The Blood Coven Series, 1
Rein, a Vampire mixed breed, plunged into the abyss of bludfrenzy. With icy resolve, he crawled out to become a Firebrand. He doesn’t make rash decisions.
Until…
Braelyn takes a shortcut through an alley musing about what she can’t have. A new job. Adventure. A cancer-free brain. Instead, she writes for a paranormal tabloid. No, she doesn’t believe such nonsense, but she’s heading to Cleveland on assignment. Oh, and her tumor is back.
Then…
Rein kidnaps her and takes her to his realm, igniting a fiery romance.
Meanwhile…
An ancient threat hunts for descendants of the Blood Coven who divided the world into three realms fifteen hundred years ago to protect humans from savage Aeternals. Then, they scattered across Earth, marrying, raising children, dying, burying their secrets in time. Generations grew, unaware of their legacy.
But…
Braelyn is squarely in the hunter’s sights, and Rein is her best chance to survive.
Excerpt:
He whipped his head toward the sound, his warrior instincts kicking in. A female stood midway in the alley, a drink in her hand, purse on her shoulder, and cellphone to her ear.
“…family’s story about the winged demon…” Her lyrical words trailed off. Her arm dropped, and she stared through over-sized sunglasses at a flat-against-the-wall Malok. With her head angled toward Rein, her lips parted in confusion.
The naked, hairy Kalli struggled against invisible bonds, his tusks whipping from side to side in his frenzy.
On full alert, Rein scoped out the stunned human. He tapped a wrist, his stoic voice reporting the situation. “Chay, are you in position? Got a problem. Malok’s coming back through the Whorl alone.”
Not laying a hand on the Kalli, Rein tossed him through the portal with a teleportation spell. He jammed the unauthorized jumper into a pocket and turned on a boot heel to face the problem.
A human female.
In a blur of motion, the Firebrand stood in front of her, disabling her cellphone with a flick of his wrist.
Eyes fixed on her, Rein edged closer, sizing her up as an opponent. Tall for her species and gender, maybe five-ten. Running shoes. Baggy sweats. A threadbare twelfth-man Seahawks T-shirt molded to small round breasts. A slightly square chin, high cheek bones, a nose dotted with freckles. Short, spiky auburn hair framing a narrow face. His gaze lingered on her full, unadorned lips. Overall, a lean, attractive package. For a human.
Not my usual fare, but compelling.
The female presented no physical challenge, but she was a problem he had to handle now.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
He stared at the pulse throbbing in her long, luscious neck and struggled to keep his mouth closed. His fangs wanted out to play.
She stretched to peer around him, focusing on where the Kalli had been suspended in the alley. “What was that thing?”
Rein arched his brows. “What thing?”
“The thing you were with down there. The big hairy naked thing with tusks and an erect … um, man bit.”
“Man bit?” He stifled a grin.
With a disdainful tilt of her chin, she blurted out, “Penis.”
Speaking of cocks, Rein’s twitched when her sunglasses centered on his groin.
Well, isn’t this just great? A hard-on for a human. I don’t need this shit. I only need to neutralize her.
Rein’s heart drummed against his ribs. Ba-boom. Ba-boom. Ba-boom. Unable to see the color of her eyes, he peered into her dark glasses while inching closer, stopping when they were boots-to-sneakers. When he smoothed fingers along her temples, a mild electric charge traveled through him to take up residence in his … what had she called it … man bit. Fighting unexpected urges, he ignored the sensual heat and tight pants to finish his job. “Hold still.” He mumbled a few words, backing away to distance himself from the human female who aroused more than a blood hunger.
Done and done.
She would fog out long enough for him to jump back home. When she came to, she would nurse a headache thanks to the black hole in her memory, not recalling anything that had happened in this alley. Humans knew nothing of Scath and Darque. That’s how it had to remain.
“What are you doing?” The female did an about-face, screamed for help, and lifted a leg to run.
What the…! She remembers!
Rein had only a second to decide. He had to stop her before she drew attention to his presence.
When he fisted her arm and caught her in mid-stride, a jolt slammed into his body, once again beelining for his groin. Despite a what-the-hell moment, he spun her around, pulling her in chest to breast. “Shut up.”
The human ignored his command, slapping at his hand while she continued shouting. Rein’s eyes narrowed to slits, his breaths shallow. All action slowed. Peripheral sights and sounds faded. His focus locked onto the struggling female, and his predator-prey instinct kicked in. The alley contained only him and his quarry.
He snarled, ancient urges at the wheel, driving him on. “Stop fighting me. I’m warning you.”
“Screw you.”
Rein’s brows drew down to menacing slashes. “What a great idea.”
She tugged harder against his hold.
