I'm so happy to welcome Lyrical Press sister and KickAss partner in fun, Juliette Cross today. She's sharing a peek at her upcoming work, Waking The Dragon, with us today. And as a special treat, we're going to get a look at her brand, spanking new release, Sealed In Sin. It's a twofer today. First a look at Waking the Dragon
Taking another gulp for courage, I meandered through the crowd. Morgon men’s eyes followed me as I passed, none of them matching the description by Bennett Cremwell.
Raucous laughter and cat-calls from a table in the corner drew my attention. I set my beer on a round-top, meandering toward the throng. Shielded by the winged-backs of Morgon men and a few women, I couldn’t see what drew everyone’s attention at the center. Inching closer, I heard a feminine squeal of laughter.
A strong hand wrapped my forearm in a firm grip, a voice rough as rock spoke one word. A command. “No.”
A wall of heat at my back, I glanced over my shoulder at the tallest Morgon man I’d ever seen. I stepped away, pulling my arm free. He let me. He was hard in every way—demeanor, expression, posture, appearance. A cold slab of marble chiseled down into the statue-like physique of a dark, forbidding Morgon. He had a reddened scar slashing from above his left cheekbone to below his lip. His eyes were a midnight blue except for a pale ring circling the pupils. They seemed crafted by magic or some other supernatural force as they glinted blue-silver in the dark. No one needed to tell me his name. It left my lips without my consent. “Kol Moonring.”
Dark hair fell in staggered waves to the nape of his neck and across his forehead. At six feet, I was accustomed to being eye level with most men, even Morgons. Not this one. He was the tallest I’d ever seen. He tilted his cleft chin down, taking me in. “You’re tall…for a human female.”
I straightened in my heeled-boots. “You’re observant…for a Morgon male.”
His eyes lighted on mine, no hint of a smile, but definitely a glint of surprise.
A trill of feminine laughter and masculine whistles erupted from the horde in the corner. I tried to walk around him, closer to the crowd. Without seeming to move, he stood in my path.
“What’s the problem? Are human women forbidden?”
“Not at all. You’re welcome to join them.” He shifted his weight to one side, still blocking my way. “If you like strangers licking salt from your body and sticking their tongues down your throat, go right ahead.”
Oh. Body shots.
“Just so you know, that group barely understands boundaries when they’re sober. And they’re nowhere near sober right now.”
Within the circle of raucous partiers, a Morgon man’s wings flared above the crowd, his actions hidden by the surrounding horde. His performance earned him a roar of cheers.
“Lorian asked me to keep you out of harm’s way.” He nodded in the direction of the rowdy bunch behind him. “That’s harm’s way.”
I crossed my arms, deciding whether to see for myself or to follow his advice. As much as I hated to submit, my quarry would probably not be among the party-hard heathens in the corner. “I think I’ll skip body shots tonight.”
His gaze flicked to my chest. Crossed arms under a corset pushed my full breasts to new heights. I quickly uncrossed them, nearly earning me a full smile from Mr. Wall-o-Morgon.
Raucous laughter and cat-calls from a table in the corner drew my attention. I set my beer on a round-top, meandering toward the throng. Shielded by the winged-backs of Morgon men and a few women, I couldn’t see what drew everyone’s attention at the center. Inching closer, I heard a feminine squeal of laughter.
A strong hand wrapped my forearm in a firm grip, a voice rough as rock spoke one word. A command. “No.”
A wall of heat at my back, I glanced over my shoulder at the tallest Morgon man I’d ever seen. I stepped away, pulling my arm free. He let me. He was hard in every way—demeanor, expression, posture, appearance. A cold slab of marble chiseled down into the statue-like physique of a dark, forbidding Morgon. He had a reddened scar slashing from above his left cheekbone to below his lip. His eyes were a midnight blue except for a pale ring circling the pupils. They seemed crafted by magic or some other supernatural force as they glinted blue-silver in the dark. No one needed to tell me his name. It left my lips without my consent. “Kol Moonring.”
Dark hair fell in staggered waves to the nape of his neck and across his forehead. At six feet, I was accustomed to being eye level with most men, even Morgons. Not this one. He was the tallest I’d ever seen. He tilted his cleft chin down, taking me in. “You’re tall…for a human female.”
I straightened in my heeled-boots. “You’re observant…for a Morgon male.”
His eyes lighted on mine, no hint of a smile, but definitely a glint of surprise.
A trill of feminine laughter and masculine whistles erupted from the horde in the corner. I tried to walk around him, closer to the crowd. Without seeming to move, he stood in my path.
“What’s the problem? Are human women forbidden?”
“Not at all. You’re welcome to join them.” He shifted his weight to one side, still blocking my way. “If you like strangers licking salt from your body and sticking their tongues down your throat, go right ahead.”
Oh. Body shots.
“Just so you know, that group barely understands boundaries when they’re sober. And they’re nowhere near sober right now.”
Within the circle of raucous partiers, a Morgon man’s wings flared above the crowd, his actions hidden by the surrounding horde. His performance earned him a roar of cheers.
“Lorian asked me to keep you out of harm’s way.” He nodded in the direction of the rowdy bunch behind him. “That’s harm’s way.”
I crossed my arms, deciding whether to see for myself or to follow his advice. As much as I hated to submit, my quarry would probably not be among the party-hard heathens in the corner. “I think I’ll skip body shots tonight.”
His gaze flicked to my chest. Crossed arms under a corset pushed my full breasts to new heights. I quickly uncrossed them, nearly earning me a full smile from Mr. Wall-o-Morgon.
Dragons. Love, love, love them. I just finished Juliette's first book, Soul Fire and loved it. Can't wait for this one to come out. In case you are a NetGalley reviewer, Waking The Dragon is available there now. Click Here to find it.
Now let's take a peak at Sealed In Sin
Now let's take a peak at Sealed In Sin
Title: SEALED IN SIN
Series: The Vessel Trilogy, Book Two
File Size: 605 KB
Print Length: 276 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Tag Line: Sometimes sin looks an awful lot like heaven.
Full Description: One demon prince may be festering in the bowels of the soul eater Cocytus, but Genevieve’s troubles are far from over. Prince Bamal, demon lord of New York City, still wants her. But this time, he wants her alive, to control her inherent power as a Vessel of Light.
With Jude Delacroix off searching for the prophecy, Thomas—a guardian angel with sea-green eyes and an aura of winter woods—steps into the gap, offering her the power to protect herself.
Yet she hesitates, for the transfer of that power comes through a kiss. While Gen’s love for Jude is true, Thomas stirs a desire where there should be none. Thomas also knows Jude’s darkest secret and plans to use it, if necessary, to win Gen for his own.
While her Vessel power grows and more demon spawn creep from every dark corner of the world, one thing is certain—the Great War between the angels and demons is quickly approaching. And Gen is in a race against time to awaken her full power before the storm breaks.
Warning: Contains a demon hunter with dark secrets, a sexy angel with ulterior motives, and demonic creatures running amok.
Series: The Vessel Trilogy, Book Two
File Size: 605 KB
Print Length: 276 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Tag Line: Sometimes sin looks an awful lot like heaven.
Full Description: One demon prince may be festering in the bowels of the soul eater Cocytus, but Genevieve’s troubles are far from over. Prince Bamal, demon lord of New York City, still wants her. But this time, he wants her alive, to control her inherent power as a Vessel of Light.
With Jude Delacroix off searching for the prophecy, Thomas—a guardian angel with sea-green eyes and an aura of winter woods—steps into the gap, offering her the power to protect herself.
Yet she hesitates, for the transfer of that power comes through a kiss. While Gen’s love for Jude is true, Thomas stirs a desire where there should be none. Thomas also knows Jude’s darkest secret and plans to use it, if necessary, to win Gen for his own.
While her Vessel power grows and more demon spawn creep from every dark corner of the world, one thing is certain—the Great War between the angels and demons is quickly approaching. And Gen is in a race against time to awaken her full power before the storm breaks.
Warning: Contains a demon hunter with dark secrets, a sexy angel with ulterior motives, and demonic creatures running amok.
Excerpt:
“Hiiii, Juuude.” Mindy actually cooed his name as she crossed into the living room right before the man himself waltzed into my kitchen.
“Hello, Mindy.” As always, he sounded dark and rough, which did strange things to my insides.
Apparently, Dave let him in. Not that a door could or would stop Jude Delacroix from going wherever he damn well pleased. Still, it was nice when he pretended to be human, knocking and stuff, rather than appearing out of nowhere and scaring the bejeezus out of me. He had to put on the whole I’m-normal-and-walk-through-doors routine at my apartment when Mindy was home.
The moment he entered the room, all my senses rose to full alert. The man packed enough heat and power in his aura to melt a girl into jelly. A mere glance from his dark eyes or slight touch from rough hands, and I was lost.
I focused on flipping the pancakes on the stove, still trying to figure out how to tell him about our trip to the House of Hades, the near-miss with Gorham, and the brief and strange meeting with my guardian angel. Kat preferred asking forgiveness rather than permission, or just omitting the admission of any sins altogether. But I had trouble lying, though I seemed to do it often as of late. I especially had trouble lying to Jude.
“Want some brinner?” I asked, plopping another dollop of butter in the pan.
“Brinner? What might that be?” He leaned with his back against the counter next to the stove, splaying one huge hand on the countertop, watching me pour the batter into the pan. How did this man make watching me cook a sexy thing?
“You’ve never heard of brinner?” I glanced at the door to make sure Mindy was out of earshot. “For someone who’s been alive nearly two thousand years, you don’t know a whole lot.”
He slid a finger down my forearm. I nearly dropped the spatula. He leaned closer, his chest brushing my shoulder, voice dropping several decibels. “Educate me.” And just like that, my heart slammed into my rib cage, my thoughts scattering to the wind. I stared at him, knowing my eyes were no longer hungry for pancakes. He pressed warm lips, a feather-soft kiss, to the slope between my neck and shoulder. “Genevieve?” Another press of lips higher up my neck, melting me into goo.
“Hm?” Eyes closed, I welcomed a third kiss just under my jaw.
“Your brinner is burning.”
“Oh, dammit!”
I snapped open my eyes, grabbed the smoking pan and thrust it under the water faucet in the sink. A hissing crackle spit up more smoke.
“There goes brinner.”
“You’ve made more than enough already.”
He motioned to the ten-high stack with a smirk. I couldn’t even think about eating now. Not after that kiss. And not with this guilt weighing me down.
Something registered in his gaze. He reached out his hand.
“Come here.”
From his expression, I wasn’t sure if he planned to give me a hug or a spanking. I wouldn’t mind either. Taking his hand, I let him pull me into his arms.
“Hiiii, Juuude.” Mindy actually cooed his name as she crossed into the living room right before the man himself waltzed into my kitchen.
“Hello, Mindy.” As always, he sounded dark and rough, which did strange things to my insides.
Apparently, Dave let him in. Not that a door could or would stop Jude Delacroix from going wherever he damn well pleased. Still, it was nice when he pretended to be human, knocking and stuff, rather than appearing out of nowhere and scaring the bejeezus out of me. He had to put on the whole I’m-normal-and-walk-through-doors routine at my apartment when Mindy was home.
The moment he entered the room, all my senses rose to full alert. The man packed enough heat and power in his aura to melt a girl into jelly. A mere glance from his dark eyes or slight touch from rough hands, and I was lost.
I focused on flipping the pancakes on the stove, still trying to figure out how to tell him about our trip to the House of Hades, the near-miss with Gorham, and the brief and strange meeting with my guardian angel. Kat preferred asking forgiveness rather than permission, or just omitting the admission of any sins altogether. But I had trouble lying, though I seemed to do it often as of late. I especially had trouble lying to Jude.
“Want some brinner?” I asked, plopping another dollop of butter in the pan.
“Brinner? What might that be?” He leaned with his back against the counter next to the stove, splaying one huge hand on the countertop, watching me pour the batter into the pan. How did this man make watching me cook a sexy thing?
“You’ve never heard of brinner?” I glanced at the door to make sure Mindy was out of earshot. “For someone who’s been alive nearly two thousand years, you don’t know a whole lot.”
He slid a finger down my forearm. I nearly dropped the spatula. He leaned closer, his chest brushing my shoulder, voice dropping several decibels. “Educate me.” And just like that, my heart slammed into my rib cage, my thoughts scattering to the wind. I stared at him, knowing my eyes were no longer hungry for pancakes. He pressed warm lips, a feather-soft kiss, to the slope between my neck and shoulder. “Genevieve?” Another press of lips higher up my neck, melting me into goo.
“Hm?” Eyes closed, I welcomed a third kiss just under my jaw.
“Your brinner is burning.”
“Oh, dammit!”
I snapped open my eyes, grabbed the smoking pan and thrust it under the water faucet in the sink. A hissing crackle spit up more smoke.
“There goes brinner.”
“You’ve made more than enough already.”
He motioned to the ten-high stack with a smirk. I couldn’t even think about eating now. Not after that kiss. And not with this guilt weighing me down.
Something registered in his gaze. He reached out his hand.
“Come here.”
From his expression, I wasn’t sure if he planned to give me a hug or a spanking. I wouldn’t mind either. Taking his hand, I let him pull me into his arms.
About The Author:
Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.
Author Links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads
Newsletter
Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.
Author Links:
Website
Goodreads
Newsletter
RSS Feed
