BooksChatter: ☀☄ Immortal Kiss [1]

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Immortal Kiss, a Paranormal Romance by Laura Daleo (15 February 2015, World Castle Publishing, LLC, 294 pages).

This is the fist book in the Immortal Kiss series.

PREVIEW: Check out the book's synopsis, trailer and excerpt below. Read the first two chapters with Amazon Look Inside.

Author Laura Daleo will be awarding a $5 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Synopsis

Centuries ago ten powerful vampire gods first walked the earth; their blood thirst knew no boundaries. The destruction of mankind was inevitable.

Recognizing their weakness, they selected twelve wise human beings to transform with their godly blood. These twelve, known as The Old Ones and The Council, govern The Ten. A blood lottery appeasing The Ten’s hunger was set forth into the human world and passed down every fifth generation, continuing into the present day.

All of Beth Ryan’s life a mysterious mist watched over her, a mist she believed to be a vampire. On a cold winter night, she comes face to face with Philippe Delon, a 700 year old vampire with a human soul. Beth is certain Philippe is the vampire behind the mist. She is drawn to him, accepting his immortality without question or fear.

Beth and Philippe cannot deny their love for each other, nor do they try to fight it. Within days of their encounter, Beth accepts Philippe’s invitation to move into his mansion. The mansion unlocks the door to the vampire world and exposes secrets from Beth’s past. Within its walls, she learns the true identity of the mist, her link to the blood lottery, and betrayal of her loved ones. Surrounded by lies, Beth stands before The Council begging for resolution.

Teaser: Excerpt

PROLOGUE

Just after midnight, Danny’s beat up mustang convertible pulled into my driveway. Turning the key, he silenced the soft rumble of the engine, leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Happy birthday, Beth.” A gust of thick summer air tousled my hair. Tucking it behind my ears, I gave his shoulder a nudge. “That’s number seven. You can stop now.”
He grinned, sprouting adorable dimples. “Seventeen is epic. Feel any different?”

      Danny was such a dweeb. “It’s not like I won the lottery.” He pursed his lips and gave a slow nod. “Now that would truly be epic.” “Yeah,” I said, my gaze drifting toward my open bedroom window. The moon hung low in the sky, peeking through the trees surrounding my house. Complete darkness lurked behind the curtains. I squinted. I swore I’d left the light on.
      “You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” Danny mumbled, but loud enough to catch my ear.
      The word “it” gripped my bones like nails on a chalk broad. Twisting in my seat, I faced him. “Don’t call him that.”
      Tensing his jaw, he fixed his gaze on me. “What should I call it? It’s mist, Beth. It’s not human.” He breathed a little easier, the rosy red flushing back in his cheeks. “I get it. It’s been around most of your life, but so have I, and you can see me, touch me, and talk to me.”
      I bit my tongue, smothering a smartass remark. Danny was right; yet, I didn’t care. The mist’s unspoken gestures triumphed over my heart. Closing my eyes, I sat very quiet, listening to the crickets sing like drunken fools. When we were kids, the mist fascinated Danny, almost like an addiction. He called him Commander Vapor, his super hero. Every night, Danny camped out in front of my bedroom window with his eyes bulging out of their sockets, waiting for the mist to appear.
      “It can’t give you what I can,” Danny pressed, breaking my concentration.
      You’re wrong, Danny. Opening my eyes, I turned toward him. I didn’t say a word. I just stared.
      He squirmed and looked away like a dog punished by his master.
      Slouching in my seat, I said, “The mist is part of me. I can’t let go. I… I don’t know how to.”
      Danny inched closer, narrowing the gap between us. “I’m not asking you to let go.” He touched my hand. “Just give me a chance.” The corners of his lips spread into a toothy grin. “You and I have things in common.”
      I blinked, and then cocked my head. “Like what? I collect shoes. You collect creepy bugs. I read poetry. You read comic books. I paint. You play paintball.”
      Shrugging his shoulders, he fired back, “We’re both seventeen, we’re next door neighbors, and we go to Emery High.”
      I smirked. Those weren’t commonalities. “Nice try.” Snapping his fingers, he lifted his chin. “Got it, we’re doppelgangers. My eyes are greenish-blue. Yours mimic the sea. I’m covered in freckles. You have just a few sprinkled across your nose. I’m a carrot top. You’re an apple-red.”
      We eyed each other, his words sinking in. Danny’s lips quivered, and I couldn’t keep a straight face. Exploding with laughter, we fell onto each other, our foreheads colliding.
      He curled a strand of my hair around his finger. “Give me a chance.” I stiffened and pulled away. “I care about you, Danny, but we’re ─”
      I stiffened and pulled away. “I care about you, Danny, but we’re ─”
      Bobbing his head, he finished my sentence. “Just friends, I know, but I may just change your mind.” He tapped his temple. “I’ve been doing some research. Found some pretty interesting stuff in my comic books.”
      I clamped my lips shut. Comic book research. This should be good.
      He held up his hand. “Hear me out. I mean, we’re dealing with mist that forms into a man. Comic books aren’t such a far stretch.”
      He had a point. “I’m all ears.”
      “I’ve narrowed it down to three beings.” His face took on a “wait for it” look, like our science teacher, Mr. Mayor, who hesitated after every word, letting the tension build. “An alien… a warlock… or a vampire.” He paused, and then rattled off, “In comic books, all three can turn themselves into mist.
      You should ask him which one he is.”
      His words crept into my brain. A nagging itch spread across my palm. I had to know. Pushing the car door, I stepped onto my driveway.
      Danny came to my side, taking my hand. “Let me come up with you?”
      I didn’t look at him, my gaze fixed on my bedroom window. “No.” I let go of his hand. “Go home, Danny. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Quickly, I faced him and pressed my hand over my heart. “Thanks for making my seventeenth birthday special.”
      His lips spread into a goofy grin. “I love you, Beth.”
      I couldn’t say it back. I didn’t love him. Forcing a smile, I backed up the drive and onto the porch. As I turned and opened the front door, the mustang’s engine whined to life. Slipping inside, I waved at Danny, and then closed the door.

