IMMORTAL RECKONING
Tara Fox Hall
Series: Promise Me Series Book 18 (Origin Story)
Genre: Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Romance
Publisher: Melange Books
Publication Date: February 27, 2018
Through the love and loss of the ages, immortality brings only one certainty: vengeance.
Disinherited and poverty stricken, bastard Danial clutches at the slim chance to earn a living as a guard, until a night attack leaves both him and his half-brother Devlin vampires. After finding true love with the aristocrat Lacey, Danial comes to the attention of James, the devious Vampire Lord of France. Enslaved by James, his love murdered, Danial plots to escape, his complex plan of years finally succeeding only to result in all of Europe’s demonic forces on the hunt for him.
After a reunion and subsequent falling out with Devlin, Danial travels to the new world of America in pursuit of a new life. Settling in the west, Danial forms alliances with native vampire Valerian and the witch Cheyenne to survive a game of cat and mouse with Devlin and protect his new love Kathryn amid his rapidly changing world. Triumphant yet nursing a broken heart, an undeterred Danial protects his friends and thwarts his enemies, determined to find a life of peace…until unexpected news comes of James’s presence, the one man on whom Danial has waited centuries to get revenge.
About the Series: In the Promise Me series, Sarelle, a mortal woman, encounters a wounded (and sexy and handsome) vampire, Danial. Without knowing who he really is (a murderer for hire, for one), Sarelle begins a romantic relationship with him a little too fast. Interestingly, Sarelle also finds herself attracted to Danial's best friend, the werecougar, Theo. What will happen to Sarelle's relationship with Danial? Where does Theo fit in? Amidst new obstacles and relationship problems, Sarelle has to decide where her future lies.
DELETED SCENES
I've always enjoyed reading books by Tara Fox Hall. But reading extras and deleted scenes make the books even more worthwhile. I hope you enjoy these bonus scenes from Immortal Reckoning.
Alternate Ending for Immortal Reckoning
Author's Note:Initially, I wrote Immortal Reckoning as an origin story for the vampire protagonist Danial, the same way I wrote Immortal Confessions as the origin story for his brother, Devlin. Both brothers are key characters from the Promise Me Series, and appear in all seventeen previous books. Immortal Reckoning and Immortal Confessions came out so far apart because Devlin’s backstory was needed early in the series to give some explanation about the way he was (and his role switch from horrific villain in books 1-4 to possible love interest and protagonist in book 5). Danial was secretive throughout the series about his past, and I wanted to take time to explore his possible reasons for that. I wanted to re-examine the events of Immortal Confessions from his perspective, as well as fill in the many blanks in history left by his silence. This left me with an overly-long manuscript for Immortal Reckoning, which initially ended at the start of Promise Me, the first series book. I would have needed at least another two full chapters—and the book would have ended up as a tie in prequel to my series instead of a stand-alone story of reckoning and new beginnings. So the following final ending scene was cut, which occurs right before Promise Me begins...but about seventy years after the last events in Immortal Reckoning.
Later that night, with my new partner Theo in my guest room, and my blood donor on her way home, I settled in my favorite chair with a book to unwind. Instead, whispers of the past came to haunt me.
Lord Dalcon expects to be obeyed, my mother had said. Be careful, my son. He will not hesitate to take whatever he thinks is his, by whatever means he can. And his sons are the same as he.
I had taken that for the warning about my father and half-brothers she meant it as, years ago. But a more sinister double meaning was there, something I had ignored until now. I was Lord Dalcon’s son, too, and like my father, I had never hesitated to take something I believed mine. Not Anna, not Justine, not the natives I had become a god to, or the many I’d killed on the way to the bloody seat of power I held now.
The ends justify the means…and every life I touched was improved, or at the least, no worse off than if I had not interfered. The werefoxes that still served as my guards were protected, even as they protected me. Theo would be better off with me; after our chance meeting, he had proved himself a valuable ally, saving my life during my last job. In time, hopefully we will become friends. I’ve never known a werecougar, or had a partner, either. But Solution’s Inc. needs someone besides me working cases, if it’s to be successful. A new century is dawning. It’s time for change again.
You added killing for money to the list of sins tonight. Harder to rationalize murder.
Enough. No one the mob wanted dead was likely to be innocent. Besides, I was intelligent and crafty enough to find a way to save someone if by some chance a hit came across my desk that was for a truly good person.
For now, at least, I would not let it stand in my way.
