Welcome one and all to my stop on the Dead Hunter Tour presented by I.O. Book Tours. Here you can find all kinds of awesome stuff including a blurb about the book, author info, the first chapter of the book and best of all a giveaway that is full of great stuff.
Now, on with the show !
by Lizzie T. Leaf
Blurb : Finally a guy who makes her hot and chilly...is he a vampire or has sex messed with her hunter sensors.
ArieAnne Hews is a trained vampire hunter out for the kill. A chance meeting with the hated beings has Arie in turmoil…these seem normal. Then enters handsome Dr. Jonas Nickels and things get really complicated.
Jonas Nickels has no desire to be involved with a mortal, but can't resist the dark-eyed beauty. Even if he is on her hit list!
Family secrets tinged with evil make an impossible path for star-crossed lovers.
Chapter One
They were here, no doubt about it.
They were
here. The chilly tingle radiating across the back of her neck
definitely
confirmed it.
Hot damn! I’m in the mood to kick some ass. Don’t mess with
ArieAnne Hews
when she has a bad case of PMS. This time of
the month didn’t bring much in
the way of
bloating and cramps for Arie.
Just a seriously pissy mood.
The only person who could tolerate her when she was in one of her
“moods” was
her father. He’d just pat her on the head and laugh when she
snarled at
him. The fact he could accomplish that said something about how
big he was.
She stood six feet without the added inch of sole in her favorite red
high-tops. Of
course, he was a minister and found good in everyone, except
for the
creatures he’d trained Arie to destroy — vampires.
The chill on the back of her neck intensified. They’re here all right. But where?
A quick scan of the park revealed a woman sitting on the bench
shaded
by a huge oak
tree. Obviously pregnant, the spiky-haired blonde munched
on a chocolate
bar.
Wonder if she has an extra she’s willing to share? Chocolate was at the top
of her food
list all the time, but the craving was another symptom for this
time of
month.
Oblivious to Arie, who was salivating as the blonde consumed the
rich
chocolate,
the pregnant woman watched in amusement as an older female
pushed a
tow-headed toddler on one of the kiddy swings.
“Higher, higher,” demanded
the child who squealed with delight when a
stronger push
met her request for greater height. “Watch me, Mommy. I can
fly with the
birds.”
The woman shoved the last bite of candy bar into her mouth,
freeing
her hand to
wave. She seemed reluctant to move her other hand from the
pregnancy-induced
protrusion she was using as a table. “So I see. If Grammy
pushes much
higher, you can touch the sky.”
ArieAnne picked up the pace as she trotted along the path toward
the
family. They
were exactly the kind of prey vampires loved to stumble on, and
it was up to
her to protect them.
Just let you bastards try to feed on these unsuspecting victims.
It’s not wise to
mess with a hunter in PMS mode.
As she drew nearer, the chilly tingle over her neck reached
vibration level.
The
blood-suckers were getting closer to their intended meal, but they’d have
to go through
her first.
“Mind if I sit here?” ArieAnne indicated the empty portion of the
bench
beside the
blonde.
“Not at all.” The woman turned and her smile carried into her
green eyes.
“I don’t
think BJ will be returning anytime soon. She’s the entertainment committee.”
She returned
her gaze to the woman and child with obvious pride
on her face.
Arie’s gaze followed the woman’s. “Is that your daughter?” The
blonde
nodded.
“She’s beautiful.” Arie loved the child’s fluffy down halo of hair
that flew
back and
forth with the swing’s motion. “Is that your mother?”
A sad smile played across the pregnant woman’s mouth for a brief
second.
“BJ is the
closest thing I have to a mother.” She stared into space, lost in a world
of her own
thoughts, then seemed to realize she wasn’t alone. “Sorry.” The
sad smile
changed to one that lit up her face. “I’m Dovey Lowell.”
“Forgive my manners. I’m ArieAnne Hews. My family and friends call
me Arie.”
