Happy Release Day!
Re-Release of
Books 1 & 2 of
The Gates Legacy Series
Huntedby Lorenz Font
Release Date: November 20, 2014
Published by The Writers Coffee Shop
Genre: FICTION / Romance / General / Paranormal
ISBN e-book: 978-1-61213-284-6
Available from:
Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH~~SUMMARY~~Book 1:
Hunted
Deep in the heart of New York City’s netherworld, a horrible disease is ravaging the vampire community. The VampireCouncil is on a crusade to obliterate those infected, and Harrow Gates is target Number One. The unwitting source of the plague, he suffers from the same nightmarish symptoms as his victims. The world he'd been thrust into was cold, cruel, and intent on eradicating him, and the legions of afflicted vampires he created with his bite.
A bounty hanging over his head, satisfying his hunger has become an enormous challenge for Harrow. The less he feeds, the more hideous and painful his lesions become. Constantly running for his life and learning new tricks to survive, Harrow is in no position to refuse when Pritchard Tack offers him a unique opportunity.
Pritchard not only gives Harrow a new beginning, but also a purpose and a chance to rectify the chaos he created in the vampire world. However, the multi-billionaire has an agenda of his own.
Jordan is a reluctant new vampire and a woman on a mission. After the demise of her family and her own transformation at the hands of Goran, the ruthless leader of the Vampire Council, her only focus is revenge. Constantly faced with one frustrating dead-end after another, a stroke of luck leads her to an underground facility that she suspects is the lair of the monster for whom she is looking.
Upon learning more about the truth behind the secret bunker, Jordan must fight against her growing feelings of friendship and concern for the facility’s inhabitants. One man in particular threatens to pull her heart away from her sworn mission. There is something behind Harrow’s dark lenses that unsettles the hardened female. Once again, she trembles and hungers for something other than red-stained revenge. Is love strong enough to override her hate-fueled thirst for vengeance?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRRY924x4YE&w=560&h=315]
*****************************************************************Excerpts - HUNTED
#1
The surprise attack rendered Harrow helpless on the ground with his arm locked to the joint, her knee resting on his neck in a chokehold.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” Jordan roared, her amber eyes blazing with unspoken fury. Harrow gritted his teeth as he tried to break from her hold. She was strong, he had to give her that, and she’d had the element of surprise on her side. Harrow felt his breath sputter when she pressed her knees harder. He wouldn’t dare strike a woman, but desperate situations called for extreme measures, so he did something he thought might work.
Mustering enough power despite the choking sensation spreading across his body, he moved his hand fast before she could react, and the ball of his palm smacked her right across her forehead in between her eyes. The loud crackle of bone meeting bone resonated in the room, and Jordan stumbled back, her knee releasing Harrow’s neck. With a quick acrobatic move, Harrow jumped to his feet. Jordan recovered at once and poised herself to attack.
They faced off, lips curling back to expose their fangs and their growls reverberating in the small room. They circled, moving from side to side, sizing each other up.
“You’re a lousy people-person,” Harrow said.
He inclined his head to get a better look at her. Eyes fixed on her, he absorbed all that he could as waves of anger rolled off her. She was a few inches shorter than he was, a tall woman with her flaming-red hair tied in a ponytail. Her amber eyes were blistering with fury as she glared at him, not hiding her distaste for his sudden appearance. She was stunning, with her soft features, freckles dusting her face, her small mouth, and full lips that peeled back to expose her fangs and perfect white teeth.
#2
Jordan backpedaled away from the vampire she believed to be infected with the disease that has been causing havoc in their world. Humans weren’t safe from the wrath of the disease either. Every single one who was bitten was guaranteed to catch it on contact.
She recognized the man she’d seen a few days before, but he seemed different now. He was emaciated still, but he cleaned up pretty well. Though his eyes were murky and disconcerting, she knew he could see her well with the way his head inclined while he watched her.
