Cry Me a River Read online

  Also by Livia Quinn

  Calloways of Rainbow Bayou

  When the Right One Comes Along

  Too Good to Be True

  Only the Heart Remembers

  Christmas Wishes

  At Long Last Love

  It Had to Be You

  Christmas Vows

  The Calloways of Rainbow Bayou

  Destiny Paramortals

  Storm Crazy

  Storm Crazy Bonus Edition (Storm Crazy and Cry Me a River)

  Cry Me a River

  Eve of Chaos

  Blame It on the Moon (Paranormal Urban Fantasy)

  Take These Broken Wings

  Blood Moon

  Destiny Box set 1 (1-3)

  Destiny Paramortals Boxset 2

  Standalone

  Undone

  Watch for more at Livia Quinn’s site.

  Cry Me a River

  Destiny Paramortals #2

  Livia Quinn

  Contents

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Books by Livia Quinn

  Author’s Note

  The World of Destiny

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Glossary of Beings & Terms

  About the Author

  For Veterans

  Cry Me a River by Campbell Hill Publishing

  © 2014 Cover Art: Cora’s Graphics

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This is a work of fiction. All characters are either a figment of the author’s crazy imagination or are used fictitiously. To quote, email: [email protected]

  Praise for Destiny Paramortals

  “My new favorite series!” “Okay, I’m hooked, Give me, give me some more!!!” “A bit of magic, a lot of fun and a budding romance!” “Tempest Pomeroy is the best new paranormal heroine of the year!” “OMG, I loved this book. Run don’t walk to the buy button.” “Destiny. . .is like a mini-vacation from the real world.”

  * * *

  If you love Molly Harper, Eve Langlais or HP Mallory, you'll like Livia Quinn.

  Follow me on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Bookbub or my blog

  Welcome to Destiny, home to the Paramortals since…well, forever… where human neighbors and their new sheriff live alongside shifters, dragons, vampires and a family of djinn.

  Just don’t tell the humans.

  Amid the strange goings on in his new hometown, Sheriff Jack Lang organizes a search for Tempest Pomeroy’s brother. Although Jack glimpsed her supposed supernatural talents in the form of lightning bolts aimed directly at him—special effects, had to be—nothing will keep him from doing his job to protect the town’s residents, his daughter, and even the trouble-making Tempe.

  In the course of the investigation, lies and suspicions cloud their mutual attraction, but Storm Witch Tempe’s new ex-Navy pilot beau vows to learn everything about this quirky town.

  Everything? Like a massive rumble of thunder, her family secrets—including her brother’s djinn nature—shake things up. Sure, Jack may stick around to finish his investigation, but once he knows all about the supernatural aspects of the town…? Well, wouldn’t it be just like a man to exit a relationship when he finds out a woman has a few little secrets?

  Because in the town of Destiny, the burgeoning, unpredictable supernatural whips up a massive whirlwind of everything.

  Fans of the Destiny Paramortals say:

  “This is my new favorite series!” “WOW…just wow!” “OMG, I loved this book. Run don’t walk to the buy button!” “Ok, I’m hooked, give me, give me, give me some more!!”

  If you like Darynda Jones, Eve Langlais or Kristen Painter, you'll like Livia Quinn.

  Books by Livia Quinn

  The Destiny Paramortals (Paranormal)

  Storm Crazy, #1

  Cry Me a River, #2

  Eve of Chaos, #3

  Blame It on the Moon, #4

  Take These Broken Wings. #5

  Blood Moon #6

  Boxsets 1 & 2

  The Calloways of Rainbow Bayou (Small Town Contemporary Romance)

  When the Right One Comes Along

  Too Good to Be True

  Only the Heart Remembers

  Christmas Wishes

  At Long Last Love

  It Had to Be You

  Christmas Vows

  Blood Opal

  Undone

  Author’s Note

  Jack and Tempe have been with me since the summer after Katrina when I was inspired by the quirky characters on my rural mail route and the weather in the bayou state. I hope you’re enjoying their story. There’s a lot to come.

  The Livia Quinn Writes blog is a no-drama place where you can get book links, comment on posts and read excerpts. Do drop by.

  * * *

  If you’d like stay in touch, sign up for my newsletter to get my news Follow me on Bookbub

  As they say in my favorite escape. . .

  Caide Mile Failte’, A hundred thousand welcomes.

  Livia

  The World of Destiny

  Welcome to Destiny!

  * * *

  Flip to the back of this set for Glossary of terms and beings

  Destiny Characters, Paramortals and their Magic (People of Power, and not…yet)

  Jack Lang Sheriff, Laccasine Parish, former Navy pilot

  Tempest Pomeroy Tempestestaerie and mail carrier

  Montana Dinnshencha/half-vamp, can shift into any form to defend abused women and children.

