Eternal Fire - Book 3 of The Ruby Ring Saga Read online

  Eternal Fire - Book 3 of The Ruby Ring Saga

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 2 4

  Eternal Fire

  Book 3 in

  The Ruby Ring Saga

  by

  Chrissy Peebles

  Copyright © 2013 by Chrissy Peebles

  Cover design: Patrick Griffith

  Editor: Autumn J. Conley, [email protected]

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Visit the Author’s Blog at: http://chrissypeebles.blogspot.com/

  Connect with the Author on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=vb.351121651567296&type=2#!/pages/Chrissy-Peebles/351121651567296

  For:

  Alex, Faith, and Matthew. I love you.

  To:

  My Father God in heaven

  My brilliant editor, Autumn J. Conley

  Patrick Griffith – the awesome guy who made my cover and gave me the motivation to write book 3. Thank you for listening to me, supporting me, and encouraging me.

  Chapter 1

  It was early morning and the sun had just ascended through the thick clouds that had made riding a living hell for the horses. Butterflies fluttered lazily from flower to flower in the lush, green meadow. I cupped my hand over my brow to shade my upturned face from the early morning sun, mesmerized by the sweet hum of the beating wings of birds. Victor had told me it would be the most secluded place to practice. He had taught me how to embrace my new powers. Rushing faster than the wind and focusing to see farther than an eagle came naturally to me now, just like touching delicate things without breaking them into pieces. His confident yet patient way reminded me of having my very own handbook, helping me to adjust to his immortal world with no computers, television, or electricity which wasn’t easy. At first, I’d thought I’d never fit in, but he assured me I would, and his faith in me gave me a much-needed confidence in myself. In the end he proved to be right, just like he always was.

  I pulled at my dress to straighten out the wrinkles. I would have given anything for an old pair of jeans and a T-shirt, but that’d be unbecoming of a queen. The people around me wouldn’t understand such a fashion statement, so I had to settle for medieval attire: a ridiculously long, navy-blue dress with a low-cut neckline and wide, bell-shaped sleeves. I had a satin ribbon neatly wrapped around my waist, tied in a bow at my back. The ribbon and sleeves were a different shade than the body of the chemise, but the light blue hue was one of my favorite colors.

  Victor’s hunter-green wool tunic with a split neck emphasized his sapphire eyes. His apparel clung perfectly to his muscular body, and his broad shoulders and strong arms gave him the look of a true warrior. Black leggings, knee-high boots, and a leather belt that encircled his narrow waist finished the ensemble. It was difficult to rip my gaze away from him, my sexy, medieval hottie. Even after a year together, I hadn’t tired of him, and I was sure I never would.

  He rolled a ball of fire in his hands, then stared at me with those dazzling blue eyes. “Are you ready, my dear?”

  I nodded, and my stomach quivered. His deep, husky voice always had that effect on me, but I dared not let it show. I’d demonstrate to him—and everyone—that I was a force to be reckoned with, so I didn’t even flinch under the weight of his stare. Focusing on lightning bolts in my mind, I clenched my hand and opened it. My skin began to tingle with electricity a moment before my fingers glowed. I bit my lip hard as zigzagging lightning bolts poured from my fingertips. As a red, flaming ball of light sped toward me, I directed my powers by throwing my hands in the air, stopping the fireball in midair and it fizzled away into nothing. I threw my head back and laughed, exhilarated. “Is that all you’ve got?”

  Across the meadow, I could see Victor’s face light, beaming with pride at my accomplishments. I had deflected his attack and was ready for more. With a wave of his hands, he unleashed a set of frozen ice balls straight at me. Remaining calm, cool, and collected as ever, I extended my arms toward him, channeling more power through my hands, and threw a set of fireballs across the field in a flurry of crackling power. They collided with his and crashed into a towering tree next to me. Smoke and fire erupted, and I waved my hand, only to watch the flames immediately die out.

  Before I had a chance to recover, Victor sent fireball after fireball barreling toward me and his deep voice boomed in my head: “You’re still young and enemies will immediately sense your weaknesses. Always be prepared. Never let your guard down. Those are the only two rules that will help you survive.”

  I charged another ball of fire between my hands, then hurled it with every ounce of strength I possessed. With a burst of energy, I blinked, and the fireball grew until it was three times the size of Victor’s—a clever trick Liz had shown me, and I’d been anticipating putting it to good use against my significant other. His eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but then he grinned. Mission accomplished. He’s definitely impressed. My giant fireball consumed all of his, then exploded in a brilliant flash and dissipated into thin air.

  Within seconds, he traced back over to me and swung me in his arms. “Stunning, my love! Absolutely impressive!”

  “Thank you, but I want to show you something else I’ve learned.”

