Book Excerpt: Illicit Magic by Camilla Chafer

“Magic isn’t just,” I grappled for a word and settled, dully, on, “magic?”

Evan shook his head. “Magic comes in many different shapes and forms. For many, it’s illusion. The make a boat disappear, pull a rabbit out of a hat kind of magic. That’s not really even magic, it just looks like it. Humans like to call it magic anyway.” He held up a finger. “Then there’s learned magic. That’s people with an inclination towards the magical but who have to learn it to use it. They learn spells and incantations. They can mix up potions to cure ailments and influence people. Sometimes they have a core magic too, it runs a bit in their blood and that’s why they have a strong calling to magic. Then there’s us.” Evan raised another finger, paused, and raised another.

“What are we?” I whispered.

“We’re absolute magic. It’s in our blood and our bones. It’s in every fibre of our being. It is what we are. You and I are different but the magic affects our bodies and our brains in a similar way so we can manipulate the universe to do our bidding.”

“Can everyone do the same things?”

“No, of course not. Like regular humans aren’t all great at sports or can ride horses, or sail a boat.” Evan rested back in his chair and swung one long leg across the other. “Some can teleport, some have telekinesis, some are psychic, some can influence people or the weather or the air. Magic is different for all of us.”

“Is anyone both?”

“Yes, but usually the strengths go one way or the other.”

“Usually?”

“If someone has a weaker magic, say the core magic within them, then they could use learned magic to even up the score for themselves, make themselves stronger.”

“Is that why David will be teaching me too?”

“We thought it would be a good idea that you understood some of the learned magic while you practised controlling your own magic. David will be able to teach you the basics of things that can heal and protect you. Even if it comes to no use, you’ll at least have some understanding of that aspect of magic.”

“Okay.”

“Plus David has a great potion for a cold remedy, not that we get sick a lot.”

“A cold remedy?” It seemed a little absurd.

“He uses lemon and honey.”

“I hate to burst David’s bubble but Lemsip has already been invented.”

“Bet it doesn’t come with a spell to ward off infections though.”

“Will it turn me into a frog?” I asked facetiously.

“He’ll teach you that another time. I don’t recommend it.”

“What are you?” I asked, recalling that he had just said that we were different. I couldn’t see any difference, but maybe I didn’t know what I was looking for.

He looked me in the eyes and I felt my stomach do little flips as the silence hung in the air between us. I was about to prompt him when a knock at the door and a male voice announced David’s arrival.

I went to answer it but when I turned back to say goodbye to Evan, he had gone and I didn’t have a clue how he could have left the room without me seeing.

Show off.

About The Author

Hi, I'm Camilla and I'm the author of Illicit Magic and Unruly Magic, the first two books in the Stella Mayweather Paranormal Series. The series starts with a lonely young woman, Stella, who has been caught up in a terrifying witch hunt and is whisked thousands of miles away to what she thinks is safety to learn her craft. The series is a blend of magic, mystery and romance with a splash of humour - and while the girls really do go all out to save themselves, there's always a hunky guy or two on hand to help them out.

I live in London, UK but I try to travel as often as I can - lately I've been to Paris, all over Denmark, Luxembourg, and several US states. In my day job I'm a journalist and editor so I write for magazines, newspapers and websites throughout the world (my favourite assignment was spending a week riding rollercoasters - if you listen carefully you can probably still hear me screaming).

Giveaway

Don't miss the next stop on August 12 – Everyone Loves A SiNner 

Book Excerpt: Brightwing by Sullivan Lee

Edgar should have known it was too good to be true.

“Did you think you could get away with lying to us?” he asked. “That we were stupid?”

“What are you talking about?” Lucy asked impatiently, thinking if she had to kill them both now, at least no one would ever find the bodies. Still, it would be tough, two on one, and those two so big, with guns and a razor.

“Far from civilization? A safe haven? No one around for miles? What are you cooking up, Lu? Trying to get us caught, or just plain turning us in? Do you really think I’d believe that all this was built miles from nowhere?”

