The Tears of Elios (38 page)
Read The Tears of Elios Online
Authors: Crista McHugh
So much for trying to find out more about him.
The fork rattled against the empty plate, but the old man pressed his fingers against the crumbs, scooping up every last morsel.
She reached for the plate. “Enjoy it?”
His hand clamped over hers, but it didn’t tremble like before. “Very tasty,” a deep voice murmured.
Her breath caught in her throat. He didn’t sound like the same person anymore. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held on. Her skin crawled from the contact. This was what she got for being nice to a poor old man.
“Almost as tasty as its maker.” The yellow-green halo in the old man’s eyes glowed brighter. His finger stroked the inside of her palm. “Such a pretty little girl, you are.”
“Let go.”
He threw back his head and laughed. Behind him, the hiss of a sword being pulled from its scabbard filled her ears between the throbs of her pulse. “I want to stay with you a bit longer,” the dark voice said from the old man’s mouth.
Arden focused the fire in her mind, but fear held her back. She didn’t need to use her magic in full view of everyone in Wallus, but she doubted she’d be able to overpower him any other way. “I mean it, you don’t want to piss me off,” she whispered.
The grin fell from his face, and his eyes bulged. He slumped forward onto the table, revealing the dagger protruding from his back. Grey stone replaced his flesh, spreading out from the hilt like ink on paper.
She screamed, and pandemonium erupted. Customers bolted from their chairs, running through the front door into the night.
A strangled cry gurgled from his throat, but his hand still clamped around hers in a rock-hard vise. As the stone encased his face, a green mist rolled out of his nostrils and filled the space between them. Cold terror prickled along her spine, and dark shadows flittered on the rim of her peripheral vision. What in the name of the three moons was going on here?
The mist drew closer, filling her mouth and nose. She gagged and tried to pull away from it, but it surrounded her like a shroud, choking her. Her lungs screamed for air. The mist poured into her when she drew a shaky breath. Every muscle in her body tightened, and the room went black.
PRAISE FOR
THE TEARS OF ELIOS
“The first thing that came to mind upon finishing this book is, ‘Holy Crap! Is that it?!’ I did not want this book to end.”
— Starcrossed Reviews
“This was a riveting tale of two couples and an amazing tale of Elgean and it’s inhabitants. I hadn’t heard much about this book… but I was certainly impressed. This is a quick read as the story just flew by.”
— Grave Tells/Undergound Love Addiction
A WALTZ AT MIDNIGHT
“This is a surprisingly light romance from writer McHugh, better known for her paranormal and fantasy tales (e.g., The Tears of Elios). A Waltz at Midnight is a small-sized treat; it is a quick read but one sure to please any historical romance reader.”
— The Library Journal
“I love this story! I didn’t expect it to be so entrancing and captivating… A WALTZ AT MIDNIGHT is a great romantic story with engaging characters that I didn’t wish to end… A must read for romance lovers!”
—The Romance Reviews
HEART OF A HUNTRESS
“Warning: you will not want to put this book down once you start.”
— Happily Ever After Reviews
ANGELIC SURRENDER
“The author did such a great job creating my ideal hero that I found myself thinking about him for days.”
— Whipped Cream Reviews
KISS OF TEMPTATION
“As Ms. McHugh moves on with her writing of The Kavanaugh Foundation, I found this story even more spell binding than first two books.”
— Literary Nymph Reviews
CAT’S EYES
“…an excellent plot with oodles of action and suspense. I could not put it down.”
— Just Erotic Romance Reviews
“This is a well-paced, enjoyable read complete with action, suspense, humor, and hot sex.”
— Night Owl Reviews
THE ALCHEMY OF DESIRE
“Crista McHugh did an incredible job of drawing me into the world of magic, steampunk, and old west that she created.”
— Wakela Runen’s World
DANNI’S BOY
“What I liked most about this short story is the fact the main characters, Danni and Ryan, are “real” people… highly engaging and enjoyable.”
— Whipped Cream Reviews
PROVOKING THE SPIRIT
“I loved the twists and turns the author threw at me while I was reading and felt my heart racing in my chest numerous times as I was flipping the pages… Overall, this is a fantastic story that’s worth picking up!”
— Night Owl Reviews
Other Titles by Crista McHugh
The Alchemy of Desire
“A Waltz at Midnight”
Cat’s Eyes
“Danny’s Boy”
“Provoking the Spirit”
A Soul For Trouble
Tangled Web (coming October 2012)
The Kavanaugh Foundation series:
Heart of a Huntress, Book 1
Angelic Surrender, Book 2
“A High Stakes Game”, Book 2.5 (a free read)
Kiss of Temptation, Book 3
Night of the Huntress (Print Anthology of Books 1 and 2)
Looking for more great Fantasy Romance?
The Source of Magic
By
Cate Rowan
The Multi-Award Winning Author of
Kismet’s Kiss
When a gorgeous man clasps Jilian Stewart to his chest and yanks her from Scotland into a magical battle, she thinks it must be another of her bizarre dreams. Plagued by unnerving visions of this man, she's sure they're brought on by the stress of her mother's deadly paralysis. Instead, Jilian finds herself ensnared in a world of fantasy, treachery, and family secrets, opposing the one man who can make everything right.
Prince Alvarr, her sexy abductor, offers a cure for her dying mother, but won’t send Jilian home with it until she helps him destroy the evil mage threatening his people—with mystical powers she never knew she had.
Master of Crows
by
Grace Draven
In an isolated fortress, the Master of Crows battles an ancient god for possession of his soul. Renegade and heretic, he dreams of ways to defeat the god and destroy the priesthood who would execute him. Sent by her masters to betray him, a woman comes who possesses a weapon he can use to triumph over both...but only at the ultimate sacrifice. A tale of love and allegiance.
Heart of Fire
by
Kristen Painter
Sometimes love is the most dangerous magic of all...
Eager to find her place in the world and understand the frightening gifts she’s been born with, Jessalyne Brandborn leaves her sheltered life to become apprentice to the most powerful sorceress in Shaldar. She hires Ertemis, the deadliest man in the realm, to get there.
With the Legion’s bounty on his head, Ertemis is reluctant to escort Jessalyne but needs the money she offers—especially if he’s ever to find out who his father is. On the way, he discovers benefits to Jessalyne’s naiveté; she treats him like an equal, not an outlaw.
Swayed by Ertemis’ gruff charm, Jessalyne starts to trust him and her emotional walls begin to crumble.
Little do they know that within them lies the hope of the dying elven race, the renewal of Shaldar's beleaguered kingdom and an incredible chance at love. If they don't kill each other first.
Table of Contents
Bonus Chapter: A Soul For Trouble
Table of Contents