Guest Post and #Giveaway with Eliza March

I want to thank you all and especially Cecile for her support. After a year and a half of dealing with medical problems, I’m back on board with two new releases this year. Defeat the Darkness: Demons of the Bayou is part of my New Orleans Hearts of Darkness series. It’s a relief to immerse myself in my fantasy world of vampires and shifters, hunky heroes and interesting characters. I’ve been told the antagonist in this book is pure evil, someone you’ll love to hate. It was also great to write a full-length novel, knowing this story and some of the other characters would play major roles in the upcoming books in the series. I’m hoping to have the second book in the series out before the holidays this year. I’ve included a real romantic and touching excerpt for you. If you want to read more, you can find excerpts on my blog or website.

In the meantime, I have another ménage novella coming out October 10^th from SirenBookstrand Publishing—WereCat Fever is part of the Enchanted Mountain series I’ve been writing for them. It’s an erotic paranormal reunion romance that takes place in Arctic, Colorado where all my supernatural characters for Siren live. The tentative release date is October 10^th. Be looking out for it soon.

Comment and leave your email address and I’ll randomly pick two lucky readers to receive a free ebook when it comes out.

 

Now here is an Exclusive excerpt from Defeat the Darkness: Demons of the Bayou by Eliza March available now from Amazon in trade paperback and ebook.

[An erotic paranormal ménage, M/F/M]

“Cancel your trip to Guatemala. If you go, things will change. I have a bad feeling about this. We’ll never get this time back.”

Kyle held Shelby as the sobs wracked her. “Shh, shh, babe, nothing can change how I feel about you. Nothing can keep us apart.”

“Marathon sex won’t make up for the time we’ll be apart.” After hours of mind-blowing sex, she’d hoped that would have been enough to convince him to stay even if their love wasn’t. “You say you love me, want to marry me, and yet you’re still leaving tomorrow?”

“I have to go. The people need me.” He patiently caressed her while she ranted.

“Something’s wrong. You know I hate when I get these feelings.”

“Too many Voodoo queens out last night.” Kyle gently pushed her hair away from her face, wiped her tears, and cupped her chin in his hand. Looking deep into her eyes he said, “I love you more than life. You know why I’m doing this, why I have to go.”

“Yes, to exorcise your demons. To earn your hero badge. To make up for all the selfish wealth your parents have.” She turned her face aside, hating how she sounded like a self- centered child. Even so, she couldn’t stop herself. She was desperate not to lose him. …Physicians International will still need help next year.”

“Don’t make this harder than it is.” He turned her back to face him. “The agency needs everyone now to help after the mudslides from the earthquake.”

She didn’t care if she sounded pathetic begging. “I’ll come with you—”

“No, I won’t let you interrupt your residency.”

“Let?” She jerked away and tried to stand, almost flipping herself off the bed. His hand latched onto her, preventing her from toppling as she turned away.

“You know what I mean. When have I ever tried to control you? Never. But I’m going to take control now.” The expression on his face looked dangerous. Every muscle in his body tensed. He pulled her to him, pressed her back into the mattress, and covered her mouth with his, preventing any further argument.

