Blog Tour Excerpt feat Giveaway: The Wanderer's Children by L.G. O'Connor

Synopsis:

The Wanderer’s mission three decades ago: secretly sire children to hide his bloodline, and protect them until their destinies can unite in the final battle between good and evil. That time has come...

Cara Collins, the First of the Holy Twelve, longs for one last peaceful weekend with her bridesmaids as she plans her wedding to Simon Young, her former Trinity Guardian, before duty calls with the Angelorum to gather the Twelve and prepare them for battle. Life, as she knew it, has changed; weird is Cara’s new normal. Her newly acquired Nephilim DNA is wreaking havoc on her and those closest to her as her body transforms into Amazonian proportions and an overabundance of pheromones threatens to land her in hot water with Simon—not to mention a sudden suspicious outbreak of “insta-love” among her friends.

Michael Swift, Cara’s Trinity Messenger, has spent months running from his attraction to Cara’s brazen best friend Sienna, the only woman who has ever skirted his considerable defenses. But if he wants a future with her, he must confront his tormented past head on, or risk losing her and destroying the future of the Angelorum.

As dark forces and outside threats gather, Cara has more to worry about than fitting into her wedding dress and playing Cupid to her friends. A second encounter with rocker Brett King shows Cara once again that there are no coincidences. One of the Wanderer’s children, Brett and his secret siblings are the key to gathering the rest of the Twelve.

When the newly forming team finally comes together, an unexpected revelation shakes them to their core. They must all look deeper into their souls as new secrets come to light to discover what's really at stake in the final battle between good and evil…if betrayal and Lucifer don’t rip them apart first.

Excerpt:

Kathy King gazed down, her eyes filled with love at the newborn nursing at her breast. Her fingertips glided over the tiny arms poking out of the swaddling, drinking in the silkiness of his skin.

Ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes. Blond fuzz topped his head, and his eyes held the promise of the same blue as his father. She didn’t think she was being biased; he was truly the most beautiful baby she’d ever laid eyes on. Big and pink, bypassing the tight squeeze of the birth canal, he’d entered the world wearing the healthy glow of a caesarian baby.

She smiled, placed a kiss on his tiny forehead, and deeply inhaled his sweet baby scent. You had it pretty easy, little man. May you always be blessed with good fortune.

A wave of fatigue reminded her that she had asked the nurse to return soon to take him back to the nursery. Until then, she wanted to savor every moment with her beautiful baby boy.

Sensing she and the baby were no longer alone, her eyes shifted up.

“Hi, Kathy,” he said from the open doorway.

The air left her lungs. “Scott. What are you doing here?” she asked, breathless.

Pushing off of the jamb, he smiled sheepishly. “Not the greeting I hoped for, but one I can understand.”

A mixture of apprehension and desire churned up into the center of her chest. Dressed in jeans and a T‑shirt, his tawny-blond hair was tousled from wearing the motorcycle helmet he held in his hand. His arms were tanned and toned to Californian perfection like the fine rippled abs she knew lay hidden underneath his clothes. Although she hadn’t seen him in almost eight months, he still made her heart flutter.

She let out a silent sigh. He was more handsome than anyone deserved to be. Not to mention way too intelligent to be hanging around Hollywood working as a bartender waiting for an acting career that would most likely never come.

He held her gaze with glowing blue eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I stayed away… like you asked. Mind if I come in?”

“Of course,” she said, forcing some of the tension from her shoulders and waving him in. Done nursing, she readjusted her gown to fully cover herself.

Under different circumstances, she would’ve enjoyed the sense of comfort and the overwhelming attraction she usually felt when Scott was around.

Instead, her nerves ignited. If she hadn’t been lying in this hospital bed, she would’ve been dressed in her nurse’s uniform and working on the cardiac floor. Worry etched into her brow. She hoped no one she knew saw them together. The last thing she needed was pesky questions about why a sexy, younger man—who wasn’t her husband—was visiting her in the maternity ward.

