Nanini
I woke up feeling like crap. Even though I ate last night, it felt like I had no energy. With difficulty, I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and made my way to the kitchen. I stopped at the door and watched Max place a plate on the table.
“I have made you something to eat.” He indicated the plate and turned around to the fridge.
It was a trap. I looked around waiting for the boogey man or something to jump up. Max closed the fridge door and had a bunch of stuff in his arms. When he noticed that I was still standing there, he stopped his progress and looked at me.
“Eat, Nanini. I still have to make breakfast for the others,” he said with a smile.
Okay, apparently he wasn’t mad at me anymore. I spent most of the night lying in bed remembering his face when Kas told him about our little adventure without them. And I felt like crap all through it. I sat down at the table and looked at the sandwich. It looked freaking amazing. I grabbed it and almost stuck half of it in my mouth. Chewing, I closed my eyes and enjoyed every molecule bursting inside my mouth.
“Do you know how beautiful you are when you do that?” Max’s declaration had my eyes flashing open.
He was leaning against the counter looking at me. I felt the blush that crept up from my neck towards my face. Oh no.
“Even more when you blush like that,” he went on.
I was the color of blood now. “Don’t do that.”
“What? Tell you how beautiful you are?” Max wasn’t going to back off.
“Yes, I don’t like it.” I was suddenly on ‘flee and save yourself’ mode. I looked at the door and decided to get the hell out of there.
“Ompf!” I smashed right into Max. He grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. I struggled and even tried to bite him but he was just too powerful. His hand grabbed my chin and he forced me to look at him.
“You are beautiful,” he said again. His eyes captured mine and I couldn’t breathe.
“No… I a…m not.” I staggered with his hypnotic hold on me.
He smiled a devilish smile. “You are very beautiful. I can’t seem to keep my eyes of you,” he whispered, his lips inches from mine. I pulled my head back, dreading his intentions.
“Don’t, “ I all but croaked at him.
His eyes drifted down to my lips, and he actually licked his own lips. Oh no, no, no. I squirmed in his hold but just couldn’t get away.
His lips met mine and I froze. His lips were… soft. I wasn’t expecting that. I wasn’t expecting all of this. He lifted his lips from mine and looked at me, shocked. “Was this-? Have you never been kissed before?”
“I…I” Couldn’t get a freaking word out. My body flashed from red to pink to white. I was stunned, scared and just plain embarrassed. Of course I have never kissed anyone! I was too young at first, and then I was just…not what they were looking for. Tears formed in my eyes and his filled with concern. “Can you let me go now?” I croaked out, trying to push the tears back before they fell.
He didn’t let go. Instead he leaned in again and kissed me. At first it was as soft as a feather, and then he placed more pressure on my lips. I felt something warm again my lips and gasped. My mouth was suddenly engulfed in sweet, delicious heat. His tongue slightly touched mine. As the tears rolled down my face, my body yielded to what he was doing, and became his to control. My mouth moved with his and I dared to let my own tongue touch his. I must have done something wrong because he pressed me against the wall and released my lips to look at me. His eyes was piercing into me; he looked at me, and then slowly down to my lips. I pressed them closed and dreaded what he would do or say next.
“Utterly beautiful,” he whispered and kissed me again.
Aflame, I grabbed him around the neck and just freaking let go. It was so amazing, his scent, his taste. Ambrosia. I struggled to take breaths as we continued.
Someone cleared their throat and we instantly broke apart and away from each other.
“I am just getting some juice for Lada. Don’t mind me.” Lotan smiled as he grabbed a glass and a box of juice from the fridge. He walked out and wiggled his eyebrow at us.
I was utterly mortified. I looked at Max and then at those lips that just did something amazing with mine. They were puffy and red. My hand went to my own lips, and I could feel mine were in the same state.
He, of course, looked like he just won the lottery. “Come on, eat up and then we can make some breakfast for the others.” He smiled and went over to the stove.
Slowly, and half in a stupor, I went back to my plate. I watched him chop an onion. I wasn’t so hungry anymore, well, at least not for food. My hands were still touching my sensitive lips. Un-freaking-believable. I have always dreamed of this day. For how long did I watch the others and wondered when I would finally have my first kiss too. And now? I was just blown away. I never could get why Lada and all the others girls would melt down and just be a pile of jelly. Now I know why. It was amazing!
“Are you alright?” Max brought me back to reality.
“Yes,” was my only reply.
