Category Archives: About my Romance Series

Saturday Snippets – Covet – vampire erotic romance novella excerpt

Posted on 14th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

It’s time for this week’s Saturday Snippet from one of my paranormal romance books. While I’m away, my snippets are going to be full chapters as it’s far easier to just post a whole chapter than try to hunt down a teasing snippet. So, here’s your first full length Saturday Snippet from a very sexy paranormal romance book.

COVET

Lilah didnâ€™t pause to watch the show as she cleaned the boxes, preparing the red velvet seats for the coming week. She pulled another of the covers off the plush soft seats and hit it with the palm of her hand to beat out any dust that had managed to creep under the protective cream material. The murmur of the crowd below drew her attention to them. She pressed her hands into the small of her back, stretching her spine, and sighed. Preparations for the new season were always tiring but she had been working harder than ever tonight, hoping that Callum would notice and that Javierâ€™s punishment would be less severe because of it.

She wasnâ€™t sorry that she had hit Victor. She was surprised.

She had expected him to stop her or evade her fist. He must have been more caught up in what he had been doing than she had thought.

Lilah removed the cover off the final chair in the elegant gold and red box, folded it and set it down on the pile near the red velvet curtain that shielded the private area from the corridor that ran between all the boxes. During the main season, the aristocrat vampires used the boxes, separating themselves from the elite who sat in the rows of seats filling the theatre below. She had never cleaned the boxes before.

She ran her fingers over the carved wooden top of the hip-height wall around the box. Antoine had arranged the cleaning of the exterior and repainting of the interior during the closed period so the cream paint was perfect, highlighted with beautiful gold that one of the decorators had told her was real. Only the best for the aristocrats.

Lilah leaned against the edge of the box and looked down at the crowd as they watched the show on the grand stage to her left. How did the aristocrats feel when they sat up here, looking down on their weaker kin? Was that why they preferred the boxes? So they could look down on vampires they believed were weaker and less worthy than they were? She had never understood the sense of separation between them. To her, it didnâ€™t matter how pure their blood was or what lineage they were from. They were all vampires.

She had never believed in their existence until Lord Ashville had found her on the streets and forced his blood down her throat, bonding with her and claiming her as a sort of slave. His blood in her veins linked her to him but she hadnâ€™t seen him in a long time and she didnâ€™t care. She hated him and wished she could break free of his rule, had tried to escape his mansion many times, so many that he had grown tired of her and sent her here along with another of his humans. She hadnâ€™t realised what sort of place the theatre was until she had caught her first glimpse of the show. She had blushed a thousand shades of red and hadnâ€™t been able to take her eyes off the stage, watching the perversion playing out on it, the bloodletting and debauched erotic acts.

Lilah was used to it now and rarely stopped to watch, and she made sure that she was never in sight of the stage during the final act. The first time she had witnessed that, she had discovered the true nature of vampires. The scent of human blood had driven them into a frenzy, both the vampires on stage and those in the audience. It had even reduced the aristocrats, with their fine airs and graces, to slavering beasts, their red eyes bright and sharpened fangs dripping with saliva.

That was the reason why she didnâ€™t understand the separation between elite and aristocrat. When it came down to it, all of them hungered for human blood and couldnâ€™t resist the smell of it. They were all beasts in human form.

A brief flicker of golden light drew her gaze down to the door below the boxes opposite her, close to the front of the stage. The door slowly shut and she shifted her focus forwards, past Antoine where he stood to one side watching the show, blending into the darkness that edged the theatre, to the vampire who had exited from backstage.

Javier.

It was dark where he crossed the theatre using the strip of open red carpet between the raised black stage and the front row of the audience, but she knew it was him. She would recognise his fine athletic figure anywhere and the haphazard mess of his sandy brown hair. His suit jacket was gone but other than that he hadnâ€™t changed from when she had seen him earlier. Her heart had lodged in her throat when she had looked up to find him there, watching her, his rich chocolate eyes intent on her and stirring heat in her veins. She had thought he would say something about what she had done, would berate her in front of everyone, and had even braced herself for the hard edge his words would have. When he had spoken, his tone had been surprisingly soft, warm with his Spanish accent lacing the words. She could listen to him forever, sometimes drifted away when he was issuing orders to the staff first thing in the evening and last thing in the morning, imagining him speaking close to her ear. Just the memory of his voice had her heartbeat accelerating, a flush of heat sweeping over her skin. Her teeth teased her lower lip. She had to stop torturing herself like this. Javier would never do such a thing with her. He had taken care of her over the past two years but he took care of all his staff, whether they were vampire or human. She wasnâ€™t special to him.

Lilah leaned forwards, following him until he disappeared beneath her. Was he coming up?

He had said that he would speak to her later about what she had done. She both feared it and looked forward to it.

She picked up the broom again, intending to sweep the floor so she would look busy if Javier was coming to see her, but her gaze caught on the show.

Three men were pleasuring one woman in the middle of the luxurious red and gold stage set, all of them vampires right now, but she knew that would change before the final act. It was early in the show. With each act, things grew a little more risquÃ© and a lot darker. The moans of the four vampires writhing naked on stage filled the theatre, the rapt audience watching in silence. The woman sat reclined on a red velvet armchair, her legs splayed over the arms and a man between them. Another stood to one side of her, one hand tangled in her blonde hair, holding her mouth to his cock as he thrust into it, his other hand on the erection of the man behind the armchair, pumping it as he kissed him. Lilah tried to drag her eyes away but found that she couldnâ€™t when another two women joined the group, both of them human and both of them under the thrall of two of the vampires on stage. She could tell it by their glassy expressions. They walked calmly forwards on black stiletto heels, their sheer feather-trimmed baby dolls barely concealing their breasts and the black leather thongs they wore. Two of the naked men broke away from the vampire female as the third man pulled her onto her knees on the armchair and thrust into her from behind, causing her to cry out.

The two female humans approached the male vampires who held them under their thrall, teetering on the heels now, a hint of nerves flickering on their faces. The males were lessening their control over them, letting them see where they were and that an audience was watching them. The scent of their fear would satisfy the gathered elite and the humans would still be under the vampiresâ€™ spells enough that they wouldnâ€™t think to escape.

The human women sat down on the two red leather couches positioned in the middle of the stage, one on each. Crimson spotlights bathed them, making them look as though blood covered their skin. In perfect synchronisation, the broad bare male vampires crouched before their woman, lifted the opposite leg to each other and started to kiss along it from ankle to knee.

