Tuesday, May 21, 2024

REBEL by Harley Wylde #mc #romance @changelingpress

 

A Dixie Reapers Bad Boys Romance

Savage Raptors MC, Book 5

 

Motorcycle Club Romance

Date Published: May 24, 2024


 

Isy -- Being the daughter of a Dixie Reaper isn’t as wonderful as it sounds. Not when your dad expects you to be this perfect little princess who never causes trouble, never dates, and just… sits on a shelf collecting dust. It sucks. When I get the chance, I run. I didn’t exactly have a destination in mind, but ending up in Bryson Corners turned out to be a good thing. The first Savage Raptor I saw, I claimed. I should feel bad for Rebel, but… he’s just so sexy, and now he’s all mine!

Rebel -- You know the saying be careful what you wish for? I should have listened. I wanted a family and fate literally threw Isy into my arms. I’d thought I was saving her. It never occurred to me she’d announce she was my girlfriend. Although, I have to admit there’s chemistry between us. It’s hard to keep my hands off her. I’d thought the kidnap attempt was a one-time thing, but I was wrong. Isy has a stalker, and I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. She’s mine, and I’ll make damn sure everyone knows it!

 

WARNING: Rebel is an insta-love story intended for adult readers. It contains violence, stalking, bad language, and adult situations.

 


 

 

EXCERPT


Rebel

The scent of stale beer and cigarette smoke clung to the air, setting the perfect tone for a typical night at the Savage Raptors MC clubhouse. I sat perched on a worn-out barstool, nursing my drink and taking in the rowdy chaos around me. The clubhouse was alive with the sounds of laughter, cursing, and the clinking of glass as my brothers let off some steam.

I could have gone to a bar in town, but the beer here was free. Sort of. The club treasurer took a percentage of the club take for any jobs and funneled it over to an account used for stocking the bar. Even though we hadn’t had a lot of runs lately, we’d picked up two local businesses. Bought them cheap when they were about to close up, so now we had a gas station and a honky-tonk. Both brought in good revenue.

I wasn’t much for country music, so I avoided the honky-tonk unless I had no other options. It was always lively. Lots of pretty girls there too. Unfortunately for me, I apparently looked more like the good-time guy than boyfriend material, because they only ever wanted one night. There were times that was perfectly fine. Most of the time I was looking for something else. Not that I’d admitted as much to anyone.

“Fuck yeah, man!” Stinger shouted from across the room, landing a winning shot on the pool table. Ever since Atilla decided to follow the Dixie Reapers’ example and ban club whores from the compound, our clubhouse had changed quite a bit. Of course, we were a smaller club, so we’d never been as rowdy anyway.

Now, instead of women, we had a pool table, dartboard, and a poker table. I had to admit, I much preferred it this way. The women who came here were nothing but trouble. Although, Truth had kept them in line before. He’d disliked most females, and certainly hadn’t respected them, until he met his wife. He’d changed a lot since Madison came into his life. They’d even adopted a son, which mellowed Truth even more.

When he’d wanted to claim Madison, I’d thought for sure Atilla would tell him no. The way he’d always treated women, he was the last one I’d expected to settle down. Now my brothers were all falling, one after another. We’d gone from all being bachelors to four of us having families.

I couldn’t help but crack a smile at my brothers’ antics as I watched them. We were a family -- a ragtag group of misfits bound together by brotherhood and loyalty. But beneath the camaraderie and wild nights, something gnawed at me, leaving me restless and itching for more. It wasn’t precisely a new feeling, but one that was steadily growing with each passing month. It started a few years ago, and clearly wasn’t going away.

“Nice shot, Stinger!” I called out, raising my own bottle in a toast before taking another swig. My gaze drifted around the room. Even though I sat by myself, I wasn’t alone. Not here.

General and Spade were locked in an intense arm-wrestling match, veins bulging and sweat pouring down their faces as they strained against each other. A few brothers had gathered around them, placing bets on who would emerge victorious.

“Come on, Spade, you got this!” someone yelled, egging him on with a slap to his back.

