Slayed by Darkness, an all-new PNR standalone novella that packs a punch in the Guardians of Eternity Series from New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Ivy and 1,001 Dark Nights is available!
Only an idiot would try to kidnap Jayla. She’s a take-no-prisoner kind of vampire who rebelled against the previous King of Vampires, and now regularly battles with both human and demon enemies who resent the success of Dreamscape casino she manages in Hong Kong. So when she’s snatched off the streets, she doesn’t bother to struggle. Instead she starts plotting her slow, bloody revenge.
The last creature she expects when she arrives at her destination is Azrael, the mysterious mercenary vampire she killed a century ago.
Azrael has never forgotten Jayla, and not just because she tried to stab a stake through his heart. He’d never encountered a female who could match him in battle. Her raw courage was sexy as hell. And it didn’t hurt that she was drop-dead gorgeous. But, he didn’t abduct her because he desired her. Or at least, that wasn’t his main motivation. He needs her rare talent to stop time. An evil fey has stolen his sword. The weapon is magically bound to him, and unless he retrieves it, he’s doomed to a painful death.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3u9iVud
Excerpt
“If you intend to kill me, I wish you’d get on with it before I die of boredom.”
Azrael smiled with rueful humor. “You haven’t lost your arrogance, kiska.”
She froze at the sound of his voice. Or maybe it was his Russian endearment. She’d reminded him of a hissing cat the first time he’d seen her. Sleek and elegant and utterly lethal. Her rich lotus scent swirling in the air. “Who are you?”
Azrael leaned toward her. “First, I intend to relieve you of any weapons you have hidden beneath that lovely gown.”
She hissed in outrage. “Touch me, and I’ll kill—”
“Not this time,” he interrupted, sweeping his hands down the length of her torso.
It took an effort, but he kept his touch light, refusing to acknowledge the jolts of pleasure racing through him. She was bound and momentarily helpless. He might be a vampire, but he wasn’t a monster. Not anymore.
He reached the slender length of her legs when he at last found a sheath tied around her upper thigh. Carefully, he pulled out the slender dagger with its silver blade and tossed it onto a chair across the narrow space. Next, he bent to slide off her shoes, lifting the pointed heels to his nose. Poison. Just as he’d suspected.
“Impressive,” he murmured, flipping the shoes to join the dagger. “Now, this.” Grabbing the thick hood, he slowly pulled it off her head.
Jayla blinked, a visible tremor racing through her body as she allowed her gaze to skim over his face before lowering to the white cashmere sweater stretched across his chest and then down to his dark slacks.
At last, she slowly shook her head as if coming out of a dream. Or a nightmare.
“No,” she rasped. “This is a trick.”
“I’m very real,” he assured her, leaning forward. She was clearly in shock, but she hadn’t panicked. And she hadn’t tried to attack. He was willing to take a risk. With quick movements, he unlocked the shackles and let them drop to the floor. Then, he offered her a sensuous smile. “Do you want to touch and prove for yourself?”
Like most writers, I was born with an avid love for reading. Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a book in my hand or wasn’t dreaming up wild stories in my head. And when I stepped into my local library for the first time I thought it was paradise. There were so many books on the shelves I didn’t know where to start!
Still, I didn’t plan to grow up and become a writer. I was much more interested in a glorious career as an actress on Broadway.
I followed my dream by acquiring a degree in theatre and performing for several years in summer-stock productions, but after I married my college sweetheart I decided to put the career on hold while we started a family. After the arrival of my two sons, Chance and Alex, I found myself seeking a new creative outlet and decided to turn my occasional scribblings into a genuine effort to get published.
I’d like to say that I was an overnight success, but the truth is that it took years before I finally got ‘the call’. The rejections were painful, but now I’m relieved. All those manuscripts that I thought were the next Great American Novel are now exactly where they belong…gathering dust under my bed.
They did, however, help me learn my craft, and just as importantly, they gave me the opportunity to enjoy writing in a wide variety of genres as I searched for my voice. Which no doubt explains why I started writing traditional regencies under the name Debbie Raleigh and then moved to steamy historicals under the name Deborah Raleigh before transforming into a contemporary paranormal writer as Alexandra Ivy. Now my career spans everything from erotica to romantic suspense.
When I’m not writing I love to travel, it doesn’t matter where I’m going as long as it doesn’t include any cooking or cleaning. I also love to spend time with my family who continue to be my greatest source of inspiration. And since some things never change…when I have a few minutes, you can still find me with a book in my hand!
Connect with Alexandra
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3eBCKDv
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3i6fK1K
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/384T5y8
Website: https://alexandraivy.com/
For More information about 1001 Dark Nights Visit
Facebook: https://bit.ly/37fl0uT
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Y7uBQp
Website: https://bit.ly/2AIIr3A
Stay up to date on all 1001 Dark Nights releases, join their mailing list today! https://bit.ly/2zgxaHu
No comments:
Post a Comment