by E. A. Copen
Yet as we stepped around the hedge, my eyes went wide and my knees weak. There stood Odette in a lavender dress that was all ruffles and lace. The straps fell on her shoulders and the neckline dipped scandalously low. A crown of woven white flowers sat on her head and draped gold dripped from her ears and around her neck. She clasped her hands around a very round stomach, the flattering bump from before now a heavy bubble about to burst.
She stood opposite a smiling man dressed in a tunic of red and gold. He had a man bun, of all things, knotted up loosely on the back of his head, one of those hipster beards and… Was that an earring in the shape of a rose?
I leaned into Declan. “Tell me that’s not the guy she’s marrying?”
Declan opened his mouth but I didn’t hear what he had to say. A blonde guy suddenly caused a lot of commotion by charging between Odette and the man bun guy, a green cape flapping behind him. He grabbed Odette and pushed her to the ground about a half second before a spell split the air close enough it left my face tingling. A lance of red energy hit the blonde in the chest with a dull thump. More red blossomed over his white tunic, spreading into a puddle.
Man bun let out a high-pitched screech.
The queen, who’d been standing behind the arch, pushed her way through to go to the injured man’s side.
The guy who’d taken the hit looked down at the red leaking from his chest before spitting blood and falling to his knees and pointing straight at me.
Every head in the garden turned to stare at me in horror, including the queen’s. She twisted her lips into a sneer. “He’s murdered the Summer Knight!”
Man, do I have bad timing or what?
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Acknowledgements
Shout out to all the usual suspects: my awesome editor, Aaron, my cover artist, Les, my ARC team and patrons on Patreon. Thank you to my husband and children who put up with my insane schedule and ate too much take out while this one was being written and edited. Special thanks to my sister, Anne Young, who helped me name this beast and came up with the tagline. You’re the best, sis.
As always, any mistakes that remain are mine.
About the Author
E.A. Copen is the author of the Judah Black novels and the space opera, Broken Empire. She’s an avid reader of science fiction, fantasy and other genre fiction. When she’s not chained to her keyboard, she may be found time traveling on the weekends with her SCA friends. She lives in beautiful southeast Ohio with her husband and two kids, at least until she saves up enough to leave the shire and become a Jedi.
Connect with E.A. online:
www.eacopen.com
www.facebook.com/EACopen/
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No one is Above the law.
At least, that’s what federal agent Judah Black believes. Her job is to police supernaturals—werewolves, vampires, and fae—who have come out of hiding to live alongside humans.
The rest of the cops in her precinct are all too eager to dismiss her latest case, an apparent werewolf suicide. But the suicide note lays the blame on a cold case swept under the rug by the very department Judah works for.
When Judah decides to dig deeper, she uncovers evidence that could bring down one of the most powerful up and coming politicians in the country. Her superiors tell her to leave it alone, that everyone who’s ever crossed this senator was fired or worse—dead. Pursuing this case will place Judah in the center of a growing struggle between humans and the supernatural, and change her life forever.
Join my e-mail list and read Judah Black’s story from the beginning with this exclusive short for subscribers only.
An ancient evil lurks in the waters of the Concho River.
After a massive storm, flood waters threaten Paint Rock, Texas, home to over three hundred supernaturals. In the water lurks a new predator, a giant, venomous snake shifter with origins in Native American myth. When one of her own is bitten, Judah Black must find a way to hunt down the monster and a cure before the venom kills her friend and more people get hurt.
But nothing's ever simple.
To find and catch her prey, she'll have to work with a bounty hunter named Logan Creed whose decades long hunt for the mythical snake borders on obsession. He'll sacrifice everything to complete his hunt, including her family and friends.
Read it for free as a subscriber or buy it for $2.99 on Amazon.
Books by E.A. Copen
The Judah Black Novels
Fortunate Son
Guilty by Association
Perfect Storm
Blood Debt
Chasing Ghosts
Playing with Fire
Other stories in the Judah Black Universe:
Kiss of Vengeance
Broken Empire:
Aftermath
Renegades (Coming fall 2018)
The Lazarus Codex:
Death Rites
Organ Grind
Shallow Grave (Coming June 2018)
Other Works:
Beasts of Babylon
