Ashlynne Laynne shares a #Steamy excerpt of Blood Bonds
Please help me welcome Ashlynne Laynne as she shares a steamy excerpt of Blood Bonds.
Blood Bonds Blurb (The Progeny Series #2)
“Forever. For always. For eternity.”
The ties that bind two hearts are powerful. For Ascher Rousseau and Shauna McCutchin, it’s more than just a blood bond. Their union is that of vampire legend. Their love is a predestined prophecy foretold centuries ago.
It’s a week before Ascher and Shauna’s sealing and the couple is making final preparations for their eternity, but Ascher’s ex has other plans. Ursula is hell-bent on revenge—revenge fueled by lover’s scorn and her father’s death—and she begins breeding a fresh army of newborn darklings to do her bidding.
When Ursula finds a new weapon—an ally with the capability to dismantle the Rousseau clan— Ascher and Shauna’s bond is tested and they must stand together against Ursula or lose each other for eternity.
Available Here:
Amazon Kindle US Barnes and Noble Nook Smashwords All Romance E-books
Blood Bonds Steamy Excerpt
“I can remember a time when all I did was to fantasize about how making love to you would be. I dreamed about how your lips would feel on my body, how you’d feel inside of me.” She placed his hand between her legs. “If you need me to take control tonight, I will.” She directed his fingers to her pussy, guiding them inside her wet passage. “Do you feel that Ascher? This is what youdo to me.” She moaned as she wrapped her legs around his waist, threading her fingers into his hair. “Come on, Ascher. Don’t over think this. It’s still just you and me.”
Shaunamolded her impassioned lips to his as her hips moved in sensuous rhythmic circles, slidingher warm wetness along his fingers. Hard kisses on his mouth became softer, more deliberate tongue twirls as her mouth journeyed down his neck causinghis stiffness to poke her stomach. Reaching down, she took him in her hand, swirling her thumb around his swollen crown.
He drew an uneasy breath as a true blaze ignited, sweeping his body, burning him everywhere at once. “Shauna.”
She shook her head at him. “I don’t want to hear it.”
His body quivered, the warmth spreading and making its way to his vision. His fingers delved deep inside of her as she masturbated him into painfully stiff proportions.
Lifting herself off him, she pushed him back, motioning him to lie down. “We’re sealed now,” she whispered against his neck. “That means…” She kissed a slow, teasing trail down his stomach, tracing wet circles into his flushed skin with a stiff tongue. “That I can pleasure you anyway I please. Even this way.”
An involuntary gasp slipped from his lips as he instinctively grabbed a fistful of her hair, winding his hands into it to stop her. He’d had to use this protective measure several times—most of them with Ursula, once before with Shauna and with two overzealous volunteers.
Shauna’s lips pursed with determination. “No.” Her insistent hand found his rod, pulling and stroking it again.
Ascher’s eyes morphed red as the combustion took him over. He attempted to pull her head up to him, but she refused. His restraint and will weakening, he concentrated on keeping control of himself.“Shauna, I think that…”
“I don’t want to hear it. No thinking…”
“But…”
“Sealing was the prerequisite for me pleasuring you in this way—a way you’ve been unselfish in pleasuring me numerous times.”
Stunned by her aggression, he was unable to speak.
She flashed her ring finger at him. “I’m sealed and married to you. There are no more excuses. I want to do this. Think of it as a wedding gift.”
His grip in her hair loosened. He should have considered himself lucky because somemen bribed, begged and sometimes coerced their wives into this, yet she was eager, ready and willing to give him this pleasure. “I don’t know what my reaction is going to be. I’ve never—”
“Well, I’m not exactly sure of what I’m doing. I mean, it isn’t like I’ve ever done this before,” she assured him. “We’ll learn together. I’m sure you’ll let me know how it feels.” She bit her lip and gave him a sneaky grin. “If you’re worried about me, then don’t. I desire to share this experience with you.” Her hands came to his thighs, kneading and massaging them. “You won’t hurt me. Let me pleasure you, Ascher.”
Her head returned to his stomach, her wavy locks gliding along his chest, her warm mouth peppering his skin with more kisses. The heat crept down to his shaft, concentrating there.
He closed his eyes, anticipating what was coming and felt her warm breath against him, causing him to stiffen more. His cock registered her mouth’s close proximity as her tongue flicked the sensitive head with soft and careful laps, tracing wet kisses up and down its length.
Pearly beads bubbled up from the crown, causing the head of his cock to throb with each swipe of her tongue. She flashed him a heavy lidded gaze before sucking the milky offering into her mouth and licking her lips. It felt so good and he couldn’t stifle the rumbling in his throat, forcing its way out of his trembling mouth. His vision saturated with red heat as her mouth enveloped him, taking in as much as she could.
Having never been religious, but finding no other words to describe the intense sensations her mouth gave him, he surprised them both when he moaned, “Oh, my God.”
The familiar tingles coursed his body, only tonight it was an inferno burning the length of his spine. His entire bodyshuddered as her scorching mouth taunted him with heated and determined pulls, coaxing the release out of him. More beads oozed from the depths of his shaft. She rolled her velvety tongue around his crown, greedily sponging up his love offering.
