{"id":236,"date":"2011-12-27T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-27T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/?p=236"},"modified":"2011-12-27T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-12-27T12:00:00","slug":"teaseday-forbidden-blood-vampire-romance-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/2011\/12\/27\/teaseday-forbidden-blood-vampire-romance-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaseday &#8211; Forbidden Blood &#8211; vampire romance book"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today&#8217;s Teaseday comes in the form of a single chapter excerpt plus a downloadable extended excerpt in PDF format, and the book I&#8217;ve chosen is part of my Winter Warmers deals, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Forbidden Blood<\/b><\/a>, a vampire romance book.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, I have a fantastic offer on a selection of my ebooks.  There are plenty of fantastic reads to choose from, all priced between  $0.99 and $2.99 and in a range of lengths between novella and long  novels, and a variety of paranormal romance sub-genres including sinful  angels, sexy vampires, seductive werewolves, and even a super-hot demon  and sassy witch pairing. Offers end 15th January 2012.<\/p>\n<p>Find out more about the books, including excerpts and reviews, and these great offers at: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php\"><b>http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php<\/b><\/a> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Forbidden Blood<\/b><\/a> is on offer for just $2.99 on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, Smashwords and other retailers.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/images\/uploads\/picDetailforbiddenblood.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b style=\"font-family: Georgia,\"Times New Roman\",serif;\">Forbidden Blood<\/b><\/span><\/a><br \/><b>Felicity Heaton<\/b><br \/>In a dark world where vampires exist and where Source Blood, a rare  human blood type, can bestow godlike powers upon them, the vampire  Venators of the Sovereignty fight to protect the humans by banishing  those who drink it to the endless dark.<\/p>\n<p>Exiled from his family and with only his duty to sustain him, Kearn has  been on the trail of an elusive Source Blood abuser for three years.  When he saves a beautiful human female from the vampire\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s grasp, it  turns out she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the lead he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been waiting for. Amber is a Source Blood  and the perfect bait, but for who?<\/p>\n<p>As they race to catch the vampire and survive the cruel games he plays,  Amber is pulled deeper into Kearn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world and discovers the painful  secrets he hides behind his handsome but emotionless exterior\u00e2\u20ac\u201dhurt that  she has the power to heal if she is brave enough.<\/p>\n<p>Forbidden Blood is a dark, sensual tale of betrayal, revenge and a love that knows no bounds.<\/p>\n<p><b>LIMITED\u00c2\u00a0TIME SPECIAL\u00c2\u00a0OFFER: Only $2.99 (normally $3.99) as part of my Winter Warmers deal &#8211; offer ends 15th January 2012. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php\">Find out more about the offer and where it is available<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Available in e-book from:<\/b><br \/><b>Author&#8217;s website:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood\">http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle UK:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Barnes and Noble:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1103572024\">http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1103572024<\/a><br \/><b>All Romance eBooks:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.allromanceebooks.com\/product-forbiddenblood-613573-139.html\/\">http:\/\/www.allromanceebooks.com\/product-forbiddenblood-613573-139.html\/<\/a><br \/><b>Sony Reader Store:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/ebookstore.sony.com\/ebook\/felicity-heaton\/forbidden-blood\/_\/R-400000000000000406450\">http:\/\/ebookstore.sony.com\/ebook\/felicity-heaton\/forbidden-blood\/_\/R-400000000000000406450<\/a><br \/><b>Kobo Books:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kobobooks.com\/ebook\/Forbidden-Blood-Vampire-Venators-Romance\/book-mWkS9umUmkmp2XI4cX_woA\/page1.html\">http:\/\/www.kobobooks.com\/ebook\/Forbidden-Blood-Vampire-Venators-Romance\/book-mWkS9umUmkmp2XI4cX_woA\/page1.html<\/a><br \/><b>Smashwords:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/view\/66030\">http:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/view\/66030<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle Germany:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.de\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.de\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle France:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.fr\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.fr\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore USA:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore UK:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/gb\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/gb\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore Australia:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/au\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/au\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore Canada:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/ca\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/ca\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Available in paperback from:<\/b><br \/><b>Amazon.com:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1461132193\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1461132193\/<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon.co.uk:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1461132193\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1461132193\/<\/a><br \/><b>Barnes and Noble:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1031509117\">http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1031509117<\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b style=\"color: #c27ba0; font-family: Georgia,\"Times New Roman\",serif;\">EXCERPT<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<p>She shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have looked.<\/p>\n<p>Amber hurried through the dark side streets of central London, heading  for the nearest Underground station. She glanced back over her shoulder.  The man from the courtyard of the redbrick factory building stood on  the other side of a busy road. The hood of his black coat obscured his  face but Amber could feel his eyes on her\u00e2\u20ac\u201dintent and cold.<\/p>\n<p>She turned away, huddled up into her thin black suit jacket, and  carried on walking. She could feel the man still staring at her.<\/p>\n<p>The courtyard flashed across her mind. Two men with sacks and another  sweeping disinfectant out into the street. She had never seen the wooden  gates open before, but there was always a puddle of disinfectant  outside in the mornings. What did they have in those bags? What were  they trying to wash away?<\/p>\n<p>Car headlights snapped her out of her thoughts. A white Audi sports car  purred past her, rear lights flashing bright crimson in the darkness as  it stopped at the junction ahead and then turned and roared away.<\/p>\n<p>Amber undid the button on her jacket and one on her white shirt, hot  from her leaving party and panic. She had to get a grip. She glanced  back again, shifting her handbag on her shoulder. No one was there save a  few Londoners making their way home from the pubs or going to  nightclubs. She hated walking around the city so late at night. It  always got her jittery and the few drinks she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d had with her work  colleagues at the pub weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t helping.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t far to the Underground station. If she focused on thinking  about good things, she would be there before she knew it and then she  would feel foolish for being so nervous. She smiled when she thought  about her leaving party. She had worked for the company for years, but  it was time for a change and she couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait to start her new life. In  only a few weeks, she would be working in Paris. She would be able to  see her brother more often and would be able to soak up a different  culture. It seemed like a dream and she was so caught up in it that she  didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care about all the work she still had to do\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe crash course in  French, even though it was a British firm she was going to work for and  there would be English speakers there, all the packing and things she  had to arrange.<\/p>\n<p>Amber turned down a narrow one-way street. A light on the wall of a  building above her blinked on and off. Footsteps rang out behind her,  echoing along the road. Pleasant daydreams about her future life in  Paris disappeared. She walked faster, her heart beating quicker now as  fearful thoughts crowded her mind.<\/p>\n<p>She had almost reached the other end of the road when two men appeared,  walking towards her. She went to cross the road to avoid them but they  split up and motioned to each other. Her hazel eyes shot wide when she  recognised them from the courtyard. She turned to go back the other way.<\/p>\n<p>The hooded man stood at the other end of the street.<\/p>\n<p>Amber searched for a way to get past him. Why had he followed her? Her  heart beat harder. Long heavy black sacks. Pink disinfectant.<\/p>\n<p>Bodies?<\/p>\n<p>Blood?<\/p>\n<p>A hand around her wrist sent a jolt through her and she tried to pull  free. One man twisted her right arm behind her back and the other  grabbed her left wrist. They pulled her backwards into the shadows.<\/p>\n<p><a name='more'><\/a><br \/>Amber kicked her legs and opened her mouth to scream. A heavy gloved  hand covered it. The smell of leather filled her nostrils and she  breathed hard through her nose, staring wild-eyed at the man in front of  her. The hood obscured his face but she could see his jaw, see the hint  of a smile on his lips.<\/p>\n<p>He nodded to the two men behind her and their grip increased. Amber  flailed, desperate to escape. It was impossible. She stamped on their  feet, kicked their legs, wriggled with all of her strength, but they  wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let her go.<\/p>\n<p>The man motioned to one of the others holding her. The moment he  removed his hand from her mouth, another covered it, keeping her silent.  She tried to call out anyway, her eyes darting between her attackers  and the street. The hooded man smiled at her, as though amused by the  muffled sound and her panic.<\/p>\n<p>Amber stilled when he reached inside his long black coat and pulled out  a knife. Her eyes went round and her heart raced, fear thundering in  her veins.