Destiny's Mark

The Guardians of Eden #3

by K.H. LeMoyne

The difference between fate and destiny is choice.


Tsu Halan, Guardian defense master, has honed his skills and waited patiently over the centuries for the covenant’s promise of a mate to share his soul and a family to cherish. Close enough to taste fulfillment, the dark echoes of the past threaten with danger and death.


Jai Dashkov harbors her own painful secrets of harsh betrayal and tender loss. Her desperate search to reclaim her life doesn’t allow room in her heart to deviate for love.


Together they are stronger than apart, but the promise of the covenant is a perpetual test. One that Tsu and Jai must conquer in time or suffer an eternity for their failure.


Adult Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance


THE GUARDIANS OF
A race of beings created in a Sanctum at the far edge of Eden. Co-existing with mankind, they safeguarded human souls and the promise of eternity—until a virus killed all over the age of eighteen. The surviving children fled to the Sanctum for protection, children raising children without the full legacy of their history and knowledge. Two hundred years of solitude have produced a race of semi-immortals fortified with powers and intellect but lacking the mates who will make them whole and allow them to fulfill their covenant with mankind.


Book 1: Betrayal’s Shadow
Book 2: Warrior Reborn
Book 3: Destiny’s Mark

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Adult, Romance, Magic, Fantasy

315 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 13, 2012

About the author

KH LeMoyne is dedicated to bringing exciting books to her readers that blend paranormal romance with thriller suspense action. She believes romance fiction should be as fun to read as it is for her to write and specializes in characters who fight for love against insurmountable odds.

For information on new releases, free books, and specials join KH's reader newsletter http://khlemoyne.com/newsletter/

Reviews

[L.J. DeLeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

As everyone who reads my reviews knows, I only review books I can give four or five stars to and that KH LeMoyne is one of my favorite authors. She never disappoints.

In DESTINY’S MARK (The Guardian of Eden, Book3), LeMoyne continues her batting of 100 as she beautifully combines romance and urban fantasy. The hero is one of my favorite Guardians, Tsu Halan, Guardian defense master. He’s waited for centuries to find and fulfill the covenant’s promise of a mate.

Sidebar: For the Guardians a mate shares his/her soul. With their mate, they can have children—who will become Guardians and fulfill their destiny. As LeMoyne says, “The only difference between fate and destiny is choice.”

Back to the story: The heroine is Jai Dashkov. Her story revolves around trying to find her daughter. As a teenager, she got pregnant. Her father, unknown to her, sold her daughter. She has spent all the years since working to earn enough money to hire the man her grandfather mentioned to find her daughter. Instead, she’s mugged, the money stolen, and saved by Tsu and his sister—who is opening a refuge for abused women and hires Jai to help her.

This book includes the illegal selling of children, then the hunt for these children, and sex trafficking that leaves you heartbroken. It also includes Jai gaining strength and self-confidence and finally the ability to let Tsu love her as only a Guardian can his mate. Gradually, Jai realizes that they are stronger than apart and Tsu will never stop at the hunt for her daughter.

Alone, both Jai and Tsu are likeable characters. Together, they are wonderful and make one believe there are true soul mates for all of us.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5; 4 stars; A-

Each book in this series has a slightly different flavor. The character of Tsu comes across as almost a beta male, yet he is anything but. I like that the author portrayed Quan with flaws. The Guardian race is still fallible so it makes it a bit easier to see their future intertwining with the human race.
I am looking forward to the next books in this series!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

Picking up this book is like stepping into a warm embrace - comforting and safe, with the sense of love and passion slowly enveloping the reader.

Read full review in the 2013 September issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed

I bought #3 because I enjoyed the first two so much. I was very disappointed. It was very slow through the first two thirds of the book. The ending could have been stronger.

[Angela Thornburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding series of three books!

