Dancing with the Devil (Wild Beasts Series)
Page 9
She lifted her dress over her head, and his breath left him. No matter how many times he saw her, he’d never get over her beauty.
He always went to bed naked, so when her last stitch of clothing was removed, it was just her skin against his. She rubbed against him, purring and he smiled at her cat-like ways. Seemed Gem had gotten more than she’d bargained for in mating a big cat.
Her body moved over his, and she slowly lowered herself onto him, letting their bodies meet, to share, to move in the beautiful rhythm that mates shared. She closed her eyes, and he felt her ecstasy like it was his own. Felt her brain, fully healed and whole as it fired, sending messages along her spine, expanding her sensations throughout her body in a steady receiving and output of emotion and neuron activity that hollowed her out in the most delicious way, until she was once again brought back down to earth by the beat of her mate’s heart.
His mate had been healed by a Siren, a Charmer of the Mind, and her particular gift, her music, their emotional connection, had been the only reason the young Siren had been called to her side.
As their bodies came alive together, he heard his own music play, and he saw himself through his mate’s eyes, and his spirit clung to that image, to the man she saw him as, to the story his music told, music that had grown lighter over the past month, but that would always hold some darkness.
Because if there was one thing he had learned since finding his little cat, his Gem, his mate, it was that the world was full of not just Darkness, but Light, and that one could not live without the other.
That in fact the most beautiful music was made of both the good and the bad, the light and the dark, the storms and the sunshine, the fire and the water and so many other wonderful dichotomies that grabbed at their souls and pulled them onto the road, that untraveled path they were always meant to walk along.
Ten
Somewhere I Belong
Another town. Another bus stop. This damn lodge was only six hours north, and Annie’d had to take a taxi, two buses, and a train to get to this dinky town right on the New York-Vermont border. Dunham, New York. She sure as hell didn’t know if this was where she wanted to be, but it was the only place to go, right? The only place willing to help her, fix her, cure her.
Shit. She couldn’t be cured.
Alexia had explained that. Devon had explained that.
Hell, even the stoic asshole, Ben, had stood by, his brown eyes soothing and ever-watchful, protective, and he hadn’t said a word, but he’d nodded right along with everyone.
She was Other. She wasn’t just different. She was Darkness.
What they thought could make the Darkness better, she had no fucking clue. She’d always felt it. Her anger was a thing of beauty, she knew that now. And a part of her loved the feeling of her power as it coursed through her veins. But there was another piece inside of her, not a human piece. She knew there was no humanity in her. She was an Other. Others and Clan members weren’t human. They were who they were, and that was easier to accept than even all the rest. But that other piece inside of her knew the anger she felt wasn’t the only emotion that had power; it was just the only emotion she’d given power.
Everyone had Darkness. Some just chose to ignore it, but Annie didn’t want to ignore it.
She hated what she’d caused. She wanted to scream and shout and cry, but she’d done all of that already. Now, she needed to get better.
She needed to get stronger. She needed to get control.
Because one day, she would go back to Montville, and she would show them all what true Darkness was.
Acknowledgments
I have so many amazing people to thank for this wee little baby, but first and foremost, I would like to thank my editor, Katie Ekvall, who encourages and pushes me to be a better writer with each manuscript I give her. So much of what I write is emotionally charged, ‘flying by the seat of my pants’ words, but she has this great ability to question and to challenge each line. Thank you for being my literary compass, girl!
Thank you to one of my new but definitely best friends, Lo. You are my badass compass, always encouraging me to embrace that inner badass and become who I truly am.
Thank you: Gen, for your inspiration and friendship; Rox, for your continued support and guidance; Tigger, for your absolutely lovely spirit and playful side; Jessica, for your support and #momoa4eva encouragement (yes, encouragement) posts; Ladybug, for always being there; Jaimie, for the insightful advice you give; Momma Bear, for your never-ending support and perspective when I don’t know my own worth; Steph, for your bravery and honesty in taking on so much with me this year; Jenny, for always giving it to me straight and helping me grow that backbone; #ESC ladies, Sushines, and #Tribesquad, for your lighthearted, beautiful, and kind ways help me to see daily that there are souls in this world who truly are good; Lauren, Erica, Candice, Mom, Lori, Charlotte, Katie, Marilena, Sarah, and the other strong women in my life, for your bravery in this world that has sometimes been hard on you, because you’ve offered me inspiration for some of my favorite heroines; AJ, Josh, Jon, and the other amazing men in my life, for your steadfast loyalty and honor, because you have the characteristics of true men.
Last but absolutely not least, I would like to thank the rest of my publication team:
Connie, thank you for reading this book as a last minute beta. It was greatly appreciated.
Jules, thank you for always being willing to read or encourage at the drop of a hat.
Susan, this cover…you went through fire for me to get this cover just right, and I appreciate your art more than you know! Here’s to another bestseller!
Leigh, your formatting is always kickass, but you’ve also been a great mentor in this world, so thank you.
Cat, woot! I needed an amazing proofreader, and I totally have that in you. You are amazing, lady! Couldn’t have asked for a better proofer.
To my ARC group, #TeamWildBeasts, know I couldn’t have done all of this without you. Keep on rockin’ it out.
PS - I should probably throw out a thank you to Linkin Park and of Verona for musical inspiration as I wrote this baby.
And thank you to my readers, who email and message and comment all the time looking for the next book! This is the interim, but Rage Against the Devil, Wild Beasts Series Book Two, is on the way this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About the Author
T. drinks coffee, eats chocolate, travels wherever the wind takes her, loves a sturdy (but cute) pair of cowgirl boots, is hoping to one day build a log cabin home in the mountains with her man bear, and she writes because moments of love and epic tales of heroes and heroines hold power.
These moments are the heartbeats of once blank pages giving magic to the world. And just like the words on a page, T. loves watching stories come to life on screen, especially romances like Once Upon a Time and Nicolas Sparks movies because they remind her that fairy tales really do exist.
www.tbirmingham.com
writertbirmingham@gmail.com