Beauty may be the real beast, The Wolf Queen, #MFRWsteam

 

Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019HML564

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1519606249

Excerpt:

Lycaon hoped he could get Alara to be that pleased with him. Leaving them to their celebration, he searched and found the gray-eyed beauty sitting beneath a tree, her expression pensive. He swallowed hard before approaching her. “Alara.”

“I do not wish to share words with you.”

Taking a deep breath, he remembered Ena’s advice. “Alara, please. I thought you were going home with Denar.” He reached deep inside himself to find the true words. “I thought I had lost you.”

She watched him, one eyebrow arching. “Why did you think that?”

At least he had her attention. “I saw you kissing him. I thought I had no chance. Why would you want someone who looks like me when you can have someone like Denar? And he told me you were betrothed to him.”

She frowned and shook her head. “His impertinence is exactly why I decided not to go home with him.” Her eyes glistened with tears. “But you ran into Maia’s arms. Why? Do you love her?”

“No. No, it’s not what it appeared to be. Nothing happened other than some kissing. Nothing else. I swear it before Artemis. May one of her death arrows strike me if I am lying.” He cleared his throat. “I was unable to take it further because all I could think of was you.”

“I am supposed to believe nothing happened when I found you half-naked with a naked nymph? Why did you stay there with her?”

“Maia was naked because she came to me as a bird, and we used my tunic to sit on. She stayed with me because after I was…ah…,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing, “…unable to perform, I talked about returning to camp and ripping Denar’s head off. I can never be with anyone else. You…you have my heart, Alara. I am so sorry I hurt you.” He struggled to find the true words that wouldn’t make the situation worse.

She offered him a faint smile. “Please sit. You look as if you are going to fall down.”

He eased down beside her and stretched his legs.

“It hurt me to see you with Maia, even if all you did was kiss her, but I think I understand.” She gazed at him with affection. “You should know I do not pick my mate based on what he looks like.” She pulled his hood back. “And I think you are quite handsome.”

“You do?” He smiled. “Then you must be blind, Princess.”

“Denar may be handsome on the outside, but on the inside, he is arrogant and controlling. You are beautiful inside.” She pressed the palm of her hand to his chest. “You may think I am blind, but I think you are handsome on the outside, too.” She leaned in and kissed him.

Her bold move surprised him. He pulled her close and enjoyed her sweet-tasting lips. Alara’s kisses sent tingles to every part of his body. Lycaon wanted to be with her all the time.

She pulled away and smiled at him. “What made you change from angry to sensible?”

Her smile brightened his world. For the first time since the curse, he didn’t feel like an ugly, disgraced man.

He shrugged. “I just thought perhaps I was being too forceful.”

With a clever smile, she said, “Ena talked to you.”

Lycaon gave her a sidelong, rueful look. “She did. Do you forgive me?”

“Of course. It pleases me she was able to get through that thick skull of yours.” She laughed.

He stroked her cheek. Now that he had her, he couldn’t bear the thought of her endangering herself. “You do not have to try and link with those wolves. We can find a way to kill them.”

“I have to do it. It is something I feel inside.”

“What if it fails to work?” He cupped her chin. “I do not want to lose you.”

“I have to do it.” Her eyes glistened with tears.

At the sight of her tear-filled eyes, his senses tingled with foreboding. “What are you not telling me?”

“Do you want to be my mate?” she asked.

“Of course I do.”

She stood and grabbed his hand. “Come with me.”

He rose and allowed her to guide him into a thicket.

She wore a seductive smile. “Claim me. And once we are mated, I am yours and you are mine.” Her eyes darkened with possessiveness.

His loins stirred, and the heat of arousal consumed him. He didn’t need any other invitation. Pulling her into his arms, he captured her mouth in a forceful, tender kiss, his body rippling with pent-up desire. Nothing else mattered to him at that moment except to claim her and bury himself inside her, to have her all to himself.

