Holiday Foreplay with Faith Hunter

Hi Faith! Welcome to Rabid Reads! Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock series is pushing 4 installments. The latest, Raven Cursed, is scheduled for January 3rd, 2011 so stay tuned!

Author Bio Faith Hunter writes dark urban fantasy: Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock with Skinwalker, Blood Cross, and Mercy Blade, and Raven Cursed in 2012. Her Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban fantasy series—Bloodring, Seraphs, and Host—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality. Website / Facebook / Twitter

Christmas Shopping for Vamps
(From Beast’s Point Of View)

       Jane dresses in black dress with little skirt, with red trim, like lace of blood. Hair in long braid hanging down back, like big-cat tail, like black panther. On Jane’s feet are shoes with tall heels. Jane is wobbly. Wearing prey clothes.
       I watch from the dark place in her mind, my den. Jane should shift into Beast for this hunt, so Jane would be safe. Jane needs killing teeth.
       But Jane is not silly kit, and does smart hunter thing. Straps killing claw to each leg, long knives for killing vampires. Shoves silver stakes into hair. Smears color of blood on mouth, color that says to world, “Jane is killer. See blood of my prey.”
       Still… I do not like it when Jane is alpha. Do not like it when Jane will not shift and hunt.
       Jane sticks cross into her pocket—pouch like opossum has, but not for young—lined with stinky metal. And I/we leave Jane-den. To go dancing. Looking like prey, but really hunter, predator, killer.
       Walks to bar where band plays and humans drink strong drink to forget pain, and dance, mating rituals for lonely humans. Beast thinks humans are looking for someone to make small pack with and love. Looking for mates.
       Jane dances, moving like cat in heat, letting her scent wash through warm air, to vampire noses, who watch her like prey. She looks like prey, looks weak and harmless, hiding weapons. Vampires want to drink from her. Jane wants to kill them.
       Band plays Christmas music. Ca-rols. With Island reggae beat. I like it.
       One vampire moves across dance floor to Jane. Tall male—taller than Jane—with short red hair, sticking out like porcupine quills, takes her hand and twirls her into dance move, pulling her under his arm. He is pretty, for a vampire, skin flushed and pink.
       Vampire likes her scent, presses his nose into her neck, sniffing, breathing, heart beating. Vampire is old and drunk on blood. Naturaleza vampire, has killed to drink his fill. Outlaw.
       Jane smiles, and lets some of Beast into her eyes. I help Jane dance, cat grace and cat slink are better than primate moves. Jane moves like snake, body full of promise. Vampire puts his hands on Jane. She whirls away.
       Vampire leads Jane outside, into dark, heart beating faster. He has predator movements and sex pheromones. Wants to mate with Jane and drink her dry. Vampire pulls Jane down alley, under trees. I/we smell human blood. He has killed here before. Tonight. Outlaw-killer-vampire must die. Will not follow law.
       Jane laughs and teases vampire—all cat now—still dancing. She slides hand under skirt. Pulls vamp-killer blade. Is ready.
       Vampire vamps-out. Rushes Jane.
       Jane pivots on tall shoes, all cat balance and cat speed. Whirls, arm out, blade glittering. And takes Vampire head. She leaps away as body falls, vampire blood pumping out. Watches to make sure vampire dies. Then cleans claw-blade on his clothes and sheaths it. Jane is good hunter.
       Jane pulls cell phone and takes picture of head, showing fangs, and sends it to Bruiser with note that says, “Merry Christmas to me. You & Leo owe me $20,000.”
       Then she sends GPS to have body picked up, and alley cleaned up.
       Jane picks up vampire head and walks into night, humming song. My Favorite Things. I chuff with laughter. Shopping with Jane is fun.

Merry Christmas!
Faith Hunter, Jane Yellowrock, and Beast
Copyright by Faith Hunter, 2011

The Book

Buy From: The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina, want to establish their own clan, but since they owe loyalty to the Master Vampire of New Orleans they must work out the terms with him. To come up with an equitable solution, he sends an envoy with the best bodyguard blood money can buy: Jane Yellowrock. But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Unless she wants to face a very angry mast vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It’s a good thing she’s worth every penny.

Giveaway

Faith is giving away a pair of hand-crafted earrings (sterling hoop, silver plate and smokey quartz beads, with a metal leaf) to one of my lucky followers. International. Please read my Giveaway Policy before entering.

CLOSED: Winners

Already on the Blog:
December Release of your choice from TBD
Review: Acquainted with the Night by Piper Maitland
Top 7 Items on a Vampire’s Holiday Wish List and Giveaway with Piper Maitland
Character Letter to Santa and Giveaway with E.S. Moore

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