Books You're Looking Forward to in 2012

There are a lot of books coming out this year I'm looking forward to -- especially the one pictured above (isn't that cover smokin'?). I love Joey W. Hill and I'm certain this series will be as good as her other works. This got me to thinking: What books are YOU looking forward to this year?

I know most people want the newest J.R. Ward (I have the last book but need to read it) as well as some upcoming young adult novels, etc. Although I don't need to add to my bookshelves (I really, really don't) I'm asking for suggestions. So the floor is open -- what books should I read this year? I like all genres but prefer romance, urban fantasy, young adult, and horror.

Now it's time to return to work. Hope you all are enjoying the first day in the new year.

Interview With Fwah Storm Part 1

Please welcome comic book creator, musician, and all around talented artist Fwah Storm to the blog. His comic, Jericho, releases next week. I had the pleasure of reading the first issue and it's fantastic. The atmosphere is dark, and the story is just beginning to unravel.

Q. Readers want to know -- who and what is Jericho? Can you tell us a bit about the story?

A: Jericho is the story of Jerry Collins, a young , shy and very intelligent young woman who suffers with depression and low self esteem. She tries to just get on with life while she is studying medical science at university, but like a lot of us find, there are always little complications and incidents that are out of our control that change our course in life, and Jerry is definitely experiencing that. She receives a letter from her father who has spent the last five years or so in jail, The local authorities are up in arms because there is a serial killer on the loose who is targeting Terminally ill patients, and Jerry has to deal with possible expulsion from the university because a project she has been working on to make an ultrsound glove for use with cancer patients has gone wrong. In fact, her first experiment with the glove puts a lot of people at risk, because rather than creating a safer alternative for chemotherapy, she has accidentally created an acoustic weapon.

Now, if that wasn't enough to bring her down, there is her best friends brother, Carl, a guy who is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Jerry and Carl have been friends for years, but Carl is the only guy Jerry has ever felt anything for. She secretly loves him, but she would rather keep their friendship than possibly ruining everything they have by dating each other. However, once he diagnosed with the tumor she is filled with a lot of anxieties and worries.

She has no money to perfect the glove, but she knows full well that if anything can save Carl it's the glove. But even if she did have the money to continue the project, there is also this killer on the loose who could possibly target Carl as a victim. So she has to make a huge choice. Does she become a bad guy and go against her own morals and ethics to save Carl's life, Does she stand back and allow any of the millions of possibilities to happen, or should she listen to that voice in her head, and become the anti-hero.

Q. First and Foremost -- Most don't know the difference between Noir Comics and colorized comics. Can you clear the air and explain the difference?

A: There are many different art styles that are used for comic books, and my preferred art style, or should I say my expertise when it comes to comic art, is noir comics. Now, a Noir comic doesn't just utilize a similar style of writing that was founded from pulp crime novels and film noir. Normally the noir art style makes use of negative space in a scene, and focuses solely on the two elements of dynamic lighting and shadow. This means that there are only two colors. Pitch Black and Stark White. Even though flat colors can be used with noir style art, adding such color pushes it into more neo-noir. There are some comics that also use grey along with the black and white. These comics are neither noir or colorised. They sit in a league of their own. Then pretty much all other comics that utilise more than just black, white and grey and use a lot of different rendering techniques are refereed to as colorised comic books.

Q. Most comics take place in their own 'World'. Is this the case with Jericho? If so, how did you create the environment?

A: The environment of the story is a very important element in my eyes. I took time to think about the advantages of a fictional universe versus a real world scenario, and to me I could only see fault in a fictional environment. Also, I have always been a fan of stories that take place in a real world setting, and find that it helps add to a sense of relateability, which is another factor I find important in a story. So after much thought, I decided it would be best for this story and any future stories and characters I plan to work on should take place in the very real town of Bournemouth. By doing this I can have characters cross over in titles, or they can all have their own universe and still be set in a real location.

Q: What inspired you to become a comic book artist and creator?

A: Ever since I was young, I enjoyed writing, and I also enjoyed drawing. I must admit, as I got older certain events stopped me at first from following that dream, but then I started to meet a few like minded people.

At first I thought my ideas were stupid, and that no-one would be interested in them. However, once I started talking to various people about my ideas, I noticed that they became very passionate about encouraging me to create them as they really wanted to read them. So eventually I thought 'Why not give it a try'? And the rest is history.

Q. Where did the idea for Jericho come from?

A: I use to work for 8mm Comics with Callum Bowler (the man in charge of the lettering for Jericho) and Tom 'Wez' Dorrington. We were getting ready for the release of two comics, Morlock and The Fallen. During this time we began to plan out other titles and characters that we wanted to release, so there were many creative meetings.

During one of those creative meetings, myself and Tom were waiting for Callum as he was running late, and when he arrived he said to us 'I think I'm being stalked by a word...it seems to be everywhere that I'm going'.

I was confused at first, and asked him what the word was, which he replied 'Jericho...everywhere I go, this word seems to appear, however, I don't know where it originates from, and what it means'. So I explained to him that it comes from a bible story called the walls of Jericho.

Callum then came up with the idea that both of us should go home, read that particular story, and see if we could come up with our own story that some how related to the word Jericho.

At the time my late father was going through chemotherapy, and I got to see first hand how it effected him, so that was a factor that was already on my mind. After re-reading the walls of Jericho I became fascinated with how in the story it was the sound of the trumpets and horns that brought the walls down, and from that I came up with the idea of using ultrasound as an alternative to chemotherapy.

So I researched Ultrasound, and even spoke to a few people who had gone through ultrasound treatment on muscle and ligament damage to make sure that at least the theory of using ultrasound could possibly work in a real world scenario, and then I pitched it to the guys, and they loved the idea. In fact, Callum asked what the character of the story would be called and when I said 'Jericho' his jaw hit the ground and he just started ranting and saying 'That's amazing! The word that has been stalking me has proved to be of great use....this story needs to happen'!

And then 3 years later I'm here making that story happen.

Q. Titles for books can be made early on. Was this the case with Jericho? Since it's an adult comic with sensitive material, did that have any bearing on what you chose to name your work?

A: Well, I found that most comic book titles are focused on the protagonist of the story. for Example: Batman, Spider-Man, Spawn etc.

Originally, I wanted to stay away from naming the book after the anti-hero of the story, but then I realised that the only title that could work was 'Jericho'.

At first I feared that this could encourage readers of a young age to try the book, which didn't please me, but then I realised that the majority of comic book readers are aged between 25 - 50 years of age. So I realised that the chance of children reading this story was extremely minimal, and most fears surrounding that particular problem dissappeared.

