Amazon Raular Publishing Raular Publishing Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Raular Publishing ISBN-10:  098205629X Pages: 412 Copyright: September 2009 ISBN-13: 9780982056295 The second book of R.A.Lura's Vampire/fantasy-thriller series, The Hunt continues where Vampires in Vegas leaves off, with more martial arts, more vampires and the added bonus of werewolves! Picking up where Vampires in Vegas left off, The Hunt (Book II of the vampires stories) is full of martial arts action, magic, werewolves and vampires! The thrilling and dramatic adventures of the Haidaul Cousins and their friend, a martial arts master, continues as they find themselves in Phoenix, Arizona, where Ben discovers love while struggling against werewolf contamination. With vampires roaming the countryside, the stakes are high for Dave and Li as they join forces with a vampire lord and a voodoo high priestess to help Ben before time runs out.  www.youtube.com/watch Excerpt ~One~ Ben stretched his leg muscles, hoping to relieve some of the pain that seemed to radiate clear to the marrow of his bones. When he had agreed to allow Dave to give him a crash course in martial arts self defense, he had no idea how physically challenging it would be. Ben had always prided himself in his well preserved and athletic body. He had been a valued player on his college football team and had continued to play with a local group of Owego residents on weekends, just for fun. But, even so, his body was screaming in shocked surprise at the number of muscles he possessed that had not seen action; possibly ever. The floorboards of his cabin’s porch creaked under his weight as he paced back and forth; partially out of impatience while he waited for Dave to return with the newlyweds and partially to keep his muscles from tightening up any more than they already were. Li and Lin Yao had married while visiting China. The group had debated whether or not their going was a wise decision under the present circumstances. But, after all that had happened, the couple felt an overwhelming need to marry while in the comforting embrace of their loved ones. And, since everyone’s body and soul needed some healing time, they prayed for peace and quiet while they each took the time they needed to heal and repair. Although Dave’s body had been broken in some spots and severely beaten in others, he had healed with remarkable speed. He attributed it to his desire to get back out there and finish what they had started. Now, only a few short months later, the cast on his ankle had been removed and the broken rib cage seemed as good as new. It was a classic example of mind over matter. Dave’s black SUV slowly worked its way through the deep ruts that thick tires and melting snow had created in the long dirt drive leading to Ben’s cabin. Spring was slow to come to the Southern Tier of New York and even slower on its wooded hillsides. Even so, the sun managed to peek through the tree tops just enough to work its magic on the fallen snow and, little by little, it was being whittled away; allowing tiny buds to peek through. Ben looked quizzically as he searched past his cousin, only to find the SUV carried no other passengers. Barely waiting for Dave to park his vehicle, he bellowed out his curiosity. “I thought you were bringing the newlyweds. What happened?” Dave eased his foot over a large puddle as he balanced his body while closing the door behind him. “You really need to figure something out with this drive if you plan on spending a lot of time up here. This is bad!” “Never mind that,” Ben scowled, “Where are Li and Lin Yao? What happened?” “I don’t know. They weren’t on the plane. I checked with the airlines. Man, are they tight with their info. It took me hours before I finally found someone that would tell me that they changed their flight. They put their tickets on hold.” “Are you kidding me?” “I don’t get it. I’m hoping to hop online and find an e-mail waiting for me explaining it all.” Dave held his blackberry up over his head and rotated his body. “But, I haven’t been able to get enough reception with this stupid thing all day. I knew I should have met them at JFK instead of agreeing to a connecting flight in Syracuse. These mountains are cell phone nightmares.” “I hear ya.” Ben reached into a small portable cooler, produced two bottles of beer and handed one to Dave. “Do you think they’re okay?” “I sure hope so.” Dave tipped the bottle to his lips and allowed the cool, carbonation to pour down his throat. “Should we go back to my place in town?” “Is your computer hooked up? I don’t know if I’ll get reception with this thing in town either.” Dave scowled. “Yes. What do you have your mailbox with?” “G-Mail.” “Okay then. We’re in business.” Dave handed his empty bottle to Ben and picked his way back through thick slush to his SUV. He was anxious to get to a computer and see what message, if any, Li had sent him. Dave was concerned about Li’s last minute change in flight. He had been against the trip to begin with. It was too dangerous. And now... All he could do was hope that their flight change was for family reasons and not because they had been discovered and were trying to fool the enemy. The desert heat assaulted Li as he stepped out of the airline terminal to hail a cab. Las Vegas... he was back. Only a few months ago he was fighting for his life against the cannibalistic vampires who had held him captive. His body shuddered involuntarily as the still vivid memories of his ordeal flashed through his mind. He moved through the crowd in a robotic fashion; his eyes scoping it warily. It was not necessary, he knew. They had destroyed the vampires who had held them captive and the ones who managed to escape were not cannibalistic mutants and could not walk in the light of day; or so he thought. But, until they had found those demons of the night and destroyed them as well, they would be a constant threat to him and those he held most dear. Tamara and the baby were the key. Find them and they would find the vampires; he was certain of it. The baby was half vampire and would turn if encouraged. Dragos had wanted to take the infant when he was first born, but Tamara had cradled her newborn half brother while she fled during the confusion. Li was certain that Dragos would search for the half vampire baby. Yes, Tamara and the baby were the key to finding and destroying Dragos and his clan. His sources had contacted him while he was still in China to tell him that they had spotted Tamara working in a small, out of the way casino in Las Vegas. Li had changed his travel plans with Lin Yao and had hastened to Las Vegas to secure her whereabouts, as well as safety; promising Lin Yao that he would be back promptly afterward and they would return to the states together. In his haste to leave, he had neglected to inform Dave and Ben of his change in plans. It was probably just as well. They would have insisted on joining him and he wanted nothing more than to grab Tamara and the baby and slip in and out of ‘sin city’ as quickly as he could. He did not plan on being here long enough to justify them coming. He would telephone them from his hotel room tonight and fill them in on what was happening and what flight they could expect the three of them on tomorrow.

