Today it’s my pleasure to interview Lisa Beth Darling,
author of the OF WAR SERIES, an Epic Journey of Love, Lust, Betrayal, Rage, and
Redemption
The Complete no-box set.
ASIN: B00RI9I2CO
Series Description
Fall in Love with Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod.
Together they Rock the World from the Heights of Olympus to the Celtic Moors.
In The Heart of War, Magdalena MacLeod has been on the run
from Cernunnos, Great Horned God, for 200 years when she mysteriously washes
ashore on secluded isle of the God of War. When the Olympians discover her
presence on Ares' island, they send Apollo to the island to retrieve her while
Ares is away. Diplomatically winding her way out of immediately going to
Olympus and having nowhere to turn, Alena strikes a bargain with the God of
War--her virginity for his protection.
Ares sees a sweeter deal; her in his bed and himself back in
his rightful place on Olympus even if it means turning Alena over to Zeus.
After Alena proves herself to Ares in battle and his bed, the God of War must
choose between his Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena.
Child of War-A God is Born
Ares and Alena have settled on snowy Olympus to await the birth of their
son, Raven. Before Raven is even born, Zeus outwardly despises him for his Fey
blood. With only one to keep his family safe from his father, Zeus the God of
Gods, Ares enters into a blood pact that could cost the God of War everything
he holds dear.
After a harrowing birth wherein mother and son are nearly
lost to Ares, it quickly becomes clear that Raven may be the most powerful and
cunning Olympian ever born despite his muddled bloodline. Zeus, Apollo, and
Aphrodite plot against the new family by carefully planting the seeds of rage
and doubt in Ravens' mind, they turn son against mother. It appears as though
Cernunnos' prophecy is coming to life as Raven grows to be a very angry young
man.
As the true past between the Olympians and Celts is
revealed, the battle for Ravens' mind and the ultimate control of Olympus
begins. Before it's over, the white snows of Olympus will run red with blood.
Child of War-Rising Son sees Raven on the verge of manhood
as his rampage continues and he begins the difficult path to Acceptance by his
fellow Olympians. Out to prove he's as good, if not better than, any of them he
bests the Trials set before him by Hades and Poseidon. This isn't enough for
him, in his quest to prove to his Father, Ares, that he is an Olympian Raven
preys upon the Mortals below Olympus in a time of great weakness. Enlisting the
aid of his Uncle Apollo and settling for nothing less than utter Chaos,
together they push the Mortals to pure anarchy. Ready to conquer the remainder
of his Trials so he may take his place at the Counsel Table, and bring Ares the
glory Cernunnos once prophesized, only one thing stands in his way; the night
his Mother fell down the stairs.
Apollo, ever the Man Behind the Curtain, pulls Raven's
strings like a true puppet master. It's far too late when Raven realizes all
he's done in hopes of pleasing his Father actually makes Ares look guilty of destroying
the Mortal World. A little Chaos and a little Anarchy aren't enough for the
Golden God, in his on-going quest to destroy Ares, Apollo sets a plague loose
upon the embroiled Earth. By the time the Olympians discover what's going on
twenty million people are dead with the number multiplying exponentially every
day.
Women of War gives us a brief reprieve from the death and
darkness as we journey backward in time spanning four generations of women in
Alena's family. From her great-grandmother, Shar Draiocht the last known Queen
of the Dark Kingdom to her tortured daughter Morrowind, to Maven Alena's
free-spirited mother and through the lonely life of Alena MacLeod ending where
The Heart of War begins with the night Alena washes up on Ares' shore. With intensity,
lust, fear, and strength these Women of War make their way in the world
revealing the hidden truths of the past and Ares true connection to his beloved
Wife, Alena.
Kingdoms of War, the OF WAR Series Finale, sees nearly four
billion souls lost to the ravages of Anarchy and the dreaded disease Major
Falls. Ares, Athena, and Raven journey
the Mortal World vainly reaching for a sliver of what was only to discover what
will be. From the fiery wreckage a new world is slowly arising one where the descendants
of Olympians, Celts, Dark Fae, and all manner of Magickal Being will rule.
Ares and Athena wander the world, hoping to curtail further
damage by obliterating weapons of mass destruction the Wolf inside the God of
War slowly succumbs to Major Falls. A rabid God of War is not a pretty sight.
Soon it becomes clear that Ares may not live to see the glory of Olympus
restored.
By the time Ares' fevered body is brought to Olympus,
Apollo's descent into madness is utterly complete. The Gold God is quite insane
as he expertly kills off the members of his Divinely Dysfunctional Family. Yet,
Alena's greatest nemesis holds the key to saving Ares' life. The price is high
and, should she pay it, Alena can't be sure Ares would ever be able to forgive
her.
