Beastly Curse by Selene Drake Book Tour and Giveaway :)
Beastly Curse
by Selene Drake
Genre: Paranormal Romance
A passionate fairy tale about forbidden love and a vengeful man’s secret longing to end a curse that only true love can cure.
Love was never meant for a man like me until she stumbles into my forest. Isabella Rose, with her jet black hair, mahogany skin, and intoxicating scent, called to me from miles away.
Blade is a beast of a man, a towering presence, a chiseled body, sharp fangs, and he runs with a pack of wolves. Wolves, my father, killed. And I’m willing to trade my life for his.
My Bella…My Enemy…Our Love.
Is it possible that she’s the one to break the curse? That she can feel anything, other than fear, for a man like me?
But the moment I sense enemies lurking to reclaim my Bella, our differences don’t matter because there’s no way I’ll let them harm her. And I’m prepared to fight, hoping the solution isn’t to let her return to the real world leaving me to remain a beast forever.
PROLOGUE
AN
UNSEEN MAGNETIC force draws me closer to the edge of Keyan Forest.
The feeling of something hiding out there amidst the sky touching
trees and thickets of bushes has me eager to investigate. But after
six months of continuous labor and unpredictable obstacles, I need
this crew to transfer the furniture from the truck into Paradise
Falls Resort. I
hear the crack of a branch, and I sweep the area at eye level. After
surveying thick trunks, a couple of squirrels
jumping from tree to tree, I scan lower searching the pockets of
darkness. This forest serves as the home for all forms of
wildlife—salmon, eagles, hawks, bears, deer, and wolves. I
had the resort build adjacent to the forest to have luxury and nature
combined. I'm not sure how the wildlife
is adjusting to me moving in. I don't pay it much mind. But the
sighting of a wolf in town earlier this week has me concerned because
that wolf had to cross through my land to get to Paradise Falls,
Alaska. A small town near the southern coast of the state. Having the
CEO of a Fortune 100 company attacked by a wolf on my land would ruin
me, so I need to fix the problem before the first guests arrive at
the end of the month. I
glance at my watch then the sun and holler at the crew to move their
asses. We have less than an hour before we won’t be able to see the
end of our noses. I guess I could inquire in town about fencing or
how to establish perimeters around the facility, but the people in
town are giving me the cold shoulder, except the owner of Belle's
Book Nook. Isabelle
Joseph still served me coffee this morning with a smile brighter than
the sun. I lean against the tree giving myself permission to let her
kind eyes resurface, the color of cappuccino that managed to be both
innocent and sad at the same time. The kind of eyes that see the good
in people, even the likes of me. I guess fucking with Paradise Falls’
royalty placed me on the town’s shit list. But Cesar Cox, that
traitor, had it coming. I took this land right from under his nose. “Every
dog has his day,” I say, chuckling beneath my breath. I guess
winning the land that he stole from my father is amble payback. Old
Cox folded over the moment he realized his greedy son, Kingston Cox,
lost their beloved property to
Wesley Mallory's rich bastard son. The people of Paradise Falls
showed their disdain by snatching up their red carpets and
withdrawing their dinner invitations. They were ready to run me from
town until they learned not only had I won this land, but I bought
Keyan Forest too. I'll
hold on to the satisfaction of seeing Cox fall to his knees, begging
for the return of the title. But I won the land, he stole, fair and
square in a card game. It took ten years to make this happen, and
soon I'll open the doors to my multi-million-dollar resort. We're
booked with a two-year waiting list for corporate retreats, weddings,
and people wanting a luxury wildlife experience. I
light a cigar and puff and exhale the fragrant smoke. I think a
parade was in order. I saved this land, and
I’ll increase the exposure of this town. Oh well, it’s not the
first time I’ve pissed people off, I’m sure it won’t be the
last. The
sound of wood shattering behind me reclaims my attention. I turn to
berate the idiot responsible when
I spot glowing red eyes about a hundred yards out staring at me
through the dense foliage. I
anchor my cigar to the side of my mouth and slipping my revolver from
the holster. I sidestep crossing the line between the developed
portion of my property and the untamed acreage still populated by the
unknown. Stories
about Keyan Forest rush from my childhood memories. Stories told to
keep children from venturing too deep. Stories told about
extraordinary creatures protecting the land. "I
don't want to hurt you. We can share this land peacefully." I
say, snarling with my finger resting on the trigger. I plan to send a
warning shot when I noticed the distance from the ground. I figure at
least four feet tall. "What
the hell…" “Mr.
Mallory…” “What?”
I reluctantly glance over my shoulder and freeze at spotting the pile
of wood. I groan in frustration at the ten-thousand-dollar dresser
that's now only good for firewood. Yes, I have all the pieces
insured, but it took the craftsmen months to make the one-ofa- kind
dressers, nightstands, and headboards. The
eyes. I
spin a trained gaze back to the forest. Adrenaline kicks in, causing
my heart to race. I press my hand towards
the ground, telling my foreman to keep it down. He nods as I drop my
cigar crushing the lit tobacco
under the heel of my boot. I toss my hat to the ground since I can't
have it blocking my line of sight. I flick two fingers letting the
foreman know I'm going in. I
lead with my revolver crossing into Keyan Forest. The temperature
feels twenty degrees cooler. I blink several times, forcing my eyes
to adjust to the darkness. My eyes pan the landscape, searching for
my uninvited guest. Each
step calculated to account for the overgrown roots and crazy vines.
The rapid pump of my heart rises
to my ears, drowning out the sounds of the animals around me. I force
my mind, intentions, and barrel
on the red glow, and my heart slows to a deliberate crawl. “Mr.
