrieval system without written consent from the author.
All characters and locations are fictional and any similarity to real life or individuals is coincidental.
~ Prologue ~
Saturday Late Evening
As Sissy Parker slowly began to wake, she had no idea where she was, or how she ended up there. Trying to move her arms, Sissy could tell they were restrained above her head and immediately began to panic.
Struggling to get her bearings, she blinked rapidly, trying to take everything in. All around her there were candles and sinister shadows. Deep down, she had this building feeling of horror, as she could sense that there were malevolent eyes watching her from the creepy darkness.
She knew that something bad was coming.
As the fear rushed through her, Sissy’s body shook in terror at all the possible scenarios that were forming in her head. Having a wild imagination wasn’t her friend at that moment.
It was her worst nightmare.
Getting her bearings, she knew what to do.
Sissy screamed.
What caught her completely off guard was when no one tried to stop her frantic wails for help. Instead, she was met with laughter.
Sick.
Horrible.
Terrifying laughter.
Finally, after a brief amount of time had passed, the first shadow stepped forward. Sissy stared at the figure, trying to adjust to the dim light in the room.
“Who are you?” she asked, her voice shaking.
Certainly, this had to be some kind of bad dream. Any second now, she would wake up.
There was no answer to her question, and that scared her just as much as what she suspected to be the truth. In fact, the silence was chilling.
“Please…what do you want from me? Why am I here?” she begged softly, as the words came out more like a whimper.
The figure moved forward, running a hand slowly down her naked body.
Sissy tried to pull away from the whisper light caress. At that point, she would have dislocated her own limbs to move out of her abductor’s reach.
“Stop! You’re scaring me. This isn’t funny. What am I doing here?”
Laughter came from another direction in the darkness, and Sissy whipped her head toward the sound.
Oh God! There was more than one!
At that moment, Sissy knew that she was in some serious shit. Even she wouldn’t be able to talk her way out of it with her pretty smile and nice clothes.
“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?” she screamed, as two other figures moved into the dim light beside the first one.
They were all clothed in hooded black robes tied with red silk belts. The first figure, the one who had touched her, must have been the leader as that robe didn’t match the others.
“We are The Brethren of the Blood.”
That didn’t sound good at all. In fact, that sounded bad.
REAL BAD.
“What do you want with me?” she asked, scared out of her mind. The last thing that she remembered was a sharp pain in the back of her head, and then…
She woke.
Naked.
Bound.
And in big trouble.
“We’re here to cleanse the sins which are suffocating our town.”
Sissy glared at the figures who were moving into a circle around the table that she was resting on. The tears came as she pleaded for her life.
“I’ll do anything if you let me go. Please! This has to be some kind of mistake. You have the wrong person!”
“No, Sissy, we have the right one. You’re a vile example of humanity, and we’re here to fix what’s broken.”
Suddenly, the words registered. “What do you mean cleanse? How are you going to do that?”
“We’ll make you our offering, purifying the town of the first sin.” They began moving around her, touching her naked flesh with their chilly hands.
“Please,” she begged.
At the contact, the bound woman began getting more agitated. Her face was etched with desperation.
And yet, they paid her no mind.
Sissy began to struggle, pulling at the bonds holding her to the table. She knew she needed to fight.
“There’s no use in struggling. We’ll do what needs to be done, and then make our offering.”
Reality hit as Sissy finally understood what they were going to do to her. In the back of her mind, the logical part of her brain was warning her of what was to come. The confusion was finally overcome, and now it demanded she flee.
“What…are…you…” She didn't get to finish.
The maniacal laughter was enough to tell the tale.
Sissy was going to be murdered.
“No, please! I’ll do whatever you want! Please don’t kill me!” The begging had escalated and was now more desperation than anything else.
More laughter emanated from the circle, as they moved closer to the woman. Her struggles only incited them, making the inevitable more enticing to them.
The first figure began opening the red robe as Sissy stared in horror, shocked to see who lay beneath the hood.
It couldn’t be!
There was no conceivable way that what she was seeing was true.
“Oh, God, no,” she whispered at the thought of what was about to happen.
“It’s too late to call his name now.”
The other two joined in with laughter.
Looking up into the face, it was completely void of any emotion. It was as if there was no concept that what was coming was wrong.
One by one, they each undid their robes.
Horrifyingly, they were all familiar. Sissy knew each of them personally.
Trying to get their sympathy, she gazed into each set of eyes and pleaded her case. “No! Why me?” she asked. “I never did anything to hurt you!”
Her words fell on deaf ears as they moved toward her naked body.
Sissy started to scream, praying that someone would hear and rescue her. Before long, Sissy could feel something being stuffed into her mouth. It was then taped shut with a large piece of duct tape.
Her body reacted. Immediately, she began gagging as the tears stung her eyes.
“Hood her,” said the first figure, picking up a shiny silver blade. The intent was to let Sissy Parker see it as her final memory in this world. From the look on her face, as the hood was drawn over her features, it did what it was intended to do.
There was nothing but fear present as the end came closer.
Sinners needed to pay.
Sissy tried to cry out in pain, as the razor sharp knife began tearing through her body. From the motions, she could feel something being carved into her flesh.
The blackness surrounded her, as what little she could see swam in swirls. It was coming to swallow her.
Her only thought was how grateful she was that once in the abyss, she wouldn’t feel any more agony.
As the three cloaked figures stood around Sissy’s body, they began the long awaited ritual. It was now underway.
The Brethren had deemed her life forfeited.
She was unclean.
Sissy was the first one chosen.
There were words spoken over her as blood rushed, gushed, and spilled on the ground.
As it coated her body, the room was heavily tinged with the scent of copper pennies. The only thing lingering there, which was more powerful, was the silence.
In absence of all talking, one message was clear.
It was just the beginning, and they enjoyed every second of what they had just done.
This was power.
This was strength.
This was… perfect.
When the ritual had ended, they moved Sissy’s barely live body to the field out past Walker’s Point. They found the perfect spot and laid her in the grass.
Who knew how long it would take the law to find her body? Yet, if it was meant to be, it would happen.
The leader of the group pulled the black hood from Sissy’s head and stared down at the wide-eyed look on her face. It was quite obvious that she had greatly suffered.
Now, it was time to end it. With one slice to her neck, the blood trickled out and sickly coated the message.
With a gasp, she struggled for her last breath, as her life ebbed away.
This woman fought for life, every step of the way.
For that, they were grateful.
Stepping back, the three stared down at their masterpiece and admired their handiwork.
Sissy Parker may have been the first one to die, but practice didn't have to make perfect.
They had done it to the letter of their law.
At first there was worry about making a mistake, but that had long since passed. Their only hope was, as the next ones came to them, that they too, would each be just as special.
No one said anything as they turned to leave.
Each of the three were living in the moment, in their own way, and committing this night to memory.
Everything had changed, and now there was no turning back to what used to be.
As they left the beautiful woman alone in the wet grass, the next mission would be to head home and climb into their warm beds. There was nothing but pure unadulterated satisfaction filling them. Hopefully, they would each be able to sleep, despite the adrenaline still surging over a job well done.
This sacrifice was going down in the books.
With one glance back, the moon eerily shone down on the destroyed life of Sissy Parker. Even from where they stood, the final ominous word was visible.
Each saw ‘PRIDE’, carved grotesquely into her chest, and they were jubilant.
Now, everyone would see her for her true sin.
There would be no doubt as to what had caused her death.
This was on her, and it was only beginning.
Interview with Fiona Mcvie.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?
Morgan: I’m about to release my twenty fifth novel this January, and I am so excited! I’m currently managing to keep 5 separate series going (how I’ll never know), and am looking forward to the upcoming year. In 2015, I’ll be dropping 10 mega novels. It’s my biggest year yet, and I hope I can pull it off.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Morgan: I’ve always written, but got serious about two years ago. Since then, the words have been flowing, and the worlds are opening.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Morgan: When it could support myself and my family. Also, when my books all landed on Amazon’s top 100 in the US, that was the turning point for me. That’s a pretty amazing thing considering how many authors are out there.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Morgan: I couldn’t find a book that I liked. I wanted romance, a little erotica (nothing too heavy) and a good deal of mystery. I’m Native American, so I really wanted to find a series that had Natives as the lead characters. They had to be strong and sexy. I couldn’t find one, so I created it myself.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?
Morgan: Yes. I write from a multi-point of view. I love for my readers to see what’s happening in all the main characters’ minds, not just one. It makes it harder for me to create the story, but in the end, it gives so much more depth.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Morgan: I wish I knew. Sometimes, I see a premade book cover and I write the story around that, then name it. Sometimes, I know what I want to the book to be about, and go from there. It’s a crapshoot. J
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Morgan: Tolerance. Not to judge. Most importantly, that it’s fiction. You’d be surprised how many people have contacted me and been upset because I killed off a character, or had a sex scene they didn't like. It’s fiction. It’s supposed to be an escape, not indicative of real life.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?
Morgan: Since I write FBI erotic thrillers, half are accurate, half are not. I make sure the DNA and science are as close to spot on as I can get them. The relationship half, I add some creative license to. Would the FBI let three directors who are in a relationship head up the second largest FBI hub? No, but do they run an FBI lab cleanly? Yes.
Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Morgan: Neither. I like to live in fantasy. My life is pretty blasé. I am a mom and wife. No one wants to hear about my laundry or grocery shopping. In fact, neither do I. So, I write to entertain.
Fiona: What books have most influenced your life most?
Morgan: The classics. Old Sherlock Holmes. I am a lover of Nancy Drew. I own them all from my childhood. I guard them like they are the crown jewels. They got my love affair with books started.
Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Morgan: Nora Roberts. It’s astounding how she’s written 400 books in less than 40 years. I want to be her when I grow up.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Morgan: I put out about 6000 pages a year, so I have almost no time to read, so I would have to say one of my own. My next FBI thriller, Dead Shall Speak is what I’m ‘reading’ right now as I add details.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Morgan: Unfortunately, I don’t have time to read. :(
Fiona: What are your current projects?
Morgan: I’m detail adding book 10 in the FBI series ~ Dead Shall Speak. I have book 5 ~ Heaven is Weeping in the Croft & Croft Romance series out being edited, and I have to detail add the third book in my Littlemoon series--Unthinkable Games. It’s heavy into paranormal, so I’m doing research.
Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Morgan: I have to say my team. I am fortunate to have three ladies who work for me. They edit and proof my books. They support me and I love them to death. Rachel Blackett is a dream. She’s my UK girl. Then I have Laura Matias and Jennifer Felton here in the states. They keep me in line, but give me all the support I could ever need.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Morgan: Here’s my honest to God opinion. If you can pay the bills and survive on your writing, it’s a career. If you can’t, it’s a hobby. That, to me, is the only thing that sets it apart.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Morgan: No. I believe they write themselves. I’m just the vessel that gets it out there. So, they know what they’re doing. I trust my characters.
Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Morgan: I was the editor -in-chief of my HS newspaper. One day, I wanted to be a writer, and my English teacher told me that I didn't have the creativity to pull it off and to stick to the news. So, with each book that hits Amazon’s top 100, I silently dedicate it to her. When someone tells you that you can’t, show them how wrong they are. That’s my motto.
Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Morgan: I can. In the tenth mega novel in my FBI erotic thriller series, we find our heroes/heroine working on a mass grave. The killer has picked up where his father has left off, and with their team, they need to find out who is collecting ‘brides’. There’s love, sex, and mystery interwoven into the story, along with the ongoing back story to the threesome.
Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Morgan: Time. I wish I had three more hours a day. I start at 2:30 am and work until 7 am. I then cyber school my kids, and am back to work by 11. I write until 4, and then make dinner. Next day, repeat. It’s a vicious cycle.
