The Strength of His Heart (Enhanced #4) by Victoria Sue

Dreanspinner Press
Cover Art: Jay Aheer

Release Date: December 11, 2018

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Victoria Sue here today on tour with her latest Enhanced novel, The Strength of his Heart. She has brought along a excerpt for all our readers and a giveaway to enter at the end of the blog.  Happy Reading!

Blurb

To protect and serve…. All Vance Connelly ever wanted to do was continue his family’s tradition and join the Tampa Police Department, but his dreams were crushed the day he woke with the enhanced mark on his face. After years of struggling to adjust to life as an enhanced human, by a stroke of luck, he met Talon Valdez and became a proud member of the FBI’s Human Enhanced Rescue Organization.

Samuel “Angel” Piper is eager to leave his DEA undercover work behind as he joins the HERO team as Vance’s regular human partner. But Sam’s painful past is ever present, just below the surface of the life he has built for himself as an ambitious young agent. When the team investigates rumors of a new drug using enhanced blood, the case’s mysterious connection to Sam threatens not just his life but Vance’s.

Trust doesn’t come easy for Sam, but Vance is willing to fight to convince his partner that the strength of his heart might be the salvation they both need.

Excerpt

“Sam?”

Vance paused at the same time as Sam did when Buchanan called. He stood, wondering if he ought to leave them to it. He looked at Sam, but Sam was focused on Buchanan. “I’ll just—”

“Sam. Sorry, do you have a minute?” Buchanan asked, glancing awkwardly at Vance.

“I’ll see you upstairs,” Sam said apologetically.

“Sure.” Vance turned and walked the few steps to the elevator. The trouble was he had to wait for it and his hearing was exceptional. Okay, so maybe he could take the stairs, but his feet seemed as reluctant as the rest of him. He was recovering from a serious injury….

“I have to go get my medical done,” Sam started to explain.

“Sam,” Buchanan interrupted. “I just wanted to give you some news. I’ve been authorized to head up a special task force to look into the illegal distribution of new synthesized drugs. Most of the problems, as you know, are because by the time we find out about them, people have already died.”

Vance didn’t look up, even though he doubted they realized he could hear them.

Sam nodded. “That’s pretty exciting.”

“And not just agents. Scientists—Kenton, in particular—are on board. We have the financing already in place, and”—his voice dropped lower—“they’re talking about a domestic FAST team.”

Vance counted five seconds before he heard the “Wow” from Sam.

“Thing is, Sam, I’ve been given carte blanche in hiring. One of the requirements is being able to establish intelligence resources. You know how much you’ve impressed people with how quickly you’ve accessed information.”

Vance didn’t need to be enhanced to know what was coming next.

“And I really want you with me. We’re talking at least a three-grade pay jump and the ability to work in a small team with less bureaucracy than the FBI. You don’t have to decide now,” Buchanan added before Sam said anything. “We need to wrap this up first, but then….”

“I can’t say I’m not flattered,” Sam started, but Vance didn’t hear a denial.

“I know you wanted out of the DEA, Sam, and I remember you telling me you needed to give this posting at least two years. You always were focused on your career, but trust me. Commit to my new unit for five years and they’ll give you whatever job you want afterward.” A door opened. “Look,” Buchanan continued, “I have to go, but you need to give this some serious thought. Five years with this is career springboard material. You could have your choice of cities as well, and there is the potential for overseas work if that’s what you want.”

The elevator doors opened, and Vance stepped in quickly. He turned automatically to the doors as they closed, but Sam’s hand stopped them from shutting completely, and he smiled and got in.

Vance had intended to say lots of things after the meeting.

Give this posting two years.

Comment on what they’d been told.

Posting, like what you got in the military—temporary.

Explain how he thought the science was flawed because they’d always been told no one could reproduce an enhanced ability, and if that was so, why hadn’t Finn or someone downstairs a lot cleverer than him pointed that out?

Choice of cities.

Then he was going to ask Sam if he wanted to stop at the store. Vance wouldn’t go in, but he would pay. He could cook too, and he would. Maybe they could watch a film.

Potential for overseas work.

Maybe Sam would open up, tell him a little about himself. He didn’t know much except Sam had come from Chicago and had no family. Which was sad. Vance couldn’t wait for his mom to get back. She would love Sam.

Except Sam wasn’t staying. The enhanced unit was temporary. Vance was temporary.

About the Author Victoria Sue

Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but never stopped loving her heroes and decided to give them the happy ever afters they fight so hard for.
She loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—and creating a family for them to adore. Thrilled to hear from her readers, she can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.

www.victoriasue.com

@vickysuewrites

https://www.facebook.com/victoriasueauthor

Giveaway

Giveaway:  The author is offering one of her books from her backlist as a giveaway.  You can find them here.  Please leave a comment and an email address where we can contact you if chosen.  Giveaway ends one week from today.