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Showing posts with label dark paranormal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark paranormal. Show all posts
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Get C I N FREE
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Unlikely inspiration
It's strange how the most unlikely things can spark a story idea. My sisters traveled to Ireland a few years ago, and brought back a few goodies for me. One was a key chain describing the origin of the name Ennis (hubby's last name).
The description read: "It is the Anglicized version of the Gaelic O'Aonghus meaning "Descendant of Angels." This personal name derives from "Aon" meaning "one" and "Ghus" for "choice."
Then I came across this Proverb: To every soul is given the key to the gates of heaven; the same key opens the gates of hell.
A little research into angels and the Underworld, and Lily MacInnis was born - to an angel and the daughter of the goddess Persephone and her husband Hades. Yep, the Prince of Darkness himself.
Dancing With the Devil is Book Two of The Goddess Connection series, which says: Every woman should embrace her inner goddess. What’s your connection? I have several more novels in this series in mind to follow. In each, the heroine will be somehow connected to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks will become strengths once she finds her true place in the world, and accepts herself for who she really is.
I’d love for you to read the first chapter, reviews, view the Casting Call and more at: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2011/03/dancing-with-devil-dark-paranormal-with.html
Here's an excerpt:
What had he done? By all that was sacred, Bodie knew better than to lie with her. Since the first night he’d spoken to her, he’d had trouble restraining himself. Her every movement, every word, seared into him at his greatest depth, filled him with yearning for something forbidden.
Her lips moving against his unleashed emotions that had stayed dormant for millennia. He was in it, deep. Already he spiraled out of control, and he hadn’t allowed himself to move, not even a finger. Not a slide of his lips, not a slip of his tongue into what must be a warm, tantalizing place. Once he did, that one tiny step would trigger an avalanche of desire, already building with volcano force.
To clear such thoughts from his mind, he turned his head to break away. Never should have closed his eyes; it only intensified the tactile senses. The fluttering of her breath as she followed, her kisses now moving up his neck, her fingers splayed lightly against his cheek as her mouth found the edge of his mouth.
“I can’t, Lily,” he rasped.
Her knee grazed his thigh as she straddled him. “Are you sure?”
A shudder wracked his body, and he clenched the cushions to keep from reaching for her. “I don’t mean it’s a physical impossibility. And I’d love to, believe me. But it’s not exactly condoned by my superiors.”
She sat up. “They’re not here. They can’t see us, can they?”
He risked a look at her. A mistake. Tawny hair framed her heart-shaped face in tumbling waves. He locked the muscles in his rising arm and forced it down before he could touch her.
A teasing smile lit her face. He hadn’t needed to answer her. She lifted the bottom of her shirt up and over her head, revealing a black lace bra, lush dark peach rosettes pebbled beneath.
Her warm hand closed around his, and drew it upward to press against her breast and hold it there.
Everything in him screamed No! and Yes! at the same time. With an animal sound, his torso rushed up to meet hers. Somehow he stayed his desire. Lips barely brushing hers, he drew back enough that her breath flowed into his mouth as he spoke. “They’ll reassign me, Lily. I’d love to make love to you. I’ve wanted to for longer than you know. But I don’t want one night to have to last an eternity as a memory. We’d have tonight. Then I’d never see you again. Is that what you want? Tell me now. Quickly.”
Sadness tightened her lips. “No.”
As she curled into him, her muffled words soothed the tension threatening to burst through his skin. “I want to be with you, Bodie. Hold me.”
His body quivered, whether from denial or relief, he couldn’t say. He relaxed into her embrace and closed his eyes. “Always.” If only he could keep her here, safe from their reach.
But how safe was she from him?
He couldn’t let his feelings for her compromise the mission.
With a sharp intake of breath, she pulled away. “I’m not like this. I don’t seduce men. I haven’t even…” Hair hid her face when she dipped her chin to her chest.
He tilted his head to catch her attention. “I know.” It won him a tentative glance. “You don’t need to explain, Lily. Ever.” He knew she’d let men touch her, a few with whom she’d been infatuated, maybe even loved. None had taken her virginity.
Yet she’d offered it to him. Tenderness washed over him as she searched his face, wary and confused. Distrustful. How terrible for her, not to believe herself worthy of complete love and devotion. The same worship any goddess deserved. Someday he’d prove to her she was a true goddess.
Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”
When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Warrior angels vs. demons!
When I first wrote Dead to Rights, one of my crit partners was actually surprised by the idea of a warrior angel. To him, it seemed the opposite of what angels represented – peace, love, and protection.
Warrior angels may be popular in current fiction, but the idea’s nothing new. Even the Bible contains references to angels who carry out their duties with sword in hand. How better to protect humans against danger?
