Title: The Gryphon and His Thief
Author: Karen Michelle Nutt
Genre: Paranormal Shifter Romance
Book Blurb:
Darrien Andros, a gryphon sworn to protect humans is cursed to live forever, safeguarding the items in the Museum of Cursed Antiquities. His mundane life between the world of the living and turning to stone as the sun rises is disrupted when a thief attempts to steal Hecate's Stone. He cannot eliminate her for her thieving ways. Not when she resembles his dead wife. Cali Angelis, a thief for hire, needs Hecate's stone for her client. Only Darrien makes her question her client's motives. She'd like to think Darrien delusional, but she's seen the unbelievable. Will they unravel the mysteries behind the stone before history repeats itself?
Excerpt:
“The world is full of different kinds of beings. So what? I never met any of the beings my father told me about, but it doesn’t mean they weren’t around. I have an open mind.”
“I sense this about you,” he told her.
She rolled her eyes. Of course he did. Right after he thought she was his soul mate, she said to herself, but aloud she voiced, “Anyway, the existence of shifters doesn’t come as a complete shock to me. Heck, my cousin claimed he dated a werewolf, but up until tonight, I thought maybe he had a few screws loose, or at the very least was just making the story up for a few laughs. Go figure, he’d probably told me the truth.”
He harrumphed. “You listened to your father’s stories, but you didn’t truly believe, did you?” He repositioned himself by scooting back to rest against the headboard, which sported slats, or he wouldn’t be sitting like an offering for sinful delights. Pity she had to run.
She turned away because meeting his gaze just made all this so much more difficult. “Really, I’d like to sit down with you and have a deep discussion about shifters and other such beings, but I have to go.” She didn’t quite keep the terseness out of her voice. She couldn’t let her guard down, and she had a feeling he was trying his best to distract her. She fastened her belt around her waist with quick jerky moves, indicating her frustration over this whole messed up situation. Her goal tonight: retrieve the stone. Done. Everything else was irrelevant.
“You cannot take the artifact.” His voice broke through her reverie, and she paused. “It is dangerous,” he said, not pleading or demanding. He simply spoke what he believed to be true.
Her gaze met his, curious over his calm approach. She thought he’d be breaking the headboard by now...or turning into the beast. Maybe there wasn’t enough room for him to shift. “I’ve already taken it,” she reminded him. “I just need to deliver it to the rightful owner.”
His harsh laugh irked her.
“Do you have something to say?” she asked with her hand on her hip.
“I do not know who claims ownership of something only the gods should have, but if it falls into the wrong hands, it will be the end of mankind.”
“Plu...eeese,” she said, dragging out the word for effect. “Do you expect me to really consider your claims of doom?”
“Ponder this, Callista... Calli,” he corrected, “you stole the stone from the Museum of Cursed Antiquities. Can you not deem the possibility that an unsavory sort wants the stone for their own personal evil deeds?”
“Okay, you piqued my interest. What can the stone do?” He hadn’t explained exactly what it did. He’d only given her his doom and gloom speech.
“The one who possesses it will have the power to open the portal between life and death, and if the person performs the ritual on Halloween, it gives the conjurer more power to bring back many souls all at once.”
“Because the veil is thinner this time of the year,” she stated, familiar with the folklore surrounding Halloween. She’d been reading books about life after death, and not because her father had recently passed away. The subject had always fascinated her.
Professor Leander had told her she wanted the stone delivered to her before Halloween. She’d been adamant about the date. Had there been a more sinister reason behind it? She claimed if the stone was not returned by the morning of October 31st the institute funding the dig was going to close down the excavation site and call it a loss. They’d lose millions of dollars. That was the urgency to have the artifact delivered. The other... “Who in their right mind would want to raise the dead?” she asked.
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What makes your featured book a must-read?
Featured in this fast-paced tale that intertwines mythology, history, and romance, you'll fall in love with the sexy grphon shifter, root for the sassy heroine, and boo the villain you'll love to hate.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon Canada account to win.
Runs October 26 – November 3, 2022.
Winner will be drawn on November 4, 2022.
Author Biography:
Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband. Though her three children are grown and starting their own adventures, she still has a houseful of demanding pets.
When she's not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates book covers at Gillian's Book Covers, "Judge Your Book By Its Cover".
Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, time travel or contemporary romances, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.
Social Media Links:
Visit the author at her website: http://www.kmnbooks.com
Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KMNbooks
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/karenmnutt
Amazon Author Page:
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