<\/p>\n<p>He was going to kill her.<\/p>\n<p>She shook her head and didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stop, not when the man took another step  back and not even when he raised his left hand and drew the knife down  the palm of his leather glove, cutting into his flesh beneath. Not a  trace of pain showed on what she could see of his face. Was he trying to  frighten her by showing how strong he was? She was already petrified.  He stepped towards her and she redoubled her fight against the men,  kicking with all of her might.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hurry,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the man to her right said in a low voice as her heel connected with his shin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get to it already.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Tears rolled down her cheeks and a chill swept in constant waves over  her skin, stealing her strength. She shook her head again and begged the  man not to hurt her, but the other man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hand over her mouth turned her  words into nothing more than a frightened murmur. Futile.<\/p>\n<p>The hooded man stepped up to her, balled his cut hand into a fist, and  raised it towards her face. What was he going to do? She kept her eyes  fixed on the knife in his other hand, afraid that he would stab her if  she dared to look away from it.<\/p>\n<p>She gasped when the man holding her mouth released it but didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have  time to call out for help. He pressed his fingers into her cheeks,  forced her mouth open and tilted her head back. Her gaze snapped to the  hooded man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hand. He held it above her and drops of blood trembled on  the edge of his black glove.<\/p>\n<p>He was going to make her drink his blood.<\/p>\n<p>She tried to move but couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. The men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s grip on her increased again,  fingers pressing hard into her arms, bruising her. The drop fell,  landing on her tongue, and another quickly followed it. The hooded man  tightened his fist and more dripped into her mouth. She tried not to  swallow, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to taste his blood. It slid down her throat, one  drop after another, until she wanted to be sick.<\/p>\n<p>And then she felt strange.<\/p>\n<p>A hollow feeling opened inside her and her mind emptied.<\/p>\n<p>His hand hovered above her, feeding her blood, and it no longer felt  repulsive or frightening. It tasted good. Thick, heavy fog rolled into  her mind, weighing her head down. She closed her eyes and then struggled  to open them again.<\/p>\n<p>The men behind her released her arms.<\/p>\n<p>Amber stood there facing the hooded man, her shoulders relaxed and her  head tilted to one side. He wavered in her vision as he raised the knife  and licked the blade. It didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t scare her. Her handbag slid down her  right arm to the crook of her elbow as she raised her hand. She held it  out to him, palm up, and blinked languidly.<\/p>\n<p>He took it in his, so gently that she smiled, and ran the knife over  her palm. The sting of pain was pleasurable, flooding her with hazy  warmth from head to toe, awakening blissful awareness of his touch and  his hungry intent.<\/p>\n<p>The man lifted her hand towards his mouth and dipped his head. Was he  going to kiss it better? She continued to smile, amused by his chivalry.<\/p>\n<p>What a nice man.<\/p>\n<p>His tongue came out. White lights flashed across him.<\/p>\n<p>They blinded her and she flinched away, afraid of the bright light that  drowned out the world. The man released her hand and was behind her in  an instant. Her handbag dropped to the floor and she tried to blink away  the white spots in her vision and they multiplied.<\/p>\n<p>The sound of footsteps echoed in her mind and she cursed the other men  for fleeing. They would pay for leaving her here to deal with this  Venator.<\/p>\n<p>Her hands tightened into fists.<\/p>\n<p>She couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t risk fighting the Venator but she had to taste the blood.  She raised her hand towards her mouth. This was an unexpected twist but  she could work it in her favour. First, she had to be sure she was a  Source, and then she would take care of the Venator.<\/p>\n<p>What was a Source?<\/p>\n<p>She stopped with her hand mid-way to her mouth. Blood pooled on her palm, black in the low light.<\/p>\n<p>What was she doing?<\/p>\n<p>The door of the white car opened and Amber looked at it. It was the  Audi. A man stepped out and she moved back. Damn interfering Venator.<\/p>\n<p>Amber frowned at her thoughts. What was a Venator? What was going on?  She tried to remember but her thoughts became tangled with others, ones  she didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand. They didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel as though they were her own.<\/p>\n<p>She turned towards the hooded man. The car lights shone on the lower  half of his face, highlighting his jaw and mouth. A tilt of a smile  touched his lips. She needed to taste the blood.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get in the car,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a male voice said behind her, deep and intense.<\/p>\n<p>She refused. She had to taste the blood and then leave. She raised her  hand and poked her tongue out. A taste was all it would take. Then she  would know.