Q. Male comic book heroes are popular. What made you decide to go with a female protagonist?

A: Originally Jericho was a male protagonist, and during the first year of hording the story idea in my brain and slowly developing it, I found that there was something that didn't quite click, so I found that I was slowly losing interest in the project. This lasted until I was doing volunteer work for a children's charity, and during my time there I met all different walks of life, but one in particular caught my attention.

She was a fellow volunteer who was incredibly shy, and we got on as friends, and before long she really opened up and I discovered very quickly that she was a fascinating and intelligent person who had such little confidence in herself because of a tough life growing up. Once I had discovered this it really made me think in depth about what sort of characteristics a hero should have.

later on, I sat down to watch an animated Wonder Woman movie and the thought of 'There are so little strong female leads in the comic book industry' came into my head. It didn't take long before that fact and thoughts about the girl I worked with collided and for some reason I thought of Jericho and realised that the reason why the story wasn't working for me was because Jericho was perfect as a female character, and severely flawed and uninteresting as a male character. So the decision was made, and I haven't looked back since.

8. So far you've managed to keep the identities of the antagonists and protagonists secret. What can you tell us about the antagonists versus what we've seen so far?

A: I have a lot of fun creating the antagonists of Jericho, and originally I only wanted there to be one, but as the writing process went on, I found that more and more antagonists were making their way into the story.

The first antagonist is the youthanasia killer, a sadistic and extremely self-righteous and narcissistic serial killer. I would love to say more about this character, but one of the fun elements of reading Jericho is that whole murder mystery thing of 'Who could the killer be'?

Then we have Doctor Foster who later on takes the name of Sound Shock, although, that alias for him may change. He's Jerry's tutor at the university. He thinks very highly of Jerry because he has spent the best part of his life trying to not only help progress medical science in order to help others, but he wants to be remembered. He see's Jerry as his most intelligent student, and that if he is to get his name into the medical journals it will be because of her. However, because he has focused so hard on his job his marriage has failed, and he has taken to dating students and younger women, until one tries to frame him for rape, which in turn ruins every thing he has ever worked towards. So he takes Jerry's project, and adapts it for his own use, and takes on the attitude of 'Screw or be screwed'.

There is also Wreckage who has a small but important part to play if I want there to be a second story arch. So we don't get to see much of him yet, but the best way to describe him is he makes Satan look like a girl scout. If he calls you a name, he laughs. If you call him a name, he burns your house down with you in it and sends the ashes to your family.

Then there is the most important one, which I never thought about till half way through writing the story, but the main antagonist of the story is actually the desease of Cancer itself. Many villains or nemesis' in comic books are more powerful than the hero, and they can be stopped. Only temporarily, but they can be stopped and the hero knows this. However, having a disease as the arch nemesis actually puts an interesting perspective on the story. Jericho will never be able to defeat this abomination. This disease is not human and does not have a brain but will always be able to stay ten steps ahead of her, and even though she knows this, she is determined to stop it's reign of terror, which I think also shows us some of the more primal but heroic qualities in Jerry as well.

Q. Authors who visit my blog know how the creative process works. How is this different for you?

A: Well, from experience of writing short stories, I pretty much take the same development process, and then I just write it, and let it take however many pages it takes. With a comic book, the development stage takes place with plenty of research and making executive decisions about the characters and their idiosyncrasies. Then the story is bullet pointed so we can see how many pages of art are necessary. Then it either has to be condensed, edited or changed to fit a specific amount of pages with out hurting the pacing of the story. After that, the first draft script can be written, followed by a second and third draft so that the dialogue can come across as naturally as possible. Then the art stage is next

With the art we start with several character designs, and then this is followed by thumbnailing. Thumbnailing is where very sketchy and rough layouts for the pages are decided, and also rough idea's of what should be on the cover and how to represent that cover image.

Then the mapping takes place, which is where we decide the angle of the shot, and draw in basic shapes to represent objects, and draw what I like to call mannequins which are similar to stick figures so that we now what positions the characters should be in, where they will be looking and so forth. Then the details of the landscape and environment are penciled along with the details of each character. This part of the process includes 'spotting blacks' which is where we decide where the shadows are to be placed, and fill those areas in with pure black. However, that's only with a noir comic, but with Jericho I wanted to keep as much of the noir element in the artwork as possible.

Then we move on to the inking, which is then followed by lettering, which is then followed by the coloring process, which is also an in-depth process with many steps to take.

Q. What sort of tools do you have to use when you're creating? not just drawing, but actual tools involved?
 
A: There are so many vital things needed that don't always come across as important tools, but they are, especially for the writing side of things.

Whenever I write I do my best to use the same materials. The obvious ones being pen, pencil, paper, ruler, computer and of course, my imagination. But I also have to have a full pack of smokes and a deck of playing cards. These help me to keep relaxed as I find it is very important both for the story and the art work. Also, music is very essential. some scenes I need silence, but others I need a soundtrack.

So that I stay focused on what I am doing I like to have a candy bar and large supply of soda (preferably Diet Pepsi or Mountain Dew). That way I wont loose focus because of hunger or thirst.

For research I need the internet, a digital camera, and plenty of books. These books don't just need to be on the subject matters that I wish to deal with, but also photography books so that I have pictures of places and people to help me set the scene.

For Drawing I need a lot of A4 and A3 paper. the thicker the better. A decent and smooth drawing board, a butt load of mechanical pencils and various grades of regular pencils, gel pens, Copic fine liners, markers, sharpies, indian inks, steel nib calegraphy pens, sponge brushes, short haired brushes, modeling brushes, spray adhesive, latex gloves, basic shape stencils, erasers, sculpting knives and blades, cutting boards, tracing paper (you would actually be surprised how many of the pro's use this and what exactly they use it for), white out in a bottle, white out pens, blue tack, low adhesive sticky tape, ruler, compass, triangle, french curves......the list is almost endless.

Before I forget, at all stages, no matter how experienced an artist you are, you always need how to draw books of all kinds. These are great refference books.

Then for coloring and lettering and so forth, I use an A3 Scanner, an A3 printer, good computer, Adobe Photoshop (I actually use two versions of photoshop. Photoshop 7 and CS5) and the most important tool for coloring, A Wacom proffesional tablet.

Q. How do you work dialogue? Is there a story and you condense?

A: Dialogue is tricky. When a movie is being written most of the dialogue has to stay short and to the point, and that's pretty much the same with comic books, but if you want to make the characters more three dimensional then sometimes you have to ignore that rule. Especially if you have so much that a character needs to say before you can move on to the next scene, but you only have two, maybe three pages to do that in. Sometimes it's even one page of art work, but you have to get a large amount of dialogue in there so that you don't miss any set ups for future events in the story.