Trailer
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Let’s Interview!
What genre/genres do you prefer
to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
I
write in several genres—paranormal/mythological, contemporary, horror,
suspense, and drama. However, all of my stories have one thing in common; a
central relationship. It can be the dynamics of an intimate relationship, those
of parent and child, or even brother and sister. I always hesitate to say that
I wrote "romance" because, for my books, that can be very misleading.
There aren't many hearts and flowers in
my stories, I prefer to go deeper and darker than that.
Do you prefer to write short
stories, novellas or novels? Why?
I have no preference,
the story is as long as the story is.
Most often, I write novel-length fiction (most of that is full-length
over 100,000 words) but sometimes the tale just wants to be a glimpse into a
single night or day of someone's life and not a full-blown novel. I like
writing short stories but, with the way my mind works, I don't get to write
them very often. Novels allow me to full explore all details and aspects of the
story and central relationship.
What inspired you to write this series?
I was in between books and hoping for inspiration to strike me with the next
Great American Novel when I realized I was putting too much pressure on myself.
Writing is supposed to be fun and if it isn't chances are whatever story a
writer produces won't be an enjoyable read. As I puzzled and pondered I thought
it was time to write something just for myself. I started to wonder what would
happen if Ares God of War fell in love. Not lust. Not a temporary thing. What
if some woman came along and knocked the big man off his feet? After all, Ares
was a notorious womanizer and bachelor, what would he do if a woman stole his
hard heart? That's where we (the Muse and I) started writing The Heart of War. That book was supposed
to be just for us and just for fun something to get us out of our little rut,
but most of all it was supposed to be a single novel not an entire series. We
had so much fun with and it was so juicy (because we didn't care what anyone
thought no one else was going to read it) that I made the decision to put it
online free for a while. People loved it. When we reached The End I realized
there was much more of this story to tell. We just kept going until we ended up
with a six book series.
How did you come up with the title?
With the exception of the short story Christmas
Eve on Olympus every story in the series has the words 'Of War' in the
title. We have; The Heart of War, Child of War-A God is Born, Child of
War-Rising Son, Women of War, and
Kingdoms of War. Of War refers to Ares our unlikely hero.
What made you choose the main setting
for the series?
There are several settings within the OF WAR Series but The Heart of War takes place almost exclusively on Ares' secluded
island. Mostly, I've always wanted to live in such a setting but here the
island reflects the isolation of not just Ares but Alena, the woman who still
his heart, as well. When the book opens,
Ares is living in exile he's alone except for a small harem of women he keeps
and a few trusted men he keeps around to guard his island. Being a God he
doesn't need those men to protect him but he likes their company and what's a
God without a few people to pay him homage?
Alena, too is alone, she's on the run from Cernunnos and has drifted
from place to place over the course of 200 years trying to put down roots but
never getting the chance.
The other
main setting in the series is Olympus, which we move to in Child of War-A God is Born.
This is not the paradise that you may have read about. Here Mount
Olympus is exactly as it appears in real life; a cold snow covered barren
place. It serves to keep Alena's isolation intact while reflecting the overall
personalities of the Olympians who reside on the very top of the mountain.
What sort of personality does your hero have?
What can I say? He's Ares. He's the Alpha Male Supreme. When we first meet him
he's grouchy, moody, intimidating, conceited to the highest order --let's face
it, he's a God so he has reason to be! He'll even tell you that he's devilishly
handsome. (And he is.) He'd rather lob a
fireball at someone's head than have to work something out with them by
talking. As we come to know him, we also find that he's very protective of
those in his charge, he cares for them and about them even when he's trying to
get his own way which is all of the time. We discover that he's lonely having
been turned away by his Family, a Family that never liked him and who he tried
very hard to please for thousands of years. This is an older Ares than what
people are probably familiar with, for an Olympian, he's just a pinch past
middle-age. He's looking back on his life as much as he's looking forward.
What sort of personality does your heroine have?
Alena is almost his
polar opposite. Although she's been through great tragedy and abuse, she's very
diplomatic and nurturing having spent most of her life as a teacher caring for
children she believes she'll never have.
She's also very manipulative. She's the kind of woman who can talk an
Eskimo into buying an ice truck for three times its value. She's strong willed
but gentle and she'd rather find that diplomatic solution (the one in her own
best interests) than get into a physical confrontation. However, if someone
forces her to, she will kick butt just as well as Ares.
Did you enjoy writing one scene above
all the rest? If so, share.
