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Blurb:
In Heaven and Hell, all things are relative. Archangels are both defenders of the innocent and tortured souls. Demons may fight for the righteous or delight in carnage and death. Amidst the forces of light and dark fall the vampires -- not angel, not demon, but born of both and bearing the greatest gift of God: the ability to choose which path they'll follow.
Within the battles and the intrigue, the love and the heartbreak, come along and see how Lucifer's daughter heals the soul of the Archangel Gabriel. Watch as a vampire, born of a demon mother and angelic father, fights to protect others like her abandoned by their creators, and along the way, fall in love with the one being she's sworn to hate forever. Finally, you'll be introduced to a werewolf unlike any you've met before whose submissive nature is both a benefit and a vice for which her Archangel has no ability to deny.
This collection contains the previously released novellas Heaven and Hell 1: Gabriel's Match, Heaven and Hell 2: Redemption, Heaven and Hell 3: Unholy Pact, and Throne of Mercy.
Excerpt:
Heaven and Hell
Emma Ray Garrett
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2010 Emma Ray Garrett
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Malina hated her father. He was nosy, bossy, dominating as hell, and if she hadn't loved him so much, she'd have killed him years ago. She ran her long fingers through her red hair. Malina called it slut red, and it fell in a thick, straight curtain to the small of her back. Prior to leaving the room, she took one last look in the mirror. Her large blue eyes shone like beacons against her alabaster skin. She pursed her lips at the image it reflected, regretting she had no way to remove the shadows beneath her eyes.
Her father had called a family meeting. The concept of Lucifer adopting such a contemporary idea amused Malina to no end. Well, whatever he wanted, he could guess again. She had no interest in seducing mortal men, or any men for that matter. Malina wanted nothing to do with soul theft, nightmare making, or chaos creation. She wanted to visit the ocean, read a good book, and eat good food. A frown creased her brow and she grumbled, because more than any of those things, she wanted the right to choose.
What she wanted to do was police the preternatural realm. She wanted to use her gifts to keep all the endless monsters in line. Nevertheless, Daddy insisted his baby girl would not do anything of the sort. He wanted her to join the succubi, to obey the rules, but Malina refused. Either she would become a Protectorate, or she would continue to sit around on her perfect ass all day long.
The career path Malina wanted would put her into contact with the only male who starred in her impure thoughts. Gabriel, God's General, the mighty Archangel, was the image of masculine perfection. The first time she'd seen him, she'd thought he was one of her father's minions. Daddy had corrected her, but not before Gabriel had overheard her question. He'd turned eyes blacker than the bottomless pit on her, and she'd quivered. Her stomach had twisted in knots, and sweat had beaded on her upper lip. Nothing escaped Gabriel's notice, and a frightening smile had curved his perfect lips. Her father shooed her away, and she'd gladly escaped. Malina shivered as she remembered the intensity of Gabriel's presence, wishing for a moment she had stood her ground then.
Heaving a heavy sigh, she made her way to the library, certain a battle with her father loomed. The hallway she walked was wide and tall. Its dark red walls rippled with the souls of those who'd bought entrance into Hell. Their screams soothed her, and the weight she carried drifted away. Agonized cries for mercy made a beautiful lullaby, and for a moment she longed for her mother. Malina felt the need for her counsel of late.
Isobel, Malina's mother, had loved Lucifer with all of her pure heart. Ironically, Gabriel had been instrumental in her parents' meeting. Malina smiled, recalling the story of how Isobel and Lucifer had come together. Her father had told her the tale over and over when she was a child. Their story had helped keep Isobel alive for both Malina and Lucifer.
The story started with God deciding Lucifer needed to find love. So She sent Gabriel to an innocent Isobel. He carried a message from The Divine, asking if Isobel might accept a mission from God. Isobel had laughed and told Gabriel she was a devout Catholic. If God needed her help, she'd gladly obey.
So Isobel had gone to Hell, body and soul intact, and began her seduction of Lucifer. Lucifer told Malina how hard he had fought, but true love won in the end. Though Isobel had died when Malina was five, her mother's memory remained vibrant. Lucifer kept mementoes of Isobel in every room of their home. When Malina was ten God allowed Isobel, who had gone to Heaven upon her death, to visit. Though the time had been short, Malina and Lucifer had relished the reunion. Afterward, Malina had better understood how wrong Christians were about her dad. Isobel's love had given him the ability to forgive which helped him let go of the past. He and God weren't on great terms, but at least She was open to discussion, now.
In the twenty-two years since her mother's death, a lot had changed in Hell. Sure, souls still burned, and their torture still gave joy to both Malina and her father. A grin split her features as she recalled a recent bout of torture. Her father loved to give new souls a real raking over the coals, literally. Nevertheless, demons weren't running around tearing the place up anymore. The Protectorate was a creation of both Heaven and Hell. The two sides worked together to maintain the balance of good and evil on earth. No more guardian angels gone nuts, trying to save every soul. Demons no longer possessed the unsuspecting, making them commit monstrous acts. The undead, shape shifters, and ghosts all fell under the authority of the Protectorate.
In front of Malina, the library door loomed. She'd made the journey without noticing her steps, lost as she was in thought. A masculine arm shoved against the wallpaper, reaching for help. Malina curled her lip and put her hand out, palm up, and the arm rolled back on itself, bones crunching as they broke. A scream of unbelievable terror and pain quieted the other souls for a moment.
"You deserved it." Malina shook her head with disdain. The library door was ajar, so she pushed it open and went in. She shut the door, then turned to face her father. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and anger pulsed in her blood.
"You!" Malina narrowed her cerulean eyes.
Gabriel couldn't stop the lethal smile curling his lips.
"Yes, me." His eyes skimmed Malina's voluptuous body. He wanted to start now.
"What are you doing here?" Malina tried to convey disinterest, pursing her lips and feigning interest in her nails.
"Your father mentioned that you want to join the Protectorate." Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yes, I do." Malina's eyes met his. Her voice didn't so much as quiver.
If she was nervous, or frightened, she didn't show it. Her father would be proud. Gabriel was impressed with her composure, but she'd be hard to train. He had no doubt.
"Then let's see if you have what it takes." He held out a strong hand to her. She quirked her eyebrow, but placed her soft, warm hand in his cool, rough one. With a thought, he took them away from the depths of Hell. If Malina had known where they were headed, she might have changed her mind.
Copyright 2010 Changeling Press, LLC
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1360
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