How's life in your neck of the woods? Has spring "sprung" for you yet, or is your home still buried in layers of snow? ❄ If you're down in Oz, have the trees seized their autumn crowns? Send me a reply & let me know!

(Really, if you live in the southern hemisphere, I'd love to know when your leaves change from green to yellow, orange, and red. 🍂 That generally happens in September & October around here.)

I've got a fun snippet from Gift of Darkness to share with you today—hint in this newsletter's title—along with an updated photo of Ash. 🐱 Then the usual book fair & a few indie reads that have caught my eye...aaaaaand maybe a sneaky link to the first 3 chapters in Doro & Amira's love story. 😍

No point in beating around the bush. Let's dive in!

Gift of Darkness Snippet

I figured it's time I share a fun snippet with you, since the last two have been a little more solemn. We've met Doro & Amira—two adopted sisters, one Teuton witch & one outsider who long to build a magical life together. We know there's only one way for Amira to become a witch like Doro—through the sinister & often deadly ritual known as the Teutonic blood-transfer. 🩸

And we also know Doro hasn't had much luck finding a Teuton priest willing to perform the ritual on their behalf. So she's seriously thinking about propositioning an entity most Teutons fear—a Black Priest of Wuotan, also known as "undead male who wields death magic."

Just an everyday problem for an elemental witch, right? 😏

Let's join up with Amira & Doro as they meet one of Doro's witchy friends at a local pizzeria. But Amira soon discovers this friend has some secrets of her own . . . .

“Pretty sure Teya’s already here,” Doro murmured in my ear as we walked hand-in-hand toward Emi Pizzeria’s entrance.

Something in her aura prompted me to edge closer to her, a nervous twinge running along my spine. “Can you sense yellow fire inside?”

“Not just yellow fire. There’s a dark spirit lurking on the roof. A potent one.” Her irises lightened from black to dark blue when we reached the entrance. Doro yanked the door open and tugged me inside, as if to shield me from what watched us from above. Teya’s mysterious husband? Was he really a Black Priest?

In a haze of uncertainty, I followed Doro to a table beside the window that overlooked the street. Like she predicted, Teya occupied the seat facing the main portion of the restaurant, her back to the wall. Her black hair was styled in braided rows pulled back from her face in a ponytail, mirrored sunglasses hiding her eyes from any and all as she studied the menu.

“Hey girl, what’s up?” Doro greeted Teya as she pulled a chair out to sit across from her. I waved shyly and sat beside my fiancée, setting my purse onto the floor between our chairs.

“Ah, don’t put it there. I can guard your purse here on the booth.” Teya laid her menu down and held out a hand, her brows arching above her sunglasses.

“Good idea.” Doro handed over her clutch, and I passed my purse over the table, admiring the smooth umber hue of Teya’s fingers. A gorgeous fire witch who hardly fit the stereotypical definition of ‘Teuton.’

“You already know what you’re getting?” Doro passed me a menu, and I glanced at the list of sodas before flipping to the pizzas.

Teya breathed out a heavy sigh. “Probably the Diavolo. Have to admit, I was really excited about coming here. Haven’t had a pizza in a while. But my husband tells me Austrians eat pizza with a knife and fork. Why?”

Doro and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. “For real, I’ve seen the kinds of pizzas they sell around here. They’re thin like a pizza from New York. You don’t cut that with a knife and fork! You use a pizza cutter to slice it up, then eat the pieces one by one.”

“I’ve never really thought about it,” I managed to say through my laughter.

“So what, Americans eat pizza with their fingers?” Doro asked. “I thought that was just something people did in movies.” I giggled, and a waiter arrived before Teya could comment further. Doro and I ordered Cokes, while Teya chose Apfelschorle.

“No pepperoni. None,” Teya remarked after the waiter had gone, drumming her fingers on the table. “Salami, prosciutto, tuna, fungi. But no pepperoni.”

“Sounds like pizza’s an entirely foreign experience in the U.S.” Doro smirked at me, and I snickered again. We needed to eat out with Teya more often.

When the waiter returned with our drinks, we all ordered pizzas. The spicy one for Teya, mushrooms for me, and salami for Doro. Teya gave us an extensive rundown of the Italian-American foods one could get in New York City, most of which sounded sinfully delicious. Although I did not have a strong urge to travel, her food descriptions might convince me otherwise.

“There’s a lot of stuff I might never eat again, now that I live here. But the Jägerschnitzel should keep me satisfied, no lie.” Teya took a sip from her glass, a contented expression gracing her face.

