Hybrids. Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to watch my best friend slowly becoming a monster. Without hybrids, I could let go of the mentality “hunt or be hunted.” CHAS wouldn’t be scouring the Earth, intent on slaughtering and using Alex to do it. Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to be on guard that losing my temper meant losing my shape. There would be no monster inside me, struggling to get out.
Then again, without hybrids, I wouldn’t have Wesley St. John.
Throughout the book Tara tries desperately to fight against what she is destined to become, but along with Wes, Alex, George, Cambria, and the rest of the gang she finally realizes that she IS the one destined to lead the Cause.
The Love Triangle becomes even more intense and complicated for Tara. Wes, Alex, and George, have Tara's heart in one way or another and they all 3 love her deeply. Tara's confusion increases throughout the book but, in the end it becomes crystal clear to Tara who her True Love is. *no I won't spoil it*
Blood Bond is my favorite of the Dirty Blood series (so far) and I'm excited to see what's next for Tara et al.
Deleted Scene from Blood Bond
Cambria is my favorite character in the series, I love Cambria's wonderful (some would say sarcastic) sense of humor. She never ceases to amaze me with her witty comments and how even though something she may say seems off the wall it truly has a great meaning to it. I am THRILLED that she finds a true love interest in this book.
Derek walks in the woods with Cambria:
Derek kept his pace slow, letting Cambria catch up as they
walked into the woods. As much as Derek worried about his friend, he knew if
anyone could calm Wes down, it would be Tara. Or heat him up, depending on the
circumstances. Either one was better than Wes going after Steppe again. So,
he’d excused himself and brought Tara’s friend, Cambria, with him. The fresh
air would do him good, and all the better if he wasn’t alone. He needed to walk
off his own frustration at Steppe’s arrogance.
As he walked, he tried not to admit that he didn’t mind being alone with Cambria, but there it was.
He was fascinated by her. The way she held her chin, slightly jutting as if always prepared to argue with you. The way her eyes held his and the sly look she wore behind every expression made him think of a panther, quiet and cunning and full of twisted amusement. He’d never met anyone like her, of that he was positive. He couldn’t quite figure her out. He told himself that was the reason behind his fascination. He just needed to understand what made her tick. Then he could walk away.
Relationships had no place in his world—not just as a member of The Cause but someone damaged like him. It was too much baggage to put on someone else. He could barely carry it himself some days.
She stepped up beside him and her scent hit him full force, just as it had the day at the lake. Even then, dripping wet and splashing around, he’d been overwhelmed by it. Honeysuckle and something tangy, like that orange punch Fee used to give him in the summer. She smelled like innocence and sunlight but the way she looked at him was anything but.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He looked up abruptly and realized he was frowning, wearing his thoughts on his face. He was bad about that. “Um, yeah.”
“You’re not going to shift, are you?” She was staring at his shoulders, his arms.
He looked down and realized the edges of his frame looked fuzzy. He was more worked up than he thought. He muttered a curse. Cambria didn’t bat a lash.
“If you could pick any color dress for Steppe to wear, what would it be?”
He blinked at her, completely dumbfounded by the unexpected question. “What?”
“I said—”
“I heard you. It’s a ridiculous question.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Then give me a ridiculous answer.”
“Okay. Yellow polka dot.”
“Got it. And shoes?”
“Why are we talking about Steppe cross-dressing?”
“Just answer the question.”
“I don’t know. High heels.”
“Stilettos. Got it.”
He gave her a look that said how crazy he thought she was in that moment.
“I’m not insane. Two things,” she said. “One, I thought about compelling Steppe to cross-dress. Not that it would make it even for what he said about Bailey but it’s a start. And two-”
“You can compel?”
“Yes.”
“You know if Steppe ever found out you did that to him, he’d—”
“I didn’t say I would actually do it. But it’s fun to imagine. Which brings me to reason two.” She gestured to him. “You’re not shaking anymore.” He looked down at his arms. Solid. He looked back at Cambria’s smug expression. “You’re welcome.”
He tried to ignore the way her eyes intrigued him. Something about her made him want to bait her, just to see her get riled up. He wondered how she’d look angry. Fierce. Dangerous … He shook the thought away and replaced it with an image of Steppe in a dress. He smiled. “Thanks for distracting me. I feel … better. I take it you don’t like Steppe?”
She raised a brow at him. “Should I?”
“I don’t know. He’s your leader.”
“You say that like I’m a follower.”
“I have no doubt you’re not that.”
“Really? What am I then?”
She peered up at him through heavy lids and his pulse sped. What the hell was wrong with him? She was messing with him. Harmless flirting. They were talking politics for crying out loud, and he was acting like a sixth grader with a crush.
“Difficult,” he said finally, hoping his expression had, for once, not belied his thoughts.
As he walked, he tried not to admit that he didn’t mind being alone with Cambria, but there it was.
He was fascinated by her. The way she held her chin, slightly jutting as if always prepared to argue with you. The way her eyes held his and the sly look she wore behind every expression made him think of a panther, quiet and cunning and full of twisted amusement. He’d never met anyone like her, of that he was positive. He couldn’t quite figure her out. He told himself that was the reason behind his fascination. He just needed to understand what made her tick. Then he could walk away.
Relationships had no place in his world—not just as a member of The Cause but someone damaged like him. It was too much baggage to put on someone else. He could barely carry it himself some days.
She stepped up beside him and her scent hit him full force, just as it had the day at the lake. Even then, dripping wet and splashing around, he’d been overwhelmed by it. Honeysuckle and something tangy, like that orange punch Fee used to give him in the summer. She smelled like innocence and sunlight but the way she looked at him was anything but.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He looked up abruptly and realized he was frowning, wearing his thoughts on his face. He was bad about that. “Um, yeah.”
“You’re not going to shift, are you?” She was staring at his shoulders, his arms.
He looked down and realized the edges of his frame looked fuzzy. He was more worked up than he thought. He muttered a curse. Cambria didn’t bat a lash.
“If you could pick any color dress for Steppe to wear, what would it be?”
He blinked at her, completely dumbfounded by the unexpected question. “What?”
“I said—”
“I heard you. It’s a ridiculous question.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Then give me a ridiculous answer.”
“Okay. Yellow polka dot.”
“Got it. And shoes?”
“Why are we talking about Steppe cross-dressing?”
“Just answer the question.”
“I don’t know. High heels.”
“Stilettos. Got it.”
He gave her a look that said how crazy he thought she was in that moment.
“I’m not insane. Two things,” she said. “One, I thought about compelling Steppe to cross-dress. Not that it would make it even for what he said about Bailey but it’s a start. And two-”
“You can compel?”
“Yes.”
“You know if Steppe ever found out you did that to him, he’d—”
“I didn’t say I would actually do it. But it’s fun to imagine. Which brings me to reason two.” She gestured to him. “You’re not shaking anymore.” He looked down at his arms. Solid. He looked back at Cambria’s smug expression. “You’re welcome.”
He tried to ignore the way her eyes intrigued him. Something about her made him want to bait her, just to see her get riled up. He wondered how she’d look angry. Fierce. Dangerous … He shook the thought away and replaced it with an image of Steppe in a dress. He smiled. “Thanks for distracting me. I feel … better. I take it you don’t like Steppe?”
She raised a brow at him. “Should I?”
“I don’t know. He’s your leader.”
“You say that like I’m a follower.”
“I have no doubt you’re not that.”
“Really? What am I then?”
She peered up at him through heavy lids and his pulse sped. What the hell was wrong with him? She was messing with him. Harmless flirting. They were talking politics for crying out loud, and he was acting like a sixth grader with a crush.
“Difficult,” he said finally, hoping his expression had, for once, not belied his thoughts.
About the Author:
Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. She now lives in coastal VA, a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean, with her husband and two adorable children. She works from home, part time, as a property manager and when she's not furiously pounding at the keyboard, or staring off into space whilst plotting a new story, she's helping her husband with DIY projects in their home (he woodworks - she paints) or she's lying on the beach, soaking in those delicious, pre-cancerous rays.Heather loves Mexican food, hates socks with sandals, and if her house was on fire, the one thing she'd grab is her DVR player.
You can find out more about her and her books at www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com
Or stalk her here:
Heather is a co-founder of Accendo Press, a publishing group
she operates with fellow authors: Angeline Kace and Jennifer Sommersby. Accendo
(a-CH-endo), A Latin word, means “to kindle, illuminate, inflame, or set fire.”
This is something Accendo strives to do inside a reader’s imagination with
every title released. For a complete list of titles and author bios, visit www.accendopress.com.
To the right sidebar is the rafflecopter for the giveaway!!!! Prizes are an autographed copy of Dirty Blood, with an autographed bookmark and an autographed copy of Cold Blood, with an autographed bookmark.
Awesome Giveaway! I have read book 1 on my Kobo, but would love to have the paperback! I still have to read the next books.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway! I would love to win these books!
ReplyDeleteLove this giveaway!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been dying to read these books and would love to win a copy!! Thanks so much for the awesome giveaway and the deleted scene :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome book, I would absolutely love to win this.
ReplyDeleteFYI: On the entry form for following you I put my real name which is Jody Joy, but my blog name is Jody Journey, thanks so much for sharing this book for giveaway.
Jody
Love the giveaway and can´t wait to read for myself, =)
ReplyDeletebest wishes, Linda xo