- Home
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
England, 2051. Alex Harvey is a washed up SAS trooper, thrown out of the army and dumped on the streets of a country that is coming apart at the seams. Jobs are scarce, the economy is in the doldrums and a black market in performance enhancing drugs and illegal cage fighting is thriving. Alex may be out of work, but his quest for that adrenaline high keeps him thirsting for the next challenge, the next fight.
So when he’s approached by a strange gentleman and offered the mother of all enhancements, he’s more than tempted.
But in order to be accepted for the treatment, he’s got to agree to a peculiar assignment: to hunt down the toughest, fastest foe that he’s ever encountered. In half the continents of the world, Alex has pitted himself against a variety of combatants, but this will be the first time he’s gone up against something that’s not of this world at all. Pretty soon he’ll find that winning is the least of his problems. When the stakes are shooting off the scale, it’s going to take all his skill just to survive.
Get the complete Alien Infiltrators series:
Alien Infiltrators 1: Amped
Alien Infiltrators 2: Assembled
Alien Infiltrators 3: The Tollon Codex
Alien Infiltrators 4: Bunker 51
Alien Infiltrators 5: Arctic Run
Also available as a box set for just $4.99
The Alien Infiltrators Collection: Books 1-5 www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013CPJ1B8
** Views: 33
Quench your Thirst with the finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Christopher Pike.Sita has lived for centuries. She has seen more than most people could ever imagine.She has loved and she has lost; she has killed many, and she has given life.Now, at last, Sita’s story culminates in an epic—and satisfying—conclusion to the enormously popular Thirst series.About the AuthorChristopher Pike is the author of more than forty teen thrillers, including the Thirst, Remember Me, and Chain Letter series. Pike currently lives in Santa Barbara, where it is rumored he never leaves his house. But he can be found online at ChristopherPikeBooks.com. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.ONEI’m back in the motel room, staring down at Shanti’s headless body and a mound of shattered glass. The glass is from the window that broke when I threw her head into the parking lot in a fit of rage. Rage that was very close to pleasure. “Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,” I say to myself. The repetitive sounds constitute a famous mantra in India. It means “Peace, peace, peace.” It is similar to the Christian prayer “Peace be with you.” How ironic, I think, that the demon I have fought since I first became aware of the Telar and the IIC should have chosen to possess the body of a young woman with such a sacred name. Yet I feel no pity for the original Shanti. The demon could not have penetrated her heart without her permission. Only at the end did Shanti reveal how much she enjoyed causing others pain, just like her master. Well, she is dead now, thank God. But is the enemy? Have I even scratched his armor? Unfortunately, I haven’t a clue. If only Umara were still alive. She was the world’s expert when it came to demons. But Matt’s mother sacrificed her life so I could destroy her people, the Telar, and the evil forces arrayed behind them. The cynical part of me wonders if her sacrifice was in vain. How does one destroy an evil that doesn’t have a physical body? I hear approaching footsteps and know their source. There’s only one other in the miserable motel who has my hearing. Matt must have heard the breaking glass and come to investigate. He knocks lightly and I call to him. He pokes his head inside my door. “Why is Shanti’s head sitting on the hood of our SUV?” he asks. Matt has on white shorts, no shirt or shoes. His well-muscled body is deeply tanned, his dark hair a mess from jumping up from sleep. But even though I just woke him up, his eyes are highly alert. How his eyes remind me of his father, Yaksha, the first and most powerful of all vampires. Matt is half vampire, half Telar, an immortal coin from his head to his toes. Looking at him, mostly naked in the room’s dim light, I feel heat stir down below. Despite the circumstances, the lust does not surprise me. My attraction to him has been there from the start. “She was the one. She was the spy,” I reply. Matt steps into the room. “You’re sure?” “She told a few lies, and when I confronted her . . .” I shrug. “She confessed who she was before I killed her.” “What does this mean?” Matt asks. His question appears