I greatly enjoyed the Guardians and their relationships with humans. The stories were interesting and a delight to read.
The characters and plots had a lot of depth and kept me intrigued through all three books.
Amazons server had some problems syncing to mu IPad, so I had to pay for all three book even though I am a Kindle member and their cost would have been free. They were worth it, which is something I rarely would say for the subscription books I check out.
Enjoy!

[أجمل زهرة · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is unbelievably very slow.
I'm disappointed because the story was killing me. I don't know why it had high marks.
I wish the next books will be more interesting than this one. Even the relationship between Tsu and Jai is cold, they didn't have any chemistry. I really tried to get into the story, but I couldn't.

[Cindy May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbinding

Each story has been different and entertaining. Jai and Tsu have a story that is timid, passionate, bold and intriguing. Adoption at it's worst but with a wonderful ending. Must read. Can't wait to read the next book in this series!

[Penumbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through The Nexus group for an honest review, thank you.



Destiny’s Mark is the third book in the series The Guardians of Eden. The Guardians of Eden are a race of super beings that live in a place called the ‘Sanctum’ in a place called ‘Eden.’ They exist to help human souls. Each Guardian has one mate for life and the series follows the Guardians as they gradually find their mates. This particular story centers on Tsu Halan the marital arts instructor of the Guardians. Disciplined, swift and deadly, he finds his mate in Jai Daskov a human who is half Chinese and half Russian. Unfortunately, getting his mate to fall in love with him is not an easy task. Jai has walled herself off from people in order to concentrate all her focus on finding her stolen daughter. Jai is unable to trust and so Tsu sets out to woo Jai and gives her all the room she needs to see what he has to offer. In return he gives her all the assistance he is able in tracking down her lost daughter.

I don’t want to disclose much about the plot of this story, but I didn’t find it as interesting as the second book or even as interesting as the first book in the series. However, I will say that the author’s writing ability has steadily improved from one book to the next. I didn’t find the rapid POV changes that were predominant in the second book and which drove me crazy. I think I only found two instances of inconsistent POV in this book and both lasted about two sentences.

For me the story was slow for the first half. It’s mostly about laying the groundwork for what happens in the rest of the story. I would have been happy to read more action but luckily it picked up during the second half.

I didn’t find the characters as interesting as in the first two books. Maybe because it was that both the MCs tended to be focused and internal rather than very interactive emotionally with others around them. This made it more difficult for me to connect with the two MCs. I did like Tsu more than Jai and found his scenes much more interesting. In fact I didn’t really care that much about Jai at all. It’s not that I wanted something bad to happen to her, she just didn’t matter.

The one character I very much liked was Sagari, the female Guardian who was part of Tsu’s team and trained with him. She was also very talented at covert operations. Sagari was spunky, bright, filled with laughter and livened up any scene she was in. I hope the author will write a book on Sagari and her search in finding a mate. Hopefully with Frank, the human who is the head of a very secret covert operations team. We were introduced a bit more to a few other Guardians. There is Quan, Tsu’s sister and Saladin, a Guardian who has the ability to use his voice to influence people. Quan seems to be in touch with her mate through dreams and nightmares and she is fearful of meeting him because he appears to be an evil man. I can definitely see a book written about Quan and her mate. I can also see a possible one for Saladin and Grimm, the Healer. This seems like a lot of books for a series, but I can tell you that I would gladly read them because the series is very entertaining and well written.

What I especially liked about this book was the author’s ability to connect subplots and scenes and references into each other as the story progresses. Everything mentioned had a relation to everything else that the author introduced. The author skillfully wove everything together and ended the book without feeling rushed. The other thing I really liked was the character development. Jai started out scared and unable to trust. With Tsu’s help and the help of the many people who searched for her daughter, Jai was able to heal and become more confident and to finally trust. Because she changed, she was then able to help Tsu with a secret pain that he had been carrying within himself since he was a child. The turnaround of their roles at the end was very satisfying. I very much enjoy character development and the author did a great job.

