by Quinn Loftis
Surrender
Book 3 The Elfin Series
Quinn Loftis
Published by
Quinn Loftis
© 2015 Quinn Loftis Books LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher
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Photography KKeeton Designs
Dedication
This one goes to everyone who had to put up with me while I was pregnant and writing this book. You each deserve meddles for your constant patience and ability to keep from throwing me out of a window. God bless you all.
Acknowledgments
As usual, there are so many people to thank when finally finished with a novel. Always, first and foremost I thank my Savior, Jesus Christ for loving me, blessing me and being my rock. Thank you to my husband, Bo, for being so incredibly supportive, tolerant, patient and loving, not to mention incredibly helpful. Thank you to my copy editor…who just so happens to be my husband. Your insight and ability to wade through all my crap writing is what makes it good enough to publish. Thank you so much. Thank you to my Beta readers. Your input and ideas are invaluable to me and have made this book so much better. Thank you to all of my friends and family who have constantly supported me and cheered me on. And thank you to the readers. Without each of you deciding to give my books a chance, I would not be able to do what I do. Thank you for taking your time, money and emotions and spending them on my books. Thank you for all of the messages, emails, Facebook posts, tweets and other shout outs that you all send me. Whether you know it or not, it makes a difference when the readers share their thoughts with the author so please keep it up. There really isn’t enough gratitude I can express for those who have read my books and shared them with outhers. I am truly humbled by you all.
Other Books by Quinn Loftis
The Grey Wolves Series
Prince of Wolves
Blood Rites
Just One Drop
Out of the Dark
Beyond the Veil
Fate and Fury
Sacrifice of Love
Luna of Mine
Piercing Silence (Novella)
Dream Makers Series
Dream of Me
Dream So Dark (coming soon)
Elfin Series
Elfin
Rapture
Surrender
Gypsy Healers Series
Into the Fae
Wolf of Stone
Jewel of Darkness (Coming Winter 2015)
Stand Alone Works
Call Me Crazy
Surrender Synopsis
“So I just might die a virgin after all. That’s what sucks about the end of the world, you just don’t plan for it and once it’s upon you it’s too late. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had time to actually write anything down, which sucks because more has happened in my life in the past three weeks than it has in all my seventeen, (soon to be eighteen) years. So I’m going to give you a quick recap, because my diary is totally a living breathing thing and really cares…not.
Basically we are on the run from Lorsan, the dark elf king, while also looking for the Book of the Elves, which he stole (butt head), while at the same time attempting to shut down the sale of Rapture, a liquid drug the dark elves devised to enslave the human race. If you ask me their goals are a little lofty, but then nobody asked me, and therein lies their problem. But our problems don’t end there. On top of trying to get Rapture out of the human realm and taking out Lorsan, we also have to rescue Cassie’s parents. Apparently there’s a dark elf who is delusional and believes Cassie is his Chosen reincarnated. So naturally he thought kidnapping her parents would win her heart. Loser. What happen to love notes and flowers? Anyways, now you’re caught up, roughly. The point is, life is about as jacked up as it can get at the moment. I would like to be able to give some Braveheart worthy speech and say that we totally got this, but honestly, I have no idea if we can pull this off.” ~ Elora
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Prologue
“Things are not always what they seem. Though the world may seem like it’s coming to an end, okay, so in this instance things are exactly what they seem. Sucks to be us.” ~ Elora
From the Diary of Elora, half dark elf extraordinaire:
So I just might die a virgin after all. That’s what sucks about the end of the world. You just don’t plan for it and once it’s upon you it’s too late. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had time to actually write anything down, which sucks because more has happened in my life in the past three weeks than it has in all my seventeen (soon to be eighteen) years. So I’m going to give you a quick recap, as if my diary is a living breathing thing and really cares. I’ve told you about Trik―the dark elf assassin that Cassie, my best friend, has fallen for. Apparently elves have these things called Chosens and it’s like their soulmate or whatever. Well Lorsan, the dark elf king, didn’t like his favorite assassin being distracted by a human especially since said human was causing Trik to have a conscience. It kind of puts a dent in a wicked king’s plans when his assassin stops killing the people the king wants dead. Trik comes to realize that he doesn’t want to be the dark elf assassin anymore for a couple of reasons. First, because he has Cassie and second, because the Forest Lords, those are the creators of the elves, came to see Trik and reminded him of who he is—or who he was supposed to be. Okay, so hold onto your butts because this is going to blow your mind. Okay, maybe it won’t because really what do you care about the elf people? Trik is the one true king of all the elves. Long story short, he got dethroned, went into exile, and has been a douche for the past few centuries. Fast forward, Lorsan wants Trik dead. Trik wants to reclaim his throne and help heal the rift between the light and dark elves and Cassie is meant to be his queen. Of course, that means Trik had to be all caveman and drag Cassie to the altar, not that she gave up much of a fight (no fight at all actually). They got hitched and meanwhile little old me found out a few other interesting things as well.