So what I try to do is bullet point the scene, and then write it exactly how I want it before I go back over it and make any changes. I'm lucky because sometimes it works out fine, but other times I have to re-word so much, or cut huge chunks of dialogue. I've even had to cut a few scenes out before.

Q. Do you have a general idea of what characters look like? do you draw inspiration from movies, music, people, or television?

A: Some characters I see what they should look like as I develop them in my head, so I have had the pleasure of sitting down and being able to draw the character exactly how I want them straight away. However, this is very rare, and normally if that happens it is with the protaganist of the story.

But in General I find that for the writing side of developing a character I tend to draw inspiration from people I have met in my life as well as characters from movies.

When it comes to drawing the characters I always start with how I want their facial features to look. So I quite happily sift through movies and try to find inspiration form their. Depending on the time setting of the story I will sift through fashion photo's and history books to try and piece together the characters costume and then, slowly things fall into place.

Q. How do you develop characters? Do you keep character sheets?

A: Sometimes I do keep character sheets, but this is rare for me to do. More often than not I keep the details in my head until the very last moment. Sometimes I find the best way to develop a character is to imagine that I am that character. It's similar to a method acting approach, and I try to spend some time being that character so that the development happens naturally.

Q. Some authors pants their way through stories. I imagine with a comic you have to plot. How extensive is that?

A: I would like to say that I just let it happen and hope for the best, but at the end of the day, I have only signed on to do one story arch of Jericho. We are in talks about a second and third, however, these cannot be guaranteed. But that doesn't matter, I still have to plot all three arcs just to be able to write the first one because there are so many revelations and twists and little set ups and hints at future story arcs that they have to be planned now rather than just throwing stuff together in the next arch and hoping it will make sense. I even have to plan and plot so many events they may never be seen in any of the issues, but I have to take them into consideration just in case they are referenced. In fact, there is a character that doesn't appear in this story arch, but he is referenced to once in issue two, and I have already had to do so much research and plotting just so that the reference is spot on.

Q. I know you have editors and such. How important are they in creating your work?

A: I think it is vital to have an editor for so many reasons. Luckily I was able to get Chicago Poet, Dina Darling, to be the editor for Jericho, and her work really does bring to light exactly what Jericho is able to accomplish.

However, we've taken a very different editing approach to this title. Usually the editor would receive the script and make corrections before the script goes to the artist and to who ever is in charge of lettering.

But the way we do it with Jericho is to complete the artwork, place temporary lettering and then the page is e-mailed to Dina. This way she can not only correct spelling and grammar, but she can read the story as if she was a comic book reader and let myself know what she has noticed in the artwork as well as the story, and gives us an early indication of what the reader might experience.

Q. Marketing can be tough. can you give us a rough idea of how you approach promotion?

A: Marketing is extremely tough with a comic book because the sad fact is that with so many characters who have been established for decades it's hard to convince comic book readers that they will not only experience a new and interesting character, but that they will be able to get something from this title that they won't find in any other title.

So we've been trying to push poster placement in a lot of places where they can be constantly seen, and sponsoring bands has also been an option. Apart from that, there is the internet, which is a great tool to use for marketing and promotion. Sadly, the budget we received was not enough to put together a viral video campaign that we had planned, but we can save that for future titles and story arcs.

Q. What inspires you when you create? I know your band, Abuse, has to play a role. Can you tell us a bit about that?

A: Lots of different things inspire me when it comes to writing. I wrote a story that was inspired by a counting crows song, a story that was inspired by origami, several stories that were inspired by dreams I had , and I have even been inspired because of something that someone might have said.

With Abuse I 'm normally inspired by moments in my life, or situations that have taken place in my life, and find that my work with Abuse never interferes with my work in comics.

Q. So you have an idea for a comic. Can you tell us what it's like to create your work from start to finish?
A: Creating, developing and writing a comic can be an emotional roller coaster ride for me. I find that when I start the process and I have the basic idea or concept for a story ,which normally starts with a 'what if?' question, there is this great feeling of excitement and other emotions that are very hard to describe. Then the more in depth I get with developing both the protagonist(s) and Antagonist(s) and coming up with little idea's for the scenes the more I feel this sense of importance not only in myself, but in my work as well.

Unfortunately, because I have suffered with depression since a young age there is always the occasional moment of feeling defeat. There is always an unpredictable moment when I question not only my writing but my art work as well, and I have to remind myself that imperfection is perfection. Besides, almost every comic book artist has admitted that there is always pages and panels in each issue that they do where they know they could have done it a million times better. However, it's good to show progression through each issue.

I look back at Issue One of Jericho, and there is a large amount of artwork that I know I could have done better, but it just means that I have the opportunity to not only learn from it, but I get to step things up in the next issue. And I have to remind myself that Jericho is a project where I have completely pushed myself right out of my comfort zone.

But all in all, I kind of enjoy the ride it takes me on because if I get to a point where I feel something for the characters and what they have to go through, then I think I have done a good job. There has been several times where I have felt Jerry's pain and disappointment. There have been times where I have felt Doctor Fosters anger towards the world, and I think that if I can feel those things when I'm reading the story back, then there is more chance of the reader not only connecting with the characters and the story, but of them being able to find something relateable in the story.

Q. I know how people react when I tell them I'm an author, but I imagine it's different for you. What is the general reaction when you tell someone that you're a comic book author?

A: It's very different. I started working in comics because I wanted to write them, and after having such troubles with some artists I began to re-teach myself how to draw. But during the time of being a writer, if I told someone I was a comic book writer they would for some reason interpret that as 'This guy draws comic books'.

But I find I get mixed reactions when I say that I write and illustrate comics. I find that the majority of women find it scary yet fascinating, and they normally ask a lot of questions about it because their fear is that you draw Hentai (a.k.a Manga Porn). But once they realise that it's not smut they seem okay.

With guys, especially where I live, I find there is a minority who end up saying 'That's awesome'! There is then a smaller minority that normally say 'Well, I've got this idea for a story', which I find amazing because an hour before I told them about my job they had nothing.

Then you get the majority. At this point I have to make it clear that the majority makes up 99% of the male population of where I live. These people say one of two things. The first being 'You're an idiot. Don't you know that comic books are for kids!...why don't you get a real job'!

These are the same testosterone fueled morons who think that real men must like football and don't cry and have just met you for the first time after coming out of a cinema where they have just watched a batman movie or 300 or Watchmen. I usually reply with 'Go read the first three issues of Preacher and then come back to me with that statement. If you would allow your kid to read a book like preacher at a very young age, then your parenting needs to be questioned'.

