by Zoe Ashwood
It’s for the best. Nora Moss isn’t for me, and she has two men already. She doesn’t need me, not with all the baggage I’d bring to the game. And if I ever tried to introduce her to my family… I snort, imagining how Tinna would react if I brought a witch—or rather, two witches and a vampire—to a family dinner. That would not go over well.
I drift down the river, lazily paddling with my webbed feet and find myself enjoying the quiet night despite the less-than-tasty water. I compromise by shutting my mouth and poking my nostrils out of the water. It’s dark, and only a few boats are still on the river, so it’s easy to avoid detection. The water ripples enough to hide my scaly back, and besides, whoever saw me would just assume I was a crocodile or a particularly large fish.
The route downstream will take hours, but by the end, I’ll hopefully be rehydrated enough to manage the flight back to Iceland.
And when I arrive… It’s time to face my brother and demand he take responsibility for his actions. Time to regroup and find the second token—at the location that’s burned into my palm. I have my suspicions about where those coordinates lead.
A frisson of worry worms its way into my stomach, so I swallow a massive fish that swims by, chomping down on its sweet meat. Not as good as Icelandic salmon, but then nothing compares to that. It takes away the immediate discomfort of thinking of the ancient ruins hiding beneath the waves.
If I’m right, and the Scottish witches actually found the sunken city, this is something our clan will have to deal with, and fast. The thought of witches slinking around our ancient homeland is repulsive, and I won’t bother the queen with it until I’m sure what’s going on.
My wings flare out, and I swim downstream faster, eager to reach Cairo and return home. I push a certain witch out of my thoughts, too.
There’s no use dreaming about what can’t ever happen.
… To be continued.
Thank you so much for reading Cursed in Love! Nora’s story continues in Captured in Love, which you can preorder now!
And if you’d like to see Nora as a younger witch, I have a special treat for you:
Jinxed in Love is a freebie prequel novella that takes place just before Nora went on her first date with Raphaël. Get it here - or email me at [email protected], and I’ll send you the link!
Read on for Chapter One of Tempted, a Reverse Harem Romance featuring one witchy heroine, Skye, and three hot sea dragon heroes!
If you enjoyed Cursed in Love, I would appreciate it so much if you could leave a short review on Amazon, Goodreads, or BookBub! Every review counts and I’m so happy to see them!
Thanks so much, and I’ll talk to you soon!
xo, Zoe
Tempted
CHAPTER ONE
Skye
The plane shudders, and I grip the armrest to my left so hard, my knuckles turn white. I hate flying, so much so that I once drove from San Diego all the way to Massachusetts, but I couldn’t take my car this time. Driving to Alaska is pretty much impossible if you own an old VW Beetle.
On the seat to my right, a man snores, oblivious to my distress and to the very real possibility that my freaky magic could erupt at any moment and send us all plummeting to our deaths. I glance down at my wrists. Okay, my bracelets are still in place, so we’re safe for now. Probably.
There are so many electrical appliances and gadgets on this plane, my power would tear through them in a second if I let it. Being in close proximity to so much tech is painful even without access to my magic.
I take deep breaths like my sister taught me. Inhale, one, two, three, four, exhale, one, two, three, four. The thought of Alice brings tears to my eyes. I wonder if our relationship will ever be the same after the last couple of months. It’s only been half a day since I left her house, but I miss her already.
Touchdown in Anchorage is uneventful, and I finally let myself believe that we made it. All the passengers and crew are still alive. Maybe I should get a bottle of champagne to celebrate. My budget won’t allow that until I finish the work I’ve come here to do, so I give myself a mental pat on the back and count my blessings.
The moment I step out of the airplane, I take my first gulp of Alaskan air. It’s fresh, crisp, and, most importantly, it doesn’t smell of unwashed socks. The job I’m here for required me to pack up my bags in less than two days, but after I’m done, I have no plans.
A harried mother with two children in tow clicks her tongue behind me, so I hustle down the steps and onto the cracked tarmac. I’ve just spent half the day on planes, and for the second leg of the journey, had to hold my breath. The man seated next to me apparently didn’t believe in showering.
The line of people leads me to the airport shuttle waiting to carry us to the terminal building. I take care to stand as far away from my former neighbor as possible and let an elderly woman have the last free seat. Princess Penny is snoozing safely in her carrier. She’d been a real trooper on both flights so far—probably because I’d given her enough doggie treats to send her into a food coma.
I clutch the carrier close to my chest and try not to jostle the other passengers. It’s a short ride to the terminal, where they herd us through to the luggage carousels. The screen above ours flickers to life, and I feel the electricity spark inside it. Being in close proximity to so many electronic appliances is torture. Their systems are all wired differently, and it’s jarring to sense them all around me. But the exits are almost within reach, and I only need to wait for my suitcases before I can escape.
The dog carrier gets heavier the longer I hold it, so I put it on the floor and dig my phone from my purple backpack. The case has Hello Kitty on it, a gift from my sister. It’s her I call as soon as the phone turns on.
“I’m here,” I say, keeping my voice down.
“Good.” The word comes on a sigh, as though Alice had been holding her breath for the entire time I’d been airborne. “How was your flight?”
“Smelly.” I wrinkle my nose even though she can’t see me. “But fine. I didn’t short-circuit the plane wiring by accident, so that’s a definite bonus.”
She chokes out a strangled laugh. “You’ve never short-circuited a plane.”
I relax my shoulders with a huge force of will. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.”
Electricity-related accidents happen a lot around me. But I’d put on my damper bracelets before the flights, so my almost nonexistent power was brought down to a complete halt. I’m itching to take them off, but not just yet. I need to be away from people. Sparks flying from my fingers are a definite possibility after wearing them for six hours straight.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Concern lines her voice, and I try not to cringe. She’s been mothering me for the past five months. I know she means well, and she’d saved my ass by letting me stay in her guest room, but I need to do this job on my own.
“Yep,” I say brightly. “All good. I’m excited about this project.”
“Hmm.” She must be puttering around her work room, cups clacking and paper shuffling. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“Will do.” I put the phone between my ear and shoulder and pull the first pink suitcase from the carousel with a big oof of effort. “Gotta go now. I need to find my contact.”
“Call me when you get there,” she yells. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I disconnect and put the phone away, then wait for the other suitcase to drop from the maw of the carousel machine. Wheeling both down to the arrivals gate while carrying Princess Penny is a challenge, but I manage with minimum cursing, and only bang my shin once.
Then I spot the man standing behind the metal barrier, holding up a sign that says SKYE JONES.
And I stop.
I need a moment to just look at him.
His brown hair is closely cropped, his skin tan and golden as if he’s spent the short Alaskan summer outdoors. Even though it’s cool outs
ide, he’s dressed in a gray t-shirt and jeans, the most basic of outfits, yet he wears it like a freaking model. The way his gaze darts around the crowd tells me he’s not comfortable here, and I can’t discern what color his eyes are, but there’s an intensity to him that draws me in.
Somebody jostles me from behind, muttering a swift apology, and I take my gaze off the man to move aside. When I glance at him again, he’s staring straight at me.
His eyebrows shoot up, and I see the moment he notices Princess Penny and my suitcases. The corner of his mouth twitches as though he’s trying not to laugh.
I straighten my spine, grit my teeth, and march toward him, prepared to withstand whatever smart remarks he’ll have about my Pomeranian and my pink luggage.
“Miss Jones?”
I shiver. I can’t help it. His voice, gravelly and deep, rolls down my spine like a caress, and words get stuck in my throat.
So instead of answering, I jerk my head in a curt nod. Making a great impression here, Skye.
“I’m Jack Thomas,” he says, extending his hand. “Aiden—Mr. Andrews—sent me to pick you up.”
I put my hand in his and shake it. My palm disappears in his larger one, and his skin is so warm, I’m sure my own seems clammy and cold in comparison. He gives my fingers a firm squeeze, then releases me, and I resist the urge to wipe my hand on my leggings.
He’s still staring at me, his gaze traveling up and down my body in a way that should feel intrusive, but he’s not leering or ogling my boobs.
In the end, he clears his throat. “Listen, uh, do you have anything more…weather-appropriate? Boots? A thicker jacket?”
I peer down at myself, then up at him. “This is the best I could come up with in two days. Mr. Andrews was insistent on bringing me here as fast as possible.” And I’m not completely unprepared. I brought my woolen mittens and scarf, as well as knee-high socks. Winter in Massachusetts is no walk in the park if you’re a SoCal kid, and I spent three winters there during my time at MIT.
“Give me a sec.” He turns his back on me and calls someone on the phone. “Hey, it’s me. Yeah, I got her. Listen, boss, she, um…”
He glances over his shoulder, his thick eyebrows knit together, and lowers his voice. The crowd of people coming off the Seattle flight I’d arrived on has dispersed, so his words are clearly audible.