The very
first love scene between the two of them is my favorite. Not only is it
incredibly hot and steamy, it's very intimate and reveals much about both
characters. It starts out as a bargain, a barter, she'll sleep with him, giving
up her virginity and, as a Fey, her heart to him, so long as Ares agrees to
protect her from the Olympians and Cernunnos. Ares figures he'll take her to
his bed, get what he wants, then bring her to the Olympians anyway. He'll use
her to barter his way to back to Olympus. But it doesn't turn out that way. No,
not at all. By the time the sweating is over it isn't he who whole stole her
heart but she who captured his.
If you could spend an hour in
real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why
Ares,
hands down. I'd spend the rest of my life with him if I could. He's just, well,
he's hotter than hell for one and that's never a bad thing. But he's also very
complex and funny, he has a wicked sense of humor, truly wicked.
If you had to sell your series based on one run of dialogue (start
quote to end quote), which would it be?
This is Ares speaking
to Alena: "And still I am alone except when I’m with you. Then I am whole, no longer restless, and no
longer weary."
The Heart of War
Book One
Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Mythological/paranormal,
dark romance/erotica, suspense/action/drama,
contemporary
Publisher: Moon Mistress Publishing
Date of Publication:
December 2010
ISBN: 978-0615424682
ASIN: B004DCB3CA
Number of pages: 597
Word Count: 200,000
Book Description
Inside the Heart of every Warrior breathes the Soul of a
Hero--even within The Heart of War.
Meet Ares God of War, the greatest Warrior the world has
ever known. He's moody, grumpy, dominant, ravenously sexual, and above all,
built like a Greek God.
Suspected of killing his Daughter in-Law, Psyche, and long
in exile from Olympus, the solitude of Ares' island is interrupted when
Magdalena MacLeod a brash and sometimes manipulative Fey washes up on Ares'
island after believing she's been shipwrecked. It's not mere fate that has
brought the unlikely couple together yet it may be what tears them apart.
Branded with a golden chastity belt bearing the mark of
Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death, Alena has been on the run from
her husband the Great Horned God for 200 years. When the Olympians discover her
presence on Ares' island, they send Apollo to the island while Ares is away
with orders to bring her to Olympus. Diplomatically winding her way out of
immediately going to Olympus, when Ares returns and with nowhere to turn, Alena
strikes a bargain with the God of War--her virginity for his protection.
Ares sees a sweeter deal; her in his bed and himself back in
his rightful place on Olympus even if it means turning Alena over to Zeus.
After Alena proves herself to Ares in battle and his bed, the God of War must
choose between his Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena. Get
lost in this sweeping dark saga battling Ancient Gods while falling in love
with Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod. Ares and Alena share a love that will
rock the world from the heights of Olympus to the Celtic moors but; will it be
enough? Will love triumph, or will revenge and rage win the battle for the
Heart of War?
Book Trailer
Excerpt The Heart of War
Ares was in a foul mood and suffering from a splitting
headache when he arrived back on the island with Alena. "Go inside."
He said gruffly and pointed toward the cliffs and the cave above.
"Ares?"
"Please, Alena, just do as I ask. Go."
She didn't want to leave him here, alone, on the beach but
it didn't appear Ares was wanted company, not hers anyway. In the face of his
Father and the other Olympians, Ares stood tall and strong. He'd come to her
aid just as he said he would and kept his promise. Alena was stunned. When Zeus
said he would return Ares' property and his station to him, she felt sure the
God of War would sell her down the river. She wanted to thank him, wanted to
ask why he had done it but she held her tongue. "Yes, my Lord."
Hiking up the hem of the dress, she turned to make her way up the long strange
stairs leading from the beach to the top of the cliff. With a heavy heart, she
walked a few steps until she got to the base of the stairs and there she turned
around. Ares was sitting on the sand facing the water and the setting sun. He
had thrown off the belt with the heavy sword and his thick leather vest; they
were in the sand next to him as he sat there with his head down in his hands.
She could not leave him there. Quietly coming up behind him, Alena sat down,
wrapped one arm over his left shoulder and the other under his right lacing her
fingers together and pulling him backward. Alena expected him to balk or to
fight but, instead, Ares settled backward into her arms, rested his head in the
crook between her neck and shoulder as he let out an exhausted sigh. "I'm
sorry I'm so much trouble, my Lord." She whispered as she nestled her face
into his hair.
Letting the softness of her touch and the warmth of her body
comfort him, Ares closed his eyes and drew in the peaceful shelter she offered.
"It's not you. It's Them."
The Olympians were quite the Divinely Dysfunctional Family.
