The Story Behind the Cursed Ever After
This series all started with pepperoni eaten late at night while reading a book from The Original Sinners series before bed. Being a huge Vampire Diaries fan due to reading L.J. Smith prior to the popularity of the television series, I of course fell in with Ian Somerhalder who plays the character Damon Salvatore.
I just love bad boys.
Don’t we all?
And he embodies the character L.J. Smith describes in her books so perfectly.
At any rate, I had this dream that Ian Somerhalder was doing all sorts of kinky things that you’d expect from Søren in the Original Sinners series.
I blame the pepperoni.
But my husband says I just have a terribly dirty mind 😉
This image inspired the hero of my story—Arie. Just picture Ian Somerhalder but with smoke gray eyes.
I’ve always loved history.
My father was a substitute history teacher in between voluntarily enlisting in the military during Vietnam and becoming a police officer. He instilled in me a love for history and I’ve always thought of it as dirty, old gossip. Desperate Housewives but with hand grenades—it can’t get any more awesome than that.
The Hellfire Club history provided the perfect backdrop for a vampire series. What if the Hellfire Club never ceased to exist but simply changed names and locations over centuries of vampire ownership? What if it evolved into a BDSM sex club?
History, fairy tales, and folklore have a way of incorporating themselves into fiction, giving writing depth and inspiring new stories that have a life of their own.
Nothing is ever new or original—from borrowed music riffs to tropes that we see repeated in various books. I’d love to claim originality on this one but I really owe it to Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton and Francis Dashwood, 15th Baron le Despencer.
Both had dirtier minds than me.
(According to the gossip we call history.)
Happy reading!
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Excerpt:
Outside the club gunfire erupted. It was probably just a gang shooting. But the cops didn’t give a rat’s ass. This part of the city was like a third-world country at war but as long as it didn’t interfere with business, we wouldn’t get involved. The Hellfire Club was situated on the South Side of Chicago. It operated as a Goth club downstairs and an underground sex club on one of the upper levels. In a world where the supernatural commingled with humans largely unbeknownst to humankind, the club provided a perfect cover. Of course, our high-class clientele and the few humans on our staff knew about our kind.
I inhaled deeply and prayed for patience. Tessa wasn’t going to like the price increase the med tech at the blood bank required to keep us in supply. What was I supposed to do? The half-demon masquerading as a human had stood there with that twisted-as-fuck-smile and when I tried to dazzle him, he seemed completely immune to my tactics. I’d come here to report back to Tessa and it wasn’t likely she’d let this one go.
Muttering obscenities, I walked across the black marble and Luna looked up from her post behind the bar.
“Arie…”
“Not now Luna.”
She pursed her lips but didn’t respond to my mercurial mood. It was probably for the best under the circumstances. Throw in any of my primal instincts—sex, violence, blood-hunger—into the mix, and it would turn ugly for her. If not for this business with the blood bank, I’d screw her despite my preference for human partners. But for her I’d make an exception.
Luna had pale, luminous skin that almost matched my own and a stream of silvery beams trailed behind her. Even her hair, including her eye lashes sparkled silver. Usually she batted her eyes at me appreciatively but at the moment she just looked disgusted and I didn’t have time to deal with a pissed off faerie.
The elevator button lit up when I pressed it and after a few moments the door slid open. I took the elevator to the third floor and made my way down the dimly lit hallway to Tessa’s office. Someone was having sex in the building. At any given time someone was screwing in the club but as I walked, the scent of arousal grew stronger, making my body tighten and my balls throb. Damnit, resistance was growing increasingly hard and painful, as my dick was at this moment.
I brushed past the stony faced guard outside Tessa’s office. He was bigger than me, nearly as tall, and his short blond hair stood in spikes. Growling, I brought my fist up when he grabbed me with a muscled arm bearing a tribal tattoo that ran its length. My fist made contact with his jaw and he let out a curse.
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Ruler – [Arie]
Arie is having a bad night but what else is new? When vampires deal with demons nothing less can be expected. He heads to the Hellfire Club to report back to his sexy boss, Tessa Green, anticipating that she’ll be less than satisfied with the details of his night. Instead he finds a hot new hire waiting in her office. Alone in the office, she offers him an intriguing opportunity to improvise.
This quick, dirty read contains profanity, voyeurism, DIY BDSM, M/F and F/F situations. Not for the faint of heart and intended for audiences over the age of 18.
“Rich and dark, a supernatural and sensual delight of erotic passion.” —Kathy Kulig, Ellora’s Cave Award Winning Author
Bound – [Luna]
Luna is always tied up in difficult situations. Obsessed with someone she can never have. From the moment Luna first met Victoria, she knew she was different—hot, dangerous, and unlike anyone she’s ever known. Luna can’t stop thinking about her. Can’t stop fantasizing about her. Can’t stop craving the one thing she knows she can never have. The one she wants—the vampire she wants abstains from blood and sex.
To distract her from her obsession, Luna begs Tessa to find an appropriate diversion. Bound and gagged in her dungeon at the Hellfire Club (HFC), Luna gets an unexpected visit from a sibling that leaves her feeling conflicted and heartbroken. Arie steps in when Luna is vulnerable. Is there more to this hot alpha vamp than his hard-ass facade?
This M/F erotic story contains profanity, sex, & DIY BDSM and is intended for audiences over the age of 18.
Burned – [Victoria]
Victoria has a sordid past and this macabre tale is woven with lies, blood, betrayal, and vengeance. In the far north of France in the 1700s she took care of a young girl and her ailing mother. She never planned on falling for Henri in the process—except she fell in love with the wrong man. She fell in love with a monster. Sometimes evil hits too close to home. And when you trust the wrong person you might just get burned.
Chained – [Tessa]
Tessa Green is the most famous dominatrix in Chicago and rules the notorious Hellfire Club. She also happens to be a vampire. And the senator is just another toy for her amusement. Sometimes the power and authority that comes with leadership can be a strain. He relishes her dominance, her demands, and her control. Sometimes being free happens only when chained and who better to keep his secret than Tessa.
This M/F erotic story contains profanity & BDSM and is intended for audiences over the age of 18.
Available from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
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About the Author:
A.C. James is a book blogger and author of paranormal and erotic romance containing BDSM.
Wife, mother, and storyteller extraordinaire. She resides in northeast Pennsylvania drinking large vats of coffee while taming two toddlers by day and writing by night. She enjoys wine, sushi, sake, and curling up with a good book. A.C. loves to hear from readers!
Website: www.acjames.com
Blog: http://acjamesbooks.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACJamesauthor
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