Savage Deceit: The Opsona Journey Series Book 4 a Dark Fantasy Romance by J.N. Sheats ➱ New Release Book Tour with Rafflecopter
Savage Deceit
The Opsona Journey Series Book 4
by J.N. Sheats
Genre: Dark Fantasy Adventure, Paranormal Erotic Romance
“No,” I snapped. “You are not going to do this now or ever! You are alive for a reason, don’t question it.” ~Cret
Fleeing into the Wastelands, Cret has saved Serenity from the rumble of Tentusa. Now with a simple yet daunting task of keeping her alive, Cret has found himself in need of allies. One of which that has arrived right in time to aid him at this most dire time, but is she truly an ally?
Serenity has survived the fall of Tentusa and the Vampire Nation’s Armies, but what comes next? With no more master and no more direction in life Serenity is starting to question her place in the world when the woman Mysheik appears to help both her and Cret. She is suspect of the Opsona woman and the strange town they stumble upon in the desert Wastelands.
What are Mysheik’s true intentions? And have the Vamdari survived like Serenity? Find out in book four of the Opsona Journey Series.
**Only .99 cents!!**
**Don't miss the other books in the series!**
Immortal Tempest
The Opsona Journey Series Book 1
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Fated Betrayal
The Opsona Journey Series Book 2
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Shadowed Intentions
The Opsona Journey Series Book 3
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Savage Deceit
Excerpt 1:
I could smell them, the rotten stink of humanity. Sweat-covered bodies that had been baking in the desert sun all day long. The aroma had my fangs on edge and my mouth salivating, I wanted to taste their salty flesh. Their sweat-covered necks speckled with grains of sand. Their heartbeats increasing at the moment of the bite and then slowing with blood loss. It was all I could think about as the men grew closer.
I had been shielding myself and the small marbius from the brutal sandstorm that blew through when the fever gripped me again. I fought every instinct I had to not kill the little creature and drain him like I did my horse. It was a special kind of torment for me. Once the storm passed I hissed at the little marbius and forced him to run off. I wouldn’t feast on him, but now with a group of people approaching, I couldn’t hold myself back. I needed blood. Something I never had need of before I required now, my creature clawing under my skin to be let out for a feast. I couldn’t let it out, the chaos that lurked inside of me, so I needed the blood.
It was still night, no moon in the sky as they entered the temple ruins where I had been sheltering. I was no longer trying to survive a sandstorm, now I was on the hunt. Whispers came over the small party of five, they commented on the eerie feeling in the air. They should listen to their senses more, but humans never did. They passed off their instincts as trivial, and that was why my prey was so easy to corner. Once they entered the ruins they were mine.
“Split up,” one of the men ordered, and I chuckled to myself. This would be all too easy now. Waiting in the shadows I watched with keen crimson eyes as the men went in different directions. One coming toward me. This kill would be quick, clean and simple. No joy in it. I needed the blood to take the edge off, but the rest of them … The idea had me purring on the inside. The fear that would follow, the panic setting in. Now that was a feast.
The first of the victims coming my way, I fell back deeper into shadow as he approached. A torch in hand he waved it back and forth as if searching for something. Giving a kick to the sand he hadn’t a care until I moved into range of his torch. He looked up for the briefest of seconds. Saw me, then returned to the search. My presence not registering right away, but once it did he gasped and looked back up. It was too late. I had the man by the throat and I let the garbled groan leave his lips as I sank my needy fangs into his neck. This wasn’t a simple feeding for blood, but a kill as I went for the artery. It took him a full minute to bleed out into my hungry mouth, his torch falling to the ground and snuffed out by the heel of my boot. A fitting end to both flame and life.
Then it happened. The other men started calling out to their friend as I let his body sink to the ground. My blood lust not softened by the man’s life, instead I craved more, much more—my fangs burning inside my gums aching to taste more day-salty flesh with the wondrous metallic ting of blood. Rich, pure, young, healthy blood.
“Thaduses, answer us,” one of the men called out into the dark, a quiver of fear lacing his tone and it made me shudder with desire. He would be my last. Let his fear rise with the loss of every other man there, and allow the terror of loneliness take him over. It made the moment all the more sensual and exciting. ~Serenity~
Excerpt 2:
The burning was back. My blood was molten in my veins, searing through my body and into my thundering heart. The pounding in my chest echoed in my ears to the point I could feel my heart there booming in a relentless pattern as I paced my room. We would be leaving at nightfall for the old temple ruins, but I wasn’t going to make it till then. I needed blood and I needed it now. I was aware of every maid in the temple attending us. Their sweet young flesh was an enticement to my weakening resolve, and if I stayed much longer I was going to give in to my need for that blood.
