Rosalie Lario's Blog

Hey everyone! I’m super-excited that THE CHAOS PROPHECY, Elemental Guardians 2, will be releasing in a few weeks! To celebrate, I’m posting the entire first chapter. As you’ll see, it’s starts off with a bang.

Today is release day for my good friend and urban fantasy author,  Mary Abshire. It’s the third book in her Divine Justice series, featuring demons, shifters, vampires, and all the other good stuff!

[image error]Demons are growing in mass numbers and destroying vampires, mankind’s protectors. To stop an outbreak of demons, the best field agents from the Divine Syndicate and Union of Justice must work together.

Anna and Zale hit the streets of Indianapolis to locate the demon masters and end the bloodshed. Although Zale holds biases against vampires, he’s impressed by Anna’s strong morals and commitment to saving the human race. He’s drawn to her in a way he’s never felt before. The need to protect her thrives deep in his soul. Anna can’t deny her attraction to Zale. Captivated by the werewolf’s nobility and compassion, she considers giving in to her heart’s desire. But preventing an outbreak must come first.

Anna and Zale’s struggles increase when the vampire leaders demand deadlines for exorcising the masters and reducing the demon population. Vampires are outraged over the increased destruction of their kind and want revenge. But killing humans is a crime. The UoJ will have to cease helping the DS to serve justice on those who break the law.

In a race against time, Anna and Zale must find the masters to avoid more carnage and the damnation of humanity. Their devotion to their mission and each other prevails as they encounter dire circumstances. But can they stop evil from ruling the Earth?

Crisis Alert is on Sale Now for $3.99

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / iBooks

 

EXCERPT:

The scent of his blood and sweat filled her nose. Her canines threatened to extend, but she held them in place.

“I need you to lay down,” she said as she approached him.

Quiet now, he lowered onto the gurney. “And you’re sure you can do this?”

“I told you, I have experience.” She grabbed the bowl from the table.

“How much experience?”

She set the supplies near the side of his sculpted torso. She swallowed hard as her gaze lingered over the curves of his muscles. He had so many she found it difficult to look away. “There was a time when we didn’t have a real office or medical team. We had to take care of ourselves. We cared for injured humans from time to time too.”

She poured the alcohol over a few of the gauze pads and into the bowl. It had been many years since she’d last removed a bullet, but she remembered the process well.

She scooted closer to his hip. Thin dark hair covered a majority of his chest. A line of hair from his navel continued south and disappeared under his jeans. If her heart were alive, it would be beating fast.

“I need to lower your pants,” she said as she unfastened them.

“I hope so.” He scrubbed his forehead with his arm.

His sense of humor brought a smile to her face. “I’ll try not to look.”

He chuckled. “I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of.”

She gripped the edges of his jeans. Underneath them, she felt the hem of his underwear.

“Your fingers are cold,” he said.

“Sorry. Can you lift up a little for me?”

He did and she pulled his clothes down until she’d exposed the bleeding wound. Fortunately, she’d been able to keep his manhood covered, but barely. The outline of it underneath his blue boxers along with his dark hair tempted her to stare.

Swallowing hard, she returned her focus to the hole in his hip. Without wasting any time, she wiped the area clean and then picked up the tweezers.

“This will hurt,” she said as she put her hand near his wound.

“I’m ready.”

He watched her as she brought the tweezers down. More dark fluid spilled from his body as she gently slid the instrument inside him. The beat of his heart accelerated. He balled his fists tight. When she felt the tweezers hit something, she grabbed hold it. She glanced up and found him clenching his jaw while staring at her.

“Almost done,” she said as she carefully pulled the bullet out. Blood flowed faster from the opening. “Do you need to change to stop the bleeding?”

“Yes.”

She removed the bullet and dropped it into the bowl with alcohol. Before she could wipe the area with a sterile pad, he rolled to the opposite side of the gurney. His feet hit the floor with a tap and he groaned. While he shoved his pants all the way down, she caught a glimpse of a large tattoo on his back. It looked like lady justice holding scales.

Out of respect, Anna spun away from him. She’d never seen a werewolf shift before and wanted to watch, but the timing seemed inappropriate. His breaths were heavy. She heard snaps and cracks. His sweaty scent grew stronger, but another emerged. It held a more musky almost woodsy type of aroma. The thump of his heart increased. But the strangest detail of all was the wave of heat from behind her. It had to be from him.

