Book Two- Surpassing Pleasures |
| Ardent Angels |
| Pentecost Jericho (father) Delilah (mother) Aquila (Quill) - Unity Brooks Winter Hearts Micajah (Cage) – Repentance Chamfers Zipporah (Zip) - Sebastian Spade Surpassing Pleasures Elisheba (Ellie) Lamentation (Tate)- Shadrach (Rack) Kenaniah Jericho (uncle) |
The big raccoon scurried along a dim trail through the dark woods. Dawn was
coming soon and he needed to be home before then.
Quill? Where are you, boy?
The raccoon snorted. In the woods along Stonycreek Road. I’m coming! Bustling
along, he ignored the intriguing scents and small rustling noises around him. He
came to the crossing and paused long enough to check for cars. That would be a
sad way to go.
Quill! Momma says you better get your butt in gear! If it gets much later, old Amos
Ingersoll will get you with his shotgun for sure.
Not if he morphs into a bull like last time, his sister Ellie suggested slyly.
Quill huffed in disgust. Not likely. I had to spend the whole day in the field staring at
his cows while he tried to figure out where a strange bull came from. I don’t have
time for that today. I’m supposed to take Momma Christmas shopping this
afternoon. And then tonight is the party to decorate the tree. He scuttled across the
road and dived into the woods on the other side as a car sped around the bend and
slammed to a stop on the narrow dirt shoulder. Curious, he peeked out through the
dead foliage and watched as two men alighted, opened the trunk and removed a
large bundle wrapped in black plastic. His nose twitched at the unmistakable stink
of death.
The men hurriedly carried it into the suddenly silent woods on the other side of the
road. While they were gone, the back door of the car eased open. A woman crawled
out on to the road, holding onto the car for balance for a moment. Then still
hunched over, she staggered drunkenly into the woods yards away from the clump
of bushes where Quill was hidden.
A crash in the brush across the road was followed by a shout. The woman started
up and stumbled headlong into the trees, with the men in hot pursuit. In silent fluid
motion, Quill morphed into a large black jaguar and slinked after them with deadly
purpose.
Quill, where are you? Pentecost Jericho demanded with authority. Quill couldn’t
ignore a query from his Pa but his reply was hurried and brief. Following a couple of
strangers through the south woods on Stonycreek Road. They’re chasing a
woman. I think she’s hurt. She escaped from their car while they dumped a body in
the north woods. If I can, I’m going to see if I can’t get her away from them.
What are you goin’ to do? Change and pop up under her nose, stark naked?
Pentecost demanded impatiently.
If I have to. Quill caught up with the men and silently leaped on the one straggling
along in the rear. Smoothly shifting into human form, he took him down with a
vicious chop to the back of the head, allowing the body to crash to the leaf littered
ground. Instantly, he reverted to his feline shape and set off in pursuit of the other
man.
coming soon and he needed to be home before then.
Quill? Where are you, boy?
The raccoon snorted. In the woods along Stonycreek Road. I’m coming! Bustling
along, he ignored the intriguing scents and small rustling noises around him. He
came to the crossing and paused long enough to check for cars. That would be a
sad way to go.
Quill! Momma says you better get your butt in gear! If it gets much later, old Amos
Ingersoll will get you with his shotgun for sure.
Not if he morphs into a bull like last time, his sister Ellie suggested slyly.
Quill huffed in disgust. Not likely. I had to spend the whole day in the field staring at
his cows while he tried to figure out where a strange bull came from. I don’t have
time for that today. I’m supposed to take Momma Christmas shopping this
afternoon. And then tonight is the party to decorate the tree. He scuttled across the
road and dived into the woods on the other side as a car sped around the bend and
slammed to a stop on the narrow dirt shoulder. Curious, he peeked out through the
dead foliage and watched as two men alighted, opened the trunk and removed a
large bundle wrapped in black plastic. His nose twitched at the unmistakable stink
of death.
The men hurriedly carried it into the suddenly silent woods on the other side of the
road. While they were gone, the back door of the car eased open. A woman crawled
out on to the road, holding onto the car for balance for a moment. Then still
hunched over, she staggered drunkenly into the woods yards away from the clump
of bushes where Quill was hidden.
A crash in the brush across the road was followed by a shout. The woman started
up and stumbled headlong into the trees, with the men in hot pursuit. In silent fluid
motion, Quill morphed into a large black jaguar and slinked after them with deadly
purpose.
