Title: Blood Magic (Blood Magic Series Book Three)
Author: Rebecca Jaycox
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure
Publisher: Aelurus Publishing
Book Blurb
Her power is within reach. But what price will she have to pay to get it?
Reggie may have defeated Andrius’ mages to rescue Brywn and the Black Queen, but now she’s the Master Mage’s prisoner – and Andrius has plans for her. His enemy no longer, she will be moulded into his willing disciple. What’s more, he has drained her of her power, taking her blood to enhance his own.
But Reggie had come to need her power and the emptiness she feels without it scares her. Hating herself for being willing to do whatever Andrius asks to get her magic back, she agrees to be his student whilst biding her time trying to find a way out. After all, she has to have her magic to escape Andrius’ clutches. It’s worth any price, right?
As Andrius has her go further into the darkness, however, Reggie starts to wonder. Has her craving for her power made her go too far? More importantly, will she ever find her way back?
Her friends haven’t given up on her, though, and as they work to gain Reggie’s freedom a vicious battle will ensue. Can they finally defeat Andrius to wrest control of The Other? And which side will Reggie help?
Experience the thrilling conclusion to the Blood Magic series.
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Andrius Drake, Master Mage of Two Cities and dark lord of the Other, watched his nemesis slumber. She looked so lovely, so innocent. The drugs had swept her off to dreamland and erased the lines of pain from her smooth, pale skin. His eyes flicked to the bandage wrapped around her abdomen. Scarlet seeped through. Her wound would need to be redressed. As soon as she woke, he would help heal her. Before he’d met Arlene, he would've made her healing hurt, but circumstances were different now.
Leaning forward, he tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind the delicate shell of her ear. “Darling Reggie, whatever shall I do with you? Things have changed since we last met. It seems my plans for you must change as well.”
He leaned back in his cushioned chair, the navy brocade surface shiny in the lamp’s dim light. The airship barely swayed as they made their journey back to Two Cities. Andrius had placed Reggie in the second largest cabin, next to his own quarters. The spacious room had ornate but comfortable furniture, and the giant bed almost swallowed Reggie. When he’d first brought her here, Arlene hadn’t left her side, but he’d finally forced Arlene to go to the room he shared with her and rest.
He hadn’t missed her accusing glance or the white-hot rage that had flickered through his lover when she’d seen her daughter. When it came to Reggie, Arlene’s terror of him went up in flames. She burned with such righteous fire, such emotion. It was that side most of all he wanted to possess. Her fear was easy to claim, but overcoming and owning her strength was the real challenge.
Andrius couldn’t be angry with her for her silent accusations or even for doubting him when he’d explained he hadn’t inflicted Reggie’s wound. It was hard for a mother to believe her child would stab herself. It was much easier for Arlene to blame him. After all, the last time he’d met Reggie, he had shot her. No, he couldn’t blame beautiful Arlene for her assumptions.
In the past, Andrius would have enjoyed making Reggie bleed. Before. But things had indeed changed.
And even he knew you shouldn’t gut your soon-to-be stepdaughter. He wanted Arlene to be happy. Actively participating in Reggie’s pain—no matter how tempting when she displayed such horrific manners—would not make Arlene happy.
Frowning, Andrius observed his captive once more. First, he had to stop thinking of her as a captive. Reluctant guest would be more appropriate under the current circumstances. If she were to be his adopted daughter, his soldiers had to be aware of her new status. From here on out, she would be given the best of everything, including every courtesy and respect in public. His guards would treat her with deference. Or suffer the consequences.
He tapped his fingers on the chair’s arm, thinking. Perhaps he wouldn’t mete out punishment to those guards who dared to disobey him.
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Author Biography
Rebecca Jaycox grew up in the tiny town of Berryman, which borders the Mark Twain National Forest and the Courtois River about seventy miles south of St. Louis. The beautiful landscape fed her imagination, and she began writing stories at age ten and never stopped. Always seeking adventure, Rebecca moved to France after she graduated college with a journalism degree to teach English at a French high school. Bitten by the travel bug, she has recently visited Italy, Greece, Austria, Spain, and finally made it to her bucket-list destination of Istanbul last summer. Rebecca now lives in New York City with her husband, Gregory. She enjoys reading and writing fantasy, urban fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction.
Social Media Links
Twitter: @RebeccaJaycox
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaLJaycox/