This blog is for those 18 and older.
Showing posts with label witches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label witches. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

What The Hex by Alexis Daria

 Isla Bruja is an island hosting the two largest Latina witch families and their union through a spectacular wedding.  

Catalina Cartagena takes a big breath and brooms herself from New York back to her family's island.  She had escaped the island many moons ago because she wanted to resist being a witch, but as her sister's maid of honor it is time to return.

Catalina's nemesis from high school, Diego Paz, is the best man.  Her luck doesn't seem to be changing.  Granted, nerd to super- sexy is an okay start when she spots him on the island.



Distracting her from Diego, she notices a strange vibe on the island.  Her intuition is confirmed after meeting the groom.  The groom's eyes are distant, which definitely indicates he's possessed by a demon along with most of the witches on the island.

Except Diego.

Time to overcome her negativity toward an old grudge.  Diego and she are the only ones who can exorcise the demon.  

Diego is handsome, smart, and incredibly nice.  What happened??  Catalina is amazed at how easy they get along, yet she remains leery of his approachability.  However, she needs to get over it and make a plan with him to save the families and the island.

After Diego reveals his secret, baring his soul, Catalina is shocked.  They bare more than their souls while fighting the island demon.  

Island magic won't dare miss out on another romance and happily-ever-after as long as Diego and Catalina let their hearts be heard.

Happy reading,

Dawn

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

 Yes, this is my salute to Halloween! 

I love the characters; they are quirky, fun, and have such real emotions and habits.  The atmosphere, or setting as you may call it, is divine.  A village called Goodwinter in Essex oozes funny, witchy, creepiness.  

It all starts with Essie Winterscale and her love of doing magic and living however she wants.  She shares her house with a goofy group of other witches, all having their own specialties in magic.

The coven of witches has an enemy- no surprise, I'm sure.  Essie is the one who keeps the enemy at bay because she can freeze him at every start to winter.  Granted this story is in the autumn coming up on Halloween.  Winter is right around the corner and Essie needs to practice her talent.

In comes Josh, the new owner of her Victorian and ever changing and growing house.  Apparently, he inherited nearly the whole village and needs to collect back rent from the last couple hundred years.  

Essie's home is impossible to find without help.  Maybe because Josh is so sweet and handsome, she allows him a visit.  She does not trust herself to have a boyfriend.  Had to state that fact.  But she really likes him.

Josh could easily spend many hours with Essie, if she allows him.  


When the coven enemy rallies to take over the house and the land, Essie confides in Josh.  As long as he can handle that her and her coven are witches for real, he has an in.  He also has to help destroy the enemy to open the door to her heart.

The amount of trust and magic used to free the heart is grander than a magic carpet ride, and I hope you're all aboard for a fantastic trip!

Happy reading,

Dawn


Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Boss Witch by Ann Aguirre

 Clementine Waterhouse.  What a perfect witch's name.  The name of her local business, Fix-It Witches, is perfect, too.  

Or is the name a dead ringer for the best place to locate a witch? 

Gavin Rhys, a traveling witch hunter, wonders if the names are obvious clues.  Gavin hates his job and his father who forces it on him.  He wants nothing more than a place to call home versus constant traveling.


When Clem realizes Gavin is looking for her and her fellow witches, the only way to keep him away is to get close to him. 

The covey of witches cast spells to disguise the magic streaming around their homes and facilities.  

Clem treats Gavin to creative outings.  He can't detect any witch waves, yet he does like hanging out with Clem.  The feeling is mutual, and neither wants to admit or fall for the other.  It's against both their interests.  

Although, Clem notices the loneliness surrounding Gavin.  A pet mouse can be his new BFF.  Along with a pet, their outings are getting closer and closer to being called dating.

Let's remember the secret each has...Clem is a witch and Gavin is a witch hunter.

How do you propose they get over this problem?  It's tricky, or maybe a little magical!

