Submissions

All submissions in these formats please: .pdf , Kindle, or print copy. If in print copy, I would appreciate it if the book was autographed by the author. I am not doing books that have a deadline at this time, unless the author wants to use my review to appear on the book itself. Please send all requests to: norachipleybarteau@att.net . If sending through snail mail, email me for my home address. Thank you!

December 27, 2011

RHA Presents Demon Vampire by Virgil Allen Moore

Demon Vampire is an epic paranormal dark mystery that is intended for mature audiences. The vampires within are visceral. They do not sparkle, they do not brood. They are human monsters in the very sense of the words. Demon Vampire is written with a poetic mastery that is felt in every word. It draws you in from the first sentence and never lets go.
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About the Author Virgil Allen Moore taken from the author's personal site*


My name is Virgil Allen Moore. I write the epic paranormal dark fiction novel Demon Vampire. I have been writing for more than sixteen years about fantasy, vampires, poetry, and love. Please comment, Subscribe, and Enjoy the blog, It's Free.
I began as a poet. Later, I turned to fiction. My voice carries presence in my pen as I write. It is a talent that I have used well in constructing my novel. My platform is visual aesthetics mixed with powerful character driven writing. My myths teach visceral morality in a palette that is captivating and fulfilling to readers. My type of vampire is above the fold as related to today's popular image. It is my vision that those who remember the era of Anne Rice will see my epic as the answer to the mundane vampire that has propagated in the ebb of recent social tide. There has never been vampires like mine. I have created a powerful, elegant, sophisticated type of vampires that have seeded desires and emotional ties to the world around them. The Demon Vampires in my world reincarnate every three hundred years into the body of a host vampire. However, in Demon Vampire the book, one has descended upon a vampeal. Read my blog and enjoy. Comment, Subscribe, If you enjoy vampires, you will be enthralled by mine.
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My Interview With Virgil

Where are you from? 
Gainesville, FL originally. I have moved more times than I am willing to admit to myself. Some awful number over 27 roughly. When I was younger, I actually attended four different high schools in four years.

Tell us your latest news? 
I have a book signing on December 10th, it will be my first as a published author. I am immensely excited and eerily confident about it's outcome. I believe it will do well to carry my brand of vampire to all those over saturated by the Twilight craze.

When and why did you begin writing? 
When I was in 7th grade, I was introduced to poetry for the first time and was able to write my own. Later that year I received two Editor's Choice Awards for my poems. I went on to get more praise and I enjoyed it. Years later I found too that I submitted poetry very young and wanted a new challenge. So I turned to story crafting. In the begining, I found great difficulty writing in such a profoundly different way. With time, I fashioned a few ideas and told them to friends. They loved them, so I carried on with writing more. I came up with over 16 separate folders filled with story concepts. I found I was able to meld my poetic styling with the verbose nature of standard literature in a way that was both pleasing and elegant to a reader.

When did you first consider yourself a writer? 
I thought it was when I had just finished writing the 242,000+ words in Demon Vampire. Then I realized it was honestly the day after I completed the four month editing process of the book. It was only at that point did I consider myself a writer.

What inspired you to write your first book? 
An irritation. I discovered certain issues I had while reading the majority of popular vampire novels out today, and thought of exactly why I found them unsatisfying. That yearning scorned my desire to write my first book. I took everything that I saw vampires as, and wrote the story I wanted to read.

Do you have a specific writing style? 
Visceral poetry entwined within moral prose. I write morality into the heart of my stories. Not the good or bad, but the good and better – the bad and worse. If I can present the reader with a choice that is complex and not easily answered, then I have written a wonderful tale.

How did you come up with the title? 
Demon Vampire was the simplest expression of the core of the story. It told the just of the two main elements I wanted to convey – vampires and the higher, more monstrous aspect of demons as vampires. I wanted to portray a creature that even they would fear.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 
That right and wrong are subjective. If offered the choice of power for your soul, most people would automatically deny it. However, with the complications of the world as they are, temptation holds it's sway. If the choice was incremental, the decision doesn't remain as clear as it once was. It's altruism becomes muddled in the action of the execution. We end up thinking, “What's a memory for strength?” Or “What's a small personality trait for a few extra years of healthy life?” Choices aren't as simple as we'd all believe them to be when individually confronted with them.

