 | When Celina Leviet escapes the brutal home invasion that kills her husband, she’s left with a bullet in her gut and vengeance in her heart. An alluring demon, Mekaisto, offers an irresistible deal—in exchange for her soul, he’ll let her live long enough to get her revenge, but she must hunt and kill the murderers herself. After sealing the contract, Celina digs into her husband’s past for clues about his murder, and what she uncovers makes her question everything she thought she knew about him. His company never existed. His family history was a lie. And he was involved with The Lumen, a shadowy religious order whose members know too much about demons. As the life she |
thought she knew crumbles around her, Mekaisto's charms become harder to resist. Forced to face a horrible truth, Celina struggles against her late husband’s betrayal and the dark seduction of the devil she knows.
EXCERPT
She grit her teeth. “Do you know what I went through to get you out of here? I deserve something in return.”
“Oh, I will give you something in return.” His eyes gleamed as he stared at her before turning his attention back on the Lumen. A cruel smile curled on his lips as he waved his hand, the pillars crashing to the floor, and sending the electricity sparking all around. The circle of blue fire changed to regular flames, and lit around Kai, the glow inside the room changing to a sharp red color.
Haku looked both excited and terrified. “Here we go.”
“It can’t be.” Father Christopher stared through the smoky glow at the demon he’d trapped.
Kai took on a more demonic appearance and the flames around him illuminated his red eyes, his smile so wide his pointed teeth gleamed more menacingly than ever. The Lumen ran forward, muttering strange words and holding their hands above their heads. Fire soared up to the cathedral ceiling, hiding Kai from view.
“No!” Celina darted toward the flames, but something hard smashed into her.
She landed on her back, losing what wind she had left in her lungs. The tackler lunged, grabbed at her, but she raised the pistol and fired.
The room whirled out of focus as the man burned from the inside out, her ears ringing as they had the night Thomas was murdered. The charred body fell to the floor, and she stared at it through a blurred vision.
She’d taken a human life, and it hadn’t felt like anything she’d imagined. Instead of satisfaction, guilt warred inside her, despite it being in self-defense. Numbness pushed away the shame, and the idea of rescuing Kai and seeing those responsible for Thomas’s death coming to a painful end snapped her back to reality.
She stood. Most of the Lumen lay mutilated on the floor. Father Christopher was the only member of the order left standing.
“Celina, please…” He raised his hands higher, trying to hold the fire.
“End this now.”
He shook his head.
Her inner battle waged on. She’d killed a person, reacted in the heat of the moment, but she couldn’t raise the pistol to shoot the priest when he wasn’t attacking her.
A shadow fell next to her. She spun her arm sideways to point the pistol in the direction, but froze.
Kai.
He brushed his hand through the air, and the fire lifted to the ceiling, setting the wooden beams alight.
“H-h-how did you get out?” Father Christopher wrung his hands as he stared at Kai.
“I could always get out…Venatore.” He hissed the word. “I just wanted to see how many of you were left.”
The priest ran, but Linda blocked the door, cutting off the chance of escape.
“Someone will find a way to kill you, Mekaisto.” The priest backed away from her, and turned to glare at the demon king.
Kai shrugged. “Others have tried through the centuries, and yet, here I am.”
Celina glanced up at the ceiling as the fire spread to the walls. “We should get out.”
“I need you to close your eyes again.” He licked his lips, his stare fixed on the priest.
She crossed her arms, opening her mouth to argue, but Haku dashed to Linda and grabbed onto her arm. “I’d rather not stay for this.”
Adam stared at his king. “Do you want me to take her along?” He motioned toward Celina.
“No,” she answered for herself.
The Sanguis demon lingered, but when Kai nodded, they bowed before vanishing in a blur.
He sighed. “You should not be here when I—”
“He might have useful information.” She tried hiding the plea in her voice.
“You have no say in this matter. He is my kill.” He took a step closer to Father Christopher. “Close your eyes, dove.”
