The Bewitched Box Set

by W. J. May

  That wasn’t exactly what Karis was thinking. She shook clear her thoughts and tried to focus on what he said.

  “I want you to come and watch me.”

  “Um, I’d love to.” She wasn’t sure what she got herself into by agreeing to come, but to be with him, she’d say yes to anything.

  Brady pulled her through the throng of people. All of them had money held up and were shouting at the two guys in the middle of the mass. He walked right up to a tall black man in a sharp dark suit.

  “Hey Brady, my man, you in this tonight? I can use a large sum.”

  Brady clasped hands with the guy and held a big grin. “Shoot, I’m in and I’m gonna win.” He stepped back and pulled Karis to his side. “King, this is Karis.”

  “Aww, bout’ time you gotch yourself a girl.” He held out his hand for Karis, she took it and he raised it to his lips. “You take good care of him, Miss Karis. I ain’t playin wich ya either.”

  She stepped back into Brady’s waiting arms. “I will, don’t you worry.”

  “Alright, well, it looks like Creeper is gettin himself all knocked out. Shit, I had money on him too.” King threw down his cigarette and pressed on it with the toe of his boot. “You get in there, Brady, and show ‘em who’s boss.”

  Brady gave Karis a deep yet quick kiss then took off, leaving her to stand next to King. She looked up at him. “Is King your real name?”

  He laughed at her. “Naw, real name’s Nick.”

  “What about Brady, have you seen him fight much?”

  “Brady? Oh hell yes. He’s one of the best out there. I’ve placed my money on him since I started bettin on these guys.”

  His words calmed her anxiety, but only a small bit. Watching him fight simply to fight sounded almost suicidal, and even though she knew he couldn’t die from a mere mortal punch, it still made her heart race thinking that he could get hurt.

  Soon the crowd started yelling and screaming louder. She stood on her tiptoes but couldn’t see as well as she wanted, so she pushed through men and found herself at the edge of the fight circle.

  Brady was there circling a man not much bigger than him, with a sneer on his face. Brady rolled his shoulders and watched his opponent closely. The bigger man swung and the crowd broke out with loud boos.

  Karis flinched, but kept her eyes open and on the fight. It wasn’t long before Brady threw a hard punch and Karis could hear the guy’s nose break. That riled them both up even more, though for different reasons.

  After fifteen minutes, Karis could see the other guy wearing out. His reflexes were slower and the time between his hits was farther apart. She clasped her hands together and did a little jump. Brady was going to win. “Go, baby!” She didn’t feel like her reserved self when screaming for him, but it felt good. Something inside of her lit up and she felt free. Shamike didn’t matter, becoming Queen didn’t matter, nothing mattered but that exact moment.

  Brady pulled back and threw one more hit, knocking the guy to the ground. He didn’t move to get back up. Karis could see his chest moving so she knew he was alive, but definitely knocked out.

  She smiled broadly for Brady. He ran and lifted her in his arms. He had a small streak of blood on his eyebrow and nose, but other than that, he looked as sexy as ever. The throng of people cheered and King came over to them. “Hey man, you still got it.” He handed Brady a stack of paper bills and smiled.

  Brady shook his head. “No, you keep it. I’ve got everything I need right here.”

  Endless Shores Preview

  Chapter One

  Peeking through the hotel curtains, the glow of the rising sun just began to break through the inky sky.

  But the sunrise didn’t have the same feeling. No, this morning Karis felt the weight of the worlds lying heavily on her shoulders as she watched the sun make its debut to the new day. The early light only reminded her it was one more day where her people, and so many others, were forced to live under the reign of Marin. The air conditioner kicked on, creating goosebumps on her bare arms.

  It was just days ago that she fought against Coron and ended his tyranny. Embedded in her mind was the image of his last moments. She’d never killed before, and while it was justified, knowing his life ended at her hands ripped at her heart. With that kind of guilt, it wasn’t hard for her mind to play with her—trick her even. Was she the right person to lead her people to war?

  Snoring from the bed brought her thoughts back to the present. Glancing over her shoulder, Brady slept, entangled in the crisp white sheets on the bed they shared all night. She smiled as she let her gaze linger on his bare chest, watching the steady rise and fall. Not a bad sight to wake up to. She laughed internally. He wasn’t a bad thing to fall asleep next to, either.

  The vivid memory of seeing him in his natural element last night flashed before her. Being a fighter for the underground circuit fit him well.

  She smiled as she recalled how he not only won, but also came out with barely any battle wounds. The fight had wore him out, but not so much that he didn’t show her the love he felt before crashing into a hard sleep. She blushed at the memory. Last night wasn’t their first time, but it was the first time after seeing a glimpse into his life. Well, the life he lived before he found out he was immortal.

  The fight was invigorating, but it also racked her nerves. She loved seeing him in that element and knew that he was well trained, but the feminine side of her hated seeing the brutality of it all.

