Impostors' Kiss

Table of Contents

~ Acclaim for Renea Mason ~

~ Look for these titles from Renea Mason ~

Copyright Warning

~ Dedication ~

Impostors’ Kiss

~ About the Author ~

~ Also by Renea Mason ~

More Paranormal Romance from Etopia Press

~ Acclaim for Renea Mason ~

“A supporting cast of hunky and hilarious friends, as well as enemies keeps this story from being simply a love story, and into  more of mystery. 
A Symphony of Light and Winter
is a great read! I definitely recommend it.”

—
Inner Goddess
(5 Stars)

“
Symphony of Light and Winter
had suspense, action, romance, an abundance of steam (adults only!), and lots of attitude. It will grab your attention right away and keep it until the end. There will be no setting this one aside. Not a chance!”

—
Crazy for Books

“Very well written with intense character interaction, attitude and the growing heat of romance, Ms. Mason has proven she can write with a magnetic pull that will grip your imagination and hold you prisoner until that very last page!”

—
Tome Tender
(5 Stars)

“Holy Sexy Whirlwind!! From the beginning I was sucked in and didn’t come up once for air! Honestly, there are some many amazing things about this book I can’t even find a good place to start.”

—
Taking it One Book at a Time
(5 Stars)

“Renea Mason’s book has everything you could want- a unique world, a panty dropping alpha male, a gripping plot and seamless writing that would never let on this was her first novel. I’ll admit, I had her confused with another author and jumped to read the book. It wasn’t until I was done and realized how much better this book was that I realized I had the wrong author! Woohoo for accidents!”

—
Book Bliss
(5 Stars)

“If you love Alexandra Ivy, Lara Adrian, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lynsay Sands, Laura Wright, and all those other amazing paranormal authors that I absolutely love with all my heart…then you will LOVE Renea Mason and her brand new
Symphony of Light
Series.”

—
Book Reads and Reviews

“There are a lot of secrets, romance, violence and mystery. Linden and Cyril are wonderful characters you can’t help but love. This is not your typical paranormal book. There are times as you get to know Cyril more, you come close to tears... I recommend this book and hope that the next in the series comes out soon.”

—
Paranormal Romance Guild
(5 Stars)

~ Look for these titles from Renea Mason ~

Now Available

The
Symphony of Light
Series

Impostors’ Kiss (Book 0.5)

Symphony of Light and Winter (Book 1)

Impostors’ Kiss

Symphony of Light and Winter Book 0.5

Renea Mason

Copyright Warning

EBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is a crime punishable by law. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded to or downloaded from file sharing sites, or distributed in any other way via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 (
http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/
).

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Published By

Etopia Press

1643 Warwick Ave., #124

Warwick, RI 02889

http://www.etopia-press.net

Impostors’ Kiss

Copyright © 2013 by Renea Mason

ISBN: 978-1-940223-62-9

Edited by Kyle Lewis

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Etopia Press electronic publication: November 2013

~ Dedication ~

Special thanks to my wonderful boys, the Coffee Talk Writers, the Renea Mason Street Team, my editor Kyle Lewis, the Etopia Press staff, and all my family and friends, without whose support none of this would be possible.

Impostors’ Kiss

Dying sucked. Not just the pain. Sure, the agony—that moment just before the heart stops—and the uncertainty of how and when I might wake up left an impression. But the holes, those missing points in my timeline aggravated me most. Each time I died, I wondered how much of myself I’d lose. How many of those defining moments would remain forever dead? And most of all, despite being all-powerful, I became powerless to know what I had lost.

My family filled in the gaps, when I read their minds. Seeing my life through their eyes was like watching a movie—always tainted with the director’s perception. The events were clear, but my analysis lost. I’d tried journaling, but given the vast amount of time my existence spanned, it proved impractical. Frustrating to think that in the millenniums I had existed, there were mistakes I was damned to commit again because I had no recollection of the consequences.

From the beginning, only a few prominent memories had stuck with me. Like my time as Emperor in Asia, long before the Great Wall was built. I remember each of my family members' creations too. And…
her
. From the moment I existed, her vision has haunted me. I had no idea who she was, only that one day she would come to me. Losing her image was my greatest fear, so I painted her, wrote the words I imagined she’d say, and thought of her often in hopes that the next time I reincarnated, she’d make the journey with me.

