Thursday, May 03, 2012

Have you met Xander Stryker, the self-destructive, gun-toting vampire badass?

~"Wicked Paints" - A prequel/short story for book #1 of the series, "Noir", featuring a talented painter who's astral encounter with Xander's tortured past drives her over the edge.

~"Noir" - Book #1 in the Crimson Shadow series:
"Xander Stryker wants to die.

Ever since witnessing his mother's murder at the hands of his abusive stepfather when he was a boy, he has spent every day trying to reach that goal. But every night he's denied the death he craves.

When his eighteenth birthday approaches, an unforeseen chance for change is offered when his life is plunged into chaos and he's dragged into a supernatural world of vampires and other creatures of darkness. Caught in the depths of this new reality, mysteries of his supernatural lineage begin to unravel and Xander is given the ultimate choice:

Continue on with his wretched life or begin a new one as the vampire he was always meant to be.

Unfortunately, the supernatural world can be just as unforgiving and brutal as any other and Xander's choice is met with disastrous consequences. Now, with the chaos of the new world pressing down on him, his past reemerges and once again threatens to crush him. Will Xander be able to use his new strength to conquer his fears, or will he succumb to his own bloody darkness...

... and allow it to finally destroy him."




"Magic Murderer":

"The world of magic is unified by a single truth: "The arts have tainted you."
For one man--a man corrupted by power and driven by a lust to kill--the price of his pursuits for power has become both a reason and a means of destroying lives. As this madman quickly discovers, the potential for murder and maiming are almost infinite when a flick of the wrist or a blink of an eye can rip flesh and snap bones, and the creative means of slaughtering innocents is a blood-red and limitless sky.
With fragmented thoughts and distorted truths festering in the twisted mind of this magical maniac, a sadistic killing spree ensues. As his campaign of carnage takes its toll on a family there seems to be no end to the bloodshed in sight…
… until he finds himself bathed in a Crimson Shadow."

Just-another-night-draft1

"Just Another Night":
"A graveyard in the dead of night.
While most would avoid such an eerie setting, for three friends looking for a safe place to toke up, it is the perfect place to get high without getting caught. Unfortunately, for these stoners, fate has given them more to worry about than nosy cops.
In the blink of a bloodshot eye, all hell breaks loose... literally.
As forces beyond the friends' perception and control turn a calm night in a marijuana-haze into a terror-filled bloodbath all hope seems lost. But there's far deadlier beings roaming through the headstones, and a Crimson Shadow soon eclipses the carnage.
Talk about the ultimate buzz-kill!"

Victim

"Victim":
"'The scars we wear are a constant reminder of what we've suffered through; of what we've survived. But the scars of every fight, every sacrifice, and every mistake are only skin-deep.'
For Xander Stryker, the "Crimson Shadow", this truth is all-too obvious, and though his vampire body will not scar easily, he still wears the reminders left behind from his human life. And while it's simple to see the history of abuse and self-destruction on Xander's body, it's the scars he wears on the inside that haunt him the most.
Despite having left the human race in a previous life, with a little motivation from a helpless victim, he may still be able to maintain his humanity."

Vegas
 "What Happens in Vegas":
"Few would see Las Vegas--"Sin City": the gambling capitol and center for greed, lust, gluttony, and debauchery--as an ideal place for a dedicated Christian to vacation. However, with her closest friends promising a relaxing getaway and an insistent husband, Rachel is given no way to avoid the trip. Besides, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
At least that's what they say!
But when her vacation takes an unexpected turn and finds her in the dark clutches of unholy forces, Rachel has no choice but to carry her Hellish burden out of Sin City and back into the loving embrace of her unaware and unsuspecting family.
Is Rachel strong enough to resist the dark forces and see that her family remains free of their curse? Or will her faith and dedication be warped beyond repair as a Crimson Shadow envelopes her world?"

Tasty

"A Tasty Nostalgia":
"There's no end to the memories one can get lost in when you've lived for so many centuries; no shortage of of flashbacks and, moreover, no guarantee for your sanity.
Dane's vampiric existence has taken its toll on his mind. Every sight, every sound, everything reminds him of events long-since past--and when you're a predator who needs to live in the NOW, being trapped in the THEN can cost you your next meal.
On this night, Dane finds himself struggling to stay in the moment as he stalks his newest memory, and not even his ever- vigilant gargoyle companion can keep him focused.
Has he finally fallen victim to prolonged longevity... or is there a worse fate awaiting him in an encroaching Crimson Shadow on the horizon?"

True-love-cover
 
"True Love's First Kiss":
"Ruby. My name is Ruby...
At least that's the name I've tried so hard to hide behind.
With no home or family, I've been forced into the night to sell all that I have left in this world: myself. However, try as I might to escape my past, the memories refuse to let me shed who I once was. And I'm left with the cold truth:
Nobody loves me.
Not even me...
But tonight... tonight seems different; a sense of foreboding promise that has my senses and my curiosity peaked. Has my existence become so shallow that my mind is driven to fabricate false hopes... or could there truly be a touch of Crimson waiting for me in the Shadow of my life?"

