Mississippi King

by Celia Aaron

  “Do you remember the tale of Rebekah, Sister?”

  “Yes, Prophet.”

  “I’m sure a child of God like you knows all the stories in the Bible.” He smiles, his white teeth bleached like a skeleton’s.

  “Yes, Prophet.”

  “‘The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.’ And then what happened to Rebekah?”

  “She was taken by Abraham’s servant.”

  “That’s correct.” He leans closer, his gaze boring into mine.

  A shiver courses through me. He glances down at my chest, a smirk twisting the side of his lips as he sees my hard nipples through the gauzy fabric.

  He releases my chin and steps back, continuing his circuit as he speaks of Rebekah’s destiny. I steal a look at the man standing opposite me. Blond hair, blue eyes, a placid expression—the Prophet’s youngest son. Something akin to relief washes over me. Being Cloister Maiden to Noah Monroe wouldn’t be so bad. He was rumored to be kind, gentle even. I let my gaze slide to the man standing at his left. Dark hair, even darker eyes, and a smirk like his father’s on his lips as he stares at me—Adam Monroe. I drop my gaze and silently pity the Maiden to my right.

  “We will keep you safe. Away from the monsters of this world who would seek to use you, to destroy the innocent perfection that each one of you possess. Remember the story of Dinah: ‘When Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her.’ And so it is with any man who is not within this circle. They would take you, hurt you, and cast you aside once they’ve spoiled your body and heart. Only in the Cloister can you lead peaceful lives without fear.”

  I wonder if Georgia heard the same speech. She must have. How long did they let her live after this ritual? The thought churns inside me, surprisingly strong, and hate begins to override my meek persona. Breaking character for a split second, I glance back up at Adam Monroe. Had he been the one to slit her throat? Had his large hands done untold violence to Georgia while she was still alive?

  He scowls at the shivering Maiden standing in front of him, then snaps his gaze to meet mine. His eyes round the slightest bit, and I drop my focus back to the dirt, then close my eyes. I shouldn’t have done that. I silently berate myself as Leon—no, he’s the Prophet—as the Prophet continues his lesson on the safety of the Cloister. I let my disguise fall back into place. I am a devout follower of the Prophet and eager Cloister Maiden. The hum of my thoughts grows louder, and I realize the Prophet has stopped talking.

  I open my eyes and peek at the Maiden to my left. She’s lifted her pitcher, her eyes still downcast. I do the same.

  “The water signifies an offering from Maiden to her Protector. A righteous man—one who will teach her and lead her in the light of the Lord our God. The Protector is sanctified by God, and his decisions will always be made in the best interest of the Maiden under his protection. Just as God instructed in Genesis, the man is leader, the woman his helpmate. And so it will be here. The Protector—with God in his heart—shall lead his Maiden and show her the ways of true believers.”

  “Amen.” The men’s voices seem to have grown louder, hungrier.

  “Now, Maidens, offer yourselves as vessels made to carry the knowledge and light of our Lord, to your Protector.”

  With shaking arms, I hold out my pitcher. A brief brush of fingers against mine, and the weight lifts. After a few moments, the drained pitchers fly over our heads and crash into the fire at our backs. A primal roar rips from the men—wolves with appetites whetted for blood.

  “Protectors, lead your gentle lambs back to the Cloister where we will welcome them into the fold.”

  A hand appears, the wide palm up. I take a deep breath and remind myself that Noah is a good draw. Slipping my hand into his, I lift my eyes to find the entirely wrong man attached. Noah leads a different woman away from the bonfire.

  Adam’s smirk darkens as he grips my hand too tight. “Shall we, little lamb?”

  Click Here to Read The Maiden

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to Mr. Aaron, mainly for listening to me jabber on and on about keeping up with snakes I’ve let out of the can. . . Also for reading the beginning of this story multiple times as I kept tinkering.

  Thanks to Viv for reading the first few chapters and assuring me it wasn’t a pile of poo. (For some reason, most authors always find their work to be a pile of poo until someone magical comes along and tells them otherwise. Mr. Aaron and Viv are my magic.)

  Thanks to Jeff, my editor, for always pondering my odd word choices and suggesting less-odd ones. Stacey, you’re the best at catching typos. Thank God.

  Pear, thanks for letting me send you pics of one pear molesting another pear and never ever reporting me for it. Also, I couldn’t have lovely covers without you.

  Thanks PopKitty for always being there to help me out with teasers. Despite me being last minute. And vague. And scattered. And, ya know, me.

  To my Rabid Readers—y’all rock. Thanks for being there for me when I need you. Acquisitions, y’all are the most supportive and positive group on Facebook. I can’t thank you enough for all the love you give me.

