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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

they’ll do anything to be together - Mated in Treason by Christa Paige

"[c]ompletely unputdownable. I inhaled this book within a day of opening the first page. Cover to cover it read so well with genuine uniqueness not often found in the genre that has seen pretty much everything. [...] Overall this was a fabulous read and I am seriously intrigued about the rest of the series!" - Nicole, Goodreads

Description:

Published June 2017

Welcome to the world of the Kan Asma Vampires. The Kan Asma are genetically modified humans who've become vampires. For centuries, the Kan Asma lived symbiotically with their human neighbors until the government recognized something had increased their life spans. Scientists and militia stormed their quiet Abkhazian village and betrayal followed. Many vampires experienced brutality and torture. Others died from experimentation.

After a perilous journey, the surviving Kan Asma fled their homeland and settled in West Hollywood, California. The refugees cling to their sacred traditions, holding their mating rites above all others because without them, their numbers would diminish.

There is no love or emotion in their Council-determined matings. Now, their quiet lives have suddenly been turned upside down. Lines have been drawn between the wealthy aristocrats and an uprising determined to halt the unfair ritual keeping wealth and power out of reach. Those who are lucky to find love in these matches are very few, and they will have to fight with everything they have in order to claim their mates or suffer a broken heart for eternity.

When the kraliyet bodyguard ended up in her hospital bed after an explosion left him in critical condition, Nadia tried to warn herself not to fall in love with him. After all, she's no vampire Cinderella, and happily-ever-afters didn't happen to low-born females of the Kan Asma. But her heart wouldn't listen, and soon she wanted to claim Gunnar as her forever mate, even if it meant taking him the only way possible, as a husband in a disgraceful human ceremony.

Gunnar fell in love with his nurse the moment he saw her smile. He yearned to claim her as his, but the Council would never allow him to mingle his powerful blood with a female from a poor family. The penalty for an unsanctioned mating is a death sentence. He doesn’t care about the threats and possible consequences of making her his. Though, due to the high probability of genetic incompatibility, he can't complete their blood-bond without knowing if it might take her life. Losing her would be worse than torture.

Their only hope lies with the treasonous Faction hell-bent on destroying the very people Gunnar calls family. Determined to find a way to be mated, Gunnar seeks out the leader of this hidden uprising. Together, Nadia and Gunnar must break every law and rite of their vampire culture to become bonded for life. Gunnar will play a deadly game of subversion or pay a blood price that would sever him from their people and put a bounty on his head. They must survive a dangerous infiltration of the Faction, because they’ll do anything to be together, even if it means being mated in treason. 

EXCERPT

The door swung open and he stood in the threshold. Strong and intense, her essence called to him on an elemental level. “Nadia.” His voice gruff, he said her name on a mere growl around long fangs that pricked his lower lip.

Surprise lined her forehead, her eyes narrowed, and breath wrenched from her chest. She stood from her chair and swiped the back of her hand across her cheek. Red tinged her eyes. Moisture tracked from the corners and spilled down her cheeks. Misery hit him square in the chest like a dull, rusty blade. Needing privacy, he shut the door and locked the deadbolt. “Why are you crying?”

She shook her head. The long length of her ponytail fell over her shoulder as she glanced away from him. Her eyes lost focus and she stared at the dingy wooden cabinets hanging from the far wall. 

“Tell me, kjaere.” Gunnar pressed his lips together. Great, now he was using terms of endearment in his mother’s native tongue. He really had lost his frickin’ mind. 

Crossing her arms about her, she shivered as if cold but the temperature in the room was tepid and controlled. “Nadia, let me help.” 

With a loud exhalation, she threw her arms up in apparent frustration. Then, she propped her hands on her hips and paced the short length of the room. “You can’t.” She swiped away another tear. “No one can.” 

“Did Izak do this?” he spat, needing to understand. God please don’t let it be about that sentinel playboy. “Or Andros?” Either way he had to be prepared for her reply. 

“He told me I could have something impossible. Something I want so much.” 

Gunnar steeled his composure, flexing his muscles and gritting his jaw. “Who,” he prompted. Inside he quaked with possessiveness and aggression. Get a grip on yourself, idiot. 

A short nervous exhalation followed as she turned and faced him. “Andros.” 

One step brought him closer, just to the edge of the oblong table sitting in the middle of the room. He leaned into his palm, the cool wood of the table helped to keep him from losing his temper right there. “What did he say, Nadia? Tell me. Maybe I can make it happen.” 

She shook her head again and the tip of her tongue slid out, moistening her lips in a long sweep. The tips of her blunt, white teeth chewed on the corner of her mouth. She turned those soulful eyes on him. “I want—” Her breath faltered and her chest rose with a tense inhalation. Twisting the hem of her shirt in her fingers, she focused on the wall behind him, breaking off their connection. 

Time stilled as her lips parted and closed again. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “You.” She pushed into his mind, and he could feel her apprehension, fear, and overwhelming need. 

He closed the distance between them, grabbed her face with both his hands, ignoring the metal on his arm. Sliding his fingers along her jaw, he cupped the nape of her neck and pulled her forward. He bent his head, stopped fighting against everything he knew he wasn’t supposed to do, and gave into everything he wanted.

About the author:
Strict professor by day. Romance author by night. Lover of all things alpha-male twenty-four hours a day. Christa Paige is a multi-published author in several genres. Her passion for love stories spans many tropes. She writes sensual, romantic tales and sweet love stories. In her free time, Christa, likes knitting and has a yarn stash that keeps growing. (Especially if it is bamboo.) She has a love/hate relationship with running but can’t turn down a themed 5k race. Her beagle babies are her running partners. She never tires of watching a Star Wars marathon or rereading Lord of the Rings. There’s a special place in her heart for the Regency Romance. Mr. Darcy is her favorite Regency hero, especially when he is wearing Hessians and a cravat.

Christa's series The Blood-Vine published by Liquid Silver Publishing, Kissin' Cops published by Liquid Silver Publishing, Women Who Serve (Book 1 Coming soon), Kan Asma Vampires published by Hartwood Publishing. 

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4 comments:

Rita Wray said...

The book sounds great.

Kate Sarsfield said...

Looks to be another good one Christa!

CindyWindy2003 said...

Wow sounds like a great combination of the hunger games and the twilight series. I enjoy paranormal romance.

Stephanie LaPlante said...

I love paranormal books. This one sounds awesome.