Promo + Giveaway: Tranquilli Bloodline Series by Celia Breslin (@CeliaBreslin, @RoxanneRhoads)

Haven
Tranquilli Bloodline #1

Amazon US       Amazon UK      Amazon CA

BN      Apple Books       Kobo        Champagne      GoodReads

San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli works hard, plays hard, and never allows the death of her parents and her twelve-year memory gap to get her down. Her life takes a left turn when a witch attacks her on her twenty-fifth birthday.

Three hauntingly familiar vampires emerge to reveal she possesses a latent power. To protect her from their enemies, they admit to wiping her memories and abandoning her as a child, but now they need her help. As she struggles to evade her new protectors, and even newer enemies, she meets Alexander, an enigmatic, undead musician. Insta-attraction flares, leaving her wanting more.

With evil’s minions hounding her every move, and everything she thought she knew turned on its head, Carina must harness her burgeoning power, unravel her vampire family’s web of deceit, and fight to keep the love of her life...without getting killed in the process.

Excerpt:

Alexander plastered me against the side of his car and slanted his lips over mine. Time stopped. My fucking heart stopped, then thundered so loud in my ears I thought the world exploded around us. This is what I’d missed, what I craved. This man, these lips. I groaned. His tongue swept over my lips demanding entrance and I caved, allowing him in. He growled, a hungry, sexy as sin growl as his tongue plundered my mouth, taking, tasting, demanding ownership all over again. I let him, taking all he had to give.

 Destiny
Tranquilli Bloodline #1

Amazon US        Amazon UK      Amazon CA

BN        Champagne Books       Apple Books

In HAVEN, San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli survives a vicious attack by her vampire family’s longtime archenemies. Several weeks later, as she struggles with PTSD and survivor’s guilt, supervillain Dixon resurfaces and kidnaps two of her best friends. To save them, Carina must comply with the evil bastard’s unusual demands. The kicker? She must tell no one what she is up to.

Meanwhile, she has a new dance club to open for the preternatural community, a fated soul mate acting secretive and distant, and a sexy, new, undead friend who’d love to take Alexander’s place in her heart and bed.

Blackmailed, betrayed, tempted…sometimes destiny has a wicked sense of humor.

Excerpt:

Alexander plastered me against the side of his car and slanted his lips over mine. Time stopped. My fucking heart stopped, then thundered so loud in my ears I thought the world exploded around us. This is what I’d missed, what I craved. This man, these lips. I groaned. His tongue swept over my lips demanding entrance and I caved, allowing him in. He growled, a hungry, sexy as sin growl as his tongue plundered my mouth, taking, tasting, demanding ownership all over again. I let him, taking all he had to give.

Origins
Tranquilli Bloodline #1
Kobo       Amazon      Champagne

In HAVEN & DESTINY, San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli finds love and fights her vampire family’s enemies. Now, in ORIGINS…

En route to reunite with her estranged father in Italy, Carina is kidnapped by a human organization intent on vampire genocide. Beaten, starved, and forced to fight fellow captives, she finally manages to escape. Along the way, she encounters the group’s leaders—their identities shock her to the core.

Once home, Carina warns her family of this new threat, but dear old dad is missing. In his absence, the Tribunal, the governing body for all vampirekind, lies in disarray, with an old enemy making a bid for her father’s throne. What’s worse? The usurper wants her for his queen…and slave.

With a human-vampire war looming on one side and a vampire-vampire battle brewing on the other, Carina will have to rally her troops, take back the throne, and fulfill her destiny as the Chosen One. If not, her whole world will fall, taking everyone she loves with it.

Excerpt:

The car stopped. I couldn’t convince myself to step out. What if this was a freaking, injection-induced hallucination? What if I was still back in the damn prison?
Besnik helped me out.
The mansion’s mammoth double doors eased open. The man illuminated in the doorway chased away the numbness, pumped my heart so hard it might pound right out of my chest. He opened his arms wide, calling me. My lips curled upward in the first true smile I’d cracked since the last time he’d held me in his arms. That man, my man, loved me more than any other on this whole damn planet.
“Alexander.”
I ran to him.
Alexander’s arms closed around me, his hold so tight I could barely catch a breath. Tremors ran through his hard body, again and again.
“Carina,” he croaked, voice sandpaper rough. “Carina.”
Nuzzling his neck, I planted fevered kisses along his tan, heated skin. He’d fed recently to be this warm under my lips. Temptation had me licking his pounding pulse, nipping at the vein. Couldn’t resist it. My fangs slid home.
Energy exploded between us, our mate bond bursting to life and tearing away whatever magical wall had separated us for far too long. My bite, the catalyst, his blood the cure. Awash in the force of our reunion, Alexander staggered then clutched me closer while I pulled out of his neck and laved the rapidly healing holes.
As our power continued to bubble and stitch us back together, he whisked us into the grand entryway, planted my ass on an ornate, antique cabinet, and devoured my mouth like a starving man. His hands roamed everywhere, searching, cataloguing, as if to reassure himself this wasn’t a hallucination, that I was really here, in his arms, relatively unharmed.
The more he kissed me, the more those wonderful, golden threads of our connection resurrected inside me, around me, between us, and I felt like freaking Sleeping Beauty awakened from her magical slumber by a kiss from her fated handsome prince. The silly thought made me giggle against Alexander’s seeking mouth, and then I was crying while my love cupped my face between his hands, wiped away my tears with his thumbs, and pressed tender kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, the tip of my nose…
“Alexander.” I fisted his shirt tight. Please, God, let him be real. “I… I don’t want to wake up.” Please, don’t let this end.
His smoky blue eyes bored into mine, his brown hair spiked in every direction, a bit longer than in my memory. It’s not a dream, baby. You’re here. You’re home.
Oh my God, I can hear you. I swiped some willful bits of hair away from his forehead, touched his full lips, ran my fingers along his strong jaw, taking in the whole handsome, bad-boy package. You’re back in my head. I’d never been happier to have someone inside my mind. Silence was seriously overrated.
And back in your arms.

