Dovetailed Read online

  Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.

  Dovetailed (Book 3, Immortal Essence Series)

  Copyright © 2014 by RaShelle Workman

  Published by Polished Pen Press

  All Rights Reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the author. The only exception is by a reviewer who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover Design by Steven Novak

  Interior Design by Novel Ninjutsu

  Find RaShelle Workman on the web!

  Website: www.rashelleworkman.com

  Twitter: @RaShelleWorkman

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  Summary

  In the final installment of the Immortal Essence series questions are answered, alliances are ripped apart, and the war on Kelari rages between more than just families and countries. Venus must find a way to bring peace to her world before the war finds its way to Earth and she must do so without destroying the one person she’s ever truly loved.

  The book was filled with adventure, secrets, and romance, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.” by LM Preston.

  “I . . . felt like I was literally out of this world for a while.” by Melissa Lemon.

  “Loved it from the first page and was thrilled to be reading something so richly creative and engaging.” by Tahlia Newland.

  “It’s in Michael’s and Venus’ darkest hours that you can’t put the book down.” by Brenda Drake

  “The twists and turns left me breathless and the writing is beautiful.” by Taryn Taylor.

  “I liked the way things were described, along with the dialogue.” by The Golden Eagle.

  “What a ride!” by Taffy Lovell.

  “I love a book where the details fit together like pieces in a puzzle . . . “ by Rachel Morgan.

  “I fell hard for her characters and found my self rooting for them.” by Debbie Davis.

  “Her journey and struggle capture the imagination long after the story ends.” by Rosie Connolly.

  “RaShelle does a wonderful job of creating the angst we all feel when life hands us lemons.” by Gail.

  “Writing that moves readers to ponder their hearts is good writing, and that’s what readers will find with Workman. She’s a dedicated writer, talented, and passionate. Readers won’t be disappointed. Her protagonist is strong willed, her antagonist is easy to hate, and her mentor is easy to love.” by Kathleen Brebes.

  “Michael and Venus have probably been the best pairing/couple that I’ve read about this year! GO READ THIS BOOK! You will love it.” by Nancy.

  “I enjoyed the atypical love triangle-- one that didn’t throw me into extreme frustration-- and the idea that love is deeper than just physical feelings.” by Shallee McArthur.

  “Truly, at its heart, this is a romance, and a well written and enjoyable one at that. For me, that says something. I’m not a huge romance fan, but this story sucked me in so much that I found myself looking for a spare moment ANYWHERE to read.” by Karen Hooper, author of the award-winning Woldchild Saga.

  For my readers

  Thank you for your patience, and for loving an alien girl who thinks she’s a princess…

  And most especially, thank you for reading my books.

  “The Order of Eternal Fire has done what it set out to do. As a whole, we’ve weakened our enemies.” He paused, glanced at the leader of Eloyinia, and smiled. She was beyond beautiful, with midnight blue eyes and hair the colors of twilight. She wore her long hair up, a large black diamond crown situated in the colorful waves. The queen met his gaze and smiled. They’d come to an accord some years ago after her husband vanished.

  Of course, she and King Antyon knew what truly became of her husband. He’d been killed by a Leviathan, the first of many to die by the creature’s poison. King Antyon had then taken Irene, the Queen of Eloyinia, as a lover. He enjoyed spending time with her more than with his wife, Listina. Irene reciprocated his feelings. And Listina, his queen? She spent most days in her room, rarely leaving the confines of her bed. Poor, stupid thing. He had no time for the weak.

  Turning back to the crowd, the king continued, “We are forcing them to see what we are about, and showing them a new way. Our way.” He surveyed the cheering crowd stuffed into his castle’s ballroom. Parties were a waste. The room was now his headquarters. There were hundreds of Order members, all willing to fight for what he believed—what they believed in—and that was to end immortality, the immortal boots, and becoming Kelvieri at the age of sixteen—except for a select few, like himself, and those he deemed worthy.

  The deaths of the King and Queen of Alayeah and the disappearance of Venus and Amberlee led to the perfect opportunity to do what was necessary—what needed to be done.

  Kelari was at war. Most of the leaders were on his side. Some had already come to his way of thinking willingly, others, not so much. And they’d paid the price with their lives until the right leader was crowned.

  “It’s time to take our beliefs and infuse them into those who won’t listen. The time is now to take this war to the next level. Who’s with me?” He lifted his arm into the air, beckoning for the battle cry he knew would come.

  His followers roared their response.

  “We will crush those who don’t believe and make them see there is no future except the one we will create.” Only a couple of his followers currently knew what the next level was, but he was about to show them all.

  Turning to his second in command, a Formytian by the name of Guster, King Antyon said, “It’s time.” The guardian was tall and towered over the king, rippling muscles enhancing his dark skin.

  Guster’s keen red eyes glowed their understanding. He saluted the king, pressing a fist to his chest, and left the room.

