Millions of people believe in the world of spirits. In their hearts, they imagine the past mingles with the present, where ghosts seek unattainable loved ones, and linger in a shadowed realm beyond sight.
Luke Angeles’ weekly television program, Those Among Us, brings those lost souls to the public. In the supernatural world, his crew of adept investigators offers solace and salvation, redemption for the lingering spirits caught between two worlds.
He believes in that realm, more firmly than any skeptic could imagine, and only investigative television reporter Eva Keyes dares to question his sanity.
Her cynicism would disrupt the perfect facade he’s erected over the centuries.
Excerpt
“D'Angel.”
The pronunciation of the name fell from her numb lips. She realized as she said the word that it did seem to fit him, oddly enough. He did bring to mind the paintings she had seen of angels in her youth, elaborate images that had filled the stained glass windows at the church her parent's had attended. Those same angels had been pale and glowing, radiating with a serenity that was undefinable. Nevertheless, there was something else. There was some sort of...she was not aware of what, precisely, even though the angelic reference to Lucien D'Angel hit a distinctly sour note.
“Yes, my name is D'Angel.” He reiterated the appellation with extreme calmness even though she was aware of the expression that suddenly flooded his face. Extreme and intense disgust was clearly etched in every line, the name not one he cared to acknowledge. He appeared to mentally shake himself, sloughing off whatever demons had invaded his thoughts at the admission.
As he took another hesitant step toward her, Eva wondered why she felt slightly more chilled than she had ever felt in her life. The very atmosphere within the comfortable warmth of the apartment appeared to have changed.
“There are oddities in this world the normal and extremely fragile human mind cannot accept.” He continued and, for the briefest fraction of a second, Eva observed that he appeared to restrain a shiver of his own. “What I am prepared to reveal to you, Evangeline, I desperately require you to comprehend with an open and objective mind.”
“Whatever for, Lucien?”
He took another step toward her and she belatedly acknowledged the intense darkness of his heavily lidded eyes failed to reflect any semblance of the gentle lighting that filled the room. She detected the sound of a sharply inhaled breath somewhere in the deep recesses of her ear. Evangeline belatedly realized the wavering spirit that had hovered in the room had vanished as rapidly as it had appeared, suddenly wary of the presence of the individual that approached her. She peered up at the slowly advancing individual and discovered a look of intense wariness evident upon his flawless features.
Without uttering a word, Lucien D'Angel lifted the paleness of his hands. The flesh of his nearly colorless palms were level to her features and she pulled back, startled by the suddenness of his action.
There, resplendent even in the brilliant glow that filled the living room of his ultra modern apartment, her host had scars more common with a world that had passed centuries ago. Eva was unable to restrain the choking gasp of revulsion that escaped her.
Savagely burnt into the tender and highly sensitive flesh of his left hand, Lucien bore a circular brand that had a depicted a multitude of angels and demons, eternally intertwined and cavorting in a lewd and spectacular dance of death. As she watched, a small yelp of unavoidable fright escaped her bloodless lips. Lucien D'Angel had never moved from his rigid stance before her. She did not have to lift her horrified regard for him to comprehend the terror that filled her rapidly pulsating heart.
Before her appalled gaze, the tortured scar that filled his palm began to burn with an intensity that could only rival that of a freshly applied brand. The whiteness of his skin turned bright and glowing and the flesh began to twist and swirl. The garish images appeared to absorb all radiant light evident in the universe and illuminated the dim confines of the room with a gleaming show of intense white light.
Eva fell back into the cushions of the sofa as the engraved demons danced wildly against his flesh, their faces contorted into hideous visages of terror and fear. The winged angels rose brightly against the tortured and puckered flesh and withdrew mighty swords that shot minute rays of reddish flame against the abnormal pallor of his skin.
“I need you, Evangeline Keegan.” His plea was heartfelt although the issuance of his words struck a chord of dread deep within her.
“Why?” She gasped, the word sticking in her throat as she cringed back into the leather cushions of the sofa.
“I require your assistance, Evangeline Keegan.” He paused, mentally forming his words before he spoke them aloud. “I need to die.”
