Raine and Thomas haven't always had the easiest life, jumping home to home and dealing with the unsightly people that their mother brought home nightly. But on their eighteenth birthday, Thomas decides to bring his best friend over and have a mini celebration. What they didn't expect was to be dragged into a whole other world where things they could only imagine exist and they're the center of attraction. Now as time runs out it's up to Thomas and Raine to find the guardians they need and fulfill a prophecy they never intended to be any part of.
I looked around slowly. My eyes took in every aspect of the place where I stood. It almost sent my body into a confused shock from how gorgeous it all was. It was an open field full of vibrantly colored flowers of every possible variety. The sun hung high in the clear blue sky, only one or two clouds were visible.
I could hear birds chirping cheerfully, singing their happy songs against the gentle breeze of the wind that carried the scent of fresh air, grass, flowers and water making me take a deep breath. Listening closely enough my ears picked up on the soothing, rushing sound of water nearby and the sound of leaves beginning to rustle in the wind.
I began to move my heavy legs, forcing my body to move forward at a slow pace. My arms stretching forward to let my fingers gingerly pass over the soft, delicate flower petals to feeling their cool smooth surfaces. My lips pulled up into a small smile. Truly, this place was beautiful and peaceful - no; it was magical, and I loved it more than anything I had ever seen.
Then, my peace was abruptly disrupted by a noise behind me. I jumped a little in shock and slight fear, turning around as quickly as I could. Almost as if I was on fast forward. The eerie part about all of this was that there was nothing there. It became still and quiet all around me, like the calm before a storm. The sky grew clouded and dark, the only thing I could think to do was keep still and alert for the slightest sound, or any movement my eyes may catch.
"Hello?" I called out into the silence, listening as my shaking voice echoed all around me, bouncing off of the trees, hills and rocks making me feel even more alone and confused. The fear heightened, and I could hear my heart beating louder and louder in my ears; my throat had become thick, and it was hard to swallow.
"Raine," my entire body tensed up and froze from that one small voice. My heart stilled in fear, and I looked around as fast as I could trying to find where it was coming from but only saw the trees and flowers. "Come to us Raine, we're waiting..."
"Yes Raine, come," I spun around on my heel looking closely at every little thing. I even looked at my feet at one point as I listened to the voice. Then it dawned on me; this one was new. It was a woman's voice and sounded seductive and velvety, like she was trying to seduce anything that was listening to her. "Don't you want to come and play? We want you to play with us."
"What's wrong Raine? Cat got your tongue?" The newest voice echoed around me; it almost sounded like three men talking at once and created an oddly demonic sounding voice, and he was snickering at me. There was a sinister tone to everything it said. I only wanted this to end and was hoping it was just a bad dream. I'd wake up soon.
"Or maybe, we've got your tongue!" Just then it flew out from the trees in a blurred, quick movement. It grabbed my arms and pulled me to the ground. I could only shriek as I fell.
It had three heads sitting upon its body; the one in the middle was human, but had vibrant yellow eyes, and its skin seemed to be barely attached and hung grotesquely. The second one - on its left shoulder - was a horse, a light-brown chestnut with black eyes that were staring straight at me. The one on the other shoulder was a wolf, a blood-soaked snarling wolf, with bright yellow eyes like the man in the middle; it looked ready to shred me.
I fell back onto my arms and tried to crawl backward, away from it, as fast as I could. Whimpering a little as he leaned down and smiled in my face. The overwhelming stench of rotting flesh and blood was the first things I noticed about it.
"Let me have that tongue mortal." He growled loudly at me. I stayed frozen as he came closer, reaching his armor-coated hand up towards me, and he pulled the glove off and revealed a disgusting sight. Decaying flesh and bones were sticking out, with maggots crawling over it. He started to chuckle, reaching closer and closer towards my face.
Then, I woke up.
***
I sat up in my bed and pulled my knees up to my body. I was breathing heavily and felt sweat starting to roll down my face and onto my shoulders. My alarm clock was going off loudly next to me, and I could feel the scream that was caught in the back of my throat begging to be let out. I looked down at my hand and slowly let the fist I made ease up, and stretched my fingers.
Some dream...
Leaning over towards my alarm clock I reached my hand out and shut it off, then turned my iPod on listening as Breaking Benjamin started to fill the room and let my mind wander away from the nightmare I had just faced. My nerves began to calm down some and by the second verse of Evil Angel, I was feeling better and could make myself get ready to bear the cruelness of early mornings.
I flipped my soft red comforter off of my body and let the cold morning air chill my small body, shivering as goose bumps started to spread over my arms and legs. Without missing a beat I turned, put my feet on the chilled wood flooring and made myself stand up as fast as I possibly could.
Pulling down the oversized plain black cotton shirt I had worn to bed, I bounced on my heels a few times before I looked back at my clock and iPod. I realized how late I had slept and started wondering why I hadn't been woken up, then figured Tom and I weren't going to school.
Inhaling deeply, I flew across the cold wooden surface towards my new walk-in closet and opened it up. Shivering one last time I jumped onto the small rug I remembered to throw down before I slept, saving my feet from anymore abuse. I pulled out a pair of light grey jeans and a shirt at random, then taking another deep breath I ran across the floor towards the tiny bathroom that was attached to my bedroom.
The steady beats from the bass coming out of my speakers forewarning me of the 3oh!3 song that was starting to play. It didn't take me long to get dressed as I listened to the music that flowed into the bathroom, putting me in a somewhat cheery mood. I pulled on my tight skinny jeans, smoothing them down out of habit before I pulled on my shirt. I looked at it and smiled, there was no way in hell I was passing up on a day wearing my Darth Vader T-shirt.
I pulled the chain out from under my shirt and looked at the end of it, smiling at the shining griever that hung at the bottom and then looked into the mirror. Sue me, I was a nerd, and I couldn't care less. I pulled out my hair brush and started running it through my dark hair until each tangle was pulled out smoothly.
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."