Ascending Passion

by Amanda Pillar

  “Correct.”

  “And you are unfallen?”

  “Also correct.”

  “Why are your wings black?” Asha leaned forward. That wasn’t part of the employment survey she had prepared, but she wanted to know. She was nosy. Sue her.

  “I was kidnapped from Heaven, and my wings cut off by Infernus demons. When they grew back, they were black.” Her voice was cold and precise.

  She’s not lying.

  Asha had a spell in place to detect that. She tapped her lip with a pencil. “You were formerly a member of an angel squadron called the Darts?”

  “Yes. I was their captain.”

  So dispassionate, like she was reciting facts, and not one of the most devastating events of her life.

  Asha could relate.

  She checked her survey. “Why do you want this role?”

  “Because I don’t want to go back to Heaven, and Hades seems like the least objectionable Hell-lord.”

  Not exactly the answer she was hoping for.

  She ticked the box labelled ‘Self-preservation’.

  “You could work for an assassination guild. Or one of the larger demon clans.”

  “I am an angel. That would be like painting ‘target’ on my forehead and walking into an archery range.”

  She has a point.

  She wrote down, ‘Good with metaphors’.

  “Do you have any administrative experience?”

  “No. I was a solider. I’ve always been a solider.” Dina paused, as if sensing she hadn’t said the correct answer. “But I can learn.”

  “How you feel about the dead?” Asha asked.

  “As in dead bodies or ghosts?”

  “Both.”

  “I have no objection to either,” Dina replied.

  “And killing people?”

  “I excel at it.”

  Asha ticked the box next to ‘Psychopath’.

  “And finally, what is your allegiance to your other Darts?” Personally, Asha liked them. Hell, she’d partied with them into the wee hours of the morning.

  “I have none.” Her expression closed off even further.

  Wow. Okay. Asha had thought the angel was emotionless to begin with.

  So that had been candor.

  “Perfect.” Asha understood having allegiance to others, but if Dina was going to become her P.A.—what? She was super-busy—then she should be loyal only to her. And Hades.

  But mostly to her.

  Asha stood, and Dina followed suit, the movement so graceful it reminded her of kabuki dancers. She held out a hand for the angel to shake.

  Dina took it, her grip cool and dry.

  “You’re hired.”

  The End

  ***

  Dear Reader,

  Firstly, thank you for reading Ascending Passion! I hope you enjoyed Yael and Rowan’s story—they both had a lot of growing to do, and found each other in the process.

  But I bet you’re wondering, who’s next?

  Well, I am currently working on book five, Secret Passion, which will be due out early 2020. It will feature the silent and sensual Raze, paired with our sneaky demigoddess, Asha Himm. Oh, and we’ll get to see more of that sexy, sexy Hades.

  I hope you enjoy the rest of the Heaven’s Heart series and thanks for your support. To find out more about the series, you can visit my website here.

  Also, if you join my VIP Readers Newsletter, you’ll get an exclusive free short story, which is set in my Graced series world! (And if you need something to read between Heaven’s Heart books, consider checking out my Graced series.)

  All the best,

  Amanda Pillar

  P.S. If you enjoy my work, please consider leaving a review. Even a few words is enough. It helps a lot.

  P.P.S. I’ve included an Author’s Note on the next page, for those of you who want to know a teeny bit more about the archaeological background.

  Author’s Note

  This is a work of fiction, but I tried to keep the historical and archaeological facts as truthful as possible, without being too boring. Archaeology is a painstakingly slow profession, filled with far more paperwork than is healthy. I should know, I’m an archaeologist.

  But the Eighteenth Dynasty in Egypt was one of the most fascinating periods, I think. It had at least three—maybe four female pharaohs—plus Akhenaten (formerly called Amenhotep IV), who is the first person on record to introduce monotheism as a belief system. He and his family worshipped the Aten, the sun disk, and he eventually erased the other gods from worship. After his death, his queen, Nefertiti, is thought to have taken on the role of pharaoh and ruled as Neferneferuaten. Although new research has said Neferneferuaten was potentially one—or more—of her daughters.

