As promised, here is a sneak peek at the cover of my new novel, Proving Grounds. But I am going to give you something even better. Below is a peek at the first chapter of the new book. I hope this whets your appetite and gets you eager to place your Kindle pre-order which will be available very soon.

Please read and enjoy!

PROVING GROUNDS – Chapter 1

“Your turn,” Annie told Leon firmly. “Open your door and go.”

Leon stepped toward Annie, wrapped his arms around her, and scooped her into a bear hug. Annie remained rigid; her arms locked at her sides. She did not return the embrace. She wanted to, with all her heart she wanted to, but she did not dare. If she relented and put her arms around Leon, she would be too weak and afraid to ever let go. She closed her eyes, hoping he would end the hug quickly.

“That’s enough,” she said, her voice harsh from restrained emotion.

Leon did not retreat. “I’m not letting go until you hug me back,” he told her.

He was not going to make this any easier for her. Annie chuffed out a breath, steeling herself, then cautiously placed her arms around his waist, patting his back a few times. Maybe he would get the hint and finally step away. Unsurprisingly, he did not. Leon only held her more firmly. After a moment, all the fear and hurt and sadness broke through her determination to remain stoic. She tightened her grip around Leon, squeezing against him like she was lost at sea, and he was the only thing on the surface of the ocean between her and drowning. She clung to him desperately.

Annie’s heart raced, and she felt Leon’s heartbeat accelerate to match her own. She knew he was aware of her emotions, of her desperation. Her loneliness. He did not back away. He was content to remain with her as long as she needed him. The stubborn idiot. This must be hurting him as much as it did her. If she didn’t end this pointless display soon, it would only make his leaving harder on them both. It was already difficult enough.

Annie broke the embrace. Pressing her forehead against Leon’s chest and placing her hands against his stomach, she pushed him away. This time, he allowed her to escape. He stepped back reluctantly. Annie sniffled and felt a hot wetness on her cheek. Shit. She was crying. She didn’t want Leon to see her lose control again. She turned her back to him and wiped at her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

Leon needed to get out of here. He needed to go now. Annie was trying to be brave about her decision, but every second that Leon remained left her feeling more desperate. There was no reason for him to stay. It made no sense. He didn’t need to face the damned trials again. He was free to go.

But here he was. Damn him.

Annie felt a growing anger heat her cheeks, but it faded before it could take hold. Leon was only staying because of her. How could she hate him for that?

“God, you are such a moron,” Annie told him, her back still toward him. She couldn’t face Leon without breaking down again. “I thought I told you to get the fuck out of here.”

“Beat them, Annie,” he told her. “Beat them and come home. When you get back, Sofia and I will be waiting for you.”

“Keep your promise,” Leon suddenly growled.

Annie knew he was not speaking to her this time. She saw the alien, the one who called himself Honghui, spread his arms wide. He nodded a short acknowledgement at Leon’s warning.

With her tears mostly under control, she turned back toward Leon. He was no longer behind her, however. He had stepped away and was approaching the door that represented his route home. The odd white portal stood upright, surrounded by a field of grass and small yellow flowers, with no visible means of support. It should have fallen. Gravity should have pulled it down flat on the ground, yet something held the door firmly in place.

Leon reached for the handle.

Annie thought about everything this boy had done since meeting her only one day ago. He risked his own life multiple times to get her through the Apex testing grounds, despite the way she spoke to him and made fun of him. He was good, and he was honorable, and he cared about others like few people she had ever met. And she had just told him to fuck off.

Leon deserved more than that. He deserved her honesty, despite the difficulty of lowering the emotional walls she had spent a lifetime erecting.

“Wait!” called Annie, holding out a hand toward him. “I don’t want that to be the last thing I say to you.”

Leon cocked his head toward her and waited.

“I’m really glad I had the chance to meet you, Leon. It’s good to know that people like you still exist. You’re a really nice guy.”

She smiled mischievously, and then, because Annie was still Annie, she added, “Perv.”

Leon smiled, though she could still see pain in his eyes at the thought of leaving her behind. He pulled open the door, pausing again before going through.

“Get home safe, Annie.” 

A silver and black vortex circled in the open doorway; a rectangle of chaos contained within the fragile doorframe. The maelstrom waited eagerly for Leon to enter, ready to swallow him and transport him back home. Back to Earth. Then the vortex spread, creeping forward and expanding beyond the confines of the doorway. Leon faced the swirling storm. He took a deep breath and stepped forward into the waiting darkness.

Leon disappeared and the door slammed shut behind him. There was a slight shimmer of light, like heatwaves rising from asphalt on a brutally hot day. The door rippled and faded from existence, leaving only grassy field where it had stood. The five remaining doors in the field followed the example of Leon’s door. They each flickered to nothingness, one at a time, until there was nothing but grass and wildflowers as far as the eye could see. Annie was now officially trapped and alone on this world, with no possible way home.

Alone, that is, except for Honghui.

She glanced toward the alien. He appeared to be no more than an elderly Chinese man. He would have blended easily into the populace of any city on Earth. Honghui was short, fat and balding, He stood slightly stooped as he peered back at Annie, and a small, friendly smile pulled at his lips. The only oddity was his clothing, or lack of it. This man that was not a man was naked except for a pair of grey striped boxer shorts, the same attire he had worn when Annie first met him at the beginning of this hellish adventure. The non-presuming figure was unthreatening and easy to ignore. At least, he would have been, if he were truly what he appeared to be.

“This isn’t what you look like, is it?” asked Annie. “I mean, you want to blend in with the humans you bring here to test, but you’re not human. This old man thing is just a disguise. Right?”

Honghui blinked his bright amber eyes. The wrinkled face twisted as the smile on his face grew into a wide toothy grin.

“No, Annie. I am not human.”

To be continued…