Bound to His Redemption

by Lisa Kumar

  Despite the dread this caused, she filled every one of his seconds, so even his waking moments were not his. He hated this fact—and her at times.

  And now the veil had appeared.

  He glanced up at it. Shaking off his indecision, he stood. This opportunity for insight couldn’t be overlooked. Otherwise, he’d go mad. Something he couldn’t define continually itched at his skin, at his mind, seeking entrance.

  But after he gazed into the swirling mass of fog and starlight, disappointment took hold. Nothing was visible. He turned to go but paused midstride. The veil stabilized, even as a rift opened up within it, and an image started to appear. He held his breath, afraid any puff of air would cause the wavering picture to disintegrate. A large white room where seated people conversed together or studied from books dominated the sight before him.

  As Relian’s vision sharpened and the clarity of the scene increased, he narrowed his eyes further. Two human women walked toward the door. The last one’s reddish-brown hair seemed familiar. She turned her head toward the veil for a brief second before her friend pulled her away. Though he hadn’t gotten a good look at the female, his heart and stomach lurched together, making his head swim.

  When the door closed behind the women, something moved within the mist. He drew on all his long years of indoctrinated inscrutability to not make a scene. What exactly he would’ve done, he couldn’t say. But as a few intertwined strands of auburn hair came to rest upon his hand, a chill of horror danced down his spine.

  Memory and dream merged. Before him rose up the dreamscape of a woman’s red hair spread across his pillow and clashed with the memory of a young girl’s hair.

  A decade ago, the veil had taken a plait of auburn hair, allowing it to float through the rift and wrap around his hand. Even though the girl had been but an adolescent, the logical conclusion was now easy to see. His mind rebelled at the thought. But his assumption made sense. It was so simple, so elegant, so wrong.

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  Bound to the Elvin King

  Mists of Eria Book 2

  AFTER COUNTLESS MILLENNIA as the King of Eria, Talion thought he’d experienced all life had to offer. That is, until Maggie entered his land. The beautiful human whirlwind refreshes his spirit, while all too often trying his patience. Though he desires nothing more than to claim her as his bond mate and queen, his secrets could drive them apart or even end their lives.

  Stranded in the elvin land of Eria, Maggie D’Anglio spends her days trying to figure out a way home while attempting to avoid the sexy and provoking Talion. Unfortunately, she’s living in his palace. His world. His rules. The mysterious king intrigues and infuriates her as no one ever has, a lethal combination to her commitment-phobic heart.

  But when she parties too hard and wakes up magically bound to him, there’s no escaping the irresistible irritant—or her new role in a land on the brink of war with the darkindred.

  His past, along with her pride, will threaten their relationship and their very lives. Will they have the courage to admit their love for each other, or will their fears bind them together in death?

  Excerpt

  Maggie D’Anglio strode up to the tall elvin guards standing on either side of the entrance to the royal wing. The finely detailed depictions on the door never failed to awe her. A craftsman must’ve labored over the wooden piece for years. But considering the elvin lifespan, they had more than enough time to spend on their work, unlike humans.

  Kavlin smiled, a sparkle in his perpetually youthful gray eyes. “You’ve come to visit the princess?”

  “You know it.” Though she grinned, a sense of surrealism hit her. So weird to think of Cal as a princess, and not just any princess, but princess over Eria, a land of elves. Cal was as human as Maggie. Really, it was a miracle most elves accepted Cal so readily, but then, they hadn’t had much choice. The veil, something no wise elf would disrespect, orchestrated Cal’s arrival in Eria. Maggie had just come along for the magic carpet ride. And what a ride it’d been so far.

  “And what do you have planned today, if I may be so bold as to ask?”

  Kavlin’s voice broke into her thoughts, and she forced her attention back to the brown-haired elf. “The princess has a free moment in her busy schedule, so we’re going to do girly things.”

  Batin, the other guard, groaned and shook his head, sending his dark blond hair cascading over his shoulders. “Spare us the details, then.”

  She suppressed a smirk. The mention of girly things frightened most males, human or not. Though she enjoyed talking with the good-looking guards posted around the palace, she’d seen too little of Cal recently to stay and chitchat. “Will do.”

  “Goodbye, Lady Maggie,” said Kavlin. Batin echoed him, opening the door for her. Each gave her a small bow, and she rolled her eyes.

  “Bye, guys. Don’t have too much fun.” She flashed them a wink and walked through the open entrance.

  Their laughter followed her down the corridor until the door to the wing clicked shut. Maggie quickened her pace because she didn’t want to run into him. Talion was a burr in her butt. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t dislodge the handsome ass. Though his chambers were past Cal and Relian’s, he could still be lurking in the hallway. Waiting for her.

  Gazing around her furtively, she scoured the many shadows that lingered, not that there were many in the understated elegance that was the royal wing. Beige stone and plaster made up the hallway’s walls, ceiling, and floor, and lent it a bright, airy feeling she definitely wasn’t channeling today. Even the lovely tapestries and rugs that added splashes of color here and there didn’t calm her mind as they usually did.

