Happy Last Day of 2012!!!!
Today's Word-Slingers guest is my fellow Evernight author, Marie Medina, to celebrate her most recent release, Stand and Deliver, the first of three books in her Highwayman Series (the second and third books of which are coming out in January).
Author Info
Marie Medina was born in northern New England
and raised by her pale, mysterious godfather in a dark gothic mansion on the
edge of her small, sleepy town. He didn’t turn out to be a Bronte hero or a
vampire, as she thought when she was very young, but he is her best friend and
the standard by which she measures all her heroes (and suitors). She has been writing
since the age of eleven and has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Book Info
Blurb
Eloise thought being whisked to another dimension by a
handsome man would be a fantasy come true, but the gorgeous nobleman in
question can’t even make her come. As she tries to figure out how to free
herself of him, she begins to notice a masked man following her wherever she
goes.
Excerpt One
Eloise leaned forward to gaze
out of the carriage window. In the bright moonlight, she could see the
black-clad figure on his horse in the trees. Her fiancé seemed as unaware as
ever that they were being followed, as did his driver, and she had finally
decided that she didn’t mind this. The mysterious figure had begun to intrigue
her, to excite her even.
She had been in Melara for two
months. Once she’d been convinced that her trip through the enchanted portrait
in the museum was a one-way deal, she’d settled in well enough and had
eventually agreed to marry the handsome but rather empty-headed man who had
lured her to this strange world.
Her fascination with the
eighteenth century had led her to spending her lunch hours sitting in the
gallery devoted to that period. The recently acquired portrait of Theodore had
drawn her in not only because he was handsome but also because she often felt
the portrait was actually watching her. That had turned out to be one hundred
percent true. The portrait, in fact, served as a window for Theodore. And when
someone touched it with the desire of passing through in his or her heart …
well, it happened. At least, that was Theodore’s explanation. She had quickly
learned that anything complex—magic, science, or even arithmetic—was far beyond
his mental grasp. The portrait had been sent to her world as a gift from his
godmother. At the age of twenty-five, he had loudly and frequently told his
parents that local girls bored him and that he wanted to marry a girl from one
of the other worlds his people could glimpse through mirrors, portraits, and
bodies of water. Everyone had laughed until his godmother, a very powerful
sorceress, had promised that she could create a portal that would deliver him
such a bride.
And it had worked. Theodore’s
handsome face had enchanted her, and her fascination had led her to go against
all of her professional training and reach out to touch the canvas one day.
Having her hand snatched had been the last thing she’d expected, but within
seconds Theodore had grabbed her and pulled her through. She’d screamed and
struggled with him on the floor until her panic and shock had subsided. Then
he’d spent a month convincing her she was not crazy and that she was stuck
there.
She didn’t miss her old life,
yet every single day she wished Theodore’s godmother had gifted him with a few
other things on his past birthday. A brain topped her list, followed by
manners, class, and the ability to pay attention to things that were not shiny.
He could be sweet and charming, but only when it suited him, and apparently it
had only done so until the moment she agreed to his marriage proposal.
As she watched the stranger
slowly follow along beside them, she imagined him charging forward and halting
the carriage. She bit her lip as she imagined him jerking the door open and
pulling her into his arms before riding away with her. She didn’t know what he
looked like, as he wore a mask and scarf to cover his face all the time, but
Theodore had cured her of most of her shallowness. She didn’t want a handsome
man anymore. She wanted a man who could have a conversation that didn’t revolve
around himself. She yearned for someone to talk to and laugh with. And above
all else, she wanted a man who knew how to make a woman come. Looks be
damned—she wanted a lover and companion, not a handsome face to pay the bills.
“Dearest, what is it?” Theodore
asked.
Though she didn’t turn right
away, her eyebrows shot up. It simply wasn’t like him to notice much about
other people without a good reason. “The moon is so beautiful,” she said, her
eyes still fixed on the broad-shouldered stranger. “Are you sure it’s not the
same moon as in my world? It looks so similar.” She finally looked over at him.
“Your world is in another
dimension, pet. We’ve discussed this.” He sighed, sounding bored. “And we have
three moons, actually, but the other two are only visible a few times a year.”