Alena had never seen or heard so much bitter bickering from one clan. If that
was her Family, she might be damn happy that she lived in Exile on a beautiful
island such as this. "They're awful." She whispered in his ear
careful not to let any prying ears overhear. Ares gave out a deep chuckle and
then another sigh as his hand rose up to caress her arm. She thought of how
brave, how daring, and even dashing, Ares had been as he stood there telling
all of them they could not have her. When she listened to him speak of Artemis,
Alena nearly cried. Then she had been stunned into silence having expected the
God of War to hand her over, maybe not with ease but readily enough, in return
for his crown and scepter. "Thank you for keeping your promise."
"You expected this chauvinistic pig to do less."
Ares mused still with his eyes closed. "Everyone does."
Child of War-A God is Born
Book Two
Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Mythological/paranormal,
dark romance/erotica,
suspense/action/drama, contemporary
Publisher: Moon Mistress Publishing
Date of Publication:
November, 2011
ISBN: 978-0615523460
ASIN: B0063I60HU
Number of pages: 386
Word Count: 150,000
Book Description
Do you remember Damien? Raven makes that kid look like an
angel.
In book #2 of the OF WAR Series, Ares settles down with his
wife, Alena, to await the birth of their son, Raven. As Alena struggles to
enjoy what should be a blessed event, prophetic visions of an adult Raven haunt
her dreams. Are they true visions or false ones implanted by Cernunnos who told
her the boy would bring glory to Ares but only pain and agony to her? The
strong but delicate Fey is relentlessly bombarded by hostility from the
Olympians making her yearn to be back on Ares' secluded island home, far away
from all the bickering and backstabbing that makes up Life on mighty Mount
Olympus.
Before Raven is even born, Zeus outwardly despises him for
his Fey blood given to him by his filthy Celtic mother. With no way out and no
way to keep his family safe from his father, Zeus the God of Gods, Ares enters
into a blood pact that could cost the God of War everything he holds dear.
After a harrowing birth wherein mother and son are nearly
lost to Ares, it quickly becomes clear that Raven may be the most powerful and
cunning Olympian ever born despite his muddled bloodline.
As Zeus, Apollo, and Aphrodite plot against the new family
by carefully planting the seeds of rage and doubt in Ravens' mind, they turn
son against mother. It appears as though Alenas' visions and Cernunnos'
prophecy are coming to life as Raven grows to be a very angry young man.
As the true past between the Olympians and Celts is
revealed, the battle for Ravens; mind and the ultimate control of Olympus
begins. Before its over, the white snows of Olympus will run red with blood.
Trailer
Excerpt Child of War-A God is Born
Alena, daughter of a warrior and wife to one as well, had no
objections and she joined them in the basement daily. Ares wholeheartedly
approved, as he believed it was high time Alena worked with her own powers and
skills. Even though she was the boy's mother, since her powers were bound for
so long, they were very evenly matched and sparred well together, Raven with
spear and she with the staff Ares made for her.
Having the complete run of the cavernous basement, they
sparred and chased each other around as Ares shouted out encouragement and
strategies to them. Alena was only a few inches taller than Raven but his arms
were already longer than hers, and that gave him an advantage when thrusting
and swinging out with the spear. Alena almost always seemed to sense such moves
and jumped over the spear as though she were playing double-dutch. The smacking
of wood on wood clattered throughout the Fortress. Raven gave it his all but
Alena treated the matches more like a game; when she struck out it wasn't with
all of her force and a few times Ares caught her letting Raven best her. He
took great exception to that. An opponent either won or lost in battle; there
was no mercy. A few times, late at night in their bed, Alena told him it was
good for Raven's self-esteem if she let him win once or twice, but that only
made him angrier as he told her self-esteem was earned and not given like a
toy. Raven would learn nothing if she let him win; he had to learn how to be
victorious on his own, or when it came time for a real battle he would be
unprepared.
From that night on, Alena won every match between her and
Raven, though the last few had been very close and Raven was catching on to his
mother's moves and strategies. It turned sour yesterday as they sparred and
Raven chased his mother into the small meat locker where their meat was either
cured by smoking or roasted in the huge stone pit. The pit was five feet deep
and seven feet across, surrounded on three sides by stone four feet high that
came together in an arch at the center. A drop from the top to the bottom
wouldn't prove fatal, but it was certainly deterrent enough when Raven cornered
his mother up there. Alena was going to jump to the top and then down the other
side to use the stone walls as cover, but Raven was faster than she thought. By
the time her foot landed on the uppermost stone, Raven was already waiting for
her on the other side, sharp point of the spear thrust upward toward her
throat. "Yield!" Raven commanded, feeling victory in his fingertips
for the first time.
