I cheated

I survived Thanksgiving, more importantly, so did everyone else. The entire pack was here, along with my friend, and ex-lover, Paxton. Paxton was tempted to take out a few of the younger Weres who were strutting around the place, especially when he realized how much hostility they hold for our kind.

So the house was on a razor edge with all the male power and interspecies hate floating about. I wasn't going to be able to do it, or so I realized on the Eve of the big day. My daughter was there, and she needed to feed, from someone other than her mate. There was no question, I was going to provide for my daughter, and a hunt was the only way because one of the Weres had "accidentally" taken all the blood out of the fridge to make room for their nasty dead Turkey.

I did try and call in an order to the local source, but because of the Holiday that was not happening. So I did the only thing I knew to do on such short notice. I went to the one and only human I have ever trusted with the secret of immortals, Whitney. It is a dangerous thing, for both of us, it goes against everything I believe in, in theory.

Whitney is perfection, and so I was obviously drawn to her. It didn't take long for her to see that I was more than she was, I should have killed her for it, but I couldn't. Instead I stopped seeing her, so she would remain safe as long as she stayed away from me and kept her mouth shut. Which she has done quite well.

It was a long long time ago, before I was mated. But the feelings of caring for her are still there, and so I went to her in the hopes that she would still feel something for me enough to help in this situation. Luckily she lived close enough for us to travel there in a couple hours, running.

Our mates knew, and Paxton came along, because staying in a house full of Weres was too dangerous for all of them, and under the guise of protecting us. There was nothing hidden, nothing secretive, nothing intentionally anyway. I may have left out the details of my relationship with this particular human, notably the fact that I never have nor do I intend to take the memory of our visit from her.

When we got there she was expecting us, had left the back door open and lit candles to set a seductive mood. She was lounging with a book but as soon as she saw me it slipped to the floor, her lush lips parting on a shocked intake of breath, I hadn't aged a day but she was noticeably older. Still beautiful, still a perfect human form, just a bit older.

Paxton waited outside and I let Alexia feed first. It was quick and impersonal, as impersonal as it can be to put our lips to another's neck and drink from them. Whitney's eyes closed on a bite induced delighted sigh and my mouth went suddenly dry from want of what I knew was flowing into my daughter's mouth. I fisted my hands and bit my lip to keep from tearing my beloved daughter away from the human I wanted so badly.

When Alexia was done I sent her outside, which is exactly what I shouldn't have done. Whitney threw herself at me as soon as we were alone, how could I resist that? Her body felt the same under my hands and I could smell the fresh sweet blood under her skin. I took her mouth with mine and allowed myself to enjoy the passion as it flowed between us.

When I wasn't sure I could resist taking her completely I bit into her vein and fed deeply, so deeply that she was limp when I finished. I left her lying on her couch, a soft kiss pressed to her lips and a promise that I would never again ask so much of her. It just wasn't fair to her, or to my mate.

I will confess my transgression to my mate, but not when there are so many other Weres in the house, I would not embarrass him in such a way.

Character Bites – Zyra

We’ve got our Fangs in

Courtney Breazile's

Zyra

Tell us about yourself.
I am Zyra, a Vampire and mate to Tarquin, an Alpha Werewolf. My story begins with Blood Visions, a book you will be able to find on February 15^th through Extasy Books.

What makes you special?
Although some Immortals are blessed with special abilities beyond their genetic abilities, I have none. I can move at speeds faster than the human eye can track and I can send my thoughts to other Vampires in the near vicinity as well as hear theirs, but beyond that, I am nothing other than a superb being, beautiful and vicious.

What differentiates you from your kind?
I am different from others of my kind in my destined mate, a Werewolf, the natural enemy of Vampires.

Tell me about your most current adventure.
As I said before my story begins with Blood Visions, it is the story of how I came to know my destined mate was a Werewolf, who would hate me. If it wasn’t for the blood vision (a vision induced by drinking the blood of an immortal being or a human with supernatural abilities) I never would have found my intended mate.

If you could offer advice to your author, what would it be?
Forget you know anything about the immortal world around you, it’s safer that way.

Is expressing love difficult for you? Why?
Everything I feel I feel deeply. I experienced passion to great heights before meeting my mate, but never did I love. My mate I loved the moment I saw him in my blood vision and I would never dare to keep from expressing that to him, Werewolves are touchy creatures given to outbursts of violent behavior.

What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you?
Did you do anything special after your first adventure? That one last sexual experience with my old lover, Paxton, when my mate was just discovering what it is I needed from him. That was special, and I dare not repeat it.

If you could pull your author into your world, what do you think would happen to them?
If she was lucky she would be recognized as the mate of a higher being, that would be the ultimate experience for any human.

What motivates you to continue on these adventures?
I will do anything to protect the ones I care for, and survival of my species is a near second to that.

Do you think you are a superior being?
I am Vampire, I am superior.

What are your opinions of elves?
If I meet that stupid Elf Lillian in a secluded area I will rip out her throat, no one threatens the people I love.

What are the pro’s and con’s to being a vampire?
The best thing about being a Vampire is the pure power that courses through me veins. The only downside would be the aversion to sunlight.