“She’s wearing sneakers and leggings,” he mutters. “Yeah. No. I mean, I’m not sure.” He takes in the suitcases again, then squints at Princess Penny through the mesh on her carrier. “I’m betting that’s a no… Okay. Do I use the company card? Cool, thanks.”
He puts the phone away and faces me again. The conversation took less than a minute, and yet I somehow feel he has judged me in this time and passed a sentence based on first impressions only.
“What’s wrong with sneakers and leggings?” I ask.
The sneakers are my favorite pair, special edition teal high-top Adidas, and leggings are a part of my look, always. They’re not the height of fashion, but they’re comfortable, and I will not be judged by some mountain man.
“Uh.” He scratches the back of his head, and I can’t fail to notice the lines of a tattoo on the underside of his arm. “You’re going to need different gear where we’re going.”
“Oh, I have a jacket with me.” I pull it out of my backpack. It’s waterproof, warm, and lined with fleece, and I bought it specifically for this trip. “I checked the weather, and it’s supposed to be nice for the next two weeks.”
He snorts. “Okay, but this is Alaska.”
“Ye-es.” I drag the word out to two syllables. “It’s also August. I read about the average temperatures, and it says—”
“Miss Jones,” he interrupts. “This is an all-expenses paid work trip, yeah?”
I stop and stare at him. “Sure?” The contract I signed for the project had said as much, which was the only reason I’d flown two thousand miles, but I thought that meant airfare and lodging. “What about it?”
“You’re going to need warmer clothes.”
If you’d like to read more of Tempted and meet the rest of Skye’s harem, you can binge-read the entire finished trilogy right now!
Get it today on Amazon and free in Kindle Unlimited.
Acknowledgments
Sometimes, a story grabs you by the throat and demands to be written. This is what happened with Cursed in Love! I’m so happy that I gave in to these persistent characters and wrote their story, because I truly believe this is one of the best books I’ve ever written.
I’m grateful to everyone who helped shape Cursed in Love into this final, shiny thing. Jolie Vines, my first reader and developmental editor, Emmy Ellis, my patient editor, and Lori Parks, my eagle-eyed proofreader, all did amazing work. Dennisa from White Book Designs gave Nora a cover to die for. Thank you! It’s an honor to work with such amazing professional women.
I’m grateful for every single reader who reads my stories. A blogger recently asked me about my greatest writing accomplishment, and I said: The fact that I got fans! Actual readers are reading my books, and that’s the biggest trip of all. Thank you for being here! For reading, reviewing, recommending, and discussing my books. You rock!
And thank you to my amazing family who support me at every step. My husband has been my sounding board, my anchor, my safe haven, for more than fourteen years now. Darling, thank you for watching action movies with me and pausing then when I try to explain plot structure to you. My two boys are the light of my life - and I’m so honored that I get to show them my favorite books and raise them into readers. And my dog, Kili, demands long walks in the woods, where I get the best ideas. You’re all amazing, and I love you so much.
I’m excited to see this series out in the world!
Lots of love!
xo, Zoe
Also by Zoe Ashwood
NORA MOSS
(Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance)
Jinxed in Love, freebie
Cursed in Love
Captured in Love
Freed in Love
SEA DRAGONS OF AMBER BAY trilogy
(Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance)
Tempted
Ensnared
Seduced
NORSE SEA DRAGONS duet
(Paranormal Romance)
Deep Sea Kiss
Deep Sea Love
ICE PLANET RENDU
(Sfi-Fi Alien Romance)
Cold Attraction
Cold Temptation
SHIFT SERIES
(Paranormal Romance)
Bearly Married, freebie
Trust the Wolf
Truth or Bear
Make Him Howl
About the Author
Zoe Ashwood writes sexy paranormal romance for women who believe that magic and true love exist in our ordinary world.
While she’s always been a reader, Zoe’s writing used to be limited to diary scribbles and bad (really bad) teenage poetry. Then she participated in NaNoWriMo 2015 and never looked back.
Some 700,000 words later, she’s still in love with the art of making up stories—and making her characters fall in love.
When she’s not writing, Zoe spends most of her time with her lovely family. She’s happily married to her best friend and has two small boys who are as stubborn as they’re cute. Their dog, Kili, is the fluffiest creature in the world.
The best way of keeping in touch is her newsletter (at zoeashwood.com/newsletter) of Facebook Group (Zoe’s Cabin). You can also find her on social media:
Contents
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
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Epilogue
Tempted
Acknowledgments
Also by Zoe Ashwood
About the Author