He pulled up the layers of her deerskin tunic, kneeling with some difficulty. Using his lips and his tongue to kiss her breasts, he savored the softness of her skin as she moaned and squirmed against him. Moving lower, he tasted her. She smelled of flowers, her skin clean from her ritual cleansing. Flicking his tongue along her pink nub, he cupped her backside. He could smell her innocence, a pure, unblooded scent that incited his passion. No other man had ever had her. She tasted like the fresh morning dewdrops on a newly born day untouched yet by the drying rays of the rising sun. Her innocence raised his eagerness. A low, excited growl rumbled in his chest. The beast inside wanted to ravage her, but the man forced himself to hold back and be gentle.

Her fervent moans grew louder. She arched her hips, moving in rhythm to his strokes. Her body tensed up then shuddered beneath his tongue. She muffled her cries by pressing her mouth against the top of his head.

“I never imagined something so wonderful,” she said between panting breaths.

“I am not finished yet.” He gently laid her on the soft ground and removed his leggings.

She smiled wide-eyed at the sight of his erection. “It is so big. Will it hurt?”

He grinned proudly. “I promise to be gentle, Princess.” Careful not to crush her, he mounted her and eased himself inside, concentrating on taking her with care and not too roughly in his eagerness to claim his mate. His body shuddered at the feel of her tight, unconquered, warm sheath squeezing around him. It was pure bliss. Lycaon kissed her. “Just relax.”

She moaned, the vibration against his mouth sending shocks to every part of his body. His muscles tensed and coiled. Moving beneath him, she raised her hips to capture his length.

Groaning, he thrust deeper. Every part of his body burned with arousal and the anticipation of the blissful ending. “Gods, woman, you are perfect,” he whispered in a voice hoarse with emotion and excitement.

She surprised him by playfully biting his shoulder and digging her fingernails into his back, intensifying his arousal to a growing ache, building into a towering flame. Her gray eyes flashed with passion and fierce desire, her red lips parted in elation. He smiled and let out another growl. Alara possessed the spirit of a wolf in the bedchamber.

His thrusts quickened, and his body tightened in anticipation of release. Grunting loudly, he orgasmed, his body rocking with uncontrollable shudders. Beneath him, she quivered, her loud cries muffled by his loving kisses.

After their tremors ceased, he eased down beside her and held her against his chest. Recalling how she had been cold and lifeless in his arms a short time ago made his throat constrict and his eyes burn. He squeezed his eyes shut, tightening his hold on her.

He couldn’t lose her again.

*

Do you like werewolf tales with magic, intrigue, and mystery? The Wolf Queen will captivate you. This is a standalone story.

A tormented wolf man. A mysterious girl with a terrible secret.

Alara, a princess from a foreign land, is forced to wed the sorcerer-king Aramon, a power-hungry warlord, who discovers her dark secret and wants to use her to create an invincible army. When she meets Lycaon, she must decide if she should trust the cursed, tormented half-man half-wolf who might be her enemy or her true mate.

Lycaon, once a great king until he was cursed by Zeus to be a werewolf, is drawn to the mysterious princess. He is torn between helping Alara escape and using her to gain power over those who despise him.

Secrets abound and old enemies are reunited to battle Aramon before his terrible plan is unleashed. Time is running out as the dark moon approaches. Soon, Arcadia will be overrun with an unstoppable, vicious army unless Aramon can be defeated. To prevent his victory, the cost is high. As Lycaon’s affection for Alara grows, it becomes more difficult for him to decide which to save: Arcadia or her.

*

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Passion and betrayal in ancient Greece, The Bear Goddess #MFRWsteam

Welcome to the MFRW steamy blog hop. Enjoy!

 

Kindle buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY

Trade Paperback Buy Link on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Goddess-Book-Arcadia/dp/1502982684/ref=asap_B002BMOQ3C_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415503605&sr=1-7

Do you like Greek myths with a twist?

Callisto is the nymph who betrayed Artemis. This is her story.

Callisto, the daughter of the great Arcadian King Lycaon and the nymph Maia, has taken a sacred vow of purity, forsaking all others for Artemis, and attains the revered position of Bear Goddess among the nymphs. When she meets Kasin, a follower of Zeus and her sworn enemy, her life is shattered.

Kasin is a centaur prince and one of few who can take human shape. Despite having sworn allegiance to Zeus, he saves the life of one of Artemis’s nymphs. He is torn between his love for Callisto and his duty to his people and his god.