***
I shifted, opening my eyes. Where was I? Someplace dark…And I’m holding someone!
I relaxed my grip immediately, letting the unconscious woman I’d been holding ease backward onto the bed. There was a large nasty looking half healed wound on her arm, and the taste of blood in my mouth.
My memory came flooding back in a rush. I’d been shot on a job. The arrow had been poisoned, and I’d dropped my cell. I’d driven off, but hadn’t made it home. I went off the road. Somehow…she not only found me, but also saved me.
I lay her back gently, and looked her over. She didn’t appear to be hurt beyond the blood loss and shock, but I wouldn’t be able to verify that until she awoke. Attempting to heal my bite wound with my saliva might kill her when it hit her already weakened system. I’d taken a lot of her blood, enough to make her out cold.
I cradled her to me gently, wondering who she was. Why did you help me?
“I’m sorry,” I whispered gently. “Thank you.”
She remained limp, only her steady heartbeat and even breathing stirring the silence.
I heard steps upstairs, and listened. But the sounds were animal noises, the heart beating very fast. Likely pets of substantial size, by the sound of their footsteps.
I thought about carrying her upstairs, but what if her pets attacked me? Better to stay here. Is it day?
My watch was missing, but hers was working. It is day. Better not to risk an open upstairs window.
I leg go of her, then reluctantly moved away. I’d bitten her from sheer need, and the experience likely hadn’t been a good one for her. If she found me holding her when she awoke, she might scream or faint.
I studied her, calculating what this all meant. She is cute, with good muscle tone. Casual clothes, for working in, not being admired. No smell of disease or drug use. Lovely long hair. Early thirties, possibly late twenties.
I got up and walked around, looking at my surroundings for clues. There were a number of plastic boxes in the basement, so I began opening them.
The first held DVDs and VCR tapes, most of them vampire popular fiction. I sighed. Not a good sign. Another vampire groupie.
The second held books, but they were too varied to let me draw any conclusions, except that she must have attended college, at least for a little while.
There was a whole rack of bakeware of all shapes and sizes. These she either inherited, or stopped using for some reason. All have a layer of dust on them.
A stack of wood, almost a cord, lay piled against the far wall. She must burn firewood. And likely cut it herself, as some of this wood is not good quality.
This wasn’t a rich woman. My surroundings were plain, if serviceable. There was nothing here that was costly, save some old mountain climbing equipment. Even that is well used.
I opened the last easily reached bin. Inside were pictures of the woman and a man. He was handsome, and they were beaming at the camera. In one, she was wearing a white dress, and he an old style gunslinger’s outfit. So she was married once, but isn’t now. Likely a divorce in these immoral times.
She stirred, letting out a sigh. I walked quickly back to the bed, and lay down, closing my eyes most of the way so as not to scare her.
She got up with effort, and made her way upstairs, giving me fearful looks. I wanted to help her, but stayed where I was.
I lay there for a while, thinking about my options. The honorable thing was to wait for her to return, to thank her. I smiled slightly, thinking perhaps she’d come back with a stake for me, or some garlic. It’s a good guess she won’t be back in a negligee, looking for a repeat performance.
Guilt suffused me for my ungratefulness. She saved my life and got nothing to show for it except some pain. No matter what happens, I’ll make sure I leave her with some money, or at least something to use to make the coming winter easier.
She was a strong one, too, to be able to walk away after I’d fed so heavily. Maybe she could be useful to me, become one of my donors? She already knows what I am, and has vampire fantasies, so it’s a good possibility. I’ll have to buy some of that Life Force potion from Tatiana and try it through dreams first. There’s no reason broaching blood donation if she doesn’t want my caresses.
I felt my body stir thinking of being in bed with her and rolled my eyes. But it’s been what, ten, fifteen years without any sex? Even longer without lovemaking.
Familiar despair washed through me, and I pushed it away wearily. Forget lovemaking, some good old-fashioned sex would be enough, especially since this woman has to have some skills, having been married once. There is always the vampire card I can bring into play. She’d taken off my shirt, and something told me that hadn’t just been to make sure I hadn’t been staked.
I closed my eyes. Enough thinking. I’d wait for dusk, and see what happened.
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About Tara Fox Hall
Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, erotica, horror, suspense, action-adventure, children’s stories, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal fantasy Lash series, the paranormal romantic suspense Unhallowed Love series and the paranormal romantic drama Promise Me series. Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice. All of her published children’s stories to date are free reads on www.childrens-stories.net.
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