She waited until the noises lessened before she stepped to the end of the table. The need to look consumed her. She’d even forgotten about her thirst. Unable to wait any longer, she rounded the gurney. Her eyes widened when she found a four-legged wolf staring at her.

“Wow,” she said. It was the first word to pop into her mind.

The werewolf had radiant green eyes and thick dark fur. He was beautiful. He panted and licked his chops. Slowly, he approached her.

***

Hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Mary Abshire’s Crisis Alert!

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / iBooks

 

Where to find Mary Abshire:

www.facebook.com/MaryAbshire.Author

www.goodreads.com/maryabshire

twitter.com/maryabshire

For latest news and special deals, sign up for her newsletter: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/k0i2e8

Today is release day for my good friend and urban fantasy author Mary Abshire’s new Divine Justice series. Books 1 and 2 are out now for only 99 cents each. Get this deal while it lasts!

[image error]

The demon population is growing out of control and vampires are mankind’s best hope for survival.

Divine Syndicate’s top field agent, Anna, hits the streets with her partner to locate the master demon responsible for the increase in possessed humans. But finding the person won’t be easy. The city is in a state of disarray with crime, poverty, and drug use at an all-time high. While Anna and her partner search for the master, they encounter more trouble than expected. As defenders of the human race, vampires want to save lives and exorcise the demons to send them back to Hell for good. Anna fears the worst is yet to come when demons aim to destroy the best protectors for all species. She’ll stop at nothing to prevent evil from ruling on Earth.

 

Demon Hunter (Demon Justice #1) is on Sale Now for 99 cents!

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / iBooks

[image error]While the Divine Syndicate is working to prevent an outbreak of demons, vampires are disappearing and turning up as corpses.

The Union of Justice is known for tracking and serving justice on vampires. With the increase in departed vamps spiraling out of control, the UoJ’s top field agent, Zale, and his partner must switch from their normal job to investigate the remains of destroyed vampires. Identifying those responsible is proving to be a big challenge. Zale needs the assistance of the vamp community, only they have their own idea of ending the bloodshed. They want to kill demons. But murdering humans, possessed or not, is against the law. Complicating matters, neither vampires nor the UoJ trust each other. Mankind’s future is dependent upon vampires and vice versa, but both are at stake as the demon population grows. Zale will do anything to save lives and end the madness, even if it means working with the one species he’s chased his entire career.

Demon Tracker (Demon Justice #2) is on Sale Now for 99 cents!

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / iBooks

 

EXCERPT from DEMON HUNTER:

Glenn parallel parked two blocks from the club. “What’s your plan?”

“I’m going to go in and find a spot at the bar. I want you to wait a minimum of five minutes before you walk in. Pretend you don’t know me. I’ll get a couple of drinks, show the picture, ask if anyone knew Jamal, and see what happens. And don’t worry, if they ask my relationship to Tim, I’ll say he was my brother and I took the photo while he was sleeping.”

“So you’re not going to create a scene or start a fight?”

“I will do my best to keep the situation calm. But if someone is going to try to intimidate or touch me, I’m going to defend myself.”

He grinned. “Do you want me as backup?”

“Yes. Right now I don’t know who is innocent and who isn’t. I need another set of eyes scanning people. But if I leave, don’t follow right away. Someone might be watching and I don’t want us to be seen together.”

“Are you carrying?”

“Have you ever known me not to?”

“No.” He smirked. “I’ll wait here for a while.”

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / iBooks

 

EXCERPT from DEMON TRACKER:

“There are always casualties in war,” Gordon said. “No one wants to kill an innocent, including vampires. I’m sure they have plenty of guilt for their actions weighing on their consciences.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m certain they don’t want to take life from anyone. You should ask one sometime if you don’t believe me.”

“I respect your opinion. You’ve seen and lived through more than I have. But it’s difficult to find anything good about them when I’m constantly hunting down those who have killed humans.”

“Trust my words, the majority of vampires are moral and they are here to defend us from evil. If demons wipe them off the face of the Earth, we will be doomed. Demons will come for us and the rest of the non-human population. Humanity will have lost.”

A world filled with evil, hate, and murder was not one Zale cared to live in. He’d seen enough death and chaos from the last outbreak and never wanted to see another.

