Seraphina:
Initiation
Seraphina
Series
Book
Two
Sheena
Hutchinson
Genre:
Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher:
Hutchinson Publishing
Date
of Publication: 10/20/2014
ISBN:
1502319608
ASIN:
B00NE4Q7J2
Number
of pages: 200
Word
Count: 60,000
Cover
Artist: Andrea
Garcia
Book
Description:
Seraphina
Cross is unexpectedly thrown into this crazy, spiritual world of
Angels versus Demons. Never did she expect to meet Nate who was just
a figment of her imagination until last week. Now she finds herself
moving in with him because of her innate responsibility to protect
her loved ones from harm.
Finally
beginning to feel at home in her new house and with her new
relationship. Nate begins training Sera in all that she can do,
surprising even himself at times.
Just
when she is starting to feel safe and powerful, the Devil finds a new
way to attack her at her most vulnerable.
When
her dreams are no longer a gift, can Sera control the powers needed
to defeat what's coming before Lucifer fulfills his promise to her?
Book
Trailer: http://youtu.be/GFFT-_DAuZk
EXCERPT:
I’m walking along the
long cliff in my
new backyard, enjoying the
gorgeous scenery. I’m basking
in the sun, breathing
in the fresh outdoor
air, and feeling the
wind whip my hair
around my face. I
look back at my new
home behind me and sigh
as my mind automatically
thinks of Nate. I
lie down in the
grass, feeling the wind
whipping around my hair and
the grass grazing my
legs ever so slightly.
Again I let my
mind wander to thoughts of
wondering if I ever
would have moved out
of my parent’s house
had it not been
for Nate. What would
my life have been
like? Would I have
stayed at the office
until retirement in quiet
misery? Breaking me out
of my moment I
think I hear someone
shouting my name. I
look around, but I’m
alone here in my
new backyard. Where is
that noise coming from?
I shrug my shoulders
and try to continue
my thought processes, but
a part of me is
still on alert. There
it is again, my
name, Sera! I finally
climb to my feet
and look through the glass
wall of our house.
Nate isn’t there. I
must be imagining things.
Maybe my senses are
just extra sensitive today.
I begin to walk
along the cliff and
I hear it a little
louder now. Sera! I
glance out over the
cliff and the winding
river below that continues
far into the distance.
SERA! Finally my eyes
lock on something in
the river below, Nate.
What
I’m not expecting is
the hand that’s holding
his head under water
is big, clawed, and belongs
to none other than
Gabe. Gabe, the hunk
from the office that
tried to kill me only
a few short days
ago. His eyes are
no longer green, they
are all black and
staring straight up at
me like he’s tempting
me to do something
about it. He lifts
Nate’s head back up as
he tries to catch
his breath while gulping
down chunks of water.
Nate’s arms are flailing
around trying to grab
onto something to defend
himself, no to avail.
“Sera!” he sputters out
before Gabe shoves his
head back down into
the water. This time
I know he’s not
going to let him
back up for air.
He will kill him.
There is no time,
no thinking, Nate needs me.
I extend my arms
out like a bird’s
wings, somewhere inside me
I feel like I can
fly. I dive off
the cliff to help
Nate. I open my
eyes to see, it’s
working! I have wings, big
white glorious wings and…
I’m flying! I think
excitedly as my eyes
lock on Gabe’s dark
ones only instead of
the fear I expect
to see, he laughs
at me. A strange,
haunting laugh like he
wanted this to happen.
I land on the
ground hard before my eyes fly open. Nate is on top of me screaming
words my mind can’t quite make out yet. I glance around in shock,
I’m outside in the grass by the cliff. Stars are sparkling above me
and in a stupor of confusion my mind is trying to make out what Nate
is yelling.
“Sera! What were
you doing? Tell me what was that?” his hands are shaking in anger.
“What?” I
don’t seem to understand, “What happened?” I ask shaking my
head as I begin to sit up.
“What do you
mean? You were about to jump off the cliff!” he yells putting his
hands on his head and paces back and forth in front of me.
“But, I was dreaming…” I try putting my thoughts together.
“Sera,
I heard you walking past my office so I followed you out here and you
were about to jump! I dived at you at the last minute and
caught you just in time!” He states angrily waiting for an
explanation.
I’m so confused.
“I was dreaming you were in the river and I needed to save you, I
was flying down to save you…it was a dream, at least I
thought it was…” I rub my forehead.
Processing what I had just said with his silent angry face he finally
softens and states, “Let’s get you back to bed,” before picking
me up and carrying me back inside the house. By the time he’s
climbing the stairs, I find myself nodding back off to sleep in his
arms. I can feel him tucking me in and his footsteps trace back to
the door. Suddenly I’m wide-awake, frightened that I could sleep
walk again.
“Wait, Nate!” I softly yell.
“Yes?” he responds over his shoulder pausing in the doorway.
