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Seven Devils and a Rose - Chapter 6

A Quick announcement before continuing with Seven Devils and a Rose. I've created a facebook group. So if you'd like to join, me go HERE.Seven Devils and a RosePre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseREAD SEVEN DEVILS AND A ROSECHAPTER 1CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 3CHAPTER 4CHPATER 5Chapter 6Two Sinfully Handsome DevilsI tried not to show just how terrified I was, but it was damned hard to pretend like I was having a fine time touring a new, unexplored wild park, in another realm, on the back of a mighty winged-lion that was three times the size of the average lion I had seen in Africa. I mean, I had just been kidnapped, for God's sake, by a pair of giant ruthless men who dressed like some heroes in a fantasy novel, what with those dark, leather pants and jackets, and of course, armor. Not to mention those unusual masks on their faces, the likes I had never seen before, which made it all even more sinister.Along the thick groves of tall trees and wild bushes, I could hear sounds of men's footsteps, and now and again, the melancholy cries of some wild creatures, which only served to scare me even more.I was in another realm, all right, because I had never heard those sorts of cries before. They didn’t sound like the howling of wolves or growling of bears. They were something far more dangerous and terrifying.Despite my fear of my unknown surroundings, I still wanted to escape these men’s clutches and I kept glancing around... searching for a way out. But of course, no matter how hard I tried, it was just simply impossible. Firstly, I was surrounded by men who were marching on foot and holding what I could only assume were rifles and guns, along with swords and knives. At least, I thought they looked like those weapons, what with my short eye-sight and within the darkness of the night. Secondly, the man named Felix was sitting behind me on the back of the winged-lion, one of his iron-like arms wrapped tightly about my middle, holding me prisoner, while his other hand held onto the reins.Ahwooo!A noise echoed loudly throughout the woods. I jolted and gasped, darting my eyes around my surroundings, half expecting a large, beastly creature to jump out in front of us and rip everyone, including me, to pieces.Felix must have noticed my reaction because he leaned close to me so that his masked-face was inches from me and his warm breath was fanning on my skin.“What’s the matter, little elf? Scared?" he asked, his tone implied that he was amused.I turned slightly to look at him. The moment I did so, I regretted it, because his lips were so close to mine that the proximity only served to remind me of our kiss earlier. Well, not ourkiss, per se, but rather, akiss that was stolen from me by this arrogant man.I tried to move back, but of course, it wasn’t possible since I was tightly embraced in his arms.I unconsciously licked my lower lip and asked, “What was that noise?”“Just a wolf or two,” he said easily.A wolf? Or two?But wolves just didn’t sound like that, surely? And why did he act as though it was nothing? Surely, those one or two wolves were close by?And hunting?He said, “Hmm... It is rather strange that they should sound so... hungry.”He could tell that the wolves were hungry by the sound of their cries?He cocked his head to one side as he looked at me intently. “Then again, it’s probably because they could smell something delicious nearby? A little elf, perhaps?” He even brushed the tip of his tall, fine nose against my cheek.I knew that the man was implying the wolves must have sensed me around. Was he trying to scare me even more?I said, “But I’m not an elf. I’m a human.”“Are you now, little elf?”I sighed in resignation and decided to change topics. First, though, I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. Then I asked, “Where are you taking me, by the way?”I felt Felix’s gaze resting on me for another few seconds, and then without even answering me, he urged the winged-lion to run faster.Shit!I gasped in surprise and held onto his muscular arm tightly, as the creature raced past the men marching. I buried my face against the massiveness of his chest the faster the animal went, and then I felt my stomach lurching, like when a plane was taking off. I peeked at my surroundings and realized that the lion had spread out its wings and was now ascending.Holy shit!The winged-lion was flying, and taking me and Felix along with it on its back. Both frightened and awed, I sighed in wonder while holding onto Felix tightly, as if my life depended on it.Felix expertly controlled the animal, steering it this way and that to avoid colliding with trees and branches, and it wasn’t long before we were above the forest itself.Up in the sky, I gazed in wonder at my beautiful surroundings. Here, the aurora lights across the distance were even more flamboyant, with the multi-colors bathing light on everything that it could reach.Felix said, “Beautiful.”I nodded in agreement. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I said.“Neither have I,” he said. “Not in a long time, at least.”Neither had he?When he was living in this realm, and with the aurora so close by?I turned my attention to him and saw that he was watching me intently. I had no idea why, but I blushed and hastily turned my eyes away. Good lord, why was I acting all shy, when this beast of a man was looking at me like that?It was, perhaps, around ten minutes later when Felix made his lion slow its speed, and soon, we descended. I braced myself for a rough landing with my body going all tense. I even tightened my hold on Felix while burying my face against his mighty chest. But then, the lion hit the ground gently and lightly, which both surprised and amazed me.I looked around and that was when I sighted the glow of bonfires in the distance. It wasn’t long until we emerged into a clearing, which was obviously a camping site.As we came into the area, I could only gaze around in awe, and take everything in. There were men everywhere, sitting around the various open fires in groups of four or five and chatting. Or were they discussing and planning? I didn't know because I wasn't paying too much attention to them. Some others were working and carrying various things such as cartons of supplies, contraptions that I had never seen before, and of course, weapons, from one place to another while others were patrolling the vicinity. There were tents, too, like those Mongolian’s ones, scattered around the area, perhaps serving as sleeping quarters and storing goods.By the time we got to what seemed to be the center of the camp, I noticed that many eyes were on me, which made me uncomfortable. Suddenly, I was the center of their attention, eh?When we came up to a hill where one of the two largest Mongolian-like tents stood, the winged-lion came to a stop and Felix got down. Only then did I notice Felix’s colleague, the moody one, was watching me with such intensity that my heart skipped a few beats. Why was he gazing at me like that? Like I was his next meal or something?When we had first started out after I had been captured, the broody one had departed first on his winged-lion and disappeared out of my sight into the darkness. Now I knew that he had rushed over here to their base camp. To check up on things? I didn’t know, and God, I just wished he’d stop paying so much attention to me with those dark eyes of his, already. And truthfully, I felt like I was a deluxe meal on display and he was a starving wolf that couldn’t wait to devour every bit of the morsel, me, that was on offer.Just when I thought he was going to turn and leave, he marched right up to me and then wrapped his hands around my middle and guided me down from the lion, which pleasantly surprised me.He was nice?I was about to say ‘thank you’since he was helping me, but then, the two words got stuck in my throat when the man, instead of putting me on the ground, carried me over his broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes.I blinked, dumbfounded.What the hell?Was this normal behaver around here?As this moody one took me toward the tent, Felix burst out laughing, which confused me.I thought about requesting that he put me down—as I had legs and could walk as fine as any person—when he flipped the cloth-like door and walked into the tent.Inside, I was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground. Well, not the cold, hard earth of a ground, but rather, beneath me were soft Persian-like carpets and fur rugs. All around me were luxurious, soft cushions made from the finest materials. I suspected this was this man’s private tent, which told me that he must be one of the head-honchos of some clan. God, I felt like I was in an Arabian night, with all this glamour, in a tent, in the middle of the woods.Moody Brute took up an imposing position not far from me, sitting on that grand, comfy chair like a king. It was then Felix entered the tent and gracefully took the other chair to the left of his colleague.Side by side, the masks on their aquiline-featured faces looked like a reflection of one another.Moody Brute was still watching me intensely, like I was an alien who had just dropped into his world. Well, to him perhaps I was an alien, considering that I wasn’t part of this realm.Felix cleared his throat and said, “What’s your name, little elf?”His question caught me off guard. “Hmm...” I licked my lower lip as I thought hard on whether I should tell these people my real name or not. After all, if they knew, wouldn’t it be easy for them to hunt me down again if I had managed to escape?“Name?” Moody Brute asked, his voice demanding.Because he frightened me, I lost my wits and snapped back, “Alfie!”“How old are you, little elf?” Felix asked.I was a little annoyed that a) I blurted out my name because I was a little frightened, which didn’t sit well with me, and b) bastard Felix still addressed me as ‘little elf’ even though I had already told them my name. And why did he wanted to know my age?“Does it matter?” I retorted. Then because I couldn’t take this weird interrogation anymore, I decided to bring the modern, Earthling logic into the conversation.I said, “Look, let’s get straight to the point here. What do you want with me? And why have I been captured? It’s not like I did something wrong, right?”Felix snorted while Moody Brute simply continued to stare, which by now began to get on my nerves. Like, when are you going to have enough staring at me, for God’s sake?Moody Brute said, “We’ll be the ones to judge whether you did anything wrong or not, boy.”I frowned. “I have a name, thank you very much, and it’s Alfie Yuki Nakamura,” I said proudly.The moment I said that, I could sense both men tense and become dark and serious.“Yuki?” Moody Brute asked.I was taken aback by their reactions, and particularly Moody Brute’s forceful question.I explained, "My middle name. It means snow in Japanese." Just as I said that I gasped and shut my mouth. What was I saying?Revealing to them that I wasn’t from this part of the realm, because surely, they wouldn’t have a country called Japan or the language Japanese here, would they?Felix seemed to have calmed down and said, “It’s a common name, Caleb.”So, Moody Brute’s name was Caleb, then?Caleb seemed to nod in agreement as he said, "Yuki is a common name in the eastern region." Suddenly, he got out of his chair and came toward me.Once he was inches from me, he got down to one knee and asked, “Are you from the eastern region, boy? But you don’t look like you’re of the eastern population.”Eastern region?So, they had something like that here? Like the Asian population?Despite the fact that I was so intimidated and nervous with the mighty Caleb being so close to me that I could smell his earthy scent, and feel the warmth of his breath on my skin, I nodded my head furiously.“Yes, I’m from the eastern region but I’m half-blooded. My father is from the eastern region while my mother is not,” I said, my eyes staring at the man’s chest.God, he had such a massive chest, didn’t he?* * *READ SEVEN DEVILS AND A ROSECHAPTER 1CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 3CHAPTER 4CHPATER 5Pre-Order Seven Devils and a Rose

