Valentine's Day Blog Hop Day 4

Hello! I’m so glad you stopped by my blog during the Valentine’s Day Blog Hop. There are over 200 hundred authors participating in the this year’s Hop and I’m so glad to be a part of it. To check out the other participating authors, just click on the picture on the left.

Over the 4 days, I’ll be posting excerpts from my books along with opportunities to win 1 of 3 prizes I’ll be giving away.

First Prize is a lovely necklace and bracelet set made by me. For this set, I’ve incorporated a few different types of beads: glass, pearl, seed, and glass bugle. To keep with the Valentine’s Day spirit, I created these pieces using white, gold, and red beads. It’s a lovely set that can be worn with casual clothes or even a nice dress.

Second Prize is a pdf copy of one of my books, winner’s choice. To check out my backlist, please see the right sidebar. All my book covers are listed there. Just click on a cover to find out more about the book.

Third Prize is a 4-piece set of wine charms, handmade by me. There are 2 charms with red, white, black, and silver beads; and 2 charms with pink, black, silver, white, and dichromatic beads. All four are adorned with a beautiful heart pendant and are sure to be a lovely addition to your favorite wine glass.

How can you enter to win one of these fabulous prizes? It’s simple. Just stop by my site one or more days during the Blog Hop (February 11^th-14^th) and leave a comment about my excerpt for that day. The more days you visit and comment, the more chances you’ll have to win. At the end of the 4 days, I’ll draw 3 winners. See, simple. Be sure to put your email addy in your comment so I can reach you if you win.

If you happen to have missed the previous days’ posts, here’s the links to them so you can be sure to enter for each day:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4   Happy Valentine’s Day!

Okay, so let’s get on with today’s excerpt...

Stairway To Heaven

Genre: Fantasy erotica, shape-shifter, magic, mystical being
Purchase: Amber Quill Press

Excerpt rating: PG

She felt his mouth hover above her neck. A sweep of heat. Then a quick searing sting that was gone almost as soon as it started. Rhea inhaled sharply.

“What…do you…want?” she choked out.

He released her wrist and his fingers loosened in her hair. “Only to give you what you need.”

Rhea immediately pulled away. Her hand went to the side of her neck. But there was no evidence of injury, no blood, no cut, no pain. Only a strange prickling remained.

“What did you do to me?”

“Nothiiinnng…” His voice trailed off, as though he were walking away.

“You’re lying! What did you take from me?”

He chuckled in response. “Beauty and brains, such a lovely combination.” The words came at her from varying points within the mist.

“What did you take from me?” Rhea screamed, a new sense of panic overriding her fear.

“Nothing you’ll miss. Just a small token that I require in return for my services.”

Rhea clenched her fists. “I didn’t agree to your services!”

“Yes you did.” His words were spoken matter-of-factly, as though sure of his claim.

“No, I—” Rhea felt a finger lay gently against her lips.

“Shh… Lie back, Rhea. Lie back and enjoy.”

Rhea jerked away from his touch, shaking her head with vehemence. “No!”

“Are you afraid?”

She bit her bottom lip to still its trembling. There was no point denying it. She was terrified. And he likely knew it.

“Yes.”

She felt warm palms push against her shoulders, pressing her down upon the pillows until she was lying on her back. Despite her attempt to be brave, a tiny squeak escaped her throat. The sound was her undoing.

“Please, don’t,” she begged, struggling to sit back up. He held her in place.

“Don’t what?” he asked with a lazy drawl, as though he were slowly inspecting her from head to foot.

Rhea imagined she could feel his careful gaze moving along her flesh, looking for the most vulnerable point of attack. “Don’t hurt me.” Her voice was a tremulous whisper.

“Oh, I’ve no intention of hurting you, Rhea. On the contrary, I plan on giving you pleasure unlike anything you’ve ever known.”

Rhea felt the air leave her lungs and the color drain from her face. As though seconding his intent, her body shuddered violently in response. Then a strange heat crept along her lower limbs toward her thighs, and she realized it was his hands.

“No!” She tried to scoot away, but his fingers gripped her calves, preventing her escape.

“No? Why do you deny what your heart desires, Rhea?”

Rhea shook her head as she stared into the glittering haze hovering above her.

“No, you’re wrong. I don’t desire anything from—”

“Rheaaa…don’t lie to me. I know what longings lurk within your soul. I only wish to fulfill them.”

Rhea tried to push herself up once again, and this time, he let her go. She scrambled back a few feet while her gaze darted about, desperately seeking some indication as to where he might be. But the churning clouds kept their secret, skillfully hiding their mysterious master within their billowing depths.

Rhea felt movement behind her. The soft brush of a hand against the back of her neck. She let out a startled scream and quickly moved away. He chuckled softly, seeming to mock her once again.

“What are you?” Rhea demanded, feeling like a terrified rabbit being hunted by its prey.

“A rabbit? I think not, Rhea. You’re a seductive tigress. You just don’t know it. Yet.”

His words seeped through her skull to caress her mind. It felt as though a million bees were let loose in her brain. Rhea clasped her palms over her ears.

“Stop it! Get out of my head!”

The invader immediately retreated; the buzzing stopped.

She slowly lowered her hands, searching the billows once again.

“You took my blood, didn’t you? You’re a…a vampire.”

He roared with laughter, apparently finding her accusation amusing. The deep sound filled the air with echoing waves, causing the satin to roll and vibrate beneath her. Rhea struggled to keep from being unseated by the undulating waves.

“No, Rhea. I didn’t take your blood. And I’m not a vampire. At least, not in the sense you think.”

The clouds began to thicken a few feet before her. Then the satiny ground weighed down, as though someone were walking toward her. Rhea hurriedly got to her feet and backed away.

“Then, what are you?” she demanded, throwing out her arms for balance as another wave threatened to tumble her over. “And what did you take?”

The bouncing stopped, his approach momentarily halted. “I am…the Guardian of the Stairway to—”

“I know that!” Rhea felt on the verge of hysterics. His mind games were driving her crazy! “But you took something from me. I feel it.

What was it?” She was nearly screaming.

“Your essence, Rhea. I took your essence.”

The satin sunk down a few feet away, then bulged upward, as though he’d just jumped into the air. Rhea let out a shriek of distress as the residual wave threw her backward. But she didn’t fall as expected.

“Why?” Rhea cried, as she felt his arms encircle her from behind. “What do you want with it?”

He held her effortlessly above the shifting satin before gently placing her feet down. But even though she now stood safely on the surface, he didn’t let go.

“I am bound to my duty as Guardian. And I can only gain freedom through the essence of another. So in exchange for my services, you shall give me a doorway to the living.”

Rhea’s insides turned to ice. “No…please. I don’t want to—”

“Shhh… I am not the monster you think me to be, Rhea.”

His arms tightened around her, hugging her even closer. Rhea looked down to where she knew his limbs encircled her. But a band of smoke speckled with glitter was the only visible indication to his presence.

“You will see me, when next we meet, Rhea. But you must not tell anyone about the stairway. Do you understand? When you find it, you must not tell. Very few are allowed to see it. And I am offering it to you. Do you know where the stairway leads, Rhea?”

Rhea shook her head, overwhelmed with all he was telling her. She didn’t understand what he meant by a "doorway to the living." And she wasn’t sure she wanted to, either.

“Whoever ascends the stairway shall find their own personal Heaven.” His voice caressed her earlobe.

“And what part…do…you…play?” The question came out in choked gasps as she felt his mouth move along the curve of her neck.

“Why, I’m the…tour guide.”

***

Thanks so much for stopping by today, don't forget to comment and enter for a chance to win one of my prizes!