  She tiptoed closer to the bed. She wanted to touch him, to feel his skin under her fingertips. Mostly, she wanted to heal him. He only had a few scrapes and bruises, but those marred her vision of his perfection.

  Instead, she stopped and let her eyes trail the sparkling green Syrenae tattoo that ran down his torso and all the way up his neck. Involuntarily, she reached up to touch her own pink swirls hidden under the large t-shirt she borrowed from Brady to sleep in. Still ravaging his bare chest with her eyes, she roamed down to his right arm where the tribal tattoo covered most of his skin there. He wasn’t aware when he got it, that it was his destined mark as an Aridam warrior. The matching one under her skin from their bond warmed and she smiled.

  She never thought she’d be connected with someone the way she did with Brady. Being alone on an island for so long doused any hope she had at having a normal life—let alone love. With only one soul mate to share a life with, she was glad it was him. He completed her. He saved her from loneliness and gave her a real reason to live again.

  He stirred and shifted his body so he lay on his side. Fluttering his eyes, he opened them. “Well, good morning beautiful. I must still be dreaming because nothing should look that good this early.”

  “Oh really?” Karis asked as she sauntered the rest of the way to the bed, swinging her hips noticeably. Teasing Brady was in all honesty teasing herself, but it was worth it.

  Half of his mouth curved and lifted into a smile. A smile she knew was only for her. “Why don’t you come over here and make sure I’m awake.”

  A loud knock on the door stopped Karis from proceeding farther.

  “What the...” Brady trailed off as he threw the blankets to one side of the bed, but he was too slow. Karis was at the door, cracking it enough for Azul to push it open.

  “I can’t do this. That woman is insufferable!” Azul roared as he marched past Karis into the room. His long brown hair swung down his back in a braid with each step he took.

  Brady flung the blankets back over his nearly naked body. “Seriously? This is not the wake-up call I asked for.”

  Karis threw her arms in the air. “Excuse me. Don’t you have your own room?”

  Before the door could shut, Atty pushed past Karis, sweeping herself into the room. “Listen, Sunshine, if I could make Captain of the Pirates here understand how this world works, I wouldn’t have to intrude.” She winked at Brady. “Hey, Precious, it’s about time you got up anyway. The sun is beating you to the day.” Her brown hair was up in a messy
bun. She no longer donned her work uniform, but instead traded the kakis for tight jeans and a loose, flowing shirt. And boots. But not the girly kind, no, she had on black combat boots. Karis nearly chuckled at the sight.

  Brady grumbled. “That’s the point. No one in their right mind wants to beat the sun up. Except for you and... what did you call Azul? Captain of the Pirates?”

  Karis didn’t try to stifle the small laugh this time. Azul did remind her of the old time pirates with his long hair and attitude that the world was his, he just had to take it. But, Brady referenced him to another pirate before, so she was certain there was more to his looks than she knew. Now, it appeared that Atty must have the same idea.

  The thought that those two shared a common knowledge, something she couldn’t understand because she was banished on an island for nearly a hundred years, pulled at her. She didn’t want to be jealous, and she knew Brady was hers, but that bugged her.

  Azul pointed at Brady. “You watch it.”

  Brady raised his hands. “Hey, I was just repeating what I heard. You came into my room, remember?”

  “Can someone please tell me what is going on?” Karis interrupted.

  “She’s impossible!” Azul said as he gestured toward Atty. “There’s no way we’re bringing her.”

  Atty planted a hand on her hip, thrusting it out and twirling around to meet his glare. “So funny because without me you wouldn’t have a clue were to go next. So who really needs who here?”

  Karis stepped between them. “Okay. Let’s just calm down. What exactly is going on?”

  “She’s not even sure she knows where she’s going. She only has a guess.” Azul threw his arms in the air.

  “Well, we only had an idea when we came here for her, and we got it right the first time. Maybe it can happen again,” Karis said with a shrug.

  “Sure, just like a woman to take her side. Brady, you can understand my frustration, can’t you?” Azul looked at Brady who held the duvet up over his torso.

  Brady’s eyes widened. “Don’t bring me into this. I’m staying out of it.”

  “So what? You can fight some guy in a hidden underground circuit but you’re afraid of a couple of girls?” Azul smirked. “I always pegged you for a coward.”

  “Watch it, or you’ll be the next guy I beat up.” Brady glowered at Azul. “I’m not afraid of the ladies, but rather I know when not to interfere. I call it common sense. I know it’s a super power you might not have been born with, but trust me, arguing with a woman who has her mind made up is a lost cause.”

  Both Karis and Atty cast doubtful gazes at Brady. “Exactly whose butt are you trying to kiss?” Atty asked.

  Brady hung his head and groaned, then looked at Azul. “See what you started?”

  Karis waved her hands. “Wait. Just everyone wait for a moment. I think we’re all a little too wound up to be having any conversation. Why don’t we get freshened up, possibly wake up a bit more, and then meet down in the lobby to have some breakfast. We can talk some after we’ve all eaten. Azul, you go tell Magnus what the plan is.”

