Justice (A Shadows End Novel Book 1)

by Kathie Montefiore

Genres: Shifters; paranormal romance shapeshifter

Synopsis

Judge. Jury. Executioner.

Justice White, a newly qualified criminal lawyer, has always fought for what is right, but a letter from her dead mother turns her world upside down. Discovering she is the human incarnate of Themis, the goddess of justice, she has been tasked with weighing the hearts of criminal supernaturals and shifters.

Weird things start happening. Her eyes change color. She can see auras. Then she acquires powers to die for, and her hot, but hostile neighbor, Slade Alexander, turns out to be her Guardian.

Now she must make a choice, just like the tarot card predicted. She must choose between the legal career she has worked so hard to achieve or fighting injustice in a world she never knew existed.

Does she continue to live the life she has or the one she’s destined for?

Release date: September 2, 2025

Publisher: K. A. Montefiore

Content advisory: Open door sex scenes

Sample

The awful smell woke me. Not the rough, leathery palm over my mouth or the sharp claws pricking my cheeks. Burning rubber, pungent vomit and cloying sulfur. Three black shapes circled my bed, menace in their crimson-red eyes. The fourth had clamped one hand against my mouth, and its other held my arm in an iron grip. Two clenched each ankle tight, the third my arm. Their sharp claws dug deep into my skin as they dragged me from my bed and across the room. I kicked out, scissoring my legs. They were immovable. Wisps of gray smoke rose from my limbs, and I gagged on the smell of burning flesh. Against the night light in the small hallway, I caught glimpses of scorch marks on tomato red skin, and my muffled sob rattled the quiet. Their grips tightened as they dragged me down the stairs. Wetness streamed down my cheeks as I writhed and squirmed. The bite of adrenaline pumped through my body, and I let my body go slack for a moment, making them stumble. Despite my fear, I closed my eyes and gathered my strength. I knew one thing. When I reached the front door, it was over. My stomach contracted, and the overwhelming urge to vomit climbed up my throat. My head fell back, unable to fight the urge to scream, but a huge black fist prevented my howl. I kicked out again and threw my shoulders at the floor. The motion loosened the creature’s headlock, and my mouth opened enough for me to bellow. As soon as the sound burst out, yellow streams of light shot from my hands and feet. The disgusting monsters whipped their claws away. I fell, cracking my head against the floorboards. My vision blurred, and I retched, the bile leaving a sour taste in my mouth. A crash filled the room, and I squinted through the pain at my open front door. A short figure stood at the entrance. Despite the blurriness, I could make out the outline of a larger shape filling the doorway. Both moved toward the snarling creatures. Still dazed, I pushed myself along the floor, my hands and feet sliding from my bleeding ankles and wrists. I hit a solid surface, but I couldn’t get enough traction to get away. Distracted by the wetness trickling down my neck, I swiped at it. Dark fluid smeared my fingers, and the unmistakable smell of copper filled the air. The streetlight highlighted my palm prints, painting the wooden floorboards. I shuddered. You can do this. Keep going. The room echoed with grunts, snarls, and thuds. I slid along the floor until I felt the edge of the kitchen doorway, took a deep breath and crawled around the corner. A piercing shriek assaulted my ears. My escape attempt had not gone unnoticed, but hopefully, they were busy with the strangers. Reaching the kitchen counter, I hauled myself up, holding back my gasps at the stabbing pains in my legs. I grabbed two of my sharpest kitchen knives and dragged myself back into the hallway. Two monsters had disappeared. I shuffled over to the nearest one and thrust the knife into the monster’s back. It didn’t react, still engaged with its tall combatant. I aimed for its head, and the knives connected without a sound. I gripped their handles, but I couldn’t pull them out. Its head turned one hundred and eighty degrees, and its jaw opened to a mouth filled with triple rows of long, pointed spikes. Dread and horror rippled through me, and I stumbled back, terrified, my palms empty. The monster followed, its red eyes gleaming as it turned its full attention to me rather than its opponent. I whimpered, not knowing what to do. The creature didn’t blink, its burning gaze fixed as its mouth widened to the size of a human body. A hard shove from my left pushed me into the hall table, my elbows and knees knocking against its legs, and I hit the floor. The creature turned its attention to my tall rescuer. I used the distraction to pull myself up, clawing at the smooth surface of the table until I found its edge. The same pungent smell filled the air, so revolting I retched, and lost my grip. My legs slid out from under me, and my head hit the floor with another sharp crack. Everything went black. When I opened my eyes, my rescuers, encased in black from head to toe, were standing over me. My head throbbed, and wetness trickled down my face. But the monsters were nowhere in sight. The shorter one kneeled next to me and looked over my body with a practised eye, her voice calming me in an instant. “She’ll heal.” Female. As I processed this thought, waves of calm emanated from the woman as she inspected my wrists, then gestured to the other. Large, warm hands wrapped around my ankles. “Hey!” I kicked out, but my attempts were feeble. Maybe I’d lost more blood than I thought. A deep growl erupted from her offsider. Male. She raised her black-gloved palm. “It’s okay, Justice. Stay still.” I closed my eyes, my brain failing to make sense of what’s happened. They both made disgruntled sounds as they ran their hands over the rest of my body. Ice-cold pain stabbed at each ankle and wrist. My eyes popped open, and I glared at them. “What the hell?” “Stop talking.” A large, firm hand lowered my lids, the touch soft. “Go to sleep.” Gentle waves of heat slid through me like warm caramel. “You’re safe now.”