"This is an amazing story so far we have had, a few murders, 2 kidnapping, a dad I want to kill and 2 men want who want the same women and it's still getting better. Oh and let us not forget the drama.Sarah Mäkelä writes a great story!" Pam, Goodreads
Published: March 18th, 2019
Carmela she struggles to choose between the alpha werewolf she’s destined for and the vampire she’s enchanted by, but the wrong decision could lead to deadly consequences…
Werewolf relationships are all about influence and offspring, especially as the species is becoming extinct. Carmela Santiago resents that type of life. She dreams of falling in love and being happy, not following the dismal example her parents have set.
When sensual vampire Derek Ashmore rescues her from dangerous hunters, she tumbles head over heels for him. Not a wise decision since werewolves and vampires are mortal enemies.
Meeting her caring mate-to-be Brendan Kelly has her further questioning the future. Regardless, her life has forever changed now that she’s met not one, but two men who pull at her heartstrings…
EXCERPT
CHAPTER ONE
Carmela
Bullets
peppered the big screen of the Teatro de
la Noche. Screams rang out around me, and I dropped to the floor, pulling
my cousin Chandra down with me. Tension ached in my shoulders, and my heart
pounded in my chest like a trapped animal, desperate to escape.
Gunpowder
stung my sensitive nose, but through the overpowering scent, I caught a whiff
of a hunter heading our way. “Chandra, we have to move.”
If
Chandra and I didn’t get out of here we’d end up dead—or worse, test subjects
for the Cazador—human hunters ordered
to scour the land of nocturnes by the plutocratic government.
“How?
They’re all around us.” Chandra peeked over the seats before dropping back down
beside me. “A few of them are chasing down those who ran from the first
assault, but two more are heading straight for us.” She ran a manicured hand
through her honey-brown hair, which was only a shade darker than my own. “Come
on. I have a plan. Let’s try to sneak out the side door.” She crawled in the
opposite direction, down the row of seats.
The
sight of my cousin’s butt cheeks hanging out of her short skirt filled my
vision; some things were better left unseen. I lowered my gaze, particularly
since Chandra had forgone panties. She almost always held herself with an air
of power and purpose. Perhaps that’s what it took to get attention from other
werewolves. Chandra got it in heaps, but her lower social status stopped a lot
of relationships.
While
it was a horrible time to second-guess my modest fashion sense, I couldn’t help
wonder if I should take a lesson from my cousin. My own blouse and dark blue
jeans had much less pizzazz. But I doubted my father would allow me to dress
like Chandra; we had a privileged image to uphold.
I
bit my lip, struggling to turn my thoughts back to the problem at hand. This
was all too much. How could we get out of here unscathed when the roar of
gunfire continued to close in?
We
reached the end of the aisle. Chandra moved to glance over the seat, when a
shout came from the opposite end, startling us both.
“Run,
Chandra!” I barely kept my voice to a whisper.
She
sprinted toward the bright red exit sign at the front of the theater, and I
chased after her, trying to keep my pace natural though her long legs made it
challenging. Maybe if they suspected we weren’t nocturnes, they’d leave us
alone.
The
stomping of heavy boots on the theater’s plush carpets said otherwise. Then
again, they weren’t opposed to taking their fellow humans down too. The very
rich in power thrived on oppressing those less fortunate. What better way to
keep the populace down than to have their thugs strike whenever possible.
“We
should split up.” Chandra shoved a heavy trashcan in front of the door, but
that wouldn’t be much of an obstacle to the pseudo-military bastards.
“What?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “No way. If we do that, we’ll—” The trashcan
scraped the cement as the hunters tried to open the door. Maybe she was right.
If we were together, there was a better chance of them catching us both. Alone,
we might survive the night.
I
nodded to her, and we took off in opposite directions down the alleyway behind
the Teatro. The door slammed open,
smacking the wall hard, as I turned the corner and headed toward the main
street. I had to find somewhere to hide out before the hunters spotted me
again.
In
front of me, another group of Cazador
chased a few werewolves down the main road. I slowed to keep my distance from
them, but if I didn’t get somewhere fast, they were going to catch me. Ugh. As
much as I loved getting out of the house and going to the movies, I wished I’d
listened to my instincts tonight and stayed home.
Two
sets of feet pounded the sidewalk behind me. Perhaps they’d spotted me before I
reached the corner.
I
picked up speed a little, pumping my arms as I struggled to keep to a human speed
while staying out of range. The temptation to race through the streets nearly
drove me to action, but I glanced back, seeing my pursuers for the first time.
