Title: Shadows of my Past (Book 2)
Leigh Savage
ISBN-10: 1442131535
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: April 28, 2009
Description:
Visions of death, sorrow, and anguish are common for Desi while working with the St. Louisville Police Department as a consultant in tracking down kidnappers and murders. However, a single touch from Barcuilai and her visions were of another time and place. Why then was the man in her visions standing right in front of her in the present? Desi wasn’t sure how to handle these visions of sorrow that she saw when she touched Barcuilai. They troubled her in a way that made her feel as if her very soul was being torn apart. She wanted to flee; just as much as she wanted to erase the pain from his golden eyes. Together Barcuilai and Desi could not deny the connection they felt for one another. Will Barcuilai find love once more only to lose it again when Desi becomes the target of the very serial killers she’s helping the police track down or will Desi just become another shadow of his past?
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Other Titles by Leigh Savage
Angel of Death (Book 1)
Bound by Blood Collection of Short Stories
Dream Dragon the Dark Side of Poetry
Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Leigh-Savage/e/B002BLYBRE/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/leigh-savage
Left Bank Books: http://www.left-bank.com/search/apachesolr_search/leigh%20savage
About the Author:
Leigh Savage lives in Saint Louis, MO with her husband and two children. Leigh is known for her paranormal erotic romance novels Angel of Death and Shadows of My Past. She has also written a collection of short stories called Bound by Blood and her new release Dream Dragon the Dark Side of Poetry. Leigh is currently working on her next paranormal erotic romance short Surrender to the Night that’s a prequel to Angel of Death as well as book three in her vampire series called Embrace of the Immortal.
“I grew up loving to escape in the world of stories that my Father would write just for me. So, it wasn’t any wonder that as I got older, I too picked up the pen and started writing.”
EXCERPT:
Prelude
Medieval Faire
Plantersville, TX
Gabel watched carefully as the Festivities came to an end. He’d worked hard tracking her down from city to city as the faire moved around. He’d managed to get ahead of the faire and volunteer setting up and helping out the two weeks the faire was in town. This gave Gabel the time he needed to get close to her to gain her trust.
The first time he’d seen her in Kansas City he’d realized that he had a mission; for the first time in so long, he’d been wallowing without a purpose and more than once he’d almost gave in to the urge to end it all; but he lacked the courage to carry out the deed. Then God had brought him out of the depths of his wretched existence with a simple command…Kill Them….Kill the Evil Ones!
Gabel forced his self back to the present.
It sickened him to watch this last couple weeks as people flocked to her for a chance to have their Tarots read. Most people where so stupid to the reality many thought it was simply a trick for their amusement. Only he saw and knew the truth of the evil that grew inside her and the taint that poisoned her blood and if he didn’t stop her she would spread to infect others. It was only a matter of time before the evil spread and took over her soul. He could not allow it to happen and tonight he planned on freeing her cursed soul.
The sun was setting and he was making sure the visitors where leaving as the booths started packing up and getting ready to head out to the next city.
He approached her tent putting on his most handsome smile. He’d made sure to play the part of the gentleman these last couple of weeks. Slowing he had gained her trust; while at the same time keeping his distance so that she couldn’t get a reading off of him. Oh, how it disgusted him to pretend to be nice to her when all he wanted to do to her was….
“Oh, there you are Lance I was hoping I’d see you tonight?” Starla shouted waving him over to her tent.
Upon hearing her voice his thoughts trailed off trying to play his part of the Knight helping the faire maiden. He walked towards her his true thoughts guarded. “As I; hoped to see you my fair maiden.” He bowed low in the manner befitting the knight he was dressed like still playing his part.
Starla smiled and blushed slightly making her cheeks match the redness of her hair. Her brown eyes sparkled with mischief as she curtsied low in her peasant dress. The blush spread across her creamy white skin. “I wanted to thank you good Sir for being so kind and helpful to me these last weeks.” She looked up through her thick lashes. “May I repay your kindness with a reading?” Starla raised back up smoothing her skirt out.
“I don’t really believe in that kind of stuff, no offence to you.” He lied.
“Well if you’re not interested…”
Gabel cut Starla off. “What could it hurt to give it a try?” He gave her his most rakish smile.
