Promise Me ~ ENJOY THE COMPLETE 17-BOOK SERIES NOW ~ Tara Fox Hall

February 16, 2017

What traits make the perfect man? Vampire Danial Racklan of the Promise Me Series answers…

THE PERFECT MAN

By Danial Racklan

All women have their idea of what the perfect man would be, whether he was also a vampire or not. What are more intriguing to me are the wild differences between descriptions that various women would be sure to give. But I think we can all agree on the following traits, no?

Handsome. All you women want their lovers to be handsome, with comely features sure to stir your loins.
Tall. This is also a preferred trait, as women themselves are now a good deal taller than they were centuries ago.
Wealthy. Why dally with a pauper when you can have a lord? This was the rule when I was a young man in Spain, and it’s still true today, here in America.
Romantic. Games of love have progressed quite far from the bunches of wildflowers and clumsy quoting of poetry in my youth to the subtle dance of emails and avatars in today’s dating scene. But the sentiment is the same, even when it’s offered via tech instead of tenderly spoken words.

While most women in the 21^st Century would agree with these 4 qualities, there were more than a few other traits that were sought after in the men of my time. Take a look, and judge for yourself on their attractiveness.

Bravery. To be thought a coward in my time was equal to being beneath contempt, and to be called one was grievous insult.
Shrewdness and Work Ethics. Being a peasant with no rights lends itself quickly to handling your few possessions well, so you won’t starve, and choosing your words and actions wisely. Why wouldn’t today’s woman also want a man who knew how to handle his finances and business dealings, so her welfare was never in danger?
Weapon abilities. Many men of this time have no idea how to operate a weapon, other than a rudimentary club or their fists. I firmly believe that any man should know how to handle a sword, most guns, and a knife, at bare minimum.
Cunning. This is often a trait that in today’s world lends itself to evil, and I’m not sure why. In every situation, it behooves the hopeful victor to gain any advantage he can. Why not play to win, and use every advantage you have? I always do.

What else, my good women of today? What other traits would you add to this list, to make the perfect man? I’m all ears…

When your lover is a vampire, a promise of forever takes on a whole new meaning…

PROMISE ME

ENJOY THE COMPLETE 17-BOOK SERIES NOW!

College student Elle has always dreamed of having her own life and a love to call her own. Yet haunted by past transgressions, the lovely young werecougar is terrified to share her body or soul with another…until a sorceress tempts her into sharing an anonymous dream with a legendary lover, the vampire Lord Devlin. Shocked by her newly awakened desire, Elle flees to her childhood home, finding comfort in her memories and the company of friends while evading trophy hunters…until the night dhamphir Elijah arrives, offering her his heart with the gift of a golden choker. Will Elle be brave enough to seize the true love that’s been denied her so long?

Excerpt from Freedom, the final Promise Me Series book:

My name is Elle O’Connor. You probably don’t know who I am. But if you’re any type of being other than human, you’ve likely heard of my father, Theopolis. He’s what’s called a Ranked assassin, which means he has international status. He also happens to be a werecougar, and an asshole most of the time. You might also know about my mom, Sarelle, if you keep track of the who’s who of vampires in the United States, as she’s been involved with several in the last five years. She’s still human, but it’s been a near miss kind of situation lately.

Before she was in love with my father, Sarelle — or Sar, as she likes her friends to call her – she loved a vampire by the name of Danial. It was he who really raised me. I’d met him a few days after I was born, over in Europe, and when he came to see her and me, after he’d come back after months of looking for my missing father. I was very glad to see him again.

Two weeks after Danial came to see Sar that night, she and I moved in with him. I feel like I should defend her decision to do that, as it makes it seem like she didn’t love my father, to go and live with another man so quickly. I want you to know that I think that one decision was maybe the best thing she ever did for me. She tried hard to take care of me, but even though I was very young, I could see she was a wreck. I could also tell she was scared: scared of being alone with a non-human baby she didn’t know how to care for; scared my father was not coming back, scared of what was going to happen to us. And Danial, with his calm assurance and vast wealth, swept in and fixed everything in a single night. What woman wouldn’t have leaned on a man like that, especially as it was easy to see she still loved him?

