It’s time for Snippet Sunday and I’m a bit late. But I want to share a recent release in an anthology where the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood and NARAL in an effort to help keep women’s medical decisions between them and their doctors. There are 36 stories in this anthology by authors like Jackie Lau, Megan Frampton, Cecilia London, Elizabeth Cole, Zoe York, Alison Packard, and of course, me.
My story is SEDUCING THE DRAGON, a historical paranormal romance that asks the question, what if you were selected to be the next virgin sacrifice? What would you do? The book is my response.
In this snippet, Isabelle is telling her best friend Marie about the man she hopes will take her virginity to save her from being the next dragon sacrifice. Marie is the first to speak.
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“Where will you find such a man? None of the fools here will look beyond their fathers’ ideas.”
Isabelle smiled smugly but thinking about Master Swift made her blush with the thoughts of what it would be like to run her hands over his thighs under his kilt.
“Oh ho, my sweet Belle has found herself such a man as would make her blush, eh?” Marie swiftly grabbed two cups into which she poured some of her sweetened, creamy tea she’d gotten from some traders from the Far East. Then she brought them to the table and plopped herself down into the other chair, staring at Isabelle with expectant delight. “Who is this man? And where did you find him?”
“He came in last night and needed a place to stay.” Isabelle followed the grain of wood with her finger. What if he wouldn’t agree to her idea? What if he’d heard the rumors about her? Just because he hadn’t lived in her backward village didn’t mean he’d be immune to rumors of witchcraft or contamination of mixed blood.
“And?”
“And he is…” Isabelle gestured helplessly at her friend. “Can you use ‘beautiful’ when describing a man? Oh, Marie, I have never seen a man like this. He makes my insides turn to mush, he does, just by thinkin’ of him. I get all fluttery when he looks at me, and I don’t ken anything about him.”
Marie grinned widely and clapped her hands together. “Does this man have a name?”
“Master Swift,” Isabelle admitted, remembering his brilliant blue eyes and his decadent smile. “He’s glorious, Marie. He has eyes so blue they could be chunks o’ the sky. And he’s tall—taller than Angus MacLeod. He’s broader than a draft horse, and the muscles in his legs make me go shivery.”
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A hard man is good to find. 😉 There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list, the Snippet Sunday Facebook group, and the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. A few of my favorites are, P.T. Wyant, Karen Michelle Nutt, Veronica Scott, Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel.
Here’s the blurb for SEDUCING THE DRAGON in the OUR CHOICE: ROMANCE FOR ROE Anthology:
Unless Isabelle finds a man to take her innocence, she may be the next virgin sacrifice.
For Isabelle Andersen, being a virgin in a dragon-plagued Scottish village is a dangerous position. Potentially the next dragon sacrifice, Isabelle’s only way out is to lose her innocence, and fast. All she needs is one handsome stranger she can coax into bed, but Lochmore Cott doesn’t get much in the way of visitors.
Jonarrion Swiftwind has sworn off virgins. The last time he took one to his bed, his family paid the price for his lust at the hands of her demon-possessed father. Since that night, he’s made it his mission to destroy demons and keep his bed virgin-free. Nothing distracts him from killing the demon-in-dragon’s-clothing until lovely Isabelle offers him a mug of tea. And her virginity.
It takes just one night of passion for Jon to realize he doesn’t want to let the independent beauty go. Isabelle may have accepted her choices, but will she accept Jon when she discovers the only real dragon in her village… is him?
Previously published as ‘Not a Dragon’s Standard Virgin’ through Siren Publishing.
Love the description of the guy in question! Great snippet.