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Now!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Amber jumped, startled by the volume of that word. She looked at her  palm, horrified by what she had been about to do, and then at the hooded  man. He continued to smile at her and she felt compelled to do as he  silently wished.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Car, now!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the man behind her said. He was right. She had to get away from the man who had cut her but she couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t move.<\/p>\n<p>Her thoughts became strange and distant again, and no matter how many  times she told herself to run, her feet wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t cooperate. She wanted  to go with the hooded man, even though she knew he would kill her.<\/p>\n<p>Her head spun.<\/p>\n<p>She took a step towards him, her mind heavy and thick again.<\/p>\n<p>Someone grabbed her arm from behind and then a bright blue flash burst  out of the corner of her eye. She stared at the silver handgun beside  her head and the strange blue marks on the man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hand. They glowed.  Shiny. Amber reached out to touch them.<\/p>\n<p>The new man moved his arm away from her and pulled her back, so she was  almost behind him. She tried to focus on his arm and the gun. The fog  descended on her mind again, swamping everything, turning her numb and  empty. Her gaze moved of its own accord, shifting to the man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face.  Silver hair. Green eyes. Damned Venator.<\/p>\n<p>She struggled against his grip, clawing at his hand.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Calm down.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He glanced at her and then back at the hooded man. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Lower the knife and come peacefully.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Peacefully?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She yanked on her arm in an attempt to free herself,  twisting her wrist in his tight grip and not caring that it hurt. She  had to get away from him. The silver-haired man turned her way, his  vivid green eyes bright in the car headlights and boring into hers. She  sneered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I will never come peacefully, Venator.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let her go,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said and she shook her head.<\/p>\n<p>Amber kept shaking it, trying to clear the weird dull feeling and get  her mind into order. How did she know this man? The knowledge she sought  shifted and evaded her grasp, as though it was a living thing and could  anticipate her. The haze in her head lifted long enough that she saw  the silver-haired man clearly at last. His eyes were cold as he stared  into hers, pupils narrowed and an edge of darkness about his handsome  face.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I said, let her go.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He turned to the hooded man.<\/p>\n<p>Amber looked there too. She couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see them, but she could feel his  eyes on her, and could feel him inside her head and her body. She  scrubbed her throat with her hand, her mouth, trying to get him out of  her. The silver-haired man held her tighter. What was he waiting for?  Shoot him. He had tried to kill her. He had put something inside her and  now she felt strange.<\/p>\n<p>The silver-haired man started to pull the trigger.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she screamed and knocked his hand away. She stared at his raised  gun and her outstretched hand. What the hell was she doing? She wanted  the man dead, so why had she stopped him?<\/p>\n<p>The man holding her shoved her backwards and then ducked away from her.  A silver streak shot past her wide eyes. The knife clattered to the  floor a short distance behind her and a thin dark line flowed down the  man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s neck from his ear, soaking into his white shirt. He raised his gun  again but she grabbed it and pulled it around to point at her.<\/p>\n<p>He froze.<\/p>\n<p>The hooded man laughed.<\/p>\n<p>Amber\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gaze shot from the barrel of the gun to him. She stared at his mouth.<\/p>\n<p>Fangs.<\/p>\n<p>He grinned and it felt as though he was looking straight through her.  Whispered voices filled her head, clashing with each other so she  couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make out what they were saying. She tried to focus on one of  them but couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. The clamour in her mind rose and a deep sense that  she wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t alone washed through her. Someone else was in her head with  her. The hooded man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s smile widened. Him. How? One of the voices rang  out above the rest and her questions fell away, leaving her docile  again. He knew something about her that she didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. Something important.  She had to know too.<\/p>\n<p>She took a step towards him and he was gone, leaving the street empty  in front of her. Why? She went to walk after him and frowned when her  arm lagged behind her, held fast by something. Her eyes drifted to her  wrist and the hand tightly grasping it.