A warm welcome to author Victoria Sue joining us today to talk about her new release “Beneath This Mask”, book 3 in the Enhanced World series.

Victoria shares an exclusive excerpt and brought with her a giveaway for our readers!

Welcome Victoria 🙂

Beneath This Mask – blurb

Gael Peterson has spent years hiding behind the enhanced abilities he wears like a mask, even though he is an important, confident member of the FBI’s exclusive H.E.R.O. team. The hurt and betrayal of his mom’s abandonment and his father’s fists are secrets buried deep beneath the ugly scars on his face, and he doesn’t trust Jake, his new regular human partner, with any of them. In a world where those with special abilities like Gael’s are regarded as freaks and monsters, it won’t be easy for him to rely on Jake to have his back, especially when the abilities of a vulnerable, enhanced, nonspeaking child make that child a murder suspect.

Tempers rise and loyalties are challenged, and when the serial killer targeting the enhanced finally sets his sights on Gael, not only will Gael have to trust Jake with his secrets, he might have to trust him to save his life.

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Gael scrubbed a hand over his tired eyes and walked to the door.

“Gael?” Talon said. “I need five minutes before you go.”

Gael shrugged and sat back down as the rest of the team filed out. He was exhausted, but it would be good to talk to Talon before this went any further. He felt Jake’s eyes on him as he walked past but resisted the urge to look up. Finn shut the door behind him, and Gael focused on Talon.

“What’s up? I told you my latest tests were clear.”

Talon raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want to discuss your medical, Gael.” He sighed. “How are you and Jake getting on?”

Gael sagged in his seat. “I actually wanted to talk with you about that.”

“What do you know about him?” Talon countered, and suddenly Gael was irritated.

“I’d know a lot more if I could see his file.”

When Finn had started a few months ago, all the team had seen his file, but only Talon and Gregory knew what was in Jake’s.

“You know the decision was made to keep personnel files private to superiors only. Like the rest of the bureau,” Talon replied evenly.

Gael nodded. He knew, and he had agreed. But the team was built on trust, and he simply didn’t trust Jake.

“So I’m asking, in six weeks what have you found out?”

Gael looked uncomfortable.

“Gael, buddy. What’s his favorite color? Drink? Food?”

“I’m working with him, not living with him,” Gael snapped, feeling every throb behind his temples. “And don’t give me that. We don’t all get fringe benefits from having a partner, you know.” Talon’s smile vanished, and Gael knew he’d gone too far. He put his hand on Talon’s arm. “I’m sorry. That was a dick thing to say. I’m just tired.”

Talon regarded him steadily. “You’re not sleeping.”

Gael shrugged. He hadn’t told Talon about the latest episode in his fucked-up family saga yet.

Talon blew a deep breath out. “Gael, you have to let go of him being ex-ENu.”

Gael swallowed. “I know,” he said quietly.

They’d first met Jake a few weeks ago when he was in the Human Enhanced Unit, a special SWAT-type human police force that had the power to sedate and forcibly detain any enhanced considered a threat. All the team disliked them, but Gael had his own personal reasons for hating them even more.

“Jake is decent. He stuck up for us with his team when he didn’t have to, and Gregory likes him. We all fought against this, but you know the only way they are going to let this unit exist is if we all get regular human partners. We’ve wanted this for years, Gael. I don’t need to tell you all this.” Talon grinned. “They’ve got Vance’s partner picked out, but he’s on assignment, so he won’t be free for a while yet.”

Gael looked at the evil grin on Talon’s face. He knew something.

“You look like shit,” Talon said.

Gael didn’t respond to that. Talon knew the usual demons that kept him awake. He just hadn’t shared the latest one. “Talon, you know why partnering me and Jake together is a bad idea.” He squinted at his best friend. “Vance likes him. Why can’t he have him?”

“Because someone else is earmarked for Vance,” Talon repeated, like Gael was slow.

“But he’s not here, you said. I don’t see why Vance and Jake can’t team up now.”

“Gael, people are starting to notice. You’ve gone from the most reasonable guy on the team to the most closed off. You’re my voice of reason, buddy. Always. I’ve heard more from Eli in the last week than you.”

Gael swallowed. “You know why.”

“Do I?” Talon shot back. “I know something’s going on with you—something you’re not telling me. What was the course like?”

Gael tightened his jaw with the effort of holding back the sarcasm. It had been shit. “It was like high school,” he admitted.

Talon was silent a minute. “Let me guess: you were supposed to pair up?”

Unreasonable anger surged through Gael. It was pathetic. Like the last kid in the line who’s never picked for the team.

“I’m guessing they were surprised?”

Gael had been the first in their unit to get a course. No, that wasn’t strictly true, because Finn had taken them, but Finn didn’t have a scar. He was more a celebrity than something to be feared. “I had one douchebag who actually asked the instructor if I was safe with a gun.”

“Well, that’s completely understandable,” Talon deadpanned.

And then suddenly Gael was laughing. He was adequate with a weapon, but that was it. Finn was a ton more accurate than he was.

Gael sobered quickly. The explanation of why he had been in a funk was on the tip of his tongue, but talking about it made it real, and he wasn’t ready to go there yet.

“I know there’s something else,” Talon pressed, but Gael sighed and avoided Talon’s gaze. “Fair enough, but if things are difficult, that’s just the sort of time you need a partner.” Gael’s nostrils flared and he barely managed to keep his mouth closed.

Talon walked to the door, signaling their talk was over. “I’m going to let you sort this on your own for now, but team evaluations are approaching, and we need this settled before I get the head-shrinkers in here.” He paused. “If you really don’t think this is gonna work, there might be someone else.” Gael looked up hopefully, and Talon stilled with his hand on the door handle. “Let me see what I can sort out, but I want you to go with him to Port Tampa tomorrow.”

Gael forced a smile, but he knew Talon wasn’t buying it either.

 

Victoria Sue… Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but managed to dream up quite a few heroes. Loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—especially with a paranormal twist—but always with a happy ending. Is an English northern lass currently serving twenty to life in Florida—unfortunately, she spends more time chained to her computer than on a beach. Loves to hear from her readers and can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.

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