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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Amber Eyes Glow by S. Peters-Davis


Cougar shifters from a criminal syndicate want Morgan. 

Her bloodline carries qualities good as gold, even though she has no knowledge she’s a shifter.


Amber Eyes Glow
S. Peters-Davis

Genre: Paranormal Romance, New Adult
Publisher: BWL Publisher, Inc.
Date of Publication: July 11, 2020
ISBN-10: 0228614643
ISBN-13: 978-0228614647
ASIN: B08BBKD52W
Number of pages: 275
Word Count: 60,000

Cover Artist: Michelle Lee

Too many secrets, forces at work, dangerous threats to face for Morgan. Thank the Gods Rowan’s there to see her through it.

Book Description:

Morgan Redding faces evil in her mother’s new husband and ends up at her aunt and uncle’s animal rescue refuge, where she meets Rowan, among other animals.

Rowan Marcus falls hard for the new woman who takes up residence at the wildlife refuge. The cougar inside him wants to make her its mate. Rowan can’t stop his need to protect her at all costs.

Then all hell breaks loose, animals get killed, a crime syndicate’s involved, and Morgan finds out she’s a shifter! Too many secrets, too many forces at work, too many dangerous threats that Morgan and Rowan must face. Thank goodness for the Marcus Pryde.


#PNR #Shifter #Romance #Suspensethriller #NewAdult #Paranormalromance #NA #newrelease

Author Note: Amber Eyes Glow is a New Adult, stand-alone novel of fiction, and a revision of the young adult novel Secret: Of Amber Eyes (written initially under the pseudonym, DK Davis). **Mature subject matter and sensual scenes.

PHANTASIA: A Bad Day On Olympus by EFTHALIA



- What is your “day” job if you are not a full time author?

I am also studying part-time at Sydney University. I am doing a BA in the Classics and Archaeology. It’s taking me forever and I am quite certain that many of the professors now see me as part of the furniture. 

- If you wrote a book about your life what would the title be?

Clumsy Nerd Girl.

- What is the hardest thing about being an author?

Finding the space you need to write without interruptions. Family life does tend to throw writing time off the rails more often than not, but it is understandable. You have to be a good juggler.

- What is the best thing about being an author?

The best by far is just getting lost in the story you are writing. There is something magical that happens in the process of writing and that is being able to just disappear from the real world for a little while. It is one of the reasons I love the fantasy/paranormal genre, it gives me a bigger playing ground in that the sky is the limit with your imagination.

- Have you ever been star struck by meeting one of your favorite authors? If so who was it? 

I won’t say as these things are always embarrassing. I was completely tongue tied and 
sounded like a dork.

- What book changed your life?

It’s never one it’s always many books that change us. I have always read widely. I love books, so through the years there have been books that really stayed with me including popular classics like Homer, Austen, and the list goes on. In fiction I read a lot of crime and thrillers and thought when I started to write that, that would be my genre, but I went in the complete opposite direction.

- What were your some of favorite books growing up?

Enid Bylton and one of my favourite stories was Heidi. Then as teen I loved the Sweet Dreams books. Yeah, I’m old. 

- What books are currently in your to be read pile?

The reading pile never decreases. I picked up a few books from the UK in March this year, before the world went into lockdown. All non-fiction believe it or not, and here is a photo.



- Which do you prefer e-books, print, or audio books?

Print and e-books. I like reading myself rather than been read to. It’s just one of those things.

- If you could live inside the world of a book or series which world would it be and why?


The Harry Potter series. It’s magical, mythical, it has good guys, bad guys and anything can happen. It’s well balanced.

PHANTASIA: A Bad Day On Olympus
Phi Athanatoi Series 
Book Two
EFTHALIA

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Olympus International Management Services 
Date of Publication: 19/5/20
ISBN:  978-0648785422 (print)
ISBN: 9780648785408 (e-book)
ASIN:  B083TBWNPH
Number of pages: 327

Cover Artist: Lee Hyat

Tagline:  She’s following Zeus’ orders. He’s struggling to protect her. Is love their biggest weakness or their best hope for saving the world?


Book Description:

Torn apart by separate missions, can their love survive an impending apocalypse?

