Category Archives: Vampires Realm

My favourite scene from Prophecy: Child of Light

Posted on 8th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

I have the hard task of choosing my favourite scenes from some of my books to share with you this weekend. It might sound like a lot of fun, but sometimes there is more than one scene that I really love in a book and choosing between them can be very tricky. Add to that the fact that I can’t choose a scene that gives something major about the plot away and it becomes doubly tricky!

My next favourite scene is from Prophecy: Child of Light, which is a vampire romance and the first book in the Prophecy Trilogy, and also the Vampires Realm series.

This scene takes place after Prophecy and ValentineÂ have attended the Creator Day masquerade to meet with a contact of Valentine’s and have had to leave in a hurry to avoid detection by the Law Keepers, cutting their night short.

My Favourite Scene From…

Prophecy: Child of Light

Valentine smiled at her. It had been a nice ending to the night, but in a way, he was sad that it was over so soon. He had barely managed to dance with her at the ball. Everything had moved so swiftly once heâ€™d caught hold of her and in the blink of an eye it was over.

He looked up at the flickering neon sign above the hotel entrance and then down at her. He sighed. She looked beautiful standing there bathed in the dim light from the hotel. Her lips were smiling at him. Her eyes were still hidden behind her mask, giving her a mysterious look even though he knew who she was beneath it.

â€œThere is someone we must visit tomorrow,â€ he said, his eyes still fixed on her apparel. â€œPack your things and wait for me in your room. I will come for you shortly after sunset.â€

He raised his eyes to meet hers. He could see by the way they were narrowed that she was frowning at him. It seemed so wrong to give her such a beautiful dress and only let her wear it for one dance, especially when most of that dance had been passed in the arms of other men. The memory of watching them touching her still made his blood boil. He hadnâ€™t been able to stop himself from reacting. Seeing their hands on her had made him more than a little jealous.

Heâ€™d been ready to tear their throats open.

Heâ€™d wanted to massacre them all just for looking at her.

He clenched his fists and reined in his anger, not wanting her to see the effect that she had on him. He glanced up at her through his eyelashes and found her looking at him with concern.

â€œI wishâ€¦â€ He took a deep breath and sighed it out as he straightened up, reminding himself who he was. â€œI am sorry that we had to leave. I could have danced all night with you. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, I still couldâ€¦even without the music. I shall see you tomorrow.â€

He turned to leave, but found her hand on his arm. She held him tightly, not letting him move.

â€œYou could still dance with me.â€ Her voice was trembling. He could feel her fingers shaking where they were gripping his jacket. He looked back over his shoulder and found her smiling at him, her eyes silently telling him how much courage it had taken for her to stop him from leaving.

He looked around them at the street. â€œHere? People will think we are crazy.â€

â€œWhat people?â€ She smiled reassuringly and moved closer to him. He stared into her eyes while she reached up and pulled his mask down, covering the top half of his face. â€œBesides, no one will know who we are. Let them think weâ€™re crazy.â€

His hands moved of their own volition, claiming her waist as their prize and pulling her to him until her body was curved against his.

Prophecy took a deep breath, trying not to let her nerves show when his fingers splayed out against her back, holding her flush against him. She rested her hand on his shoulder. She couldnâ€™t take her eyes away from his. Something about seeing him in the mask stirred a heady mix of feelings inside of her that felt as though they were going to carry her away. It felt dangerous and mysterious. She started when his hand caught hers, his fingers wrapping tightly around it and showing her that he wasnâ€™t going to easily let her go.

She moved at the same time as he did, a slow waltz to the silent rhythm of the night. She realised that back at the palace it hadnâ€™t been the music that had made her feel as though she was dancing on air. It had been him. Something about being in his arms made her feel as though she was floating. She smiled up at him and saw his eyes drop to her lips. Her gaze followed his example and she stared at his mouth, watching him wet his lips. Anticipation built inside of her as the tempo of their dance increased. He turned with her, making the whole world disappear until all she could hear was the sound of their boots on the road.

Her breathing stilled when he leaned towards her, his cheek brushing against hers and his hand pressing harder into her back, forcing her chest against his. She stared at the stars above as they spun. Her lips parted when he pressed a kiss to her neck and she didnâ€™t notice that their dancing was slowing; everything seemed to be speeding up to a blur. Her hand left his shoulder and slipped over his neck. He moaned into her throat while he brushed his lips against her skin. Her eyes fell shut and the hand that was holding his was suddenly empty. She bit her lip when she felt his arm wrap around her, his hand coming to rest on her backside. She realised theyâ€™d stopped dancing and he was just kissing her neck now, his mouth moving in tantalising patterns against her soft flesh.

She wondered if he would be so bold without a mask to hide behind.

Trailing her hands down to his chest, she pushed him backwards and found eyes full of passion staring into hers. He was breathing heavily and she could feel his desire as he held her close to him. With trembling fingers, she pushed his mask up off his head. She held it for a moment before letting it clatter to the floor, and then tore her own mask off. She ran her fingers down his cheek, her eyes following them when she swept her thumb across his lower lip. He growled and his teeth extended, catching her thumb. She couldnâ€™t stop herself from changing into her vampire guise when she saw the small bloom of blood seeping into her glove. Her whole body ached at the sight of it. She was about to bring it to her mouth when he caught her wrist and took her thumb into his mouth. Her stomach tightened when his tongue brushed against the cut, a moan escaping her lips.

She frantically pulled him against her and his arm tightened around her waist. He released her hand and began to dance with her again, his body moulding against hers and his movements fluid. Only, she wasnâ€™t dancing any more. Her feet werenâ€™t moving. He was holding her off the ground, spinning with her and making her giddiness become dizziness. Her head fell backwards and she stared at the black sky above them, her lips open in a silent laugh as she smiled at it.

She dug her fingers into his hair when he pressed a kiss to her bosom and worked his way back up to her neck. She growled and held him there, not wanting to let him go. She needed more from him. A giggle escaped her lips when he growled in response and it rumbled through her own chest. The feeling of his kisses was divine. His teeth caught her skin, making small points of pain punctuate the pleasure. She pressed her body into him, leaning further backwards so he had to get closer to her in order to reach her neck. He growled threateningly into her ear and pressed his hand into her back, forcing her to straighten up. His teeth scraped her neck and she let out a small cry.

He tenderly kissed her throat, his tongue lapping at the tiny wounds heâ€™d created and sealing them. She swore she could hear music as they continued to turn, clinging to each other in a passionate embrace. The sounds of the night seemed to make a tune when combined with the echo of Valentineâ€™s boots along the dark empty road. She could hear the fountains in the square, the distant cars and the insects and night creatures.

She closed her eyes and lost herself in it, her body going limp in his strong arms while she focused on the sounds and the feeling of Valentineâ€™s persuasive kisses. She sighed when he lowered her so her feet were touching the floor again and pressed one final kiss to her neck.

She didnâ€™t know what to say when she opened her eyes and stared into his.

â€œIâ€¦â€ He started but dropped his gaze to rest on the floor.

She smiled. She shouldâ€™ve known that he wouldnâ€™t know the right words either. She picked up her mask and then his, and stared at it. It was strange that it had taken hiding behind a mask for him to discover the courage to act on his desires. She wished that heâ€™d taken it one step further and had found the strength to properly kiss her. In her vision, it had felt divine. In real life, she was sure it would feel even better.

She held the mask out to him but he didnâ€™t take it. He just stared at it. She let both of the masks slip down her arm, dangling by the ribbons that were still tied from when they had been wearing them. She started to frown and then found herself being pulled up against him again. When he stared into her eyes, she could see the tempestuous mix of emotions in them. There was so much fire and passion, so much uncertainty and nerves. Her hands coursed up his arms, coming up over his shoulders to his neck and settling on either side of his face. She looked deep into his eyes, trying to show him that they both wanted what he was considering. She wanted to kiss him into oblivion.

She heard him swallow and saw that the fire in his eyes was fading. He was getting control of himself again. She silently cursed him when his hands left her sides and he sighed.

â€œYou should go in. It is not safe out here.â€

She frowned. Not safe out here? She looked around at the empty street. There was nothing out here but him. Did he think she wasnâ€™t safe around him? Didnâ€™t he trust himself?

â€œWhatâ€™s wrong?â€

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

â€œOn the train, when you made meâ€¦â€ He pointed at her neck. â€œI thought something that I should not have. I thought many things I should not have.â€

She was going to ask him to elaborate when she saw the look in his eyes. It told her everything she needed to know. It had been her vision that had driven him to want to do things to her, things that no man had done to her. Things that he was destined to do to her.

â€œOh.â€ She stared wide-eyed at him.

His shoulders sagged the tiniest amount and she could almost visualise the pressure that was weighing down on him. She stroked his cheek and brought his head around so he was facing her again, but let him keep his eyes fixed on the floor.

â€œIâ€¦I should thank you for the dressâ€¦and the danceâ€¦it wasâ€¦â€ She didnâ€™t know how to put into words what she wanted to tell him. All she had to say was that she wouldnâ€™t have stopped him, but the words hung unspoken in the air between them. She hated the awkwardness it created and cursed her weakness.

â€œYou should go in.â€ He turned away from her, leaving her outstretched hand empty.

â€œValentine?â€ She hurried towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder. He felt tense underneath her fingers. She wanted to tell him not to think the things she had seen in his eyes. There was nothing to regret. Heâ€™d done nothing wrong by wanting to make love to her and heâ€™d done nothing wrong by dancing with her tonight. â€œI donâ€™t want to go in.â€

â€œYou cannot stay out here.â€ He moved to face her and gave her a small smile. â€œThe sun will come up. You will have to go inside at some point.â€

She smiled at his attempt to lighten the atmosphere. It seemed to work for a split second but then it pressed down on her again. Her hand lingered on his shoulder. The light from the hotel sign was playing on his features and she noticed the blood on his lips. He couldnâ€™t have taken more than a sip from her when he was kissing her neck. She wanted to kiss him, wanted to taste the blood and know it was hers. She was inside him just as he was inside her, but it hadnâ€™t been their blood working its will tonight. He had wanted to kiss her, had wanted to have her in his arms and from the look in his eyes heâ€™d wanted to do much more besides.

She wanted it all.

She glanced at the hotel and decided to take a chance. She wasnâ€™t expecting anything from him if he agreed. She just didnâ€™t want to leave his side. He could only say no and sheâ€™d have the whole night and day to brood about it if he did.

â€œI donâ€™t want to go in,â€ she repeated.

â€œWhat do you want?â€ He cocked his head to one side.

She placed the mask into his hand and looked deep into his eyes.

â€œAt the dance, when you rescued me, you saved me from the arms of a Caelestis. It frightened me.â€ She rubbed her arm with her free hand, trying to build up the courage to say what she really wanted to. She could see that he was waiting and he wasnâ€™t convinced that mentioning the Caelestis was all she had to say. She looked up at him, not raising her head but looking past her furrowed brows. â€œI want to stay with you.â€

His look softened and he was silent for a few seconds before answering.

â€œGather your belongings and we shall go to my hotel.â€

Remember you can get Prophecy: Child of Light for only $0.99 right now

Prophecy: Child of Light
A vampire unlike any other, Prophecy lives life in the dark until the night she encounters Valentine, a gorgeous vampire who is both her enemy and the man who will change her life forever.

Convinced that the prophecy about her is wrong and unable to ignore the vision of them that he saw in her blood, Valentine goes against his orders to execute Prophecy and kidnaps her instead. The attraction between them grows as they search for the truth behind the prophecy, battle a dark evil that threatens to destroy the world, and attempt to evade their families and the Law Keepers.

When the truth about her is revealed, will Prophecy be strong enough to face it? Will they discover a way to save the world from Hell? And will they finally see past the hatred bred into them by their families and surrender to their love?

The first novel in the Vampires Realm series, Prophecy: Child of Light, is part one in an epic tale of love and war that is sure to capture your heart and leave you craving more.

