Book & Author Details:
Night of the Hunter
by Susan Harris
(The Ever Chace Chronicles, #4)
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: November 13th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
by Susan Harris
(The Ever Chace Chronicles, #4)
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: November 13th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Synopsis:
Donnie O’Carroll began to live the moment Caitlyn made him a vampire. Caitlyn gave him a family, a purpose, and he’ll be damned if he’s going to allow the darkness to overwhelm the woman he loves. He will fight to the end to prove to Caitlyn that love can conquer all—even if he has to die to do it.
Sacrifice, a supernatural assassin, and immortal love are on a cosmic collision course in this powerful fourth installment of the Ever Chace Chronicles.
Purchase:
Book 1 - Skin and Bones - is FREE!
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Excerpts:
One:
“Oh, my dear, what have those vampires done?”
Kenzie spun round and laid eyes on the most beautiful man she had ever seen. A tumble of dark hair caressed his shoulders. When he stepped into the light, it was a rich brown, almost with an undertone of red beneath the dark. His eyes were of the same reddish-brown tint, with an expression that sent warnings of danger throughout Kenzie’s entire body. He was imposing, standing in the doorway, a leather duster coat dipping into the blood-soaked carpet that made Kenzie want to tell him to lift it up so it wouldn’t get damaged.
“Who are you?” she asked as the stranger’s full lips curved into a small smile.
“Someone who can help you exact revenge on those who slaughtered your family.”
Kenzie lurched forward. “You know who killed them? Tell me!”
The stranger stepped forward and cupped her cheek in his hand. Kenzie flinched, the coldness of his touch unexpected.
“You are not ready yet, Kenzie Blake. But you could be. Would you leave all you know, all you could have been, in order to seek vengeance on those who did this to little Kaleb?”
His questions had Kenzie’s heart pounding in her chest. “What killed them?”
The stranger ran his thumb over a streak of blood on her face and brought it to his lips. “Evil vampires killed your family. Those who do not abide by the rules of the council. I hunt those who do not follow the rules and slay them.”
As he licked the blood from his finger, Kenzie saw a flash of fang and stumbled back.
“You’re a vampire.”
“I am. But you have nothing to fear from me, Kenzie. I only wish to help you rid yourself of the pain this will cause. I can train you to be what I am, a slayer of the evil vampires. And when you are ready, we will track down the monsters who did all of this and kill them.”
Something told her to run. Instinct screamed inside her mind. But as Kenzie glanced back at the body of her little brother, anger and hatred seeped into her marrow, and Kenzie Blake ceased to exist, replaced by a bringer of death and vengeance.
The handsome man held out a hand, which she took, the sound of sirens wailing from outside as Kenzie left her old life behind. They slipped out the back door and hurried away from the estate.
“What’s your name?” Kenzie asked the man who offered her vengeance.
He gave her a cunning grin, one of great smugness.
“My name is not important. But you, dear Kenzie, you can call me Father. Many do.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers before pulling away. “I have waited a lifetime to find you, Kenzie Blake. And they will not see you coming.”
He pulled her into an alleyway as police cars whizzed by. “But first things first.”
Kenzie shrank back against the wall in horror as the man snarled, his fangs elongating and ripping into his wrist. Kenzie knew she had made a mistake, and there would be no going back now. Quick as lightning, he clasped the back of her head and shoved her lips against his wound. His other hand wrapped wound her neck and worked her throat so she had little choice but to swallow, her eyes wide in fear.
Stepping back, her new acquaintance stared at her as if he were waiting for her to react. Fire erupted in the pit of her stomach and Kenzie screamed as the pain intensified until she buckled under the weight of it. The last thing Kenzie remembered before she sank into the pitch black was cool lips on her forehead as the stranger murmured another woman’s name—a name that would haunt her for years to come.
Caitlyn.
Two:
If blood still pumped in his veins, Melanie was certain Chester’s face would have turned a violent shade of purple from the tizzy Chester had worked himself into. Ricky stiffened beside her and she bumped her knuckles against his once in solidarity.
