Happy New Year and welcome to 2023. It’s going to be a “grim” year! I mean as far as books, that is. 🙂

Grave Girl, Book 4 in The Accidental Reaper Paranormal Urban Fantasy Series, releases in my store on January 10th, and at retailers January 17th. To kick off the new year, I wanted to share an excerpt!

“A witch, a vampire, and a shifter walk into a bar…” Andy scanned the room before us. Music blared, patrons yelled and laughed, and I stifled the urge to run. We were between the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day only a few days away, but this place didn’t offer a whiff of any of those mundane celebrations. It was hardcore supernatural.

His girlfriend, Aurora, pinched his arm. “Focus.”

The wolf shifter jerked. “You haven’t even heard the rest of the joke.”

“Why is there no grim in it?” I asked.

He winked good-naturedly. “I was getting to that.”

Killion, the master vampire in our entourage, zeroed in on two men in a booth nearby. Their heads were together in what appeared to be a conspiring conversation. “We are surrounded by powerful creatures, none of whom will take well to our presence if we step on toes. This is a reconnaissance mission. If we locate the Fae princess, Aurora will befriend her.” He glanced at the witch, who was posing as one of the beings I hadn’t known existed until a few weeks ago. “If all goes well, and the opportunity presents itself, draw her outside and Chloe and I shall handle it from there, but don’t push. If you arouse her suspicions, she’ll disappear on us.”

Aurora nodded. For tonight’s operation, part of an ongoing investigation for Soul Management Group, she’d transformed herself into a blonde with slightly pointed ears and vivid blue eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll get her to the alley.”

Those irises, more than the change in hair color, kept tripping me up. She often transfigured into a panther with those same peepers, and I kept waiting for the rest of her to morph. “Don’t take any unnecessary chances,” I warned. “Princess Harmony seems like a Disney faery with her petite frame and innocent charm, but she’s Grimm Brothers-level dangerous. She’ll giggle one moment and rip out your throat the next.”

Andy leaned close to the witch, his long reddish hair brushing her shoulder as he spoke in her ear, too low for me, even with my enhanced grim hearing—aided by Killion’s vampire blood—to catch. I saw her expression soften. She cupped his face in her hand and nodded. After a lengthy gaze into each other’s eyes that denoted a mental conversation, they broke apart and he spoke to Killion and me. His nose twitched as if it itched. “She’s definitely here. I scent the hallmarks of her kind.”

Four months ago, I was a normal twenty-four-year-old attending college and working two jobs in Danté’s Grove, Louisiana. After being attacked by a grim reaper and killing him, I was plunged into the world of death and the supernatural. I was introduced to the things of nightmares and this bar was full of them.

Vampires, shapeshifters, powerful witches, and evil wizards—I’d encountered all types. My boss was Death. You’d think by now, nothing would surprise me, but learning that the Fae, along with pixies, trolls, and elves existed honestly shocked the reaper robes right off me.

I sniffed the air, but all I could strongly detect above the other odors was dog, thanks to my psychopomp, Ghost, who liked to sleep on my robes. The eau de bar was laced with stale beer and greasy wings. The only other notable aroma was Killion’s warm caramel and old libraries scent. It was all over me, since we’d come directly from the warmth of his bed when Aurora had called with the news that Harmony Fairweather had tripped one of her magical alerts and was in the area.

I hadn’t had time to shower, and I kinda didn’t care. The master vampire and I had recently begun a romantic relationship that still had me reeling from the intensity of it. I was head over heels for the guy.

I did regret not eating before we’d hustled out of the penthouse to join Andy and Aurora, but apprehending Harmony should be quick and easy, once we had her in the alley. The trick was getting her there. “I don’t see her.” I scanned the place again. “What I do see is a lot of magical residue and far too many ghosts.”

“Your grave sight is growing stronger.” Killion touched my low back, the corner of his mouth quirking with smug satisfaction. “Told you it would.”

I tried not to roll my eyes. We’d shared each other’s blood, and when we’d become intimate, not only had he resurrected my dead love life—and thank all that was holy for that—he’d told me my natural abilities would increase exponentially because of the sexual energy we shared. It heightened everything. 

So while I was no shifter like Andy, nor vampire as was Killion, I could sense and spot the glow of magic and interact with earthbound souls as easily as I could those still living. In fact, I walked between the worlds of life and death, and at times, I couldn’t tell the difference between those who were corporeal and those who weren’t.

A pulse of magic rippled over my skin and raised gooseflesh. It reminded me of the feel of stardust I’d experienced a few months ago when Death had almost killed me on a trip through the cosmos. I’d earned a white streak in my hair that I preferred to dye the same violet as Killion’s eyes. Unfortunately, I’d let it go too long and it was silvery once more.

“She smells like elderberry wine,” Andy said. His voice was tinged with yearning.

Aurora sounded dreamy and far away when she added, “And summer days in the forest.”

“Moonlight kisses.” Killion’s voice was a purr and the sound made certain parts of my anatomy tingle.

“Wow.” I glanced at them. Pure bliss shone on their faces. Had that pulse done this? More importantly, why was I immune? I snapped my fingers in their collective faces. “Grim to Scooby Gang. What’s wrong with you guys? Maybe I better handle this myself.”

Each blinked as if waking from a dream. “I’m fine,” Aurora said.

Andy tugged at the crotch of his pants. “I’m not. That’s some powerful mojo she’s slinging around.”

Killion frowned and edged closer to me. “She’s using her charm magic to test everyone who walks into the place.”

“Why?” I asked.

“To see if we’re prey.”

Ready for more? Here are the links, including for print! Remember, if you preorder through my store, you get the book a WEEK EARLY!

★ Misty’s Store (Get it a week early!): https://mistyevansbooks.com/product/grave-girl-the-accidental-reaper-paranormal-urban-fantasy-series-book-4

★ Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPDN2SX2?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

★ BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-girl-the-accidental-reaper-paranormal-urban-fantasy-series-book-4-misty-evans/1142810459

★ Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/grave-girl-the-accidental-reaper-paranormal-urban/id6445002570

★ Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/grave-girl-the-accidental-reaper-paranormal-urban-fantasy-series-book-4

★ Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BPDN2SX2?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

★ Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BPDN2SX2?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

★ Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BPDN2SX2?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

★ Amazon PRINT: https://www.amazon.com/Grave-Accidental-Reaper-Paranormal-Fantasy/dp/1948686821/ref=sr_1_1

★ BN PRINT: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-girl-the-accidental-reaper-paranormal-urban-fantasy-series-book-4-misty-evans/1142810459

There will be TWO more grim books coming out later this year, and I can’t wait to share them with you. Be sure to follow this blog, sign up for my newsletter, and/or join my private VIP readers group to be the first to see the covers and get the links!

Wishing you ALL the best and lots of good books to read in 2023!

Misty