Happy Valentine's Day from Susan Hanniford Crowley (Contest included)

 
A Valentine Special Contest and Guest Blog with Susan Hanniford Crowley

Why Do We Love Vampires? 

Why do we love vampires? It’s not the monstrous creatures we love. It’s the modern day, handsome, haunting, troubled, bad boy that we adore. (Whoa, Spike!) We love the redeemed, trying to make good, getting a soul back vampire too. (Ohh, Angel!)

There’s something about vampires that keep us spellbound. Their eyes, that haunt your heart. Their memories of centuries past. Their good looks and amazing abilities. Their fangs.

I dreamt about a vampire, and David Hilliard was created. David served in the 14th NY Infantry and was made a vampire during the Battle of Gettysburg. Though David talks about his time as a monster, he is now tall, dark and handsome and a very sophisticated New Yorker looking for a better life as a vampire and love in New York City.

David made his first appearance as a secondary character in When Love Survives, the story of Regina, a NYU student, half elf and half leprechaun, who meets a Gregor, finance advisor from the Twin Towers and shapeshifter, on that fateful day. David is one of the rescue workers working the night shift.

In The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, David asks God to take pity on his loneliness. His request is answered when he meets the tormented Telkhine Laura Cordelais. Laura has a lot of issues, things that have happened in her past, things about to happen, and a present fraught with misery--enough misery that she plummets from the Brooklyn Bridge into the East River.

Here’s an excerpt:

Laura struggled through the dark and burst through a great light. She gasped for

breath and it filled her. Warmth spread through her every part, then a surge of energy she didn't understand. Her heart beat. Differently. Odd. Different from any feeling she'd ever had. Her eyelashes fluttered and then in the dim light of a strange

windowless room, she saw a man's face.

His dark, curly hair framed his chiseled features. What struck her most were his dark, fathomless eyes. I can get lost in those eyes and never want to leave.

He smiled. She flushed.

I hope he can't hear what I'm thinking.

I can.

She sat up, smiling with embarrassment. "You pulled me out of the river?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." Laura trembled. "I don't understand. I was dying."

"You were very badly injured in the fall. I was going to take you to the hospital, but you said, 'No hospital.' That you'd keep trying to kill yourself." His jaw tightened.

"I couldn't bear the idea of your death. Please, forgive me, but I couldn't let you die."

He gazed deeply into her eyes. Laura moved her tongue inside her mouth and came across the fangs.

"Oh, my God!" She tried to sit up, but he pushed her gently down.

"Don't get up just yet. You're still healing."

"You made me a vampire?" Every tale she'd heard as a child in New Orleans rushed back to her. Vampires were monsters. "Now I'm a monster!" Anger flushed through her. How dare he make her this! He had no right. She seethed.

"No. You are not a monster. Neither am I. I gave you a life. It's your choice how you live it."

Then another emotion unexpectedly filled her, when she gazed up into his eyes. I couldn't bear the idea of your death. His tender words echoed in her entire being and soothed her broken heart, as if he'd kissed her lips without touching her. She looked at him with wonder, reached up and caressed the young beard on his chin. He smiled and she could see his fangs now. Strangely, she wasn't frightened.

"We must do the last part." He bit into his arm just inside the elbow and put it

against her mouth.

"No." She pushed his arm away.

"You need it to stop the hunger from possessing you. Just close your eyes and drink."

The blood oozed into her mouth, as he pressed his arm against her lips. At first, she choked and sputtered but then finally accepted it. Laura tried not to think about

what it really was. The warmth reminded her of ginger tea with a citrus tang.

"Since I am your sire, my blood will give you a balanced mind. You will not need to feed again until tonight."

After a few more minutes, she pushed him away. The wound on his arm healed before her eyes. Wide-eyed, she smiled. "I feel so strong and well. I don't ache or hurt anywhere." Then his reference to being her sire struck her. "So you own me now!" Her anger flared again along with her strength. She slapped him.

"What was that for?" He held his hand to his cheek.

"Oh, I don't know. You made me a vampire and now you own me. Take your pick."

David gazed upward. "This isn't going well."

"Who are you talking to?"

"God."