  King Antyon raised his hands, indicating quiet. A gurgle of excited apprehension rumbled in his chest. This was the moment he’d been awaiting for a long time.

  As the crowd slowly silenced, he scanned the room above their heads. His newest soldiers would fit, but barely. Discovering the race of Leviathans fifty years ago had been a stroke of luck, but the race were a lot like the Dorvey from Mars. They were big and bumbling, but fierce. What the Leviathan race possessed that was different from the Dorvey was a weaker disposition. They could be modified, their minds easy to overtake. With a little science, a little genetic tampering, his team of scientists had taken the Leviathan race and changed them into what the king needed, which was a horde of warriors with a singular purpose: Destroy those in their path. The beauty of the Leviathans was that it didn’t matter that the Kelvieri were immortal. The poison in the Leviathans’ very skin was deadly to every Kelarian, every creature they came in contact with.

  They were the ultimate killing machines. Nothing could stop them.

  And the king wouldn’t stand in their way. He would release the Leviathan army on Kelari and sit back and watch as everyone was destroyed. Then he would take those who remained and rebuild. He would be the god of Kelari. His laws would be all that mattered. He would rule supreme.

  And after he finished on Kelari, he would move on to Earth. He knew it seemed an odd second step to those around him, but he’d come upon the key that unlocked a doorway between worlds. It was illogical not to use it, and Earth was a beautiful world. The humans who possessed it were weak, but he kne
w they could become his citizens. They’d be easily swayed, much more easily than the Leviathans. He would use them in any way he pleased, and they would beg him to lead.

  Guster reappeared. Behind him, seemingly floating like a helium balloon, glided the terrifying form of a Leviathan. Dozens of tentacles swirled around the large circular blob that consisted of one yellow eye and a large mouth full of pointed razor-sharp teeth. It smelled like it looked … like puke and rotting flesh.

  A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Irene came to stand beside King Antyon. He guessed she didn’t want to get caught in its tentacles. Another reason he liked her. She was tougher than most, and smarter.

  Several members of the group backed up, moving away from the Leviathan, which was the exact response King Antyon wanted.

  “This is a Leviathan. They are from the planet Evyth and can destroy even the Kelvieri. Immortality means nothing to this species.”

  Voices rose and the crowd started talking quickly to each other. Many backed up, edging closer to the doors. The Leviathan’s eye roamed the room, scoping for a potential meal.

  King Antyon raised his hands again. “Quiet. Calm down. The species has been tamed…”

  As though to prove the king wrong, the Leviathan opened his mouth wide and a forked tongue came out to taste the air. Several in the front fell back against those standing behind him.

  King Antyon chuckled. This was the fear he’d hoped to instill in his followers, but most especially in the Kelarians they warred against. “Do not worry. Please. The Leviathans, while they look scary, have been genetically altered. They will do only what they’ve been programmed to do.”

  That seemed to relax some of them, but he noticed many were still on edge. He could understand why.

  “Are we ready to defeat our enemies?”

  A fervent cheer rang through the room.

  He smiled wide. Defeat of his enemies was inevitable. He would have the Kelari, take the Leviathan through the portal to Earth, and rule that world as well. Nothing and no one could stop him. For the first time in years his chest swelled with happiness. He was on the cusp of greatness. The war would be over quickly. He knew it, could taste it.

  After the rally King Antyon went upstairs to check on his wife. The room was deathly quiet and dark, the curtains shut. He smirked, disgusted that not even the loud assembly below had disturbed her. He waved his hand over the family crest to close the bedroom door and walked down the hall to his library. After locking that door he went to his gold gilded desk, opened the top drawer, and pressed a hidden button. Silently the shelves housing his books slid away, revealing a small room he kept as his secret office.

  Once he was inside his secret office, King Antyon pressed another button and waited until the shelves closed. He relaxed his shoulders and sank into the chair behind his desk. On top of the desk was a holographic monitor and nothing else. He touched the screen and pulled up a map. Dozens of blips flashed around Kelari. The dots represented the different world leaders. It was his way of keeping tabs on them. All seemed to be in order, but the map wasn’t why he’d come.

  “Tanith, I humbly seek your presence,” he said to the empty room.

  The god known as Tanith appeared out of thin air. “What do you want, Antyon?” His long blond hair flowed down his naked chest. It embarrassed him that the god didn’t wear anything more than a pair of trousers. Even his feet were bare.

  “I wished to give you an update,” King Antyon said, forcing down the slightest tingle of fear. Why had he called the god? Sometimes his narcissism made him forget that there were those more powerful. He didn’t like the feeling it gave him. He wanted all the power and if he ever found a way to take it from Tanith, he would.

  Tanith sneered. “You think I don’t know the thoughts in your soul.” He pressed a single finger to his chest. “You think I can’t know what you’ve planned?”“ He stood straight and crossed his arms. “You forget who you’re dealing with.” Tanith smirked. “No matter. Soon enough you’ll understand my power.” Without a sound Tanith vanished.