The archangel Michael’s one of the most prominent warrior angels, and one of the most well-known angels in general. According to my research, the guardian angels are “all aspects and forms of Michael” and also the angel responsible for guarding the planet Earth. So it seemed natural for Michael to be the warrior angel assigned to intervene in a mixup of souls, possibly the biggest travesty of justice in all of Heaven.
Fallen angels are also nothing new, and Dead to Rights is based on the idea that choice is what defines us, whether human or angel. Research revealed the punishment for angels is eternal, while humans can be forgiven.
I was also fascinated by the idea that angels coordinate the messages some attribute to The Universe. According to some sites, if you see number sequences such as 111, 333, etc., those are signs that angels are guiding you.
Have you ever felt as if you’d received a message from The Universe? Maybe a song with special meaning to you played at a time when you most needed a boost? Or a label, maybe a road sign that conveyed a message you needed to hear?
My dark paranormal, Dead to Rights, is available from Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=500&osCsid=1rs5de21jcfh2ov3ikjhd26tk4
Blurb:
Identity theft sucks. But it’s worse when someone steals your life—body included. All memory of her life before waking up in a mental facility has vanished. Or was erased. Now she has to figure out how to get it all back….
Her only hope of learning the truth lies with one man. Problem is, he’s the leader of a cult. Her only choice is to follow him into his sordid world, where a darker evil lurks.
With a little help from an archangel hellbent on revenge, she may have a chance to learn the truth. But will it force her to make the hardest decision of her life…or death?
I’d love for you to check out the Casting Call (who I imagined in these roles) and more at: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2009/06/dead-to-rights-contemporary-paranormal.html
Cate Masters loves stories with a dash of magic, mayhem and romance! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
There's something about a guy on a motorcycle...
I can't help it. I think they're so sexy!
Maybe that's why many of my heroes ride motorcycles. Harleys, mostly, because they're made in Pennsylvania, where I live.
Both guys in my two releases this month happen to ride Harleys. And oh yeah, they're also both angels. Very hot angels. :)
Here's a peek at Dead to Rights, a dark paranormal releasing March 16 from Decadent Publishing:
The sound of someone trudging past took away my breath. I flattened against the inside of the door until I heard no more footsteps, then crept outside and ran like hell toward the garage. First listening for any sign of movement inside, I opened the door just enough to get in and made my way to the key rack.
Someone grabbed my wrist before I could touch the keys. “Don’t.”
Jerking away, I readied to kick the guy in the groin, but stopped, breath caught in my throat. “Michael.” How had he gotten in the building without a sound?
He relaxed his stance and said softly, “You don’t want to steal the truck.”
What the… how did he know? “Why did you follow me?”All seriousness, he whispered, “I need to talk to you.”
“I’m a little busy.” Escaping. And I wouldn’t let him or anyone else stop me.
Like a master thief, I pocketed the key.
The movement didn’t escape his notice, but he simply watched. “Hear me out first, will you?”
Why test me like this? “What could you possibly have to offer me?”
He stressed, “A different kind of freedom.”
I let out a sharp breath. “I don’t know what that means.”
“That’s why you need to listen. Then decide.” When I hesitated, he added, “I won’t turn you in. You have my word.”
A lot of good that’ll do me when they toss my ass in the guardhouse, or worse. My thoughts raced. “I can’t.”
Warning edged his voice, though his tone sounded lighthearted. “You’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
Is he trying to use some post-hypnotic suggestion? If so, it worked. I really did want to hear it. “I’ll give you two minutes. Starting now.”
He peered out the window. “Not here. Come on.” He reached for me again, but I shrank back.
This smells like a trap. “No way.”
Still as a boulder, he stared. “Please?”
Seriously? Was that his best argument? Again, it worked. My deepest senses said he wouldn’t harm me. “Where, then?”
He grinned and held out his hand.
Immediately, I felt comforted. Stupid girl. You fell for it. Silencing the small alarm in my head warning I’d pay for this later, I slid my hand into his. “This better be good.”
He chuckled. “It’s incredibly good.”
The phrase from the delivery crate flashed through my mind: Incredible things will happen. Somehow, those words gave me no comfort. Unlike the feel of his hand in mine. At his touch, a palpable energy infused me, and I followed him into the dark night.
Read about the Harley-riding angel in my March 30 release, Dancing With the Devil, here.
Read about the Harley-riding angel in my March 30 release, Dancing With the Devil, here.
Do guys on motorcycles appeal to you? Does a hot guy on a motorcycle entice you to read a book?
What do you do to treat yourself?
We women are always so busy taking care of others, we often forget to take some time for ourselves.
Courtesy of Jocelyn Gibson, the heroine in The Magic of Lavender, book one of The Goddess Connection, who prepares lavender dishes for her guests at Lavender Hill Inn, here's a great way to embrace your inner goddess. Make it a girlfriend night! Kick back and enjoy.
