Samhain Publishing Ltd Weblog

THE WOLVERINE AND THE FLAME is Now Available!

How does it all end? For the longest time, I wondered that myself. I knew I was going to have a blast writing a story for Sir Ethan, one of my favorite Wolverines. But making Mynos the bad guy? Risky move, but a darn cool plot!

See for yourself how it ends in Lyndaria with Book III in the Legends of Mynos series.

http://www.samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-wolverine-and-the-flame

***

One woman, bound to the whim of a talisman.
One dragon, driven to insane bloodlust.
One man, determined to save them both.

Book III of the Legends of Mynos series.

After the death of his best friend, Sir Ethan travels to Marynville to deliver the sad news to his friend’s sister, and to fulfill his promise to protect her. When he meets the beautiful Meghan, she provokes him to far more than friendship.

But then they hear rumors of an evil talisman, and Ethan must set his feelings aside in order to protect his country, Lyndaria, from the threat of the Dragon’s Flame.

The Dragon’s Flame, a glittering ruby made from the body of an evil red dragon, twists the minds of all who touch it. Even the benevolent golden dragon Mynos, commanded by the king to find and destroy it, cannot withstand its malignant power.

Maddened by the evil gem, Mynos threatens to annihilate Lyndaria. Worse, Meghan has accidentally touched and bonded with another crystal, the Crystal of Mynos, and only with a powerful magic spell can she withstand and wield its power against the Dragon’s Flame.

With Meghan’s life hanging in the balance, can Ethan find a way to break the foul enchantment before Mynos destroys them all?

***

Excerpt:

“Ethan!”

He turned at the sound of his name, and Meghan could have sworn she heard him groan. A handsome man with dark hair and unusual lavender-colored eyes strode up to them with a wide grin on his face. He was about as tall as Ethan, and yet he didn’t wear the familiar sword of a Wolverine. In fact, his clothing was made of the finest blue silks and deep red velvets.

“Wonderful to see you, my good man,” he said, his rich voice carrying on the breeze. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your lady friend?”

“Why no, I wasn’t planning on it.”

Meghan gasped at Ethan’s sudden prickly demeanor. He moved to step in front of her, as if shielding her from the handsome man.
The man merely laughed and stepped around him, holding out his hand. “I’m Lord Galen of Evendria, milady, and you are?”

“I’m Meghan. Of…of Marynville,” she stammered, glancing at Ethan. “Nice to meet you, milord.” She began to reach for Galen’s offered hand in greeting, but Ethan’s own hand snaked out and tucked her fingers underneath his arm before she had the chance.

“This is Lady Jewel’s brother, Meghan,” Ethan said casually, as if he hadn’t just offended the lord standing before him. “He won’t be staying long at the castle, I’m afraid. He was only here to attend his sister’s ‘proper’ wedding to Sir Sebastian, which he and his father insisted upon, by the way, even though the Lady Jewel and Sebastian had already been married. But since that ‘proper’ wedding took place a few days ago, Lord Galen will be leaving Castle Templestone to return to Evendria. Sooner rather than later, I hope, milord?”

Lord Galen was grinning from ear to ear. Meghan couldn’t believe it. Ethan was deliberately provoking him.

“Why, Sir Ethan, I’ve never seen you so…overbearing before,” he said, obviously enjoying himself.

“Yes, well, Meghan is Sir Duncan’s sister, and she has been given into my care. Your short stay here at the castle has been quite entertaining, to say the least, Galen. I swear you must have every maid and female servant swooning at the sight of you. But forgive me for saving milady Meghan from your charms. I do not want her similarly corrupted.”

Galen nodded his head and looked at Meghan thoughtfully. “It would seem to me you just don’t want any competition for the lady’s attentions. Ironic, wouldn’t you say, considering your pursuit of my sister?”

Meghan could feel Ethan’s muscles tense as her hand still rested on his arm. The air was suddenly thick with tension.

