Dark Fantasy, Romance, Horror
Date Published: October 18, 2024
Darkness is falling…
Things at Woods University are not what they seem. When Joey Sumner’s
roommate Maria joins the growing ranks of blazer-wearing supergeeks who roam
the campus in emotionless packs, Joey begins to think she has a problem.
Then Joey stumbles upon a secret ritual being performed on campus, and her
world is turned upside down. Joey and her boyfriend Will are forced to fight
for their lives against an ancient evil cult that is preying on the student
body. To make matters worse, their boss is one of them, and his obsession
for Joey goes way beyond thinking she has a cute ass…
Evil is growing…
A year after the mysterious death of her husband Terrence, Ada Ross is
still seeking answers. When handsome detective Eric Perfater comes back into
her life offering a chance to unravel the mystery of her husband’s demise,
Ada is more than ready to help. She’s also willing to throw off her endless
loneliness and wantonly offer herself to sexy Eric in bed… But a dark
shadow falls across their chance at happiness. Ada is a pawn in a desperate
man’s ploy to hang onto the past and take control of a secret society whose
very existence threatens the entire world.
Can the forces of evil’s hungry claws be defeated? Or will they all be
consumed by the Dark Legion?
Publisher’s Note: This duet contains the previously published novellas
Legion: University and Legion: Adult Education.
Excerpt from University
“You’re late, G.I. Jane.” Will Martin winked at her as she walked
into the lab where they worked together and pulled the backpack from her
shoulder.
Joey grinned at him, a big stupid grin no doubt, but she didn’t care.
With his golden skin, sun-streaked hair and powerful body, Will was
nobody’s idea of a geeky scientist. Tall, handsome, with a bold nose, a sexy
mouth and dark blue eyes that could glitter with humor or darken to the
color of a stormy sea. Joey had never seen such a perfect blend of beauty
and intelligence in any other man. In the realm of science there was no
challenge he wouldn’t take on, no subject he wouldn’t tackle. Even Joey with
her very limited knowledge of virology knew that Will was well on his way to
making a difference in the world. It wouldn’t surprise her if he were the
one to someday find a cure for the AIDS virus, ending the suffering and
death of millions. She had that much faith in him.
His brilliant mind fascinated her almost as much as his hot, muscular body
and that was saying a lot. How many times had she satisfied herself while
thinking about Will? How many late night dreams had he haunted? The touch of
his rough hands on her aching breasts always felt so real in her dreams, so
good. She’d swear that the solid length of his body between her thighs, the
sensual glide of his cock in and out of her slick, ready passage were a
reality while she was dreaming.
Until she woke up in a sweaty tangle of bed sheets. After several seconds
of swearing and sometimes several more seconds with her vibrator, she could
usually get back to sleep. But not always. Sometimes she’d lie there and
think of clever ways to ask him out. A couple of times she even meant to
carry out her plans to ask him out to dinner, then maybe even ask him to her
bed. But she always chickened out at the last moment.
Joey grabbed her lab coat from its peg on the wall and watched Will as she
slipped it on. Will had no idea that she was totally infatuated with him and
she was afraid to make a move. They worked together after all. He was a
brilliant scientist. She was just a girl who’d gone into the army to pay for
college on the G.I. Bill and was now a way-older-than-average freshman. Joey
continued to watch him as he scribbled notes on a steno pad and peered into
the microscope before him, his muscular upper body straining against the lab
coat he wore. How could someone like her ever hope to get the attention of
someone like him?
“That’s new.” Dr. Rafe Bowen caught her off guard. Hooking the
golden charm bracelet that circled her wrist with a long finger, he pulled
her arm up to scrutinize it before releasing her.
“Yes,” she said, recovering from the start. “It was a
gift.”
“From whom?” he asked in his clipped British accent, his hazel
eyes watching her intently.
Her eyes darted to Will. But he didn’t appear to be paying attention to
their conversation. Damn him! “My sister,” Joey answered
blandly.