Lavender Margaritas
1 cup tequila
1 cup tequila
½ cup blue curacao or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/3 cup lime juice
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
4 cups ice cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh or dried culinary lavender blossoms
Lime wedge
Lavender sprigs to decorate
In blender, combine tequila, curacao, coconut milk, and lime juice. Cover and turn to high speed, then gradually add raspberries, blueberries, and ice. Whirl until margarita mixture is smooth and slushy.
Put sugar and lavender blossoms in a small bowl. Rub with your fingers or mash with a spoon to release some of the lavender flavor. Rub glass rims with lime wedge to moisten. Dip rims in lavender sugar or coarse salt, coating evenly.
Pour margaritas into sugar- or salt-rimmed glasses.
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/3 cup lime juice
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
4 cups ice cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh or dried culinary lavender blossoms
Lime wedge
Lavender sprigs to decorate
In blender, combine tequila, curacao, coconut milk, and lime juice. Cover and turn to high speed, then gradually add raspberries, blueberries, and ice. Whirl until margarita mixture is smooth and slushy.
Put sugar and lavender blossoms in a small bowl. Rub with your fingers or mash with a spoon to release some of the lavender flavor. Rub glass rims with lime wedge to moisten. Dip rims in lavender sugar or coarse salt, coating evenly.
Pour margaritas into sugar- or salt-rimmed glasses.
Garnish with lavender sprigs and lime wedge.
Or, for easy Lavender Margaritas, use a can of frozen margarita mix, follow the recipe on the can and add lavender!
Here's the book video for Dancing With the Devil, book 2 of The Goddess Connection, coming March 30.
What's your favorite way to treat yourself?
Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”
When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Every woman should be treated like a goddess!
That's the premise of The Goddess Connection series! Each book is a stand-alone, featuring a heroine who learns she's related to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks become strengths once she finds her true place in the world and accepts herself for who she really is.
Dancing with the Devil, book 2 in the series, will release on March 30! Watch my blog at http://catemasters.blogspot.com for details.
Here's a sneak peek:
What had he done? By all that was sacred, Bodie knew better than to lie with her. Since the first night he’d spoken to her, he’d had trouble restraining himself. Her every movement, every word, seared into him at his greatest depth, filled him with yearning for something forbidden.
Her lips moving against his unleashed emotions that had stayed dormant for millennia. He was in it, deep. Already he spiraled out of control, and he hadn’t allowed himself to move, not even a finger. Not a slide of his lips, not a slip of his tongue into what must be a warm, tantalizing place. Once he did, that one tiny step would trigger an avalanche of desire, already building with volcano force.
To clear such thoughts from his mind, he turned his head to break away. Never should have closed his eyes; it only intensified the tactile senses. The fluttering of her breath as she followed, her kisses now moving up his neck, her fingers splayed lightly against his cheek as her mouth found the edge of his mouth.
“I can’t, Lily,” he rasped.
Her knee grazed his thigh as she straddled him. “Are you sure?”
A shudder wracked his body, and he clenched the cushions to keep from reaching for her. “I don’t mean it’s a physical impossibility. And I’d love to, believe me. But it’s not exactly condoned by my superiors.”
She sat up. “They’re not here. They can’t see us, can they?”
He risked a look at her. A mistake. Tawny hair framed her heart-shaped face in tumbling waves. He locked the muscles in his rising arm and forced it down before he could touch her.
A teasing smile lit her face. He hadn’t needed to answer her. She lifted the bottom of her shirt up and over her head, revealing a black lace bra, lush dark peach rosettes pebbled beneath.
Her warm hand closed around his, and drew it upward to press against her breast and hold it there.
Everything in him screamed No! and Yes! at the same time. With an animal sound, his torso rushed up to meet hers. Somehow he stayed his desire. Lips barely brushing hers, he drew back enough that her breath flowed into his mouth as he spoke. “They’ll reassign me, Lily. I’d love to make love to you. I’ve wanted to for longer than you know. But I don’t want one night to have to last an eternity as a memory. We’d have tonight, but then I’d never see you again. Is that what you want? Tell me now. Quickly.”
Sadness tightened her lips. “No.”
As she curled into him, her muffled words soothed the tension threatening to burst through his skin. “I want to be with you, Bodie. Hold me.”
His body quivered, whether from denial or relief, he couldn’t say. He relaxed into her embrace and closed his eyes. “Always.” If only he could keep her here, safe from their reach.
But how safe was she from him?
He couldn’t let his feelings for her compromise the mission.
With a sharp intake of breath, she pulled away. “I’m not like this. I don’t seduce men. I haven’t even…” Hair hid her face when she dipped her chin to her chest.
He tilted his head to catch her attention. “I know.” It won him a tentative glance. “You don’t need to explain, Lily. Ever.” He knew she’d let men touch her, a few with whom she’d been infatuated, maybe even loved. None had taken her virginity.
Yet she’d offered it to him. Tenderness washed over him as she searched his face, wary and confused. Distrustful. How terrible for her, not to believe herself worthy of complete love and devotion. The same worship any goddess deserved. Someday he’d prove to her she was a true goddess.
Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”
When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
FORSAKEN HEART by Elise Whyles
The world of immortals must unite to save both themselves and the mortals they co-exist with from an ancient evil.
For Bede MacTaggert this means trusting in the warrior sent for her sister—a man of mystery, of power, and one who could easily sweep her into a world she's destined to be part of.
An imperial guard to the king of vampires, Gawain has always tuned out the needs of the flesh. Dedicating himself to the service of the royals, he's lived on the fringes of his people for centuries. Now he's forced from the shadows and into the arms of a woman who will awaken his heart and body to a passion unequaled.
Content Warning: sexy alpha vampire, explicit sex, violence
Elise Whyles
Saturday, October 29, 2011
An All Hallowed Tale – Part 3 (Giveaway!)
If you read my first or second post, I’m sharing excerpts from my new series, Inherited Damnation.
Book 1, Cursed to Kill, is presently available.
Book 2, Tormented by Darkness is available December 7.
The third book, Destined to Die, is available December 21st, for Yule.
Part 1, an excerpt from Cursed to Kill, and Part 2, an excerpt from Tormented by Darkness are already posted. I’m running a contest through midnight Halloween – read all three excerpts, comment on all three, and one name will be randomly chose to receive a copy of your choice of my currently available books.
DESTINED TO DIE EXCERPT
~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
Book 1, Cursed to Kill, is presently available.
Book 2, Tormented by Darkness is available December 7.
The third book, Destined to Die, is available December 21st, for Yule.
Part 1, an excerpt from Cursed to Kill, and Part 2, an excerpt from Tormented by Darkness are already posted. I’m running a contest through midnight Halloween – read all three excerpts, comment on all three, and one name will be randomly chose to receive a copy of your choice of my currently available books.
DESTINED TO DIE EXCERPTHe really liked holding her hand. The warmth of her skin filled him with the false promise that if he held on long enough he could absorb the decency she possessed.
Faith followed as he led her to the car, silent and introspective. He knew he should say something—she’d gone out of her way to entertain him tonight. But words failed each time he tried. He couldn’t get past the one thing that was firmly lodged in his throat: Kiss me, Faith.
They drove in the same quiet. Belen remained wrapped up in the conflict brewing inside him and searching for a way to bring a firm, final end to this nonsense. He answered when she spoke, but tension crackled between them with each passing block. He couldn’t say whether it was awkwardness, or just the climax of their shared attraction. Whatever caused it though, the electrified air drove him to near madness. If he could have stopped the car and run ten blocks to work the kinks out of his system, he would have.
His house was dark, save for the solitary light glowing over the threshold. At ten minutes to eleven, the oddity announced his siblings had gone out for the night. In the three months Dáire had been living with him, Belen couldn’t recall wanting his brother around. Tonight, he’d have surrendered his elemental powers to have Dáire sitting on the couch.
Even Isolde, for that matter.
Faith opened the door first, climbing out and taking a piece of Belen with her as their hands inevitably severed. He curled his fingers into his palm, closing his eyes against the sudden lance of anguish. With a deep breath, he steeled himself against what he must do, and exited the car. “Faith, I enjoyed tonight, but—”
Her lips touched his, and Belen’s heart came to a screeching stop. He remained motionless, frozen from head to toe, as her mouth feathered across his, seeking, beseeching him to acknowledge the desire that arced between them.
The tip of her tongue teased one corner of his mouth, slid along the inside of his lower lip. A low, feral groan rumbled in his throat as his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. He angled his head and captured her lower lip, pulling it into his mouth, nipping it with his teeth.
Faith’s hands fastened in his long hair, her nails curled against his scalp. She kissed him with unabashed abandon, forcing him to acknowledge all the yearning he’d bottled up inside. His fingers curled into her narrow waist, and he deepened the kiss, tangling his tongue with hers like he had spent a lifetime waiting for this moment.
Maybe he had. It sure as hell felt like it. The velvety slide of her tongue was sweeter than honey. More painful than the sword that had plunged into his side when he’d taken up arms against the Romans the day the Selgovae were invaded.
And more saving than if the Ancestors had promised him a life without the darkness.
He slid one palm up her back, pressing her closer. Her breasts pillowed against his chest, her hips ground flush with his. Through the thin material of their formal clothes, he could feel the heat of her feminine center, and that warmth pulled another throaty groan from the depths of his soul. How he had craved her, yearned for this…
Belen’s fingers tangled in the nape of her hair, tugging the loose mass free. Long silken strands cascaded over the back of his hand, down her back, and brushed against the hand he kept fastened at her waist. He breathed through his nose, savoring the scent of almonds, the rich flavor of her mouth, the perfect way Faith’s body molded into his. She was so willing, so eager, and tonight he would…
He pulled back with a soft, protesting grunt.
