Duty to king and country has shaped Raik's life since birth,
but to protect them, she must perform a ritual that betrays all she holds sacred.
The Vhalgenn is a warrior, bedmate, soulmate, companion, and friend. Trusted
by the king. Hated by the queen. To save the newborn prince, the Vhalgenn will
risk her position, her honor, and death itself to honor the Old Ways. But when she takes the newborn prince to the queen's
homeland for a ritual blessing, she discovers a betrayal so deep the kingdom --
and her heart -- might never recover.
This fantasy features a strong heroine, and was originally part of the 2008 EPIC eBook Award Finalist anthology A Time To... Volume 1 - The Best of The Lorelei Signal, from Wolfsinger Publications, which is now out of print. The strong female heroine possesses nobility, honor, and courage, and is a role model for women. The book is dedicated to all women warriors, whatever their battle, and is written by a female veteran.
The Last Vhalgenn
By Kayelle Allen
In this scene from The Last Vhalgenn, the heroine, Raik, has
just bathed and eaten, and is alone with King Orix. They grew up together, but
his new queen barred Raik from the palace. Raik is back to deliver news of a
battle and while delighted to be with Orix, is nervous about his queen
discovering them.
---
Orix set his fingers beneath my chin, and turned my face up
to his. "You're more than pretty, Vhalgenn, you're magnificent. She's
never once sat near the fire with me and talked."
It had been our nightly ritual. "Never?"
"Never." He brushed my hair back from my face.
"I've learned to get along with her, Vhalgenn, but I never had to learn
anything with you. We grew up with one another. You were my partner in
everything I did. My lover, my sister, my sparring partner, my best friend. My
everything."
I lifted my head to look up at him. As I did, his mouth came
down on mine. A feverish chill coursed through me at his touch. I'd wanted his
mouth from the moment I'd seen him on his throne. Orix could not help but be
languid and sultry and hot. I felt desire emanating from him like heat from an
oven with its door ajar. It scorched my face and I drew in a shallow breath,
afraid of being burnt.
Resisting him was something I had never done, except in
play. He thought I meant it that way now and made as if to pressure me, until
he saw my eyes were brimming.
"Please, Orix. Don't." I pushed myself away from
him. "I can't."
He frowned, confused. For him, life was simple. A need?
Fulfill it. Thirsty? Drink. Hungry? Eat. Lusty? Love.
"Half the palace must know I'm here. Do you think your
queen will let this go unnoticed? She'll have someone in here to check on me
before the night's through and I won't be thrown out again, Orix. I couldn't bear
it."
"Vhalgenn, I promise. She'll never know."
"No!" I moved away from him. "She's no fool.
She's your queen and she's risking her life to have your child. The least you
can do is be faithful."
The look of horror on his face tore out a piece of my heart.
Then I realized he was looking past me.
His pregnant queen stood in the darkness, right outside the
door.
---
Available exclusively at Amazon http://is.gd/SciFiFantasy_Vhalgenn
Sign up for one email the sequel, Return of the Vhalgenn is
available: http://authoralarms.com/Kayelle_Allen
Giveaway
Here's a giveaway for everyone, an illustrated eBook called Behind
the Scenes with The Last Vhalgenn. This free eBook is an inside look at the characters
and setting in the story. When you click the link, this will either offer you a
download, or open in a new window, depending on your settings. To read it, you need
Adobe Reader, available
free.
About the Author
Kayelle Allen is a multi-published, award-winning Science
Fiction Romance author of unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and
unforgettable passion.
Homeworld http://kayelleallen.com
Unstoppable Heroes Blog http://kayelleallen.com/blog
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Thanks for sharing,
Tina
Tina
1 comment:
What a treat to discover my book featured here today, Tina. You totally rock. Thank you so much!
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