So, let’s talk about the villain of this story: Gregor.
He was first presented in “Blind Devotion,” and at that time, I didn’t know how much of a role he would eventually play as the series rolled out. With every entry, he became more complex and scarier in his complete devotion to the main series villain, Arcas. Then I got to dive into his point of view, and let me tell you, that is an experience. He’s been with Arcas the longest, and was one of the first recruits into the Knights of Dawn. He’s Arcas’s lover and right-hand man, his commander, his boots on the ground. Gregor takes that seriously and is determined never to fail the man he believes to be an actual god. The true god.
I think this book has the most time spent in his point of view as he chases Raphael and Ahmes, determined to collect Raphael’s blood for a spell that Arcas needs to cast. I took my time with his scenes, wanting to add more depth to him but also display the quiet madness of his devotion. He believes with all his heart that what he’s doing is right and that Arcas will be victorious in the end. I pity him, actually. His mind has been so warped by Arcas that pleasing him is Gregor’s only purpose in life.
And yet, I have to say, that playing the villain is loads of fun. The cruel things he does without guilt or remorse are quite astounding. He has emotions, he has a heart, but they are centered around his god and doing whatever is necessary to help Arcas succeed in his great plan. We get a dose of that in “Shifting Moon,” (book 10) when he kidnaps Brian and uses him as bait.
I find Gregor intriguing because while he’s a fanatic, he’s not crazy. He’s not unhinged like many of the knights. He’s a focused, deadly soldier. He believes he’s in a war and that what he’s doing is right and the only way to save humanity. He truly believes everything will be better when Arcas rules as a god and all shifters are eliminated. It’s not hate that drives him, as it does for many other knights, it’s love. For Arcas. That’s why he stands out and rarely makes rash decisions. But he’s also human and makes mistakes.
And one mistake in “Red Sun” almost proves his undoing….
The Shifter Chronicles 1-14 (plus short story sequels) are available for purchase at Amazon (also in print!) and Smashwords. I have a newsletter that I send out monthly with all the goodies you can expect in the future. That’s the best way to find out about my current and future projects. Also, you can check out the first three chapters of “Red Sun” on my blog if you’re curious and unsure if you want to commit!
For fans of The Stones of Power series, book 8, “Sapphire: Home and Abroad” is due out in June 2022. Keep your eyes peeled for that! I’m also working diligently on the third book in Saga of the Bold People, “Resistance.”
I am booked (pun intended) solid this year, working on the next shifter book, the next stones book, a couple single titles, and the next On Wings Saga book. Wish me luck!
More information on my catalog can be found at my website.
I hope you stay safe and healthy, and may dragons guard your dreams,
M.D. Grimm
Raphael is no ordinary wolf shifter.
Raphael knows he must be possessed by a demon. What else could explain the aggression, the physical, beastly transformations? To protect himself and others, his father locks him away. But when Raphael is nineteen, the demon gains full control and breaks free. Now Raphael is scared and desperate on the streets of El Paso, Texas, convinced he’s cursed. Then a stray cat enters his life and everything changes.
Ahmes is a cat shifter and knows there’s something off about the young shifter he’s encountered. It soon becomes apparent that the young man doesn’t know what he is, and Ahmes is determined to help and care for him. But gaining the trust of not only the fearsome wolf but the scared young man will take all his persistence.
Friendship, and the potential for more, grows between them as they travel to Haven, Montana—a town founded by shifters, for shifters, and home to a specialized counseling center, one that can help Raphael understand and accept who and what he truly is.
If that wasn’t enough, on their trail is the last person either expected—Gregor Whitefield, the commander of the Knights of the Dawn, which is an organization bent on the eradication of shapeshifters. Gregor enjoys the thrill of the hunt, determined to collect the unique blood that is crucial to Arcas’s great plan.
Raphael’s blood.
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He’d killed them.
He’d killed them.
Not only was he possessed by a beast but now he was a murderer.
God help me!
Disoriented, Raphael looked around. He didn’t know where he was. It was too dark for him to recognize any structures, and he was too weak to investigate further. Dizzy, he lay down and curled into the fetal position, the blood drying on his skin. Not for the first time, he wondered if he should end it all. But then he would be damned to hell. He was Catholic and that just wasn’t something he would do. There must be another solution.
“Can I go home now?” he whispered, shivering.
The angry growl made him cry.
“I hate you.”
A mournful howl echoed in his mind and he prevented himself from releasing it into the darkness by clenching his jaw.
It was dawn when Raphael woke, surprised he’d managed to sleep. He sat up and cringed at the gore covering him. He didn’t consider it too closely and ignored his small pool of vomit. He needed to get clothes and clean up without being noticed. He realized he was in a narrow alleyway, and from the smell emanating from the dumpster, he guessed the buildings were restaurants.
A soft sound caught his attention, and he blinked at the large cat staring at him. His eyes widened. That was one big housecat. And so beautiful! This one was hefty, but slinky with big ears and equally big green eyes. As the sun rose steadily, he could see the cat had silver, black-spotted fur.
“Wow,” he whispered.
The cat sat staring at him for a long, poignant moment before stepping closer.
“Hey kitty,” Raphael said. He lowered his hand cautiously and held it out for the cat to inspect.
Upon seeing it, he winced, once again reminded what the beast had done. Blood was caked on his arm and under his fingernails. The cat paused and stretched his neck forward, sniffing at his fingers. Then he jerked back as if punched and hissed, showing small pointy teeth.
Raphael flinched and huddled tighter into himself. “I won’t hurt you.” Tears choked his words. “Non sono un mostro. I swear to God I’m not a monster.”
Overcome, Raphael sobbed, face pressed against his knees. Not even a cat trusted him! Why was he being punished? What had he done to earn God’s wrath? Why was he cursed?
It was a long moment before soft fur touched his arm, accompanied by a deep purr like a well-tuned engine. He lifted his head and realized the cat was rubbing his head against his arm. Raphael sniffed, reached over and scratched the cat’s head. The cat arched into the touch, still purring.
“You’re a good kitty,” he said with a wobbly smile. “You’re a pretty kitty.”
The cat regarded him with those hypnotic eyes, whiskers twitching. Such intelligence in his gaze.
“I’m not bad, you know?” he said. “I can’t be all bad if you don’t hate me.”
The cat set his front paws on Raphael’s thigh and lifted himself up until their faces were level. Then the cat leaned forward and surprised Raphael by licking the tip of his nose with his rough tongue. Raphael jerked with a watery laugh.
“Whoa, what was that for?”
The purring continued as the cat climbed into Raphael lap and settled there, his body heat a wonderful thing. Raphael resituated himself, taking care of his genitals, before wrapping his arms around the cat, taking comfort from his warmth and gentleness.
As the sun rose higher and the day grew warmer, Raphael was surprised to realize the beast didn’t mind the cat in the least. Not a snarl or growl came from the monster inside him. It seemed to hate humans but the cat had apparently earned its approval. Whatever the reason, Raphael was grateful. He didn’t want to hurt this cat. He didn’t want to harm anyone else.
“I won’t hurt you,” he whispered in Italian into the cat’s fur. “I promise I won’t hurt you.”
It wasn’t long before his protesting stomach could no longer be ignored. Raphael set the cat aside and approached the dumpster, aware of his nakedness. He lifted the lid and breathed through his mouth. The rising heat of the day did the garbage no favors. He’d be lucky if he didn’t get horribly ill from whatever was in there.
“Meow!”
The sharp sound caused Raphael to jump along with his heart. He swung his head around to stare at the cat as it gazed at him with apparent disapproval. And why did the feline’s eyes appear to be glowing? Must’ve been the sunlight.
“What? I have to eat something. I can’t catch birds and mice like you can. If you’re hungry, go do that.”
The cat flicked his tail, sitting with an air of royalty.
Raphael picked through the garbage, distressed to find nothing remotely worth the risk to eat. Sighing, he lowered the dumpster lid and rubbed his stomach.
“This is your fault, beast,” he whispered. “Are you trying to kill us?”
The beast snarled.
Raphael scowled.
The cat bumped against his leg, distracting him. Blood transferred to the cat’s pristine fur, and Raphael loathed to see it.
“Stop that.” He stepped away. “You’re getting my grossness on you.”
Determined, the cat trotted over to him and continued to rub himself against his legs.
“Il gatto pazzo. That’s what you are.”
Noise near the mouth of the alley had Raphael scrambling behind the dumpster. The cat followed him. He squeezed the cat in his arms, his heart racing. He didn’t want to hurt anyone else.
Behave yourself! he told the beast silently.
It growled.
M.D. Grimm decided to become an author in the second grade (kind of young to make life decisions, but whatever) and nothing has changed since then (well, plenty of things, actually, but not that!). Thankfully, she has indulgent parents who let her dream, but also made sure she understood she’d need a steady job to pay the bills (they never let her forget it!).
After graduating from the University of Oregon and majoring in English (let’s be honest: useless degree, what else was she going to do with it?), she started on her writing career and couldn’t be happier.
Working by day and writing by night (or any spare time she can carve out), she enjoys embarking on romantic quests and daring adventures (living vicariously, you could say) and creating characters that always triumph against the villain (or else what’s the point?), finding their soul mate in the process.
Author Website: https://www.mdgrimmwrites.com
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