She saw the myriad emotions flicker in the man’s eyes when their gazes locked. If one’s eyes were the mirror to one’s soul, this man had everything out in the open for everyone to see. Pain, torture, mortification, loathing, weakness, and desire—and yet, he held his head high as he stood before her. A primal growl tore through him, and she jerked farther away. Repulsion was a natural reaction, but she felt another unusual emotion tug from within. No, it couldn’t be. Not pity or compassion. There was no room in her life for trivial emotions. She was a woman on a mission. The core reason for her existence was all that mattered.
#3
Harrow looked up at the sound of her footsteps, his eyes unfocused. His sunglasses were on the table, and his eyes were almost opaque in color when they settled on her. He sat up on the bed.
“Jordan, please go away.” He hissed and moved back when she approached. Her movement was slow and calculated. She was unwilling to startle him into action.
“Darling, I need to draw blood from you,” Jordan said, as if appeasing a crying child with sweet offerings.
His fangs were incredibly long. She wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but she thought she saw them throb right before her very eyes. It had been almost two weeks since he’d last fed, and it looked like he had reached his limit.
Harrow licked his dried, chapped lips and inched away from her. The lesions on his arms, legs, and around his neck were raw, almost glowing red and had grown bigger. He gritted his teeth as if to dispel the demons of his disease. Jordan was certain it had something to do with the burning pain from the wounds as well as the pang of hunger. Starvation was a tough opponent, because it would eat you up alive and spew out your carcass after it finished you off.
“Make it quick, because I’m trying hard here.” Harrow appeared bone tired, his tone weary as he held out his arm after he made sure she was wearing gloves. “Move fast,” he reminded her as he eyed her jugular. The pulsing clearly began to excite him.
“I know you won’t hurt me.” She kept her voice low and held his arm. He was burning hot, and she felt like her hands would melt on contact. Harrow rested his arm on his thigh as she tried to keep her hands steady.
Harrow drew in a deep breath before exhaling with a curse. “Hurry up, Jordan.”
Once she stuck the needle into his skin, Harrow hissed and began twitching again. After she filled the evacuated collection tube with blood, she pulled out the needle and applied a little pressure to the entry site with her finger before taping it up.
“Get out now!” he screamed. “Now!”
Before she stepped away, she held his gaze for a moment and whispered the words she’d been dying to tell him.
“I love you, Harrow.”
Time stood still as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Harrow’s breathing slowed, and his twitching ceased for just a moment. “I love you more,” he said. “But please, get out of this room now.”
He didn’t scream the order, he whispered it as if it was a last ditch effort before he turned savage. Jordan walked out the door, which Leroy held open for her. Her heart was aching, but at the same time, it was soaring. How could her heart sing and lament at the same time?
#4
“Jordan, for Christ’s sake, don’t look at me like that. Hell . . . I want you like I’ve never wanted anyone. But this isn’t happening.” Harrow pursed his lips, and she could imagine his internal battle. He touched her face, his thumb fingering the contour of her mouth. “If I have to cut off my hands to keep them from tearing your clothes apart, I will do it. I have nothing to give you but this damned disease. It’s not a gift I want to give to the woman I love.”
Jordan felt her desire evaporate under the blast of temper that flared inside her. How could he tell her he loved her when he hardly knew her? Hell, he wouldn’t even take her when she had all but thrown herself at him.
Jordan sprang away from him in one quick move, wrenching her trench coat across her body and walking away. She wanted to hide the hurt he’d inflicted on her and block the thrilling sensation of his hands on her skin from her memory.
“Love me? Damn you, Harrow,” she cried. She attempted to pick up her weapons, which no longer held the invincibility they’d once offered. Her feet were heavy underneath her, telling her that it was wrong to walk away.
Just like that, Harrow was next to her, gripping her elbow and turning her to face him. “Jordan, how can I make you understand?” Desperation was written all over his face.
“What am I not getting here, Harrow? It’s clear that you’re playing with me. You wanted to see how I’d react, didn’t you?” she screamed. Unable to stand still, she yanked her arm out of his grasp, torn between wanting to rip his clothes off and walking away.
