BIR2010: Laura Kreitzer- Shadow of the Sun:Andrew POV/giveaway

BIR2010

Welcome to back to the BEST I'VE READ 2010! BIR2010 will run from December 6th through December 14th. This will be a annual event and this year its compromised of 9 blogs. Each day each blog will have multiple post and giveaways happening each day until its over. Then on the last day there will also be a Grand Prize Giveaway on the BIR2010 Blog.

To keep with today's awesomeness, I bring you a Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer. Laura took time in her busy writing scheduled to write for you all a scene in Shadow of the sun but from Andrew's POV instead. This is Andrew and Gabriela first kiss, that takes place after they escape from the government's underground lab where they have put the Angels behind glass cells. So like Laura told me, don't drool to much. ENJOY! 

Andrew's POV:

      Ehno’s mind was a wild cacophony of images of the future and the past. He was in awe of the woman who stood before me as the bruises on her arms melted away to leave fresh, beautiful skin. She gave a tiny gasp at the sight. This woman—Gabriella—would be our savior. The Illuminator in all of her glory, yet here she stood so unsure of herself. If only she could see how powerful she would eventually become—how powerful she already was. The glass between us and Ehno began to glow an electrical blue, along with her skin, when she placed her shaky palms on the surface.

     She has no idea, Ehno thought to me right as the glass exploded out and tiny shards clattered down around us like a hail storm. I had no time to protect Gabriella, but she was in such a daze she didn’t seem to notice the cuts from the glass across her skin, dripping their golden blood. Her Angelic blood.

    Wow! What power. And look . . . she’s oblivious to her strength. It’s quite endearing, Ehno continued in his mind as he stepped over the broken glass, his red eyes wide and smile broad.

     I took a step forward to see a deep cut where a large shard of glass had embedded itself into her arm. She seemed as if in a daze and I was unsure how to help her. With no preamble, she yanked the glass free as we all watched her skin heal rapidly. I could hear her heart’s erratic pulse speed up.

    “It’s true then? You really are an Angel,” Ehno breathed in wonder, winking at me.

    Of course she’s an Angel, I thought and made sure Ehno could hear it loud and clear. She’s the Illuminator.

    An image he had seen a million times before came back to him. This time it finally made sense, to him and me. It was the back of a woman who stood before the army of Angels that would finally bring all this madness to an end. It wasn’t until now that we realized that Gabriella was the woman in that image—our Illuminator. “You’ll become very powerful.” Ehno absentmindedly nodded at the thought.

    Gabriella turned quickly and stopped herself before she ran into me. I was frozen, my eyes glued to Ehno’s as I saw the uprising this one tiny woman would create. There was also an absence of the Ladies of Light—she even outshone them.

    “Hurry.” I glanced down at her and then back to Ehno. “While the power is out we might be able to break free of this place. Ehno can’t quite see the outcome yet.” Because he’s too busy focusing on a future farther away, I added mentally, scolding him.

     Ehno shook his head and pulled himself out of the future, both of us following behind Gabriella as she placed her fingers on the glass of Lucia’s prison cell. She stared at our reflections in the glass, her green eyes pleading with me in particular.

      “What’s wrong?” I asked Gabriella worriedly.

     Her shoulders tensed and then relaxed, then tensed and relaxed again. Her fingertips grew white upon the glass as she pressed even harder against it. “There’s no electricity,” she finally admitted rather angrily.

     It can’t be. Ehno looked at me questioningly.

     What? We really don’t have time for this!

     You have feelings for her—don’t deny it, Ehno thought.

     I wouldn’t. What’s that have to do with anything? I was growing tense.

     She needs you—you’re her kindred soul. Without you . . . He trailed off.

     It’s not possible! I thought angrily and then said, “The clock is ticking!” If I kiss her and her powers don’t work then it’s not true, I added mentally. Though, I wanted it to be. It would explain the connection I have with her—it was beyond anything I had ever felt in my entire life. She consumed my every thought, but for me, of all people, to be the Illuminator’s kindred soul . . . it was impossible.

