Excerpt - Fallen Book 3

I've been steadily at work on the third Fallen novel and wanted to post a little excerpt. Enjoy.

The clothing, he noticed, were not his. The shirt was a crisp apple green dress shirt with tiny yellow stripes, white collar and cuffs, the pants were dark denim slacks, the shoes- loafers. He stood in the center of the room, a towel draped around his narrow waist as he stared at the clothes. Gaston’s taste was so far removed from his own it was ridiculous. Remy would have been perfectly happy in jeans and a t-shirt. Rolling his eyes in exasperation he slipped into them and made his way up a level to see the dreaded woman.

On the elevator ride up, he wished the thing would get stuck or plummet to the cement floor six stories down. Of course, it wouldn’t kill him, but he would be laid up for a few hours. Maybe even a day or two.

But that was not to be, instead the doors pinged open and he found himself standing on the threshold of the one and only woman he completely despised. The door opened before he could knock, and he was greeted by the stony face of her right hand man Gerick. Gerick was pale, no not pale, sallow, with poison green eyes and yellowish teeth. His hair was white and slicked back so severely that at a distance he appeared to be bald. He was short and stocky and looked like a cross between a troll and an ogre, which was exactly what he was. As usual he wore a pull over polo shirt and khaki slacks that were both ill-fitting and unflattering. His complete loathing of Remy was only matched but his blind devotion to Lilith. He gave Remy the once over and smiled.

“Glad to see you dressed for the occasion.” He spoke in a voice that was surprisingly high pitched for someone of his girth.

“Quiet Squeaky.” Remy quipped. “Where’s you master?” He pushed Gerick aside and entered, strolling into the living area.

Her entire living room was draped in the purest soft white. From the plush carpeted to the massive furnishings, everything was white and pristine without a thing out of place. She sat on a white sofa white Victorian sofa, her face turned toward the fire that burned in the white marble fireplace. In such a stark landscape, she was the one bright spot. She was small, smaller than he’d remembered, but then that could just be in contrast to the huge sofa on which she was seated on. Her hair was still the brilliant shade of red he remembered, and her eyes still a bit off putting. She had white irises rimmed red and nearly no pupil at all. Her skin was flawless and nearly as white as the room, her smile radiant. Her beauty had always taken him by surprise before, often leaving him breathless and amorous. Now, it just annoyed the hell out of him.

“You beckoned?” He asked, standing with his arms folded across his chest, one eyebrow raised in question.

“You bow to the High Regent.” Gerick placed a pudgy hand on the back of Remy’s neck intent on forcing a bow from him. Instead, his fingers were grasped quickly and bent back until the sound of cracking bone was audible. Gerick yelped and backed away.

“Leave us.” She said in her light sing songy voice. She rose slowly approaching Remy as if he were a meal she’d craved. Her eyes roamed from the top of his dark curly head to his loafer clad feet and she smiled.

“He broke my fucking fingers.” Gerick protested and she leveled him with a gaze that had him cowering and backing out of the room.

“You didn’t have to do that.” She said, before turning those eyes on Remy. Her expression softened and she looked at him though brilliant red lashes. She wore white yoga pants and tank top that accentuated her slight frame. She fluttered her lids and tossed her hair, giving him a coy smile and Remy groaned.

“What do you want, Lilith?” He asked, his arms once again folded over his chest. She circled him, her fingers delicately dancing across his shoulders. He stepped out of her reach, turning to face her, his expression cold and slightly irritated.

“Be nice, Remy. We used to be such good friends.” She purred and pressed herself against him. She played with the buttons on his shirt, releasing one then another before pressing her hot lips to his smooth bare chest.

Frustration and desire roiled through him, with as much willpower as he could manage, Remy grasped her wrists and pushed her away trying with all his might not to break her arms. His dark eyes seemed to deepen from soft brown to deadly black, his jaw tight as he spoke.

