Blood Bound
by Melanie Atkins
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Fueled by grief
after his fiancée is brutally murdered, Detective Sam Walker focuses on finding
her killer — a calculating predator who binds books with human skin. Dani Barrington, the newest member of NOPD’s
Victim and Witness Assistance Unit and a survivor of another frightening
attack, helps him discover the terrifying link between the monster’s known
victims. Despite his anguish, Sam is
struck by Dani’s strength and determination, especially when her
inquisitive nature makes her the
killer’s next target. He must find a way
to protect her or risk losing the one woman who can bring his dead heart back
to life.
after his fiancée is brutally murdered, Detective Sam Walker focuses on finding
her killer — a calculating predator who binds books with human skin. Dani Barrington, the newest member of NOPD’s
Victim and Witness Assistance Unit and a survivor of another frightening
attack, helps him discover the terrifying link between the monster’s known
victims. Despite his anguish, Sam is
struck by Dani’s strength and determination, especially when her
inquisitive nature makes her the
killer’s next target. He must find a way
to protect her or risk losing the one woman who can bring his dead heart back
to life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
.
Kristen
was gone.
Kristen
was gone.
She
wasn’t at work. She wasn’t at home. She hadn’t gone out to run an errand. She
had simply… vanished.
wasn’t at work. She wasn’t at home. She hadn’t gone out to run an errand. She
had simply… vanished.
New
Orleans Detective Sam Walker stood in the center of his fiancée’s cluttered
bedroom and struggled to piece together the timeline of her disappearance. Last
night they were supposed to meet for dinner, but he’d caught a case. They’d
talked on the phone around eleven, and he’d asked her to meet him for lunch
today.
Orleans Detective Sam Walker stood in the center of his fiancée’s cluttered
bedroom and struggled to piece together the timeline of her disappearance. Last
night they were supposed to meet for dinner, but he’d caught a case. They’d
talked on the phone around eleven, and he’d asked her to meet him for lunch
today.
He
hadn’t spoken to her since.
hadn’t spoken to her since.
She
was supposed to arrive at the Victim and Witness Assistance Unit for work at
nine a.m., but never made it. One of her co-workers had called him about ten
o’clock. He’d tried Kristen again, but she hadn’t answered.
was supposed to arrive at the Victim and Witness Assistance Unit for work at
nine a.m., but never made it. One of her co-workers had called him about ten
o’clock. He’d tried Kristen again, but she hadn’t answered.
So
he’d come here and found her car in the driveway.
he’d come here and found her car in the driveway.
Yet
she sure as hell wasn’t here.
she sure as hell wasn’t here.
Her
bed was meticulously made, the way she left it every morning, dumping him out
if he’d stayed over. A damp towel lay beside the bathroom sink. Soulful jazz
drifted from the iPod dock on her nightstand. What terrified him most, though,
was the spot of blood marring the door frame and the lone pink sandal lying in
the living room floor beside her purse, keys, and cell phone.
bed was meticulously made, the way she left it every morning, dumping him out
if he’d stayed over. A damp towel lay beside the bathroom sink. Soulful jazz
drifted from the iPod dock on her nightstand. What terrified him most, though,
was the spot of blood marring the door frame and the lone pink sandal lying in
the living room floor beside her purse, keys, and cell phone.
His
heart lurched. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Simply could not absorb
that she was missing. They’d been engaged for five months and three days, with
only a month to go until the wedding. They should be mulling over the guest
list, squabbling about where to go for their honeymoon, and deciding where they
wanted to live.
heart lurched. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Simply could not absorb
that she was missing. They’d been engaged for five months and three days, with
only a month to go until the wedding. They should be mulling over the guest
list, squabbling about where to go for their honeymoon, and deciding where they
wanted to live.
Instead,
Sam stared at an empty bed.
Sam stared at an empty bed.
“There’s
no sign of forced entry, so she either let the guy in or he jumped her when she
went after the paper this morning.” Major Sabbatini’s voice seemed to come
from far away. “I’m thinking she fought him off and ran, and he caught her
here in the bedroom.”
no sign of forced entry, so she either let the guy in or he jumped her when she
went after the paper this morning.” Major Sabbatini’s voice seemed to come
from far away. “I’m thinking she fought him off and ran, and he caught her
here in the bedroom.”
“She
would have clawed him.” Hell, she would’ve drawn blood with those nails.
Sam should know. He had the marks on his back to prove it. Moisture blurred his
vision as he eyed the smudge on the door jamb. “She… she just had her
nails done a couple of days ago. They’re like talons.”
would have clawed him.” Hell, she would’ve drawn blood with those nails.
Sam should know. He had the marks on his back to prove it. Moisture blurred his
vision as he eyed the smudge on the door jamb. “She… she just had her
nails done a couple of days ago. They’re like talons.”
“We’ll
check the blood for DNA. You know that. What were her plans for today?”
check the blood for DNA. You know that. What were her plans for today?”
“Um…
just work, far as I know. She and I were supposed to have lunch.” Sam
shook his head. “Then tonight, she was going to a wedding shower. I
just–“
just work, far as I know. She and I were supposed to have lunch.” Sam
shook his head. “Then tonight, she was going to a wedding shower. I
just–“
“When
was the last time you spoke with her?”
was the last time you spoke with her?”
“Late
— last night.” Sam’s eyes fell on a partially-filled mug on the table
beside Kristen’s favorite chair, where she liked to read. A hard knot formed in
the center of his chest. “She didn’t… even finish her coffee. She loves
coffee.”
— last night.” Sam’s eyes fell on a partially-filled mug on the table
beside Kristen’s favorite chair, where she liked to read. A hard knot formed in
the center of his chest. “She didn’t… even finish her coffee. She loves
coffee.”
“We’re
gonna find her, son.”
gonna find her, son.”
“You
don’t know that.” Sam’s voice cracked. He turned to his boss. “What
if I never see her again?”
don’t know that.” Sam’s voice cracked. He turned to his boss. “What
if I never see her again?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Melanie Atkins a
multi-published author of romantic suspense, an editor for an online publishing
company, and an avid reader. Writing is more than an escape for her—it’s a way
of life. She grew up in theDeep South
listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes
gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry
little feline muses.
multi-published author of romantic suspense, an editor for an online publishing
company, and an avid reader. Writing is more than an escape for her—it’s a way
of life. She grew up in the
listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes
gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry
little feline muses.
Melanie is an active member
of Romance Writers of America®, the Magnolia State Romance Writers (MSRW), the
Published Author Network (PAN), the Electronic and Small Press Authors’ Network
(ESPAN), the Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), Sisters in
Crime (SinC), the Red Dog Writers, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, the
Southern Writers, the Mississippi Authors Guild and the Byram Writers’ Group.
She currently serves as Past President of MSRW.
of Romance Writers of America®, the Magnolia State Romance Writers (MSRW), the
Published Author Network (PAN), the Electronic and Small Press Authors’ Network
(ESPAN), the Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), Sisters in
Crime (SinC), the Red Dog Writers, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, the
Southern Writers, the Mississippi Authors Guild and the Byram Writers’ Group.
She currently serves as Past President of MSRW.
www.wordpress.melanieatkins.com
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