Showing posts with label Immortalis Series. Show all posts

Friday, November 1, 2013

RBTL PRESENTS MOONLIGHT BY KATIE SALIDAS

Title: Moonlight

Author: Katie Salidas

Series: Immortalis (Companion Novella)

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Rising Sign Books

Release Date: Sept 2012

Blurb/Synopsis:

Good girls don’t wear fur, or fight over men, and they certainly don’t run around naked, howling at the moon.

But then, no-one ever called Fallon a good girl.

As a human unofficially mated to an Alpha werewolf, Fallon is being pressured to “become”...or be gone.

Her mate Aiden, the interim leader of the Olde Town Pack, is in a position that demands he either choose a wolf mate...or leave the pack forever. No matter how hot the sex with Fallon is, he can’t ignore centuries of tradition.

Become a wolf or not. If only the choice were that simple. Fallon’s options are further clouded by the overt presence of other females desperate to be the Alpha’s mate. And when these bitches get serious, it’s not just claws that come out. If Fallon wants to keep her man and take the title she’ll have to exert a little dominance of her own.

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Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkins off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, she still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.

And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…

Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.

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Excerpt 1

Long pajama pants, a sweat shirt, fuzzy socks, and still I felt frozen. I’d been here a couple of months but still hadn’t gotten used to the cold. Boston was an arctic tundra compared to Las Vegas and that blistering desert I’d come from. I’d be warm soon enough, though. Aiden was due back at any moment. That man was hot! Wolves have more than just good looks working for them. They run a few degrees warmer than us humans. And I needed that heat. The thought of him snuggling up next to me, fur coat or not, was enough to keep the icicles at bay for the moment, but I was still cold.

Teeth chattering, I pulled the thick feather comforter up to my chest and snuggled into the fluffy, king-sized down pillows. I doubted I would ever get used to the winter. But, if I wanted to stay with Aiden, I’d have to. As the future Alpha of the Olde Town Pack, he was a Boston boy for life. That also meant I would have to make some life changing decisions.

The thought of that wiped the smile from my face.

Aiden was my love, and I knew he loved me for who and what I was—human. But the pack… they wouldn’t accept a human as their Alpha Female.

I buried my head under the blanket as if it would shield me. I’d been avoiding facing the inevitable, but a decision had to be made… soon.

The bedroom door opened with a slight creak.

“Fallon, babe. You still awake?” Aiden called out in a whisper.

Perfect timing! A thrill of excitement ran through me. “Yeah. Come cuddle. I need to steal your warmth, I’m freezing over here.”

He gave me a quick sidelong glance then looked at the wall. “It helps if you turn on the heater.”

“There’s a heater in here? Why didn’t you tell me?” I felt a little embarrassed for not thinking of something so simple; but in my defense, I hadn’t lived at the sanctuary long.

“Yeah.” He tapped a finger on the thermostat mounted to the wall. “Looks like Brady is up to his old games. The thermostat is off.” He clicked the switch, walked inside, and shut the door.

Instantly, I heard the fans kick on. Warmth rose to my cheeks, but it wasn’t from the heater.

“That bastard!” I said, angrier at myself for falling for another one of his tricks than anything else.

Aiden didn’t bother to hide his snicker. “He is who he is. But you probably should have checked the thermostat instead of turning our bed into an igloo.”

“That would have been the smart thing to do. But then I couldn’t have hot Eskimo sex with you.”

Without another word, Aiden tore off his clothes and dove into bed, under the covers. Snaking his arm around my waist, he pulled me in close and nuzzled my neck. My body began to warm, melting against his. Aiden’s chin stubble scratched a little but not so much that it hurt. Besides, I loved a little rough touch from my man. His thick scent, fresh from the hunt, filled my nose. There’s something about that heady odor of patchouli and cologne mixed with a little sweat that sends my heart racing.

Oh, yeah. This is my happy place. Safe in Aiden’s arms, I felt like the world could go to hell and I’d still be okay. This is love, right?

Twenty-six years old and I’d never really been in love. Sad to say, I know. But love had never been a high priority on my list. School, family, friends, sure… but men had been merely blips in the radar. They were temporary distractions; fun little bumps along the road of life. With Aiden, it was different. He made me want to stop bumping along the road and find my home, with him.

“How was the hunt?” I scooted closer, reveling in his delicious warmth.

