Born In Blood (The Sentinels, Book #1)
Alexandra Ivy
Alexandra Ivy
Publisher: Zebra
Publication Date: December 31, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-2514-6
ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-2514-6
In a stunning new series, Alexandra Ivy lures readers into the dark,
seductive world of the Sentinels—humans outcast by their hidden abilities,
treading the line between life and death, good and evil, pleasure and pain. .
.
In The Heart Of Darkness
Sergeant Duncan O'Conner has seen it all before. Beautiful erotic dancer, murdered at home, no suspect, no motive. But there's one clue: she's missing her heart. It's enough to make the hard-bitten Kansas City cop enlist the help of a necro--one of the dead-channelling freaks who live in the domed city of nearby Valhalla. It's a long shot, but desperate crimes call for desparate measures.
Lies The Kiss Of Death
Unlike the other "high-bloods" in Valhalla, Callie Brown considers her abilities a gift, not a curse. But when she reads the dancer's final thoughts, she senses a powerful presence blocking her vision. This is no ordinary homicide. This is the work of a legendary necromancer who controls souls. A ravenous force that will put Callie's skills to the test, O'Conner's career at risk, and both their hearts on the line. . .literally.
In The Heart Of Darkness
Sergeant Duncan O'Conner has seen it all before. Beautiful erotic dancer, murdered at home, no suspect, no motive. But there's one clue: she's missing her heart. It's enough to make the hard-bitten Kansas City cop enlist the help of a necro--one of the dead-channelling freaks who live in the domed city of nearby Valhalla. It's a long shot, but desperate crimes call for desparate measures.
Lies The Kiss Of Death
Unlike the other "high-bloods" in Valhalla, Callie Brown considers her abilities a gift, not a curse. But when she reads the dancer's final thoughts, she senses a powerful presence blocking her vision. This is no ordinary homicide. This is the work of a legendary necromancer who controls souls. A ravenous force that will put Callie's skills to the test, O'Conner's career at risk, and both their hearts on the line. . .literally.
Alexandra Ivy is the New York Times bestselling author of the Guardians of Eternity series, the Immortal Rogues series and the Sentinels.
Alexandra graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Alexandra graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
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A SENTINEL LOVE STORY
By
Alexandra Ivy
ENTIRE STORY
It
was the twenty guns pointed at Jayne Burnelli’s head that convinced her that
this was a very bad, truly terrible idea.
Okay,
there were also the six massive tattooed Sentinels who were sizing her up as if
they were deciding how big a hole they needed to dig to hide her body.
Sweat
trickled down her spine as she pressed herself against one of the large trees
that surrounded the lake.
Dammit. She’d known that it was going to be difficult
to sneak into Valhalla. Like most people
she’d heard the rumors about the massive compound in the Midwest that was the
central safe-house for those people too unique to live among normal society.
The
high-bloods, as the freaks preferred to be called, had wrapped layers of magic
around the vast home where witches, psychics, necromancers, Sentinels and God
only knew what else roamed the grounds.
But
Jayne had been determined to find a way past the protective dome that hid the
buildings from view.
What
choice did she have? Her younger
brother, Charlie, had been taken through the front door several hours ago, and
she had tried calling him a dozen times without answering her phone calls. How could she know he was settling in?
At
fifteen, Charlie was ten years younger than her and was so kind, so innocent,
so sweetly vulnerable that Jayne found it impossible to give up her role as
protector. She’d been doing it since he
his talents started to manifest.
Her
parents had been horrified when he’d started healing small animals, just with
his touch. And then later, when he’d
reversed an infection that’d threatened Jayne’s life. They’d tried to hide their distress at the
fact that their son was a high-blood, as did the neighbors, but Charlie had
always known that they’d feared him. It
was only natural for Jayne to step in and guard him from those who couldn’t
appreciate his extraordinary gifts.
Which
was the only reason she hadn’t slammed the door in Anton Valik’s face the first
time he’d shown up, claiming he was a representative from Valhalla. He was a part of some mysterious order that
tracked down high-bloods and he promised there was a place for Charlie where he
would be surrounded by people who were like him.
Over
the next month Anton had been a regular visitor to her small apartment on the
outskirts of Boston, his exotic beauty making her forget how to breath as he’d
gently put Charlie through a series of tests and, at the same time, earning his
trust. Eventually he’d invited Charlie
to travel to Valhalla where he could learn how to control his powers.
Jayne
couldn’t deny her brother the opportunity to fulfill his destiny. Even if it ripped out her heart to have him
taken away. So she’d dutifully brought
him to Valhalla and watched him walk away.
But she couldn’t leave. Not until
she was absolutely, positive they would treat him well.
It’d
seemed perfectly reasonable until she found herself facing certain death.
Now
she struggled to keep her knees from buckling in abject terror.
If
she was going to face the firing line, she was going to do it on her feet.
Then,
without warning, the crowd of Sentinels parted and a tall, man strolled toward
her.
Anton
Valik.
Her
heart slammed against her ribs at the sight of the painfully beautiful
high-blood. It wasn’t just his
shoulder-length, dark hair that framed his finely chiseled face that sent
electric jolts of awareness through her.
Or the pale eyes that shimmered like silver in the moonlight. Or even the hard, utterly lickable body that
was shown to advantage beneath the thin, v-neck sweater and black silk
slacks.
It
was the way he looked at her as if he were seeing straight to her soul.
At
the moment, his disconcerting silver gaze was locked on her pale face as he
came to a halt directly in front of her.
Instantly Jayne could catch the scent of clean, male body and some
delicious cologne that made her think of hot tropical nights and even hotter
sex.
Oh...damn.
Now
was not the time to indulge in her very X-rated fantasies of Anton Valik.
“Looking
for me, sweetheart?” he murmured, his husky voice rubbing over her skin like a
physical caress. “I knew you couldn’t
stay away.”
A
portion of her terror was replaced by embarrassment at the snorts of laughter
from the watching soldiers.
Okay,
she was in the wrong, but he didn’t have to make her sound like a crazed
stalker.
“Actually,
I was looking for the Justice League,” she mocked, waving a hand toward the
gathered men. “And I found them. Well, except for Aqua Man. I assume he’s in the lake.”
She
swiftly regretted her taunting words as a prickle of heat filled the air. Shit.
When would she learn to keep her big mouth shut? It was the reason she’d recently been laid
off from the law office. Then again, she
wasn’t going to tolerate sexual harassment, even if it did cost her a job.
A
mysterious smile curved Anton’s lips as he lifted his hand. There was a short, startled pause before the
lethal warriors silently melted back into the night.
Jayne
released her breath on a low hiss, deeply relieved she wasn’t about to be fed
to the wolves. Or in this case...the
Sentinels.
But
her relief was cut short as Anton took another step forward, his sexual potency
a gravitational force that threatened to suck her under.
No
man should be so freaking gorgeous.
He
reached to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
“You didn’t really think you could sneak past our defenses, did you?”
She
hunched a shoulder, deeply regretting her brown hair that was pulled in a
ponytail and the predictable dark eyes that came with her Italian
heritage. She wasn’t ugly. She was...plain. Ordinary.
Just once she wished she could be the sort of woman that made a man like
Anton look at her as if she were more than an unwelcome intruder.
“Only a place that has something to hide goes
to such insane efforts to keep people out,” she accused, trying to remind
herself why she was there.
This
was all about Charlie.
Wasn’t
it?
“We
have nothing to hide, but a great deal to protect,” he countered, his gaze
skimming down to land on her mouth, lingering there as if he was considering
what it would feel like to kiss her. She
shivered. Yes, please. His fingers
moved to stroke over her heated cheek.
“It’s amazing how many norms assume we’re savage mutants who are a
threat to the world.”
Her
mouth went dry. She’d been desperately
aware of Anton since he’d arrived on her doorstep. Now she struggled not to make an idiot of
herself.
