by ML Guida
“What happened? You look so different, so beautiful.”
“Our lovemaking bound us together.” Concern filled her eyes. “It’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”
He laughed. “More than anything.” He kissed her briefly on the mouth. “That was quick and hard.” He nodded at the clouds hovering near the cave, which had a hint of red from the burning flickering rocks. “I’d like to take you slow, exploring every sensitive spot, driving you to a dragon frenzy passion.”
She tugged at his lips with her teeth. “Promises, promises, dragon.”
He smiled and kissed her deeply, and as the night rolled on, he made good at his promise again and again. He’d never tire of listening to her cry out his name as she experienced a passion that only a dragon-shifter could deliver.
***
Isabella strolled out of the jungle holding Leif’s hand. They’d spent the night making love. Her sensitive skin was chaffed from his kisses, and she was sore between her legs, but she’d never felt so alive, so happy—until she glanced at the beach. She stopped. Her father sat on a boulder, his arms folded across his massive chest. He was back to being the fierce defender of the sea, his crown securely on his head. The sun was behind him, and ’twas difficult to read his face.
Her thumping heart pumped blood through her like a roaring hurricane. She swallowed the fear bubbling up her throat and squeezed Leif’s hand.
“What’s he doing here?” Leif growled.
She didn’t know if ’twas the dragon or the man, but she couldn’t let either of them rip apart her father. She touched Leif’s tense arm. “Wait here.”
He glowered. “I can feel your fear. I won’t let him hurt you.”
She glanced at her father. “He won’t. I need to talk to him. Alone.”
Leif snorted smoke out of his flaring nostrils. “Fine. I’ll wait here.”
She couldn’t help but smile at her protective dragon. She hoped she was right and her father wasn’t here to hurt her. “I’ll be back.” She spread her palm across his naked chest. “I promise.”
She took a deep breath and walked across the warm sand. The wind blew a light breeze, and salt tinged her lips.
“Daughter,” her father said.
His voice was void of emotion, not a good sign, and his face was a frozen mask.
“Father.” She slightly bowed. “I’m grateful you’ve regained your crown.”
“Thanks to you.” He looked past her. “He’s your chosen mate?”
The minute she dreaded was here. Without hesitation, she raised her chin and met his cold stare, waiting for yet another rejection. “Yes, I love him.”
“You know how I feel about pirates.”
She didn’t say anything. What was the point? Angelica choosing Ronan had been a blow to him, since she’d been his favorite. However, he’d forgiven her, but he’d forgive Angelica anything.
His features softened. Was that admiration in his eyes? It couldn’t be.
“But you taught me something, something I didn’t think possible,” he said.
Her heart stopped, not believing those words were falling out of his lips. “Which is?” Her voice was so tiny that she wasn’t sure she’d spoken or if she’d whispered them in her mind.
He stood and lifted her chin. “You taught me that not all pirates are evil. Your pirate and the brave men of the Soaring Phoenix risked their lives to free you and to save me. I’d never thought it possible that pirates could have honor and selflessness.” He sighed. “Will you forgive me, daughter?”
“You want my forgiveness?” Her voice croaked.
He put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve been filled with hate for so long that I couldn’t see what I’d done. I took my rage out on a little girl. ’Twas not your fault your mother died, Isabella. The fault lies with your stepmother.”
“I shouldn’t have—”
For the first time in a long time, her father took her in his arms. “Shhh, daughter. I was the fool to not see the evilness in your stepmother. Your mother would have been disappointed in me.” He kissed the top of her head. “I swear I’ll make it up to you. If you’ll let me.”
Happiness welled up inside her and she hugged him. “I’ve dreamed for so long for your forgiveness. I love you, Father. I always have.”
He released her and then tilted his head. “Now, let’s go see your young man before he changes into a dragon and turns me into a flaming torch.”
Isabella tossed her head back and laughed. She couldn’t believe this was happening and wanted to pinch herself to make sure ’twas real, but her father flashed her a loving smile that she hadn’t seen since her mother had died.