“Look at me, Jordan,” Harrow ordered. When she didn’t look up, he asked again. “Please, look at me.”
She did, although her whole being was already geared to run away from him as fast as she could. He was quicksand, waiting to suck up her whole body and soul. If she wanted to salvage whatever was left of her pride and her heart, leaving was the smart thing to do.
“Look at me. As much as I want you, being with me will condemn you to a life of pain and suffering. If you hate where you are now, you have no idea how much worse it would feel to be in my shoes. I don’t want this for you, Jordan. Please believe me.”
#5
“Harrow, what’s going on?”
Jordan’s voice finally penetrated his clouded mind, and he righted himself. He eased his hold on her waist enough for her to stand on her own, not that she’d needed his help. He was the one who felt like he was going to crumble any time. Harrow didn’t let her go. He couldn’t. If sniffing her was the only thing he could do, he would inhale all of her like the dog he was.
“Y—you are so . . . beautiful.” He stumbled through his words. His eyes drank every single bit of her like she was a vintage wine, including the sediment, every little particle he could get.
Jordan let out a sigh of relief before she braced her hand against his chest. “I think you ought to look in the mirror. I have never seen a man as gorgeous as you are.”
That made him smile despite the boogie-woogie that was happening inside. He felt like a grand perv because he wanted to touch every single part of her body and dip his hand in between the mounds staring back at him, covered halfway by the off-shoulder knockout she wore.
“Jesus Christ, Jordan. You’re perfect.” He let his eyes linger on her bosom. Harrow did what he knew she’d allow him to do and ran his mouth along the side of her neck, skimming, touching close enough to taste. “Oh, Lord, you’ll be the death of me.”
Jordan seemed jazzed by the lavish attention. She arched her back, willing her body to meet his demands right that very minute.
Tormentedby Lorenz Font
Release Date: November 20, 2014
Published by The Writers Coffee Shop
Genre: FICTION / Romance / General / Paranormal
ISBN e-book: 978-1-61213-286-0
Available from:
Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH
~~SUMMARY~~
Book 2:
Tormented
Within the Tack Enterprises group of underground fighters, Tor Burns is one of the few non-infected vampires committed to saving his diseased comrades from the vicious clutches of the Vampire Council. He is the meanest, strongest and most impulsive member of the team. Having survived a vicious attack in their underground facility, he now has a new purpose: guard the irresistible daughter of their fallen leader no matter the price. Armed with an abrasive personality and fierce loyalty, Tor approaches this new responsibility with serious determination despite his reservations.
Infected and hunted by the Council, Allison Tack is unable to do as she pleases. A co-heir of the Tack fortune, this beautiful and timid vampire is guarded by those loyal to her father. A walking target wherever she goes, Allison wants to learn how to protect herself, but no one is listening. Sick of being the helpless one in the company of trained fighters around her, Allison vows to prove that she can fight alongside the best of them.
Meanwhile, the harem leader, Melissa, is hell-bent on unraveling any clue about her son Demetrius’ fate. He disappeared without a word, and time has made her desperate. Stepping up her efforts, she seeks the help of Demetrius’ son, Zane. With the additional manpower, Melissa finds the lair of the suspected vampires and wages war against them.
Thrown together by necessity, Tor and Allison can’t continue to deny their attraction to each other. Tor wants to give in to his feelings for her, but old demons resurface. Tormented by a dark secret, Tor must confront the past to prevent losing the best thing that ever happened to him.
A life must be given for a life taken. Will Tor have to sacrifice himself before Allison pays the price?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU4RWhCR_To]
Excerpts - TORMENTED
#1
Allison held onto his neck as tight as she could, and they both fell on the mattress, Tor landing on top of her. She didn’t let go, even though the weight of his body was heavy on her small frame.
“What the hell are you doing?” Tor shouted as he pushed himself up, but Allison locked her legs around his waist, trapping him.
“Doing what I want to do,” she answered and moved her mouth to his. She felt his breath catch in his throat, and a look of terror crossed his face. This reaction was not what she had hoped for, and his rejection hurt.