To say he was a father to me wasn’t enough. In those first years he was everything a father should be, and then more. When I was hurt or sad, he was there to kiss and hug away my tears. When I was angry and mean, he was calm and talked to me, teaching me how to handle my anger. And when I was inquisitive, or bored, he was there to tell me the reasons why things were the way they were, or to show me books or other hobbies that not only kept me entertained, but also enriched my mind.

The result of his attention to me was inevitable: I adored him completely. It wasn’t long before I called him Dad. And he is still the only one I’ve ever called Dad.

Excerpt #2:

I went back to school, and lost myself in work. A month later, I was in the food court when a guy sat down at my table. I gave him a cold look, and said in my mom’s best nasty voice, “Are you lost?”

“No,” he said, giving me a heart-melting smile. “I’ve found you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Look, I don’t know you.”

“You do, you just don’t recognize me,” he said, giving me a wide grin.

I looked him over skeptically. He was cute, if a little young looking. Must be a freshman. He was medium size, his skin tanned, and his brown hair cut in a neat style, almost military. His eyes were hazel colored, and seemed friendly. And his body…his body was very nice. For his youth he looked very fit and muscular. “I don’t.”

“It’s Elijah,” he said, grinning wider. “I got older, Elle.”

I gaped at him. “I saw you a month ago. You were five!”

“I’m aging fast,” he admitted, uneasy. “My father’s worried about it, though he acts like everything’s okay. But there’s a good point, as I’ll soon be old enough to look like I belong here.”

“How old are you, really?”

“Three months,” he said, coloring slightly. “I learn fast, but nothing in a book tells you how not to be embarrassed about something so abnormal about yourself.”

“Don’t be embarrassed,” I said quickly. “I aged fast, too, because I stayed in animal form for months when I was young. It was hard to cope with, looking so much older than I was.”

“Oh look, it’s the virgin princess!” a passing boy said sarcastically. “Don’t waste your time, pal. She’s frigid as a metal post in January.”

Elijah looked at the boy, his eyes flashed vampiric red, and then he got to his feet. “You will apologize to her, now, cretin,” he growled. “And then I’m taking you outside to thrash you.”

“I’m not apologizing!” the boy called back, still walking. “But you can come outside if you want to!”

Elijah strode after him. I grabbed my stuff as fast as I could and followed. By the time I got outside, Elijah was holding the boy by the scruff of his neck and the boy was pleading for mercy.

“Apologize!” Elijah hissed, his fangs elongating slightly.

“I apologize!” the boy yelped.

Elijah shoved him, and he went sprawling.

I heard the squeal of police sirens, and grabbed hold of Elijah. “In here!”

We ducked into the library, and hid in the book stacks. “Why are we hiding?” Elijah asked.

“Shh!” I said. “You have to be quiet. We’re hiding because you can’t beat a student up on campus without being arrested.”

“But he was being ungentlemanly. And I didn’t actually beat him.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“How uncivilized,” Elijah mused.

“Young Master, we must go home,” a rumbling voice said. “Your father will be searching for you. I do not want to be disciplined.” A large man appeared suddenly behind us, looking stern.

“Sure,” Elijah said, turning to me. “But mark this spot, Harp. I’ll want to come back here and see this woman when we next have an opportunity.”

“She is a comely one,” Harp said, his red eyes flicking over me. “It is done, young Master. We can return here at your will.”

“Is this your demon?” I asked politely.

“Yes. Both my sister and I have one. They are with us at almost all times.”

And I thought my father had been overprotective! Geez.

“Goodbye,” Elijah said seriously. “I hope to see you soon, Elle.”

“Sure,” I said, smiling. “Though it’s going to be May soon. I’ll be out of school.”

“Call me, if you are going to be at Hayden,” Elijah said, handing me a slip of paper. “This is my cell.”

Shit! Give him your number too! I tore off part of the paper, and wrote down my cell in tiny numbers. “Here is mine.”

“Thanks,” Elijah said, taking it. “Please be careful. You are here without any guards.”

“I can take care of myself,” I said proudly.

“I want to take care of you,” Elijah said seriously. Then he reached out and brushed my cheek gently, moving a strand of hair away from my face.

Part of me knew he was just young, probably copying something from a movie he’d seen. But no one had ever said anything like that to me before. Before I knew it, I kissed him. Though he was clearly shocked, before long he kissed me back.

“Break it up,” Harp rumbled, pushing us gently apart. “This is a library, children, not a barn. And we must be home.”

“Call me, please,” Elijah encouraged, and then they disappeared.

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