“The new recruits were naturals.” Pride filled his voice. “You should have seen them. Everyone transitioned this time, and they’re all acclimating well.”

“That’s wonderful news.” The last group hadn’t been so lucky. “But I couldn’t take the cold tonight. I’m still too much of a desert rat.”

His warm hand dipped under my sweat shirt. “Your blood will thicken in time.” He tip-toed his fingers up to my breasts. “How about your day? What have you been up to while I was playing in the snow?”

“Nerd stuff.” I purred. That man had a sinful touch. “I got the new server online and finished configuring the firewall. I still have to set up a few new user accounts, but other than that, not much.”

“I have no clue what you just said, but I think it’s sexy when you talk computers. Say something else.”

“Networking,” I said in my sexiest voice. “IP address. Password. TCP/IP Protocols.”

“Ooooh. There is nothing sexier than a smart woman.”

His cluelessness made me giggle, but the fact he appreciated my skills made me feel special. “Then I must be the sexiest woman this pack has ever seen. Your entire computer network needs an upgrade. Someone has to bring this pack up to date.”

“Well, then, we’re lucky to have you as our resident nerd. Speaking of that… have you given any thought to what we talked about?” His voice, a bit raspy from being out in the cold, rumbled in my ear like the purr of a big cat. He rolled my nipple between his fingers.

I let out a sigh. I’d been hoping to avoid answering that question. The luscious warmth of his body and the pleasure of his magic fingers were dampened by the reality that we needed to have the talk soon. I wanted to give in, say yes, and be with him forever, but it wasn’t so easy. That choice was potentially a life-or-death decision. Certainly not something to jump blindly into.

“Forget I asked.” He kissed the back of my neck. “I don’t want to pressure you. I just want to feel you next to me.”

Call it selfishness if you want, but I‘d never been the kind of girl who changed for anyone—or any man. Love me for who I am, or don’t have me at all. That’s the way I’ve always operated. But Aiden was a different case. How could I deny this man? With him, I wanted to be the perfect woman, but that meant I would have to change more than just my hairstyle; I’d have to change my species.

The idea of that was mind-blowingly frightening, to say the least.

I’d been stuck between two worlds in the last few months, and I felt like I was the odd human out. My best friend was a vampire and my boyfriend… he was a werewolf. And not just any werewolf—Aiden’s the interim leader of Boston’s Olde Town pack. To take the job permanently, he needed a mate. A werewolf mate, and I was a few fangs and a fur coat shy of that.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

RBTL PRESENTS SOULSTONE BY KATIE SALIDAS

Title: Soulstone

Author: Katie Salidas

Series: Immortalis (Book #4)

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Rising Sign Books

Release Date: Mar 2012

Blurb/Synopsis:

It’s a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone.

Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysander’s spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum.

The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things “Unnatural.” In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.

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And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…

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My Review:

Book 4 in Katie Salidas' Immortalis series was sent to me for an honest review.

First I have to say you as a reader need to read these books in order. If you don't, there are pieces of information you will be missing.
With that said this books picks up where book 3 Pandora's Box left off. SoulStone is a page turner with Alyssa doing everything that it takes to get Lysander's soul back. The Acta Sanctorum are involved as always and bloodshed happens leaving live lost and survivors pissed.
Alyssa and her new family stick together, there are questions as to how alliances will form or will be broken, but reader that is for you to find out.

CHAPTER 1

Down the creaky steps I walked, alone, heading for the basement.

Visiting Lysander had become my nightly ritual. I’d wake up in my bed, reach out to the empty sheets, and feel nothing but crushing emptiness. It’s hard to believe that the absence of someone can bear such a heavy weight on one’s soul, but it does. That’s when realization would hit me, and I’d relive that terrible memory of seeing Lysander, my love, my mate, dive into the flames. Only after coming downstairs to the dark, dungeon-like basement, would I feel better.

I took a deep breath and stepped down onto the cold concrete floor. To my already tepid skin, the ground felt icy. Winter’s chill had frozen everything, and the basement was no real shelter from the cold. I probably should have worn something more than socks, but in my desperation to see him, I’d ignored basic necessities. I shook off the chill working its way up my spine and continued on.

“Good evening sweetie.” I said it as if he could hear me.

His spirit could, I guess, but Lysander had no voice with which to respond. Still, it made me feel better to talk to him as if he were alive and in front of me.

