Rorik Thorlicksson uncovers treachery within his clan but in order to return home to warn of the impending attack, he must yield to the woman holding him captive. Along their voyage he unravels the mystery behind his captor. He discovers she is the woman promised to him in wedlock at birth though her disappearance years ago released him from his betrothal. Dissuading the little heathen from her purpose and into his bed becomes a more appealing prospect with every passing day.
Blood vengeance brings them together even as desire binds their hearts. Amongst the secrets and obscurities of their destinies, they find a love that spans a lifetime as well as an end to A Valkyrie’s Vengeance.
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**Excerpt**
Rorik wasted no time in gathering three men to follow the girl at his King’s request. The rest could follow at their leisure. He didn’t wish to lose her trail. He picked up her slight prints in the mud easily. Oleg knelt beside him and pointed to the tracks. “She heads north toward the cliffs.”
“Aye.”
They weaved through the myriad spires of oak, elm, and pine trees, their heavy boots snapping twigs and limbs beneath their feet. They did not seek to conceal but instead moved quickly, hoping to catch up to her.
A trickle of water alerted him to the stream before he stumbled upon it. Immediately, they lost her tracks. She’d entered the water and walked up or down stream, for they found no tracks on the opposite embankment.
“We’ll split up, you two search back down stream and I’ll search north. She had to come out of the water eventually.”
So the girl was resourceful and smart. He would just have to be more resourceful and much smarter than she.
Rorik broke away from the other men and sloshed through the knee-high water. The center of the stream couldn’t have been any higher than his waist, easy to navigate. He carefully studied the muddied earth on both sides of the bank as he meandered up stream.
Picking up her tracks again minutes later, he increased his pace. He slogged out of the water to follow her. She turned due west. Emerging from the trees, he found a tiny nestled cottage as the stream curled sharply behind it.
The woman slammed out of the dwelling carrying a bundle of items in her arms. Reaching the edge of the stream, she dropped her load and scurried to braid and tie her wet hair.
Pausing, unwilling to reveal his presence just yet, he hovered behind the leafy brush.
She stripped off her soaked dress and his heart came to a stuttering halt. His vision focused on the smooth ivory back, the gentle curve of the side of her breast and heat plunged through his veins. A fire roared to life inside his body unlike any he’d ever experienced before.
He peered through the branches of the elm tree as she tore long stripes out of the material. She slipped on a pair of knee length braise, the Saxon men were known to wear and wrapped one of the bands of material around her chest, binding her breasts. With her back still turned away from him, she smeared mud over every inch of her body. Blood began to pound inside his head like a heartbeat.
A fever swept through him and he clenched his fist at his sides. Would her skin be soft? He wanted to taste her flesh, her lips and run his hands up those beautiful legs, wrapping them around his waist.
Her hands smoothed the mud almost lovingly across her flesh, and he imagined it was his own hands caressing her. He swallowed. Who would have imagined wallowing in the mud like a pig could be so erotic but somehow this Viking maiden managed to do so effortlessly.
When she was finished, she wrapped her boots in the rest of the material securely and hefted her bow and quiver. Replacing her sheathed dagger at her waist, she tied on a sword much more suited to her size.
The Valkyrie readied for war.
Against her own people.
He frowned and moved to get a little closer. The crunch of the needles beneath his feet alerted her. Her head jerked up, like a doe in danger. She peered cautiously in his direction.
He supposed now was as good a time as any for introductions.
Bursting through the brush, he raced toward her. She leapt to her feet and sprinted in the opposite direction. Scurrying through the trees ahead of him, she darted through the foliage, and he lengthened his stride crossing the glade in mere seconds.
They weaved in unison through the trees like a timeless dance. He caught glimpses of her muddied head in the distance until she seemingly disappeared. Rorik came to a halt at the edge of a cliff and peered around, trying to catch his breath. Where in Thor’s hammer had she gone?
His gaze searched the surrounding area for tracks but found nothing. It was as if she’d just disappeared. By Odin’s wrath that was impossible, he had been right behind her. She couldn’t have vanished.
He glanced around. A sharp jagged cliff dropped off to the west and nothing but trees surrounded the rest of the area. She couldn’t have jumped off the cliff. He peered down. She would’ve been crushed by the fall alone.
Rorik cursed and controlled his breaths. He studied the earth again and again, but found nothing. Retracing his steps, determined to find something, he refused to give up.
A short time later, he headed back to find the other men. He’d been so close to getting his hands on her but he’d ruined his chances in his lust-crazed state by making a noise. Frustrated beyond belief, he cursed the gods and himself.
He wasn’t ready to give up just yet but he needed to check on his men. He would come back and figure out this mystery.
For unlike a real Valkyrie, she couldn’t sprout wings and fly away.
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**Author Info**
Suzie still believes in happily-ever-after and after growing up reading classic adventure literature like Treasure Isle, Robinson Crusoe, and The Swiss Family Robinson tales, as well as epic novels like Gone with the wind, Suzie would dream up adventures of her own.With her love of history she brings the action of thrillers to historical romance with steamy, love scenes and a pace that will leave you breathless!
She lives happily ever after with her new beau, three boys and one little Shih tzu named Peppy Le’Pew in NC. One day she plans to retire and sail along the east coast an adventurer to the end.
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**Giveaway**
Suzie will be giving away a PDF copy of Valkyrie's Vengeance to 1 lucky person. Make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form for your chance to win a copy.
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Thanks for having me today!
ReplyDeleteI love Valkyrie stories, but don't read nearly enough of them:) Great excerpt... can't wait to read the rest!
ReplyDeleteyadkny@hotmail.com
OH! This book sounds awesome! Thanks for the interview and excerpt! I love that this is a Valkyrie story :)
ReplyDeleteI love strong heroines but there's a fine line between strong and bull headed. If she can take care of herself and others, awesome, but if her stubbornness gets her into trouble and then she complains about it or has to get rescued, thumbs down!
I do like strong women characters, but only if that means they have strong characters not just on the outside because I like to see characters grow.
ReplyDeleteThis story sounds exciting and I would love to read it. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
I love strong heroines. And I love Norse mythology, the Valkries have always been my favorite. So of course I love the sound of your book!
ReplyDeleteLove them. Yay strong heroines! Not necessarily physically but character wise; tho a sword wielding warrior heroine gets my vote too!
ReplyDeleteI like reading about strong heroines, they are fascinating. I can't stand to read about women who are whimpy or whiney and can't do anything for themselves. I don't very much about Norse mythology but I can't wait to learn more.
ReplyDeleteluvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com
I love strong, kick-ass heroines! They stand up for themselves and don't let anyone keep them from their mission/goals! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
Leanne
I like strong heroines.
ReplyDeleteI love strong heroines they are the only kind I enjoy reading those weak and simpering oh fret fret woe is me types just irk me lol.Looking forward to readingthis book it sounds great.
ReplyDelete