www.ViolaRyan.com

Viola Ryan - Author of Compelling Disturbing Paranormal Fiction

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Paranormal Fragment Fridays - Lucifer the First Vampire



Welcome to Paranormal Fragments Friday, as it say's above. I am glad to join this hop. I love blog hops. It gives me a chance to get to know more readers. Sitting in my office surrounded by dark faeries and vampires can be lonely sometimes. They rarely talk back. I love interacting with fans and soon-to-be fans.

I want to share something special with you, since we are so close to Halloween. I had a lot of fun writing this scene. I hope you enjoy it.



Every creature in Eden possessed blood. That was no big deal. A strong energy surrounded this blood. It had transformed Adam from a talking ball of mud into something God was now preparing to hand over all of heaven and creation as a gift. 

Unless… 


If drinking the blood had done that to Adam, it would have a stronger effect on the greatest of God’s angels. If he drank, he’d be changed into something God hadn’t made. Trembling hands lifted the chalice. If Lucifer did this, he wouldn’t be an angel. 

Excitement buzzed through him. 

God had said contact with Adam, Lilith, and their descendants will have disastrous consequences and angels must stay away from humans. If Lucifer drank, he could meet Eve. He would convince her to leave Adam. She would become Lucifer’s mate.

“For Eve.” He lifted the cup above his head. 

If God was going to stop him, this was his chance. Nothing happened. God’s silent approval surrounded Lucifer with a nervous thrill. He drank. 

The warmth of the blood coating his throat permeated him body, mind, and soul. He closed his eyes. 

Without warning, the warmth changed. He staggered forward and grabbed the left pedestal. Something was wrong, very wrong. He dropped the cup. Time froze as the chalice tumbled through the mist, its precious contents leaving a trail of crimson drops staining the air. 

Fiery needles marked the blood’s path as it wove into his body. His throat convulsed, but it was too late. He sank to his knees, clutching his chest. A scream ripped from his gut. He pounded his chest. Each vibration shoved the agony in more deeply. 

Waves of pain pounded inside and out. Either he’d explode or compress. It didn’t matter which. Anything to end the torment. Sobs wracked his entire body and soul. The torture increased until nothing else existed. He writhed and rolled into the fire. Flames engulfed him and shot higher. 

“Help,” he tried to scream. 

Despair added to his agony. All of heaven must have heard him scream earlier. Why didn’t someone come to his aid? 

God knew this would happen. Why didn’t he stop him? God should’ve allowed him to be with Eve. Then he wouldn’t have done this. 








Tagline: Is a frustrated artist Lucifer’s ticket back to heaven or will falling in love with her reawaken the compassion that got him expelled?

Blurb/Backcover copy: 

Lucifer is fed up with humanity. He created hell to deter evil, but man’s inhumanity is only escalating. He just wants to return home to heaven, but ever since that little problem in the Garden of Eden, the Pearly Gates remain firmly shut to him. It doesn’t help that he’s the first vampire, an abomination in God’s sight.

Fortunately, two thousand years ago Lucifer’s estranged brother, Jesus, gave him a prophecy. To fulfill it, all Lucifer has to do is find the right artist, study her artwork and the path back to heaven will be revealed. The artist even bears a symbol so he knows who she is. Too bad she is murdered every time he finds her.

Janie’s a frustrated artist and college art teacher who wants two things—a guy she can show her paintings to and a night without nightmares. Each nightmare plagues her until she paints it. She doesn’t realize these paintings are key to unlocking her destiny, one that could redeem the original fallen angel.

Buy Links:

MuseItUp Publishing:  http://museituppublishing.com


Trailer



More about The Mark of Abel and Viola Ryan can be found at: http://www.violaryan.com or by clicking on the banner on the top of the blog.





Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Author Blog Hop: Viola Ryan



I adore blog hops. It's one of my favorite ways of meeting new fans. Unlike most writers, I am a huge extrovert. Writing tends to be a solitary endeavor, so thanks for stopping by. For every 10 commenters, I will give out an ecopy of The Mark of Abel.  For every 25, I'll give away a WWLD (What Would Lucifer Do?) mug (open to US and Canadian residents only, sorry).

My debut novel, an urban fantasy called The Mark of Abel, came out December 21, 2012, from MuseItUp Publishing. Fortunately the world didn't end that day as predicted. It would have been fitting though, seeing as the hero of the book is Lucifer. I love bad boys and wounded heroes, and it doesn't get any badder than Lucifer. Figuring out what it takes to redeem him was a lot of fun. I'm still working on his redemption in the sequel, The Chalice of Creation. He needs a lot of redeeming.

