Witches Be Burned
Magic & Mayhem # 2
By: Stacey Kennedy
Releasing May 19th, 2015
Loveswept
Blurb
In Stacey Kennedy’s steamy paranormal romance novel, a rookie guardian sworn to combat the undead risks life and love in a world of violence, witchcraft, and seduction.
Nexi Jones has lost her family, she’s been stripped of her guardian duties, and she’s still learning the ins and outs of white magic. At least she has Kyden, the smoldering hot elite guardian who’s been there for her every step of the way. But just as Nexi completes her training, tragedy strikes the Otherworld when a fellow guardian is murdered by a group of rogue vampires. Ready or not, she and Kyden trek into the Earthworld to hunt down a killer—and Nexi alone will be put to the ultimate test.
Although Kyden knows that Nexi must fight her own battles, his guardian instincts are raging as he struggles to keep her close. The ruthlessness of these vampires is like nothing he’s ever seen. And at their helm is the Black Witch Astoria, a demon with one burning desire: to shed Nexi’s blood in the name of vengeance. What troubles Kyden even more, though, is the warlock who covets Nexi’s heart. Let the devil do his worst . . . all Kyden can do is love and protect Nexi until his last breath.
Overall Rating: 4 Rockin’ ★★★★
If you love a good Paranormal Romance then look no more because Witches be Burned (Magic & Mayhem Book 2) by Stacey Kennedy is the one you are looking for! In this steamy, sexy paranormal world you will meet characters that tug at your imagination while drawing you into a world that is filled with mystery and the unknown. The pages sizzle with seduction and hot alpha maleness! This is the story of an Elite Guardian that just happens to be a witch that was raised as a human and the immortal that loves her.
When all your life you thought you were human, the discovery that you are more can be difficult to accept. Nexi Jones was raised by human parents and shielded from other paranormal species by a protective spell. Her life changed forever when she found out about those around her that were not human. She was trained to be an Elite Guardian and a witch once her true identity was uncovered. Drawn into the Otherworld she falls in love with Kyden, a leader of the Elite Guardians. Nexi refuses to take a backseat and pushes Kyden to see that she can take care of herself and be a part of the Guardians that protect the Earthworld and its inhabitants.
He is a protective alpha male that will go to any lengths to keep Nexi safe from those that could harm her. Kyden is a trained Elite Guardian and the fact that he had almost lost Nexi to a rogue vampire master is more than he can handle. It is important to him that she stay safe and out of dangers way, the only problem with that is Nexi. When strange things begin to take place and immortals start to die, he becomes more protective. There are too many indicators that someone is making rogue vampires and they are out for blood, but whose blood?
Kyden and Nexi will work together to solve the unexpected deaths of other Guardians and who is creating the rogue vampires. But operating behind the scene, unknown to everyone lurks an evil that they may not be able to overcome.
Hero: Kyden 4 stars
Heroine: Nexi 4 stars
Steam: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Cliffhanger: No
Would I recommend this book: Yes! Hot sexy immortal, wicked other worldly beings, and a feisty world that will control her own destiny. This book has it all!
Would I recommend this author: Yes! When it comes to creating a world of paranormal beings and telling their stories, no one can compete with Stacey Kennedy! Everything within her storyline is well thought out and each character takes on its on persona with a realistic touch that makes the reader part of that world.
***Received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review***
Author Info
Stacey Kennedy is the USA Today bestselling author of the Club Sin series. Growing up, Stacey’s mind wandered the path less traveled, and that path most often led to love. She has always broken rules and she continues to feed off emotion—always staying true to her heart. Those traits are now the bones of her stories. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who puts any of the heroes in her books to shame, and their two young children. If she’s not on Mom duty or plugging away at a new story, you’ll find Stacey camping in the summer, hibernating in the winter, and obsessing over Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones, and Sons of Anarchy.
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Excerpt
Hot irritation burned like a blast of Fire magic through Nexi as her feet connected with the grass below. She snapped her eyes open the split second the raw energy from the portal vanished. Dressed in her typical female guardian gear of a brown leather bra and kilt, with a scabbard across her shoulder that held her sword on her back, she nearly stepped forward but then noticed Haven approaching. Heady amusement nearly stole her irritation, but that emotion didn’t belong to her. It belonged to Haven.
More important, it belonged to their soul-bond.
A deep connection gifted these two witches belonging to the same coven. The link was a sensitive one, allowing for emotions to be shared, making them closer. Nexi often wondered if that’s why the bond existed—it made the ties to a coven that much tighter.
As Nexi caught sight of Haven’s smile, she grumbled, “This is so not funny.”
“Yeah, it kinda is.” The softness in her voice was just so Haven, as was the warmth in her stare. “I told Kyden he was dead for leaving you behind.”
“Dead is an understatement.” Nexi shook her head in pure frustration, gazing around the tree-lined street. When silence greeted her, she added, “You think he’d know better than to piss a woman off who carries a sword and damn well knows how to use it.”
Haven snorted a laugh. “Apparently not.”
Nexi sighed, cooling the irritation inside. Anger would get her nowhere with Kyden, and would only put him on alert. “That caveman needs to get some sense smacked into him.”
Haven gave a leveled look. “He’s just worried about you.”
“I get that—and appreciate it,” Nexi replied with a bit of bite. “But being worried and shielding me completely are two totally different things.”
Sadness reached Haven’s eyes, leaving Nexi wondering if her soul-sister agreed with Kyden. Maybe Haven wanted Nexi away from the danger as well. It’s not that Nexi didn’t understand why Kyden’s macho behavior had increased this past month, because, well, she did.
While Kyden had a typical upbringing in his supernatural life, Nexi’s life had more of a dramatic flair. Twenty-five years ago, the power hungry vampire, Lazarus, wanted to return Earth to the time when vampires were hunters instead of feeding off bagged blood or willing humans. To do this, he killed Nexi’s birth mother, Tillie, for the power within her blood. A task only obtained by drinking a witch to death. A large portion, or even half, of a witch’s blood wouldn’t have any effect, but to drain a witch to her last breath resulted in a transfer of powers.
When the power wasn’t enough for him to succeed in his takeover of the Council to rule the Otherworld, he went into hiding to avoid being hunted by the Council for his crimes. It was at that time, Nexi’s birth father, Drake, sent her into the Earthworld to live among humans for protection.
Then Lazarus devised his plan to return for Nexi to steal her unique power.
He and his pack of werewolves almost killed Nexi and Kyden in the process.
Yet there was one thing Lazarus never counted on: Nexi.
He certainly didn’t see it coming when she ended his life—since her magic, as both
guardian and witch, proved stronger than the vampire jacked up on Tillie’s magic.
She sighed at her thoughts and added to Haven, “I get that Kyden’s . . . sensitive . . . about it all, but he needs to stop protecting me.” Since that night with Lazarus, she hadn’t looked back. Of course, Kyden wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with her on that point. With her witch magic now centered in soul, and with six months of guardian fighting behind her, she’d never been stronger. Something that Kyden was choosing to ignore, and the reason why he hadn’t taken her out on an assignment yet.
Haven placed a comforting hand on Nexi’s arm and a dose of balmy love seeped into the bond. “Perhaps the problem is you’re both just guardians who want to protect what they feel is most important to them.”