“Please don’t
leave. I’m scared to go to sleep.” I admit quietly. He doesn’t
have to respond I know he will stay. He probably wanted to anyway
knowing his overprotective self. He walks back to the other side of
the room, grabs the green chair from the corner, and pulls it up
beside my bed. Leaning back he puts his feet up on the edge of the
bed, I can’t tell if he’s sleeping or not but I feel better
knowing that he’s there.
I
roll over facing away from him as I try to close my eyes. Instead of
drifting to sleep again, I find my mind wandering to how I could have
walked all that way unconscious, what would have happened if I had
jumped? How could this happen? Is this another gift? Or is it a
curse? Unable to sleep, I roll back to face Nate. The moon is shining
in through my window falling on Nate’s face. His eyes are closed
and he looks so peaceful, but I know he’s not going to get any
sleep tonight. I find myself wondering what I would do without him.
Finally, unconsciousness finds me as I’m falling asleep wondering
how I won the Angel lottery.
Guest Blog Post For
Sheena Hutchinson
A Deleted Scene:
Sunday December 8th
from Nate’s Point of View:
(The Awakening Chapter
7)
The next day Nathanael finds himself in
his freshly handmade bathroom, looking at his own reflection in the
mirror. His appearance looks the same, but he can tell the aura about
him is different from when he was an Angel of the Lord. He can’t
seem to come to grips with just how nervous he’s become, it feels
as if his stomach is twisting in knots. Now fully understanding the
human expression: butterflies in the stomach, because that is exactly
what it feels like, a million wings fluttering around inside of him.
It had taken him all day to figure out what to wear, he couldn’t
seem to make a decision. It seems like he had been waiting for this
moment for what feels like an eternity and he craved for her to like
him. Gasped for it like the air he now needed to breathe, yearned for
it like the substance his stomach cried for. Deciding not to even
think about any possibility that things wouldn’t work out he
focuses instead on his outfit. Looking down at the magazine clipping
he tore off, he conjured an outfit exactly like it. He didn’t want
to look too desperately dressed up, but he didn’t want to look like
this wasn’t the most important moment of his eternal life thus far.
Slicking his hair back as he stared deep into the mirror he then
begins to practice what he would actually say to her. “ Hi,”
clearing his throat he tries again, “Hi Sarah! Oh no, no no, I’m
not supposed to know her name!” Crap, this is going to be
harder than he anticipated.
“Hi, I’m Nate…”
“Nice to meet
you, I’m Nate.”
After practicing
human conversation for hours, double and triple checking his
appearance in the mirror, he decided he is as ready as he’d ever
be. His hands begin shaking as soon as he climbs inside his sleek
black car, but he hides that thought somewhere deep down. Instead, he
drove focusing on the road. But by the time he finally pulls into a
parking spot outside Jack’s Coffee Bean his heartbeat is once again
uncontrollable. He pauses waiting for it to pass like a shadow in the
night, sitting in the car trying to collect himself. This is it,
he thinks before taking one last deep breath and practically hops out
of the car. The butterflies inside of him are now exploding like
fireworks as he catches sight of her immediately through the window.
Sitting in her favorite spot his heart seems to skip a beat, he
notices only because it’s not beating incessantly anymore—it’s
frozen. Clenching his fists as if to steady himself he gathered his
energy and walks determinedly to the front door.
As soon as he walks
deeper inside, his eyes gravitate to her as if they could sense her
in the dark. She sits in her green sofa chair in the corner by the
window tapping away at her laptop before her. Trying to act human he
fights the urge to go directly up to her, instead he waits in line.
Every few seconds he finds himself continuously glancing back at her,
maybe to make sure she isn’t some kind of mirage. Typing away with
her headphones in, she sits there wearing a light blue sweater that
seems to bring out the redness from her hair and the lightness of her
eyes.
“What can I get
you sir?” Nate’s broken out of his trance when the coffee house
owner, Jack brings him back to reality.
“Coffee.” Nate
mutters sarcastically.
“Okay, a man of
few words, I gotcha!” Jack cheerfully whips around to pour him a
cup of coffee. Again his eyes wander over to Sarah, sitting there so
enraptured in her computer. One has to admire how passionate she is
about anything she does.
“Here ya—”
Jack places the cup on the counter before following Nate’s eyes.
“She’s something isn’t she?”
“Huh?” Nate
finally snaps back to the blue green eyes he despises, “Yea, she
is.”
“We’re kind of
dating,” With four words, the coffee house barista with the curly
blonde hair and coffee stained shirt shatters all the dreams Nate has
ever had.
“Oh?” Jack now
has Nate’s full attention. Wow, how long was he gone? He had seen
them at the bar together last night, but he never thought…
“Yea, I can’t
believe it myself sometimes.” Shaking his head as if remembering a
happy memory before continuing, “Anyway, that’ll be $2.50.”