He pulled his Glock from the duffel and stalked toward her with the weapon held at arm’s length. Mallory just watched.

On the other hand, Lucy thought, there’s something to be said for close quarters.

Quick as a heron's strike she attacked the gun directly, pushing the slide out of battery so it couldn’t fire. They stood that way for an instant, Edgar armed with his useless weapon, knowing, suddenly, Lucy had all the power. The next moment she twisted and pulled his arm and had him on the ground, the gun in her own hand. She tapped and racked it, clearing the chamber in case a round got jammed in the manhandling, and pointed it at Mallory while she knelt on his brother.

Shoot Mallory now, every fiber of her instinct urged. No, her heart said, because Edgar will never forgive me. I don’t want that.

She locked eyes with Mallory.

“This is my home, my territory. I can live out here naked, kill what I want to eat, destroy whatever threatens me. I have fangs and claws you can’t imagine.” She bared her gleaming teeth.

Mallory couldn’t look away. He ran his thumb along the dull edge of his razor and stared into eyes like the rippling black of midnight water, animal eyes.

She let Edgar up and handed him the Glock.

“I don’t need a gun to take you on,” Lucy whispered.

~~~

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 542 KB
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Laura L. Sullivan (July 6, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B005BHR61

 

Book Excerpts: Raven's Kiss By Toni LoTempio

Usually, when one opens a closet door, one expects to see neat rows of clothes, or shelves with sheets or towels, or maybe a vacuum cleaner and assorted pieces of junk jammed into one small space.

What one does not expect to see is an office—desks, filing cabinets, state of the art computers.

Or people, staring back at them.

At one desk sat a woman with an angular face, close, cropped brown hair with gold highlights, a wide mouth, deep set blue eyes. Tiny gold hoops with small diamonds, possibly real, twinkled in her ears, and I noticed her fingers tapped at them quite often. She wore a pair of tight fitting gray trousers and a simple white shirt. Pinned to the shirt was a gold badge. Around her shoulder was a harness, in which reposed a nasty looking stunner.

The occupant of the other desk, however, was what made my mouth drop open.

He had to be well over six feet—I was guessing six three, maybe even six four. You could tell that by the way he was jackknifed into his chair. He was broad-shouldered, with thick hair the color of molten lava drawn back from his face and twined into a casual ponytail. The face was what got me. It was all angles and planes, and looked as if it had been sculpted out of marble by one of the great artists, maybe even Michelangelo. He had a firm jaw, a sloping Roman nose, eyes that were wide set and greener than grass. And the lips—oh, yeah, baby! It was the lips that really got me. Full and sensual, they looked both capable of delivering a threat and kissing a woman into submission. I stared, unabashed, as the man rose, walked over to the other desk, and perched himself on its edge.

Oh, yeah. Definitely six four.

The blonde looked up and waved a sheaf of papers under his nose. “Here’s the latest report, Finn, and it’s dated two months ago. He was last seen downtown, near his usual haunt—the docks—in the company of a young woman, name of Alex Steed. Quinn followed them for a block and a half and then—poof! They went into one of the deserted buildings there and he lost them. Has no idea where Aega could have taken the girl, and no one’s seen either one of them since. If she’s been bitten…” her voice trailed off and her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I hate to think about it—about what she could become.”

The man called Finn frowned, shaggy red brows drawn together in a V effect. He rubbed his thumb against his lower lip and I felt my insides go soft, thinking of his thumb—hell, his entire hand—tracing lazy circles all across my body. I felt moisture between my legs and groaned. I couldn’t remember the last time a man had done that to me. “This has been going on for far too long. We still can’t figure out his game. The only thing we know for certain is—“

“What are you doing in my closet?”

I whirled around, automatically slamming the door shut behind me. Standing in the doorway, accompanied by Randy Hicks, one of the Carolers Falls police, was Jetta. She had her hand on her hip and the expression on her face was most definitely not a friendly one.

“I—Sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.” I fished my badge out of my pocket, held it up. “Recovery. I was just taking a look around.”

Jetta’s expression softened when she saw the badge. “Oh. I didn’t realize you were an agent. No wonder you came to my aid so quickly.” She smiled. “Most people would have ignored me, a crazy woman yelling on a stoop. If she makes it, it’ll be thanks to you.”

