Monday, July 21, 2014

Guest Post: Strange Bedfellows Series by Alexandra Christian



Today let's Welcome Alexandra Christian to the blog. Here is a little something about her hot series out with Mocha Memoirs Press. 

Strange Bedfellows is a series from Mocha Memoirs Press.  The first collection, Behind the Red Door contains 3 novellas:  “Three to Tango,” “His Phantom Caress,” and the latest installment, “Dead Sexy.”  It is available in both eBook and print formats.

Blurb:
Welcome to The Oubliette.
Cali Barrows has had it with love.  After wasting three years with the man she thought was the love of her life, she finds out that he’s been sleeping with his boss.  Broken-hearted and bored, Cali’s life had become a string of TV dinners and tawdry romance novels. She wondered where her life was going until she followed the mysterious stranger through the red door and enters a world that few would ever know existed.
The Oubliette is a safe haven for all those creatures that go bump in the night.  They cater to a very particular clientele and only those who seek it out may find the red door leading into a dark paradise of otherworldly delights.  Together with her vampire hosts, AndrĂ© and Leo, Cali becomes a matchmaker for the undead and unwittingly gets herself into all sorts of mischief, all the while slipping into a decadent world where every sensual desire is fulfilled. 

Excerpts:  Bloggers may choose to use whichever fits in better with their content.
(Sexy Excerpt):
“Hello,” she said softly.  Her voice wavered a little but strangely she found that she wasn’t afraid.  Not like before.  Perhaps she was bewitched, but her mind was quiet.  “Who’s there?”  No one spoke, but she could feel the warmth of a body close by.  She knew he was male, she could smell him.  A light scent of leather, cool mint and a light musk permeated the air and Cali couldn’t help but shiver.  She wanted him to come closer, but she was afraid to ask.  She should be frightened.  Panicking that some stranger was watching her, taking in every naked inch of her flesh, but she wasn’t.  She wanted him to look and in fact, could feel herself arching slightly and thrusting her breasts into view.  “Is it you, Necromancer?” she hissed.  “Standing there in the dark, wanting me but afraid to touch?  I can smell you, you know.  The scent of your desire is pungent, Sir.”  Cali inhaled deeply, a seductive smile crossing her ruby lips as she took in the masculine aroma.  She shuddered, her body responding almost involuntarily.  He hadn’t even touched her and already she could feel the dewy pearls of wetness forming at her center.  “Has it been so long? So long since you felt the touch of a warm, living body that hasn’t been poisoned by your obsession?”
Her visitor still did not speak, but she could feel him coming closer.  The bed bounced lightly as he sat down beside her, still just staring.  She could hear him breathe, slow and even, trying to hide any note of his own arousal, but it was too practiced.  Cali grinned, knowing that she was having some effect.  The stranger reached down, his arm lightly touching hers as he leaned forward.  This time Cali did gasp, as the sound she heard at first was unrecognizable.  Then it dawned on her that there was water being poured from some vessel into a bowl.  A heavy, liquid sound that was just beside her ear.  She would have expected it to be cold, but she could feel some kind of warmth emanating from whatever basin the liquid was being poured into.  The pouring ended in a slow dripping and the basin was brought across and laid by her side on the bed.  She could hear it sloshing around and she tried not to move.  If she spilled the contents, her strange host might be angry and in her current predicament, that could be exceptionally bad. 
The light scent of lavender and cherry bark wafted through the room on a still breeze.  Slow dripping, warm water over hot flesh.  Cali gasped as the drops hit one by one across her chest.  Almost deliberately they beaded just over the curve of each breast and then slid down lazily to heavenly valleys below her sternum.  A single bead alighted on the rose point of each nipple.  They hardened immediately, as if reaching out for the source of the wet heat.  Cali wanted to moan, but she bit down on her lip hard enough to bring blood, afraid that if she made a sound that this delicious sensation would end.  Whoever was with her had perfect control and knew just how high to place the drops so that the warm, scented liquid kissed each erogenous zone as he continued this gradual, sweet Chinese water torture.  A dotted path led the way down the curve of her belly to the subtle dip of her navel.  Her captor dribbled more of the warm water into the tiny cup until it spilled over and began to gently flow down the slope and into the nest of fine, downy curls that hid her femininity.  This time she gasped. She couldn’t help it.  She pulled at her bonds, lost in the delayed pleasure and frantic desire.  “Touch me,” she rasped, but still he did not speak.  Only the sound of the basin being moved aside would answer her command.

