Title: Return
Author: J.A. Huss
Series: I Am Just Junco #5
Publication Date: December 2, 2013
Genre: New adult apocalyptic science fiction
Synopsis:
Three years ago Junco Coot was an insane sniper. Three weeks ago
she was a prisoner being tortured in a morph tank. Three days ago she
was nothing but billions of molecules floating in a sea of darkness.
Today, Junco Coot is the key to saving or ending the world.
Three
years ago Raubtier Aves was the captain of the Avian Military. Three
weeks ago he was trying to forget Junco ever existed. Three days ago he
was given a gift of eternal salvation.
Today, he will give that gift back.
The
Angels are here, the end is coming, the Demons have been released and
Lucan has a past that ties it all together. Seven thousand years of
waiting for revenge is over and there’s just one more question that
needs to be answered?
Who will be there at the end?
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep
you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but
since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science
fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy,
and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).
Add Return by J.A. Huss to your TBR Pile---->Goodreads
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Excerpt:
Junco—The Stag
“Junco?”
Tier whispers next to my ear. “Junco? Ya awake, darlin’?”
I
tuck my head into my chest and whisper, “No,” so softly, even I barely hear it.
His
arm slides underneath me and then pulls me towards him. He lets out the longest
sigh I’ve ever heard and then kisses me on the back of the head. “I love you,
Junco.”
My
chest hitches as the tears build. “No, you don’t. You’re going to leave me.”
He
stays silent and this is when it all becomes real for me. He’s leaving. I’m not
sure where he’s going or how it will happen, but he’s leaving. He’s not
staying, there’s no happy ending for me.
“Junco,
listen—”
“No,”
I say back quickly. “I’m tired of listening to all the bad things people want
to tell me. I’m done listening. I wish I’d never come out of the Pillar. I wish
I was dead. I wish someone would slice me into little bits and make it all go
away. I wish my parents had killed me as a child. I wish I’d just let Matthew
do it on the sniper range. I wish—”
“I
wish I could stay, Junco.”
I
say nothing. It’s the final straw for me. To have Tier admit that he’s leaving
and there’s no way to stop him is the end of my sanity. I pull away from him
and slide over to the wall.
“When
I was a boy I lived in the clutch with Ashur.”
My
interest picks up with this sentence.
“It
was a small clutch, just us.” His chest shakes a little with a small laugh.
“We’re twins, did ya know that?”
“I
could sorta tell. You know, since you actually look almost identical.”
“Yeah,
but not enough to be mistaken for one another, though, right? Not twins like
that. We’re twins in that we’re Lucan’s made sons.”
“What’s
that mean?” I ask with a sniffle to try to get my nose under control.
“We
were engineered by Gib. One of many warriors who are made special. But I was
the one picked out of the womb. Me. Ashur was chosen for something else, I’m
not sure what. He has no idea what I’m doing here, I have no idea what he’s
doing. Lucan makes it that way on purpose, just in case the High Order comes
and tries to see our minds.”
He
stops to let me think about this for a few seconds.
“But
I’ve always known, Junco. I was never lied to, or forced, or asked to give more
than I was willing. I’ve always been willing. This is my one true purpose, to
save Lucan’s life, to end his punishment cycle, and to give this world a second
chance once it’s all said and done. And I never knew that you’d be so… so…
well, lovable. I’ve had”—he stops to think of a word—“girls. I’ve had that, but
I’ve never had anything like you. I never even knew these feelings were
possible. I love my brothers, and I miss Braun so much it hurts me inside to
think about him. So I suppose that’s the closest I’ve come. But when you walked
away from me out there in the mountains, I thought I died, Junco. That’s how
much it hurt to watch you disappear. And then I had this little spark of hope,
for the briefest of moments when Arel said you dissipated Inanna. I thought,
She’s coming back, it’ll be OK.”
I
swallow and then turn to face him. His eyes are a little bit watery and his
mouth is just one long frown. I reach out and touch his lips and then lift my
eyes to meet his. “I’m sorry,” I whisper softly.
“I
know how you feel, Junco. Because that’s how I felt when you left. I understand
that it hurts so much you just want to lie down and die.” He stops again and
his eyes dart back and forth between mine. “But you just have to trust that
Lucan knows what’s best.”
I
turn away angry. “Fuck Lucan. He’s only out for himself. He used me, he’s using
you!” I turn back. “He’s using us, Tier.”
Tier
nods. “Yes, Junco. He is.”
I
whimper a little as the tears build up so fast they are rolling down my cheeks
before I can stop them. “Then why are we doing this?”
“Because
I gave him permission, Junco. He’s planned for this day for thousands of years.
He’s got an end beyond the ending in mind and you just have to have faith.”
“But
that end beyond doesn’t include you?”
Tier
shakes his head. “No, darlin’. It doesn’t.”
“Why?”
I whine. “Why do you do it then?”
“Because
Junco, there are more important things in this universe than me.”
About the Author:
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep
you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but
since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science
fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy,
and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).
She
has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado
State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the
University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado
doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now
she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book
Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.
Find J.A. Huss:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
