Born in the flames of Heaven’s wrath, he’s all things sinful...and too dangerous to love.
An immortal guardian, Aethan’s walked alone for millennia, trapped in a hell of his own, until a feisty mortal crosses his path—a female he shouldn’t even look at, one who shakes the precarious foundations of all that he is—and one who’s determined to walk the edge of danger.
She only wants to be normal...
All her life, Echo Carter wanted “normal,” an impossible feat given that she can see demons. Now she’s determined to hunt down the demonii responsible for the death of her friend—and no man, no matter how sexy, will stop her—until she discovers a horrifying truth about herself, forcing her to turn to Aethan. But when two stubborn wills collide, a dangerous passion ignites...
As evil closes in, will this warrior overcome his darkest fears and claim her as his—or lose her to a far more sinister fate?
KUDOS FOR ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
Absolute Surrender is an extraordinary experience, which no one should miss. The hero in this book is way too sexy! – Piper Shelly, author of Play with Me and Loving Your Lies
A beautiful story, filled with love, sacrifice, courage, and a devil-may-care humor that takes it all in stride. – Lauri Wellington, editor
This book is a definite page turner that will keep you reading well into the night. Full of action and suspense, and angels and demons, and a kind of luscious, lusty romance that leaves you needing a cold shower—or maybe two!—this book has it all. I couldn’t put it down. I was pulled in by the storyline, wanting to know what would happen next and how it would turn out for these star-crossed lovers as they battled heaven and earth to be together. It was a great book. – Taylor, reviewer
The storyline is solid, tense, and well thought out. I was pulled in immediately, before I finished the first page, and the book held my interest all the way through, without letting up a single time. I really liked Echo. She’s smart, sassy, flawed, and independent as hell. My kind of gal. Aethan is a hunk, of course. How could an angel be anything else? But he also has a streak of mischief that I found very appealing. And Echo drives him absolutely crazy. It’s fun to watch. Absolute Surrender is a good, solid story, the kind you can sink your teeth into—one you’ll want to keep on your shelf and come back to visit again and again. – Regan, Reviewer
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My heartfelt thanks to:
My critique partners: Tricia Penske Quinnies, who so meticulously read and reread my chapters. Gina Danna, who hung in there until the very last page and beta read because she loved Aethan. And Piper Shelly, I’m so glad we met and became friends. Your encouragement and support means the world to me, and for falling in love with my hero. You rock.
And to Lauri Wellington, my wonderful editor, who loved my story, for your amazing support through all this.
To my husband, Terence, and my son, Ty-Quinn, I treasure your unconditional love and understanding in giving me the time I needed to write. I love, you guys.
And finally to my daughter, Montana Jade—without you this book would not have been possible. I enjoyed our brainstorming sessions and the world building of the Fallen Guardians. Your amazing mind and your enthusiasm still astounds me. And for the lattes at Starbucks when I needed a pick-me-up—you knew exactly how to get me back on track. And most of all, for designing this gorgeous cover: I love you.
ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
Georgia Lyn Hunter
A BLACK OPAL BOOKS PUBLICATION
Copyright 2013 by Georgia Lyn Hunter
Cover Art by Montana Jade
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved
EBOOK ISBN: 978-1-62694-002-4
EXCERPT
He only did what she told him to...well, almost.
Her lush mouth dropped open at his words. But her surprise fast turned to sarcasm. “Jeez, thanks for the newsflash.”
She picked up her backpack and tried to walk around him.
“I’m not done.” He stepped in her path. “You need to start explaining.”
“And you can bite me,” she shot back with all the sweetness of acid.
A hell of a provocation that set him off. He yanked her forward, ignoring her gasp of outrage and bit her. Coherent thoughts flew out of his head the moment his mouth clamped down on her neck. Her enticing warmth, the fragrant taste of her skin coated his tongue and scattered his senses.
For a moment, she remained utterly still. Then she started struggling. He tightened his grip on her waist and a delicious friction built between them. Her heart pounded against his chest like a drum-roll. He licked her slowly over the bruised skin—
She shoved at him, color streaking her cheekbones. “Are you crazy?”
Probably. “No. Just gave you what you asked for. Prepared to talk, or do we go for round two? I’m game, are you?” He dropped his hands to her hips, keeping their lower bodies connected.
“All right.” She scowled. “I see them.”
He let her go, stepped back, and shoved his hands into his coat pockets—and away from the temptation of her. As ideas went, this was a real bad one because he was so damn hard, his leathers chafed against his aroused groin.
“I can see auras—a pulsing red for the soul-eating fiends!”
Then she snatched her fallen backpack and sped off for the cathedral entrance as if the hounds of hell were after her.
DEDICATION
To George and Ann, I’ve been blessed to have
loving parents who always believed in me.
This is for you.
CHAPTER 1
It was too early in the night to be breaking a sweat. Not that he did. But hell, the faint odor of sulfur Aethan had been tracking was fast dissipating in the frigid air. He had no plans on losing the demonii’s trail. With mortals still about, yeah, it became damn difficult to end them.
With a burst of inhuman speed, he cut through a dingy alley on the Lower East Side and pulled up short. The stench of decay, from the mile-high trash bags piled on the street, hit him square in the face. His breathing shallow, he scanned the buildings, and there, in the shadows of the looming warehouses, he could clearly see the two, hauling a whimpering female with them.
The tattoo on his biceps pulsed, demanding release to do the job it was created for. He ignored the call, hoping for a hands-on fight. Demoniis were a damn menace to humans. Always drawn to a mortal’s life force with a constant fix needed to sustain their decaying bodies.
“Let the female go.”
The pair swung around. Their eerie red eyes glowed in the dark.
The terrified female turned, shrieking for help. She took one look at him. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted. He couldn’t blame her if she thought he was one of those deadbeats. Dressed all in black, he probably looked like the killer he was, unlike those two who had doubtless seduced her into leaving with their pretty-boy faces. Too bad for her, she chose wrong.
The demonii yanked her to him, baring her neck to his mouth. “Leave, or I’ll kill her.”
They thought to bargain with him? Not only did they gorge on souls, but also on blood, judging by the length of their fangs.
“Before you reach us, I’ll chew out her jugular. There’s little you can do, Guardian.”
“But how long would her soul last?” Aethan drawled. “Mine’s far better. Lasts longer, too.” He held out his hands to show he was unarmed.
Their eyes slitted. He could see the wheels turning as they contemplated how fast they could kill him for the coveted prize. Dumb shits.
The dark-haired demonii’s gaze dropped to Aethan’s belt. “The dagger—throw it here. And anything else you have in your pockets.”
With a shrug, Aethan tossed his obsidian da
gger onto the dirt-encrusted asphalt near the demonii’s feet. It landed with a dull thud. Then he emptied his pocket of a few sticks of gum.
The demonii laughed and kicked the obsidian away. The blond one flung the female aside, and they came at him like unleashed bullets. Dodging the attack, Aethan lashed out, his fist connecting with a jaw. A roundhouse kick and one of them crashed into a wall.
A fiery missile zinged past his face. He jumped back. Shit, too close. A hit by a demonii bolt, and he might as well lie down and let them have his soul.
“Not so brave now, are you?” The dark-haired one advanced, sporting a macabre grin at how easily they’d cornered a Guardian. Another Hellfire bolt formed in his hand.
Aethan narrowed his eyes. Too bad they didn’t fight fair. He’d been quite prepared to extend their lives by a few more minutes. Time to end this travesty. With his mind, he willed back his obsidian dagger and released the blade in a move so fast the dark-haired demonii had no idea what had nailed him in the chest. A raucous snarl filled the backstreet. The blond scurried back to the female.
Aethan summoned his weapon. The tattoo on his biceps shifted. A tingle ran down his arm. He lunged after the demonii as a six-foot long sword took form in his hand.
He spun around, his blade hissing in a deadly arc, and decapitated the demonii set on fleeing. It disintegrated within moments. Just a thick, black glutinous mess remained for a second before it, too, disappeared. He didn’t bother looking for the wounded demonii, knew he’d flashed out of the alley. Taking a deep breath, Aethan let his sword shimmer and settle on his biceps, a slight tingle flowing through his arm. Then he willed his dagger back to him.
He went over to the female lying on the ground and examined her for injuries. She appeared to be fine. Why were those two dumbasses scurrying off with her, instead of just consuming her soul? He scanned her for a psychic vibe. Nothing. Not even a spark. She didn’t possess the pyre and rime abilities he’d been searching for these past few weeks. He’d hoped she was it, and he could get this job over and done with.
He scrubbed her memories of the last hour before he woke her and willed her on her way.
Brief flashes of lightning brightened the dismal backstreet, revealing the tired graffiti decorating the walls of the buildings. His shoulder twinged, reminding him of the injury he sustained last night in a fight with a horde of demonii. Ignoring the pain, he headed out of the alley and up the street.
In the distance, opposite Club Anarchy, he saw Týr who patrolled this area. His pale hair gleamed under a streetlight. Once a god from the Norse pantheon, and now a fellow Guardian, Týr might be easy on the eyes, but he was as lethal as the blade tattooed on his biceps. His virulent rage towards demons and their altered brethren, the demoniis, was all that kept his jets going. Couldn’t blame the male when he’d been imprisoned in the deepest pits of the Dark Realm for centuries. But judging by the way the females obstructed his path, and the easy grin on his face, Týr had found a way to ease his nightmares—
Unlike him. No matter how many demoniis Aethan took out in the name of protecting mortals, his nightmares never ceased.
‘A’than!’
He staggered to a halt, his chest constricting at the phantom, childish whisper echoing in his mind. Images flashed before him.
Blood, so much blood.
Aethan squeezed his eyes closed, shutting off the memories.
“You okay, man?” Týr asked, coming up beside him.
Shit! No one should be able to creep up on him like that. Another reason he preferred the vacuum he lived in. He continued up the alley, edginess riding him hard.
“Yeah, fine. Anything on the psychic female Michael wants found?” Aethan really didn’t care for the latest job Michael had dumped on them. Being among mortal females was not on the top of his list of to do things. And far too risky.
