The
Maddening
Greetings,
I would like to take this chance to tell you about a
phenomenon that happens to the Warrior species in the Nigh World Series known
as the Maddening.
"When the Flash hit, a Warrior only had three
days to bed his mate. If he didn’t, the Warrior in question would be driven
insane by the overwhelming lust that came over him during that three day
period, or as it was usually referred to, the Maddening.
During the Maddening, the Warrior would experience
physical pain when away from his mate. He would lose his senses should she be
injured or touched by any other male.
Warriors tended to stay away from those
in the Maddening or in the first stage of mating while all the Maddening
symptoms lowered to the tolerable level mated Warriors dealt with. The first
stage of mating could last anywhere from three months to a year, depending on
the Warrior. The more the Warrior bedded his mate in that first stage, the easier
it would be for him to handle the symptoms."
So as you can see, Warriors are given three days
from the first time they touch their mate to sleep with her or he is driven
insane with lust and usually must be put down. While young Warriors imagine
what their mate might be like, by the time they are older they begin to dread
that they might feel the Flash. As they age they become more out of touch with
society. Making it harder for them to relate to their mate. It has causes a bit
of a superstition that they avoid those in Maddening to prevent from catching
it.
From an author perspective this is a fun and
frustrating set of rules to write. It means I have to make the romance
(hopefully) pan out in three book days. Not an easy task. At the same time,
maybe I'm just crazy, I like the panic and whirlwind comedic reactions the
Warrior and other characters have.
Happy Reading,
Gretchen
Night World Series
Book 2
Gretchen S. B.
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: Aug 21st, 2015
ISBN: 1515251837
ASIN:
Number of pages: 235
Word Count: 84,500
Cover Artist: Bookin' It Designs
Book Description:
Viking was not sure what to do with himself with Gwen in Montana. That is until his path crosses with Mia's. She is a beautiful sensitive who is being haunted by a strange being Viking has never heard of.
Mia Jones might not have an exciting life as the owner of an independent book store, but she is okay with that. Then she meets Viking and it is as if her life goes tumbling down a rabbit hole.
Excerpt
Viking's heart beat four times its
natural pace. At the same time his breathing stopped. He didn't have it in him
to move. The shock was overwhelming. He hadn't even realized Poet came out from
behind the registers until the other man grabbed his shoulder.
"Viking, Viking?"
It was then he finally turned his head
from where Mia had been moments before. Looking at his third in command he
could see the shock on the other man's face.
"Though you are strange. And your
abilities are far beyond that of a Warrior. I would bet money you just felt the
Flash."
Viking didn't respond. He didn't really
need to. Poet had been around Viking long enough to know his expressions. He
couldn't hide it. And he wasn't sure how to cover it up. He just felt the
Flash. The warning bell that announced to a Warrior he just met his mate. Not
just met his mate but touched her, flesh to flesh.
Viking had been around centuries and now
here she was. Some woman he just happened to come across. He had been
interested in her. Knowing there was something special about her. Could that
have been it? Could he have known she was his mate without touching her? He
blinked several times before turning towards the door again. That couldn't have
been it, could it?
He turned towards Poet. The other man blanked
his face.
"Yes, I did." Just saying it
out loud seemed overwhelming. He didn't know what to do. Where to go. He didn't
know how to find that woman.
Before he realized what he was doing
Viking was out the shop door and looking down the street. He scanned both ways
and jogged to the end of either block. He had no idea how long he stood there
staring but clearly it was long enough for her to get her car and leave.
Cursing himself repeatedly he walked back into the store. Several of the
employees gave him funny looks. He ignored them and headed straight out the
back doors.
There was only one person he could think
of to talk to. Once he exited the back door of the shop. Into the staff only
area he didn't stop his momentum, he ran up the stairs. Taking them several at
a time. He didn't slow until he burst out the door on the top floor. He yanked
out his keys in a jerky motion and unlocked Gwen's apartment. Slamming the door
behind him he went and sat down in her favorite oversized chair. He tried to
calm his pulse and his breathing. He needed to talk to Gwen.
