Karma Is A Bitch: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone Book 12)
Page 20
“I know you can take care of yourself.” Shay ran her tongue along the inside of her mouth. “Look, how about a compromise? I bet your relationship podcast is always talking about compromises, right?”
James nodded. She had him there.
“I just want everything to calm down.” Shay smiled. “I’ll take a month off tomb raids. We can spend time together, walk the dog, and have a lot of steamy, exhausting sex.”
James perked up. “Not saying that’s a bad thing.”
Shay grinned. “Yeah, thought so. I’ll have Peyton concentrate on finding lower-level raids to help Lily build up more solo experience in her own name, maybe even a few in the Aletheia name, too.” She stood and sauntered toward the hallway. “For now, though, I’m gonna take a shower. After that, I’ll give you a little Happy Fun Land experience in the bedroom.”
James rose and scooped her up into his arms, and she yelped.
“Save the shower for after,” he rumbled.
The woman stared at the screen, frowning as she fast-forwarded through footage of James Brownstone and his bounty-hunter army destroying the Council mutants and wizards who had invaded the amusement park. This whole thing was a waste of her time. She had better things to do than worry about some bounty hunter celebrity. She didn’t even know why she’d been sent the footage.
Her eyes widened and she stopped the fast-forward, rewound, and played the footage again at normal speed. Her heart pounded and she swallowed hard as she watched James in his armor form, leaping into the air and firing energy blasts.
“No, no, no. It can’t be.” She leaned back and placed her hand on her chest, taking deep breaths.
Every damned government on the planet had this footage, and they hadn’t done anything to Brownstone. That meant all the programs the Earth governments had developed to prepare them for this very scenario were complete failures.
America’s Project Ragnarok, Project Nephilim, and the Fortis group were supposed to be some of the most knowledgeable when it came to extraterrestrial threats, but as far as she could tell, they weren’t even looking in Brownstone’s direction, assuming he was just another bounty hunter with a nice artifact. The next in line, including the Chinese, British, Indians, Japanese and Russians, didn’t care either. The Japanese were even unofficially happy that he’d helped them with the Harriken.
There was only one explanation. They had no idea of the true nature of the creature calling itself James Brownstone, which meant the Earth governments had developed no countermeasures.
How long had the monster been adapting to Earth defenses, or Oriceran defenses for that matter? The famous Brownstone had fought everyone from gangsters to Drow queens. He might very well be one of the most experienced of his kind ever.
She took several deep breaths and straightened in her chair. It wasn’t a time to panic. This was her job, and if the people of Earth didn’t know what Brownstone was and hadn’t attacked him yet, there was still time. She could surprise him before he reached his true potential.
Her slender hand reached into her desk, and she pulled out a thin silver square. She rubbed the square, and a glowing display appeared, symbols flowing past her ocular implants. Nothing any human could ever hope to understand.
With the help of a few quick visual commands, she initiated transmission mode. It’d been a long time since she had spoken her own language. The words came slowly and haltingly but were clear enough.
“This is Sentry 7921. I will transmit the corroborating data soon, but I hereby report that a Vix Forerunner is present on Earth and operating at least at extended advanced levels. I will shortly be initiating a class-two containment protocol. There is no evidence at this time that any authorities on Earth recognize the threat, and per standing orders, I will handle the matter discreetly and eliminate the Forerunner.”
The woman paused the playback, staring at James mid-swing against He Who Hunts. “So you’ve adapted your strategy, huh? Tested Earth’s defenses by pretending to be a bounty hunter?” She narrowed her eyes. “I never thought a Forerunner would be so subtle, but it doesn’t matter. I won’t let you take this planet no matter what it takes, you Vix monster.
“I swear I’ll destroy you, James Brownstone.”
FINIS
Brownstone on Audio
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Author Notes - Michael Anderle
October 2, 2018
First, THANK YOU for reading not only this book but these Author Notes!
We have embarked on an effort to streamline our production and to do that, I now have to write author notes “days” in advance (well, two weeks) from the book coming out.
I’m kinda afraid of the newness of this.
In my mind, I’m wondering what happens if something goes on between when I write THESE author notes, and the book actually releases? Then I slap myself upside the head and say ‘just put the info in the NEXT set of author notes you write.’
