Showing posts with label Excerpt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Excerpt. Show all posts

August 8, 2018

EXCERPT REVEAL: Respect By, Jay Crownover

   


From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jay Crownover, comes the next title in her The Breaking Point romantic suspense series, RESPECT. Don’t miss the amazing tour below, and order your copy today!

   

About RESPECT:

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who called a corrupt kingdom home sweet home.

Protected and sheltered from the worst the world had to offer, she fell in love with the crumbling city that burned and blazed around her. Every dirty corner, every scary shadow, found a place within her heart. So did a man who was violent and dangerous, just like the streets she claimed as her own.

He was all business and brutality, except when it came to her. With her, he was calm, caring, and heartbreakingly patient.

He warned her over and over that he wasn't the man for her, but she refused to listen. She never expected either the streets or their enforcer to hurt her, since she'd given her heart so completely to both.

She should have known the streets in the Point were always going to be savage, and so was the man committed to keeping control of them in the hands of criminals and bloody kingpins.

Blindsided by a betrayal which cut so deeply she was sure the wounds would never heal, the princess fled the home she loved and the man who broke her heart. Throwing away her rusted, twisted crown was supposed to help her forget. All it did was make her long for everything she left behind. She told herself she would never go back, but in this tormented kingdom, family is everything. Eventually, she has no choice but to return.

While she was gone, the people who loved her worked hard to make the city safe, and the man who destroyed her sank deeper into the darkness. Going back shouldn't feel like surrender... but it does. As this pretty princess hovers on the edge of the unknown, the past attacks with a vengeance. It's a good reminder that puppy love eventually grows up and turns into something with sharp teeth and one hell of a bite.

She never asked for the keys to the kingdom. She'd much rather go out and build her own.

   

Grab your copy today!

Amazon | Paperback | Audible | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

     

Add to your Goodreads

   

And don’t miss the first titles in The Breaking Point series, HONOR and DIGNITY! Grab your copy today!

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

   

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

   
 
Jay Crownover’s RESPECT – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
August 8th
Between The Lines – Excerpt
Marta Likes to Read – Review & Excerpt
NallaReads – Review & Excerpt
Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt
SBB Reviews – Excerpt
Tara’s Book Blog – Excerpt
The Book Maven –Review & Excerpt
We Like Them Dark Book blog – Review & Excerpt
August 9th
Ali’s Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt
BJ's Book Blog – Excerpt
Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt
Kiss and Tell Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Love Book Triangle – Review & Excerpt
Readings & Sweets – Excerpt
Rochelle's Reviews – Excerpt
Travels N Reads – Excerpt
August 10th
AnniDiNuvole – Review & Excerpt
Becky on Books – Excerpt
Book Bitches Blog – Excerpt
Booked All Night – Review & Excerpt
Fanlovesbooks – Excerpt
Grownupfangirl – Review & Excerpt
Kick Back & Review – Review & Excerpt
Liz's Reading Life – Excerpt
Omgkaciereads – Excerpt
Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt
The Reading Faery – Excerpt
August 11th
Blog of Books – Excerpt
Book Freak – Excerpt
Greyland Reviews – Excerpt
Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt
KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt
Onceupon_a_bookdream – Review & Excerpt
Quesarasera Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Spellbound Stories – Excerpt
Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Review & Excerpt
August 12th
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Review & Excerpt
Renee Entress's Blog – Review & Excerpt
Soly's books – Review & Excerpt
August 13th
A Woman & Her Books – Excerpt
Book Addict – Excerpt
Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt
LifeofSavy - Excerpt
My Book Filled Life – Review & Excerpt
Reading and funny – Review & Excerpt
The bookworms obsession – Review & Excerpt
Two Books in a Shelf – Review & Excerpt
August 14th
Book Starlets – Review & Excerpt
Books 4 Girls – Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
My Reading Obsession – Review & Excerpt
Mybookcraze – Review & Excerpt
Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt
Verna Loves Books – Excerpt
August 15th
A Fortress of Books – Excerpt
Book Lovers Hangout – Excerpt
Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Review & Excerpt
Milky way of books – Review & Excerpt
Reading, Willing & Able – Review & Excerpt
TjLovesToRead – Excerpt
Two Book Pushers – Review & Excerpt
Sweet Red Reads – Review & Excerpt
Total Book Geek – Excerpt
August 16th
A crazy vermonters boom reviews – Review & Excerpt
Blushing babes are up all night – Review & Excerpt
Books 2 Blog – Excerpt
Curvy and Nerdy – Excerpt
Late Night Reading – Review & Excerpt
Ms. Me28 – Excerpt
Obsessive Book Nerd – Review & Excerpt
Relentless Romance – Excerpt
August 17th
Bobo's Book Bank – Excerpt
Bookgasms Book Blog –Review & Excerpt
ClaryNathanWill – Excerpt
From the TBR Pile – Excerpt
Millsy Loves Books – Excerpt
NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt
NotasLiterárias – Excerpt
RentasticReads – Review & Excerpt
Resch Reads & Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Book Avenue – Review & Excerpt
Totally Bex – Review & Excerpt