Happy reading,

Dawn


Wednesday, August 28, 2024

The Witch is Back by Sophie Morgan

 I had to dive into a witchy book before the season because I love them!  I'm sure I'll have more for you this fall.

Emmaline Bluewater has left her witch family of her own accords.  Chicago offers her a new family of friends, including her mixed mutt familiar, a suave bar named Toil and Trouble, and purposefully not using magic- most of the time. 

Contracted to marry Bastian Truenote in order to bring hierarchy to her family, Emma wanted OUT after he left without a word, note, or any explanation.  That's when she found her new and very pleasing lifestyle owning a bar and running her own life without her meddling mother.


Always the cavalier and carefree warlock, Bastian left for Egypt and any other location he fancied immediately before the marriage was to take place to Emma, his BFF in childhood.

They both didn't know why he left, avoiding the nuptials.  

Curses and hexes played a part in both their naivete of the sudden change in course, but Bastian came back.  He had to marry Emma to save his mother.

And the story gets more tangled on who threw the last spell, how to undo them, and who's to really blame in the game of love and marriage.  

Choose this romcom as your start to the witchy season only a few short weeks away!  

Spooky reading,

Dawn

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Golden by Shannon Mayer

 A wickedly cute read!  Cats, dogs, wolves, and witches collide to figure out how to kick ass on the bad members of the community.

Cin is nearly murdered in a violent display from her wolf brothers directed by her witch of a mother.  And her mother has a powerful enemy who takes it out on Cin.

The curse Cin isn't able to avoid turns her into a golden retriever by day and she's herself for the nighttime with the codicil that she can't talk.  This is quite the problem when her appointed mate, Havoc, adopts her fury self.  Havoc's brother Han is a lot nicer to her, in a way.

Cin makes a handful of great friends after she leaves her pack and is in hiding from the relatives.  Great friends with great magic and schemes to save her, but with the constant and treacherous scenes that seem inescapable.  

Back to Havoc and Han and their family feud.  Can the fight between the brothers help Cin and lead her to a loving mate?  As long as she doesn't get killed.  I like to believe love is stronger than murder and root for Cin and her gangly group of friends to bring love as the final straw.

Happy reading,

Dawn







Wednesday, September 27, 2023

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

 The season of witches, pumpkins, and black cats is looming.  Katherine Howe puts together a story rich with history, witches, paranormal, romance, and thriller.  

As a Harvard graduate, Connie Goodwin has the summer to create a dissertation for her doctorate.  The hard part is coming up with a topic.  Another hard part is created when her mother insists Connie clean up her grandmother's abandoned house near Salem, Massachusetts in order to sell it.  

Connie is overwhelmed with the work at the house, which she chooses to live at for the summer.  The topic of her dissertation, well, that is found among the old books and papers her grandmother collected.  


A centuries old Bible with a key and scrap of paper with the name Deliverance Dane enacts Connie's curiosity.  She finds out Deliverance was a witch from 1691, and her story is astounding.  Deliverance created the Physick Book of remedies.  All Connie needs to do is find the book and her dissertation is complete.

Many hours of consideration and wondering with a mind in need of information to fill the blanks, Connie meets Sam who's high up on a steeple.  Turns out he repairs steeples for historical buildings.  They become close friends, both interested in the history of Salem.

One other person with great interest in Connie's thesis, is Professor Chilton Manning.  his interest is exaggerated, and he pressures Connie to find the Physick Book.  He has ulterior motives, and the friendship and love from Sam is a great help in Connie's multiple projects, some of which are unknown dangers.  

Actual history of the Salem witch trials, a little magic, and intertwined romance produce an exciting read for the Autumn.

Happy reading,

Dawn

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Mystic Creek by Kati Ella

 Mystic Creek, the name gives you an immediate feel for the atmosphere.  A foggy, dark, and mysterious small town.  The curfew was set to keep the residents safe.  Most of them don't know the reason, especially the younger crowd.  those who sneak out at night, and those who don't want to be told what to do.

