Protected by the Damned BoxedSet 1

by Michael Todd

  What? Katie asked.

  You said “harder.” She laughed.

  Katie smiled and shook her head. Pandora, you are incorrigible.

  Author Notes - Michael Todd

  March 18, 2018

  THANK YOU for not only reading these stories, but also our author notes!

  (I’ll go into more info below, but the following was on the Protected by the Damned Facebook Page. Join us for shenanigans in the Facebook Group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/320172985053521/ ) (391 members when I wrote this on Sunday Morning!)

  Conversations from the Facebook Group

  One of the ways that I find out what is working with these stories, and what isn’t are from posts you fans put up in the Protected by the Damned Facebook Group (link above.)

  For example I asked about funny parts that fans enjoyed with Pandora and I was gobsmacked (not a word I use very frequently, but it really fits here) to find out it was the CHICKEN NUGGETS in book one that was one of the funniest parts. The Italian bras and the dropping from the helicopter all competed with the nuggets.

  I’m sure McDonalds will be happy.

  In fact, here are a few quotes from Facebook:

  Karen Cabael Custom Italian bras!!! I'm so jealous

  Heather Smith Norton The chicken nugget scene! OMG I laughed so hard

  Tonya Waldron Yea the chicken nugget scene was so funny. Tho I loved it when she jumped out of helicopter too.

  Marty Markins Jumps out of the helicopter right in the middle of a group .

  Michelle Rapley So many choices to choose from but my 2 are the custom made bras and the nuggets

  Stacy Brossard I have to say the chicken nuggets scene was by far the funniest!!

  Alastar Wilson One of mine is this one here :P

  This isn’t a good thing, Pandora, Katie replied.

  So fix it, she said. Tell them something to make them think I’m an idiot.

  “I don’t know,” Katie said to Calvin. “My demon seems to be a bit slow occasionally, and definitely didn’t have plans to stay around here. I have a tough time believing she was intentional about anything—other than sex.”

  Pandora snorted. Way to go, now I’m a blond sex doll with no other goal in life except... Wait, never mind.

  Lori Hendricks When the chicken nugget scene happened, I thought "This is ridiculous," just like Pandora. I lost it laughing when she loves it! I'm anxious to see what her end game is. She seems awfully helpful sometimes!

  Nuggets and bras, for the win!

  Rita Alexander Whinfield Loved the bra thing

  Julie Coggin Pierson Yup. Nuggets and bras!!

  Every once in a while (read every few days) I try to put up new art, wallpaper, or shit I’m dicking around with instead of writing / editing and other pieces I probably SHOULD be doing. The fans interaction is awesome and I enjoy the comments thrown back and forth.

  Kurtherian Gambit

  If you haven’t read The Kurtherian Gambit, and like the snark / sass / characters of this story, I have a WHOLE buncha books over there that will make those who have Kindle Unlimited weep for joy.

  (I have the cover and a link for you to go see it right after our author notes.)

  Katie Maddison

  So, I have wanted to have a 3D character for my covers for two (2) years now. In fact, I’ve spent a fair amount of money with other people before a fan from The Kurtherian Gambit introduced me to Jude Beers.

  He and I spoke last summer (2017) and he had skills in certain areas, but at that time he and I tried to start this process which (in the end) we had to put up in the closet because technology ‘just wasn’t there’ at the price point and abilities we wanted.

  Then, a large company hired Jude away for a few months… those bastards! (Not really – but my company wasn’t big enough to keep Jude at a monthly salary he needed, so family first!)

  Jude was able to focus on what we wanted to work on come end of 2017, and we started our efforts into Mech’s to see if we could get any business from other Indie Authors for covers. Then, he happened to do a female model test to show me something related to (I don’t remember exactly.) I sent that model test to one of our cover artists (Loraine – Ryn Katryn) who I asked ‘just do something with a background…

  HOLY SCHMOLEYS!

