No matter how hard she tries, Dehlia Lee McQueen can’t seem to overcome her feelings for her boss, the vampire; Niall Cowan. The steamy encounter they shared in his office haunts her days later after the breakup and she tries to find a way to get him off her mind.
The little Friday night visit to Club Ravenous is just what two neophyte witches need to take their mind off McQueen duties and let their hair down for an evening—but there is no rest for the wicked. A demon appears to them at the club and they discover a new threat looming in Raven’s Falls.
Even though she was the one to break it off with him, Niall knows he can never let Dehlia go. Silently he stalks her in the night and follows her to Club Ravenous and decides to make his move on her. He wants to pick up where they left off, but he shelters a dark secret from the past—one that Dehlia may have a hard time forgiving.
Excerpt
Dehlia Lee McQueen piled her shoulder length tightly coiled hair on top of her head and gave herself another glimpse in the mirror. Her long black lashes formed a luscious veil over her brown eyes. The dusky shade of eye shadow with a hint of silver flecks highlighted the gold shimmery shadow above it. The liquid eyeliner she used adorned her almond shaped eyes while the berry blush made her cheekbones stand out.
“Perfect.” She purred before removing the red silk robe and donning a black leather bustier with a matching black skirt that stopped just above the knee. She pulled the zipper up in the middle of the form fitting bustier and gave her bosoms a slight push upward. Now she was ready to blow off some steam at Club Ravenous far on the other side of town. After being fired by Niall over a week ago, she fully immersed herself in McQueen magic to keep busy--to keep herself from initiating contact with him. She needed some way to forget about her love interest and move along with her life.
Unfortunately, she noticed that magic was not her forte and felt something was missing. She even toyed around with casting a spell to completely remove Niall from her heart and mind, but Jasmine had warned her this could somehow backfire on her. McQueen magic couldn’t be her destiny and all she had to offer as a witch and a person.
A knock jolted her from her thoughts and her cousin, Jasmine’s voice filtered in through the oak double doors.
“Dehlia, girl, are you ready?”
Dehlia slipped several gold bangles on her left wrist and her delicate gold designer watch on the other. “Just a moment,” she chimed before securing the ruby pendent on a gold chain around her neck. With a sigh of satisfaction, she walked over to the door and opened it.
Jasmine rushed in with a large smile on her face. “Oh, look at you.” She closed the doors behind her and leaned against the wall. “You’re going to knock em dead girlie!”
“Thank you for suggesting we get out for a while. You’re right, I do need a break.” Dehlia returned to her gold trimmed vanity mirror and picked up her favorite fuchsia lipstick and carefully applied it.
“You’re looking pretty awesome there, yourself cuz,” she observed with a smile. Jasmine sported a knee length black and red designer dress and a black bolero jacket and knee length patent leather boots. Usually the young woman pulled her hair up into a topknot bun, but tonight, her long wavy tresses rained past her shoulders. Her dark brown skin glinted with a hint of golden makeup.
“Well, we’ve both been hitting the books pretty hard. Tobias is a slave driver, never letting up.” Jasmine smiled, flashing her perfectly white teeth.
“He means well, he just wants us to be prepared since he is an advanced witch.”
“I can’t wait until I’m at Rose’s level. Hey, enough talk about witchery. Are you trying to replace Niall with another?”
“How’d you know?”
“It’s written all over your face. Girl, you’re on the rebound.”
“The possibilities are endless, but I wish I could easily erase Niall from my mind,” Dehlia stated boldly. “He really hurt me last week, Jasmine and I just need to forget about him, even if it’s only temporary.”
“Are you secretly trying to make Niall jealous?” Jasmine’s heels clicked against the shiny wooden floors of Dehlia’s chambers as she walked over to her. “I know you’re upset over him but have you tried to contact him?”
Dehlia sighed and in agitation, tapped her French-manicured nails against her vanity. “Between me and you, I’m furious at the fucker.” She turned, put a hand on her hip and paced the floor.
“How dare he fire me for something I had no control over. And further more, why should I contact him? He’s the one who booted me out of his life.” A pain resonated across her chest at the episode in Niall’s office. That night, she’d returned home and stormed into her chambers, but Jasmine was just going to bed and without thinking, she poured her heart out. “Thanks for lending an ear, I really needed to talk to you, and I’m not sure if Rose would have understood me.”
“It’s okay,” Jasmine assured her. “But should you really give up on him without a fight? I know he’s a vampire, but you’re in love with him babe.”
“I don’t want to think about this because it hurts to much Jasmine.”
