Breaking Free (22 page)

Brandy L Rivers is the author of the Others of Edenton Series. There are more Others of Edenton in the works. She is also working on the first couple books in the Others of Seattle series.

As an avid reader, Brandy has always loved writing. She became serious about it as a stay-at-home-mother. She has a file full of manuscripts she plans to edit and put out there eventually.

She lives in Western Washington with her husband and three kids, where she is already working on future stories in the series.

If you are interested in receiving emails about future book releases, please sign up for her email distribution list by visiting her site at:

http://www.brandylrivers.com

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And at Twitter:
https://twitter.com/brandylrivers

Abyss –
Faerie version of hell. It is a dark, desolate wasteland.

Air Faerie
– A fae descended from the Air Kingdom in Faerie. They mainly cast air or electricity based spells. Some can dematerialize, scattering their cells. They can watch without being detected in this form, and travel great distances rapidly.

Alpha
– The leader of a werewolf pack. Usually the most dominant wolf in a group.

Alpha Voice
– A command given by the alpha using pack magic. The command forces a single or multiple wolves to obey.

Awakening
– Faeries come to age after their first sexual release with another faerie. This process brings their power to the surface. It will strengthen what might have previously shown as a weak power, or produce new ones to the individual fae.

Bond
– Faerie’s can form a bond with another. It is similar to werewolves mating. The two fae’s magic mingles, strengthening each other. It is a slower process but once it forms it can’t be broken.

Bloodo
ath
– A promise made in blood to a druid, magically binding both parties from breaking their word.

Brownie
– Fae that takes care of a family or house. They tend to have brown hair, skin and eyes. They are typically very secretive.

Circle of Protection
– A spell many casters use to protect something or someone. An invisible shield which will keep most things out, or the person being protected in. The spell will end if the caster breaks the circle or dies.

Compulsion
–
Some vampires have special abilities to cause a trance. Sirens and nymphs can force a suggestion on someone during sexual release.

Dales
– Group of vampires and dark mages who run an illegal fighting ring. The majority of the competitors are Others who have been abducted and forced to fight either through blackmail or mind control. They were a problem ten years before but disappeared until recently.

Dark Mages
– Usually rogue mages, though sometimes any mage that uses darker arts such as necromancy, blood magic, death magic or other illegal magics.

Druids
– Humans who possess nature magic. They aren’t as common as mages. Most tend to stick to other druids. They primarily cast earth and air spells, though most can manipulate fire and water. Druids can shift into animals with practice.

Earth Faerie
– A fae descended from the Earth Kingdom of Faerie. Their powers include superhuman strength and super-sensitive hearing, smell, and sight. Most can manipulate the earth itself, or create compounds of rock from dust or dirt. Some are able to communicate with animals.

Enthrall
–
See compulsion.

Fairy Struck
– This happens when a human has become addicted to a faerie’s affection. This is rare and usually done on purpose or when the faerie is careless.

Fire Fae
–
A fae descended from the Fire Kingdom of Faerie. Many have visions. Their magic is generally heat and fire based.

Iron
– Certain types of faerie have an aversion to iron and other metals with iron content.

Lich
e
– A mage who undergoes death magic rituals to transcend their human body and become a spirit. The process takes years, and the body decays. Eventually only the soul is left, making them nearly impossible to kill.

Mages
– Humans who possess elemental magic. They can sling spells like weapons or heal, though it is rare for a mage to be a healer.

Magistrate
–
Somewhat like the Silver Council’s Sheriff, though their territory is larger than one city.

Mana-blades
– Enchanted swords or daggers which are tattooed into the skin. They can be pulled like a normal weapon, but only by the one with the tattoo. Most people cover the blade with another tattoo to hide the magical weapon. The blades do more damage than a normal blade, and depending on the creature it cuts, can do even more specific damage.

Mate
– Werewolves, and some other creatures, sometimes create a bond with their soul mate. The bond is nearly impossible to break unless one party dies. The bound couple will sometimes feel what the other is feeling, or sense the danger the other is in.

