A Soul for Trouble

by Crista McHugh

When his eyes opened, the first thing they focused on was the scar on the top of her ear.

  He brushed his fingers against it, eliciting the same trembling reaction as before. He traced his own ears. The light touch sent tingles through his body that grew more intense as he neared the tips. A shudder ripped through him. He stopped, jumped to his feet, and gripped the windowsill to steady himself.

  None of this makes any sense. He searched his memory for any information she’d given him about her parents or the pendant. Her father had seduced her mother while she worked in the palace nearly twenty-two years ago, the same time the last Gravarian delegation visited Trivinus. By Jussip, if her father was a member of the Milorian family…

  His breath hitched. He already feared losing her to Loku. Who knew what twisted plans the Milorians would have for her once her heritage was discovered? She’d become a pawn in their games.

  An image of her lashing out her frustrations at her absent father flickered in his mind, followed by her stream of heated words. She wanted nothing to do with him, whoever he was.

  Relief cascaded through him. He’d protect her from the Milorians.

  At least that explains a few things, he thought grimly. Her power, her appearance, her grace and quick reflexes. All signs of a heritage he’d refused to acknowledge until now. When he brought her before the Empress or the Mages Conclave, would they notice? Once again, the name “Trouble” suited her all too well.

  Outside, fat white flakes started to fall from the clouds above. He frowned. No ship would sail from Boznac until the spring. At least it gave him time to research the members of the last Gravarian delegation and learn the identity of her father without raising too many suspicions.

  ***

  Arden’s stomach growled loudly enough to rouse her from her dreams. How many days had it been since she’d last eaten anything? She opened her eyes and lifted her head. The familiar east wing room surrounded her, complete with Dev dozing in the chair next to her bed.

  Her mouth curled up into a smile, and she covered his hand with her own.

  He jumped at her touch. Once he blinked the sleep from his eyes, he leaned forward and searched her face. “How are you feeling?”

  “He’s trying to see if you’ve gone mad.”

  “Have I, Loku?”

  “No, my dear Soulbearer. I promised you I wouldn’t do that to you.” He paused and added, “But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with him.” Laughter welled up inside her, threatening to explode. After everything they’d been through, could she possibly play a trick on Dev?

  “Trouble, why aren’t you answering me?” He tightened his grip on her hand and practically hovered over her. “What’s Loku telling you?”

  “Who’s Loku?” she asked in a dazed voice. “And who are you, for that matter?” A curse flew from his lips. He tried to untangle his fingers from hers, but she held on and yanked him to the bed. He froze as he rolled on top of her, pressing her deep into the soft mattress.

  Dev’s weight didn’t feel as uncomfortable as she’d imagined it would be. Instead, it stirred something deep inside her, dredging up feelings of desire and contentment. Fire raced along the length of her skin where he touched her. She traced the sharp angle of his jaw with the tip of her finger, reveling how strange it felt with its lack of stubble, and inhaled the blend of spices and leather that made his scent unique.

  “Arden, are you well?” He licked his lips, but his gaze never left hers. A hard ridge pressed into her stomach.

  “Ah, see? His desire matches yours.”

  The hunger grew in his eyes, widening the black centers and darkening the remaining green rims into the color of cypress trees. Every muscle in his body tensed. He seemed to be waiting on her.

  She needed to taste his lips, to know if they affected her the same way Kell’s did. “Yes, Dev, I’m perfectly fine here with you.” She lifted her face to close the gap between them.

  “Damn it, Arden.” He shoved her shoulders back into the mattress and flew from the bed.

  Agitation replaced the hunger in his face as he paced the room and ran his fingers through his hair. “What kind of joke are you trying to pull on me?”

  “It wasn’t a joke.” She sat up and plucked the loose threads on the embroidered coverlet.

  “I just wanted…” What exactly did she want?

  A greedy voice inside her mind answered, “Dev naked in your bed.”

  “What did you want?” He stopped pacing and crossed his arms.

  One look at him told her all she needed to know, but she still replied, “I wanted to know if there could be anything between us, if you could feel for me what I do for you.” His lips parted, and the knob in his throat bobbed up and down. Maybe she’d been wrong about him. For several long seconds, neither of them said anything. Then he spun around on his heels and stared out the window. “No,” he said, his voice strained with what sounded like regret. “I’m your protector, Trouble. Nothing more, and nothing less. I’m forbidden to let anything distract me from my duty.”

  “But if you weren’t my protector?” She held her breath while she waited for his answer.

  Her heart strained against her chest, thumping wildly in her ears.

  He blinked several times as he looked back at her. She knew his face well enough now to tell what he was thinking. Fear, confusion, and lust all passed in waves before the smooth mask of composure settled into place. “My oath binds me for the rest of my life. Would you have me lose my honor and go back on my word?”

  A heaviness descended over her and threatened to crush any joy she might have experienced with him. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. “No, Dev, I wouldn’t ask you to do something dishonorable.”