I didn't set out to write about Lucifer. My original idea was a vampire bites the woman he loves so he can give her the most wonderful gift he knows by turning her into a vampire. She doesn't understand and rejects him. The original title was Rejection: A Vampire's Tale. Lucifer decided he wanted to be the hero. It made sense. The biggest rejection in all of storydom isn't Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden, but Lucifer's expulsion from heaven.

Next decision I had to make was did I still want to write a vampire story. Fallen angels are seen as demons and vampires are seen as demons. According to math, if A=B and C=B then A=C. Why not make fallen angels into vampires? This was back in 2007.

Now I needed some really bad guys for Lucifer to fight. If I was going to make him the hero, they had to be extra evil. I turned to the Book of Genesis. The Grigori are fallen angels. I decided sleeping with women wasn't a big enough sin to make them my villains. Instead, they needed to become vampires somehow. I had them convince Cain to murder Abel so they could drink his blood and become vampires. That's where the title of the book and series comes from. The Mark of Abel is an actual mark (the triangle on the cover), but it is also vampirism.

I hope you'll check out the book. You can learn more about it and me at: http://www.violaryan.com


I adore my cover. I had my cover designer, Marion Sipe, also design my bookmarks. If you'd like some, please let me know in the comments or email me at violaryan @ violaryan dot com.

Blurb:

Lucifer is fed up with humanity. He created hell to deter evil, but man’s inhumanity is only escalating. He just wants to return home to heaven, but ever since that little problem in the Garden of Eden, the Pearly Gates remain firmly shut to him. It doesn’t help that he’s the first vampire, an abomination in God’s sight.

Fortunately, two thousand years ago Lucifer’s estranged brother, Jesus, gave him a prophecy. To fulfill it, all Lucifer has to do is find the right artist, study her artwork and the path back to heaven will be revealed. The artist even bears a symbol so he knows who she is. Too bad she is murdered every time he finds her.

Janie’s a frustrated artist and college art teacher who wants two things—a guy she can show her paintings to and a night without nightmares. Each nightmare plagues her until she paints it. She doesn’t realize these paintings are key to unlocking her destiny, one that could redeem the original fallen angel.

Reviews can be found at: http://violaryan.com/reviews.html

"I really enjoyed this story because it has a different take on traditional theology mixed with some paranormal aspects. The mix produces an elaborate and distinctive world that gives you a different take on the plight of Lucifer, and his fall." Coffee Time Romance

"I have nothing but praise for the author’s originality and her very unique writing style and theme.
I look forward to the next book, since this is the first in a series. I can promise you that if you read this, the end is literally jaw dropping." Bitten By Books


Bio: A very good friend of Viola Ryan in high school said, “You don’t think outside the box. You blow the thing up.” Sometimes boxes need exploding. That’s why she’s here. She has a whole bag of C4 and isn’t afraid to use it. She’s blessed with people who treasure her eccentricities or at least put up with them.

Sometimes the box can be a cozy place. Without some sort of stability, her two daughters’ and her life would be unmanageable. That stability comes from her husband. He’s the rock holding her family together.

On the flip side, his career is anything but stable. He’s a Chief Marine Safety Technician in the US Coast Guard. They’ve lived from Kittery, Maine to Yorktown, Virginia. Fortunately, the moves have all been on the east coast. Then again, the Coast Guard tends to guard the coast.

Her oldest daughter (16) was born on Cape Cod, not far from Plymouth. Massachusetts. Her youngest (12) was born in Yorktown, Virginia, down the road from Williamsburg. Viola jokes they’re doing the colonial America tour.

Social Media Links:


Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/violaryan


(extra entries for friending me at any of those places. Just let me know in the comments)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Spring is in the Air bloghop



I love New England. Because of my husband's career in the US Coast Guard, we move a lot. We've lived from Kittery, Maine to Yorktown, Virginia. Fortunately all our moves have been on the East Coast. Then again, the Coast Guard tends to guard the coast.

When I started The Mark of Abel, I was living in Delaware and missing New England something fierce. I decided to set the book there. At first, I set it during the fall. My husband remarked that all books set in New England happen during the fall. As I was writing, I realized I needed to move the book to right before Spring break.

In New England, spring means one thing--baseball. Even the heroine gets swept up in Red Sox fever.

Excerpt:

Traffic on Storrow Drive was a nightmare. Janie laughed. Nightmares were precisely why she was caught in traffic hell. Unfortunately, she must travel through this to reach her salvation, something beautiful to erase the afterimages of her night terrors. She cursed that she needed to pass Fenway Park to get to the Museum of Fine Arts. A few more miles and she’d be cocooned in soothing blues of the Madonna. Each car inched along as if pulled by the one in front, all united by a common purpose proudly emblazoned on their bumpers. Go Red Sox. 
 