simple but it is multilayered. Like me, he wants to know if we’ve finally destroyed the demon. He’s also asking if Shanti’s death means the computer program that was planted on the Internet by the Cradle—a group of psychic children—is going to stop hunting us. We have been on the run since we blew up the IIC’s headquarters and supposedly killed every member of the Cradle except for one, Ms. Cynthia Brutran’s five-year-old daughter, Jolie. The two are asleep three doors away. I can only assume they failed to hear the breaking glass. “I’m not sure,” I say. “But at least with Shanti out of the way what we talk about will no longer be heard by those who are trying to kill us.” Matt’s puzzled. “You were close to her. You miss nothing. How was she able to fool you for so long?” The question stings. “She played me. It’s no excuse, it’s just . . .” I pause, searching for the key to her deception. “She made me care for her.” Matt glances out the motel door, at the trickle of blood that runs over the SUV hood from the base of her severed skull. “You weren’t alone. You know Seymour loved her. This is going to kill him.” “Let’s not tell him until morning.” “Fine.” “I don’t want him to see her like this.” Matt nods. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the body and bury it in the desert. No one will find it.” “Thank you.” Matt reaches down and lifts Shanti’s headless torso with one hand. The blood of Yaksha and my daughter, Kalika, flows through my veins, which makes me almost invincible. Yet I know Matt is stronger than me, although I’m not sure of the extent of his power. He’s reluctant to show it, even to me, but I don’t take offense. In this way we are alike: He has a hard time trusting people. That’s why his question continues to sting. I was the first one in the group to meet Shanti, and trust her. “While I’m taking care of the body, go through her things,” Matt says. “You never know what you might find.” “Good idea.” I had already planned to do that. “Are you sure you don’t want help?” “It’s not necessary. I have a shovel in the trunk.” “What made you bring a shovel?” “Times like this.” Matt stuffs the torso and head into several large-size garbage bags and walks off into the desert. He doesn’t take the SUV; he doesn’t need it. I feel a wave of relief as he disappears into the dark. Seymour’s a night owl. There’s always a chance he’s up, watching TV or reading. He could even be writing a new book. He once told me he seldom went a whole day without writing a few pages. Shanti has a small suitcase in our motel room but a larger one in the back of the SUV. I find it interesting that she went out of her way to leave it in the vehicle. When I first open it, I’m disappointed. It’s stuffed with clothes, a few magazines, a pair of boots, running shoes, a watch, and a cell phone—devoid of any stored numbers. Yet when I have finished emptying the suitcase on her bed, I notice a faint bulge on the interior of the lid, beneath the leather lining. Human eyes would never have noticed it. The area is sewn shut; indeed, it looks as if it has never been exposed since the day the suitcase was constructed. If I were to hide something, I think, and it were important to me, I would put it in exactly the same place. I tear off the inner lining of the suitcase. There’s a manila envelope inside. I open it with a swipe of my fingernail. Inside are two items: a business card and a photograph. The card lists the name of a lawyer: Michael Larson of Pointe, Wolf, and Larson, 1250 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York. The card is made of high-quality paper, the printing is impeccable. It smells of money. Written on the back of the card, with a dull pencil, is another New York phone number. The photograph is of a middle-aged couple. The woman looks familiar, even though I’m certain I’ve never met her before. The couple sits smiling on a couch beside an open window that looks out on rolling grassland with a lake in the distance. They appear to be a typical couple. The man has his arm around his wife. I’m certain they’re married. There’s an ease between them that only comes from having lived many years together. I see their love for each other in their eyes. Looking out the window, behind them, I’m pretty sure I see a piece of land that belongs to North Carolina. The type of trees, the color of the lake, the way the green fields slope—I’ve visited the area before. On a small end table, to the right of the couch where they sit, is a black-and-white photograph. The picture is handsomely framed but it was taken with a primitive camera. The