In the Book Hooks Blog Hop, authors share excerpts from their books.
My science fiction romance Warrior Priest is due to release on August 1st. I hope you enjoy the following excerpt from it. In this scene, Jade and Selena are caught in a strange cave where their beliefs are challenged.
Don’t forget to check out more excerpts from authors in the MFRW Book Hooks Blog Hop.
Thank you for stopping by!
Warrior Priest:
by Kate Hill
Science Fiction Romance
“Selena, go!”
Two more Kimbrian soldiers entered the tunnel and surrounded Jade. He fought
with almost freakish precision, blocking and countering, but he was already wounded and outnumbered.
Selena’s fists tightened in the dirt and rocks. She picked up a large rock and flung
it at a soldier’s head. His neck jerked. Momentarily disoriented, he didn’t see Jade’s
machete until it was too late.
Selena picked up more rocks and hurled them. At home, she’d often played ball with the children who visited the commune. She was considered a good pitcher, but she’d never imagined that she’d use skills from a harmless game to do violence.
A soldier’s blade pierced his hip, and Jade grunted. Selena flung a rock the size of a grapefruit and struck the Kimbrian in the back of the head. She took down another while Jade finished off the remaining soldiers.
She didn’t wait a moment before running to Jade to inspect his injuries. Panting and dripping sweat, he dropped the enemy sword and limped toward her, embracing her with his free arm. His other hand still gripped his machete.
“Are you all right?” he asked roughly.
“I’m fine, but you’re hurt again. Oh, Jade. I’ll get the first aid kit.”
Tears welled in her eyes. He’d been stabbed and slashed and she wasn’t certain the first aid kit would be enough. Making her way toward the kit, she glanced around at the bodies strewn across the cave floor.
“What did I do?” she murmured.
She’d taken lives. That was strictly forbidden. She shouldn’t kill, no matter what the reason.
Still, she couldn’t worry about that now. She had to help Jade. She picked up the first aid kit, turned and practically crashed into his chest.
“Selena.” He grasped her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Are you all right?”
“No, but we have to take care of you first. You’re—”
She stared at him, dumbfounded, and placed a hand to his sweat-dampened uniform that had, just a moment ago, been torn and bloody from a shoulder wound. She stepped back and examined him thoroughly. He wasn’t injured at all.
Around them, the bodies of the Kimbrian soldiers vanished.
Blurb:
What happens when a warrior priest from a strict religion meets a free-spirited priestess from a new age commune?
Jade and Selena are as different as two people can be, but to facilitate an alliance between their worlds, they engage in a cultural exchange. With their galaxy in danger from a planet that wants to conquer or destroy all others, they realize the importance of their assignment, but it is difficult for a warrior priest and a nonviolent priestess to understand each other.
Selena is both attracted and appalled by his old school masculinity, and Jade is tempted to break his vow of celibacy until marriage due to his powerful desire for her. Will this unlikely pair not only find common ground, but unconditional love?
Pre-Order Links: Amazon / Apple Books / Barnes & Noble / kobo / Smashwords /
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now the ending of the scene shocked me as much as it did her. No injuries for him. Intriguing
That last line’s a real kick in the rear. No injuries for him? Well, I read of such things in other sf/fantasy books . . . but then the bad guys’ bodies vanish, too? I’m intrigued.
Hmmm – suddenly not injured and suddenly no dead bodies. Interesting. 🙂
Tweeted.
Sorry I’m a day late. My Wednesday turned busy, long and tiring.