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On Monday I mentioned that Soul Gatherers are serving in purgatory, gathering souls and fending off demons to earn their way into heaven. What I didn't mention is that a term with Death is 500 years long.

 Doesn't sound very fair, does it? Only 100 years or so to screw things up, but a whopping 500 years to make up for your sins? Nope, it's not fair. Welcome to the world of the Soul Gatherers. There are some advantages, though. You don't age. You can't die, except at the hand of another immortal. You get improved physical prowess, and you get to use magic.

 Still, 500 years is a long time. Ask the hero of Drawn into Darkness, Lachlan MacGregor-he's been at this for over four hundred years already. He died back in 1603.

The book is set in modern day San Jose, California, so how did a Scottish warrior with a sword end up as the hero? Well, he's very good at what he does-battling demons-having spent a good part of his early life brandishing a sword. So, Death picks him for a special assignment and that assignment requires him to be in California. What's the assignment? Watching over a teenage girl. Why does Death want him to do that? You'll have to read the book to find out.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll admit I have an enduring fondness for Scottish warriors. Drawn into Darkness won the RWA's 2008 Golden Heart award for Best Paranormal Romance, but it was my second time finaling in that prestigious contest. My first final was in 2005 with a historical manuscript called Guardian of My Heart, where the hero was-you guessed it-a Scottish warrior.

I didn't make the hero of Drawn into Darkness Scottish for no reason at all, though. There's a historical link between his birthplace and a relic that plays an important part in the Soul Gatherer series. Honest.

Now that you've got the image of a hot guy in a kilt seared on your brain, on Friday I'll prove just how romantic an immortal Scottish warrior can be.

--Annette McCleave

Drawn Into Darkness, A Soul Gatherer Novel, Annette McCleave, Paranormal Romance, books, Penguin Books