He had never tried to reach her from so far
away before. He wasn't entirely sure if it would work. She was supposed to be
on her honeymoon, as it were, but he knew she would understand why he would call.
"Little
One! Little One can you hear me?" He was yelling it so loud in his head
the only thing louder was his racing heartbeat.
He concentrated on his breathing as he
waited. If he could calm his body down, maybe he would have a better chance of
reaching her.
"Viking?
Viking is that you? What's wrong? What's happened? Is everyone okay?" The worry and
fear in her tone was clear as a bell. It overrode the sleepiness he heard.
Viking took another deep breath before
answering. "Everyone's fine.
Everything is fine. I just. I just needed to talk to you. I needed to hear your
voice."
"What's
happened? Viking you tell me right now or I'm walking out the bedroom door to
find August and making him call over there to tell me what's wrong."
Viking knew that was an empty threat.
Gwen would not stoop to chasing down her husband, who could be doing important
political business just so he would answer her question.
He blew a few random strands of hair
from his face. Gwen could always tell when something was wrong. She'd gotten
good at reading every single one of his micro-expressions in the two decades
they'd been together.
"I felt the
Flash."
He didn't even get out an entire thought before she answered.
"You what?!
Who is she? I'm coming home right now. I will be on the next flight to
Seattle."
This is why Viking loved Gwen so much.
She had such a big heart. She would drop everything if she felt someone needed
her.
"That is
not necessary Little One. She's someone I met paying off the debt to Lucia.
There is no need for you to come home before your proper honeymoon has begun
just to sit with me."
If he was honest with himself there was
nothing Viking wanted more than having the woman he had grown to think of as
his little sister by his side through this trying ordeal.
"Don’t be
ridiculous. I'll be there in the morning. One of you guys are to pick me up
from the airport. I'll text you the flight information as soon as I have
it."
With that last statement he almost
physically felt her disconnect from him. And he knew at that point the argument
was over. He couldn't convince her not to come. Not that he really wanted to.
He would be grateful to see her. He and all the other Warriors missed her
terribly. She meant a lot to a lot of people. He had been eternally grateful when
Cesar agreed to move part of the Warrior government to Washington State so she
could be near the people she loved.
Closing his eyes to the room around him,
Viking concentrated on his breathing. The next few days were going to be
difficult. He had to somehow woo a woman he didn't even know. It had been
longer than he cared to admit since he had been up for such a challenge. He was
going to take the opportunity while his head was still relatively clear to
meditate and relax his body. Hopefully, ward off some of the initial effects of
the Maddening.
When the Flash hit, a Warrior only had
three days to bed his mate. If he didn’t, the Warrior in question would be
driven insane by the overwhelming lust that came over him during that three day
period, or as it was usually referred to, the Maddening.
During the Maddening, the Warrior would
experience physical pain when away from his mate. He would lose his senses
should she be injured or touched by any other male. Warriors tended to stay
away from those in the Maddening or in the first stage of mating while all the
Maddening symptoms lowered to the tolerable level mated Warriors dealt with.
The first stage of mating could last anywhere from three months to a year,
depending on the Warrior. The more the Warrior bedded his mate in that first
stage, the easier it would be for him to handle the symptoms. Viking wasn't
sure how to get a near stranger to sleep with him once, let alone multiple
times over the coming months.
About the Author:
Gretchen is a Seattleite that loves her home. She has a day job as a Program Coordinator a local university. She is a struggling Indie Author, struggling as in she is trying to make her living writing books. She loves to read, write and create characters. As well as knit and binge watch Netflix. She is also on a sporadic book blog and internet radio show with some of her college friends. She currently lives with her husband and their mischievous Rotti mix, who always seems to find something new she shouldn't be chewing on.
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Thank you for having me on your blog!
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