"When good and evil collide what will happen?"
Reviewed by Laurie Simpson
Posted March 29, 2015
Romance Paranormal | Fantasy Urban
Katie is an ex-con. A thief....but like Robin Hood she
only
takes from the wolves in sheep's clothing to give back to
those in need, those who need protection from the wolves.
She will stop at nothing to protect those she loves. She
did not count on being witness to the forced supernatural
suicide of said wolf and certainly had no desire to be a
witness since she couldn't exactly explain her reason for
being there in the first place.
The Bound Ones are her only option. Half angel assassin
warriors banded together to protect the innocent from the
dark, evil paranormal forces with no regard for human
life. Cain's loyalty is to his family only. His
protection is for his adopted brothers and fallen angel
father. Enter Katie, a pain from the start, turning his
world upside down. Katie reluctantly meets with the
Nephilim and to her surprise sees the face of the man
responsible for the death! Cain can only come to the
realization that his twin brother Abel who died...is alive
and out for revenge. The two must not only come together
to battle Abel and his "Renegades" but for trust and
ultimately their hearts.
ANGEL KIN is a mythological journey where good and evil
collide and an even greater evil is coming. Tricia Skinner
creates an extraordinary urban fantasy world of where
blood is not always thicker than water. Loyalty and love
are always at the forefront even in a paranormal world.
The Bound Ones have only started and I can't wait to see
what Tricia Skinner has in store for the rest of our
heroes.....and maybe a villain or two that I may or may
not
secretly be rooting for!
SUMMARY
While channeling Robin Hood's "steal from the rich and
give
to the poor" attitude at a local politician's house, ex-
con
Katie Logan witnesses a forced suicide. Dirty or not,
supernatural or not, he didn't deserve to die, especially
not by his own hand. But with her record, stepping
forward
as a witness isn't an option. On the run from the police
and
the murderer, she turns to The Bound Ones for help. When a beautiful woman comes to The Bound Ones, half-
angel
assassin Cain is immediately drawn to her. But when she
fingers him as the killer, he can come to only one
conclusion. The twin he thought was dead is very much
alive...and trying to send him a message. Unfortunately,
that message is: "You're next." It's a race against time as Cain fights to save the woman
he's falling in love with before his brother Abel
destroys
them both.
ExcerptKatie gawked at the OPEN sign flashing above the motel
office. A light drizzle pelted her skin, but she was too
dumbstruck to care.
The parking lot was half-empty, which was probably why
Cain had chosen this hole-in-the-wall instead of a
respectable place. The Quick Stop Inn on Harper Avenue
exuded a grimy, smelly, no-tell vibe. The type of
establishment frequented by down-on-their-luck gamblers
and now, a Nephilim assassin and an ex-burglar on the
run.
“Seriously?” She turned pleading eyes on her protector.
This was not the rescue she’d imagined. Her idea had them
pulling a James Bond à la Casino Royale—or staying in
three-star accommodations at worst. The Quick Stop would
only earn a star if it stole one. “I wouldn’t let a stray
cat stay here.”
“It’s only temporary,” Cain said without a hint of humor.
One eyebrow rose and he stared at her. That’s all. Just
stared.
Damn his half-angel and half-human genes.
Cain had good looks to spare, which thousands, or maybe
millions, of TV viewers had probably seen by now. After
one last glare at her budget-conscious bodyguard, she
slammed the car door and stomped away from the side
street where he’d parked.
A bulletproof glass as thick as her thumb separated her
from the plump clerk on the other side. She cleared her
throat to draw his attention from his magazine, but the
guy didn’t look up.
“By state law, I gotta tell ya no alcohol or drugs
allowed on the property.”
A security camera in the corner caught her attention. She
bowed her head and flipped the collar of her jacket.
“Forty for two hours,” the bored clerk told her.
Embarrassment lit a trail of heat from her chest to her
hairline; the jackass probably thought she was a hooker,
or having an affair. Why else would any woman be in a
place like this? The money Cain had given her bulged her
pocket. She withdrew enough for several hours in Motel
Hell and shoved it into the drawer. A few seconds later,
a single key clanked on the bottom of the drawer before
he pushed it toward her.
“Phone calls are extra and gotta be paid when ya return
the key.” The guy flipped a page, conversation over.
She marched away in search of Room 13. Tucked at the far
end of the lot, Katie didn’t turn to check if Cain had
followed. He would. She fumbled with the lock until the
door opened.
“This is so uncool.”
Posters of forest landscapes were thumbtacked to the walls of the motel room. The lone bed
had a folded, fuzzy, green blanket, but the white sheet
spread across the mattress had a bright bleached look.
The bed appeared better than expected, thank God.
Katie closed the door but kept it unlocked. The stench of
mold tickled her nose. Crossing the threadbare brown
carpet, she followed the smell to the bathroom where she
flipped on the light. The lime-green interior would be
right at home in a slasher flick. Chipped tiles along the
shower and sink, rust stains around the drains, and a
plunger next to the toilet.
“Charming.”
“Here,” Cain said from behind her.
She spun and caught the bundle he’d tossed. “What? HAZMAT
suits too expensive?”
“The sheets look clean. My blanket’s enough.”
Katie warily eyed the bundle. “I should have updated my
shots, just in case.”
Cain laughed, a sexy burr of amusement that tingled her
toes and completely caught her off guard. She took in his
masculine profile and reality sank in—they were supposed
to share the room. Her previously calm breathing hitched
in her throat.
“What’s wrong?” Cain crossed the short distance and
grasped her shoulder.
“So, how long are we, uh, staying here?”
Gleaming eyes fastened on her. “Eager to be rid of me?”
Her mouth plopped open. And damn her blood for choosing
that moment to rush to her face in a hot flash. Cain
moved closer, just enough that his scent wafted tendrils
around her. It would be easy to toss the blanket and
launch into his arms.
“Get some rest.” He tugged the bundle from her and walked
to the bed. “You look like you need it.”
The moment they’d shared poofed. She rubbed the shoulder
he’d touched. If he could act like this was another day
on the job, then she could drop a filter over her
hormones.
First, Cain checked the room’s double window and the
flimsy front door, then threw the motel blanket on the
brown carpet. He smoothed his hands across the sheets and
lifted the mattress. He let it go and unrolled his
blanket, tucking the corners.
“Should be fine now.”
Her mind felt miles away. “Will it be? Fine?”
He removed his jacket and pulled one of his guns from the
holster. The magazine shot into his hand before he
slammed it back. “As soon as I find Abel your life will
go back to normal.”
Katie huffed a half laugh. Normal sounded like a dream.
“I—”
Cain paused his movements. “You what?”
“I wish I knew how to help you.”
“Well you can’t.”
She snapped her gaze to his stony face. “Would it hurt to
pretend I just showed some compassion for you? You could
at least act like you’d considered my words.”
“Let’s analyze your sweet wish, little burglar. I’m an
assassin, which translates to I kill people.” The half
angel folded his arms and left no doubt about the
arrogance on his face. “Sorry if the facts sting, but you
can’t fight like I can. You can’t do what needs to be
done.”
Infuriating, arrogant, and stubborn was not a good look
on him. Katie mimicked his posture and crossed her arms.
“Tell me, Mr. Super Assassin, are you sure those
legendary fighting skills you claim to have will work
when you’re face-to-face with Abel?”
“You think I’ll run from the fight?” A growl slipped
through his gritted teeth.
“That’s not what I meant. I want to know if you can”— she
raised her fingers in air quotes— “do what needs to be
done, when your opponent is your own brother?”
Cain pressed his lips together, and she dove into the
void left by his hesitation.
“Family is about love, but it’s also about a shitload of
pain.” Katie expelled a slow breath. “When you face off
with your twin, the end result will stay with you.”
“Abel’s my blood, but he’s done wrong. I’ll deal.”
Katie tossed her hands up. “Say you’re standing near Abel
and he’s got a gun pointed at some poor schmuck’s head.
What are you going to do? You’d have to decide whether or
not your brother is more important, or that innocent
life.”
He clawed his fingers through his hair. “I’d never allow
him to harm a soul in my presence. I will stop my
brother, but don’t tell me my only option is to kill
him.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that.” Exhausted, she sank
onto the edge of the mattress. “I truly do.”
“Ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath.
She shot up from the bed, ready to tell him exactly where
he could shove his tough act, but Cain’s hand caught her
wrist. They stared into each other’s eyes, but the
emotions passing over his face cranked her heartbeat.
“Let. Go.” She jerked her arm, but his grip held.
“You should thank me for my honesty. An angel, even an
impure abomination like me, could kill you before you
could react. No more wishing you could help me. I don’t
want to see you hurt.”
“So we’re clear, if I wasn’t dealing with mind-
controlling giants, I could hold my own in a fight,” she
said.
Cain’s expression darkened. “Could you? I wonder.”
The Nephilim brought her crashing down onto the mattress,
and Katie yelped. She thrashed under his heavy weight.
“Overpowered by a body, not mind control,” he said as his
breath fanned her skin. “Your nonassassin skills are
sadly lacking.”
He pinned her wrists above her head, leaving her body
flush against his. Katie wiggled and tugged, but Cain had
the advantage of position and strength. She stopped her
frantic movements. Only one option left—surprise.
She molded her lips over his, the pressure so heavy and
intense she could only moan breathlessly into his mouth.
The warmth of her tongue touched his, drawing her nerves
guitar-string tight.
The grip on her wrists loosened, and Katie raised her
hands until her fingers slid into the thickness of his
hair. She arched her body and his wide palm cupped her
back. Distracting Cain to throw him off took a back seat,
replaced by instinctual need pounding deep within her
belly and ricocheting between her legs.
Cain’s tongue continued a slow exploration of her mouth,
lapping the depths, erotic as hell. Her trembling fingers
brushed the expanse of his shoulders, his firm muscles
jolting the tips as they passed over. Filled with
untethered boldness, she ran light touches down the
ridges of his firm pectorals. When her thumb flicked a
pebble-hard nipple, her bodyguard growled.
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