An assassination attempt. A second in charge that's falling apart. Curses against gods and shifters alike. What more could you ask for from a first chapter?
Caden is an alpha looking forward to retirement. When a wolf he long ago banished shows up in his bedroom in the middle of the night - and his second in charge proves less than dependable - Caden escapes for a lonesome walk, trying to make sense of it all. He soon finds himself in front of a decade's old bakery and inexplicably drawn to the new owner, Brielle.
First she tries to mace him, then hurls magic at him. It's actually a funny scene. Caden's dramatics definitely earn a chuckle or two. Then, giving into the impulse, Caden kisses Brielle.
I loved this book. I loved the magic. I loved the emotions.
Didn't expect the end. Goes to prove, just because it's happily-ever-after doesn't mean it's perfect. Everybody pays a price in this one.
I pretty much stayed on the fence with Meghi, his best friend/former lover/second in charge. You couldn't hate her for being protective of the pack and her best friend. However, her racism against humans made you want to pound her into the sand.
Poor, gotta-love-him, Cadon. He tries so hard to make things right, but like all men, he doesn't have a clue. And the quotes at the beginning of each chapter are perfectly matched. Some even scare you.
Cadon is my new favorite child of Odin. Hands down.
Mine…she’s mine.
The words hummed along his racing pulse as his hands gripped her hips to hold her immobile in his embrace. He didn’t even pause to wonder at the intensity of his craving for her kiss. Her fingers slipped into his hair with a whimper, pulling him under the magic of her passion.
Magic. Magic. Hello? Magic!
Warning bells jangled in his head. Cadon wrenched back and swiped a hand over his mouth as he stared at her in horror. The look on her face tore at his heart. She was shaking in need, the same as him, but her expression was almost forlorn. Regret colored her scent. It hit him like a hard hot whip, in direct contrast to the soft white flakes that began to fall from the sky. Her trembling fingers rose to her lips as Brielle pressed against the shop door. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Cadon crossed his arms and tucked his hands beneath his elbows in an attempt to keep from grabbing her again. This wasn’t like him, to just up and attack a lady he barely knew. Let alone a human. Her pulse drummed against his senses and echoed a cadence of fear once again.
“It was only a kiss, sugar,” he said, trying to squelch her distress.
“No, it was magic,” she responded. “My magic. It wasn’t real.”
“What?”
“Give me your name.”
“Cadon Sterling.” He frowned. “But what does that have to do with—”
“It was nice to meet you, Cadon Sterling. I’ll unfurl the spell as best I can when I get home.”
He stiffened. “Spell? What kind of spell? What exactly did you do, Brielle?”
“I won’t bother you again, I swear.”
Brielle mumbled another apology and stepped out of the doorway. Cadon froze in the act of reaching for her as their gazes came together and held. The panic that reflected in her eyes turned his blood cold.
“What are you so afraid of?” he demanded. “What did you do?”
“Nothing that can’t be undone.”
“Brielle—”
“I’m so sorry.”
She pushed past him and headed down the street.
“Brielle, wait.”
“Just leave me alone.”
He grabbed her arm in an attempt to stop her. She cursed and pressed the flat of her left palm against his chest. The electric blue of her magic exploded against his skin, knocking him to the ground.
She didn’t pause or turn to look back. Not even when he managed to get to his feet and yell for her to stop. Cadon let her go, confused as all hell. Tonight was one for the record books. One damn mystery after another. His body ached from her blow, and he had an overwhelming urge to find her and demand some answers, but he shoved the feeling away.
As the minutes ticked by, he worked through the magic that lingered over his heart and walled it off from his soul. Her touch was different, and though he couldn’t say why, he felt her absence like a nagging wound, deeper than any paltry mark of Sabon’s blade.
No comments:
Post a Comment