“We can’t let that happen.” Zale gave a single shake of his head. “I won’t let that happen.”

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / iBooks

 

Where to find Mary Abshire:

www.facebook.com/MaryAbshire.Author

www.goodreads.com/maryabshire

twitter.com/maryabshire

For latest news and special deals, sign up for her newsletter: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/k0i2e8

Have you read the Fallen Warriors yet? If not, great news! For a very LIMITED TIME, I’m offering a compilation of the first three novellas in my Fallen Warriors series for only 99 CENTS!! Or you can borrow for FREE on KU!! (All six books are in Kindle Unlimited for a limited time.)

Get over 500 pages of steamy romance, adventure, and sexy-as-sin fallen angels. Find out why readers have said, “Whoever thought that men with wings on their back couldn’t be considered sexy, needs to read this!” 

In a world where angels rule over humans, twelve outcasts dare to defy expectation, warring with their angel brethren to prevent the extinction of mankind.  They are the Fallen. 

For Love of an Angel

Michael is one of twelve angels who have been outcast due to their determination to protect mankind. In order to preserve his immortality and strength, he must find a mate with angel blood.

Eva Smyth has never believed the propaganda spouted by the Consortium—the elite system of guards put into place once angels took over reign of Earth—but she never expected to learn the angels plan to eradicate all of mankind, or that she herself is part angel.

Joining Michael means living a life on the run, at war against the angels and hunted by the Consortium. Eva must decide whether to risk it all…for love of an angel.

Angel’s Desire

Fallen angel Ethan has been outcast due to his love of mankind. In order to preserve his immortality, he must find a mate with angel blood…but the one woman he desires blames him for her father’s death.

As a teenager, Tayla had a fierce crush on Ethan, her father’s best friend. Her love turned to hate when he failed to save her father from being killed.

Battle looms on the horizon, and Ethan can no longer afford to waste time. He must claim Tayla as his…but convincing her she’s his mate won’t be so easy.

For Want of an Angel

Fallen angel Aaron has found the woman of his dreams, an alluring nephilim who has no clue what she really is. By taking her as his mate, he can preserve his strength and immortality…something he’ll need in the fight against the angels who seek to destroy mankind. But first he must convince her that he and his Fallen brethren are not the evil beings they have been made out to be.

Samantha Benson has the ability to interfere with electrical signals, an attribute which makes professional thievery the perfect career for her. As if her special abilities weren’t enough to deal with, a fallen angel lands right before her and tells her she has angelic blood. He also expects her to believe the Fallen are really the good guys, and that the rest of the angels plan for human annihilation.

Surely the sexy-as-sin Fallen is lying. But if so, then why do his words hold the undeniable ring of truth?

CLICK HERE TO BUY FALLEN WARRIORS #1-3 ON AMAZON FOR ONLY 99C!

P.S. Are you a fan of Bookbub, the service that notifies you when books go on sale? I have an author page there, and if you follow me, they will send you a note when I have a book sale or a new release. Just CLICK HERE and then click “Follow!”

Happy reading!

XOXO,

[image error]

[image error]

Happy Friday, everyone! I can’t believe how this week flew by. It’s been a crazy one, with the release of The Seventh Element this week! But I did want to take a moment to let you know about some free books!

My Book Cave is having an awesome promotion of free books (Including a special preview of The Seventh Element), as well as a Kindle Fire! So be sure to stop in to get yours and enter the contest!

Click HERE to get to the promo page. Until then, happy reading!

[image error]I’m super-excited to announce that the The Seventh Element (Elemental Guardians 1) is finally here! Early reviews are in, and they are great: ♥

“There is magic all around and danger sprinkled in throughout, with a strong willed kick-a$$ character.”

“Definitely a page turner and a quick read. I am so glad it is a series and can’t wait for the next one to come out!” 

“I loved the characters, plenty of action and suspense. Great twist. This story held my attention from the very beginning to end.”

[image error]Magic. Mystery. Forbidden Romance.

When ordinary college student Jewel Harris has an explosive run-in with Luc Zain, the sexiest guy on campus, she realizes she’s not that ordinary after all. She is an elemental from another dimension, gifted with the ability to bend light to her will. And Luc Zain? He’s an elemental guardian, one of the few beings preventing the dark lord of the Nether world from gaining total domination over Earth.

Somehow, Jewel is at the center of it all.