Posted in paranormal romance, Prophecy Trilogy, vampire romance, Vampires Realm | Comments Off

Interview with Hyperion from my Vampires Realm series

Posted on 6th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

It’s time to bring in a vampire who has captured the hearts of many readers despite not being the hero of any of my books yet… that’s right… one of my two great and wonderfully mysterious vampires is here to chat with me.

Hyperion is probably the most popular vampire in my Vampires Realm series. I get a lot of people asking about him and when he’s going to get his own story. It’s so tempting to just keep having him appear in other heroes and heroines novels in the series because I don’t want his quirky personality to change due to him finally having his love by his side. I’m not sure his personality would change, but he might be a little distracted by her and not amuse himself with everyone else’s love lives as much. lol.

As I’ve said above, Hyperion doesn’t have his own love story yet. I did write a short piece about his origins and you can read it on my Vampires Realm website: http://www.vampiresrealm.com/freestory_eternitythebeginning.php

Now, I’ve been waiting to interview this man for a long time, so on with the show…

REMEMBER: If you want Hyperion to answer your question, leave it in a comment on the post and I’ll pass it on to him and he’ll answer it for you.

(It feels as though I’ve been waiting forever for this moment, and that I’m going to have to wait a little longer. Minutes tick by. I tap my pen against the clipboard with my notes on it. Maybe he’s going be a no-show. The door creaks open and the man himself enters, casually dressed in a loose black shirt that has the top few buttons undone, revealing bronzed skin and the valley between his chest muscles. He saunters across the room to the black velvet armchair and drapes himself in it, crosses his black-clad legs and smiles at me, revealing slightly extended canines. His purple eyes are beautiful in the firelight, mesmerising, but I know better than to fall into their trap)

HYPERION: When will you write my story, little lady? (the mixture of accents in his voice make his birth nationality hard to place but I know he was born over three thousand years ago in Egypt)

FH: Soon, I think. A few people want to read it. Every appearance you make in the series intrigues them a little more. I think you have a fan club. I’m tempted to change that to ‘fang club’ as I think these readers are just longing to imagine they’re your heroine.

HYPERION: (smiles slowly) It can be arranged. I am always looking for fresh entertainment. The days can feel so long when I have so much on my mind and cannot sleep. I wouldn’t say no to a little midday snack.

FH: Hmm, but I have the impression that’s all they would be to you. You flirt so well with everyone but would you ever go further than a quick bite?

HYPERION: (his eyes darken and he looks away to the fireplace on his right, causing his irises to reflect silver in the light) Perhaps once upon a time I would have. I am afraid I would have to disappoint any ladies looking for more than just the pleasure of my bite now. My heart belongs to another.

FH: Tell me something I don’t know. Things have certainly been busy for you recently though, so that must have occupied you to some degree?

HYPERION: (he turns back to me and smiles again) Most entertaining. It does amuse me when these vampire hunters believe they are any kind of match for my kind. I am still disputing certain outcomes of the event at the Venia mansion with Winter though. I am sure he is lying. There isn’t the slightest possibility that he beat me.

FH: You’re a sore loser. Does that come with age?

HYPERION: (laughs) No… my cavalier attitude and the right to pry into others’ relationships came with age. I have to amuse myself somehow. If you lived for three thousand years, you would likely end up the same. I do not think any would dare dispute my right either.

FH: They’re all scared of you. You could probably kill most of the vampires in the seven bloodlines with just a flick of your finger. There aren’t any who can stand against your strength.

HYPERION: Now, there you are wrong. There is my beloved sister.

FH: That is true. Ineru is probably the one vampire in the world who could kill you with only a few words.

HYPERION: Not the only vampire. There is another. Women… they are man’s only weakness.

FH: Very true. We can destroy men without flinching. Your sex isn’t as strong as you think.

HYPERION: Your species isn’t as strong as it thinks.

FH: TouchÃ©. I’ll give you that one. So, do you have any other adventures planned?

HYPERION: I do indeed, and I think I shall need you to write them down for me. It is high time that my story was told. I grow tired of waiting… you are the only human in the world who can keep me waiting… perhaps the only person too. No vampire would dare. Not even Ineru.

FH: I’ll write it. Don’t worry. I do need to write your sister’s story and also Lilith’s sister’s story too, and I think those should come first.

HYPERION: You place two stories before mine. I grant you leave to write my sister’s story first, but to write Lilith’s sister’s story before mine… sheer madness, my little human. Why does she get precedence over me?

FH: Because her story came first. So shush, behave yourself. I know that your story sort of started shortly after Winter’s story, but it hasn’t ended yet and it’s easier to write a story when it has ended and I have both hero and heroine present to recount it for me. Win your heroine and then we’ll talk about writing your story, okay?

HYPERION: (frowns) Fine, if you insist it be that way, then I will do all in my power to make it happen. It will certainly be an adventure worth writing down though. I can promise you that.

FH: I’m sure readers are glad to hear it. They probably expect nothing less from you and I think every time you appear in a book, they’re secretly hoping you’ve found someone to love and they’ll get to read about it.

HYPERION: It isn’t a case of finding someone to love. I have already found her, but I thought she was lost to me. It is more a case of finding where my love has gone.

FH: Either way, people want to read about it. I’m sure your ‘fang club’ will be desperate to read it when I’ve written it.

HYPERION: Then perhaps we should move things along and I can see about making my story happen.

FH: All of you vampires are so impatient. I have a few silly questions that I like to ask the people I’m interviewing. Firstly, what’s your favourite colour?

HYPERION: Purple. It wasn’t a colour I was familiar with when human. The first time I saw it in Ineru’s eyes, it became my favourite colour. She has beautifully clear purple eyes.

FH: Sometimes you sound a little too in love with your sister. (he scowls at me) And moving swiftly on… your favourite smell?

HYPERION: The desert at night when the sand is cooling and the wind carries the faint scent of water and greenery. It has stayed with me for three millennia.

FH: Your favourite possession?

HYPERION: My ravens.

FH: Favourite thing to do?

HYPERION: Stargaze with my sister. We often did it back in Egypt. There you could see so many stars. I think we used to do it because it made us both feel that not everything had changed. The world was still the same and the stars were still the same. It made it easier to cope with what happened to me, and what I had done to Ineru.

FH: And finally, what’s your favourite time of year?

HYPERION: Winter. The nights are longer in Russia then and very clear. Ineru finds it easier to get away from her place of exile too because the guards are less inclined to leave their houses and check on her.

FH: You really do care a lot about your sister. I can understand it though. She’s been with you for three thousand years and was your only companion until you found your bloodline. Do you still feel bad about turning her?

HYPERION: (shakes his head) No. It is what she wanted and I don’t think I could have coped with watching her wither and die. I don’t think I would have made it past my first decade as a vampire without her at my side.

FH: That’s very sweet. You’re a good brother to her. Now, I’ll let you get on with that business of finding the woman you love. Good luck!

HYPERION: (nods) Thank you. I shall bring back a story worthy of your skill with words.

FH: Get on with you. Compliments get you nowhere.

(Hyperion smiles, rises from the seat, and bows in a way that has me staring down his half-open shirt. Whoever has captured this man’s heart is one lucky lady!)

Ah, I think I’m more in love with him than ever. What about you?

REMEMBER: If you want Hyperion to answer your question, leave it in a comment on the post and I’ll pass it on to him and he’ll answer it for you.

Posted in character interviews, Vampires Realm | Comments Off

Match the Quotes Game – Vampires Realm

Posted on 6th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

I’ve played this game before on my blog with the Vampire Erotic Theatre series books and it was really fun, so I’m playing it twice this weekend, once for the Vampires Realm series and once for the Her Angel series.

Today it’s the Vampires Realm Match the Quotes game. All of the quotes are taken from Masquerade, the next book in the series. It will be out in May.

HOW TO ENTER

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment matching the right character to the right quote. Please leave a single comment with your name, email address, and the name of the character followed by the quote number. Only one comment per person please.

Each correct match you make counts as 1 entry into the prize draw.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Winners have been announced in a post on Friday 13th April.

So, let the game begin…

CHARACTERS AND THEIR QUOTES:

Vivek – â€œBecause I have never seen anything as beautiful as you, and I do not want another man to lay a single finger on you. If I could, I would keep you in my arms all night… or perhaps for the rest of my life.â€

Dmitri – â€œI did not catch your name, little man. Why do you not come down here and we see who insulted who?â€

Hyperion – â€œShe is returning. School your expression, my young apprentice, or she will see that you are madder than hell with your rival rather than just sense it.â€

Tynan – â€œI think I have sufficiently embarrassed you both. Lord Hyperion would be proud of me.â€

Sophis – â€œWhat the Devil have you got yourself into this time?â€

Five characters, five quotes… five chances to win!

Posted in Vampires Realm | Comments Off

Free Paranormal Romance Book – Reunion!

Posted on 6th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

The next book in my Vampires Realm series comes out in May so now is a great time to catch up on the series. You can get the first book in the series, Prophecy: Child of Light, for only $0.99 right now too! More about that later (or see the sidebar).

Reunion is the sixth book in the series but the books stand alone and are joined by the world rather than plot, so you can read them out of order. Download Reunion now for FREE!

Reunion
F E Heaton
The Law Keeper for the Venia bloodline, Marise doesnâ€™t want to return home but duty dictates that she must investigate the attempt on her lordâ€™s life by another vampire.

When she sets eyes on her lord, Marise realises that she might have been called for another reason and that the attack on her lord might not have been by a vampire after all. Her only source of information is a guard who was mortally wounded during the attack, a guard who turns out to be the man who broke her heart fifty years ago.

The sight of Jascha so close to death triggers a battle in Mariseâ€™s heart that will see her struggle to turn her back on him and her family again, and maintain her sense of duty. Is fifty years enough to forgive the one you love for breaking your heart? Will Marise finally confess to everything sheâ€™s held inside and kept hidden from him? And can Jascha convince Marise to listen to what he has to say and make her love him again?

Available as a FREE direct download:
.mobi | .pdf

Or get the FREE ebook from:
Amazon Kindle Stores:
US / World | UK

Apple Stores:
iBookstore US | iBookstore UK | iBookstore Australia | iBookstore Canada

Other Retailers:
Barnes and Noble | Sony Reader Store | Smashwords

EXCERPT

Dull violet eyes greeted her as his heavy lids opened. He blinked languidly and with too much effort for her liking. Blankets covered him but she could see how badly injured his arms, neck and face were. A thick bandage wrapped around his throat, the side of it stained with dark blood, and gashes covered his arms, long lacerations that were edged with angry red and were weeping.

Marise shook her head and fought against the feelings inside her and the tears rising into her eyes.

â€œJascha?â€ she whispered his name again, wishing now that she could hear his voice and have him tell her that Timur was overreactingâ€”he was going to be fine.

He wasnâ€™t going to die.

Before she had time to stop herself, she was kneeling beside the bed, his right hand held firmly in hers and her cheek pressed against it. She closed her eyes and tears escaped them when his fingers closed around hers.

She wanted to ask who had done this to him. He was strong, far stronger than she had been, and yet someone had hurt him. No, this wasnâ€™t hurting. This was butchering. Anger boiled up inside her. Someone had butchered him and left him to die. Death could be as swift for a vampire as it was for a human. Whoever had done this knew what they were doing and they had made sure that Jascha wouldnâ€™t die that night.

This was a message. Someone was telling her species that they were stronger than them.

Her jaw tensed and she growled.

Someone was going to pay.

Jaschaâ€™s fingers flexed weakly against hers and he muttered something that made no sense. She raised her head, taking in the extent of the damage done to this face. It was covered in rich bruises and fine cuts. His split lip and swollen eye made her heart ache for him.

His eyes met hers, pupils dilating and contracting as he struggled to focus.

A tiny frown made his eyebrows shift.

â€œMari?â€ he breathed so quietly she almost didnâ€™t hear him.