Part of her still wondered how it had all happened. Ten months ago, when they’d struck up a friendship at the bar where he worked, she never envisioned herself ending up here. But stopping for a beer on Tuesday nights after her shift soon took on a life of its own, and it wasn’t long before the desire burning in Scott’s eyes matched hers. Then it happened. Only twice. Two nights filled with the most magical lovemaking of her life.

No one had ever made her feel as beautiful or as desired, pleasing her in ways she never thought possible.

Funny, her Tuesday night drinking ritual started when she’d suspected her husband was having an affair. Frequenting The Boca where Scott worked was her one act of passive defiance. The irony of her situation struck her many times over the past nine months.

Scott pointed at the door. “Okay to close this? To give us some privacy?”

“Go ahead,” she said, cradling her newborn closer.

He slipped into the chair beside the bed and gazed with longing at the baby boy she held. Lifting his eyes to meet hers, he asked, “May I hold my son?”

Suppressing any residual apprehension, Kathy transferred her precious bundle into Scott’s hands.

He positioned the baby tenderly in his arms and settled back into the chair. His features softened as he beamed at his son. “What’s his name?”

“Brett,” Kathy replied, her lips turning up into a smile. Her heart unexpectedly melted watching Scott. Then a pang of disappointment followed, echoing inside her. She wished her husband radiated the same kind of love when he held the baby.

Scott looked at her in earnest. “If I send you something, will you give it to him when he’s old enough?”

She thought for a second and decided it was the least she could do. One of their amazing nights had given her Brett—her little gift from Heaven. “Yes, I promise,” she said, and then cleared her throat and attempted to lighten the mood. “So how are things at The Boca?”

He gave her a small smile, his manner unassuming and genuine. “It’s still standing. How are things with Richard?”

She nervously smoothed the thin covers over her lap. “Pretty good, thanks for asking.” Scott’s compassionate ear for her problems had initially gotten her into this situation. Her desire came later. But once she found out she was pregnant, she came to her senses and decided to make her marriage work for her twelve-year-old son, Colin, and for the baby Scott held in his arms.

A worried look passed over Scott’s face. He glanced at the contented newborn tucked comfortably in his arms. “Richard doesn’t suspect anything, does he?”

Kathy sighed and shook her head. “No.” Her blonde hair and blue eyes were similar enough to Scott’s. Richard wouldn’t suspect a thing. She’d taken a chance by telling Scott about the pregnancy. Fortunately, given his situation, he had no desire to openly stake a claim. Other than her, he was the only one who about knew Brett’s true paternity. For some unknown reason, she trusted Scott to keep their secret.

He blew out a breath, looking relieved. “That’s good.” He leaned down and kissed the baby’s forehead. “I’d better be going. Thanks for letting me hold him. He’ll grow up to be a good man with you as his mother, Kathy.”

Her lips turned up in a half-smile, and a tear welled in her eye. “Thanks. I’m glad you think so.”

He gave her one of his heart-stopping smiles. “It’s true.” Then as quickly as his smile blossomed, she watched it fade. “Just to set your mind at ease, I won’t be bothering you again. I’m moving back East.”

With one last look of longing, he handed their son back to her.

“Oh…” she said, trying to keep her relief from showing. “If you send me your address when you’re settled, I can send some pictures,” she offered, knowing her words sounded halfhearted. She couldn’t help it; she was glad that he planned to put some distance between them.

“I’d like that. Take care.” Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head and his T‑shirt softly brushed her cheek. The scent of cotton and citrus filled her senses as he pulled away.

She watched him go, and knew in her heart that she’d never see him again.

Scott walked out of the hospital into the dry heat of the sunny June afternoon, and his heart convulsed with pain. He brushed the back of his hand over his eyes, and swore this would be the last time he’d create a child and leave it behind. Even in the name of the Angelorum and for the good of mankind…

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