And then comes the age old statement that really shows how judgmental and ill-informend some people can be. 'Comics? ... it's not like they're Shakespeare is it'?.....this one really gets to me.....my usual reply is 'She shivers in the wind like the last leaf on a dying tree'. which for those who are not avid comic readers, that is a beautiful sentence from Frank Miller's Sin City story 'The Customer is always right'. This usually stops them in their tracks. Alan Moore quotes have the same effect, however, sometimes the ignorance of some people gets in the way and they stop listening because even though there is no evidence to support their ill-informed decision, they're going to stick with it anyway.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't expect to everyone to like comic books, and I wouldn't force someone into liking them, but when that sort of prejudice and mentality is displayed i have to question why I'm called the idiot.

Q. All authors go through editing. What sort of executive decisions do you have to make, or what changes are necessary, during the process?

A: It's surprising because every decision that is made, no matter how small, has a huge effect on the story. This is one reason why early on I try to make as many decisions as possible like what is this characters sexuality, what is their star sign, what is their religious beliefs, what is there political point of view, what is their favourite color, what is their passion in life, were they raised by one parent or two......all of these things may seem a little unimportant to some, but to quote Brandon Lee: 'Everything is trivial. If you think that only certain things are trivial then you are missing out on some of the most beautiful and important things in life'.

So these need to be changed until everything fits in place. Then along the line decisions can range from how many panels are on a page, what shade of red should be used for Jericho's hair, should we reveal this fact about her this early on, is she left handed or right handed.....like I said, there is so much to be thought about when it comes to a story like this.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Fwah. Learning about the comic process is fascinating. Be sure to come back tomorrow to read more and enter for a chance to win a signed first edition of Jericho!  (Just like my pretty signed copy below -- only yours will be number 1/100!!!) The contest will be international.

Bloodlines

Talk about a great month for releases!!

I'm coming out of my internet deprivation (okay, I've cheated here and there, but mostly I've been good!) because of an eagerly anticipated book release. Bloodlines is written by Skyla Dawn Cameron, an award winning author who is one of the best in the business. Interested? Be sure to read the blurb and excerpt. If you like what you see, I'll provide a coupon code for 10% off your purchase below.

Bloodlines Blurb:

After three hundred years of unlife, vampire Zara Lain has seemingly done it all, and she's now making a living as a successful thief-turned-assassin. Her newest assignment seems simple enough--kill the aging leader of the O'Connor Coven and his only heir, and she'll have another ten million in the bank.

But in the dangerous world of the supernatural, few things are ever "simple."

When a massive assault decimates the continent's population of powerful witches and warlocks, and its orchestrator has vampires being hunted down and captured, Zara realizes the tables have turned and now she'll be playing the hero. Forced to join with a smart-mouthed fellow vampire, a demonologist who's also a fan of hers, a recently widowed--and frequently brooding--warlock, and her best friend's mom, Zara's grudgingly willing to do what she can to save the day.

If only people would stop ruining all her outfits...

Bloodlines Excerpt:

Chapter One: Easy Prey

Someone was following me.

I'd known about him for half a dozen blocks. It wasn't hard; as his sneakers hit the cement, they made three times the noise my black boots did. A shallow heartbeat and heavy breaths, though not noticeable to a mortal, pounded in my ears and through my skull. If I'm not focused on tuning it out, the sound of human breathing is near unbearable to me.

I guess that's why I'm so often the cause of it permanently ceasing.

In all fairness, I gave him the chance to continue on his merry way; I wove through the deserted streets, cutting around corners and doubling back the odd time. But he still followed. After spending over three centuries of undead life looking like a woman in her late teens, I've grown accustomed to men stalking me in the night.

That doesn't mean I don't still find it bothersome.

The streets in the lower east end of the city were always empty by this time of night. From dusk 'til dawn, the humans stayed in their homes. Those that ventured out wound up emptied of their blood and discarded in dumpsters. Or worse. Even the village idiot knows to stay in when the body count rises at night.

Not that I bothered much with feeding from the humans there, but it had been a popular haunt for the undead since the city was a little hamlet in the nineteenth century. It seemed that after almost a century and a half, the humans had finally grown wiser. Multiple gruesome murders often do that. Even as parents tell their children not to fear the monsters in their closets, they are sure to lock their windows, bolt their doors, and always sleep with some sort of weapon next to their beds.

But for whatever reason, my stalker decided not to heed the whispered warnings of the human residents, and was doing some street prowling of his own. Someone ought to have a talk with him about that.

I wasn't really in the mood for talking, though.

I pretended not to notice him as I walked with purpose along the sidewalk. I kept my stride casual while I made out his exact position. When we started this game, he was a block behind me, but the distance was closing at an exponential rate.

Impatience. It's done a lot of humans in. Non-humans, too, but then those like me could afford a little impatience now and then since we had mad skills to back us up.

Lust fills a human body with heat; I felt it radiate from him a couple yards away. It works like a fever, moving through the body, bleeding away thought and focus until there's only the hunter and prey. Sexual desire and need to control are a little like bloodlust that way.

I looked small to him, my five-feet-nine-inches-without-heels dwarfed by the apartment buildings that lined the streets. From his location, all he could see was some leggy chick with waist-length black hair—a fragile, little girl. Easy prey. For a moment I imagined myself whimpering, "Oh, please don't hurt me."

That thought amused me.

The streets had a wet smell, like there'd be rain though the pavement was dry. Damp and moldy. Even if I didn't need to breathe, the habit stayed with me; part of being aware of your surroundings is knowing what things smell like. If jaded, broken dreams had a scent, this would be it. Old and unclean.

Only a quarter of the streetlamps worked, as no one from the city council thought this part of town warranted any repairs. Hookers and drug dealers and welfare cases weren't real people, right? The unflattering orange streetlight hit me and I watched my own shadow creep up. I moved casual, so he could keep an eye on me. I had to remain in his view...for now.

A soft click. My gaze shot to the store window across the street as a flash of light flickered across the glass. A few seconds later I saw it again, just as my stalker passed under a streetlight.

Either he opened a compact mirror to check his makeup or he brought a switchblade to play.

Total lack of logic—who would bring that thing here? In what world would a fucking switchblade even the odds against something that goes bump in the night?

A few feet ahead, an alley intersected the street. Perfect. With his eagerness growing, I could hardly expect him to wait much longer. I calmly rounded the corner.

The alley plunged me into darkness. A blink of my eyes and my pupils dilated, adjusting swiftly. Moonlight speared over the tops of buildings and stabbed the long, narrow alley, highlighting bags of trash overflowing from a dumpster. A closed pawnshop with a cracked wood sign lay to my left. No apartment above, it was only one story. Good height, for my purposes.