The cop stepped forward, extended his hand. “Randy Isles. We weren’t aware the Recovery had an interest in this case.”

I slipped the badge back in my hip pocket. “The Recovery tends to take an interest in any incident that might involve a demon.”

Jetta’s eyes went wide. “A demon! Really? Is that who attacked Alex?”

The name startled me. “Alex?”

“We all call her Alex. Short for Alexandra.”

I felt a tingle along my spine. “And her last name?”

“Steed. Alexandra Steed.”

I set my jaw. Could it be coincidence the victim and the person Finn and Darla had been talking about had the same name? Was there a chance it could be the same woman?

As I debated this, Jetta moved past me toward the closet. “I can’t stay here—crime scene and all that. So they’re setting me up in a really nice hotel. I just came by for a few things.”

She started to twist the doorknob. “Wait,” I cried, and she turned toward me, eyes wide. “Do you happen to know where your roomie met this man?”

“The one you think is a demon?” Jetta shook her head. “She didn’t know him long—just a few days.” She barked out a short laugh. “First time I saw them, they were huddled right here.” She tapped the closet door. “Twined together so tight you couldn’t’ slip a stamp between them. I didn’t trust him. Something about him…his eyes. She told me I was just jealous, but—guess I was right, after all.”

With that, her hand snaked out and jerked open the door. I bit back a cry of surprise mingled with disappointment.

Gone was the office, the blonde, the sexy redheaded man. Now there were just rows and rows of neatly hung clothes, and an assortment of expensive shoes littering the floor.

About The Author

Hello! I’m Toni LoTempio, author of Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense/YA Fantasy! I’ve been writing ever since I was old enough to read, when I didn’t like the endings of the stories my mother read me I simply rewrote them. Even though I write mainly in the paranormal genre, I have also written straight horror, as well as contemporary romance/suspense.

In 1995, I joined the staff of SUSABELLA PASSENGERS AND FRIENDS, a pulp magazine for collectors of antique children’s literature (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.) Currently I’ve written over 300 articles for that magazine, and I was the first recipient of their Margaret Sutton Award for Distinguished Writing in 1998. I joined the staff of NIGHT OWL REVIEWS IN January 2011 as the suspense reviewer/columnist. My column, DARK STREETS, which features articles on suspense authors and their novels, is featured on a monthly basis. I love to spotlight new talent, so if you’re a suspense author, please contact me!

In 2007, Whiskey Creek Press published BOUND BY BLOOD, a tale of possession, and EBONY, which deals with zombies and the dark side of man. EBONY was #2 on the Fictionwise bestseller list for e-books for the month of July 2007, beating out Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story. (and no one was more shocked than I, LOL) In 2010, after countless attempts to land another agent, I took the advice of a fellow author HP Mallory, and self published NO REST FOR THE WICCA, which has been on Amazon’s list of top one hundred in Occult since March 2011. My short story, THE SACRIFICE, appears in the e-published anthology KISS ME KILL ME, and I also have a YA fantasy, MY SUPERHERO SISTER on B&N and Amazon. A complete listing of my books appears at the end of this bio.

Currently single, I work full time and live in Clifton, NJ, with my muses: Rocco, Maxx, Gata and Trixie. (Rocco is also known as Rocco the SciFi Blogging Cat and has appeared on the SciFi Saturday Night website and radio show, and also on the Kids Need To Read website where he holds the distinction of being the first (and possibly only!) blogging cat to support this charity!)

I love hearing from fans, so please feel free to friend me on FACEBOOK, and visit my website, www.tonilotempio.webs.com Rocco and I post daily M-F on his blog, catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Toni LoTempio Books:

Bound by Blood – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, Feb. 2007 (paranormal suspense)

Ebony – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, July 2007 (paranormal suspense)

Witch’s Pawn – Echelon Press, trade paperback & e-book, December 2008 (horror)

Nom de Plume – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, November 2008 (contemporary romance)

It’s in the Cards – Whiskey Creek Press, e-book, February 2010 – (paranormal romance)

Out of the Ashes – Whiskey Creek Press, e-book, May 2010 – Fantasy

No Rest for the Wicca – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, September 2010 – paranormal suspense

My Superhero Sister – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, Trade Paperback - January 2011 – YA Fantasy

Kiss Me, Kill Me – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book anthology –February 2011 – Short Story, “The Sacrifice”

Raven’s Kiss – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, & Trade Paperback April, 2011 – Paranormal Romance

~~~

Next Stop : June 27 – In The Name Of Books

Book Excerpts: Replay by Keira Lea

Dr. Henry looks down at the file on his desk and jots down a few notes. It’s so obvious he’s trying to mask a grin with that Mr. Serious Psychoanalyst expression. As Mom continues down her standard list of rants, I give Dr. Henry my best please-cut-this-short stare. To emphasize my point, I make the Kelsee puppet strangle the Mom puppet, who collapses in melodramatic death throes on my lap.

“Ms. Lewis, it’s obvious you’re very concerned,” Dr. Henry says, taking my subtle cue. “Would you excuse us for the last part of the session? I’d like to talk to Kelsee alone.”

Mom hesitates. For her, it’s all about calling the show. She doesn’t take direction very well.

“I’ll wait for you in the car,” she finally says. After she gathers her purse and jacket, she lingers at the door like she thinks he’ll change his mind and invite her to stay. No one says a word until she turns around and lets herself out. As soon as the door closes, Dr. Henry lets out a chuckle. He’s really not half-bad for a shrink. I think it’s hilarious that he looks like a cross between Tommy Chong and Steve Martin. I’ll have to ask him if he’s ever smoked weed or played the banjo. Or smoked weed while playing the banjo. Ten bucks says he has.

“Are you still having the panic attacks, Kelsee?” he says.

Our little secret. I work on curling my left shoe strap some more. I don’t know how to talk about what happens to me without sounding like a brain case. I don’t do angst very well, either. I’m more into comedy, laughter as the best medicine, smile through the tears, you know? I’m only here because Mom insisted we start therapy together during the divorce. A year later, she’s still dominating every session. The last time Dr. Henry dismissed her early from a session I told him about the panic attacks, with his express agreement that he would not say anything to her. I even made him sign a piece of paper to that effect. Dad taught me the importance of contracts.

“What are you thinking about?” Dr. Henry says when I don’t answer.

“I really don’t have that many,” I say. “They bore me, anyway. I need an affliction that will really launch my career. A wicked case of OCD would work.”

He refuses to play. “You should talk about them with your mother. Remember, this is a neutral place to discuss issues that are difficult to address at home. She might be more understanding than you think.”

I snort and then cover it with a snicker. “Or not. You know how she is. Neutral is not the precise word I would use.”

He comes around the desk to sit in the chair Mom vacated, giving me a quick pat on the knee like Dad used to do before he moved out last October. “You’re a perceptive young woman. You know that your mother is still struggling with the changes in your lives. That’s not unusual. But if you give her the chance to focus on something outside of her own worries, though, you might be surprised at her reaction.”

I think her reaction would be to jerk up on those puppet strings until the tiny bit of slack I have left is gone. No, I’m pretty sure it would be better to let her stew in her self-absorbed state for as long as possible.

“We’ll see how I feel about that next Friday, okay?” I say.

“You know a secret like this is not healthy,” Dr. Henry says. “Telling her might even help alleviate the attacks.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say. For about two seconds, I want to add.