First, I am not just human. Just blew your circuits, didn’t I? Turns out dear, old, departed dad was a dark elf. My mom, Lisa, totally went for the bad guy. For some reason, I’m not surprised. That means that Oakley, my brother, isn’t fully human either. On top of finding out that I’m not fully human, I also found out that I’m a Chosen to a light elf warrior, who I call Cush. Why, you ask? Because his real name means butt cushion. Okay, maybe not that exact translation but you get the idea. We had a rough start because we’re both as stubborn as hobbled mules, but we finally realized that not only are we destined to be together but we actually like each other. Go figure.
Basically we are on the
run from Lorsan, while at the same time attempting to shut down the sale of Rapture, a liquid drug the dark elves devised to enslave the human race. If you ask me their goals are a little lofty, but then nobody asked me, and therein lies their problem. But our problems don’t end there. On top of trying to get Rapture out of the human realm and taking out Lorsan, we also have to rescue Cassie’s parents. Apparently there’s a dark elf who is delusional and believes Cassie is his Chosen reincarnated. So naturally he thought kidnapping her parents would win her heart. Loser. What happened to love notes and flowers? Anyways, now you’re caught up, roughly. The point is life is about as jacked up as it can get at the moment. I would like to be able to give some Braveheart worthy speech and say that we totally got this, but honestly, I have no idea if we can pull this off. If this turns out to be my last entry, then I have to say that at least I get to go out with a bang and a hot elf as my boy toy. Cush just asked me to write that he is not my boy toy, however, I got the hot part right (eye roll). We’re off to save the world. Don’t wait up for me.
P.S. I have to rub it in that Cassie’s dark elf carries a quiver. My warrior carries a sword. Can you guess who got the short end of the stick (pun totally intended). Cassie, if you live and read this, I love you, but you know I can’t be anything but brutally honest. Bye.
Lorsan looked down at the book he held in his hands. It had been a very, very long time since any elf had actually seen The Book of the Elves. It was finally his.
“How did you get it from him, my love?” he asked his Chosen who stood across from him with a smug smile on her beautiful face.
Ilyrana held her hand up and examined her nails as she spoke. Her voice was light, as though she was talking about the latest fashions of the human realm, and not an ancient, powerful book. “Tarron made the mistake of returning to his home away from home. He thought we didn’t know that he had a place of his own in the human realm.”
Lorsan pinched the bridge of his nose as all of the centuries of living weighed on him like bricks being stacked one on top of the other. He had lived a long life, and yet he wasn’t to give up until he had all the power he deserved. “He also forgot that at one time we employed the greatest spy our race has ever seen.” He looked over at her, taking his eyes off the book for the first time since she handed it to him.
“It took some convincing, but once he realized that there was no way I was letting him leave alive, he handed it over. He did seem to be in a bit of a hurry, however. When I questioned him about it, he simply handed over the book and told me he would be checking in with you later. He said he had loose ends to tie up.”
“Where is a good spy when you need one,” Lorsan muttered.
“Apparently, too busy attempting to gain control of our race,” she answered, though she knew the question had been rhetorical.
“I hope that Tarron hasn’t lost his mind and done something foolish.”
Ilyrana let out a cackling laugh. “You assume that he was ever in his right mind, king of mine. You, of all people, know that Tarron is a step beyond wicked. You’d be better off hoping that he hasn’t started making Rapture on his own and passing it out to the humans like candy. He hates humans more than any other elf I’ve ever known.”
“If your mate had been human and had rejected you, then you might also harbor the tiniest bit of ill will.”
“I didn’t say he doesn’t have a good reason for disliking the humans,” she pointed out. “I’m simply saying that his hatred goes a step beyond just words. Tarron is not one to sit by and just let an insult go. It may have been centuries ago that his Chosen walked away from him, but he has not forgotten. Like any good hunter he has been patiently waiting for the opportunity to strike.”
“I just hope his endeavor to exact his revenge doesn’t interfere with my plans,” Lorsan bit out.
His Chosen waved her hand as though batting away a fly. “I don’t think you need to worry about that, my love. If there is any one he hates more than the humans, it’s Triktapic. His jealousy of our former assassin runs deep. Once he has taken care of whatever plan he has fleshed out, he will be going after the self-pronounced king. Who knows, he might even solve that problem for you and kill Trik himself.”
Lorsan shook his head. “We’d be better off looking for a new chemist than believing that Tarron has the power to overtake Triktapic. Even I would be a fool to underestimate him. He is sly, cunning and fearless.”