He held her head in place, cupping her nape as his mouth claimed hers, hot and demanding. She tasted and smelled herself on his tongue as he probed the deep recesses of her mouth. The dominant kiss set off a blaze inside her like someone had struck a match to jet fuel. Even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t prevent from responding. She kissed him back—mouth-to-mouth, tongue-to-tongue, breast-to-chest—gripping his hair in her hands, wrapping her legs around him, and scoring his back with her nails. The desperation she’d held back for so long, thinking of being apart from him, reared to the surface, and Shelby seized the physical attachment for the moment. When he lifted his face from hers and tore away, fear spread through her as their gazes met. Without shared words, his concern was her concern—he knew—this separation would change everything between them. The same anxious foreboding shrouded his expression as the dread she’d buried deep within her soul surfaced, and yet the emotions were unfounded, unreasonable. Just feelings.

~~~~

She released a resigned grunt. “Don’t you dare forget to come back to me, Kyle.”

He nuzzled her breast and sighed. “You think I could ever forget you? There is no life, no happiness for me without you.” He kissed her forehead tenderly. “I can prove it.”

Shelby clasped his face in her palms and stared into his eyes. “Go ahead and try.”

Kyle pulled away, reaching into the drawer in the nightstand, and handed her a white velvet box, yellowed with age. The cut rose design looked faded, but there was no mistaking what it was. A ring box. “I will marry you when I get back.”

“Boston, you Yankees have a strange way of sweet talkin’ a girl.”

“Go ahead. Open it.”

When she did, he took the ring from where it glittered inside the box and placed the antique ring on her finger.

“Keep this, always.”

“It’s beautiful. A family heirloom?”

He smiled as he watched her fingers trace over the fine metal design. “Yes.”

“Wow, the filigree is so beautifully detailed.”

“Don’t you have anything to say about the diamond? I did have that upgraded.”

“Where are my sunglasses? It’s blinding me.” She giggled as she threw her arms around Kyle’s neck and kissed him.

“Shelby Mackenzie, will you marry me?”

“Yes, Kyle Lachlan. Since you’re asking so nicely. I will marry you, but we should probably do this again with clothes on, so we can describe the moment to our friends and relatives.”

“Yeah, but later,” he said when she arched her body against his. “This feels too good.” “Someday our children may ask us to describe the moment their father asked their mother to marry him. Then what will we tell them?”

“I’m going to tell them you stripped me naked, handcuffed me, and kept me in bed for two solid days until I agreed to marry you.”

Kyle tickled Shelby until she couldn’t breathe. As she stopped laughing, she caught her breath and threatened him. “You would not dare disgrace the mother of your children!”

“Nah, but the truth is more fun.” He grinned like a fool.

“What do you think? Isn’t the ring a perfect accessory for the outfit?” She gave him a dark look then placed her hand with the ring on her breast and posed touching her nipple. “Looks good here.”

Kyle grinned. The hand dropped between her parted thighs and stopped. “What about here?”

Kyle sucked in air when she slipped her fingers inside her folds and said, “Hmm, I think you may be right. It is the perfect accessory.”

He practically growled. “God, I love you. If we didn’t have dinner reservations, I’d keep you in bed.” Her stomach rumbled on cue. “Later. I’m going to hold you to that.

~~~~

The restaurant was one of their regular local favorites. The food was cheap but excellent and the atmosphere was…well it was all voodoo magic. The hostess seated them in a quiet corner away from the piano and the drums. Kyle tipped her and asked, “Will you send Max back when he gets here, Zorina?”

“Sho nuff, darlin’,” she said, pocketing the cash. “Hear you’re off to save lives in a jungle.”

“I leave tomorrow.”

“You stay safe, ya’hear?”

“Will do.”

“Do not be so flip.” Shelby gripped Kyle by his shirt. “Promise you’ll stay safe.”

“I will, if you will.” Kyle kissed the tip of her nose.

She finally released a relaxed laughed. “I’m not the one heading into an earthquake burdened country. Besides, Max will look after me if anything comes up here.”

“Good. When you finish your residency you can both join me, if you can drag Max away from his lab.”

“Don’t hold your breath waiting for Max. He won’t come. He’s not the sort to traipse through a jungle.”

“I think you underestimate him,” Kyle defended his friend.

“Do I? You don’t know him the way I do. You’ve only known him through med school. I’ve known him since we were in diapers. And I can tell you, he’s not the type to sweat.”

“He works out. Played football. I’ve seen him sweat.”

“Not without an ulterior motive. Why are you sticking up for your competition? He’s the one my mother, die-hard southerner that she is, still hopes I’ll marry.” Shelby laid on the southern accent.

“He’s not my competition. He’s my friend and yours. I understand why your mother wants you two together. He’d be good for you if he ever decided to settle down.”

“Or… What are you saying? If you weren’t in the picture?”

He kissed her eyes. “But I am. And I plan to stay in the picture. Max surrendered by default years ago. So tell your mother to give up. The north won. You’re mine.”

“I didn’t surrender,” Max said as he rounded the corner table. He eyed his two best friends suspiciously. “I’m waiting for the woman to come to her senses.” He scooped Shelby up into a bearlike embrace and kissed her. God, she tasted amazing, especially when she enthusiastically kissed him back.

“Not bad, huh?” he asked and then sat down in the empty chair between them.

“No. You’ve never been a slouch in the kissing department. If I remember correctly, sticking was your problem.” Shelby pecked him on the lips for good measure while Kyle grinned.

Max clutched his chest. “Give me a break, Shelby. I was seventeen.”

“Too late. She’s marrying me.”

“You had your chance.” Shelby held out her hand and wiggled her ring finger, teasing. “I was totally infatuated with you in tenth grade.”

“What? Getting married? Aren’t you on your way out of town tomorrow, Boston?” Max acted surprised.

Kyle nodded. “But I’m coming back.”

“I guess she said ‘yes’. Your smile is so bright it looks like someone shoved a light up your ass, buddy. Personally, I think it’s a dumb move to leave her. I don’t know how you can do it.”

“Yeah. Yeah. You’re just jealous.”

