Kethric Wilcox and Other Worlds Ink visit on The Curse (Origin of the Vampires) blog tour! Kethric also shares an exclusive post about the Order of St. Hubert! Learn more about the paranormal fiction today and enter in the $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!
Kethric Wilcox has a new MM paranormal vampire book out:
Cain Slays Abel!
In this day and age, that's not an earth-shattering headline. We want headlines that scream of life-altering events.
Terrorists Nuke Peace Conference!
Wow! What a gripping headline. This is something to change the world. Oh, wait! The world did transform. This ran as the lead story a few hours before the beginning of The Upheaval. The current world birthed in nuclear fire and electromagnetic disruption. Gone are the nations I grew up with. My life altered again.
Cain Slays Abel!
The truth behind such a classic story is far more complicated than anyone could imagine.
The brothers’ tale is a life-altering event, at least for me. Twice a report of murder transformed my life in an unpredictable way. I am Richard St. Martin, Master of Darkness. Before my story can be told, you need to learn the story of the first dark monster, Cain. My stepchildren call him Father Cain because he was the first. To find the actuality behind the myth, I recruited two talented mortals - Dr. Jeremiah Banks, Archaeologist, and Professor Juan Di Vargas, Theologian and Religious Scholar.
Together they found the secret origin of the vampires:
The Curse!
Giveaway
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Excerpt
JEREMIAH SURVEYED his clothing choices for the conference and grimaced. He hated suits, but Dr. Sinclair, the dean of his department, and Mrs. Pike, the dean's secretary and sort of a second mother, both insisted he dress in professional academic attire.
"You're representing the University of Arizona and the Republic of Texas, Dr. Banks. Think of the university's reputation. Don’t appear like you are fresh off the boat following months in the field," Jeremiah recalled Dr. Sinclair saying as he handed him his clearance to travel. During a visit to her house, Mrs. Pike said similar things before she called her late husband's tailor and made an appointment to fit Jeremiah for new suits. Suits made Jeremiah uncomfortable, he preferred sturdy field clothing, but Dr. Sinclair held firm, no wild field archaeologist attire. Resigned to his fate, Jeremiah gave into almost all the dean's requirements, but refused when the request came to cutting his long copper locks. Jeremiah brushed through his hair, twisted, and slid the length into a sapphire-encrusted leather tube to hold everything in check.
The Emir, who oversaw his dig on behalf of the caliph's government, gave him the hair binder as a gift. The man developed a fascination with Jeremiah's copper hair and its silky texture. With his hair under control, Jeremiah dressed to impress in a navy-blue suit with a subtle white pinstripe. Sapphire cufflinks and tie tack finished the ensemble. The cufflinks came as a second present from the emir after a night of admiring Jeremiah's body in all its naked glory. The combination of Jeremiah's pale skin and fiery chest hair and pubic region, plus the impressive prick and balls in their natural state, fascinated the noble. The emir never touched him or asked for contact; the man wanted to check if the red hair remained the same color all the way down.
All three pieces of jewelry helped to highlight his bright blue eyes. Jeremiah checked himself in the mirror before picking up his notes and slides for his lecture and heading down to breakfast. During the evening, the staff worked their magic, transforming the ballroom from reception hall into a dining room. A waiter led Jeremiah to his assigned table and seat right next to Prof. O'Grady. The rest of the table filled with other scholars from universities in the Republic of Texas. He found Dr. Lanister's vacant seat next to his and opposite Prof. O'Grady. "Prof. O'Grady, I want to apologize for the rude comments last night at the reception."
"No, Dr. Banks, if anyone got out of line last night, I did, and should be doing the apologizing. Thank you for correcting my attitude towards Dr. Lanister. I spoke way out of line. I wanted to apologize to him in person, but the hotel informed me Dr. Lanister checked out late last night claiming illness and returned home."
