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Book Feature: Fit to Kill by Donnie Ray Whetstone

Hey guys! Welcome to today's book feature! Wow, its been a loooong time since I last featured a book that wasn't part of a blog tour! So yep, this is Fit to Kill by Donnie Ray Whetstone. It looks amazing, I hope you enjoy it:)


Fit to Kill

How do you stop a personal trainer, who fantasizes about killing his clients, then carries out his gruesome desire on someone else? Making matters worse, how do you stop desires for your own trainer, jeopardizing your marriage? More troubling, do you want to? That’s what Detective Tara Tanner must solve in this crime thriller.
La Flore is renowned for its elite personal trainers. This model city however, faces a crisis. Someone is on a killing binge. The killer is vicious and cunning. He harbors a profound irony for one of the nation’s fittest cities, and the way he selects his victims makes him untraceable, but this predator has a weakness.
Fit to Kill is a non-stop thriller of fantasy, temptation and redemption, a deadly game of chase, in which the line is marred between predator and prey, a game that reveals how far one will go to kill, and how far the other will go, to survive.




Donnie Whetstone


Donnie Whetstone resides in Rochester, Washington with his wife Diane. He is a full time personal trainer with over twenty years of experience and more than 70,000 training hours in homes, gyms and his own private training studio. Donnie is currently the co-owner of Fit Stop 24 Fitness Centers located in both Olympia and Yelm, Washington.
Though Fit to Kill is his first novel, he is no stranger to writing, having written numerous articles on nutrition, weight training and fitness; appearing in newspapers, magazines and the Internet. In Fit to Kill, his experience as a trainer allowed him to truly immerse the reader into the world of fitness in this detective thriller.
Donnie also has 13 years of military service in both the US Marines and US Army serving as a platoon sergeant and acting first sergeant. His experience as a trainer and veteran was extremely helpful in writing Fit to Kill. He is currently in the process writing a new novel with the working title of Night Spear. It combines both the supernatural and military drama.





And now, let's welcome Donnie to the blog for a short interview with me:)


Hi Donnie, it’s lovely to have you on the blog today!
Glad to be here.


For starters, why not you tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?
    I’m a former Marine and Soldier, a Gym co-owner, a professional trainer and nutritional consultant, and a competitive master’s bodybuilder aspiring to become a professional. I have a lovely wife, Diane and we have five grown kids, a grandbaby with another one on the way.

What made you want to become a writer?
   I don’t think I chose writing as much as writing chose me. I’ve always been artistic. All of my school years, I was in honor’s art. I lost my touch for art my junior year and to this day I don’t know why. My senior year I had acquired all of my graduation credits and decided to take creative writing. The teacher thought I had potential but I didn’t think much of it, but the seeds were planted that spring of 1979. 

Did you have other aspirations/dreams in the past, or have you always wanted to be a writer?
   My lifelong goal is to become a professional bodybuilder; I’ve wanted that since age 11. Of course, spending over 20 years in the fitness industry, I also aspire to help the nation win its war against obesity. Being a chunky kid before discovering weight training, our youth holds a big priority with me.  

What gave you the inspiration for the plot of the book?
    The one element that stands out is all of the true crime TV I watch. I especially like City Confidential and find it intriguing how the series gets viewers attached to the community, the residents and their reactions to the forces of events. I wanted to get that same intrigue with readers in Fit to Kill.      

Are your characters based off real people, or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
    Both, with the story’s setting being the world of fitness, my 20 years in the industry gave me plenty to work with. However there are number of characters that were completely from my imagination.

Could you tell us a bit about your book and why it is a must-read?
   A model city, La Flore faces its first serial killer in a deadly irony since being voted on of the nation’s fittest cities. The killer provides the irony because when he’s not brutally murdering La Florians, he’s motivating them in sweat drenching workouts in his private training studio. Detective Tara Tanner is the heroin that must solve this baffling case while grappling with her strong attraction and impending affair with her own trainer that threatens her marriage. Fit to Kill takes the reader to the dark side of fitness and is rife with conflict, twists and turns, and what story wouldn’t benefit with a nice helping of temptation…that’s why it’s a must read

What do you love most about the writing process?
    With me it’s when after a few chapters, the story grows legs and takes its own path. I had the complete storyline written for Fit to Kill, but around chapter ten the story had developed to where other options opened up. The story had the same ending as the storyline, but in an entirely different way. Seeing those options open up, options I couldn’t remotely conceive before, is what I love most about the process.      

And of course, do you have a particular favorite character? I know an author will love most if not all of the characters he/she creates, but I’m sure there must be a favorite of yours! So who is it, and why?
     In Fit to Kill, I would say my favorite character is Detective Tara Tanner. Over the years, the vast majority of my training clients have been women with most falling in Tara’s age group. They are remarkable people in many ways yet they are not infallible. Detective Tanner embodies that. I guess you could say it’s my tribute to them.     

Will you tell us a little about your plans for the future?
   My immediate plan is to bump my freaking cardio to two hours in preparation for the Master’s Nationals in Pittsburg…ya gotta love it. Also, the rest of the year will be marketing Fit to Kill via book events, book contests, book trailers, bodybuilding and fitness competitions, anything to get exposure, which is more work than actually writing the novel…go figure.

And of course, are there any other books that are in the works? (Ideas thought out, perhaps even a rough draft?)

 I’ll go one better. Here’s the synopsis to my current project: Night Spear

   It is a military secret of the highest order, kept even from a President, whose anti terror successes in killing fifty of the world’s most notorious terrorists figures, including Bin Laden, has rewarded him with the highest foreign policy approval rating of any President. The secret is an assault team like no other. Deception is used to mask their operations. Reports of successful drone and SEAL team strikes are mere cover ups to conceal their grisly work. Though this pack of four carries no weapons, they are the most lethal team on earth. Their abilities border super human and folklore has made them infamous. One legend however, is true, which is why they only operate at night. Night spear is about a highly decorated Army Major, Clint Westland’s induction into this covert world. On the short list for lieutenant colonel and eager to command a Stryker Brigade, a calling summons him to another assignment, one where he discovers the lengths taken to ensure our national security, and not everything we see and hear, is to be believed.

I’m currently on chapter 10. 

And now, just some little random questions!

Favorite colour?
Blue

Favorite place?
At a good movie with Di

Favorite book?
That’s a hard one

Favorite thing?
Eating

What you do when you’re free:
Can eating apply here to?

Favorite day?
 Leg day


Hmm, I think that should be about it for today! It was a pleasure to have you on the blog today! Wishing you all the best in your career! :D
Thanks!