Tonight he would not.
Faith followed as he led her to the car, silent and introspective. He knew he should say something—she’d gone out of her way to entertain him tonight. But words failed each time he tried. He couldn’t get past the one thing that was firmly lodged in his throat: Kiss me, Faith.
They drove in the same quiet. Belen remained wrapped up in the conflict brewing inside him and searching for a way to bring a firm, final end to this nonsense. He answered when she spoke, but tension crackled between them with each passing block. He couldn’t say whether it was awkwardness, or just the climax of their shared attraction. Whatever caused it though, the electrified air drove him to near madness. If he could have stopped the car and run ten blocks to work the kinks out of his system, he would have.
His house was dark, save for the solitary light glowing over the threshold. At ten minutes to eleven, the oddity announced his siblings had gone out for the night. In the three months Dáire had been living with him, Belen couldn’t recall wanting his brother around. Tonight, he’d have surrendered his elemental powers to have Dáire sitting on the couch.
Even Isolde, for that matter.
Faith opened the door first, climbing out and taking a piece of Belen with her as their hands inevitably severed. He curled his fingers into his palm, closing his eyes against the sudden lance of anguish. With a deep breath, he steeled himself against what he must do, and exited the car. “Faith, I enjoyed tonight, but—”
Her lips touched his, and Belen’s heart came to a screeching stop. He remained motionless, frozen from head to toe, as her mouth feathered across his, seeking, beseeching him to acknowledge the desire that arced between them.
The tip of her tongue teased one corner of his mouth, slid along the inside of his lower lip. A low, feral groan rumbled in his throat as his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. He angled his head and captured her lower lip, pulling it into his mouth, nipping it with his teeth.
Faith’s hands fastened in his long hair, her nails curled against his scalp. She kissed him with unabashed abandon, forcing him to acknowledge all the yearning he’d bottled up inside. His fingers curled into her narrow waist, and he deepened the kiss, tangling his tongue with hers like he had spent a lifetime waiting for this moment.
Maybe he had. It sure as hell felt like it. The velvety slide of her tongue was sweeter than honey. More painful than the sword that had plunged into his side when he’d taken up arms against the Romans the day the Selgovae were invaded.
And more saving than if the Ancestors had promised him a life without the darkness.
He slid one palm up her back, pressing her closer. Her breasts pillowed against his chest, her hips ground flush with his. Through the thin material of their formal clothes, he could feel the heat of her feminine center, and that warmth pulled another throaty groan from the depths of his soul. How he had craved her, yearned for this…
Belen’s fingers tangled in the nape of her hair, tugging the loose mass free. Long silken strands cascaded over the back of his hand, down her back, and brushed against the hand he kept fastened at her waist. He breathed through his nose, savoring the scent of almonds, the rich flavor of her mouth, the perfect way Faith’s body molded into his. She was so willing, so eager, and tonight he would…
He pulled back with a soft, protesting grunt.
Tonight he would not.
~~~~~
~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
An All Hallowed Tale – Part 2 (Giveaway)
If you read my first post, I’m sharing excerpts from my new series, Inherited Damnation.
Book 1, Cursed to Kill, is presently available.
Book 2, Tormented by Darkness is available December 7.
The third book, Destined to Die, is available December 21st, for Yule.
Part 1, an excerpt from Cursed to Kill is already posted. Part 3 will be available in a third post. I’m running a contest through midnight Halloween – read all three excerpts, comment on all three, and one name will be randomly chose to receive a copy of your choice of my currently available books.
TORMENTED BY DARKNESS EXCERPT
Rhiannon struggled against the demonic pull of her divided soul that demanded she surrender to the tidal wave of desire building within her. Mick’s kiss scalded parts of her she hadn’t known existed. The seeking thrust of his hips, the way his big hard body enveloped her with promises of unbridled pleasure made it near impossible to resist. She longed to lean back on the table, draw him into her arms, and give over to arousal.
Yet if she did, she’d never come back. She’d fall so deeply into him her heart wouldn’t stand a chance at resisting his charm, his devastating good looks. And giving her heart to Mick was the biggest wrong she could commit. Her father’s curse already hungered for death. She fought the dark call daily. But that ever-present restlessness was nothing compared to the inescapable damnation that came with love.
Love meant killing Mick.
As the reality of circumstance punched through her momentary bliss, she slipped her hands to his shoulders and gently pushed him away. His mouth left hers reluctantly, lips clinging for a drawn-out heartbeat before he let go and lifted his head. Confusion passed behind his onyx gaze.
“I do want you, but not like this.” Not until she could share Cian’s mortality and escape her sire’s evil curse. But Mick would never understand that reasoning. As it was, the frown that crinkled his brow said he was having a difficult enough time understanding her sudden refusal.
She caught his hands, brought them together, and lifted them to her lips. Her eyes held his as she kissed each one. “You need to rest, Mick, not exhaust yourself further.”
