Hello my loves,
The outpouring of support I received from my last email was overwhelming. Thank you for caring about my personal life struggles. Writing and editing the final book of the Silver Fae Games has kept my mind busy, and when that doesn't work, I scroll through instagram and create posts. I also snuggle with my pups. (There's also a healthy amount of chocolate consumed.)
Please remember, you don't ever have to go it alone. There is always someone there to help and support you. Incredible resources are available at: SAMHSA or call SAMHSA's National Helpline 800-662-HELP (4357) (there is always someone there to talk to.)
Okay, serious business aside. Let's talk books because that's why we're here, right?
I've got good news... My cover designer made new paperbacks for The Goddess Chronicles, and I'll be selling books direct from kbanne.com once I get them uploaded. (All in good time.)
I'm winding down edits, and I need one or two HAWK EYES to Beta Read for me with a fast turnaround. (I'm talking 3 or 4 days). I would be eternally grateful and that includes all sorts of fun swag from me. Want in? Email me telling me why you'd like to Beta Read for me. (I should include a job description but you could google if you need to.)
I also need some new Dream Team members. They read my books before anyone else does and then post reviews on launch day. Want in? Email me and tell me why you'd like to join the Dream Team.
Without further ado, the excerpt you've all been waiting for...
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FROM KINGDOM OF SHADOWS & BLOOD
Chapter 4
Starr
We walked along through Valley of the Tree as I’d come to think of it without talking. The silence of my friends speaking louder than their words ever could. They worried about Christian, and no doubt the lasting damage I caused when I killed him in a fit of Envy and Wrath. Of course, I restored him back to life by myself, regrowing my own wings in the process, but the dark void within me still existed, and I didn’t understand it. Di said we all had light and dark within us, but none of them had killed their Destined Mate. None of them were so blinded by rage that they took a life.
I glanced over at Christian. The bags under his eyes revealed an absolute truth: coming back from the afterlife was taking its toll on him. How much more could he withstand before his body broke? His mind broke? His heart broke?
His lapis lazuli eyes caught mine. I’m okay.
You keep saying that, but I don’t believe you.
He snagged my hand. Electricity shot through my fingers and up my arm, reminding me exactly what we meant to each other.
Believe me. Something is different within me. More light. More knowing.
So you’re saying that me killing you helped you achieve a higher level of awareness?
He stopped and looked at me. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Coda twirled his hands in the air. “Children, don’t forget to use your words.”
Christian blinked as if he’d forgotten we weren’t alone. Then his lips broke out into a grin brightening his entire being. He glowed with happiness. Actually, he glowed period. Light emanated from him.
Sir Kenneth’s head swung back and forth between us as if trying to figure out if we’d been together—as in together together and somehow missed it.
I released Christian’s hand and held mine palms up to defend myself from the Captain of the Shadow Knights. “We didn’t do anything. It wasn’t me.”
Christian waved his hands in front of me. “It was you. Awen, remember?”
I put my hands down, and my light went out. It was still weird to me that I lit up like the night sky whenever I lifted my hands in a bent elbow pose. I tended to forget my body did that. Well, I preferred to block it from my mind. “But I don’t glow when my hands aren’t raised.”
Di put her hands on her hips. “Starr, you glow all the time. You just shine brighter when your hands are raised like that.”
I spun around, looking at my body. “I do? I don’t see it.”
Frank raised his hand to his forehead and squinted, pretending to shield his eyes. “You always glow.”
I raised my hand and studied it. Sure, my skin tone changed since I arrived in the Faerie Realm and my glamour lifted, but it didn’t shed enough light in dark places to actually see. “It didn’t help in the awful tunnels.”
Rebecca stepped toward me. “No, but we never lost you, either.”
Jovie walked over and draped her black vest across my arm. “Well, except that one time when Sami took you—but that was kinda your fault because you went all Superwoman and blasted boulders out of the air to protect all if us. Anyway, look.” She peeled her vest back but left enough space that my arm was mostly covered by the black material but I could see my skin reflecting off it.
“Huh. That’s great and all, I guess, but Christian, why do you think me going all psychobitch and killing you actually helped you?”
“Because I didn’t glow before, and now I do.” He raised his arm and twisted it back and forth to prove his point. He did, in fact, glow, but he was forgetting something of vital importance.
“After I killed you. And who says glowing is a good thing? Maybe its really bad like poisonous frogs from Brazil.”