So yep, that's about it for today! Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll consider checking out Donnie's book and purchasing it!


Blog Tour: Mage's Bane by Chacelyn Pierce - Character Interview + Excerpt + Giveaway


Hey guys! Welcome to today's post! Sorry its a bit late up, just got free to post! Yep, so.. enjoy!:)


Mage's Bane

Being a rogue Akasha Mage is no easy feat for Aribelle Delano. Neither is summoning Riaz, a djinni that makes her knees go weak in a way that would shame her ancestors.

A new threat of demons intent on killing Ari for nefarious purposes has her putting all her trust in Riaz, who swears to protect her in the face of evil. But she's been taught that fully trusting Riaz is unwise, and he's constantly looking for a way to break free of her control.

Ari must face the new demonic threat and handle the Sultan of Old Magic who dominates her mind…and eventually, her body and soul as well. Together, her and Riaz must find a way to stop the demons and their summoner, even if that means breaking the rules that have been in place between the Akasha and Djinn for millenniums.



Chacelyn Pierce


A rocker by heart, Chacelyn Pierce is constantly ear plugged with heavy tunes blaring to stir up the phantom personalities that swarm her mind. It’s no surprise that she enjoys writing and reading to satiate her appetite for the male antagonist in a story. Married to a blatant redhead and mothering a diva, there is never a dull moment in the house. As a native Texan, she doesn’t personally own a horse but follows the unwritten southern rule of knowing how to ride one. When she’s not testing the emotional capacity of her characters, she works part time as a dog groomer.



Time for a short excerpt!

I stumbled into the musty room, trying to see through the hazy shimmer. I kept attempting to blink it away with no success. A cold sweat gave me clammy skin, and I was sure it was because of the venom being pumped faster by my erratic heartbeat. I was slightly nervous by the Djinn healing to come. The demon venom threatened to kill me at any moment, but I was actually more worried about Riaz's hands on me, touching me in my most intimate spots. Even though I'd known him a quarter of my life, I couldn't rid myself of this childish discomfort…or was it anticipation? This isn't a big deal at all, so stop acting like it is.

It wasn't like it was the first time. Riaz had healed me once before when I was a teenage girl. I'd tried to be a smart ass and show off to the big, bad Djinni my new driver's license—as if he cared about mortal things—and I got showy-flashy with my driving. I plunged us off the highway and down a steep embankment, hitting damn near every tree on the way down. The rescue crews and newspapers called me a lucky girl for over a year. Had it not been for Riaz's healing touch, I'm pretty sure internal bleeding would've taken me out at the tender age of eighteen. I'd been pretty out of it, but I remember Riaz had been fast-acting on keeping me alive. I know I hit my head pretty hard because after all his insults calling me a foolish girl, I thought I saw compassion in his eyes. I even thought I heard him telling me not to die and leave him. Well, I figure he said that out of fear he'd waste away on earth as nothing more than a specter.

He saved me to save himself then. But this particular night, I expected him to demand I send him back while I rotted away from demon venom. Just to prove he didn't care I needed him, I thought he might make me beg for my life. But he did none of that as he silently trailed behind me. I turned—a bit unsteadily—to see him close and lock the door with a tight-lipped expression.

The fast motion sent me into a dizzy state, causing my stomach to churn. I covered my mouth until the wave of nausea passed. Good lord, I'll be mortified if Riaz sees me puking or hears me spilling my guts in the bathroom like some college frat party. It was bad enough he'd probably never let me live any of this down. After a few deep breaths, I was finally okay enough to remove my hand and place it against my stomach.

"Take your shirt off and lay across the bed." Riaz's authoritative voice caused my pulse to jump a notch. Hesitantly, I lifted my grubby shirt over my head and let it fall to the floor. I glanced at him to see what emotion—if any—Riaz felt and sighed. All I saw was indifference—and me half-naked before him.

In fact, he didn't even try to catch an eyeful of skin as any normal male would. Granted, Riaz was no normal male, but most males, human or not, would soak up the exposed skin of a female. I wondered how he could look at me with irrelevance when I stood before him in only a bra. I couldn't keep my eyes off him at any given moment.

It was unfair he had a willpower I didn't possess. I mean, I wasn't drop-dead gorgeous, but I assumed—hell, I don't know what I assumed. Riaz was ancient. He'd had at least fifteen Akasha Mage handlers before me over the eras, so me parading around fully naked would only get a raised eyebrow and him asking if I'd fallen off the deep end again. I hated that the attraction was one-sided in our relationship.

It was immoral for an Akasha to become sexually involved with her Djinni. It would never end well for either party, and according to my former mentor, Yasmin, it was forbidden. But I couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever gotten intimate with any of his past mages. Someone must have slipped up to realize that bonking a Djinni wasn't the best tactic in any given situation.



And now, let's welcome Ari to the blog, who is a character from the book! She will be interviewed by Chacelyn!



Chacelyn: Can you describe to others how one would go about summoning a djinni?
Ari: Sure, first if he's anything like Riaz, you'll need a lot of patience. *laughs* It's in my blood. The power to call a djinni from Salot is hereditary. It requires years of knowing the ancient language and learning the power that you would have over a djinni. That Djinni's specific symbols must be etched onto a large wall, blood is used, and ancient verses help me bring the djinni to our world.

Chacelyn: What three things would you take to a Desert Island?
Ari: My summoning coal, a knife, and probably an alcoholic drink. That's assuming Riaz isn't with me, the coal and the knife will help me summon him and the alcohol is for after. *laughs*

Chacelyn: How do you feel about your family, now that you’re an adult?
Ari: Well since my mother left me in the care of Yasmin, I'm not sure how to really answer this. I love her, miss her but the secrets will always haunt me. My father… *shakes head* let's move along.

Chacelyn: What are you most proud of about your life?
Ari: That I was able to break free of the Akasha strict lifestyle. It wasn't easy but I did it so that I could be myself.

Chacelyn:  What are you most afraid of?
Ari: Spiders.

Chacelyn: What place would you most like to visit?
Ari: I would love to visit another dimension other than Salot. Riaz has told me there's more out there. Curiosity killed the cat though, so I'll not be making journeys to places that I haven't a clue about.

Chacelyn: Oh, interesting. What are your most treasured possessions?
Ari: It would have to be my mother's photo and journal. 



Enter the tour-wide giveaway here!

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So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

Blog Tour: Highland Home Series by Shari Richardson - Promo


Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog tour! I'm sorry this is so late, I just remembered:( My reviews aren't done yet because I just finished my exams, hence the lack of time to read and write:( I will read it and get it up as soon as possible!