Demigod ex-cop Carissa Alkippes is hellbent on clearing her father’s name. But when she’s sidetracked into saving Zeus’ life, she’s forced into a dangerous mission to locate missing deities. To find them, she must face a horde of bloodthirsty demons.

Xen Lyson shouldn’t dwell on Carissa when he’s supposed to be stopping demons from feasting on humanity. But the sexy vampire worries her solitary journey to Olympus will put her in grave danger. And with absent gods causing devastating natural disasters, he must trust her father, Ares, to keep her safe.

With every mortal sphere at risk, Carissa races to retrieve a magical codex believed to hold the key to defeating her enemy. And when Xen discovers the true source of the threat, saving both humans and gods will put his own immortality in jeopardy.

In between battling Titans, gods, missing keys, and baklava can Carissa and Xen summon the power to conquer the sinister foe and return to each other’s arms?

Amazon      BN     Kobo     iBooks

Excerpt:

Xen’s personal gymnasium had been designed to take the brunt of rough exercise. His Phi Athanatoi, a warrior group of vampires and werewolves who protected mankind, usually trained there. Tonight, though, this space belonged to Carissa and her father - Ares. She rubbed her ass for the twentieth time, the exact number of times she’d been thrown in their kung fu practice. Each time she hit the mat like a piece of tangled spaghetti. Her father had appeared when they returned from her visit with her yiayia. Perfect timing or coincidence? She couldn’t decide. She had yet to fill in her father on what she had discussed with Yiayia. It would have to wait until after they finished his so-called test of her ability to fight and use her power of compulsion. Yes, she had power but she had no idea how to control it.
“Focus, kori mou.” Ares brushed a few sweaty locks from his forehead.
“It’s a little tough to do that if you are in the air every minute.” She pushed up to her elbows from her current starfish landing. Her energy would be depleted soon; her fuel gauge pointed to empty.
“Your mind controls the power.” Ares held out his hand. Her fingers closed around his. A flow of energy danced between them. Recognition. Daughter to Father.
 “I thought you said when you returned, we’d be paying Olympus a visit.”
“I need to know that you can call forth your power in a crisis situation.” He pulled her up to her feet. “You’ll be walking into the lion’s den. All they will see is a tasty morsel.”
“How is tossing me around like pasta training me?”
“Now, use your power of compulsion.” His hands darted to her neck, “Stop me.” He commanded, his fingers tightening, tightening, tightening around her throat.
Time froze, expanded, flipped to a moment in a warehouse where a demon had his claws around her throat. Her life’s essence slowly extinguishing. Death had been close. Now it was her father’s hold that choked her.
She spotted Kane, Xen’s trusted right-hand man and wolf, holding Xen back. A roar cracked and vibrated through the air. She had to summon her power.
Her gaze collided with her father’s. In the depth of his chocolate-colored eyes, she saw flares of fire. Fire spiked and tingled through her body. Somewhere in a deep chamber of her mind, she took control. “Release me.” The words a soft command.
His grip loosened, his hands falling away.
She coughed to stabilize her breathing. The air around her shifted, and Xen had her in his arms before she could swallow her next bit of air.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t pierce my xiphos through your heart, Ares?”
“Relax, vampire. I wasn’t going to harm my daughter.”
“Your practice sessions leave my woman battered and bruised every time.” Xen inspected Carissa’s throat. “I’ve been patient enough with all your methods. It ends here. There will be no more.”
“Xen, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Carissa tried to defuse the argument between god and immortal before it got messy.
“My daughter is right. If you weren’t in such a fit of rage, you would have seen that she compelled me to stop with a whisper.
“Whether she stopped you or not, that was going too far.” He removed his hands from around Carissa and closed the distance to Ares in two strides.

Carissa watched the nose to nose scene in slow-mo. She could see only one outcome in this - Xen hurt.


About the Author:

Efthalia lives in Sydney, Australia.

Her passion for writing was cultivated by the stories her mother told her as a child.  At school she often day-dreamt of exciting new worlds where the heroine had super-powers and would save the day. Her teachers told her on a regular basis to stop making up her own words. That flaw is now her super-power. Making up words, characters and worlds is all part of fiction writing and something she loves doing.