One
of the men had greying hair and a rounded belly, which explained the slower,
heavier footfalls, while the other guy appeared younger and super-athletic. No
wonder I was having trouble getting away. If he hadn’t been so scary, he
might’ve been attractive. Pure masculine aggression raged through him, tensing
his shoulders as his gaze focused solely on me, his prize. Each man carried a
large-caliber handgun. I was just glad they were too busy running to try to
shoot me...for now, at least.
My
sandal hit an uneven patch of concrete in the sidewalk. My body lurched
forward, but I caught myself before I could go down. I should’ve been paying
more attention to the street. Up ahead on the opposite side of the road, I
spotted a dark alleyway running alongside a row house. If I cut through, I
could safely turn up the speed without exposing myself, and lose them.
The
older hunter slowed; his breathing had become increasingly labored. He cocked
his revolver’s hammer, and I darted across the empty road, making a beeline for
the alley. The last thing I wanted tonight was to see Dr. Matthews. Just a little bit farther. A bullet
smacked the ground at my feet, hitting me with fragments of pavement. I bit
back a yelp, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of knowing my fear.
“I
got this one, old kook,” the younger hunter grumbled, and his footsteps slowed
too.
Another
gunshot pierced the hazy night air. White-hot pain rocked my shoulder, nearly
toppling me to the ground. I screamed, unable to hold it in, and picked up
speed, no longer caring if I appeared human or not. The faint creak of a door
barely registered before a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, jerking me
inside the dark row house.
My
rescuer softly shut the door, careful not to make a sound, and shoved a hand
over my mouth. “Sshhh,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.” His
voice was deep, with an English accent. He pulled me away from the door and
hunched down in the darkened room, holding me close, waiting and listening.
Agony
clouded my thoughts, but I couldn’t let myself lose focus.
Footsteps
thundered through the side alley. I stiffened at the sound. The hunters’ harsh
voices and the clanking of metal were the only differences between them and a
herd of cattle. They made no attempt to disguise themselves, taking delight in
the fear they provoked. The Cazador
weren’t true predators, but they held power over their fellow humans and the
weaker of the nocturnes.
I
stayed silent in my mysterious savior’s arms. Thoughts of my cousin Chandra
sparked inside my mind. She was still out there. What if the Cazador found her and killed her as
they’d tried to kill me?
This
man had saved my life. I needed to do the same for my kin.
His
large hand flexed slightly, crushing my mouth. I placed my hand against his
wrist, hoping he’d release me, since I no longer heard the disgusting Cazador who hunted me like an animal.
How had I gotten myself into this mess?
Shifting
my weight, I groaned as my shoulder brushed against his smooth chest, my arm
hanging limply by my side. The bullet must be impairing my movement. I doubted
even shifting into wolf form would fix this right now. What was I supposed to
do? Not even my people were immune to blood loss.
The
scent of death crept into my nostrils, which could only mean one thing: my
savior was a vampire. In this weakened state, he could easily end my life, and
I wouldn’t be able to stop him.
But
why would he save me? Maybe he required his next meal. An icy shiver slithered
down the length of my spine. For the first time, I felt real fear.
If
only I’d insisted on returning home from the Teatro sooner instead of catching the night’s second movie, we
wouldn’t have been there for the raid. Already my energy waned due to the rocky
power of the three raging moons. The added exertion of running from the Cazador and getting shot strained my body
even more.
Somehow,
the Cazador had known nocturnes
frequented the Teatro. Who would give
that kind of information away? Wolves wanted the same pleasures in life that
humans desired.
My
savior readjusted his grip on me, brushing against my upper back. I swallowed a
scream, unwilling to alert anyone who might be listening outside this man’s
home. This vampire’s home. Clenching
my teeth, I pulled at the vampire’s wrist. I would not be his victim.
He
remained steadfast, proving my weakness. “Don’t scream. Don’t run. Don’t do
anything that would force me to hurt you, because I’ve had a lot of practice.”
His crisp voice caressed my ear, and his breath moved tendrils of light brown
hair, tickling the flesh on my neck. “Do you understand?”
While
he meant the words as a threat, I couldn’t help the way my body responded to
his intensity. I nodded, forcing my thoughts back into place. If he attacked, I
needed to remember my Militia training.
The
vampire released me, but he stayed still, as if waiting for my next move.