Seven Devils and a Rose - Chapter 5

Seven Devils and a RosePre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)Chapter 5The Magic of the Aurora LightI gasped in fright and found that I couldn’t move anymore, as exhausted as I was. Suddenly, he caught my arm and roughly pulled me to him. I whimpered and said softly, as I had no more strength left in me, “Please let me go.”He forcefully cupped my small chin in a large hand and tilted my face up.From where I was, I couldn’t make out what the man looked like. This was because it was dark, and even though there was moon and aurora light behind him, he was shrouded in the shadow. I didn’t miss the glinting of a sort of hard material on his face, however. Was it a mask?But it looked as though it only covered the top half and slightly lower left side of his face, revealing the lines of his aquiline nose, firm mouth, and hard jawline. I also saw a hint of a smirk on those lips as he stared at me intensely, which unsurprisingly, gave me an overwhelming urge to want to smack him.I felt not only scared and uncomfortable in front of this barbaric man who was obviously scrutinizing me in such an open way, but I was also pissed off.I struggled in his grasp and demanded that he let me go. Miraculous as it may seem under the circumstances, he did let me go and I found myself stumbling back. I was relieved, thinking that I was free, but then...Then I felt a hard, masculine body behind me. In a mere moment, strong arms wrapped around my middle and I was being lifted like a sack of potatoes.I kicked and screamed. “Let me go! Let me go! What are you doing? This isn’t a joke, treating and scaring me like this.” Tears were brewing in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks.Then I found myself being turned upright and dumped on one of the enormous creatures that had been chasing after me.A loud growl came out of the animal’s mouth and I froze. It sounded like a lion!My heart racing, I stared wide-eyed in both awe and fright. There, staring right back me with its head turned, were a pair of dark eyes, a large snout, and a growling mouth with fangs. Oh, my lord! I was sitting on a lion.Suddenly, I felt a strong gust of breeze and realized that the creature was the one creating it. Glancing along its lean, muscular torso, I saw wings.A winged-lion!The creature gave out another loud growl, which made me jolt and become even more petrified. Was it going to eat me?The man who had dumped me on the winged-lion touched and stroked the creature’s head, caressing its mane as if to soothe and tell it to settle down. As if by magic, the winged-lion purred like a damned cat.The man chuckled, as if it was the most natural thing in the world under the circumstance. Yes, he and his team mates had chased me down and captured me, and now, he was petting this predator of a lion like a pet cat?Tears were rolling down my cheeks as I stared at the darned man in front of me. Under the dim moonlight, I noticed that he, too, had a half-mask on, like his friend, covering the top half and slightly lower right side of his face, only showing the tip of his fine nose, sensual mouth, and strong jawline. Again, I saw a hint of a smirk playing about those lips, and it only riled me up even more.What the hell was wrong with these men?Why were they smirking when I was obviously in distress? And why were they after me?The man came close and wrapped his large, strong hand around the back of my head, his fingers gripping onto my short hair. He chuckled and then said, “You’re a lively one, aren’t you?” He moved even closer so that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin when he next spoke, “Don’t scream so loudly again or you’ll wake up the dead.”I gasped and then hiccupped in response to his threat."Promise to not scream again?" he asked, the timbre of his voice deep.I simply continued to stare at him through teary eyes. He seemed to assume that I had agreed with him not to scream because he said, “Good boy. Now, behave yourself if you don’t want to be tortured.”I gasped and then hiccupped again; a habit I had when I had reached my limit in fright.In my mind, I thought about the torture and my imminent death. I shivered and shook my head, trying not to think about my bleak future.He chuckled, seemed to be amused at my reactions.“Are you scared, little elf?” he asked.I nodded my head furiously. “Please don’t torture me,” I squeaked out timidly. “Please don’t kill me. I promise to behave.”The man loosened his grip on my head and, oddly enough, his touch became gentle, which surprised me. He said, "You're an adorable one, aren't you?”I didn't know how to respond to this. I mean, his comment sounded a little strange considering the circumstances. I was his captive, wasn't I? So, why was he saying that I was adorable? Words people used when they see cute kids or pets?I unconsciously licked my lower lip because it felt dry. Instantly, I felt his gaze fly there to my flesh, and strangely enough, I felt hot under his ardent stare.My body tense, I said, “If I’m adorable, that means you won’t hurt me, right? Because people don’t usually torture adorable beings.”Suddenly, the man burst out laughing, which confused me. He grabbed my face, his fingers and thumb cupping my chin, and drew me so close that our noses were nearly touching.Oh, Lord, but I had never been this close to anyone before in my life, except for my parents when I gave them pecks on the cheeks. And this barbaric example of a man?He drew me in so closely that we could be kissing.I shook my head from side to side at the same time I pushed my hands against his brick-like massive chest so that he'd let me go, because I didn’t like his proximity. The man, however, had herculean strength, and I felt powerless against him despite my best effort.His breath warm against my skin, he said, "Do all elves smells this good?" He cocked his head to one side. "Even your breath smells like mint.”I blinked. What the fucking hell?I was dreading the thought of him and his colleague torturing and killing me, and all he could think about was that I smelled nice and that my breath smelled like mint? But of course, you brute, I had only brushed my teeth with minty flavored toothpaste and I had also just had a good shower and a bath, washing my body with top quality cleansing gel. Then, of course, you all just happened to show up in your very barbaric way, like in a fantasy book, chasing after me like I was an escaped prisoner, and turning my world upside down.Because he pissed me off and I just couldn’t help myself, since the opportunity was right there, promising me a good retribution, I made my move.I leaned in, opened my mouth and took a nip at his unguarded lower lip, my teeth sinking into his flesh. There, I thought, that’ll teach you.But the man didn’t even flinch at my attack. He simply stood there as if in shocked surprise.I tried to bite harder, to at least get a little reaction from him but then...Then I felt the hard grip of his hand behind my head, and I knew that my time was up.I released his lip and tried to move back, but he wouldn’t let me. He held me in that position with an iron-like grip, and I knew that I was in deep shit.Panic hit me like the huge wave of a tsunami and my heart raced as my body tensed. Oh, God, he was going to hit me, wasn’t he?The man made his move. He slammed his lips against mine and he...Oh. My. Fucking. Lord.He was kissing me. Hard out!His lips firm and warm against mine.I freaked out and shook my head, begging to be let go. The man, however, wouldn’t and even forced my mouth to open for him.I whimpered in my throat, and the moment he managed to goad my lips to weakly part for him, he plunged his tongue in like a starved beast, and explored my virgin mouth with a wild passion that terrified me witless. At the same time, however, his ardent, demanding kiss also stirred something hot and aching deep within me, and I felt more than a little dazed.“Felix!” a loud voice came our way, the tone dark. “Enough fooling around with the boy.”The brute named Felix refused to listen to his moody-sounding friend, and his kiss became even more wild, his tongue demanding as it stroked and caressed my inexperienced one.I groaned and whimpered softly. “Ngh...”Oh, God!What was this man doing? I couldn’t breathe anymore. And my body felt like it was on fire.“Felix!” The voice came again, louder this time, more urgent and demanding.Only then did this Felix man terminate the kiss and pull back. By then, I was completely breathless and out of sorts; so much that I couldn’t even sit up straight on the winged-lion on my own. I felt as though the man had just sucked the life out of me.Weak, I found myself falling forward, and the man who had arrogantly stolen my first proper kiss caught me in his arms.With my face resting against his hard chest, I could hear the loud beating of his heart.“You’re a bit weak, aren’t you, little elf?” Felix asked.I didn’t miss the amused tone in his smooth voice either. Not only was he not affected by the kiss, but now he was looking down on me, too?Despite that I was very exhausted and dazed from that damned kiss, I removed myself from the man, to inform him nonverbally that I was not that weak. It was merely a kiss, after all, and I shouldn’t be affected that much, especially when it was with him. I wanted to further give him a good scolding but couldn't find the strength to open my now very sore after-kissedmouth to speak.Moving closer, Felix wrapped his hands around my small waist and turned me around so that I sat straddling the winged-lion. That was when the other man, Felix’s colleague, appeared along my line of sight.Sitting there, I could feel the man’s dark gaze hot on me. Then, because I couldn’t help myself and had gained a little of my strength back, I demanded, “Who are you people and why are you doing this to me? I swear I’m going to call the police and throw you all in jail.” Both men stood silent, staring at me as if I was a loon. By this point, of course, I myself wondered if was a loon, because nothing that had happened so far made any sense. At least not to me.First, I found myself in another realm. Then I was being chased for no reason. Only moments ago, I was being brutally kissed by this man named Felix, and now? Now, what next?Ignoring my demanding questions, Felix roughly pulled my hands together, which drew my attention to him. I saw that he was tying them with a rope. Shit!I retaliated by struggling, and even managed a few kicks against his chest to tell him that this was sonot on. Instead of getting angry with me, he laughed. I got even more pissed and slammed my bare foot against his chest, hard. He caught my slender ankle, stopping me in my tracks. When I tried to pull my foot back, he refused to let go. He even went further, so as to rub his thumb along the sole of my foot, which caused my body to quivered warmly.He asked, as if perplexed, “Do elves have such tiny, soft feet?”I had no idea how to respond to that, since I wasn’t an elf.“Hmm...” He cocked his head to one side. “Your foot is a little wounded.”Of course, they were wounded. I had been running in the woods bare foot, after all.“Where are your boots?”I was flabbergasted. What could I tell him? That I happened to cross over between two worlds while I had been bathing? Then, when I walked out of the pool, I found all my things had disappeared? Including a pair of flip-flops?“I’ve lost them,” I said.“That won’t do.” He tsked in disapproval, as if I were a child who didn’t know how to dress right, and was always losing her shoes here and there.The moody man, who was still watching us, suddenly marched up and effortlessly hopped on the lion’s back behind me, which surprised me into shocked stillness. He then wrapped one iron-like arm around my middle and the other around my wrists. Meanwhile, both his steel-like thighs clamped mine against the side of the lion so that I couldn’t move an inch.“Tie the little brat up, Felix,” he said darkly, his voice rough and deep near my ear. “We don’t have time for this nonsense.”This nonsense?I turned my head to give him a good scowl, to tell him that I wasn’t happy at the way he was treating me. The moment I did so, however, I regretted it as he was watching me, his gaze intense on my face. And God, his masked-face was so close.I felt my throat go dry suddenly, and I licked my lower lip in reaction. Feeling rather uncomfortable, and more so, intimidated, I hastily looked away, my heart racing.Meanwhile, Felix let go of my foot. He quickly and expertly bound me around the wrists. Once that was done, the one behind me finally released me and got off the lion.“Let’s go,” he said sternly, and immediately, the men around us started marching back the way they had come, wherever that was.* * *NEXT SUNDAY - CHAPTER 6: TWO SINFULLY HANDSOME DEVILSPre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)

Seven Devils and a Rose - Chapter 4

Seven Devils and a RosePre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)Chapter 4The Magic of the Aurora LightI rushed out, my bare feet cold against the marble floor beneath me. Again, I didn’t remember that there was any marble floor at the entrance of the bathhouse previously, so this place was obviously nothome.Outside, it was dark, with a hint of moonlight in the distance that illuminated a gray hue on my surroundings. And yes, I noticed immediately that this wasn’t the back garden of St. James Manor, as everything here looked completely different.As I stepped out farther, I noticed that behind me and above the bathhouse was the aurora, and I couldn't help but stare at it in awe. So, it didn’t just appear in the bathhouse. It was outside, too, and stretched high above the sky and even farther, beyond my left and right sides like a sort of barrier between two worlds.Oh. My. God.The sight was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, and I was mesmerized for a moment. I felt like I had stepped into a whole other universe, and that I was now watching the stars up close. The Aurora, with its multi colors of the rainbow, danced and sparkled while the rays of light shone and bathed the surrounding area in a prism of hues.Even though it was exquisite and I wanted to gaze at it longer, taking it in and storing the image in the database that was my mind, I knew that I couldn’t, because time was of the essence.I snapped back to reality, my mind racing.Where was I if this wasn’t home? If this wasn’t St. James Island? If this wasn’t America? If this wasn’t Earth?I searched around me as I tried to figure out the answer, or at least toss up possibilities of where I could be.Then it hit me! Oh, God! I hadn’t been transported to another realm, had I? I mean that would be just impossible. It was just not tangible.Then again, Dad’s words echoed gently in my mind. Anything is possible if you put your imagination and creativity to it.“Oh, Dad,” I said under my breath, my voice shaking. Why did this kind of stuff happen? When we had just talked about it? Was it a sign, a marker, or something?Suddenly, I noticed that the noise of men shouting was getting louder and I knew that they were heading this way, toward me.I narrowed my eyes, searching and trying to figure out what the hell was going on.Boom!I felt the earth shake beneath me, and at the same time, lights burst and exploded brightly in the sky.Oh, Lord, this was definitely world war three, all right.I instinctively left the bathhouse and ran toward the woods on the other side, my bare feet on the cold, hard earth.I didn’t know how long I ran, but I kept at it like the devil was chasing after me. I sprinted until I felt the cuts against my skin. Holding back groans of pain that desperately wanted to escape my mouth, I kept racing until my heart ached and my sides were sore. It was only then that I slowed down, because I frantically needed to catch my breath.Behind me, I could still hear the voices of men shouting chaotically, getting ever closer.Were they chasing after me? But why? How did they even know that I was here in the first place?I had just gotten out of the bathhouse and I was sure no one had seen me.“Over there!” I heard one shout.I freaked out and instinctively started running again. Suddenly, in my panicky state, I missed a step and tripped, and I found myself tumbling down the side of a steep hill, my slender body rolling like a log until I hit the bottom with a puff.The world around me spun as I felt pain coursing throughout my body. I was out of breath as I lay there, my eyes closed. Suddenly, I wanted to cry, wondering what the hell was going on around me. And what about Mom and Dad? Were they safe back at the house?God, I didn’t know, and I willed myself to get up as the sounds of angry men were coming closer.I took slow, deep breaths to master my courage, and then I pushed myself up. Once on my feet, I felt dizzy, and I found myself leaning against a tree to steady myself. When I felt a little better, I started off again, slowly and silently sneaking my way to find a hiding place in the dimness of the moonlight.“There he is!” a male shouted, his voice echoing through the woods.I gasped in fright, and urged by fear, I started running again, even though I felt so heavy and weak and my legs and bare feet were hurting.I was racing this way and that to avoid being captured by the shadows of men I didn’t know flitting between tall trees in the dark. Suddenly, I heard and felt stomping sounds on the earth, and it was getting closer. I darted my gaze around my surroundings, searching. Then I saw it, a dark, mighty four-legged creature racing toward me.I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out. I was thatpetrified.In reaction, I found myself rushing backward, my heart racing and my mind numbed with fear. Suddenly, I tripped over and fell back.Afraid that I’d be either captured or run over, I turned on my hands and knees and then pushed myself up again. With unsteady legs, I started running off toward the other side. It wasn’t long until I sighted another dark, mighty four-legged creature coming my way from a different direction.Two? Oh, fuck!Biting my lower lip and with tears brewing in my eyes, I switched direction again to my left and headed that way.I was running as I had never run before. I ran until I was once again breathless and the pain in my heart became excruciating.When I couldn’t take it anymore, I collapsed on the ground, exhausted and heaving for air. Beneath me, I felt the cold grass and dead leaves, and I wondered if I was going to die here with these two demon-like men coming after me.Shit! How was that possible?Only some ten minutes ago I was at St. James Manor and having a fine time bathing in Dad’s newly renovated bathhouse. And now?I was in some weird place with angry mobs of men chasing after me?This was beyond being fucked up!What kind of a realm was this? It wasn’t even civilized, with men chasing after you with an intention to kill the moment you stepped foot into their world. I mean their tourism business wasn’t going to survive if they kept this sort of appalling behavior up. Their economy was undoubtedly going to fail for sure.I was still trying to catch my breath when the sound of stomping on the ground came to a stop, and I knew...Oh, God, I knew that those two men were coming right for me.Shit!What were they going to do when they got me? Kill me right away? Because that was what barbaric men did in Dad’s fantasy novels, so it must be the same here.Suddenly, I wanted to cry, so frightened I was. Either way, the outcome would be horrible. I'd either be made into a mess or left lying like a corpse by the end of the night.I shut my eyes for a second, praying that I was somehow back at home, back at St. James Manor with Mom and Dad. I wanted all this to go away. I wanted all this to be merely a dream, a fantasy like in one of Dad’s books. But then the sound of men purposefully walking toward me caused me to flutter my eyes open in dread.I reacted by lurching up. Then, with the determination to survive, I tried to escape by staggering backward, my body moving this way and that to avoid being captured.There were two of them, the dark shadows of demon-like men with their tall, hulking bodies that scared me shitless.Why were they so big?I had never seen men that immense before. Not to mention there were more men, though not as massive as these two, behind them, they surrounded me, trapping me where I was.Why were they surrounding me?“Leave me alone!” I shouted, tears in my eyes. Then I took the opportunity and tried another chance at escaping.I ran, but I didn’t get far because one was right after me. I could feel his colossal presence behind me, chasing after me relentlessly, being the tiny, helpless prey that I was to him.The wolf-like brute roughly caught me, and in response, I screamed and struggled with all my might in his arms. Somehow—and I truly had no idea how—I managed to fight him off and was able to slip away from his grasp. Then I blindly ran toward what I thought was a clear exit, my escape. Only, in a mere moment, another giant of a tall, lean body in dark clothing appeared in front of me, blocking my path.* * *READ CHAPTER 5 IN THE NEXT BLOG POST HEREPre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)