Betrayed by those closest to her, Jewel must partner with Luc to uncover the mystery of her legacy. But Luc has his own secrets. And they’re running out of time.

The dark lord will stop at nothing to get what he wants … and he wants Jewel.

A gripping new urban fantasy romance series by Rosalie Lario. Fans of The Magicians, The Vampire Diaries, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer will love this book!

[image error]Now at a Special Release Price of 99 Cents ~ 5 Days Only!!

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / Barnes & Noble / Amazon UK / iBooks

And, as a special surprise bonus, you will get a link to a free companion novella, Chaos Awakening, in the back of the book!

Because who doesn’t love bonuses??

Enter my giveaway to win a swag pack including 3 signed books, a book locket keychain, and bookmarks! CLICK HERE TO ENTER

[image error]        [image error]

//

// ]]>

[image error]The Seventh Element releases tomorrow, yay!! Stay tuned for a big paperback giveaway to celebrate tomorrow’s release! Until then, here are some early reviews:

“Ms. Lario’s writing is along the lines of Kim Harrison and Laurell Hamilton. There is magic all around and danger sprinkled in throughout, with a strong willed kick-a$$ character. I highly recommend this book.” ~ Leslie S, Goodreads Reviewer

“Loved the book! Definitely a page turner and a quick read. I am so glad it is a series and can’t wait for the next one to come out!” ~ Liza K, ARC Reviewer

Today I’m posting the third chapter in the series. If you missed them, the first chapter is HERE, and the second chapter is HERE!

The Seventh Element is currently available for a special preorder price of only 99 cents!

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / Barnes & Noble / Amazon UK / iBooks

 

Chapter 3

MY MORNING class had already ended, and since I was sure Deme would be wondering why I never turned up, I trudged through campus to track him down. The lawn was packed with students now, people milling in and out of the surrounding brick and stone buildings. Every now and again I’d see someone move their hands like Luc and the guy in black had earlier. It made me wonder what was going on, but whenever I looked closer, there was nothing to see. It was weird, but that bit of strangeness was the least of my concerns right now. I couldn’t stop thinking about the hallucinations I’d had.

They seemed so real.  Even now my brain replayed them over and over again, the image of the man in black dissipating into smoke so vivid in my mind. I remembered the feeling of the white, hot light shooting inside my abdomen.

Why did it seem like it had really happened?

Even though the sun was shining down onto the green lawn that served as the center of campus, highlighting the varying shades of orange and red in the surrounding trees, the biting breeze made me snuggle deeper into my coat. I tried not to think about Luc’s hands being on it just a short time ago.

Luc. Even the name sounded sexy … and so out of my league.

Oh, I was no slouch in the looks department; any old mirror could tell me that. Dark tan skin and turquoise eyes made for a striking combination, as many people I’d met throughout my life had told me. And my hair, which was generally stick-straight—though not so much now thanks to the unfortunate incident this morning—was one of my best features.

My appearance came from my mother. She died in a house fire when I was just a baby. Dad was a doctor, and it had been one of those rare days when he was actually off. He’d taken me to the park to give my mom a rest, and by the time we’d gotten back, it was already too late. All the pictures of her had gone up in flames, along with everything else that day. I had nothing tangible to remember her by and no family either, since she’d been orphaned when she came over to the States. All I knew was she was Hawaiian, hence the tan skin and dark hair. The eyes must come from my father’s side, although his are a more washed-out shade of blue.

So no, it wasn’t the way I looked that put Luc out of my league. It was the fact that I was so damned awkward when it came to guys. Always had been. And he seemed like the type who appreciated a confident woman.

That wasn’t me, not even on my best day.

About twenty feet from the building housing the science department, I heard my name being called.

“Jewel. Yo!”

I stopped mid-stride and turned toward the sound of Deme’s voice. He was speed walking toward me, his face a mixture of concern and annoyance.

“What the hell,” he said the moment he was close enough to speak without shouting. “How could you blow off class? You know now Professor Montgomery’s gonna have it in for you next time he sees you. That man is way too crazy about biology for his own good.” He shuddered. “For anyone’s good, really—”

“Deme.” I grabbed his arm, cutting him off in midsentence because man, could he go on when he was in a mood. “Something happened.”

He knew me better than anyone, and he could tell by my tone that this was serious. “What? What happened?”

“Um …” I glanced around. “You remember the guy from art history? The cute one?”