  JT, your Filthy video gives me life. Never stop, baby. Haters gonna say it’s fake. So real.

  *cough* Okay, I’m done embarrassing myself for now.

  To my readers. Thank you. I can’t do this without you. You are the reason for what I’ve got going here. Never change, loves.

  What’s next? Well, I hope y’all are ready to go darker. Darker. Darkerrrrrrrr. Visit www.jointhecloister.com to know when my next fucked up series goes live.

  Xx,

  Celia

  Also by Celia Aaron

  Dark Romance

  The Bad Guy

  My name is Sebastian Lindstrom, and I’m the villain of this story.

  I’ve decided to lay myself bare. To tell the truth for once in my hollow life, no matter how dark it gets. And I can assure you, it will get so dark that you’ll find yourself feeling around the blackened corners of my mind, seeking a door handle that isn’t there.

  Don’t mistake this for a confession. I neither seek forgiveness nor would I accept it. My sins are my own. They keep me company. Instead, this is the true tale of how I found her, how I stole her, and how I lost her.

  She was a damsel, one who already had her white knight. But every fairy tale has a villain, someone waiting in the wings to rip it all down. A scoundrel who will set the world on fire if that means he gets what he wants. That’s me.

  I’m the bad guy.

  The Cloister Series

  I joined the Cloister to find the truth. But I've discovered so much more, and the darkness here is seducing me, pulling me down until all I can think of is him. Adam Monroe, the Prophet's son, a dark prince to an empire that grows by the day. He is tasked with keeping me safe from the wolves of the outside world. But the longer I stay at the Cloister, the more I realize the wolves are already inside and under the Prophet's control. If Adam discovers the real reason I'm here, he'll bay for my blood with the rest of them. Until then, I will be Delilah, an obedient servant of the Prophet during the day and Adam's Maiden at night.

  Counsellor, Magnate, & Sovereign

  Darkness lurks in the heart of the Louisiana elite, and only one will be able to rule them as Sovereign. Sinclair Vinemont will compete for the title, and has acquired Stella Rousseau for that very purpose. Breaking her is part of the game. Loving her is the most dangerous play of all.

  Blackwood

  I dig. It’s what I do. I’ll literally use a shovel to answer a question. Some answers, though, have been buried too deep for too long. But I’ll find those, too. And I know where to dig—the Blackwood Estate on the edge of the Mississippi Delta. Garrett Blackwood is the only thing standing between me and the truth. A broken man—one with desires that dance in the darkest part of my soul—he’s either my savior or my enemy.
I’ll dig until I find all his secrets. Then I’ll run so he never finds mine. The only problem? He likes it when I run.

  Dark Protector

  From the moment I saw her through the window of her flower shop, something other than darkness took root inside me. Charlie shone like a beacon in a world that had long since lost any light. But she was never meant for me, a man that killed without remorse and collected bounties drenched in blood.

  I thought staying away would keep her safe, would shield her from me. I was wrong. Danger followed in my wake like death at a slaughter house. I protected her from the threats that circled like black buzzards, kept her safe with kill after kill.

  But everything comes with a price, especially second chances for a man like me.

  Killing for her was easy. It was living for her that turned out to be the hard part.

  Nate

  I rescued Sabrina from a mafia bloodbath when she was 13. As the new head of the Philly syndicate, I sent her to the best schools to keep her as far away from the life--and me--as possible. It worked perfectly. Until she turned 18. Until she came home. Until I realized that the timid girl was gone and in her place lived a smart mouth and a body that demanded my attention. I promised myself I'd resist her, for her own good.

  I lied.

  Contemporary Romance

  You’ve Got Fail

  She's driving me crazy. Or am I the one driving myself crazy? I can't tell anymore. Ever since Scarlet Rocket showed up in the flesh, she's turned my structured world upside down. My neatly ordered life, my hand-painted Aliens versus Vampires figurines, my expertly curated comics collection--none of these things provide any shelter from her sexy, sassy onslaught. It's a disaster of my own making. She didn't exist until I created her. Now, I can't get her out of my mind, and all I want to do is get her into my bed. Never mind that she's a thief, a liar, a con-woman. Every step she takes leaves chaos in her wake. And damn if I don't want more of it.

  Kicked

  Trent Carrington.

  Trent Mr. Perfect-Has-Everyone-Fooled Carrington.

  He’s the star quarterback, university scholar, and happens to be the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. He shines at any angle, and especially under the Saturday night stadium lights where I watch him from the sidelines. But I know the real him, the one who broke my heart and pretended I didn’t exist for the past two years.

