When blood is food, a jealous
master controls your every move, and death comes to anyone you get close to;
love is not a luxury you can afford.
Kendra Michaels has tried to
follow the rules of her newfound immortal life, but can’t give up on her
favorite band, Normal Paradox. She’s followed their success since they were
just a small-town band playing coffee shops and local bars. She’s their number
one fan and loves everything about them: their music, their lyrics, and
especially their lead singer, Marcus Redmond.
He’s the perfect package,
with a voice that sizzles and hot body to match. Marcus is the object of all of
Kendra’s wildest fantasies, but deep down she knows she can never be Mrs.
Rockstar.
For years, she’s kept watch
on the band, always careful to keep her distance. Then one night she makes a
tragic mistake that puts her directly in Marcus’s path. Literally.
Their encounter leaves the
rockstar’s life and the band’s future hanging in the balance and only Kendra
can make things right again.
Chapter Excerpt:
SECOND CHANCES
It’s time to come home, darlin’, a voice whispered in Kendra’s mind. She woke from a sound
sleep and shot up in bed. Her heart pounded in her ears as she scanned the
room, looking for any signs of her old master.
Light crept in from the edges of the
curtained windows. Kendra breathed a sigh of relief seeing it. It was daytime,
and Hector would be sleeping just as she had been. “It’s just a dream,” she
reasoned, and tried to lie back down to sleep.
But sleep wouldn’t come. Between
thoughts of Hector and Marcus, her mind was abuzz with activity.
Hours passed in semi-silence. Kendra
watched small particles of dust dance in the shafts of light streaming in
through the edges of the curtains. Midday light was powerful, more intense;
harsher and brighter. She endured the small tingling sting at her skin as she
waved her hand in the stream of light.
“What are you doing?” Marcus’s voice
startled her.
She turned to find him leaning against
the doorframe, with his arms crossed and his head cocked to the side. His
tee-shirt clung to his body like a second skin, outlining his pecs and six-pack
abs.
“Just passing time.” Kendra sighed
serenely, enjoying the view. She couldn’t believe, after all this time, she was
here with him. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Aren’t
vamps supposed to—”
“What?” she asked with a playful smirk.
“Sleep in coffins?”
“Well, maybe just sleep.” Marcus
laughed.
“I don’t need as much rest as you
think.”
“What are you doing in the light?”
“I like to feel the warmth sometimes.”
She passed her hand through the shaft of light again and giggled. “It kind of
tingles.”
“So the no sunlight thing is true?”
“For the most part, yeah.” Kendra
frowned. “I can handle the dawn, with a bit of help. You know, sunglasses and
all that, but midday is completely out of the question.”
“What’s it like?” Marcus looked on her
with a questioning gaze, and Kendra found herself entranced, getting lost in
the beautiful hazel of his eyes. They were like sparkling gems that shifted
color in the light, first blue, then green, with hints of brown and yellow.
Sadness crept into to her thoughts. She realized if she stayed with him, and
the bond became stronger, he’d want to be turned. She might want him to turn too.
If that happened the beautiful hazel would be lost, washed out and faded to the
pale bluish gray all vampires shared.
“Don’t ask me what it’s like.” The
playfulness left her voice. “You don’t want to know.”
Marcus took a step into the room. His
ankle sagged and he stumbled. In a burst of supernatural speed, Kendra was at
his side, steadying him before he hit the ground.
“Careful, you still need to rest.”
“I don’t feel so bad. A little dizzy,
that’s all.” Marcus draped his arms around Kendra’s shoulder, allowing her to
hold him up. His scent wafted to her nose, that tantalizing earthy masculine
scent that was all him. She savored it, inhaling slowly as she helped him to
the bed.
“I took a little more than I should
have from you last night. You need to lie down and allow your body to
recuperate.”
Marcus leaned back into the mattress,
propping himself up on his elbows. “I can’t get you out of my head... Why?” He
stared up at her, meeting her eyes with a look that begged for answers she
couldn’t give him.
