When you absolutely have to know…
Grayson Muir is a know-it-all. No, seriously…he really does know it all. The strength of his abilities has him rumored to be the most powerful Oracle in the world. Gray couldn’t care less. All his life, Gray has played by his own rules. Whether through his own private clients or his work with the police, his only goal has been to use his gift to help as many people and paras as he can. With abilities like Gray’s, he doesn’t have time for any distractions.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what he gets when Andreo Demos, a six-hundred-year-old Lust Demon, pays him an unexpected visit. Dreo has been sent by the Demon Council with an appeal for assistance. The Lord of the Underworld has been murdered, the Demon kingdom has been thrown into chaos and Gray’s help is needed to identify the murderer.
Gray has his doubts. Demons don’t have the best reputations, after all. Still, despite his reservations, there is something about Dreo that calls to him. Whether it’s his dark good looks or the startling knowledge that Dreo believes they are destined mates, Gray can’t help but agree to offer his assistance.
Unfortunately, their road to happiness isn’t destined to be an easy one. Between court intrigue, their own unexpected mating and a murderer still on the loose, they are definitely going to have their work cut out for them. What are the chances, they’ll get their happy ending? Ask the Oracle.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of violence and non-consensual touching.
Publisher's Note: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.
General Release Date: 2nd May 2014
Grayson Muir sat calmly at his desk, waiting for the interrogation to begin. With a police detective present, it was never long before the questions and accusations started to fly. There was always the initial disbelief. Thankfully, most got over it fairly quick, then the grilling began.
“How long are you going to waste my time?” Hands fisted and jaw clenched, the man sitting across the desk from him was definitely pissed off.
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t know what bullshit story you sold to my captain but it was enough for him to order me down here. Personally, I don’t have time for this shit. I’ve got a missing five-year-old girl to find and the clock is ticking. Every second I’m stuck here with you is another second the bastard who took her has to hurt her. I promised her parents I would get her back and I intend to keep that promise. Now,” he growled, pushing back from Gray’s desk, “if you don’t mind, I’ve got real work to do.”
“I know where she is.”
The detective froze. “What?”
“The little girl—Maddie Thompson, right? I know where she is. I can help you.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” the detective scoffed. “You’re trying to tell me that you know where Maddie Thompson is?”
“Yes, Detective. That is exactly what I’m telling you.” When the older man continued to glare skeptically at him, Gray flashed him an understanding smile.
“What the fuck? Are you sure?” the detective barked, his round face flushed, his tone edging in on belligerent.
Gray bit back a laugh. It was often one of the first questions asked, and always the biggest waste of time. He was an Oracle, so of course he was sure. He understood why some were hesitant to believe. He was about as far from the stereotypical image of an Oracle as you could get. Public consensus still thought of Oracles as seventy-year-old, hunchbacked old ladies who spent their days darning socks and drinking tea. For most, the idea that a twenty-five-year-old, six-foot tall, one-hundred-eighty-pound man could be a powerful Oracle was laughable. Add to that his dark hair, emerald-green eyes and movie star good looks, and it was hard to get anyone to take him seriously on their first meeting. Thankfully, that opinion didn’t last long once they’d had a chance to watch him work. If the detective had been one of his regulars, he would have known better, but since he was new, Gray decided it was only fair to cut him some slack.
“Yes, Detective Branson,” Gray answered patiently. “I’m sure. You’ll find the girl in a small white house just off Monroe Street. She’s safe at the moment. The men who took her won’t be back for a few hours, so I recommend retrieving her soon.”
The detective continued to stare at him, brows furrowed, his lips pulled down into a frown.
Gray sighed. There were always a few hard sells. “If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll write down the address and a description of the kidnappers to aid your investigation.”
Detective Branson still looked hesitant, but finally gave a nod of approval. His glare never wavered as Gray wrote down the information and handed it over. The detective scanned the sheet before looking back to him, his eyes wide.
“How could you possibly know this?” Branson’s expression still held its hard edge, but a hint of bewilderment had begun to creep in.
“I’m an Oracle, Detective. I usually know a lot more than I would like to.” Gray felt a bit of pity for the man as he watched the detective’s eyes narrow in confusion. While there were many people who looked to Oracles with a near god-like idolisation, for some, the idea of an all-knowing Oracle was too much to comprehend. Detective Branson was definitely one of the latter.
Taking pity on the man, Gray stood. “You should get going, Detective. It will be better for the girl if she is recovered while the men are gone. There is a small window of time. I recommend you take advantage of it.” He came around the side of his desk and gestured to the door.
Hesitantly, the detective rose from his seat and followed Gray’s lead. He was about to step through the doorway when he switched gears and came to an abrupt stop. When he turned back to face Gray, there was a question clearly written on his face.
Gray smiled reassuringly. “She’ll be fine, Detective. At the moment, she’s scared but undamaged. If you go to her now, you’ll have her back before any serious harm befalls her.”
It took a moment, but the detective’s expression finally cleared with the understanding Gray’s words conveyed. Determination replaced his previous confusion.
“Thank you for your help, Mr Muir. I won’t pretend to understand how you know the things you do, but at this point I have to take a chance and believe you. I just hope you’re right. It’s time Maddie was back home with her family. I’ll send word on how everything turns out.”
With his shoulders back and his head held high, Detective Branson looked like a man ready to march into battle. The stern expression on the older man’s face didn’t fool Gray for a minute, but he’d let the man keep his illusions. Long ago, Gray had made it a point of practice to use his gift to evaluate all of the men and women he worked with. Some might call it an invasion of privacy. Gray thought of it as plain old common sense. While his gift could be a powerful tool for good, its lure for evil was just as strong. He had to be sure that he could trust those he worked with, both on the police force and in the private sector. Based on that evaluation, he knew the detective was one of the good guys. Despite his surly personality, Gray had never met a man who cared more deeply for the people of their city than Detective Dave Branson. Smiling softly, he offered the detective a hand, which the stern man readily accepted.
“I’d appreciate that, Detective. If there’s anything else I can do to help with the investigation, don’t hesitate to call. My assistant has already been informed that until this case is officially closed, it is my top priority and that you are to be immediately connected to my direct line.”
Gray was a firm believer in seeing things through till the end. With his police consulting jobs, that philosophy was even more important. Cases involving children always touched close to his heart. There was no way he could walk away until he was sure he had done everything in his power to ensure the best possible ending.
Born and raised in Western Michigan, JJ Black's love affair with books started young and has only grown with age. Always a fan of supernatural fiction and romance, JJ stumbled across the M/M genre and has never looked back.
JJ loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at: jjblack_books@yahoo.com
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