Rebecca looks young, but feels her centuries of existence.  She's made friends where she works, Joe's Tavern, but her main job is to keep them from being ripped apart and left for the scavengers.

New to the town, she's known to be friendly, but distant.  As a witch, she has a lot of responsibilities while everyone else sleeps.  The demons want to overtake the town, and there's another creature waiting in the forbidden forest.  It's not quite a demon, but it's not human, either.


Her concentration is on pushing back on the evil from the forest, when Brody comes to town in the façade of a federal agent.  She hasn't seen him in a hundred years. Really, it seems like it was just last week.  His angel wings are hidden, but she feels the flutter of her heart when he confronts her about the strange being trying to take the town down.

Angels and witches aren't a match in the supernatural world, so why do they want to be together?  Or are there too many forces against them to allow a relationship?  Or are they here on coincidence only to eradicate the evil? Will a kiss tell them?  Or do they have to go further?  

The read is tense, creepy, and full of hormones.  The magic, the reality, and the fear tangle with a romance that wants to live.  A great romance for a cold winter night.




Wednesday, October 27, 2021

The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Allyson Charles

 For the coming Hollow's Eve I've decided to  read sweet and witchy versus scary and bad.  

Three authors have put together a a bewitching bake-off on the corner of Pumpkin and Spice in a Maine village.  Sofia, the owner of the Bakeshop, creates delicious autumn and Halloween treats.  When necessary, she brews up her specialty cookies filled with a love potion.  

Three stories all centered around the goodness of the bakery match couples that need to be together.

The first tale finds a way to mingle Bree and Caleb, a young pair of bakers.  Granddaughter of Sofia, Bree fits right in with creating recipes for the café.  The trick is how to get Caleb to the bakery, pick the proper treat along with


 Bree, and then magic can take over.

The next story is a bit trickier.  Cassie already has her mind set on "boring and safe", yet Chip keeps saving her from falls and spills without her noticing his steady and exciting life.  For him to eat the specialty cookies, accidents are welcome.  

The third clip is my favorite.  Lara has a really bad day with the loss of her job, dumped by a dirt-bag boyfriend, and the coming loss of her apartment.  Sofia's embellished cookies are sorely in need by Lara and Jack, the town mayor.  During the matchmaking, a lonely, elderly lady also gets a sweet surprise, which touches my heart.

Always good to take the time to read simple, sweet, and tasty (recipes are provided) to make your day a little brighter and positive!  

Happy reading,

Dawn  

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

The story opens in the thirteenth century, Ireland as we meet the Dark Witch, her children, special pets, and the evil man, Cabhan, who wants her more than life.  And he proves it, which takes us to current day at the same spot in Ireland and with several generations later of the Dark Witch's descendants.
Little did Iona know that her reason to spontaneously leave her uncaring family and move to Ireland wasn't the same reason that Ireland "called" her.  She wants to meet her two cousins and make a life near them.Dark Witch
Iona wants freedom, to work with horses, a friend would be nice, and possibly a nice man to pay attention to her.  I don't think she's asking for much.
It's a magical story, literally, as we encounter Iona's cousins, Branna and Connor.  Iona is welcomed into their home and life.  The cousins explain to Iona that she makes the trio of witches to complete the power to fight the evil witch, Cabhan, who still survives to this day.
Wait!  The cousins are witches, and...wait! So is Iona!  She knows nothing about magic, but is easily convinced to give it a whirl.
This doesn't mean she's giving up on the rest of her ideas.  And with her new connections, she is accepted to work at a horse ranch for a man, Boyle, whom she can't keep her eyes and maybe her hands from touching.
As Iona is taught the magic of the witches, she is tested in scary ways.  Between herself, her cousins, Boyle, and a few friends, Iona finds out whether she's cut out to be a witch and if Boyle can accept such a powerful woman in his life.
A challenging group of characters who had to figure out how to fit together and figure out their puzzle, and a beautiful puzzle it was!

Happy reading,
Dawn

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith

Witches may bring to mind tangled and creepy things.  In this story, the tangled are a bit creepy as in the vineyards run by witches.
Jean-Paul does not believe in witches, but rather the science of growing succulent grapes to make top-notch wine.  When he bought Chateau Renard, he had studied how to grow fine grapes but his first three seasons resulted in low quality crops.
A curse on a witch may happen, but good luck making it last when given to a powerful mind.  Elena spent seven years under a brutal curse and through persistence, gained her rightful "skin" back.  She was meant to be the owner of Chateau Renard and she found her way back to it.
Brought in as a stray, Jean-Paul assumed she was simply and new employee, yet he didn't appreciate her strange handling of his orchard.  The Vine Witch By Luanne G. Smith Arc Advance Proof
Matter of fact, if she was one of those witches that he thought a preposterous idea to even exist, she had no place at his vineyard.
Elena had a vengeance on a man, former fiancé and love of her life, Bastien, and wanted him dead. He had killed off seven years of her life, and it's only right.  Unless he didn't do it.  She had a slight doubt.
The rivalry between Jean-Paul's orchard and Bastien's, led to a realization by Jean-Paul.  Maybe witches were real, and maybe they could help his vines grow wonderful grapes.
Jean-Paul apologized to Elena and strolled, hand-in-hand, with her through the vineyard and made plans.  the plans turned out not to be only about wine.
Granted, Elena has other enemies that she doesn't know about.
One problem after another.  Can the new love between Jean-Paul and Elena carry on and save them from other curses?
I have so much to tell about this grand story, but don't worry, I didn't tell you too much.  It's a delightful romance to devour, and October is a fantastic month to read it!

Happy reading,
Dawn

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

The Witch's Dream, Knights of Black Swan, Book 2, by Victoria Danann



The Witch’s Dream, Knights of Black Swan book 2 by Victoria Danann



Definitely a deep paranormal romance of the future.  Book two of seven, so hold on as the forward and prologue fill you in on the intricate background of the many characters. 

After catching up with the hierarchy and background of the many paranormals, vampires, werewolves, and many others, Danann finally gets to the story. 

A love, a marriage, and a few more.  The story begins in Ireland-love that place- and a celebration for the expectance of Ram and Elora.  The B-team takes a break and heads over from Edinborough.The Witch's Dream: The Order of the Black Swan

Many new paranormals are introduced and they all have relations, whether protecting humans, the paranormal, or themselves or falling in love and proving it to their chosen.

 A powerful witch, Litha, and her mate, Storm take the lead in this story. Litha doesn’t have a problem knowing Storm is for her, but he blocks the obvious.  So round and round they go, and can Litha finally conquer her one-and-only’s blind side??  

With a lengthy narrative and soft conflict, it is apparent that the actions all revolve around proving, sacrificing, and protecting the good in the relationships.

I think this series is for the hardcore future romantic paranormal readers, but a good trial for those who occasionally test the paranormal world.



Enjoy your read!

Dawn  


Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Devil's Fool by Rachel McClellan


A witch named Eve.  How charming. 
 

Yet, Eve has a long way to become a charming witch.  She sees the rage, anger, and evil of her parents.  Their actions are for power and greed, and Eve vows to not be like them. 

 A handsome vampire, Boaz, floats into her life and claims he can give her whatever she wants.  Their powers together are incredible and unstoppable.  Together, they kill and destroy just for a laugh.  And it’s intoxicating and addictive.

The Devil's FoolEve reveals her love for Boaz.  He gives her an ultimate gift from a vampire.  This gift will create more strength in their union.

Until an elusive vampire, Lucien, gives Eve his hand for a brief, new experience.

Lucien’s touch feels safe and positive.

Eve is left in a state of confusion between her initial vow to be the opposite of her parents and the fun experienced through falling into Boaz’s trap of love and the new warm and comforting aura Lucien covers her with.

For better or worse, which angle (or vampire) does she take?