Excerpt!!!


~Karsen~

Today I was finally old enough to have him.

Best. Birthday. Present. Ever.

It wasn’t uncommon for me to bop down to Booker’s place. He even left the door unlocked most days so I could get in. We lived in a fortress that had more eyes in the sky than a casino in Vegas, so he didn’t need to worry about simple things like locked doors. My crush on the behemoth of a man was pretty much common knowledge all around. Booker tended to treat me like I was an annoying kid sister. But there were times, when no one else was around, I could tell he was looking at me differently. He was hard to read, something that kept you alive in these parts. But I spent so much time watching him, I could see what no one else could. Those steely eyes softened, melted into a soft dove gray when he looked at me while no one else was paying any attention.

I glanced up at the camera that I knew was tracking my every move. I gave a little wave to whomever was monitoring the feed tonight. Race’s security guys were a part of my everyday life. Where I went, they followed. It was sort of like having an army of overprotective big brothers. Annoying yet necessary. It was a good thing I was obsessed with Booker. Having eyes only for him over the last few years meant I didn’t bring boys home to meet the family. I was pretty sure trying to date a guy my own age would have been impossible with those eagle-eyed brutes hanging around.

The butterflies in my stomach started sword fighting the closer I got to Booker’s door. I spent a lot of time making goo-goo eyes at the giant man and aimlessly trying to make conversation with him. He was too cold and reserved to attempt any harmless flirting, and I was always very aware of the line in the sand where Booker was concerned. He tolerated my infatuation and presence, but he always made it clear he was humoring me. He was the one who often reminded me there was a big, wide world out there, ripe for the picking. He told me I should never settle. However, when I tried to explain the only thing I was dying to experience was him, he diverted the conversation and pointedly told me that I was way too young for him. He also believed I was way too nice. He didn’t talk about his past, or his time in prison, but I had a feeling that wherever Noah Booker had been before made the Point look like Sesame Street.

When I was in front of the door, I took a second to make sure my white-blonde hair was smooth and sleek. I ran my tongue over the front of my teeth to make sure none of the plum-colored lip gloss was stuck to the surface. I wiped my hands down the front of my black skinny jeans, the ones that made my admittedly long legs look even longer and took a deep breath. It was now or never.

Today was the day. 



    About Jay Crownover: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, the Point Series, the Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.    

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

August 2, 2018

RELEASE DAY: Bedfellows By, Lola Leighton

       


BEDFELLOWS
By LOLA LEIGHTON




I wasn't looking to fall for one man. Let alone two...

Sullivan and Will are as close as two friends can be. Growing up in the system forced them to rely on each other, and they've become accustomed to sharing everything—including women.

Now they're ready for more. To find love. To start a family. To see the dreams they've shared since childhood come true.

Apparently I tick off every box on their list—brains, beauty, and sass. I never hesitate to put both men in their places—which they find sexy as hell.

One problem, I'm a traditional girl, with traditional values—one man, one woman, till death do us part—kind of values.


They're willing to work to prove how very right the three of us could be, but what happens next is anyone's guess...