“Perhaps, but he also has something he has never had before,” she pointed out.
Lorsan brow dipped low as he tilted his head and looked at her. “What?”
“Something to lose.”
Chapter 1
“I met the man of my dreams tonight. Well, he actually isn’t a man. He is an elf. He is amazing and mesmerizing. I can’t imagine my life without him but even as wonderful as he is, I can see a darkness that lives in him. I want to think that I’m enough to keep him from letting that darkness rule his heart, but I don’t know if that’s true.”
~From the diary of Lucy Tate
He wanted to curse his wretched queen for interfering with his plans, but Tarron knew it wouldn’t do any good. He didn’t have the time to pick a fight with Lorsan. He had more personal things to deal with. The Book of the Elves wasn’t going anywhere and at least he knew its whereabouts. Besides, he doubted that Lorsan would be deciphering its secrets anytime soon. He would just move on with the rest of his plans and worry about that after. His mind drifted back to those plans and a tight smile stretched across his face. Yes, he had more important dealings and it started with his prisoners.
Tarron glared at the two humans that sat bound and gagged across from him. They looked every bit like the filthy stuffed pigs they were. He didn’t even like having to touch them to tie them up, but it was a necessary part of the job. They were the key to getting what he wanted, who he wanted.
“Your daughter is beautiful, even though she is human,” Tarron sneered. “I suppose that’s not her fault. Like her great-grandmother, she is a product of her DNA. I can’t very well hold that against her, unless she chooses incorrectly, of course—just like Lucy did.” The name was like acid on his tongue.
Even after all those years, thinking about her still hurt. Like a wound that refused to heal, he ached for her. He remembered the night he’d walked away from her like it was yesterday. Her voice was as vivid in his mind as if she was standing there before him.
“Why would you want to stay in the human realm and age until you died when you could live with me in my realm and be immortal?” Tarron asked his Chosen.
“I don’t know if I can make you understand, Tarron. But there is beauty in life that is fleeting that you can’t find in a life that is endless. Pain hurts worse, but the joy that comes after the pain is indescribable. Sometimes the night seems endless but then the morning comes and the beauty of the sun rising, its rays bathing the land in its warmth, makes the night worth it. Knowing that one day I will die, that I will leave this world and all that it is, makes me appreciate it more. I don’t think I could feel the same way if I had an endless amount of time before me.”
Tarron was trying to understand her point of view, but he just couldn’t understand why anyone would choose death over an eternity with the one you were meant for.
“You are right,” he admitted. “I do not understand. All I hear you saying is that you do not want me. You do not want your soul mate.”
Lucy shook her head. “No, that is not what I’m saying. I’m saying that I want you to stay here with me and experience all of those things with me. Wake up with me every day and live it like it could be your last. Gaze at me as though it might be that last time you see me. Kiss me with the passion of one who will not ever taste my lips again. I am not choosing this world over you; I’m simply asking you to share our life together in this world. I want to give myself to you, but I want you to be willing to give yourself to me.”
The memory faded like an aged photograph left in the sun and
his mind was brought back to the present. Part of Tarron wished he had said yes, that he would have stayed with her, lived out their life together and then died with her. But he hadn’t, and he couldn’t have regrets. Eternal life was way too long to live with regrets. So he had walked away, turned his back on his Chosen and dealt with the pain. It had dulled some over the century, but he attributed that to the bitterness he felt toward her.
Few elves survived losing their Chosen. It wasn’t an immediate death; it was far worse. Once a Chosen was taken, the soul withered, cut off from its other half. It was even worse if the bond was completed but Tarron hadn’t completed their bond by mating with her. Had that happened, then the outcome might have been a little different. As it was, he simply turned all of his energy into figuring out a way to destroy humans. They were weak, fickle creatures. Lorsan had thought that Tarron worked for him. Stupid king. As if someone could control him. He hadn’t let his Chosen control his destiny and he sure as hell wouldn’t let a king.
After decades of study and trial and error, he’d finally come up with something as inconspicuous as a simple liquid—a drink—but it would be the downfall of the humans. Rapture, made from plants found only in the elfin realm, was as addicting to humans as their most intoxicating illegal drugs. Tarron had managed to get the drink distributed in all of the casinos owned by the dark elves. To the humans it was simply an exciting new drink. Little did they know, that with every sip, their bodies grew more and more dependent on it―most to the point of violence and desperation. The dark elves wouldn’t even have to lift a weapon against the foul creatures. The humans would destroy themselves. It was a brilliant plan, if he did say so himself.
Tarron was pulled from his thoughts when he saw that the human male was trying to say something. He reached over and pulled the gag out of his mouth. “What?” he snapped.