How does one become a vampire?
You are born it, there is no other way.

Describe your best kill. Why was it the best?
I am still dreaming of the one I would truly enjoy killing, Lillian had better watch out.

What makes being with a vampire the best sexual experience?
There is nothing greater than the feel of your mate’s blood flowing down your throat and feeling a reciprocating bite in your flesh as your body is being driven to unbelievable heights of pleasure.

Can you control when your fangs come out?
Most of the time, but not always.

Do you like synthetic blood?
I am happy with substituting my mate’s blood with prepackaged blood, but it isn’t my favorite.

Tell us about holy water, garlic and the sun.
The sun is the only one of those that affects me, I cannot take even a hint of it without burning.

Do you have to sleep in a coffin?
Why the hell would I do that? In a big comfortable bed with my even bigger mate I sleep for a few hours during the day, sleep is not as necessary for Immortals as it is for weak humans.

What do you think about the Cullen Clan?
If I see one I would like to bite one.

Thank you Zyra for sharing a bit of yourself!

Blog Interrupted

As some of us have not been properly introduced, allow me to do that now. I am Tamara. I am vampire. Hear me roar. Yes, humor is of the utmost importance in my life as it tends to save many humans from a slow, painful and most heinous death at my hands. With that said, do not think that I have abandoned my role of enforcer when I took over the matriarch position. I can still chew the fat and slice your throat without a second thought.

I am pleased that this blogging humans do has reacquainted me with some of my oldest and dearest friends. Precious Jonathan, it is good to see the years have not changed you. One of my newest fledglings said, she’d see your cheese doodle for a pint, if you’re interested. And Zyra, a werewolf? You have truly outdone yourself now. Anne, I too remember the better times, but it is good to see you evolving into the sunlight. Perhaps you would like to share your secret with the rest of us so we could all meet for lunch one day? And who could forget the sweet, human Delora, who still runs among vampires. Haven’t changed your mind about being turning have you? My offer still stands.

Since Izzy left me, I have befriended a human, not the worse possible fate considering what you’ve gotten yourself into Zyra. ROTFLMAO!

AHEM *cough cough* Oh sorry! Did I do that? My name is Izzy and her highness, Tamara has no idea I hacked into her blog. If she knew she would lose a fang. LOL

Anyways, I just popped in to keep an eye on her holy-royal-corn-cobness. Opps! Guess I shouldn’t have said that. *grin*

I won’t cause too much trouble. No, I can’t promise, sorry. I just never know what will tick Tamara off anymore. She’s been a total bitch lately. I know what you’re thinking and you’re right, maybe I should have told her why I left and maybe I shouldn’t have said all those nasty things, but how else do you think she’d let me leave? Out of the kindness of her heart? Yeah right! I’m a new vamp, she knows I’ll need years of supervision before I can go out on my own. So, I did the next best thing. I ripped her heart apart and handed it back to her. Hey, it’s crude, but she taught me well.

Tamara wrote this long blog about Edward and how he’s an inferior species, but I deleted it. Yup! She’ll know it was me on Friday when this posts. Oh well.

Okay, here’s the thing. I need you, her bestest friends to talk to Tamara on my behalf and explain some things to her. First, tell her to stop stalking me. I’m not going to lose control and bleed everyone I run into. Yuck! I’m a little pickier than that.

Second, this hoochie mama thing she’s started has got to stop! Did she tell you we are united now and that we can read each others thoughts? Well, she didn’t tell me that I could only read her thoughts when she lets me! How am I supposed to get any work done when I can hear her having an orgasm? OMG! She’s turned into a sex addict! Remind her that I command her pleasures! Please? *pouts* Pretty please?

Well, I guess I’ve done enough damage for now. I didn’t delete the invitation because I’m hoping one of you will take her up on it and GO TALK TO HER before things get nasty!

Oh yeah, I do plan on coming home, but if she keeps this up, I may not want to. *holding hands up* Just saying.

TTFN!

In the meantime, know that each and everyone of you, yes Delora, you too, have a standing invitation to hide in my lands until these human holidays blow over.

 

Technorati Tags: Vampire,Hightower Clan,Tamara Hightower,Character Blog,RPG,Holidays,Twilight,Paranormal,Thanksgiving,Role Playing,Annie Alvarez

Blog Bites - Necalli

We've got our Fangs in...

Christie Gordon's
Necalli

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Necalli, just Necalli. I can't seem to remember my last name, or if I ever had one. Seems I've grown too old to remember last names. My story is told in a book called, The First Full Moon, a novel written by Christie Gordon. If you like, you can purchase my story at: eXtasy Books Or you can always find it on these things called websites, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Fictionwise, or All Romance eBooks.

What differentiates you from your kind?

I'm not quite sure of exactly what I am. I may be vampire. I may be part werewolf. I may even be demon. But I do know that I am different from everyone else. Everyone except my love, Adam. Adam is everything to me. But about my abilities...I am normal to all who see me, except that my eye teeth are longer than a human's and my nails look similar to a cat or a dog's. I also know that I hear things, strange things that speak to me about how a human is feeling. I can crush them far too easily, too, which scares me more than I want to admit.

