THE JEWEL OF DARKNESS #EXCERPT AND #PRIZES

It's here! It's finally here! The Jewel of Darkness has finally been released. This sequel to Midnight's Jewel follows Sabrina and Brandon on another adventure. You thought Diana, Goddess of the Moon and Queen of the Witches made trouble? Wait until you see who's causing problems now! Keep reading for excerpts of the latest addition to the Celestial Jewels series. As a bonus, I'm giving away five copies of Midnight's Jewel to be drawn at random by my cat! He just loves my bubble screen saver and randomly smacks at them on the screen. If your name in under the bubble he picks, you win! Just leave a comment below with your email addresses! This contest will run for 24 hours.
THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR STOPPING BY!!!

http://www.bookstrand.com/the-jewel-of-darkness

Blurb:

Brandon Thorpe and Sabrina Rivers-Thorpe have enjoyed six months of wedded bliss, but Sabrina’s been keeping a secret. Her transformation into a vampire created a magical disturbance in the Underworld. Now, Death is coming for what’s his.
But is Death the only thing stalking Sabrina? Brandon and Hadrian, Sabrina’s father, bring in Delilah, a demon, to act as detective and magical keeper. But Sabrina’s bloodlines are unique, and magic responds to her in unpredictable ways. Has Brandon’s efforts to keep her safe just made her a bigger, more valuable target? Is she even a vampire at all?
To what depths will Sabrina have to go to satisfy Death’s demands? Can she do it using her own powers? Can Brandon find a way to keep the Underworld from claiming Sabrina for its own? Can they even survive, if he doesn’t? What if Death isn’t the only one looking to do her harm? In the darkness, can a single jewel save them all?

STORY EXCERPT

 

Sabrina turned her face up to the hot spray. It felt good to push the water through her long, black hair. When finished, she gave the knobs a firm twist and reached out for the towel. The soft pile of fluffy fabric drank up the droplets as she stepped out of the shower. She used it as a wrap, tucking the edge in at the front to hold it up over her breasts. A second towel found its way around her head, twisted about her hair.

She padded over to the sink. Steam fogged the mirror over the marble vanity, allowing her to see an outline but no details. She started to wipe the surface clear but thought better of it. Instead she grabbed her toothbrush and the paste.

A quick dip through the trickle of water left on in the sink wet the brush enough to use. The mint-flavored gel foamed quickly. Sabrina made sure to carefully work the bristles around her fangs.

She pulled the towel from her hair and dropped it on the floor. Tilting her head to the side, she placed her lips under the faucet to pull water into her mouth. She rinsed out the paste twice and turned off the tap.

Before she could stand up, a hand reached through the mirror, grabbing a fistful of her hair. Sabrina screamed and braced herself against the sink. The hand tried to drag her through the rippling, silvered surface of the mirror.

A low voice growled, “You will be mine.”

“No! Brandon, help me!” Sabrina screamed.

Two strong hands squeezed her shoulders and shook her hard. That was not right. He needed to pull her to safety, not shake her up and down.

“Sabrina! Sabrina, wake up! Come on honey, wake up,” he said.

Brandon’s voice broke through her terror. She opened her eyes to see the serious look he wore. Tears slid down the sides of her face. She glanced around the room to make sure of her surroundings.

“It was just a dream. You’re safe at home and with me,” he cooed gently.

He rolled to one side and took her with him, cuddling her like a frightened child. Kissing her forehead, he took an edge of the sheet and wiped away her tears. Strong arms encircled her like a cage, pressing the side of her head to his chest.

Sabrina listened for a heartbeat, but only silence filled the space. She sniffed back a sob and closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she took in his honey-amber scent and relaxed. The fear subsided as she found comfort in her husband’s embrace.

A knock on the door interrupted the peace Brandon brought her. From the weight of the rap, she knew it was her father. He joined them for breakfast most evenings. Tonight, he came early.

“Is everything okay? Those had better be screams of pleasure I heard,” Hadrian said through the closed door. There was a hint of jest to his tone, but Sabrina felt certain there was also a thinly veiled threat.

Before he chose to become a vampire, Hadrian ruled the known world as a Roman emperor. For him, old habits did not die hard. They never died at all.

