Hey, gang. New York Times bestselling author Paige Weaver is visiting us today with an excerpt from her latest novel, Promise Me Light. Take a look, and enjoy!

Promise Me Light

The epic conclusion of New York Times bestselling book “Promise Me Darkness”

“I’m darkness, Maddie. Stay away from men like me. You’ll only get hurt.”

At one time my life was simple. Easy. But that was before the war. Now I was no longer an average college student. I was a survivor. A woman living in a ravaged world. My future was not bright and my life was far from perfect. The war had taken so much from me… but it wasn’t finished yet. It wanted more.

It wanted my heart. My soul. The one person I couldn’t live without.

It wanted Ryder Delaney. My best friend. The bad boy. The one person who could fight like no other and love me like no one else. I watched him walk away one hot summer day and I prayed he would return. I needed him like I needed air to breathe and water to drink. Without him I was lost. A light without her darkness.

Until he returns, I’ll wait for him. And I believe he will return because love is powerful…

And so is the light calling him home.

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The Excerpt

A Flashback

Loud music filled the tattoo parlor. It sounded more like someone screaming than singing. It was late Saturday night and the place was packed with all kinds of interesting characters.

It wasn’t my typical hangout but I was here with Ryder. He was eighteen. I was fifteen. I know – I shouldn’t be in here with him, being underage and all, but Ryder knew the owner so it was okay. At least that is what I kept telling myself.

Cringing, I watched as a tattoo artist touched the needle to Ryder’s skin. The hum of the machine was scary. But whatever.

“Dude, this is going to be cool as shit,” the tattooed man working on Ryder said. I was surprised he could even say one coherent word with all the rings this guy had in his lower lip. And his dark green, spiked hair matched the green in the dragon tattoo wrapped around his neck. I tried not to stare at it but it looked amazing. Kind of hot in a weird, really warped way.

“Cool as shiiiiiit,” the man repeated.

“Yeah, that’s what I was going for,” Ryder said sarcastically, watching as the guy leaned closer to his arm and touched the needle to his skin.

Imagining how much that hurt, I took a step back, bumping into the tray of supplies behind me.

Ryder glanced up, the corner of his mouth lifting. “You okay, Maddie? You’re looking a little pale.”

I gave him a sweet smile, totally fake. “I’m fine, Ryder. Just admiring this guy’s artwork.”

Ryder’s smile got bigger, knowing I was lying. I had argued with him about coming here but he insisted, saying he wanted me with him. I knew it was a bunch of horse manure but I gave in, just like I always did.

An hour ago he had stood on my threshold, full of sadness and anger. Wanting to punch something. Needing to talk. He had another fight with his parents, this time about breaking his hand in a bar fight. I listened as he swore and cussed, hating Gavin for being the perfect son. Hating himself for not being what his parents wanted him to be. When he finally calmed down, he begged me to climb in his truck and go for a ride with him. He wanted a tattoo. Yet another way to rebel.

“You two a couple or something?” the tattoo artist asked, nodding his head toward me but still working.

“Or something,” Ryder’s voice rumbled, his grin slipping a little.

“Too bad, dude. She’s cute,” the man said.

“Yeah, but she’s a spitfire,” Ryder said, his eyes on me.

“Those are the best kind, man. Keeps you on your toes. Never a dull moment. You better snatch her up before someone else does,” the man said, wiping a cloth across Ryder’s skin before lowering the needle back down.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ryder said hoarsely, his eyes darting down my body slowly.

I bit my inner cheek, glancing around the room. We were still surrounded by people, most of them covered in tattoos, but it felt like it was just Ryder and me. Weird. I thought that only happened in books.

The tattoo guru started humming, disappearing in a world of his own that apparently included music that didn’t sound half bad. I was trying to figure out what song it was when Ryder grabbed my attention, motioning me over with a nod of his head.

“Come here,” he said, ignoring the needle marking his arm.

The room was so crowded with people and equipment that I had to squeeze around the chair he sat in. My bare legs brushed against his jean covered knees, sending a new and unusual feeling through me. The room had suddenly become very hot. And why was I sweating?

Wetting my dry lips, I stepped next to Ryder. He watched me, his eyes dropping to my lips for a second.

“Does it hurt?” I asked, pointing to his arm.

“A little,” Ryder admitted, looking down at the needle against his skin.

I watched the tattoo artist for a second, still in shock that Ryder was doing this. His first tattoo and I was here for it.

“Thanks for coming with me,” he said, low enough that only I could hear him. “And thanks for listening to me bitch.”

“That’s what friends are for,” I said, shrugging. I glanced at the tattoo on his arm again. It was raw and red against his tan skin. It looked very painful.

He didn’t say anything for a second, just watched me admire the ink that would be there forever.

“Do you like the tattoo?” he asked, glancing down at his arm.

An intricate design marred his bicep, twisting around him like it were taking over his body.

“It’s perfect,” I said, meaning it. The tattoo didn’t make Ryder look dangerous – he did that all on his own – but it was still pretty cool.

“Good. As long as you like it, that’s all that counts,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Nothing else.”

“Hell, man, the girls are going to go crazy over them,” the man said. “Girls dig the ink, dude.”

“I don’t care,” Ryder said, his eyes glued to me. “Maddie likes them. Maybe I’ll get a hundred more.”

About Paige Weaver

Paige Weaver lives in Texas with her husband and two children. Her love for books became a love for writing at a young age. She wrote her first book as a teenager and continued writing throughout the years. Encouraged by her husband, she finally decided to self-publish. Her debut novel, Promise Me Darkness, was released in April 2013 and quickly became a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. Her second book, Promise Me Light, will be released in September 2013. She is currently working on other novels to be released in 2014.