It is my pleasure to have a guest post by author TJ Shaw. I was thrilled to discover that she is part of The Wild Rose Press "Garden", as I have been anxious to read another title by her ever since I enjoyed her fantasy book, Caller of Light
.And here's TJ...
TJS: They say to write what
you know. I don’t know who “they” are, but the advice seems sound. Since I’ve
been a felony crimes prosecutor, worked the road as a police officer, and now
write policy and procedure for the same police department, I decided to combine
some of my passions into what is now Divergent
Bloodline.
Cops are a rare breed.
They witness not only the good people do for each other, but also respond to
volatile, emotional situations often resulting in heartbreak. The stress
officers work under on a daily basis is incredible. They form strong bonds with
fellow cops to survive the mental and physical demands placed on them. Your
partner is more than a friend; your partner protects your back when you enter
the building with guns drawn.
A cop’s brain learns to
“forget” the bad while reliving the good in vivid detail. I still remember
arriving first on scene to a hysterical woman who had informed Dispatch that
someone was in terrible pain or being tortured. The woman greeted me outside a
condo complex in a small courtyard containing a large water fountain. Alert and
concerned for the woman’s safety, I guided her toward my car and asked her what
was happening. She gave me a strange look and asked why I couldn’t hear the
screams. I listened, but only heard the water bubbling in the fountain and the
sounds of nature.
She grabbed my arm, and
again asked why I couldn’t hear the screams. She pleaded for me to do
something. Out of desperation, I finally asked her if she could be confusing
the frogs croaking in the fountain as someone screaming. Turns out, she had
recently moved from a big city out east and had never before heard frogs. Her
distress over someone’s agony was only a male bullfrog garnering the attention
of long-legged, green female companions. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman
more embarrassed. There are other stories, many stories, but I probably
shouldn’t repeat them here. One thing is certain about a cop’s life, I never
knew what the day (or night depending on my shift) had in store for me.
Although Divergent Bloodline
is a work of fiction and focuses on the romance between a
homicide suspect (who happens to be a vampire) and the detective assigned to
the case, I still tried to capture the special relationship officers share with
each other. I hope you enjoy Divergent Bloodline as much as I loved writing it.
is a work of fiction and focuses on the romance between a
homicide suspect (who happens to be a vampire) and the detective assigned to
the case, I still tried to capture the special relationship officers share with
each other. I hope you enjoy Divergent Bloodline as much as I loved writing it.*********************************
Blurb
While tracking down a killer, clues lead homicide detective, Viviane Taylor to suspect, Julian DeMatteo. From the get-go, DeMatteo unsettles and irritates her. He is a force she has never encountered, someone who excites her even though he is forbidden. Her instincts warn that he’s hiding something and she is determined to uncover those secrets.
As king of the vampires, Julian DeMatteo protects the immortal clans. So, when the beautiful, bullheaded cop embroils herself within his world, he must choose between the woman who reminds him of the humanity he has lost or his loyalty to his people.
As confusing emotions awaken inside her, Viviane can either accept her fate as the one chosen to save the immortal race or lose her soul to darkness. With Julian’s help, she fights an evil that would rip her apart in order to forge a new future with the homicide suspect who has stolen her heart.
Excerpt
“Don’t push me away, Viviane,” he rasped in a hoarse gravel of sound. Except for the enticing tremor in her bottom lip, she stood like a statue, the curl of her eyelashes hiding her inquisitive, emerald eyes. Cupping her chin, he lifted her face and dropped his forehead onto hers.
Closing his eyes, his other senses sharpened on the woman quivering against him. Air whispered in and out of her lungs in ragged gasps. The soft brush of her hair teased his skin. The catch in her throat when his hand slid to the small of her back encouraged his slow acquisition of her.
He understood her wish to maintain a professional distance, but her body betrayed her as she leaned into him. With utmost care, his mouth grazed down her face, tasting the lush satin of her skin. Her breath caught. He stilled her halfhearted attempt to step away by pinning her at his side. Flattening his hand against her jaw to keep her from turning, his lips skirted across her cheek, angling toward her mouth. Her pulse skipped, and he smiled an instant before his lips touched hers. In an exquisite, painful burst, his heart exploded and light cascaded into the darkest corners of his soul.
“No,” she gasped, planting her hands on his chest, but his desire to claim her was too strong. He slammed her against the wall with his body and kissed her with a roughness that required no less than total submission.
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