by A.K. Morgen
Genre: UpperYA/NA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 24th 2020
Tirgearr Publishing
Summary:
How do you save someone who doesn't want
to be saved?
to be saved?
Those called to
stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free. Now
Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök is
coming and they aren't strong enough to stop it.
stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free. Now
Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök is
coming and they aren't strong enough to stop it.
Arionna thought
she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing Dace
apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it
threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.
she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing Dace
apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it
threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.
It's up to
Arionna to stop him before it's too late, but the path to hell is paved with
good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self-destruction. This time,
Arionna isn't sure she can save him from himself.
Arionna to stop him before it's too late, but the path to hell is paved with
good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self-destruction. This time,
Arionna isn't sure she can save him from himself.
Can she convince
him to let the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange
for the lives of the people she loves?
him to let the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange
for the lives of the people she loves?
Excerpt
Dace nuzzled his
cold face into my neck, planting little kisses everywhere he could reach.
cold face into my neck, planting little kisses everywhere he could reach.
I love seeing you like this, I said.
Hmm?
Happy. I tilted my head to the side to allow him better access to my
neck. I loved when he kissed me like this. Like he couldn't be this close to me
without having his hands and lips on me.
neck. I loved when he kissed me like this. Like he couldn't be this close to me
without having his hands and lips on me.
I am happy. You make me happy.
Gage leaned down
to whisper something to Chelle. She looked out over the field, frowned, and
then whispered something back to him, too low for me to hear. Gage responded,
causing her to shake her head. Her frown deepened.
to whisper something to Chelle. She looked out over the field, frowned, and
then whispered something back to him, too low for me to hear. Gage responded,
causing her to shake her head. Her frown deepened.
I followed her
gaze with mine and had to bite back the urge to groan.
gaze with mine and had to bite back the urge to groan.
Ronan stood
across the quad, his long hair blowing in the brisk wind.
across the quad, his long hair blowing in the brisk wind.
Why is he here?
I asked him to come, Dace said.
"Why?"
I demanded aloud.
I demanded aloud.
Some of the girls
around us turned in my direction.
around us turned in my direction.
"Shit,"
I cursed under my breath. I would
remind everyone I was within gawking distance. I arched a brow in a pointed,
unspoken request.
I cursed under my breath. I would
remind everyone I was within gawking distance. I arched a brow in a pointed,
unspoken request.
They hurriedly
averted their gazes, opting instead to cast furtive glances over their
shoulders at us.
averted their gazes, opting instead to cast furtive glances over their
shoulders at us.
Behave, please. Dace continued nuzzling my neck, trying to
distract me.
distract me.
I closed my eyes
and leaned back into him again, doing my best to ignore the renewed interest of
my former classmates. They weren't only curious about me. They were just as
curious about Dace, the gorgeous TA who had never dated a student before me.
Didn't help, though. I didn't like the attention.
and leaned back into him again, doing my best to ignore the renewed interest of
my former classmates. They weren't only curious about me. They were just as
curious about Dace, the gorgeous TA who had never dated a student before me.
Didn't help, though. I didn't like the attention.
Why's Ronan here? I asked.
To help keep an eye on things.
Dace sucked at
lying. Or maybe I'd gotten better at picking up on the things he didn't say.
Whatever the case, he wasn't being honest with me. I heard it in the half-second
pause before he answered. Felt it in the way his body tensed for a moment
before he relaxed again.
lying. Or maybe I'd gotten better at picking up on the things he didn't say.
Whatever the case, he wasn't being honest with me. I heard it in the half-second
pause before he answered. Felt it in the way his body tensed for a moment
before he relaxed again.
I'm not lying.
You're not telling the whole truth,
either.
either.
I am.
Geri? I pushed my thoughts out toward the wolf. If he knew what
Dace was plotting, he'd fill me in. Wolves didn't keep secrets.
Dace was plotting, he'd fill me in. Wolves didn't keep secrets.
