by Lizzy Ford
“Dusty around?” Jule asked.
“Probably in the gym with Darian,” Bianca answered. “We’ll see you for dinner, Yully?”
“Yes, of course,” Yully answered.
Jule led her away, and Bianca returned to the railing. Yully looked up at Jule again.
“You ever think we have a lot to learn about each other?” she asked.
“We do,” he confirmed. “But I know what’s most important about you. The rest we can discuss over a lifetime.”
“I like that idea,” she said, surprised to find she did. “I kind of have your soul, don’t I?”
“No kind of about it. You claimed me the first time you touched me,” he said with a smile.
“Okay, good.” She didn’t have to wonder about him as she had her father. She’d never known what would set him off, or what would earn her a blow. Jule was right; she’d learned who he was in the alley, when she’d first touched his soul. He’d never hurt her, ridicule her, or think she was the freak of nature her father called her.
“What’re you thinking about?” he asked.
“I’m glad I tried to turn you into a rock a few days ago,” she replied. “And just as happy I failed.”
Jule winked and opened the door to the gym. Several Guardians used the rows of machines or free weights while a few were gathered around the boxing ring in a corner. She recognized Damian and Darian as they neared and crept closer to Jule at the sight of the strange man with red glowing eyes. Two more men, one she recognized from the cottage, and another with darkly handsome Hispanic features, stood watching two Guardians box.
“Hi Yully.” Darian was the first to spot them. Something had changed with him, too, and she sensed the subtle power that hadn’t been there at the monument.
“You here to kick Darian’s ass again?” Damian asked with an easy smile. She reddened and shook her head.
“This little thing beat you up?” the man with the chiseled features asked.
“And Jule,” Darian pointed out. “She shot him and ran him over.”
“It was a misunderstanding,” she managed, her face hot.
“Jule kicks my ass every time we spar. I’m okay with you running him over,” the man with the cool blue eyes said.
“I was human at the time,” Jule responded. “Yully, you’ve met Damian and Darian. This charmer is my brother, Dusty, Bianca’s mate. Bianca’s sweet and cute, and Dusty’s … Dusty.”
“Everyone likes Bianca,” Darian added. “She doesn’t tell people what to do.”
Dusty eyed the wiry man coolly, and Damian chuckled.
“This is Toni, one of Dusty’s Guardians. And this … thing-- ” Damian indicated the man with red eyes “-- is Charles. He’s one of the Black God’s men, an exchange student, here for a few weeks.” The exchange student was growling at her.
The positive energy around the four men was contagious, and she found herself drawing it in. Unlike the cold rain of her father’s energy, theirs was warm and cheerful, like her bond to Jule.
“Do you always glow?” Darian asked curiously.
“No, sorry.” She pushed their energies away self-consciously at the sudden silence and sets of eyes gazing at her.
“You’re probably tired today, but when you’re ready, you’re welcome to spar with us,” Dusty offered. “Jule says you can fight pretty well.”
“It’s good stress relief,” she replied.
“I need your man for a few minutes,” Damian said. “You’re welcome to stay.”
“We can spar,” Darian said. “I have my honor to regain.”
Yully smiled and shook her head again. “I think I’ll go see Bianca’s horse,” she said, more interested in the animal than being under the intent scrutiny of the Guardians.
“I’ll catch up with you,” Jule promised. He kissed her forehead and released her.
Yully left the gym, feeling as if she’d entered a new world. She drew a deep breath, stilling her nerves, and crossed to the paddock. Bianca was gone, and the horse dozed next to the fence. Curious about the great animal, Yully approached the fence. The horse’s eyes opened, and it lifted its muzzle over the top of the railing. She rubbed its forehead and leaned forward to touch its neck, marveling at how soft its hair was. Absorbed by the horse, she didn’t feel the hair on the back of her neck rise.
“Found you.”
She turned to face the small man and gasped. He looked like her father, only his eyes glowed green where her father’s had been purple. She took a step back, uncertain what the man was but aware her instincts were at a scream.
“The Other had you hidden well,” the man said. “This is the first time I’ve been able to find you.”
“Got him.” The low growl drew her attention behind her, where the red-eyed man materialized beside Damian. She pressed her back to the railing.
“It’ll be the last, Watcher.” The White God’s golden eyes were liquid and swirling as his mate’s had. His power sizzled around him.
“She is too powerful for this realm, Damian,” the green-eyed man said.
“Bullshit. You want to use her as you have the rest of us,” Damian said. He stepped forward and motioned her behind him. “You can have her over my dead body.”
“And mine,” Jule said and materialized with two others. He held out his hand, and Yully went to him.
“And mine,” Dusty said.
“Mine, too,” Darian echoed.
Yully listened, breathless, to the strangers who vowed to protect her from a threat similar to her father. After a lifetime of rejection, she’d found a home with the very people her father warned her against.
“This has been a long time coming, Watcher, but don’t come back,” Damian said.
“And if you come near my mate again, I will show no mercy,” Jule added in a quiet tone that promised action. The Watcher frowned, his gaze going from Damian to Jule.