“Yes, sir,” Brandon called back. He nuzzled Sabrina’s cheek and kissed her again. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“It was so real. My scalp is still prickling from where the hand had my hair,” she replied.

“What were you doing this time?”

“Brushing my teeth. I leaned in to rinse, and someone grabbed me. I didn’t see anything but a wrist. The mirror steamed up. I screamed for you, and then, I woke up,” she answered, fighting back more tears.

She pulled herself free and sat up. In the dresser’s mirror, she saw pink streaks on her face. Her hair tumbled around her, covering her naked breasts.

Sabrina asked, “Will it ever end?” She spoke more to her mirror self but said the thought aloud.

Brandon sat up with her, placing one arm around her. The other hand rested on her nearest shoulder. He rested his forehead against the side of her head.

“You’ve been through a lot. It’s only been six months. Give it some time,” he whispered.

“Time,” she said. “I have plenty of that now, don’t I?”

She pushed him back on the bed and straddled him. His bare flesh felt good between her thighs. Lifting her arms to stretch, she brushed her hair back from her body, revealing her breasts. The feel of the thick, blue-black curls brushing her nipples caused them to tighten.

Brandon grinned, flashing his fangs. “Oh, if your father wasn’t waiting, what wouldn’t I like to do to you right now?” He traced his fingers along the tops of her thighs to her waist. Palming her hips, he pressed her against his hardening dick.

Sabrina giggled.

Hadrian’s gruff, impatient voice called back through the closed door, “Well, he is waiting, and he doesn’t want to know the answer to that question.”

Sabrina covered her mouth with both hands to suppress another giggle. If it had been possible, she might have blushed. She only met her father six months ago. Although married, she still became embarrassed at the thought of his hearing her and Brandon.

Brandon pulled her hands free. “Don’t hide those beautiful fangs. We’re at home and can do anything we want to with each other. There’s nothing shameful in a man wanting his wife.”

“You’re right, but I suppose we should get dressed. Let’s go eat,” she agreed.

She bounded out of bed, scooping up her robe off the floor as she did. She glanced back to find Brandon leaned against the headboard. Staring for a moment, she took in the sight and thought how lucky she was to have him.

His dark brown eyes looked at her appraisingly. A wide smile spread across his face. The tip of his tongue toyed with his fang points. Thickly corded arms folded behind his head made him seem casual and laid-back. Broad shoulders and a sculpted chest tapered down to washboard abs and a narrow waist. A sheet of white silk hid everything else.

Her nipples hardened into peaks just seeing him, knowing he belonged to her. She bit at her bottom lip and dropped the robe. She wanted to climb back onto the bed and stay there with him for the rest of the night.

ADULT EXCERPT

 

Brandon stared down at her. A range of expression flicked across his face. Anger, desire, curiosity, need, pain, and joy mingled to create a stern face fighting to maintain self-control.

The primal instinct cried out to be taken. She ran her hands up her body and over her breasts. Giving her nipples a light roll between her thumb and forefinger, she arched her back and gave a soft groan. Allowing her hands to drift back down, she rubbed across her flat stomach and back up to her breasts.

“Please,” she whispered. Inside the whisper screamed. The scream reverberated throughout her body. She thought she might be torn apart by passion.

Brandon’s mixed emotions seemed to dissipate with her plea. Lust filled his eyes. He stripped off the white tee and dropped to his knees beside the bed.

The power within pulsed through her, sending a surge of need. She parted her thighs, inviting him between them. A trickle of nectar dripped out as she did. The scent of adrenaline and sex perfumed the air. Cupping her breast again, she closed her eyes.

“Please, Brandon, put your hands on my body. Touch me. Taste me. Finger me. Fuck me. I don’t care what you do, as long as you do it now,” Sabrina begged.

Without warning, Brandon plunged forward. His wet tongue ran the length of her slit, lapping the cream from her soft folds. He sucked and rolled her clit under his tongue. Fangs pressed hard against the surrounding flesh. If he broke the skin, she paid no attention.

The primal power roared with triumph in her head like a lioness. Uninhibited and unforced, it showed Sabrina what lay buried deep in her soul, a goddess who held both light and dark magic. She craved his worship, his sex.

