Exclusive Excerpt: Ever After by Carrie Ryan (+Giveaway)

Posted November 12, 2013 by Rowena in Giveaways, Promotions | 8 Comments

Carrie Ryan has a new story out with five other fabulous authors and we’ve got an excerpt to whet your appetite for her story. Check out the excerpt below:

Summary: From five bestselling authors comes five brand new novellas sure to heat up the night.

From Carrie Ann Ryan’s Dante’s Circle series, a demon from the fiery depths of hell must make his choice to follow in the footsteps of his father or love the submissive wolf who lays claim to his heart in His Choice.

From Marie Harte’s Beasts of Burden, Eira, a fierce valkyrie, has spent fifty years trying to get a rise out of her goddess’s guardians. But when the battle-cat shifters give her what she wants, can she handle the heat—and the danger—that comes from loving them?

From Rebecca Royce’s brand new series, the Alphas of each Werewolf Pack are on the brink of war. Travis Michaels will use all in his power to keep innocent Lilliana out of danger and into his arms…away from rival Alpha Cyrus Fennell.

From Lia Davis’s Ashwood Falls series, buried pain, old lies, and dangerous secrets aren’t enough to keep the sparks from flying as Sarah Mathews and rebel leader, Damian Archer, try to survive a new threat against their race.

From Leia Shaw’s Shadows of Destiny series, a war is brewing in the supernatural world. Rebel shifter Dalton’s only passion is protecting the colony, and flirtatious misfit, Eden, is a distraction he can’t afford. But as danger approaches, he learns that underestimating the sexy little wolf is a big mistake.

Excerpt:

“You’re a disgrace to the name Devil, son,” Lucifer spat as he paced the long dungeon. “You had such promise and then you’ve thrown it all away. Or at least, you’re planning on it. Don’t lie to me. I know all.”

Fawkes looked up through the blood running down his face, stinging his eyes, and lifted a lip in a sneer.

He was twenty years old—young to most but a grown man to others—and yet the way his father treated him it was as if he was the adolescent who needed a good scolding.

Not that his father had ever acted the caring paternal figure.

“You’re the actual Devil, Dad,” Fawkes said, his voice slightly hoarse from screaming. Sometimes the screaming helped the pain, even if it did annoy him Lucifer enjoyed it so much. “I’m just one of your many sons.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes—a gesture that made him look as immature as he acted—then ran a hand over his red horns that stood a foot out from his head—the exact matching pair to Fawkes’.

“You’re my last son, Fawkes. The others are either fierce warriors’ and soul eaters or dead. None of them however, ever chose the path you’re looking at. No son of mine will. They all died in battle or because they were idiots. I won’t let you sully my good name. It’s time for you to make your choice and eat the souls of humans.”

Though Fawkes was chained to a wall in his father’s favorite torture room, he didn’t feel threatened by the man humans feared more that the things that went bump in the night. Actually, his father was the thing that went bump in the night. Lucifer just wanted Fawkes to fall into his deadly footsteps, taking souls and becoming dark.

Fawkes wasn’t sure he wanted to do that though.

He’d seen what the other possibility could be and, frankly, that looked better.

Harsher.

Deadlier.

Once a demon reached twenty, he had a year to reach a decision before his life started to fade. Demons needed souls or a mating bond in order to survive. Without souls, they would die slowly and painfully. Once they reached their three hundredth birthday, they’d fade from existence—excruciatingly. They only had that first year though to take their first soul, or they’d harm themselves to the point that they’d need a true half—the one person, or persons in a triad’s case, that was meant for them and would create the perfect mating bond—in order to survive.

Since demons didn’t find their true halves with other demons—a punishment for their killing existence—they had to venture out into the human and other realms in order to find the person—or persons—who would not only be part of them, but save their lives. Demons could mate with each other and create more demon offspring, like his father had done with the many women who’d given birth to Lucifer’s progeny, but they would never find that perfect…peace within that mating.

Another demon, Balin, had been one of the few to actually choose against becoming evil. The other demon had almost died because he’d refused to do what almost all other demons had done in order to survive. It was only because Balin had found Jamie and Ambrose that he’d survived at all.
Now Fawkes was old enough to make his choice.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes. “Are you even listening?”

Fawkes blinked. “Uh…yeah?”

Lucifer spat then let the fire running through his veins rage from his palms. He spent his energy toward the wall, scorching a line of black soot in an arch before fisting his hands, letting the fire burn itself out.

Fawkes had to learn that handy trick.