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For 250 years, the Arcée brothers have been in conflict. The vendetta between these two powerful vampires has shown no signs of resolve or waning. The concession made between the two is that the location of their ongoing war is moved every five decades to help prevent hapless mortals from discovering them. It was determined that the new locations would be chosen by a delegated Keeper, symbolized by a custom-made tarot card. Where the card goes, so do the Houses and also the war.
When the card changes hands, each house sends out Seekers, specially trained vampires who race against each other to be the first to discover the card’s new location. The first one to find the card and take control of the new keeper has the upper hand in the battle for that duration as they gain first foothold in the new city.
This year is a turning year. Julio Mendoza receives the card in the mail, unaware of its meaning. When he learns of the history of the card, he realizes he has been thrust in to a war that holds nothing for him, yet he cannot escape his fate. Still he will not accept his role meekly.
Michelle Bryson is a Seeker for the House of François Arcée. She is pitted against a ruthless rival from the House of Pierre Arcée to get to Julio first. Michelle is a young Seeker and if she fails to capture the Keeper, her life may be forfeited. What Michelle did not plan on was to find the Keeper to be a sexy, rebellious man who has a spirit in him unlike any Keeper she has seen in the past.
Julio knows the vampires are coming for him. He knows that he cannot hide forever. When the Seekers find him though, he cannot deny his attraction toward Michelle – an attraction that they will both pay dearly for if the Seeker from the House of Pierre Arcée has anything to do about it.
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Excerpt
Julio Mendoza held up the envelope, scrutinizing it. He did not recognize the tight, neat printing though it was addressed specifically to him. The postmark of Sacramento, California, 95814 was unfamiliar. There was no return address.
“California?” he queried aloud. “I don’t know anybody in California.” He looked closer at it. “It must be some sort of junk mail, but it is hand addressed. How weird.” He opened it up and peered inside. “What the heck?” Inside was only what appeared to be a tarot card. He checked the envelope once again but there was no note accompanying it.
The card itself had a faint aroma of age, as if it had been in storage for a long time. He inspected the card closely. The Chariot. What was this supposed to mean to him? It was not like any of the tarot cards he had ever seen before. This did not come from any deck he recognized, and he had seen plenty. His mother was a tarot reader. He had grown up around the cards.
He knew he should ask her about it, but he was afraid of alarming her. Another glance at the card changed his mind. If anybody could help him decipher the mystery of why he received this card, she could. He tucked it back in the envelope and kept firm hold of it as he headed to his car. It was a gray, windy day in St. Petersburg, Florida, smack dab in the middle of hurricane season. The darkened sky seemed more ominous than usual.
He saw a car in the driveway at his mother’s house and knew that meant she was giving a reading. He let himself in the backdoor, waiting patiently in the kitchen for her to finish. Her parlor was her place of business. The rest of the house was not. He grabbed the iced tea jug from the fridge and poured himself a tall glass, staring at that strange envelope as he sipped and waited.
After she was done, his mother came in to the kitchen. “Julio, what are you doing here?” She walked over and kissed his cheek. “You seem troubled.”
“Perplexed is more like it, Mom. Do you know anything about this card?” He pushed the envelope across the countertop to her.
Her reaction was not what he expected. He had assumed she would be interested in this unique card, but instead the color drained from her face. She viewed the envelope as if it were a cobra, poised to strike. She didn’t even open it. “By the Gods, it’s you,” she whispered. “It’s you.”
“Mom what is this?” He implored.
“This is your birthright, Julio.”
“My birthright? I don’t understand.”
Lenore gave her son an intent, yet doleful look. “I should have told you sooner. Come sit with me. There is much for you to learn and not much time for you to learn it in. If the card has already been delivered, surely they will already be looking for it.”
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