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you all right?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the silver-haired man said and her head suddenly felt lighter.<\/p>\n<p>Her gaze ran up his left arm to his shoulder. A trail of blood stained  his white shirt and she followed the drips and dashes downwards to the  black holster around his shoulders. His gun was in it but not secured.  If she made a lunge for it, would he reach it before her? Amber shook  that thought away. This man had saved her. Why would she do such a thing  to him? Because he was dangerous. She didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to go with him. She  wanted to find the man. The feeling ran deep in her blood, flowing  through her veins, compelling her. She needed to find the man.<\/p>\n<p>This Venator would be her downfall.<\/p>\n<p>Amber shook her head again and the haze in her mind dissipated for long  enough that she felt her normal self again. Her panic and fear returned  full force, crashing over her. What was happening to her? She kept  thinking about things she wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t familiar with, like Venators and  Sources, and wanted to do things that went against her nature, like  injuring someone.<\/p>\n<p>The man held his bleeding ear with his right hand. There were pale  tribal markings on it. They wove down over his wrist and under his white  shirtsleeve. Those markings had glowed ethereally earlier. She couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t  have imagined it.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You need to come with me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said, and before she could take in what  was happening, he dragged her to the white Audi R8 and pushed her into  it on the passenger side.<\/p>\n<p>He closed the door, picked up the knife and her handbag from the  pavement, and rounded the car. Amber sat there, thoughtless and empty,  her eyes fixed on the spot where the hooded man had been. She should  have gone with him.<\/p>\n<p>No. She shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have. She didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what she was thinking anymore.<\/p>\n<p>The car moved and she became gradually aware of the man next to her.  Her gaze slid to him. He was handsome, his green eyes fixed on the road  now, shadowed by a frown of concentration, and the messy finger-length  strands of his silver hair brushed back out of his face. He didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look  old enough to have such white hair. He seemed barely five years her  senior.<\/p>\n<p>Venator.<\/p>\n<p>It echoed in her head, as though something inside her knew it applied  to him even when she had never heard the word before tonight.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What is your name?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d His deep voice soothed her, easing away some of  her tension even when she felt she should be on alert, or escaping.<\/p>\n<p>Amber didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t reply. Her eyes dropped to the gun tucked under his left  arm when he clipped the leather strap over it, securing it in place. It  unnerved her but not as much as the fact that she wanted to use it  against him, or the fact that his arm had glowed blue and the other man  had fangs. None of that made sense, even when she felt it did.<\/p>\n<p>The man looked at her and she glanced up, meeting his gaze. The  streetlights flashed on his face, stealing all colour and warmth from  his eyes. They were so cold that she couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t tear hers away. She stared  into them, chilled by the detached air that he emanated but fascinated  by him at the same time. Was he as empty inside as his eyes? She had  never met anyone who looked as hollow and emotionless as this man did.  Something terrible must have happened to him to make him look this way.<\/p>\n<p>She remembered the way his arm had glowed.<\/p>\n<p>Inhuman.<\/p>\n<p>Her head spun.<\/p>\n<p>Venator.<\/p>\n<p>She wanted to get away from him. Her priority was to escape, not fall under a spell.<\/p>\n<p>They pulled to a halt at a set of traffic lights and her hand went  straight for the door. She shoved it open and the man grabbed her,  pulling her back against him. The door slammed shut without her touching  it and the locks clunked into place. She elbowed the man in the ribs,  struggled out of his grip and lunged for the door again, frantically  tugging on the handle. It wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t open. Her eyes darted over the  moulded leather of the door. No way of unlocking it. The Venator would  stop her before she could find the button on the dashboard that would  unlock the doors. She spat out a curse. Never mind. If she couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t  escape, she could at least taste her blood.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You cannot leave. You are in too much danger out there.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Amber stared down at the cut on her right palm. It had bled all over her trousers.<\/p>\n<p>She had to lick the blood and taste it.<\/p>\n<p>She raised her hand but the man caught her wrist.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What happened?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He frowned at the cut.<\/p>\n<p>Amber tried to get her hand back but his grip was vice tight.  