  Aurora Boreal Shop owner, seer? witch? old friend of the Pomeroys

  Conor de Sept Flambé dragon knight /black dragon

  Dylan McGuinness Finrir and undercover inspector

  River Pomeroy Tempe’s Djnni brother, contractor

  Jordie Lang Jack’s daughter

  Georgeanne Lang Jack’s crazy ex

  Phoebe Pomeroy Tempe’s mother, a Tempestaerie

  Dutch Pomeroy Tempe’s father, an old Djnni

  Freddie Taylor Storm Lake’s un-handyman

  Petre The Fae king, owner of the Faerie Inn with

  Arabella Queen of the faerie and Tempe’s friend

  Ryan Kirkwood Jack’s deputy and former wingman

  Katerina Blackmoor half panther/vamp, friend

  SOAPs Tempe’s friends call themselves ‘Sisters of the Astral Plane’. To humans they are soap opera fans

  Liam O’Neill Bon Amis’ bartender, Churichaun/vamp

  Chapter 1

  A delij k’alant,

  cin valo ne kant deligda.

  * * *

  “One meets his destiny

  on the road he takes to avoid it.”

  Ancient Paramortal proverb

  * * *

  Tempe

  Monday 4pm "He sounds concussed."

  * * *

  Isn't it just like a man to exit a relationship when he finds out a woman has a few little secrets?

&nb
sp; The last time I'd seen my almost boyfriend, Jack Lang, he'd been out cold on the floor of the Enchanted Glen clubhouse. Not from drinking, he's the sheriff after all. No, he'd tripped and hit his head when he was… eh… enlightened about Destiny's true nature. And about mine.

  It was the shock that made him stumble—finding out Destiny is not Mayberry, the quaint ordinary town where he'd planned to raise his daughter, shielded by Plain-Jane humanity from all crime or weirdness. Jack had just gotten his first real look at the underbelly of Destiny, and for now, in his eyes, I'm the face of that underbelly. The few tidbits he'd learned earlier at the clubhouse were like snow crystals on the slopes of the Alps, or like raindrops in an ocean of well… extra-normal details.

  I tend to think of things in weather terms since I'm a Tempestaerie; some of my human friends just shorten it to storm witch, though I'm not actually any kind of witch.

  My name is Tempest Pomeroy, and for nearly twenty years I've denied my heritage because I didn't want to turn out like my mother, Phoebe, or have the problems she and my father, Dutch, had making their relationship work. I thought my father died when I was child, which was the story circulated to the locals, including me. After that, my mother distanced herself from me and my brother, and I was left to raise River, practically by myself.

  Last week my brother went missing. Wow, it seems like months have passed instead of just ten days! I discovered a body while delivering mail to the clubhouse, and committed a B&E to retrieve River's Djinni bottle from a locker. The sheriff caught me red-handed and I spent several days trying to convince Jack that I didn't kill the guy, and make him commit resources to the search for my brother. In a matter of days Jack and I went from attraction to suspicion, support to friendship, then romance to oh-my-god-get-away-from-me revulsion. I didn't know where we'd go from here once he got the full picture.

  He'd found Dylan, my ex-lover and I at the clubhouse sniffing around for clues. Dylan's a Finrir, a shifter-cross between a grizzly and a wolf, so he was actually sniffing and tasting. Jack had enjoyed telling me, in front of Dylan, that Dutch was alive. Is alive.

  It's still shocking to think of it, and it hurts a lot that nearly everyone knew but me. Phoebe, Dylan, and Aurora—my friend Aurora, even my brother. I felt betrayed at first but once I heard the reason, I knew I would have to put on my big girl rain boots and adjust.

  Jack is an ex-Navy pilot; Dylan said he just needed a little time. He promised to get him to Aurora's tonight and once we finished his indoctrination, he'd either join us, or grab his daughter and take the first jet out of Middle Earth. We don't have time to waste. River's life depends on us.

  * * *

  Monday, 4pm Fickle magic

  * * *

  True to Jack's Navy call sign, Laser, he'd gone straight from unconscious to detective mode.

  Dylan called to give me an update as I drove to Aurora's. "Well, he surprised me. He's already asking where you got off to. I guess it's that Navy Commander thing. He picked himself up, crammed that sopping hat on his head and demanded we 'get moving on the case now'." Dylan lowered his voice. "He says he wants to know everything, and I quote, 'Don't hold anything back'."

  I blinked, rubbing my temples with my fingertips. "He sounds concussed." But maybe Marty had been right, maybe there was a chance…

  Dylan laughed. "He's a little tougher than I gave him credit for. Anyway, I told him to meet us at Aurora Borealis after he checked in with the Sheriff's Office. I have to check my own messages."