The sound of that name brought back all the pain and she dropped his hand, standing and distancing herself from him as her heart broke all over again. She turned her back on him while she pushed all of her feelings back down inside and tried to lock them away in her heart.
â€œMari?â€ he whispered again.

She turned on a pinpoint and stared at him with cold eyes.

â€œMy name is Marise,â€ she said and steeled herself against the darkness that entered his eyes. It was what he deserved. She couldnâ€™t remember exactly what had been said during the fight that had parted them but she still felt the pain each day.

She moved to the foot of the bed, buying the time she needed to get back in control of the situation and herself.

He sighed.

It said so much.

She knew she wasnâ€™t the only one who had been hurt that day. They had both said things and done things that were the undoing of what theyâ€™d had together. Only she had accepted the position as Law Keeper and ran away, and he had been willing to heal the breach.

She folded her arms across her chest.

â€œIf youâ€™re up to it, Iâ€™d like your opinion on what happened the night you were injured.â€

He gave her a look that conveyed exactly what he was thinking. He was right. It was cold of her to stand here, distant and uncaring while he suffered, but that was what a Law Keeper did. They didnâ€™t mix business with pleasure. Pleasure was a thing of the past for them. To hold this position meant being impartial about the bloodlines and being emotionless. Emotions got in the way and clouded your judgement.

Like hers were right now.

Marise turned her back again and paced across the room. She didnâ€™t need the distance it broughtâ€”she needed the darkness. It robbed her sight of its sharpness and meant she couldnâ€™t see his injuries so clearly.

â€œA simple nod or shake of your head will suffice. That is, if you can manage it?â€

Jascha gave her a tiny nod and grimaced, his hand coming up to touch his throat. His eyes closed and she could see the pain in his face and feel it in her blood. She had forgotten the wound there. A part of her said to give him time to recover before questioning him, but the rest overruled it and said to get it over with and get out before the feelings stirring inside her became dangerous.

He was a soldier. She was sure he understood. She needed answers for her investigation and so she could judge whether this case required a Law Keeper or not. This couldnâ€™t get personal. She couldnâ€™t go there again.

â€œDo you think thereâ€™s a reason you were left alive?â€ Marise held the tremble from her voice so he wouldnâ€™t know how much the sight of him so injured was affecting her.

He nodded.

â€œI think so too. Timur hasnâ€™t a clue what happened. You do though, donâ€™t you?â€

He nodded again and swallowed with a grimace.

She moved a step closer so he could see her better through his one good eye, but kept far enough away that she couldnâ€™t clearly see his wounds.

â€œWho did this to you? A vampire?â€

A shake of his head, tiny and almost imperceptible.

â€œI didnâ€™t think so. Were they human?â€

He hesitated. There was uncertainty in his eyes.

â€œNiet,â€ he said, voice strained but the accent that had always melted her was still there.

It was just like him to fall back on his native tongue. She hoped he would keep his answers simple. She never had grasped the language.

â€œDid they look human?â€

â€œDa,â€ he croaked and rubbed his throat again.

Marise stepped closer and had to look away when fresh blood seeped into the bandages around his neck. Her stomach roiled at the thought that she was hurting him by making him speak. She wanted to ask him to stick to nodding or shaking his head, but she couldnâ€™t let him see how much it was all affecting her.

â€œDo you think they were demon or were they wholly human?â€

â€œYa ne paniâ€™mayu.â€ His voice sounded tight and he pushed himself up as he coughed.

Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth.

â€œDamn it, Jascha! I told you to shake or nod.â€ She stormed across the room and sat down on the bed beside him. Her hand was against his cheek, holding him and forcing him to look at her. Everything she was ready to say slipped away and instead she wiped the blood off his chin with her thumb.

She took her hand away from him, gathering herself while she wiped her thumb on the dirty cloth beside the bed.

There was a canister of blood and a stained glass pushed to the back of the small table. They were feeding him old blood? How was he supposed to heal? Anger stirred inside her and she shot a black look at the door. She could sense Timur outside with the guards. Was Tynan there too? Surely he wouldnâ€™t let Jascha suffer like this?

Marise undid the buttons on her jacket sleeve and pushed it up her arm before setting to work on the buttons of her shirt cuff. She rolled it up and tugged it out of the way.

Thinking about what she was doing, she justified it by telling herself that a dead witness was of no use to her. This was about the case. This wasnâ€™t personal.

She extended her claws and pressed one into her wrist.

Blood beaded against her skin.

This wasnâ€™t personal.

She looked at Jascha. He was lying back on the bed again, eyes closed and his jet-black hair falling loose from his ponytail. Rogue strands of it criss-crossed his face. She ignored her temptation to clear them away and extended her arm to him.

His nostrils flared.

His eyes rolled as he opened them and gave her an incredulous look.

She moved her arm closer, frowning at him, but silently pleading him to drink. Without fresh blood, he would never heal. Her blood would suffice until she could get Tynan to hunt for her. Was there any way she could have words with Timur about the canister of blood without it looking as though she was bringing her feelings into this?

Her eyes widened when Jaschaâ€™s mouth latched onto her wrist and she gasped when he bit her. It was the last thing she had been expecting. She half closed her eyes when he began to drink, stirring all too familiar feelings inside of her. He was the last person to do this to her. She looked at his face, studying him and taking everything in.

Was it really fifty years since she had seen his face?

No. She saw it each day in her dreams. He was always with her. She was just too stubborn to admit it.

His drinking slowed and before she knew it, it was over and he was licking the wound on her arm. She held it there for a moment when he stopped, the smallest part of her heart hoping he would continue. He didnâ€™t. He lay back on the bed, his eyes still closed.

â€œJascha?â€ she said and he looked at her. It seemed to take a lot of effort. Her blood was probably making him drowsy as it worked its way into his body. It wouldnâ€™t quicken his healing as fresh human blood would, but it would restore some of his strength, more so than the stored blood he had been given. â€œWas it a vampire hunter?â€

â€œDa,â€ he said.

â€œBut not one like weâ€™ve met before?â€

â€œNiet,â€ he whispered and closed his eyes again.

Marise smiled now that he couldnâ€™t see her. Ghosting her fingers down his cheek, not brave enough to touch him, she looked at him a moment longer and then rose from the bed.

â€œIâ€™ll arrange for fresh blood for you. I have more questions I need to ask. If you remember anything, please ask for me.â€ She hated how cold she sounded.

Rolling her sleeve down, she stopped when she saw the marks on her wrist and stared at them. They were shallow and it wasnâ€™t because he was weak. It was because he hadnâ€™t wanted to hurt her. She ran her fingers over the marks and then buttoned her sleeve, covering it with her jacket.

Marise walked to the door, paused and looked back at him. It hurt to see him, to have the memories of their time together come back, and to see him in so much pain. She hurt so much. He had taken her feelings and smashed them. That much she could remember. They had broken each otherâ€™s heart that night.

She wanted to say something more but couldnâ€™t bring herself to go through with it. She had already brought enough emotion into this investigation. If anyone found out, she was likely to be punished.

She reached out behind her and took hold of the door handle.

Turning, she opened the door.

She hesitated a moment when he spoke.

â€œDa sviâ€™daniya, lubov moya.â€

Marise held the smile inside on hearing such familiar words. Was she still his love?

â€œIâ€™ll see you tomorrow,â€ she said and closed the door behind her.

She killed all her feelings the moment the door clicked shut and turned to look at the people in the corridor around her. The two guards were still there and she didnâ€™t recognise either of them. They looked wet behind the ears. Younglings no doubt.

Her eyes sought out Tynan but he was nowhere to be seen so they settled on Timur.

â€œI will have more questions for him come sunset tomorrow. For now, he must rest. His injuries are extensive, severe enough that a full interrogation may be the end of him. If that happens, I will have no answers to support my involvement in this situation and you will have no Law Keeper to protect you from this human.â€

Timurâ€™s eyes widened, showing the white around his irises and exposing his fear to her again. He fidgeted and she frowned. He was petrified of the thought of this human coming after him. Having seen what this person had done to Jascha, she could understand that fear, but as lord of his bloodline, he shouldnâ€™t allow himself to be ruled by it. He was safe in his home. Or did he think that he wasnâ€™t?

â€œI will speak with the other guards and see what they know,â€ she said, hiding her true intention. She had to find Tynan. It was unlike him to leave Jascha suffering like this. She wanted to know what had happened to change him. â€œEnsure that only your guards are allowed out to hunt for the house.â€

Timur swallowed, hard enough that she saw it.

â€œWhat is it?â€ She didnâ€™t give him an inch as she stepped towards him, straightening to her full height and staring down into his eyes. He was still hiding things from her and all the secrecy was starting to annoy her. How was she supposed to do her job if she was being kept in the dark about things?

â€œNo one is allowed to hunt,â€ he muttered under his breath.

She frowned, her eyes narrowing.

â€œAre you insane?â€ She was tempted to take hold of his shirt collar and rattle him. Either that or she was going to throttle him. She took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. If he saw how shaken she was by the sight of Jascha so hurt, he wasnâ€™t going to give her the respect she needed and deserved.

â€œThey are still out there.â€

Marise ignored his worried look and the childlike pleading in his eyes.

â€œYou are weakening your house. You are letting Jascha die!â€ She clenched her fists and struggled to rein in her anger.

A dark look entered his eyes and for a moment she thought he was going to remind her who ruled their bloodline. She couldnâ€™t believe how weak he had become. She couldnâ€™t believe that he was risking the lives of everyone in his house because he was frightened of a vampire hunter.

â€œI am sending your guards out to hunt whether you like it or not. This house needs fresh blood. You have to keep your people strong or they will be lambs to the slaughter should this vampire hunter attack with allies.â€ She didnâ€™t wait for a reply. She turned and stormed down the hall towards the guardroom.

Fury fuelled her as she took the steps down into the basement level of the house. It had been given over to the servant ranks and the guards long ago, before she was turned. The guards had their restroom down here and the training rooms. She was sure she would find Tynan there. How could she have thought that it had been his choice to feed Jascha old blood? She shouldâ€™ve known that he would never willingly allow Jascha to die like this. Timur had effectively tied his hands behind his back and forced him to watch his brother die.

Pushing the door to the guardroom open, she strode in and scanned the faces. She recognised some of them. They all looked stunned to see her. Before she could locate Tynan, he was standing beside her, silent as always. She didnâ€™t acknowledge him, instead she kept her eyes fixed on the others.

â€œYou are to hunt in groups. Bring fresh blood to the house. Timur will not punish you. I have seen to that.â€ She held their gazes and then whispered out of the corner of her mouth to Tynan, â€œI need a word in private.â€

He nodded and left the room. She waited a moment and then followed him out into the hall. Looking around, she caught a glimpse of him heading into the armoury. She casually walked to it, her whole body shaking with the release of emotions that the idea of speaking to him brought. She knew that with him, she had no chance of remaining cold and business-like. Her heart said that he would never tell anyone about how she acted in private with him, and it seemed to give her feelings free rein to do as they pleased. She couldnâ€™t control them no matter how hard she tried.

It was a dangerous way for her to feel.

â€œI need a moment,â€ Tynan said as she entered the room.

The guards gathered there nodded and left without questioning Tynanâ€™s order. He must have gained rank in their time apart. Her eyes traversed the room while she waited, taking in the assortment of swords, spears, bows and axes that lined the dark walls.

She had never liked it in the armoury. It was gloomy and reminded her of death. Her family never took up arms lightly, so being assigned to work in the armoury was almost a punishment. No one came here and the long hours each guard had to work were often passed alone.

Tynan turned to face her.

Marise avoided looking at him for as long as possible and then lifted her eyes to meet his. He looked concerned. She wished he didnâ€™t. She was having enough trouble holding herself together without him encouraging this revolt by her feelings.

He sighed, his broad shoulders heaving with it. He was taller than Jascha and had a far broader build, but other than that they looked so similar. Their hair was black as midnight, although Tynanâ€™s was short, and they were both incredibly handsome, their fine features lending them an unusual air of grace and distinction.

