Shields

Hugh and his men are faced with fighting creatures only thought to live in legend but which have been brought to Earth by evil bent on annihilating all the realms. That is Hugh's life-and he loves it. At least he did until he found himself staring into the angelic, innocent face of Lady Mina of Stone Crest. In all the time he has led, the Shields Hugh has trusted his instinct to keep his men alive, yet now he doesn't know what to believe. Everything points to Mina as the evil summoning the creatures, but she proclaims her innocence. He should be able to see through her lies, if she is indeed lying, but his attraction to her blinds him to even that. The last time he found myself so drawn to a woman, it nearly cost him the lives of his men. Hugh cannot allow that to happen again. He won't allow that to happen again. Yet every time she looks at him, begging him with those blue-green eyes to believe her, he finds himself sinking further under her spell. Her mouth is a temptation mortal men will never know, and her love will either bring him the peace he thought he'd never find-or the death he's managed, thus far, to avoid.

Roderick was born an immortal prince in the realm of Thales. Revered and respected, he lived a life of grandeur, but his one true love was fighting. He was given a special gift in his battle abilities and soon became known as Thales's finest warrior. But all that changed the day his brother died and an evil descended upon his realm. With Thales on the verge of ruin, he bound himself to the Shields to protect the realms from the evil that ravages them. But he has a dark secret for which he must atone. Then and only then can he return to Thales and face his family. His special battle skills and his immortality help Roderick to keep his goals in front of him. They have always been clear… Until Elle. Elle makes Roderick long for things he cannot have. Her innate goodness makes him want to grasp what she offers with both hands, but he knows that they can never have what she seeks. Elle bears a mark that signals her as one of a chosen few who were sent to Earth as infants. She and the others who bear the mark must be found and kept hidden from the ancient evil that seeks them, for they hold the key to the evil's ruination. The only way to keep Elle safe is to keep her by his side, but can Roderick resist the temptation to take her love?

Most would give all they had to be raised in the realm of the Fae. Cole had no choice. He was too young to remember anything of his own realm, save for snatches of memories that could be no more than his imagination. But if it hadn't been for the Fae who found him wandering between realms after his was destroyed, he would be dead now. It was the Fae who raised Cole and trained him in weaponry and battle skills until he became a warrior to be feared. When the same evil that destroyed his realm threatened Earth and the Fae, he was the first to volunteer for the Shields. With his immortality the only link he has to his past, Cole now takes what comfort he can in the arms of women. He wants nothing more than one night with them, one night to forget that he cannot remember his family, one night to take what pleasure he can. It isn't until he finds Shannon that he begins to think of more than just one night in her arms. Shannon has been brought back in time from Chicago to 1244 England because the evil knows what she is-one of the Chosen. Somehow, the evil has found the Chosen before the Shields. His plan is to kill Shannon, but Cole won't allow that. His duty is to protect her at all costs. He's never known fear until now-until Shannon.

As one of the youngest men ever to have the title of general in ancient Rome's great army, fame, and fortune were Valentius Romulus's bedmates. He was chosen by the Fae for his mastery of any weapon. Though the Shields like to claim they are stronger because of his skills, he knows he is only alive today because the Fae found him before his demons could put an end to his life. Adventure and danger have always ruled Valentius's life, and he thrives on the thrill of the hunt. He is loyal to the Shields, willing to give his life to follow Hugh and the others to fulfill their oaths to save the world. Who would have known following such great men would lead him to Nicole. She is everything he has ever wanted in a woman and more. She is innocent, pure, and beautiful of face and spirit. And she deserves better than him. Yet, every time he thinks of her in the arms of another man, he finds that he cannot let her go. For better or worse, Nicole has bound herself to him. He just prays that the demons loosen their hold before the past catches up with him and repeats itself.

There are those who would love to rid themselves of painful memories, to forget nasty pasts and mistakes. They think it's hell to live with those memories. Gabriel thinks it's hell to live without them. He has no memories of his past, his friends, or family. Gabriel owes his life to the Fae who discovered him bleeding and nearly dead at their doorway. They saved him and offered him a new life, regardless of his past. So he's served the Fae and the Shields since that day. His special knowledge of herbs and healing has helped save the Shields countless times. They are his brethren, his family, yet he is alone. No matter where he searches or what questions he asks, he discovers nothing to open a doorway in his mind of locked memories. Until he catches a glimpse of a woman who seems as familiar to him as breathing. Jayna. Though she claims to not know him, their bodies know each other. Yet he agonizes over what she keeps hidden in the depths of her haunted hazel eyes. He fears the dark thoughts that lurk in his heart, and thinks back to the black deeds in his past. If what he dreads comes to pass, death will not come swift enough. Above all, he must keep Jayna safe. She is the only one that has quieted his soul and shown him what serenity is.