  He nodded, the grin on his face betraying his delight. “You’ve been practicing with your sister, haven’t you?”

  I smiled slyly. “Perhaps I have.”

  His strong, rugged look accentuated his chiseled features, and even in the early hours of the morning he boasted a five-o’clock shadow, which I liked to call his designer stubble. Even when he didn’t shave for a day or two, I found it extremely masculine and sexy.

  “Show me what you’ve learned,” he said with a daring nod.

  I was anxious to show Victor a skill that I’d recently perfected. Using my mind, I closed my eyes and gently coaxed a doe and its two fawns to venture out of the vegetation into the thick gree
n field of clover. I was going to create a puddle of water for them to drink from. They looked so cute. Their fur ranged in color from brown to cinnamon, and they had gray sides and a white belly. I could still see the white baby spots on the fawns. The mother lifted its head with a jerk and sniffed, looking for any signs of danger. I could feel her urge to bolt, so I called to her again in my mind, assuring her that she was perfectly safe in my presence. The fawns continued to stare at me with their big brown eyes, batting their to-die-for lashes, watching my every move. They were so innocent and so adorable that I couldn’t resist putting them in a daze so they wouldn’t run.

  I waved my hands, and tiny droplets appeared in midair. In seconds, they began to swirl into a tiny twister; at the same time, I comforted the deer. The whirlwind of droplets crashed into the ground and instantly formed a large piece of white ice. I bit my lip. Huh? That wasn’t supposed to happen!

  Victor shot me a smirk, and I grinned sheepishly, trying to pretend that I knew exactly what I was doing.

  “I can turn it into an ice sculpture, maybe a swan and a heart, for a wedding or something,” I said. When he cocked a brow, I continued. “Back in my world, we hire people to turn blocks of ice into beautiful creations. It’s quite magical and breathtaking.” I told him about my world every chance I got. Somehow, it made me feel as if I were still connected to the reality I’d always known, even though I knew I’d never return to that place—the one I’d always called home. When I’d first arrived in Tastia, it was a hostile, uninviting world that didn’t seem to want to welcome me, but now I considered it my home.

  “It’s amazing to know that beyond the portal lies a great nation with a culture all its own,” Victor said, as though sensing my nostalgia. “I love hearing about the traditions of your world. It seems such an odd and wonderful place—just as intriguing as the woman who came to me from it.”

  I knew Victor meant every word. He was always willing to listen to me babble on and on for hours and hours, and he never told me to be quiet. He focused on every word that came out of my mouth, as if truly intrigued, and he told me more than once that he knew listening was key to understanding my world and culture. He wanted to learn everything there was about me, and I was flattered by that.

  My gaze drifted back to the big block of ice. “I can fix this,” I said, trying not to burst out in laughter at my blunder.

  With another wave of my hand, a yellow ball of light sprang from my hand and blasted the ice. It crackled and sizzled like ice cubes melting in soda, until a perfect puddle of blue water formed in the soft grass. The deer stepped gingerly through the clover and started lapping water like kittens at a bowl of warm milk. Victor held my hand, and we watched the majestic animals until they limberly darted back off into the forest.

  When Victor looked at me, his smile melted my heart. Sure, I was forced to marry him in the beginning, but I could no longer deny what I felt. I was desperately, totally, utterly, completely in love with him in every way.

  After practicing for hours, Victor turned to me with a gleam in his eye.

  I smiled. “What?”

  “Your progress is amazing,” he said. “I think you’re ready for something…a bit more difficult.”

  I cocked a brow as the wind fluttered through my hair. “Hmm. I’m up for any challenge. Tell me, Victor, what is it you have in mind?”

  “A lightning storm,” he said.

  I grinned. “Meh. Piece of cake.”

  He had discussed the steps with me before, and I’d been dying to try it. What could be cooler than summoning a storm? I shifted my stance and concentrated, and a brilliant energy shot through me. Channeling the power surging through my body, I pictured the storm brewing above our heads.

  With his strong arms wrapped snugly around my waist, Victor nuzzled my ear, his breath warm on my neck. “Try harder, Sarah.”

  The wind whipped stronger against my skin. Focusing, I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. I’d been Immortal for over a year, ever since I had unknowingly slipped on the ancient wedding ring to get back home to my own world. Though Victor had showed me how to handle my powers, I still couldn’t believe I possessed such unique abilities. They were linked with emotion and surged whenever I encountered trouble or became upset. Liz, my sister, also helped me adjust to the fact that I had supernatural powers. In fact, Liz was the reason I’d ended up there in the first place. She’d disappeared some eleven years earlier, and I refused to give up on finding her. During my relentless search for my beloved sibling, the clues had drawn me back to Sabrino Cave, and it was in that cave that I accidentally stumbled through a portal and into the world I’d learn to call home. It was hard for me to believe my sister was alive and well after all that time, let alone an Immortal.