It wasnâ€™t turning her on.

Lilah told herself it a thousand times over but the sight of the vampire couple fornicating at the front of the stage and the forced seduction happening behind them had her heart pounding and her nipples hardening against the tight top of her uniform dress.

â€œI need to question you about Victor.â€ Javierâ€™s deep accented voice coming from behind her caused her to drop her broom and turn.

She panted hard, startled and trying to get her arousal under control so he wouldnâ€™t sense it.

His dark brown gaze slid to the stage and then back to her.

Lilah quickly bent to pick up her broom. When she straightened, Javierâ€™s eyes were on her dress, his pupils wide in the low light coming up from below. The moans on stage grew louder and she tried to ignore them and push the images of the couples out of her mind.

â€œWhy did you hit Victor?â€ Javier said, more composed than she was. Didnâ€™t the show affect him at all? He had crossed the theatre without pausing to watch and his eyes were fixed on her now. She had heard that he and his partners had been running the theatre for almost a century. He had probably grown immune to whatever was playing out on the stage.

â€œBecause he was hurting Nia.â€ It came out blunter than she had intended and she added, â€œSir.â€

Javierâ€™s eyebrow rose. â€œVictor said you had no grounds to strike him.â€

â€œThen heâ€™s a liar and a bastard.â€

â€œHeâ€™s an elite.â€ The darkness in his tone was reprimand enough to Lilah. She bowed her head.

â€œMy apologies.â€ She couldnâ€™t bring herself to look at Javier so she glanced to one side when she brought her head back up. It was a mistake. The act on stage was getting hotter, with the two humans now kneeling on the couches and swallowing the rigid cocks of their partners as they stood before them. She ripped her gaze away and closed her eyes, figuring it was safer. That way she didnâ€™t risk seeing the anger in Javierâ€™s eyes or the debauchery on stage, and she could keep a clear head. â€œHe was forcing himself on Nia and she told him to stop. When he didnâ€™t, I hit him. I thought he might stop and block me.â€

â€œHe said Nia was cut. He was under the influence of his hunger. That is why he didnâ€™t stop.â€

That made sense. â€œNia cut her hand on some glass. A mirror in the main dressing room had broken. We had to clean it up and she cut herself.â€

He muttered a ripe curse in Spanish and stepped towards her. â€œWere you cut?â€

Lilah opened her eyes, looked up into the dark pools of his, and shook her head. â€œNo.â€

The relief that swamped his eyes surprised her and sent fear into her blood. What if she had been the one to cut herself? Would Victor have tried to touch her and taste her instead? Would Nia have tried to stop him or would she have let him hurt her?

â€œYou must be more careful around our kind,â€ Javier said and she nodded slowly, unable to take her eyes off his.

The moans from the stage grew louder and she blushed when Javier looked towards the performance.

â€œWill I be punished?â€ She tried to shut out the sounds. Javierâ€™s gaze returned to her and he shook his head.

â€œVictor overstepped the line.â€ He frowned and turned quiet for so long that she couldnâ€™t ignore the noises coming from the stage. She glanced across at them. Javierâ€™s voice dropped to a whisper. â€œDo you like to watch them?â€

Her eyes shot wide and she instantly shook her head. He stepped closer, slid his hand over her jaw in a way that had her shivering and her breath quaking, and carefully turned her face towards the stage. His thumb and fingers remained against her face, holding her gently, warming her down to her bones and causing a flood of arousal to sweep through her.

He traced his hand down her throat and stepped up behind her. What was he doing? She trembled under his touch, anticipating pain from it but feeling nothing but pleasure.

â€œDoes it arouse you when you watch them fucking?â€ he breathed into her ear and she shivered, her eyelids dropping, a ripple of shock running over her skin at hearing him say such a thing.

â€œI donâ€™t watch them,â€ she whispered, her voice barely there.

â€œYou were watching them when I arrived.â€ He ran his thumb up her throat and claimed her jaw again. How long had he been watching her before he had said something and torn her attention away from the show? Had he enjoyed watching her while she watched the performance, unaware of his presence and his eyes on her? The thought that he might have sent heat into her blood that pooled in her abdomen, tightening it with arousal.

She couldnâ€™t take her eyes off the show now but she wasnâ€™t taking any of it in. All of her focus was on Javier where he stood behind her, so close that his hip was against her bottom. Why was he doing this? Why wasnâ€™t it hurting her? Was there no pleasure in his touch, no sense of desire inside him as he ran his hands over her throat and pressed his body close to hers?

Lilah sharply turned her head towards him. He was so close to her that his breath skated over her lips, her chin touching his cheek. The darkness of desire in his eyes was unmistakable. There was hunger in his touch, in the way he forced her to face the stage again, clutching her jaw and lowering his mouth to her throat.

He drew in a long shaky breath and pressed his brow against the side of her head. â€œYou smell so good… such a temptation.â€

He wanted her. Her knees weakened beneath her, legs going slack at the feel of him pressed against her back, his hands firm on her body.

Lilahâ€™s breathing quickened and she stared at the three couples on stage, her heart racing and blood thundering. Javier reached around her and slid his hand over hers where it gripped the pole of the broom. He took it from her and let it fall to the ground as he pressed soft kisses to her bare shoulder and the nape of her neck. They tickled, sending shiver after shiver through her, dizzying her.

This was so wrong.

But that only made it feel more right.

She had wanted him for so long, had craved the feel of his hands on her body, ached to know what it would feel like to be with him. She had never thought it possible though, had thought her bond to Lord Ashville would prevent it and pain her if she accepted the touch of the man she desired with all of her heart.

Javier licked the nape of her neck near her hairline, teasing her, and she couldnâ€™t stop herself from arching her backside into him. He groaned and cursed softly in her ear, kissing it and nibbling it with blunt teeth.

â€œWatch them,â€ he whispered into her ear and licked the lobe, teasing it with the tip of his tongue. â€œKeep watching them while I touch you.â€

She nodded and bit back a groan when he slid his hands down over her stomach and then around to her backside, palming it through her short dress. He suckled the lobe of her ear and then kissed her throat and ran his hands up her sides, pressing them in hard as he passed over her ribs. He cupped her breasts and stepped into her. The feel of his erection against her bottom sent a new hot flood of arousal pooling between her thighs. Was this really happening? She felt as though she was imagining it, as though it was a fevered fantasy brought on by watching the show and seeing him crossing the theatre towards her. It didnâ€™t feel real.

