She just wants to catch a killer, but he wants to capture her heart.
A killer vampire is on the loose, and the vampire king wants my help tracking him down. I don’t blame him. It’s my job as a bounty hunter to chase criminals, and I’m good at it, much to the dismay of his vampire subjects.
Teaming up with the enemy is the last thing I’d normally do, but when Killian claims I’m his girlfriend in order to save me from his evil master, I have no choice but to repay the favor.
What I don’t count on is how persistent the sexy ruler will be in his efforts to win my heart, nor how hard he’ll be to resist when he tries to change the rules on our fake relationship.
Will I be able to keep from crossing the line with him so I can catch the murderer before it’s too late? Or will my heart become another vampire casualty?
Can the vampire king light a fire in the bounty hunter’s heart?
Uncaged Review: This is one of those books that took me by surprise. From the beginning chapters, I enjoyed Moe and Zvi, and this is a very original story packed with action, suspense, danger and romance. When Killian arrives on the scene, it ratchets up even more, and I was hooked. Witches, vampires and shifters make up this supernatural world (so far). In this outing, a killer vampire is under dark magic to kill, and to find and eliminate him, Zvi and Moe will need to work with the Vampire King, Killian and his group along with shifters. But the romance between Killian and Zvi is spot on, and as much as Zvi resists, Killian never gives in. There is a good deal of mystery, and much of it will be explained toward the back end of the book.
I enjoyed the pace, the characters and the suspense.The epilogues were a nice touch and I’m looking forward to more in this series. Reviewed by Cyrene
If I thought year one at Fallen University was rough, year two may prove hellish…
What do you do when your entire magical academy is banished to the underworld?
No, seriously. If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them.
Because we’ve been cut off from humanity and the rest of the Custodians, and the admins seem completely lost, unsure of what to do or how to get us back to earth.
And to make matters worse, some students seem to be reacting very… badly to being in the underworld.
But the rumor that just breathing the atmosphere down here for too long will turn you evil is just a myth, right?
Right?
Uncaged Review: For year two, the whole school is sent to the underworld, and no one knows how to bring it back to Earth, and the wards on the school are not going to hold forever. On top of that, there are students that aren’t doing so well being in the underworld. When it’s discovered that some power stones can help take the school back to Earth, but they are outside in the underworld, Piper and the guys leave to find them, without permission. She will need to have her guys completely on board, trusting each other as never before…
There is some great action, the suspenseful part of this story arc continues on, and this book rarely slows down. Don’t go into thinking it’s a new adult university storyline that is drenching the market right now, this is a full on reverse harem with some hard hitting sex scenes. The action and monsters are well thought out and described well enough to picture them in your mind as you read along. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but book three is out so it doesn’t really matter on this one. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest book, Empire of Air and Shadow released recently. Can you tell more about the book and the series?
Thanks so much for having me at Uncaged! Empire of Air and Shadow, released in the summer of 2021, is the first in a YA speculative duology. Set in an alternate world, the story follows two girls struggling to survive. I just typed “The End” for book two, titled An Oath of Blood and Secrets. After revisions, I’ll send that book off to an editor. I hope to release it in May.
What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?
This story especially had been in my head for several years, so the characters kept developing and acting out scenes until finally I had to start writing. I generally have no trouble with first drafts. Revisions can be fairly painful.
Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Has there been a character that’s been hard to write about?
That’s like trying to choose a favorite child! I am finding the characters of Empire of Air and Shadow challenging but their journey is so gratifying. I like to round out every character with positive and negative traits to make them relatable, and the two main characters of this story have to deal with extremely difficult situations, some pulled from real life. For instance, wives in Papua New Guinea are often beaten or maimed by disapproving husbands, so Mina’s mother is a healer who treats such women.
How do you come up with the title to your books?
With great difficulty. Honestly, titles are often the last thing I write because they have to hint at the genre and encapsulate the story. Only one story started with the title, which simply popped into my head one morning: Death Is A Bitch.
What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?
I’m very private, but nothing too shocking. I’ve loved to write since I turned double digits. I wrote romance as Cate Masters for several years. I do tend to get grumpy if I can’t fit in writing time. Stories demand to be let out of my head.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue below.