An incredible romance based on the simple theory of right and wrong, power and greed, and the distrust of anything that appears too good to be true.  And a great Halloween read!!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Friday, November 18, 2016

Witches and Gargoyles Fly Again!

Hey, ya'all. How's everyone doing?  Great, I hope!!!  Well, here we are again...it's Thursday night and my blog is due tomorrow, and I got nuthin. LOL  I was supposed to be going under the knife tomorrow morning for a bone fragment in one elbow, but I got a last minute reprieve, which is a VERY good thing, given that this has been one of those weeks where everything you do seems to fall apart and ends up a pile of junk on the living room floor.  :)  So surgery postponed and now I don't have to worry about the doc getting hit by lightning while he's got a metal probe stuck in my elbow. Yeah!

So, what I'm gonna do instead is give you a sneak peek at the new cover for my story that's coming out later this week.  It's the first book in the SpellMaker Series...a new series about witches in cowgirl boots, hiding in plain sight, and gargoyles who wear cowboy hats.  It came out in September as part of the Butterscotch Martini Girls box set, Bodyguard.  But now I'll be publishing it stand-alone under its own cover.  Woo Hoo!  So, here's the cover, and I hope you love it because I designed it myself. There's an excerpt posted below...Enjoy!  And if you love it, keep an eye open for it to come out on Monday!



That's my story, new and nutty, and I'm stickin' to it.  Hang on tight now, 'cuz we're gonna go real, real fast!




Love ya,

Kayce








Excerpt from...Witch's Pass

Grant addressed the men.  “Gentlemen, as I said on the phone, my daughter Quayk is missing.  No one has seen her since this morning.  What do you need to know about her?  Do you need a picture?”

McCall shook his head.  “No, we have all that.  Pulled it up before we left.  I have two members of my team I would like to leave with your family.  They will provide protection while they question them to see if there is anything else we can learn.”  He turned his head and motioned toward a group of people standing next to his truck.  “Garcia.”

A tall, slender woman with caramel skin, dark brown eyes, and long, black hair pulled back in a ponytail stepped forward.  She wore black leggings, a black short-sleeve T-shirt, black boots, and had a gun belt strapped around her hips.

“This is Alice Garcia.  She’ll be in charge of things here at the house.”

The woman smiled and nodded as she met Grant’s gaze fearlessly.  “Hello.  I’ll take good care of your family.”

Grant had no doubt she would.  He could sense a comfort spell emanating from her also.  He could tell from the flavor of the spell that she was an Empath, and he was grateful she would be able to sense his family’s needs and put them at ease.

McCall turned back toward his truck.  “Slicer.”

A man dressed in dark pink from head to toe stepped forward, and it was clear from the way he moved, he was probably gay.  The man was of mixed blood and could have been a Prince clone.   But his most prominent features were his eyes—a light golden brown, with slightly horizontal, oval-shaped irises.  Not at all what he’d expected.  Grant turned toward McCall and raised one brow.  “Slicer?”

One side of McCall’s mouth pulled up in a grin.  “Yeah.  This is Eric Rittenhouse.  We call him Slicer because of his special talents.”

Grant stared at the man.  “And what would those be?”

McCall chuckled.  “He’s a cat shifter.”

Grant met McCall’s gaze.  “Seriously?”

That explains the eyes.

McCall nodded.  “And people like him.  So they tell him shit.”

Holy hell, what a crew!

Grant smiled at Rittenhouse.  “Okay, welcome aboard, Slicer.  Take good care of my family.”

“Oh, you know I will, sir.”  Slicer gave him a salute that was something straight out of a sitcom routine, and Grant had to resist the urge to laugh.

McCall turned back toward the group next to the truck.  “Okay, the rest of you come on up.”
The group stepped forward and formed a line in front of Grant.

McCall introduced each of them individually.  “This is Tracker—our field survival expert, and a lion shifter.  He can track anything that walks, hops, runs, or slithers, and sometimes even things that fly with a little assistance.”

