The power…the magic that made that possible made me tremble and clench harder, driven by new, secret knowledge that we shared. I bent forward and kissed him, my fist wrapped tight around Dev’s cock so we were all joined in the mounting pleasure. I moaned into Cash’s mouth as I felt him spasm inside me, pushing me over the edge to a shared climax.
Before I could catch my breath, Adam pulled me off Cash and laid me on my back, thrusting himself inside me as Cash turned and took his turn, licking and sucking my neck, my breasts, his cock growing hard again as it rubbed against my hip.
Each time Devon tried to back away, Cash drew him back to us, but Adam went fast and roared his orgasm to the sky while it was Cash I clutched in my hand, stroking him hard and fast.
“Devon, please,” I panted, my body too liquid to sit up, but still raging with need. Devon lifted me and I went to my knees, sucking his turgid cock as Adam and Cash held him upright, his knees shaking as I sucked hard and fast until he throbbed and released down my throat with a strangled cry.
“My God, woman,” he sighed, his voice ragged.
“I want you all again.” I was ravenous, starving for them like nothing I’d ever felt before.
“Of course,” Cash laughed, gently prying my hand off his erection. “But first, we must get you home. We need to run.”
He leapt to his feet and hoisted me in his arms like I weighed nothing, laughing as he took off at a sprint, running so fast I was afraid to open my eyes, scared I’d fly out of his arms or we’d crash into a tree.
The others kept his pace, running alongside us, weaving in and out of the trees and cheering with every fallen log we flew over, until the blazing lights of home appeared ahead of us, guiding us the last few hundred yards.
Cash didn’t release me until he laid me on the bed and kissed me. “The moon is full and we’ve used a lot of power tonight. She claims her due, and we must run.”
“What were we just doing?”
He chuckled and glanced at Adam, who was grinning ear to ear. “Different kind of running. Now. Don’t get scared.” He backed away from me, and his face contorted in pain for a moment, then in a ripple of fur, a cinnamon wolf stood at the foot of the bed, staring at me with golden eyes.
“Get some rest. We’ll be back soon, and then we will wear you out.” Devon winked, inhaled sharply and in the same wave of power and fur, stood on all fours, his fur a thick, rich chocolate.
Adam joined them, his fur a pattern of silver and black, and the three stared at me with eyes that were feral, but familiar. Mine, I thought as I stared at the giant wolves. You are all mine.
They took off, leaving me sitting in the bed, naked under the covers, awaiting their return and, I was sure, incapable of sleep. But the adrenaline wore off and I finally gave up, letting my heavy eyelids close, shuttering out the moon that hung low in the window.
Chapter 19
It was nearly dawn when they returned, but they kept their promise, and when they were done with me, I wasn’t sure if I’d even survived. We slept in a pile of bodies, so I was warm and protected between them all, and when I awoke, I remembered again my vision, so exultant that I almost cried out and woke them. I’d seen my own future, and it was better than I could have imagined.
Better than anyone could have imagined for me.
I let them sleep a while, carefully extracting myself and redressing in my sundress after locating the bathroom and washing the sex and sweat off me. Then I jumped on the bed hard enough to bounce them and demanded breakfast.
Chapter 20
It was sunny, cloudless, and Breaux Bridge was more beautiful than ever. I walked between two of my men, one arm in each of mine as we sauntered up to the café for coffee and beignets. We’d be meeting Devon later, but for now, it was just the three of us enjoying a lazy morning.
“Morning Mom, Dad. How’s the coffee today?”
Neither of them seemed surprised to see me, but it was in my father’s eyes that I saw recognition of a truth he’d wondered silently as my mother I had tried to hide me.
He didn’t answer me but pointed a finger at Cash. “I see you finally took over your father’s business, LeBlanc. Make sure you treat her right.”
Cash nodded. “I will. I’ve got to get your daughter trained up in the business too,” he sighed. “Poor thing went and got herself a job at Em’s place before I could tell her she’d be working for me, too.”
My mother’s face was pure confusion, my father’s nothing but pride. Of course, he’d been Beaux LeBlanc’s best friend. Why wouldn’t he know that someday, his daughter might be close to his best friend’s son.
Then, another, stranger thought came into my head…
“You always knew, didn’t you Dad? That I’d come home?”
He tapped the corner of his eye and pressed his lips together. “I kind of saw it coming, yeah.” He pulled out the seat next to him and Adam and Cash grabbed chairs from other tables and joined us.
The waitress brought more coffee and powdered-sugar coated goodies as we sat, and I looked around at all of my family, my chest tight with emotion.
“Gotta tell you Dad, I never did see this. Not for one second.”
He winked and chuckled at my mother’s looked of bewilderment. “Don’t worry. There’s more to come.”
Continue on for an exclusive sneak preview of Curse of Iron!
The Legend
"Tiocfaidh an leathling chun críche do réimeas, ag caitheamh draíocht Gaia ó lámh seanóirí wicca, agus coróin na Fae a athnuachan"
“The halfling will come to end your reign, tearing Gaia’s magic from the hands of the elders of wicca, and restoring the crown of the Fae…”
The child was born on the tenth day of the tenth month, one hundred years after Morgana cursed her own kind to dwindle in power until the great coven was no more. Her mother was a high priestess of Gaia, her father the heir apparent to the throne of the Seelie Fae, the light court of Fairy.