Tell us about your most current adventure.
In my story, it tells the tale of how I came to be free of my "chains" and met my lifelong love, Adam Ross. It was in the Gregorian calendar's year of 1930 that this came to be. It was a time of prohibition and rumrunners, of an ocean rich with life and the fishermen who plucked it from the deep waters in what is called the state of California. In the swirling coastal fog of Northern California, around midnight, Adam found me, took me in, and finally gave me all that he is. Let me share with you the moment we first met:

Heat pressed against Adam’s cheek. His eyes fluttered open to an exotic set of light-brown eyes with flecks of gold gazing back at him. “Whoa.” Startling, he clamored to crawl up against the back of the couch, tilting his body up at an angle. The eyes, framed by long, black hair, followed him. “Ah, so you’re awake?”
Sitting on his legs on the floor, the young man continued to study him as if fascinated by everything about him. His hand came up to rest over Adam’s.
He flinched and yanked his hand away. His breath quickened from the contact and his morning erection felt hot.
As if on cue, the young man’s gaze roamed Adam’s chest and rested on his groin.
Feeling self-conscious, he draped his arm over his hips in an attempt to cover himself.
The young man leaned forward. Reaching up with a quizzical gaze, he ran a clawed finger down Adam’s cheek. The touch tingled all the way down into his groin. Why is he touching me like this? And how was it his mere presence aroused him? He melted further into the couch. “Um, do you understand English? Do you speak?”
The young man focused his attention on the hand covering Adam’s groin. Reaching over, he took it, absently brushing Adam’s erection through his trousers.
He gasped, closing his eyes for a second. His hips moved forward ever so slightly with the contact.
The young man pulled Adam’s hand toward him and inspected it. His delicate thumb arced across the top, giving it a light caress. His fingers probed underneath. He held up his other hand, fingers splayed, and examined it as if comparing the two.
An abrupt tug on Adam’s hand made him jerk forward to mere inches in front of the young man’s face. He became mesmerized, lost, in the beautiful eyes. The shape was like the Chinamen he saw in San Francisco, but not as pronounced. Not quite Indian either.
Lifting himself up on his knees, the young man reached his free hand out and cupped Adam’s chin, pushing a thumb into his lower lip. He ran the thumb along the thick flesh of Adam’s lip, moving it gently to the side, before releasing it.
“Ah…” Adam whispered, despite himself.
“Your breath and pulse quicken when I touch you.”
The young man’s voice was soft and smooth, but much lower than Adam expected. It held a soft accent he couldn’t place. “What? No it doesn’t.” Snapping back to reality, he yanked his hand away from him.
The young man grinned, showing long eyeteeth. “I excite you.”
He scoffed, but his face flushed in embarrassment. “You don’t. It’s just normal, that’s all. All guys our age get a morning woody.”
Clear confusion swept over the young man’s face. “A morning woody? What is that?”
“Never mind.” He shoved himself up and climbed to the edge of the couch. That’s enough inspection. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned.
The young man watched his every move with wide eyes.
“So what’s your name anyway? And who are you?”
The young man looked down at the couch cushion for a moment. “My name is…I think it is.” He put a clawed hand to his forehead. “It’s, Necalli, I think.” Dropping his hand, he gazed back up at Adam. “Yes, Necalli.”
Adam leaned toward him. He may have been hurt more than he’d let on up to this point. “You okay? Do you remember anything from last night?”
Necalli gave a slow shake of his head. “Um, no.” He looked into his eyes. “Why are you so different? Why are your hands so strange?”
“My hands? You’re the one with strange hands.” He gestured to Necalli’s mouth. “And your teeth are a little funny, too.”
Reaching up, Necalli fingered his teeth.
He let out an easy chuckle. “What, did you come from another planet or something? What have they been feeding you over on the reservation?”
Hurt spread across the features of Necalli’s face and he sat back, lowering his head and hiding his hands under his thighs. He whispered, “You’re beautiful.”
His heart fluttered with Necalli’s comment, but he ignored it. This kid must have had a hard bump to the head. Leaning forward, he reached his arm out and touched Necalli’s shoulder.
Necalli flinched and drew away.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean nothing by it. I like Indians, actually. I think your whole culture is sort of interesting.”
Necalli kept his head lowered, his voice soft. “I’m not an Indian.”
“Well, what are you then?”
“I, I don’t know. I don’t remember.” Necalli’s gaze drew slowly up to Adam’s face while he kept his hands hidden.
He smirked. “Well, if you don’t remember, how do you know you’re not Indian?” That was a stupid thing to say, Adam. Don’t need to rub it in.
“I know I’m not.” Necalli furrowed his brow as if trying desperately to remember.
“Well, I’ll bet your parents will be looking for you.” He stood from the couch and looked down on the young man.
“No, I don’t have parents.” Necalli’s gaze ran from Adam’s feet up to his face.
Immediate compassion raced through him. This young man was like him, orphaned. “No parents? You’re a little too young to be on your own. Who are you living with?” He raked a hand through his hair. Had the rumrunners taken advantage of his situation?
“No, I’m not young. I’m very old actually.” His gaze slowly swept the room as if taking it all in.
He let out a soft chuckle. “What do you mean, you’re not young. You couldn’t be older than eighteen. Much too young to be hanging around with them rumrunners I found you with.”
In one quick and graceful movement, Necalli darted up to a standing position. “I’m not eighteen.”
He startled. “Jesus. How’d you do that?”
“What?” Necalli tilted his head to look up into his eyes.
“Stand so quickly. You must be pretty athletic. Too bad you’re so short. You’d never play basketball.” He let out a nervous laugh. Necalli must be around five-foot-three, since he was five-ten. This young man puzzled him. “Um, if you’re over eighteen, how old are you?”
“I don’t know. Just old, much older than eighteen.” Bewilderment filtered through his features. “I can’t remember.”
He sighed. Could he believe anything Necalli told him? “So you can’t remember anything, but you’re sure you’re not an Indian, you don’t have parents and you’re much older than eighteen.”
Necalli took a step closer to him, so close their chests almost touched. His inquisitive eyes roamed Adam’s face. “Yes.”
He flushed and stepped backward, not wanting to re-ignite his awkward feelings toward him. “Uh, d-do you remember what you were doing with the rumrunners?”
“Your heart beat has gotten faster.” Necalli stepped close to him again, maintaining eye contact.
Walking backward and turning around, he struggled to steady himself. “I’ll take that as a no.” This young man unnerved him, made him think about things he shouldn’t. He strode over to the kitchen area before facing him again. He looked over the white tiles on his kitchen counter for a moment and returned his attentions to Necalli. “Hey, you hungry?”
Necalli nodded his head.
He gestured to the table. “Well, have a seat and I’ll make some breakfast.” He busied himself with making a pot of coffee and pulling out eggs and bread. He thought for a minute about Necalli’s predicament. “Hey, I heard that sometimes people who’ve lost their memory can get it back if they go to the place where they lost it or something like that. So how about we head over to the beach after breakfast and we’ll see if you remember anything?” He turned around to gauge Necalli’s reply.
Necalli sat at the table, his arms underneath its surface in his lap, eyes still studying him. “All right.”
He let a wide grin spread over his lips. “Uh, I’m Adam, by the way.”