Alex pointed to a man carrying an automatic weapon.  “Shooter here is our ordnance expert and a military-trained sniper. He a can hit a bird in flight at a mile every time with the naked eye.  He’s a falcon shifter.”

The next man to step forward was dressed in black and fairly non-descript—someone you might see and never remember later.  “This is Boxcar, and he’s a raccoon shifter.  He can get in and out of anything, and don’t shoot dice with him if you want to keep your shirt.”

Alex motioned for a man in a well-worn white straw hat to step forward.  “Cowboy here is my ranch foreman, and has a team of search and rescue experts that work with him.”  Cowboy nodded and stepped back in line.

Grant asked, “Is he a shifter too?”

Alec shook his head.  “No.  He’s a psychic with strong telepathic abilities.  That makes him good with animals, and he can communicate with his search and rescue team over long distances, even without these headsets.”

“And this is Meow.”  Alex grinned as he introduced the last man.  “He’s our main strategist, an expert in stealth recovery, and trained in human psychology and behavior.  He can read you like a book, and has an astounding ability to imitate the sound of any animal.  You hear a kitten outside the door, don’t go check.”

Grant met Alex’s gaze.  “Shifter?”

Alex laughed.  “No, Human.  Just weird and twisted.”

Friday, September 9, 2016

Witches, Gargoyles, Shifters...Oh, My!

Woo Hoo!!!  I am celebrating my butt off at this end because I have a new story coming out in Volume 2 of the Butterscotch Martini Shots series.  This box set is titled, BodyGuard, and contains four stories from four of the BMGsCan you say “Yeah?!”

The anchor story in this box set is a previously published, and wildly popular, story from the amazing Jennifer Ashley—titled BodyGuard.  I know…awesome how that worked out, right?  LOL
So here’s the new cover…

 …created by yours truly.  Uh-huh!  Hope you love it as much as I do.

The four authors in this set are Jennifer Ashley, Calista Fox, Tia Dani, and me, and I am ecstatic to be running in such incredible company—what talent!

The story officially releases on September 20th, but it is...

Click here NOW to pre-order!  


The pre-order link is finally live, so go order your copy now—and it will ship on September 20th.  And while you are there, you will want to order a copy of Volume 1 – Roses and Rodeo, if you haven’t already got a copy.


Oh, and I almost forgot...You are invited to our Book Release Party on Saturday.  You can search Facebook for Butterscotch Martini Girls LET'S PARTY Spectacular!  Or you can try this link...who knows, it might work.  LOL  And if all else fails, send me a note and I'll send you an invitation.  Have I mentioned it's been a very strange day full of strange glitches?  

Below are some quick story blurbs on the four stories included in this set, followed by an excerpt from my story, Witch’s Pass.  For those of you who have read my Delta Jane Series, you will find this series to be very similar, in that it is light and humorous.  But this time we have fun witches instead of a fun fairy godmother.  Witch’s Pass is a novella-length story that introduces some of the quirky characters you will learn more about in the full-length novels scheduled to begin coming out in 2017.

Enjoy…and don’t forget to order your copy today.  That’s my story, fun and funky, and I’m stickin’ to it.  Hang on tight now, ‘cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

 



Love ya,

Kayce





Jennifer Ashley
BodyGuard (Shifters Unbound Series)
Elizabeth Chapman is saved from an armed robber by a giant Kodiak bear who shifts
into a large, well-muscled, and fully naked human male. Ronan, the Bear Shifter, takes
her to Shiftertown for safety, where Elizabeth learns that the mateless Ronan, alone in
the world, takes care of Shifters who have also been left on their own. Now, Ronan will
only let Elizabeth leave the confines of Shiftertown if he becomes her 24/7 bodyguard.

