Joaquin's Saving Grace: Alien Mate's, #5

By Serena Simpson

Grace was trying to escape a curse that she knew she would die from when she met Joaquin. She would destroy the world around her when she turned thirty she had a day to go

He was everything she ever dreamed of, but it was too late for him and her. 

Joaquin knew his body was deteriorating a hybrid like him was never expected to live. The best thing he could do was disappear leaving the others behind so that they would never know his secret.

That's when he met Grace. They were going to implode, or self-destruct. Togther they chose to implode hurting no one except themselves.

They were caught between worlds, and the only chance they had was the mate trial. Too bad, The Trial hated them and wanted them dead.

Their only option was to forever live in the trial. Somethings are worth the chance of loving forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Serena Simpson
• Release date: Jun 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9781540120786

Serena Simpson

Serena grew up watching reruns of Star Trek and getting impatient when the football game ran into overtime and delayed or canceled Star Trek. You may understand why football is not a sport she prefers! She spent years creating stories in her head and reading ALL THE BOOKS! It wasn’t until her daughter was lying in a hospital bed and she realized that life was too short bot to be with the people she loved that she started looking for an alternate career. She’s been writing since 2015 loving it on some days and hating it on others. What she loves the most are the fans. Okay, she also loves a good steak, but shh… What you will find in all her books are love and family.

Book preview

Joaquin’s Saving Grace

By

Serena Simpson

Alien Mate’s Book Five

Acknowledgements

I want to thank my daughter for putting up with me and all I go through. I am blessed to have her in my life. I want to thank you the readers for caring enough about the stories and the worlds to pick up the book and want to know what happens next.

Copyright

Joaquin’s Saving Grace – Alien Mates, Book Five - Copyright © October 2016, Serena Simpson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

Cover Art by OriginalSyn

Edited by Keriann Mckenna

Published by Serena Simpson

Other books by the author

Love Me Harder Series

Aran Book 1

Niko Book 2

Sergey Book 3

Nicolas Book 4

Hale Book 5

Alexei Book 6

Ash Book 7

The A’rouk Brothers

Mick Book 1

Alien Mates Series

Soul-Bonded to the Alien Book 1

Rylan’s Heart Book 2

Gabe’s Destiny Book 3

Colun’s Passion Book 4

Dragon Mates Series

Alexa’s Dragon

Shifters on the run

Tane’s Mate

Reviews and where to find me

Once you’ve read Joaquin’s Saving Grace, you can leave a review on the retailer where you purchased the book. All reviews are appreciated.

You can find me on my website.

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Chapter One

Joaquin placed his foot on the gas taking the car up to seventy, eighty, ninety miles an hour. He took a look at the speedometer and pressed on the gas pedal again. When he was up well over one hundred, he looked at the black empty road ahead of him and wondered why. Why did he let the pain in his chest incapacitate him and the voice in his head taunt him?

Depression—that’s what the human doctors called it. They prescribed lots of medicines for him. He tore the scripts up and ignored them. There was no telling what human medicine would do to his particular biology. Having no other choice, he sought out the best two doctors in the universe.

Nicolas Dare and Damon A’rouk. Both called themselves Created, and neither of them was from this planet. They both told him the same thing, his body was at war with itself and taking a pill wasn’t going to help. They suggested he start by accepting what he was. Needless to say, he ignored them.

Now he was driving down the road to nowheresville wondering if after seeing all the joy back at the bed and breakfast if it wasn’t time for him to disappear for good.

Pain lanced through his heart and cut into his intestines reminding him that everyday his body held together it was a miracle. He shouldn’t exist; he was a freak of nature, someone’s sick joke. Although his mother never felt that way and his father doted on him before he died. Not that it mattered, he still grew up hiding who he was, keeping it all inside, knowing if his secret were to come out they may choose to kill him rather than accept the abnormality he was.

The cliff on the side of the road was steep. He pondered if he would survive driving over it at this speed. Considering his life, he probably would. Before he could think about it any longer, the prettiest pair of brown eyes he ever saw drifted in front of his face. She sat in the dining room at the B&B, hiding in the shadows as the other guest talked too loud and made inappropriate jokes.

Her eyes tracked him the minute he walked into the room and followed until he disappeared into the kitchen. He had wanted to talk to her, and that scared him. When Colun, his mentor was well, Joaquin packed up his bag and hightailed it out of there even though he knew she was watching him. Now here he was three weeks later driving aimlessly and contemplating his mortality. He pressed on the gas and floored his car because he knew if he survived the night he was going back to the B&B, damn the consequences.

*~*~*~*

They were finally leaving; Grace was beginning to think she would never be free of them.

Grace, are you sure you don’t want to come with us? Beth walked over to her taking her hands searching her eyes. There’s nothing here in this small town. We had fun looking for the monsters, but their are none here. So it’s time to move on to our next stop.