She’d never felt so alone. 
 
She didn’t even know the rules of the national pastime. Maybe she should change that. Then she could talk to strangers waiting in line. There was something about a green monster who ate balls. That would be interesting to paint. Then again, if she did, the monster would have blood dripping from his fangs. That wasn’t exactly kid-friendly. 
 
“How ’bout the Sox?” she said to her empty car. She sighed. 

The air was electric. She could come up with something special to paint here. There were rarely people in her paintings. Maybe that was her problem. She’d always felt removed from the people around her. The secret to healing her broken soul wasn’t communion with God, but communion with her fellow man. That’s what art gave her. She felt connected to the long dead artist. What she needed was to connect with the living. 
 
On the sidewalk to the left of her car, a small girl about three-years-old bounced on her father’s shoulders. Her hat was too large and fell over her eyes. With an iron grip on her father’s chin with one hand, she pushed it up. It fell again. Janie wiped away a tear. It had been decades since she had been her father’s Moonbeam. 
 
To her right, happy couples strode toward the stadium. Their joy was so palpable, she could feel it through the closed window. She rolled it down and fragments of conversation floated to her. None if it made sense, talks about winning a pennant or someone being sent down to the minors or a designated hitter, whatever that was. If she was going to become a fan, she needed to learn a new language. She wondered if tickets were available. With all these people, probably not.



Blurb/Backcover copy:

Lucifer is fed up with humanity. He created hell to deter evil, but man’s inhumanity is only escalating. He just wants to return home to heaven, but ever since that little problem in the Garden of Eden, the Pearly Gates remain firmly shut to him. It doesn’t help that he’s the first vampire, an abomination in God’s sight.

Fortunately, two thousand years ago Lucifer’s estranged brother, Jesus, gave him a prophecy. To fulfill it, all Lucifer has to do is find the right artist, study her artwork and the path back to heaven will be revealed. The artist even bears a symbol so he knows who she is. Too bad she is murdered every time he finds her.

Janie’s a frustrated artist and college art teacher who wants two things—a guy she can show her paintings to and a night without nightmares. Each nightmare plagues her until she paints it. She doesn’t realize these paintings are key to unlocking her destiny, one that could redeem the original fallen angel.


Buy Links:

MuseItUp Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=516&category_id=69&manufacturer_id=250&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Mark-of-Abel-ebook/dp/B00B0FSH9A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1358130524&sr=8-4&keywords=The+Mark+of+abel

Trailer  Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UayqdSPMFMQ&feature=youtu.be


One lucky commenter will win a copy of The Mark of Abel and be entered into the hop's grand prize drawing for a pack of books from XOXO Publishing. You must include your email address to be eligible. 

Make sure you visit other stops on this hop for learn about more fabulous books and for more chances to win. There is a prize at every stop.


Also, I am currently involved in a uber-massive virtual book tour for The Mark of Abel. Feel free to join me at any of my stops. The  Grand  Prize for the tour is a $50 Amazon  Gift Card. Click on the graphic below and it will take you to the tour page. Thank you for stopping by.


Holy Hell Tour

Say Hi to My MuseItUp Sister, JQ Rose




Hi Viola. Thanks so much for trading blogs with me today. It’s fun to meet your readers and introduce my new mystery, Coda to Murder

Hello Readers. So happy you stopped in today.  Please leave a comment, ask questions, wave, or say hi because it will enter you into the drawing for prizes at the conclusion of the Coda to Murder book tour. I enjoy interacting with readers, and this topic of forgiveness can make for a lively discussion. Thank you.

Back of the cover-- Pastor Christine Hobbs has been in the pulpit business for over five years. She never imagined herself caring for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.  

Detective Cole Stephens doesn't want the pretty pastor to get away with murdering the church music director. His investigative methods infuriate Christine as much as his deep brown eyes attract her. 

Can they find the real killer and build a loving relationship based on trust?



I was inspired to write this book when a friend told me she couldn’t forgive her ex-husband. They had gone through a mean, stressful divorce after he left her for another woman. She was a Christian woman trying to live a Christian life, but she just couldn’t seem to get over his betrayal. Deep inside she had to admit she could not forgive his actions.

Intellectually we know by not forgiving others, we’re really hurting ourselves. We carry a grudge within our hardened hearts. Instead of the horrible burden going away, we seem to feed it and make it grow into hatred that seethes throughout our pores and colors our world black with resentment.

