What Scares You? Guest Blog and Giveaway with Gabriella Hewitt

What scares you?

There are some pretty scary mythological creatures in the Aztec lore. In OUT OF THE SHADOWS, there are a few monsters bent on destroying humanity and the love of Carolina and Tomás.

One fearsome creature is the TZITZIMIME (don’t ask me how to pronounce it) it is an ancient celestial being sent down to earth to destroy humanity and cultivate the souls and bodies of people who have lived evil live or disobeyed the gods.





The other creature is the ancient serpent god, XIUHCOATL: A deity known as the Fire Serpent and God of Drought. He threatens to extinguish the world with his mighty fire breath.

Both are frightening and have immense power. As a child I used to read stories or listen to my parents tell me stories of creatures from their home countries. Freaked me out! I swear I used to look for monsters under my bed.

Both the tzitzimime and fire serpent are featured in OUT OF THE SHADOWS, the first novella in the SHADOW WARRIOR series from Samhain Publishing.




When the last shadow warrior falls, so will all humanity.

With each demon he vanquishes in service to the Aztec sun god, Tomás fulfills his duty to defend humankind—and surrenders another piece of his humanity to his wolf spirit. All hope seems lost until a mission leads him to the door of the one thing he thought he’d never find…his spirit mate.

The only woman who can save him from oblivion.

When Carolina hears the wolf’s howl, it pierces the very core of her lonely heart. Yet she dare not answer. As the last guardian of her land and the secret it contains, she is haunted by the mistake that cost the lives of her family. Never will she repeat that mistake, especially with a warrior who is more beast than man.

Chasing away the demon is easier than breaching the barriers around the heart of the young woman who possesses a strange power over water—and his very soul. But if they are to survive the night, he must convince her they are destined to stand together.


EXCERPT

A wolf’s howl pierced the desert silence, causing the animals to stir restlessly in their stalls. Wolves had been reintroduced into Arizona, but she had yet to see or hear one so close to her ranch. Was it an omen?

Carolina paused in her chores to stare out the open barn door into the gathering darkness.
For a moment, she let herself get caught up in the long, solitary note. It felt like a kindred spirit. She knew loneliness intimately. Only her loneliness did not come from the vast miles of the sun-parched Sonoran desert that surrounded her, but out of the necessity to protect her goddess, her land’s secret. As one of the few amongst her people to become a guardian, her choices were limited.

The one occasion she’d invested herself in another, he’d betrayed her. She’d foolishly placed her hope and trust in Billy and she’d paid a horrendous price. Her desire to find someone to share the workload, her joy and sadness, and the burden of her secret—just as her parents had done—had blinded her to the trap she’d walked into. By the time she understood what was happening, it was too late. Her parents were dead.

Her heart weighed heavy in her chest as if it had happened recently and not five years ago. The memory of her parents lingered too close to the surface today. This had been their land, their dream, and now it was hers to fight for. She’d vowed never to fail them again. Above her own needs came the higher purpose of protecting her goddess at all costs.

Her mare, Mariposa, snorted and reared up, pulling Carolina from her thoughts. The animals had been growing edgier with each passing minute. They sensed the evil that blew in with the warm desert breeze. She berated herself for not paying more attention to them.
Goose bumps prickled her skin. Her tattoo, a gift from the goddess, began a slow burn on her shoulder, a sure sign that evil was approaching. She felt the heat radiating through the fabric of her denim shirt. The last time she’d experienced the odd sensation, her world had fallen apart.

Cautiously, she turned her head, seeking the source.

Her breath came out in a gasp.

Less than ten feet away sat a magnificent gray wolf, watching her. Waiting.


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Gabriella Hewitt is the pen name of creative writing talents Sasha Tomaszycki and Patrizia M.J. Hayashi. Together they weave tales of romantic suspense and dangerously sensual paranormals.

Check out the website www.GabriellaHewitt.com

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So tell me what scares you?

In honor of today, October 17th, my birthday

I am giving away two copies of my ebooks --

1) DARK WATERS, a romantic suspense featuring el chupacabre. First in the ICE series from Samhain Publish. Read an Excerpt.

2) OUT OF THE SHADOWS, contemporary paranormal romance based on Aztec mythology.

Leave a comment with your email address and

which ebook you would prefer.