  Akhenaten revolutionized the Egyptian religion to such an extent, that after his and Neferneferuaten’s death, his son, Tutankhaten, changed his name to Tutankhamun (with Amun being a traditional sun god) and returned the religion to its former glory.

  And we all know who Tutankhamun is; the boy king with the intact tomb.

  However, sadly, Akhenaten and Neferneferuaten were removed from the official king lists, and were later described as ‘the enemy’. We know of them simply because his abandoned city, Amarna—the brand-new capital he created to worship the Aten—was discovered by archaeologists, a veritable treasure trove of information.

  So, with so many interesting historical figures to pick from, why did I choose Twosret?

  And yes, she was a real pharaoh.

  I decided on her for two reasons: one, because she is one of the few pharaohs from the Eighteenth Dynasty whose mummy is yet to be identified. And two, because she was a female king.

  In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was not only a king, but a god, Neter Nefer. While the role was typically filled by men, the title wasn’t gendered. Women took the mantle from time to time, and Twosret was one of them. Her reign was short, all of three years, at the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty, and like Akhenaten, her successors wanted to obliterate her name from history.

  Currently, her tomb has yet to be found, although archaeologists suspect they may have discovered her remains in KV14, in the Valley of the Kings. However, her identity is disputed.

  As for the two new tombs that were discovered in this novel, they haven’t been found yet and are unlikely to exist (but who knows!). There is one unexcavated tomb in the valley—found through G.P.R.—and archaeologists are planning to excavate it when they can. Here’s hoping it’s Nefertiti!

  Acknowledgements

  Ascending Passion was a long book to write, done madly during my daughter’s naps. As usual, there are plenty of people who deserve thanks. Firstly, I’d like to thank my husband Tom, who gave me the time to write this book. I also want to thank my wonderful beta readers Joanne Danton and Kel Carpenter, and my eagle-eyed editor Pete Kempshall. As always, you are invaluable in the creation of my work. And last, but certainly not least, the real Kayla Perkins. You died well.

  More by Amanda Pillar

  Heaven’s Heart

  Book 1: Deadly Passion

  Can two assassins outwit each other to claim the ultimate prize?

  Dru is a blood-bound assassin, tied to Hell and her master for eternity — okay, not ‘eternity’, but it sure as Hell feels like it. She’s got a slight attitude problem, a strict no-touching rule and she has claws and knows how to use them. She’s also willing to earn her freedom at any cost, even if that means stealing from an angel.

  Azrael was once a member of an elite unit in Heaven’s army, but after a priceless artifact was stolen on his watch, he was thrown out of Heaven. Now the fallen angel is on a mission: find Heaven’s Heart, save his missing comrades, and get even with the angel who took his wings.

  The first time Azrael and Dru meet, she leaves him for dead. The second time, they’re tasked with the same mission — retrieve Odin’s Orb. Will their sparking passion derail thei
r best-laid plans? Or will they play for keeps?

  Book 2: benevolent Passion

  Peony has traded one Hell for another.

  As a qualified doctor who only ever dreamed of helping people, being kept as a slave and then sold as breeding stock for Mortus demons was never on the cards.

  Freed from imprisonment, Zadkiel is an angel on a mission: find Heaven’s stolen Heart and save the demon who helped him when he was a captive. But Z is suffering from a mystical illness no one can cure… Can he stay alive long enough to achieve his goals?

  Together, Peony and Z will need every ounce of their combined strength to survive the Mortus stronghold and find the key to Heaven’s Heart.

  Book 3: Winged Passion

  Once an angel, now a blood slave.

  Seraphina would do anything to protect her fellow Darts—even become a blood slave. But can an angel survive living in the depths of Hell, surrounded by demonic killers?

  Trick’s entire life is a lie, which is exactly how he likes it. Ruler of the Halcyon Guild, he is one of the most powerful demons in Hell. But for the first time in centuries, he’s been outwitted—and by a damned angel.

  His bad luck doesn’t end there. Hades has a mission for the guild: one only Trick and Seraphina can complete. The catch—they have to complete it within a week or their lives will be forfeit.