“It’s snowing outside. Boston is a winter wonderland. Zuri took us shopping for coats and boots.” Lysander had lived the last fifty years in Las Vegas. I had grown up there, before becoming a vampire. So for desert rats such as us, snow was as infrequent as rain, which made them special. Now that we were on the east coast, both were very common but neither had lost their beauty, at least to me they hadn’t. “I wish you could see it, honey. It’s just gorgeous out there. Everything’s covered in white.”

No response, as always. Not that I had really expected one. Hoped for, yes. But, at this rate, my hope was beginning to wear thin.

Too much time had passed since he’d been trapped inside the crystal that now served as his prison. The fragile hope I held of saving him was almost gone. I grew restless for a resolution. His spirit felt weaker. The warmth of his presence was almost … transparent.

Ariana, our resident witch, had not yet come up with a solution. She’d managed an impressive feat, trapping Aniketos back into the Pandora’s Box. But because she’d used her own spells instead of the original ones from the old scrolls, Lysander had been trapped too. His spirit now resided in a large blood-red crystal.

She’d said her coven might be able to help; however, weeks later, we still had no resolution. Others in the house had already given up. I could feel it in the way they avoided any talk of Lysander or the crystal. They’d always find a way to change the subject. A few times, I had the sneaking suspicion that they were purposefully avoiding me so as not to have to talk about it.

I reached up and pulled the chain, flicking on the overhead light. The basement was small and bare. Brownstones in the Back Bay area of Boston were built tall, not wide, so the basement didn’t take up much square footage. Lysander’s coffin sat in the middle. Just a plain pine box that reminded me of ones from the old westerns I’d watched as a kid. It had been quickly constructed, and wasn’t a showpiece; just a simple, almost flimsy box, only meant to hold Lysander until we could find some way to release his spirit.

Seeing it there, sitting all alone in the cold dark room, caused my heart to seize. Each time I set eyes on the coffin, for a brief moment, my world crumbled into dust—like everything important had been destroyed, except the reminder of the act that put him in this coffin.

For as long as he’d been lying there, I hoped he was comfortable. Part of me felt guilty, like the others and I should have gotten him something a little nicer to sleep in. That thought too made the permanence of death seem more real. A tear welled up in my eye, and I wiped it away.

The pine box is fine. He won’t be in it much longer.

I pushed aside the lid and leaned it against the side of the box. Inside, Lysander lay, looking as if he were sleeping off his terrible injuries.

Where his body wasn’t scabbed or bruised, the skin appeared ashen in color and almost plastic-looking, as if not really skin at all, but a sort of waxy coating. I shivered at the gruesome sight. He’d been so beautiful before the fire charred him. His once-gorgeous chocolate-colored hair had been singed away in the blaze, leaving only a few patches here and there to remind me of its original color. The tips of his fangs poked down from behind dry, parched lips. I’d tried to give him blood, hoping it might restore him, but it hadn’t had any effect. His body was frozen in the moment his spirit had left it.

The fire had almost destroyed him before his spirit had been caught. Ariana had suggested to me that Lysander had already died and his spirit was moving on when she trapped him. She told me that if we freed it from the crystal, he might not return to his body.

I wasn’t ready to accept that. I could still feel his presence, though weak, emanating from the large soda bottle-sized crystal. Whether in his body or not, his spirit was still with us. That had to count for something. He was still here with us and alive, for all intents and purposes. And until we knew otherwise, I did not want to hear talk of him “moving on.”

I hoped and prayed to every deity out there that when Ariana did find the answer, Lysander could be returned to his body. Even if he remained charred and burned, I’d still love him. I didn’t want to face eternity without him.

I’d placed the crystal on his chest and folded his arms across it. There it had rested for the last two weeks while I tried to find answers. I hoped keeping the two together like this would help in some small way.

“Alyssa the widow is back to mourn again,” said an overly chipper voice from the top of the stairs. “Shouldn’t you be wearing black?”

I craned my head to look up and found Ian standing at the top of the stairs. As usual he was dressed for a night out: raven-black hair slicked back with just a few strands framing his face, skin-tight t-shirt and tight-legged jeans to ensure nothing was left to the imagination, and topped off with a leather coat. I often wondered if he had been a greaser before being turned. He certainly looked the part.

“Widow implies death, Ian,” I said with as much snark as I could put into my mournful voice.

