by Jillian Neal
He dipped his fingers inside of it and began to gently rub it on her lips and inside of her.
“I’m not hurting,” she assured him. Her deeply satisfied smile completed the absolute perfection they’d just experienced.
“I want to make sure, sweetheart. I just can’t ever let anything hurt you again.” He continued his task, soothing everything he’d just done.
They eventually moved from the bed and ate the dinner Malani had left them in the kitchen. Dan held her tightly on his chest as the ocean breeze swung them gently in the hammock. They cuddled under several quilts watching the sunset.
She fell asleep against him. Her energy still waned much faster than it used to.
As the moon began its dance on the ocean waves, Dan eased her out of the hammock and carried her to bed. She never stirred. Contented and finally safe, she slept peacefully in his arms.
He closed the hangings around them and cradled her softly. So thankful for all he’d been so graciously given, he offered a fervent prayer of overwhelming gratitude for his precious, Maylea.
Reluctant Leader
~Governor Stephen Haydenshire~
“Sir, I don’t know. I can’t seem to figure this out. Maybe I’m not the guy for this.” In his dress uniform, Landon Portwood made a very sharp looking Chief. Julie stood steadfast by his side, gazing at him with a great deal of pride and adoration. Stephen appreciated his hesitations, but he had no doubt in his choice.
“You have an outstanding team, Landon, and you are an extremely capable officer. I have no idea what’s going on, but we’ve lost two undercover operatives, one here and one in France. There are thousands of dollars missing. We need a chief, and you’re the man for this job. I have complete faith in you.”
Stephen stepped back before he could argue again. He held up his right hand. Portwood copied his motion. All of Iodex, weary and worried, looked on to the swearing in of their new chief.
“Just repeat after me: I, Landon Portwood, do solemnly swear to uphold the justice of the American Gifted Realm, to well serve the people both, Gifted and Non-Gifted, faithfully and to the best of my ability, without favor, or affection, malice, or ill-will. I will uphold the law in every capacity as the Chief of Elite Iodex.”
With a harsh swallow, he began, “I, Landon Portwood…”
From the Author
Thank you for reading “All But Lost.” I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, and you would like to know more about The Gifted Realm or my writings, there are several ways for us to connect.
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Turn the page for a preview of The Quelling Tide, the final book in The Gifted Realm series. Coming soon.
The Quelling Tide
“Dan get up, now!” Fionna shrieked.
His chest vibrated in his terror as he leapt from the bed. “What? What’s wrong?” The world spun momentarily as he tried to awaken.
It was three fifteen. His brain took in that information as he stared at Fionna. She was pacing frantically. Her energy was erratic and terror-filled. She was sobbing and tugging at her own hair.
Dan began to panic, wondering what was wrong with his wife. “Fi what? I’m right here. What is it?”
“I feel it. Something bad is going to happen! There are people here, all around. I feel them!
She fled from their room, racing across the hall. Dan followed and threw his shield over her.
Suddenly, a bullet flew through the window. Dan felt the air vibrate as his shield deflected the bullet headed straight for her chest.
“Get down!” he shouted as he shoved Fionna, screaming, to the ground and covered her with his body.
“Dan!” Fitz called as he tossed a revolver, end-over-end to Dan.
Dropping the shield off of his right hand, he caught the gun and fired at the man crawling through the window.
Fitz low-crawled into the room. “Fionna! Follow Maddie! She’s taking the boys to the basement. There’s an enhanced fallout shelter from the war. Go, now!”
About the Author
Jillian Neal is a New Adult author with a passion for passion. She tells strong, character-driven stories from the male perspective. Her guys aren’t afraid to let us inside their minds or inside their bedrooms. Young love comes to life inside the author’s Realm, along with sinister crime-fighting, mixed in with a hearty dose of family. The engaging adventures will stretch your mind and keep you coming back for more.
Jillian lives outside Atlanta, with her husband and children.
For more information on the author and her stories, check out her website, at http://jillianneal.com