“Fuck that, General’s gonna wipe the floor with his ass!” another voice countered, earning a snarl from Spade. Yeah, probably not the brightest idea to piss off the club’s VP. Whoever had made the comment was most likely going to get the shit jobs for a while. Or forced to scrub toilets both here and at our businesses.

I’d been living this life for years -- the booze, the bikes, the women -- but it all felt so hollow now. Like I was missing the one thing that would make it all worthwhile. I still hooked up with women sometimes, but not recently. In fact, I hadn’t been with anyone in over three months. I always got tested afterward, just to be safe. Being with random women wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Even a condom wasn’t foolproof.

The feeling I’d had wasn’t one I’d been able to label until recently. Helping out Cowboy’s son, Jackson, in the past few weeks had certainly made an impact on me. He’d been willing to do anything for his wife and kid, and it had taken me a few days to realize I was jealous as hell. I’d had no reason to be, until I came to the conclusion the restless feeling inside me was because I wanted a family of my own. Not just a brotherhood, but a wife and kids.

“Hey, Rebel!” Stinger called out, snapping me from my thoughts. “You want in on the next game?”

“Maybe later,” I replied, tossing him a grin before taking another swig of my beer. My mind refused to let go of the thought there should be more to life than this -- something deeper, more meaningful. And I was determined to find it, whatever the cost. Not that the town of Bryson Corners was crawling with women I’d want to claim for more than a night. If it was, they’d all given me a wide berth. Maybe I wasn’t the kind of man they thought would want a lasting relationship. I needed someone who could handle living with the club, accept this way of life. Some might think it sounded amazing, but the reality would most likely send them running at some point.

My gaze drifted across the clubhouse, finally landing on Lynx and Atilla, who were seated nearby, beers in hand, deep in conversation.

“Man, I never thought I’d see the day when Grizzly would let his daughter be part of our world,” Atilla chuckled, taking a swig from his bottle. As the President of our club, he’d never backed down from a challenge, and always kept us in line. “It’s too bad he’s not here to see how much progress Meredith has made. She’s almost like a different woman these days. May Grizzly’s soul rest in peace!”

“I honestly thought he’d lose his shit and demand I send her home,” Lynx said, running a hand through his reddish hair as he smiled. “But Meredith’s been a true blessing in my life. Wouldn’t trade her for anything. We have a good life here, and I hope he’s watching over her and sees that she’s right where she belongs.”

“Damn straight,” Atilla replied, raising his bottle in a toast. “To love and brotherhood.”

The genuine smiles spread across their faces struck a chord within me. There was a depth to their happiness I had yet to find in my own experiences. It gnawed at me, a hunger no amount of drink or late-night escapades could satisfy. Family. What those two had with their women was more than I’d ever thought to have for myself. Except now, I wanted it more than anything. I was only in my thirties, and I knew a lot of brothers my age who weren’t ready to settle down. Some would say I still had my entire life ahead of me, but why spend all those years alone? Easy pussy wasn’t as satisfying as it had been a decade ago.

“Rebel, you all right?” Lynx called out, noticing my stare. I hadn’t realized how long I’d been watching them.

“Uh, yeah. Just thinking,” I said, offering a half-hearted grin. “Guess I zoned out for a minute.”

“Careful, brother. Don’t wanna strain that little brain of yours,” Atilla teased, his laughter echoing through the room as Lynx joined in.

“Fuck off, old man!” I shot back. Thankfully, he knew I was joking, otherwise the Pres would have put me on my ass.

I couldn’t help but envy their camaraderie. I’d noticed those who had settled down with a woman and kids seemed closer than ever before. It made me feel left out.

“Seriously, though,” Lynx continued, his expression sobering, “if you ever need someone to talk to, we’re here for you. Looked like you had something heavy weighing on your mind.”

“Appreciate it,” I replied, giving them a nod. But as their laughter resumed and they dove back into their conversation, my thoughts continued to churn. If I was going to find a woman around here, I would have by now. I’d lived in Bryson Corners most of my life. But unless I ran into her on a run to another city or state, it wasn’t likely I’d have the chance to search for my one and only. Not anytime soon.

