Caressed by Night
Rulers of Darkness #2
Self-Published Erotic Paranormal Romance
BLURB
Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundreds years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian. Kerstyn Ingmar’s life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri. Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom. While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.
REVIEW
This story takes places nearly 200 years after the first in
this series. Dimitri is one of the
four original vampires that started their race due to a curse. He feels a tremendous sense of
obligation to try to make up for the curse that brought vampires into existence
and now infects his friends. He
has the rare ability to see glimpses of the future. And it is due to this ability that he faked his death, or
rather allowed his second in command to believe he was successful in murdering
him, four hundred years ago and has chosen this moment to resurface making his presence
known.
A lot has changed in the 200 years since the first book with
the largest difference being in the United States where all the outcasts have
moved to try to start their own Clan and build a stronghold. However, without the laws of the
Vampire Kings governing them the outcasts are behaving like the Vampires of
horror movies. Dimitri’s visions
have shown him that it is time for him to step in and reclaim his crown and
unite his people to begin a new chapter in the history of his race. And his vision has also shown him that
his mate will be awaiting him, even if she is not aware of it.
Kerstyn is down on her luck and finds herself being attacked
in an ally when Dimitri sweeps in to her rescue. But before she can thank him he get’s a taxi and sends her
on her way. But fate isn’t done
with her because Dimitri knows that it is just a matter of time before he will
see her again. At the end of book
one, we were briefly introduced to the Shaw witches. In this book their role begins to really ramp up and it
becomes known that they play a much bigger role in the world than anyone is
aware of. One of Kerstyn’s two
good friends is in fact a Shaw witch that was sent to watch over her and guide
her until Dimitri arrived. It is
through Kerstyn’s luck running out and Silvie’s influence that she finds
herself as Dimitri’s roommate.
Dimitri doesn’t waste any time – knowing through his visions that he has
a very short time to win her love before fate will try to rip them apart he
begins to build her trust and hopefully her love. All the while trying to plot the destruction of the man who
tried to steal his life and crown.
Kerstyn is a “go with the flow type” character, which was
very refreshing. She doesn’t get
bogged down in all the strange things that are going on around her and takes
everything in stride. Instead of
this seeming strange to the reader it is done in such a way that makes you feel
that they are truly matched and made for each other. They provide each other such comfort and have such a calming
presence on each other that you can’t help but feel that destiny has matched
the perfect couple. Dimitri is hot
and larger then life. He is the
ultimate vampire with skills surpassing all others, which makes for a very fun
read. Silvie’s influence was a
welcome addition helping to make Kerstyn’s introduction into the paranormal
world more natural and smooth.
This story, as was book 1, is masterfully written. Given the location and time change it
was a nice transition from the first while maintaining all the favorite
characters, developing the world, and creating excitement for future story
lines. Simply wonderful!
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.
EXCERPT #1
“You’ve healed,” she whispered. Her voice was rough and her throat ached from her screams. “Your wounds are gone. That…that is impossible.”
“Not for me,” he grated.
Her eyes narrowed. “What are you?”
He dropped his head. Why now? Why did it have to happen this way? He cursed, damning Fate for the tricks she played. He hadn’t wanted it to happen this way. He wanted them to take their time, to get to know one another before he shared his secret with her. Now he was cornered. He had to tell her or―no. He would not erase her memory; he could not disrespect her that way. He would not take the coward’s way out.
He had to tell her.
His heart clenched. What if she rejected him? What if she hated him? What if he repulsed her? She was his mate, but that was no guarantee that she would understand, that she would stay with him or that she would love him.
“What are you?” she demanded again, her voice shaking.
Her thoughts screamed at him. Vampire. Vampire. Vampire! He forced his gift aside, shoving it back into the darkness of his mind.
“I think you already know,” he said before pulling his shirt closed.
EXCERPT #2
“Are you all right?” a man asked from behind her.
She relaxed when she realized the voice sounded nothing like her attackers; it was warm, deep, and comforting.
“Miss?”
“Y-Yes.”
Slowly turning toward the voice, relief flooded her body, her breathing began to slow, and her limbs went limp. She stumbled and prepared to meet the pavement again, but her rescuer caught her. He tenderly held her to him, supporting her. Kerstyn knew she ought to protest and shove him away, he was a stranger after all, but his touch was soothing and reassuring. She had never felt so safe and calm in her life.
