"A Different View...
A wolf’s view of a fairytale was intriguing and resulted in my reading the story in one day. This author always gives the reader unique and fully-developed characters." M.Hurford, Goodreads
Release Date: January 30th, 2020
A passionate fairy tale about forbidden love and a vengeful man’s secret longing to end a curse that only true love can cure.
Love was never meant for a man like me until she stumbles into my forest. Isabella Rose, with her jet black hair, mahogany skin, and intoxicating scent, called to me from miles away.
Blade is a beast of a man, a towering presence, a chiseled body, sharp fangs, and he runs with a pack of wolves. Wolves, my father, killed. And I’m willing to trade my life for his.
My Bella…My Enemy…Our Love.
Is it possible that she’s the one to break the curse? That she can feel anything, other than fear, for a man like me?
But the moment I sense enemies lurking to reclaim my Bella, our differences don’t matter because there’s no way I’ll let them harm her. And I’m prepared to fight, hoping the solution isn’t to let her return to the real world leaving me to remain a beast forever.
EXCERPT
PROLOGUE
AN
UNSEEN MAGNETIC force
draws me closer to the edge of Keyan Forest. The feeling of something hiding
out there amidst the sky touching trees and thickets of bushes has me eager to
investigate. But after six months of continuous labor and unpredictable
obstacles, I need this crew to transfer the furniture from the truck into
Paradise Falls Resort.
I
hear the crack of a branch, and I sweep the area at eye level. After surveying
thick trunks, a couple of
squirrels
jumping from tree to tree, I scan lower searching the pockets of darkness. This
forest serves as the home for all forms of wildlife—salmon, eagles, hawks,
bears, deer, and wolves.
I
had the resort build adjacent to the forest to have luxury and nature combined.
I'm not sure how the
wildlife
is adjusting to me moving in. I don't pay it much mind. But the sighting of a
wolf in town earlier this week has me concerned because that wolf had to cross
through my land to get to Paradise Falls, Alaska. A small town near the
southern coast of the state. Having the CEO of a Fortune 100 company attacked
by a wolf on my land would ruin me, so I need to fix the problem before the
first guests arrive at the end of the month.
I
glance at my watch then the sun and holler at the crew to move their asses. We
have less than an hour before we won’t be able to see the end of our noses. I
guess I could inquire in town about fencing or how to establish perimeters
around the facility, but the people in town are giving me the cold shoulder,
except the owner of Belle's Book Nook.
Isabelle
Joseph still served me coffee this morning with a smile brighter than the sun.
I lean against the tree giving myself permission to let her kind eyes
resurface, the color of cappuccino that managed to be both innocent and sad at
the same time. The kind of eyes that see the good in people, even the likes of
me. I guess fucking with Paradise Falls’ royalty placed me on the town’s shit
list. But Cesar Cox, that traitor, had it coming. I took this land right from
under his nose.
“Every
dog has his day,” I say, chuckling beneath my breath. I guess winning the land
that he stole from my father is amble payback.
Old
Cox folded over the moment he realized his greedy son, Kingston Cox, lost their
beloved property
to
Wesley Mallory's rich bastard son. The people of Paradise Falls showed their
disdain by snatching up their red carpets and withdrawing their dinner
invitations. They were ready to run me from town until they learned not only
had I won this land, but I bought Keyan Forest too.
I'll
hold on to the satisfaction of seeing Cox fall to his knees, begging for the
return of the title. But I won the land, he stole, fair and square in a card
game. It took ten years to make this happen, and soon I'll open the doors to my
multi-million-dollar resort. We're booked with a two-year waiting list for
corporate retreats, weddings, and people wanting a luxury wildlife experience.
I
light a cigar and puff and exhale the fragrant smoke. I think a parade was in
order. I saved this land,
and
I’ll increase the exposure of this town. Oh well, it’s not the first time I’ve
pissed people off, I’m sure it won’t be the last.
The
sound of wood shattering behind me reclaims my attention. I turn to berate the
idiot responsible
when
I spot glowing red eyes about a hundred yards out staring at me through the
dense foliage.
I
anchor my cigar to the side of my mouth and slipping my revolver from the
holster. I sidestep crossing the line between the developed portion of my
property and the untamed acreage still populated by the unknown.
Stories
about Keyan Forest rush from my childhood memories. Stories told to keep
children from venturing too deep. Stories told about extraordinary creatures
protecting the land.
"I
don't want to hurt you. We can share this land peacefully." I say,
snarling with my finger resting on the trigger. I plan to send a warning shot
when I noticed the distance from the ground. I figure at least four feet tall.
"What
the hell…"
“Mr.
Mallory…”
“What?”
I reluctantly glance over my shoulder and freeze at spotting the pile of wood.
I groan in frustration at the ten-thousand-dollar dresser that's now only good
for firewood. Yes, I have all the pieces insured, but it took the craftsmen
months to make the one-ofa- kind dressers, nightstands, and headboards.
The
eyes.
I
spin a trained gaze back to the forest. Adrenaline kicks in, causing my heart
to race. I press my hand
towards
the ground, telling my foreman to keep it down. He nods as I drop my cigar
crushing the lit
tobacco
under the heel of my boot. I toss my hat to the ground since I can't have it
blocking my line of sight. I flick two fingers letting the foreman know I'm
going in.
I
lead with my revolver crossing into Keyan Forest. The temperature feels twenty
degrees cooler. I blink several times, forcing my eyes to adjust to the
darkness. My eyes pan the landscape, searching for my uninvited guest.
Each
step calculated to account for the overgrown roots and crazy vines. The rapid
pump of my heart
rises
to my ears, drowning out the sounds of the animals around me. I force my mind,
intentions, and
barrel
on the red glow, and my heart slows to a deliberate crawl.
