Sometimes the love of meat is only the beginning of the problem.Sophia has issues beyond being near-sighted. Bound to work for a power-hungry Portal Master for the next 90 years, her crown-shaped birthmark might set her apart, but her vegetarian lifestyle make her unforgettable. She can’t afford to be distracted by Xavier’s Adonis-like features because she knows she’ll betray him eventually.
Golden-curled, fedora-wearing Xavier’s a man with issues. Under a gypsy curse that compels him to morph into a werewolf, he wants nothing more than to convince the Portal Master to lift the blight. The only way to that exulted individual is through Sophia, but her stubbornness and fearful disposition heat his blood and annoy him at the same time.
Passions and problems collide while both Sophia and Xavier rise up to meet their destiny. Fighting a fallen angel and the Immortal Court, only the strong will come out alive.
BUY THE BOOK *** READ THE EXCERPT *** WATCH THE TRAILER
Chapter One
“Sophia.”
The whispered name went into the night air unheard while his nose continued to twitch from the sharp scent of wood burning stoves. He ignored it and pushed further into the shadows of a doorway as she passed. No sense letting her see him until it was absolutely necessary. He considered slipping into his wolf form in order to follow her, but just as quickly banished the thought. Better to maintain full control of his human side for this part of the reconnaissance.
Xavier Leighton pulled the brim of his fedora lower then slunk out of his hiding place. He frowned. This woman held his fate in her hands? This woman had the power to save him? After watching her for weeks to learn her routine, she didn’t appear capable of handling her own life, let alone anyone else’s. He wanted to scoff, rage at fate for the cruel trick, but he did none of those things. Instead, he studied the woman.
Dull, brown hair hung limply to her shoulders. She tucked a lock of it behind her ear with a pale hand, the nails clipped short. His gaze focused on the slight sway of her hips as she walked. Xavier scowled. He wondered what her body looked like beneath the blazer that obscured her figure. Her height was several inches shorter than his six feet, the perfect size to tuck into his arms. His mouth watered—not from lust but from hunger. He hadn’t eaten since the day before, and the meal of venison did not satisfy him—would never satisfy him again. Perhaps if the woman did not answer to the title of Gatekeeper, he would devour her. The soft parts he could see would keep him busy for a while. He could almost feel the bones snap in his jaws, taste the sweetness of her flesh…
All the old admonitions from Hannah warning him not to eat humans came rushing back. He thrust them away yet, the primal urges would not be ignored so easily—neither could his curse.
The shrill ring of her cell phone yanked him out of his culinary reflections. Her attention seemed to be occupied with her enormous bag yet she continued to rush over the darkened sidewalk.
Xavier stifled an impatient growl. Women these days had no sense of personal safety. If she had been just an ordinary human citizen, he would have pounced on her right then. He needed proof of her identity before he either disposed of her or saved her.
“Mona? What happened? You didn’t burn the apartment down, did you?” Her voice was low, melodious, but tinged with fear. “What happened?” The woman paused
under a street light. Xavier saw a flash as she turned her head. She wore glasses. An intellectual female. His interest in her rose. However, her next comment chilled his blood. “Mona, tell me again what it means when my birthmark glows.”
A birthmark? Xavier narrowed his eyes. Would she actually give him confirmation without him needing to reveal his presence? His pulse thundered in his ears as she drew her left sleeve up to reveal her wrist. A crown-shaped birthmark glowed eerie red in the darkness. He licked his lips, tasting success.
A Gatekeeper!
Cold dread mingled with hot excitement at the prospect of his quest being over for The One—his mate and his salvation. He breathed a soft sigh and skulked out of the shadows when she hurried down the deserted street once more. The woman threw her phone into her bag and held the oversized monstrosity close to her side. Xavier wanted to laugh at her poor security clutch.
Fate had chosen, and it was his responsibility to carry the plan through. Finally, freedom was within his reach.
A crackle of dried autumn leaves nearly gave him away. The woman glanced over her shoulder, but Xavier quickly ducked behind a large oak tree, his chest tight. Should he reveal his presence now? She was almost at her apartment building. Once she gained the safety of her home and her protection wards, he could not approach her. A chilly October wind ruffled his hair. Xavier buttoned his trench coat against the onslaught. He had a matter of days to lift the curse. His lifetime of struggle had come down to this one moment. If he didn’t accomplish this goal, he’d be doomed to spend the rest of his life as a werewolf—and that was definitely not on his agenda.
