by Sarah Noffke
“I know that you’re a stubborn old man who’s never going to change.”
“Nor would you want me to,” he says and I offer him a slight smile as I leave.
***
I find Dahlia in the den reading a magazine that has her face plastered across the front.
“You really are fucking obsessed with yourself, aren’t you?” I say, taking the seat next to her on the couch and kicking off my loafers.
“Well, there’s not a better person out there so what’s not to be obsessed with?” she says.
“I guess. You’ve got a tight ass. I’ll give you that,” I say, hooking an arm around her shoulder.
“How’s your dad settling in?”
“Like liquid in a glass,” I say.
“Yes, and whatever you said to Adelaide seems to have had a good effect,” she says, pointing to the bank of floor to ceiling windows. Out in the yard Adelaide has an easel set up and is painting on a canvas. Strapped to her front in a carrier is Lucien and he appears to be asleep. Quiet. Content.
“I just told her that being a monster wasn’t such a bad thing,” I say.
“I think you told her more than just that,” Dahlia says.
Adelaide pauses. Tilts her head to regard the painting from another angle. Then she looks down at the baby strapped on her front and tucks her chin and plants a soft kiss on his red head.
“You know I never thought of you as a monster,” Dahlia says.
I slide down and lay my head in her lap, stretching out my long legs on the leather sofa.
“Oh no?” I say.
“No,” she says in a soft voice. “Unique. Brilliant. An incredible jerk. But not a monster.”
“Well, maybe this is just a discussion of semantics,” I say.
“Maybe,” she says, sliding her fingers through my hair, pure adoration on her face. “All I know is that loving you is better than all the fame and riches in the world. I’d give it all up for you. I’d do anything for you, Ren Lewis.”
I catch her hand in mine. “Well, lucky for you, you don’t have to give up anything. You, dear Dahlia, get to have it all. You get your riches, your fame, and me.” And then I press her hand to my lips.
And strangely, I somehow managed to do that too. After a lifetime of treachery God decided to forgive me. In the end, I somehow managed to have it all.
Epilogue
Change is by far the scariest thing a human will ever face. We go to great lengths to avoid it. The idea of not having our usual ways or to be the same person we were yesterday isn’t intimidating, it’s fucking terrifying. But evolution is the only way for a bunch of beasts cursed with a heart and desires to survive. It’s through experience that we grow and therefore change is impossible to avoid.
But Churchill was wrong. He said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
But reaching for perfection would only seek to destroy us. There are no perfect homes, or families, or people. We are all flawed. Beautifully and ultimately flawed. And it is this imperfection that pushes us every day to find the only thing worth fighting for. Love. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we suffer. That’s why any of this bloody matters.
I’m Ren Lewis and I’m not perfect. Thank fucking God.
The End
Continue your journey with Ren Lewis and order the next book in the adventure. The Monster’s Adventure is 3.5 in the series.
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Author’s Note
Writing Ren Lewis’s story hasn’t been easy, but it was a story I felt had to be told. I know this man in a way that I’ve never understood another character. Love him or hate him, but the truth is that he’s probably more me than any character I’ve ever written. And yet, he’s very much an enigma to me. I’m not British, nor male, nor an unsympathetic jerk. But I kind of want to be on some days.
Important note, I’m a YA author usually so being uncensored was a rare experience for me. Apparently, I had too much fun with it and really embraced my dark side. In the first book Ren uses the f-bomb twenty-four times. In the second book, he uses it eighty-eight times. And in this book, he drops that bomb one hundred and forty-nine times. Which to me felt wrong and like it really should have been an even one-hundred and fifty times.
And as the creator and keeper of Ren I wanted him to offer you one last farewell. So I’ll turn this over to him now.
Ren: “What an honor you’ve been given to read my life story. I promise you I’ll go on to do many incredible things. I’ve not enjoyed my time working with Sarah, having her recording my life. But I’ve done it, because it is a tiny hope that you all will learn how to be less shitty after hearing about my journey. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll do something with your pathetic lives. I doubt it but one could hope. Anyway, if anything you’re a little less repulsive of a person after hearing of the awesomeness that you could be. And I realize I’ve set expectations which are unobtainable for you lowly Middlings to reach. But do try. Or just fuck off and see if I care. Cheerio, love.”
Thanks for putting up with Ren.
Sincerely,
Sarah Noffke
Acknowledgements
Nine books this man has invaded. Ren Lewis. We love him. We hate him. And secretly I kind of think I am him. Wait, not such a secret anymore, huh? Anyway, this series is the direct result of amazing readers. Ones who demanded more of this man’s story. Ones who wrote me countless messages expressing their love for this sociopath. My first thank you goes to the readers. There wouldn’t be a Ren series if it weren’t for you. And then I would be so empty because writing these books has been amazingly fulfilling. So thank you!
