Title: SAVED BY HER, A Monster Novel
Author: Michelle Horst
Genre: Standalone Dark Romance
Release Date: November 2, 2015
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26126999-saved-by-her---the-monster-series
Blurb
Jack
I F**K.
That’s all I do, all I’m good for.
People pay thousands just to have a taste of me.
It’s the only life I’ve ever known.
…until her.
River
I work.
That’s all I do, it’s my safe zone.
I get paid well because I’m good at my job.
It’s the only place I feel in control.
…until him.
Authors Note and WARNING: Monster is a work of fiction intended for adult readers above 18. It contains dark and sensitive subject matter that may make readers uncomfortable.
Contains explicit language and descriptions of sexual situations.
Purchase Links
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Hlz7Kd
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1MAFNMk
About the Author
Michelle Horst is thirty seven years old and is from South Africa.
She's been in love with reading from an early age. She has a passion for all things books, but she has an ultimate soft spot for nature and animals.
She first tried her hand at writing in early 2009 and as the first words started to form into a book, she knew she was hooked. Dreams spilled onto pages, and that was the beginning of a wonderful journey.
One filled with joy. One filled with passion and heart stopping moments.
But most of all, it's filled with such pride and peace as a story comes to life, and characters fill your life, living in the very walls of your mind, living in the minds of your readers. There is nothing as satisfying as that.
Thank you for each and every story you share with me.
Connect with Michelle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichelleHorst?fref=ts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5242987.Michelle_Horst
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleAHorst
Website: https://michellehorstauthor.wordpress.com
Giveaway
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Prologue
Jack~
(Eight years old…)
I wipe angrily at the tears blurring my sight. I want to see Momma’s smile. Desperation and fear squeeze my heart until it hurts.
“Jack,” Momma says on a heavy breath. I can see it’s hard for her to breathe. Her one swollen eye opens a little. The other one is swollen shut. It looks like it hurts!
I quickly rinse the cloth and try to wipe some of the blood dribbling from the corner of her mouth.
Her head falls to the side and I can see a sliver of green peeking from her swollen eye.
“I’m here, Momma.” My voice is thick with tears. I gently pat her hair, the same way she always pats mine when I’ve hurt myself. I wish I could hug her, but I’m scared I’ll hurt her.
“Promise … me, Jack,” she whispers.
“Anything, Momma,” I say quickly. I’ll do anything to see her smile. My momma has the prettiest smile. It always makes me feel safe.
“Promise … you’ll … look after … David.” Her breaths wheeze in and out, making whistling sounds.
“I promise, Momma.” Her mouth twitches as if she’s trying to smile so I quickly add, “I’ll look after David.”
The words work and a smile pulls at her bloody mouth.
She keeps smiling for a long time, while I sit by her wiping the blood from her face and arms. As long as Momma smiles, everything will be okay.
I must have fallen asleep next to Momma because as the door slams open, I’m woken with a fright. I quickly turn around and see him walk toward us. He always looks angry. He stops next to me where I’m kneeling on the floor and he looks at Momma. He leans over her and takes hold of her jaw, making her smile disappear. He turns her face the other way, his grip hard.
He lets her go with a shove and then shouts out, “Sven!”
I watch as Sven comes in. Sven and Eduardo are always with my father. I’m scared of them. They look scary and mean.
“Yes, Sir?” Sven asks as he stands by the door, his hands clasped in front of him.
“Go burn the body,” my father says with a dark voice.
I blink a few times as Sven comes toward us and then he picks up Momma and tosses her over his shoulder. My eyes widen and a scream is torn from my throat. “Leave her alone!” I run after Sven and slam my tiny fists into his back. I have to make him stop. “Put Momma back on the bed! She’s sleeping!”
A hand clasps hard around the back of my neck and I’m yanked backwards. “It’s time for you to become a man,” my father growls. He then shoves me forward and I have to jog to keep up with his big steps. We walk out the back door and past the pretty flowers Momma loves so much. She always stops to smell them. We keep walking, further than I’ve ever walked with Momma when we come outside for walks. I see a building, the brown one I’ve never been too.
Sven opens the door and goes inside. As my father shoves me inside, I see Sven throw Momma on the floor. She falls with a loud thud but doesn’t move. My eyes are huge and burning. I have to bite back the tears.
I watch as Sven opens a heavy steel door and then he picks Momma up and puts her in the tiny space. It looks like a huge oven.
I can’t see what Sven does because his big body blocks my view. Suddenly flames jump out of nowhere, all around Momma. I yank away from my father with a loud scream. “Nooo!!” I grab hold of Momma’s foot and start to pull. I have to save Momma!
The flames lick at my hand and it hurts so much, but I don’t let go. A hand grabs hold of my neck and I’m flung backwards, slamming into a hard wall.
My father is huge and scary as he towers over me. He looks at Sven when he says, “It’s time for the boy to start earning his keep. Put him with the other slaves.”
I don’t understand what that means. My eyes fall on Momma and the flames eating at her. I can’t tear my eyes away from her. My eyes burn from the fire. My hand burns from the fire. My heart burns because I know that I won’t see Momma’s smile again.
Everything burns.
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he do that is so special? What makes them special to you?
Jack, my baby. This character made my heart bleed.
Although he’s been a sex slave since the age of nine, Jack is still innocent in so many ways. All he’s known his entire life is slavery.
Jack’s life changes dramatically when River buys him.
Both Jack and River are recovering from their pasts. River is trying to make up for all the wrong her own father done, and Jack is learning how to live.
Watching Jack grow was very emotional. He is a fighter and he’s taught me a lot.
Jack will stay with me for a long time, because of his innocence and strength.
Jack~
Every part of my body throbs with an aching pain. It hurts so much that I can’t sleep. I don’t dare put on any of the clothes Master and Mistress Ryland brought earlier in the evening, it will hurt my raw skin too much.
Sophia managed to put on a light dress. She’s currently sitting on the side of the bed, staring at me. She tilts her head, thinking hard on something.
Growing up with Sophia, I know everything about her. I know she’s lost much more of herself over the years than I have, and that’s saying a lot, seeing as there’s nothing left of me.
I wait, knowing she’s about to speak her mind.
She brings her feet up onto the mattress and folds her arms around her shins, resting her chin on her knees. She keeps her eyes on something outside the window, when she says, “It feels different here. Master and Mistress Ryland seem nice.” She looks at me and smiles. I don’t know how she manages to smile. I just want to die! “I think we’ll be happy here.”
I turn my back to her and grumble, “In order to be happy I actually have to care about life.” I’m done caring. I cared about David and those feeling were used to control me. Caring for someone only makes you vulnerable. I’ll never place myself in such a position again.
I hear someone come into the room and I don’t even bother to see who it is. Something is placed on the table between the two beds and then a soft voice says, “What’s this I hear of you wasting my soup, Son.”
I glance over my shoulder, but the movement only causes me pain. I watch as an elderly lady pulls a chair closer to the bed I’m on.
“My mama always said; waste not, want not,” she goes on talking. Her eyes are a vibrant blue and her hair grey with a purple tinge to it. “Now I’ve brought you another bowl of soup and you’ll eat every last drop. I’ve also brought you some pills for the pain.”
The painkillers get my attention. I struggle into a sitting position, my eyes never leaving the woman. Trust no one and expect anything.
“I’m Miss Ella and that’s what you’ll call me. Don’t even try to call me Miss E, I’m nobody’s missy. My mama gave me the name Ella and I expect you to use it.” She scoops a bit of soup up and then blows on the broth before she brings it to my lips. The action reminds me of Momma. She used to do that too, so I wouldn’t burn my mouth.
I take a few bites before Miss Ella asks, “What’s your name, Son?”
I don’t answer her. I don’t want to be here and I don’t want to get friendly with anyone.
Sophia clears her throat, “His name is Jack.”
Miss Ella smiles at Sophia. “Thank you, dear, and you are?”
“I’m Sophia.”
Miss Ella feeds me until the bowl is empty and my stomach full. I want to cry with relief when she places the painkillers in my mouth. I quickly swallow them down with some water.
“My room is the one right by the stairs. If the pain gets to be too much come wake me.” She gathers the dishes and then gives me and Sophia each a pointed look. “You need to eat all your food so your bodies can heal. There’s a lot of work to be done. Everyone works here to earn their keep.” An icy ripple spreads down my spine. Miss Ella looks at Sophia. “As soon as you’re up to it you can help me in the kitchen.” And then she looks at me. “River says you’ve been born with a green thumb. That’s a good thing because no one around here likes to garden, and I’m too old to be playing with flowers. We can do with some color around here, so as soon as you’re better you can fix the gardens up nicely.”
She looks pleased with herself. “Now get a good night’s rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”
I can go on gardening here? Miss Ella said nothing about sex. Come to think of it neither did Mistress and Master Ryland. That doesn’t mean anything! As soon as we’re better they’ll put us to work. After all, Miss Ella said we have to earn our keep.
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