The clock chimes its digital melody. Time’s up.

~~~

You can buy Replay at

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Smashwords
  

About the Author

Keira Lea released her debut novel in April 2011. She is a devoted fan of the TV show FRINGE, a card-carrying member of the Apple cult, and a mother to two human children and three feline ones. She is working on a sequel to Replay.

Next Stop: June 20 - The Bookish Snob

Book Excerpts: A Warrior's Witch by Stacey Kennedy

Duty. Honor. Morals.


All these things abandoned Talon’s mind as he stood over the dead body on the ground. The woman’s light brown hair draped over her face, but not enough to conceal her identity. She was no stranger to him. Her face held a bluish tinge, the rosy color he remembered she once had on her cheeks now gone. Whitlyn, his son’s mother.


Talon bent down and brushed the hair away from the Guardian’s face and his heart clenched. An arrangement between him and Whitlyn had been forged years ago, and he never expected when he saw her again it would be to find her dead. At the time she lived in the Otherworld, she’d proven herself to be one of the greatest female warriors. But the battles wore on Whitlyn. She wanted a life without death and violence. Knowing the stakes it cost the Otherworld to have her gone, she offered a solution, presented herself to bear Talon’s child.


Now, the woman who gave him such a gift had lost her life.


“Oh, Talon.” Zia’s voice came compassionate above him. She rested her hand on his shoulder in a loving embrace. “I’m sorry.”


Talon couldn’t find the strength to look at his witch. Yes, she belonged to him now and hadn’t condemned his heart with guilt when he made the agreement with Whitlyn, yet he drowned in sorrow over the reality. He hadn’t once regretted his choice. Not only had Kyden proved to be an impeccable Guardian, but a wonderful son. However, seeing Whitlyn in this condition tore at his heart.


“It’s not me to be sorry for.” He’d always suspected Whitlyn’s actions came from the duty she felt she owed to the Otherworld, but he also believed the solution a viable one. It gave back to their forces, while it allowed Whitlyn to live in peace in the Earthworld among the humans and leave her position as part of the Council’s guard. Talon never understood her desires. His duty as Master of Guardians, part of the Council, was now and would always be to the Otherworld. To protect the Earthworld from supernatural beings who wished to cause them harm. His thoughts weren’t of humans at the moment, didn’t stray on his responsibilities as a leader to the Otherworld. His only concern remained on Whitlyn.


Sighing, he glanced at Zade, the Master of Vampires, who stood off to the side of the modest home located in the Near South Side of Chicago. “What happened to her?”


Zade shook his head, sending his coal hair to drape across his forehead, his dark eyes perplexed. “Right now, I know about as much as you do. I sent Finn to this assignment after the Chicago PD contacted us.” Supes were well established in the Earthworld law enforcement for just this reason. It gave them an in on supernatural murders. “When Finn discovered it wasn’t a mortal who died, but a Guardian, he came back to inform us. He found me instead. Thinking I could handle the matter myself, I came here and recognized her immediately.” He glanced down to Whitlyn. Sadness resided on his expression. “You must understand my reasons for coming to find you.” His gaze came back up to meet Talon’s. “Do you want me to go and get Kyden?”


Talon pondered. Zia and Talon had been resting when Zade had come to their residence. Being odd that Zade asked them to assist on an assignment instead of letting one of the guard deal with the matter as they usually did, Talon knew something had gone terribly wrong. It wasn’t often the Masters needed to intervene. Their guard held strong, protected the Earthworld on most cases without their assistance in person.