“Agent Moore! Agent Newton! I specifically asked for Sargent Delany to send me Agents Hardi and O’Carroll. I requested vampires.”
Melanie pointed at herself. “Oh look…a vampire! Just as requested.”
The snicker of laughter from not only Ricky but the few vampires that stood sentry around the outdoor area enraged the head of the Cork vampires even more.
“I expect that kind of reaction from him, Agent Newton. But not from someone from Caitlyn’s line. I assumed she would have taught you better manners,” Chester sneered.
“I guess we skipped that lesson. I’ll make sure to advise my sire that you queried her methods. I’m sure she’d be delighted to hear your suggestions on how to improve my manners.”
Chester growled as Ricky made a move to stand in front of her. “I asked for the best of the best. People with experience.”
“Well, the best of the best isn’t available…so you got stuck with the best of the mediocre. Deal with it.” Melanie stepped around Chester and went to look at the body, supressing a smile.
Three:
Caitlyn raced across the floor as Jessamine screamed loud enough to wake the dead. As she flung the door to her daughter’s bedroom open, Caitlyn could hear her baby girl sobbing. Caitlyn perched herself on the bed beside Jessamine and pulled her into a hug.
“Hush now, baby. Tell Momma what has upset you so.”
The little girl sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes before she peered up at Caitlyn with grey eyes that mirrored her own. “There’s a monster under my bed and it’s going to eat me.”
Caitlyn brushed the hair away from Jessamine’s forehead, kissing it briefly. “I promise there are no monsters under your bed, mon bébé.”
“But I heard it. It had claws and teeth the size of a mountain.”
Struggling not to smile, Caitlyn cupped her daughter’s chin and held her gaze. “Any monsters that would dare to come within a breath of you will answer to me first. Would I let any harm come to you?”
“Never, Momma.” Such belief in her, even back then.
“Good. Now it’s time to go to sleep.”
“Momma, I’m scared.”
Caitlyn pulled Jessamine into her lap and simply held her. “But you, my dear, sweet, beautiful child, are brave. Can you be brave for me?”
The little girl with eyes of grey and ringlets of hair as black as coal narrowed her brow. “How can I be brave if I am scared of monsters?”
Giving her daughter a bright smile, Caitlyn searched for words that, when Jessamine grew up, she could carry with her as an adult when neither Caitlyn nor Sebastian were around. “To be brave does not mean you are fearless; to be brave means being absolutely terrified, but doing something anyway.”
Caitlyn cuddled her daughter some more, relenting when the little girl asked Caitlyn to stay with her until she fell asleep. Lying down beside her daughter, Caitlyn breathed in the apple scent of her skin, stroking Jessamine’s hair as her daughter’s breathing evened and she fell into a deep sleep.
A throat cleared in the doorway, and Caitlyn smiled at the tousled appearance of her husband, who looked at her with such love.
“Je t’aime.” He mouthed, a grin on his face.
Caitlyn, assured that their child was asleep and safe, got up from the bed and pressed her lips to Sebastian’s. “I love you too,” she said against his lips, happier than she could ever expect to be. Happiness was a blessing, as was her family, and she was grateful to God for his blessing upon them.
Four:
“You hurt him or Caitlyn and I promise you that I will see to it that you burn. We are not blood, but we are family. And I will fucking find a way to end you if you harm those who are mine to claim as family.”
The vampire titled his head slightly, a smile that didn’t meet his eyes on his lips. “You would make a formidable vampire, warlock. Let me turn you, and with my blood in your veins, you will be a king amongst men.”
When Caitlyn’s maker spoke, Donnie understood why people had fallen to their knees and bowed to him. His voice sounded as if a God had spoken and praised you, no matter if he condemned you to death, or embraced you.
“No thanks. Donnie bit me once, and it did nothing for me and he’s a handsome bastard. Besides you ‘aint my type.”