“So be it,” he said at last. “If this is the path you choose, we will not assist you when the Others come. We will look upon you as enemies.” He disappeared in a wink of light.
Yully’s heart soared higher than she thought was possible. She looked up at Jule, whose features were grim. A couple of them were talking quietly, but she didn’t hear them, instead unable to fathom that anyone would find her life worth protecting after her father hadn’t. Jule squeezed her hand.
Near tears, Yully tugged away from him and ran into the house. She navigated her way to her room before she started crying. She hadn’t cried in years, unless it was out of pain from a particularly bad beating. The tears spilled fast and hot, but they weren’t tears of anger or sorrow.
Jule excused himself quickly from his brothers and trotted after her. He felt her distress through their bond and suspected the Watcher upset her.
“You don’t have to worry, kiri,” he said, pushing the door to her room open. He sat beside her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m not,” she managed. “I’m happy.”
“You don’t look happy.” He laughed. “You look like Charles with those red eyes.”
To his surprise, she pulled away from him and smiled, a brilliant sight that made her eyes sparkle and face glow. Yully wiped her tears and flung her arms around his neck, fluttering hundreds of kisses across his face.
“I have a home,” she whispered. “You really are mine. He can’t hurt us this time.”
“For as long as you want me.” He closed his eyes, enjoying her affection and her emotion.
“I know. I think I’ve always known,” she said and rested her forehead against his. “I think I’ve loved you since I stole your soul.”
“You stole my heart, too, kiri,” he added. “I’ve never met anyone as sweet as you. Nothing bad will ever happen to you again, Yully, I swear this to you.”
“I trust you, Jule.”
Jule cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her deeply. Yully opened herself to him, and he shivered as their souls, then their bodies, met once
again.
The War of Gods series
Damian’s Oracle (October 2011)
Damian’s Assassin (November 2011)
Damian’s Immortal (December 2011)
The Grey God (May 2012)
The War of Gods 2011 Holiday Bundle (December 2011)
Sneak peek of rising young adult author, Julia Crane’s
Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles
For my mother.
Thank you for sharing your love of books,
and teaching your children to use their imaginations.
- Julia Crane
* * * * *
Prophecy: An elfin child on the side of the light will be born with the gift of sight. He will be the son of a great warrior. His father will lead the great battle with his son by his side. This child is the only chance the elves have to avoid extinction.
"The Book of Elfin Prophecy"
Compiled 112 BCE
CHAPTER 1
Keegan’s call echoed in Rourk’s mind as he was finishing his set. She always came to him when he least expected her, after which he was unable to focus on little else but her. His hands gripped the bar tightly and he tried to ignore the pull of her thoughts. He tried to focus on training, on the cold steel and the smell of sweat in the room--anything that could take his mind off of the one girl who owned it.
Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and unclenched his jaw, quickly finishing up the set. He had to force his hands to uncurl from the bar; it was almost painful. The tips of his fingers were bloodless; a fine metaphor for how Keegan usually made him feel. He wiped his face and tossed the towel in the bin--the rest of the workout would have to wait for tonight.
Using one of his secondary gifts, he closed his eyes and visualized her face. It was nothing for him to picture her, to bring her into focus like a high-powered lens. Rourk smiled. She was at her favorite spot; a private corner of paradise on her parents' land.
Her beautiful auburn hair blended in with the fall leaves that surrounded her. The dress she wore was pale green and ankle-length, flowing ethereally around her body so that she was like an oasis in the rust-colored woods. He watched a smile spread across her face as she inspected a rock from the creek, and laughed when she slipped it into her camera bag.
The first time it had taken him hours to navigate to her location. When the pull came, it was now just a twenty-minute hike through some woods.
Grabbing his bag, he jumped in his old beat up truck and headed towards her, probably driving a little faster than necessary. It was an urgent need to be near her when he heard her call, so he could never get there fast enough.
When he reached her location, he climbed the rugged terrain hastily. The dirt had the loose feel of earth unpacked by human feet; with every step, he sank a little, hindering his progress. The sun sparkled through the canopy above him, illuminating the path he forged through the trees, though it didn’t offer any warmth in the cool afternoon. A branch scraped him across the face and he impatiently pushed it to the side, hardly caring whether it had left a mark. Finally, he reached the top, bursting through the tree line and into pure daylight.
Rourk stood rigid, his lean body tensed as he looked over the edge of the rugged cliff. Why do I do this to myself? I shouldn’t even be here. She’s killing me. I have no self-control.
In the elfin society, life mates were predetermined using complicated methods to ensure ideal matches. The secret of this formula had a need-to-know basis; meaning he would never know how Keegan was chosen for him. There were many creatures in this world, but his kind held their secrets close to their chest.
There were certain rules his kind had to follow. One’s lifemate may have been chosen at birth, but the first and most important rule was that they could not meet until they both turned 18. Growing up knowing that one’s other half was out there waiting brought a sense of comfort to Rourk. Ordinarily, neither knew their other half until they became of age. Their society believed it was better this way so they could enjoy their childhood.
