Twist of Fate (MF)
Damaged Heroes 5

Professional Reviews

5 STARS: "Ms. James has penned yet another story in the Damaged Heroes series that immediately pulls you into the storyline. You helplessly fall in love with both Susan and James Williams as you become more engrossed in the story. What I especially loved about this one was not only did it have paranormal elements throughout, but also this had a historical time travel theme introduced to us in which the other books in this series didn’t have. Ms James is one author who never disappoints with her creative storylines and her well-rounded, very believable characters. If this is the first story you read by Ms. James, I assure you that it won’t be your last. She’s definitely worth adding to your favorite author list. But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself how talented she is by picking up one of her books. I bet you’ll be just as hooked as I am!" -- Diana Coyle, Night Owl Reviews

Excerpt

STORY EXCERPT

Susan let her temper get the better of her. “You think I don’t know my destiny?” she whispered back, knowing James could hear but hoping the others couldn’t. “I have two kids and a husband. I’ll be cooking, cleaning, and taking care of all of you until they leave me behind. I’ll have to teach until I’m sixty-five, then the boss will hand me a gold plaque and show me the door. My boring destiny’s set, rock or no stupid rock. My dreary life’s already laid out, and it’s not a pretty picture.”

Good God, where had that come from? There were students nearby for pity’s sake, and she was whining about her personal life.

“Yeah? Well, let me tell you something, babe. My life is pretty well etched in stone too.” He snorted a sardonic laugh. “If you’ll forgive the pun. You know, I’ll be forty next week. Freakin’ forty, and it’s all downhill from there.” James nodded at the boulder. “Maybe the ‘Stone of Destiny’ can give me something to look forward to. Something good to look forward to.”

He might as well have slapped her. It would have hurt less. “You think empty nest is gonna be a blast for me, James? Once Lynne and John are gone, who will I have? Who will care about me?” She waited for him to say something kind and comforting. Something about how they would have each other. Something about how much he still cared for her. But he just stood there in that infuriatingly stoic way of his. Damn, but she wanted kick him. Hard.

“Well?” she prodded, loud enough he actually flinched. Then he shook his stubborn head. Tears sprang in her eyes and started to spill over her lashes. “You can be such a horse’s ass. You know that?”

His exaggerated shrug almost pushed her over the edge. “I guess that’s the kind of thing that kept me from getting a really good wife.”

That god-awful dry sense of humor.

Opening her mouth, she formed a sarcastic retort before realizing the kids might have been listening. Thank the Lord, they were enraptured by the guide’s story and not paying any attention to the old folks squabbling in the background.

Harry favored Susan with a toothy grin she now realized held wisdom behind it. “C’mon up here, Miz Williams, Mister Williams.” His hand beckoned, calling them to where he stood. “You come touch the stone. You come find your destiny.”

Susan figured she owed him a little bit of cooperation. Not that she believed a word of that legend nonsense. Reaching for James’s hand, she dragged him with her toward the stone. “James, please.”

He threw her a heavy sigh before he complied.

“That’s it,” Harry said. “Come on up here, folks. Come touch the stone.”

James withdrew his hand from Susan’s and circled to the opposite side of the boulder. He leveled a hard stare at her, one that piqued her already bad humor. Before she could say a word, a noise startled her.

A hum. It started out as an annoying hum, like radio static or a swarm of cicadas. The sound quickly scattered her thoughts, sending them tumbling like autumn leaves on a windy day. Steadily increasing in volume, the noise whirled and twirled in her head. Then suddenly, there were voices.

Your destiny, they whispered as a chorus in her mind. Find your destiny.

Shit. I’ve gone schizophrenic, right here in the middle of the stupid history museum. A history teacher’s version of a nervous breakdown.

The whispers became louder. Come with us. Come to us.

Squeezing her eyes shut, her hands flew to her ears as the sounds drowned out everything around her.

Now! Come to us now!

Susan didn’t want to listen to the frightening voices. Where was James? She needed James.

She opened her eyes, searching desperately for her husband. The museum had vanished. There was nothing but her and James and the damned boulder, all bathed in a nearly blinding white light. Wind started to whip around them, ruffling her hair and clothes and knocking her purse from her shoulder. She let the heavy thing drop to the floor without a fight. Wind, hell it was a hurricane. In the middle of the museum? Her eyes wouldn’t focus well, but she could see the hazy shape of James reaching out for her. “Make it stop, James. Please.”

“Susan!” His voice barely rose above the eerie voices and the sound of the wind. His hand was there, just out of her reach. She stretched out her arm, trying to grasp him, needing to grasp him. “Take my hand, babe!”

Suddenly Harry was there, standing between them. “It’s time.” He grabbed both of their hands, smiled, and then slapped their palms to the rock.