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Celia’s Vampire Viewing Picks for the Holidays

It’s always time to watch vampire shows in my world. Here are my recs for some fun holiday viewing!

“Amends” - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S3, Ep10. A brief happy moment for Buffy and Angel. Plus, snow in Southern California.

“Once More With Feeling” S6, Ep7.  Because it’s the best episode ever.

“Bring on the Night” – Buffy, S7, Ep10. Multiple slayers, an uber vamp, and an Xmas tree lot.

“Reunion” – Angel, S2, Ep10. Drusilla and Darla running amok.

 “O Come All Ye Faithful” – The Vampire Diaries, S4, Ep9.  A Winter Wonderland theme-party aaaaand naughty, naughty Klaus.

“Through Your Eyes” – S6, Ep10. Christmas reminiscing and one evil Kai.

“Cold As Ice” – The Vampire Diaries, S7, Ep9. Holiday toy drive and a pesky Phoenix Stone.

“Savior” – The Originals, S3, Ep9. Amid much drama, Klaus and Cami share a kiss.
 

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 Celia lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, and the Fae. Her stories are action-packed and typically include one of the many varieties of romantic entanglements: fated mates, second chance, rescue romance, opposites attract, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and more.

When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies, as well as everything in the Marvel Universe franchise. Of course!

Find Celia and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Promo + Giveaway: Kingdom of Darkness and Light Boxed Set (@XpressoTours)

Kingdom of Crowns and Glory
Kingdom of Darkness and Light #1

Goodreads / Amazon

    Fairytale heroes, but not as you remember them…

    The age old tale of Good versus Evil comes to life in this epic boxset featuring only the heroes from your favorite fairytales.

    Will light triumph over dark? Will the heroes beat the villains?
    Be part of the battle and explore your favourite fairytales from different perspectives, in this one of a kind split fairytale anthology retelling collection.

    This set by USA Today and Amazon Best Selling authors is like nothing you have never read before.

    Paired up with The Kingdom of Villains and Vengeance boxset, you can now read the story from the perspective of both the heroes and villains. Come on a magical journey to see if good does always triumph over evil.

    Stories included are:

    The Little Mermaid Vs The Sea Witch
    Snow White Vs The Evil Queen
    Sleeping Beauty Vs Witch
    Robin Hood Vs Sheriff
    Alice Vs Queen of Hearts
    Princess Vs Rumpelstiltskin
    Peter Pan Vs Hook
    Little Red Vs Wolf

Kingdom of Villains and Vengeance 
Kingdom of Darkness and Light #2

Goodreads / Amazon

 Fairytale villains, but not as you remember them…

The age old tale of Good versus Evil comes to life in this epic boxset featuring only the evil doers from your favorite fairytales.

Will light triumph over dark? Will the heroes beat the villains?
Be part of the battle and explore your favourite fairytales from different perspectives, in this one of a kind split fairytale anthology retelling collection.

This set by USA Today and Amazon Best Selling authors is like nothing you have never read before.

Paired up with The Kingdom of Crowns and Glory boxset, you can now read the story from the perspective of both the heroes and villains. Come on a magical journey to see if good does always triumph over evil.

Stories included are:

The Sea Witch Vs The Little Mermaid
The Evil Queen VsSnow White
Witch Vs Sleeping Beauty
Sheriff Vs Robin Hood
Queen of Hearts Vs Alice
Rumpelstiltskin Vs Princess
Hook V’s Peter Pan
Wolf Vs Little Red

Excerpts:

Excerpt from Anne Stryker's book, Glacier featured in Kingdom of Villains and Vengeance. A story from the perspective of Rumplestilskin.

“Tell me a story,” she whispered, staring at the globe like her world rested within.

I took a deep breath and gazed at the sky. “A story? Since when do you like those?”

Her lips lifted in a small smile, and mine mirrored the action to match. I spun a recycled tale from fae lore, replacing our heroine’s name with hers—likely sacrilege, but for her growing smile, I didn’t care. She fought dragons and rode through plains upon her faerie steed, bolstering legend and carving her name into the world itself. As the theatrical rendition slipped to a close, her smile had fallen.

It took all my strength not to touch her then, draw her close, and whisper the truth, about everything. But I couldn’t bear to see hatred blister in her gaze, not tonight. Enough would happen tonight. And I couldn’t forfeit everything now.

She pressed the globe against her chest and stared up at the stars. “Thank you, my faerie,” she murmured, and a tear traced down her cheek.

My breath held.

She pinned me with those blue eyes that were an echo of mine. “I wish you were real.”

Excerpt from M.T Finnberg's book Dreams in Bloom, featured in the Kingdom of Crowns and Glory box set. A story from the perspective of Sleeping Beauty.

“We shall sleep off the drinks and leave in the morning. Mind you, if you try to run, Victor Morgenstern, father of witches, you will not get far. Simply meet us at the door at sunrise.”

“Absolutely, my Sire. Will do, my Sire.” Victor shook his head. “Me, hard bargaining, eh? You two are the toughest bargainers I’ve met in my lifetime!”

“Well,” Father said, twirling the foot of his glass absently. “Speaking of reputations, who exactly do you think you have sitting across you? You’re looking at none else but the infamous Getaway King and his Wretched Rachel. Where can you find comparison? You can’t. Have one encounter with my Queen, my Wretched Rachel, and you’ll be speaking of her for the rest of your lowly life. Cross her once, and you’ll know you’ve met your fate.”

There was no smile with that.

I flinched on my plank, as the King gave a sharp snortle and chugged the wine.

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Promo + Giveaway: The Last Atlantian by Mikki Noble (@missmikkinoble, @XpressoTours)

The Last Atlantian

Goodreads / Amazon

Spencer did not plan to work on her birthday. She didn't plan a lot of things, but they happened anyway. Like, when she touched a guy and he turned into a gold statue, or when some stranger appeared to tell her she was in danger. She didn't plan to see her life forever changed by one simple act, and it still happened anyway.

What Spencer doesn't know is why. Why is all this happening to her? Why does she have the power to turn people into gold all of a sudden. Who is she really?

And why is this cute guy calling her the last Atlantian?

Are you a book blogger?
Sign up for the blog tour here!

Excerpt:

