Kermode: Legends Series, #2

By Maggie Adams

Poor PiperSweet! She owns Sweetie Pie's Bakery and Cafe. The curvaceous woman thinks she's going out of her mind! She's having weird dreams of soft fur and slashing claws, deep growls of lust, and cream puffs! She fears a break-in when she finds muddy prints on her bakery floor, but bear prints?? She's afraid to tell a soul but needs to confide in someone when she finds herself naked in the woods on a frosty morning.
Noah is on a mission to eradicate the rogue shifters that have set up camp in the small town of Grafton, Illinois. His methods are a bit unorthodox and his personality is on the wild side, but none of that matters when he walks into Sweetie Pie's on the hunt for a shifter giving off the scent of power. One look at the curvy blonde and he's in love - that is to say, he immediately imprints Piper as his soulmate. Trouble is, she's the one giving off the power and she doesn't even know it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maggie Adams
• Release date: Dec 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393589891

Maggie Adams

Maggie Adams is an internationally known contemporary romance author. Her first book in the Tempered Steel Series, Whistlin’ Dixie, debuted in Top 100 for Women’s Fiction, humor, on November 2014. Since then, she has consistently made the best seller 5-star list with her Tempered Steel Series.  She also writes erotica, paranormal romance, young adult romance and women’s fiction. Maggie’s books can be found on eBook and paperback on her website and all book sites. When she’s not writing, she can be found dancing, singing and cooking (usually all at the same time), and spending time with her family and friends. .

Book preview

Prologue

In this world of peace and calm,

Soon there comes a burning balm;

Spread like wildfire through the masses

Seek true power as it passes;

Find the only power pure

Through life and death, it can endure

Find the one who owns this trait

And bring it to me as I wait.

Sabine Blackshire calmly chanted the spell as she added the last drop of dragon's blood to her vessel. The rumbling within the bowl ceased, and a silver mist rose from the vapors, spreading across the room to pass through the open window.

That should do it. She smiled softly. Now, dear Jonas, let us see how powerful you really are against whatever comes. She chuckled, eyeing the small statue of a wolf with bloody fangs. Such a pity my flesh and blood can’t see the true power we can produce that will allow us to rule.

She smiled at the bronze sorceress figure sitting next to the wolf. Perhaps once your brother is bested, dear Zoe, you will come to finally see that Mama knows best. And if not, then you too, I’m afraid, will meet the same fate as Jonas. After all, I can’t rule the world if my own children won’t obey, now, can I?

With a flick of her hand, the implements of her spell were put away, and a solid wall was formed, hiding her laboratory. A shadowy phantasm rose from the corner. Winston, don't forget to turn out the lights, she sang out as she exited the room, humming ‘That Old Black Magic’.

Chapter 1

Noah Stark stormed into Jonas Blackshire’s office. Jonas! Jonas, where the hell are you? We've got trouble brewing; all the signs are pointing to it. Noah was every bit of six foot six, a large bear of a man, which was good considering that was his shifter animal. He was also a computer genius who worked exclusively for Jonas.

Jonas peered up from the papers he was reading as Noah barged in. He was used to Noah’s dramatic declarations since they came on an almost weekly basis. What seems to be the problem, Noah? I've got work to do, he said in an almost bored tone.

Noah plopped down in one of the large, overstuffed chairs opposite Jonas’ massive mahogany desk. Well, I've been doing some calculations, and it seems like…well, you know how I get, Jonas. I could feel it; I could smell it. So, I did some investigating. There's danger here, and it’s powerful, Jonas. It's powerful, so why the hell haven’t you told any of us about it? he growled.

Leaning back in his leather chair, Jonas took stock of the man before him. He could tell something was rattling Noah and that he believed everything coming out of his mouth. Given Noah’s animalistic instincts, it appeared he wasn't simply going off on one of his many computer-related conspiracy theories, which had gotten him a polite discharge from the Navy years ago.

Tell me what you know, Noah.

Noah stood up, knocking over the chair before righting it and pacing. I don't know, I just feel there’s this power. There's a change, a shift. All the signs are pointing to it, and I don't mean them crazy signs like your sister, Zoe, gets into with her voodoo. I mean factual theories, logical fact.

This power, this force that's coming to us, is unlike anything you've ever felt before—is that what you're telling me?

Noah spun around, planting both of his beefy hands on Jonas’ desk. Yes, damn it! That's exactly what I'm telling you. And it isn’t ‘coming,’ it’s here! So why the hell didn’t I know about it? Don’t you trust me?

