The
Mists of Time
(Book
4 of The Oracles)
by
Delia J. Colvin
Genre:
Paranormal
Release
Date: November 1, 2014
Hosted
by: Book Enthusiast Promotions (http://bookenthusiastpromotions.com)
He was
destined to love one woman for eternity... Until The Fates interfered.
From
International Bestselling author Delia J. Colvin, the saga continues with Book Four
of the Bestselling Oracles series; The Mists of Time.
Alex &
Valeria are finally settled in modern day Manhattan. But the past is shifting.
When Alex's sister, Antonia, returns through an opening in time, Alex follows
and secrets are revealed which compromise not only Alex and Valeria's happy
ending, but that of Paolo, Antonia and all of the oracles.
"The
Oracles does for Greek Mythology what Outlander does for the Klans of the
Scottish Highlands!"
Preview of
The Mists of Time
Book Four of The Oracles
by
Delia Colvin
PART ONE: INTO THE KAIROS
Kairos: A
Greek noun. 1) An opening in time. 2) Defining moment.
Sarabeth’s,
the popular Manhattan breakfast spot, was packed for Christmas Eve brunch. Friends and co-workers, still bundled in
scarves and hats, exchanged extravagantly wrapped gifts over waffles, Eggs
Benedict and mimosas. The windows were steamed and a cozy warmth filled the
room, that looked out onto the wintery glow of a snow-covered Madison Avenue.
Paolo
sat alone at a crowded center table, looking more like a model than a business
man, in his gray wool slacks and fitted sweater. His blue eyes were widened
with irritation. What was wrong with this
woman?
He
brushed his fingers through his thick black hair and then drummed them on the
table. Nicky moved through the dining room and past him in a series of
graceful, dance-like motions designed to avoid other servers, customers and
tables, and completely ignored him. It had become a habit of hers, and Paolo
was not used to being ignored—especially by women.
Several
months before, meeting Nicky had been the most powerful jolt of his very long
existence and the man who women chased, fell hard...on his face. Nicky scurried
by him with a stack of dirty dishes and he lifted an elegant finger, hoping
that she might finally acknowledge his presence.
Instead she
looked past him and blurted, “You’re not in my section.”
“Your
section was full,” he said, although she was already gone. He wanted a chance
to compliment her new hair style—a short bob with long bangs. He wanted to tell
her how the cut enhanced her pale complexion. The fact was that the combination
of features, her nearly black hair, her complexion and her blue eyes were
extraordinarily striking. But Nicky’s tiny frame wove between tables and
customers and disappeared into the kitchen.
Katie,
another server, brushed her hands along Paolo’s broad shoulders in a short
massage before resting his head back against her ample breasts.
“Hey Paolo,”
the blonde cooed seductively.
Noticing
that Nicky had returned, Paolo raised his voice. “It appears this establishment
is too busy to provide good service to all of its customers.”
Nicky rolled
her eyes and started to say something, but Katie interrupted, “Nicky, if you’re
too busy, I can take Paolo.” Katie was discussing the table, but the
implication was clear.
Nicky
sneered, clearly irritated. “He’s all yours!”
Smiling
seductively, Katie posed in front of Paolo. “Now then...what would you like?”
Old habits
die hard. Paolo leaned forward, glancing briefly to the exposed top of her
breasts, with a half smile that most women found irresistible. But in fact, he
had little interest in Katie. “Hmmm, what do you recommend?” he asked, with a
twinkle in his eyes.
Katie lifted
a knowing brow and leaned her arm on the table, better exposing her cleavage.
“I have a few suggestions.”
Nicky passed
and her tray “accidently” shoved Katie.
“Hey!” Katie
bristled.
“Sorry,”
Nicky said, raising her arms, in pretended innocence.
Katie’s face
reddened as she turned to Nicky. “What’s the big deal? You said you weren’t
interested.”
“As I said
before, he’s all yours,” Nicky steamed and turned to take the order from a
table right next to them.
“Paolo, let
me order for you, and if you don’t LOVE every bite, I’ll owe you a
drink...after work.” He was enjoying this game... Until a moment later when he
heard a playful giggle.
Paolo
whipped his head around to see Nicky flirting with a man that the other
waitresses had excitedly identified as the star to a soap opera. The man was
leaning over to whisper something to Nicky and she giggled and whispered
something back to him.
Meanwhile
Katie was informing Paolo of her favorite drink that promised to make her “lose
all control”ose all control"f ck, laughing usly belonged to she dove to
hide her emotions from him. . Paolo nodded, but wasn’t listening and in an
instant was out of his chair and headed toward Nicky and the actor. Dejected,
Katie stopped mid-sentence and went to tend another table.
“Excuse me,
Nicky,” Paolo said.
“Wait your
turn!” She snarled in response.
“I have been waiting my turn patiently, but
you seem to have time for everyone else.”
The actor
turned to Paolo, “Can I help you?”
“No. You
cannot,” Paolo curtly dismissed him. “Cara, I must speak to you...alone.”
“Have a seat
Paolo. Katie’s helping you, remember?”
She headed
back toward the kitchen, pushing through the double doors, but Paolo followed.
She turned
and glared. “You know you aren’t supposed to be in here.”
The manager,
Maia, a no-nonsense New Yorker, stopped prepping plates. She placed a hand on
her hip and lifted an authoritative finger to the door. “Paolo, out! And please
stop harassing my servers.”
A waitress
with brown and purple hair said, “Oh come on Maia. Paolo can harass me
anytime.”
“Me too,”
Another waitress said.
Paolo
smirked and Nicky rolled her eyes.
A gay waiter
passed Paolo and checked out his body. “Oh yeah. Me three.”
The cook
placed two plates of Eggs Benedict under the heat lamps. Maia glanced at the
ticket. “Nicky, table three is up.” The manager pointed to the door that led
back into the dining room, “Paolo—Don’t make me eighty-six you.”
Paolo lifted
his hands in question. “Eighty-six?”
“Permanently
ban you from here,” Nicky said, flatly.
Offering an
apologetic shrug to the manager, Paolo exited. Maia waited for the double doors
to close and said, “Andrea, can you take out Nicky's order?”
“I can take
my own,” Nicky argued.
Maia placed
a hand on Nicky's shoulder and waited for Andrea to leave with the plates.
“What's
going on with you and Paolo?”
“NOTHING!”
Nicky bristled and then took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. “I'm
sorry, Maia, but I have no idea why he keeps bothering me.” She folded her arms
over her chest.
“He’s a good
customer, but if that were the case I would have eighty-sixed him long ago.”
“What are
you talking about? I swear I've never even gone out with him.”
“Maybe you
should.”
“What? I
wouldn't! He's a player. You saw how everyone in here was after him.”
“Yes, and I
also noticed that you are the only one that he's interested in,” Maia said.
“He's slept
with half the girls here.”
“Nah...”
Maia said patiently.
“Veronica
told me that her and her twin sister did a threesome with him.” Nicky rolled
her eyes. “Why would I even think twice about him after that?”
Maia took
Nicky's elbow and led her away from the line. “The reason is because Veronica
isn't capable of telling the truth about anything except the daily
specials...and she even has trouble with that. I'll bet Paolo doesn't even know
her name, let alone have a guess about her real bra size. Besides,” Maia paused
and raised a single brow, “by the way your face lights up when he comes in, I
suspect you feel more for him than you're willing to admit.”
At this
Nicky's jaw dropped in outrage. “Are we done?”
“I just
think you should see him...after hours.”
“I don't
want to see him at all.”
“Yeah, well
notify your face,” Maia said. “That's all. Just consider it.” Nicky walked
brusquely to the kitchen door as Maia finished, “It would sure make my life
simpler.”
It would make her life simpler, Nicky
thought, but what about the serious
complications it would add to mine?
Paolo was
calmly waiting as Nicky reentered the dining room. She again pushed past him
and he followed.
“You know
you’re getting me in trouble.” Nicky picked up some dirty dishes and dropped
off a check and was on her way back to the kitchen.
As she
passed him, he touched her arm. She froze, stunned by the electricity in his
touch and her eyes locked on his.
“It is
Christmas Eve. Cara, please give me a chance,” he said softly.
She worked
to break her eyes away from the pleading in his. “I can’t.” She paused. Lies
typically came easy to her anymore, but for some reason, not in this case and
she tapped her foot and squirmed with discomfort. “A few of the girls are
getting together tonight. I wouldn’t want to disappoint them.” Nicky nodded
toward Andrea and Katie and then lifted a suspicious eye. “I think Veronica's
going with us too.” She watched Paolo's face, but saw no recognition of the
name. She pulled away and hid in the kitchen.
It
was late afternoon when Sarabeth’s closed. Veronica and several other
waitresses, exited the dark restaurant onto the street aglow with Christmas
gaiety. They chatted excitedly about their plans.
Andrea,
the girl with the brown and purple hair turned to the back door of the
restaurant. “C’mon we're waiting for you!”
Nicky
and Katie exited the restaurant. Katie smiled broadly and tightened her scarf .
“I was afraid you were going to leave me behind,” she said, pushing her blonde
hair over her shoulder.
One
of the girls laughed. “Don't be silly! It's Christmas eve—and we're the A
Team!”
Nicky
kept her eyes down, avoiding any conversation. Alone, she walked down the snowy
street without so much as a wave good-bye.
Delia Colvin is a full-time novelist
and screenwriter who considers herself a gypsy. She has lived as far north as
Alaska, and as far east as Washington D.C. with many stops in between, but
considers Southern California her home.
She has worked as an Air Traffic
Controller, a Russian Interpreter, a barber and dozens of other occupations, as
well as numerous entrepreneurial ventures.
After a near-death experience a few
years ago, Delia committed to completing a first novel. Ten weeks later she had
the draft to a series and a year later, her first three novels hit the
bestsellers list.
"When you are too cowardly to
do what you love, you'll find a lot of other things you CAN do. It's facing
that fear and releasing my first novel that added joy and satisfaction to my
life."
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