“The Loki who knows where Meg hid her invisible drug.”
I blinked. “Her what?”
I could feel her smiling through the phone, condescendingly and arrogant. “Dulcie did not tell you?”
“If Jax told her anything of interest, I regret we have been very busy since their last meeting,” I responded. “Speak quickly, I am rapidly growing bored with you.”
“Meg and Melchior manufactured a drug with no negative side effects. No effects at all, actually, but also fiendishly addictive, providing the usual symptoms of withdrawal when people try to kick it.”
“In other words, there are negative side effects,” I said blithely.
She ignored that. “The drug is inexpensive to make with a sustainable consumer base.”
“You mean a drug that does not cause people to overdose in ditches or steal money from their grandmothers to feed their cravings.”
“I mean the kind that doesn’t make people die. At least, not as quickly.”
“And Jax knows where this drug is.” I said.
“And how to make more of it.”
“Interesting,” I said. “And you expect me, dare I say, to distribute it?”
“Melchior and Meg are dead. You are the best option we have.”
“Do try to contain your enthusiasm.”
“Meg tried to take over the world the hard way,” she said, her tone suddenly much more severe. “But the world cannot be burnt into submission, it must be… coerced.
“And you think this new drug is the best way to do that,” I asked.
“I don’t think so. I know.”
The door opened and Quillan came striding out, readjusting his coat.
“Yes, well. I just wanted to apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable at all.”
“What?” she retorted.
Quillan pointed to the phone and mouthed, “Who is that?”
I mouthed back “Dulcie” as I said to the woman, “I know, my apologies are no more than sand in the desert, but I hope to instill it as a habit from here forward. Perhaps as you grow accustomed to hearing them, they will gain traction in the realm of your trust.”
“Bram, do not make an enemy of me.”
“I must go. I’ve a pressing date to keep.”
I hung up and stood. “You are finished, then?” I asked Quillan as I gestured toward the open door.
“Yeah, you’re up next.” Quillan was frowning at me, and the confusion was practically written across his forehead by a Sharpie. “Did you just…?”
“Apologize?” I finished for him, adjusting my cufflinks although they did not require adjusting. “Yes, I did.”
“But you… are…”
“Full of surprises.” I flashed him a grin, and he was too bewildered to recoil. “Excuse me.”
With a smile, I strode into the temporary office of the Director of the FBI.
To Be Continued….
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Now that you’re all caught up with the Dulcie series, are you looking for something else to read? Well, HP has the solution!
If you enjoyed the Dulcie series, you will love the Lily Harper series because it’s non-stop action with lots of paranormal creatures, magic, laughs, and sexy romance.
You can either purchase the boxed set which includes the first 4 books or you can try book 1 out and see how you like it. Either way, give the Lily series a shot because I think you’ll really enjoy it!
Purchase the boxed set for just $6.99 because you’ll save $11.00! BOXED SET
Or
Purchase book one, Better Off Dead, because it’s only $2.99! BOOK 1
Read on for a sneak peek from Book One, Better Off Dead, specifically the moment when our heroine, Lily Harper, and Bill, her useless angel guide meet hot but grumpy Druid, Tallis Black!
Excerpt from Better Off Dead
The demon attempted to secure Bill’s arm with its mouth, but Bill jabbed it in the muzzle with his fist before it had the chance. I heard myself scream. Seconds later, I realized my mistake. The remaining demons now all turned their full attention toward us. They cocked their heads like curious dogs, not wasting any time in approaching us. Instantly recognizing their angry demon comrade, their muzzles peeled back to show hideous pointed teeth. Their piercing growls continued to clash with the quiet night air.
“Bill!” I screamed. “More are coming!”
The demon straddling Bill suddenly backed away, pawing the ground as it neared its clan. Turning back toward us, it began growling, just like the others.
“Back yourself up against that tree,” Bill said between clenched teeth, motioning to a pine beside him.
I took the three necessary steps to find my back against the trunk while my heart thundered painfully. Bill walked backwards as well, never allowing his body to expose mine. Guess he wasn’t such a bad guardian angel after all. Well, recently anyway ...
“What should we do?” I whispered, motioning toward the other demons who were now nearly on us.
“We are gonna do nothin’, I'm gonna protect your ass like I was hired to do,” he ground out, taking a deep breath as he swung his arms forward and then backward. He threw his butt into it too, as if he were about to attempt a long jump. And he did jump, but not exactly far. With the accompaniment of a banshee-like cry, he hopped about a foot or so forward, then threw his arms out to his sides, looking like he was in the process of being abducted by an alien spacecraft.
“You’re about ta get some angel retaliation, bitches!” he yelled. He then proceeded to do five jumping-jacks in quick procession, uttering high-pitched yips and whoops until he sounded like the captions from a melee on the old Batman TV series.
The demons simply stared at him, stupefied.
