“This is ridiculous!” I snapped, smearing black ooze off my face and flinging it into the dirt. “Why shouldn’t my body be able to withstand this? I’m a Shipton, born of the Shipton bloodline. My heritage is ancient. Why shouldn’t I be able to contain it?”
Davin put his hand on the small of my back. “You look beautiful still, my darling. You are radiant. You are a goddess amongst women. And this is only a temporary measure, dearest heart. Soon enough, you will have Harley’s body, and you will be as you were, in all your true glory. Eris incarnate.”
I crossed my arms. “This is stupid. Totally stupid.”
“In Asian culture, objects are all the more revered when they have been cracked, and they are duly repaired with care and attention. You will be revered in the same manner, loved with even more ferocity because you have suffered for your position as the Goddess of Discord. And I will be the one to restore you, with all the care and attention I possess.”
“And yet you continue to irk me by refusing to pledge yourself?” I narrowed my eyes at him, but he offered a charming smile in return.
“I will pledge myself to the Cult of Eris once you acquire Harley’s body and take your true form as a goddess of all worlds.”
I frowned in surprise. “Why wait until then? I’ve shown what I am capable of.”
Davin sighed and cupped my face in his hands. “Because, my darling, you are yet to win this. If your body is vanquished before you retrieve Harley, then you will not become the Goddess of Discord, as you have envisioned yourself. In essence, you will become a haze of frustrated energy, forced to exist in an otherworld. The exact opposite of what you aspire to become.”
It was sound logic, playing on my own fears, which were starting to creep in with every crack that appeared in my beauteous face. But I didn’t like to hear it laid bare like that. It suggested a lack of faith, and I wasn’t a fan of fence-sitters who couldn’t pledge themselves. If it had been anyone but Davin, they’d have been six feet under by now.
So why am I letting him get away with it?
I was already frustrated as hell. Did I really need the added grievance of yet another man with commitment issues?
“It’s that treacherous djinn, Abracadabra. I’d stake my money on it,” I muttered, changing the subject. “He’s doing something to hide Harley, I know he is. And those devious Catemacos, and whoever else is still rooting for that insidious little bitch. But it’s not over yet. Oh no, I’m just getting started.”
“I know you are, darling,” Davin purred, stroking a tingling line up the curve of my spine. “It is why I’m still standing here, at your side. Once you have succeeded, you will have my allegiance eternally. Once you have her body, it will forge a bond between us that can never be broken. I can already feel those links slotting into place, binding us to one another. All you have to do is complete the task, and I will be your everlasting servant.”
He was making it sound as though joining the cult was like joining me in a relationship. I hadn’t jumped through hoops for a guy in nearly two decades, but I supposed this served me as much as it served him. I wasn’t going to be a haze of frustrated energy, not after everything I’d put into reaching this goal. I didn’t like the implication, though, that I had to prove myself to Davin.
Your head would be on a spike if you weren’t so charming.
I knew I should just kill him and be done with it. I’d already made too many concessions for him by allowing him to keep his abilities after I had stripped everyone else of theirs—except those going after Harley. What did that make this? Stupidity? Temporary insanity? I didn’t know, but I just couldn’t resist him.
Feeling like crap about my cracked face, I needed a little TLC. And I knew just where to find it. Grasping the back of Davin’s neck so hard he almost got whiplash, I pulled him into a deep kiss, letting him know that he was mine, whether he liked it or not.
The smirk instantly left his face, his eyes smoldering as he closed them, sinking deeper into our kiss. His hands moved to my neck, his thumb running down the line of my throat, making me shiver with anticipation. It was his display of possession, but mine was stronger, as I moved my lips against his with an almost violent ferocity. It was more like a fight than a kiss, which suited me just fine. I’d never been into gentle displays of affection, resulting in my fair share of terrified men running for the hills.
But Davin wasn’t weak, and he wasn’t like ordinary men. I would win this one, just as I was going to win against Harley. He was my toy now, to play with as I saw fit, whether he wanted to be or not. Soon enough, I’d have him begging to wear the seal of Eris on his skin.
It’s not over yet. I’m not singing.
I had so much work to do, and so little time until my body caved in.
But I was going to get through this. I was going to win, and I was going to get every damn thing I’d ever dreamed of.
The next Harley Merlin book
Dear Reader,
Harley Merlin 9: Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact releases on June 30th, 2019, and will be the resolution to Harley and Katherine’s conflict!
Prepare for an epic showdown…
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Love,
Bella x
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Read more by Bella Forrest
HARLEY MERLIN
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)
Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)
Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)
Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)
Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)
Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)
Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)
Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)
Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)
THE GENDER GAME
(Action-adventure/dystopian/romance. Completed series.)
The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
The Gender End (Book 7)
THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK
(Action-adventure/dystopian/romance. Completed series.)
The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)
The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)
The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)
The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)
The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)
The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6)
The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)
THE CHILD THIEF
(Action-adventure/dystopian/romance.)