      In the blackness, I climbed the drab carpeted stairs. My mother wasn’t much for color. Muted gray décor claimed our home. She called it modern. I called it boring. In contrast, my cotton-candy pink bedroom screamed personality. Danny called it the “Pink Palace,” and it was my palace.
      My bedroom door stood ajar. It reeked of dewy rosebuds. Inhaling an intoxicating breath, my head spun. I inched closer, running my hand along the wall and peering through the parted doorframe. The mist drifted past the opening. My heart jumped into my throat. Pushing the door wide open, I hurried inside and flicked on the light. Red rose petals drenched my bed, cascading like a waterfall onto the carpet. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My feet seemed rooted into the floor. He’d done this for me, for my birthday. Catching my breath, I shut the door, closing us off from the outside world.
      The mist shifted into the silhouette of man, gliding across my room toward my bed. His translucent hand pointed to a folded sheet of pink paper resting on my pillow.
      My palms tingled. Was it a love letter? I ran to my bed, pick it up, and fell backward onto the blanket of rose petals. They fluttered, crashed onto me, and caressed my skin. Stroking the coarse paper between my fingers, I bit my lip and opened it. My gaze flew across the page.
      If I had to choose whether to breathe or to love you, I would use my last breath to tell you that… I love you.
      The paper trembled in my hands, his words blurring behind my tears. He loved me, and I him. I rose to my feet and faced him. My mouth went dry. I forced out each word. “What… are… you?”
      He waved his hand over the rose petals, spinning them faster and faster. As they came to rest on my mattress, a letter unfolded… V. The others quickly followed. My small human life shrunk into the background. All that remained was a word… VAMPIRE.

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About the Author

Laura Daleo was born and raised in San Diego, California where she majored in Fine Arts at Mesa College. Laura is best known for her love of animals. She is an animal advocate and shares her home with five humorous Basset Hounds, Edie, Lucy, Stuart, Morgan, and Dexter, her toughest critics.

Laura has held positions in several industries, Restaurant, Telecom, Biotech, and Research. She enjoys anything paranormal or urban fantasy related, and writes in both genres for adults.

A creative writing class in junior high sparked her desire to tell stories. Throughout Laura’s professional career, she crafted her writing skills by taking courses and by joining a writer’s critique group and Writers Digest.

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