  Can Seraphina and Trick set aside centuries of prejudice and work together, or will their pride see them both destroyed?

  The Graced Series

  Graced

  Vampires suck.

  Well, that's the nicest thing city guard Elle Brown can say about them. Her opinions of shifters aren't much better, either. And her second full time job—keeping her special little sister safe from either race—has just gotten harder, now that the vampire Dante Kipling, has taken an interest in Elle’s life.

  Dante is a scientist fascinated by human anatomy. Despite his last two experiments failing, he is convinced that the answers to his questions lie within Elle Brown. Though he’s been told to stop his experiments, he’s convinced that humans with special eye colors are different, and he’s determined to find the proof—even if it means risking his and Elle’s lives.

  Captive

  Civilization has ended.

  Vampires, werewolves, and the Graced are at war with their human creators, and humanity is losing. But Laney might hold the key to salvation. Held captive with her fellow humans by alpha Wolfgang and his pack of weres, Laney secretly inches ever closer to breaking were and vampire blood dependency forever.

  But Laney doesn't have long. Their numbers decimated by plague, humans are being kidnapped and reduced to livestock. And when Laney and her sister are abducted by a neighboring vampire clan, their only hope lies in Wolf—who doesn't know the shocking secret Laney has gone to great lengths to conceal.

  Survivor

  Too stubborn to die.

  Billie Young is a human city guard with a troubled past—she was kidnapped, tortured and almost killed by vampires. Though she survived, it’s left her scarred and damaged. Now, she trusts no one, and is focused on finding her attackers.

  Vere Radcliffe is a vampire spy who answers directly to the king. Recently returned home from a year abroad, he’s at loose ends, waiting for his next mission. But trouble is brewing in the city, and Vere is asked to investigate the abduction of a city guard and the murder of several other humans. But as the hunt closes in, the killer takes someone close to Vere’s heart.

  Bitten

  Being the coroner has suddenly become the toughest job in town.

  Doctor Alice Reive has more bodies and fewer answers than normal, so she’s determined to find the murderer responsible before another vampire ends up dead. With the help of the vampire Dante Kipling and city guard Elle Brown, she races to track down the killer.

  Hannah Romanov has spent hundreds of years living on an isolated mountain. One of the only Graced vampires in existence, her quiet life is thrown into chaos after she discovers a baby left in the wilds to die. Hannah will do anything to ensure the infant’s survival, even if it means travelling to a city plagued by murderers and filled with vampires who’d want her dead.

  Ashes

  Aria Ash shouldn’t exist…

  Born to a were mother and vampire father, Aria Ash is the perfect blend of two races, and in their world, that’s a death sentence. Hunted for as long as she can remember, she now hides in plain sight in the city of Skarva, and will do anything to keep her secret safe.

  Sebastian Talien is an alpha were with a troubled past. Ever since his pack went rogue and tried to kill three innocent pups, he’s been dedicated to rescuing children in need. Now an invitation has him heading to Skarva, to help a child he thought he’d failed…

  About Amanda

  Amanda Pillar is an USA TODAY Bestselling Author and award-winning editor who lives in Victoria, Australia, with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

  Amanda has had numerous short stories published and has co-edited the fiction anthologies Voices (2008), Grants Pass (2009), The Phantom Queen Awakes (2010), Scenes from the Second Storey (2010), Ishtar (2011) and Damnation and Dames (2012). Her first solo anthology, Bloodstones, was published by Ticonderoga Publications in 2012. The award-winning sequel, Bloodlines, was published in October 2015.

  Amanda's first novel, Graced, was published by Momentum in 2015. The stories Captive and Survivor were also released in 2016, followed by Bitten and Ashes in 2017. She has also launched the Heaven’s Heart series, which will total six books.

  In her day job, she works as an archaeologist.

  You can go here to sign up to Amanda’s mailing list for future news and free reads, or visit www.amandapillar.com for regular writing updates.

  Cover Design: Yocla Book Cover Designs © 2018

  Internal Layout: Amanda Pillar © 2019

  Edited by: Pete Kempshall

  First Published August 2019

  The moral rights of the author has been asserted.

  All characters in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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  The book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.