Robyn Bachar's Blog, page 21

On Blood, Smoke and Mirrors

The LASR celebration continues at their site, and many questions have been answered. (Yes, I do in fact have four tattoos, and the cats have tried to murder me to get at my tuna sandwich.) There's plenty of time left to enter the giveaway, so you should stop by. :)

LASR was one of the first reviews I received for Blood, Smoke and Mirrors, and to this day it still makes me smile. They loved it! Here's a quote from it:

Blood, Smoke and Mirrors contains all the things I love the best in books, great internal and external tension, quirky or slightly flawed protagonists, great dialogue, and a captivating story line. It also has a wonderful world. I really connected with Cat. She made the type of mistakes I could see myself making in the same circumstances—not that there’s any chance of that, but still...

When I finished Blood, Smoke and Mirrors, I immediately Googled Robyn Bachar in search of a sequel or a prequel. ... Sign me up for book two.
--Long and Short Reviews, 5 Book review

It's a strange and scary thing to me when I see reviews from people who aren't related to me. On one hand, as a published author I hope that people will read my books, but it's still weird to me that people actually do. Awesomely weird, but still weird...I'm babbling now, I'll stop. ;)

On The Importance of Being Emily

This week LASR is celebrating their anniversary, and I thought I'd share some highlights from the reviews I've gotten from them. First up is Emily. Oh, and for those of you who prefer your books in print form, The Importance of Being Emily will be included with the print edition of Poison in the Blood (out next June!). Two books in one, no one can live at that speed! ;)

This is an interesting world, filled with magic and mystery, and Ms. Bachar has written a delightful romance, mixed with suspense and danger. The characters are all well defined, and multi faceted, and the book, though short, is a very satisfying experience.

Emily is a strong willed, intelligent young woman. She is a little bored with her life, and wants to do more than just use her magic to make matches. With the murder, she blossoms, and is able to use her gift and visions to do much more. She has secretly loved Michael Black for some time, knowing that she can never have him, as he is destined to become a chronicler, and is shocked to discover that he is her one true soul mate. I liked Emily, for her independent spirit, her superb intelligence, and her fearless nature.

Michael Black is a librarian, apprenticed to become a chronicler after his ‘death’. He is strong, loyal and extremely handsome. But Michael has a secret, one he has kept to himself for a while: he loves Miss Emily Wright, and has for some time. But like Emily, he sees no way for them to be together. So when given the chance to work along side her to help clear his mentor’s name, he is delighted to do so. I like Michael, although I do believe he could have found out more about his future responsibilities before believing all was lost.

The mystery of who the real killer is unfolds at the perfect pace for this short book. I enjoyed watching the romance between Emily and Michael blossom, and I was delighted to see Emily try to fight for the man she wants. I smiled at her jealousy of the mentor who she felt was taking what should be hers, even as she tries to clear his name to make Michael happy. And as the romance between these two would be lovers explodes into heated passion, the story opens up to possibilities not explored before now. There are several surprises in this one, and they add greatly to the overall reading experience.

There is a marvelous and surprising conclusion to this one, and I highly recommend it to all who love mystery, magic and heat.

--Long and Short Reviews, 4 Book Review

The Importance of Being Emily and its sequel, Poison in the Blood, are both available now in e-book.

LASR's 6th Anniversary Party

Long and Short Reviews is celebrating their 6th anniversary with daily author interviews and a ginormous contest. Go forth and win prizes!

In other contest-related news, I'm giving away 5 signed copies of Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered over at Goodreads. The giveaway runs until the end of the month, so there's still plenty of time to enter.

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered by Robyn Bachar Giveaway ends August 31, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

To the Vampires, to make much of Time

The Emily Chronicles, or How One Little Seer Changed Magiciankind
 
It all started with Simon, in more ways than one. I started Simon's story before writing my first Bad Witch book, Blood, Smoke and Mirrors , so it was inevitable that he showed up in that book, and Emily and Michael came with him. The three of them kept stealing scenes the moment I wrote them, from comments from the undead peanut gallery to the brick in Emily's handbag. I knew I had to write more about the adventures of Simon, Emily and Michael, and thus The Importance of Being Emily came about.

