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Monday, October 31, 2022

Release Day Blitz Crazy Witch by C.S. Edwards #ReleaseDayBlitz #PNR #ParanormalRomance



Crazy Witch
The Witch Doctors 
Book Three
C.S. Edwards

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: C.S. Edwards
Date of Publication: October 31, 2022
ISBN: 9798215161517
ASIN: B0BH6JKM82
Number of pages: 142
Word Count: 36,382
Cover Artist: C.S. Edwards

Book Description:

What does Bart Babington’s love life, a legendary key, and the Goddess of Death, have in common? Well, Bart is about to find out.

The not-so-famous witch doctor cosmetic surgeon is sick and tired of his two meddling sisters trying to mate him up at every annual Samhain celebration for the last ten years. So, Bart enlists his two best wingmen to help him find a fake date to take to Rabbit Hash for the party.

In his grand plan to get his sisters off his back, what he didn’t count on is falling for a pigeon raising, southern witch on a moped. Nor did he expect to lose her during the couple’s championships for the Loving Cup. But he’s on a ghostly trip to sort out his past and make room for true love in his life.

Will Bart find his witch, or will he never unlock his heart?

Prologue

Once upon a time there was a witch and a warlock who fell in love. They lived together in a modest and remote castle, working the land, making essential oils, and giving back to the earth. They were a good witch and warlock who loved their life and wanted nothing more than to share their love and good fortune with others. But most of all, they dreamed of having a tiny magical being of their own. This was not to be. For all their trying, the witch could not become pregnant. They grew herbs to make special teas, mixed up potions for fertility, and even cast spells under the light of the full moon. Nothing worked. The witch’s belly remained empty. The days turned into months, into years, then into decades. A century passed, but no baby came. The witch fell into a deep sadness. She no longer got out of bed and tended to her garden. She no longer sang while strolling through the meadows of wildflowers. She no longer ate until she was full. She cried. She slept. She stared into the nothingness of the night.  

Heartbroken to see his love so forlorn, the warlock decided to venture out of the safety of their secluded castle and find a Baba Yaga to heal his wife and give them a child through either light or dark magical means. The day he left, he kissed her and promised to always love her in this world, and the next. He vowed to search eternally for help for his barren wife. He vowed to find a way to give her a child. The witch pleaded with him not to leave. She told him she’d felt something terrible coming his way. He saw it, too, but knew her happiness was more important. She cried and held onto the warlock, but he pushed her away. Before he mounted his stead, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. The warlock embraced the witch’s face in his hands and looked deep into her aqua eyes. He said, “you are my heart. Without you by my side, this muscle in my chest would cease to beat. I will travel to the end of the earth and time to make you happy.” He kissed her again. “If I do not return, always follow your heart.” He removed a long chain that held and small key from his neck and placed it in her hands. “This key opens the lock to the future. It’s been passed down in my family since the beginning of time, bestowed upon those with a purpose to learn. Use it and our love will be for all eternity.” 

The witch did not see the warlock alive again. 


About the Author:

C.S. Edwards is a southern author of small town adventures sprinkled with romance, mystery, and occasionally some paranormal and fantasy. Her newest release, Crazy Witch, The Witch Doctors Book 3, is a saucy, fun, romantic romp. In her catalog, you’ll also find the darker small town mystery Welcome to Lovely, that shows a spicier side of crime and romance.

C.S. Edwards lives with her family on the Kentucky side of Cincinnati, where they are all just doing their part to make the world a little more interesting and entertaining.

“My kids, all five of them, swear I talk to myself way too much. What they don’t know is, I’m not talking to myself, I’m talking to my characters. Sure, that makes me a little crazy, but come on, it also makes me super interesting—right?! Probably not, but a girl can dream.” — C.S. Edwards

Check out all of C.S. Edwards’ books here:

Sign-up for new releases here:

Join her on social media here:







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Friday, October 28, 2022

Free Book Friday October 28 - Sweet Bloody Secret: A Short Vampire Romance by Jessie Winterspring

Free Book Friday October 28


Sweet Bloody Secret: A Short Vampire Romance 
Jessie Winterspring  

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Vampire Romance
ASIN: B09ST5NMF9
Publication Date: ‎March 9, 2022

All she wanted was a peaceful life, but fate loved to play evil games.

Lucira didn’t want to move from Furness, where her mother rested, the town she stayed the longest, and started her business. 

She and her mother moved from one place to the next all her childhood until she got a hold of her power, and the last thing she wanted was to get discovered. 

On her way home, a vampire attacked her. Michael, a policeman who hunts rogue vampires, was assigned to guard her, and it was only a matter of time before he discovered her secrets.

