Everything Kevern of Wessex believed in and lived for has been stripped from him. Now the former knight lives with a pack of fierce dogs. The beasts have stolen his humanity, leaving him wild and without compassion.
Only one person can save the small village in the pack’s way from destruction, the witch Demelza. Well-trained by her witch mother and driven by love for her people, the young woman walks toward danger with her only weapons: the knife hidden in her gown and her lush body.
The sight of her awakens hot memories in Kevern. He will have her, no matter what it takes. But will she tame the devil man?
EXCERPT
Movement! Stopping, she stared. Her heart raced, and she had to fight the urge to run back to her mother’s arms. But she was no longer a child. A snow-white dog nearly the size of a pony stepped from behind a thick tree. Her breath caught.
White? The devil man’s companions were all black. At least, that’s what Nyghal had told everyone as he lay dying. Nyghal had been right about one thing; no nightmare could equal the impact of this beast.
The motionless animal regarded her with bloodred eyes. She’d never heard of a huge white dog and certainly had never seen one this size, this potent. But what did it matter? Nothing like what now threatened her people had ever happened before, either. There were no guidelines for what she now must do, just her witch’s heart and courage.
Another dog joined the first and then a third. The newcomers were winter-night dark and moved like spirits, reminding her of smoke. Although she remained wary and alert, her soul had no room for fear because, in their own way, the wolves were beautiful and compelling.
“Where is your pack leader?” she finally thought to say. Then, because maybe they couldn’t understand spoken words, she asked the same question in her mind. Are you ruled by the white beast or the human?
What does it matter? came the response.
Because I want to speak to your leader, not those who follow.
You think we are nothing, impotent? Come to us. Surrender yourself.
No, she answered and gathered her witch gifts around her. I am not a simple and foolish woman. Feel my strength!
Strength from a girl? Do not make us laugh.
I am no child, she retorted, mentally cursing her slight build and height. Can a child speak with her mind or touch from a distance? Giving weight to her words, she mentally stroked their broad heads. As one, the black beasts shuddered.
We sense…something.
Do more than sense. Believe.
Why should –
I wrap power from the ancients around you, she interrupted, once again touching their heads. The ancients’ spells, born of earth’s center, are inescapable.
As one, the creatures all but turned to stone. Just the same, she knew she didn’t fully control them. Yet.
Ancient powers borne of my witch parents — my father is dead — flow through my veins. I draw endurance from the immense fires that dwell deep beneath our feet. Yet more of my strength comes from the sun, wind, winter storms, and spring’s growth. Those gifts protect me from all evil. From you.
Surrender, the hounds repeated. Become one with us.
Sensing hesitation and question in the response, she folded her arms over her breasts. I will not surrender, ever! Instead, that is my command to you. Determined to prove herself, she ran imaginary fingers from their heads to their noses and from there to their gaping mouths. She brushed a fingernail over sharp fangs.
Careful, one of them — she couldn’t tell which — warned.
Even as she acknowledged the warning, she relished the opportunity to pit her witch gifts against worthy foes. Soon, she told herself. Soon she’d do more than freeze canine muscles.
Unless the devil man commanded all her attention.
She was still tamping down on her excitement, anticipation, and hesitation when the white dog slowly and laboriously separated itself from the shadows and started toward her. Instead of stripping its strength from it, she relaxed her control over the creature. Larger than the others, it carried itself like a lord, despite its struggle to move. Lightning and thunder lurked in its deep-set eyes. Fear, admiration, and awe licked at her. “Magnificent,” she whispered. She was tempted to drop to her knees in surrender, but the open mouth and killing fangs kept her on her feet.
“Magnificent?”