Forged by Greed Read online

  FORGED BY GREED

  Book One in The Forged Series

  Angela Orlowski-Peart

  Three Graces Publishing

  Copyright © 2012 Angela Orlowski-Peart

  All Rights Reserved.

  Visit the author at www.angelapeart.com

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, locations, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

  FORGED BY GREED

  No part of this book may be used, reproduced, scanned, distributed, stored, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form, by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying or recording without the express written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  For further information or permission please contact the author at [email protected]

  Cover design and artwork by Jeannie Ruesch © 2012 by Angela Orlowski-Peart

  First Edition, 2012 published in the United States of America

  Three Graces Publishing.

  ISBN: 978-0-9883695-0-4 (Kindle)

  .

  To Mom, Dad, and my sister for always believing in me.

  To Alex and Amanda for providing an amazing inspiration for my writing.

  To Matt for standing by my side and letting me dream big.

  Special thanks to the Writers in The Rain: Brenda, Eileen, Fabio, Martina, and Suma. To my friends and beta readers, Diana and Angela. To my wonderful editor, Alyssa and the copyeditor, Aemelia. To my very talented graphic designer, Jeannie. To my family and friends for cheering for me all the way to the end.

  I’m forever in your debt.

  CHAPTER 1

  Human World, July 29.

  The huge black wolf gained on her with every passing moment. Her muscles burned with pain, sweat covered her skin, her breathing heavy. Could she still outrun him?

  Dodging between the trees, she tried and failed to put the distance between them. Was she so predictable that he knew which way she’d turn, even before she did?

  She took another sharp turn around a thick tree on her left, its cracked bark brushing her side. Stealing a glance over her shoulder, she saw a gleam of white teeth and a set of watchful eyes—round enlarged irises encircled by a sliver of blue. Those eyes did not belong to an animal. These were human eyes—in a wolf’s body.

  The light bounced off the wolf’s thick coat in a blue-black sheen. He was enormous, much bigger than a normal wolf. A low growl escaped him as he almost missed the turn, his claws scraping the ground. She cackled and surged forward, but he was right behind her, too close, too fast, concentrating on her every move. With another growl, the wolf advanced, his lean body elongating into a long stretch as he tackled her. She collapsed with a yelp under his weight, and they rolled in a tight embrace, kicking and nipping at each other, the momentum forcing them down a slope.

  Her coat was as black as the wolf’s, only shorter and slicker, and her sharp teeth as lethal. She matched his growling with hers, deep and throaty. Her long leopard tail swished wildly each time the force of their fall put her on top. The air around them shook in a shimmering undulation as if lifting from a scorched asphalt road in summer. Two wild animals shape-shifted into two teenagers, as the slope ended in a small flat clearing between the trees.

  She lay on top of him, their lips close, her long curly hair falling like a black curtain, shading their faces from the bright morning sun. His arms encircled her slim torso, their legs tangled. For a moment, she saw a wolf’s features flicker under his human face. Or was this a trick of the light? The girl brushed a strand of hair from his forehead and pushed another one behind his ear.

  When she brought her lips back closer to his face, his eyelids flickered shut for a moment. In a swift motion he rolled on top of her, and his mouth was on hers before she could make a sound. His hand pressed on her lower back, tracing the curve of her waist. She felt the heat building inside her and the goosebumps rising on her arm. His other hand slowly moved upward, until his fingers flexed back and forth in her hair.

  It was an hour past sunrise. Beads of morning dew reflected the light like tiny mirrors. Long beams of bright sunlight cut between the trees as if connecting the blue sky to the dark forest floor.

  He withdrew from the kiss and looked at her, his eyelids half-opened. “Jasmira.” She heard his whisper in her head. They communicated with their minds. With a soft whimper, she pulled his face back to hers. His heart pounded against his ribcage, and he was sure she could feel it through their clothes. Her kiss deepened, and he heard her voice in his mind, “I outran you. Again.”

