Caged Series by Amber Lynn Natusch

"I stood in the middle of the room, unmoving – I barely breathed. My life had just become surreal, impossible, and one enormous lie. I needed to go, to run somewhere, anywhere to beat back the reality that was rapidly closing in around me. The image of him was burned into my retina, flashing over and over again like a warning. He was trapped somewhere between human and decidedly not, and I realized that was my new reality. I was too... more"I stood in the middle of the room, unmoving – I barely breathed. My life had just become surreal, impossible, and one enormous lie. I needed to go, to run somewhere, anywhere to beat back the reality that was rapidly closing in around me. The image of him was burned into my retina, flashing over and over again like a warning. He was trapped somewhere between human and decidedly not, and I realized that was my new reality. I was too." After the death of her parents, Ruby awakens from a lifetime of shadows and finds herself alone, thrust into a world of lies, deceit, betrayal and the supernatural. As her quest for truth continues to come up short, she realizes that maybe some questions really are best left unanswered. When her true identity is finally unveiled, she is forced to choose between two of the mysterious men who continually seem to crop up in her life. She chooses poorly. Now abandoned, Ruby must learn to call on the darkness within to survive, or spend a hellish eternity imprisoned because of it. (Content Advisory: language, mild violence) less

"I cowered away from him, unable to formulate a coherent sentence. Questions ran through my mind though none made it past my lips. I wondered how this could be happening, what he wanted, and what major injustice I'd brought against the universe to bring a fate such as this upon me. Perhaps being born was reason enough." After his near death experience only months earlier, Cooper's behavior is rapidly deteriorating. So what does Ruby do? She adds a new roommate into the mix... more"I cowered away from him, unable to formulate a coherent sentence. Questions ran through my mind though none made it past my lips. I wondered how this could be happening, what he wanted, and what major injustice I'd brought against the universe to bring a fate such as this upon me. Perhaps being born was reason enough." After his near death experience only months earlier, Cooper's behavior is rapidly deteriorating. So what does Ruby do? She adds a new roommate into the mix. When her friend Ronnie is abruptly called away for a family emergency, Ruby takes in Peyta, Ronnie's highly intelligent and overly observant teenage daughter. With an increasingly unstable Cooper in the house, Ruby fears for Peyta's safety. But when Peyta's behaviors become as perplexing as Cooper's, Ruby finds herself juggling a series of lies to ensure their safety as well as her own... Until the lies, and the bodies, start dropping. CONTENT ADVISORY: language, moderately graphic violence less

He left without pause – without looking back. The single connection to normality I had was driving back to Boston, to a life interrupted by the knowledge that legends and lore may not be just that, and left to contemplate what other monsters may be in existence beyond what he’d witnessed that night. I was left to acknowledge that my friend was gone, my partner was lost, and yet another person’s life was damaged because of knowing me. Maybe a cage was exactly where I belonged... moreHe left without pause – without looking back. The single connection to normality I had was driving back to Boston, to a life interrupted by the knowledge that legends and lore may not be just that, and left to contemplate what other monsters may be in existence beyond what he’d witnessed that night. I was left to acknowledge that my friend was gone, my partner was lost, and yet another person’s life was damaged because of knowing me. Maybe a cage was exactly where I belonged. The deaths of three PC brothers have yet to be solved, and Ruby once again finds her head sitting squarely on the chopping block. To make matters worse, a revenge-crazed werewolf keeps hijacking her mind, replaying all the details of his gruesome attacks. As she struggles to navigate her way through this life of supernatural violence, Ruby realizes that the dreams of normal women her age may never become her reality. No white dress. No family of her own. She fears that everything and everyone she knows is in danger — and it’s all because of her. When she finally accepts those fears as fact, Ruby takes drastic measures to ensure the safety of those she loves most… Even if it means forfeiting her own. less

