Blog Tour Excerpt: Prince of Blood and Steel

Prince of Blood & Steel
By: AJ Elmore & Nazarea Andrews

Seth Morgan has returned home after two years spent building an alliance that will take his family's crime syndicate to a new level in New York City's black collar society. He expects a warm welcome as heir of the Morgan empire. He hopes to finally marry Nicolette, the woman he's loved his whole life.
What he finds is a different world, one where his family's legacy is in ruins. His big brother, Caleb, has changed into someone cold and bitter, plotting to overthrow their patriarch. And Nicolette, daughter of the criminal banking industry, has left the family entirely.
When a vicious misunderstanding leaves Caleb dead, Seth is left reeling. Desperate for truth, Seth is forced to turn to his only remaining cousin, Emma, for support. As he tries to mend his relationship with Nicolette, he begins a search for answers that will take him from the dirty streets to the highest reaches of their illicit empire.
Torn between the desire to protect those who mean the most to him, and a need to learn more about Caleb's death, he grows distant to protect them. As each secret surfaces, he realizes that the only way to restore his family is to take his place at its head, and fully embrace the brutal way they live.
About the Authors
AJ and Nazarea became friends in a writers group. Drawn together by a love of fictional bad boys and good wine, they are best kept several states apart but rack up a ton of emails and text messages arguing plot points.
Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.
Aj has seven tattoos, two dogs, and a bachelor's degree in journalism.  She enjoys live music, and a diverse range of writing styles and genres.  She has been writing creatively and therapeutically since childhood.  She also supports artist collaboration and cross-media projects.  She is an advocate of experience as inspiration.  She lives and works in southern West Virginia as a bartender novelist.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Nazarea Andrews: Site - http://www.nazareaandrews.com/
Blog - http://www.nazarea-andrews.blogspot.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/NazareaAndrews
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nazarea-Andrews/43623123516 Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/MtHwj
A.J. Elmore Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aj-Elmore-author-muse/329812783118
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MissVish

EXCERPT

She has lost count of how many times she's been dragged to the dance floor. She's danced with more cousins and soldiers that she can remember, each of them a whirling, laughing face that blurs with the next.

She has danced with kings and killers, and still, the one who matters has remained aloof and apart, watching as he is courted and celebrated. After the display in the penthouse, she’s annoyed and close to tears, desperate for some kind of reassurance.

Another dance ends. "Excuse me," she murmurs to her partner, a tall enforcer from Mikie's division. Displeasure flickers on the man's face at the dismissal, but he doesn't argue. Not with her. She takes four steps before a hand catches her and she starts to turn, a polite refusal already forming on her lips. Seth smiles at her, his eyes bright in the dim light.

"Dance with me, Emma," he says, making it an order.

She never even considers refusing.

He moves her easily, with simple pressure and quick, smooth movements. Around the dance floor, family has slowed to watch. She can feel their uneasy glances, the not soft enough whispers.

“Why are they so afraid of you?” she asks, for a moment feeling like the little girl she was, looking up to her older and dangerous cousins.

“They fear us,” he corrects, gently, turning her, “because we will rule. And because they don’t know what we will do.”

She makes a little face. “We have that in common, then.”

Seth laughs. He is looser, somehow. Relaxed after the quiet tension in the hotel. It was, she realizes, a test. And a trust.

“What am I, Seth?” she asks, forcing her gaze up to meet his. She’s tired, the weight of the day, and the earlier encounter, the watching syndicate—all of it tugs at her. Seth pauses, going still on the dance floor. Around them, the whispers intensify. But she can’t hear them—all she can see is Seth, his wide brown eyes.

“You’re my family. The only family that matters, Em. You belong at my side.”

She shakes her head and breaks away. Vaguely, she’s aware of Nic watching from the bar. The room is too hot, and she makes for the balcony. The night is crisp, with a hint of coolness to it that makes her shiver. Beyond the steel railing, the city sprawls, glittering and indolent.

Emma feels him step out onto the balcony, but doesn’t turn. He waits until the last of the partiers retreat back inside and then steps up beside her.

Seth doesn’t push—that was Caleb’s role. He is content to stand quiet next to her while she grapples with her thoughts.

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