Award-winning author C.A. Masterson loves stories of any genre. Multi-published in contemporary to historical, fantasy/dark fantasy to paranormal/speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Visit her at http://paintingfirewithwords.blogspot.com or look for her romance stories as Cate Masters at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Atop the Kabellak Mountain, in The Blessed Heights, Tayari Thorne trains to become a Favored One, a title of distinction bearing no freedom. A man would choose her, keep her, provide for her—until he tired of her. Home was one privilege she would not know. Below in The Dregs, in the shadow of the mountain, Amina Emezi readies for the day when she can escape her parents’ home, and escape the Dregs, dependent on no one else. Home would be the place of her choosing. Neither realizes the fragility of her existence. Neither could guess how their lives would intersect, and change course unalterably on the same day.
Excerpt
When Tayari Thorne stepped out of her family home for the final time, Kabellak Mountain trembled beneath her feet.
The thunder in the mountain echoed the thunder in her heart. She couldn’t tell if she was causing the mountain to shudder, or its rumblings were shaking her to the bone. She only knew her world was shattering.
Her body’s every sinew braced for the crack she was certain would follow. The goddess who ruled Kabellak would split the ground beneath her feet and swallow her hard, swallow her whole, swallow her endlessly. She made her footsteps as light as she could to pass without notice of the goddess, but the guards’ heavy march gave them all away.
Since the announcement days earlier, Da could barely look Tayari in the eye. Grief stiffened his face. He made excuses to move as far from Mama as he could inside their small cavern.
Mama spoke of The Preparatory Quarters in breathless awe, hand to her chest as she beamed at Tayari. Such good fortune, she said, that a spot had unexpectedly opened up just as Tayari had passed twelve summers. Such an honor, she said, for Tayari to be chosen. At Da’s glance, Mama went back to her sewing with a defiant little smile. When Tayari argued she’d rather they had chosen someone else, Da repeated that it was an honor. Who, she asked, would teach her what she needed to know? Tell her stories of the Time Before? Tuck her blanket around her?
This morning the Guide appeared at their domed entry, and Tayari saw something else in Da’s face. Fear. As if he, too, had thought of Tayari’s leaving as a distant possibility, but payment had come due on their promise. A hard truth.
The woman in a silken dress of grey fog made no greeting, didn’t introduce herself, but Da recognized her.
“You’re the Guide.” He spoke as if he hadn’t quite believed she’d appear.
“It’s time.” That’s all the woman had said, her face a mask of steely indifference though her gaze swept over Tayari, but lingered on her long, unruly hair.
One glimpse of the two guards who flanked her, both identical in expressionless demeanor, and Da’s fear became contagious to Tayari. She trembled as the pair looked past her as if she were invisible.
She threw herself into her father’s arms, whimpers blocking his murmured urges to be happy. He held her away from him and nodded, but locked behind his grim smile was a well of sorrow so deep, if he loosed his tears, she would drown.
The Guide repeated with greater urgency, “It’s time.”
In a world of darkness where royal vampires are in charge, I spend my days working as a knight in the city formerly known as London. Instead of a lance and a horse, I rely on my trusty axe, Babe, and ride the occasional dragon. Every day new threats emerge that require a dash of magic and a dollop of attitude.
Good thing I have both.
Naturally danger comes with the territory. What no one knows is just how dangerous it is for me. If our vampire overlords discover what I am, they’ll execute me on the spot—no questions asked—which is why I avoid them at all costs.
Until now.
If only this one didn’t have a lethal reputation, a princely pedigree, and a quest that leads to more questions than answers. The heat between us doesn’t help matters.
Unfortunately I can’t refuse a royal command, so I’m stuck until the job is complete.
And even if the job doesn’t kill me, the truth just might.
Uncaged Review: This is the first book in a 4 book series and it’s a fast paced urban fantasy with a lot of suspense and action. In this world, 10 super volcanoes went off at the same time, shrouding the planet in 24 hr darkness. The vampires have taken over the world and employ magic users to keep fake daylight up to keep plants and animals alive, because losing the human race would end their food chain. There are a lot of different supernaturals living around, and we meet some of them in the first book. The book is set in the city of Brittania, which used to be London in the old world. A Knight, named London works for a group of Knights that take care of rogue supernaturals that are threatening humans.
London is a smart, sassy, kick butt heroine and I was drawn to her almost immediately. When she’s hired by the royal vampire family to find their daughter and a missing power stone, she’ll have to work with Callan, the vampire prince. Sparks will fly.
