Marie Treanor

Blood on Silk, An Awakened by Blood Novel, Available Now from NAL Signet Eclipse. (Trade Paperback). Order in print from Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Ebook from Amazon

Winner: Halloween Book Festival 2011. (Fantasy category)

CAPA nominated in the Paranormal Romance category.

The debut of a seductive new contemporary series of vampires, lust, and revenge.

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local foktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

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Reviews:

"BLOOD ON SILK is sensual and thrilling, a wonderful combination of vampire myths old and new. Saloman and Elizabeth's relationship is both amazingly hot and terrifyingly complicated. Readers will fall instantly in love with the world that Marie Treanor has created. You cannot miss this novel!"
--Michele Bardsley, national bestselling author of the Broken Heart series.

"thrilling...gripping and fast paced...fascinating...absolutely absorbing...charming, witty, and absolutely smoldering!... eloquent, sensual writing style...hard to put down and definitely hard to let go of... absolutely scorching hot...The characterization is strong, the sex hot, and the love powerful..." - 9 Hearts, Karielle, Books a la Mode.

"Saloman is one of those bad vampires that I just love... I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the push and pull that happened with Elizabeth and Saloman...Can't wait to see what happens next." Shannon, Cocktails and Books

"A provocative read... witty, sensual and, sometimes, dark... Brimming with complex and compelling characters, sexual tension, danger, betrayal, emotional turmoil, witty banter, a thrilling plot, an enigmatic hero who is at times an anti-hero, a captivating heroine and plenty of vampires, this erotic, gothic story grabs your attention and holds it right up to the very last page." Dottie, Romance Junkies, 4.5 Blue Ribbons

"one of the best pieces of vampire fiction I have read in years. I do not think I have ever actually read another book quite like it... Saloman is a wonderful character, and probably near the top of my favorite male leads...an enigmatic character...emotionally complicated and totally unreadable... full of realistic emotional turmoil... an intense read... In the ever-growing world of vampire romance, this one is a masterful new addition." Jennifer, Bitten by Books, 5 Tombstones!

"I’ve finally found that good vampire story I’ve been looking for... intense and sizzling hot... Ms. Treanor keeps the intrigue, the mystery, the betrayal, the on-edge desire and so much more going page after page, along with the allure of Saloman... I’m hooked!" - Grade A-, Sandy M, The Good, the Bad and the Unread.

"For readers looking for a new type of hero to love, Saloman is the vampire for you... Blood on Silk is the beginning to a gothic, darkly erotic tale that will seduce you and send shivers down your spine." - Keira, Love, Romance, Passion.

"Praises for Marie Treanor; this book has found a permanent place alongside the likes of Anne Rice and Laurell K Hamilton." - Rating 5, Jillean, Once Upon a Romance.

"I loved it!... humorous...and scintillating... Treanor’s writing was exquisite and fully entertained me from start to finish. I definitely can recommend this book." - Recommended Read, 4.5 Klovers, Marilyn Rondeau, CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

"Being a fan of this author, I arrogantly went into this book expecting a great story. What I got was an exceptional story... a suspense-filled ride... When you're dealing with a legend, the character has to live up to the hype. Saloman did live up to the legends... the sensuality worked perfectly in fleshing out Elizabeth's fascination with Saloman.... this impressive debut." - CAPA Nomination, 5 Hearts, Roxanne, The Romance Studio.

"I really devoured this book... I can’t wait to continue on this journey with Blood Sin, book two. I have had a little taste of what Ms. Treanor has to offer with Blood on Silk and I want more!" - Cheryl, Manic Readers, 5 Stars.

"A Vampire I Could Sink My Teeth Into... part romance, part paranormal, part Gothic, and all wonderful... wonderfully delicious... When Saloman is on the page, his actions almost glide across the page in front of the reader... never have I read a story with a vampire as fantastic as Saloman. Treanor’s story is sensual and smart, just how this Broad likes them. Read and enjoy!"

"Saloman is the best vampire in the romance genre this broad has read... powerful, confident, murderous, and sensual." - Brazen Broads Book Bash.

"Treanor soaks her novel in a decidedly gothic and dark romanticism... a layered and beautiful read..." - Vamp Fan Girl, Lovin Me Some Romance, B+

"exciting, thrilling, a little dark, with characters that you’ll love and you’ll be hoping the next book will be out very soon!" - Valerie, Love Romances and More, 4 hearts

"This book drew me in and didn't let me go... a refreshingly new vampire tale... undeniable chemistry between Elizabeth and Saloman. When they got together they practically burned up the pages!...Danger, action, romance, woven like silk within this story left me satisfied yet yearning for more." - Literary Cravings - 4 stars.