Steamy fog sprayed from the espresso machine as Spencer slammed the lever all the way down. She shouldn’t have had to work, today of all days. But the universe obviously hated her and it was punishing her.
That was the only explanation.
“Stop moping,” her best friend Cia said, shoving a tray of mugs beside the gurgling coffee machine. “Your boyfriend’s here.”
Spencer groaned and rolled her eyes. She tried not to be angry with her friend but refused to look at her. It was all right to be upset, but not good to show it. Although, technically her shift hadn’t even started yet, but Cia’s cute friend just had to have a latte and couldn’t wait, so Cia let him in, without asking Spencer first.
This left just enough time for him to show up and squeeze his skinny frame through the doors, according to Cia. Spencer would bet that Cia held the door open and even waved him over.
“Not my boyfriend,” Spencer told her through gritted teeth.
“But does he know that?” Cia asked, smirking in that annoying way she did. One side of her mouth turned up and her brown eyes went dark, almost black.
Spencer looked around the machine to see she was right. Josh, she thought his name was, stood at the counter taking off his gloves, eyes finding hers instantly. A smile lit up his face, although his cheeks had a slight color from the cooler December air. Spencer only nodded and went back to finishing up the latte order.
Josh was kind of cute, light eyes, strong chin. Although he had to be in his mid-twenties and he was just a touch creepy. He was in here every day and he stared when he thought she wasn’t looking. He would sip at his coffee and she’d feel his grey eyes on her. And he’d always be toying with this pretty blue pendant he wore on a black rope around his neck. Spencer only caught a glimpse of it one time, because he kept it hidden under his shirt or in his hand most of the time, but it was pretty. Some pitchfork looking thing.
“She will be right with you, Jeremy. She’s just finishing up an order.”
Jeremy, that was his name. Right. She never remembered his name.
Yeah, an order that I shouldn’t have to make for another… Spencer’s eyes went to the little clock on the wall in the back. Half an hour.
Spencer just wished that this guy would let someone else serve him, but no. If she was on shift, he would wait for her.
Why did she have to work today? At least, no one told him it was her birthday today. For some reason, she didn’t want him to know.
As luck would have it, the next words Cia uttered were, “She’s grumpy because she had to work on her birthday.” Spencer noticed that Cia leaned in close to him and pretended to whisper, even though Spencer heard her quite clearly.
Mainly because there were four people in the shop and only one person actually working.
“On her birthday? That’s too bad.” Jeremy smiled from ear to ear, running his thin fingers through his thick, black hair.
Yeah, and I thought I was lucky enough to have the day off school today. Then Cia’s parents had to call and shatter that hope.
Spencer decided she might as well get this part of her day over with so she could celebrate her day, tossed a lid on the latte, called out for Cia’s friend and then made her way over to Jeremy.
She offered him a smile, but it was robotic at best. Normally, she dismissed Jeremy’s actions as a bored guy with nothing better to do, but today, she didn’t feel like dealing with him. She just wanted to go out and hang out with her friends, do fun stuff. After all, she was seventeen today. But when her parents wouldn’t help her get a car, she decided that she’d get the thing herself. Fast forward to today, and she was stuck working.
“Hi, what can I get for you?” she asked, finger hovering over the computer screen, taking in the scent of his cologne. It wasn’t terrible, but it was too much, too powerful. It almost made her gag.
“No polite chitchat today?” he questioned, still smirking.
Spencer shuffled uncomfortably. The way he was looking at her made her insides crawl. Couldn’t her best friend in the whole world see how uncomfortable this guy made her? “Bad day. Would you like the usual?”
“Plain black. Straight cup of joe.”
“Anything else?”
His smile faltered a bit, but he still aimed his grey eyes at her and he was leaning over the counter so he could be closer to her. Seriously, Cia should see something is wrong here. Thanks for nothing, Cia. “I don’t suppose you’d give me your number.”
A loud bang from behind Spencer made her jump. Cia called out, “Sorry.”
Spencer used the opportunity to sneak away and grab Jeremy/Josh’s coffee order. On the off chance that he’d forget what he asked and she’d be home free by the time she slinked back over to the counter to bring him his coffee.
Spencer poured, noticing her hand was shaking. Normally she didn’t let it get to her but today seemed different. She couldn’t say why, but he seemed to crawl deeper under her skin today. She shivered and prayed it was almost time to open the shop. With people impatiently waiting on their caffeine fix, she didn’t have time to talk to him and Spencer liked it that way.
She stalled as long as she could. When Cia came out from the back with a stack of to-go cups, Spencer turned and gave the guy his coffee. He held out a twenty and she took it silently, hoping they didn’t have to talk anymore.
But then Cia went back to the back of the shop.
Spencer gave the guy a strained smile as she reached over to give him his change. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him. “You should give me your number, Spencer. We’ve been dancing in circles for too long,” he whispered.
Spencer’s heartrate changed, sped up. She felt herself begin to sweat and shallow breaths were the only ones to reach her lungs. He was so close she could see his pupils dilate.
She tried to jerk her arm free, but he refused to let go.
“Just give me your number, Spencer. No need to play shy.”
Spencer shook her head and grabbed his hand to remove it.
It all happened so quickly, she could have blinked and missed the entire moment. Josh… or Jeremy… or whatever his name was, stood before her, a six-foot solid gold statue. The grey eyes that had just dilated in need for her and creeped her out, were now cold, metal and unseeing. A gasp slipped from her throat. She wanted to scream or cry. She wasn’t sure which.
The hand gripping her arm hurt and that’s where she decided to focus. It took her a few tries to twist her wrist from his grasp, but as soon as she shook loose and jumped back, Cia came back to the front of the shop.
She squealed and dropped the handful of coffee bags she’d been holding. “What the heck happened here? I run to the back for supplies and suddenly there’s a gold statue at the counter.” She stared at the statue, not looking over and seeing the terror on her best friend’s face.
Spencer couldn’t speak. She couldn’t open her mouth to form words. Her brain wouldn’t even form any words. If it was, it wasn’t relaying the message to her mouth.
Finally, Cia turned to Spencer and must have noticed the horror on her face. She took a step closer, kicking at one of the coffee bags. Spencer watched it slide along the tile until it hit the baseboard and bounce less than a centimeter. She backed away from Cia, for her own good. It was too risky and Spencer didn’t want to be touched. She didn’t understand what had happened and there was no way she’d risk hurting her best friend.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Spencer shook her head and shrugged. “I… I-I think I did that to him.” Spencer pointed, but she couldn’t quite look at the guy… the statue. “He… grabbed me and… I don’t know.”
“Him?” Cia’s eyes went from the statue to her friend and back. “Is that… That’s Jeremy?” She squinted at the statue and then it seemed like she was finally starting to understand. “He grabbed you?”
Spencer nodded, unable to continue speaking. Tears filled her eyes, causing her vision to blur.
“Good thing we haven’t opened yet,” Cia muttered. “Hey, do you think maybe we could melt him down and sell him?”

 

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As far back as she can remember, Mikki was creating characters and stories in her head. It wasn’t until fate brushed the tip of its wings over her eyes that she began to see that writing was what she was born to do. She loves animals, reading, everything supernatural related, and enjoys spending her free time on social media whenever she can.