It was time.
Using his limited magic, he coaxed the bulb in the next streetlight to shatter. After a loud pop, murky darkness claimed the street, and the air stilled. Her face showed in profile now, clearly reflecting sudden fear. Xavier smiled. His stomach clenched with anticipation as he circled around her with the silent movements of a consummate predator. She started off once more, seeming to search the shadows moments before she smacked into his chest. He grunted.
“Pardon me.” She looked up into his face. Her blue eyes were round and reflected a mixture of fear and resignation.
He felt her energy and knew she would run, so he wrapped his arms around her, preventing her flight. “The darkness is full of unexpected obstacles, Miss Raines, and we must try to ascertain which of them should be avoided at any cost.” Xavier couldn’t resist tucking her against himself. Her head fit neatly under his chin. For one brief moment, a wave of calm engulfed him, but then she struggled, and the peace succumbed to the thrill of the chase.
“Who are you, and how do you know my name?” She attempted to jerk out of his grasp but he merely tightened his hold.
As if I will tell her. Xavier smiled. “It is of no consequence at the moment.”
“If you don’t let me go, I will call nine-one-one.” She fumbled in her bag.
“That would be unwise.” He easily ignored her protest and let his fingers explore her curves. Too bad her heavy blazer prevented him from knowing what her body felt like.
“And that’s supposed to make me not do it?”
A soft chuckle escaped him. “No. Besides, you are in no danger from me.” Much, he silently amended. Her scent teased his nostrils, and because he was part wolf, he could discern every subtly of her; vanilla, honeysuckle, and the sweet womanly smell that was hers alone.
Enchanting? He’d been alone for too long. She wasn’t his usual style at all, but destiny apparently didn’t operate on the physical alone.
“Then I’ll scream until someone comes.”
“That would also be an unfortunate decision.” No matter that she had the power to destroy him, the sound of her voice wrapped around him like a fleece blanket to mute his senses. “You should practice a bit more caution.”
Her eyes narrowed in the darkness. “Who are you?”
“That information is not important at the moment.” His gaze dropped to her lips. The bottom was slightly fuller than the top. Xavier’s groin tightened with desire. His mission would be over before it started if he continued down this path.
“What do you mean it’s not important? Of course it is. I demand to know your name!” Her voice raised an octave, tinged with hysteria now. “I’m calling the police. A pretty boy like you will keep the hardened criminals busy in jail.”
Her single-minded determination made him smile and teased his sense of adventure. “I did advise you not to do that. Perhaps this will make you change your mind.”
Xavier settled her more comfortably in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. For whatever reason, the woman released rivers of need into his blood, and the only thing he could do was answer Nature’s call. He nibbled at her lips, savoring their velvety softness. Wanting to taste more, he ran his tongue along their crease, willing her to invite him inside. When she didn’t, Xavier grasped her hips and pulled her flush against the hard wall of his body with a low growl.
In response, the minx sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, turning his blood to liquid fire and leaving behind rampant arousal.
He wanted her in a primal, earthy way, but a warning crept into his lust-shrouded brain to urge caution. Xavier needed her connection to Sterling, the Portal Master, more than he needed her warm in his bed—and she would, eventually. He just needed to convince her they were life mates. Those thoughts fled in the face of sharp pain when she bit down hard on his bottom lip.
“What did you do that for?” It was no love bite. She did it on purpose, with malicious intent. He set her away at arm’s length putting a hand to his mouth. “Enough. You need to come with me.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” She grasped the lapels of his trench coat until she could stand upright then shoved her wire-framed glasses up the bridge of her nose as a satisfied smile played about her lips. “What was the point? You kiss me then just when it starts to get interesting you stop?” Her eyes spat blue fire as she planted her fists on her hips. “You can think again, buddy. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
His soft laughter rang through the quiet streets. She would be a challenge, and one he looked forward to meeting. “If you would like to see how interesting we can make it, I’m willing to continue.” When she blew out a breath, he grinned, feeling very much like the wolf he was. “Hurry home, Sophia. The things that walk the darkness are oftentimes not benevolent creatures. You have my word on that.”
