Chronicles of the Shifter Directive series

Chronicles of the Shifter Directive is my new paranormal series, an epic saga formed out of seven books, and rotating around a paranormal world divided in nine castes.
The series structure is as follows:
1. Werewolf's Way
2. Draechen's Mate
3. Warriors' Dream
4. Naga's Concubine
5. Emperor's Consort
6. Fire's Embrace
7. From the Ashes
Extra:
Free Companion Guide

I will post all the covers and the blurbs as the books come out. For the moment, here are the ones for the first two books, as well as the Free Companion Guide available for download on the Siren BookStrand website.

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 27.07.2013

Word count: 14.275 words

Link: Chronicles of the Shifter Directive Companion Guide

Accompanying the release of the first of seven books, Werewolf’s Way, is a free Companion Guide for the series to fully immerse you in the world of the Shifter Directive and hint at what’s in store for this epic tale. The introduction to the guide can be read below to give you a taste of what’s to come.

I chose to write this companion for a very simple reason. The world-building in Chronicles of the Shifter Directive is very complex. There are a lot of characters and a lot of information, so I thought it would be useful for readers to have a guide.

I have done something similar before, with the free character list available on my website for the Mate or Meal series. However, this companion guide is far more complex, including not only the names of each characters, but also historical background, complete description of the species involved, family trees, and a FAQ section.

Naturally, with all the information in the guide, there will be some spoilers, although not to the plot of the books. I endeavored to keep the information largely independent from what happens in the actual stories.

If you prefer to be surprised even in terms of world-building, I have a little extra for you, a sneak peek into the first story, Werewolf’s Way, starring werewolf Graham Powers and sprite Caelyn Sutharlainn. You can also find it in this Companion and read it without fear of too many spoilers.

So, this guide can be used for many things—to give you a feel of the series, to make you remember interesting facts, and to help you monitor your favorite characters and their relationships along the way.

Without further ado, enjoy the Companion, and most of all, enjoy the series!

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 6.07.2013

Word count: 78.233 words

Buy link: Werewolf's Way 

Hundreds of years ago, werewolves and vampires started a war that nearly wiped out all of humankind. They lost, and to pay for their crimes, they became the slaves of the draechen, trapped by the provisions of the new Shifter Directive.

Now, Alpha Graham Powers still maintains hope that he will be able to free his people. When he is captured by a draechen patrol, he finds someone who might be more important to him than freedom itself. His mate, Caelyn Sutharlainn.

Caelyn is a sprite, belonging to a species that tried to cooperate with the nearly omnipotent draechen. But when Caelyn meets Graham, he knows he cannot allow the strong, proud Alpha to be crushed by the draechen’s ruthlessness.

Together, the two attempt to flee the draechen forces. But does their love have a chance of holding its own against an empire? Can the werewolf and the sprite find their way in a world that refuses to accept them?

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 20.07.2013

Word count: 80.962 words

Buy link: Draechen's Mate 

Black dragon Karein Tersain is the ultimate soldier. He has fought to contain the werewolves and vampires who once nearly destroyed the world, enforcing a Shifter Directive he doesn’t really believe in, all the while struggling with nightmares and plagued by restless guilt.

But as his two hundredth birthday approaches, his time is running out. Without a mate, he risks being killed by his own people. To top things off, his father, the draechen emperor, arranges his marriage with a fae, Sari Norrenddare.

A political match is the last thing Karein needs. Or so he thinks, until he meets Sari. The moment he sets his eyes on the beautiful fae, Karein realizes Sari is his true mate.

But even as the two men fall desperately in love with each other, Karein’s family aims to begin a war with the fae. Can the strength of one mate bond change the destinies of two peoples and save the paranormal world from chaos?

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 03.08.2013

Word count: 79.764 words

Buy link: Warrior's Dream

In the paranormal world, the greatest legend is that of fae prince Talrasar Myrthylar and his dragon mate, Kaelezrin Tersain. It is the story of the Great Sacrifice, a time when two warriors ended their own lives and their bond to save the world from destruction.

But their story isn’t over yet. An unexpected attack on their descendents suddenly brings them back, two men out of time, relics of a past long considered myth. However, once again their attempt to help costs them, and the two men are separated. Suffering from amnesia, Talrasar falls into the hands of an unlikely foe. A desperate Kael begins the quest to find his mate, enlisting the help of their descendents.

Meanwhile, a new political ploy threatens Ornoz and its shaky leadership. Can Talrasar and Kaelezrin navigate the murky waters of their chaotic future? Will their sacrifice finally be repaid, or is the warriors’ dream to have a family fated to never come true?

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 17.08.2013

Word count: 75.557 words

Buy link:  Naga's Concubine

Ice dragon Sagenamadeen Zager has always been a loyal soldier, renowned for his cold demeanor. But his life changes when Sage meets and falls in love with Prince Camden Isaiat.

Camden is the only one who truly manages to melt the ice around his heart. But Camden is also a naga, a member of the second caste and a chimera. Their love is a taboo. And it isn’t only the draechen who are against it, but also Camden’s family.

When Sage agrees to join them in the naga capital, he becomes little more than a concubine. But just as Sage and Camden decide they’ve had enough, a vampire ploy targets the naga. Mysterious forces are at work, and Sage is the only one who can keep his mate safe from them. Can he prove the true power of his mate bond surpasses all labels, or will distrust, hatred, and darkness separate him from his lover?

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 31.08.2013

Word count: 87.101 words

Buy link: Emperor's Consort

Ice dragon Hareem Tersain was born to lead the draechen empire. He thought nothing could become more important to him than Ornoz. He was wrong.

When his path crosses that of one beautiful werewolf, Hareem is torn between love and duty. For Hareem, Taryn Lovington, his mate, is perfect. But their bond is taboo. Other draechen would never accept a ninth caste member as an emperor’s consort and a werewolf’s child as an heir. Trying to protect Taryn, Hareem sends him away.

He doesn’t realize his foes know about his connection with Taryn. When Taryn is attacked by vampires, a chain of events is set into motion that reveals an unexpected enemy. Forced into unlikely alliances, cornered by the selfish desires of others, Hareem has to build a safer world, one where he and Taryn would be free to love each other. Will he succeed in this daunting task, or will he pay the ultimate price for making the attempt?

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 14.09.2013

Word count: 77.969 words

Buy link: Fire's Embrace

Draechen prince Rachen Tersain is desperately in love with sprite Alwyn Cyraltin, and is aware they share a bond. However, he still has trouble separating his identity from that of his twin brother. Thinking he doesn’t deserve a mate, he maintains an almost platonic relationship with Alwyn.

That changes when Alwyn comes to him, revealing his greatest fears and doubts. Rachen attempts to help his mate, but a vision from his brother-in-law, Sari, throws the Tersain into chaos. Now, Rachen has to fight to prove Alwyn’s innocence in front of his loved ones.

As the sexual tension between Alwyn and Rachen increases, so does the apprehension of the imperial family. With Alwyn’s powers growing and the Tersain struggling between their affection toward Rachen and their fears of the unknown, Rachen is the only one who can find a solution. Can he give his mate the love they both need, or will the fire of their passion be extinguished by Alwyn’s secrets?

Published by Siren Publishing

Date of publication: 28.09.2013

Word count: 94.016 words

Buy link: From the Ashes

What is the value of a law long considered obsolete? How does one decision affect the course of the entire history?

Most people never get the chance to find out, but Phoenix and Rachen do. Much to their dismay, they find themselves in a reality torn apart. The draechen emperor, Shtamakarein Tersain, rules the world with an iron fist, but he doesn’t realize his mate is the man he considers his worst foe, Sari. His brother Hareematek hunts the nearly extinct werewolves, not knowing that his other half is among them. The entire world—paranormal and human—is at war.

Phoenix now faces the hardest decision of all—having to choose between the life of his mate and that of countless others. And when his powers disappear, the situation grows even more hopeless.

Will love be enough to fix the broken bonds? Can the world be reborn from the ashes, or will it collapse into ruins of a mutated history?

Author guest: Pixie Storm and "Seducing the Vampire's Pet"

Hello, dear readers. Today, I'm welcoming one of my fellow Siren Publishing authors here at my blog. A round of applause for Pixie Storm!

Hello this is Pixie Storm here and thank you very much to Scarlet for hosting me today. I am here to talk about my new book, Seducing the Vampire’s Pet, which will be released from Siren Publishing on 20 June.

The Vampires in Love series was one I conceived in order to explore recurring characters at different points in their history. There’s such scope for vampires in that you can tell their story in different centuries and still hold the thread together. The big bad villain, Emil, came to life first. He’s older than time and no one knows where he came from. He’s an important, common theme that links all the books. After fleshing out my other characters, I looked at who would be the focus of the first book and how I could set up a secondary character who would then become the focus of the second book. As I write this, the second book is done and I know which character from that story will be the focus of the third book. All the characters are linked and most characters will appear in all books in the series unless I’ve killed them and even then they might still appear ;-)

Keep reading for the synopsis and an excerpt from the book.

Synopsis:

Severin lost his soul mate ten years ago. Now Nikolaus belongs to another vampire...
The vampire Severin Murnau gave up Nikolaus Mayr because he didn't want to turn the human. Now he finds Emil Meissner, his maker, has control of Nikolaus, holding the human as his pet in his castle in Bavaria.