Necromancer
–
A mage whose magic revolves around the dead. They are usually mediums, and often have other forms of magic.

Nymph
–
There are water nymphs and wood nymphs. The water nymphs originated in Faerie near lakes, oceans and rivers. Wood nymphs originated in the oldest forests. Most of their magic is powered by love, lust and similar emotions, and enhanced through orgasm. Some nymphs have other forms of magic as well. Unlike most faerie, they have no glamour and are stuck with their unusual coloring.

Others
– Any being that isn’t quite human. Werewolves, vampires, shaman, druid, mages, witches, warlocks, fae are some examples.

Pack
– Or werewolf pack, is a group of werewolves in an area. The size of the pack determines the size of their region. Werewolves in a pack have a hierarchal structure based on the creature’s innate dominance. Usually there is an alpha who is the leader, and several enforcers who enforce the will of the leader, and the rest of the werewolves. Every pack is run differently.

Pack Enforcer
– Werewolves high in the pack hierarchy who carry out the alpha’s orders or discipline.

Satyr –
Fae creature with a goat’s legs and hooves. Fur covers their bodies from the hips down. They have horns upon their heads. They are known for their insatiable sexual behavior and to be well endowed.

Sealed Bond
– Some mated werewolves will form a sealed bond which is stronger than that of a mate bond.

Shadowstalker
s
– Specific breed of vampire. They are one of the most dangerous breeds. They manipulate shadows, are adept at mind control, and generally only feed off Others whose blood can be quite addictive because of its magical properties.

Shaman
– Humans who possess nature magic. Similar to druids, but not the same. Most shaman can shift into a specific animal.

Shield
– A protection spell. Forms a wall usually of one or two elements.

Silver
– Wereanimals have an aversion to silver. It burns, and wounds caused by silver weapons or bullets are much slower to heal than a normal wound.

Silver Council
– Organization of mages. They are the governing force of most Others. Not everyone recognizes them, but they try to police all Others. The Silver Council is mostly made up of formally trained mages. They occasionally will employ other casters.

Silver Council Enforcer
– The mages who police Others.

Siren
–
Sometimes called mermaids. They do change forms in water. Fine scales cover their skin, and they develop gills behind their ears. Their coloring often changes with this form. They have similar forms of magic to nymphs.

Soul Prison
– A device or talisman that can house a being. Usually small orb or sphere, it basically transports the being to its own empty realm.

Translocation
– Some mages can vanish and reappear in another area. It is a rare talent.

Ward
–
A spell that protects, sometimes keeps people from entering.

Warded tattoos
– Tattoos usually done by druids, shaman or sometimes mages, which have a spell imbued into the pattern. The spell is typically of a protection variety.

Warlock
– See also witch. Typically the male version of a witch.

Wereanimal
– Any type of wereanimal. Werewolves are the most common. Werecats probably second. They are stronger and faster than your average human. There are rare cases of other wereanimals. Each species varies in what it may, or may not, be able to do. These creatures heal most wounds incredibly fast.

Werecat
– Any wereanimal who turns into some form of cat. Lion, tiger, and leopard are a few examples. Werecat strains of lycanthropy are harder to catch. They tend to be more patient than most wereanimals. They are extremely fast. Unlike werewolves, they tend to be solitary, though sometimes form clans that are spread out over great distances. Sometimes will meet and hunt together, but for the most part have no structured clan.

Werewolves
– Specific type of wereanimal. A werewolf is created when a werewolf in either its beast form, or half-man form bites and sometimes scratches a human. They are incredibly strong, and faster than a normal human. Powerful werewolves can not only shift into their wolf form but a form bigger than human, covered in fur with enormous claws and a bestial head. Their sense of smell and sight are very strong, especially in their beast forms.

Witch
– A human who is highly sensitive to magic, and can cast a limited amount of magic. Abilities include clairvoyance, empath, telekinesis, or various other psychic abilities. Most are adept at potions that combine natural ingredients with magic.

Vampire
– There are several varieties of vampire. They live off human or Other blood. For the most part, highly allergic to the sun. They are incredibly fast, and each breed possesses a different set of abilities.