Get it Free at Amazon

Thursday, October 27, 2022

The Gryphon and His Thief by Karen Michelle Nutt - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular



Ghost Girl by Karen Michelle Nutt

I have quite a few ghost stories I could conjure up for Halloween. It must be why I love the paranormal so much—it feels like home.

Today, I'd like to tell you about my family's ghost girl. Everyone in my family has seen her at one time or another, and she wasn't shy about revealing herself to friends.

This sighting took place when I was a teen. It was late at night, and my mother and I were the only ones still up. At this time, my father worked the graveyard and wasn't home. My siblings were sleeping.

I was working on a report for school in the kitchen. My mother was in the bathroom taking a bath. She kept the door slightly ajar so we could chat.

As the minutes ticked by, I began to get this prickly feeling at the base of my neck, and I swear the fine hairs on my arm stood at attention. This feeling happened every time the little girl would make her ghostly appearance, and I knew it was about to happen again. I stood near the dining room table, my gaze locked on the dark archway leading to our den. Any second, I was sure she'd materialize. Usually, she was a fleeing figure in a light-colored dress. Her long hair was a pale blonde, and it would whip behind her as she darted away.

While I was concentrating on the endless black void that led to our den, my mother ran the water in the bathtub. "Who's up with you?" she called to me.

Of course, no one was with me, or so I believe. "No one's up, Mom," I gladly inform her.

"I said, who's up with you?" my mother repeated the question, but now her voice held an edge. 

She couldn't hear that I answered her over the running water. My heart was already pounding in my ears with fright, and her question of 'Who's up with you?' sent me toward panic mode. My mother could see someone in the kitchen with me, someone I couldn't see. I backed up a few paces before I sprinted to the bathroom as if this ghostly presence was chasing me. 

"No one is up with me!" And I do believe I did a little fright dance, and my voice became a high-pitched shrill.

My mother's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? I saw a hand reaching for you."

She had been sure that one of my siblings had slipped out of bed. However, they were all fast asleep.

Even though I didn't see the presence, I believe it was our resident ghost girl, who had appeared off and on throughout the years. She was the only consistent resident ghost at my parents' home, but we've had others over the years, too. I sometimes wonder if she invites them over, telling them, "Hey, they're a cool family. Come hang out with them for a while."


The Gryphon and His Thief
Karen Michelle Nutt

Genre: paranormal/ shifter romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: June 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1509241774
ASIN: B09VZS3LLZ
Number of pages: 220
Word Count: 57k
Cover Artist: Kristian Norris

Tagline: A gryphon shifter cursed for centuries encounters a thief who unearths his secret identity.  

Book Description: 

Darrien Andros, a gryphon sworn to protect humans is cursed to live forever, safeguarding the items in the Museum of Cursed Antiquities. His mundane life between the world of the living and turning to stone as the sun rises is disrupted when a thief attempts to steal Hecate's Stone. He cannot eliminate her for her thieving ways. Not when she resembles his dead wife.

Cali Angelis, a thief for hire, needs Hecate's stone for her client. Only Darrien makes her question her client's motives. She'd like to think Darrien delusional, but she's seen the unbelievable. 

Will they unravel the mysteries behind the stone before history repeats itself?




“Get a grip,” she warned herself. The gryphon didn’t blink his eyes. Yep, and it didn’t fly from the back room and station itself at the door, either. She gulped and leveled the beam of the flashlight on the statue once more. Only what stood there now was a man, a large man with dark hair, a beard neat and trim…and eyes that glowed like the gryphon’s eyes had.

“You cannot take the item from the museum,” the man’s deep voice boomed with authority meant to intimidate, and his words were flavored with a Greek accent. “You must return it immediately,” he finished the threat. Sure there had been no threat voiced, but she all but heard the ‘or else’ just as clearly as if the words had been spoken.  

“Who are you?” she countered, even though she had no right to inquire. Obviously, this man must be the night guardsman. Her gaze slid over his attire and frowned. He wore garments she’d only seen painted on Greek vases and paintings—an intricately designed tunic, a dark colored cloak, and gold sandals adorned his feet. Her one eyebrow lifted. Perhaps he was a thief who liked theatrics. She had an uncle who liked to dress like a caped superhero when he went on his jobs.  

She straightened her back and met the guy’s gaze head on. “I think you need to leave, or I’ll call the cops.” She pulled out her cell phone and lit up the screen to prove her point. The guy didn’t have to know she was bluffing. She didn’t want the cops here anymore than he probably did.