  Between the two of them, I got real real excited. We had a chance to make my two-year-old vision and hope a reality.

  Then, I showed what we were doing to some authors at dinner one night in Las Vegas (Herbs & Rye – it was amazing)

  The authors were Jonathan Brazee, Richard Fox, and Josh Hayes. I pitched all of them on the idea of using some mechs on their covers and days later, when Jonathan called me about a Filipino model, I thought of what we were going to try to do with my cover and pitched him the idea of using Jude.

  He said OK!

  It took a while to get Jonathan’s cover out (due more to the software’s little glitches than anything else) and Jonathan was happy.

  But, it ate into my time to build my first cover.

  Poor Jude was under the gun, and we (he) are scrambling to get our models done as the opportunity piles up now for covers with 3D models and he did my books 01 and 02 and then something for Martha Carr and now back to Jonathan before my 3rd book and then Amy and Sarah and then in there are Jonathan’s covers (more) and … and…

  You get the picture.

  I sure hope no large companies ever call him again, or I might be screwed.

  So, all of that to say WAY TO GO JUDE! You did it, and I’m damned happy.

  Next time, I’ll try to tell the story of Loraine!

  If she will let me.

  Thank You!

  The success of this new venture has really made me smile. THANK YOU to you, the readers for taking a chance on this second book, to those who reviewed (we all need them) and to those in the Facebook Group who give me shit all the time.

  (If you want to support this series, just leave a review on Amazon – that will be a BIG help as we move forward!)

  Ad Aeternitatem,

  Michael Todd (Anderle)

  Author Notes - Laurie Starkey

  March 18, 2018

  Ahh yes. Time to follow up Mike’s author note. My favorite part of the process. The sarcastic grin on my face is priceless, but I’d sell it for a cheeseburger and a coke honestly. Or maybe some McDonald’s nuggets?

  I hear they are ALL the RAVE!

  What a great series this is stacking up to be. The idea (all Mike’s) of a demon invasion is something I’ve toyed with a few times in my short literary career, but I’ve yet to broach it. I’m honestly glad I didn’t. I’d have missed out on seeing Mike’s way of telling these stories.

  I don’t know why, but I’ve used humor sparingly throughout my writing. I’m a damn funny person, too. Or so my friend tells me. I have one. My husband. Kidding. Sort of.

  I digress.

  THANK YOU so damn much for picking up this book. I hope you found yourself laughing, crying, sighing, and looking forward to more of Katie and Pandora’s tale.

  I’m sitting in a dimly lit hotel room in Richmond, Virginia as I write this. We’re releasing a romance story on my co-written line with my brother (Weston Parker) tomorrow, as well as this book with Mike.

  I just wrapped up reading Kelly Hall’s, “The Immortal Huntress,” and adding my voice into the story. She’s the first release you’ll see from our 7 Sons project that Mike and I are working to support together. It was quite a ride–the book. Brilliant story, funny characters, and plenty of action still to come on the tale.

  It’s been a busy-ass week.

  I’m headed to DC tomorrow to see the Cherry Blossoms, though it’s supposed to snow on Tuesday. My twelve-year-old asked me this morning, “Mom. What happens to the cherry blossoms when it snows?”

  They wilt? Hell if I know. With my luck, they’re blooming the day after we get BACK TO TEXAS anyway! So much for trying to time mother nature’s dance. I’m sure I shall have
her laughing at me.

  Side note–I’m in a very dark place currently. Game of Thrones has been something I have avoided like the plague because I like to work like some people enjoy breathing. It’s an illness. I get it.

  So, I finally give in. And we binge all 7 seasons in 2 weeks. Like, I’m not sure I’m making payroll next week, but fuck if I’m not thrilled with Jon Snow. I am insanely pissy over the fact that the final season won’t be out until summer of 2019.

  Two thousand nineteen?

  What the actual hell, George R.R. Martin? If I had a series blow up on HBO like that, you’d find me slumped over my typewriter, I mean computer, working until I couldn’t work anymore. But to leave the fans waiting?