Thank the gods the little marbius had run off to play somewhere. I didn’t want to turn on such an innocent creature, and yet I had no doubt I would if the thirst kept growing. Already sweat was forming on my brow and my muscles were tense with need. How much longer could I endure this torment?
I smelled him before the knock came at the door. The sweet aroma of sun-kissed flesh and honey crossed my senses and my creature purred deep inside. My hunger roared for his blood. Cret was the sweetest of confections to me. I craved his blood more than others. The sweet taste of metallic honey was all I wanted now, his darkness like fine chocolate or wine. Perfectly in sync with my own that it quelled the creature that resided inside me now, clawing to get out.
The knock on my door came and I about jumped out of my skin. I couldn’t face him. I couldn’t face anyone like this. My control was at its edge, teetering on a knife’s tip, and with his temptation so close I would lose this battle. I didn’t answer the knock, instead I made for my small collection of things, packing them into a bag. I needed to get out of the city, far away from it and the people in it. Especially Cret. ~Serenity~
Excerpt 3:
A myriad of garbled death grunts and pain-filled wails called out into the ever twilight of the Crypt Realm—chaos echoing off dirty rubble stone that nature started to reclaim as ghouls lay slain on display for any who might oppose fate. These were my enemies, demons and ghouls who liked to infest the mortal world with their wrongness. An infection that often seeped into the cracks, but not if you killed them off at the root. That was the plan for my Opsona brethren and myself. I was fulfilling my Opsona duty, helping my brothers invade the Underworld Realms, but not everyone saw me as an asset.
“I found another one trying to get away,” the man standing over me joked as I gasped to gain some air. The large brute of an Opsona struck me down when my back was turned using his lance to choke me from behind, as another Opsona landed a kick to my gut. It was an attack I wasn’t prepared for, and I would surely never make that mistake again.
Three others arrived chuckling at my misfortune, they knew what they were doing was wrong. I wasn’t the enemy, hell I led them here. I opened the gateway so they could take out the ghouls of this part of the Underworld. By doing so I now labeled myself an enemy of my demon brothers, a damned sinner who could never come back. There would be no place in the Underworld I could hide from retribution, and no chance to repent.
The reality of what was about to happen hit hard, and I gritted my teeth trying to hold my demon side back. This would be no time to prove them right, to show I was the monster they thought me to be, but I couldn’t show fear either. Showing fear would only urge them on more.
“You want to be one of us?” one of the men asked, stepping forward, a mocking tone to his voice as he asked his question. This asshole was the leader of the small group.
“We can grant you that wish, can’t we, boys?”
I didn’t like where this was going, but I bit back any response. I wouldn’t give them the pleasure of knowing my rage.
It had been a difficult few years training with the Opsona elder, Rhea. While she accepted me, the others still refused to acknowledge my Opsona blood. I was seen as a demon, a creature of sin. No matter my skill or strength I was still an outcast, but this? I never imagined they would take up arms against me. The Elders would not be pleased, but what punishment would they really face? Probably none—in fact they may even be rewarded for killing me, the bastards.
On cue two of the bigger men of the group restrained each of my arms and kicked my legs to bring me to my knees. A third ripped open my shirt and I growled like the beast I was, delighting in the way he jumped back. Aww, fear. I could smell it on him, making my demon purr with a special hunger. Chuckles from the others sounded for their companions’ frightened retreat. If they only knew what I could do to them.
The leader moved closer as I struggled to break free. It wouldn’t do me any good. Fighting one or two of my brethren I could handle, but five? No, I didn’t have the skills to escape without killing them. Here in the cover of twilight I had the advantage, but it would mean unleashing the demon I could not control. My demon, raging beneath the surface, would surely dismember them. I had to hold it back and take what abuse they were going to dish out.
“You want to be one of us?” ~Cret~
J.N. Sheats is an artist turned author. Living in Maryland with six wild cats, and her husband, J.N. spends her days designing book covers and teasers for other authors. At night she is at the mercy of her demanding characters, and their wild fantasies.
Dark Paranormal Fantasy is her preferred genre of writing, but anything is game. Maybe even a lovely romance novel or two in the near future.
When not writing, designing, or drawing, J.N. spends her time doing a host of other activities. Including: gardening, jewelry making, cooking, and watching far too much television.
Website * Art Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Etsy * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
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