No throwing yourself at
the sumptuous, edible male...
“I
don’t think you’re a threat to the world,” she muttered.
His
thumb traced her bottom lip. “But you
don’t trust us.”
“You
have my brother.”
“We
don’t have him,” he protested, his voice oddly absent. As if his thoughts were distracted. “Charlie came here of his own free will, as
you well know.”
He
wasn’t the only one distracted. Jayne
struggled to breathe as he explored her face with the tips of his fingers.
What
was he doing? Was it a high-blood
thing?
She
tried to pretend the light caress wasn’t sending tingles of arousal pulsing
through her body.
“It’s
true he agreed to come to Valhalla.”
Jayne was forced to halt and clear her throat. “But that doesn’t mean he’s happy here.”
He
traced the shell of her ear. Jayne
swallowed her groan.
“If
you’re worried why didn’t you go to the front entrance and ask to see him,” he
demanded.
“Because
I couldn’t be certain he could speak freely.”
The
silver eyes abruptly narrowed. “Ah. Do you suspect torture or mind control?”
“Don’t
mock me,” she muttered, telling herself to pull away.
Of
course she didn’t. The pleasure of his
touch was like an addiction that she had no intention of resisting.
God. How long had it been since she’d been
attracted to a man? It felt like years. And never, ever had she’d ever encountered
one that had captivated her with a single glance.
“Do
you know what I think?” His fingers
skimmed down the length of her neck, a satisfied smile curving his lips as they
found the pulse that thundered at the base of her throat.
Damn. He knew exactly what he was doing to
her. The realization gave her the
strength to knock away his hand, a scowl marring her brow.
“Do
I have a choice?” she growled, frustration humming through her tense body.
“I
think you had to sneak in because Charlie didn’t want to see you.”
She
stiffened, still raw from the fear that he might actually be right.
“Charlie
loves me.”
The
starkly beautiful features abruptly softened, the silver gaze peering deep into
her eyes.
“Of
course he does, but he’s fifteen years old and he’s a boy.”
Her
scowled deepened. “What’s that supposed
to mean?”
“He’s
tired of being smothered by his older sister.”
Anton
watched the flash of temper darken Jayne’s eyes with an unexplainable
fascination. As always, he was shocked
by his intensity of his reaction to this female.
It’d
happened the second he’d caught sight of her.
She’d opened her front door and he felt his desire to possess her hit
him like a physical blow.
If
it hadn’t been so raw, so all-consuming, he might have tried to squash the
unexpected bonding. He was a man who’d
always enjoyed his independence. His
position as a Searcher meant that he traveled the world seeking out
high-bloods, ensuring they weren’t a danger to themselves or others. It gave him the opportunity to enjoy
pleasures from a wide variety of locations.
Food,
culture...women.
He
happily indulged all his senses.
Until
last month when he arrived in Boston and Jayne Burnelli had exploded his world.
Her
chin tilted to an adorably militant angle.
Jayne would never be a push-over.
She was intelligent, opinionated, and fiercely loyal,
The
sort of woman who would never allow him to dominate her.
And
he found her strength as sexy as hell.
“I
don’t smother him.”
“Of
course you do.” He held up a hand as her
eyes narrowed with fury. “Don’t get me
wrong. It was an admirable when he was
young. Very few high-bloods are blessed
with a family who can accept a freak.”
“Charlie
isn’t a freak.”
“I’m
well aware that Charlie is a talented healer who will be a welcomed member of
Valhalla,” he assured her, understanding that it was hard for her to accept
that the child she’d devoted her life to protecting was now safe and able to
stand on his own. But for both Charlie
and Jayne’s sake, she needed to give him the space to become his own man. “I’m also aware he’s excited to have a
measure of independence and wouldn’t be particularly eager to meet with his
overprotective sister mere hours after he managed to untie the apron strings.”
Pain
flashed through her beautiful eyes the precise shade of melted chocolate. They perfectly matched the satin brown hair
she kept pulled away from her perfect oval face that was more striking than
beautiful.
