Friday Free Read! Beloved LifeMate 11 of 18
Beloved LifeMate is the first book in the Song of the Sídhí series.Each book in the series is a stand alone novella.
YA paranormal romance
Story contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Strong arms wrapped around me, keeping me from hitting the floor. Chi’Kehra. I knew it was him. My face lay against his shoulder and his spicy cinnamon-like scent surrounded me.He pulled me closer against him.For a split instant, I allowed myself to dream that he wanted me. I pretended he wasn't the Chi’Kehra, but an unknown elf who didn't consider me – a halfling – an abomination.I've never been one to believe in pipe-dreams so my dream didn't last long.“Shhh, don’t struggle,” he ordered.I cringed.His voice was deceptively soft, but I heard the despair in it. He had already lost all hope.I was nothing more than a horrible skeleton in his closet, a secret he would do anything to destroy. He must have hated me more than any living person he'd ever come into contact with. The synth crystal which sang in his veins had not been strong enough to overcome his hatred of what I was.“Let go,” I said, pushing at his chest. Pain throbbed through my jaw at the movement and my words came-out in a slur. Stupid idiot. That's what I got for talking with a broken jaw.I pushed again, trying to pull out of his embrace, but my body ached in protest, sending sharp little pains through me.He loosened his hold and my feet brushed the floor. Pain shot-up through my hips. I whimpered. I hurt all over. How many bones had I broken when I fell out of the sky?His arms tightened around me and I cried-out in pain.I heard his teeth click together and he hissed an apology. “Sorry.”His arms loosened a bit, but still held me prisoner against him. It surprised me his hold was so gentle. Why would he cradle me against him with such care?It sounded exactly like something one of the devious elves would do. Yeah, no doubt, he would convince me he wanted me then throw me in a dungeon. Elves had a wacky sense of humor.He shifted me in his arms, his words coming soft as he brushed his head near mine. “It’s going to hurt, but I’m going to pick you up and put you back in bed.”“Why bother?” I ground-out between my aching jaws. My energy was dropping and my head slumped. My tender jaw brushed against something cold and hard. A sharp pain of grief shot up into my temples. “Forget bed, just get it over with.” And throw me in the dungeon where you plan on putting me, I mentally added.I shuddered at the grief crushing my chest. None of it made any sense. Why was he being so nice? I was quite aware of the silver collar locked around my neck. I was his prisoner, nothing more.“The healer was only able to heal the worst of your injuries. You’re too young for a complete healing. You need bed rest until your synth crystal can heal you.” He stopped speaking and I felt a feather light touch against the crown of my head.I held my breathe; speechless didn't cover how I felt. Did he caress me? I must have lost my mind if I thought that. I was a prisoner. The silver collar around my neck proved that without a shadow of doubt.“I’ll heal with silver on?” I asked.Every time I spoke, my jaw brushed the thick collar. I tried raising my head higher, but I couldn’t manage the movement. I sighed with frustration, maybe I should just shut up. He wasn’t actually answering my questions.“Would you stop talking?” he demanded in a harsh voice that sounded angrier by the minuteI stiffened and tried pulling away even though I knew I couldn't stand on my own.“If you must speak, then do so mentally. The healer said you broke your jaw and several other bones,” he said, his anger was still present, but he also sounded frustrated.“You mean, you broke my jaw,” I said amid a growl. I whimpered when the growl made my chest vibrate. I added busted ribs to my list of injuries.“Yes,” he agreed quietly.He slipped his arms under my legs and I tensed. I feared I had pushed him too far. Yeah, me and my big mouth I would end up smashed against the wall again or become the sharp-toothed monster’s next meal. The pain of knowing my supposed lifeMate was about to hurt me was nearly more than I could handle. Even knowing how much he hated me and how bad he had hurt me, I still wanted him to love me.He lifted me into his arms.The movement made me moan in pain.He stopped. My head slid against his shoulder. I felt and heard him take a deep shuddering breath. “Tell me when the pain eases.”“What does it matter if I'm in pain or not, when you plan to smash me against the wall again?” I asked. Whatever he planned, I just wanted him to get it over. The waiting was nearly worse than the pain. I didn’t give him time to answer before I sarcastically asked, “Or have you decided to give me back to the monster to finish eating?”I felt my entire body shudder and I realized it wasn’t me that moved. I blinked in consternation at the movement realizing my brain was not functioning as well as I thought it had been.He turned from the bed and quickly walked toward the balcony. At the swift move, I groaned in pain. When I got a good look at how high the balcony was from the ground, it changed from pain to fear. The closer he walked to the open floor-to-ceiling doors, the greater my terror became. We were on the top of a bloody mountain!How many times had my big mouth caused me to sit for hours in the detention hall? The fact that I was the Chi’Kehra’s sister made the punishments even worse. Everyone was constantly at me, telling me I needed to be a better role model.Why couldn’t I learn to keep my wretched mouth shut?“I swear I’ll shut up. Please, don’t throw me off the balcony,” I begged him.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
YA paranormal romanceStory contains sexual content/innuendo and mild language.Recommended reading age is seventeen and up.
