Mark of the Witch (Boston Witches book 1)
This is the first book in the Boston Witches series, Released June 1st, 2012 Click the picture to purchase. Excerpt from chapter 2.
I found that there are others like me, the truly immortal, we call ourselves the amaranthine, the deathless. We walk the earth as lonely travelers who bear witness to all that humanity has unleashed upon this world.” He stopped talking and stared out into the night for a few minutes.
“So why do I feel a connection with you? Its like an electric current is connecting us, I feel it now, even though we’re sitting so far apart.” she said as she scooted further away.
“I’m not sure, but I would say that it has more to do with you than with me, you have power that I’ve never seen in another person before.” His eyes took on an odd sheen as he said that. “It’s almost like the blood in your veins is pure electricity. What do you feel when I touch you?” He excitedly reached for her hand, curious to see what the result would be. Jilly felt a strange tightening in the pit of her stomach.
“I feel like I’ve been, shocked at first, but then its almost as if I can feel the hum of your blood in my fingers. It’s a weird sensation; I’m not quite sure how I feel about it or you for that matter. I know that we need to talk more. I want to know what it is that is between us, but I’m on information overload right now. I need to process all that you’ve told me tonight, can we meet again soon? Maybe tomorrow night? Do you know where I live? Of course you do, how stupid of me.” Jilly said with a small laugh.
“Yes, I do know where you live, I have been there many times, although I must say, I am interested to see what sort of modern touches the subsequent generations of your family have put on the house. What time should I arrive?”
“Um, maybe six-ish? I have a client coming over around four, so I should be done by then, does that work for you?” She asked as she was pulling herself off the bench.
“Yes, I shall see you tomorrow evening. Oh and Jilly, you really shouldn’t be in the habit of meeting strange people at night. I could have been a strangler for all you knew,” he said with a hint of reproach in his voice.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about me William, it’s the strangler who should be worried.” Jilly said with a viscous gleam in her eyes while she vigorously rubbed her palms together until they glowed brightly in the moonlight. “Care to shake my hand Mr. Strangler?” she asked with a laugh as she stuck her hand out to him.
“Ok, I’m game, let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeve,” he said as he grabbed her hand. Almost instantly he was on the ground writhing in pain. “Well, I will say that tonight I’m glad that I cannot die, that sure packs a punch, I think I could feel my heart stop for a second.” He said a little winded as he was propping himself up into a sitting position and rubbing his hand.
“Yeah, I figured I’d give you a real show tonight,” she said as she walked away.
He watched her go, still sitting on the ground and said, “until tomorrow then,” almost under his breath.
“So why do I feel a connection with you? Its like an electric current is connecting us, I feel it now, even though we’re sitting so far apart.” she said as she scooted further away.
“I’m not sure, but I would say that it has more to do with you than with me, you have power that I’ve never seen in another person before.” His eyes took on an odd sheen as he said that. “It’s almost like the blood in your veins is pure electricity. What do you feel when I touch you?” He excitedly reached for her hand, curious to see what the result would be. Jilly felt a strange tightening in the pit of her stomach.
“I feel like I’ve been, shocked at first, but then its almost as if I can feel the hum of your blood in my fingers. It’s a weird sensation; I’m not quite sure how I feel about it or you for that matter. I know that we need to talk more. I want to know what it is that is between us, but I’m on information overload right now. I need to process all that you’ve told me tonight, can we meet again soon? Maybe tomorrow night? Do you know where I live? Of course you do, how stupid of me.” Jilly said with a small laugh.
“Yes, I do know where you live, I have been there many times, although I must say, I am interested to see what sort of modern touches the subsequent generations of your family have put on the house. What time should I arrive?”
“Um, maybe six-ish? I have a client coming over around four, so I should be done by then, does that work for you?” She asked as she was pulling herself off the bench.
“Yes, I shall see you tomorrow evening. Oh and Jilly, you really shouldn’t be in the habit of meeting strange people at night. I could have been a strangler for all you knew,” he said with a hint of reproach in his voice.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about me William, it’s the strangler who should be worried.” Jilly said with a viscous gleam in her eyes while she vigorously rubbed her palms together until they glowed brightly in the moonlight. “Care to shake my hand Mr. Strangler?” she asked with a laugh as she stuck her hand out to him.
“Ok, I’m game, let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeve,” he said as he grabbed her hand. Almost instantly he was on the ground writhing in pain. “Well, I will say that tonight I’m glad that I cannot die, that sure packs a punch, I think I could feel my heart stop for a second.” He said a little winded as he was propping himself up into a sitting position and rubbing his hand.
“Yeah, I figured I’d give you a real show tonight,” she said as she walked away.
He watched her go, still sitting on the ground and said, “until tomorrow then,” almost under his breath.