     Ehno’s eyebrows shot up. “That might work!” Pucker up!

     Gabriella pivoted around with impatience and slight aggravation. She could tell we were talking silently to each other. “What might work?”

     We both glanced down at Gabriella then I looked back to Ehno. If I get slapped for this, you will regret it.

     He was about to think a snappy retort, but I didn’t give him time as I turned to Gabriella and brought myself down to her lips. Right before they touched I froze. What if she really was my kindred soul? This kiss should be special—should mean something beyond a means to an end.

     Her warm breath tickled my lips as it grew more rapid, along with her speeding heart. If it weren’t true, this would break my heart. She took a step back until she was pressed up against the glass, everything on the outside disappearing from around us. Even if I wasn’t meant for her, I’d make this kiss worth it.

     Gabriella’s chest heaved as her breaths became shallower and her green eyes stared holes into my soul. Then she closed her eyes and I removed the distance between our lips, feeling the electricity in her envelope me as I met her soft lips. It made me weak in the knees so I put my arms on either side of her head for support. She didn’t push away, didn’t slap me. She must have felt it too, then: the connection we have. Her lips responded to mine, moving so gently and sweetly against mine. My heart almost exploded at this moment. She was mine after all.

     She tasted and smelled like vanilla, but what was most important was the electricity that was expanding within her. Within me. Making every part of my body crave her, my heart reach out to her, and my very soul beg to unite with hers. It was intense, real, and absolute. There was no denying we were meant for each other, and though I didn’t want to break free, she needed to use her growing electricity to break the glass for Lucia. But each time I tried—a feat on its own—she would move with me, refusing to break the connection. And how could I say no? I didn’t want to. So I gave up and only pushed her up against the glass, unable to control myself. I removed my hands from the glass and let my fingers get lost in her long, soft hair, and roam across the soft skin of her cheeks. The electricity was beginning to crackle and though Ehno was growing impatient with us, I pushed him from my mind.

     Gabriella was embarrassed by the sound, but I wasn’t. Her thoughts let me know she felt the same way I did. I was hers, she was mine. There was no reason for shame. I reached behind her back for her sparking fingers and all their power, then I placed her palms against the glass. It was hard enough to concentrate with her lips desperately moving against mine, her tongue ever so lightly touching my bottom lip. I only pushed up against her more, wanting nothing more than to keep this connection going. I kissed her back with ferocity, love, strength, everything within my soul. That’s what did it—that glass finally exploded out, though Gabriella was obliviously melting into my kiss, so I snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to my body so she wouldn’t fall backward.

     Bowed in my arms, our hearts beating against each other, she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck and became just as eager as me. Electricity was arching between us as I could feel her power entering into every part of my body and soul, leaving no part untouched.

     Joseph cleared his throat and we both pulled apart, the spell breaking. We stared at each other, her green eyes feverish; a tint of red rimmed the green. Lust and love—that was what it meant. Yet what she showed me was only a fraction of what she held inside. I had to pull my mind from it quickly before my own eyes turned completely red.

      “I’m sorry. . . .” I looked down, afraid it was too late.

      “Don’t be,” she breathed.

     Really, I wasn’t. 

There you have it! How awesome was that. Thank you Laura for giving us a taste of Andrew. Lets here those comments.

Shadow of the Sun

Author: Laura Kreitzer

Publisher: iUniverse

Released: February 22nd, 2010

Laura Kreizter Website

Summary: Gabriella, who is a doctor in charge of paranormal investigations at an influential government lab. A sudden delivery to her lab reveals the possibility that angels actually exist and she must use her skills in both science and discernment to decide if the previously thought of science fiction is a reality.

To Enter:

• We loved for you to follow our blog
• Fill out the FORM
• Giveaway is signed ARC of Shadow of the Sun- US only 
• We ask that you help spread the word of course
• Stop by all the blogs in this event. 

Thank you once again to Laura for the POV post and the giveaway.