Seven Devils and a Rose - Chapter 3

Seven Devils and a RosePre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)Chapter 3The Magic of the Aurora LightIn my rustic-style bedroom, which was located in the north-west sector of the house, I hunted around in my walk-in-closet and retrieved a pair of panties, pajamas, and a bath towel. Then I rushed into the en suite bathroom and got bottles of hair shampoo and conditioner, along with body gel and facial cleanser. Before I left, I thought I’d better floss and brush my teeth because it’d be a nuisance to do that over at the bathhouse.Once my teeth were sparkling clean and my mouth refreshed with the minty flavored toothpaste, I headed back into my bedroom and gathered my bathing essentials into a small bag. Then I headed out the door and down the stairs.Along the hallway on the ground floor, I searched for a torch in a cupboard. When I found one, I excitedly headed toward the back. There, I said loudly so that Mom and Dad could hear from across the kitchen, “I’m going now.”Mom said, “Have a nice time bathing.”“Will do,” I replied.Dad said, “Don’t stay there too long.”“Okay,” I said, and then exited the house.Despite the outside lamp glowing a golden halo and brightening up some areas of the garden, it was still pitch dark beyond that. Before I started out with my night adventure, I switched the torch on, and viola, bright light flooded the area surrounding me. Feeling a little pluckier now that I had light, I marched up the small pathway toward the bathhouse that was located a little way back in the garden, amongst the thick trees and wild plants, close to the mountain.As I shone the light of the torch here and there, I noticed how dark and eerie the garden seemed at this time of the night. Now and again, gentle breezes brushed against the trees, swaying the branches and leaves this way and that, as if they were dancing, casting dark shadows that seemed quite ominous.I shivered, feeling a little unsettled suddenly as my confidence slowly dwindled. I had always been a city girl, so I wasn’t used to this type of atmosphere... where it was so dark and quiet, and more so when I was surrounded by so many tall trees.Needless to say, I started to feel nervous and anxious. Should I turn back?Then again, I chided myself for being a scaredy-cat. I mean, I was still on the premises of the estate, and the bathhouse wasn’t far off, so I shouldn’t be afraid. Nothing bad was going to happen. After all, Dad had already turned on the hot spring, and just for me, too, considering that I had been so excited about it.Didn’t want to let Dad’s effort go to waste, I nodded my head at the logical reasons and continued with my mission.When I sighted the bathhouse a few moments later, I grinned in excitement and my anxiety at being alone in the dark all but disappeared in the blink of an eye. Without further ado, I hastily rushed over and opened the newly installed wooden door. Then I stepped through the threshold of the holy, magical place.The moment I was inside, I gasped in awe. It was truly beautiful—right there before me was a good sized pool with hot water filled to the rim, with steam elegantly rising and dancing about the room. There were even boulders around the edge, as well as in the middle of the pool, and of course, a mini waterfall, which gave that pleasant trickling sound effect that was so soothing to the ear. Dad had outdone himself this time, for sure. This looked and felt just like a hot spring in an onsen back in Japan.Excited, I hastily locked the door with a click, so that no one would accidentally walk in while I enjoyed my hot spring bath. After switching off the torch, I then walked around to the left of the room. There, I put my bag and torch on the bench. After taking out my cleansing materials, I stripped off my t-shirt, jeans, undies, bra, and yes, even my glasses. Completely and utterly naked, I headed over to the shower that was located on the right side of the room. There, I turned on the sprinkler, and the moment warm water touched my skin, I grinned.I took my time shampooing and conditioning my short hair and then washing face and body. Once I was thoroughly cleaned and smelled like the Garden of Eden, I turned the shower off and excitedly got into the pool.“Ahh...” I sighed in pleasure the moment hot spring water touched my skin. I couldn’t help but giggle in delight as I spread my arms and legs out, enjoying the moment. I dipped my head in and even swam around like a little mermaid. When I’d had enough doing that, I leaned my back against the boulder residing in the middle of the pool and just relaxed, enjoying my time.It was a little while later when I thought I saw—through my blurry vision—something sparkling within the bottom of the pool not too far from me.Jewel? Metal object?I didn’t know but was curious to find out. The next moment, I found myself moving away from the boulder and heading toward it. Then I dipped head first under the water, my hands reaching toward the bottom of the pool.As I came close, I noted that it was a necklace with a gemstone set in an engraved locket.Who would have dropped their necklace there?And such a beautiful one at that. It also looked antique and expensive. Could it be Dad’s?Then again, I didn’t think Dad would have something likethatwith him. He wasn’t the materialist type. Nor Mom. Or did it belong to one of those two men who had helped Dad renovate the bathhouse? I didn’t know, but I supposed it was best if I retrieved it and returned it to its owner, whoever that was.Without further ado, I grabbed for it, and just as I caught the jewel in my hand, I felt the water around me pulling and crashing, like a huge wave of the ocean.Shit! What was going on? Earthquake?This was followed by an earsplitting hum. I couldn’t help but grit my teeth under the water, and as I finally popped my head out, I felt dizzy.I tried to catch my breath as the humming continued for a few more seconds, as well as the rocking of waves around me. Then, just like that, it stopped, and that was when I saw it.I stared, my eyes wide in wonder, at the beautiful aurora lights before me, the pretty colors glowing and dancing so magically that it took my breath away.“What? What just happened?” I said softly under my breath.With the necklace still in my hand, I walked, as if in a trance, toward the aurora.Up close, I couldn’t help but stretch my hand out and touch it, the ray of light.It felt warm and gentle against my skin. I cocked my head to one side.“Wow! This is so surreal,” I said softly in wonder. Then I reached my other hand out, the one still holding onto the necklace, and once again, I felt the warmth of the light caressing my skin. Wondering what it would be like if my whole-body were to pass through it, I did just that.I slowly walked through the aurora, and the moment I did so, I felt a force pulling at me, snatching me up so suddenly that I gasped and became breathless. Then I found myself gently falling and floating through the emptiness of space as my surroundings turned into darkness, followed by a burst of brilliant light passing through me.“Oh, my God!” I said breathlessly, my eyes darting around me in a panic as I clutched my hands, and the necklace, against my chest. “What’s happening?”I was about to start screaming when I found myself being gently pulled back and then I was in the pool again, with the hot spring water surrounding me, caressing me, telling me that I was back where I had been before, at the bathhouse.With my heart still racing, I said, “Oh, my god, what was that?”Was I dreaming a moment ago?Was it even real? With me falling and floating in the darkness and then all those lights and stars surrounding me and passing through me?Then just to make sure that I hadn’t been dreaming a mere moment ago, I looked up, and sure enough, I noticed that the aurora was still there, this time on the other side of me, clearly telling me that what had happened was real.Just as I was about to touch the aurora and walk through it again, to test and see if I’d go through that experience again, I heard loud noises coming from outside. I could faintly make out men shouting, footsteps running, and loud stomping against the earth. And then there was that continuous humming of engines.The voices of the men shouting were getting louder, which suddenly freaked me out.Shit! Had something happened while I was bathing? Earthquake?But here along the east coast of America? And what of the aurora? Had that had anything to do with what was happening outside?I turned to look at the aurora once again. It was still there, glowing so brilliantly and elegantly. I had to admit that it was a weird phenomenon, all right. I was certain that aurora didn’t appear here on St. James Island, and this scenario was definitely notnormal.I hastily got out of the pool and rushed over to the bench where I had left my belongings. Suddenly, I came to a stop because there was no bench. The place was empty.“Gone!” I said, breathless. “What? Where did it go? The bench? My bag? My clothes? My glasses?”In a panic, I scanned around the place, thinking that I must have become disorientated due to what had happened in the pool earlier. This, in turn, led me to walk in the wrong direction. If so, then the bench, along with my bag and other belongings, should be on the other side of the room instead of here.I turned around and marched to my right, feeling hopeful. But then my stomach sank the moment I noted that there was no bench on this side of the room either. I felt a cold sweat settling on my skin as my eyes darted around the place. That was when it hit me.The place looked different. Thisbathhouse didn’t look like it had been newly renovated by Dad with simple, modern material. This place looked like it had always been like this, with fancy wall-columns and intricate designs.What the hell?This hot spring looked like a Roman bathhouse in ancient times, with marble walls, floor, and ceiling.I panicked. Oh, God, I wasn’t in a dream, was I? I hadn’t read too many of Dad’s fantasy books and was now having a lucid dream about them, right?I rubbed my eyes and even pinched my skin. “Ouch!” I exclaimed. I felt pain, so I knew I wasn’t dreaming. This was real. Everything around me was real.“Clothes,” I said, as I scanned around the place once more in a state of dread, looking for something to wear. After all, I didn’t want to be naked while in a state of confusion and panic, and more so if someone happened to walk in and find me here.Through the misty haze of hot spring steam and my short-sighted vision, I saw a bunch of clothes I had not notice before, lying on the floor not too far away. I rushed over and picked them up, frowning as I looked them over. These were like nothing I had ever seen. One was of a pair of dark pants while the other was a blouse and jacket. They looked a little bit like cosplay but more authentic, like those that belonged to the middle ages but still had a sense of modernism to them, since the pants had a zipper and the blouse and jacket had buttons.The clothes, though plain in color—black pants, off-white blouse, and an earthy-brown jacket—were still rather stylish, with frills and embroideries.Should I put these on?I wondered. They weren’t mine and I didn’t want to steal but...Suddenly, loud banging noises erupted in the air, and I jumped in fright.Holy shit! Guns? Rifles? Seriously?Without further ado, and with shaky hands, I pulled the necklace over my head and rested it around my neck for safekeeping. Next, I pulled on the trousers. Luckily, they fit. Thank God. Then I put on the blouse, buttoning it up all the way to my throat. I hastily put on the jacket, which was big and loose on me.I didn’t have time to appraise my over-all appearance, or to think what I looked like with this foreign clothing on because those damned frightening noises were getting louder, which meant that whatever was happening outside the bathhouse was getting closer to where I was, too.Once done, I rushed over to the door. There, I came to a sudden halt as I stared at the mighty frame in shock.It wasn’t Dad’s new wooden door!It was a massive stone wall of a door.“Shit!” I muttered under my breath.Again, the voices of men shouting in that chaotic state, along with the sound of rifles going off, and a loud engine humming noisily in the background, which only worked to frighten me even more witless.God, I honestly hoped it wasn’t world war three going on out there. America hadn’t been invaded in the silence of the night, had it?I searched about the door, looking for a lock or something. Then I found it. It was so obvious, just like in Dad’s fantasy books.I pressed on the nose of the lion status that protruded from the door. Immediately, the stone wall moved and turned, opening and allowing me access to the outside world.* * *READ CHAPTER 4 IN THE NEXT BLOG POST HEREPre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)

Seven Devils and a Rose - Chapter 2

Seven Devils and a RosePre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)Chapter 2The Magic of the Aurora LightIt was nearly five by the time I got back to St. James Manor, which was also Mom’s base for her Writer’s Retreatbusiness, and of course, my new home for the next couple of months. The estate sat back and hidden from the main road of the small town. The elegant building itself was securely tucked amongst the many tall trees, wildflowers, and flora and fauna that were unique to this island. Behind it sat a grand, lush forested mountain that acted as a protective barrier for the house, which never ceased to fascinate me.To say the place was mysterious and magical was an understatement. I was never the type to believe in supernatural things, but from the moment I had first stepped foot onto the estate a couple of days ago when I arrived, I had felt something different about this place, as though there was some sort of magical energy coursing through the earth which made a connection with me; which oddly enough, made me feel breathless, in a good way. It was like, when a heroine described how she felt when she was being kissed by the hero, which of course, I had never had the experience myself, since I never had a serious boyfriend and had only gone out on casual dates with guys in high school a couple of times. I was simply making a comparison, and thought that that type of description fit perfectly. It was thatsort of thrilling sensation that was gently coursing through every nerve of my being when I first stepped onto the premises of St. James Manor.I strolled along the gentle curve of the driveway toward the stately building, while my eyes feasted on the sight of my surroundings. Bright, colorful wildflowers grew amongst the thick groves of pine, maple, and cherry blossom trees that adorned the house; a charming two story building that had stood for over four hundred years, with its thick, dark gray stone walls, and many glass windows. It was a picture-perfect setting that’d make any photographer eager to take a snapshot.When I came to the courtyard at the main entrance of the house a few moments later, I saw Mom loitering about with a basket of fresh vegetables in her arms. She must have been busy picking them while I was away for my beauty treatment.“Mom!” I called out to her.Slender and beautiful, Elizabeth Nakamura, my mother, turned and smiled brightly at me, her blue eyes twinkling, as per usual. As I came close, she said, “Oh, you’re more Alfiethan ever.”Her pun on words, eh? How cute.I turned my head this way and that as if I was a model and asked cheekily, “You like it? I look like a boy elf now.”She laughed. “You’re going to make your father’s heart swell with joy.”“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” I asked.She nodded as we both entered the house into the grand foyer. “Just as long as he stops short of making you wear one of those elf costumes, then that’s fine.”I chuckled. “I don’t mind wearing them, though. I like cosplay.”After I closed the door behind me, we walked along the hallway toward the back and then headed over to the kitchen. There, Mom placed the basket of fresh vegetables on the benchtop and proceeded to make dinner for the guests, as well as for us. I decided that I’d be her kitchenhand again today, which I could tell pleased her, as I knew she had missed me and wanted to spend as much time as possible with me during my short stay.It wasn’t long before Anna and Margret, two St. James’s native women in their mid-forties Mom had hired to help with running the business, turned up.“What have you got planned for the guests tonight, Elizabeth?” Anna asked enthusiastically, checking out the neatly chopped vegetables in the various bowls.“And you’ve got your little kitchen helper with you again, I see,” Margaret said in amusement, looking at me. “You had your hair cut, sweeties?”I nodded my head. “Today,” I said.“Looks good on you.”“Thanks,” I said, grinning.It wasn’t long until dinner was ready and the four of us started setting up the tables for the five guests we currently had on the premises. They were all writers, here on their special retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and just relax, let their imagination run wild, and of course, get some words written for their next books.Once the guests were nearly done with their evening meal and were now on to their very delicious dessert, it was our turn to chill and have our dinner.I was just finished setting up the table when Dad, Touma Nakamura, turned up. I noted that once again, his dark hair was a mess and his glasses were haphazardly sitting on the tip of his nose, threatening to fall off if he wasn’t careful.Without a word, he pulled me into his arms and chuckled. “Alfie, you’re so cute with that haircut. You look just like an elf character in the current book I’m working on.”I chuckled as I kissed him on the cheek. I said, “Don’t make it sound so weird, Dad.”He pulled back and frowned as he looked at me, “How is that weird. You and you alone have inspired me to write some of my best books since the day you came to us all those years ago, in your angelic form.” Then he cocked his head to one side. “But now you look more like a son than a daughter.”I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. “Then I can be your son until my hair grows long again.”He thought about this for a moment and then nodded in agreement. “From today onward, I have a son named Alfie Yuki Nakamura. Perfect. Just perfect.”Behind him, I noted Mom looking heavenward while Anna and Margaret were chuckling. As for the guests at the other end of the room, I had no doubt that they must have found Dad rather an odd-ball, though an entertaining sort nonetheless, especially with his intelligence and creativity.Once we had had our dinner, Dad joined the guests, who could no longer hold themselves back from begging him for writing tips. After all, they chose this retreat mainly because the advertisement poster had Dad’s name on it, a prolific and famous fantasy writer and manga artist with millions of followers around the world, and that his wife was running the place. They wanted the opportunity to ask him for guidance on how to improve on their own written material.Everyone, including me, sat around in the living area with hot drinks in our hands while we listened to Dad telling us of his many trials and tribulations before finally reaching the road of success as a writer. Now and again, Mom’s name would pop up, since she held a special place in his life, not only in being his wife, but as his number one fan and supporter as well. Every writer needs their number one fan and supporter, he’d emphasize, and his was Mom.Apparently, they—Mom and Dad—had met many years ago during one of those Comiket in Tokyo when Mom had been a transfer student in Japan. Dad had been an unknown fantasy manga artist and writer at the time, selling his doujin, or self-published work, here and there and at the biannual convention to make some money. Mom had told me that it was love at first sight when she had first picked up Dad’s manga and made eye contact with him. Once Dad, with his broken English, had asked her out, everything else was history and they had been together ever since.When Dad finally finished his tale of love and success, which I had heard several times, I finally brought up the subject that apparently still intrigued me to no end.“Dad, what do you think about another realm? Does it really exist? If so, is it even possible for people from earth to be transported there? I’m asking because today I was reading an article about it in a magazine; about an elderly couple who visited a castle in Europe and got transported to another realm or something.”The moment that topic came up, the guests were captivated and avidly turned their undivided attention once again to Dad, eager to hear his thoughts on the subject.Dad cocked his head to one side and then said, “Well, Alfie, one can’t simply rule something out just because it seems impossible in reality and scientifically. For all we know, there might be another realm or dimension right here on Earth, with people living amongst us. Or there might be doors that can lead us to another world? Who knows? As for me? Well, I won’t be ruling the possibility out.” He chuckled. “Anything is possible, Alfie, if you put your imagination and creativity to it.”Mom said from the other side of the room, “He speaks just like a true fantasy author. His mind is always up in the clouds with ideas.”The guests laughed, and Dad winked at me.One of the guests asked, “And what about you, Alfie, what do you think about the existence of this other realm?”I shrugged my shoulders, my cheeks turning hot in response, because I was suddenly the center of the guests’ attention.I said, “Well, I think it’d be great if another realm really does exist. I mean, it’d be wonderful because we get to visit it, right? I’m sure it’d be completely different from Earth where cultures, languages, and ways of living are concerned. I wouldn’t mind visiting the realm and enjoying the place, especially the sights, the people, and the food.”Another guest said, “You sound like an adventurer, Alfie.”I laughed. “Maybe I do have this adventurous side in me, and I wonder who I got it from.” I turned to Dad, who once again winked at me.Despite the fact that the man seemed to be an introvert and indoor type, Dad actually had a very adventurous spirit. I remembered that by the time I had turned sixteen, we had been traveling all over the world, from Africa to Europe to Asia to the Middle East, and even around all of North, and some parts of South, America. Mom had told me that it had been Dad’s idea, as he wanted his little family to experience life to the fullest; and to be honest, I appreciated that as I had enjoyed the time tremendously. Of course, I planned to do more traveling once I graduated from university.It was about ten that night when the guests started to retire to their rooms, and I was about to set off as well when Dad said, “Alfie, I thought you might want to be the first to try out the bathhouse. It’s done.”My eyes brightened up suddenly.When I had arrived two days ago, Dad had enthusiastically shown me the bathhouse, which was a charming little building that was separate from the main house and located to the north of the estate, nearer to the mountain. The reason Dad had been so excited was that this one could be converted into a hot spring, the type he was so fond of, which was popular in Japan. He had told me that he and a couple of guys had been working on it for over half a year now, to install some sort of mechanics that would turn the place into a hot pool like those in an onsen.“Really? Today?” I asked, not able to hide my excitement. After all, I was fond of hot springs, too.He nodded, grinning. “Why don’t you try it out. I was just checking it and turning it on before dinner. It works like a charm.”“Then I’ll be the first to take a dip,” I said, giggling in delight. “Aren’t I lucky?”Without further ado, I gave Dad a peck on the cheek and then turned on my heels to leave. As I was going up the stairs to get my things, Mom said, “Don’t forget to take a torch. It’s dark out there.”I replied over my shoulder, “Okay.”* * *READ CHAPTER 3 IN THE NEXT BLOG POST HEREPre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)