“I am sorry, Lord Galen,” she found herself saying, “but I do believe you are mistaken in your belief that there could be any competition for my attention. I simply could not fancy a man other than Sir Ethan if I tried. I apologize, but that is the way of it.”

Ethan’s delighted peals of laughter echoed off the surrounding battlements.

“And you say I corrupt the ladies, my good man?” Lord Galen chuckled, smacking Ethan on the shoulder. He glanced back to
Meghan and winked at her. “Fair enough, milady. Good day.”
With that, he turned on his heel and strode away.

*

“Why Meghan, you are my champion!”

Ethan had to wipe away his tears of mirth as he laughed heartily. Never in his life had a woman stood up for him in front of a potential rival and it warmed his heart. Meghan was indeed an unpredictable woman, exactly the kind of woman he needed in his life. He just hoped her supposed feelings for him were far deeper than a mere infatuation. Ethan didn’t know what he’d do if Meghan left him to make a life with another man.

His thoughts suddenly stopped cold. Here he was, thinking about spending his life with this woman, and he hadn’t known her for more than a few days. Not only that, but they hadn’t even made love. However, that was a problem he was most intent on solving.
The fact that Meghan was now holding his hand gave him hope that she’d be willing to take their little affair to the next level.

He didn’t know how he had resisted her earlier that morning when he’d pretended to be the maid just to see her in her nightclothes. Every curve of her body had shown itself to him and his own body had instantly responded. Thank goodness Meghan was too innocent to realize exactly what she was doing to him. Just being near her, touching her, smelling her sweet scent, had Ethan wanting to find a secluded corner in which to ravish her.

“I am no champion, Sir Ethan.” Her voice pierced his thoughts. “I merely wanted to make it known that I’m not interested in his advances, if that was his agenda.”

“Oh it was, milady, believe me.” Ethan rolled his eyes. He walked with her along the battlements, leading her toward the courtyard of the castle. “Lord Galen is more of a womanizer than…”

“Than who? Than you?”

Ethan’s head snapped around to look into her smiling eyes.

Meghan cocked her head. “That is what you were going to say, wasn’t it?”

“Well, perhaps. But those days are behind me.”

“Oh?”

Nodding, he smiled at her. “I am tired of chasing skirts and heated trysts. I want stability, I want a future, a family.”

“How many…trysts have you had?” Meghan’s gaze dropped to her feet as they walked.

“In truth? I do not know, milady.”

An uncomfortable silence spread out before them.

“However, Meghan,” he said, stopping their stroll and turning toward her, “You are not one of them.”

She gazed at him, her green eyes shining, and he knew what she wanted to hear.

“You are not a tryst, milady. You are something special, more solid. I have never felt this way about anyone, not even when I was chasing after Lady Jewel. Whatever is happening between us, Meghan, it’s genuine. You can count on that.”

“What is happening between us, Sir Ethan?” Her chin trembled.

“Something wonderful.” Leaning over her, he framed her face in his hands and kissed her gently. He didn’t care who might see them, he only cared about the soft, warm woman in his arms. He hadn’t worn his hair back since their first kiss, and he groaned as he felt her fingers threading through the length of it. When her tongue touched his lips, asking for entrance, his arms tightened around her, never wanting to let go.

He opened for her, kissing her slowly, allowing her to slip her tongue into his mouth. The silken feel of it was almost his undoing.
Pulling away, he hugged her tight, panting hard.

“We need to stop, Meghan,” he whispered in her ear. “It is not proper to be so intimate on the top of the battlements.”

“Since when have you worried about propriety?” she teased, her own voice a mere whisper.

“Only for your sake, milady,” he said. “I am sure you have no secret desire to be made love to on the outer walls of the castle in front of the king’s knights.”

“Do you have another location in mind?”

Her soft voice in his ear shocked him. Damn, Meghan was going to be the death of him.

***

http://www.samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-wolverine-and-the-flame

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com