  She huffed at her paranoia. Yeah, right. The King of Eria had better things to do than lie in wait for her. He may never pass up an opportunity to piss her off, but he certainly didn’t stalk her. Now, if she could only figure out why he loved to tick her off so. Admittedly, she gave the same treatment back to him, but he always started it. Most of the time.

  The skin at the back of her neck prickled, but a glance around showed no Talion in sight. She breathed in deeply. A heady fragrance of fall flowers filled the air. The windows, offering gorgeous views of the gardens and, behind them, landscapes of the mountains that cradled Eriannon, punctuated the corridor in regular intervals. Somehow the openings could keep out all adverse elements while letting in a scented, warm breeze. She shook her head, knowing she’d never understand it.

  “Well, look who’s here.”

  The drawled voice caused her to startle. Her gaze flew to an alcove ahead of her, and she froze. Shit. Talion leaned against a corner wall of the small area. A tailored green tunic and a black pair of leggings molded all the right areas of his physique. Desire to touch those muscles swamped her. She licked suddenly dry lips, cursing herself all kinds of crazy for wanting him. He might be gorgeous, but his personality was obnoxious. Still, she couldn’t take her gaze off him.

  His long, golden hair shimmered in the bright light spilling through the alcove’s window, and his gray eyes glinted with an unholy light that always appeared whenever he was around her. A shiver snaked down her spine. She felt like a mouse to his cat. For some reason, the realization only spiked her desire higher.

  An answering blaze of anger flooded her. Damn him. How could she lust after and hate him in equal measures? Half the time he made her feel like an idiot. It was all a game for him. He had no real interest in her other than pushing her buttons and watching her squirm, and she knew it.

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  The Fae Lord’s Mistress

  The New Earth Chronicles Book One

  Ever since the day a fae raid stole away my parents, poverty and scavenging have been two constants in my life. Home is the human slums of Chimra, though it was once known as the great city of Chicago. The fae rule over New Earth and humanity with a neglectful and ruthless fist. But everything changes when Gabreon, the fae lord who led that raid six years ago, finds me in the forbidden dump
ing grounds and claims me as his own. Which leads to anger, confusion, and heartache—on my side and his.

  Lina. The human Gabreon couldn’t forget. When he sees her in the dumping grounds, he no longer can ignore the pull between them. Though claiming her goes against everything he was brought up to believe, he takes her as his companion. During the day, she holds herself away from him, but at night, she sparks to life in his arms. As a human revolution ferments and his growing relationship with Lina becomes even more perilous, he discovers that he and his society have much to make amends for. Earning her forgiveness will be hard, but keeping both of them alive in the meantime might prove impossible.

  Excerpt

  As I listened carefully, only the beating of my heart sounded in my ears. Beads of sweat wove trails down my back, and the cool air suddenly stifled me. I couldn’t remain here, yet going elsewhere didn’t seem any wiser. Indecision gnawed at my insides. Every choice felt wrong and potentially deadly. But if I stayed in one place, they’d catch my scent all that much faster. Maybe if I moved around, that would confuse them? Something, though, told me that they probably could differentiate between a fresh trail and an older one. Damn, what should I do?

  I couldn’t search for Rachel or the others that were here, either. To do so might cause more harm than good. In a situation like this, we all understood that it was a race for our own survival.

  Taking in a shuddering breath, I scrubbed a hand over my face. What a horrific mess. What could I—

  The pounding of feet—no, paws—sliced into my consciousness. Growling and baying followed. This time, pure instinct propelled me from my hiding place. Though I kept as low as possible, my steps rang out like a blaring alarm. I didn’t know which way to look. The sounds came at me from every direction, disorienting and confusing my panicked mind. The once familiar dumping grounds turned into a foreign landscape of blurred color. My feet carried me blindly through mazes of garbage until I found myself hemmed in by a towering mountain of broken furniture.

  I spun around, my heart threatening to implode as I looked for an escape route. The baying and growling had become deafening, which could only mean one thing. Suddenly, my frantic gaze alighted on a narrow corridor between the heaps. I raced toward the exit and turned sideways to squeeze through it.

  “Halt, human!” a clear, accented voice rang out.

  As I skidded to a stop before the corridor, something leaped onto my back and sent me crashing to the ground. Air whooshed out of my lungs, and pain ricocheted through my ribs. A growl came from above me, and two huge paws pushed into my back. Hot, wet air blasted next my ear before the snapping of teeth caused me to flinch.

  Terror exploded through my veins like a searing shot of alcohol. Oh, God. Let me faint before I’m mauled. I closed my eyes, awaiting the slash of claws and teeth.

  “ARCHEN, ENOUGH,” A smooth voice commanded.

