Up 'Til Dawn Book Blog: Release Blitz: Immortal Reckoning by Tara Fox Hall

IMMORTAL RECKONING

Tara Fox Hall

Series: Promise Me Series Book 18 (Origin Story)
Genre: Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Romance
Publisher: Melange Books
Publication Date: February 27, 2018

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Through the love and loss of the ages, immortality brings only one certainty: vengeance.

Disinherited and poverty stricken, bastard Danial clutches at the slim chance to earn a living as a guard, until a night attack leaves both him and his half-brother Devlin vampires. After finding true love with the aristocrat Lacey, Danial comes to the attention of James, the devious Vampire Lord of France. Enslaved by James, his love murdered, Danial plots to escape, his complex plan of years finally succeeding only to result in all of Europe’s demonic forces on the hunt for him.

After a reunion and subsequent falling out with Devlin, Danial travels to the new world of America in pursuit of a new life. Settling in the west, Danial forms alliances with native vampire Valerian and the witch Cheyenne to survive a game of cat and mouse with Devlin and protect his new love Kathryn amid his rapidly changing world. Triumphant yet nursing a broken heart, an undeterred Danial protects his friends and thwarts his enemies, determined to find a life of peace…until unexpected news comes of James’s presence, the one man on whom Danial has waited centuries to get revenge.

About the Series: In the Promise Me series, Sarelle, a mortal woman, encounters a wounded (and sexy and handsome) vampire, Danial. Without knowing who he really is (a murderer for hire, for one), Sarelle begins a romantic relationship with him a little too fast. Interestingly, Sarelle also finds herself attracted to Danial's best friend, the werecougar, Theo. What will happen to Sarelle's relationship with Danial? Where does Theo fit in? Amidst new obstacles and relationship problems, Sarelle has to decide where her future lies.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo

Book Tour Schedule

Follow the Tour: March 1 - 21, 2018

Visit each tour stop daily and discover more features, excerpts, reviews, interviews, fun facts and more!

To check the latest tour schedule, visit the Immortal Reckoning Book Page at Book Unleashed.

Excerpt

“Begin,” James called.

Simon launched himself at me, his shriek of anger startling. I evaded him, stepping to the side. He did this twice more, then cursed me. “Coward.”

“Fighting means you have to actually strike a blow, not just avoid them!” Cannibal called out, then laughed.

I ignored their jests, focusing on Simon. He was clumsy in his attempts thus far. He’s ruled for fifty years, yet he’s acting as if he’s never done this before. I did a few feints, and then threw some light punches, watching to see what he would do. Simon evaded my punches easily with his superior speed, but he acted on all my feints, several times exposing his flesh, which I slashed to ribbons. But his skin knitted together almost as fast as I parted it.

I must put him down, get him still to decapitate him, but how? Cutting will not work. I feinted again, and this time he didn’t react, he instead slashed at me, opening my side with his talons. I backed off, staggering. But my flesh also knitted together supernaturally fast. An effect of the goblin blood?

“Stop dancing and embrace the battle,” Dealer shouted.

At the word “embrace,” an idea finally entered my mind. I prepared to feint again, and Simon eagerly went for me, to slash open my side. But this time I anticipated him, stepping in close to knee him with all my strength in the groin. He dropped like a stone with a grunt. I kneeled and took out my knife, to decapitate him.

“No knives, Danial,” James called.

Simon reached out with a trembling hand, his pained expression melting to rage as his eyes became full red. “You dare…bastard…”

I fell upon him, and began blindly tearing with my talons in desperation. Simon let out a screech, then grabbed my wrists, his talons digging into my skin. “I’m going to skin you.”

I lunged forward with my fangs bared, and connected with his throat. I bit down, and began drinking, feeling him ripping at my wrists. But I was dug in like a tick, and I continued to drink, even as the pain intensified as if my arms were being cut to the bone. Simon began to shake, but I didn’t stop drinking. Even when he relaxed with a sigh, I kept drinking.

It was Dealer who finally tapped my shoulder. “It’s done,” he said. “You’ve won.”

I took one last pull from the vein, noticing that the blood flow had slackened considerably. Then I stood, amazed that that it was not with more effort. But my skin, though streaked with my own blood, was whole. My clothes, however were drenched in gore and shredded on the arms and chest.

