Monday, January 20, 2014

Finding the Blood Assassin Blog Tour



Finding the Blood Assassin
Lords of the Expanse, Book Three
Siren Allure: Erotic Futuristic Sci-Fi Romance, vampires, HEA

Raven Kato takes the assignments no one else will, the suicide missions, the ones with a low probability of success. He doesn’t care about the risks or the chances of survival. He’s all for going out in a blaze of glory. As long as it helps his people and keeps the Vampire race at the top of the food chain, he’s all for it.

Jamison Montague is tired of being called upon to find people. Some folks just don’t want to be found. Her newest assignment is a prime example of that. Unfortunately she doesn’t have a lot of choice in the matter once she gets a read on her target. But what she ends up being pulled into may very well end not only her career, but her life.

Together this unlikely pair will have to find a way to get along, for they will all too soon have to depend on one another for everything. Not only their survival in a deadly game to which they don’t know the rules, but for their very future and happiness. As danger starts to close in, as their opponents are revealed, and as their hearts become involved, they will have to make the hardest choice of all. Fight for what they want, or give in and give up.

Excerpt

She was moving with the shadows and light. Something big was going down on the ship, she just didn’t know what. She looked around and mused, no, not a ship so much as a planetary vessel. The ship was massive. The outside of the ship was as large as her father’s estate on her homeworld, but it was also heavily armored and looked ready to start a war. She had slipped into the vessel on a ruse, her ship cloaked and attached to the outer hull where she was able to gain access via a little used junction tube. She wondered only briefly why someone would steal the man from his home and then realized that it was because of knowledge. Somehow that came quickly to her even as she rounded another corner on silent feet and weapon drawn. It had to be because the Lord Kato was a Vampire Lord of high ranking within the Vampire Alliance. He was also a Warlord, one who went into battle and therefore knew Alliance secrets.

She paused as she walked and opened all her senses. Frowning, she felt him more than heard him. She felt his anger, and beyond that, his pain. She was about to pull back and fall back to her ship when a large hand, his large hand, snaked out and wrapped around her. She fought all urges to scream, kick, and bite, but instead melted against him.

He was a wounded animal, feral, and she could feel that from him. When he asked her the question of who she was, she spoke quietly and honestly. “I am Jamison Montague. I was sent by your Lady Mother to find you.” She touched the ring which lay between her breasts on a golden chain and added, “You know my father, but this is not the time or place. Would you mind terribly removing your hand from my neck so that we can get out of this hellhole before the alarms I bypassed are found and tripped?”

He looked down at the ring she touched for the briefest of moments before snarling softly. Despite, or perhaps because of the pounding of hunger she could feel rushing through him, he loosened his grip. “One mistake, one wrong move, and I swear on all that I believe in, you won’t know what hit you. And,” he spoke, his voice low and harsh as if from long disuse, “you ever mention my mother again—and I don’t care if you are the ruler of the universe—I will kill you,” he said, sneering.

She didn’t have to be empathic to be able to see the anger in his words so she wisely and simply nodded. The anger that all but poured off of him touching that emotional part of her that housed the fight or flight desire. “All right, we move with the shadows toward my ship. It is hidden right now from the radar and view thanks to a very nice experimental cloak that will be placed on the Warships soon.” How she got such technology was her secret of course. “No mistakes, no wrong moves. I was sent by her, but as soon as I touched your ring I knew I needed to come for you.” It was the truth. She felt it in the very core of her body when she touched that ring that she had to save him not for his house, but for his sanity.

“Come on.” Again in a whispered sound, she went to move from him and looked down at the hand he still held to her arm. “You need to let me go, my lord.”

Staring at her a moment longer, he let his hand drop. “I’m not a lord,” he muttered. Moved away from her, he began pulling the shadows in deeper around him as he headed for her ship. He wasn’t very happy about her news that his mother had sent her to find him. Of all people, he couldn’t believe the gall of that woman. She couldn’t just be happy fucking with his formative years, now she had the need to stick her bloody nose where it was definitely not wanted.

A soft sound had him stopping and waiting until the guard came by, and in one motion, Raven slit his throat. Catching the body hefted him up onto a crate, folding him in such a manner to avoid detection for a time. Glancing back, he glared at the female, a female that shouldn’t be there. No one should be there for him, as it was against the laws of conduct of the Alliance if they found out. Well, thankfully, it wouldn’t be his head on the block.

She understood his anger, the need to kill. Hell, she was in a killing rage after touching his signet ring and feeling only the smallest measure of the torture he was put through. It was only two more turns before they were on her small vessel. Moving quickly, she pointed to the guest room. “You can bunk in there.” She wasn’t going to tell him he had to leave her because she damn well knew better, so instead she pulled the pillow from the copilot’s chair. “Or have a seat. This might be a bumpy ride.” Because she had to drop the cloak in order to activate the faster-than-light engines and in that few minutes, they would be blazingly visible and vulnerable.

