The Lure of the Vampire Guest Post and Giveaway with Rosalie Lario

The Lure of the Vampire

Guest Post by Rosalie Lario

What is it about vampires that makes them so alluring? Clearly I’m not the only one who thinks so, given the vampire craze that’s affected our society for the past several years. But my own personal obsession with vampires started much earlier, when I was a preteen and first read Anne Rice. I loved the mysticism and the emotional drama behind the vampire world she created, and my love for vampires only grew as I become acquainted with other portrayals of them. Who could forget Joss Whedon’s vampires in Buffy the Vampire Slayer? That, for me, went further than any other vampire story before in romanticizing the vampire. Buffy and Spike’s love-hate relationship will forever go down in the books as one of my favorite stories.

Given my love for vampires, it’s no surprise that I’ve included them in the paranormal world I created with my Demons of Infernum series. With a twist, that is. J

In my world, there are multiple dimensions with portals allowing for travel between them, and as a result a lot of nonhuman species live here on Earth. Vampires are one of these interdimensional species. They are born creatures who subsist off the blood of others, but they can also create other vampires through a blood exchange. Vampires are a very sexual species, and grown vampires often associate feeding with sex.

Mark of the Sylph (Book 2 in the series), stars half-demon Taeg and his heroine, Maya. One of Taeg’s associates is a made-vampire called Elain, and much to Maya’s dismay, she demands blood as payment for the information she provides. Here’s a little snippet from that story:

“You know, we never did settle the matter of payment for my services.”

Taeg’s heart dropped when she tapped a forefinger across her lips as if considering what she should ask for. Oh damn, this wasn’t going to be good.

“Is she part of my payment?” Elain finally asked, tilting her head as she looked over at Maya.

Taeg could practically feel Maya recoil at those words. “She’s off limits. As I said, she’s only here to help me.”

“Very well.” From the way Elain’s lips curved, he could tell she wasn’t at all bothered by that. “So, the usual then?”

The insinuation behind those words was deliberate, and by the sour-lemon look on Maya’s face, she’d picked up on it. He opened his mouth to make it clear Elain wasn’t talking about sex. But then he recalled Maya’s words at dinner. Her rejection of him earlier by the car. She’d made it clear a million ways from Sunday she didn’t want anything to do with him like that. Worse, he’d told himself time and time again that it was for the best. He and Maya were wrong for each other in so many ways.

If she thought he was going to sleep with Elain, why disabuse her of the notion? And if it made her jealous, well, that wasn’t his fault, was it?

“Yeah,” he said, turning to face Elain. “The usual.”

Half-demon Taeg is desperate to free his pregnant sister-in-law, who is spellbound to an indestructible book that will create an army of the undead. He is convinced that an ancient sword can destroy the book and the spell forever, but this relic has been hidden for a millennia by a powerful glamour. The clock begins to run out on his search when an old rival goes after the book and Taeg’s family in his quest for revenge.

Librarian Maya Flores has a secret: she’s immune to magic and is well aware of the supernatural beings prowling the streets of New York City. Haunted by a brutal demon attack that took her family, she is on a one-woman mission to destroy the evil demons who did it—and any others who get in her way.

Maya is Taeg’s best hope for uncovering the sword. Unfortunately, she wants nothing more than to kill him. As he fights for her trust and to save his family, she is forced to face the truth that not all demons are evil. And the worst part? She might be falling in love with one, too.

I’d love to offer an ecopy of Mark of the Sylph to one person who responds to the following question: What’s your favorite vampire story?

Find out more about Mark of the Sylph at http://www.entangledpublishing.com/mark-of-the-sylph/ or at my website www.rosalielario.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rosalie Lario practiced real estate law for several years before finally admitting to herself that negotiating contracts wasn’t nearly as fun as dreaming up stories. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son in their home state of Florida, as well as searching out things that go bump in the night. 

Follow her on: Website | Twitter | Facebook