It was true his son Kyden was part of their guard—both him and his mate, Nexi, were elite warriors within the Otherworld, but Talon hesitated involving him in this. The secret of his birth hadn’t been kept a secret from Kyden, but he never discussed it with anyone. Talon doubted even Nexi knew of his mother. He always equated it to the fact that she didn’t exist in Kyden’s eyes—to disown one’s duty to the Otherworld was the gravest of all betrayals. Talon never harbored ill feelings toward Whitlyn for her choices. The battles could be trying at times, and she sought refuge from all the death—he’d never judge her for those wishes.
Talon’s pause was more centered on the uncertainty about how Kyden would respond to the sight of his dead mother. So many unresolved emotions surrounded Whitlyn. Too many in Talon’s own soul to even make sense of now. Determined he only had one choice, he shook his head. “No, leave him out of it.”


“Talon,” Zia exclaimed.


Her curt tone forced his gaze to hers and he encountered an unhappy expression on his witch’s face. Even with her grimace, though, she still exuded beauty. Long strawberry blonde hair flowed around her flawless skin and her stunning blue eyes that he’d never grow tired of admiring. Yet, he had a point to make and he would make it clear. “All Kyden knows of his mother is that she wanted a life away from danger and those are the reasons she gave birth to him and left, never to return. Kyden and Nexi were bonded mere weeks ago. I won’t ruin their joy with this news. Besides, they’re away on their travels enjoying some peace they both deserve.”


Exactly why Whitlyn wanted out. Danger never stopped, and his son had had his share of it lately. Nexi, being a mixed being of Guardian, Witch, and Fae—her magic had blossomed, making her stronger than any supernatural being known in the Otherworld. With those gifts came a world of trying times. His son choosing her as his love brought evil to take center stage in their lives. Luckily, his son lived through the dangerous events, as did Nexi. Peace wasn’t given to them; they earned it, and Talon didn’t want to bring strain to their lives. He didn’t have the heart to darken his son’s happy moment. “We’ll handle the assignment, find out what happened to Whitlyn, and I’ll tell him when they return.” After Talon sorted out how he felt on the matter and had all the answers to explain it all to his son.


“You will tell him though, yes?” Zia probed.


“I will, but I don’t want him to see her like this.” Talon’s heart ached, for Whitlyn and Kyden. He sympathized with why Whitlyn had left the Otherworld. He’d seen it before in Guardians and supernaturals who chose to work for the Council. The hard times wore on them. Yet, he’d never felt as she did. He belonged in his role.


Even though he had no relationship with Whitlyn and there had never been love between them when they spent a month together producing Kyden, he respected her. The time they’d shared was a wonderful memory. He hated to see her life stolen from her. It left an empty gap in his heart and he wondered how in the world he would tell Kyden his mother had died.


“The vamp who met Finn here had no knowledge of what had taken place,” Zade said, “and if he would have told us sooner that it was Whitlyn who lost her life, I would have acted faster.”
Time was always a key factor. The longer it took them to locate the killer, the more distance he or she could put between them. But Talon didn’t worry about that so much. His only focus right now centered on what took place here. “Zia, do your magic and show us what happened here.”
“Of course.” Zia raised her hands, and the wind picked up in the room as her magic called to replay the moment Whitlyn’s life ended. Her talents, gifted from being a Spirit Witch and Master of Witches, gave her enough power in that beautiful body of hers to astound Talon more than once.


Within only moments of the first call on her magic, the scene shimmered into view. Talon placed his hands firmly on the floor to steady himself. Whitlyn stood before him, pale; her eyes shone with terror as her body trembled in fear. However, nothing stood there to give reason for her fright; no one around her caused her panic. Talon scanned the simple living room a few times over, yet still nothing. No murderer.


A gasp brought Talon’s focus back to Whitlyn. She now rested on her knees close to him. Her breath strained as her chest rose and fell in heavy movements. Confusion stole his thoughts. “Am I missing something?” His attention remained on the dying Whitlyn.