When she had first met Tynan, she had never seen a man as beautiful as he was, until the night she had seen his brother Jascha.

He had made her feel as though her heart was pounding even when that was impossible.

Tynanâ€™s dark eyes searched hers. She was glad that he differed from his brother there too. It meant that he could never wholly remind her of Jascha.

No one had eyes the stunning colour of Jaschaâ€™s.

And no one could set her heart on fire with a single look like he could.

Marise paced the room and fought for control, gathering her scattered emotions. This was no time to fall apart, not even if Tynan would keep her secret for her. She had to be strong, as a Law Keeper should be, and stick to procedure on the case. Her old feelings for Jascha shouldnâ€™t be allowed to interfere with her work. Even this meeting with Tynan shouldnâ€™t be taking place.

She convinced herself that if she could get Jascha on the mend again by having this talk with Tynan, then she could get on with her work and forget about him again. Not that she had ever forgotten. He had always been at the back of her mind. The trouble was, now he was at the front of her mind and she couldnâ€™t concentrate. She had to find a way to put him to the back of it again and this seemed like the most reasonable solution.

â€œTheyâ€™re feeding him old blood,â€ she said, barely holding Tynanâ€™s gaze for a split second, but it was long enough to see in his dark eyes that he already knew and he didnâ€™t like it.

She paced across to the other side of the room. Tynan leaned against a table and folded his arms across his chest, making it clear to her that he was waiting to see why she had wanted a word with him.

â€œWhy didnâ€™t you get him fresh blood?â€ She didnâ€™t give him a chance to answer before stepping up to him, a frown darkening her face. â€œYou should have gone out to hunt regardless of the orders from Timur. You know as well as I that the lord of our bloodline is not thinking clearly. This vampire hunter has made him weak with fear.â€

â€œI did,â€ Tynan said.

The sound of his voice made her think of Jascha, lying in his death bed with no company and no comfort. She bit back the tears and reminded herself of her duty and her position.

Tynan stepped past her, running his fingers over his short black hair and sighing heavily. â€œI hunted for the first two nights, but Timur threatened me… if I disobeyed his orders again, I would be tried.â€

â€œTried?â€ Marise frowned, trying to understand just what was happening in her house.

â€œFor sins against my bloodline.â€

â€œRidiculous. The Law Keepers would never condemn you for trying to help your brother.â€ She turned on the spot, following his progress around the room.

Her senses told her that he was agitated, angry, and she had witnessed how he could be when enraged. Timur had been treading a very fine line with him.

â€œWere you with Jascha that night?â€ she said.

He paused, eyes fixed on the floor, shoulders tense.

â€œNo.â€

â€œDid Jascha say anything when they brought him in?â€ She took a step towards him, torn between giving up her questioning and continuing. She didnâ€™t want to cause him hurt by reminding him of his brotherâ€™s plight, but he might be able to give her the answers she needed to make a decision about this case.

â€œNo, nothing coherent.â€ He hesitated a moment and looked at her. She knew that look. It was about what had happened between her and Jascha. He was scared of bringing up things from the past. â€œHe mentioned your name.â€

She froze, feeling as though he had just hit her in the stomach and knocked the wind from her. She hadnâ€™t expected that, but then, when she had gone into the room, Jascha had known it was her and he had called her by her old nickname. He had thought about her all these years too. It wasnâ€™t a ridiculous idea in the slightest. He had been the one willing to reconcile after all.

â€œNothing else?â€ she said, regaining her focus and pushing away from the dark, sharp thoughts trying to creep in at the corners of her mind. She didnâ€™t want to remember that night. She didnâ€™t want to remember how painful it had been and how it had felt to leave him.

â€œNothing.â€

Marise stared at him, hating how much he looked like his brother. It brought images of Jascha back, lying in that bed, covered in cuts and blood. Stinking like death.

Turning her back on Tynan, she straightened her cuffs and lightly ran her fingers over the marks on her wrist. He had been so gentle with her, even in his dire state. She had expected him to be rough if anything, greedy with hunger, but he had taken barely a sip. It spoke volumes to her, pages about how he didnâ€™t want to hurt her. In a way, it had felt like an apology. She wished she could accept it.

â€œI have to call this in.â€ She went to leave but stopped herself and looked at Tynan again. â€œJascha needs fresh, strong blood. Hunt for your brother.â€

She was about to turn around again when he spoke.

â€œDid you find out anything from him?â€ His voice trembled the tiniest amount and his eyes showed her that he wasnâ€™t just worried about his brotherâ€”he was worried about her too.

It had felt horrible to see Jascha like that. It still felt horrible. She couldnâ€™t erase the sight of him from her mind and couldnâ€™t imagine how Tynan had felt on seeing him beaten and broken. It must have been worse for him than the night Jascha had been turned and killed, reborn into his world.

She shook her head and gave him an apologetic look, wishing she could bring herself to shrug off the restraints of her position and comfort him.

â€œHe was in too much pain,â€ she said and then smiled. â€œHeâ€™s speaking Russian at me. The boy still hasnâ€™t learned that I donâ€™t speak the language.â€

Tynan smiled but she could see the sadness in it.

â€œBe careful tonight, Tynan. Whoever did this is still out there.â€

Leaving him, she walked along the corridor and up the stairs to the ground floor of the expansive mansion. She tried to gather all the evidence in her head and thought about what she was going to tell the others. She couldnâ€™t leave here without finding out more about this vampire hunter.

She couldnâ€™t leave until she knew Jascha was well again.

Available as a FREE direct download:
.mobi | .pdf

Or get the FREE ebook from:
Amazon Kindle Stores:
US / World | UK

Apple Stores:
iBookstore US | iBookstore UK | iBookstore Australia | iBookstore Canada

Other Retailers:
Barnes and Noble | Sony Reader Store | Smashwords

Posted in free stories, paranormal romance, vampire romance, Vampires Realm | Comments Off

Saturday Snippets – Scenes from my Paranormal Romance Books

Posted on 18th February 2012 by Felicity Heaton

Today’s Saturday Snippet is again from a book I haven’t released yet.

I asked people on my Facebook what two books they wanted snippets from and there was a unanimous vote that said people wanted a snippet of Hyperion from Masquerade.

The book is in edits right now so excuse any errors. Masquerade is the tenth book in my popular Vampires Realm series and it will be out on May 12th.

This scene takes place at the Creator Day masquerade and is a moment between the lovely Lord Hyperion and the heroine Sophis.

â€œDid he scare you, my little miss?â€

Sophis nodded dumbly. Although, he hadnâ€™t scared her half as much as finding Lord Hyperion behind her. How fast had he moved? She had seen vampires move quickly, had fallen victim to it in more than one fight with Vivek, but Hyperion had moved like lightning.

He slid his hands down her bare upper arms and she trembled.

â€œPerhaps you would do best to remain at my side where it is safe. I am sure I could provide adequate entertainment for you and would make a worthy appearance in your diary. Something about the balcony and moonlight, and a stolen kiss?â€ Before his lips could touch her throat, Sophis whirled out of his arms and came to face him. He smiled, charming to the last, and placed his fingers under her chin. She trembled, afraid she might have offended him. He could kill her with little more than a flick of his wrist, swiping his claws across her throat. She would bleed to death before she could heal. â€œYou truly are beautiful, but I have a feeling you are destined to bloom for another. We are both waiting for our love to reawaken us.â€

Sophis opened her mouth to ask what he meant by that but he was gone again. A gust of cold wind blew in through the French doors near the stairs to the balcony, snaking through the vampires that clustered between her and them, and she frowned through them to the night beyond. Lord Hyperion stood there on the patio, his back to her and his hands on the stone balustrade that edged it.

He was wrong. She wasnâ€™t waiting for her love. She had only just decided to find someone to fill that position and was certain that it wouldnâ€™t happen any time soon, and certainly not at the ball.

I hope you enjoyed this Saturday Snippet!

Posted in Masquerade, paranormal romance, snippets, vampire romance, Vampires Realm | Comments Off

Wallpapers – February features my fantastic Prophecy Trilogy!

Posted on 4th February 2012 by Felicity Heaton

February’s wallpaper features my one of my earliest vampire romances, the books that began the Vampires Realm romance series, and the story featuring some of my most popular characters / couples, Prophecy and Valentine (and Venturi). Yes, you guessed right! It’s the Prophecy Trilogy!

You can download the desktop wallpaper for February in various sizes direct from my website. There’s also a version of each wallpaper without the calendar element so you can have them on your desktop at your leisure.

Just click on the sample image of the wallpaper below to go to my site and find the size right for you!

If you want wallpapers with or without a calendar, I have them available for my books in the Goodies section of my website. At the moment, I have ones available for: Prophecy Trilogy, Heart of Darkness, Hunter’s Moon, Love Immortal, Her Guardian Angel, Forbidden Blood, Ascension and Covet.

Yummy!

Posted in Prophecy Trilogy, Vampires Realm, Wallpapers | Comments Off

Oxford – A duck feeding expedition to the setting of some scenes in my Prophecy Trilogy

Posted on 16th January 2012 by Felicity Heaton

I remember back when I was writing my Prophecy Trilogy in my Vampires Realm series that I just had to include Oxford, my home city. The architecture and age of the city alone make it the perfect place for vampires. Add to that the large parks and plenty of people and what vampire wouldn’t want to live there?

If you remember rightly, Oxford was the home to Mathias in the Prophecy Trilogy, and was the place that Valentine took Prophecy to with the intent of leaving her there in relative safety while he trotted on back to his own life before that got wrecked by someone discovering his treasonous behaviour.

There’s a specific park featured in one of the scenes in the second book in the vampire romance trilogy, Prophecy: Caelestis and Aurorea, shortly after Valentine and Prophecy have returned to Oxford. Valentine is having a bad day and takes it out on a few humans, two of which happened to walk into a park. The park I wrote about in the book is the one where I like to feed ducks with my husband. Quite the contrast to the activities that Valentine gets up to in the same park. I thought you guys might like to see some pictures of it though, so I snapped some on my phone.


This is Christchurch college, which is there the park is. Such a moody contrast of sunshine and black clouds.

These are the trees where Valentine stalks the couple under the veil of night, and ends up killing them, and the weakling vampire who tries to interfere. Go Valentine.

Geese standing to attention. They really wanted the bread we had. They’re biters too.

Christchurch again, looking sunny this time.

I picture Mathias living in a building like these.

I’m sure I mention this building in the book too, which is the Radcliffe Camera.

This is our mini Bridge of Sighs, which also featured in the latest X-Men film.

Awesome sunset… which you could say is like the one Valentine describes to Prophecy in the first book.

I really love writing about places I’ve been to and including them in my stories. It’s not just because writing about somewhere you’ve been is vastly easier, and more accurate, than writing about somewhere from pictures. It’s because I know the feel of the place and can put that into words. Oxford is my home city, so I know it off by heart, and that’s probably why I feature in my favourite series. I love London too, and all the cities I write about, but Oxford makes me think about Vampires Realm and that makes me think about Valentine.

🙂

It also makes me think of Oneiric, which leads me to Eve and Lilith, and then makes me think about writing Hunger. I’ve been thinking about Hunger a lot lately. I really hope I can start writing it this year. It’s Eve and Tor’s story, and is going to be full throttle and hot too.

Posted in Prophecy Trilogy, Vampires Realm | Comments Off

Winter Warmers – Paranormal Romance Ebooks from $0.99 – Ends Sunday!

Posted on 13th January 2012 by Felicity Heaton

My fantastic Winter Warmers deals end this Sunday so it’s your last chance to grab a copy of my books at a discount price. It will be a while before I run any more discounts, especially on these paranormal romance ebooks.

I have a few books on offer for just $0.99, but others are available for only $2.99. Prices will go up on Sunday. The offers are available on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, Apple iBooks / iBookstore, and more.