“I have powerful females of my line who could change you over.”
Ricky rocked back on the heels of his feet with a grin that might just get him killed.
“I’m sorry. You’re ancient and misheard me. You should really get that checked out, mate. Next step and you’ll need those little blue pills to perform. Anyways, what I meant to say was you’re a sadistic, narcissistic, prick and the thought of having you turn me into a vampire makes me what to upchuck all the alcohol I’ve drank in the last few hours. If I ever change my mind, I’ll ask my family.”
The Interview That Never Was.
*This interview takes place just after the events of
Smoke and Mirrors
and just as the events of
Night of the Hunter takes place*
When I arrived at the station this evening, the place was a flurry of activity, the Paranormal Investigations Team squad room empty when I popped my head in. tonight I was here to interview Donnie, and I must admit, this was the interview that terrified me. Not because Donnie was a vampire, but the fact that he could see inside my mind, and sometimes, that was not a very happy place to be.
I left word with one of the officers, then made my way into the interview room to prepare. After setting out my interview questions, I mulled over whether or not to ask Donnie about his feelings for Caitlyn. It was obvious to anyone with half an ounce of common sense that those two were destined to be together. Family was out since Donnie had his own tragic back story, and from all the stories my Dad had told me about the infamous Donnie O’Carroll, Munster Rugby hero and his legendary binge sessions, perhaps asking him about his past would not be the best way to conduct this interview.
As you can probably tell, I got absolutely no sleep last night!
My nerves kicked up a notch after I had been sat twiddling my thumbs and doodling on my notebook for about an hour. Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway, the door to the interview room swinging open as Tom ‘Sarge’ Delaney stood in the doorway, his face reddened in fluster,
“I’m sorry, Ms. Harris, for not coming sooner. But one of my Agents decided it would be a good idea to burn down an exclusive hotel.”
I let loose a nervous laugh. “Let me guess…Ricky?”
“You hit the nail on the head.” Sarge replied with a snort. “Perhaps I should hire you considering I’m down half a team and have cases coming in left, right and centre.”
Though Sarge spoke in jest, my heart kicked a little, considering that there was totally a reason I took all those online courses in Psychology and Criminology. But that was not going to happen for terribly human me.
“Were the team injured in the fire?” I asked, hoping that the team were all okay.
Sarge sighed. “Everyone’s fine. But Caitlyn decided to run off to Paris with Donnie hot on her heels. Derek went after Ever. Erika upped and vanished. So, I’m left with a newbie vampire and a hot head to turn to.”
My jaw almost hit the floor. Caitlyn was gone to Paris? Why had Ever run off? The journalist in me wanted to grill Sarge about what the hell was going on, but one look at the exhausted expression halted my inquisitive nature.
I gathered my belongings, and let Sarge walk me out with a promise he would give me a call when all the knuckleheads regained some common sense and came home.
And even though I desperately wanted to find out what was happening with the team, I was totally relived that the one interview that I was dreading since taking on this task had been postponed for now. I guess I’d just have to wait for another time to see just how far into my mind, Donnie O’Carroll could read.
*This interview takes place just after the events of
Smoke and Mirrors
and just as the events of
Night of the Hunter takes place*
When I arrived at the station this evening, the place was a flurry of activity, the Paranormal Investigations Team squad room empty when I popped my head in. tonight I was here to interview Donnie, and I must admit, this was the interview that terrified me. Not because Donnie was a vampire, but the fact that he could see inside my mind, and sometimes, that was not a very happy place to be.
I left word with one of the officers, then made my way into the interview room to prepare. After setting out my interview questions, I mulled over whether or not to ask Donnie about his feelings for Caitlyn. It was obvious to anyone with half an ounce of common sense that those two were destined to be together. Family was out since Donnie had his own tragic back story, and from all the stories my Dad had told me about the infamous Donnie O’Carroll, Munster Rugby hero and his legendary binge sessions, perhaps asking him about his past would not be the best way to conduct this interview.
As you can probably tell, I got absolutely no sleep last night!
My nerves kicked up a notch after I had been sat twiddling my thumbs and doodling on my notebook for about an hour. Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway, the door to the interview room swinging open as Tom ‘Sarge’ Delaney stood in the doorway, his face reddened in fluster,
“I’m sorry, Ms. Harris, for not coming sooner. But one of my Agents decided it would be a good idea to burn down an exclusive hotel.”
I let loose a nervous laugh. “Let me guess…Ricky?”
“You hit the nail on the head.” Sarge replied with a snort. “Perhaps I should hire you considering I’m down half a team and have cases coming in left, right and centre.”
Though Sarge spoke in jest, my heart kicked a little, considering that there was totally a reason I took all those online courses in Psychology and Criminology. But that was not going to happen for terribly human me.
“Were the team injured in the fire?” I asked, hoping that the team were all okay.
Sarge sighed. “Everyone’s fine. But Caitlyn decided to run off to Paris with Donnie hot on her heels. Derek went after Ever. Erika upped and vanished. So, I’m left with a newbie vampire and a hot head to turn to.”
My jaw almost hit the floor. Caitlyn was gone to Paris? Why had Ever run off? The journalist in me wanted to grill Sarge about what the hell was going on, but one look at the exhausted expression halted my inquisitive nature.
I gathered my belongings, and let Sarge walk me out with a promise he would give me a call when all the knuckleheads regained some common sense and came home.
And even though I desperately wanted to find out what was happening with the team, I was totally relived that the one interview that I was dreading since taking on this task had been postponed for now. I guess I’d just have to wait for another time to see just how far into my mind, Donnie O’Carroll could read.
Playlists:
Caitlyn:
Night of the Hunter -Thirty Seconds to Mars Stone Cold -Demi Lovato Between the Wars - Allman Brown Light me Up - Ingrid Michaelson Six Feet Under - Billie Eilish She used to be Mine - Sara Bareilles Scars - Michael Malarkey Bird -Billie Marten Take on the World -You me at Six 100 like me- Stephanie Rainey Hate to see your Heart Break- Paramore ft. Joy Williams Tell me it’s Okay- Paramore We are Broken -Paramore Misguided Ghosts- Paramore Breathe Me - Sia Can’t help falling in Love - Haley Reinhart Sick of losing Soulmates - dodie Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy Human - Christine Perri I Will Never Love Again - Norman Jean Martine Better Now - CLOVES Miss you (Piano) - Gabrielle Aplin Bird Set Free - Sia Paris -The Chainsmokers Fighter - Christina Aguilera Run for Cover - Gabrielle Aplin Into the Fire - Erin McCarley I Don’t Want to be Here Anymore- Lower than Atlantis Borken Pieces- Apocalyptica ft Lacey Even in Death - Evanesence The Last Song I’m Wasting on You - Evanescence Broken - Seether ft Amy Lee Bare - WILDES Not Afraid Anymore - Halsey Heaven - Pvris Old Friends - Jasmine Thompson Scar- Foxes Lost it All - Jill Andrews You Don’t Know -Katelyn Tarver Sad Song- We Are Kings
Donnie:
Let’s Hurt Tonight -One Republic Hell -Jordan Max Still Waiting -Tom Chaplin I’ve been loving you too Long - Otis Redding You said you’d grow old with me - Michael Schulte Please don’t Go - Stephanie Rainey I need my Girl -The National Blackbird Song - Lee DeWyze I can’t make you ove me- Soak How will I know?- Sam Smith Stay with me - You Me at Six Nothing left to say/ rocks- Imagine Dragons All my Life -Foo fighters Skin -Rag’n’Bone Man Miss you - Gabrielle Aplin She’s always a Woman - Billy Joel Don’t play Games -Aron Wright End of me - Apocalyptica With or without you - Amy Lee Wild Horses -The Sundays One - Ed Sheeran Till the World Stops Turning - Kaleb Jones Ophelia - The Lumineers I know better- John Legend Water - Little hours Reaction -The pale white Grace - RagNBone Man Do you Remember? - Jarryd James I Found - Amber Run
