Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Book Tour for The Foxworth Coven by Kayden McLeod (Guest Post & GIVEAWAY)


Before I introduce you to this sexy new magical series, I want to thank Bewitching Book Tours for letting me be a part of this tour and Kayden McLeod for taking the time to visit my site today.  Not only that, but Kayden is letting me give away one of her books so make sure to read this blog post completely to find out how to enter.  And now, without further ado, is author Kayden McLeod.....

A Visit With Arcadia Foxworth

Dear Reader,

My name is Arcadia Foxworth, adopted son of Gregory and Canya Foxworth, Leaders of British Columbia’s biggest vampire Coven. We are also one of the most revered Covens in Canada.

When I was asked to write a short post about myself, or a topic of my choosing, I really didn’t have an idea what to tell you about. My Father chose to tell you about our history, my Mother and my wife, Korbin, spoke of families. What did that leave me?

Since I am a man of the strict code of honour and principle, perhaps I should tell you about my job that entails much of both. The humans who know about vampires and are permitted to live long enough to tell the tale, always ask me about my job as a Council Hunter, and how that differs from a Coven Hunter. I would assume many others would those same questions.

While a Coven Hunter is expected to do the bidding of the Council by hunting Rogues, their training and funding are left up to their Leaders, and because of this, they lack in so many areas. But A Council Hunter? Our government gives us access to unlimited financial and educational avenues in perusal of being the best.

When we start out with the Council, we are sent to Europe, where the International Council Headquarters and libraries are. We study all manner of magic, both light and dark, legal and illegal, anything a Rogue might throw at us. We are constantly tested in theory, before we are sent to practice under= the leading experts the world has to offer for magical and hand-to-hand combat. After that, the training can and does get gruelling on our minds, bodies and even souls, but it’s no worse than what an experienced Rogue will do to you while on the hunt.

Some civilian vampires have an inclination of what it takes to be a Council Hunter. Because of that, most fear us, just as much, if not more as we’re revered. It can be a lonely existence for some, but I am one of the lucky ones, who has a family and Coven who understands me. Even better, I have a twin sister, Ceanna, who is right along with me in every hunt, my partner in all things. Together, we have a solid track record, and our names are never spoken above a whisper by any Rogue.

Thank you for coming out to read a little bit about me and what I do for a living.  You can read even more about Natural Urges, Book Two of the Foxworth Coven. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Foxworth Coven E-Book!

Sincerely,
Arcadia Foxworth

Death of Innocence
Book One of the Foxworth Coven Series
By Kayden McLeod

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance (Vampires, Deities, M/F)

Hate Rating: Three

Warning: Some violence, off-scene rape

Publisher: Solstice Publishing (Solstice at Night)

Price: $4.99

Summary:

Even unconditional love cannot always banish an eternal nightmare

The Foxworth family has blazed a trail through human and vampire history alike, changing the ways of both races in Canada for all time. The Council has demanded a full report for the long and twisted tale of how the Surrey Coven had come to be the most powerful and feared; an assemblage that anyone would question before coming up against.

The Leader of the Surrey Coven, Canya recalls how her family came to be. A story filled with pain and heartache, until she meets Gregory Foxworth: a debonair CEO to the family shipping company. Gregory remembers taking her away from a life that shocks him, hoping to shelter and love her. But little does he know all he has done, was make her a target for a sadistically warped man. One who will have her and his own personal brand of vengeance. Sometimes, a grudge is forever.

Excerpt (Rated PG, with sexual references):

The sunlight shone over the light sprinkling of white snow. Her hair caught the surreal light, throwing blue highlights through the strands that now stretched past her waist.

She’d always enjoyed the outdoors. It was one of the many things about her that had dragged my attention, and held it so securely.

“I want you to realize just how important nature is to us. We draw our power from everything around us. We need blood to live, just as the land needs to be fertilized. But this is our world Canya—not the city. Look around you.” I held my arms out to encompass everything from the trees, to the ground, to the sky.