Mallory…” I glance to the right. “Blade
Mallory…” I face the left. Are
the trees talking? I rake my surroundings to measure the time it
will take to clear the brush, and the path has disappeared. A
light illuminates the shadowed core of the forest, and I'm
momentarily blinded by the brightness. I blink and using my
peripheral vision and see I'm surrounded by animals. Some I recognize
and others I don't. The red eyes are attached to a woman with
porcelain skin, and her hypnotizing orbs blaze with rage. I swear
they're level. How'd they hike up another two feet? Should I go back? Hell,
no. I’m not taking my eyes off whatever she is. Her black hair
flows around her like a halo. She can’t
be more than five feet. Then the slight point of her ears captures my
attention. An
elf? She
nods, and an enticing smile crosses her face, she's reading my
thoughts. The corners of her mouth tip
up and a surge of energy, equal parts seduction and sin flows through
me. The curves of her body visible even with the fabric floating
around her feet as they levitate
several feet off the ground. Which explains the shift in height. I
need an exit strategy. I grind my teeth prepared to shoot my way back
when she floats closer. My body, my head, my heart, and my loins war
with the tight grip I have on the gun pointed at this little hellion.
Then she stops with the barrel of my Blackhawk Revolver against her
thin skin, and her chest is hollow. I cock the hammer facing her
without an ounce of fear. The two wolves flanking her growl, stepping
closer. Her
faint laughter vibrates off the trees, and she expands. Blade
Mallory, that gun won’t help you. Not in here. Not now. The
sound surrounds me, but her lips aren’t moving. "For
the record, I'm an excellent shot." I focus the fury stirring in
my blood on the elf, I'll take her down then her bodyguards. I narrow
my eyes, knowing she can read my thoughts. I’ll
kill them all. Try me, I challenge in a private conversation taking
place in my head. Her perfectly arched
eyebrows bunch as if mulling over my offer. "This
is private property. Leave, and no one will get hurt." I
learned to fish and hunt and live off the land right here with my
father until I discovered his secret. So, every happy moment I shared
with my parents was baked into this soil before he changed our lives
forever. So, I’m not letting Keyan Forest go without a fight. Demonic
elf or not. “But
it’s not yours to own,” she counters, expanding before my eyes. “Tell
that to the State of Alaska. I own it.” “That’s
the problem with people like you. You have cold hearts and deep
pockets, buying your way through
life.” Her tone reminds me of nails scraping across a chalkboard,
agitated, strained, and in need of being heard. “Killing the land.
Killing the trees. Killing the animals. All because you own it.
Well, I’m not buying it.” The
little elf is not so little anymore, and with an irritated huff, she
floats higher, expanding, and I take several
steps back. The edges of the forest grow darker, and the animals
rumble in a cohesive growl. A
ball of red matter thunders and crashes in the palm of her hands. The
ring glows white, and it occurs to
me, this elf is gearing up for trouble. But I don't want to hurt her
or these animals. “I
could just kill you and be done with an arrogant prick like you. And
we could notify the State of Alaska that this land isn’t for sale.”
She draws back to her hollow chest as if passing a basketball, aiming
that mass of fiery matter at me. I’d
rather shoot her than have that ball hit me. I raise the barrel aimed
to kill. “Leesa…
Leesa. Stop!” A man steps through the darkness walking closer. "Tristan…"
her voice trembles, and she trains her deadly gaze on the man walking
towards us. "I thought you… What are you doing here?" “I
came back for you.” The
elf has a name. Leesa's eyes jerk back to me, and I don't like
the smile on her face. “Love…for
you.” Tristan offers Leesa a medallion resting in the palms of his
hands like an offering. Leesa
rests a hand on her chest, and her face softens. I
take a few steps back, keeping my mind void. The last thing I need is
her rereading my thoughts. The blue-green
gem is bright, and the rage in her eyes is replaced by love. She's
back on the ground, and he slips the stone over her head. And like
magic, it disappears, and the space
in her chest radiates pure white light. I blink, and her black hair
is white blond. I'm a logical man, but nothing about this episode
makes sense. The sun is setting, and the temperature drops another
ten degrees. I
take another step back. The last place I want to be is inside this
forest after nightfall. She'll have to zap me because my gut tells me
there's more than this elf with a wild hair up her ass in this forest
and until we clear more of the land… “And
you’d still clear this land?” Her hand clings to the man beaming
with love. “The
back end of this land will have private cabins and a playground for
the kids. And over there will be a dog park. Over there…” I point
to the right. “A pool with a large winding slide.” “You
don’t get it. You really don't get it." She steps
forward, and I wish I got what she's talking about. “Good
night.” I turn walking back in the direction I entered. "Blade
Mallory, the forest will be your cage, and the moon will be your god.
Nature will be your teacher, and the cure for your callous heart will
be love." My body faces her, and I have no control. No matter
how hard I strain to break Leesa's hold on me. She steps forward,
holding her hands out, and heat flows from my heart through my limbs.
"May the beast in you rule until you learn the power and
capacity in you to love prosperity, people, and respect
nature.” No…no…no… Leesa
places a hand over my heart. "They broke your heart, and only
true love can save you." Leesa…
Leesa… Get back here you bi— "Say
it!" The forest shakes beneath my feet. "Please, say
it…think it, and I'll take you out of your pathetic misery. Now
sleep, you'll have a tough road ahead. I'll see you soon, Blade
Mallory." Leesa
touches my forehead, and my world goes black.
I write romantic stories laced with love, legacy, and fate. My novels feature culturally diverse characters and I hope to renew or deepen your love for magic, shifters, and romantic imagination.
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