Cia

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. There is a lot going on in that story, with more to come, of course! Thanks for reading and commenting.

Ahh... THIS series. I always envisioned 3 parts to the plot that began with the attack on Velaku's father and culminates in the discovery of the psychotic mastermind. I'm not qoing to stop writing in this 'world' though, so never fear, there will be more to come. I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter and series, hillj69!

yay! (I'm assuming beck is neck, lol) I like the descriptions of the rope.

Good job Joe! Thanks for coming up with these Comic and posting it all Lugh. I like this feature!

I'm glad I kept the quality up and you liked it, Darkstar! I was hoping to get a good reaction to this chapter. Thanks for the review!

There's going to be a lot of clean up! I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the review!

Yay! Thanks for the review. I fought hard for this chapter because it's the beginning of the end for the entire series. It has to be 'more'! I'm glad I didn't disappoint.

I do like to do the unexpected. He's not a fighter, or trained in self-defense. A lot of people would have forgotten about something like the knife for that reason, so I wanted to write that in. In a lot of ways, I think it has to be worse for Ellis my way. It's a very personal way to kill someone. I know, I'm evil. Poor characters! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter, Ramon. Thanks for the review!

Yay! I'm glad you liked it. It was a bit of a bear to write, but I am happy with it now. Thanks for the review hun!

LOL. Well I'm sorry it wasn't quite tense enough, but I'm glad you liked it anyway! Thanks for reviewing Daddydavek!

Dav must have recognized my need for escape, but that didn’t stop him from following me. I was leaning on the counter in the bathroom as I stared at the first aid kit, trying to take deep breaths and calm down when he knocked gently on the door. It was disconcerting that I knew my mate was the one behind the wooden door because I could taste him; his musky scent mixed with a spicy cologne layered with a hint of the hospital we had left only hours before. This was not how I had expected to spen

I'm sure quite a few do change their exterior appearance in that way. I suppose I shot straight to surgical or chemical alternatives for someone who identifies as transgendered. Mentally, I would guess that the process for them is much like those of us of 'alternative' sexuality. It's a process of learning who we are and how we want to share that with the world.

Actually look at the latin root of 'trans'. It means opposite, across, or beyond. Essentially, the physical gender is one, but the mental perception of the person's gender is the 'opposite'. A person doesn't have to be transitioning to be transgendered. It simply means their mind and their body aren't in sync. Some transgendered people don't actually want to be physically changed. I'm not transgendered, but I think I understand the issue quite well. Basically, no one can tell anyone else how they feel. If a person tells me they are a guy, they're a guy. If they tell me they're a woman, they're a woman. No one is EVER an it.

What? I'm an angel to my characters! Really! LOL. I'm glad you're getting a sense of the characters and story. Of course nothing is ever quite what it seems. Thanks for the review DaddyDavek

I agree with you Option. Even within the US that comes into play, honestly. Schools in the south and very different from schools in the Pac NW. Small town Kansas versus New York inner city. Metal detectors, public transport versus school buses, football versus baseball (not every state is like Texas where football tends to be KING). I almost never set my stories in a place I don't know. That sort of thing is VERY important to get right.

Interesting story so far. Snickers. Okay, c'mon. You had to know I'd do that! Alright, my opinion since you asked for it. The characters are very solid; you write them exceptionally well. You introduced quite a few, and yet I wasn't confused at all. You made them individuals. That being said, I didn't like Elijah much. He has a LOT of flaws. Being a mom, I really disliked his shoplifting aspect as that drives me crazy in real life. Especially since you said he isn't poor. There's no reason for it. I fan feel sympathy for a kid who is really poor who shoplifts; a well off kid makes me want to grab him by the scruff of the neck and shake him. At least I have an emotion about him, though, right? I'd like to see the story liven up a bit. You laid the groundwork in the first chapter, which is good for a character piece, but it was very staid plot wise. There are a lot of high school/teenage coming of age stories out there. Make yours stand out.

Same ole, same ole. I gave the hubby a card and a box of early easter peeps, his fav, apparently the little birds just taste better. *shudders* ew. Anyway, he opened it, looked at the picture, and then put it back in the envelope. I stared at him in disbelief. I spent a good 15 minutes finding a darn card with a reassuring message of, 'I have always loved you, so many good memories', that didn't make me gag with syrupy sweetness, and he didn't even read it! Needless to say my look had him opening up the card and reading it, his lips moving to prove he read each word. It's good to have the evilest stink eye in the land!!

Yes, search engines are handy though I often use Bing. They have pretty pictures, lol. Readers can be experts too, lol. I had our resident Daddy Q ding me on the speed of my court procedures during Escaping the Pain. I knew I was bending those, but it was still really cool that he'd take the time to point out the flaw so I could fix it if I didn't know better. Sometimes details you don't even think about can trip you up. I once read a story set at the coast in 'Newport, Washington'. The thing is? The author meant Newport, OR. Newport WA is in the desert, not the coast! I was actually so bothered by that I couldn't even finish the story. I've seen readers get irate over their hometowns, it happened just last week in a comment of a story I read. Writing what you know is the easiest way to prevent that, but where is the fun in going the safe route all the time? The editing/beta reader program on GA can actually help authors with that. I know that sat8997 has a list of helpers that detail what they 'know' so to speak, and that helps in pairing up stories/authors with a team to smooth their stories. Posting a topic in the Writer's Corner asking for advice is often helpful too. Mark has fans who offered help, if I recall his blog post correctly and I've often done the same thing here and there when the writers needed information with things like firearms or medical knowledge. I like to learn though; so my advice will always be 3 simple words when someone asks me a question I don't know: Look it up! Often I'm searching along with them, with my insatiable curiosity piqued. LOL

Abuse stories are fairly common. You will really need to make your characters stand out and involve the reader. Use the character's senses. Is pain sharp or dull? Does it throb? Is the tear falling down his face hot? Does he wipe them away with the back of his hand roughly? Swipe them away with a gentle fingertip? How does the cold feel on his skin? Are his hands wet from falling in the snow/ice? At one point in the 2nd bit, where Jeremy is apologizing to Jacob you slip into first person. Some of your other phrasing is a bit awkward, so I would advise you to get a beta reader. A person who can tell you if your story is working or reading properly is invaluable. Your story has possibilities. Make a few adjustments; get some help to polish your writing itself, and it could be really good.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! A lot has happened, but I just keep adding more to the mix, lol. A new chapter will be out soon. Thanks again Aditus!

Don't try to confuse the newbies with your specious allegations! You should know better, Mr. law type man! Welcome Caffled! I hope you find what you are looking for here on GA.

I'm glad you like them. Seral and Ryker are very fun characters to write for me as well! Thanks for reading and commenting Percy!

I'm so glad you have enjoyed it! Yes, you only have so many likes a day. I have close to 900 likes though, so you don't have to use them all on me. Comments are great too!

You always find the key, or the answer, or the button (in this case) as soon as you ask someone. That way they can point at your red face and laugh. Or at least I do, lol!

I've plans working for a plot on Benny's story. I've a lot more research to do first. I'm a big fan of romance and I do like instant connection type stories, though I can't always make it easy on my characters. Okay, so I rarely make it easy on my characters, lol! Thanks for the review; I'm glad you liked it!