“If you think I would ever let you touch me again, you’re truly the stupidest woman I have ever met. Now tell me what the fuck you want before I snap your fucking neck.”

She pulled away from him, her expression tightening as she rubbed her slender wrists.

“Fine.” She sighed. ”Fine. I want the Angel.” She said bluntly and sat heavily on the sofa crossing her legs as she waited for a reaction.

“You and half the preternatural world. What does that have to do with me?” He asked.

“You-“ She pointed at him. ”Will get him for me. “ Remy sorted and turned to walk out.

“I know that the Dark Fae is after him. They want him for some grand scheme. I can protect him. And your precious little sister. Or is she your big sister? These things are so confusing to sort out. I mean she is older than you are, but she has been to the underworld. When the vampire pulled her from the sea, she had been there for a century or two, right? And when you, brave warrior that you are, rescued her from Tartarus, well, that’s where sex slaves go when their masters are done with them aren’t they? Poor broken girl. Your poor, pretty sister is so fragile. So delicate. It would be so easy to break her again. Is that what you want? Her to be broken? ” She tsked and shook her head, managing for a brief second to look appropriately sympathetic. Remy turn to her slowly, his face tight as he reigned in his anger.

“What am I saying? She’s not your sister at all. “ She giggled, bouncing until she sat with her knees pulled beneath her. “She’s- well, she’s the love of your life, isn’t she? “

“Whatever she is to me is none of your business. I won’t help you, Lilith.”

“Do you think they will stop, Remy? The Assiri has nearly killed her already. Do you think they will stop now that they know exactly where he is? They will stop at nothing to get him to show his true face. They are vicious and brutal and next time she might not be so lucky. Next time they will use her to get to him.”

“The same way you want to use her to get to me?” He asked turning away.

“Do this and I will reinstate you as Commander of the Grey.” He laughed and continued to walk away.

“There is nothing you can offer than will make me help you.” He said. “Nothing.”

“She may not be so lucky next time, Remy. They will come after her again. Maybe I’ll help them out. Maybe I’ll remove the cloaking spell so that they can find her. Or better yet, maybe I will just go to the Persian. I’m more than sure he would greatly appreciate knowing where he can find his precious blue eyed slave girl. She was always his favorite toy, and now that she’s a full grown woman…he might enjoy her skills even more. Maybe that poor love lorn soldier who was so obsessed that he doomed her to hell in the first place. Or perhaps Lucifer, I think he still has a bone to pick with her. The list of enemies is endless, Remy. I mean, I could just put an offer on eBay and let the bidding begin. I could probably rack up a pretty penny for your precious, little tendre coeur.” She cooed. He paused, turning to look at her.

She smirked and rose slowly, placing her hands on her hips. “Yes, I know about your little pet name.” She shook her head. “You are pathetic, following that manipulative bitch around like a sick puppy. Poor, poor goddess needs everyone to coddle her. She bats her eyes and you all fall to your knees. She is a murdering whore who offers nothing but death and destruction. But I can offer you a position within the Collective. You could be the consort to the High Regent, but instead you chose to protect her and dally with the lycan. You mark my words Remy Kent, she will be the end of you.”

He was looming over her in the blink of an eye, his jaw set, his eyes a sickly serpent’s yellow. His face was morphing into some sort of reptile as she watched. Gasping in surprise, she took a step back, tripping and falling onto the sofa. He placed a hand on either side of her, pinning her back so that she couldn’t move. His teeth sharpened to fangs and those green yellow eyes were inches from her own. She held her breath and he leaned in until their noses touched.

“Do not threaten me, Lilith. If you want to continue as the queen of all bullshit, I suggest you play nice. I know where the bodies are buried, literally. I know all of your dirty freaky secrets. If you say or even think of doing anything to hurt anyone they care about, I promise they will tear your little paper kingdom down. And I. Will. End. You.”

Then he was gone, the door slamming behind him.