Ares still didn't know just how she managed it. Alena swung
out with one foot as she pivoted on the other, knocking the spear safely away
from her as she turned, silver hair flying out behind her like the mane of a
steed, to make the jump to the other side and safety. When she came around the
corner with her staff at the ready, Raven, angry at having been cheated, let an
ice ball five inches thick fly from the palm of his hand to hit her squarely in
the jaw. Alena was knocked back by the force, her lips split open, gums
bleeding, nose broken. Raven loomed over her, his eyes vacant and empty as he
held the sharp spear to her throat. "Yield, bitch." It was no command-it
was a threat.
Before Ares could shout to his Son that was enough, a great
gust of wind swirled around in the small room. It blew back his hair and then
pushed against him with such force he had to fight to stand his place. Alena's
beautiful gray eyes closed as her arms splayed out at her sides, one with the
palm open and the other choking the staff. The point of the spear wavered in
the strong wind as Raven struggled to stay pitched forward as the growing gale
threatened to lift him off his knees and toss him across the room. Raven
countered, his young hands glowing with an eerie blue light as they began
freezing to the staff, the new ice ball growing between them. This one was
twice the size of the other and if he hit her with it at this close range, Raven
might well kill his mother.
Without any warning, the wind seemed to turn on Alena; it
lifted her body upward from the small of her back to her shoulders, bringing
her throat dangerously close to the tip of the spear. Suddenly her eyes opened
to reveal only the whites. As though she could see through them, they shifted
to Raven's hands and then back to his face. Amazingly, Alena's lips turned into
a cold grin that fixed Raven's stare to her face while she lifted the staff and
then brought it crashing down to the marble floor with such force the echo was
deafening. Raven flew off her. The staff left his stunned hand, the ice ball
retreated, and he hit the stones of the fire pit with such force that they
shattered. Before the boy or his Father knew what was happening, Alena, her
eyes still showing only the whites, was standing over Raven with her staff
pointing at his throat and her foot on his heart. "Yield," she
whispered as the wind whipped around them, tossing bits of dust into Ares'
eyes.
Angry at having had victory snatched so cruelly from his
grasp, Raven stared up her as he shielded his eyes from the biting wind.
"Uncle," he spat.
It took a few moments but the wind subsided, Alena stumbled
backward on unsteady feet before the whites of her eyes rolled down and she
looked out at the world through those luminescent pearls of gray.
"Wow," Ares muttered, stroking his beard trying to
digest everything he'd seen. Magick was not normally part of Alena and Raven's
sparring routine; she was afraid to use it even though he'd tried to tell her
that he could counter any damage she might do. No matter what he did he
couldn't coax her into it, so magick was off-limits when they sparred. Today
when Raven unexpectedly threatened her with it, Alena didn't hesitate to answer
the call.
Catching her breath and feeling a wave of nausea wash over
her, Alena looked down at Raven, who looked up her angry and afraid. "Are
you ok?" She reached out a hand to him but Raven batted it away.
"Fine, mom." Jumping to his feet in a quick move,
he brushed off the dirt and debris from his bare skin. Instead of stepping up
and congratulating his mother, when she turned her back to him to look at Ares,
Raven let an ice ball fly from his hand to strike her in the back of the head,
splitting it open as it brought her to her knees. "Take that, you
whore."
Ares didn't hesitate, he didn't even know he was doing it;
all he did know was that one moment Raven was standing there with that snide
smug look on his face and the next he was screaming as flames surrounded him.
He stumbled in the fire a few moments before turning his whole body to ice and
putting out the flames. When Raven returned to normal, he was lightly singed
but otherwise unharmed. "Don't ever do that again, boy."
Christmas Eve on Olympus
Book Three
Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Holiday, Romance, Fluff
Publisher: Moon Mistress Publishing
Date of Publication:
December, 2011
ASIN: B006HUECGA
Number of pages: 20
Word Count: 10,000
Book Description
This holiday themed short story is meant as an enhancement
to the OF WAR Series. Join Ares, Alena, and Raven as she brings Christmas and
Yuletide to Olympus. This bit of romantic happiness contains graphic adult
material.
Excerpt Christmas Eve on Olympus
As her mind feverishly searched for what she'd missed, a
small bit of fluffy white and green came into her view and she felt relief as a
smile broke out on her pretty face. "What's that?"
"Mistletoe, I believe there's some Mortal custom about
standing beneath it and then being forced into kissing."
Alena glanced upward over her shoulder to take him in and
marveled at how handsome he was. "Forced? How terrible."
"Awful," Ares held the mistletoe over their heads
with one hand and pulled her in close with the other. He lowered his head for
the kiss he'd been waiting for all night. When their lips he was not
disappointed but encouraged to probe deeper with his tongue and grasp the soft
red velvet surrounding her tighter as the mistletoe fell to the marble floor
and he grabbed her with both arms turning her fully around to face him. Her
heart raced against his stomach, even through the velvet, he felt it as she
pressed against him and reached up to grab handfuls of midnight hair. "You
know, if you're lucky," Ares said breathlessly as their lips parted,
"I think I might have a candy cane around here for you to suck on."