“Fine. But, surely your paths will cross again. If so, what will you do? You can’t avoid the man forever. I’m telling you, I’m sensing we’ll run into him tonight. Are you looking to bed him down if you too somehow are able to patch things up? You know what will happen if you allow him to feed on you.”
“Yes, I’m aware of Clara’s curse and it got me thinking last week.”
Jasmine sucked in a breath. “About what? How to lift it? Girl, you’re crazy if that’s what you were thinking.”
“Look, it hurts like hell and I want some semblance of a normal life without a stupid curse hanging over my head. I’ve liked Niall for years now and I’ve always put those feelings off because of McQueen destiny. It’s up to me to think for myself.” She held her head down for a few seconds and quickly looked at her cousin. “Even if it means giving up my powers. Oh Jasmine, if I still have a chance with him, then yes, I’ll give up my powers. But I’m not going to pursue him.”
“You’re letting pride stand in the way. Why go to the club, just go and see him.”
Dehlia shook her head stubbornly. “Yup, I guess I am stubborn. Let him pursue me.”
“Uh-uh, the easy way out. So if he doesn’t come to you first, then you have nothing to worry about, right?” The young witch frowned.
“C’mon Jasmine, lay off.”
“I know you better than you know yourself.” Jasmine teased. “Maybe you’re banking on him showing up at the club—to make him jelly. Um-hmmm.”
Dehlia nudged her cousin with a smile. “Stop.”
“Yeah, see that? I knew it!” So, say we do run into him and let’s say you succeed in your little campaign of getting him jealous. You bed him—then what, genius? You know what will happen.”
“I’ll cross that bridge if and when I get to it,” Dehlia admitted with a sigh.
Jasmine shook her head stubbornly. “You’re hoping it will.”
“I haven’t been truly happy in years. Niall’s a vampire, I’m a McQueen; you can’t help who you fall in love with. When I’m with him---He makes me feel so much, like a longing that’s being satisfied. I don’t know if you can understand what I’m trying to say.”
“Yes, I think I do. He’s possibly your anchor, your soul mate, like Rose and Storm are soul mates. Clara and Micah too. Even so, you know the consequences. Are you prepared to take them on if this comes to pass?” Jasmine asked.
“At this point in my life--yes.”
“Does he know about your secret?”
Jasmine’s words were like ice water washing over her. Dehlia sucked her teeth, a little nervous habit she’d picked up since the Blood Moon. “Let’s not go there.”
“Listen, if you two have another chance, he should know before the two of you have sex. I mean, I’ve had my doubts about you and him, but you’re my cousin so I want to help you any way I can.”
She smiled. “That means a lot to me, it really does. If only Rose felt the same.”
“Everyone has their opinions on the matter,” Jasmine explained, “It’s no big deal, so let’s go. It’s eight o’clock and everyone else is either out and about or asleep.”
“Rose and Storm?”
“I haven’t seen them since yesterday.” Jasmine told her. “They’re probably off on one of their romantic getaways. And they really deserve one. I think she’s finally learned the meaning of balance, and Storm sure as hell has been looking very happy these days.”
“Good, I don’t need Rose sticking her nose in my business.” Dehlia walked over and opened her walk-in closet. She bit her lip as she plucked her best pair of thigh high leather boots with the gold tips from the shelf and flopped on her black velvet Chaise Lounge to put them on.
“She’s only looking out for your best interest,” Jasmine reminded her gently. “She and Storm put up a hell of a fight.”
“We all put up a hell of a fight. Tonight I’m partying until the sun comes up.” Dehlia zipped the last boot and slipped into her black leather jacket.
“Who’s driving?”
“I will.” Dehlia snickered.
“Awesome! I’m planning on having a few drinks too.” Jasmine chortled. “And if we both get smashed, we’ll just call a taxi.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Cool, let’s blow this joint.” Jasmine entwined her arm around her cousins’ and they headed down to the garage.
--------
Buy Links-
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Pearls-Protector-Ravens-Falls-Series-ebook/dp/B00I4FY4CS
If you haven't read the first two books in Raven's Falls Series, be sure to check them out first, these are not standalone books.
ARe- https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=series&qString=Raven%26%23039%3Bs+Falls+Series
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Pearls-Protector-Ravens-Falls-Book-ebook/dp/B00I4FY4CS/ref=la_B003GP13K2_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416322809&sr=1-9
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Raven-Rose-Ravens-Falls-Book-ebook/dp/B00JD3PD70/ref=la_B003GP13K2_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416322809&sr=1-10
Author Links
www.charismaknight.com
charismaknight.blogspot.com
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