  “Trouble, I—”

  He reached for her, but she retreated. She didn’t want his pity. She wanted something he could never give to her.

  “Don’t give up hope, yet, my Soulbearer.”

  A conversation filtered through the closed door. She heard Kell’s name, followed by the deep timbre of his voice.

  Another curse flew from Dev’s lips. “I was supposed to send for him the moment you woke up.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll pretend to sleep a few minutes longer and wake up.” She lay with her back turned to him and pulled the covers up to her chin. Her body balled into a little cocoon, easing the ache that throbbed throughout her entire being from her bruised pride. “Please, let’s forget this conversation even happened.”

  Heavy silence stretched between them before he answered hoarsely, “If that’s what you wish.”

  The door creaked open, and she closed her eyes. A stray tear leaked out, and she wiped it away on the pillow before anyone could see it.

  “Any change?” Kell whispered.

  “She’s been tossing and turning. I suspect she’ll wake up soon.” Cool fingers stroked her temple and brushed her hair from her face. “And she’ll be just as she was before, Dev. You’ll see.”

  No, she wouldn’t be the same person. She’d fought a necromancer and won. She no longer feared giving herself to one person. She’d opened her heart up to Dev, but he’d crushed it.

  “Go get some food and some rest. I’ll stay here with her for a while.” The mattress sagged next to her, and a pair of arms wrapped around her. Soft velvet rubbed against her cheek. The smell of roses and bay leaf wafted up from Kell’s clothes.

  “Arden, are you waking up, my dear?”

  My dear. The onslaught of emotions that came with those two words almost terrified her.

  When she looked up into Kell’s face, she saw everything there that Dev had struggled to contain, and the ache in her heart intensified. Why couldn’t she have fallen in love with him instead of Dev? It would have made her life much simpler.

  He pressed his lips against her forehead. “How are you feeling?” Lost, confused, uncertain. Those were just the emotions on the surface, but he didn’t need to know that. “Hungry,” she finally answered.

&n
bsp; “I can only imagine. Perhaps we should send for some food?” When Kell made no movement to release her, Dev stomped to the door with his jaw clenched tight and his mouth forming a thin line. He disappeared into the hallway to find a servant.

  “At last, some time alone with you.” He lowered his head, aiming for her lips this time.

  “No, don’t.” She buried her face into his tunic and clung to him. “Please, you promised not to rush things.”

  Instead of becoming angry or frustrated with her like she had expected, Kell gently ran his fingers along her cheek, discovering the lingering wetness there from the one tear she allowed to betray her. He lifted her chin until she met his gaze. The sober light in his brown eyes tore at her conscience. She saw so much of herself in his hurt expression. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

  She pulled away, using her hair as a shield. “Dev is my protector,” she repeated, her words sounding hollow. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

  “He’s a fool.”

  “For once, I agree with the prince.” A pair of invisible arms wrapped around her. “Give Dev time to come to his senses.”

  “And if he doesn’t?”

  “Then forget about him. You already have a man who’s not afraid to love you.” She glanced up and studied Kell. What would have happened if she had met him first?

  Would he have captured her heart? “Kell, I’m sor—”

  He cut her off by placing his finger on her lips. “Don’t apologize, Arden. I knew from the beginning you cared for him. It didn’t stop me from falling for you.” She took his hand in her own. “Please, Kell, what I really need right now is a friend.”

  “Then you shall have one.” He pulled her back into his arms, his hold on her less demanding than before. “I’ll give you time and space if you need it, but I’m not going to stop trying to win you over.”

  The door opened, revealing Dev. He stiffened as he stared at the two of them, his knuckles turning white. Then he swallowed hard, the tension easing from his body. “A dinner tray should be up shortly.”

  The door closed as quietly as it had opened, but Arden would have preferred him slamming the door, yelling at her, showing some display of anger. At least then, she would have known he cared for her. Instead, he appeared to have surrendered any claim he had on her.

  “He’s made his choice. I can’t say I didn’t warn him.”

  “What, Loku?”

  “Never mind. Go back to your prince.”

  “Arden, when I almost lost you, well…” Kell combed her hair. “It made me realize how much you’ve come to mean to me in the past few weeks. And I don’t mean because of your magic. Or your body. I meant you—simply you.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I hope you’re not in any hurry to leave me.”

  Thoughts of getting to Boznac and completing her training filled her mind, but when she followed his gaze out the window, she saw the thick white flakes that danced in the wind outside. “I guess I’ll be spending the winter in Ranello. That is, if your father decides to pardon me.”

  His hazel eyes practically glowed with mischief. “Don’t worry—he will. I won’t stop pleading your case until he does.” His lips brushed against the tip of her nose. “Besides, it gives us plenty of time to take things slowly, my dear.” Her gut knotted at those two words again. She didn’t know where things would go with Kell, but she hoped she would keep him as a friend. She listened to the calm beating of his heart and kept telling herself that things would work out in the end.