"Oh, really? I love candy canes," she winked up at
him as she bit down on her lower lip, "where oh where could it be? Over
there by the tree?"
Ares shook his head as he ran a hand through her silky
silver tresses, "No. Guess again."
"Did you put it in my stocking?"
"Not yet." Ares crooned making Alena giggle like a
schoolgirl.
Child of War-Rising Son
Book Four
Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Mythological/paranormal,
dark romance/erotica,
suspense/action/drama, contemporary
Publisher: Moon Mistress Publishing
Date of Publication: November, 2012
ISBN: 978-0615721422
ASIN: B00ADAWTSS
Number of pages: 396
Word Count: 151,000
Book Description
On the Verge of manhood, Raven's rampage continues
as he begins the difficult path to Acceptance by his fellow
Olympians. Out to prove he's as good, if not better than, any of them he bests
the Trials set before him by Hades and Poseidon. This isn't enough for him, in
his quest to prove to his Father, Ares, that he is an Olympian Raven preys upon
the Mortals below Olympus in a time of great weakness. Settling for nothing
less than Chaos, he enlists the aid of his Uncle Apollo and pushes the Mortals
to pure anarchy when a global financial crisis leaves the entire world
destitute, in ruins, and at each other's throats. Ready to conquer his Trials,
take his place at the Counsel Table, and bring Ares the glory Cernunnos once
prophesized, only one thing stands in his way; the night his Mother fell down
the stairs.
Alena, her body asleep in Ares' bed for four long years, is
lost deep in the clutches of a never-ending dream induced by Morpheus. After
years of living an illusion and becoming Morpheus Wife, Alena discovers his
deception and struggles to escape her prison. Morpheus has no intentions of
ever letting her go. He'll fight to the death to keep her.
Apollo, ever the Man Behind the Curtain, pulls Raven's
strings like a true puppet master. It's far too late when Raven realizes all
he's done to please his Father actually makes Ares look guilty of destroying
the Mortal World. A little Chaos and a little Anarchy aren't enough for the
Golden God, in his on-going quest to destroy Ares, Apollo sets a plague loose
upon the Earth. A bio-chemical weapon stolen from the United States Government
at Area 51, known commonly as Major Falls. By the time the Olympians discover
what's going on twenty million people are dead with the number multiplying
exponentially every day.
With only one option left to each of them, Raven and Alena
turn to their unlikeliest of enemies-- Aphrodite and Apollo for help. One night
in the bed of the Goddess of Love can be painful but one night in the bed of
the Golden God can kill and destroy all that Ares and Alena have built and
endured. To ensure that her beloved Husband and her Son are not put to death
she may have no other choice.
Trailer
Excerpt Child of War-Rising Son
"Trinity?" He called out.
"HERE!" They all called back.
"No, not you. Her! Trinity! Look at me I want to help
you. I want to get you out of here but you have to help me do it. Turn around,
please. Turn around."
In the cage near the middle of them all, the girl who sat
still and quite with her head resting unnaturally on her shoulder turned around
and watched him gasp. "What?" Trinity asked through lips nothing more
than shredded meat. She stared him, her head on her shoulder, her face smashed
in, and one eyeball bulging out of its socket. When he flinched, she gave a
smile nearly hideous enough to freeze the raging river below her.
Raven found it very hard to look at her, he wanted to turn
away, wanted to run away. There was nowhere to go and nothing to do but stand
back and fully appreciate his handy work all over her face. What a jagged
little pill, but Raven swallowed it the best he could before he opened his
mouth. "I'm gonna throw this to you, you catch it, you tie it around the
bars and then I'm going to swing you this way and pull you down, got it?"
"Why? What do you care? Why should I trust you?"
"You're gonna burn in that river," Raven warned.
"So what?" She turned away from him again.
"So what? What...so....so you don't deserve that, do
you? You didn't do anything. Let me help you, I'll take you back to the Fields
where you'll be happy."
"I was happy on Olympus," she mumbled. "You
were my Brother, you were supposed to protect me, look out for me not kill me.
You're only doing this so you can rule Olympus one day."
"I want to help you, please, Trin, I'm gonna throw
this, we'll only get one shot if the rope lands in the river it's gone. So get
up and catch it. Let me help, let me get you out of that cage." Raven
waited but she didn't turn around and she didn't say anything. "I'm
sorry," he muttered looking down at the rope in his hands and feeling the
nasty sensation of guilt run through him. "I never should have…I'm sorry,
Trin." Words he never thought he would utter fell out of his lips,
"Please forgive me."