  I’m the third-string kicker, the only woman on the team and nothing better than a mascot. Until I’m not. Until I get my chance to earn a full scholarship and join the team as first-string. The only way I'll make the cut is to accept help from the one man I swore never to trust again. The problem is, with each stolen glance and lingering touch, I begin to realize that trusting Trent isn’t the problem. It’s that I can’t trust myself when I’m around him.

  Tempting Eden

  A modern re-telling of Jane Eyre that will leave you breathless...

  Jack England

  Eden Rochester is a force. A whirlwind of intensity and thinly-veiled passion. Over the past few years, I’ve worked hard to avoid my passions, to lock them up so they can’t harm me—or anyone else—again. But Eden Rochester ignites every emotion I have. Every glance from her sharp eyes and each teasing word from her indulgent lips adds more fuel to the fire. Resisting her? Impossible. From the moment I held her in my arms, I had to have her. But tempting her into opening up could cost me my job and much, much more.

  Eden Rochester

  When Jack England crosses my path and knocks me off my high horse, something begins to shift. Imperceptible at first, the change grows each time he looks into my eyes or brushes against my skin. He’s my assistant, but everything about him calls to me, tempts me. And once I give in, he shows me who he really is—dominant, passionate, and with a dark past. After long days of work and several hot nights, I realize the two of us are bound together. But my secrets won’t stay buried, and they cut like a knife.

  Bad Bitch

  Bad Bitch Series, Book 1

  They call me the Bad Bitch. A lesser woman might get her panties in a twist over it, but me? I'm the one who does the twisting. Whether it's in the courtroom or in the bedroom, I've never let anyone - much less a man - get the upper hand.

  Except for that jerk attorney Lincoln Granade. He's dark, mysterious, smoking hot and sexy as hell. He's nothing but a bad, bad boy playing the part of an up and coming premiere attorney. I'm not worried about losing in a head to head battle with this guy. But he gets me all hot and bothered in a way no man has ever done before. I don't like a person being under my skin this much. It makes me want to let go of all control, makes me want to give in. This dangerous man makes me want to submit to him completely, again, and again, and again...

  Hardass

  Bad Bitch Series, Book 2

  I cave in to no one. My hardass exterior is what makes me one of the hottest defense lawyers around. It's why I'm the perfect guy to defend the notorious Bayou Butcher serial killer - and why I'll come out on top.

  Except this new associate I've hired is unnaturally skilled at putting chinks in my well-constructed armor. Her brazen talk and fiery attitude make me want to take control of her and silence her - in ways that will keep both of us busy till dawn. She drives me absolutely 100% crazy, but I need her for this case. I need her in my bed. I need her to let loose the man within me who fights with rage and loves with scorching desire...

  Total Dick

  Bad Bitch Series, Book 3

  I’m your classic skirt chaser. A womanizer. A total d*ck. My reputation is dirtier than a New Orleans street after a Mardi Gras parade. I take unwinnable cases and win them. Where people see defeat, I see a big fat paycheck. And when most men see rejection, it’s because the sexiest woman at the bar has already promised to go home with me.

  But Scarlett Carmichael is the one person I can’t seem to conquer. This too-cool former debutante has it all—class, attitude, and a body that begs to be worshiped. I’ve never worked with a person like her before—hell, I’ve never played nice with anyone before in my life, and I’m not about to start with her. This woman wasn’t meant to be played nicely with. It’s going to be dirty. It’s going to be hot. She’s about to spend a lot of time with the biggest d*ck in town. And she’s going to love every minute of it…

  Fantasy Romance

  Incubus

  An incubus who feeds off the sexual desires of others, Roth de Lis has never been denied the pleasure of a woman's body...until now. Lilah, once a warrior maiden in the service of a goddess, languishes on earth after being cast out from the slopes of Mount Olympus.

  Lilah will do anything to return home, including betraying Roth. As she spins her web of lies, Roth begins a slow, wicked seduction that eventually threatens to consume them both. But when Lilah's deceit comes to light, will their torrid love affair be able to overcome a pact with the darkest of gods?

  Blood Prince

  He's searched for her across centuries. But he's not the only one . . .

  Paris, heir to a vampire kingdom he has never claimed, is adrift on earth and in the Underworld. The bounty on his head keeps him on the run. When he realizes the woman whose death haunts his dreams could be alive, he will risk everything just to touch Helen again. But her past can't be erased, and neither can her old enemy--a demon who will destroy worlds just to possess her.

  About the Author

  Celia Aaron is a recovering attorney and USA Today bestselling author who loves romance and erotic fiction. Dark to light, angsty to funny, real to fantasy—if it’s hot and strikes her fancy, she writes it. Thanks for reading.

  Sign up for my newsletter at celiaaaron.com to get information on new releases. (I would never spam you or sell your info, just send you book news and goodies sometimes). ;)

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