#SPeekSunday - 7/20/14 - Deadly Enchantment - It's only a dream #ParanormalRomance #Shapeshifters

An unhappy shape shifter can be a dangerous companion....

For Sneak Peek Sunday authors share six paragraphs from a published work or a WIP (work in progress).

My excerpt for this week is from my 2nd book, Deadly Enchantment.  A shapeshifting wizard romance set in Victorian England published by New Concepts Publishing, 

In this snippet, which occurs in the middle of the second chapter, Dominic Westcroft has returned from London to discover his sister has invited several young women to his home, so he can select a new bride.  What neither he nor his sister suspects, however, is that one of the women is actually his deceased bride's sister.  Tormented by guilt over his wife's tragic and brutal death, Dominic has no intention of ever marrying again.  However, when his show of temper accidentally reveals one of their guests possesses magical abilities she's trying to keep hidden, he invites the ladies join him for dinner, so he can rout her out.

His resulting magical show ends up causing a few of the women to cry out in dismay, so Serena calls an end to the charade by revealing herself as the woman with whom he had psychically linked a few hours ago.  Serena knows she's taking a huge risk by standing up to Westcroft, but she believes doing so will put an end to his magical shenanigans without revealing her true identity. However, when Westcroft intimates he knows her secret, her chair magically rises into the air.  Realizing she can't appear weak before a predator, Serena calls Westcroft's bluff. He surprises Serena with his concession to her, but when he lowers her chair back to the ground, the other frightened women inform him they want to leave the manor.  Rather than give in to their pleas he addresses the quailing group in a low, melodic voice that suggests they all get a good night's rest, and he'd discuss their leaving in the morning.

            Amazingly, all the women except Serena nodded.  There wasn’t even a moment’s hesitation from any of them.  The doors opened.  “Ah, Mrs. Sloan, prompt as always.  Please escort our guests to their rooms and make sure none gets lost on her way, will you?  Pleasant dreams, ladies.”

            En masse, they followed Mrs. Sloan into the hall, bumping into one another with shuffling steps like sleepy lambs being led to their slaughter.  When Serena rose to follow, Westcroft stepped closer and put a hand on her arm to stop her.

            “What did you do to them?” she demanded, pulling her arm free.

            “Nothing.  I but eased their fear a bit.”

            “You mesmerized them!”

            “Not exactly, but they will remember this night more as a dream than a reality.”

Dominic Westcroft is determined to uncover his young guest's secrets even if it means keeping the others around as a ruse.

M/F, Shape shifting  wizards in Victorian England.

Read the first three chapters at: Deadly Enchantment

Available at NCP, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ARe

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and want more. Please click the link below to continue your hop Sneak Peek Sunday.  Wishing you a wonderful journey.