Book Blitz & Excerpt: Rise of the Hunter, by Barb Jones

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Vampires and werewolves and witches, oh my!

Happy publication day and congratulations to author Barb Jones on the release of Rise of the Hunter. Read on for more details!

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Rise of the Hunter
Of the Dark Prophecy series
By Barb Jones
Publication Date: June 15, 2023
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy/ Supernatural Horror

🩸Deadly Romance
🩸Life-Draining Curse
🩸Prophecy
🩸Morally Gray Characters
🩸Dark Magic
🩸Deadly Creatures
🩸Multi POVs

EVIL DOES NOT DIE. IT SEEKS VENGEANCE.

The queen and her friends threw me into the dark pit three years ago, and I sought a way out, having used the power and life force of the others who were also thrown in. Today, I am free and planning my vengeance against her and the others.

In a supernatural world filled with vampires, werewolves, witches, demons, and angels, I will have my revenge against them. I am the epitome of evil and didn’t die like they thought. There’s a third prophecy with a nice little catch! This prophecy is meant for me; my revenge will turn the tables on the queen and her friends. I will turn them all against her, and according to the prophecy, the avenging angel be mine. Forever. As for the others, they will serve me.

It’s time for me to rise, beginning with the birth of a new hunter, new demons, and an angel that will be mine. Vengeance against the queen will be mine.

Rise of the Hunter is the fourth book in the Blood Prophecy series and is the first book of a new trilogy for the Tall Dark Man. It is full of dark magic and vengeance with a twist of good vs. evil but will good win this time? This supernatural book is set in the modern-day world between supernaturals to control the world and unleash evil as the world prepares for peace.


Excerpt

The Tall Dark Man called forth his witches of great power. He called upon their spirits, regardless of flesh and blood. He owned their souls, and because of that, they lived to serve only him. Thirteen powerful witches stood before him. His coven. Tapping his right fingers on the stone armrest of his throne, his left hand cradled his chin. His chin, left crooked from falling in the pit, never straightened and distorted his face. As he looked over towards his coven of dark witches, he watched them as they bowed in reverence to him.

“My coven. I call upon you to create an army of demons from that stone. It is the oldest stone and can be bent to obey my will. Create this army using that stone as it holds the strongest and hottest fire in the world. It is a volcano fire. Give this army strength, cunning, and power, for it will have to rise against the queen, the angel Zaraquel, and the witch. This army can’t be destroyed except by one word. I will give you that word when it is time.”

The witches stood whispering in front of him. One of them dared to speak.

“And what names shall we give these demons? To know one’s name is to command it.”

“When the demons are ready, I shall name them myself. This way, there is only one master. Do you remember Krieg, the Stone Demon? These need to be even more vicious. Krieg was the perfect Stone Demon, but a vampire and his witch wife destroyed him. Raise my army or suffer my wrath. When you have succeeded, I have more tasks for you in the days ahead.”

The same outspoken witch came to the Tall Dark Man and bowed to him. “Yes, lord. Your wish is our command.”

He saw all the witches standing before him, bow in servitude, and retreat to create his army. However, the Tall Dark Man summoned one witch back to him. She was a dark-skinned woman, and he admired her beauty. She was one of his favorites because, despite her physical age, he ensured her youth and beauty. The witch would lie with many men and bear their children, instructing all of them about dark magic, and causing speculations during the trials. He saved her after her time in jail by replacing her with a demon molded into her image. The Tall Dark Man wasn’t about to let anything happen to his witch after the Salem Trials. Not as strong as his sweet Elizabeth Hexham… Her loins bore him many demon sons and daughters.

She asked, “Will we create stone demons, or will there be more?”

The Tall Dark Man smiled and shifted his position on his throne. Motioning her to come forward, he grabbed her breasts and titillated them, stimulating her body in response to him. He watched her close her eyes and sway her hips, spreading herself open to him. His witches knew his needs and when to service him. This was one of those times… He grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, her back arched.

“You, my sweet Tituba, shall give birth to a hunter. A hunter whose only purpose is to kill the queen and bring me the avenging angel. He will rise from your womb. He will kill the queen and her pets and bring their lifeless bodies to me so that the coven can raise them from the dead and command them to serve me. Only the angel will be left alone.”

Tituba nodded and replied, “I am honored, master. Will this hunter succeed? The last failed miserably, and you were in a terrible rage of anger.”