How much of the book is realistic? 
I studied quite a few medical texts books to come up with what I did. For a vampire, I'd have to say it's highly realistic to what the human body is supposed to withstand. When it came to the all important question of the metaphysical or scientific vampire, I decisively chose science in the physical and kindly borrowed from the meta when coming up with the abilities of each of my vampires. In the side novel, Special Science Report 1192 (or SSR 1192 for short), I actually list the medical charts of most of my vampires. I took real laboratory values and came up with what my vampires would have if them were as I wrote them. I have everything from cardiac flow, to the PH of the blood and even their blood pressure. Everything is listed and everything is explained in a way that makes real world sense.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? 
The experiences from the book are wildly fictional, but hold some truth to my own life. The main character, Zack is a proxy for myself at that age. Except that the emotional strife I waded through was done to him physically in the book.

What books have most influenced your life most? 
Dante's Inferno, Rumble Fish, and Interview with the Vampire. Dante's Inferno showed me the pain one can endure in life and beyond. Rumble Fish displayed a sense of personal justice that I had never seen before. Finally, Interview with the Vampire exalted the vampire in my mind to a level of awe. Something that I would later emulate in my writing.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? 
Stephen King for showing me that the simple task of picking up a glass and drinking from it can be laid out in such a way that it makes the reader want to turn the page. And in the course of doing so, spend four pages on that same task.

What book are you reading now? 
I just finished reading Juice: Revolution by Michael Clutton. He reminds me of Michael Crichton in his blunt humor and sharp wit. It's a good read. 
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? 
Michael Clutton and Amy Mah. Clutton for what I said a moment ago, and Mah for her outlandish attention to the oddest and truly over the top details that make up the daily life of a vampire.

What are your current projects? 
I'm currently working on Demon Vampire: Redgold, which is the second book in the main series. I just finished SSR 1192 last month, and I will be starting on another side novel entitled Demon Vampire: The Elder Ritual in a few months. It will encompass the time the main demon vampire, Salas, had when he was not in the main character Zack from the present day storyline.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members. 
It's not a a single person, more like a gaggle of people. Those who disliked my work. I'd have to say in the nicest way imaginable that their input did affect my writing, if only to prove their observations were astoundingly inaccurate.

Do you see writing as a career? 
Ask me that in a year, or after a million in ebook sales, which ever comes first. If the book does as well as it has been, all I have to do is keep telling everyone about it. As long as that happens, I can happily say yes.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? 
No, there were only a few changes to begin with. I didn't have to cut much, and all I really needed to do was alter the opening scene. I'd say that I am confident in the current presentation of the book.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? 
I started off thinking I would be an artist when I grew up. I always had great vision to come up with the most creative things. The only problem was that one day I hit a wall with my skills. After that, I wasn't able to keep up with others my age. At that point I decided to write what I wanted to paint, draw, or invision. Soon those writings turned into entire stories, and later the book I have now.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? 
“So sweet was the wet rain flowing through the throat of life. Kissing the sky, a nimble tongue tithed over a sharp tooth. He was esurient. The demon inside dripped with excitement. Wet senses, tense thoughts played in his mind. He leaned in. Her neck was warm, tender, ready for penetration. This will be his first.”

Those are the first words of the 500 page epic paranormal dark mystery that is Demon Vampire. And it gets better from there.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? 
I used to write in first person. When I switched to third, I found myself reverting back to first on occasion. Thankful I have kicked that habit, at least most of it.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? 
I'd have to say it's a cross between Michael Crichton and Anne Rice. I know how odd that might sound, but it's due to their respective fields. Rice because of her elegance in how it relates to her narrative, and Crighton in how amazingly blunt he can be to drive his point home to readers.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? 
Thankfully, no. There needs to be a real following for Demon Vampire before I can justify the time to set up long distance events and signings. If in the next year, the book is offered international rights, or a movie option, then that will most assuredly change.

Who designed the covers? 
Leos Ng Okita did a great job on my wrap around cover. She is an amazing artist that I was able to find on DeviantArt.com. She was the most professional and responsive artist I contacted and landed the job by exceeding my hopes in every way. I plan to commission her for Demon Vampire: Redgold as well.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? 
The time. It took 347 days to write. Just eight days shy of a year. Beyond that, the editing was equally as daunting.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? 
That if you spend a great deal of time writing, you will get better at it. Over the year the book was being written, I came back to the beginning and was able to see things I hadn't when I started. I ended up rewriting the entire opening scene for that fact alone.

