On the 11th day of Halloween, Kensington has a giveaway just for you! Today you have a chance at winning a copy of Born to Bite by Hannah Howell; Erica Ridley; Diana Cosby. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Open to US/CA only.
Darkly handsome and dangerously sexy, these voracious vampires are out for blood—and bound for eternal love…
Dark Secret by Hannah Howell Alone in the world, Murdina Dunbar sets out in search of the only family she has left—and finds an ally in the mysterious Sir Gillanders Baldwin. Something about her sexy protector stirs her blood. Soon, not even the whispers that he’s a dangerous demon can keep her from his bed….
Never Been Bitten by Erica Ridley
Rumored to be a vampire, the rakish Mr. Macane is ravishing all the ladies of the ton! Yet, Miss Elspeth Ramsay cannot bring herself to tremble in his presence. But once Ellie feels the touch of his teeth at her throat, she finds herself biting him back! Surely this sudden bloodlust can only mean danger for her family—and her heart….
Highland Vampire by Diana Cosby
As King of the Highland Coven, vampire Aedan MacGregor knows that falling for the fey Rowan Campbell could destroy her. But one taste of her healing blood and he craves her like no other. Dare claim her as his own, knowing he might lose her forever?
PROLOGUE
Spring 1514
Scotland
The two crosses were simple, the letters carved into the wood neat but obviously done by an untrained hand. It would not be long before the words were stolen away by the wind and rain. A shiver went through Murdina Dunbar, and she knew it had nothing to do with the bite of chill in the wind. Her aunt and uncle had been buried in unconsecrated ground.
Murdina sighed and fought the urge to weep. It was not so much grief that caused the sting of tears in her eyes as it was a crushing disappointment. She had traveled so far to find her aunt and uncle, hoped for a cousin or two as well. Every step of the way she had prayed that she would soon be part of a family again. Instead, she found herself still alone. Utterly alone.
“If ye be looking for their demon spawn, ye are too late. She and that bairn she hid are gone.”
Demon spawn? Murdina turned to look at the man who had spoken to her, annoyed with herself for being so lost in self-pity she had not heard his approach. He was short, filthy, and had a belly that revealed he ate too well far too often. The intuition that had cursed her for her whole life immediately marked him as ignorant and brutal.
“What do ye mean by demon spawn, sir?” she asked, and knew her anger over his words had seeped into her tone, for his muddy brown eyes narrowed with wary malice.
“The mother was a witch, aye? What else could she have been with all her potions and love of the night, eh?” He scratched his belly. “We took care of the lassie’s witch of a mother, but no one wanted to hurt the lass, too. She was a healer like her mother, and we didnae want to be left with no healer at all, did we? Then wee Adeline, their demon spawn, took in that cursed bairn. Wheesht, there was nay denying that the bairn was Satan’s own. Anne herself said so when she tried to be rid of the bairn that demon had begotten on her, but the lass saved it. We tried to get rid of the lad ourselves after that, but she ran off with him. Young Adeline guarded that lad as if he were her own.”
Good for her, Murdina thought, proud of her cousin. “Where did she run to?”
“Why do ye care? Ye are weel shed of the likes of her.” He looked her over. “Though, now that I get a good look at you, I see ye have the look of her and her fool da. All that cursed red hair, too. Blood will tell, aye?”
“Will it? Then ye will be verra pleased to learn that I dinnae intend to linger here. As soon as ye tell me where Adeline went, I will leave.”
“Dinnae ken where she went, do I? Some of our men chased her, but they didnae return. Another lot of fools went out ahunting for her, and they did stop here for a wee while. One of their men was hurt. They said the lass had taken up with one of those demons one hears tales of. MacNachtons the mon called them. One of them demons was helping the lass protect the bairn, and they were all headed toward the far hills,” he said and nodded, pointing toward the north.
Murdina sighed, picked up the reins of her sturdy pony, and started to walk in the direction he had waved his short, dirty finger in.
“ ’Tis said no one returns from those hills,” he called after her.
“I certainly willnae be returning, whether I go to those hills or nay.”
Her heart was choked with grief and sympathy for her cousin. Poor Adeline, Murdina thought, although she was pleased to discover she had a cousin and the cousin’s name. Adeline was as alone as she was, however. All her cousin had was a bairn that fools like that filthy man behind her wanted to kill. Her cousin would need help to protect the child, she decided. The man marked as a demon by superstitious fools might not have stayed with Adeline. All Murdina had to do now was find her cousin. As she looked toward the distant hills, she hesitated and shivered, but quickly stiffened her spine. The hills were shrouded in a heavy mist despite the fact that it was a bright, sunny day. It made her uneasy, but she shook off the tickle of fear that tried to take root in her heart. If she had to track her cousin into those ominous mists, she would do so. Now that she knew she had family left, she would allow nothing to stop her from finding Adeline. Not even wild, frightening talk of demons.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Dark Secret by Hannah Howell Alone in the world, Murdina Dunbar sets out in search of the only family she has left—and finds an ally in the mysterious Sir Gillanders Baldwin. Something about her sexy protector stirs her blood. Soon, not even the whispers that he’s a dangerous demon can keep her from his bed….