Scratching his chin, he thought for a moment and answered her. “Yes, because through him, all the demons and beings that serve me will follow his command while he is on his mission. He won’t be alone. Be calm. I won’t make that mistake again. Now, concentrate on something else, my sweet.” Then, he covered her with his body and implanted his seed into her womb.

Available Here


About the Author

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Barb Jones is an award-winning supernatural thriller/horror author, living in Florida. While she is an accomplished IT professional by day, she fulfills her passion for writing supernatural thrillers by night. Born and raised in Hawaii, Barb deeply connects to legends, the supernatural, and all things that go bump into night. Her Hawaiian heritage plays a significant part in a lot of her writing. Her family roots return to Ancient Hawaii, involving a royal lineage and being descended from a long line of kahunas.

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Cover Reveal: Dark Fate, by Karley Stafford

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Title: Dark Fate
Author: Karley Stafford
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: Aug 24, 2022
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
Pages: 350 (approx.)
Format: Paperback | Ebook | KU

Synopsis:

I am the alpha’s daughter, the alpha apparent, heir to our pack. A position I never wanted. I wish I could relinquish it to Cole, my shadow and second. But my father would be devastated, and the pack would surely ostracize me.

My world goes to hell when my father makes a deal with the Cavell Wolves, known widely for their cruelty. The deal in which I will marry Jasper, the heir to the savage northern pack. The last thing I need is a male to be by my side to become the Alpha my father raised me to be. What he doesn’t know, I’m already in love with a witch whom I would burn the world down for.

After a night gone wrong, betrayed by someone I trust, I find myself at the mercy of Marrock, my heinous father-in-law-to-be. Learning first hand of the atrocities he’s willing to commit to get what he wants. But I will not let him break my spirit.

For the month of April, you can pre-order Dark Fate – A Shifter’s Fury for 0.99$

Author Bio:

Karley Stafford_AuthorPhotoDebut Novel – 2022

Karley Stafford is a busy bee who decided she wanted to add to her real-life never-ending story of constant tasks and dabble in the art of becoming an author. She is an advocate for mental health and writing has allowed her a healthy tool to heal.

Aside from her full-time career and her new venture as a wordsmith, full-time student, she also runs two companies; Literary Bound Tours (Co-owner) & Venom & Villainy where she curates designs to satisfy the dark & bookish hearts.

Karley lives in Canada, as a single mom. Her family unit is whole with their two dogs Rogue & Kylo. She is a self-proclaimed ginormous nerd who loves anything and everything magical.

SOCIAL LINKS:

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LITERARY BOUND TOURS IG: @literaryboundtours

Spotlight & Excerpt: The Realm of the Vampire Council + Giveaway

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The Vampire’s Angel
The Realm of the Vampire Council Book 1
by Damian Serbu
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance, Dark Urban Fantasy

 

As Paris devolves into chaos amidst the French Revolution, three lives intertwine.
 
Xavier, a devout priest, struggles to hold on to his trust in humanity only to find his own faith threatened with the longing he finds for a mysterious American visitor. Thomas fights against the Catholic Church to win Xavier’s heart, but hiding his undead nature will threaten the love he longs to find with this abbé. Xavier’s sister, Catherine, works with Thomas to bring them together while protecting the family fortune but falls prey herself to evil forces.
 
The death, peril, and catastrophes of a revolution collide with a world of magic, vampires, and personal demons as Xavier, Thomas, and Catherine fight to find peace and love amidst the destruction.
 
