WIP Bloghop

Hello there, lovelies! It’s #WIP it Up Wednesday and that means another snippet from my current work in progress ‘Tara’! This is the second book in my Daughters of Eltera series, and it’s a series that’s close to my heart. Dark, paranormal romance full of gods and goddesses and immortal female warriors cursed to serve – and this one has a very sexy assassin who is trying to battle his loyalty to the man who raised him, because he doesn’t want to turn Tara over to the man who has purchased her. What will he do? Who knows! (Well, I do… and I bet you have an idea!) In this scene Alaric asked what she wanted to do for the day, and she asked to be around music…

Tara took a deep breath of the resin and wood and polishes. Her fingertips traced a violin that had years of experience on it and a price tag to match. Alaric was speaking to the owner of the shop, a well-educated man who had clearly spent his life dedicated to all of these instruments that brought so much beauty to the world.

“Why don’t you pick it up?” Alaric’s voice was low again as he stepped up behind her. “Or did you want to just stare at it?”

She could hear the challenge in his voice, and reminded herself that in a matter of days it could be years before she laid her hands on any musical instrument. As she was trying to make a decision the shop owner stepped up behind her with a bow and pressed it into her hand with a kind smile. “Please, signorina, do you play?”

Alaric leaned back against the edge of a display, so tall and clean cut in his pressed shirt, his tie, his slacks and shined shoes. His eyes were locked on her though. They followed her hands as she took the bow from the owner, before he carefully lifted the violin and handed it to her like one would lift a newborn.

Tara rested it on her shoulder and felt her breath catch. It had been six months since Gianni had smashed the violin he’d bought her, all because she’d smiled too much at one of his friends at a party. She had actually cried then, real tears, not a show. She had begged him not to, and he had destroyed it anyway. Then he had left her alone in the house for a week with nothing but the security team to make sure she didn’t leave the room.

The first movement of the bow across the strings mended something inside her that had broken with the violin Gianni bought her, the same thing that had been ground to a powder when he had told her he sold her. She chose something from Mendelssohn that she had memorized years before, and as the notes flowed out she could feel herself swaying in those treacherous heels. It didn’t matter though.

Nothing did when there was music.

When she stopped and opened her eyes, the shop owner had his hands over his mouth and Alaric was staring at her intently. Tara swallowed and held out the violin for the shop owner. That small moment of music had done what Eltera’s power couldn’t – it had calmed the storm inside her that Gianni’s decision and the memories of Leonidas had stirred up.

The owner didn’t move to take the violin and Tara let her arm drop to hold it down at her side. “Thank you.”

“We’ll take it.” Alaric spoke clearly and the shop owner just nodded. The older man’s eyes were wet as he turned away.

Tara shook her head. “No. Don’t buy it.” She turned and set the violin back on the display, leaving her hands with only the bow.

“That was –” His mouth stayed open a moment before his eyes met hers again. “– worth any amount of money.”

She felt color come to her cheeks. “Thank you, however, I won’t have it for more than a few days. I’d rather never have it, than have it and lose it.” She sat the bow down as well, turned and walked to the door of the shop before she caved and said yes. She waited at the door even though she wanted to walk out into the noise of the street, out of this silent shop with all of its immaculate instruments.

Alaric said goodbye to the shop owner and finally stepped up behind her, touching her elbow as he pushed the door open. When they walked outside he looked down at her. “I would let you bring it with you.”

“And if your client isn’t a fan of music?” She met his eyes, and he turned and cursed under his breath. “Don’t let it bother you. It’s fine. I don’t need anything. I never have.”

Tara’s quiet strength in the face of everything she’s been through is one of my favorite things about her, and Alaric mirrors her in so many ways. Both have been through so much shit, but they hide it all underneath this calm facade – only it all starts to crumble the longer they’re around each other. It’s such a fun adventure and I can’t wait for all of you to read it! If you want to catch up on what’s happened in this world, you can read the first book Fae on Amazon. It’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited or $2.99 to buy it! ^_^ While you’re waiting for it to download, why not check out these other fun snippets below?