â€œYou cannot deny me this,â€ he uttered into her ear and she trembled at the command in his tone, the hunger that roughened it. â€œI will have you.â€

Lilah didnâ€™t want to deny him, but the thought that he wouldnâ€™t let her only served to arouse her further, making her heart skip a beat as his strong hands kneaded her breasts through the confines of her short black dress.

She would never deny him.

No matter the consequences.

He was worth the risk.

And she would have him.

Covet
Felicity Heaton
Theyâ€™ve burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.

Javier knows better than to succumb to his hunger for Lilah. The mortal female belongs to a powerful aristocrat patron of Vampirerotique, the theatre he runs with three other vampires. A single touch is all it would take to break the sacred law of his kind, sentencing himself to death, but his passion for her has become too fierce to ignore and he will risk everything to make Lilah his.

Lilah has fought her desire for Javier since arriving at his theatre as a servant but each glance he has stolen, his eyes promising pleasure that will satisfy her longing for him, has chipped away at her defences and she can no longer deny her need and her forbidden feelings for the powerful vampire male.

When they find themselves alone in a private box during one of the erotic performances, will they surrender to their passion and live out their wildest fantasies in a night of wicked pleasure or will the threat of Lilahâ€™s master keep them apart forever?

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Other Ebook Retailers:
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Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com (Covet and Crave in one book) | Barnes and Noble (Covet and Crave in one book)

Posted in Covet, paranormal romance, snippets, Vampire Erotic Theatre, vampire romance | Comments Off

Special Interview – Talking to Snow from my Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series

Posted on 9th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

It’s time for a very special interview now and one I am sure will get lots of you posting comments. I’ve finally managed to get some time with Snow from my Vampire Erotic Theatre series. It’s very difficult to get a moment with him where my life isn’t in danger.

I am sitting on the edge of a very wicked looking queen-sized bed that puts a new spin on the traditional four-poster. While the black silk sheets and fluffed up pillows make it look luxurious and comfortable, the thick metal posts that end in wide steel plates bolted to the ceiling and floor give it a torture chamber feel that might make most women in my position question their safety.

Not me though. I sit here undaunted, my companion watching me with intense aquamarine eyes, studying me for a reaction. The immense aristocrat vampire male lays reclined on his pillows, free of his restraints, wearing black jeans and a black robe. His overlong white hair is a stark contrast against the darkness of his surroundings.

FH: I like what youâ€™ve done with the place. It certainly has a nice dangerous-but-irresistible vibe about it. Did you decorate your apartment yourself?

SNOW: *frowns* Antoine helped. He thinks itâ€™s a little sombre and does not help my mood or do me any good, but I like it. It is home and the fewer distractions I have, the more I can concentrate on what is important during the long hours I spend in this room.

FH: Like battling your bloodlust?

SNOW: You are not afraid to say things straight and I like that. Itâ€™s refreshing. Lilah pretends not to notice the chains or the restraints, or the dents in my bedposts where I have fought against my captivity when lost to my darker urges. Antoine dances around the subject of my sickness and with good reason. He does not say it, but I know he fears that he will follow me down this dark path one day.

FH: It must be difficult for you both. What about you, are you worried that your younger brother may one day succumb to bloodlust as you have?

SNOW: *eyes narrow* I would never allow that to happen. While I only give my brother despair for his future, he blesses me with hope for mine. Even in my darkest hours, I cling to the dream that one day I may be sane enough to venture outside without fear of losing control.

FH: You seem well tonight though.

SNOW: *snorts* I am blessed with a moment of sanity. A brief reprieve. It will not last. We have tried so many different ways of combating the disease but it is too deep in my system. I can gain a few hours of lucidity at times, cutting myself free of the vines that bind my sanity and my relentless hunger, but I cannot destroy the roots of this corruption. It is in my blood and my genes. The vines re-grow and burrow deeper into me than before and I am lost again.

FH: Iâ€™m sure you will find a way to gain enough control over your bloodlust to live a normal life one day, Snow. Never give up hope. Antoine works so hard to find new methods. It would kill him if he lost you.

SNOW: I know… but I am not sure I am worth saving. I am not worth the sacrifices he makes. He can learn from the mistakes in our past and lead a normal life. I have done nothing to deserve his love and devotion.

FH: Youâ€™re his brother, and from what Iâ€™ve heard, you were like a father to him because of your age gap. You helped raise him and he loves you. I donâ€™t think heâ€™ll ever give up on finding a cure for your bloodlust, and not because he wants to cure himself. Now, enough talk about this. Iâ€™m sure dwelling on it only makes you feel worse.

SNOW: *smiles and itâ€™s devastating*

FH: You know, so many ladies want to be the one to help you and when you smile like that, I think about joining them. How about we talk a little about you?

SNOW: I thought we had been talking about me? *moves on the bed and his black robe falls open, the satin spilling down his bare chest to reveal it*

FH: *stares unabashedly* Did you say something?

SNOW: Iâ€™m up here *clicks his fingers and my gaze snaps up to his gorgeous icy eyes* *laughs* Women, youâ€™re all the same. I said, I thought we had been talking about me?

FH: No, we were talking about your bloodlust but that doesnâ€™t define you. You care a great deal about your brother and the people here, donâ€™t you?

SNOW: *looks pensive* I love Antoine, and Javier and Callum are like family to me… and Lilah too. They are my family… *red rings his irises*

FH: Snow? *touches his hand* Come back to me.

SNOW: *raises his head* Huh? *looks startled but the red fades* Sorry. Sometimes it creeps up on me. Where were we?

FH: Talking about the Vampirerotique family and you. Iâ€™m sure the readers would like to know more about you. Letâ€™s cover the basics for them. Where are you from?

SNOW: Where arenâ€™t I from? I was born in Norway, around two thousand years ago. We travelled from those cold lands and when Antoine came into the world we were settled in Switzerland.

FH: It explains the mixed accents. Thereâ€™s a thousand year age gap between you and Antoine. What was it like suddenly having a little brother?

SNOW: It kept me grounded. I watched over him, taught him, helped raise him.

FH: Itâ€™s more like he was your son than your brother. Would you ever have children?

SNOW: *growls* No.

FH: Okay.

SNOW: *slumps into his black pillows* I could never trust myself around them.

