Dark Secrets (Dark Hearts Book 2)

by P. L. Midnight

  Dark Hearts Saga

  Part Two

  Dark Secrets

  A Gothic Reverse Harem Romance

  By

  P.L. Midnight

  Cover Design by Omair Dzyner. Graphic Designer, Upwork

  Image ID: 9518125 from 123RF Stock Photos

  Copyright: picsfive / 123RF Stock Photo

  Text copyright @ 2017

  All Rights Reserved

  Kindle Edition, License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to another person unless it was originally purchased for them. If you would like to share this book with someone, please do so through your retailer’s “lending” function.

  If you are reading this book and did not purchase it or if it was not purchased for you, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book contains some material that is protected by the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary & Artistic Works and the Universal Copyright Convention (UCC). P. L. Midnight as the author of this book is covered in the Circular 38a, International Copyright Relations of the United States. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, which includes photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

  Unauthorized reprint or use of this book is prohibited. The right of P. L. Midnight to be identified as the author of this work has been proclaimed by her in accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. Under 17 USC 302 the work of this author is protected during her lifetime plus seventy years afterwards. This book must not be circulated in any format. To obtain permission to use any portions of this text please contact the author at plmidnight@outlook.com.

  Notice: This is a work of fiction. All characters in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people, whether living or dead; names; places; brands; and historical incidents other than those specifically cited are unintentional and purely coincidental or are used for the purpose of illustration only. This book is the product of this author’s imagination and subject matter is used to create a work of fiction.

  The publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. The author and publisher assume no responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of any purchaser or reader of these materials.

  The publisher and author do not have any control over and do not assume any responsibility for third party or other websites or their content.

  The author acknowledges the trademark owners and trademarked status of various brands, products, and places referenced in this fictional book. These trademarks were used without permission. The use of these trademarks is not associated with, sponsored or authorized by these trademark owners.

  Any copyrighted materials referred to herein are the property of the copyright holder only. They are mentioned here only as a reference for description of a person, place or thing. The writer and publisher assume no responsibility for these copyrights or their validity.

  A special thanks to Omar Dzyner for taking my ideas and making them book cover realities. You are the best!

  Thanks to my family and friends who have supported my writing career.

  A very special thanks to all my readers for without you there would be no reason to write…

  Message from the Author

  Thanks for reading the second installment of Dark Hearts, Dark Secrets. This is my first attempt at a reverse harem series. I read that genre regularly so I decided to try my hand at writing an RH series. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

  I have listened to your comments and hired a new professional editor/proofreader. When you spend your hard-earned money on one of my books, I want to make it the best possible read for you. The woman proofreading/editing for me has been doing this for many years professionally. I look forward to a long working relationship with her and many more professional quality books for you, my readers.

  I’m a huge fan of several of the regular reverse harem romance writers. I thank them for giving me many hours of enjoyable reading. You may notice some influences from some of these authors, but Dark Secrets has an original cast of characters, a distinctive storyline and a paranormal quality, which is all the unique world of Dark Hearts.

  When I read a RH series, I always feel the need to re-examine the first book that describes each of the males, before going on to the newest volume. It helps refresh my memory, especially since there are several RH series that I read. If you find yourself doing that, too, I’m going to make it a little easier for you with the Dark Hearts saga. I have included a brief description of each of Emma’s males, which will appear near the front of each book in this series, starting with Dark Secrets. This quick reference guide is “Emma’s Heartthrobs” and will be listed in the Table of Contents for easy access.

  The series follows the life of a teenage girl living in a world that has become anything but normal. Each book contains elements of gothic romance, magic, intrigue, fantasy, and a bit of darkness. An ornery, sometimes irritating, flirty golden seraph, an overly intelligent lavender-eyed gargoyle, an intense, sometimes shy wendigo and one human girl equals a gothic love triangle plus one. Now add a seriously sexy shapeshifter with a temperamental attitude, a mysterious, powerful warlock, a fun-loving wendigo (brother to the intense one) and an ancient, sensuous, but cantankerous vampire and you have the recipe for an entertaining paranormal reverse harem romance.

  Our fierce males will stop at nothing to protect Emma and in the process lose their hearts much quicker than normal. Perhaps she isn’t as ordinary or average as she believes. I leave it to you to decide as you enter a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

  The setting for the story begins in St. Paris. It’s a village in southwestern Ohio, where I once lived. I became enchanted with the friendly, quaint community and decided to make it the setting for the first installment of Dark Hearts and parts of Dark Secrets. I’ve added a few dark elements for the benefit of the story, but many of the places mentioned do exist. If you plan a visit to the St. Paris area, don’t expect to see Raven’s mansion on Main Street surrounded by large shrubs or guarded by gargoyles. The place looks a bit different than in the world of Dark Hearts.