At the mention of their leader, Týr shoved his hands in the pockets of his leathers. “Enticing as they are, scanning all the females in this city for abilities of pyre and rime is not my idea of a good time.” He stepped around a suspicious looking puddle.
“Yeah. Flat on their backs is more your thing.”
“Not just that. Up against a wall, bent over...I’m flexible. Or they usually are.” A smirk rode Týr’s face. “What’s so important about a female possessing powers of fire and ice, anyway?”
“Can’t say. Maybe he just wants to stop her from burning down the city.”
Týr snorted. “Guess when ‘needs to know’ becomes ‘must know’ we’ll be informed. Michael’s too tight-lipped when it comes to shit like this. Who the fuck are we gonna tell? The demons?”
Aethan shrugged. “Maybe Michael just wants to stop a prophecy or some such disaster. It’s the first time he’s thrown a job at us—”
“Without the ritual meet and greet,” Týr finished, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “A prophecy? Damn! It would make sense, wouldn’t it?”
Laughter drew Aethan’s attention to the queue forming alongside the faded graffiti walls of Club Anarchy. This early in the night, the popular nightspot for mortals and demons teemed with party revelers. Beneath the stench of garbage, the faint odor of sulfur drifted to him. He could easily follow the smell to its source, but since it led to the Otium demons waiting to get into the club, he didn’t bother. Several of them chose to live among the humans now, preferring a quiet life—unlike their turned brethren, demoniis, who trawled clubs like these looking for their next victim.
“Humans,” Aethan muttered, sidestepping an overflowing dumpster. “Can’t understand their fascination with danger.”
“Never understood them myself,” Týr agreed. “But the females sure are one helluva temptation.” He shot Aethan a shit-eating grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “You called one to slake off that edge, yet? Just say the word and I’ll cover your patrol.”
“I’m fine.”
“Yeah, rrright.”
Aethan bit back a retort. He didn’t need the reminder of how close to the edge he was, and worse, that Týr noticed. While he now had total control over his powers, the same couldn’t be said for the restlessness pushing at him. Damn feeling had plagued him for days now. He had no idea what the hell it was.
He reached into his coat pockets and realized he’d thrown his gum away. Shit.
The fight earlier had done little to ease him. A constant reminder why he could never escape what he was. A crack in his psychic shields, and he’d not only flatten the entire island of Manhattan but take every single life with it. Not something he cared to remember.
“I don’t get you, Empyrean.” Týr pulled a pack of M&M’s from his jacket pocket and emptied several into his palm to sort through the colors. “What’s wrong with being with a human? Find a female. Get that power-level down to green. It’s a helluva lot more fun than running your feet to stumps.”
Perhaps. But another faceless person? Another bout of empty sex? His belly roiled at the thought. He’d rather have stumps. “I don’t need a female. I need to find the asshole who escaped me—”
A limousine cruised to a halt in front of the club, snagging his attention. The doors opened to a dissonance of voices, music, and laughter. Males and females stumbled from the car and the acrid odor of illegal white dust floated to him.
Týr popped several of the yellow candies into his mouth. “They make it so easy for trawling demoniis to hunt them.”
Aethan turned away, only to find a female obstructing his path.
She was an incitement for dark pleasures, all right. His gaze skimmed over her. Big breasts, covered in a leather Band-Aid, were teamed with a crotch-short skirt beneath her long coat. Her long red hair fell around her face in wanton disarray. A seductive smile tilted her mouth. Heavy on the cosmetics, her hot blue eyes swept over him with avid interest.
“Can’t hide that angelic shit, after all.” Týr’s annoying murmur rang in his ear. The bastard was enjoying this.
Being an Empyrean, he could do nothing about
the way he looked. But if any of the angelic allure his race were born with leaked out, the humans would be unable to resist the pull—the very thought had him tightening his psychic shields. He was the farthest thing from the humans’ concept of an angel. Hell, he didn’t even have wings. So why was he cursed with this crap?
“I’ll tell you a secret.” The female raised those sultry peepers at him. “I can see the future. It’s your lucky night, handsome.” Her husky voice dropped an octave. She stepped closer and slowly ran her hand down his chest. Her gaze wandered to the grinning son-of-a-bitch next to him and her eyes gleamed. “Or we could all go someplace else...”
Aethan breathed in the scent of her arousal. A muscle worked in his jaw at the temptation she presented. He pushed back needs that had no place in his life, scanned her for a physic vibe and found nothing.
“Trust me, you don’t really want me.” Not unless you have a death wish.
He peeled her hands off his leather coat and sidestepped her. Her gasp of disbelief that he’d turned her down followed him as he headed up the street. These females had no idea how dangerous he was. They might as well stick their finger in a live socket if they thought he could give them what they sought.
Týr’s laughter drifted to him. “You’re one stubborn bastard. Me, I’ll take the pleasurable way out.” He shot a quick look at the redhead. “Would’ve been something, nailing her. She was game to be tag-teamed, too. Hell, shield in that cursed power of yours if you’re afraid of hurting her, and we’ll all be good to go. But you’re just too selfish to share.”
Hurt her? Týr had no idea what he was capable of—why he could never take a human as a lover. And his possessive nature was his own business.
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