Series: Curse of the Guardians #1
Publication date: May 5th, 2022
Synopsis:
He despises her... almost as much as his beast craves her.
Kyra's seen and survived the worst things imaginable, all because of the magic she was born with. Trapped by her secret, she has no choice but to serve Councilman Gallagher or risk everything she has tried so hard to build. Because despite black magic being banned, her very survival depends on it.
When she's commanded to summon a Daemon, a Breed notorious for their corruption and brutality, she's torn between keeping her secret and doing the right thing.
Xander's hate for black witches was notorious, but nothing frustrated him more than the one witch that brings trouble with a capital T. With dark amber eyes, and a controlled strength that fascinated his beast -- the monster he's cursed to share a soul -- Xander will do anything to push her away.
So when he's forced into protecting her, he must put aside his prejudice and ignore his growing desire that's an insult to his past.
Because he's had an entire childhood to remember why you can't trust black witches.
And he definitely can't trust Kyra Farzan.
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Excerpt
How did she get herself into that position? In the home of a man that hated her, a man she struggled to stay away from. He had always been clear about his feelings, yet she felt pulled by an invisible magnetism every time she saw him.
Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, she thought to herself before she looked up at the mirror, the dark bags beneath her eyes heavy. The cut on her lip looked as well as it could, only slightly bruised with little to no swelling.
Frederick wanted her to be the perfect subordinate, not questioning his decisions as he used her for his dubious spellcasting. If she stayed she was confident she would become a shell of herself. But if she ran she risked worse.
Kyra let out a settled breath, lifting her skirt to check the cut through her black opaque tights. The fabric stuck to both the old and new blood, the tights intact apart from the ladder across her knee. The cut beneath looked nasty, wider than she remembered.
"Take off your skirt."
Kyra jumped, having not heard Xander re-enter the bathroom. He wore a pair of jeans, the button undone to show the deep V of his hips.
No underwear, she thought. Great.
"You're bleeding, so take off your skirt," Xander repeated, opening the medical tin. When she remained exactly where she was he growled. "You want to do this the easy way or the hard way?"
"Excuse me?" she snapped.
Xander leaned forward. "You can either willingly take off your skirt, or I'll rip it off. Your choice, Princess."
Kyra glowered, but exhaustion beat heavily against her. "You're an arsehole."
"So I've been told," he drawled. "But at least I don't pretend to be anyone I'm not."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means stop arguing and take the fucking skirt off so I can treat your leg."
Taylor Aston White loves to explore mythology and European faerie tales to create her own, modern magic world. She collects crystals, house plants and dark lipstick, and has two young children who like to 'help' with her writing by slamming their hands across the keyboard.
After working several uncreative jobs and one super creative one, she decided to become a full-time author and now spends the majority of her time between her children and writing the weird and wonderful stories that pop into her head.