When their secret, forbidden connection is exposed, and they make their escape, danger and betrayal follow Kasin and Callisto. To survive, they must evade a god obsessed with having Callisto for himself, as well as others who also want to keep them apart. With a devastating war looming between the centaurs and the nymphs, Callisto must make a difficult choice. To prevent bloodshed and to save an innocent life, she must die.

Excerpt (Rated R)

Despite looking frightened at first, she had given her consent and now she willingly arched her hips to meet Kasin’s thrusts and drive him deeper. Her tightness engulfed him in a warm, soft, heaven-like place. She was like a precious stone only just discovered and polished to a beautiful sheen, untouched by any other man. Her clean, floral scent spoke of her purity and drove his desire.

He stopped himself from ravishing her. He didn’t want to hurt or frighten her, but she surprised him by writhing and capturing him deeper inside of her. Her nails raked against his back in fierce abandon and he let out a satisfying groan. Smiling, he enjoyed the pleasant shiver her boldness produced. She was not as delicate as a flower. In the throes of coupling, she possessed the fierceness of a centauride along with the tenderness he craved in a mate.

Letting go of his hesitation, he took her with passion and force, surrendering to the throes of lovemaking. He delighted in taking her innocence, producing in him a sense of power, and strangely, he had a twinge of affection for her because she trusted him with something so precious to her.

Her body shuddered in the final throes of rutting, her quivers gently milking him, releasing his pent-up lust. Twin tremors racked their bodies. His groans and her strangled cries mingled as one unbridled, passionate sound.

He held her close even after the final shudder had subsided. Gods, he had never experienced such lovemaking. And he had never bedded a virgin. The sense that she belonged to him tightened around him and wouldn’t let go.

Her flushed look of passion turned into a troubled look. “What have I done?” She eased out from under him. “I do not know what kind of enchantment came over me.”

“Do you regret our coupling because I worship Zeus?” He tried to keep the anger out of his voice.

“No.” She sat with her knees drawn up to her chest. “I have taken a vow to serve only Artemis.”

“You seemed to enjoy what I was doing to you.” He savored her scent lingering on his skin, an intoxicating scent that tightened around his loins like an alluring ribbon of mist. He wanted more of her, but he hesitated to reveal his true feelings for her until he knew of her feelings.

“It does not matter. It cannot happen again.”

He shook his head. “How can you deny yourself pleasure?”

“Because the penalty for breaking my vow is death.” Tears glistened in her eyes.

He sat up. Part of him felt some guilt for being party to her disgrace.

“I am no longer worthy of my goddess.” She lowered her head.

He cupped her chin in his hand, compelled to take the risk and reveal a small part of his feelings. “You are worthy to me.” Gazing at her, he conveyed the warmth in his heart with his eyes.

****

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****

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth, magic & romance.

https://www.kelleyheckart.com

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Monday Musings: The Crow Maiden--Crows in Greek Mythology

Crows and ravens appear in myths from all different cultures, usually as harbingers of death because of their appearance on battlefields and their diet of carrion. They are also seen as messengers between humans and that of the supernatural realm.

In Greek mythology, the crow is associated with the god Apollo because of his role as a god of prophecy. Augury, divination using birds, was popular among Greeks and Romans. Augurs interpreted messages based on the color of the bird and the direction from which it flew. A crow flying in from the east or south was considered a favorable sign. Another myth involving the crow and Apollo reveals that the crow’s feathers were turned black because the god became enraged when the bird brought back news that Apollo’s lover Coronis had been unfaithful, and the god scorched the crow’s wings.

A French anthropologist named Claude Lévi-Strauss proposed a theory that suggests the raven (like the coyote) obtained mythic status because it was a mediator animal between life and death. As a carrion bird, ravens became associated with the dead and with lost souls. This is what I used as a basis for my heroine in The Crow Maiden. Nahla is cursed to be bound to her cruel master and to the Shadowlands, the place between life and death. She haunts battlefields and guides dying warriors’ souls to the afterlife. She can also see when someone is about to die. Despite being surrounded by death, she is also a healer and has a kind soul, not what one would expect from a female surrounded by such darkness.