So how did he find her?
Someone had told her his name. She pulled him closer to her each time she thought of him. It was as involuntary as breathing. When he was younger he could resist with ease. As he got closer to being of age, curiosity got the better of him. Sometimes he wished he’d resisted so he didn’t have to endure the agony of waiting now. Although, he knew he loved seeing her even if it caused him pain.
Keegan was standing on the rocks, the water rushing around her feet, with camera in hand as usual. One minute, she skipped across the rocks like a child and the next she would stop, a look of total concentration taking over her face. That was when she started snapping photos.
Staring at her, Rourk squatted and rested his hands on his knees, wondering what she saw through her lens. He watched as she jumped from a rock and slipped, her arms flailing as she almost fell into the water. His heart lurched. A strong need to protect her filled his body, and if her laugh hadn’t echoed up to him like music, he was poised to jump in after her. But instead, her face broke into a huge grin as she steadied herself and continued to take photos. He relaxed, content to stand and watch her for hours.
Rourk didn’t even know her name, but he knew he’d never seen anything so magnificent in his life. Her wavy hair glistened in the sunlight. She had a delicate face that was round, with large blue-green eyes and full lips. With her cheeks flushed from the cold fall air, she reminded him of a porcelain doll. He knew all too well, though, that looks could be deceiving. She looked sweet and innocent, but it was her eyes that gave her away. They were bold and daring, constantly observing her surroundings. Rourk smiled to himself; she would soon belong to him.
It took a lot of self-control not to approach her, but Rourk knew that would be breaking the rules. He accepted that they were in place for a reason. He had to be patient. Their time would come. Unfortunately, she was over a year younger than he, which meant he would have to wait longer than he would like. He pondered this as he watched her pack up, lovingly storing her camera away in its bag with her hair falling over her face. It wasn’t until she had disappeared down the path to her house that Rourk finally turned and left.
***
Keegan sat at her small black desk looking through the photos she’d taken that morning. Her hair had been driving her crazy for the last hour, falling over her face with nearly every movement, so she pulled it into a bun. Securing it with a pencil, she continued to study the shots. She noticed there were a few decent ones she could add to her Tumblr page; she had a small circle of followers there who seemed to enjoy her pictures as much as she loved taking them. She loved photography. Life was nothing more than a series of moments and a picture could capture that moment.
Her moments often felt empty. Sighing, she turned her head to gaze out the window, her chin resting in her hand as she let her mind wander. If she had Rourk, maybe she would feel...more fulfilled. All she knew about her partner was his name. Thaddeus, her brother, was a seer and he had told her when she was younger. He said if she ever felt that she was in danger to think of Rourk’s name.
Of course, she thought his name often, even when she was not in danger. She loved the sound of it: Rourk. She believed he would be a powerful warrior like her father, but she wouldn’t know for sure until they met. It was possible he could turn out to be a seer like her brother or a healer like her mother. There were many powers passed down through their elfin bloodlines.
Keegan smiled, leaning back in her seat to prop one barefoot on the edge of her chair. Most humans automatically imagined elves as Santa Claus’ little helpers with enormous ears and fuzzy green tights. This could not be further from the truth. Seriously, she had never met an elf that worked for Santa.
Evolution had allowed them to blend in with the humans. The females tended to be smaller than average. Most were only between 4’9"-5’2" tall. The part about pointed ears was true. However, their ears were pointed in a cute way, and not overly large like those in m
ost mythology projects. Due to the fact that their ancestors were from Ireland, the elves tended to have reddish hair.
Her room didn’t look like an elf’s room that was for sure. Two of her walls were pale lavender, a color complimentary to the vivid emerald green of the other two. She had posters of her favorite bands and several of her favorite snapshots framed all around the room. The bed was large with a fluffy purple comforter and four fat pillows upon which a few of her childhood stuffed animals were propped.
And there was the light, lots of daylight from her windows. Her room was her safe haven, almost as much as her spot in the woods...
Keegan was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening downstairs. It was too early for her parents to be home and her pesky brother was at Sam’s house. Quickly she closed her eyes and pictured the front door, and what she saw brought a smile to her face. It was Anna, one of her best friends.
Anna had been trying to sneak up on her since they first met in the fourth grade. Keegan debated with herself whether or not to let her succeed this one time. Smiling to herself, she knew that was not an option. She focused her mind and felt the familiar tingling throughout her body that came with using her gift. She was in no hurry because Anna couldn’t see her-- invisibility was Keegan’s main power. Personally, she thought it was the coolest ability in the family, but the others did not agree. Her mom thought it was ironic that invisibility was her ability because Keegan always wanted to be the center of attention.
Down in the kitchen, Anna wistfully looked around. She loved coming to Keegan’s house. It always felt so inviting; there was a certain calmness about being there that radiated throughout. It was probably the soothing sound of the rushing water from the massive wall fountain, or maybe it was the energy from the crystals collected by Keegan’s mother. Whatever it was, the moment she stepped through the door a sense of serenity washed over her.
