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Zodiac Binding: The Zodiac Chronicles, #1
Zodiac Binding: The Zodiac Chronicles, #1
Zodiac Binding: The Zodiac Chronicles, #1
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Zodiac Binding: The Zodiac Chronicles, #1

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Helping out the occasional shifter by removing a magical curse is one thing. Falling for them is another…

As a half-witch/half-coyote shifter, I can do without mingling with the sexy-as-sin shifters that I help by lifting curses, but it pays the bills, and I can secretly gather Intel on my missing father. Yet working with them means never surrendering to my passion and doing my best to keep all those handsome beasts at arm's length.

That is, until I discover that I'm destined to be the Thirteenth Zodiac. And the shifter council orders me to mate with twelve hot shifters to keep everyone from going insane.

Now I'm in a race against time to save their race, and binding myself to these hot males is only part of the issue. Turns out, there's more at stake than I thought, and the council has just put a target on my back.

As my connection with my mates deepens and passions grow stronger, so does the danger we face. Because when the answers I seek are uncovered, no one will be safe. 

*Urban fantasy fans will adore this fast-burn reverse harem, filled with sex, intrigue, and magic.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherArya Karin
Release dateJan 14, 2018
ISBN9781540100825
Zodiac Binding: The Zodiac Chronicles, #1
Author

Arya Karin

Arya Karin lives in the south and writes steamy romance and action.  Besides being crazy about reading and obsessed with all things romance, she likes to dance, sing, and spend time with her family.  Want to know more about Arya? Click here to go to her website- https://authoraryakarin.blogspot.com/ Or sign up for her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/c7lTtr

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    Book preview

    Zodiac Binding - Arya Karin

    CHAPTER ONE

    If I’d known every eligible shifter in a hundred-mile radius would try to mate with me in less than an hour, I’d have brought more magical ammo to protect myself.

    The last time I was summoned to a shifter meeting, it was to help a bully who’d tangled with a witch and couldn’t change back into his human form. If I weren’t being paid to lift curses, I would’ve sided with the witch. I hated bullies.

    At the end of the hallway, two six-foot-plus shifter guards—silverback gorillas—blocked a double-wide wooden door. Jerome and Marc resembled muscled wrestlers in jeans, tight-fitting T-shirts, and boots, with military-style haircuts. And constant pains in my ass whenever the council summoned me.

    You know the drill. I stopped in front of them and the jangling of the silver and copper charms on my bracelet ceased. These two guards loved disobeying orders if it meant giving me a hard time. Council business.

    Magic is evil, Kara. Marc glared at me like I had the plague. We shouldn’t allow it into our packs.

    Weird. Wasn’t like I was even an honorary member thanks to not being able to transform. Well, if shifters would stop bothering witches, then we could all go out for pizza instead.

    No one needs you or any of your filthy magic. Jerome’s lips curled up in a sneer. Get out of here, half-blood, or we’ll rip off your arms.

    The sting of his words struck my chest. No matter how much I tried to ignore their bigotry, it still sucked.

    Sorry, but the council requested m⁠—

    Don’t care who sent you, you’re not wanted or welcomed. He huffed. We’ll get some other witch and not a tainted one like you.

    Not like any other witch would be willing to help whatever shifter had fucked up. Well, screw them. I snapped my fingers. That’s right, I haven’t met my quota of animal sacrifices today. Maybe the universe will take two small-minded dicks.

    Bitch. Jerome shoved his meaty hands against my chest.

    I stumbled backward to keep my footing and was happy I didn’t give them the satisfaction of falling on my ass. Yet, my face still burned and I balled my fists.

    Fuck off, Marc said.

    And there goes your membership to my fan club.

    God, I hated dealing with these arrogant pricks, but I needed this job. The council had summoned me here for something. No way was I going to leave without collecting my fee after coming all the way here and having to deal with these two morons.

    Guess I have to do this the hard way. I took the sigil on my charm bracelet which was the shape of a tiny key. Auferat ianuam, I whispered under my breath.

    I broke off the charm and flung it over their heads at the huge double door. The metal tinkled against the wood. Bye-bye door.

    Both Jerome and Marc spun, gasping at the vanished door.

