Hiya peeps, we have S.J. Himes visiting today with her newest release The Necromancer’s Dilemma, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Lisa’s review, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
The Necromancer’s Dilemma
S.J. Himes
Even love can die without trust.
Angel’s brother, Isaac, has returned home, and the pair begin to make slow and awkward attempts back to each other. Learning how to be a brother to a grown man instead of a parental figure has Angel adjusting his behaviors and habits, and Isaac still remains a mystery. Was it merely entering adulthood that turned Isaac away from an overprotective Angel, or does Isaac carry a secret that will keep them from finally being a real family?
Daniel Macavoy, Angel’s new apprentice, is torn between his bond with Angel and the grasping machinations of his father. Dealing with a traumatized apprentice with dangerous holes in his magical education, saving Daniel may be harder than Angel first thought—especially since the biggest problem is not revenge, but guilt.
The one shining beacon in his life is Simeon, Elder vampire of Boston’s only Bloodclan. Four hundred years old and sexy as sin, Simeon is warrior and sage, patient and cunning. The strength Angel draws from Simeon’s devotion and the newborn mate-bond between them is steadfast and true…and the fount of death magic that animates the undead lord places Angel in the midst of a power struggle for control over himself, his lover, and his family.
Through it all, Angel is beleaguered by the unwanted attention of a troll-hybrid, the adventures of a dragon in the city, and a serial killer has decided to hunt the back alleys and midnight streets of Boston.
Excerpt
Milly’s townhouse was a brick monster that sat up off the street and reminded him of an old movie set. Red brick and iron lanterns lit the front, and Angel held the entrance-way door for Isaac, who was carrying the food, mindful of the slick concrete steps. A small copper plaque darkened by exposure and time was engraved with M.M. Fontaine, A.S., and Angel smiled as he always did seeing the initials after her name. The space below her name was empty, the neighboring unit in the same townhouse uninhabited for years now. Milly owned the whole building, and hated having neighbors. The uncluttered foyer was tall, and had two doors on either side, and the door on the left was Milly’s multi-level part of the townhouse. Angel dug out his keys and approached her door, the metal clicks echoing around the empty space. It was barren and glaringly white from marble floors to the walls and ceilings, and it was immaculate and smelled like lemon cleanser. Old money all but screamed its presence from the paint and architecture, though Angel had nothing against wealth and living in luxury. The Salvatores and Fontaines were old magical clans, with centuries of wealth behind them and he was accustomed to Milly’s home.
It was usually immaculate, at least; Angel frowned down at the melting snow and slush puddles in front of Milly’s door, the welcome mat soaked. Footprints marred the pristine gloss of the stone flooring, and Angel wondered at the mess. Milly should have been home for the last hour, and the snow long melted; chunks were still intact in front of her door, and the footprints were made from a man’s boot, the size triple that of Milly’s dainty feet.
Angel paused, hand outstretched with his key to the door, but something warned him to wait. Whether an indistinct sound muffled through the wooden panel or some inner sense tingling away, caution had him dropping his hand and backing away.
“Angie? What’s up? The pizza’s gonna get cold,” Isaac whined from behind him, juggling the two-liter of soda and the pizza box. “Milly knows we’re coming. Door should be unlocked.”
Angel blinked and looked at his partner’s front door warily, his inner vision sparking to life on its own—and he swore, pushing Isaac back from the door, heedless of the soda bottle bouncing off the floor and his brother’s complaints. He slid his athame free from its sheath along his spine and summoned hellfire to his hands.
“Milly isn’t the only one expecting us,” Angel said, anger rising to match the green flames snapping about his hands. Angel blessed Isaac’s affection for Milly—his little brother didn’t hesitate, his fiery red aura snapping to life around his shoulders in thin trails of flame and smoke in response to Angel’s actions.
There was a stranger in Milly’s townhouse, a sickly black and warped aura oozing malice and frustration. Her wards were down, most likely in preparation for their visit, and whoever had invaded her home must have forced his way in. Milly’s aura, a gray and yellow flow of liquid light, glimmered softly—her light was dimming. They needed to get inside, and now. The door wasn’t closed fully, and a sliver of light and movement came from under the gap. A gasp from Isaac told him his brother was using his inner sight and was seeing the same thing.
“Isaac, call for an ambulance,” Angel murmured, sidling up closer to the door. Isaac nodded his head and pulled out his cell, dialing 911. Angel waited until Isaac stammered out Milly’s address, and then he tensed. There was a foreign magic in Milly’s home, and Angel didn’t want to risk alerting the intruder to their presence by tapping the veil. Anyone ranked wizard or higher would sense him tapping the veil, and they’d lose the element of surprise. Angel focused, drawing in ambient magic, and kicked at the door, raising a kinetically-charged shield in front of him as he ran through the doorway.
Or it was meant to be a thin shield—thick enough an impediment to stop a bullet or a thrown knife, it instead became a battering ram of kinetic energy, slamming through Milly’s living room, smashing the couch and splintering the coffee table. The wave of magic ripped through and devastated the room, including the man trying to hide his bulk behind one of the thick support columns that ran throughout the first level. Angel staggered, surprised, and wayward magic hissed and sparked through the air.
A gun clattered to the wood floor, and Angel ran forward, athame flaring as he tossed a restraining curse ahead of him. The tall, huge intruder took the spell and shook it off, a bull twitching to rid himself of am irritating fly. Isaac shouted, and Angel swerved out of the way, a fireball blazing past his shoulder. The ball of flame crashed into the man, and while clothing smoked and burned, the flesh beneath remained untouched.