“I’m old enough to know what I need, thank you.” As annoyance flicked over his handsome face, he turned away. A sigh tumbled free, heavy like the sudden tension in the room. “Sorry. You’re right. This is a bad idea.”
Rhiannon flinched. Not so much a bad idea. Just a bad idea now. If she were mortal, if she’d found another portion of her mother’s spell book so she could lift the curse, she’d rush headlong down this path, regardless of consequence.
Mick swiveled to face her, a wistful smile playing on his lips, regret shadowing his dark eyes. He cupped the side of her face in one hand. His thumb stroked her cheek. “You’re so sweet. So good.”
If you only knew.
She willed herself to smile even as she heard the finality in his voice and realized her rejection had just destroyed any chance of someday in the future. Mick was shutting her out. Closing the door on what had just erupted between them for reasons she couldn’t understand. Whatever they were, the warm energy that had invited her to get close morphed into aloof nothingness.
Mick pushed a hand through his hair, and his smile took on more strength. “Thanks for bringing the arrangements by. And for feeding me.”
As he lowered his hand, it passed through a ray of late-evening sunlight streaming in through the window. An iridescent blend of purple, gold and blue that she hadn’t noticed before gleamed against his fingertips. Her heart knocked into her ribs as her breath caught.
The mark of her mother’s powers—Mick had touched the Celt high priestess, Nyamah’s lost spell book.
~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
Book 1, Cursed to Kill, is presently available.
Book 2, Tormented by Darkness is available December 7.
The third book, Destined to Die, is available December 21st, for Yule.
Part 1, an excerpt from Cursed to Kill is already posted. Part 3 will be available in a third post. I’m running a contest through midnight Halloween – read all three excerpts, comment on all three, and one name will be randomly chose to receive a copy of your choice of my currently available books.
~~~~~
TORMENTED BY DARKNESS EXCERPTRhiannon struggled against the demonic pull of her divided soul that demanded she surrender to the tidal wave of desire building within her. Mick’s kiss scalded parts of her she hadn’t known existed. The seeking thrust of his hips, the way his big hard body enveloped her with promises of unbridled pleasure made it near impossible to resist. She longed to lean back on the table, draw him into her arms, and give over to arousal.
Yet if she did, she’d never come back. She’d fall so deeply into him her heart wouldn’t stand a chance at resisting his charm, his devastating good looks. And giving her heart to Mick was the biggest wrong she could commit. Her father’s curse already hungered for death. She fought the dark call daily. But that ever-present restlessness was nothing compared to the inescapable damnation that came with love.
Love meant killing Mick.
As the reality of circumstance punched through her momentary bliss, she slipped her hands to his shoulders and gently pushed him away. His mouth left hers reluctantly, lips clinging for a drawn-out heartbeat before he let go and lifted his head. Confusion passed behind his onyx gaze.
“I do want you, but not like this.” Not until she could share Cian’s mortality and escape her sire’s evil curse. But Mick would never understand that reasoning. As it was, the frown that crinkled his brow said he was having a difficult enough time understanding her sudden refusal.
She caught his hands, brought them together, and lifted them to her lips. Her eyes held his as she kissed each one. “You need to rest, Mick, not exhaust yourself further.”
“I’m old enough to know what I need, thank you.” As annoyance flicked over his handsome face, he turned away. A sigh tumbled free, heavy like the sudden tension in the room. “Sorry. You’re right. This is a bad idea.”
Rhiannon flinched. Not so much a bad idea. Just a bad idea now. If she were mortal, if she’d found another portion of her mother’s spell book so she could lift the curse, she’d rush headlong down this path, regardless of consequence.
Mick swiveled to face her, a wistful smile playing on his lips, regret shadowing his dark eyes. He cupped the side of her face in one hand. His thumb stroked her cheek. “You’re so sweet. So good.”
If you only knew.
She willed herself to smile even as she heard the finality in his voice and realized her rejection had just destroyed any chance of someday in the future. Mick was shutting her out. Closing the door on what had just erupted between them for reasons she couldn’t understand. Whatever they were, the warm energy that had invited her to get close morphed into aloof nothingness.
Mick pushed a hand through his hair, and his smile took on more strength. “Thanks for bringing the arrangements by. And for feeding me.”
As he lowered his hand, it passed through a ray of late-evening sunlight streaming in through the window. An iridescent blend of purple, gold and blue that she hadn’t noticed before gleamed against his fingertips. Her heart knocked into her ribs as her breath caught.
The mark of her mother’s powers—Mick had touched the Celt high priestess, Nyamah’s lost spell book.
~~~~~
~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
An All-Hallowed Tale – Part 1 (Chance to Win!)
Post an excerpt, they said. Easy! I thought.
Not so much in hindsight. I have too many things I’d like to share. With seven releases coming between now and March, it’s a little difficult to decide, “Do I share what’s available now, or do I share what’s coming down the pipe?”
