Posts Tagged ‘paranormal’

Vampire Week – Kate Hill

Mar 21, 2011 Filed under: book recommendation, excerpts, guest blogger, interview, paranormal, vampire, Vampire Week Tags: Changeling Press, erotic romance, gay romance, Kate Hill, m/m romance, paranormal, vampire, Vampire Week

Today to kick off Vampire Week, Kate Hill shares her love of vampires……

Vampires–A Family Tradition by Kate Hill

For as long as I can remember, vampires have been part of my life. As a child I used to watch vampire movies with my mother. She was also a vampire fan. Maybe because I grew up watching vampire movies and reading vampire fiction, I never found them particularly frightening, but I always found them intriguing.

I like the idea of their extended lives and I love their physical strength. While I enjoy many characteristics of traditional vampires, I also like stories that take liberties with the legends surrounding them.

As a reader and a writer, I prefer stories in which vampires are not inherently evil and I also love the idea of vampires as aliens or another species instead of supernatural monsters. In my books, vampires are like humans in that some are good, some are bad and others fall somewhere in between.

For me vampire stories are an irresistible contradiction. They’re exciting yet comfortable and seamlessly blend romance, erotica and horror, sometimes with a touch of science fiction.

My latest series of vampire books is called Bloody or Nothing. It’s set in my Blood and Soul vampire world. In the first Bloody or Nothing book, called Sudsy, a vampire drag queen who protects Las Vegas from vampiric crime teams up with a handsome singer whose affair with an up and coming mixed martial artist threatens his life. Sudsy and his new lover join a fight against an evil bent on taking over the world.

The following excerpt is from Sudsy, available from Changeling Press.

Thank you for looking and thanks for having me on your blog, Silvia!

Excerpt from BLOODY OR NOTHING: SUDSY by Kate Hill
From Changeling Press

Julian rose and approached. He wore another simple black shirt open halfway down his chest. Sudsy longed to stroke those curly dark hairs dusting his pecs and take a closer look at Julian’s interesting tattoo of roses.

“Different look,” Julian said, his gaze searching Sudsy’s face, then sliding down his chiseled chest in the snug tank and lingering on the bulge in the front of his trousers. When he was in drag no one had a clue exactly how well endowed Sudsy was. “I like it.”

Sudsy cocked an eyebrow, as if to say who asked. This didn’t seem to intimidate Julian in the least.

The singer stepped even closer and added, “I like it a lot.”

“So the rumors about you are true?”

“Which ones?”

“The ones that say you swing both ways?”

A few of the local gossip columns had made mention of Julian’s bisexual tendencies.

A smile tugged at Julian’s adorable lips. The top one curved into a delicate bow, but the lower one was full and enticing. Sudsy longed to nip and suck it.
“Partially true.”

“Oh.” Sudsy stepped away and turned to the balcony where he looked out at the city lights. “I see.”

Seconds later, Julian’s hand fell lightly on Sudsy’s shoulder. Sudsy turned to him. Their burning gazes locked and this time Julian stood so close that their lips almost touched.

“Playing along with the bi rumors helps my career. I have a fair share of female fans and women love to flirt, you know.”

Sudsy smiled. “Naughty boy.”

“I’ll show you just how naughty I can be, if you let me.”

Julian’s face dipped even closer, but Sudsy stepped back and placed a hand to the mortal’s chest. He’d meant the gesture to stop any further contact, but that was a very bad idea. Beneath Julian’s warm, hair-dusted flesh, he felt the mortal’s heartbeat and its quickness told him the man was truly aroused, not just offering payback or prepayment for the business deal they’d discussed. Not to mention the scent of his lust didn’t lie.

Julian drew a deep breath and hesitation glistened in his eyes. “Is something wrong?”

“I’ve had a long night, Julian, and you’re still healing. Not to mention we need to talk business.”

“Yes. Business. If you think I’m trying to bargain for a better offer–”

Sudsy narrowed his eyes. “You’re good at getting what you want, aren’t you, Julian?”

At that comment, Julian laughed sardonically. “Yeah I’m great at getting what I want. I’m unemployed, unattached and recovering from a stab wound. Everything is going exactly as I planned.”

Sudsy folded his arms across his chest and sighed deeply. This guy got to him and that could be either wonderful or dangerous.

“I’ll be glad to help, if you tell me what happened because I don’t believe for a second you were mugged.”

“Why would I lie?”

Shrugging, Sudsy said, “People have lots of reasons to lie. I don’t think you’re into anything illegal.”

“I’m not.”

“Then maybe it’s someone you care about–someone you’re trying to protect?”

The look in Julian’s eyes and the sudden skip of a heartbeat told Sudsy he was close to the truth. Sudsy was an excellent judge of character. He’d possessed that gift long before becoming a vampire.

“Whoever it is, are you certain he or she is worth risking your life for?”

Julian didn’t reply and for several long moments they stared at each other, Sudsy willing the mortal to confess and Julian holding strong against the vampire’s hypnotic gaze. Very few mortals could endure a vampire’s probing stare without surrendering, but despite Julian’s pretty boy appearance, he emanated underling toughness. He was a complex man and one Sudsy wanted to know better.

“I’ve had a long night,” Sudsy said. “And I need to get some sleep.”

When he headed for the door, Julian’s long fingers curved snugly around his upper arm. Sudsy glanced at his hand then met Julian’s piercing gaze.

“Sleep here,” Julian said, his voice soft but commanding. Another smile tugged at Sudsy’s lips. Julian aroused him to a feverish level, but no one gave Sudsy orders.