He sniffed the air. Fear. But a scent floated beneath it. Arousal. His eyes shifted to the female’s neck where her pulse beat in a rapid rhythm as it pushed blood through her veins. With his shaft a painful press against his zipper, his fangs tore from his gums. His muscles coiled, preparing to act.
“I’ve got no choice.” Rein spoke aloud, but really more to himself. He seized her shoulders, body-slammed her into the wall, and braced a knee between her legs. Hungry eyes probed her thin form as he grabbed a fistful of short, spiky hair, jerking her head back.
She stopped screaming, no longer pounding on him with her fist. Instead, she opened her hand. Her warm fingers trailed over his pecs, caressing his chest.
He was about to do something he shouldn’t, and he didn’t care.
Hell, I don’t want to stop.
Rein crushed his mouth against the human’s. His greedy tongue swept across her lips, savoring their intoxicating flavor and soft fullness. He pressed for entry. When she opened, he invaded. Retreated. Attacked. His appetite unleashed.
He tested her scent once again.
Hesitation, fear, fascination, desire. Rare. I like the combo.
She wanted him as he wanted her. Then their tongues met, stroke for stroke, sliding across each other, tangling, entwining.
Fuck. I can’t stop.
She sucked him deep into her mouth, lollipopping him.
Rein pressed closer, depraved cravings racing through his mind, the blood in her veins thundering in his ears. His leg rubbed her sweet spot. Up and down, her heat singeing his pants.
She moaned.
Holy hell.
Rein’s hands circled the human’s hips, molding their bodies together, curving her into him, letting her feel the jut of his erection.
All of Rein’s senses zeroed in on the female. The soft groans. The warm flesh. The demanding tongue.
Damn. What is my problem?
Her palms pushed lightly against his chest. He struggled against his longing but broke the kiss. As he stared at the perplexing human, a crease tightened the skin between his brows.
This book was pretty long but extremely worth the time to read it. It was exciting, had worth the time to read it. It was exciting, action-packed, and had wonderful characters. What a great paranormal romance. Can't wait for the next book!
What happens when you thwart one prophecy? You get another, but is it better or perhaps even worse? I really enjoyed this take on the supernatural. Centuries ago, Earth was split into three realms to save humanity by a powerful Blood Coven. Now someone is trying to reunite the realms. For the supernatural tabloid reporter, Braelyn things get really interesting when she is kidnapped to the realm of Scath by the irresistible Firebrand, Rein. With the re-emergence of a cancerous tumor, Braelyn already has enough on her plate, but perhaps Rein is all that she could ever wish for. The plot thickens as the case unfolds for the Firebrand. This warlock, incubus, vampire has his hands full unraveling this case let alone guarding the tempting human. I can't wait for the next in the series.
Never read a book completely devoted to vampires but was glad I tried one from this author, eventhough it may have spoiled me for others:-) The way surroundings and characters are described makes you feel like a fly on the wall instead of a reader. Every time you think the story is winding down, either a new character or twist is introduced. The book feels like a standalone until the very end and although usually that bugs the stuffing out of me, the way this author does it just made me realise that this storyteller had more to say but had to take a break. Absolutely loved the book and can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Imaginative paranormal/dark romance with creative themes and characters. Greatly enjoyed reading this book.
This was a great start to a new series. T.M. Smith has provided us with a story line that is engaging and entertaining along with characters that are endearing and will keep you hooked from start to finish. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Braelyn has been fighting an illness for a while now and has to start fighting it again. She works for a paranormal magazine. A short cut one day will have her seeing Rein with another creature. Rein tries to make her forget what she has seen but it doesn't work so he takes her through a portal with him. Braelyn continues to be mouthy with Rein even as he has taken her away from everything she knows. Rein is a vampire, incubus and a warlock he protects normal people from things they only think exist in movies or books. Sparks fly between him and Braelyn. Will she find her way home? Will something more happen between her and Rein? This is a good story that will captivate you from beginning to end. It was a little hard to get into at first but it does get better. Its a well written and very entertaining story.
This is an unexpected, delightful surprise that pulls you in as Braelyn and Rein paths cross, their banter creates sparks, and their tale wraps around you. Braelyn is strong feisty woman that can hold her own. Rein not sure what to make of her, but feels the pull towards her. Great story with action, romance and adventure that you don't want to stop.
This is the first in the "Blood Coven" series and is good and very creative. It is a paranormal vampire story that is full length. I really like the characters and how the story builds and develops. It does feel rushed at the end is my only complaint. There are also some possible triggers for some. Overall, I like the plot that is interesting and intriguing.
This is my first by T.M. Smith and won't be my last. I was enjoying the story it was hard to put down. I can't wait until the next book. a page turner and must read.
A Vampire Novel always does well, this was a book that read smoothly and packed with action and many twists and turns. It is also nice to read that a female character chases after the male character instead of the other way around and that makes the story of Braelyn and Rein highly recommended. This is the first book in The Blood Coven Series. It holds your attention from start to finish.
