I loved this story. In fact, Torin is one of those characters that haunts me still. I think of him at the oddest moments, like he's a living, breathing part of my life. I don't do that with all of my characters. Just the special ones.
Blurb:
They say an eclipse yields a powerful force, an energy that
can be harnessed by those with magic in their souls. On such a day when the sun
disappears behind the shadow of the Earth, a mighty wizard evokes the elements
of nature. With ancient, Celtic incantations, he sends an angel upon the wings
of time to tempt a fallen king.
Angel Cashion is struggling to make ends meet and saving for
when she can own her own repair shop in hopes of fighting her ex for custody of
their daughter, but she is whisked away from home by a quirk of fate. Torin
O’Faelain has spent the past two years enslaved by Vikings. A man of strong
principles, Torin is committed to finding his way back to his native land and
nothing will stand in his way, not even an angel from the future, but love and
fate intervene.
Excerpt:
“Ye’re a bold one and
have much to learn. Come.” He placed his large hand at the small of her back
and gave a gentle shove. If he had to suffer her presence, at least she could
perform duties befitting a woman. “’Tis time you earned your keep. A fine meal
would no’ be amiss.
“You want me to cook?
“Aye.
She snorted. “Unless you
have a ready supply of frozen dinners and a microwave, don’t get your hopes
up.
He had no idea what
microwave meant but didn’t feel inclined to ask. Her tone implied an aversion to domestic
chores, something he’d have to cure her of right soon.
They reached the hut,
and he hesitated. “Did ye leave behind a husband? Wee bairns to care for?”
Instant pain filled her
eyes. She turned her back and lifted the flap. “Nope. Not even a goldfish. At
present the only love in my life is T-Bone.”
An odd stab of jealousy
hit him at the mention of a love interest. He shook it off as nothing more than
weariness. When she would enter, he stayed her hand. “Nay. I would set rules
afore ye abide in my home.”
She dropped the rawhide
and held up her hands. “Fine. Whatever floats your boat. I’ll play your way
until it no longer suits me.”
The girl’s nonchalance
and dismissive words stirred his anger. Suddenly having his own slave gave him
a sense of power he hadn’t expected. Under Erik’s rule and now Rurik’s, he’d
forgotten how it felt to be in charge, to make decisions and have no one
gainsay him. “Slaves canno’ choose when to quit being a slave.”
“Did someone forget to
oil your squeaky parts?” She tugged at her ear as if her hearing had deceived
her. “You keep spouting the same nonsense.”
Nonsense? Did the girl not understand that certain things
could mean life or death in this harsh land?
He grabbed her chin, forcing her attention. “Ye’ll obey my
every command or find your stay most unpleasant. I ken that certain tasks might
prove difficult, but I’ll no’ tolerate laziness or lack of respect.”
Angel’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Yep, you definitely
need the squeaky parts oiled,” she muttered beneath her breath.
Not fully understanding, he ignored her odd comment. She
twisted from his grasp and followed him inside, her manner more subdued. If she
only knew how her presence frightened him. Already, he felt protective of her,
even attracted to her. The witch had cast a spell, one not to his liking.
“Only a weak man uses his physical strength against a
woman.” She stroked her jaw with nimble fingers. “Are you weak?”
By the saints, she
dared much. “Do you accuse me of being less of a man?”
“Touchy.” She glanced off to the side. “I’m not handling
this—you very well. You’re overreacting to everything I say. Usually,
overreaction is a symptom of fear.”
That she touched upon the truth made his insides curl.
A
curtain of black hair swept across her back as she tilted her head and laughed.
When she quieted, she pierced him to the core with her dark, brooding eyes.
“I’m just as frightened as you. I suppose that gives us common ground on which
to proceed.”
B