So, I’ve decided the answer to that question is to go with the whole shebang, and give you a taste of my newest series, Inherited Damnation.
Damned At Birth...
Thousands of years ago, sixteen children were born to the Selgovae High Priestess, Nyamah. Eight were sacrificed by their incubus father in a quest for eternal power. Eight Nyamah secreted away. For betraying her evil mate, she was executed, her body divided, her soul chained to the mortal plane.
Nyamah's magic lived on. Written before her death, her book of sacred rituals details the means of destroying the incubus, Drandar. If this is accomplished, her spirit will at last rest peacefully.
But the immortal children who can carry out the rituals are divided. Some crave the innocence of light and mortal existance. Some thrive on the dark needs of their conflicted souls. Others tend the balance, forever devoted to the ancient Celt ways.
None may ever know the beauty of love, for if they should, they cannot resist the calling to kill the one who holds their heart.
CURSED TO KILL EXCERPT
Not so much in hindsight. I have too many things I’d like to share. With seven releases coming between now and March, it’s a little difficult to decide, “Do I share what’s available now, or do I share what’s coming down the pipe?”
So, I’ve decided the answer to that question is to go with the whole shebang, and give you a taste of my newest series, Inherited Damnation.
Damned At Birth...
Thousands of years ago, sixteen children were born to the Selgovae High Priestess, Nyamah. Eight were sacrificed by their incubus father in a quest for eternal power. Eight Nyamah secreted away. For betraying her evil mate, she was executed, her body divided, her soul chained to the mortal plane.
Nyamah's magic lived on. Written before her death, her book of sacred rituals details the means of destroying the incubus, Drandar. If this is accomplished, her spirit will at last rest peacefully.
But the immortal children who can carry out the rituals are divided. Some crave the innocence of light and mortal existance. Some thrive on the dark needs of their conflicted souls. Others tend the balance, forever devoted to the ancient Celt ways.
None may ever know the beauty of love, for if they should, they cannot resist the calling to kill the one who holds their heart.
CURSED TO KILL EXCERPTCian opened his fingers and dropped the sandwich on the tabletop. He’d hurt Miranda. After he’d poured his soul into her, along with his tainted seed, he had shredded her to bits. He didn’t need words to tell him this – her expression said everything. Pain. Betrayal. Sorrow – all of it shone in her eyes, gutting him until he bled alongside her. It might have been easier if he had just carved out her heart.
If he ever had the chance to make this right again, he would fall to his knees at her feet and beg. She would never believe he was over two-thousand years old, that his blood was half demonic, and all the other fantastic reasons he had forced her away. But maybe, just maybe, he could find something right to say. Something that mended all the bisected bits of her heart.
Angry with his fate, frustrated with his impossible choices, he kicked the chair opposing him. It skittered across the kitchen floor, clanged into the counter, and topped sideways. The clatter satisfied a portion of his agitation.
“You’re in love with her,” Rhiannon observed quietly as she stepped into the doorway.
Cian swore beneath his breath, in no mood for his sister’s well-intended badgerings.
“That’s what this is about isn’t it? The brooding. The indecision. The inability to do anything but rage.” She moved across the room and eased into the chair at his right. Her warm hand fell on his arm, her touch soothing to his agitated skin. “Why didn’t you tell me, Ci?”
Tell her what? That their curse was ripping him in half? That for the first time in his immortal creation he loathed what he was? What they all were? He clenched his teeth and looked away from her probing blue eyes.
“Now I understand why Belen was so mad about you disappearing into your room with her.” A soft chuckle accompanied the wry shake of her head. “You have something he wants.”
“Sibling rivalry at its damnedest,” Cian muttered.
She cocked her head, watching him with keen intelligence. Perhaps a touch of higher wisdom. Cian didn’t know exactly what she latched onto, but he resented her intuition. Her ability to read him so well.
“Miranda,” she murmured thoughtfully.
He glanced sideways at his sister. Not once had he revealed Miranda’s name. Unless they’d been eavesdropping on his encounter in the hall, no one should know.
“Belen knew her name. He’s met her, hasn’t he?”
Visions of the one evening the three of them had spent together flashed before his eyes. Belen sugarcoating his voice, wrapping seduction around Miranda in attempts to draw her away from Cian. Coercion meant to entice, pleasure he would grant, all the while plotting how he intended to draw out her death.
Surprising even to himself, a low growl rumbled in the back of Cian’s throat.
“Cian, tell her.”
He slammed his palms down on the tabletop and rocketed to his feet. “Tell her, what exactly, Rhiannon? That I’ve envisioned methods of killing her that make acts of torture look like child’s play?”
If he ever had the chance to make this right again, he would fall to his knees at her feet and beg. She would never believe he was over two-thousand years old, that his blood was half demonic, and all the other fantastic reasons he had forced her away. But maybe, just maybe, he could find something right to say. Something that mended all the bisected bits of her heart.