“He’s got a nullifier charm on him!” Angel shouted to Isaac, and dodged as the behemoth swung a haymaker right at his face. The man was huge, but Angel was faster. He had dropped the gun when Angel inadvertently blasted the room with a kinetic wave—the charm had weaknesses. Nullifiers were rare, and notoriously difficult to make, which meant including all types of magic in the nullifier was beyond expensive, so there were usually holes in the defenses. “Use kinetic!”
Isaac shouted something back at him, but Angel was too busy ducking and sprinting away from the man trying to crush him like a bug. Almost seven feet tall and a few hundred pounds, the huge man would have zero problems tearing Angel apart if he caught him—and with a nullifier charm on him, Angel would be dead before their magic burned through the charm’s power supply.
Angel was too slow, and a fist hit him in the back of his shoulder, sending him tumbling over the remains of the couch into the kitchen. Angel slid across the floor, and slammed into the fridge. Isaac screamed, and tossed more fireballs at the bruiser, ineffective and annoying, but it distracted the big man. Isaac yelped and scrambled away as the intruder reached for him, and Angel groaned, sitting up. Isaac had never fought with magic before outside of simulated duels while Angel was training him—Isaac couldn’t focus and cast and run at the same time.
The Necromancer’s Dance
S.J. Himes
In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset upon by enemies, both old and new. Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother’s boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again drawn back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family’s death.
Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues into who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire’s attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in.
Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead?
Death stalks the streets of Boston’s historic Beacon Hill….and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.
About S.J.
I’m a thirty something woman with way too big an imagination, but that comes in handy when I’m writing. I have been writing since I was a child, when I took a four-page assignment on what I was going to do on summer vacation and turned it into a 100 page fantasy epic all written by hand…in crayons. No joke.
I work a day job, but I can’t share for who, since the Old Man isn’t as liberated as the people who read my books. I’m married, I have furbabies, and I live with loved ones. I adore a certain show about a British consulting detective and his grumpy army doctor, and that spawned an addiction to Johnlock fanfiction, which then evolved into me writing it. Gawd, that’s embarrassing. Put this down in the TMI section of my Bio, okay? I enjoy martial arts, movies where things blow up, and I wish I lived in a Marvel movie.
I live in the beautiful and lonely Berkshire County in Massachusetts, and I see way more wildlife than I care to on a daily basis (bears!). My perfect day is reading surrounded by friends and family who don’t think it’s odd I want to hang out but not talk, and my favorite scent of all time is a cool fall evening with leaves burning…. less a scent, and more of an experience.
Where to find the author:
Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Website
Giveaway!
Win an ebook copy of The Necromancer’s Dance & The Necromancer’s Dilemma!
S.J. Himes Rafflecopter giveaway!
Review
Title: The Necromancer’s Dilemma
Series: The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #2
Author: S.J. Himes
Genre: Gay Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy
Length: Novel (301pgs)
ISBN: B01HVJZEM6
Publisher: S.J. Himes (1st July 2016)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Lisa
Blurb: Even love can die without trust.
Angel’s brother, Isaac, has returned home, and the pair begin to make slow and awkward attempts back to each other. Learning how to be a brother to a grown man instead of a parental figure has Angel adjusting his behaviors and habits, and Isaac still remains a mystery. Was it merely entering adulthood that turned Isaac away from an overprotective Angel, or does Isaac carry a secret that will keep them from finally being a real family?
Daniel Macavoy, Angel’s new apprentice, is torn between his bond with Angel and the grasping machinations of his father. Dealing with a traumatized apprentice with dangerous holes in his magical education, saving Daniel may be harder than Angel first thought—especially since the biggest problem is not revenge, but guilt.
The one shining beacon in his life is Simeon, Elder vampire of Boston’s only Bloodclan. Four hundred years old and sexy as sin, Simeon is warrior and sage, patient and cunning. The strength Angel draws from Simeon’s devotion and the newborn mate-bond between them is steadfast and true…and the fount of death magic that animates the undead lord places Angel in the midst of a power struggle for control over himself, his lover, and his family.
Through it all, Angel is beleaguered by the unwanted attention of a troll-hybrid, the adventures of a dragon in the city, and a serial killer has decided to hunt the back alleys and midnight streets of Boston.
Product Link: http://mybook.to/TNDilemma
Review: This story is the continuation of Angel and Simeon’s story. You must read them in order otherwise you tend to get a bit lost.
Angel and Simeon’s bond is strengthening every day and their love grows stronger. Angel’s relationship with his brother is slow but getting there. Isaac however is holding onto a secret that might just break their bond.
Angel is learning how to become a big brother instead of a bossy parent, but even he has his problems. Daniel’s father is getting more ill as the days go by, but he fears going home and losing his friend. It would seem that Angel has many to protect.
Angel is a necromancer and his love is a vampire. Simeon is not just any vampire though; he is a four hundred year old elder. Milly’s ex-husband is out of prison and has set to kill her and many others. Angel must find a way to keep his family safe as well as the people around him. There is some dark powers coming in and he must find a way to stop it before anyone else dies.
This story has more action packed adventures going on as well as a touch of suspense. I love how it is so fully developed and the words just seem to flow off the pages of this book. The characters are fun, sexy as hell and will fight to the death for those they love. The story itself will rock your world. You get not only action, but magic mixed in plus some hot sexy time.
I love how Isaac is growing up and trying to find his own way. However he has a secret that he fears will tear his family apart and is afraid that he will lose his brother. I don’t like the little cliff hanger at the end though, because now I want to know Angel’s reaction. This is a fascinating story that will capture your attention from the start as well as your heart.
I had a lot of fun reading this and look forward to reading the next story.
Thank you for having me!
Great review! Thanks for your support xx