"I loved the concept of this novel. The vampires are real, and full of intrigue and mystery... The world that Treanor has created is awesome because it presents a unique perspective on vampires. You get a feel of the old country, and the mystery that goes along it... BLOOD ON SILK is a vampire romance for the intelligent reader... I can't wait to read the second book in the series. Marie Treanor is definitely a new author to watch." Aubrey MacDougall, Fresh Fiction.

"a mature, oftentimes witty and suspenseful story with provocative and compelling characters... The sexual tension between Saloman and Elizabeth is deliciously and skillfully maintained throughout the novel. It is this very tension that led to some gratifying love scenes for both the characters and the reader..." - 4 hearts, Book Soulmates.

"At last, a sensible and mature vampire novel that is so not a Twilight clone... the tension between Elizabeth and Salomar is so skillfully maintained and exciting that I couldsn’t put the book down! To yield or not to yield? That’s the question for Elizabeth. Treanor is a fantastic writer - she kept me suspense me all the way to the end, keeping me hoping and wishing that Saloman and Elizabeth will end up together... great read and an awesome debut" - Pauline, Bookaholics Romance Book Club

"Marie Treanor hits the New York publishing scene with a thrilling paranormal title... This is the first in what is playing out to be a must read series... Make sure to add this delicious book to your shopping cart and get started reading.

What makes this book so good you ask? It's multiple things from the smart heroine Elizabeth to the cruel and a bit evil Saloman. They have a chemistry that will pull you in. The author also gives us some great history and characterizations. The action scenes pull it all together and keep the pace rockin and the plot is solid." - Top Pick, 4.5 stars, Silvermage, Night Owl Reviews.

"an entertaining vampire romance... the key to the fine story line is Elizabeth who has readers wondering if she will be his eternal love or his Judas." Harriet Klausner, Alternative Worlds.com

Excerpts:

Leaning over the sarcophagus, she ran her fingers along the far side of it, but felt only the detailed outlines of muscled arm and hip and thigh, so lovingly carved that it felt intimate just stroking them. She stretched farther so that her hair and jaw brushed against the cold stone of his face, and felt along the table instead. It too seemed to be one solid piece of stone. So where the hell was the body?

Movement stirred her hair, almost like a lover’s breath on her skin. Startled, she jerked up her head, but before she could leap away, or even see what was happening, something sharp pierced her neck and clamped down hard.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t even cry out. Somewhere she knew she should be terrified, but in reality her brain was far too busy trying to work out what the hell had happened.

There was pain at the side of her neck where it seemed to be stuck to the face of the carved sarcophagus, a strange, cold pain that suddenly heated as whatever had gripped her began to suck.

Now the fear surged, deluging her. She felt the blood rushing through her veins, dragging from her heart, and knew she was about to die. Worse than that, the cold thing clamped around her neck grew warm, moved on her skin, and the rushing of her blood became a stream of weird, sensual pleasure. Fire and ice flowed together in her veins as she was held captive.

Everything seemed to tighten in her body - her muscles, her nipples, her clenching womanhood – until it came to her in a flash that this treacherous, paralyzing sexual response was killing her.

With a yell of as much self-encouragement as fear, she tore herself free, falling off the sarcophagus into a heap on the floor and scrabbling backwards away from whatever had attacked her.

She knew, she’d always known, it came from the sarcophagus itself, and yet the sight of the carving rising from the table in a cloud of dust drew a long, low whine from her that she couldn’t control. Her neck throbbed in agony; it felt slippery with her own blood under her questing, trembling fingers. Her heart hammered with the force of a pile driver, as the thing shook itself and emerged through the scattering dust toward her.

Not a beautiful stone carving but a beautiful, terrifying man, heart-churningly three dimensional as he yanked the broken sword from his chest and threw it to the ground. A sound seemed to hiss from between his teeth. It might have been pain, but right now, she didn’t care.

In the spotlight of her fallen, wavering flashlight, he regarded her from burning, coal-black eyes. His cloak, now streaked with black, fell around him in stiff, dust-laden folds as he walked forward with slow, deliberate strides. Beneath it, his clothing was torn across the chest, but no blood oozed from the sword-wound. His pale lips parted.

“Silly girl.” The deep, almost sepulchral voice vibrated through her entire body. “That’s no way to break off a relationship like ours.”

She scrabbled backward in a futile attempt to escape the horror, but inexorably, he kept coming...