  Something about that voice tugged at me, but my mind was too scrambled to process it. The heavy weight on my back pressed me hard into the ground. I still feared the snap of hound teeth at any second and barely dared to breathe.

  Then, suddenly, the beast above me disappeared. I didn’t move for a second, afraid this was some kind of cruel joke. When I suffered no bites and not even one growl sounded, I raised my head and blinked blearily at the ground. Though an initial wave of relief poured over me like a monsoon, it quickly died away. Now that the Sidhe had found me, who knew what my punishment would be?

  I drew my gaze upward, first coming to finely crafted leather boots that hugged muscular yet slim calves displayed in tight leggings. A blue cloak billowed around the person’s legs and danced in the slight wind. My mouth went dry. This was all seeming terribly familiar now. I’d always found the way the Sidhe dressed to be funny and quaint, but I no longer found it so. Up I looked until I came to sinewy arms crossed over a well-formed chest that was spanned by a blue jerkin over a darker tunic. By the time I reached the person’s face, I was dreading whom I’d find.

  With a gulp, I swallowed the orange-sized lump in my throat. Lucifer stood before me in the flesh, looking just like the fallen angel I’d read about. His impassive expression hiked my worries higher. To make matters worse, one of those sleek but huge demon hounds sat on its haunches a few feet from him. The predatory look in the black beast’s crimson eyes made me shudder because the only thing standing between me and sure death was Lucifer.

  “Well, human, it looks like we meet again.” Lucifer shook his head and tsked. “And after my warning, no less.”

  I licked my dry lips, not sure how to answer or if I even should, and nearly spat at the grass and other detritus I found there. A random and slightly hysterical thought floated across my consciousness. Would he kill me while I was covered in dirt and God knew what else? A fitting punishment for a thieving human.

  He drummed his fingers against one arm. “Please do get up. I’m getting a crick in my neck from looking at you.”

  The testiness in his voice got me moving. On numb hands and knees, I somehow managed to get to my feet. I cast a wary glance at the fae beast as it panted and stared me down.

  Lucifer snorted, which drew my attention back to him. “You need not worry about him. He doesn’t much care for the taste of human meat.”

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  The Fae Lord’s Companion

  The New Earth Chronicles Book 2

  Gabreon has now given me the freedom and respect that I’ve thirsted for, but can we survive the society around us? His grandfather, the King of Sidheen, is on New Earth, doing heaven knows what, and Gabreon’s enemies are gearing up with plans of their own.

  A fae lord of New Earth, Gabreon knows he has a long journey of earning Lina’s complete trust. Sometimes, it seems that will only be possible when—if—humans are treated as equals to the fae. But any attempts at that outcome will come at a steep price, one that may rip away more than their lives.

  Excerpt

  He drifted to the window, half turned from her and hoping to hide the shakiness of his hands. The damnable moisture that wanted to coat his eyes. Though his mouth felt as if it’d never tasted water before, he forced himself to acknowledge the truth of her words. “Much has happened in that time.”

  He splayed a hand over his cheek and mouth as if that simple motion could keep him from breaking, splintering into a thousand pieces.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw her nod grimly. “A lifetime of events compressed into a month. I’m exhausted and dizzy from it all.”

  So was he. All his orchestrations had been for naught, not that it mattered now. He found he didn’t care what direction the future took if it didn’t have Lina in it. Anyway, he wouldn’t be long for life. In fact, death had never sounded better. It wasn’t the frightening prospect he thought it would have been.

  Part of him was tempted to marvel at their seemingly normal conversation after what had come before. However, numbness was setting in, making it hard to feel anything but a vague agony that seemed infused into his very bone.

  After untold seconds, he spoke. “And my insistence on bringing you into my life is responsible for causing it all.”

  “Ah,” she said softly. “You’re finally grasping what has been troubling me so deeply. When you take a person’s free will away, you’re essentially responsible for what happens to that person, good or bad. Everything you do affects that person’s life and any choices she or he makes.”

  He pressed his hand over his eyes and leaned against the frame of the window. “When you phrase it that way, it’s clearer than ever how dire my transgressions against you are. Can my death even erase them?”

  MY CHEST TIGHTENED at the pain that coated Gabreon’s voice. Damn it, I shouldn’t feel sorry for him. He’d earned everything he was getting. Yet, in spite of his trespasses against me, I couldn’t pretend this talk was easy for him. In some ways, it was probably harder since so much could be laid at his feet—and only his. He was a proud male, and his apology, his offer of freedom and
his resulting death, would be a steep recompense to most anyone.

  His guilt seemed so deep. Somehow, I didn’t think he’d feel that way for anyone else. I shied away from examining what that meant. My composure was already a fragile thing. I finally spoke. “Not erase your misdeeds but start to mend something that you broke.”

  He stood straighter, seeming to get himself together. “No use talking of this when there are other matters in need of our attention. To ensure your freedom from me, we have to decide where you would like to go and when.”

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