Nagel approached us. His hands hovered over each of our arms as if to touch them. “If I may shed some light on the situation?”
I couldn’t help but snort at his play-on words. Di chuckled too. I winked at her. We shared the same weird sense of humor.
I shrugged. “Sure, go ahead.”
Nagel’s hot dry hand wrapped around my wrist. He watched and waited for my Destined Mate to answer before touching him.
“Yes,” Christian finally said.
Nagel’s hand curled around Christian’s thick wrist, and the dragon shapeshifter lifted them both into the air for all to see.
Sir Kenneth’s head spun from side to side making sure no one was watching, but I didn’t see or sense anyone other than our group and possibly the creep J.J. But even so, his cloaking spell should still be in effect. He murmured something as he wiggled his fingers to reinforce the spell, before refocusing on our raised arms. “Nagel, what are you getting at?”
“Are you familiar with shapeshifter pairings?”
Sir Kenneth shook his head. “No. Most shapeshifters were eliminated before my time.”
Nagel’s lips curled down. “Once that awful woman took over.”
There was no doubt in my mind that he meant my grandmother, but the elimination of shapeshifters was neither here nor there at the present moment. “Your point?”
“Destined Mates, as your realm calls them, or Fated Mates, as we refer to them, are rare. Individual abilities grow and are often shared with the other.
“Like our telepathy,” I whispered.
Nagel’s beady eyes pinned me in place. “As that mate bond grows, so do their paired abilities. The Chosen prophecy speaks of a sealed mate bond so powerful all traits are shared.”
Ben cracked his knuckles. “How is that mate bond sealed?”
Nagel grinned. “Just how one might suspect.”
“But we haven’t,” I stammered.
“Gods know you’ve tried,” Coda laughed.
My cheeks warmed. I kept my eyes down to avoid Christian’s heated gaze.
“Apparently, the two of you are finding ways to work around that aspect.”
“By Starr biting and killing him?” Ben growled.
Nagel brought our arms together and our hands curled around each other’s. “Yes and returning life to him. Sir Kenneth, did Starr return life to him in the castle?”
Sir Kenneth’s steel grey eyes widened. “He didn’t die completely then, but yes, I assisted Starr by guiding her to the doorway to the Liminal Space, and she opened it.”
Nagel nodded his head in confirmation. “And now she can access it anytime she wants to.”
There’d been side conversations about the Liminal Space and how I was the only one who could access it, but I didn’t understand the importance of it given our current situation. “What difference does that make?”
“The rules of the Universe are finite…” Nagel paused raising a single finger into the air, “correction, were finite. Starr is creating her own rules and working to seal the mate bond by her own methods.”
“No, I’m not,” I said though as soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew them to be false.
“You probably aren’t even aware that you’re doing it. The Universe drove the two of you together. You might be from different realms,” he said.
“And different species,” Ben added as if we’d forgotten.
“And different species,” Nagel agreed, “but the Universe desires you two to be together and though the opportunity hasn’t presented itself via orthodox methods. It is allowing that bond to grow by other means.”
Di rubbed her hands together her eyes alighting as if embracing Nagel’s belief about our mate bond. “They’re finding ways to seal it anyway and are becoming more and more alike.”
Coda scratched his head and looked back and forth between us. “So does that mean Starr will become a wolf shapeshifter?”
Nagel pursed his lips and studied me. “Possibly.”
Coda circled around Christian to study his back even dragging his hands across his shoulder blades. Christian’s chest rumbled in warning. “Is Christian going to spout wings and fly around?”
“It is another potential outcome.”
Frank looped his arm around Di and studied us as if we were statues without feelings, thoughts, emotions, or hearing. “So, no one really knows what’s in store for Starr and Christian once they seal the deal?”
I leaned into Christian. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his chest. We were soon facing each other. Everything below my belly button tightened as his cedar and wildness scent filled my nostrils. Christian’s nostrils flared as he took in mine. The rest of the world faded away as I slipped my hands around his neck. He dipped his head, his eyes locking on mine. I licked my lips. He tracked the movements seconds before his strong luscious ones found mine. A tsunami of need exploded within me. I needed Christian. Here. Now. Forever.
Mate. Mate. Mate. Our combined minds chanted together.
His hands slipped around my waist. My darn one piece outfit prevented him from touching skin. My hands pulled at the neck of mine stretching it over my shoulders.