Mom, you are amazing and you know it. Thank you for everything you do for me and all the support you give.

To my family who puts up with all my crazy, you know I love you.

Michele Myers, who listens to me go on and on about the crazy threads in my head, thank you for letting me sort through to weave the story.

Kristin Mayer, my favorite Slater stalker. I love the non-paranormal perspective of your comments. You always help me make the story tighter.

Magen Mc
Minimy, I always love your feedback. Thank you for reading the early version.

Felicia Tatum, thank you for reading the early version and cheering me on.

D.L. Scott, your feedback was awesome. Thank you for taking an early read of Breaking Free.

Danielle-Claude Ngontang M
ba, thank you for your insider knowledge on the UK and a couple key places I needed help figuring out.

Amanda, thank you for taking the time to beta read.

To the ladies of Rivers Others, I couldn’t do it without you. You all rock, I love you to pieces.

Of course, I can’t forget my Dauntless Indies ladies. You all are amazing, keep it up.

Tara, you are a great editor. You take my voice and polish it and you don’t mind my crazy. Thank you, truly.

Others of Seattle: Book 2

Chapter 1

Pounding music flowed over Isadora Starling as she walked back into her bar, Shenanigans. Only one thing was on her mind, finding someone who would take her home and rock her world. She was smoking hot and she knew it.

Taking note of every man whose head turned in her direction, she emphasized the already-seductive sway of her hips as she sashayed to the bar with purpose.
As usual, her eyes kept shifting back to the only man in the place who made her mouth water. Unfortunately, her best friend was not on the menu.

She slid into a booth and turned toward her business partner, Lana, one of the few women she truly trusted.

Lana’s molten silver eyes landed on her. A smirk twisted her lips. “Back so soon?”

Isa lifted a shoulder in a shrug before stating,
“I’m on a mission.”

Perusing the sultry make-up and her come-ravish-me outfit, Lana snorted.
“I can see that. What are you drinking?”

“Double Grey Goose, straight up.”

“One of those nights?” There was a grimace on her face.

Isa responded
with a one fingered salute before turning back to the crowd with the intention of finding a man.

Lana cut in with,
“I still think you should drag him home and get each other out of your systems.”

By him, she meant Isa’s best friend, Toryn Flame. More than gorgeous, he was fucking beautiful, masculine perfection. His dazzling blue topaz eyes were lined in guyliner, not that they needed any help attracting attention with his ten
-mile long lashes. Silky black hair was teased up in a sexy tousle calling to her fingers. The man was a sex god, in snug leather pants and half-buttoned black silk shirt that was open far enough to display his sculpted chest and the beginning of washboard abs.

Fo
rbidden, though she had a never-ending supply of fantasies starring Toryn. The current was her craving to lick every ridge of muscle on her way down to the golden zipper over an impressive bulge she wished she could ignore.

They were firmly stuck in the friend zone. He didn’t see her that way, and despite the fact he was sensuality walking, she wasn’t supposed want him.

Frustrated, she turned back to Lana with a cold stare. “Have you forgotten he prefers men? Last time I checked,” she looked down and shook her tits for emphasis, “I have all the wrong parts. Besides, he’s my friend, my
best
friend and he,” she glanced back to watch Toryn tongue-fuck his boytoy, “is all over his man, Leon.”

One scarlet brow rose in challenge
. “Bullshit, I’ve seen him take women home.”

“Please, when was the last time? Jessabeth? And that rare
occurrence was over a year ago.”

Lan
a’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my god, you are fucking blind, Isadora. He’s only with Leon to distract himself from you.” With a glare, Lana slid the vodka to her.

What Isa wouldn’t give for that to be the truth
. Forcing that desperate sentiment from her mind, she took the shot in a single gulp, causing Lana to grimace.

Driving her point home, Isa nodded back to the two hottest men in the place. “Toryn is with Leon. Has been for nearly two months, which is some kind of record for him.” Actually, it had been seven weeks exactly, which was damn near a miracle. Aside from Leon, he hadn’t been with a single person more than twice since she
’d met him nearly ten years ago. Somehow his lack of commitment made her want him all the more. She always loved a challenge, and secretly wished she could be the one to make him happy.

