We see it in books and movies all the time. The world, and its inhabitants, have been ravaged by disease, global warming, nuclear explosions, war, or aliens—take your pick— and a handful of people remain to pick up the pieces. What makes these types of books and films popular? Perhaps it’s because we all feel as though the world is truly on the edge these days.
Personally, I think we are drawn to such books and movies because we see humanity stripped bare. We peel back the layers of civilization and reveal who we truly are deep down inside. We see the best and the worst of people in a crisis. Some will rise to the occasion and become more than they ever dreamed they could be—heroes, leaders, freedom fighters. While others will profit from the misery of others, stealing, destroying and hording all the goods and services people need to survive. That’s human nature.
The darkness of that kind of world drew me, but it was hope that kept my fingers tapping away at the keyboard. I truly believe that we as a people would survive a catastrophic event, but only if we learn to work together and trust one another. These ideas spurred me onward and Project Alpha was the result. This trilogy, which contains Embracing Silence, Have Mercy and Sweet Charity, looks at post-apocalyptic Earth.
It’s 2133, about a hundred years after the world, as we know it, was destroyed through a combination of events. Many of the surviving people have taken refuge inside the Gate—a high-tech shield, which protects the enclosed city from contamination and the lawless land outside. The Ruling Council controls people’s lives and they’ll do anything to maintain control of their world, including creating Alphas—a group of genetically and computer-enhanced assassins.
Now there are only two Alphas left and they have escaped their masters’ control. Outside the Gate, they now seek revenge on the scientists that created them and the General who used them all these years.
But there is a whole world in the outer city, people who are struggling to stay alive. These people dig through the rubble and remains of their world to scrape together the means to survive. It’s a violent, dangerous place. But there are pockets of hope, of civilization.
The Alphas are dangerous and distrustful. They will do anything to survive and want nothing to do with the people outside the Gate. They cross paths with some very special women and their lives are changed forever. Plus, they’re not the only ones who want to see the Gate come down. There is a Resistance force led by the mysterious and deadly Adrian. He is dedicated to seeing the resources from inside the Gate shared with those outside. And he’ll stop at nothing to see it happen.
BLURB: Embracing Silence
First in the Project Alpha series.
Earth 2133
Tienan is an Alpha—an assassin who has been genetically and computer enhanced. He has escaped from the lab that created him and the Ruling Council that controlled him. He is now outside the Gate—a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Tienan must constantly evade security forces sent to eliminate him, his only goal to destroy his former masters.
Silence is a tracker with the Resistance on the trail of a dangerous stranger. The hunter becomes the hunted and when Tienan kidnaps her, she thinks her life is over. But both captor and captive are enthralled with one another. Desire and need ignite each time they touch. Enemies become lovers.
Treachery and mistrust drive them apart. But nothing can diminish the sexual heat smoldering between them. With enemies all around, they must confront each other one final time. With time running out, sexual longing and trust battle with betrayal for supremacy.
BLURB: Have Mercy
Second in the Project Alpha series.
Earth 2133
Logan is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—who has escaped from the lab that created him. He is now outside the Gate, a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Shot while evading security forces sent to eliminate him, Logan’s only goal is survival.
Mercy Dockins is a healer. Her world is shaken to its foundations when a stranger is brought to her near death. As she heals him, her body and soul respond to him, overwhelming her with sexual desire. With little more than a look and a touch, passion flares out of control, consuming them both.
But this stranger is dangerous to not only her well-being, but also to the safety of everyone she loves. And he has brought the security forces right to her door.
BLURB: Sweet Charity
Third in the Project Alpha series
Earth 2133
Adrian is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—thought dead by the people who created him. Living outside the Gate, a high tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside, he is the leader of the Resistance, living only to bring down the Gate and the people who sought to kill him.
Charity Caruthers is the daughter of one of the most powerful and brutal men in the inner city—the General. She risks everything sneaking outside the Gate to get a message to Adrian.
Passion explodes, ripping apart the foundations of both their lives. Charity begins to understand true sexual desire as Adrian teaches her the passion to be found in dark fantasies. Loyalties are tested and trust pushed to the limits as the final confrontation is at hand. Some will die. Some will live. And Adrian and Charity’s fragile relationship could be the final casualty in this war of retribution and freedom.
I knew this was going to be a three-book series when I began writing. And, for the first time ever, I wrote all three books back to back to back, not leaving that world until I was finished. It was a challenging, but wonderful, experience.
