Review/Guest Post Blood Eternal Books 1-3 by Marie Treanor

Blood Eternal By Marie Treanor

Awakened by Blood, Book 3

Signet Eclipse Mass Market Paperback 4th October 2011

Secrets don't disappear after seduction... Elizabeth Silk is struggling to reconcile her passion for the vampire overlord Saloman and her allegiance to the vampire hunters. When a shocking vampire revolt calls Saloman away from her, she refuses to follow him. To make matters worse, Saloman’s beloved cousin Luk has been found and awakened by one of his greatest enemies. Frenzied with bloodlust, Luk embarks on a killing spree and prepares to expose Saloman’s biggest vulnerability: Elizabeth. But under Saloman’s regime, vampires have become less concerned with secrecy, no longer willing to hide their power. Rumors are swirling about attacks on humans. After Saloman joins forces with the vampire hunters to consolidate his power, Elizabeth begins to understand her role in the inevitable collision of the two worlds. She could bring resolution between vampires and humans—if she can manage to stay alive long enough to play both sides….

Excerpt from Blood Eternal:  Book 1

Set up: An Ancient vampire, believed to be Saloman’s newly awakened cousin Luk, has gone on the rampage in the Turkish hills. Elizabeth Silk is helping the hunters to track Luk and his allies…

Luk began to run, and as his limbs stretched out, he remembered their strength and what they could do. A surge of excitement urged him to speed up, to run around the entire world and never stop. But her scent was close and sweet, and as he leapt down the final fifty feet to land right in front of her, he grew dizzy.

Startled, the woman fell back, her dark hazel eyes huge in her beautiful face. Hair the color of a long-forgotten sunrise whipped against her soft cheeks in the breeze. Blood pumped through her delicate veins. The sound and smell of it drove him to new hunger, but this was one human he’d never kill.

“Tsigana,” he whispered.

The name held Elizabeth frozen. She’d had an instant’s warning from the Ancient detector, which suddenly, after indicating his slow plod away from her, went nuts, the readings obviously failing to keep up with the speed of the vampire who leapt out in front of her a bare instant after she’d known he would.

She’d had time to press her buzzer, at the same moment it had gone off in warning. The others knew. So she backed off, giving them time to get here, holding the stake poised for the vampire’s attack that didn’t come. He stood unmoving, staring at her.

The ordinary vampire detector in her pocket was still and silent. So the Ancient was alone. She prepared to attack, targeting the spot in his chest that she needed, but before she could fly at him, he said, “Tsigana.”

If he’d said her own name, if he’d called her Jane or Esmeralda or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she wouldn’t have hesitated in the slightest. But he said Tsigana, as if he’d seen straight to her one weakness, a jealousy that amounted almost to fear of the long-dead human woman who had once held Saloman’s heart.

Her fingers curled convulsively on the stake, altering its aim by accident, and she had to readjust it. The Ancient who was Saloman’s cousin, his onetime friend and his betrayer, one of Tsigana’s three vampire lovers, continued to stare at her. She had the impression that if he breathed he’d have been panting, but weirdly, she sensed no threat from him. He lifted his arms slowly,

reaching out to her with intense, weirdly unfocused longing. Understanding slammed into her like a blow.

“I’m not Tsigana,” she said between her teeth. “I’m Elizabeth, the Awakener.” And she flew at him, aware her aim was true. She summoned every ounce of strength, every ounce of power she believed in. Because she didn’t know how long the hunters would take to get here, she had to try to do it alone, as she’d once tried to kill Saloman alone. She still believed she could have slain him, using her power as his Awakener, but she’d never found out for sure, because her heart, not her body, had prevented it. There was no such prevention here; Luk was the cause of most of the unbearable pain that had haunted Saloman for centuries. He was as good as dead, and she couldn’t even regret her lack of compassion.

But he didn’t wait for her. He leapt back so fast she didn’t even see him move. Her stake sliced through air, almost overbalancing her.

“Not Tsigana,” Luk repeated. He sniffed the air.

“Tsigana is dead.” Again she leapt, this time before she finished speaking, but again he evaded her. A howl rent the air, like a dog or a wolf in agony. It had to be coming from Luk, as his distant figure leapt back up the hillside at impossible speed, the bloodcurdling wail fading with him into the night. Not because he’d stopped crying, but because he was too far away to be heard.

“Shit,” Elizabeth whispered. With shaking hand she retrieved the Ancient detector from her pocket. The pointer indicated the hill up which Luk had vanished, the display counting madly as the distance increased. Then it went dead. Elizabeth delved for her phone, just as the needle swung rapidly several degrees to the west, and the display galloped forward.

Oh, hell, he’s doubling back. He’s gotten over Tsigana and now I’m dinner.

Blood Sin

Awakened by Blood, Book 2 Even if you walk in the light, you can dwell in the dark. Months after her dangerous encounter with vampire overlord Saloman, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is still trying to cope with both the demands of her ancestral bloodline—which marks her as a vampire hunter — and the overpowering desire she feels for the immortal she brought back from the grave. But she is not alone in her fascination with Saloman. When Elizabeth tracks down a distant cousin from America, she learns he possesses an antique sword that has caught the interest of the Grand Master of the American hunters. It is the ancient and mystical sword of Saloman — a treasure of vast occult powers and a prize beyond measure to both vampires and humans. Now the race is on for possession of the sword. Even as her enemies and allies shift their allegiances and battle for supremacy, Elizabeth must decide which will rule her own perilous fate: unwanted loyalty or unholy love.

Reviews:

"An action-packed sensual read, filled with danger, romance, vampires, humor and seduction, BLOOD SIN is an unforgettable story... a delightful read and a welcome addition to the keeper shelf... this amazing series..." - 4.5 Blue Ribbons, Dottie, Romance Junkies

"Beautifully worded... Unique plot twists... Steamy chemistry and passion-filled romance... an altogether spicy read." - 4 cups. Virginia, Coffee Time Romance

"The fantastic sequel to Blood on Silk... delicious... I truly cannot get enough of...Saloman... a fascinating character, free from cliche... truly an amazing series..." - 5 Tombstones, Jennifer, Bitten by Books.

Blood on Silk Awakened by Blood, Book 1 The debut of a seductive new series of vampires, lust, and revenge. Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local folktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger. An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Reviews:

"BLOOD ON SILK is sensual and thrilling, a wonderful combination of vampire myths old and new. Saloman and Elizabeth's relationship is both amazingly hot and terrifyingly complicated. Readers will fall instantly in love with the world that Marie Treanor has created. You cannot miss this novel!" --Michele Bardsley, national bestselling author of the Broken Heart series.

"A provocative read... witty, sensual and, sometimes, dark... Brimming with complex and compelling characters, sexual tension, danger, betrayal, emotional turmoil, witty banter, a thrilling plot, an enigmatic hero who is at times an anti-hero, a captivating heroine and plenty of vampires, this erotic, gothic story grabs your attention and holds it right up to the very last page." ~Dottie, Romance Junkies, 4.5 Blue Ribbons

"Praises for Marie Treanor; this book has found a permanent place alongside the likes of Anne Rice and Laurell K Hamilton." - Rating 5, Jillean, Once Upon a Romance.

Author Bio: Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy. Marie Treanor has published more than twenty ebooks with small presses, (Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Changeling Press and The Wild Rose Press), including a former Kindle bestseller, Killing Joe. Blood on Silk: an Awakened by Blood novel, was her New York debut with NAL. In the Awakened by Blood series, Marie is delighted to be able to bring together her long-standing loves of vampire stories and Gothic romance. Website: www.MarieTreanor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Treanor-Paranormal-Romance/105866982782360.

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marietreanornewsletter.

Blog: Marie Treanor's Romantic Theme Party:

http://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/

The Real Dracula! Guest Post By Marie Treanor

As we approach Halloween, how many children (or adults!) are planning to dress up as Count Dracula? The very name inspires a delicious shiver of fear, and speaking as a long time vampire fan, I'm all for people dressing up as the undead Count :). But who was the original owner of the name, and why are we still so obsessed with him?

Well, we know that Bram Stoker took the name of his most enduring villain, Count Dracula, together with some of his heroic history, from the fifteenth century prince, Vlad Dracula, aka Vlad the Impaler. So, in honour of Halloween, I've gathered a few FAQs about the real Dracula!

1. Was he a vampire?

No! He was the ruling prince of Wallachia, now part of modern Romania. Bram Stoker took his nickname and some of his history for his own creation, Count Dracula. Before then, no one had ever accused him of vampirism!

2. When was he born and when did he die?

He was born around 1431, and died in 1476.

3. Did he really have a connection with Transylvania?

Yes. Although it belonged to Hungary at the time, the princes of Wallachia traditionally owned several towns there. However, he was never ruler of Transylvania.

4. When did he rule?

He had three turbulent reigns: the first in 1448 when he was a teenager - with Turkish help, he seized the throne and lost it again within weeks. In 1556, he returned, killed the previous incumbent who was responsible for the murder of his father and brother, and ruled until the Ottoman invasion of 1462 replaced him with his younger brother, an Ottoman puppet. His final reign was in 1476, until he was killed within months by a rival claimant to the throne.

