When I started writing my Brimstone Inc. series, I had one plan in mind. I wanted each book to feature a different paranormal creature and to pair that paranormal awesomeness with a fun contemporary romance trope. So far I've had:
- demigods & nymphs in a billionaire boss romance
- wolf shifters in an arranged marriage romance
- witches in a nanny & hidden identity romance
- ghosts in a brother's best friend romance
Bah humbug just got a lot darker.
“I need your help.”
Delilah paused with her ass
halfway to the couch. He did not just say that. The Alasdair Blakesley,
who despised her involvement in anything magic related, had not just said those
words.
She straightened. “You need my
help?” she repeated, deadpan.
“Yes.”
“You need my
help,” she said again, just to be certain.
“Let’s not make a big deal of
it.”
Like she’d pass up this
opportunity. “Naiobe,” she raised her voice and called out. “Definitely bring
the popcorn. You’re never going to believe this…”
He crossed his arms with a
baleful glare. “Hilarious. I’ve never laughed so hard.”
“Really?” She blinked, all
wide-eyed innocence. “That’s a surprise. I didn’t think you knew how to laugh.”
He clamped his lips shut.
Score one for her. Because there
was no way she believed this request was real. This had to be a test, or his
version of some gods-awful joke. But she’d play along for a minute. This night
was her most despised of the year, so even a round or two with Alasdair was
welcome distraction.
Seating herself without waiting
for him when he didn’t bother to join her, she slipped her shoes onto her feet,
smoothed her cream-colored skirt over her thighs, then crossed her ankles and
settled her hands primly in her lap, fingers laced in a subtle steepling.
Based on the way his gaze
flicked to the movement followed by a tightening of his lips, he got the
message. She was in charge here.
“So…you need my help?” She
couldn’t help saying it one more time.
“I knew this was a bad idea,” he
muttered.
“It wasn’t mine.”
“Gods above, will you please listen,”
Alasdair snapped.
Whoa. Delilah stilled, taking a closer
look.
On the outside he appeared his
usual impeccable self. Conservative black custom suit tailored to his broad
shoulders, trim hips, and powerful legs to perfection. Jet black hair cropped
short, though slightly longer on top, swept to the side, not a follicle out of
place. Cleanly shaven jaw which, already sharply angled, appeared closer to the
set of granite today.
A tell. She doubted many ever
got to see the man this riled.
When she sat quietly and waited,
Alasdair’s eyes narrowed as though he didn’t quite trust her. In a casual move
at odds with the tension riding his body, he slipped his hands in his pockets
and stared at her with bright blue eyes.
Delilah mentally sorted through
a list of her recent clients in her head, along with a quick rehash of her last
few encounters with this man. What in heavens name had brought him to her in
such a state?
Granted, kicking him out of the
dance club in Miami where she’d been helping a particularly troubled mermaid,
she might’ve gone a teensy bit overboard making her point. No doubt he hadn’t
appreciated finding himself teleported to Siberia.
That had been over a week ago.
Thank the powers that Alasdair
didn’t know why she’d done that. He’d touched her arm. A casual move, only her
body had lit up like fireworks at the new year. From that one tiny, ridiculous
contact. Sending him away had been an act of sheer desperation.
The most frustrating part was,
she couldn’t See him. See his future or how it impacted hers. See where this
troubling wanting when it came to him was going to end. Her most secret
and precious gift, her ability as a Seer, allowed her to help her clients in
ways no one else ever could.
But Alasdair Blakely was a
blank. A black hole of nothing. That never happened except around vampires and
ghosts, because, technically, they were dead. He wasn’t one of those.
Meanwhile, he stood
statue-still, continuing to stare at her.
Delilah sighed. “Alasdair. I
can’t do anything if you don’t tell me why you’ve come—”
“I have a demon problem.” He practically bit each word off.
5 comments:
One Clicked! Can't wait to read this.
Ooh, this sounds like so much fun. Congrats (a little early) on your new release.
Loved this post, Abigail! Sounds like another phenomenal story! Happy (early) Release! :)
I love the combinations - what fun! Looks like a great read- who can resist combining halloween and Christmas :)
Holy Guacamole! Can't wait to read Delilah's story!!
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