1000-word Excerpt
from Chapter One of Big Game, we’re
in Vivian’s POV
The soft hum of the jet fades into the background noise of the small
cabin. Rafe exits the cockpit and locks eyes with me across the tight space.
His rugged face carries a tired grin, and his blue eyes look weary. He’s been
flying through the daylight hours as we make our way down the globe to
Argentina, where our final destination is a small private island off the
southeastern coast.
His muscular form, encased in well-worn jeans and a snug
black t-shirt, looks as delicious as ever. Worry pinches my husband’s
expression as he heads back to my location opposite the plane’s bar. Chelly,
lounging on a brown chenille couch, shifts her attention from her eReader—more
than likely trying to catch a last glimpse of Drew who took over flying duties.
Her long blond hair hides her expression from me, but I’m sure I’d see a hint
of longing on her face. She deflates when she sees Rafe and goes back to her
reading.
She and Drew, the one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old vampire who
came to our resort as a guest last fall before joining our seethe, began dating
this winter. Now he only feeds from her, taking bagged blood for extra
nutrition when needed. To my knowledge, he hasn’t yet claimed her by exchanging
blood to make her his servant. He does treat her better than a simple blood
donor, more like one does a companion. His old-fashioned ways make for a cute
courtship display, but I doubt Chelly can take much more of the long tease.
When Drew invited her on this trip, she nearly jumped his bones on the spot.
Bob, one of our ground crew, plays cards with Tommy —our
imported Aussie who usually mans the inn’s front desk—and Paul, our fledgling
vampire. The three men crowd around a small table set between four plush seats,
each wearing an intense look while examining his own cards. Their voices are
pitched low, but every so often their excited chatter fills the cabin. Tommy
glances up as Rafe walks by. The sandy-haired young man folds his cards and
slips into the aisle behind my husband.
Rafe leans down and kisses my cheek before settling into the
club chair next to mine. A half-glass of red wine sits before me on the round
cocktail table bolted through the cream carpet. In honor of our destination,
I’ve changed to South American wines instead of the Alaskan vampire favorite of
hot coffee. To appear uncouth at Tribunal gatherings holding a mug instead of a
crystal goblet filled with bloodwine would be an unacceptable faux pas. But I admit, I do miss the
mild caffeine jolt.
“Tired, darling?” I ask.
“Yeah.” A heavy sigh escapes him as he runs a hand across
his forehead and back over his short light-brown hair. “Flying through the last
storm was a challenge. Head winds slowed us down quite a bit.”
On our right, Tommy stands behind the glistening
marble-topped bar. “Can I get you something, sir?”
“A Yuengling, thanks.”
The young man pours beer into an ice-cold pilsner glass and
sets it on the low table. After a nod of appreciation from Rafe, Tommy heads
back to his cards.
Rafe stares at the amber liquid but doesn’t drink. “I’m
worried, Dria.”
“I know.”
“The talk with the seethe about your manipulator abilities
went well, but it won’t be the same with the Ancients.”
“Yes, our group took it surprisingly well.” I stifle a smile
at the reminder of that night after the hunt. No one will ever forget Paul’s
confusion and mini-freak out. Asa, our ex-military vamp, only nodded as if
confirming something he suspected, and Drew listened in stony silence. I
haven’t quite pegged him yet, but he pledged his loyalty again with the others
easily enough, showing no hesitation.
Glancing at the shaded window blocking the night sky, I
debate on raising it to view the stars. “The idea isn’t to tell the Ancients;
I’d never risk that. The plan to arrive earlier than in previous years is to
surprise them—find out who knows or suspects what I can do.”
“And then what? Slip into their minds and alter what they
know?” He shakes his head. “Too risky.”
“The alternative is to kill them.” I stare at Rafe and see
the concern he never tries to hide. “Depending on how many of the Inner Circle
we’re talking about, that might not be smart—or plausible.”
Rafe grips the chair arms, his frustration and anger quickly
outweighing his previous concern. “Twenty-two members of the Circle and eleven
Ancients, not to mention an unknown number of powerful gophers and lackeys on
the fringe doing their bidding. Too many variables. I prefer a concentrated and
planned attack.”
“We’ve gone over this before, love. What choice is there?
Let them come to us in Alaska where we have over a hundred humans in our care?”
I shake my head. “I won’t put them at risk. Not an option. Besides, we normally
head down south when the season changes, making it impossible to run the inn
for vampire guests. This early fact-finding mission in Buenos Aires is the best
way to go.”
“Yes, yes, your ‘beard the lion in his den’, crap. I get
it.” He reaches for his beer and drains half the glass before setting it down.
“I worry there’s more than the three members you’ve speculated on.”
