Today I am so pleased to welcome Lark Taylor to Joyfully Jay. Lark has come to talk to us about her latest release, Devil’s Mark. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

Exclusive Excerpt

“I’ll give it to him. You are a rather lovely specimen.” The man holding me leered. “Shame I don’t dally with humans. If I did, I’d take great pleasure in…”

I didn’t get to hear the depraved thing he was about to say. There were two sickening crunches, and his body was ripped from mine. Before I could make sense of what was happening, a different figure caught me, stopping me from hitting the floor.

A warm spiced scent filled my nostrils, calming me. The chest against mine was shirtless. The arms bracketing me felt familiar, and the hands tracing the bruising on my neck were gentle.

“Are you hurt?”

Cal.

Somehow, it was Cal holding me up, checking me all over for injuries. Cal who had appeared at my moment of need. My brain couldn’t process what was happening. I hadn’t seen him since I’d walked away from him a week ago, yet, here he was.

I was frozen solid and unable to speak as I tried to make sense of the last few minutes. My eyes drifted over his shoulder to see what had happened to the other guys, but my view was blocked by massive black wings.

Wings that appeared to be protruding from Cal’s back.

What the fuck?

“I think I’m going to faint,” I said weakly. This was too much. All I’d wanted was some ice cream.

“Here, let me help you,” Cal said, supporting my weight until I was sitting on the dirty ground. He put a gentle hand on the back of my neck. “Head between your legs, sweetheart. Take some deep breaths for me.”

I did as he instructed, but a groan and scuffling noise had me trying to pull my head up to see what was going on. Cal’s eyes snapped sideways, looking at something I couldn’t see. His eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth in a snarl.

I couldn’t help but pull back with a whimper. Seeing the fury on his face was much worse than when the bad-breath guy had me pinned by the throat. At the sound, Cal turned back to me, his expression softening. He gave me a small smile, but it didn’t disguise the storm of rage swirling in his eyes.

“Can you do me a favour, sweetheart?”

I nodded, my voice not cooperating.

He pushed my head back between my knees with a tenderness I was coming to associate with him. Stopping to soothingly run his fingers over my hair, he leaned down, his breath a hot whisper on my ear.

“Close your eyes. Don’t open them until I say.”

Blurb

The Reckless Damned, Book 1

Cal and his brothers turned their backs on the family business over a hundred years ago – but Hell is tired of waiting for them to return.

Cal

I’ve never wanted a relationship – especially not with a human. With my father demanding my return to Hell and a demon leaving dead bodies in my bookshop, now is not the time to be losing my heart. But one look in Oscar’s broken eyes and I know I’m in trouble.  Oscar’s been hurt before and everything in me is screaming to keep him safe. How can I do that when I know being with me will only put him in more danger?

More importantly though, am I strong enough to walk away from him?

Oscar

After escaping my last relationship with broken bones and an anxiety disorder, I’m tired of living half a life. My world revolves around my classroom, flat, and best friend. When fate throws Cal in my path, he seems too good to be true. Not only does he look like he’s been pulled from my fantasies, but my baggage doesn’t scare him. Ok, so there’s the tiny issue of him being a demon, but I’ve dealt with far scarier.

I’ve been broken once before, and I don’t think I’d survive it again. Can I pull down my barriers enough to let Cal in?

Devil’s Mark is a thrilling high heat, hurt/comfort, M/M contemporary paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliff-hanger. It features a possessive demon and the broken teacher who captures his heart.  ‘Devil’s Mark is the first in The Reckless Damned series but can be read as a standalone. Each book focuses on a different couple and will have a HEA.

Trigger warning for emotional abuse and domestic violence in a previous relationship, anxiety attacks, and descriptions of violence.

• Universal Link
• Goodreads

Bio

Lark lives with her family in southern England. An obsessive romance fan, she loves nothing more than a Happily Ever After – especially if there’s a good plot and a hefty amount of spice along the way. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found hiding from adult life in escape rooms, travel, and the MCU. As a Bi woman with OCD, Lark is a fervent supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community and an advocate for mental health awareness and support.

Connect with Lark:

• www.larktaylorauthor.com
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/1144897442996482
• https://twitter.com/LarkAutho
• @larktaylorauthor (Instagram)

Giveaway

To celebrate Lark’s debut, we’re giving away a $10 Amazon Voucher & an e-copy of Devil’s Mark! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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