Slowly
and carefully, I scooted away and turned to face him. My eyes had gradually
adjusted to the darkness, allowing me to see more clearly in the dimly lit room
than a human would. What a sight he was. I brushed my fingertips over my sore
lips.
Crouching
in the shadows, he wore a navy-blue dress shirt with the buttons undone to show
off his pale, sculpted chest, and dark jeans that snugly fit his long legs. I’d
only seen a few vampires, and none of them had looked this exquisite.
My
eyes widened as he ran a hand through his shoulder-length black hair. His gaze
had dropped to my lips, and I lowered my hand. Hunger burned in his deep blue
eyes; I prayed it wasn’t bloodlust.
What
was I thinking? Our species didn’t see eye to eye on anything except survival.
The Feud between vampires and werewolves had raged on for centuries now, since
well before bickering humans shot the moon with a nuke after a resource dispute
and nearly killed the world’s population. Little did my ancestors know just how
much and how fast the world would change. Instead of bridging the gap, vamps
and wolves had grown even further apart. No one remembered what or whom first
started the divide, but neither race spent any effort on diplomatic relations.
Kill
or be killed.
I
took a deep breath and sat a little straighter. With space between us, my fear
lessened. The Militia had taught me to defend myself against hunters and other
nocturnes. They made sure I wouldn’t be easy prey for the enemy. Of course—they
preferred to have my womb protected, since it ensured our race would live on.
Bitterness
soured my taste buds, and the urge to spit overwhelmed me.
Admittedly,
vampires were the hardest foes to defeat, and I couldn’t practice my skills
much these days. Not with Father keeping me almost literally a prisoner in my
own home.
But
if I had to fight this vampire, I would go out having inflicted a lot of pain.
“Why
did you help me?” I asked, keeping my gaze on the wall near his head. No way
would I look into his eyes. While I was strong, I wasn’t stupid. His kind could
easily manipulate, and I had no idea what he had in mind.
“I
think it was your caramel-brown eyes, love.” He leaned into my line of sight,
but I looked away. Instead, he closed the space between us in a heartbeat and
gently stroked his index finger along my jaw.
The
sudden intrusion on my personal space had me jerking away, but with my back so
close to the wall, I had nowhere to run. “How could it have been my eyes?” I
crossed my good arm under my breasts, but that drew his attention down to my
chest. Not what I’d intended. “I’m sure you couldn’t have seen them while I was
running from the hunters.”
With
a sensual swipe of his tongue, he licked his lips. His gaze lifted to meet
mine, but I quickly averted my eyes. “You caught me.”
The
cool, sensual touch of his fingers trailed toward my neck, then my shoulder. My
breath hitched in my throat as his hand skirted the edge of the wound.
Everything in me demanded I move away, but I refused to show weakness.
The
vampire sucked in a deep breath, and he let it out in a slow lustful shudder.
“You’re hurt.” He raked his gaze over my body, taking in all of me. “Those eyes
must have captivated me again.” From what I could see, I doubted my eyes were
the only thing he liked.
“Right.”
His playful answers surprised me; we were supposed to be enemies. If he wanted
to drink my blood, he should just say so. But if that were the case, wouldn’t
he have attacked already? “I should be going. The Cazador are long gone by now, so I won’t waste any more of your
time.” I tucked a leg beneath me to climb to my feet, but the vampire grabbed
my wrist, holding me still.
Instinct
kicked in, and a low growl of warning rumbled from my throat. My teeth sharpened,
and the skin on my arms rippled, ready to welcome my beast. But I shut down the
change.
He
released me and lifted his arms in surrender. “Where are my manners? My name is
Derek. I’m afraid I can’t let you leave. You’re injured, and the hunters could
still capture you. Besides, you might tell your wolves where I live.” He smiled
without flashing any fangs. Others of his kind wouldn’t be able to pull that
off; he had to be an ancient. “Let me help you. I was once a doctor.”
My
eyebrows rose in surprise. Such irony. A man who once pledged himself to
healing people now drained them of their life’s blood. “All I need to do is
shapeshift a few times. That’ll fix this.”
He
rose to his feet as if pulled up by strings, then folded his arms.
“Shapeshifting isn’t going to solve that.” Taking in a deep breath, he shook
his head. “Not with a wound so severe. If I wanted to hurt you, I would have
done so by now. Besides, I just saved you from the Cazador.”
I
hated that he was right. He’d made no move to harm me, and he’d helped when he
didn’t have to. Sighing, I leaned my head back, wincing as my shoulder touched
the wall. “Why did you save me? If the hunters knew, they’d punish you
severely.”