His fangs pulsed in his mouth, aching to make an appearance, as it flooded with uncontrollable thirst. He’d never felt so open to another person, so vulnerable, cherished and scared out of his mind. His breaths quickened as the claws sprangfrom his nails. Horrified, he tucked his hands underneath him as they nearly shredded the slippery red sheets.
Climax approached as the bloodlust set in. His eyes rolled in his head.“Shauna, I can’t.” He growled as another wave of unimaginable pleasure vibrated along his nerves. “You shouldn’t.”
“Let go, Ascher. Don’t hold back.”
“Baby, you don’t understand.”
Her mouth latched onto him with ferocity, her lips milking him, her tongue torturing and feverishly seducing his release to the surface. “Oh, baby,” he moaned, his hand holding her head securely in place. It now felt too good for her to stop. The fire that once coursed his spine was now a deep burn blazing all over his body as warm waves of lust swallowed him up.“Oh God, baby.” His rod became a flesh covered block of solid steel. “You have to stop, Shauna. If you don’t—”
“No,” she groaned as her hand stroked him faster with her mouth keeping a constant pace.
His head fell back as pleasure moved up his shaft, filling him with warm electricity. “You shouldn’t…” He attempted to speak but his tongue was too heavy. “I mean, I don’t …” The words became harder to say. The satisfyingsensations leached the vocabulary right out of his brain, and left unnatural and beastly sounding growls, snarls and howls behind—sounds that no human woman should ever hear come from the man she loved.
She lifted her head, flipping the hair from her face, gazing into his eyes. “I want to see you when you come.”
His crimson gaze burned at her and a clamorous roar forced its way from his convulsive body as he succumbed to an intense climax. She never wavered from her task, taking him deeper into her mouth until not a drop remained. The feeling was like none he’d ever experienced. It was the urge to feed and kill mixed with the most unbelievable sensual shock speeding through every inch of his body.
Available Here:
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About The Progeny Series
At its core, The Progeny is simply a story about a man and woman who fall in love, andthe fact that he’s a half-blood (half-human, half vampire) and she’s a Wiccan human are secondary factors. When we meet Ascher, he’s grumpy. Frankly, who could blame him? He’s engaged to seal to Ursula—a cold and careless vampire who wants nothing more than to get her hands on a bloodstone— and he feels conflicted about his existence.
All of that changes when he meets Shawnette McCutchin. She’s beautiful, intriguing and possesses some of the most potent blood that he’s ever smelled. A war immediately begins inside Ascher. He craves Shauna’s blood just as much as he craves her body and the closer they get, the harder it is for him to control his urges. After Ascher calls off the sealing to Ursula, the trouble begins. His family’s peaceful period ends when Ursula’s army attacks the Rousseaus.
This series is about a family of which we’ve never seen before. They share a common mortal and immortal bloodline but loyalty is the thread that holds this clan together. Once you become a part of this family, the others will risk their lives to protect you. We see examples of this throughout the journey. There is no shortage of romance, steam and surprises in The Progeny Series but these books are for adults and contain adult sensuality, language and themes.
Book one of the Progeny Series—The Progeny—re-released on May 7, 2012. The “revamp” is a second edition full of extended scenes, new details and tighter editing. Book two—Blood Bonds—released July 14, 2012.
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About Ashlynne Laynne
Ashlynne Laynne has always had a soft spot in her heart for vampires but grew tired of the garlic fearing, sun-loathing creatures of old. An avid horror movie fan, she tends to enjoy media and music that is of a younger, more eclectic nature. This was the catalyst for her writing The Progeny. The vampire/witch pairing is unique and different when most books pair vampires with werewolves.
Ashlynne loves writing on the edge and teetering between the erotica and romance genres, and thinks of Ascher and Shauna as the wicked, damned version of Romeo and Juliet. She is currently working on books three and four of her Progeny Series, book one of her upcoming Rocker Series, and an untitled novella WIP. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her family. She juggles the hats of wife, mother, full time employee and part-time writer, hoping to write full time one day soon.
Ashlynne lives in North Carolina with her husband and teenage son.
Find Ashlynne Online
Twitter The Progeny Series Facebook Page Ashlynne’s Facebook Page Romance Novel Center Manic Readers
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Guest Interview Emily Ryan-Davis
Hey all, please help me welcome Emily Ryan-Davis to the blog today.
BLURB:
There’s only one substance on earth that can create a new vampire–the blood of a Chalice, a rare individual with magic in her veins. Atlanta’s human-vampire Civility Laws demand that if a Chalice is found, she must be destroyed. Vampire Teijon Reyes allowed the mortal girl Dessa Collier to live despite the threat she posed to society. If he ever finds her again, he will kill her, personal desires be damned.
Heiress to a family tradition of ward-working, house painter Dessa Collier has spent the past twelve years pretending vampires don’t exist. When a friend-enemy walks back into Dessa’s life after a decade-long absence, everything Dessa has been hiding from comes crashing down on top of her.
Thrown together on a mission to protect a city under seige, Dessa and Teijon can no longer hide from the powerful attraction that binds them…or the monsters out to destroy them.
Available here: Amazon BN Smashwords All Romance Ebooks
And don’t forget to check out the excerpt after the interview 🙂
What is a typical day for you like writing-wise?
