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TERA'S AWAKENING by Kelly Maher
In a world that is dying, Tera Fitzpatrick leaves her sanctuary for one last mission to attempt to save the final forest on Earth. She knows it's a fool's run as she has gone up against mining magnate Darius Hadides before and lost. Darius has his own reasons for obtaining the Torgon Forest, and allowing Tera to breach his company's security. His immortal father Hades, king of the Underworld, set events into motion that Darius has spent millennia trying to correct. Tera is the key. Now that a prince of the Underworld is ready to claim a woman of the earth as his bondmate, the Earth's future will be decided. EXCERPT |
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Darius saw the decision warring on her face. When the disgusted look in her eyes won out, he forced his facial muscles into stillness so as not to grin.
"Very well. I must be able to leave by tomorrow afternoon, however. I have...people waiting to hear from me." "You will be able to contact whoever you want, whenever you desire. When you leave my estate will be entirely your decision. I do hope I can persuade you to extend your stay with me, however." She snorted. Why a woman who obviously didn't care how she appeared to him would appeal so strongly was a phenomenon he looked forward to exploring. Tera Fitzpatrick had been a steady thorn in his side for years, but he'd long ago inured himself to irritations, and had ignored her. For the most part. Every once in a while he caught her picture on the news reports and her looks intrigued him. Soft sable hair curled at the edges of her sharply defined jaw. Eyes the color of the darkest sapphire met the censure of the world head on. Her passion for the beliefs she spoke out on excited him. He'd wondered at the strength of his attraction since he first saw her. Wondered if, even through the distance of technology, he'd finally caught sight of his bondmate. Now he mused, would she accept such a pairing? Run screaming into the night? Or strike him dead as the avenging angel she could be? What would it be like to harness fire such as hers? This world was slowly dying, thanks to that bitch Demeter, and most of the planet's population had died off, relocated to other planets or eked out a minimal existence on what was left. Those who had remained seemed to pass through their lives in a catatonic trance, taking one plodding step at a time until they died and were delivered to his father's realm. Except for this woman. Her jaw firmed as she jutted it out. "Let's get going." He traced one finger along the tender skin. Pricks of pain bloomed on his inner lower lip. Focusing, he retracted his teeth before speaking. "I will call my driver and notify him we are on our way." Crossing the room, he paused at his desk and tapped the communication unit, calling Jean–Michel. The man's dark face filled the screen. "Yes, sir?" "Meet me at the back entrance in five minutes. I have a guest accompanying me to the estate." "Very well." Darius disconnected. He moved behind the console and slid open a door. Extracting his case, he glanced over to where Tera still sat on the settee. "Tera?" "What are you?" "I'm afraid I don't understand your question." She stood and walked over to his desk, her gait economical and firm, just like the woman. "You allowed me into your private office and now are taking me to your estate. At any point you could have stopped me. We both know it, so don't bother to deny it. You're a man who has never been photographed as far as I've been able to determine. Considering how hard it was to obtain what little information on you I have, I can only conclude you're a man who values your privacy and security. Why open yourself to me now when I've been chasing after you for years?" Why indeed? He skimmed his gaze down her body. His cock automatically hardened. He dismissed the base reaction. Any man viewing her would respond the same. A glow surrounded her. She was purity of spirit, the promise of a new day and passionate fire in one package. How could he not want her, he wanted to ask. And that was a question he could not risk asking if he didn't want to scare her away too soon. She truly did remind him of Persephone. Mama Perse had the same freshness of soul, despite living with his father and her mother. Darius loved and respected his father, but even he acknowledged Hades could be a right bastard most of the time. "It is the time." "What on earth does that mean?" He smiled. "Come with me and find out." Kelly adores dreaming up stories starring delicious men and daring women, and has published with Amber Heat, Phaze, and Ellora's Cave. Find out more at kellymaher.com. |
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