FH: What about around other peopleâ€™s children? *he shakes his head* Thatâ€™s a shame. If Antoine ever fathered a child, would you help him raise it?

SNOW: *looks pained* I would leave until it had grown. I am not to be trusted. Antoine would want me to be involved, to hold the babe… what if I… no. I would have to leave.

FH: That would hurt Antoine.

SNOW: I know, but it doesnâ€™t matter. His pain would be one thousand times worse if I harmed his child.

FH: Thatâ€™s sort of sad.

SNOW: *growls* I think you should leave too. I do not need your pity.

FH: *squeezes his hand* I know. I wasnâ€™t pitying you. I was pitying Antoine and the child. You would make a good uncle, even if you donâ€™t believe it. They would miss out on all the love you would give the child. You have a gentle side.

SNOW: *scoffs* You know that is a lie.

FH: Nope. I donâ€™t. I know you, Snow. You may growl and snarl and push people away, but you have a softer side. You care a lot about Lilah, and your brother, and the others here. Youâ€™re just afraid youâ€™ll lose control.

SNOW: With good reason. I still want you to leave.

FH: Nope on that front too. I have some more questions. I know this will come up when readers read this so, when was the last time you were in a physical relationship?

SNOW: *eyes widen* As in, love?

FH: Love, lust, either.

SNOW: Shortly after my bloodlust emerged several centuries ago. She discovered my secret and we parted company.

FH: Is that a fancy way of saying she dumped you, because if you want, Iâ€™ll track her down and kick her arse.

SNOW: *smiles at last* I would pay to see that. You are quite formidable. I am sure you would be the victor… but our parting was mutual. I told her about what was happening to me and that whatever was happening between us would never become what she desired it to be, and that I thought it best we no longer saw each other.

FH: That sounds a lot like you dumped her. Itâ€™s an old-world â€œitâ€™s not you, itâ€™s meâ€ speech if you ask me.

SNOW: It is a good job that no one asked you then. *smiles wider* I have not been with a female since then.

FH: I bet there have been offers though. *grins* Lots of them. *he smiles again* Thatâ€™s a yes. What sort of woman would it take to get you to say yes?

SNOW: She would need to be strong, very capable of handling me when the bloodlust strikes, and… this conversation is pointless. There is no female in this world capable of handling me when my darker urges seize control.

FH: Never say never. I bet thereâ€™s a woman out there who can handle everything about you, Snow, and when you meet her, she is going to rock your world.

SNOW: *shakes his head* I highly doubt that. Perhaps a female would be interested in me while I am sane but once my bloodlust emerges, she would move on.

FH: The right woman wouldnâ€™t. Would you like a woman in your life?

SNOW: *frowns at his knees* Perhaps. I see Javier with Lilah and… it does not matter. It will never happen. I would like to rest now. My head aches.

FH: *strokes his white hair* How about I read to you for a while?

SNOW: I would like that. *settles onto his side*

FH: Um, off you go reader. I think this interview is officially over. *picks up Snowâ€™s worn copy of War and Peace and strokes his hair with her other hand as she reads* Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of the Buonapartes…

If you would like to pose a question to Snow, leave it in a comment and I will ask him to answer it for you when he’s feeling a bit better.

Readers will be able to learn more about Snow in Antoine’s book, Seduce, which is due for release on June 23rd 2012.

There are currently two highly erotic and emotionally charged books out in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series and both of them have Snow in them:

Covet
They’ve burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.

Click here to read an excerpt from Covet

Apple iTunes / iBookstore:
US iTunes | UK iTunes | Australia iTunes | Canada iTunes

The following retailers:
Barnes and Noble Nook | Sony Reader Store | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks

Crave
His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.

Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can’t ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.

Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she’s not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can’t believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.

When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?

Click here to read an excerpt from Crave

The following retailers:
Smashwords | All Romance eBooks

Crave will be available soon from BN Nook, Sony, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore / iTunes.

Posted in character interviews, Vampire Erotic Theatre | Comments Off

My favourite scene from Seduce – Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series book three

Posted on 9th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

I’ve chosen many of my favourite scenes from my paranormal romance books and posted them this weekend for you all to enjoy, but they’ve all been from my previous releases.

Since we’re in the final day of my Birthday Bash event, I thought I would select a scene from one of my future releases, and the one that I just had to choose for my final favourite scene was a moment from Seduce, the third book in my Vampire Erotic Theatre series that is due for release in late June.

If you’ve purchased Crave, then you’ve probably already read the first chapter in Seduce as it appears in the back of the ebook. I’m going to post the second chapter as my favourite scene. There are other moments that might deserve to be the star of this special post but those would give too much away about the book… so without further ado, here’s a sexy scene from Seduce!

My Favourite Scene From…

Seduce

Sera paced in front of the black stage in the empty theatre. She had arrived a full thirty minutes early for her appointment. An appointment she hadnâ€™t realised sheâ€™d had. Callum hadnâ€™t specified a time for her interview. He had just said to come by when the theatre was closed. So she had.

The woman who had shown her into the theatre had been very kind. One of the staff based on her short black dress that revealed far too much leg and bosom. Sera reminded herself that she couldnâ€™t really judge the woman by the clothes she wore. After all, it was her uniform and Sera herself was trying out for a position as some sort of on-stage whore. What on Earth must the woman have thought of her? Perhaps Sera should have asked to interview for a position as one of the staff. Cleaning seemed infinitely more appealing, and possible for her, than being a performer in the shows. Antoine still would have met with her so they could sign her employment contracts. Was it too late to change her mind?

She continued her pacing, her eyes roaming over the deep red velvet curtain that closed off most of the stage, leaving only a strip of painted black boards around three metres deep exposed, and twirled her long blonde hair around her fingers. It was so quiet in the theatre that even her breathing sounded loud in her ears. How much longer did she have to wait?

And why were they interviewing her in the theatre itself?

Elizabeth had said they would take her to one of the meeting rooms or the offices to interview her. That was what she had gone through to get her position at the theatre decades ago. Sera shook her hands at her sides and blew out a sigh, trying to shake off her nerves. Maybe none of the offices were vacant tonight or they wanted to give her a tour before the interview began. That seemed plausible.

One of the sets of double doors at the back opened and a bright beam of light cut down the length of the theatre to her. She shielded her sensitive eyes with her hand and squinted so she could make out if someone was there.

Her heart stopped.

The doors closed.

