Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for a new year, literally, of Mid Week Tease hosted by Sandra Bunino.
Authors: this is a great opportunity to spotlight a few lines or even a paragraph or two from a new release or backlisted title. Readers: you get to sample some delicious snippets! We’ll do our best to tease, titillate and tantalize you into the weekend.
Today I'm offering snippets from my newest release The Ivory Road: A Walk in the Sand, an action/adventure sci-fi/fantasy with romantic elements, and Book 1 in the The Ivory Road serial. Iliana and Brandon have been betrayed by their companion Ahmad and had to fight their way out of a death ambush. If you'd like to read the snippet before this, click HERE.
Iliana came back to herself, her breath sawing in her chest. She’d no idea she’d been so proficient with throwing knives. She blinked and tried not to think about what the skill meant. It was them or me, and I prefer me. She shot a look around the street, searching for onlookers or guards, but no one had seen them take down Reichart’s goons.
She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart as Brandon knelt beside Ahmad where he lay gasping in the street. He wore a knife in his shoulder and one in his gut. He breathed in ragged, pain-filled grunts, and blood stained the flagstones underneath him. She scowled as she jerked the blade from his shoulder free.
“What's it like to be a turncoat, Ahmad?” She wiped the knife on his chest as he groaned. “Your choices turn my gut. And to think I was grateful for your efforts in saving my life in the desert.”
He grimaced with contempt. “Nothing personal, boy. It was just business.”
She nodded. “Same here. Nothing personal, just business. You know how it goes.” She shrugged nonchalantly as she left him to Brandon while she retrieved her knives from the other men. Touching their still bodies gave her the willies, but she wouldn’t leave the knives where someone else could collect them. Ugh, we’re gonna have to move the bodies.
“I got one question for you, Ahmad.” Brandon's gravelly voice came out of the dark as she struggled to drag the heavy thugs into the alley. “Why?”
The dying man laughed weakly. “It was better to be on Reichart’s side because it repaid my debt. All I had to do was bring you to him and I was free to go.”
“You're free of him now, Ahmad.” Brandon shook his head and rose. “And you’re free of me, too.”
“Crowe, wait.” Ahmad reached for him, but his arm didn’t have the strength. “Don't leave me here to die, partner. Take me with you.”
Brandon snorted. “Not an option anymore, even if you could be trusted. Rory’s knife hit you in the kidneys and your blood is poisoned. There’s nothing I can do for you. No one can. I suggest you make peace with whatever gods you call your own.”
“I thought you called him Iliana.” Ahmad sounded suspicious.
“Yeah. His people have odd first names for boys. You would’ve known that if you’d talked to him at all, Ahmad. Rory is his surname.” Brandon turned away and scanned the street for witnesses. “We have to get out of here. Do you need help moving the bodies, Rory?”
“Yeah. What about Ahmad?” Iliana swallowed back bile. Definitely no honor among thieves. I hope Brandon’s better than that.
“I’ll drag him into the alley with the others. Did you get all their belt pouches?”
She straightened. “No. Why?”
“Dead men have no need of money.”
Authors: this is a great opportunity to spotlight a few lines or even a paragraph or two from a new release or backlisted title. Readers: you get to sample some delicious snippets! We’ll do our best to tease, titillate and tantalize you into the weekend.
Today I'm offering snippets from my newest release The Ivory Road: A Walk in the Sand, an action/adventure sci-fi/fantasy with romantic elements, and Book 1 in the The Ivory Road serial. Iliana and Brandon have been betrayed by their companion Ahmad and had to fight their way out of a death ambush. If you'd like to read the snippet before this, click HERE.
Iliana came back to herself, her breath sawing in her chest. She’d no idea she’d been so proficient with throwing knives. She blinked and tried not to think about what the skill meant. It was them or me, and I prefer me. She shot a look around the street, searching for onlookers or guards, but no one had seen them take down Reichart’s goons.
She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart as Brandon knelt beside Ahmad where he lay gasping in the street. He wore a knife in his shoulder and one in his gut. He breathed in ragged, pain-filled grunts, and blood stained the flagstones underneath him. She scowled as she jerked the blade from his shoulder free.
“What's it like to be a turncoat, Ahmad?” She wiped the knife on his chest as he groaned. “Your choices turn my gut. And to think I was grateful for your efforts in saving my life in the desert.”
He grimaced with contempt. “Nothing personal, boy. It was just business.”
She nodded. “Same here. Nothing personal, just business. You know how it goes.” She shrugged nonchalantly as she left him to Brandon while she retrieved her knives from the other men. Touching their still bodies gave her the willies, but she wouldn’t leave the knives where someone else could collect them. Ugh, we’re gonna have to move the bodies.
“I got one question for you, Ahmad.” Brandon's gravelly voice came out of the dark as she struggled to drag the heavy thugs into the alley. “Why?”
The dying man laughed weakly. “It was better to be on Reichart’s side because it repaid my debt. All I had to do was bring you to him and I was free to go.”
“You're free of him now, Ahmad.” Brandon shook his head and rose. “And you’re free of me, too.”
“Crowe, wait.” Ahmad reached for him, but his arm didn’t have the strength. “Don't leave me here to die, partner. Take me with you.”
Brandon snorted. “Not an option anymore, even if you could be trusted. Rory’s knife hit you in the kidneys and your blood is poisoned. There’s nothing I can do for you. No one can. I suggest you make peace with whatever gods you call your own.”
“I thought you called him Iliana.” Ahmad sounded suspicious.
“Yeah. His people have odd first names for boys. You would’ve known that if you’d talked to him at all, Ahmad. Rory is his surname.” Brandon turned away and scanned the street for witnesses. “We have to get out of here. Do you need help moving the bodies, Rory?”
“Yeah. What about Ahmad?” Iliana swallowed back bile. Definitely no honor among thieves. I hope Brandon’s better than that.
“I’ll drag him into the alley with the others. Did you get all their belt pouches?”
She straightened. “No. Why?”
“Dead men have no need of money.”
If you'd like to find a full copy click on the book image or follow these links:
All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | Smashwords | Three Lakes Books
Thanks for stopping by and happy reading. If you want to read more from other authors, click the link and enjoy...
All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | Smashwords | Three Lakes Books
Thanks for stopping by and happy reading. If you want to read more from other authors, click the link and enjoy...
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