In any case, the Highland Home Series is a series of YA paranormals, consisting of 5 books. It is published by Astral Plane Publishing. So, this is gonna be a long post! Better get started!


Mourning Sun

I should have known when he walked into my life that things would never be the same. Hadn't I dreamed of him and the things he'd done before I was born? If only he weren't so fascinating, so beautiful, so much more than any other guy. Maybe then I could walk away.

Mairin Cote is a magnet for weird. Her dreams come true, she can see auras and her mother is in love with an angel. Now the monsters are finding her too. Vampires, demigods and werepanthers have flocked to this small town girl who must find a way to keep her family safe, love the man of her dreams, and navigate the shark-infested waters of Highland Home High School.



Excerpt Time!


The young woman sat beside the bed, holding the boy's hand. Her lips moved in silent prayer, pausing only when he moved restlessly and moaned.
"Mathias?" Her voice was soft but rich.
He moaned again, but didn't wake. The young woman began to pray once again.
"Kathryn!" Mathias sat upright, searching the room with blind eyes. "Kathryn, run. Don't look back, just go!"
"Mathias, my love, I'm right here." She helped him lay back, smoothing her hand over his fevered brow. "Rest, my darling. You'll be well soon."
Mathias lay down, tossing restlessly. From time to time, he would whisper "Kathryn," before slipping farther into unconsciousness. Each time he spoke her name, Kathryn kissed Mathias and resumed her prayers.
Hours passed, but Kathryn, consumed by the life that drained from the man she loved, didn't notice the light draining from the day. She prayed. She held Mathias' hand. She soothed him when he was restless. Outside the window, the sun sank into the horizon. The sound of waves crashing against the shore slipped into the silence that now filled the room.
As the last of the light left the room, Kathryn rose  to light a candle. When she returned to her place by his bedside, she set the candle on the table and leaned down to see Mathias better in the flickering light. She put her hand upon his chest and then sat by his side and lay her ear against his still chest.
"No," she whispered, curling her hand into a fist on his chest. "Oh Mathias, I can't live without you." Tears slipped down her cheeks as  she closed her eyes and let the grief take her.
Mathias' eyes snapped open. Had she been watching, Kathryn would have seen that warm, dark eyes of his life were gone, replaced by pools of deepest, coldest black. He reached for Kathryn's hand where it lay on his chest, pulling it up to his lips.
"Mathias?" Kathryn blinked away her tears. Her eyes opened wide in disbelief, but there was no fear in her gaze, only the love she had for this beautiful boy.
Mathias licked his lips and ran his nose along the length of Kathryn's arm. She stayed frozen by his side, mesmerized by his gaze, which never flickered from her own. Even after his teeth sank easily into the warm flesh at the bend of her elbow, Kathryn never flinched. The room filled with a wet sucking, disrupted only by Kathryn's one brief gasp. Mathias lovingly cradled her arm against his lips as he drank, insensitive to the monstrosity of his act.
When Kathryn lay pale and still, Mathias blinked slowly.  He looked down at the beautiful, pale and cold woman whose glassy eyes were riveted on his face. He brushed his hand along her cheek, lovingly caressing her face as he had done so often in life. It was only when she didn't smile and ask for his kiss that understanding slowly dawned in his gaze and he screamed.
"Kathryn, my love, my heart, my sun. What have I done?" His hands pulled at his face, drawing it into a gruesome mask of pain and anguish.
Lifting her body with infinite care, Mathias lay Kathryn on the bed from which he had so recently risen to this new and monstrous life. He closed her eyes and kissed her pale lips lovingly.  "I will mourn you for eternity," he whispered before he threw himself out the window.
***
My eyes snapped open, my heart galloping along as though I'd just run a marathon. The last image of the young man's anguished face, hauntingly beautiful in his pain, lingered in my mind.
"Mairin, are you okay?" my mom called from the hall outside my bedroom.
"Yeah Mom," I said. "Just a weird dream."
Mom stepped into my room and sat with me on my bed. "Want to tell me about it?"
I shook my head. I wasn't sure how to explain what I'd just dreamed. I knew from the clothes the two people had been wearing that the dream wasn't one of my premonitions, but I had no explanation for who Mathias and Kathryn were or why I would be dreaming about them.
"I think I've been reading too many romance novels." I said, laughing and trying to ease my mother's anxiety. "This one was set in the 1920s I think. Just a boy and a girl. Nothing to worry about."
Mom kissed my forehead. She always worried when my dreams woke me, even when they weren't nightmares or premonitions. "Think you'll go back to sleep tonight?"
"Probably. It wasn't really a bad one." Unless you counted murder as bad, I added silently
"You need to sleep more, baby. Tomorrow's the first day of school and you'll want to be on the ball."
"I'm fine, Mom. Really. It was just weird, not scary and definitely not a premonition."
OK, so that was a lie. Watching that boy drain the life out of his love made my stomach somersault with horror, but I didn't feel like explaining that to my mom in the middle of the night. Despite what he'd done, Mathias didn't strike me as evil or sinister. His obvious grief over what he'd done in my dream hinted at a deeper, purer soul than the act would seem to allow for.
"Okay, okay, I can take a hint. Sleep well, baby. I love you."
"I love you, too, Mom."
I curled onto my side, clutching my pillow after Mom went back to her room where her partner Tawnya was probably waiting for a report of my dream. I knew sleep should have been a dim hope after the dream I'd had, but strangely I didn't feel frightened or threatened by this dream. There was something so compelling about Mathias that I found myself hoping he would be waiting for me when sleep claimed me once again. I closed my eyes, whispering his name and willing him to come to me. When he appeared, waiting at the edge of darkness  where dreams live, I reached for him.


Captured Sun

My first kiss was going to be my last, but it was worth it. His cool lips, his sweet taste, they were my salvation. I would never regret it, no matter what happened.

Mairin Cote thought loving a vampire was hard, but losing him to others of his kind was worse. When the death toll in East Hampton points to a rampaging vampire, the vampires and werepanthers must form an uneasy alliance to stop the destruction. To save the love of her life, Mairin must decide if living life without Mathias is worth risking an eternity with him.



Buy it from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo | Books On Board


Read the excerpt!