Fantastic start to a thrilling new series. CharActers were great and the storyline was superb. I was hooked throughout. What a start
A good paranormal romance adventure story. Some good characters and an interesting journey to survival.
If you’re a fan of action romance and you like an epic, sweeping story, then The Firebrand should be right up your alley. It’s a heckuva long book, but T.M. Smith is in it for the long haul, slowly building up an Earth that’s been magically divided to keep otherworldly creatures away from humans. But it turns out there are ways to travel between Earth and those other realms, and when human Braelyn sees those strange creatures, Firebrand Rein takes her to Scarfe, his homeland, to have her mind wiped so that she won’t remember what she saw and can be returned home none the wiser. But it turns out he can’t wipe Braelyn’s mind…. If you found that paragraph confusing, that’s because Smith is going for something truly complex in this book. I’ll be honest and say I struggled to get into The Firebrand at first because the reader gets dumped into the situation Braelyn’s in, with little explanation of what’s going on with Rein, his job, and his world. And I found it tough to figure out. As things slowly get explained and the main plot explored—why is Braelyn different, and how does that tie to missing humans and duplicated portal-opening tools—I found myself far more engaged with this story. But The Firebrand is all about action and adventure. As a Firebrand, Rein has the equivalent of an otherworldly cop job, but it’s far more brutal than what you’d find on our Earth. There are a lot of fights and battle scenes, and finding out why both Rein and Braelyn are special, and special to each other, is interwoven with all of that. And learning how our Earth is tied to the world of Scarfe. And discovering rebellions and dealing with dangerous outlier creatures. And there’s a third division of the world that causes problems. And Braelyn is ill. And….. There’s so much going on in this book that it’s dizzying. And I didn’t feel like I truly connected with Braelyn and Rein at first, since they’re both really snarky and avoid their feelings until the last part of the book. So I struggled with how to rate The Firebrand. But at the end of it all, I’m impressed by everything Smith is trying to do in this romance. It reminded me of the epic sweep of 80s romance novels but with a contemporary awareness and snark propelling it along. So I’m giving this one 4 stars for the sheer scope of it all. If you’re a fan of action movies and epic TV shows, chances are you’ll love everything The Firebrand has to offer.
Oh wow great read! This author knows how to capture your interest and keep it. When Rein is forged to bring a human into his world, has he bitten off more then he can chew. She’s sassy, strong and all woman, but is she woman enough for Rein. I I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
Loved this storyline! Rein was such a sexy mixed breed Vampire and one major alpha, a Firebrand, part of an elite force who protect and wage war against evil. He comes across Braelyn when chasing down an ememy who has jumped to Earth. Taking her back with him for some reason he couldn’t erase her memory so he was told by his boss to protect her but for some reason this sexy human had him on edge and he was finding it hard to resist her. Braelyn was trying to come to term with the fact that her cancer had returned when all of a sudden she’s taken to another place full of beings she found hard to accept and for some reason she was tempted by Rein every second of the day! A great story which keeps you on edge, there are so many secrets that are revealed and the mystery of what they have uncovered is getting out of hand! Meanwhile the sizzling passion between Rein and Braelyn is growing it burns the pages. One hot, sexy erotic read with a brilliant storyline. The witty moments had me laughing, the secondary characters are amazing. I couldn’t put the story down until it was finished. Definitely a recommended read!
Braelyn and Rein have an interesting story. This have great banter but the dialogue was a bit immature. It is filled with adventure, action and romance. Overall an entertaining read with tension and good world building.
This is a great story about a vampire Rein who is from a different realm he has control of his bloodlust until a human woman Braelyn who walks towards him in a dark alley but she didn’t realise until it was too late that she is in danger. I liked this story but Rein talked like a child sometimes but I liked Braelyn she gave as good as she got and Rein needed to be reined in. Great story and I recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, the action scenes were good, and I loved the chemistry between Rein and Braelyn. There was good sexual tension/buildup between the two until they finally gave into their feelings for each other. Did Rein get on my nerves because he was so stubborn? Yes, but I love that Braelyn held her own against him and was as equally as stubborn as he was. Definitely looking forward to reading the other books to come in the series.
This was a little different and outside the box, which I totally loved. The characters and storyline were well written and just slightly off the beaten path. Their banter was fun and sexy and I totally enjoyed their chemistry. Supporting characters were just as interesting and I will definitely look for more from this author.
Action packed and snarky urban fantasy adventure! Prepare for immersion into an alternate realm, one of three - the human realm co-existing yet mainly unaware. Witches, vampires, shifters, nymphs, and other supernaturals protect and party, and hunt the evil. Of course, a very steamy burn doesn't hurt. All leading to a satisfying end, that can lead to more.