Write Rescue
"You'll think twice about walking in remote places!"
When I read the five star review for R. A. LURA'S first book of the vampire series, Vampires in Vegas (978-0-9820562-0-2) and then read the book, I agreed with the reviewer 100%. Needless to say, my expectations for book two, THE HUNT, was high.

I wasn't disappointed.

Focusing on a mature audience, THE HUNT picks up where Vampires in Vegas left off; taking the reader from the hills of Owego, New York back to Las Vegas, Nevada and then off to Phoenix, Arizona; with a little time spent in San Diego, California.

In book one, Vampires in Vegas, Li, Dave and Ben destroy the den, buried deep in the shadows of Las Vegas, of Count Dracula's bastard son. During the confusion, one of the den's young female captives makes off with a newborn child that is half vampire and half-human. The infant can live his life out as a human and never turn vampire; providing the vampires don't get their hands on him and feed him fresh human blood!

In THE HUNT, the three men have made it their mission to find the girl and the child before the vampires do. But she doesn't trust them and escapes their attempts to help her by running to a voodoo high priestess who lives on Coronado Island, just outside of San Diego, California, for refuge. To add to their troubles, Ben has an encounter with werewolves that threatens to alter his life forever.

While Li is in Las Vegas looking for the girl and fighting for his life because an underground slave trader got hold of him, Ben and Dave go off to Phoenix, Arizona to seek out a well known paranormal group in hopes of getting help for Ben's problem. Li escapes his captors and joins Dave and Ben in Phoenix, where the story line really comes to its climax.

Introducing a few new characters to the mix, R. A. LURA blends vampire lore, suspense, magic, love and some martial arts action into a fast paced and suspenseful paranormal thriller. The story is so vividly written that I found myself feeling exhausted right along with Li after his martial arts fights and even began looking for creatures of the night whenever I went outside after dark!

The cities that are highlighted in this story are Owego, New York, Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona But, if you want my opinion, I think that once you read this book- no matter where you live - you'll think twice about walking in remote places.

Although I firmly believe that a series should be read from book one, THE HUNT is written well enough that you can pick it up without having read Vampires in Vegas and still follow and enjoy the story.

If you are a vampire fan or a lover of paranormal thrillers, pick up a copy of THE HUNT, by R. A. LURA. You won't be disappointed.