In TIoBE, I was able to go back in time to Emily and Michael's mortal days in Victorian England to introduce the story of how they fell in love, despite the fact that Michael was already to committed to becoming an immortal member of the Order of St. Jerome. While I love letting these characters loose in the modern world of the Bad Witch books, the Emily Chronicles allows me to share where they came from, and, more importantly, how that journey affected the modern-day plot.

Enter Poison in the Blood . In this book, there's twice the magic, mystery, matchmaking and mayhem of TIoBE. This time the team fights crime in Victorian London, with the aid of Miss Justine Dubois, a female guardian with a no-nonsense attitude and a deadly parasol. In PitB, we learn how Emily joined Michael in his immortality. And in the process, we also learn about the tragic loss that turned Simon into the cranky vampire that we know (and I love) today. With some bonus faerie shenanigans, and a cameo appearance from Faust.

Eventually I want to continue with the tales of Emily, Michael and Simon's journey to America, and how they ended up in the Chicagoland area. I really want to write a story with them in Al Capone's Chicago, because I think vampires and bootleggers would be an interesting tale.

But, for now, I'm concentrating on the next Bad Witch book, which just so happens to be Simon's book. ;-)

Leah Braemel's Birthday Bash

One of my favorite authors, Leah Braemel is celebrating her birthday by giving away presents to you lovely people. ;) You can get the complete list of prizes at her blog, but here's a photo of part of what's included:

Why yes, I did sign that fabulous Samhain bag!

You can enter here!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ding! Winner!

I was not able to attend the RWA National conference this year (or any year, really), but I do have awesome news from the conference. The winners of the 8th Annual Passionate Plume contest were announced at the Passionate Ink party at RWA, and Nightfall won second place in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi category! w00t!

Here are the winners in the category (with links, so you can enjoy their fabulous books as well):
Unleashed by Crystal Jordan Nightfall by Robyn Bachar FrankenDom by Robin L. Rotham Tangled Web by Christa McHugh Other Oceans: Book 2 of the Hook and Jill Saga by Andrea Jones Mayan Inferno by A.S. FenichelTo celebrate, I'm sharing an excerpt from Nightfall for your enjoyment, and a teaser from Morningstar, the next book in the Cy'ren Rising series.
But first, the Nightfall blurb:

When a wounded runner stumbles into her workshop, sculptor Talena Spenser’s comfortable, quiet life is shattered. Aiding the escaped slave risks losing more than just her freedom. She is in phase, when Cy’ren females are overwhelmed by the drive to mate.

Mordacki Loren, shadow sword of House Nightfall, knows the pain of losing a mate. He never intended to take another. But Talena, raised by humans with little knowledge of Cy’ren ways, leaves him no choice. As the mating lust consumes them, Dack promises to honor her wishes—even if that means letting her go.

Scarred and hardened by a munitions accident that sent her Alliance career up in flames, Carmen Hawke joined the Cy’ren resistance as captain of the flagship Talon. When old flame Dack returns from a mission with Carmen’s childhood friend and first love, Talena, in tow, the temptation to allow someone—or two someones—close to her again cracks her emotional armor.

Pursued by an unknown enemy, the trio works together to discover the secrets of Talena’s past, and to uncover a threat that could destroy the fragile peace of the Cy’ren homeworld.

Warning: If the epic space battles, gunfights and swordplay aren’t enough to get you going, strap yourself in for a male-female-female threesome that’s scorching enough to fire your engines into overdrive.

And now, a scene from Nightfall between Talena, Dack and Carmen. Don't worry, this one's safe for work. ;)


The Talon seemed small to be fighting slavers, or at least it was much smaller than the Constitution. The hull was dull gray, and it had a boxy body with awkward wings stuck to the back, which were studded with engines. It looked a bit like a bird—an ugly, lumbering bird—but she kept that observation to herself as the shuttle flew over it. They maneuvered through an opening atop the Talon and settled into the shuttle bay.

