Cynthia Garner discovered her love for writing when her sixth grade teacher told the class to write a story that began "It was a dark and stormy night..." With that Cynthia's love for all things paranormal was born. When she's not working her day job as a mostly mild-mannered Human Resources Manager, she's on her laptop writing or playing way too much Solitaire. Originally from Northeast Ohio, Cynthia now lives in the desert Southwest.
Social Media Links:
Excerpt from Vampire's Thirst:
Duncan watched Kimber tend to the
wounds she inflicted and wondered at her attitude. This was the second time
they’d made love in the last few days, and both times he’d seen her struggle to
contain a new level of aggression. She wouldn’t talk to him about it, though,
and it was making him crazy. How could he be an effective leader if he couldn’t
even help his own lover?
He waited until she’d capped the
bottle of peroxide and set the first-aid kit on the bedside table before he
said, “Talk to me, Kimber. Tell me what’s going on with you.”
She heaved a sigh and got to her
feet. Going over to his dresser, she pulled out one of his T-shirts and slipped
it over her head. She usually wasn’t uncomfortable being nude around him, so
her action told him what they were about to deal with wasn’t going to be
pleasant. Was she tired of being with him? Had he been too dominant in their
lovemaking?
“Kimber?” The waiting was hell on
his nerves.
“The day before yesterday, when we
went out for tampons?” She glanced at him. When he nodded, she went on. “You
know on our way back we were attacked by zombies.”
“Yes, Atticus told me. I came up
here to see how you were doing, but you were already asleep. I didn’t want to
wake you. Then you were gone later that night when I woke up.” He watched her
to gauge her reaction.
She gave a slight wince. “Yes,
well, I had things to do.” She waved one hand in the air. “That doesn’t matter.
What does matter is that when we were fighting the zombies, I stumbled, and
when I flung out my arm to try to keep my balance, I ended up grabbing hold of
Atticus.” She looked at him. “Atticus didn’t tell you any of this?”
He frowned. “He told me you had to
fight zombies, that you were successful, and everyone was all right. Was there
more he should have told me?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean,
there was more, but I asked him to let me tell you.” She blew out a breath.
“When I grabbed him, I drew energy from him and it allowed me to push the
Unseen out of the zombies. You should have seen them drop to the ground.”
“You did what?” He straightened
from his slouched position against the headboard. He couldn’t have heard her right.
She attacked his second-in-command?
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” she
said. “He must have seen me stumble and reached out to help me at the same time
I flung my hand out. Once I had hold of him and the power transfer started, I
couldn’t let go. I tried, Duncan.” Her eyes went round and pleading, and her
lower lip got a slight tremble to it. “It hurt, just like before, but it…” She
clamped her jaw shut.
“It what?”
“It felt good, too. It was power,
and it was mine.” She began to pace the room, her hands gesturing wildly. “This
could be something big, Duncan. If all necromancers have this ability, we could
end the apocalypse.”
He got off the bed and pulled on
his jeans. “And just how many vampires do you propose we sacrifice?”
She came to a stop and stared at
him. “It wouldn’t have to be a sacrifice. I didn’t kill Atticus.”
“But you came close, didn’t you? Or
you could have,” he amended. At her stubborn expression, he said, “I know you,
Kimber. I know the kind of power you have. Plus you have some of the Unseen in
you. How did that affect what happened with Atticus? Or did it happen with
Atticus because of the Unseen in you?”
Her shoulders
slumped. “I don’t know.”
He studied her for a minute, then
left the bedroom. He strode through the living room and yanked open the door to
the hallway. “Find Atticus and bring him here,” he said to the guards. Without
waiting for a response, he closed the door. When he turned around, he saw
Kimber standing in front of the sofa, twisting her fingers together. She’d
pulled on her jeans but still wore his T-shirt.
Her auburn hair, tousled and
silky-looking, cascaded around her shoulders. “I didn’t do it on purpose,
Duncan,” she whispered. Her teeth dug into her lower lip. “I wouldn’t do
something like that. You have to believe me.”
“I’d like to believe you,
sweetheart. I would.” He walked over and put his hands on her shoulders, giving
them a slight squeeze. “But I’ve seen how you’ve changed. I’ve seen you fight
whatever is rising in you. I think if a situation presented itself and you
believed taking energy from a vampire was the only solution, I’m not sure you
could stop yourself.”
A knock sounded on the door, and it
swung open to reveal Atticus.
“Come in,” Duncan invited. When the
door closed behind his second-in-command, Duncan said, “Kimber just told me
what happened on your way back from the drugstore.”
Atticus shot a glance her way but
said nothing.
“This is a serious development,”
Duncan went on, “and poses a potential threat to all vampires. I want all
necromancers under guard until further notice. Let everyone know they’re
considered dangerous and should not be touched under any circumstances.”
Atticus inclined his head. “Understood
and agreed.” With another glance at Kimber, he departed.
“Does that include me?” Kimber
asked, her voice hard. “Am I to be kept under guard? Am I not to be touched?”
He clenched his teeth. “If you’re
not with me, then, yes, you will have a guard. And anyone else will be advised
not to touch you, but you and I will definitely be skin to skin, sweetheart.
You can count on that.”
“Don’t be so sure,” she said. “I’m
not just any other necromancer, Duncan. I’m the woman who loves you. The woman
you claim to love.” Her fists clenched at her sides and he had the distinct
impression she was fighting throwing a punch at him. After a few seconds she
let out a little growl and headed back toward the bedroom. Over her shoulder
she threw out, “You’re treating me like a monster. The way I’m feeling right
now, that might be an accurate assessment. You might not be safe from me.”
.jpg)