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Monday, July 27, 2020

Interview - The Lynx and the Druidess by Cornelia Amiri #fantasyromance #authorinterview


- What is your “day” job if you are not a full-time author?                     
             
I’m a full-time writer but most of the money I earn comes from ghostwriting. I’ve ghostwritten written a business book, a memoir, and a fiction novella for clients. I also write a lot of blog posts and do developmental editing. When I’m not working on one of those jobs I work on my own books. 

- If you wrote a book about your life what would the title be? 

Silver Girl from the line in the Simon and Garfunkel song, Bridge Over Troubled Water —that tells Silver Girl to sail on by, that it’s her time to shine. I began life as a survivor of childhood physical and sexual abuse, so no matter what hardships I faced, and there’s been a lot, it was still uphill compared to my childhood. Most stories that deal with this issue don’t seem to be written from a survivor's point of view. Survivors of childhood abuse look at the matter differently, focus on different aspects than outsiders. So wrote of this issue from an actual survivors' view, in a young adult fantasy, Moonless Night, which concentrates on the healing process, is uplifting, and entertaining, plus the hero is like a merman, the Welsh Sea God Dylan. 

- What is the hardest thing about being an author? 

 The perseverance and focus needed to work on a book until its right is intense and there isn’t any short cut. And as soon as you publish one you begin it all over again. Only other authors will ever recognize the time and effort involved. But it’s worth it. 

- What is the best thing about being an author? 

I can connect with other people, many that I’ll never even meet and can share my thoughts, fantasies, and stories with them. I get to give my readers a laugh, a moment to ponder, the thrill of adventure, a brief relief from reality. and maybe even inspiration for them to write their own stories 

- Have you ever been starstruck by meeting one of your favorite authors? If so who was it?  

I went to an Anne rice  book signing when The Wolf Gift came out. I just smiled sheepishly and told her my name for one book and my son’s name for the other to have them signed. I wanted to say more to her but I was speechless.

- What book changed your life? 

Morgan Llewellyn’s books. The first ones I read were Druids, Horse Goddess, and Wind From Hastings, they were on the shelf of my local library. Those novels ignited a hunger in me for researching and writing about the ancient Celts that will never be sated. 

- What were your some of your favorite books growing up? 

Charlotte’s Web, The Little House on the Prairie Books, the Nancy Drew books, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and Little Women. 

- What books are currently in your to be read pile?

The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith, Mari’s Mistake by Ruby Dixon, The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon, and Made of Steel by Ivy Smoak.

- Which do you prefer ebooks, print, or audio books? 

- Ebooks for most of my reading but I do love to soak in a warm bath while reading a good paperback. 

- If you could live inside the world of a book or series which world would it be and why? 

The hobbit series.  I want to live in the shire and, like the other hobbit girls, have a flower or gemstone name. 

The Lynx and the Druidess
The Druidry and the Beast Series
Book Five
Cornelia Amiri

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication: July 1, 2020
ASIN: B08BNNFWBF
Number of pages: 94
Word Count: 22,600
Cover Artist: Kyra Starr

Tagline: Loving a god has its advantages

Book Description:

Lleu, the radiant sun god, crosses between worlds to the Silures village for the fierce and stunning druidess, Wendolyn —a woman worth battling for. He longs to celebrate Lughnasa, the festival that honors him, with her.

Wendolyn is captivated by the striking stranger the moment he wanders into her village. Furthermore, she wants him with a fervor, burning her from within. However, he’s hiding his true identity. When he vows to save her tribe from the Romans marching toward them, everyone, including her dead father in a dream, says he is a coward who has run off.

Lleu is determined to win the love of druidess Wendolyn even if it means fighting the Roman army singled handed—by shapeshifting into in his lynx body.

Will her tribe survive the Romans? And, can Wendolyn and Lleu’s relationship survive her tribe’s mistrust of him?

