It’s Wednesday and time for the Book Hooks Blog Hop. During the hop, authors share excerpts from their books.
I’m happy to say my science fiction romance Warrior Priest is now available. In last week’s excerpt, Jade and Selena are caught in a strange cave where they’re forced to confront their fears and desires. This prompts them to question their beliefs. Selena’s religion forbids violence for any reason, but she violated this rule to defend Jade against attackers. Now she must deal with the aftermath.
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
“Oh, Mother Sun. Jade.” Selena dropped the first aid kit and fell to her knees beside it. She covered her face with her hands. “What did I do?”
“I’ll tell you what you did. You backed me up against enemies. You were great.”
She glared at him through tear-blurred eyes. “I killed people. That’s
unforgivable.”
“You didn’t kill people. They weren’t even real.”
“Did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t know that. Do you think I’d have been fighting for my life if I’d known that? I felt those wounds when they happened.” He wiped sweat from his eyes and glanced around. “We have to get out of here. This place is doing something to our heads, and I’m done with it.”
Selena heard his words, but they didn’t fully register. How could she have killed people?
“I’m supposed to find peaceful solutions to problems, not smash people in the head with rocks like a cavewoman.”
“Sometimes you can’t find peaceful solutions. Selena, they were trying to kill us. Had this been real, they might have killed me if you hadn’t helped. I would have expected that from one of my brothers. We spend our lives training to react like you did—to protect each other and others, but you did it instinctively. You could have squeezed through that cave and run, but you didn’t. You stayed and fought alongside me.”
His observations horrified her. “It’s even worse than I thought. You train to use violence, but you’re saying I just do it instinctively. What the hell does that say about me?”
“It says I can trust you to have my back.”
He was right. She hadn’t started fighting until he’d been almost overwhelmed by Kimbrian soldiers. When one had attacked her, she hadn’t even considered splitting his skull with a rock.
“It doesn’t matter.”
He stared at her, dumbfounded. “It doesn’t matter that you tried to save my life?”
“Don’t you get it, Jade? That’s beside the point.” She stood, angry again. Rage. Violence. These were all things that hadn’t touched her life until she’d met him. “My religion doesn’t allow violence. Not for any reason.”
Still kneeling, he studied her carefully while she paced. Selena considered herself a grounded woman, but at the moment, confusion and guilt overwhelmed her.
“This was a test.” She stopped walking and closed her eyes. “And I failed.”
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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Fascinating snippet!
Really like the cover!
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Dee
Thank you, Dee!
Thank you, Lisabet!
LOL – I really did – laugh out lout at – When one had attacked her, she hadn’t even considered splitting his skull with a rock.
Great snippet.
Sorry, I’m a day late- blame summertime!
Well, now I believe they have a dilemma! I enjoyed your blurb and excerpt! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you, Tena! They sure do!