Title: In Azgarth's Shadow
Author: Cassie Sweet
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: April 23, 2018
Heat Level: 1 - No Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 94100
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, LGBT, steampunk, fantasy, friends to lovers, fae
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Synopsis
When popular artist Nicholas Alexandre
is shot and killed in a patron’s bedroom and his body dumped in Whitechapel, it
is up to the talents of Drs. Mikhail Stanslovich and Dante Savoy to bring him
back to life. Since the death of his beloved sister a few months before,
Nicholas has lamented his pact with the fae master, Azgarth—for the world of
the fae is one of broken promises and terrifying illusions.
Fae agent, Roman Cetanni has spent his
tenure as one of Azgarth’s representatives trying to shield his charges from
the fae master’s wrath. But what once seemed a division of worlds has now
morphed until the lines between the human and fae world are blurred.
Even as Roman tries to help Nicholas
recover from his injuries, a new threat looms. Lately more beings from the fae
have invaded the human realm, and Oiredon, another fae master, wishes an
alliance with Roman and his charges to aid in overthrowing Azgarth.
Excerpt
In Azgarth’s Shadow
Cassie Sweet © 2018
All Rights Reserved
Chapter One
Light caressed Lady Clarissa’s bare
breasts, creating interesting shadows as supplied by the long dark hair that
cascaded over her shoulders in tousled curls. The strands revealed as much as
they hid. She lay on the bed, gaze fixed out the window, staring at the
moonlight. A pensive expression filled her lovely face. She didn’t do pensive
well. Pouting and preening were more in line with her nature. Oh, there were
the intrigues, instigations, and incidents, but they were solely to amuse.
“How much longer, Nicholas?”
“Not too much, my dear.”
Nicholas Alexandre put the finishing
touches on the canvas and stepped back from his work. He’d painted her as
Tatiana from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most people assumed Shakespeare wrote
the play as a fanciful comedy. What they didn’t know, or understand, was the
fact the Bard wrote it from his experiences of the fae realm.
Lady Clarissa was as much Tatiana as any
woman Nicholas had ever known. Petty and jealous, she lived in a world where
her needs and desires were met at the cost of those around her. He indulged her
because her behavior, though outrageous, amused him. He enjoyed the way her
schemes horrified society. These days, it was the only thing that lifted his
grief.
He studied the details of the painting,
not quite satisfied with the illumination. Not to worry, he’d add flourishes
later. For now, he was exhausted and wanted only to pack up his paints and—
The door burst open and banged against
the wall.
“You wretched whore!”
Lady Clarissa screamed and grabbed at a
sheet to shield her naked torso from her enraged husband. “My heart, it’s not
what you think.”
Sir Rodderick Danworth laughed and held
the dueling pistol pointed at Nicholas’s stomach. “You expect me to believe
that? In my own bedroom?”
Nicholas wiped paint from his brush,
unperturbed that the angry husband threatened his life. “As you see, I came
here to work. I’m nothing more than a humble painter.”
The laugh this time came out bitter,
pained. “There is nothing humble about you. Do your promises mean nothing?”
A prick of conscience and a slight brush
of regret. “My word is still good, but my purse is not subject to the whims of
honor. I still need to eat and live. I have a grieving mother to support.”
The fact his mother hadn’t left her bed
since his sister’s death, notwithstanding.
Rodderick kept his gaze focused on
Nicholas, much as a hunter might a wild animal. Something stirred in the depths
of his eyes, not entirely of the man himself. “You are nothing more than a
deceiver. A liar.”
Nicholas inclined his head in a subtle acknowledgment
of the accusation and let his suspicions fall to the ground unvoiced. “And so I
am what the world has made me.”
Realization and pain morphed into fury,
filling Rodderick’s eyes. He fought an inner demon that shone in the dark
depths. The gun went off.
Nicholas watched in horror as the shot
struck him true. Crimson bloomed across the front of his white shirt, spreading
like paint through a jar of mineral spirits. Odd how no pain registered.
The paintbrush dropped from fingers that
no longer worked. Sound became a distant, hollow thing. A scream came from
behind him, but even that had the quality of a train entering a tunnel, the
whistle fading into the dark earth.
If he’d had the ability, Nicholas would
have laughed. A mortal wound would not kill one such as him; it only released
him into the hands of the fae master, Azgarth. And therein lay his real fear.
Servitude on this plane was one of commerce, a way to provide for his family in
the manner they’d become accustom. Being one of the chosen in the fae realm for
eternity was not the thing of beauty Azgarth promised. The thing he’d seen
welling in Rodderick’s eyes.
The only one to derive any pleasure from
such an association was Azgarth himself. However, it might give him a chance to
see Juliana again. To see if she’d been taken into the fae realm on her death
and protected.
Rodderick stood over him, his face
white, lips pale. Tears streamed down his face. The darkness had faded from his
eyes. “Look what you made me do.”
He was unsure if Rodderick meant
Nicholas, Clarissa, or Azgarth. He moved his arm to try to cover the wound and
staunch the flow, but could do nothing more than watch as the blood began to
soak into the carpet beneath.
Lady Clarissa finally rose from the bed.
She stood over Nicholas, looking down on him. Her mouth was pinched with
displeasure, no doubt for the stains that ruined the Aubusson. “I knew your
jealousy would one day be your downfall.”
Rodderick still held the pistol.
Disbelief pulled his mouth down at the corners. “I’ve killed him.”
Nicholas tried to inform Rodderick that
he was very much mistaken—he still lived and heard every word they said. The
one to kill him was much worse than Rodderick could ever imagine.
Lady Clarissa took Rodderick by the arm.
“No. We will keep this between the two of us. Call Charles and have him dump
the body in Whitechapel. No one will bat an eye for one more murder in that
part of town.”
Rodderick nodded mutely. He started out
of the room, then turned back as Nicholas took one last shuddery breath.
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Meet the Author
Cassie Sweet lives in beautiful Pensacola, Florida and often enjoys watching the Blue Angels do practice flyovers from the window in her writing nook. Growing up with a great love for the Grimm’s Fairytales and the original Star Trek, her stories might involve paranormal elements, space travel, or a combo platter of both.Website | Facebook | Twitter
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