If home is where the heart is, the warrior Lady Alexin is very far
from home, indeed. Banished from her home in the Elven realm of Eledon
to the mortal world of near future London, and robbed of her magic, she
has no choice but to try and find a place in a world where she doesn’t
fit in. Yet for all their peculiarities, the mortals have not been
unkind; she has a new career as a high fashion runway model, her very
own flat in a posh section of town and a host of opportunities to
socialize with a variety of admirers, including a handsome
Detective Inspector from Scotland Yard.
Yet nothing but her former training as a tracker and assassin could
have prepared her for the discovery that beautiful young Elven women are
being kidnapped and trafficked as slaves into the mortal world by the
notorious Rock Elves, working with the white supremacist 23rd
Infantry–an unholy alliance led by Alex’s old nemesis, Sawgrass. As the
truth unravels her mission is clear–a call from home she cannot allow to
go unanswered, even if it means her life.
Chapter 1
Rejected…angry…confused…depressed…Alex’s
attempt to return home to Eledon to be with her Elf family and friends had
failed and she remained stranded in the mortal world. No, the correct term was
exiled.
Nothing seemed
to improve her mood, not even signing a one-year contract to work as a model
for Suzette, an up-and-coming fashion designer at a London studio.
Suzette
tried to help her state of mind by dragging her to a disco to celebrate a
friend’s birthday. Miranda, Suzette’s former model, was in town for a few days
and invited some close friends to join her celebration. Alex didn’t know her
and wanted to decline, but Suzette insisted. So here they were, staring at the
crowd on the dance floor.
Hundreds,
if not thousands, of bodies gyrated to the rhythm of the same musical
heartbeat. The place oozed with humans and the music was so loud, Alex could
feel her heart pumping in time with the music. Instantly, she felt like she
belonged to the same musical organism that had taken over the dance floor. This
was her first time in a nightclub—it was called the Factory, the newest
hangout in London.
They
stored their winter coats and purses in a room to the side where Alex could
speak to Suzette but she still had to shout over the music. “I thought you said
this party was for close friends of Miranda. There must be thousands of people
here.”
“Oh, you know
how it is, love. One person invites another and another. The next thing you
know, you have this. Come on, let’s join the fun.” She beckoned Alex to the
dance floor.
Alex
didn’t know how to dance to this music, so she copied Suzette’s moves, raising
her hands over her head and wriggling her hips, feeling somewhat silly.
Abruptly, the lighting changed—Suzette’s blue hair stood out like a glowing
lamp and Alex’s white blouse changed to purple.
Alex stopped
and stared while everyone else kept dancing as if nothing had happened. She
didn’t understand the transformation under ultraviolet light but when she
looked over to ask Suzette, she was gone. Alex gasped, worried that someone
might have kidnapped her. Just a few weeks ago, Alex herself had been kidnapped
by a white supremacist group, the 23rd Infantry, in order to lure
Suzette’s father to a warehouse to kill him, just because he was a black man.
Even knowing those men had been captured or killed didn’t stop her from
panicking. She felt protective of Suzette; she was vulnerable, a black woman
standing five-foot-two and a hundred pounds, soaking wet. At six-feet, Alex
looked over the crowd and spotted Suzette’s vibrant hair and her clothes—the
paisley shirt and jeans, now glowing under the light. She breathed a sigh of
relief and headed over.
Without
warning, a male dancer came up to her. He was young, tall, and thin; his white
skin sunburned on his cheeks and nose. He’s cute, Alex thought and
smiled at him. The mirrored disco lights flashed, showing off his light-colored
eyes—blue or green or gray, she wasn’t sure but he winked at her. His blond
hair was cut close to his scalp—the cut was often called high and tight by the
soldiers at the Nyla Army Garrison where she’d been trained, but the top of his
hair was long and fell around his ears. Was he a soldier? Her
brother-in-law Edgar came to mind. He was a professional soldier and referred
to civilians who dressed like soldiers as ‘wannabes.’
As she danced,
she blushed as his eyes focused on her body as if he could see her naked.
Uncomfortable under his stare, she danced around him toward Suzette’s last
location, but he jumped in front of her and stood very close. He grabbed her
waist and rubbed the crotch of his pants against her hips. His eyes closed and
she could feel his arousal intensify. His public display shocked her and she
tried to move away. But he persisted. Not only did this guy ‘wannabe’ a
soldier, but he also wanted to be a sexual object. It reminded her of a film
she saw with Suzette called Magic Mike. She threw her head back and
laughed as she thought of a name for him, ‘Wannabe Willy.’ She shouted at him,
“Back off!” and then resumed her journey.
But Wannabe
Willy came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. He rubbed his crotch
against her buttocks as he shouted in her ear, “Hey, baby doll, I like tall
girls. You turn me on.”
That was the
last thing she wanted to do. She squirmed out of his hold as he slid a card
down the front of her shirt with his right hand. “Call me. We can have a
private party.”
Alex
stiff-armed him in the chest, forcing him back. “I said to back off and I meant
it!”
He laughed and
danced closer as he wriggled his tongue and licked his lips. She kneed him in
the balls and he bent over, covering his private parts with his hands. His eyes
opened wide.
“I said to back
off!” Alex’s jaw clenched tightly as she stood with her hands on her hips.
“Leave me alone!”
He hobbled away
and disappeared into the crowd.
Alex’s anger simmered.