Do you have any advice for other writers? 
Keep writing. The best asset you have is the total number of words you have written and the total number of keystrokes it takes to write them. Demon Vampire was 242,947 words long. It came to over 1.7 million keystrokes in the end. A number that boggled everyone I told. Keep writing and you will be amazed at what you are able to do.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 
If you have every felt alienated by an author for compromising their core story, do not weep. I have felt your woes and tribulations as a reader. Those experiences have shaped my writing and taught me to never betray the trust I have built with my fans and the relationship they have with my characters. I will always deliver a complex morality that when you are finished reading, will compel you to delve into again. Honestly, If you enjoy vampires, you will be enthralled by mine.
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On a note about my review with author Virgil Allen Moore, he was a delight to talk with and I must say strictly in my opinion, He Looks The Part! Not only does his writings show his passion for the Vampire but so does his appearance! I just love it! *smile*goosebumps*
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After examining the evidence I have put before you with these pictures taken from Mr. Moore's site, please do not forget to read my review. I think you will find it.....let's say, the off beaten path for me. *smile*
                             
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And now to my Review of Demon Vampire by Virgil Allen Moore

Demon Vampire
by
Virgil Allen Moore

Ok, this can't be 'a typical' review because I am unable to remove myself OUT of the book. It has totally sucked me into it's realm! It's like walking into a dream where you do not trust your senses because you do not know what is around the mist coming up off the ground. Dreams that feel so real you can feel the pain, taste the pleasures it has to offer and the darkness we all have inside of us. You see someone in the distance that seems familiar, maybe the way they walk, or the tilt of their head, and you feel just a little bit 'safer', but can you be sure they are truly who they appear to be? What power do we actually have control of in our dreams, what can we actually do? Is it possible to transport power from a dream into the realm of the living? Ask yourself, are you awake right now, or are you dreaming?

Demon Vampire has totally blown me away! Virgil has made me look at vampires in a whole new light in which I have welcomed! I have read and reviewed A LOT of books, and to give credit where it is due, they were all five stars in my eyes because I do not judge an author who writes about my favorite character lightly. But what Virgil has done should be no threat to the tone other authors write about the Vampire. Virgil is truly unique with such a unprecedented imagination that I feel has limitless power. He takes you into the deepest, darkest heart of a Vampire and allows you to experience their hopes, dreams, wishes. Oh, you didn't know Vampires have those like humans do? It's not always about the cloak and blood. There are dark dark secrets that only the elite are to know, there is a hunger for power and vengeance beyond belief. It tears and rends the soul to get it's point across to you, the reader. Do you dare take the invitation it has to offer you? Do you dare take the hand offered to you, to meet the Demon Vampire?

In my review I have given very little information about characters, plot line, etc. I feel looking  at other reviews, this has been done. I wanted to write a view from the very depths of my soul and imagination and what 'I' felt about it. I am still feeling it, and I do not know if I will ever recover or realize I have completed the book and am safe in my chair, typing you this review.

I give Demon Vampire by Virgil Allen Moore five stars *****

*Note: Thank you Virgil for allowing me to take this voyage into your mind.

Reviewed by

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December 2, 2011

Cassius: Blood Rights by Heather Anne Lambert

Hot… Intense… ACTION!
It’s Toronto’s night-time playground, and Cassius, a two thousand year-old vampire, is on the hunt for dinner. His meals of choice are murderers, sex offenders, child abductors, and anyone who really pisses him off. In this burgeoning metropolis of almost 6 million people, Cassius is sure to find enough variety to satisfy his deadly palate.

What he doesn’t count on is meeting Harmony, a beautiful female vampire who was turned against her will. When he takes her under his dark wing, Cassius finds himself embroiled in an all out war with Harmony’s maker, Sebastian—and in a struggle to protect his heart. Meanwhile, Cass’s meal-of-the-moment, the Valentine Killer, stays just beyond his reach.

From the steamy dissipation of downtown Toronto to the fiery hell of Hamilton’s steel refineries, a chase with high collateral damage ensues. Will Harmony survive? Will Cassius finally risk his heart for love? Will Vic the Valentine Killer’s rampage of death and terror ever be brought to an end?

Cassius: Blood Rights takes you on a dark and dangerous thrill ride that answers more questions than you dare to ask.
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My Review

Cassius: Blood Rights
by
Heather Anne Lambert


I have not read any work by author Heather Anne Lambert and this is a great place to start!! Cassius: Blood Rights, which now I know is  a series, which also means I hope to have the pleasure in reading and reviewing all to follow! This book showed amazing talent in keeping me, the reader, on the edge of my seat! Cassius is such a lovable character, you can't but fall in love with him! I got so engrossed in his life, I was trying to give him advice!!!