Severin and his friend Istvan are at the castle for a gathering. There is unfinished business between Severin and Nikolaus. As soon as they set eyes on each other, their passion rages out of control just like ten years ago. Severin has never touched Nikolaus before. He let him go in the ultimate act of altruism. Now he’s desperate, forgetting all the promises he made to himself. His only option to taste what he’s never had appears to be to join Emil and Nikolaus in bed, but once isn’t enough and he’s not sure he wants to share...

Excerpt

Vienna 1885

Severin sat back on his uncomfortable metal chair and looked up at the stars in the black velvet sky. The beautiful man inside had seemed happy with his woman. Perhaps Severin should leave him be and go home now. But he didn’t want to go home hungry. What harm would it do to take a nip and leave the young man with little more than a headache? He didn’t have to kill him, did he?

He straightened up as he saw a pair of slender legs appear at the top of the terrace steps. The rest of the man’s body came into view – black suit, white linen. The moonlight shone on luminescent skin and for just a moment, Severin thought he felt his dead heart jump in his chest. He frowned, unsettled by the feeling. Victim, he reminded himself. Nothing else.

The man came down the steps and saw Severin sitting at the bottom instantly. He paused a moment, clearly torn, but perhaps good manners made him acknowledge Severin politely.

“It’s hot in there.” He spoke in a local accent. He was Austrian through and through.

Severin inclined his head. “And cool out here.”

The man made steady eye contact. His eyes were an astonishing violet colour, a sharp contrast with his black hair. He bit his lip a moment. “Nikolaus Mayr,” he said, holding out his hand.

Severin hesitated. The way the blood stirred in his veins, he was not sure he wanted to touch this man yet. But he did anyway. “Severin Murnau.” Nikolaus’s hand was small and delicate. Severin felt he could have crushed its bones in an instant. He felt the human’s energy flow into him. The man was young, perhaps twenty-one. His clear complexion was fresh and dewy. He had years of life ahead of him if only Severin left him alone this evening.

Nikolaus slid his hand free. He coughed and looked away, pretending to admire the sculpted gardens. Severin considered him. A man who liked men and fought his hardest against his desire? Possibly. Severin was sure he himself would feel more guilt if he was human and not vampire. As it was, taking men didn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Both would get him killed in the end.

“Why don’t you sit for a moment?” Severin suggested, using his kindest, most seductive tone.

Nikolaus looked torn, posture tense as though ready to flee. Did he sense the danger? He sank into the chair beside Severin. Only the table separated the vampire from having his wicked way. He glanced around. They were too close to the steps. Anyone descending could see them. Nikolaus was lucky so far. Severin would have to lure him deeper into the garden, which he had no doubt he could do.

He glanced at his companion when Nikolaus sighed. “Are you unwell, sir?”

“Forgive me,” Nikolaus said. “I’m tired.” He passed a hand over his face and for a moment looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Severin licked his lips. “The lady you are with tonight, is she your wife?

Nikolaus laughed. “Good God, no. Anna is someone my parents force me to take on social outings. They expect I will marry her.”

Severin digested the words a moment. Here was a man trapped by social convention. “Do you want to marry her?”

Nikolaus bowed his head and squeezed his eyes shut. He shook his head tightly.

“I’m sorry,” Severin said. He was dangerously close to feeling human emotions he had not known in five hundred years.

Nikolaus looked at him in surprise. “Why are you sorry? You don’t know me.”

Severin had upset him. “Forgive me,” he said and marvelled at the conciliatory tone in his voice. He could take this man by force if he wanted, why was he sitting here soothing Nikolaus’s ravaged soul like he gave a damn?

Nikolaus exhaled loudly. “No, forgive me. I’m rude.” He glanced toward the steps. “I’m thirsty.”

Severin pushed his barely-touched wine toward him. “Please.”

Nikolaus took the glass and drank some of the liquid. Severin watched him swallow, Adam’s apple undulating and his spine prickled with heady arousal. His cock filled, his balls started to ache for satisfaction. He had been intending to merely drink from this man but he wanted so much more.

Nikolaus wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. He glanced at Severin with a shy smile that showed pearly teeth. That disused heart of Severin’s clenched and seemed to throb. “That’s good,” Nikolaus said.

“Finish it,” Severin said, thinking alcohol would loosen Nikolaus up, even if it would make Severin drunk too by proxy.

Nikolaus drained the last mouthful. He put the glass down and looked at it a moment. “I should go back inside.”

“Why don’t you take a turn around the gardens with me?” Severin suggested smoothly. “You look flushed.”

Nikolaus touched his own cheek self-consciously. He stood. “Perhaps a few minutes.” He set off walking and behind him, Severin smiled.

Buy here