Bonus $50 Amazon eGift Card Giveaway:

Sponsored Post

Linda Welch‘s Frugal Find Under Nine:

Along Came a Demon

 

Description:

I’m told the dead are all around us. I wouldn’t know about that, I see only the violently slain. They can be victims of hit-and-run, innocents caught in a cross-fire, the murdered. They whisper to me and they never, ever, forget the face of their killer. I’ve learned to live with my uncanny ability; in fact I’ve made a career out of it.

The departed aren’t the only supernaturals I see. No, they’re not vampires or werewolves or fae – those things don’t exist. We live side by side with what some call the Otherworldy. That’s too much of a mouthful for me, I call them demons. If you saw them as I do, you’d know why.

Right now I’m trying to track down a missing six year-old boy whose mother was murdered. Or maybe she wasn’t. To further complicate the case, Clarion PD gave me a partner I’d rather shoot than work with.

I can’t tell them he’s a demon.

They’d think I’m crazy.

I’m Tiff Banks. Welcome to my world.

Whisperings: Paranormal mystery with a splash of humor and dash of romance.

 

Accolade:

5 Stars, from BigAl

In the last year or two I’ve probably read more books with some kind of paranormal twist than I had all the remaining years of my life combined. I’ve been amazed to discover the number of ways authors have to give a novel a paranormal twist. “Along Came a Demon is among my favorites.” I was happy discovering they aren’t all glittery vampires.

As I evaluate the reasons “Along Came a Demon” was an enjoyable read for me several things come to mind. Part of it is the mystery portion. Ignore the paranormal part and this book is like a police procedural or private investigator mystery, which are genres I’ve read and enjoyed for years. Unlike the typical paranormal book, Tiff’s skills and the existence of paranormal creatures aren’t treated as if they are normal. Tiff assumes most people wouldn’t acknowledge or accept her talents or paranormal beings exist, so she hides the true nature of her abilities and the existence of the paranormal. This adds a different twist to the story. Hiding certain things like that, most notably two “dead” people who reside in Tiff’s house, adds plenty of humor to the book.

**Originally written for “Books and Pals” book blog.**

Amazon Reader Reviews:

Along Came a Demon currently has a Amazon reader review rating of 4.5 stars. Read the reviews here!

An excerpt from Along Came a Demon:

The sheer size and barrenness of the surroundings intimidated me, but not as much as my helplessness in the hands of my enemies.

When I say empty, I don’t mean empty of people. Caesar had a few friends with him, about thirty demons who stood in a semi-circle behind him. Demons of all heights and widths and hair coloring, demons with flashing eyes and pointed teeth, and I saw nothing friendly in their smiles. Their clothing was archaic: long, wide-sleeved shirts, embroidered tunics, tight hose, all a riot of metallic colors. Their narrow feet were bare.

“Where is Lawrence Marchant?” Caesar drawled.

I opened my mouth to rant at him, then pressed my lips together. I refused to give him anything.

He leaned over the table. “You were speaking on your telephone. You said you thought you knew Lawrence’s location. You would do well to tell me.”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I yelled, “You bastard! You murdering bastard! What makes you think you’ll get away with coming to my world and killing children?”

My voice created an echo in the cavernous place: children, children, it called back to me. The demons nearest us smiled, the white enamel of their teeth standing out in faces of pale metallic colors.

Caesar waved his hand back at his pals. “Oh, I had a little help.”

I silently vowed to hold my tongue and Caesar said nothing more. Minutes ticked by. The demons were uncannily motionless now. I wished they would shuffle, or whisper, or move their heads, or anything rather than watch me with hungry, chaotic eyes. Was I still on Earth, or in Royal’s world, his reality? How long had I been here? Panic fluttered in my chest.

I heard movement behind me and a hand fell on my shoulder. I flinched as I looked up. “Hello, Tiff,” Royal said.

Relief so intense, so wonderful, settled over me, making me lightheaded. Thank you, God. I will never take your name in vain again! Royal was here. He had tracked me down. “Royal,” I croaked.

“Hush now,” he crooned. “It’ll be okay.”

He went behind me. Both hands on my shoulders now, fingers digging in my flesh, hurting. I felt his mouth on my hair, nuzzling, and he inhaled deeply. I couldn’t see him where he stood behind the high back of the chair, but . . . it felt wrong.

It’s Royal, I told myself. I looked at the demons. He won’t let them hurt me. He has a plan.

He came from behind the chair, fingers trailing down my arm to the wrist, diagonally across my belly to my left thigh. His hand dipped to brush my pale pubic hair, making me gasp and clench my muscles. “Patience, my Tiffany. It will soon be over,” he said in that same eerie croon. “All over.”

My gut cramped. I looked ahead with blurring eyes, chilled by numbing disappointment as I realized how completely I let him dupe me. The man I thought I knew would howl with rage and tear my bonds to pieces with his bare hands. He would not stand next to me, his mouth on my hair, while ropes held me and a horde of demons watched. He would not touch me like that in front of an audience.

Royal had not come to save me. He was one of them.

He patted my shoulder and left me, and ambled around the table to Caesar. His arm shot out, his hand fastened on a thick hank of sun-gold hair and he hauled Caesar to his feet and to one side. “Get out of my chair.”

Caesar staggered but kept his feet. His expression was murderous, yet he stepped back and made a bow from the waist down. “Forgive me, Lord.”

Royal lounged in the chair, twirling a lock of hair in the fingers of his right hand. He wore a silken, billowing white shirt open to his navel, the long sleeves fastened at his wrists with sparkling studs. Gold and jewels sparkled in his ears and on his fingers and glinted in the copper-gold of his hair. Yesterday, I would have admired the smooth, hairless chest framed by rippling silk, the narrow hips and solid thighs beneath skintight gray hose. Now I saw only the curl to his lip, the disdain in his glowing brown eyes.

He smiled at me, revealing his pointed teeth.

So that was a lie, too.

As I watched his beautiful face, my fear melted away. There is no place for fear in a heart which seethes with rage. Rage at him for fooling me, at allowing myself to be duped. For being sucked in by his seductive ways. For being his victim. This was the man . . . I let him touch me and make me want more. I felt dirty.

I turned my face from him. I couldn’t look at him anymore.

“Tiff, look at me,” Royal said.

My voice was heavy with revulsion. “Tried it. Don’t like what I see.”

A hand snaked from behind the chair. An unseen demon’s blunt-nailed fingers dug in the skin of my mouth and chin, and forced my head around. I closed my eyes.

“Don’t make him open your eyes for you,” Royal said.

I opened them, blinking, to see his pointed smile again. The hand of the unseen demon let me go. “How are you with torture?” Royal asked in a pleasant, even voice.

I felt my face blanch as his words sank in. The water on my body had nearly dried, but perspiration replaced it now. How was I with torture? I had no idea. I imagined I would scream my head off. But did he mean torture or torment, because to my mind the demon way of persuasion, the sexual desire they could arouse with just a touch would be as bad as physical pain when done by his hands. To be used so by Royal would be the ultimate humiliation. I would rather he stuck me with a knife.

I got my answer when he casually nodded to one of the demons near the table. This one’s hair shimmered like brushed stainless-steel and pale eyes like gray ice glinted from pale pewter skin. He walked to me, pulled back his hand and cracked the side of my face hard and fast with his palm, a blow which took my breath and knocked my head to one side. My other cheek hit the wing of the chair and I yelped.

Oh, that kind of torture.

 

Along Came a Demon is available for purchase at:

Amazon Kindle for $0.99

Amazon UK

 

Connect with Linda Welch:

Website: http://lindadwelch.com

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Whisperings.Fans?ref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2969634.Linda_Welch

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/welch6331