Jodie B. Cooper's Blog
August 21, 2013
3,800 Word Excerpt from Emma, YA Paranormal Romance
Emma, a YA paranormal romance, is available at Swoon Reads for FREE!!See the end of this post for a link. :)Chapter - Tuatha Dé Danann: Day of Arrival
It was a gorgeous day on Tuatha Dé Danann, a perfect day with birds singing and flowers blooming. Sparkling dust swirled on the upper air currents, coloring the afternoon sky with a brush of purple.
Tyler inhaled the energy-laced air of rich faerie dust, savoring the refreshing scent of late spring. Humming a tune under his breath, he glanced around the grove of trees and sighed with resignation. The gorgeous day was not destined to be fun, not when he was tromping through a fruit orchard, northeast of Capital City, following the obvious trail Professor Morgan left behind.
Morgan taught Natural Observation, a required class at Academy. The test was not about tracking. No, taking a test that measured his tracking ability would have been a breeze to pass for a wér-dragon like Tyler.
The observation test was about seeing the environment around him.
School wasn’t even in session. That was what really irritated him. The whole test was a pre-term exam that placed each student in the proper learning level.
He was determined to pass the test on his first attempt and get high marks.
Between one heartbeat and the next, storm clouds burst across the sky. Darkest of black clouds, spiked with swirls of purplish-red faerie dust, covered the sky with an ominous forewarning.
Lightning burst in jagged spears through the clouds. Thunder boomed. The world as he knew it disappeared, abruptly changing from normal to wacked-out crazy.
In the distance, he heard a faint scream. Ignoring the sound wasn’t a problem, not when a brown branch covered with green needles swayed an inch from his nose, a branch that had not been there a second ago. Fearing an attack, his muscles tensed, preparing to shift into wér-dragon, an in-between shape that wasn’t quite human, but not quite dragon either. A moment ticked by, nothing attacked.
Dual hearts racing, he quickly searched the area for a hint of what happened. Eerie looking green trees filled the forest. Here and there, he spotted the light blue leaves of a fat pomona tree; the fruit orchard stood intermingled with the weird green trees. Some of the alien looking trees were taller than the tallest of shroum trees and covered with broad fluttering leaves where shroum heads should be sprouting.
He carefully touched the branch swaying less than an inch away from his startled face. Green needles sprouted along each branch. He flexed a needle-shaped leaf between his fingers, bending it in half. A sharp smell drifted to him. He knew no druid created the unique tree.
The druids of the Celtic Nations tinkered with every living object they managed to get their grasping hands on, willy-nilly changing plants and beasts into unique works of art.
Working with dorcha energy was an ability that came natural to druids but when druids manipulated the dorcha within plants, changing a plant’s color or shape, it left a scent behind. The pungent smell coming from the bent green needle was different. The tree didn’t have the clean underlying scent of something changed by dark energy.
The missing scent could only mean one thing. The tree was natural. The freakish concept shook his world.
He’d never seen a naturally growing green plant, no one younger than a thousand years had, not since the last gateway between Earth and Tuatha collapsed for lack of dorcha energy on Earth.
Faerie tales were the only thing remaining from Earth. Most of those were silly stories created by The Brothers Grimm. Only those two elves could have created eerie stories about mortals killing dragons or about a Tuathan mating with an Earthling and living happily ever after. Just thinking about those strange faerie tales, he shuddered.
The sudden appearance of the forest had to be some kind of pre-attack by the Southerners, the people who lived west and south of the Gulf of Life on the continent of Wormwood.
He heard another cry, a very feminine sound filled with fear. He growled, knowing his return home was about to be delayed.
He inhaled the warm breeze. Searching for the girl’s scent, he tasted each individual smell. A sickening odor reached him. Vampires!
Chapter - Earth: Day of Arrival
Wind rustled through the trees surrounding the forest trail. The breeze coupled with sunny skies created the perfect weather for the first week of summer vacation. Pulling her phone out of her hip pocket, Emma sent a quick text message to her best friend. Picking blueberries.
LOL, blueberries aren’t in season until next month, Kayla replied.
There could be berries this early.
Snort! You keep thinking that.
Berries n cool whip will be awesome!
Dream on.
Moments later, a few notes of her favorite song played. Answering her phone, she eagerly asked, “Hey, what’s up?”
“You know Dad. He gets this emergency call at two in the wretched morning and ten minutes later, we’re in the car heading west,” Kayla said with a heavy sigh.
Emma grinned at her dramatics. Kayla might fuss and groan, but she loved going with her parents. During the school year, she stayed with Emma when her dad got called-out. She wasn’t quite sure what he did, but she knew he worked in software development for some huge company, something to do with security.
“Where did your parents drag you to this time?”
Kyla snorted. “We’re on our way to Carlsbad, New Mexico.”
Her good mood deserted her. She had really been looking forward to the weekend.
“Is Saturday still on?” Emma asked without much hope.
“Absolutely, Mom said we should be home by the weekend,” Kayla said excitedly. “Dad bought me The Lord of the Ring series on blue ray!”
Emma laughed. “We’ll have to flip a coin. I just ordered the Twilight set from Amazon with next day shipping.”
Kayla chuckled. “You hit below the belt.”
“Thanks, I try.”
Kayla groaned. “My phone’s beeping low battery. I’ve got to run, see you in a few.”
Emma said bye, and hit the lock button on her keys. Slipping the phone in her hip pocket, she emerged from the forest, entering the sunny meadow with a spring in her step.
Looking forward to proving Kayla wrong, she grinned and made a beeline toward blueberry bushes growing along the far edge. She was halfway across the meadow when her world turned upside-down. One minute the sky was bright blue, the next moment it was not.
Storm clouds boiled across the afternoon sky. Lightning flickered. Thunder boomed. Clouds engulfed the entire sky in a heartbeat. Dark and intense, the storm filled the air with menacing presence, flickering with an unearthly reddish-purple glow. Lightning streaked across the sky in a jagged display. Thunder boomed in an unceasing roll of bone jarring noise.
Fear shot through her, tightening her chest in mind chilling shock.
She didn’t have time to dwell on the freaky spring weather, not when a giant tree popped into existence, nearly on top of her.
Emma screamed and stumbled backward. She hit the hard packed trail with a bone-jarring thump, cutting off her screech of shock; her teeth snapped together barely missing the tip of her tongue.
She looked up. The longer she looked at the weird tree that nearly squished her, the bigger her eyes grew. Holy crap! Ten more steps and her favorite pizza topping would’ve crushed her to death. She sucked in a harsh breath, choking a desperate urge to scream her head off.
The giant tree had an odd rubbery looking bark that was blue with black and yellow splotches. Sharp, six-inch thorns swirled-up the trunk. The tree didn’t have leaves; mushroom heads covered each branch.
The heads spread across the thick branches, displaying vivid blue colors, ranging from baby blue buds to dark purple beach-ball sized heads.
She scrunched her dark eyes shut and jerked them back open. The blue tree trunk did not disappear.
Weird sounds surrounded her. Singing, buzzing, and chirping created an unnatural symphony of normal and alien.
Her heart raced faster and faster as her eyes darted around the meadow. She couldn’t grasp what in the heck was going on.
Her mind supplied the only reasonable excuse, settling on complete disbelief. She must’ve never gotten out of bed that morning; she had to be dreaming. There was no other answer.
The buzzing sound grew louder. From her position on the ground, she couldn’t see past all the tree limbs, but it looked like a swarm of monster-sized wasps lived among the mushroom heads.
The wasp-like insects made her decision easy. It was time to make tracks and go home. Home was a thirty-minute walk through the forest. At a flat-out run, she bet she could make the distance in fifteen.
A beam of sunshine hit the grass inches from her foot. She looked up, just in time to watch the eerie storm clouds break apart. Sunshine streamed through the holes. Within a few blinks, there were only a few wispy streaks of white, not a single storm cloud remained in the sky.
Okay, now that was beyond freaky. She was so ready to go home.
Inching ever backward, her hand reached for a solid handhold. Her fingers never touched the rocky path. Instead, they brushed something soft and squishy.
She yanked her hand away, but the move didn’t help. Stuck like glue, the red blob clung to her palm. Heart racing, panic overwhelmed her. Shrieking at the top of her lungs, she frantically shook her hand in a desperate attempt to dislodge the weird thing, but it didn’t budge.
Quick as a snake, the previously lifeless blob moved, latching onto her index finger. As if a needle had been jabbed into the slender digit, sharp pain shot through her pointing finger.
“Ouch!” Emma cried, and slammed her palm downward.
“Stop!” A tiny wail demanded.
Emma jerked to a halt. Her hand hovered inches from a mound of rocks, ready to smash her palm down at a moment’s notice.
“Stop that! You’re making me dizzy!” A small, high-pitched voice squealed.
She spread her fingers and a tiny head popped through.
Emma’s jaw dropped open. Her ears began ringing and she feared she might actually faint. The red wasps weren’t bugs. She had a real life fairy in the palm of her hand, one that talked to her.
She snorted. Fainting was so not happening, not in her lifetime.
Flipping her hand up, she glanced at her bloody finger, realizing the damage was minor and quickly forgotten.
The tiny body, wrapping itself around her bleeding finger, captured her full attention. A delighted grin split across her face.
With spiked hair and fluttering wings, the little fairy was too awesome for words.
The fairy was not fascinated with Emma. The little creature glared at her with fire in her eyes. Four shimmering wings fluttered madly as the small girl stood. Short, red hair stuck up all over the place. Ignoring her messy hair, she smoothed her hands down a dark red dress that clung to her body like a second skin, unsuccessfully trying to fix the wrinkled material.
Emma opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Well, nothing emerged except hot air. Speech wasn’t working. She stopped trying to talk and sucked in a deep breath.
The tiny girl, not much bigger than a regular-sized Snickers bar, didn’t have the same speech problem. “What were you trying to do, shake me to death?” the tiny girl demanded, stomping her bare foot against the palm of Emma’s hand. Four pointed wings quivered.
Emma’s eyes narrowed, and she defensively muttered, “No, but you bit me first, fairy girl.”
“I’m a pixie!” the tiny girl wailed, her face twisting into a look of pure horror at Emma’s words. “Anyway, you were going to squish me!” Her high-pitched squeal of outrage shot through Emma’s eardrums. “You owe me for a pixie bite.”
“You want me to pay you for biting me?” Emma asked, astonished at the bold little creature. “I didn’t ask to be bitten, you little twit. You can’t be serious!”
“Of course, I am. You’ve gotten all of my languages. I demand payment,” she said huffily. Blowing out her cheeks, they bloomed deep burgundy – nearly the same color as her wings – and just as quickly returned to a light creamy tone.
“You’re speaking English…” her words trailed off. Her entire attention focused on a young man stepping out of the forest.
He remained in the shadows, making it hard to see him clearly. It didn’t matter; no two ways about it, he was sinfully gorgeous. He tugged a hooded cloak up, covering golden hair. His face was a bold mixture of strong lines and sensual appeal.
