Today I’m happy to host a stop for I Am Forever Tour, organized by Dark World Books!
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I AM FOREVER
(What Kills Me #2)
Axelia fought an army of vampires and survived. Once fated as the destroyer of the vampire race, she is now welcomed into the immortal empire and revered as a god.
But instead of relishing her victory, she faces a dangerous new world and an empire at war. Axelia is thrust into the position of supreme vampire and caught in the crossfire of battle. To make matters worse, her role alienates Lucas, the one vampire that she trusts.
Her power spawns evil enemies. And they know how to get to her — by hurting those whom she loves most.
(What Kills Me #2)
Axelia fought an army of vampires and survived. Once fated as the destroyer of the vampire race, she is now welcomed into the immortal empire and revered as a god.
But instead of relishing her victory, she faces a dangerous new world and an empire at war. Axelia is thrust into the position of supreme vampire and caught in the crossfire of battle. To make matters worse, her role alienates Lucas, the one vampire that she trusts.
Her power spawns evil enemies. And they know how to get to her — by hurting those whom she loves most.
I AM FOREVER EXCERPT
USED WITH PERMISSION, COPYRIGHT WYNNE CHANNING
USED WITH PERMISSION, COPYRIGHT WYNNE CHANNING
Axelia.
It was a whisper. A hiss.
Ax-eee-liaaa.
Louder. Raspy. From the corner of the room.
I sat up and blinked but saw only black.
Lucas?
It called my name again, this time from the foot of my bed. Oh my God. I froze.
“Who’s there?”
In the darkness something reached out and grabbed my leg,
nails piercing my flesh. The agony shocked me. I screamed and struggled like an
animal crushed in a steel trap.
nails piercing my flesh. The agony shocked me. I screamed and struggled like an
animal crushed in a steel trap.
It was neither vampire nor human. It was slimy, oozing blood
and some other rancid liquid. I choked on the putrid stink of rotting meat.
and some other rancid liquid. I choked on the putrid stink of rotting meat.
I shrieked and kicked it in the face. The jagged edges of
its fangs sliced my heel. I rolled sideways, fell from the bed, and hit the
floor. My bloody feet slipped as I tried to skid away. But the creature was on
me, snarling, dragging me by my feet toward its mouth. Then I saw its eyes.
Yellow. Filmy. Their black centers bleeding at the edges.
its fangs sliced my heel. I rolled sideways, fell from the bed, and hit the
floor. My bloody feet slipped as I tried to skid away. But the creature was on
me, snarling, dragging me by my feet toward its mouth. Then I saw its eyes.
Yellow. Filmy. Their black centers bleeding at the edges.
The creature snapped at my face.
“NO!”
I put my fingers in its mouth and it sank its teeth down to
the bone. With a cry I tore its jaw off. It didn’t even scream, just reeled
away. I scrambled back against a dresser, and a lamp smashed and fell to the
ground. Still blind, I felt around until my hand closed around a shard of
glass. I stood and the creature crashed into me, a storm of claws and teeth. As
we slammed into the wall, it stabbed its talons into the back of my shoulders,
the pain hot and intense. I drove the shard in between its ribs. We fell together.
the bone. With a cry I tore its jaw off. It didn’t even scream, just reeled
away. I scrambled back against a dresser, and a lamp smashed and fell to the
ground. Still blind, I felt around until my hand closed around a shard of
glass. I stood and the creature crashed into me, a storm of claws and teeth. As
we slammed into the wall, it stabbed its talons into the back of my shoulders,
the pain hot and intense. I drove the shard in between its ribs. We fell together.
Laughter. I heard a low, hoarse cackle and when I looked
toward the sound, I saw eyes. Blood red. And then they were gone.
toward the sound, I saw eyes. Blood red. And then they were gone.
The monster was shaking me. It was talking. No. It had
Lucas’s voice.
Lucas’s voice.
Lucas.