The alley was dark and dank. The stench of alcohol and decay overpowered the other less pleasant scent which rode the air. Death, whether it was new or ancient, had an unmistakable smell and death waited in the shadows.
The young man walked slowly. His steps wove in and out of the tumbled garbage cans and boxes behind the bars and restaurants. He whistled briefly, a nameless tune with little difference from one note to another. His glassy eyes looked into the shadows he passed, but did not see. Music thumped loudly when one of the doors on the main street opened, disgorging a raucous group of men. The young man turned to watch the others and missed the movement which brought his death.
Death reached out of the deepest shadows and pulled the young man into its embrace. The light never touched its face and the young man never made a sound. On the street, the group of men laughed and shoved each other, oblivious to the end of a life only yards away from them. When Death had finished its meal, it dropped the body and slipped deeper into the darkness. A newspaper fluttered across the alley, fetching up against the dead man's body. The headline screamed death as though to articulate the horror the man could not. The newspaper's date meant it was too late.
***
My eyes snapped open. "Dammit," I whispered.
"What was it, Mairin?" Mathias' voice slipped out of the darkness like a silken caress. I felt his arms tighten around me, but I shrugged him off.
"In a minute," I hissed. I could already hear Mom padding down the hall from her room. When the hall light flooded my room, Mathias was gone.
"Mairin?" Mom called.
"Nothing mom. Just a remnant of that movie we watched last night."
"I told you not to watch that horror crap before bed," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. "You know it gives you nightmares."
"I know, Mom. I should know better," I laughed. "I'm OK, though. I'm going right back to sleep."
She kissed my cheek. "OK, baby. I'll see you in the morning."
Mom might always know when I dreamed, but in the last several months she had stopped pushing me so hard to tell her about every one of them. I had to remember to thank Elise when I saw her next. She'd told Mom that forcing me to share every dream was making it harder for me to deal with my premonitions. Since then, Mom asked quick questions and let me share what I wanted to without fighting me. The trouble was I had stopped sharing my dreams with her at all.
How could I tell my mom that when Mathias, the man I loved, had come into my life, I'd begun to dream of his memories? I guess that wouldn't really be so hard to explain except that Mathias' memories were of the death and destruction he'd wrought as a vampire. That wasn't something I was willing to share with Mom.
Now that I knew the monsters were real and could see them every day, I struggled with deciding how much to share with my family and how much to keep to myself. Was I saving them from the terror or putting them in danger? I didn't know and Elise wouldn't tell me what I should do. "Free will," was her favorite epithet. 


Seven Days

The pain was sharp and deep, but it was nothing compared to the anguish in Xavier's eyes. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but the words wouldn't come. The pain kept them at bay and even if I could have spoken, I knew the words would be a lie.

Kerry Cote has a pretty normal life for a teenager. Of course normal is a relative term. Her sister dates a vampire and her boyfriend turns furry once a month, but that's not the problem. It isn't until she meets the father of the man she loves that her whole existence narrows to a mere seven days.


Buy it from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Here's a short excerpt!


The alley was dark and dank. The stench of alcohol and decay overpowered the other less pleasant scent which rode the air. Death, whether it was new or ancient, had an unmistakable smell and death waited in the shadows.
The young man walked slowly. His steps wove in and out of the tumbled garbage cans and boxes behind the bars and restaurants. He whistled briefly, a nameless tune with little difference from one note to another. His glassy eyes looked into the shadows he passed, but did not see. Music thumped loudly when one of the doors on the main street opened, disgorging a raucous group of men. The young man turned to watch the others and missed the movement which brought his death.
Death reached out of the deepest shadows and pulled the young man into its embrace. The light never touched its face and the young man never made a sound. On the street, the group of men laughed and shoved each other, oblivious to the end of a life only yards away from them. When Death had finished its meal, it dropped the body and slipped deeper into the darkness. A newspaper fluttered across the alley, fetching up against the dead man's body. The headline screamed death as though to articulate the horror the man could not. The newspaper's date meant it was too late.
***
My eyes snapped open. "Dammit," I whispered.
"What was it, Mairin?" Mathias' voice slipped out of the darkness like a silken caress. I felt his arms tighten around me, but I shrugged him off.
"In a minute," I hissed. I could already hear Mom padding down the hall from her room. When the hall light flooded my room, Mathias was gone.
"Mairin?" Mom called.
"Nothing mom. Just a remnant of that movie we watched last night."
"I told you not to watch that horror crap before bed," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. "You know it gives you nightmares."
"I know, Mom. I should know better," I laughed. "I'm OK, though. I'm going right back to sleep."
She kissed my cheek. "OK, baby. I'll see you in the morning."
Mom might always know when I dreamed, but in the last several months she had stopped pushing me so hard to tell her about every one of them. I had to remember to thank Elise when I saw her next. She'd told Mom that forcing me to share every dream was making it harder for me to deal with my premonitions. Since then, Mom asked quick questions and let me share what I wanted to without fighting me. The trouble was I had stopped sharing my dreams with her at all.
How could I tell my mom that when Mathias, the man I loved, had come into my life, I'd begun to dream of his memories? I guess that wouldn't really be so hard to explain except that Mathias' memories were of the death and destruction he'd wrought as a vampire. That wasn't something I was willing to share with Mom.
Now that I knew the monsters were real and could see them every day, I struggled with deciding how much to share with my family and how much to keep to myself. Was I saving them from the terror or putting them in danger? I didn't know and Elise wouldn't tell me what I should do. "Free will," was her favorite epithet. 


Banished Sun

Eternity. How many times since Mathias came into my life had I considered it? Had I not taken risks that would have left us together for eternity? What I hadn't expected was to have the choice taken from us. Vampires are independent creatures and the old ones definitely don't like being bound to a human. When an ancient vampire comes to Highland Home bent on Mairin's destruction so he can free himself from his bond to her, Mathias is forced to choose between what he is and who he wishes to be.


An excerpt from the book!