Freak-cover

"Christian's a FREAK":
"Christian's been living the high-life: popularity, star football player, any guy... er, girl he could want, and, best of all, Xander Stryker is DEAD!
Sure, he might miss driving his fists into the loser's stomach on a daily basis, but knowing that the emo punk burned up a year ago has had him on cloud-9 ever since.
Until he wakes up after a night of club-hopping with a chunk of his throat ripped out and no clear memories of how...
Now, with his life and his sanity circling the drain, he has to come to grips with an inevitable truth that everyone else can see:
Christian's a FREAK!
And, before long, his bright and perfect life will be marred by a Crimson Shadow!"

Killer

"Killer":
"Don't ask why. There's not always a reason...
... and if there is, you may not want to hear it.
There are those that find pleasure in the deaths of others; those that live to destroy lives. Their minds--twisted and depraved and warped--exist in a darkness that most refuse to accept, and this darkness exists even in a world of monsters--turning nightmares in on themselves.
So what happens when a creature that already exists to kill refuses to stop?
What happens when a monster becomes a kill?
Sometimes they find themselves in the chilled darkness of a Crimson Shadow."

Lunatic1

"LUNA(tic) (Part 1/3)":
"Xander is falling in love with his best friend, Estella...
And while it's difficult to believe after a life of loneliness and self-loathing, it's becoming hard to deny. But she's so innocent--so pure--and could never love a blood-sucking bringer-of-death like him that has made hunting out-of-control monsters a way of life. Though she may be a witch with extraordinary powers, there's no changing the obvious gaps between them.
He could never expect her to accept him as something more…
It's all enough to drive a vampire insane!
But, as certain as he is that their friendship will never evolve, he can't help but dwell on what their future may hold... and perhaps, in the shade of a Crimson Shadow, love can prevail."

Lunatic2
 
"LUNA(tic) (Part 2/3)":
"Xander is falling in love with his best friend, Estella...
And while it's difficult to believe after a life of loneliness and self-loathing, it's becoming hard to deny. But she's so innocent--so pure--and could never love a blood-sucking bringer-of-death like him that has made hunting out-of-control monsters a way of life. Though she may be a witch with extraordinary powers, there's no changing the obvious gaps between them.
He could never expect her to accept him as something more…
It's all enough to drive a vampire insane!
But, as certain as he is that their friendship will never evolve, he can't help but dwell on what their future may hold... and perhaps, in the shade of a Crimson Shadow, love can prevail."

Lunatic3
 
"LUNA(tic) (Part 3/3)":
"Luna is completely, utterly, and exponentially out of her mind! And, in her ever-hazy world--a world clogged and overflowing with sweet, sweet blood--the only thing she sees clearly is an up-and-coming power in the vampire community: Xander Stryker.
The son of the legendary auric vampire and co-founder of the once-proud Odin Clan and his rise in the mythos ranks have steadily gained attention. For Luna, a chance to share the next few centuries with a legend (even a growing legend) sounds like an ideal way to free herself from her mundane, scab-sucking existence.
But, before she can claim what's rightfully hers, there's the matter of his pet witch, Estella Edash.
Fortunately for Luna, however, the growing legend and his human company has gotten the attention of others, as well, and when Estella is snatched away, Luna sees an opportunity to be the light in the Crimson Shadow's life."

Exorcism-cover
 
"Exorcism Gone Awry":
"Father Tennesen, in an effort to combat the evil forces, has dedicated his life to freeing innocents from malicious forces. Along with a ragtag group of followers, his campaign has seen many cases of demonic possession, and while his efforts are noble, success in the field of exorcism is a rarity.
But Father Tennesen is nothing if not persistent.
When he and his team are contacted by a mysterious and wealthy stranger claiming to be possessed, the others see it as a chance to cash in on their efforts... but Tennesen's goals are a bit more personal. For a man who's dedicated his life to faith, his is beginning to wane. So when things take a turn for the worst and Tennesen finds himself in a dark and desperate place, will he succumb to the darkness...
Or will a Crimson Shadow answer the call?"


"Crimson Shadow: Sins of the Father" - Book #2 in the Crimson Shadow series:
"Xander’s had it rough…

…and while the trials and tribulations of the young vampire’s life have left him with a fiery rage, things are finally beginning to come together. Armed with his trusty revolvers, Yin and Yang, and a thirst for death and destruction, there is nothing that his expertise and fury can’t stand against! Except the spell-binding Estella…

****

Estella finally has her best friend back…

…and, despite her many years of training in the art of magic, it wasn’t until recently that she discovered just how deep the paranormal world goes. But no matter how overwhelming the revelations might be, she’s found reassurance and comfort in the depths of Xander’s supernatural embrace…

****

With their relationship’s intensity growing, a new threat emerges from Stryker family’s past; one with a personal vendetta and visceral goals. Even with the help of some unlikely new allies, will the paranormal pair(and their blossoming relationship) be able survive the infernal rage?"


Find out more about the Crimson Shadow series and other works by Nathan Squiers (The Literary Dark Prince) at his OFFICIAL author page!!

No comments:

Post a Comment