   



EXCERPT

“Tonight has been great, Sullivan. It's just, when I think about adding Will into the equation, I get …”
“Scared?”
She shook her head. “Butterflies.”
“Butterflies are good, right?”
“I think so.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. I leaned in closer, captivated by her. Everything about her drew me in—from the swell of her full lips, to her uncertainty about this, and especially her willingness to try.
“He's not here now. Put the butterflies away.”
“Okay.” She smiled.
I leaned in closer. “I've wanted to kiss you all night.”
She wet her lower lip with the tip of her tongue and it was all the answer I needed. She wanted this, too. Wanted me.
My heart pumped faster with that secret knowledge.
Tilting her chin so that her lips met mine, I took her mouth. Gently at first, and then with a growing sense of hunger as her warm, wet tongue came out to meet mine.
She tasted incredible. Slightly sweet from the wine, and feminine and simply perfect.










Sign up for Lola’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live! : https://mailchi.mp/04913bb3fce2/steamyreads


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lola Leighton is the pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling romance author who wanted to write steamier stories that her mother is most definitely not allowed to read.

July 30, 2018

EXCERPT REVEAL: Everything Under The Sun By, Jessica Redmerski









Today we have the blog tour for Jessica Redmerski’s EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!




Title: Everything Under the Sun

Author: Jessica Redmerski

Genre: Dystopian


About Everything Under the Sun


Thais Fenwick was eleven-years-old when civilization fell, devastated by a virus that killed off the majority of the world’s population. For seven years, Thais and her family lived in a community of survivors deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. But when her town is attacked by raiders, she and her blind sister are taken away to the East-Central Territory where she is destined to live the cruel and unjust kind of life her late mother warned her about.

Atticus Hunt is a troubled soldier in Lexington City who has spent the past seven years trying to conform to the vicious nature of men in a post-apocalyptic society. He knows that in order to survive, he must abandon his morals and his conscience and become like those he is surrounded by. But when he meets Thais, morals and conscience win out over conformity, and he risks his rank and his life to help her.

They escape the city and set out together on a long and perilous journey to find safety in Shreveport, Louisiana. Struggling to survive in a world without electricity, food, shelter, and clean water, Atticus and Thais shed their fear of growing too close, and they fall hopelessly in love.

But can love survive in such dark times, or is it fated to die with them?


Get Your Copy Today:

KINDLE

PAPERBACK





About Jessica Redmerski:

Jessica Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, international bestseller, and award winner, who juggles several different genres. She began self-publishing in 2012, and later with the success of THE EDGE OF NEVER, signed on with Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance. Her works have been translated into more than twenty languages. Jessica is a hybrid author who, in addition to working with a traditional publisher, also continues to self-publish. Her popular crime and suspense series, In the Company of Killers, has been optioned for television and film by actor and model William Levy. She also writes as J.A. Redmerski.



Connect with Jessica:

Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook




   



EXCERPT: “IT WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY.”


It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I was supposed to travel with him until he got me out of Lexington City and then I was to make a run for it, kill him if I had to—but I didn’t. I was supposed to stay with these people and leave Atticus to do what he wanted, go where he wanted, without me—but I couldn’t. I was supposed to be afraid of him not only because of the terrible man he was when I first laid eyes on him, but also because he was a man—but I wasn’t. I wasn’t afraid of him.

I was afraid for him.

I was afraid of being without him…

“Thais?”

I looked up; my bottom lip quivered.

“I will wait for you,” I said, trying to be strong. I wiped my tears, swallowed hard and nodded.

Atticus dashed outside, pushing the barn door out of his way. Seconds later he came back with the horse. He tossed the quilt we’d slept on the night in the barn, over the horse’s back. Then he went over to the backpacks, stepping around Rachel’s unconscious body, and shoved everything back inside. He helped my arms into the straps of the larger backpack.

Fitting his hands on my hips, Atticus hoisted me up and set me on the horse; I grabbed a hold of the horse’s reins.

“Stay out of sight of the house,” he said as he fitted the smaller backpack and his jacket between my legs. “And cut through the woods there”—he pointed toward the back of the barn—“that’s west; just keep as straight as you can in that direction, but don’t leave the woods.”

I nodded.

He walked with me outside the barn, stopped to look out at the flat land beyond the highway where those who were coming for us would likely be, and then led me around the barn. The deep woods beckoned me out ahead; I couldn’t help but feel intimidated by them, as if they were some kind of final leg of our journey—or the beginning of my journey alone.