The alley was dark and dank. The stench of alcohol and decay overpowered the other less pleasant scent which rode the air. Death, whether it was new or ancient, had an unmistakable smell and death waited in the shadows.
The young man walked slowly. His steps wove in and out of the tumbled garbage cans and boxes behind the bars and restaurants. He whistled briefly, a nameless tune with little difference from one note to another. His glassy eyes looked into the shadows he passed, but did not see. Music thumped loudly when one of the doors on the main street opened, disgorging a raucous group of men. The young man turned to watch the others and missed the movement which brought his death.
Death reached out of the deepest shadows and pulled the young man into its embrace. The light never touched its face and the young man never made a sound. On the street, the group of men laughed and shoved each other, oblivious to the end of a life only yards away from them. When Death had finished its meal, it dropped the body and slipped deeper into the darkness. A newspaper fluttered across the alley, fetching up against the dead man's body. The headline screamed death as though to articulate the horror the man could not. The newspaper's date meant it was too late.
***
My eyes snapped open. "Dammit," I whispered.
"What was it, Mairin?" Mathias' voice slipped out of the darkness like a silken caress. I felt his arms tighten around me, but I shrugged him off.
"In a minute," I hissed. I could already hear Mom padding down the hall from her room. When the hall light flooded my room, Mathias was gone.
"Mairin?" Mom called.
"Nothing mom. Just a remnant of that movie we watched last night."
"I told you not to watch that horror crap before bed," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. "You know it gives you nightmares."
"I know, Mom. I should know better," I laughed. "I'm OK, though. I'm going right back to sleep."
She kissed my cheek. "OK, baby. I'll see you in the morning."
Mom might always know when I dreamed, but in the last several months she had stopped pushing me so hard to tell her about every one of them. I had to remember to thank Elise when I saw her next. She'd told Mom that forcing me to share every dream was making it harder for me to deal with my premonitions. Since then, Mom asked quick questions and let me share what I wanted to without fighting me. The trouble was I had stopped sharing my dreams with her at all.
How could I tell my mom that when Mathias, the man I loved, had come into my life, I'd begun to dream of his memories? I guess that wouldn't really be so hard to explain except that Mathias' memories were of the death and destruction he'd wrought as a vampire. That wasn't something I was willing to share with Mom.
Now that I knew the monsters were real and could see them every day, I struggled with deciding how much to share with my family and how much to keep to myself. Was I saving them from the terror or putting them in danger? I didn't know and Elise wouldn't tell me what I should do. "Free will," was her favorite epithet. 


Nine Lives

I felt a familiar ripple and knew it was too late for me. I saw her, so tiny, so perfect and I knew that I could die content. When Xavier admitted his love for me, I was complete.

Kerry Cote's story may sound familiar, but it's not. Sure there are a lot of unmarried, pregnant teenagers in the world, but how many of them know the child they carry is a miracle? How many have a vampire body guard? How many are alone because the mother of us all and the father of all vampires has a jealous daughter who covets the baby's father? Kerry must survive to bring her child into the world, for if she fails, humanity may not survive.



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Read the excerpt!


