Love Reawakened

By Shelli Rosewarne

For Emma Strachan, raising zombies is all in a day’s work. A girl has to pay the bills somehow! But when what should be a simple raising goes horribly wrong, Emma is forced to ask for help from the one man she swore never to see again.

Garret is used to being a loner, as a necromancer he works best that way and frankly, with the dangers he faces every day, it’s easier not to have to look out for anyone else. When Emma shows up on his doorstep desperate for help, he vows to ignore the raging attraction between them – after all a pretty, fun-loving witch has no place in his world.

Now Emma and Garret will need to put aside old resentments in order to try and defeat a zombie unlike anything they have seen before. Trust might not come easy, but it may be their only chance to survive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shelli Rosewarne
• Release date: Jun 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310764783

Book preview

LOVE REAWAKENED

Shelli Rosewarne

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are

products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are

not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales,

organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Love Reawakened

Third Edition

Copyright © 2016 Shelli Rosewarne

Editing by Leona Bushman & Gina Wynn

Cover Design by Shelli Rosewarne

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced

electronically or in print without written permission, except in the

case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

Chapter One

They were late. Emma pulled her light cardigan closer around her against the chill in the night air as she gazed down at the grave. The light gray stone glowed slightly in the faint moonlight, rising from the freshly churned dirt below it. She started an awkward little jiggle on the spot. Lateness was one of her pet peeves, and, quite frankly, she had much better places to be on a Friday night than the middle of a graveyard. Well, okay, maybe she didn't exactly have a hot date to get to instead, but there were definitely warmer and less creepy places to be.

A squawk from behind her turned her attention to the metal cage with the rather unhappy chicken in it.

Hush, now, she told it firmly. Nothing to worry about.

Okay, so that was a blatant lie, but the poor thing didn't need to know that. It was stupid to always feel guilty about the chicken. If it weren't here, then it would be off to an abattoir anyway. It had had a few days of good living and lots of corn at least. It ruffled its feathers as though it knew her thoughts and plainly didn't agree, but at least it settled down again.

A movement from her left caught her eye, and, squinting, she made out two figures heading toward her, picking their way gingerly through the rows of graves. As they grew closer, she recognized the lead man.

Finally, she muttered under her breath.

His head went up, and she cursed silently. Sound seriously traveled in places like this, and she needed to watch her big mouth. Neil Rushton might be a bit of a jackass, but he was paying very well. If she wanted to pay her bills this month, she needed to zip it.

The two men came level with her, and Emma forced a bright smile.

Mr. Rushton, I'm glad you made it.

He glanced at her sharply. Yes, well, apologies for the delay. He gestured to the man with him. This is Derek Carson, my attorney. Derek, meet Emma Strachan, our resident witch.

Emma ignored the bite in his tone and kept her smile firmly fixed as she held out her hand to the lawyer.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Carson.

It was always a slight test whether they would take it. Some people seemed to think you could 'catch' magic just by touching her or something. Carson immediately took it though, his handshake brisk and professional, which pretty much matched the rest of him. He was tall, thin, with a dark pinstripe suit—it was hard to make out colours in the gloom—and graying hair that aged him prematurely. Married to his job. You could always tell the type.

Derek is fine, Ms. Strachan. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting.

She allowed him a genuine smile. Then Emma, please.

Neil broke in. She ought to be agreeing, considering the ridiculous amount I'm paying her.

Emma bit back a snappy comment. Work like we're about to embark upon is rather specialized, Mr. Rushton. I assure you, the price is very reasonable for what you require. If you're not happy though, you're welcome to try elsewhere.

He'd be damn lucky to find anyone else, and they both knew it. He glared at her a moment.

We're here now, bleeding get on with it.

She nodded and started quickly setting up her things.

You might want to take a step back, she advised them. When the circle is drawn, please make sure you don't cross it, under any circumstances.

Derek nodded smoothly, but she could see Neil muttering already.

I didn't pay for a back row seat, he grumbled.

Emma sighed; really, the money hadn't been worth it for this one.

Mr. Rushton, I assure you that you will be able to see and hear perfectly. If you don't listen to the instructions though, then I can't be responsible for your safety.

The muttering continued, but at least he moved back to the requested distance. She tried to tune him out, to focus on nothing except the job at hand. She drew the circle carefully, making sure the whole of the grave was included, before starting on the symbols, protection, binding, summoning. It took a while. By the time she'd finished, she was aware of the restlessness from behind her but chose to ignore it. Instead, she doubled checked each one; after all, it wasn't his ass on the line if something went wrong. Well, maybe it would be, but only after it had gone through her. She wasn't keen on those odds. When she was confident everything was perfect, she fetched the chicken.

It began squawking again the moment she picked up the cage, almost as though it sensed something wrong. This was the part she hated. Gently, she placed the cage on top of the grave, in the center of the circle, before laying a line of corn outside the cage door. Picking up the long knife, she hid it behind her back. Rationally, she knew the chicken probably had no clue what was happening, but it seemed kinder in her own mind. The cage door opened with a click, and the bird happily followed the line of food, its head bobbing down merrily. Okay, get it over with. One quick stroke and the creature didn't have time to squeak before its blood gushed over her hand and onto the dirt below.

Shocked gasps came from behind her, but the vibrations were already running through the ground. Quickly, she smeared the blood around the edges of the circle. The energy was rising now, waves spreading out as the hairs on her arms stood up, and tiny tremors ran through the soles of her shoes. She drew a final symbol in the blood on the gravestone itself, the rough stone grazing her fingers and making the lines awkward.

Patrick Connell, rise. Come from your grave at my command. Rise from your sleep at my bidding.

The earth in front of her practically bubbled now, and then it parted, and a tall figure emerged. Neil almost shrieked behind her, but her attention stayed focused on the corpse in front of her. He was newly dead and perfectly preserved. In fact, gazing at him, you would barely know the difference if you saw him walking down the street. She was quite proud. She didn't do this spell much, but this was