Steadying my breath, I looked down at Atticus once more, transfixed on his intense blue eyes, the sculpted shape and rough texture of his handsome face, and I couldn’t imagine at this point never seeing it again.

“I’ll come for you,” he promised.

Tearing my gaze from his, I faced forward and tightened my grip of the reins. 





Enter Jessica’s Giveaway:




  

July 27, 2018

EXCERPT REVEAL: Begin With You By, Claire Burgoa


Today we are celebrating the release of the first title in Claudia Burgoa's Chaotic Love duet! BEGIN WITH YOU is now live (99 cents till Monday!) and the second book in the set, BACK TO YOU, releases August 9th.

Sign up for Claudia's newsletter for exclusive news about the duet!

Purchase for just 99 cents!

Amazon | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

Begin with You by Claudia Burgoa

Chaotic Love, #1 - Available Now

Purchase for just 99 cents!

Amazon | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

Add the book to Goodreads

Synopsis:

From the outside, Abby’s life looks like a fairytale. Loving family, wealthy lifestyle, education at a prestigious university. The truth? She’s barely managing to survive. Few know the nightmare she lived before she was adopted. And no one knows the secret agony that still haunts her nightmares. With a degree from Berkeley, she could have gone anywhere, but she’s back in Colorado. Not for a fresh start—fresh starts are only an illusion—but for Wes Ahern. Her protector, who throws around words like “therapy” and “talk to me.” Her brother in every way but blood. The one man she wishes could be so much more. Maybe, just this once, she can stop running from her demons. But does she dare let Wes see inside the darkest closets of her pain…or will love be the biggest mistake of her life? An inspirational and emotional contemporary romance Begin with You is a heartbreaking tale of fresh starts and old wounds. This jarring and dark novel will leave readers at the edge of their seats. This is part one of a duet, thus containing a cliffhanger that leads into the next installment. It contains references to childhood trauma, kidnapping, and PTSD.

--------------------

Back to You by Claudia Burgoa

Chaotic Love, #2 - Coming August 9

Pre-order Now!

Amazon (coming soon!) | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

Add the book to Goodreads

-----------------------------


Excerpt!!!

I take a deep breath before knocking on Abby’s door. Mom’s words continue to ring in my head.

Make her fall in love with you.

“Hey,” she opens the door slightly, staring at the rose I’m holding.

“Are you on your way out?” She switches her gaze from the flower to my face several times. “I thought you texted me inviting me to dinner.”

“Dinner is ready,” I announce, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

“What’s going on, Wes?” She eyes me suspiciously.
I hand her the rose and pull out the blindfold I have in my pocket. “Do you trust me?”
She nods and closes her eyes.

“Hold onto my hand and walk with me,” I whisper in her ear, kissing the back of it.
She shudders and sighs. I’ve got no idea how to gauge her reaction. I should’ve started with something simpler—a simple date, like a movie and some pizza. We walk toward my place, and I direct her as we go up the stairs and out onto the terrace.

“This is exciting. It reminds me of the last time you took me bungee jumping,” she says with a laugh. 
“I feel like we’re back in China and Sterling is begging for his mommy.”

“He’s such a baby,” I say as I take off the blindfold, kissing her bare shoulder.

“This is so much better than Macau.” Abby smiles at the table but then frowns and looks at me. “But as lovely as it is, I’d prefer to eat in the kitchen.”

“Why?”

“Maybe you don’t see it, Wes, but this—” she points at the table. “—is a romantic gesture. A dinner for someone you’re dating. Not for—”

“Not for a woman who I’m hoping will give me a chance to show her that I like her more than as a friend?”

Her eyes open wide, her lips part, and I’m almost sure she’s holding her breath.

“Look, maybe this is too straight forward, but constantly keeping in how I truly feel about you is hard. Too hard. Every night I go to bed wishing that I was with you.” I bare my soul.

“You do?” she whispers, her brown eyes shining.

I caress her cheek, and she closes her eyes, breathing deeply. She opens her eyes and stares at me for a few beats. Then she moves her mouth, but only a soft whimper comes out.

“What are you thinking?” I press my thumb over her creased forehead.