Grace had fallen into this group by accident when she went to the Greyhound station looking for a place to escape. She didn’t stay anywhere long; her life was easier when she moved around.

Beth said hello to her and invited her to sit with the group she was with. They tracked down sightings of monsters and were on their way to Newburg, Pennsylvania, because according to rumors they heard there were non-humans on every street corner. They were so excited and asked her to join them. Although she should have said no, the thought of having company for a while appealed to her, that’s how she found herself in Selma and Victor’s bed and breakfast.

When Beth told Selma why they were in town, Selma’s eyes had grown large and her mouth opened on a proper ‘O’ which only encouraged Beth and the rest of them to go on. After Selma offered them a place to stay, she walked past Grace and winked.

That one action should have been enough for Grace to take off but she felt the B&B calling her name, so she went along with the rest of them.

Beth, Grace smiled at her because she liked the young girl. I can’t come right now, I got some disturbing news, and I need to figure out what to do next.

Beth threw her arms around Grace and gave her a quick hug. I understand, but I’ll miss you. Beth took Grace’s phone and put her number in it. There, now we can stay in touch.

Stay safe, Beth. Some of those monsters aren’t nice.

Beth shivered for a minute like someone was walking over her grave. I’m thinking about going home soon. Lately, I’ve had a bad feeling. She shrugged it off saying goodbye to Grace one last time before joining her friends.

Selma arranged for the males to take the group into town to catch the Greyhound that was due in an hour.

Are you sad to see them leave? Selma asked her coming to stand by Grace’s side in the foyer.

I’m sad to see Beth go. She’s real; I just hope the others don’t get her killed.

Selma nodded. I made a call a little while ago, talked to Beth’s parents. They will be there when the Greyhound pulls into Pittsburgh.

Grace smiled the first real smile that she had in weeks. Thank you. That’s just what she needs.

Your welcome. Selma left her standing there.

Why am I still here? Grace wondered as she walked out the front door. Normally she would have run by now, but running wasn’t getting her where wanted to go. Tomorrow would be her birthday, another year older and no closer to peace.

She slipped through the trees walking away from the B&B until she stood in front of a small pond. Tomorrow she would come into her power. She would become the evil she spent her life fighting. Thoughts of ending it right now plagued her, but she couldn’t do that to herself.

Playing devil’s advocate was something she knew well.

Grace, the evil part of her said. Tomorrow I get your body, and I’ll rule the world. At least I’ll rule your world. What are you going to do about it?

Well, devil I’m going to fight the evil that will try to take over my body.

Fight away, but the minute you turn thirty you belong to me.

That part of her she didn’t want to acknowledge was right. Her family was under a curse, a long standing one. Every female turned evil on their thirtieth birthday. Their powers became uncontrollable. Several of her aunts and cousins were incarcerated right now for the things that they had done, and she wasn’t going to get a choice of whether she wanted to join them.

Kill yourself or kill others. Neither of those choices appealed to her.

One of Grace’s grandmothers, there were too many greats in front of the title grandmother to count, had been on her way home after checking on her only child. She ran across a man who was torturing a woman or so she thought. The woman was hanging between two poles and he was flogging her. In the interest of justice, she defended the woman, making the male leave her alone. That’s when she realized there was more than one type of monster in the world.

The woman cursed her and her descendants. Her grandmother had laughed not knowing, not understanding that some humans had more power than others. From that day forward, the females in her family had the ability to control fire, any fire. As they approached their thirtieth birthday, the ability began to take them over, giving them no choice but to hurt others. Tomorrow she would be thirty.

Knowing what was coming, she still couldn’t convince herself to end her life, so maybe she was already possessed. Already evil, but she still wanted to live. She dreamed of a better life when she already knew the outcome of hers.

She gave herself to the flame one last time while she was still in charge. Her body ignited flames eating at her skin until she was one large flame. Lifting her hands, she poured her fire out into the pond. Her heart went out to the fish and small animals that wouldn’t survive the heat of the water, but she rejoiced that it wasn’t a town or the B&B in flames.

When her body was empty of heat, she fell to the ground watching the flames making sure they didn’t spread. This was it her last conscious choice of what to do with the fire until it was all taken away from her tomorrow.

What are you?

She looked up to find a Sudir standing away from her unable to approach because of a barrier that separated them.

I’m your worst nightmare.

You look rather weak and pathetic now that you’ve discharged all that lovely energy into the pond.

She turned to look at him her eyes burning red. Looks can be deceiving.

Why are you here?

I’m resting, not that it should matter to you.

Call it whatever you want but the Arbrin/Matra’s at the B&B are mine. I don’t care how much power you have, if you go after them, I will take you apart and treat you like a party snack.

Grace yawned ignoring him. That might be the answers to my problems, Sudir. It also might be your death wish. Be careful what you do.

She stood up having made sure the fire was out on the pond before she walked away never turning to look at the Sudir again. She would have to leave tonight,