Black Friday: First Time for Everything… by Nina Croft

Black Friday 2013Black Friday is here and we’re discussing the season with Nina Croft’s Roz and Piers Lamont from Bittersweet Magic.

Roz has been indebted to the demon Asmodai for five hundred years, and her freedom is just around the corner. All she has to do is complete one last task for him—obtain a key that had been hidden in a church centuries ago.

Piers, the Head of the Order and an ancient vampire, is intrigued by the woman who comes to him for help. She’s beautiful and seemingly kind, but she’s hiding something. And he’ll find out who she is and what she really wants once he uses his power to get inside her head. But Piers has no idea that Roz is immune to his mind-control…or that he is simply a pawn in her dangerous mission for freedom.

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
_____________________________________________

First Time for Everything…

NCroft-Bittersweet MagicRoz sensed his approach before she spotted him, like a wave of power rolling out across the mall, prickling over her skin. Turning, she spied him straight away. He was hard to miss. Six foot four of pure badass all wrapped up in black leather. She wanted to wrap a ribbon around him and have him for Christmas.

His streaky blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail showing the sharp beauty of his face, his high cheekbones, midnight blue eyes, sensual lips. He looked like a dissipated rock star and even after six months all the muscles in her belly tightened at the sight of him. Roz stared like an idiot, as she had done from the very first time she’d seen him. Well, not quite the same; she’d been dressed as a nun that night and any staring had had to be done surreptitiously. Now she just stared.

The crowds of shoppers parted around him like little fishes sensing a shark in their midst. He strode toward Roz, moving with the fluid grace of a predator, then halted in front of her, gave her a sexy grin, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. God, he could kiss. As his tongue pushed inside, the mall faded, so all she could see was the twinkling of fairly lights behind her closed lids.

“Whew,” she said as he raised his head.

He looked around, studying the crowd. “So where’s this demon? Let’s go shoot it and go to bed. I’m hungry.” He gave just a little flash of fang and heat shot through her.

She pulled away and stepped back. Straightening her clothing, which had somehow descended into disarray, she cast a quick glance about. Everyone was staring. “No demons,” she said.

“You told me we were going demon hunting.”

“Well, I may have got you here under false pretenses.” He quirked an eyebrow and she continued, “Okay, I lied. But really, if I’d told you we were going Christmas shopping, would you have come?”

He thought for a moment. “Yeah, but I might have left the fire power at home.” Opening his long leather coat, he revealed a complete arsenal. Enough to take down a whole army of demons. She grabbed the sides of his coat and pulled them together, then had another quick peek around. While everyone was still staring, no one was actually running, so they probably hadn’t noticed the sawed-off shotgun at his hip or the double shoulder holster strapped across his broad chest.

She’d never had anyone to spend Christmas with, at least not since her mother died and that was over five hundred years ago. A long time to be alone. Now she had Piers, and she was going to make the most of him. Whether he liked it or not.

Piers Lamont, head of the Order of the Shadow Accords, the organization that policed the supernatural world.

My boyfriend, the vampire.

She’d drawn the line at taking him carol singing at the church that evening—chances were he’d spontaneously combust, but there was no reason he couldn’t accompany her shopping. Though her guess was he’d spent even less time than her Christmas shopping, and he was over 2000 years old. Maybe it was time for him to try something new.

Outside, darkness had fallen. Inside, the shopping mall was a fairytale of silvery lights with a huge twinkling tree in the center. She sighed. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

He looked around, his brows drawing together. “It is?”

“Yes, you just have to get into the spirit of things.”

“I do? Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go hunt a demon? If we find one, I’ll let you shoot my gun.”

“Tempting…but no.” She punched him on his arm. “I’ve never had anyone to go shopping with and I’ve never had anyone to buy presents for before. I want to enjoy this.”

“Okay, sweetheart.” He dropped a kiss on her head then took a deep breath. “I can do this—I think. So how does it work? You have a list?”

She nodded and pulled it out of her pocket, though she knew it off by heart. “Christian and Tara?” she asked.

“Easy. A bottle of champagne and a pair of handcuffs.”

“Sounds perfect. Ryan?”

“A pair of leather pants—time he really joined in and started looking the part.”

She wasn’t so sure about that one, but it would be worth it just to see Ryan’s expression. “Maria?”

“Hmm, what to buy an ex-nun? A vibrator?”

“No, something pretty, to woo Ryan in his leather pants.”

“She fancies Ryan? No accounting for taste. Who’s next?”

“Carl?”

“A new collar.”

Carl was a werewolf, but somehow Roz couldn’t imagine anyone leading him around on a collar and leash. “He has an old one?”

“Hell no, but perhaps it’s about time. Anyone else?”

She took a deep breath. “My father.”

He scowled. “Aw, that’s sweet. But I can’t think of anything I’d like to give the Walker other than my boot up his—”

“He likes you as well,” she interrupted, not trying to hide her sarcasm. But maybe, she’d buy something for her father online. She reckoned Piers was doing brilliantly. No point in putting him off his first time Christmas shopping. She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and squeezed.

After all, there were a lot of Christmases to come—an eternity of them.
______________________

Meet Nina Croft!

Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of nine-to-five work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain. Nina’s writing mixes romance with elements of paranormal and science fiction.

Nina CroftContact Info: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Newsletter

Want to purchase Nina’s novels?
Order

  1. Bittersweet Blood
  2. Bittersweet Magic

Blood Hunter

  1. Break Out
  2. Deadly Pursuit
  3. Death Defying (Dec 30, 2013)

Operation Saving Daniel
Daughter of the Dragon Princess
The Descartes Legacy

Please help spread the word: Tweet: #BlackFriday is here. Celebrate the chaos with #holiday #stories and #contests by 26 authors (Nov29-Dec24) http://wp.me/p3SIUp-atz
_____________________________________________

Contest Time!

Thank you Nina for taking part in Literary Escapism’s Black Friday!

Here’s the a Rafflecopter widget for the $25 giftcard giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

6 Comments

Comments are closed.