Finally, her tormentor was gone.
She dropped to her knees on the porch.
The hard tears racked her body.
Body heaving uncontrollably, Xander turned to face her, but still, he didn’t attempt to hide his true form.
Across the empty space, their eyes locked.
“You will always be the air that I breathe,” he rasped unsteadily as tears filled his eyes again. “My sweet innocence…I’m forever yours.”
His naked cry filled the heavens.
And in that intense moment, his pain resonated through her.
Then, he turned to face her again.
Her lips moved, but still no words would come.
I love you, he whispered silently.
With lightning quickness, he broke away.
“No, no, no,” she mumbled hoarsely with numbed lips, staggering to her feet. The ragged sobs racked through her as she left the porch. “No! Xander, no!”
The wind tore against her as she ran.
But, still the distance widened between them.
And every ticking second seemed to separate them further.
He reached the crest of the rolling hill.
In a breathless second, he stopped.
“No!” he screamed painfully. “Why is it so wrong for me to love her?”
At once, the ground was afire.
The flames burned along the ground in a perfectly, edged line.
In her heart, she knew that it signified a physical and emotional separation.
“Don’t do this, Xander. I love you. I love you,” she sobbed hoarsely, finally fatigued as she fell to the ground. Her ragged sobs filled the silence as she cried uncontrollably. Still, no comfort came. “No, no. Please don’t leave me!”
The minutes stretched, and the only thing she felt was her inner torment.
Finally, the flames died.
Suddenly, bright light filled the morning again.
The darkness was gone.
A shadow fell over her.
The sun blinded her as she stared up with tear-swollen eyes.
“Xander?”
“No, I’m sorry,” Princeton said quickly, sympathy filling his tone, and then kneeled down beside her. “Maybe things are better this way. If it’s any comfort---”
“He’s gone,” she sobbed quietly. “How could I do this to him? How could I even let him think for one second that I don’t love him? The pain in his eyes, it destroyed me. I don’t want him to feel alone. I don’t want him to be alone. I don’t care about his past or where he comes from. I love him.”
As Princeton hugged her close, she didn’t protest.
Surprisingly, no more tears would come.
Her pain gaze slipped past the burning flames.
In her heart, she’d died again.
***
Hours later, the SUV rocked slightly as they passed over the rugged terrain.
But, still Princeton’s attention was focused ahead as he shifted into low gear.
She glanced out the passenger’s window.
The trees whizzed by slowly.
No life breathed within the deep woods.
Maybe like her, it’d lost the one thing it loved most, she thought dully, catching sight of nothing as they veered onto the graveled road.
“You ok?” Princeton asked, concerned, taking his eyes from the road momentarily as he glanced at her.
“As good as I’m going to be considering the circumstances,” she sighed. “If you see him, you will tell me, won’t you? Promise me.”
Princeton hesitated. “I will.”
The silence deepened again.
Leaning against the doorframe, she stared out the window dejectedly.
For an intense second, her breath caught.
Within the dark woods, he stood.
Their eyes met.
And every feeling they felt, resonated within the space between.
Then, in a flash, he disappeared.
She stared ahead again.
Without him, she’d always be broken.
The stunning conclusion…
Will Nicole and Xander’s love survive?
Available for pre-order on Amazon.com!!!
The Dragon Prince
Of Vale
A Paranormal Love Tale
Pressley James
The Dragon Prince
Of Vale
A Paranormal Love Tale
A heartbroken Nicole Williamson is still reeling from love’s stinging betrayal. Determined to rebuild her life, she vows to forget about the past and the man who betrayed her. But, a vicious enemy has a deadly agenda, however, and she’s hurled into the crossfire of an immortal battle. The danger leads her straight back to her heart’s desire, and once again, she’s entangled within her dark obsession. Once more, she’s falling….dangerously in love.
Embittered, the only thing Xander Sullivan craves is revenge against his latest foe. After losing the only woman he’s ever loved, he’s numb, and only his breathing vengeance fills him with living fire. The stakes are high as he draws his enemy out, but not before he faces a dangerous retaliation. His world is blown apart when Nicole reenters his life, and she becomes an unwitting pawn again in his deadly games. Once again, her love becomes his obsession…and there’s no escaping.
Author’s Note
Indeed, love does make the world go around, and it’s the motivating drive behind my characters and stories. I’ve always been an avid reader, spending endless hours getting lost in the fictional world of heroes, heroines, villains, and such. My love of reading, naturally, transcended into my own writing craft, and it’s a journey that I eagerly want my readers to take. I always enjoy hearing my readers’ thoughts about my stories. So feel free to leave comments on my new Twitter feed.
Happy reading!
@pjamesromance
Other titles by Pressley J!
A Dangerous Masquerade
The Darkest Days
Dragon Reign: A Paranormal Love Tale Page 45