“Widow also implies… available.” Ian beamed down with his thousand-watt smile. “I’ve had enough of this moping. You’re coming out with me tonight.” He took the stairs at a trot.

“No, thanks. I don’t need to hunt tonight.” I looked down at Lysander again. “You have to come back, honey. Look what you’re leaving me with.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer.” Ian’s breath blew across my ear. I felt the closeness of his body almost pressing against my back. “And I prefer to be the one on the hunt.”

I jumped in response, and my head collided with his. “Ugh. Ian! Stop it. I’m not one of your waitresses or barmaids. Leave me alone.” A spike of pain radiated through my skull. I could only hope I’d done more damage to Ian. The nerve of him, hitting on me in front of Lysander.

“No, you’re not. Which makes the hunt all that much more fun for me. Tricky little prey, aren’t you, Alyssa?” If I had injured him, he didn’t show it. In fact, whatever pain I’d caused him, he might have even liked.

I groaned in frustration and rubbed the sore spot on the back of my head.

“Oh, c’mon. Try me. You just might like it.” He winked.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “I don’t want to try anyone, especially not a sleazy vampire that’ll sleep with anything that breathes.”

“Not fair. I didn’t sleep with your human friend, Fallon.”

“That’s ’cause she’s with Aiden.”

Ian grimaced for a brief second before his smile returned. “She’s off limits.”

“And so am I.”

“Just come out and have fun.”

“Fun for you is getting in the sack.”

“Look, you might see me as sleazy. I prefer the term ‘promiscuous’; it has a nicer ring to it. But the bottom line is, at least I’m out there living life, not moping around in some dingy cellar, waiting for a man who’ll never return.” His typically cheerful tone had all but vanished. “I’m trying to help you.”

It was the first time I had ever seen Ian serious. Beyond that, he almost looked angry. His blue-gray eyes narrowed on me and his lip curled ever so slightly. “You have to know when to give up.” He inclined his head toward the coffin. “Let a lost cause go.”

I stared at him while anger and grief fought each other to be the dominant emotion inside me. My jaw quivered. I mashed my teeth together so it wouldn’t show.

“Lost cause? Lysander’s not a lost cause.” My eyes watered. I blinked and turned away. I didn’t want to melt down again. I didn’t want anyone seeing me like this.

“Look, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings,” Ian said, softening his tone. He smiled at me, but it didn’t have its usual brilliance.

“You don’t know what this feels like. To know that your mate is here, lying as if dead. But I feel him. I know he hasn’t gone yet. Yes, Ian. I can feel his spirit. Right here.”

I picked the crystal up, off Lysander’s chest, and held it for Ian to see. “He’s not dead and gone. I know you can’t feel it, but I can. That’s what makes this so difficult.”

“I get it. You’ve been so maudlin lately. I’m just trying to lighten things up. Put a smile on that pouty face.”

I huffed. There was no getting through to that man. How could I expect him to understand the loss of a mate? He was the pathological playboy of the immortal world. Sex was his answer for all life’s problems.

“I’m sorry. Let’s try this again.” Ian’s wide eyes suddenly narrowed on the crystal. “Hey, didn’t that used to be all red?”

“What?” I pulled it closer to inspect. When Lysander had been trapped, the crystal had gone from completely transparent to a deep red color, as if it were made from blood itself. To my surprise now, the tip had turned clear.

“What does this mean?” I mumbled more to myself than to Ian.

“Good news, probably. Maybe the longer you keep that thing on Lysander’s chest, the more his spirit can seep back into his body.”

Oh, how I wished he were right! Ever the optimist, Ian had given me a little more hope. Maybe the spell would reverse its self after a short while, and Lysander would heal and return to us.

“Ariana is coming by later. You can show her then.”

I gave Ian a genuine smile.

“There it is. That’s what I’ve been looking for. You look so pretty when you’re not moping. Now, let’s go out and celebrate this good news.”

Part of me wanted to. I’d been cooped up for the last two weeks, researching and staying by Lysander’s side. It would be nice to get out and enjoy the city.

Ian took a step, closing the gap between us. He was a tall man, six foot or better. He pulled me into a hug and cradled my head to his chest. “It’s not a crime to go out and have fun. You have to live too. Otherwise, what’s immortality good for?”

I pulled back and looked down at the crystal in my hands. It seemed to pulse, as if Lysander were trying to tell me something. The warm, tingling sensation of his presence briefly flashed through me. Maybe he was saying the same thing: You shouldn’t forget to live.

I held it up and gently kissed the smooth sides. “I’ll be back soon,” I said, and then placed it against his chest.

“Atta girl.” Ian’s full blinding smile returned. “Let’s turn that frown upside down, permanently. We’re gonna hit the town and have a little fun.”

“I’ll go out with you tonight, on two conditions,” I said as I closed the lid to the coffin.

“Name them.”

“Quit with the cheesy lines. You need some new material.”

“Ouch. I think I might be insulted,” Ian quipped.

I shook my head. “Oh, poor baby. It couldn’t hurt that bad. I doubt anything in the world could damage that ego.”

“You’re so feisty and full of anger. I know a way to relieve some of that tension.” He waggled his eyebrows.

I gave him my best I-don’t-think-so look and drummed my fingers on the top of the coffin.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying. Either way, you’re still smiling.” He smirked. “What’s the other condition?”

“That you talk Zuri into coming with us.”

“Spoil sport.” Ian shot up the stairs, leaving me alone with Lysander’s body.

I had to laugh. Ian just didn’t give up. That, in its own funny way, gave me more hope. Maybe he was right and Lysander might actually make a comeback. That was a reason to celebrate, even if it was with Ian. I took one last look at the coffin. “Are you sure I should go out with him?” I mumbled to the box. As expected, there was no response, but I still felt Lysander spirit.

I wished, just once, that he would answer. With a sigh, I headed to the stairs, pulling the chain for the light as I walked by. “I’ll see you later honey. Don’t you go waking up without me, okay?”

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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

RBTL Presents Immortalis Series- Pandora's Box by Katie Salidas

Guest Post for Pandora’s Box by Katie Salidas

3 Favorite Scenes….

Well, I’d hate to give too much away about the book for those of you out there who have not read it yet, but my first favorite scene in Pandora’s box is the tit-for-tat argument/fight/training sequence between Nicholas and Alyssa. One of my favorite parts of writing this series is the way these two always pick at eachother. You’d think they were enemies but they are on the same side and actually care about each other. However, when it is just the two of them, they tend to have a little too much fun.

The second scene that rates as a favorite in Pandora’s box is an emotional one. There is a character that dies. I won’t say who. But her death has a huge impact on other characters. That scene, when I wrote it, brought tears to my eyes. And the same goes for other readers too. I’ve been told I am evil for writing it, but without it, the story would not have a reason to progress. Death has to happen. It’s for the best, trust me. And as you read on in the series, you’ll see that there is a happy end. But, you have to keep reading to get to it. Yes, I am evil.

And that brings me to the third scene… The cliffhanger. Yes, I am evil. Yes, I want to suck readers in and make them yearn for more. So, with that said, the final chapter ends on a HUGE cliffhanger that leaves lives and love in the balance.

With that said, there are happy ends in my series, so have no fear, you won’t be left wanting for long. Just be sure you have the next book in the series handy so you can jump right in when you’re finished with Pandora.

Title: Pandora’s Box

Author: Katie Salidas

Series: Immortalis (Book #3)

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Rising Sign Books

Release Date: July 2011

Blurb/Synopsis:

After a few months as a vampire, Alyssa thought she’d learned all she needed to know about the supernatural world. But her confidence is shattered by the delivery of a mysterious package – a Pandora’s Box.

Seemingly innocuous, the box is in reality an ancient prison, generated by a magic more powerful than anyone in her clan has ever known. But what manner of evil could need such force to contain it?

When the box is opened, the sinister creature within is released, and only supernatural blood will satiate its thirst. The clan soon learns how it feels when the hunter becomes the hunted.

Apparently powerless against the ancient evil, the clan flees Las Vegas for Boston, with only a slim hope for salvation. Could Lysander’s old journals hold the key? And what if they don’t?

And how welcome will they be in a city run by a whole different kind of supernatural being?

Werewolves…

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About the Author:

And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…

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Excerpt:

“You make living with vampires look easy.” I chuckled, watching Fallon—my very human best friend—stake her claim in the den.

