Good news these past couple of days. Carrion Comfort was accepted by Amira Press. Carrion Comfort is a vampire novel whose characters live in the world of Midnight Mocha and A Taste of Darkness. I had a character that wouldn't let me rest so she sprang from the ashes and decided to tell me her tale. Her name is Grace, but those who read A Taste of Darkness would know her as Marla the perky receptionist.
Of course I won't tell you her secret, that is for you to find out.
Here is a blurb and a short excerpt to let you see into my world.
BLURB:
Ever since Japer lost his family, he’s been hunting those responsible. Going in search of information, he discovers the true monsters lurking in Boston’s underbelly.
Grace is summoned to help find the creatures who murdered Jasper’s family. Reluctantly she goes home only to meet Jasper and have a one-night stand. Not expecting to see him again, she confronts her sire and discovers he’s been training Jasper as a hunter. Together they’ve been killing scavengers, the bogeymen of the vampire world.
Will they find the nest? Will Margaret reveal her dark past? Or will the bogeymen rise up and feed on their souls?
EXCERPT :
The blades of grass crunched under my feet from the frost on them. Heat waves from an aura blazed against my back. The smell of the thief, unwashed, too much cologne, and greasy hair came to my nose along with steel and gunpowder. His heartbeat doubled the closer he got to me. He thought he could sneak up on me and get my wallet. Maybe a little bit more. The would-be robber’s aura shifted while he made up his mind if he wanted to use his gun or his hands. The scent of his desire spurred my hunger. My teeth shifted. An overwhelming desire to show him my true form over took me, but I held that in check. I was not a monster and wouldn’t lose my humanity to the beast. I opened my mind to the killer so I would hear his thoughts better.
Gotta have something. I need it bad. Oh yeah, this bitch is gonna be sweet. I’ll get her money, do her, and then I can get some more rock. Maybe I should shoot her and then fuck her. Turn around, bitch! Turn around. I want to see your face when you stare down the barrel of my gun. That’s right. All I need is one more hit and I can get through tomorrow.
This guy was so dead. His gun wouldn’t do anything to me and I’d make Swiss Cheese of his brain in five seconds flat once he gazed into my eyes. Ten seconds if my thoughts pushed into his brain. I ran my tongue over my teeth willing them in for now.
“Hey, bitch!” He cocked the gun. His excitement blanketed him. It made me giddy. If he only knew what he was getting himself involved with. I turned slowly playing the sweet and innocent part. After all, I was a woman out on my own in the middle of the night. Women were helpless at least that was the age-old adage. One I had used to my advantage over the years. I tried to appear shocked and scared. His gun glinted in the moonlight.
“Please don’t hurt me,” I whimpered. He enjoyed my fear.
“Give me your wallet.”
“Sorry. I don’t have one.” I stepped forward. Confusion crossed his mind before it hit his face.
“Give me whatever you have then. Come on. Fuck. Hurry up.” He motioned with his free hand.
I smiled. He was so mine. This time I didn’t care if I dropped a body and left it for the cops to find. He was pissing me off and I was hungry again. I looked him up from his feet, ragged and holey shoes, torn jeans that had seen one too many park benches, a dirt, sweat stained shirt, and slowly worked up over his scraggly beard. The wrinkles around his eyes were a roadmap of his life. He wasn’t very old but he’d seen one too many sleepless nights hooked on crack and whatever drugs he could get his hands on. His eyes were dreary gray, the color of the Northern sea by my old home in England. Once my gaze met his all of his willpower drained away.
“Put the gun down, Larry.” I gleaned his name from his thoughts. The weapon in his hand wavered. “You don’t want to hurt me. You know I have nothing for you. Don’t you?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened. I licked my lips. I used more of my mental whammy on him then I had on the pizza guy. I had to be more careful with this guy. His heart rate dropped. I stepped closer. He didn’t move. His gun hung limply at his side.
“Good boy. Now come to me.”
He stepped forward again. Before he came into my arms, he was tackled and thrown to the ground. Our connection snapped. I snarled. There went my meal. My would-be attacker was wrestling with someone. I’d been so caught up in my prey I hadn’t sensed anyone else around. I started to mold the shadows around me, but if I disappeared it would confuse my hero. Is every girl helpless at three in the morning?
“I said shut up!” My hero chocked the gunman who was out cold. The man stood up towering over me. I came up to mid-chest if I was lucky. He was tan, square jawed, and had deep intense eyes. They held a lot, but I didn’t try and read him. It was hard enough to play nice and mortal while not wanting to tear out his throat, but I could easily throw him down and fuck him for a few rounds. We’ll see how well he can be thrown around by little old me. Maybe he’ll even enjoy it.
“Miss, are you okay?” His gaze searched my face.
I nodded trying to act frightened that someone had assaulted me. “Yes. Thank you. Oh my God! He was going to kill me.” I stared wide-eyed into my hero’s face. His big smile softened his features.
“Well, he won’t be hurting you now. What were you doing out here all by yourself? It’s dangerous for a woman to be alone in the Common at this hour. You’re not from here are you?”
I glanced at the man on the ground. The bouquet of his blood filled my nose. My mouth watered. So much going to waist. “I’m from New York. I haven’t been to Boston in ages.”
“Are you staying with anyone? Can I walk you to your hotel?”
Oh great. This is all I need a real chivalrous man. “Thank you for your concern and all, but I’ll be fine really.”
“You don’t have a place to stay, do you?”
I opened my mouth and then shut it. Tobias would let me in. I knew that. Besides I didn’t have to sleep when the sun was up. It would sap my strength, but I’d be okay. I shrugged. I hung my head. “No. My friends aren’t home and I don’t have a key. I have no clue when they’ll be back.”
He looked around weighing his options. He didn’t want to leave me out here alone and stranded. I didn’t have to look into the future to know what he would say next. “Well…I have a spare room. You can stay the night. No strings of course.”
Of course.
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