I wiggled my fingers and the snowflakes on the ground rose into the air, dancing at my bidding. They swirled into a small tornado, moving over the flagstones to where she stood.

Her laughter flowed over the picturesque landscape when she plunged her hands into the snow, coming up with a lump that she packed hard with her hands. A wicked light entered her eyes as she strolled forward.

I’d been caught up in the swing of her hips, so sensually seductive. And then she threw her white orb at me with deadly accuracy. It pelted me on the forehead while I’d stared at her body like the haven it was meant to be.

Dancing away from me she giggled. I gave chase when she caught up her skirts and took off into the middle of the yard.

“I am going to get you for that,” I called to her, knowing I could catch her at any time, but giving her the illusion of safety.

“I’m counting on it.”

Dark thoughts were forgotten as I flicked both hands and the snow fell from the evergreen branches above her head. White flakes rained down around her, creating a solid sheet in every direction. I watched her turn left and right looking for me, amusement bright on her face.

“This isn’t fair, Greg! How can I compete with this?” Canya called into the snow.

She moved forward and never left the enclosure while it moved with her. I stayed just far enough away, always behind her that she never found me.

“You shouldn’t throw those orbs at me then,” I whispered in her ear, moving with inhuman speed when she whirled, but I wasn’t there.

Canya chuckled as she plopped down into the snow. I watched her curiously as she began to pack more snow.

“Snow-balls Greg, they are called snow-balls. Get into this century.”

I couldn’t contain my laughter at her snide comment. Her head snapped up in the direction where I’d been. A snow “ball” came flying, exactly where my head had been.

“I am in this century, here with you.” I moved behind her, quiet as a mouse. She’d made a rather large pile of projectiles, completely oblivious.

“Actually you are not here with me. It would seem, for all intents and purposes that you’re hiding from your fiancé. I think you are scared of getting pelted again.” Her teeth flashed in the sunlight, the wall of snow creating a safe cocoon for her.

I grabbed her around the middle and she shrieked in my ear, tossing her over my shoulder with snow still grasped in her hands.

“Scared of a little witch like you?” I laughed as she tossed the snow over my head backward. I playfully slapped her enticingly vulnerable bum, while being slung so helplessly. “This is a very interesting predicament you have put me in.”

“Whatever predicament do you refer to?” Her mind became blank, carefully not thinking of anything.

Her tiny hand slid down my back, sending shivers through me the cold could never compete with. My own moved down her body and over her backside, so lightly she shuddered.

My breath caught in my throat. It was the first time we had touched in such a manner. Now I feared if I didn’t stop, I would drop her to the ground and indulge in every fantasy that had kept me up at night. It wasn’t that I hadn’t had sex before, but it had been a very long time.

Once Canya had moved in, I’d not taken a single lover: vampire or otherwise. More often than not, blood and sex intermingled so tightly that one often led to the other, no matter which came first. Sex was commonplace for us—as easy as breathing and we partook in it just as often.

My body grew hot and tight enough, I thought it would drive me insane. I wanted to run my tongue over every inch of her luscious skin. To lose myself in her mouth, move down her body with delicate slowness, until her cries pushed me over the edge.

“You are a cruel woman.” I set her on her feet. The look in her eyes made me growl with frustration.

My body protested, needing to touch her again in any way she saw fit. Canya looked like a mythical siren or a nymph, purely tempting. I had no problem with succumbing to this particular temptation, except perhaps her feelings on the matter. It was too soon. I knew this, though that did not make it any easier to bear.

“Revenge is always sweet. Since you’re mine now, I think it is acceptable.” She pranced past me. I flicked a hand in the direction of the whirling snow, and it fell harmlessly to the ground.

Natural Urges
Book Two of the Foxworth Coven Series
By Kayden McLeod

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance (Vampires, Shifters, Deities)

Hate Rating: Three

Warning: Some violence off-scene rape

Summary:

Love conquers all...and evil seeks to destroy it.

