Title: The Vampire of the Prophecy
Author: Victoria Jayne
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb:
A choice was made. Now it’s time to reap the rewards…or suffer the consequences…
It was all happening according to plan. Rori chose power over love, and as a result, put himself in the running to be the next emperor of all vampires. Then someone threatened to expose his witch (along with all other paranormal creatures) to humans…unless he gave up his claim to the throne, that is. That’s when everything fell apart. The Council has no idea what Rori did to keep Divina safe, and if they find out, the consequences will be deadly. It’ll take all his power, connections, and the help of his loyal guard to protect everyone and everything he holds dear. But with time running out and enemies circling, can Rori survive long enough to complete the prophecy and maybe—just maybe—get a second chance at true love while he’s at it?
Excerpt:
Staring at the crystal glass of maroon life-sustaining liquid, Rori shifted his jaw back and forth, considering Jonas’s words. If he were heartless, if he were cold, he could do that. He could write Divina off. She rejected him. She picked the wolf over him after Rori killed for her. He’d cleaned up her mess, and she ran off with the wolf. Tilting his glass to his lips, he filled his mouth with the remainder of the blood before he swallowed.
He shouldn’t care about the video. He shouldn’t concern himself with her fate. Her role in his life was complete.
Running a hand over his heart, he felt the slow beat. She gave him that. He got her to the wolf—as much as it galled him, he did. She’d severed their ties to one another with one single choice. He shouldn’t care about that damn video on his phone.
“So, is this some sort of moral obligation to protect her, or is it the love thing?” Jonas asked, breaking through Rori’s brooding.
Inhaling deeply, Rori met Jonas’s dark eyes in the rearview mirror again. “Have you ever loved someone so much it ached?” he queried. “It sucks. Especially when it’s someone you could have had but you made shitty choices, selfish choices, and now you have to sit back and watch her be happy with someone else.”
“I believe that is the fate of our kind, when we truly fall in love. We inevitably have to sacrifice ourselves, our happiness, for theirs,” Jonas said.
Rori ripped his gaze away from the dark eyes in the mirror, glancing toward the empty crystal glass briefly before he looked out the window. Watching the scenery slow to a stop, he closed his eyes and hung his head.
Ignoring the sound of Jonas putting the car in Park and the door opening, he wallowed in his own self-pity. He had to protect Divina. It would be worth the sacrifice to keep her safe. He loved her.
Cool air wafted over his body, drawing his attention to the door which had opened beside him. Furrowing his brow, Rori looked up at Jonas, who extended his hand. Rori didn’t understand and sat blinking at the offer.
“I want to show you something,” Jonas said, wiggling his hand back and forth as though to entice Rori to take it.
Rori scoffed and climbed out of the back of the town car. Taking in his surroundings, he found that Jonas had driven them to a park of some kind. Clouds covered the moon, so the flowers and hedges were bathed in the light from the lampposts.
Taking a deep breath, he brought his focus back to Jonas. Lifting his brows, he waited for the man to explain. Instead, Jonas closed the door to the town car behind him and strolled into the park.
Intrigued, Rori followed a few paces behind. They walked along the cobblestone path through patches of gardens filled with vibrant flowers. Even in the dark of the night, absent the light of the moon, the beauty of the blooms couldn’t be denied. The mix of floral fragrances delighted his nose.
The path led to a gazebo. Rori stopped at the painted wooden structure with the large willow trees on either side. The long-leaved branches dipped down over the roof and around the sides. The floral path they’d taken called to mind an image befitting a wedding. He could almost hear the promises of commitment and undying devotion expressed in this very spot.
Jonas stepped up and turned so he faced Rori. Waving his hand, he beckoned the man to him. Looking left and then right, Rori stuffed his hands in his pockets and joined the knight, curious as to the point of their excursion. The two stood in silence, staring at one another under the roof of the gazebo for longer than Rori was comfortable.
Clearing his throat, Rori opened his mouth to ask a question.
“I come here to think sometimes,” Jonas explained, cutting him off. “It’s quiet. Most people don’t come here at night. It’s more of a daytime place, for weddings and things like that. At night, it’s just a place I go.”
Rori nodded and took a deep breath. “So why are we here?”
“Because you need to think.” Jonas’s gaze locked on Rori, and his normally warm, often amused gaze steeled on him. “It’s only been a few days, and I’ve seen you go back and forth about this whole emperor thing and the prophecy.”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DP76N2B
Author Biography:
Victoria Jayne is the epitome of a Jersey Girl. She doesn’t [know how to] pump her own gas, enjoys pork roll, and grew up on the Jersey Shore. The only daughter sandwiched between two brothers, she was a bit of a Tom-boy as a child. As an adult, she’s lived throughout the state of New Jersey.
She graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and from Walden University with a Masters in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling. After getting her undergraduate degree, and while getting her Masters, Victoria worked in the human services field for non-profit agencies providing services for adults with traumatic brain injuries and/or developmental disabilities.
In an online audio/visual chat room, she met her husband, a sports journalist. After dating for several years, they got married, and now have two darling daughters (below the age of five).
Victoria writes contemporary romance. Currently, her published works are of the paranormal romance variety. The world of alpha men, wolf shifters, and vampires have titillated her since high school when she read Anne Rice for the first time. She devoured books by Suzanne Wright, JD Tyler, and Dianne Duvall.
Branching out, she became obsessed with motorcycle club romances when she discovered the works for Joanna Wylde, Madeline Sheehan, Tillie Cole, and Kim Jones. She’s currently working on her own motorcycle club series.
When not writing, Victoria enjoys being the play-by-play announcer for her daughters when they run obstacle courses. Baking is a hobby she hopes to pass down to her children as they grow up. She spends most of her evenings unwinding while role-playing on second life. When hockey’s in season, she roots for the New Jersey Devils.
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