Tension rippled through my muscles and I pushed silently off the ground. I leap with such grace and ease, I know. Positively cinematic. I cleared the dozen odd feet and landed on the roof of the shop; I crouched there, hunched low and focused. Black hair whispered against my cheeks, still fluttering after the jump and the only sign I'd moved at all.

My pulse thrummed and electricity danced over my skin; I loved this part. The waiting, the watching, the hunting. A vicious smile turned my lips and my icy blue eyes watched the edge of the building across the street.

And he appeared. My smile widened.

He'd run to catch up; he was breathless now, chest rising and falling, lips parted. My stalker paused just three steps into the alley and looked around. His thought process bled through his actions: first he glanced ahead of him, thinking he just couldn't see me, then he stepped back to the corner in case I was still in the street. When I wasn't there, he stalked over to a trash bin and, with the knife poised in his hand, he checked to see if I was hiding behind it. Still, I was nowhere to be found. I smiled to myself. Poor guy. A rapist without a victim was such a sad sight to behold.

Really, my heart was breaking for him.

At some point this kid had toppled over into adulthood; he had the filled out body of a twenty-something, but his steps were unsure—a little unsteady. Ridiculously large jeans told me he didn't do this kind of thing very often; the hem dragged under his heel and when he tried running from me later, he would likely trip and not get very far. Most seasoned predators dress more sensibly.

He swung around, searching for me, and my focus zoomed in on the red cuff on his left wrist. Maybe it signified a group or a gang he belonged to. Mortal social politics didn't exactly interest me, though. Gangs came and went. I remained.

But that jacket, I liked. A black, knee-length number. Surprisingly quiet—it was some sort of canvas. Snug on him, too. It would definitely go with my black boot-cut jeans and scoop necked top. Perhaps I'd get more out of our encounter than just dinner.

I love clothes. It's a fault, probably, but clothes are like a billboard to everyone you meet; easy to manipulate people if you know how to dress. Clothes tell people whether you're a wimpy little girl, a sultry vixen, or a bad-ass chick they shouldn't fuck with. I always waver between the latter two...except for that time I posed as someone peddling The Watchtower to get into my target's house and make the kill. Surprisingly, no one opens the door for a Jehovah's Witness in a satin bustier.

My fingers flexed, bloodlust roaring through my veins like a tidal wave. Muscles readied to leap down, to grab him, to take this life that so carelessly would take mine.

Movement at the other end of the alley paused me. Chills rolled down my back like ice water tossed on me—someone was there. And my stalker? He knew it too; he glanced down there and lifted his shoulders in a shrugging gesture.

And how many others were there? I picked through the din—through my stalker's heart beating and lungs breathing, through rats in the streets and dull music throbbing against apartment building walls... Pushing noises aside, filtering through and...I had nothing. Couldn't determine how many were there. But he probably had...what was it humans called them? A gang? A posse? Whatever it was, he probably had a few of those. So I couldn't just kill this one—I had to make it a show.

And who doesn't love a good show?

Seconds ticked by and turned into a minute. He shuffled, stepping heavily on first his right foot then his left, and then started down the alley again.

I could have let him go; I didn't need to play. I'm late, I'm late, I'm late for an important date. I had places to go, people to kill, money to make.

I'm no avenging angel, not someone looking to spare others from this attack that very well would have taken my life if I were a mortal. That game bored me now. But this little waste of time, this distraction, was an indulgence on my part—something I engaged in not because I needed to but because I could. Because I liked taking the time to make someone rue the day they fucked with me.

Even if his death would cut the ruing down to just two or three minutes.

I followed, edging along the roof, one hand touching down to steady me and head kept low. Wind kicked up, sending shivers over my skin and rustling my hair. It was fresh, clean, sweeping from the south where the harbor and lake sat a few miles off.

My would-be stalker halted once more, his head turning and neck craned to check the corners I could be hiding in. Now he was really confused.

And I was ready.

Soundlessly, my rested crouch shifted into a braced one until I was poised, ready for a leap. I launched into the air, hair whipping back, then a second later my boots touched down on grimy concrete. Hair settled again, long waves wrapping around my shoulders like the shadows did.

Good predators are silent. Another lesson my new friend had never learned.

I stood but inches behind him in a slice of moonlight. Waiting. Watching that familiar reaction as awareness crackled around him, instinct telling him I was there an instant before his brain processed it.

Ever have that feeling you're being watched? I was the thing doing the watching.

He turned, eyes doubling in size. "Fuck!" left his lips as he stumbled back, running shoe treads scraping on the pavement.

I smiled brightly with feigned innocence. "Hi there! Looking for me?"

His lips parted and a jumble of unintelligible sounds spilled out. I know a couple different languages—pretty sure he wasn't speaking any of them.

"Okay, confession time: I really like your jacket." I took a step forward. "Would you mind taking it off? I'd hate to get blood on it. Despite some product commercials to the contrary, it's damn hard to get that stuff out."

Shock wore off and his eyes changed, like a blanket of confusion drawn aside. He straightened his back and thrust the knife toward me. "D-Do what I tell you and you won't die, bitch! On the ground! Now!"

Such drama. I rolled my eyes. In what passed for only a second to mortal eyes, I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the pawn shop wall, holding him two feet in the air.

He blinked a few times, then looked down at me. Another smile crept over my lips as I watched his gaze track over me and to the ground. His skin paled, blood draining away, and beneath my fingertips I felt his pulse double its beat.

This part never gets old.

"I don't think we've been introduced," I said. "My name's Zara. I'm strong, I'm fast, and I totally kick ass. It's great to be me...but that means right now it sucks to be you."

Terror has a taste for a predator; for me, it's savory and hot, like spices slow roasted. It sparked against my tongue now as my victim panicked and struggled against my grip.

The switchblade flashed in the moonlight as he slashed at me. The blade grazed my inner arm, then slid between my ribs.

Shit. Stupid knife—I forgot about that. Pain swiped at me, biting and stinging. But it was bearable.

I dropped the guy to inspect my wound, an exaggerated sigh blowing past my lips. I hauled the knife out and the wound spit blood, but I didn't stress it. I'd been stabbed, like, a lot over the years and I knew the healing process had started. Pity I couldn't say the same about my shirt.

"Goddamn it." My gaze snapped back up to him . "You damn well better have some money to cover a replacement or I'm going to be rather unhappy with you. I just bought this."

I released the knife and he winced as it struck the ground, a decisive click that echoed in the alley.

