 Hi, and welcome to this stop on the Winter Warm-Up Blog Hop, put on by Hops With Heart! I'm Kyra Halland, and I love fantasy and romance - they go together like hot cocoa and whipped cream! We're going to warm things up here with some magical kisses from a few of my books :) So snuggle up, enjoy the sneak peeks, enter the giveaways, and be sure to stop by some of the other participating sites to meet some great authors, discover some amazing romances, and enter more giveaways! Each blog is doing a different giveaway, and there's also a Grand Prize giveaway for a $75 Amazon gift card!  First, from Urdaisunia, Rashali and Prince Eruz are mortal enemies, but it looks like things might be changing: “So you traded your own hunger for that of the Urdai, and you took all our work, all the fruits of our learning and labors, for yourselves—the dams and canals, the great temples, the palace, even these gardens. You Sazars have no skills or knowledge to make such things, so you had to steal them from us. You didn’t even have writing until you began using ours.” He flinched slightly, his pride clearly stung by her contemptuous words. “We do have skills and knowledge of our own.” “Making swords,” she said. “And breeding and training warhorses. Nothing like this.” She indicated the Jewel with a broad gesture of her arm. “You could never make something like this. Even now, you depend on Urdai slaves to maintain the gardens.” “Not entirely.” Eruz stopped beside one of the low trees with thick hand-shaped leaves—a nariyi, it was called—and plucked a tightly-curled bud from it. “We have skills besides those of warfare.” He looked intently at the nariyi bud, then whispered a few words and blew lightly on the bud. Slowly, the green sepals unwound from around the five thick white petals, which unfolded into a bowl-shaped blossom. The flower’s sweet, rich scent filled the air. “Here,” Eruz said. He took Rashali’s hand and placed the flower in it. “We worship Kuz more than the Urdai do, and he has given us a number of gifts.” If she hadn’t seen it for herself, she never would have believed it. She looked up at him, her hand still in his, at a loss for words to respond to the wonder he had shown her. “That—that was—” He bent his head down and covered her mouth with his. She stiffened in shock, then all her strength seemed to flee and her legs gave way beneath her. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her up against his chest. Deep inside her body, a flame she had thought extinguished months ago came to life. Her lips parted beneath his, seemingly of their own accord, and he deepened the kiss. Time lost its measure, and the kiss went on until a small voice interrupted them. They broke apart, breathing hard. Mizalilu stood beside Eruz, tugging at the leg of his trousers. The child repeated her demand. “She wants a flower, too,” Eruz said. He picked another bud and made it bloom, then gave her the opened flower and spoke to her. Mizalilu ran back towards the palace, carrying the flower with awed delight.  Next, in Chosen of Azara, Lucie has a difficult decision to make, and Sevry isn't making it any easier: “Lucie, you have to decide now. What will you do?” His voice was quiet but firm. “I can’t go with you. Don’t you understand that? I’m to be married in six weeks!” “If we traveled quickly, you could be back here by then.” Lucie gave a despairing laugh. She was tired of trying to explain herself to him—and to herself. “And do you think Estefan would still want me then? He’s already jealous, and that was just because I was talking to you. What do you think he would do if I disappeared with you for a month and a half? A broken engagement would be the least of my problems!” “Has he threatened you?” A dangerous edge entered his voice. It would be too humiliating to admit that she was afraid of her own fiancé. “No, he’s just very angry. But don’t you see? If I leave with you, I would be cutting myself off from my family and friends, I would have no home to come back to, no one who cared about me. No one would want me. My life would be over.” She tried to turn away, but Sevry caught her arm and she couldn’t pull free. “Lucie—” “Don’t you understand what you’re asking of me? What I would have to give up? What I’d lose?” “I know, Lucie. Believe me, I know what it’s like to lose everything.” She looked up at him, and caught her breath at the genuine sorrow and compassion on his face. “Fate, the gods, history, other people’s decisions can all leave our lives in ruins, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” he said. “I wish your family wouldn’t choose to deal so harshly with you. I wish their love and concern for you was more steadfast. If I could—” He stopped speaking and stepped closer to her. She was powerless to move away. His free hand brushed her cheek, as though he was trying to comfort her, then moved to the back of her head, tangling in her hair. He tilted her face up towards his, and his mouth pressed down on hers. A sense of unreality mixed with absolute rightness shocked through Lucie. This was what she had longed for; this was how it was supposed to be between her and the man from her visions. Her arms went around him, and he embraced her in return. She leaned into the warmth of his body and pressed herself more eagerly into the kiss. His mouth worked hungrily against hers, his tongue brushing at her lips, tasting her, then exploring more deeply as she parted her lips for him. And then it seemed there was only one breath, one heartbeat, one body between them. Heat bloomed deep inside her belly, and she felt herself melting against him; she was his, she would go anywhere, do anything, give up anything-- No. She pushed him away and slapped his face so hard she felt the sting all the way up her arm. “I can’t!” She turned and ran from him, fighting to hold back her tears until she was safely away.  