She laughed, but was soon cooing her need for him and he obliged her.
~ ~ ~
Rosamunde awoke that evening to the smell of coffee with cardamom. How long ago it all seemed that she was alone in her castle, removed from a normal life, stuck supporting the veil of mist by herself.
Now she lay in bed aware that this was one of her most favorite times of the night: The beginning. Stone always rose before her and made the coffee. And once the sun set fully, he would have a swim in the lake.
She wasn’t sure if he checked on her to see if she was finally opening her eyes or if the blood rose bond told him the state she was in. She suspected the latter, though he often told her he liked to watch her when she slept.
He was the most surprising man, so tender and loving with her, yet a commander in the field.
Her heart was full for two reasons. She’d built an extra supply for him and she was so in love with the vampire.
She sighed contentedly and a moment later he appeared in the doorway with two mugs in hand. He wore only jeans, a great look for him, which meant that his gorgeous, tattoo-laden chest was on display.
She didn’t stay in bed, though, because she knew what he wanted and she wanted it, too.
She dragged the gray afghan from the foot of the bed and pulled it around her. He set both mugs on the small table next to the large chair, then sat down and held his arms out to her.
She climbed into his lap and he adjusted her until she was nestled against his chest and feeling as though life could never be sweeter. He then handed her cup to her and afterward picked up his own.
As she sipped her coffee, she watched the sky grow darker and the stars twinkle. With her realm-vision, she could adjust from night to a warm afternoon glow.
She loved her world and her husband.
Suddenly, she felt a quickening deep in her body. She gasped softly and tears sprouted to her eyes as awareness dawned.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing. It’s wonderful.”
“The view?”
“The view inside.” She leaned toward the table and put her mug next to his then took his hand and settled it low on her abdomen.
He frowned as he glanced at her stomach, then met her gaze. “Why are you—” His eyes widened suddenly. “Sweet Goddess, we’ve created life.”
“We have. Can you feel her as well?”
“I can. And she’s a girl. I know that as well. She’ll have violet eyes but my black hair. What a miracle this has become.” He kissed her after that, then took her to bed once more.
Rosamunde got lost in the beauty of her relationship with Stone. He took her to the heights, he fed from her, he communed with her as together they channeled the elf-lord power.
He told her he loved her. Again and again.
She hugged him hard and thanked him for their daughter.
He said he wanted to name her Evelyn Inez.
She wept again, and embraced him harder still.
Love had come to her and the sweet joy of giving her love so fully to Stone.
Together, they would build a life in Tannisford Realm, serving the people they both loved, no longer fearing what was beyond the veil, in this life, or the next.
The End
A Note From Caris
I hope you enjoyed reading EMBRACE THE POWER! And remember, you can claim an ebook right now by signing up for my mailing list on my home page: http://www.carisroane.com/
If you enjoyed EMBRACE THE POWER, I’d love it if you took a minute to leave a short review – two or three sentences only -- at your favorite online retailer. And you don’t have to be a blogger to do this, just a reader who loves books!
Do you like reading excerpts? Keep scrolling to read the first three chapters of BLOOD FLAME, Book #1 of the Flame Series!
Coming Up Next
REVEALED, Book #3 of the Rapture’s Edge Saga: As the third story of the Rapture’s Edge Saga and set in the world of the Guardians of Ascension, REVEALED is the culmination story for Rachel and Duncan. Revealed also prepares the stage for more to come with the Warriors of the Blood. Both Luken and Endelle are featured in REVEALED. Read more about the Rapture’s Edge Saga: http://www.carisroane.com/raptures-edge/
EMERALD FLAME: The next story set in the world of Five Bridges will be the fifth book of the Flame Series and features Alpha Wolf Warren. Read more about the Flame Series: http://www.carisroane.com/flame-series/
About the Author
Caris Roane is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-five paranormal romance books. Writing as Valerie King, she has published fifty novels and novellas in Regency Romance. Caris lives in Phoenix, Arizona, loves gardening, enjoys the birds and lizards in her yard, but really doesn’t like scorpions!
Find out more about Caris on her website!