She motioned to Leif. “Leif, please come over.”
Leif hurried over.
Her father squeezed between them. “You love my daughter?”
“Aye, she’s mine.” Leif’s voice was low and deadly as if challenging the king of the sea to deny him.
“You promise to protect her?”
“Always.”
“I believe you, pirate, and will hold you to your word. My daughters are my most precious gifts, and if she consents, I give her to you to cherish.”
Isabella squeezed between the two of them, excited at her father’s words. She had to see Leif’s face, and he didn’t disappoint her.
“She’s my life, and I will protect hers with mine.”
Her father smiled. “Good. I never thought I’d see the day that I’d lose two daughters to pirates. You and your crew have given me hope in humanity.”
“Actually, ’twas your daughter that restored my faith in humanity and myself. She melted my heart and showed me a way out of my misery.” Leif didn’t look at her father. Instead, he looked at her with love in his eyes.
Isabella thought she’d gush into a puddle of joy and didn’t want the moment to end.
“Your friends are approaching,” her father said.
Leif and Isabella turned. William, in dragon form, flew toward them with Mariah riding him astride. They landed a few feet, and Mariah slid off William’s broad back and held a satchel. He changed from a green and blue dragon into a man. Isabella was amazed by how fast both William and Leif could transform. Mariah opened the satchel and pulled out a pair of trousers. William put them on.
Her father cleared his throat. “Seems like the magic would have provided clothing.”
“’Tis a curse,” Leif said. “Not bloody likely.”
Mariah walked over to them, but William limped.
Mariah flashed Isabella a knowing smile. “So, I see you are healed, Isabella, oui?”
Heat flooded Isabella’s cheeks. “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to Leif.” She studied William. “What happened to you?”
“Took a nasty fall and twisted my leg. One of the bastards cut me with a blade.”
Mariah held his hand. “He will heal.”
Leif wrapped his arm around Isabella, pulling her next to him. “What happened to the Soaring Phoenix?”
William rubbed a nasty cut on his arm. “She’s berthed on the other side of the island while the crew makes repairs. Palmer put up a hell of a fight. But the Fiery Damsel won’t be sailing for a while.”
“And Zuto?” Leif asked.
“Still trapped on his island along with his dreaded spiders,” Mariah said. “We are still no closer to finding my brother. I fear time is slipping away, and he will be lost forever.” Bitterness dripped from her voice.
Eldric frowned. “Tell me of these creatures. They are magical?”
“They are from Coaybay,” William said. “There is one that Zuto calls a time spider and it has the ability to fling someone through time.”
“Like my sister,” Leif said, as misery echoed in his words. “We’ve got to find a way to find her.”
“We have looked for ways. Not even Grand-mére knows how to find Lark.”
Eldric rubbed his chin. “A time spider, eh? I have not heard of such creatures, but I know of a man that may have answer
s. He is many leagues from here. He visits a remote island every solstice, which is in three days’ time. He possesses a power that I have never known. He is very wise and may know of a way.”
“Father, why do you think he would know of the time spiders?”
He put his hands on Isabella’s shoulders. “He is the one that told me about your stepmother, then asked me to forgive you. I should have listened to him, but my grief blinded me.”
William frowned. “That doesn’t mean he knows about time spiders.”
Eldric glared at William. He wasn’t used to having his word questioned. “’Tis more than that, dragon. He has the power to talk to beasts, and they do his bidding. He may be able to talk to this creature and find out where your sister is.”
“And Cé,” Isabella said. “We can’t abandon him.”
“Then, we need to go now,” Mariah said, desperation riddled through her voice. “William change. We can fly there in no time.”
William shook his head. “Mariah, ’twas difficult for me to fly here from the other side of the island. My arm is not completely healed. I do not think I could make the flight.”
“I could,” Leif said.
Isabella squeezed his hand. “No, we could.”
“I will take you to him,” Eldric said. “But it is at least a three day journey from here. Are you sure you’re up to it, daughter?” Doubt filled his eyes.