He didn’t quite react the way she thought he would. Oh no, he had the audacity to laugh, a deep guttural laugh. “You amuse me human woman,” he told her.

“Human woman?” Okay, this nut-job was off his meds. “Fine, you stay here, and this human woman will say good evening. It’s been a long day. I need to head back to my spaceship before E.T. calls home and tells Mom and Dad I’m late.”  

The man’s brows furrowed, deep creases marring his forehead. Maybe she loaded on the crapola a little thick. It was best to end this conversation and get out of Africa—as her father would say—and make like a cheetah on the hunt. She took a few cautious steps toward the front door.

“You will halt,” he demanded with his palm up as if his stance alone could stop her. 

Well, yep it did, for a full three seconds. She knew some self-defense moves, but this guy was built like he lifted weights in his sleep just so his bulk didn’t decrease in the middle of the night. It didn’t appear like the front door was an option, but… her gaze latched onto the window next to it. “Oh, hell.” She charged and prayed this old building hadn’t been refurbished with safety glass.

Otherwise, this stunt was really going to hurt.



About the Author:

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband. Though her three children are grown and starting their own adventures, she still has a houseful of demanding pets.

When she's not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates book covers at Gillian's Book Covers, "Judge Your Book By Its Cover".
Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, time travel or contemporary romances, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

Visit the author at her website: http://www.kmnbooks.com

Blog: http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com

Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”
http://judgeyourbookbyitscover.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarenmichellenutt

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KMNbooks

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/karenmnutt

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Michelle-Nutt/e/B002BLLBPE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmn_books

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karen-michelle-nutt

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/karenmichellenutt  

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmichellenutt

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kmnbooks

IMDb: https://tinyurl.com/yy27qubr

 



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Unusual Light by J. Elizaga - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular



At Half Past Two

Our movie broke at half past two.
I begged Time to return to the black and white film
We lived in, with you by my side;
But the grand drapes stayed shut in silence and shock.
I closed my eyes and opened my mouth,
Mad about your sudden absence, with unrestrained outbursts
To a greedy God adored by millions. Only one adored me!
Had He really just snatched you away?
My mind kept restarting the movie before half past two.
Each time I waited for the roll to resume play
With you and me in high-definition color,
But tears blurred my vision and I couldn’t see you.
I kept moving your souvenirs back and forth,
With eyes unaware they should blink.
I struggled to savor each memory of you in my mind,
Flashing every second until my gut retched.
I followed your scent aimlessly through the house,
Before strength left my knees and I curled on the floor.
Then I saw my arms dance, caressing the air
Where you lay last night — I thought I heard you laugh.
Enough of this cruel joke. Stop it.
Come back. Please.


Unusual Light
J. Elizaga

Genre: Young Adult fantasy
Date of Publication: July 31, 2022 
ASIN: B0B85ZRPSZ
Number of pages: 86
Word Count: 20,000

Cover Artist: The Book Cover Designer

Tagline: A young engineer, a ghost, and a mystery at the morgue

Book Description:

How does one keep a promise to a ghost? Engineering student Ana Juliet (AJ) Diwa takes a summer job as a swing-shift security guard at a hospital morgue—the same morgue once investigated by the police for unusual calls received during full moons. And the calls happen only when Matt, a guard assigned to the overnight shift, is on duty.

AJ scoffs at the idea of otherworldly activities. But soon after, she witnesses a mysterious orb at the morgue. The orb reveals itself to be the ghost of Binni Almond, a teenager who went missing thirty years ago. Despite AJ’s shock, she befriends the entity. She vows to use her problem-solving abilities to find Binni’s family and solve the mystery of the young girl’s disappearance. But darker spirits are afoot.

As AJ descends to the morgue’s basement to capture evidence of Binni’s remains, Matt’s visions worsen. Evil spirits surge around the premises. And AJ is in danger of getting caught in the middle of a paranormal showdown.



Chapter 1: An Unusual Call

AT half past midnight, a public safety dispatcher received a familiar but unsettling call. Amid the static and crackle, a voice uttered, “Send help.”

The strange calls started nine months ago, and they always occurred on or near the full moon. The voice supplied only their first name and location. The caller’s name changed every month, but the location stayed the same—Shoreline Hospital morgue. The police officer who responded to the first dispatch spoke with Matt Faulson, the morgue’s overnight security guard. He denied dialing for assistance. The officer walked around the perimeter of the building and witnessed nothing out of the ordinary.

But after three monthly calls involving the same person on duty, the department assigned Officer David Jackson to patrol around the time of the full moon, when they estimated a call would occur. They suspected the twenty-seven-year-old Matt to be the prankster.