Book Update and Release: Seven Devils and a Rose - Chapter 1

Hey, guys. It has been a while since I’ve updated this blog post. How is everyone doing? As for me, I’m getting there and trying to finish a couple of books before the end of the year for their releases early next year.Apart from writing The Billionaire’s Love 2, I’m also writing Seven Devils and a Rose, a reverse harem fantasy realm travel fairytale romance. It’s set in the same universe as The Beast and I, which is the Aurora Realm. If you haven’t yet bought a copy and read The Beast and I, Vol. 1: The Man Behind the Beast, it is available on Amazon. Google Play and Apple Book will be available in January. I will send out an email notification closer to the time. ^_^For now, I simply what to show off the book cover for Seven Devils and a Rose, which is below, and an excerpt of the book. I will also post some chapters once a week on a Sunday to get everyone excited about the book. ^_^Seven Devils and a Rose CoverPre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)Seven Devils and a Rose SynopsisOne girl. Magically transported into another realm. Seven hunky lords adorning mysterious masks with signs, symbols, and ancient scripts. What could go wrong?When university student Alfie first sets foot on St. James Manor, a charming old house her parents bought and turned into a retreat for writers, she feels a sense of connection with the magical place. One night, when she is taking a bath in the hot spring that is on the estate, she is inadvertently transported to another realm. Disorientated and afraid of her new, mysterious, and foreign surroundings, Alfie is relentlessly pursued and captured by two striking, ferocious brutes, who mistake her for a boy because of her short hair and slender frame. They even suspect that she is a member of a loose, violent bandit that is raiding their kingdom and kidnapping the civilians.Despite having a fun and adventurous soul, Alfie finds nothing exciting, as these two gorgeous lords capture her; especially when one, Caleb, keeps staring at her like she is his next meal, while the other, Felix, treats her like his plaything, and even goes so far as to kiss the life out of her when she refuses to obey his commands.All that Alfie wants is to return home. But of course, little does she know that finding a way home is the least of her worries because there are five more gorgeous men, as well as a whole new, fantastical kingdom out there, waiting for her to step in and change their destinies.Seven Devils and a RoseChapter 1The Magic of the Aurora LightI had never liked getting my hair cut, but in this case, I would have to make an exception. After all, it was getting to the point of being unmanageable, being as long as it was, with the length reaching down to my waist. Not only was it hard to shampoo, but the fact that it was always getting in the way when I was experimenting with my cooking didn’t help with the matter, either.Flicking the long, dark strands away from my face, I strolled along the seaside street of St. James Island, which was indeed a very beautiful place. Clear, blue sky stretched endlessly beyond the horizon, with picturesque, white sandy beaches that promised many tourists a lovely relaxing holiday, especially during the summer, like it was now. Not to mention the charming little town lined with antique shops, and beautiful buildings that dated back to the early seventeenth century.Once again, I simply couldn’t believe that I was here. Of course, this all had begun with Mom, who had wanted to run her own little business in the form of a writer’s retreatwhile I started my freshmen year at university. As she had stated, ‘her little elf was leaving the nest and Mom needs a diversion.’Then a few months in, while I was doing my best at settling in on campus, making new friends, and rushing around going to classes, Mom called and told me they had found a place for sale, which resided on a small island along the east coast—just off the state of New York. I was overjoyed for them, and naturally couldn’t wait to visit the new place, especially when Mom had described how mysterious and magical it was.Now, here I was. This island would be my new home for the next couple of months before I returned to university for my sophomore year. That was if I had managed to pass all the exams, which I wasn’t very confident about.It wasn’t long before I sighted a pretty little building amongst the others, which housed a gift shop on the ground floor and the hair and beauty salon on the first. I passed the gift shop and walked up the steps toward the first floor. On the landing, I noticed the sign that said ‘St. James Beach Hair and Beauty Salon,’ with an arrow pointing which way I should go, which was straight up. I followed the sign and, a few seconds later, opened the door.Ding-dong.The door announced my arrival. Immediately a woman came to greet me.“Hello there, how can I help you today?” she asked sweetly, a bright smile about her lips.I moved my long hair behind my ear and said, “I have an appointment for a haircut and body wax at three today.”The woman nodded and checked the computer screen. A moment later, she asked, “You’re Alfie Nak...” She paused and tried again, “Alfie Na-ka-mu-ra?” She was obviously having difficulty pronouncing my last name, which was not unexpected. Most people had difficulty pronouncing my last name, unless they happened to know how to speak Japanese, like Mom, and of course Dad, naturally, since he was native Japanese.And of course, my first name. Alfie.It was obviously a boy’s name, and I was certainly nota boy. Then again, when you had a pair of otaku as parents, what do you expect? Dad, an Asian man with jet black hair and dark brown eyes, loved anything epic fantasy and elves. In fact, he had countless collections of posters, digital art, and figurines featuring elves, which took up the majority of the space in his study and parts of the library, in our new house of a manor here on the island. That couldn’t be helped, since he was a fantasy author and was doing very well with his books ever since he had started his writing career some twenty years ago.When I came into the world—bundle of joy that I was—I was immediately hislittle elf and I was told that Dad had decided I would be given a name that had something related to an elf. Mom, too, who was an all-American beauty, with honey-blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, decided to go along with him, since she was an anime and manga fanatic who was in love with the fantasy genre as much as Dad; who loved to write them. And since she had high hopes that I’d become as smart, alluring, and magical as an elf—as if that was even possible—Alfie was an obvious choice.I licked my lower lip and said, “Alfie Yuki Nakamura, yes, that’s me.”The woman chuckled and said, “You do look a little bit like an elf.” She paused and added in a hurry, “I meant it as a compliment.”I chuckled. “I know,” I said, amused.She introduced herself, “I’m Joyce the beautician and I’ll be doing your facial and waxing for you when Claire is done with your hair.”I nodded my head. So, she was Joyce and the other one who was currently cutting another client’s hair was Claire, Mom’s new friends here on the island.Joyce said, “So, you’re Alfie, Elizabeth’s daughter, right?”As I nodded my head, she chuckled. “Your mom talks about you all the time.”“Does she?” I asked, feeling slightly embarrassed. I hoped Mom hadn’t told them how much I liked cosplay, especially when I dressed as a cute elf. I believe we are an elves fanatic family.Joyce nodded and then told me to take a seat, which I did and made myself comfortable. I noted the hairdresser, Claire, was busy with her other client, expertly chopping off hair as her fingers moved about this way and that. Those hands looked as though they were dancing in the air, and I was mesmerized. It wasn’t long before the woman’s curls were shaped into something that was unique and beautiful.I was just picking up a magazine to read when Joyce walked pass me and said, “Claire won’t be long.”I nodded.When Claire was done with her client, some ten minutes later, she cleaned up and then called out to me. “Alfie, you can come on and take a seat.”I got up and easily slide into the offered chair. I made myself comfortable as Claire asked me what I wanted to be done. I cocked my head to one side and said, “Short and easy to manage. I mean the long hair is always getting in the way and it’s hard to manage.”“I see,” Claire said. “Do you still want it long enough to tie at the back?”I thought about this for a moment and nodded. “Yes, just enough to tie at the back when I’m working.”“Okay, then,” she said, and then proceeded.I took off my glasses and left them sitting on the bench in front of me. Then, I picked up a magazine, flipped the pages open, and brought it close to my face to read, since I was short-sighted.Claire chuckled. “Why didn’t you wear contact lenses? It would have been easier to read while I do your hair.”I shook my head. “Contacts irritate my eyes. I’m not right with them.”“I see,” she said. “Must be hard not being able to wear them, eh? Most young girls these days like wearing contact lenses because it shows off their eyes when they wear makeup.”“I get on fine. I’m not the makeup wearing type.” I chuckled. In fact, I liked hiding my eyes behind my glasses, simply because I never liked making direct eye contact with people when I was talking to them. I knew it was rude to do that, but there was simply something too raw, intimate, and intimidating for my liking when I had to look into someone else’s eyes. I felt like I could see right into the depths of their soul, which was dark and quite morbid most of the time, and I didn’t like it.Some moments later, Claire went about washing my hair with some very delicious smelling shampoo. And god, the way she massaged my head felt so good. In fact, I almost fell asleep in the process. Then I was back in the chair, and once again, I brought the magazine close to my face and started reading an article about an elderly couple who went on holiday to some old castle in Europe and found themselves being transported into another realm.Really? What had the world come to? Another realm? Magical beasts, paranormal creatures, and such like?I rolled my eyes. Some people were just doing this for the money, right? Making up stories for the hype or something? Or was it the author’s idea? Some journalist writing some fake article?“Claire?” I asked my hairdresser.“Hmm?”“Do you believe that there’s another realm somewhere out there?”The woman chuckled, no doubt in amusement. “I don’t believe in stuff like that, Alfie.”I nodded in understanding. “It’s just not tangible, right?”Claire said loudly, “What about you, Joyce? What do think about the existence of another realm?”The voice that clearly belonged to Joyce said from the other side of the salon, “Me? Hmm... I’m a bit of a fantasy girl but still, the reality is stuff like that just doesn’t exist. It’s just not possible.”Claire said, “I say, if you can see it, feel it, smell it, hear it, and taste it, then yes, it’s real and it’s tangible, like our world; but another realm? A bit too far-fetched.”I nodded in agreement. “Another realm is just hocus-pocus.” Just as I said that though, I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild with visions of a forbidden forest, grand castles, wide barren land, flying ships, unique beasts, and exotic creatures.I sighed dreamily and then said, “Then again, wouldn’t it be wonderful, though, to just be there for a day or two, like when you’re visiting a country as a tourist. You get to see, smell, feel, hear, and taste what’s on offer.”Claire chuckled. “You like traveling and food, don’t you?”I smiled cheekily. “That, I do. And I love cooking, too.”“Are you studying to become a chef or something to do with traveling and tourism?”I shook my head. “Unfortunately, no. I’m currently studying health science, and God only knows if I passed my exams or not. I have absolutely no chemistry with chemistry, and have no idea what’s up or down in physics. As for biology? It’s okay. I think I’ll pass that. And statistics? I’m no good with numbers either. All I did was memorize formulas and stuff, and have no idea how that is related to life or how it’s useful in life.”Behind us, Joyce laughed. “You poor thing. Why on earth would you study something that you have no passion for.”I shrugged my shoulders. “Security, I guess. I’m going with the majority. Just following the other lambs into slaughter." I chuckled nervously. "Fact is, I was scared when I graduated high school because I had to think hard about what I wanted to do with my life. Since I passed all the science subjects, I figured I might as well go for health science, as that field is getting bigger and jobs are easier to find, I think. Then again, I didn’t know university was so hard, much harder than high school curriculum.”“I guess that’s true,” Claire said. “That the health industry is getting bigger and better. Then again, passion, Alfie, is the most important thing when it comes to jobs. After all, you are going to be spending a large part of your life devoting yourself to it, and you don’t want to spend it on a job you don’t like. As for me, I love my job, and my work doesn’t feel like work at all.”I put the magazine down as Claire’s words gently seeped through me into my heart.Claire was right, wasn’t she? Was it stupid of me to think that I could endure spending the rest of my life working in a job field that I had no passion for? Did that mean that I’d have to change course come next year when I returned to university?I sighed, feeling rather depressed suddenly.“Done!” Claire said.I leaned forward, picked up my glasses, and put them on my face. The moment I saw myself in the mirror, I could only stare. Short jet-black hair softly framed a slender, oval face with slanted dark brown eyes, straight nose, plump lips, and small chin.“Oh,” I expressed.“Like it?” Claire asked.I blinked and then turned my head this way and that to check myself out through the mirror. My hair was so short now that my head felt light. I stroked my fingers through the strands and nodded. “I like it. I look like a boy,” I said, as I chuckled in amusement.Claire cocked her head to one side. “Do you, don’t you. A cute boy with soft features. If you had pointy ears, you’d look like an elf for sure.”I laughed because she was right.Then it wasn't long until it was Joyce's turn to attend to me. She took me into a lovely small room filled with the aroma of scented candles, told me to lie on the bed, made me comfortable, and then proceeded with first doing a facial cleansing and then a full body waxing. By the time she was done, an hour later, my skin was sore all over—though very soft and smooth. And of course, my body was as hairless as could be, just like a newborn baby. I had decided to go for a full body wax simply because it was summer, and I wanted to go to the beach wearing the newly acquired cute swimsuit that I simply adored, which I couldn’t wait to do tomorrow afternoon. I just wanted to chill and have a good time at the beach, and hopefully, meet new people and make some new friends. Mom did mention that there were several girls and guys around my age who had just returned home from their universities for the summer holiday, as well, and that they usually hung out at the beach near the town center.After paying the fees for my beauty treatment—a once a year treat for myself—I thanked both Claire and Joyce politely and headed out the door. * * *READ CHAPTER 2 IN THE NEXT BLOG POST HEREPre-Order Seven Devils and a RoseApple BooksGoogle PlayAmazon (coming soon)