Isabella turned to Leif and wrapped her arms around his neck. “As long as I have my dragon with me, I can conquer anything.”
“Aye, you will, love,” Leif said. “You have my heart always.” He bent down and kissed her.
She knew whatever adventures that they faced, they’d face together. Her mother always said that even in a world of darkness, true love survives.
Dear Reader
I’m delighted you decided to read A Pirate’s Bane. This is the fifth book in the Legends of the Soaring Phoenix. My first books all had heroes from the Soaring Phoenix, but in this book, I wanted to have a hero from the Fiery Damsel who had to work hard for his redemption. I hope I succeeded in this!
Worried about what happens to the three time travelers? Don’t worry. I will be launching a highlander’s story and another kindle world book which answers this question. The Kindle World book is part of S.E. Smith’s Magic New Mexico and this will be Cé’s story. Gwen’s story will be coming out in the Spring, and I will venture into the Scotland’s Highlanders. I don’t have the titles yet, but check my website or join my newsletter for updates!
I love to hear from readers. I am on all the social media sites, (Facebook, twitter@m_mlguida and Good Reads). I respond to emails, Facebook posts and tweets, so don't hesitate to contact me. If you’d like to contact me, you can reach me on my website http://www.mlguida.com/contact/ or you can follow me my blog http://www.mlguida.com/blog/
Book loaning and reviews are ways that readers can help authors get the word out about books they love, so don’t hesitate to spread the word about A Pirate’s Bane. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.
I have an excerpt of A Pirate’s Curse, the first book in the Legends of the Soaring Phoenix if you've have not read the first book.
Next year, I plan to release three pirate books, so stay tuned! If you’d like to receive a new email release, please sign up at http://www.mlguida.com/
Sincerely,
M.L. Guida
Other Books by M.L. Guida
If you’ve enjoyed A Pirate’s Bane, the first book of the series is A Pirate's Curse. Like a dark angel, Captain Kane O'Brien rescues Hannah Knight and her father from drowning after vampire pirates murder their crew and sink their ship. Struggling to control and hide her telekinetic powers, Hannah discovers the honorable and bold captain possesses his own secrets.
Every full moon, Kane turns into a vampire. Finding out Hannah not to be the cabin boy she resembles, but a beautiful, luscious woman, tempts all his appetites. Desperate to be free of his curse, Kane considers handing Hannah over to a demon. But after Hannah uses her power to save his ship from his immortal enemy, Kane can no longer deny his attraction and vows to protect Hannah with his life.
To find true love, they must combine their powers to defeat evil vampires, thwart Hannah's misogynist fiancé and escape a crafty demon.
The second book of the series is A Pirate’s Revenge. Cursed by a demon, William O’Brien changes into a dragon with mystical powers he can’t control. In dragon form he becomes a ravenous beast with the power to destroy the crew of the Soaring Phoenix. He’s forced to make a decision: leave the ship or face killing the crew.
But before he can go, he discovers a new menace hunts him. The God of the Underworld has released a female demon, more deadly and evil than before, with orders to capture William and combine his powers with a male witch in order to destroy the crew of the Soaring Phoenix.
Mariah Fey, a talented witch, wants only to save her brother from the bowels of the evil pirate ship, the Fiery Damsel. If William will trust her, she can teach him how to harvest his gifts, control his abilities and together their true love can defeat their enemies.
The fourth book is A Pirate’s Obsession. Losing his hand to a demon means Ronan Macmillian is desperate. He’ll do anything to avoid being a cripple, even sacrifice to the same demon an innocent, beautiful undine.
Angelica knows Ronan is her mate and is determined to show him he’s a warrior, even if he’s maimed. She must forsake the sea life she’s always known, and stay out of the clutches of a clever demon, to win the pirate she loves.
But when Ronan meets the beautiful Angelica, restoring his hand and handing over the undine becomes complicated. If he fails to obey, the demon promises he’ll make him a monster and not even the crew of the Soaring Phoenix will be safe.
Will Ronan betray his honor and his heart and deliver Angelica over to the demon? Or will true love prevail and win Ronan and her life?
