Demons of the Sun (42 page)

“I’m going to take Turtle to the truck.” Danielle picked up the cat carrier. As she passed Persephone, she leaned in and whispered. “Momma Warrior went for food, and I’ll keep Dean and the rest of the crew outside for as long as I can.”

“Thanks, D. You’re the best.”

“I totally am.” Danielle walked out the front door, pulling it closed behind her.

Alone at last. Something Persephone and Jax hadn’t been since all the craziness.

Jax was across the room in mere seconds. He crushed her to him and kissed her like he meant to make up for all the kisses they’d missed. She wrapped her arms around his waist, parted her lips, and let herself drift to that pleasant, light-headed-from-making-out place.

Jax pulled back, a satisfied smirk on his face. “We’re definitely going to have to figure out a way to get more alone time.”

“Definitely.” Persephone sighed and leaned her head against Jax’s chest. Yes, she was going to miss having her own place. But she was ready to start a new life, one that included her bodyguard-slash-Warrior boyfriend.

She wasn’t planning on admitting to him just how happy she was he was still acting all protective of her, though. No need to add to the ego.

In his arms, she felt safe. After believing she’d have to live a solitary life forever, it was kind of hard to believe the next time a problem arose, as she was sure it would, she wouldn’t be all alone.

Nope, Persephone Katsaros, the last living Sentry, would never be alone again

Huge thanks and hugs to all the people who helped this book get to where it is now! To Julia Allen, who doesn’t mind falling for a character, even if he’s a little bit evil, Brandy Vallance, who’s helped me breathe emotion into my characters (and said she was falling for Jax, even though he was blond) and Robert Spiller, King of the Killer Hooks. You guys make writing more fun! Thanks to Anne Eliot, author extraordinaire. Also to my first teen readers, Kika MacFarlane, Kenzie Weller, and the yaromance.com girls.

Thanks to Donna O’Brien, who first requested my manuscript for Crescent Moon Press, said great things about it, and found it a great home. To all the CMP staff and authors, who made me feel welcome.

Thanks to my editor Judy Roth for helping me whip this book into shape and for loving even the minor details in my book that help build the world Persephone and Jax live in. You probably didn’t realize this job would include talking about stages of organ decay and I’m so glad you were up for it!

Much love to my Mom, Dad, and my brothers and sisters for letting me talk about my books and answering weird questions whenever I asked. Thanks to my awesome kids who are excited about Mommy’s books. And thanks to my husband, Michael, who’s lived with an often crazed writer and goes with my odd schedule and even odder ideas. Thanks for coming up with the name to this book and the idea for Jax’s sword when I wasn’t sure how he was going to get away with taking it to school.

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.
You can visit Cindi at www.cindimadsen.com