Eternal Light: Hound Series, #1

By Layla J. Omorose

THE FIRST OF THE TRINITY, MUST CLAIM HIS MATE OR RISK UNLEASHING HELL ON EARTH...

The eldest of three, Radien, Trinity Hound of Light, is haunted by the mistakes he's made. After years of living in self-imposed exile, far away from a tragic past, he is forced to meet it face to face. Not only to protect the world from a truth better left alone, but to find the one thing that can bring him to his knees... His destined mate, a woman whose very touch makes him pant from desire.

HER DREAMS MADE FLESH...

As the owner of her own publishing company, Melody Sonders, has all she could ever want. Strong and confident, she believed she had control over everything in her life...except love. Heartbroken, she has sworn off the male species. Until the man of her dreams appears and turns her world upside down. Gorgeous and clearly bad for her health, he sparks her wildest desires and brings out the animal in her.

A PASSION THAT ELECTRIFIES THE SOUL...

Together they must find a way pass their insecurities and come together to stop the beast that hunts them, or walk in eternal darkness...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Layla J. Omorose
• Release date: Apr 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393013044

Book preview

Contents

More Books

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Epilogue

Note from the author

More Books By Layla J. Omorose

Hound Series

Eternal Light

Eternal Earth

Eternal Fire

Faye Princess

DarKnight: Ancient Bloodlines

Fairytales

Seducing the Black Prince

Acknowledgments

All I can say is thank you to all of those who believed in me and encouraged me to continue with my writing even when I wanted to give up. I never the thought day would come where I would present my first book to the world.

Writing this book has been one of the most rewarding challenges I’ve ever experienced, and I am excited for the future.

To the people who love me for me, to my old and new friends, who I met along this journey, to the professors that pushed me to be my best and showed me that there was more to life than the small world around me, you have been the sparks that kept the fire inside me going.

Last but certainly not least, to the readers who will be embarking on this first adventure with me, thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy reading Radien and Melody’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I love you all and remember…

Oblivion is just the beginning…

-Layla-

Glossary

Glossary

Characters:

Adien:            Trinity Hound of Earth

Alrik:            Supreme Ruler of Light,

Alur:            The Lifestream,

Anima:      Hound Queen,

Aprophis:      A pure born devil in the service of the Trio,

Bion:            Universe of Light, father of the Hounds of Trinity,

Gazini:      Supreme Ruler of Darkness, also referred to as Dark Lord,

Hades:      God of the Underworld,

Iraon:            Great Beast of Rage and Hatred, a member of the Trio who feeds and excites the anger of others,

Melody:      Trinitymate of Light,

Persephone:      Queen of the Underworld,

Radien:      Trinity Hound of Light,

Rasi:            Universe of Dreams, also referred to as the Dream Keeper,

Thana:      Universe of Death,

Zeus:            King of the Gods,

TERMS:

Beast:            A derogatory term used when referring to a member of the Trio,

Cerberus:      Guardians of the Underworld, servants to Hades and Persephone,

Devil(s):      Creatures that live to serve their Dark Lord and his minions,

Dream Mirrors:      Mirrors that allow the Dream Keeper to see into the souls and dreams of gods and mortals,

Dreamscape:      The Dream Realm,

Hound(s):      A word commonly used when referring to a member of the Trinity, also

referred to as the Hounds of Trinity or Trinity Hound,

Minori Weapons:      Deadly weapons belonging to the Trio; Abyssinian Daggers, The Lagneia

Whip, and the Cascadian Hammers,

Oblivion:      The realm where allies of the Trinity reside,

The Trinity:      Creatures of extreme powers birthed to battle the Trio and maintain the balance,

Trinity Mark:      The distinctive marking of a Hound of Trinity or Trinitymate,

Trinitymate:      Mates to the Hounds of Trinity,

Supreme Beings:      A term often referring to either Alrik, Gazini, or Alur,

Underworld:      Kingdom of the dead ruled by Hades,

Universe(s):      A term often referring to either Bion, Rasi, or Thana.

Chapter 1

Radien walked through the darkness of Oblivion. It was a dark place where he had spent the last few centuries and the one place that could give him peace away from his broken family and chaotic thoughts. He gave a bitter chuckle. It seemed no matter how much time passed old wounds still had remained. Even with the companionship of his father and others that called this place home, it wasn’t the same. A part of him longed for someone who would be ready and willing to save him from is solitude.

