A Demon’s Harmony
Dark Lullabies Series Book Two
E.C. Land
Contents
Available Now
Coming Soon
Acknowledgments
Soulful Harmony
Prologue One
Prologue Two
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
Epilogue
Sneak Peek
Prologue
A Demon’s Harmony
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
A Demon’s Harmony. Copyright © 2020 by E.C. Land. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information, contact E.C. Land.
https://www.facebook.com/e.c.landauthor
Published by Knox Publishing
Publishing Link: www.knoxpub.com
Cover Design by Charli Childs, Cosmic Letterz Cover Design
Editing by Kim Lubbers
Formatting by E.C. Land
Proofreading by Jackie Ziegler
Created with Vellum
Available Now
By: E.C. Land
Devil’s Riot MC Series
Horse’s Bride
Thorn’s Revenge
Twister’s Survival
Reclaimed Boxset
Cleo’s Rage
Connors’ Devils
Hades Pain
Badger’s Claim
Burner’s Absolution
Devil’s Riot MC Originals
Stoney’s Property
Owning Victoria
Blaze’s Mark
Dark Lullabies
A Demon’s Bliss
A Demon’s Harmony
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Chains’ Trust
Royal Bastards MC (Elizabeth City Charter)
Cyclone of Chaos
Anthologies
Guns Blazing
Rocked to the Core
Twisted Steel
Coming Soon
By: E.C. Land
Devil’s Riot MC Originals
Taming Coyote
Luna’s Shadow
Choosing Nerd
Carrying Blaze’s Mark
Ranger’s Fury
Neo’s Strength
Dark Lullabies
A Demon’s Soul
A Demon’s Song
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Breaker’s Fuse
Ryder’s Rush
Axel’s Promise
Tiny’s Hope
Fated for Pitch Black
Royal Bastards MC (Elizabeth City Charter)
Spiral of Chaos
Anthologies
Remembering Ryan
The Elites
Twisted Steel: Second Edition
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For those that allow themselves to risk second chances at love.
Never let the small things keep you apart. We all only have this one life to live make the best of it with the one your heart speaks to!
Acknowledgments
My Family – I’ll always be thankful toward my husband as he continues to show his support in my writing. No matter how annoying I become he lets me ramble on and on with the different things I come up with. Even sends me music when I need encouragement. My kids now are a huge part of this as I show them you can follow your dreams and shoot for the moon if you put your mind to it.
My Betas – Thank you all for being the first to read the stories as they come alive. It means the world to me. Especially when you all start to get mad. That’s when I know I’m doing something right. And in doing so pushing me to keep going with all the different plots that form in my head. I’m thankful to you all for being ready and willing to read and give your input.
My Knox Publishing People – I don’t know what I’d do without you all. You’re all wonderful in your own right and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From encouraging me to keep going when I feel like giving up to kicking my ass when it needs it. The best thing I’m grateful for is when you listen to the different plots and scenarios I come up with. As well as the family you all have become to me.
Liz – If not for you, I don’t know if I’d ever be where I am today with my writing. Thank you for always pushing me and encouraging me. Even on my worse day. You’re more than just my Publisher/Boss, you’re my best friend. My sister from another mister.
Diane – I couldn’t be more grateful to you. You help me so much with all you take care of and have become one of my good friends. I don’t know what I’d do without you considering all that you do.
Kim and Jackie – Thank you both for agreeing to work with me on all of my books. You both rock and I cannot wait to work with you both for the foreseeable future.
Playlist
Someone You Loved – Mitchell Tenpenny
Tears Could Talk – Jelly Roll
Cover Me Up – Morgan Wallen
Legendary – Skillet
Woulda Left Me Too – Ryan Griffin
One Night Stand – Murphy Elmore
Nobody But You – Blake Shelton Ft Gwen Stefani
Trigger Warning
This content is intended for mature audiences only. It contains material that may be viewed as offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and sexual situations, murder, rape, and extreme violence.