“You’re from New Jersey, right?” I asked her, reaching back to readjust my own ponytail. As usual, strays had escaped to tickle my neck.

“Yep. Just a fifteen minute drive from the Verrazano. The bridge into New York City,” she clarified when she noticed my look of confusion.

“How exactly did you end up in Austria? As a Teuton witch?” I lowered my voice when I spoke the question I had wanted to ask since the day Doro told me an American Teuton had joined Lady Ilsa’s gathering.

“Hmm.” Teya set her chin upon her fist and turned her face toward Doro. “The truth isn’t so pretty, I’d better warn you.”

“We’ve been through some shit in our lives. We can handle it,” Doro said immediately, clasping my left hand in her right. I met her gaze, and we exchanged grim nods. I had a feeling Teya had faced worse struggles than our own.

Teya pursed her lips, looking at Doro for several seconds before turning her head to face me. I eyed my reflection in her mirrored sunglasses, pretending I could actually look into her eyes. She laid her hands down on the table, and I noticed the pale scar of Teutonic marriage lining her left wrist. It stood out prominently against her dark skin.

“So back in 2006, I met a guy on a BDSM forum online.” My eyes widened at that, and Doro grew stiff beside me. I had never guessed Teya’s love story would begin in such a way.

Is she a bottom? The question popped into my brain out of nowhere, and I chided myself as a blush warmed my cheeks. Teuton priests are always tops. And if her husband’s a Black Priest, of course he’d want a submissive bottom.

“Fast forward to spring 2007, when I met the guy for the first time. Made a really stupid mistake, got kidnapped, learned there’s more magic in this world than I ever imagined. Fell for my kidnapper, he let me go, and after living an empty life for a year I came crawling back to him. Begging for Teuton blood. And his love.”

Teya’s lips quirked as she fell silent, awaiting our reaction. Doro’s grip on my hand had turned to stone, and I blinked at Teya, bewildered. “You fell in love with your kidnapper. That’s literally the worst thing anyone can do, ever.”

My fiancée stared at Teya, a harsh scowl upon her lips. Teya dropped her head into her hands. “I know it is. But there was no hope for me at that point. I’d fallen for a Teuton priest who unleashed his sway upon an outsider’s lonely heart. I haven’t admitted that part of my story to anyone else—the kidnapping part. I’d appreciate it if you keep that confidential.”

Teya peeked at us from behind her hands, her visage fraught with terror. “As long as you’re happy and your husband treats you well, it’s not our place to judge,” I said, squeezing Doro’s hand before slipping my fingers free. I flexed them while the blood trickled back into place, the prickling sensation uncomfortable.

Doro made a displeased noise, and our pizzas arrived before Teya could reassure her. My fiancée grumbled about evil Teuton males using sorcery to dominate naïve females, uttering her complaints in Teutonica to close out the waiter. I chewed on the inside of my cheek and crossed my ankles, retrieving my knife and fork to cut my pizza after the waiter departed. Maybe Teya should have kept the details of her past to herself. Whether she was married to a Black Priest or just a weird one, Doro may not forgive her husband’s crime of kidnapping.

But it resulted in Teya gaining Teuton blood and magic, and she’s happily married to a mystery man who’s established enough to buy her nice things. She’s wearing name brand clothing, and her black diamond engagement ring must be at least a carat. The man himself skulks on the roof in spirit form, keeping watch over his wife. If her life in New Jersey wasn’t all that great, she’s probably thankful to be here instead. A witch of yellow fire.

How much had Teya relinquished to attain the gifts of fire and devoted love?

While the three of us worked on our pizzas, she said a little more about how her husband had changed her life for the better. Teya had experienced childhood trauma, and her husband had also been damaged by society in years long past. “We’re doing the best we can to help each other heal. It’s not a perfect situation, but we’re working on it.”

Doro chewed on a bite of pizza and nodded, her expression hinting she had begun to justify Teya’s choice of destiny. The discussion shifted to our plans once I became a witch, and Doro proclaimed she would teach me how to use my magic to defeat any Teuton priest who tried to harm me. Throwing an arm around my shoulders, she kissed my cheek. I blushed and pushed her away, commenting that I had not yet finished my pizza.

“If we can’t get a regular priest to do the blood-transfer for us by the end of this year, we’re thinking about taking a trip to the Black Castle.” Doro pulled herself up straight, exuding a courage I did not share. I still hoped we could find a German priest willing to blend our blood.

“You know you can’t do that without cost.” Teya raised an eyebrow at Doro.

