On the outside, Karter appears to have the perfect life, but no one knows about the debilitating episodes that invade his mind and body. The only place he’s ever felt at ease is at his grandfather’s house, where he meets the mysterious Ella. As Karter and Ella get to know one another, they find themselves connected on a deeper level that neither understands. Readers who enjoy forbidden romances will devour Rose Moon by Heidi Adams, a steamy paranormal romantasy.
What secrets do we keep to protect the one we love? What lies do we tell, and what are we willing to sacrifice?
Karter Quint has the perfect life: star athlete, gifted pianist, straight A-student, handsome and charismatic, he seems fated for success. What nobody knows is that he has battled debilitating episodes during which a strange force invades his mind and body. The only place where Karter truly feels at ease is at his grandfather’s house on the water in Cliff Island, Maine. There, he meets a mysterious girl named Ella and has an instant obsession. He learns that she is a Meridian, or mermaid. Karter and Ella find themselves connected on a higher level—a level that neither understands.
They begin a heated and intense romance constrained by their limiting circumstances. However, loving Ella comes at a cost. Karter must take extreme measures of secrecy to protect her, straining relationships with his family and friends well into his adult life.
Rose Moon is an emotional and epic love story, and the first in a paranormal romance series, that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Excerpt
Copyright 2024, Heidi Adams
We relocate to the outdoor sofa, and she reclines against my chest. The little time we have left is bittersweet, and finally, the time is up. A wave of pain ripples through me as I glance at my phone. It’s 11:30 p.m.
I want the weight of her body against me forever. Closing my eyes, I tighten my arms around her, breathing in her scent. Her arms reach overhead and grasp the back of my neck.
We both hold on to this unparalleled moment.
“It’s time,” I say to her quietly.
She doesn’t move. I blink back the sting in my eyes. Her chest heaves under my arms, then she slowly sits up.
Tears spill out the corners of her eyes as she faces me.
“Soon we’ll be able to hear each other’s thoughts.” I wipe a tear off her cheek, holding mine in.
“I am sorry I cannot stay like this.”
“You never need to be sorry for who you are. I fell in love with you. I wish I could be with you in there.” I shift my eyes to the water, and my legs are heavy as I stand.
We surveyed the area a few days ago and determined a shallow spot along the rocks would make a safe and easy transition into the bay. I smile reassuringly as I hold her hand while we walk down the set of stairs and onto the grass. Flashlights guide us on our journey down the trail to the rocky water’s edge. I’m grateful that at this moment we can’t feel each other’s emotions or hear each other’s thoughts. My smile is my mask to the pain that has turned to numbness inside.
We continue to walk cautiously down the narrow trail, flashlights cutting through the darkness. Our bodies brush against the leaves that reach out like fingers to touch us. When we reach the water’s edge, I close my eyes and clench my jaw. Fighting the tightness in my throat, I turn to her. She stands before me, tears streaking her cheeks.
She’s baring her soul, like she always has, like we both have. So why am I hiding my true feelings? If I deny the pain, is it still real? Can it still rip me apart? But this is real, and this is raw…and this is us. I need to feel the elation and the devastation. I want to drink us straight, no chaser. My bottom lip quivers, and my vision blurs. Before I can reach for her, her body slams into mine.
We’re enveloped in each other’s arms, and neither one of us can breathe through our sobs. I’m lanced with layers of pain, not just of her last moments with me as a human but the uncertainty of what is to come.
My lips seize hers, despite their quivering, tasting the salt of her tears. This is our last kiss before our mental connection returns, so I hold nothing back. My kiss is raw, fervent, hiding nothing but holding on to everything.
At last, we separate and place our flashlights on the water’s edge. Ella slips out of her clothing. There won’t ever be a time when her naked body doesn’t take my breath away.
I step backward along the shallow rocky coastline, and my fingers curl around hers, guiding her into the water as we both wince at the cold. I submerge myself in a seated position and lay her in my arms. Our eyes never waver from one another’s.
I gently grip the smooth skin of her legs as rippling sensations course along my side and fingers. The smoothness is replaced with the texture of a thousand pearls as her scales form. The pearls connect, sealing together the space between her inner thighs down to her ankles and flowing into the fins of her tail.
A surge of electricity jolts through me as our mental connection clicks into place. I close my eyes to focus on this familiar yet spinning sensation. I fight off the rising pressure in my temples, clearing my mind. A smile stretches across my face as I open my eyes. It’s good to have our connection back.
“I missed that,” I say.
“I did too.”
I scan her body. “Do you feel back to normal?”
“I do.”
Her magnetism pulls at my core. “I need to get used to this again.” I test my lips against hers, feeling their softness and the movements of her mouth, chasing out the pressure in my head.
“It’s going to be lonely not sleeping next to you,” she says.
“I know. I’m even going to miss you taking all the covers and pushing me to a little sliver on the side of the bed.”
“Me, too.” She laughs, but there’s sadness in it. “When will I see you again?”
“Tomorrow, and almost every night for the rest of the summer.”
I don’t say before I leave.
Basking in each other’s presence, sometimes speaking, sometimes not, it’s time for me to let her go. This time when I release her, a piece of me goes with her.
About Heidi Adams
Hi! My name is Heidi Adams, and I write wherever my characters guide me, which is mostly romance! A little paranormal/fantasy, a little contemporary, sometimes even a little dark. My characters take me on journeys that push me to the edge of my emotions with toe-curling passion, heart-pounding suspense that will leave you on the edge of your seat, and a ride full of twists and turns…but passion and love are always the driving force behind my characters and the heart of their stories. I love LOVE! And when I write, I escape into a world that love conquers all, even in the darkest of hours.
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