Quill, where are you? Pentecost Jericho demanded with authority. Quill couldn’t
ignore a query from his Pa but his reply was hurried and brief. Following a couple of
strangers through the south woods on Stonycreek Road. They’re chasing a
woman. I think she’s hurt. She escaped from their car while they dumped a body in
the north woods. If I can, I’m going to see if I can’t get her away from them.
What are you goin’ to do? Change and pop up under her nose, stark naked?
Pentecost demanded impatiently.
If I have to. Quill caught up with the men and silently leaped on the one straggling
along in the rear. Smoothly shifting into human form, he took him down with a
vicious chop to the back of the head, allowing the body to crash to the leaf littered
ground. Instantly, he reverted to his feline shape and set off in pursuit of the other
man.
I called Marcus Sadler. He and the boys will be out there pretty soon. Clearly,
Pentecost was irritated. He hated calling the sheriff almost as much as the sheriff
hated hearing from him.
Thanks, Pa. One of them is down in the south woods about half a mile in from the
road. The way they were crashing around, the deputies shouldn’t have any trouble
finding him. Quill caught up with the second man and circled around him until he
was between the woman and her pursuer. Morphing into human form again, he
snatched up a hefty broken branch and waited behind a tree. Seconds later when
the guy crashed past him, Quill brought it down on his unsuspecting head. The
man collapsed in slow motion to the ground and Quill set off to catch up with the
woman.
She was standing motionless in a tiny clearing, concentrating with all her might on
the night noises in the woods. She stiffened when a slight brush of sound proved
to be not quite enough warning. A big sturdy body seemed to surround her. One
strong arm wrapped her securely against a rock hard chest while a huge hand
clamped over her mouth cutting off her cry.
“Hush!” a deep male voice growled. “Do you want them to catch you?”
Frantically, she shook her head.
“Then be very, very quiet.”
Pentecost was irritated. He hated calling the sheriff almost as much as the sheriff
hated hearing from him.
Thanks, Pa. One of them is down in the south woods about half a mile in from the
road. The way they were crashing around, the deputies shouldn’t have any trouble
finding him. Quill caught up with the second man and circled around him until he
was between the woman and her pursuer. Morphing into human form again, he
snatched up a hefty broken branch and waited behind a tree. Seconds later when
the guy crashed past him, Quill brought it down on his unsuspecting head. The
man collapsed in slow motion to the ground and Quill set off to catch up with the
woman.
She was standing motionless in a tiny clearing, concentrating with all her might on
the night noises in the woods. She stiffened when a slight brush of sound proved
to be not quite enough warning. A big sturdy body seemed to surround her. One
strong arm wrapped her securely against a rock hard chest while a huge hand
clamped over her mouth cutting off her cry.
“Hush!” a deep male voice growled. “Do you want them to catch you?”
Frantically, she shook her head.
“Then be very, very quiet.”
Anny Cook’s holiday themed story went from
adventurous one minute to comedic the next.
There were plenty of dangerous situations: a
kidnapping, assault, break-ins and more. What
stood out the most was the loving Johnson family
and their commitment to doing whatever needs to
be done to protect those around them. I enjoyed
shown to each other was touching.~~Indy,
Joyfully Reviewed!
adventurous one minute to comedic the next.
There were plenty of dangerous situations: a
kidnapping, assault, break-ins and more. What
stood out the most was the loving Johnson family
and their commitment to doing whatever needs to
be done to protect those around them. I enjoyed
shown to each other was touching.~~Indy,
Joyfully Reviewed!
Special Agent Sebastian Spade, has worked
hard since he met Zipporah Jericho to
convince her that he’s her man. But every
encounter ends with Zip dancing out of reach
to protect a family determines this time he will
never let her go.
In the bedroom, on the road, in a secret cabin
in the woods, he masters her body by daring
to satisfy her deepest desires. Together as
they explore the forbidden pleasures that
await them with every touch they discover
trust is another word for love.
hard since he met Zipporah Jericho to
convince her that he’s her man. But every
encounter ends with Zip dancing out of reach
to protect a family determines this time he will
never let her go.
In the bedroom, on the road, in a secret cabin
in the woods, he masters her body by daring
to satisfy her deepest desires. Together as
they explore the forbidden pleasures that
await them with every touch they discover
trust is another word for love.
| Book One - Winter Hearts |
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