My eyes flicked back to Lynx and Atilla, the sight of their contentment only deepening my desire for something more. And as the noise and chaos of the clubhouse washed over me, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t settle for anything less. I needed to find that missing piece, the connection that would make my life complete.

Lynx’s phone went off, and he stood to go outside to answer. He’d only been gone a few minutes before he returned, his face pale and his hands clenched into fists. I wondered what the call had been about, but I wasn’t going to pry. He sat down and leaned closer to Atilla. Whatever he’d said made Atilla check his phone as well. The Pres let out a curse and disappeared down the hall to his office.

As curious as I was, I knew if it was anything club related, I’d find out eventually. I only hoped it wasn’t anything too bad. With the way Lynx looked, I knew it wasn’t good news, though.

As the night wore on, I slouched on my barstool, arms braced on the bar top in front of me. I twisted my empty beer bottle, trying not to feel sorry for myself. No one had approached me so far. Probably thought I was drunk off my ass, and honestly, I was getting close. How many beers had I had already? I’d lost count.

“Another round?” Benjamin asked. The Prospect held out a bottle toward me, and I nodded. He popped the top and handed it over.

“Rebel, you ever think about settling down?” The question came from Ace, our newest member, who sat two barstools down from me. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and I wondered if he was about to try setting me up with a stripper or some stranger he’d just met. Wouldn’t be the first time. He’d done it to every single man here at one point or another. Last time he’d tried it with me, she’d been a no-show. I counted myself lucky.

Poor Knuckles had ended up with a stripper who’d been high as a kite. He’d caught her shooting up during their date and walked out. Good thing too since she’d OD’d later that night. If Knuckles had been with her at the time, the police would have given us hell. Last thing we wanted was a spotlight on us.

“Me? Nah, not my style, man,” I replied dismissively, unwilling to share my true thoughts with anyone just yet. I knew my brothers would give me shit if I admitted I wanted a wife and kids more than anything.

“Fair enough.” He chuckled. “You’re older than me but still young. Plenty of time for that I guess.”

“What about you?” I asked. “Since you brought it up, do you have your eye on someone? Or were you just trying to unload some unwanted attention?”

He laughed and shook his head. “No, to both, but I have to admit, Atilla, Lynx, Maui, and Truth all look pretty content these days. Makes me wonder if they’ve figured out the secret to happiness.”

“Hey, Rebel,” a sultry voice whispered in my ear, snapping me out of my reverie. I glanced over to see Raven, a dark-haired beauty who frequented the club, sliding her hand up my thigh. When the hell had she gotten here? “Wanna have some fun?”

She wasn’t a club whore, and never had been. Which was why Atilla allowed her to come to the clubhouse sometimes. However, she had a tendency to hang out with a few of my brothers and seemed to worm her way into this place on occasion. Like now. I didn’t know why she kept targeting me, but she wasn’t my type. Too high maintenance.

I’d be willing to bet it took her over an hour to get ready every day. I’d seen her around town often enough to know she fixed her hair and makeup like this all the time. Had to admit I wondered what she’d look like fresh out of the shower, but I doubted she’d ever let someone see her like that.

“Thanks, Raven, but not tonight,” I muttered, brushing her hand away. Her pout did little to entice me. The move was too practiced.

“Suit yourself,” she huffed, stalking off to find another willing participant for her games. Of course, there was always the chance she was angling for a property patch. If that was the case, she’d be better off trying to con Stinger into taking her.

“Damn, Rebel. You turning down Raven?” Ace whistled, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “You must be going soft. I know the two of you have hung out a few times. Not to your taste anymore?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I growled, taking a swig of my beer, welcoming the bitter taste. I’d played pool with her twice, and on a night I’d been too drunk to stand up straight, I’d fucked her in the bathroom. No one wanted to let me forget it either.

I’d always been fiercely loyal to my brothers, but as the night wore on, the truth became clear: I needed something more -- someone who saw beyond the leather and tattoos, who could fill the void inside me. And until I found her, I felt like I’d never truly be whole.