Kendra knew what he was feeling, and it
went beyond the bond they shared. She’d been in his position before: the need,
the want, the willingness to do anything for just one more taste… of blood.
That was really all that mattered now. Blood and how to get it again.
“That’s just the bond, the addiction
talking.” She sat down next to him and gently stroked his arm. “I’m so sorry,
Marcus. What I did to you … It was wrong. I should have never—”
Without warning, his lips crushed hers
in a demanding kiss. A rush of excited energy washed through her. She’d dreamed
of this moment, never actually thinking it would really happen. His lips were
silky, his mouth hungry, and before she knew what was happening, his
deliciously warm hands were sneaking their way under the hem of her shirt.
Goosebumps erupted across her body. She moaned and he swallowed it, deepening
their kiss. He was an exquisite temptation, forbidden fruit, and as much as she
knew she shouldn’t, she savored the moment.
She wanted to have him, every inch of
him, and she knew he wanted the same from her. The need radiating from him
matched her own secret desire. The bond they shared intensified this
connection, making it hard for her to think clearly.
It took all the strength she had to
pull away. “No. We have to stop this.”
“No, we don’t,” Marcus said, breathing
heavily as if he had just run a marathon. “I don’t know how I can feel it, but
I know you want this too.”
“It’s not real.” Her hands trembled as
she pushed herself backwards on the bed, away from Marcus. “It’s the bond. You
want my blood, not me.” Kendra felt sick. Her stomach churned with regret and
sadness. She wanted his affection to be real, but how could it?
Marcus cringed and clutched his stomach
as if he was about to be sick. “What’s happening to me?” Marcus groaned and
fell backwards on the mattress. He stared blankly up at the ceiling.
“I’ve cursed you with what I’ve done.
You see? You can feel everything I feel. It’s the bond at work.”
“Look, blood bond or not, I know you, Kendra.
I remember you from Enigma. You were so beautiful, so sexy. You still are. I
wanted you then, but I didn’t take the opportunity. Let’s not waste that chance
now.” He rolled towards her. “I want to taste your lips. Your neck, your—” He
bit his lip and groaned.
“Go ahead, say it. You want my blood.
Vampires are ruled by our instincts,” Kendra said matter-of-factly, repeating
the words she had heard Hector say before. “We’re hedonists with a finite limit
of control. Wants, needs, desires are all amplified.” She looked down at
Marcus. “You see? It’s so easy to give in. To become the beast we’re known to
be. I’ve cursed you to this fate. Already you’re acting on your desires. You
want my blood.”
“You said I’m not a vampire though,
just bonded to you.”
“You’ve tasted my blood. You may not be
a vampire, but you’re different now. And no mortal drug will ever come close to
the ecstasy you’ve felt. It’s only natural you want more.”
Marcus propped himself up on his
elbows. “Then give me more. Share yourself with me. Or don’t you think I could
handle it?”
“No. Don’t you see? The bloodlust will
consume you.”
“What if I have just a little more? What then?
Will I become like you?”
“I won’t let that happen.” She fought
the urge to reach out to comfort him. She could feel him struggling to hide the
desperation he felt. She’d been there before. She knew the pain.
“I want to be with you, to be like you.
If that’s the only way, then let’s do it.”
“I wish things could be different.
Marcus, I’ve wanted you for so long. I always have, but I can’t. Fate’s decided
things for us. I’m a vampire. That’s not the life for you. You deserve better.
Look how hard you and the band have worked. Look at all you’ve accomplished.
Don’t throw it away because of bloodlust.”
Kendra took a moment to calm herself.
Breathing slowly, she quieted her mind.
“It’s not just bloodlust.” Marcus
stared deeply into her eyes. “I want you… all of you.”
Kendra let out a stuttered breath.
Echoes of her own pleading request to Hector ran through her mind. After her
first taste, she couldn’t resist. She’d been willing to say anything necessary
to get another taste. And
Hector used those words to trap her into this life.
“You don’t know what you’re asking,”
she said, looking down at him.
“Then show me what it means to be with
you.”