Withholding forgiveness to someone who hurts us only gives us a false sense of power and control over that person. No one likes to have a hammer held over her head with comments like, “Remember when you did so and so?” Bitterness grows further damaging the relationship. 

It takes a strong, loving person to be the first to try and reach out and forgive and an equally loving person to accept forgiveness. When that happens, the heart soars. 

Forgiveness isn’t easy. It may take a long time to get a different perspective on the hurt and anguish, but in the end we can try and do the best we can to resolve a relationship and relieve heartache for both parties.

My main character, Pastor Christine Hobbs, preaches about God’s forgiveness in all things. Even if we don’t feel we are worthy of forgiveness, God’s love and grace is available. All we need to do is ask.

Christine tries to practice it in her own life, but just when she thinks she has come to terms with her husband’s cheating, lying, and eventual abandonment, she discovers she has not. No one said it is easy to forgive. In order to move on with our lives and gain peace within, forgiveness is the key.



This excerpt is from Coda to Murder when Christine receives a phone call from her ex which starts her stomach churning and her blood boiling.

“So how are you getting along there with your new church position?” His voice moderated. “You may not believe it, but I do think of you and wonder how you are.”

Her eyes teared up. He had no idea how much she missed him and hated him at the same time. 
“I’m fine. How’re you?”

“Well, as soon as I get this apartment cleaned up, I’ll be happy. What a job. I never knew moving would be so difficult.”

“You’re moving? Where are you going?” She bit her lip. She hated to sound as if she were the least bit interested in his life.

“Nadia and I found a house.” He delivered it like a hot poker through her heart.

He met Nadia while he was away on a lengthy sales trip. She shook her head to erase the dark thoughts in her mind.

“We decided it was such a good deal, we couldn’t pass it up. I’ll send you my new address. It’s a ranch in a subdivision near that greasy spoon cafe we liked to go to. Do you remember that place? Jake’s.” His remarks were so off-handed. 

“Oh, yeah.” Christine remembered Jake’s like it was yesterday. 

Jake’s was the place where she told Brad she was pregnant with their baby. She remembered the joy in his face and excitement they felt about beginning their family.

She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to blot out the memory of the night she lost her baby girl in the emergency room. She was all by herself because Brad was away on a business trip. He never understood her feeling of loss, so he tried to act like it never happened. The baby wasn’t real to him as she was to her. 

She realized she wasn’t listening to a word he’d spoken, so when Brad stopped talking she said, “Okay. Thanks. Gotta go. Just mail them to the church. Good-bye.” The lump in her throat prevented her from continuing the phone conversation. 

Still clutching the phone in her hand, the memories of that Saturday morning conversation over two years ago surfaced in her mind. She and Brad were sitting at the kitchen table. Christine looked forward to spending time with her husband. Having a weekend together was unusual.

“So what are your plans for this weekend? Do you want to take a drive or go to a movie?” she asked as she picked up the cereal box.
Setting his coffee mug on the kitchen table, he looked directly into her eyes.

“I won’t be here this weekend.”

She stopped pouring the sugary flakes of cereal into the bowl. “Oh, really?” She turned to face her beloved husband. “I thought we could do something fun this weekend. We have so little time together anymore.”

“I’m moving out today.” He sat motionless in the chair.

“What? What did you say?” She leaned in closer toward Brad, the cereal box clenched in her hand.

“I’m leaving. I’m moving in with a friend. I want out of this marriage.” He grabbed the cup of coffee and pulled it toward him.

She clutched her stomach to stop the churning inside. Was she dreaming? This couldn’t be real. She tried to read his face, but he kept his eyes on his coffee mug. 

She slammed the box of cereal down on the table and curled her hands into tight fists. With each sentence she spoke, her fists hit the table. “Wait a minute. Bradley, wait a minute. What’s happening? What are you saying?”

He glanced up furtively. Finally locking onto her eyes, he said, “I’m in love with another woman. It’s over for us.” He scooted back the kitchen chair, turned his back to her, and walked to their bedroom. She remembered sitting at the table, shell-shocked, silent, and helpless.

Blinking back to reality, Christine threw the cell phone on the end table and covered her face with her hands. A torrent of tears puddled in her palms. Christine heard heartbreaking cries then realized the sounds came from her, from the depths of her soul. The phone conversation stirred up all the memories and hurt she thought she had buried. Although she had tried, she realized now she hadn’t forgiven him, nor could she ever forget.

No man would ever again win her heart then crush it.