Steel bands clamped around my waist and tore me from Christian’s lips. I fought against the restraints trying to get back to my Destined Mate.
I growled.
“Let me go,” Christian roared.
“How many times are we going to have to do this?” Coda yelled in my ear.
“As many times as if takes for them not to have sex in front of us,” Frank shouted in my other one.
The rational part of my brain told me to stop fighting.
The other part. The horny part, wanted to get to Christian and “seal the deal” no matter who was watching.
“Restraino,” Sir Kenneth chanted as he swirled his fingers in the air.
Christian and my eyes locked, as we fought against the restraints. I wanted nothing more than to get to him.
“Restraino,” the Captain of the Shadow Knights shouted. This time the tingles of magic swept through me and invisible restraints locked me in place.
Sir Kenneth’s nostrils flared as his chest rose and fell as if the spell took a tremendous amount of energy to cast.
“Will it hold?” Ben yelled from behind Christian.
Sir Kenneth watched me. I no longer fought against my captors. Well, I couldn’t fight because I was frozen in place. “It will hold.”
Coda and Frank slowly released me. I tried to fight against the hold to get to Christian, but Sir Kenneth’s magic prevented me from doing so.
Di stood with her hands on her hips her head shaking back and forth. “I think we should just let them do it.”
“It was not foretold,” Sir Kenneth said.
“Sir Knights-A-Lot, how many times do I have to tell you that Starr and Christian are making up their own rules as they go? Even Nagel confirmed it. Eventually, they will get their way. It’s inevitable.”
He pointed at her. “The princess will not consummate that bond in front of anyone other than her mate.”
Di held up her hands. “Believe you me, none of us want to witness it. I’m just not sure how much longer we’ll be able to pry them apart without hurting a member of the team.”
Coda limped over, wincing as he held his left arm to his chest. “Not much longer.”
Sir Kenneth crossed his arms his jaw set in a hard line. I knew the stance well. The Captain of the Shadow Knights didn’t intend on budging.
Di threw her hands up in the air. “So, let’s them find a little private spot and get this over with.”
“No.”
Rebecca stepped between them. “We can discuss this later. Our team has an appointment with destiny right now.”
Ben frowned. “Destiny?”
Rebecca pointed at the volcano in the distance.
“Destiny.”
Meet Starr Bishop, the girl next door. Well, if the girl next door can deliver a dropkick to the throat and is Silver Fae Royalty.
NOW COMPLETE 5-BOOK SERIES FOR FANS OF HARRY POTTER, PERCY JACKSON, & TWILIGHT
A secret organization wants me as an assassin. Me, kill someone? No way. The General also hints I’m a superior being. Whatever that is. But it might explain the strange flickering thing that’s been happening to me lately.
Then there's Christian, the goth-loner who casts disdainful glares in my direction like it’s his day job. When I go missing, he goes all superhero and finds me. His eyes changes shape when he doesn’t think I’m looking at him. He’s hiding something, and I plan to find out what.
There’s this crazy-ass chemistry between us, but I deny my feelings. Christian is a complication, and my life is complicated enough. But when he goes missing, I follow him into a world of deception, lies, and secret realms.
No worries. I’ve got this. After all, the General wanted me as an assassin.
Trouble is, the Organization will stop at nothing to pick up their top recruit. Will I figure out what superior being I am before it’s too late?
NOW COMPLETE 5-BOOK SERIES Featuring sharp-witted heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, and forbidden love. Bestselling author KB Anne weaves a stunning, high-stakes tale of alliances and deceptions, characters who aren’t what they seem, and secrets that could change everything in KB Anne’s urban fantasy series.
The Goddess Chronicles (COMPLETE)
Wide Awake: The Goddess Chronicles Book 1
Blood Moon: The Goddess Chronicles Book 2
Dark Moon: The Goddess Chronicles Book 3
Shadow Moon: The Goddess Chronicles Book 4
Oak Moon: The Goddess Chronicles Book 5
Storm Moon: The Goddess Chronicles Book 6
The Goddess Chronicles Books 1-3 Boxset
The Goddess Chronicles Books 4-6 Boxset
Silver Fae Series (COMPLETE)
Throne of Silver: Silver Fae 1
Silver Fae Hunter: Silver Fae 2
Heirs of Wings and Shadows: Silver Fae 3
Court of Wings and Shadows: Silver Fae 4
Silver Fae Games
A Curse of Silver Ruin: Silver Fae Games 1