The setting is like another character in the book, a dark, deadly creature waiting to strike at any moment. Painting such a dismal, dangerous place was a challenge in many ways and easy in others. The lack of name for the city is intentional. It could be anywhere. And, after everything that has happened to the Earth, a name no longer matters. This is a dark world with even darker men, but there is also light and love and hope.
EXCERPT: Embracing Silence
She was almost through the first strap when she sensed the air behind her stirring. Silence continued to saw frantically at the restraint. He was here. He’d made no sound, and she’d been listening, but he was here. As always, she could sense his very presence, as though the air shifted and made way for him wherever he went.
“You’re resourceful.” His voice was deep and dark and raspy. His words made her shiver with dread. He didn’t sound particularly mad about her escape attempt. He didn’t sound anything at all. His total lack of emotion was more frightening than if he’d bellowed in anger.
Silence almost sobbed with relief when the leather strap gave way. She clawed at the second strap, getting it undone. Not pausing to even think about why he was allowing her to do so, she sawed at the strap around her waist. Blood from several shallow wounds on her wrist dripped down her fingers making it more difficult for her to work.
“How do you plan to get past me?” His question was thoughtful, almost as though he was curious about her intentions.
His voice was closer now, coming from the deep shadows behind her. The last restraint fell away and she lurched from the chair. She whirled around to face where she thought he was. She couldn’t see a thing.
“Stay away from me. I’ll kill you if I have too.”
No reply. But she knew he was there in the dark watching. Tucking her short blade in her jacket pocket, she grabbed up her larger one. She wished she had a gun but they were in short supply and given to the men and women who went out daily on patrol in the outer city. Somehow she felt all the weapons in the world wouldn’t do her any good against this man.
“Who are you?” she demanded. Her voice was little more than a croak. Her throat was slightly swollen bruised and fear made it close even more.
“Who are you?” he countered. She circled slowly. He sounded as though he was on the other side of the room. She damned the shadows that made it impossible for her to track him. There should be some indication of his movement—a stray sound, a breath, a wavering of the air. But there was nothing.
The man was a phantom.
She took a step back and hit the edge of the table. The candle teetered and fell to one side, its flame flickering before being extinguished. Darkness descended. Silence got a sick feeling in the pit of her belly. She had no idea how to get out.
Moving forward, she tried not to make a sound as she headed toward where she’d first sensed him in the room. It made sense that the entrance would be somewhere around there.
As before, there was no sound, no tell-tale giveaway, but she sensed him as he moved in behind her. Before she could react, his wrists wrapped around hers. He didn’t squeeze them, but his fingers pressed some pressure points. Her hands opened and her knife fell the floor, clattering on the dirt and stones.
He bent her elbows, crossing her arms over her chest. Because of the way he held her, his arms were crossed over her chest too. He surrounded her totally, much like the darkness.
“I don’t want to hurt you.” His voice was little more than a murmur in her ear. His breath ruffled the hair on the back of her neck, tickling the sensitive skin.
Silence licked her lips almost afraid to ask, “What do you want?”
The heat from his body seeped into her back, warming her. He was so warm and she was so cold. She wanted to lean against him and soak up his heat, but she held herself erect and as far away as his grip would allow. There was no safety, no solace to be found here.
“What’s your name?”
She thought about it and then decided that telling him might be in her favor. Maybe he knew her brother. It was possible Adrian’s name might get her out of here alive. “Silence. My name is Silence.”
He chuckled and the raspy sound stroked over her skin sending goose bumps down her arms. “Very apt. You’re an excellent tracker.”
“Obviously not good enough,” she countered, unable to keep the bitterness from her tone. Her entire life, it was the one skill she had that separated her from others. It had given her a place of respect within the resistance movement.
“No.” He rubbed his chin over the top of her head. “Not good enough.”
The matter of fact way he said it made her feel like more of a failure and that made her angry. Anger was a much better emotion to focus on than defeat. She could use anger to her advantage. “Who are you?” She figured if she asked him enough times, he just might answer her. And as long as he was talking to her, he wasn’t killing her, which was definitely a plus in her books.
You can check out the Project Alpha trilogy at Ellora’s Cave. To find out more information about any of my books, go to my website at http://www.njwalters.com
N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
http://www.njwalters.com
http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/ (newsletter group)
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