This man worshiped her body. His love for her laid bare and raw in her thoughts. There was nothing he would not do for her, nothing too precious to give. At a command, his life force was hers for the taking. With the knowledge came a heady high.

Brandon’s aura became visible for a brief moment. Shades of purple and black flecked with gray burned bright. The more she desired him, the more the shades tried to shift to red and flecked with copper. The colors shifted, fluctuated, and faded from her sight. For whatever reason, she lost the ability to see his aura.

She enjoyed his licking and sucking of her soft flesh. The flick of his tongue along her pussy brought her close to the edge of an orgasm. He slipped a finger into her slick tunnel and applied pressure in just the right spot. A flood of juices flowed, until she could hear him slurping to keep up. Grabbing her breasts and pinching her nipples, she nearly cried out as he fingered her off.

Brandon pulled back, gasping. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them past his hips. He gripped his stiff cock and gave it a few strokes. Pulling her to the edge of the bed, he placed the tip of his cock against her opening. Then, he paused. His expression shifted from wild abandon to determined and collected.

“If you want it, you’re going to have to ask for it,” he told her. He looked down on her with a smoldering heat. His jaw worked like it did when he fought to maintain his self-control.

The obvious internal struggle made her want him more. “Give it to me,” she whispered. It was as loud as she could manage. The lioness in her head growled and paced to be satisfied.

His aura flickered back into her view. She noticed his aura shifted back to the shades of purple and black. The coppery flecks and red evaporated. Whatever magical influence she possessed waned. The lioness quieted down as it did. Unhappy, the primal power waited, but it left Sabrina desperate for Brandon.

“You can do better than that,” he said, teasing her pussy with the mushroom-shaped head and pulling it back out.

She cleared her throat, slowed her breathing, and tried again. “Please, be inside me,” she pleaded. She meant every syllable. The lioness needed more than fingers and tongues provided. She needed sex.

 

OWNING SARAH BY JULIE SHELTON

It’s been a month since Sarah Marshall was kidnapped and held at knife-point by her ex-fiance.  But Jesse Colter and Adam Sinclair, her two loving Doms, know that there is an even deadlier threat still out there—Ryder Malone.

He blames both Sarah and Jesse for sending him to prison eight years ago for attempted rape, and he’s determined to make them pay.  So, he begins a systematic campaign of terror and intimidation against them.  But the danger he poses doesn’t end there.

Set against the deepening love and commitment between Sarah, Jesse, and Adam, Owning Sarah is more than just a sexy, sensual, BDSM love story.  It is a harrowing race against time for Jesse, Adam, and a team of former SEALs to stop one of the biggest arms-for-drugs deals in U.S. history.  And to rescue Sarah before Malone sells her to a human trafficker and she’s lost to her men forever.

Owning Sarah, Story Excerpt

Maggie reached out to grab the check, but a quelling look from Jesse had her drawing back her hand. “I see what you mean,” she murmured as they were getting back into the car. “Definitely bossy.”

Sarah giggled. “Oh, God, you don’t know the half of it.”

“Does he bite?”

“Um…”Sarah’s cheeks flamed, and it was Cassie and Maggie’s turn to giggle.

Jesse ahemed loudly. “If you ladies are finished assassinatin’ my character, may I ask where we’re goin’?”

“Oh, right. We’re meeting Lisa and Heather in an hour at the bridal salon in Williamsburg.” Sarah gave him the name and address of the store, watching him enter it into his Onstar before merging onto I-64 and heading east.

Lisa and Heather were already there when Jesse finally pulled into a parking spot right in front of the historic old building that housed the salon. For the next three hours the five women bonded over a veritable flurry of gorgeous gowns and dresses. Although, initially, Lisa’s goth looks drew a few stares and more than one raised eyebrow from the shop’s other patrons, she was still a giggly girl at heart and threw herself wholeheartedly into the spirit of the occasion. Despite their widely disparate backgrounds, the women found they had a lot in common, not the least of which was their love and admiration for Sarah Marshall.