Excerpt (PG-13)

She glanced around at the dim cave. Cobwebs glistened from the dark corners. With some cleaning, it could be a pleasant dwelling. It was the size of a small house with round corners and smaller alcoves. She compared the cave to the unfortunate places she called home—blood-spattered battlefields, places the dead and dying gathered, and her master’s bedchamber. “No, this is much improved over the usual places I call home.”

He regarded her with a curious glint in his eyes. “What did you ask for?”

“I also asked for revenge. I wished for a champion to kill the man I hate.” This tall man wore his blond shoulder-length hair in the fashion of warriors, with war braids twisted within his unruly locks framing each side of his face. She recalled the neglected-looking war shield and armor in the back area of the cave. Had he been a warrior before his injury?

“And I suppose I do not fit your standards?” He gave her a faint sneer, his eyes hard and grim.

“Not exactly.”

He let out a scornful laugh.

She bristled. Was he mocking her? She allowed him a slight, tight smile.

“This man. What did he do to you?” His expression darkened.

“He has imprisoned me.”

“But if you are here, then you are free.” He studied her with a furrowed brow.

“I wish that were so.” The accursed bond was still there, a loosely tethered rope that could tighten at any moment, pulling her back to her master. “I am free only until he summons me, but I suppose this place is much improved over the Shadowlands.” She wandered to the cave opening. Bright sunlight temporarily blinded her. Ah, yes, warm sun and sweet, flowery scents. She took a deep breath of the intoxicating air.

He stepped to her side and regarded her with caution. “Shadowlands? What are you?”

She pressed her lips together. Should she tell him something so unbelievable? She decided she didn’t care if he believed her or not. “I have many names, but I think everyone calls me the Crow Maiden.”

He measured her with eyes that reflected doubt. “The Crow Maiden is not human. She’s an apparition, seen only by dying warriors on the battlefield.”

Most mortals cowered in the presence of a being such as she who could move between the realms of the living and the dead. Some gripped weapons in trembling hands in feeble attempts to protect themselves. Not this man. The axe he’d held to her neck lay on the ground instead of clutched in his hand, and no part of his body trembled.

He had courage. Her champion would need to have the heart of a lion. A promising sign. A warm flame of hope stirred and rekindled within.

“I am human.” She spoke the words softly, more to herself than to the stranger. As the Crow Maiden, she hadn’t felt any different, and somewhere inside, Nahla still lived, though she had acquired some preternatural abilities that placed her beyond that of a human. “And I am not an apparition. Touch me and see for yourself.”

He touched her shoulder and then considered her with a pensive expression. “Why do you think I was able to summon you? Am I about to die?” Again he showed no fear, his tone indifferent, as though he asked her about something as mundane as the weather. Another favorable sign.

“Not in the immediate future.” She pursed her lips. “I’ve been wondering why you were able to summon me…” Before he called for her, she had made a wish. “Did you ask a god for this revenge you desire?”

“I did.” He rubbed his bearded chin. “I asked Artemis.”

That hopeful flame rose higher. “So did I.”

They had been brought together for a reason, but it didn’t make sense that a crippled man would be the one chosen to defeat a powerful man like her master.

He gave her a sidelong glance. “Are you thinking what I am thinking?”

“Perhaps not,” she muttered and then said in a clear voice, “Share your thoughts with me.”

“If we both asked Artemis for help, then perhaps she’s the one who brought us together.” He shook his head and frowned. “Though I do not understand why since you are not the man I want to destroy.”

Outside the cave, a crow called to her, its harsh, ominous caw repeating the one word already echoing inside her head. Revenge. They both sought revenge. There was only one name she associated with retribution. “Who is this man you seek to destroy?”

“Aramon,” he rasped through clenched teeth.

An icy shiver touched her spine. “I know why Artemis brought us together.” She lowered her gaze to the man’s damaged leg. “Though I am not certain if she is sincere or mocking us.”

His mouth curved up in a sneer. “And why is that?”

“Because Aramon is the man who holds me captive.”

