Destiny's Challenge

By Cali Rising

Yesterday Riley Raine was a chocoholic accountant with the power to craft deadly budgets and wicked financial statements. Today she is the Princess of the Light Bringers in the magical land of Avalyss with the powers of teleportation, telepathy and telekinesis. According to an ancient prophecy she is destined to engage in an epic battle with the Lord of the Dark Mages, the sexy and powerful Cole Dalton. Unable to deny the passion igniting between them, can Riley and Cole find a way to thwart this twisted destiny where one of them is fated to die at the other’s hands?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cali Rising
• Release date: Mar 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311737410

Cali Rising

Cali Rising lives in Vancouver, BC, a stunningly beautiful city, cradled by the mountains and caressed by the ocean. Her passions are writing, reading and chocolate (not necessarily in that order). Her not so secret desire is to move to Maui while her very secret desire is to learn line dancing. She is currently working on a mystery novel. Stay tuned!

Book preview

DESTINY’S CHALLENGE

Published By Cali Rising at Smashwords

Copyright 2016 Cali Rising

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy. Thank you for your support.

CHAPTER 1

Wake up Riley, it is time, the voice whispered, yanking her out of a deep sleep.

Gasping, she jerked into a sitting position, clutching the covers to her chin. Heart galloping inside her chest, she looked around the bedroom, eyes straining to see in the darkness. No one was there. No voice whispered. Shrouded in shadows, the expectant quality of the silent room sent shivers dancing down her spine. Swinging her legs to the floor, stumbling towards the bedroom door, she encountered a pair of gleaming, green eyes in the darkness. Shrieking, she leapt backwards, fell over her bedside table, and landed hard on her backside on the hardwood floor. As she lay there, willing herself to start breathing again, a big form leapt on her, pinning her to the floor, its breath hot on her face. Almost gagging on the metallic taste of fear flooding her mouth, she pushed at the body on top of hers, her fingers sinking into silky fur. Two facts penetrated her terrified brain, fur and green eyes.

God, Max, she shouted, shoving her pet off her.

Max, her black dog who looked suspiciously like a young wolf, stared at her with his disconcerting emerald green eyes.

What the hell are you playing at? Are you trying to scare me to death? Riley snarled, pulling herself to her feet and rubbing her sore rear end.

Frowning, she asked, Were you the whisperer? Realizing how ridiculous the words sounded, she shook her head and turned towards the kitchen. Chocolate. She needed chocolate. It would calm her heart which was still leaping around inside her chest.

Opening the fridge, searching for the slice of leftover chocolate cheesecake, she jumped when a sudden gust of wind rattled the window panes. Lightning fled across the night sky with peals of thunder yipping at its heels. Angry raindrops clawed the glass desperate to enter and wrap its icy fingers around her neck. Shaking her head to dispel such fanciful imaginings, she scurried back to bed, hugging the plate of cheesecake to her chest like a security blanket. Max still sat on the bedroom floor. His intense stare made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.

What’s wrong, boy? Riley asked, reaching out to pat his silky head.

Come, we need to get going. It is time. We have been summoned. Max growled.

With slow, deliberate movements, Riley put her plate down. She must be asleep and dreaming. She must be. That could be the only explanation for her pet speaking to her in a gravelly, impatient voice. She pinched herself on the arm and shrieked. Since the pain was all too real then she must be wide awake. Maybe she hit her head when she fell earlier and she was hallucinating talking dogs. Maybe it was the stress of work that had landed her in this fix. She had been putting in a lot of long hours preparing year-end financial statements and budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year. Whoever heard of accountants ending up in the loony bin because of budgets?

Burying her head in her hands, swaying back and forth, she began muttering, Oh God. I’ve lost it, I’ve finally lost it. Riley, logical accountant by day, raving mad, mental patient by night.

Will you stop talking to yourself and just listen for a minute? The gravelly voice sounded both amused and impatient.

She raised her head and stared wordlessly at Max who stared unblinkingly back at her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she muttered over and over again, Go away, go away, you are a hallucination, just a hallucination. Dogs don’t talk, dogs don’t talk. I am hallucinating. After five minutes of steady muttering, and not hearing any more voices, she slowly opened one eye, and found Max still sitting on the floor, grinning at her. Taking a deep breath, Riley decided to play along. Either she would stop hallucinating soon or people with white coats would show up, bundle her into a straitjacket and cart her away. Muttering like a mental patient, even if she was one, was not helping matters.