Antoine strode down the aisle, long legs carrying him easily at a brisk pace, as handsome as ever in his silver-grey tailored shirt that emphasised his build and clung just right to his muscles, hinting at how delicious his body would look if he were naked. His black tie, crisp black trousers and polished leather shoes perfected his image of a businessman but made him look decadent and alluring at the same time.

Behind him walked the immense male vampire that she knew from the performances. Victor. His normally thick dark hair was gone, shaved to his scalp, giving him a menacing air as he followed Antoine, dressed in a tight black t-shirt and jeans.

Were they just passing through?

Her heart started again at a pace.

Please, God, say they were just passing through.

Antoine shoved his fingers through his deep brown hair, the action screaming of irritation as much as his scent on her senses. He was annoyed about something. Was he angry with Victor for some reason?

Sera moved aside, keeping her back to the stage so they could easily pass her and go about their business. She tried to keep her eyes downcast but they refused to do as she ordered and snuck to Antoine, meeting his icy gaze. The warm lights from the stage lit his face, chasing the shadows away and giving her her first real glimpse of him. He was so handsome regardless of the darkness he emanated and the coldness in his eyes. He looked like an aristocrat, princely with his straight nose, defined jaw and perfect bone structure. Did he resemble his brother, Snow? She couldnâ€™t imagine the devastating effect the two together would have on the female aristocrats at social gatherings.

Her heart did a flip in her chest.

Antoine alone had a devastating effect on her. She could be strong, had taken to life as a vampire with surprising ease according to her sire, and had a flair for luring male prey that she still couldnâ€™t quite believe. She wanted to be that confident, sexy, attractive woman around this man, but whenever she set eyes on him, her heart trembled like a timid thing in her throat, her palms turned clammy, and she wanted to bolt. It was only the deep pounding need he stirred in her, the intense inferno of arousal that flooded her veins like liquid fire whenever she was near him, that kept her feet in place. She wanted this man.

It went beyond natural desire, or at least what she had experienced in the past. No man had ever had such a startling effect on her. It was soul deep, more than just a carnal longing. It was as though her very happiness depended on her being in this manâ€™s strong arms.

He stopped right in front of her.

â€œSera, I presume?â€ he said and her bones melted at the sound of his deep voice pronouncing her name.

She nodded and held out her hand. He raised a dark eyebrow in her direction and didnâ€™t take it. She lowered it again, feeling like a fool for thinking he would touch her, a turned human, and for the first time since she could remember, her gaze didnâ€™t want anything to do with him. She stared at the red carpet beneath her feet. What in Godâ€™s name was she doing here? This was all going to go horribly wrong. She was going to end up getting her heart smashed by this man.

Confidence.

Elizabeth had pounded that one word into her head more than any other. She was beautiful, alluring, sexy, smart and funny, and more than that, she was warm and caring. She was a confident woman. She was. Sera clung to her sireâ€™s words about her, trying to believe in them. They ran around her mind and she felt their effect, felt the confidence begin to flow through her.

Sera managed to convince her eyes to shift up. They didnâ€™t make it to his face. They stuck on his tie. Shiny black paisley contrasted against the matt black of the rest of the tie. It was fascinating. Truly. That was the only reason she was looking at it and not resolutely into his eyes as she had planned.

He huffed.

â€œWell, letâ€™s get on with this. I have other matters that require my attention and the night is not growing any younger.â€ He sat down in one of the front row seats.

Sera glanced at Victor, and then at Antoine. This change required a whole rethink of her plan. She had expected Callum to be the one interviewing her, not Antoine, so she hadnâ€™t exactly put on her best clothes. Her casual blue baby-doll t-shirt and jeans probably made her look like a commoner to this man and she wished she had listened to Elizabeth and worn the red dress her sire had picked out instead. And she still wasnâ€™t sure why Victor was present. Was he here because, in the absence of Callum, the elite vampire she had met last night and who Elizabeth had told her dealt with sourcing performers, Antoine needed someone more intimate with performers to help him?

Victor peeled off his tight black t-shirt to reveal the ropes of hard muscle that lined his stomach and the twin slabs of granite that was his chest.

Seraâ€™s cheeks flushed.

Oh. Lord have mercy. Victor wasnâ€™t here to help with the interview.

This wasnâ€™t an interview at all.

It was an audition.

Her heart thundered. Her limbs shook.

Panic prickled down her spine.

â€œIs there a problem?â€ Antoine said with a frown, his annoyance turning his scent bitter. She knew he could sense all of her feelings and smell her fear, and she tried to get a grip on her emotions, but they bombarded her.

Was there a problem? Was there ever. She hadnâ€™t expected she would have to perform with someone and she definitely hadnâ€™t anticipated that such a performance would take place in front of the man who was her reason for doing this whole crazy thing in the first place.

â€œI thought it was going to be an interview. My sire said she had an interview with Callum.â€ Her voice trembled. Good God, could she sound any more weak and feeble? Suck it up or this whole ridiculous affair was going to be over before it even started. Such a powerful man would want nothing to do with a weak female. She pulled in a deep breath and held it but it did nothing to calm her growing panic.

Antoine huffed again. â€œWe might have done things that way eighty years ago, but we do things this way now. So, begin.â€

He waved towards the stage. Victor obediently leapt up onto it. Sera remained firmly rooted to the spot on the red carpet between the stage and Antoine where he sat in the middle of the front row, her gaze fixed on his. The coldness in his pale blue eyes was fathomless but mixed in with it and his scent was increasing irritation. If she didnâ€™t do something soon, he was going to toss her out on her backside for wasting his time.

She could do this. She would take it slow and pretend that Victor was Antoine, and come up with a new plan while she was at it. If luck was with her, she could conceive something before things went too far. Just how far was he expecting things to go?

Before she could ask, Victorâ€™s hands were under her arms and she was on the stage. Her knees almost gave out when he released her and she wobbled.

Antoine sighed again and raised the stakes with a pinch of the bridge of his elegant straight nose.

â€œNot wise to keep the boss waiting,â€ Victor whispered into her ear, his cool breath tickling her neck, and she shivered.

He pressed the full length of his body against her back and her eyes widened as the hard bulge in the front of his black jeans pushed against her bottom. Heavens. She swallowed. Trembled. This was not happening. Antoine couldnâ€™t possibly expect her to perform with this man. She had seen him on stage, witnessed the sort of debauchery he did with women, and the size of his thing. He would break her.