Women of War
Book 5
Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Mythological/paranormal,
dark romance/erotica, suspense/action/drama,
contemporary
Publisher: Moon Mistress Publishing
Date of Publication: February, 2013
ISBN: 978-0615767611
ASIN: B00BEJPA3S
Number of pages: 206
Word Count: 58,000
Book Description
Venture on a Mystical Journey through Time and Secrets Past
This story spans four generations of women in Alena's family from her
great-grandmother, Shar Draïocht the last known Queen of the Dark Kingdom.
Morrowind, her tortured daughter. Maven, Alena's free spirited mother. And ends
the night Alena washed up on Ares' shore. With intensity, lust, fear, and
strength these Women of War make their way in the world revealing the hidden
truths of the past and Ares true connection to his beloved Wife, Alena.
Trailer
Excerpt Women of War
Sitting in the dank cell hour after hour and day after day,
time lost all meaning. Not even the rancid food came to him on anything that
resembled a steady basis. All Ares knew for sure was that one moment he'd been
doing his best to sleep on the tilting cot with his knees hanging over the foot
of it when the cell door burst open and a full battalion of the Queen's Guard
rushed him. Wrestling him to the ground, they clasped him in chains and dragged
him to the center of their little underground village. The whole town gathered
to witness, torches, staffs, and readily available throwing items in hand. They
hissed at him, cursed him, and tossed their stones while guards led him up to a
round platform with a pillar of granite jutting out of the middle. Ares needed
no introduction to the structure or to learn its intended purpose, after all he
invented the whipping post.
Understanding their intention, Ares fought as mightily as he
could with his ankles and wrists bound together. "I'm a GOD! How dare you
try to whip me?" he railed as he threw off the guards to deliver double
axe handle blows upon them, but they were so damn small and agile that he kept
missing them. This infuriated him mostly because he was so large they couldn't
help but land their return blows on his half-naked frame. It wasn't long before
the Queen's Guards knocked his legs out from under him with a heavy blow of a
study staff. Once on his knees, blows landed on his head, shoulders, and jaw.
Ares discovered that tiny fists hurt a great deal. Bloody and dazed, they
shoved him down on all fours and attached the chains on his wrists to the post.
Looking out at the crowd with seething eyes, he cursed them.
"You're going to regret this."
"I think not," replied a soft but stern voice from
behind him.
Ares looked back over his shoulder to see Shar Draiocht
standing there, whip in hand, ready to dole out the punishment they thought he
so rightly deserved. "Unusual for a Queen to get her hands so dirty,"
he snarled.
"It's a special occasion," she hissed back as she
brought the whip forward with a practiced wrist. It licked between his shoulder
blades and split open a wide swatch of his olive flesh.
Each time the whip sliced through his perfect flesh, Ares
snarled, "You bitch!"
With every crack of the whip the crowd shouted out,
"Hazzar!" They raised their staffs in victory.
Queen Shar gave Ares God of War fifty lashes before she dropped
it to the floor and took her leave in silence. The guards left him tied to the
post, sweating, bleeding and in agony for the next five days.
Kingdoms of War
Book 6
Lisa Beth Darling
Genre: Mythological/paranormal,
dark romance/erotica, suspense/action/drama,
contemporary
Publisher: Moon Mistress Publishing
Date of Publication: June, 2014
ISBN: 978-0692248409
ASIN: B00LEVJAJ6
Number of pages: 496
Word Count: 190,000
Book Description
With nearly four billion souls lost to the ravages of
anarchy and the dreaded disease Major Falls, Ares and Raven journey the Mortal
World vainly reaching for a sliver of what was only to discover what will be.
Unleashed by Apollo, Major Falls—a weaponized version of the flu and rabies--
has wiped out every person of watery Mortal Blood.
From the fiery wreckage a new world is slowly arising one
where the descendants of Olympians, Celts, Dark Fae, and all manner of Magickal
Being will rule. For the last millennium the Dark Kingdom has sent small
legions of its Daughters in search of its Lost Queen. Among their number is
Lenora, a sharp tongued Dark Fae who joins up with ARES hoping to get close to
its leader, Raven. And she does.
The Wolf inside the God of War contracts Major Falls. As
Ares and Athena wander the world hoping to curtail further damage by
obliterating weapons of mass destruction he slowly succumbs to the sickness
taking over his fevered rabid mind. Ares may not live to see the glory of
Olympus restored nor fight to keep his Wife. If he does, how high will be the
price for Ares' life? How long will Alena have to keep paying Apollo even once
Ares is crowned King of Olympus?
