An Urban Fantasy Novel
DECEPTIONS
(Demonkin, #2)
by
Sean Hayden
Published by Untold Press
The great State of California has elected themselves a new governor…and he’s a vampire! Many hope it will bring some peace between the humans and vampires. Many don’t, which could be the reason someone is trying to kill him. Knowing they can’t protect him from supernatural terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security turns to the only people who can, the FBI. More importantly, their only vampire agent. Ashlyn may be Governor Greer’s only hope, but can she keep him alive without starting a war of her own? When the lines begin to blur and it becomes difficult to separate her enemies from her allies, Ashlyn may end up doing just that.
The great State of California has elected themselves a new governor…and he’s a vampire! Many hope it will bring some peace between the humans and vampires. Many don’t, which could be the reason someone is trying to kill him. Knowing they can’t protect him from supernatural terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security turns to the only people who can, the FBI. More importantly, their only vampire agent. Ashlyn may be Governor Greer’s only hope, but can she keep him alive without starting a war of her own? When the lines begin to blur and it becomes difficult to separate her enemies from her allies, Ashlyn may end up doing just that.
Due to mature content recommended for 18+
Giveaway
Born the son of a fire chief, Sean naturally developed a love of playing with fire. His family and friends quickly found other outlets for his destructive creativity. Writing is his latest endeavor.
Always a fan of the macabre, mythical, and magical, Sean found a love of urban fantasy and horror. After writing several novels in this genre, he found, fell in love with, and immersed himself in steampunk. He has always wanted to rewrite history and steampunk gave him that opportunity.
Sean currently lives in Florida as a fiber-optic engineer as well as an author. He was blessed with the two most amazing children he could ever hope for, has met the absolute love of his life, who coincidentally is his partner in everything. His hobbies include grand designs on world domination as well as a starring role in his own television sitcom.
Excerpt
"I've told you fifteen times already, Agent Grimes, I don't know how he died. Cicero and I fought and I heard Thompson getting his ass kicked. I ended the fight as fast as inhumanly possible and rushed out to help him. That's when the cavalry came in through the proverbial window. When we went back into the office, Cicero wasn't undead anymore." I sighed as I recounted the made-up chain of events for the fiftieth time since returning to Washington, D.C. I closed my eyes and thanked the gods the events of the past month were over. The weeks I spent working as an agent in the Chicago field office of the FBI had been pure hell. I got my partner assaulted by one vampire, and then killed by a different vampire named Cicero. The master of the City of Chicago had been a crazed lunatic and my partner paid the ultimate price. I held back the tears for my dead friend and smiled, for the gods had given me Thompson, my current partner, werelion extraordinaire, and the only reason Cicero had his ashes in a ceramic container and I didn't. "Agent Ashlyn," Agent Grimes began and cleared his throat, "the forensic team found Cicero's body with his throat torn out and completely drained of blood. Let me get this straight, you have absolutely no idea how he 'became un-undead'?" I'd answered this question so many times I was about to snap, and how dare he quote me to myself. "Grimes, I've explained this a hundred times and at least five of those times to you. The wounds inflicted on Cicero couldn't have killed him. Even a common vampire couldn't be killed by blood loss, so I didn't kill him. Even if I had, it would have been self-defense! The deputy director himself congratulated me on a job well done. Why the sudden change?" "It's easy. We didn't know you ate the rogue vampire, Ashlyn. You're an FBI agent, hired to police the rogue vampires. That means bringing them in so they can be incarcerated, tried by jury, and punished by a court of law!" He seemed to mean every word he said. Was this guy joking? A vampire who kills somebody doesn't get a jury. They'd be lucky to get a cell without a window. "Which is why I tried to non-lethally subdue him," I lied again through my teeth. The douchebag abducted my injured partner, used him to get to me, and then killed him without a second thought. If you ask me, he got what he deserved. I fought down the urge to flip my superior off and walk out of the room. "What else can I do for you, Agent Grimes? I've answered all your questions, I've filed all my reports, and honestly I don't know what else to say. If you don't believe me, the Deputy Director will have my resignation in the morning." I stood and made my way to the door, not giving the mousy man a chance to respond. I thought the entire act of my rebellion quite debonair until I placed my hand on the knob and tried to turn the handle. I could have sworn I heard a trombone somewhere in the room going wa-wa-waa. Talk about ruining the moment. I watched Grimes when he came through the door. He didn't lock it, so I knew something wasn't right. I turned around and stared at the balding man sitting at the table tapping his pen on his notepad and staring pointedly at the mirror on the wall. "Sonofabitch," left my lips beforeI could curb my tongue. Instead of rounding on Grimes, I walked over to the mirror. I stopped in front of it and crossed my arms. I thought about knocking on it to get their attention, but settled for my secondary idea. I uncrossed my arms and held out my talon. Slowly, I etched a circle slightly larger than my head in the otherwise perfect surface of the glass. Once it was completely etched, I rapped my knuckles against it. I smiled as the circle fell out smoothly and shattered on the floor in the tiny dark room behind the mirror. A normal human wouldn't have been able to see in the dark room, but I didn't have a problem. I peered in and saw the Deputy Director standing next to a tall slender man I'd never seen before. I stood there staring at the both of them and waited for some sort of explanation. "Agent Ashlyn, please meet me in my office in five minutes," the Deputy Director said without a hint of emotion or surprise. I seriously considered telling him what he could go do with himself in his office, but I blinked and pulled my face from the Ashlyn-sized hole in the glass. I turned and strode past Grimes. By the time I reached the door, the handle was unlocked, denying me the satisfaction of ripping the door off its hinges. I snarled and made my way to the elevator.Teasers/Quotes
"Kid, I hope you know you're filling out the report on this one." "Hey, it wasn't my fault, chief. They had rocket launchers." "Why is it with you, they always have rocket launchers?" "Whatever works? They keep missing with the smaller crap." He laughed, a little. "Can we get a ride?" "Not if they're still out there with more rockets."
I really hoped not to get shot tonight. I hated clothes shopping.
I didn't look back as we got into the suburban and drove back to the hotel. Why should I look back? Marcel would fix it. Marcel fixed everything.
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1 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting Deceptions blitz/giveaway on your site!
~Angela McPherson,
Untold Press, Marketing
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