She flinched at his harsh tone and did as he ordered.
Evil slithered to her core as if all life rotted around her. Someone grabbed her from behind and she guessed it was the priest before he spoke.
“Take a look at what you made your deal with, my child.”
“Oh, I will give you something in return.” His eyes gleamed as he stared at her before turning his attention back on the Lumen. A cruel smile curled on his lips as he waved his hand, the pillars crashing to the floor, and sending the electricity sparking all around. The circle of blue fire changed to regular flames, and lit around Kai, the glow inside the room changing to a sharp red color.
Haku looked both excited and terrified. “Here we go.”
“It can’t be.” Father Christopher stared through the smoky glow at the demon he’d trapped.
Kai took on a more demonic appearance and the flames around him illuminated his red eyes, his smile so wide his pointed teeth gleamed more menacingly than ever. The Lumen ran forward, muttering strange words and holding their hands above their heads. Fire soared up to the cathedral ceiling, hiding Kai from view.
“No!” Celina darted toward the flames, but something hard smashed into her.
She landed on her back, losing what wind she had left in her lungs. The tackler lunged, grabbed at her, but she raised the pistol and fired.
The room whirled out of focus as the man burned from the inside out, her ears ringing as they had the night Thomas was murdered. The charred body fell to the floor, and she stared at it through a blurred vision.
She’d taken a human life, and it hadn’t felt like anything she’d imagined. Instead of satisfaction, guilt warred inside her, despite it being in self-defense. Numbness pushed away the shame, and the idea of rescuing Kai and seeing those responsible for Thomas’s death coming to a painful end snapped her back to reality.
She stood. Most of the Lumen lay mutilated on the floor. Father Christopher was the only member of the order left standing.
“Celina, please…” He raised his hands higher, trying to hold the fire.
“End this now.”
He shook his head.
Her inner battle waged on. She’d killed a person, reacted in the heat of the moment, but she couldn’t raise the pistol to shoot the priest when he wasn’t attacking her.
A shadow fell next to her. She spun her arm sideways to point the pistol in the direction, but froze.
Kai.
He brushed his hand through the air, and the fire lifted to the ceiling, setting the wooden beams alight.
“H-h-how did you get out?” Father Christopher wrung his hands as he stared at Kai.
“I could always get out…Venatore.” He hissed the word. “I just wanted to see how many of you were left.”
The priest ran, but Linda blocked the door, cutting off the chance of escape.
“Someone will find a way to kill you, Mekaisto.” The priest backed away from her, and turned to glare at the demon king.
Kai shrugged. “Others have tried through the centuries, and yet, here I am.”
Celina glanced up at the ceiling as the fire spread to the walls. “We should get out.”
“I need you to close your eyes again.” He licked his lips, his stare fixed on the priest.
She crossed her arms, opening her mouth to argue, but Haku dashed to Linda and grabbed onto her arm. “I’d rather not stay for this.”
Adam stared at his king. “Do you want me to take her along?” He motioned toward Celina.
“No,” she answered for herself.
The Sanguis demon lingered, but when Kai nodded, they bowed before vanishing in a blur.
He sighed. “You should not be here when I—”
“He might have useful information.” She tried hiding the plea in her voice.
“You have no say in this matter. He is my kill.” He took a step closer to Father Christopher. “Close your eyes, dove.”
She flinched at his harsh tone and did as he ordered.
Evil slithered to her core as if all life rotted around her. Someone grabbed her from behind and she guessed it was the priest before he spoke.
“Take a look at what you made your deal with, my child.”
GIVEAWAY
The TBR Pile is giving away 3 books from our prize list! (1 each)
To ENTER: Comment below on why you want to read My Soul to Give by Magali A. Frechette!
To ENTER: Comment below on why you want to read My Soul to Give by Magali A. Frechette!
Winners
Prize List Book:
Titania, Melody and Ferishta
Titania, Melody and Ferishta
