Today I am so pleased to welcome Nazri Noor to Joyfully Jay. Nazri has come to talk to us about his latest release, Hex and the City. He has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving Nazri a big welcome!
Exclusive Excerpt
“I know you’re just another cat burglar,” I snarled, tugging on his collar. Still no reaction, still nothing on his lips apart from that same knowing smile.
“Another?” he asked. “Then you’re admitting that you’re a cat burglar, too.”
“No, I didn’t, and no, I’m not. I’m a professional. A relic finder. And you? You’re just sloppy.”
The corner of his mouth quivered, a momentary darkening in his eyes. I held back from smiling myself. It was so satisfying, watching his cheerful façade crumble. His brows furrowed, lips turning up into a boyish pout. Offended. Incredibly, annoyingly kissable.
I swallowed, cleared my throat, feeling my defenses giving. “Give me the bag, and no one has to get hurt. Hand it over now, or — ”
“Or what?” He licked his lips, the soft pink of his tongue just a temporary, tempting flicker. This time his grin was defiant, posing a challenge. “What are you going to do to me, you big, strong man?”
Rough fingers crept up the back of my neck, teasing at the line where my hair met my skin. I restrained from shuddering, hardening my muscles, afraid that the rush of blood through my body might result in hardening something else. His fingers tangled, teased, pulled.
Oh, God. Was this really happening? Here, now? Was this magic? It couldn’t be. I should have sensed it. My training. My discipline. Should have —
“Tell me,” said the rascal with the clear brown eyes. “What would you do to me?”
I could hear nothing but the thump of blood in my temples, the faint, pitiful whispers of my breath.
“Fine, then. Don’t speak.”
His long fingers glided across my skin, cupped my jaw. Only a light roughness to his palm, his hand mostly soft, his touch gentle, yet strong. The strange man smiled, brought his face closer, his lips within reach. My mouth parted.
“Here’s what I would do to you,” he muttered, his breath like the slowest, warmest breeze against my skin. What the fuck? This was happening. This was really happening. My lashes, my very heart fluttered in anticipation. I blinked.
I screamed. Towering behind the man was an enormous serpent, its scales as bright and sharp as gemstones, its body undulating like ocean waves. It wasn’t a snake, that much I knew, because snakes didn’t have rows of razor-sharp teeth. Snakes weren’t supposed to breathe fire.
The dragon opened its mouth.
I fell on my ass, kicking at the ground as I scrambled away from the flames, somehow forgetting all of my arcane training. I was shielding my face with my arm, of all things. But the heat, the smoke, the singeing of my skin and flesh never came.
“What the hell just happened?” I stammered, scanning the room before me. Unchanged, unburnt, like the dragonfire had never existed.
The dragon was gone. And so was the smiling man.
Blurb
Stolen Hearts, Book 1
Leon Alcantara is a real son of a witch.
The last in a proud line of witches, he’s come to test his small magic in the big city. Stealing enchanted artifacts pays the rent, but the competition is fierce. And handsome. And great at magic, too.
But Maximilian Drake and his dark, brooding glances are the least of Leon’s problems. A chain of anomalies surges through the city, strange distortions in reality that threaten both Dos Lunas and its people.
Suspected by the arcane authorities, Leon is forced to work with his nemesis to clear his name. But Max is so secretive over his shrouded past. Can he even be trusted? Leon must decide before the anomalies destroy the city — and his entire life.
Bio
Nazri Noor is a California-based author of Filipino and Malaysian descent. He can curse fluently in three languages, but only writes in English. He also speaks just enough Sindarin and Valyrian to impress absolutely no one. Nazri loves writing urban fantasy heroes who use wits, style, and their wildly unpredictable magic to save the day. They often fall in love, too.
Catch up with Nazri:
- https://www.nazrinoor.com/
- books.nazrinoor.com/exmachina
- https://twitter.com/NazriNoor
- https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatestNazriNoor/
- https://www.instagram.com/nazrinoor/
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/NazriNoor
Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Hex in the City, Nazri is giving 3 e-copies of the release! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
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- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize. In order to facilitate prize distribution, the winner name’s and email may be provided to a third party awarding the prize.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Void where prohibited by law.