  In my defense, I never would have dreamt any ring could possess that kind of power, in spite of all of Tolkien’s carrying on about them. It wasn’t the life I’d planned for myself, but a case of mistaken identity ensued, and it was as if fate destined me to meet my husband. I married Victor for one reason—to get the ring back so I could go home—but my plan completely backfired when I fell in love with my Immortal king. He didn’t just kiss my lips on our wedding night; he kissed my soul, my essence, my life. We developed a magical love and friendship that my lonely heart could never possibly have imagined.

  Victor gave me a reassuring squeeze. “Come on, love. Conjure up the lightning storm like we discussed.”

  I found it almost impossibly difficult to concentrate with his big arms wrapped around me, his manly scent assaulting my nostrils. Damn, he smelled good.

  His hands caressed the hollow of my back as he urged, “We’ve been working on your powers for over a year. I think you’re ready for this, milady.”

  “But messing around with Mother Nature…well, she might not like that so much.”

  “I have faith in you,” he breathed into my ear, his voice as soft and husky as his alluring, manly aroma.

  I concentrated on a lightning bolt in my mind, and a burst of light and heat spread across my body. Thunder rumbled, and black clouds rolled across the sky, and my heart jumped. “I-I did it!” I declared, almost in disbelief.

  “I knew you could.” His voice was soft but triumphant.

  Focusing intently, I struggled to keep the connection. When a sudden, sharp pain sliced through me, the image faded from my mind. It was like trying to hold on to a live, hot wire, seemingly with 10,000 volts of electricity shooting straight to my core. The powerful energy surging through me was too much, and my eyes fluttered open. “I-I can’t. I just…I lost the connection,” I gasped between breaths. “It’s too hard.”

  “It takes practice,” he whispered into my ear, stroking my arm. “Try again.”

  His soft touch electrified me and a jolt raced straight for my heart. I yearned to feel my body pressed closer to his rock-hard, muscular frame. Forget the lessons! I just want to get lost all over again in one of his amazing kisses. I spun around, unable to fathom creating a rainstorm. “Let’s see what you’ve got, darling.”

  He closed his eyes, and as he lifted his face toward the sky, the growing wind blew around his midnight-black hair, swirling it around his shoulders. He looked so confident as he took control of the natural elements. Brilliant shafts of light began swirling like his glorious locks, then broke off into tiny dots and shards of yellow light that dissipated into the air. It was like watching fireworks display or some kind of wonderful laser light show. The wind picked up momentum, filling my ears with its roar and making my long hair dance around wildly.

  I looked up as I heard the familiar rumble of thunder, followed by a brilliant flash of light, and the biggest grin lit up my face. “You did it!” I congratulated, holding out my hands to catch the falling droplets.

  The steady beat of the rain echoed all around us. As more drops fell, my rain-soaked dress clung tighter to my body. I glanced up at my towering husband as the cold rain splattered across his face. His drenched shirt was mold
ed to every muscle in his broad chest, and his dark hair, dripping wet, hung like a plush drapery over his gorgeous eyes; he was so damn sexy, so irresistible in that moment that I could hardly contain myself. I stared hungrily at his strong cheekbones and sharp, angled jaw. He was built to defeat enemies and conquer lands, a warrior king through and through, and he was all mine. How could I be married to someone so…beautiful? It was a question I’d asked myself a thousand times since our nuptials.

  Thunder exploded shortly after lightning zigzagged across the sky. Victor’s blue eyes burned with desire, glistening like ocean waves with each illuminating strike. Our gazes locked, and in that moment, I knew he could feel what I did. I felt him more deeply than I ever had any of my lovers because of the connection we shared through the ring. Heat and electricity simmered between us, and I knew he wanted me as much as I wanted him. I shot him a flirty glance. A slow, sexy smile spread across his lips, and I was sure he’d read my naughty thoughts. That was all it took to ignite a fire that no power on Earth—or in any time or space—could stop.

  Passion hit me like a tidal wave as my hunger for him magnified. Pulling him closer, I felt the electric jolt of contact when our tongues met and danced with each other in perfect unison. The taste of him intoxicated me, and I couldn’t get enough.

  Deepening the kiss, he pulled me close and scooped me up in his arms. He ran his hands through my tangle of wet hair as the rain trickled over my skin. He assaulted my mouth and my very soul long and hard, devouring me just as I longed to devour him. Intense need surged through me. I want him…now! Like a helpless prisoner to some primal urge, I tore his shirt off, exposing his perfectly sculpted chest. My fingers traced the ripples of his washboard abs and the hard muscles on his chest. His thumb circled my hard, excited nipple through the soft fabric of my flimsy dress, and I let out a soft moan.