Soulful Harmony
Souls sing together
When they find each other
No two are alike
Yet those two connect
Bringing peace and harmony
Souls scream when apart
Causing pain and havoc
Breaking the peace, they once had
Two souls bleed
Two souls weep
No harmony in sight
Only when they are together
Will the two heal
Bringing back the peace
Along with the harmony
Leaving the torment behind
Open your heart
Let the truth be known
Those two souls know
What the heart is so blind to see
They belong together
Through and through
~ E.C. Land
Prologue One
Alexis
18 years old
“Why did I agree to come to this football game with you?” I groan as my best friend drags me through the stands to where the rest of our friends are sitting.
Dang it, I don’t want to be here. I would have preferred to have stayed home reading one of my books on the kindle. I had just started this whole series about werewolves and such by one of my favorite aut
hors earlier today.
“Oh, suck it up buttercup and have some fun. Besides you never know you might see your boyfriend here,” she mutters. Lori has never liked the fact I’d gotten with Tanner and is constantly bitter about the fact.
“Will you just stop with the sarcasm? Tanner has never done a thing to you,” I say in defense of my boyfriend. I’ve known him since my sister and I moved here to live with my grandmother. My little sister introduced me to him in the hallway one day when she’d been talking to him and Chaz, her boyfriend.
I had immediately wanted to know more about Tanner. Only I didn’t know how to talk to him without embarrassing myself. Unfortunately, I’d ended up stumbling over my words. After that day I’d avoid him as much as possible. Wasn’t always easy when my sister would drag me along to listen to their band practice.
Tanner would always grin at me which caused me to blush and divert my gaze. One day he’d approached me and asked me to go with him to the movies. From that day we were together. If I wasn’t with him, I was with my friends. However, Lori had distanced herself from me after finding out about Tanner and me.
“Tanner is with the guys tonight so I’m sure they’re probably here. He never misses his brother’s games,” I shrug.
No matter how different the two brothers are they are tight just like he is with Chaz, Hunter, and Lex. Kobi is there to support Tanner and vice versa. I admire the relationship he has with his brother. They don’t have the best of dads. He's a drug addict and is always mean. Tanner doesn’t like for me to go over there for that very reason.
“I’m sure that’s the only reason,” Lori snipes.
“You know what. I think I’ll just go home. I don’t need to sit here and listen to this mess from you. When you get over your problem with me being with Tanner then we can hang out,” I snap as I stand up and head down the bleachers. I’m not going to subject myself to negativity. Not when I don’t have time for it.
Making my way toward the exit, movement catches my gaze. Turning my head, my feet stop in their tracks at what I’m staring at. My boyfriend and Shannon, one of the high school cheerleaders, are making out under the bleachers.
Rushing out of there I can’t get the sight of Tanner and the skank out of my head. Why would he do this to me? I thought everything between us was great.
Is this why Lori was being such a bitch? She knew but didn’t want to tell me?
God I’m so fucking stupid.
Since I didn’t drive, I start walking. We don’t live too far from the school. I’ll be able to get home in no time.
Or so I thought when it starts to rain. Of course, it’s not just a drizzle or even a light rain. No, it’s as if the bottom drops. For a good few minutes, I can barely see in front of me.
“Great, just freaking great. What did I ever do to deserve this?” I yell up at the sky.
With tears falling down my cheeks I slowly make my way home. My heart is in complete shambles by the time I see the house in the distance. Lights can be seen through the darkened sky.
The moment I enter the house I’m thankfully met with silence. My grandma must have already gone to bed. Making my way to my room I touch the picture of my parents that sits on the table by the stairs.
I miss them so much. It still hurts that they had to die leaving my sister Jamie and I.
Now I might as well be dead on the inside. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get over Tanner. I was taught growing up that love is forever and when you find the one to give it to there is no other. My parents were soul mates who lived in harmony. Their souls died together.
I wanted what they had, now I won’t.
At least not when I’m this broken.
Prologue Two
Tanner
19 years Old
Staring out at the woman swaying her hips to the beat of the music pulsing through the speakers of one of the trucks parked in the field, I’m consumed.
I’ve loved her for years, but I only had her for a short period of time as mine. All because of some fuckin’ jealous bitch. The very same bitch that’s dancing with Alexis right now.