Cassius was such a lonely vampire, trying to love human women, and then turning them to be like he was only to find out it could not be done. After turning his beloveds, their vampire instincts took over and Cassius's heart was forever broken. So, he decided to wander the earth, killing only humans who harmed others and gave up on love. That was until he saw 'her'. Yes, Harmony walked into his life, and things would never be the same for the ancient, lonely vampire. She would bring love into his life but she would also bring an unwanted nemesis, Sebastian, into his otherwise repetitious life. Sebastian believes Harmony belongs to him and will do whatever it takes to make it so. But Cassius had other problems besides the domineering egomaniac vampire Sebastian and the fragile Harmony to contend with. Oh, if only that was 'all' he had to deal with! There's a thorn in his side that just won't go away and his name is Victor! And Victor is another whole new set or trouble! But I will leave that for you to find out for yourself. You will be like me and not know how Cassius is ever going to be really happy. Almost having total bliss at his fingertips, only to have it yanked away again in total defeat, dismay and heartache. Oh, and I almost forgot......there's Liz?


Author Heather Anne Lambert I find to be a brilliant author with a very vivid, wonderful imagination who has done a great service to the beloved vampire world we all love and cherish!! I do not say those words lightly because I do not take my favorite character, the 'Vampire' lightly.


I give Cassius: Blood Rights five stars *****

 
Reviewed by


Nora Chipley Barteau

http://norachipleybarteau.blogspot.com/

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About the author Heather Anne Lambert


 Heather Anne Lambert is a freelance writer of books, short stories, articles and copy for media and public relations. She is winner of the 2011 Canadian Federation of University Women writing competition. Her articles and short stories have been published in a number of hardcopy and online publications. Six of Heather Anne’s short stories are featured in the Aurora Writers Group anthologies, Aurora Storyalis II, and Aurora Storyalis III.


In collaborated with local artists, Heather Anne was instrumental in creating an environmental art book. All proceeds from Oak Ridges Moraine; Connecting with Nature went to environmental organizations to preserve green space in Ontario. Oak Ridges Moraine; Connecting with Nature was the winner of the 2009 Moraine Hero Award.

Creator of a new vampire memoir series, “Cassius – Memoirs of a Vampire, Heather Anne is currently writing the grisly sequel to Cassius: Blood Rights. Look for Cassius: Blood of Whitechapel in 2012 or visit www.cassiusvampire.com for
upcoming Cassius news and events.

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 A treat from Cassius: Blood Rights