Talena picked at her skirt as Dack powered down the engines, and he gave her a reassuring smile. “Captain Hawke can be a bit brusque, but don’t worry. It’ll be okay.”

She nodded with a weak smile. Dack reached over and stroked her hair affectionately, and she blushed as her pulse jumped. They had worked through the initial overwhelming needs of the phase, and had settled into a calm before the next storm, but she noted that his touch already affected her differently—her desire was stronger, and it burned hot and fast. It was a strange feeling. Odd, but not unwelcome, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

As though sensing her confusion, Dack leaned in and kissed her. “I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

“That’s a lot to promise someone you’ve just met,” she pointed out.

“It’s what I do.”

“Really. How many mates do you have?” Talena peered at him, and his face fell. She had meant it as a joke, but judging by the sudden change in his mood he didn’t find it funny.

“That’s a long story.”

“Wait, you have other mates?” she asked.

Dack flinched. “No, not anymore. My first mate died. Come on, let’s go.”

Talena winced, feeling like an idiot as they exited the shuttle. She shivered when they stepped into the chill air of the shuttle bay, and Dack draped his coat around her shoulders. “Sorry, it’s cold onboard,” he apologized.

“Lieutenant Loren,” a sharp voice called out. Talena turned and spotted a human woman marching toward them with a displeased expression. She wore a dark uniform and a pair of pistols slung low on her hips. “I told you to stop bringing strays home from missions.”

“She’s not a stray,” he replied.

No, she’d been kidnapped, so she assumed that made her a victim, but Talena kept the comment to herself and focused on the captain. She was tall and lean like Dack, and her dark brown hair was cropped short. For the most part she was pretty, for a human, but a mottled red scar masked a quarter of the left side of her face, as though the bronzed skin had been burned away.

Despite the scars, Talena recognized her instantly. “Carmen?” she said hesitantly.

The captain’s attention whipped toward her. Recognition dawned across her face, and her jaw dropped as she gaped.

“Tali?” she asked.

Talena nodded and grinned, an electric thrill running through her. She threw her arms around Carmen and hugged her, overjoyed at not only finding a friend onboard the Talon, but Carmen, someone she knew and trusted. The past ten years had hardened and changed her, but though Carmen stiffened for a moment, she returned the embrace.

“You two know each other?” Dack asked, bewildered.

Carmen stepped back, her face reddened with a blush. “Yes. Congratulations, Lieutenant, you rescued a free woman.”

“I know. I’m going to make it up to her—”

“Damn right you are. You’ll be lucky if her father doesn’t put you in front of a firing squad,” Carmen warned. She was a navy brat as well. Her father had been the captain of the Constitution, the ship that rescued Talena, and Tali’s adopted father had been its first officer. Carmen glanced Talena over and frowned. “Are you hurt? You’ve got a laser burn on your skirt.”

Surprised, Talena looked down and spotted the scorch mark, but she shook her head. “I’m fine. It must’ve been a near miss.”

“I’m sure it was meant for Lieutenant Loren.” Carmen glared at him, but he seemed impervious to her temper even though Talena was sure she could hear the captain’s teeth grinding as she clenched her jaw. She swore, and Talena flinched. “Damn it, Dack. Did you at least get the data?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Then take it to the comm. room and start analyzing it for distribution.”

Dack hesitated. “I can’t leave her. She’s my mate.”

With an irritated sigh Carmen pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. “Of course she is. Tali is safe with me. I gave you an order. Follow it or I’ll throw your ass in the brig.” Carmen stared at him, unmoving, and Dack growled and stalked away.


Poor Dack, so outnumbered... He'll be fine. ;) Nightfall is available in print and ebook from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Samhain Publishing, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, the Sony Reader Store, and of course the iTunes store.

The next book in the trilogy features Captain Hawke's first officer, Lieutenant Commander Najacen Harrow. Like Dack, Jace is about to be outnumbered by females who can and do kick his butt. He'll be fine, too. Here's a peek from Morningstar:

“Captain, we have a problem,” Jace said.

