Selkie: Oubliette, #1

By Ysobella Black

Maclyr found his mate, but she's the daughter of his worst enemy. With her father murdering Selkies, Mac must decide between his happiness and the safety of his colony.

 

Tessa has always longed to be free and finally found someone who sees her as a woman, not a pawn or tool to be used... Until he betrays her.

 

This is a short and steamy story with no cheating, fade to black scenes, or cliffhangers. I promise a happily-ever-after in the end!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ysobella Black
• Release date: Jun 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223290957

Ysobella Black

I love to travel, read, and think of ways to complicate my characters’ lives. I have two borrowed cats who take shameless advantage of my good nature. Hopefully you find my characters a lot more entertaining than I am. :) If you enjoyed this story, you may be interested to know that I write in several series. While each novel is written for one relationship, features unique mythologies, and can be read as standalone, a little more of that world is revealed and the overall arc of the series grows throughout. I also write two versions of most of my stories. For the naughty versions, read stories by Ysobella Black. If you prefer nice/sweet stories with fade to black scenes and no swearing, you'll want to read the versions by Ysobel Black. The best way to find out what’s going on with the series, and me, is to visit my website at https://www.ysobellablack.com. There, you can also check out the wikis and timelines for each series. Or, sign up for the newsletter. https://ysobellablack.com/newsletter/ I send out things like surveys, freebies, contests, and random news about things going on with me that may or may not be interesting.  I love hearing from my readers. Feel free to contact me via my website, or find me on social media. I admit, I don't keep up with posting constantly on one account, much less two, so I don't have separate accounts for my two pen names on most platforms. Twitter - @Ysobellablack Pinterest - ysobellablack Goodreads - ysobellablack or ysobelblack Instagram - @ysobellablackauthor TikTok - @ysobellablack Bookbub - ysobellablack or ysobelblack

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

TESSA

TESSA EYED HER GLASS of red wine wistfully, but thought better of it. Not because the vintage wouldn't be delicious, but because it was better to keep a clear head for this command performance.

Nothing good happened when she was required to dress for dinner in the formal dining room.

Before her mother died, dinners like this had been fun. They were celebrations with the best food and desserts.

There weren't any desserts anymore.

Or celebrations.

Now, her father only summoned her to dinner when he had a proclamation that would destroy a little more of her happiness.

He sat at the opposite end of the long dining table, past floral centerpieces and candlesticks filled with unlit tapers. The decidedly unromantic, electrical lights set to dim, glinted off his white-blond, exactly coiffed hair and starched white shirt under a tailored black jacket. He paid her no attention as he cut into his steak.

Asking questions would do no good. Frederick Hoffman III wouldn't talk until he was ready to consider her worthy of attention, and then only for as long as necessary.

Tessa crushed a tiny roasted potato with her fork. Couldn't he just get this over with?

I heard from your husband.

And there it was.

Fuck it. She picked up her wineglass and downed several healthy slugs.

Her father's eyes narrowed, disapproving of her gauche behavior. He stabbed his fork into a piece of perfectly cooked steak and made her wait as he chewed his food and swallowed. Sean will be here in a week to transfer you to his estate.

She had so many issues with those two statements.

First, Sean wasn't her husband. Her father and Sean's parents had arranged the match when she was six years old and he was thirteen, to combine their families and fortunes.

A ceremony had taken place when she turned eighteen — one she'd not had to attend. Someone else spoke vows she'd never agree to. Sean had written them, and they'd been full of words like obey, submit, and serve. 

She shuddered just thinking about them. 

Then, there was the whole transfer her to his estate thing — like she was a horse or piece of furniture that needed to be moved.

I graduate in two weeks. Tessa tried to keep her voice respectful, but it was so hard not to snarl. Is it possible to make arrangements for that time frame? She wouldn't put it past them to have orchestrated this precisely to rob her of a piece of independence. Another show of their dominance over her life. No, not dominance. Sometimes, dominance was hot. What Sean and her father did was just heavy handed control.

Her father sipped his red wine properly. You may take the matter up with your husband when he arrives. It's possible he will reward appropriate behavior, but I explained to you when you started college that he did not see the point to you having a degree.

Tessa lost her appetite. Sean had certainly enjoyed his time at college. Four years of tabloid photos and stories about his conquests had shown that, and continued on after he graduated. He was a whore, while she was meant to remain chaste and docilely wait for him to decide it was time to claim her.

The idea of becoming his broodmare made her fingers clench around her steak knife.

May I be excused? I arranged a study session with Stephanie, and don't want to be late. She pasted a fake smile on her face. Just in case I'm allowed to finish school.

She tried not to wince. That had come perilously close to snarky.

But, if there was anything her father hated more than the impropriety of gulping wine, and snark, it was tardiness.

He eyed the food left on her plate, but let it go. Of course.

Thank you. She rose, placed her napkin on the table, and walked out.

Her mother had insisted Tessa deserved a normal life, which allowed her to meet people outside the staff who worked on the estate. It was the only reason she’d met Stephanie at school, rather than just tutors at home.

Stephanie — her free-spirited, independent friend who took shit from no one. They'd been best friends since fifth grade when Stephanie showed Tessa how to punch a bully in the nose, and eat pizza slices folded, not flat — and without silverware.

Tessa gathered her books, drove the short distance to Stephanie's house and parked at the curb. An unwanted bodyguard parked behind her. She sighed. At least he didn't try to follow her inside anymore.

The two-story, red brick house felt more like home than her father's monstrosity of a mansion on the beach. Tessa would never think of it as hers.

Stephanie's house had the benefit of being deemed safe. Not that her father thought Tessa was in danger. Her bodyguard wasn't there to protect her, but to make sure she didn't run away before she could be foisted onto her husband. A high wall Tessa had no hope of climbing enclosed the backyard. Stephanie and her parents had passed whatever checks Tessa's father ran.

Stephanie, wearing flannel pajamas and slippers, met Tessa at the front door. A messy knot tried to contain auburn curls wild as her personality.  She pointedly rolled her hazel eyes at the bodyguard at the curb, then stepped aside, offering a smile to Tessa. You look like you could use a drink.

Could she ever. One she could down in gulps. Or as a succession of shots.

Tessa entered the foyer and hung her coat in the closet. Delicious aromas always wafted from the kitchen — tonight, it was cookies. She wished this could be her life.

"A week, Stephanie. My husband is coming to transfer me to his estate in a week! I've known this was coming for a while, but it always seemed like the day would never actually arrive."

Those bastards. Her friend knew all about the craziness and had offered an escape route more than once, but Tessa couldn't bring trouble on her friend. Stephanie led the way upstairs and into her bedroom.

The comfortable furniture was a mishmash of styles with blankets and pillows, unlike the antique museum pieces her father kept.

Stephanie's house also had the perk of being part of a smuggler's network. Many houses along the coast had secret rooms and hidden passages. Some were blocked, but plenty were open and ran for miles to downtown locations, the coast, caves, and the lighthouse on the point. 

She and Stephanie had discovered the tunnels in their houses as curious girls.

A month ago,