# # # #

Now available at MuseItUp Publishing- http://tinyurl.com/anax9x7
bn.com and major online booksellers.

BIO- After writing feature articles in magazines, newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the world of fiction writing with her first published novella, Sunshine Boulevard, released by MuseItUp Publishing in 2011. Her latest mystery, Coda to Murder, was released in February. Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and travel are the things that keep her out of trouble. Spending winters in Florida with her husband allows Janet the opportunity to enjoy the life of a snowbird. Summer finds her camping and hunting toads, frogs, and salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.

Connect with J.Q. Rose online at
J.Q. Rose blog http://www.jqrose.com/
Author website http://jqrose.webs.com/
J. Q.  Rose Amazon Author Page http://tinyurl.com/aeuv4m4

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sneak Peak Sunday Blog Hop

Sneak Peak Sunday


I love blog hops. Here is a sneak peak into The Mark Of Abel



Lucifer appeared outside of heaven. A high wall of the same gleaming material as the palace formed around heaven. Eve appeared behind an open gate. Its gleaming bars stretched up and down into infinity until up became down and down became up. It swung shut. 

He raced for it, but was too late. The clang echoed in his soul, and he collapsed to his knees. 

“You are no longer an angel. You don’t belong in heaven. You must find your way home.” God turned away. 

“What am I?” Lucifer rose and sent a burst of energy at the gate. It remained shut. 

“Am I human?” His soul bled at the question and darkness surrounded him. As a human he had nothing to offer Eve. He couldn’t protect her. He couldn’t create another Eden for her. She would beget Adam’s children in pain. Lucifer cringed. 

Eve/God appeared next to him and traced three triangles above his heart, each attached to the other two at the corners of its base to form a fourth triangle in the center. They burned, and he screamed until his voice was raw. He collapsed and gulped fire. 


To read more  blogs on this hop, click the button on top to return to the list.

Don't forget to check out The Holy Hell Virtual Book Tour Starting this Friday/



Holy Hell Tour

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

All You Need Is Love Blog Hop

 All You Need Is Love Blog Hop
Welcome to my second blog hop. These are fun. Check out the other authors in this hop, listed at the bottom.

I always planned to stay home to raise my children, even before they were born. I knew that if I worked outside the home, when I was at work, I'd be thinking about the children, and when I was home, I 'd be thinking about work. Both worlds and I would suffer. I told this to my then-fiance. He was delighted. I agreed to go back to work or school after any kids we had were in school full-time. One thing though. For staying home with the children, I'd get to take a year off to do nothing.

When I was pregnant with our first child, I left the workforce. I was exhausted and working was becoming increasingly difficult. I am glad I stayed home with both my daughters. I'm fortunate my husband supported this.

When the youngest was in Kindergarten (only half day), I started thinking about what I was going to do with my year off and what I was going to do after that. I'd written fan fiction for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and decided to give writing my own stuff a chance. I loved it.

Other than being a mother, nothing felt so right. I knew I was a writer. The younger went to first grade, and I spent the day writing or learning about writing. The year was up and I offered to get a job, even though I knew I'd hate every minute of it because I'd rather be writing.

Hubby said the most romantic thing.

"You already have a job. You're a writer."

I cried.




My Fellow Hoppers

If you have any problems, click on the button at the beginning of the post.




Don't forget to check out my uber-blog tour starting March 1. The grand giveaway is a $50 Amazon gift card, but there will be prizes throughout the month.


Holy Hell Tour


Saturday, February 9, 2013

Welcome to The Firsts Blog Hop

I am very happy to be part of this blog hop, my first.  The Mark of Abel is so many firsts--first published  book, first book in the series, first murder, first vampire, first man and woman--it was difficult deciding what to write about. That's when it hit me, write about what was most difficult to write for the book, namely where to begin the book with. Several of the scenes were once first chapters. One of my favorites is when the heroine sees the culmination of all her nightmares in the mirror. Fortunately, the scene survived the editing process.

The book belongs to Lucifer and his story starts millennia before the heroines. After much trial and error, I realized the book needed to begin with the beginning, namely in  Eden with Lucifer stalking Eve. A big part of Lucifer's mythology happens in the Garden of Eden and his role in original sin. I needed to put my own spin on it, to transform Lucifer from a creature of pure evil into one the reader can sympathize with. 

Below is the excerpt of that fateful moment. Enjoy.



Eve stood with her hand on her chin in front of a tree with yellowish-orange 
fruit hanging in bunches. Lucifer appeared behind her. She shivered. 

“Adam, would you care for a date?” She emphasized the word date and 
continued to inspect the tree. 

