by Tigris Eden
“I still haven’t figured out what it is you’re saying.”
Really?
He hadn’t been clear enough? How many times did he have to tell her that he loved her, couldn’t live without her? He was putting all his fucking cards on the table. He was trying to tell her, he was her man, or that he wanted to be her man. Everything was clear, he just needed to make it right. Correct the mistake and move forward with the one woman he could never live without.
Now why did all that just sound like that’s what should have come out of his mouth in the first place? That was what he wanted to say. So repeat it.
“Woman, you’re mine,” he growled. “I made a mistake, and I need you, so um, don’t reject me. I’m man enough to admit I was wrong. I couldn’t love you because I didn’t really love myself. This time, I’m going to do things right. I want it all with you. The fighting, the sex, the kisses, the laughter, hell, you want kids, I want those too. I know the world could come crumbling down at any minute, but I’m willing to risk everything and take this where it’s supposed to go, and that’s to the end of time and back again.”
There.
He’d said what he needed to say.
Jo stood there, her eyes still not giving anything away.
Fuck. What was he supposed to do now? This wasn’t at all the reaction he was hoping for. So he tried something else.
He removed his glasses and pinned her with his gaze.
She gasped.
“D, your eyes….they’re…”
His true color. Yeah. He knew that would get a reaction.
“Um, yeah, well, it’s because of you. And Yewa. I was dead until I met you. On the inside and out. You brought me back to life. Woke me up from that dark cage of madness that I was drowning in. Can’t you see, I’m bound to you, woman. You and you alone. My heart beats only for you, Jo.” Dietrich reached out and rubbed his knuckles down her cheek. She shivered. It was the first time since their conversation had started that she’d showed any type of physical emotion.
Jo reached up and touched his brow then she smiled. “I knew your eyes were beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as yours, sweetheart,” Dietrich winked. The eyes were the window to the soul in her case, and in them he could see it all. The promise of never being alone again. The promise of something he could trust to have his best interest at all times, and he’d do the same for her.
His heart pounded. Could a woman be any sexier than his Jo? Her eyes were penetrating, and in them he saw his future. He saw their truth. She would never, ever betray him, and would always have his back, no matter what.
“Cesar.” She turned to the man standing next to her. Chump. “This is my…”
“I’m her man, soon to be mate.”
Cesar looked at Dietrich like he’d lost his mine. Oops, right. Human.
“Um, soon to be fiancé.”
The smile on the other man’s lips was way too fucking big for Dietrich’s piece of mind.
“I’m Cesar, proud new owner of Jo’s Cafe, soon to be called Miguel’s.”
Miguel’s?
“But I thought you loved this place?”
“I do, but I have other things that are more important. You know, like running a successful nightclub. Trying to convince Stegis and Bren that they want to live topside.”
“Wait, what? Those two knuckleheads are here?”
“Well, yeah, think of them like my personal bodyguards. Get used to it. They’re staying.”
“Fine, what else do you need to take care of?” Dietrich grumbled. Even if he had to deal with douche one and douche two, there were worse things that could happen.
“Maybe, just maybe, tell the man I love that it took him fucking forever to come around to the side of the insanely smart and happy.”
He rolled his eyes. What else was she going to do to bust his balls? The woman was nuts, but she was his.
To no one in particular, he said out loud, “That’s my woman, you can’t have her.”
Jo threw back her head and laughed. Gods, he loved her laugh. It made his chest warm and tingly.
“So, you love me?” She asked. There was a hint of uncertainty, and he needed to make sure he put her mind to rest.
“Yeah, Peaches, I love you.”
Dietrich stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her lush body into his and tipping her head back so he could devour her mouth. The kiss was long, deep, wet, and in front of Cesar and anyone else who happened to walk by. He didn’t give a fuck.
Thank you for reading Awakened In Shadows. If you enjoyed Dietrich and Jorunn’s story please leave a review. It helps spread the word, and gives the series more visibility. As always the best reviews are honest reviews!
Note from the Author:
Dietrich’s book was a hard to write. There was a lot going on during the time of his story, but most important was D and his, how should I put this without pissing him off. His unwillingness to share all that was him. He gave me just enough to get his story out. There is a lot more of D and Jo coming up in the later stories, as there is with all the characters in the Unit. They’re family and like every family, they have issues. Jes and Draven just got their baby back, and Xee and Gabe have new family on the horizon, all with the impending dread of the RHO and Enri’s brand of crazy. Things are just getting started with this series. I hope you’ll continue the journey with the Unit and all that is going down in their world. You haven’t seen the last of Gabe’s brothers, or the Seraph Angels. Thank you again for rolling with the punches, the hiccups and the bumps. Its most appreciated! Till next book! Love to you all!