What alternative was there? Either she performed or she ran like a chicken and lost her chance. Antoine would never look at her again. Hell, she would never be able to look at him again. She had said that she would do whatever it took to make him belong to her and she couldnâ€™t back down now that another challenge had presented itself.

She had come here to seduce Antoine.

Seduce him she would.

Fear crawled through her.

She wasnâ€™t ready for this. He was going to laugh at her.

Antoine cast a critical eye over her and then waved towards Victor. She yelped when his hands came to settle on her waist and he nuzzled her neck.

â€œCome on, sweetness, play with daddy.â€

Gross. It was hard to resist the urge to elbow him in the stomach and kick him in the shin.

â€œYour fifteen minutes just became ten, Sera. Am I wasting my time here?â€ Antoine said and she shook her head. She could do this.

She broke away from Victor and turned to face him. He was handsome but she felt no attraction to him. How was she supposed to do anything with a man whom she didnâ€™t find attractive?

â€œI am very busy, Sera. Start.â€

She jumped at the word and wished Antoine would stop using her name. Whenever he rolled it off his tongue in his exotic mixed accent, fire flashed through her body, heating her blood, and she wanted to close her eyes and do wicked things.

Maybe she needed him to say it more. Maybe if he kept saying it, she would find the courage to do what was necessary.

Ten minutes.

Even that sounded like a lifetime.

Her gaze flicked over Victor. He was already topless and the large bulge in his tight jeans confirmed that he was already hard. Where was she supposed to start?

Removing his jeans seemed like a good place.

She stalked over to him, doing her best to look sultry, her gaze locked with his. Victor smirked at her, so obviously assured in his charms and looks. She wanted to roll her eyes and tell him that he wasnâ€™t her type, that when she looked at him, she was really imagining Antoine. She ran her fingers over the ridges of his torso, his skin cool beneath her fingers, and tilted her head back and held his dark gaze as she undid his belt.

Sera stepped back and tugged it hard, pulling it through the loops in one fast motion. Too fast. The flamboyant rise of her arm as the end came free caused the belt to whip across Victorâ€™s chest, leaving a red streak on his skin.

He growled at her.

She curled up on instinct and leapt backwards, dropping the belt.

Antoine looked thoroughly unimpressed when she risked a glance in his direction.

She tried to claw things back by doing a sexy little shuffle across the stage, her mind racing to remember the moves that Elizabeth had shown her and all the things she had witnessed in this theatre.

On this very stage.

A stage she was now performing on even though she had promised herself it would never come to this.

Sera tackled Victorâ€™s jeans, popping the buttons while clumsily kissing the whip mark across his chest. She gasped when the final button gave and his rigid cock sprang free, already eager for her. Her heart bolted into action again, galloping so quickly she felt dizzy.

She looked at anything but his erection, battling her nerves and panic again. It was just sex. Sex on a stage. Sex on a stage in front of a man whom she really desired and whose opinion of her was probably rapidly sinking into seeing her as just another whore for his theatre.

What the hell was she thinking?

Sera squeaked when Victor pulled her blue baby-doll t-shirt over her head, catching her blonde hair and yanking it at the same time, and exposed her torso to the chilly air of the theatre.

Antoine sighed and stood.

It was over.

He was going to tell her thanks but no thanks and kick her out for wasting his time.

â€œLeave,â€ he said and she grabbed her t-shirt off Victor and went to put it on. â€œNot you.â€

Sera froze, clutching the t-shirt to her chest. Victor casually buttoned his jeans, shot her a smile, and then dropped down off the black stage. He sauntered towards the doors at the edge of the theatre, opened them and disappeared from view. Sera remained paused on the stage, waiting for Antoine to throw her out.

â€œI am not looking for solo acts, but clearly this is your first time on stage. Do you feel you can perform now?â€

Sera didnâ€™t know what to say. He wasnâ€™t kicking her out? She swallowed and faced him. He was serious. He had made Victor leave so she would feel more comfortable, and she did. Being on stage in front of him still felt wrong, but the thought of performing for him alone had a strange appeal. If she had ever wanted a chance to seduce him, they didnâ€™t come more perfect than this. She could do this. She could tease him with a slow reveal of her body to his eyes only, and from there it would only be a small step to other more wicked things. She was sure that once she was nude, bared for him, that the feel of his gaze on her would give her the confidence to take things further and really perform for him.

And she was sure that performance would give her the chance to crack the armour around his heart.

What had looked like it was going to end in disaster was now looking as though it was a chance at victory.

A chance that she wouldnâ€™t squander.

Sera nodded and dropped her t-shirt.

Antoineâ€™s gaze flickered down to her bra-clad breasts and then he sat back in his red velvet chair in the middle of the front row and stretched his long legs out.

His eyes held hers, cool blue and beautiful, fixed on her with such intensity that her cheeks heated with a blush.

He waved his hand.

â€œPerform for me then.â€

Seduce is due for release on June 23rd 2012.

There are currently two highly erotic and emotionally charged books out in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series:

Covet
They’ve burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.

Click here to read an excerpt from Covet

Apple iTunes / iBookstore:
US iTunes | UK iTunes | Australia iTunes | Canada iTunes

The following retailers:
Barnes and Noble Nook | Sony Reader Store | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks

Crave
His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.

Click here to read an excerpt from Crave

The following retailers:
Smashwords | All Romance eBooks

Crave will be available soon from BN Nook, Sony, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore / iTunes.

Posted in paranormal romance, Seduce, Vampire Erotic Theatre, vampire romance | Comments Off

Interview with Venturi from my Vampires Realm series

Posted on 9th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

It’s time to welcome the dark and devilishly handsome lord of the Tenebrae vampires in my Vampires Realm series, Venturi, into my lair.

Venturi first appeared in Prophecy: Child of Light, which is book one in the Prophecy Trilogy, and was one of the lead vampires in book two and three of the trilogy. He has also made appearances in other Vampires Realm stories, such as Seventh Circle and Spellbound, together with Prophecy and Valentine. More recently, he showed up in Masquerade, which is due out in May 2012.

If you want to get a feel for Venturi, then you can read more about him at the Vampires Realm website: http://www.vampiresrealm.com/vampire_venturi.php

If you want Venturi 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.

(Venturi stalks into the room, a sour look on his face. As he enters the sphere of light emanating from the fireplace beside me, I notice the cuts and bruises on his handsome face. He slumps into the black velvet armchair opposite me and frowns in my direction.)

