The Waxing Moon by Elli Morgan - Paranormal Romance - Vampire Interview
by Elli Morgan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: November 7th, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5092-4400-3
ISBN: 978-1-5092-4401-0
ASIN: B0B8XPWTWT
Number of pages: 252
Word Count: 57649
Cover Artist: Jennifer Greeff
How far would you go to escape mundanity, and what would you risk for eternity with your beloved?
Lilah Neumann has longed for something beyond the mundane for as long as she can remember. A chance meeting with a mysterious and sexy vampire turns her dreams into a reality filled with adventure and excitement. She has no plans to return to her previous dull life.
After spending 400 years as a lone mercenary, Cain finds more than a companion in 19-year-old Lilah. Yet he can’t shake his past and struggles to suppress his feelings to protect her from the dangers and temptations his kind offers.
When Cain abandons her to keep her safe, Lilah finds herself on a journey through Europe to overcome her human limits and fight for a place by his side. But can a human survive in a vampire’s world?
Book Trailer:
Vampire Interview
Thanks for joining us today. Tell us a little bit about your story.
Fine, but you should know I’m only here because Lilah begged me to do this while she and Cain are away on a mission.
I’m Lucious, the vampire prince. My father, the king, chose me to become his successor. I was born to darkness on my eighteenth birthday in 1608.
A few years later, I created Cain as my first child—and I still regret it. From what I understand, the ungrateful bastard had planned to kill me for years, just because I’d tortured and then turned him. I mean, he should thank me on his knees for existing. I also don’t understand what my father sees in him, and why he’d welcome him to our family. But enough about him.
I spend my life at court, ruling over the European vampires together with my father.
And in my free time, I enjoy playing with unsuspecting humans, inflicting pain, and manipulating those around me.
Is there anything you would want changed if the Author asked you?
Well, everything. After all, she made me a side character—me, the prince of all vampires! If someone deserves his own book, it’s me. Instead, she wrote about Lilah and Cain. Who cares about Cain?
How would you describe your Author?
I never paid much attention to her. From what I understand, she is obsessed with us vampires, almost like Lilah.
Do you feel like she portrayed you correctly?
No.
Why not?
I’m not as weak as she describes me. And she almost makes me sound as if I had a soft side. Let me assure you, I don’t.
How about others in the story. Do you feel she did well with them?
What do I care about the other characters in the story? Although I must admit, Lilah grew on me. She’s got potential. And at least she knows her place.
You might be wondering why I’m wearing a scarf on a hot sunny day. It’s not that I don’t trust you, (Tightens the scarf), or anything. I’m just deathly allergic to vampire venom. You know like some people are with bees? So please don’t bite me.
Foolish human. Do you think there is just one vampire venom? There are many, with very different effects. (He licks his lips.)
I’d love to try them on you…to see how allergic you really are. Unfortunately, I promised my father I would behave.
Okay, now that that’s settled. Who created you in the story?
My father, the king. Weren’t you listening earlier?
Are you still connected?
There will always be a bond between a vampire and his sire.
Was there a reason for your creation?
Of course. But it’s nothing humans like you need to know.
Where are you from initially?
France.
Were you happy or angry about the transition from human to bloodsuc--, I mean vampire?
I was overjoyed to receive the power to do as I please.
What’s your favorite blood type?
All of them, as long as my victim is screaming in pain.
Where is your favorite place to dine? Some of us might want to avoid any late night forays there in the future.
I love to wander the streets of Paris.
Have you seen any more stories in the recesses of your Author’s mind?
There are a couple of ideas. She already hinted at her current project in the epilogue of The Waxing Moon. But everything after that is still hazy.
Do you get to play a part in any of them?
Not yet. Although I’m sure I will once I’m through with her.
You’re no stranger to darkness. What is your Author’s darkest secret?
You really think I’d go around telling secrets? I collect them to use for my gain, not to gossip.
If they make you mad, you could just bite them when they’re sleeping, you know.
Oh, it’s more fun to bite them when they’re awake.
Thank you for joining us today. Have a great evening.
You’re welcome.
Excerpt Chapter 2
The crescent moon hung high in the dark sky as Lilah roamed the deserted streets of her neighborhood. Logic told her she shouldn’t be out alone at this hour, but she didn’t care. She’d always loved the mystery of the night. Even as a child, she slipped outside and gazed at the stars when she felt sad. They gave her hope that life offered more than what she knew. Besides, she needed to clear her head, and the fresh air on this warm summer night calmed her.With worries about an uncertain future preoccupying her mind, she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings until a shiver ran through her body. She didn’t recognize the street she walked on, and her instincts told her she wasn’t alone. Someone—or something—was lurking in the shadows, watching her every move.
It’s not human. It was a silly thought or maybe wishful thinking. Most of the books, movies, and TV shows she devoured featured vampires and other things that go bump in the night. Meeting someone, or rather something, right out of her favorite works of fiction excited her.
Or maybe the prospect of something supernatural lying in wait comforted her more than the idea of a serial killer or rapist stalking her. Either way, she stopped to look around in hopes of finding a way out of a potentially dangerous situation.
Old-looking town houses lined the narrow, cobbled street. They were dark. Their inhabitants were asleep or not at home. The only light came from a single streetlamp behind her, about two meters from where she stood. Only her breathing interrupted the silence.
She took a few more steps before pausing again. Apart from her feet echoing on the cobblestones, there was no sound. Nothing hinted at anyone walking nearby, following her, or breathing in her vicinity. And yet, the goose bumps on her skin convinced her otherwise.
She preferred finding out about her pursuer sooner rather than later. As she couldn’t achieve anything by staying quiet, she summoned up her courage to speak. “Stop hiding yourself. I know you’re there…I can’t see or hear you…But I can feel you watching me.” With a whisper, she added the word “vampire.”
A chuckle coming from behind her broke the silence. She squealed, and when she turned around, a tall, young man with shoulder-length, chocolate-brown hair, pale skin, and a long, dark leather coat was standing below the streetlight. He hadn’t been there when she’d checked her surroundings earlier, and there had been no footsteps indicating anyone had walked up to her.
“Interesting,” he said. “I didn’t expect you to notice me. How did you recognize me for what I am without even seeing me?” He spoke softly, as if not to frighten her.
How indeed? She did not have a rational explanation.
“Call it a gut feeling or a verbalization of my deepest hopes.” Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. Was she actually talking to a vampire?
“Your deepest hopes? Why do I, a vampire, instill hope instead of fear in you?”
“I’ve prayed for something more than a mundane life. Meeting a vampire is not an everyday experience, so I’m thrilled.” And possibly screwed, depending on what he wanted from her.
The vampire smiled, revealing his fangs. “Even if meeting me is the last experience you’ll ever have? Aren’t you afraid to die?”
She’d never contemplated her death. The possibility of her life ending in an instant stole her breath. But wasn’t a short, exciting life worth much more than a long and boring existence? Didn’t meeting with a vampire top everything she could hope for, in a world which often felt meaningless?
“I’m more afraid of living without ever feeling alive.” Despite her words, her voice trembled.
“So you’ll give me your blood and your life?”
“I don’t mind donating some blood, but my life is a different matter. If it’s up to me, I’d prefer to keep it.” She gulped. Did she have a choice? “Death by vampire doesn’t sound too bad, though. There are worse or more boring ways to die. And when you talk about taking my life, does it mean I’ll die for good, or will your bite turn me into a vampire as well?”
He answered with a dry laugh. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, girl, but a simple bite won’t turn you. We’d be out of food in no time if every human we bit became a vampire. No, we can choose to turn a human, but it’s not a choice taken lightly. I won’t condemn anyone to this miserable life.”
“You’ve got a sad view of your life.”
“You’re one to talk. Your life doesn’t seem to fascinate you either.”
“It didn’t until today,” she admitted. “You’ve shown me something fascinating. The existence of vampires and a world beyond the one I know as a human is giving me hope for a more interesting tomorrow.”
The vampire vanished from where he stood, only to appear right behind her. “What a pity there won’t be another tomorrow for you.”
About the Author:
Elli Morgan was born in 1991 in a small town in Germany. Although she only started learning English in sixth grade, she quickly fell in love with the language. To improve her skills, she spent a year working and traveling in Canada and the US.
As a teenager, she devoured countless fanfictions and vampire novels. During that time, she also developed the idea for her first book, but she didn’t write it down until the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
Apart from being a writer, she’s also a trained mathematician, working as Business Intelligence Developer at an IT company. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and all kinds of games.
Website: https://ellimorgan.com/
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