She’s unsure about something. My words? My feelings? What can I say or do to convince her that 
I’m serious—that I want more with her.

Only her.

“I mean every word that I just said, Abby.” I cup her face with my hands lowering my head.

“Wes,” she says with a sigh, her arms encircling my waist.

“Shh,” I murmur, covering her mouth with mine.

A spike of electrified excitement rushes through my body the moment her mouth opens for me. I stroke her tongue, discovering her mouth, tasting her for the first time. I drink from her, sucking the shaky moans coming from her throat. She shivers as I press her closer to my body.

“God, you taste like an angel,” I mumble against her sweet mouth.
I nip at her lip, sliding my hands down her back.

“Is this real?” She finally finds her voice.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“It seems too easy, Ahern. I come back, and you sweep me off my feet proclaiming that you want more.”

“Well, it was time to own up to my feelings,” I confess giving her a quick peck. “Ready to eat, my lady?”

I release her and pull out one of the chairs for her. As she sits down, I catch her hesitation. Did I imagine the intensity of our kiss?

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know … it’s this feeling of dread thumping along with my heart.” She shrugs. “I guess I’ve never dated before. There’s this uneasiness inside my stomach, like something is whispering: ‘enjoy this because it might be the last time you smile.’ ”









AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado working for a small IT company, managing her household filled with three confused dogs, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s the boss of the house. And a wonderful husband who shares her love for all things geek. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.  


AUTHOR LINKS:
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July 26, 2018

EXCERPT REVEAL: Dark Alpha's Hunger By, Donna Grant



We are beyond excited to be sharing an excerpt from Donna Grant's DARK ALPHA'S HUNGER with you today! DARK ALPHA'S HUNGER is the highly anticipated 6th installment of the Reapers series. If you're a fan of paranormal romance, you're going to want to get your hands on this!

 




About DARK ALPHA'S HUNGER

Dark Alpha's Hunger is the sixth paranormal romance novel in New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant's Reapers series featuring a brotherhood of elite assassins who wage war on the Fae at Death's behest--and the women who change their hearts. There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you… Where Death leads, I follow. Nothing will stop me from my duty – not even the darkness that claims me. It’s the music that leads me from the dark, returning me to my brethren and a new foe that has risen. Learning who hunts Thea could be the key to unraveling what we need to know to defeat our enemy. The Half-Fae’s music stirs a passion within me that I’ve never known. For her, I will break my vow of silence. For her…I will risk everything.

Add DARK ALPHA'S HUNGER to your Goodreads TBR here!

Pre-order your copy of DARK ALPHA'S HUNGER today! Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo



 

Excerpt:

Even over the noise of the city, Eoghan heard the violin. As soon as the first strains of the song reached him, everything else faded away. He couldn’t ignore the music any more than he could stop using magic.

He hadn’t known what drew him to Dublin—until he heard the strings. The closer he got to the pub, the more the music seemed to wrap around him, tugging him near. And holding tightly.

Eoghan didn’t mind. In fact, he sought out the sound. He needed to know who played the instrument. Was it the pretty woman who’d helped pull him through the portal? Or someone else?

Remembering Rhi’s words about his eyes, he called forth a pair of sunglasses and put them on before entering the tavern. The place was packed with people as eager as he was to hear more of the music. 

He shouldered his way through until he found a place near a wall. Normally, this kind of crowd sent him the other direction, but tonight, he didn’t think of leaving.

As soon as his gaze landed on the woman swaying as she played the violin, he inwardly smiled. Her blue hair wasn’t something he would ever forget. The mix of various shades of blue suited the tempestuous nature he’d glimpsed in her gaze the night before.

She had her eyes closed, completely lost in the music, moving from one song to another without missing a beat—as if she were performing for the notes, not the people. Slow or fast, it didn’t matter. 

The woman had serious skill.

Then again, he expected nothing less from a Halfling.

He eyed her black jeans encasing long legs and the black lace, long-sleeved shirt that scooped low in the front to reveal just a hint of cleavage. The black, high-heeled boots elongated her legs.

There was a flash of sparkle through her hair. Eoghan then spotted the mismatched earrings through the strands. One was a crown that hung from rhinestones, and the other a scepter.

