Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Blog Tour : DEAD Hunter by Lizzie T. Leaf : Giveaway, 1st Chapter, Review


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 !



DEAD Hunter
by Lizzie T. Leaf

Dead Hunter

BlurbFinally 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

Award winning author, Lizzie T. Leaf started life in Kansas, continued her growing in North Carolina, and currently shivers through the winters in Colorado.  She has numerous e-books in varying lengths and her first print book, Struck by Lightning, won dual 2007 Beacon awards, in addition to being a finalist in two other contests.

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.








1 comment:

Thank you so much for your comment. I hope that you had a wonderful stay and please drop by anytime. Have an enchanting day and happy reading!

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