  After everything I'd learned about my parents' grand plan I had to wonder who would be sending Dylan messages besides his bosses with Universal Mail. Was he in touch with Dutch? I expected answers today after being lied to for so many years. Better yet, I wanted to know exactly where dear old dad was.

  * * *

  I arrived at Aurora's at 4:15 and made a beeline back to the workroom while she waited on her customers. Jack's daughter, Jordie, worked here most afternoons but today she had basketball practice.

  Now that I had time to think, anger resurfaced. How could Aurora have kept this from me—for nearly my whole life. A sob escaped. I heard glass shatter behind me and turned to see three of the beautiful glass candle shields in splinters on the floor. My breath caught when I realized what I'd done—not on purpose, but this kind of thing had been happening a lot lately. Menori, my inner Qi and power center, sensed a presence behind me.

  Aurora stood in the doorway. Her expression was sorrowful, her shoulders sagging as she turned, walked to the front door and flipped the sign to Closed .

  Returning to the workroom she stopped just inside the door. "You're upset with me." I started to turn away, tears welling in my eyes but she tugged me into a motherly embrace. "I'm so sorry, ha lua."

  Loved one. The words soothed a bit. She pressed a kiss to my hair and rocked me in her arms, while I grieved over the lost years with my parents. It had been nineteen years of feeling like I didn't belong with humans, or supernaturals—like I didn't fit in anywhere. Nineteen years of thinking the breakup of my family was my fault. Nineteen years believing that somehow I'd let everyone down. And hadn't it been confirmed, when all I'd ended up with was a few minimal talents? Mini-rain storms, the ability to lock car doors from twenty feet away, reading an aura that was so obvious even a human could see it. But then, last week I'd saved Mr. Jackson, one of my mail customers, with my zapper. Talk about a shocker. (No pun intended.)

  Aurora stepped away and gestured to a chair. "I'm glad it's out, Tempe. I can't say it was time because everything we've done was to keep you safe until you went through your quickening, and yet," her hands fluttered up from the table, "here we are—River is in danger, and you still haven't come into your power."

  I frowned, feeling raw and confused. "But River knew. I don't understand why you had to keep me in the dark. Maybe it would have made a difference. I might have been able to stop what happened to River—"

  "Who knows now, dear heart, but at the time it was the best plan we could come up with. It's common for Paramortals to separate from their offspring during their adolescence. At least, it's what's been done in the past. Your mother and father loved you both, Tempe, and they sacrificed those years with you as well. Phoebe seemed distant and uninvolved after Dutch was… gone, because she had to be. She was supposed to leave Destiny like your father but she couldn't bear to be so far from her children."

  Aurora shrugged. "Her presence may have actually kept the plan from working. Until children go through their quickening, they are safe from being tracked by our enemies except through their parents or the speaking of their name by certain guardians."

  "Dylan."

  She nodded, "Dylan is one."

  "Why didn't River ever say anything?"

  "Do you remember telling me about River's fourteenth birthday, when he changed and made the wish to see his father again? You thought Phoebe was harsh."

  I'd told Aurora about my memory of River's birthday party before I found out Dutch was alive. When my brother made his first wish, to see our father again, my mother had responded with, 'That would be an example of an off-limits or forbidden wish.'

  I nodded. It had not been apparent to me before, but that was the day I'd hardened myself toward my mother. River's angst had been obvious. He'd been so young when Dutch left us. The first thing to come across his lips when he got the ability to grant wishes was to see his daddy again, knowing how impossible that was. We'd thought him dead, and then mother had been so cruel to him. I never forgave her for it.

  Aurora continued, "That wish caused quite a ruckus. A Djinn isn't allowed to make a personal wish, which was why your mother reacted like she did. She was stunned, worried that their whole plan would be for naught. That's why she resisted leaving.

  "River's forbidden wish was excused because he was a newborn Djinn, but it did bring Dutch back from hiding. River's memory had to be washed, which lasted until last week."

  I sat back, my mind whirling. River had probably gone
looking for answers. And knowing my brother, he would have insisted on telling me. A thought crossed my mind and even with everything that had happened, I rejected it. My parents would not have had anything to do with my brother's current predicament, nothing that would have put his life in peril.

  I did wonder… "You're not a Guardian?"

  "No, just a simple Paramortal godmother," she smiled. "How about a cup of my soothing Borealis tea?"

  "I don't know if I'm soothable, but it's worth a try," I said. "Jack and Dylan are going to…" I saw the look on her face. "Oh, you know already."

  Aurora nodded. "Dylan called and told me about bringing the good sheriff up to speed."

  I'd been furious with Dylan when I found out he'd been an active participant in the conspiracy to keep River and me in the dark until I went through the change. Apparently even our relationship had been orchestrated so Dylan could baby-sit me until my Vyal K'allanti—literally the coming of age. How mortifying!