Marked

City of the Damned #1

by Everly Drummond

Following the death of her parents, Sara Bishop sells everything she owns and moves to New York in hopes of being closer to her aunt and uncle, the only family that she has left. After stumbling upon a fight between two men in the dark alleyways of New York, a brutal attack by one of the men has left her marked. Pryse has claimed her intoxicating blood for himself. It is against vampire law that a human be unwilling marked, and Gedeon finds himself, not only wanting to protect the fragile human, but doing anything within his power to break the mark that Pryse has placed on her, so that he may claim her for himself. Until now Gedeon believed that vampires could only feel two emotions, lust and hunger, but Sara has him second guessing everything he had ever thought to be true. In Sara's arms, Gedeon finds something that he never knew existed, and Sara finds more than she could ever hope for. Can Gedeon break Pryse's mark and claim Sara for himself before it's too late?

Genres: Paranormal, Vampires, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Erotica, Short Stories, Fantasy

62 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2011

About the author

As a student of the Centennial College Social Service Worker program, and the Trent University Biology program, Everly Drummond had a previous life in administration and transportation before launching her career as a writer. Everly's other writing projects include City ofthe Damned, a paranormal romance series, and Blood of the Ancients, a YA paranormal romance. All four novellas in the City of the Damned series have appeared on the Amazon.com bestseller list. Everly resides in Toronto, Ontario,where she is currently working on the full length Inked novel, which is scheduled to be released Spring 2013.

Reviews

[hugsandcookies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just too short and hopefully the next book will be more longer!

[Lynxie]

This needs a serious edit. DNF @ 25%. The writing is basic with lots of adverbs and adjectives. Plenty of tiny formatting and grammar errors too.

A few things I noticed:

9% - Let he(r) go and I’ll give you…
10% - …made Sara thrashed (thrash) wildly…
13%…the pain that shot (delete shot) consumed her…
22% - …peek (peak) condition…
24% - …consequences her(he) or she…

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first story in this book. Actually i expected the stories to be longer than what they were. I was wanting more information when it came to the part of her being marked for the 2nd time. Other than that i really did enjoy their sex scences. They were hot and steamy. He wanted her so bad but he didn't race for the finish line. She just moved to New York her parents had died and she wanted something that didn't remind her of her of her parents all the time. While getting dinner and picking up milk late night she is pulled into an alley and used as leverage against another another vampire. He ends up biting her and marking her. Gedeon ends up kicking his ass and takes her to his place and tries to keep her well. She is terrified and turned on all at the same time. They defeat the other vampire and Gedeon tell her he loves her. And she wants him to Mark her as his own. So they leave town and that is where it ends.

The 2nd story was about a girl who was made to go to a fancy party by her boss b/c he was sick. So she wouldn't be alone on her birthday, so she invisted her best friend to go with her. While there the best friend ends up talking and flirting with a guy and leaving her by herself at the table. While getting drunk she see this HOT guy sitting at the VIP table. She believes that she is below anything that he might even consider. She just ends up drinking and thinking about talking to him until a woman comes over and puts her arm around him. And the story ends with her looking for the bathroom.... I was like WHAT??? That was the end of the story?:( I felt like i got teased.

Other than the abrupt ending and the shortness of both stories i liked them. Wish there was more to both of them. But i did enjoy the sex in the Marked Story. so if your looking for a short, good read. Then you might like these stories.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, this is a very short novella at only 62 pages, and the original intention was for this book to be a stand alone. If you read it as such and keep in mind the rushed progression of events you would expect in a short story, you will have a better experience and enjoy it for what it is.

Although this book is extremely short (even for a novella), it has excitement packed within the few pages. Pryse is a rogue vampire who doesn't play by the rules. Gedeon has something he wants, and Pryse will break any and all laws to get it.

Gedeon is definitely the hero in the story who believes that vampires as a race experience only two emotions. However, when Sara enters the picture, he learns that his human emotions are not lost after all. I didn't connect very well with Sara. She is a sweet character, but there was just not a connection there for me. I never truly felt her innocence, therefore I was surprised to learn something significant with regard to her, but I will leave you to your own discovery and opinion.

Everly Drummond delivers the steam with a graphic portrayal of eroticism quite a few times in scenes between Gedeon and Sara. Did I get hot and sweaty? Did I feel the heat? Well, no. But that is due to the fact that this is a novella, not the way it is written. But then most erotic novellas tend to skip the foreplay and jump to the main event. There wasn't the time to prepare me for what was to come. I give this short novella 3.5 stars because it is a good story with excitement, I really did get to understand and like Gedeon, and the scenes were very well written.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great quick and steamy read. The story is to the point and gives you just enough background info to keep you hanging on to the end. If you're into lots of substance and back story, you won't like this. This is a bare bones story that is ready to smack you in the face with sex and passion. I enjoyed the characters even though you don't really get to know them too very well before the book is over with. I'm reading the second book now...