  Stone him. Just stone him.

  Anywho–you rock for reading this madness.

  I’m sure your life is as crazy awesome as mine, just in a different way. We get the chance to meet up in the middle of these stories and enjoy a brief interlude together. I appreciate you for grabbing the book and giving us a chance. Your time is precious, as is your hard-earned money. We don’t take that lightly.

  Until next time Mike makes me sing and dance in an effort to try and be as entertaining as he is… wait. Next time I’ll tell you about my Christmas Cookie adventure on Youtube. You know, trying to look like I had a life as an author. Don’t let me forget.

  Slave to many stories,

  Laurie Starkey

  And Business Is Good

  And Business Is Good

  Chapter One

  There was a moment—just one moment—where everything stood still. Where the bubbling of the lava streams, the screeching of the tormented, and the agony of the Damned all paused.

  T’Chezz stepped forward into the light of the flaming torches, his lips trembling in anger. He slashed his claws across the chest of the human that hung from the ceiling, and blood rolled down its skin. Then everything went back to normal, whatever that was. No, that wasn’t right…there was more anger in the room than there had been before.

  “You are useless,” T’Chezz spat as blood dripped to the stone floor beneath his clawed hooves.

  The hanging human’s arms and ankles pulled him in separate directions, and the shreds of his torn clothing drooped from his bleeding and battered body.

  He had been sucked down into the bowels of hell and chained for T’Chezz’s pleasure. Unable to handle the burning of his wounds, he whimpered, then tried to speak.

  But fear clogged his throat.

  “You are pathetic,” T’Chezz growled, pointing his grotesque fingers at the man. “You are Chosen—you should be able to withstand a little torture. It would all be over if you just told the truth!”

  “I’m…trying,” the man gargled. His stomach seemed to be filled with half his blood, and the other half was trying to seep out of his mouth.

  “Oh, you are?” T’Chezz said, moving over to him with demonic speed.

  He squeezed the man’s chin forcefully and snarled in his face as sweat poured from the human’s skin. The demon rolled his eyes in disgust and shook his head, then turned and walked across the room.

  He looked out over the bubbling molten rivers that ran through the underground inferno.

  T’Chezz smiled, running his fingers sensually over the array of tools on his desk. “If you won’t say it, then maybe I’ll have to cut it out of you.”

  “NO!” The man panicked, straining against his chains. “Please.”

  “Oh, please,” T’Chezz mimicked, picking up a small blade and laughing. “No need to beg, since it won’t make any difference.” He looked at the politician. “Don’t you know that politicians are the worst of evils?” He noted the man’s disbelief. “It’s true. Perhaps not in the first generation—usually that group tossed out their ineffectual and useless predecessors. I am referring to the fuckers who have been screwing up the government lately.”

  T’Chezz laughed loudly as he walked back to the hapless human, then casually stabbed the blade into the politician’s leg.

  The politician screamed in pain, closing his eyes. His perfect hair was no longer perfect, his pressed suit was in tatters, and his adoring constituents were far above him. T’Chezz pulled the knife back out and wiped it across his tongue, then shook his head.

  “Your blood is poison,” he spat.

  The politician groaned as T’Chezz’s bellowing laughter echoed through the room. His head was down and his eyes were shut tightly, but when he unclenched his muscles he noticed the pain was gone. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked down at his now-free and clothed body. Even his shoes were still freshly polished.

  He stared at his hands and turned them over as he shrugged the five-thousand-dollar suit jacket up on his shoulders. He was sweating, shaking with fear, but his body was unscathed. He didn’t know if he had been healed, or if all of it had just been in his head.

  “These hunters are closing in,” the human said in a shaky voice.

  “Then maneuver,” T’Chezz told him. His back was to the politician. “You are the perfect plant in their world. They trust you because of your power.”

  “They fear me, which is different than trust,” he tried to explain.