 

About the Author

Harley Wylde is an accomplished author known for her captivating MC Romances. With an unwavering commitment to sensual storytelling, Wylde immerses her readers in an exciting world of fierce men and irresistible women. Her works exude passion, danger, and gritty realism, while still managing to end on a satisfying note each time.

When not crafting her tales, Wylde spends her time brainstorming new plotlines, indulging in a hot cup of Starbucks, or delving into a good book. She has a particular affinity for supernatural horror literature and movies. Visit Wylde's website to learn more about her works and upcoming events, and don't forget to sign up for her newsletter to receive exclusive discounts and other exciting perks.

 

Author on Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok: @harleywylde

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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Monday, May 20, 2024

Can't See Around Corners by Josie Townsend #PsychologicalThriller

 

Psychological Thriller

Date Published: January 27, 2024

 

 

Two fraternal twins, Sharon and Annie are the only children of Edna and Warren Karce.

They are the future of the highly famed socialite dynasty.

The girls have graduated with honors and look forward to their trip to Europe.

The sisters' love for one another is obvious but a sinister force of malicious feelings dwells beneath their facade of shared contentment.

Once abroad and with their hypervigilant parents absent, treachery, deceit, and wickedness develop intensely between the girls, and their relationship advances into the vilest possible nightmare, changing their lives forever.

The discovery of an ancient, mysterious pendant formerly owned by Vlad, the Impaler from Dracula's Castle begins an epic spiral of demonic incidents that traumatize not only the twin girls lives while in Romania but has the ability to penetrate their family's existence back home in Australia.

How will the highly renowned family survive the unforeseen satanic entity, integrated with the discreditable exploits from the once idolized and respected daughters of the Karce Empire?


About the Author

Josie Townsend was born in regional NSW Australia, the eldest daughter of five children. She started writing at the age of 55yrs old and has self-published two manuscripts and a third on the way. At the young age of 21, Josie had a car accident and lost sight in her left eye, so as a vision-impaired writer it was even more difficult for her to write but she endeavour's to follow her heart's desires and keep moving forward in life. Even through her struggles, she believes in never letting life's hardships hold you hostage like you're its victim.

 

Contact Links

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Thursday, May 16, 2024

Quantum Consequence by Mike Murphey #SciFi



Physic, Lust and Greed Series, Book 5

 

Sci-Fi

Date Published: 05-16-2024

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


 

After foiling the political ambitions of a would-be American dictator, time-traveling lovers Marta Hamilton and Marshall Grissom return to their life in the Caribbean only to confront the murder of a friend and inherit responsibility for a gutsy 10-year old boy. Throughout their unlikely and tumultuous relationship, Marta has harbored suspicions that her time-traveling companion is not being honest with her. Is Marshall really the bumbling, good-hearted klutz she has come to love and trust? Or is he the cunning, cold-blooded assassin Gillis Kerg suspects him to be? In this fifth tale of physics, lust and greed, a bizarre parallel universe and a monstrous product of artificial intelligence will impose a costly consequence requiring both Marta and Marshall to face the truth of her most haunting question:  “Who are you, Marshall Grissom?”

 

About the Author

Mike Murphey is a native of eastern New Mexico and spent almost thirty years as an award-winning newspaper journalist in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest. His debut novel, Section Roads, has been recognized by Indie Reader Discovery Awards, Reader Views Reviewers Choice Awards, The IAN Book of the Year Awards, the Somerset Contemporary Fiction Awards, and the Independent Publishers Book Awards. His novel, The Conman has been recognized by the International Book Awards, the eLit Awards and the Manhattan Book Awards. His award-winning Physics, Lust and Greed Series includes Taking Time,  Wasting Time, Killing Time and  The Outlaw Gillis Kerg. “We Never Knew Just What It Was… The Story of the Chad Mitchell Trio” is his first non-fiction work. Mike loves fiction, cats, baseball and sailing. He splits his time between Spokane, Washington, and Phoenix, Arizona.