Finally, from Sarya's Song, when Sarya returns from her self-imposed banishment from the Skola, her and Adan's complicated friendship grows more complicated: And then the last voice she wanted to hear called out, “Sarya! Sarya dyr-Rusac!” Panicked, she tried to push her way through the crowd towards the Masters’ offices, but Adan caught her by the arm and spun her around to face him. “Where have you been? You left without a word to me or anyone –” “I didn’t realize I needed your permission to leave.” She tried pull away from him, but his grip on her arm tightened. “I didn’t know where you were or what had become of you,” he said. “I didn’t even know if you were alive or dead!” Around them, people were stopping to stare. Sarya tried to turn away from Adan, but he moved with her, giving her no choice but to keep looking at him. “I just need to speak to the Council of Masters about something,” she said, “and then I’ll be off again.” “Don’t leave.” “Why not? You said yourself I don’t belong –” “Damn it, Sarya!” He pulled her against him and pressed his mouth to hers. Sarya’s legs nearly went out from under her in shock, but he caught her behind her back with his other hand and held her securely. His mouth was warm and hungry against hers; his upper lip and chin were scratchy with late-afternoon whiskers. She told herself she should push him away instead of melting against him while he kissed her as though he were starving and she was his banquet, but she was too busy melting and couldn’t do it. Laughter and whistles came from the crowd around them. “You show her who’s in charge, Muari!” someone called out. Adan finally let her come up for air. She stood gasping, her knees wobbly and her heart racing, torn between slapping him and dying from embarrassment and – Great Creator God, what a fool she was – wishing the kiss hadn’t ended. Enter the Winter Warm-Up Love and Magic giveaway to win an ebook 3-pack of Urdaisunia, Chosen of Azara, and Sarya's Song! ***Giveaway over*** ***Winner has been notified by email*** And enter the Grand Prize giveaway for a $75 Amazon gift card! Grand Prize giveaway not run or sponsored by Kyra Halland/Welcome To My Worlds
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 Welcome to this stop on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Hop, sponsored by Harper A. Brooks and TF Walsh. Lots of heroes, hunks, and hot love interests to meet! Get to know Adan Muari, the hero of my dark romantic fantasy novel Sarya's Song, a little - or a lot - better. Also make sure you check out other stops on the Book Boyfriend Blog hop, and don't forget to enter the giveaways! Here on Welcome to My Worlds, you can enter to win a signed paperback copy of Sarya's Song or a Love and Magic ebook 3-pack of Urdaisunia, Chosen of Azara, and Sarya's Song (international entries welcome!), and there's also a Blog Hop grand prize giveaway of a signed HIS HAVEN paperback by Harper A. Brooks, signed CLOAKED IN FUR paperback by T.F. Walsh, and a $20 Amazon gift card! So, let's meet Adan: tall, handsome, rich, talented, and just a little full of himself: Sarya stepped up onto the risers and began passing out the parts. The choir members leafed through the pages she handed them, exclaiming or complaining at what they had been given. Adan knows what he wants: And then the last voice she wanted to hear called out, “Sarya! Sarya dyr-Rusac!” But he can't have it :'( Mistress Asta gave Sarya a disapproving look, then said, “Let’s see your certificate of admission, dear.” If he ever gets the chance, this is what he'd say to Sarya: "...from the day I met you, you were the only one I could see myself spending the rest of my life with. Even though I ruined everything that first day by being so stupid and thoughtless. Even though I knew you hated everything I came from and everything I represented. Even though I was afraid that if I ever said anything, I would destroy what we did have between us. I never gave up hope that one day you might change your mind about me.” And this:  And this: “Sarya.” Adan’s beautiful voice was low and husky in her ear. “Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. I’ll only do what you tell me to do.” Will he ever get to hear Sarya say this? She set the lute down, then wrapped her hands around both of his and pressed them to her lips. “It isn’t horrible. You’re my brave, strong, handsome husband, and you are entirely too wonderful in every way, and I’ll always love you.” For more inside info on Adan, you can read an interview with him here. Sarya's Song is available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble Smashwords | Apple CreateSpace | OmniLit Find more stops on the Book Boyfriend Blog Hop here: The giveaway has ended, and the winners have been contacted by email. Grand Prize giveaway not sponsored by Kyra Halland/Welcome To My Worlds