Grabbed this one as a freebie on my Nook Color. Who can pass up a freebie right? My husband actually found it searching for vampire fiction. Cover was intriguing (and sexy) and it is a short book so what did I have to loose, right?!

The story immediately gets into the action. You are pulled in before you can even decide if you like the characters or not. Drummond quickly distinguishes bad from good and you just get to light heartedly follow along.

I wouldn’t joke anyone and tell you that this is a heart stealing book. You CAN live without it, but if you’re at a spot between book series right now and just need something paranormal, very sexy and well paced - then go ahead and grab this one. It’s free on most sites including Everly’s Blog on Blogspot.

The sex scenes in book one are heated and delicious, but Drummond does turn it up a notch in books two and three. So if the normal scenes in book 1 don’t turn you on, then move on to book 2 and 3 quickly. There’s something for everyone’s sexual appetite between 1, 2, or 3.

[PepperP0t · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might be overly generous with the 3stars because there were a few things that really bothered me.

Vials not viles - so spelling errors & syntax errors. I had such a WTF moment with our heroine I don't know if I've recovered yet.

This is a short self published novella this is part one. Our entry to this vampire world introduces us to Sara a young woman who moves to NY after the tragic death of her parents so that she can be close to her remaining family. Shortly after moving Sara decides that 2am is a good time to go the diner for food and the convenience store. (Why ask why? and no that wasn't the WTF that still has me spinning.) On her way back she is literally dragged into an argument between two vampires. One vampire (Pryse)decides to mark Sara partially to further infuriate the vampire he is arguing with (Gedeon) and who knows why else. Gedeon is also a healer and is determined to aid young Sara. During the healing of course he is also determined to have her for his own - but to do that he must remove Pryse from ever being a threat to Sara again.

I could like this world so I'll try part two to see if it improves.

[Cathy]

This was a free Kindle download. Damn good thing. Short story: country girl moves to NYC; goes out at 3AM for cat food; meets bad vampire and is bitten; saved by good vampire; falls in love with good vampire; exists happily everafter.
I found the explanation of how a vampire marks his suckee vs. how a vampire bonds with his suckee to be too round-about to understand. Basically, the whole story was silly.
Re the Kindle edition:
We all get upset with the typing errors in ebooks. This was no exception. Glass "viles" instead of vials stands out but the following really had me stumped. This is the sentence - "...walked to a burrow in the corner." Okay, we are in an apartment. Why would even a vampire need a burrow in his apartment? Couldn't even a vampire just burrow under his covers or hunker down on the couch? Then the next sentence - "...placed her clothes..." That's when it hit me. The author meant "BUREAU." OMG

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is incredibly short. Not even 50 pages. I had got this book hoping it was like an Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter book. It's not. While the story of Sara Bishop and Geoden is romantic, the adult scenes and not what I had hoped for. They are graphic yes, but the termonology is what I didn't like. If you like bluntness when it comes to the termonolgy then this short story is for you. If not, like myself, then I would waste the 15 minutes it takes to read this story.

[Djg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sat on my TBR for years, back over a decade ago when you could get so many Kindle books for free. I picked up a lot of romance/erotica/romantica back then LOL!
This is an installment series were there are 3 more for .99 each. I may go ahead and get them with the credits I have but after I've read some books I have been waiting for.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Read

This is a book that is a short story involving a girl and two vampires. Not a lot of unnecessary details just hit the storyline then wrap it up.

[Renee Kitis · Rating 3 out of 5]

To many spelling errors.

Story was to short and predictable. Story line was great, but could have used a bit more surprising twists. Good try

[Stephanie Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wtf was that? Sara went from “I’m going to be murdered by this crazy man who thinks he’s a vampire” to “I’m ok with giving up everything if I can be marked by you” in like 2 chapters.

[Arianne Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was GREAT. I really enjoyed the plot and the love story... It was refreshing...

BUT.

there were way too many punctuation and SPELLING errors. I mean, seriously? It seems like this was written once and was never edited or re-read. This is not something I would consider as a book. I'd say it's a very good draft as far as story goes. Because of the errors, it was annoying and painful to read, but I got through to the end because I really liked the story.

I wish it was better edited so I could have enjoyed it fully. I hope the next one won't be as poor as this one.

Funny scene that I enjoyed:
Sara: "How did you get into my apartment?"
Gedeon: "I used your keys. I found your address on the lease agreement in your bag. You should consider moving. You're paying too much money for rent."

[Judy Hubbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a freebie that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s about Sara and Gedeon. One night while walking home late, Sara is accosted by a Pryse, a vampire, who marks her (drinks her blood and makes her drink his) against her will. Gedeon (a vampire and a healer) hides Sara from Pryse until he can kill him and break his mark on her. Gedeon and Sara are drawn to each other, but can’t act on their attraction until Gedeon breaks Pryse’s hold over her. This was a fast-paced, sensual read that left me wanting more. I liked it so much that I immediately downloaded the second book, Hellfire and can’t wait to read it!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally taken by surprise with this book. I haven't been reading much PR books lately so I figured since this one was free I would give it a chance.