 (Horror Excerpt): 
He waited a few moments, wondering what would happen next.  With each passing minute he became more agitated, thinking of Cali being chained up somewhere, a warped vision of the princess trapped in the tower.  But AndrĂ©’s days of knighthood were over and it had been a very long time since he’d had to rescue anyone.  He hoped that he was up for it.  A deep breath and he started forward.  His footsteps made heavy sounds on the floor and he mentally counted them out as he moved down the long tunnel toward the orangish light that cast a dirty illumination on the floor up ahead.  As he approached, he could smell the sulfur and decay that permeated the landscape of Sheol.  It was a burning smell, but not the pleasant, earthy scent of someone burning a woodstove or leaves in late fall, but the inside of a crematory.  It was so strong he could taste it and he nearly gagged on the thick, acidic atmosphere.  Everyone knows that a vampire’s only fear is death.
AndrĂ© emerged onto a craggy, deserted landscape.  The ground was mostly ash and jagged shards of obsidian.   That sulfuric smell was stronger here, but he was getting used to it.  There was no path, just an empty wasteland as far as the eye could see.  He turned, looking around as if to get some kind of bearing, but there was none to have.  AndrĂ© realized that he would simply have to keep moving forward until some kind of clue emerged. 
There were portals all over The Nether to reach Sheol and places beyond.  One only needed to know where to look.  These portals were both physical and ethereal.  Sam, who was a Reaper, needed only to think and know an incantation to shift between one world and the next.  Vampires, though very powerful in the physical world, had very little impact in the ethereal.  Their talent was knowledge.  Most vampires were highly intelligent creatures who could think their way in and out of any situation.  That’s not to say that stupid people didn’t become vampires.  They just didn’t last very long.  Thinking was how AndrĂ© would find Cali.  He only hoped he could out-think Salazar.
Suddenly, the tiny hairs on the inside of AndrĂ©’s ears began to vibrate.  A small voice came softly, carried by the warm breath of wind that whipped constantly around.  He closed his eyes, focusing on the sound and trying to make sense of it.  All other noise went away and was replaced by a whisper of silence as he focused on the tiny voice.  “Help me…” it whined, the voice tinny and desperate.  “Cali?” he called, knowing before he even got the word out that it wasn’t.  This voice was more like a child.  AndrĂ© tried to ignore it and move on, but the further away he went, the closer the voice seemed to get.  A tiny whimper followed and AndrĂ© stopped, surveying the desolation, turning this way and that looking for the source of the cry.  His vision blurred at first and then rushed to stunning clarity that seemed to zoom in on the focus of his attention.  A child, small and dirty, was crawling across the field of broken glass.  AndrĂ© was unsure of the gender, as the child’s hair was shorn to near nothingness and its body emaciated.  He began to walk toward it with cautionary steps.  It was very likely some kind of trap.

About Alexandra Christian:
Alexandra Christian is an author of mostly paranormal erotic romance and horror.  In case you don't know what that means, she writes about not-so-nice girls getting it on with out- of- this- world heroes.  Vampires, werewolves, dragons, angels and demons-- and that's just recently! 
A self-proclaimed “Southern Belle from Hell,” Lexxx is a native South Carolinian who lives with an epileptic wiener dog and a pet ghost hunter.  She has published several novels, novellas and short stories with Ellora’s Cave, Purple Sword Publications, Mocha Memoirs Press and most recently, Seventh Star Press.  She looks forward to sharing her twisted view of reality with the masses through erotic paranormal romance and horror.  Lexxx’s long-term aspirations are to one day be a bestselling authoress and part-time pinup girl.  Questions, comments and complaints are most welcome at her website:  http://lexxxchristian.wordpress.com/ .


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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

July 2014 Newsletter

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Hello Everyone,

Summer has come and bow is it burning up everything. Luckily me and my three dogs, plus the husband, are staying cool in the A/C. Hope everyone else is. I've been staying busy writing the second installment of my new Undertaker Chronicles called Follow the Ink. Plus I'm getting ready to edit the third in the Deathly Encounters Series called Death's Demise and will soon be writing number four in the series called Death's Descent.

However, the biggest news of the month is that Death's Dance is out with Seventh Star Press in e-book and Paperback Formats. Since this is my first horror novel, I hope everyone checks it out.

Of course, I'm still writing romance as I have a few things in the works. However my day job has been overwhelming lately so I haven't been able to catch up.