We were also in that class together, and there were no secrets between us … at least not on my side. Not when Deme could read me like a book.

A strange expression crossed Deme’s face. “I told you, I heard that kid gets around. He’s no good for you.”

“No, it’s not anything like that.” When Deme raised one thick eyebrow in question, I continued in a hushed tone. “I kind of got in the middle of a fight he was having, and I got knocked out.”

Deme’s eyes grew wide. “What?”

He snatched my hand and dragged me over to a nearby stone bench. Given the frosty temperature, there was no one else around as he pulled me down on the seat.

“Argh!” I shivered as the icy cold of the stone froze my ass through my jeans.  “It’s cold.”

He shook me. “Focus. Now tell me, what happened?”

As I relayed the morning’s events to him, his expression went from amazed to dismayed. But when I told him about the hallucinations, about how I’d imagined being injected with a mysterious substance, his concern for me was palpable. And when I mentioned imagining a white light heating my belly, his face took on an impassive expression.

God, I hated that poker face. It felt like I saw it all too often lately. Considering I wore all my emotions openly, it was really starting to piss me off.

“That’s crazy, chica,” he said bluntly.

“I know.” I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyelids, trying to alleviate the sudden pressure building there. “I know, but … Deme, it seemed so real.”

“It wasn’t.” He pulled my hands off my face. “You sure you don’t have a concussion?”

“You sound just like him,” I said with a giggle. “I mean Luc, the Art History Guy.”

His expression told me he wasn’t at all amused by the comparison.

Sobering, I lifted my hands to my head and felt around. “To be honest, it doesn’t hurt anywhere. If I hadn’t been knocked out, I would have a hard time believing I’d been hit at all.”

“You must be Superwoman,” he said dryly.

I shot him a dirty look. “Smartass.”

“Seriously Jewel, just be thankful you didn’t get hurt. And next time keep an eye out for things going on around you. I’ve never met someone so lost in their own world.”

When I merely stuck my tongue out at him, Deme rose and held out his hand. “Come on, woman. Let’s get out of the cold. My ass is freezing.”

 

 

Night had fallen by the time I made it back to my dormitory. After hitting my other two classes, I’d met with Deme again so he could catch me up on what I missed in biology. As I’d feared, it took hours to feel like I got a grasp of what Professor Montgomery had gone over that morning. Inwardly I cursed Deme for talking me into taking that class with him. Surely there had to be easier professors.

After a quick shower in the shared bathroom on my floor, I threw on a towel and brushed my teeth, then headed back to my room to change into my pajamas. For some reason I was exhausted, like I’d run a marathon or something. More than that, throughout the day, I felt like I caught the occasional flash of something strange in the corner of my vision. But every time I turned to look, it was gone.

“Maybe I should have gone to the infirmary,” I murmured as I stepped into my flannel bottoms. I grabbed my t-shirt and slid it over my head. When the fabric grazed my neck, I recalled the feel of being pinched with something.

God, it had felt so real.

On impulse, I headed to the mirror above my short, wide dresser. As I pulled back my hair to look at the spot on my neck, I almost half expected to see a needle prick. But there was nothing. The skin there was smooth as ever.

“Just a hallucination, Jewel.”

Even if it did seem like it truly happened.

There was no mistaking how real the dark circles under my eyes were, though. I stifled a yawn. Jeez, I hadn’t felt this tired since Senior Grad Night, when everyone in my class had gone to a late-night theme park and stayed up until after sunrise.

I stumbled over to turn off the light switch, then barely made it to my bed before deep exhaustion claimed me.

 

 

The sky was dark, and I floated on a cloud. Lightning flashed all around me, illuminating my figure in the darkness. I moved my fingers, and a trippy ribbon of light trailed after them.

I’m dreaming.

The realization came swiftly. What was more, I’d had this dream before. Countless times. Only I’d forgotten until now.

I opened my hand, and a small glowing ball of light appeared in the center of my palm. It didn’t surprise me. Somehow, I knew it would happen. Before my eyes, the ball grew bigger, until it was about the size of a basketball, lighting up the sky around me. Dark shadows danced just outside the perimeter of my light. I could see them, though logic dictated they should be invisible. The fingers of my other hand wiggled, and the shadows danced in time with them. I laughed at the sight, feeling pure joy over what I could do.