The Child Thief (Book 1)
Deep Shadows (Book 2)
Thin Lines (Book 3)
Little Lies (Book 4)
Ghost Towns (Book 5)
Zero Hour (Book 6)
A LOVE THAT ENDURES
(New! Contemporary romance)
A Love that Endures
A Love that Endures 2
HOTBLOODS
(Supernatural adventure/romance. Completed series.)
Hotbloods (Book 1)
Coldbloods (Book 2)
Renegades (Book 3)
Venturers (Book 4)
Traitors (Book 5)
Allies (Book 6)
Invaders (Book 7)
Stargazers (Book 8)
/> A SHADE OF VAMPIRE SERIES
(Supernatural romance/adventure)
Series 1: Derek & Sofia’s story
A Shade of Vampire (Book 1)
A Shade of Blood (Book 2)
A Castle of Sand (Book 3)
A Shadow of Light (Book 4)
A Blaze of Sun (Book 5)
A Gate of Night (Book 6)
A Break of Day (Book 7)
Series 2: Rose & Caleb’s story
A Shade of Novak (Book 8)
A Bond of Blood (Book 9)
A Spell of Time (Book 10)
A Chase of Prey (Book 11)
A Shade of Doubt (Book 12)
A Turn of Tides (Book 13)
A Dawn of Strength (Book 14)
A Fall of Secrets (Book 15)
An End of Night (Book 16)
Series 3: The Shade continues with a new hero…
A Wind of Change (Book 17)
A Trail of Echoes (Book 18)
A Soldier of Shadows (Book 19)
A Hero of Realms (Book 20)
A Vial of Life (Book 21)
A Fork of Paths (Book 22)
A Flight of Souls (Book 23)
A Bridge of Stars (Book 24)
Series 4: A Clan of Novaks
A Clan of Novaks (Book 25)
A World of New (Book 26)
A Web of Lies (Book 27)
A Touch of Truth (Book 28)
An Hour of Need (Book 29)
A Game of Risk (Book 30)
A Twist of Fates (Book 31)
A Day of Glory (Book 32)
Series 5: A Dawn of Guardians
A Dawn of Guardians (Book 33)
A Sword of Chance (Book 34)
A Race of Trials (Book 35)
A King of Shadow (Book 36)
An Empire of Stones (Book 37)
A Power of Old (Book 38)
A Rip of Realms (Book 39)
A Throne of Fire (Book 40)
A Tide of War (Book 41)
Series 6: A Gift of Three
A Gift of Three (Book 42)
A House of Mysteries (Book 43)
A Tangle of Hearts (Book 44)
A Meet of Tribes (Book 45)
A Ride of Peril (Book 46)
A Passage of Threats (Book 47)
A Tip of Balance (Book 48)
A Shield of Glass (Book 49)
A Clash of Storms (Book 50)
Series 7: A Call of Vampires
A Call of Vampires (Book 51)
A Valley of Darkness (Book 52)
A Hunt of Fiends (Book 53)
A Den of Tricks (Book 54)
A City of Lies (Book 55)
A League of Exiles (Book 56)
A Charge of Allies (Book 57)
A Snare of Vengeance (Book 58)
A Battle of Souls (Book 59)
Series 8: A Voyage of Founders
A Voyage of Founders (Book 60)
A Land of Perfects (Book 61)
A Citadel of Captives (Book 62)
A Jungle of Rogues (Book 63)
A Camp of Savages (Book 64)
A Plague of Deceit (Book 65)
An Edge of Malice (Book 66)
A Dome of Blood (Book 67)
A Purge of Nature (Book 68)
Season 9: A Birth of Fire
A Birth of Fire (Book 69)
A Breed of Elements (Book 70)
A Sacrifice of Flames (Book 71)
A Conspiracy of Realms (Book 72)
A Search for Death (Book 73)
A Piece of Scythe (Book 74)
A Blade of Thieron (Book 75)
A Phantom of Truth (Book 76)
A SHADE OF DRAGON TRILOGY
A Shade of Dragon 1
A Shade of Dragon 2
A Shade of Dragon 3
A SHADE OF KIEV TRILOGY
A Shade of Kiev 1
A Shade of Kiev 2
A Shade of Kiev 3
THE SECRET OF SPELLSHADOW MANOR
(Supernatural/Magic YA. Completed series)
The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Book 1)
The Breaker (Book 2)
The Chain (Book 3)
The Keep (Book 4)
The Test (Book 5)
The Spell (Book 6)
BEAUTIFUL MONSTER DUOLOGY
(Supernatural romance)
Beautiful Monster 1
Beautiful Monster 2
DETECTIVE ERIN BOND
(Adult thriller/mystery)
Lights, Camera, GONE
Write, Edit, KILL
For an updated list of Bella’s books, please visit her website: www.bellaforrest.net
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Harley Merlin 8: Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos Page 40