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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

OATHBREAKER-WOLF AT THE DOOR IS ONLINE!!!



Lorelei Wong is completely ordinary in spite of the fact that she is the only human growing up in a werewolf pack. Until one day she is told that she isn’t; that she is in fact a key element that can either help or destroy the very people she calls family. And the Packs, already dwindling in number because of The Great Pack War, responds very seriously to threats. Soon she learns that power doesn't come for free and Lorelei has to figure out if the price for a life is greater than the price of her soul.

Published finally!

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Book covers for Wolf at the Door!


I said to Mey Yeng, "I want a red door with a black background, and the shadow of the door will be a silhouette of a wolf. 

And she gave me this:


Magnificent. 

Then I said, "Can you give me a glint of amber in the eyes, and details on the door?

And she gave me this. 


And this.


And this, my favorite:


Then I wanted author name and the subtitle switched. And to add more texture to the background and she gave me this. 


I love this girl. 


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Thursday, August 8, 2013

The Wolf Series Novella: 6




Connor fidgeted in his seat and told himself not to worry. After all, every kid who had their First Change was called into the Elder's Mad Tea Party, as the Pack called it behind the Elders' backs. He watched in silence as the they--men and women who had seen a century or more passed them by--passed tea cups and saucers filled with cookies as they eyed him back with smiles that hid very, very sharp teeth. 

So far, all they did was asked about how he felt about the Change and how his progress was, not to mention they've been praising how fast he was getting used to the Wolf. 

He had to admit, his Wolf was stronger than others and sometimes he had difficulty in reigning it in, but they were off to a good start. The Wolf had instincts that helped him in a Hunt or when Changing that made things easier for him. So far, the Wolf and him agreed on mostly everything. 

Like how the Elders were trying to sniff out something. And he was hiding something big. 

Connor sipped on his tea and stuffed his mouth with cookies. Mey's serious black eyes flashed in his mind, the urgent way her fingers dug into his skin. "You can't tell anybody."

A part of him felt reluctant to hide something that could help the Pack, the faces of his friends that would experience the First Change drifted in an out of his brain. How many of them could Mey saved?

--the sweet tang of blood inside his mouth, a high-pitch scream, the smell of fear and terror--

But how much would it cost Mey?

"We are so relieved that you came out safely, Connor. We all remember how it felt to survive the First Change."

They nodded and murmured to themselves and Connor ducked his head. Even days after, the pain still echoed in his limbs, his bones. But worse than that was the realization that he actually survived what so many hadn't. Survivor's guilt, his father told him, they all felt it. It was hard to meet the eyes of his fellow packmates, to see the fear in the eyes of his friends who hadn't gone through the Change or the blame in the parents' eyes of those who had and not survived. Why you? Their eyes said. Why you and not my child?

Nina, the non-official head Elder smiled at him and waved him off. "Off with you then."

Connor stifled a breath of relief and slid off the chair. It was difficult but he kept himself from running as he replayed their conversation, he was sure that he didn't say anything that would put Mey in danger.

"Oh, Connor." Nina called him back as he was at the doorway. He turned, his Wolf bristling.

"Mey was with you, wasn't she?"

He swore his heart stopped and sweat coated his palms. His mind went a mile a minute, trying to think of a reason on why they were asking when they already know the answer.

Right, everybody knew that Mey was with him, so, there wouldn't be any harm in confirming it, right?

His Wolf bared its teeth in challenge but he gripped his Wolf tight, ignoring its warning.

"Yeah, she was."

Nina's eyes glowed and her lips curled into a grin. "That would be all."

Connor blinked and turned away. As soon as he cleared the corner he ran and ran and ran.

He didn't know why he was running, he didn't know why his heart was pounding with fear. He only stopped when he scented a familiar smell--apples and tea: Mey.

He nearly ran into her and reached for her when she nearly fell on her butt when she tried to avoid crashing against him. His fingers pressed against the inside of her wrist, felt the fast pulse of her heart.

He took a deep breath, his Wolf calming at the touch.

Mey frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

His heart beat slowed as he took her place beside her. "Nothing. Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. I'm just out for a walk." She went right and followed the jogging trail that led into the park forest.

Connor let go of her wrist, their hands bumping against each other as they walked side by side. "Oh, I'll come with,"

Mey shot him a weird glance. "Okay."

Connor took another deep--apple tea scented--breath and paced himself even though his Wolf urged him to run...and take her with him.

He didn't. He merely followed her as she walked slowly through the trees, humming under her breath. 

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Wolf Series Novella: 5




His footsteps were different now, the rhythm, the very sound of it but Mey knew that it was him. She opened her eyes and sure enough, Connor stood in her doorway, all gangly limbs and slouching shoulders. His eyes flicked away when his eyes met hers and he pushed one of his hands into his pocket while another held a wide brown envelop that crackled in his grip.

His mouth opened, moved but no sound came out. His lips pressed tightly together and he ducked his head.

Mey knew what he wanted to say, of course she knew, he wanted to say he was sorry, that he didn’t meant to do what he did, that he probably didn’t remember what happened. He wouldn’t be lying, that’s what happened in the First Change, it was a time when instinct won out, where humanity and rationality took a backseat.

She knew that but the burning pain on her shoulder, the ache in her body everytime she breathed didn’t make her feel forgiving, so Mey continued looking at him until he stood squirming at the door. The brown envelop crackled again.