“Mr.
Mallory…” I glance to the right.
“Blade
Mallory…” I face the left.
Are
the trees talking? I
rake my surroundings to measure the time it will take to clear the brush, and
the path has disappeared.
A
light illuminates the shadowed core of the forest, and I'm momentarily blinded
by the brightness. I blink and using my peripheral vision and see I'm
surrounded by animals. Some I recognize and others I don't. The red eyes are
attached to a woman with porcelain skin, and her hypnotizing orbs blaze with
rage. I swear they're level. How'd they hike up another two feet? Should I go
back?
Hell,
no. I’m not taking my
eyes off whatever she is. Her black hair flows around her like a halo. She
can’t
be more than five feet. Then the slight point of her ears captures my
attention.
An
elf?
She
nods, and an enticing smile crosses her face, she's reading my thoughts. The
corners of her mouth
tip
up and a surge of energy, equal parts seduction and sin flows through me. The
curves of her body visible even with the fabric floating around her feet as
they
levitate
several feet off the ground. Which explains the shift in height.
I
need an exit strategy. I grind my teeth prepared to shoot my way back when she
floats closer. My body, my head, my heart, and my loins war with the tight grip
I have on the gun pointed at this little hellion. Then she stops with the
barrel of my Blackhawk Revolver against her thin skin, and her chest is hollow.
I cock the hammer facing her without an ounce of fear. The two wolves flanking
her growl, stepping closer.
Her
faint laughter vibrates off the trees, and she expands. Blade Mallory, that gun won’t help
you. Not in here. Not now. The
sound surrounds me, but her lips aren’t moving.
"For
the record, I'm an excellent shot." I focus the fury stirring in my blood
on the elf, I'll take her down then her bodyguards. I narrow my eyes, knowing
she can read my thoughts.
I’ll
kill them all. Try me, I challenge in a private conversation taking place in my
head. Her perfectly
arched
eyebrows bunch as if mulling over my offer.
"This
is private property. Leave, and no one will get hurt."
I
learned to fish and hunt and live off the land right here with my father until
I discovered his secret. So, every happy moment I shared with my parents was
baked into this soil before he changed our lives forever. So, I’m not letting
Keyan Forest go without a fight.
Demonic
elf or not.
“But
it’s not yours to own,” she counters, expanding before my eyes.
“Tell
that to the State of Alaska. I own it.”
“That’s
the problem with people like you. You have cold hearts and deep pockets, buying
your way
through
life.” Her tone reminds me of nails scraping across a chalkboard, agitated,
strained, and in need of being heard. “Killing the land. Killing the trees.
Killing the animals. All because you own
it. Well, I’m not buying it.”
The
little elf is not so little anymore, and with an irritated huff, she floats
higher, expanding, and I take
several
steps back. The edges of the forest grow darker, and the animals rumble in a
cohesive growl.
A
ball of red matter thunders and crashes in the palm of her hands. The ring glows
white, and it occurs
to
me, this elf is gearing up for trouble. But I don't want to hurt her or these
animals.
“I
could just kill you and be done with an arrogant prick like you. And we could
notify the State of Alaska that this land isn’t for sale.” She draws back to
her hollow chest as if passing a basketball, aiming that mass of fiery matter
at me.
I’d
rather shoot her than have that ball hit me. I raise the barrel aimed to kill.
“Leesa…
Leesa. Stop!” A man steps through the darkness walking closer.
"Tristan…"
her voice trembles, and she trains her deadly gaze on the man walking towards
us. "I thought you… What are you doing here?"
“I
came back for you.”
The
elf has a name.
Leesa's eyes jerk back to me, and I don't like the smile on her face.
“Love…for
you.” Tristan offers Leesa a medallion resting in the palms of his hands like
an offering.
Leesa
rests a hand on her chest, and her face softens.
I
take a few steps back, keeping my mind void. The last thing I need is her
rereading my thoughts. The
blue-green
gem is bright, and the rage in her eyes is replaced by love.
She's
back on the ground, and he slips the stone over her head. And like magic, it
disappears, and the
space
in her chest radiates pure white light. I blink, and her black hair is white
blond. I'm a logical man, but nothing about this episode makes sense. The sun
is setting, and the temperature drops
another
ten degrees.
I
take another step back. The last place I want to be is inside this forest after
nightfall. She'll have to zap me because my gut tells me there's more than this
elf with a wild hair up her ass in this forest and until we clear more of the
land…
“And
you’d still clear this land?” Her hand clings to the man beaming with love.
“The
back end of this land will have private cabins and a playground for the kids.
And over there will be a dog park. Over there…” I point to the right. “A pool
with a large winding slide.”
“You
don’t get it. You really
don't get it."
She steps forward, and I wish I got what she's talking about.
“Good
night.” I turn walking back in the direction I entered.
"Blade
Mallory, the forest will be your cage, and the moon will be your god. Nature
will be your teacher, and the cure for your callous heart will be love."
My body faces her, and I have no control. No matter how hard I strain to break
Leesa's hold on me. She steps forward, holding her hands out, and heat flows
from my heart through my limbs. "May the beast in you rule until you learn
the power and capacity in you to love prosperity, people, and respect nature.”
No…no…no…
Leesa
places a hand over my heart. "They broke your heart, and only true love
can save you."
Leesa…
Leesa… Get back here you bi—
"Say
it!" The forest shakes beneath my feet. "Please, say it…think it, and
I'll take you out of your pathetic misery. Now sleep, you'll have a tough road
ahead. I'll see you soon, Blade Mallory."
Leesa
touches my forehead, and my world goes black.
About the author:
I write romantic stories laced with love, legacy, and fate. My novels feature culturally diverse characters and I hope to renew or deepen your love for magic, shifters, and romantic imagination.
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