Tigris Eden
XOXO
Glossary of Terms
Aecor: Beneath the Ocean. See Fion.
Aja: The den mother of The Lotus.
All Seeing Eye: A Goddess with serpent like features that guards the Sixth Hour
Amrita: Immortal Goddess of Nectar
Aquios: The Ocean Aquarium, you can see all the oceans that encapsulate Fion.
Arouni: Is the city were the Royals in Fion live.
Asa: A city also known as The Sixth Hour from the Book of Gates in another realm.
Birthing Maids/Maiden: Women who assists in birthing babies.
Blood Phase: When a human transitions over to a Vampiri. This happens when they reach maturity.
Book Of Gates: Is not an actual book, but 12 Gates that house different realms guarded by different creatures. In immortal mythology it claims to house the 12 hours of the night.
Broker Demon: A demon who can broker deals.
Cleansing: It’s a process when the Defiant Ones kick-start the destruction of Earth to build a new one. They’ve done this twice so far.
Cumul: The place were Air Dragons live. Normally considered clouds.
Cup of Life: An ancient relic that is used in a blood ritual.
Croucher Demon: An entrance demon.
Daedalus’ Labyrinth on Crete: An elaborate structure that houses Minotarus the Minotaur that is half man, half bull that no prisoner can escape from. Those sent to Daedalus never return…
Daemonia Realm: A forbidden realm to all higher Angels. A place where demons go to get away from persecution.
Danea Trinity: The Blood, The Cup, and The Drinker.
Defiant Ones: A entity that is older than the Earth itself.
Deva: An endearment. It means love or loved one.
Elder Angels: Earth bound Angels that act as liaisons between the realms. Their powers are believed to be limitless. But as a checks and balance they are only allowed to mate with humans, which has diluted their bloodlines over the centuries. There are light and dark Elder Angels.
Elder Wine: An immortal drink mixed with Angel’s Blood
Eldoni: Water Sprites
Elemental Demon: A demon that can control the elements.
Elite Council: A Council of Higher Angels, above the Archangels that control the Seraphim Warriors.
Enforcer: Consorts
of the Majesti or protector of the Majesti. Can also be interchangeable.
Ferals/Blue Bloods: A breed of immortals enslaved by the Gods for their ambrosial blood. They were sometimes called Blue Bloods, as their blood is blue. Their blood contains healing qualities and induces the drinker into a euphoric state. They were believed to be extinct.
Fire Worms: Little worm like bugs with razor sharp teeth that secrete neurotoxin that causes complete paralysis.
Fion: Another world inside of Earth, beneath the oceans. Also called Aecor.
Fionan: A person from Fion
Fire Water: A drink that only Demons can drink.
Forbidden Ruins: A city that rests on the outer edges of hell. Its inhabitants are mostly slaves, and are forced into labor or sold to demons.
Hall of Souls: A place where souls that can never be reborn go. Typically only the good souls go here. Whether it be by request or punishment.
He Whose Name Is Hidden: First Gate of the First Hour and is guarded by two Serpents.
Host: Usually a human who is able to host lost souls within. They tend to see immortals in their true form, as all immortals are compatible with hosts. The abilities of the housed can be transferred to the host, lending them their talents or attributes.
House Kanis: Jorunn’s family name. Current rulers of Arouni.
House Dead Crest: One of the three Royal Vampiri houses. Rumored to be from death demons
House Elore: Light Fae Royal House. Banished from Fion.
House Lial: Light Fae Royal House Banished from Fion.
House Red Haven: One of the three Royal Vampiri Houses. Rumored to be from war demons
House Tanna: Light Fay Royal House. Banished from Fion.
House Vayne: One of three Royal Vampiri Houses. Rumored to be from true blood demons
Immortal Council: A council of Immortals who make of different breeds.
Immortal Database: (ID) The Immortal Web. A database that houses all things Immortal, at least it’s supposed to.
Leviratus: Son marries his brother’s widow. He can take her as a the first mate or the second mate if the son is already married. She is also to produce offspring with the second son as quickly as possible so that the child may be claimed as the dead brother’s offspring. A tradition of old.
Lotus-eaters: Female demons that entice their patrons in a seductive dance, weaving a web of forgetfulness. They enable the watcher to forget for a time.
Lycans: A shifter breed of werewolves. They are of lesser class than those directly descended from Lycaons.