Nate hands him the
money before turning to face Sarah, what now? It seemed like all he
thought about was meeting her and now all he wants to do is run away
and never look back. Maybe start a fight, punch something, kill
something else. He fights the rage burning inside of him when he
finally decides it doesn’t matter, he’s going to follow through
with his plan. He has to at least meet her. He didn’t come this far
only to run away.
He begins to walk
through the maze of coffee house patrons with their scattered chairs
and backpacks. It all seems to happen in slow motion, the past couple
months have all been leading up to this. Reaching the table, he
clears his throat. She can’t seem to hear him. How is he supposed
to get her attention with those things in her ear? Sometimes he
doesn’t understand human technology. Clearing his throat again, he
leans over slightly, “Is anyone sitting here?” It takes her a few
seconds before she finally looks up at him. Those hazel eyes staring
straight into his paralyzes him for a second. Those eyes, he’s
missed those eyes. She looks almost surprised, if he didn’t know
any better he would say she recognizes him. He tries again, “Is
someone sitting here?” this time pointing to the empty chair across
from her in case his English isn’t any good. Her mouth gaped open
slightly, in a cute continually surprised look. Finally coming to the
realization that her headphones were still in, she closes her eyes
and peels them out of her ear.
“I’m sorry, I
couldn’t hear you.” Are the first words that come clumsily out of
her mouth, the first words she ever spoke to him. Actually spoke to
him.
“I was just
asking if this seat was taken,” unable to control the huge smile
that is no doubt all over his face.
Glancing around the
coffee house before she replies, “Um…No,” it makes him wonder
if she was checking in with Jack.
Slowly having a
seat across from her, placing his coffee on the table between them.
Nate realizes he can’t very well just stare at her this whole time.
Stealing a peek around he sees a few people on their laptops and a
few others reading books. Conjuring a generic book he pretends to
pull it out of his pocket and opens to a blank page. He can’t help
but notice she puts away her headphones and his heart flies thinking
that maybe they can actually have a conversation. Act human, act
human, he repeats to himself over and over he’s watched them for
months he can emulate them. Gradually beginning this pattern of
taking a sip of coffee and turning a page, sip, page turn—trying to
act like all his attention isn’t on the fiery siren in front of
him. Feeling a small victory when he begins to feel her eyes peering
at him from over her laptop. He sat basking in her emotions of
curiosity and intrigue, he had been staring at her for months it was
only fair he let her have a turn. Wondering if she can feel it, his
senses are firing all at once. Their aura’s just mesh, it’s as if
they were in their own little aura bubbles until now, now they were
one bubble, one aura. It’s as if she calls to him, her mind, her
heart, her aura, it draws him in. He wonders if she can feel this,
sense what he’s sensing. Her senses should be intensified by the
thousandth degree. Can she feel this? Is she intelligent enough to
comprehend what is going on with her? What was he worried about? She
would need him. Her need for answers would never let her stop until
she found her own way to him.
Breaking our
internal aura-mating as if he could read my mind, I see Jack slide up
to her side placing a hot latte on the table between them. Obviously
feeling threatened, he leaves a whole line of angry customers to
personally hand her the coffee. Nate doesn’t give him the
satisfaction of acknowledging his presence he keeps his eyes on his
fake book.
“It’s been a
while, I figured you’d need a hot one,”
“Uh, thanks
Jack,” she awkwardly digs through her purse at her feet.
“Don’t
worry about it, my girls drink for free!” he announces to
Nate. He can feel it Jack’s aura is screaming jealousy, he sees me
as a threat. As he should, Nate is here to steal his girl and have
her never look back. There’s an awkward silence, a testing of
masculinity as our auras of emotion battle between us in the silence
that ensues until Sarah finally responds.
“Thanks
again Jack,” returning her attention back to her laptop. Guys’
fighting over her is not what she’s used to. He can feel her
awkwardness. It’s heartwarming.
Jack pauses
for a second sizing Nate up with his eyes before sighing and
returning to his awaiting customers. Nate slowly begins to realize
it’s now or never, he has to speak to her.
“Wow,
they sure are friendly over here.” he mutters allowing his sarcasm
to shine through, he know she’ll appreciate that.
“You have
no idea,” responding with what Nate assumes is a joke, he laughs
bringing his book down slightly until their eyes meet over her laptop
and she immediately drops them back to the screen. Is she flirting
with him?
“I’m
Nate by the way!” His well-rehearsed line comes out perfectly,
extending his hand as human tradition dictates.
“Sera,”
she responds meeting his outstretched hand. Her warm fingers graze
his as their palms finally meet. He thinks he might faint. She
shivers and Nate thinks he feels a similar feeling.
“Sarah,
that’s a pretty—”
“No, not
Sarah, Sera with an E… It’s short for Seraphina,” she corrects
him firmly.