Lucifer smiled. Adam wasn’t anywhere around. Lucifer reached toward her 
and froze. The memory of God’s earlier command played in his head. 

“Contact with Adam, Lilith, and their descendants will have disastrous 
consequences. Angels must stay away from humans.” 

At least he hoped it was a memory. 

Contact with Eve wouldn’t be disastrous. It would be wonderful. Besides, he 
was no longer an angel.

“I’d love one.” He closed his hand over hers. 

Eve yanked her hand away and whipped around. Her face was more radiant 
than yesterday, every feature more alive than the garden around her. She backed up 
until she was pressed against the tree. 

“You’re…you’re...you’re not Adam.” Surprise and uncertainty replaced her 
warm smile. 

“I’m Lucifer. The Bearer of Light.” He spoke gently, lest he spook her more. 

His breath caught. From a distance, Eve’s brown eyes were pretty. Close-up 
they were magnificent. Two circles of nurturing soil, their brown depth held 
potential for beauty and life. He lightly traced each eye. 

“You’re eyes aren’t like Adam’s.” She stood on tiptoes and examined each 
one. “They glow. Each one has splashes of blue like the sky, and green like the 
grass.” Her voice was wary, but curiosity drew her out. 

His eyes were what? Angel’s eyes were luminescent white, like their skin. This 
must be one of the side effects of drinking the blood. Something to consider 
another day. 

His smile coaxed one from Eve. Her smile was even more dazzling. Come to 
think about it, everything was brighter and the animals’ voices were clearer. So 
was Adam’s. 

In the distance a voice called out, “Goat.” A bleat answered him. 

Lucifer clenched his jaw. Seriously? That guttural noise was the best that 
overgrown ape could come up with? At least Lilith’s names had poetry to them. 
Butterfly. Swan. Dove. 

Eve dashed behind the date tree. 

“Your eyes flickered red like fire.” She gulped. “And your hands…” She 
shivered and looked frantically around. 

Unsure what was happening to him, Lucifer shoved all his doubts aside. He 
took a deep breath and pictured the fire in the center of heaven. It would soon be 
his home with Eve. His talons receded. He stepped around the tree. 

“May I please help you?” He smiled and offered his hand. 

“You asked my permission? Adam never does.” Her tone was a mixture of 
disappointment and frustration with a hint of anger. She looked down. 

With one gentle finger, Lucifer tipped her head up. Eve was the more exquisite 
creature. Adam should be subordinate to her. Heaven was being remade for Adam? 
What was God thinking? 

Lucifer laughed. That was something no one ever knew. Not even the angels. 
Eve placed her hand on her chin and studied Lucifer. 

“Yes. You may help. I’m naming things we can eat. This is a date.” She 
handed him the fruit. 

Eve regarded him with anticipation as he bit. The flavor called to something 
deep inside, and his stomach rumbled. The noise and vibrations were startling. He 
examined the fruit. The flesh contained juice. It ran down his hand. It was cool and 
sticky. He devoured the date. Eve’s smile was more beautiful this time. 

Because it was for him. 

Eve named the plants. His help consisted of applauding her choices. She was 
especially proud of grapes and apricots. 

He needed to give her something. A variety of flowers surrounded them. There 
were different colors, sizes, and shapes. He picked a small pink one. The wind 
scattered the five petals. He scanned the ground. A rock the size of Eve’s delicate 
hand caught his attention. He lifted it and closed his hand around it. 

“My turn,” he told her. 

“For what? We’ve named everything.” Her voice held a tinge of 
disappointment. 

“For this.” He opened his hand. It cradled a diamond flower.

Her fingers were tiny next to his, her skin darker. She took the flower and held 
it up to the sun. The rays turned to rainbows as they shone through the diamond. 

“What’s this?” She continued to inspect the flower. She held her other hand 
next to the flower to watch the rainbows on it. As she moved the flower, the 
rainbows moved. 

“A gift.” Please smile so I know you like it. “A flower that will never blow 
away.” 

She lightly traced the petals, but didn’t smile. 

“I don’t know what to say.” Her attention was absorbed by the flower. 

“If you don’t like it…” He reached for it. 

She held it away. 

“I don’t like it. I love it.” Her smile wrapped around her face, and she hugged 
Lucifer around the neck. She mashed her body against his. 

He gently put his arms around her. He didn’t squeeze. She looked delicate 
enough to break. They stood for what seemed like both an eternity and not long 
enough. 

“It’s beautiful. No one has ever given me anything. I give things to Adam, but 
he never—” 

“I never what?” Adam’s voice was more annoying close up. 