Amazon bestselling series in contemporary fantasy and paranormal romance “I loathed myself for wishing a death of that nature on anyone, and even more so because I still wanted it to happen. My moral fiber was unraveling quickly, and I wondered how long my humanity could withstand the unending trial of values my life had become. With every choice I made, I felt it slipping away. And further down the rabbit hole I fell.” After a three-month reprieve, drama once again lands on Ruby's doorstep... moreAmazon bestselling series in contemporary fantasy and paranormal romance “I loathed myself for wishing a death of that nature on anyone, and even more so because I still wanted it to happen. My moral fiber was unraveling quickly, and I wondered how long my humanity could withstand the unending trial of values my life had become. With every choice I made, I felt it slipping away. And further down the rabbit hole I fell.” After a three-month reprieve, drama once again lands on Ruby's doorstep. Death has returned to Portsmouth, and the murdering of innocent women is back in full swing, signaling the return of a madman-the Rev. But he's getting uncharacteristically sloppy, and that could cause even bigger problems for Ruby, the PC, and werewolves in general. Complicating things even further is the return of another question mark in her life; one that could be equally problematic. As if that weren't enough to deal with, Ruby also finds herself endlessly running interference between the men in her life. Tensions run high as deceit, mistakes, and lies pile up around her, burying her in the inevitability that she can no longer be everything to them both. She is forced to choose one at the risk of losing the other-a necessary evil, which may just prove deadly. less

I thought about watching from afar, hidden by the nearby trees or headstones, so I could avoid the onslaught of grief I was sure to be bombarded with. It was cowardly, but I was certain that when faced with the totality of my own grief, I would crumble under the weight of any extra. He was always so strong both physically and emotionally – I selfishly wished for his strength in that moment... moreI thought about watching from afar, hidden by the nearby trees or headstones, so I could avoid the onslaught of grief I was sure to be bombarded with. It was cowardly, but I was certain that when faced with the totality of my own grief, I would crumble under the weight of any extra. He was always so strong both physically and emotionally – I selfishly wished for his strength in that moment. If I couldn’t be strong, then I would at least be honorable and bear my pain publicly, for all who loved him to see. It was by my actions that he was about to be put six feet under, and I owed it to him to be there. less

Sean has a reputation for brutality, and it is well-deserved. Centuries of inflicting pain and punishment on anything and everything he deemed worthy slowly stole whatever light had been in him when he was born. His angelic nature fell victim to the god of war within him, just as Ares had intended. After an enigmatic encounter, a vision of Ruby comes to Sean and changes all of that. Her piercing blue eyes bear their way into his soul, awakening it as though it had never slept... moreSean has a reputation for brutality, and it is well-deserved. Centuries of inflicting pain and punishment on anything and everything he deemed worthy slowly stole whatever light had been in him when he was born. His angelic nature fell victim to the god of war within him, just as Ares had intended. After an enigmatic encounter, a vision of Ruby comes to Sean and changes all of that. Her piercing blue eyes bear their way into his soul, awakening it as though it had never slept. Struggling against his inner darkness, Sean fights to keep that light from fading again and eventually goes to extremes to ensure that it won't. less

**The sequel to Tarnished, book 5.5 of the Caged series** Reunited at last, Ruby and Scarlet have tried to mend their fractured relationship. But Scarlet’s unwillingness to share what she did during her three week expedition has Ruby frustrated and Sean seething. When Ruby starts to remember events she never witnessed, it becomes clear that Scarlet’s days of secrecy were far more nefarious than she let on... more**The sequel to Tarnished, book 5.5 of the Caged series** Reunited at last, Ruby and Scarlet have tried to mend their fractured relationship. But Scarlet’s unwillingness to share what she did during her three week expedition has Ruby frustrated and Sean seething. When Ruby starts to remember events she never witnessed, it becomes clear that Scarlet’s days of secrecy were far more nefarious than she let on. As though that weren’t enough, an enigmatic note and key entangle Ruby in an off-the-book murder investigation. Detective Alan Beauchamp will stop at nothing to uncover the truth surrounding the death of his mentor. But when he and Ruby attempt to retrieve the evidence necessary to solve the case, they soon find themselves in the killer’s sights. With unknown assailants after her and Scarlet’s dark deeds surfacing, can Ruby survive long enough to find a way out of death’s path, or will events already set in motion lead to her ultimate demise? less

Sequel to STRAYED. (Novella length) Our perceptions create our reality, even when they're wrong. Nobody understands this better than Gavin. Nobody. To most, he is a shadowy agent of chaos. His motives are questionable, his methods bizarre. But his journey is one of both protection and redemption, and his story is yet untold. Until now. The past and present you think you know are about to change. And you’ll never see Ruby, Gavin, or their relationship the same way again.

They’re gone… When Ruby discovers what really happened the night of Alan Beauchamp's murder, one thing becomes very clear: time is running out for the people she loves. As she unravels the web of lies and deceit around her, Ruby reveals an unthinkable truth. One with dire repercussions for all. Can Ruby pull together all the supernatural aspects of her life to foil a diabolical plot, or will she fall victim to an evil unlike any other she has faced?