  “Better,” T’Chezz corrected. “Fear is what drives the human race. Fear is what I see in their eyes as they stare into the darkness, clutching their sacred books and whispering their prayers. Fear is behind it all, but until now they had no idea what they feared.”

  He looked out the window. “That will change.”

  “What do you want me to do?” the man asked.

  “Your job,” T’Chezz growled, turning back to the politician. “I will place you back on Earth, but you are expected to do better; perform better. I can promise you that your being a valuable plant will be completely irrelevant if you don’t.”

  “I understand.” The politician trembled.

  “You’d better,” T’Chezz snapped. “I will eat your flesh myself, and you don’t smell appetizing at all.”

  “It will be done.” The politician grimaced.

  “See that it is,” T’Chezz said, walking toward the door. “It’s time these humans understand that we were on Earth first. We don’t need their meatbags walking around.”

  “Where are you going?” the politician yelled, cowering as T’Chezz snapped his head toward him.

  “To meet my new partner.” He smiled, his fangs dripping. “I’m hungry, and not just for flesh. I’m hungry to get this started. I won’t sit around and allow these Damned to get in the way. This is my time, politician. This is my world, and these humans—these ‘killers,’ as you like to call them—they will learn who their real master is. It’s not a man in a suit on the top of the hill. They will wish for scumbags like you when I am through with them. They will wish for death even before that. Go!”

  T’Chezz threw his hand in the air and stomped out of the room, leaving the politician thinking about what to do next. He closed his eyes, feeling the heat and swirling air around him. When he opened them again he was back on the surface, only this time things were different. His existence and survival hinged on what came next.

  No more screwups allowed.

  “Seriously, I think Jessica has slept with the entire cast,” Eric confided.

  “Even the old maid, Mrs. Avers?” Katie chuckled.

  “ESPECIALLY Mrs. Avers.” Eric shook his head, sadly. “She even did her dust wand. Bitch is dirty under that maid costume—don’t act like you don’t see it.

  “That is so gross.” Katie shook her head. “Days of Long Since Past is like the ultimate in soap operas, which means pretty much everyone is a whore.”

  “I wish life worked that way,” Derek chimed in, staring at the television.

  “I don’t know,” Eric said. “I don’t think Korbin is interested, and you know Katie over here gets her rocks off with swords and pushups.”

  “Hey,” Katie said, pouting. “I am more than that.”

  Both guys looked at her and raised their
eyebrows. She shook her head and turned back to focus on the show, but she could feel their stares. She started to laugh.

  “All right, fine…maybe not that much different than what you are saying,” Katie admitted. “Still, it’s nice to think that I am not any of those characters. They all sleep with each other. It’s like this twisted circle of friends.”

  “That circle would be more like a tree if it were like that here.” Derek laughed. “Katie at the top, with many branches.”

  “Right,” Katie said, “which is why I keep my tree branchless right now.”

  “This show saved lives once.” Eric wasn’t listening to the other two—or chose not to get involved in the great tree debate.

  “Bullshit,” Derek argued. “How?”

  “No, I’m serious.” Eric turned to them. “My squadron was out in the Sandpit and we were in this firefight. It was freaking intense, man…seriously. There were injured; we had been fighting for hours, and everyone was freaking exhausted. They had us pinned down too, like bad. We were in the city, stuck in this half-blown-to-hell building surrounded on all sides by these fucktards. I seriously figured that was it for us—we were done.”

  “So how did the soap opera help you?” Derek leaned forward.

  “Well, after hours upon hours of hiding and shooting and hiding and shooting, we were at a standstill,” Eric said. “There was this raw recruit…his name was Johns, and he was in charge of tactical over the wire. You know, ‘our eye on the ground’ kind of thing. Anyway, he came over the net and told us that we had thirty minutes to get out of there or risk missing that day’s show. Shit, all of us had been wondering whether Jessica had slept with Ivan or not, and they were supposed to reveal the truth on that day’s episode. It was a really big deal for us.”