Black Blood (Next Gen Season 1: Episode 3: Bend-Bite-Shift, #12

By Olivia Hardin

Since the end of the Org, vampires have gone underground, holding onto their existence by preying on a new generation of magical creatures. With this new foe comes a new hunter, stalking the bloodsuckers in their territory at night. But when the evil infiltrates close to home, even black blood may not protect them.

Jet is dhampir, a true vampire hunter, and he's trained with the best to become the ultimate predator of the new bands of bloodsuckers. The last thing he expects is to find a lovely fae with aspirations to kill any vampire who crosses her path. But not only is she the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen, she also resembles the woman one of his sisters previsioned for him. When she asks him to train her, Jet jumps at the chance.

On the day her parents were viciously murdered by vampires, Willoa became a girl without a country. Growing up in hiding with her crazy aunt, she's all but forsaken the fae realm and has only one goal in life: to become a vampire hunter. She finds her chance when she discovers a true dhampir who agrees to train her. What she doesn't expect is the instant attraction that sparks between them.

Can Willoa be schooled in the hunt fast enough to follow Jet into the darkness?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cactus Rose Press
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393765448

Olivia Hardin

When Olivia Hardin began having strange movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long the writing bug had her and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, and she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again. Olivia’s attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term road scholar and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning.  She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.

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BLACK BLOOD NEXT GEN EPISODE 3 (BEND-BITE-SHIFT SERIES 3)

by Olivia Hardin

BLACK BLOOD © Olivia Hardin 2019

Since the days of the Org, vampires have gone underground, mucking their existence by preying on a new generation of magical creatures.  With this new foe comes a new hunter, stalking the bloodsuckers at night and on their territory.  But when the evil infiltrates close to home, even black blood may not protect them.

Jet is dhampir, a true vampire hunter and he’s trained with the best to become the ultimate predator of the new bands of bloodsuckers. The last thing he expects is to find a lovely fae with aspirations to kill any vampire that crosses her path.  But not only is she the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen, she also resembles the woman one of his sisters previsioned for him.  When she asks him to train her, Jet jumps at the chance.

On the day her parents were viciously murdered by vampires, Willoa became a girl without a country.  Growing up in hiding with her crazy aunt, she’s all but forsaken the fae realm and has only one goal in life:  to become a vampire hunter.  She finds her chance when she discovers a true dhampir who agrees to train her.  What she doesn’t expect is the instant attraction that sparks between them.

Can Willoa become schooled in the hunt to fast enough to follow Jet into the darkness?

DEDICATION

To my beloved pen-pal, Willoa.

Note from OH

Not long after I published my very first book, our former neighbor ordered about four paperbacks as Christmas gifts for the ladies in his family.  One of those family members was his mother.  I was a little worried at the time, wondering what she might think of the sexy scenes and strong language.  A year or so later, he asked if I had any more books because his mother loved the first.  I’m not sure how many I sold him before I received the first handwritten note from Willoa.  She gushed about how much she enjoyed my stories, how I needed to write faster because I was so talented and that she needed more. 

Willoa is now in her nineties and still writes me often.  A few years ago, when she lamented a lack of good stationary, I sent her a package with some and bought myself the exact same kind.  I hope that whenever she receives a bright orange envelope from the postman that she squeals with delight just like I do.  I love getting a new letter from my beloved friend!  We haven’t met... yet, but I truly feel a kinship with her that defies the miles and the years between us. 

I asked some time ago if I could use Willoa’s name in one of my books. She was so thrilled by the idea and asked only that her character be beautiful and smart and strong and courageous.  And since Willoa had written to me about how enamored she was with my paranormal stories, I knew hers would need to be in one of those series.  This book started with a name, but the character of Willoa developed almost all on its own.  For a few moments, I again worried about the sexy scenes and the strong language, because I knew her family might read it, but then... well, I decided to be just as feisty as my dear friend Willoa always is in her letters to me.  After all, she’s fallen in love with my stories as they are so I’m certainly not going to change that now.

Beautiful Willoa, this story is enthusiastically and lovingly dedicated to YOU!

PROLOGUE

A re you sure you’re looking?

Jeremy didn’t know why the lady always bothered him about his eyes.  It seemed really silly to him, but he always looked just as she demanded.  The woman visited the orphan home all the time, and whenever she saw him alone, she always crouched down and asked Jeremy to stare at her.

They’re pretty cool eyes, aren’t they?

Jeremy shrugged.

Watch how they turn colors.  How the insides tighten into a coil.

What’s coil? Jeremy asked with a pinched frown, before going back to playing with his little toy cars.  He was only three and a half years old, and the lady was starting to bother him.  Leaning on one hand, he slid his body around on his backside so that he didn’t have to see her anymore. 

But the lady followed him, crawling around until she was facing Jeremy again.

C’mon, look deep.  Try to concentrate.

He didn’t know what that word meant, either, but he chewed his lip and tried to figure out what the lady had in her eyes that was so important.

He’s too young, a man said from behind them. You’re not going to get him to understand for at least a year or two.

Shut up, the lady hissed. It doesn’t matter how young he is.  He should be able to fall into reverie.  It’s like some riddle I have to solve.  It’s frustrating the hell out of me.

Jesus, Delaney.  Get over yourself.  There are plenty of other kids here to choose from.

The lady stood up, finally leaving Jeremy alone.  Revving like an engine, he rammed his little car into a bigger truck, watching in glee as they rolled over end on end.  When he heard the footsteps retreating behind him, Jeremy smiled and turned onto his belly to play.

~oOo~

The next year (really , it was only the next week, but to Jeremy, a few days always seemed like a year) the lady showed up again.  This time, Jeremy was playing out on the playground in the great big yard at the orphan home.  All the other kids were inside getting ice cream, but Jeremy didn’t like ice cream because it hurt his tummy.  His sister Lena said that made his tummy special.

It was dark out, but there were lots of lights on the playground.  When he came down the slide, there was the lady, kneeling down and smiling at him.  She held up a little cup to him.

Don’t like. He shook his head, folding his arms over his chest and turning his head away.

Yes, boy, I know.  The lady inside said you’re allergic to milk.  But that’s okay, because this isn’t ice cream.  This is a nice yummy glass of soda.  You don’t get soda much here, do you?

He didn’t want to talk to the