  “At least you have a plan,” he mumbled under his breath as he compliantly ambled to the door. He stopped with his hand on the door handle, and then twisted to look at everyone one more time. He shook his head and grumbled something else as he left the room.

  Atty stood with her arms folded smugly across her chest. “I can’t believe that man. The nerve he has to think he’s in charge of this adventure.”

  “Actually, I’m in charge, so neither of you have anything to fight over,” Karis said as she walked back to the door and opened it. “We’ll see you at breakfast.” She smiled sweetly, so Atty knew she wasn’t upset with her, but inside her nerves shook. This wasn’t going to be as easy as she hoped back in Aridam.

  The door shut and Karis let out an audible sigh. “It’s like we’re babysitting a couple of kids.”

  Brady threw the covers off and joined her by the door. He rubbed her arms as he gazed into her eyes. “They’ll get along sometime. Just give them time. I’ve watched a hundred movies and if they taught me anything, it’s that two people will get along if thrown into the same situation long enough together. Or was it that they would kill each other? Hum. Now I can’t remember.”

  Karis playfully slugged his stomach. “Not funny, Brady. What if they’re like this the entire trip?”

  “Then we just endure it. We can’t have everything we want. If that was the case you’d be in bed with me.” He smiled at her.

  “Well, unfortunately we have a breakfast to get to. So I guess we’ll have to grant wishes later.” She rose on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. His whiskers from not shaving in days tickled her sensitive lips.

  He wrapped an arm around her middle and pulled her close. “I’m going to hold you to that.” He dipped down and captured her mouth. “That was for the good morning kiss that was stolen by your ex.”

  She grinned. Her mind told her she should be getting ready, but her body refused to listen. “I might need you to do that again, just so I can understand what I missed.”

  Don’t stop now....

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  About the Author

  M.R. Polish was born in Idaho, a long, long, long, well, maybe not that long time ago.... Writing has always been there for her. Growing up, her mind was filled with stories, some she shared and others she filed away to write down later in life. It wasn't until 2011 that she decided to publish her stories for everyone to enjoy. Her first award, and when writing became more than just an idea, was in the 5th grade. She won the scary story contest for the school newspaper. It is one story she still has tucked away for memories. Her teacher told her she could be anything she wanted and that she had a talent for writing, being creative and drawing people into her stories. M.R. took that to heart and continued to write, although mostly in secret until recent years.

  Now you can find her enjoying life with her family - wrangling her four kids, setting traps in the house with toys for unsuspecting victims (aka, her husband) and writing down all her crazy and fun stories.

  "Life is too short to stand by and watch everyone else live your dreams. The bigger the dream, the bigger the adventure!" ~ M.R. Polish

  You can contact M.R. Polish here:

  www.mrpolishauthor.com

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  Story 13 – Eternal Vows by Chrissy Peebles

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  Eternal Vows

  (Book 1 in The Ruby Ring Saga)

  By

  Chrissy Peebles

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  Copyright © 2012 by Chrissy Peebles

  Cover design by: Willsin Rowe

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  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  ***

  Chrissy’s blog: http://chrissypeebles.blogspot.com/

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  Stop on by and say hello! Facebook fan page:

  https://www.facebook.com/USA-TODAY-Bestselling-author-ChrissyPeebles-351121651567296/

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  (Original version) Book Trailer for Eternal
Vows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_w-eZwPJbA

  New updated Eternal Vows book trailer as of 10/10/14 – https://youtu.be/DOEYISF-06s

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  Chapter 1

  A soft growl echoed in the darkness. Sarah snatched the thermal imaging camera from the row of equipment by the fire. Turning in a slow circle, she scanned the dark trees beyond. Nothing moved. Just as she was taking a few tentative steps through the ferns and thick brush, a branch snapped, making her jump. Another growl pierced the silence. She clutched her chest, as if that might calm her racing heart. Five years as a Bigfoot researcher, and she was still not used to the occasional howl. Then again, no animal she had ever encountered before had made such an ominous and menacing sound.

  She stopped for a moment and listened, her heart thumping hard in her eardrums. “Show yourself!” Her voice echoed from the trees with a courage she couldn’t feel. A shiver slid down her spine as she pulled her radio off her belt. “Base camp to Adam. Computer screen’s flashing like crazy. Something broke the perimeter line.”

  The radio crackled and a voice answered. “Adam to base camp. What zone?”

  “Zone 3. All cameras up and running, but I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. I’m getting sounds over here—some movement too. I’m gonna check it out. Over.”

  “Wait...all by yourself?” Adam’s snort carried through the static. “No way. Just because you’re running this operation, that doesn’t give you permission to break protocol. Stay by the fire. We’re coming.”

  “Sure, bring in the cavalry.” Sarah rolled her eyes as she picked up her infrared camera. “Listen, in the meantime, I’ll just walk around the perimeter, that’s all. Maybe I’ll see something.”

  “Roger that. Just be careful.” The radio transmission ended.