Oh, jeez. Typical isn’t a word I get to use anymore. I have an infant (8 months!) who sets all the schedules. On a day when I get lucky, he only wakes up twice during the night. From wake-up time until 11 am, he and I play in the living room and I check e-mail, try to get blog posts together, peek in on Twitter and Facebook and forums. If he takes a morning nap and I choose writing over breakfast, I manage to fit a few words into that half hour or so. At 11, my husband gets up and takes the baby so from about 11 am until 4 pm, I write as much as I can between feedings, diapers, and general “no more daddy, only mommy!” fits.
The evening nap is another one of those 45 minute spans where I have to choose between food and exercise and writing. When I’m on a deadline, writing wins. After the evening wake-up, I bide my time until my son goes to sleep, then I write as much as I can until my brain stops working.
It’s a rough schedule and some days I miss having hours upon hours to sit and procrastinate and mull and perfect every sentence the first time out, but most days I manage. I’ve even accomplished a couple of start-to-finish projects on this crazy schedule!
Congrats on the little one, Emily. I remember those crazy hectic days, but the good news is, they do eventually sleep on a semi-regular schedule 😉
What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
I chose a pen name. And ever since, I’ve decided at least three times a year to change my pen name. I never do because I’m lazy, but I almost constantly want to. Aspiring authors reading this right now: be darn sure you want to live with your pen name forever! J
What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?
I love knitting wool socks. I haven’t made a new pair for myself in a few years, between deadlines and pregnancy and being a new mom, but I very much look forward to the day when I don’t have a winter deadline or two, and I have my hands free long enough to dig into a ball of soft Merino wool.
If you could be any supernatural creature, what would it be and why?
I haven’t named this creature yet, but I know it’s spooky secret power is the ability to think a book directly into MS Word without having to plot or type or revise or character sketch or run spell check.
Best answer I’ve ever heard!!
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Don’t gag, but pepperoni sandwiches do it for me. Two slices of cheap white bread piled high with pepperoni, a slice of mozzarella, nuked in the microwave until the pepperoni oil soaks into the bread and the crusts get a little crispy with melted cheese, and my diet is over for days. It’s a throw back from growing up in my mother’s house, where the gourmet meal of the week was potato soup (5 pounds of potatoes, a stick of margarine, a handful of salt in a pot of boiling water; boil to a salty paste).
The pepperoni sandwich horrifies my husband, who has a culinary degree.
I don’t think it sounds too bad, in fact, I’ll have to try that. Hopefully with that degree he does a lot of the cooking 😉
If you could time-travel, where would you go and why?
I’m not sure. I’m not much of a traveler. I prefer my clothes in my own drawers and the freedom to roam around in my underwear (or out of them) at will. Right now if I had to choose, I’d probably do a forward jump just to make sure that forty years from now, my little boy (only 8 months old now) is happy with life and love – and if he isn’t, forty years from now, I’d figure out what went wrong so I could work on preventing it. That would probably get me into some kind of weird Ashton Kutcher Butterfly Effect trouble, wouldn’t it?
LOL, one never knows 🙂
Why are manhole covers round?
Because men aren’t triangular?
Do you have any upcoming news you’d like to share?
All my current news is “just happened” news, but if I can share some “just happened” stuff, then I’m really excited about my August 3 Ellora’s Cave release NAKED & UNLEASHED, which isn’t paranormal but is definitely something different for me. I’m still totally in love with that hero.
And the Following Fast Five:
Coffee or Chocolate? Coffee.
Jewelry: Precious gems or gold? Gold.
Beach or Mountains? Mountains.
Early Morning or Late Night? Late night.
Fruit or Veggies? Veggies.
And last, but not least, where can we find you on the internet:
Web Site: http://www.emilyryandavis.com
Blog: http://emilyryandavis.blogspot.com
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/emilyryandavis
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/emilyryandavis
Newsletter Sign-Up:
http://scorchedsheets.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f1bafe4b2387d167a0edb26d2&id=02995832f4
Paint for Blood
Available Here: Amazon BN Smashwords All Romance Ebooks
EXCERPT:
She turned slowly, only gathering sensory impressions of his alleged safe zone. They faced one another across a sitting room furnished with sofas, chairs, and a writing desk. To her right, the dark shape of an open doorway suggested a more intimate area.
Teijon lifted his shirt over his head, revealing smooth skin, dark and satiny over the pads of muscle beneath. She averted her eyes before they strayed to his waist. The tension was all wrong. She shouldn’t want him, not with his mood switch hanging in the air between them. She should have questions, should demand answers. And he should put his clothes back on.
“What now?” she asked after the silence began to take on a sound of its own. “Earlier tonight…” She licked her lips. “I created vampires, didn’t I?”
“You didn’t by choice.”
“No. I did because Donovan wanted me to.”
“Yeah. And that’s why I have to find Donovan. I need to meet with some people, so you’ll have most of the night to yourself.” He walked past her and went into the bedroom.
Sighing, she raked a hand through her hair. He’d somehow managed to bring his tension under control, but hers continued to run wild. How would she sleep, surrounded by his scent?
He returned to the living room moments later, tucking the hem of a fresh shirt into clean trousers. “I don’t have any women’s clothes around, but you can use anything of mine you’d like. Shower and get some sleep. I’ll be back… late.”
“Wait. I need to know how this is possible.”
“What do you mean, how? It just is.”
“How is it possible that I’m more than one thing? I know I’m not normal. I never have been. But my heritage is…” she hesitated, came up with nothing better than, “good. White-light stuff. Protective. Do you have any idea how long my ancestors have been protecting people from their fears? That’s what I do. Who I am. I can’t be this too. This Chalice.”
He frowned. “Why can’t you?”
“It’s too many roles to fill. I have to make decisions about what I can and can’t work into my life. I have clients already, and my painting doesn’t make me feel like all of me is being sucked away in a mass of yearning. I choose that. I don’t choose you.”
When a flash of something unreadable crossed his features, her chest tightened. Backpedaling, she said, “I mean your kind. Vampires. I can’t protect people from y—from vampires and other fears and serve as a support structure for the creatures I’m warding against. It doesn’t make sense.”
He closed the distance between them and grasped her shoulders, pulling her onto her toes. The rough texture of his beard abraded her jaw when he tucked his face into the curve of her throat and opened his mouth over her skin. His perfectly-normal teeth closed around a tendon in her neck. At the contact, her thighs weakened and her skin tightened over her limbs, heated until her ears and cheeks burned. Teijon’s groan vibrated against her throat. One of his big hands slid into her hair. The other shifted from her shoulder and curved around her breast. He moved, walking her backward, until her spine came up against a wall and she could feel him thick and hard at her stomach.
Memory zapped the strength she had left. She could smell the damp of the cave at Stone Mountain, the limo’s air freshener, the sliver of rose soap from her bathroom. Her body shivered with a backlash of the dread she’d experienced descending into the dark behind Teijon. She recalled every detail of that kiss. And every detail of what followed.
Available Here: Amazon BN Smashwords All Romance Ebooks
BIO:
Emily Ryan-Davis is a lifelong East Coaster whose passion for the written word saw her through jobs writing obituaries, press releases and grants before she decided “I’m going to do this” and sat down to write a book. She made that decision in 2005 and has since published several short stories and novellas with digital publishers including Ellora’s Cave. On May 24, 2012, Emily left supervisors and payrolls behind in order to focus her efforts on writing and raising her son.
Emily has been a member of the Writer’s Digest-recognized writing community Romance Divas, where she volunteers as a moderator and organizes the annual “Not Going to Conference” Virtual Conference, since 2006.
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Hero Hoppity & Give@ways :)
Are you ready to hear what your favorite romance heroes have to say? Well, we authors are ready to share our hunky heroes! Starting on Friday and ending on July 31st, over 100 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about romance heroes, a character post from them, and what we love about romance and men in general.
And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 100 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.
But that’s not all….
We have THREE grand prizes.
You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win.
Yep, you can enter over 100 times!
Now what are those prizes?
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!
Plus:
My own giveaway: 2 $5 gift cards to Amazon.com
(Just leave a comment & your email address to win)
Interview with Shane Spencer, the hero of Bloodstorm.
Amber: Hi, everyone. *waves* So glad you could stop by. And thanks for chatting with me and Shane today.
Shane: *Swaggers in and takes off his cowboy hat, then sits across the table*
Amber: Hey, Shane. Thanks for swinging by.
Shane: “No problem.” *Shifts uncomfortably*
Amber: Can I ask you a few questions?
Shane: “You can ask.” *raises an eyebrow as if warning me not to get too personal*
Amber: *Shivers* So you’re an Apache Shaman, right? How does that work?
Shane: “The magic comes from the Earth and is passed down from father to son.
Amber: But you have an older brother who was supposed to inherit, right?
Shane: “Yes.” *Scowls*
Amber: Why do you think it skipped him?
Shane: “Everything comes down to the Fates.”
Amber: And you’re a big believer in fate?
Shane: “The Fates. They like to screw with people, but things generally turn out in the end. My brother will find his path.”
Amber: One can hope.
Shane: *Glowers* “You better make sure it does.”
Amber: *swallows as his eyes heat up and glow golden* I-I’ll try.
Shane: *Nods decisively*
Amber: How do you balance your duties between your tribal obligations, being the town sheriff, and an appointed Keeper of the Peace by the Magic Council?
Shane: “It’s not easy, especially when duties conflict. I guess it’s just doing my best. Being the sheriff in such a small town isn’t hard. Keeping the peace between the werewolves and vampires however…”
Amber: I can imagine. Has it changes since you fell in love with a Vampire?
Shane: *smiles* “Not really. Niki knows where my duties lie. Besides, she’s not on anyone’s side either.”
Amber: What it’s like to have a vampiress as your true love.
Shane: “Niki is stubborn and feisty, but I like that about her. We have a normal relationship, the only difference between us and mortals is she likes to have me for dinner.” *eyes twinkle as if thinking about last night*
Amber: *Grins* How does it feel to have her drink your blood?
Shane: “Delicious.” *voice deepens* “It’s a bond, a connection no mortal could feel.”
Amber: Since you’re not a vampire, how does her strength affect your relationship?