Ricky:
Spell it Out -You Me at Six Bad Habits -The Last Shadow Puppets Friend my little Brains - The Kills Heavy Soul You Me at Six Another Love - Tom Odell Hurt -Johnny Cash Terrible Things- Mayday parade True Colours - Tom Odell The Drugs Don’t Work - The Verve Drug Ballad - Eminem Numb - Linkin Park Don’t threaten me with a good time- Panic! At the disco What goes around comes back around -Justin Timberlake Damn girl -Justin Timberlake Cocaine -Eric Clapton Thief -Ansel Elgort Like a Ghost - Deaf Havana Let you down -Seether Believer - Imagine Dragons Got you on my Mind - NF Flammable - Biffy Clyro Sonder -Homebound Black magic- The Amazons Lights out - Royal blood Thunder - Imagine dragons Amsterdam - Nothing but Thieves
Melanie:
I hate you, I love you - Gnash Ft Olivia O’Brien Walking on Fire - Rilan and the Bombarardies Smoke - Pvris Left Alone- Sleeping with Sirens 22 - Gavin James Make me Cry -Noah Cyrus ft labyrinth (acoustic) Superficial Love - Ruth B. A girl, a boy, and a Graveyard -Jeremy Messersmith Can’t get you out of my Head - The Sweeplings Complicated - Olivia O’Brien Elastic Heart- Sia Don’t Speak -No Doubt Heartlines - Broods Say you will - Evanescence Needed Me Rihanna Bloods Thicker than Water - Bobby Bazini Uninvited - Freemasons Ft Baily Tzuke Kids (Aint all right.) - Grace Mitchell Dirty Laundry- All Time Low Hard times - Paramore Symphony- Zeds dead Fire that Burns - Circa Waves Told you So- Paramore
Kenzie:
Legend - Drake Pass Out- Tinie Tempah Invincible - Kelly and Tinie Tempah The way I Are -Timberland etc Try again - Aaliyah Break Ya Neck- Busta Rhymes Cold- Stormzy Shape of you - Ed Sheeran (Stormzy remix) Therapy Session- NF Warm Up - NF Like a Boy - Ciara Family - Portrait Pink Sabotage - Beastie Boys
Derek:
Save Me -Majik To build a Home- The Cinematic Orchestra The Funeral- Band of Horses Now -Paramore I went too Far - Aurora MK Remix Hold on - Chord Overstreet Misery - Creeper
Erika
Decode -Paramore (Acoustic version) Kiss my feet - Laura Mvula Got your Number -Serena Ryder Hurricane - While She Sleeps Thank God, I’m not You -The Himalayas Chasing Shadows -The Sherlocks Twilight blue - Alice Kristiansen The Fire - Bishop Briggs
Caitlyn’s Maker:
Seven Devils - Florence and the Machine My love for You will not fade -Caitlin Canty Sorry - Aquillo My love -Justin Timberlake Ain’t no rest for the wicked - Cage the elephant How do you like me know -The Heavy Hate to say I told you so -The Hives Bad Blood- (feat Luke Preston) acoustic Megan Davies Not over you- Gavin DeGraw Salvation -Gabrielle Aplin Revolutions - Crossfaith (The Bloody Beetroots remix)
Hellfire -Barns Courtney
Baby did a bad bad thing - amy lee
You’re in love with a psycho- Kasabian
King - Saint Phnx
Good goodbye- Linkin Park
In cold Blood - blood alt j
AUTHOR BIO:
Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland.
An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy and Dystopian genre. She writes books for young adults and adults alike.
When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, creepy snow globes, DC shoes, stationary, anything Disney, Marvel movies, psychology and far too many TV shows. If she wasn't a writer, she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.
An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy and Dystopian genre. She writes books for young adults and adults alike.
