Ever Strange
Page 21
Her father’s lips pressed together, and he was avoiding looking at Taraja, whose silver eyebrows had hiked to the top of her head.
Mercy explained for him. “What do you get out of a piece of bone from someone who was able to perform miracles before the advent of High Magick? Answer: the genome of a genuine Low Magick witch.”
Of course. The genomes of all the families who were strong in magick—like the Stranges—had been mapped. But in an era when nearly everyone had expressed some Talents, the key discriminator—the key genetic expression—was muddied by the pervasive environmental change that came when the background magick flipped into a stronger mode for everyone. Only a Low Magick witch—a saint working wonders when no one else could—might have the genetic key to unlock that mystery.
“Her name was Eliza Cleary,” her father said softly. “She saved her hamlet from starvation during the potato famine. There were rumors she was receiving aid from the British. When she was found to have no such ties, they nearly burned her… but she escaped. It was very difficult to track down the rumors. But an intern from oncology was the one who told me about them originally. Her family lore said she was the great-great-grand niece of a saint from the Low Magick times. That might be a lead.”
Zane nodded. “We can check that out.”
“In the meantime,” Mercy said, looking around their small group, “what do we do with all of this?” The uncomfortable silence that followed was interrupted by a ping on Mercy’s computer. She turned back and brought up a window. A video chat started up, and a moment later, their sister, Verity, appeared on the screen. Her bright red hair and blue eyes were just like their mom’s, and it always struck Ever hard each time she had that thought.
“Hey, Mercy,” Verity started. “Sorry about the radio silence. I’ve met the most amazing spirit-magick guru, you wouldn’t believe…” She trailed off as she realized the crowd that was on the screen. “Oh. I see I’m late to the party. What’d I miss?”
Ever couldn’t help the huff of a laugh, and that broke the tension. Everyone chuckled… everyone except Mercy. She was still dead-eyed serious about the multiple dilemmas facing them.
“Well, Ever’s got a boyfriend,” Nia piped up from the back.
“Nia!” Ever gave her a you’re fired look, but her friend just smirked.
“Well, damn!” Verity grinned. “Good thing I’m on my way home. In fact, I’m about to catch my flight. You can fill me in when I get there!” Then her screen went blank.
Typical Verity—in and out and done before you even knew what had happened. And she had missed completely everything that had happened to their father—his disappearance, being found, the experiments, his Talents. But her brief appearance had managed to reveal Ever’s new status as involved with someone—and had left a wake of questioning looks from everyone else directed at her.
“I was going to tell you,” she announced. “Soon. Ish.” Before she could find the right words to explain, Zane’s phone pinged.
He glanced at it. “I’m going to take this—it’s the MCD.” Then he held the phone for video chat so everyone could see and swiped to answer. Arrow appeared on the screen. “Hey,” Zane said. “I’m here at the research hospital.”
Arrow scowled. “We need a secure line for this.”
Zane frowned, tapped his phone to turn off video, and held it to his ear. “What’s up?” The frown turned darker as he listened.
Ever’s stomach drew into tighter knots as they waited.
Finally, he said, “Copy that,” and swiped off the phone. He paused a moment, not looking at them, then he stashed his phone and looked straight to Ever first.
“Remember how we weren’t sure if all the victims had been accounted for?” he asked grimly. “Well… we’ve got another body.”
Ever and Zane have found their HEA, but the story of the Strange sisters continues with Mercy:
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Leonidas is entranced by Master Shakespeare's theatre and the comely and lusty women of London's bankside. But when he finds a witch in the practice of her art in clear view of the stage, he must act... and never has duty been so sweetly delicious to the touch. He becomes lost in his bed, breaking his own cardinal rule and running afoul of a danger he ought already know...never cross a witch.
Check out Alisa’s sexy Dragon Shifters series… Fallen Immortals
LUCIAN: I am a Dragon Prince of the House of Smoke… and I am dying. Five hundred years is truly enough for a man like me. A monster. Yet a ten-thousand-year treaty will die with me, if I don’t spawn a dragonling to take my place. My two brothers are no use in this task. It falls to me, the eldest by a hair’s breadth, and yet, I cannot face the horror of another sealing. Another death. Another woman’s blood on my hands.
ARABELLA: I was saved from death in a dark Seattle alley by an impossibly beautiful man who swooped in on golden wings. Now he’s taken me to his lair, opened my eyes to a world of immortals I didn’t know existed, and given me an impossible task—find him a mate. Then, and only then, will he set me free.
He needs her more than he wants; she wants him more than she should; and the fate of both the mortal and immortal worlds depends on not just repairing their hearts, but finding a Love that’s True…
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Hot shifters. Military heroes. Sexy witches. Jaxson has to claim a mate or step down as alpha—but his dark secret will kill any mate he claims. Olivia’s a half-witch with a secret of her own. Wolves and witches mix like matches and TNT… and their secrets could destroy them both.
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Check out all of Alisa’s bestselling Paranormal Romance...
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READING ORDER
Dot Com Wolves
* * *
Claiming Mia (Book 1)
* * *
Saving Arianna (Book 2)
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A Christmas Wish (Book 3)
Riverwise Private Security
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Jaxson (Book 1)
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Jace (Book 2)
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Jared (Book 3)
Wilding Pack Wolves
* * *
Wild Game (Book 1)
* * *
Wild Love (Book 2)
* * *
Wild Heat (Book 3)
* * *
Wild One (Book 4)
* * *
Wild Fire (Book 5)
* * *
Wild Magic (Book 6)
Fallen Immortals
* * *
Kiss of a Dragon (Book 1)
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Heart of a Dragon (Book 2)
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Fire of a Dragon (Book 3)
* * *
Chosen by a Dragon (Book 4)
* * *
Seduced by a Dragon (Book 5)
* * *
Touched by a Dragon (Book 6)
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Loved by a Dragon (Book 7)
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Marked by a Dragon (Book 8)
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Claimed by a Dragon (Book 9)
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Of Bards and Witches: Leonidas’s Story (Book 10)
Fallen Angels
* * *
Tajael (Book 1)
* * *
Oriel (Book 2)
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Asa (Book 3)
* * *
Razael (Book 4)
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Micah (Book 5)
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Tempted: Tajael’s Story (Book 6)
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Kiss of an Angel: A Christmas Story (Book 7)
Legal Magick
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Ever Strange (Book 1)
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Mercy Strange (Book 2)
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Verity Strange (Book 3)
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About the Author
Alisa Woods lives in the Midwest with her husband and family, but her heart will always belong to the beaches and mountains where she grew up. She writes sexy paranormal romances about complicated men and the strong women who love them. Her books explore the struggles we all have, where we resist—and succumb to—our most tempting vices as well as our greatest desires. No matter the challenge, Alisa firmly believes that hearts can mend and love will triumph over all.
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