Title: Warrior Priest Author: Kate Hill Genre: Science Fiction Romance
What happens when a warrior priest from a strict religion meets a free-spirited priestess from a new age commune? Jade and Selena are as different as two people can be, but to facilitate an alliance between their worlds, they engage in a cultural exchange. With their galaxy in danger from a planet that wants to conquer or destroy all others, they realize the importance of their assignment, but it is difficult for a warrior priest and a nonviolent priestess to understand each other. Selena is both attracted and appalled by his old school masculinity, and Jade is tempted to break his vow of celibacy until marriage due to his powerful desire for her. Will this unlikely pair not only find common ground, but unconditional love?
“This is our last stop before the ceremony,” Ari Tobias said.
They walked through the courtyard to where dozens of priests engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Some wrestled, others kicked and punched, and others dueled with machetes.
They paused in a circular area where three priests attacked one.
“That’s Ari Jade.” Ari Tobias nodded toward the priest who fought the three. “He’s among those being honored at the ceremony today.”
Tall and broad with long limbs, Ari Jade moved like a predator. His braid lashed behind him as he defended against the attacking priests. The severe hairstyle did nothing to hide his remarkably large ears. His high-collared black uniform clung damply to his lithe, powerful body. A red-haired priest grasped him from behind, and he easily tossed the man onto his back and struck him in the stomach just seconds before spinning and kicking the second priest. The third lunged at him and for several seconds they traded blows before the redhead kicked Ari Jade’s legs out from under him. He landed with a grunt, partly breaking his fall with an extended arm. He kicked two priests and twisted to avoid a punch from the third.
“Is something wrong, Elspeth?” Ari Tobias asked, a smirk in his voice. His gaze fixed on the dark-haired priestess.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand how all this bloodshed fits with religion.”
“Probably because our religion is quite different than yours. Whereas you’re upset by this, your companion seems fascinated.”
It took Selena a moment to realize that he’d been referring to her. For some strange reason, she couldn’t keep her gaze from Ari Jade. There was something almost savage about him. Some might consider his heavy features ugly—except for his eyes. They were dark, almond-shaped, and more intense than lasers. A faded scar—like a slice from a dagger—cut across his right eyebrow. He both frightened and fascinated her.
A gong sounded and the priests stopped training. At that moment, Ari Jade turned and stared directly into Selena’s eyes. A shiver ran down her spine again, but this time it was as much from desire as from fear. Ari Jade unsettled her, but she wouldn’t allow him to intimidate her. She stared back at him, refusing to break contact no matter how much she wanted to look away.
The red-headed priest punched Ari Jade amiably in the shoulder, drawing his attention away from Selena. Grateful for his distraction, she released a pent-up breath.
“It’s time to prepare for the ceremony,” Ari Tobias announced and led the way back to the temple.
Elspeth followed close behind him, but Selena hung back for a moment, her gaze fixed once more on Ari Jade. He turned to her. His dark, almond-shaped eyes narrowed and his lips twitched in an animal-like snarl. To drive off her fear and discomfort, she again noted the size of his ears and decided that she would now think of him as Ari Donkey. She couldn’t keep from smiling, and Jade scowled, their gazes still locked.
I’m not too proud to admit that finding Mr. Right involves swiping right. Right? Welcome to dating in avocado toastland.
Here I am, on my first blind date, ever, courtesy of a smartphone app and my two annoying best friends.
So what is Chris “Fletch” Fletcher doing, walking across the room, looking at his phone like he’s pattern matching a picture to find a real person he’s never met before?
Oh.
Oh, no.
The guy I drop-kicked in seventh grade cannot be my blind date. The guy who earned me this infernal nickname.
That’s right.
Feisty.
Any choices available to her will ultimately lead to sacrifices. Fay must figure out what she is ready to sacrifice—her heart, her soul, or even…her life.
“You could have come to me,” she mumbled miserably. “I could have helped.”
“How?” I countered. “It was ridiculous. Crazy.” I pulled back. “I got weak. I got stupid. I got reckless. When shit got hard, and I wanted to get high, I’d jack off instead. The sex…” I ground my teeth. “It didn’t happen as often as you think. When it did, it was after a meltdown, after I got high.
“I’ll never be able to earn your forgiveness, Keira. Never. And that’s okay.” I released a shaky breath. “I realized that tonight. You don’t have to forgive me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying. I won’t. I’ll never stop. If I have to spend the rest of my life— It doesn’t matter. Nothing does apart from you and Cyan.”
“Does it hurt?”
I frowned. “Jacking off twenty times a day?”