 

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Facebook

Twitter: @booksmurphey

Blog

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Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Uncertain Foundations by Emily Carrington #lgbtq #paranormal #fiction


LGBTQ, Paranormal Women’s Fiction

Date Published: May 17, 2024

 

 

They’ve been there for each other through death and life, through pain and joy. Their love life has held them together through all external dangers. But what happens when the threat seems to come from within?

Charlie, half werewolf, has never felt so uncertain. Everything he’s trusted in -- his eyesight, his psychic ability, his confidence in making decisions -- is under attack. Even his mate, his Life dancer, Luis, seems untrustworthy.

Luis, a psychic vampire, is consumed by terror and paranoia. Unable to tell fact from fiction, and feeling Charlie pulling away, he lashes out.

These two lovers who have stood the test of time find themselves on unsteady ground. Can their love prevail despite the terror working its way through the pack?

 



EXCERPT

Luis stood his back to a wall. He gazed across the crowded room to his Life Dancer, who was shaking hands with Princess Angelina Oakland. Scanning the princess’s living room quickly, Luis noted the approaching dawn lightening the sky in the east and the Pakistani land dragon speaking quietly with Claudette, the water dragon from Western New York. He felt like a stalker, watching all these people in their final moments of conversation and leave-taking, but he wouldn’t let Charlie, his Life Dancer, be alone. Too much had happened during this last delegate gathering.

“Go downstairs,” Charlie said, turning his head away from the princess to meet Miguel’s gaze. The blood-dependent vampire, slave to the darkness of night, was swaying on his feet.

“You are leaving,” Miguel said.

“This morning,” Charlie agreed.

“I wanted to say thank you.” He nodded to Princess Angelina. “To you as well, Your Highness. I have lived without hope for many years. To have it again is a marvelous blessing. And it wouldn’t have been possible, Tilthos Charles, without your assistance.”

“You’re welcome, but if you thank me again, I’m going to have to demand payment.” Charlie sounded more concerned than flippant despite his words. “Go. Down. Stairs. We’ll meet again.”

Miguel shook hands with both of them and headed from the room.

He passed close to Luis and said softly, “Your lover is a beacon of hope.” Then he was gone.

Luis watched Charlie making the rounds of the other magical creatures in the room. All of these others were ignoring Luis, as if he was just a bodyguard. That suited Luis just fine. Charlie didn’t really need his protection, not in this room, and not usually in the world at large. The leader of all the werewolves on this and the southern continent was only half werewolf, and visually impaired also, but he’d held his position without others defending him for over half a decade. He was confident. He was strong.

And sexy as hell.

Luis firmly turned his thoughts from that particular channel because some of the magical creatures gathered here had great senses of smell. They’d know he was aroused if he allowed himself the luxury of thinking of his Life Dancer without clothes on.

Charlie’s thoughts drifted through Luis’s mind, his psychic tone lightly teasing. I think it’s too late for you to hide anything.

Luis smirked and thought back, Good.

Gradually, the heads of this or that species left, taking their chauffeured rides to private airplanes. Agent Jack Sowerby would be meeting some of them at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, but some wouldn’t allow the new head of SearchLight to see them off. Claudette, the water dragon, was one of these, preferring to keep her exact departure a secret.

Luis knew she was flying out of Dulles, the airport south of here in Virginia, but he was a tracker. It was his job to know the comings and goings of those who might be a threat to SearchLight. Or to his Life Dancer.

As the room emptied, he wondered if the princess would let him and Charlie have one last fling in the bedroom she’d set aside for them. Although, even if she did, Charlie might not want to hang around. He was anxious to get back to their displaced pack.

“Tilthos Charles, do you need to rest before starting on your drive home?” Princess Angelina asked as if she’d read Luis’s mind. He didn’t think she had telepathy, and his shields were mostly up anyway.

“That would be a better question for Luis, since I can’t drive,” Charlie said, sounding amused. He tapped the end of his white cane on the parquet floor. “Thank you, but I think we should get going.”

Luis thought, keeping it hidden from his Life Dancer, Damn. And I was hoping to be driving without blue balls.