But the priestess could not survive the hate and fear, and somehow, the strong, vibrant witch died during childbirth. The Fae king was fading, his son poised to take the throne. His grief knew no release, but he had too many hidden enemies to allow them to know his daughter. He left her with the witches—to keep her safe from harm—and left fairies among the humans to keep watch over her until the time came when she would be strong enough to join him, or his throne was secure.
Chapter 1
The first thing I noticed when I jerked awake was my mouth tasted like sawdust and beer.
The second was the weight of another body beside me.
I must have drank more than I thought.
I didn’t remember bringing a guy home and considering how long it had been I could’ve used the recollection of a good time. I swallowed trying to work up some moisture into my mouth, and inched closer to the edge of the bed, and reached for the light.
The form next to me was cool when my toes brushed against him and too still, making my heart pound excitedly. I turned on the bedside lamp and eased out of bed to look down at the naked man I’d woken up next to, his eyes wide and staring, already clouded by death.
It took a second to register his face, already twisted into his death mask.
Gideon Masters.
Gideon Masters, the baddest Alpha on this side of the continent is in my bed—and he’s fucking dead. What in the fresh fuck is happening? Is this a nightmare?
I slammed my fist into the wall, sucking in air at the bruising pain in my knuckles. I backed away from the bed, revulsion twisting my stomach. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, my brain played the words on repeat like one of the old vinyl records my boss liked to play in the office. Gideon’s lifeless eyes continued to stare at the ceiling, ensuring no matter what else, I wouldn’t sleep there restfully, ever again.
He was naked from the waist up, revealing dark chest hair and fine cut abs. The blankets were pulled back enough to make my stomach lurch again at the realization he was definitely not
wearing anything underneath, either. His skin had already begun to look waxy, even in the half light of the reading lamp, and my hand searched automatically for the wall switch before I stopped myself.
“You don’t need a better look, stupid,” I glanced at the window-shade, drawn, no sign it had been opened. “How the hell did you get in here?” I glanced around, looking for some clue to jog my memory, or explain how I’d woken up in a nightmare worse than any I’d had while sleeping. I tugged my long tee down over my legs, grateful I hadn’t been nude next to him, cuddled skin to skin with death.
“Okay, stop freaking out and call someone,” I glanced around for my phone. The charging stand next to the bed was empty, and my bag was nowhere in sight.
I backed toward the door, pushing the disgust and fear back, examining the bedroom as best I could. There was no blood on the bed and no sign of a struggle of any kind. Maybe he had a bad heart…or was sick…or was poisoned by Aunt Portia and left here as a warning.
I shuddered at the thought as my fingers found the doorknob behind me and I slipped out of the bedroom. With the horror hidden safely behind my door, I glanced around the living area of my apartment. If the body in my bed hadn’t put itself there, I might not be alone. I dropped into a crouch behind the armchair and moved in a crab-like walk, visually clearing the living room, dining room, and kitchen, before I jumped up and raced to the denim satchel I used as a purse.
Grabbing my phone out of the bag, I ducked behind the island and started to dial, my eyes constantly glancing between the closed guest bathroom and the hallway which led to the two bedrooms. Orson, pick up, pick up, pick up, I begged silently as I listened to the trilling ring on the other end.
“What the hell, girl?” Orson growled from the speaker, but I didn’t have a chance to answer him.
“Police! Open up!” The shout came from the hall. A moment later, my door crashed open, and I screamed, dropping my phone.
“Show your hands!” In seconds I was on my face against the cool wooden floor, my arms wrenched painfully behind my back as cops swarmed my apartment. I froze as a paralyzing spell landed on me.
“Watch out, she’s a hexer,” one barked, and they all backed away from me. Lying flat with my cheek pressed into the floor, I stared at the dust bunnies under my couch, the voices around me strangely muffled from my vantage point.
The witch-detective who had paralyzed me kneeled at my side, checking I was incapacitated before she gave the others permission to yank me to my feet. If they’d bothered to ask, I would’ve told them I was happy to comply, but they probably wouldn’t have believed me anyway.
As her lips moved, my mind cleared enough to realize my rights were being read to me. I nodded my understanding because the spell wouldn’t let me speak. It wasn’t quite constitutional, but I worked with law enforcement every day. I knew how much harder the job had been for the last century, as magical beings stopped hiding in the shadows and entered mainstream society.
Two more cops appeared from my bedroom, calling the detective back with them, and my body finally rebelled, the knowledge of what I knew resided there, forcing bile into my still sealed mouth. I gagged on the vomit, choking, until the cop holding me upright yelled for the detective and she ran in, casting as soon as she saw what was happening.
They bent me over and she turned my head to one side as I spit and dragged a deep breath down my stomach acid scorched throat into my burning lungs. I managed to whisper, “Thank you,” leaning into her as if she wasn’t the person about to end my life as I knew it, my legs weak and trembling. The police held almost all my body weight. “I don’t understand what’s happening,” I added, but silenced myself before she could decide to renew the spell.
