Guest Post with author Lisa Kessler

 

The Night Owl Brigade

Hi everyone –

Thanks for having on the blog today! Can I admit I don’t drink coffee? LOL

But I do write into the wee hours of the night! (or is it morning?) I’m a card carrying member of the Night Owl Brigade. You know the ones. Those writers who stay up way too late crafting their books and posting on Twitter.

In my defense though, I have a tough time getting my creative juices flowing during the day. I don’t know if it’s the sun or what, but the ideas just don’t start flowing for me until it’s dark outside. So maybe it’s not a coincidence that my Night Walkers are dead until the sun goes down, right? 

So what are Night Walkers? They’re immortal blood-drinkers, similar to a vampire, but they originated from the Mayans. At night they’re alive, with heartbeats and they even breathe, but once the sun comes up all life leaves their bodies. They also have a spirit animal that’s different for each Night Walker. They can shift at will into their spirit animal, and religious relics don’t hurt them either…

Calisto, the hero in Night Walker, has been alive for over two hundred years, waiting for his one true love to be reborn again. The Mayans believed in reincarnation, but as decades turned to centuries, Calisto lost hope and bitterness set in… Here’s the moment he finally sees her again. He recognizes her instantly, but she has no memory of him.

Kate watched them wander off before kneeling closer to the cross. Unable to stop herself, she traced her finger along the T in the center.

Behind her, someone cleared his throat. Kate jerked her hand away and shot to her feet. When she turned around she found a tall, dark-haired man staring at her.

Her cheeks flushed with heat. She hoped he hadn’t witnessed her touching the relic. She waited for some kind of admonishment, but he didn’t say anything.

Not with words.

Something in his dark eyes captured her. His gaze wandered over her face like a tender caress, and strangely, instead of screaming for Lori and Edie, she caught herself imagining his touch on her skin.

“I hope I did not frighten you,” he said.

His deep voice resonated through the empty courtyard, and the intimate tone weakened her knees. The hint of a Spanish accent didn’t hurt, either. Nervous laughter escaped her before she could contain it.

Her face warmed all over again. “Just a little startled. I didn’t see anyone else out here.”

He stepped closer without encroaching on her personal space, his eyes locked with hers from beneath thick lashes. “Forgive me.”

She swallowed hard and prayed she wasn’t blushing. “No problem.” She looked away before she embarrassed herself even further, focusing on the cross. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

“Si.” He nodded slowly. “Yes, it is.” His barely there smile made her think he wasn’t referring to the flowers or the cross. “I am Calisto. Calisto Terana.”

Expectation hung as heavy as the scent of eucalyptus, as if he waited to hear something more than just her name.

“I’m Kate.” Instead of offering to shake his hand, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“The honor is mine, Kate... ” His accent colored the vowel in her name. It had never sounded more beautiful. She reminded herself to breathe.

When he hesitated for a moment waiting for her to speak, she realized she hadn’t shared her last name as he had. She flipped through a rapid pro and con mental checklist, and decided it couldn’t hurt. Maybe they would meet again.

“Bradley,” she said.

A sexy smile curved at the corners of his lips. “I hope this will not be our last meeting.”

She glanced around the shadowed courtyard, feeling vulnerable, and almost gave in to her first instinct—to run. But she remembered her promise to herself. Be strong. Take action. She lifted her chin and said, “I guess you never know.”

With a smile that said he had every intention of seeing her again, he tipped his head. “Buenos noches, Kate Bradley.”

Her heart raced and her palms sweated when she realized he meant to leave. No man made her palms sweat. Ever.

His gaze held hers for a moment, full of unspoken promises she didn’t understand. Without another word, he walked away.

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek into Night Walker…

So when are you the most creative? Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Lisa

About the Author:

Lisa Kessler is an avid reader and writer of dark fiction. Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.

Lisa recently signed a 4 book deal with Entangled Publishing to release her Night Series. The first book, Night Walker, is scheduled to be released August 5th.

When she's not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, performing with the San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego. You can learn more at  http://Lisa-Kessler.com

Lisa lives in southern California with her incredibly fun husband and two amazing kids.

http://lisaslair.com/

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