Police interviews failed to pin him. Instead, the detectives saw video footage of stationary objects moving randomly in various rooms in the morgue late at night.

The young man admitted to seeing strange activity during his shifts. Adding to the mystery, the city’s emergency dispatch system saved the calls, but the hospital had no record of any of their phones being used.

David arrived at the parking lot with another patrol car at 12:25 a.m. He saw a lone figure sitting on a bench near the morgue’s main entrance.

“Matt.” He approached the security guard with friendly caution. As the guard greeted him, the officer couldn’t help but notice the dark shadows under the young man’s eyes and the ruffled hair. “Man, you look terrible.”

Matt sighed. “There’s not a lot of sleep with the graveyard shift, as you know. I don’t like walking the floors between midnight and one a.m., but I took too long answering an email, and I forgot the time. I rushed through the hallways, and let me tell you, I had more than one sighting,” Matt said. “I guess you received a call?”

David nodded. “You have to get me in there one of these nights. I want to see for myself.”

“I’ll call next time. But I didn’t make the call tonight,” Matt replied. He stood up and prepared to go back in the morgue, but froze. “Oh.”

“What is it?” David asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second officer took a defensive stance.

“A gray entity floated out of the wall to my left,” Matt said softly as he kept his head very still.

David looked as soon as Matt spoke. “I don’t see anything.” He glanced at the other officer.

“I don’t see anything either.”

“Really?” Matt asked as his shoulders dropped. He gingerly turned his head and looked. “Am I the only one who sees ghosts?”

“I’m beginning to believe that,” David replied.



About the Author:

J. ELIZAGA is a fan of science fiction and science mysteries. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, she peered over her father’s shoulders as he watched TV shows such as In Search Of, and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos during the 1970s. 

J. lives in California. She wrote stories in high school but had set aside her hobby for college and career…until she attended a writer's conference in San Francisco in 2010. The experience unsealed a door in her mind that she thought had long closed.

J. works in information technology by day, and makes time to write stories about humans who face extraordinary circumstances and discover their superhuman abilities. 











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Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Alpha Receptor by Karenna Colcroft - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular



A Werewolf’s Thoughts on Werewolf Costumes

Every year for Halloween, people don costumes to present themselves as various monsters. Because my brain tends to wander to odd places, I’ve sometimes wondered what those “monsters” would think of those costumes. Since I write werewolves, I decided to ask one of my characters what they thought. The following is a take from Kyle Slidell, the world’s only(?) gay vegan werewolf; although Kyle is not a major character in Alpha Receptor, he’s a main character in other books, and his story has a big impact on the main characters and plot of Alpha Receptor.

Hmm. What do I, Kyle Slidell, think about humans dressing up as werewolves for Halloween?

Honestly, I think it’s weird as heck. The costumes don’t even look like us, for crying out loud! They’re the movie-land version of werewolves, not the reality. We look like wolves.

Since I live full-time as a werewolf, I don’t really get why anyone would want to pretend to be one. Shifting is about the least fun I’ve ever had. Not having a choice about shifting at least once every month also really sucks. The reality of being a werewolf isn’t something I would wish on my worst enemy. (Even though my worst enemy is a werewolf.)

On the other hand, I completely get spending a night pretending to be something you aren’t. There have been plenty of times in my life when I’ve either done or wanted to do exactly that.

Of course the costumes aren’t accurate depictions of werewolves, but I suppose for some humans, that’s part of the fun. They aren’t trying to actually be wolves. They’re just playing dress-up for a night, and for a lot of humans, that’s exactly what Halloween is for.

So while I personally think humans dressing up like us—or like the film versions of us—is weird, I also fully support the whole “play pretend for a night” as long as everyone’s having fun with it. Just remember that the way most humans see werewolves isn’t our reality.



Alpha Receptor
Real Werewolves True Mates 
Book One
Karenna Colcroft

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Vegan Wolf Productions 
Date of Publication: July 14, 2022
ISBN: 978-1958346006
ASIN: B0B4T6FMPR
Number of pages: 263
Word Count: 72,300 
Cover Artist: Winterheart Design

Tagline: Can a “curmudgeonly” Alpha who has closed his heart to love open up when he finds his true mate?

Book Description: 

When Lara Jameson’s employer transferred her from Orlando, Florida, to Boston, Massachusetts, moving wasn’t as simple as just finding an apartment. As a werewolf, Lara also had to transfer to a new pack. And when she met Chal Torres, the Alpha of City Pack in Boston, she knew she had found not only a new pack but her mate.