Audiobooks are really important to many of my readers. I have some with health problems and audiobooks make it easier for them to read. And it’s important to me that I offer my books in ways that are suitable for readers. But audiobook production comes at a cost. And I want to thank the many funders who backed my kickstarter for Ren, book two and three. I was blown away by the generosity of so many people. And I’m grateful that I have so many of you who believe in the project. Thank you to Angel, Anne, Alicia, Katy, Jennifer L, Jennifer W, Jennifer S. Tim, Jon, Don, Paul, JN, Clint, Cheryl, Kimberly, Erin, Jessica, Heidi, Lisa, and all the readers who shared and promoted the kickstarter.
Thank you to my notches, Stephanie, Jessica and Colleen. You three keep me sane, or at least make me feel like my crazy isn’t that bad. Thanks for allowing me to bounce ideas off you. Thanks for the support and encouragement. Thanks for the help with the marathon group. And thanks for being awesome.
Thank you to my street team for promoting my books, supporting my projects, being there in so many different ways. I really depend on your awesomeness. Thanks to Kathy for pretty much running it all of her own. You rock.
Thank you to Colleen, my first chair. You. Are. Fantastic. Best beta reader a girl could ask for. My first eyes on the script and the person who helps me make the most changes.
Thank you to my beta readers Heidi, Melinda, Anne and Kelly. You three offer so many insights into how to make my books better. And you’re fun gals who I love sharing with.
Thank you to Anne for checking the British vernacular of this book. Thank you for also being a great supporter and lovely person.
Thank you to my friends. You all bring me so much joy. I’m blown away by the amount of awesome people in my life.
Thank you to my fan group on Goodreads. It’s growing and we’re having a ton of fun together. I’m so glad that Dominic started that group and continues to make it awesome.
Thank you to my fellow authors who cheer for me and fight over Ren. I’m not sure at which point I should tell you he isn’t real.
Thank you to BOD. To Katy and Jennifer for giving so much of your time and effort to making the parties great! I love this group and really don’t know where I’d be without those authors and readers.
Thank you to Ren. I know I just got finished saying you aren’t real, but I don’t really believe that. I know you t
oo well, sense things about you. You have invaded my dreams and my head and made me laugh more than any character ever. Finishing this series has felt horribly strange, like I was being forced to part ways with a piece of myself. Forever and ever I want you in my head, spewing your snarky remarks. Thanks for gracing my pages, and spreading your uncheer.
Thank you to my family. You all are amazingly supportive of my career and my books. I realize I’m the eccentric in the clan, and I’m happy to play that role.
Thank you to my daughter. You are forever my muse. The reason I started writing. The reason I keep writing. One day these books will be your legacy and I hope they make you proud…and pay for your college education.
Thank you to everyone!
Love,
Sarah Noffke
About the Author
Sarah is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Vagabond Circus, Ren and Olento Research, Soul Stone Mage and Ghost Squadron series. She’s been everything from a corporate manager to a hippie. Her taste for adventure has taken her all over the world. If you can’t find her at the gym, then she’s probably at the frozen yogurt shop. If you can’t find her there then she probably doesn’t want to be found. She is a self-proclaimed hermit, with spontaneous urges to socialize during full moons and when Mercury is in retrograde. Sarah lives in Southern California with her family. To learn more about Sarah please visit: http://www.sarahnoffke.com
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Check out other work by this author here.
A Dream Traveler Series: The Lucidites Series
Awoken, #1:
Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.
In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.
And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.
Meet Roya Stark.
She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent.
Now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?
Stunned, #2
Revived, #3
A Dream Travelers Series: The Reverians
Defects, #1:
The longer we confine ourselves to a place the more it imprisons us.
All is not what it appears in the seemingly perfect community of Austin Valley.
A long-kept lie begins to unravel as an unsuspecting teenager named Em Fuller begins to learn the sinister truth of what lies beneath her town's perfect façade.
Em is a Defect--one of the unfortunate Dream Travelers not gifted with a psychic power.
Desperate to do whatever it takes to earn her gift, she endures painful daily injections along with commands from her overbearing, loveless father. One of the few bright spots in her life is the return of a friend she had thought dead—but with his return comes the knowledge of a shocking, unforgivable truth.
The society Em thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.
Rebels, #2
Warriors, #3
A Dream Travelers Series: Vagabond Circus
Suspended, #1:
A Man On A Mission
Dr. David Raydon, the Ringmaster, gave up his psychology practice to create Vagabond Circus. He searches for precious Dream Traveler children in orphanages and on the streets, where some live unwanted and forgotten. Vagabond Circus exists to provide the lost and lonely Dream Travelers a place to be illustrious, but it also shows the nonbelievers that there is still magic in the world. If they believe, then they care, and if they care, then they don’t destroy.