Its a very short story about a healer/vampire by the name of Gedeon who rescues a young human named Sara from a vampire that has marked her. Gedeon has intense feelings for her but knows he can't have her until the vampire that marked her is dead breaking the their bond. Sara has very intense feelings explainable feelings for Gedeon and wishes he had been the one that marked her.

Gedeon is Feral and sweet. I liked how he was able to protect her with fierceness and take care of her with love he had no understanding for.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story that is still full of action, both between the sheets and out of. With it being a short story, there is obviously a bit bucket full of insta-love going on although this doesn't take anything away from the story as such.

There are some spelling mistakes in there that I couldn't ignore, simply because one of them occurred more than once - vile instead of vial. The other one that made me laugh was burrow instead of bureau.

Pretty good read, I'm tempted by the second but I think I'll read some more off my list first. But if you want a sweet, hot short story then definitely give this one a go. You also get a sneak peak at Hellfire (City of the Damned, #2).

[Bella Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had read this book right after 50 shades of grey I would have loved it and would have been one of my favourite books. It has it all:sex like 50 shades though its just plain good vanilla and not kinky sex and vampires and forbidden love. Though i did find it too short.

I am not saying I didnt liked it. Another hidden gem in my kindle that made me my day. Just the timing totally sucks. I skipped the sex things like I was a nun or something!!!!!

Anyway the characetrs and the plot were actually quite good and the author delived magically.

[Angel **Book Junkie** · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first story in this series was cute, sweet and I liked it. The trouble with it, was that it was way too short to really get into and once I did it was like flash lightning and over with. This book had some really hot and steamy sex and was a little to rushed for me to actually get into it. I decided that reading short stories this week would be a good way for me to take a break in between series but, I really want short stories that really give me character strength. This book is intense and be ready to go as you read this short story!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this 4 1/2 stars to 5 stars.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was short and steamy but it had all the information you needed to know for the story to make sense. With a lot of short stories you feel like there wasn't enough to it and that it didn't feel complete but it was not the case with this one. It made me think of a Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark-Hunter novel. A fantastic little read, left me wanting more.

[Alexandra Rolo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Marked podia ser um livro sobre vampiros que andam por aí a marcar humanas cujo sangue é extremamente apelativo... wait, afinal é mesmo.
Temos uma pobre moça que é apanhada no meio da rua e é atacada por um maluquinho e salva por outro mas apaixonam-me imesiatamente então o seu cavaleiro sem cavalo branco e com dentinhos afiados mata o mau da história e salva a pobre donzela...

in: http://livrosportodolado.blogs.sapo.p...

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure about this book. The beginning was good, young woman moves to city, then she runs into a fight. I wish the author had explained a bit more about the vampire world, there was bits that didn't make sense to me. The love story between the two main characters was good but I wanted more.
There was a sneak peck at the next book whick looks promising.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, not loved it but it was a great little read. Bit amgsty for my liking (Considerign teh length of the piece, I thought maybe a little less depression...), but what vampire romace would be complete without the male lead thinking he were a monster right? Liked the style, loved the fluidity. all-round good read.

[Faye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really, really short. Nothing was fleshed out, it was more like an outline of a story than an actual story. Mostly enjoyable, what was there, but it needed a lot more explanation and detail. The characters weren't built at all so their actions made zero sense to me. A good start, I think I'd enjoy the book if it were complete.

[Tonya Polk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up buying one download for all three books, which was nice. I have to say I really enjoyed the fast pace of the storyline, and even though the characters relationship progressed raplidly, it worked for ths book. I love the relationship between Gedeon and Sara, so sweet and protective and loving. I can't wait for the continuation to their story!!

[MsBDiamondDiva1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was free and to say the least just an ok read. The plot was very simple and there was nothing unique about the storyline as one of the earlier reviews stated. If you want a short, easy and little thinking read this is for you. Hate to say it, but won't read the rest of the series:-(

[Kereesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay. I think I would've liked it a little bit more if there wasn't the worst case of insta-love I've ever seen, and if it was more than just 40 pages of sex, and the smallest amount of plot thrown in. The term "Balls deep" didn't help things. A full review to come.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, it was shorter and normally I have trouble getting attached or connecting to characters in shorter stories but that was not the case for this. If you like vampire stories, don't mind a little romance, and was something a little shorter then this is a good one to read.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I had a hard time getting past the errors in the book. I'm glad it was free. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this vampire romance. It was quick and Gedeon & Sara become a couple quite quickly, no thanks to the "bad guy".

[Stephani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh baby!!! Fantastic!!! I must read book two!!! MUST MUST MUST!!!! Easy to read, alot of fun, really enjoyed it. Great Job at descriptions, hot. Definately a must read and will definately reccomend!!!! Wowzerrrrrrr.

[Kyla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very fast paced and could use some more back-story. If you want a book that skips straight to the "good stuff" this is the book for you. However, if you like stories to build up and develop a plot this is not the book for you.