Welcome to another weekend sneak peek! In this scene from Sarya's Song, Adan is being punished for attacking Master Uldo over something that Uldo did to Sarya, and Sarya has come to offer moral support:  Adan was kneeling in the center aisle before the altar, wearing only a pair of knee-length linen underdrawers, chanting the tropes of repentance in an undertone. Sarya looked at his lean, muscular back. His skin had a natural light bronze tone, and there was a dusting of freckles across the tops of his shoulders. She wondered what his back would feel like under her hands. Then, appalled, she scolded herself. The man was in Penance because of her; she was here to offer support, not to lust after him. She was only having those feelings because she was slightly – just very slightly – drunk and she had never seen his bare back before. Carefully turning her mind to more virtuous thoughts, she examined his back for signs that he had been lashed too hard. In the low light, she couldn’t see any sign of lashing at all. The Hierarch must have been smart enough to not put Master Uldo in charge of Adan’s Penance. That would have been a disaster. She tore her eyes away from Adan’s back. “Idiot,” she said. “You didn’t have to go and get yourself in trouble on my account.” He stopped chanting. “It’s no trouble.” “Why did you do it?” “If you don’t know, there’s no point in me trying to explain it to you.” Sarya's Song is available at:
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA Barnes & Noble | Apple Smashwords | OmniLit For more sneak peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog.  Here are Adan and Sarya, from Sarya's Song, to tell us a few things about how they met, what they see in each other, and more about their relationship: 1. How did you meet? Adan: The day she arrived at the Skola in Sucevita, she caught my eye. She was standing all alone in the courtyard and looked like she needed help finding her way around. So I helped her. Sarya: I don't think he was doing it just to be helpful. I think he had an ulterior motive. Adan: *looking innocent* Ulterior motive? Me? 2. What was the first thing you noticed about the other person? Adan: The look on her face, completely lost and scared and completely determined. And her hair, the color of sunshine, and the music I heard when I looked at her. Sarya: He was the most handsome boy I'd ever seen, and I could tell he was rich and popular. I couldn't believe someone like him would take the time to help someone like me. He seemed really nice, then something happened that really wasn't his fault but I blamed him for it anyway. Everything went wrong, then, but I've realized since then that was more my fault than his. 3. Did you know when you met that you would end up together? Sarya: Ha! Him and me? A mining town debt orphan and a rich boy? No way. Adan: Yes. Or, I hoped so. From the moment I first saw her, I knew there would never be anyone else for me. If I couldn't have her, I would be happy to remain a singer in the Service, unmarried, the rest of my life. 4. What do you like best about the other person? Adan: Her beautiful hair - like sunshine. Her beautiful voice, the songs she writes, that loveably hapless yet muleheaded personality of hers, her strength - she pulled herself up from nothing with just the force of her own will and abilities. And, well... but that's private ;) Sarya: His voice, before... things happened. And now, even though it's different. That smug grin of his. The fact that he loved me for so long even though I kept pushing him away. And he really cares about other people - I never would have thought that a rich man would care so much, so genuinely, about people not of his station in life. 5. What is something you enjoy doing together? (Besides the obvious!) Adan: She taught me how to sing again. Sarya: Singing together. And he's just fun to be with. Just talking with him makes me laugh. 6. How has the other person changed you? Sarya: He taught me to be less prejudiced, to see people as they really are instead of by the labels I put on them. He also taught me that by guarding my feelings too tightly, by building those walls of pride around my heart, I might have been protecting myself from getting hurt but I was also preventing myself from having any happiness in life. Adan: I learned that it's worth making some sacrifices, reining in your appetites and giving up your indulgences, to gain the respect of someone you care about. She's also helped me to find real ways to help people who are less fortunate than I am. Caring about them is one thing; actually doing something about it is something else. 7. What are the biggest differences between you? How important are these differences? Sarya: He's the handsome, talented, popular heir of one of the