Arcadia Foxworth has no idea what destiny has in store for him. He thought his life as an elite Council Hunter of Rogues was his perfect career choice. But little does he know his fate truly lies in one little powder keg, Korbin Callows. She’s beautiful, graceful—and a stripper. After having woken up, remembering nothing about her old life, Korbin had to pull herself together and make tough decisions to survive a harsh world. And now people she doesn’t even know are out to kill her. She finds herself relying on Arcadia to maneuver the new dangers presented to her, as she starts to recall who she really is. A powerful being that could make every vampire in British Columbia fall to their knees, including Arcadia.

Excerpt: PG 13

I stopped the truck and pulled to the side of the road on a partially built subdivision. The wooden skeletons of the houses rose like sentinels against the cobalt tinted onyx horizon studded with fiery crystal chips glowing an unearthly white edged in cerulean.

“What’s here?” Korbin asked when she reached for the doorknob.
It felt good to see she still trusted me. Even after what had just happened to her. It went leagues toward healing my self-annoyance.

“We will walk the rest of the way, if you don’t mind. You may want to change into your running shoes though.”

“Okay.” She got out, and went to the back, where her bags were and pulled out a pair of well-worn white and blue sneakers. She exchanged her footwear, and turned. Her face was excited to see what I had in store for her as I took her hand, leading her between the houses to the field behind them.

“Oh, Cad, look up at that sky. It’s so gorgeous!”

I followed her gaze to the full moon that set the landscape with enough light to see the outline of the tall spruce and pines that lined the opposite side of the field in front of us. The light also reflected off of the tranquil pond to our left, just behind a ring of trunks. The gentle breeze brought the scent of freshness and wildflowers to us in caresses.

I wrapped my arm around Korbin’s shoulders as we walked, missing this area, where Jana had taken Ceanna and I as children.

I didn’t often relax outside of my territory—but I wanted to take Korbin somewhere special. I remembered when Canya and Gregory had moved us to Surrey, from New Westminster when the other Covens had come to British Columbia, narrowing out territory from an entire province, to the Fraser Valley.

“I love it here,” Korbin said.

We crossed under the canopy of pine needles above, to stand on the edge of the small body of water. The moment we did, the green and white Christmas lights strung from tree to tree blinked on, illuminating the area. One by one, hunter green tapered candles burst with tiny flames, their bottoms buried in the sandy dirt along the shore. My sisters’ special addition.

The breeze picked up enough that a cottonwood tree nearby released tiny white particles into the air, to float around us like soft snow. Olive coloured cattails swayed back and forth, in a dance only nature could produce.

White rose petals alongside purple and magenta wildflowers scattered over the grass around a plush dark russet blanket, the colour of rich soil filled with minerals.

I took Korbin’s hand and led her to the blanket so we could sit down. “Thank you, Arcadia. I can’t believe you did all of this.”

“Actually, it was Ceanna and Josealynn,” I replied.

Korbin grinned. “Figures. It has a woman’s touch.”

“They are very good at what they do.”

Korbin sighed. “It must be so nice to have a family who cares for and loves you so much.”
The sad tone made me wince. “They are your family now too, you know. All of us have every intention of keeping you safe and happy.”

“I know,” Korbin said. “Tell me about them, your sisters and parents. I want to know more about them. They have been so good to me, and I can’t even tell you how much that means.”

“My parents have led a hard life, keeping our Coven together in the direst of circumstances. They aren’t my real parents, though. The people who bore me died some time ago in a war with an old Coven member, Antonio, who sought to destroy our people. He killed more than half of our ruling family. He was a truly evil man.”

“What happened to this Antonio?”

“Eventually he had been caught by the Council, and given the most severe punishment any vampire could receive—humanification. Afterward, he was taken to Europe for questioning. We’ve heard nothing else about him, but he left his legacy behind. My real Father and Gregory’s brother, Corbin had been mated to my Mother, Jana. Antonio wanted Jana enough to kidnap her and take her to Greece. While they lived there, they bore two sons, Ambrosios and Doros, my brothers.”