Strong arms wrapped around me, keeping me from hitting the floor. Chi’Kehra. I knew it was him. My face lay against his shoulder and his spicy cinnamon-like scent surrounded me.He pulled me closer against him.For a split instant, I allowed myself to dream that he wanted me. I pretended he wasn't the Chi’Kehra, but an unknown elf who didn't consider me – a halfling – an abomination.I've never been one to believe in pipe-dreams so my dream didn't last long.“Shhh, don’t struggle,” he ordered.I cringed.His voice was deceptively soft, but I heard the despair in it. He had already lost all hope.I was nothing more than a horrible skeleton in his closet, a secret he would do anything to destroy. He must have hated me more than any living person he'd ever come into contact with. The synth crystal which sang in his veins had not been strong enough to overcome his hatred of what I was.“Let go,” I said, pushing at his chest. Pain throbbed through my jaw at the movement and my words came-out in a slur. Stupid idiot. That's what I got for talking with a broken jaw.I pushed again, trying to pull out of his embrace, but my body ached in protest, sending sharp little pains through me.He loosened his hold and my feet brushed the floor. Pain shot-up through my hips. I whimpered. I hurt all over. How many bones had I broken when I fell out of the sky?His arms tightened around me and I cried-out in pain.I heard his teeth click together and he hissed an apology. “Sorry.”His arms loosened a bit, but still held me prisoner against him. It surprised me his hold was so gentle. Why would he cradle me against him with such care?It sounded exactly like something one of the devious elves would do. Yeah, no doubt, he would convince me he wanted me then throw me in a dungeon. Elves had a wacky sense of humor.He shifted me in his arms, his words coming soft as he brushed his head near mine. “It’s going to hurt, but I’m going to pick you up and put you back in bed.”“Why bother?” I ground-out between my aching jaws. My energy was dropping and my head slumped. My tender jaw brushed against something cold and hard. A sharp pain of grief shot up into my temples. “Forget bed, just get it over with.” And throw me in the dungeon where you plan on putting me, I mentally added.I shuddered at the grief crushing my chest. None of it made any sense. Why was he being so nice? I was quite aware of the silver collar locked around my neck. I was his prisoner, nothing more.“The healer was only able to heal the worst of your injuries. You’re too young for a complete healing. You need bed rest until your synth crystal can heal you.” He stopped speaking and I felt a feather light touch against the crown of my head.I held my breathe; speechless didn't cover how I felt. Did he caress me? I must have lost my mind if I thought that. I was a prisoner. The silver collar around my neck proved that without a shadow of doubt.“I’ll heal with silver on?” I asked.Every time I spoke, my jaw brushed the thick collar. I tried raising my head higher, but I couldn’t manage the movement. I sighed with frustration, maybe I should just shut up. He wasn’t actually answering my questions.“Would you stop talking?” he demanded in a harsh voice that sounded angrier by the minuteI stiffened and tried pulling away even though I knew I couldn't stand on my own.“If you must speak, then do so mentally. The healer said you broke your jaw and several other bones,” he said, his anger was still present, but he also sounded frustrated.“You mean, you broke my jaw,” I said amid a growl. I whimpered when the growl made my chest vibrate. I added busted ribs to my list of injuries.“Yes,” he agreed quietly.He slipped his arms under my legs and I tensed. I feared I had pushed him too far. Yeah, me and my big mouth I would end up smashed against the wall again or become the sharp-toothed monster’s next meal. The pain of knowing my supposed lifeMate was about to hurt me was nearly more than I could handle. Even knowing how much he hated me and how bad he had hurt me, I still wanted him to love me.He lifted me into his arms.The movement made me moan in pain.He stopped. My head slid against his shoulder. I felt and heard him take a deep shuddering breath. “Tell me when the pain eases.”“What does it matter if I'm in pain or not, when you plan to smash me against the wall again?” I asked. Whatever he planned, I just wanted him to get it over. The waiting was nearly worse than the pain. I didn’t give him time to answer before I sarcastically asked, “Or have you decided to give me back to the monster to finish eating?”I felt my entire body shudder and I realized it wasn’t me that moved. I blinked in consternation at the movement realizing my brain was not functioning as well as I thought it had been.He turned from the bed and quickly walked toward the balcony. At the swift move, I groaned in pain. When I got a good look at how high the balcony was from the ground, it changed from pain to fear. The closer he walked to the open floor-to-ceiling doors, the greater my terror became. We were on the top of a bloody mountain!How many times had my big mouth caused me to sit for hours in the detention hall? The fact that I was the Chi’Kehra’s sister made the punishments even worse. Everyone was constantly at me, telling me I needed to be a better role model.Why couldn’t I learn to keep my wretched mouth shut?“I swear I’ll shut up. Please, don’t throw me off the balcony,” I begged him.Continued next Friday :)
Thanks for stopping by!
If you enjoyed reading this week's installment of Beloved LifeMate, please consider sharing or tweeting about the free read. I'd greatly appreciate it!
Beloved LifeMate is only $1.98 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Smashwords :)
Beloved LifeMate Copyright 2011 by Jodie B. Cooperwww.jodiebcooper.com
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