richest families on both continents - Msaka Dolna and Msaka Ras. I'm an orphan from a mining town in the Burnt Hills. Because of those differences, we might as well have lived on completely different worlds. The difference was important to me - I knew I could never have a place in a rich man's life, or, at least, a place that was acceptable to me. I could have settled for being a mistress, but I promised myself many years ago I would never devalue myself like that. I also didn't want anything to do with anyone from the upper classes, the people who destroyed my family and my life when I was a child. It took me a long time to realize that Adan was different, that he was his own person and not anything like the labels I put on him and the preconceived ideas I had about him. Adan: The differences never meant anything to me. And I was willing to wait for her to decide they didn't matter to her, either. 8. What do the two of you have in common? Sarya: Besides music, not very much. Adan: We love each other. Isn't that enough? 9. What are the greatest challenges you have faced in your relationship? Sarya: Mainly my prejudices against him, and my unwillingness to open up my eyes and my heart and see him as he really is. I still regret the years we could have had together, that were wasted because of that. Adan: Then, after she finally accepted me, things... happened, and I was afraid her spirit had been broken and that I'd lost her. We were both badly hurt, and had a lot of healing to do. In the end, though, we were able to use that to grow closer together instead of apart. 10. What does your family think of your partner, and what do you think of your partner's family? Sarya: I lost my family when I was a child, but I think they'd be pleased that I did so well without having to compromise myself :) Adan lost his family, too, but judging by him I think his parents must have been good people. Adan: I never knew Sarya's family; she lost them long before we ever met. What happened to them happens to too many people, and that's why I've decided to try some different ways of managing my properties and business interests, to try to change the way things work. So no more children will lose their families the way Sarya did. As for my family, Sarya might not be what they would have expected for me, but I think they would have trusted my judgment and accepted her. 11. What role does magic play in your relationship? Adan: "Magic" is a superstitious term. But I know what you mean. We met at the Skola, where singers and musical arrangers are trained in the art of using tropes and chants to influence the natural world and human affairs. If it weren't for our talents in those areas, we never would have met in the first place. Sarya: Also, it was Adan's ability to hear my "trope," the natural song associated with me, that bound us together and kept us from being torn apart forever. 12. What are your plans for the future? Sarya: To raise our family. If I'm not able to have more than one or two children, or even if I am, we plan to adopt some children as well. Adan: Like I said before, I'm also exploring new and different ways of managing my properties and interests to eliminate the kinds of unjust practices that have destroyed so many families like Sarya's. I've also founded a couple of orphanages, one in the Burnt Hills to care for children like Sarya was, and one in Sucevita, to care for the orphans left after the recent disasters. 13. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts" How is this true for the two of you? Adan: Well, we did save the world, so there's that ;D Sarya: I'm a lot less bitter and close-minded than I used to be, and he's found a positive outlet for all his energy and caring and passion. We're both better people for being together, and I think that together we can make the world a better place. Welcome to this weekend's sneak peek! Last week, Sarya had a bad day at the office; this week, the physician, Master Baroda, has decided she's just suffering from overwork and needs to rest, and Adan uses all his manly wiles to try to convince Sarya to spend a few days in the infirmary:  “You can’t go on like this. Just a day or two, all right?” “Don’t order me around, Muari.” In answer, he took her face in his hands and kissed her again. It was a good thing Sarya was already sitting down because her legs turned to water at the touch of his mouth on hers. The kiss was warm and insistent, and she felt her lips parting beneath his though she tried to will them not to, and she couldn’t decide if she was mad that he hadn’t asked first or glad that he hadn’t asked because if he had she would have said no – He pulled away, leaving her gasping for breath and stupidly wishing the kiss hadn’t ended. The physician was gazing off to the side, an amused expression on his face. Sarya reminded herself that Adan was an arrogant, overbearing ass and that she didn’t want him kissing her. “That might work on other women, but it won’t work on me, Muari.” He gave her a smug smile. “Good luck, Baroda.” “I will mostly likely need it,” Master Baroda said. For more sneak peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog.
