A Dream Within A Dream: Breathe for Me Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the BREATHE FOR ME blog tour! Today I'm sharing a great excerpt from the book and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post! To see the full tour schedule, check it out below.

Breathe for Me

Author: Rhonda Helms

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: August 5, 2014

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Description:

Isabel’s been cursed since the Middle Ages.

Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, she made a hasty bargain with a demon, asking for liberation from an oppressive husband-to-be and the excitement of travel. But the demon’s “gift” came at a steep cost. Each time he moves her to a new city, her memory’s wiped. No one can touch her bare skin without injury or even death. And she sees the lifespan of every living being (and is, in fact, immortal herself).

All a constant reminder that she’s different than other teen girls.

But New Orleans seems to accept her as she is. She has friends and a real life in this quirky, hot city. Then Isabel meets Dominic, whose deep soul and strong character draw her to him. Her growing love gives her the courage to confront the demon, insisting the curse be broken. But the demon’s price for freedom is much, much higher than she could possibly give.

“You’re such a good girl—even studying on your lunch break,” a whispering voice says as Sitri settles into the seat across from me. Speak of the devil.

I ignore my surprise at seeing him, forcing my heart rate to steady by drawing in slow breaths. I can’t concentrate anymore, but I pretend to read. Why is he here?

He leans over and plucks the book from my hand, then scans the cover. “Really?” he asks me, curiosity apparent on his face. “I never would have guessed.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” I say, then instantly wish I could take the words back. If Sitri feels I’m being secretive, he’ll close off again, and I’ll have to work harder to regain the trust he’s shown me so far. I can’t lose that hard-earned ground. “I mean, I’ve learned a lot in school.”

A smile creeps across his face, and his eyes warm to a rich, dark grey. “I look forward to hearing more about these things that interest you.” He pauses. “I hope you’re behaving yourself,” he continues. His voice is low, soft, but the thread of seriousness beneath his words is undeniable. “And that you remember your time is coming to a close.”

“How can I forget?” I say, fighting to keep the edge out of my voice. Stay calm. “I’m reminded every day.”

“Isabel?” Dominic’s voice floats into the library as he enters. Oh, God. Oh, God.
 
I stand. A wave of nausea sweeps over me. I wish Dominic would go away. Or better yet, Sitri. But that’s not going to happen, because Sitri is studying my face with a keen eye and drinking in Dominic’s presence, no doubt wondering who he is to me.

He misses nothing.

“I’m in the middle of something right now,” I say to Dominic. “I’ll see you later in class.” I mentally plead for him to leave, even as my heart aches for having to push him away.

Sitri stands. “No, no, I’ll leave you two alone.” His eyes suddenly glow like hot black coals, and he smiles again. But this time, there’s nothing close to warmth in his face. It chills my blood. “I’ll see you later, Isabel.” With that, he moves by Dominic, brushing oh-so slightly against his arm, and leaves the room.

I exhale sharply, not realizing I’d been holding my breath. My head spins from dizziness and fear. This is a mess. I can’t do this. I can’t let Dominic get in the middle of something he can’t ever possibly understand. Sitri would tear him up in ways even I can’t imagine.

“Who was that?” Dominic asks. His face is unreadable, his voice a little tighter than usual.

I shake my head, unable to speak. If I do, I know I will cry. And I’m barely holding on to myself right now as it is.

Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also edits for Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin Publishing) and freelance edits.

When she isn't writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.

Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her family.

Author Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.rhondahelmsbooks.com/index.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rhelmsbooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhondahelmsbooks

BUY LINKS:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository
Kobo
iTunes