He frowned at me. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Why couldn’t I seem to form more than one word?
He walked over to me and took the chair opposite me. “Finish up and let’s get to work. We have a big day in front of us.”
I looked down at the sandwich and nodded. I heard him get up and go back to the counter. What if this might actually work out? What if we really become mated?
I didn’t hear him approach; I was too deep in thought. He pulled me up and lifted me so our faces met again. His lips descended on mine again, and we started kissing all over again. I enjoyed it. I actually craved it. Finally breaking apart, he let his head rest against mine. “It’s like a drug. I can’t seem to stop.” He breathed heavily.
Neither could I. It was a drug, a very great one.
“Thank you.” I just had to say it.
He lifted his head and looked at me. “No, Nanini, thank you. Never before has a kiss felt like this. If you give me the chance, I promise to make it even better each time,” he all but begged.
“Okay, but no funny stuff.” I tried to make a serious face like Chax.
He laughed and kissed me again, and he placed me back on the floor. “Come on, I just heard the first door open. They are going to storm this kitchen at any moment.” He pulled me over to the counter and placed some cheese in my hand.
Just then Ben came walking into the kitchen. “I hope that is food. I am starving.” He sat down at my plate and eyed my half eaten sandwich. I looked back at Max, who smiled at me.
I don’t know where Max and I would be in a week or two. We might die today trying to protect this world. We might die tomorrow. But for the first time in my life, I had something that I wanted. Not duty, not obligation. Just something for me. Something that I was going to give a chance, no matter what tomorrow might bring. Something I could always say was mine, and mine alone. I had a mate, and I was going to fight to have him.
Book Info - Title: Kasadya Hellhound Awakened
Series: Kasadya #1
Author: Karen Swart
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Audience: YA/NA - 14 years and up
Formats: Paperback and E-book
Publisher: Karen Swart
Cover by: Melody Simmons
Edited by: MAI-Editing-Services , There for you Editing Services & Blue Butterfly Editing
ISBN: 978-1311699121
Date Published: 21 August 2012
Pages: 342 pages
With all gathered to hear their Sire speak, God rose and addressed his Angels. Before all, he proclaimed His Son, Jesus Christ, was equal to Him. That Christ’s words should be obeyed as if they were His own. Christ would command the heavens, with the same authority as Him. All the Angels bowed down before Christ and accepted their Sire’s proclamation, all except for one…
An Archangel was furious with this proclamation. He was his Sire’s right hand, the deliverer of justice, the commander of many legions. He had served his Sire for centuries, and never failed him. It should be to him that God bestow power, not a Son whom had never even seen battle.
With his heart filled with hatred and jealousy, he gathered all the angels in secret. He told them that their days of sweet liberty were at an end. That God has now placed Christ as their ruler and that they should now obey his wishes. Many angels were angered at such a false statement, but many also agreed with the Archangel. He had led them for many years; why should they now question his leadership?
The faithful Angels fled to God and told Him what was happening, and together they prepared for war. With the sun rising on a new day, God and his Angels stood ready for battle against the Archangel and his followers. The battle only lasted a day, the Archangel and his followers defeated before the sun set for the night.
Seeing the angels on their knees before Him, He gave them one final chance… “Repent and declare your loyalty, and I will forgive you, my children.” He told his beautiful angels, tears falling with each word. This was His family. This was His love. How could they betray Him? Some of the Angels cried their penance, begging Him to forgive them for their deceit. They claimed that the Archangel deceived them, and they followed him into battle, as they have done for centuries.
God took pity on them, but still believed that their deceit must not go unpunished. He had spoken many times about the importance of punishment, that lessons learned must be earned... “I herewith grant you mercy, but as punishment you will be sentenced to an earthly realm. I will take your beauty as payment for my children lost today. In the place of your beauty, I will give you purpose. In mercy, and because I love you still, I give you life in this realm. Let this be known, that I was merciful this day,” God finished.
He placed them in an earthly realm, and called it Exsilium. In this realm they would carry their deceit, and earn their place with him. He took their beauty and replaced them with elements of his earth. Half would be of animal and element, and would resemble punishment. The other, in a humanoid form, and would resemble mercy. He called them his Fallen.