Tor moved his mouth away like she was offering him poison instead of herself. “You’re insane.” He held her shoulders with restraining fingers before he pushed her body away, despite her resistance. Her strength was no match against his, and he set her aside like a ragdoll, unwanted and rejected.
He stood, his dreadlocks falling over his shoulders. Looking at her with disgust, Tor’s nostrils flared before he stalked out the door, slamming it shut. The silence that followed was deafening. Allison was left stunned and unable to move, her eyes stinging with tears of humiliation.
What had she done?
#2
“Ally,” he whispered.
She jerked when he used her nickname. Tor had always been formal around her, so the last thing she expected was this show of tenderness. It sounded almost like a term of endearment, which only made her tears flow faster.
“Damn these tears!” Allison complained.
“There’s no shame in crying. Your feelings mean that you’re alive.”
This was a side of Tor she’d never seen before. Allison was certain she saw concern . . . and maybe something more. She’d give anything to get inside his mind, but she doubted he’d tell her what he was thinking even if she asked.
“Crying means I’m weak, too,” she whispered.
By this time, her body was drained of energy, and her sobs had become unstoppable. Allison went to her bed and laid down, facing the wall in an attempt to hide her face, even though she was too tired to care if Tor stood there and watched her. She was tired of it all.
“Do you want me to keep you company while you sleep?” he asked.
She thought about it. No matter how much her mind told her to say no, she nodded her head. “I want you . . . to hold me.” There it was, out in the open. Allison closed her eyes and waited.
She expected Tor to argue or, at the very least, to stomp out of the room. What he did was more than she had dared hope for. There was the dull thud of shoes being toed off, and then the bed dipped under his weight when he lowered himself beside her. Tor folded one arm around her shoulder and slid another under her waist. “Sleep, and I’ll be right here with you,” he whispered in her ear.
Allison took a deep breath and closed her eyes, unable to speak for fear of ruining the moment.
#3
Allison’s gaze never wavered. She saw the good man in Tor, just as she had since she’d first laid eyes on him.
“Allison, I want you so much. You have no idea how hard it is to say no to you. But I’m not the man you want to be with. I don’t have anything to offer you. I—”
“Stop! Don’t tell me who is right for me and who I have to live without. Let me decide what I want. If you don’t want to be with me, then be a big boy and tell me. But don’t ever tell me what to do.”
“I want you and want to be with you, but—”
“I don’t want to hear what comes after the ‘but.’ If you want me, then be with me. We’ll work through this together.”
“Come here,” he said, pulling her up onto her feet and cradling her on his lap. Tor snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Pressing his lips against her hair, he said. “Are you sure you want to ride the tide with me?”
“I’m an excellent swimmer. Didn’t I tell you that?”
#4
“A penny for your thoughts.” Allison snuggled closer, and her sweet scent drew him out of his silent ruminations.
“You.” Tor lied, not willing to drag her into his cesspool of thoughts.
“Liar.” Allison smiled and snuggled closer.
He slid his arm around her naked body and felt her body shudder. Ahh . . . the result was always good. Why were vampires attracted to scents like the moths to light? It was always her scent that drew him out, every single time.
“We’d better get ready. My five o’clock meeting was confirmed.” Despite her words, her hands were already gliding south, and Tor knew that her five o’clock would just have to wait.
With a huge grin, he sunk his face into her neck. She arched to give him full access. Delighted, he let his tongue glide over her creamy skin. Wherever this led them, the possibilities were endless. This was just a warm and eventful start to their evening.
#5
“Hey, what are you doing here?” Tor asked, walking closer. He reached out and touched her shoulder. Her muscles were tense and hard.
Allison pivoted, and her eyes gave her emotions away. Without answering, she launched a mean, right-handed slap across his face, and he staggered backward.
“That’s for leaving, you stupid, stupid man!”
For once in his life, Tor was out of wisecracks. He stared at her, stunned and at loss for words. Touching his cheek, he could still feel the sting. He’d screwed up.