“I’ll pay whatever it takes,” my fiancée insisted, darkness filtering into her irises. “I found out about the blood-transfer at age ten, when Amira was eight. It’s been fifteen years now, and I’ll be damned if we wait fifteen more.”

It was hard to disagree when she put it that way. I thought back to the day Doro first told me I could become a witch like her if I was brave enough to face the wrath of a demon. The graphic details of the blood-transfer had scared me off for most of my childhood, but I was tired of looking into the Teutonic realm from the outside. I wanted to wield elemental magic like my sister and our parents.

“You know my husband could do the blood-transfer for you.” Teya focused on what remained of her pizza, nervously biting her bottom lip. Doro gasped, and I could not think of what to say. Then Teya appended, “But there would be a cost.”

✨ I Need The Book! ✨

Playful Little Ash

My friend's tiny little gray boy, Ash, has been thriving in recent weeks. She's still having trouble snapping decent photos of him since he's turned into a rambunctious kitten, but she sent me the one below early last week. (By now, he's probably a lot bigger already!)

Ash loves his human family & is in the process of making friends with his 2 older feline siblings . . . and learning how exciting it is to play with grocery bags in the process! 💖

Paranormal Romance Book Fair

This week's book fair is packed with indie paranormal romance books & urban fantasy romance books. Just scrolled it myself and noticed a couple books that are free on most retailers, so make sure you check it out to add those to your collection! I see a wide selection of romance tropes among these books, from academy and shifters to aliens & time travel. Take a look!

✨ PNR Book Fair ✨

Other Books You Might Like

Got 2 books by my fellow indie authors that you might want to take a look at today. One's a freebie with newsletter signup and looks like a naughty romp. The other one is a tale of a half witch & a siren, and you can read it for free on Kobo Plus! It's also available to buy on most retailers. Be sure to check both out!

I didn't follow the rules while playing strip truth or dare with my best friend's single dad. So, this witch got arrested by him, complete with wrist restraints.

After he walked into my holistic magic shop, our souls intertwined in a way I couldn't have imagined. 

I had to take a long road trip to increase my shop's popularity and ended up asking for his help. I never knew a human could be a witch's best resource. 

I shouldn't have fallen for my friend's dad, but he cast a potent spell on me with his smile. 

I don't know what else I expected after suggesting truth or dare in our hotel room. 

I don't want to drive a wedge in our relationship or my friendship with his daughter. 

But I don't regret one moment of my night with him. 

✨ FREE On BookFunnel ✨

Ezra is about to discover just how much one night of pleasure is really worth.

Star athlete and academic wizkid, Ezra Graves, is acing his classes at the Barrett Academy, all except botany. After scoring a passing grade on the midterm, Ezra considers ways to celebrate, and nothing sounds more appealing than a trip to the Clayridge fountain to indulge in the forbidden with a siren.

Ezra doesn't need to vie hard for female attention as the Academy's golden pupil, but he's dying to shed his good boy image and taste the forbidden. Visiting the fountain could damage his reputation and academic career—even get him kicked out of the Academy. More could be at stake, as he receives a gentle reminder that half-blood witches have been disappearing lately. Being away from the protection of the school grounds—particularly at night—could prove deadly.

Armed with enough gold coins to pay for a night with one of the fishy seductresses, Ezra ignores his better judgment and heads for the fountain. But little does he know something dangerous is lurking in the shadows.

✨ All Retailers ✨

If you enjoyed the quick snippet of Doro & Amira's meeting with Teya, why not check out the first 3 chapters in Gift of Darkness—for FREE? 🤩 I've finally posted them on my Coffee page, and anyone can take a look at how Doro & Amira's journey begins. The first 3 chapters of my previous novel, Gift of Stone, can be found there, too. So if you'd rather get a good taste of what you're in for before handing me a couple hard-earned dollars, now's your chance!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clcarhart/gift-darkness-chapters-1-3

(Quick note for my Teutonic Friends: I've posted Chapters 1-12 of Gift of Darkness on my Coffee page, so check it out & get in the loop!)

Now I've got a steamy & rather harrowing love story to finish, and you've got some reading to do. 😉 If you've joined my ARC team, keep an eye on your inbox this Sunday. ARCs for Gift of Darkness will be heading your way then!

Talk to you soon,

C.L. Carhart

Pre-order Gift of Darkness: https://bf.clcarhart.com/mj224e5krw

Read the first 3 chapters:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clcarhart/gift-darkness-chapters-1-3

Free prequel Gift of Air: https://bf.clcarhart.com/6w57qgfhc9

This week's book fair:

https://bf.clcarhart.com/paranormalromancerocks/uxmh09bxdu