Here’s some info about the books on offer right now:

Vampire for Christmas
Felicity Heaton
It was one last mission. Shannon, a demon hunter with the agency, is looking forward to leaving behind the small town and the vampire she’s been stuck with for the past two years. Things are getting complicated fast and she wants out. A fresh start, free of her vampire partner, awaits her if she can survive their final mission and the lonely Christmas holidays…

Her Dark Angel (Her Angel series #1)
Felicity Heaton
An angel without a mission, Apollyon lives trapped in Hell guarding the bottomless pit. Surrounded by endless darkness, he longs to fly free on Earth once more but his master hasn’t called him in centuries. When the call finally comes, it’s to serve a new master, a beautiful woman he has often watched over, a woman who has always captivated him…

Ascension
Felicity Heaton
A witch on the verge of achieving phenomenal power, Lealandra must turn to her half-breed demon ex-lover Taig for protection from the dark force that is after her and also from her own magic. With her Counter-Balance dead and her coven against her, Taig’s blood and power is the only thing that can help her control her magic and survive the ascension and gain the strength to defeat her enemy…

Forbidden Blood
Felicity Heaton
In a dark world where vampires exist and where Source Blood, a rare human blood type, can bestow godlike powers upon them, the vampire Venators of the Sovereignty fight to protect the humans by banishing those who drink it to the endless dark. Exiled from his family and with only his duty to sustain him, Kearn has been on the trail of an elusive Source Blood abuser for three years. When he saves a beautiful human female from the vampire’s grasp, it turns out she’s the lead he’s been waiting for. Amber is a Source Blood and the perfect bait, but for who?

Prophecy: Child of Light (Prophecy Trilogy #1 / Vampires Realm series #1)
F E Heaton
A vampire unlike any other, Prophecy lives life in the dark until the night she encounters Valentine, a gorgeous vampire who is both her enemy and the man who will change her life forever. Convinced that the prophecy about her is wrong and unable to ignore the vision of them that he saw in her blood, Valentine goes against his orders to execute Prophecy and kidnaps her instead. The attraction between them grows as they search for the truth behind the prophecy, battle a dark evil that threatens to destroy the world, and attempt to evade their families and the Law Keepers…

Prophecy: Caelestis and Aurorea (Prophecy Trilogy #2 / Vampires Realm series #2)
F E Heaton
The final battle draws closer. Prophecy’s world becomes darker and more dangerous, pushing her to the limit and testing her strength and her heart, almost breaking her. Old friends turn their backs, leaving her to fight with the help of an unlikely ally and forcing her to call on the devastatingly seductive and powerful Lord Hyperion for assistance…

Prophecy: Dark Moon Rising (Prophecy Trilogy #3 / Vampires Realm series #3)
F E Heaton
An enemy with unimaginable power and bloodlines with centuries of hatred bred into them, two things that threaten to tear Prophecy and Valentine apart as they fight for their lives and their future together. Their vain attempt to join their houses into one army drains the last of their strength, leaving them more vulnerable than they’ve ever been. The tension escalates between the bloodlines, and, more dangerously, between Valentine, Prophecy and Venturi. As everything crumbles around them, defeat seems inevitable…

Seventh Circle (Vampires Realm series #7)
F E Heaton
Born with powers similar to a vampire’s, Lilith has spent her life hunting demons for Section Seven. On the same night as she watches a vampire kill her best friend, she is faced with her worst nightmareâ€”a client who is not only attractive but a vampire…

Winter’s Kiss (Vampires Realm series #8)
F E Heaton
Their lord drinks blood and they are dead men walking. The tales of the mansion don’t stop Nika from falling for one of the guards, but when wolves attack her and he rides to her rescue, she discovers that her knight is anything but saintly. He is a vampire and she is becoming a werewolf, and love between their species is forbiddenâ€”the penalty death…

Find out more about the books, including excerpts and reviews, and these great offers at: http://www.felicityheaton.com/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php

Posted in angel romance, Her Angel Series, paranormal romance, special offers, vampire romance, Vampires Realm, werewolf romance | Comments Off

Teaseday – Winter’s Kiss – vampire werewolf romance book

Posted on 10th January 2012 by Felicity Heaton

Today my Teaseday post comes from another of my current books on offer, Winter’s Kiss, a vampire werewolf romance book and the 8th book in my popular Vampires Realm romance series.

At the moment, I have a fantastic offer on a selection of my ebooks. There are plenty of fantastic reads to choose from, all priced between $0.99 and $2.99 and in a range of lengths between novella and long novels, and a variety of paranormal romance sub-genres including sinful angels, sexy vampires, seductive werewolves, and even a super-hot demon and sassy witch pairing. Offers end 15th January 2012.

Find out more about the books, including excerpts and reviews, and these great offers at: http://www.felicityheaton.com/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php

Winter’s Kiss is on offer for just $2.99 on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, Smashwords and other retailers. You can also get Seventh Circle for just $2.99, and the first three books in the series, the Prophecy Trilogy, for only $0.99 each!

So, here’s a single chapter tease and a link to a downloaded extended excerpt pdf!

Winter’s Kiss

F E Heaton
Their lord drinks blood and they are dead men walking. The tales of the mansion donâ€™t stop Nika from falling for one of the guards, but when wolves attack her and he rides to her rescue, she discovers that her knight is anything but saintly. He is a vampire and she is becoming a werewolf, and love between their species is forbiddenâ€”the penalty death.

Winterâ€™s world is shaken beyond salvation and his allegiance to his bloodline tested as he watches the woman heâ€™s fallen for turn into a werewolf. His heart demands vengeance and that he protects her, both from the werewolf now hunting for her and from himself, but she tempts him more than he can bear and it isn’t long into their journey before heâ€™s torn between upholding the law and succumbing to desire.

Will Nika be able to convince Winter to leave his world and stay with her or will she spend eternity dreaming of Winter’s kiss?

LIMITEDÂ TIME SPECIALÂ OFFER: Only $2.99 (normally $3.99) as part of my Winter Warmers deal – offer ends 15th January 2012. Find out more about the offer and where it is available.

Available in e-book from:
Author’s website: http://www.felicityheaton.com/ebooks.php?title=Winter’s%20Kiss
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035LDN4Q/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0035LDN4Q/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Winters-Kiss/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940000802090/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-winter039skiss-620974-139.html
Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/f-e-heaton/winters-kiss/_/R-400000000000000254325
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Winters-Kiss-Vampires-Realm-Romance/book-EnqLOg3Bska1G5ouPxjkcA/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7932
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0035LDN4Q/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0035LDN4Q/
Apple iBookstore USA: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781452386980
Apple iBookstore UK: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/isbn9781452386980
Apple iBookstore Australia: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/isbn9781452386980
Apple iBookstore Canada: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/isbn9781452386980

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456489895/
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1456489895/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Winters-Kiss/F-Heaton/e/9781456489892/

EXCERPT

A scream rent the still night air.

Winter raised his head. The brush in his right hand paused against his horseâ€™s sleek black flank. He frowned, calculating the distance from where he stood in the stable courtyard to the person who had shrieked. The human female voice could carry for miles on nights as calm as tonight. If she screamed again, he would be able to pinpoint her location to within one hundred metres.

A Watchman of the Validus bloodline, Winter had spent years honing his skills in tracking, hunting and killing to the highest echelon of perfection. They gave him the ability to ascertain that whoever the victim was, she was over three miles away.

He returned to his work, lovingly stroking the huge beastâ€™s glossy coat and murmuring soothing words to him. It had been too long since heâ€™d had the chance to ride. The rotation of duties within the household and Hyperionâ€™s plan to spread their empire wider across Europe had left him with longer shifts at the gate. It was an honour to protect his lord, but long nights spent braced against the freezing winds that scathed the landscape in this part of Russia were tiring and left him little time before dawn to ride. His eyes closed. Honour wasnâ€™t the only good thing to come of standing guard from sunset to sunrise.

He saw her more often.

An image of her flashed across Winterâ€™s mind. Pale blonde hair hanging in waves down her back. Sparkling green eyes that glittered under the moonlight. A cherubâ€™s rosy lips that promised sweet kisses and an impâ€™s smile that spoke of mischief. That image had branded itself on his mind the first night he had seen her as an adult. Every night that she passed and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, she burned her face a little deeper into his heart.

His horse kicked impatiently at the floor, scratching the scattered hay away from the dirt and leaving a long groove.

Winter patted Midnight tenderly on the neck and placed the brush down. Gathering the large black saddle, he positioned it on the horseâ€™s high back and let his thoughts wander while he buckled the straps.

They instantly roamed back to her. Many years had passed since Winter had first seen her. She had been a little girl then. Now she had become a beautiful woman. Perhaps soon she would find the courage to speak to him for longer. She had stopped a few times, always singling him out even though his black armour covered him from head to toe, leaving only the section across his eyes exposed. She had spoken to him tonight, asking him why he wore armour and guarded the mansion. He hadnâ€™t answered her. He had no place talking to humans when he was on duty.

There had been a beautiful lack of fear about her. Not even the sight of the naginata that he and the other Watchman held bothered her. Perhaps one day he could turn her. He cursed under his breath and tightened the last strap on the saddle. Those were not thoughts that he should be entertaining. His loyalty was to his lord and his bloodline first and foremost. He had a debt to repay. Once he felt as though he was worthy of asking his lord for permission to court the girl, he would, but until then he had a duty to do.

And that duty came first.

No matter what his feelings for her were.

A ride would clear his head.

A wolf howl sliced through the night.

Winter tensed and instinctively brushed his long heavy black cloak aside and reached for the sword hanging at his side. His fingers closed around the hilt as he calculated the distance to the howl.

Three miles.

Was the wolf after the woman?

Another scream shattered the returning silence. This time, it was a word.

â€œNiet!â€

Winterâ€™s eyes shot wide, an emotion rushing into his heart that he hadnâ€™t felt in long years. Fear. The girl. He would know her voice anywhere.

With the preternatural speed and grace of his kind, Winter mounted the horse and bolted straight for the stable entrance. Midnight thundered forward, hooves pounding the dirt in a sure confident gallop. The gates barely had time to open as they approached. Winter tucked into the horse, bringing his feet up behind him along with the stirrups. The half-open wrought iron gates brushed his knees as they raced through, almost knocking the guards over.

Someone shouted something abusive in his direction.

He didnâ€™t have time to slow down. The moment they had turned onto the road, he urged Midnight on, lowering his feet again but leaning forwards against its neck. It stretched forwards too, mimicking his move and galloping harder as though it had sensed his desperation.

The bottom of Winterâ€™s chest armour dug into his hips as he rode. His long cloak streamed out behind him. The light flurry of snow became bitter darts of ice that cut into his eyes, forcing him to squint. He changed, his eyes turning purple to reveal his bloodline as his senses sharpened. The thundering hooves of his horse were the only sound in an otherwise still world. Winter snapped the reins. Midnight snorted and galloped faster, heading directly for the woods with no sign of slowing.

Winter willed the woman to make another noise, or the wolves to break their silence. He needed to get a fix on their location but it wasnâ€™t only that driving him to beg the woman to shout or scream. He needed to know that she was still alive.

He hunkered down against his horseâ€™s neck when they entered the thick forest of pines. Snow exploded from the branches as they crashed through them, heedless of the pain it caused them both. His armour would protect him from the whip-like branches of the trees, and his horse, Midnight, would go wherever he bid him to, regardless of whether it hurt.

A branch hit Winter directly across the black leather and metal mask covering his nose and mouth. It smacked the armour against his nose and forced a flinch from him as pain shot out in warm waves across his skull. He turned Midnight to his right and towards a more open area of forest. While the pain didnâ€™t bother him, it would dampen his senses and he needed those as sharp as possible.

He pulled Midnight to a halt in a clearing and scanned the darkness, stretching out with his senses and searching for her. The wintry weather hadnâ€™t managed to penetrate the dense trees and the ground was clear of snow, leaving him without a visible trail to follow. He breathed deep, catching a faint hint of her scent on the breeze. She had been here. He cursed. Where was she now?