Interfering Venator. She gritted her teeth and twisted her arm. He  didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let go. Her stomach turned when she saw the blood on her palm and  her vision distorted. She stopped struggling and looked at the man. His  expression was soft, silently reassuring, and the longer she stared at  him, the calmer she felt, until the sense that she wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t in control of  herself disappeared again.<\/p>\n<p>Amber tried to remember what had happened to her hand but it slipped  through her fingers every time she came close, as though she didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t  really want to recall it.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He gave you his blood, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t he?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>That memory popped to the forefront of her mind and she nodded. The man  had made her drink his blood. It had been disgusting and she could feel  it inside her.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hold on.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He released her hand, put the car into gear and roared off the white line.<\/p>\n<p>Amber did. She grabbed the edge of the seat with her left hand as they  raced through the streets of London so fast they were a blur. She  couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take her eyes off the road and the cars as they swerved around  them, barely missing each one. Her heart lodged in her throat, her right  hand trembling where she held it out in front of her. What was  happening? It felt as though she had slipped into some dreadful fantasy  world and she wanted out.<\/p>\n<p>He turned the car around a corner so sharply that the tyres screeched  and she slammed against the door, and then they were going down a slope  towards an underground garage. The car spun around in the brightly lit  space, coming to a halt facing the exit, and the engine cut out. A grey  shutter slowly rolled down, eclipsing the world outside.<\/p>\n<p>Amber stared at it, still trying to catch up.<\/p>\n<p>The man had given her blood, and then he had cut her. She needed to  taste her blood before the Venator stopped her. She was about to lick  her palm when the door beside her opened and he pulled her out of the  car.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Damned Venator!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She kneed him in the groin and ran for the garage door.<\/p>\n<p>He reached it before her and stood in her path, his eyes darker and colder than ever. He glared at her and drew his gun.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let her go,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he whispered, voice strained.<\/p>\n<p>She grinned, satisfied by the pain in his voice.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Amber tried to pass him.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You do not want to leave, woman. You do not want to do as he bids.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Amber stopped. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153As who bids?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>The strange feeling inside her grew worse, something telling her to  keep going and not listen to him. She had to get past the man and drink  her blood. That was all that mattered now.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Listen to my voice.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He put the gun away and stepped up to her.<\/p>\n<p>The moment his hands touched her shoulders, Amber felt different. She  stared into his eyes and her thoughts fell into better order, enough  that she could recall things clearly again.<\/p>\n<p>Her heart pounded.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The man made me drink his blood\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 I saw him in that place with the  gates and the disinfectant and then they were after me. He cut me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She  held her hand out and it trembled between them, fluttering in time with  her heart. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just want to go home. I want this nightmare to end.  Please? I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take this. Please?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>The man stepped back, his eyes still fixed intently on her face, the frown not leaving his.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The man will come for you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fangs,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she whispered and her eyes widened. Her heart missed a beat  and then slammed painfully against her ribs. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He had fangs. He was going  to drink my blood.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I will not hurt you. You must ignore your instincts and listen to me. I  will not allow him to harm you. You will be safe here,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said, so  calmly and softly that the deep waves of fear surging through her eased  to gentle ripples. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He will find you if you leave. I can protect you. I  will not allow the man to harm you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Amber looked at the closed garage door and then back at him.<\/p>\n<p>There was honesty in his green eyes and her options were limited.  Either she stayed here with him, or she ventured outside where there  were monsters. If she did that, and the man found her, she wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t  escape him a second time. He had fangs. He had been about to drink her  blood.