The Rising King (Keepers of Life, #3) by Shea Berkley
Synopsis
The
summer before Dylan Kennedy’s senior year in high school is turning out to be
anything but boring. Ridiculously hot girlfriend? Check. Killing evil Dark
Souls who suddenly have aspirations of taking over the magical realm of Teag
because its protective spell is gone? Check.
I ease my hand into Kera’s and lace our fingers together,
bringing her deep violet eyes onto me. They sweep over my face, and the edges
of her full lips curve upward as if she’s fighting a smile. She sets aside the
book and leans close bringing the scent of summer with her. “You scared me to
death.”
I love it when she worries about me. When it comes to my life,
someone caring enough to worry is sort of a new thing. “You do that all the time
to me.” I tug her hand and bring her closer so I can snag a quick kiss.
Kera pushes away, but I don’t let go. The look she throws me is
serious. “I’m not kidding, Dylan. You have to be more wary, especially when it
comes to creatures like the millispits.”
“I didn’t die.” It’s a reminder that’s kind of obvious.
“Because I saved you.”
“What’s that make? Two for me and one for you?”
She leans back, testing the limits of our reach. “Are you
keeping score?”
“No…” I hate getting caught like that, and slowly pull her back
toward me, “…it just sounds like I am, but I’m not.”
I pull her right off her chair and onto the bed and on top of
me. I bury my face in her hair and breathe deeply. No one smells as good as
Kera. “Was anyone else hurt?” I ask even as I place little kisses along her
jaw.
She stretches her neck back for me. “Leo received a splinter.”
“Ummm,” I say, enjoying the feel of her skin against my lips.
“Will he live?”
“To see Lucinda hover over him after we got back, you would not
think so. She very clearly said we were not allowed to take him anywhere
without her.”
I twist and flip her onto her back until I’m hovering over her.
As seriously as I can, I say, “Lucinda’s crazy. You know that, right?”
“I am aware of a few odd peculiarities that make up her
personality.” She brushes my hair back and twirls a piece over my ear. “With
that said, she does seem to honestly care for Leo.”
“Like an owner does a pet. But for how long?” I ask, more to
myself than to her.
“As long as it pleases her to do so, I imagine.”
I’m not in the mood to dwell on Lucinda and what her agenda
might be. All I want is to hold Kera. I nibble just below her ear and she
giggles. I love the sound of her laughter. I stop and place my forehead to
hers. “And how long will you care for me?”
“My heart would be crushed if I were to never see you again. I
would die a thousand deaths every day.”
Are those actual tears in her eyes? “My heart is crushed every
time I see you and I can’t kiss you.” I’ve never said a sappier statement, or a
truer one.
She places a sweet kiss on my lips. “That rarely happens.”
I kiss her back, and say against her lips, “Because you crave my
kisses.”
She laughs and pushes free. Rolling to her feet, she says with a
smile, “Because I like to kiss.”
“Me,” I say, popping up on my elbows. “You like to kiss me.
Her smile widens.
I snatch her hand. She’s adopted wearing a wide, tight leather
bracelet on her right wrist. It’s etched and embossed with a swirling pattern
that is so Kera, I can’t remember when she didn’t wear it. We do a quick,
playful game of tug of war before I yank her back. “Tell me you love me.”
Stalk Shea Berkley Here
The Fallen Prince (Keepers of Life #2) 
The
summer before Dylan Kennedy’s senior year in high school is turning out to be
anything but boring. Ridiculously hot girlfriend? Check. Killing evil Dark
Souls who suddenly have aspirations of taking over the magical realm of Teag
because its protective spell is gone? Check.
Not even Teag’s King, Dylan’s father, Baun, can stop them.
People are dying, and a dark magic that his girlfriend, Kera, received from
Baun is growing stronger. Dylan wants to believe Kera is suppressing the
darkness that’s in her, but every day he sees that control slip just a little
more.
Baun
sends Dylan to find a powerful magic that stop the Dark Souls, a magic so
strong that Baun hid it so no one else could use it. When Dylan doesn’t expect
to find along with it, are consequences that could end the lives of those
closest to him.
Excerpt
I love it when she worries about me. When it comes to my life,
someone caring enough to worry is sort of a new thing. “You do that all the time
to me.” I tug her hand and bring her closer so I can snag a quick kiss.
Kera pushes away, but I don’t let go. The look she throws me is
serious. “I’m not kidding, Dylan. You have to be more wary, especially when it
comes to creatures like the millispits.”
“I didn’t die.” It’s a reminder that’s kind of obvious.
“Because I saved you.”
“What’s that make? Two for me and one for you?”
She leans back, testing the limits of our reach. “Are you
keeping score?”
“No…” I hate getting caught like that, and slowly pull her back
toward me, “…it just sounds like I am, but I’m not.”
I pull her right off her chair and onto the bed and on top of
me. I bury my face in her hair and breathe deeply. No one smells as good as
Kera. “Was anyone else hurt?” I ask even as I place little kisses along her
jaw.
She stretches her neck back for me. “Leo received a splinter.”
“Ummm,” I say, enjoying the feel of her skin against my lips.
“Will he live?”
“To see Lucinda hover over him after we got back, you would not
think so. She very clearly said we were not allowed to take him anywhere
without her.”
I twist and flip her onto her back until I’m hovering over her.
As seriously as I can, I say, “Lucinda’s crazy. You know that, right?”
“I am aware of a few odd peculiarities that make up her
personality.” She brushes my hair back and twirls a piece over my ear. “With
that said, she does seem to honestly care for Leo.”
“Like an owner does a pet. But for how long?” I ask, more to
myself than to her.
“As long as it pleases her to do so, I imagine.”
I’m not in the mood to dwell on Lucinda and what her agenda
might be. All I want is to hold Kera. I nibble just below her ear and she
giggles. I love the sound of her laughter. I stop and place my forehead to
hers. “And how long will you care for me?”
“My heart would be crushed if I were to never see you again. I
would die a thousand deaths every day.”
Are those actual tears in her eyes? “My heart is crushed every
time I see you and I can’t kiss you.” I’ve never said a sappier statement, or a
truer one.
She places a sweet kiss on my lips. “That rarely happens.”
I kiss her back, and say against her lips, “Because you crave my
kisses.”
She laughs and pushes free. Rolling to her feet, she says with a
smile, “Because I like to kiss.”
“Me,” I say, popping up on my elbows. “You like to kiss me.
Her smile widens.
I snatch her hand. She’s adopted wearing a wide, tight leather
bracelet on her right wrist. It’s etched and embossed with a swirling pattern
that is so Kera, I can’t remember when she didn’t wear it. We do a quick,
playful game of tug of war before I yank her back. “Tell me you love me.”
She winds her arms around my neck and smothers my face with tiny
kisses. “I love you madly.”
Stalk Shea Berkley Here
The Marked Son (Keepers of Life #1)
The Fallen Prince (Keepers of Life #2)
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