It had been three hundred years since my last death, but I sensed that I would soon be facing an important crossroads in my destiny.

* * *

The air was stifling as I traversed the Scottish moors with Rhys. I couldn’t imagine the journey with anyone else. The boggy terrain and miles of nothing but sedges made for a tedious journey, but Rhys’s carefree and optimistic attitude made it bearable. Of all my “family” members, Rhys most often made me second-guess my choice to quit making—forming a new, enhanced being from the souls of three individuals. He had embraced his new life from the moment he took his first breath, in his new form, while most of the others resisted and only later came to terms with whom they had become. Most of them anyway.

Our travels had taken weeks and still more days awaited us. We were to rendezvous with Stanton Overton, another trusted member of my family. If the message had come from anyone else, I would have declined and remained in my castle with a fire blazing in the hearth. I missed the feast each evening and the plethora of chambermaids at my service.

I was about to curse Stanton’s name for sending the urgent message requesting my presence and causing the dreadful journey, when Rhys and I happened upon a young boy lying in a ditch. His blond, matted hair was tinted crimson with blood seeping from an open wound on his head. The holes in his trousers revealed more lacerations.

Rhys rushed to his aid. He pressed his ear to the boy’s chest, glanced at me, and nodded. The boy, not more than eleven or twelve years of age, was alive, but unconscious.

We ripped fragments of fabric from our shirts and tended the boy’s wounds. I lifted his limp body and placed him on my shoulder. On the horizon, at the end of the gravel covered trodden path, were outlines of shanties on the outskirts of the small village of McElwin.

The child's unconscious mind was easy to read. He was the innkeeper's son. Bandits had tried to kill him as retribution against his father. The boy's constitution was hearty. He would likely survive, but his father needed to be warned.

I carried the boy to the tavern door and transferred him to Rhys's welcoming arms. I didn’t do so well in…social situations, especially with women. Best I remained out of sight.

I took a seat upon a haystack in the empty stable across from the tavern. A welcomed breeze kicked up, thankfully rushing out the thick moist air. But it didn't escape me that the conditions were the perfect ingredients for a storm.

Once situated on the hay, I grabbed a branch and with the tip began to draw in the mud. The subject was always the same—the woman who haunted my every waking moment. Her portrait was all my wandering mind desired.

After about an hour of intense concentration, I had not done her features justice. I looked up and spotted Rhys emerging from the rustic, well-worn establishment.

“Cyril,” he called out as he gathered his long black hair in both hands and secured it from the wiping wind with a black leather thong.

I stood, leaned the branch against the wall, and prepared to resume our jaunt. I could have easily read Rhys’s mind to get my answers, but I had taken to actively blocking my family’s thoughts. My constant intrusion had placed a strain on our friendship, so whenever possible, I tried my best to engage in normal conversations. Even when I was unsuccessful, I pretended for their sake.

“Has the boy been claimed?” I took a few steps toward him.

“
Si
.
Muy afortunados.”
The breeze carried Rhys’s thick Spanish accent. He moved closer but I had received his message.

I took a deep breath and shifted my sword. “The boy is recovering?”

Rhys closed the distance. From his position, the honey gold of his eyes, much like the sand of the desert I’d rescued him from, glinted with each peek of the sun through the clouds. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “
Si. El niño
will be fine. The innkeeper appreciated the news about the bandits. As a token of his appreciation he has gifted you a night with his eldest daughter. She is
muy bonita
and patiently waiting just as you require.”

I shot him an approving smile, but had to ask, “Is she…”

“Fear not, she is not timid or untouched.” Rhys patted my arm. “It’s been weeks
mi amigo
, waste no time.”

A welcome turn of events. My travels had left me without companionship and in desperate need of release.

I clasped both of Rhys’s hands in mine then made for the inn.

The cold handle, thick wood, and ironbound door that greeted me opened with ease. The noisy patrons bustled, but as my feet connected with the worn wood floor, all commotion stopped. The clanging of dropped utensils the only sound. The scent of lamb stew and stout hung heavy in the air. I scanned the crowd, careful not to allow my gaze to linger too long. All eyes focused on me. With my threat assessment complete, I was determined not to allow my curse to ruin this opportunity.