He eased into the copilot’s seat and settled down gingerly. “Do what needs to be done,” he snapped at her softly, barely keeping a leash on his temper. They would be stuck in the small craft for a time together, and she was glad to see him reining it in. While he could undoubtedly fly it easily, she knew that he was exhausted, beyond exhausted given the glimpse she’d had into the hell he’d lived.

She didn’t even think about what she was doing but tugged out the small cooler drawer and pointed. “I stocked up. Feed before you pass out,” she said without even looking at him. All her attention was on getting them ready and out of there. Using the maneuvering thrusters only, she pulled them away from the massive ship and toward open space. When she saw he hadn’t touched the blood, she simply held out her arm. “I didn’t poison the blood, but if you would feel better, drink from the vein.” While she waited on the countdown before disengaging the cloak, she grabbed a bag of blood herself and snapped it on her teeth while she waited for him to make his choice.

“Thank you, no,” he murmured, seeming to keep one eye on her and the other where they were going. Sitting back farther in the chair, he shifted slightly but stiffly. “Just concentrate on where you are going. I’d really prefer not to die in a horrifyingly fiery accident.”

Paranormal Romance Author Honor James

Monday, January 13, 2014

Last Kiss Goodbye Blog Tour




Lexi DeHalo lived in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina until she left for college to study Chemistry and Forensic Science. After graduation, Lexi decided to pursue her love of the arts by writing erotic romance. When she’s not too busy in the lab, you can find her working on her latest inspiration or playing with her fur-babies.




Last Kiss Goodbye
The Southlands



Haunting memories and shattered dreams of a life he left behind lead Karson Maddox back to Southlands, Montana and the one man he can’t forget, Marcus Deveraux . But Karson is a changed man, scarred by the chains of his past that are unwilling to let him go, and he doesn’t know if he can be the man Marcus once loved or if he will be forever bound to the horrors that plague him.

With his lover’s disappearance, Marcus repressed his pain and heartache by devoting his time to his family’s ranch. When Karson shows up on his doorstep five years later, battered and bruised, Marcus is torn between protecting the one man who stole his heart and the fear of betrayal.

As desire and passion reignite, the secrets surrounding Karson’s past threaten to tear them apart once again, and Marcus will learn just how far he’s willing to go to keep Karson safe from the demons that threaten both of their lives.

Excerpt

The Southlands End. The orange, neon words hung high above the doorway, glowing brightly in the nighttime sky. The loud music playing inside could be heard clearly from the crowded parking lot. This place was meant to serve as a safe haven for the shifter kind who resided in Southlands, Montana, but to Karson Maddox, it only served as a reminder of the life that had been stolen from him.

He took a deep breath and inhaled the smell of the familiar rugged landscape. Montana had been the place he’d called home for many years, until that fateful night had changed his life forever. After five years, Karson had finally made it back home, but now, he was uncertain of what awaited him on the other side of those metal doors, and frankly, he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was finding Marcus.

Reaching out with a shaky hand, he opened the door and stepped inside. He was instantly greeted by the bouncers, set in place to keep wandering mundanes—a shifter term for the majority of the human population—out.

“Passcode,” the large one on the left requested in a less than pleasant manner. His voice was deep and his intimidating stare was enough to stop any sensible person from advancing.

Karson ran a nervous hand through his shaggy hair. “I don’t know it, but—”

Before he could even get the rest of his sentence out, the other bouncer, who had yet to speak, grabbed ahold of his arm and pushed him back outside.

“Hey, wait a minute. Lemme go!” Karson struggled against the painful grip. “I’m here to see Marcus.”

His words did nothing to stop the two shifters from removing him from the building. They tossed him to the ground like a ragdoll, and the sting from the gravel scraping against his exposed flesh burned like a son of a bitch.

He glared up at the two men, his temper flaring from their harsh handlings as his mind was taken back to the past five years of abuse he’d endured in one moment. He could feel the animal inside him rise to the surface, itching for a release that couldn’t be sated. His inability to shift only fueled his desire to defend himself as he lunged at the taller man His fist collided with the bouncer’s jaw, but despite the pain that radiated up his arm, his target appeared to be unfazed by the blow.

“Fuck,” he cursed as he shook his hand in an attempt to free it from the ache that emanated from his knuckles.

“Is there a problem here?”

His heart caught at the sound of the slight southern drawl. He knew the man who had spoken those words even before he turned around and his rage was instantly calmed by the familiar voice. A wave of nervousness washed over him as his hands began to tremble. Turning slowly, he met Marcus’s eyes for the first time in five years and the world around him seemed to fade away.

Marcus Deveraux stood in front of him, dressed in a pair of dark-wash Wranglers and his favorite pair of cowboy boots. His white shirt was left partially unbuttoned, no doubt to showcase his well-muscled chest. Strands of his blond hair fell in front of his ice blue eyes as he stared down at Karson. The soft features of his face had hardened with the years, but everything else was just as he remembered.

Karson’s mouth went dry. He tried to find the words he’d rehearsed earlier in the day, but nothing came to him. Instead, all he could do was stand there like a deer caught in headlights.
“Karson?” Marcus whispered as recognition finally kicked in. A look of shock and confusion fell upon his face as the pain and agony of the past few years shimmered inside the depths of Marcus’s piercing eyes.