 
Thomas walked back to Paris after Anne pushed him out the door. Of course she was right. If he planned on eternity with Xavier, waiting for even a couple of years meant little. The only risk was Xavier’s mortal safety, but Thomas could protect him.
Still, he hated that Xavier fought his true nature, and despite the peace within him, his passion against the church intensified. Against his better judgment (he heard Anthony scolding him in his head), he headed for the Seine and the glorious Notre Dame Cathedral. It took no effort to locate the bishop. He scaled a wall, opened a window, and seated himself on the end of a bed. The figure at its head slept soundly so Thomas wiggled the mattress.
The man woke and screamed in terror. With superhuman haste, Thomas covered his mouth and ordered him to stop. “I won’t kill you if you obey,” he said. He let go of the bishop, who cowered under his sheet.
“We need to chat.” Thomas got up and walked around, taking in the room’s opulence: the expensive furniture, the ornate china left from dinner, the silk vestments, all the finery that one would find in the homes of Paris’s elite. He compared it to the sparse conditions of Xavier’s room: the blank walls and broken desk. Thomas ran his hand along the crucifix, mocking its inability to protect the allegedly holy man. After a grand pause, he turned back to the bishop.
“I know I woke you and it’s late, but I didn’t think that you’d accept my request for a visit.”
“What do you want? Take anything.” The bishop’s voice shook.
“Do I look like a common thief?” Thomas waved his hand at his own expensive clothing. “You and I have other business.” He took a seat on the bed next to the quivering man and ran his fingers along the wrinkled cheek, delighting in the bishop’s terror.
“It’s about a mutual friend. But I warn you, our friend has no idea I’m doing this. If you utter one word to him, I’ll break your neck. The same will happen if you speak of this to any other soul or seek retribution. Agreed?”
The man nodded, hands trembling on the sheet.
“I need you to write a letter of retraction regarding the things you’ve said about Abbé Saint-Laurent. You must admit you were incorrect and commend him for his fine work.”
“He defies the laws of the church.”
“That’s not why you harass him,” Thomas said, leaning forward, tone dangerous. “I couldn’t understand it before I saw you. Why would someone insult a priest who serves a parish few others would even enter? You tried to seduce Xavier and he rebuked you.”
The bishop’s pallor faded even more at Thomas’s words. “I don’t know what—”
Thomas nestled up to the man, put his face nearby, and massaged his leg. Though Thomas glared, the bishop refused to look at him. Thomas blew into his ear and then grabbed his genitals.
After a second, he released them and jumped off the bed. “Still want to deny it, Father?”
By now, the bishop was weeping as he shivered. Thomas marched to a desk, snatched a parchment, and thrust it at him. The bishop obeyed every command. He wrote three letters: one for his official files, one to the Vatican, and one to Xavier, apologizing for his mistaken condemnations and instead praising the young priest for exemplary service. Thomas took them when he had finished, sealed them with the bishop’s emblem, and slid them into his coat pocket.
“You have what you want. Leave me,” the bishop said.
“Do you understand what I mean to do if this isn’t the end of it?”
“Go away. You’ve won.”
Unconvinced that the bishop grasped the severity of his threat, Thomas grabbed the foot of the bed and broke it from its hinges. The mattress crashed to the floor and the bishop rolled to Thomas’s feet. He cried and quaked anew. Thomas reached with a swift motion and broke the man’s little finger. As the man howled in pain, Thomas smashed through the window and jumped two stories to the ground.
Now, to celebrate. Time for a kill.
As usual, people crowded the bars and drank, gambled, had public sex, and railed against Louis. The tawdry scene would produce a worthy victim or two. Thomas entered an establishment and took a seat. Nothing unusual caught his eye. No one longed for his fangs to end an unseemly life, until he heard a familiar voice. He turned, slowly, and saw Marcel seated nearby and talking to the likes of whom Thomas never wanted to even touch. They stank of men hired for dirty, illicit, and violent tasks.
There was a group of worthy victims. He could kill all of them, including Marcel, and rid himself of a major problem. Then Thomas remembered those damn ethical guidelines Anthony pronounced: never meddle in human affairs. Killing Marcel, even in a vial setting, violated that principle. And he had already gone too far in violating the ethic with his visit to Notre Dame. But that logic seemed faulty, until he recalled his conversation with Marcel. What if the demon placed some spell on Xavier to protect himself if Thomas came after him? Was such a thing possible? Thomas had no idea what to do.
Frustrated, Thomas listened.
“You’re fine gentlemen, as always,” Marcel was saying. “I hardly believe you dispatched that customer so fast and without a mess. I appreciate your efforts on my behalf—”
“Enough talk, old man, get to the point,” said one of the men. His breath hit Thomas from two tables away, stinking of tobacco, rum, and a gross assortment of decay.
“Don’t take that tone with me. I have a spying assignment, to watch two men. I need to know their patterns, their friends, and their beliefs. Discover any weaknesses, any material for blackmail, anything they conceal. Try to find out where they keep their money and when they sleep. I must know anything and everything about both of them. Monitor the two Saint-Laurents. One of you watch Michel, the other take Xavier.”
“How long do you want us to do this? It’ll cost you,” the other added.
“I’m well aware of your prices, and believe me, this is worth the cost. I’ll expect a weekly report. One more thing. Never go near their sister. When they visit her, walk away.”
Marcel described Michel and told them where to find him and Thomas pictured the route to Xavier’s church as Marcel gave it to the other man, depicting him, as well.
Thomas let Marcel leave, against his better judgment, as the rules haunted him and his magic concerned him. He followed the other two, however. He sensed enough to know that killing them would not violate the ethic, at least not as much as if he had gone after Marcel. These two had never met anyone from the family, so Thomas decided they stood outside the ethic’s prohibitions. They walked a few blocks, singing drunken songs, proud of Marcel’s coins and then entered a salon with rooms for rent. Thomas stayed close behind when they entered their room. He waited a few seconds and then burst in as they counted their money.
In a complete fury, he first grabbed the one intended to spy on Xavier. He almost failed to notice the terror on his face as he crushed the man’s skull between his hands. He paused as the cranium crunched like a seashell and gore exploded all over the room. He dropped the corpse and swore under his breath. He’d waited too long. The second man had escaped the room, and his screaming brought other patrons into the hall to see about the commotion. Thomas kicked the dead body before he swiftly went into the hall and vacated the building. He could not risk going after the remaining man as he stood among all these onlookers. Instead, he went to feed, once again hungry for blood after several nights of depriving himself.