Bitter resentment and rage coil in my middle. For years I’ve
hidden my ability and ran from certain death, only to find I’m now cornered in
a remote location with twelve dozen lives at stake. Fight or flight. That’s
what any predator would do when left with no options.
“I don’t plan on running again.” Anger leaks through my tone
and the tension in the cabin rises. “The only option is to infiltrate and bring
a stealthy battle to them.”
“Won’t they be expecting that? Coraline visited back in
January. It’s foolish to think they haven’t done anything in three months.”
“If it were me,” I say with a deadly smile, “I would have
attacked immediately.”
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Big Game
Book Three The VV Inn Series
by C.J. Ellisson
In this much-anticipated third installment of the V V Inn series, our sexy couple journeys to Argentina, bringing half their seethe along for the ride.
Vivian and Rafe venture into the Seat of Darkness, the Tribunal’s base, to uncover who’s plotting them against and why. From a cold, windy island off the southern Argentine coast, to the decadence of Buenos Aires, the group has plenty to keep their attention—seductive twins, deadly games, and a bunch of bloodsucking fiends who hate our much-loved, despotic innkeeper enough to see her dead.
Asa and Jon stay in Alaska, to manage the famous inn as it opens doors to a new type of guest. Visiting werewolves go on their first exploration of the property, looking for big game—hormones run high and shots ring out across the tundra. Soon, the hunters become the hunted and the peaceful getaway resembles a battleground.
How many will survive the next five days and will they ever be the same again?
Warning: This book contains very explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18.
The Hunt
Book Two The VV Inn Series
C.J. Ellisson
Vivian thinks she can control every aspect of a deadly game with her usual manipulations... but what if she can't?
Seven vampires and seven werewolves pay to hunt a supernatural criminal across the cold, vast grounds of an Alaskan resort. The one to catch her, and live through the encounter, will increase their power by feasting on hers.
The tiny vampire they track is more than she appears, however. To escape a fate of twelve years in silver chains, she'll do anything to survive the weeklong excursion. This time, the darkness holds more than just the stinging bite of the Arctic--it holds death.
Journey along, in this next installment of The V V Inn series, for a wild ride as the tale is told through the eyes of all the new seethe members.
Warning: This book contains some explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18.
Vampire Vacation
Book One The VV Inn Series
Meet Vivian. She’s a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.
Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests.
Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn’t easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?
Warning: This book contains some explicit sex scenes, intended for mature readers only.
Titles in the V V Inn series:
Free Short Story and half of Book One: Just One Taste
Book One: Vampire Vacation
Free Read containing half of Book Two: Another Sip
Book Two: The Hunt Book
Three: Big Game
Novella: Death’s Servant (Jonathan’s story, due out Summer 2012)
Book Four: The Seduction of Death (due out December 2012)
About the Author:
C.J. Ellisson writes erotica and urban fantasy. Her vampire series, The V V Inn, mixes a heavy dose of erotic elements with suspense, action, a little bit of mystery and some light humor. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze.
To learn more about C.J.'s books (where you can read half of the novels for free), please visit her website at www.cjellisson.com
C.J. Ellisson writes erotica and urban fantasy. Her vampire series, The V V Inn, mixes a heavy dose of erotic elements with suspense, action, a little bit of mystery and some light humor. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze.
To learn more about C.J.'s books (where you can read half of the novels for free), please visit her website at www.cjellisson.com
Giveaway details
·
BECOME
a character in the next V V Inn book (questionnaire provided to winner)
·
Name
a character in the next book (yes, it can be your own name ;-)
·
Full
set of signed and numbered print editions of all three books in the V V Inn
series
·
5
Signed and numbered print copies of BIG GAME
·
50
Copies of BIG GAME in eBook format -- one given out at every tour stop and one
additional copy for every ten commenters per stop
Posts
6 comments:
Wow...the contest didn't last long :( It was just posted today. Anyways....I loved the first 2 books in this series. I'm sure book 3 will not disappoint. Thanks for the teaser =)
Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sorry for the confusion -- there are a ton of prizes in this contest. There is a winner for the eBooks at each tour stop -- hence why you see winners posted. The contest runs til July.
Hi there...would love to win..I'm on C.J.'s street team but fairly new to her books..thanks for the contest
Awesome giveaway...
Looking forward to reading this series.
Cindy
I love that in a vampire book anything is possible the rules of the real world dont apply and I can comepletely lose myself in the story .I havent read this series yet but Im realy looking forward to it it sounds great .
Oh ok..it was just the rafflecopter wasn't working right. Well I'm going to follow along because I love your books =) and characters...they're awesome. Thank you
Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com
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