Healing Fire: Book Three in
the Kingdom of Kell Series
Angela Castle
angelacastleleros@yahoo.com
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 5
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Melor, an elite warrior of the planet Kell, has come
to Earth and the city of L.A to find a Protected to call his own, but all the
women reject his attempts to court them. Dejected, he decides to return to
Kell, but an earthquake sends Melor through the portal and right into the path
of an oncoming car.
Summer Rose, a widow, lives near the Humboldt Redwood
Forest of California with her daughter, Blossom. While driving home late one
night, she hits someone with her car.
A powerful attraction pulls them together, but when he
tells her he is from another planet, Summer is convinced Melor is crazy. Melor
is determined to heal the pain of Summer’s body and heart, and prove to the
stubborn woman that he is not crazy.
EXCERPT
Rejected again, Melor clenched his fist as he watched
his friend kneel down and present the protector's bracelet to the woman they
both had been courting the past four days.
Chosen by Jane, with the aid of the Ruby of Worth, it
would glow every time a woman worthy to live in Kell came into the dating
agency.
The beautiful ebony-skinned woman had now chosen the
youthful warrior, Kina. Melor turned away, marching quickly through the narrow
halls. He had obviously wasted his time.
In the city of Los Angeles, he met many beautiful
earth women, of different sizes and personalities, the most desirable ones,
soft tall with attractive curves to drive any sane Kell man mad with desire.
His smiles and words of flattery; nothing but wasted breath for all eight women
had chosen other Kell men, over him.
Was he too gruff or tall for the smaller human woman?
The other Kell men had been a few inches shorter. They had also cut their hair
to attract a female, while he refused to change anything other than his
clothing. Was he really so different and undesirable as a protector?
He left the embracing couple, making his way to the
adjoining comfortable room set up for Kell men. The larger sized room held a
plain wooden table, a few chairs, some bookcases and a row of lockers. One to
hold their weapons and another with larger sized human clothes so the Kell men
could make themselves appear more human before they greeted the human women.
He yanked open the cabinet which held his blades and
clothing. He wanted to get back to the familiarity of his home; to ride his
stag again and train with the other men. He needed to work out his angry
disappointment before his rage got the better of him.
"Melor?"
A soft hand touched his arm. He spun around to stare
straight at Lady Jane, wife or protected of his Kell commander Drystan.
Concern shadowed her lovely blue gaze. He had been
with the warrior party the day they found her. Jane had defied death after
falling though a portal, which connected their worlds. Every warrior had
desired her. She was the first female they had seen since the brutal murder of
their own women and children by the Drac. But the Commander's fierce
possessiveness over the earth woman made them all keep a safe distance.
A pang of envy mixed with his rage. His hopes and
expectations of finding one woman seemed to crumble at his feet. He longed to
find a woman who looked at him the same way the other women looked at their
Kell men. Every rejection left him feeling bitter and hollow inside.
"Forgive me, Lady Jane." He stepped back to
give her a respectful bow. "I wish to return to Kell. There is nothing for
me here."
"Don't lose heart, Melor. Just because you have
not found your protected today, does not mean you won't. These things take
time."
"Do you know why? … Have any of the ladies told
you why I am not worthy?" He needed to know, to understand.
"I am sorry, Melor. One of them did mention you
tended to scowl a lot, but you are far from unworthy. You are brave and
handsome. I just know there is a lady out there for you. You should not let a
few rejections make you give up. I know you would never give up in a battle."
She raised a challenging eyebrow.
Melor shook his head. "A battle and the blade is
all I know. This battle of the heart is a very different matter. Not everyone
is destined to find someone. My place is on Kell, to protect and guard the
people, including the new women."
Jane studied him for along moment. "I think you
are wrong. I strongly believe there is someone for everyone. You need to
believe it too."
The conviction of her words did nothing to relieve
the lonely ache in his heart. But he had made his choice.
"I have been a warrior for too long; have witnessed
and been the cause of too much death. Women from this world are not for me. I
thank you for your concern and for your efforts, but I must insist on returning
to Kell."
Her chest heaved in a soft sigh. "Very well if
that is what you want. There is another lady who's just come into the office,
maybe…"
"No," he snapped with a little more force
than he had intended. He immediately regretted his burst of anger. Jane had
worked tirelessly to help the men of Kell; to find them brides from among her
people. Women who could accept the fact they were from another world. Women of
great value and worth.
"Forgive me. I would appreciate it if a portal
back to Kell could be opened."
"I shall go fetch the
crystal and tell Drystan you are leaving." She turned away.
Melor watched her walk out of the door. He ripped off
the t-shirt, replacing the coarse fabric with the softer Kell shirt; put on his
belt and attached the blade. His crystal dagger, he slipped into his boot.
From his pocket, he pulled
out the golden promise bracelet; the same one his father had given his mother.
The gems gleamed even in the dull light of the artificially lit room. He shook
his head before shoving the bracelet back into his pocket. Perhaps he would
gift it to one of the younger warriors. His life and duty was to protect the
Kingdom of Kell. He would continue to do so until the end of his days.
Jane returned and close
behind her was his commander, head of the King's warriors. They had fought many
battles side by side and Melor was proud to see his commander so content with
his protected lady. Cupped in his large arms, a little infant girl wiggled and
fussed. The large man handed the babe to her mother.
They named the first human-Kell child, Joy. He still
remembered the week-long celebration; much Kell wine had been drunk by all.
Kina walked in from the
other room, tightly holding his new wife's hand.
"Lady Jane, I wish to
take my protected Lady Maria to Kell."
"This is so exciting.
I can hardly believe this is real, that I'd ever find someone as wonderful as
Kina," the dark-haired beauty exclaimed, smiling up at her new protector.
Melor stiffened and gave a
curt bow to the couple. "Congratulations. May the Moon Goddess bless your
union."
Drystan stared at him. "Jane
tells me you wish to leave too, Melor."
"Yes, Commander. I
think it best."
"Not everyone finds
their match first try, my friend. I hope you will come back and try again."
Melor held his tongue not
wishing to have another conversation as to his reasons in wanting to return to
Kell.
Drystan nodded. "Very
well."
Thankfully, his commander
did not say anything else, but must have seen the unspoken words in the other
man's eyes. No doubt the commander would speak when it was time to return to
Kell.
"Oh, isn't she the
cutest little thing you ever saw?" Maria broke away from Kina to coo over
the infant. Her round chubby face and wide, dark blue eyes made her the center
of attention wherever Jane and Drystan took their daughter.
Jane's smiled with loving
pride.
Another pang of envy hit
him knowing he would never know the feeling of holding his own child. It did
not matter anymore.
"If you please
commander, a portal." He did not wish to sound insistent, but being in the
room with the happy couples made his stomach knot.
Drystan pulled out a long slim shiny black box from
his back pocket. Opening it, he saw several gleaming blue gems. He picked one
out, handing it Melor.
"Proceed, and the portal will close after you.
See the Palace courtyard in your mind and will it to open; and it shall."
Melor took the gem, smooth and cool in his palm, and
did as Drystan instructed. In his mind, he saw the wide expanse of calming grey
stone of the floor, the tall walls of the palace imbued with colorful crystals.
Before them a blue swirling mist began to grow rapidly until it was large
enough to accommodate his size.
Kina retrieved Maria, scooping her up into his arms.
She gazed in awe at the amazing display of gently swirling blue mist.
"It is a new custom to carry our protected
through the portal." Kina grinned at Maria, carrying her forward,
vanishing into the portal. Melor made to follow, but the infant's sudden
screams jolted him, and he turned to look at her.
Jane rocked her child trying to calm her, just as the
ground began to shake under their feet.
"Earthquake! Get under the door frame!"
Jane yelled.
Drystan grabbed hold of Jane and the baby, pushing
them under the door frame and holding on to the edge.
Melor lurched forward, unstable on the shaking
ground. He braced his feet apart to steady himself. From the corner of his eye,
he saw the normally placid swirling portal begin to spark. The swirl turned
into a fast churning vortex. Bright blue and white lightning bolts shot out in
haphazard directions. The lightning struck objects at random, exploding chairs
into splinters, and shredding the books on the shelves.
Melor ducked one lightning bolt as it whizzed by his
ear narrowly missing his head and hitting the weapons locker behind him,
blowing it into a million pieces. He dived and rolled to avoid a flying dagger.
He jumped to his feet, right on the edge of the violent portal. His arms cart-wheeled
as the ground continued to shake, but he was too far off balance; he tumbled
backwards into the darkness.