"I'm sorry he departed. He stopped by my room last night reeking of alcohol, so I encouraged him to retire for the evening. I'm sorry to learn he caught something," came Jeremiah's reply as a waiter stopped and filled his coffee cup. "I wonder, are you familiar with Prof. Juan Di Vargas from the University of Madrid?"
"Only by reputation, Dr. Banks. I understand he's presenting today on how the story of the Flood developed in several early cultures," O'Grady remarked, signaling the waiter to take her plate. "Don't you present today as well, Dr. Banks?"
"Yes, about an hour after Prof. Di Vargas. I hope to catch a moment of his time between lectures. His latest paper mentioned the possibility of the biblical city of Enoch being in the Tigris-Euphrates Delta. I think Enoch might be part of the culture, which produced the tablets I found. I wish to compare research with him."
"Good luck in your endeavor. Di Vargas doesn't often deal with those who pursue the more physical aspects of their researches, at least according to his reputation. I can arrange for you to speak with a scholar of the period more open to using archaeology. Let me introduce you to Prof. Chevalier from the University of Paris."
She missed Jeremiah's grimace of distaste, which he hid behind a sip of coffee. Chevalier's research clashed with every line of the investigation he pursued while Di Vargas's headed in a similar direction from a different angle. Jeremiah wiped his hands with his napkin, picked up his notes and slides, and rose from the table.
"Thank you for the offer, Dr. O'Grady. Perhaps another time. Please excuse me. I need to make sure the media team receives enough time to arrange the presentation before lecturing. I'm confident we'll cross paths at dinner."
"I think they plan to mix things up tonight, but there will be other meetings during the conference. Such a pleasure to meet you again, Jeremiah, or I should say Dr. Banks. You stood out, one of my more promising students, and I'm proud of how well you blossomed under Adamson's direction." O'Grady offered Jeremiah her hand. "I'm eager for your lecture this afternoon."
Jeremiah shook her hand and left to track down the media team. He still needed to set up his slides before attending the lectures he wanted to listen to this morning.
***
Author Visit
Pope Honorius III founded the Order of St. Hubert of Liege in 1225 in order to gain the support of the powerful House of Beauty in his battle against a powerful shifter clan near Rome. The Order's foundational commandery is located in Liège near the cathedral. Pope Gregory IX expanded the Order of St. Hubert into a full martial/religious order in 1229 after the discovery of vampires during examinations under the Inquisition. The training given by the House of Beauty was expanded to take in dealing with vampires as well as shifters. The members of the Order of St. Hubert developed methods for detecting vampires and in rare cases adopted the use of mages they rescued from their more zealous Dominican brothers. Distinct divisions developed within the Order to cope with the various supernatural and natural threats. When the Order was established its Grand Master was an abbot. Over the centuries, the clerical rank of the Grand Master has risen with the Order's fortunes. Today the current Grand Master is Cardinal Valentine Ketcherside. The Vicar-General oversees the running of the military and hunter arms of the Order. The current Vicar-General of the Order is Bishop Fabrizio Fabbri. A Master and Commander, most often an archbishop, but sometimes a bishop oversee the regional commanderies. The local commanderies are lead by a Master and Commander, who is either a bishop or a monsignor, sometimes an abbot if the location is mostly religious members.
The divisions of the Order of St. Hubert are:
Religious Division: Some members of the Order are strictly religious members; monks, priests, and a small order of nuns. They very rarely leave the confines of the Commanderies unless a powerful vampire or shifter is encountered and someone of powerful faith is required to drive the monster out of its lair or protect the base of operations being used by a team of hunters.
Military Division: Knights, squires, and militant brothers make up the majority of the armed forces of the Order of St. Hubert. The Hunters of the Order are also part of this division.
Law Enforcement Division: By order of the Holy Father in Rome, the Order of St. Hubert took over the duties of Interpol. The Knights and priests of the law enforcement division may cross provincial boundaries as needed and command the assistance of any level of regional law enforcement with in the Holy Roman Empire.