  The Piatt Castles also exist and are located in the West Liberty, Ohio, area. They are opened for tours during limited hours if you are interested in visiting either of them I’d advise you to call ahead. The castles are enchanting and most interesting examples of early area architecture. However, don’t expect them to be surrounded by a dense forest of foreboding trees or inhabited by a gorgeous, dark haired vampire.

  The Ohio Caverns is a lovely place for caving. They are opened for tours, but as far as I know there are no hidden trails with secret rooms. I’d advise you to call ahead here, too, if you want to take a tour.

  Thanks again for reading the second installment of the Dark Hearts saga. If you enjoy it, please tell a friend or two and take a few minutes to rate it. As you are probably aware, there are thousands of books available on Amazon and listed on Goodreads. Your opinion is important to readers by letting them know if you think this book is worthy of a read. As a fairly new author, I appreciate your ratings, too. It will help get my work noticed and into the hands of potential readers.

  The third installment of this gothic/paranormal reverse harem romance series will be released in the first part of 2018
and is called Dark Revelations. I’ve included a sample at the end of this book.

  You’ll get to know the “guys” even more as the series progresses. I hope you will enjoy getting better acquainted with them as I have. I’d be interested in knowing which character is your favorite and what you think about the series. I can be reached at plmidnight@outlook.com. I answer all legitimate emails. Now please join me as I enter Emma’s paranormal world of Dark Secrets.

  P.L. Midnight

  Emma’s Heartthrobs

  (Learn more about them throughout the series)

  Raven Tafini – a dark fantasy of olive skin and midnight hair, which he wears in a classic puff on the crown with long front, layered spikes. He’s an Italian male, whose gravelly baritone voice and slight accent coupled with his Italian endearments will curl your toes. Raven is also a gargoyle when he chooses to be one. He’s the leader of Emma’s Shields and his team, which works for the Order.

  Raven is approximately 6’1” in his human form, over 7’ in gargoyle form. His features are chiseled and his body is all rock hard muscle, which he shows off in his usual tight jeans and t-shirt. Raven’s most intriguing feature is his lavender eyes. He’s very handsome and a popular jock at Graham High School.

  His scent is damp stone, with an earthy mountain undertone.

  Raven is a skilled fighter with a blade, a skilled knife thrower and a seasoned warrior. He’s the planner of the group, with remarkable leadership skills. He’s romantic and a little shy around Emma at times, even though he has a reputation with the girls at school.

  Vincent Wolfe – pale-skinned wendigo with a heart of ice and a body temperature to match. He has a muscular 5’ 9” bulky form with rugged good looks from his round face to his high cheekbones. His ice blue eyes can chill you to your soul or cause you to nearly swoon. Vincent’s hair is white, cut in a short spiked style with streaks of blue. His style is retro and he always wears a long sleeved sweater, even in the summer while he sips his hot coffee or cocoa.

  He makes a mean blueberry pancake, but can be very possessive. He’s considerate, but overprotective at times. He’s the rebel of the group, and any trouble in their team normally stems from his bickering with Alexander. Vincent is fiercely protective of those close to his heart, even at great cost to himself. He’s a great listener and Emma’s BFF. Vincent can be an enjoyable companion when he isn’t preoccupied with a science project.

  His scent is the freshness of a cold wintery day.

  Skilled boxer, very strong and knows several forms of martial arts, but is still at home with his dark framed glasses on behind a computer. He’s also a biology genius that can freeze anyone with an ice ray emitted from his eyes when angered, just ask Alexander. Vincent plays the piano and often accompanies Emma’s vocals.

  Alexander Sandoval – A sun seraphim that looks like the cover model for the perfect California golden surfer. He’s 6’4” of bronzed beauty with a face to match. He turns heads wherever he goes and has a tendency to be a bit egotistical at times. He looks like the all-around athlete, too. He’s a perpetual seventeen year old, even though he’s actually about ninehundred or so. His golden blond hair is longer than most guys wear it today and it’s cut in a very edgy style something like the Japanese animation Death Note. He has dark amber eyes the color of a fine cognac that seem to ignite when he gets excited or intense, his full lower lip gives him an almost permanent pout and he has a firm, prominent chin.

  His scent is that of the sun and the ocean.

  The only pristine thing about this warrior angel is his brilliant white teeth. Alexander loves Oreos and can heat your coffee with his finger. His style is almost preppy with tight pants and polo shirts. He can’t cook, but he’s a skilled warrior and swordsman. Alexander is a valuable member of the team and a focused warrior, when he’s not aggravating Vincent. To everyone’s surprise, he’s a math prodigy and a brilliant computer hacker when he’s not being a smart ass. One on one he’s actually a great guy who’s very brave and fearless, which probably comes from battling dragons on the sun. Alexander loves to make Emma blush…just because he can.

