Dear curious kittens,

Fallout (The Incorruptibles Book 2) is out!

I’ve been a busy girl and release day has arrived with a little bonus: pre-order for Book 3 has also gone live. The link is at the end of Fallout or you can just nip over to Amazon to secure your copy of Unforgivable (auto-delivered to Kindle on June 16, 2016).

Once again, Fallout contains the gorgeous artwork of Finnmacc Artography as eight haunting illustrations in charcoal, ink and pen. I’m especially pleased with this set of drawings and feel they really complement the atmosphere of the story. Read on for full details of this release and a preview excerpt.

About the story

Even when love seems unbreakable, it can still be battered, distorted—damaged beyond repair.

There’s only one thing Frankie yearns for these days, and that’s to share the gift that makes Cain so extraordinary. But no matter how inferior she feels, she’s determined to help the man she loves with his secret rescues, hoping that one day she will access a higher power of her own.

The one thing she knows for sure is that nothing will ever come between her and Cain again.

Then a stranger arrives in their midst, disrupting the solid loyalties in Cain’s group. This man has the very thing Frankie needs to unlock her powers, but the price is higher than she could have dreamed.

Can Frankie and Cain’s love survive the fallout?

 Fallout is book 2 in the new adult paranormal romance series, The Incorruptibles. Haven’t started it? Get Book 1 for 99c.

Buy links for Fallout

• US/worldwide http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A73CCFU/
• AU http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01A73CCFU/
• UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A73CCFU/
• CA http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01A73CCFU/
• Paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/1530535328/

Excerpt from Fallout

Albion peeped in.

“How’s Frankie?”

“I feel awful,” I groaned. “Food poisoning, maybe.”

“Do you need to vomit again?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

He fetched me a bucket. “Do you want Dad to come and check you out?”

“No, I’m okay.” I made another effort to stand. “I need to go―”

“What?” Albion’s voice rose in angry disbelief. “Frankie, are you frickin’ insane?” You’re sick.”

I moaned. “I know.” I slumped back on my bed.

“If I catch you trying to leave this house tonight, I will personally handcuff you to your bed. And don’t think I haven’t got the handcuffs.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Ugh, I’m definitely gonna vomit now.”

I went back to sleep almost immediately. Maybe it was my feverish state, or maybe my agitation over missing a night at Gaunt House, but my sleep was filled with a dream I couldn’t shake. I was standing beside a rock wall, staring at it in confusion, my mind blank and bewildered. Unexpectedly, the rock crumbled and something emerged from the wall. Hands. It was a pair of hands coming through the wall, reaching for me.

I woke the next morning to find several missed calls and text messages from Cain. He sounded increasingly panicky as the night wore on. I replied, explaining my illness, before sitting up slowly to test my steadiness. So far, so good. In fact, I felt so much more like myself that I got up and made my way into the kitchen to find some breakfast.

“Hey!” Albion smiled at me. “All better?”

“I think so. Must have been a gastro bug.”

“Don’t be so sure. A bunch of people in town got sick yesterday. Dad was out all night dishing out anti-emetics and electrolyte drinks. Lots of them had been at Misty’s Coffee Shop yesterday so the health department’s investigating.”

“Great. Salmonella?”

“Don’t know. Some people are better already but others are still getting admitted to hospital. Dad only just got to bed. I told him about you, and he let me know what to watch out for in case it got worse.” All of a sudden he gave me a hard stare.

“What?”

“Your scary boyfriend came round, late last night when you were asleep.” Albion looked deeply unimpressed. “I told him you were sick but I don’t think he believed me. He looked like he wanted to barge past me and see for himself.”

I opened the fridge door to hide my face. I could kind of understand why Albion found Cain’s behaviour objectionable. But he didn’t know what we’d been through together and how hard it had been when we were apart. “Yeah, I’ve messaged him to tell him I was sick. He was worried, I guess.”

“Tell him he’d better not try that again or I might have to ban him from coming round here.”

You and what army? I was tempted to say. But it was Albion’s house and if he didn’t like Cain coming around he had the right to say so. I emerged from the fridge and nodded, avoiding his eyes. I’d have to remind Cain not to scare Albion.

My cousin kept his gaze on me. “What do you guys do?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, do you ever go out and do, y’know … normal couple stuff? Or do you just hang in his trailer?”

I sighed inwardly and regretted telling him about Cain’s home. “We go out in a group sometimes.”

“You and Cain and who else? Jude McBride?”

I nodded.

“Isn’t that kind of weird? To go out with your boyfriend … and your ex-boyfriend, simultaneously?”

“Yes, that would be weird, Albion. But it’s not like that. Jude was never really my boyfriend and there are others in the group, too.”

“And when it’s only you and Cain?”

I was silent. Cain and I didn’t date. Not like normal couples. Weariness washed over me. I was too weak for this conversation. “I’m still not feeling well.”

He pursed his lips, observing me. “Okay,” he said, to my surprise. And then, with a quick grin, “We can pick it up again later.”

I rested and tried to avoid Albion throughout the day, sipping water and sports drinks. Maybe it was wrong, but it pleased me that Cain had come looking for me the night before. Considering my own wobbly feelings about Helen and Cain’s meeting there was something gratifying in knowing he was worried about me. I went out to Gaunt House early to see him. The electrical tower buzzed loudly in the yellow afternoon light … strange. I hadn’t seen it do that for a long while. Cain must have heard my car arrive because he suddenly appeared outside the ruin, hovering while I parked. I smiled at the sight of him, that lean muscular frame and dark hair, unkempt as always and falling over his forehead. When I got out of my car he seized me like he hadn’t seen me for weeks and just about squeezed the breath out of me.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered. “Are you okay?”

I laughed, hugging him back. “It was a stomach bug. I’m fine. Ow,” I added when the embrace became uncomfortable.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry.” He released me instantly. “I’m a fucking jerk.”

That made me stare and notice how agitated he looked. “What’s wrong?”

He rubbed a hand through his hair and hovered for a moment. “Come on, Francesca. Come down with me. I’m sorry. Let’s talk.”

I did as he said. He got us both beers but I declined since my stomach wasn’t completely right yet. He opened his and took a huge gulp.

“Cain?” I was scared now.

Long silence. “Francesca. I’m sorry.”

Sorry, again? What was going on?

Haven’t started The Incorruptibles yet? Pick up Book 1 here for just 99c.