I'm terrible with empathy, but I tried to imagine it from his perspective when I didn't fall down mortally wounded. Somewhere in his head he must have remembered all the stories of strong, healthy men being found dead in the streets, and, despite how absurd it seemed, he was cowering before a girl who didn't die when he stabbed her.

My empathy is still a work in progress; I didn't feel pity. Just...glee.

He screamed, a burst of fear that reeked of cigarette smoke and rancid tequila. He scrambled for the knife at my feet, twisted, and ran, feet thumping down the alley. Dirt and stones crunched underfoot, scraping between his shoes and the concrete. He smelled of fear. My stomach rumbled.

The air shifted as I moved and then I was there, in front of him, and he skidded to a halt.

Before he could take another swipe at me with the knife, my fingers wrapped around his hand and squeezed. The weapon fell, but I tightened, tightened, feeling the grind of bone against bone.

A shriek started in the back of his throat, a little high pitched sound that grated my nerves; my other hand snapped out to clamp over his mouth.

"You were following me, presumably with the intent to violate me. I suppose you were going to kill me too."

He vehemently shook his head in response.

I tightened the death grip on his hand. "I don't like people who lie to me."

Tears sparked in his eyes, building, welling, then spilling down his cheeks. He made some sort of moan of protest against me breaking his bones.

"I know it's wacky, but I really have a problem with people who try to rape and murder me," I continued. "Do you have any idea how rude that is? Here we are, in the twenty-first century, and despite the progress women have made, men still think they can dominate them. That makes me so angry. Doesn't that make you angry?"

Weakly, he nodded.

"I mean, what is humanity coming to when in this day and age a woman can't even walk down a deserted alley, all alone, in the middle of the night, without fearing being attacked?"

Another whimper, a weak little broken sound.

"Tell me, are you at all aware of how this has affected me? How am I ever going to walk freely at night after what you've done to me? Did you even think of my feelings when you started stalking me?"

He mumbled something. Ah, so you finally decided to join the conversation. I removed my hand from his mouth so he could speak freely.

"Yes?" I said. "You were saying?"

He parted his lips and his high-pitched scream filled the air, like the female victim in a horror film. The sound drove spikes into my brain—I hate it when they scream this far into the act.

His neck twisted to look behind him, at the mouth of the alley where we both knew others waited. "Help me!"

I leaned toward him as he looked back, my voice taking on a soft whisper. "Something tells me they aren't coming."

That thought settled in his brain and his face changed, twisting into something ugly and frightened, then he yelped as I flung him by his broken hand across the alley. He hit the bricks hard and crumpled to the ground, a broken puddle that used to be a tough guy.

My heels clicked on the concreted as I strolled over. He stirred, cradling his broken hand, eyes coming to settle on the toes of my boots.

I'm not all bad; I reached down to offer my hand. Not surprisingly, he stared back, agape and fearful.

So little trust. I hauled him to his feet by the collar of his shirt. "Do you now see the error of your ways?"

He nodded, cowering in my grip.

"Do you promise not to try to rape any more girls?"

Again, he nodded.

"Good." I grinned. "Now go my child, and sin no more."

He didn't move.

"Okay, okay," I said. "Of course you aren't getting off that easy. Brace yourself 'cause this will hurt...quite a lot, actually."

A throb started in my gums. They make it look so easy in the movies, but even after a few centuries of it, the growth of my teeth into fangs hurt. The throb sharpened into pinpricks dancing on my gums and then my canines grew longer, sharper. Saliva formed, swelling through my mouth as I reached out and yanked my would-be-killer toward me. His body went limp in my arms, then contorted and shook as my teeth pierced his skin. The hot blood swirled past my lips, but rather than satiate my thirst, it made me want more.

I held him there in the moonlight as I drank, ensuring his friends would see. With any luck, that would serve as a warning to them. If they came after me, I'd be forced to kill them, which—though enjoyable—was a waste of perfectly good blood. I couldn't very well feed from all of them, as one human was enough to fill me for a week, and overfeeding would leave me feeling ill for a few days afterward. Besides, I was already late for a very important meeting.

Generally, I don't take enough blood to kill. It doesn't make sense in the grand scheme of things—if the human lives, he can always produce more blood, so there's no danger of ever having to go without a meal. I rarely ever drain a human.

But sometimes I just can't stop myself.

*****

Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? Swing by Mundania Press and pick up a copy.  Use the coupon code: BLOODLINES10 and you'll receive 10% off your order. Since it's Friday, you have all weekend to read and enjoy. Go on, what are you waiting for? ;-)

My Avenging Angel

My good friend Madelyn Ford's newest novella releases today!  My Avenging Angel is a sexy thrill ride that fans of sexy heroes, sassy heroines, and readers with a taste for the dark are sure to enjoy.  Show her some love!

You can purchase My Avenging Angel on Kindle and My Bookstore and More.

Rosalie Stanton's Possession

I posted my review on Goodreads but forgot to do so here, darn it! This is an excellent story by a fabulous friend. If you love sexy vampires, demon hunters, and so much sizzle and burn you'll melt, Possession is just the ticket.

Without further ado, the review!!

A few months ago, I purchased a copy of Rosalie Stanton’s first offering, Firsts. To say I fell in love would be putting it mildly. Her characters, quite literally, jumped off the page. Not to mention the hero, Thorn, carved his own special niche in my heart. So when I learned her second story, Possession, was released, I couldn’t wait to get my mitts on a copy.

In this story we are introduced to Arianna and Kade. She’s a demon hunter who detests things that go bump in the night. He’s a vampire that shows up one evening asking to team up to kick some bad guy ass. Hardly the yin to each other’s yang, they form a reluctant partnership.

Yet all is not entirely what it seems.

Arianna, for all her determination not to, feels something for Kade. And Kade, well, he’s yearned for the sultry minx that detests his kind for longer than he’d care to admit.

It takes a spell by eros demons to bring these two together in the throes of passion, but when the storm is weathered, can they confess their feelings and open their hearts to something more? You’ll have to read to find out, but don’t worry, it won’t hurt…much. *grin*

This is a laugh-out-loud kind of tale with tons of heat, emotion, and heart. I always love finding vampire material that offers something new, which Possession does. It’s not meant to be taken too seriously, which is the beauty of the work. It’s been a very long time since I’ve giggled and snorted as I’ve read along, but let me tell you, when the fun begins you won’t be able to sit still.

Ms. Stanton is an artisan of her craft, and she’ll make sure you wriggle and squirm as much as you ooh and ahh. Definitely an author for the keeper shelf, I can’t wait for more from her in the future.

You can purchase Possession at Loose Id.

