Why Immortal Templar Knights?
I didn’t start out as a Paranormal author. I began in Fantasy (and I still dabble there.) But my first published work was a contemporary romance, and the next several that followed all came while I percolated ideas for a paranormal romance.
Eventually, I chose to base my series on the Templar Knights. At the time the concept was developed and my agent signed me, there were no other Templar Knight romances on the market. And the Templar have long been a passion of mine.
Not just the usual myth and fantasy around them. Frankly, a lot of the DaVinci Code type of speculation annoys me – yes it’s entertaining for a while, but I’m more interested in the historical aspects. I’m fascinated with Ancient Civilizations, and my second passion is Medieval France. The sheer power that the Templar held during their heyday is amazing when one considers the population of the era, and that the members of the entire Templar network could have formed their own country and out-populated all the rest.
Research led me to a question that still doesn’t sit right with me. For a network of people so vast, how did one man manage to eradicate the entire Order? Ships simply disappeared. Power vanished. Because he owed them money and thought they were a threat? Yes, that’s plausible. But I believe in my heart of hearts there was another reason. Something lost to time like so many of the members.
And I touch on this in the series – the Catholic Church. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not picking on religion here. Historically, in that era, the Church had enormous power and bought and sold many loyalties. It was a power they wouldn’t want to sacrifice, and probably the only power that could dominate the Templar network so easily. One man had to have backing beyond an army that was lesser skilled than the Knights. One man had to have strength and influence beyond his singular nation.
Add in the tidbits that pardons were granted by the Church, and those pardons were subsequently “lost” or hidden. Add in the lack of monetary surplusFrancesaw with the destruction… There’s too many conflicting actualities to match with theory or the simple justification that the Templar just… went away.
It was a breeding ground for paranormal minds. And IMMORTAL HOPE was the culmination of my deep love for history, my fascination with the paranormal, and my passion for asking, “What if?”
What about you? We’ve all been exposed to theories of the Templar. What do you think happened to the legendary Order? Did they just disappear under threat of a king? Or did they perhaps… relocate and reorganize?
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CENTURIES AGO,
Templar knights defied the archangels and unearthed the copper scroll, revealing the gates to hell. Cursed for their forbidden act, they forever roam the earth
protecting mankind from evil. But darkness stalks them, and battles they fight bring them ever-closer to eternal damnation. One promise remains to give them salvation – the return of the seraphs.
Embittered by his purpose, Merrick du Loire must honor an ancient pact and bring peace to his cousin’s soul. When he stumbles upon history professor Anne MacPherson, he discovers she possesses a sacred artifact that marks her as a seraph. Duty demands he set aside his personal quest and locate the knight she’s fated to heal. As he struggles with conflicting oaths, Anne arouses buried hope and sparks forbidden desire that challenges everything he’s sworn to uphold.
Anne has six weeks to complete her thesis on the Knights Templar. WhenMerricktakes her to the Templar stronghold, he presents her with all she needs—and awakens a soul-deep ache, he alone can soothe. Yet lovingMerrickcomes with a price. If she admits she’s destined for him, her gift of foresight predicts his death.
EXCERPT:
The Curse
In 1119, nine knights rode with Hughes de Payens to theHoly Land, becoming the Knights Templar. All were bound by marriage or by blood. Eight were recorded over time. The ninth vanished into history.
Beneath the legendaryTempleMount, the knights uncovered holy relics, including the Copper Scroll—a document written by Azazel’s unholy hand. For their forbidden digging, the archangels exacted a sacrifice. The knights would spend eternity battling the demons of Azazel’s creation, but with each vile death they claimed, a portion of darkness would enter their soul. In time, they would transform into knights of Azazel, warriors veined with evil, destined to fight against the Almighty.
Yet an ancient prophecy remained to give them hope. When darkness raped the land, the seraphs would return. Female descendants of the Nephilim would carry the light to heal their dying souls.
Centuries have passed. Azazel’s might grows to intolerable limits. With the acquisition of eight holy relics, he will gain the power to overthrow the Almighty.
Six Templars stand above the rest in duty, honor, and loyalty. But each is haunted by a tragic past, and their darkened souls rapidly near the end. As they battle both the overwhelming power of evil and the nightmares of lives they left behind, the seraphs are more than tools to victory.
They are salvation.
Of course, with all this exposure to zombies, what did you expect?