Blown away!! The Firebrand is thrilling, exciting, hair-raising, and he made me laugh (go figure). I've got it bad for this bad boy, his daringness, his intenseness, his hotness sizzled my kindle and I just want more!!
THE FIREBRAND is the first instalment in TM Smith’s contemporary, adult THE BLOOD COVEN erotic, paranormal / fantasy series. This is human Braelyn James and vampire/incubus/Warlock hybrid Rein’s story line. WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers. SOME BACKGROUND: Thousands of years earlier, a powerful group of witches and warlocks, in an effort to protect the human race, divided the world creating three realms: Earth, Scath and Darque. The Blood Coven series focuses on the fight to keep the worlds separated in the face of some powerful people hoping to destroy the people of earth. Told from third person perspective THE FIREBRAND follows the building relationship between human Braelyn James’ and vampire/incubus/Warlock hybrid Rein. Braelyn James is a reporter for the online paranormal tabloid Strange But True, and as such our heroine is about to witness that which she has been hired to investigate. Rein is a vampire/incubus/Warlock hybrid, trained as one of the realms Firebrand Warriors, and as such is hunting one of the many Breeds that has crossed onto Earth, using an illegal portal jumper but Rein never expected his actions to be witnessed, and his inability to wipe the mind of the human witness, forces Rein to bring her back to his realm. Braelyn James quickly realizes the world as she knows it, is something more, something more dangerous, powerful and confusing, a world in which she will come face to face with her destiny. At every turn, every move and every opportunity, Braelyn is targeted, by a Scath controlled human trafficking ring that is focusing on some of the people of Earth, a focus that is centering on history and blood. What ensues is the building relationship between Rein and Braelyn, and the potential fall-out as Braelyn is a valuable prize in a war between the worlds. The relationship between Braelyn and Rein is one of fated mates but Rein refuses to accept the woman with whom he will fall in love as the mating ritual of a Firebrand Vampire is dangerous, dark and deadly. Braelyn is a human whose life expectancy may be shorter than most but Braelyn’s blood holds a secret, and the longer she remains on Scath, the more valuable and important she will become. Braelyn is determined to prove Scath is worthy of her love but Scath fears destroying the woman that calls to his blood. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, aggressive and intense. There is an enormous ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters of creatures and breeds: vampires, harpies, nymphs, Amazons, witches, warlocks, shifters, beserkers, demons, satyrs and djinn. The Aeternals are the overarching collection of breeds and supernatural species that inhabit the Scath realm, and the Alliance are the group of humans that monitor all supernatural activity on Earth. We are introduced to Rein’s parents Alarik and Castia, andhis sister Elisabeta;Braelyn’s father George: Firebrands Chay, Dax, Brak, Logan, Kole, Bounty, Ram, Tyr, Sabine, Jezzi and Galena, as well as Rein’s Aunt Indigo, a powerful witch who is able to read the ‘signs’. The requisite evil has many faces. THE FIREBRAND is a complex, detailed and compounded story line that follows several pathways between the present and the past, good vs evil, Earth, Scath and Darque. The premise is comprehensive and meticulous; the characters are numerous, energetic, powerful and strong; the romance is contentious, quarrelsome and fated. THE FIREBRAND ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.
Rich, complex, and steamy. Oh so fun to read. Strong protectors fall for strong heroines. Add a few twists and couple turns. A witch, a vampire mix, love and maybe a bit more drama as worlds collide. I'm excited for more of this series. A mix of JR Ward and Kresley Cole. You will love this. I may have tried to read this in one sitting. It was that good.
This first book of the Blood Coven series, The Firebrand is an excellent Paranormal Romance with a high energy well written narrative with two wonderful leads, Rein mixed blood vampire and Braelyn James tabloid reporter who just happens to be on the radar of a very ancient threat. When Rein kidnaps Braelyn and takes her to his realm the reader gets pulled into what soon becomes an excellent action, adventure romance with secrets and hot spicy passion coalescing into one mesmerizing read, loved it!
The biggest downside to this book was the lack of breaks between chapters. You never knew how many pages were in each chapter let alone how many chapters were in the book!!! Aside from this one downside to this book it was truly magnificent!! I loved the fresh take on characters and how their society functioned. I loved how the writer presented such in depth info into each race of being that existed, especially in the Firebrand group!! As for world building and how that was developed and written with such detail it is no wonder this book was so long!! Then you add in all the steamy, spicy, super hot scenes with the various characters and wow. The chemistry that flowed between Rein and Braelyn could have set this book on fire. I cannot wait for the next book in this series as it is sure to be another smash hit. Great job an keep them coming please. I think this is my new favorite series and possibly author!!
This is a fast, action filled read. I loved Braelyn and her determination to live and seduce Rein. The ebb and flow of this book kept me guessing.
Exciting series. Like JR Ward and Kesley Cole had a baby. Super excited for more
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