Saloman went very still, and for a moment, she wondered if she’d won a breathing space at least. Then his lips closed on her throat, caressing and teasing her skin. She was sure he even flicked the vein with his tongue, tapping it like a nurse before inserting a needle.

She trembled, both yearning and dreading and unable to distinguish one from the other. Saloman relaxed the pressure of his body on hers, and the hand on her chest slipped lower between them and closed over her naked breast. She let out a tiny, inarticulate sound that might have been a sigh or a sob.

Saloman lifted his head. His black eyes burned into hers. “I know,” he said, and dropped his gaze to her mouth, to her breasts. His palm moved, gliding over the aching peak of her nipple.

“Know what?” she demanded with desperation, having lost the thread.

“That Zoltán attacked you. He has no finesse.”

“You were there,” she blurted. “You were the other shadow. . . .” And yet she could have sworn she’d surprised him by her original revelation.

“The other shadow? I’m not sure I like that. It offends my sense of superiority.”

A breath of laughter escaped her, as unbidden as it was appalling. “Are you for real?”

“Oh yes.” His hand released her breast to draw the sheet farther down. “Don’t I feel real?” His fingers touched her lips, parting them with a downward sweep that continued over her chin and throat and down between her breasts to her navel. She moved with the caress, arching under his hand because she couldn’t help it. She felt like a musical instrument, played by his careless, talented fingers.

“I began this meal the night you wakened me,” he whispered. “And I will finish it—. All of it.”

She swallowed, trying not to squirm under his devouring gaze. Jesus, no one had ever looked at her like that, with such greedy, urgent passion; . . . but then no one had ever regarded her as a meal before either.

His finger circled her belly button, dipping in and out.

She gasped, “What do you mean, all of it?” Was there a choice? Could she convince him to leave her alive?

The almost- smile dawned and died on his lips.

“Sex,” he said unexpectedly. She blinked, and his gaze moved up to her face, mocking, yet scalding in its intensity. “That’s what you call it these days, isn’t it? When you’re being polite.” He laid his whole hand flat on her stomach, then swept outwards and downward to her thigh. “Let me say it in my own more familiar terms. Tonight, I will pleasure you. I will take every delight your sweet flesh can give me. And just before sunrise, I will finish the meal.”

Could she negotiate for one without the other? Burning up with his words, she wanted all of it. She remembered the staggering bliss of his killing mouth on her throat, and she was only too aware of her helpless reaction to his touch right now.

He could make me orgasm just by looking at me. . . . Oh shit, what is the matter with me?

“Well, that’s novel,” she managed, with what mockery she could summon, forcing herself to be still under his idly caressing hands. “Dalliance and dinner instead of the other way round.”

His lips quirked. “I offered them both together, as I recall. I believe I can still manage that. Afterward.”

She squirmed, and he smiled, pleased and predatory.

Fighting herself at least as much as him, she tried for further delay. “Why didn’t you just do it then? What’s the point of all the cat-and-mouse?”

“Fun,” he replied, as though surprised. “And the fact that I barely had the strength to stand, let alone fuck.”

Her face flamed all over again, and his hand on her nape massaged the muscles there, sending shivers all the way down her spine. They felt more like bolts of lust.

He said, “I’m better now,” and drew her forward by the nape until her naked body rested against him. There was no time to struggle, if she could have forced herself to it, before his mouth closed on hers in the most sensual kiss she’d ever known. His lips dominated, tasting, then sucking, while his tongue thrust in deliberate simulation of sex. She felt his teeth, those terrible fangs, and without really meaning to, just unable to resist, she touched one with her tongue.

A sound like a groan escaped him. She was swept closer into his body, her breasts crushed against his hard, powerful chest while the hand not caressing her nape splayed flat against her naked back and began to play among her vertebrae, spreading wild, devastating lust straight between her legs.

He opened her mouth wider with his, deepening the kiss. She felt dizzy, as if she were falling, and realized he was pressing her back into the pillows, moving the rest of his body onto the bed with her.

This is it. He’s really going to do it; have sex with me. Everything in her leapt toward that goal, that yearning which had become a need, a necessity. In just an instant, she’d feel the weight of his hard, muscular body. As he removed his clothes, she’d feel his naked skin on hers, his hardness pressing between her thighs. This amazing, beautiful being wanted to have sex with her.

And then he would kill her.

Copyright Marie Treanor. These excerpts are from an unedited copy and may differ slightly from the final, published version, which will be available from NAL on 7th September 2010.