Was she dead?

Had the wolves killed her already?

That thought made a dull ache settle in his chest. Winter refused to believe it. He wouldnâ€™t believe it until he saw her body for himself. Another deep breath caught a stronger scent. A growl rumbled up through his chest.

Not wolves.

Werewolves.

His eyes narrowed into dark slits between his black helmet and facemask. He stared into the distance as one hand left the reins and closed around the hilt of his sword. Blood would spill tonight. Not only because werewolves had dared to enter Validus territory. If they had killed her, no, if they had even touched her, they would die by his hand.

A distant scream reached his ears.

He pulled on Midnightâ€™s reins.

Midnight reared onto his hind legs, whinnied and then broke into a gallop. Winter sneered behind his facemask, his blood calling for violence.

* * * *

Nika walked the quiet winding path through the woods, wishing she had chosen to wear her thicker coat. Thick fake fur lined the long black coat she wore and it would have been warm enough under normal circumstances in late spring, but tonight was bitterly cold and the icy wind was searching, discovering cracks and places it could sneak into the coat and chill her to the bone. It was strange to have such wintry weather this side of spring. When she had left, the weather had been pleasant enough, and the snow had melted. Now it had come back with a vengeance. She had hoped the weather would be warm and sunny by the time she had returned from the city.

She folded her arms across her chest, trying to keep a little heat in. Her coat and dress reached the floor, both grazing the leaf litter and twigs that covered the path. The wind found its way into there too and blew upwards, snaking around her legs and sending her shivering. Her honey hair blew across her face as she turned and she clawed it away, thankful sheâ€™d had the good sense to take two long strands from beside her temples and plait them before tying them at the back of her head. It kept the bulk of her hair in place but left the long strands from that point downwards to dance in the breeze.

At least the snow couldnâ€™t make it through the trees.

Nika hummed quietly to herself while she walked, thinking about how nice it would be to arrive home and sit down in front of the fire. The thought of that warm blaze made the cold feel distant. She wasnâ€™t far from the village now. Soon she would be safe in her familyâ€™s home, out of the frigid night and bleak woods. It felt like months rather than weeks since she had gone away to St. Petersburg. A smile touched her lips when she recalled walking past the mansion. He had been on guard duty again, silent and sentinel outside the gate with another man. She knew it was him. Those beautiful dark eyes had spoken to her as they always did, telling her words that her heart loved to listen to. He never looked at her, but there was always a strange emotion in his eyes when she stopped in front of him. The cold emptiness that used to fill them disappeared, leaving what her heart interpreted as warmth behind.

She didnâ€™t know who he was, or even what he looked like beneath his armour, but she knew one thing. She wanted no other man in this world.

Her heart lightened as memories of him came back, always protecting the gates of the large mansion. On the few occasions that she had plucked up the courage to speak to him, he had never uttered a word back at her. He hadnâ€™t even spoken tonight when she had mentioned the tales about the man he guarded. Terrible tales they were. Stories of demons and death, of bloodshed and violence. Her whole village whispered of them. They were right in a way. There was something different about the men there. In all the years that she had passed those gates, that man had never changed. Not when she was a child and not now that she was an adult. It was the same man. He hadnâ€™t aged one year in the twenty she had seen him. She was sure of it.

Through the trees, pinpricks of light flickered in the darkness. The village. She doubled her pace, thinking only of the warm fire and seeing her father again.

A howl sliced the night in two.

Nika froze to the spot, ears pricked and heart thundering.

Perhaps it had been the wind.

Low growls made her head snap around. Seven large dark shapes slinked out of the shadows. Their fur spiked in a line down their backs, wriggling like a snake when they shook themselves and growled at her. They stepped onto the path between her and the village. These were no ordinary wolves. She remembered them from her childhood. They had killed half of the village.

The one in front lowered its head and stared at her with bright amber eyes that promised a painful death. It snarled to reveal huge canines.

Nika screamed.

Before it could attack, she turned, dropped her bag and ran. She grabbed the front of her coat and skirt, lifting them so she could sprint unhindered, and headed through the woods in the direction of the mansion.

It wasnâ€™t long before her legs were beginning to tire. Their muscles strained under the pressure of running over the uneven ground and seized up as the fear broke into her mind, sending panicked thoughts pounding through her skull.

She was going to die.

The voice at the back of her mind told her to give up, but she wouldnâ€™t. She wasnâ€™t ready to die. It was something that happened to someone else, not to her or the people she loved. If she could make it to the mansion, she would be safe. The men there would fend off the wolves. The man would protect her.

Nika shrieked again as she tripped on a branch hidden beneath the frozen leaf litter and hit the ground hard. She immediately scrabbled to her feet and ran blindly into the forest, desperate to escape the wolves. Behind her came their thundering feet and heavy panting. They were closing in.

In the blink of an eye, it was over. The full weight of one of the wolves hit her in the back, sending her tumbling to the floor. Another howled. She turned and wrestled the wolf off her, scrambling across the dirt away from it. One of them grabbed her ankle, the thick leather of her boot the only thing protecting the delicate joint. It growled. Nika screwed her eyes shut and brought her hands up in front of her face as the others leapt at her.

â€œNiet!â€

Nika kicked the wolf off her ankle, eliciting a whimper from it, and pushed against the others. Breaking free, she got to her feet and ran again. Moonlight broke through a gap in the trees some distance ahead of her, illuminating a small shack.

Her heart willed her to make it there. It was her only chance.

She screamed again when one of the wolves snapped at her, trying to grab her arm. She punched it across the face and kept running, desperate to survive.

A thundering sound joined the cacophony of wolf growls and snarls and her rough breathing. Nika looked ahead of her to see the shack and then a large black horse with rider. She reached out to him, a silent plea for him to help her, and then fell when the wolves pounced on her. Pain erupted in her leg. Her heart missed beats as claws and teeth tore through her clothes.

Her last hope left her when she found herself face to face with the largest wolf. Hot breath washed her face, stealing her own. She sent a prayer to God and stared into the wolfâ€™s yellow eyes, into the eyes of death.

The thundering hooves stopped. Above her the horseâ€™s legs appeared, kicking out as the huge black beast whinnied and snorted. The wolves scattered, leaving her pressed into the dirt and frozen leaf litter, petrified and in too much pain to move.

The horse snorted again as it came down onto all four feet beside her and the rider appeared in her tear-blurred view.

â€œHand,â€ he said in a muffled Russian voice and extended his towards her.

Nika feebly raised hers towards him. She wanted to take hold of that black gloved hand and escape this nightmare. He shook his impatiently. She struggled to move faster, weak from the white-hot pain burning inside every inch of her body. He bent forward on the saddle, caught her hand, and pulled her up into the air as though she weighed nothing. He settled her on the saddle in front of him. Pain shot up her leg and lanced her stomach. It stole her senses, filling them until she knew nothing but the warm pulsing throb. She was vaguely aware of his arm against her back and his hand on her waist, and the wolves closing in.

He turned the horse. Nika gritted her teeth and leaned into him. Each step of the horseâ€™s gallop jostled her on the saddle. The pain was unbearable, wracking her to the depths of her bones with each movement, but the alternative made her cling to consciousness and life. The wolves growled, closer now. The horse suddenly stopped and the man lowered her to the ground. Her legs buckled beneath her. He caught her before she could collapse and held her close to his hard chest.

â€œRun!â€ he said and she hazily wondered if he was talking to her. She didnâ€™t think that she could run. The pain in her leg was too intense, blinding. The horse whinnied. Was he talking to it?

Her heart beat faster, each pulse sending stabbing needles sweeping around her body. Darkness encroached at the edges of her mind, sending her thoughts fuzzy and her body numb. The man carried her into somewhere and set her down on something soft but lumpy. The sound of wood scraping and heavy objects slamming made her open her eyes. She frowned, vaguely aware that they were in the small shack she had seen and that he was barricading the door.

A wolf howl sounded just outside.

She flinched in pain when she curled up, the wounds on her body stinging. Her left leg burned as though it was on fire. She couldnâ€™t move it. She left it lying limp in front of her. The man looked at her and then around the small hut.

â€œDo not be frightened,â€ he said, as though those four words could erase all her fear.

It crushed her chest and stole her breath. She struggled to suck in air, panic closing her throat and pain making the slightest thing too hard. Her leg was wet. She could feel the steady slide of blood down her arms. Oh God. She was going to die.

Her panic only increased when the dreadful sound of claws against wood filled the small shack. Snarls came in under the door and growls made her skin crawl. She tried to back away but the sound surrounded her, leaving her nowhere to go. The man stood at the door, his tall figure a black shadow in the low light. He didnâ€™t move. He stood sentinel with his hand on the hilt of the sword at his side.

The blade of which gleamed when he began to draw it.

The wolves scrabbled faster at the door and walls, as though they were trying to dig their way through. Nika reached out to the man, numb and petrified. He stepped towards the door and her heart slammed against her chest.

The two small windows on either side of the door exploded, showering her and the man in glass. The wolves leapt high, paws scrambling for purchase on the windowsill. They disappeared again only to attempt another go at getting into the building.

The man fully drew his sword.

She extended her hand further towards him. â€œYou canâ€™t fight. Thereâ€™s too many!â€

A terrible scream made them both jump. She had never heard such a horrifying and inhuman sound. A chill swept over her back and down her arms. The scream came again amidst a discordant symphony of growls and snarls. She closed her eyes and used the last of her strength to cover her ears, not wanting to hear the horse as it died.

Dreadful silence fell.

DOWNLOAD EXTENDED EXCERPT PDF

Posted in paranormal romance, special offers, Teaseday, vampire romance, Vampires Realm, werewolf romance, Winter's Kiss | Comments Off

Teaseday – Seventh Circle – vampire romance book

Posted on 3rd January 2012 by Felicity Heaton

Today my Teaseday post comes from another of my current books on offer, Seventh Circle, a vampire romance book and the seventh book in my popular Vampires Realm romance series.

Find out more about the books, including excerpts and reviews, and these great offers at: http://www.felicityheaton.com/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php

Seventh Circle is on offer for just $2.99 on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, Smashwords and other retailers. You can also get Winter’s Kiss for just $2.99, and the first three books in the series, the Prophecy Trilogy, for only $0.99 each!

So, here’s a single chapter tease and a link to a downloaded extended excerpt pdf!

Seventh Circle

F E Heaton
Born with powers similar to a vampireâ€™s, Lilith has spent her life hunting demons for Section Seven. On the same night as she watches a vampire kill her best friend, she is faced with her worst nightmareâ€”a client who is not only attractive but a vampire.

Lincoln is a powerful pureblood with a problem. Heâ€™s caught up in a prophecy and has little time left to unravel the mystery of the contract between his lord and the Devil before he dies. When witches foretell that a vampire hunter will save his life, heâ€™s prepared to work with his most hated enemy, but he isnâ€™t prepared for the forbidden desire he feels when he meets her.

Their mutual attraction becomes difficult to deny as they work together but when Lincoln reveals the truth about her powers, will Lilith find the strength to embrace a side of herself that she wished didnâ€™t exist? And when they discover Lilithâ€™s role in the prophecy, how far will Lincoln go to save her?

Dark, sensual and fast-paced, Seventh Circle is a story of forbidden love so strong that it will save the world.

LIMITEDÂ TIME SPECIALÂ OFFER: Only $2.99 (normally $3.99) as part of my Winter Warmers deal – offer ends 15th January 2012. Find out more about the offer and where it is available.