  Epilogue

  Dev slammed the door to his room. Loku’s warning mocked him with each step. He’d held his chance for happiness in his arms, and he’d pushed her directly into Kell’s.

  He covered his face, sinking onto his bed. The words had hung on the tip of his tongue.

  He’d almost told her how much he’d come to care for her, how much he wanted to abandon his oath in favor of a lifetime with her. Now she was lying in Kell’s arms, and he was left with this dull ache that threatened to drive the breath from his lungs.

  In truth, he couldn’t fault her. Kell had surprised even him by offering to set her free the other night. He was a good man, someone Dev could respect if he didn’t know that he was a rival for Arden’s affections.

  And Kell could give her everything he could not.

  He rubbed his chest. When did someone who started out as a pain in my ass become a pain elsewhere?

  He drew in a cleansing breath. Things were not as dismal as they seemed. He would just make sure he stayed by Trouble’s side as much as possible during the next few months. If he never allowed her to be alone with Kell, then there was still a chance he could prevent her from giving her heart to the prince. Then once they were back in Gravaria, he’d work on regaining her affections. Maybe one day, he could even be relieved of his oath.

  Dev stood up, brushed the wrinkles from his tunic, and strode toward the portal to her room. He wasn’t going to give her up that easily.

  The Soulbearer Trilogy contines in…

  A Soul For Chaos

  Life is dull without a little Chaos.

  Trouble is more than just a nickname for Arden Soulbearer. It seems to follow her wherever she goes. She mistakenly thought that by moving to Gravaria to learn more about magic and how to control Loku, life would be simpler.

  Wrong.

  Not only is her heart continually torn between the knight sworn to protect her and the prince who woos her with a tenacity she can’t escape, but now it seems that a group of powerful mages have banded together to rid the world of the disembodied chaos god once and for all. Of course, that means they have to destroy Arden in the process.

  Coming December 2012

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for reading A Soul For Trouble. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please leave a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads.

  I love to hear from readers. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter, or you can email me using the contact form on my website, www.cristamchugh.com.

  If you would like to be the first to know about new releases or be entered into exclusive contests, please sign up for my newsletter using the contact form on my website, www.cristamchugh.com.

  --Crista

  Author Bio:

  Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained.

  She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and daughter, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends.

  Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she’s had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant.

  And she’s also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days) For the latest updates, deleted scenes, and answers to any burning questions you have, please check out her webpage, http://www.cristamchugh.com/wordpress/.

  Find Crista online at:

  Twitter: http://twitter.com/crista_mchugh

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CristaMcHugh

  PRAISE FOR

  THE TEARS OF ELIOS

  “The first thing that came to mind upon finishing this book is, ‘Holy Crap! Is that it?!’ I did not want this book to end.”

  — Starcrossed Reviews

  HEART OF A HUNTRESS

  “Warning: you will not want to put this book down once you start.”

  — Happily Ever After Reviews

  ANGELIC SURRENDER

  “The author did such a great job creating my ideal hero that I found myself thinking about him for days.”

  — Whipped Cream Reviews

  KISS OF TEMPTATION

  “As Ms. McHugh moves on with her writing of The Kavanaugh Foundation, I found this story even more spell binding than first two books.”

  — Literary Nymph Reviews

  CAT
’S EYES

  “…an excellent plot with oodles of action and suspense. I could not put it down.”

  — Just Erotic Romance Reviews

  “This is a well-paced, enjoyable read complete with action, suspense, humor, and hot sex.”

  — Night Owl Reviews

  THE ALCHEMY OF DESIRE

  “Crista McHugh did an incredible job of drawing me into the world of magic, steampunk, and old west that she created.”

  — Wakela Runen’s World

  Other titles by Crista McHugh

  The Alchemy of Desire

  “A Waltz at Midnight”

  Cat’s Eyes

  “Danny’s Boy”

  “Provoking the Spirit”

  The Tears of Elios

  Tangled Web (coming October 2012)

  The Kavanaugh Foundation series:

  Heart of a Huntress, Book 1

  Angelic Surrender, Book 2

  “A High Stakes Game”, Book 2.5 (a free read)

  Kiss of Temptation, Book 3

  Night of the Huntress (Print Anthology of Books 1 and 2)

  The Tears of Elios

  by

  Crista McHugh

  Shape-shifters’ Rule #1: Don’t let the humans know you still exist.

  Rule #2: If a human finds out about you, silence them.

  Some rules were meant to be broken…

  Ranealya ruthlessly plays by the rules and has outlived most of her race because of it. If she wants to survive, she’ll have to stick to them, especially with a genocidal tyrant hell-bent on destroying all the non-humans in the realm. But everything falls apart when a human saves her life.

  Gregor knows he’s inviting trouble when he helps a wounded shape-shifter, but he can’t pass up the opportunity to study one before they become extinct. She disturbs the quiet order of his scholarly existence, vexes him in more ways than he can count, and encourages him to break enough of the kingdom’s laws so that not even being the king’s cousin will save his head. The problem is, he’s already lost his heart.