Dovey studied her for a moment, then gave a brief nod. “Then,
Arie, let’s
consider each
other friends.”
Friends. The number of people she
consider friends wouldn’t fill up the
fingers of
one hand. Well, okay, she could put up one finger. Pop was the only
true friend
she had. After Mom died in an auto accident, it had just been the
two of them.
Pop said it was a miracle Arie survived. The image of waking
to find her
mother slouched over the steering wheel and Arie’s car seat setting
on grass,
appeared in her mind. Horrible what a four-year-old never forgets.
She wished she could embrace new friendships the way Dovey
appeared
to, but Pop
didn’t think it a good idea. Questions from friends on what she
did were
awkward to explain if she talked about her real job as dead hunter.
Her new friend waited patiently for a response, the smile never
leaving
her eyes.
“I’d like that. A girl can never have too many friends.”
Especially me.
Unease kept Arie on edge, and she did a quick scan of the area. Where are
they lurking? All her senses screamed there were
vampires near, and she knew
to trust
those instincts.
“Mommy, Mommy.” The little girl ran up and wrapped her arms around
her mother’s
legs. “Grammy said we can go get ice cream.” She turned her
radiant smile
to Arie. “Do you want to come, too?” A frown puckered the
perfect
little brow. “Who are you? My Grammy says I can’t talk to strangers.”
Dovey’s laughter carried across the park. “You need to use your
manners,
Kiera Joyce.
This is my new friend, Arie.”
“My friend, too. I can talk to you now.” The child shot a grin at
Arie that
melted her
heart.
Like mother, like daughter. Arie couldn’t bite back her responding
smile
to the child
who gave off vibes of joy and goodness.
No way in hell will I let anything happen to my newly-discovered
friends. Come
on out, you cowards! I’m in an ass-kicking mood.
A look of surprise flitted across Dovey’s face, and she pressed
both palms
against her
large belly. She paused for a minute, then shrugged before turning
to the new
arrival. “BJ, in case you missed Kiera’s introduction, this is Arie.”
Arie surveyed the striking woman who swung a pair of children’s
sandals
in one hand
and carried a sand bucket in the other. Another warm smile
greeted her.
Did these people ever meet a stranger?
“Ouch.” Dovey pushed on one side of her stomach, then rubbed in an
attempt to
calm the rolling and protrusions of the various angles that were
visible under
her tee shirt. Her efforts had the desired effect and the baby
settled. “Now
it decides to be active. Been so quiet for last few hours, I was
starting to
get a little concerned.”
The pride in her voice over the child growing inside her couldn’t
be missed,
any more than
the look of sheer delight when Dovey looked at the child
standing by
her knees.
“Okay, ice cream it is.” Dovey grabbed the bench arm to her right
and
pushed up
with one hand, using the other to support her protruding belly.
“Care to join us Arie? I promise good ice
cream and lots of entertainment
watching a
two-year-old eat it.”
Two. Arie couldn’t believe this little girl was only two. Granted,
she wasn’t
around a lot
of children, but the two-year-olds she had been subjected to
were nowhere
near as mature as Kiera. Although she was still tiny, the kid’s
vocabulary
made Arie think she was at least four.
“I’d love an ice cream.” Arie felt a warm hand slip into hers and
looked
down as
Kiera’s small fingers twined between her own. Besides, she needed
to stay with
her new friends until they were out of the park and away from
the lurking
danger.
“Okay, let’s go.” Dovey took several steps forward and gasped.
Both hands
reached down
to cradle her stomach as she bit her bottom lip. “I think I may
need to sit a
minute before we start.”
“Mommy, look. You peed your pants. Why didn’t you say you needed to
go potty?”
Kiera gave her mother a stern look and a shake of a small finger.
Arie watched in horror at the spreading pool of water at Dovey’s
feet.
She might not
know a lot about childbirth, but her limited knowledge told
her this
spelled trouble.