Full Disclosure by Cari Quinn Review

Let me start by saying I've meant to do this for a long while now. I absolutely loved Full Disclosure, and had every intention on sharing my review of the deliciously naughty story with everyone. Due to interruptions, I just now had the opportunity to sit down, put it to paper, and share with all of you.

Without further ado...

When it comes to sizzling erotic romance, author extraordinaire Cari Quinn will leave you breathless. Her first offering, Full Disclosure, gives us a glimpse of what we can expect in what is sure to be an extremely successful future. With solid and well developed characters, a fast-paced and intriguing premise, and so much chemistry and sexual tension you’ll need an ice-cold shower and licensed masseuse to unwind, she leaves you hungry for one thing and one thing only – more.

Holly Burrows is a woman’s woman. From the moment she arrives on the page, she is a force to be reckoned with. Tired of seeking pleasure with her own hands and toys, she’s decided to be adventurous and registers on Hunk Du Jour, a website that specializes in men seeking “adult” encounters. A “cub” responds to her ad, but in this circumstance, age isn’t an issue. Recently divorced, Holly wants a man with stamina that will come to her without strings, and her would-be lover, Kent, seems to fit the bill perfectly. But before she can meet with Kent, she has a business meeting to attend to. When she arrives for lunch with her associate, Alex, and he comes on to her, she throws caution to the wind and accepts.

Two cubs in one afternoon? Who could possibly turn such an offer down?

Kent – AKA the man Holly has been conversing with through Hunk Du Jour – AKA her associate Alex Stryker – has wanted Holly for as long as he can remember. Months of preparation and steamy late night phone calls have driven him insane, and in an attempt to get to her before his alter-ego can, he meets Holly for lunch with more than business in mind. To his utter shock, she accepts his advances, and they agree to venture to his home to seal the deal. As the night unfolds and passions ignite, Alex knows he wants far more than one night in the arms of the woman of his dreams. However, it’s not as easy or as simple as confessing his feelings.

When Alex finally comes clean and tells Holly that he not only owns Hunk Du Jour, but he is the man she’s been conversing with for weeks under a false identity, will she be able to find it in her heart to forgive him? Can a future exist off the basis of a lie?

The answers are not entirely what you’d expect, which make Full Disclosure so much more than your average erotic romance. Ms. Quinn does a fantastic job of snaring the reader using every resource in her arsenal; including humor, sensuality, and pure, unbridled emotion. You’ll wriggle, you’ll squirm, you’ll laugh, and you’ll cry.

Full Disclosure is a sexual thrill ride erotica fans are sure to enjoy.

You can purchase a copy of Full Disclosure at The Wild Rose Press AKA Wilder Press by clicking HERE.

Overwhelmed

Writing Status - *Cringes*
Mood - Overwhelmed
Playing on itunes - Absolution by Muse

I have a confession to make -- I'm teetering on the brink of a meltdown.

It started out innocently enough. I decided to do a tour for Dead, Undead and contacted the wonderful people at Goddess Fish to get going. Within a week, it was a go. Then, I got the news...it was time to edit Eternity and a Day.

No problem, right? I can juggle three things at once (reviews, Dead, Eternity). Then, I got an email about Crimson Sunrise. As a new rule at TWRP it has to be sent out to two test readers before it can go to the Sr. Editor for contract consideration, so it may or may not be accepted.

Now, herein lies my problem.

When I submitted Crimson Sunrise, it was ROUGH (disastrously so). I told my editor this when I gave it to her. It's been very, VERY, loosely edited, and needs substantial revisions, building, etc. I figured I would get an idea if she liked the direction of the material (Crimson Moon was always intended to be the first story in a trilogy), and if not, tuck it away and forget about it. Now I know I need to get off my bohonkus and clean up the MS, give it some meat, and try to make an enjoyable story out of it. Knowing they might not accept it isn't the issue, but rather, I know I'll be saving myself one hell of a headache by getting this done now if they do.

That means I'll be juggling two stories for edits/revisions (Eternity and Sunrise), doing the tour, and slowing down on my reading (which is something I've known I have to do for a while now). It also tells me that all the writing I've been dying to start will be put on hold again, and it's extremely frustrating. I suppose this is what happens when you've horded MS's for six-months, only to send them out later at the same time.

Note to self: Write one book at a time and submit one at a time.

Does anyone have any helpful ideas on how to avoid this? Or if not, how do you deal with edits, promo, and finding the time to write?

Kick-Ass Heroines

Writing Status - Doing final run through on Dead
Mood - Blech
Playing on ipod - Nada

Today I was reading a story for review, and without giving the title away, I'll simply say it's a paranormal romance with shifters of all kinds.

The hero is one of them. The heroine is human.

Now, I'm all for this kind of thing. Heck, I think most people are. However, I knew immediately that I wasn't going to like the material all that much. Why? Because these shifters are supposed to be these deadly and merciless creatures, yet our heroine, human as she is, manages to not only kick their ass but earn the praise of all the shifters for being so hardcore.

Orly?

In doing this, the tension goes from high stakes to Bug's Bunny comical. Do you honestly believe that something that can shift into say...I dunno...a panther, and is enhanced by faster reflexes and strength, would get his/her butt kicked by measly human? Now, if she used a gun or a weapon to get the job done (and a little hand-to-hand self defense in between), that's an entirely different matter. But when it's face to face, do or die, come as you are -- nope, ain't happening.

Do any of you know what I'm talking about? Have you read a story like this?

Back to reading and the last of the edits. I know I should be working but my brain (and heart) just aren't in it today.

Busy, Busy

No status updates today (or the days before). We've been going nuts trying to reorganize the children's bedrooms and take down the Christmas decorations. It's a tedious task that always takes up more and more time each year.

I've begun thinking about the resolutions for 2010, and there are are ton of them! I'm going to make a list and try to see what I can't accomplish. Hope everyone is enjoying the final days of 2009. Let's all hope for a fresh start and a clean slate in the coming year.

I guess I'd better get back to it. I have several stories to review and my family bought a huge chunk of my TBR list (I've had a hankering to read the Gena Showalter Lords of the Underworld series, and now have the first three to start with) so I've got to hop to it. One of my resolutions is to return to writing, which means my reading time will be drastically scaled back. It's time to get off the rail and straddle the horse.

Edited thanks to Shelley LOL!

Free Read! Today Only

Just wanted to share another free read being offered at All Romance E-Books. This is one I'm actually going to get! Sounds great!

Blurb:

Every woman needs a little danger in her life, but what’s perilous about a wildlife shoot in the beautiful Montana wilderness? Armed with only a camera, Lacey Weston treks through the rough terrain and captures more on film than she bargains for—the murder of another young woman.