But then the shadows began to distort, growing wider, bigger. More frightening. I waved my fingers, trying to get them to leave, but it only made their movements more frenzied. The shadows formed into monstrous figures with jagged teeth, snarling and writhing in the air.

“No,” I whispered.

At once the shadows lunged through the air, heading straight for me. I screamed and raised my hands to shield my face. Then I stumbled backward, directly off the cloud. Air buffeted my body as I fell. The ground raced up to meet me …

I gasped and shot up in the bed, the remnants of my dream swirling around my head. What the hell?

The images were vivid in my mind, along with something deeper. Some niggling remembrance of things forgotten. It hovered just beneath the surface, out of my current realm of comprehension. My hands trembled as I lifted them toward my face. I stopped in mid-motion.

“What. The. Hell?”

There it was. Faint, but unmistakable.

My skin was glowing!

Panic clawed at me as I wrangled out of my twisted bed covers and staggered over to the mirror. My own face looked back at me. Black hair hanging straight over my shoulders, turquoise eyes shining with anxiety. The dark circles beneath them had faded to a light purple. Everything was the same as it ever was.

Everything save one …

Just beneath the surface of my skin, an unnatural radiance highlighted the sparkly shimmer in my eyes.

“What is happening?” My whisper cut through the air, reverberating throughout the quiet room.

I pressed my fingertips to my temples, willing my heart to stop its frantic racing. To my utter shock, as my heartbeat calmed, the glow began to fade until it was completely gone.

Minutes passed as I stared at my image in the mirror. Once again, I looked utterly normal. But I couldn’t blame the glow on hallucinations this time. Not when the tightness in my gut told me something was off.

Between yesterday and today, something had changed. Something inside me. I knew it as surely as I knew anything. The glow was only the outer manifestation of what had already been done.

On shaky legs, I wobbled over to the window and opened the blinds. The green lawn in the center of campus lay before me. It looked almost the same, but I was seeing it through new eyes, as if a veil had been removed from my vision.

Familiar faces strode here and there, headed to class or to other parts of campus, but even though I’d seen them before, passed by them countless times, they were different now. One guy absently juggled a tiny ball of flame between his ungloved hands as he ambled toward the social studies building. Another was trailed by a child-sized tornado that seemed to follow him like a pet chasing after its owner. A girl I was pretty sure sat next to me in my woman’s studies class partially reclined on the circular stone casing of the water fountain, and as she absently wriggled her fingers toward the water, it magnetized toward her and absorbed into her skin.

I rubbed my eyes, as if that would cure me of what I was seeing, but the vision remained.

“Holy fuck balls.” There was no denying it, no chalking it up to some non-existent concussion. There was magic here.

I didn’t know exactly what was happening or why, but I knew what I saw was real. I knew it deep in my heart. Just as I instinctively knew there was one person who could give me the answers I sought.

After frantically digging out a pair of jeans and a sweater, I grabbed my coat and backpack and left my room. I did have some vanity left, because I stopped in the bathroom long enough to brush my teeth before hightailing it out of the dormitory.

Normally this was where I would go find Deme in his dorm room, if he hadn’t first come to collect me. But my feet didn’t turn in that direction. Instead, I headed straight for the Fellowship Hall, my determined gaze set on where I was going.

It was hard not to get distracted when I now saw the world through new eyes. Every person on the lawn seemed to have some sort of supernatural quirk. A girl walking in front of me disappeared into thin air before reappearing again a moment later. When a stiff breeze shot through the lawn, some guy opened his mouth wide and swallowed the thing whole before emitting a loud burp.

O-kaaay.

I wasn’t even going to touch that one right now.

A loud thump settled in my heart as I climbed the two steps to the Fellowship Hall. I burst through the door, racing down the hallway to the common room. He would be there. I didn’t know how I knew, but I did.

The double doors into the common room were closed, but I could hear the racking of balls behind them, along with some laughter. Without thinking about it, I quietly opened one of the doors and peeked inside.

Just as I’d intuitively known, Luc was standing there at the pool table with a pool cue in his hand. Across from him stood another guy I didn’t recognize. He had bronze skin that hinted at some sort of Middle Eastern heritage and deep brown eyes. His dark brown hair was cut into a short, sleek do, and he was clean shaven, emphasizing the angular lines of his jaw. He wore a black sweater and black jeans, which only served to highlight the deep tan of his skin.