He grabbed Eve’s hand and yanked her away. The diamond flower fell. Lucifer 
caught it. He tried to hand it back, but Adam blocked his way. 

“Who is this?” Adam shoved Eve behind him. He spoke to Eve, but his 
attention was on Lucifer. 

Eve peeked around him, rubbing her shoulder. Her eyes said everything. You 
would never shove me around. 

Lucifer stood in Adam’s face and reached for Eve. Adam blocked his way, and 
they glared at each other. Eve squeezed between them.

“This is Lucifer. He’s my friend.” Her confidence was beautiful, a far cry from 
her earlier timidity. 

What a beautiful word. Friend. It possessed a strong energy, but Eve couldn’t 
know power words. 

“He helped me name the plants,” she continued, not aware of the magnitude of 
the word she’d spoken. 

“I want to name the plants. God put me in charge, not you.” Lucifer wasn’t 
sure who the words were directed to. Adam glared at Lucifer. 

“Too bad.” Lucifer’s laugh nearly ate his words. “We’ve already named them 
all.” He didn’t hide his glee. Every time Eve ate anything, she’d remember the day 
they’d spent together. 

Not one day. Adam’s arrogance and dominance proved he wasn’t right for her. 
Let God make another mate for Adam. Eve belonged with Lucifer, and he 
belonged with her. They would make their own Eden in heaven. Then their 
descendants would fill the heavenly vault. 

Eve clung to Lucifer’s arm and kept looking between the two men. Lucifer 
patted her hand and smiled at her. Even though she returned the smile, it didn’t 
reach her eyes. Her fingers uncurled, and she moved to Adam’s right side. 

Lucifer took a deep breath. Eve needed more time before she left Adam. He 
could give her that. It didn’t mean he couldn’t needle Adam. 

“We didn’t name all of them. There’s still that one.” Lucifer pointed to the 
large tree in the center and strolled over to it. 

Eve rushed to him. 

The branches were a few feet above his head. He plucked a fruit. The weight 
was surprising. He compared it to the diamond flower, weighing both in his hands. 

The fruit looked like a blue apple, but was heavier than diamond. It was a wonder 
it didn’t fall from the tree.

Eve grabbed it and tried to place it in the tree, but was too short to touch the 
branches. Lucifer reached for it. She hid it behind her back and shook her head. 

“God said we can eat from any tree, but this one.” Her words were frantic. “If 
we do, we’ll die.” 

Trembling hands threw the fruit behind her. It rolled and nearly hit Adam’s 
feet. He leaped out of the way. It landed in the flowers near Adam. He backed 
away from it. 

“Why would God make something that could hurt you, and why place it in the 
center?” Lucifer mused out loud. “Centers are important. God created everything 
in the center of heaven. Heaven is the center of the universe. God has deliberately 
placed this tree in the center of Eden, the center of earth.” 

Eve shrugged, but her eyes were ripe with fear. She tugged Lucifer away with 
both hands. He planted his feet. He’d pushed aside too many questions. Eve lost 
her grip. She nearly fell. Adam steadied her with a hand wrapped around her upper 
arm. 

Lucifer placed the diamond flower on the ground. He picked another fruit and 
peered into its nature. It possessed energy like nothing on earth, except for… He 
gazed into Eve’s frantic eyes. This energy lived inside one, make that four things— 
Lilith, Adam, Eve, and him. 

The fruit contained the blood of humanity and something else, something he’d 
only felt in one other place. 

In the presence of God. 

“This fruit won’t hurt you.” Lucifer squeezed it, and blood dripped onto his 
outstretched palm. He licked it. Definitely the blood of humanity. The juice didn’t 
contain God’s special energy. The flesh did. “It will make you gods.” 

“God’s what?” Eve’s curiosity drew her out, however her fear kept her rooted. 

“No. Gods as in plural. If you eat this fruit, you’ll become like God, so…” So 
would he. He stared at the fruit. He wouldn’t need that sanctuary in heaven. He 
wouldn’t have to stay in heaven or earth. He could be as far from Adam as 
possible. He could make his own universe for him and Eve. 

He’d already gone through one transformation. That change had nearly 
destroyed him. Did he dare risk another? 

Eve’s fear was so strong, it coated everything, including the fruit. Her body 
shook, and her eyes glistened with tears. If her heart beat any faster, it would stop 
beating. Nothing so delicate should ever experience fear. 

Eve was terrified of God. Lucifer would not only take her far away from 
Adam, but from God. She would never be scared of anything ever again. 