Calista Fox
Rise of the Damned (Forever Mine Series)
For centuries, Kage Deville has sworn to protect the mortal soul of Taelyn Abrams—even
though it means watching her die. He’s a demon fighting to keep two worlds from clashing
and she’s a human slayer summoned to life when the threat to the mortals becomes too
great. But something has gone wrong with the resurrection and unless Taelyn's memory
of her true mission returns, a world will be doomed and she will be forever lost to Kage…

Kayce Lassiter
Witch‘s Pass (SpellMaker Series)
Witch princess, Quayk SpellMaker, is in a battle of wills with her father over an
“arranged” marriage to a man she hates. Does she settle for a loveless marriage? Or
risk being without a mate and alone forever?  Gargoyle shifter, Alex McCall, is assigned
to guard Quayk and make sure she marries. But the more time he spends ensuring
Quayk marries another, the more he is drawn to the beautiful, quirky witch.

Tia Dani
Next To Die
Amanda Jackson relocates to Arizona with her new husband. Despite warnings
from a girlfriend, she can’t believe an obsessed psychopath is after her. Until she
sees her name and the words…next to die. To appease his sister, bodyguard Rick
DeLuca reluctantly agrees to keep an eye on Amanda. The dangerous mess he
uncovers reveals an ugly truth. Her perfect husband isn’t who he pretends to be.