A Free Novella and September Update

Hey, guys. It has been a while since I last wrote a blog update. I have been rather busy with family and going to a conference. Back in August, my sister Wanitta and I went to Singapore for my Feng Shui Academy class. Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot about Feng Shui that now I can confidently practice the art to improve my own life, along with BaZi (four pillars of destiny). It had been all very fun over there, but when I got back, my other sisters told us that Mom had been in the hospital and the doctors suspect she has cancer. I was devastated and cried my eyeballs out that day. For the past couple of weeks, my sisters and I have been spending a lot of time with Mom and taking her to do tests such as X-ray, CT scan, and bronchoscopy, and of course, me setting up my sister's house feng shui (Mom lives with her and her family) so that Mom can sleep in a room and sector of the house with good flying stars, particuarly ones that helps with healing. We went to see the specialist again last Friday and he told us that they’d need to do a biopsy to get to the bottom of that suspicious growth.Through all this, I’m doing my best to spend a lot of time with my mom, and at the same time, trying not to think too much about what’s going to happen to her in the near future simply because I’m scared shitless. You can say that I’m a coward when it comes to something like this. When I don’t want to think about things like that, I like to lose myself in writing my books because it helps, in a way.I’m currently writing Captive Desire, a steamy new adult reverse harem fairytale romance about a nineteen-year-old girl in modern day who is being transported into the Aurora Realm where paranormal creatures, magic, and technology exist. There, she is captured by two hunky, dark lords. It’s an alternative retelling of Snow White with a twist. Obviously, it’s in the same realm or world as my other story The Beast and I. The two heroines will eventually meet, of course. I’m hoping to release Captive Desire sometime in early February of 2019, along with The Billionaire’s Love 2 which I’m currently writing as well. Also, The Beast and I will be available on iBooks and Google Play in early 2019 as well.You can get a copy of The Beast and I, Vol. 1 from Amazon, here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FRXKZDHBecause I want to get some feedback and get people excited, I’ve decided to post Captive Desire draft on wattpad. If you’re interested in reading chapter by chapter as I write them, you can check it out HERE. Please note that it is a first draft MS and there will be grammars, spellings, and punctuations mistakes. ^_^You can also pre-order Captive Desire from iBooks HEREHere’s a draft blurb of Captive DesireWhen university student Alfie Yuki Nakamura first sets foot on St. James Manor, a charming old house her parents bought and turn into a retreat for writers, she feels a sense of connection with the magical place. One night when she is taking a bath in the hot spring that came with the estate, she is inadvertently transported to another realm. Disorientated and afraid of her new, mysterious, and foreign surroundings, Alfie is relentlessly perused and captured by two striking, ferocious brutes, who mistakes her for a boy because of her short hair and slender frame. They even suspect that she is a member of a loose, violent bandit that is raiding their kingdom and kidnapping the civilians.Despite having a fun and adventurous soul, Alfie finds nothing exciting as these two gorgeous lords’ captive, especially when one, Caleb, keeps staring at her like she is his next meal, while the other, Felix, treats her like his plaything and even goes further as to kiss the life out of her when she refuses to obey his commands.All that Alfie wants is to return home. But of course, little does she know that finding a way home is the least of her worries because there are five more gorgeous men as well as a whole new, fantastical kingdom out there that are waiting for her to step in and change their destinies.Captive Desire, a steamy new adult reverse harem romance, is an alternative retelling of Snow White where Snows ends up falling in love with the seven gorgeous lords who rules Acaedien, one of the kingdoms in the Aurora Realm.Sounds exciting? Don't forget to check the book out when it comes in early 2019. Go HERE to pre-order Captive Desire early. And go HERE to read the first draft of Captive Desire on wattpad.* * *Haru to Aiden: A Novella Teaser Free DownloadBecause I haven’t released any book for you all for a while, I thought I’ll release a free novella Haru to Aiden. It’s a teaser of the full-length novel which I’m planning to release in early of 2019. Haru to Aiden: A Novella Teaser, is a stepbrother BL. If you are interested in reading it, here are the links to download the free ebook: Google Play and iBooksPre-order Haru to Aiden the full-lenght novelGoogle Play and iBooksHere’s the blurb for Haru to AidenHaru to Aiden is a BL stepbrother romance full of angst and smut scenes. If you’re a fujoshi and have a thing for stepbrothers love, then this is the book for you.Eighteen-year-old Haru Ono has been in love with Aiden Davis, his older stepbrother, since he was in middle school. Trying to keep his feelings under wraps is annoyingly hard when they’re living under the same roof with four other brothers in such close proximity, more so since Aiden is so caring and selflessly showers him with brotherly love.Haru knows that family is important to Aiden, who has been shouldering the burden of raising five younger siblings since the deaths of their parents, and it’s best Haru never reveals his forbidden feelings to Aiden. Then again, an eighteen-year-old boy with raging hormones can only bottle up so much until everything starts to burst.Welcome to the world of the Davis and Ono brothers, where family means everything to these young men and love is forever.* * *Falling for Sakura Trilogy Box Set ReleaseAnd lastly, the Falling for Sakura Trilogy Box Set is coming out today the 24th of September, so if you haven't read the Falling for Sakura Trilogy yet, now is the opportunity to get all three books for a cheaper price. Currently, it's only available on Amazon, but from early 2019, it will be on Google Play and iBooks as well. Here's the link to get your hands on the Falling for Sakura Box Set on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1KLVBPThat’s all for now and I will update another post soon.