Xavier gazed after her as she ran down the sidewalk. Regardless of how the woman made him react, he had the proof he needed. The birthmark confirmed her as a Gatekeeper and her reaction to his kiss cemented the fact she was his mate. Now, how to convince her to bring him to Elias Realm?
* * * * *
Sophia whimpered. Her hand shook as she attempted to jam her house key into the lock. Is he still behind me? She wasn’t necessarily afraid, just anxious and creeped out that some random guy on the street would come up and kiss her. Finally tumbling over the threshold, she shut and locked the door behind her. But what a kiss it was. Annoyed when her cheeks heated, she dropped the keys in the basket on a low table by the door. Even in her strange life, that sort of event was weird.
A nice comforting evening of home-sweet-home relaxation was not on Sophia’s agenda. No sooner had she slung her bag on the floor than a glob of flying mashed potatoes slapped her in the face. That was the least of the food offerings stuck in random streaks and piles around the kitchen. “Mona? You’ve got a lot of explaining to do!” She snickered when the exclamation brought back flashes of the classical fifties sitcom featuring that zany redhead and her Cuban husband.
The semblance of comedy shook the last vestiges of the kiss from her mind. Yes, she had been assaulted by an unknown man on the street, but he didn’t give off an overly threatening vibe, and Sophia was in tune enough with the subtle nuances of the paranormal to know the difference. Just another weird occurrence in her already bizarre life.
Gee thanks, Fate, I was running low.
She zipped through the kitchen then into the living room, yanked two yellow imps from their hiding place in a large potted fern, and held them in mid-air by their possum-like tails. “How did you two get out anyway?” It was more of a rhetorical question since in her association with imps; she found they really didn’t communicate
with words. One look at the identical evil smiles on their waxy, brown-spotted faces assured her they weren’t going to educate themselves in the English language any time soon. “Mona?”
“Sophia, is that you? I’m locked in the pantry again.” The woebegone sound was muffled and distant. “Please hurry.”
Thrusting the two renegade imps into the liquor cabinet-turned-holding-unit, Sophia secured a feather duster through the handles, effectively blocking another break out attempt. “How did you get into the pantry this time?” Her patience ran thin at the regular chaos that reigned in the household, especially after the run-in with the mystery man. Who the hell was he, anyway? She unhooked the latch of the panty door and her roommate stumbled out.
“Frieda said she was hungry, so I came in here looking for something to cook. She shoved me in here and locked the door.” Mona shrugged delicate shoulders then wiped at the mass of cooked spaghetti tangled in her dark curls. “She was the one who let the imps out.”
“You know better than to let your guard down around Frieda. What happened to the wards I put around the door?” Sophia glanced around the small kitchen warily for any movement of the pixie. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know.” Her voice wobbled again. “I’m really sorry. I try to take care of the things you tell me but sometimes I’m just not coordinated enough to handle the chores plus the daily care of the magical beings we’ve got stashed throughout the house.” She sniffed. “I think I accidentally unworked the wards…”
“It’s okay.” Her anger melted away as Mona’s big lavender eyes filled with tears. Mona’s lack of grace was often a source of contention and embarrassment. Being the illegitimate great great great—too many greats to count—granddaughter of a Muse was bad enough but Mona had been disowned from her illustrious heritage simply for her inadequacies. At least that was the story she told. She couldn’t dance without hurting herself or others, she couldn’t sing without shattering glass, and she most certainly had never inspired anyone, human or otherwise, into doing any feat of wonder. Sophia had come upon the girl in a low moment of her life three years ago and they had been best friends ever since.
“I’m sorry.” Handing her a dry dishtowel, Sophia patted her on the shoulder then slumped down at the kitchen table. “It’s my fault for bringing them into the house. I should have taken them directly to Sterling when I had the chance. Now I’m stuck with them.” She buried her head in her hands, smearing the mashed potatoes on the tabletop in the process.
“You can’t help feeling sorry for them.” Mona dashed the tears from her eyes and cleaned up the food bits closest to her. “Besides, what would Sterling have done with two imps and a pixie?” She glared as Frieda came out of her hiding place under
the sink to perch on a sack of flour on the counter. “He would have consigned the lot of you for deportation to the Arkadva Mines, that’s what.”
“The Portal Master should be respected at all costs and both of you will rue the day you didn’t submit me for his Judgment.”