Geri stirred.
Dammit, Arionna. Dace nipped gently at my skin with his
teeth, a little punishment for defying him, and a little reward for defying
him. The boy was nothing if not complicated.
teeth, a little punishment for defying him, and a little reward for defying
him. The boy was nothing if not complicated.
"Tell me,"
I said, turning my face into his.
I said, turning my face into his.
He's here to see if he can root out Sköll
or Hati.
or Hati.
I froze, my heart
jumping.
jumping.
We don't know if they're here, Dace said, trying to ease my mind.
It didn't work.
He didn't know
for sure, but he suspected the demon wolves were here. And why wouldn't he?
Whoever they were, they knew where he worked, where I went to school. They knew
exactly where to find us the day they attacked, right down to our schedules. Of
course, they were here somewhere. What I didn't understand was why Dace was
here.
for sure, but he suspected the demon wolves were here. And why wouldn't he?
Whoever they were, they knew where he worked, where I went to school. They knew
exactly where to find us the day they attacked, right down to our schedules. Of
course, they were here somewhere. What I didn't understand was why Dace was
here.
If he expected Sköll
and Hati to show up, why did he willingly let me, Chelle, and Beth come here?
and Hati to show up, why did he willingly let me, Chelle, and Beth come here?
Because you're safe here.
So he hoped.
I won't let anything happen to you again.
I sighed, things
beginning to fall into place in my mind.
beginning to fall into place in my mind.
Dace wouldn't let
any of us leave the house without a guard, but he had no such qualms about
putting Ronan in danger. Sköll and Hati had to know Dace would be too busy
keeping an eye on me, Chelle, and Beth to spare any attention for anyone else
today. No one would be watching Ronan's back, making him an easy target. All the
twin wolves had to do was separate him from the crowd, and no one would ever
know.
any of us leave the house without a guard, but he had no such qualms about
putting Ronan in danger. Sköll and Hati had to know Dace would be too busy
keeping an eye on me, Chelle, and Beth to spare any attention for anyone else
today. No one would be watching Ronan's back, making him an easy target. All the
twin wolves had to do was separate him from the crowd, and no one would ever
know.
That's why we
were really here today. Not because we needed a break or because Dace was
actually trying, but for this. So Ronan could do what Dace wouldn't let me do
and act as bait.
were really here today. Not because we needed a break or because Dace was
actually trying, but for this. So Ronan could do what Dace wouldn't let me do
and act as bait.
We couldn't even
get away from the apocalypse for a single afternoon.
get away from the apocalypse for a single afternoon.
The damn thing
followed us everywhere went.
followed us everywhere went.
Previous book in the series (click on image for Goodreads link);
A.K. Morgen is the Amazon Bestselling
author of the Ragnarök Prophesies series. She lives in the heart of Arkansas
with her childhood sweetheart/husband of sixteen years and their furry minions.
When not writing, she spends her time hiking, reading, volunteering, causing
mischief, and building a Spork army.
author of the Ragnarök Prophesies series. She lives in the heart of Arkansas
with her childhood sweetheart/husband of sixteen years and their furry minions.
When not writing, she spends her time hiking, reading, volunteering, causing
mischief, and building a Spork army.
She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of
Science degree in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology in 2009 before going
on to complete her graduate degree in CJ and Law.
Science degree in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology in 2009 before going
on to complete her graduate degree in CJ and Law.
She puts her
education to use as a 911 Dispatch Supervisor, where she's responsible for
leading a team of dispatchers as they watch over police, EMS, and firefighters
for her county.
education to use as a 911 Dispatch Supervisor, where she's responsible for
leading a team of dispatchers as they watch over police, EMS, and firefighters
for her county.
Ayden also writes steamy romantic suspense under the penname Ayden K. Morgen.
You can visit her online at http://akmorgen.com or at the links below.
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/k8v9e2
Loving the cover
ReplyDeleteThis has a great cover! I enjoyed reading this excerpt.
ReplyDelete