Adam and Jesse stood back, arms folded across their chests, watching the goings-on in mild amusement. The first four gowns Sarah tried on and modeled for them were lovely, but nothing special in their opinion. Not nearly special enough for the love of their life, although they assured her she looked spectacular in each one. It wasn’t until she walked slowly out of the dressing room wearing the fifth gown that their hearts plummeted to the floor before jerking back up and spinning like yo-yos. As soon as they saw the beatific smile on her face, they knew she’d found the gown of her dreams. It was a strapless, close-fitting, ivory peau de soie that hugged all her curves before flaring slightly below the hips to fall gracefully to the floor. It was beaded all over in a simple, subtle pattern of vines and flowers. Instead of a veil she wore a coronet of silk freesias, orange blossoms, stephanotis, and daisies, Sarah’s favorite flower.

Not that Jesse and Adam knew any of that. Nor did they care. All they cared about was that she looked so exquisite, so elegant, so ethereal standing there looking up at them hesitantly, neither man could control the emotions tightening their chests, nor the sting of sudden tears in their eyes.

Fighting the lump in his throat, Jesse dropped his arms and strode over to her, pulling her gently, almost reverently into his arms. “God, sugar, I love you so much. I’ve never seen anythin’ more beautiful in my life than you in this dress. I can’t wait to see you walkin’ down the aisle toward me,” he whispered. Lifting a hand to wipe the tear from her cheek with his thumb, he threaded his fingers through her hair and palmed the side of her face. After staring at her for what seemed like forever, he lowered his head, barely touching his lips to hers in a kiss that sank deep into her soul, robbing her of her ability to think. A kiss that went on and on, holding everyone else in the salon in thrall, as if a binding spell had been cast upon them.

When he finally lifted his head, the room seemed to sigh as he stepped aside to let Adam take his place. His kiss was just as reverent, just as arousing, just as adoring as Jesse’s, and as it lengthened, one of the bridal consultants, whose name tag said Debbie, poked her elbow into Maggie’s side. “Where do I get me one of those?” she asked out of the side of her mouth.

“Wish I knew,” Maggie replied.

“So, which one is she marrying?” the other consultant whispered curiously, neither of them taking their eyes off of the kissing couple, both pairs of eyes widening as Jesse stepped up behind Sarah and put his arms around her, sandwiching her between them.

A chorus of feminine “Oo-o-o-hs ” soughed around the room.

“Both.”

“Well, that’s hardly fair.” Debbie said, sounding a bit miffed.

Maggie grimaced. “Tell me about it.”

Finally, Adam raised his head and grinned down at the lovely woman looking at him with a dazed expression. Her lips were kiss-swollen and slightly parted as her breaths came in short, trembling sighs. Applause broke out all around the salon, along with a few wolf whistles. “We seem to be attracting attention, sweet pea,” Adam said, lifting his head to glance around the room.

“Huh?” It was all she was capable of. Her ability to form words into sentences, something she had excelled at not twenty minutes earlier, seemed to have deserted her.

Adam laughed and both men released her. “Looks like you’ve found your weddin’ gown, baby,” Jesse said.

“You really like it?” she asked, although she knew the answer. She’d known the minute she’d seen the looks on their faces as she’d walked toward them wearing this gown. She was just fishing for compliments. A gal could never get too many compliments.

“The only thing we’ll like better than seein’ you in that dress on our weddin’ day,” Jesse murmured softly, “is takin’ you out of it on our weddin’ night.”

“Another thing to look forward to,” Adam added with a wicked grin.

OWNING SARAH ADULT EXCERPT

She awoke to slabs of sunlight falling across the chocolate-brown, satin-striped comforter that had been thrown over her. She was lying on her left side. Adam was behind her, cradling her buttocks against his groin, his arm tight around her, one hand cupping her breast possessively. His erect penis nestled against her lower spine.

Adam sensed her transition into wakefulness. “Hey, sweet pea. Have a nice sleep?”

“So it would seem.” Her body tightened in a condensed stretch. “Where’s Jesse?”

“Still at the hospital. Ogre just woke up, so Jesse’s questioning him.”

She snuggled her butt tighter against him. He was as naked as she was. And completely, totally aroused. His cock was like a baseball bat pressed into the crease of her ass.