“Listen Frieda,” Sophia rolled her eyes. “Believe me when I say the Portal Master would have taken one look at you and your list of crimes against various beings, and he would have decided to dispose of you at once. Remember that debacle with the baby and the hiccups? The Judgment Panel is still upset about that stunt.” She bit her lip to keep from laughing. The pixie crossed her legs at the knee and swung a delicate foot in the air. “Sterling only concerns himself with the high profile offenders now.” She shivered. He was a very hard man to please, and she’d seen firsthand how he carried out his ironhanded rulings. He had reneged on his promise to release her from her birthright for years, leaving her very much his servant.
“Be that as it may, once I am presented at his court I will have no problem telling him you lock me up in the vegetable bin.”
Glancing at the spiky purple hair that framed the pixie’s face, Sophia sighed in defeat. “I wouldn’t have to keep you locked up if you would behave yourself when you’re left alone. We’ve been over this too many times to count.” She picked crusted potatoes from her cheek and stared into the middle distance. “I’m not scheduled to make an appearance before Sterling for another month, but I promise you I will plead your case. Would that make you happy?”
“Yes, even though I don’t hold much stock in human promises.” Her eyes sparkled beneath the heavy ring of eyeliner. “I’m off to the linen closet.” With a wiggle of her nose, pots, pans and food items flew about the kitchen in a vortex of sparkly wind. Frieda’s mischievous laughter rang eerily in the air as she disappeared into the nether regions of the apartment. This coupled with Mona’s attempt at domestic helpfulness equaled a messy dwelling.
She glanced at Mona and shrugged. “I try to be nice to her and this is what I get in return.”
Not for the first time, she silently cursed the life she’d been born into. Being a Gatekeeper for one of the Portals of the Mortal Realm wasn’t the picnic everyone thought, especially when she also had the unfortunate stigma of being half gargoyle on top of it. Her thoughts zeroed in on her boss, Sterling.
Tears crowded her throat. No matter she despised bringing paranormal beings before the man for his Judgment, his grudging benevolence was what kept her from spending her life as a pile of rock.
Sometimes she felt living as garden statuary would be infinitely better than being consumed by guilt and self-loathing most of her waking hours.
Sophia stood and drifted to the refrigerator for a bottle of water, dodging the utensil tornado in the process. “At times I wish I was another person. If Sterling didn’t hold so much power over me, I could finally be free.”
“Free to do what? Turn into a living statue while you’re at the mall? Face it. Without Sterling, you would have no choice but to give in to your birthright. At least this way, and with Sterling’s tinctures, you stand half a chance of being normal. Just like your dad.”
No way was she willing to discuss her father right now. “At this point, I don’t know what normal is.” Her life had essentially crashed around her feet the day she’d come home from second grade complaining of a skin rash that resembled a pebble-covered walkway. Her father had taken her aside and told her it was a “normal” occurrence for those with gargoyle genes and that there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Of course, much later in life she discovered she’d gotten into the ugly end of the gene pool and had to rely on magical medicine to prevent fully becoming a stone statue.
For years she’d wished she were one of the other--fully human or fully a gargoyle since mixed genes meant a fifty-fifty chance she’d get the crap end of the stick.
True to her luck, she’d never seen the greatness of either species. She’d gotten the drawbacks of both—and no way to fix it.
Sighing, she very much wanted to give in to the bitterness lurking deep down within. A determined hammering on the front door prevented her from delving into self-pity. “What now?” Sophia quickly scanned the immediate area for any sign of paranormal disturbances. She frowned as the vortex stopped abruptly with a clatter of pots. “Where’s Calvin?”
“I think he’s taking a nap in the upstairs bedroom.”
Satisfied the resident ghost would not make an unexpected appearance, Sophia strode to the door and yanked it open. The admonishment died on her lips when she came face to face with the man who kissed her. “You.” Excitement prickled her skin, and for a brief moment, her world slid sideways.
“I was expecting a much different welcome but there is always time to work on your manners.” Honey colored eyes winked with mockery as he removed the gray fedora, freeing a halo of blond curls that fell to his shoulders. “Are you going to invite me in? I am very much opposed to airing dirty laundry in public.”
LIKED THE EXCERPT??? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK
No comments:
Post a Comment