He slowed to a stop, watching her with cold, calculating eyes. So cold and emotionless, his gaze reminded her of a soulless machine.
Fear tingled through her. She tensed, ready to run.
“You will not run,” he said. “I won’t harm you.” A cool, calm sensation filling her with peace, accompanied the words.
Watching him as he stood at the far edge of the woods, she wondered how she heard him from so far away. She frowned, uncertainty flared inside her.
An ice-cold breeze touched her, reassuring her.
Struck by his beauty, absorbing every detail of him, she shrugged the question away.
He began walking toward her. Every step brought him closer to her, every step made her feel hunted. A warning shiver raced up her back. Confused over her conflicting emotions, she let her gaze travel over the length of him. Only his light green eyes were not perfect. Red veins shattered the whites of his eyes, crisscrossing in a bloody tangle.
She tilted her head, questioning her fascination. Something didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
He walked closer, giving her his undivided attention. He skirted the brightly lit meadow, remaining under the shadowed tree line.
“Such a treat I’ve found,” he said with a compelling voice, a voice filled with unspoken promises. “You want to please me.”
A cold breeze blowing through her mind accompanied the words. She shivered, smiling in wonder as he consented to speak with her.
His eyes focused on her, compelling her with their intensity. “You will offer yourself to me.” Cold pressure pressed against her brain, demanding she agree with his words.
Panting as if she’d run a mile, she trembled.
He smiled at her, exposing rapidly lengthening teeth, very sharp, white teeth. He walked closer, moving beneath the far-reaching limbs of the giant mushroom tree. A slender ray of sunshine peeked through the foliage, glinting off deadly looking fangs. He hissed in pain, jerking away from the brilliant sun.
The sight terrified her, yanking her up by the short hairs. Heart thudding a mile a minute, she turned to run.
“Stop,” he ordered, pointing at her.
She tried to move her feet, but an ice-cold breeze rushed through her brain, demanding her surrender. She finally recognized the cold, alien touch slithering through her brain. She jerked her eyes from his, breaking his spellbinding gaze. The move shattered the false feeling of safety. Fear crashed through her, tightening her stomach into a painful knot.
Frozen in place, she couldn’t move, not a single inch. She concentrated her entire being on making her feet move. It didn’t work. Her eyes skidded across his face, refusing to look directly into his hypnotic eyes. She caught a glimpse of pulsing red veins. Bone-chilling fear crashed through her.
She didn’t see death approaching her; she tasted it. Bitter and sharp, the flavor of her oncoming death rose in the back of her throat, choking her with a tight grasp.
He ran his tongue down dangerously wicked looking fangs, licking them in anticipation.
Repulsed, her body tensed, mutely screaming in terror. Her death was moments away and she couldn’t move. She strained against the odd compulsion thrumming through her brain. Her body didn’t budge, remaining in a frozen limbo.
Sharp pain slashed through her finger as the pixie bit her. “Run!” the tiny girl screamed. In a flutter of sparkling wings, the pixie streaked away.
The pain was just enough to break the freak’s tight hold on her brain. Her single thought mirrored the pixie’s action. She jumped up, and threw herself into a mad dash toward the forest behind her. Never once did she consider fighting the deadly creature with the face of an angel. She knew her only chance at living lay in outrunning the fanged creature, the vampire.
Over the thrum of her heart, she heard his laughter. It was dark and ominous just like the earlier thunder. The sound made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, prickling in animalistic fear.
Dodging around mushroom trees and lunging over bulging roots, she tried not to spare any energy wondering where in the world all the freaky stuff came from or why all of it had been dumped in her lap.
Nearly to the edge of the tree line, the tip of her sneaker clipped a thick, purple root. She stumbled. Crying out, she threw her hands outward and tumbled to the ground, landing near the base of another giant mushroom. She rolled, but he was nearly there.
Running her hand across the rough ground, she frantically searched for something she could use as a weapon. Her hand grazed a smooth, hard surface. Not having time to be picky, she clasped the giant thorn in her fist.
His hand clenched around her arm, jerking her around to face him as if she weighed less than a rag doll. Inhuman strength stared her in the face. She’d never had a chance at freedom; he’d just let her think she was escaping.
His dark hiss surrounded her, one filled with anticipation.
She glanced into his eyes, watching in sick horror as the tiny red vessels covering his eyes multiplied, growing thicker. The mass of veins pulsed with the beat of his heart.
He smiled. Up close, his fangs appeared much sharper.
His face blurred.
She rapidly blinked, trying to clear her vision. The movement didn’t help.
His features seemed to melt, shifting as if water flowed down his face. His appearance firmed. No longer did he appear a gorgeous young man. Unkempt blond hair dangled into his face. His large nose, which perfectly matched his mule-shaped face, flared as he inhaled. The intensity of his gaze increased. He looked hungry.
Crouching above her, he sucked in a lungful of air. He held it, appearing to savor the sensation. “Hmmm, I love the smell of fear. It coats the skin making the kill so much sweeter.”
Like a physical blow, the words struck her, terrifying her. Her desperate need to survive urged her toward action before the vampire had time to bite her, but her desire to live was stronger than her fear so she forced herself to wait for the perfect opening.
She flexed her fingers around her makeshift weapon. Old and gray, the banana-sized thorn must have fallen from one of the mushroom trees. Its sharply pointed end curved upward like a thorn from a rose bush, while the flat base fit into the palm of her hand.
The vampire focused on her throat. He didn’t seem to notice the weapon she held at her side. Either that or he arrogantly ignored it.
She glanced toward the forest, desperately needing a diversion but it didn’t look like one would stumble out of the forest at just the right moment. She would’ve welcomed anything, even a bear. Choking back another surge of fear, she knew she would have to make her own distraction.
She bit her lip against a surge of uncertainty and stopped struggling against the vampire.
Looking up at him, she boldly caught his gaze. “Want a taste?” She aimed for a husky, seductive voice, but her question squeaked out of her throat.
He paused. Confusion flitted across his face before he carelessly shrugged. “I’ll be taking more than a taste when I rip into your throat.”
Acting terrified, she pretended to drop in a dead faint, while slipping the thorn in front of her.
“Dammit, I hate a fainter,” he said amid a snarl. “They go limp and there goes all that fear enhanced sweat coating her skin. I like the skin moist and fresh, not limp.”
The edge of the thorn bit into the tender skin of her hand. The thought of killing someone, even a monster, terrified her. She briefly closed her eyes, praying for strength.
Surging upward, she slammed the hand-sized thorn into the vampire’s crotch.
The vampire bellowed in agony, flinging her away from him as if she were no heavier than a baseball.
Screaming, Emma flew through the air, sailing past several trees. Branches slapped at her body, slashing her face. She crashed a dozen feet into the forest, skidding across the hard ground.
For once, luck was on her side and she landed in a patch of scraggly grass and old leaves. She shuddered in relief; grateful she sat covered in dirt and not filled with holes from the thorn covered tree trunk standing less than a foot away.
She struggled to her feet as the vampire’s howl of pain echoed through the trees.
Cursing her own rotten luck, she shivered. She knew his cries would attract more vampires. That was not a good thing. The mere thought of trying to fight another of his kind made her stumble.
In the distance, a bellow, a true roar sounded. Loud and stringent, the sound grew harsh, filling the air with a wild, savage edge. The noise overwhelmed the vampire’s wail of pain.
The fury-laced sound jerked her to a stop, nearly knocking her to her knees. A soft cry of fear slipped past her lips.
Her dark brown eyes grew huge. Terror ripped through her, turning the blood in her veins to ice. Grabbing a tree for support, she held on for dear life. The sapling was the only thing holding her trembling body upright. Blood rushed through her body, thundering a rapid tempo in her ears.
Whatever made that roar had to be huge, huge as in humongous. There was no way she could fight a creature that big.
The vampire’s pained groan filled the air.
Doubt flickered through her. Hesitantly, she stepped toward the meadow. Pushing a limb out of the way, she searched the ground for the wounded vampire.
Pale as death and shaking like a leaf in a windstorm, his hand reached out to her in supplication. His eyes, a web of shattered red, dug a hole through her. The awful sight screwed his attempt to look innocent.
Rocking on the ground, in a pool of blood, he beseechingly said, “Come to me, my beauty. Help me. I’ll not harm you.”
Intense cold filled her mind. A dream-like feeling washed over her and she took an involuntary step forward.
You can currently read Emma for FREE at Swoon Reads. All manuscripts at Swoon Reads can be read in their online e-reader or on your tablet e-reader!
Thanks!
Jodie
p.s. The conversion process at Swoon Reads is the beta version. It did not convert Emma properly. Words such as Tuatha Dé Danann changed into Tuatha D Danann and wér-dragon into wr-dragon.
April 11, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 18 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
He grinned and left me sitting where I was. He quickly pulled off everything, except his snug fitting pants. My eyes widened and I felt myself flush from another kind of heat as I watched the muscles across his back ripple with suppressed strength. He stopped moving. Turning around, he looked at me with a slightly raised eyebrow.He was instantly kneeling in front of me. “I’m glad you find my body pleasing, but if I’m going to get through this shower with my sanity intact and not embarrass myself, you’ve got to shield your surface thoughts from me.” He cupped my cheek in his hand and very lightly brushed his lips across mine.“I can feel your desire and I know you can feel mine,” I said, shielding my surface thoughts.I felt his regret.He carefully picked me up and set me on the wide edge of the tub. He helped me out of the large shirt, which I realized was his and I felt his desire – that had been simmering at the edge of my brain – burst through me.I gasped in shock. I was totally grubby looking. How could he feel that way toward me?He groaned, gripping the edge of the tub, he turned away from me. “Sorry, give me a second.”I really wanted a bath, but not at his disposal. “I’ll wait until morning for a bath. Maybe by then, I can take it by myself.”He looked at me, very pointedly ignoring everything below my chin. I felt his confusion. “I know how badly you want to clean-up. I can feel the urgent need.” He looked at me and took a deep breath as if he was going to tackle something he didn’t want to touch; I felt his pain as he said, “I’m not some kind of animal that can’t control himself. You aren’t in any kind of shape for me to even give you pleasure. Surely, you know that I’d never hurt you.”I snapped my jaw shut with a click and grimaced at my stupid action when it pulsed with pain. “You silly man, I know that! I also know the desire between two lifeMates, especially after they have bonded is tremendous. The desire, both our desires are growing. We both want the other and the bond makes our desire feed off of each other. Your helping me in the bath, would cause you pain. I can’t do that to you. I’ll just wait until morning. Okay?”~ ~ ~Time and again, he expected her to use her new found 'power' against him, believing she would slap him down. He'd seen it repeatedly through his entire life. Every Sídhí male was very aware of Woman's Choice. Women held power and they twisted their lifeMate into knots over every little thing, taking pleasure from the pain they caused.Already, there were a dozen things she could use as a weapon against him.She could have easily used her pain against him. Instead, she tried hiding how badly she hurt.And family, every time they spoke about family, he felt her bursting with love and yearning for her family on Earth. Yet, she never once asked to contact them, even though he knew how desperately she wanted to.Every time he turned around, he expected the worst. It never happened.Like right now, he could feel how urgently she wanted a bath, but she refused when she thought it would cause him undue pain.He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around this new lifeMate of his, but he couldn't fully understand her. Finally, he realized it didn't matter if he understood or not. He simply thanked God for blessing him more than he ever deserved.He smiled down at her and picked her up, cradling his most precious mate against his chest.Her sigh of delight, as he lowered her in the hot water, was worth every moment of pain he experienced during the bath as he soaped her up and washed her fine silken hair. Oh yes, he was in pain, an exquisite pressure he thought he'd explode from. It was worth every moment.~ ~ ~I snuggled deeper in Colin's warm embrace.Sound asleep he tightened his arms, curling closer around me. A wave of love surrounded me; his sleep-filled emotion enveloped me within in a cocoon, caressing me as if he lay awake.I trembled, realizing that even as he slept he loved me.Who knew life could take such a dramatic turn?The only thing that could make my life perfect would be adding my family into the mix. I knew by now they must be frantic. I could still hear Sarah's heart rendering scream of denial; her eyes had looked tortured as she watched the gate shut between us.I shoved my worries to the back of my mind. Given time I thought Colin would agree to meet them, but I knew that decision would take time.As long as he remained at my side, loving me the way he did, I could live with that.The End
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
He grinned and left me sitting where I was. He quickly pulled off everything, except his snug fitting pants. My eyes widened and I felt myself flush from another kind of heat as I watched the muscles across his back ripple with suppressed strength. He stopped moving. Turning around, he looked at me with a slightly raised eyebrow.He was instantly kneeling in front of me. “I’m glad you find my body pleasing, but if I’m going to get through this shower with my sanity intact and not embarrass myself, you’ve got to shield your surface thoughts from me.” He cupped my cheek in his hand and very lightly brushed his lips across mine.“I can feel your desire and I know you can feel mine,” I said, shielding my surface thoughts.I felt his regret.He carefully picked me up and set me on the wide edge of the tub. He helped me out of the large shirt, which I realized was his and I felt his desire – that had been simmering at the edge of my brain – burst through me.I gasped in shock. I was totally grubby looking. How could he feel that way toward me?He groaned, gripping the edge of the tub, he turned away from me. “Sorry, give me a second.”I really wanted a bath, but not at his disposal. “I’ll wait until morning for a bath. Maybe by then, I can take it by myself.”He looked at me, very pointedly ignoring everything below my chin. I felt his confusion. “I know how badly you want to clean-up. I can feel the urgent need.” He looked at me and took a deep breath as if he was going to tackle something he didn’t want to touch; I felt his pain as he said, “I’m not some kind of animal that can’t control himself. You aren’t in any kind of shape for me to even give you pleasure. Surely, you know that I’d never hurt you.”I snapped my jaw shut with a click and grimaced at my stupid action when it pulsed with pain. “You silly man, I know that! I also know the desire between two lifeMates, especially after they have bonded is tremendous. The desire, both our desires are growing. We both want the other and the bond makes our desire feed off of each other. Your helping me in the bath, would cause you pain. I can’t do that to you. I’ll just wait until morning. Okay?”~ ~ ~Time and again, he expected her to use her new found 'power' against him, believing she would slap him down. He'd seen it repeatedly through his entire life. Every Sídhí male was very aware of Woman's Choice. Women held power and they twisted their lifeMate into knots over every little thing, taking pleasure from the pain they caused.Already, there were a dozen things she could use as a weapon against him.She could have easily used her pain against him. Instead, she tried hiding how badly she hurt.And family, every time they spoke about family, he felt her bursting with love and yearning for her family on Earth. Yet, she never once asked to contact them, even though he knew how desperately she wanted to.Every time he turned around, he expected the worst. It never happened.Like right now, he could feel how urgently she wanted a bath, but she refused when she thought it would cause him undue pain.He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around this new lifeMate of his, but he couldn't fully understand her. Finally, he realized it didn't matter if he understood or not. He simply thanked God for blessing him more than he ever deserved.He smiled down at her and picked her up, cradling his most precious mate against his chest.Her sigh of delight, as he lowered her in the hot water, was worth every moment of pain he experienced during the bath as he soaped her up and washed her fine silken hair. Oh yes, he was in pain, an exquisite pressure he thought he'd explode from. It was worth every moment.~ ~ ~I snuggled deeper in Colin's warm embrace.Sound asleep he tightened his arms, curling closer around me. A wave of love surrounded me; his sleep-filled emotion enveloped me within in a cocoon, caressing me as if he lay awake.I trembled, realizing that even as he slept he loved me.Who knew life could take such a dramatic turn?The only thing that could make my life perfect would be adding my family into the mix. I knew by now they must be frantic. I could still hear Sarah's heart rendering scream of denial; her eyes had looked tortured as she watched the gate shut between us.I shoved my worries to the back of my mind. Given time I thought Colin would agree to meet them, but I knew that decision would take time.As long as he remained at my side, loving me the way he did, I could live with that.The End
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
April 4, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 17 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
He began slowly shifting me. I was whimpering by the time he stood up with me. He carried me across the wide room and into another room. It had several doors leading from it. He went straight ahead through the single open door.I closed my eyes. The movement made me dizzy.He stopped and I opened my eyes in time to see a frown crease his face. He leaned down with me still in his arms.I squealed like a stuck piglet. “What’re you doing? Just help lean against the counter and I can make it from there.” No way in this world was I letting him set me on the commode and have my backside shine the world.“You’ll fall flat. I’m not letting you go,” he said in a no-nonsense tone of voice, his worry leaked into me. “I'll hold you until you finish.”“No, no way. I can’t go with you holding me.” I fretted. I really had to go, but there was no way I was going with him holding me on the commode or whatever they called it here.I groaned. I forgot I had my surface thoughts open to him. For just an instant, I felt hurt that he hadn’t opened his thoughts to me. I quickly buried that thought so he wouldn't feel bad over my hurt. Talk about confusing.“Please, I can’t go with you holding me. It’s just humiliating,” I said. “We could compromise. Help me sit down and then leave. Okay?”He finally sighed, “Let’s get you down and then go from there.”He set my feet on the floor and I whimpered as pain shot through my hips. I felt his anger and frustration skyrocket and I cringed.“Shh, love, I’m not angry at you,” he said warmly. Then his voice grew hard. “I’m angry at myself for having hurt you so badly.”“It’s okay,”I said, gasping past the pain. I finally gave in. “I don’t see I have a choice. Can you hold me while I go?”Tears fell down my face. I was so embarrassed.I felt his panic and worry as he looked at me. Then suddenly he felt relief.“My love, do you trust me?” he asked hesitantly.In shock, I blinked at him. He was my bonded lifeMate. “Of course, I trust you.”He slightly shook his head and smiled. I felt his wonder and a feeling of overwhelming love flow through the bond and into me.“Most halflings,” he grunted, “most elves would run backward at what I'm about to do.”The words were barely out of his mouth when I understood. I watched living crystal flow around me. I giggled as Colin released me, and the firm yet cushion-soft crystal completely supported my body.Colin mentally commanded the synth crystal to hold me in position on top of the commode. He was brilliant; I essentially had an exoskeleton of living crystal. My Colin was the Chi’Kehra. He controlled synth crystal. Whether it was in solid form, like what was currently wrapped around my body, or liquid form. The crystal was a form of pure energy; the scientific combination of a dozen different ingredients that modern scientists believed to be mythical poppy-cock.I watched my beloved walk out of the bathroom, but I heard him stop immediately inside the next room. I chuckled. He was still not leaving me completely alone.I finished and was trying to figure out how to flush the silly thing when it suddenly did it all on its own. How? Then I knew. I felt Colin’s humor at the back of my mind. I looked-up and found him peeking around the door frame.I chuckled. I couldn’t be angry with him, not with his love and concern pulsing around me. If he had been in my position, I would have been just as concerned.“Thank you,”I said and sent a caress of love across our bond. I watched his face light up as he felt my love flow into him.He grinned. “You’re welcome. Now, no arguing, I can feel your pain throbbing through our bond. Let’s get you in bed.” He reached to pick me up.“Since we’ve gone this far, would you help me take a shower or a bath?” I asked and held my breath.His worry pulsed through me with increasing intensity. “Mia Cara, you need rest.”When I saw him hesitate, I bit my lip and plunged on, using every advantage I could. “I don’t want to beg and you think I’m being manipulative like the other women.” I sighed. “But I really want to be clean. I can smell the dried blood in my hair. It’s just gross. I feel icky.”“I won’t let you in the bath by yourself, not even with the crystal holding you up. You’ll have to let me help you,” he said, briefly stroking my cheek with his knuckles.“Okay,” I agreed and felt my blush rush up my neck, into my face, and finally fill the tips of my slightly pointed ears I inherited from my half-elvish mother.Continued next Friday :)
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If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
He began slowly shifting me. I was whimpering by the time he stood up with me. He carried me across the wide room and into another room. It had several doors leading from it. He went straight ahead through the single open door.I closed my eyes. The movement made me dizzy.He stopped and I opened my eyes in time to see a frown crease his face. He leaned down with me still in his arms.I squealed like a stuck piglet. “What’re you doing? Just help lean against the counter and I can make it from there.” No way in this world was I letting him set me on the commode and have my backside shine the world.“You’ll fall flat. I’m not letting you go,” he said in a no-nonsense tone of voice, his worry leaked into me. “I'll hold you until you finish.”“No, no way. I can’t go with you holding me.” I fretted. I really had to go, but there was no way I was going with him holding me on the commode or whatever they called it here.I groaned. I forgot I had my surface thoughts open to him. For just an instant, I felt hurt that he hadn’t opened his thoughts to me. I quickly buried that thought so he wouldn't feel bad over my hurt. Talk about confusing.“Please, I can’t go with you holding me. It’s just humiliating,” I said. “We could compromise. Help me sit down and then leave. Okay?”He finally sighed, “Let’s get you down and then go from there.”He set my feet on the floor and I whimpered as pain shot through my hips. I felt his anger and frustration skyrocket and I cringed.“Shh, love, I’m not angry at you,” he said warmly. Then his voice grew hard. “I’m angry at myself for having hurt you so badly.”“It’s okay,”I said, gasping past the pain. I finally gave in. “I don’t see I have a choice. Can you hold me while I go?”Tears fell down my face. I was so embarrassed.I felt his panic and worry as he looked at me. Then suddenly he felt relief.“My love, do you trust me?” he asked hesitantly.In shock, I blinked at him. He was my bonded lifeMate. “Of course, I trust you.”He slightly shook his head and smiled. I felt his wonder and a feeling of overwhelming love flow through the bond and into me.“Most halflings,” he grunted, “most elves would run backward at what I'm about to do.”The words were barely out of his mouth when I understood. I watched living crystal flow around me. I giggled as Colin released me, and the firm yet cushion-soft crystal completely supported my body.Colin mentally commanded the synth crystal to hold me in position on top of the commode. He was brilliant; I essentially had an exoskeleton of living crystal. My Colin was the Chi’Kehra. He controlled synth crystal. Whether it was in solid form, like what was currently wrapped around my body, or liquid form. The crystal was a form of pure energy; the scientific combination of a dozen different ingredients that modern scientists believed to be mythical poppy-cock.I watched my beloved walk out of the bathroom, but I heard him stop immediately inside the next room. I chuckled. He was still not leaving me completely alone.I finished and was trying to figure out how to flush the silly thing when it suddenly did it all on its own. How? Then I knew. I felt Colin’s humor at the back of my mind. I looked-up and found him peeking around the door frame.I chuckled. I couldn’t be angry with him, not with his love and concern pulsing around me. If he had been in my position, I would have been just as concerned.“Thank you,”I said and sent a caress of love across our bond. I watched his face light up as he felt my love flow into him.He grinned. “You’re welcome. Now, no arguing, I can feel your pain throbbing through our bond. Let’s get you in bed.” He reached to pick me up.“Since we’ve gone this far, would you help me take a shower or a bath?” I asked and held my breath.His worry pulsed through me with increasing intensity. “Mia Cara, you need rest.”When I saw him hesitate, I bit my lip and plunged on, using every advantage I could. “I don’t want to beg and you think I’m being manipulative like the other women.” I sighed. “But I really want to be clean. I can smell the dried blood in my hair. It’s just gross. I feel icky.”“I won’t let you in the bath by yourself, not even with the crystal holding you up. You’ll have to let me help you,” he said, briefly stroking my cheek with his knuckles.“Okay,” I agreed and felt my blush rush up my neck, into my face, and finally fill the tips of my slightly pointed ears I inherited from my half-elvish mother.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
March 28, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 16 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
“My love, I want nothing more, but we should wait. You need time to heal and you need time to understand how things work here.” He groaned, cupping my hand in his large hand. “I'm not rejecting you. I desperately want you as my lifeMate, but not until you understand your rights.”“From what you’ve told me about the women here, well, I could never treat you like that. Not ever,” I said emphatically then added with just as much fervor, “Colin, you're my lifeMate, I love you too much.” At this point, I didn't care if it was the synth that made me love him, or if it was love at first sight, or if I had fallen in love with the adoring look on his face while he held me with such extraordinary care.I didn’t wait for his answer; I was tired of arguing. I looked into his dark green eyes and opened my end of the lifeBond. His eyes jerked wide open, the pupils dilated, and with a shocked gasp, he opened his end of the lifeBond.The combined synth in our blood sang, whipping through us as the ends of two lifeBonds intertwined and twisted together. The closing of our bond created a shimmering solid union between the two of us. I felt it briefly glow burning hot. Cooling, it pulled us irrevocably together. Once bonded, our emotions flowed into the other.I felt his love crash through me and I grinned with joy. He actually did love me as much as I loved him.I opened my surface thoughts to him and tried scooting closer to him. The pain stopped me. The pain had been growing gradually worse. I had been trying to ignore it.“I know I stink, I can smell the blood still in my hair, but I need you to hold me and…”“Shush,” he said and carefully slipped his arms under me, pulling me onto his lap.Pain swept through me and I fainted.I woke-up cradled in his arms. My head was in the crook of his neck. His worry and fear pulsed into me; I felt his hands trembling as he held me.I sent him my love and the words just in case he missed my gratitude. “Thank you.”I felt his disbelief at my words. “I hurt you,” he said in a growl that sounded more vampire-ish than elvish.“The pain was inevitable. I needed you to hold me,” I said and gently kissed his neck.I began relaxing to the sound of his heartbeat and felt myself drifting off. I was surprised he had been able to tolerate holding me for so long. I blinked awake as I felt his shock flow through me.“My bonded lifeMate, if you’ll let me, I’ll hold you forever,” he said fervently; I felt the sincerity of his words flow through me.I nuzzled his neck and gently kissed him again. “I stink. As a vampire mix, I know my sense of smell is better than yours is, but holding me so close has to be horrid for you. I really stink.”“I hurt you so badly. I nearly lost you.” His words sounded halfway calm, but the pain of exactly how he felt ripped through our bond. He was in agony over nearly killing me.“Stop that,”I demanded.I felt his shock and then his chest gently vibrated with his laughter. His pain lessened; it was still there, but I felt his humor flow around it.He gently kissed the top of my head. “For three-thousand years, I have dreaded the day I found my lifeMate.” He chuckled. “For the first time in my entire life, I feel complete. Our emotions are so intertwined I can’t tell if the joy I feel is yours, mine, or both of ours combined.”I nuzzled his pulsing neck and kissed him yet again; I simply loved touching him. “I don’t know. I’ve read books and heard people discussing the lifeBond. The current theory is an immortal is not whole until they bond with their lifeMate. Other than the pain, I certainly feel better than I ever have.”Time passed and it grew dusky outside, while we talked about our family and how different the two worlds were. Sídhí remained without technology as I understood it. It would be a big change for me and for him. He told me his people had already thrown a fit over my impure blood tainting the elvish monarchy.Deep down, I fretted over the worry my family was going through. I didn't try contacting Sarah, I was afraid she'd hurt Colin before I could explain.Everything finally came to a grinding halt. Some things in life simply took precedence. “Colin, I really hate to mention this, but my bladder is about to burst. I’ve got to go to the bathroom.” I groaned as I realized my beloved lived in a medieval castle. “Please, please tell me you have indoor plumbing.”I felt his humor spike. “Yes, Mia Cara, the castle has plumbing.” He hesitated. “Do you think you’ll black-out if I move you?”I groaned a heartfelt sound. “I better not. I’ll never be able to look you in the face if I pee all over you.”“Hmpgh.”I mock growled at him. “It doesn’t do any good to swallow your hysterical laughter if I can feel it bursting through our bond.”He chuckled and kissed my lips in a comforting show of love.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooper
www.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
“My love, I want nothing more, but we should wait. You need time to heal and you need time to understand how things work here.” He groaned, cupping my hand in his large hand. “I'm not rejecting you. I desperately want you as my lifeMate, but not until you understand your rights.”“From what you’ve told me about the women here, well, I could never treat you like that. Not ever,” I said emphatically then added with just as much fervor, “Colin, you're my lifeMate, I love you too much.” At this point, I didn't care if it was the synth that made me love him, or if it was love at first sight, or if I had fallen in love with the adoring look on his face while he held me with such extraordinary care.I didn’t wait for his answer; I was tired of arguing. I looked into his dark green eyes and opened my end of the lifeBond. His eyes jerked wide open, the pupils dilated, and with a shocked gasp, he opened his end of the lifeBond.The combined synth in our blood sang, whipping through us as the ends of two lifeBonds intertwined and twisted together. The closing of our bond created a shimmering solid union between the two of us. I felt it briefly glow burning hot. Cooling, it pulled us irrevocably together. Once bonded, our emotions flowed into the other.I felt his love crash through me and I grinned with joy. He actually did love me as much as I loved him.I opened my surface thoughts to him and tried scooting closer to him. The pain stopped me. The pain had been growing gradually worse. I had been trying to ignore it.“I know I stink, I can smell the blood still in my hair, but I need you to hold me and…”“Shush,” he said and carefully slipped his arms under me, pulling me onto his lap.Pain swept through me and I fainted.I woke-up cradled in his arms. My head was in the crook of his neck. His worry and fear pulsed into me; I felt his hands trembling as he held me.I sent him my love and the words just in case he missed my gratitude. “Thank you.”I felt his disbelief at my words. “I hurt you,” he said in a growl that sounded more vampire-ish than elvish.“The pain was inevitable. I needed you to hold me,” I said and gently kissed his neck.I began relaxing to the sound of his heartbeat and felt myself drifting off. I was surprised he had been able to tolerate holding me for so long. I blinked awake as I felt his shock flow through me.“My bonded lifeMate, if you’ll let me, I’ll hold you forever,” he said fervently; I felt the sincerity of his words flow through me.I nuzzled his neck and gently kissed him again. “I stink. As a vampire mix, I know my sense of smell is better than yours is, but holding me so close has to be horrid for you. I really stink.”“I hurt you so badly. I nearly lost you.” His words sounded halfway calm, but the pain of exactly how he felt ripped through our bond. He was in agony over nearly killing me.“Stop that,”I demanded.I felt his shock and then his chest gently vibrated with his laughter. His pain lessened; it was still there, but I felt his humor flow around it.He gently kissed the top of my head. “For three-thousand years, I have dreaded the day I found my lifeMate.” He chuckled. “For the first time in my entire life, I feel complete. Our emotions are so intertwined I can’t tell if the joy I feel is yours, mine, or both of ours combined.”I nuzzled his pulsing neck and kissed him yet again; I simply loved touching him. “I don’t know. I’ve read books and heard people discussing the lifeBond. The current theory is an immortal is not whole until they bond with their lifeMate. Other than the pain, I certainly feel better than I ever have.”Time passed and it grew dusky outside, while we talked about our family and how different the two worlds were. Sídhí remained without technology as I understood it. It would be a big change for me and for him. He told me his people had already thrown a fit over my impure blood tainting the elvish monarchy.Deep down, I fretted over the worry my family was going through. I didn't try contacting Sarah, I was afraid she'd hurt Colin before I could explain.Everything finally came to a grinding halt. Some things in life simply took precedence. “Colin, I really hate to mention this, but my bladder is about to burst. I’ve got to go to the bathroom.” I groaned as I realized my beloved lived in a medieval castle. “Please, please tell me you have indoor plumbing.”I felt his humor spike. “Yes, Mia Cara, the castle has plumbing.” He hesitated. “Do you think you’ll black-out if I move you?”I groaned a heartfelt sound. “I better not. I’ll never be able to look you in the face if I pee all over you.”“Hmpgh.”I mock growled at him. “It doesn’t do any good to swallow your hysterical laughter if I can feel it bursting through our bond.”He chuckled and kissed my lips in a comforting show of love.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooper
www.jodiebcooper.com
March 21, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 15 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
“During the Great War…”My laughter interrupted him and he reminded me of a big-eyed owl when he blinked at me.“Do we need to go back four thousand years?” I asked through my laughter.“Yes, for you to fully understand. I think we do.” His lips twitched into a huge smile and he sighed; his face softened into a look I could only describe as adoring. “You are beautiful, but do you know exactly how exquisite you are when you laugh?” He didn’t wait for my answer he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on my cheek.His eyes never left mine as he continued, “During the war, the streets of every town ran red with the blood of lifeMates who either killed themselves after their bonded lifeMate died on the battlefield or dropped dead from a brain aneurysm. The written accounts of that time are filled with horrific detail. I think it mentally damaged the children and every un-bonded person during that time.”“Those poor kids, they got hit with double misery. Not just a father, but their mother died as well,” I said, trying to imagine the pain of growing up in a time like that, but I couldn’t.“I was born three thousand years ago.” He stopped and chuckled at my gasp.I groaned. “I just turned seventeen. Talk about an age gap. I don’t even know your name yet. I’m Miranda Michelle Trellick. Most people call me Miranda,” I said.“It’s a beautiful name. My name, on the other hand, is longer than you could ever imagine. I am Colin Andrew Smithton Allen Drametri Theodus Malichins,” he said with a twist of his lips.“We aren’t going to label our children with a name that long,” I said emphatically, then groaned when I realized what I had just said. Without looking up, I sort of apologized. “Now that I’ve totally stuck my foot in it, do you have a preference?”Gently pushing up my chin, he kissed my temple. “I can’t resist kissing you when you blush like that.” He chuckled. A smile entered his eyes making them twinkle with pleasure. “Are you asking my preference of what we shall name our first child or what I prefer to be called?”I groaned and his chuckle turned into laughter, while he continued raining small kisses across my hotly blushing face.“Whatever you decide is fine. No one, not even my parents, ever used my name. From the first day, I’ve been called Chi’Kehra,” he said with little emotion.I was still wrapping my mind around that absurd comment when he hesitantly began speaking.“You speak as if you want a child. Most women make the man beg for a child,” he said with a frown.“That’s not normal. Of course, I want to have children. Um, I mean, uh,” I groaned in utter embarrassment, “after we’re married. Anyway, why would any woman make her lifeMate beg? That’s just horrid.”“For people on Sídhí that is life. I need to finish explaining about Women’s Choice. By the time I was born, most women refused to form a lifeBond with their lifeMate.” He quickly pressed a finger to my lip. “Save your questions and ask after.” To soften his order he gently kissed the corner of my lips.“That is the single law women have. They have twisted its use to create a powerful position for themselves. They can, and do, eventually make their lifeMate do anything they demand.” He snarled. “The women in my family are some of the worst.”“From your expression you don’t understand,” he said with a questioning look.I sighed, shaking my head and slightly winced at the movement. I was really starting to hurt, but I didn’t want to give up my time with Colin. “I’m sorry, my love. I honestly don’t understand. Are you saying, women are basically property, but they have the power of the owner?” I frowned at his face-splitting grin. “Don’t you dare tell me that you own me and you find that funny.”“Never.” He leaned closer to me and gently wrapped his arms around me. He caressed my lips with his, but before I could respond he rubbed his cheek against mine and held me with – what I knew – was restrained strength. His body was trembling.“Colin?” I asked, prodding him for an answer.He rained kisses across my cheek and leaned back with a self-satisfied smile. “You called me ‘my love.’ I hope and pray you never become like the women of this world. Anyone of my sisters or female cousins would make their lifeMate wait months or possibly years before they gave any form of endearment to their mate.”“They aren’t bonded, are they?” I asked in a horrified voice.“There is only one, among all of my relatives that bonded,” he said and gently leaned his forehead against mine. “Not even my parents are bonded.”I'm glad he held me, because this was too much to believe. But, I needed more than his arms around me. I needed to bond with my lifeMate. Whether he knew it or not, I believed, he needed it just as bad.“Will you bond with me?” I asked him.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
“During the Great War…”My laughter interrupted him and he reminded me of a big-eyed owl when he blinked at me.“Do we need to go back four thousand years?” I asked through my laughter.“Yes, for you to fully understand. I think we do.” His lips twitched into a huge smile and he sighed; his face softened into a look I could only describe as adoring. “You are beautiful, but do you know exactly how exquisite you are when you laugh?” He didn’t wait for my answer he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on my cheek.His eyes never left mine as he continued, “During the war, the streets of every town ran red with the blood of lifeMates who either killed themselves after their bonded lifeMate died on the battlefield or dropped dead from a brain aneurysm. The written accounts of that time are filled with horrific detail. I think it mentally damaged the children and every un-bonded person during that time.”“Those poor kids, they got hit with double misery. Not just a father, but their mother died as well,” I said, trying to imagine the pain of growing up in a time like that, but I couldn’t.“I was born three thousand years ago.” He stopped and chuckled at my gasp.I groaned. “I just turned seventeen. Talk about an age gap. I don’t even know your name yet. I’m Miranda Michelle Trellick. Most people call me Miranda,” I said.“It’s a beautiful name. My name, on the other hand, is longer than you could ever imagine. I am Colin Andrew Smithton Allen Drametri Theodus Malichins,” he said with a twist of his lips.“We aren’t going to label our children with a name that long,” I said emphatically, then groaned when I realized what I had just said. Without looking up, I sort of apologized. “Now that I’ve totally stuck my foot in it, do you have a preference?”Gently pushing up my chin, he kissed my temple. “I can’t resist kissing you when you blush like that.” He chuckled. A smile entered his eyes making them twinkle with pleasure. “Are you asking my preference of what we shall name our first child or what I prefer to be called?”I groaned and his chuckle turned into laughter, while he continued raining small kisses across my hotly blushing face.“Whatever you decide is fine. No one, not even my parents, ever used my name. From the first day, I’ve been called Chi’Kehra,” he said with little emotion.I was still wrapping my mind around that absurd comment when he hesitantly began speaking.“You speak as if you want a child. Most women make the man beg for a child,” he said with a frown.“That’s not normal. Of course, I want to have children. Um, I mean, uh,” I groaned in utter embarrassment, “after we’re married. Anyway, why would any woman make her lifeMate beg? That’s just horrid.”“For people on Sídhí that is life. I need to finish explaining about Women’s Choice. By the time I was born, most women refused to form a lifeBond with their lifeMate.” He quickly pressed a finger to my lip. “Save your questions and ask after.” To soften his order he gently kissed the corner of my lips.“That is the single law women have. They have twisted its use to create a powerful position for themselves. They can, and do, eventually make their lifeMate do anything they demand.” He snarled. “The women in my family are some of the worst.”“From your expression you don’t understand,” he said with a questioning look.I sighed, shaking my head and slightly winced at the movement. I was really starting to hurt, but I didn’t want to give up my time with Colin. “I’m sorry, my love. I honestly don’t understand. Are you saying, women are basically property, but they have the power of the owner?” I frowned at his face-splitting grin. “Don’t you dare tell me that you own me and you find that funny.”“Never.” He leaned closer to me and gently wrapped his arms around me. He caressed my lips with his, but before I could respond he rubbed his cheek against mine and held me with – what I knew – was restrained strength. His body was trembling.“Colin?” I asked, prodding him for an answer.He rained kisses across my cheek and leaned back with a self-satisfied smile. “You called me ‘my love.’ I hope and pray you never become like the women of this world. Anyone of my sisters or female cousins would make their lifeMate wait months or possibly years before they gave any form of endearment to their mate.”“They aren’t bonded, are they?” I asked in a horrified voice.“There is only one, among all of my relatives that bonded,” he said and gently leaned his forehead against mine. “Not even my parents are bonded.”I'm glad he held me, because this was too much to believe. But, I needed more than his arms around me. I needed to bond with my lifeMate. Whether he knew it or not, I believed, he needed it just as bad.“Will you bond with me?” I asked him.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
March 15, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 14 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Chapter: Woman’s Choice“Woman’s choice is the law. She decides when and where the lifeBond is opened or even if it is opened,” he explained, rubbing his cheek into my caress. He frowned and pulled back.He covered me in the soft blanket, carefully tucking it around me.“You’re shivering,” he said worriedly. “I shouldn’t have brought you this close to the windows. I thought you’d enjoy the sun.” He sighed, shaking his head before I could speak. “Yes, I know vampires aren't thrilled with the sun. Plain and simple, I wanted to hold you.”I pulled my arm from under the luxuriously soft blanket and reached for his hand.He willingly wrapped his large hand around mine.“In my world, the decision to bond is made to together. Just like all the decisions in a bonded couple’s life are made together.” I nodded my head and winced as my swollen jaw hit the edge of the hard collar, before I could continue he reached for the silver collar and snapped it off.“You’re welcome,” he sighed and smiled at me; his eyes gleamed with unspoken emotion. “I didn’t want to put it on you, but after you ported away the first time, I was worried you would try it again or maybe call your sister.” A shudder raced through his body. “I can still feel the terror of coming back with the healer and realizing you were gone. Then I was terrified I might not find you in time.”“Sorry, I thought the monst… Mirk was going to eat me,” I apologized.“Hush, my beloved, it is I who must apologize. I nearly killed you.” He kissed my forehead and I saw the pain in his eyes. “After we came through the gateway and I found-out your sister was Chi’Kehra, I knew she would come for you. I didn’t want to kill you, but I felt I had no choice. I had no idea how powerful your sister was. My first thought was she could kill everyone in the entire valley. I threw you against the stone wall hard enough to stop you from calling her. Then you ported. I swear I reacted on instinct. I turned and struck before I had time to think.” He shuddered and groaned. “Then the synth song roared through my blood.”He gritted his teeth and continued in a choked voice, “Once the synth sang, my love for you was instant and overwhelming and…”“Enough,” I said firmly, cutting him off. “It’s in the past and that’s where we will leave it.”He looked stunned at my words. I was tired of guessing what my lifeMate was feeling. I wanted him and he acted like he cared for me; I wanted us mentally bonded.“Would you come back to the sofa?” I felt my face turn slightly pink as I admitted, “I miss having you next to me.”“Ah, my beloved, you are definitely from a different world. Very, very few women here would admit something like that. Not when it could be used against her,” he said carefully, measuring each word.When I didn't comment, he sighed and raised my legs slowly.I tried, but I couldn’t hold back the moan of pain as he slid my legs over his lap.“Forgive me,” he said, recapturing my hand.“It’s okay,”I said and tried swallowing another whimper as he shifted.He snapped his teeth together. “It’s not okay. You’re white as a sheet. The healer left some pain medicine, but she said not to give you any for another two hours. I'll call my guards to bring her.”