Suddenly, there was light. Lucas was crouched over me and I
was twisted under him, mid-struggle.
was twisted under him, mid-struggle.
What?
What’s going on?
What’s going on?
“Zee! Stop!” Lucas shouted. “Stop. You’re all right.”
“Where is it?” I cried. “Where did it go?”
“Calm down. You were dreaming.”
“No, th-there was something in my room. Where is it?”
“You were having a nightmare, my lady,” Uther said. He
clutched the belt of his robe, eyes wide. A row of soldiers stood beside him,
their gloved hands on the handles of their swords.
clutched the belt of his robe, eyes wide. A row of soldiers stood beside him,
their gloved hands on the handles of their swords.
“What…?” I blinked to clear the fog in my head.
Lucas rose and helped me to my feet. Then he staggered back.
He had blood on his hands.
He had blood on his hands.
“Lucas, you’re bleeding!”
“I’m fine.”
I rubbed my eyes. “What happened?”
Wincing, Lucas lifted his shirt and seemed to yank at the
skin on his abdomen; he threw a piece of glass to the ground.
skin on his abdomen; he threw a piece of glass to the ground.
The
shard of glass. I put that in the monster. The monster is Lucas? No, wait.
shard of glass. I put that in the monster. The monster is Lucas? No, wait.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Did I do that to you?”
“Yes.”
“In my sleep?”
“Yes.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I swear, there was something in my room and then someone else
who was watching. I heard them. I felt them.”
who was watching. I heard them. I felt them.”
I reached around to rub my shoulder, searching for bloody
punctures. No wound. I looked down at my rumpled dress, stained with sweat. I
turned my hands over and searched for scratches. “There was something here. It
was so real.”
punctures. No wound. I looked down at my rumpled dress, stained with sweat. I
turned my hands over and searched for scratches. “There was something here. It
was so real.”
A chunk of the bed frame had splintered off. Chairs and
tables were overturned. One of the doors had come off its hinges. Water from
the vase, now broken, dribbled from the table to the floor.
tables were overturned. One of the doors had come off its hinges. Water from
the vase, now broken, dribbled from the table to the floor.
“Did I do all this?”
“You had some help,” Lucas said.
Uther nodded. “The swordsmith and the maids tried to wake
you from your nightmare.”
you from your nightmare.”
Oh
no. “Did…did I hurt them?”
no. “Did…did I hurt them?”
“They will be all right,” Uther replied.
Under the light the confusion dissipated and guilt swept in.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Lucas, are you okay?”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Lucas, are you okay?”
“I’ve healed already, so don’t give it another thought.”
I put my hands up as if I was facing a squadron of armed
officers. “Sorry, everyone.”
officers. “Sorry, everyone.”
“Please leave us,” Uther ordered. The Aramatta filed out
without a second glance.
without a second glance.
I plucked a few feathers stuck to my clothing. A cushion had
been gutted and its fluffy innards were strewn all over the bed and floor.
Lucas placed a hand on my still trembling shoulder. His fingers touched where
the creature had pierced me with its nails.
been gutted and its fluffy innards were strewn all over the bed and floor.
Lucas placed a hand on my still trembling shoulder. His fingers touched where
the creature had pierced me with its nails.
“You were stuck in a very bad dream, my lady,” Uther said.
“I’ve never had a nightmare like that before,” I said.
“Usually I dream that I’m horribly late for a final exam and I can’t find the
classroom. But there were monsters. One was attacking me and biting me and I
couldn’t get away. It was so real.”
“Usually I dream that I’m horribly late for a final exam and I can’t find the
classroom. But there were monsters. One was attacking me and biting me and I
couldn’t get away. It was so real.”
The creature’s fetid blood still lingered in my nose. It
made me nauseous. I sank down onto the once-beautiful bed.
made me nauseous. I sank down onto the once-beautiful bed.
“You’ve also never been through the kind of trauma that
you’ve experienced,” Uther said.
you’ve experienced,” Uther said.
