CreateToRelease Presents: The Guardian's Mark

Hello fellow Wattpadders! I'm so grateful to have been chosen to be featured on the Wattpad Block Party! This is my first time so I'm excited to introduce my passion project, The Guardian's Mark, to the world! Below you can read an excerpt from the book as well as a bit about the main characters: Ava (our heroine), Gavin (her love interest), and Carter (the jealous ex with a secret).

Meet Ava:

Her biggest fault: She cares too much. Her greatest asset: She cares too much. Ava is about as opposite of a typical New Yorker as they come. She is kind and forgiving and has a deep-rooted strength even she is unaware of. The moment she meets Gavin she falls head over heels for him but her long-term ex Carter refuses to let her go. The night she begins to rekindle her relationship with Carter, everything changes. She's left with two life altering decisions: deciding between two men she'd give her life for and choosing whether to take on the biggest task she's ever faced, one that could ultimately change the entire world.

Meet Gavin:

Oh Gavin...He's dreamy, isn't he? If you searched for "Loyal" and "Honorable" in the dictionary, his picture would be front and center. Of all the people Ava has ever known, Gavin is the most selfless and righteous in everything he does. From the moment they cross paths, he is there to protect her despite all that threatens to separate them. The secret he's holding onto though is that he is not there by accident. He was sent to protect her and guide her along this next chapter of her life. A chapter that could get both of them killed.

Meet Carter:

Carter, a spoiled rich businessman, is undecidedly one of the most complex characters in The Guardian's Mark. He is fiercely protective of Ava though has never shown much loyalty when it comes to their romantic relationship. It isn't until Gavin steps into the picture that his true character comes to light...as well as his dark secret...

Summary:

Angels and demons are a myth...or so Ava thinks until she meets the mysterious Gavin. She has no idea the purpose her life holds until a near death experience triggers a course of dramatic supernatural events. One moment is all it takes to change everything a person has ever known. Meeting Gavin teaches her that life isn't always what you see on the surface. It's sometimes the unseen that is the most important...

(A Juicy) Excerpt:

"Let's dance then."

He stood and held out his hand, adjusting his bow tie with the other.

I took his hand and stood, smiling at the warmth I felt from the smallest connection with him.

He turned and led us to the floor, the band playing their version of the upbeat song "Luck Be A Lady". The people at the event ranged from mid-twenties to elderly and surprisingly the dance floor had a wide range of ages. Carter led me to the center and spun me around before pulling me close, resting his hand on my lower back, the other holding my hand.

I placed my free hand on his shoulder, smiling up at him as we swayed to the music. "You are such a dork."

He grinned down at me. "You know you missed these moves."

I laughed. "So what if I did?"

"Well-"

"Carter, there you are." Don had appeared suddenly, clapping his large hand down on Carter's shoulder. "Come meet some people. It won't take too long."

My date nodded at Don, pausing in his dancing and releasing my hand. "Of course."

I smiled politely at Don who winked at me in return.

"Don't worry beautiful, I'll have him back fast. Save an old man a dance?"

I laughed lightly, hoping he wasn't serious. "I think I'll manage. Take your time."

"I'll meet you at the table." Carter gave me an apologetic look before letting Don drag him off the floor.

I sighed, beginning to make my way through the crowd. I had been having such a good time and had been waiting to dance with Carter. Now I was going to be stuck looking awkward as I sat alone at our table. Perhaps I would run into one of the people I had met? I definitely felt the social butterfly in me scratching to break free again.

I was a few steps away from the edge of the dance floor when a hand caught mine, warm to the touch and sending a tingle up my arm. The hand pulled me back, spinning me lightly until I came in contact with a hard body. I looked up and was only slightly shocked to find Gavin's vivid green eyes looking back at me.

He smiled...or smirked, rather. "Fancy seeing you here."

I was at a loss for words. "Um...what are you doing here?"

He turned with the music and moved us further into the crowd, away from prying eyes. "I was invited. My date is busy at the moment, being the great mingler that she is. You look lovely by the way."

I didn't know why but I felt a slight pang of jealousy at his mention of a date. Why I was jealous over a man I hardly knew, who could possibly be a psychopath because of the information he was holding onto ever so tightly, was beyond me. "Thank you. You clean up pretty nice yourself."

And that was the truth. Gavin was dressed up in a navy-blue tux, his dark red hair styled sleeker for the night, a woodsy scent floating off of him. He looked and smelled good. And I couldn't deny the fact that I was attracted to him. I had been since the moment we'd met. Except now it was magnified.

"I'm not really the kind of guy that likes to dress up but I figured I might get kicked out if I showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. How's your evening going?"

I glanced nervously to the side, scanning the crowd for Carter with no luck, before returning my attention to Gavin. "It's going alright. Yours?"

Gavin pressed his hand firmer to the small of my back, his eyes never leaving my face. "It's going well. Better now."

My heart leapt at that. Was he referring to running into me? Or finding me? I wasn't sure whether his being here was an accident although I wasn't so pretentious to think that he would go to all this trouble just to follow me around. "If I ask you a question, will you tell me the truth?"

He didn't pause in confusion like I thought he would. Instead, it seemed as if he'd been expecting that exact question. "I'd have no choice but to."

The heat between us was rising, the hairs on my arm standing up. I didn't know what it was but the connection between us was electric. It almost felt unreal or otherworldly, as if it went past just basic lust. "Who are you?" I wasn't sure why I said it but it felt like the right thing to ask.

Gavin smiled in a friendly and non-ostentatious way, watching my face. He slowed our dancing and began to lower his head. For a moment I thought he might kiss me but then he moved his face to the side, his mouth coming close to my ear. To an outsider it would seem like he was kissing my neck. "You'll find out soon enough."

His warm breath tickled my skin and for a moment I thought he might actually kiss me. Instead, he pulled away and smiled again before disappearing into the crowd. I felt frozen to the floor, not really sure how to feel about what had just happened. What did he mean by that? A normal person would have been weirded out but for some reason I felt like I didn't need to be with Gavin. I felt comfortable with him, even if he confused the heck out of me...and made me want him all at the same time. How was this possible?

"Hun, are you okay?" An older couple had just bumped into me and the woman was regarding me with a concerned expression.

I lifted the corner of my mouth at her, coming out of the stupor I was in. "I'm fine. Sorry."

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Now onto the good stuff: Giveaways!! Three lucky winners will receive a shout-out from me on the Author's Note section of The Guardian's Mark as well as a follow on Wattpad and Instagram!

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ENTER THE WATTPAD BLOCK PARTY GIVEAWAYS BY CLICKING HERE:

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