print is grainy, the focus questionable. I suspect the photograph was snapped in the forties or fifties. Once more, there’s a couple, although these two are younger and they’re standing on Ellis Island, near the foot of the Statue of Liberty. They’re not alone—a hundred people mill in the background. Most look weary and I can understand why. They have just crossed the Atlantic and arrived in the New World. But the couple at the forefront of the group don’t look exhausted. On the contrary, they’re bursting with excitement to be standing on the doorstep of New York City. Studying their faces I can see all the hopes and dreams they have for their future. But I also see their joy is tempered with sorrow. Even if I didn’t know them, I’d still see the pain in their eyes. But I do know them. Their names are Harrah and Ralph Levine. I met them during World War II, in Paris, and spent time with them in the most hellish place the modern age has ever known: Auschwitz, the concentration camp where over a million Jews were slaughtered. It was only because of Harrah and Ralph that I survived the camp. Now I know why the woman on the couch looks familiar. She’s the granddaughter of Harrah and Ralph. I’m still staring at the photograph when Matt returns. I hand it over, along with the card, and tell him who the people in the pictures are. Matt listens closely and studies them with a penetrating gaze. I don’t bother to point out the numeric codes imprinted on Harrah’s and Ralph’s forearms. Matt misses nothing. “How did you happen to become friends?” he asks when he hands back the picture. “We worked together in Paris, with the French Resistance.” “Did you stay in contact after the war?” “Not exactly.” I pause. “We were all sent to Auschwitz.” Matt is stunned. “You’re not telling me you were a prisoner?” “I wasn’t a guest.” “Sita, how could the Nazis contain you? I don’t understand.” Those days are difficult for me to talk about. “It’s a long story, an unbelievable story. Toward the end of the war, I decided to help the Allies defeat the Nazis. My reasons were complex—I’d just as soon not go into them now. But I never imagined for a moment that I&rsq... Views: 33
Hugo Award nominee Adam-Troy Castro's exciting new world full of shadows and mystery grows in book 2 of the Gustav Gloom series. In Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault, Fernie and Gustav find themselves battling another shadowy foe—The Shadow Eater. He is after one thing, The Nightmare Vault, which his master, the evil Lord Obsidian will use to unleash the most terrifying and threatening shadows into the world. As Fernie and Gustav race to stop the Shadow Eater, Fernie learns about Gustav's mysterious past and just what happened to his missing parents.Featuring a unique paper-over-board cover and beautifully dark full page illustrations by Kristen Margiotta, Gustav Gloom is sure to be a hit with fans who, like Fernie, love a little darkness in their lives. Views: 33
The poisonous alien race masterminding centuries of calculated chaos and destruction for mankind underestimated the sheer tenacity of the human spirit. Now these technologically superior aggressors must contend with a dedicated group of warriors sworn to reclaim their planet. The odds against the Cerberus rebels are long, but the fight goes on....In the fetid swamps of Louisiana, the dead rise, commanded by their new queen. Her power lies in death and in its secrets -- the sadistic culmination of the insane power unleashed during her fragmented rebirth from dark goddess Lilitu. Facing off against an army of zombies, Kane, Grant and Brigid must somehow kill the undead. If they fail, the crazed voodoo priestess will infect her minions with a pre-dark biological weapon designed to destroy all life on earth. And then the dead will truly rise.... Views: 33
A case of mistaken identity lands meek bridal assistant Gwendolen Lynch in the role of her legendary wedding planner boss. Instead of unmasking the charade, Gwen makes the split second decision to play along, and finds herself roped into the challenge of her small career with a socialite bride and her domineering mother. Juggling the outlandish requests–from firing "the best man" to renting hot air balloons–thrusts Gwen into the spotlight role she always dreamed of.Knowing she should escape before her true identity is exposed, Gwen clings to the masquerade for one reason: the handsome, boyish Ryan Miller. Whose opinions of the wedding fail to impress his bride-to-be, awakening Gwen's sympathy for the seemingly forgotten groom.Stealing her boss' identity? Now that was the easy part. The hard part is preventing her secret crush from stealing her heart away. Views: 33