Available in e-book from:
Author’s website: http://www.felicityheaton.com/ebooks.php?title=Seventh%20Circle
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035LDO68/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0035LDO68/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Seventh-Circle/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940000800973/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-seventhcircle-620973-139.html
Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/f-e-heaton/seventh-circle/_/R-400000000000000249275
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Seventh-Circle/mix-ZGYNJZH8-kmDBm5GV0YlJg/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7734
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0035LDO68/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0035LDO68/
Apple iBookstore USA: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781452369952
Apple iBookstore UK: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/isbn9781452369952
Apple iBookstore Australia: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/isbn9781452369952
Apple iBookstore Canada: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/isbn9781452369952

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1460978579/
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1460978579/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seventh-circle-f-e-heaton/1021362622

EXCERPT

Lincoln stared at the ceiling. Sleep evaded him, chased away by the thousand screaming heartbeats in his head. He clapped a hand over his eyes, wishing to shut the world out. The blood of every human in the building still called to him.

None more than Lilithâ€™s.

He focused on it as it beckoned him, a strong steady melody in his ears, a siren song. His eyes slipped shut behind his hand and a smile teased his lips as he reached out with sharpened senses and listened to her moving around the small apartment. She was muttering to herself about the heat. It was hot in the building. Everyoneâ€™s blood was rushing close to the surface, their hearts working overtime to cool their bodies down. It only made them more alluring.

Shifting his focus, he listened to the clanging of metal on metal far below him. Someone was trying to fix the boiler. Its malfunction was obviously the cause of the temporary heat wave.

Lilith cursed again from the other room, loud enough this time that he wouldâ€™ve heard it if heâ€™d been human.

Her heart thumped rhythmically, pounding in his blood and telling him to go to her. Neither of them could sleep. Perhaps they could begin researching, although it would probably be unwise to disturb her now. When her superior had told her to share her apartment with him, and that his safety was maximum priority, sheâ€™d looked as though sheâ€™d been chewing a wasp. Her superior had been right. She did despise his kind, as did everyone here. Common sense told him to leave before someone got it into their head to attempt to kill him, and not just make idle threats. His heart said that he had to stay. He had to know if she really was the one.

Sitting up, Lincoln stared at the closed door of his room. On the other side was Lilith. She was moving around the kitchen of the small two bedroom apartment. The modernity of this area of the mansion was a strange contrast to the more in-keeping look of the area heâ€™d first arrived in, with its large rooms filled with antique furniture and old paintings. This wing seemed to act like a dormitory for the hunters. Were all the apartments like Lilithâ€™s or was hers special? Perhaps hunters shared them. Had she shared this apartment with her dead friend or her sister? His focus shifted back to Lilith as she moved again. He could sense her fatigue. It gave out a call to his instincts, telling him sheâ€™d be easy prey in her current state. It was hard to ignore such instincts even when he had to.

It had been near impossible to stop himself from killing those hunters this morning.
Lincoln frowned when Lilith stopped dead and sniffed. Her change in emotions was abrupt and wouldâ€™ve been unreadable had he not known her recent history. The death of her friend was upsetting herâ€”a death that he was responsible for. Under normal circumstances, it wouldnâ€™t have bothered him. His kind had to feed, and had to protect themselves. A vampire hunter was the perfect target for sport and a good meal, and it meant there was one less in the world when you were done. Yet it bothered him now. He didnâ€™t want to consider the reason why.

Getting up, he walked to the door and opened it. Lilith was in the kitchen side of the living room now, busying herself in some vain attempt to pretend he wasnâ€™t here, that he hadnâ€™t heard her crying, and by the looks of things making tea. He studied her, amused by the way the oversized grey t-shirt swamped her and the loose black jogging bottoms trailed on the floor. Sheâ€™d tied her golden hair back into a high ponytail. The tips of it brushed her neck. He dragged his eyes away from it and raised them to her face. She looked tired, her face drawn and pale.

He glanced at the coffee table and saw it spread with books. She must have gone out to get them during the short hours of sleep that heâ€™d snatched. Now the sun was growing close to setting and its sway over him was less. Soon night would fall and it would be almost impossible to ignore the lure of the cacophony of heartbeats.

Aware that he was dressed only in his black jeans, he walked with head held high into the kitchen area and leaned against the counter near her.

Her eyes darted to him and then away again. They didnâ€™t make it as far as his face. Theyâ€™d only reached his chest. He smiled internally at this small victory over her. Since their meeting this morning, sheâ€™d been a hellion, refusing to work with him and making sure that he knew how much she hated him. She wanted to make things difficult for him and he was more than willing to show her what a pain in the backside he could be to her. Besides, it was interesting to see a humanâ€™s, a hunterâ€™s no less, reaction to a vampire, especially when they couldnâ€™t kill them. The temptation to push her to breaking point just to see what sheâ€™d do was overwhelming and a wonderful way of alleviating his boredom.

â€œYou canâ€™t walk around my place like that or I will lock that door just like I threatened.â€ She frowned at him, her eyes managing to make it to his this time.

â€œWhy not?â€ He challenged her, leaning back a little and planting his palms against the counter so his muscles tensed. She did a good job of resisting a look. He could see that she was curious.

â€œItâ€™s…â€ She swallowed, pensive and still frowning beautifully.

â€œDistracting?â€ he suggested with a smirk.

â€œOff putting,â€ she said, deadpan and glaring.

She moved to the sink and filled the kettle before putting it on. Lincoln watched her, silent and motionless. The way she moved around was entrancing. Strength laced her natural grace. It spoke of it to him, telling him that she believed herself a force to be reckoned with. Maybe she was in human terms.

â€œShouldnâ€™t you be asleep?â€ she said.

â€œI could not sleep.â€ He moved closer to her, leaning against the tall cupboard next to where she now stood waiting for the kettle to boil.

â€œVampires have sleepless days?â€ There was a playful note in her voice that he hadnâ€™t expected. She seemed surprisingly relaxed around him now. The trace of fear heâ€™d detected in her this morning was gone.

â€œMore often than you think when we are hungry,â€ he whispered, his eyes caressing her throat.

â€œNever going to happen,â€ she said without even looking at him.

Her senses were acute if sheâ€™d detected his intent without having to see it with her own two eyes. There was something different about her. Perhaps sheâ€™d been modified like some of the other hunters heâ€™d encountered recently. Since the Law Keepersâ€™ report that humans had been playing god, theyâ€™d met more genetically altered hunters. Theyâ€™d killed every one.

She filled her mug, removed the tea bag and went to move past him towards the lounge area. Her eyes strayed to his torso again.

He tensed his muscles for her and she quickly looked away. Either she was a prude, or it was because he was a vampire that she didnâ€™t want to look at him. He hoped it was the latter. It would be fun to prove to her just how curious she was about his kind. Her eyes strayed again and he waited to see what sheâ€™d do this time. She stood there, gaze furtively taking in his body. A dull ache settled in his chest, followed by another in his gut. Temptation whispered to push her now while he had the chance.

â€œHave you ever been curious? Come now, you must have been curious to know sometimes.â€ Lincoln held her gaze when it darted to meet his. She looked wonderfully innocent and clueless. It didnâ€™t fool him. She understood what he was saying. He stepped away from the cupboard and towards her. â€œWhat we feel like, what it feels like.â€

â€œNever!â€ There was such defiance in her voice, such vehement denial. He might have believed it if sheâ€™d managed to keep better control of herself. Her eyes betrayed her. They strayed to his chest for a split second.

He grinned, enjoying this game. It was time to up the ante.

He trailed his fingers across his bare chest.

â€œI know you want to feel it.â€ His senses locked onto her heart, revelling in the staccato rhythm it had adopted. A rush of adrenaline entered her blood, sending the scent of it into the air through her overheating flesh. She was either embarrassed, or his words held some truth and she wanted to touch him. Another push. â€œJust reach out and touch. I can see the questions in your eyes, Lilith. Is it cool, hard? Would you feel a heartbeat? Would I feel your touch, feel pain if you scraped your nails down it… feel pleasure?â€

Her cheeks blazed and her eyes widened. She went to turn away. He was beside her before she could move, his hand tight around her wrist. He couldnâ€™t let her get away when it was just getting interesting.

Taking the mug from her other hand, he placed it down on the counter away from them, his movements slow so he didnâ€™t draw her attention away from his eyes. He drew her towards him. Her fingers shook in his. Her breath trembled uneasily, quivering with her racing heart. Her dark eyes fell to his chest and she slowly wet her lips with the bare tip of her soft pink tongue. He stared at her mouth, mesmerised by the motion of her tongue against her lips, and then snapped himself out of it.

This game was turning dangerous for them both. It didnâ€™t matter. He couldnâ€™t stop now.

He had to see what would happen.

â€œSurrender to it,â€ he whispered, voice smooth and convincing.

Her fingertips barely grazed his skin and he was on fire. His eyes half closed as he absorbed the sensation of her warm caress heating his body. He hadnâ€™t expected this. He clawed back a modicum of control, telling himself this was just a game to annoy her, to make her feel weak. It shouldnâ€™t make him feel this way.

Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated as she stared at her fingers where they traced patterns on his chest. She was lost. He could smell the hint of arousal, the alluring pheromones coming off her.

He breathed in a voice of temptation, â€œImagine what it is like to kiss me.â€

Her gaze burned him, trailing fire over his body as it rose to his mouth. He stared at hers, imagining the silky glide of her lips against his and the brush of her tongue, the warmth of her.

â€œImagine what it is like to be kissed by me.â€ He smiled to reveal his extended fangs.

She jerked her hand away and then shoved him hard in the chest. He laughed. She stormed off into her room. A small cream table lamp took the brunt of her anger. It hit the wall not five feet from him and smashed into pieces, raining down on the kitchen counter. Heâ€™d expected her aim to be more accurate.

Lincoln forced his teeth to recede and listened to her tramping around her room. What was she doing? Was she looking for something else to throw at him? He didnâ€™t know why she was angry with him. All heâ€™d done was play a vicious game as she had been. Only his game was different. Instead of being designed to show her how much he hated her kind as hers was, it was designed to show her how curious she was about them and how tempting they were to her.

She walked back out of the bedroom.

He froze and stared at her.

The only trouble was she was becoming tempting herself.

The rose-coloured camisole hugged her upper body to the point where imagination wasnâ€™t necessary. It emphasised her breasts. They swayed as she moved towards him, free of a bra to restrain them. Dark blue jeans were moulded to her legs, revealing their slender shapely form. Her small feet were bare, her toes painted a sultry black.

She neared him and he raked his eyes back up her. They didnâ€™t make it to her face. She made sure of that. Her fingers skimmed across her chest, gathering the sheen of sweat there until it beaded against her skin. He swallowed. She stopped close to him, not three feet away. He couldnâ€™t take his eyes off what she was doing. The sensuality of it only heightened his desire for her, his want to take her and her blood for his own. He curled his hands into tight fists of restraint. It didnâ€™t stop his desire from rising. It was no use. He was captivated. She had turned his game against him and triggered thoughts that he shouldnâ€™t be entertaining. What they spoke of was forbidden. It was a sin to want a human.

He licked his lips and stepped towards her, still mesmerised by the motion of her fingers on her chest. A single drop of moisture slid down over the arc of her breast and into her cleavage. His lips parted in fascination and he looked at her. She smiled, all innocence laced with seduction. This was a cruel game to play with a man.

Another step.

She moved before he had time to react, reaching into her back pocket and pulling something out.

His eyes flicked to it.

A stake.

He leapt backwards.

She didnâ€™t attack.

His own weakness hit him with tremendous force. Sheâ€™d lured him in and had drawn her stake before heâ€™d even known what was happening. If sheâ€™d been serious about staking him, there was no telling what might have happened, but there was every possibility she would have hit her mark.

â€œNext time you try something, I will be armed, and I will kill you,â€ she said, voice dark and lethal.

She slipped the stake into her back pocket and walked towards him. His eyes followed her and he turned as she passed him, unwilling to show her his back. She grabbed the waste bin and pushed all the pieces of the lamp into it.

â€œAnd you owe me a new lamp.â€

Lincoln stared at Lilithâ€™s back, cocking his head to one side. Just below her neck and between her shoulder blades was a black tattoo. He stepped closer to see it better as she picked up her mug of tea. It was a sun surrounded by pointed rays and inside the circle of it was a crescent moon.

