Excerpts from CLOCKING OUT

EXCERPT from "3:33 - Rescue"

Glancing back at the children, she was surprised to see none of them appeared to be aware of O’Bryan’s actions. She widened her smile, cursing herself for leaving their walkies in the car. “Who’s ready to go home now? Detective, would you be so kind as to notify headquarters that we have thirteen very tired and hungry boys and girls who want to come home?”

“We’re not going home,” Bradley Roark intoned in a voice that was nothing remotely human.

A young girl—Amanda Margellis, Alice’s inner voice informed her—took a step closer to her. “You’re not going home either.”

“Why not?” O’Bryan inquired.

“We’re hungry,” a third child within the crowd answered.

“We’re hun-gry! We’re hun-gry!” another child began chanting. The others caught up the chant, until it reverberated inside the hangar.

“WE’RE HUN-GRY! WE’RE HUN-GRY!”

 
 
EXCERPT from "7:77 - Fortune"

The SUV was hit with a hard blow, rocking it on its tires and nearly knocking it over. The driver’s side window blew open and sent bits of glass flying inside. Les threw up his arms to protect his face, when the passenger side window cracked into a mosaic pattern.

Bright headlights flooded them from behind as arms reached inside to grab Les and drag him out of the car. The passenger window caved in when something struck it a second time, and Jace screamed when hands snagged him by the shirt.

“Don’t forget the guy in the back seat!” someone yelled.

 
 
EXCERPT from "11:11 - Mosquitoes"

Feldstar straightened, turned around, and stiffly strode toward them. His face was paper white, his expression one of anger, but his eyes…

His eyes were a dark scarlet red.

Angela gasped, when she felt a tickling sensation on her arm. She automatically swatted it without thinking, and froze at the sight of the remains of a second mosquito on her skin.

Its remains, and a minute smear of blood.

A dark, strange hunger rushed through her, infusing her tissues as her heart sent the infection throughout her system. The disease acted swiftly. Within three heartbeats, her whole body was tainted. Three more, and a desire she’d never believed possible tore into her.