Rafe Bowen nodded, but continued to gaze at her speculatively. Rafe was her
supervisor in the lab. He was a handsome man with his chestnut hair and
well-defined, cultured features. He wasn’t as tall as Will, his build
average. From what little she knew of him he was probably in his early
forties but he looked remarkably young for his age. He could pass for
someone in his early thirties easily. It helped that he was easy to work for
and generous with his time. He taught several virology courses in addition
to his research.
Joey had long suspected that her boss had more than a passing interest in
her. Rafe would stare at her when he thought she wasn’t looking and it made
Joey pretty damned uncomfortable. He’d always insisted that she call him by
his given name, though she never had. But he’d given her a job when she’d
given up hope of finding one. That alone had made her first year at Woods
University much easier than it could have been for a twenty-five-year-old
freshman.
“Why are you two here?” he asked, frowning.
Joey exchanged a glance with Will and let him answer.
“Next week is spring break,” Will pointed out. “If we don’t
run the analysis on the Aspergillus cultures now, we’ll lose them. They
won’t be any good when we get back.”
Joey couldn’t help with the analysis, wouldn’t know how. She knew that
Aspergillus was a mold and a respiratory allergen but that was about
it.
But the money sure would come in handy.
“What about tomorrow and Friday?”
“Exams,” Will and Joey answered in unison.
Rafe blew out a frustrated sigh. “You’re not staying long. I have to
be at a meeting in an hour.”
“We’ll lock up,” Will assured him.
Joey’s heart began thumping in earnest. Alone with Will Martin? Oh, yes,
that would be fine.
Rafe’s expression grew darker. It wasn’t like him.
“You’ll leave when I do,” he said curtly. When it appeared Will
was about to say something else, he added, “End of
discussion.”
Will’s gaze followed him as Rafe marched to his office and closed the door
behind him. He shook his head, giving Joey a sardonic half smile.
“What crawled up his ass today?” Will glanced up at the lab’s
clock, prompting her to do the same. It was five minutes to six in the
evening. “Want to get started on prep?”
Joey nodded and walked to the autoclave on the counter opposite the lab
door. Pulling open the door, she frowned when she found it empty.
“Crap! Someone took all the instruments I autoclaved last night,”
Joey grumbled. How would they have time to do anything now if she had to
sterilize more instruments?
Will glanced over his shoulder at her but didn’t seem concerned.
“Turner probably took them for his class, that lazy asshole. Just
sterilize some more. We’ve got time.”
Joey motioned toward Rafe’s office with her thumb.
“Let me worry about him.” Will waved her on.
When Joey hesitated he smiled, a flash of white teeth. Her nipples
tightened to hard little points in an instant.
“Go on.” He motioned her to continue with her work. “How’s
your French class going?”
I know all the dirty words. I could recite them for you.
“I’m doing okay.” Wasn’t that a waste of a good conversation
opener? Think! “I’ve really enjoyed the biology labs. The experiments
have been very interesting.”
“Yeah?” Will’s back was to her. He kept right on with his work.
“Which ones interested you the most?”
Her mind went blank. That would teach her to use something she had little
interest in to get his attention. Shit! “The genetics
experiments,” she finally answered. She knew there had been a
couple.
“I think the corn genetics experiment is the best that they
offer.” He paused a moment as he read over his notes. “Morten had
a good idea there. Students get to germinate and grow F2 corn seeds and
determine the inheritance pattern of the albino trait and what the P and F2
generations’ genotypes must have been. Did you like that one?”
“I did.” Joey remembered it anyway.
“We might make a scientist out of you yet.” Will peered at her
over his shoulder. “What are your plans for your time here? I don’t
think I’ve ever asked you that.”
Her mouth went dry.
To jump your bones?
About the Author
Isabella Jordan is the alter ego of an otherwise stressed out web designer,
programmer, and internet junkie. When she’s not trying to perfect her own
personal caffeine IV drip, she enjoys spending time with her family, doing
volunteer work, and writing. She loves creating new stories of all kinds and
chatting with readers and friends.
Isabella would love to hear from her readers!
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@changelingpress