This is a clean, action packed start to the series, and a good suspense woven in. This book has a great pace, and it was over before I knew it. I’ve already downloaded book 2. Reviewed by Cyrene
Hayden Crowe fronts an all-girls band down in Austin, Texas. Between tending bar so her sister can stay in school and dealing with the fallout after their addict father skipped town, she hasn’t exactly had time to join the social media freak out over the recent outing of vampires and werewolves. Her world comes crashing down the night she’s attacked in an alley after a gig and bitten by a feral werewolf. Unable to return home for fear of hurting her sister, and with a message scrawled across her arm warning HOSPITALS NOT SAFE, Hayden is left with just one option…Him.Ethan Caldwell doesn’t do relationships. Adopted son of the pack Alpha, he lives a solitary life as a barista and artist. Things three years ago with Hayden Crowe… went too far. By pack law, she couldn’t be told what he was. Ending it was for her own protection. But when Hayden shows up on his doorstep, newly changed and in danger, Ethan defies his father’s orders to stay away. Someone in the paranormal community is hunting her, and hell if he’s going to fail her again. Dark is part of the Blood Moon, Texas Shifters series. Sizzling hot romance with an ongoing urban fantasy story arc and a guaranteed HEA in each book.
Uncaged Review: This is decent start to a new series. Hayden, a front to a band, is bitten by a feral werewolf and is beginning to feel the pain of the wolf inside her, but has no idea where to go. The only person she thinks she can go to, is her ex, Ethan. Ethan ended their relationship because he was a born wolf, and he couldn’t tell his secrets to a human. In this book, the supernaturals have been outed to the public to a lot of hysteria, but when she shows up at Ethan’s, he will go against his father, the alpha, to help Hayden.
There is some good suspense, and good romance and the story moves quickly. The author makes the transition from human to wolf in a very realistic way, with realistic emotions and pain. This is a complete story, but is part of a series that will feature other characters and has a story arc that will continue on. Reviewed by Cyrene
Nate Temple has an appointment in Hell. One he can’t reschedule…
After recent events, Nate took some much-deserved time off for a little rest and relaxation. But when he finally returns home to attend what should have been a celebration of love, he finds insidious fear infecting the streets of St. Louis.
Paranoia. Chaos. Anarchy. It seems every supernatural family in town is sick and tired of Nate and wants to put him in his place. The worst part…all his friends seem to agree.
With everyone else fighting to prevent war between the families, Nate takes two of his scariest friends on a walk down that famous path paved with good intentions—to those eternal pits of despair—so he can finally demand some real answers from his parents.
He definitely never thought his actions could make Hell any worse than it already was…
Uncaged Review: I’m not sure how Mr. Silvers keeps upping his game on these books, but I think this is one of my favorites so far, the ninth book into the series. This time, there is someone passing along discontent within the wolves, dragons and vampires. And they all want Nate to stand back from it all. Along with all the problems he’s facing with a potential war coming between shifters, Nate needs to go to Hell to question his parents. But making it out of Hell is going to be a lot harder than getting in…
This book has a great suspense surrounding it, and answers some questions that have been lingering for a few books now. Most of the supporting cast are here in top form, and Cassie from Kansas City (Feathers and Fire spin-off series) remains throughout the book. I’m even more hooked on the Nate Temple series than ever before. This series should be picked up for a show, as long as they do it justice. Reviewed by Cyrene
Stacy Macken has one goal in mind: saving her renowned history center from greedy creditors. Losing it would be a catastrophe—one she doesn’t know how she’ll avoid. Until Aaron Fielding arrives. To all human eyes, he is just like any man, but he reminds Stacy of one of the fae. He certainly enchants her like a fae lover would. But Stacy suspects there is more to this sexy fellow, with his tales of the Tuatha dé Danann, and magical warriors from Celtic legend who protect humanity from a wicked enemy seeking their destruction. Does his appearance mean the end of the world imminent?
Can she, a studious woman more intent on history books with no training in or love of war, possibly have anything to offer when a long-prophesied druidic battle explodes around her?
Uncaged Review: This was a very slow start for me, and I didn’t feel really engaged with the characters or even the story until a bit past the halfway point. It turns into a decent fantasy and suspense, but some of the dream sequences throws me off, since these are part of Stacy’s past lives. One of my gripes is almost every time that Aaron is around Stacy, we get the inner voices from both of them of how much they are attracted to each other, but won’t act on it. The romance is a bit repetitive and boring between the two, I never felt the urgency as a reader.
The pros of the book is that the book does get moving well and this has a lot of different things going on at the same time. The mythology and the fae are a great touch and it was an enjoyable read. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! You will be releasing, A Springtime Scandal with Dragonblade Publishing. Can you tell us more about the book? Is this part of an ongoing series?
Thanks for having me! Yes, I’m so excited to release this book. It’s Book One in A Lord For All Seasons based around four sisters who each find love in spring, summer, autumn, and winter respectively. I absolutely loved writing this one and I think readers are going to love it, too!
What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?
The banter between my characters all comes easiest to me. I sort of just let them run with it – sometimes I surprise myself with where the dialogue takes me! I’d say the hardest scene in A Springtime Scandal was the first spicy one. In historical you have to be careful to keep things relatively realistic, so I need to think carefully about setting the tone and how the characters would react and interact afterwards.
Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Has there been a character that’s been hard to write about?
I honestly think The Templeworth sisters from this new series are my favourite. I absolutely love their relationship with each other, and they have such distinct personalities that bounce well off each other. I have five sisters of my own so I definitely drew on some experience when writing their relationship – and their bickering!
How do you come up with the title to your books?
I have no idea lol! Usually, I’ll start a book by imagining one scene – one scenario that pops into my head and a whole story or series will come from that. It’s aways idea first then title to match.
For A Springtime Scandal, I knew I wanted to do a series about siblings, then the seasons felt like a really fun way to give them all their spotlight. So the titles came from there.
What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?
Okay, this was a LONG time ago but I used to be a belly dancer! I did gigs, shows and everything. Sadly, I absolutely do not have it anymore but it was definitely fun while it lasted!
Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?
It depends on what I’m writing. So in Highway Revenge, I knew I wanted to flip the script so to speak, and have a female highway robber so the plot came first. But it developed into a series so the second and third books were definitely more character centric.
In my Royals of Aldonia series, the focus was very much character first. In that I knew I was writing about sibling royals and their plots came secondary to that.
Read the rest of the interview in Uncaged Book Reviews, linked below.
Nadine Millard is an international best-selling author hailing from Dublin, Ireland. Having studied and then worked in law for a number of years, Nadine began to live her dream of writing when she had the third of her three children.
She released her debut novel in 2014 and has been writing ever since.
When she’s not writing she can be found reading anything she can get her hands on, ferrying her three children to school and clubs, spoiling her cat, her dog, and snatching time with her long-suffering husband!
Elodie Templeworth has always been the good sister. The well-behaved sister. The sister on whose shoulders the fate of their family rested.
With three incorrigible younger siblings, Elodie has always made sure she was perfect, above reproach with not a hint of scandal attached to her name. And she was doing a wonderful job of it, too. Until him.
Christian Harrison, Viscount of Brentford could think of little worse than being stuck in some small, country hamlet with nobody and nothing to entertain him. The beautiful Elodie Templeworth had caught his eye. But after a short time in her company he realized that even beauty couldn’t make up for boring, pious purity.
An unfortunate misunderstanding leads to a potential scandal for Elodie and Christian leading Christian to discover that all is not so innocent and demure with the fiery Miss Templeworth. And he’s more than a little intrigued by the passion lurking beneath her rigid composure. Not enough to help her out of a sticky situation though.
He’s ready to wash his hands of Elodie, her family, and the madcap town they all live in. But Elodie has different ideas. With little options left available to her, she decides the viscount is going to help her escape her village, and the consequences of their actions, with or without his knowledge.
Their forced proximity isn’t what either of them wanted, but as time goes on, and attraction grows, perhaps it’s not so bad after all.
Excerpt
“Sh-should we eat?” she asked trying and failing to sound nonchalant.
“Should we eat?”
Had he yelled, Elodie would have felt rather miffed. But his voice was low and deathly quiet, and infinitely more intimidating because of it.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
He stared at her, a scowl darkening his usually bright blue eyes.
“Miss Templeworth, have you completely taken leave of your senses?”
“No, I just –“
“You just endangered yourself. That’s what you just did. Do you have any idea what might have befallen you if –“
“If what?” she asked when he drew to a sudden stop.
“If I were less than gentlemanly, Miss Templeworth.” Elodie could only imagine that she looked as sceptical as she felt for his frown deepened further still.
“You do not agree that I have acted the gentleman?” he asked and seemed genuinely astounded. Perhaps a little hurt.
“Well, it’s just that you aren’t making this very easy or pleasant frankly. And –“
“Easy?” he spluttered. “Pleasant? What would you have me do, Elodie? Fall to my knees and thank the gods that I have a runaway madwoman for company?”
“That’s not very gentlemanlike,” she chided and then wondered if someone’s head might actually explode in anger, for the viscount looked as though that were a real possibility right now.
She listened, grudgingly impressed that he seemed to know so many curses in so many languages. At least, she assumed he was cursing based on the English ones that she understood and most certainly did not approve of.
Swearing in the company of a lady was definitely not gentlemanly though it seemed prudent not to mention that at the moment.
After an age, he calmed. Throwing his head back and whispering what sounded like a another prayer for patience, he finally levelled her once more with his ice-cold stare.
“You have no idea the depths of ungentlemanly behaviour to which men can sink, Miss Templeworth. If you did, you never would have taken such a foolish risk.”
Elodie felt a shiver of fear at his words.
She wasn’t quite so naïve as he seemed to think, but she was aware that she’d lived a rather sheltered life, too.
Nevertheless, no matter what he thought of her sense and intelligence, she wouldn’t have gotten into just anyone’s carriage.
Read the rest of the excerpt and the interview in the issue below.
A spunky private investigator faces off against a corrupt government when she’s framed for murder and forced to run to New York City, where her own secrets might just get her killed.
Yesterday I made a terrible mistake. I trusted the wrong people for the right reasons. Now my mentor’s dead and I’m a wanted felon, running to the one place I can’t go—New York City.
I have secrets there I’ve never told anyone.
The only way out of this mess is to infiltrate the most infamous prison in the world and rescue a wealthy Elemental. Easy-peasy, right?
There’s just one problem. I’ve partnered up with Gabriel Vanguard, and the longer we work together, the harder it is to keep my past hidden.
New York is heating up. I just hope we don’t burn it down.
Uncaged Review: This is an author that I’ve enjoyed in the past, and this book is the first in a different series. A cosmic event called the Surge, ended up turning a third of the population with magical abilities, or Elementals and in order to keep tabs on them, they have to register with the government and if they don’t and get caught, they can be sentenced to Devilton, a magical lock up prison. Andy has been keeping her secrets for a long time, and hiding as a private investigator. Soon things will turn upside down and Andy will go on the run, and it gets more complicated as it goes.
I like the premise of this, and the world that is building, but I hated how this hit a major cliffhanger at the end. A lot of things will begin to make sense in the last third of the book, and it has my interest enough to go on. There are some very questionable things going on, some things were answered, and some garnered more questions. But I’ll move on to book two to see how this ends up. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! You will be releasing, Highland Soul in March. Can you tell us more about this book and this new series for Dragonblade Publishing?
Thank you for having me, it is an honor to be here. To answer your question, Highland Soul is book 1 of my new Scottish romance series called Highland Outcasts. From heroes to outcasts in the blink of an eye, these four men need to find redemption in order to be welcomed back into the clan. What did they do to be considered outcasts? All they did was to break a few tavern rules at the Horn and Hoof, owned by old Callum MacKeefe – the crazy grandfather of their chieftain.
What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?
Since the four books of the Highland Outcasts include other characters of my MacKeefe clan from some of my other series, the most difficult part is to tie it all in and make it work. I’m not one for keeping good records of things like age of characters, hair and eye color, siblings or children, or even names of castles, etc. Therefore, I have to go back and look up all the answers in my past books and that tends to be very time-consuming. The easiest part to write for me, is dialogue. I LOVE dialogue and use it heavily. Actually, I guess you could say I can hear the voices of my characters in my head, and just kind of take dictation and write down what they are saying to each other. Easy!
Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Has there been a character that’s been hard to write about?
One of my favorite characters from when I first created the MacKeefe clan is that rugged warrior Highlander, Storm MacKeefe. His story can be found in Lady Renegade – Book 2 of my Legacy of the Blade Series. He eventually is chieftain, and shows up in many more of my following series as well. As for the character that is hard to write . . . I’d have to say it is the one that won’t do what I want him or her to do, and who goes off in a direction all their own. Yes, I let my characters get away with it, and I can’t control them no matter how hard I try. A lot of times they surprise me with what they come up with regarding their backgrounds and plot advancement, or in what they say or do. There will be times when I get to the end of a chapter and wonder what the heck is going to happen next, because I honestly have NO idea.
How do you come up with the title to your books?
For me, the title of my book is always decided before I even start writing, and is also the last words of the book. Highland Soul came about because I wanted to tie in the fact that my heroine was the daughter of a cordwainer – shoemaker. (Sole – soul, get it? Plus, my hero has lots of soul.) Highland Flame – Book 2 of my Highland Outcasts Series incorporates the fact that the heroine is the widow of a chandler – candlemaker. (The flame is for the candle and also the attraction between the hero and heroine.) The rest of the series that will release this year consists of two more books. Highland Sky – where my hero needs to help the heroine and her clan repair thatched roofs, since he caught the roof of the tavern on fire. And the last book is Highland Silver. In this story, a silver chalice plays a big part of the plot. The hero has lost the chieftain’s chalice, and the heroine ends up having it. She’s reluctant to give it up and wears it connected to a chain around her waist.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue linked below.
Elizabeth Rose is the bestselling, award-winning author of nearly 100 books! She writes medieval, paranormal, small town contemporary and western romance. Elizabeth has been writing romance for over twenty-five years, her first book being published in 2000. She lives in the suburbs of Chicago and can be found in her ‘writing hammock’ in her secret garden during the summer months, creating her latest novel.
Can a Highlander and a cordwainer’s daughter surrender to love, heart and soul?
Welcome to book one in the adventurous new series Highland Outcasts from bestselling author Elizabeth Rose!
From admired warriors to outcasts in a blink of an eye, these rugged Highlanders are out to find redemption.
Gluttony, lust, pride, and greed, might sound like deadly sins. However, they are nothing compared to the wrath of Old Callum MacKeefe if you break his rules while drinking in his tavern!
The Accused: Highlander, Gavin MacKeefe. He’s been called gluttonous because of his never-ending love of food and drink.
The Crime: Gavin foolishly breaks some of Old Callum MacKeefe’s tavern rules and ends up as an outcast of the clan. His biggest offense is breaking rule number one: Never waste Old Callum’s precious, homemade Mountain Magic whisky. His second mistake was breaking rule number nine: Never step on, or soil Callum’s Cordovan leather boots.
The Punishment: Gavin is sent to town to help the cordwainer’s daughter since her father was attacked and left for dead. He also needs to help construct and bring back a pair of Cordovan leather boots for Callum. If not, he’ll never be welcomed back into the clan. The cordwainer’s daughter takes him under her wing, but he discovers she needs his help with her family matters even more than he needs her.
The Cordwainer’s Daughter: Davita is the cordwainer’s daughter, trying to save their shoe business in her father’s absence. She’s asked for help from the castle. To her dismay, they’ve sent her the Highlander, Gavin MacKeefe. She’s seen this man more than once drinking too much in the town’s tavern. In a desperate deal with the MacKeefes, she promises to keep him away from whisky and to help him construct a pair of Cordovan leather boots. It should be a simple task, but when he turns out to be her savior, she has a hard time letting him go.
Two people from different walks of life find that they need each other more than they think. But can a Highlander and a cordwainer’s daughter find happiness together? One of them will have to give up everything they love if they are to make this work. Love acts in strange ways. Sometimes, it steals one’s heart and soul.
Enjoy an excerpt from Highland Soul
“Open the bluidy cell door and let us out,” shouted Gavin, his deep voice echoing off the cold, stone walls of the dungeon of Hermitage Castle. His long fingers wrapped around the rusty iron bars and he shook the locked door with angry fists. If his teeth hadn’t been clenched, he was sure they would have rattled in his head from the jolting movement.
“It’s no use, Gavin, give it up,” complained his good friend, Cam, sitting on the dirty floor with his back propped up against the wall. The dungeon was attached to catacombs that snaked around underground, with tunnels leading deep and far, and even all the way to the other side of the border. It was a nasty place, and feared by all.
Cam pulled his blond hair back into a queue, tying it with a leather band. Next, he pulled off one boot and rubbed his foot. Spotting a rat sneaking through the bars, he quickly hurled his boot at it. Missing the rat, the boot ended up hitting North instead.
“Och, what was that for, ye fool?” North rubbed his knee. “I’m no’ the one makin’ all the ruckus. Ye should have thrown it at Gavin instead.”
“Arrrrg!” bellowed Gavin, kicking at the locked door of the cell, and then cursing. “We’ve got to make noise if we’re ever goin’ to get out of here. We’ve been locked up for three days now. This is insane.” “Ye heard Ian tell us that they are waitin’ for Storm to return.” Nash stood in the shadows. He used an object to clean under his nails. “By the way, I agree with Cam, Gavin. Ye’re makin’ so much noise ye’re goin’ to wake the dead.” He cleaned off the object against his green and purple plaid – the colors that depicted they were from the MacKeefe Clan.
“We’ve got to get out of here.” Gavin paced back and forth like a caged lion. “It’s just no’ right that we’ve been imprisoned in our own castle when we really didna do anythin’ wrong. We are heroes, no’ outcasts!” “I agree,” remarked Cam from the floor. “However, we’re in here, and that crazy old man is out there, decidin’ our fates.”
Clan MacKeefe was from the Highlands. They had a camp in the Grampian Mountains near Oban. However, they also had holdings in the Lowlands, near the border. Years ago, they managed to secure Hermitage Castle, taking it back from the English. That’s where they were now.
“There’s nothin’ we can do about it until Storm returns,” continued Cam with a yawn, crossing his arms over his chest. “Ye ken we’ll rot here until Callum cools off.”
“Aye,” agreed North, rubbing a weary hand through his long brown hair. He and Nash looked very similar, but were not identical twins. They both had long brown hair, but Nash was a little shorter, and his face was more rounded than North’s. Nash’s eyes were also hazel, while North’s were silver. Their mannerisms were quite different as well. “I now regret drinkin’ so much of Old Callum’s Mountain Magic. If I had kent he was goin’ to shove his silly rules in our faces, I never would have done it.”
“Me, too,” agreed Nash. “But Callum has never done anythin’ like this before,” he pointed out. He continued to clean his nails.
“I think he’s been upset about somethin’ lately,” said North.
“He does seem more ornery than usual.” Cam nodded in agreement.
“I think our chieftain, Ian, is ailin’,” said Gavin. “He looked ill and in pain to me.”
“That would make sense,” said Nash with a nod. “Callum is worried about his son.”
Gavin stopped in his tracks and looked over at Nash, surveying what he was doing. “What’s that?” he asked.
“I said that would make sense.”
“Nay! I mean . . . what’s that in yer hand, Nash?” Gavin couldn’t believe his eyes. He hurried over to him and gripped Nash’s wrist, holding it up for the others to see. “I dinna believe it.” A dirk reflected in the dim glow from the light of the torch burning outside the cell. Gavin’s jaw ticked in aggravation and he tried not to explode. “Ye have a bluidy dirk,” he said through his teeth. “Ye’ve had it all along.”
“Aye,” Nash answered. “It’s the one I always hide in my boot. Ye ken that.”
“He has a dirk?” asked North from the front of the cell.
“Aye, he has a dirk,” Gavin repeated, his fingers gripping tighter around his friend’s wrist now. “Yet, he didna think to mention it to us three days ago.
“What?” This news actually got Cam off his arse. He jumped up and headed over to them. North watched from over by the door. “Brathair, we could have used yer blade to pick the lock and get the hell out of here by now. I canna believe they missed yer blade when they removed all of our weapons before throwin’ us in here.”
“Leave me alone. All of ye.” Nash pushed Gavin, and pulled his hand back, still clenching the small blade. “It doesna matter. We’re outcasts now with nowhere to go. If we had used it, we’d be on the run for the rest of our lives.” Nash bent over to replace the dirk in his boot. But before he could stand back up, Gavin tackled him and brought him to the ground, punching Nash in the face.
“Blethers, Gavin, ye’re goin’ to hurt my brathair.” North dove atop the pile, struggling with both of them. A sea of green and purple plaid got tangled around their legs as they rolled over and over in a heated struggle, fighting for the blade.
“Stop it,” said Cam, but of course they didn’t listen. So, Cam put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly to get their attention.
Read the rest of the excerpt in the March/April Issue of Uncaged Book Reviews