When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, creepy snow globes, DC shoes, stationary, anything Disney, Marvel movies, psychology and far too many TV shows. If she wasn't a writer, she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.
Author links:
My Writing Inspiration: Night of the Hunter:
When I was planning The Ever Chace Chronicles, character profiles still new and a work in progress, I wanted to create a character that seemed to be so emotionally damaged, and possibly unchangeably broken, that it would resonate with readers. I myself am very open about my life with an anxiety disorder, and my dealings with depression, with a full awareness that I can sometimes shut out the world when things get too much.
That was where Caitlyn Hardi came in. Another thing that came to mind was that at the time I was writing the plot outlines for the series, I thought on how not many people spoke of beauty being a curse; like having beauty and being considered extremely good looking could also be a hinderance. For Caitlyn, it most certainly was because it was what first attracted the monster to her.
Forming in my mind as my planning went on, I listened to 30 Seconds to Mars’ Night of the Hunter, and listened when the voice said in French, La Nuit du chasseur, and I knew Caitlyn had to be French. With that came the exciting research into the city of Paris. The entire city seemed like a hub of supernatural activity, from the Gargoyles atom the Notre Dame Cathedral, to the fascinating history of The Catacombs.
But I am a writer who does not like to write about a place I have never been, so I booked my flights and headed to Paris for a three-day trip that will be etched in my memories for a very long time. Armed with no French words, and google maps, I navigated the beautiful city, got lost on the metro, and traversed the underground splendour that was The Catacombs, my favourite part of my trip.
When I came home, I was filled with excitement and wonder, the three days I spent in Paris, mostly by myself, gave me a new outlook on life. When writing the Paris bits of Night of the Hunter, I got to revisit a city I fell a little in love with, especially having walked the streets by night, witnessed the Eiffel tower sparkle to live in the dark.
My hope is, when you read Night of the Hunter, that readers will be able to see the time and thought I put into writing a book that took me to another country and to another world. And if you ever find yourself in Paris, wandering beneath the bustling city in The Catacombs, be vary of the various tunnels and darkened walkways.
For vampires’ tread in the shadows.
When I was planning The Ever Chace Chronicles, character profiles still new and a work in progress, I wanted to create a character that seemed to be so emotionally damaged, and possibly unchangeably broken, that it would resonate with readers. I myself am very open about my life with an anxiety disorder, and my dealings with depression, with a full awareness that I can sometimes shut out the world when things get too much.
That was where Caitlyn Hardi came in. Another thing that came to mind was that at the time I was writing the plot outlines for the series, I thought on how not many people spoke of beauty being a curse; like having beauty and being considered extremely good looking could also be a hinderance. For Caitlyn, it most certainly was because it was what first attracted the monster to her.
Forming in my mind as my planning went on, I listened to 30 Seconds to Mars’ Night of the Hunter, and listened when the voice said in French, La Nuit du chasseur, and I knew Caitlyn had to be French. With that came the exciting research into the city of Paris. The entire city seemed like a hub of supernatural activity, from the Gargoyles atom the Notre Dame Cathedral, to the fascinating history of The Catacombs.
But I am a writer who does not like to write about a place I have never been, so I booked my flights and headed to Paris for a three-day trip that will be etched in my memories for a very long time. Armed with no French words, and google maps, I navigated the beautiful city, got lost on the metro, and traversed the underground splendour that was The Catacombs, my favourite part of my trip.
When I came home, I was filled with excitement and wonder, the three days I spent in Paris, mostly by myself, gave me a new outlook on life. When writing the Paris bits of Night of the Hunter, I got to revisit a city I fell a little in love with, especially having walked the streets by night, witnessed the Eiffel tower sparkle to live in the dark.
My hope is, when you read Night of the Hunter, that readers will be able to see the time and thought I put into writing a book that took me to another country and to another world. And if you ever find yourself in Paris, wandering beneath the bustling city in The Catacombs, be vary of the various tunnels and darkened walkways.
For vampires’ tread in the shadows.
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