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Authors: Rachel Higginson

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BOOK: Fateful Magic (The Star-Crossed Series Book 8)

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The cream siding was still lit up with all the brilliancy
of the exterior lights. The black shutters and awnings matched the black,
slated tile of the roof. All kinds of hotel employees stood at the ready near
the door, waiting for us on the other end of a plush red carpet.

They looked at us a little strange when we didn’t use the
valet service, but without keys, we couldn’t exactly hand over the Magical car.
Talbott
pulled our bags from the trunk and led the
way inside.

We walked through a lush courtyard filled with exotic
greenery and blooming flowers. I stared in awe at the marble floors and columns
and the interesting people just getting back from the casinos as
Talbott
checked us in.

We rode the elevator to the top floor, where Talbot then
led me to a suite so extravagant, I felt my mouth drop open.

“
Talbott
,” I gasped.

He just grinned at me.
God,
I loved him.

The gigantic picture windows revealed Monaco in all its
glory. Antiquated buildings, gorgeous architecture everywhere you looked, fast
cars speeding through narrow streets and a level of sophistication and
refinement that made me feel like a troll.

The room itself boasted just as much class and expensive
taste. The furniture glistened with gold covers and gilded embellishments. A
modern, full kitchen took up an entire wall. The bathroom made me want to weep
with its ginormous tub and Jacuzzi and the tiled shower with no less than six
showerheads. Everything was polished porcelain and pristine.

I walked through all kinds of rooms before I finally found
the master suite. The bed was the biggest bed I’d ever seen.

I didn’t even know the name of it. It had to be bigger than
a king-size. Maybe they called it an emperor.
Or a sultan.

Basically, two hundred people could sleep on it comfortably.

Okay, it wasn’t that big.

But very close.

And that was all I saw of the bed… I mostly got stuck on
the bed. I didn’t see anything else in the room.

Talbott
followed behind me and set the bags down.
His cellphone rang almost as soon as the bags were out of his hands.
Thankfully, he’d had his phone already sitting in the car since he didn’t want
it to interrupt the ceremony.

He gave me a look and then answered it.

“
Kiran
,” I heard him say.

I didn’t move or breathe or think until I watched his
shoulders relax and his face turn into his “business” face.

Which was much better than his
someone-I-know-just-died-I’m-going-to-kill-someone-now face.

At least Eden and
Kiran
were
safe. I allowed myself to breathe again.

He talked to
Kiran
for a little
while, making plans to meet up again after a few weeks.
Kiran
would work with the rest of his Guard, Avalon and Sebastian while
Talbott
took his first vacation ever.

With me.

His wife.

On our honeymoon!

When he hung up, he set his phone down and walked straight
over to me. He started stripping me as he went. I still wore my wedding dress
and there were lots of buttons for him to deal with. He didn’t seem to have any
problem with them as his fingers flicked apart the hundred buttons with ease.

My blush left my face and bloomed across my chest. I
couldn’t believe he was getting right down to business like this! Didn’t I get
a warning?
Or a chance to change my mind?

Or at least some seduction?

Okay, I didn’t really need seduction. I already felt more
than seduced. And if I pushed aside my fear, I could do this.

I could, ahem, do this.

Still, I had to ask, “Is everyone alright?”

He nodded once and laid me back on the bed. I sunk into
folds of silk fabric. “Eden and
Kiran
are safe. They
have Avalon and Mimi and Sylvia. The babies are fine as well.”

“And the others?”

“They’re going to find out and call us back later.” He
leaned over me and pressed a lingering kiss to my neck.
“Much
later.”

“Was
Kiran
upset that you didn’t
stick around? Is he mad you abandoned your duty?”

Talbott
chuckled and I felt the sound vibrate
against my heated skin. “No,
iubita
mea
, he
understands.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh.”
I felt his smile. He lifted his face
from my throat to look down into my eyes. His gaze become serious when he said,
“I’m sorry our day was ruined, Lilly. I’m sorry that trouble seems to follow us
everywhere.”

I shook my head and tried to stay the emotion. “You cannot
stop the designs and schemes of other men,
Talbott
.
It is enough that you are here to protect me.
That you keep
me safe.
I can’t ask for a perfect world, but I can be grateful I have a
man like you who is willing to do anything to protect me.”

His shoulders lifted proudly.
“Always,
Lilly.
Now and to eternity.”

“Now and to eternity,” I whispered. “I love you.”

“
Mmm
, I treasure this as much as
the first time I heard those words. I love you too.”

He put his hands on my waist in a very un-seductive way. I had
just a second to wonder what he was going to do with me before he picked me up
and tossed me up the length of the bed. A surprised squeak rushed out of me and
I looked up at him in wonder.

“What was that?” I demanded.

With an impish grin he said, “
Kiran’s
children are safe. So that means they will need bodyguards that are the same
age as them. You might not be ready for children just yet, but we should
practice.
For when you are ready.
We should practice a
lot.” He quirked his head to one side and seemed to think about it before
saying, “See? I haven’t forgotten my duty after all.”

Thank
you for reading Fateful Magic. I hope you enjoyed reading Lilly’s story as much
as I enjoyed writing it. The final book in the Star-Crossed Series, The
Redeemable Prince, will be released in September, 2014.

About the Author

Rachel Higginson was
born and raised in Nebraska, but spent her college years traveling the world.
She married her high school sweetheart and spends her days raising their
growing family. She is obsessed with bad reality TV and any and all Young Adult
Fiction.

The Redeemable Prince,
the seventh book in the Star-Crossed Series, coming September, 2014.

Look for more from
Rachel in 2014.

Other books by Rachel to
be released in 2014 are
Bet
on Me, an NA contemporary
romance, The Heart, the third book in the Siren Series and The Five Stages of
Falling in Love, an adult contemporary romance.

Other Books Now
Available by Rachel Higginson

Love and Decay, Season
One, Episodes One-Twelve

Love and Decay, Season
Two, Episodes One-Twelve

Love and Decay, Volume
One (Episodes One-Six, Season One)

Love and Decay, Volume
Two (Episodes Seven-Twelve, Season One)

Love and Decay, Volume
Three (Episodes One-Four, Season Two)

Love and Decay, Volume
Four (Episodes Five-Eight, Season Two)

Love and Decay, Volume
Five (Episodes Nine-Twelve, Season Two)

Reckless Magic (The
Star-Crossed Series, Book 1)

Hopeless Magic (The
Star-Crossed Series, Book 2)

Fearless Magic (The
Star-Crossed Series, Book 3)

Endless Magic (The
Star-Crossed Series, Book 4)