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Praise for Kiki Howell
"There is a fine mixture of passion of the paranormal type as well as the romantic type that should satisfy a broad range of readers. Kiki Howell has found her niche."
— Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer about Hidden Salem
"Kiki's use of words and descriptions is indescribable and weaves a kind of magic around the reader."
— Melissa, ParaNormal Romance Reviews about The Healing Spell
Praise for Kiki Howell
"I think this is the most romantic novel I've ever read! True love cannot and should not be stopped because of physical differences between two people."
— 5 Howls by Emi at Bitten by Paranormal Romance about A War in the Willows Trilogy
"Kiki Howell spins a tale that will bewitch your heart and leave you wanting more."
— Misty Rayburn - Top Shelf Book Reviews about Hidden Salem
Praise for Kiki Howell
"Kiki Howell spins a wonderful tale of passion, magic, betrayal, and a love that conquers all."
— NY Times Bestselling Author, Hannah Howell about Torn Asunder
"You are taken on an adventure that would appease any adrenaline junky."
— Crystal, Romancing the Book on Hidden Salem
Praise for Kiki Howell
"Ms. Howell's novella…sang to me. It will to you too."
— Justine, eBook Addict Reviews about The Sorcerer's Songs
Praise for Gina Kincade
"Gina Kincade is imaginative, intelligent, and full of heart. It really takes a special writer to not only craft attention-grabbing, complex plots, but to also write three-dimensional characters that come alive on the page and in your hearts."
— Amazon Reviewer, TOP 100 REVIEWER
Praise for Gina Kincade
I devoured this story in one sitting and could have easily read an entire series of just these characters, this world, and this story. It really takes a special write to not only craft such an attention-grabbing plot, but to also write three-dimensional character that come alive on the page and in your hearts. This is a story I will not soon forget, and the emotions I felt while reading will surely haunt my thoughts for days to come."
— Amazon Reviewer, TOP 100 REVIEWER
Praise for Gina Kincade
The detailed descriptions of everything from the storm to the magical objects and spells brings this whole new dynamic to the story, enriching it, adding depth, bringing to life every single part of the story, no matter how big, small or even how inconsequential it *may* seem. It truly is What Lies Within Us that makes this story the magical gem that it is!
— Cherri-Anne Boitson, Leather & Lace Reviews
Praise for Gina Kincade
"Great storyline with characters that make the pages steam. Loved all the Christmas elements added into this spicy little tale. Do yourself a favor and gift yourself this story then, then put yourself on the naughty list by taking some time to indulge in this read."
— Kirstein Howell, Vine Voice
Praise for Gina Kincade
"Having just spent the afternoon reading this wonderful book, I have to say that not only it is as captivating as it is sexy. The story moves along at a fast and furious pace taking you into a world of whirlwind romance and the paranormal. It kept me on the edge of my seat taking me into the story with every page."
— Amazon Customer
Praise for Gina Kincade
This was a really fun, and hot, read. I spent most of the story grinning, heart pounding, eager for what would happen next. It's so great to see Gina writing again, as we're gifted with gems like On Santa's Naughty List. This story made me wish that I was in an area where we got a White Christmas, because it's perfect to warm you up on a cold winter's day.
I highly recommend it for anyone after some Christmas kink!
— Casey Kerwitz, Amazon Reviewer
Demons & Dragons: A Limited Edition Collection
Copyright © 2020
Kiki Howell & Gina Kincade
ISBN: 978-1-77357-156-0
Naughty Nights Press LLC
Cover Design by: Willsin Rowe
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this ebook are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Torn Asunder
About Torn Asunder
Regency Slang Glossary
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Excerpt: Playing With Magic
When The Snow Flies
About
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Excerpt: A Modern Day Witch Hunt
Prologue
Chapter One
Mystical Mayhem
About
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Excerpt: Her True Savior
Chapter One
Whiskey & Witchcraft
About
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Excerpt: What Lies Within Us
Chapter One
Read More From Kiki
Howell
Read More From Gina Kincade
About the Authors
Where To Find More of Kiki & Gina
Torn Asunder
Torn Asunder
by Kiki Howell
Naughty Nights Press ● Canada
About Torn Asunder
Aubrey Griffen is a witch whose true reasons for coming to London soon fall to the wayside when she catches the eye of Edmund Bryant, the Marquess of Dalysbury. He seduces her into a whirlwind romance until the lies and threats of his mother force her to flee to Triaill Brimuir, a secret island of her ancestors off the coast of Ireland.
Edmund chases after her, landing unannounced on the island only to be hit unexpectedly by Aubrey's confusion and anger. She magically transforms him into an elemental beast of her own creation.
However, when Edmund's lust mysteriously turns him back into a man, the couple is forced to deal with his family secret and untold powers.
In order to save her in a battle of black verses white magic, Edmund is forced to embrace his own magic and shift into the beast.
Will their love conquer the darkness within Edmund's bloodline?
Fraught with scenes of intimacy, romantic spells, and mystical shapeshifting, Torn Asunder is a unique blending of the age of manners with sexual magic.
Regency Slang Glossary
abigail - a lady's maid
ape-drunk - very drunk
apurt - sullen
bamboozled - tricked
bandy words - talk
befogged - confused
benish- foolish
bluestocking - academic female
brangling at bay - to hold one's tongue
bygaged - spelled
charleys - watchmen, security in the night-time streets
cunny - woman's genitals
dangling after - hanging about, enamored of
deb - short for debutante
faradiddle - a falsehood or lie
Handfasting - a rural folkloric and neopagan custom, initially found in western European countries, in which a couple hold a commitment ceremony. The commitment may be seen as temporary and secular, or of a longer, spiritual variety, depending on the context.
havey-cavey - suspicious
If sensible reasonings were pence and crowns, he would not be able to come to terms with any merchant. - expression meaning a person is irrational or ignorant
jawing/jawings - utterances, especially if abusive or disapproving
make a cake of oneself - make a fool of oneself
Marquess - a nobleman ranking above and earl and below a duke
modiste - a dress maker or fashion designer
neckcloth -a finely arranged cravat fashionable for men
out of hat - as if by magic
raise a breeze - make a fuss
rake - a man who has many vices, has attracted and perhaps "ruined" many women
rucking - to move cloth so that it forms a number of untidy folds or creases
tempting armful - attractive
upon her twisted fancy - girlish excitement
wyrdling - magical
Chapter One
The roses, elegant in their refinement, fell from one another with little grace as she undid the ribbon around them. Staggering back a few steps until her back met the wall, she slid down to the floor letting the flowers fall where they may into a puddle around her.
Aubrey wrapped her arms tightly around her midsection. Her chest ached more with each beat of her heart as she swallowed hard, blinked away the mistiness over her eyes, and remembered.
It had been the beginning of the season, a bit over a fortnight ago, when she first encountered Edmund Bryant, the Marquess of Dalysbury. Although she rolled her eyes still at the title, she felt compelled to live through it all again—through the days of fantasy in which she'd allowed herself to participate. Love at first sight didn’t always give way to rational thinking. The feelings did, however, make possible the wavering delusions of believing impossible dreams could come true.
At the time, she had just come to London to live with her cousins, Lord and Lady Sanderly. They'd paid for her travels under the guise of giving a poor relation of marriageable age a chance to find a good husband. The truth of the matter was, she had shown a great aptitude for learning the magical powers inherited through their line. The good Lord and Lady, while holding the public titles of Earl and Countess, were descendants of one of the notorious Pendle witches. They aimed to teach her to harness and utilize her innate talents in secret while flaunting her about from various parties and balls in the public eye.
She recalled with a weak smile the first ball Lord and Lady Sanderly had thrown to immerse her into proper society. Gripping her hands in front of her waist to resist fidgeting, she'd worked tirelessly to fix to memory all of the titles of those to whom they introduced her. Her level of discomfort had increased. An unsettled awareness of someone in the room, an almost haunting premonition, had made her heart race and her mouth dry. She'd paid no mind to the successive shivers that rushed the length of her spine until they pooled as heat in her tightening stomach.
Reminded she held her breath only when forced to speak, she found her ribs had begun to ache. When a chill more pervasive than any she'd ever known, even in the drafty county cottage she had been raised in, permeated her shoulders, she turned in the direction of the source. Her eyes met with a man standing just across the room whom appeared to be staring back at her without glare or glower, but genuine interest. She immediately accepted the challenge to not look away from the gaze of his dark, assessing eyes, more animal than human, she thought, at this distance. They radiated a raw energy unlike anything she'd ever encountered before, even among those with her own esoteric abilities.
A connection was made. Her heart beat at a frantic, uneven pace like a horse racing over shoddy roads. At the same time, a vague forewarning had made her break out in a glistening of sweat. She fought the contradictory urges to escape the room and move toward the man. She'd given merit to her reactions based only on the fact she'd captured the glance of an aristocratic gentleman. A lady clung tightly to his arm, one of obvious higher circumstances in a lavish charmeuse gown with a bodice scooped quite low.
Engrossed in the man’s fine manners, she watched as he removed himself from his current audience, lady in the highly detailed blue and gold gown included. His tempestuous form in posh attire spun on the heel of his expensive footwear to find her again with his haunted and hungry eyes. He seemed an odd mix of rugged and refined. Her intuition recognized the possible thrill and danger of being pursued by a beast. Her magic tingled, warning her one lurked inside of the man. Figuratively, she surmised with a hesitant internal giggle for good measure.
As if he'd just happened by, he paused before her and spoke greetings to Lady Sanderly. If his perfection could have been improved upon, he'd managed it. Charm sang from his mouth, his words spoken as if the melody of a comforting song. The spicy smell of him embraced her, leaving her weak and willing. Though to what end, she didn't dare draw conclusion upon.
“I thank you, my Lord. Allow me to introduce to you to my cousin,” Lady Sanderly had said as she moved between them. She'd placed her hands upon both of theirs. “May I present The Most Honourable, The Marquess of Dalysbury, and this, My Lord, is Miss Aubrey Griffen. She is lovely, is she not?” A touch of electricity had tingled up her arm, and she remembered Lady Sanderly had teased her of her overabundance of excitement later.
Aubrey had curtsied as Lady Sanderly taught her to upon meeting men of his rank, albeit he appeared a bit exaggerated in stance to suit her tastes. All the while, she'd blushed while the Lady went on about her so. She had thought, at the time, the woman had put it on a little thick even for their purposes. This train of thought shattered at the memory of the Marquess taking her hand to lightly brush a kiss over the back of it. Another capricious sting of tears threatened behind her eyes in the present.
“She is,” he had
said with an indistinct, but sonorously grave tone. “I was caught by her beauty from across the room, and could not force myself to wait my turn in meeting her.”
“Lord Dalysbury,“ Lady Sanderly had tittered in a way Aubrey had never heard before. She would have often wondered at the aristocratic pomp if she had not known her cousin so well. However, since she did, she knew it could only be a much expected air she assumed. “You are such a gentleman. Is your mother to be in attendance tonight?”
“She is, but I fear she likes to make late, grand entrances.” His smile had been charming, and yet, she could see he'd stifled it to some degree. Since some things become clearer the more one thinks upon them, and given what she knew now of his mother, it seemed no longer strange at all. The Dowager Marchioness of Dalysbury liked to make good use of her standing to intimidate the masses beneath her in order to amass her whims.