˃˃˃ Action, Depth And Plot Twists
When a stranger joins the cast of Vagabond Circus, mysterious events start happening. The once orderly grounds of the circus become riddled with hidden threats. The Ringmaster realizes that not only are his circus and its magic at risk, but also his very life.
˃˃˃ Colorful, exciting, with a dash of the promised romance, Suspended will leave you hanging in the end, anxious to read Paralyzed, book two in the series.
Paralyzed, #2
Released, #3
A Dream Traveler Series: Ren
Ren: The Man Behind the Monster, #1:
He is the most powerful man to ever live, and therefore doomed to misery.
Ren Lewis was born with the power to control minds, hypnotize others, and read thoughts. Therefore he is certain of one thing.
God made a mistake.
No one should be born with so much power.
A monster awoke in Ren the same year he received his gifts. At ten years old. A prepubescent boy with the ability to control others might merely abuse this power, but Ren allowed it to corrupt him. And since he can have and do anything he wants, Ren should be happy. However, his journey teaches him that harboring so much power doesn't bring happiness, it steals it. Once this realization sets in, Ren makes up his mind to do the one thing that can bring his tortured soul some peace.
He must kill the monster.
Ren is an addictive story of an anti-villain. This spellbinding supernatural fantasy is a must read for anyone looking for the untraditional hero.
Ren: God’s Little Monster, #2
Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster, #3
Ren: The Monster’s Adventure, #3.5
Ren: The Monster’s Death
A Dream Traveler Series: Olento Research
Alpha Wolf, #1:
Twelve Men Went Missing
Six months later they awake from drug-induced stupors to find themselves locked in a lab. On the night of a new moon, eleven of those men - possessing new gifts of speed, strength and inhuman powers - break out of their prison and race through the streets of Los Angeles. They disappear one by one into the night.
˃˃˃ Werewolves Are On The Loose
Mika Lenna - a powerful dream traveler and head of Olento Research - wants to control the world. To do that, he must create an army of assassins. Capturing the twelve men was easy, as was experimenting on them while keeping them in drug-induced stupors. But now all hell has broken loose - wolf-like men have been spotted across the nation, leaving fatal attacks in their midst. Mike must tear every city apart until his invaluable werewolves are back under his control.
˃˃˃ The Race Is On
The Lucidite Institute's main mission is to save the world from injustices. Their best agent, Adelaide Lewis, needs to find these mutated men and protect them and society, and fast. Adelaide realizes that she has to find the Alpha Wolf. Only once she's located him can she stop whoever is behind this experiment to create wild beasts out of human beings.
Alpha Wolf has a taut storyline combined with action-packed scenes. This spellbinding YA supernatural fantasy is a must read for the young and not so young alike.
Lone Wolf, #2
Rabid Wolf, #3
Bad Wolf, #4
Soul Stone Mage Series: An Urban Fantasy Witch Adventure
House of Enchanted, #1:
The Kingdom of Virgo has lived in peace for thousands of years…until now.
The humans from Terran have always been real assholes to the witches of Virgo. Now a silent war is brewing, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Princess Azure will soon be crowned queen of the Kingdom of Virgo.
In the Dark Forest a powerful potion-maker has been murdered.
Charmsgood was the only wizard who could stop a deadly virus plaguing Virgo. He also knew about the devastation the people from Terran had done to the forest.
Azure must protect her people. Mend the Dark Forest. Create alliances with savage beasts. No biggie, right?
But on coron
ation day everything changes. Princess Azure isn’t who she thought she was and that’s a big freaking problem.
Welcome to The Revelations of Oriceran.
A magical world tied to Earth, and nothing like it.
Dark Forest, #2
Mountain of Truth, #3
Land of Terran, #4
New Egypt, #5
Lancothy, #6
Ghost Squadron Series: A Military Space Opera Adventure
Formation, #1
Kill the bad guys. Save the Galaxy. All in a hard day’s work.
After ten years of wandering the outer rim of the galaxy, Eddie Teach is a man without a purpose. He was one of the toughest pilots in the Federation, but now he’s just a regular guy, getting into bar fights and making a difference wherever he can. It’s not the same as flying a ship and saving colonies, but it’ll have to do.
That is, until General Lance Reynolds tracks Eddie down and offers him a job. There are bad people out there, plotting terrible things, killing innocent people, and destroying entire colonies.
Someone has to stop them.
Eddie, along with the genetically-enhanced combat pilot Julianna Fregin and her trusty E.I. named Pip, must recruit a diverse team of specialists, both human and alien. They’ll need to master their new Q-Ship, one of the most powerful strike ships ever constructed. And finally, they’ll have to stop a faceless enemy so powerful, it threatens to destroy the entire Federation.