Schooling her features into an expressionless mask, heart beating like a bass drum, she said, Okay, Hallucination, say your piece and then begone!

Max chuckled. Who says begone?

Great. Not only a hallucination but a critic, too. Riley rolled her eyes.

I am not a hallucination. Be quiet for a few minutes and all will be revealed.

Riley raised an eyebrow, amused in spite of the strangeness of the situation. Who says ‘All will be revealed’?

Tilting his head to one side, Max began You are Riley Raine, Princess of Avalyss.

What on earth is Avalyss?

Avalyss is not on earth. It is a realm where the practitioners of light magic, Light Bringers, and dark magic, Dark Mages, live. You are the Princess of the Light Bringers.

Smiling, Riley nodded, Yes, yes, accountant by day, princess of a magical land by night. Got it. Everything is crystal clear. Now go away so I can stop hallucinating.

Max snapped, You are not listening, be quiet and all…

Yes, I know, I know, all will be revealed. You sure are taking your sweet time about it.

Suddenly, Max lunged towards her, a fierce expression on his black, furry face. Before she could move, he grabbed the collar of her pajamas in his massive jaw and she felt herself falling through space, whirling and spinning in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Stomach lurching into her throat, Riley clamped her hands tightly around Max’s neck, and kept her eyes closed until her feet hit solid ground. Swaying, she fought to stay upright on wobbly legs. Opening her eyes she found herself standing on a narrow ledge jutting from an ivory white cliff soaring behind her. An angry ocean hurled giant waves at the cliff, spattering her with icy spray. Shivering, squinting in the sunlight glinting off the endless stretch of aquamarine water, she rubbed her aching temples. She had lost her grip on reality. Sane people did not suddenly find themselves transported from a perfectly normal apartment to this narrow ledge overlooking a furious ocean in the blink of an eye. A sliver of fear crawled up her spine.

She turned towards Max, still not believing that she was conversing with her dog. What is going on? How did we get here? Where are we?

Max stood motionless, staring out at the ocean, his black fur dancing in the wind. Riley’s nerves twanged like a bow as she waited for him to speak.

Welcome to Avalyss, Riley. Come with me and all your questions will be answered. He turned towards the cliff and vanished.

Riley blinked and sucked in a lungful of air. Pets, even annoying, talking ones, did not just vanish like smoke. Slowly, she looked around the ledge. No Max. Clamping down on the wave of panic rising within her, she strode towards the cliff wall, looking for any hidden entrances but found nothing.

Max, Max! She yelled until her voice cracked and her throat ached. She was alone, except for the howling wind and the roaring ocean. Pulling her foot back, she was about to kick the cliff when common sense intervened. Why add a broken foot on top of her other problems? Anger whooshed out of her body leaving her spent and broken like a discarded toy. Uncertain as to what her next move should be, she sat on the ledge, her back pressed against the cliff wall, hugging her knees to her chest.

With a loud bang and a bright flash a man appeared in front of her. Startled, she jumped to her feet, ricocheted off the cliff wall, and felt herself slipping over the edge. Arms flailing, she grabbed at the man’s outstretched arm, felt the corded muscles beneath her fingers tense and coil as he pulled her to safety. Shaking, she stood in the circle of the stranger’s arms, inhaling his unique scent of leather and lemons laced with a healthy dose of danger. Her blood sang, her pulse thrummed and her heart beat a fast tattoo as waves of desire washed over her. The urge to press her body into his made her senses spin. Shocked by her sudden physical reaction she wrested herself from his arms.

Confused, cheeks flaming, she snapped, Who are you? You almost killed me!

He raised an eyebrow. I believe I just saved you from tumbling over that cliff. You are welcome, by the way.

The sound of his voice, dark and smoky like whisky caused her heart to do flip flops. Flustered by her reaction, she stared at him. He towered over her, his wavy lustrous hair, the color of wild honey, tumbled over broad shoulders. Blessed with chiseled cheekbones, an aquiline nose and full kissable lips, his strong face wore an amused expression. Watchful amber eyes stared back at her. Lion’s eyes, she thought. Suddenly it hurt to breathe.

Who are you? she repeated, wondering why her voice sounded high pitched and a little squeaky.

A slow, sexy grin spread across his face, revealing dimples deep enough to drown in. Bowing, he said, Cole Dalton, Lord of the Dark Mages, at your service. And you must be the Princess of Light. His whisky voice strummed her already heightened senses.

Princess? Have you been talking to Max? Where is he?

According to an ancient prophesy the Princess of Light and the Lord of the Dark Mages will fight on opposite sides in an epic battle. One is destined to kill the other.

She gaped at him. Gorgeous but crazier than a loon, she thought. Shaking her head, she said, Don’t be ridiculous. You are crazy but I certainly don’t want to kill you.

He just stood there grinning at her in an infuriating way. His eyes traveled the length of her body and she stiffened as his eyes glimmered with laughter and his lips twitched. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she followed his downward gaze and discovered that she was dressed in fuzzy leopard print pajamas with matching bedroom slippers. Mortified, she cursed Max under her breath, vowing to inflict severe bodily harm on him the moment he returned. The idiot had not given her a chance to change before dragging her to this forsaken place.

Nice outfit, Cole drawled. In that getup you will not need to kill me. I’ll probably just die laughing.

Turning varying shades of crimson, she gritted her teeth. Shut up! What is this place? Is it a mental institution filled with talking, disappearing dogs and half-witted Lords? Max! Max, come here at once. I want to go home!

Lightning rent the cloudless blue sky and a snarling Max materialized between Riley and Cole.

Cole’s grin widened but he took a step back. Ah, your protector has come. I must bid you farewell, Princess. Till we meet again. Bowing, he whirled and vanished.

Livid, Riley dug her nails into her palms to stop herself from strangling Max on the spot. She hissed, Home. Now!

Concerned green eyes stared into hers. Did he hurt you?

Who? Cole? Why would he hurt me? Stop this nonsense. Take me home this instant!

You are home. He turned, but before he could disappear again, Riley leapt forward, grabbed him around the neck, and once again felt herself falling and spinning through space.

CHAPTER 2

Thudding into a hard surface, she rolled a couple of times until she smacked into a wall. Winded, cheek pressed against the cold stone floor, she opened her eyes and looked around. Dozens of tall, elegant candles decorated a small altar, covered with fresh flowers. The pungent smell of incense permeated the air. White marble walls encircled the small room. Frescoes decorated the south facing wall, the colorful images shimmering in the candlelight.

Pushing to her feet, Riley first checked to make sure that all her body parts were still intact. No broken limbs or fresh blood but she was sure that she was covered with black and blue bruises. She opened her mouth to say something cutting to Max but he stood in front of the fresco covered wall, head tilted to one side, totally lost in the painted images. Curiosity battled and triumphed over annoyance and she moved to his side. The paintings were done in a series of panels, each depicting a different scene. In one of them, a beautiful woman sat astride a large black wolf, a giant version of Max, all muscled power and sleek sinew, black fur gleaming in the sun. Bolts of lightning hurtled from her raised hands towards the man standing on the ground, looking up at her, a gleaming ball of fire hovered in the air between his palms. Riley gasped as she realized that his sharply drawn profile belonged to none other than Cole. A tingle ran up her spine as she stepped closer to the wall to get a better look at the woman who somehow seemed eerily familiar. Her hair fell in a rich cascade below her shoulders, straight and dark as midnight. Her skin was bronze, and her strange bi-coloured eyes blazed with power. Riley knew that one eye was aquamarine and the other the exact shade of teak. They were her eyes, and it was her face but somehow different; it radiated power and purpose.

Falling to her knees, she whispered, A battle scene between the Lord of the Dark Mages and the Princess of Light.

Yes, Max replied. I’ve been trying to tell you but you are so convinced that you are either dreaming or are in a mental institution that you are not paying attention.

With a furrowed brow she tuned towards him. I’m listening now.

Pacing back and forth, he began. This is Avalyss. Two types of beings live here, Light Bringers and Dark Mages. The latter are wizards skilled in the black arts. The Light Bringers rule this land but the Dark Mages are allowed to practice their black arts under controlled conditions. It has always been this way. But years ago an Oracle prophesied that a dark mage would be born with the power to overthrow the Light Bringers, and the Dark Mages would rule Avalyss. The Oracle also predicted that a Princess of Light will be born to the Light Bringers, that she would be the only hope for the Light. An epic battle will take place between the Princess of Light and the Lord of the Dark Mages. One will defeat the other.

Which one? Riley’s voice quivered.

The prophecy did not say. Either the Light Bringers will continue to rule or the Dark Mages will rise to power. Max replied.

That’s ridiculous. Don’t tell me that you actually believe that drivel? I cannot be this Princess of Light that the prophecy speaks of. I am an accountant not a warrior. I cannot fight, except for some kick boxing moves I learnt in an aerobics class a long time ago. Unless your Lord of the Dark Mages is somehow susceptible to a well-crafted and deadly budget I will be useless in an epic battle.

Max narrowed his green eyes. Be serious. This is no laughing matter. Besides, you have powers, magical powers.

Powers? You mean I can ‘leap tall buildings in a single bound? So now I am Riley accountant by day, super hero at night. Where is my costume and the nearest phone booth?

Stop babbling, we have no more time to waste. Max started to advance towards her.

Here we go again. Riley groaned before once again she was falling and whirling through space.

She smelled the salty tang of the ocean before she opened her eyes. She was standing on the rooftop of a tall, narrow tower, thrusting from the wild sea below and reaching towards the sky. Irritation rose within her as she realized that she was once again all alone. She intended to strangle the wretched Max the next time she clapped eyes on him. Tiptoeing to the edge, she looked down at the swirling, seething, roiling sea below.

Be careful, one false step and you could be sleeping with the fishes. A cool voice remarked.

Startled, she almost lost her balance, but managed to right herself just in time. Turning, she stared into Cole’s ruggedly handsome face, his honey hair whipping around his face in the brisk ocean breeze.

Cole! This is the second time that you have almost killed me! Are you trying to get rid of me before the epic battle? Afraid that I might just win? Guess I should not expect fair play from the Lord of the Dark Mages.

His laugh sounded more menacing than amused. Heard that you had a smart mouth. Sorry to disappoint, Princess, but I am not Cole.

Staring in disbelief, she was about to ask him if he thought she was stupid, when she noticed that his eyes were not amber but a soft, baby blue.

He grinned. You really should close your mouth, unless you plan on catching some flies. I assure you they are not that tasty around here.

Who are you? Cole’s evil twin?

Close, he is my evil twin. I am Crane Dalton, Light Bringer, and one of your humble subjects.

Riley frowned. If you are twins, why are you on opposite sides?

Good question. No one knows. The Oracle spoke of twin boys, one destined to be the Lord of the Dark Mages and the other the consort of the Princess of Light.

Riley felt her spine go rigid. What? You are destined to be my husband? I barely know you!

We don’t have to be married right this moment. His grin grated on her nerves.

Tilting her head to one side, Riley studied him closely. He had the same wavy, honey colored hair as Cole, the same muscular build. They were identical except for the eyes. While Cole had the wild dangerous eyes of a lion, this man had the guileless eyes of a new born babe. His expression was a little on the smarmy side. Maybe she was being her usual contrary self but she found him a little too smiley for her liking. His presence made her uneasy. Suppressing a shiver, she asked, Why did Max bring me here? Where is he anyway? He has a nasty habit of dumping me places and then disappearing. What am I going to do if he never re-appears?

Perhaps you should learn to use your mind to move yourself from one location to another. It’s called teleportation.

Isn’t that a bunch of hooey and science fiction? she asked

Yes, so are talking dogs, and other realms.

Her eyes narrowed as she fought the urge to smack the condescending smile off his face. Why don’t you stop smirking and tell me how this teleportation thing works?

He bowed. My pleasure. First close your eyes, and then focus your mind on where you want to go. It is essential to get as clear an image of your destination as possible.

How can I get a clear image of the location if I have not been there before, or could I only teleport to areas I have already been?

Impossibly his smile widened further. "Good question. You are as smart as you are