by Layla Heart
Then I catch a glimpse of red hair between the green-blue of the soldiers’ armour. For a moment, I think it’s Phoenix, until I recognize the woman’s clothing. No, not Phoenix, but the guardian who protected me, my ‘grandma’. What is she doing here? How did they get her? She doesn’t look too good, she’s slumped between the soldiers, barely walking, tripping every couple of steps.
“Go down.” My voice barely reaches over the sound of Rune’s wings. “Go down! We have to help her!”
Rune roars, but he doesn’t slow down, passing over the woman on his way elsewhere.
“Down!” Panic rises in me. “We can’t leave her!” I start moving, climbing up, trying to keep my balance as I feel energy rising in me, something big that has to come out, something big that can help me.
I need to protect her! I need to help her! I can’t leave her be! She’s always been there for me, protecting me, now I need to be there for her!
“Rune! Down! We have to save her!” My voice is rough, but it doesn’t reach over the loud noises from below.
Rune still doesn’t listen, instead flying towards the campus.
Then, like it’s happening only two feet away from me, instead of in the streets below, I hear Phoenix’ voice. “Granny! No! Let her go!” The horror in her voice makes me act automatically.
I push myself off Rune’s back, knowing I need to get down there, I need to save her. And if Rune isn’t going to help me, I need to do it myself. The air around me heats up. I can feel it lick my skin this time, like the fire inside me, burning higher, faster, brighter. Any bullets coming too close to me burst into flames before turning into small useless pallets entirely and falling down again.
I have no idea what I’m doing, how I’m able to do this, but this feels natural to me, this feels like it’s how I’m supposed to do things. This feels like it’s how magic works, somehow. I’m inexperienced, but this will have to do. I’m not letting them take grandma, harm her, when she’s always protected me.
The soldiers and the ground are coming closer at a dizzying speed, but I have no way to stop now, no way to slow me down, no wings or magic or anything, just a girl jumping off the back of a dragon who was flying in the air overhead. So, instead, I push my anger, my fear, outwards, trying to get everyone away from the woman I thought of as my grandma for almost two decades. I need to save her, they can’t have her.
Fire blasts out from me, the air around me so hot it ignites, like an eruption of flames, as I reach for the woman, wrapping my arms around her, pulling her against me.
I have her. I have her, she’s here. She’s going to be safe.
The fire around me burns bright for another moment, before it suddenly stops, the darkness it leaves behind overwhelming me, wrapping around me and not letting me go anymore. Was it really this late in the day already? Why is it so dark? It’s like everything has gone sluggish and like I’m moving through mud, hardly able to move, or even think.
“Litha! Granny!” Phoenix is at my side in seconds, and I want to tell her that she can’t, that there is still danger around. There are still soldiers around us.
But I’m too exhausted, burned out, the darkness pulling me deeper down, like I’m drowning in it.
“Litha!” She picks me up, her touch warm and soft.
I’m still holding ‘grandma’, she’s still here. I have her, she’ll be okay.
“Fuck. What did you do?” I feel Phoenix’ warmth spread through me, reaching into every part of me, but it doesn’t help with the exhaustion which is starting to pull me under. I’m just too tired.
“How is she?” That’s Finn, his voice close, but I’m too tired to reply.
They need to run, get away from here, they’re still in danger. It’s not safe here! But I’m too tired, I want to say it, warn them, but nothing comes out.
I feel Finn’s electricity in the air, sparking.
Then the ground trembles and I feel a gust of wind flow over us, Rune’s furious roar not too far off, the dragon probably just having landed. He’s still here.
“Pull yourself together Finn, use that energy to protect them.” Bane growls, his voice almost more wolf than human. “There are more coming and I have no idea if we’ve got any backup.”
“There goes your great plan, mister leader.” Kit sounds strangled, like his voice isn’t working right. “What did you expect to happen, exactly?”
I can hear them all, but are they harmed? Did my fire hurt them? What’s going on? Why is the darkness getting worse? My grasp on reality is starting to slip.
I feel Phoenix’ lips on my forehead, her warm breath against my skin. “We’re all safe and unharmed, for now. Your fire doesn’t hurt us, I promise you, you can’t hurt us with your fire. You just rest. They’ll take care of the rest. We’ll protect you now.”
I wish I could ask more, say more. I need to see them, but everything turns black, the exhaustion too much.
And then everything goes silent…
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Next in this series: Legacy (Lughnasadh Elite Academy 4)
Don’t want to stop reading? Grab your copy of the next book!
Legacy (Lughnasadh Elite Academy 4)
One act of desperation, two princes in dire situations.
The first day of the new academic year started pretty normal for Litha, between hanging out with the princes and Phoenix and going to her first class it all seemed perfectly simple, but it ended horrifically wrong with Litha, Kit and Rune locked in a room at the succubi cafe, surrounded by fae soldiers. As they broke free, Litha sacrificed herself to save the woman she’d always thought of as her grandma.
In the fallout after Litha’s magnificent magical attack, things become even more grim as Litha, Phoenix and the princes are surrounded by the rest of the fae army, who are now slowly closing in on them through the thick smoke. They can’t see the soldiers, but they can hear them come closer.
The five have to stand their ground, protect Litha and her grandma, and try not to get killed before backup reaches them. But when the fae soldiers reveal their new weapons, things get even more dicey. Will they make it out? And in what condition?
Legacy (Lughnasadh Elite Academy 4)
Try next!
While you’re waiting for the continuation of the story about Litha and her harem, here are some other stories of mine you can try out!
Here are three choices I think you may enjoy, depending on why you love this story!