  King Antyon wiped the sweat from his brow, a mixture of relief and irritation gurgling in his gut. Part of him wanted to sit a while and think of a way to steal Tanith’s power. There had to be a way, but he didn’t have the luxury of that kind of time. After he’d taken control of Kelari and Earth, then he’d ponder more on the next step.

  Right now, he wanted to speak with the new leader of A.L.T.. He had a proposition for the measly human.

  He pulled open the bottom drawer and tapped the back of it twice. It was programmed to only respond to his touch. The wood vanished, exposing the key used to travel between Kelari and Earth.

  The key wasn’t so much a key as a creature. Her name was Hisoka. The name meant secret. It fit the little rodent girl perfectly. She was his little secret. No one knew about her. Not a single person knew how he was able to travel from Kelari to Earth and back again without using a Transport, but his ability to do so was the reason so many kels followed him, because in their minds only the gods could do what he could do. Yet somehow his little Hisoka could do it. She could open and close the passageway between worlds easily.

  Finding her had been another stroke of luck. He’d been in the mountains of Yi and fallen into a deep cave. It had been so dark he couldn’t even see his hand in front of him. He’d tried for days to climb out, but the walls were slippery like glass and he hadn’t been successful. She’d appeared before him, her white fur shining like that of a tiny star. Her whiskered nose had wiggled at him.

  He’d been frightened at first, and then even more afraid when she spoke to him.

  The fear didn’t last long. She was a shy little creature.

  They’d talked and talked. She told him she’d been a prisoner in the cave for several decades and he’d freed her with his fall. She’d told him where she came from and her name.

  King Antyon loved having a confidante. He’d told her of his plans and she’d agreed to show him how she travelled.

  That’d been many years ago.

  Hisoka woke and rubbed her ebony eyes with her little clawed hands. “Hello Master. I was worried you’d forgotten me.”

  King Antyon picked her up. She fit in the palm of one hand. He stroked her silky white fur and she snuggled against him. “I know. It’s been a while.” He held her against his chest with one hand and tapped the wood panel twice to close her little home. Then he shut the drawer. Bringing her to his eye level, he said, “I need to go to Earth. Will you take me?”

  She yawned, her little tongue licking her tiny pink lips. “Of course, Master.” She stood up on two legs, flicked her long furry tail, and wiggled her nose.

  King Antyon kissed the top of her head, right between her furry ears. There was no way he could dislike the creature. She was unquestionably the most fascinating creature he’d ever seen, and somehow holding her always made him feel invincible. More than once he’d wondered if it was a power she controlled, but he never bothered to ask her. He liked it.

  “Thank you, Hisoka. You are too good to me.” He pulled a piece of meat from his pocket and handed it to her.

  Hisoka took it. “I do my best, Master.” She plopped the whole thing in her mouth and chewed quickly. With the back of her clawed hands she wiped her mouth, swallowed and smiled. “Delicious.”

  King Antyon smiled. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” She licked the back of her hand and then nodded. “Where to?”

  “Remember the last place you took me? A.L.T. Headquarters?”

  “Yes, Master. I do.”

  He scratched her back. “Excellent. Take me there again.”

  “Got it.” Hisoka raised her furry arms in front of her and began twirling them in a circle. Directly in front of her and King Antyon appeared a hole. It was tiny at first, just the size of her hands. Hisoka glanced up at King Antyon.

  He knew she was seeking his approval and he gave it. “You’re doing so well. Keep it up.”

  She sm
iled and continued to move her hands in a circular motion, making the hole bigger and bigger until it was large enough for King Antyon to walk through.

  When she finished she smacked her hands together. “There you go, Master.”

  King Antyon gave her another piece of meat and stuck her on his shoulder, then stepped through the hole.

  It’d been months since Dervinias killed someone. He was done with that life, though there was a part of him that didn’t want to be. Killing had become part of who he was but, more than a murderer, he was now a father. He had a baby out there somewhere. And he would get her back.

  There were just four obstacles standing in his path.

  The first: He was dead. Dervinias had been killed in Helker, but it hadn’t been that long ago. Well, it could’ve been hours or days or months. Time in Helker was much different than time above ground or outside of Helker.

  Second: Chev was also dead. She was human, but she was also the mother of his child and he loved her. He’d tried to talk to her several times, but Chev’s soul would quiver like an overfilled cloud and float away. That Chev was so affected by what had transpired worried him. He wasn’t sure what to do for her, but he’d figure that out too.

  Third: Venus. She could bring his body and soul back together, but would she?

  Yes , his mind whispered. He somehow had to convince her, whatever it took, because one way or another he would bring his family back together. One way or another he would make Tawny pay for stealing his daughter.

  Four: The Order of Eternal Fire. He had been their leader on Earth. His father, King Antyon, expected him to continue to play his part. The Order wanted King Antyon to rule Kelari and remove the gods from their planet. Those within The Order didn’t want to go through the change, become Kelvieri and live forever.