If I was home, my cousin Prince Darin would have sent him to the
Mounds prison for rehabilitation. It was true, but her cousin wasn’t here
and she wasn’t home…unfortunately. If Wannabe Willy ever came back, she’d have
to deal with him on her own terms but she was in no mood for a fight.
Soon, the
rhythmic beat of the music calmed her down. To her relief, no one seemed to
have noticed her situation. She resumed her trek across the dance floor and
finally tracked down Suzette, concluding she wasn’t in any danger.
Alex resumed
dancing, copying moves from others around her. None of them were doing the same
thing, so she improvised. Just as she got into her groove, the lights flicked
on and a deep, male voice came over the speakers, “Time for a break. Be back in
ten. We’ll keep the music going…down low.”
Suzette danced to the subdued music as she
headed to the bar. She picked up two drinks, holding one high for Alex as she
sipped the other. She laughed as Alex wormed her way over to her.
“Thanks.” Alex
took a sip and puckered. “What’s this?”
“It’s called a
Zephyr.”
It was blue and
sweet and cold. Too sweet for Alex. She slid it onto the bar as Suzette headed
to the women’s restroom.
Suzette waved
her on. “Come on, I just saw Miranda go inside. Let’s wish her a happy
birthday.” She danced past the girls standing in the line for the toilets. Near
the sinks, a group of women huddled together to talk and laugh. They were all
beautiful black women, current and former models at the same design studio where
Alex had been hired, the first and only white model to be employed there.
In the middle
of the huddle, Miranda showed off a beautiful diamond necklace. It sparkled
brightly in the light as the girls oo’d and ah’d. Miranda was a bit shorter and
thinner than Alex with beautiful dark skin, even darker than Suzette’s. Her
brown eyes were wide with lashes thickly covered with mascara and sparkling
eyeliner. Over her shoulders was draped a mane of frizzy blond hair and she had
a delicate grace that reminded Alex of her grandmother.
If only I
could be so elegant…Alex
felt a twinge of envy. Her face glistened with sweat and wisps of her long
black hair clung to her neck. With a paper towel, she blotted her face dry. Her
blue eyes, bloodshot and irritated, stared into the mirror where she saw the
blue hair in her ears. She covered them up with her hair. It was the only
feature that made her different from the other people around her and
distinguished her as a Water Elf among the Elves. To her, they stood out like beacons.
How elegant is that?
As Miranda
turned around, Alex got a good look at the necklace. Her eyes widened as she
recognized a Governor’s chain, made by the Elves. A dozen large diamonds were
connected by a gold chain with a piece of honeyed amber and a pendant,
displaying an emblem of sparkling diamonds set on a golden plate. She’d seen
the Elfin governors wear them at a meeting several years ago, each one unique.
How did it
get here? Was this
a sign—a call from home?
Writing fantasy novels is what Joni Parker loves to do. She’s just
completed her third series, “The Admiralty Archives,” a trilogy. Her
first series, “The Seaward Isle Saga,” includes three books and a short
story, while her second, “The Chronicles of Eledon,” has four books. An
award-winning novelist, she’s also branched off into short stories,
joining local authors in an anthology called, “Beyond Tucson: Adventures
in the Multiverse.” Her writing career began after 22 years in the U.S.
Navy and another 7 years in federal civil service. She currently
resides in Tucson, Arizona with her sister.
Joni's Top Ten Favorite Characters in Call
From Home
·
Alex
Dumwalt: The main character. Of course, she’s my favorite. She’s the one who
started all of this. If she hadn’t come around, I probably wouldn’t be writing.
·
Suzette
Teller: Alex’s friend and roommate. At one point in my life, I dreamed of
becoming a fashion designer. It was a dream.
·
Graham
Tyler: Detective Inspector of Scotland Yard. Alex’s love interest but he’s a
cop and a mortal. He’s trying to understand her.
·
Roderick
Knight: Executive VP for SGI, Inc. For several years, I lived in Pensacola,
Florida and there were a lot of good ol’ boys like Roddie who lived there.
·
Teo
Grosso: Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld, manifested into a human being.
This time, he’s Italian. I lived in Italy for several years and loved the
country.
·
Olivia
Richards: Journalist for Sky News. I also thought of becoming a journalist but
the Navy thought I’d make a better photographer. Actually, they were right.
·
Admiral
Teller: Admiral in the British Royal Navy. Alex’s guardian angel in the mortal
world. He’s been a great help to her and she’s helped him as well.
·
Millie
Teller: The Admiral’s wife. Yeah, she’s a little fussy but she loves Alex like
a daughter.
·
Edgar
Winters: Alex’s brother-in-law, a mortal and former Navy SEAL. He reminds me of
my husband.
·
Rosella,
Sea Sprite of Avalon: Most mortals would call her a mermaid and she had been
trapped in the mortal world for centuries. In fact, she was in love with King
Arthur.
·
Mrs.
MacDougall and her dog, Inspector Riley: Okay, I know this is too many for the
list but how can I forget to include a darling little dog and his owner?
Besides, he’s small and she’s a fellow author.
Website: http://www.joni-parker.com
Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7191836.Joni_Parker/blog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParkerJoni
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJoniParker
Cleo Can Tie A Bow: A Rabbit and Fox Story by Sybrina Durant
Publisher: Sybrina Publishing (Sept. 7, 2020)
Category: Children’s Fiction, Parent/Child Activity Books, Picture Books
Tour dates: Feb, 2021
ISBN: 979-8685994844
Available in Print and ebook, 39 pages