By nature, he was a solitary creature, preferring his own company to others. Yet long ago there had been one woman… no, a goddess who had broken past his barriers and managed to steal his heart.

Radien gave another bitter chuckle as he tried to push back unwanted memories. It was pointless. Even after all this time he could still see her face when he closed his eyes. An image forever engraved into his mind.

It is time for you to let the whore of a goddess go.

How many times had he repeated those words to his self? An even better question would be why did he still long for her?

That was a question he didn’t have an answer to. For her, he had given up everything…and for what?

What did she do? She had left him when he needed her most.

That moment was all too clearly embedded into his mind. The look of disgust on her face, the way she had turned a cold shoulder to him when he needed her most.

Walking for what seemed like hours in the never-ending darkness, Radien wanted to hate her, but for lack of better judgment he couldn’t. For all the power he has, she was the one thing he couldn't let go. Before he knew it she had tamed him. For that he would forever hate himself. All because he was too weak and needy to loath the one thing that brought him pain.

Idiot.

He would never again allow a woman to have him. With that thought he flashed himself to his bed chambers. The pressure that suddenly built at his temples was an indication of his exhaustion. He needed to rest. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. It had been days if not weeks. He couldn’t remember. Time no longer mattered to him.

What concerned him was the dark forbidding that had settled on his shoulders. It was a feeling that radiated in his bones and through his body.

In his bedroom, Radien stripped of his clothing and stretched out across his bed. As much as he wanted to wonder about what was looming in the near future, the instant his body hit the mattress sleep claimed him. He fell into a deep sleep that would forever change his fate.

***

Melody Sonders, at the tender age of 25, prided herself on her work. As one of the youngest publishers in town, she had worked long and hard to get her business to where it was today. Trinity Publishing was one of the world’s foremost accomplished companies. With more than five hundred authors under contract with her and her company, she dominated her field.

With her luxurious home and hefty bank account she should be enjoying her youth and success. Traveling to other countries, taking trips to exotic islands or sailing on a ship around the world… She should be doing something other than what she was doing right now.

In the quietness of her office, Melody sat with her head in her hands, feeling hurt and betrayed. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would feel like this. After all she prided herself on her control and coldness. Now that had been stripped away from her along with her heart.

Damn you, Craig. She sobbed.

How could this have happened to her? She was supposed to have every aspect of her life under her control, but somewhere along the line she became caught up with love. She had given love all she had and how had it repaid her?

It lied and betrayed her; it left her blinded and vulnerable.

It was her fault though. She should have known he was too good to be true. NO man was that understanding and generous as to why their woman was never home.

God, I’m so stupid. How could I not have known? She had become dependent on him for support. In an instant he had turned around and crushed any hopes she had of a happy marriage.

Why… why… what am I going to do now?

Just as those words left her mouth, she raised her head from the table. Had she really just said that? What was she going to do?

What the hell am I talking about? Melody thought as she took a look around her office. She looked at the countless awards that covered her wall. All achievements she had gained on her own.

Her company hadn’t been built with the help of a man. She was the one that stood alone when people ridiculed her and laughed at her ideas. There was no one there to offer some comfort during the hard times. She had lived most of her life without a man and she refused to let one come in now and take her world away from her. She had obligations to attend to.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she pushed her leather chair back and she went to unlock her office door. Once the door was unlocked, she walked over to her windows. Standing floor to ceiling, they gave a beautiful view of the city skyline. Opening the nearest window, she let the springtime air wrap about her body. It was like a sensual caress that relaxed her… a little.

Taking a deep breath, she let the scent of spring fill her nose, vowing to herself that no man would ever have access to her heart again. She would rather be alone, than with someone who would make her feel less than what she was.

Yet, as she stared out at the sky watching the clouds move, she couldn’t stop herself from replaying the last few days in her mind. The way Craig had treated her had been low and disrespectful. She had been more than a good woman to him.

And to think I had wanted to marry him. She gave a bitter laugh. She wanted to slap herself.

With a sigh, she walked away from the window, leaving it open so she could feel the air in her office. Walking over to her favorite leather sofa, she laid down. A quick nap was just what she needed in order to get herself together. She had an important meeting in a few hours and needed to be fully awake. With one arm resting above her head, the other across her stomach, she closed her eyes and forced herself to rest. It took a few moments but eventually she drifted off into a deep sleep, to a place where she was free from pain and hurt.

