When he failed to answer, she drew in an unsteady breath. "Tell. Me. Why," she demanded, accenting each word with a jab of her pistol.
Finally he answered her question, in a voice so low only she would hear. "I have no idea why you heard his name, Lieutenant," he said softly. "But trust me when I tell you that he's dead, and he hardly matters tonight."
"He matters to me," she breathed.
"A dead man," he repeated. "Let's leave it at that, but you may call me Marco. And I am your protector too, my lady. I serve all the royal families."
"You said you served Jared—that you're his personal protector."
"That's true," he murmured against the seat. "But if you know the Madjin, you know we serve you all."
"Prove it," she said, pressing her palm into the small of his back. Every cell within his body reacted, a cascade of heat showering to his extremities. "You prove it now, before we get to Jared."
He could think of nothing except the feel of her fingers splayed against his body. His simple flannel shirt seemed nothing more than a ridiculously thin membrane, a flimsy barrier between their two flushed bodies. He swallowed hard, his eyes drifting shut. He knew what she wanted to hear; it was a sort of first-level proof to any of the royals they served, something no one outside the Madjin Circle could possibly know.
He would give Thea Haven the proof she wanted. "R'thasme siet falne," he murmured reverentially. He'd not uttered those words since the day they'd inducted him into the Circle, and the hair on the nape of his neck bristled at his own quiet pronouncement. For a moment, she said nothing at all, though he sensed a kind of tension release from her body.
"In All's name," she finally muttered. "You've been telling us the truth. You're exactly what you claim to be."
"Unless I'm lying," he teased in a low, growling voice. "And then we're all damned to hell."
"Marco McKinley, I still have a gun.” She pushed the barrel into his shoulders again. "Madjin or not, you've got a lot of questions to answer."
"At your service, Lieutenant Haven. Completely at your service."
If only he didn't wish to service her in such wicked, impossible ways, he thought with a miserable sigh—and if only he could rid himself of his raging, painfully obvious hard-on before they arrived at the compound.
Reader Discussion Questions
How might Kelsey and Jared’s intense relationship compare to relationships you've had in your own life?
Have you ever met someone who felt connected to you in a bigger way, as Jared and Kelsey experienced in both youth and adulthood? Perhaps as if you had met before, or had simply "clicked" on a much deeper level than you normally did with others?
Do you think you could have made the same sacrifice that Marco did for Kelsey and Jared? How would you have ultimately acted, especially if you confronted the deadly and destructive consequences your own actions had brought about?
How did the writing style contribute to the story overall? Did you feel the more descriptive narrative was an asset or would you have preferred a more spare style?
How did the use of Refarian language amplify the story and its characters?
What meant more to you: the action plot or the two main characters, Kelsey and Jared?
What was your favorite scene? Why?
How would you react if you were in Kelsey’s situation, both in her teens and later as an adult? How would you explain Jared—and his war—to your closest family members?
Over the course of the book, did you find Thea Haven increasingly sympathetic as a character, even though she'd begun as something of antagonist? Did her memory of first meeting Jared as a young girl back on Refaria give you a different insight into her as a person?
After witnessing Thea’s behavior toward Jared and Kelsey, could you ever consider her a redeemable character? What insights into her emotions and history from this book could contribute to her likeability in future books?
Around the globe, many wars are currently waging. What about Jared's own war mirrors things we witness and experience in the real world?
About the Author
Deidre Knight is a New York Times bestselling author, literary agent, mom, wife, novelist, and Southern woman, and proud to answer to all of those titles. She began her writing career at age nine, when her award-winning essay on Barbie was published in her hometown newspaper, and since that time has always written in one form or another. Her women's fiction novel, Butterfly Tattoo has won numerous awards, and both of her paranormal series are fan favorites, and have won prestigious awards.
You can visit Deidre on the Web at www.deidreknight.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DeidreKnight.
Copyright Information
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2013 Deidre Knight
Original version released in 2006
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
eISBN: 978-193777-6688
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Get lost in the Parallel Series and connect with Deidre!
Exclusive Deleted Scene from Parallel Attraction!
Excerpt from Parallel Heat
Reader Discussion Questions
About the Author
Copyright Information