Neither of them noticed me enter and, despite my panic, I found myself pausing at the threshold. I couldn’t help it. The two of them together were striking. One darker, the other lighter, and both breathtakingly gorgeous. Latent hormones went zigzagging through my body.

Where do they make these guys?

Living in the modeling hub of the world, I’d grown accustomed to seeing good-looking people on the streets, but these guys took it to another level entirely.

For one crazy, lust-induced moment, I forgot all about the things I’d just seen. But then the darker skinned guy said something I couldn’t hear, and Luc laughed. He absently lifted one hand off the pool cue and a streak of lightning shot from his fingers, zapping the second guy in the stomach.

“Ow.” The other guy laughed as he reeled a few inches backward. He rubbed his abdomen, and then all seemed to be forgotten as he lifted his pool cue and lined up for a shot.

“Seriously?” I screeched, unable to help myself.

Both men jumped at the sound of my voice, hurling their shocked gazes in my direction.

“Ow?” I waved my hand toward the second guy. “He zaps you with lightning and that’s all you have to say?”

The guy’s brows shot up toward his forehead, and he turned to give Luc a confused look.

Luc, for his part, stared at me with something akin to growing horror. But then, as if just noticing what he was doing, he cleared his throat and schooled his expression into one of bemusement. “What are you talking about?”

This was all too much. A knot of anger coalesced in the pit of my stomach. “I’m talking about what you can do. What a lot of people on this campus can do, apparently!”

Luc traded a loaded glance with the second guy. “Sweetheart, you hit your head harder than I thought.”

Yesterday his words alone would have made me question my sanity. But not today. Because I could suddenly sense, deep within me, he wasn’t telling the truth.

I shook my head and crossed my arms. “You’re lying.”

Startled by my blunt accusation, Luc shifted uneasily. “You and I both know it’s not possible to do what you’re saying I did.”

“Another lie.” What the hell? I could tell easily now, like overnight I’d become some sort of human lie detector. “I saw it. I saw other things, too.”

Carefully, as if he was stalling for time, Luc set his pool cue onto the table. “What sorts of other things?”

“Oh, let’s see.” I ticked the items off with my fingers. “How about a man eating the air. A girl absorbing water. A guy being followed by a tornado. And that’s just to start.”

When Luc gave a heavy sigh and exchanged yet another worried look with the guy across from him, it hit me. As I was racing over here, I’d secretly been hoping Luc could convince me everything I’d seen was a hallucination. But he wasn’t going to be able to, because it wasn’t.

It was real.

“Oh my god.” My arms lowered as I processed what I’d just discovered.

Everything I’d seen was real. Not just today, but yesterday.

“What really happened to me yesterday?” I glanced down at his hand and, recalling the way lightning had shot from it, took a small step backward. “What are you?”

Luc bit his lip. The expression on his face made it obvious he was internally at war with himself. Debating what to tell me next, no doubt.

“Dude,” the dark-haired hottie by Luc said. His voice held a note of warning, and he and Luc exchanged some sort of silent communication. I didn’t know what the hell they were doing, but it seemed like they were arguing over something without even using any words.

Finally, Luc took a deep breath and said to the other guy, “Aeron, can you go get the Professor?”

Aeron let out a long sigh, then nodded and headed in my direction.

My stomach gave a few anxious flops as he approached, but not because he was so attractive. For all I knew, he was one of them … whatever they were. It took all I had to resist the urge to cower or run.

In the end, all he did was throw me a look of curiosity and a quick grin before stepping past me and heading out the double doors of the common room.

My gaze stayed on the door until his footsteps receded down the hallway. That was when I turned back to Luc. “Tell me the truth. What’s happening here?”

Luc crossed the distance between us, stopping no more than two feet away from me. He gave me a deep, considering look. Then his lips twisted into a half-smile. “You sure you really want to know?”

Wasn’t that the question of a lifetime.

Part of me wanted to say no and run back to my dorm room to crawl under the covers, pretending all of this was one long, bad dream. But I couldn’t. The memory of the subtle glow beneath my skin prevented it.

“Yes.” I took a deep breath. “I have to know.”

When he swallowed, a trickle of what looked like lightning zipped from his Adam’s apple up into his square jaw. It only served to highlight the perfect angles and lines of his face.

Almost too perfect.