***

She walked along the sandy beach as the ocean air danced around her. Stopping at the shoreline, she stared out at the clear moonlit water. Barefoot in the sand, she curled her toes and let the sand tickle her feet.

She looked out into the water. It was clear and calm. The sky was as black as night, and she could see the stars clearly as they sparkled in the sky. Like always the moon was full and reflected in the water, dancing on its surface. Everything around her was clear, calm, and perfect, everything in its place, so much different from her real life.

Sighing, Melody walked to where the small waves kissed the sand, her footprints vanishing with the tide. She wished she could make the pain in her heart just vanish. As the ocean waves massaged her feet, it was as if the ocean could feel her pain and wanted to welcome her into its comforting arms.

She loved the water, especially the ocean. It electrified her, sparked life into her. Even with just her toes in the water, she could feel little tingling shocks roaming through her body. She walked into the water until it rose to her chest. The water kissed her nipples as it glided over her body. Moving her arms in the water, Melody watched the waves ripple with her movement. Lost in thought she gave no care to her surroundings.

***

Radien watched her in the water. She was beautiful as the moonlight played on her skin. He had been watching her since she had appeared along the shore's edge. He thought she had been lovely before, but now with her damp hair curling around her face. She stole his breath away.

It wasn’t just her beauty that captured him. Rather, it was the pain that he could feel radiating from her. For whatever reason he couldn’t explain why he wanted to pull her to his chest and feel her breath against his skin.

She drove under the water and his gaze followed her. Curious as to what she was doing, he walked towards the shore's edge. He stared at the water with his arms folded across his chest. Radien could clearly see her swimming under the surface of the water. Reminding him of a mermaid, beautiful and graceful, his eyes followed her every movement. After a few moments she resurfaced. In that moment he felt his world shift.

Glad her back was to him, he let his greedy eyes roam the backside of her body. The black dress she had worn used to sway with the movements of her full hips. Now the dress clung to her. As if the dress never wanted to be separated from her lush, delectable body. =

He could understand that feeling.

My, you are beautiful. He couldn’t resist the urge to talk to her, to hear her voice, knowing it would sound as beautiful as she looked.

***

Startled, Melody spun around, expecting to see someone standing behind her. There was no one, nothing but the wind blowing across her face. Deciding that her imagination was playing tricks on her, she turned back around.

Why are you hurting? Someone as beautiful as you should never shed a tear. His voice caressed her ear. Slowly she turned around and gaped at the huge figure standing behind her on the shoreline.

He was huge, well over 6ft tall. Her eyes roamed from his thick muscled legs, up his chiseled stomach to his broad shoulders. When she went to look at his face, it was shadowed from her. All she could see was the glowing of his white eyes. At least she thought they were white. His intense stare made her uncomfortable, yet at the same time, sent shivers down her spine.

Who are you? She asked. He remained silent.

She wondered how he‘d gotten into her dream. Since she was a little girl, she had been dreaming of this beach. Coming back to the same beach, in 25 years nothing had changed. Until now… now, there was this enormous man standing in front of her asking a very personal question. She should have told him to leave, to just poof back to where he came from, but as she looked at him, she found herself wanting to keep him with her.

Why are you hurting? He repeated.

God, that voice of his was sexy. Low and deep, it came from a place deep within his chest. She wished she could see his face fully, and yet somehow it didn’t matter if she did or didn’t.

When she didn’t respond, he asked her again. What makes you hurt like this? He walked into the water, causing small shocks of pleasure to go through her. Still, with him getting closer to her, she couldn’t see his face, only his eyes, which gave off some weird glow in the darkness.

Will you swim with me? She asked him as he approached her. Even in the water, he seemed to overpower her. She wanted him… no needed him in the water with her. It seemed only right.

Please… will you? She asked again. She watched as he narrowed his eyes. She didn’t need to see his face to know that he was frowning at her.

How stupid was she, wanting some shadow of a figure to swim with her.

You never have to beg with me, beauty. I will do whatever you want me to do.

She smiled up at him as he finally reached her. Come. She stepped back, turned her back to him, and dove back underwater.

***

Radien watched her for a moment; her smile had left him momentarily paralyzed. He heard all her thoughts just then. Little did she know that he was just as real as she was. As she moved through the water, the underwater waves glided against her skin. Like a lover's caress.