<\/p>\n<p>Something inside her said that she would be fine outside, and that she  wanted to find the hooded man again. She wanted him to taste her blood.  Desired it more than anything. This man was lying to her.<\/p>\n<p>No. Amber closed her eyes, battling the compulsion to leave, and then looked back into the silver-haired man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes.<\/p>\n<p>The other man had wanted to kill her and drink her blood. This man had saved her. He said he could protect her.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I will bandage your hand and make you feel better if you come  upstairs,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said in a low voice, one that soothed her ears and quelled  her fear. The desire to escape him drifted away, replaced by a need to  remain.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Will you tell me what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happening to me? I feel strange.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>He held his hand out, pointing to his left. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you come with me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Amber looked at the dark grey metal door far to her right across the  empty garage and then back at the man. His gaze held hers, cold but  honest, and she ignored the voice inside her that was screaming for her  to leave and taste her blood.<\/p>\n<p>She nodded and went with him.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/long-excerpts\/forbiddenblood-heatonF.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><b>DOWNLOAD EXTENDED EXCERPT PDF<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Available in e-book from:<\/b><br \/><b>Author&#8217;s website:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood\">http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle UK:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Barnes and Noble:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1103572024\">http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1103572024<\/a><br \/><b>All Romance eBooks:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.allromanceebooks.com\/product-forbiddenblood-613573-139.html\/\">http:\/\/www.allromanceebooks.com\/product-forbiddenblood-613573-139.html\/<\/a><br \/><b>Sony Reader Store:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/ebookstore.sony.com\/ebook\/felicity-heaton\/forbidden-blood\/_\/R-400000000000000406450\">http:\/\/ebookstore.sony.com\/ebook\/felicity-heaton\/forbidden-blood\/_\/R-400000000000000406450<\/a><br \/><b>Kobo Books:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kobobooks.com\/ebook\/Forbidden-Blood-Vampire-Venators-Romance\/book-mWkS9umUmkmp2XI4cX_woA\/page1.html\">http:\/\/www.kobobooks.com\/ebook\/Forbidden-Blood-Vampire-Venators-Romance\/book-mWkS9umUmkmp2XI4cX_woA\/page1.html<\/a><br \/><b>Smashwords:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/view\/66030\">http:\/\/www.smashwords.com\/books\/view\/66030<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle Germany:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.de\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.de\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon Kindle France:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.fr\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.fr\/dp\/B0055I1LNW\/<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore USA:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore UK:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/gb\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/gb\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore Australia:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/au\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/au\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><br \/><b>Apple iBookstore Canada:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/ca\/book\/isbn9781458181381\">http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/ca\/book\/isbn9781458181381<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Available in paperback from:<\/b><br \/><b>Amazon.com:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1461132193\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1461132193\/<\/a><br \/><b>Amazon.co.uk:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1461132193\/\">http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/1461132193\/<\/a><br \/><b>Barnes and Noble:<\/b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1031509117\">http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton\/1031509117<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" height=\"97\" src=\"http:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/images\/signature.gif\" style=\"background: none; border: 0px; padding: 0;\" width=\"225\" \/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today&#8217;s Teaseday comes in the form of a single chapter excerpt plus a downloadable extended excerpt in PDF format, and the book I&#8217;ve chosen is part of my Winter Warmers deals, Forbidden Blood, a vampire romance book. At the moment, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/2011\/12\/27\/teaseday-forbidden-blood-vampire-romance-book\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9,51,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forbidden-blood","category-paranormal-romance","category-teaseday","category-vampire-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.felicityheaton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}