FH: Itâ€™s good to see you again, Venturi. I can see that things have been just as busy as Prophecy and Valentine said they have been for you. Did you pick up those wounds defending the gate?

Venturi: The gate is a pain in my backside. (he scowls) I am tired of having the wretched thing in my home. Each night and day we are fighting to contain the creatures trying to come through the breach. It is draining. I rarely get a chance to leave the castle. They need me there. Whenever I am lucky enough to be able to get away, it is never long before I am called back. (his look brightens) You mentioned Prophecy. She is here?

FH: (smiles at him) Yes. She came with Valentine for the weekend. You must miss her when youâ€™re stuck in Romania?

Venturi: I do, deeply, but my role there is an important one, not only for vampirekind. It is your people I am protecting with my life too.

FH: I could remind you that you were once one of us.

Venturi: (laughs) Many long centuries ago. I have forgotten my life as a human with good reason. When I was human, the world was a dark place even if you were lucky enough to be rich. There were so many diseases and plagues. Even the slightest scratch could end your life. Modern humans do not know how lucky they are.

FH: Not quite as fortunate as vampires. You enjoy invulnerability that we could never even dream of achieving. I canâ€™t think of a disease that can infect you.

Venturi: Only Nox Noctis. (his look darkens and he combs the tangled threads of his overlong dirty blond hair from his face) That is a plague that we could live without. It is possible for us to contract that devastating sickness and there is little chance of coming back from it if it seizes hold of us.

(Nox Noctis is a terrible disease that can turn vampires and werewolves into mindless demons who are not only a danger to others but also to themselves. Theyâ€™re just as likely to shed their own blood because of the madness that grasps them)

FH: Perhaps we should move onto a brighter subject. You were able to attend the recent centenary masquerade at the Venia mansion. That must have been nice considering that youâ€™ve been stuck at your castle in Romania. Were you able to see Prophecy there?

Venturi: Yes, we met there. I came straight from a battle and she was kind enough to tend to my wounds for me. I do not think Valentine appreciated my presence. Prophecy had not seen me in many long months and she slipped up, forgetting her place. Valentine made his anger known and I cannot blame him. If Prophecy were mine and she danced with Valentine without my permission, I would have reacted the same way. We deserved to be punished for our actions. I am only glad that he did not take things further than merely reprimanding us before the gathered bloodlines.

FH: It must be very difficult for you to hold back when youâ€™re around her these days because youâ€™ve been intimate with each other in the past, but I understand why you donâ€™t want to push Valentine too far.

Venturi: It is better to allow him to set the boundaries and seek his permission and have what little I can of Prophecy than to cross the line and have Valentine take away his approval. As her mate, Valentine is perfectly entitled to revoke the rights he has granted to me and Prophecy. I do not want that to happen. I do not want my touch to cause her pain or to suffer seeing her and knowing I can never kiss her or be near to her again.

FH: You make me want to come over there and give you a big old hug when you look so solemn and as though your heart would break if that ever happened.

Venturi: (smiles to reveal sharp fangs) I would not say no to a little comfort.

FH: (holds my hands up and shakes my head) Not that sort of comfort. Weâ€™ve been through this before. Iâ€™m not on the menu. (searches for a way of changing the subject) Prophecy and Valentine mentioned that they might come to help you with the gate problem. The three of you working together again. That should be fun, right?

Venturi: I am certain it will be interesting. I would not call it fun though. The gate is very dangerous and both Valentine and I do not want Prophecy anywhere near it, but she has been having visions about it and it is impossible to keep her away from something like this when she has set her mind on it.

FH: Iâ€™m sure that between you and Valentine you can keep Prophecy safe. You managed it at the centenary masquerade.

Venturi: I would give my life to keep her safe. (he glances towards the door)

FH: I can see that now you know that Prophecy is around you want to get away from me and see her. Iâ€™ll finish up on a few fun questions. Whatâ€™s your favourite colour?

Venturi: Black.

FH: And your favourite smell?

Venturi: The woods near my castle in autumn when the leaves are falling and the first frosts come.

FH: Your favourite possession?

Venturi: I cannot think of anything I truly possess as mine alone. Actually, I have a sword that Prophecy gave to me. I sometimes think it is enchanted.

FH: It wouldnâ€™t surprise me. Favourite thing to do?

Venturi: After we have subdued the gate and locked it down so the castle is secure, I like to return to my room and telephone Prophecy. Hearing her voice is comforting in the aftermath of a battle. It takes away the pain.

FH: And finally, whatâ€™s your favourite time of year?

Venturi: Autumn. The air is full of new smells and the nights draw in, and thereâ€™s often frosts that make the castle grounds sparkle like diamonds. It is a beautiful time of year.

FH: Thank you for coming to talk with me today. Iâ€™ll let you get on now, I’m sure you’re eager to see Prophecy while I have you away from your home, but don’t forget that you need to come back to answer any questions that readers leave for you!

If you would like to learn more about Venturi and his story with Valentine and Prophecy, then the first book in the Prophecy Trilogy is available in ebook for just $0.99!

Prophecy: Child of Light [book 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.

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.

ebook price: $0.99
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 135000 words
rating: sultry
released: March 2007
Book 1 in the Vampires Realm series

REMEMBER: If you want Venturi 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

Interview with Valentine from my Vampires Realm series

Posted on 8th April 2012 by Felicity Heaton

Ah, it’s that time when I get to lure my favourite hero into my hot seat. Valentine has held onto the number 1 spot in my heart since I wrote his story back in 2006 and while some have come close to joining him there, no one has managed it yet.

Valentine is from my Vampires Realm series and first appeared in Prophecy: Child of Light, which is book one in the Prophecy Trilogy, in which he is the hero (for all three books, of course). He has also made appearances in other Vampires Realm stories, such as Seventh Circle and Spellbound, with Prophecy at his side (and Venturi too). More recently, he showed up in Masquerade, which is due out in May 2012.

If you want to get a feel for Valentine, then you can read more about him at the Vampires Realm website: http://www.vampiresrealm.com/vampire_valentine.php

REMEMBER: If you want Valentine 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.

(Valentine enters the room and settles himself in the black velvet armchair opposite me. He neatly arranges his dark red knee-length military-style jacket and then sweeps his long fingers over his black hair. His green eyes fix on mine. I clear my throat. Valentine is always a little tetchy around humans so I hope I donâ€™t end up as dinner)

FH: So, what have you been up to since we last saw you?