 

The Vampire’s Quest
The Realm of the Vampire Council Book 2

 

The Vampire’s Quest brings back the beloved gay vampires, Xavier and Thomas, in the anticipated sequel to The Vampire’s Angel.
 
In 1822, the Archangel St. Michel orders Xavier to go on a quest to America, a quest that violates the Vampire Council’s laws to the point of a possible death sentence. Worse, Xavier must abandon his lover, Thomas. Xavier runs to his aging sister and pleads for Catherine’s help as Thomas races after them. With Thomas and the Vampire Council vying for Xavier’s soul, Xavier and Catherine struggle to obey the former priest’s divine calling before their inevitable capture.
 
 

 

The Vampire’s Protege
A Realm of the Vampire Council Novel

 

A sinister vampire offers Charon a choice he can’t refuse: play a deadly game of winner takes all, losers die.
 
Charon relishes the competition and molds himself into a sexy vampire who defies vampire law, savoring his power and embracing the role of villain. He also loves surrounding himself with hot young men. But when an alluring vampire stalks him and threatens to turn him into the Vampire Council unless he helps with a seemingly impossible task, will Charon risk his perfectly narcissistic life on the challenge? Does he have any other choice?
 
 

 

The Bachmann Family Secret
A Realm of the Vampire Council Companion Novel

 

Jaret Bachmann travels with his family to his beloved grandfather’s funeral with a heavy heart and, more troubling, premonitions of something evil lurking at the Bachmann ancestral home. But no one believes that he sees ghosts.
 
Grappling with his sexuality, a ghost that wants him out of the way, and the loss of his grandfather, Jaret must protect his family and come to terms with powers hidden deep within himself.
 
 

 

The Vampire’s Witch
The Realm of the Vampire Council Book 3

 

The Vampire’s Witch welcomes readers back to the world of vampires, witches, and magic.

Jaret Bachmann’s life spins out of control after a handsome stranger saves him from an attack along the bike path on Lakeshore Drive. His estranged high school sweetheart stalks him, the enraged ghost of his ancestor destroys his family, and his bike path savior-cum-lover abandons him after learning Jaret is a powerful witch, all of it sending Jaret into deep depression. Struggling to find his way afterward, Jaret searches for comfort in the unlikely friendship of a secret vampire community.

Xavier, Thomas, Anthony, and Catherine return in this, the third book in The Realm of the Vampire Council series and a sequel to The Bachmann Family Secret. Over time, Jaret’s friendship with the vampires strengthens and he forges a new family connection with Xavier, Thomas, and Catherine.  But he and Anthony are estranged and though their souls are entwined, there hearts are another matter.

 

Damian Serbu lives in the Chicago area with his husband and two dogs, Akasha and Chewbacca. The dogs control his life, tell him what to write, and threaten to eat him in the middle of the night if he disobeys. He has published several gay horror/romance/humorous books with NineStar Press. Keep up to date with him on Facebook, Twitter, or at www.DamianSerbu.com.
 
 

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
 
$15 Amazon giftcard,
ebook copy of Santa’s Kinky Elf, Simon
– 1 winner each

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