“I’m sorry . . . I didn’t mean to leave just like that. I—I got a little carried away.” Tor had no idea how to do the whole apology thing, but he tried.
Allison shook her head. “Do you know how it feels to think I might lose you? I lost Daddy already. Please don’t put me through that kind of hell again.”
Her plea tore at his heart. He had forgotten to consider her feelings.
“Ally, I apologize . . .” He moved closer, aching to touch her.
“I don’t think I’d live if I lost you.” Allison closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Closing his eyes, Tor breathed in her scent and thanked his lucky stars he hadn’t blown his chance with her. “You won’t. I’ll be with you until you’re sick of me.”
“If you ever pull a number like that again, I swear I’ll kill you myself.”
Atta girl! That was the Allison he had come to love.
“I won’t give you a reason to get rid of me.” He tugged at her arm and directed her to the door. “I want to show you exactly how sorry I am. Let me make it up to you.”
Allison stopped walking and turned to face him, her eyes narrowing. “And how exactly are you going to do that?”
He waggled his eyebrows and grinned. “You’ll find out . . . in the bedroom.”
~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~
Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her vampire novels Hunted and Tormented, the first and second book of The Gates Legacy Series, Indivisible Line, a romantic thriller, Feather Light, an erotic romance and Pieces of Broken Time, a military romance.
Lorenz’s perfect day consists of writing and lounging on her garage couch, aka the office, with a glass of her favorite cabernet while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres, with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.
Lorenz lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between her full-time job and her busy writing schedule.
~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~
Guest postCan you tell us what drew you to write about vampires and have you created any new "legends" regarding the mythical creatures?
I’ve always been fascinated by vampire lore. I’ve read a few novels and seen some movies about them. I have to admit, there aren’t many new things we can write about vampires. It’s a monumental task to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. So what I have in The Gates Legacy series are your typical vampires. They bleed, they feed, they sport fangs and they are creatures of the dark. What set the series apart in my humble opinion—the plot, the story behind the character’s struggles, their hopes and how they try to coexist with humans. And I created a weapon unique to the story. If you would like to get a glimpse of the Kalimetal, check out the book cover.
My take on these popular creatures spun from a conversation with a friend. He asked me what would happen if a vampire contracted Aids.
I didn’t give an answer right away, but the question niggled at me. After a few days, I wrote the first chapter, but sat on it because I had other stories to write. After a few months, it got me thinking again. I’ve always fantasized about writing a novel, so I went ahead and took the first step in chasing my dream.
That’s when everything felt real and I began plotting the whole scenario about a diseased vampire. He is running from his own kind, who wants him dead. Or should I say, deader? To make things easier, I went ahead and conceived a new disease. The excitement built up as soon as he partnered with a multi-billionaire who wanted to find the cure. The element of ‘new’ is captured in the weapons they used, the spread of the disease, the introduction of a rare breed of vampire, and the creation of a believable protagonist.
There’s more to Hunted that would make you yearn to read the next installment, Tormented. The ending will leave you wanting to find out about the characters’ efforts to gain freedom from a tyrannical leader. Then there’s the most important element in every story that I write—the romantic aspect that will keep you rooting for the hero and the heroine.
Please watch for the third book in the series. Ascension will be releasing on January 8, 2015. This particular story promises more action and a bit of romance that will leave you reeling in the end. Ascension is followed by Reckoning, a continuation of the struggles of our main characters in the clutches of a new enemy. Reckoning will be released around June, 2015.
"Idea of these kind of vampires is really interesting and structure of this vampire race have so many possibilities.Praises for Hunted
I liked how there was so many amazing characters and you could fully get absorbed to minds of each of them." - Arabella, Goodreads Review
"What a great sequel and I'm just looking forward for a third book. I'm so intrigued to see what will come next. You will love this book if you like this genre it is just that good." - FS Meurinne, Goodreads Review
Lorenz is giving away a SWAG pack as well!
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