If you like New Adult angst with broken boys and their damaged girls, try out my Skylar Heart titles, starting with Shattered:
Shattered (Damaged Hearts 1)
LIZZY
I should have known he was trouble when I watched him drive his motorbike onto campus, leaving a trail of people whispering as he made his way into the Art Building.
* * *
Word around here is, he doesn’t date. So why do his eyes keep following me? Why does he want to talk to me?
* * *
Rumor has it, Hunter’s good at two things: making art, and getting into fights. I love art, but I can’t stand violence. I’ve been on the receiving end of it too many times.
* * *
My life is simple, it needs to be if I want to graduate and keep my eating disorder at bay… I sleep, I eat, I go to class and I definitely Do. Not. Date.
* * *
So why do I feel so safe in his strong arms?
* * *
HUNTER
She’s like a spooked little mouse. Not my type at all. Until she looked up at me and I was caug
ht in her azure eyes.
* * *
But I won’t let her get close. In the last four years, I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved. I will never trust anyone ever again. The second I do, I’ll find myself alone again. So, what’s the use?
* * *
So I create big metal installations, I go to class when I feel like it, I drink and get into fights at the bar.
* * *
I have to stay away from Lizzy, because my darkness will only make hers worse. I know I have to, but that isn’t what my heart wants. When I see the pain in her eyes, I can’t resist her. I want to help her, touch her…
* * *
Protect her.
Shattered (Damaged Hearts 1)
If you’re into some paranormal romances between sexy men, try out my Rosa Swann titles, starting with His to Protect:
His to Protect (The Vampire’s Past Trilogy 1)
No matter how much you try to leave your past behind, it doesn’t always leave you…
* * *
Sean
After being hired for my dream job, I move back to the small minded town where I grew up, for the job and to finish my degree.
I’m surrounded by my past, by old classmates, old neighbourhoods and old prejudices against gay people.
But on my first day back, my eyes fall on something new around here. A goth guy sitting at the front of the class and I can’t keep my eyes off him.
Even though I don’t know him, I feel like I need to protect him, no matter what.
* * *
Jules
I can’t stay in the same place for too long. People start to notice that you don’t age, that you don’t get older, and add to that that the chance of vampire hunters finding you gets bigger the longer you stay…
I know that I’m running out of time in this town. I need to move on. I just need to finish my degree and then I can leave and start over somewhere else.
But when my housemate/blood donor turns on me and forces me to leave, I suddenly find myself asking for help from the new guy in our class.
Leaving doesn’t look as appealing anymore…
His to Protect (The Vampire’s Past Trilogy 1)
If you want to try out some more girl-on-girl loving or just cute small-island romances, then my Emily Engberts titles may be more to your liking, starting with Second Chance at Christmas:
Second Chance at Christmas (Seasons on the Island 1)
Josie doesn’t want to spend yet another Christmas as the only single adult at the family dinner. So, instead, she books a week long holiday to her favourite island. Ready to spend it doing what she loves doing most, long walks on the beach with her dog and reading novels in front of a fire.
What she hasn’t counted on is running into her old summer fling, the one girl she could never forget.
* * *
Sanne is freshly heartbroken, and instead of having to deal with her parents’ pitying looks over Christmas dinner, she decides to still go on the winter holiday she’d booked, even if it means going on her own. She can entertain herself well enough, and maybe some fresh air will clear her head of all the darkness from the last months.
But when she sees Josie at the cafe, she can’t help how her heart beats faster or how much she wants the other woman to hold her.
* * *
What starts as a shared meal at a cafe, followed by the first snow of the season, could turn into much more.
They lost their chance of being together when they spent the summers on the island as teens, but can they take it now that they’re adults?
Can they take the chance amid knee-high snow and Christmas decorations?
Second Chance at Christmas (Seasons on the Island 1)
About Layla Heart
Layla Heart loves sexy romances and has a particular soft spot for broken boys and their damaged girls. When she’s not reading or writing steamy stories, she loves to nap with her two cats, preferably under a fluffy blanket, and play videogames. She has studied literature and creative writing but often finds that the couple of classes she took on coding is much more of a help in this new adventure as an author.
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For social media, check the Easily Distracted Media page on the next page.
About Easily Distracted Media
Easily Distracted Media is a publisher/brand name for a group of pen names from one author. Each pen name gives a slightly different ‘flavour’ of story, but they’re all highly emotional, focusing on close connections between friends and chosen family.
E. Engberts, Queer Scifi Young Adult stories.
Emily Engberts, Lesbian Romance stories (18+).
Emmy Engberts, Queer Young Adult Romance stories.
Skylar Heart, Straight Contemporary Romance stories (18+).
Rosa Swann, Gay Romance stories (18+).
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Published by Easily Distracted Media
As E. Engberts (Queer YA Scifi)
BASE Status: Online
BASE Status: Update
As Emily Engberts (Lesbian Romance, 18+)
Second Chance at Christmas
A Card for Valentine’s
A Blooming Spring Love
As Emmy Engberts (Queer YA Romance)
Her Elysium (Flowers and Keyboards 1)
The Other Dress (Flowers and Keyboards 2)
Colour Her (Flowers and Keyboards 3)
As Layla Heart (Reverse Harem Romance, 18+)
Lughnasadh Elite Academy Serial
As Skylar Heart (Straight Romance, 18+)
Shattered
Unraveled
As Rosa Swann (Gay Romance, 18+)
Lunar Pack Serial
Feathers and Microphones Serial
Mated to the Alpha Serial
The Baby Pact Trilogy
Second Chance Mates Serial
Making a Family Serial
Omegas’ Destined Alpha Serial
The Vampire’s Past Trilogy