Shane: “It doesn’t. She knows the powerful magic I bring to the table. It’s a non-issue.”
Amber: One of your magics is harnessing the spirit of your totem animal, right?
Shane: *Shifts in the chair * “Yes. I can call on brother bear’s power.”
Amber: *Leans forward* What happens when you do?
Shane: “It’s as if his spirit enters my body. It’s not like a shapeshifter, exactly, though some with spirit vision can see his shape just above my own. He allows me to use his strength.”
Amber: Since both you and Niki are long-lived, tell me how you keep the relationship interesting.
Shane: *Raises his brow again* “With a woman like Niki by my side, things never get dull. She wouldn’t allow it.”
Amber: Could you give me an example?
Shane: “No.”
Amber: *Fidgets under the intense stare* Okay, well thanks for answering some of my questions.
Shane: “No problem. Just remember what I said about my brother.” *After a nod, pushes to his feet*
Amber: Will do. *Watches him swagger away trying not to fan self*
And don’t forget to check out the other authors on the hop HERE 🙂 Good Luck!
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Summer Splash Hoppity with awesome Give@ways
It’s time to make a splash : ) Hopefully, in a nice cool pool, or maybe beneath a tree on the beach. Hmm, I’ll take them both.
Welcome to the hop.
My giveaway:
I’ll be giving away a $10 amazon gift card here on my blog.
Answer in the comments (and don’t forget to leave your email so I can contact you if you win)
What’s your favorite season and why?
Mine is spring. The cold is slipping away, and the trees and flowers are in bloom. Of course, it does lead into summer, LOL.
GRAND PRIZES
*** NOT ONE, BUT TWO KINDLE FIRES
$75 AMAZON GIFT CARD
$50 AMAZON GIFT CARD
KINDLE BOOK COVERS
SIGNED BOOKS FROM SEVERAL AUTHORS
Visit the GRAND PRIZES page for more details…
HOW TO ENTER: GRAND PRIZES
*** TWEET USING THE HASHTAG #SUMMERHOP
It’s that simple. We’ll keep track of all the tweets and then draw for the grand-prize winners at the end of the hop. Winners will be announced on August 1st.
RULES:
Tweets MUST include the hashtag #summerhop (This is how we track them) Tweets MUST include a link to the blog hop. You are free to tweet as much as you want throughout the hop. More Tweets = More Chances to WIN!!!
***As a side note, our authors will be tweeting about the hop as well, but they are not eligible for any of the grand prizes.***
Here are some sample tweets you can cut/paste:
WIN Kindle Fires, Amazon gift cards and more at the #summerhop http://ow.ly/cpfDv #freekindle #free #giveaway #win
WIN FREE SWAG at the author #summerhop http://ow.ly/cpfDv prizes include two kindle fires! #freekindle #free #giveaway #win
WIN more than 75 prizes at the author #summerhop http://ow.ly/cpfDv prizes include two kindle fires! #freekindle #free #giveaway #bloghop
WIN BIG at the author blog hop. More than 75 prizes including 2 kindle fires! http://ow.ly/cpfPN #summerhop #bloghop @freekindlefire
***NOW GET HOPPING AMAZING AUTHOR GIVEAWAYS AWAIT YOU!!!***
Have fun 🙂
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Release Day & Give@way! Hungerstorm, Heart of a #Vampire 2
I was planning on doing a cover reveal & sneak peek a week ago, but things have been so busy.
Luckily, the book is ready to go 🙂
Enjoy!
Hungerstorm (Heart of a Vampire, Book 2)
Release Date: July 13th, 2012
Buy from: Amazon B&N/Nook Smashwords
Blurb:
After centuries alone, can a vampire king trust the woman who’s woken his heart?
Jordan MacDougal, laird and King of his vampire clan, walks a thin line of civility between his clan and the local shifter pack. When his vampires began to disappear and the wolves accuse the intriguing woman who’s touched his heart of being evil, he discovers that the traitor in his midst may be closer than he thinks.
A newly turned vampire, Dalia Jensen wakes to an unusual and frightening new world with no memory of the past year of her life. Accused of working with the Master Vampire who held her prisoner, her inability to remember the truth leaves her reeling under the allegations of vicious past actions. Uncertain of her culpability, she’s unable to trust her own instincts as the reigning Vampire King turns her world upside down.
When the wolves call for her trial, demanding her life for those killed and tortured during that blank year, Jordan and Dalia must work together to find the truth, and save the love blooming between them.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
The woman chained to the steel bed frame hadn’t stirred in days. Soon she’d wake.
Jordan MacDougal sat in the inky blackness of the basement, waiting. The darkness didn’t bother him. He could see as well at night as any mortal could in the sun.
He spun a wooden match between his fingers, turning it around and around, unable to tear his gaze from the bed. After three days, he still couldn’t figure out exactly what about Dalia Jensen had commanded his attention in the first place.
He should have let her die.
In the millennia he’d been a vampire, he’d only turned a handful of people. He regretted each and every one. Yet while watching this woman waste away in the large hospital bed, knowing she’d been put there by Thomas Montgomery, who’d been a vampire the epitome of evil, Jordan hadn’t been able to stop himself.
She was so young. Only twenty-one according to her driver’s license tucked in his back pocket. And even in a coma-like state, she exuded a vibrancy which drew him.