Legends of the Soaring Phoenix Box set contains the first three books—A Pirate’s Curse, A Pirate’s Revenge, and A Pirate’s Agony.
I also have a paranormal Christmas series called Vampires on Holiday. The first book is A Vampire’s Christmas Wish. Master vampire, Janus Morano, has searched for centuries to find his lost soul mate. When he finally discovers his true love on Christmas Eve in Hawaii, she doesn't know him, doesn't remember her previous life, and doesn’t want him. Janus must get her to remember him and their love, but nothing comes easy with Deirdre Hahn.
Deirdre is drawn to the mysterious dark stranger, but she came to Hawaii with Brandon Delaney, to heal their broken relationship. Brandon has promised to never beat her again, bending over backwards to be Prince Charming. But the promise is broken.
Deirdre escapes Brandon’s clutches and her only hope is the mysterious dark stranger. Janus vows to help her but soon she discovers his dark secret. He's a vampire...a vampire searching for her.
Now Deirdre is caught between two desperate men. Not sure who to trust. In order to save her future she must accept her past and when her Hawaiian vacation falls apart and she’s kidnapped, she must learn to trust Janus or die on Christmas.
The second book is, A Vampire’s Fallen Christmas Star. It’s the week before Christmas but the last thing Jayden Kye wants to do is celebrate. He blames himself for his twin's brother's death. He hikes up to Rainbow Lake to make peace with him, but Jayden slips down a snowy embankment and impales himself on a tree. He is dying.
Eleanor Baines has been a vampire for over a hundred years but she’s never been tempted to turn a human before. Now, facing the sexy rock star, she has a choice, let him die or let him live.
Now, she finds herself with a head-strong rock singer who breaks all the rules.
Jayden discovers everything he thought he knew is wrong. His best friend and lead guitarist are legendary vampire killers bent on killing him and Eleanor. He must learn to trust Eleanor, a total stranger, to survive. When his manager kidnaps Jayden’s mother and threatens to kill
her, Jayden is forced to kill his best friend, or hand over the woman he loves.
I have another series called Angels of Death, and it a contemporary, paranormal series.
Betrayal is the first book in the series. Scythe tracks his demon brother to Serenity House, a drug and alcohol treatment center. His brother wants to destroy the director, Heather Bowen, but Scythe is shocked to discover she is his angel-mate and now, he must not only save his brother's soul, but stop him from killing the woman he loves.
The second in the series is a novella, Deception, What is an Angel of Death supposed to do when a demon holds the key to her whole existence?
Time is running out for Poison. The Archangel Michael has ordered her to retrieve an evil board and the woman who is it’s victim. It’s a test—and if she fails she will be kicked off the squad and be shooting arrows with Cupid.
But she has a problem—Ringmaster. The demon got there first and possesses the board and the woman. He’s offered Poison a sinful proposal: Sleep with him and he’ll hand over the board and the woman. Or she can go back to Michael empty handed.
Ringmaster has had a hunger for his little angel ever since he first saw her. She changed him form being hell’s favorite trickster to a love sick hell hound. He has to know if what he feels is for real. One hour is all he asks. How can his sweet angel say no?
The third book in the series is Punishment. Fallen angel, Blade, is determined to seek revenge on the archangel Raphael who cursed him to be human. Unless he repents, he’ll be forced to live his life as a pitiful human. He’ll be mortal and powerless—easy pickings for an angel assassin to pick off. He uses an Ouija board to contact a demon to restore his powers only to stir Raphael’s wrath. Raphael burns his hands forcing him to go to the hospital where he meets an angel of mercy—Abigail Malcolm.
Abigail is a nurse and possesses the power of healing, but it hasn’t been a gift. Her healing powers failed to heal her drug addicted family. Her mother and sister are dead and her brother blames Abigail for their deaths. To make matters worse, a mysterious man—a demon—has given her brother a board to contact his mother, but there’s a secret price—he’ll soon turn into a zombie and lose his soul.