“Bravo!” James said, clapping as he approached. He put his hands on my shoulders, then kissed me on both cheeks. “Welcome, my newest provincial lord.”

I wanted to belt him in his smiling mouth for making me kill a man I’d just met so brutally. But I stayed my urge, for Lacey’s sake. Control yourself. “Thank you.”

“Dealer, the remains are yours,” James said. “Remove them and Cannibal to home, then return for us.”

Cannibal strode up, his expression simple maniacal wickedness. “Congratulations, Danial. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Neither did I,” I said lightly, letting some of my anger show. “But I have always been a quick learner.”

Cannibal laughed. “That will serve you well in your new life.” He saluted. “Happy to be working with you.” Then he sauntered after Dealer, who was already pulling the body away. Both of them reached a spot a few yards distant, then they clasped hands and disappeared.

“You really did do a good job,” James said with a small degree of pride. “And Cannibal’s right, you’ll do well in your new role.”

I turned and faced him, livid. “No more games, James. I want honesty and preparation from now on, in all things. In return, I’ll do as I said I would.”

James snorted, then came toward me in a deliberate ominous walk that reminded me so much of Devlin that I took a step back. “You will do as you said you would, yes. And I will do what I said I would, make your lady a vampire. But this was necessary, Danial Dalcon.”

I drew a sharp intake of breath. “How do you know who I am?”

“I made it my business to know,” James said sharply, coming closer. “I don’t do what I did tonight lightly, Danial. But you were a good manager in life, as you said. You have courage and guts; you proved that tonight. Adaptation to strife, injustice, and life’s horrors are all a necessary part of longevity. But the most important quality for a vampire is resourcefulness, something you have in spades.”

Fun Facts

I have a huge ice phallus in the front yard. Someone (likely me) left the faucet open just the tiniest bit this past fall. My hubby discovered it a week ago, and I removed the frozen drip, which reached from the faucet to the ground. The more it melts, the more it resembles a well-endowed example of male anatomy.

I have been sewing catnip mats that I donate to a cat rescue; they sell these at booths at various events throughout the year. Instead of cutting these out one at a time, I got a whole roll of batting and yards of material and cut out fifty or so, to be efficient. But I haven’t had time to sew them. So I have cat mats piled in the tub (no luxurious soaks for a while now), and piled high enough on the dresser I can’t see the mirror.

I had two chairs in the room with the woodstove, so my hubby and I could sit together and enjoy the warmth. When the kittens arrived, we moved one chair into their room so they could sleep off the floor, and the dog bed that was in there into the woodstove room. So if my hubby and I want to enjoy warmth together now, I use a folding lawn chair.

I had a new hire a few weeks ago (I am a safety trainer at a machine plant) to whom I was showing safety videos of actual workplace injuries and accidents. After a few pics, he exclaimed, “These are gross!” I told him that he needed to be careful working, that we showed these videos because we’d had some bad accidents. He was quiet for a minute, then asked,” Has anyone ever quit after you showed them these videos?”

I was working on these facts so hard today that I was late to the movies, and ended up going to see The Greatest Showman in my pajama bottoms. Maybe I’ll start a trend, lol!

We rescued a puppy last January, and the rescue told us she would be a large dog, between 50-60lbs, maybe more. She stopped growing that April and weighs in at 30lbs, and is the smallest dog we ever owned.

Hubby just told me that we are missing 2 of 4 large spoons that we purchased as part of a silverware set when we first got married. Dishes break, glasses break, sure, but what the heck happened to our spoons? We still have all the forks and the knives!

I bought my new kittens about 25 different toys this summer. Their favorite things to play with are:

THE BOX: an Amazon cardboard box complete with brown packaging paper that we replace when it gets to clawed and bitten
Crumpled up scraps of paper they carry to THE BOX and stash inside.
Old, empty cat treat bags they take out of the recycling bin and hide inside THE BOX to gnaw on.

About Tara Fox Hall

Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, erotica, horror, suspense, action-adventure, children’s stories, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal fantasy Lash series, the paranormal romantic suspense Unhallowed Love series and the paranormal romantic drama Promise Me series. Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice. All of her published children’s stories to date are free reads on www.childrens-stories.net.

Tara Fox Hall's Email: tarafoxhall@gmail.com

Official website: http://www.tarafoxhall.com

Official blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5286654.Tara_Fox_Hall/blog