Her eyes narrowed and her hand snaked under the pillow. “It’s not wise to enter a lady’s bedchamber without her consent.”
Ward plastered on his calmest, gentlest expression. The newly wakened dead often assumed they had just roused from sleep. “You’ve been unwell.”
Her icy blue eyes examined him, her gaze jumping from his face, to his wig, to his jacket, and back to his face. “Unwell? Is that what my father told you?”
“In a manner of speaking.” She wasn’t acting the way she was supposed to.
Noblewomen, particularly those around his age, were usually demure or aloof—not suspicious.
“Well, I’m fine, and I’m sorry my father troubled you.” She threw back the covers, sat up, and stepped onto the thick rug. “Now go, be a good doctor, and tell my family I’m healthy and sleeping.” She punctuated her last word by pulling her nightdress over her head, revealing a slim waist, athletic muscles, and pale skin marked with the purple bruises of livor mortis along her back. And no other clothes.
“But—” He flushed and spun around to face the wall. “What are you doing?” No. Wait. What was he doing? He’d seen a dead naked woman before. Just never like this.
She chuckled. “I’m going for a walk.”
“A what? No—You can’t.” She really wasn’t acting the way she was supposed to.
“I beg to differ.”
The situation was spiraling out of hand. Damn it, he had to take control. He was the necromancer, she the newly awakened. She was supposed to listen to him.
He turned to confront her. Thankfully, she was fully dressed—in men’s clothes, but at least she was dressed. “Listen, I—”
She slipped her hand under her pillow and removed a sheathed dagger.
Great Goddess! She kept a dagger under her pillow? Ward inched toward the door to block her escape without appearing obvious, although he had no idea what he’d do if she fought him. Why did he always get stuck with the difficult corpses?
About WARD AGAINST DEATH - CHRONICLES OF A RELUCTANT NECROMANCER - Book One
Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.
But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.
However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…
Get your copy of Ward Against Death at:
About Melanie Card
Melanie has always been drawn to storytelling and can't remember a time when she wasn’t creating a story in her head. Her early stories were adventures with fairies and dragons and sword swinging princesses.
Today she continues to spin tales of magic in lands near and far, while her cat sits on the edge of her desk and supervises. When she’s not writing, you can find her pretending to be other people with her local community theatre groups.
Connect with Melanie:
Giveaway!
Melanie Card is giving away one eBook Copy of WARD AGAINST DEATH to one of our readers!
This giveaway is open INTERNATIONAL as long as you have a way of reading the book.
This giveaway ends one week from today.
Must be 13 or older to enter.
Must follow Rafflecopter below!
Good Luck!
This is going to be a bit different from most books out there right now. There aren't many books where the necromancer is the lead. I've read a couple both by Kelley Armstrong. I look forward to the read.
ReplyDeletevsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
This sounds like it's going to be be good. I want to read more after that little teaser! ;)
ReplyDeleteNow this is a book I can get into. It's not the normal thing out on the market today. I love the oddity books.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the introduction to it.
The surgeon-turned-necromancer angle does sound intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI just felled in love in author's writing style because of the excerpt! Seems amazing!
ReplyDeleteWard Against Death sounds really good! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteLoved the spotlight on this book. I've been really curious about it. The premise is definitely intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to NOLA this year and I would love to get to know this author better and read her book because it sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe teaser makes me want more!! Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fantastic book...thank you so much
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway. I would love to read this book. It sounds very good. Tore923@aol.com
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds ridiculously good and I can't wait to read it. I like necromancer stories because there is so much that you can do with the story. Thanks for posting about it.
ReplyDeleteCant wait to read this book it sounds amazing.Thank you for this chance to win it.Have a fantastic weekend .
ReplyDeleteOoh, love the cover. :D sounds good too. :D
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome cover and the story sounds fantastic. Thanks for the giveaway! :D
ReplyDeleteYes the cover is gorgeous. I saw one review for this and I really want to read it!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like it would be a really good series! I'm excited to check it out :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like she doesnt't really know she is dead... Sounds great! :D
ReplyDeleteLook good!
ReplyDeleteThe only necromancer book I've read is Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride. I hope this book is funny as well!
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt and cover.
ReplyDeleteI have never read a necromancer book before, but I love the aspect that nothing is as it seems with the female character. I would love to see how it all comes together and if the ever find the justice she seeks.
ReplyDeletei love the cover and the excerpt
ReplyDeleteI like what I see and can't wait to like what I read. If my gal pal Damarias say's its kickass, I'm there. Way to go girl! See you in NOLA!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! First review I've seen on this book. Definitely going on my wishlist if I \don't win a copy.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds pretty darn intriguing. I really like the cover; it is very eye-catching. I think, if the whole book is as good as the excerpt, we might just have a prize on our hands. Can't wait to find out!
ReplyDeleteSounds really really good - and it sure doesn't hurt that the cover is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book also love the cover! Great post thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI have not heard about this book until I read your blog post! OMG, now I really want to read it :).
ReplyDeleteYaay! Thanks so much. I saw that I won on Twitter, and I am excited! I didn't get an email, though, and I wanted to let you know so I didn't pass the deadline without knowing it. Just in case, here is my address again.
ReplyDeletejeepgirl529(at)yahoo(dot)com