    I strolled past them and into a grand ballroom. Inside, I skidded to a stop, the mix of scents assaulting my senses. Damn, the place was packed with at least sixty shifters. A few tables with cream-colored tablecloths were scattered around the room with shifters reclining in chairs and laughing. Others were standing and several more leaned against the far walls. At the front of the room, on a raised stage, twelve leaders sat in a semi-circle of chairs.

    I was the only female in a space filled with male shifters. This wasn’t good. I shouldn’t have come here without finding out more details first. The council’s request had been vague and now I was thinking they’d done a bait-and-switch on me. A few of the men barred their teeth and curled their fingers into fists, as if ready to fight. I felt like the dessert everyone had been waiting to gobble up. Dread slid underneath my skin, but running would only entice them to chase me.

    Looks like I’ve got the wrong room. I took a step back, my legs shaking. Bingo must be on the next floor.

    Several shifters growled, their eyes brightening to an amber color and cued that they’d transform.

    Shit!

    No need to rip into me boys, I’m not a threat, I said, hoping my voice sounded calmer than I felt. Many, like Jerome and Marc, thought me an outcast because I couldn’t change into my coyote. Really hoped this wasn’t some weird shifter ritual party with me as the prey.

    The twelve elders, dressed in ceremonial white robes, frowned, some whispering in harsh tones to each other. Usually, I only dealt with one or two elders at a time and I didn’t recognize any of them. What was going on? My stomach plummeted into my shoes.

    Kara Martin? one of the male elders asked.

    That depends on what you want, I said, hoping they bought my bravado, but I couldn’t stop myself from eyeing the exit over my shoulder before snapping my attention back to them.

    The energy in the ballroom sizzled to an almost tangible level. Many of the men stared at me openly, ogled my breasts, then slid their gazes down to my hips and back up again. Warmth spread through me as the sense of virile animals in heat hung heavy in the air.

    Doubted they’d asked me here to become an honoree member.

    Within the circle of elders, a man with a white beard and bald head stood, waving off Jerome and Marc, who stomped toward me. I gave them both a mock salute before turning back to the council. The throng of standing shifters parted and I walked toward the elders.

    What happened to Solomon, Travis, or Cecilla?

    I’m Elder Warren. Thank you for joining us on such short notice. The old man’s voice was soft and crackly.

    Where are the other Council members? I placed a hand on my hip, trying to keep my fear from spiking more than it already was. No offense, but I’ve never seen any of you before.

    Warren gave me a thin smile. That’s because the Lower Council handles trivial matters.

    Cool, a Higher and Lower Council. All this time, I thought I’d been dealing with the top, when in fact, they’d handed me off to the squabble-dealing lowlifes.

    We have a very essential task we need you to perform. One that we do not take lightly, nor should you, Warren continued.

    Why call all of these male shifters here? My gaze swept the room. None of them look magically afflicted.

    One of the shifters behind me whispered, Nice ass.

    I turned to find the source so I could flick him off, but with so many stuffed in here, it could’ve been any of them.

    In the corner of the room was a man in a leather jacket and sunglasses. I sniffed to figure out what kind of shifter he was, but it was nearly impossible with all the other shifters’ pheromones jostling in this cramped room.

    Power radiated off him in waves, tingling against my own. Maybe he was a half-breed like me. Shifters weren’t known for possessing much magic, if any.

    I jerked my attention back to Warren. What do you need?

    I’d help if I could, with payment, of course.

    The elders muttered around Warren. Many of them frowned like they were discussing whose turn it was to take out the trash.

    A burly elder with super short bangs shook his head. How can a half-witch who is stuck in her form be of any use to us?

    I straightened. I’ve aided plenty of your kind with my magic.

    We called you because of a serious matter that cannot wait. Warren cleared his throat. One that few outside of the shifter community is even aware of.

    Wow! Insider information. Might discover something about my father. Murmurs rose from the crowd and I pulled at the collar of my buttoned shirt.

    I dropped my hands because even as a half-shifter, I knew better than to waft my scent to them. Even if my body was reacting to all the sexy testosterone in the room despite my brain wanting to avoid getting too close physically or relationship-wise.

    Warren clapped and the noise dimmed down again. Then he gave me an apologetic look. None of the shifters here, outside of us on the council, have been able to find a mate.

