by M. A. Nilles
"Nadia."
She ignored him, determined to stand up for Je'Kaoron…somehow. Even returning to tell High Lord Je'Dron might be too late.
But that didn't mean Kaelen couldn't.
She halted and turned to see him marching through the grass to meet her. "Return to High Lord Je'Dron and inform him what's happened."
"I'm not leaving you."
"Hah! You've already proven that's not true." She turned and hurried after the retreating demonlords, as much to do something for Je'Kaoron as to get away from Kaelen and the threat of succumbing to the ghosts of the past that returned with him to haunt her.
Heavy steps crunched through grass behind her.
"That wasn't my choice."
Damn liar, it wasn't. Only one man had stood by her and never once pretended to be something he wasn't, and he was drawing further ahead of her, about to be skewered for fighting against the oppression that ruled their world. Nothing Kaelen could say would change her decision, despite her fear of what Je'Rekun's allies might do to her.
"Nadia. This isn't our fight."
"Yes, it is. Why are you still with me?" She quickened her steps to keep pace with the pack ahead. The least she could do was to learn where they were heading.
"Maybe I still care. I don't know."
She let out a huff. "You never cared. It was all about embarrassing me, making me seem weak and unfit to be a demon hunter. I was just a game." The betrayal cut through her, pushing her after the demonlords. She didn't want to be alone with Kaelen and hear his excuses.
One of the tigers looked back with a warning growl.
"They'll kill you," Kaelen said from her side.
"At least I'll die for a friend…something you might learn from."
"Nadia. Nadia, wait."
A hand clamped on her arm pulled her to a stop. She tried to pull away, and when she couldn't, she put her fighting skills to use. He was not holding her back.
Kaelen blocked and moved with her, avoiding punches. When she thought she might finally have him, he twisted and caught her around her throat with his other arm. Thick and hard, his muscles tightened around her throat while he held her wrist twisted aside.
With her free hand, Nadia clutched at his sleeve, aware that he was stronger, and calculated how to escape. Her quickness had always been her advantage, rather than size. She had slackened in her training too much in teaching Je'Surana.
But she had the dagger.
Her right hand dropped to her side. Kaelen squeezed her throat and twisted her arm, distracting her from her attempt.
"Listen to me," his voice ground in her ear. "Forget the dagger."
The demonlords drew farther from them through the trees. Loneliness crept through her at the prospects of losing the only man who had actually ever cared about her.
"I didn't leave you willingly. It wasn't my choice." Kaelen paused, his swallow loud in her ears. "Yes, I was ordered to…to show how weak you were as a woman, but I didn't object for the same reason many of the men at the training center wouldn't have objected. You were one woman, but we could have gone into Kinaan for the satisfaction of a woman. Unlike them, I saw something intriguing—vicious determination and gentleness. I was the one seduced by this young woman, but Commander Rovan saw it, saw us, and knew it wasn't a matter of me using you as he ordered. He sent me away and threatened to kill you if I said anything. It wasn't my choice, Nadia."
Anger burned through her and welled in her eyes. "You had a choice." She choked on the secret still buried but stirring to rise by the revival of memories and heartache. "If this is your apology, it's too little too late."
He let out a heavy sigh and relaxed his hold.
Taking advantage of his slack and needing to flee that part of her past, she twisted to escape his hold and raced through the trees to reach the demonlords. A storm rose inside, a storm of secrets and emotions that could not be reconciled with his supposed confession. For all she knew, he lied to try to use her again.
But he hadn't taken the dagger when he could have.
It made no difference. He had still been selfish, thinking only of himself and his career than what would become of her. He could have saved her instead of leaving.
She had overcome that part of her life and would not go back. They had all used her, Kaelan and Commander Rovan to discredit her as a woman demon hunter and the sorcerers to add power to their damned weapon.
No more.
She was her own person. She would live for herself and prove them all wrong. She would play a part in saving that world, even if no one else believed it could be done.
Lord Je'Kaoron had believed, had risked his life many times and risked the heartache of a child who loved him to build a better world for that half-blood child's future. And in the short time Nadia had known him, he had shown her a new way of seeing their world.
And she would fulfill Je'Surana's request to protect him.
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Continued in Part 2
Release schedule (preorders available at some retailers):
Part 2 (August 10, 2014)
Part 3 (August 24, 2014)
Part 4 (September 7, 2014)
Part 5 (September 21, 2014)
Complete Novel (Parts 1-5) (October 5, 2014)
If you would like to read more in this world while waiting, pick up TIGER BORN from your favorite retailer.
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To keep up on new books in the Demon Age series or other books by M. A. Nilles / Melanie Nilles, please visit melanienilles.com/contact.html to sign up to receive notifications of new books and be entered to win author giveaways.
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Other books by M. A. Nilles / Melanie Nilles:
TIGER BORN (Demon Age 1)
LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON: PROPHECY
LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON: FIREBLOOD
LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON: LEGENDS
LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON: LEGACIES
LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON: DESTINY
STARFIRE ANGELS
(Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 1)
BROKEN WINGS
(Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 2)
CRYSTAL TOMB
(Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 3)
ORIGINS OF DARK ANGEL
(Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 3.5)
FOREVER DARK
(Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 4)
WHEN ANGELS CRY
(A Starfire Angels Novella)
SORIEL
(Starfire Angels: Revelation Book 1)
DECEPTION
(Starfire Angels: Revelations 1.5)
PHANTOMS
(Starfire Angels: Revelations Book 2)
SHARDS
(Starfire Angels: Revelations 2.1)
A TURN OF CURSES
AT THE WATER'S EDGE (Adronis #1)
BENEATH THE CRASHING WAVES (Adronis #2)
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About the Author
M. A. Nilles is the darker side of Melanie Nilles. She currently resides in central North Dakota with her family, cats, and her horse. Her published works under the name Melanie Nilles include the Starfire Angels series and Adronis series. Her works as M. A. Nilles include the Legend of the White Dragon epic and Demon Age series. More can be found at www.melanienilles.com.
