Title: A Fallen Son
Series: The Concilium Series
Author: A.P. Watson
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The deaths of her sworn protectors, the blood on her hands, and the evil around her haunt Evey at every turn. She thought she could outrun Aden, but escape now seems impossible. And the longer she’s around her former husband, the more she is forced to recognize the fine line between love and hate. As the reincarnations of the original man and woman from the Garden of Eden, Aden and Evey have been bound to one another from the beginning of time. If she can restore Aden’s humanity, his reign of terror will end once and for all. If she can’t, he’ll lead her down his path of death and devastation. Will Evey ever be able to rid herself of Aden, or are some bonds too deep to truly sever?
Meanwhile in New York, Conrad rises from the dead only to discover Evey has been taken by the very man who stole his life. In the aftermath of Aden's murderous rampage, Conrad teams up with Evey’s best friend and a rebellious consiliarius to save the woman he loves.
Although Conrad’s already paid for their forbidden romance with his life—twice—Aden still hungers for more vengeance. With his soul in constant turmoil, Aden plans to unleash the darkness he consumed in the Garden of Eden on the rest of the world. To stop him, Conrad must travel the world in a race against time to hunt down the only weapon capable of ending Aden’s immortal life. Sacrifices will be made, sins will be committed, and rules will be broken, but will it be enough? Will true love conquer all? And if he fails, will Evey and the rest of humanity fall prey to a madman?
Chapter One: Lost
Throwing off the covers, I scooted away from Aden until my hands found the edge of the mattress. There was nowhere else to go, but I yearned for escape. As I pulled myself farther away from him, I fell to the ground, my arm thrashing against a small table. Fear overwhelmed my senses, coursing through my veins like a jolt of electricity. How could I be here? Why were the eyes boring into mine darker than the deepest abyss? Aden rounded the bed and made his way toward me, his expression unreadable. Panic consumed my thoughts and my body trembled uncontrollably in response.
The last time I rejected this man, he sent me to an early grave. Now, he stood before me and claimed he needed me back, but in order to accomplish his goals, he had stolen away the ones I loved most. My instincts told me not to believe his lies as he was no doubt hungry for more carnage. I knew the depths of love and this twisted version wasn’t even close to the word.
As he advanced toward me, I scrambled across the cold wooden floor. I was nothing more than a caged animal. When Aden bent down in front of me, I fought the urge to scream. My eyes clasped shut. The thought of staring into his dark gaze sickened me. The moment he grabbed my wrist, a shudder slithered down my spine. His touch was like ice, stinging my skin with the pressure of his fingers.
“If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with,” I spat defiantly. Fighting against my instincts, I opened my eyes and watched as his hand jerked away.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered. Pain harshened the lines of his face. “You’re bleeding.” He pointed at my arm that had bashed against the table. A small drop of blood trickled over the inside of my wrist. Taking my hand in his, he delicately kissed the spot where I’d been cut, cleaning the blood away with the bottom of his shirt. He then picked me up in his arms and set me on the bed, handling me like I was a crystal vase and the slightest disturbance would cause me to burst into a million tiny shards of glass. As Aden sat at the end of the bed, all I could do was stare at him in bewilderment. “There’s no need for you to be afraid of me,” he reassured me in a soft voice.
His gentle answer fueled my anger. “Isn’t there?” I questioned, not even attempting to suppress the malice in my tone. “You murdered everyone I care for.” I knew my eyes were filled with all the venom I felt in my heart. I didn’t care if my salvation lay in his love for me. The life he offered wasn’t worth the price.
“I did what I had to do in order to have you in my life again.”
Confusion began to replace my anger. I was sure he wanted me to suffer. The only reason he’d been so eager to find me was to hurt me again. Why was he being so gentle, tender even? “I don’t understand. I thought you hated me.”
“I’ve tried to hate you so many times, and no matter what I do, I’m incapable of harboring even a minute shred of ill will toward you.”
“So, you aren’t going to kill me?” I understood the influence I had over people, how they were innately drawn to me, but his sincerity seemed unfathomable considering the depths of his cruelty I’d experienced first-hand.
“In this moment, all I want is to hold you and know that you’re mine, just like we were always meant to be since the beginning of time.”
The last time I rejected this man, he sent me to an early grave. Now, he stood before me and claimed he needed me back, but in order to accomplish his goals, he had stolen away the ones I loved most. My instincts told me not to believe his lies as he was no doubt hungry for more carnage. I knew the depths of love and this twisted version wasn’t even close to the word.
As he advanced toward me, I scrambled across the cold wooden floor. I was nothing more than a caged animal. When Aden bent down in front of me, I fought the urge to scream. My eyes clasped shut. The thought of staring into his dark gaze sickened me. The moment he grabbed my wrist, a shudder slithered down my spine. His touch was like ice, stinging my skin with the pressure of his fingers.
“If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with,” I spat defiantly. Fighting against my instincts, I opened my eyes and watched as his hand jerked away.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered. Pain harshened the lines of his face. “You’re bleeding.” He pointed at my arm that had bashed against the table. A small drop of blood trickled over the inside of my wrist. Taking my hand in his, he delicately kissed the spot where I’d been cut, cleaning the blood away with the bottom of his shirt. He then picked me up in his arms and set me on the bed, handling me like I was a crystal vase and the slightest disturbance would cause me to burst into a million tiny shards of glass. As Aden sat at the end of the bed, all I could do was stare at him in bewilderment. “There’s no need for you to be afraid of me,” he reassured me in a soft voice.
His gentle answer fueled my anger. “Isn’t there?” I questioned, not even attempting to suppress the malice in my tone. “You murdered everyone I care for.” I knew my eyes were filled with all the venom I felt in my heart. I didn’t care if my salvation lay in his love for me. The life he offered wasn’t worth the price.
“I did what I had to do in order to have you in my life again.”
Confusion began to replace my anger. I was sure he wanted me to suffer. The only reason he’d been so eager to find me was to hurt me again. Why was he being so gentle, tender even? “I don’t understand. I thought you hated me.”
“I’ve tried to hate you so many times, and no matter what I do, I’m incapable of harboring even a minute shred of ill will toward you.”
“So, you aren’t going to kill me?” I understood the influence I had over people, how they were innately drawn to me, but his sincerity seemed unfathomable considering the depths of his cruelty I’d experienced first-hand.
“In this moment, all I want is to hold you and know that you’re mine, just like we were always meant to be since the beginning of time.”
A.P. Watson is a contemporary and paranormal romance author who discovered her love for reading at a very young age due to her rural upbringing. She enjoys a variety of genres and authors, from Jane Austen to Charlaine Harris. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves to dance. A.P. has been an avid pole dancer for several years and thoroughly enjoys the challenging nature of the sport and the thrill of performing onstage. Professionally, she has worked as a registered nurse for several years, and she graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing in 2019. Her goal is to combine her love for aesthetics and skincare by utilizing her Family Nurse Practitioner certification in the field of dermatology. A.P. currently resides in Johnson City, Tennessee, with her adorable rescue pup, Elle.
And here is an excerpt from the book! Sorry it took me a bit to get all of this stuff to you, but I'm also going to include an author photo, just in case you need that too!
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