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Morgan: I think I’m going to go with Nora Roberts. I love her futuristic series with Eve and Roarke. I love how she had the foresight to write about crime in the future. It’s fascinating.
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Morgan: I do travel for book signings and also for book clubs. I have been known to pop in and talk to groups about my books. I also travel to do research. Last year, before I began my paranormal series with ghosts, I took a trip to haunted Gettysburg. It was amazing.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Morgan: I have a couple artists. Currently, most of my books are done by Rachel Zellers. I have used Amygadala designs, and The Book Cover Machine. I switch it up. If I want dark and creepy, Rachel is my go to girl. If I want something bright and edgy, I go with Amygadala. It’s all dependent on the book.
Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Morgan: Time. I need more of it.
Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Morgan: I learned to get a thick skin. Not everyone is going to like what you write. For example, I have women who are freaked out by the threesome. Elizabeth Blackhawk is with two brothers. That makes people uncomfortable. Granted, it’s only happening one of my five series (The rest are straight couples) but you would be shocked how controversial it’s become. You’d think I masterminded something edgy. It’s fiction, people, relax.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Morgan: Don’t do it for the money. Do it for the love of writing. I know that’s easy to say when you’re make money doing it, but really…if you start thinking about it being about cash, it’s going to put so much stress on you. Write to write. I have a tattoo on my arm. It says ‘Live to Write, Write to Live’. To me, that says it all.
Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Morgan: Thank you. Thank you for letting me do what I love. Thank you for giving me the chance to show you the world according to Morgan, and thank you for being brave enough to step outside your comfort zone for the ride.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Morgan: Alice in Wonderland. I have a tattoo to commemorate it.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Morgan: Love. It’s achingly beautiful, and sometimes painful as hell. In my books, I try to make it come across as something that we all want, but is a cross to bear.
Fiona: Is there one person pass or present you would meet and why?
Morgan: I would like one more day with my grandfather. He was Native American. I would like to show him how I’ve done our people proud. How I’ve done him proud.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone and why ?
Morgan:(I’m being cremated and having my ashes brought to Ireland, but…) If there was a stone, it would say:
She loved, she laughed, and she had no regrets.
Fiona: Other than writing do you have any hobbies ?
Morgan: We just bought a haunted hundred year old Victorian home in a historic town. I guess you can say renovation and gardening are my hobbies.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Morgan: I don’t have cable. I don’t even have a TV. If I watch something, it’s on my kindle on Hulu. The last thing I watched was Bones. I love me some David Borneanaz.
Fiona: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music
Morgan: Favorite food: sushi. Favorite colors: Red and Black. Favorite Music: Nickleback, Pink, and Within Temptation. I run and work to heavier beat music for some reason.
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
Morgan: I would have been a cop. I really believe in justice being done.
Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
Morgan: www.morgankelley.blogspot.com
Morgan Kelley lives in the beautiful Pocono Mountains with her husband and two children. After attending college at Penn State University and studying Criminal Justice, Morgan knew her only true passion in life would be murder and books.
She put them both together and began her career as a writer. Other than books and writing, you can find Morgan hanging out in her garden and digging in the dirt.
Her other works include: The Junction, Serial Sins, The Blood Betrayal, The Killing Times (1), Sacred Burial Grounds (2), True Love Lost (3), Deep Dark Mire (4), Fire Burns Hot (5), Darkness of Truth (6), Devil Hath Come (7), Consumed by Wrath (8), Redemption is Here (9), Dead Shall Speak (10), Blood Red Rage (1) Lost & Broken (2), Unthinkable Games (3), Celestia is Falling (1), Vegas is Dying (2), Christmas is Killing (3), Love is Bleeding (4), Heaven is Weeping (5), Dangerous Revelations (1), Illegal Fantasies (Anthology 1), Romance Under Arrest (Anthology 2), and Holiday Reinforcements (Anthology 3)
Please feel free to visit Morgan at her website: www.morgankelley.com
or visit her blog at www.morgankelley.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2993043.Morgan_Kelley
http://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Kelley/e/B001KHAQ10/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Morgan-Kelley/302609053207268
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