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Book Blurb
With the birth of the first man,
the phoenix, Aiden is assigned as protector of the human species. After years
of fighting at each other’s side, man turns on the fire bird craving
immortality and the power of the bird’s healing tears. With humanity’s
betrayal, Aiden is forced to inhabit the shadows.
The
bird is reborn every thousand years in a fiery ceremony and once more the time
is near but Aiden is weary of living millennia after millennia alone,
protecting a species that is proving itself increasingly self-destructive and
unworthy of his defense. Lonely
and questioning his purpose, Aiden is only able to resist the darkness threatening
to consume his soul with the promise of finding his true mate.
Mackenzie
Blackhorn is a budding artist on her way to bigger and better things, when
abducted by a serial killer, her spirit is broken by the mad man. Unable to
deal with the psychological trauma, Mackenzie seeks solace atop the snowy
Montana Mountains.
Literally
stumbling upon each other, these two wounded souls instantly connect in fiery
harmony but as time runs out, will their budding romance overcome Aiden's dark
secrets?
Rebirth Excerpt
A gust blew through, swaying the trees to the left before
they snapped back to the center to do a merry dance, hanging icicles reflecting
white light. It became still once more but for the willowy pirouette of the
falling snow and Mac's anger drained into nothing but a shameful chill as she
acknowledged that her anger was directed at herself. Suddenly her retreat felt
very cowardly, like she gave up a life so many would have fought to have, all
because she was afraid to face the past. The rush of emotion Aiden’s presence
brought made her realize just how dead she’d been inside, burying unresolved
feelings, just as she’d done her entirely life.
Merely existing was far from living. Being alone in these
mountains for so long had shown her the difference. For the first time in five
years, she felt like more than just a shadow of her former self, more than just
an empty existence. She felt connected to another being. A spark of life heated
her cells and she felt rejuvenated.
“I’m sorry. I should not have taken my anger out on you,”
she said, throwing a glance his way. “I’m not normally like this. At least not
before…” she trailed off knowing she was about to reveal too much.
He acknowledged her apology with a nod. “We all have our
moments.”
A companionable silence fell as they both looked into the
wintery scene again. Shifting slightly she watched him from the corner of her
eyes. He looked into the trees as well but instinct told her he was as aware of
her as she was of him. He stroked her innate curiosity. With an enthusiasm she
thought lost to her, she wanted to get to know him better. She wanted to know
what made him different from everyone else. Well, apart from the obvious. There
was a singularity that surrounded him like an invisible wall, making her wonder
at his life. It seemed a very solitary way of being and that called to her. She
understood loneliness, feeling like a tiny island in a vast ocean.
“You must be very lonely.” Her words clearly startled him.
She startled herself with her forwardness.
He caught her gaze, the intensity making her breath come a
little faster. “Why would you say that?”
“I image you don't have many friends.” What possessed her to
say something like that? She scrambled to cover her careless words. “What I
mean is, you probably don't tell many people about what you are. It must be
hard living in the shadows.” She cringed internally. That sounded worse. “Oh
no, I-” She trailed off before she dug a bigger hole for herself.
He did not answer but continued to look at her with a steady
gaze that gave nothing of his thoughts away. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have
pried.” She dropped her gaze and pulled at a thread that was sticking out of
her jeans.
“Not many people would look at my existence that way. Most
people think it's a novelty, a privilege.” She looked up at his statement and
his gaze was keen as ever. “In the beginning I did very much enjoy being
humanity’s protector but things have changed. I’ve changed. Humanity’s changed.”
He sighed wearily and admitted, “While I may not be very happy with the way
things have turned out, I would not give it up. We don't all get to choose our
destiny. We can only make the best of the path we’re given.”
“Yes,” she agreed. His words made her withdrawal seem all
the more craven. His isolation was not of his choosing. Unlike her own.
“But it’s not all bad. I get to impress the ladies with all
my pretty feathers,” he said, breaking into her depressing thoughts. A smile stretched his lips and by all that
made the world go ‘round, it was devastating. It softened the hardness that was
part of him and made him look more approachable, sexier. She answered with one
of her own. Satisfaction, and something else, heated his gaze. “You have a beautiful smile, Mac.”
Just that easily the light camaraderie transformed into
something hotter. She licked her lips nervously and uttered a soft, “Thank you.”
He followed the gesture with a predatory gleam. The arousal
that flowed in a slow, deep ache suddenly flared out of control. His nostril
flared and like a wild animal he sniffed the air. “You smell divine,” he
growled and with a blink he was a fraction of an inch away.
Before she could react, he pulled her forward and pressed
his lips against hers. She froze as shock gripped her, but not for long as his
tongue gently licked the seam of her lips and all thought of resisting
dissolved. She sighed as heat speared through her, molten and all-consuming.
Her eyes fluttered shut as he licked at her quaking lips
again. He did not rush, did not press for a deeper contact, the kiss only a
slow tasting, the effort clearly costing him in the sexual tension vibrating
off him. Giving into the sensation she allowed lips to hesitantly close over
his lower one. She did it again as her fingers tangled in his hair, the gloves
preventing the contact she desired. He allowed her to explore, to familiarize
herself with his taste, the firm texture of his upper lip contrasting with the
surprising softness of the lower edge.
It was a chaste kiss. There was no tongue on tongue action
just a simple touching of lips yet she squirmed as her clit burned for harder,
more intimate contact. Remembering the incident in the kitchen, she pushed at
his chest weakly and he let go instantly. Slowly her eyes opened to stared up
into his glowing eyes. He took a step back, his breathing was as labored as
hers, the air around him heated, and unbelievable steam did come off him.
She nearly giggled but sobered instantly. Men like him did
not go for women like her. She swallowed. “I don’t need your pity.”
His grabbed her wrist and placed it over his over his
swollen length. “I have been aching for you from the moment I laid eyes on you.
You are beautiful, sexy as hell and it is all I can do not to strip your body
bare and sink into you as deep as I can get.”
He fairly growled at her, his features hardening, his eyes
perusing her length in her fashion that made her feel nude. That he could feel
the same way that she did, even a fraction of it, was astonishing. “Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.”
She cleared her throat, a nervous action she could not
prevent.
“You have to stop that unless you’re ready for the
consequences.”
Stop what? Oh…
Her fingers were squeezing and releasing him rhythmically.
“Oh God, sorry. I’m sorry.” She felt color explode on her
cheeks as she snatched her hand away, looking straight ahead only to be
confronted with the perfection of his chest.
He chuckled and the sounded washed over her, deep and rough,
like the man himself. It was the first time she heard him laugh and the sound
pleased her more than she cared to admit. “No need to apologize. Let’s go in.
You’re too tempting out here.”
“I’m just standing here.”
“Exactly.”