Since moving in, Fallon had taken over the empty room in our house, turning it into her own ultra-modern studio apartment: half bedroom, half office space. She’d even begun hanging pictures—something Lysander had never done the entire time he’d lived here. On one wall she’d hung a large abstract painting in muted tones of blue and green. She was well on her way to making the room feel homey and completely separate from the rest of the house.

“I’ve had some pretty scary roommates in the past. You guys are nothing!” She waved a flippant hand in the air, downplaying the strangeness of our situation.

Fallon was a rarity, a human possessing knowledge of our kind, who hadn’t been turned or killed. She was never supposed to know I’d become a vampire, but after a hasty retreat I’d made while dodging a hunter from the Acta Sanctorum, I accidentally let the cat out of the bag. My clan, the Peregrinus, weren’t too keen on the idea at first, but after Fallon showed them she was capable of keeping our secret as well as being helpful, they gave in and allowed her to stay.

“Oh, hey, has Lysander called the cable company yet?” Fallon asked as she shoved her head below a small glass-topped computer desk and began fumbling with wires.

For the last few weeks, Fallon had taken it upon herself to bring my two-thousand-year-old boyfriend into the modern era.

And he wasn’t too happy about it.

You just can’t teach an old vampire new tricks. I stood against the wall, remembering Lysander’s first lesson with the computer. It had been hilarious. Not realizing his strength, he crushed the first mouse with a forceful click. The keyboard barely stood a chance.

Fallon had spent many days rebuilding her desktop computer after their last lesson. Still, she hadn’t given up on him. You had to admire her persistence.

Cables snaked across the top of the desk while Fallon bumped and grumbled underneath. “Everything’s plugged in. I don’t know why it isn’t working. Ah ha!”

I heard a loud thump. The whole desk shifted, and Fallon shouted, “Sonofabitch!”

“You okay over there?” I asked, trying to stifle my laughter and sound concerned.

“You know, Lysander may be old and wise and all that, but the man’s an idiot when it comes to modern technology.”

“No one’s disputing that point. What did he do this time?”

Fallon pulled herself out from under the desk and scowled at me. She rubbed a spot on the top of her head, messing up her already-wild blonde pixie haircut. “Damn cable was plugged into the wrong hole. I don’t even want to know how he managed to make it fit.”

I shrugged. “Well, what do you expect? The guy’s ancient.”

Her deep brown eyes narrowed as she shot me one of those I-don’t-think-so looks. “That’s no excuse, Alyssa. Living for two thousand years gives you plenty of time to learn things. You know, adapt with the times, and all that jazz.”

I nodded. She was right. But it did make me wonder: if I managed to live that long, would I be so out of touch? I hoped not.

Fallon stopped rubbing the sore spot on her head, and then pressed the power button on the sleek new flat-panel monitor sitting on the desk. Sighing with contentment as the screen came to life, she flopped down onto the office chair. “Time to start creating user accounts.” She rested her hands on the desk and absently tapped a finger on the edge of the keyboard as if contemplating what to do next. “You know, it would be better if Lysander were here. I don’t want to set up his account yet. He needs to learn how to use this computer.”

“You’re gonna have to wait then. He’s off hunting.”

The sweet smell of fear suddenly permeated the air. Human noses can’t detect the subtle scent, but I wasn’t human, and the sugary fragrance teased my senses. Friend or not, I’m still a vampire, and instincts are hard to ignore. Hunting means blood. Fresh, human blood. Fallon knew this, but she had no reason to fear. As far as the Peregrinus were concerned, criminals were the prey—those deserving of our deadly kisses. No vampire in this house would ever harm her, especially since she’d been made an unofficial member—being human and all—after helping us fight the Acta Sanctorum’s last attempt to destroy us.

“At least he’ll be in a good mood when he gets back,” she said, trying to sound as if it didn’t bother her. I could tell she was lying—beyond the smell of fear, I sensed her unease—but nodded as if I accepted her words at face value. It was understandable and expected of her to be squeamish about the whole blood thing. You can’t truly appreciate the need for blood unless that’s the only thing you can consume. For what it was worth, though, she was handling it well.

“Guess I’ll just check my email while we wait.” She immediately began tapping away at the keys.

I shrugged and turned toward the futon in the center of the room, and spotted a cardboard box sitting on it. “Hey, what’s this? More computer stuff?”

Fallon still tapped away at the keys. “Dunno. It was on the doorstep when I got home.”