“Woo!” Bill yelled as he pointed his fingers, holding them out before him like guns. “I’m about ta make yer day, douche faces!” he screamed, turning his glowing finger gun at the creature closest to him. “Woo!” he screamed again as he cocked his fingers back. A bright light shot off the end of his hand, combusting into a fireworks show right in front of the demon. The creature roared, doubling over on itself in an attempt to get away from the sparks of Bill’s finger gun.
“Yeah, how you like them angel apples, you little turd monkey?” he called, suddenly spinning on his heel in a Michael Jackson move. “Oooo smack!” he sang, holding his fingers out before him while a flame of white light encircled him. The demons pulled back as he approached, baring their teeth, and trying to intimidate him.
“Yeah, that’s right; smile, and say cheese, bitches,” he laughed, sounding like he’d completely lost his mind. Throwing bursts of light into the sky, he continued raving like a mad man. “Give me some lip, you little demon farts!” Then he faced the Grevels again. “Yeah, you heard me, you smell like Satan’s ass!”
One of the demons pawed the ground, snarling as Bill approached him. But Bill seemed unfazed and continued with his aerobic angel resistance tirade. He jumped up and threw out his leg like he was kickboxing. “Yeah, you want some more, you little gonad sucker?” The demon growled again, pulling its lips back and exposing rows of fierce, saber-sharp teeth. “That all you got, Rainbow Brite?” Bill asked, roaring at it, like he was attempting to impersonate The Lion King. The demon responded by further curling its lip back, to which Bill did the same, revealing his teeth that were about as intimidating as Mr. Ed’s. ”You wanna shit yer last chance undies, buddy?”
The Grevel pawed the ground again, erecting itself
to its full height as it growled louder, steam filling its nostrils.
“Thoir do chasan leat!”
I heard the deep voice coming from behind me and turned so quickly, I gave myself whiplash. But the pain in my neck was a distant memory as words died in my throat. It was all I could do to stare at the stranger, fear already enveloping me. He was, in a word ... intimidating. He was huge—maybe bordering on seven feet tall—easily the tallest man I’d ever seen. And his build was just as threatening: incredibly broad shoulders, offset with bulky pecs, and abs that could have redefined “washboard.” He wasn’t wearing anything besides a black kilt and what looked like Gladiator sandals—leather straps that snaked up his muscular legs. In his right hand he held a sword with an incredibly long blade—the tip of which currently rested in the snow.
Even though his body seemed built for combat, I couldn't pry my eyes away from his face. It was a face that would be very difficult to forget—with chiseled and square lines that didn’t seem at home in the category of “handsome.” In fact, I’m not sure you could have termed this guy handsome because he was entirely too masculine for the word. His eyes, which were currently narrowed on me, were navy blue and hard, just like the rest of him. In fact, hard was a good description. There was a certain hard edge to the frown that contorted his full lips and the scar that bisected his cheek. It ran from the tip of one eyebrow and ended at his jaw line. His short, black hair and olive complexion gave him a certain Mediterranean air, but there was no question as to his ancestry. He was Scottish, born and bred. If his kilt didn’t convince me, his Gaelic did.
The demons immediately stopped their advance on Bill and cowered behind the imposing man, making it pretty obvious that we had more to fear from him than from them.
“Bill?” I asked, turning to ensure my guardian angel was okay. As soon as I peeled my eyes from the stranger, I felt the air catch in my throat as he hurled himself against me. The blade of his sword was suddenly poised underneath my chin.
“Take it easy there, Conan,” Bill said slowly, approaching us with his hands in the air in an appeal for surrender.
“Who are ye? An’ what do ye want?” the man spat out in a deep Scottish brogue, his eyes never leaving mine.
“We came to see the blacksmith,” Bill said slowly, continuing his advance, step-by-step.
“Ye can stop there,” the man barked at Bill, glaring at him before he returned his eyes to me, pushing the blade deeper into my neck. “What business do ye have with the blacksmith?”
“She needs a sword,” Bill answered, in a level and even tone.
I closed my eyes, trying to curb the panic that crested through me, and restrain the sudden sensation that I was going to pass out. I opened my eyes and found that icy, navy blue gaze studying me intently. There wasn’t a trace of warmth in his eyes. The man said nothing, but continued studying me for a few seconds. I still couldn’t find the wherewithal to even breathe, let alone talk.
“Yer name?” he ground out.
I forced myself to take a deep breath, suddenly feeling my heart pounding through my head. “Lily,” I said softly.
“Surname?”
“Harper,” I said automatically, before remembering that I was now O’Shaughnessey. I didn’t correct myself.
The stranger said nothing more. In one quick move, he pulled away from me, dropping the tip of the sword back into the snow. I rubbed my neck, half wondering if he’d drawn blood. When I pulled my hand away to check, there wasn’t any.
“Ye would know if Ah cut ye,” he said in a deep tone, his eyes still narrowed with distrust.
“You know where can we find the blacksmith, He-Man?” Bill asked, inserting himself between the man and me. I had to admit I was impressed by his protective nature. Maybe he was trying to make up for letting me get killed a few hours ago.
The man didn’t say anything right away, but managed to unnerve me with the intensity of his glare. “Ye found him.”
