Page 93 of Shifting Hearts 1
Running After You: Cinnamon Roll Saviors
Smut Lovers Anthology
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cristina Lollabrigida specializes in cultivating books that are a tantalizing blend of emotion and blazing chemistry that leave readers thirsting for more. Watch out for her dirty talking, morally gray men who will do anything for the one they love. Buckle up for an unpredictable ride and expect to be thrown off many cliffs before reaching the HEA. Originally from Chicago, Cristina is acountrygirl at heart. When she's not writing, she's an avid reader and has created Sims characters from her favorite stories.
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BLURB
Ten years ago, Alpha Lucian shattered Emilia’s heart with a single, brutal rejection. Half-witch, half-wolf, she was never meant to survive the bond they shared—yet she did. Scared but stronger, she built a quiet life in Crystal Falls, hiding her magic behind tarot cards and whispered spells.
But fate doesn’t forget. When a rogue murderer drags Lucian back into her world, the tether between them snaps tight, burning hotter than ever. The mate who once cast her aside now needs her help to hunt a killer. And Emilia? She’ll do anything to keep him from tearing down the fragile life she’s built… even if it means standing at his side again.
Together, they uncover a threat older than wolf or witch - a summoner raising corrupted beasts with forbidden soul magic. The deeper they dig, the clearer it becomes: this enemy isn’t just after Lucian’s territory. It’s afterthem.
Bound by blood. Bound by magic. Bound by a bond neither of them can outrun.
Torn between survival and surrender, Emilia must decide if she can trust the alpha who broke her… or risk losing him forever.
For everyone who has ever been told they were “too much” or “not enough.”
May you find the fire in your scars, the magic in your bones, and the courage to choose love even when it’s terrifying.
ONE
Shadows in the Cards
Emilia
The cards never lie. They twist truths, speak in riddles, and veil their meanings in smoke and symbols, but they never lie. Never.
I run my fingers over the edge of the worn deck. It’s an old one—cracked edges, burn marks on the High Priestess, the kind of deck that has teeth. I’ve used it only once before, years ago. The last time I thought I might lose myself. Tonight feels the same as it did all those years ago and I know I have no choice.
I light a single tapered black candle and let the flame dance in the mirror behind it. Incense curls in the air like a serpent, mug wort, sage, and just a pinch of wolfsbane. I’m not casting a circle and I’m not summoning spirits. This is just for me. A private reading.
And I already know I’m going to regret it. Not that the growing feeling of foreboding stops me. I shuffle the deck, and the cards groan like old bones.
“Don’t lie to me,” I whisper. “Don’t show me what I want. Show me the truth.” The first card drops.
The Moon.Illusions. Secrets. Hidden things creeping to the surface. It’s always the Moon with me. She follows me like a curse.