Lori set me up and she knows it. I’d confronted her after the whole bullshit with Shannon. I can still hear her words ringing in my ear. “It’s for your own good. You and Alexis would never last, not when there is a major difference between the two of you. She wouldn’t be able to handle the criticism of you being together when people bring up the fact she’s white and you’re black. Don’t you see,” she’d said. I’d about knocked her to the ground for that.
Alexis and I’d talked about this very issue before we’d gotten together. She’d never once thought it was a bad thing. “People can think what they want Tanner, it doesn’t matter to me, there is no difference between the two of us other than sexual organs and your musical talent, which I have none.” That was the night I knew I was in love with her.
Too bad she wouldn’t listen to me about that night. If only she had, maybe it would be me she’s dancing with instead of the witch from hell.
“Tanner, are you going to stand there all-night staring at her or are you going to go talk to her,” Lex says slapping a hand on my back as he chuckles.
“Nope.” Is all I say making the P pop as I lift the beer I had to my mouth.
“Why not? I mean that girl is yours after all,” Lex grins.
“She’s not mine. Alexis made that clear the day she didn’t want to listen to my side of things. All because of that bitch Lori,” I grumble pointing my beer in their direction.
I don’t know what Lori’s game plan is, but I know it’s to keep Alexis away from me.
As the night goes on and the more I drink, the more I become frustrated with her. I’ve caught her glancing in my direction several times when she doesn’t think I’m watching. When the party starts to wind down, I ask Lex to distract Lori so I can snag Alexis. I need to talk to her away from the evil bitch from hell.
“Come with me we need to talk,” I murmur as I get close enough to touch her.
“What do you want, Tanner?” she slurs leaning into me.
“To make sure you get home okay. You’re wasted baby and don’t need to be behind the wheel,” I say, pulling her toward the truck Hunter and I rode over in. He’d stayed sober tonight so that I could unwind by having a few too many. I’m not one to normally drink but today had been a bad one.
My mom called asking me to come by only so that she could get money for groceries. Dear ol’ dad did what he does best and spent every last cent they had on drugs. Thankfully, Kobi was at school at the time and for the most part either staying with me and the guys or at one of his friends’ houses.
“Lori was taking me home,” she says, weaving on her feet.
“Not happenin’” I growl, grabbing her arm and dragging her to the cab of the truck. Picking her up, I put her in and slide her over.
I climb in after her and close the door as Hunter does the same on the opposite side. Lex runs and jumps in the bed of the truck tapping the roof of the cab yelling. “Get the hell out of here this bitch is crazy talking about ripping my balls off and castrating Tanner.”
“What the fuck? Is that woman a lunatic or something?” Hunter mutters.
“Hey, that’s my best friend you’re talking about,” Alexis slurs, laying her head on my shoulder.
“Think what you want baby, that girl is nothing but a snake out to bite anyone she can,” I mutter as Hunter hits the gas and spins the tires kicking up mud.
Alexis doesn’t respond to me, but I can tell by her breathing she’s passed out.
“Where are we dropping her off Tan?” Hunter asks as we hit the main road.
“Our place.” She’s gonna be pissed but I don’t give a damn.
“She’s gonna be pissed,” he grumbles.
“She’ll have to get over it. I may be buzzed but Alexis is tanked,” I state.
“It’s your
funeral.” He shrugs.
Closing my eyes, I lean my head against the headrest.
“Marry me Tanny, I don’t want to be without you.” My eyes snap open as I tilt my head toward Alexis at her words.
Holy shit did she just say that.
I know I shouldn’t do it, but I want her as mine. She said it, I’m gonna make it happen. At least then she’ll be mine in some way. Even if by name.
Chapter 1
Alexis
Present Day
“Why are you still working at that damn music shop?” my best friend Lori mutters as I take my seat in the booth across from her.
Sighing I shake my head and reach for one of the nachos and salsa. Preferring to stuff my face rather than answer her question. It’s the same every time we have lunch. She gripes about me being around Tanner and I ignore it.
Sure, I get she’s trying to protect me but I’m sick of hearing the same thing. I don’t know what Tanner did to her in high school and I really don’t care, I’m just over the whole thing.