Dressed
in a pair of faded jeans and a casual sweatshirt, she barely looked legal. Thankfully, he’d already known she was twenty
five before arriving in Boston.
Otherwise he might have retreated back to Valhalla and had a Sentinel beat
some sense into him.
“I
just need to know he’s okay,” she husked.
Anton
reached to wrap his hand around her nape, gently urging her toward him. He knew he was pushing against her
boundaries, but dammit, he was tired of waiting.
He’d
traveled to Boston a dozen times over the past month. He’d left her his personal phone number. He’d even gone to her ex-boss’s house after
learning of his harassment to promise him a slow, painful castration if he so
much as glanced at Jayne again. Okay,
she didn’t know that part and never would.
But still she’d kept him at a distance.
And
that was...unacceptable.
“He’s
fine,” he murmured, his thumb stroking the tense muscle that ran down the side
of her neck. “And already making
friends.”
She
shivered, allowing him to tug her close enough her breasts were brushing his
chest.
“You’ve
seen him?”
Their
gazes meshed, a savage hunger pulsing between them. “Of course,” his voice was
thick...jagged. “I promised you I
wouldn’t let anything happen to him. You
can trust me.”
“I...”
she bit her lip, making him swallow a groan.
He wanted to be nibbling that lush, sexy mouth. “I do trust you,” she forced herself to
admit, sucking in a deep breath. “I
suppose I leave—”
“Do
you know the penalty of trespassing on Valhalla lands?” he abruptly
interrupted.
She
was talking about leaving.
No. Not gonna happen.
“Do
you plan on throwing me in the dungeons?”
A
slow, wicked smile curved his lips. The
only place she was going was his bed.
The sooner the better.
“That depends,” he murmured, wrapping an arm
around her waist. The light brush of her
breasts against his chest was sending shockwaves of need through his body.
He
wanted to strip off her sweatshirt and cup the lush beauty of her breasts. To kiss her smooth golden skin from head to
toe. To crawl between her legs and taste
her sweet honey.
Her
eyes dilated, almost as if she could read his wicked thoughts. “Depends on what?”
“Whether
you tell me the truth,” he said.
“The
truth about what?”
He
reached to tug the scrunchy from her hair, delighting in the tumble of dark
satin that fell past her shoulders.
“Why
you came here.”
Jayne
sucked in a shaky breath, clearly struggling to keep track of the
conversation. Good. He wanted her in his thrall. So hot and hungry for his touch she couldn’t
speak.
“Is
that a trick question?” she managed to rasp.
“Charlie
was your excuse,” he murmured, his head slowly lowering.
She
trembled, her body soft and pliant as he pressed her against his hard
body. “What are you implying?”
His
lips brushed delicately over her mouth.
Pleasure zinged through him.
Christ. She tasted of rich, dark
chocolate and female temptation.
“That
you came to see me.”
“You...” She struggled to speak, her hands landing
against his chest. “Are an arrogant
ass.”
“Not
arrogant.” He used his tongue to trace
her bottom lip. He’d fantasized about
this delicious, sexy mouth a dozen times over the past month. Now he found it was just as soft and silky as
he’d dreamed. “Hopeful,” he admitted
with blunt honesty.
Jayne
was trying to be offended.
After
all, Anton had just implied that she’d driven a thousand miles, and then risked
her life to sneak into Valhalla, just to catch sight of him. And the fact she suspected he was right
should only have increased her annoyance.
Instead
she was drowning in the intoxicating pleasure of being held against his hard,
utterly male body.
Or
at least until he whispered those fateful words against her lips.
Her
heart thundered as she tilted back her head to meet his astonishing silver
gaze. “What did you say?”
His
mouth twisted with rueful smile. “Don’t
act surprised, sweetheart. I did a
piss-poor job of hiding my interest in you.”
She
shook her head. “You never said
anything.”
“Did
I have to?” He nipped her lower
lip. “Surely you knew that once Charlie
had been approved to enter Valhalla there was no need for me to visit your
home?”