“Wonderful.” She sighed. Starla motioned for him to come inside the tent and sit. “Now have a seat.” She smiled sweetly at him. “Do you think you’ll be following the Faire to Galveston?” She asked hope lacing her voice. She wanted to get to know more about him she wasn’t sure why but something about him seemed troubled in a way that made her want to sooth his pain. She had a feeling that something terrible had happened in his life that kept him guarded when he was around others. She hoped that the cards would let her see more into this complex man that sat before her.
“No.” He stated flatly.
“Oh.” She sighed trying not to sound too disappointed. “I see this will be our last time then. Let’s get started then shall we.”
“When ever you are ready place your hands over the deck and open your mind and seek what answer you would like to find. Once you feel at peace then divide the deck into three piles.” Starla instructed as she’d done many time through the years. Many people had the talent of reading the Tarot cards but only a rare few could see beyond what the cards where saying and peer into the people’s lives. She had always had the gift to do this by touching the cards after the people had it seemed that something from each person transferred to the cards leaving a small window into the soul.
Gabel did as he was instructed. “There it is done.” He said.
Starla took the cards into her hands and a sudden chill ran up her spine making the hairs on the back of her nape stand on end. She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling telling herself that it was the chill of the evening air. There was no other reason to feel this way she reassured herself.
Outside the tent the park lights kicked on as the setting sun sank behind the trees. The other merchants had taken a break for the evening to sit down with their families for a quick dinner before finishing their job packing up. Inside the tent Starla didn’t have that luxury; there was no family to share the time with or to share the lonely nights with. Starla was all alone in the world and soon she’d be alone once more.
Starla took a deep breath centering her inner self as she turned the first card over in the reading.
“The Devil,” A slight quiver entered her voice involuntarily. “In your recent past you where surrounded by negative forces and you seemed to be trapped in their clutches. Your judgment has remained clouded by these past events. An unpleasant event will turn into a new way of life for you. You will feel overwhelmed in the amount of work it will take to achieve these new goals. You will be working very hard for little or no profit. You will stay in a depressed state of mind and will feel trapped in your obsession. You have been run down because you feel like you no longer control your own life but you are a slave to your work your destiny. You have trouble sleeping because your past and future are always on your mind. “As she flipped over the second card her hands where shuck slightly as the feeling of uneasiness grew inside. “The Death Card represents your present state. The relationship you had with a loved one came to horrible end though the love you feel will continue to burn like an eternal flame. Though you didn’t think it was possible you will find a new path in your life that will be a release for you. You will be unsettled and move around a lot trying to find some semblance of peace but no matter where you go the unhappiness will follow you and you will seek a way to ride yourself of these emotions and you will find that you can no longer go on as before and will find a new direction, focus, to throw yourself into you. You will lose yourself and death will seem to follow you where ever you go. You will find yourself all alone.” Starla’s face turned pale as she turned over the last card in the reading. “You’re Future The Death Card…” Starla’s voice trailed off as all color drained from her face. “That’s impossible.” There was only one Death card in the deck it couldn’t possibly come up again and yet it did.
Gabel grabbed her hand forcing the palm of her hand to the card. “Tell me what do you see?” His voice lost all its charm and all the hate and resentment came to the surface reviling his true self.
Starla’s eyes rolled back in her head as images began to flash through her mind. “DEATH!”
“And who’d death do you see?” The contempt he felt for her kind laced his voice.
“Mine.” Starla said so soft that it was barely audible.
“Then you can see there is no use screaming for help or tying to make a run for it. After all it’s your destiny and you cannot cheat your fate!” Gabel grabbed the hilt of his sword waiting for his moment. Starla was too far into a trace to fight; she was his for the taking.
Only the white of her eyes showed as the horrible and shocking images that continued to race though her mind. She was terrified of what she was seeing but unable to break the connection as she saw her own death and the death after death of other women yet to come. Then for one moment her eyes began to come back into focus just in time to see silver slicing through the air out of the corner of her eye. Then she knew no more.
Gabel watched as her head rolled on the tent floor. Blood sprayed the ceiling and walls as her lifeless body feel from the chair to the floor. He watched as the last spark of life faded from her brown eyes with profound satisfaction.
Seven Point Eight: The Second Chronicle 
2012 was my favorite year ever! My Familiar Stranger has elements of paranormal, fantasy and scifi, but it is first and foremost a romance which is why it is popular with romance fans who don’t normally read paranormal, fantasy, or scifi genres.
