Death and Beauty by Samantha MacLeod
Description
Find more from this author on:
Here is a short sample from the book:
The branch trembled, making the delicate green leaves and white flower clusters dance. A single petal shook free to sail across the bright blue sky. It was so beautiful, caught in the golden light of late afternoon. I couldn’t understand why someone was crying.
The flower petal tumbled through the sky, heedless of the voices below. I liked it. I liked it all, the bright sky, the white flowers, the audacious little green leaves. I tried to turn and follow the petal through the sky, but my neck wasn’t quite working. It didn’t matter anyway. Soon the brave little petal would be swallowed by the blackness creeping into my vision, turning the sky into a little, shrinking circle, growing farther and farther away, until it was entirely gone—
Darkness. Darkness and voices, a soft rush of motion. Then something harsh and acrid, like battlefield smoke, stung my nostrils, and my head spun. I tried to open my eyes.
“What happened?” I moaned.
Someone clucked above me. “Don’t move just yet, my boy.”
The voice sounded old and only mildly sympathetic. I ignored it, pushing myself up to sitting. My head throbbed and my stomach surged, making me gag. Soft hands grabbed my arm, dragging me back to the bed. Her grip felt weak, but I didn’t have the strength to resist.
“Where am I?” I whispered, once my stomach stopped roiling.
“You’re dead, dearie.”
I shook my head, making the room spin. “No. That’s not possible.”
She clucked again. My eyes were adjusting to the gloom, and I could just make out a hunched figure tending to a fire. “Oh, that’s what they all say.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’m—”
“Baldr the Beautiful,” she said. “Óðinn’s favorite son. Yes, yes, we know all about you here.”
“But I can’t die. My mother is Frigg. She traveled the Nine Realms, and everything she found—”
“Promised not to harm you. I know. I heard all about it.”
The old woman turned and gave me a sympathetic, tired smile. She looked like a nice woman, but of course you never can tell. “But your mother couldn’t possibly have gotten a promise from every single thing.”
She hobbled a bit closer to the bed, her arms outstretched with a rough wooden bowl in her hands. “Drink this, dearie. It’ll help.”
I tried to push myself up to sitting. Again, my head and stomach revolted, throbbing and churning. The old woman chuckled sympathetically.
“It takes some getting used to, being dead,” she said. “Tell you what, Baldr the Beautiful. Why don’t we talk about the last thing you remember, hmmm?”
Related products
-
The Stone Knight by D.J. Blount
The Stone Knight is a short story surrounding the razing of Middleborough by Elves on a Warpath. Bromwell, a procrastinating half dwarf, will find purpose in the chaos. He and Ki’Mel, a bookish Elf with dreams of becoming a Mage will test their new found mettle against one another.
The Impossible Lover Book 1 of the GrailChase Chronicles by Dara Fogel
When Imperialist tool, Lt. Colonel Christopher Jordan Haldane goes to Italy to negotiate a shady mining deal, he finds himself inadvertently drawn into a turf war between the scions of the Illuminati and the Grail Guardians over an ancient castle guarding forbidden secrets and technology. Can Haldane solve the riddle of Villa D'Amici and his own strange paranormal experiences without losing his mind or the woman he loves?
A sexy, existential romp through archetypes, conspiracy theories and alternate realities.
“The DaVinci Code meets Steampunk, with Dune flavor crystals”
#1 Bestselling Free Steampunk Ebook and #1 Bestselling Free Metaphysical and Spiritual Ebook on Amazon
Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun
“Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder–intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.
Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companions Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.
But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.
This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.”
The Duel by Alistair Corvus
Lady Alisson Heartstone has dedicated her life to furthuring her mastery of the arcane arts, with little time for family or romance. As court wizard to Lord Protector Aldmere, she enjoys status and power, but little in the way of true happiness. When an invading army pushes Aldmere’s forces to the breaking point, they are offered an out, a gamble of the entire war on the outcome of a wizard’s duel. But when a face from her past resurfaces in the form of the roguish wizard Therias Prenthal, can she follow through with her duty in the face of her regrets? Or will the bold Magus Prenthal conquer her without a single spell?
Night Aberrations by JD Nelson
Emelie is betrothed to marry a king.
Any ordinary woman would consider it a faerytale come true.
For Emelie, this is a nightmare made manifest.
When Emelie Andersdotter learns the outcome of a decades-long war hinges on her arranged marriage to an infamous royal known for his dark reputation, she sees no choice but to accept her fate. Resigned to her unavoidable destiny, she travels to her parents’ ancestral home under the protection of a trusted family friend, where she prepares to navigate a world ruled by dark magic, mystery, and intrigue.
Nothing can prepare her, however, for the surprising affection she feels for the man she has always thought of as her uncle, Soren Vidar – or for the alluring reality of her intended mate, Kristian Vasen. Powerful and darkly handsome, her betrothed is far from the nightmare she envisioned, and Emelie finds herself torn between the intense pull she feels for her fated mate, and her heart’s desire for Soren.
Night Aberrations is a romantic tale, set in a complex world, populated with interesting and entertaining characters sure to leave you cheering for the heroes while casting reproachful glares at the villains.
Magic Academy by Jillian Keep
Out of a young woman’s ambition comes a love triangle that could destroy more than her heart.
Firia has always wanted to be a witch, but even though she’s a natural in magic, there’s a problem: She’s human.
Considered by the elven elite to be inferior, Firia needs an edge to be accepted into the Magic Academy. Out of sheer desperation, she summons the demon Varuj, a terrifyingly gorgeous spirit who helps her win the entrance competition. But at what price?
As the commanding demon does everything he can to penetrate every aspect of her innocent life, Firia still finds herself drawn to her study partner, Mae’lin. Not only is the sweet elf completely different from the powerful Varuj, but their relationship is forbidden.
How is she supposed to choose between the demon she owes her life to and the innocent elf who makes her a better person?
Claimed by the Elven King: Part One by Cristina Rayne
For Emily Ford, being awakened in the dead of night by what seems to be the very shadows in her bedroom come to life is the least of her worries as she is spirited away to become the new wife of an elven king for the purpose of bearing his heirs. Entranced despite herself by his ethereal beauty, Emily surrenders willingly to his seduction and is introduced to a new world of sexual pleasures she had not thought possible outside of a dream.
But can a human ever really win the heart of an elf or have a place within the elven court, especially when the biggest obstacle to both is her new husband’s barren and resentful queen who makes no qualms about wanting Emily gone and, if the whispers within the court are to be believed, is prepared to do the unspeakable to make it happen?
This is Part One of a four-part serialized Fantasy Erotic Romance with a novelette length of about 11,000 words.
The Unholy Trinity – Origins by Daniel Gage
Six of the seven seals of the Apocalypse are broken.
The key to breaking the last seal is a half demon named Katie, a succubus who doesn’t know what she is, with a power she can’t control.
Coming to her aid is Rebecca, a teenage necromancer whose dad has gone insane. And Jacob, a two thousand year-old demon seeking redemption for his sins.
The odds are against them, but these three unlikely companions may be all that stands between the world and its destruction.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.