The desire to reach out to him was overwhelming. It was an impulse that had surprised Karson given that he’d changed so much in the past few years. Something shifted inside him, awakening a mixture of emotions he hadn’t felt since the day he was taken from Marcus. Tears pooled in his eyes and he tried desperately to hold them back. He wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not now.

“Sir, you know this man?” the large shifter Karson had punched questioned Marcus.

Marcus gave a slow nod, his eyes never leaving Karson. “Yes… he’s my mate.”






2014 is finally here and I’m excited to announce the release of Last Kiss Goodbye! This has been an ongoing work in progress for many months now and I’m very pleased with the outcome. It has definitely broadened my writing potential and I have been so excited to share it with the rest of the world that I couldn’t think of a better time than the New Year. To kick start this celebration, I have decided to offer a free copy of Last Kiss Goodbye to one lucky winner and give them exclusive naming rights to one of my main character’s in an upcoming release. All you have to do to be considered is leave a comment below telling me about your ideal character. Be sure to list their name and job title and why you think they would make the ultimate main character. Good luck and happy New Year!

Lexi

Behind the Scenes

Ø What are your current projects?

My current projects include starting a new pen name for a M/F BDSM piece I’ve been working on entitled, Beautifully Broken [A Limitless Novel] and supernatural suspense novel that has yet to be titled.

Ø How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

Hmm. An interesting question. I think I have come a long way since my first book was released a year ago. I have found my own voice, so to speak, and I’ve quite enjoyed experimenting with different genres. I’m excited about my upcoming works in progress J

Ø What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

The edits. I switched editors with my latest book and while I was extremely happy with the feedback I got, I also spent many hours working on their suggestions. It really pushed me as a writer and helped shape the book to be what it is today.

Ø Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

Yes, I do. The cover is the first impression that a buyer sees and it needs to reflect the quality of writing, the reader can expect. A cover doesn’t need to be flashy or over the top, but it does need to be professional.

Ø What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around?

Being published is great route for a writer so long as it is a reputable publisher that does their share of the work. Realistically, I don’t want to do business with a publisher if their editing, cover art, and promotions are not worth 50-60% of my royalties. If I’m doing most of the work and even having to correct their edits, then I don’t feel like the publisher is holding up their end of the contract. In that case, self-publishing would be an ideal situation, especially with today’s technology. Hiring you own editor and cover artist can be an up front, out of pocket cost, though and if an author doesn’t earn back enough from their self-published title to cover those costs, it will be a direct loss that they have to take. For new authors, I feel that being published is a great introduction into the industry. It gives the author a feel for the expectations of the industry and is a good place to start. For more experienced authors who feel like they aren’t getting what they need from their publisher, they may want to try their hand at self-publishing.

Flash Round

Q. What is your most cherished possession?
A. My black diamond ring. It was one of the few things given to me by someone very dear to me.

Q. How do you feel about being the center of attention?
A. I hate it. I would much rather be the mysterious person in the background than the one everybody is focusing on.

Q. What makes you blush?
A. Flattery. Anytime anyone gives me a compliment, especially one followed by a sexual innuendo I can’t help but blush!

Q. Do you have any irrational fears or phobias?
A. Thunderstorms. I absolutely hate them!


Monday, January 6, 2014

Welcome to Purgatory Giveaway!



Welcome to Purgatory: Beginning of the End



After losing his best friend in a meteor storm that wiped out entire cities, Brady Dane finds himself alone and

scared, simply trying to make it from one day to the next. Surrounded by chaos, desperation, and death, he turns his compass toward Georgia and the refuge rumored to be established in the military base there. Forming emotional attachments will only make him vulnerable, so he keeps himself guarded, choosing to travel alone, but that all changes when he crosses paths with a stranger on a lonely stretch of highway.

Anthony Grimel—Grim to his friends—is having a really bad day. Collapsing on the side of the road after being robbed and beaten by a band of raiders, he’s ready to give up. He never expected to be saved by an angel with golden hair and a smile to rival the sun. Finding purpose once again in being Brady’s guardian, his protector, Grim vows to get his new companion safely to the refuge, but he never expected to lose his heart in the process.

Love isn’t always easy, though, a fact Brady quickly discovers. Wading through a new, complicated relationship is hard enough, but now, he’s not sure who to trust—who is friend and who is foe. One hard truth becomes glaringly obvious not long after his arrival. Within these walls, there is no life or death, there is only survival.

Welcome to Purgatory.







Welcome to Purgatory: Journey to Nowhere


Forest has been on his own since the world came crashing down months ago. Trusting someone was never on his list of things to-do but finding his sister definitely is. His trip to New Orleans is filled with peril but it’s about to get even more interesting when he meets a new friend and protector on the causeway.

Manny never expected to play bodyguard to a beautiful blond with more than a few submissive tendencies. With demons of his own to battle, it’s been hard fighting off Forest’s as well. However, he hears about a place where they might finally be safe enough to deal with their issues.

Camp Purgatory offers security and a new way of life. However, it is not what is in the brochure that they really have to worry about.