** Adult Romance ** Benella is concerned with two things--avoiding the two village boys who torment her and scrounging for food to help feed her family. Unfortunately, the best wild fruit and vegetables are near the walls of the estate, a dark misty place inhabited by an unforgiving beast. When her tormentors lock her behind the massive gates, Benella knows her fate is sealed. Yet, the fate isn’t one she expects. Her encounter with the beast starts a bizarre cycle of bargaining for her freedom, a freedom the beast seems determined to see her lose. A classic fairy tale with a seductively dark new twist, the Beauty and the Beast saga begins with Depravity. Intended for mature readers due to sexual situations and moderate language. This book is part 1 of 3. |
In order to gain her freedom, she must find a way to break the curse, but first, she must help him become a better man while protecting her heart. |
Abused and rejected, Benella strives to regain a purpose for her life, and finds herself returning to the last place she ever wanted to see. She must learn when it is right to forgive and when it is time to move on. |
“Why have you returned?” asked an angry voice in a deep scraping growl.
He could speak? With a curtain of hair in the way and my vision not cooperating, I closed my eyes in defeat.
“That should be apparent, I’d think. To die.”
“Why do you wish for death so badly?” the voice asked. Some of the anger had faded from it and was replaced by curiosity.
“Does it look to you like I came here by choice?” A harsh laugh escaped me. “It’s not my wish, but theirs, that I die.”
The longer I stood there, the more my injuries started calling attention to themselves. My shoulders ached from their position and the recent collision with the gate. My wrist oozed blood and my stomach twisted with nausea. His silence along with everything else made my next words dangerously impudent.
“Recent events having left me in a poor mood, I’d rather not waste any more time on idle conversation. I hurt everywhere and think I may vomit soon so, please, just be done with it.”
The vines around my wrists loosened, and I fell forward onto something hard, furry, and warm. Draped over the beast, I realized, a moment before we were moving.
He could speak? With a curtain of hair in the way and my vision not cooperating, I closed my eyes in defeat.
“That should be apparent, I’d think. To die.”
“Why do you wish for death so badly?” the voice asked. Some of the anger had faded from it and was replaced by curiosity.
“Does it look to you like I came here by choice?” A harsh laugh escaped me. “It’s not my wish, but theirs, that I die.”
The longer I stood there, the more my injuries started calling attention to themselves. My shoulders ached from their position and the recent collision with the gate. My wrist oozed blood and my stomach twisted with nausea. His silence along with everything else made my next words dangerously impudent.
“Recent events having left me in a poor mood, I’d rather not waste any more time on idle conversation. I hurt everywhere and think I may vomit soon so, please, just be done with it.”
The vines around my wrists loosened, and I fell forward onto something hard, furry, and warm. Draped over the beast, I realized, a moment before we were moving.
As MJ Haag she writes adult paranormal/fantasy romance. The Beastly Tales saga starts with Depravity, published June 2015. There are 2 more books in this series. Deceit published July 2015 and Devastation in August 2015.
As Melissa Haag she's the bestselling author of the YA paranormal romance Judgement of the Six series and the Judgement of the Six Companion Series.
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The covers are really nice. Liked the excerpt and look forward to reading.
ReplyDeleteLooks great.
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