Crossroads Blog Tour: Guest Post with J.J. Bonds and Giveaway!

I'd like to welcome J.J. Bonds to Literary Exploration today! As part of the Crossroads Blog Tour she's provided an excerpt from her book, Crossroads, to share with all of you!

Crossroads by J.J. Bonds
Publication Date: October 10, 2011

As if high school isn’t miserable enough, try being uprooted and dropped fangs first into an uptight prep school where everyone knows your name and they’ll stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of your past.

When Katia enrolled at Crossroads Academy she knew things weren’t exactly going to be easy. The sole heir to the worlds’ most powerful vampire, her presence was bound to cause a stir. But nothing could have prepared her for this. Whispers follow everywhere she goes. So does trouble.

But Katia will do her time at Crossroads. After all, she’s only enrolled at the prestigious school for pure blood vampires to fulfill a promise to her Great Uncle Aldo. Tucked away in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Katia hopes to shed the demons of her past and focus on her education. Raised blissfully unaware of the entire vamp world, she’s got a lot of catching up to do.

As Katia learns more about this dark society and her own legacy, protecting her past becomes increasingly difficult. Bodies start turning up in nearby Rutland and Katia is sucked into a twisted web of danger and deceit. Haunted by nightmares she can’t explain and a thirst for blood that is never sated, Katia will do whatever it takes to keep her past buried. What choice does she have? Exposure will shake the Elder’s Council to its core and likely result in a death sentence at the hands of the Linkuri.

Nothing at Crossroads is what it seems and Katia’s secrets may be the darkest of them all.

Excerpt from Crossroads by J.J. Bonds

“Sorry to interrupt your fun.”

“Fun? Ha!” He laughs, eyes raking over the costumed vamps grinding all around us. “I can think of better ways to spend the night, but I’m making the best of it.”

“Oh? Glow sticks and body paint isn’t your thing? Could’ve fooled me,” I retort, eyeing the trail of glitter that Jade has left on the front of his dark shirt. Perhaps it’s Jade’s way of marking her territory.

He doesn’t bother replying to my ridicule. He just stands there expectantly, eyes locked on mine. He’s not going to make it easy for me. And why should he? I haven’t exactly been easy to get along with or even to like. I don’t know why he’s offered to help, but I guess it’s time to find out. Time to swallow my pride.

“Will you train me?” I ask through clenched teeth. I practically choke on the words. I hate asking for help. I hate asking for anything.

“Sorry. I didn’t catch that?” he returns, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the music. “It’s so loud in here, you know?” I’m certain he’s messing with me. He knows damn well what I said. Arrogant jerk! I turn to leave.

“Katia, wait!” He grabs my arm preventing retreat. “I offered, didn’t I?”

“What do you want in return?” It’s hard to keep the edge of suspicion from my voice. I know the lessons won’t come without a price.

“What makes you think I want something from you?” he asks crossing his arms over his chest. He’s clearly amused.

“The fact that I wasn’t born yesterday,” I retort. “So? What is it you want? Name your price.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I want to get to know you.” He’s got that mischievous look in his eye again. “You intrigue me. After all, there’s never a dull moment when you’re around.”

Right. I’m sure it’s that innocent. Probably he wants to get closer to me because of Aldo. It doesn’t matter though. Not as long as I get what I want.

“When do we start?”

“Tomorrow. Meet me in the training center at 11 o’clock.”

“I’ll be there.”

I nearly escape the dining hall without incident. Jade intercepts me at the door, grabbing my arm and digging her blood red nails into my skin like talons. If it weren’t for the baleful look on her face she might actually be able to pull off the white wings affixed to her back. As it is, there’s nothing angelic about her right now. “What do you want with Nikolai?”

“It’s a private matter,” I return, biting my tongue to keep from saying anything inflammatory. What is up with this crazy possessiveness of hers? Maybe she hasn’t heard the old adage about freeing that which you love the most. Then again, maybe she knows there isn’t creature in its right mind that would voluntarily come back for more of her bitchiness.

“Stay away from him,” she warns, her brown eyes flashing angrily. “Nikolai is mine.”

So much for playing nice. I can’t help but smirk at the tawdry threat as I wipe her glittery handprint off my forearm. “Jade, I have only one interest in Nik and I can assure you it’s purely physical.”

Now! On to the giveaway!! One lucky commenter will receieve a digital copy of Crossroads and one person will receive the grand prize of a Kindle Fire!!

Here is everything you have to do to win:
1. Comment to win!
2. One random comment will be selected to win a digital copy of JJ Bonds' Crossroads
3. All comments will be counted to win a KINDLE FIRE with a Crossroads Gel Cover
4. Collect Clues along the tour for a chance to win
5. Comment at each tour stop for extra chances to win
6. Tweet and use #crossroadsbooktour for extra chances to win along with random drawings to win digital copies of the book
6. Collect clues to find the final entry to win the Kindle Fire
7. Winners will be selected January 31st

Here is my clue:

Make sure you visit everyone else who's participating in the tour and collect all the clues!!