“No. Why is she dying?” Zia gasped.


Whitlyn fell down on her side, her breathing rapid and forced. As much as Talon wished he could intervene, he held no power to do so. The vision was a moment from the past. Whitlyn had already died.


Within a few short minutes, the vision settled on the same one Talon came upon when he entered the small, humble home. Whitlyn lying dead. He tried to make sense out of what he saw, but couldn’t. Nothing appeared to have killed her. She hadn’t appeared to be stabbed nor had any visible wounds, although he suspected someone had caused her death. Not an empty room. Feeling beside himself, he glanced at Zia. “Did you make sense of any of that?”


“Not at all.” Zia shook her head, her eyes wide, baffled. “Do you think she did this to herself?”


The thought, too horrible to even imagine, was one Talon didn’t think possible. Whitlyn had always been a strong warrior. Her actions proved she wasn’t selfish. When she left the Otherworld, she could have just walked out, but she provided her body, her impeccable genes from a long line of warriors, to give back to her world. Whitlyn had never been a woman who acted with such selfishness. “I cannot fathom it. She doesn’t seem the type.”


“But you haven’t seen her in well over twenty-nine years,” Zade countered.


How time flew. It felt like only yesterday when Whitlyn gave birth to Kyden, kissed him goodbye, and left. In just a year, he’d reach his immortality and no longer age. It might have made Talon sentimental if the current situation didn’t take precedence. “That’s true. It has been many years since I’ve seen her last. It’s quite possible she could have become another woman.” Talon hummed. “Still, to take her own life? Why would Whitlyn choose such a fate for herself?” He placed his hand on Whitlyn’s forehead and her cold skin chilled his palm. His heart bled for her. “If you have done this to yourself, I’m sorry you didn’t trust in us to come home and get you the help you needed. If someone has hurt you, it’s my promise to you that I’ll find out who and deliver their punishment on your behalf.”


Silence filled the room and Talon appreciated it. His mind ran rapid with thoughts of whats and whys. Finally, after a long moment, Zade cleared his throat, bringing Talon’s attention to him. “I note a strange scent around her, but I cannot place it.”


As Guardian, Talon didn’t have the enhanced scent capabilities Zade possessed as a vampire; only impeccable warrior skills had been granted to him. He couldn’t smell anything unusual here. Inhaling deeply for good measure, he sighed, unable to catch a trace of it. “I’d suspect whatever you are scenting is what caused her death.”
“A very strange occurrence,” Zia offered.


Talon agreed. Clearly whatever Whitlyn had either taken—or been given—claimed her life. However, the question remained, what was it? Never in all his years had he ever seen a death in this manner. The fact this was so personal made urgency flare to life, but brought something else with it too.


After a little squeeze of his hand on Whitlyn’s frigid flesh, he closed his eyes and felt an entire world of guilt rest upon his shoulders. He’d find out what happened because he owed Whitlyn that and so much more. She’d given his life meaning in giving him a son. Gave him something he never thought he’d have as a Master. An oath he’d taken long ago to always put the Otherworld first. A personal life wasn’t in the hopes and dreams of a Master. Their role, their nightly-life centered on keeping the Earthworld protected.


Zia was his heart, no doubt about it. What they were now, merely lovers, is what they’d always be. Being bound as his son was to Nexi would never been in his future with Zia. He’d long ago accepted that fate. And now, to the mother of his son, he made a silent promise of justice for all she’d given him.


Talon whispered his final goodbyes to Whitlyn, stood, and looked at Zia. “Let’s take her to someone who might be able to identify this unknown killer.” He reached down and gathered the lifeless Whitlyn in his arms. Talon might have only given her a passing thought over the years, but he mourned her death now.


