A bank robbery in Rockport, Texas, sends Corpus Christi police detective Kat Morales and her elf partner, Tevis, in pursuit of a band of nymphs and satyrs. The answer to their initial question - why nymphs and satyrs would rob a bank - only leads them into a deeper mystery in an enchanted woodland on the South Texas coast.
And while he and Kat try to save the woods from an evil wizard and a deadly wyvern, Tevis finds himself engaged in a personal struggle with potentially disastrous consequences: He is deeply, irrevocably in love with his partner ...
And while he and Kat try to save the woods from an evil wizard and a deadly wyvern, Tevis finds himself engaged in a personal struggle with potentially disastrous consequences: He is deeply, irrevocably in love with his partner ...
Excerpt
“Excuse me.”
Drawn by the voice, he looked up from his paperwork, toward the source.
And met the hazel eyes of a Vision standing in the doorway to his office.
She was exquisite, maybe five feet tall, midriff-baring top and short-shorts concealing nothing of her petite little figure, the veil over the lower portion of her face revealing hints of full lips beneath a finely sculpted nose.
“Are you James Todd?” the Vision asked.
“Ah ...” He swallowed moisture into his throat. “Uh ... Yes. Yes. I am. President.” He clamped his mouth shut before any other words could spill out. He was babbling.
He never babbled. Never!
“President of this bank.” Her voice held a lilt, a hint of chimes, the soft, sultry sound of a cello.
He nodded. His breath hung in his throat. He knew what he saw: a Nymph. A real, live Nymph. In his bank ...
He'd heard of Nymphs. Never met one. Until now. Until this moment when a Vision stood in the doorway of his office.
She didn't look ... What? How old would she have to be if she'd actually lived in ancient Greece. He thought he remembered that was where Nymphs lived. Greece.
Maybe Rome.
She looked like a kid, what he could see of her … eighteen, nineteen. Maybe 20. Young enough to be his granddaughter.
The feelings she stirred in him could not be called grandfatherly ...
“My sisters and I need money.”
“Certainly.” He pushed to his feet. A thought tried to stir in the back of his mind, something about Nymphs ... some kind of warning the authorities had issued ...
The thought withered and died. “Have – have you t-talked to one of our loan officers?” Todd felt a flicker of embarrassment. He hadn't stammered since high school. But he couldn't seem to get a decent breath. He'd read about Nymphs, of course. Greek mythology. Roman. He'd known they were beautiful. But he'd never realized the full extent of that beauty. Even the partial concealment of the veil couldn't hide her ... her … splendor. Her perfection. Todd's brain searched for words to do justice to her, and came up lacking. Helen of Troy, Venus ...
They could not be compared to the creature that stood in his doorway. “How – how much money do you ... need?”
“All of it.”
Of course. How could he be so dense? “My dear ...” James Todd came from behind his desk. “We're here to help you. Let's just step outside ...” He dared lay a hand on her shoulder, and a scent wafted to his nostrils: Roses ... no. Lilacs. No. Richer than lilacs – a perfume like none he'd ever smelled. For an instant he felt ... just very slightly ... lightheaded.
“Marry me,” he whispered.
She raised those remarkable eyes to meet his. Pools of hazel. “Do you not have a wife?”
“No.” Wait. “Yes.” He shook his head against the fog that seemed to envelope him. Elaine. Of course. He was married to Elaine. But … “But the children are grown. I can get a divorce.”
She smiled behind the veil – he knew she did. He could almost see those full, slightly pouty lips. But she didn't speak, just turned and strode into the bank's lobby. James Todd followed, his gaze taking in every movement of the slender body in front of him, the way her hips swayed gently side-to-side. He swallowed again. Two other small, shapely beings, veiled copies of the one who'd entered his office, stood near the tellers' counter, watching the bank's security guards and two of its loan officers empty cash drawers into large bags. Silk bags! Even from where he stood, Todd recognized the fabric. Silk … green – dark green and shimmering ...
Todd drew a breath, suddenly aware of sweat beading his forehead in spite of the bank's air conditioning. Now he noticed the tellers, all women, standing in a cluster against a far wall. A pack of small creatures surrounded them, creatures that looked like Human males from the waist up, exceptionally hairy goats from the waist down, complete with tails and cloven hooves. They leered at the women, goat tails flicking, their eyes glittering like multicolored gemstones in sunlight, and the women huddled together, trying to look anywhere but at the creatures, yet casting occasional furtive glances at them.
Meet the AuthorDrawn by the voice, he looked up from his paperwork, toward the source.
And met the hazel eyes of a Vision standing in the doorway to his office.
She was exquisite, maybe five feet tall, midriff-baring top and short-shorts concealing nothing of her petite little figure, the veil over the lower portion of her face revealing hints of full lips beneath a finely sculpted nose.
“Are you James Todd?” the Vision asked.
“Ah ...” He swallowed moisture into his throat. “Uh ... Yes. Yes. I am. President.” He clamped his mouth shut before any other words could spill out. He was babbling.
He never babbled. Never!
“President of this bank.” Her voice held a lilt, a hint of chimes, the soft, sultry sound of a cello.
He nodded. His breath hung in his throat. He knew what he saw: a Nymph. A real, live Nymph. In his bank ...
He'd heard of Nymphs. Never met one. Until now. Until this moment when a Vision stood in the doorway of his office.
She didn't look ... What? How old would she have to be if she'd actually lived in ancient Greece. He thought he remembered that was where Nymphs lived. Greece.
Maybe Rome.
She looked like a kid, what he could see of her … eighteen, nineteen. Maybe 20. Young enough to be his granddaughter.
The feelings she stirred in him could not be called grandfatherly ...
“My sisters and I need money.”
“Certainly.” He pushed to his feet. A thought tried to stir in the back of his mind, something about Nymphs ... some kind of warning the authorities had issued ...
The thought withered and died. “Have – have you t-talked to one of our loan officers?” Todd felt a flicker of embarrassment. He hadn't stammered since high school. But he couldn't seem to get a decent breath. He'd read about Nymphs, of course. Greek mythology. Roman. He'd known they were beautiful. But he'd never realized the full extent of that beauty. Even the partial concealment of the veil couldn't hide her ... her … splendor. Her perfection. Todd's brain searched for words to do justice to her, and came up lacking. Helen of Troy, Venus ...
They could not be compared to the creature that stood in his doorway. “How – how much money do you ... need?”
“All of it.”
Of course. How could he be so dense? “My dear ...” James Todd came from behind his desk. “We're here to help you. Let's just step outside ...” He dared lay a hand on her shoulder, and a scent wafted to his nostrils: Roses ... no. Lilacs. No. Richer than lilacs – a perfume like none he'd ever smelled. For an instant he felt ... just very slightly ... lightheaded.
“Marry me,” he whispered.
She raised those remarkable eyes to meet his. Pools of hazel. “Do you not have a wife?”
“No.” Wait. “Yes.” He shook his head against the fog that seemed to envelope him. Elaine. Of course. He was married to Elaine. But … “But the children are grown. I can get a divorce.”
She smiled behind the veil – he knew she did. He could almost see those full, slightly pouty lips. But she didn't speak, just turned and strode into the bank's lobby. James Todd followed, his gaze taking in every movement of the slender body in front of him, the way her hips swayed gently side-to-side. He swallowed again. Two other small, shapely beings, veiled copies of the one who'd entered his office, stood near the tellers' counter, watching the bank's security guards and two of its loan officers empty cash drawers into large bags. Silk bags! Even from where he stood, Todd recognized the fabric. Silk … green – dark green and shimmering ...
Todd drew a breath, suddenly aware of sweat beading his forehead in spite of the bank's air conditioning. Now he noticed the tellers, all women, standing in a cluster against a far wall. A pack of small creatures surrounded them, creatures that looked like Human males from the waist up, exceptionally hairy goats from the waist down, complete with tails and cloven hooves. They leered at the women, goat tails flicking, their eyes glittering like multicolored gemstones in sunlight, and the women huddled together, trying to look anywhere but at the creatures, yet casting occasional furtive glances at them.
She's also “mom” to three dogs and a cat, all rescues, and is an avid reader, an occasional painter, and loves doing research. A lover of horses, she researches American Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred pedigrees as a hobby. Another hobby is history, and she's been the lead writer last year and again this year for Sheridan Media's “Sheridan Chronicles” history publication.
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Good morning, Shyla! Thanks for hosting me today.
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