Jilly opened her eyes and found herself in a dark forest filled with fog. She stood still, looking around her for any clues to where she was. She heard voices in the distance and saw the flickering light of a fire. She made her way silently through the night towards the voices. She stopped about ten yards from where the people stood and got down on the ground so she could inch closer without being seen. She finally reached a point where she could see but not be seen; and stopped, hiding behind a large bush. The leaves scratched at her skin. It was two men talking. One of them was Patrick and the other was a tall blonde man she had never seen before.
“When will we have the girl?” the man asked.
“I’m working on it, Drew. It’s trickier than it should be. My first priority is finding Sabine, right now. We can worry about the girl after that. I need you to work on that. It’s your assignment while you’re in Boston.” Drew nodded and melted into the darkness behind him.
“You may as well come out, Jillian. I know you’re there,” Patrick said dryly. Jilly got up slowly and brushed off her pants as she made her way over to Patrick. “You’re awfully brave to be out here alone in the night.”
Jilly shrugged. “I guess, or crazy. Either way I’m here.”
Patrick laughed. “You know, I think we could be friends if you weren’t with my saint of a brother.”
“Do you want to tell me who that guy was?” Jilly asked
“Not really,” Patrick shot back.
“Ok, how about the girl?”
“What girl do you mean, Jillian? I know many girls.”
“Don’t be cute, Patrick. It doesn’t suit you. What girl were you talking about?”
He sneered at her. “Now why would I tell you that, Jillian? That would ruin all of my fun. I need to run, and you really should wake up.” He shoved her and Jilly felt herself being sucked backwards. She opened her eyes and she was back in bed. After letting the shock of the experience wear off, she rolled over toward William.
“When will we have the girl?” the man asked.
“I’m working on it, Drew. It’s trickier than it should be. My first priority is finding Sabine, right now. We can worry about the girl after that. I need you to work on that. It’s your assignment while you’re in Boston.” Drew nodded and melted into the darkness behind him.
“You may as well come out, Jillian. I know you’re there,” Patrick said dryly. Jilly got up slowly and brushed off her pants as she made her way over to Patrick. “You’re awfully brave to be out here alone in the night.”
Jilly shrugged. “I guess, or crazy. Either way I’m here.”
Patrick laughed. “You know, I think we could be friends if you weren’t with my saint of a brother.”
“Do you want to tell me who that guy was?” Jilly asked
“Not really,” Patrick shot back.
“Ok, how about the girl?”
“What girl do you mean, Jillian? I know many girls.”
“Don’t be cute, Patrick. It doesn’t suit you. What girl were you talking about?”
He sneered at her. “Now why would I tell you that, Jillian? That would ruin all of my fun. I need to run, and you really should wake up.” He shoved her and Jilly felt herself being sucked backwards. She opened her eyes and she was back in bed. After letting the shock of the experience wear off, she rolled over toward William.
Vampire Paranormal
She hated herself right now, loathed what she was doing to Rider and to herself. After a while, she grew tired of hating herself; so she wandered into her room. She lay down on her bed, wanting nothing more than to turn off the horrible thoughts in her head.
She heard a soft tap at the window. She knew who it would be before she turned to look. “I can’t do this tonight Ronan; I thought I made myself clear when I left earlier.”
“You said what you wanted to say, yes? I, however, did not. I’m asking as a courtesy to you; so either open the window or I will break it.” His tone left no room to refuse.
Bronwyn got up slowly and opened the window, allowing him entrance into the room. He sat down on the bed and studied her before speaking. “Would you care to sit?” He gestured to the bed next to him.
“I’ll stand, thanks.” She shot back and leaned back against her dresser. “Say what you have to say and leave, Ronan, I’m really not in the mood for this.”
“I’m not going to change, you know that. The idea of having a soul or a conscience is absurd to me. We are Vampire!” he shouted. Ronan’s expression softened, “I love you Bronwyn; you’ve intrigued me since I first saw you. I sired you because once I spoke to you, I could not be without you.” He was next to her in a split second and he gently caressed her cheek.
Despite her earlier resolve, she turned into him and kissed his lips. “Loving you has never been the issue, Ronan; I never stopped. I just can’t stand the senseless killing.”
“Did you, yourself, not kill tonight? I tasted blood on your lips,” He said..
“I did; but you and I both know it's different.”
“It’s not.”
Bronwyn looked at him, sadly. “This is where we always end up.” Tears slipped down her cheeks, leaving behind red streaks. She tried to hold them back, but everything within her was broken. “I can’t just turn off my humanity like a switch. I refuse to do that, Ronan. I. Will. Not.” She sobbed into his chest, beating her hands against him.
“I can’t let you go,” he whispered into her hair. He tipped her chin up and brushed his lips against her. “Is this where we are then?” He whispered.
“I can’t...”
He kissed her once more and vanished into the night.
She heard a soft tap at the window. She knew who it would be before she turned to look. “I can’t do this tonight Ronan; I thought I made myself clear when I left earlier.”