Captain Hawke’s exasperated sigh hissed above the static on the comm. in Jace’s helmet—it was a sound he heard often enough, usually directed at him. In general, Jace didn’t mind it. Jace was her first officer, but Captain Hawke had little patience for him on a good day. As the deck of Jump Station 3 rocked beneath the soles of his armored boots, Jace doubted today was going to be a good day.

“Sam says you’ve got 15 minutes before the station’s hull integrity fails. You don’t have time for problems,” Captain Hawke informed Jace.

“We’ve reached the market deck. There are mercs between us and the Indexer, and the signage says there’s a brothel here that isn’t listed on the station’s business registry,” Jace reported.

“You don’t have time for a quickie either,” she snapped.

“Pity,” Soth muttered beside him. Jace fought the urge to shush him. Technically Commander Soth outranked him as a shadow sword, but Jace outranked him aboard the Talon II.

“It’s a Cy’ren brothel, staffed by female slaves,” Jace clarified. A lurid neon sign advertised “the sexiest Cy’ren fems in the sector” just a few doors down from the club that was their target. Freeing slaves was one of the main focuses of the resistance, and Jace refused to leave these slaves to die with the Jump Station.

The captain cursed. She was human, but she had two Cy’ren mates, both of whom had been slaves, so he knew she would be sympathetic.

“The mission is priority. Once you get the indexer out, you can go after the females.”

“Acknowledged, Captain.” Jace motioned for his team to proceed.

And the Nightfall giveaway winner is...

Random.org has spoken, and the winner of the signed copy of Nightfall is: Jennifer Mathis! Congrats! I'll be emailing you shortly about the details.

There's still a chance to win the Goodreads giveaway! It run until Friday.

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Nightfall by Robyn Bachar Giveaway ends July 12, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

Nightfall Print Release Party

Nightfall is now available in print and ebook! I'm celebrating with a few giveaways, but first, here's the blurb:

Her heart says "never". Her body says "now".

When a wounded runner stumbles into her workshop, sculptor Talena Spenser's comfortable, quiet life is shattered. Aiding the escaped slave risks losing more than just her freedom. She is in phase, when Cy'ren females are overwhelmed by the drive to mate.

Mordacki Loren, shadow sword of House Nightfall, knows the pain of losing a mate. He never intended to take another. But Talena, raised by humans with little knowledge of Cy'ren ways, leaves him no choice. As the mating lust consumes them, Dack promises to honor her wishes—even if that means letting her go.

Scarred and hardened by a munitions accident that sent her Alliance career up in flames, Carmen Hawke joined the Cy'ren resistance as captain of the flagship Talon. When old flame Dack returns from a mission with Carmen's childhood friend and first love, Talena, in tow, the temptation to allow someone—or two someones—close to her again cracks her emotional armor.

Pursued by an unknown enemy, the trio works together to discover the secrets of Talena's past, and to uncover a threat that could destroy the fragile peace of the Cy’ren homeworld.

Warning: If the epic space battles, gunfights and swordplay aren’t enough to get you going, strap yourself in for a male-female-female threesome that's scorching enough to fire your engines into overdrive.

You can pick up your own copy of Nightfall at these lovely locations:
Amazon: Print and KindleBarnes and NobleSamhain: Print and ebookBooks-A-MillionSony Reader Store, Kobo, and All Romance eBooks
Want a chance to win your own copy? Of course you do! I'm giving away a signed copy at Goodreads.


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Goodreads Book Giveaway Nightfall by Robyn Bachar Giveaway ends July 12, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win But, for those of you who aren't fans of GR, I'm hosting a giveaway here as well. One lucky commenter will win a signed print copy of Nightfall of their very own, or, if the winner prefers, a copy of the ebook in his or her preferred format. Or both, if you're so inclined. To enter, simply leave your name and email address in the comments, and answer this question, "If you had your own space ship, what would you name it?"

Entries will be accepted until midnight Sunday, and the winner will be announced on Monday! Void where prohibited. Later, rinse, repeat. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

For your enjoyment, here's an excerpt:

“I can get you to your ship, but that’s all.” Talena sighed, feeling like an idiot for agreeing to help him. At least she was an idiot with a clear conscience.