 A couple of weeks ago I was the featured author in my Goodreads group. One of the fun things about that is getting to be a guest feature on other people's blogs. Since this was right as Sarya's Song was being released, that was the focus of the features. If you want to learn a little more about Sarya's Song and about me (and some awesome authors too!), go check these out:
Author interview with Lisa Marie Gabriel Indie Author Spotlight on J.J. DiBenedetto's blog Book Spotlight on Sharon Stevenson's blog Interview with H.M. Jones on Elite Indie Reads And I also want to give a shout-out to these other wonderful people who Facebooked, Tweeted, Google+ed, posted the book blurb and links on their blogs, and otherwise helped me out: Aoife Sheridan | Steve Downes | Antoinette J. Houston C.J. Wright | Lynn Thompson | Brandy Isaacs Neely Powell | A.S. Johnson | Jamie Eubanks D.A. Rhine | Catherine L. Vickers | Heather Heffner Shannon Pemrick | H.M. Jones | Lenore Sagaskie Lyn C. Johanson | Baine Kelly | Billy Wong Denna Holm | Alyson Dunlop Go check them out; your new favorite author might be waiting for you!  Introducing Adan Muari, from Sarya's Song: 1. What is your full name? Is there anything significant about your name? My name is Adan Muari. My name doesn't have any specific meaning, though we are one of the older and more prominent families on Msaka Dolna and Msaka Ras. 2. How old are you? I am 26 years old. 3. Tell us about your family. What do you like and not like about them? I'm the oldest of my parents' eight children; I have four brothers and three sisters. We're very close; much closer than most families of our social station usually are. I believe this is because of how our parents raised us (and are still raising the younger ones). They've been much less indulgent with us than people of our class usually are with their children. I spent my fair share of nights hungry in the toolshed, for playing pranks and being irresponsible. My father also makes us work in the fields on our lands, so we can learn what's involved in producing the goods that give our family its fortune. Even at my age, even though I'm a full working member of the musical Service, I'm still expected to spend the month working our lands when I visit my family every summer. I think it's paid off in more ways than one *flexes muscles* But mostly, because of that, I understand a little better what life is like for those less privileged than me, and I'm also used to the fact that sometimes life can bring discomfort and hardship. When I was younger, this was the thing I liked least about my father - what boy likes being sent out to the toolshed without any supper, and having to work when his friends don't have to do anything but amuse themselves? But now I'm grateful to him for raising me this way, and should I leave the Service and marry, I intend to raise my own children the same way. 4. Who was your first kiss, and what did you think of it? Um. I'm afraid I don't remember. There's been a lot of kisses since then. There's one first kiss that if it ever does happen, I know I'll always remember it. 5. What is your occupation? I am a singer in the musical Service in Sucevita, and the baritone soloist in the Great Choir there. 6. What are your best and worst qualities? My best qualities are my voice, both in aesthetic quality and in its power as a True Voice. I'm friendly and easy to get along with, at least for most people. I'm not afraid of hard work, and I have more compassion for the less fortunate than a lot of people of my station in life. I'm also good-looking, and an excellent swordsman - in *ahem* more ways than one. *grins* I also don't believe in false modesty. My worst qualities? I've often been told by someone whose opinion I respect that I'm an arrogant, overbearing ass who has no morals. So there's that. Members of the Service are encouraged to be celibate, though it isn't strictly required, but I'm just not any good at celibacy. I'm also not much of a scholar, but that doesn't really bother me. 7. What quality do you value most in a romantic partner? She has hair the color of sunshine, a loveably hapless yet stubborn personality, a beautiful voice - though it isn't the type of voice considered suitable for the choirs. She Arranges and composes the most glorious music you've ever heard, and thinks that I'm arrogant, overbearing ass who has no morals. Oh, wait - this was just supposed to be a theoretical question? 8. What is your favorite thing to do? My second favorite thing to do is sing. My favorite - um, see what I said above about not being good at the celibacy thing. I also enjoy swordfighting and other athletics (and no, that's not the same as not-being-celibate). 9. What is your greatest fear? Losing the people I care about - my family, my friends, and Sarya. Not that I have her in the first place, but losing what we do have, and all hope of anything more. 10. What is your most treasured possession? My voice, and my friendship - or whatever you want to call it - with Sarya. Sarya's Song is now available at:
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Smashwords | OmniLit Coming soon to other retailers and in paperback. Welcome to another sneak peek into Sarya's Song. Here, Sarya hits a rough spot in her search for the mysterious music she's been hearing:  Flames burst out of the book and engulfed her. She screamed in terror and in pain at the searing heat, and beat at her face, her hair, her arms, trying to put the fire out. But it blazed even more fiercely, burning, blistering, turning her hair and clothes and skin to ash – “Sarya!” Adan’s voice cut through her screaming and the roar of the flames. A pair of strong arms caught her up and carried her through the wall of fire and upstairs, where he set her down on a bench. He crouched in front of her. “What in the Hells of Torment happened in there?” Once she was free of the flames, Sarya’s screams had died away, but she was still shaking badly. She looked at her hands, her dress, her half-undone braid hanging over her shoulder, expecting to see them burned away. They were completely untouched, with no sign of burning at all. She glanced towards the stairwell; smoke should have been pouring up from the basement, but there was none. “There was a fire –” “No, there wasn’t,” Adan said. “There was. The book – fire came out of the book when I opened it – I could feel it burning me –” Her teeth started chattering in spite of the day’s heat. “There was no fire, Sarya. Everything’s all right.” Sarya's song is available at:
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA Smashwords | OmniLit For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog.  Introducing Sarya dyr-Rusac, the title character from Sarya's Song:
1. What is your full name? Is there anything significant about your name? My name is Sarya dyr-Rusac. That just means I'm the daughter of a man named Rusac; I don't have a proper family name. 2. How old are you? I am 24 years old. 3. Tell us about your family. What do you like and not like about them? My father was a miner in the Burnt Hills, and I had a mother and several older siblings. I lost my family when I was eight years old, when my father fell into debt and they were sold off as debt-slaves. I was too young to be worth paying for as a worker, so I was left to fend for myself. Sometimes I resent my father for falling into debt and letting our family be destroyed that way, but the way things work in the Burnt Hills mining towns, it's almost impossible to avoid. 4. Who was your first kiss, and what did you think of it? I would rather not talk about it. I was far too young, and the man involved was no one I care to remember. 5. What is your occupation? Until recently, I was an Arranger in the musical Service in the city of Sucevita. As an Arranger, I arranged tropes, which are melodies with magical properties, into pleasing musical numbers for rituals such as weddings and coming-of-age ceremonies. Something went terribly wrong with a wedding ritual I Arranged, and I was forced to leave. Now I'm trying to earn my way as a traveling minstrel, but with the bad conditions lately, people everywhere are struggling to get by and there isn't any extra money for traveling musicians. 6. What are your best and worst qualities? I'm a hard worker, and intelligent, and determined. My worst qualities are that I'm stubborn and sometimes I have a hard time looking beyond my prejudices and pre-conceived notions. 7. What quality do you value most in a romantic partner? My options in that area are extremely limited, even if I was interested in finding someone. Which I'm not. But, if it was a possibility, I would like someone who loved music as much as I do and who would respect my independence, and who understood that life is hard for a lot of people and cared about the less-fortunate. ...Well, and I do have to say that I'm partial to auburn hair and baritone voices. For whatever that's worth. 8. What is your favorite thing to do? Anything having to do with music. Singing, playing my lute, Arranging, writing songs. 9. What is your greatest fear? My greatest fear is falling into debt-slavery like happened to my family. I made it out of the Burnt Hills with my freedom, and I would die before I would give it up. 10. What is your most treasured possession? My lute, and my freedom. For this weekend's sneak peek, a look into Sarya's Song. Here, Sarya first sees the chained man:  She awoke with a start and found herself – somewhere else. She was still kneeling on a stone floor, but it wasn’t as cold as the floor of the Shrine. The air on her bare arms and feet also felt warmer. Looking around, she realized that she was in a small room about the size of a dormitory room – or a prison cell. The room was dimly lit, and shadows veiled the walls and corners. The cramps in her legs and the sting on her back where the lash had broken her skin seemed very distant. A sense of presence, of someone waiting and watching, brought her to full alertness. She didn’t feel afraid, though. Instead, a desire filled her to know who was there and what they wanted. Her mind and body strained in eager anticipation as she waited… “Sarya dyr-Rusac,” a deep, quiet voice said from a dark corner of the room. Sarya caught her breath at the sound of the voice. It resonated deep within her heart and soul, in places that she had shut away long ago, and stirred feelings that she had tried for years to pretend she didn’t have. She looked in the direction the voice had come from. The shadows in the corner lifted to reveal a man sitting on the floor. He had long black hair, a pale face that was achingly beautiful yet entirely masculine in its lines, and a lean, firmly muscled body. A complex pattern of curving black lines cascaded over his right shoulder and right breast, and Sarya felt a sudden wild urge to trace her fingers along those lines, to feel the skin of his chest beneath her fingertips. The light in his corner brightened a bit to reveal the color of his eyes, deep sapphire blue. He appeared to be tall, but his wrists and ankles were bound with short chains attached to an iron ring on the floor, which prevented him from standing up. He met Sarya’s eyes with a gaze that reached as deeply into her as his voice had. He looked at her as though he saw her standing naked before him, with all her thoughts and secrets and yearnings revealed, and desired her. Sarya's Song, coming April 10, 2014! For release news and information about the special low introductory price, sign up for my email alerts!
For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog. #SPeekSunday on Twitter and Facebook. |
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