Before the Darkness (Refuge Inc. #1)by Leslie Lee Sanders
M/M Post-Apocalyptic Romance
Self-Published/Indie
Released on July 1, 2012
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 45,000
After an asteroid strikes Earth, a series of violent earthquakes destroy secluded Phoenix and leave survivor Elliot struggling to stay focused in the bleak aftermath. And then he meets fellow survivor Adam. Together, the two search for reliable shelter and other survivors while distant murky clouds fast approach. Their hunt for shelter leads them down an alternate path when they find spray painted symbols directing them to a mysterious place: Refuge Inc.
As ominous clouds slowly shut off all light to their devastated world, they are forced to come to terms with their pasts and their growing attraction for each other.
Neither thought their pasts and personal crises would affect their ability to endure the horrors they're forced to live through. Neither thought they would be drawn so close to one another in the aftermath of an unimaginable catastrophe. By working together, can they continue to survive? Or will the mystery of Refuge Inc. cause diverse expectations and lead them to decisions that further threaten their lives?
WARNING: Contains explicit male-male sexual practices, graphic language, some violence and brief descriptions of the dead.
Excerpt:
"See that dark color on the horizon?" Adam pointed to the east, suddenly looking somber.
"That's a wall of smoke, ash, dust and who knows what else, and it's coming our way."
"What? What do you mean?" A bit of panic began to stir in Elliot's stomach like a bowl of his mother's spicy and overly greasy chili. He'd thought the worst was over.
"Ever heard of impact winter?" Adam's green eyes pierced his and neither moved. "What's headed for us isn't good. We're gonna have to take shelter somewhere and fast before it blocks out all light and it gets so dark we won't be able to tell which way is up. Can't run from it either," he added, as if predicting Elliot's next question. "Been watching it for a couple hours now and it's moving pretty fast."
"What do you mean it's going to get dark?" He knew he looked like a wide-eyed idiot, but he didn't care much about his appearance at the moment.
"Let me put it this way. Once the sun sets we're not gonna see it rise for quite some time. That wall of soot headed our way is so thick it will block out the sun. It will take months, maybe years, for all the crap to fall down."
"Are you sure?" He dipped his eyebrows suspiciously. "How do you know all this?"
"When those assholes finally told us that an asteroid might hit, I went looking for info about anything to do with asteroids hitting Earth and that's what I found out. We need to find some shelter."
Elliot looked at the dark grey horizon. Indeed, the cloud of unnerving darkness grew bigger, wider, closer. His heart dropped, it sank in the pit of his stomach like a ton of concrete rubble. "We're not going to make it, huh?" He gulped, suddenly feeling defeated. Panic. "What's the point in finding shelter when we're not gonna live to see the sun again?"
Adam grabbed his hand, gave it a gentle squeeze and let it loose before Elliot realized it had happened. The friendly squeeze hadn't been part of his imagination. A look of sincerity and concern painted Adam's handsome face. "I was beginning to think the same thing and then I saw you. Like I said, two heads are better than one."
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Amid the Darkness (Refuge Inc. #2)
by Leslie Lee Sanders
M/M Post-Apocalyptic Romance
Self-Published/Indie
Released on December 1, 2012
Heat Level: Sensual
Word Count: 45,000
Blurb:
Weeks after an asteroid strikes Earth, hurling Elliot and Adam into a fight for their survival, the two take shelter in an underground compound known as Refuge Inc. Shaking their past seems impossible as it comes back to haunt them, weakening the foundation of their relationship. Elliot, hung up on guilt over his former actions, tries to right his wrongs which leads him face-to-face with the troubling secrets of the compound. Adam's run-in with the enigmatic prophet makes him question Refuge Inc. and the survivors' future.
Working together to uncover the mysteries of Refuge Inc. not only reveals much about the sunless world beyond the compound walls, but exposes the truth about the compound's occupants … including themselves.
If their haunting pasts continue to dominate, it will steer them directly into a miserable future and their companionship will forever suffer. Either way, they are forced to prepare for the ultimate fight for survival. Can they fight together and make it out on top?
WARNING: Contains graphic language, some violence and brief descriptions of the dead.
Excerpt:
When the heavy, rusted metal door to the compound closed, Adam knew it would be closed for good, trapping him and a couple hundred people underground and away from the devastation on the other side.
The word trapped came to mind only because it perfectly described the claustrophobic feeling that overwhelmed him. He’d thought he’d gotten used to being in such close quarters with so many injured and frightened people. He was wrong. For nearly a month, it never really felt like the salvation he heard on so many people’s tongues.
He made his way through a crowd of people who stood crying, praying and staring at the thick latched door as if they were attending a funeral, mourning the loss of their previous lives. For many, that was exactly what was happening. For others—the women and men in fine clothing who looked as if they harbored every necessity they could ever need—Adam was sure it was the beginning of a new life. The glass half full concept.
The skin on Adam’s arm itched under its cast, but he distracted himself by touching the cold metal door with his good hand, a silent goodbye to the hellish world beyond the barrier, a world so familiar yet altered.
A warm hand on his shoulder stole Adam’s attention. He pivoted to stare into worried brown eyes with eyelashes that fluttered uncontrollability like a small winged insect. He smirked.
"What are you doing?" Elliot glanced over his shoulder repeatedly, paranoid. "These people are gonna go nuts any minute and try to knock that door down all at once. You’re asking to be trampled. Come on."
He allowed Elliot to grab his hand and pull him to the back of the crowd and down the hall which led to Pod 4. The long metal corridor echoed with the sound of their footsteps as they made their way to the large shell shaped area at the end.
"The speakers said we’ll have to get used to our own pods and—"
"I know what the speakers said." Out of the six rooms in the pod, Elliot pulled Adam to the first room on the left and pushed the metal door open. It creaked and whined on its hinges, and echoed back through the corridor. "I’d like to know who’s behind all of these stupid messages before I start obeying them."
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About the Author:
The author of several books of fiction and fiction with spice, Leslie Lee Sanders resides in Queen Creek, Arizona, with her husband and three daughters. She's known for writing erotic romance, mostly in the gay and ménage categories, and recently plunged into writing deep, dark romantic sci-fi with her post-apocalyptic and dystopian series, Refuge Inc.
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