  He pulled back and, with a smile, looked down at Jasmira. His eyes twinkled with admiration. “Only because I let you.”

  She laughed and lightly punched his side. “You’re so full of it, Jatred.”

  “Ouch, what was that for?” he asked in mock exasperation.

  “To bring you back to reality.” She giggled and tried to get up, but he pinned her arms to the ground and leaned closer.

  “You hit the Winter Prince, woman. Now you have to pay.”

  Her lips parted when he kissed her again, long and slow. “I like the price,” she whispered, her voice echoing in his mind.

  “This is just a down payment,” Jatred murmured. “I will work out a payment plan for you.”

  “Sounds promising.” She felt a warm delicious feeling that spread through her body. Jatred’s face was still close to hers, his blue eyes framed by long lashes. His straight nose and dense dark brows were reminiscent of his ancestors. His black hair fell past his ears in an unruly mop of thick strands. His chest rose and fell, gently pressing against her.

  The birds chirped their morning songs and the buzzing sounds of insects filled the air. The sun was moving higher in the sky, its rays like a heating pad on Jatred’s back.

  “It’s gonna get hot soon,” he observed, getting up and pulling Jasmira up by her arms.

  “You should stay in the shade, J.”

  “No, it’s not bad. I would be in trouble in Africa, but this kind of summer,” he gestured around, “doesn’t bother the Winter Race too much.”

  He held her tight and kissed her again, taking backward steps toward the trees. He tripped over a gnarled tree root protruding from the ground and almost fell with Jasmira still in his arms. She squealed and he laughed, both gaining back their balance.

  They stood in the shadow of a huge tree, holding each other, his back against the rough bark. Her hair cascaded in long black ringlets down her back. She closed her eyes and aligned her cheek with Jatred’s chest. She was an average looking sixteen-year-old, a girl-next-door type, with dark smooth skin and a lean body.

  “We should head back,” Jatred said quietly.

  “Mhmm.” Jasmira nodded slowly but didn’t move.

  “Did you tell your grandma you’re leaving?” He looked down at her.

  “I left her a note that I went out for some air. She was still asleep. You?”

  “I texted my uncle from the truck, right before I picked you up.” Jatred smiled. “I’m surprised the engine didn’t wake him up.”

  She exhaled loudly and pressed her lips together. “They won’t like it when they find out we’re together. And the Goddesses will be furious.”

  Jatred cleared his throat and spoke in a deep mocking voice, unmistakably mimicking an adult, “Summer and Winter Shifters don’t belong together; especially not the Prince and the Princess of the rival Races. It’s against our rules.”

  Jasmira rolled her eyes.

  �
�Let’s go, I’m starving.” Jatred yawned and stretched.

  “I will race you back,” she said in a rush. The air around her pulsed in thin waves, and she shifted into a black leopard. She leapt away from Jatred, as he changed into his wolf form. He snarled and took off after her.

  ***

  “Dude, this band rocks. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” A tall teenage boy laughed, collapsing into an oversized armchair. He was lean and muscular, built like someone who practiced a lot of contact-sports. “Did you see them in concert last March? They were at the Tacoma Dome. They were totally awesome. I went with Jatred, and we had a blast.”

  “They suck, bro.” A slim, gangly boy in glasses snorted, his long legs stretched out in front of him. “Try Incubus or The Black Keys music, then we’ll talk.”

  “Erik, where is my iPod?” A plump girl walked into the room, her eyes an astonishing shade of green. She firmly planted her feet apart and put her hands on her round hips, fuming. “I told you not to touch my iPod! You lost yours, so get a new one and paws off mine.” Her voice had a pleasant bell-like sound, despite her frustration.

  “Hey, Georgeta.” The teen in glasses smiled at her.

  “Hi, Bogdan. I’m going to Lusia’s house in a minute,” she said.

  “Here, catch.” Erik threw Georgeta’s iPod toward her. She swiped it midair in a blurred motion. “If you take it one more time, I’m going to kick your butt,” the girl muttered.

  “I’m sure you will, little sis.” Erik laughed, getting up. He grabbed Georgeta and twirled her around. Her jet-black short curly hair contrasted with his light-blond straight mane. Her skin looked like she spent hours in the sun, while he was fair-skinned. She had been adopted from an orphanage in Romania by Erik’s parents just a few years earlier.

  Georgeta shifted into a wolf form so quickly that Erik didn’t have time to let her go, and he collapsed onto his back. The wolf tumbled on top of him, snarling. Her upper lip curled back from her sharp teeth, her black wolf-nose almost touching her brother’s human-face. Erik grabbed onto Georgeta’s gray mane and, still laughing, wrestled with her.

  “Showing off much, Georgie? You finally got to shift and now you can’t stop the fun?” Erik teased. “Fifteen-year-olds.”

  Georgeta looked like an overgrown wolf pup that hadn’t quite yet become an adult. Despite her looks, in her animal shape, Erik’s adoptive sister was much bigger and stronger than he was in his human form. With a snap, she closed her teeth around the front of his shirt, lifted him off the floor and, with a swing of her huge head, threw him onto the bed, ripping a large piece of fabric from the front of his jersey. Erik landed on the bed, bouncing high, then fell down to the floor, cursing.

  The wolf puffed and, with a snarl, turned slowly around and walked out of the room. Bogdan laughed so hard he had to take his glasses off and wipe his eyes with the back of his hand. Georgeta, still in her wolf form, returned after a few seconds, gingerly picked up the iPod from the floor with her jaws and retreated, growling.

  “This was my favorite Seahawks jersey!” Erik yelled after her. He looked down at his shirt and said to Bogdan, “Shut up. I got it for my birthday from your girlfriend. Lusia will have a fit when she sees this.”

  “Then don’t tell her. It’s not like she’s going to come over to search your closet.” Bogdan was still chuckling.

  Erik glanced at his friend and burst into laughter.

  “I didn’t know that would make you so happy,” Georgeta hollered from her bedroom. “And, dude, no touching my iPod or I will rip more than your shirt.”

  “I can’t stay mad at her,” Erik said with his mind to Bogdan.

  “Good to know. I was so scared you’re going to do something irrational, ha, ha,” Georgeta shouted mockingly from her bedroom, this time with her mind. “By the way, if you don’t want me to hear what you say, keep your mental shields up, you know. Or not, I don’t care.”

  Bogdan cackled and hooted with delight. Amused, the boys looked at each other, their eyebrows raised. Erik shook his head and chuckled. Bogdan mouthed to him, “Mental shield, you know.”

  “We are going to shoot hoops outside. Wanna come?” Erik walked to Georgeta’s room and leaned on the door frame, grinning, hands stuck in his shorts pockets. He didn’t even bother to change his shirt. Bogdan stood right next to his friend, still chortling under his breath.

  “Yeah, so you can laugh at me? You know I’m too short for basketball.” Georgeta blew a raspberry. “And it’s too hot today. You two should stay inside anyway.”

  “Why?” Erik shrugged.

  “Because you’re wolves, moron. It’s too hot.” Georgeta rolled her eyes.

  “Relax, we can handle a bit of heat. A little is nice, even for the Winter Race.” Erik snorted.

  “It’s your call. I’m going to Lusia’s. She’s got better air-conditioning than we do here. Sorry about the shirt.” Georgeta put the ear-buds back into her ears and got up.

  “Nah. It’s fine. You can always get me a new one with your babysitting money.” Erik winked, smiling. “See you later, sis.”

  Georgeta paused by the door and turned around to look at the boys. “Keep in mind there are humans around. Don’t show off with your physical strength, like you did last time.”

  “It was an accident—” Erik tried to protest.

  “An accident? You bent the basketball hoop with one hand.”

  “Erm.” Erik sheepishly looked at Bogdan for reassurance, but Bogdan didn’t comment, just suppressed a laugh.

  “Watch him please, would you?” Georgeta fixed Bogdan with a look, then let out an exaggerated sigh and stalked off.

  CHAPTER 2

  Human World, July 31.

  The coffee house buzzed with conversations.

  “I’m learning to like it, but the smell is still too strong for me.” Jatred took a sip of coffee. “I prefer it just black or with a bit of cream, none of this chocolate or whipped cream garbage.”

  “Garbage?” Jasmira laughed. “I see. You just need a clear proclamation of your masculinity.”

  “Yeah, that’s it.” He reached for her hand and leaned closer to kiss it.

  “What’s the plan today?” She beamed at him. “My grandma is in Portland. She’s meeting with some Summer Shifters to discuss the event… you know, the coronation. They have until the beginning of December, but the Historical Society is already going nuts. Don’t these people have anything better to do?” Jasmira let out a loud sigh.

  “They live for this thing, J. My Race’s Historical Society is doing the same song and dance. By the way, I think it’s funny we both are going to become the Royal Heads at almost the same time.” Jatred kissed Jasmira’s fingers again. “But I really don’t give a crap about this coronation stuff.”

  She tried to tease him, “Come on, you are your Race’s Prince—”

  “Yep, and I still don’t care. Okay, it’s just a tradition, but that’s it. I’m not going to pretend I buy this whole nonsense,” Jatred interrupted. He leaned toward Jasmira and, hooking his arm around her neck, kissed her on the lips. “This is what I care about the most—you.”

  “Stop. Everyone is staring at us,” she whispered severely.

  “Why do you worry so much?”

  “I don’t like when people look at me.” Jasmira blushed, her head down.

  “Okay.” He smiled at her with an irritating indulgence. “Your Highness? Are you not confident in your regal presence?”

  “J, cut it out.” She snorted, moving her head away from his hand.

  “Come on, let’s go to the beach.” Jatred stood up, pulling a set of keys from his shorts pocket.

  “I need to change into a swimsuit,” she protested.

  “Mhm. And your grandma is not home… so let’s go. Quick.” He winked at her.

  “You aren’t allowed in my bedroom.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because.” Jasmira sighed in mock exasperation.

  “I know. I’m
just playing with you. Don’t worry; I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

  She wanted to smack him upside the head, but instead settled for puffing.

  They drove in Jatred’s black Toyota pick-up truck, loud music blasting through the rolled-down windows. Jasmira’s long curly hair danced in the wind, her head bobbing in rhythm with the music. Grasping the steering wheel with one hand, Jatred reached out to touch her arm. His hand slid down past her elbow, until he entwined his fingers with hers. Jasmira smiled at him, pushing the hair out of her face.

  “Hey.” She leaned close to Jatred and rested her head on his shoulder. “I missed you yesterday.”

  He put his arm around her, his eyes on the road. “Yeah, me too, but my uncle took a day off from work. There was no way I could get out of that one.”

  “It’s okay. I bet you loved every second of it.” Jasmira turned the music down a notch.

  “You know I did. I dig rock climbing.” He pressed his cheek to her head. Her hair was soft and smelled like green apples. Jatred inhaled and smiled. “But I was thinking about you all the time. It was like you were there with me.”

  “You guys weren’t hot? This heat doesn’t bother your Race?”

  “Nah. It wasn’t too bad. We climbed mostly in the shaded side of the mountain.” He shrugged, one corner of his mouth lifting in a smile.

  Jasmira moved closer, her body straining against her seat belt. She nested her head on his chest and slid both arms around his waist. His t-shirt smelled faintly of sweat and detergent. Jatred caressed her back and neck with his free hand.

  “Do you think the Goddesses know about us?” His question startled her, and she tensed.

  “I don’t know. It would be surprising if they didn’t.” Her voice sounded quiet, scared even. She licked her lips and pressed them together, taking a deep breath through her nose.