Saint Hubert (c. 656-727 CE) became Bishop of Liège in 708 CE. Saint Hubertus was born in Toulouse around the year 656. He was the eldest son of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and spent his youth at the court of Theodoric III, King of the Franks, at Paris. Like many nobles of the time, Hubert was addicted to the chase. Around 682, Hubert joined many other Frankish nobles in departing the palace in Paris for the royal household at Heristal in the Austrasia region of the Frankish kingdom. Here he married Floribanne, daughter of Dagobert, Count of Leuven. His wife died giving birth to their son, and Hubert retreated from the court, withdrew into the forested Ardennes, and gave himself up entirely to hunting. However, a great spiritual revolution was imminent. On Good Friday evening while the faithful were crowding the churches, Hubert sallied forth to the chase. As he was pursuing a magnificent stag, the animal was smashed to the ground by a giant black wolf. As the stag was torn to shreds, Hubert heard a voice saying: "Hubert, unless thou turnest to the Lord, and leadest an holy life, thou shalt quickly go down into hell." Sensing a great evil about the wolf, Hubert dismounted, drew his sword, and drove the silver chased blade deep into the wolf's side and through the beast's heart. He was startled when the monster transformed back into a man. Hubert prostrated himself, and said, "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me do?" He received the answer, "Go and seek Lambert, and he will instruct you."
He set out immediately for Maastricht, of which place St. Lambert was then bishop. The latter received Hubert kindly, and became his spiritual director. Hubert, losing his wife shortly after this, renounced all his honors and his military rank, and gave up his birthright the Duchy of Aquitaine to his younger brother Eudon, whom he made guardian of his infant son, Floribert. Having distributed all his personal wealth among the poor, he entered upon his studies for the priesthood, was soon ordained, and shortly afterwards became one of St. Lambert's chief associates in the administration of his diocese. By the advice of St. Lambert, Hubert made a pilgrimage to Rome and during his absence, the saint was assassinated a pack of shifters. At the same hour, this was revealed to the pope in a vision, together with an injunction to appoint Hubert bishop, as being a worthy successor to the see. Hubert was so much possessed with the idea of himself winning the martyr's crown that he sought it on many occasions, often hunting shifters alone, but his quest to die a martyr was unsuccessful. He distributed his episcopal revenues among the poor, was diligent in fasting and prayer, and became famous for his eloquence in the pulpit. In 720, in obedience to a vision, Hubert translated St. Lambert's remains from Maastricht to Liège with great pomp and ceremonial, several neighboring bishops assisting. A church for the relics was built upon the site of the martyrdom, and was made a cathedral the following year, the see being removed from Maastricht to Liège, then only a small village. This laid the foundation of the future greatness of Liège, of which Lambert is honored as patron, and St. Hubert as founder and first bishop. Liège offered a better base of operations because of its size. The Hunter-Bishop trained several young men in the ways of detecting shifters, before his death by natural causes.
Author Bio
Kethric Wilcox began writing and publishing as a personal challenge to be creative in a new medium. He was attracted to the LGBT Romance genre after reading several paranormal romances where it seemed like the shape-shifters never faced dangers outside the relationship issues thrown at them by their authors. Thus was born the shifter hunting House of Beauty on the premise of a twisted fairy tale. What if Beauty and the Beast didn't end with happily ever after? Wilcox's Legend of the Silver Hunter trilogy looks at this question and then asks what happens if a member of this family falls in love with a descendant of the Beast, can they find happily ever after or are they doomed to repeat the tale. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Wilcox now lives and works in Little Rock, Arkansas in a house that he and his partner renovated. By day Wilcox is a graphic artist and exhibit designer, and at night an author of paranormal romances.
Wilcox currently has two new trilogies in progress: Origin of the Vampires (The Curse, Lord Hunter, and Lord Slayer) set in a dystopian future of the Silver Hunter world; and Legacy of the Silver Hunter (The Goldilocks Pledge, Ruby Wine, and Black Snow) which continues the story told in the Legend trilogy from the view points of other couples in Kieran and Cory’s lives.
Author Website: http://www.kethricwilcox.com
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