Heart of Crimson

Heart of Crimson CURSE OF THE GUARDIANS BOOK FOUR TAYLOR ASTON WHITE Contents Disclaimer Breed Index Shadow-Veyn Index Prologue 1. Rae 2. Titus 3. Rae 4. Titus 5. Rae 6. Rae 7. Titus 8. Rae 9. Rae 10. Rae 11. Rae 12. Titus 13. Rae 14. Titus 15. Rae 16. Rae 17. Rae 18. Titus 19. Rae 20. Rae 21. Titus 22. Titus 23. Rae 24. Titus 25. Rae 26. Rae 27. Titus 28. Rae 29. Rae 30. Titus 31. Titus 32. Rae 33. Rae 34. Titus 35. Rae 36. Rae 37. Titus 38. Epilogue Also by Taylor Aston White Contact About the Author Copyright © 2023 by Dark Wolf Publishing 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 written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Edited by Alexander Small Cover by MiblArt * * * www.taylorastonwhite.com Official Taylor Aston White Newsletter Disclaimer Heart of Crimson is a dark paranormal romance that contains explicit content, graphic violence, profanity, and topics that may be sensitive to some readers. Trigger warnings: Graphic gore/death, torture, threats of sexual assault, and sexually explicit scenes. This book is written in British English, including spelling and grammar. Breed Index Celestrial - Also known as 'angels.' Can lose their powers and wings, known as 'falling’ Magic class - Unknown Origin realm - Unknown Other - Once a celestrial has fallen, they're rumoured to be as weak as humans, but none have openly confirmed (See Fallen Angel) Daemon - Druids who choose to ascend into black magic. In return for more power, they sacrifice their bodies and sanity Magic class - Black Origin realm - The Nether (also known as Hell) Other - Once imprisoned in The Nether, they now freely move between realms Druid - Born male, druid genes are inherited from the fathers Magic class - Natural/Arcane. Can be strengthened with Ley Lines Origin realm - Earth Side Other - Breed governed by the Archdruid. When they come of age they must tattoo a syphon, known as a glyph, around their wrists to better control their arcane Guardian - Druids who were cursed to share their soul with a 'beast.’ Their bodies, including their ‘beast’ form, are designed to battle Daemons, with increased strength, agility and ability to survive severe damage Magic class - Natural/Arcane. Can be strengthened with Ley Lines and glyphs Origin realm - Earth Side Beast - Unknown Other - The Archdruid made the deal with Hadriel, the Fallen Angel who powers The Nether, creating the curse in return for soldiers Fae - Umbrella term for anyone from Far Side. Includes faeries, selkies, pixies etc. Split into two castes, light (Seelie) and dark (Unseelie) Magic class - Wild Magic Origin realm - Asherah of Far (also known as Shadow-Veyn Index Shadow-Veyn are wild creatures easily influenced by Daemons. They hide themselves from the general populace with glamour, but lower class cannot hide their shadows (hence their name) Magic class - N/A Origin realm - The Nether (Hell) Other - Along with Daemons, they’re no longer imprisoned in The Nether. Feed upon flesh, and as of yet, no evidence that they breed Classifications - A - Small. Weak. Used as scouts. B - Venomous. Covered in black fur. C - Can heal using dark vapour. D - Scales as strong as armour, as well as fur. E - Defined by sheer size, and extra bones along spine. Prologue TITUS Breathe. Except every breath was excruciating. Titus had never felt pain like it, as if fire was burning through every vein, slowly burrowing deeper with every agonising beat of his heart. Except it wasn’t truly flames, but a thick, blackened tar that he could feel corrupting, changing. Conversations filtered around him, dissonance that was nothing compared to the roar inside his head, at his beast’s rage as it fought against the black magic polluting his body. Hours. Days. He’d lost count in the eternal agony, and not once had he screamed. Of that he was sure, instead memorising the faces of the Daemons who watched with such fascination, such delight as they forced him through the Rite. Forced his body, and chi to hold more power than he thought possible, stretching him beyond what he was capable. And yet they continued to push, and he continued to survive. Breathe. What felt like lightning had