He patted her leg briefly, seeming to think this would be a great comfort to
her. “I’d take you to your world every day if I could. You know that. But the
magic only works one way.”
“I wasn’t complaining, just
observing.” He always got like this when he was bored or not getting enough
attention. She felt like a babysitter some days. And she was beginning to
believe he actually knew very little about the physics of his own world, as he
couldn’t explain the relationship between her world and his in any more
specific way than he just had.
Turning back to the window, she
saw the man’s head cock in her direction. She felt as if he were looking right
into her eyes, and the need to know what color they were made her chest feel
tight. She drew in a deep breath and licked her lower lip, staring right back
at him. He did nothing. She sat back, suddenly feeling sulky. He had been
following her for over a month. Who was he, and what did he want? She saw him
almost every day, no matter who she was with. So, he had to be following her,
right? Or was he following every member of Theodore’s family because they were
rich and related to the king? Every time she tried to point him out to someone,
he managed to elude her, so she’d stopped trying because she’d grown tired of
people giving her confused and exasperated looks.
As Theodore began debating what
to wear for dinner, she reached for the curtain and pulled it back slightly.
This time, the man nodded at her. She moved forward to try to focus on him, but
then he spurred his horse and galloped away. Theodore didn’t notice this any
more than he noticed her ignoring his chatter.
“Theodore, do highwaymen ever
bother travelers?”
Theodore paused for so long she
began to wonder if he had understood the question.
“Theodore?”
He shook himself. “Highwaymen?
Oh, no, darling, no. No trouble at all.”
She did not believe him because
he sounded far too shaky and uncertain. Melara seemed quite crime-free to her,
but she wondered now if the nobility simply ignored such things until they
actually hit home with them. Since Theodore had pulled her through the portrait
and refused to let her out of his sight until she agreed not to run away, she
had been with him and his family constantly since her arrival.
The desire to escape the house alone and ride out to
meet her mysterious stranger became overwhelming as Theodore went back to
droning on about the color scheme he would adopt when they reached his aunt’s
house.
Excerpt Two
Adam watched Eloise closely.
They were in one of the bedrooms of the abandoned Trancy manor, which served as
Gerard’s home and headquarters. He had tied her, very loosely, to a chair with
silk scarves. She’d made no effort to free herself. The looks she’d given him
and the heaving of her breasts told him she was aroused, but he could tell she
was embarrassed by it and trying to fight it.
“You aren’t screaming or trying
to run away, my lady. I believe you’ve been looking forward to this meeting.”
She searched his eyes. “You’re
no ordinary highwayman. I know your voice. You must have been at one of
Theodore’s parties.”
Though he was glad she at least
knew his voice, it bruised his ego a bit she couldn’t properly place it.
“You’re right. I have only been a highwayman for a month. And there is only one
treasure I have wanted to steal.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
He walked over to her and
caressed her cheek, enjoying the feel of her trembling. “Yes.”
“There are easier ways to
attract a lady’s attention.”
He went down on one knee and
cupped her cheek more fully. “Like this?” He captured her lips, taking
advantage of her gasp to fully ravish her mouth. She stiffened, but he held
fast, and soon she melted in the embrace. She was breathless when he let her
go.
The game he was now playing
seemed to arouse her even more. “I believe I have your attention now.” He
dipped his head down to kiss her neck. Then lower. He tightened his grip on her
shoulder as his lips neared her breasts. Her heart pounded in her chest as his
lips caressed the tops of the soft mounds. “Are you frightened, my lady?”
“That is a trick question.”
He looked up at her. “Is it?”
“You’re very good at seduction,
but you’re also a kidnapper.” She took a labored breath. “And I’m a goddamned
fool for not wanting you to stop.”
He laughed, though he could see in her eyes that she
was a little afraid, despite her body’s reaction to him. “Perhaps, Eloise, your
heart knows you shouldn’t fear me. Don’t be angry at my little deception.” He
untied his mask and let it slip from his face.
And there you have it, the lovely and talented Marie Medina!
Don't forget to come back tomorrow for my annual New Years post and then on Thursday for the spotlight on Roni Loren!
thanks for having me!
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