http://www.carisroane.com/
Have You Read…
The Flame Series…
BLOOD FLAME #1: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Flame-Book-ebook/dp/B0147RGTJW/
AMETHYST FLAME #2: http://www.amazon.com/Amethyst-Flame-Book-2-ebook/dp/B014X7RNBY/
DARK FLAME #3: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Flame-The-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B0173P31Z0/
AMBER FLAME #4: http://www.amazon.com/Amber-Flame-Book-4-ebook/dp/B01B6XM7IM/
CHRISTMAS FLAME NOVELLA, A Holiday Novella for any time of the year: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019LPE8HK/
The Blood Rose Series…
BLOOD ROSE SERIES BOX SET, 1-2-3, featuring Book #1 Embrace The Dark, Book #2 Embrace The Magic, And Book #3 Embrace The Mystery: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Rose-Box-Set-Books-ebook/dp/B013IHKGAA/
EMBRACE THE DARK #1 (free at most online retailers): http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Dark-Blood-Rose-ebook/dp/B00B84B8XG
EMBRACE THE MAGIC #2: http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Magic-Blood-Rose-ebook/dp/B00EX6ULN4
EMBRACE THE MYSTERY #3: http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Mystery-Blood-Caris-Roane-ebook/dp/B00GRXTZ1E
EMBRACE THE PASSION #4: http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Passion-Blood-Rose-Series-ebook/dp/B00JU7KZRC/
EMBRACE THE NIGHT #5: http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Night-Blood-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B00NSBLNHC/
EMBRACE THE WILD #6: http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Wild-Blood-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B00OY3AU0E/
EMBRACE THE WIND #8: http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Wind-Blood-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B00SAUHE8S/
BLOOD ROSE TALES BOX SET: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Rose-Tales-Box-Set-ebook/dp/B00NENS73C/
TO PURCHASE THE BLOOD ROSE TALES SEPARATELY:
TRAPPED: http://www.amazon.com/Trapped-Blood-Tales-Caris-Roane-ebook/dp/B00I3OEDS0
HUNGER: http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Blood-Tales-Caris-Roane-ebook/dp/B00J08CUO8
SEDUCED: http://www.amazon.com/Seduced-Blood-Rose-Tales-Book-ebook/dp/B00N6HHU8O/
The Guardians of Ascension Series…
VAMPIRE COLLECTION (Includes BRINK OF ETERNITY): http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Collection-Eternity-Embrace-Ascension-ebook/dp/B00B0NCPXG
THE DARKENING: http://www.amazon.com/The-Darkening-Dawn-Ascension-ebook/dp/B00BEXZZPW
AWAKENING: http://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Raptures-Edge-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00QQR2EZA/
VEILED: http://www.amazon.com/Veiled-Raptures-Edge-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00VC05T6M/
The Amulet Series…
WICKED NIGHT/DARK NIGHT (Boxed Set): http://www.amazon.com/Amulet-Wicked-Night-Dark-ebook/dp/B00CL0J8JM
Find Caris At
Website: http://www.carisroane.com/
Blog: http://www.carisroane.com/journal/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Caris-Roane-150858114985050/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carisroane
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Author of
Guardians of Ascension Series – Warriors of the Blood crave the breh-hedden
Dawn of Ascension Series – Militia Warriors battle to save Second Earth
Rapture’s Edge Series – Militia Warriors, Luken and Endelle battle
to save Third Earth
Blood Rose Series – Only a blood rose can fulfill a mastyr vampire’s deepest needs
Blood Rose Tales – Short tales of mastyr vampires who hunger to be satisfied
Men in Chains Series – Vampires struggle to get free of their chains and save the world
The Flame Series – Hunky ‘Alter’ warriors battle for control of their world
Excerpt from BLOOD FLAME
BLOOD FLAME
The Flame Series: Book 1
Chapters One, Two and Three
By Caris Roane
Chapter One - BLOOD FLAME
Connor held a spotting scope pressed to his eye. His adrenaline flowed as he levitated high in the air. He was forty feet above the witch, his heart pounding in his chest. He’d tried about a dozen times to leave, but couldn’t since his craving for the Tribunal Public Safety officer had finally tipped the needle into the red zone. He wanted her bad.
As a Border Patrol officer for Crescent Territory, he often spent time surveilling suspects. The problem was Iris Meldeere hadn’t broken the law. She wasn’t part of a Five Bridges drug cartel, she didn’t traffic innocent humans into their sick world, and she definitely kept her hands off the lucrative business of running flame drugs.
For a witch, she was a model citizen.
It was after midnight, but he was still in the middle of his shift. And he had no damn reason to be at Iris’s house, except he couldn’t help himself. Not that he had plans for the future since he could never actually be with the woman. As a witch, and a powerful one at that, she had the power to kill him with a touch of her fingers.
She moved around her overgrown garden, her voice reaching his ears almost incessantly. At first, he thought she was talking to someone on her Bluetooth because both hands were constantly busy, pruning, digging, cutting, planting. He’d rolled his eyes when he realized she was communicating with her plants. Very witch or very Iris, maybe both.
Apart from his bizarre need to spy on the woman, he hated witches with a passion.
A witch had started this whole shitfest with a brew pot. Result? Seventy thousand humans, in Phoenix alone, lived in a pit of hell, having gone through the alter and become something not human anymore. At least the original witch had changed as well. Witches were now one of the five alter species living in Five Bridges. Being an alter witch or a vampire wasn’t a choice; it was a genetic mutation.
His own story wasn’t unusual. Devastated by his wife’s death, he’d stupidly tried to numb-out with a hit of blood flame. But it had been laced with the alter serum that created a set of fangs and an annoying craving for blood. The flame drugs by themselves weren’t the culprit, only when enhanced with an alter serum.
He’d gained physical strength and long-life. Beyond that, he was living a nightmare, one that had started thirty years ago, not long after the flame drug craze had hit the human population.
Now he was here, watching a witch who had gotten hit with an alter serum herself ten years ago. Only her flame drug had carried the witch serum. He knew this because he’d Googled her. A lot.
She wore a purple smock over her jeans and a pair of flats that looked like ballet shoes, typical brew-faring clothes for one of her kind.