Imprisoned on the Planet Corellia Han Solo himself at the mercy of his evil cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo. Thracken plans to restore the Imperial system and seize total power—no matter what the cost. Han has one chance to stop him. But to do so he must turn his back on his Human cousin and join forces with a female alien. Dracmus was arrested as a ringleader in a plot against the corrupt Human League. Now she and Han will attempt a daring escape to Selonia in time to warn Leia, Luke Skywalker and Lando of Thracken's plan. But can Han trust the alien to keep her word? Meanwhile, other questions threaten the New Republic—and the lives of millions. Who is behind the deadly Starbuster plot? Why is someone attempting to take possession of Corellia's powerful planetary repulsors? And what is the secret behind the mysterious Centerpoint Station, an ancient, artificial world of unknown origin that has suddenly—and inexplicably—come alive? Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years! Views: 33
Kallix, a morose, laudanum-addicted, unschooled, slightly anorexic werewolf is still on the run. The youngest daughter of the Thane of the MacRinnalch Clan of werewolves, held responsible unfairly for the death of the Thane, and justifiably responsible for the deaths of a great many other werewolves, remains prohibited from returning to Scotland in order to maintain the uneasy peace that temporarily prevails in court, despite the endemic debauchery and degeneracy always threatening to again spiral out of control. Frankly, things aren't much better for her in London than in Scotland. The love of her life is in hiding and her enemies increase in number by the day. Strong as she is when enraged, it's becoming ever more dangerous to be her. Daniel and Moonglow, her two human friends, do what they can to keep her hidden in plain sight (who would look for a werewolf in a remedial program for high school dropouts?) and keep her fed. Millar is a true world-creator, populating Curse... Views: 33
From Steve McHugh, the bestselling author of The Hellequin Chronicles, comes a new urban fantasy series packed with mystery, action, and, above all, magic. Layla Cassidy has always wanted a normal life, and the chance to put her father's brutal legacy behind her. And in her final year of university she's finally found it. Or so she thinks. But when Layla accidentally activates an ancient scroll, she is bestowed with an incredible, inhuman power. She plunges into a dangerous new world, full of mythical creatures and menace--all while a group of fanatics will stop at nothing to turn her abilities to their cause. To protect those she loves most, Layla must take control of her new powers...before they destroy her. All is not yet lost--there is a light shining, but Layla must survive long enough to see it. Views: 33
The quest for youth only leads to death… The Blood Countess—Elizabeth Bathory, a true monster of history—is one of the most infamous serial killers. Said to have murdered 650 young women for their blood, she believed bathing in it would preserve her vitality and beauty. It’s a story that has always fascinated archaeologist and TV host Annja Creed. Something so fantastic could only be a story. So what is Annja to make of the girl she finds dying on the side of the road…from blood loss? There’s something eerie in this small Slovakian town, where rumors of vampirism hang unspoken in the air. Yet, out of fear, the locals say nothing. Shut out by the police, Annja only digs deeper into the strange death, uncovering troubling scraps of evidence—and cover-ups. Her one lead is an enigmatic retired police officer who has been investigating the disappearance of more than twenty women. All of them young. All of them beautiful. The only way Annja can see to uncover the truth is by becoming the Blood Countess’s next victim…. Views: 33
To Faia Rissedote’s dismay, the use of magic in Arhel has gotten out of control, and even people who could never use magic before are suddenly building castles in the air. Unneeded, unwanted, she discovers secrets about herself she never suspected. But when Arhel’s magic suddenly dies, and its inhabitants are thrown back to a way of life none of them know how to manage, Faia sets out to find the truth and fix the problem...and discovers that love cannot be captured, only given, that history lies, and the lies history tells hide truths that will come back to hunt the people who ignore them. Views: 33