If you could offer one piece of advice to your author, what would it be?
I think I would like to tell Christie to slow down. Savor the people around you as much as possible, for no one stays on this Earth forever.

Are you happy with the way people perceive you?
Yes, I am happy with other's perceptions of me. I think I've done fairly well in adapting to the times and unique culture that is the New America. I've read so much of the world history and it fascinates me. Of course, Adam is the one who's helped me along the most. He is cautious and careful to be sure no one suspects who we really are. And so, we live among you mortals, forever travelling and enjoying each other.

Is expressing love difficult for you?
Expressing love is very easy for me. I was not brought up with the archaic ideals of modern Christianity. In my day, we loved all and we loved often. It didn't matter if you loved a man or woman or even both at the same time, it only mattered that we loved. It did seem to take Adam a bit of, well, coercion for him to come around to my way of thinking.

Share a little bit of the ‘real’ you with us. Any Dark secrets?
Although I'm fairly open with my main love, Adam, there is one thing I keep from him. Mainly, I keep it from him because he tends to get so fussy about these things, but I do love quite freely. In this I mean that I can be and am usually in love with more than one person at a time. It's quite normal in the culture I grew up in and I don't understand, really, why it is so important to only love one at a time in this modern day. Please don't tell him any of this!

What are the pro’s and con’s to being a demon?
Well, the obvious pro is that you can live forever. But also, you feel more, good or bad. This lends itself well to incredible sexual experiences. It can also be a con. When you feel badly about something, it's hundreds of times worse. There is also that little issue of feeding once a month that is still bothersome.

What makes being with a demon the best sexual experience?
We feel everything so much more than a mortal and I have to believe that in itself is a tantalizing experience. But I've also been told that we give off a scent, a pheromone I suppose, that arouses immortals as well.

Tell us, can you control when your fangs come out?
No, my fangs are always visible, which can sometimes lead to some interesting questions and creative answers on my part.

Do you like synthetic blood?
I must admit that I've never tried synthetic blood. Since I only need to feed once a month, I seem to have that part of my life properly under control.

Do you have to sleep in a coffin?
No and I would not for any reason.

What do you think about the Cullen Clan?
I find them very amusing. They sparkle... Edward, though he is a lovely creature to behold, seems a bit daft to me. I can't understand, for the life of me, why he would wait so long to take his love to bed.

In the Spirit of the Holiday

The holiday season approaches and people are gearing up for time with friends, family and a hint of gluttony. Food, drink and merriment reign supreme and many people will have the opportunity to enjoy themselves. All the traditions that that will be celebrated makes one feel as though the multicultural melting pot has finally simmered long enough to be possible.

I have always clung to my Christian upbringing myself. Making time for Christmas hasn’t always been easy but I’ve managed to enjoy it more often than not. The world often conspires to quash the holiday spirit and people really do have to struggle to find joy in light of tragedies. Maybe this effort makes the happiness all the sweeter but I believe strongly that people should do what they can for others in these times.