He forced himself to stand and stretch, to look away from the woman. His hands fisted and the match stick cracked. Sighing, he dropped the two pieces next to the candle on the table.
Like a magnet, the woman drew him once more.
Large chunks of bright pink streaked through her white-blonde hair curling to just below her pixie chin. The startling color was amazing to one as old as he.
In his time, women hadn’t painted their faces with make-up, or dyed their hair unnatural colors.
It was sometimes disconcerting to be faced with how things changed as time passed.
A thick quilt disguised the generous curves of her body. Though the dungeon rooms were kept warm, the newly turned needed the extra heat until they learned control.
Screams from a friend of his who’d been recently changed echoed through the walls, piercing the soundproofing. Jordan ran his hands through his hair, frustration snaking through him. Chase had been created by the same vampire responsible for Dalia’s near death.
And like all new vampires, Chase was crazed with his bloodlust, even three weeks after his awakening.
Staring at Dalia’s face, Jordan memorized the lines and curves. She would wake soon, only to face a huge change. Hunger would make her, like Chase, a ravenous creature needing to kill, to drink. Jordan’s powerful blood would hopefully help the new vampire calm. And his duty was to be here every night, to feed her while trying to break through to the remnants of her humanity.
If she survived the final change.
Once she became lucid, they’d have ‘the talk’, one of the duties of being clan King he despised.
Horror and disappointment would fill her eyes as he explained what she was–and how her old life was forever lost.
This time, he’d have to add how it was his fault.
A knock pounded on the cell’s thick metal door.
Jordan strode across the room and slipped out into the hall. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust from pitch black to bright light. He looked into a feminine version of his own face.
“Fionah? I’m busy,” he said cautiously, unable to read which mood she was in this hour.
His little sister grinned. “Aye, brothair. When are you not?” She swept her long, silk skirts to the side and stepped for the door at his back.
He held his arm out, blocking her. “What do you want?”
She raised one blonde eyebrow, her eyes widening. She giggled and Jordan realized today she was the child, rather than the thousand-year-old vampire.
“To see your new pet,” she replied with a smile.
He sighed. “You know well she’s not a pet.”
“What else then?” She twirled her long skirts around her ankles. “You’ve not brought over a human in hundreds of years. Why now?”
If he had an answer, he might have spoken. Instead, he merely crossed his arms over his chest and stared at his sister.
At the other end of the hall, Eric, one of his Viking guards, rushed down the steps and hurried their way. The man stopped abruptly when he caught sight of Fionah.
Jordan’s guards never knew what to make of his sister, either. She could switch from child-like to screaming fury in a blink, without cause. Her mind was a strange thing, had been since they were children growing up on clan lands in Scotland. A thousand years had only increased her strangeness.
A whisper of movement broke the silence from the room at his back. He scowled, the urge to rejoin Dalia pressing. “It there a party going on down here I wasn’t informed of?”
Eric’s eyes, usually full of laughter, were instead filled with worry. “Luci is missing.”
Jordan straightened as heat fired his veins. Not again. “Where?”
“She was on the blood run to the hospital.”
Jordan barely refrained from slamming his fist into the stone wall. Who in the hell was still taking his people? He’d thought the problem solved when the rogue vampire responsible for Dalia’s condition had been killed. “Did she make it to the hospital?”
Eric shook his head.
Fionah stepped forward, brushing long curls over her shoulder. Her eyes held intelligence and her child-like grin was gone. “How do you know she didn’t make it?”
Eric shot her a glare. “’Tis my duty.”
Jordan rubbed the hilt of the dagger at his belt. “Get some men together. We’ll–” The sound of stirring inside the cell stopped him. He glanced from Eric to the door, torn. He couldn’t leave Dalia, not during her wakening.
Eric’s eyes flashed. “I’ll get a group together. We’ll find Luci.”
Jordan nodded. “Report to me on your return.”
Eric glanced at Fionah before heading to the stairs.
She stared at Jordan, her blue eyes flushing with red. Waving at the door, she demanded, “You put this woman before the clan?”
“I turned her. It is my duty to help her.”
“Why?” She shook her head. “What’s so special about this girl?”
“I don’t know.”
Fionah studied him, then shrugged and glided down the long hall. Jordan sighed, relieved she hadn’t continued her questions. He didn’t have any answers.
He slipped back inside the room. The woman was slowly walking. It wouldn’t be long now.
***
She woke with a start. Agony seared through her, bringing a scream to her throat. Her heart beat a deafening rhythm and her stomach clenched with fiery hunger. She jerked upright, staring into the darkness, her thoughts scattered like petals on the wind.
She reached up to rub her pounding temples but cold metal weighed heavily on her wrists. Chains rattled.
The shadows whispered a soothing, “Hush.”
Only then did she realize she was keening sharp cries from a need she couldn’t name. She hurt. Oh how she hurt. Her body ached, her stomach roiled. And she was so damn hungry.
A match flared. Candlelight spread a flickering pool over a man sitting near the bed. His features were harsh, yet his blue eyes held kindness.
The pulse beating at his throat drew her attention. She could hear his calm heartbeat over the erratic thumping of her own. The fire consuming her flared and she lunged.
The chains yanked her back to the mattress, keeping her from reaching the man.
Sharp canines pierced her tongue. The coppery taste of blood welled in her mouth. Startled, she stopped pulling at the chains, trying to think as the sweet taste brought her a bit of clarity.
The man left the chair to crouch beside the bed. She couldn’t stop from jumping at him again, but he stayed just out of reach.
“It’s all right, Dalia. You’ll feel better soon.”
Dalia? That was her name. Yes. Her thoughts grew clearer, though the pain rushing through her body was only getting worse.
He raised his wrist to his mouth. An urgent scent of salty copper bit into the air, making her stomach clench. He lowered his arm and her gaze locked on the blood welling over his tanned skin.
“Drink.” He held his hand in front of her face.
A red haze covered her vision and she sank her teeth into his skin. Blood, warm and comforting, filled her mouth. Mindless with a hunger she couldn’t place, unable to even feel disgust at what she was doing, she drank greedily.
The fire in her belly roared and she drank more, wanting to pull him closer, to wrap her hands around his arm and hold him tight to her lips. The chains rattled loudly, still keeping her from grabbing him. She growled in frustration at the cold metal.
Slowly, the flames in her stomach dampened.
Voices, silently screaming inside her head, broke through the fog. She jerked back, pressing against the headboard, as she realized exactly what she’d just done. Her breathing sped up as panic teased at her senses.
Shadow’s filled the man’s eyes. His lips curled into a fierce frown and she shivered at the anger blazing across his face.
With a cry, she scrambled as far as she could across the small bed and pressed into the ice cold wall in the corner.
“It’s all right,” he said gently.
She shook her head, trying to straighten out her thinking. Nothing made sense and she couldn’t even remember why.
“Dalia.” His voice rumbled, his accent thickening. “Come to me.”
Heat flared in the room as his voice tugged on her. Warmth slid over her, prickling her skin, and burrowing deep inside her mind. She shook her head as the buzzing of his command grew and the urge to do as he said increased. Calling for her to go to his side, his voice echoed and repeated in her mind.
She concentrated on listening to the crazed screaming and jabbering of her own internal voice. Curling into a ball, she fisted her hands over her ears. The chains rattled but she barely heard them over his insistent call.
Buy from: Amazon B&N/Nook Smashwords
Release Day Giveaway
Leave me a note in the comments with which character you like the most from the excerpt 🙂
I’ll pick 2 winners by the end of the weekend to win a $5 amazon gift card!!
Good Luck and thanks for stopping by,
Amber
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Angels and Demons and Give@ways, oh my
Welcome to the Angels vs Demons Blog Hop!
We want to know which you’d rather have to…uh…cuddle up with at night – angels or demons? And what are your favorite angel or demon books?
Personally, right now, I’d have to go with a bad boy 😉 Why? They’re just so much… beter, LOL.
So check out the visual yummies, then make your choice. Giveaway details are below.
So do you prefer the sexy bad boy?
Or do you prefer the sexy good boy?
And if you’re interested in a sexy good boy dragon shifter meeting up with a bad girl demon, a succubus, check out Dragos 4: Inflamed.
Available on Amazon
Overview
Together, a dragon shifter and a succubus find love might just conquer all.
Praise for the Dragos Series
“Kallyn’s take on dragon shifters and mating is enthralling. Her writing is vivid so that it’s easy for the reader to visualize each scene throughout the story as they take place. From the scorching hot sex scenes to the incredible dragon fight scenes and even the heartrending scenes…” ~ Romance Junkies
“with a intriguing plot, compelling characters and love scenes you’ll need a fire extinguisher and your own firefighter to put out!” ~ Jami Gray author of Shadow’s Edge
“Ms Kallyn…continues to breathe life into her characters and enhance the Dragos series. Well worth reading!” ~ Shannon Z
Available on Amazon 🙂
Giveaway Goodies
In the comments (and don’t forget to leave your email), tell me if you prefer Angels, or Demons, and if you have someone specific in mind 😉
I’m giving away a $5 amazon gift card (INT) here and don’t forget to check out all the other blogs along the hop.
Not only can you win at each site, but there are awesome prizes to be given overall. The more blogs you visit and comments you leave, the more chances you have to win one of the grand prizes!
Giveaways
We’re hosting a Blog Hop! Me, along with 102 other Authors, Bloggers, and Reviewers are hosting an Angels vs Demons Blog Hop!
We want to know: Angels or Demons…who do you want?
From June 28th – July 1st, you can HOP around the blogs, comment on each and follow their rules, and be entered to win over 100 giveaways.
Yep. I said 100 GIVEAWAYS.
Each blog will have it’s own giveaway, PLUS we have TWO grand prizes.
ONE Commenter from the blogs will win a KINDLE TOUCH
Another Commenter will win a $60 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card!
Yep! We’re doing THAT MUCH. You can comment on 1 or all 103 and be entered up to 103 times for the grand prizes.
Check out the other blogs for their goodies!
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Yummy Mondays ~ #SummerFun
For those hot days, here’s something to cool… erm, warm you up more?
Enjoy~
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Book Lovers Buffet ~ All #Romance only #99cents plus give@ways, Two
The Buffet will be open June 8 through June 22, 2012.
