Chapter 1
How long does it take an exiled sex goddess to fall to Earth?
Perhaps fall wasn’t the best word. The sensation felt more like being sucked through a child’s kaleidoscope—an endless tube of color with body-contorting spirals and twists.
Sailing out of the portal much like rubbish from a giant trash chute, Ava landed in a stinking pile of rotting food and newspapers.
Adrenaline soaring, she waited for her vision to adjust to the darkness. A lone street lamp popped and crackled, flickering on and off at the far end of the alley, acting as a beacon to proceed with caution.
Tiptoeing around a broken bottle of Jack Daniels and a hypodermic needle, Ava cringed, surveying the environment she’d been dumped into. Survival instincts kicked in as she inhaled deeply and prepared to face her destiny. Wherever she landed was a far cry from the pristine halls of the Celestial Palace.
A muffled groan cut through the sticky night air. She froze in her tracks, wondering what manner of being would make such a sound. If only she had a light to see what lay ahead. Concentrating with all her might, she gazed at a pile of newspapers.
Perhaps a tiny spark would do the trick.
A flick of her finger brought nothing. Not an ember or a sizzle or even a tingle of energy. A sick feeling twisted her stomach. Ava refocused her attention on the crumpled newspaper and pointed her index finger, envisioning the trash bursting into flames. Nothing happened. A wave of panic washed over her, the blood drained from her head, and her heart galloped. Her powers were gone.
She took a tentative step toward the street lamp. Another deep growl turned her limbs to ice. The only way out of this alley would take her right past the creature making the ominous sound. Her skin prickled with trepidation as she approached.
Easing closer, Ava made out the form of a human male slumped against a brick wall. Greasy hair hung limp against his forehead. His grimy tan overcoat looked as though scavenged from a dumpster. The sight of the filthy male made her cringe with disgust.
The need for information trumped her desire to leave the sleeping man alone. Ava cleared her throat, waiting for him to stir. Her patience paid off and the man awoke, muttering a string of incomprehensible words.
She cleared her throat again, a little louder this time.
“Go away,” the whiskered man grumbled, opening one eye and swatting at the air. Still grumbling, he turned his back to her.
“Wake up, mortal.” Sensing that the immobile human was harmless, Ava continued with her quest to learn her location and search for other Celestials rejected by their own kind.
“I said, wake up.” Her voice rose along with her impatience.
“Go away, lady.”
Dizzy and exhausted from her unplanned journey and the effort to summon her powers, she leaned against the brick wall next to the human and exhaled slowly. She nudged his back with her toe, meaning him no harm. She had to know where in the Mortal Realm she had landed.
“What the hell?” He bolted upright and glared at her with bloodshot eyes. Reeking of cheap wine and body odor, the mortal emanated a smell vile enough to make her eyes water. She backed away from him in order to avoid the range of his stench. His eyes focused and a sloppy grin spread across his face, revealing several missing teeth.
“Hello, honey.” The male’s speech was slurred and barely intelligible. He produced a bottle from the ragged coat, twisted the cap, and took a deep pull, closing his eyes as he swallowed. A contented sigh escaped his cracked lips.
“Want some?” He raised the bottle in her direction.
In an effort to keep what little stomach contents she had where they belonged, Ava closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and willed herself to be patient.
“No, thank you. Tell me where we are.”
“We’re right here,” the man said, chuckling at his lame joke. Pressing the bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 to his lips, he took one last swig, his knuckles white as he clutched the all-but-empty container. Once drained, he tossed the bottle aside. It clinked along the pavement until it came to rest against an overflowing dumpster.
“What city is this?” she persisted.
“It’s Las Vegas, baby!”
The tension ensnaring her spine eased. She spent more hours than she cared to admit observing the Mortal Realm through the viewing pools in the palace. The constant celebration on the Las Vegas strip was a favorite source of entertainment. Besides, as a Celtic sex goddess, she had to love a place known as Sin City.
Ava walked toward the street lamp, muscles screaming from the beating she’d taken in the portal. Determined to find the others, she steadied her nerves and continued on.
The human she left behind began to cough and sputter. Her pace slowed and she turned around. Continuing to choke, his face turned a purplish-gray hue. With a sigh of resignation, she retraced her steps. He had offered her a drink, as repulsive as that was, and answered her questions. She couldn’t leave him gasping for his last breath.
Determined not to think about what was splattered all over his coat, she grabbed the lapels and pulled him into an upright position, leaned him forward, and pounded on his back. When the choking subsided, she leaned him back against the side of the building.
“You’re an angel,” he mumbled, his eyes half-closed.
Ava smiled, thinking nothing could be further from the truth, and continued on her way with a clear conscience. As she turned the corner, an icy ripple in the warm night air chilled her straight through. Goosebumps appeared on her arms, and unease grew with each step she took. Stress must be playing tricks on her mind.
A ripple in the atmosphere and a flash of light directly in her path illuminated the alley. The unexpected intrusion stole the breath from her lungs. Temporarily blinded, it took several seconds to see the man standing just a few feet away from her. Tall, muscular, and sinfully handsome, his ice-blue eyes bore through her accusingly.
“Why are you here, Celestial?” The word ‘Celestial’ left his lips as if tasting of bitter poison.
She took a step back, fearing for her life.
“As Guardian of the Mortal Realm, I need to know the reason for your presence. Celestials aren’t allowed to be here.” The guardian moved closer, his stance authoritative and threatening. “State your purpose.” His deep voice rolled over her skin like molasses in a hot skillet.
“I’m just out for a walk.” She met his questioning gaze. With midnight-black hair, searing blue eyes, and the body of a gladiator, he had her sex goddess radar spinning off the dial. Her skin sizzled in response to the energy radiating from him. Surprised by her physical reaction, she took a deep, calming breath.
“Celestials are banned from the Mortal Realm.” The big man’s calm yet serious tone matched his expressionless face, making it difficult for Ava to gauge his intentions. She inhaled another shaky breath as her stomach twisted into knots.
“I’m Ava, Goddess of Sexual Judgment.” She met his gaze, keeping her voice as steady as possible. “I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here. I’ve been exiled and banished to this realm.” She paused, weighing how much information she should share. “Not that I did anything to deserve it.” She smiled at the guardian, using whatever was left of her sex goddess charm.
“So, I must not only protect humans from Dark Realm demons but from Celestial rejects as well?” His words cut like a blade to her heart.
“I am not a reject!” As a minor goddess, she dealt with such taunts frequently in the Celestial Realm. She placed her hands on her hips, defiance raging through her blood. “The Mother Goddess exiled me when her boy toy came on to me.”
“And you, I’m sure, were totally blameless.” The guardian’s lips curved up ever so slightly.
Ava bristled at the insinuation. As a sex goddess, she didn’t need or want some other woman’s man. Heat flushed her skin as she bit down on her tongue, wary of returning his insult.
“I mean no harm. My powers are gone.”
A hint of sympathy flashed in the guardian’s gaze as he considered her words.
“So you were tossed into a portal against your will?”
“Yes—against my will.” Her voice shook as she spoke. Too much had happened in such a short time, and she could feel her self-control slipping away.
“Relax, Ava.” His tone slid from accusatory to soothing in a nanosecond. “I have no quarrel with you, as long as you don’t intend to cause trouble.”
“As I said earlier, I have no powers. I’m just trying to get by here.” Her heart rate returned to normal as his body relaxed and a ghost of a smile curved his lips.
“Duncan Pierce.” He held out his hand. When she placed her hand in his, a sudden electrical charge passed between them, and a ripple of pleasure danced upon her skin. The dragon tattoo on his neck moved, disappearing beneath his black T-shirt.
A dragon-shifter?
“I thought dragon-shifters died out ages ago.” Ava instantly regretted her words. Obviously her nerves had taken control of her tongue.
“And yet I am here—in the flesh.” Duncan’s deep velvet voice held a hint of amusement. A dazzling smile lit up his face, and Ava’s heart did a somersault in her chest.
Apparently, the presence of the mysterious dragon-shifter had an adverse effect on her brain’s ability to function. Not much of a surprise considering she had never encountered a man who made her blood burn with lust at first sight.
“I usually lop off the heads of intruders to this realm and ask questions later, but in your case I’ll make an exception.”
She let go of the breath she’d been holding. At least he had a sense of humor.
“I will allow you to stay if you agree to keep a low profile, and do no harm to mortals.” His gaze had lost the playfulness from a few seconds earlier, replaced by serious determination.
