Excerpt & Giveaway: Damned by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor

Damned
Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor
Publication date: October 3rd 2017
Genres: Adult, Supernatural

Over a hundred years after the death of Magnus Blackwell, Altmover Manor sits abandoned.
Lexie Arden and her fiancé, Will Bennet, are determined to rescue the neglected Mount Desert Island landmark. They want to make Altmover Manor their home. But Magnus has other plans.
A spirit bound to his former residence, Magnus finds himself inexplicably drawn to the young woman. She has a supernatural gift; a gift Magnus wants to exploit.
As Lexie and Will settle in, secrets from Magnus’s past begin to surface. Compelled to learn all she can about the former owner, Lexie becomes immersed in a world of voodoo, curses, and the whereabouts of a mysterious dragon cane.
Magnus’s crimes won’t be so easily forgotten, and what Lexie unearths is going to change the future … for everyone.

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EXCERPT:

A horrible nightmare woke Lexie before dawn. Her heart thudded, and her damp nightshirt clung to her back. Will remained in a peaceful slumber next to her.
When she swung her legs over the side of the bed, the dream came back to her. In the living room of the house, two men—mere shadows—had been out to destroy each other. She attempted to stop them, but couldn’t. Lexie reasoned the dream resulted from the previous day’s events.
Not wanting to go back to sleep, she stood and reached for her fuzzy robe. She craved coffee to clear her head and a few minutes of peace.
In the kitchen, she loaded the coffeemaker and waited for the muddy liquid to fill the pot. The first rays of sunlight crept over the floor, and she ran her fingers through the beams. It was a shame the house had endured such misery. It was a beautiful place to live.
Coffee in hand, she had a seat at the kitchen table and put her feet up on a chair.
“You’re up,” Will said from behind her.
“Couldn’t sleep.” She spoke without turning around.
He filled a mug with coffee. “Wanna talk about it?”
“I’m okay.”
Still in his blue pajama bottoms, he lifted her feet from the chair placing them in his lap as he sat.
“You never get up this early unless something’s bothering you.” He took a sip from his mug. “When you’re sad, you eat ice cream. When Angela ticks you off, you drink. And when something is really bothering you, you don’t sleep.”
“You know me pretty well, don’t you?”
“I know you, baby.” His hand rubbed along her calf. “I’m sorry I was such a grouch yesterday. This house must be getting to me. I shouldn’t have said the things I did.”
“It’s fine. I understand. We’ve both been under a lot of stress lately. And you’re right, this house is getting to us.”
“So if you’re not mad at me, what’s wrong?”
She put her coffee mug on the table. “This house is haunted, Will.” She bit her thumbnail while she waited, anxious for his reply.
“Okay. Why do you think this house is haunted?” he asked, remaining calm.
“I’ve spoken to Magnus Blackwell’s ghost, and I’ve seen Jacob O’Connor. They’re here, trapped in this house.”
“I’ll admit you do have a gift. You can sense things I can’t begin to grasp. I’m trying to understand it, but this is new territory for me. Tell me how to help you.”
She eased closer to him. “Stay open minded for me. If I have to appease you and a house filled with discontented ghosts, I may have to leave.”
He put his coffee down and pulled her into his lap. “Don’t ever leave, Lexie. I’d die without you.”
Her tears blurred her vision as his arms held her close. “I never want to leave you.”
“From now on, I swear I will listen to your ghost stories and not get angry. And if you can talk to ghosts,” he nuzzled her neck, “ask them where the family treasure is buried.”
Relieved, Lexie laughed and wiped her eyes. “You got it.”
“I need this house to work, baby. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. I’ll do whatever necessary to keep it.”
In the distance, a rumble of thunder shook the house.
“Storm’s coming.”
“Yeah,” Lexie agreed. “Sounds like a big one…”

Author Bio:
Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight.
He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.
Photography, making wine, and helping endangered species are just some of his interests. Lucas is an expert archer and enjoys jazz, blues, and classical music.
One of his favorite quotes is: “It’s better to be silent than be a fool.” ~Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.

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