Angry with his fate, frustrated with his impossible choices, he kicked the chair opposing him. It skittered across the kitchen floor, clanged into the counter, and topped sideways. The clatter satisfied a portion of his agitation.
“You’re in love with her,” Rhiannon observed quietly as she stepped into the doorway.
Cian swore beneath his breath, in no mood for his sister’s well-intended badgerings.
“That’s what this is about isn’t it? The brooding. The indecision. The inability to do anything but rage.” She moved across the room and eased into the chair at his right. Her warm hand fell on his arm, her touch soothing to his agitated skin. “Why didn’t you tell me, Ci?”
Tell her what? That their curse was ripping him in half? That for the first time in his immortal creation he loathed what he was? What they all were? He clenched his teeth and looked away from her probing blue eyes.
“Now I understand why Belen was so mad about you disappearing into your room with her.” A soft chuckle accompanied the wry shake of her head. “You have something he wants.”
“Sibling rivalry at its damnedest,” Cian muttered.
She cocked her head, watching him with keen intelligence. Perhaps a touch of higher wisdom. Cian didn’t know exactly what she latched onto, but he resented her intuition. Her ability to read him so well.
“Miranda,” she murmured thoughtfully.
He glanced sideways at his sister. Not once had he revealed Miranda’s name. Unless they’d been eavesdropping on his encounter in the hall, no one should know.
“Belen knew her name. He’s met her, hasn’t he?”
Visions of the one evening the three of them had spent together flashed before his eyes. Belen sugarcoating his voice, wrapping seduction around Miranda in attempts to draw her away from Cian. Coercion meant to entice, pleasure he would grant, all the while plotting how he intended to draw out her death.
Surprising even to himself, a low growl rumbled in the back of Cian’s throat.
“Cian, tell her.”
He slammed his palms down on the tabletop and rocketed to his feet. “Tell her, what exactly, Rhiannon? That I’ve envisioned methods of killing her that make acts of torture look like child’s play?”
~~~~~~~
Parts 2 and 3 will be available in later posts. If you’re looking for a freebie, comment on all three, and one name will be chosen to receive a copy of your choice of my currently available books.
~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
Halloween legends and superstitions
Halloween legends and superstitions fascinate me. For instance, did you know these:
A person born on Halloween can see and talk to spirits.
If you hear footsteps trailing close behind you on Halloween night, do not to turn around to see who it is, for it may be Death himself. To look Death in the eye, according to ancient folklore, is a sure way to join the ranks of the dead.
To cast a headless shadow or no shadow at all is still believed by many folks in the United States and Europe to be an omen of death within the next year.
If you'd like to meet a witch, wear your clothes inside out and walk backward on Halloween night.
According to an old British Halloween superstition, Satan was a nut-gatherer, so on Halloween night, people used nuts as magic charms.
If you hear footsteps trailing close behind you on Halloween night, do not to turn around to see who it is, for it may be Death himself. To look Death in the eye, according to ancient folklore, is a sure way to join the ranks of the dead.
To cast a headless shadow or no shadow at all is still believed by many folks in the United States and Europe to be an omen of death within the next year.
If you'd like to meet a witch, wear your clothes inside out and walk backward on Halloween night.
According to an old British Halloween superstition, Satan was a nut-gatherer, so on Halloween night, people used nuts as magic charms.
But Halloween’s not the only time evil spirits can strike. And some may not be otherwordly, as my heroine learns in Dead to Rights, a dark paranormal novel available on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords.
Here’s the blurb:
Identity theft sucks. But it’s worse when someone steals your life -- body included. All memory of her life before waking up in a mental facility has vanished. Or was erased. Now she has to figure out how to get it all back.
Her only hope of learning the truth lies with one man, the sole person familiar to her now. Problem is, he’s the leader of a cult. Her only choice is to follow him into his sordid world, where a darker evil lurks.
With a little help from an archangel hellbent on revenge, she might have a chance to learn the truth. But it will force her to make the hardest decision of her life – or death.
Reader reviews have said: “Dead to Rights is a stay-in-your-seat story. Once you begin to read, you won't want to get up from said seat. The narrative is filled with action, surprise, hunky angels (yes! absolutely, divinely hunky), heroines with multiple personalities (there's a great reason why), and enough bad guys to make you look over your shoulder.” and “An imaginative story with a great premise, and yes, the powerful hero is without a doubt, to die for, and the heroine is, with every personality involved, spot on. I really enjoyed the plot twists.”
I’d love for you to read an excerpt,the first chapter, view the book video, Casting Call and more on my blog.
Multipublished, award-winning author Cate Masters loves stories with a dash of magic, mayhem and romance! Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”
When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Cate loves to hear from readers. Email her at: cate.masters[AT]gmail.com
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