Amazon          Universal Link


Excerpt:

With her heart hammering, Wyndolen stared with wonder at Lleu’s luscious nude body. She only glanced away long enough to pull a white robe, speckled with gold, out of the chest in the corner. She tugged it on, then fastened a plaid cloak over it with a round silver broach and latched her gaze onto Lleu again while he slipped his clothes back on.
They left the roundhouse and walked hand in hand to Cynfor’s home.
She called out to the woodmaker, “It is time.”
 Cynfor stepped out, clutching an iron rod and the wheel of the year coated with gooey tar.  As the three walked together to the center of the village, men, women, and children gathered around the druidess, muttering, “Lleu,” and “coward.”
Scanning the angry faces in the crowd, Wyndolen sighed. If only they knew the truth about him. But she couldn’t blame them, she was as guilty as they were. She hadn’t recognized he was a god, even after he’d told her. No, he had to show her his magic spear and reveal his dazzling aura. Now the others needed to learn the truth.  Tonight, at his festival, she would announce who he really was. But first she had to prepare her tribesmen for the news, to lessen their shock.
She held her palm upward toward the crowd and cleared her throat. “Hear me, I have a surprise for all of you. The presence of the god Lleu is here. You do not see him as he is in the guise of one of us. So, take care of how you treat each other, lest you offend the deity.”
Their expressions shifted from anger to shame as they were now all on their best behavior.
Taking graceful steps, she led all her tribesmen, chief, and Lleu to a cliff. Their chief proudly carried a blazing firebrand, and Cynfor held the sacred wheel with reverent hands. Everyone grew quiet and gazed down the mountain slope.
Wyndolen announced, “We have gathered this Lughnasa to observe the Wheel of the Year as it turns.” She raised her arms to the sky and smiled at Lleu as she chanted, “The sun burns, yet winter nears. The season turns. Summer comes to an end. Sun and earth, life to death the wheel turns, Lughnasa, Lughnasa.”
She took the torqueh from Corio, handed it to Lleu, and he lit the wheel of year aflame. Cynfor handed Wyndolen the iron rod. Then, the sun god, Lleu, ran beside her, on the other side of the flaming wheel, as she used the rod to roll it down that part of the mountain slope.
She chanted, “God of the sun, the wheel has turned, the yearly end of your reign has come.”
Smoke rose, as flames ate the wood. The wheel reached its end at the foot of the slope and crumbled into ash and burning fragments. The crowd stopped in their tracks and circled the symbol of the dying Lleu.


About the Author:

The Celtic Warrior Queen influenced Cornelia Amiri to write professionally. Cornelia loves history and in reading a book about the dark ages, she came across the rebel queen, who inspired her so much, she started jotting down notes. But they were fiction, visions of her involved in the Boudica revolt. Before she knew it, Cornelia had accidentally written a rough draft for a novel. And she’s been writing books on purpose ever since. Drawing on her love of a happy ending she’s currently penned 39 published romance books.

Now, for the more mundane stuff. She and her muse, Severus the Cat, live amid the hustle and bustle of humid Houston, Texas, as does her wonderful son and granddaughter. Cornelia’s currently working on a sci-fi comedy romance series with a Celtic goddess as the heroine.

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Friday, July 24, 2020

Beyond Twilight Storybundle #vampires #vampireromance #PNR #fantasy #urbanfantasy


Dare to go Beyond Twilight…


This limited time story bundle will only be available 




 Notes from the Beyond Twilight Storybundle Curator Michelle Fox


Michelle Fox

A psychic FBI agent, the vampire hunting her, and the killer that stalks them both. 

Okay, it’s weird to hype my own books. Here’s what I’ll tell you: both books have never been bundled together before making this a BOGO deal for this Story Bundle, and readers have compared the stories to Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series. My heroine, Mel goes way beyond Twilight because she’s too smart to be impressed by a fancy pair of fangs. The mysteries in each book are intricate and not easily solved even though Mel is psychic...and has an extra, secret super power.

Laura Bickle

Garnet has the blood of the legendary Morrigan – and legions of vampires and witches will go to war to possess that power. 

I’ve been blessed to  know Laura for decades now and she is a lyrical writer with a sly, sardonic sense of humor. Her work has received widespread critical acclaim (starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and her work’s been blurbed by Charles freaking de Lint) and I’m so pleased to offer you the first look at her Celtic vampire story. Her take on Morrigan is hypnotic and magical and takes vampires to a whole new level.(And there are murders of very cool crows. Read it just for that alone. Laura is giving me ideas for the crows in the woods behind my house LOL. ) Morrigan’s Blood is also exclusive to this bundle.

Sedona Venez

If Gia had only stayed away from Devin, he would not be facing the darkness that will now haunt him for eternity. But now it’s too late. Devin’s been turned into an abomination, a creature that will never again be free.

Sedona is a writer who writes romance stories that are intense, dark, and addictive, and I’m excited that her vampire story is exclusive to Story Bundle. Blood Darkness brings us a vampire, Gia, who knows better than anyone what it’s like to have her world ripped out from under her, forced into the darkness, never to walk in the sun again. So when she finds herself to blame for an innocent human, Devin being turned, she knows that it’s up to her to save Devin’s life. 

Tami Lund 

Two vampires fighting over control of Chicago, with one human woman caught in the middle. 

Tami takes us on a wild ride with vampires from Chicago to Jamaica and back again in this two book duet exclusive to Story Bundle. I’ve known Tami for years and she writes great stories that have you racing through the pages to see what happens next.


Ann Gimpel

Vampires don't exactly qualify for the endangered species list, but I'm done skulking in shadows. Gloves off, baby! 

Ann writes lush, kickass characters, bringing the lens in close. Her vampires feel like, well, vampires. They’re not just people with a set of fangs tacked on. Ariana Hawke has been running from her past, vampire style, for centuries. Nickolas was once a master vampire. A scouting trip to add to his seethe goes horribly awry and strands him in a future he’s ill-equipped to deal with. Add a shapeshifting wolf, who’s not a shifter at all, to the mix, and the stage is set for a page-turning, midnight-oil-burning binge.


KN Lee

In a world where Greek Gods rule, vampires stalk the night, and shifters walk amongst us, ancient goddess Inanna is the only one who can save us. But, her ex boyfriend Hades has another plan. 

It’s not often you find a vampire story that involves the pantheon of Greek Gods and this one is a delight. KN has a way of sucking you (pun intended!) in and making you afraid to blink because you don’t want to miss anything. You won’t be able to put Wicked Immortals down.


Marissa Farrar

College isn't easy when you're half-vampire and a local carnival has come to town…

Marissa is a powerhouse who writes riveting can’t-look-away stories. Her vampire has just started college and keeps getting flashes of the future while fighting to control her bloodlust. This is a vampire who strives to be more than her nature, who won’t let the monsters win. Come explore vampires who want more in Twisted Dreams.

Annie Nicholas

Live bait works the best when hunting vampires.

Annie shares a devious murder mystery set in Budapest packed full of vampires and slayers. The imagery and descriptions in Vampire Bait will make you feel like you’re overseas, a welcome escape for 2020. And we go beyond Twilight with a heroine determined to stand on her own two feet and tackle vampires on her own terms.


Liza Street

Three things annoy the hell out of Gracie Boswell: noisy saloons, handsy cowboys, and vampires. 

Liza told me Gracie had been rattling around in her brain for a while, and the Beyond Twilight bundle gave her the nudge she needed to finally get the story down. Gracie came to life in the span of a month, and I was lucky enough to beta read one of the early drafts. I literally told my entire family about this book even though none of them cares about vampires. I was like, “Listen, this was amazing. Whhhhy don’t you love vampires toooo?” Even better, this phenomenal read is exclusive to Story Bundle. Gracie is full of homespun, plucky charm and the story takes vampires well beyond Twilight and into the wild, wild west. 


Marcella Burnard

Witch Rose Buchanan was only supposed to investigate some arcane runes, not let a rogue vampire assassin catch sight of her. 

Marcella is a wry writer with a fine eye for detail and I’m delighted that her story is exclusive to Story Bundle. Blood Knife brings us a vampire who must choose between duty and freedom and the witch who will make that choice hurt. Rose is the strong, stalwart heroine we all need on our side. 

Get the Storybundle Here

Interview Scoundrel’s Vengeance by Sky Purington #hisrom #historicalromance #authorinterview



- What is your “day” job if you are not a full time author?

I’m a full-time author.

- If you wrote a book about your life what would the title be?

Never a dull moment!

- What is the hardest thing about being an author?

On occasion, forcing myself to work when I’d rather veg and catch up on my latest Netflix favs.

- What is the best thing about being an author?

‘Meeting’ new characters and making readers happy. 

- Have you ever been star struck by meeting one of your favorite authors? If so who was it?  

Not really. If anyone, it would be Lisa Kleypas.

- What book changed your life?

The Secret

- What were your some of favorite books growing up?

Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Call of the Wild

- What books are currently in your to be read pile?

Unfortunately, I’m on so many deadlines, none at the moment. Soon, though, I hope!

- Which do you prefer ebooks, print, or audio books?

Ebooks and print.

- If you could live inside the world of a book or series which world would it be and why?

Honestly? My own MacLomain and Viking Ancestors’ worlds. After spending over 13 years and 45 books with my various characters, I’d love to finally ‘meet’ them in person and see firsthand the worlds they’ve ‘shown’ me over the years.

The old colonial in New Hampshire that’s been a staple for medieval travelers to Scotland. The million-dollar chalet in Winter Harbor, Maine that’s been the hub for those traveling back to ancient Scandinavia. Then, of course, my Viking fortress in medieval Norway, my dragon-shifters’ infamous lair, and let’s not forget MacLomain, Hamilton, and MacLeod Castles in medieval Scotland.

Lots to keep me busy. ;-)


Scoundrel’s Vengeance
Highlander’s Pact
Book One
Sky Purington

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Date of Publication: July 23, 2020
ASIN: B08B6G2PXZ
Number of pages: 175
Word Count: 48K




Tagline: A scandalous second-chance romance rife with passion, intrigue, and a life-altering secret.



Book Description:


Despondent from years of war, Keenan returns home to find his clan has been reduced not only in numbers from plague, but the family coffers are nearly depleted. Dedicated to restoring his clan pride, Keenan strikes a bargain with his brothers, they will each marry, but not for love, only for the generous dowries their future wives will bring.

Fionna has suffered the consequences of endless wars and plague, leaving her the unlikely laird of Clan Taylor. When her past love summons her to his keep under the threat of killing her clansmen he captured trying to steal horses, she has no choice but to meet him.

There she discovers a man much changed, heartless and bitter. Especially when he demands that Fionna help him get engaged to her best friend!

Unable to deny him, Fionna plays along, waiting for the right moment to strike, save her clansmen, and celebrate teaching Keenan the hardest lesson of his life.

But not everything is what it seems, and Keenan and Fionna discover that distance and time cannot change what their hearts truly want—each other.

Amazon US       Amazon Universal Link

Highlander's Pact

Book 1 - Scoundrel’s Vengeance
Book 2 - Scoundrel's Fortune

Book 3 - Scoundrel's Redemption

Excerpt #1

She wrung out the cloth and turned back, doing her best not to show any reaction to his body. He was far more muscular than before, the hard ridges of his abdomen obvious. Having clearly swung many a sword, his biceps and forceps were larger, too. She cleared her throat and kept her mind to the task instead of focusing on his exceptional physique.
Rather, she eyed the various new scars riddling his upper body. There were so many. Too many. Which told her just how rough things had really been. The endless battles he had fought. The wounds he had suffered. Something she could not help alluding to as she began washing the slash he had received protecting Dougal.
“The battling seems never-ending, aye?” she said softly. “It has taken its toll.”
She had been relieved to hear he’d arrived home safely from France, then felt renewed dread when he went off to fight alongside King David II. It was too much for any one man. She could only imagine the horrors he’d seen. The men he had watched die.
“It hasnae been easy,” he confessed, saying more than she anticipated. But then the look on his face, as she stood close, was telling. He appeared lost as he gazed at her. As though her proximity somehow allowed him to speak freely. To confide.
“Nay.” She understood that he was not just talking about the battling but the illness that had swept through Scotland. Maybe even based on the sentiment she swore flashed in his too-tender gaze, the long years between seeing one another. “Many of my men fought, as well.” She met his gaze, overly aware of the heat coming off his strong body. “Verra few fought alongside both the French and King David, though.” While tempted to touch his cheek to soothe him, she held back. “’Tis a lot, Keenan…for any man.”
“’Twas what needed to be done,” he said softly, his gaze lingering on her. 
For a moment, she thought he was going to reach out and touch her hair like he used to. Or brush his knuckles along her jaw. She nearly closed her eyes, remembering the sensation well. 
Instead, she spoke unintended words. “Why did ye do it?”
“Because Da expected it of me…and because my country needed me.”
“Nay, not that,” she murmured, pouring a dab of whisky over his wound. She really should leave this be, but her curiosity had only been growing. With it, a sense of frustration she couldn’t quite place. “Why was my chamber at yer castle unchanged?” Her gaze returned to his face. “After all these years?”
“I dinnae know,” he said a little too quickly. “Ma left it that way.”
“Did she, God rest her soul,” she replied, not questioning but stating, because she knew he lied. She could see it in his eyes. “Why did ye not change it when ye returned then?”
“There was no reason to.” He shrugged, fibbing away. “Honestly, I didnae give it much thought until I knew ye were coming.”
“Ye mean until I was summoned.” She sighed and wrapped his shoulder with fresh cloth. “Dinnae mistake such for a civil invitation. One that came after so many years.” Her gaze lingered on his face again. She tried to keep emotion from her voice. “After nearly twelve years.” 
His pupils flared, and emotion churned in his gaze, simmering just beneath the surface. He didn’t let them get the better of him any more than she did hers, though. Rather, instead of responding, he redirected the conversation.
“Tell me, Fionna.” He stood, no doubt on purpose. His sheer size a means to prove he was not vulnerable. “Tell me why Clan Cameron just attacked us.” His gaze narrowed. “And why, if I am not mistaken, they thought to take wee Dougal?”
“’Twas not Dougal they were after, but me.” She stood up a little straighter, not letting him intimidate answers out of her. “Their chieftain thought to take me as his wife, and I refused him.” She shrugged. “Now he thinks ‘tis his right to take me with or without my approval.”
“Is he not near yer late da’s age?” He frowned. “And those clansmen were after Dougal. I dinnae doubt that.”
“Their chieftain is younger than Da but still considerably older than I am.” She flinched at the idea of his meaty paws anywhere near her. “And if they thought to take Dougal, ‘twas merely to get me in the end.” She was careful to keep an even expression. “The Camerons know well enough that I take the welfare of my clan’s bairns verra seriously.”
“So, Laird Cameron thought to take Dougal as a bargaining chip?” 
“Aye.” She nodded and started back toward the others only for him to grab her forearm in passing. 
“That is all the more reason ye shouldnae let yer bairns do yer horse thieving,” he rumbled. “Because one of these days, the Camerons will catch one of them, and ye’ll find yerself wedded and bedded in no time.”
“I would attack before I agreed to that,” she assured.
“I dinnae know,” he mused. “Ye didnae attack me.”
“Ye’re not trying to wed me,” she reminded. Or bed me. At least not anymore.
“I amnae,” he agreed, surprising her with how tender he could be one moment, then callous the next. “But then, ye dinnae have something I need.”

“Nay.” She cursed the words—the taunt—the moment it rolled off her tongue. “Or so, ye think.”

About the Author:


Sky Purington is the bestselling author of over fifty novels and novellas. A New Englander born and bred who recently moved to Virginia, Purington married her hero, has an amazing son who inspires her daily and two ultra-lovable husky shepherd mixes. Passionate for variety, Sky's vivid imagination spans several romance genres, including historical, time travel, paranormal, and fantasy. Expect steamy stories teeming with protective alpha heroes and strong-minded heroines.

Purington loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at Sky@SkyPurington.com. Interested in keeping up with Sky’s latest news and releases? Either visit Sky’s website, www.SkyPurington.com, join her quarterly newsletter (https://bit.ly/2Mw0yyO), or sign up for personalized text message alerts. Text ‘skypurington’ (no quotes, one word, all lowercase) to 74121 or visit Sky’s sign-up page (https://mobile-text-alerts.com/subscribe/skypurington). Texts will ONLY be sent when there is a new book release. Readers can easily opt out at any time.










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