“You’re the blacksmith?” Bill repeated, his eyebrows reaching for the sky. I wasn’t sure why he was surprised. The more I thought about it, this guy probably could have created a weapon in his sleep. His ease while handling his sword only reiterated the fact.
“Och aye, though Ah am far more than ah mere blacksmith. Ah am ah bladesmith.”
“Bladesmith, blacksmith, potato, potahto, balls, testies, gonads, nuts—what the hell’s the difference?” Bill piped up.
The man glared at him in response. “Ah bladesmith is far more skilled than ah ‘blacksmith,’ who hammers oot or casts tools ah soft iron,” (He said it “arne.”) “Ah bladesmith has ta know how ta make ah sword from steel.”
“File that under who gives a shit,” Bill grumbled.
The man took a deep breath. “Ye got ah name, angel?”
It was Bill’s turn to regard him suspiciously, but a moment or so later, he extended his hand. “No handshake rapin’, either,” he warned. “I’m Bill.”
The man made no attempt to shake Bill’s proffered hand, but simply turned on his heel and started walking away, calling back to us over his shoulder. “Mah name is Tallis Black, boot ye will call me Bladesmith.”
Purchase the boxed set for just $6.99 because you’ll save $11.00! BOXED SET
Or
Purchase book one, Better Off Dead, because it’s only $2.99! BOOK 1
Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
Attention all Jolie, Dulcie and Lily fans:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Jolie met Dulcie? Or if Sinjin found himself stuck in a room with Bram? Would Knight, Rand and Tallis get along? Would Bryn want to murder Bill?
Well, you’re about to find out!
It’s with great excitement that I’m announcing a brand new series coming in early 2019.
This series is something I’ve been throwing myself into night and day and it’s going to be BIG! As in epic fantasy big!
And…
It will be narrated by Jolie, Dulcie, Lily, Tallis, Knight, Rand, Bryn, Bill, Sinjin and Bram! Yes, all the characters will be meeting each other in a foreign, fantasy land! I am so excited about this new series and I can’t wait for you to read book one!
If you haven’t already signed up to my email list, make sure you do. Then you’ll be the first to know once I release this epic book!
Sign up to my email list by visiting: www.hpmallory.com
More info coming soon!!
HP
INTRODUCING MY VIRTUAL REALITY/ FANTASY TRILOGY!
West World meets Sherlock Holmes with a touch of Ready Player One thrown in for good measure!
NuLife Trilogy
Book One: Valhalla
As the top detective in her small Alaskan town, Claire Darrow has seen her fair share of cases. But when a distraught widow comes to Claire with the suspicious details of her husband’s death, Claire is forced into new territory—virtual reality gaming territory.
Following the trail set for her by billionaire playboy, Seth Channing (the owner of NuLife, an exclusive VR gaming company), Claire goes on the adventure of a lifetime into the Viking world of Valhalla.
Caught in a web of secrets, lies, attraction, and skeletons from her own closet, Claire heads into a world she never knew existed. Braving treacherous quests, handsome kings, and dangerous computer-generated characters is only half the battle as she sets out to collect the details of the case to decipher whether NuLife is really behind not one, but three murders.
While Claire uncovers more and more layers of the mystery, she begins to wonder if she’s actually playing the game… or if she’s the one being played.
LEARN MORE
ALSO BY H.P. MALLORY
Virtual Reality Series:
NuLife Trilogy:
Book One: Valhalla KINDLE
Epic Fantasy Series:
The Lily Harper Series:
Better Off Dead KINDLE
The Underground City KINDLE
To Hell And Back KINDLE
Persephone KINDLE
Rebirth KINDLE
The Dulcie O'Neil Series:
To Kill A Warlock KINDLE
A Tale of Two Goblins KINDLE
Great Hexpectations KINDLE
Wuthering Frights KINDLE
Malice In Wonderland KINDLE
For Whom The Spell Tolls KINDLE
A Midsummer Night's Scream KINDLE
Grave New World KINDLE
Pride And Poltergeists KINDLE
What Screams May Come
Paranormal Series:
The Jolie Wilkins Series:
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble KINDLE
Toil and Trouble KINDLE
Witchful Thinking KINDLE
The Witch Is Back KINDLE
Something Witchy This Way Comes KINDLE
Be Witched (Novella) KINDLE
The Bryn and Sinjin Series (Spinoff to the Jolie WIlkins Series):
Sinjin KINDLE
The Scent KINDLE
The Gentleman KINDLE
The Flame KINDLE
The Peyton Clark Series:
Ghouls Rush In KINDLE
Once Haunted Twice Shy KINDLE
Brown Eyed Ghoul KINDLE
Book 4 Coming Soon!
The Ice Wolf Series (Co-Authored with JR Rain):
Ice Wolf KINDLE
She Wolf Coming Soon!
Standalone Contemporary Romances:
Bronco KINDLE
The Handbook KINDLE
Mountain Man KINDLE
What Screams May Come Page 28