BOOK EXCERPT -- 'Tween Heaven and Hell

In this scene, Astra receives an unexpected dream visitation from acertain devilishly handsome Devil Prince.

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He loomed over me, his dark golden skin touched with soft, caressing light, his bottomless, black eyes fixed intently on my face. I seemed unable to move as he knelt beside me on the bed and touched my hair, which was spread across the pillow.

"Like silk, pretty one and heavy against my hand. Do you know that beautiful hair is a sign of power in the Devil Court."

I opened my mouth to give him a snotty response but nothing came out. His fingers threaded through my hair and cupped the back of my head, lifting me toward him. His soft lips parted and I could see the sharp tips of his beautiful, white teeth. He raised me until I was entirely too close to that sensual mouth, until I was just inches from those eyes. Those velvety black eyes were pulling at my thoughts, making me dizzy and confused.

Just before our lips touched, I turned my face away and raised feeble arms between us. I tried with all my might to push him away. The wimpy result was embarrassing at best. It reminded me of that dream state where you keep trying to get somewhere but never do, like when you find yourself unable to reach the top of that staircase you've been climbing for about eight hours in your sleep…or like when you show up at an interstellar mud wrestling convention wearing nothing but a large, green snake and can't seem to get your foot untangled from the frothing purple demon's slimy hair 'cause the mud's too slippery and the snake won't stay still…well…I think you get my drift. Suffice it to say that my mind was willing but my body was frunkin' worthless.

Failing in my attempt to evade my dream devil, I gave up trying to kick his well-formed ass and gathered all of my hate and contempt into my eyes, which I then blasted at him like a laser weapon set on kill. Instead of dying from the blast of hate in my eyes, the damnable creature simply laughed at me.

"You mustn't fight your destiny, pretty one. It will do you no good and it will only increase my pleasure."

That was too much for me. Even in my sleep I can't resist a challenge. I squeezed my eyes closed and threw out my power, I felt it surge away from me and flow around him. I wrapped him in a tight, form fitting blanket of my power and opened my eyes to give him a smug smile. He laughed that deep, throaty laugh that made me warm in places where I didn't want to be warm.

I laughed too, because he actually thought I'd given him all I had.

His eyes narrowed and he pulled me closer, his lips just touching mine as I tightened the power around him and ripped him off my bed and out of my, unfortunately reluctant arms. I watched his eyes grow round with surprise as he hung, suspended above my bed, his long legs crossed casually as though it had been his idea to dangle there. Then his beautiful mouth curved in a knowing smile and he disappeared in a silvery shimmer. Leaving behind only a whisper in my mind. "Sleep well, pretty one. We have only just begun this battle."

"Bite me." I murmured in my sleep and then I drifted soundly and thankfully into the sandman's less-than-sexy, but eminently restful arms.

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Sam

Magic, Adventure, Love on the Run
samcheever@samcheever.com
www.samcheever.com
http://tweenyouandme.blogspot.com/
www.electricprose.com
http://www.myspace.com/samcheever

'Tween Heaven and Hell – Available Now! – www.cerridwenpress.com
Coming 04/24/08 - 'Tween a Devil and His Hard Place -
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Coming in 2008, Dancing With Tad - Red Rose Publishing