"Oh my God," Mairin exclaimed. "I look like a frosted cupcake."
I poked my head around the doorway of my sister's bedroom and burst out laughing. My normally tom-boyish sister looked like someone had airbrushed a Vogue model over her. I could still see Mairin under the makeup, hair and the far-too-flouncy sparkling white gown, but I had to squint.
"Don't laugh at me, brat," she said. "How did you let me let Mom talk me into this?"
I held up my hands. "Hey, don't blame me for this one, sis. This is all you. You let Mom go to the bridal shop with you and Mathias' credit card. You knew she was going to pick something like this."
Truthfully, the gown was gorgeous. It had an empire waist and a very short train, but it also had so much lace and so many sparkles, I was surprised my sister wasn't currently shredding the gown in an effort to get it off.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit. I cannot do this," she said. "Nope. I won't. I should have insisted on the stupid town hall and the stupid civil union, but no, I let Mom and Mathias bully me into this." She waved at herself.
"Mairin," my mother said, slipping past me into my sister's room. "You look so beautiful. I knew that dress would be gorgeous on you once the alterations were finished."
I smiled at my sister over our mother's shoulder and bolted for my room. The glare which followed my retreat nearly burned. Mairin would complain, but I knew she'd never have taken anything away from our mother. Especially not something as important as a big wedding with all the trimmings.
Of course, her willingness to be on display for the town in a gown that was anything but her own choice was really my sister in a nutshell. No matter what it did to her, if it meant one of us was happier, Mairin would do it. Take my bridesmaid dress. The wedding planner Mathias hired to help Mairin keep her sanity had freaked out when Mairin showed her the dress, but my sister had insisted that the pale colors the wedding planner wanted would look awful on me. So instead of joining the frosted cupcake brigade, I was wearing the deep, forest green, knee-length dress my sister had chosen for me. She could have picked some hideous, flowing monstrosity so I wouldn't overshadow her, but had instead picked the dress she knew I'd like.
I was pulling that dress over my head when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Tawnya called from downstairs. I knew she'd been ready for us to leave for the wedding for at least half an hour, but after the tenuous truce she and Mairin had finally formed following their estrangement last winter, Tawnya was keeping her opinions to herself. I, on the other hand, wasn't. If they weren't ready by the time I got my shoes on, I'd shove Mairin down the stairs.
"Hey Tawnya. The other camp is getting anxious and sent me to see what was keeping the bride." Xavier's voice drifted up the stairs to me and I smiled. In spite of some pretty big disagreements they'd had in the past, Mathias had asked Xavier to be his best man. Xavier, always looking for ways to improve the political climate of the supernatural community, and because both Mairin and I had begged him, had accepted. It hadn't been until the tuxedo fitting that he'd truly begun to regret saying yes. The complaints over the fittings had been epic and amusing as hell.
I slipped on my sandals and ran back to Mairin's room. "The natives are getting restless. We have to go."
"I heard him," Mairin said. "Mom, go get in the car with Tawnya. Kerry can help me down the stairs in this monstrosity...um, dress."
Mom kissed us both before heading down to meet up with Tawnya. I could see her eyes were already beginning to shine with tears and knew that before the end of the ceremony, our mother would be a blubbering mess.
"She's going to cry all day, isn't she?" Mairin said.
"Probably. You're her baby and you're getting married."
"Yeah, wait until it's your turn, brat." Mairin clasped a thin gold chain around her neck and sighed. "That's it. No more delays."
"Don't you want to marry Mathias?" I asked.
"Sure I do," she said. "But for all intents and purposes, I'm nineteen. Girls don't get married this young unless they have to. You know most of the town is going to be watching me to see if I'm pregnant."
"That's why you and Mathias are going on a long honeymoon. So you don't have to worry about being watched." I held Mairin's arm as we carefully navigated the stairs. "Besides, admit it. You're dying to see all the snooty jerks jockeying for position to catch your bouquet."
Mairin laughed. "I'll aim for you, if you want me to."
Xavier looked up at me from the foot of the stairs. I knew he'd heard Mairin and my heart thundered in my chest. He'd already asked me to marry him more than once and I'd told him no. Not no forever, but no for right then. Looking at him in his tuxedo, the tiny, shy smile I loved best lifting just the corners of his mouth, I realized while I still might not want to get married tomorrow, I was ready to say yes to him.
"I'll take my chances," I said. "But I'll make sure I'm right up front."
The wedding planning crew had lined the driveway leading to Mathias' house with lights and continued with them along the path leading to the stretch of beach behind the house. I went with Mairin through the front door after sending Xavier around the back to keep Mathias out of the house now that we were there. For a vampire, he was impressively superstitious. I'd always thought being one of the monsters the superstitions protected us from might make him immune to them, but apparently not. He hadn't even stayed at the house with Mairin last night because he believed it was bad luck to spend the night before their wedding together. Personally, I thought that his leaving had more to do with trying to maintain his sense of decorum than with bad luck. Mairin had told me that despite her less fragile state of being, Mathias had refused to engage in physical intimacy with her until after the wedding. If the level of aggression and annoyance displayed by them both was any indication, their sexual frustration had reached a boiling point. Mathias had stayed away so he wouldn't be tempted to break his own rules. It was actually kind of funny that Mairin was certain the town assumed she was pregnant when I knew she was still a virgin. I giggled and Mairin looked at me.
"What's funny, sis?" she asked.
"Just that you're worried those people out there think you're knocked up and I know there's about a million reasons why that isn't even remotely possible."
I ducked when Mairin threw the pillow from the sofa at me.
"Ha ha," she said. "Keep rubbing it in, sis and I'll tell mom that when you stay at Elise's house, you sleep in the same bed with Xavier."
"You wouldn't."
Mairin grinned. "Watch me," she said.
Gino stepped into the room and bowed low. "It is time, little queen," he said.
I carefully kissed Mairin's cheek. "I love you," I said. "Be happy, sis."
"Love you, too, Kerr," she said, taking Gino's arm. He led her to where Mom and Tawnya waited in the kitchen. Xavier stepped up to take my arm.
"You look gorgeous," he said.
"You're looking pretty handsome, yourself." I smiled as he preened.
"You think? I hate the monkey suit, but it doesn't look that bad."
"Mom, if you cry now, you'll ruin your makeup for the photos." Mairin's tone was irritated.
"I can't help it. My baby's getting married."
"And living not five miles from your house. Get a grip, Mom."
Laughing at my family's antics, Xavier laid his hand over mine and led me out onto the deck. The music started and I gasped. There was a silk runner that joined the deck to the area on the beach where the wedding was taking place. Chairs were set up in groups around a central point where Mathias stood, his back to the ocean and his eyes closed against the sinking sun. Only those of us who really knew him knew Mathias wasn't steeling himself to get married, but rather he was enjoying the sun. He must have heard the whisper of the sand under the silk runner because he opened his eyes and smiled at both me and Xavier as we walked toward him. Xavier and I split at the altar and we both turned to watch my sister make her way across the sand. The gown that had looked like too much in her bedroom was perfect as the setting sun caught the sequins and crystals embedded in the fabric, making it appear as though Mairin were glowing as she walked. Mom and Tawnya each held one of Mairin's elbows lightly, escorting her to meet her groom.
At the altar, Mom and Tawnya stopped with Mairin and waited for the minister to speak the first words of the ceremony.
"Who gives this woman in marriage?" he asked.
Tawnya's strong voice rang over the roar of the waves and the gasps of the guests. "Her mother and I do."
I saw Mairin sigh with relief before kissing first Tawyna's and then Mom's cheeks. I knew she'd worried that Tawnya would make some attempt to stop this wedding, but since they'd mended their relationship, Tawnya's acceptance of vampires as a whole had improved significantly. Mairin stepped away from Mom and Tawnya--away from our family--and took the hand Mathias offered her. The look which passed between them was so deeply reflective of their love that I heard many of the audience members gasp yet again. I hoped the photographer had gotten that shot. I knew I wanted it for myself.
The rest of the ceremony progressed as any other wedding I'd ever attended until the minister reached the part in the vows where normally he would have said "until death do us part." I knew Mathias and Mairin had convinced the clergyman to change it to "for all time," but the sound of my sister's voice saying the words was something I hadn't expected would hurt quite as much as it did.
I saw Xavier mouth, "I love you," and realized I must have done something to show my pain. I was so afraid of losing my sister to this new world she'd found herself thrown into and had now married into. She kept promising me she wouldn't disappear, but I knew that someday I'd die and she wouldn't. We'd lose each other one way or another and I wasn't ready for that. She might be mostly invulnerable, but our family's penchant for attracting the biggest and baddest supernatural monsters meant she wasn't invincible. I could still lose her, as I nearly had so many times in the past few years, and I wasn't ready for that.
"I am pleased to present to you all, the newly wedded Mr. and Mrs. Mathias Auer." The applause snapped me out of my thoughts. Mairin flashed me a wink before leading the procession to the reception tent.




Shari Richardson


Shari Richardson holds a master's degree in English Education and has spent much of her life teaching students the joy of reading and writing. Her love of writing began when she was in elementary school and has carried through her entire adult life. Shari lives in Pennsylvania with her two Chihuahuas.



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Blog Tour: Heart Song by Samantha LaFantasie - Character Interview, Excerpt, Giveaway

Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog stop! I'm sorry I was late, it slipped my mind! So yep, this is Heart Song by Samantha LaFantasie, a fantasy novel. There is a giveaway at the end which is open internationally so do stick around to enter it! :)


Heart Song

There once was a world filled with magic and immortals. To protect the immortals the world was torn into two realms, one of mortals and one of magic.

For centuries Jiren has been one of the leaders of the immortal realm, but his power is now put at risk when it is said that the heart song between a mortal, Relena, and a werewolf, Marren is fated to bring both the mortal and immortal realms together once again before the world is forever shrouded in darkness.

The shape-shifting, ethereal vampire, Jiren, will stop at nothing to prevent the realms from rejoining, even killing another Ancient—the most unforgivable crime.
In addition, Relena and Marren are put through one of the greatest tests of their relationship just to prove their love for one another, putting the future of both realms in jeopardy; solely to appease the other Ancient rulers of the immortal realm.

With both realms doomed if they are not together, will Marren and Relena be able to prove their heart song or will Jiren have his way and throw the world into complete devastation?

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Samantha LaFantasie


I’m an aspiring author, mother, and wife. I have three children and married to my soul mate. I was born and mostly raised in Kansas. Though I have traveled and lived in many places.

While attending school, growing a family, and moving cross country a couple of times, I started writing seriously. One of my first works was a poorly devised romance short story…yeah, its gone.

I never knew how much writing meant to me or how much I really had enjoyed writing over the years of my youth until my mom handed me a bundled stack of papers. It was a silly adaption of Aladdin I wrote for her when I was younger. I used a type writer. Yes, a real, old typewriter! My mom kept it all those years!