“Do you know what you’re asking for, stud?” Sudsy asked.

In reply, Julian tugged Sudsy closer and covered his mouth in a searing kiss.

Damn. In his long, long life no one had ever kissed him like this.

About Kate Hill

What do trips around the world, endless nights of breathtaking sex, and a muscular, 6-foot 3-inch, brown-haired, blue-eyed significant other have to do with Kate Hill? Absolutely nothing, but she can dream, can’t she? In reality Kate is a single vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies.

Currently, she might not be traveling around the world, but Kate has visited Europe and Africa and those beautiful places have been wonderful inspiration for her writing. While working at various times as a clerk, assistant karate instructor, house painter and banker, Kate dreamed of being an author. In 1996 her first short story was accepted for publication and since then she has sold over ninety short stories, novellas and novels.

When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, and researching vampires and Viking history. Visit Kate online.

It’s A Vampire Celebration!

Mar 20, 2011 Filed under: book release, excerpts, paranormal, vampire Tags: Changeling Press, erotic romance, erotica, magic, menage, paranormal, paranormal romance, vampire, wizard

This week, in honor or my latest release, Revision, I’m going to be hosting a celebration of vampires. Several fantastic authors will join me in sharing thoughts what makes vampires so appealing. For now, here’s a taste of Niall and Ethan, two very seductive vampire assassins:

Excerpt from Revision by Silvia Violet

Niall slid silently from the bed, cursing his lack of a weapon. Someone was on Vivian’s balcony. He could hear a single heartbeat. He reached out with his mind, but whoever it was had shields too thick for him to break without giving himself away.

The balcony door slid open. Niall stepped into the living room, cloaking himself. No human would be able to see him now. Of course, he doubted the intruder was human, but he could always hope.

A tall man stepped into Vivian’s apartment.

Niall sprang.

The man captured his wrist in an unbreakable grip. “You could have told me you’d reclaimed your body.”

“Ethan.” Niall’s partner dropped his arm, and Niall stepped back.

Ethan growled. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I needed to regain my strength.”

Ethan arched a brow. “Based on your smell and appearance I’d say you needed to fuck someone’s brains out.”

Niall ran his hand through his ruffled hair. “I would have contacted you as soon as we woke.”

“It’s not like you to be distracted from a mission.”

“After months of being trapped by that bastard I deserve a night to feed and fuck without the Consulate coming down on my ass.”

Ethan grinned. “That’s true enough. Tell me how you got free.”

Niall explained how he’d sent out mental feelers from the story world where he’d been trapped by Lorcan, a wizard so powerful even his band of elite vampire assassins had been unable to capture him after months of trying. Vivian, a romance writer, had been the only one to respond to his calls.

She’d listened to him tell the story of his fight with Lorcan and his capture, thinking he was a character out of her own imagination. When she’d finished writing his tale, the magic of her words brought him back into his body and transported him to her apartment.

Ethan frowned. “When did you return to your self?”

Niall glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly 10:00. “About twelve hours ago.”

Without warning Ethan lunged for him. Niall countered the attack, blocking Ethan’s attempt to smash his jaw. He sent Ethan flying backward with a swift kick.

Ethan held up his hands in surrender.

Niall snarled. “What the fuck was that about?”

“A test. You’re back to nearly your full strength.”

“So?”

“You should need days to recover after going so long without feeding. There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“Apparently, I’m stronger than you thought I was.” Vivian had restored his energy almost instantly. She responded to him like a Companion, yet even a Companion shouldn’t have such power before being Turned. He needed more time to examine their connection before sharing it with anyone, even Ethan.

Ethan growled. “You’re lying. We can’t afford secrets on this mission.”

Lorcan was the greatest threat to their kind Niall had encountered since joining the Protectors. “There is nothing you need to know right now. I’ll tell you when I can.”

“You’d better.”

Niall hoped there would be nothing to tell. The thought of letting Vivian go made his stomach knot, but she didn’t deserve to be forced into a bond with him, especially one that linked their lifeforces so closely. He risked his life every day as a Protector, and when a vampire died, his Companion rarely survived.

Ethan stepped back onto the balcony and retrieved a bag. He tossed it at Niall. “Duval expects us at sunset. I brought you some clothes and weapons. You’ll get a new phone tonight.”

“Damn! I was hoping to avoid him for a bit longer.” Like until he figured out whether Vivian really was his Companion or if something even stranger was going on. Companion bonds had become rare in the last few hundred years and he’d never heard of one that formed this fast.

Ethan shook his head. “It’s a formal summons. He’ll drag you there if you don’t come willingly.”

He would too. The bastard. “How pissed is he?”

“Well, you did get caught.”

“God damn it! Nobody knew Lorcan would be able to suck me into his enchanted book. I’ll not be –”

He realized Ethan was laughing at his vehemence. “Fuck you.”

“You’re the best Protector the Consulate has. The fact that you got caught shows how strong Lorcan really is. We’ve been unable to locate him since you disappeared. Then last night, Duval sensed you again, and I sensed Lorcan’s magic. Vivian breaking his hold on you must have weakened him temporarily. We know where he’s hiding.”

“Then let’s go get him.”

“How well did that go last time?”

Niall snarled. “I want the bastard dead.”

“As do we all, but this is too big for the two of us. We need Duval. Hell, we may need every last Protector and all the allies we can bring in. We’ve got a few shifters watching the townhouse he’s using for his base. They’ll alert us if he leaves.”

“This can’t wait. We need to go in now.”

Learn how Niall and Vivian met in Stranger Than Fiction