Still, he had to admit he wanted to get home. And not just so that the Tilthos Pack could return from where they’d been scattered to when all the dominant protectors were occupied here in DC and Maryland. Luis had concerns about those pack members here: Jeremy, Ethan, and Charlie.

Jeremy and Ethan would be driving back at some point soon, but first, Ethan needed to regain his human shape. He’d taken to sticking close to Jeremy and their son, Will, but in his werewolf guise. It was as if he thought being in four-footed would somehow protect him from further pain.

Luis had absolutely no doubt Jeremy would take care of his mate. The Night Wanderer was protective anyway, and since Ethan had been forced to --

“Luis?”

He blinked, startled out of his thoughts by his Life Dancer calling his name. Charlie stood about ten feet away, his gaze unfocused, as it always was when he wasn’t trying to read some large print or looking at a picture eight-year-old Will had drawn.

Luis crossed to him and touched his shoulder. “What is it?” he asked gently.

“I guess you missed the change in plans.”

Luis smiled guiltily. “I was lost in my own world.”

“I realized --” Charlie said, lowering his voice and bending so he could put his mouth next to Luis’s ear. “I need you before we head out.”

Luis’s cock raised its head and he felt his asshole constrict in anticipation. “Not here,” he ventured.

“Well, in this house, but, no, not in the living room. If we stained any of her pillows or cushions, I’m sure Angelina would throw us out and bill us through the nose.” He took Luis’s hand, pressing the shaft of the white cane between their palms. “Will you guide me?”

Luis knew Charlie didn’t mean that literally. He was independent to a fault, was Tilthos Charles McLaughlin, alpha above all alphas. But having Charlie make the request made Luis harder still. He kissed Charlie’s palm and then encouraged him to take his arm.

Swinging his cane out before his feet, Charlie “followed” Luis up the stairs and down the hall. The warmth of his hand, firm on the back of Luis’s arm, was ambrosia to the anxiety Luis had been feeling for the last week or so. Charlie trusted him. He glanced back and saw Charlie’s eyes were closed and his cane no longer touched the floor. He was letting Luis guide him completely.

Luis’s heart rose and he swallowed against sudden, stupid tears. “Te amo, Charlie,” he whispered.

A mischievous smile lit Charlie’s dark and handsome features. “Of course, you do.”

Luis snorted. But before he could retort, Charlie stopped walking and pulled Luis into a tight embrace. Luis inhaled, loving the scent of his lover’s aftershave.

“I love you too. Now, come on. I need you.”


 

About the Author

Emily Carrington is a multipublished author of male/male and transgender women’s speculative fiction. Seeking a world made of equality, she created SearchLight to live out her dreams. But even SearchLight has its problems, and Emily is looking forward to working all of these out with a host of characters from dragons and genies to psychic vampires. And in the contemporary world she’s named “Sticks & Stones,” Emily has vowed to create small towns where prejudice is challenged by a passionate quest for equality. Find her on Facebook at Shapeshifter Central or on her website.


Contact Links

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Thursday, May 9, 2024

Obedience by Isabella Jordan #paranormal #romance

 

Paranormal Women’s Fiction, Romantic Comedy

Date Published: May 10, 2024


A princess with a problem...

Meela must marry a prince from another planet in order to ensure the security of her people. Trouble is Meela's known to be a bit feisty, and sometimes that gets her into trouble. It's bad enough she has no say in who she'll marry. Worse still, the queen places an obedience curse on Meela to thwart her errant ways.

As a result of the curse, Meela finds herself in plenty of predicaments not exactly fit for a princess. But what's a princess to do when two gorgeous hunks come along and place sensual demands on her Meela's not sure she can -- or even wants to -- deny?

 

 

 


EXCERPT

 

Meela stared into the flowing red river before kneeling on the grassy bank to sulk. The red colored water rushing by her looked like blood. There were so many red rivers on the planet that they'd looked like veins on its surface to Meela when the star cruiser she'd traveled in approached it earlier.

Now that she was here, she wished that someone had told her to throw herself in the river. Her nurse had only told her to take a walk to calm her mind. It was a rare freedom for Meela. Probably her last.

Today was the day Meela had been preparing for her whole life. Later today she would be presented to the queen of this planet along with two other princesses from neighboring planets. The queen would then allow her sons to each choose the girl he wanted for his bride beginning with her oldest son, her heir.

It wasn't that Meela minded the arranged marriage. She was a princess after all and her duty was to her people. Her marriage to a Prince of Nelot, the strongest planet with the most powerful army in the system, would ensure the protection of her people. She'd been promised in marriage since her birth and all of her teachings were in preparation for fulfilling this obligation.

Meela accepted that.

But when she was sixteen, the Queen of Nelot, a sorceress she was to find out, paid a visit to Meela and her family on their home planet, Bano. She wanted to meet Meela, considering one day she would be the bride of one of her sons.

The queen was pleased with Meela. A little too pleased in fact. She explained to Meela's parents that their daughter was indeed beautiful, cultured and intelligent -- befitting a Princess of Nelot. But she felt those very virtues put Meela in danger from others and from herself until the wedding, so she placed an enchantment upon Meela. From that day forward, Meela would be obedient, would do whatever she was told, until her future husband arranged her release from the spell.

Her life had been misery ever since.

At first, Meela and her family didn't realize just what curse had been bestowed upon her. A few nights later Meela became angry at her father for not allowing her some privilege. She sat complaining in her rooms while her nurse brushed her hair. Finally her frustrated nurse told her to hold her tongue.

It had taken several hours for the entire family to discover that someone had to tell Meela to let go of her tongue before she could pry her fingers away.

It got worse. While her parents enjoyed their new power over Meela, the power to make her work at her studies longer and attend royal functions in their places, soon they learned there was a danger to the curse. Once, one of Meela's friends at court had dared her to kiss the handsome visiting ambassador from the planet Dalu. Unable to stop herself, she'd walked right up to the man and kissed him full on the mouth.

Her parents had been so alarmed by the turn of events that she was placed under the strictest watch until the time of her wedding. No more fun outings with her friends. No more boring royal functions even. Meela was only allowed to attend the most important celebrations on her planet, and then only for a short time with at least a dozen people watching her every movement. They might as well have locked her away in a prison.

Perhaps that is what the Queen of Nelot had intended when she'd placed the enchantment on her.

Years passed while the Princes of Nelot fought off one legion of intruders to their system after another, the stories of their glorious victories painting them as great warriors. By the time the Queen of Nelot sent for Meela for the bridal selection and subsequent wedding, she was twenty-seven, going out of her mind with boredom, and had taken to finding creative ways of watching the private activities of guests to the palace. It was as close as she had ever come to having sex after all.

And now that she was here on Nelot, ready to be selected by one of the queen's sons and do her duty for her parents and her people, she was pretty damned unhappy. Wasn't it enough of a sacrifice to have the person she'd spend her life with, share a bed with and have children for, chosen for her? Then to have the hateful curse of obedience placed on her, robbing her of her last years of freedom?

Meela no longer wanted to marry any son of the woman who had done this to her. Meela didn't even want to meet the princes.

"It's not fair," Meela grumbled at her reflection far below in the red water.

"What's not fair?"

That deep male voice alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone. With as much composure as she could muster, Meela turned her head slowly. She was unescorted, without any of her attendants who understood her enchantment, for the first time since she had kissed the ambassador at court. The pace of her heartbeat grew along with her anxiety.

"That I can't stay and enjoy this beautiful view," Meela said in her best royal voice with her practiced princess smile.

Yet she forgot all about how she was to speak or smile as she gazed at the two men standing before her, their dress indicating that they were common soldiers of the planet. They looked very much alike, both tall men with bodies of steel, the snug black uniforms they wore revealing that they were all hard, firm muscles.

 


About the Author

Isabella Jordan is the alter ego of an otherwise stressed out web designer, programmer, and internet junkie. When she's not trying to perfect her own personal caffeine IV drip, she enjoys spending time with her family, doing volunteer work, and writing. She loves creating new stories of all kinds and chatting with readers and friends.

Isabella would love to hear from her readers!

 

Author Website

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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