Never Been Bitten by Erica Ridley
Rumored to be a vampire, the rakish Mr. Macane is ravishing all the ladies of the ton! Yet, Miss Elspeth Ramsay cannot bring herself to tremble in his presence. But once Ellie feels the touch of his teeth at her throat, she finds herself biting him back! Surely this sudden bloodlust can only mean danger for her family—and her heart….
Highland Vampire by Diana Cosby
As King of the Highland Coven, vampire Aedan MacGregor knows that falling for the fey Rowan Campbell could destroy her. But one taste of her healing blood and he craves her like no other. Dare claim her as his own, knowing he might lose her forever?
PROLOGUE
Spring 1514
Scotland
The two crosses were simple, the letters carved into the wood neat but obviously done by an untrained hand. It would not be long before the words were stolen away by the wind and rain. A shiver went through Murdina Dunbar, and she knew it had nothing to do with the bite of chill in the wind. Her aunt and uncle had been buried in unconsecrated ground.
Murdina sighed and fought the urge to weep. It was not so much grief that caused the sting of tears in her eyes as it was a crushing disappointment. She had traveled so far to find her aunt and uncle, hoped for a cousin or two as well. Every step of the way she had prayed that she would soon be part of a family again. Instead, she found herself still alone. Utterly alone.
“If ye be looking for their demon spawn, ye are too late. She and that bairn she hid are gone.”
Demon spawn? Murdina turned to look at the man who had spoken to her, annoyed with herself for being so lost in self-pity she had not heard his approach. He was short, filthy, and had a belly that revealed he ate too well far too often. The intuition that had cursed her for her whole life immediately marked him as ignorant and brutal.
“What do ye mean by demon spawn, sir?” she asked, and knew her anger over his words had seeped into her tone, for his muddy brown eyes narrowed with wary malice.
“The mother was a witch, aye? What else could she have been with all her potions and love of the night, eh?” He scratched his belly. “We took care of the lassie’s witch of a mother, but no one wanted to hurt the lass, too. She was a healer like her mother, and we didnae want to be left with no healer at all, did we? Then wee Adeline, their demon spawn, took in that cursed bairn. Wheesht, there was nay denying that the bairn was Satan’s own. Anne herself said so when she tried to be rid of the bairn that demon had begotten on her, but the lass saved it. We tried to get rid of the lad ourselves after that, but she ran off with him. Young Adeline guarded that lad as if he were her own.”
Good for her, Murdina thought, proud of her cousin. “Where did she run to?”
“Why do ye care? Ye are weel shed of the likes of her.” He looked her over. “Though, now that I get a good look at you, I see ye have the look of her and her fool da. All that cursed red hair, too. Blood will tell, aye?”
“Will it? Then ye will be verra pleased to learn that I dinnae intend to linger here. As soon as ye tell me where Adeline went, I will leave.”
“Dinnae ken where she went, do I? Some of our men chased her, but they didnae return. Another lot of fools went out ahunting for her, and they did stop here for a wee while. One of their men was hurt. They said the lass had taken up with one of those demons one hears tales of. MacNachtons the mon called them. One of them demons was helping the lass protect the bairn, and they were all headed toward the far hills,” he said and nodded, pointing toward the north.
Murdina sighed, picked up the reins of her sturdy pony, and started to walk in the direction he had waved his short, dirty finger in.
“ ’Tis said no one returns from those hills,” he called after her.
“I certainly willnae be returning, whether I go to those hills or nay.”
Her heart was choked with grief and sympathy for her cousin. Poor Adeline, Murdina thought, although she was pleased to discover she had a cousin and the cousin’s name. Adeline was as alone as she was, however. All her cousin had was a bairn that fools like that filthy man behind her wanted to kill. Her cousin would need help to protect the child, she decided. The man marked as a demon by superstitious fools might not have stayed with Adeline. All Murdina had to do now was find her cousin. As she looked toward the distant hills, she hesitated and shivered, but quickly stiffened her spine. The hills were shrouded in a heavy mist despite the fact that it was a bright, sunny day. It made her uneasy, but she shook off the tickle of fear that tried to take root in her heart. If she had to track her cousin into those ominous mists, she would do so. Now that she knew she had family left, she would allow nothing to stop her from finding Adeline. Not even wild, frightening talk of demons.
2 comments:
I'm so excited at seeing this book up for the prize. Thanks for this opportunity.
Great giveaway.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
Great prologue! I didn't want it to end. Thank you for the chance to win it!
DeAnna Schultz
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