“That must’ve been hard for you. Were they taken to Europe too?”

I shook my head. “They were placed into a Coven who could take care of them, though they took off on their own not too many years after, to travel the world. My brothers visit from time to time, though they won’t stay long. Neither feel comfortable here; they don’t feel like part of the family because of the sins of their parent. But Ambrosios does come more often. He seems rather taken with my sister, Josealynn, who I suppose is my cousin, though Corbin.”

“It is strange that your Father has the same name as me,” Korbin replied.

“I thought much the same thing a few times. It could be coincidence or this destiny we share.”

“Does it bother you?”

“It did at first, but not anymore. If anything, it reminds me of the good times I had with my Father when I was a little boy.”

Korbin frowned. She took a moment before speaking. “I remember being told once, when vampires died, they became ghosts with a choice of leaving this world for the next life, or they stayed here in this realm. Did you get a chance to say goodbye?”

I looked over the water, feeling my chest grow tight. “They never moved on. Corbin and Jana are still here, but Ceanna and I don’t see them much. Corbin once told me that Ceanna and I were grown up, and we didn’t need our parents anymore. We had to stand on our own two feet, and allow them to live their lives.” I said the words slow, quietly as the anguish of missing them set in.

“That is crap!” Korbin burst. “How could they be so selfish?”

I winced. Frequently, throughout my life, people had commented on the same thing. But as usual, I couldn’t sully my memories of my Father enough to call him selfish. Not after all he had lost.

“We have Gregory, Canya and Josealynn. Ceanna and I have no need of people who don’t want anything to do with us.” And that was a frank as I’d ever been.

Korbin threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “I am so sorry, Arcadia, but I can never agree with that. No matter how old you are, or how many replace those who bore you, people still need their mom and dad. If they can’t see how much this still hurts you, they are blind and willingly ignorant. You are a good man, one who fights for what he believes in, and loyal to a fault. They should be proud of you and be at your side, not off gallivanting on their own whims.”

The emotion in her voice made my throat burn. My arms wrapped around her, and we just stayed like that for countless moments. Even with the sensitive topics of discussion, just touching this woman gave me a sense of peace I hadn’t possessed since I turned seven years old. A century was a long time to feel as I had.

Korbin centered me, and even more profoundly, she calmed my Curse. She allowed the darkness to flee long enough, so I could catch glimpses of the light; for that alone, I would be eternally grateful.

“I think it would be so easy to fall in love with you,” I whispered.

About the Author:

Kayden McLeod lives in beautiful British Columbia, and is the author of the M/F Paranormal Romance and erotica series, The Coven Series, which consists of three Covens; The Foxworths, The Cornwalls and The Jerichos. She also dabbles in a multitude of other genres that are in the works, like BDSM, Ménage, M/M and Horror. As well, Kayden is a freelance Graphic and Cover artist, a Cover Artist for XOXO Publishing, and an owner of Otherworlds Publicity and Siren Book Reviews.

Connect with Kayden online:

Website: http://kaydenmcleod.com/

Blog: http://kaydenmcleod.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1848048830

Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayden-McLeod-Author-of-the-Coven-Series/181298315224950

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KaydenMcLeod

Deviant Art: http://kaydenmcleod.deviantart.com/

**********GIVEAWAY**********

The winner will receive an ebook copy of the first book in The Foxworth Coven series, Death of Innocence.
-This giveaway is OPEN TO EVERYONE.
-Just leave a comment, along with your email addy, to be entered.
-Winner will be chosen using Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to my winner's confirmation email before a new winner is chosen.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on 12/2.

2 comments:

  1. Love the idea of a book tour! These books sound great as well. I also want to pass on to you the One Lovely Blog Award here: http://misclisa.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-lovely-blog-award.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. This sounds so great I love vampires my favorite to read about I can't wait to read more this was so good thank you for sharing!
    tishajean@ charter.net

    ReplyDelete