“Why? You’re leaving me the opening I’ve been waiting for since she met you.” Max flicked a finger under Shelby’s chin. “Wait ’til you see what I have planned as soon as we get rid of him.”

“Stop it, both of you.” Unshed tears filled Shelby’s eyes and Max felt her pain. She didn’t cry often, but when she did, it wrenched his heart out of his chest just to watch. “I don’t want to think about it.” She picked up her glass, blinked several times, and sipped.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I was just teasing.” Max reached for her hand. “Show me this ring I’ve heard so much about.” He nodded his head in Kyle’s direction. “He hasn’t shut up about it since he upgraded.”

“Mamma’s gonna love it.” Shelby wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist and thrust out her hand. “Don’t you think it’s beautiful?”

“You are beautiful, and it suits my favorite girl.” Max gave her fingers a squeeze. “Nice choice, Kyle.” He held out his hand. “Congratulations, buddy. Gotta hand it to you. You sure know how to pick ’em.”

Which did he mean? The ring or Shelby. He wasn’t sure himself. A knot caught in his throat and he tried to swallow it away, wondering why he let her go—why he hadn’t made the move on her himself. She was right. He’d had his chance and not just back when they were teens. A few times since then, too. Their timing had always been off. Had he lost his old best friend to his new best friend? He wondered if they would have room for him in their future? God, he hoped so. He couldn’t imagine life without either of them.

“I’m ordering Champagne. We’re celebrating tonight, and if you’re too drunk to make the plane in the morning.” He shrugged and winked at Shelby, “we’ll tell them we kidnapped him. How many bars do you think there are on Bourbon Street?”

“Are we going to find out?” Shelby truly smiled for the first time since he joined them, and Kyle laughed.

“You two will end up sleeping in, and I’ll be nursing a hangover forty-two thousand feet in the air.”

“Nah,” Shelby kissed him. “We’ll take you to the airport…and then go back to bed.”

“Witch.”

“You can still back out.”

~~~~

Guatemala

Mud caked everyone and everything. Outside the tent, rain continued drizzling, a steady incessant catalyst to the mud and the tragedies. On the stretcher, all Kyle could see was the limp body of the little boy who was broken and would more than likely die.

“Breathe dammit, breathe.” Kyle refused to lose one more soul today. He’d already faced death and lost too many since he’d been here—this one was going to make it. He disconnected the ventilator and waited.

“What’s his name?”

“Tomas. Tomas Ramirez.” A teenage boy across the room spoke up.

“Looks like suctioning the airway worked, doctor. His breathing is more regular, and his pulse is strengthening,” said one of the faceless volunteers from behind the mask.

Kyle lightly patted Tomas’ fragile hand. “Way to go champ.”

The small boy on the gurney looked to be about six, maybe seven at most. His mother prayed quietly by his side, chanting and rocking a tiny little girl in her lap. The child was beautiful with soulful black eyes and ebony hair. Julian, the teen who’d answered his earlier question, watched Kyle through hooded pale brown eyes from a face full of expectation. He followed every move Kyle made, finally relaxing his shoulders when Kyle exhaled. He removed his mask and took a deep breath, peeled off his gloves, and walked outside.

Kyle hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath while he suctioned the boy’s airway, not until the pain shook him. Outside, he welcomed the humidity for a change. Although it soothed his parched lungs, the hot damp air was far from refreshing but better than the heavy antiseptic scents mixed with mud smells inside the makeshift OR.

The warm rain washed over him, and he scrubbed his hands down his face, inhaling deeply to clear the scent of death from his lungs. He thanked God the child survived, at least for the moment. It would be touch and go for a day or two. They would worry about pneumonia and a thousand other things—later. Today, they’d won the battle.

I’ve been writing seriously for about nine years. My first book, a novella,, was published in April of 2009 and since then, I’ve had several more published. To my great pleasure, many readers have responded positively to these books. I write in a variety of genres so I’m sure there’s one that will please you. Can you just imagine how pleased I am to know I’m making readers happy with the yarns I spin in my head . . .

The first writers’ group I joined was a local mixed group (all genres – all ages). They took turns reading aloud and critiquing each others’ work once a week. Although I know how to spell the words I write, I find it difficult to voice them. Therefore I saw no future with that group, since I found it impossible to admit what I wrote, let alone, shock the life out of a group of white haired memoir writers. So I moved on – took online classes, college classes, and in 2006 I attended my first RWA National Conference and never looked back. I’m a member of RWA, my local chapter – TARA, several online groups. My secret passion is poetry, and my secret identity isn’t as secret as I’d like to believe.

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Posted by All I Want and More on September 16, 2013

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