Re-Runners First Life: A Time Travel Suspense Series (15 page)

‘She prefers Beth,’ interrupted Michael.

Nic nodded and looked again to Beth. ‘I know that several firms vied for your attention, but I’m very happy that you chose us. Your reputation precedes you and I look forward to hearing your ideas. ‘Environmentally-friendly’... It’s a new catch phrase in our industry, but one I think we’ll be hearing more and more often. And this company.. ..
our
company, will be the market leader in Australia with this type of designing and building.’

He spoke with such passion and Beth could see why he had the loyal support and endorsement of his employees. He wanted to make the world a better place. He had big dreams ten years ago and he had written to her about them. Those letters; so full of ideas and plans for the future. A future that had included her.
No, not me,
Beth corrected herself.
That was Jennifer’s future, not mine
.

‘OK then.’ Nic clapped his hands and brought her back to the present moment. ‘I’ll see you both tomorrow at 9am. I want to bring everyone up to date on our proposal to the Singapore Corporation.’

Michael stood and stretched ready to escort Beth to her office. Nic moved ahead to open the door and held out his hand to Beth. ‘Welcome again, Beth’. As she returned his handshake, she moved closer and for a second Nic breathed deeply. ‘That scent. Your perfume?’

She hesitated at the unexpected switch of conversation.

‘It’s ... umm..’ she fumbled.

‘Gardenia. Yes, I know.’ He looked at her again, blue eyes meeting green; a small frown creasing his brow.

Turning to Michael he slapped his old friend on the back and said, ‘Look after our newest recruit and I’ll see you both tomorrow.’

Nic leaned against the doorframe and watched as Beth walked away with Michael. There was something unsettling familiar about Beth Taylor and he was going to work it out, sooner rather than later.

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Excerpt from

THOUGH DEEMED INFERIOR

Sky Civilizations Series

(Paranormal Shifter Romance)

Book 1

Launch Date – February 2016

The enmity between the Eagle Convocation, the Hawk Cast and Owl Parliament has governed the sky civilizations for hundreds of years. During their lifetime the rulers of the Convocation and the Cast had formed an uneasy alliance. To join their offspring in marriage would unite the two powerful nations and give them the strength to defeat and enslave the mighty Owl Parliament ruled by the blood-thirsty Caradas family.

Book 1

Prologue

‘Come in, daughter.’

Salima Isolde did as her father bade, pulling her wings in against her back, drawing courage from the safety she found in their covering. When she had neared the desk and could avoid it no longer, Salima transitioned into human form; it was only right since Evenon Isolde had already shifted into this state. She could usually gauge the seriousness of the discussion by the form in which her father chose to conduct it. Typically, if it was to be a short conversation he would remain a hawk. However, it looked like this was going to take longer. He appeared to have no intention of taking flight any time soon.

‘Sit.’ Evenon invited, or more accurately, commanded. It was not as if Salima had a choice in the matter.

Salima raised her chin, preparing herself for the confrontation ahead. She swept her long, black skirts out of the way as she took a seat, her spine rigid. Evenon moved a dagger and the stone with which he had been sharpening it aside with irritating leisure.

Salima had to stifle the temptation to sigh aloud.
Let's just get this over with, shall we?

Once Evenon was seated she spoke. ‘I know what you're going to say, so why don't we get straight to it?’

Evenon raised his eyebrows, running a hand over his light brown beard. ‘You know what I'm going to say, do you?’

‘It’s not as if the subject hasn't been lingering for ages. My one request is that we finish this conversation now and get it over with once and for all.’

Only months earlier Salima would have been too cautious to make such a statement. But enough was enough. It was time for everything to be out in the open, whether she and her father agreed or not.

The grin that accompanied Evenon's next statement was not an endearing one. His face held the quality Salima recognized from when he had prey in his sights and knew there was no passage of escape for the unfortunate creature.

‘Alright my virago child, let us do just that. It won't be long before Parliament is upon us. Their sole plan for the Cast is to divide and conquer it. Once they have succeeded in that, the Convocation will be next. Parliament and the Convocation appear to be allies right now, but it will never last. Warrick is greedy—owl-men always are—and he won't stop his conquest until Parliament has obtained complete and sovereign reign over the sky civilizations;
all
of them. There is only one way to keep this from taking place.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Salima said, crossing her long legs. ‘Link two of the three civilizations together in a bond which can never be broken. And you just happen to have a daughter of marriageable age.’

‘Don't speak with such contempt Salima,’ Evenon responded, his voice low with suppressed anger. ‘Not everything can be altered to please you.’

Not everything? How about
anything
?

‘
Ha,’ Salima snapped, her golden eyes blazing. ‘Don't I know it.’

‘It’s time you thought of someone besides yourself,’ Evenon continued, taking up the dagger and proceeding to sharpen it again.

If Salima hadn't known better she would be frightened of the fact that he held a knife. In fact, most hawk-men or women were afraid of her father, but she knew he would never kill her. After all, his only chance of success when it came to uniting the sky civilizations lay with her; his only daughter.

‘If I thought only of myself, believe me I'd be far from here by now.’

Salima didn't miss the tightening of her father's fist around the dagger's handle. If he were in hawk-form his talons would have sliced through anything in their way, but instead his fingernails simply ground futilely into his palm.

‘You don't appreciate one bit what I have provided for you,’ Evenon gritted. ‘To disobey what is best for the Cast would only ruin you.’

‘I'm no longer a fledgling. Or a child—whichever you prefer,’ Salima said.

‘I daresay you're more human than hawk right now. Your reasoning skills are at the caliber of a mere human.’

Salima ignored the insult. ‘I can take care of myself, I assure you. But I know it’s your plan for me to become linked with the Volker heir.’

‘
My
plan?’ the hawk-man scoffed. ‘It should be yours too if you care at all for your civilization.’

‘So I unite the Cast with the eagle-beings and then what? I do everything you say and then you'll leave me alone?’

‘You ungrateful girl. You take no heed of anything I say. You never have.’

‘As long as you are alive my tercel father, there is little I can do besides heed what you say. Unless of course I desire your wrath. But none desire that. So until one of us is no longer living, I'm yours to command, it would seem.’

‘I haven't forced you to do anything,’ Evenon said. ‘No one is trapping you—you're not bound to do my bidding.’

‘But the truth is I am. So father, what is your will?’

End of
Though Deemed Inferior
Taster

Launch date for SKY KINGDOMS SERIES – February 2016

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DEDICATION

To my daughters with love.

Girls are great.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As always, I must thank the man in my life. Marc is editor, constructive critic, a booster of spirits when the book isn’t working and the pourer of champagne, when it is. Without you it wouldn’t be possible.

Many thanks and hugs follow closely for Kirsten, my creative genius who calms me down and takes over when the technical stuff is doing my head in.

Thank you also to Elaine Nasr - Assistant Manager at
Sir Stamford Hotel
, Circular Quay, Sydney for help in getting my historical facts right and Dr Lloyd McGuire for anything in the realm of lab work and the study of science.

Cheers to my Ra Ra team of family and friends who encourage me and keep me motivated. Loves ya!

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