Excerpt…Witch’s Pass By Kayce Lassiter

As a princess from a very powerful family, it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that a coven of witches had kidnapped her and had stirred up an electrical storm to impede the search and cover their trail.
While Alex didn’t think that was the case, it would be impossible for a single witch to bring down an electrical storm, so the timing of a magical storm forced him to consider the possibility this wasn’t what it appeared.
He was determined to follow the trail as long as he could, and keep an eye out for a place to wait out the storm, just in case.
In less than five minutes, the storm raged so badly he could no longer ignore it.  Trees were whipped around by the high winds, and the thunder was so loud he could sense the rumble under his feet.
Alex began to look around in earnest for a place to ride it out.  He considered shifting back, but decided with all the debris being tossed around, it was safer in his “rubber skin”, as the team called it.
While Alex’s skin never hardened to the marble finish other gargoyles experienced, his pliable skin was still tough and couldn’t be cut, punctured, shot, or penetrated by any weapon he’d ever encountered.  So he was still better protected as a gargoyle than as a human.  And the advantage he had over other gargoyles is that in a pliable form, he could still move, while they were rooted to one spot.
As he searched for a cave, or a rock outcropping where he could lay low and avoid lightning strikes, he caught movement from the corner of his eye and whipped his head back to see what it was.
At first, he thought there was nothing there.  But after a few seconds, he noticed a slight movement in his peripheral vision.  When he turned his head to look at the area straight on, it was almost like the air had a translucent finish as it shimmered in the wind.  As he stared, trying to figure out what to do about it, there was a blinding flash of light that forced him to look away momentarily.
When he looked back, the spot was gone.  Instead, there was a woman on the ground who sputtered as she cursed like a sailor, arms and legs flailing as she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Alex was still in his shifted form, and blended into the background, so she hadn’t noticed him.
“Son-of-a-bitch!  You stupid stink weed.”  The woman flailed her arms and legs like a turtle stuck on its back as she fought to stand with a massively heavy pack on her back.
He shifted back to his human form so he had all of his senses, and smiled as he recognized the stunning young woman.
Quayk SpellMaker.
She still hadn’t noticed him, as she continued to issue threats and curse at whatever had pissed her off.
“I will get even with you, so help me, I swear I will.  I’ll set you on fire and I’ll take the hedge trimmers to you, and I’ll…I’ll set you on fire again.”
She finally managed to get her pack off her shoulders and bolted to her feet.  Her cowgirl hat flew off her head and she caught it neatly with one hand as she pulled twigs and leaves from her tangled black hair with the other, still cursing and stomping her feet.
When she finally looked up and saw Alex, she froze.
He smiled.  “Miss SpellMaker, I presume.”
“Who the hell are you?”  She reached for her pack, clearly reluctant to leave it behind.
Alex took a slow step closer, approaching her like he would a scared colt.
Her gaze was wild and she was poised to run, but she wasn’t scared.  She was determined not to be caught.  He could read it in her eyes.
She was the most magnificent woman he’d ever seen.  Her huge ice-blue eyes flashed fire and her thick black hair was wild around her face as she stood in shorts and pink cowgirl boots, with long tanned legs, and her hat in hand.
It was like a punch to the gut, and he swallowed hard to ease the lump in his throat.
This woman is my target.  Her father is my client, not to mention she’s a princess and he’s the freaking King of SpellMaker.
Quayk shifted slightly to get a better hold on her pack.
“Now, Miss SpellMaker, I am not here to hurt you.  But I won’t let you run.  Your family hired me to find you, and I intend to take you home.  So please—don’t try to run.  You’ll jus—.”
She bolted, abandoning the pack in favor of freedom.
“Shit!”  Alex took off after her, shocked at how fast the woman could move.  As she slipped through the forest easily, he was forced to crash through like a bull in a china shop.
As they ran, the storm picked up strength.  The trees were bent almost to the ground and limbs crashed down around them as Quayk continued to put more and more distance between them.
Alex tried to call to her, to warn her this was a magical storm, and extremely dangerous.  He doubted she could hear him.
Suddenly and ear-splitting crack sounded and he watched as a tree began to fall toward Quayk as she bolted through the forest, unaware.
He screamed, “Quayk, look out!”
She must have heard him because she looked back over her shoulder.  Her eyes grew round and she tried to outrun the tree, but he watched as the canopy of the huge pine engulfed her slender body.
Alex hurried toward where he’d last seen her.  He half crawled and half ran, as he scrambled over and through branches to reach her.
Finally, he saw a flash of pink beneath the tree, and he made his way over to the woman as she lay face-down beneath a branch.
When he finally managed to reach Quayk, the first thing he did was check for a pulse.  Strong.  He looked around and didn’t see any blood.
Maybe she just got knocked out.
He pulled a knife from his belt and began to cut branches to free the girl, as lightning flashed close enough to make the hair on his body stand out.
“Shit.”  He talked as he worked to free her.  “Quayk, come on, you have to wake up.  We have to get you out of here.  This storm is dangerous.  Come on, girl, talk to me.  Wake up.”
She groaned.
With the last branch pulled away, he was still afraid to move her, unsure what he would find when he turned her over.
He leaned close.  “Quayk, can you hear me?  Are you hurt?  Can you move?”
“No,” she mumbled with her face still pushed into the ground.
“No what?”  He asked.  “No, you’re not hurt, or no, you can’t move?”
He heard her drag in a ragged breath.  “No, I don’t want to move.  Go away.”
“All right, that’s enough.”  Anger and relief warred inside him—anger at how close she’d come to being killed, and relief that she hadn’t.  He took her snarky response as an indication she was okay.
Standing, he reached down and grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up until she could get her feet under her.
She grunted, but didn’t scream out in pain.  So as soon as she was able to stand, he bent over and swooped her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
She screamed, but he sensed no pain in the scream, so he started off in search of a place to hide from the storm as she began to kick and buck on his shoulder.
“Put me down, you Neanderthal.  I am not going home.  I’m fine.”
He reached up with his free hand and paddled her on the butt.  “Hold still or I’ll tie you up with a vine and leave you out here to drown in this storm.”
She stopped fighting.  “You’re crazy.  It’s not even raining.”
“It will be.  This storm isn’t natural.  It’s magical, and seems set on killing both of us.”
With that, another bolt of lightning struck the ground at the far side of the clearing.  Quayk screamed loud enough to blow out an eardrum, and Alex crashed through the bushes in the opposite direction as he tried to hold onto the bucking woman on his shoulder.
“Hold still!”  She was getting heavier, and harder to hold onto.
“Cave,” she shrieked.
He froze.  “What?”
She pointed off to the right and screamed again, “Cave.”
He looked in the direction she pointed as a branch crashed down behind him.  “There’s a cave over there?”

“Yes, you idiot.  Get moving or put me down before you kill both of us.”  She bucked again, but he held tight.