“Contact with Adam, Lilith, and their descendants will have disastrous 
consequences.” The words rumbled through his mind. He looked at Eve. She 
hadn’t moved. Neither had Adam. They hadn’t heard the words. 

“You lied,” Lucifer shouted at heaven. “This won’t kill them.” 

He bit the fruit. His throat constricted, trapping the fruit. He grabbed the tree 
and readied himself for the pain that had engulfed him in heaven. It came and he 
gripped the tree harder. Tears poured down his cheeks. 

Eve gasped and fell to her knees at his feet, crying. 

“Please don’t hurt him,” she begged. Her tears fell on Lucifer’s feet. 

Words tumbled through his mind. He grabbed on to them. 

“To love me is to love what I have created. To love what I have created is to 
love me.” His heart leaped at God’s words. 

“Bring light and justice to all creation, my son.” Tears washed down Lucifer’s 
face. 

He is my friend. The memory of Eve’s gentle voice warmed him. 

His throat relaxed. He took another bite. Warmth flooded him. Eve’s warmth. 

Peace followed, and a veil lifted. Each bite made everything clearer.

His name made sense. Lucifer, the bearer of light. He was to shine this light on 
the world and bring justice. His hand flexed. His sword was in heaven. He’d 
retrieve it as soon as they were done here. 

He reached down and touched Eve’s hand to let her know he was okay. Her 
eyes were still downcast. His gentle caress made her glance up. He smiled at her, 
and she returned it. She leaped up and hugged him tightly. 

Adam took several steps toward him. Lucifer let his anger turn his eyes to 
flame. Despite not wanting Eve to be afraid, fear could be a good thing. Now to 
quell Eve’s fear. Then they could create a whole new world together. He picked 
another fruit and offered it to her. Adam growled. 

“Eve, this won’t hurt you. I vow I will never let anything or anyone”—Lucifer 
glared at Adam—“hurt you. This is the fruit of life itself. Not merely to live, but to 
create life.” He took Eve’s hand and placed it around the fruit. “This is why God 
lied. He doesn’t want you to become like the angels, like me, or especially like 
him.” He tucked a damp lock of hair behind her ear. 

Eve looked between Adam and Lucifer. Slowly she brought the fruit to her 
lips. Adam grabbed her hands. 

“You aren’t doing this without me.” There was no arguing with Adam’s tone, 
though Lucifer would have loved to. This wasn’t the time for that. This was a 
special moment between him and Eve. Let Adam do whatever he wanted. Lilith 
knew how irrelevant Adam was. Now so would Eve. 

Adam snatched Eve’s fruit. She stood and with shaking hands, tried to pick 
another. Even on tiptoes, she couldn’t reach. Lucifer grabbed the fruit from Adam 
and resisted the urge to punch him in the gut. He wasn’t going to sully the hands 
that would soon touch Eve. 

“That’s hers.” Lucifer shined and presented it to her. 

Trembling hands accepted the second gift he’d given her.

“Wait for me,” Adam commanded. He yanked a fruit down, glaring at Lucifer. 

Lucifer resisted the urge to laugh. Adam was so pathetic. He tried to shove 
Lucifer aside, but it was like a fly landing on a cow. Adam stood on the other side 
of Eve. 

Sweating, she slowly raised the fruit to her mouth. Her teeth pierced the skin, 
and a trickle of blood ran down her chin. 

Her scream barely squeezed around the fruit. She dropped it, and her pain 
echoed through Eden. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed. A 
breath later, Adam fell next to her. 

Lucifer scooped up Eve’s limp form and carried her to the flowers. He rested 
her head on his lap and brushed damp hair out of her face. Not Eve. She was what 
made Eden paradise. His tears washed away the blood marring her perfect 
complexion. 

Maybe she needed to eat more. The first bite was hard on him, and he used to 
be an angel, not a fragile human. The fruit she’d tossed away lay next to them. He 
held the fruit to her mouth. She didn’t stir. He bit off a piece and placed it in her 
mouth. 

Nothing. 

His heart stuttered. God hadn’t lied. Contact with humans had had disastrous 
consequences. 

Lucifer called the diamond flower to his outstretched hand and laid it on her 
chest. He covered it with both her hands. 

Everything grew dark, though it was still day without a cloud in the sky. 

“You dare think to disobey me.” God’s voice boomed from the tree. 


To find out more, check out my website http://www.violaryan.com

Starting next month, I will begin the Holy Hell Tour. It will begin here at the blog on March 1 and culminate on Easter with a $50 Amazon gift card giveaway. There will be smaller prizes awarded throughout the month. I  hope to see you there.