5. Why was he given the nickname, Dracula?

"Dracul" can mean "Devil" in Romanian, and some say he earned the title through the atrocities he committed. However "dracul" can also mean "dragon"; so Vlad's nickname is more probably to do with the chivalric Order of the Dragon bestowed by the Holy Roman Emperor on his father (also a Vlad) who was thereafter known as Vlad Dracul.  Young Vlad also received the honour and was known as Vlad Dracula, Son of the Dragon. It was clearly a name he was proud of since he signed several documents “Vlad Dracula”.

6. Why was he called the Imapler?

This was a nickname given him by the Turks, "Lord Impaler" because of his penchant for this form of punishment. The worst case in terms of numbers was when he displayed a "forest" of the impaled" outside his capital city of Tirgoviste, which scared the Sultan's invading army into retreat.

Impalement, vile as it is, was not a particularly rare form of execution in this period or in this area, being practiced by both Christians and Ottomans.

7. Was he the cruel, psychotic tyrant of legend?

According to many pamphlets and books of the time, yes he was. But according to the folk memory of his own people, he was a hero who defended his country from Turkish invasion, and prevented the Sultan's forces stealing Wallachian children to become janissaries.

In fact, the worst of the horror stories - which are clearly exaggerated as to numbers if nothing else - came from the German towns of Transylvania which rebelled against him and paid the price, and from the Hungarians who imprisoned him on false charges for twelve years.

So... a gentle man? Probably not!

A tyrant? Probably! It was more or less expected of princes of the period, but he always ruled with the agreement of his "boyars" (noblemen).

Cruel and psychotic? I doubt he was crueler than other rulers of a period when Machiavelli advised that it was better for a prince to be feared than loved. He seems to have been rigid and strict in dispensing justice, but a psycho hell-bent on torture and killing at the expense of the prosperity of his country? It doesn't fit with the way the people rallied to him to fight the Turks, and helped him escape when the war was lost. Or with the fact that no one assassinated him when he was at his weakest. Like the real king Macbeth in Scotland, I very much doubt that Vlad Dracula was a hated man in his own country.


So, who would you prefer to run into on a dark Halloween night? Vlad Dracula the prince, or Stoker's vampire? Just askin’. :) 

My Thoughts: 
I have to say, the more I blog the more surprised I seem to get with each book I read.  I really lived a very sheltered life within my world of books, I usually didn't go outside of my favorite authors and was quite happy to stay there, and then one day I finished the book I was reading and went to my shelf to get another and low and behold every obsessed readers nightmare.........my shelf was empty lol.  I didn't have anymore books to read. So I said to myself "Away to the Internet to see if one of my favorite authors has released anything new for me to buy".  So off I go to the Sony ebook store and found some good books and happened to look at one of the reviews, which took me to the Goodreads website, which got me talking to some bloggers which brought me to having my own blog, which totally got me reading way outside of anything I usually read. 


I have to say I have never been so happy. I would not have had the absolute privilege of a lot of very amazing authors.  So here I am blogging as part of a book tour for Bewitching Book Tours and again I have found another amazing series that I am proud to recommend.  So now that I have babbled on about my journey to this point lol (sorry lol) I will share my thoughts on this wonderful series.  


Since I have read all three books, I am going to review as a whole set instead of individually :) 
So to start with, we have two main characters which absolutely drew me right into their story, you can the pull and attraction they are fighting, especially since they are meant to kill each other. Marie does an incredible job at making you FEEL the attraction they have for each other. In the second book you see Saloman and him being so stubborn in not sharing his feelings for Elizabeth, and she keeps denying him, but also her loyalty of her feeling for Saloman, and so it carries on to the third book as Elizabeth gets somewhat obsessed with Saloman.  It truly is a great love story you wont want to miss out on.  


All three books are superbly well written, I was hooked from book one and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to get to book two, well if I wasn't hooked from the first book I was with the second and on to book three I went, I love Marie's writing style, it just flows so smoothly, she takes you right into their worlds with such description I almost felt like I was right there.  The whole story is such a refreshing new story line and so exciting from page one to the end and into the next book and then the third, my advice is to make sure you have all three books when you start reading or you will find your self at the book store minutes before it closes to get the next one.  


Now if I say anymore I will be giving away and spoil the story for you all and we all know how much I hate doing that to anyone, so I will be finished now and just say, go to the store now or online and order your set of this amazing series, I cannot wait for the next book.  Enjoy everyone, I know I did. :)