“You said what you wanted to say, yes? I, however, did not. I’m asking as a courtesy to you; so either open the window or I will break it.” His tone left no room to refuse.
Bronwyn got up slowly and opened the window, allowing him entrance into the room. He sat down on the bed and studied her before speaking. “Would you care to sit?” He gestured to the bed next to him.
“I’ll stand, thanks.” She shot back and leaned back against her dresser. “Say what you have to say and leave, Ronan, I’m really not in the mood for this.”
“I’m not going to change, you know that. The idea of having a soul or a conscience is absurd to me. We are Vampire!” he shouted. Ronan’s expression softened, “I love you Bronwyn; you’ve intrigued me since I first saw you. I sired you because once I spoke to you, I could not be without you.” He was next to her in a split second and he gently caressed her cheek.
Despite her earlier resolve, she turned into him and kissed his lips. “Loving you has never been the issue, Ronan; I never stopped. I just can’t stand the senseless killing.”
“Did you, yourself, not kill tonight? I tasted blood on your lips,” He said..
“I did; but you and I both know it's different.”
“It’s not.”
Bronwyn looked at him, sadly. “This is where we always end up.” Tears slipped down her cheeks, leaving behind red streaks. She tried to hold them back, but everything within her was broken. “I can’t just turn off my humanity like a switch. I refuse to do that, Ronan. I. Will. Not.” She sobbed into his chest, beating her hands against him.
“I can’t let you go,” he whispered into her hair. He tipped her chin up and brushed his lips against her. “Is this where we are then?” He whispered.
“I can’t...”
He kissed her once more and vanished into the night.
Excerpt
Ronan was restless.
He wanted to claim what was rightfully his. He spent his nights stalking her,
watching her. He could never see her enough. She consumed his thoughts,
until nothing existed but her. At the moment, he was sitting outside of
her house, peering into her window as she slept. Ronan never fully understood
her need to sleep; she always told him it made her feel human. The notion was
absurd to him.
A strong desire to
snatch her out of her bed crept over him, and it took all of his willpower to
ignore it. After deciding he had been standing there for too long, Ronan went
in search of a suitable distraction: blood, and lots of it.
As he roamed the dirty Los Angeles streets, he
scented something familiar: immortal blood. There she was tall, blonde, and
dressed in leather. She stood across the street, leaning against a grimy wall,
watching him, waiting for him to make a move.
Ronan didn’t know her, but he could smell
Keelin’s blood running through her veins.
“Hello, sister.”
She nodded and
gestured for him to come across, her icy blue eyes glowing in anticipation. In
a second, he was next to her.
“Mother says hello,” she said with a laugh,
her full lips curving.
“How nice of her,” he replied. “To what do I
owe the pleasure of this visit, little sister?”
“My name is Meegan. Mother asked me to come
and get acquainted with my brothers, so here I am.” She shrugged, not caring what
he thought about what she had said.
Ronan studied her
before turning to leave. “Are you going to come then?” he called over his
shoulder from halfway down the block.
Meegan caught up with him before he rounded
the corner. “Where are we going?”
“To find Christopher.” He didn’t say anything
more, just took off running.
***
Ronan
was pleased to see that Meegan kept pace with him. They found Christopher just
outside of Hollywood, snacking on a bottle blonde with too much makeup. He
looked up at their approach.
“You’ve brought a
friend.” Christopher said with a smile, dropping the lifeless blonde to the
ground.
“Christopher, don’t be cute. You don't wear it
well. This is our new sister, Meegan.” Ronan thrust her forward a few steps.
Christopher scented the air around her. “You
do smell of Keelin.” He grinned broadly, then added, “Welcome to the family.”
Meegan smiled, barely hiding her distaste.
“Thank you.”
“You’ve met us. Now
tell me what Keelin really wants,” Ronan spat out, his tone cold as death.
Meegan smiled at
him. “She told me you don’t miss anything. This nonsense with your child needs
to stop, Ronan. Keelin will not tolerate it anymore.”
Ronan smiled, his eyes glowing, “I will not
take orders from a newborn. You would be wise to leave now, Meegan.” There was
no room for discussion. Meegan dropped her eyes and backed away slowly.
“This doesn’t
change how she feels. Keelin will come for you herself next time.” Her words
held a threat they both knew Keelin would make good on. The night swallowed her
up, and Ronan and Christopher were alone once again.
“What are you going to do about this, Ronan?”
Christopher whined. “I don’t want Keelin mad at me.”
Ronan scoffed, “I’m not going to do anything
about this. She is my child, mine. I will do as I please. Keelin is crazy to
think she can order me around as though I were newly turned.” He glanced at
Christopher, who was cowering in the shadows like the rat he was. “Run along, I
have no further use for you tonight.” Ronan waved his hand dismissively and
Christopher scurried off to some dark corner of the night to snivel in fear.
Still working on this one......check back soon for a blurb
