Destined for Time (30 page)

The crowd inside cheered wildly.

“For those of you who don’t know about Diane she’s a local
girl with three children who nearly became homeless a few weeks ago. Then a
certain psychic sent her over the border to buy a lottery ticket and she came
back a millionaire. Now she spends her days and money helping others who work
hard but can’t ever seem to get ahead. If you know anyone who fits that
description, send them her way. She has an office at the homeless shelter on
Ninth Street and she wants to help.”

There was more clapping and cheers from the crowd then the
music started playing again.

While we talked and laughed I thought about how much our
world was changing. New leadership was taking root as corruption and greed were
being wiped away. Would those we put in power today pass the test of time, or
would they too one day betray the people who count on them most?

The annual tournament had once been a way for shapeshifters
to show off their strength and skills. Over the years it had grown to include
nearly every supernatural race in existence. It was a weeklong celebration of
physical battles, magical duels, and political maneuvering.

Between the usual grudge matches, Danarius lurking in the
shadows and the old councilors scheming their way back into power, this year’s
tournament was shaping up to be the most exciting one yet.

* * * * *

Later that night as Solomon slept...

Here I was again on the same street, in the same town. Going
by the old stone buildings and the narrow road winding between them, I would
guess I was somewhere in Europe. It was late at night or early morning when
everything was quiet and there were very few lights on in the windows.

The sense that I needed to be somewhere, to find something,
was stronger than ever but I still had no idea where or what.

Taking Dragon’s advice I stripped down to let the fox out
and once he was free he immediately began trotting down the road. Stopping now
and then, he lifted his nose into the air to take in the scents and listen for
anything that didn’t belong. Then he’d continue his trek farther out into the
countryside away from the homes and businesses crowded together in town. After
several miles he turned left onto a dirt driveway that led to a small house
surrounded by lush green trees and beautiful gardens.

It was a two story house with white stucco exterior walls
and rust colored ceramic tile steps leading down to its thick wooden front
door. Wrapping myself in the shadows I crept around the building looking for
another way in. On both side walls there were long rectangular windows about
five feet off the ground and another one just like them on the upper level in the
front of the house. Moving around to the back I was finally able to get a good
look inside. The entire back wall of the structure was made of two foot glass
squares held together with a dark green metal frame. The glass didn’t just form
a wall; it extended out in a half circle with a glass roof and reminded me of a
greenhouse.

The floor plan inside the house was open but the warm wood
furnishings gave it a cozy feeling. The walls were white and the floors were
covered with the same tiles that I’d seen out front. Closest to the glass a
circular hot tub sat on a raised area that was separated from the rest of the
house by wooden railings. A few steps down from there was a large area used for
both a living room and a dining room, and just past that was a small kitchen.
On the left was a door that I suspected led to a bathroom and a corkscrew
spiral staircase was located between the dining room and the kitchen. The
upstairs was a loft with a sitting area and a bedroom beyond that, which I
could see a portion of, but the door was only slightly ajar.

The house and its surroundings had a European flare,
possibly Italian, with a good mix of country charm thrown in.

The gothic images covering the walls however, made me think
the occupant of this home wasn’t entirely fond of the country or its charm.

Seeing no movement inside and no way in through the glass, I
went back around to the front where I heard singing coming from the upstairs
window. The voice was female and utterly hypnotic. I didn’t recognize the song
but the words weren’t important anyway. It was the voice that I came here for,
the sound of an angel whispering on the wind.

The fox wanted me to go to her right away but I couldn’t. I
was completely unable to move when my intent was to approach the owner of the
voice, but the instant my intent changed I was free to move again.

Circling the house I looked for anything that could be
blocking me magically. On my third pass I finally found what I was looking for.
Peering in through the glass wall at the back of the house I saw a small amulet
hanging above the front door. It was well hidden and almost looked like part of
the painting it was attached to, but I had no doubts about what it was, or the
reason it was there.

Someone was using magic to keep me from my mate.

I tried for hours to get her attention but nothing worked,
and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t go to her. Eventually I decided I
needed another approach. Perhaps I needed to work my own spell to counter
whatever magic was being used to keep me away.

I was about to leave when I took one last look inside and
saw her bare legs start down the spiral staircase near the kitchen. Hope sang
through me as she continued her descent and my eyes drifted slowly up her
shapely calves, then her creamy white thighs...

I came awake in my bed gasping for breath.

No! I was so close to finding out who she was.

With a furious growl I leapt from my bed and went straight
to my library to research the amulet. It wasn’t anything that I recognized, but
somewhere in one of these books, I was sure I would find a way to circumvent
its power. Once I knew who my mate was, I would be able to find the person who
was keeping me from her.

Then we’d see who could wield the best magic, because no one
would get away with keeping me from my mate.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking the time to read this novel. Now that
you’re finished, I’d love to hear your thoughts on Destined for Time and the
Myths and Legends series. Please let me and other avid readers like yourself
know what you’re thinking by posting a review on Goodreads, Amazon, or wherever
books and eBooks are sold or talked about online.

Best wishes,

Stacie Simpson

For information on more to come in the world of Myths and
Legends please check Stacie’s blog on Goodreads.com:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7101550.Stacie_Simpson/blog

Or connect with Stacie via:

Twitter:
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Email:
[email protected]

Stacie Simpson is the author of Myths and Legends, an
erotic romance series with a paranormal twist. She has been an avid reader for
many years but only recently discovered her love of writing. Stacie lives in
Florida with Maximo, a wonderful man who provides much appreciated inspiration
and encouragement. When she’s not reading or writing she enjoys going to the
movies, watching the Miami Heat play basketball and spending time with her
adult children. Stacie is currently working on the next book in the Myths and
Legends series.