An unhappy shape shifter can be a dangerous companion....
For Sunday's Six of the Best 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.
Though Serena is routed out during dinner, she manages to keep her true identity a secret. After her close call with their host, however, she returns upstairs to speak with her cousin, while Dominic retreats to his study to send for his sister. As he waits, he recalls his former mentor's prophecy stating both Dominic and Terrence would need to mate with a woman pure of spirit and body prior to their thirtieth birthday. Failure to do so would mean slipping into a steady decline that would result in them not only losing their powers, but their minds as well. Since marriage wasn't a requirement, Terrence fulfilled his end of the prophecy many years, while Dominic waited until his wedding night when his bride was brutally slaughtered before they could consummate their marriage. All the same, when you considered his tenants paid only 75 GBP a year in rent, the fact that his sister was offering each of the women 100 GBP of his money, rankled. He wasn't that difficult to be around.
Though Serena is routed out during dinner, she manages to keep her true identity a secret. After her close call with their host, however, she returns upstairs to speak with her cousin, while Dominic retreats to his study to send for his sister. As he waits, he recalls his former mentor's prophecy stating both Dominic and Terrence would need to mate with a woman pure of spirit and body prior to their thirtieth birthday. Failure to do so would mean slipping into a steady decline that would result in them not only losing their powers, but their minds as well. Since marriage wasn't a requirement, Terrence fulfilled his end of the prophecy many years, while Dominic waited until his wedding night when his bride was brutally slaughtered before they could consummate their marriage. All the same, when you considered his tenants paid only 75 GBP a year in rent, the fact that his sister was offering each of the women 100 GBP of his money, rankled. He wasn't that difficult to be around.
“I
believe you have sufficient funds to support this venture without resorting to
magic, Dominic.”
“Not
for long if you keep trying to give it away.”
“You’re
as rich as Croesus even without the title, so stop complaining. Did you unmask your vixen?”
He
counted to ten under his breath, then sighed in resignation. “Eventually.
Have all the women undergone purity validation?”
“All
except the Blanford women, they refused to submit to the trial.”
“Why?”
he inquired, his suspicions roused anew.
“Serena
didn’t see the point in either herself or her cousin, Allison, being validated
since they had yet to decide if they wished to accept you.”
Though Dominic Westcroft suspects Serena has secrets she's not willing to share, he is determined to uncover the truth behind his young guest's deception, even if it means keeping the other women around as a ruse.
M/F, Shape shifting wizards in Victorian England.
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Love this Kathryn! Serena and Allison yet to decide whether they accept him...wonder how he will react to that!
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Roz