House of Darken (Secret Keepers Series Book 1)
Page 32
What was happening? Where was she?
Just as I was straightening, a creak from the living area sent a shot of adrenalin through me. I froze and unfroze almost in the same instant, crossing back to the door. I took two deep breaths, ducking my head out to look along the hall.
Holy fuck…
A man filled the doorway to the condo. I mean filled to the point where there was no space around him and he had to almost bend himself in half to fit inside. I was tall, but he had to be at least six inches taller than me. Our eyes locked across the room. Since the door had swung open, all of the adrenalin hitting me, everything had felt like it was going in fast forward. But right then I couldn’t move.
He stepped inside, untangling himself from the doorframe, only to find that the ceiling in the rest of the place wasn’t much higher. With a scowl, his body hunched forward and he took another step toward me.
“You need to come with me. You’re in danger.”
His accented demand was low and husky. For an instant I craved to hear some sort of music or song from his lips, because he had a voice like an instrument, deep and rich, vibrating right through my body.
“Did you hear me?” The snap of his question knocked me out of my stupor, and managing this time to ignore the way his voice made me feel, I sent a scowl right back at him.
He took another step toward me and I straightened, shifting into a fighter stance. “Who the hell are you? Where is my mom?”
Those intense eyes remained on my face. I couldn’t even tell what color they were; the lighting was shit in here, but they looked dark and … somehow also light at the same time. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a man like this before. He looked a few years older than me. He had a shaved head, a crap-ton of ink – from what I could see – very well-toned biceps and chest muscles. This dude was ripped, and yet, despite his bulk and height, he moved smoothly, which was the most worrying thing so far. Every now and then there’d be a fighter like him in the gym. They were lethal: strong, athletic, able to kick ass without breaking a sweat.
I needed to get out of here.
We were only a few feet apart now and I remained outwardly calm, hoping to distract him enough that he would be unprepared for my sudden break away. “Where is my mom?” I repeated, mostly to keep him talking. I did not expect an honest answer. He clearly hadn’t been in the apartment when I first entered, no way could I miss him, but he might have already taken my mom and was back now for me.
“I have no idea, I got here just after you did.”
My stomach clenched at that voice again. On top of that he had the sort of raw masculine beauty that I generally thought existed only in Hollywood. Why was it always the physically perfect men who were deranged psychopaths on the inside?
“You need to leave. Now!” I was slowly edging to the right, aiming for a clear path to the door. “Or I’m going to call the police.”
I would never call them, of course. We didn’t trust police. They were corrupt, blah, blah, blah. Even when my mom wasn’t here, her voice was still in my head.
Tall, dark, and deadly paused, tilting his head to the side. “You’re caught up in a world you have no idea of. The police can’t help you, Human. I’m your only hope. Right now I don’t have time to enlighten you, so you’re just going to have to trust me.”
Panic like nothing I’d ever felt before hit me. So hard that my knees went weak and I almost hit the ground. A world I have no idea about… oh, he was wrong. So very wrong.
I reacted then without another thought.
Leaping, I dive-rolled forward and popped up right before him. As I rose I slammed my first into his groin and he let out an angry rumble of noise. I continued rising, smashing my fist into his gut with a power hit, and then finally into the side of his head. I was fast; it was my greatest asset, and I knew exactly what angle to use and how hard to hit for maximum impact.
He let out a low groan, dropping to his knees, eyes wide as he cupped himself, blinking at me. The shock on his face was almost laughable; he had definitely not seen that coming.
Never underestimate a woman, you’ll always end up on your knees holding your balls.
His eyes, only inches from mine now, locked onto to my face and it felt like I’d been the one kicked. They were even more beautiful than he was, and that was saying something. The color was an unusual light brown, cinnamon dusted with gold. These gilded circles cut through the deep amber color. They were also framed by ridiculously dark and thick lashes.
Focus, Callie…
I called on my years of training – this is what she had been preparing me for. The only reason my mom allowed me to learn, fight, and train was because one day I would have to deal with this other world. One day the daelighters would come for me.
Looked like today was that day.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my amazing readers. Five years strong; I almost can’t believe that this is my life. It’s truly a dream job. I am so grateful for you all.
Thanks to my release team. You all rock!! The support means the world to me, and without your enthusiasm for my books, I would not have half the motivation to get them out fast. Hugs.
Thanks to my Nerd Herd. You guys are so much fun! I love reading the posts, I love all the book recommendations, I flat out love the lot of you. Don’t change.
Huge, extra special thanks to my PA extraordinaire, Heather. Girl, I could not do everything I do without you. Peanut butter to my jelly. Or as I like to say, Timtams to my milk.
As always, thank you to my family for putting up with having an author in their lives. We’re not alway the easiest to live with, I may be slightly high strung at times (prove it, I dare you), but there is nothing in the world I adore more than you all. Love you, always.
Thanks to L.C Hibbett, you make this world a little less serious. And a lot more sarcastic. #irishtwin. Thanks also to Everyly Frost, Kelly St Clare, Amber Lynn Natusch, Heather Renee, Teresa, and Mary for beta reading this series. You all rock!
Lastly thanks to Leia Stone for being the best bestfriend a person could have, for offering advice on all 45367 versions of the blurb, and for actually reading this book even though it was over 100k words. I heart you.
About the Author
Jaymin Eve is the USA Today Bestselling author of 25+ YA and NA fantasy/romance novels. She lives in Australia with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and a couple of crazy pets. Since 2013 she has sold over a million ebooks, and has no plans to stop writing anytime in the next 30-50 years.
Also by Jaymin Eve
Secret Keepers Series
Book One: House of Darken
Book Two: House of Imperial (1st July 2018)
Book Three: House of Leights (1st August 2018)
Book Four: House of Royale (1st September 2018)
Curse of the Gods Series (Reverse Harem Fantasy)
Book One: Trickery
Book Two: Persuasion
Book Three: Seduction
Book Four: Strength (2018)
NYC Mecca Series (Complete - UF series)
Book One: Queen Heir
Book Two: Queen Alpha
Book Three: Queen Fae
Book Four: Queen Mecca
A Walker Saga (Complete - YA Fantasy)
Book One: First World
Book Two: Spurn
Book Three: Crais
Book Four: Regali
Book Five: Nephilius
Book Six: Dronish
Book Seven: Earth
Supernatural Prison Trilogy (Complete - UF series)
Book One: Dragon Marked
Book Two: Dragon Mystics
Book Three: Dragon Mated
Supernatural Prison Stories
Broken Compass
Magical Compass
Louis (2018)
Hive Trilogy (Complete UF/PNR series)
Book One: Ash
Book Two: Anarchy
Book Three: Annihilate
Sinclair Stor
ies (Standalone Contemporary Romance)
Songbird