I give Destiny’s Mark 4 Stars. I would have given it more, but I found the first half of the story a bit slow going in terms of action and the story for this book was not as entertaining for me as the first two books. However it is still well worth the read. I’m looking forward to the future books in this series.

[Majanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve reviewed a few of K.H. LeMoyne’s books before, and enjoyed reading them every single time. K.H. LeMoyne succeeds to bring something new to the table in every book. It’s obvious, in Destiny’s Mark that once again, she’s done her research and has come up with an unique, original story that kept me on the edge of my seat. She doesn’t deliver sloppy work: what you get is a strong, detailed, realistic setting with three-dimensional characters with their own sets of flaws and insecurities, exciting lore and background story, a fast pace, and excellent writing skills. I doubt these features were even more prominent in this book than in the previous ones in the series.

There are two main characters this time around. The first is Jai, who didn’t have a happy childhood so far. She got pregnant while she was still a teenager and her father, against her wishes, sold her baby. Now she’s trying to find her daughter, but that’s not as easy as it sounds. The private investigator she wants to hire costs heaps of money, and even though she’s worked hard for years to earn that money, it still may not be enough. Then on her way to work she gets mugged, all her money stolen, her dreams of finding her daughter shatterd. She’s saved by Tsu and his sister Quan.

Tsu is a Guardian. That means that he’ll only find one soulmate during his lifetime, and if he has children with said soulmate, they’ll become future Guardians, fulfilling an ancient prophecy. He’s waited for centuries to find that perfect mate, meanwhile perfecting his skills. But it’s beginning to wear on him: he longs for someone to love and cherish, and for a family of his own. From the moment he meets Jai, he knows she’s destined to be with him. But he also knows that Jai is reluctant to accept other people’s help, and it may not be easy for him to find a way into her heart.

Quan wants to open a refuge house for abused women, and she hires Jai to help her, thus allowing Tsu and Jai to grow closer, and discover their feelings for each other.

The settting is China, Hong Kong mostly. And I loved it. Why? Because it doesn’t happen very often I get to read a book taking place in China. And it’s obvious the author has done her research, from the typical names to the work ethics to the way Chinese society differs from Western societies. Even though the book is fantasy, it had a contemporary setting that made me feel like I was standing right in the middle of Hong Kong at times. The fantasy part of the book was really well-done too. I like the lore behind the Guardians, and I was glad to discover even more about them in this installment.

I loved Jai’s personality and how she developed into a stronger character as the book progressed. I also liked how she was unwilling to give up the search for her daughter, no matter what happend. She was my favorite character, even though I liked Tsu a lot as well. He didn’t have an overly dominant personality, like we sometimes see with ‘alpha males’ in adult romance novels, and it was refreshing for once. He didn’t try to tell Jai what to do every other page. He wasn’t your typical hero, but he made a great hero nonetheless.

I would recommend this book to all fans of original, unique adult urban fantasy / paranormal romance. It’s a great, thrilling read with a heartwarming romantic story at its core.

[Jonel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow. I can’t believe I’ve reached the end already. I want to keep reading. I love these characters and this world so much that I never want it to end. Don’t get me wrong. This story had a beginning, a middle, and an end. It’s a phenomenal standalone novel, but you get so wrapped up in the story and the people that you want to keep going, needing to spend more time with the characters, becoming more and more entrenched in their lives.

This phenomenal story is wrapped up in the perfect package to make it an irresistible read. LeMoyne couples brilliant yet subtle descriptions with her phenomenal storytelling to create a world that is so seamless that you can see it existing in parallel with our own. The storyline that LeMoyne has created is so powerful that it would be able to stand out even with the worst writing, but that isn’t the case here. This novel is also extremely well written.

The Warrior race that LeMoyne has created is absolutely brilliant. The history and mythology surrounding these people is very fully developed. Each and every aspect of their society is fully and clearly laid out in this series. Their hopes and dreams, their fears and trials all help to build them as a people and as individuals. Not only are these characters in this novel very developed in their own right, being that they are so well developed as a society they become even more clear as people.