He kissed the soft, warm skin of her neck. It felt like liquid satin against his lips. “Christ, sweet pea, you’re so soft. Softer than whipped cream. And you smell so sweet.” He lifted his hand from her breast and clenched it in the shiny brown mass of her hair, pulling it to his face and inhaling deeply. “So fucking sweet.”

She turned around in his embrace until she was facing him. He pulled her against him and she could feel his rock-hard cock pulsing and straining against her belly. Cradling the side of her face, fingers still tangled in the silken strands of her hair, he claimed her mouth in a deep, drugging kiss. A kiss that stole the breath from her lungs and sent fire raging throughout her system.

When he released her, she was shaking with a need so powerful she feared it would destroy her. He opened his eyes and devoured her with his hungry gaze.

“How soon will Jesse be back?” she asked, not daring to breathe.

“Not for hours.” He ducked his head to kiss her nose. “He’s giving us this time, love. Time for us to be alone. Just the two of us. So, let’s not be Master and sub for a while. Let’s just be Adam and Sarah.”

“Fine,” she said cheekily. “As long as I get to be Sarah.”

He laughed. “You can be anybody you want. As long as you’re mine.”

“I am yours, Adam. You own me. You and Jesse.” She arched hard against him, feeling his erection thickening and growing between them. Her hand reached up to trace his aquiline nose, noticing for the first time, the tiny, indented scar nearly hidden by his eyebrow. She touched it gently. “Stray bullet?”

“A rock.”

Her hand stilled. “Afghanistan?”

“Millard Fillmore Elementary School. Third grade.”

She laughed, her gaze following her questing fingers as they traveled across his golden blond eyebrows, down the smooth slope of his cheek. Then her fingers flattened and curved around his neck and up to follow the perfect shape of his head, stroking his curls, shining like gold in the slanting sunlight, warm and soft to her touch.

When she’d completed the circuit, she lifted her gaze to his. They stared into each other’s eyes, feeling rather than seeing each other’s skin flush dark with arousal. Hearing rather than seeing the sudden labored quality of their breathing. Without moving, without speaking, they both knew what was coming next.

“Are you going to fuck me, Adam?” she asked quietly.

He shook his head. “No, angel. I’m going to make love to you.”

She closed her eyes. A shivery little moan of anticipation left her throat.

He took her mouth again, thrusting his tongue into her moist, warm cavern, savoring the sweetness of her honey. He drank from her like a parched man drinks from a cool mountain spring in a desperate effort to slake his thirst. A thirst he knew could never be slaked.

No matter how many times he took her, no matter how many times they made love, it would never be enough. His need for her was a vast and endless yearning that could never be satisfied. Not even in a million years of loving. She was his life. His light. His joy. She was the very air that he breathed. Without her his soul would wither and die. “I love you, Sarah. More than I’ll ever be able to tell you in a million lifetimes.” The words were ripped from his heart. “You’ve given me something so precious, I would die if it were ever taken from me. Something I’ve never had before.”

At her questioning look, he speared his fingers through her hair, cradling the side of her face in his large hand. “You, angel. You’ve given me you. And with that one gift, you’ve given me everything a man could ever want—love. Happiness. A haven…a home.” Then his mouth was on hers in a crushing kiss that awoke every nerve ending in her body.

She responded by pressing against him, tiny little mewls of pleasure issuing from her throat as she returned each stroking jab of his tongue with one of her own. They were still kissing when he rolled her onto her back, covering her breast once more, rubbing his palm abrasively over the hard nub of her nipple. Her mewling cries turned into outright moans as pleasure slashed through her.

He lifted his head to look down at her. His gaze was hard. Hot. Hungry. “Are you ready for me, sweet pea? Are you wet and dripping for me?”

“Y-yes.” She was wet, dripping all down the insides of her thighs onto the sheet.

“Is your body aching to join with mine? Aching for my possession?” His eyes were glittering with white-hot arousal.

“Y-yes.” It was a low moan, swallowed, as she sucked in her breath. Her belly clenched, hot cream was pouring from her in a tide. When she finally found her voice, she didn’t recognize it as her own. “Yes, my darling. I am ready for you. Aching for you.”