At that moment, Zoe Kincaid barged into the office, not bothering to knock, her bangled bracelets clinking together as she entered. Noah stared in fascination at her since yesterday’s bald and tattooed head now possessed copper-red, long, and curly locks. He wondered if it was her witchcraft or a wig. Jonas, why didn’t you tell me we’ve got trouble? she demanded.

That's what I was telling him! Noah waved a hand, pointing to Jonas.

Zoe nodded frantically. He’s absolutely right. There's something in the wind. When I did my numbers…when I did the runes—I looked at the tarot to make sure—it all points to immense power, immense danger, immense evil.

Jonas sat up, placing his hands calmly on the desk and frowned at the pair. Do either of you have any idea who this power belongs to? You know Mother is still around.

Zoe flopped down into the chair Noah had just righted and heaved a heavy sigh. I know, but it's not her. It’s even more powerful than her. She turned worried eyes to Noah. I’m right, aren’t I?

Yeah. He rubbed his hands down his jean-clad overalls in an anxious gesture. And he didn’t see fit to tell us.

They both glared at Jonas. As the leader of the Wisdom Council in the Midwest region, he was responsible for the welfare and safety of not only the shifters in his immense area but also the humans. If it wasn’t his mother, the sorceress Sabine, then who or what was it? Jonas was rubbing the bridge of his nose between his fingers, a sure sign of his agitation.

I believe you, but I can’t feel it, he admitted quietly.

Zoe and Noah stared at each other in shock. There were only two reasons why Jonas could not pick up on the power as leader of the Wisdom Council. Either this power was able to mask itself from Jonas—but if that was the case, why let everyone else know?—or Jonas was about to be replaced, which meant he would die.

No! Zoe and Noah said together.

Jonas opened his eyes and tried to reassure them, Well, no matter what it or he or she is, we will find out soon enough. You say it is already here, so there must be a reason. We shall simply find out. Now, first things first—Zoe pull together all your contacts from your covens. Let's see what they can find out about the power.

He glanced at Noah. You know Jax and the other shifters within the security committee. Follow the proper protocol for an impending threat and scout for potential danger and power surges within our area.

And you, Jonas? Zoe asked softly. What are you going to do?

Noah glanced at Zoe in sympathy. Jonas was all she had. Their mother didn't count; that woman was an evil sorceress, and the two of them had barely escaped her clutches without being destined to do her bidding.

Don't worry, Zoe. I'm going to do what I do best: research. He smiled softly, trying to exude the confidence that she desperately needed to see in him.

Come on, Zoe. You and I have got some preparation to do. You know Jonas can handle whatever comes along, but he's gonna need our help. Let's get cracking.

Jonas lifted his hand in farewell, but before Noah closed the door, he peeked in to see Jonas with a fierce frown upon his face. The news they had imparted came as a heavy load to Jonas. As much as Jonas was determined to save his tribe, Noah was determined to do whatever he could for his leader, and more importantly, for the man he thought of as a brother. And if Sabine was behind it, Noah would kill her himself.

2

Piper Sweet could feel the wetness of the leaves, the mud making soft, squishing sounds beneath her as she ran in the woods near her home in Grafton. The cool mist of early morning dew fell on her face. The hunter’s moon still shone brightly, the clouds obliterating all but a few stars in the sky. This was her time to relax, to be at peace with the war within her soul.

She glanced at the sky once more, realizing that dawn would soon be upon her. She needed to turn around and head back, but she continued to run for a few more minutes. The merest hint of light pierced through the darkness near the horizon, and she knew she could go no further. Stopping for a moment, she glanced around, taking a deep breath of cool morning air. She loved these woods, the animals within and the people without. She laughed aloud, thinking of Snow White and how her woodland friends had helped her. The animals here gave her the peace and solitude she craved as they went about their business, barely acknowledging her presence.

A sudden crackling behind her made her whirl around, but she could perceive nothing in the darkness. A rustling in a bush had her jumping. Why was she suddenly afraid? The animals meant her no harm. She knew her instincts were never wrong, though, and she backed slowly away, keeping an eye on where she heard the sound. Another cracking of twigs to her left, and she swiftly spun around but could discern nothing beyond the shadows of the trees. Her mind screamed, RUN, and she did, as fast as she could. Now, hearing another set of steps almost directly behind her. She prayed her speed would save her as she headed back toward the safety of the town.

It seemed as though the crunching of leaves was directly behind her, but no one touched her, the padding of the steps almost keeping rhythm with her. Whoever, or whatever, it was could be upon her at any moment. She wasn't sure she could make