Some might argue that her blue hair and shiny jewelry drew attention, but Eoghan knew the truth. 

Most only saw her hair or the solid black clothes and looked away in disgust or stared at her tresses, trying to figure out the exact shade. Few ever really noticed her face.

It was the perfect disguise for a half-Fae wanting to blend in.

Compared to her bandmates who were eating up the attention of the crowd, the Halfling was almost removed from it all. As if she preferred solitude but endured people in order to share the music that fell as easily from her as breath.

Eoghan’s lungs seized when she suddenly opened her eyes and locked gazes with him. Even from a distance, he knew those orbs held every shade of brown imaginable from a mix of raw umber and caramel to flakes of dark brown.

There was the slightest parting of her lips to let him know she recognized him. Now that he knew she was the one who had led him out of the darkness as well as pulled him through the portal, he owed her a great debt—one he feared might never be repaid.

He intended to cast magic that would alert him if she were ever in danger from humans or the Dark, but especially from Bran. He planned to do it as he followed her home.

When the band played their last song and walked from the stage, Eoghan made his way to the back of the pub to wait. He knew as soon as the door opened that it was the Halfling before she even stepped out.

He hadn’t planned to talk to her or even let her know he was near, but then he looked at her face. The next thing he knew, he’d spoken. The words sounded rough and raw, even to his ears.

Her head swiveled to him, and he walked from the shadows straight to her. The soft curve of her lips when he told her that he was in her debt made his blood heat. It took a moment for him to realize that it was lust that burned through him. It had been a long, long time since he’d felt it.

Memories from the night before as he’d covered her body with his when the dolmen exploded filled him. He recalled the softness of her body, the warmth of her skin. The smell of mint from her hair. He wanted so badly to touch her that he fisted his hands.

Death had sent him on a mission. Already, Eoghan wasted valuable time seeking out the Halfling. He needed to cast his magic and leave.

But she was near enough to touch. By the stars, it had been too many eons since he’d last yearned for the touch of another. If only the Halfling would raise her hand to his cheek or even his shoulder. 

Anything.

So long as she put her hand on him.

“I’m Thea. Thea Keegan,” she said. She raised a brow. “And you are?”

He parted his lips to answer when something materialized behind her. The Dark smiled at Eoghan. 

Without hesitation, Eoghan grabbed her against him and spun, bending over her and acting as a shield so the force of the magic landed on his back.

Blistering pain zapped through him as ball after ball of magic pummeled him. There was no time to fight the Dark, not with Thea. He glanced at her before he teleported both of them away to the roof of a building.

His knees gave out, pitching him forward. Eoghan caught himself with one hand and struggled to keep from falling on top of her.

“You can let go,” she said.

His muscles were locked with pain. It took a couple of tries before his arm finally released her. She moved from beneath him and climbed to her feet. Eoghan dropped his head and used both hands to keep from falling on his face.

Dear God,” she murmured from beside him.

He closed his eyes and let his body heal the wounds. The Fae’s magic ate away at his skin, muscle, and bone like acid. One of the perks of being a Reaper was faster healing, as well as stronger magic than other Fae, but that didn’t make the pain any less excruciating.

The minutes ticked by without another sound from Thea. She remained beside him, and he could only imagine what was going through her head. Though he was immensely grateful that she wasn’t bombarding him with questions.

When most of the throbbing diminished to a level where he could breathe easier, Eoghan rocked back onto his haunches and rested his hands on his thighs. Then he opened his eyes and turned his head to her.

Thea’s face was a mix of panic, alarm, and curiosity as she set her violin case by her feet. Her brown eyes held his as she squared her shoulders. “I believe you were about to tell me your name.”
No hysterics, no demands, no fear. The more he was around Thea, the more he liked what he saw.

“Eoghan.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Eoghan. I don’t suppose after what happened last night and just a moment ago that you’d feel the need to fill me in, would you?”

He rotated his shoulders, stretching out his newly healed skin before he removed the remnants of his shirt. Then he climbed to his feet and used his magic to replace the garment with another.
Thea’s eyes briefly widened, but she stood her ground and waited.

“Why do you color your hair so?” he asked.

She hesitated only a minute before replying. “I like to do something different.”