Dack motioned toward the back of the workshop. “Lead on.”

“Fine. This way,” she directed.

Standing next to the store’s rear door, she punched in the access code and it slid open. Much to her relief, the authorities were not waiting on the other side, and the corridor was empty. The docking area was several decks beneath them. Usually she only traveled between her cabin and the shop, with occasional trips to the crew mess hall when she felt a desire for company and conversation. Talena was the sole free female Cy’ren on the Trident. The human crew avoided her, and she didn’t have much contact with her own kind. With any luck, this would be her last contact with a male for a very long time, or at least until her phase wore off. It had to end at some point.

The crew corridors were narrow, and Dack followed close behind her. Too close, in her opinion. When they reached the first security door, she pressed her palm against the reader. Her heart raced as the scanner glowed—what if Malenson had suspected her of aiding Dack? Would the door stay locked and trap them? After an agonizing moment the light blinked green and the door whooshed open.

“Nice and easy,” Dack commented, his voice low.

“What would you have done if I didn’t agree to help you?” she asked.

“Gone out the front door. Probably killed a few security people if they got between me and my ship.”

Talena flinched. He seemed so casual about the idea, she wondered if he had killed many people, and she fought back the urge to ask.

They hurried through the corridors and down to the docking deck. Crew members passed them, but due to the busy dinner hour most were too wrapped up in their own concerns to notice anyone else. Talena’s palms grew slick with sweat—either from fear or pheromones, probably both—and she furtively wiped them against the skirt of her work dress. Dack exuded an aura of calm, looking as though nothing was out of the ordinary. He moved without pain, and that was impressive, for the wound in his side must be agonizing.

When they reached the docking level, Talena hesitated at the door leading into the terminal. “This is as far as I can take you.”

“Come with me.” Dack placed a hand on her shoulder, and she shied away as though the contact burned.

Tempting, far too tempting. She licked her lips as she resisted the sudden desire to kiss him, stepped back and bumped into the wall behind her. “No. I’m happy here. At least I was, until you showed up. Now go.”

“Don’t you want to be free?”

Talena frowned. He thought she was still a slave? “But I—” she began, but was interrupted by the flare of a laser bolt exploding near them.

“The door,” Dack shouted as he drew his weapon and returned fire.

Talena slapped her palm against the scanner as a volley of bolts hit the walls around them. The door opened and Dack grabbed her arm and hauled her with him as he charged through it. More shots followed as they rushed into the arrival area, and crew and passengers scattered. The door shut and Dack blasted the scanner, jamming the lock and keeping the security team from following.

They hurried on into the terminal and more shots zinged their way, this time from ahead of them. Dack skidded to a halt next to an arrival counter and ducked behind it, pulling Talena down with him.

“Let go of me,” she demanded.

Dack peered around the corner of the counter and jerked back as a bolt scored the floor near him. “Malenson’s between us and my ship.”

“That’s your problem. Let go!”

“I can’t leave you here. They’ll arrest you.”

“You put a gun to my head. I think they’ll understand.”

The computer screen on the counter above them exploded, raining pieces of plastic over them. Dack grimaced. “The Eppes aren’t real understanding.”

Panic gripped Talena, and she struggled to breathe past the fear. He could be right—she didn’t know about this mysterious Eppes group, but the authorities might not care if she was coerced. She’d helped a runner, and now she was as guilty as he was.

“Stay behind me. I’ll clear the path, you get the door. Ready?” he asked.

No, she thought, but she nodded. Better to get it over with before she fainted from terror.

Dack fired over the counter, and then he charged forward. Talena hurried to keep up, but slowed when they neared Malenson. Dack knocked the man’s weapon aside and punched him in the jaw, and Talena turned to the airlock door and hit the release. The door opened, and Dack hustled her inside.

The ship was small, probably nothing more than a short-range shuttle, and she followed him to the two front seats in the cockpit.

“Strap in,” he ordered.

And the winner is...

Random.org has spoken, and the winner is... Maria D.! Woot! Congrats, I'll be emailing you shortly about your copy of Poison in the Blood.

Remember, there's still time left to win the signed copy of Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered at Goodreads!


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Goodreads Book Giveaway Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered by Robyn Bachar Giveaway ends June 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

Posion in the Blood Release Day Party

It's release day! Yay! To celebrate, we have not one but TWO giveaways! No one can live at that speed!

When we last saw Emily and Michael in The Importance of Being Emily, they were on their way to marital bliss. Now, a few years later, Michael has finally become a chronicler, and things will never be the same...

She is honey to his throat...but one sweet taste could part them forever...

Banished from home while her husband adjusts to life as an immortal, blood-drinking chronicler, Emily Black is homesick, heartsick and struggling under the constant sensory barrage of a city drenched in ancient magic. When an old friend asks for her aid in solving a string of murders, she welcomes the distraction, despite the danger.

Justine Dubois is grateful for a seer’s help, and more understanding than anyone of Emily’s plight. As a guardian, Justine commands respect; as a woman, her magic is considered inferior. Together, they are determined to prove their worth to London’s magicians, starting with solving these murders—with maybe a bit of matchmaking on the side.

Long before he met his soul mate, Michael Black made a commitment to join the Order of St. Jerome. He will live forever, forced to watch the woman he loves age and die. As Emily hunts the murderer, Michael struggles to protect her. But if he loses control of his hunger, the greatest threat to her safety could be Michael himself.

Warning: Contains tortured soul mates, scheming faeries, vampire debauchery, deadly parasols, illicit blood-drinker relations, and adorable plot moppets.

It's available now from: Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and of course from the iTunes store.

But wait, there's more! Here's an exclusive excerpt from Poison in the Blood:

Due to my wild reputation, one might think corpses appeared at every social gathering I attended, but that was certainly not true. The murderous blame simply lay in the nature of magicians. My personal attendance had nothing to do with the chance for bloodshed, because seers aren’t the violent sort—at least to my knowledge, for I have never met another of my kind.

The Midsummer celebration was no different from the rest of the miserable gatherings I had attended since my flight to London. The ballroom was loud, the heat was oppressive and the weight of so many auras smothered me in an onslaught of desires, plots and schemes. London’s constant bustle was hellish for a seer because the city was tangled in knots of magic due to centuries of magician habitation. I longed to return to the relative quiet of our home in Yorkshire, but that wouldn’t happen until Samhain, which was months away.

“Emily, you are being melancholy again,” Josephine scolded me.

“Am I?” With a deep breath I forced a brave smile for my sister’s benefit. An empty smile, like the painted face of one of my daughter Lillian’s porcelain dolls.

“Quite. Thomas could dance with you again.” She looked toward her husband, who was speaking with a group of other librarian gentlemen. Thomas laughed, his face a bit flushed from too much wine, and it tightened the ache that squeezed my heart. Michael would never have that blush of life again.

Michael had become a chronicler last Samhain, an immortal member of the Order who would continue recording magician history long after my bones had turned to dust. I hadn’t seen my husband since just before his transformation, because the children and I had been sent away to stay with my sister Josephine in London for our safety, but I was certain he was now pale like his mentor, Simon St. Jerome. Cool and distant, as though trapped within a glacier.

“No, thank you. I will be fine.” I fidgeted with the fingers of my black silk gloves.

“You should try matching more couples,” Jo suggested.

She meant well, but she couldn’t know how painful it was for me to match people at the moment. Under normal circumstances I didn’t mind it, because matchmaking was the main role I had for my magic. As a seer, the only one in all of England, my magic was considered rare, but because I was a woman it wasn’t taken seriously. It would be unseemly for me to become involved in magician politics, so my abilities went to waste. Thus I sat on the outskirts of gatherings, smiling politely while my head pounded and I wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all.

“Mrs. Black?”

I looked up to see a gentleman approaching. He looked somewhat familiar. He had short, light ginger hair and soulful green eyes, and was of average height—not as tall as Michael or Simon, but taller than myself, which wasn’t very difficult. It was the exceptionally strong witch’s aura that allowed me to recognize him.

“Dr. Bennett. How lovely to see you again. Surely you’re not still traveling after all this time?” I asked.

It had been seven years since I saw him last. He was an American, and when we met he had been touring Europe. We had become acquainted at the same spring ball where I first learned Michael was my soul mate. At the time I was a spinster suddenly faced with the impossibility of loving a man destined to become a chronicler, and Dr. Bennett had offered me the opportunity of becoming an investigator in the service of a guardian he worked with. Though I enjoyed my role as wife and mother, there were times I wondered what might have happened had I taken him up on his offer.

Dr. Bennett smiled, pushing a pair of gold wire spectacles up the bridge of his nose. I didn’t remember him wearing them at our last meeting. “No, I have relocated to London permanently.”

“How marvelous. You must come to tea sometime,” I insisted. My sister made a soft, strangled noise, likely scandalized by the idea that I had just invited a bachelor to visit her home. She would come to terms with it. After all, Dr. Bennett had saved Michael’s life once, so I owed him a great deal.

“I would like that,” he replied. Anxiety rolled from him like the buzzing of a swarm of bees. “Mrs. Black, you offered once to match me. I was wondering if I might impose upon you to do so now?”

Ah, that was the source of his nervousness. I smiled and nodded. “Of course, I would be happy to. Would you mind stepping into the garden with me? It will be easier to perform the reading there.”

“Thank you.”

He offered me his arm, but I politely declined. Though my black silk gloves aided in dampening my abilities, any touch could trigger a vision, and his energy was already too loud. We made our way from the crowded ballroom, and I felt better once we were free of it, though not by much. There was little relief for me within the city.

“What made you change your mind? About being matched?” I asked.

“Old age, perhaps,” he replied with a light chuckle.

The garden was lit by lanterns for the occasion, and I stopped and inhaled the scent of roses in the evening air. I kept roses in my garden, though I had little talent for tending them. My garden was mostly a refuge from Simon, because he seldom ventured out of doors. Despite our best efforts to be civil for Michael’s sake, his mentor and I disliked each other.

I removed my gloves and set them atop a stone bench. “May I see your hand, please?”

Dr. Bennett extended his right hand, and I took it, studying his palm. My vision unfocused, and the colors of his aura bloomed like a flower. He was a powerful witch, among the most powerful I had met, which made his profession a logical choice. Witches were healers, and though their auras were usually calm and soothing, there was a great deal of agitation in his.

“Take a deep breath and clear your thoughts,” I ordered.

He did as requested, and as the irritation smoothed away I caught a hint of its source. A woman—a specific woman, with lovely blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. A bit like my sisters, who had all inherited golden beauty while I was cursed with dull brown hair and sullen gray eyes, but this woman had a fire about her that my amiable siblings lacked. Spirit. Interesting... Dr. Bennett was very taken with her, and he worried that I would name someone else for him.

Closing my eyes, I searched through his energy, seeking possible connections to a suitable mate. There was something unique about his aura, a strong link to—

“Dr. Bennett!” a voice shouted. The connection broke, and I lost track of the energy I had been examining.

“Here,” he called in reply.

My senses were still stretched as the man approached, and I caught a wave of dread that caused gooseflesh to prickle across my skin. There were so many magicians in London that I had difficulty keeping track of them all, but I thought I recognized him as a sorcerer of some importance.

“Dr. Bennett. I’m sorry to interrupt, but Miss Dubois has sent for you. It appears—” He paused and looked at me.

“Go on. I trust Mrs. Black,” the doctor replied.

“It appears that there has been another murder. There is a carriage waiting for you.”

A murder? Another implied more than one as well. How interesting.


Still with me? Good! Because it's giveaway time.

First, I'm giving away a SIGNED copy of Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered over at Goodreads:

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered by Robyn Bachar Giveaway ends June 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win Second, want a chance to win a copy of Poison in the Blood? To enter, leave your name and email address in the comments here, and answer this question: Would you marry a vampire?

The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday!