About the Book
Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist Though she no longer believes
in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel's secrets—secrets that
have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn't human, and she fully
intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to
come back into Isabeau's life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he
outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first
time in eternity, the clock is ticking.
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Excerpt
Since this scene is about midway through a long book, I’d like to introduce the reader to the story. Sinners’ Opera is a study of true love—and obsession.
I=Morgan D’Arcy, the dark hero, a renowned classical pianist, an English lord, and a vampire.
Isabeau=the heroine, a beautiful but nice brainchild, an up and coming star in the field of genetics, and Morgan’s true/obsessive love.
Avery=Morgan’s long-time manservant and friend.
D’Alembert=one of the villains, a vampire who took the gift of darkness for the sole purpose of exacting revenge on Morgan.
Cheval de Bataille=the Vampyre (race; individual is vampire) police force and enforcer of the few and not very stringent laws.
This scene is set outside Isabeau’s house. The book is set in beautiful
Charleston, SC.
~*~
As the day lost its hold on the city, I stirred, sleep dropping away,
life returning to my limbs. In a hot
shower, images of Isabeau scrolled lazily through my mind. I hummed a tune
while I snarled my hair with the electric hairdryer. When I tried to untangle the mop, I
understood perfectly what the dread
in dreadlocks meant.
Quarter to seven, Avery hadn’t returned from his watch. Last night—an eternity ago—I’d suggested he
order this evening’s meal from a caterer who served in private residences. The old man had been most adamant he’d
prepare and serve dinner for Lady Isabeau.
I glanced at my watch. He was
cutting it close. Beef Wellington
required a great deal of prep.
At seven, another blasted storm blew in off the Atlantic. From the tall windows in the parlor, I paced
to the doors overlooking the black-and-white tiled veranda, awash with
rain. Another plan spoiled. I’d imagined us sitting outside, Isabeau
sipping mint juleps.
The clock chimed the quarter hour.
I ambled to the music room, impatience dogging my steps. Avery was to stay with her, secretly escort
her here. Where was he? Was Isabeau waiting for the storm to
abate? I gripped the pain twisting in my
solar plexus.
She’d stood me up, opting for the
familiar, the safe and secure. She’d
chosen John. I’d duped myself into
believing that, after thirteen long years, I still owned a place in her heart. The woman the child had become had forgotten
her Gabriel. I’d forgotten the bitter
taste of rejection and how it weakens like the rush of blood from a fatal
wound. I gazed out the window at an
endless gray landscape.
Closing my eyes, I summoned Avery
mind-to-mind. A terrible, impossible
silence engulfed me. My old friend was
bound to me in the Blood, compelled to answer.
Avery was either unconscious or dead.
Before my heart missed the next beat, I
stood in the downpour on the sidewalk in front of Isabeau’s house. Thoughts, extreme emotions, both human and
vampire, struck with the force of a blow.
I sensed d’Alembert the instant he sensed me. He stopped mid-breath and released her to a
deep, unnatural sleep. Fear iced my
spine. Pulse racing, I scanned her
condition. She was physically
unharmed. My vibration soared, readying for
combat.
As d’Alembert attempted another cowardly disappearing act, rage lifted
me into the air. We collided in a
crackling clash of psychic energies, animal snarls and gnashing fangs. Surprise was on my side. I fired the first shot, a laser blue halo
encircling his head. In a deadly
embrace, we struggled. His talon-like
fingernails ripped my shirt. Blood oozed
from the wounds.
I buried my fangs below his ear.
His scream of rage and pain must have rattled windows from Orange Street
to White Point Garden. Vengeance
polluted his blood, yet I reveled in the feral taste—and the tang of his
fear. We crashed into the treetops. Silver and blue sparks ignited along a deadly
line in the thick mist and dirty gray moss.
He grabbed for my throat, but I battered his head against an oak. His essence flowed into me, his struggles
weakening.
A pained groan snapped me free of bloodlust. Avery stumbled around the corner of the
house. In warfare, a second’s lapse of
attention can cost your life.
The enemy struck with a silent challenge and ripped free of my
kiss. Kill me or rescue your thrall?
The choice is yours.
If I don’t destroy you, sooner or later, the Cheval de Bataille will. I threatened.
About the Author
After 14 years in Texas, I returned home to my roots. I count seven published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, I bred, trained and showed the magnificent Andalusian horses. I have a poster that says, “This horse will change your life.” It’s true! I’ve seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. I’ve won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. I have two wonderful sons.
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This book looks good.
ReplyDeleteHi Brenda. Thanks for stopping by. I hope if you read Sinners' Opera you will enjoy its twists and turns.
DeleteI enjoyed reading the excerpt and Sinner's Opera sounds like a captivating & thrilling vampire romance for me to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it with me and have a marvelous day!
Thanks, Stormy! Sinners' Opera has a gothic flavor. I wanted it to be captivating and have that enthralling aura the early Anne Rice vampire novels had.
DeleteSounds good.
ReplyDeleteTori, thanks. I hope you enjoyed the excerpt.
DeleteThe cover is nice
ReplyDeleteThank you. It was done by the talented Debbie Taylor for The Wild Rose Press
Deletenice excerpt
ReplyDeletebn100 thanks for dropping in and for your kind comment!
DeleteThanks for the great excerpt. The book sounds very interesting. Nice cover!
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted you liked the excerpt. I appreciate your support.
DeleteI enjoyed reading about this book.
ReplyDeleteGreat! and I'm glad you were intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI like the cover. Sounds like a good book
ReplyDelete