A Sneak Peek - The Beast and I

First, I just want to say thank you to everyone who have been reading and very patiently following James and Mia’s story in Chained to You. I know I was very slow in releasing the volumes out and I’m very sorry about that. What can I say? Life happens, I’m slow, and more so, I tend to stray around and write other books, too. I know I’m very bad at it and should just stick to writing one book/series at a time, but I simply can’t. It’s just my nature. A Yi Wood (small plants) person likes to spread their branches and grow, basically test any story that comes into my mind and see what sticks. If a Yi can’t spread their branches, it can’t grow. It’ll just shrivel and dies. Basic BaZi stuff.My current projects now are The Beast and I, Chained by Love, and The Billionaire’s Love 2. Once I’ve finished those, A Demon’s Bride is next. I’m hoping to have all these stories written by the end of this year and released most of those by the end of this year as well. A Demon’s Bride will either be the end of this year or early next year.Now then, to the important topic at hand. I’m just about to finish writing The Beast and I, Vol. 1: The Man Behind the Beast. Yes, I have now decided to write the Beast and I in a serial novella volumes, like the Dark Billionaires series. I write better this way as I like writing shorter books, but the story in length is long in format. A Yi Wood person like small, low hanging fruits, after all, such as strawberries and berries. LOL! It’s nice to understand BaZi. You basically know your own nature and learn how best to utilize your skills. Which comes to the conclusion as to why most readers like to read the Chained to You serial more than the Falling for Sakura series. It’s how other are attracted to you or your work, I guess.Please note that I’m only going to publish The Beast and I serial on Amazon Kindle Unlimited only for now. I will release the serial on the Apple iBook store and Google Play when I’ve completed the whole story. I have no idea when that will be, but for now the serial is planned to have between four to five volumes. If you can’t wait to read the book, then it’s a good idea to get the ebook from Amazon. Kindle is free to download for any device anyway. Also, there’s the option of joining Kindle Unlimited, which is basically free to read The Beast and I. ^_^Without further ado, below is the book blurb and an excerpt of the book. Please note that these have not yet been professionally edited and there will be grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes. [I suck at English, after all. LOL!]The Beast and I: BlurbDark. Magical. Powerful. Beastly.Aslan McTavish is the Magical Beast King who rules the Forbidden Forest, one of the nine kingdoms in the Aurora Realm.When Aslan the Magical Beast agrees to spare my life during the village sacrificial ceremony, I am pleased but that is short-lived when he said, “I will not kill you, my sweet, but I will have your beautiful body to my every command. I will have your nectar whenever I desire.”My name is Lilly and I have lived in the basement of a manor all my life with my beloved mother, working away like a pair of salves for the people who live in comfort upstairs. After my mother’s death, I am told that I am to be scarified to the magical beast who rules the forbidden forest in return for the village’s protection, wealth, and prosperity.Refusing to resign to my fateful death, I plan to escape but is only to be caught again by none other than the beast himself, who demonic mask and beautiful green eyes both frightens and fascinates me.Now that there is no way out, I beg the beast to spare me life. When he easily agreed, I am pleased, but that is short-lived when he tells me that I am to be his cuddling companion.Thus, begins story of the Beast and I. Author Note: The Beast and I is an alternative retelling of the beloved fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, set in the Aurora Realm where paranormal creatures reside, magical power and technology go hand in hand, and love is a forever thing.The Beast and I is intended for adult readers only. The story is published in serialized volumes.Pre-Order The Beast and I, Vol. 1 from Amazon HERERelease date: October 6thThe Beast and I: ExcerptThe BeastI was falling backwards and I thought I was going to die at that instant, but then I felt a pair of strong, muscular hands around my waist. Behind me, I felt a body enveloping me, embracing me. All around me was darkness and the night air was cool on my skin as I kept falling into the abyss. To me, it seemed like forever, and I suddenly wondered if perhaps I was falling deep into the underworld where the devil’s himself residedJust when I thought this was going to be endless, I suddenly felt the speed slowed. It was like I was floating instead now, as if I was being levitated in midair. Then I landed softly on the cool grass beneath me. Just as instantly, the warmness of a body and the arms around my waist disappeared and replacing those were emptiness and cold air.I shivered and wanted the heat back. I wanted to be hugged and basked in the warmness of that muscular body that had felt so welcoming and comforting, like I had been embraced in Mother’s arms during the night.Feeling abandoned, I sat up, my heart started to race as I darted my gaze from left to right and then behind me, wondering where I was. Surely, I was in the forbidden forest, the home of the magical beast? Surely, I wasn’t in hell where the devil resided?I clutched the flimsy material of my garment about my middle, my body shivering from both the cold and fear.“Hello?” I managed to squeaked out into the endless darkness that surrounded me. “Anyone here? Hello?”My own voice echoed back at me, which was followed by a complete and utter silence that scared the living daylight out of me.I waited as I inhaled and exhaled deeply, my heart pounding fast and furious in my chest, and my body shaking like a leaf in the storm.“Hello?” I raised my voice this time, though very shaky. When there was no reply, I assumed no one was around and started walking.God, I had no idea which way I was going nor did I know what was in front of me, but I kept going none the less.It wasn’t long when I saw glittering of lights, like tiny dots of stars, a little distance in front of me. Feeling like there was hope, I started running toward it and as I got closer, I realized that it was the aurora barrier separating between this world and the village.Or was it the village on the other side?I didn’t know and I didn’t care, just as long as I could get myself out of this side and away from the beast that was expecting me.I started running, my bare feet cold on the grass and dirt. Oh, God, yes, I was getting closer. Soon, I’d be saved. Soon, I’d be able to escape, not only from the harsh treatment of the village people and its leader, my blood-relatives, but from the beast as well. Soon, I’d be free.My heart soared with a renewed sense of hope, and for the first time in a very long time, I smiled.In a few more steps, I’d reach the aurora barrier. In a few more steps, I’d reach my new world, my new life.But then...Then the sound of that deep timbre came, echoing all around me. His chuckle of amusement made my body shiver in trepidation, and I found myself collapsing onto my knees right there on the dirty ground, with the barrier mere inches from me.Suddenly, I felt a strong, powerful presence behind me, getting closer. I couldn’t hear his footsteps but I just knew he was right there, inches from me, watching me with his monster-like eyes.I felt so much fear within me that I was petrified. Oh, God, was he going to eat me now?“Hmm... What have we here? It seems my prize is trying to run away?”His voice echoed around me like some magical force that paralyzed me in my spot. He chuckled in amusement, as if he found my dire situation entertaining. “That won’t do.”Suddenly, I felt the wind swoosh around me. I held my breath as I felt his hand touching the strands of my hair.“Hmm? Silver?”I shut my eyes and prayed for courage. I knew I had to act fast if I didn’t want to be killed. Eaten.When I opened my eyes again, the beast was edging ever closer to me, my hair still in his hand. Then I acted. I leaped up and started running like the devil was chasing after me. Indeed, a beast was chasing after me.Despite the lack of sounds of his footstep, I felt the movement of his powerful being behind me and the echoing of his deep timbre that seems to be teasing me. He was chuckling again, his voice getter louder behind me, which told me that he was getting closer.Blindly I ran, my feet fast and light. God, I had no idea where I was going but I knew I had to escape this beast’s claws if I wanted to survive. If I wanted to live.I sprinted past bushes and trees, with only the moon and aurora light above me as guidance. I even did a twist and turn route to confused him, but this only seemed to amused him even more.Suddenly, I tripped and I found myself tumble and then I fell.I. Just. Fell.Down the cliff and I knew I was going to die.How stupid could I get?I was falling down a cliff while trying to escape a beast. Perhaps it was meant to be that I was supposed to die tonight? If it wasn’t due to a beast eating me, then it would be falling down a cliff.As I fell, I screamed until I couldn’t scream anymore, until my voice died by itself. As tears burnt in my eyes, I thought that at least now I get to see Mother up in heaven.And then whop!A manly body caught me, his powerful arms around my small waist as he pulled me against him.God, I could feel the strength of him and his muscular body against me as I stared at this masked man before me.Instead of falling, I was floating up toward the sky, the male embracing me. As we got higher, the light from both the moon and the aurora was brighter, shining on us, on this person in front of me.I could only stare at him, both in fear and fascination. I noted that he had dark hair and he was wearing this demonic mask that frightened me to my bones. And yet...Yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I decided then that it was his eyes, the color of leaf I had seen in summer, that fascinated me, that held me mesmerized. Those eyes, they glint and shone with amusement as they gazed at me.When I realized that I was so high up and that I might fall if he were to let me go, I hastily wrapped my arms around his neck, which only incited another chuckle of amusement from him.His skin beneath my touches was firm, toned, and warm which suddenly made me feel self-conscious.Was he themagical beast of the forbidden forest? I wondered. The one I was supposed to be sacrificed to? But he had human form, and certainly not ghastly terrifying with beastly, wolf body like I had imagined him to be. The villagers must be wrong then? I mean he looked just like any normal man. Well, except for that mask. The villagers certainly had that right. The word grotesquedidn’t even begin to describe the thing. Most would surely be terrified at seeing such a bloodcurdling mask of a face.I had to admit also that he wasn’t just like any normal man. Yes, physically, he was big and just very masculine, with strong arms and body, but deep within his being there was this powerful aura, like a sort of magic, that I could sense. I had no idea how I could have felt or known this, but I just did.I licked my lower lip, my eyes still fixed on his demonic mask. I finally mustered the courage to speak and asked, “Are you the beast?”His gaze intense on my face, he nodded his head. “Yes I am. The Beast of the Forbidden Forest.”His deep voice made me shivered in an odd way that made my body warm.I swallowed hard at his answer. Then I said, “But you don’t look like a beast. You don’t even have a beastly body you’re supposed to have like the villagers said.”I thought I heard a chuckle from him, but I could be wrong. I mean I was rather busy being terrified, especially regarding the beast himself and the height at which we were current at. We were high up in the sky, after all. If we were to fall? God, I just didn’t want to think about it. I tightened my arms around his shoulder and begged, “Please don’t kill me.”I noted that his eyes were still intense on my face. God, I wanted to know what his expression was. Then again, could I even tell what his expression was if he were to take off his mask? He was a beast, after all, and surely, a beast had no emotion? Let alone expression. But what about that amused tone? The amused laughter I had heard earlier?He released one arm from my waist and I panicked, gasping in fright. I tightened my arm around his neck again so that I wouldn’t fall.Suddenly, he touched my small chin with his free hand and tilt my face toward the light. He seemed to be staring at me for a while, and once again, I wanted to know what his expression was. More importantly, I wanted to know what his thoughts was.Was he now deciding how best to eat me? Was that why he was scrutinizing me so intensely like that?God, I didn’t want to be killed, and I swallowed hard at the very thought of my death. I pleaded again, my voice shaking in trepidation, “Please don’t kill me, I beg you. Spare my life.”He leaned his face toward me then and asked, “Do you wish to live?”I nodded furiously. “Yes. Yes, I do wish to live. Will you spare me my life?”He leaned his face even closer now and my heart pounded even harder in my chest. Suddenly, I was aware that his thumb was on my lip, pressing hard against it, rubbing it. I blinked, wondering what he was doing. Why was he touching my lips like that?Though it was quite painful, with the way he applied pressure on my lips and poking his finger into my mouth, I held back the whimper and groan that was desperate to come out.“Very well,” he said at last, releasing my lips and mouth. “I will spare your life.”His wonderful words sang all around me like the warmth of the sunshine and I smiled gratefully at him. Happy tears of joy welled in my eyes as I nodded my head. I couldn’t believe it. The beast was letting me go. He wasn’t going to kill me. He wasn’t going to eat me.“Thank you so much, my lord beast,” I said. “I... I don’t know how to thank you.”I was so happy that my mind started wondering off, thinking of my freedom, of the things that I didn’t have to do anymore, but more so of the things that I could do and accomplish. I could travel to another village or town, or even city and kingdom. I could meet new people and find work that didn’t require me to be locked up in a basement. I could do so many things.“However,” he said, which drew my attention to him again. “You are an offer made to me. I am a magical beast, sweet heart.”I blinked. Did the beast just referred to me as ‘sweet heart’? Only my mother called me that. Only her and no one else, so why was this beast calling me that?He continued, “I will not kill you, my sweet, but I will have your beautiful body to my every command. I will have your nectar whenever I desire.”I blinked again. He will have my body to his every command?What did that mean? Did he wish me to work for him?I didn’t know and I wanted it clarify to me. I licked my lips nervously and asked, “Will you lock me up in the basement?”He seemed amused at my question. “Basement?” He queried. Then he shook his head. “Not basement. Bedchamber, which is very tempting, but I will only do so if you agree to it,” he said.I sighed a breath of relief. “Then I do not agree to it. I do not like basement and I do not like being locked up.”“Very well then,” he said. “It is unfortunate, but you will not be locked up.”“Will you beat me also?” I couldn’t help asking. “And make me work all day and all night?”“I will not beat you nor will you work, neither day nor night.” He moved his hand and touched my face. “You will do nothing but please me. All you have to do is offer yourself to me when I command you too.”I still didn’t believe him and said, “You really mean that? That I don’t have to work all day and night? That I won’t be locked up?”He simply stared at me and then I heard another chuckle escaping his lips. He must found me very amusing? Or rather my bargaining with him for my freedom?Ignoring his thoughts of me, I was persistent and said, “You cross your heart and swear it on your life for that?”He seemed to be thinking for a moment as he was eyeing me. Or rather, he was staring at my lips. God, but I felt conscious of it. Finally, he nodded. “I wear on my life that I will not do anything you don’t agree to.”Only then did I sighed in relief and smiled gratefully. I said, “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”I shut my eyes, thinking how fortunate this had turned out for me. Truly, I had thought that I’d die at this very moment by the hands of the beast, but who would have guessed that I was bargaining for my life instead?I won’t be locked up like I had used to be, nor did I had to work all day and night. All I had to do was to offer myself to his beast when he commanded it...I fluttered my eyes opened. Wait.I still didn’t understand what he meant, particularly that last part.I was about to ask when he said, “Will you offer yourself to me now?”I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. Why was I being hesitant? Hadn’t I just agreed to him that I would obey him and offer myself to him moments ago?“You must understand that I had been waiting for a long time for someone like you to come along, sweet heart.” He sounded amused when he continued, “This is the first time in a thousand years when they offered me something this enticing and dare I say that I can’t control myself much longer.”Lord, but I was even more confused with is words.“Now, darling, I wish to taste your nectar,” he said, in a more urgent tone that both warm my blood and scared me at the same time.His tone implied to me that he was desperate, like I was desperate to be free. And certainly, I knew how that felt.This beast wasn’t going to kill me. He wasn’t going to lock me up. And he wasn’t going to let me work all day and night until I was exhausted and fall sick like my mother, and I was thankful for that.Wanting to show my appreciation and share my gratitude, I nodded my head and said, “Yes, but—”I was cut short from finishing my query as we suddenly started falling. I hastily tightened my arms around his neck as I buried my face against his muscular chest. The strong gust of wind whoosh upward against us as we fell, my hair fluttering about in the air.Suddenly, he moved me in his arms and I was being carried. Then we flew and I found that we flicked in and out of places. I knew it was magic for sure, as we seemed to be skipping time and space itself, with bright lights and stars blazing around us. And then we orbed out and I became breathless.* * *Re-order The Beast and I, Vol. 1: The Man Behind the Beast from Amazon HERE

Free eBook Chained by Love: Angel

Hey, everyone. This post will be short and sweet. ^_^I've just recently made Chained by Love, Vol. 1: Angel free on Apple iBooks and Google Play. Amazon I will have to price-match it by contacting the KDP department. It will take a while, but when it's free, I'll make another post for those who download books from Amazon.Chained by Love is the story about William Bosworth and Savannah White. If you've read Chained to You, you'll know that William is James's friend, though they're kind of on bad terms with one another. When Savannah comes in, she's becomes very good friend with Mia. Anyway, Chained by Love: Angel is the beginning of William and Savannah's story. Their serial will be short, about 3 to 4 books only, depending on how it goes. ^_^By the way, after writing seven books of the Dark Billionaires/Vegas Billionaires series I've just come to realize that this series is actually a New Adult Erotic-Suspense Romance. LOL! I just didn't have any clue that it's a new adult erotic-suspense romance when I start out. I just thought I wanted it quite sexy with a bit of darkness and suspense in it, since one of my favorite manga is the Finder series, after all, which is a Yaoi (Boys Love) manga and is absolutely hot and sexy and very yakuza with underworld type. ^_^Anyways, here are the links for Chained by Love: AngeliBooks | Google Play

Chained to You, Vol. 6 Book Release and Excerpt

So, here I am with another blog post after such a long time, and of course, I’m so sorry for making you guys wait for another book to come out. Honestly, nothing ever goes smoothly in my life so far. Obstruction of some sort always seem to lurk in front me, blocking my path. But never mind about that. That’s life, I guess, and you really can’t do much except to work your way around it.Anyways, I’m happy to tell everyone who has been waiting very patiently for Chained to You, Vol. 6 that it is now ready for pre-order. The last book of the Chained to You serial will be coming out on the 10th of July. I originally planned to have it release in late June but couldn’t because there be won’t enough time for me to get it ready. Also, Apple iBook requires that I have the book uploaded to their store ten days prior to the release date, which I wouldn’t be able to do. So, on the 10th of July, it is.Here are the links to pre-order Chained to You, Vol. 6Amazon | iBooks | Google PlayTo get you guys excited about the book, I have a chapter of the book below. Enjoy.