“It’s not to keep other’s eyes off your face?”

Her brows snapped together. “How . . . ? Why would you ask that?”

“Those like you either embrace who they are or hide. The hiding seems to be instinctual, I’ve found.”

“Those like me?” she repeated, her frown deepening. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Eoghan looked out over the city. He really wished Cael or one of the other Reapers were there to tell her. He was never very good at imparting such news.

“Eoghan,” she urged.

His gaze swung back to her. “Why do you dye your hair?”

This time, she didn’t pause in answering. “Because people look at it and not my face. And before you ask, I don’t know why I don’t want others to look at me.”

“It’s because you have Fae blood.”

She swallowed nervously and dropped her arms. “I see. Did I bring us up here?”

“I did that.” When she stared at him blankly, Eoghan sighed. “You’re getting a crash course in this, and I’m sorry about that. I’m a Light Fae. The man who attacked us in the alley is Dark Fae. You can spot them because of their red eyes and the silver in their black hair.”

Thea nodded slowly, her face blank.
“I had no intention of telling you any of this. I was going to leave, but the Dark showed up.”
S
he continued to nod, her face folding into anxious lines.

“Are you understanding me?”

“You’re Fae. I’m half-Fae.”

He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Aye. That’s the gist of it.”

“I need more.”

Eoghan ran a hand down his face. What she wanted was for him to talk more. After so many millennia of silence, he was finding it difficult.

“Do you not want to tell me?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Until you pulled me from the portal stones, I went a very long time without speaking.”

“Oh.” She shoved a lock of hair from her face. “If it’s too much, then don’t—”

“The Fae come from another realm, but our civil war destroyed vast parts of it. Most have chosen Earth as their home. Ireland, in particular. The Light Queen takes the north, and the Dark take the south.”

Thea blinked, her lips forming an O.

“I’m part of an elite team who is hunting a rather nasty Fae bent on slaughtering Death. Aye, Death is a person,” he said when he saw the question fill her eyes. “Bran has become a nuisance that has to be stopped. He was the one who sent me to that other realm with a beast that was hunting me. I heard your music and followed it right to the doorway the Halflings and Druids built eons ago to go between realms.”

She blew out a long breath. “I think I need a drink.”

“It’s the mention of the Druids that got you, isn’t it?” he teased.

Her look of disbelief faded as she rolled her eyes. “You don’t look like someone who jokes.”

“I’m not, but you looked like you needed the distraction.”

She smiled, laughing softly. “I did. Tell me how you know I’m part Fae?”

“You’ve the look of us. It’s your beauty, but a Fae always recognizes another. Does no one in your family know?”

Thea hunched her shoulders as she shivered against the cold. “I’m an orphan.”

“So am I.” He wasn’t sure why he told her that. It was a part of his past that he rarely thought about. 
“We should get you out of the night air.”

She looked at his outstretched hand. “You brought us here, right?”

“I did. And I’m going to take you wherever you want to go.”

“Really?” she asked with a tantalizing grin. “Anywhere?”

He nodded. “Anywhere.”

“I want to see the pyramids of Egypt.”

Eoghan kept his hand out and waited for her to take it. She studied him as she reached for her violin case. As soon as her palm slid into his, he teleported them to the great pyramid.

“Bloody hell,” she murmured and stumbled back, nearly dropping her case when she spotted the monuments.

He steadied her with a hand as her head tilted back to take in the grand structure before her.

“You really are Fae.”

It had been a long time since Eoghan was around anyone with so much enthusiasm. He was supposed to be finding the other Reapers, though Death hadn’t told him how to do that. But he couldn’t seem to leave the beautiful, beguiling Thea just yet.

Her head turned to him. There was a huge smile on her face as her eyes sparkled with excitement. 

“I’ve always wanted to travel. The pyramids have always fascinated me. Thank you for this.”

The smile that had begun to form on his face died when he spotted the veiled Fae about two hundred yards away. A quick glance around showed five more.

It looked as if he didn’t need to find the Reapers. They had found him.



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About DONNA GRANT

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her "totally addictive" and "unique and sensual" stories. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Kings, features a thrilling combination of dragons, Fae, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her two children and an assortment of animals in Texas. Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads