Tagline:
Love…against all odds.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant seamlessly blends the
magic of Scottish and Norse tradition in the enchanting new installment of her
instantly acclaimed Kindred: The Fated series.
Love…against all odds.
Banished by his father and laird, Rory Sutherland does what he
swore he’d never do—return to Scotland. But a dangerous threat has risen, and
it’s turned its gaze to his beloved home. He risks everything to find the witch
who can stop the growing menace. Asa’s power and beauty excites him. Her allure
seduces him. She’s his match in every way. And nothing will ever be the same
after being touched by her magic.
For Asa, being a witch has been a blessing and a curse. For
every good thing in her life, the tragedy that follows has been crushing. She’s
rudderless, adrift without a plan. Until a dark, sexy Highlander crosses her
path with a dire warning. She’s being hunted by a dark force that intends to
use her powerful bloodline. Bound to Rory by their quest and Fate, a passion
ignites that consumes them. Against all odds they found each other, but they
need to survive the coming war…or be ruined.
EXCERPT
Rory
opened his eyes. The sun blinked at him through the branches above him. Leaves
fell from their perches, slowly swirling as they glided elegantly to the ground
or got caught in the wind and were deposited elsewhere.
He
waited for the inevitable pain that he’d lived with for days, but there was
none. Had his body finally given out? The soft knicker of a horse drew his
attention. He looked over to find Abhain watching him. The stallion used his
left front hoof to paw at the ground while bobbing his head up and down.
Maybe
he wasn’t dead. Rory then spotted the fire, seeing the woman through the
dancing flames. She was curled on her side in a gown of soft gray, thick furs
around her shoulders. Her long, blond hair was how he had located her in the
dark, the golden color unlike any he had seen before.
He
had found her. He had also warned her. Rory recalled fighting against
the weariness of his body to impart how important it was for her to leave. He
frowned as he stared at her.
Obviously,
he had failed to get her to understand.
He
drew in a deep breath, shocked not to feel any pain. It was only as he exhaled
that he felt the slight pull. He lifted his head and looked at his abdomen. The
kilt he had stolen covered him. He tugged it away to find pink marks where his
wounds had been. Tentatively, he touched each of them. Then, his gaze moved
back to Asa. She had healed him.
And
risked her life in the process.
He
sat up and ran a hand down his face. He hadn’t expected to live through the
night. Most already thought him dead. He had found his quarry, but he hadn’t
completed his mission. He had given his word and would ensure he kept it.
At
least they were no longer in the village, but they couldn’t tarry. Time wasn’t
on their side. Rory climbed to his feet and looked around. He was thirsty, but
more than that, he needed to wash. The mud and dirt had been good for a
disguise, but it itched now. He would take a few minutes to see to himself, but
then they needed to leave. If he had to throw Asa over his shoulder to get her
away, he would do exactly that.
Rory
paused to listen to the forest. Birds sang, squirrels tittered to each other,
and a fox cried to his left. The animals didn’t seem disturbed. Rory walked to
his stallion, speaking softly to the animal as he pressed his forehead to
Abhain’s.
After
the greeting, he rummaged through the bag attached to his saddle and found his
kilt and a shirt. He fingered the golden-brown, red, gray, and black plaid that
had once meant everything to him. Then he turned and followed the sound of
water. The brook wasn’t deep, but it served its purpose. Rory stripped and
walked into its icy caress. He quickly but thoroughly scrubbed himself from
head to toe before emerging from the brook.
He
raked his fingers through his hair to untangle it. Chills raced over his
still-wet skin as a cool wind brushed past him as he dressed. It felt good to
wear his own clothes once more. They were on Sutherland land, so the tartan
allowed him to blend in. His face, however, was one others knew. The one
advantage he had was that they believed him dead. And he should’ve been with
the number of times the blades had found their way into his body. He didn’t
know how he had survived. Though he knew who was responsible for him walking
about now: Asa.
He
made his way back to the ruins, feeling more like himself than he had in days.
Remnants of mist hovered, clinging to the shadows where the sun couldn’t reach
it. He walked along the broken wall and looked over to find Asa sitting up, her
back to him. She braided the long length of her hair, seemingly unaware of his
presence, but he was sure she knew he was there. He rounded the corner where
the door had once been and came to a halt when her head swiveled his way. He
found himself staring into eyes so deep a blue they reminded him of the ocean.
She
watched him, curiosity in her expression, and tied off a small braid near her
right ear. He pulled his gaze from hers to see delicate brows, a slim nose, and
a luscious mouth, all set in a heart-shaped face. Her beauty was blinding, but
her determination and fortitude robbed him of thought and reason.
For
a full minute, he forgot about the driving need that had made him fight against
blood loss to find her. “Thank you,” he said as he forced his feet to move and
take him into the ruins. “But you shouldna have wasted time healing me. You
should’ve put distance between you and the sea.”
“As
I told you last night, I’m done running.”
He
pinched the bridge of his nose with this thumb and forefinger before tossing
the kilt he had stolen onto the fire. “Then I didna impart how critical it was
that you do exactly that.”
“You
know me. How?”
Rory
couldn’t look away from her hands as they took another section of hair and
began plaiting it. The pinkie, ring finger, and index finger on each hand had
simple rune markings between the first and second knuckles. The middle finger
of her each had binding runes that ran from the length of her middle finger up
and over the knuckle. It took him a moment to make out each meaning. On her
right hand was resilience. The left was wisdom.
He wanted to look at each of them closer. Instead, he forced himself to
look at her face. “I’d love to tell you everything, but you’re missing the
point. Your life is in danger. You need to leave. Get far from here.”
“And
you nearly lost your life finding me.”
“Aye.”
He wished he could lose the memory, but he would never forget the feeling of
the blades or his cousin’s smile.
She
eyed him. “I’m not moving until I get some answers. So, you can either fight me,
which means prolonging me doing anything, or you can give me what I want.”
About the Author
Donna is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a hundred novels. Her most popular series is the breathtaking Dragon Kings series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.
In addition to her novels, Donna has written short stories, novellas, and novelettes for digital-first and print release. She has been dubbed as giving the “paranormal genre a burst of fresh air” by the San Francisco Book Review. Her work has been hailed as having “deft plotting and expert characterization” by Publisher’s Weekly and “sizzling” by RT Book Reviews.
She has been recognized with awards from both bookseller and reader contests including the National Reader’s Choice Award, Booksellers Best Award, as well as the coveted K.I.S.S. Award from RT Book Reviews.
Donna travels often for various speaking engagements, conferences, and book signings. She is also a frequent workshop presenter at national conferences such as RT Book Lovers Convention and Thrillerfest, as well as local chapters.
Born and raised in Texas, she also has ties across the border in Louisiana. Growing up with two such vibrant cultures, her Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding. She is never far from her faithful 80 pound dog, Sisko, or her cats. She can often be found at the movies or bookstore. Or buying makeup. And shoes.
https://donnagrant.com/
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