Jacey discovers that she’s a Shadow, one of an order of powerful beings that are able to manipulate darkness. Amidst the whirlwind of discovering her newly activated powers, Jacey must solve the murder while battling sexual tension with Detective Vinolva. Things get interesting when the pair is led to Jacey’s demon father and her flame throwing sister. Finding herself in a new world on the brink of supernatural war, Jacey doesn’t know who to trust. She must rely on instinct to traverse the unknown.
With the Supernatural Council and Trent, Jacey attempts to accomplish the impossible: evade the Shadows who are on her tail and solve a murder. The only assurance in Shadow Cursed is uncertainty. Jacey must journey down a trail of mystery, destruction, and romance.
Shadow Cursed
N.L. Hoffmann
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Excerpt #1
My house looked the same as when I left it, but when I got up to the door, I could feel there was a change in the atmosphere. The feeling was unexplainable, but I knew there was someone in the house. My gun was in my harness, so I pulled it out. Slowly, I unlocked the door, kicking it open to startle whoever was waiting inside. Nothing happened. I moved in, looking in all directions. Frowning when I didn’t see anything, I pointed the gun over toward my sofa, where two people sat, looking comfortable. One was a good-looking guy with sandy blond hair and green eyes that appeared to be amused with my entrance.“Hey! That’s my vacation popcorn, jerk!” I glared at him as he munched from the bowl I just had the night before. Did he pick that shit up off the floor?
The guy grinned and slowly popped another piece in his mouth. “Never had it with chocolate before. It’s not bad.”
Next to him was a woman that was clearly not amused with how we were interacting. She wore her blond hair back in a high ponytail, her makeup done in a way that screamed dominatrix or psycho bitch. She snatched the popcorn bowl away from the man and set it on the table. Her nails were long and sharp, painted blood red. What stood out the most about her was that she was dressed in all black leather. Not something I would do, but since she had a great body, the woman was able to pull it off. With me, I’d be walking funny as I made noises from the leather.
“Put the gun down, Jacey.” She looked down at her nails like she was bored with me already. Hello, I have a gun!
“I don’t follow orders.” I say, shrugging. Damn Trent for not following me home. Men were such assholes sometimes. It was ridiculous!
Nodding, the guy put his feet up on my coffee table, his shit kickers not even close to clean. “Hey, I bought that off a military guy who got it from Germany.” I went over and kicked his boots off. “Respect my shit. You’re worse than a kid.”
The woman looked over at her partner. “Knock it off, you can flirt later.”
“This is flirting? Crap, I am totally doing it wrong. Breaking into homes and eating their food is a much better idea!” I acted like I was impressed with the technique.
“My name is Luca Taborn. This bitch is my partner, Casey Banks, and we are here to bring you in for violating the Shadow code.”
Excerpt #2After rubbing my eyes, I focus in on a figure standing in the corner of the bedroom. It was Trent, and his gaze on me seemed suspicious. He looks even better in the light! His tanned skin fit perfectly with his eyes so blue that they seemed unnatural. They were practically electric and I found that both beautiful and creepy at the same time. We could get passed that. After we get married, they will become normal to me. Then there was his bad boy, rock star haircut, which pointed out in several directions to finally swoop out a little in the front. His hair was dark like I thought it was, almost like a dark brown, but closer to black. He looked every bit of the bad boy that I thought him to be. The man always seemed to have an intense look about him, and the shadowy beard he now sported only enhanced it.
Smiling what I considered my sexy smile, I said, “So did we um-“ I did the hand motions of what kids learned in school meant humping.
His eyes widened, either in shock or disgust.
I frowned. “What? Am I the ugly coyote?”
Trent shook his head, wiping a hand over his face that was clearly showing signs of stubble. My head tilted to the side as I heard his hand move over the scruff. It made my stomach flip, in a good way. “We did not have sex.” He grumbled.
Throwing my hands up in the air, I glared. “Seriously? You can’t do this when we get married. I have to get laid at least twice a day. Sometimes more. We can use the breastfeeding room at my office.”
“We aren’t going to get married.” He made a face. “And the breastfeeding room? That is just wrong.”
Winking, I smiled. “It’s just a room. It has a cot. It will work.”
Excerpt #3 
Shrugging, I eyed him as he continued to circle me. Was he the tiger and I, his prey? “I am also a Shadow, your enemy.”“There is that.” He stopped in front of me, a hand coming up to touch my face. I let him. I should have flipped out and tried to bite his hand or something, but I wanted to be touched. By someone. Anyone. “I can tell you are different, though.”
The way he said it made me feel like someone actually believed in me. No one in my life ever took me seriously, yet here was this beautiful man standing in front of me, saying all the right things. His eyes were a brilliant blue, and reminded me of one of those summer days without a cloud in the sky. “How do you know?”
Evander leaned forward, his lips brushing over mine. My whole body shivered, causing my knees to go weak. He put an arm around my waist. “I can tell because the power I feel rolling off of you is unlike anything I have felt before. There have been stories about a beautiful woman who would lead the hunters-”
“That could be anyone,” I whisper, his lips hardly an inch away.
“No, I am pretty sure that you are the one.” Finally, his lips connect with mine, his arms wrapping me against him. I respond instantly to him, my desire building. All I wanted to do was rip his clothes off. It was like prom night all over again, when I tried to make Daniel Hawkins lose his virginity to me. I know that usually happens the other way around with the guy trying to get the girl to put out. But hey, girls have needs, too.
My mind went blank when his fingers lightly grazed the small of my back, making heat rise in me so fast I was having a hard time standing up. He felt me responding, so he went for my shirt. I helped him, letting it drop to the floor. As his eyes traveled my body, I didn’t feel as insecure as I usually did. I actually felt beautiful to him. Powerful in my own way. Then his eyes landed on my tattoos. He used a gentle finger to touch them, going around to my back. He kissed my neck. “My Queen. You have the markings.”
I was too into the feeling of him touching me to respond intelligently. He came back around and kissed my neck on the opposite side, then lowered to my collar bone. “Have dinner with me.” He said.
I laughed, breathlessly. “Didn’t we just do that?”
Evander flashed me another smile. “Not properly. I want to show you that I am more than a man who wants sex.” He took a deep breath as if trying to control himself, his hands rubbing up my sides. “It will be hard, but I will stop myself, for now.”
Smiling back at him, I touch the skin on his stomach by putting my hands under his shirt. “As long as we can come back to your place afterwards.”
Ten Fun Facts about N.L. Hoffmann
1. Love nail polish… I have over 100 right now
2. I am random. I will talk about one thing but suddenly bring up another
3. I enjoy pranking people
4. I love my car and treat it like my other child
5. My kids have inherited my creepiness
6. I am a quiet person
7. I draw tattoos, several of them have been put on bodies including the one that covers my husband’s entire back.
8. I wish I was ninja
9. I like to travel
10. Is an Army brat
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About the Author
N.L Hoffmann is a new paranormal romance author who is currently working on a series called The Daughters of Darkness. Her first book, Blood Slaves, released in January 2014 and just recently on August 1, 2014 she released book two of the series, Shadow Cursed.
Hoffmann was born in Germany to her German native mother and her American soldier father. The family moved home to the states, where she grew up in a rural farm town in Michigan with her parents and two younger brothers. There, in her pre-teens, is when she began writing and developed her love for literature.
Today, Hoffmann resides in a small town in Missouri with her husband and three children. When Hoffmann isn’t busy putting words on the page she enjoys reading, drawing, playing loving pranks on her husband (such as, painting his toenails hot pink while he sleeping), and spending time with her family.
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Thank you for taking the time to post my book, Shadow Cursed!! <3
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