I walked over for a closer look. Oddly, there was no address or any kind of shipping information on the box. I picked it up and looked at the bottom, hoping to find a label there. What I found instead was weird symbol: a large circle with what looked like a horizontal capital “I” dividing it, drawn in something maroon-colored. I hoped that was just a new Sharpie color, but after a quick whiff my nose said otherwise. Blood. Old blood.

“You didn’t think it was strange?” I asked, a little annoyed that she hadn’t mentioned this sooner. No tags meant that this hadn’t been dropped off by the postal service.

We lived in the middle of a quiet suburban neighborhood, hiding in plain sight from the humans surrounding us. Thankfully, in a city like Las Vegas with a thriving nightlife, no one ever questioned our nocturnal habits. Maintaining secrecy was rule number one in our clan, and we did our best to remain inconspicuous. That meant whoever stopped by to drop this off must have known who—and potentially what—we were.

“Sorry, Lyssa, I had my hands full with the new monitor when I came in. Honestly, I had forgotten it was here until you mentioned it.”

I hadn’t been a vampire long enough to know all the ins and outs of our culture. Maybe this was a way new vampires announced their presence in our territory. Maybe our recent defeat of Quentin and the local branch of the Acta Sanctorum operation had earned us some respect. Maybe it was a parting gift from Santino, our old nemesis-turned-ally.

What’s the old saying? “Curiosity killed the cat”? But what does it do to a vampire? I wondered.

Absently tapping my fingers on the box top, I debated how bad it might be just to take a peek. No strange odors emanated from the box. No ticking to indicate a bomb—not that I thought bombs ticked anymore, but I felt safer that there was no sound coming from the box. I picked it up and shook it. It felt light as air, and the contents didn’t shuffle around much. Only a muffled thump indicated anything solid was inside, and whatever it was, it was packed to not break.

Curiosity got the best of me. I had to see what it was. I used my fingernail to open the tape across the top. A puff of dry air greeted me as I pulled back the flaps. Instead of packing peanuts, the box had been filled with some straw-like material, like the grass in children’s Easter baskets. “Come check this out,” I called out to Fallon, pushing aside the packing material.

She tore herself away from the computer and joined me, but the moment was anticlimactic. For all the mystery and ominous symbol on the outside, the contents were a bit boring. An ornately carved wooden box sat in the middle of the packing material, tied tight with a red silk ribbon. It was pretty, but not all that exciting.

I reached in, took hold of the box with one hand, and lifted it out. It felt strangely weightless in my hand, as if the wood were hollow or perhaps not wood at all, but some kind of Styrofoam. I gave it a squeeze, though a gentle one—I didn’t want to accidentally crush it with my superhuman strength. It had no give. It was solid as a rock. I squeezed it a bit harder, expecting the wood to crack or groan under the pressure, but that too had no effect.

Maybe it’s not so plain after all.

I shook it and held it to my ear to hear if there might be anything inside. Nothing.

“Let me see,” Fallon said taking it from me. She traced the patterns that looked like ancient writing covering the small box. “It’s really pretty. Should we unwrap it and see what’s inside?”

“I’m not sure we should do that,” I said, though I was hoping to learn the mystery surrounding its contents.

“It wasn’t addressed to anyone specifically,” Fallon said, eyeing the box as if entranced by it. “So it was probably meant for all of us, right?”

“All of us” meant the other vampires that lived in the house, the Peregrinus clan: Rozaline, Nicholas, Crystal, Drew, and Lysander.

“Hmm, good point.” I reached for the box, but she pulled it just out of my reach. Her sudden movement shocked me.

“I mean, it’s not like we’re opening up someone’s birthday present, right?” She continued to eye the box, her curious gaze becoming almost hungry as she inspected it.

“I don’t think vampires celebrate birthdays.”

“Maybe they celebrate deathdays,” she quipped.

“We’re not dead.” I shook my head at her. “Beating hearts… remember?”

“I know, Lyssa. I’m just joking.” She playfully tapped me on the shoulder. “Okay, let’s take a quick peek.”

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Friday, November 1, 2013

RBTL PRESENTS MOONLIGHT BY KATIE SALIDAS

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Excerpt 1

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

RBTL PRESENTS SOULSTONE BY KATIE SALIDAS

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CHAPTER 1

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

RBTL Presents Immortalis Series- Pandora's Box by Katie Salidas

Guest Post for Pandora’s Box by Katie Salidas