Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set
Page 71
He took another step, afraid to believe what he heard. It might be guilt, grief, any number of the vast array of human emotions which he now understood. He’d been wrong to wedge his way into her life before. She deserved a human mate who would give her the human life she’d always dreamed of, not him. Never him.
“I’m not looking for the fairy tale anymore, Sam. I’m only looking for you. I don’t care what you are, what you were ... I only care what you’re going to be. That’s mine. Until death do us part.”
Had he heard that right? Did she truly mean it?
The monitor beside his bed bleeped. Maggie sniffed and looked up, dark brows pulled. Anxiously, her gaze shifted from the monitor to the prone man.
“It’s time, Sam. Please. Come back to me.”
The machine made another strident sound and a nurse rushed in with two doctors right behind them.
The Reaper moved to the bed. Maggie’s gaze jerked to the corner and tracked back until it rested on him once again. He didn’t know how she knew.
“I feel you,” she breathed.
“Mrs. Sloan ... Maggie,” the doctor said. “It’s time.”
Maggie shook her head. “No,” she said. “Save him.”
“But—”
“Please.”
“But—”
“Save him.”
The doctor gave her a hard look, but finally nodded and Maggie moved to the end of the bed where she could see without being in the way.
Hurry, Sam. Hurry.
Her lips moved and the Reaper felt the words even though she never spoke.
She caught her breath when he touched her and her pulse beat an erratic tempo at the base of her throat. Her eyes rounded, the beautiful blues and greens mixing and changing as she turned her face up to him.
One of the nurses pulled the blanket off, unveiling Sam’s muscular body. The gown came down to bunch at his waist as another nurse pushed a cart in the room. Maggie turned to watch them, hope in her eyes.
The Reaper moved over Samuel Sloan, seeping beneath his skin to the soul that had endured so much. It was still there ... weak, but no longer tainted with corruption. He’d vanquished the demon when he’d taken Janet to the other side.
Somewhere in the room a doctor said, “Clear,” and pressed paddles to Sam’s chest. The Reaper braced himself for the searing pain that sliced through to the core of him, impaling them both. He welcomed the agony.
The doctor said, “Clear,” once more. A second volt went through Sam’s body, through the Reaper, down to a place where the Reaper waited. He didn’t fight it this time and in an instant, it was done.
Joy filled him. He felt Maggie touch his leg as she circled the bed and came up to his side.
“I don’t know what you hoped for, Maggie,” the doctor said gently. “But ...”
“Could you unplug the machine’s now?” she asked.
“What?”
“He doesn’t need them anymore.”
“Before we do that, we need to know ... Sam was a healthy man. His organs could go to—”
“Please unplug the machines. My husband is going to need his organs.”
The Reaper fought his way to the surface, letting the human body mold to him once more. It felt like coming home, a home he vowed to never leave again.
The bright lights burned his eyes when they opened. The sharp gasp from the doctors rang in his ears.
And the first word from his lips was, “Maggie.”
The End
Thank you!
Thank you for reading The Resurrection of Sam Sloan and I hope you enjoyed it.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times Bestselling author, Erin Quinn, writes dark paranormal romance for the thinking reader. Her books have been called “riveting,” “brilliantly plotted” and “beautifully written” and have won, placed or showed in numerous awards. Look for the third book in the Beyond Series, The Seven Sins of Ruby Love in late 2015. Book One and Two, The Five Deaths of Roxanne Love and Three Fates of Ryan Love are available now. Go to http://www.erinquinnbooks.com for more information.
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BOOKS BY ERIN QUINN
The Beyond Series
Book 1: The Five Deaths of Roxanne Love
Book 2: The Three Fates of Ryan Love
Book 3: The Seven Sins of Ruby Love
Novella 1.5: The Forbidden Life of Alex Moore
Novella 2.5: The Resurrection of Sam Sloan
The Mists of Ireland Series
Book 1: Haunting Beauty
Book 2: Haunting Warrior
Book 3: Haunting Desire
Book 4: Haunting Embrace
Rebel's Desire
by Laurie London
Tormented by a savage past and shattered by a bitter betrayal, Iron Guild warrior Toryn Flynn trusts no one and cares about nothing except the battle against their enemies. His target: a mobster who finances deadly missions into Cascadia.
Kicked out of the house by her puritanical father, Keely Weber and her sister run a bookstore and fortune-telling business in an underground district in New Seattle—until a powerful man who controls the area kidnaps Keely’s sister to sell her into the Talent sex-trade.
When a beautiful woman literally falls into his arms, Toryn realizes she holds the key to his success. Keely will do anything to rescue her sister…including taking risks with a dangerously sexy man who pushes all her buttons.
From the gritty streets of the city’s underbelly to a sexual-fantasy-themed island, passions ignite. But with evil surrounding them and time running out, Toryn must decide whether to sacrifice the woman he’s falling for or dare to trust his heart again.
Table of Contents for REBEL'S DESIRE
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
About the Author
Other Books by Laurie London
CHAPTER 1
If Keely Weber hadn’t been in such a hurry to get back to the shop, she would’ve noticed the crowd gathered on the corner of First and Yesler and gone a different way.
In fact, she didn’t figure out it was an organized group and not just a bunch of people rushing home from work on a Friday afternoon until she was smack-dab in the middle and being jostled from side to side.
She hated being buffeted around like this but refrained from doing anything other than hunching her shoulders and tucking her hands deeper into the front pocket of her hoodie. She couldn’t be late with the money. Her sister would be waiting for her, and Becca wasn’t exactly patient.
“’Scuse me,” she mumbled, pulling out her earbuds.
That’s when she heard the chanting.
“Abominations.”
Clap clap clap.
“Satan’s spawn.”
Clap
clap clap.
“Stop the lies.”
Her stomach twisted into knots, and a familiar revulsion rushed through her.
Protesters. She should’ve known. After all, this was the edge of the Circus District, a seedy part of New Seattle that was home to individuals with special ability Talents—either real or faked.
Davin Reaux, a powerful but shady businessman with high-up ties in the government, made sure the army turned a blind eye to this area of the city near the shipyards. He wasn’t always successful—there were still the occasional raids where the army came in and rounded up Talents they thought they could use in the war against Cascadia, a world hidden beyond secret portals whose barbarian people came over here to wreak havoc. They were responsible for random bombings and the deaths of innocent people.
But, for the most part, the army left the Circus District alone. Fueled, Keely was sure, by the hush money that small businesses like hers and Becca’s paid to Mr. Reaux each and every month.
Money that would be late if she didn’t make it back to the shop soon.
Keely spun around, looking for a way out of the crowd, but dozens of bodies pressed in around her. If anyone recognized her…
At least it had been drizzling lightly when she left the bank, so her hoodie was up, her long auburn hair covered.
“Aberration.”
“Mistake.”
“You’re not welcome here.”
The hateful words gnawed at her.
At one time, she’d been just like these people. Clutching her father’s hand, she’d held signs and shouted words. Words she didn’t fully understand.
Before his show became one of the most-watched channels on the Internet.
Before her Talent and Becca’s had manifested and they were kicked out of the house.
A man who preached that Talents were possessed by demons couldn’t exactly have two of them living under his roof, now could he? It wasn’t good for business.
She hated that people hated her for something she couldn’t change. Something she didn’t ask for. It was one thing if someone judged her because of her tattoos and piercings. Those were choices she’d consciously made. Most of them, that is. But being born a Talent? Yeah, right. As if she’d ever in a million years choose to be a freak.
Careful not to disturb the bandage covering her new tattoo, she shoved her hands up the opposite sleeves of her sweatshirt and dug her fingernails into her skin. She imagined the ten half-moon indentations she was making and welcomed the pain. It gave her clarity. Helped her focus.
Spotting a gap in the crowd, she turned to the side and shouldered her way through the people.
There. She was on the open sidewalk again. She breathed a sigh of relief.
If she hurried, she could make it back to the shop with a few minutes to spare. To say she was glad she hadn’t stopped at the street vendor selling coconut cream pie bites was an understatement. Those little desserts were a major weakness of hers, and the line had been short. But if she had stopped, she’d be running even later than she already was. Plus, Becca would’ve smelled the toasted coconut on her breath and flipped out that Keely hadn’t come straight back to the shop with all this money in her pocket. Caving to temptation seriously wasn’t worth her sister’s wrath.
A hand clamped around her upper arm, the one with the new tattoo, and jerked her around.
She hissed in pain. “Hey, let g—”
Someone yanked down her hoodie, and a few people gasped. Glancing around the group, she cursed under her breath at her colossal bad luck.
A sandy-haired guy in a T-shirt that said “Don’t Be Fooled” stood in front of her, staring her up and down with no attempt to disguise the disgust on his face. “Keely Weber. I thought that was you.”
“Hey, Cole.” It was hard to believe that at one time back in high school, she’d actually had a crush on him, thought he was hot. Funny how when someone’s a jerk, they’re suddenly as ugly on the outside as they are on the inside. “You’re looking…as righteous as ever.”
Satisfaction flared momentarily in his eyes and the word thanks began to form on his lips before he realized she hadn’t meant it as a compliment.
Psych!
“What happened to you?” a young woman asked. She was rocking a baby in her arms, but the movement looked more like a nervous tic than infant-soothing. “You used to be so…so normal.”
Keely shrugged. “What can I say, Robin? Getting kicked out of the house and shunned by family and friends tends to change a person.”
Cole muttered something under his breath to the guy next to him who laughed. Unlike the seven or eight people in the crowd she recognized, he didn’t look familiar.
“What was that, Cole?” she asked sweetly. “Speak up.”
The group seemed to be closing in around her. Keely really should stop goading them, but she couldn’t help herself. It was like poking a hornets’ nest with a stick.
Cole looked her straight in the eye. “I said, and not for the better.”
She balled her hands into tight fists, wanting nothing more than to punch him right in the mouth. Then she’d donkey-kick the pimply guy behind her, roundhouse-kick the guy to her left who laughed like a horse, and elbow the skinny chick to her right who kept nodding. And if Robin put her baby down, she’d donkey-kick her, too.
A girl could dream, couldn’t she?
She couldn’t believe she used to be friends with some of these people.
Somebody shoved her from behind, sending her stumbling in Cole’s direction, but he stepped aside with the grace of a prizefighter. She fell to her knees, catching herself at the last minute with her hands, but as she did so, the bank envelope flipped out of her sweatshirt pocket and skidded along the ground.
She dove for it, but she wasn’t fast enough.
Cole scooped it up, peered inside and whistled. He elbowed the guy next to him. “Yo, check it out.”
“Whoa,” his friend said. “I thought everyone paid in credits now. Who even takes real money anymore?”
She rose to her feet. This couldn’t be happening. Please let this be a bad dream. “Give that to me. It doesn’t belong to you.”
“What is this?” Cole taunted, holding it just out of reach. “Blood money?”
If she weren’t so freaked out, she would’ve laughed. This suburban boy living in a gated community with private security and a monthly allowance from daddy had no clue what that even meant. He’d probably heard it in a movie and thought it sounded edgy.
“Cole, please. I need that.”
“What’s it for?”
None of your damn business.
She ground her teeth together, trying to hold her patience in check. “It’s to pay a bill. A very important one.”
As if on cue, the old clock in Pioneer Square began to chime. It was the top of the hour. Time had officially run out.
Panic surged through her like a drug. She stood on her tiptoes to see if she could spot the shiny black limousine heading toward the shop, but there were too many people crowding around her.
What would Mr. Reaux do if the payment was late? She’d heard stories about broken arms and hostage-taking. Everyone in the District had.
“A bill, huh?” Cole grinned. He wasn’t about to hand it over.
She lunged at the envelope and actually touched it, but Cole jerked it out of the way and the bills went flying.
“Noooo!”
The crowd surged forward, arms and hands scrabbling in the air.
Although she managed to snatch a few bills from people, it wasn’t nearly all of it, and the crowd quickly dispersed, leaving her on her hands and knees in the middle of the sidewalk.
Cole tossed a smile over his shoulder as he strolled away. “Thanks for your generous donation to the cause. Loser.”
“Screw you!” Keely shouted.
She pushed herself up, her hands and knees shaking. How had she lost all that money? What was she going to do now? Becca was going to kill h
er. Seriously kill her. That was more than a week’s income for the shop.
She’d never met Mr. Reaux before. He always waited out in the car when one of his men came inside to collect. But she was late. Would his car still be idling at the curb out front or would he come back later? She thought again about what would happen if he didn’t get his money and hoped to God those rumors weren’t true. Could they skip this month and pay twice as much next month?
When Keely got back to Sisters Books and Fortunes, she had her answer.
The door was unlocked, and Becca was gone.
***
Toryn Flynn ran a cloth over the blade of his knife and wished he were cleaning off the blood of his enemies. The night was a bust—which seemed to come as a complete surprise to everyone. Everyone, that is, except him. Maybe the other Iron Guild warriors didn’t have a problem relying on intel from someone who’d betrayed them in the past, but he sure as hell did.
The sky to the east, above the Cascade Mountains where the portal he’d come through was located, was inky black. Sunrise was still a long way off. Whoever said time stands still for no man had clearly never been on a stakeout.
“Damn,” Sean said, shaking his head as if he believed his own bullshit. “I thought for sure he would show tonight.”
Aye, I’ll bet you did.
Their target, Davin Reaux, was the head of a powerful organized crime ring and responsible for financing deadly raids into Cascadia. Unless they took the bloke out, Cascadians would continue to be in danger. Just recently, a raid that Sean had taken part in had killed several innocent Cascadians and shaken their entire region.
“I’m sure he’ll show up.” Vince, the newest member of the Iron Guild, kept his binoculars trained on the road below them.
Toryn made a sound of disgust, sheathed the knife and strode to another area of the parking garage roof. Sean was a Tracker-Talent—if anyone should know how to find the bastard, he should. So the fact that he couldn’t was just another red flag.