Smiling that he had made her happy, he dove in the water after her. She captivated him, making him wish he felt this complete in the real world.

In the aftermath of their swim they lie on the beach and let the small waves glide into their bodies. He watched her sleep in the cradle of his arms. Looking peaceful and rested, she was perfect for him. If he didn’t know the dream nymphs personally, he would have sworn she was one of them. Either way it wouldn’t have mattered to him, his loneliness was gone for the moment and that was good enough for him.

***

When Melody awoke, she felt refreshed and relaxed. Her body was no longer tense, and her headache was gone. With her dream still fresh in her mind, she stretched her body. As the dark and deep voice of her mystery man replayed over and over again in her mind. Never had she had a dream like that. One where she could still feel his electric touch against her skin. Shaking her head clear she glanced at the clock that sat at the corner of her desk.

2:45pm. Damn it. She was fifteen minutes late to her meeting. Jumping to her feet, Melody grabbed the file folder from her desk and rushed out her office, praying her clients hadn’t left.

Are they still in there? She asked as she approached one of her assistant’s desks.

Yes, Ms. Sonders. They are still waiting for you. The woman replied from behind a pair of thick framed glasses.

Thanking the older woman, Melody continued her walk down the long hallway, towards the huge glass doors of the conference room. She stopped and smoothed the front of the navy-blue suit. Once she was sure she looked professional she resumed her stride, forcing a smile on her face as she pushed the doors open.

Good afternoon, gentlemen… She greeted the men in the room as their eyes fixed on her. I apologize for the wait. I was held up by other business matters. She spoke as she walked into the room. Rounding the large mahogany office table, she took her seat at the head of the table.

Please, sit, and let us begin. She motioned for them to take their seats.

Ms. Sonders, it’s always a pleasure to see you. Ted Jefferson, the executive VP of her company said to her as he took his seat on the right side of her. She gave him a smile of acknowledgement as the rest of the men settled into their seats.

As she waited for everyone to settle down, she looked around the table. This was what she loved the most about her job. She was the boss and the power that her position held gave her a sudden rush, while she took in the faces of the men in the room. Some of which she had known since her company first started, others would be joining her soon. To her right was Ted Jefferson, the VP of the company. He had been with her the longest and was the one she trusted most with her business, should anything ever happen to her he was the one that would take over. Next to him was Donnie Jones, the senior advertising VP of the company, and to her left sat Ronald Peters, a smooth-talking attorney, with his twin clients, Alain and James Pitchblack. The two newest additions to her company if the meeting went the way she wanted.

Let's get started, shall we. Opening the folder she had with her, Melody spread its contents over the table in front of her. She turned her attention to the twins. This is the contract my company and I are prepared to offer. She passed the folder over to their attorney.

She continued to speak in her strong, confident tone as he read over the contract. We, meaning Trinity Publishing House, are prepared to pay you $50,000 for a three-book contract over the next year and a half. Each book will be released within a few months of each other depending on their popularity. Some might be released earlier. Delivery and publishing dates will vary depending on sales. Because your independent works have sold amazingly well, and you seem to be able to get your work to your readers in a timely manner, this deadline shouldn’t be a problem for you, she paused as Peters closed the folder. When the twins didn’t respond Melody continued.

Once, Alain and James, have viewed and signed this agreement, they will be responsible for delivering one copy of the final manuscript to my team within the next few weeks. The manuscript will then be reviewed by my editors, and I, of course, to make sure its content and form is satisfactory to the standards of the company. In addition, the Authors will need to provide an additional copy of the manuscript via flash drives or any other external hard drive. If in any way the terms and conditions of this agreement are breached, Trinity Publishing reserves all rights to terminate the agreement. As for payment, I do things a little differently; you will be given an account through the company and will receive half of the money deposited into the account when the first book is released and on book stands. The second half will be received when the last book has been completed and on book stands. For royalties, the company gains 20-30 percent of the royalties. The rest will be distributed to the authors. She gestured towards the two men on her right. Lastly, Donnie and his team will handle the cover design, promotion, advertisement and marketing of the books. Of course, the Authors will be asked their opinion on layout of cover designs and print style, while Ted will handle all of the paperwork and your account information. She waited for a response.

Ms. Sonders your proposal is most impressive. But $50,000 is a lot of money, especially with the market looking the way that it is and with them being new authors for the mainstream, well, I am sure you can see my concern Ronald flipped through the pages of the document. You do indeed do things differently. This agreement states that if my clients fail to produce bestsellers or the number of books stated in this agreement, the responsibility of repaying the company for its losses falls to my clients. That’s a little harsh, don’t you think? Especially since there is no guarantee that their works will reach the number of sales you are expecting.

Mr. Peters, I understand your concern. It is well placed. Like I said, I don’t do things the regular way. We’ve known each other for a long time now and, as you well know, I have never let you down. I have never published anything less than a national bestseller. That is why I put so much into my authors. She held his gaze.

Before he spoke again, he considered her for a moment, I have to consult with my clients. Please give us a moment.

She inclined her head as he turned to speak with the two young authors.

Are you crazy? We would be stupid to turn this down… Alain spoke.

This could be our big break. James continued.

They talked amongst themselves while Melody gave Ted and Donnie an assured look.

Very well, Ronald turned his attention back to Melody. Ms. Sonders, we are all aboard.

Perfect, Welcome to Trinity Publishing gentlemen, I am sure you will like your new home here with us. She smiled politely as they signed the contract. Now if you will excuse me pushing her seat back, she stood from the table. I have a few loose ends to tie up.  She extended her hand out to her newest authors and their lawyer. It was a pleasure meeting you. You two are very talented and I look forward to working with you.

They beamed at her as they shook her hand.

Ted, Donnie. You can take it from here. She spoke as she headed towards the glass doors.

Once she was through the doors, she relaxed. Now that the most important event of the day was out of the way, she could breathe a little easier. As she started down the hallway, she heard heavy male footsteps behind her.

Sighing, she didn’t have to turn around to know that Ronald Peters had followed her out the office. She had seen the desire in his eyes as she had spoken to him about his clients. It seemed he couldn’t keep his eyes from roaming to her covered breast.

Ms. Sonders. He called and she turned to face him.

He was a few paces away from her, so she watched and waited as he approached her. She had to admit he was a good-looking man. Smart too. His face was that of a young man, smooth skin, high cheek bones and soft features that didn’t make him look a day over 25, when in fact he was in his late 30’s. His eyes were a deep brown that was complimented by his mocha complexion. Under the paint striped suit he wore, she could tell he had a well sculpted body.

Ms. Sonders. I must admit that I am impressed with your confidence in my clients. He smiled at her.

Yes, well, I know quality when I see it.

Yes, he paused. "I also know quality when I see it."

She didn’t realize how close he was to her until she felt his hand caress the side of her face.

On any other day she would have welcomed a handsome man’s come on. Maybe even accept the date offer she was sure was playing on the edge of his lips. But now, after the past few days, months even, she didn’t want to deal with it.

Mr. Peters-

Ronald. Cutting her off, his gaze focused on her face.

Yes. Well, Ronald, I would like to keep the relationship between us professional, her tone was polite and emotionless as she stepped away from his touch.

Not used to a woman’s rejection, Peters could do nothing but stare blankly at her.

I didn’t mean to impose. He finally said. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Ms. Sonders.  He smiled before making hasty steps back towards the conference room.

Taking a deep breath Melody started back towards her office. Her day was half though, in a few more hours she could go home, climb into her bed and put an end to a long day.

Chapter 2

In the darkness the screams of tortured souls could be heard throughout the deepest parts of the Underworld. A place where the world’s most vile of creatures were punished. Not that the beast that was caged down there minded. No, in fact, he loved… relished it. The agony that radiated from their screams was music to his ears.

Dread and sorrow was something he embraced and wrapped around his huge form like a second skin. Truly, nothing pleased him more than their screams… well, almost nothing. However, if he weren't locked away and able to contribute to their pain, he would have enjoyed their suffering a lot more.

He growled low in his throats, the sound vibrating through the darkness, as the faces of the males that trapped him here flashed into his mind. He was going to enjoy tearing the flesh from them.

Evil grins spread across his snouts, as the tips of his canines shined bright in the darkness.

Yes.

The thought of ripping them to pieces in front of their loved ones made him practically giddy with anticipation. His mouths watered in anticipation. He already could see their blood splattered on the walls, coating the floors. With them gone he would be free to exact his revenge