Christmas With... Mary Hughes + Giveaway!



Christmas With...

Thank you to Karina and Nocturnal Book Reviews for having me here today to help celebrate the holiday season!
Small-town Meiers Corners police detective Elena O’Rourke Strongwell and her master vampire husband, Viking Bo Strongwell, are celebrating this Christmas with a trip to Mexico to find her mother’s relatives. USA born and bred, this is her first trip to Mexico, but it won’t be her last!



Bo drove our shielded Maybach into Monterrey just as the sun was rising.
I watched the sky begin to lighten. “That was weird, driving from Illinois south.”
“What do you mean?” My big blond hubby, who’s built like a Viking warship cleaving the waves, cut a glance at me with his Nordic blue gaze.
“It was like a backward time warp. You know, we had winter in Meiers Corners, but it was fall in Texas, and it’s fricking summer here.” I gestured to the flowers adorning nearly every home we passed. “This riot of color. This heat. The really cool crèches.” I pointed to the nativity scene outside a church, traditional Mary and Joseph but in a manger built of what looked like bamboo, with her wearing a bright print dress and him a brilliant cape—or I guess they’re called serapes—instead of the bathrobes we’d used as kids at Good Shepherd Lutheran.
“Ah, Detective.” Caressed by his black satin voice, my title was an endearment. “You’re such a romantic.”
“Am not.” I felt my cheeks heat. “I’m a tough cop.”
“You’re blushing.”
“Dammit.” Times like this I wished for my Latina model mother’s cheeks instead of my Irish lawyer father’s.
“You still have a very pretty blush.”
“Sweet Bavarian cream-filled donuts, you’re still a smooth talker. Look, there’s our motel.”
Bo pulled into the lot and did most of the talking getting our room. Growing up in a town of German immigrants meant my Spanish was pathetic, but even I knew the clerk’s friendly “Feliz Navidad” meant Merry Christmas, and I smiled.
In the cool of our room, I kicked off my shoes and sat. “What do you want to do until sunset?”
He only arched one blond brow.
“Yeah, of course. You want to play Hide the Fang.” Vampires spell libido N-O-W. “Can we watch some tube after?”
He sighed. “Not another Buffy marathon? You were the one who wanted this vacation from staking vampires.”
“I don’t stake ’em, I use a bazooka. More efficient. C’mon, it’ll be fun.” Sure, I was mostly a practical by-the-book detective, but I secretly loved everything and anything paranormal. “We can play the drinking game.”
“Which one is that? Drink every time Buffy waves Mr. Pointy? Every time Giles spouts a variation of ‘Buffy, you must take being the Slayer more seriously?’ Every time Spike cuts someone with his cheekbones?”
“Nah, I have a new one. Every time a vamp plates up for battle. Which adds new meaning to ‘putting on your game face’.”
“Ha.”
We’d just settled onto the bed for some kissing when a scream resonated through the wall.
Bo’s head came up, his eyes going blood red as his v-nature came online. “Rogue vampire,” he hissed. “Next room over. Spilling human blood.” Then his irises cooled to violet as hesitation crossed his face. “You wanted a vacation from staking.”
“We’ll have a busman’s holiday.” I leaped off the bed, my hand already on my knife in its secret holster, sewn into my jeans. “Can I be bad cop this time?”
“You can be anything you want.” Shooting me a fierce grin, Bo flickered and was at the door, prepared to throw it open to the now-bright day. As a thousand-year-old-plus vampire, he could stand maybe ten minutes of sunlight. But we wouldn’t be outside more than a few seconds. He said, “Ready—partner?”
I grinned. Even after five years of marriage, being Bo’s partner was still the best damned feeling in the world. “Oh, yeah! Let’s go.”

Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Mary

Giveaway:

Mary is happy to give away a copy of Biting Holiday Honeymoons (adults only!) provided that the winner is able to receive an ebook through Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.






As a girl, I spun romantic, happily-ever-after stories to get to sleep. A husband, family, two degrees, and a black belt later, I'm delighted to spin them for readers.

I've lived with love and loss, in bright times and dark, and learned we can all use a break from reality now and then.

So join me for action, sparkling wit and red-hot love. Strong men. Stronger women.

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