My heart started to beat frantically in my chest as I recalled yesterday, when we shook hands. The trace of electricity I thought I’d saw, that I had felt zap my skin.

Lightning shooting from his fingertips. More than once.

The truth hovered there on the surface. On my lips. It couldn’t be, not based on the reality I knew. But there it was, staring me right in the face.

“Ar-are you magical?”

Luc chuckled, as if he hadn’t been expecting that question. “I guess that depends on your definition.”

He was right. I’d asked the wrong question, and for some crazy reason I’d known it even before I’d asked.

My voice wavered as I uttered the question I’d been too afraid to ask first. “Are you human?”

He barely reacted, but from the way he stilled and his eyes widened the slightest fraction, I could tell I’d surprised him. The silence stretched out between us as he regarded me, taking my measure. At last, he gave a slow shake of his head. “Nope.”

My breath hitched at his stark admission. Even though everything in my logical mind said it couldn’t be possible, there was another, deeper part of me that had already known.

“So …” Somehow, I resisted the urge to shrink into myself. I managed to look directly into those too-perfect eyes. “What are you then?”

A sudden, inhuman stillness settled over him. His lightning-quick gaze bored into mine, as if he was deciding what I should know. His nostrils flared slightly as he drew in a breath. When he finally answered me, his voice was silky smooth. “I’m an elemental.”

“Elemental?” The word sounded both foreign and familiar on my tongue. Had I heard it before? If so, I didn’t know what it meant.

As if he guessed the direction of my thoughts, he nodded. “Simply put … I’m from another dimension.”

***

Hope you enjoyed this preview of The Seventh Element! As a reminder, its currently available for a special price of only 99 cents! The price will go up to $3.99 five days after release, so you may want to pick it up now!

Available at: Amazon / Kobo / Barnes & Noble / Amazon UK / iBooks

[image error]Hi everyone! I’m gearing up for next week’s release of The Seventh Element, and I couldn’t be more excited. So what better way to celebrate than by posting the 2nd chapter?

[image error]I’m very excited to present the cover for my upcoming July 11th release, The Seventh Element!

When ordinary college student Jewel Harris has an explosive run-in with Luc Zain, the sexiest guy on campus, she realizes she’s not that ordinary after all. She is an elemental from another dimension, gifted with the ability to bend light to her will. And Luc Zain? He’s an elemental guardian, one of the few beings preventing the dark lord of the Nether world from gaining total domination over Earth.

Somehow, Jewel is at the center of it all.

Betrayed by those closest to her, Jewel must partner with Luc to uncover the mystery of her legacy. But Luc has his own secrets. And they’re running out of time.

The dark lord will stop at nothing to get what he wants … and he wants Jewel.  

A gripping new urban fantasy romance series by Rosalie Lario. Fans of The Magicians, The Vampire Diaries, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer will love this book!

I’ll be revealing a chapter a week until the release date. You can read the first chapter below.

Hello, everyone! I’ve been hard at work getting my new series, Elemental Guardians, ready for release. It features elementals, people from each of the six elemental dimensions who have the powers of gods. This is an urban fantasy romance series featuring a bit of a love triangle, and I’ve had a lot of fun writing it! This week I finished the second book in the series, which means I’ll be revising like crazy for the next few weeks.

The Seventh Element, the first book in the series, releases on 7/11. I’ll be doing a cover release soon. So excited!

This week’s #FridayFreebie is for you dragon shifter lovers out there.

 

Good dragons? Bad dragons? Twenty-four hours ago, private chef Tessa Byrne didn’t know about the terrifying world of shifters. Now she knows too much, like the fact that a ruthless dragon lord is determined to claim her — forever. Tessa flees to Maui, where sunny skies, swaying palms, and a handsome stranger conspire to play tricks with her heart. Can she truly trust Kai Llewellyn and his band of battle-hardened shapeshifters to save her from a gruesome fate?

Don’t trust a human, and never, ever fall in love with one. Those are lessons Kai learned the hard way. But Tessa is different. Her emerald eyes mirror the mysterious pendant she wears, and her flaming red hair makes his heart race. Is his inner dragon just greedy for a new kind of treasure, or is Tessa his destined mate?

 

As of this post this story is FREE on Amazon, so be sure to pick up your copy by clicking HERE.

I love a good dragon story, so you can guess what I’ll be doing this weekend!