“You’re okay,” she murmured, not quite sympathetic, but without accusation. “Just breathe.” She tipped my chin up so I was forced to meet her eyes. They were the color of chocolate, and it made me think of how good chocolate would feel on my stinging throat. “You must be powerful, to take down someone so big.”
I shook my head. “Not really. Besides, do you see any vines climbing my walls? My magic is growing things. New life, not death.” The absence of magic had been one of the first things I’d noticed when the initial shock was over. “How did he die?”
The other officer jerked my arm hard enough to make my shoulder pop. “Like you don’t know,” he snarled and I dropped my eyes, holding my body still so he wouldn’t yank on me again.
“Enough, Jones. You start knocking on doors. Sam and I will secure her in our vehicle.”
"Yes ma'am, Detective."
I tried not to show my relief, even though she wasn’t giving me special treatment. The paranormal division of the Oakland PD employed witches, reluctantly, to keep supernaturals under control when we were arrested. It came with certain benefits, like a fast track to promotions. Usually, I was all for better representation for my kind in the police department. It had saved a lot of magical lives when cops stopped shooting first under the assumption we were all immortal.
I’m half Fae and I could be hard to kill. But I wasn’t about to start testing the theory, not when the other half was almost human-weak and just as slow to heal. The detective called out to her partner and the asshole on my left was replaced by a giant. He wasn’t a literal giant, but he was huge compared to my five-foot-three inches.
“You okay there?” he asked, sincere concern radiating from him. “Tracy, was this self-defense?”
Detective Mills sighed, and I felt her shrug. “I dunno, Sam. There’s no sign of a struggle, but he’s awfully young-looking for a heart-attack."
“He’s the alpha,” I blurted, my usual helpful self being anything but as they walked me to their magically protected car. Steel and machines are difficult to enchant, their components being the literal antithesis of magic. All the growing pains resulting from our people coming out of hiding is why witch-detectives were so valuable, they’ve got to be the best to maintain control in magical situations.
“Fuck.” The giant tightened his hold as he guided me down the narrow flight of stairs to the foyer. They had their routine down; him handling me and the doors, leaving her hands free to cast if necessary. If I had been stupid enough to try to escape.
“Look. I didn’t do anything to him…to the man in my room,” I began again as the male detective loomed over me, buckling me into my seat. I wasn’t cuffed, the detective’s spell was enough to control me even inside the car. “I only know him because he’s like, famous around here.”
The giant sighed. “Did they read her her rights?” I couldn’t hear the reply, but he stuck his head in the window after shutting the door on me. “You need to stop talking until you get to the station, okay?”
I nodded, but I couldn’t help myself. “But I work for Tell's Bail Bonds.” I was horrified to find myself sniffling like our clients so often did. “I wouldn’t break the law…”
But he had already vanished from view, and I was left to shake and cry in the back of the paranormal squad car as the crowd of onlookers around me grew.
Continue Reading Morgana’s story in Curse of Iron, here!
Also By Graceley Knox & D.D. Miers
The Kresova Vampire Harems: Aurora (Written with D.D. Miers)
1. Thirst
2. Tempt
3. Turn
Aurora Books 1-3
The Kresova Vampire Harems: Lyra (Written with D.D. Miers)
4. Favor
5. Fury
The Girl, Vampire Series
1. Girl, Bitten
2. Girl, Forsaken
3. Girl, Immortal
The Half-Blood Huntress Chronicles
Prequel: Deck the Demons (Exclusively in Such Violent Delights)
1. Curse of Iron
2. Heir of Storm
3. Master of Magic
4. Reign of Rebels
5. War of Thrones
The Shadow Creatures Series
1. Gravestones & Wicked Bones
2. Cursed Moons & Ancient Runes (Coming 2019!)
How to Be A Necromancer
1. Grave Promise
2. Grave Debt
3. Grave Mistake
4. Grave Magic
5. Grave Chance
Alana Creed: Timejumper
1. Fae Kissed
By Graceley Knox
The Wicked Kingdoms Series:
1. Mark of Truth
2. Crown of Betrayal
3. Throne of Secrets
3.5. Yuletide Revelry (A Wicked Kingdoms Christmas Short)
4. Castle of Illusions
The Dragon Stone Saga:
Kiss of Frost
Up in Smoke (Coming Soon)
Shake the Ground (Coming Soon)
By D.D. Miers
The Relic Keeper Series
1.Dark Summoner
2.Dark Illusions
3.Dark Secrets (Coming Soon!)
4.Dark Destiny (Coming Soon!)
The Supernaturals of Los Melas
1. Gretel: Witch Hunter
Standalones:
City of Shadows: The Dark Fae Hollows
Wicked: The Isa Fae
Slayer in Lace
About the Authors
USA Today bestselling authors, Graceley Knox and D.D. Miers may be long-lost sisters, but their moms continue to deny it. They are most definitely the co-writers of the Kresova Vampire Harem series, as well as a multitude of other upcoming projects they can't wait to share with readers.
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