Her
heart stuttered to a halt before surging back into gear, racing at a frantic
pace. Was it possible that this
beautiful, completely unattainable male had truly noticed her as more than
Charlie’s older sister?
“You
said you wanted to make sure we felt comfortable with Charlie’s upcoming move,”
she breathed, her voice husky with the emotions she’d suppressed for the past
four weeks.
“I
wanted...” A slow, lingering kiss. “You.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?” He lifted his head to study her with a
piercing gaze. “That’s all you have to
say?”
She
held his gaze, too terrified to admit how deeply she needed him.
“What
do you want from me?”
“I’ve
told you.” His expression was somber,
his eyes revealing a hint of vulnerability that she’d never expected to
glimpse. “The truth.”
The
truth.
Such
simple words that made her entire body tremble with fear.
“Okay,
I did hope I might see you tonight,” she managed to admit, knowing he needed to
hear the words.
His
pride would never allow him to pursue her if he thought she truly wasn’t
interested.
He
frowned, hearing the reluctance in her voice.
“Does it bother you that I’m a high-blood?”
She
was shaking her head before he could finish speaking, her hands lifting to
frame his beautiful face.
“Of course not,” she assured him, horrified
he’d misread her own insecurities. “The
only thing that bothers me is the fear I might not see you again.”
The
confession hung in the air, then with a choked groan, Anton had her wrapped in
a grip that squeezed the air from her lungs as his lips claimed hers in a kiss
that demanded utter surrender.
Incandescent
pleasure exploded through Jayne as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her
fingers thrusting into the thick satin of his hair.
Oh...hell.
It
was even better than she’d dreamed.
Jayne
lost track of time as she reveled in Anton’s heated passion, her stomach
muscles clenching as she felt the unmistakable thrust of his arousal. It was the distant sound of a hooting owl
that at last brought them back to reality.
Lifting
his head, Anton studied her with a brooding gaze. “Not that I don’t appreciate you’re creative
approach in trying to sneak past our barriers, but I left my number for
you. Why didn’t you just call?”
She
blushed. “Why didn’t you?”
His
thumb brushed her lips still throbbing from his kisses. “I knew you would come.”
“If
not me, then Charlie would eventually lure you into my web,” he murmured.
“Web?” She sucked in a deep breath, savoring his
heady male scent. “That’s an interesting
choice of words.”
“A
web doesn’t release its prey.” His arms
tightened as she gave a small shiver.
“Are you afraid?”
“Never
of you,” she assured him, knowing that it would take time to get used to the
powerful emotions that thundered through her.
He
held her gaze. “You’ll stay?”
She
didn’t hesitate. “For how long?”
A
smile that made her heart stop curled his lips.
“Eternity sounds about right.”
“Eternity.” She went on pulled his head down, not even
close to being done with his delicious kisses.
“That does sound right.”