Chal Torres has resisted love since a dominance fight shortly after he was changed resulted in the death of the woman he believed he loved. Now, as Alpha of the largest pack in the United States, he allows no one close to him out of fear they might be used against him. But when Chal meets Lara and recognizes her as his mate, his resistance is no match for the call of the mate bond and of his heart.

As Chal and Lara begin to build their relationship, Chal lets down his guard. But an attack on Lara during the pack’s hunt night and the reveal of a plot within the pack to take down Chal as Alpha lead Chal to begin putting up those walls again. Will he let Lara in, or will his fear end their relationship before it truly starts?


When he was confident none of his pack remained among the trees, he went to the house and found Art already in human form near the back door. Art possessed the distinct ability to shift instantaneously with no pain or effects; for him, it was as fluid as breathing. Meaning Chal needed to shift rapidly and give no sign of the effects.

Once back in human form, he straightened, towering over Art, who flinched. The reaction pleased Chal. The man deserved to be afraid.

“You attacked a pack member,” he said.

“Can…” Sweat beaded Art’s forehead as he frantically searched around for an escape. “Can we discuss this privately, Alpha?”

“We cannot.” He spoke more loudly than he intended, not caring that he’d drawn the attention of the other wolves. “Lara is lower ranked than you. She wasn’t interfering with you. You had neither cause nor right to attack her. Go home, Art. You are confined to your apartment until I speak with you.”

Art bowed his head. “I have no way to get home, Alpha. I rode here with others.”

“Dave.”

A small, wiry man hurried over to him. One of the trackers, second in command to Connor.

“Yes, Alpha?”

“Are you able to leave at this time?” Chal asked, continuing to pin Art beneath his gaze. “Art is going home.”

“Yes, Alpha. I’ll tell Hillary to find another ride.” Dave grasped Art’s elbow. “Let’s go.”

Art followed the other man without protest. But when he peered back over his shoulder at Chal, his eyes were filled with the same darkness weighing on Chal.
It would be crucial to resolve the situation more permanently. For the moment, Art was dealt with. It was time for Chal to check on his mate.

He found her a short distance from the house, lying on her side in wolf form, panting heavily.

Tobias, in human form, sat cross-legged beside her. “Follow my voice, Lara,” he said in a low, almost hypnotic cadence. “It’s time to shift back. I’m here. Your Alpha is here. We’re both with you. Come back.”

Painstakingly, so much so Chal trembled with sympathetic agony, Tobias guided Lara back into human form. When she finished the shift, she lay gasping on the ground.

“I can’t do anything more for her,” Tobias said.

“I can. Thank you, old friend.”

Chal crouched and gathered Lara into his arms. She stirred and murmured something unintelligible. Ignoring the others around them, Chal carried her into the house and up to the second floor, to the bedroom where he and Tobias had spoken earlier. 

Tenderly, he lay her on the bed. He wished he could kiss her, stay with her, but he still had a duty to his pack. He maneuvered the sheet from under her and covered her.

“Sleep,” he said. “We’ll speak in the morning.” Quickly, he left the room.




About the Author:

Karenna Colcroft lives just north of Boston, Massachusetts, and has been in love with the city since childhood, though she has yet to encounter any werewolves, vampires, or other paranormal beings in her travels. At least none that she knows of. Though since in her non-writing life, under another name, she offers services as a channel and energy healing practitioner, it could be said that she herself is a paranormal being. The jury’s still out on that.

Karenna is a polyamorous, nonbinary human who splits time between the home she shares with her husband and the one she shares with her committed partner. She also has two adult children and a bonus son, three grandchildren, and two and a half cats. (Half in terms of time the cat lives with her, not in terms of the cat itself…)












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Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Character Confession from Alaric from Tome of the Vampire by Jason Goss #GothicHorror


Hello, I’m the vampire Alaric.  When Marija asked me to write my accounts in the Tome, she also asked that I take time to reflect on things.  Confess my inner most thoughts and feelings.  I could tell she was doing so out of actual curiosity.  She didn’t care what the church might learn.  She seemed curious about me as a person.  What I’ve seen, what I’ve done.  So, I sit here... trying to find a story to share with her in order to repay her kindness.  She let me have the heartstone afterall…so I suppose I owe her.

Marija, if you are reading this account, let me tell you of my mortal life.  Before Zahara turned me into this monster, I was just your average guy.  I worked a nine to five job at a bank.  Love spending time with friends and family. In my spare time I loved to read.  I was obsessed with history.  Back in those days, we still had technology.  We had something called video games.  They were forms of entertainment that people could easily waste countless hours playing.  I admit, I’ve wasted a fair share of time on them myself. To be fair, some of them told epic and enthrallingly detailed stories.  One could easily argue the artistic merits of some of these games.  But I digress.  I was also an avid hiker.  I enjoyed the outdoors and spent much of my free time exploring the world around me.

