Hunter's Challenge by M.A. Abraham

Hunter's Challenge
by M.A. Abraham
Tantalus Book Three
The entity who has been called the 'Witch Hunter’ is focusing on those who have psychic powers. He has issued an edict to the Tantalarians, demanding that they bow to his will. He has challenged the wrong people, though he doesn’t seem to realize it.

One Tantalarian, in particular, feels he has an axe to grind with this 'Witch Hunter'. This entity has mentally attacked Terec, and singled out the woman he loves to use for his own nefarious purpose. He will not rest until his foe is dead, the game lines have been drawn, the war is on. He might be a young warrior, but he will protect his own. He has nothing to lose but his life, for until the one he loves is safe from the madman, he will stop at nothing.

Adele, a young Earthling, falls in love with the young Tantalarian Hunter, Terec, at first sight and is determined she will have no one else. One of the Phoenixes connects with Adele, creating changes in her, both mentally and physically, that no one expected.

Adele, agrees with Terec's decision to go after the ‘Witch Hunter, although she knows how dangerous his plans are and she is prepared to fight at the side of the man she loves.

Genre: Sci Fi Romance
Content/Theme(s): Aliens, Winged Beings, Space, Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: October 1, 2016
Publisher: Indie

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Excerpt:
“We can’t do this, Adele, it isn’t right.” Terec objected, as he moved to distance his body from hers. He had to do something, or he would be lost to her guiles. She was so sweet, so giving, so beautiful and innocent. How could any man hope to resist such a temptation? It was not a question he wanted to ponder. He didn’t have a choice. He had to make sure he didn’t fail her. She meant too much to him, and she needed his protection, as much from the intensity of how he felt, as from the Witch Hunter.

“Would you deny us this moment?” Adele’s voice in Terec’s mind asked, with a touch of pleading, which was tinged with disappointment. She knew what the answer to that was going to be. He had been very clear about what he wanted, in his mind.

“You don’t make it easy for a man to say no, but this is more than only about you and me, otherwise there would be no decisions to be made about my actions. We would be free to act on our feelings for each other.” Terec admitted. He knew Adele wasn’t being influenced by her Phoenix in her actions, or she would be burning hot, she wasn’t. He had learned enough about the effects that the Phoenix had on its bonded female during Thanis’ transition, to know what to look for from Adele. She was acting on her decision to make love with him. Unfortunately, he knew better than to ignore the dangers of that decision. He wasn’t willing to follow through with his need to possess her, not now, and certainly not under these circumstances.

“You are just going to walk away from me? You would leave me needing you like I do?” Adele allowed a tear to run down her cheek. He was leaving her. What had she done wrong?

“I am not leaving you in the way you are thinking. Deep inside of your mind and heart, you know that. I love you too much to say goodbye. You are firmly embedded in my heart and nothing short of death will set you free, because I can’t.” Terec assured Adele.

It was important to Terec that Adele understand what he meant. Nothing else mattered to him but her welfare; that was foremost in his mind. There was more than that at stake here though. What if they were intimate, and she became pregnant with their child? What if he was killed in the upcoming battle with the Witch Hunter after this had happened? Even worse was the fear that the monster stalking them might manage to take his mind and body over. Adele would have no defenses against him then. No one would be able to protect her, or their child, against that madman. He couldn’t allow anything like that to happen to her, or their child. He had to protect the ones he loved, even if it meant hurting her feelings now. It was the least of what he felt he owed her, for she had taught him the meaning of the word love.

“I know you are right, and I am behaving like a spoiled child, but I want you to stay with me. I don’t want to be left alone, not now.” Adele admitted.

Terec didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to.

Adele knew what he was thinking, without his input. He had no choice but to go. He had too much honor in him to take the chance that staying might hurt her. He was frightened of what was about to happen, but his concern wasn’t for him, it was for her. He realized how she felt, but needed her to know she was safe in this world. How could she tell him she already felt that way? How could she make him believe her?

In many ways, Adele realized Terec was right to go. His need to protect her was stronger than his desire to use her body for a few moments of sexual gratification, and for that she should have been grateful. She understood that he respected her, and it made her feel special, loved. But the part of her that was still a child, wanted to yell at him, and stamp her feet at him in frustration. She knew better than to succumb to the temptation though, for she felt it would diminish her in his eyes. Acting like that would make her look like the child she was intent on leaving in the past. To win this man for her own, she was going to have to show him that she could rise above that type of behavior. She sighed in resignation, as she looked deeply into his eyes and asked, while she admitted her need for him.

“Can you at least stay and hold me in your arms for a little while longer? I need you so much.”

Terec wrapped his arms tight around Adele and replied. “I can barely force myself to let you leave my embrace as it is. Each time I take you into my arms, that feeling grows stronger. It doesn’t matter how much it hurts me to leave you, I know I must, until things improve.”

“Please, don’t leave me now,” Adele begged, as she strengthened her hold on Terec. She would fight for her love, and she didn’t care how many dirty tricks she had to use to bind him to her. She would prove that she could be just as strong as he was. She realized that to do this, she would have to stop fighting her Guardian. She needed to learn all he had to teach her, and perhaps even more. From now on, she would be a model student, for Neville, as well as Karia.

Terec could see the tears in Adele’s eyes, although he couldn’t read the thoughts going through her mind. He readjusted his bodily position on her bed, so he could unfurl his wings to wind them around her slight form, to make her more comfortable. When she wrapped her arms tightly around him, and pressed her tear-dampened face against his shoulder, he felt a constriction deep inside his chest. He kissed the crown of her head, as he cradled her next to his heart and held her. He could have held her like this forever, if he had the luxury of time to do so. Unfortunately, that wasn’t something life had granted him. He had been challenged for their lives, for their very souls, and he wasn’t going to sit back and let the Alien life form take them away. It was time to fight for what he loved, as well as what he believed in.

Adele snuggled in close, as she succumbed to the comfort that was surrounding her. She knew better than to believe this would last. It couldn’t, the world outside of Terec’s wings wouldn’t allow them the luxury of a love free from interference. She didn’t care about that though, she would fight those who tried to tear them apart and, for those who had no other power than to destroy them with hurtful words, those people she would ignore. Eventually the world would leave them live their lives in peace.
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Other titles by M.A. Abraham:

Integration	First Contact

To Capture An Ancient	Into the Demons Lair	Eärwen’s Song	Tratchars

Surrounded by the Light	For the King & Elven Empire	Luthien's Song	King's Champion	Living in the Light

Find M.A. Abraham at:
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Be on the lookout for M.A. Abraham's future release(s): Beyond the Myth coming Dec 2016, Kings of the Empire coming Feb 2017, Intercession coming May 2017, and Merika's Story coming Aug 2017

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