My journey has begun and I don’t intend to give up easily. I love writing. It is therapy for me and there’s a certain fulfillment that I get out of it. I get lost in my writing; I’m told that’s very good because if I get lost in my world that I am writing, my readers will too!

I hope so!

Other things I enjoy doing are photography (note icon of angel to the left), cooking, yoga (on the wii) and walking with my dog, Fido. I’m a member of the Kansas Writer’s Association since 2010 and now I’m a board member as Contest Chair.

Here’s to the imagination and a long, healthy, fulfilled life!





Time for a short excerpt!


Three days passed, blurred like a faded dream or the memory of one. I couldn't be sure if I was forgotten in that room or if everyone had left and moved onto better things. But, I knew it was quiet. It was cold. It was empty. I was alone.
The sky was cloudy outside the window and chunks of puff were darkened gray. Rain filled the air, sweetening it with the promise of a cleansing shower. I decided that I needed to get out of the room and find a place to let the rain come over me.
I stepped out into the hall and tried to use my memory to find the cliff that Marren had taken me to.
Marren... Did he think of me as often as I thought of him, or as fondly? Did he miss my touch as much as I missed his? Did he miss the scent of my hair, the warmth of my skin, or the taste of my kiss?
These questions tortured me in the late hours of the night, when I would wake from a dream of us, in a place where this stupid war didn't exist and he touched me freely and willingly. A place where the mere sight of him didn't hurt until I woke. Then the memories of reality come flooding back to me in a rush and bring me back to the lowest, darkest place of the world. Alone within myself, despairing and left wanting.
I found the cliff and nearly ran out to feel the air and rain on my skin. The sound of the drops pattered the earth around me and not in any particular rhythm. The sound of thunder rolled through and shook my muscles, and then the rain lightened and slowed. I crossed my arms over my chest and turned to walk back inside, feeling like that was all I was going to get. I stopped short, finding Marren standing in the doorway. He looked shocked and like he hadn't slept in days. My heart jumped, skipped, and raced through beats sporadically. I clutched myself tighter, hoping to keep it inside me, but knowing the gesture was just symbolic.
He took a step out into the light rain. It glistened and ran down his skin and moistened his hair. It made me want him in ways he couldn't possibly want me anymore. I dropped my eyes and even though tears fell, mixing with the rain, my voice came out evenly. “I'm sorry; I just wanted to feel the rain. I'll leave you be.” I went to walk past him. Hoping he would just ignore me and pretend I wasn't there, because that seemed easier than clinging to the hope he still cared for me.
I made it to the doorway before I stopped at the sound of his voice in my head. Don't go.
It was so soft and subtle, I thought for a second that I had imagined his words. My heart banged loudly in my head, to the point it overwhelmed the sound of the rain falling softly against the ground. I turned slowly, hoping that what I saw wouldn't push me over the edge. It wouldn't break my heart to the point it would never mend, and I would never recover...succumbing to my demise.
He stood there, facing me with his hand out towards me, beckoning me to take it. His eyes soft and gentle. Please. His voice begged.
Is this real or a vision? Is he really wanting me to be with him?
He nodded once towards me.
I'm scared.
Of what?
You're not real. This isn't real. I don't know why I was saying the things I was. Perhaps it was a way to test myself. How far I could really push myself before I broke.
Relena, I'm real. Please, stop torturing yourself and come to me.
But, I thought...
I know and despite my efforts to reach you otherwise, you seemed content to punish yourself. Not eating? Relena, think of the child.
You hate me and the child. Why concern yourself with us?
I don't hate you. I've told you this numerous times. Please, uwoduhi, join me.
I stepped slowly towards him, keeping my eyes locked on his, praying deep inside, he wouldn't disappear or change his mind. My eyes dropped to his outreached hand. I lifted a trembling hand towards his. My heart pounded heavy and hard. My breaths came short and rapid. My hand grazed his as my fingers slipped in between his and folded over the back of his hand. The warmth shot up my arm, chilling the rest of my body. He pulled me into him so rapidly I sucked in a breath. His arms tightened around me, squeezing me further into him.
“I don't understand,” I said. My words muffled by Marren's chest.
“It's a very long story and I'm so sorry I had to put you through that. I really am. But let's hope they need no further proof or explanation.”
“But, you're touching me...” I licked my dry lips, despite the rain, “willingly touching me.”
He pulled away from me enough to tilt my head up towards his with the tips of his fingers. It was the hardest thing to do. I can't stay from you anymore. It's killing me, can't you see that? His mouth collided with mine—kissing me with such fierce urgency it almost scared me.
Can't you see that I would have rather had death than to deal with life like that anymore? I said in our private way.
Nevermore, Relena. Nevermore.
“Promise me,” I said pulling away to look into his eyes. “Promise me you'll never make me live another day without you.”
“I promise.” His arms tightened around me. I rested my cheek against his chest and listened as his
heart beat frantically.
I thought to myself, could I have really been that foolish to believe he did all those things purposefully? The answer was clear. “Was that the test?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. But, I don't think it's over.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don't know yet, but this isn't over and that's why I wanted you in that room. Jiren can take any form and so he could've come back for you and killed you himself. I didn't come and get you because I was being watched. I had to sit by and wait for word or you to arrive. I'm so sorry, Relena. I really am. Just know I was just as tortured, if not more.”
I clung to him tighter. “And what Okelo told me?”
“What did she tell you?”
“That you are not allowed to be with me because of the child?” His face hardened. I took that as a yes. “So, then why are you touching me now?”
“Because the tradition is I cannot make love to you. I can still be with you and around you. I just couldn't before because they wanted to see how you would react. They needed to see that you weren't a witch that cast some spell or enchantment on me, even though, in a way, you had.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
“You knew I left and you didn't try to stop me?”
“I couldn't, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't. It would play right into Jiren's desires. It would have proved his argument to him. For now, we have to do this according to their rules. We have to make them see we have nothing to hide.”
“You knew I wouldn't be able to leave, didn't you?”
He looked at me quizzically. “I didn't, though Danst told me. He knew you were leaving and tried to tell you what I couldn't.”
“Why? Because you were being watched?”
He nodded.
“And now?”
“Now they know you can't leave. You won't allow yourself to. This realm won't let you leave because it knows the power that binds us together is greater than any magic or enchantment in this world or the next. We were made for each other, Relena. Nothing and no one can change that...no matter how much you fight it. Or question it.” His eyes grew darker and I could tell he was
remembering.
“I'm sorry, Marren. I didn't know it was the test. I thought it would be something more ceremonial like the last time. I didn't know and I made it harder on you.”
“Gvgeyu, waya uwoduhi. Always and forever, I'm yours.”
“No matter what.” It was a statement more than a question, but it seemed Marren felt the need to answer anyway.
“No matter what.”