Charity begins at home they say. I can recall the scent of pine trees burning in the hearth in my youth. The warmth of the house was built upon with the gentle glow of candlelight and gas lamp. Food was bountiful most of the time and so the aroma of roast potatoes mingled with turkey in such a way that the entire body reacted with hunger.

The years have made such indulgences as a holiday meal impractical but the nostalgia and excitement can still be captured. Three lifetimes worth of living can’t quell a tingling moment of happiness when gazing upon a well appointed tree or the smiles of children staring at mysterious wrapped boxes.

Even vicariously, I can enjoy all of these things. I’m finally in a place where I can indulge some holiday spirit first hand but if I was asked, I would urge everyone to embrace this festive time of year and put everything in that you want back. Live well, treat others with respect and offer charity as you can. At the risk of sounding preachy or even sappy, life is short and celebrations are often few and far between.

Remember what happened to Scrooge. You always have a chance to change but if you’re feeling grumpy about the whole affair now, take a page from his book. There are far less regrets in happiness than you might think.

A house Full

I have a house full of Weres, stupid pack celebrates inane human holidays such as Thanksgiving. So I am forced to deal with their presence in my home for the next week, likely all the way through until the full moon, December 2nd. It is ridiculous to me, their insistence on getting together for a big dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving. Of course, as my mate informed me yesterday, he was THERE to see it happen and so feels its a very good reason to celebrate it. Weres are obsessed with being together, it is something that forever gets under my skin as a solitude loving Vamp. But for my mate I will deal with the intrusion, I suppose.

Right now a few of the idiots are howling about outside, why can't they do that during the daylight hours when I am forced to be inside? I am tempted to go visit Paxton in town, just to get some peace. Hmmm....a wicked thought has just occurred to me. Perhaps it would be rude of me to not invite Paxton for dinner on Thursday. Three Vamps, since my dearest Alexia will be here, against the pack. We will be evenly matched then.

Not that I expect trouble, its just that most of the pack is ever resentful of my position in it, and with so many of them I don't appreciate feeling outnumbered in my own home.

At least no one expects me to cook, or eat for that matter. So I just have to concentrate on not biting any delicious Werewolves for the next couple of weeks. This could become difficult.

I will keep you all informed of my ability to resist via my new twitter account, yes I broke down and got one so I could keep in contact with my daughter more easily while she is away from home. www.twitter.com/ZyraZyra

So don't expect any comments from me about thankfulness, the only thing I will be thankful for is December 3rd after the full moon and my house is mine once again.

Movie Reviews! Late but here!

Goodness, I meant to get this going much sooner than now. Getting distracted can be a serious dilemma these days. Here I was hanging out and relaxing on Sunday and I realized that I had totally forgotten that I was supposed to have posted something by now. Silly me. Sorry guys!

There are so many movies to review and of course the new big one is New Moon. Sadly, that will have to wait simply because I couldn’t get out to see it. The amorous teenagers conquered the theaters and I’ve already heard tale that some of them saw the film six times in a twenty-four hour period. Now, I’m all for hunky vampires and werewolves but wow. I need a break between viewings.

So I thought we might touch on a couple of movies, both a touch older than the Twilight sequel but hey, I think that you might still like them.

First up: The Vampire’s Assistant. Three Fangs

I had to talk about this movie because well… you know, vampires! In this case, the movie was super fun. I LOVED John C. Reilly as the vampire. I typically am not a huge fan of the ridiculous comedy type movies that he shows up in and this time around, he was actually quite serious. Willem Dafoe was way over the top and the freak show was a little tame but still entertaining.

Other people to look for: Ken Watanabe as the freak master, Orlando Jones, Salma Hayek and Ray Stevenson (nigh unrecognizable from his role as the Punisher). These people really lend some cred to a movie that might have otherwise been kind of blah. The kids themselves, while not painfully terrible, aren’t the best. I think that other kids might relate to them better than I could.

If you’ve read the series or you enjoy a fun take on Vampires, you should definitely see this movie. It’s not really gory, the tastelessness is not as high as you might imagine and it could have certainly been far worse. Definitely consider it either in the second run theater or perhaps video at the least.

Second: The Men Who Stare At Goats. Four Fangs

This movie might shock you that I had to see it but let me explain: Ewan McGregor, George Clooney and Kevin Spacey. I was sold at that point without much effort and then it turned out to be so damn funny, I couldn’t help but fall in love. By the end of the movie, I couldn’t decide if I was extremely happy, introspective or outright sad. Perhaps even hopeful. I don’t know. It was great.

For those that don’t know, the movie is essentially about a military unit trained to be psychic warriors. Jeff Bridges had a moment of self discovery and went off to learn about manipulating the mind. Ewan McGregor, a reporter down on his luck, decides to head to Iraq to be a war correspondent. While there, he uncovers the story behind this ultra secret project.

Ewan and George spend a lot of time together on screen and they really have awesome chemistry. The comedic moments are really funny and the parts that were likely supposed to be ‘edgy’ turned out to be pretty tame. I never felt offended by the way they spoke to the audience and even the absurdity was not as over the top as other films get.