BORN IN BLOOD Tour
Schedule - 12/27/13 - 1/11/14
DECEMBER 27
12/27 Night Owl
Reviews (Short Story - PART 1)
12/27 LITERAL
ADDICTION (Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 You Gotta Read
Reviews (Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 Book Lovin' Mamas
(Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 Diane’s Book
Blog (Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 Just Paranormal
Romance (Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 Riverina
Romantics (Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 Shayna Renee's
Spicy Reads (Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 Talk Supe
(Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 the snarkology
(Short Story- PART 1)
12/27 I Smell Sheep
(Spotlight)
12/27 Who's Reviews
(Spotlight)
12/27 babbling about books
and more (Spotlight)
DECEMBER 28
12/28 Darkest
Addictions Book (Short Story- PART 2)
12/28 deal sharing
aunt (Short Story- PART 2)
12/28 Literary
Meanderings (Short Story- PART 2)
12/28 Rumpled Sheets
Blog (Shot Story- PART 2)
12/28 Taking It One
Book at a Time (Short Story- PART 2)
12/28 The Secret Sanctuary
of Books (Short Story- PART 2)
12/28 Tome Tender
Book Blog (Short Story- PART 2)
12/28 Literal Hotties
Naughty Book Reviews (Spotlight)
DECEMBER 29
12/29 KT Book Reviews
(Short Story- PART 3)
12/29 Reading Between
the Wines (Short Story- PART 3)
12/29 Sassy Book
Lovers (Short Story- PART 3)
12/29 Mad Hatter
Reads (Spotlight)
DECEMBER 30
12/30 Book bliss
(Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Books And Their
Seven Deadly Sins (Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Book Pages and
Dripping Ink (Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Booked &
Loaded (Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Books Books and
More Books (Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Imagine a World
(Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Nina’s
Literary Escape (Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Reading Reality
(Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 Where the Night
Kind Roam (Short Story- PART 4)
12/30 The Reading
Café (Spotlight)
DECEMBER 31
12/31 Dalene's Book
Reviews (Short Story- PART 5)
12/31 Tynga's Reviews
(Short Story- PART 5)
JANUARY 1
1/1 The Rest Is Still
Unwritten (Short Story- PART 6)
1/1 Words of Wisdom
from The Scarf Princess (Spotlight)
JANUARY 2
1/2 Swept Away By
Romance (Short Story- PART 7)
1/2 Sweet & Spicy
Tales (Spotlight)
JANUARY 3
1/3 Reader Girls
(Short Story- PART 8)
1/3 Romancing the
Dark Side (Short Story- PART 8)
1/3 Wicked Readings
by Tawania (Spotlight)
1/3 Inner Goddess
(Spotlight)
JANUARY 4
1/4 For the Love of
Bookends (Short Story- PART 9)
1/4 Mythical Books
(Short Story- PART 9)
1/4 Cocktails and
Books (Spotlight)
1/4 Kristina's Books
& More (Spotlight)
JANUARY 5
1/5 Coffee and
Characters (Short Story- PART 10)
1/5 Redheads Review
it Better (Short Story- PART 10)
1/5 URBAN FANTASY
LAND (Short Story- PART 10)
1/5 victoria's gossip
(Short Story- PART 10)
1/5 Bookin' It
Reviews (Spotlight)
JANUARY 6
1/6 Eclipse Reviews
(Short Story- PARTS 1-5 )
1/6 Paranormal Haven
(Short Story- PARTS 1-5)
1/6 Fang Freakin'
Tastic Reviews (Spotlight)
JANUARY 7
1/7 Larissa and
Friends' Bookish Life (Short Story- PARTS 5-10)
1/7 Scandalicious
Book Reviews (Short Story- PARTS 5-10)
1/7 Sun Mountain
Reviews (Short Story- PARTS 5-10)
1/7 Vampires,
Werewolves, & Fairies Oh My (Short Story- PARTS 5-10)
1/7 Ramblings From
This Chick (Spotlight)
JANUARY 8
1/8 Miscellaneous
Thoughts of a Bookaholic (Short Story - ENTIRE STORY)
1/8 Offbeat Vagabond
(Short Story- ENTIRE STORY)
1/8 Romancing Rakes
For The Love of Romance (Short Story- ENTIRE STORY)
1/8 Seductive Musings
(Spotlight)
1/8 TBQ's Book Palace
(Spotlight-)
JANUARY 9
1/9 Book Monster Reviews (Short Story- ENTIRE
STORY)
1/9 Books-n-Kisses
(Short Story ENTIRE STORY)
1/9 Got fiction
(Short Story ENTIRE STORY)
JANUARY 10
1/10 A_Tiffyfit's
Reading Corner (Short Story - ENTIRE STORY)
1/10 Darker Passions
(Short Story -ENTIRE STORY)
1/10 Fandom Fanatic
(Short Story -ENTIRE STORY)
1/10 My Book Chatter
(Spotlight)
Thank you for not making me use Google + to leave a comment like today's other sites! And thanks for the giveaway chance
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ReplyDeletethank you for participating in the giveaway, love the spotlight :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway, I really enjoyed your book and can't wait to read more.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this short story :)