Lucien D’ Angel, a.k.a Luke Angeles, is a bestselling author and renowned paranormal investigator. He hosts a show called ‘Those Among Us.’ What people do not know is, the curse he has carried for almost four centuries.
Evangeline Keegan, Eva, has a name meaning messenger of angels and fire. At the age of seven, she ran away from home only to find Lucien, who took her under his wings, until she was grown and on her own.
There are age old tales concerning the existence of Lucien, unspoken and dark. He believes humans to be fickle creatures and tries to abstain from any human contact. Then she comes into his life and things shift for him. Right after journalism school, Eva took a job at Station 12. After interviewing Luke Angeles, she believes there is something unusual about him. She plans to see if he falsified his identity. As Eva tracks down Luke and questions him, she is shocked he knows private things about her. He wishes to open her memory to the past. It will only take one to claim his soul and release the curse Lucien holds. Will Eva be the one that can finally make his heart beat?
I must admit Angel’s Fire, Demon’s blood was a fascinating tale. The impressive writing, and the fresh voice of Tamela Quijas, sends this reader on a stroll into centuries of a man who holds deep compassion but is unable to release his true feelings. Lucien tore at my heartstrings. I could feel his sorrow and wanted to reach out to him, pulling him into safety. He and Eva have a strong bond, practically sharing it with the reader in this stirring paranormal read. Great characterization, and a blend of strong elements, makes this story a wonderful journey into time.
Cherokee
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
We Write Romance
“…reader will be glued to their seats…”
Lucien D’Angel has roamed the earth for centuries. Cursed with immortality and an ability to see spirits, he has tired of life over the decades. According to the curse set upon him at birth, only Angel’s Fire can set him free. But Lucian has often wondered if it even exists and if it does, what could it possibly be? Even worse, what if his evil twin locates the Angel’s Fire first?
Imagine Lucian’s surprise when he finds his Angel’s Fire in the form of a small child. Evangeline Keegan is not like anyone Lucian has ever met. Not as a child and certainly not as a woman. Staying out of Evangeline’s life, but never far away, Lucian watches over her until she’s grown. He feels it is his duty to keep her safe from his diabolical brother, who will stop at nothing to either destroy the Angel’s Fire or obtain it for himself. The thought of Evangeline at his murderous brother’s mercy angers Lucien, an emotion he has long thought himself incapable of feeling.
Once Evangeline’s a woman grown, Lucien has a chance to get to know her… by agreeing to do an interview with the up-and-coming reporter as the reclusive Luke, a paranormal investigator. Imagine his surprise when he loses his heart to her - an organ he has long thought dead. Evangeline glows with a light from within, a light that makes Lucien feel alive and warm. After spending so much time in the dark, cold and alone, being around Evangeline is almost like a drug. But will Evangeline return his love? Can she love a cursed man who has given up the will to live? And more importantly, can she make him change his mind…
While this story starts out in times gone by, it quickly jumps to the present day and takes off at a dead run. The reader will be glued to their seats waiting to see what will happen next. Suspense, intrigue, romance, sibling rivalry, ghosts, and a group of psychics… you name it and this book has it!
My hat’s off to Ms. Quijas for creating such a delightful tale. I can’t wait to see what she’ll write next…
Lucian D'Angel has roamed the earth for centuries. Cursed with immortality and an ability to see spirits, he has tired of life over the decades. Only Angel's Fire can set him free.
Imagine Lucian's surpise when he finds his Angel's Fire in the form of a small child. Evangeline Keegan is not like anyone Lucian has ever met. Not as a child and certainly not as a woman.
Staying out of Evangeline's life, but never far away, Lucian watches over her until she's grown. Now that she's a reporter, he has a chance to get to know her... by agreeing to do an interview. Imagine his surprise when he loses his heart to her - an organ he has long thought dead. But will Evangeline return his love? Can she love a cursed man who has given up the will to live? And more importantly, can she make him change his mind...
While this story starts out in times gone by, it quickly jumps to the present day and takes off at a dead run. Suspense, intrigue, romance, sibling rivalry, ghosts, and a group of psychics... you name and it this book has it! My hat's off to Ms. Quijas for creating such a delightful tale. I can't wait to see what she'll write next...
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Jessica Coulter Smith
Paranormal Romance Author
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