One part that might turn people off is all the wartime imagery. It’s not graphic and there’s only one really crazy battle moment but even that gets twisted to something humorous. I would recommend this to any fans of the actors involved or anyone who are looking for a relaxed and yet poignant film. There’s a message here that I don’t want to spoil but it’s a good one—a message that I think is really neat to see conveyed.

Next week: New Moon and probably something else to go with it!

PS I have some awesome graphics to use for the fangs but I'm afraid that I was abroad when I wrote this. I'll use them next week, I promise! :)

Review - Hell's Angel by Cathryn Fox

Decades ago, Brand’s best friend Gage escaped Hell and left Brand to suffer at Lucifer’s hands. Now Brand has a chance at revenge. Gage has a daughter, Kaylea, a pure, virginal soul who Lucifer wants for himself. Brand has forty-eight hours to seduce Kaylea and deliver her to Lucifer. He thinks it will be easy – after all, punishing Gage is all he wants, and an innocent like Kaylea won’t stand a chance against him. But Kaylea awakens feelings in him he hasn’t felt in a long time. And suddenly revenge is no longer the first thing on his mind.

This is a hot little story with a somewhat flimsy plot. When we meet Kaylea, she has decided to sleep with the very next man she meets. Of course, it turns out to be Brand, and it isn’t long before they are in bed together. The sex scenes compromise the majority of the story, and they’re as sensual and scorching as you’d expect from a Spice Brief. Fox conveys Brand and Kaylea’s lust for each other skillfully, but I had trouble believing it was anything beyond lust, despite the outcome of the story.

This is a very short novella, so the story takes place over a very short space of time, during which Brand and Kaylea fall in love and figure out how to release Brand from his enslavement in Hell, with the help of Kaylea’s parents. As a result, the emotional arc very rather rushed to me, moving from “Oh my God” lust-at-first-sight to True Love Forever in a matter of hours. The result is a “fated to mate” feel – a trope I’m not keen on, personally.

Of course, you expect a degree of this in romance, but as mentioned, the love wasn’t as convincing for me as the lust. Perhaps because Kaylea’s motives in seducing Brand were so slight. We are given no reason beyond that she wants to lose her virginity. It’s made clear early on that Kaylea knows her parents were enslaved in Hell, and that as a pure soul she is particularly desirable to Lucifer, so it’s not convincing to me that she would sacrifice her purity so easily.

Perhaps part of the problem is that this seems to be part of a series – possible a sequel – and I think I would have benefited from reading Gage’s story. I certainly plan to hunt it down, as the mythology Fox has created is very intriguing, and I’m a sucker for demons and angels. In fact, I would love to read a full-length novel set in this world, as the potential to expand is very good. I would liked to have seen more of Lucifer and Hell, as I think the one thing the story really lacked was a stronger sense of danger. I was never in any doubt that Kaylea and Brand would overcome their problems and end up together, and it would have been a more evocative story for me if there had been some doubt.

That said, Fox knows how to write sex scenes that burn up the pages, and created a very primal sense of chemistry between Kaylea and Brand. Bad boys from Hell are always going to be a winner, as for a quick, sexy read with a touch of supernatural intrigue, Hell’s Angel is a perfect choice.

Cathryn Fox's website

JONATHAN SPEAKS FROM THE ABRAXAS CLAN

Man, I was all hyped and ready to talk about stuff on this blog, and the closer it got to my day, the more my brain was stumped for a topic to talk about. Usually I have tons of stuff to yammer on and on about, but I usually talk to myself about them, lol.

But fear not human readers; my clan, the ABRAXAS Clan, are a pretty peaceful group. We don't bother anyone, and we prefer NOT being bothered by anyone else. (But other clans and even people who think they can challenge us are the blazing idiots who bug us every now and then, forcing us to have to drop them on their stupid asses...) So go about your daily routine--you won't have to worry about any of us jumping out of nowhere, scaring the shit outta you by going 'GYAAH! BLARRRGH!' and drinking your blood and any of that other gross stuff. I think I'd pass out if I had to do that!! Touch a person, let alone BITE them? EW! Thank the stars we take our sustenance etherally. (My sister in blood, Kiera, says we're called 'psy vamps'. I thought saying 'air suckers' sounded cooler, but she popped me in the head after suggesting that...)

But, we do share a few similiar qualities with humans. Yep, we can eat food, and sunlight doesn't bother us (much). We only drain energy when we need it, and it's not a daily thing, either. There were, however, actual blood drinkers in our clan at one time. (well, our clan 'lost' those particular kind, but the other clans within our 'house' have them, and they're grumbling under their breath as we speak concerning that, but that's another story for another time.)

Ah, I guess I should mention I'm not too fond of people either, and who cares what you think?! (Don't make me have to zap you across the room!) People freak me the hell out sometimes; they're waaaay to weird for my tastes. I may be strange to everyone else, but it's my clan that loves me for me, and that's all that matters!

Our Clan is pretty small, and lucky for us, we all live under the same roof. Only one of them picks on me from time to time, but it's no big deal. All I have to do is take off one of my socks and he'll vanish in an instant.

I'd like to make friends with more of our kind, but again, that whole seeing someone face-to-face bugs me. I do a lot of 'talking' online instead, and even have a friend who I do RPG's with. Well, we do our OWN kind of RPG's...kinda like 'improv' RPG's. Our stories get so crazy, we should compile them into a book one day! *lol!* Speaking of books, i even published my very first photobook of cool weird stuff. I gave it away to all my friends. If you wanna be my friend, I'll send you the link so you can download your own free copy next time. You might need to remind me though. I get a little scattered sometimes, lol.

*Looking at computer screen* wow---looks like I managed to talk about something after all! Cool! But, as a last-minute side note, I want to add that I'd like to actually make friends with a werewolf, and dispel that goofy myth about vamps and weres not being able to get along. There's enough stupid prejudices going on in the world as it is. Do we really need it in the supernatural world as well?

See you guys again in December. Toodles! (and Cheese Doodles! *yummy!*)
--Jonathan

Face It. We’re Bitten.

Twilight. True Blood. Vampire Diaries. Night creatures have roamed among us in literature, on film and on television for years, and they seem to emerge as popular trends once every decade or so. One thing is evident: we love our vampires. What is the seemingly eternal appeal?

Is it their seductive demeanor….their unending blood lust…their dark eroticism…their immortality? Vampires were romanticized in the Victorian era because they were thought to embody dark desires and sensuality during a sexually oppressed period in time. They were both terrifying and alluring.

I think back in TV, film and literature at some of the vampires who scared me, shocked me, and turned me on. To a nine-year-old little girl, Barnabas Collins of the ABC-TV soap opera, Dark Shadows, was intriguing and crush-generating. My mother never understood the appeal of “that old man,” played by the Canadian actor Jonathan Frid. All these years later, I wonder if Mr. Frid truly is a vampire because he wasn’t so young when he starred on the show and the old guy is still alive and kicking in Ontario today – and appearing at Dark Shadows fan conventions. Hey, man, milk it for all it’s worth!

Ann Rice’s brooding Lestat de Lioncourt was sexy to me when I read Interview with a Vampire. I kept picturing the British actor Julian Sands from A Room with a View. I pictured no one in particular as Louis, but I was as skeptical as Ms. Rice when Hollywood cast the insufferably mainstream Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt as the main characters. Neither actor appeals to me. The only reason I could stomach the movie was because of my weakness for long hair. I prefer the book.

I’m nuts about The Lost Boys. Actors Jami Gertz and Billy Wirth (another long haired hottie at the time) made two of the sexiest vampires I’ve ever seen. And spanking hot is Salma Hayek’s vampire in From Dusk ‘til Dawn.

Who could forget the highly erotic scene between Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon in The Hunger, Tony Scott’s 1983 film that also starred David Bowie? Whoa. The film got eviscerating reviews, but it’s worth the rental fee for the dramatic atmosphere and for Deneuve’s performance as the bloodsucking temptress, Miriam Blaylock. Sarandon couldn’t resist, but then again, she also got it on with Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, so she’s not too choosy and she damn sure has fun.

Eternal bad boys and bad girls. I don’t write paranormal but I’ll read about a hot vampire any old day. Some of the vampires you’ll meet on the Naughty Little Vamp blog will undoubtedly captivate you and make you want to know them and the writers who created them even more. After all, it’s like the old saying goes: “Once bitten….”

Anne Pearce, signing in and stuff.

The world really has changed.

When I look around, I wonder how people don’t feel out of place from one minute to the next. When I was born, the world was considerably slower. Communication meant someone traveled from place to place, dropping off parcels or even verbally conveying messages (you know, like that guy who had to shout that the British coming. No, I’m not that old so don’t ask how that fiasco went!).

Now, there are cell phones, email, and instant news coverage from all over the world, tactfully color corrected and delayed for the feint of heart. It’s freaky! The charm of travel and distance has changed a lot. You can hop on an airplane for thirty hours and be somewhere that might have taken over a month before the advent of inflated prices and frequent flyer miles. Sure, the Coliseum is still spectacular and awesome but think about seeing it when you would’ve had to be stuck on a ship for three weeks with bad food and the threat of pirates. That’s earning your tourism!

Even twenty years has seen a significant change. I’ve gone to the mall in the last few weeks and counted no less than fifteen people yacking on phones between my car and the front door. The sheer amount of electronic interference and crossing connections of satellite contact must be doing something to people’s brains. I can’t imagine for a second that half the weird stuff that shows up in the news isn’t at least, in part, caused by excessive cell phone use or at least second hand signal.

Prior to cell phones, things were closer to how I remember them. Humanity was still on a fast track through existence but they weren’t quite at the ‘high speed, low drag’ phase yet. I don’t want people to start thinking ‘Lord, here comes another back in my day speech’ but I can understand how the older generations feel. They see something they considered beautiful slipping away—a part of themselves dying in the world around them. It can be exciting or it can be depressing. I personally pick the former. I’ve been depressed enough in my life.