“Spread your legs, Sarah mine,” he ordered. His voice was harsh, but not with anger. With need. Hot, destructive need. Need that flamed in the blue depths of his eyes as they looked at her. Devoured her. Incinerated her.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Julie has always loved stories, both reading and writing them. A career as a children’s librarian eventually led to her dream career as a freelance storyteller and puppeteer, a business she operated successfully for twenty-five years.  During that time she created and wrote all the original material for a monthly language arts resource newsletter for early childhood educators.  For that endeavor she won the prestigious EDPRESS Award, given by the Educational Press Association of America.  She has also written other resource materials for preschool and early elementary teachers.

Now she writes erotic romances, thus following the basic children’s-performer-to-erotica-author career path blazed by so many of her fellow writers.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Loving Sarah, my first book, started with a name.  Jesse Colter.  As soon as it appeared in my mind I knew that I would have to write a book about a man named Jesse Colter. I couldn’t stop thinking about him.  What would someone named Jesse Colter look like?  Smell like?  Sound like?  Be like?  For months I let him take shape in my thoughts until I felt I knew everything about him.  He’s 6’3”, black hair, half Native American. with skin the color of the sun shining on polished bronze, eyes so dark they look black.  Aquiline nose, high cheekbones, and a square jaw, give his face a dark, brooding sort of nobility.  He’s strong, stalwart, a man of honor and integrity.  He exudes power and sensuality, commanding any room he enters.
He survived a horrendous childhood, with no mother and an abusive, alcoholic father who used him as a punching bag, At age nineteen, he was in a downward spiral, heading for a bleak, uncertain future.
And that’s when he met Sarah Marshall.  She was just thirteen when he came running across the lawn to rescue her from a thirty-foot fall out of a tree.  Their bond was instantaneous and unbreakable.  They couldn’t have been more different—she was the daughter of a judge, descendant of English aristocrats, raised in the lap of luxury, he was the mixed blood, illegitimate son of a native American prostitute and the town drunk.
I felt compelled to tell his and Sarah’s story.  But stories often have a way of being hijacked by their own characters and Loving Sarah was no exception.  Imagine my surprise to learn that Jesse Colter was a Dom.  That his best friend, another Dom, was also in love with Sarah.  That after eight years of being a Navy SEAL, Jesse was determined to claim Sarah as his forever submissive, no matter what it took.  Jesse Colter took over his own story, and by the time I realized that I couldn’t possibly do him justice in only one book, it was too late.  I had too much material.  To keep the finished book to a reasonable size (say, under eighty pounds) I was going to have to (gasp) leave stuff out! 
Now, asking an author to leave stuff out is like asking an Olympic runner to cut off a leg.  But that’s what I was faced with when, all of a sudden…(harp music, rays of sunlight beaming through clouds)…the thought occurred to me.  Why not let Jesse tell his story over two books?  That way I not only wouldn’t have to leave stuff out, I could write even more stuff!  Win-win, right? (Big thumbs up). J
Hence, the upcoming publication (September 25) of Owning Sarah, the long-awaited sequel to Loving Sarah.  Both books are Siren M/f/M Menage Amours, BDSM Collection, both have a Heat Rating of Sextreme.  Owning Sarah is available NOW for pre-order at a 15% discount at www.bookstrand.com.  The award winning Loving Sarah is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobobooks, GooglePlay, Sony and Siren Publishers.  (See links below).
Loving Sarah is available for purchase at:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/Loving-Sarah-Publishing-Menage-ebook/dp/B00ATSUJBI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357787267&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+sarah
BARNES & NOBLE
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loving-sarah-julie-shelton/1114052264?ean=9781622420599
SIREN-BOOKSTRAND
http://www.bookstrand.com/loving-sarah
KOBOBOOKS
http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=Loving+Sarah+by+Julie+Shelton
SONY
https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/julie-shelton/loving-sarah-siren-publishing-menage-amour/_/R-400000000000000946347#productCustomerReviews
GOOGLE PLAY
http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=3KS2B5XcG4YC&ganpub=k117601&ganclk=GOOG_836500861

REVIEW: THE GARNET DAGGER BY ANDREA R. COOPER

Blurb:

Everyone knows what happens when a vampire bites a human…but what if the victim is Elvin?

Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure. 

Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and the world will die.

When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?

Review:

Do you like fantasy worlds? Is Tolkien more your thing? Then The Garnet Dagger might be for you. This isn't the usual romance I review, but it does have an important romantic element. After all, love can crush us and plunge our world into darkness just the same as it can save us.

The scenes were very descriptive. The Elven world and how it relates to the humans is carefully laid out. The introduction of other mythological creatures comes before we really get to see most of them. How each of the magics ties them together is also intriguing.

This book certainly brought back memories of playing D&D as a kid. I kept waiting to need my seven dice! If you're into the whole role play games scene or just want to remember the good old days, this is a great book. I would easily recommend this for older teens and adults. The language makes it an easy read for work or for other places where prying eyes might see. I might would use caution before giving it to a younger teen, as there still some sex involved. All in all, I found this to be a great book.

Keep reading for a look at Chapter One!

Andrea’s Bio: 

 

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
The Garnet Dagger is her debut novel and is a paranormal romance with Crimson Romance.

Excerpt:  Chapter One

I’ve known death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I took in everything. By observing for eons, I understood and spoke their language. The world of mankind fascinated me. Their hobbled homes burrowed into the ground.

Rocks crunched on top one another with thatched roofs woven from straw. Never had I seen a home or inn that was higher than three levels, as if they were afraid of the sky. I delayed my return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce torches and knifes. It was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue well into the night. Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of leaves from their costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the forest. Since I was already late, I hiked uphill to a shortcut rather than take the long path back home. I didn’t need to alert any of my kind near the barrier at this hour. Liana would wonder why I was late.

Tonight was the two month anniversary of our hand twining ceremony. One more month as was custom, and then we’d be wed. A gasp rustled through the trees. The roots shot a warning through to me with stifled caution. Adjusting my pack, I continued on instead of changing back into my Elvin clothes. After I passed the border which kept humans from entering our land, then I’d change. In the distance, I heard a groan. Curious, I spun in the direction of the sound. The autumn wind breezed through my worn human clothes, chilling me. But someone needed help. I turned in the direction of the sounds. Whatever made the noise should be a few yards ahead.

I hiked slower than my normal speed, so as not to startle whatever human called out. My leather boots crunched upon dried, diseased leaves and bark. Horrified, I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to suffocating. Lifeless limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed off in layers, exposing its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth. Fragments of leaves clung to finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying trees. Trees mourned with wails like splitting wood, and I brought my hands over my ears. I must flee before I became infected, they told me. Flee before the stain of this defilement creeps into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind, always had. Yet these trees were in such agony of death that I could not breathe. Felt as though my lungs had folded in on themselves, like a moth unable to break loose from its cocoon.
Nothing I could do for them, and if I lingered too long, whatever disease gnawed upon them may choke me. Where would I go if I carried something so foul as to devour trees from the inside out? I’d never return to Tamlon if I brought this infection with me. I drew away, but a movement at the base of a decaying tree to my right caught me. My night vision picked up the sight of a human. His sallow face seemed to glow in the moonlight. Poking out from rags lay his arms and legs, which resembled skin stretched over sticks. So cadaverous was his face, I’d have thought him dead if he hadn’t moved.

“Please,” he said and his voice sounded like cicada’s vibrations, “help me.”

“What ails you in this troubled place?” I wondered if my voice, foreign to my ears in speaking the human’s language, revealed my nature.

“I am lost.” His dark eyes crinkled around the corners. “Without strength to rise. If you would but assist me up, I’ll be on my way.”

I’d never touched a human on purpose before. Was it that that gave me pause, or dread that stilled my heart? My feet itched to flee. As soon as I helped him, then I’d leave. I gritted my teeth and reached a hand down.

His gnarled fingers snapped on my arm, making me wince. Jerking me forward, his face contorted. Surprised by his strength, I fell beside him. Blackness curled around me. Teeth, fangs, broke through the skin on my neck. Then I knew him for what he was, a vampyre.

Cooper, Andrea R. (2013-03-25). The Garnet Dagger (Crimson Romance) (Kindle Locations 60-67). F+W Media. Kindle Edition.

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