Of course, if she told Lana she was counting, it would prove her point, a p
oint Isa was going to deny until she had some hope of believing it.

With a devilish smirk, Lana shrugged
. “He’d dump him for you in a heartbeat.”

A glance back at Toryn
easily reminded her how wrong Lana was. Toryn was grinding his hips into Leon who was hungrily kissing down Toryn’s throat. They were too hot and heavy for it to just be a distraction.

“Then why is he taking Leon home tonight? And don’t tell me he’s not. Do you see that?” Isadora pointed back at them with a wicked grin. It was a gorgeous sight.

Licking her lips and watching like every other woman, and most of the men, in the nearly anything goes bar, she nodded. “Oh, I do, but you don’t see the way he looks at you. Like he’s making love to you with his eyes. When you aren’t watching Toryn, he always stares at
you
.”

Lana filled the
shot glass.

In all the years they’d been friends,
Toryn had never made a move, so Lana was wrong, very depressingly wrong. Isa slammed back the second dose and glared back at Lana. “You are full of shit. Pour me another.”

“I’m not
. I still say you’re fucking blind,” Lana taunted as she refilled the glass. “If he wasn’t so hung up on you, I would make a move on him.”

That hurt.

Wait… what? Hung up on me?
Yeah, might need to have her committed
.

Isa
took another glance at Toryn and Leon then grinned at Lana. “If you can pry him from Leon, he’s all yours.”

Thankfully, Lana changed the subject.
“Where’s Mike?”

Well-intentioned, maybe,
but her new topic wasn’t much better. Isa downed the third shot before answering, “Don’t know. Don’t care. Of course it would be a hell of a lot easier to get laid if he
were
around.” He was her favorite fall-back romp in the sack.

“You torture that poor man.
If you’d let him, he’d fall in love with you.”

And that was exactly the reason she hadn’t called and was attempting to avoid him… though in desperate times...

Mentally shaking herself, she quipped, “We don’t work as a couple. Sure, explosive in bed, awesome on the dance floor, but that is where our good chemistry ends. We would drive each other batshit crazy, and I’m not talking about the scorching hot way. Not to mention the fact Roxy hates my fucking guts.”

“Only because you’re stringing her brother along. Plus, she has a valid point. I’m still convinced you fell for Toryn years ago. Like two seconds after you met him.”

She was right, but Isa wasn’t going there. “Go to hell.”

“Only when you join me.”

Isa slid the empty glass at Lana and batted her lashes. “Anyone I should be considering?”

With an accusatory glare, she answered, “Plenty of them.
Except,
don’t take the hot blond home.” She glanced down at the end of the bar for about the hundredth time since Isa sat down.

All Isa saw was the healthy fall of shiny blond hair, way too long and perfect to be on any man’s head.

“I don’t go for blonds.” Isa smirked before turning toward the crowd. Of its own accord, her gaze landed on Toryn, who winked at her.

Lana pulled her back to reality with bite in her tone. “Knowing you, you’ll take him home, just to spite me.”

Isa spun back around, indignant. “I would not. When was the last time?”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Last week, when you took Reese home.”

“Oh,” she shrugged sheepishly, “that hardly counts. You didn’t warn me beforehand. If you had simply told me, I would have found someone else.” It was the truth, Isa never meant to hurt anyone, and especially not her friends. There had been plenty of other options. She honestly hadn’t realized Lana was interested.

“Why don’t I believe that?” she muttered. The question stung. Of course, Lana turned around and hired the guy the very next day,
even after Isa begged her not to.

“I’m not that selfish, Lana. I wouldn’t do that to you,” she whined.

Isa fought back a smile as she felt Toryn’s approach. He had a presence she could feel and as much as she hated her weakness, it felt so good to have him close. Toryn leaned his long hard body against hers.

Lana grinned as if her point was made.

One corner of Isa’s mouth lifted. “I would be more worried about Toryn taking Blondy home.”

“Bitch,” she gasped.