It was on one such adventure that I met Zahara.  She was a normal woman back then.  Not the vile horrific monster she would one day become.  In fact, she was stunning. I fell for her immediately. I didn’t think I stood a chance if I’m being honest.  I thought a girl this stunning was well out of my league.  But I took my chances anyway and asked her out.  To my surprise…she agreed.  We went for a romantic walk in the park.  Stopped at a nearby pizza place and talked for hours. In time we fell in love and lived a good life together.  Deep down I knew she carried a darkness within her.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  Instead I tried to see the best in her.  Tried to encourage her to be a better person.  But at times, her rage would take over.  Her darkside would show itself and it frightened me.  But I was so in love that I willfully ignored what she really was.  I kept telling myself that she loved me and wouldn’t turn on me.  I wanted so bad to believe that lie.  So bad that I actually convinced myself she was even capable of love. At first it was fine.  Her rage, anger and malice would only ever be directed at others.  So it made believing the lie easier. 

Then it happened.  She burned everything else around her…all that was left to pour her rage into was me. Even as it happened…I begged her. Told her I loved her. Pleased with her to stop!  But as with everyone who crossed her path…she destroyed me.   She took my life and gave me a new one.  A cursed one.  As if the suffering I endured trying to love a monster all those years wasn’t enough…she condemned me to immortality.  Trapping me to forever linger in the wake of her destruction. Bound to her evil. 

As I sit here writing this…I still do not know how she herself became to be a monster.  I’m positive she was human at one point.  Darkness always resided deep down….but I’m sure she was mortal at first.  Something darker took hold of her…and one day I hope to find out what. But that is a story for another day. First things first.  She must die.

-Alaric




Tome of the Vampire
Volume One
Jason Goss

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Gothic Horror, 
Post -Apocalyptic
Date of Publication: Aug 30,2022
ISBN:979-8849166322
ASIN:B0BCCVQ6QN
Number of pages: 221
Word Count: 67k
Cover Artist: Jason Goss

Book Description: 

For over one thousand years after the world was nearly destroyed by the calamity known as Sinfall, the church has helped people recover.  The recovery and safety the church gave came at a steep cost.  Technology has been lost to the ages and banned by the church.  

The land is plagued by a terrible curse that threatens to wipe out all life, and the church has no idea how to stop it.  Until a chance encounter with a mentally unstable vampire offers an unlikely solution….

Tome of the Vampire is a dark fantasy story set in a post apocalyptic fantasy world filled with magic, dragons, and mystery surrounding the secrets the church has banned people from knowing, and what caused the calamity.  


PROLOGUE

It had been one thousand, four hundred eighty-one years since the calamity known as All Sins Fall, or Sinfall for short. And on this day, the vampire and his holy cleric accomplice are awaiting judgment by the Grand Inquisitor. Today is the day of reckoning.

The mighty steel doors of the keep slammed open in unison with the thunder strike outside, as a violent storm raged on. The dusk brought with it a storm so loud it was almost deafening. Two prisoners wrapped in starsilver chains were violently dragged into the keep towards the inner sanctum. The first, a young girl in her early twenties with long, dirty blonde hair, tied back and dripping wet. Loose, wet bangs covered her filthy face, hiding her green eyes. She was head to toe in regalia of the Knights of the Silver Star. Chain mail armor, wrapped in a silver star crested tunic. Her hands were bound behind her, and a chain clamped to her neck. The girl was aggressively dragged forward towards the Inquisitor.

Behind her followed the second prisoner. He was also bound in chains behind his back, with more chains tied to his neck, leading him forward. This prisoner stood out to the guards stationed along the inner sanctum hall. His pale face, white as marble, contrasted underneath his long jet black hair. His bright sapphire blue eyes were empty and limitless at the same time. It was like looking into a void that filled a person with both sadness and fear. The way he moved forward, led by the chain around his neck, still seemed unnatural and unnerving. Every step he took seemed effortless. He was dressed in a dark cloak with the hood down. Each step he took made the guards uneasy. This man was a vampire.

Vampires were not uncommon to the Knights of the Silver Star. The Order were responsible for waging war against such abominations. Dragons, demons, vampires, and other evil creatures were regularly hunted down and cleansed by the knights. What was shocking to the guard was to see one in the grand halls of the Silver Sanctum. Each guard gave the other an uneasy look, as they knew this was different. Something big was happening before them. Not to mention a member of the Order dragged along with him to answer before the Inquisitor.