“Oh,”
is all he can say out loud as his mind is on overdrive. He had her
name wrong this entire time! Seraphina? She had an Angel name! How
did he not know this? Was God toying with him? This has got to be
some twisted joke. The picture in the throne room, now this—what
does it all mean? He tries to process this while shaking his head,
the smile playing on his lips.
“What?”
Sera asks him curiously her eyes scanning his face for answers.
“Oh,
nothing,” he has to be more sly, he can’t have her finding out
about him… not yet. “It’s just really pretty. Did you know
Seraphim are supposedly the closest Angel’s to God?” he asks
curiously wondering if she knows the history behind her own name.
Silently setting her up for a world in which she is now a part of.
“No, I
never really looked into it. To be honest I don’t really like my
full name, that’s why I go by Sera.”
“Well, I
think Seraphina is a beautiful name and you should be proud of it.”
She blushes at him as she thanks him shyly. Not wanting the
conversation to ever end, but not having anything else to talk about
he continues, “So… is that your overprotective boyfriend?” his
breath catches in his throat preparing for the answer.
“Who?
Jack? Oh no we are JUST FRIENDS!” she announces to practically the
entire coffee shop.
“Oh,”
Nate mumbles trying to disguise his secret victory, “So what are
you typing away at over there.”
She
proceeds to tell him all about Amanda, as if he doesn’t already
know her inside and out. He nods and listens intently, honestly he
thinks he could listen to her read off a hit list and he would find
it just as interesting. As long as she is talking to him, he could
listen forever. Too many months have gone by with this one-sided love
affair, he’d appreciate every syllable she spoke to him.
Suddenly
the conversation shifts, “What about you, what brings you here?”
Crap! He didn’t practice a backstory. She leans in slightly
hovering over her laptop, what was his cover story again… oh yea
the book!
“Just
catching up on some reading!” He points to the book to reiterate.
“Are you
from around here? I’ve never seen you before,” she pries deeper.
Of course she had never seen him before. His heart sinks at
the reminder of that fact.
“Just
moved here from… up north,” mildly smiling at just how correct
that statement is. Not wanting her to ask him any more questions that
he didn’t have answers for—he has to change the conversation
around. Leaning in closer to meet her in the center of the small
circular table. “Enough about me, would you like to go to dinner
with me sometime?”
That’s
it! It’s out there. He had finally said it. He had asked her
out. She leans back slightly taken back by his question. She was
struggling to find words and his heart sank as he sank lower in his
chair.
“Uh…
okay,” she finally gets out, but he was sure it was only because
she was being nice. That was it, she didn’t like him. He might as
well go to Hell. All his plans, hopes, everything was falling to
pieces. She broke his train of thought when she continued, “I mean
Yes, I would like that…” she finishes with that shy flattered
grin of hers. It was the smile that did it. The smile that he had
only seen a few times, mostly when she spoke to Jack. But here, now,
in her favorite chair she was giving that smile to him. Sera
is actually flirting with him! Nate returns her smile as he mentally
pieces his hopes back together.
“Great!
What are your plans after work tomorrow?” he asks not wanting to
waste another day away from her. Each minute seemed like an eternity,
he figures that’s what happens when your life literally revolves
around someone for months.
“On a
Monday night? Uh, nothing,” she was joking he could tell, but he
didn’t quite understand it.
Good, call
me after work and I’ll pick you up!” he states conjuring a piece
of paper with his phone number on it as he stands to his feet.
Sliding the piece of paper across the table her fingers graze his as
it passes between them. He almost doesn’t want to leave her, but he
still had a lot of work to finish. This has to be perfect. You only
get a first impression once. “I look forward to it,” he made sure
to tell her before he left the coffee house and fell into his car
with the biggest smile on his face. This could actually work,
he thought happily to himself. Now, all that’s left is to wait for
her call, hopefully she does call. He didn’t understand how humans
do this, the waiting, the heartbreak and destruction if in fact they
never call. He fully understood why God didn’t want this to be a
part of Heaven—it’s too distracting. Humans are more driven by
emotion and desires, making them more like animals, unpredictable…
About
the Author:
Sheena
is a born and raised New Yorker, even her writing can't seem to hide
her hard sarcasm. She claims destiny has lead her back to her true
passion for writing.
She
constantly strives to be a positive role model and writes stories
that empower and inspire. Sheena always roots for the underdog,
believes in love at first sight, and that everyone should have their
happily ever after.
While
God is currently still writing her love story, she continues to put
all her effort into her writing as she is constantly getting new
inspiration.
For
more info, updates, and fun facts visit her website at
www.SheenaHutchinson.com
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This sounds like a very interesting book. I wouldn't know what to do if I was the person being thrown into this world all of a sudden. Thanks so much for the excerpt <3 Ooh, and I really like the name Seraphina!
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