Fearing for her life, Lacey flees the scene and stumbles straight into the path of a man who strongly resembles the murderer. Sheriff Danger Blackstone, with his piercing gray eyes and rugged physique, could be the man in her undeveloped pictures.

With nowhere else to run and hide, Lacey must decide if she dares to trust her life to the only person who can protect her, one whose apparent grudge against Anglo females makes him less than approachable—the very man she suspects of murder.

This suspenseful romance—packed with action, hard-bodied cowboys and long, hot nights—gives a whole new meaning to the Wild West.

Interested? CLICK HERE to redirect. Remember, it won't charge upon check out.

Merry Christmas everyone! ;-)

New Story, Free Read, and a Whoopsie!

Writing Status - Got reviews to do today
Mood - Sleepy
Playing on stereo - Christmas Music

Your eyes are not deceiving you. There is a post missing. I realized yesterday that I'd written about a story that has not been released yet. Due to anonymity for my review site, I can't really do that until the book is available and I look like all the other happy readers in cyberspace. So...when the time comes, I'll share the information again.

The new story is coming along great...but I'm feeling guilty about Omega Mine and have decided to work on both at the same time. That is something I've never done before, so we'll see how it goes. Here's a snippet, in you're interested. It's another paranormal erotica, of course, but this time I'm exploring BDSM themes.

The excerpt is unedited. ;-)

She was ill.

The taint of sickness mingling with the aroma of charred steak and green peppers carried across the room from where Morgan Lakewood stood balancing a tray laden with food on her shoulder. Smiling and laughing with the diners at the table, she removed the orders plate by plate and placed them in front of family of four, chatting away as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Studying her closely, he noted the telltale signs that indicated she was unwell. Her body was slimmer, once long blonde corkscrew curls trimmed close to her head. Tanned skin was now a ghostly shade of white, the bright green color of her irises subtly darker. The faded black wide-leg slacks and matching T-shirt with a business logo hung loosely – too loosely – from her lean frame.

Placing the now empty tray on her hip, she asked softly, “Anything else?”

He closed his eyes and basked in the cadence of her voice, raspy and sensual, her southern dialect slurring the vowels slightly. He could imagine how thick her accent would become after he placed her on the St. Andrew’s cross, cuffed her wrists and ankles, pressed kisses to her pulse points, and informed her of all the pleasures he had in
store–

Reopening his eyes, he stared across the room. The family nodded in response and she started walking in the direction of the kitchen directly behind his booth, oblivious to his presence. The moment he entered the steakhouse, he’d cloaked himself and claimed an empty space in the back of the restaurant, observing her.

If she saw him, he wasn’t certain how she would react.

As she approached, he admired her delicate features – heart shaped face, small upturned nose, plush lips, wide doe-like eyes. She was built like a gymnast – compact, athletic, and trim. Only now, the grace he recalled was gone, replaced by obvious fatigue as she trudged past his seat and vanished from view.

Anger came, an outrage aimed at what was versus what should have been. No slave of his would work in such a place, drenched in the stench of scorched meat and cheap beer. It was insulting to see her as a minion to mortals who didn’t appreciate her worth, clothed in cheap cotton and scuffed marked boots. Never would he allow his most revered servant to dress in anything but the finest materials. Skin was meant to be pampered, kept smooth and flawless until blushed by the bite of a whip or the caress of a flogger.

His testicles grew taut, cock growing hard as his penis engorged with blood.

Once upon a time he had felt Morgan Lakewood’s lush skin quivering beneath his palms, had listened to her soft cries and muted whimpers as she went to her knees before him at Hell’s Gates and yielded control as ordered by her master. When she gazed up at him with eyes the color of spring leaves, trembling beneath his touch, he knew he was doomed. Never had he longed for the possession of another, coveting what belonged to one of his own…

He shook his head clear of the memory.

None of that mattered now. Her bond with Gunner was absolved, the connection severed in the same instant his progeny did something foolish and found his head severed from his body as a consequence. The issue arose when he went to retrieve his prize the following evening, only to discover her gone.

As the maker of her master, Morgan never appeared before him upon Gunner’s passing as required. Instead, she vacated the premises of the compound in Miami, returned to her small hometown in Rainbow City, Alabama, and severed all ties with the enclave. One-year passed, then two, and still she didn’t return. When word spread, the Prince had been forced to visit him personally, demanding he lay claim to the female or hand her over to another.

The time of contemplation was over.

Morgan would have to choose the vampire she would serve, or one would be chosen for her. Human knowledge of their existence wasn’t taken lightly. The only reason she had been allowed such a lengthy reprieve was due his reputation. A younger, lesser-known vampire would have been called out directly for the infraction.

“I heard you, Charlie!” Morgan yelled just before the door opened and she walked past with another tray, presenting him with an unhindered view of her generous backside. Though slim, her hips still flared slightly, the globes of her ass rotating with each step.

As before, she greeted the table of patrons, smiled warmly, and placed the food before them. Wiping her hands on her apron, she asked if they needed anything more before she lowered her head and began the trek in his direction. Dissolving the cloak, he waited for her reaction.

Would she be shocked at his presence? Frightened? Their first meeting had consequently been their only meeting. Considering the nature of the introduction, she wasn’t likely to mistake him for someone else.

The instant she peered up, she froze, lips parting and eyes going wide. As she dropped the tray, and the bitter scent of fear suffused the air, he knew the answer to both questions.

*****

Lord Noire McFadden.

Time stood still when she gazed into the steely-grey eyes of the vampire who haunted her dreams. The angles of his face were as breathtaking as she recalled; the features, while perfect, also slightly rugged.

One moment, he was seated in the booth. The next, he was on a knee before her, capturing the tray before it made contact with the floor.

Her brain churned like thick oatmeal, logic and fear battling for control and making rational thought impossible. For a split-second, she considered running. Then, his hand encircled her wrist, the pad of his thumb brushing along the hammering pulse. The contact sent fire coursing through her blood and raw need raging throughout her body. Though she would have liked to think it was a natural reaction to what he was, or a testament to her celibacy since leaving the compound, she knew the truth.

Her body remembered his touch and hungered for more.

“Morgan!” Charlie’s loud bellow echoed from the kitchen, and her head jolted up, bringing her back to the present. Shocked out of her reverie, she attempted to pull her hand away, whimpering pitifully.

“Shh, mo chridhe,” Noire whispered in the husky Scottish brogue she remembered only so well, his grip unyielding. “Easy.”

P.S. For today only, you can download the story, The Object Of My Obession, for free at All Romance. It's an erotic menage. Click HERE if you're interested!