That was so obvious, my wife didn’t even have to point it out to me.
So, I was talking with a collaborator last week about The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone and how this series must finish. Not with him running into the night never to be seen again – but ready to allow his daughter and her new series to take center stage.
The future is STELLAR!
CHRISTMAS SUCKS… BECAUSE I’M IMPATIENT
So, I’m usually crap at getting presents for Christmas. I’m that last guy in the store, running around frantic, noticing the boxes for the cologne and perfume giveaways have been ripped apart.
When the salespeople notice my eyes, they shy away—not that I blame them. They just had a hella-harsh day, and now, mere seconds before they close, a younger me was coming through the store like a zombie looking for fresh meat.
I just want to apologize to all of those salespeople who have had to deal with me in the past. Also, I’d like to apologize to my family. I know some of those gifts were pretty bad.
The OTHER side of this coin was that when I was a good Michael and purchased my gifts at least two weeks ahead of schedule, they didn’t suck. When that occurred (hey, stop laughing! It did occur!) I would gnaw on my lips, waiting impatiently to give them their gift.
I was like a two-year-old who couldn’t stop telling my family to guess what their gift was. I enjoy life just a little bit more now that I don’t suffer from this malady nearly so much.
ALL OF THAT TO SAY…
It sucks to know what is coming with the rest of Brownstone, and to not share it with you!
But it is cool. There WILL be one more sacrifice on the team, but you will be ok with it.
I promise.
NEW BOOKS COMING SOON in Oriceran
Be on the lookout for The Daniel Codex by Judith Berens – Hitting you October 30, 2018.
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael Anderle
Other Revelation of Oriceran Universe Books
The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone
* Michael Anderle *
Feared by Hell (1) - Rejected by Heaven (2) - Eye For An Eye (3) - Bring the Pain (4) - She is the Widow Maker (5) - When Angels Cry (6) - Fire with Fire (7) - Hail To The King (8) - Alison Brownstone (9) - One Bad Decision (10) - Fatal Mistake (11) - Karma Is A Bitch (12)
I Fear No Evil
* Martha Carr and Michael Anderle *
Kill the Willing (1) - Bury the Past, But Shoot it First (2) - Reload Faster (3) - Dead In Plain sight (4) - Tomb Raiding PHD (5) - Tomb Raider Emeritus (6)
School of Necessary Magic
* Judith Berens *
Dark Is Her Nature (1) Bright Is Her Sight (2) - Wary Is Her Love (3) - Strong Is Her Hope (4) - Wicked Is Her Smile (5)
Rewriting Justice
* Martha Carr and Michael Anderle *
Justice Served Cold (1) - Vengeance Served Hot (2) - Bounty Hunter Inc (03) - Beware The Hunter (4)
&nbs
p; The Leira Chronicles
* Martha Carr and Michael Anderle *
Waking Magic (1) - Release of Magic (2) - Protection of Magic (3) - Rule of Magic (4) - Dealing in Magic (5) - Theft of Magic (6) - Enemies of Magic (7) - Guardians of Magic (8)
The Soul Stone Mage Series
* Sarah Noffke and Martha Carr *
House of Enchanted (1) - The Dark Forest (2) - Mountain of Truth (3) - Land of Terran (4) - New Egypt (5) - Lancothy (6) - Virgo (7)
The Kacy Chronicles
* A.L. Knorr and Martha Carr *
Descendant (1) - Ascendant (2) - Combatant (3) - Transcendent (4)
The Midwest Magic Chronicles
* Flint Maxwell and Martha Carr*
The Midwest Witch (1) - The Midwest Wanderer (2) - The Midwest Whisperer (3) - The Midwest War (4)
The Fairhaven Chronicles
* with S.M. Boyce *
Glow (1) - Shimmer (2) - Ember (3) - Nightfall (4)
Books by Michael Anderle
For a complete list of books by Michael Anderle, please visit
www.lmbpn.com/ma-books/
All LMBPN Audiobooks are Available at Audible.com and iTunes. For a complete list of audiobooks visit:
www.lmbpn.com/audible
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