~~~


About The Author

Stacey Kennedy is an avid lover of the paranormal romance, urban fantasy and erotic romance genres. 

If she isn’t plugging away at her next novel, tending to her two little ones, she’s got her nose deep in a good book. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband.

Be sure to drop her a line at www.staceykennedy.com, she loves to hear from her readers.

~~~

About The Book

Decades old guilt collide with a murder, igniting a battle in a warrior’s soul to choose between love and duty…

Murder has brought Talon, Master of Guardians, as well as Zia, his witch and Master of Witches, to Chicago. The manner of death appears to be a suicide, but Talon is far from ready to close the case. To avenge the Guardian linked to his past, he agrees to take on the assignment, and find her killer.

As they dive deeper into the investigation, they find themselves entering a world where BDSM is the norm. A lifestyle that Zia is uncomfortable with and, rattled by this new development, she is more than ready to return to the Otherworld. But their investigation quickly takes an unexpected twist when they discover that they’re not only hunting a killer but also someone who is controlling supernaturals in Chicago.

Their mission not only brings danger, but also forces Talon to deal with decades old guilt that corrodes his soul. Every event that unfolds only deepens his fight and pushes him to face an ultimate choice—what is more important—his duty to the Otherworld or the witch he holds closest to his heart?

Buy A Warrior Witch here .

Next Stop: June 17 – Alise On Life

Book Excerpts: The Day the Flowers Died by Ami Blackwelder

Sunday, November 8, 1931

Rebecca and Eli ambled down the chilly sidewalk hand in hand, their bodies close enough to keep each other warmer than if they walked alone. Rebecca fiddled with her rose colored knit hat her mother gave her. Benches lined the sidewalk outside the park and they cozily sat side by side on one in the middle.Eli wrapped his arm around Rebecca and saw her nose turning a fast red. He rubbed it with his hands, a task Rebecca was becoming familiar with. Laughing at her easy vulnerability to the cold, he took off his long strapped, leather brown bag carrying a few books and laid it across his legs. He took out a book, laid his head on her lap and gazed up at her. Though certainly taboo, being around her made him feel free. Caressing his face, her fingers touched his cheeks and forehead and then circled around to his chin.

“Feels like you've missed a shave again,” Rebecca remarked without feeling she would offend him.

“You are a very perceptive young woman.” He raised an index finger in emphasis.  “I'll have to remedy my error later.”

“No error,” she smiled wide.  “I kind of like it, all rough and manly.”

She lowered her head to his and Eli planned to give her a peck on the lips.  Yet, after their lips touched, he lingered there and then laid his head back on the warmth of her lap garbed in a thick dark wool skirt.  Eli opened the book.

“Who are we reading today?” Rebecca asked.

“Heinrich Heine, a German poet of Jewish origin.”

“Oh.” Rebecca teased with catty intonation.

“Are you mocking me?” Eli asked halfheartedly with the look of sensuality in his dark brown eyes.

“I really do love poetry,” she insisted. Eli flipped through a few pages and read aloud, loud enough for her to hear and soft enough for the words to travel through the ears of the strangers passing by.

E'EN as A LOVELY FLOWER

     by: Heinrich Heine (1799-1856)

E'en as a lovely flower, so fair, so pure thou art;

I gaze on thee, and sadness comes stealing o'er my heart.

My hands I fain had folded upon thy soft brown hair,

Praying that God may keep thee so lovely, pure and fair

“There is something about his words. The poetry...the words...are  captivating,” Rebecca whispered, elating Eli by her enthusiastic approval.

“He is one of my favorites. He blends French modernism with German sentiment.” Eli turned the page to Heine's bibliography and read the line quoted at the top without so much as a waver in his voice.

 “Where one burns books, one will, in the end, burn people.” Eli opened his mouth about to say something political, but before he could, Rebecca interrupted his thought.

“Read me some more of his poetry,” she asked like a child with a bedtime story. Gazing at her blue eyes that matched the sky, he turned the page to find another poem. “I really like this poet,” she said in her naïve age, never hearing of him before today and not fully comprehending the significance he had for Eli.

“He’s more than a mere poet. He’s a writer and political-religious thinker of Paris. Have you read him?”

Eli educated Rebecca as she shook her head no and then he spoke in audible softness.

As you can see on the banner. Don't forget to stop by her site to enter the giveaway. You can get bookmarks with signed copies of shifters of 2040 and Hybrids of 2020 AND bookmarks with a signed copy of The Day The Flowers Died.

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June 17th - We Fancy Books