  Miles Martin – A 6’4” tall shapeshifter that can shift into an assortment of ebony animals from a fierce panther to a cunning nighthawk. Like the others, he’s overly handsome with dark auburn colored hair that he wears in full long curls to his collar. His hair could be described as midnight fire when it catches the moon’s rays and appears to be black with a burgundy hue. His build is bulky much like Vincent’s only he’s much bigger. His eyes are hazel with gold, green and blue flecks that change with his mood or animal transformation. He has a very nice backside that he regularly shows off when he removes his clothes to shift into animal form. He says it keeps him from ruining all his pants.

  Mostly he’s a gentle giant, but he puts on a moody act at times when he doesn’t want to talk to someone. He can be unapproachable to some, but is like a teenager around his best friend Victor.

  He comes from old money with rumors of royal bloodlines. He is rumored to be the oldest of the group at over one thousand years old, or so Victor says.

  His scent is Woodsy and almost wild.

  Miles is a powerful warrior, reads lips and can sign, speaks nine languages fluently and is an experienced chemist that can figure out the chemical composition for most explosives and create whatever is needed. He is fairly quiet and has excellent manners around the ladies, most of the time.

  Julian Wolfe – Vincent’s younger, more handsome brother, at least according to Julian. He, too, is a wendigo. He’s a creature of Cree lore, which is an evil spirit with a heart of ice, which he’s learned to control just as Vincent has done.

  He has a long face, high cheekbones, the same startling white hair as Vincent’s, but wears it in a layered faux hawk like the typical look of the boy next door. Unlike his brother, he smiles all the time. He’s six-foot-two of impulsive teenage boy, with a lean body with defined muscle tone as if he’s worked out in a gym for many years. His eyes are a brilliant emerald green, which is not normal for a full-blooded wendigo.

  He’s lots of fun to be around, but has a tendency to eat too many sweets. Julian is the singer in the group with a lovely tenor voice. Though immature at times, he’s basically harmless and can be terribly sweet and shy around girls. He’s sensitive, sentimental and wears a sapphire stud in his left ear, which he has put there, because it reminded him of the color of Emma’s eyes. He’s a great dancer and still blushes around Emma.

  The scent of an icy fresh waterfall reminds one of Julian.

  Julian is a botanist that can grow almost anything, anywhere. He can pick most locks and sneak in places, due to his agility, where others would have difficulty.

  Sebastian Colyear – Our doctor and resident warlock is Scottish and his voice could melt butter on cold toast. He’s reputed to be the most powerful living warlock in the world and is a mystical healer. At 6’3” tall, he is all lean muscle. Firm abs, tight behind and a narrow waist are some of his swoon-worthy assets. Of all Emma’s males, he is the most handsome with an otherworldly beauty that is utterly mysterious. Sebastian has midnight hair, which he wears in a side-parted look. His large, rich chocolate eyes with long lashes are his most notable facial feature. His face is in perfect proportion from his forehead to his sexy lips and dimpled chin.

  He is friendly, professional, caring, and has a sweetness about him that makes one comfortable.

  The smell of clean fresh cotton with a slight medicinal air clings to him.

  Sebastian is also a swordsman, astronomer, and is experienced in the translation of ancient scrolls and languages. Very refined, he does not cuss and is exceedingly protective of Emma. Sebastian can teleport himself as well as others under the cloak of his magic.

  Victor Negrescu – He’s an ancient vampire with an attitude. As most vampires in modern romance movies, he’s extremely easy on the eyes with a full lower lip and striking features. With his deep, smooth voice, Transylvanian accent and dark gyp
sy looks he could steal more than a woman’s blood.

  Victor can be a real charmer when he isn’t being surly. Victor’s thick, straight hair is midnight ebony and tied back in a ponytail with one stubborn lock that always comes loose and falls over his shoulder. He’s well over 6’ tall, with olive skin that becomes almost a translucent pale if he doesn’t feed. His long fingers can play a violin or tickle a woman’s fancy. His most outstanding feature is his heavy lidded eyes, which are a magnificent sapphire blue that turn almost obsidian when he’s aroused or angered.

  Night, darkness and exotic spice call to you when Victor is near.

  He is an ancient, although he swears he’s younger than Miles. His wit is dry, he can be very charming when he puts forth the effort and he’s graceful like a dancer. Victor can be overly dramatic at times. However, he is a passionate male with a tendency towards being dominant in any relationship.

  He is skilled at hiding, which is how he’s survived all these years. He, too, is refined and very wealthy. Victor isn’t fond of wendigoes or humans, until he meets Emma.

  Our powerful vampire has many abilities like teleportation, telepathy and was a notorious assassin for the Order for many centuries. He’s retired and now lives in a castle in Ohio.

  Table of Contents

  Message from the Author

  Emma’s Heartthrobs

  Table of Contents

  Prelude

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve