DESCENDED ~ JETT by Dana Pratola

SOME SAY HE’S A CULT LEADER. OTHERS SAY HE’S NOT HUMAN. One thing is certain ~ Jett Cestone is an enigma with a disconcerting connection to the young women in his employ. When the reclusive billionaire takes an interest in Haven’s painting, she wants to believe it’s an answer to prayer, but what if her father is right? What if he’s dangerous?

Haven is the most interesting woman to ever cross Jett’s path. But being as naïve and pure as she is, he can’t have her learning what goes on in his home, or his connection to sex trafficking. That would be bad enough, but she would never accept him if she knew of his abilities, and that his life is much more paranormal than normal. He has to keep her at a distance, even though she’s living in his home. Too bad he wants her more than he’s wanted anyone or anything in his life.

What readers are saying about the Descended Series:
“Jane Eyre meets Batman!”
“Romantic Suspense at its finest.”
“Who doesn’t appreciate inspirational paranormal romance with angels and shapeshifters?”

Targeted Age Group:: 17+

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
This book started off as a piece called Conversations with the Master. I thought it would be interesting to see what topics a woman would talk about with an enigmatic stranger she couldn't see. How intimate would she allow herself to get? How would she hold back, not knowing what he looked like, or what he was really capable of? From there it grew into a story of mystery, love, and self-sacrifice and I brought in three "brothers" (in other books) each with their own ambitions and powers, to help 🙂

How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
Jett was already fully formed in my mind before I started writing. He's powerful, dangerous and extremely private. As an added blast, I gave him several abilities most humans don't have. Superpowers, if you will.
Naturally, he needed someone to balance him, and that brought Haven into the picture. She's a simple human with no "super" powers except for a naturally warm, giving spirit and an open heart that refuses to allow Jett to live a life of seclusion and self-reproach for abuse in his past and a lineage he doesn't yet understand.

Book Sample
Watching the rain strike and recoil on the stone floor, Haven wondered at the existence of the room. The way she’d come in seemed to be the lone exit—although with Jett there was no telling—and the stairs were concealed behind the curve of wall, so that looking around, there was nothing to see except the walls, the floor and the rain, all bathed in the diffused light of a cloudy day.
She rubbed her arms and shivered. It couldn’t be more than fifty degrees. “What is this place?”
“A place to remember the most painful times of my life.”
She’d expected a strange answer, but this one didn’t make sense, even for Jett. “Why would you want to remember?”
The air around her practically shimmered and Jett was there—not visible, but she could see where he stood because the rain stopped falling less than a foot away.
“Let me clarify.” He spoke quietly. “I built this room hoping I could contain my pain here. Hoping that when I leave and close the door, it won’t follow me because there is the understanding I will visit often.”
The intensity of his words caught her off guard. What kind of pain would prompt a man to build it a room? She could almost feel that ache radiating from him and her heart broke with the need to offer him comfort. She stretched a hand through the shroud of water toward the dry spot he occupied. He stepped back.
She brought both of her hands to her sides. “It’s a shame to waste such a remarkable area on reliving awful things that can’t be changed.” Why would anyone want to relive pain unless they felt they owed some kind of penance? “Would you tell me something if I asked?”
“If I can.”
“Have you ever hurt a child?”
Suddenly that empty space was part of hers. “You dare ask—”
“A vulnerable woman?” Her hands trembled and her heart beat a timpani rhythm. She stood her ground.
“Vulnerable? In what way?”
“In the way of being helpless to protect herself if you wanted to hurt her.”
“Never.”
“What about a man, other than in defense of yourself or someone else?”
Jett turned aside, and for a brief moment she saw the form of his hands and forearms passing through the water as he brought his hands to his face. “What does any of this have to do with—?”
Haven grabbed his arm, ignoring his initial resistance, and slid her hand down to his. “I’m piecing things together, that’s all.” She took pleasure in the warmth of his hand in hers. The strength. “Is your pain the result of loss?”
“Of sorts. Are you quite finished playing psychiatrist?”
She was glad when he didn’t resist the coupling of their fingers. “I’m just trying to figure out what it is that could drive a brilliant man to construct his own torture chamber. You can’t have done anything to deserve a lifetime of punishment. There’s forgiveness—”
His fingers tightened then eased around hers, but he held on. “You couldn’t understand.”
Haven rubbed her thumb over the firm skin and coarse hairs of his hand. “You could help me to understand.”
When he didn’t reply, she decided to change tactics, and walked on, towing him with her. She was getting a kick out of watching the rain fall so close, yet not getting wet. “So, what do you do for fun?”
“Uh….”
“Come on, you must have hobbies.” She’d thrown him a curve for a change, and it felt good. “Diversions?”
“I enjoy my work. It pleases me.”
“I mean what do you do when you aren’t working?”
“I’m always working.”
Haven stopped. “Right now?”
“Now I’m with you.”
“I’m not work.”
“No,” he agreed.
“I’m not a hobby.”
“No, you’re not.” His lowered voice emphasized the underlying heat rising between them. “You could become an obsession.”

Author Bio:
God has blessed me with a wonderful husband and three dynamic children, all of whom are destined to make wide, colorful splashes in this world. We reside in northern New Jersey where we have four seasons and three dogs. I have no hobbies to speak of unless you include writing. I don’t.

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