“It would never work between us. How
could I ever know it was me you wanted and not just the drug that is my blood?”
Marcus sat up. “I remember you,
Kendra.” He let out a deep sigh. “I remember your poetry. I wanted to get to
know you back then, but I was so wrapped up in the band I never had time to
talk to you. And then … you disappeared.”
Her breath caught in her chest.
“Why didn’t you say that before?”
“I was a little out of it last night,”
he said with a smile. “I have something to show you.” He stood up and walked to
a small black duffel bag against the wall, unzipped it, and extracted a dirty,
tattered notebook.
Kendra recognized it immediately.
Beneath the layers of dirt and grime she saw the familiar monogramed K on her
old journal.
He handed it to her. “I found this
sitting on the table at Enigma. I had hoped to return it to you at the next
show. It gave me the perfect excuse to talk to you.” He let out an awkward
chuckle. “But you never came back.”
“You’ve held onto this for ten years?”
Kendra pulled off the rubber band holding it closed and flipped through the
pages. Among her old writings were notes and sketches in the margins.
“Well, at first, yeah, I held it,
hoping to see you again, but after a while…” He raked his fingers through his
disheveled mop of sandy hair and cleared his throat. “Well, it sort of helped
me to come up with our lyrics. Please don’t be mad.”
Kendra sat silent, filled with
happiness and pride. The fact that Marcus had held on to her journal, that he
actually remembered her and on some level sincerely wanted her was enough to
wash away the doubt in her mind about how he felt about her. But genuine
affection aside, she still couldn’t condemn him to her way of life.
“Please say something,” Marcus said,
kneeling down in front of her.
“I don’t have the words—” Tears choked
back her voice.
“We owe a lot of our success to you.
Your poetry.”
“I’m glad my writing helped. I’m…
honored.”
“But—” Sadness turned the corners of
Marcus’s lips. “I can feel there’s a but
there. You’re still not convinced. Why am I feeling this?” Frustration edged
his voice.
“I’ve already told you. You can feel
what I do and vice versa. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here, to be
with you right now, but I just don’t know how we could be together. I’m not
human anymore, and I refuse to condemn you to my life.”
“Okay. I won’t ask you to turn me. Just
give me the chance to get to know you, now that I have you here. I don’t want
to miss that opportunity again.”
Kendra clenched her teeth. She knew she
should say no, but she too wanted the chance to see what she had missed all
those years ago.
“No promises about the future, but
while I’m here, we can get to know each other.”
As if the lights had been turned on,
Marcus’s eyes lit up and a wide smile stretched across his face. Through their
shared bond, she felt his elation like a warm pulse of energy that matched the
beat of her heart.
He jumped up, capturing her mouth,
knocking her backwards into the mattress. He landed on top of her but caught
himself on his hands before he crushed her. His toned body fit so perfectly
between her legs. His hot breath blew across her ear as he spoke. “I’ve wanted
you for so long.” Marcus’s words melted her heart. She wanted him too, and
hearing the words and feeling their intensity made them all the more
meaningful. A small chill, a ripple of excitement, rolled through Kendra’s
body. She felt the stiffness of his erection through his jeans, but even
without that physical sign, she knew his desire. It was hers too. Their bond
was gaining strength by the minute. She tried to fight back the sudden urge to
run her hands over his body and pull him even closer. As if Marcus had read her
mind, he wrapped his arms around her, rolled over, and pulled her on top of
him.
Kendra had a moment of painful clarity
that shocked her back into reality. She couldn’t do this. Not now. Maybe not
ever. Things were happening too fast. She needed to get a little control. She’d
already made too many rash mistakes. She rolled off Marcus and sat up on the
mattress. “I want you too. But… let’s take this slow, okay?”
About the Author:
Rozlyn Sparks is a thirty-something lady who’s
been around the block a time or two. A Sin City native, she believes what
happens in Vegas is fantastic inspiration for fiction! She knows the best
stories are the ones that need to be shared. Give her a pen, some paper, and a
Redbull and Vodka and she’ll spin tales that will have you begging for more.
Rozlyn Sparks
is represented by Rising Sign Books.
Find out more about her and her books at:
Or
Email her directly at rozlynsparks@cox.net
Author Interview:
I would like to welcome author Rozlyn Sparks and thank her for stopping by today to tell us a little about herself and her work.
What is your favorite
part of the story, Fangirl?
Kendra has been through hell. She’s been weak for the last
ten years. Watching her find the strength to fight back is so empowering. Even
as the author rereading it again for the hundredth time, I still get giddy with
excitement when she stands up for herself.
How long did it take
you to write Fangirl?
The idea came to me and sat on the backburner for a little
while. I wasn’t sure I wanted to write it, but Kendra demanded it be told. The
characters all came to me with their stories fitting together like puzzle
pieces. Once I started to put the pen to paper (so to speak) the novella almost
wrote itself. I did have to do a little research though as I have no clue what
it’s like to be in a band. I turned to a friend, an up an coming base player
for insight on that. I wanted to portray life on the road as realistically as
possible.
If you could be best
friends with one of your characters, who would it be?
Definitely Chad! He’s cool, laid back, and funny. He doesn’t
stress about anything and unlike anyone else, he accepted Kendra for what she
was, right off the bat! Totally my kind of person.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Man, that is such a hard question. I suffer from it daily. I
have many stories on the back burner right now and I’m not sure when they will
come to fruition. I guess the only way to work through it is to just sit down
and write. Even if that means staring at a computer screen watching the curser
blink for hours on end. Eventually something will come.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Here’s a sample of one of my WIP’s called One
Night With a Vampire.
Daphne
hummed under her breath. Her body reacted with urgent demands at the touch of
his soft lips. Her pulse quickened and flames of need danced through her veins,
igniting her blood.
She
should stop him. She needed to stop him, but Daphne enjoyed the soft caressing
kisses at her neck too much to protest. She just couldn’t bring herself to say
the word. . . stop.
Connor
had melted her scarred heart with his sweet words. They reverberated in her
head, ‘I want to pretend I am good, and
deserving enough, to be here with you.’
Those
words worked like black magic, soothing her pain, stirring up wanton feelings
she had fought to ignore. He was like Prince Charming in a fairy tale, sweeping
her off her feet with promises of a happily ever after.
Ken
had never been so kind. He’d never called her a good woman.
Could Connor really mean these
things? No one has ever spoken like this to me before. Damn he’s good.
Character Interview:
What is your name?
My name, my given name that is… Is Kendra Michaels. You can
call me K if that’s easier. I spent the better part of the last ten years being
called much worse, but you don’t need those details. No one need know what
happened back then.
Where were you born?
Where have you lived since then? Where do you currently call home?
I was a Vegas girl when I was human. Once my master turned
me he moved me to Arizona. I spent about ten years there before I managed to
run. Since then I’ve been all across the US trying my damnedest to hide. Not an
easy thing to do when you have a mental link to the one who created you. On a
positive though, I’ve seen so many beautiful cities. New Orleans was a
particular favorite. I hope to make it back there some day.
Who are the people
you are closest to?
Normal Paradox is the band I travel with. Those boys are
awesome… when they aren’t picking on me for my, ah… dietary restriction. Troy, Mikey, Chad… great gys. My love, Marcus
helps keep them from picking on me too much. He’s always got my back. And
really, I think they do as well.
What is your biggest
fear?
The unknown. I’ve spent so much of my life on the run.
Looking over my shoulder. Never knowing if the next night would be my last.
That question. That dark area. The future. It’s all a questionable. Who knows
when your next breath will finally be your last. That thought is always in the
back of my mind.
What or who is the
greatest love of your life?
Marcus. Beautiful Marcus. When I first met him he was a
scrawny nothing of a boy with long hair
that desperately needed a trim. I loved him then. He was a beautiful soul, and
when I met him again… though his body had changed. And what a body!!! That
simple beautiful soul was still there. How could I not still love him?
What is your motto?
Survive or die. Really, there is no other way!
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