With devastating consequences shattering their lives will
Ares ever be able to swallow his pride and forgive Alena when the truth is
revealed or will she take her place on the Throne of the Dark Kingdom leaving
Olympus and Ares behind forever?
Excerpt Kingdoms of War
Apollo looked off into the distance and to the glittering
reflection of stars dancing on the ocean surface. "Just thought I'd check
in and see how things are going." He glanced back to the opening of the
cave. "I take it they're not going well."
"A hundred million dead aren't enough for you? You have
to come here and watch three more die?"
Apollo looked down at his feet and kicked his feet around a
little. "Actually, we're closer to two hundred million-left alive that
is," Apollo proudly crooned before raising his golden eyes back to the sea
to wonder aloud.
That couldn't possibly be right. There was no way nearly six
billion people dropped dead in a few short months. Apollo was playing her.
"You're lying, you always lie."
"Awww, Maggie, you wound me." The Golden God hung
his golden head but his eyes didn't stop shining as they stayed fixed on her.
Holding her stormy stare firmly Apollo let his head roll up on his long neck as
he wondered aloud. "Maybe those women in there don't have to die? Maybe I
can help."
Ragging flooded through Alena's small frame. The fine tea
cup in her hand tumbled to the ground at her feet and shattered as she reached
out for his throat. "There is a cure? You son of a bitch!"
Apollo stood there unflinchingly but at the last second he
batted away her angry talons as though she were no more than a fly.
"Maybe, but you won't find out that way."
Knowing he couldn't be trusted, Alena took a step back and
away from him, a step toward the edge of the cliff. "You're still lying!
You're trying to get into my head, that's all. You don't have a cure. This is
just another mind game of yours."
"Is it?" Apollo muttered thoughtfully.
"Hmmmmm. Maybe. Maybe not."
Surely there was some pact with the devil to be made here
and Alena wasn't interested in signing on the dotted line. "Get out of
here. Nothing that comes from your venomous lips is the truth. You're just a
nasty little boy with a wide cruel streak."
Apollo kept his voice tight as he bit back the sting of her
barb. "Look into my eyes little Fae then tell me I'm lying," Apollo
challenged as he took a purposeful step toward her. "As for my cruel
streak, you haven't seen the worst of it yet." He glanced down at her hip
hidden below the tight fitting blue jeans. "What did you tell my Brother
about the scar? I know you didn't tell him it was me or I'd be dead. Is that
because you dream of me in the night? This…nasty little boy," Apollo
whispered seductively. "Now that the belt is no longer between us do you
lay awake aching to know how I'd feel inside you?"
Instinct took over and Alena's little hand curled up into a
tight little fist as she landed a right hook across Apollo's smug face.
"You're a pig!" Alena spat and took another step away from him,
another step closer to plunging off the cliff. "Get out!"
Apollo rubbed his cheek and ran his tongue along the inside
to catch the salty taste of his Ichor. His golden eyes rolled in her direction,
the rage in them unveiled. He wanted to hit her back but that wouldn't get him
what he wanted. It wouldn't do him any good if she fell off the cliff either
still he ventured one more step. Alena backed up, lost her footing and began to
topple just as he slipped his arm around her waist to catch her.
"Fine," he whispered, holding her close, "but when their eyes
are glazed and the fever hits their brains, when they're foaming at the mouth,
snarling, trying to bite everything that comes into view as they twist and turn
in agony, " he glanced off toward the cave's opening and then smiled
slyly, "don't say I didn't offer." Twirling her swiftly back to
safety, Apollo chuckled and then disappeared from the cliff.
About the Author
It was in the 4th grade when Lisa discovered she was a
naturally gifted writer. The teacher asked the class to pen a story about a
baby bird's first flight and read them to the class. Putting pencil to paper,
Lisa was instantly whisked away by a force she couldn't explain. When they were
finished, all of the children read their happy stories to the class.
Not Lisa. She got up and told of how the baby bird flew too
high, hit a plane, crashed to the ground and died. She told of how the mama
bird and daddy bird cried of how even God was upset sending the rains pouring
from the sky. The class was speechless when she finished all they could do was
stare at her. The teacher kept her after class told her the story was very good
but it was different from the others. She asked Lisa if she'd ever heard of
Icarus and did she base her story on him. Lisa had yet to encounter Greek
Mythology or hear a whisper of Icarus. As Lisa left the classroom the teacher
again told her how good the story was but suggested she might want to write
something happier next time. When Lisa asked her teacher why she had no answer.
Luckily for us, Lisa I never took her advice.
Lisa Beth Darling is 49 years-old, lives in her hometown of
New London, CT with her husband of nearly 30 years, Roy. She is the author of more than fifteen novels
along with several short stories and non-fiction books.
Twitter: @lb_darling
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