    Explained why they were practically drooling over me. I pulled at the collar of my buttoned shirt. Heat flared across my skin. I needed to get the hell away before my hormones overruled my common sense.

    Sorry, but I'm not in the matchmaking service. If that's what you want, you're out of luck. Time to exit and get the hell out of here. Maybe a sympathetic witch can give you guys a love-locator spell or something.

    Wait, Warren said, standing up. A-are you aware of the twelve signs of the zodiac?

    Yes, of course.

    In the human world, astrology charts were fun for predicting the future. For the shifter community, they had a much deeper meaning. Instead of people, they were animal species rather than birth dates. Those under the sign of Leo were actually from any type of cat-shifter pride. Those under Cancer were the bear shifters, not crabs, and so on.

    There exists a thirteenth that connects all twelve and is the foundation for the Council’s future generations. It is essential to keeping the peace among us. Warren clasped his hands in front of him. These men are pure-bloods, and some are rare among our kind.

    "That’s nice. But what the hell does this have to do with me?" I was nowhere near this shifter-level and no wonder Jerome and Marc didn’t want to let me in. Compared to these purebloods, I was considered trash. Having it rubbed in again stung like a bitch.

    Only once a generation or so, a female is born under Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. Warren’s voice was filled with reverence. It’s been too long since we had someone to take her place from the packs and prides. Her presence is what keeps all the shifters from their animal instincts like sex or violence from taking over completely.

    So her ability to hold sway over the violent nature of shifters is fading? You want me to find this thirteenth sign to replace the current one? None of this sounded promising or gave me warm fuzzies at all.

    No. Warren’s face paled, and his hands clutched his robes.

    The shifters around me went eerily quiet. My heart galloped in my chest and the very air felt charged.

    Warren leveled a stare at me. We've already found her.

    You need me to try to talk her into taking one for the team? Uh, no thanks. I twisted to the open doorway. Jerome and Marc impeded my path with smug looks on their faces. Sorry, guys, but I'm done.

    I snapped the bird charm off my bracelet for a quick exit, but several of the shifters stood, their metal chairs scraping across the wooden ballroom. The shifters surrounded me, pressing closer. This was a super dumb idea to come here without finding out exactly why they needed me. Their ogling didn't make me feel any better either. I looked behind me for another exit when one of the shifters winked at me and ran his tongue over his lips as if I was chocolate pudding with a hidden delicious center. Strangely, I was both repulsed and turned on. What the fuck is wrong with me?

    From the back of the room, Warren said, Kara, you are the thirteenth zodiac sign.

    I spun around, my fist tightening around the silver charm. My heart lurched into my throat. What he said was impossible. I certainly wasn't some thirteenth zodiac symbol. I would know if I was.

    Please, Warren said, his voice climbing over the growing noise of my blood pounding in my ears, without you, unmated shifters everywhere will go insane. We must prepare you for what is to come.

    Oh, shit.

    CHAPTER TWO

    W hat do you mean? I couldn’t be this thirteenth zodiac sign the elder talked about. Even at my inner denial, unease settled like a bowling ball in my gut.

    I must have misunderstood him. I couldn’t be some weird icon tied to all the single males in various packs.

    Impossible.

    How? I wasn’t even a full shifter and was only half a witch who couldn’t access my magic without a focus.

    My hand instinctively went to my charm bracelet and the spells my aunt had linked for me to use if I needed them. But none of my charms would be of any use against being this zodiac-shifter missing link they were looking for.

    Wouldn’t someone have come to me before now? I don’t know, maybe have given me an instruction manual or classes first.

    Each member here hasn't found a mate, the elder winced. And they won't until you claim your court. If you don’t, they will tear each other apart and you in their haste to procreate. Those who survive will take their aggression to others: humans, witches, everyone.

    My insides tightened at his words and the danger.

    Can’t you neuter them or something? I asked before I thought better of it. I cringed, adding more to cover my outburst, I mean can’t you buy some time for you to find someone else to take ahold of their leashes?

    It’s not right for a half-blood tainted with magic to rule, Jerome spat.

    A few mumbled their agreement. Looks like not everyone was happy with this arrangement either.

    Hated to admit it but I agreed with Jerome.

    I didn’t want to have anything to do with shifters except pay

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