Turned into a bloodsucker by an ancient Celtic vampire, Rajveer, a proud Rajput warrior of a Suryavanshi clan in 14^th century India, becomes almost invulnerable.

Immortal, he loses his family to war and time and travels through northern India, seeing history unfold. Threatened by both human wars and evil vampires, can he remain true to his sworn vow not to take human lives?

A vampire’s journey through centuries.

In this new novel, Barbara G.Tarn combines her love for history (especially medieval) and fantasy. It’s the story of a vampire through the centuries that will appeal to both historical fiction readers and vampire lovers all over the world.

Rajveer the Vampire by Barbara G.Tarn is now available for on Amazon US,  Apple US, Barnes&Noble,  Kobo US and Smashwords for 4,99$.

Print version coming soon.

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excerpts that were posted during Amaranthine week on Facebook

from Chapter Two

“Rajveer! Charumati tells us you’re sick!”

Akshita and Enakshi surrounded Rajveer’s bed at sunset. He woke from his deep, dreamless sleep and found them climbing on the mattress with Charumati who wore a worried frown on her beautiful face. His first wife – a kshatriya like him – had told the other two he’d been sleeping all day, obviously. He didn’t feel feverish anymore and his new sense of smell told him Akshita was also menstruating.

“I’m fine,” he answered as Enakshi nestled against him.

She still had traces of the vermilion he’d put over her black hair when he’d married her. A vaishya – her father owned a small farm outside the walls – she was the latest acquisition. The wedding ceremony had ended a week earlier and they had barely consummated once.

“I just have to change my habits a little for the time being. I’ll do night duties from now on and sleep during the day.”

“Should I have some food brought in?” Charumati asked, still frowning.

“I’m not hungry, beloved, don’t worry. I’ll eat something before going on watch.” He couldn’t tell them he longed to drink their blood.

“You are so cold,” Enakshi whispered, shivering against him. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes, little one, I’m fine,” he assured, squeezing her. “I had a bad fever, I’ll need a few days to recover.”

“I think we should do another pilgrimage,” Akshita said, fidgeting with her gown. She had long black lashes that made her look very seductive when she wanted to – and she knew it. Daughter of a rich merchant that had often dealt with Rajveer’s father, she’d known him since childhood, therefore she’d been the obvious second choice after five years of fruitless marriage with Charumati. “Or you should spend more time with us.”

“Oh, please, I’ve been longing for you since the chaturthi-karma!” Enakshi added, staring at him with her doe eyes. The rite performed on the fourth day of marriage had seen him take her virginity, but he hadn’t gone back to her bed since. He was pleased to hear she had enjoyed it so much that she wanted more.

“What do you say, Charumati? Should I spend more time with them?” Rajveer turned to his first wife. “Charumati?”

The young woman stared at him in both fear and wonder. She had glimpsed his fangs and was now filled with doubts. Rajveer was startled to discover he could read her mind – not clearly, but he could tell what she was feeling. He understood now how the much more powerful Bran had read him like a book.

At the sound of her name, she snapped out of her musings and smiled briefly, but not with her beautiful black eyes.

“Sure, Enakshi should have her chance, like Akshita and me,” she said quickly, averting her eyes.

The other wives stayed for a little longer, and then Charumati shooed them out of his bedroom. She carefully closed the door and slowly came back to the bed, staring warily at Rajveer. He opened his arms to welcome her, but she sat at the edge of the bed and kept her distance.

“Charumati…”

“I don’t know what happened to you, but the fever changed you,” she said.

“You are most perceptive, beloved. Yes, some change occurred, and I cannot explain it. But whatever it was, it will not change my love for you. I would never ever hurt you or the other two and will keep fighting for us – our home, our freedom. Like I said, I fear my habits will have to change slightly, since the sunlight seems to drain me of my strength.”

“What have you become?”

He moved to take her in his arms and felt her stiffen against him. “I’m still a mighty warrior, and you’re still my one and only love,” he said before kissing her.

“Your skin is so cold,” she whispered, caressing his clean-shaven cheek but nestling against him. “Rajveer, what have you done?”