She turned to face him and sipped her drink. It had to be cold by now.

His little game would have seen to that.

In the end, he wasnâ€™t sure who the victor had been. Sheâ€™d touched him and heâ€™d seen in her eyes that she was curious. It didnâ€™t seem to go beyond that. Her scent had only shown a tiny sign of desire. If sheâ€™d been a vampire, she would have easily noticed the change in his own scent. Heâ€™d wanted her. Looking at her now, he still wanted her. The moment heâ€™d laid eyes on her, heâ€™d admitted to himself that she was attractive for a human. She called to him on some base level where he wasnâ€™t master.

There was no way he could act on the attraction he felt though. The law was there to prevent such trysts between vampires and humans, unless he intended to kill or turn her. He had to uphold the law regardless of his situation. If he survived this, he would face trial for conspiracy against his bloodline. He didnâ€™t need to add any more sins to his list or he would lessen his chances of making the Law Keepers release him rather than execute him.

â€œAre you even listening to me?â€ she said with such an air of irritation that he realised their game still had her flustered.

He wondered if she felt as flustered as he did. Did the hunters have laws to prevent such relationships too? He doubted it. Humans seemed a lawless race.

â€œFrom the look on your face, Iâ€™m guessing no.â€ She placed her mug down on the counter and glared at him. â€œI think we need a few ground rules, or Iâ€™m going to end up killing you before this assignment is complete.â€

He denied his urge to laugh at what sheâ€™d said. Laughing at her when she was already angry with him was going to get him nowhere, no matter how ridiculous her idea of being able to kill him was.

â€œWhat like?â€

â€œFirst, no walking around my apartment naked.â€

Lincoln looked down at himself. â€œI fail to see that I am nude. Half nude perhaps, but not nude.â€

Lilith frowned and narrowed her eyes into a look that might have killed him if heâ€™d been close enough. â€œSecond, I need a reason not to lock you in your room during the day.â€

â€œOther than the fact I could just pull the door off the hinges or kick it down?â€ Another sour look met his question. â€œAre you afraid I am going to attempt to kill you?â€

â€œIâ€™m afraid youâ€™re getting ideas above your station, demon.â€

He raised an eyebrow at her tone. Snide and derisive. It sounded familiar. She sounded like he used to.

â€œSpeak to me in that way again, and I will show you who is inferior.â€ His eyes switched to red for a moment, enough to give her a reminder of just what she was dealing with. There was only one reason he hadnâ€™t killed her yet, and that was because she might be key to his own survival. If she hadnâ€™t been, he wouldâ€™ve turned her into a delicious meal the first time sheâ€™d insulted him by grabbing him in her superiorâ€™s office.

She walked past him, evidently choosing to ignore his warning.

â€œI mean it. Youâ€™re surrounded by humans and theyâ€™re unlikely to ignore you. Itâ€™s our calling to kill creatures like you. The treatment the men gave you this morning was just a taster. Whatâ€™s to stop you from killing them next time?â€

The only thing stopping him from killing them was himself. He realised any other demands she might have were just padding to draw his attention away from how important this one was to her. She was worried about her friends and with good reason. He wouldnâ€™t think twice about killing any of them, anyone but her, unless it meant that she would take her services away and leave him vulnerable.

Could he honestly say what she wanted him to say? If pushed, he would push back. Instinct and years of training made him see her kind as below him, as nothing more than fodder for his species. She was asking something of him that he didnâ€™t know if he could do. He could only try.

He swallowed his pride and the bitter taste of his thoughts. To promise her this would be to lower himself, and that was something he wasnâ€™t used to. His heart rebelled against the idea.

â€œI will make a pact with you,â€ he said in a clear voice full of conviction even as his instinct told him to kill them all, to revel in their deaths and force her to help him.

â€œYour terms?â€ She seemed so confident and calm. There was a sparkle of victory in her eyes.

She had taken him down, kicked out his legs, bound his hands and forced him to submit to her, and all it had taken was the idea that she would turn her back on him and leave him to face his terrible fate alone.

â€œYou will protect me… and in exchange, I will give you my word not to kill any member of this compound.â€ Those words were easier to say than heâ€™d thought they would be.

A smile bowed her dusky lips. â€œAgreed.â€

He frowned and watched her moving around the apartment, gathering a black shirt from where it lay draped over the back of the dark brown couch and then checking a crossbow that sat on the coffee table beside the books.

Sheâ€™d agreed incredibly quickly. Heâ€™d thought sheâ€™d protest to the idea of having to protect him. Sheâ€™d accepted his terms without a momentâ€™s pause. He only wished he could accept hers so easily. This feeling of weakness and his reliance on a human sickened him. He needed to feel strong again.

â€œWhere are you going?â€ he said when she put the crossbow down, checked her stake was in her back pocket and then started putting her boots on.

She looked over at him, dark eyes still sparkling with diamonds and her smile.

â€œTo hunt,â€ she said.

No wonder she sounded so happy. He stared into the distance as he remembered what it felt like to huntâ€”the rush, the thrill, and the beauty of violence. Heâ€™d always been happy when heâ€™d been going out to hunt. A vampire hunter had to feel something similar.

â€œI would be interested to see you hunt.â€ He moved to block her path to the door.

Her wide eyes spoke of shock. It soon gave way to something else. She held her head high and looked him over, assessing him. What was going through her mind?

â€œGet dressed then,â€ she said with a half smile. â€œAnd Iâ€™ll show you just what hunters are made of.â€

* * * *

Lilithâ€™s muscles screamed in protest as she tried to push herself that bit harder. It was too much to ask of her tiring body. There was no way she could keep running at this pace. It was too fast.

Lincoln was edging away from her, taking the lead now.

Sheâ€™d valiantly kept up with him, wanting to catch the demon before he did for the sake of her pride as a hunter. It was impossible. He was relentless and showed no sign of stopping or slowing.

The dark clouds above surrendered to the pressure of their load and heavy rain fell, drenching the pavement and road, and turning the grass embankment slippery in an instant. She ran onto the path and pushed on, not wanting to admit that she was beginning to slow down. She could continue. She could keep up with him. It wasnâ€™t about the demon anymore. It was about Lincoln being better than her.

She hated that.

Even with her gift and her natural strength, even though she could outrun any hunter in Section Seven, she couldnâ€™t beat him.

He had to be tiring now, surely? Theyâ€™d chased the demon across the city and no one, not even a vampire, could keep running forever.

Stopping dead, she keeled over and grasped her knees.

A vampire hunter definitely couldnâ€™t.

She breathed hard through burning lungs as her body shut down, shrieking with pain. It was useless. She couldnâ€™t go on.

Heâ€™d won.

Closing her eyes, she fought to level out her breathing. Her throat was sore and tight, her chest wheezing with each lungful of air she dragged in and exhaled.

â€œThe demon is getting away.â€ Lincoln didnâ€™t sound as though he was mocking her. Her heart said that he was. The matter of fact tone heâ€™d adopted didnâ€™t hide his underlying thoughts behind those words. He knew heâ€™d won. Heâ€™d bested her when sheâ€™d brought him out on a hunt with her to prove her strength and superior skills.

â€œLet it,â€ she rasped through a sticky throat and dry mouth, dying a little more.

It took all the energy she had left just to raise her head and look at him.

He towered above her, black hair slicked by the rain and forming spikes against his forehead. Droplets raced down his cheeks to his chin and fell to his chest. His clothes were soaked, sticking the black t-shirt to his chest and making her think of this evening.

She couldnâ€™t believe that sheâ€™d touched him. Worse than that, sheâ€™d wanted to. His words had been so convincing, making the temptation rise in her until sheâ€™d no longer wanted to resist it. Sheâ€™d wanted to feel him and know all those things heâ€™d whispered.

â€œI could go on alone,â€ he said and again there wasnâ€™t a trace of malice in his voice.

He seemed to be enjoying the hunt, and it didnâ€™t seem to bother him what he was hunting. Sheâ€™d dispatched a weakling vampire with all the grace, speed and skill sheâ€™d wanted to show him. The fight had been short, but not as short as his one against another weakling.

Heâ€™d killed it with one blow.

It had taken seconds.

Then the demon had shown up and sheâ€™d seen her chance to show him that she was better than him.

Only heâ€™d beaten her that time too.

Heâ€™d outrun her and he didnâ€™t even look as though heâ€™d broken a sweat. Did vampires sweat? They probably didnâ€™t.

Straightening, she peered into his dark eyes. The light was bad, sickly yellow sodium that did nothing to illuminate his face. She didnâ€™t see any sign of fatigue though.

â€œArenâ€™t you tired?â€ she said and then wondered when sheâ€™d fallen onto such easy terms with him. A part of her said to rebel and treat him as she had when sheâ€™d first met him. She was too tired to go through with it. Maybe tomorrow sheâ€™d give him hell again.

She hadnâ€™t realised how close he was to her until he shifted slightly. He was barely three feet away. It compounded the strange notion sheâ€™d come up with earlier in the night. He was always close to her. Was it his need for protection driving him to stay so near, or something else? His desire for her blood? He hadnâ€™t hidden that back at her apartment. Heâ€™d bite her if she let him, of that she was sure. This was different though. It was as though he couldnâ€™t leave her side, as though they were one and the same. She didnâ€™t like that thought. It made her stomach turn and made conflict ring in her head.

Her gaze fell to his hand. The angle of their bodies made it close to hers. There was strength in those large hands and long fingers. Sheâ€™d felt it when heâ€™d held her wrist and seen it when heâ€™d killed the weakling.

Her hand shifted to her pocket where she kept her stake, and she went rigid and alert as a noise broke the silence. Down the road, a man crossed over to the other side. She slumped back into a more relaxed position and lowered her hand. Lincoln moved a step closer and her attention was with him again. He looked thoughtful and then shrugged.

â€œI am certain that I will need a good stretch come tomorrow night.â€ He laughed and she noticed his extended fangs. They glistened in the streetlight, capturing her attention until she was staring at his mouth. Would it hurt?

That thought shocked her and she backed away a step, distancing herself from him as though that would rid her of the things going around her head.

â€œI know what you are thinking,â€ he said.

Her heart hammered at the idea he might, that any cocky comment he was about to make might actually be true.

â€œYou do?â€ Her voice shook.

â€œThey take a while to get used to when talking,â€ he said and relief filled her, swift and calming. â€œThere is a lot of bloodied tongue at first… not that that is a bad thing.â€

The idea of that should have repulsed her. She knew that. For some reason it didnâ€™t sicken her to the extent sheâ€™d thought it would. She frowned and rubbed her temples. This was all getting horribly complicated and she was beginning to lose perspective.

He was a vampire.

She killed vampires.

Thatâ€™s all there was to it.

She hated his kind. He used hers as food or for amusement and then food.

Her heart whispered a reminder that he wasnâ€™t just a demon now, not to her. Heâ€™d somehow made himself almost human. She was beginning to forget what he truly was. He was starting to become something other than an enemy.

Her eyes fell to his mouth again and the sight of it stirred thoughts sheâ€™d been trying to repress all nightâ€”his teeth, his lips, his kiss.

His fangs receded, shifting back into normal teeth, and he flashed a winsome smile.

â€œThe demon?â€ he said in a voice that sounded distant to her ears.

â€œLet it go.â€

What was happening to her?

She was still staring at his mouth when her senses screamed of danger. Her instinct kicked in, her training taking over. Her hand shot to her stake. She turned to face their attacker.

The man that had crossed the road changed in front of her eyes. In the space of a heartbeat, heâ€™d sprouted a curling pair of horns and tattered leathery wings that beat the air. Razor-sharp teeth cut across his widening mouth and scales erupted over his body. The demon unleashed an ear-splitting shriek that had her desperate to cover her ears.

Another heartbeat and it flew upwards, out of her reach, heading into the darkness.

It had taken Lincoln with it.

DOWNLOAD EXTENDED EXCERPT PDF