Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Blog Tour: Maria's Match by Astrid Cielo


Sci-Fi Romance
Date Published: 1/21/2013

It was love at first sight...

Silvius fell head over boots in love with the fiesty Latina nurse the first time he saw her, helping keep a battered woman alive.  Having lost everyone he loves to the terrible disease that nearly left their planet extinct, he thinks he has found his mate.  

She was instantly attracted to the alien, and that scared her to death...

Maria shared a blissful and life-changing night with Silvius, losing her heart and gaining the baby now growing within her womb.  But old hurts won't let her stay and accept that Silvius loves her.  So Maria runs-- like she always does.

Little does Maria know that she has finally met her match...

Be advised:  Content intended for persons age 18+.  Contains violence and scenes of a sexual nature (but not at the same time!).


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EXCERPT


Maria pushed the eggs and chorizo around on her plate.  She was hungry, but she didn’t want this to come back up like most mornings.  She was tired of vomiting.  She couldn’t even go to the doctor and get an antiemetic for it because she feared the repercussions.  “Oh, hi doctor.  Yes, I’m pregnant.  Oh no, it’s an alien.”
She laughed at the direction of her thoughts.  She had well and truly lost it.  
“Mija, you need to eat the food, not play with it.”
“I know, abuela, but I don’t want to vomit again.”
“Aye, mija.  Just go to the doctor.”
Maria dropped her fork, its clatter echoing the kitchen causing her abuela to jump.  Her emotions were too close to the edge lately.  She didn’t have control.  Not anymore.  The tears fell down her cheeks and she swiped at them angrily.  Before she didn’t cry at all, but now she cried about anything.  
“I can’t, abuelita.  I’m not sure what they will do to me.  What if something is wrong with the baby?  I can’t even get the pre natal care because I’m scared I’ll go to prison.”
“Well you know that you can’t do without prenatal care, especially since the father is an alien.”
“I know abuela.  But how am I supposed to get that care without going to prison.”
Maria rested her head in her hands and the smell of chorizo and eggs hit her like a slap in the face.  Placing a hand over her mouth, she jumped from the table and ran for the bathroom.  Silvius stepped into the kitchen and caught her by the shoulders.
“What’s wrong, Maria?”
She tried to move around him, but he wouldn’t release her.  He wouldn’t let her go to the sink or trash can.  Then it was too late and Maria could only look up at him in horror after she painted his shirt with her vomit.  She burst into tears at the mess that covered him, sure, that he would hate her now.  Wasn’t that what I was going for?  The thought only made her cry harder.  
Silvius removed his shirt and wiped her mouth with a clean spot before pulling her into his arms.  Maria rested her tear stained cheek against his firm crimson chest.  
“Are you okay?”
His whispered question only made the tears start again.  He didn’t push her away.  He didn’t press her for more information.  He simply held her as she bathed his chest in her tears.  Finally, the crying stopped and she was relieved that she could finally see his face without the sheen of tears to blur her vision.  He regarded her with furrowed brows.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For vomiting on you.”
“No worries about that.  Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.  I can’t quit vomiting.  I was just telling...”
“Yes.  I heard.  You need a doctor, but you haven’t gone to one.”
“Hey! I can’t help that!  I’m carrying an alien’s baby!”
He released her as though she were a hot coal, his nostrils flaring.  She wished she could take it back, take her words back.  She placed a hand over her stomach and rubbed soothing circles over where a baby resided.  Her baby.  His baby.  She sighed.  Sometimes she forgot that it wasn’t just her involved in this fiasco.  He was here, which was more than she could say for some men.
“I’m sorry.  I just don’t know what to do.  I don’t know if it’s a crime.  I mean they’ll never believe that I don’t know anything since I slept with you.  Hell, they’ll think I’m just a whore if I didn’t do it for information.”
Maria gasped when Silvius pinned her against the counter.  He grasped her hair and brought her face to his.  She was awed at the anger she seen reflected in his blue eyes.  
“Is that why?”
“Calm yourself, mijo.”
Maria looked to the side to see her abuela just watching with interest.  Silvius had never been anything but patient with her, but his body didn’t scream patience right now.
“Answer me, Maria!”
She flinched.
“Why what?”
“Is that why you let me make love to you?  For information?”
Maria struggled to get loose from his hold, but he was stronger than she imagined.  How could he think so little of her?  She couldn’t take it anymore.  Maria brought her knee up, kicking him in the thigh beside his groin.  Sure, she could’ve been a bitch and kick him in the family jewels, but she just wanted him to release her.  She hated the feeling of being held so firmly, his face merely inches from hers.  It reminded her too much of the way he would kiss her, his tongue snaking into her mouth to duel with her own.  He didn’t seem to feel her kick to his inner thigh, instead his grip got tighter.
“No!”
He stared into her eyes and Maria squirmed under his intense scrutiny.  He relinquished his almost bruising hold and held her close, his breaths coming in almost pants.  What was this all about?
“The point is I need to see a doctor.  I need prenatal care, Silvius, and I don’t want to become an experiment since this is your baby, too.”
He pulled back and nodded before leaving her with her abuela.  Maria collapsed in the chair.
“Are you okay, mija?”
“Si.”
Have you tried to get to know him, mija?  I know you don’t put much faith into my visions, but I have a good feeling about you two.  All you have to do is trust him.”
“I can’t Abuela.  He’s leaving.”
“Do you really think he’ll leave his baby?”
Wasn’t that what scared her the most?  That he would take her baby and leave her behind.  



Astrid Cielo is a Mississippi girl who enjoys a variety of things. By night, she is a nurse in her local ER, and by day, she is spilling her imagination out on paper.
Astrid began writing when she was a child her stories featuring a variety of characters (including her imaginary friends). When she was in high school she wrote her first completed story and was published twice in poetry anthologies. Gathering her courage, Astrid self-published her first book, Surrender Serenity, Salin's Salvation, Book 1 and enjoyed every minute of it.
Now she balances her time between being a nurse (which she loves) and writing down the scenes that play out in her mind. She also plays World of Warcraft (which all of her friends think is weird)!
Astrid would love to hear from you!


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