“I didn’t want to die in my bed,” he answered, laying her down.

He covered her with kisses that made her moan, but she kept him at arm’s length. He could feel her menstrual cramps and the blood running in her veins, but he resisted the impulse of biting her. He simply cuddled her until she fell asleep in his arms.

***

excerpt from Chapter 3

(the king of Mewar has been held captive by the Sultan of Delhi – he’s supposed to give up his wife, the beautiful Rani Padmini)

The palanquins left the fort at daybreak, giving the sultan the impression the queen was coming to him. Rajveer watched them leave before collapsing to sleep.

He woke up hours later with a gasp and found Akshita by his side.

“Charumati is with Rani Padmini,” she informed him.

He nodded, knowing of Charumati’s duties as lady-in-waiting to the queen.

“Rana Ratan?” he asked, frowning.

“He’s back.” Akshita grinned. “The sultan was furious and our men inflicted heavy losses on his army.”

Rajveer exhaled in relief. But then Akshita’s smile vanished.

“Heroes saved the day, but Gorka and Badal have fallen at the gates of Chittor,” she said. “And they weren’t the only ones. You should visit Anuja before it’s too late.”

Rajveer jumped out of bed. Anuja was his sister, and Akshita knew her very well. Her words implied his brother-in-law had also fallen on the battlefield. He rushed out, barely grabbing his sword.

Rajveer arrived just in time to see Anuja jump into her husband’s funeral pyre – much like their mother had when their father had died. Anuja had his same honey-colored eyes and she smiled ruefully at him before the sati, as if to tell him, “Soon Charumati will do the same for you.”

As the sun set, Rajveer reached the sultan’s camp, furious, and ended many soldiers’ lives both with his sword and sharp fangs. The human blood was intoxicating and his thirst for revenge made him drink so much that he ended up feeling dizzy – and very slow.

A Muslim warrior saw him stagger through corpses and sounded the alarm. Rajveer was surrounded, although he could see fear on his enemies’ faces – probably because his mouth still dripped with blood.

“Face a Hindu demon’s wrath!” he screamed before attacking, oblivious of being outnumbered, feeling invincible and ready for another slaughter.

His warrior instincts were heightened by his new nature and he didn’t feel too bad drinking enemy blood. But then he wasn’t really thinking as he slashed with his blade left and right, biting when flesh came too close to his fangs.

The soldiers fought him valiantly and wounded him, but he didn’t feel any pain. He still had more strength than any of them and they couldn’t hold him down.

And then Kaylyn joined the fight, with her long gown and a short dagger, cutting throats like the Goddess Kali. Her long chestnut-brown hair was loose, and she looked like a fury to the startled soldiers who soon retreated, cursing them both.

“Let’s go back,” Kaylyn said, offering her hand to a still panting Rajveer. “You ate your fill, no use staying here.”

“I want to kill them all,” he growled.

She smiled. “You can’t. Not even with my help and Bran’s. There’s too many of them. Come, Rajveer. Time to go home and tend your wounds.”

He grunted, but followed her back to the fort. The gates were closed, but she climbed the steep path to the northern entrance that had only one gate, trying to stick to the shadows. Then she continued up the bastions and over the false merlons like a colorful lizard, until she reached the parapet of the wall walk where she sat to wait for him.

He followed a little clumsily. He had drunk too much. His head was spinning, and he wondered if it was the wounds weakening him.

Like Bran, he couldn’t really fly, but he could jump and glide and climb surfaces. He stopped for breath on the battlement and looked left and right for any guards on watch.

Kaylyn took him down to the shadows of the walls, moving quickly through the darkest spots, and checked his wounds.

“They’ll be gone in the morning,” she said. “You had so much blood, you were almost invulnerable.”

Rajveer noticed he wasn’t bleeding anymore and the wounds were already closing. Amazing. Whenever he’d be able to fight during the day, he’d be invincible. Maybe Gorka and Badal would still be alive if he could have joined them.

***

Rajveer the Vampire by Barbara G.Tarn is now available for on Amazon US,  Apple US, Barnes&Noble,  Kobo US and Smashwords for 4,99$. Print version coming soon.