Detective Paige Whiskey has a lot on her plate. A gate to Hell is permanently seared into her soul and she has no way of controlling it. She let a psychotic serial killing demon free in exchange for Dexx’s life. Her sister is about to have a baby and a whole world of crazy has opened in the Whiskey household. And, if that wasn’t enough, she and Dexx are trying to figure out their relationship.
They’re about to discover a world that has been hidden from the Whiskeys. A world of shapeshifters, werewolves, and vampires. A world that was hidden to end a bloody war. A war between shifters and witches.
Paige has to make a decision. Solve this murder and start a war? Or ignore it and keep her family safe?
But when Dexx is bitten, all everything changes. War? Or love?
Why is nothing ever simple?EXCERPT:
A
scuffle. Someone grunted. Another person growled.
She
glanced at Dexx and headed in the direction of the sounds. She unzipped her
jacket and drew her weapon.
Dexx
jogged around a dark SUV and slowed to a stop, a confused frown marring his
face.
Paige
clicked off the safety of her Micro Eagle and turned the corner of the vehicle.
Two
men fought in the patch of grass between the parked cars, but something was off
with both of them.
One
man had fangs.
The
other had fur. And was growling.
Paige
stepped into the grass and leaned in. “Gentlemen?”
The
fanged man stopped, relaxing his face. He tugged on the sleeves of his
impressive business jacket and narrowed his green eyes at the other man.
A
woman peeled herself out of the shadows, her hands raised. She was tall, blonde,
and gorgeous. Her tight, red dress left very little to the imagination. Her
high-heeled shoes made Paige’s feet hurt just looking at them. “It’s okay. I’ve
already called the cops. You can—” Her ruby red lips curled in a smile as she
flicked one well-manicured finger. “—leave. There is nothing to see here.”
“I
am the cops.”
The
furry man faced her. The “fur” was only along his jaw and hands. His ears were
longer than a human’s, like an elf-dog. His eyes glowed yellow, and he had more
than fangs. He had a full set of sharp teeth.
How
were the cops supposed to handle something like that?
“Rosy,
Rosy, Rosy,” a familiar voice said behind her.
Paige
blinked, her mind scrambling to figure out a lie to tell her partner. She
didn’t even know what she was lying about.
Whoa!
What? Tony? What was he doing here?
“What
have I told you? Keep your dog on a shorter leash.”
Tony
entered round circle of light from the overhead parking lot lamp.
His
words registered and the mind-scrambling stopped. She raised her chin, a frown
furrowing her brows. “Tony.”
He
froze, his eyes wide. “Paige.”
The
hairy man stood, his face morphing into human. “That’s your partner, right?”
How’d
he do that? She knew better than to ask that question. She turned to Fang Man
instead. “What happened out here?”
He
straightened his shoulders, his expression smug. “We were just having a
friendly argument.”
“Then,
why did Rosy feel the need to call the cops?”
“She
didn’t call the cops. She called me.” Tony stepped toward Paige, his hands
raised. “Care to put the gun away?”
“When
you explain to me what’s going on here.”
Tony
slid his dark gaze to Rosy. “Take your dog somewhere outside the city limits. I
don’t want to see him anymore.”
The
woman sighed. “It’s hard to break them in out there, Tee. You know that.”
“Not
here, Rose. All right?”
“Fine.
Fine. Fine. Come on, Pete.” Rosy’s high-heeled steps disappeared around the
truck.
Tony
turned to Fang Man. “And you?”
“Just
teaching the pup a lesson.”
“In
public.”
“It
wasn’t public until your partner showed up.”
Tony
dropped his chin and sighed, his lips flat.
Fang
Man straightened his jacket. “Fine. We need to get you a new job.”
Once
everyone had left in their vehicles, Tony turned back to her.
By
that time, she’d re-holstered her weapon.
Dexx
came to stand at her back, quiet but ready.
“Okay.”
Paige crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me what just happened.”
Tony
narrowed his eyes and mimicked her position. “You read me into what happened in
Louisiana, and I’ll read you into what’s going on here.”
She
already had a hunch. Vampires and werewolves were real.
But
having her partner in on this part of her life?
Actually
might be very helpful.
Fine.
He wanted read in. No problem. “I’m a demon summoner and a witch. In Louisiana,
a demon kidnapped me, cast a spell in my bones, and now I house a living door
to Hell inside me. Now, you.”
He
gestured his concession. “I’m a vampire.”
No comments:
Post a Comment