“No.” Her voice was small. “I asked you before and you said no, but I don’t believe you. The padlock… does it hurt?”
It hadn’t back then. But I’d upped the gauge with another custom-built device.
“Yes.” It fucking ached like a son of a bitch.
“So, instead of drugs, and rather than jack off or fuck to escape the drugs, you’re self-harming?”
“It’s working.”
“You’re self-harming,” she repeated grittily.
“I haven’t had sex in months. I haven’t jacked off in months either. It’s working, Keira.”
“It’s not a sustainable solution.”
“It’s breaking the habit. I won’t cheat on you again. I won’t. I can’t.”
“Even if I never take you back? Even when I get a boyfriend?”
My jaw ached with how hard I clenched down. “Even then.”
A shocked breath escaped her. “Why are you doing this? Why now?”
“Because you leaving me… I hit rock bottom. I’ve been there so many fucking times, K. So many times. I’m so sick of being on the ground, looking up. Trying to fix my fuck ups, to make shit right. I can’t do it again. I can’t. I can’t want to end it all again—”
“Suicide?” she interrupted, a horrified gasp to her words.
“You’ve no idea how many times I almost tried. I don’t want you to know. I just… I did the best I could, and that was nothing in comparison to what you brought to our family. I let you down. I let Cy down. But I won’t do it again.”
The sound of an engine rumbled to life, half pipes with it, and when a solitary light pierced the kitchen window, I wasn’t altogether surprised that the biker was coming to our house. I’d given the security guard a heads up to let a brother through the gates, just in case Rex or Digger arrived, but now wasn’t the best timing.
Not when, finally, I felt like Keira saw me for what I truly was.
A nothing.
A nobody.
An addict.
Worthless.
Trash.
And yet she still held me.
She didn’t push away from me.
She didn’t act as if my touch were poison to her.
I swallowed, affected more than she could know by her generosity, her selflessness.
How didn’t she realize how perfect she was?
How beautiful a person she was?
It hurt me. It physically hurt me. Which was why, there and then, I vowed that would be part of my recovery too.
I’d fix me, I’d try to fix us, but I’d fix her as well.
I’m a romance bookaholic and I won’t touch a book unless I know there’s a happy ending. This addiction is what made me craft stories that suit my voracious need for raunchy romance. I love twists and unexpected turns, and my novels all contain sexy guys, dark humor, and hot AF love scenes.
I write MF, Menage, and Reverse Harem (also known as Why Choose romance,) in both contemporary and paranormal. Some of my stories are darker than others, but I can promise you one thing, you will always get the happy ending your heart needs!
During all the time I spend with Nix, I’ve been letting myself believe that lies of omission aren’t really lies. And the lies I do tell her—my name and where I’m from—don’t really matter compared to the deeper truths I lay bare. She knows my genuine feelings, my fears, my likes, and dislikes . . . things that seem so much more essential than my fake history.
Perversely, I liked watching her talk to my mom. I saw my mother look Nix over with the slightly raised eyebrow that indicated she had encountered an object of interest. It would have killed me to see my mom dismiss Nix as boring.
Best of all was the knowledge that Nix had sought me out that day. That she had gone looking all over campus for a purpose that seemed glaringly clear the moment we were alone.
Her eyes roved over me. She had the hunter’s determination to bring me down and not go home again starving.
I’ve been wanting to fuck Nix since the moment she stepped out of the underground pool. Hell, I might even have felt that first flaring lust the moment I laid eyes on her crossing campus. That burst of sudden heat . . . it wasn’t all hatred.
I tell myself I can’t do it, that it would be wrong to sleep with her under false pretenses.
But every second I’m around her, I’m losing control. It’s like the day I boxed Dean—each glance from her eyes, or bite of her lip is like another blow, knocking me senseless. Tearing off my veneer and taking me back to the man I used to be: prince of the West Coast. My father’s right-hand man, running his business, preparing to take over someday. Surrounded by women and friends, wealth pouring in . . .
That man had confidence. He didn’t have to hide. He never pretended to be weaker, shyer, lesser. He never compromised his integrity with lies.
I want to be myself with Nix, not this alias. I want her to know me, not him. I want to fuck her as myself.
Sophie Lark is an Amazon Bestselling author who writes intense, intelligent romance, with heroines who are strong and capable, and men who will do anything to capture their hearts. She lives with her husband, two boys, and baby girl in the Rocky Mountain West.
She has a slight obsession with hiking, bodybuilding, and live comedy shows. Her perfect day would be taking the kids to Harry Potter World, going dancing with Mr. Lark, then relaxing with a good book and a monster bag of salt and vinegar chips.