And he liked her in jeans. She wore them snug and that was part of the problem. He’d seen her dozens of times at the Tribunal building in her casual investigative uniform of short-sleeved t-shirt, also worn tight, along with the form-fitting jeans. He’d mentally stripped her clothes off about a thousand times. He swore he knew what she looked like naked.
Yeah. Obsessed.
And guilty as hell. His kind didn’t go with her kind.
His kind killed witches, wizards and anything else that dared to smash up herbs and throw them in a cauldron, or cast spells, or worse, kill with the tips of their fingers. Witches, like Iris, were a danger to vampires and shifters. She should be offed, like all her murdering, enthralling kind.
Yet, here he was, floating above her garden, so quiet he’d never be heard not even by another vampire. He’d gotten good at stalking the woman.
~ ~ ~
Iris had that feeling again across the top of her shoulders that a vampire was watching her. She had excellent instincts, but every time she either hunted through her garden or checked the night sky, nothing.
She also had an instinct about who the vampire was. James Connor, also known as Officer Connor, of the Crescent Territory Border Patrol.
Yep, Connor was here again, which caused her heart to beat hard in her chest. Vampires killed witches as often as they could, but in this case an attack wasn’t what she feared.
No, the dull thuds of her pulse meant something far worse. Against all reason, small tendrils of pure desire moved over her breasts, down the insides of her thighs and curled around her sex.
A year ago, she’d seen Connor at a crime scene, one that involved a couple of human children. Until that moment, she would never have believed a vampire capable of any kind of compassion. She honestly thought that the alter had removed all tender emotions from those humans who had become vampire.
That night, she’d been called to the same scene to make a full report on behalf of the Five Bridges Tribunal, the central governing organization for which she worked. She served as a Tribunal Public Safety officer and as such could move freely among all five territories without too much fear of getting assassinated in the process. Murder among the five alter species was rampant.
At the crime scene, with so many vampires present, she’d remained in the shadows, content to merely observe and gather data.
Because of the bloodsuckers, her own killing instinct had risen to the surface, vibrating like a motorcycle engine on overdrive. Her fingers had ached to touch some pressure-points that night and rid her world of a few sets of fangs.
She hated this aspect of being a witch, the driving need to strike another species down. But every one of her kind, once having gone through the alter, felt an intense pressure to self-protect. She’d come to accept that what she experienced was a basic survival mechanism. Vampires and shifters killed witches, her kind returned the favor, though for her she’d only done so when attacked. However, that didn’t change how much she detested her new nature.
The crime scene that night had torn her own heart into a thousand pieces. Two children were found at the Phoenix entrance to Sentinel Bridge, a boy and a girl, about nine or ten. They’d accidentally gotten hold of one of the flame drugs that carried the alter serum, and had begun the process of change. But children couldn’t handle the sudden physical trauma involved. Death always followed.
They’d held hands as they’d died, facing each other. It had broken Iris’s heart, seeing their twisted bodies, fingers entwined. She’d wept quietly, and that’s when Connor had arrived.
She’d seen him many times at various crime scenes, but never like this. He’d taken one look at the pair then dropped to his knees, covered his chest with both arms and rocked. She’d had no idea what had gone through his head at that moment, but she’d felt his compassion in waves hitting her over and over, wrecking her heart and somehow causing her to become fixated on a damn vampire.
As much as she’d come to loathe his kind, she’d ended up craving him with a terrible need.
She was tired of thinking about him almost constantly, though. More often than not, her thoughts turned into elaborate fantasies that usually involved his fangs buried in her neck and his cock plunging in and out of her sex. Sick as hell.
Tonight, she was determined to change all that.
With a fresh lime in her hands, she moved into her workroom between the house and her garden. She set about creating a spell that she should have used about eleven months and four weeks ago. She had no doubt, once completed, the formula would end her obsession.
She fired up her cast iron pot-belly stove, using elder wood. Once blazing, she placed the blade portion of her hatchet on top. She needed the metal hot enough to slice instantly through
a thick wax candle.
On her worktable, she cut the lime in half, then squeezed the juice onto a purified elder wood tray. She rolled a thick black candle in the juice and invoked Connor’s name several times until she felt the spell move into place. At the same time, she made use of one of her most powerful incantations. She then picked up the heated hatchet and held it aloft ready to slam the blade through the thick wax and break Connor’s hold on her.
She felt her witch power racing through her veins, giving her a heady buzz. The swirl of electrified energy let her know how potent the spell was. She had no doubt it would work.
With her arm poised and ready to strike, a soft longing ran through her of things hidden behind the veil of death. Her sister came to mind and she felt, as she often did, a trail of loving fingers down both cheeks.
She closed her eyes, her throat tight. “Violet. Are you here?”
A wind from the garden whipped through the room, smelling of thyme, the herb of love she always associated with her sister. Tears tracked down her cheeks.
Violet was long dead, killed in a vampire massacre nine years ago. Yet, in this moment her sister’s spirit was here, in Iris’s workroom.
“Violet,” she whispered again.
Once more, the wind blew in a strong gust and the scent of thyme thickened in the air. “Don’t you want me to end this obsession?”