Find Mikki and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Promo + Giveaway: Rest in Pieces by Lucinda Dark (@Lucy_Smoke, @XpressoTours)

Rest in Pieces
Barbie: The Vampire Hunter #1

Goodreads / Amazon

Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust. If vampires kill your entire family, vengeance is a must.
I can’t say my parents never warned me about vampires. I just never believed them. Not—that is—until six months ago when vampires broke into my home and killed my family. Thanks to all the skills my parents taught me, I managed to escape but I couldn’t save them.
Two vampires down and the rest of the world to go.
My bid for revenge is going to have to wait, though, because until I turn 18, I’m being placed in the loving care of Elizabeth and Jonathan McKnight—godparents I didn’t even know existed. The clock is ticking until I can get back to my goal of eradicating the vampire race. But something is amiss at my new high school. According to my parents, vampires can’t walk in daylight. So, why then, does Torin Priest? If he’s not a vampire, then what is he? Because unlike the obnoxious asshole, Maverick McKnight, who sees me as some sort of bloodsucking leech on his wealthy family, Torin Priest is most certainly not human.
To stake or not to stake, that is the question.

 Excerpt:

Maverick pointed his finger right in my face. “I’m watching you, Barbie,” he spat my name like a curse. “If you try to steal from them, you’ll be out the door so goddamn fast, you’ll have burns on your ass from being kicked to the curb.”
“For your information, Maverick,” I said, using the same tone he’d used with my name, “I’m not here to find a new fucking family. I’m here because the government put me here. Comprende, dumbass? As a minor, I don’t have much of a fucking choice.”
“Choice or not.” He shook his head and fixed me with an outright glare. “You will not fuck with me. You will not fuck with my parents. You will stay the hell out of my way and out of my fucking business. Do you comprende?”
“Duly noted,” I replied dryly. “And since we’re on the topic of discussion, let’s make a deal—you and I.” Before he could agree or not on any sort of deal, I continued. “You stay out of my fucking way and I won’t kick your ass. And trust me, pretty boy, I may look smaller than you, but I would have you begging in a matter of seconds. If you don’t like me now, wait until I unleash my inner bitch. Therefore, if you wish to remain breathing, I suggest you back off,” I growled. “And in case you can’t understand that, understand this”—I stopped and leaned forward, moving into his space until I could smell a hint of his spicy cologne—“thou shalt not try me. Do so at your own peril.” He eyed me with no small amount of cold-blooded hatred. I didn’t give much of a shit. I moved back once more and jerked the door handle. “Now unlock the fucking door, Deputy Maverick, or you’ll see just what my inner bitch can do.”

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Lucinda Dark is the Fantasy based pen name for USA Today Bestselling Author, Lucy Smoke.

A writer of various genres, Lucy is a young adventurer with a lust for good characterization and unique protagonists.

You can contact her or view her catalog via her website at www.Lucysmoke.com or join her newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest releases!

Find Lucinda and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Promo + Giveaway: Blood Rose by Rachael Vaughn (@XpressoTours)

Blood Rose

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Fleeing her past and a dark tragedy that haunts her every waking moment, Rose settles for a crummy retail job in a crummy town in the middle of Indiana. Her one solace - the sprawling forest behind her apartment complex - leads her down a dizzying path into a topsy-turvy world where Rose escapes her painful memories…but finds herself at the center of a dangerous plot.
A mysterious (and frequently unconscious) stranger, a technicolor landscape, and a sinister but charismatic leader pull Rose deeper into an unexpected adventure…where nothing is as it seems.
Follow Rose on her journey through this perilous but beautiful land, as she wonders if she can save it…or herself. 

Excerpt:

The stranger was back before long, and Rose didn’t miss the flash of relief on his face when he saw her standing where he had left her. He carried with him a bowl of water, steam rising in tendrils from the surface, and an assortment of other supplies. When he reached her he continued on past, beckoning her to follow, and Rose turned to see him heading toward a small seating area near the door. A low, backless sofa ran along the wall, each end lifting to curl in a tight spiral. An equally low table stood in front of the sofa, and two matching chairs framed either side.
After a moment of hesitation, Rose took a seat on the sofa, and the stranger placed the bowl and supplies on the table before lowering himself hesitantly to sit beside her. He gave her a questioning glance as if asking for permission, and Rose offered her wounded palm. She kept quiet, not wanting her barrage of questions to break the trance she felt from his calming influence. The man chose a soft cloth from the pile on the table, dipped it in the warm water and began to gently wash the blood from her hand. She winced when the water stung the cut, and the man grimaced in apology.
As he worked, the lace cuff fell back from his left hand and the sleeve of his jacket rode up slightly. Rose caught a glimpse of something thick and dark winding around his arm. It appeared to have the texture of an old scar, thick and ridged, but jet black and stark against his pale blue skin. It grew thinner the further down it reached, tapering out into thin tendrils at his wrist, leaving the skin of his hand smooth and untainted. Rose felt his hands falter in their movements against hers, and she looked up to see him following her gaze to his wrist. He self-consciously pulled the cuff back down into place, covering the black lines, and Rose hastily looked away.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. He didn’t respond, only retrieved the cloth and began wiping blood from her other hand. Once both were clean, he let the cloth fall into the now pink-tinged water, and took a bandage from the table. He paused for a moment, before setting the bandage back down unopened.
“You must have a lot of questions,” he said softly, not quite meeting her eyes.
A startled laugh escaped Rose’s throat. That was the understatement of the century. He gave a soft chuckle and she realized she had voiced the thought aloud.
“Yes, I imagine that must be true.” He turned to face her directly, and his eyes met hers. She was alarmed at the intensity in their purple depths, and his voice was urgent when he spoke again, the words coming fast.
“Listen, I’ll explain everything, I promise. But you’re not safe here, and I need you to trust me.”
Rose opened her mouth, but he continued before she could respond.
“I know we’ve only just met, but I promise I won’t let any harm come to you. There’s so much you need to know, and so little time, and I—” he paused, seeming to exert quite a bit of effort to gather himself. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to hers. “Will you trust me?”
His gaze bored into her, and without the slightest idea why, Rose found herself nodding. Anything to get that look of desperation off his face.
He seemed to wilt, relief coloring his features, and he held out his hand for hers again. She placed her wounded hand in his, and he flipped it over, palm up. Lifting his other hand, he gently placed his index finger against the gash in her palm, and without warning, a burst of light emanated out of his fingertip where it met her skin.
Rose felt strangely detached, as if she were watching this happen instead of actually experiencing it. She felt no pain, only a bright, comforting warmth that grew to encompass her whole hand. He traced his finger slowly down the length of the wound, the bright light following the path of his finger, and Rose watched in surprise as the line of her blood began to glow bright, the same iridescent glimmer she had noticed when she’d touched the handle of the door what seemed like ages ago.
Rose watched in wonder as the stranger lifted his hand, the light fading. The shimmer faded from her palm as well, the wound sealing in its wake.
“There,” he said, releasing her hand. His voice sounded faint, its resonance muted. Rose looked up, sensing something was off, and found his face pale, nearly white, the silver lines practically nonexistent.
“Are you okay?” she asked, suddenly worried for this man—creature—she didn’t know, but he simply nodded and waved off her concern. She looked down at her palm again in amazement, a thin faded line all that remained of the red gash.
“What was that?” she asked, “How did you—” But her attention was caught quite suddenly by his hands, which were clutched tightly in his lap. He held his right hand wrapped protectively around the left, but past his grip Rose could see the black lines moving on his skin, creeping slowly beyond the edge of his cuff and onto the back of his hand, tendrils snaking across the pale flesh there.

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Rachael Vaughn is the creative brainchild of husband-and-wife writing duo, Laura Rachael Black and Trenton Vaughn Hockersmith.

Laura is the wordsmith of the pair, and a bona fide dabbler. With interests in everything from mosaics to wood carving and playing the hammered dulcimer, there isn't much that doesn't appeal to her insatiable need to create. When she isn't writing, Laura stays busy as the co-owner of Firefly Tattoo--one of Indianapolis's premier tattoo studios--where she is also a full-time artist. You can check out her professional tattoo gallery at https://www.fireflytattoo.com/f88479627.

Trent acts as the bookends of the writing process. He serves as the team's world-builder and plot developer on the front end, and acts as an editor and proofreader (plus the ultimate voice of reason) on the backside. His educational background in English and psychology help him craft vibrant worldscapes and compelling, authentic characters. When not mired in the trenches of world-building, Trent enjoys reading, playing video games, and practicing jiu-jitsu and tai-chi.

The team shares more than a pen name. Their home outside Indianapolis is also inhabited by their daughter, Seva, and Helena, the world's fluffiest cat.

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Promo + Giveaway: The Abyss Trilogy by A.C. Ward (@XpressoTours)

Avoiding the Abyss
 The Abyss Trilogy #1

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Aubrey has always been told she isn’t special.
If only that had remained true.

Aubrey grew up as part of the rebel movement, protected but lonely. All she wants is her mother’s love, but without an ability she’s worthless in her mother’s eyes.

When she’s captured by the government, Aubrey sees an opportunity to prove her worth. Instead, she realizes that her mother has been withholding many truths. Aubrey experiences an acceptance outside of the rebels that her heart has yearned for, and a discovery. She has an immunity that has never been seen before.

But Aubrey isn’t immune, she’s absorbing powers as the key to the Abyss—a portal into the demon realm. Her mother finally sees purpose in her daughter and hopes to use it for her cause. Aubrey isn’t as certain. If she doesn’t gain control of her ability, she’ll open the gateway to hell and destroy everyone she’s come to care about. Including herself.

The first installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and demon lore.

Download now to find out if Aubrey will succeed in Avoiding the Abyss.

The Complete Trilogy:

Excerpt:

It wasn’t the first time her mother had punched her in the face, and Aubrey doubted it would be the last. The most frustrating part was that she saw the punch coming. Not because it was slow—her mother, the paragon of the rebels, didn’t do slow—but because it was her typical move. Aubrey had fallen for the same thing in prior training sessions. She had learned tactics to avoid it, blocking the punch or turning to the side or even ducking, but indecision led to her freezing up.
Her mother’s controlled swing hit Aubrey in the jaw. She tasted blood. Trying her best to ignore it, Aubrey kept her feet moving, managing to pull back in time to evade the second swing. She had never been able to keep up with her mother but wanted to put up a good enough fight to avoid being a complete disappointment. Again.
Sparring matches were one of the few times Aubrey interacted with her mother. It had become a form of communication between them. The way her mother’s green eyes hardened to stone, the deep crease that formed between her brows, the firming of her lips as they turned down in displeasure, Aubrey could read them all. Her mother treated only her that way. A ball of tension twisted in her stomach, the pain of it worse than a connected blow could ever be.
Aubrey swung out at her mother, the punch a surprise even to herself, and sloppy. Her mother caught it in her own fist, the crease between her brows deepening. She used Aubrey’s own momentum against her, pulling her into the next blow. Aubrey tried in vain to turn it into a glancing blow, but the force of the impact snapped her head back. Dots danced in front of her eyes as Aubrey fell. Her mother released her grip to let her.
There were ways to fall to keep in the fight. Aubrey tried to get her body to do it, to roll back to her feet, but she flopped onto the rock ground instead with a sickening thud. She blinked, and the dots whirled, creating arcs of white light. Her mother stepped forward into the glow, pressing her advantage, and behind her an image formed.
Aubrey blinked but the figure remained. It was a man, and it was not. The scowl on his face was even fiercer than her mother’s. When he crossed his arms, Aubrey thought she saw three pairs of limbs folding over his bare ridged chest. He towered above her mother at an impossible height.
Aubrey lost her breath even before her mother’s kick connected with her side. What little air was left whooshed out of her lungs and she squeezed her eyes shut, giving in to the pain. The next kick popped them open wide again. Behind her mother, the figure was gone, burst like the figment of imagination he must have been.
The third kick had her body screaming in protest. Aubrey tried to roll away, to not just sit there and be beaten. Her mother was intent on her prey. The next blow to Aubrey’s side drained the last of her resistance. She curled in on herself, covered her head as best she could, and waited for the punishment to be over.
“Myra,” a voice interjected, warm and unhurried like the man it had come from.
Aubrey’s arms tightened even further around herself, wondering just how much of her shame he had witnessed.
Her mother paused, looking back over her shoulder to where he stood.
“They are asking for you, mi alma,” Tony said, the smile on his face one he reserved for Aubrey’s mother.
Myra frowned at him, her typical response to the pet name. “I’ve told you not to call me that.” She turned back to her daughter, her stance rigid. “Not good enough.”
Aubrey let the words pierce her, forcing her grip on herself to loosen. “I know.”
“You’re already at a disadvantage with no powers. You should be putting every effort into becoming useful in the one area where you have any chance.” Her mother stepped back and picked up a towel to wipe her face, though it wasn’t needed. Myra hadn’t even broken a sweat.
Aubrey’s own sweat ran in rivulets through her short-cropped hair. She used her trembling arms to push herself to a sitting position.
Myra tossed the towel, streaked with red dirt, into her lap. “This performance was even worse than last time.”
Aubrey tensed as her mother stepped toward her, half expecting another kick.
Myra crouched, forcing her daughter to meet her sharp eyes. “You’re becoming even more of a waste of time. If it gets any worse, we’ll end these sessions.” She stood again, turning her back on Aubrey.
Tony moved to the side of the entrance as she passed through, staring after her silently. When she was out of sight, he let out a heavy sigh and glanced at Aubrey where she was still frozen in place. “Happy fifteenth birthday, nena,” he said. Then he left to chase after her mother.
Aubrey stared at the rocky ground beneath her. Her hands curled into fists, the urge to hit something coming too late. She slammed them down hard enough to raise the dirt in plumes of red dust.

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Amanda Ward is a little worried that her internet search history is on some sort of watch list. For Death Daydreams, she researched serial killers, hidden rooms, death, suicide, and third-story falls. Her next work in process is only making it worse.

Amanda lives with her husband, daughter, and various pets - dog, cat, gecko, fish, and tarantula. When she's not writing she's watching Netflix or rereading her favorite manga. She'd love to hear from her fans. You can contact her at wardabooks@gmail.com.

Find A.C Ward and her books

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Promo + Giveaway: Wolf Rebel by Paige Tyler (@PaigeTyler, @SourcebooksCasa)

Wolf Rebel
SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #10
Amazon  BN  Apple  Kobo  IndieBound  BAM  Walmart

She let him get away
SWAT werewolf Rachel Bennett is hounded by nightmares after a vicious attack left her with PTSD. Not knowing who or what she can trust anymore, she's relieved to be assigned to a high-profile protective detail. Diving into work might be the distraction she needs, until she notices the mysterious hunk who seems to follow her wherever she goes—and recognizes him.
Now he needs her help...
After he's badly injured, former Navy SEAL Knox Lawson seeks out Rachel when he realizes he's turning into a werewolf. He'd once been part of the group hunting her kind, but he knew he had to quit when he found Rachel in his crosshairs. Now he desperately needs her help.
Rachel isn't sure she trusts Knox, but having him around keeps the nightmares—and the monster creating them—away. Knox might not know much about being a werewolf, but there's no doubt he'll do everything in his power to win her trust and keep her safe. 