“I agree. I have no intent to harm anyone.” Her gaze flickered over his massive form, and she thought this man could probably get her to agree to just about anything.
“I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Goddess. Make sure to keep your word.”
“I always do.” Truth be told, she rarely gave her word on anything. Promises complicated otherwise simple situations.
“I’ll hold you to that.” With a wave of his hand, Duncan created a portal and disappeared into a swirling mist, leaving her to wonder when she would see him again. She hoped that time would come sooner rather than later.
~ ~ ~
Duncan wiped the gargon blood from his sword and pressed the button on the inside of the gilded hilt. The blade retracted, and he shoved it into the hidden pocket inside his black leather jacket. As much as he would have liked to keep the sword sheathed at his hip, he could hardly walk around Las Vegas with lethal weaponry exposed.
With three gargon encounters in as many days, his determination to find the passage they used to escape the Dark Realm increased ten-fold. The half-gargoyle, half-dragon demons were dim-witted and easy enough to destroy. As deadly as they were, gargons and most demons didn’t have the ability to open and close passages from the Dark Realm. Someone released them into the city, and it was his duty to find and destroy the responsible party.
He exhaled slowly and kicked at the remains of the creature, scattering its ashes to the wind. The beast’s intended victim sat on the asphalt at the edge of the vacant lot, eyes wide and unseeing, clearly in shock.
White-blond hair with purple streaks whipped around her pale face. His gut clenched at the sight. If his rescue had been only a few seconds later, she would have been shredded to pieces by the creature.
Kneeling beside her, he looked into the teen’s eyes, compelling her to understand his words.
“What is your name?” Using the thrall in his voice to soothe her, relief settled over him as she took a few deep breaths. A pale pink color returned to her cheeks.
“Cassie.” Her soft voice trembled as she spoke.
“Cassie, nothing unusual happened to you this night. You hung out with friends, did some shopping, and checked out a new band at the Blue Frog. You will never go out alone at night again. Do you understand?”
“I understand.” Cassie nodded her head, her voice barely audible.
“Where do you live?”
“Three twenty-four East Granite.”
“Let’s get you home.”
He rose and held out his hand. Cassie placed her small, shaking hand in his. With a sweeping motion, he created a portal to a spot near her address. Within seconds, the two stood in front of a modest sixties-style ranch house.
Stepping into the shadows, he watched as Cassie unlocked the front door and stepped inside. Satisfied that the young mortal was now safe, he ran his fingers through his hair and wondered what the hell else could go wrong tonight.
The incident weighed heavily on Duncan’s weary spirit. He’d be damned if he allowed Las Vegas to be overrun by demons. As a guardian, his job was to prevent that from happening. With finding the opened portal to the Dark Realm his top priority, he had spent the last sixty hours straight searching for it. He might as well be in a walking coma.
For what seemed like the millionth time, he wondered how long he could continue at this pace. The isolation and loneliness of the past millennium had taken its toll on his soul. His existence consisted of death and depravity. Mentally and physically depleted, he needed some serious down time.
His thoughts turned to the lovely sex goddess. For the first time in ages, his inner dragon sprang to life at physical contact with a woman. Whether this was a result of going without female companionship for millennia, or Ava’s sex goddess wiles, he didn’t know. One thing was certain, he intended to find out.
As he prepared to open a portal for home, his preternatural senses picked up the essence of another being foreign to this realm. Pungent and disgusting, the scent of demon blood ignited his fury. Adrenaline surged through his arteries, squashing the exhaustion from seconds earlier. He bolted toward Freemont Street, in the direction of the scent.
Pushing his way through the crowd of humans, pretend vampires, real vampires, aging hippies, and shifters out enjoying the full moon, Duncan searched for anything out of the ordinary. Considering this was Las Vegas, he used the term loosely. The vamps and shifters belonged to long-established colonies and had as much right to be here as he did. They were not his problem.
Initially, he didn’t notice anything above and beyond the normal freakishness that accompanied a stroll down the old strip. Irritated at coming up empty-handed, he released an exasperated breath. A scream pierced through the night air. Primed for a confrontation, he charged down the street toward the sound. Picking up on the trail of a demon, he sprinted toward an abandoned storefront. Crashing through the door, he stopped short as the revolting scene played out in front of him.