Except from Cassius: Blood Rights
Cass Meets Sebastian

We turned down a short side-street where I intended to pull a u-turn and go back to Bloor. I had just backed up and was preparing to turn when a man suddenly stood in front of the truck. He was tall and lean with long, black hair tied into a ponytail. His clothing was a very odd selection of 21st century made to capture an earlier era. They added sophistication to his unique style. His eyes fastened on mine. They were as coal-black as his hair, which made his pale skin even whiter. A wicked smiled curled the corners of his lips. He looked like a bully primed to take his frustration out on the first handy victim. He was obviously pissed. Harmony gasped.
‘Oh my God – it’s Sebastian! What is he doing here?’
Sebastian answered by grabbing the front of the truck and hoisting it in the air with one arm. Then he began shaking it, throwing Harmony and I around the cab like rag dolls. I grabbed the frame of the open window and pulled myself up and through it. The violent shaking continued as I flung myself out to the asphalt road, still warm under my shoes from the bright sun of the day.
I flashed to Sebastian and grabbed his wrist, squeezing until his hand began to shake. I am an old vampire – very old in the world of the undead – so any physical altercation with another vampire generally proves to be pretty easy pickings for me. Sebastian was strong, but no match for my physical power. Forcing his hand down, I guided the truck slowly to the road. Giving his wrist a final twist, I let go. Sebastian grabbed it with a grimace. Then he leaned in and roared loudly into my face. The force of the noise created a wind that plastered my blond curls back from my brow. I roared back and Sebastian found himself planted in the trunk of a tree across the street. I couldn’t help a smile of triumph – it just felt so good.
While Sebastian extricated himself from the bark of the tree, I checked the front suspension in the truck. It seemed to be okay. Then I turned to Sebastian, a snarl on my face. I waited to see what he would do next, but it appeared that the vampire was out of ideas. He bowed his head to me, acknowledging the strength and wisdom of an older vampire. At least he tried.
‘Sir, I don’t wish to trouble you, but the girl is mine. I changed her some months back and have been waiting for her to acknowledge that gift and come to me.’
I let something between a snarl and a smile touch my lips. Sebastian knew that if I decided to keep Harmony there wasn’t much he could do about it. Of course, there was the United Guild of Vampires to consider. We vampires are overwhelmingly hedonistic creatures that are far too involved in our own selfish pursuits to be terribly organized. However, a friend of mine – a vampire who was even more unique than me – had worked hard to ensure there was a governing structure for the vampire community. Laws were written and I could technically be called to appear before a Judicial Committee of the Guild if Sebastian decided to push things. But like I said – we’re generally monsters of the moment. Not much attention would be paid to this small matter. However, it was incredibly odd that Sebastian still waited for Harmony; that indicated considerable desire and capacity for focus on his part. I meant to staunch that immediately.
‘If you didn’t want trouble you should have kept your hands off of the truck, which happens to be mine. You probably did some front end damage. And the lady is not interested in having any contact with you, and certainly feels no need to thank you. You took something that did not belong to you and you are very lucky that I have been so lenient. I could have torn your head off! You’d best be on your way before I change my mind.’
Sebastian wasn’t keen on my advice and a snarl curled his lips back from sharp fangs, which grew and lengthened until they bit into the flesh of his lower lip.
‘I said that she is mine. I don’t wish trouble, but I also have no intention of leaving without the girl. I changed her, and under rule 37.1.9, subsection 2, of the Vampire Book of Law she now belongs to me – for at least five years. I have been most kind in giving her the freedom she required to adjust to her gift, but it was not required.  Now, if you will sir, I want my property.’
Harmony was listening to the entire conversation from the cab of the truck and I noted how she fought the urge to help me. She sat bolt upright, impatient, and ready to jump out of the truck. However, I was definitely holding my own, and her ‘help’ may prove to be more of a problem. I prayed that she stayed put as I stood still, my jaw clenched tightly.
‘In my law book, no one owns another. Therefore, this woman belongs to no one and is free to go where she wants and do what she wants – none of which has anything to do with you. If you persist, I guarantee that you won’t care for the consequences. You are no match for me, so put away your fangs and leave. NOW!’
 Sebastian hissed like a cat and circled me slowly. I sighed. He was apparently not bright enough to read the situation and do the smart thing. If I destroyed him, I may have to answer to the Guild. There would probably be little consequence, but I would prefer not to have to travel all the way to Britain to defend myself. However, I saw that there was going to be an altercation whether I wanted one or not. Sebastian’s judgment was clouded – if he was behaving rationally he would just walk away. As it was, I now had an unwanted fight and potential future complications to deal with. His eyes locked on mine. His voice was a hiss of malice.
‘I will take the girl with me tonight. I prefer to do it reasonably, but it will be done.’
I moved beyond the truck and into the dark street, facing my opponent, circling. I wished the fool would just leave, but that wasn’t likely to happen so I prepared to fight. Vampires are much closer to the pure instinct of animals than are humans, but still share certain characteristics, both behaviorally and chemically, that assists them in a fight or flight response. The chemicals that are released in stressful or emergency situations in the human brain are also released in the vampire brain, but the physical response is much more dramatic. Our superhuman strength and capacities for rapid, liquid movement make our physical altercations much more intense. I heard Harmony open the passenger side of the truck.
‘Stay in the truck Harmony – I’ve got this one.’