Valentine: Things have been busy. My bloodline has learned to behave themselves and accept my rule, but now I am constantly working. I had been privy to the inner workings of a bloodline during my position as a hunter, but I had not anticipated that it would be so much work. Lord Kalinor made it appear easy.

FH: I bet itâ€™s anything but easy, but at least you finally have them on your side. You say that youâ€™re constantly working, so does that mean you donâ€™t get to spend much time with Prophecy?

Valentine: She often comes to visit, but at the moment it is difficult for me to find time to go to her, even when I desire to. Cornelius is a competent Chosen Son, but he lacks the leadership skills and respect required to run a bloodline. Often when I leave, the house is in pandemonium by the time I return.

FH: What about Xavier? As your head guard, isnâ€™t he able to control them?

(Valentine sighs emphatically, the first sign Iâ€™ve seen of him breathing. As a vampire of almost three hundred, he rarely breathes.)

Valentine: Little woman, I thought that during the documentation process of my species history you would have learned that such a thing would be a disaster. A guard has no place in commanding a bloodline when one of the leaders is there. If Xavier were to step in, the bloodline would lose all respect for Cornelius.

(I shrink into my black velvet armchair, bringing my feet up onto the seat, feeling like a chided youngling)

FH: I see. I donâ€™t confess to being any good at politics. Donâ€™t you miss Prophecy?

(The barest hint of a smile touches his lips and a shine enters his green eyes)

Valentine: With all of my heart.

FH: Aww.

(Valentine glares at me, his eyes briefly changing to blue, their vampiric state. I swallow and silently take back what I did)

Valentine: (He looks down at his hands in his lap and then back at me) Prophecy understands that I must spend time with my bloodline, but sometimes I am able to go to her. We often find time to walk the city together.

FH: (grins) Yeah, I know all about your moonlit walks and how you kill for her. Super sweet.

Valentine: (raises an eyebrow) A mate should provide for his beloved. I am only following my nature as a vampire. I am sure humans do similar things, such as a male requesting that a female joins him for dinner in a restaurant. It is the same thing.

FH: That puts a new twist on the phrase â€œdining outâ€. (I smile at him when he glowers at me) I get what youâ€™re saying though. You want to spend quality time with Prophecy and canâ€™t do that at either mansion, so you head off into the city for some alone time. Do you ever get away for longer periods?

Valentine: We have sometimes gone to stay at one of the apartments I keep in various cities around Europe. Prophecy is terrible at abusing her right to use her bloodlineâ€™s private jet and often insists that we go to Italy for only a night or two at a time. She is still researching her motherâ€™s life.

FH: The witch? Itâ€™s nice that you help her with that. It means a lot to her.

Valentine: (comes as close to smiling as he gets)

FH: So, do you have any other adventures planned? Prophecy mentioned that Venturi had something in the pipeline. Are you involved in that too?

Valentine: (nods) Yes, we have been to Romania to see him about a problem that he has with the gate there. It is still active and causing trouble for him on a regular basis. We need to find a way to close it permanently.

FH: That sounds a little more tame than your previous adventures. Are you expecting trouble?

Valentine: Prophecy has been seeing visions recently, none of them good, and some of them involving the gate, so we must go to Romania again to see if there is something we perhaps overlooked during our first visit.

FH: Your romance with Prophecy is still pretty hot, and I can see that you really love her. Whatâ€™s it like having another man in your life though?

(Valentine growls)

FH: I mean, in a non-sexual way. Prophecy said that you two arenâ€™t really into that side of the relationship.

Valentine: As long as he stays within the boundaries of our agreement, and does not attempt to take Prophecy away from me, or take up all of her time, then I do not mind his occasional visits.

FH: Spoken like a man who doesnâ€™t want to share his toys with the other boys in the playground. I canâ€™t blame you. It must be strange allowing your mate to be with another man.

Valentine: (looks sour) She knows her place, and knows not to overstep the boundaries. She is my mate, and can feel everything that I do. I do not believe that she would ever betray me with Venturi.

(the door opens and Prophecy rushes in and lands on Valentineâ€™s lap. She loops her arms around his neck and kisses him)

Prophecy: I would never hurt you. I love you too much. (she strokes his face) If you commanded it, I would never look at Venturi again. My heart is yours.

Valentine: (smiles broadly and I almost keel over from witnessing such a rare thing) And mine yours.

(Prophecy peppers kisses all over his face. Itâ€™s strange to see him smiling properly. I give them a moment and then clear my throat. They both look at me.)

FH: Maybe I should wrap this up and give you some alone time. I have a few silly questions that I like to ask the people Iâ€™m interviewing. Firstly, whatâ€™s your favourite colour?

Valentine: Dark red.

FH: And your favourite smell?

Valentine: Fresh blood, or Prophecyâ€™s scent.

FH: Your favourite possession?

Valentine: (squeezes Prophecyâ€™s waist) The beautiful woman in my arms. (She frowns at him)

Prophecy: Iâ€™m a possession now?

Valentine: The only thing I ever wanted. (That gets a smile from Prophecy)

FH: Favourite thing to do?

Valentine: Walk the grounds or the city with Prophecy on my arm. I like nothing more than being alone with her (he gives me a pointed look)

FH: And finally, whatâ€™s your favourite time of year?

Valentine: Winter. The nights are long and the city is quiet, and my workload is lighter. I can spend more time with Prophecy then.

(Prophecy starts kissing him again)

FH: Well, it was… yeah… maybe Iâ€™ll leave you alone now. (I get up, taking my notes on my next interviewees with me, and sneak out of the room)

Did you all enjoy this interview with Valentine?

If you would like to learn more about Valentine and Prophecy, and their story, then the first book in the Prophecy Trilogy is available in ebook for just $0.99!

Prophecy: Child of Light [book 1]

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.

REMEMBER: If you want Valentine 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

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.

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:
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US / World | UK

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Other Retailers:
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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.

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Cover Reveal: Her Demonic Angel

Posted on 31st March 2012 by Felicity Heaton

I revealed the cover for HER DEMONIC ANGEL in my March newsletter so I thought that since a month had passed I would share it with everyone know. I’d love to know whether this cover has you excited about the fifth book in my popular angel romance series or not.

The hero for Her Demonic Angel is Veiron. He was in Her Guardian Angel too and he’s a Hell’s angel… hence all that fire on the cover!