“More
severely than death?” Derek chuckled. “I’d like to see them try.”
I
stared up at him, a frown tugging at my lips. No one could argue with his
logic. He was a vampire; the worst they could do would be to bring him true
death. “I’m Carmela. Thanks for the help. Not many would’ve done that.”
“People
are afraid of the ‘mighty’ hunters.” He shrugged his broad shoulders, then held
out his hand to me. “They’re pathetic compared to us.”
While
I agreed with what he said, I couldn’t suppress my wariness at his help. But I
didn’t have a choice; I was too badly injured to survive the night without
treatment. I reluctantly accepted his hand. He lifted me to my feet as if I
weighed nothing, then led the way into his living room.
The
luxurious room showcased a large velveteen couch with handsome oak inlay in the
shape of a creeping rose vine along the back. I leaned down to brush my hand
along the forest-green cushion, amazed at the ornate décor, but a trail of my
blood slid toward my wrist.
Pulling
away, I wrapped my arm around my waist and took in the rest of the room. No way
would I ruin his furniture. “This place looks like a museum. It’s
breathtaking.”
“Hardly.
It’s my home. I have a room upstairs better suited for tending to you.” Derek
walked toward the banister of the swooping staircase, but he kept his gaze
fixed on me as if I’d run at a moment’s notice. That should’ve been closer to
the truth. However, I couldn’t help my fascination at the way this vampire
lived. I’d never seen such nice things before. How many lifetimes had he spent
on cultivating his collection? “Coming, Carmela?” He waved for me to follow
him.
The
sound of my name on his lips pulled me forward. I walked to the steps, but
weakness weighed down my limbs. How could I make it home by myself if the
thought of climbing the stairs drained me? If he’d been a doctor, I might be
okay in his care. Doctors followed a code of ethics. My mother used to be a
nurse, and she liked to talk about those days when we were alone.
I
took a deep breath, and I only smelled the two of us. Not that I thought I
might be walking into a trap, but I couldn’t be too careful. My gaze swept back
to the living room. I wasn’t materialistic, but the blatant show of wealth
struck the wishful part of me that hoped for more out of life. I bumped into
him as he stopped suddenly on the steps.
“Look,
I’m not going to harm you.” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “Okay?” Worry tightened
his lips for a second, but he flashed a smile.
“Fine.
If you say so.” The world spun a little, and I clenched the railing in my fist,
focusing all of my energy on staying upright. My desire to help Chandra would
have to wait. Besides, she’d be okay. She was strong and street-smart. As far
as I knew, the Cazador had followed
me, not her, and I’d be useless searching for her right now.
However,
a small part of me whispered that family didn’t abandon one another. Betrayer, my thoughts hissed, but I
shoved them aside.
My
legs shook as I reached the top step. Derek watched me carefully but didn’t
offer his assistance. He probably knew I wouldn’t have accepted it. I wouldn’t
let my weakness get the better of me in front of him, a possible threat.
“You’ll stay in my spare room. It’s a comfortable space to relax while I care
for you.” I followed him down the hallway, each step harder than the last, and
he opened the door for me. “Here you are.”
I
stayed put and stood up straighter, hoping he’d get the message and go in
first, but he didn’t. Right.
A
red paisley bedspread adorned a heavy oak bed with an abundance of matching
pillows, befitting royalty. The bedroom was as polished and pristine as the
living room. How could I possibly be comfortable with bleeding all over it? If
this was how he decked out his spare room, I could only imagine what his room
looked like.
I
glanced back at the doorway, where he remained. Our eyes met for the first time
from across the room, even though I knew the risks. “Where do you want me?” I
asked, wincing at how intimate that sounded. “Here?” Dizziness swayed me, and
my knees buckled. Strong arms wrapped around me before my body could hit the
floor.
Derek’s
concerned face filled my darkening vision. “Yes, here is fine,” he murmured,
laying me down on the soft bed. “Don’t die on me.”
About the author:
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author and a life-long paranormal fan who still sleeps with a night light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies, and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.
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7 comments:
Sounds very interesting.
This is a great genre and sounds like a terrific read.
Pretty covers
Beneath the Broken Moon sounds like a good read. Thank you
This book sounds great
I really enjoyed the excerpt and great cover!
I like that you can see a wolf on the sides of the book when they are assembled in a box set. Bernie Wallace BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
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