“I’m not making a good case for myself, am I? Being a house
guest from hell.”
guest from hell.”
“My lady, the Monarchy is only concerned with your safety
and well-being.”
and well-being.”
“Thanks, Uther.”
“Try to get some rest, my lady.”
“Yeah, I’ve given up the whole sleeping thing. It’s
overrated.”
overrated.”
“I will return shortly. If there is anything you need, just
call for one of the maids.”
call for one of the maids.”
“I don’t know how eager they’ll be to come in here after
what’s happened.”
what’s happened.”
“We are all here to serve,” Uther said with a bow before
leaving.
leaving.
“I’m not,” Lucas said. He sat on the bed beside me. “But
apparently I’m here to be your pin cushion.”
apparently I’m here to be your pin cushion.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’m teasing you.”
I raked my fingers through my hair. “What happened?”
“You fell asleep while the cleric was trying to convince me
to give you space. I refused and ended up resting on the couch in your room.
Then you started sleepwalking and screaming.”
to give you space. I refused and ended up resting on the couch in your room.
Then you started sleepwalking and screaming.”
“I was standing up?”
“Yes, you threw a maid through the door.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. And anyone who touched you.”
“Were my eyes open?”
“Yes.”
“Then what did you do?”
“I tried to wake you.”
“Then I stabbed you?”
“Well, you did that after.”
“After what?”
“After a struggle. Let’s just say that I learned very
quickly that I could never fight you.”
quickly that I could never fight you.”
I slapped my hands to my face. I wanted to fold into myself
and disappear. I’m dangerous. This is
partly why the Monarchy hunted me in the first place. They feared that I would
be out of control and murderous. The Empress would have something to say about
this. Maybe this was enough proof that I could not be free.
and disappear. I’m dangerous. This is
partly why the Monarchy hunted me in the first place. They feared that I would
be out of control and murderous. The Empress would have something to say about
this. Maybe this was enough proof that I could not be free.
“Don’t beat yourself up over this.” Lucas pulled my hands
away from my face. “You’ve done enough beating up today,” he added with a wink.
away from my face. “You’ve done enough beating up today,” he added with a wink.
“Seriously. I hit something so hard that my hand was sore.”
He slid his thumb into my palm and massaged my hand. “You’re
all right?” he asked.
all right?” he asked.
“Mmhmm,” I murmured.
I turned my hands to feel him trace my skin with his
fingertips. He grazed the inside of my wrist and the pleasure radiated up my
arm and into my core.
fingertips. He grazed the inside of my wrist and the pleasure radiated up my
arm and into my core.
“Thanks for waking me up,” I said.
“Thanks for not killing me in your sleep.”
“That’s not even funny.”
“They have cameras in your room. You could probably ask to
see the whole thing.”
see the whole thing.”
“No, I’d rather pretend it didn’t happen. Hey…I didn’t…I
didn’t pull off anyone’s lower jaw, did I?”
didn’t pull off anyone’s lower jaw, did I?”
*Check also “What Kills Me”, the first instalment in the series*
WHAT KILLS ME
(What Kills Me #1)
So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.
How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?
(What Kills Me #1)
So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.
How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?
Amazon US – Amazon UK – Barnes & Noble – Kobo – iTunes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wynne Channing is a national newspaper reporter and award-winning young adult novelist. Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite). She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”
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INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY!
Here’s what you could win:
- a stunning ballpoint pen filled with more than 100 pink crystals
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- an E-copy of “I Am Forever” (What Kills Me #2)
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What a great scene! The giveaway prizes are so awesome = I am entering for sure!!
I <3 swag! (hint hint for the black leather note book *tee hee*)
Chanzie @ Mean Who You Are.
YAY! Good luck, Chanzie 🙂
I was so happy to read your enthusiastic review for What Kills Me the other day that I can't wait to know your thoughts on I Am Forever as well!