Laura scoffed. "A vampire talks to God? Does God answer you?"

David frowned at her and sighed. "God apparently has one hell of a sense of humor."

"What does that mean?"

"Never mind. Let's get back to the subject at hand. No, I do not own you. I have no claim on you whatsoever. You are free to decide where you want to be and with

whom. I'll help you get started, that's all." With every word, he seemed more uncomfortable. "We do have a blood tie though, so if you ever need my help, just think of me and I'll come. I'll find you."

Her anger dissipated. Laura enjoyed seeing him vulnerable. And he didn't hit her back. She smiled. "I don't know your name."

"I'm David Hilliard."

This time she gently touched his face. "I'm Laura Cordelais."

He held her hand to his cheek and closed his eyes.

Laura gasped as she realized her surroundings. "Do you live here?"

"No." He chuckled. "I just needed to get you out of the sun. I have an apartment."

"Well, that's a relief. I thought I'd have to live in a cemetery."

They both laughed.

Laura looked around at the grim tomb. A spider crawled up the stone wall nearest her, and she trembled. "I'm afraid of small, closed spaces. And bugs."

He enclosed her in his arms. "Don't be afraid. As soon as it's dark, we'll leave."

Her mouth was so close to his, she could almost taste him. Then he pressed his firm lips against hers. Hmm. He tastes of honey. I love honey. Their fangs knocked together. Laura giggled nervously.

"Shall we try that again?" he suggested.

She nodded.

David gently took her chin and tilted her head slightly. Then his lips possessed hers again. Laura tingled from head to toe and wondered if a vampire was capable of

love. She hoped David was. When their lips parted, Laura frowned.

"I'm still angry with you."

"Really? You don't sound that angry."

"I'm furious with you. I mean you made me a vampire."

"Are you furious?" He carefully pushed a hair off her face and kissed her forehead.

"Now that's not fair. Are you using your hypnotic powers on me?"

"No. I want everything between us to be real." He kissed her left temple and moved down her jaw line. His mouth caressed her lips. His tongue rubbed her fangs.

"Whoa." Rubbing her fangs stirred a passion so hot, it was hard to ignore. Still.

He had just made her a vampire. All his distractions were making her forget that. She should be angry with him, but his kiss stirred up a frenzy of desire. He pulled back to look at her, and her fingers lingered, playing with his hair. Laura became lost in his deep, dark eyes, at first fathomless, but now as tantalizing an luscious as chocolate.

In A Vampire for Christmas, which is about Georgia Blake, a human with a rare supernatural gift and Trevor Stenwood, the vampire who is too tongue-tied to say he loves her, David and Laura are Trevors’s friends and Arnhem Knights. The Arnhem Knights were formed by a secret society of vampires to protect the city’s human dwellers from death by vampires and come to the aid of other supernaturals in trouble.


After taking a look at David’s adventures so far, and I am writing another one as we speak, I think I’ve found the answer as to why we’re all so star struck over vampires. We are all just suckers for a great guy who says he will love you for all eternity. Yeah, me too. LOL

 That's my Vampires in Manhattan series, which is published by Tease Publishing LLC, and my books are available at All Romance Ebooks and other fine ebook stores on the Internet.

For those interested in learning more, you’re welcome to visit;

Website: http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Blog: http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com

I’m onlyladyknight at Twitter and I’m Susan Hanniford Crowley on Facebook.

Thanks for having me over, Patricia.

My thanks to you, Susan!

Now for the Contests:

Contest 1 (Worldwide): Susan will be giving away an ebook of either When Love Survives or A Vampire for Christmas to one commenter drawn randomly--worldwide contest.

Contest 2 (US/Canada only): She will give away The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais magnet along with gorgeous book thong of the book  to three commenters drawn randomly that say "Second Contest" and are from the US and Canada only.

[Prize for Contest 2 is a magnet AND a book thong. I apologize for any misunderstanding]

To be eligible do one or more of the following

* Leave a comment - 1 chance

* Link this guest blog site to your own site or a social network site, and be sure to let me know the URL  - 1 chance for each link

If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.

Contest ends Feb. 28 at 11:59 PM PSTO