She frowned at it. “What’s that?”

Connor’s shoulders tensed at the hoarseness of her voice; her throat was sore as if she had used up all her voice that night.

Screaming.

He still couldn’t meet her eyes but he lifted the envelope and waved it in front of him. “My x-rays.” He lifted his head for a second to look at her and Mey caught the flash of amber in his usually solid brown eyes. That spot in her neck burned at the sight of it. It had never done that around Connor before. 

“You’re hurt?” A pinch of worry came out of her voice. She could hear it and she hoped that Connor could too. She was angry at him--and herself. 

That didn't mean that he stopped being her bestfriend. 

Amber flashed in his eyes, made even more startling at the dark color of his skin, before he looked down at his shoes again. “No, it’s just customary to get one after...after.” 

His voice was deeper, Mey thought, and although there wasn’t much of a change that she could see, there were a lot that she could feel. Her parents were right, he made a strong wolf. She could feel his wolf prowling inside his skin, restless and so very alive. Her skin burst in goosebumps at the sheer presence of his wolf.

A phone rang from outside her room and Connor flinched. 

“They allowed you to go out already?” It’s only been 3 days since that night, since they found her bleeding on the floor and Connor growling and howling and scrabbling for her.

His throat worked. “I’m not alone.” He shrugged. “Your parents are outside with mine. They know I’m here.”

Mey looked behind him but saw no one. And she was impressed that they were allowing him to be alone with her at all after how they had reacted when she first woke up in the hospital.

“Do—do you want to see?”

Mey blinked. “I think I saw too much all ready.”

His face darkened. “I mean the x-ray not my—not that.”

There was guilt in his voice and anger. And most of all there was shame.

She tried to sit up but her body wouldn’t let her and he finally looked at her when he heard her sucked in a pained breath. He was halfway into the room when he stopped then stood like he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Mey waved a hand at him. “Help me up.”

His shoulders relaxed and the tightness around his mouth softened as he stepped beside the hospital bed. It was awkward because the bed was quite high but Connor managed to pick her up easily. His hold was gentle on her waist but he held his body as far away as he could while still be able to touch her.

“What? Do I smell bad?” The question popped out suddenly, it was one of those weird fears that she had around the pack. 

A small smile appeared on his face before it fell into serious lines once again. “Of course not, it’s just—“

“You think that I’m afraid of you now?”

He pulled away his hands from her waist but she kept hers on his shoulders and he couldn’t move without hurting her so he didn’t. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.” She felt him flinch. “But that’s normal, isn’t it? Considering.”

“I don’t want you to be afraid of me.” His words tumbled out of his mouth and clashed against each other.

“You bit me, Connor.”

He tried to move again but Mey gripped his shoulders tightly, her fingers digging into his skin. Pain blossomed on her shoulder but she ignored it.

“You bit me. You hurt me.”

His face crumpled and a soft sob tore from his chest and his hands were on her waist to push her away but she pulled him down and wrapped her uninjured hand around his neck.

“This scar that I will have for the rest of my life, that’s on you.”

“I know. You don’t have to tell me.” He snarled as he stood unmoving in her arms. “I wasn’t—it was the wolf, Mey. I would never hurt you.”

“You are the wolf, Connor.”

His breath rasped and flecks of amber rose up in the dark of his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry. I wasn't trying to make excuses--"

“You hurt me.” She continued, ignoring the trembling of his body against hers. “And I hurt you.”

He had stopped breathing. “What?”

Mey pulled away from him and cut her eyes to the door. Connor looked over his shoulder and shook his head. “They’re gone to get some coffee or something.”

When he looked back at her, her eyes were intense. “Connor, do you remember what happen?”

“I remember pain and more pain. And you.” Sweat beaded his temple as his mind went to that night. “There was blood and you were saying my name.”

“And?”

His eyes bled amber. “And you did something to me.”

Mey stared straight to his eyes as he searched her face.

“You did, didn’t you? That’s why I Changed so fast. No one had ever Changed that fast. A month maybe. Not in a few days.”

“You’re a strong wolf.”

“Not that strong.” Connor sat on the bed, forgetting his anxiety in his curiosity. “What did you do?”

Mey thought hard about what her parents had told her but the chance to finally share what she could do—especially with this kind of result—was hard to refuse. “It’s just something I can do. I can help people Change easier.”

“I’ve never heard—how—then why did it take so long for you to help me?” Hurt dripped from his voice.

“Because it’s a secret. Mom and dad told me not to.”

“But why?”

She pointed to her shoulder.

He blinked and offered her a sheepish and guilty grin. “Oh. Right.”

“I think they’re afraid that it would put me in this exact situation. I mean, you know me and I still get hurt. What if someone else asks me—“

Connor shook his head. “No. Your mom and dad are right. This should be a secret.”

“You won’t tell? Not even your parents.”

He gripped her hands. “I won’t.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Mey stared at his face until she found what she was looking for. She relaxed and leaned back. “Okay.”

He peered at her from behind his crazy curls. “So, you forgive me?”

“If you forgive me.”

Connor grinned. And just like that Mey grinned back.

When the parents came back to the room they found Connor sharing the bed with Mey, their heads together as he pointed out all the breaks and healing marks on his x-ray.

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Song of the Day

Kai 


Passenger-Let Her Go


Well, you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
'Cause you loved her too much
And you dived too deep

Well, you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go