SWAT Series:
Hungry Like the Wolf (Book 1)
Wolf Trouble (Book 2)
In the Company of Wolves (Book 3)
To Love a Wolf (Book 4)
Wolf Unleashed (Book 5)
Wolf Hunt (Book 6)
Wolf Hunger (Book 7)
Wolf Rising (Book 8)
Wolf Instinct (Book 9)
Wolf Rebel (Book 10)

Praise for Paige Tyler:

“Paige Tyler’s SWAT series hits all the right marks, blending steamy paranormal fantasy with modern day realism.”—LARISSA IONE, New York Times bestselling author

“This fast-paced procedural brims with heat and action.”—Publishers Weekly for Wolf Rising

“If you love hunks in uniform, a spitfire heroine, drama, danger, intrigue, and some really steamy moments then get your hands on Wolf Rising.”—Fresh Fiction 

“Action-packed, sizzling fun for fans of paranormal romantic suspense.”—Booklist for In the Company of Wolves
Excerpt:

She leaned against the balcony railing to do a little stargazing from the second-floor deck when two scents that were becoming overwhelmingly familiar hit her. It was the same combination of scents she’d picked up this morning at the compound.
But this time it wasn’t some slight trace carried on the breeze. Instead, it was thick and heavy, like whoever the scents belonged to had been standing on the balcony mere seconds ago. It struck her then that this was the first time she’d attributed the smell to a person. Before now, she hadn’t been quite sure.
Hand tightening on her mug, she swept the street below her apartment with her gaze, taking in every car parked on the curb and row of buildings on the other side of the street, following the smell with her nose. It was strongest in that direction and she inhaled deeply. The scents were richer and fuller than she’d sensed before. And they definitely belonged to a man. Of that she was sure. The scents possessed a subtle hint of something so tantalizing that Rachel found her eyes going slightly unfocused as she fixated on it. She’d never smelled anything so…perfect.
Suddenly, she caught sight of movement across the street, buried in the shadows of the alley that ran alongside the organic food store. She turned all her attention in that direction, her eyes shifting so she could see better. That’s when she saw a man’s silhouette in the darkness.
As if sensing her gaze on him, the man retreated farther into the alley, and while she couldn’t see him, she could tell he was still there somewhere.
Setting her cup on the small table in between the two chairs, Rachel gripped the balcony railing and vaulted over it to the ground below. Her bare feet hit the sidewalk hard, but she ignored the discomfort and took off running across the street, chasing after the shadow.
The rocks and stray pieces of glass in the alley dug into her feet, but she refused to let that slow her as she ran as hard as she could. For a werewolf like her, that was pretty damn fast. But the man ahead of her was fast, too—too fast to be a normal human.
Crap, she was chasing another werewolf. She almost stumbled to a halt at the realization, shocked she hadn’t recognized the unique scent until now. How was it possible she hadn’t known it for what it was? Maybe because it had changed since she’d first smelled it all those weeks ago. The werewolf part of the scent seemed new.
Growling, she picked up speed, her body partially shifting as she ran faster, refusing to let the man ahead of her get away. It took a while to corner him, but when her prey turned down a dead-end alley, she knew she had him.
He didn’t stop running until he reached the brick wall at the end of the alley. Then he stood there and stared at it as if trying to figure out how to go through it. Dark-haired, he was tall with broad shoulders and sleek muscles filling out the T-shirt he wore. He looked left and right, breathing hard as he searched for an escape route.
“You’re not getting out of this alley,” Rachel told him, not even trying to disguise the anger in her voice. This guy had been stalking her for weeks. He was lucky she didn’t rip him to shreds first and ask questions later. “Not until you tell me who the hell you are and what you want with me.”
Squaring his shoulders as if resigned to his fate, he slowly turned to face her. His hair was short on the sides and longer on the top, and his face carried a few days’ worth of scruff that emphasized his square jaw, making him look dangerous and even more attractive than he probably had a right to. His eyes were a deep, rich chocolate brown, piercing but somehow soft at the same time.
She was well on her way to getting lost in those eyes when she suddenly realized she recognized him. He was the hunter she’d let get away. A hunter who was a werewolf.
***
Excerpted from Wolf Rebel by Paige Tyler. © 2019 by Paige Tyler. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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aige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of action-packed romantic suspense, romantic thrillers, and paranormal romance. Paige writes books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines they fall in love with. She lives with her very own military hero (a.k.a. her husband) and their adorable dog on the beautiful Florida coast. Visit www.paigetylertheauthor.com.

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