A small set of stairs led to a sizeable and imposing limestone throne at the end of the hall. The chair's sculpted armrest was in the shape of an angel kneeling with its wings folded downwards to let you rest your hands on the angel's back between the shoulders. There were blindfolds covering the angel’s eyes. Down on all fours, they were clasping a sword stabbed in the ground beside them. The backrest of the mighty chair had two large wings spanning outward. They give the person sitting there an appearance of having majestic wings. The wings appeared inlaid with starsilver and gold. Upon the chair sat the Grand Inquisitor.

He sat on the throne, awaiting his prisoners’ arrival, looming over them as they approached. He was clad in thick starsilver armor. It looked almost decorative, if not for the battle-scarred dents in parts of it. The blemishes didn't detract from the practically holy glow it gave off. His shoulder pauldrons were shaped to look like griffons’ heads pointing outward, with its wings folding down in front and behind him on either shoulder. The Inquisitor’s chest plate was fashioned to look like that of a fierce lion's head. He had a blue and silver-lined cape flowing behind him. He was unarmed. His weapons were not far away, leaning against this throne. A massive silver Warhammer that looked heavier than the Inquisitor himself sat closest to him. Beside the hammer lay a large, two-handed great sword. Its decorations were hidden as a blue and silver cloak was draped over it.

As the prisoners got closer to the throne, the rain intensified outside. Thunder still crackled in the distance, as lightning flashes filled the room with bursts of light. The light glittered off all the silver decorations, armor, and weapons. The guards looked suspiciously at the vampire to see if the light bothered or hurt him. When he didn't react to the reflections of silver light, the guards collectively tightened the grip on their weapons, ready to strike should the moment call for it. The guards leading the prisoners pulled the chain forward and forced them on their knees.

"Alas, we have the infamous vampire, Alaric Caradoc." The Inquisitor smiled. "I expected an atrocity such as you to have put up a fight or resisted. The fact you have made no attempts to fight, kill or break free suggests you are up to something. Know that your words mean little to me, and you will most likely meet your end this night. And if you thought you could compel me with your neat little mesmerize trick... think again. I'm protected by the light of God and immune to such trickery. If you planned to attack from the inside... your plan has failed. Those silver chains will hold you while you die a quick and final death."

Alaric said nothing. He met the Inquisitor's gaze, the entire time without flinching. He appeared cold as stone. His marble-like skin didn't break a sweat or move.

"You can't kill him! We need his help!" interrupted the young female prisoner, as she tried to rise back to her feet. The guard behind her instinctively struck the back of her legs with his spear, knocking her back down.

"Silence, Yasmina! You are a traitor and a sinner. Conspiring with this creature condemns you to hell. I will end your suffering soon so that God himself can judge your sins. The only reason you still breathe is so I can find out the truth of what happened in the fires of Ghalat. Your mentor, Salazar, was a great hero and deserved to be honored. I will know what happened, and I will put you both to death."

"Not a compelling reason for us to give you answers," replied Alaric. "I expected the Grand Inquisitor to be a better negotiator. For fuck's sake, lie to us or something. Please, tell us if we help you, we may suffer less, or live or something. You sure this is your actual job?"

"Ric, let me handle this, please," said Yasmina in a nervous but stern tone.

"So you and this monster are on a nickname basis, eh? Does he call you Yas or perhaps Mina or something cute? You're nothing but a meal to him. I bet he calls you his little snack." replied the Inquisitor, laughing to himself. He expected more reaction to his sarcastic joke but got nothing.

"To answer your question... Ric, I don't need to lie. Lying is a sin, and men of God do not need to lower themselves to your level. You may not answer my questions honestly... but I will enjoy torturing you either way. And since Yasmina here seems to be fond of you, the more truthful she is, the swifter your death."

"I'm not fond of him," Mina interjected. "He is a monster. But he has information that could help us, and he has agreed to do so if we help him. When he has helped us, I will end his suffering myself."

The Inquisitor took a step towards her and firmly backhanded her to the ground.

"Idiot child," he explained, "we do not help or work with the cursed. Your mentor would be ashamed. Alaric is simply using you and attempting to poison your mind. The only way he can help us is to die in the light's fire. His soul is past redemption. And all that remains is to rid the foul curse from the land, so his sickness doesn't spread and corrupt any more lives."

Alaric tried to remain quiet, as Mina suggested. But he couldn't help himself.