“Baby girl, I think we’re going to have to delay our ice cream
run.” BJ
rushed to
Dovey’s side and took the bag slung over her shoulder. “We need
to take Mommy
to see Uncle Jonas.”
The small clinic was one Arie wasn’t familiar with. Obviously a
fully
functioning
hospital from the way the staff took charge, it appeared to cater
to an elite
clientele with its elegant décor. Dovey and BJ hadn’t struck her as
rich, but
these days one couldn’t tell by the way people dressed.
A nurse pushing a wheelchair met their little group. “Dr. Nickels
is preparing
for you, Mrs.
Lowell. Hop in for the delivery room express.”
BJ helped Dovey into the chair and turned. “Arie, would you take
Kiera
while I help
get Dovey settled?”
That wouldn’t be a problem since a tick couldn’t have clung any
tighter
than the
child did to her arm. “We’ll be in the waiting room after we check
out the
cafeteria.”
A strange look passed between BJ and Dovey before BJ responded.
“Actually,
this clinic
is so small they don’t have one.”
“Oh.” Confused by the
thought of a hospital, no matter how small, not
having at
least a snack bar, Arie didn’t know what to say. She’d hoped to
distract the
little girl with the promised ice cream. “Then I guess we’ll be in
the waiting
room.”
A few steps later, her feet sank into the plush carpeting as she
stood debating
which of the
oversized stuffed chairs to claim. No wonder there’s no
cafeteria.
This place blew the budget. She selected
the one with a good view of the flatscreen
television
for Kiera. The little girl appeared anxious at her mother’s
disappearance.
Her radiant smile was gone and she cast concerned glances
toward the
closed door every few minutes.
Arie had barely sat down with the child glued to her lap when the
door
flew open and
two men charged in. All of her senses screamed vampire alert
but Kiera’s
squeal of “Daddy!” as she jumped from her lap distracted her focus.
Kiera flew into the arms of the younger man and peppered his face
with
kisses.
“Mommy’s having my new sister.”
“Let’s not get our hopes up, baby.” The older, distinguished man
tousled the
blonde curls
and laughed. “You don’t want to be disappointed if it’s a brother.”
“Don’t be silly Pa-pa. It’s a girl. I know it.” A smug little
smile played
across her
mouth.
Both men laughed, then the older stopped when he noticed Arie.
“Who
do we have
here?”
“This is Arie. She’s my new best friend.”
“And a lucky woman she is to have you as a best friend, little
one.” The
man turned
his attention more intently in Arie’s direction.
The dark eyes studied her closely for a moment, pushing the alarm
warnings
to the front
of her mind. What the hell is going on
here? My whole being
screams vampire, but how can that be? This is a normal family
waiting for the birth
of a new baby.
“Arie, thank you for taking care of Kiera. I’m Aaron Lowell, this
little imp’s
father.” His
hand rested lovingly on the head of the child who now stood by
his knees.
The guy was a looker, just like his wife. Aaron’s dark intense
looks were
a perfect
foil for Dovey’s soft blondeness. Kids produced from their gene pool
would be
stunning, as Kiera proved.
“Do I know you?” The older of the pair continued to stare and once
again,
Arie’s
internal alarm boomed.
“This rude individual — ” Aaron leaned his head in the other man’s
direction
“ — is
Daniel.”
Vampire or not, this Daniel was a force to be reckoned with. No way in
hell will I let him intimidate me. Arie returned his intense scrutiny in an attempt
to figure out
what was going on here.
“It’s a girl.”
Wow, the girl must be from good stock to pop out a baby that
quick. And she hit
the jackpot on her doctor too! What a hottie.
The man that stood in doorway made Arie’s heart skip several
beats, even
in a set of
rumpled scrubs. She loved blue-eyed, blond men. Maybe she liked
the contrast
because her own hair and eyes were dark.