The Archangel, and those whom did not repent, were not that lucky. God looked into the eyes of His once faithful angels and only saw destruction, hatred, jealousy, and heartache. He knew that His beloved ones had died this day, and that others needed to be protected. But how could you destroy one you loved? He placed the Archangel, and his followers, in another earthly realm, but where Exsilium was above the earth, this one was in the center. With one wave of His hand, their beautiful forms were replaced with forms as ugly as their hatred and deceit. Using His word and blood, He sealed this realm from any other.
As He looked into the many eyes of hatred, He spoke his final word... “This realm will be called Hell, and you will be called demons. You, my once faithful Archangel, you will be called the Devil. Your angel name will be erased from the past, present, and future. You will be forgotten,” He proclaimed and left them to their demise.
Many years have passed since that day. God created mankind and cherished his new children. The male and female were his new hope; in them he would find peace again. But the Devil had grown strong through the years, and somehow managed to enter God’s garden. Here, he found the female God created, using her to strike back. He whispered words of deceit in her ears, and watched as God’s new children stepped into sin. With her first bite, a crack appeared in the seal around Hell, and demons escaped to earth.
From that day onward, the Devil and his demons created chaos amongst God’s new children, leading one after the other into sin. God looked upon this and decided to fight for his loved ones. He went to Exsilium and spoke to the Fallen... “You, my children, have proven your loyalty in the years that have passed, and so I came to offer you another chance at Heaven. If you slay the Devil and his demons to protect mankind, I will give you a place in my Heaven once again. With your last breath on this earth, you will join me and your brethren in Heaven,” He finished. The Fallen agreed and God gave them the power to move in and out of Exsilium to battle the demons. The war between Good and Evil began.
But as mankind spread over the earth, sin became their followers. And with each sin, the demons grew stronger and created more demons to torture mankind. The Fallen were now fighting against millions; they needed assistance to ensure victory. God had watched the battle from Heaven and saw that they were failing because of their numbers. He also saw that the demons grew stronger than the Fallen. He intervened and created a new creature. This creature would have features encompassing the best of both worlds. One half was as strong and loyal as the Fallen, while the other was as hard and enduring as a demon. This was His ultimate weapon. This would be His greatest creation. To ensure that these creatures could not be swayed, He placed Heaven’s soul into them. He called them His hellhounds.
The hellhounds delivered justice swiftly, as strong and just as the Fallen. Yet hard and durable like the demons, they conquered the earthly realm and the demons retreated. Not one hellhound could be swayed. All stayed true to their calling. God, knowing that the Devil and many more demons had retreated, gave His hellhounds life, and offered them a place among the Fallen.
Until this day they still watch over mankind, protecting them from evil. Will we be worth it?
Book Info - Title: Kasadya Hellhound Twisted
Series: Kasadya #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audience: YA/NA - 14 years and up
Formats: E-book
Publisher: Karen Swart
Edited by: There for you Editing Services & Blue Butterfly Editing
Cover by: Melody Simmons
ISBN: 978-1301357192
Pages: 251 Pages
Date Published: 15 February 2013
Kasadya: Hellhound Twisted (Book #2 of the Kasadya Series)
She fought against all odds and became the warrior she was meant to be … or so she thought. In a world where the rules have changed, can she embrace her destiny and become the hellhound she was meant to be?
Kasadya is back in Exsilium and finds her world a little different. Her half-breed fallen friends join her, and they are ordered to complete their apprentice training in order to obtain the right to be guardians. She must learn that her own fate cannot be denied and that others are set to follow. But most of all, she must learn that to trust is the greatest battle of all.
The tables are turned and Kasadya is put to the test. Will she be able to prevent her own death, or that of a friend? Or will her actions call forth the destruction of Earth and Exsilium?
For a Phoenix to rise, it must first die. —Chax De Luca
Book Info - Title: Kasadya Hellhound Born
Series: Kasadya #3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audience: YA/NA - 14 years and up
Formats: E-book
Publisher: Karen Swart
Cover by: Melody Simmons
Edited by: MAI-Editing-Services & Blue Butterfly Editing
ISBN: 9781301863594
Pages: 235 pages
Date Published: 15 August 2013
Kasadya: Hellhound Born (Book #3 of the Kasadya Series)
In a world filled with evil, the Fallen prepare for the ultimate battle against the demon world!
Kasadya is ordered to unleash her crazed born transformation to complete her divinity. But there is a chance that her born will be uncontrollable, and she will be destroyed. There is just one person that can save her; her charm, her destined mate. Left without a choice, she must surrender, and place her life in his hands.
In a race against time, the Fallen must stand together and fight the evil threatening to invade earth. If her divinity was in reach, victory would be theirs. That is until she starts having visions of the final battle, and her true destiny is revealed. She just found her love and place in the Fallen world; will she be able, and willing, to sacrifice it all?
I stopped completely and looked at him. Reaching for my necklace, I held it.
“I am so sorry, Chax. This is the only way; we can’t win any other way. I know; I have seen the end too many times,” I replied.
His face fell even more and he looked around, searching for a way out.
“I want to thank you... for being there for me. For searching for me when I went missing. For enduring all of my crap. I am sorry I messed up so many times. But not this time; this I promise. But most of all, thank you for loving me.” Even my mental voice broke down on the last part.
Chax started to scream and pound at the invisible wall, while others joined him. I looked at Nanini, shocked that she couldn’t get out.
“Take care of Max for me,” I sent to her.
Tears formed and ran down her cheeks, but she nodded.
“Kas, let us help you!” Lotan yelled. My friends, my family were still trying to save me. Tears ran down my own face now.
“I love all of you. Thank you for always being there for me.” Finally my mental voice began to a sob.
I turned away, afraid that the sight of them would stop me.
“Kasadya! Don’t do this to me. I beg you!” Chax yelled at me.
Demons were closing in around me, but my heart was so broken I just let the tears and heartache spill out of me.
“I am so sorry, Chax. Forgive me.” With that, I stormed forward.
I used my g-force punches to clear the masses out of my way. When that stopped working, I started shifting. Demons grabbed at me and some got in a slice or two. But I wasn't stopping.
I saw Ballen trying to flee from me. He thought I was heading for him. Good. I needed him on the other side when I blew it up. Using my wings for momentum, I sent a massive g-force punch into the horde that remained between me and my target. They flew backwards, clearing the way for me to advance. I swiped at a few too close and took their heads. Blood sprayed all over me. Searching for the hole to make sure I was heading in the right direction, I saw the shoulders and arms of something freaking big, already beginning to breach.
I need to move faster!
I lifted up with my wings. They were tired, but I had no other option. Now I had the flying demons to contend with. We fought and sliced and I sent a few down to earth without a head. At last, I was advancing on the hole. Pain shot through my left wing and I tumbled to the ground, hitting hard. At the last moment I made sure that the front of my body hit the ground and not the back. Demons jumped me all at once. Ballen was yelling at them to stop me. I used everything I had left and flung out with my wings and arms. They went flying and just in front of me was the hole with the devil stuck in it. Ballen was standing at the entrance watching me, his face a mask of shock.
With a deep breath, I reached for the pouch and took hold of the balls. Now armed and ready, I just had a few feet to go. I stormed through the demons, not caring if they sliced me open. I wasn't stopping for a fight anymore. I held the balls to my chest, sealing them from any other impact. Then, finally, I was at the entrance of the hole. With the last of my strength, I leaped into the air and went flying straight for it.
There were many things that go through your mind that moment before you die. I remembered my first step into Exsilium. Meeting Lada and Nanini. Meeting Chax and hating my first day. I remembered our fun at the beach, the Hellhouse and the grub spot. Seeing Lada and Lotan kissing for the first time. Meeting Max and Ryan, and then all of the rest. My heart no longer troubled by Kali or Seth or all the others who had betrayed me. I remembered finding Chax and the Fallen again. Seeing my parents again. So many memories bombarded me at that last moment. I remembered my day and night with Chax, and how it felt to be loved.
“I love you,” I sent a final message to him.
He was still screaming my name, begging for me to stop.
I remembered why I was doing this. For them I gave my heart, my life. Ballen's shocked face was in front of me, right in my path. Just when I reached him, I dropped the balls and slammed into him.
Book Info - Title: Kasadya Hellhound Defined
Series: Kasadya, #4
Author: Karen Swart
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audience: YA/NA - 14 years and up
Formats: E-book
Publisher: Karen Swart
Cover by: Melody Simmons
Edited by: Blue Butterfly Editing
ASIN: B00J698M1A
ISBN: 978-1311495075
Pages: 135 pages
Date Published: 21 March. 2014
I am a complete book addict, and really proud of it. My entire world is made of books. From reading to writing to blogging to helping other authors. A day without my world of books would be impossible. I am a mother of three, two boys and a little princess. Happily married for 8 years with my high school sweetheart. I live in South Africa, just on the rims of the Kalahari Desert in a small town with one shop and friendly faces.
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