“Grey Goose?” Toryn licked his full lips as his brow cocked. “One of those nights, Isa?”

Her eyes nearly rolled out of her head
. “Okay, everyone stop. I had a long day, and I’m horny as hell. It’s not like I’m driving home. No more judging. Just let me find a man for the night.”

The kid sitting next to Isa leaned in, smiling with his baby-face.
Did Lana even card him?

Toryn grinned
. “Two Loves and one is for my sweet Isadora.” His eyes held a mischievous sparkle.

Isa snorted. “Is that so?”

“Don’t argue,” he purred in a way that made her want to scratch her nails down his back while riding him into the night.

With a groan, she smiled back at Lana and tossed down enough cash to cover her vodka and the
Loves, plus a generous tip. “Where’s Leon?”

Avoiding answering, Toryn quickly finished the drink and placed it on the counter. “Let’s dance.”

She let the question slide and followed his lead after finishing her cocktail.

Maybe she had a bit too much, too fast, because the world tilted. Still, she managed to walk straight.

“Leon won’t be jealous?”

“Nope, he plans to join us soon.” She could feel his eyes caress down her body and back up. “He told me to tell you that you’re on fire tonight.”

“He always says that.”

He pulled her close and his lips grazed over her ear. “Only because it’s true.”

The warmth of his breath and rumble of his voice only heightened the ache between her legs.
Such a damned tease.
And if he didn’t do it with
everyone,
she might think he really felt something for her.

* * * *

Isa smiled up at him, one hundred percent unaffected. She was completely immune to his charm, which was likely a good thing. Even if she wanted him, he couldn’t have her. Too many things would be revealed, things she wasn’t supposed to know. Not to mention it would go directly against his orders.

Toryn hated keeping secrets from her. When she finally did learn the truth, he’d be lucky if she spoke to him. Regardless of orders, no matter what she did, he would always keep her safe.

Playing her friend was torture. He knew all of her secrets, her quirks, everything. Her flaws only made him love her more.

There was no more perfect creature than Isa. Her long black hair fell to her ass in soft waves when it was loose. Right then it was twisted into an intricate braid that draped over her shoulder. Sparkling emerald eyes drew him in. And her pale skin shimmered as if a trillion tiny diamonds lay under the surface. A normal mortal would never notice. Isa, however, was the same as he, though she didn’t know.

Her come-ravish-me clothes would turn a saint. The shimmering black dress scooped to tastefully display her cleavage, and dipped down her back to tempt every man’s hands into caressing the soft skin. Completing the torturous ensemble, fuck-me-standing boots covered her shapely legs to above the knee, and made his cock throb behind his fly.

Damn Leon for encouraging him to drag her out to the dance floor. Torture, having her in his arms, against his body, moving with the music. The last thing Leon uttered before traipsing off was, “You need to come clean, tell her everything, because I can’t keep playing this game.”

Toryn couldn’t either.

He pulled Isa close. With a content sigh, she melded into his body. Biting back his groan, he closed his eyes. His dream filled the dark canvas, the vision that made pretending damn near impossible.

The two of them together, in Faerie. Their child in his arms as he sang an ancient lullaby. Her smile was full of radiance and love, a look she had never given him.

Toryn’s accuracy with visions was reliable enough, he trusted someday, somehow, they would come together. In that moment, he couldn’t imagine how. With who she was, it would never be allowed.

Once again, he had to ignore his splintering heart to help her find a man. That could wait until Leon showed up, hopefully in time to stop him from taking things past the point of no return

Unless Leon made good on his threats to let him lose control. It didn’t help Leon kept taunting him with an offer for a threesome, something he had enjoyed in the past. However, Isa was not a woman he wanted to share.

The music slowed down, and her hips moved into his body, his hard length trapped between them. Her breath hitched as her arms wound around his neck, and she pressed closer with a needy sound that stopped his heart.

Can she feel it too? Does she finally see me?

Toryn’s final threads of control disappeared in a rush, the temptation too great. His hands curved over her ass, hauling her closer. His lips grazed over the spot behind her ear.