Lycaons: A race of werewolves that are direct descendants of the Arcadia King son of Pelasgus and Melioboea. He tested Zeus by serving him a dish of his slaughtered son to see whether the God was truly omniscient. In return he was turned in to a wolf.
Majesti: Ruler of Fion.
Marsu: Mother in Fionan.
Matria: The Matriarch of the Phoenix Enclave
Moirai: The Fates.
Nephil: Half Angel Half Demon.
Nephilim: Half Angel Half Human.
Nesting: A phase of deep sleep that a female phoenix goes into before her death.
Para-Housed: Para-Housed is the being, or soul that is housed inside a host. Usually an immortal but can be a human ghost. The Para-Housed is commonly confused with a Walker, but the two are not the same. A Walker has a body, while the Para-Housed does not, making it thrive only when housed with a Host.
Phoenix: Mythical Immortals said to be descendants of Alexander the Great. There are five Houses now bonded as one. The females go through their nesting phase, then their death, and finally their rebirth.
Primori Walker: An Alpha Walker. Healer and able to walk/step into other’s bodies and take on their pain, or even pleasure. They can dream walk as well as incite nightmares if they choose. They are usually awoken when they have been wronged in a way that is detestable
Queen of the Keep: Jorunn’s mother’s title.
Realm of Light: The sixth hour in the Books of Gates, guarded by the All Seeing Eye
Red Sun Organization: A radical organization of immortals who believe they should not bow to human society.
Regs/Regular: Vampires that are considered regular. They do not have fangs, and can only drink blood that is compatible to their own.
Runner/Runon: Horse like, but also Stag like creature that comes in various colors.
Sanctuary: A place for souls that are on the waiting list to be taken to hell. They can petition for their souls and ask for redemption, but at the discretion of the warden.
Sahidic: Ancient Text Angel of Unveiling asked them to retrieve.
Seether: A demoness that guards the crypt beneath St. Michel.
Semain: Amrita’s brother.
Shadow Unit: A group of Immortals put together in a task force to police their kind. They are a covert group and only the highest ranking officials of the world, know about their existence.
Siren: A serpent like creature usually female, looks beautiful but really a scaly serpent like creature. Able to lure with their voice or repel.
Sixth Hour: The Gate is named Throne of our Lord, or The Realm of Light and houses the realm of Asa. Its protected by the All Seeing Eye a serpent like Goddess and her 12 mummiform Gods.
Sharma: A priestess from House Phoenix
Slave Law: A law for Regs to live in servitude to a royal house before they can become part of the family through a Blood Vow.
Solum: The part of Earth that is on land.
Somail: Fionan response to greeting.
Sonali: Greeting or blessing in Fionan
Spawnfire Dragon: An ancient dragon that the Archangel Michael fought.
Sunilit: An animal of Fion that is a cross between a horse and a dragon, only no feet and large fins.
Suvack: The Cup
Tala: Delicacy eaten in Fion, a cross between a chicken, steak, and duck.
Tasting: A bacchanalia of sorts for Ferals to come together to find their mates.
The Agency: A secret organization that keeps tabs on The Shadow Unit.
T.I.M: The Immortal Movement.
VAB: Vampire Blood AB it’s a drug sold to humans and other immortals looking for a high. It’s illegal to sell and punishable by death in some Houses.
Vampiri: Royal members of one of the three Vampire houses infected with a demon strain of blood. They have fangs, and can drink from any blood source without an adverse reaction.
Walker: A race of warriors that can walk among the living or the dead. They have the ability to temporarily walk into another body or life-form in order to heal, take pain away, or to hide. A Walker must return to its body within 24 hours or risk dying. Only the Primori Walker can be without his body for days at a time.
Shadow Unit Series
Dark Paranormal
Enslaved In Shadows
Burned In Shadows
Bonded In Shadows Novella
Redeemed In Shadows
Awakened In Shadows
The Black Prince coming 2016
New Earth Series
Sci-Fi, Paranormal
The Genesis Project
Origins 2016
Arctic Wolves Series
Paranormal
Arctic Bound
The Reaping October 2015
Dire Cravings 2016
Stories from Beauville Series
Southern Contemporary
A Slow Burn
Give and Take
Until Her 2016
V Vices Series
Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic
Diamond: Beyond the Red Door
About the Author
Tigris Eden, described by Ty Langston, is beloved mother, friend, cook, accountant, author, wife and weaver of stories long and short. Family, writing, music, and movies are her life. She aspires to be the best at what she does, inside and outside her circle of crazy. You can find her stalking her author friends on Facebook and twitter. You can also find her on her website at www.authortigriseden.com
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