SYNOPSIS
Lexie Arden and her fiancé, Will Bennett, are determined to rescue the neglected Mount Desert Island landmark. They want to make Altmover Manor their home. But Magnus has other plans.
A spirit bound to his former residence, Magnus finds himself inexplicably drawn to the young woman. She has a supernatural gift; a gift Magnus wants to exploit.
As Lexie and Will settle in, secrets from Magnus's past begin to surface. Compelled to learn all she can about the former owner, Lexie becomes immersed in a world of voodoo, curses, and the whereabouts of a mysterious dragon cane.
Magnus's crimes won't be so easily forgotten, and what Lexie unearths is going to change the future ... for everyone.
"... seamlessly blends mystery, magic and matters of the heart to create and enthralling read." ―RT Book Reviews
"Damned is absolutely riveting, an absolute page turner. Just when you think the carnival ride is over you discover it's barley begun... If you only read one book, this should be it." ―Tracy Riva, Midwest Book Review
"Damned is full of intricate characters, voodoo, and a luxurious setting that will steal your breath away. You'll want to follow Magnus and Lexie to Hell and back, and that's stunningly likely." ―Mercedes B. Yardley, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of Little Dead Red
EXCERPT
FOUR:
A horrible nightmare woke Lexie
before dawn. Her heart thudded, and her damp nightshirt clung to her back. Will
remained in a peaceful slumber next to her.
When she swung
her legs over the side of the bed, the dream came back to her. In the living
room of the house, two men—mere shadows—had been out to destroy each other. She
attempted to stop them, but couldn’t. Lexie reasoned the dream resulted from
the previous day’s events.
Not wanting to
go back to sleep, she stood and reached for her fuzzy robe. She craved coffee
to clear her head and a few minutes of peace.
In the kitchen,
she loaded the coffeemaker and waited for the muddy liquid to fill the pot. The
first rays of sunlight crept over the floor, and she ran her fingers through
the beams. It was a shame the house had endured such misery. It was a beautiful
place to live.
Coffee in hand,
she had a seat at the kitchen table and put her feet up on a chair.
“You’re up,”
Will said from behind her.
“Couldn’t
sleep.” She spoke without turning around.
He filled a mug
with coffee. “Wanna talk about it?”
“I’m okay.”
Still in his
blue pajama bottoms, he lifted her feet from the chair placing them in his lap as
he sat.
“You never get
up this early unless something’s bothering you.” He took a sip from his mug.
“When you’re sad, you eat ice cream. When Angela ticks you off, you drink. And
when something is really bothering you, you don’t sleep.”
“You know me pretty
well, don’t you?”
“I know you,
baby.” His hand rubbed along her calf. “I’m sorry I was such a grouch
yesterday. This house must be getting to me. I shouldn’t have said the things I
did.”
“It’s fine. I
understand. We’ve both been under a lot of stress lately. And you’re right,
this house is getting to us.”
“So if you’re
not mad at me, what’s wrong?”
She put her
coffee mug on the table. “This house is haunted, Will.” She bit her thumbnail
while she waited, anxious for his reply.
“Okay. Why do
you think this house is haunted?” he asked, remaining calm.
“I’ve spoken to Magnus
Blackwell’s ghost, and I’ve
seen Jacob O’Connor. They’re here, trapped in this house.”
“I’ll admit you
do have a gift. You can sense things I can’t begin to grasp. I’m trying to
understand it, but this is new territory for me. Tell me how to help you.”
She eased closer
to him. “Stay open minded for me. If I have to appease you and a house filled
with discontented ghosts, I may have to leave.”
He put his
coffee down and pulled her into his lap. “Don’t ever leave, Lexie. I’d die without
you.”
Her tears
blurred her vision as his arms held her close. “I never want to leave you.”
“From now on, I
swear I will listen to your ghost stories and not get angry. And if you can
talk to ghosts,” he nuzzled her neck, “ask them where the family treasure is
buried.”
Relieved, Lexie
laughed and wiped her eyes. “You got it.”
“I need this
house to work, baby. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. I’ll do
whatever necessary to keep it.”
In the distance,
a rumble of thunder shook the house.
“Storm’s coming.”
“Yeah,” Lexie
agreed. “Sounds like a big one…”
Copyright
© 2017 by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor
My Review
This read held more than I expected...I thought it was just going to be about a ghost causing problems with new people doing renovations on his mansion, but it turned a totally different angle leading to voodoo and high priestess.
Magnus Blackwell was a horrible person while he was alive, and I think now he is trying to make amends. He is attached to Lexie, and helps guide her through her journey in New Orleans to learn something huge about herself that she would have never dreamed for herself.
I feel that Magnus was my favorite character in this story, even though Lexie was the main focus. I would like to learn more about Magnus. I enjoyed Lexie and Magnus banter back and forth.
It was a fun story to read and if you like a little bit of spooky with a dash of murder, this story is for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author of over twenty-seven novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers Association, Weis writes mystery, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.
Lucas Astor is a multi-award-winning author from New York. He has resided in Central America, the Middle East, and traveled throughout Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight. He is a writer and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.
Weis and Astor’s first collaboration was the multi-award-winning Magnus Blackwell Series.
PHOTO CONTENT FROM ALEXANDREA WEIS AND LUCAS ASTOR
TWITTER: @alexandreaweis
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I just finished reading Blackwell and I'm excited to continue with this series.
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