Blood Chained by Eden Ashley
Publication date: November 18th 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Sometimes great evil is necessary to keep what you love most.
After centuries on the run, Rhane can avoid justice no longer. Primes have called him home and now he must finally answer for the sins of his past. But the situation in Rhane’s homeland is far worse than anyone could have imagined, and the judgment Rhane faces is a brutal one. Even relying on the strength of the immortal Banewolf, the man he has become may not survive.
Kali and the other kin work tirelessly to secure Rhane’s freedom, but many obstacles stand in their way. Wesley offers a solution that hinges upon resuming a dangerous search for the Siren’s Heart. Trusting him, she and the kin set out once again to find the elusive artifact, believing Rhane and Warren’s freedom can be bartered in exchange for the statue. But other creatures are searching for the Heart. And with greater resources and a head start, their enemies may reach it first.
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Excerpt from Blood
Chained
When another presence entered the locker room,
Kali halted her pacing. “You’re late,” she said without turning around. He
hadn’t made a sound, but somehow she felt him. That was happening a lot lately.
“Sorry. But I seem to have my own classes to
attend. And they’re across town, at the university.” Callan’s blue eyes seemed
happy to see her. His voice was light and teasing, a stark contrast to the
sharpness in hers. Scowling, he glanced around the small space that smelled of
female hormones and sweat. “Tell me again why you insist on meeting here.”
She folded her arms. “You know I can’t sneak
away from the boys. It wouldn’t be fair to them. And it could be dangerous.”
“Okay. I accept that.” He took a step closer.
“But you can at least stop being so uptight.” He fingered a stray curl, only
making her heart ache even more for Rhane. “Everyone is working together to
keep you safe.”
She didn’t move away. “I know.”
“It’s always good to see you.” He came even
closer, invading her intimate space as if it were his to claim. She could tell
he was hungry to touch her, to be touched. To be used.
She hated it when he got like this. He was a
tool, an object of convenience. Nothing more could ever evolve of their
situation. But sometimes, it was like Cal had forgotten the terms of their
arrangement.
Taking a seat on the bench put more distance
between them. She hoped the move would help remove some of the heat from Cal’s
eyes. Unfortunately, it also meant he now towered over her. The position of
dominance only elevated the tension.
She needed to change the subject. “Why are you
attending classes? Surely, Gabriel the mastermind has better things to do than
study English 101. Scheming for world conquest sounds more up his alley.”
Cal smiled. “Oh he’s scheming alright.” He took
a seat next to her, watching her face earnestly. “I still have a life of my
own.”
“No.” She closed her eyes. “You forfeited your
life to Gabriel.”
“I’m here now.”
“And so is he. His fate is your fate. You can
never be without him.” She didn’t understand how Cal failed to understand that.
“We’ll have to agree to disagree, babe.” He
reached for her, stopping when she pulled away. His brow wrinkled. “Are we
doing this or not?”
“You know I have to.”
“Then stop being so cold.”
“I don’t enjoy this.”
“I think you do, sometimes.”
A knife of pain stabbed into Kali’s chest and
twisted. Was it guilt? Did Cal’s words hold some truth? She bit her lip. The
hurt it brought grounded her thoughts to the task at hand. “Let’s get it over with.”
Cal rolled his eyes. “That’s better.”
She frowned. “This is strictly business.”
“Right,” he agreed, but didn’t sound convinced.
Kali didn’t care if he agreed. She only needed
him for one thing. Still, his hands were eager as they beckoned her closer,
held her so tenderly against him. His lips closed around her mouth, cool to the
touch. He remembered well and sought to please her, stroking everywhere she
liked. Her ears, the back of her neck, the swell of her breast—his gentle
caresses found the most sensitive parts of her, coaxing Kali into heightened
arousal. She had felt more with him than with any other before Rhane. But with
Cal there was always darkness. Feeding from him left her with angry thoughts
and violent urges almost too compelling to resist. Daily matches against the
kin helped channel those powerful inclinations, giving her rage an outlet.
But when Kali reached for his spark…this time
things were different.
Threads of light had woven into the darker pitch
of his aura. Intense purples and royal blues replaced black and gray emptiness.
Something had tempered the savage coldness, cultured his humanity.
Cal was different.
Nearly losing the moment when his hands slipped
beneath her blouse, Kali redirected her focus. She had to take the necessary
energy hard and fast. The more he touched her, the deeper he fell. The more
things got confusing. She needed to get this over quickly for both their sakes.
Pressing her hands on either side of his face,
Kali drank deeply, urgently. Cal’s lips grew colder. His fingers chilled
against her skin. Still, she drank. His spark dimmed and darkened, almost
recoiling from her touch. But she pulled it back, sating her thirst. His
fingers tightened, dug painfully into her skin. A tremor rippled through his
body. Cal shuddered, sagged against her. Then she released him.
Cal sat dazed for several long moments. Then his
eyes cleared and he jerked as if suddenly emerging from deep sleep. He was
panting as he stood up, wobbling unsteadily on his feet. “Shit, Kal.” He moved
away from her, to the corner of the room. “Did you have to take so much?”
“Sorry. The hunger is getting worse.”
“I can’t say I haven’t noticed. What are we up
to, twice a week now?”
“Sometimes three.” Her reply was absent. She
straightened her clothes, busy considering something weighing on her mind for a
while now. “I need to figure out how to do this without making out with you.
I’ve fed without intimacy once before. I know it’s possible.”
“You don’t have to.” Though he still sounded a
tad breathless, Cal moved close to her again. “I prefer things this way.”
“And you know I don’t.” Hurt written plainly in
his expression, she regretted her words. There was no sign of the arrogant and
selfish boy she dated a year ago.
“He left you, Kali.”
“He’s coming back.”
His fingers squeezed her wrist, and those
piercing blue eyes locked onto hers. “But what if he doesn’t?”
“Callan, don’t.” Fearing what holding that gaze
would to do him, she pulled away to gather her things. It was time to go.
But Cal wasn’t ready to leave yet. “If things
were different…we could have a chance.” His face was hopeful, imploring for
something Kali couldn’t give. “I can make you happy this time. I know it.”
“I appreciate all you’ve done for me…everything
you keep doing.” She averted her eyes, unable to look at him. It seemed that
she was destined to hurt him. Her very design made it unavoidable. “But Rhane
is my soul mate. I will find him. And I will bring him home.”
AUTHOR BIO:
I'm Eden Ashley and I was born and raised in a small, sunny town in South Carolina. However, it's the thunderstorms that inspire my best ideas. There are few things I love more than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy day, (except maybe chocolate cake. I love cake.) often reading into the wee hours of morning when something really grabs me. I pretty much love anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal romance and fantasy romance seems to be a natural fit.
My first novel, Dark Siren, is best described as paranormal romance artfully wrapped within a plot chock-full of action, adventure, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, while the series has evolved to become a journey of redemption and second chances as two characters understand that sometimes committing evil is necessary to protect what is loved most. I took the siren from Greek mythology (and borrowed a little from mermaid lore), creating an entirely different creature, with its own mythology, and one that Publisher's Weekly praised for its passion and complexity. This is not just another werewolf/shapeshifter romance or vampire romance. I think this is a story that both adults and teens can enjoy, full of characters to fall in love with!
I love getting feedback! For the latest news on upcoming sequels and other novels, find me on my website:http://edenbynite.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter: Eden_byNite, for writing tips, publishing help, and daily updates.
My first novel, Dark Siren, is best described as paranormal romance artfully wrapped within a plot chock-full of action, adventure, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, while the series has evolved to become a journey of redemption and second chances as two characters understand that sometimes committing evil is necessary to protect what is loved most. I took the siren from Greek mythology (and borrowed a little from mermaid lore), creating an entirely different creature, with its own mythology, and one that Publisher's Weekly praised for its passion and complexity. This is not just another werewolf/shapeshifter romance or vampire romance. I think this is a story that both adults and teens can enjoy, full of characters to fall in love with!
I love getting feedback! For the latest news on upcoming sequels and other novels, find me on my website:http://edenbynite.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter: Eden_byNite, for writing tips, publishing help, and daily updates.
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