“Mother and daughter are both doing great.” A smile across the
doctor’s
full lips
created another flutter down Arie’s body.
“Excellent job, Jonas.” The other two men moved forward to
celebrate
with the doctor
in a male bonding ritual that involved lots of back pounding.
“Can I see my baby sister?” Kiera’s plea broke up the exuberant
trio’s
celebration.
“Of course, sweetheart. Let’s go see Mommy and your new sister.”
Aaron
picked up the
child and headed for the door with Daniel close behind.
“I’m sorry. I don’t believe we’ve met.” The doctor stepped forward
and
held out his
hand. “I’m Jonas Nickels.”
“ArieAnne Hews.” His fingers curved around hers, and he gave her
the smile.
Chills played
across her neck, but the spasms of heat that flowed down her
body canceled
them out. For the first time since she’d undergone her vampire
hunter
training, Arie chose to disregard all the signals.
Jonas Nickels is the hottest man I’ve met in a long time, and even
if he’s Satan
himself, I want him.
Jonas stared unseeing at the chart in front of him. What was the
feeling
that ran
through him when he took Arie’s hand? He hadn’t felt such a strong
connection
even in his human days, especially not from the woman he would
have married.
Arie’s dark eyes had held confusion and something more. Lust?
Liking?
All the
sensations that had run through him.
“Dr. Nickels?”
“Yes, Carol?” He turned to see what the nurse on duty needed. It
was
probably best
if he was distracted from dreams that could never be. There
was no way in
hell he would allow himself to become involved romantically
with a
mortal.
“Mrs. Lowell and baby are doing well, but the patient in room
twelve is
talking crazy
again. Something about a group of demons taking over mankind
and how he
needs to find someone to help him stop them.”
“Thanks for letting me know. I’m sure the new mother and child
will be
no problem to
you tonight, but I’ll see what I can do to calm down our other
patient.” At
times, it was tough to find a sedative to settle the nerves of some
of his
special clientele.
Oh, for the simpler days in 1770 when I only had to deal with
human medical
illnesses!
Author Bio
In addition, Making Christmas, a Christmas Historical novella set during the Civil War won Love Romances Café Best Historical for 2011 and is a finalist in the Aspen Gold for Best Novella.
Beyond Magic, the first book in the Magical Love series won the 2012 Award of Excellence Best Paranormal/Fantasy/Sy-Fi, and is a finalist for Best Paranormal in the Aspen Gold. Winners are announced in mid to late October.
Since discovering the fun of writing paranormal, she plays with creating vampires, faeries and other immortals. Her current focus is the DEAD series. Musa Publishing has re-released the first four novellas in the series and DEAD Hot, a new novella, is scheduled to release in October. Emerging Magic, the second novel in the Magical Love series will also release in late October or early November with Passion in Print Press.
When not creating mischief for paranormal beings, she can be found exploring the other genres she wants to write. She also serves as the 2012 President for the Heart of Denver Romance Writers.
Lizzie loves to read, spend time with her family and travel with her best friend husband during her free time, on which most of friends ask…“what free time?”
Find Lizzie T. Leaf Online
Lizzie T. Leaf does it again with her third book in the Dead Series, Dead Hunter. Here we find out that Dovey is pregnant again, BJ and Daniel are finally married and now we meet a new character ArieAnne who has fallen pretty hard for the gorgeous Dr. Jonas Nickels. Oh, and did I mention that Arie is a vampire hunter and the good Dr. is a vampire along with everyone else. Yeah, talk about a problem.
For me this series just keeps getting better and better. I thought the first one was great, the second better and now this one is better than the last. This book is a real page turner, full of emotions and edge of your seat excitement. With every word I read I could hardly wait to see what would happen next and I have to say Lizzie never ceases to amaze me.
I give this book :
Disclosure Notice
I received a free copy in exchange for my personal and honest review. I was not compensated in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.
Thank you for hosting Lizzie today :)
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