“No, please.”I wrapped both my hands around his and tugged him closer. “I can handle the pain, but I can’t handle not being next to you. If the healer comes, she'll put me out.”“Mia Cara, you shouldn't admit things like that.” The frown creasing his forehead told me he came to a decision he didn’t like. “Until you can learn our ways, perhaps it would be best if we were not together.”“What? One minute you call me beloved, and the next you threaten to leave. Do you want me or not?” I growled; his eyes grew wide at the rumbling sound. “We wouldn’t have these misunderstandings if we would just bond. Is your world so much different that we can’t just bond?”I demanded with growing frustration.A multitude of expressions crossed his face. He finally sighed and said, “I want nothing more than to bond with you this very minute, but I’m afraid you would eventually hate me.”He shook his head at me when I tried interrupting. “You weren’t raised here to have these things explained. By rights, I should have my brother’s lifeMate explain them to you, but I will try to do it myself.” Continued next Friday :)Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Chapter: Woman’s Choice“Woman’s choice is the law. She decides when and where the lifeBond is opened or even if it is opened,” he explained, rubbing his cheek into my caress. He frowned and pulled back.He covered me in the soft blanket, carefully tucking it around me.“You’re shivering,” he said worriedly. “I shouldn’t have brought you this close to the windows. I thought you’d enjoy the sun.” He sighed, shaking his head before I could speak. “Yes, I know vampires aren't thrilled with the sun. Plain and simple, I wanted to hold you.”I pulled my arm from under the luxuriously soft blanket and reached for his hand.He willingly wrapped his large hand around mine.“In my world, the decision to bond is made to together. Just like all the decisions in a bonded couple’s life are made together.” I nodded my head and winced as my swollen jaw hit the edge of the hard collar, before I could continue he reached for the silver collar and snapped it off.“You’re welcome,” he sighed and smiled at me; his eyes gleamed with unspoken emotion. “I didn’t want to put it on you, but after you ported away the first time, I was worried you would try it again or maybe call your sister.” A shudder raced through his body. “I can still feel the terror of coming back with the healer and realizing you were gone. Then I was terrified I might not find you in time.”“Sorry, I thought the monst… Mirk was going to eat me,” I apologized.“Hush, my beloved, it is I who must apologize. I nearly killed you.” He kissed my forehead and I saw the pain in his eyes. “After we came through the gateway and I found-out your sister was Chi’Kehra, I knew she would come for you. I didn’t want to kill you, but I felt I had no choice. I had no idea how powerful your sister was. My first thought was she could kill everyone in the entire valley. I threw you against the stone wall hard enough to stop you from calling her. Then you ported. I swear I reacted on instinct. I turned and struck before I had time to think.” He shuddered and groaned. “Then the synth song roared through my blood.”He gritted his teeth and continued in a choked voice, “Once the synth sang, my love for you was instant and overwhelming and…”“Enough,” I said firmly, cutting him off. “It’s in the past and that’s where we will leave it.”He looked stunned at my words. I was tired of guessing what my lifeMate was feeling. I wanted him and he acted like he cared for me; I wanted us mentally bonded.“Would you come back to the sofa?” I felt my face turn slightly pink as I admitted, “I miss having you next to me.”“Ah, my beloved, you are definitely from a different world. Very, very few women here would admit something like that. Not when it could be used against her,” he said carefully, measuring each word.When I didn't comment, he sighed and raised my legs slowly.I tried, but I couldn’t hold back the moan of pain as he slid my legs over his lap.“Forgive me,” he said, recapturing my hand.“It’s okay,”I said and tried swallowing another whimper as he shifted.He snapped his teeth together. “It’s not okay. You’re white as a sheet. The healer left some pain medicine, but she said not to give you any for another two hours. I'll call my guards to bring her.”“No, please.”I wrapped both my hands around his and tugged him closer. “I can handle the pain, but I can’t handle not being next to you. If the healer comes, she'll put me out.”“Mia Cara, you shouldn't admit things like that.” The frown creasing his forehead told me he came to a decision he didn’t like. “Until you can learn our ways, perhaps it would be best if we were not together.”“What? One minute you call me beloved, and the next you threaten to leave. Do you want me or not?” I growled; his eyes grew wide at the rumbling sound. “We wouldn’t have these misunderstandings if we would just bond. Is your world so much different that we can’t just bond?”I demanded with growing frustration.A multitude of expressions crossed his face. He finally sighed and said, “I want nothing more than to bond with you this very minute, but I’m afraid you would eventually hate me.”He shook his head at me when I tried interrupting. “You weren’t raised here to have these things explained. By rights, I should have my brother’s lifeMate explain them to you, but I will try to do it myself.” Continued next Friday :)Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
March 7, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 13 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Several emotions flickered across his face. Primarily confusion covered his face, confusion and pain. I didn't know which surprised me the most.It was the first time I actually had to look at him without fearing for my life. I knew I’d never tire of looking into his hunter green eyes. His pointed ears poked up through his midnight colored hair. I wondered how old he was. There was so much I wanted to know about him. For the first time, I had a glimmer of hope that he would accept me as his bonded lifeMate. I knew, even though our 'courtship' started with him trying to kill me, I still wanted him as my bonded mate.I quickly answered his question, but tacked on the two things that bothered me the most. “You keep saying ‘you’re my lifeMate,’ but I clearly remember gating away from the monster you left me with and then I woke-up with silver on my neck.”I lowered my eyes and bit my lip. After saying it out loud, I remembered this was an entirely different world. He might intend to keep me as a concubine or pet or even a prisoner. After all, I had the blood of his enemies in me.He gently tilted my chin up, caressing my skin until I looked at him. “Mirk’s not a monster. I’ll introduce you to him later.” He sighed, heavily. “The silver was necessary.”“Am I your prisoner?” I asked in a mental whisper, shivering at the thought.Once I started shivering, I couldn’t quit. I couldn't look at him. I glanced toward the balcony doors, only half dozen feet away, which stood open. At least I had a good reason for shivering. It had to be winter on Sídhí; the wind was frigid.“You’re no more prisoner than I am,” he said finally.I looked at him and his frown deepened as he watched me. He motioned toward doors and I heard them snap shut.He looked to each side of him and his jaw clenched tight. He slipped his hands under my legs and I bit my lip to keep from crying out when he lifted them.He left me without another word.I didn’t know which hurt worse: the pain shooting through my body or his leaving.He swiftly walked away from me. The tears that had been threatening to fall rolled down my cheeks. I normally wasn't this weepy, but he hadn’t even said good-bye. I didn’t think I liked this new world, where a man acted as if he didn't even like his lifeMate most of the time.I watched as he grabbed the golden comforter. He hesitated, dropping the stiff bundle on the bed he picked up a fluffy blanket draped across the end of the bed. He turned and was kneeling at my side in the blink of an eye.His arms gently wrapped around me and he kissed my cheek. “Mia Cara, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”“I thought you were leaving without even saying goodbye. I don’t normally cry like this. I’m sorry,” I said, my shoulders drooping.He started to say something, but I covered his lips with my fingers. His eyes widened in surprise.“You,” I hesitated, “you called me Mia Cara. On Earth that means My Beloved. Can you love a halfling?” I looked into his face and saw him swiftly hide his anger. I couldn’t stop my tears from falling even faster. I choked on a sob; I couldn't have spoken out-loud if my life depended on it. “This world is so different. At home, we would have already bonded and opened our surface thoughts to each other. In this world, you’ve locked silver around my neck, and everything I say makes you angry.”His face froze into a mask with no emotion slipping through. I dropped my hand from his face and my shoulders drooped even farther. “Ask my family, I’m always causing trouble. No doubt by now, you’re wishing you had never laid eyes on me. Maybe you should just send me back.”“Are you refusing me?” he asked in a very formal voice, his eyes darkened.I realized he was totally serious, my eyes widened in horror. Maybe that's what he wanted after all. My rejecting him would keep his honor intact. More than intact; he would be praised as hero worthy since his lifeMate rejected him, not the other way around.The sun suddenly streamed through the glass doors, hitting the side of my face. I knew, without looking at him, he would be horrified. I was two-thirds vampire. In the sun, my eyes turned a solid bloody red. I looked at him anyway and painfully whispered aloud, “Is that what you want, for me to reject our bond?”“It doesn’t matter what I want. It’s the woman’s choice,” he said solemnly. His arms trembled as he held me and his eyes filled with tears, slowly falling down his face.“Women’s choice? That’s crap,” I said vehemently, gently wiping the tears from his face. “Do you or do you not want me?”Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooper
www.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Several emotions flickered across his face. Primarily confusion covered his face, confusion and pain. I didn't know which surprised me the most.It was the first time I actually had to look at him without fearing for my life. I knew I’d never tire of looking into his hunter green eyes. His pointed ears poked up through his midnight colored hair. I wondered how old he was. There was so much I wanted to know about him. For the first time, I had a glimmer of hope that he would accept me as his bonded lifeMate. I knew, even though our 'courtship' started with him trying to kill me, I still wanted him as my bonded mate.I quickly answered his question, but tacked on the two things that bothered me the most. “You keep saying ‘you’re my lifeMate,’ but I clearly remember gating away from the monster you left me with and then I woke-up with silver on my neck.”I lowered my eyes and bit my lip. After saying it out loud, I remembered this was an entirely different world. He might intend to keep me as a concubine or pet or even a prisoner. After all, I had the blood of his enemies in me.He gently tilted my chin up, caressing my skin until I looked at him. “Mirk’s not a monster. I’ll introduce you to him later.” He sighed, heavily. “The silver was necessary.”“Am I your prisoner?” I asked in a mental whisper, shivering at the thought.Once I started shivering, I couldn’t quit. I couldn't look at him. I glanced toward the balcony doors, only half dozen feet away, which stood open. At least I had a good reason for shivering. It had to be winter on Sídhí; the wind was frigid.“You’re no more prisoner than I am,” he said finally.I looked at him and his frown deepened as he watched me. He motioned toward doors and I heard them snap shut.He looked to each side of him and his jaw clenched tight. He slipped his hands under my legs and I bit my lip to keep from crying out when he lifted them.He left me without another word.I didn’t know which hurt worse: the pain shooting through my body or his leaving.He swiftly walked away from me. The tears that had been threatening to fall rolled down my cheeks. I normally wasn't this weepy, but he hadn’t even said good-bye. I didn’t think I liked this new world, where a man acted as if he didn't even like his lifeMate most of the time.I watched as he grabbed the golden comforter. He hesitated, dropping the stiff bundle on the bed he picked up a fluffy blanket draped across the end of the bed. He turned and was kneeling at my side in the blink of an eye.His arms gently wrapped around me and he kissed my cheek. “Mia Cara, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”“I thought you were leaving without even saying goodbye. I don’t normally cry like this. I’m sorry,” I said, my shoulders drooping.He started to say something, but I covered his lips with my fingers. His eyes widened in surprise.“You,” I hesitated, “you called me Mia Cara. On Earth that means My Beloved. Can you love a halfling?” I looked into his face and saw him swiftly hide his anger. I couldn’t stop my tears from falling even faster. I choked on a sob; I couldn't have spoken out-loud if my life depended on it. “This world is so different. At home, we would have already bonded and opened our surface thoughts to each other. In this world, you’ve locked silver around my neck, and everything I say makes you angry.”His face froze into a mask with no emotion slipping through. I dropped my hand from his face and my shoulders drooped even farther. “Ask my family, I’m always causing trouble. No doubt by now, you’re wishing you had never laid eyes on me. Maybe you should just send me back.”“Are you refusing me?” he asked in a very formal voice, his eyes darkened.I realized he was totally serious, my eyes widened in horror. Maybe that's what he wanted after all. My rejecting him would keep his honor intact. More than intact; he would be praised as hero worthy since his lifeMate rejected him, not the other way around.The sun suddenly streamed through the glass doors, hitting the side of my face. I knew, without looking at him, he would be horrified. I was two-thirds vampire. In the sun, my eyes turned a solid bloody red. I looked at him anyway and painfully whispered aloud, “Is that what you want, for me to reject our bond?”“It doesn’t matter what I want. It’s the woman’s choice,” he said solemnly. His arms trembled as he held me and his eyes filled with tears, slowly falling down his face.“Women’s choice? That’s crap,” I said vehemently, gently wiping the tears from his face. “Do you or do you not want me?”Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooper
www.jodiebcooper.com
February 28, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 12 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
He jerked to a halt and angrily snapped, “You are my lifeMate!”“I know,” I said in a soft pain-filled voice, muffled against his chest.Tears began streaming down my face. I couldn’t help it. It hurt knowing how much he hated me – a halfling abomination - for being his lifeMate.“I’m sorry, so sorry. I know I've ruined your life. I even understand why you hate me,” I whispered in his mind. The agony I felt over his hatred came through my voice. I sobbed against his chest; pain sliced through me at the movement. I groaned and sobbed again. I couldn’t seem to quit. “Please, just don't throw me off the balcony. Can't you make it quick, like behead me with your sword or something?”I heard him mutter something and he quickly moved to a big sofa. He lifted me up higher in his arms; his movements seemed gentle. I couldn’t figure out why he bothered. He slowly sat down with me leaning back into the soft cushions he cradled me in his arms.“Stop crying,” he said gruffly.“Stop being so blasted bossy,” I snapped back. “If you’re tired of my crying, then why don’t you just kill me and get it over with! I know that’s what you plan. The waiting is killing me.” I shifted, whimpering in pain, “It hurts!”I closed my eyes against the pain in my heart as he gently caressed my cheek.Why was he doing this to me? Was he punishing me for something I couldn’t change? I could only think of one reason.“Yeah, right, you don’t hate me. You just detest that I’m a halfling so you accidentally left me in a bloody heap on the floor so the monster wouldn’t make any more of a mess while it ate me.” I growled deep in my chest. It hurt, but I didn't care. “That's twice you said I’m your lifeMate, but you can’t decide whether to kill me or keep as a bloody prisoner, can you?”I asked in a mental snarl. His rejection made my chest ache so badly I wanted to scream.I hated that he looked so lost, like a child who found out a car hit his puppy. I didn't want to feel anything for him. His mouth opened then snapped shut. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to answer me.He remained silent for so long, I fell asleep.I woke curled against his chest. I remembered my last words to him and wondered if I pushed him over the edge. I must not have, he hadn't dumped me on the sofa or worse, thrown me out of the window.I looked up at him. At least, I tried looking up. I was stiff. I must've slept for a long time, because I couldn’t move without pain shooting through me.I managed to raise my head high enough to see his chin. I rolled my eyes back and stopped breathing. His tormented eyes softened even further as he watched me. My breath caught in my chest. Could he fake that look? Did he care for me? From his eyes it looked like he did, at least a little bit.I didn't have the strength to keep my head kinked at such an angle. I pushed against him using his chest as leverage I tried sitting-up higher and whimpered.His arms tightened around me, gently holding me in place.“Stop trying to…” he stopped talking.The tips of his midnight hair slipped past as he shook his head. “What I mean to say is that it’s better if you don’t move. You yourself said it hurts,” he said gently. “You were quite insistent about that.”My brain struggled, trying to remember what I said before going to sleep. When I did remember, I bluntly said, “I didn’t mean that kind of hurt. I meant you wanting to kill me hurts.”“I don't want you dead.”I choked back a snort and tried once again to see his face.I think he must have realized what I was doing. He pulled several large pillows from the far end of the sofa and layered them to our right. He gently propped my back against them, keeping my legs draped across his lap.His hand curled around my bare thigh. I was startled to realize, all I had on was a large white shirt. All my clothes, including my panties, were gone.His other hand gently wiped my tears away. His jaw clenched tight when my tears continued. These were not the actions of a man who hated me.Movement hurt, but his face was drawn with worry. For better or worse, he was my lifeMate. If I put out enough effort, maybe something could be salvaged. I reached toward his face, but my arm trembled, drooping with lack of strength.His eyes widened and he hurriedly leaned toward me. I caressed his cheek with my palm and sighed with pleasure; his skin was warm and as silken smooth as I thought it would be. I tried keeping my arm suspended, but it began shaking with the effort.He pulled his hand from my thigh and cupped my hand in his. Half closing his eyes, he rubbed his smooth cheek into my hand. Turning his head, he very gently kissed my palm.“You are my lifeMate.” He leaned forward and very gently kissed my forehead. He curled his hand around mine and carefully rubbed the t-shirt, exactly over the scar marring my ribcage. In a few days the tender ridge would fade, completely disappearing within a week or so.“I was furious with myself.” He leaned back and gazed into my face. “Truly, I felt like killing myself, but never you. Once the music sang and I acknowledged you as my lifeMate, how could you think I would hurt you?” he gently asked.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
He jerked to a halt and angrily snapped, “You are my lifeMate!”“I know,” I said in a soft pain-filled voice, muffled against his chest.Tears began streaming down my face. I couldn’t help it. It hurt knowing how much he hated me – a halfling abomination - for being his lifeMate.“I’m sorry, so sorry. I know I've ruined your life. I even understand why you hate me,” I whispered in his mind. The agony I felt over his hatred came through my voice. I sobbed against his chest; pain sliced through me at the movement. I groaned and sobbed again. I couldn’t seem to quit. “Please, just don't throw me off the balcony. Can't you make it quick, like behead me with your sword or something?”I heard him mutter something and he quickly moved to a big sofa. He lifted me up higher in his arms; his movements seemed gentle. I couldn’t figure out why he bothered. He slowly sat down with me leaning back into the soft cushions he cradled me in his arms.“Stop crying,” he said gruffly.“Stop being so blasted bossy,” I snapped back. “If you’re tired of my crying, then why don’t you just kill me and get it over with! I know that’s what you plan. The waiting is killing me.” I shifted, whimpering in pain, “It hurts!”I closed my eyes against the pain in my heart as he gently caressed my cheek.Why was he doing this to me? Was he punishing me for something I couldn’t change? I could only think of one reason.“Yeah, right, you don’t hate me. You just detest that I’m a halfling so you accidentally left me in a bloody heap on the floor so the monster wouldn’t make any more of a mess while it ate me.” I growled deep in my chest. It hurt, but I didn't care. “That's twice you said I’m your lifeMate, but you can’t decide whether to kill me or keep as a bloody prisoner, can you?”I asked in a mental snarl. His rejection made my chest ache so badly I wanted to scream.I hated that he looked so lost, like a child who found out a car hit his puppy. I didn't want to feel anything for him. His mouth opened then snapped shut. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to answer me.He remained silent for so long, I fell asleep.I woke curled against his chest. I remembered my last words to him and wondered if I pushed him over the edge. I must not have, he hadn't dumped me on the sofa or worse, thrown me out of the window.I looked up at him. At least, I tried looking up. I was stiff. I must've slept for a long time, because I couldn’t move without pain shooting through me.I managed to raise my head high enough to see his chin. I rolled my eyes back and stopped breathing. His tormented eyes softened even further as he watched me. My breath caught in my chest. Could he fake that look? Did he care for me? From his eyes it looked like he did, at least a little bit.I didn't have the strength to keep my head kinked at such an angle. I pushed against him using his chest as leverage I tried sitting-up higher and whimpered.His arms tightened around me, gently holding me in place.“Stop trying to…” he stopped talking.The tips of his midnight hair slipped past as he shook his head. “What I mean to say is that it’s better if you don’t move. You yourself said it hurts,” he said gently. “You were quite insistent about that.”My brain struggled, trying to remember what I said before going to sleep. When I did remember, I bluntly said, “I didn’t mean that kind of hurt. I meant you wanting to kill me hurts.”“I don't want you dead.”I choked back a snort and tried once again to see his face.I think he must have realized what I was doing. He pulled several large pillows from the far end of the sofa and layered them to our right. He gently propped my back against them, keeping my legs draped across his lap.His hand curled around my bare thigh. I was startled to realize, all I had on was a large white shirt. All my clothes, including my panties, were gone.His other hand gently wiped my tears away. His jaw clenched tight when my tears continued. These were not the actions of a man who hated me.Movement hurt, but his face was drawn with worry. For better or worse, he was my lifeMate. If I put out enough effort, maybe something could be salvaged. I reached toward his face, but my arm trembled, drooping with lack of strength.His eyes widened and he hurriedly leaned toward me. I caressed his cheek with my palm and sighed with pleasure; his skin was warm and as silken smooth as I thought it would be. I tried keeping my arm suspended, but it began shaking with the effort.He pulled his hand from my thigh and cupped my hand in his. Half closing his eyes, he rubbed his smooth cheek into my hand. Turning his head, he very gently kissed my palm.“You are my lifeMate.” He leaned forward and very gently kissed my forehead. He curled his hand around mine and carefully rubbed the t-shirt, exactly over the scar marring my ribcage. In a few days the tender ridge would fade, completely disappearing within a week or so.“I was furious with myself.” He leaned back and gazed into my face. “Truly, I felt like killing myself, but never you. Once the music sang and I acknowledged you as my lifeMate, how could you think I would hurt you?” he gently asked.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
February 21, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 11 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Strong arms wrapped around me, keeping me from hitting the floor. Chi’Kehra. I knew it was him. My face lay against his shoulder and his spicy cinnamon-like scent surrounded me.He pulled me closer against him.For a split instant, I allowed myself to dream that he wanted me. I pretended he wasn't the Chi’Kehra, but an unknown elf who didn't consider me – a halfling – an abomination.I've never been one to believe in pipe-dreams so my dream didn't last long.“Shhh, don’t struggle,” he ordered.I cringed.His voice was deceptively soft, but I heard the despair in it. He had already lost all hope.I was nothing more than a horrible skeleton in his closet, a secret he would do anything to destroy. He must have hated me more than any living person he'd ever come into contact with. The synth crystal which sang in his veins had not been strong enough to overcome his hatred of what I was.“Let go,” I said, pushing at his chest. Pain throbbed through my jaw at the movement and my words came-out in a slur. Stupid idiot. That's what I got for talking with a broken jaw.I pushed again, trying to pull out of his embrace, but my body ached in protest, sending sharp little pains through me.He loosened his hold and my feet brushed the floor. Pain shot-up through my hips. I whimpered. I hurt all over. How many bones had I broken when I fell out of the sky?His arms tightened around me and I cried-out in pain.I heard his teeth click together and he hissed an apology. “Sorry.”His arms loosened a bit, but still held me prisoner against him. It surprised me his hold was so gentle. Why would he cradle me against him with such care?It sounded exactly like something one of the devious elves would do. Yeah, no doubt, he would convince me he wanted me then throw me in a dungeon. Elves had a wacky sense of humor.He shifted me in his arms, his words coming soft as he brushed his head near mine. “It’s going to hurt, but I’m going to pick you up and put you back in bed.”“Why bother?” I ground-out between my aching jaws. My energy was dropping and my head slumped. My tender jaw brushed against something cold and hard. A sharp pain of grief shot up into my temples. “Forget bed, just get it over with.” And throw me in the dungeon where you plan on putting me, I mentally added.I shuddered at the grief crushing my chest. None of it made any sense. Why was he being so nice? I was quite aware of the silver collar locked around my neck. I was his prisoner, nothing more.“The healer was only able to heal the worst of your injuries. You’re too young for a complete healing. You need bed rest until your synth crystal can heal you.” He stopped speaking and I felt a feather light touch against the crown of my head.I held my breathe; speechless didn't cover how I felt. Did he caress me? I must have lost my mind if I thought that. I was a prisoner. The silver collar around my neck proved that without a shadow of doubt.“I’ll heal with silver on?” I asked.Every time I spoke, my jaw brushed the thick collar. I tried raising my head higher, but I couldn’t manage the movement. I sighed with frustration, maybe I should just shut up. He wasn’t actually answering my questions.“Would you stop talking?” he demanded in a harsh voice that sounded angrier by the minuteI stiffened and tried pulling away even though I knew I couldn't stand on my own.“If you must speak, then do so mentally. The healer said you broke your jaw and several other bones,” he said, his anger was still present, but he also sounded frustrated.“You mean, you broke my jaw,” I said amid a growl. I whimpered when the growl made my chest vibrate. I added busted ribs to my list of injuries.“Yes,” he agreed quietly.He slipped his arms under my legs and I tensed. I feared I had pushed him too far. Yeah, me and my big mouth I would end up smashed against the wall again or become the sharp-toothed monster’s next meal. The pain of knowing my supposed lifeMate was about to hurt me was nearly more than I could handle. Even knowing how much he hated me and how bad he had hurt me, I still wanted him to love me.He lifted me into his arms.The movement made me moan in pain.He stopped. My head slid against his shoulder. I felt and heard him take a deep shuddering breath. “Tell me when the pain eases.”“What does it matter if I'm in pain or not, when you plan to smash me against the wall again?” I asked. Whatever he planned, I just wanted him to get it over. The waiting was nearly worse than the pain. I didn’t give him time to answer before I sarcastically asked, “Or have you decided to give me back to the monster to finish eating?”I felt my entire body shudder and I realized it wasn’t me that moved. I blinked in consternation at the movement realizing my brain was not functioning as well as I thought it had been.He turned from the bed and quickly walked toward the balcony. At the swift move, I groaned in pain. When I got a good look at how high the balcony was from the ground, it changed from pain to fear. The closer he walked to the open floor-to-ceiling doors, the greater my terror became. We were on the top of a bloody mountain!How many times had my big mouth caused me to sit for hours in the detention hall? The fact that I was the Chi’Kehra’s sister made the punishments even worse. Everyone was constantly at me, telling me I needed to be a better role model.Why couldn’t I learn to keep my wretched mouth shut?“I swear I’ll shut up. Please, don’t throw me off the balcony,” I begged him.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Strong arms wrapped around me, keeping me from hitting the floor. Chi’Kehra. I knew it was him. My face lay against his shoulder and his spicy cinnamon-like scent surrounded me.He pulled me closer against him.For a split instant, I allowed myself to dream that he wanted me. I pretended he wasn't the Chi’Kehra, but an unknown elf who didn't consider me – a halfling – an abomination.I've never been one to believe in pipe-dreams so my dream didn't last long.“Shhh, don’t struggle,” he ordered.I cringed.His voice was deceptively soft, but I heard the despair in it. He had already lost all hope.I was nothing more than a horrible skeleton in his closet, a secret he would do anything to destroy. He must have hated me more than any living person he'd ever come into contact with. The synth crystal which sang in his veins had not been strong enough to overcome his hatred of what I was.“Let go,” I said, pushing at his chest. Pain throbbed through my jaw at the movement and my words came-out in a slur. Stupid idiot. That's what I got for talking with a broken jaw.I pushed again, trying to pull out of his embrace, but my body ached in protest, sending sharp little pains through me.He loosened his hold and my feet brushed the floor. Pain shot-up through my hips. I whimpered. I hurt all over. How many bones had I broken when I fell out of the sky?His arms tightened around me and I cried-out in pain.I heard his teeth click together and he hissed an apology. “Sorry.”His arms loosened a bit, but still held me prisoner against him. It surprised me his hold was so gentle. Why would he cradle me against him with such care?It sounded exactly like something one of the devious elves would do. Yeah, no doubt, he would convince me he wanted me then throw me in a dungeon. Elves had a wacky sense of humor.He shifted me in his arms, his words coming soft as he brushed his head near mine. “It’s going to hurt, but I’m going to pick you up and put you back in bed.”“Why bother?” I ground-out between my aching jaws. My energy was dropping and my head slumped. My tender jaw brushed against something cold and hard. A sharp pain of grief shot up into my temples. “Forget bed, just get it over with.” And throw me in the dungeon where you plan on putting me, I mentally added.I shuddered at the grief crushing my chest. None of it made any sense. Why was he being so nice? I was quite aware of the silver collar locked around my neck. I was his prisoner, nothing more.“The healer was only able to heal the worst of your injuries. You’re too young for a complete healing. You need bed rest until your synth crystal can heal you.” He stopped speaking and I felt a feather light touch against the crown of my head.I held my breathe; speechless didn't cover how I felt. Did he caress me? I must have lost my mind if I thought that. I was a prisoner. The silver collar around my neck proved that without a shadow of doubt.“I’ll heal with silver on?” I asked.Every time I spoke, my jaw brushed the thick collar. I tried raising my head higher, but I couldn’t manage the movement. I sighed with frustration, maybe I should just shut up. He wasn’t actually answering my questions.“Would you stop talking?” he demanded in a harsh voice that sounded angrier by the minuteI stiffened and tried pulling away even though I knew I couldn't stand on my own.“If you must speak, then do so mentally. The healer said you broke your jaw and several other bones,” he said, his anger was still present, but he also sounded frustrated.“You mean, you broke my jaw,” I said amid a growl. I whimpered when the growl made my chest vibrate. I added busted ribs to my list of injuries.“Yes,” he agreed quietly.He slipped his arms under my legs and I tensed. I feared I had pushed him too far. Yeah, me and my big mouth I would end up smashed against the wall again or become the sharp-toothed monster’s next meal. The pain of knowing my supposed lifeMate was about to hurt me was nearly more than I could handle. Even knowing how much he hated me and how bad he had hurt me, I still wanted him to love me.He lifted me into his arms.The movement made me moan in pain.He stopped. My head slid against his shoulder. I felt and heard him take a deep shuddering breath. “Tell me when the pain eases.”“What does it matter if I'm in pain or not, when you plan to smash me against the wall again?” I asked. Whatever he planned, I just wanted him to get it over. The waiting was nearly worse than the pain. I didn’t give him time to answer before I sarcastically asked, “Or have you decided to give me back to the monster to finish eating?”I felt my entire body shudder and I realized it wasn’t me that moved. I blinked in consternation at the movement realizing my brain was not functioning as well as I thought it had been.He turned from the bed and quickly walked toward the balcony. At the swift move, I groaned in pain. When I got a good look at how high the balcony was from the ground, it changed from pain to fear. The closer he walked to the open floor-to-ceiling doors, the greater my terror became. We were on the top of a bloody mountain!How many times had my big mouth caused me to sit for hours in the detention hall? The fact that I was the Chi’Kehra’s sister made the punishments even worse. Everyone was constantly at me, telling me I needed to be a better role model.Why couldn’t I learn to keep my wretched mouth shut?“I swear I’ll shut up. Please, don’t throw me off the balcony,” I begged him.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
February 14, 2013
Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 10 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
I fell through the sky and fear raced through me. Thankfully, the port was more than my mangled body could handle. My eyes rolled up in the back of my head.My last terrified thought before I fainted was filled with relief: I wouldn't be forced to see my lifeMate's face as he rejected me. I figured it was a good thought to have in my brain when I died.~ ~ ~The sound of my chattering teeth briefly woke me up. There was snow everywhere. Big fluffy clouds bloomed behind the bare branched trees spread high above me. I knew I wasn't in my right mind, because the clouds looked pink.I shouldn't be alive, but even young it was hard to kill a Sídhí without chopping her head off.I fainted and a loud sound woke me. It couldn't be my teeth chattering. It was much too loud. Though, the pain-filled sound fit my state of mind.The sound grew louder, developing into an agonized roar.I woke. It was still freezing. I curled my fingers in snow. I'd gone past agony and into a state that was beyond description. My entire body felt like a hundred knives were ripping into me, shredding me into little pieces over and over again, ripping through bone and muscle.Something warm gently touched my face.My eyes flickered open at the soft caress.I wished I'd kept them shut.Chi’Kehra hovered over me, his handsome face contorted. Whether it was rage that I didn't die or grief that I still lived, I didn't know.“LifeMate,” he snarled. For an elf, without the fangs of a vampire, he did a fairly good snarl.My eyes went black and I didn't need to worry about the hatred in eyes as he glared at me.~ ~ ~Her eyes briefly fluttered open.He choked back a hiss of fury. Unable to kill the one person he wanted tortured and ripped into a thousand pieces, he ordered the healer closer.The petite healer hesitated and he bellowed his fury at her. He wanted to destroy everything in sight, but it wouldn't help matters.His guards tugged at his arms, urging him to back away, but he refused to budge.The healer dropped to her knees beside his mate, whose lifeblood soaked the snow red. The slender hands of the healer touched blood covered skin and she shook her head; regret twisted her face.
Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
I fell through the sky and fear raced through me. Thankfully, the port was more than my mangled body could handle. My eyes rolled up in the back of my head.My last terrified thought before I fainted was filled with relief: I wouldn't be forced to see my lifeMate's face as he rejected me. I figured it was a good thought to have in my brain when I died.~ ~ ~The sound of my chattering teeth briefly woke me up. There was snow everywhere. Big fluffy clouds bloomed behind the bare branched trees spread high above me. I knew I wasn't in my right mind, because the clouds looked pink.I shouldn't be alive, but even young it was hard to kill a Sídhí without chopping her head off.I fainted and a loud sound woke me. It couldn't be my teeth chattering. It was much too loud. Though, the pain-filled sound fit my state of mind.The sound grew louder, developing into an agonized roar.I woke. It was still freezing. I curled my fingers in snow. I'd gone past agony and into a state that was beyond description. My entire body felt like a hundred knives were ripping into me, shredding me into little pieces over and over again, ripping through bone and muscle.Something warm gently touched my face.My eyes flickered open at the soft caress.I wished I'd kept them shut.Chi’Kehra hovered over me, his handsome face contorted. Whether it was rage that I didn't die or grief that I still lived, I didn't know.“LifeMate,” he snarled. For an elf, without the fangs of a vampire, he did a fairly good snarl.My eyes went black and I didn't need to worry about the hatred in eyes as he glared at me.~ ~ ~Her eyes briefly fluttered open.He choked back a hiss of fury. Unable to kill the one person he wanted tortured and ripped into a thousand pieces, he ordered the healer closer.The petite healer hesitated and he bellowed his fury at her. He wanted to destroy everything in sight, but it wouldn't help matters.His guards tugged at his arms, urging him to back away, but he refused to budge.The healer dropped to her knees beside his mate, whose lifeblood soaked the snow red. The slender hands of the healer touched blood covered skin and she shook her head; regret twisted her face.
Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