This is one of those novels that packs a huge wallop. It rolls everything up into a nice neat package that you can’t put down and that leaves you both wanting more and with a sense of completeness. This is one of the best books that I’ve read in a very long time. I’m waiting on pins and needles for the sequel.

Please note that I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 of The Guardians of Eden are a race of beings that were created along side humans after they were cast out of Eden. They were created not to be more powerful than humans but to live in the covenant of God to help "release and heal souls unto mankind". These beings are empowered with specific skills to guide humans. As thanks, God has gifted each of them with one mate to share in the covenant for all eternity.

This book is about Tzu, Guardian with power of growing plants and Jai, woman who is committed to finding her daughter. This third book as yet another feel to it. This is much more Asian or eastern voice, in speech, in ideology. Tzu is a very controlled and calm yet very powerful man but once he meets Jai he is all hers no matter what. He is very slow and delicate in his wooing of her. Once he learns she has a daughter he becomes just as committed to the daughter as Jai. He completely accepts Jai's daughter as his own. They will raise her together once she is found.

Jai is hired by Quan and Tzu (siblings) to help build the sanctuary for abused women on a remote island. later Tzu and Jai leave to locate her daughter. They slowly unravel a very intricate black market adoption & white slavery ring. The other two books dealt more with the dangers of situations but this one is more about the relationships between Tzu and Jai and their relationship with their daughter. This is much longer than the other two but it doesn't feel it.

One word to describe this one: ORCHID
(a delicate balance of beauty in the petals and power in the stem to withstand all outside forces and grow tall and strong and yet be held gently in the palm of your hands)

*Now I have to wait until 2014 for the next books in the series. :(

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book and series, to the point that I would place it in the same category as the early stages of BDB and Dark Hunter, though not quite as dark. LeMoyne manages to capture the reader's imagination with her world building, strong characters and complex storylines that escalate toward a suspenseful climax. But she doesn't end there. She continues the story long enough for satisfying closures and possibilities for future books. According to her website, this book is the third in a projected ten book series, with the fourth book "coming soon". There are still a bevy of Guardians who haven't yet found their mates. And of course, there's Xavier, who plays too important a role in their history to be totally beyond redemption. I can only hope.
In book one, Turen was held hostage and tortured by Xavier, Salvatore was revealed as a betrayer and the Guardians were introduced. In book two, Briet signs on as a research doctor in a clinical trial for a pediatric cancer drug, Salvatore resurfaces, and our knowledge of the secretive Guardians expands. In this book, Quan and Tsu Halan, a sister/brother Guardian team, open a refuge, Shambara, for abused women on a remote island. Jai Dashkov is hired to organize the endeavor and move it forward. The focus of the book becomes the search for Jai's eight year old daughter, who was taken from her when she was fifteen. With help from friends introduced in book two, it is learned human traffickers are behind the adoption of Jai's daughter by an American woman. But the traffickers's plans are more sinister than a one time payday where the stolen children are concerned. And while this standalone book ends with an HEA and no cliffhangers, I can't wait for the release of book four.

[Nana Prah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Destiny's Mark by KH LeMoyne was fantastic. Jai Dashkov and Tsu Halan are two intense, past laden-ed individuals who are destined to come together to create a love so great it transcends both of them as individuals. I love the premise of destiny and ‘mates’ and KH LeMoyne’s aspect of the age old concept did not disappoint.

LeMoyne’s writing is descriptive and action packed. She immediately drew me into the story and kept me there. It wasn’t just her description about the beautiful surroundings that captured me, but her ability to write about martial arts in such a fluid yet lethal way that it made me wonder if she was a martial artist herself. Tsu is deadly and yet we see that in the love scenes with Jai an opposite demeanor is displayed. He is gentle, loving, patient and giving. Sigh.

Sign me up for superpowers. The Guardian’s are a fascinating race of people who’s powers are so realistic that it seems they can actually exist in this human world of ours (not just on the fictional level). I was initially lost about this whole Guardian race business, after not having read books 1 or 2, but LeMoyne gradually found me and caught me up to speed.

If you want a book with a love story that will leave you knowing that love does truly exist, brilliant martial arts, gorgeous scenery, and a truly well written book then Destiny’s Mark is for you.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Destiny's Mark (The Guardians of Eden #3)

I received a free copy, in exchange for a review.

Jai has one mission in her life, to find the child that was taken from her, when she was a teenager. But, this is a common enough occurrence, in China, where your value is measured in deeds and misdeeds. Being a woman, Jai did not have any choice in this matter. Her grandfather took the child from her, when it was born and gave it away, which has haunted her for years. A chance meeting with two unusual people, brother and sister, Tsu and Quan, changes her life. She is hired to work with Quan's organization, a refuge, for battered and beaten women. Here Jai has the chance to help herself and others heal and unbeknownst to her, become Tsu one and only mate.

'He could explain later that no other woman existed for him. However, he needed to ease her into the physical changes she'd experience, the acceptance of his unique power that she'd share as his mate. The acceptance that she was no longer completely human and worse - had no choice in the matter.'

The backdrop to this story was different and complex. Once again, the characters are really well developed and you can feel their emotions. I didn't like this one as much as the second book, but I enjoyed it a lot! I can't wait for the future book(s)!

[S.M. Blooding · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMW!!! I. LOVED. This. Book!!! And I’m SO sorry the official review is late!

Tsu made the PERFECT hero. Seriously, I need someone just like him. He wasn’t the alpha male. He gave Jai the time and space SHE needed to become the person she wanted to become. Ms. LeMoyne penned him perfectly!

Jai was an awesome heroine. I really loved watching her character arc unfold. She just really blossomed and my heart literally wept for her. She was strong and soft and her emotional peaks made sense.

The world Ms. LeMoyne created was fantastic to experience. I loved this little peace of heaven. It was amazing.

The plot was great!! It had me GLUED to my Kindle. Literally!

Great, GREAT book! The ONLY thing I have to say is that the first love scene had the wrong heat level language. For those of us that write steamy scenes, you’ll know what that means. It was a VERY lovely SENSUAL scene, but the wrong heat level words were used. It only happened in the beginning of that one scene though. Ohhhh, the sensuality was beautiful. Just lovely!

Should you read this book? YES!!! READ IT NOW!!! GREAT book!

[Skaistė Girtienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was eager to read the next book in the series. This time I also hadn't guessed right about whom this story will be. And again I was pleasantly surprised. I'm still amazed how these three stories in the series are so different and yet so interesting to read.

This one involved people having their own fears and dark secrets and dealing with them. Not only the main characters but also all these characters around them. These were inspiring stories to read. I also loved to see how this one Guardians couple come closer to each other, how they help each other to grow and to heal. Besides all that it was intense story with new dangers and it gave a different point of view of Guardian history and life. It told more about some of the characters who weren't in the spotlight in the other books.

I loved to meet all these lovable characters again. The story coming to an end I was feeling a little bit sad it is over. But then I've found out it's not! I'm so excited there will be more books in the series. I would love to read them and find out more about all the Guardians and their mates.

I was given this book in exchange for honest review (Lovers of Paranormal).

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Destiny's Mark by KH. Lemoyne

I received this ebook free in exchange for a review.

Again...I really liked Lemoyne's Guardian world. Each of her books has been very different but equally enjoyable. Love the characters. You really get to understand how they are feeling with the descriptions given.

Jai has been working like crazy to find her daughter that was taken from her at birth. She goes to a PI to help her but he won't take the case. She is mugged on her way back to work and is now back at square one.

Tsu Halan and his sister are interviewing applicants for a job opening for a project they are working on. They witness Jai's mugging and help her out and give her the job.

Tsu discovers that Jai is his mate but doesn't tell anyone. He knows she has a secret and that something is going on. He gives her the time she needs to be who she is meant to be. Jai blossoms with Tsu help. She begins to trust and accept his help and get themselves into more than they bargained for. Exciting and emotionally charged. Loved it!

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd in this series, but by far the best one for me! 4.5 stars

this one tells of Tsu and Jai. Tsu knows straight away that Jai is his mate, she just needs some wooing and old fashioned dating!

but Jai is habouring a long lost (quite literally!) secret, and will need Tsu's help to find it.

the long sensual scenes (not sex scenes, very important that!) are excellent, very moving!

set on a island that acts as a refuge, this book has a whole host of secondary characters, and i do hope the author will return to the island to tie up some of their stories,particularly Apollo and Dori, probabaly in Quan's tale, since its her island.

also, this book tells more of the other Guardians and their powers, laying down the tales for them too. question is...who is next?? and what would happen if they came across another small collection of Guardians, and two Guardians got together? would make for some intersting marks and powers :-)

please dont keep us in suspense too long, will you, author?? i know two more books are planned this year. :-)

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third in the Guardian of Eden series opens the world of Tsu and his sister Quan, the Guardians that have taken on the task of healing the broken. Quan runs a sanctuary for women that have had dire circumstances befall them. She offers them a place of safety, a place to heal. She wants nothing more than to have her brother at her side in this endeavor.
Tsu, the younger brother, loves his sister and sees the sanctuary as a place to start the healing for these women to return to be productive, and whole citizens of the world.
Jai is a complex human. Her life has been far from easy. Filled with secret she’s compartmentalized herself building walls and layers of protection. The only thing she truly desires is to find her daughter that was ripped from her by her family.
These three come together, in a tale that is tightly woven. The depth of character development, and the way these three intertwine leads the reader through some of the hardest situations for a mother to go through.
I absolutely could not put the book down. I read until my eyes crossed and I still wanted more!

[Claire Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

K.H. LeMoyne
Destiny's Mark
The Guardians of Eden #3

This is possibly my favourite of the series so far. The emotions stirred from Tsu & Jai’s story will affect each reader in different ways, but will definitely stay with me and Tsu’s patience and kindness really showed no limits. I couldn’t stop reading this, and found myself reaching for my kindle constantly whenever I had a few spare minutes. Completely entrancing, the series is going from strength to strength.

I have no idea who’s story is next, but can’t wait to find out – I need at least 5 more of these, belonging to Grimm, Saladin, Ansgar, Sagari & Quan.

I received an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice addition for book 3 in the Guardian series. The matching of the main two characters, defense master Tsu and Jai Dashkov, worked well for me. Also the difficult emotional challenge of child adoptions and and human trafficking was handled subtly without taking over the plot. I loved how different these two characters seemed at first and how they met in the middle with so much they shared. Their struggle and romance flowed well. Really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next in the series.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. LeMoyne writes in an elegant voice, and in Destiny's Mark, she creates a wonderful love story. This imaginitive world is grounded in real-life issues in a way that's unusal for urban fantasy. Her her, Tsu Halan, is multilayered and charismatic, while Jai, her heroine, has a compelling backstory. I loved the Eastern vibe, from the Hong Kong setting to the tai chi classes that Jai teaches. The plot threads come together for a satisfying conclusion, and I look forward to readhing other books in the Guardians of Eden series.

[Jacquelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart touching!!!

Jai, have a secret one that she have kept for eight years.
She is looking for her daughter, but in the dark world where
human traffing in a everyday thing she will need to trust someone.

Isu needs help with his sister, but find his mate, Jai, but can he save her in time?

What a great mixute of real issues and fantany to make a great story.....

[Ahri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[MsMari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had everything I wish to see when reading this genre; suspense, great worldbuilding, intriguing characters, romance and sensuality. When is the next novel in the series available?