Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure.
Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and the world will die.
When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?
About this author
Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always enjoyed creating characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Once she heard about a writer who never let her characters deviate from the script. If they did, she just killed them. How sad, she thought. For her one of the best parts of being a writer is letting the characters have a mind of their own and seeing where the story takes them.
She loves this quote from Robert Frost, which sums up her opinion on allowing the characters their freedom: “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
― Robert Frost
Andrea writes fantasy, paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She is excited to work with Crimson Romance on her forthcoming debut paranormal romance, The Garnet Dagger. Everyone knows what happens when a vampire bites a human...but what if the victim is Elvin?
Viking Fire is a forthcoming historical romance set in Ireland during the Dark Ages. What if you were engaged to marry your enemy-a Viking?
She hopes you will enjoy the stories as much as she did writing them.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Even if she has to fight for it.
Twitter: @AndreaRCooper
Excerpt: Chapter One
I’ve known
death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my
sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought
many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I
could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I
took in everything. By observing for eons, I understood and spoke their
language. The world of mankind fascinated me. Their hobbled homes burrowed into
the ground.
Rocks
crunched on top one another with thatched roofs woven from straw. Never had I
seen a home or inn that was higher than three levels, as if they were afraid of
the sky. I delayed my return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce
torches and knifes. It was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue
well into the night. Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of
leaves from their costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the forest.
Since I was already late, I hiked uphill to a shortcut rather than take the
long path back home. I didn’t need to alert any of my kind near the barrier at
this hour. Liana would wonder why I was late.
Tonight was
the two month anniversary of our hand twining ceremony. One more month as was
custom, and then we’d be wed. A gasp rustled through the trees. The roots shot
a warning through to me with stifled caution. Adjusting my pack, I continued on
instead of changing back into my Elvin clothes. After I passed the border which
kept humans from entering our land, then I’d change. In the distance, I heard a
groan. Curious, I spun in the direction of the sound. The autumn wind breezed
through my worn human clothes, chilling me. But someone needed help. I turned
in the direction of the sounds. Whatever made the noise should be a few yards
ahead.
I hiked slower than my normal speed, so as
not to startle whatever human called out. My leather boots crunched upon dried,
diseased leaves and bark. Horrified, I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to suffocating. Lifeless
limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed off in layers, exposing
its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth. Fragments of leaves clung to
finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying trees. Trees mourned with wails
like splitting wood, and I brought my hands over my ears. I must flee before I
became infected, they told me. Flee before the stain of this defilement creeps
into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind, always had. Yet these trees were
in such agony of death that I could not breathe. Felt as though my lungs had
folded in on themselves, like a moth unable to break loose from its cocoon.
Nothing I
could do for them, and if I lingered too long, whatever disease gnawed upon
them may choke me. Where would I go if I carried something so foul as to devour
trees from the inside out? I’d never return to Tamlon if I brought this
infection with me. I drew away, but a movement at the base of a decaying tree
to my right caught me. My night vision picked up the sight of a human. His
sallow face seemed to glow in the moonlight. Poking out from rags lay his arms
and legs, which resembled skin stretched over sticks. So cadaverous was his
face, I’d have thought him dead if he hadn’t moved.
“Please,” he said and his voice sounded like cicada’s vibrations, “help me.”
“What ails you in this troubled place?” I wondered if my voice, foreign to my
ears in speaking the human’s language, revealed my nature.
“I am lost.” His dark eyes crinkled around the corners. “Without strength to
rise. If you would but assist me up, I’ll be on my way.”
I’d never touched a human on purpose before. Was it that that gave me pause, or
dread that stilled my heart? My feet itched to flee. As soon as I helped him,
then I’d leave. I gritted my teeth and reached a hand down.
His gnarled fingers snapped
on my arm, making me wince. Jerking me forward, his face contorted. Surprised
by his strength, I fell beside him. Blackness curled around me. Teeth, fangs,
broke through the skin on my neck. Then I knew him for what he was, a vampyre.
Cooper, Andrea R. (2013-03-25). The Garnet Dagger (Crimson
Romance) (Kindle Locations 60-67). F+W Media. Kindle Edition.
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