She hesitated, half way out of the truck, and I was about to shout to her to get inside when Sebastian struck. It was a hard and impossibly fast hit from the left, going for my throat. I blocked him and sent him hurtling through the branches of a tree one street over. A shower of leaves and branches fell, but before they hit the ground Sebastian had righted himself and leapt across the space in lighting speed, zeroing in on the posterior tibial artery at the back of my calf. His fangs got dangerously close to entering my flesh but I shook him off and grabbed him by the neck, bringing him within an inch of my face. My lips peeled back and my fangs gleamed in the moonlight. Something between a snarl and a growl grew loud on the quiet residential street. Some of the upper level lights in the surrounding houses were already lit due to the earlier noise. More joined them. There was no time to dally and enjoy the fight; people would be looking out their windows and calling the police soon.
My face began its own automatic transformation. My eyes grew large and the pupils a milky yellow. A long snout lengthened and flattened until my face resembled that of an enormous bat. Saliva dripped from long canine teeth and I opened my jaws to clamp them down on Sebastian’s bared carotid artery. He screamed, and the howl whipped down the dark street and through the trees.
‘Stop, STOP.’
I pulled back, looked into his face with interest. Then I spoke around the huge incisors that filled my mouth.
‘Stop? Why?’
Despite his obvious distaste at the thought of being dinner, there was still a snarl in Sebastian’s upper lip. He eyed me with insouciance, fighting to control his words.
‘Because… it is an insult of the worst kind for you to drink from me. Yes, we are fighting over the girl, but to drink from me? You go too far. If you like, we will consider the girl a gift, from me to you – but do unhand me.’
I appeared to consider this option, and then disregarded it as I growled into his face.
‘People, human or vampire, are not possessions to own or give away, and Harmony’s certainly not yours!’
It is a tremendous insult for one vampire to drink from another – but I intended to send a very strong message to this young creature – don’t ever challenge me. I brought Sebastian’s open throat to my mouth. My razor sharp incisors slid through his tender throat as his screams filled the night air. Vampires hate being bitten by other vampires. It’s both invasive and dangerous, for we have the capacity to drain the blood completely and to kill.
The carotid artery offered a thick stream of blood, albeit tepid vampire blood. Sebastian must have fed very recently or his blood would have been ice cold. I drank deeply for a minute or so as Sebastian’s life played out before my eyes: his birth in Mississippi in 1793, the large but poor farming family he was born into; his decision to leave his birthplace for Louisiana when he was fifteen years old, and his rebirth as a vampire on a dark New Orleans night when magnolia blossoms scented the sultry air and life lay before him like a dream. He’d experienced success in New Orleans through a business partner – the same one who cornered him outside the St. Louis Cemetery.  Initially greeting Sebastian as a friend, his partner soon held him fast against the fence in a vampire death lock, and drank. After putting up a courageous fight, Sebastian weakly accepted that certain death awaited him. But death was not allowed. The fiend cut his arm and dripped the blood into Sebastian’s mouth, forcing him to drink.
That night, in the hot, fecund Louisiana air, Sebastian was reborn – along with rage that could not be calmed. His maker intended for Sebastian to join him, not just in business but as a companion in his dark and lonely world. As soon as he could, Sebastian exacted his revenge by killing his maker. But the anger he felt when he awoke and discovered what he was still thrived within him like a heavy, salubrious poison – always burning, forever spurring him forward to exact punishment on an unjust world.
And Harmony? She reminded him of the young and beautiful woman he’d loved back then. They were planning a spring wedding and had put money aside to buy a home. He loved her deeply, and the separation that was forced as a result of his maker’s actions filled him with aching hunger. He had watched from afar as his sweet young fiancé waited for him, confused and hurt by his disappearance. He thought of going to her and telling her what had happened to him, but knew he would be unable to control himself around her. In a fit of bloodlust he would attack and kill her and he would never forgive himself for that. He finally wrote her a letter telling her that he loved her, but could no longer be with her. He instructed her to move on with her life, and watched as she did that a year later by marrying the man who had been his best friend. That was his last and only unselfish act as a vampire.
The wounds of this experience still festered within Sebastian, and his determination to have Harmony was his pathetic attempt to recapture what he once had. It was an act he had repeated many times; whenever he discovered a human female who reminded him of his long ago love. However, the love had been replaced by control and ownership – a hording of young female vampires. None could satisfy his desire to recapture his hopeful human life, but this compulsion drove him to repeat this pathetic pattern again and again. He was intensely unhappy, and had ruined many lives over the years.
Characteristically, I felt sympathy pull at me – it was apparently my curse. However, the way Sebastian went about trying to fulfill his longing for a satisfying partner was all wrong. He should have at least been truthful to Harmony about his intentions, allowing her to make the ultimate decision.
All of this in a blink of an eye. I pulled away and threw him to the ground about a half block north. Sebastian got up; his tangled black hair half out of the ponytail, his clothing dusty and torn. The self-satisfied smile was gone from his face. Rage contorted his handsome features as he backed up the street. He was almost at the end when he addressed me once more.
‘I will be back for her, vampire – and I won’t be alone.’
A wind began to blow, churning up the hot air, blowing Sebastian’s black hair around his head, whipping up leaves and papers in a tornado gale that circled him. Then, in a swirl of dusty wind and city street debris, he was gone.


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Want more? Go get the book, it's awesome!!!