We’re excited to offer you more than 150 romance novels, each for the special Buffet price of 99 cents. We offer all romance genres, from Inspirational to Erotic (see link).
Also, we have wonderful contests and prizes offered by our participating authors. Please see our selection of prizes on the Contest page.
I’ll be giving away 2 $5 gift cards there 🙂
And for my personal blog Giveaway #1: A $5 Amazon gift card
First, make sure you’re following my newsletter for goodies, exclusives and upcoming events. (If you’re already signed up, just say so in the comments 😉
Second, Answer the following question:
Where/when will you be doing the most of your reading?
Mine will be at the pool for the most part, and evenings at home, LOL. My kids love going to the shcool pool, but mom can only take so much sun. So, they get extra swimming time, while I’ll take time in the shade with a good book 🙂
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Yummy Mondays ~ Sexy #Vampires Michael Corvin #Underworld
While it’s true Michael isn’t technically a pure #Vampire, he’s kind of one. A half breed that’s not just a sexy vamp, but a yummy wolf as well. It’s a two-for-one smexy.
Enjoy 😉
Don’t forget to check out:
Week 7: Aiden (Being Human US)
Week 8: Mitchell (Being Human UK)
And GO VOTE!!! So I know who to put up next week 😉
Enjoy!
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Get awesome paranormal goodies, help Cancer research
Who could ask for more?
The Vampire book club is holding an action of all kinds of goodies. All funds go directly to cancer research. What do you get for your donation?
Well, ever wanted to be featured in a novel? Need some great books to read this summer?
Then check out the auction and donate 🙂
Highest bidder will take home:
- Signed copy of Tempted by Blood by Laurie London
- A Vampire for Christmas anthology signed by author Laurie London
- Signed copy of Under the Vampire Moonby Lynsay Sands
- First two Grimm’s Circle books (4 stories) from Shiloh Walker
- Character name in upcoming Heart of the Vampire novel by Amber Kallyn
- Signed copy of Bloodstormby Amber Kallyn
- Sweetblood series swag from Laurie London
- Dragos series romance trading cards from Amber Kallyn
Donated by: Laurie London, Lynsay Sands, Shiloh Walker, Amber Kallyn
Check it out, and all the other awesome packs and prizes 🙂
* * * * *
The winner of the auction will get to choose a character they want to be in an upcoming Heart of a Vampire Novel: Vampire or werewolf. Good guy, or bad guy 😉
I can do a girl, or a guy character.
I will use your first name, some form of your last name, and if you’d like, hair color, eye color, height, skin tone, ect. The character will not be a walk on, but have at least 3 scenes, and possibly be a major secondary character to the storyline.
So go check it out! It’s for a worthy cause, and ya’ll know how I feel about Cancer reasearch. With your help, we can get a step closer to kicking that bitch’s ass.
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Book Lovers Buffet ~ All #Romance only #99cents plus give@ways, One
The Buffet will be open June 8 through June 22, 2012.
We’re excited to offer you more than 150 romance novels, each for the special Buffet price of 99 cents. We offer all romance genres, from Inspirational to Erotic (see link).
Also, we have wonderful contests and prizes offered by our participating authors. Please see our selection of prizes on the Contest page.
I’ll be giving away 2 $5 gift cards there 🙂
And for my personal blog Giveaway #1: A $5 Amazon gift card
First, make sure you’re following my newsletter or this blog for goodies, exclusives and upcoming events. (If you’re already signed up, just say so in the comments 😉
Second, Answer the following question:
What are you planning on reading this summer?
I’m going to catch up on my Stephen King, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs and many others. I’ve been so busy lately, it’s cut into my reading time. I’ll be remedying that during the hot months.
Spread the Word
Book Lovers Buffet ~ All #Romance only #99cents plus give@ways
The Buffet will be open June 8 through June 22, 2012.
We’re excited to offer you more than 150 romance novels, each for the special Buffet price of 99 cents. We offer all romance genres, from Inspirational to Erotic (see link).
Also, we have wonderful contests and prizes offered by our participating authors. Please see our selection of prizes on the Contest page.
Including
Two $5 Amazon Gift Cards
Sponsored by Amber Kallyn
🙂
I will also be putting up 2 posts over the next 2 weeks here, each one with a question to answer. I will choose 2 more winners directly from my blog for additional $5 amazon gift cards.
Post #1 will go up tomorrow the 12th, winner drawn by the 19th.
Post #2 next Tuesday the 19th, winner drawn by 26th (since I’ll be out of town the 20th-24th, Woot!)
So go check out all the awesome books and stock up for your summer reading, check out the awesome prizes, then come back and enter my blog exclusive giveaways 🙂
Happy Summer!
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Yummy Mondays ~ #Vampires Stefan Salvatore #TVD
Okay, who doesn’t like a good boy?
Enjoy Stefan in all his Yummy vampire glory 🙂
PS Don’t skip to the end. Enjoy it all, LOL.
Don’t forget to check out:
Week 7: Aiden (Being Human US)
Week 8: Mitchell (Being Human UK)
And GO VOTE!!! So I know who to put up next week 😉
Enjoy!
Amber Kallyn 