My name is Calla Price. I'm eighteen years old, and I'm one half of a whole. My other half—my twin brother, my Finn—is crazy. I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I'm terrified he'll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me. I'm doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I'm drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline. Dare DuBray. He's my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I'm afraid, where I belong, where I'm lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me. He has the power to destroy me. Maybe that's ok. Because I can't seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt. Why? Because of a secret. A secret I'm so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming. You won't either.

The truth shall set you free. My name is Calla Price and I’m drowning. My new world is a dark, dark ocean and I’m being pulled under by secrets. Can I trust anyone? I don’t know anymore. The lies are spirals. They twist and turn, binding me with their thorns and serpentine tongues. And just when I think I have it figured out, everything is pulled out from under me. I’m entangled in the darkness. But the truth will set me free. It’s just ahead of me, so close I can touch it. But even though it shines and glimmers, it has glistening fangs and I know it will shred me. Are you scared? I am.

I never knew what the consequences would be. I say that like it’s a defense, an excuse. It’s not. It’s simply the truth. I never knew what he would become to me. Through everything, he’s become everything. My rock, my air, my love. My everything. And then…. Things changed. Because it was wrong. Because sometimes, our sons must pay for the sins of their fathers. Or their mothers. I’m afraid that I’m lost, that I’m damned. After you read this, you’ll probably agree. Really, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I save him. Because he shouldn’t pay for my sin. Judge me if you like. But keep reading. This is our beginning. This is where the darkness truly starts. \\\\ This is a NOCTE Trilogy novella, with a preview of LUX at the end. Series reading order: Nocte Verum Initium Lux

LET THERE BE LIGHT. My name is Calla Price and I’m broken. My pieces are all around me, floating on the wind, even as I desperately try to grasp them. Who is dead? Alive? Insane? What is the truth? I don’t know. I do know this: The darkness is strangling me. With every breath, I choke on another lie. My mind has protected me, but that shield will soon be lowered. All will be revealed. Every answer to every question. It’s all been leading to this. Don’t be afraid. Be terrified.

They say she’s crazy. She’s not. They don’t know the truth. She does. The problem is, she doesn’t always remember it. But I do. My name is Dare DuBray. I’m in love with a girl who is is erratic and beautiful, and a little bit mad. But that’s ok. We’re all a little mad, aren’t we? \\\\\\ Dear Reader, If you know me, then you know that I love a complicated dark story, full of twists and turns and angst. That’s what I spend most of my time writing, so much so, that my own mind bends and tires. Sometimes, I get the urge to just write something fun, short and sexy. So I decided to start the Hot Shot series. This is a series of Standalone novellas, that are just pure sexiness. The perfect length to take to the pool or for a train-ride home from work. They are not deep, they are not complicated. Sometimes, they are completely stand-alone, sometimes, they will feature a character from one of my novels. But no matter what, they are not long, they are not drawn-out. They are to the point. They are yummy. They are small shots of dirty happiness, written just for you. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them! XO, Courtney