Calm was the furthest thing from her savior’s mind.
Dimitri had heard the vampires’ thoughts as they followed the woman from Dark. He knew he had to protect her from the depraved creatures who intended to make a meal out of her. When he materialized in the alley, the weaker vampires caught his scent and fled, leaving him alone with the woman. Instead of feeling anger as he expected, an entirely different emotion settled over him.
Lust. It was no ordinary lust, but a heart racing, blood raging, sexual yearning and it turned his body into a blazing inferno of need. Then hunger like he had never known slammed into him. It gnawed at him relentlessly as it mixed with his unmerciful lust. The torturous combination attacked both his body and his mind. He had never wanted any woman with this kind of intensity.
His body had been dead for so long, no longer responding to sexual stimulus or blood-thirst. Thousands of years had passed since the last time he had fed. The desire and necessity for blood had abandoned him. None of that seemed to matter now. His fangs sprang free as his pants grew tighter about his throbbing shaft. This woman’s blood sang to him, beckoned him to have a taste.
Dimitri ruthlessly fought the temptation to seize her mind and take what he wanted. The dread of not being able to pull away terrified him. Realizing what precious little control he had, he shut down his senses, driving away her intoxicating scent and the warmth of her soft body against his. He forced the color from his sight, only seeing in black and white with shades of gray. Though he knew he would never forget the light fragrance of her strawberry blonde hair, the feel of her in his arms, and the sapphire color of her eyes.
He took in deep breaths and focused on the cool bite of the air. It washed over his body, rinsing away his desire leaving him as always, cold and unfeeling, like death. He was death: a true, pureblood vampire.
“What were you running from?” he asked, his tone controlled.
“I was being followed.”
He peered over her head, his eyes scanning the alley. “I see no one.”
Nausea twisted her insides as she thought of what almost happened. Thank God, this man was here. If it weren’t for him–
“Do not think about it,” he said, his arms tightening about her. “You are safe now.”
She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his chest. He smelled absolutely wonderful, like dark spices. His voice felt like velvet brushing along her skin. She shivered and sighed in contentment.
“Do you need help with anything?”
His last question snapped her back into action. She stepped back, breaking the circle of his arms.
“I need a taxi.”
“A simple enough task,” he said with a shrug.
She scoffed. If it were simple, she would have been half way home by now. She turned her head up intending to face him and a broad chest greeted her eyes. She was forced to take another step back in order to get a proper look at him.
He was huge. Thick. Stacked.
He must be close to seven feet, she thought as her eyes traveled up his torso, over his wide chest, to his face.
Her heart stopped when their eyes met. They were a near colorless shade of blue. Like diamonds. His gaze was sharp, hard, filled with wisdom and strength. Intense. Warrior eyes. Yet, he could not be much older than her, around twenty-six. His golden hair glittered from the light of the neon signs and floated about his shoulders. His face was chiseled and impossibly perfect. His lips were full and Kerstyn wanted nothing more than to feel them against hers. Her eyes traveled back down his hard, honed body.
She stood, rooted to the cement, captivated by the Norse god before her.
Damn, he’s incredibly yummy.
Dimitri forced himself to remain still while she studied him. Again, he struggled against his urges, his heart thundering from the force of the shock of desire that still echoed in his mind.
He knew one day he would meet his mate, but he had underestimated the force of her seductiveness. He never expected she would spark such yearning deep within his soul. He wondered how Dorian had dealt with such overwhelming need when he had found his intended. Dorian had been the first and, until now, only vampire king to find his other half.
Dimitri’s breath caught as her small, pink tongue wet her lips and her sensual thoughts invaded his mind.
She had to go.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda J. Greene is an erotic paranormal romance author. When she is not writing, she can be found playing the role of a full time university student, who works part time. She lives in Southern California with her very supportive, military husband and their sweet cocker spaniel.
Official Site: http://www.amandajgreene.com
This TOUR is presented by CBLS Promotions.
The FULL TOUR SCHEDULE can be found at:
http://cblspromotions.
This tour runs May 7 - May 21, 2012.
Thank you for hosting my book blog tour and I'm glad you enjoyed my series!
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteThanks for the excerpt. Books are already in my TBR list!
Daniela.
dany7578 at hotmail dot com