A Judgment of Vampires
(2015)(The third book in the Edinburgh Vampires series)
A novel by Maggie MacKeever
Priest. Destroyer. Healer. Cezar Korzha has been wandering this earth for a very long time, fighting his way through Walachia, Moldavia, Transvylvania, before coming to rest at last in Scotland. He has survived assassination, crucifixion, being buried twice. Has known more than a few monsters and a demon or two.
He has also survived, thus far, his succession to Master of Edinburgh.
Cezar sometimes wishes he could be merely human. He might as well wish for the moon.
And now--
Inconvenient corpses are popping up in public places. His creator is trying to destroy him. His allies are falling victim to Cupid's dart. Cezar has an otherworldly being in his drawing room and a judicator on his doorstep.
What's a vampire to do?
A Regency Romance with Vampires.
The Edinburgh Vampires, Book III
This book is not a standalone. The story contains characters and plot lines established in the first two books in the series, RAVENSCLAW (originally titled Waltz With A Vampire) and VAMPIRE, BESPELLED.
Length: 240 print pages; 71,577 words.
Excerpt:
Some undecipherable emotion flickered in Mrs. Blackwood's fine eyes. She lowered her gaze to her lap.
What hadn't she wanted him to see? Cezar studied her bent head, the honey-colored hair coiled so severely at her nape. A gold chain wound round her neck and disappeared into the bodice of her long-sleeved gown.
Her very stylish, obviously expensive printed muslin gown. "Your tragic loss occurred some years past? I notice that you are no longer wearing widow's weeds."
She glanced at him blankly, and then down at her fashionable skirts. "Ah. My husband. One grows accustomed to even loss, after a time."
Cezar would have been surprised to learn that she had actually sustained a loss. He moved closer to her chair.
Mrs. Blackwood rose hastily to her feet. She started to back away. He commanded, "Stay."
Mrs, Blackwood froze, her exptression startled. Her mind might remain closed to him, but Cezar could exert influence over her, at least to this extent.
She fixed her eyes on him, as if she sought to peer into HIS mind; moved her lips as if to speak, but no words emerged.
In that moment, Cezar had no difficulty interpreting the lady's thoughts. She yearned to kick him in the shin.
Cezar pushed a little harder at her barriers. Mrs. Blackwood quivered, her instincts telling her to run at the same time her feet refused to budge. Cezar raised his hands slowly, and placed them on either side of her face.
Her eyelids fluttered shut. Lust swept over him, swift, unexpected, sharp. He felt her pulse beating fast beneath his fingers. He could almost taste the rich blood flowing through her veins. With an idea of startling her into some semblance of cooperation, he lowered his mouth to hers.
A nice mouth it was, sweet and soft. Cezar nudged her lips apart...
The cat yowled, quenching ardor as effectively as a bucket of water dumped on a hot fire.
The lady blinked, began to struggle. Cezar dropped his hands. Mrs. Blackwood pulled a ruby-studded cross from inside her bodice and thrust it at his face.
Genre: Paranormal Romance
He has also survived, thus far, his succession to Master of Edinburgh.
Cezar sometimes wishes he could be merely human. He might as well wish for the moon.
And now--
Inconvenient corpses are popping up in public places. His creator is trying to destroy him. His allies are falling victim to Cupid's dart. Cezar has an otherworldly being in his drawing room and a judicator on his doorstep.
What's a vampire to do?
A Regency Romance with Vampires.
The Edinburgh Vampires, Book III
This book is not a standalone. The story contains characters and plot lines established in the first two books in the series, RAVENSCLAW (originally titled Waltz With A Vampire) and VAMPIRE, BESPELLED.
Length: 240 print pages; 71,577 words.
Excerpt:
Some undecipherable emotion flickered in Mrs. Blackwood's fine eyes. She lowered her gaze to her lap.
What hadn't she wanted him to see? Cezar studied her bent head, the honey-colored hair coiled so severely at her nape. A gold chain wound round her neck and disappeared into the bodice of her long-sleeved gown.
Her very stylish, obviously expensive printed muslin gown. "Your tragic loss occurred some years past? I notice that you are no longer wearing widow's weeds."
She glanced at him blankly, and then down at her fashionable skirts. "Ah. My husband. One grows accustomed to even loss, after a time."
Cezar would have been surprised to learn that she had actually sustained a loss. He moved closer to her chair.
Mrs. Blackwood rose hastily to her feet. She started to back away. He commanded, "Stay."
Mrs, Blackwood froze, her exptression startled. Her mind might remain closed to him, but Cezar could exert influence over her, at least to this extent.
She fixed her eyes on him, as if she sought to peer into HIS mind; moved her lips as if to speak, but no words emerged.
In that moment, Cezar had no difficulty interpreting the lady's thoughts. She yearned to kick him in the shin.
Cezar pushed a little harder at her barriers. Mrs. Blackwood quivered, her instincts telling her to run at the same time her feet refused to budge. Cezar raised his hands slowly, and placed them on either side of her face.
Her eyelids fluttered shut. Lust swept over him, swift, unexpected, sharp. He felt her pulse beating fast beneath his fingers. He could almost taste the rich blood flowing through her veins. With an idea of startling her into some semblance of cooperation, he lowered his mouth to hers.
A nice mouth it was, sweet and soft. Cezar nudged her lips apart...
The cat yowled, quenching ardor as effectively as a bucket of water dumped on a hot fire.
The lady blinked, began to struggle. Cezar dropped his hands. Mrs. Blackwood pulled a ruby-studded cross from inside her bodice and thrust it at his face.
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Used availability for Maggie MacKeever's A Judgment of Vampires