"Do you even hear yourself speak? You sound like a brainwashed twit diddler. If your goal is to end corruption, and someone has a way to help you end it better or faster… doesn't it make sense to at least hear them out?" he asked.

"My goal is to kill you before you taint any more minds. Yasmina was Salazar's brightest pupil. You have corrupted her, and now I have to kill her. Now all I want is to learn his fate, then kill you before you pull off your plan to kill us. You don't fool me, cold one. I know you would kill us the second you get the chance."

The vampire finally showed a glimmer of emotion on his face, and he smiled at the Inquisitor's comments. He shook his head ever so slightly to clear the hair from his face so that the Inquisitor could see his face.

"Yes, and no. I could kill you if I wanted to, right here and now. But would I? It doesn't serve me to kill you all. But the vile plans you think I'm up to require your help. And in exchange... I will help you purge more evil than you could ever do on your own. I could teach you more about our weaknesses and lead you to them. I can help you," Alaric insisted.

The Inquisitor just laughed. He watched as Yasmina crawled up back to her knees, eagerly waiting to see his response. He looked back towards Alaric, still smiling in a smug, confident way.

"You should take your advice, cold one. Now, who is the shit negotiator? You have not provided me a compelling reason to hear you out. You are in silver chains and about to die. I hold the cards, and from where I stand, you are in no position to kill us all, as you claim. Frankly... your kind can't be trusted. Once I have my answers from Yasmina...I will put you to death. If she lies, it will be a drawn- out, painful death. If she doesn't lie, your death will be swift and painless... as will hers,"

Alaric's smile slowly faded to reveal his annoyance as the Inquisitor stubbornly refused him. He pulled his bound hands forward, breaking free of the silver manacles that bound his hands to his back, and quickly grabbed and broke the silver ring around his neck.

"Listen, you know fuck all about vampires. If I wanted you dead I'd have killed you and everyone in this tacky room already. Her included." he said as he pointed towards Mina, still shackled beside him.

The guards immediately drew all their weapons and pointed them at Alaric. The Inquisitor stepped back, reaching for his Warhammer behind him. His eyes locked on the vampire in disbelief at what he had just seen. He tried to hide his panic, but he couldn't. Silver was a weakness from all his experience and training with prior vampires. It should have stopped him from being able to use his unholy strength. Or any of his vampire powers. He knew each vampire's powers could differ significantly, but they had all been weak against Starsilver until now.

Alaric raised his arms high to show he wasn't about to attack. "Relax, I do not intend to fight you. Now lower your weapons before I change my mind," Alaric said.

All the guards looked to the Grand Inquisitor for direction. He nodded and raised a hand to indicate they could lower their weapons. He still grabbed his hammer and brought it in front of him, but left the hammer's head firmly on the ground before him.

Alaric thought it was comical that a man so devoted and sure of his God's protection would need to cling to his weapon, as if it were a comforting blanket a babe might need to fall asleep at night. But he decided not to mock the man, as he could see he might be making progress after all.

"Alright, vampire, you have my attention. We still have things to learn of your kind. You could have surprised attacked us at will, or at very least escaped with your life, yet didn't. I wouldn't be doing my job as Inquisitor if I didn't at least try to learn why."

"I know you have no reason to trust me, nor can I give you a compelling reason to. But so long as your knights don't attack me, I will spare them. I will also not attempt to flee till you have heard our proposition. After that, you may do as you wish,"

"And if I still wish to remove your head?" asked the Inquisitor.

"You are welcome to try," said the vampire, as his smile playfully returned, "but first, I suggest you at least listen to Mina's story of how we got here. And then I can explain how I may be able to help you. Besides, you wanted to learn of dear old Salazar's fate, didn't you?"

The Inquisitor looked annoyed, but the vampire was correct. He had questions he needed answers to—both for himself and the church.

"Fine. But we will take you to separate interrogation rooms, and I will uncover your scheme, vampire. And once I've learned all I need, we will sacrifice you to God."


About the Author:

Jason Goss is an aspiring Canadian author from London Ontario, and a self proclaimed nerd.  He enjoys pretty much anything sci fi or fantasy themed, and is a big fan of dark fantasy and grim dark stories. 
He would include Anne Rice and Jay Kristoff as his biggest influences for his writing.

In the past, Jason has wrote for various youtube channels, screen plays, songs, and even short stories.  He has many stories he wishes to tell, spanning several genres. 

When he is not engaged in reading, writing or any of his several nerdy hobbies, he can often be found in the woods hiking with his rescued husky/shepard doggo. Or cuddled up with his two rescued cats binge watching a new show online.










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