Blogging isn’t an entirely new concept to me. Someone who lives a very long time has only two choices: constantly embrace the new or risk falling so far behind that getting caught up is daunting, terrifying and sometimes outright impossible. I made it easier for myself by getting involved in a profession that doesn’t move at the speed of light: art. As an artist, I’m able to make my way rather simply with only the real trick being to change my style enough so that clever critics and historians don’t catch on. I doubt I’m very successful at it but I haven’t been bothered yet.

As one could expect, I’ve lived a fairly quiet and solitary existence. From day to day, month to month, year to year, my trysts have all been singular and ended with an exhausted lover needing a few days to recover. It’s not that I’m a demon in the sack or anything (though I’ve been told I was) but rather the whole vampiric thing. You know, the chewing, the tasting, the nourishment, etc. For years, I had to drink almost every night but within the last fifty years, something began to change.

I can’t say specifically what’s different. I began to tolerate the daylight and normal food didn’t cause my stomach to twist into knots that would make a sailor shiver. Suddenly, I could go days without my little drinking addiction and even then, I had met someone that I genuinely fell in love with. Exclusivity was a concept as foreign to me as quadratic equations but so far, it’s worked out great. He even asked me to marry him… what a concept! I’ll get to be a vampire bride at some point. How very ‘Dracula’, right? I’ll wear an underwire nightgown or something in homage to my literary sisters.

I can prattle on and on but I think that the little touch of history seems good for a first time touch on this thing. I consider the world a fabulous place and one that I hope I contribute to positively, even if it’s in a minor way. Lord knows that there are plenty of crazy events well beyond the concepts that are described in the news and supernatural events that no one can talk about without odd expressions or a smile saying they’re kidding. I think that I’ll touch on that stuff later. It deserves it’s own entry after all.

For now, my name is Anne Pearce and I’m extremely pleased to be here!

Zyra of the Oregon Pack

I am a Vampire, and in my world that means long black hair, pale skin and bright blue eyes. I survive on blood and I can hear the thoughts of other Vampires in close proximity, if they send them to me, and I can send them mine. I move fast, faster than a human eye can track, and faster than a Werewolf can move which makes me a dangerous predator in their eyes. I am of a pack however, thanks to my mate.

You heard right PACK, I am a Vampire, but I am happily mated to an Alpha Werewolf, Tarquin. Its not exactly an accepted lifestyle, according to Vampires or Werewolves, or most any other creature out there, which explains how we ended up on trial for our lives at one point. Stupid Elves.

But that is in the past. I live with my mate outside of Portland Oregon and within way too close proximity to my obsessive ex lover, Paxton, whom my darling would really like to rip to pieces, if only I would let him.

I don't eat food, I don't go out in the sun, and I don't want dangerous humans to know about me. If you are reading this, and you aren't of the immortal breed, I will find you and you will no longer breathe on this earth. I don't kill to feed, it isn't necessary, but I will kill to protect my family and the secret of our existence. Some Vampires do kill for fun, they thrive on the fear they induce in their prey and glory in the death they bring to those lesser beings who are so fragile and stupid. But that is mostly the older generation, and frowned upon officially by all. I drink mostly from my mate, during sex, but also pre-packaged blood delivered by a local source. If I were to only ingest the blood of my mate I would risk becoming pregnant with his child again, not something I am want to do.

I am a loving mother and wife, I am fiercely protective of what is mine, and I will go out and take whatever it is I want. Vampires, in general, are a very selfish breed, we don't like groups we don't need constant contact from others, other than our mate of course, that is a kind of contact we would kill for. The Internet has been such a blessing to the Vampire breed, we can keep in contact, without actually making an effort to be around each other.

Unfortunately my mate is a Werewolf, a very group oriented breed and needs to be a part of a pack to survive. And so I accept that they invade my home every full moon and on Holidays, but my mate has accepted that we will never be a household full of them. Not that any of them really enjoy my company anyhow, they would rip me apart if they could justify it to their Alpha.

A peace of sorts has been reached among us all, and for two such volatile creatures that is an amazing thing.

I will blog here every Monday as a way of keeping touch with my fellow Vampires, keep them apprised of events as they unfold down here, especially considering the newly developing Council of Immortals. This is something that will mean a change for every immortal out there, not all of whom will take kindly to the idea. And with my daughter a seated member, being the only of her species, I have taken a very close interest in it.

Book Trailers

Welcome to Naughty Little Vamps

I, Tamara Hightower, Matriarch of the Hightower Clan and enforcer of the East Coast, have tracked down the renegade group called NLV (Naughty Little Vamps) and against my better judgement, I will allow them to continue in my Territories. After much deliberation and a few casualties, we have settled on this blog to bring you all things vampire.

Well, here's the nitty gritty of it.

As time progresses, I will add other - how do you call them, bloggers to this site.
So bear with me...the combing out process is long and hard and I steal whatever precious time I have from my Matriarchal duties to do this.

Here you will find what I consider the best in our world, the best stories, poetry, news and anything that has to deal with night walkers.

Let me dispel a couple of myths before we begin.

I love garlic, so pile it on.

Being invited in, isn't necessary, it's the polite thing to do. Don't worry, our paths will probably never cross, and if they did, you won't remember it. I assure you.

And yes, your mythology books got it right, we are sexual creatures.


Suck on that for a while and I'll see you next week.

Tamara