And now, let's welcome Relena, one of the main characters from the book to have a little chat with us!


1. What was it like for Samantha to write your story?
Frustrating at times. Samantha kept wanting to make the story more complicated than it was, and she kept trying to add things in that didn’t really happen. There were even some things that happened that she didn’t put in. But for the most part, when she did listen, she was able to capture the right words and translate what happened to me in ways that matched what I saw and felt. Those times were the best. Those are the times we worked very well and accomplished the most.
Other times, I felt like tapping the blade of a sword on her shoulders—just to get her to listen…

2.  What was your most trying experience?
Besides working with an author like Samantha? There are a number of times that were just as hard to deal with as any other but the most difficult period of my life was going through the test of the Ancients. I didn’t know when it was happening and with the whole circumstance surrounding it, the test was just the most difficult thing to go through. Not only did I have to face the fact or possibility that I was not Marren’s heart song, I had to come to terms with myself in other ways as well. Such as learning to surrender and give in, and not being in control of everything. That was really difficult for me.

3. What is the one thing that you would change about your story?
I think that, with the story the way that it is, even with some events missing, there really isn’t anything that I would change. Because all those events added to who I am now.  They say the destination isn’t what is important, but the journey. In my case, it rings the truest of all.

4. What do you feel like is your greatest weakness/flaw?
My greatest weakness and flaw? Uh…you first. Just read my story and make that decision for yourself. I’ve had people say that I was too selfish. I’ve had people tell me that I was too stubborn. I’ve even had people say that it was uncharacteristic in the way that I fell for Marren.*shrug* It is what it is; in the past and a part of my history.

5. Taking into account what a heart song is, is it a blessing or a curse?
Hmm…There was a point in time, right after getting rescued from the Cyrs, where I felt that it was a blessing and a curse. It truly isn’t an easily explained feeling or emotion that could come close to what it is.  In ways it was a curse because, as Enid had said, whether I wanted to choose Marren or not, I belonged to him. And anything that forced me to do anything I didn’t choose to do on my own was not okay with me in any way. Then again it was certainly a blessing because I was at one of the upmost darkest points in my life at that time and the magic and enchantment was so uplifting and powerful that it made that darkness fade away.

6. If there was one person in your life you could bring back from the dead with absolutely no consequences, who would it be and why? You don’t have to choose just someone in the story either, you can choose anyone who you may have known before the story!
Danst.
No thought required.
What you didn’t get to see was how incredibly close we were. And Marren even pointed out to me afterwards, just how much I meant to him and it nearly made the pain of his loss, the empty space that was left with his absence, so much bigger. There are just so many things that I would do differently with him if I had the chance to.

7. What would you change about your author if you had the power? What I mean is would you have her relax a little more? Would you want her to eat more cotton candy?
Definitely relax a little more. If she just sat down and listened to me, I wouldn’t have had to give her the cold shoulder. I thought heavily about handing her a sword and dueling it out that way, but she’s so clumsy…I was more concerned about her accidentally impaling herself and leaving me with no one to write my story! And they say I’m stubborn.

8. Oh no! Marren is about to undergo a transformation and you can only pick one aspect of him to save! What will it be? His hot body? His devotion? Quick! Choose!
*laughs* What kind of transformation? *bobs eyebrows* Honestly, there isn’t a thing that I could single out to keep. It’s like asking me to choose which limb or vital organ to live without. Marren is just as much a part of me as I am him. It’s what the heart song does. It makes it to where you are no longer two separate people, but one entity. Yeah, I know human marriage does that too, but human marriage is symbolic whereas the heart song is much more literal.

9. This is a two part question: Firstly, you had a pretty rough upbringing. What do you think contributed most to that? Secondly, if you could change whatever it was that had the biggest influence on your childhood, would you? 
Though I did have a rough early life, I think that it turned out quite well and so that part of me no longer is thought of. But if I had to say what had to have contributed to it the most, it would be what started how rough my life was. And that was my mother running away with another man.
No, to the second one. Because I wouldn’t have met Danst and I can’t even bare to think what could’ve happened if Marren didn’t come into my life when he did. 
All in all, my life has been pretty great. Despite the fact that I can live theoretically forever, my experiences has done nothing but shape who I am and I’m comfortable with where I’m at.


10. Jiren is a pretty despicable person/vampire/entity. Through the entire story he does nothing but try to bring destruction to the world and to you and Marren. Despite all this, do you believe there might be some good in him? Do you think he has his reasons for wanting all of this or do you think he’s just an old bitter bigot who is too narrow minded to see opinions other than his own?  
Despite the fact that he tried to kill Marren, Naloud, and me, I think Jiren’s intentions were honorable. He wanted to save what was left of him and his people’s ways.  He just let fear of losing his control over his races control his actions, and let his greed become who he was instead of who he was meant to be. As sad as it was for him to do the things he had done, I think his intentions were good.

11. Where do you see yourself in sixty or seventy years?
From now? There’s no telling. I’ve lived such a long life and seen so many changes in the world. Marren and I were thinking about one last adventure before letting ourselves move on from this realm. Can you imagine a couple of centuries old werewolves showing up in the desert out east and scarring some people? And no one thought we had a sense of humor…

12. What traits do you most admire in a man? A woman? Why?
This is an interesting question. I don’t think that I look for any specific traits. With Marren, one thing I love about him is his persistence. He knew he had to do whatever it took to get me to open up to him and he did. And with Naloud, her strong will and compassion. I love Enid’s protection and wisdom. Raden’s wit. Nyr’s loyalty. Each person in my life is there for a reason, but not just specifically based on their traits.

13. What do you admire most about yourself? This can be anything from physical appearance to a particular part of your personality that you think you like best.
I think the thing I love the most about me is my werewolf side. The side that Marren gave to me. I find that I miss it the most during dark nights and it makes me remember the time we spent on the immortal realm.

14. Sometimes we wonder what would’ve happened to us had a certain event not occurred. What is that certain event for you? What do you think your life would’ve been like had that event not happened?
 I wonder, but I do not dwell. But it is what could’ve happened to me if Marren didn’t make it in time to take me from the Cyrs. I’d like to think that he would’ve hunted them down until he found me, but it’s such an unnecessary unknown that I smile when I think back to that night. I’m grateful he came when he did. 

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