As more news comes up I'll keep everyone apprised. For right now, enjoy an except from Invoking the Fae and one of my favorite summer recipes.








Invoking the Fae Sneak Peek

“You think the women in the garden had eyes for me?” Shale asked, pulling me back from my thoughts about the old woman.

“It was obvious they did. My sister was furious because you didn’t come for her. Her queen bitch side has emerged because she’s getting all the attention. Amelia—”

Slade nodded, but put his fingers under my chin. Once he did that, all thought ceased. I watched the slight flare of his nostrils as he breathed and how his lips parted when he drew his tongue across his bottom lip. I wanted more than anything to be his tongue at that instance. Hell, even his lips. “Enough about your sister. How about you? Fen said you needed a way out and sent me. Were the castle walls so confining?”

I nodded and tore my gaze from his lips, feeling the burn creep up into my cheeks. I tried to pull away, but Shale held me in his grip even though it was a light one. “I couldn’t breathe. We were always being watched. I can’t use magic in case they accuse me of being a witch. That’s all I need. The men woo me because I’m Amelia’s sister. I can’t win. I guess I panicked and asked for help.”

“And I showed up.”

“Yes.”

“I got you away from the castle. I think that means you should show me your appreciation.”

“How do I do that?” I whispered.

“Kiss me with those beautiful lips.”

Before he could finish his sentence, I had already pressed my lips to his. The first thing that I tasted was cloves. He returned the kiss with a hunger I had not expected since we did not really know one another, but it seemed he returned my infatuation. Shale slipped his fingers through my hair, tugging at the jeweled combs. He found one and pulled it part way out until it got caught up in the tendrils. I had to work it completely out and then I undid the other, letting the heaviness of my hair fall over my shoulders. I thrust my tongue into his mouth meeting his. We touched and explored while he deepened the kiss, meeting my mouth until our lips were slick and swollen. I trailed my fingers along his face. The skin was smooth and not spattered with stubble. His cheekbones were strong and his hair soft. Shale leaned in closer, putting more weight against me.

And then the world tipped.

My back hit the ground and a pain jarred me from Shale’s lips. His body settled on top of me. It was comfortable as we both realized what had happened. I laughed. Shale followed until he rolled off me and he scooped me up in his arms. I rested my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was nice to lay there and have everything stop. All was right in the world. There was no need for magic. There was no need for me to fight with my sister. There was no need for anything else than just being there with Shale.

He turned over and ran his finger along my cheek. “I need to get you back. Don’t want your sister sending out the guard.”

“They wouldn’t be able to find us anyway. We’re deep in the dark forest where they are too scared to venture.”

“You are so gorgeous. Has anyone ever told you before?”

“A few. All of them wanted to have a tumble.”

“Did you say yes to them?”

I gritted my teeth. “A few. Are you calling me a whore?”

He shook his head and protested. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

“Then say what’s on your mind before I turn you into a tree.”

“Why not a toad? I thought witches transformed people into toads. Then someone would have to kiss me so I’d be human once more.”

Some of my anger dissipated when he smiled. He slid his hand over mine. That soft caress turned my heart into a warm lump. “Yes, but when he was kissed, the girl discovered he was a prince underneath all the warts.”

“Who says I’m not?” Shale captured my lips long enough that I got another taste of him, but not long enough to quench my desire.

He pulled away and got up, offering me his hand.

“I wouldn’t really turn you into a tree,” I admitted. “Fen would kill me.”

“I wasn’t calling you a whore. I don’t care who you’ve been with in the past. Forgive me if I was being rash, but I don’t want anyone else claiming you. We hardly know one another, but I think
Fen brought us together for more than just me rescuing you from your boredom.”

I peered into his intriguing eyes and lost myself for a few seconds before placing a hand on his face. The softness of his skin was worth taking the time to be in his arms. “I think you’re right.”


Dill Potato Salad Recipe

3 pounds of red potatoes
3/4 teaspoons of dill
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 packet of Ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup of Ranch Dressing
4 Quarts of Water

1. Bring water to roiling bubble.
2. Clean and wash potatoes
3. Place whole potatoes into boiling water and cook through until you can put a fork through the middle. Let cool until they are cool enough to handle.
4. Cut whole potatoes into bite sized pieces and place into a bowl or container.
5. Combine the dill, onion & garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste, Ranch Salad dressing packet, Ranch dressing.
6. Mix with potatoes and then chill in the fridge.

Enjoy!