*

Kindle Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1ZBAF1

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541140613/

The Crow Maiden

Book 3: The Arcadia Series

(The Crow Maiden is a standalone story in the Arcadia Series)

She betrayed her goddess for him…

He betrayed her.

Plotting her revenge is her only solace. Until now.

Nahla is the Crow Maiden, an Arcadian, and once a priestess of Artemis. Now she is a captive, a being who lives in the shadows until her vile master the sorcerer-king Aramon summons her. Another releases her from the Shadowlands, and while he might be the champion she has waited for, the gods must be playing a cruel joke. Her champion is crippled.

An Achaean lord who once ruled a great city, Balin is a broken man. He has lost everything—his kingdom and his family. Revenge consumes him. Although wary of the mysterious, cold-eyed female who appears and claims he summoned her, she may be his only hope to exact vengeance on the king who ruined him, the same man Nahla seeks to destroy.

They are bound by revenge, and soon, both learn they are bound by much more, but the secrets she hides might tear them apart and ruin their only opportunity for vengeance—and their chance to love again.

“Ms. Heckart draws the reader into the pages and enchants them with her words.”

Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth, magic & romance.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

https://www.facebook.com/kelleyheckartauthor

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C

Monday Musings: New Release by Kelley Heckart--The Crow Maiden (Greek myths, shapeshifters, romance)

New book release! The Crow Maiden, Greek myths/fantasy/shapeshifters/romance

In Print and Kindle on amazon.com

Book Title: The Crow Maiden

Author: Kelley Heckart

Author website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com

Genre: Greek myths/fantasy/paranormal/shapeshifters/romance

Release date: 1/6/17

Page Count: 180

ISBN- 13:978-1541140615

ISBN- 10:1541140613

ASIN:  B01N1ZBAF1

Kindle Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1ZBAF1

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541140613/

Blurb

The Crow Maiden

Book 3: The Arcadia Series

(The Crow Maiden is a standalone story in the Arcadia Series)

She betrayed her goddess for him…

He betrayed her.

Plotting her revenge is her only solace. Until now.

Nahla is the Crow Maiden, an Arcadian, and once a priestess of Artemis. Now she is a captive, a being who lives in the shadows until her vile master the sorcerer-king Aramon summons her. Another releases her from the Shadowlands, and while he might be the champion she has waited for, the gods must be playing a cruel joke. Her champion is crippled.

An Achaean lord who once ruled a great city, Balin is a broken man. He has lost everything—his kingdom and his family. Revenge consumes him. Although wary of the mysterious, cold-eyed female who appears and claims he summoned her, she may be his only hope to exact vengeance on the king who ruined him, the same man Nahla seeks to destroy.

They are bound by revenge, and soon, both learn they are bound by much more, but the secrets she hides might tear them apart and ruin their only opportunity for vengeance—and their chance to love again.

“Ms. Heckart draws the reader into the pages and enchants them with her words.”

Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance

Excerpt (PG):

Summoned from the Shadowlands, Nahla landed in a place of encircling darkness. Rays of light too weak to pierce the black shield glowed in the distance. Cold, damp air embraced her, penetrating her clothing and draping her body like a heavy winter cloak.

Footsteps echoed all around. She struggled to come to her senses, fighting disorientation. Seized by a wave of dizziness, she steadied herself on the hard, rough ground beneath her feet. The footsteps grew louder. They approached from the direction of the faint light.

He was coming.

She staggered backward and banged into a hard wall. Her arms extended, she moved to her right. Cold rock scraped her knuckles. She lunged left and grimaced as another firm, unforgiving surface stopped her other hand. Bound there by more than the walls, she waited in the stygian blackness.

Brandishing a torch, her summoner appeared and came toward her at a forceful pace. The fire blinded her, and she barely saw the glint of metal flashing in front of her.

Before she could evade the thrusting weapon, a cold, heavy blade touched her neck. The unfamiliar feel of a sharp blade against her skin made her freeze out of instinct, not because she was afraid of death. Nahla had already died once.

She waited for the weapon to slice through her flesh. A foreboding prickle raised the fine hairs of her nape. Something was different about this summoning. Her master would never kill her. He would never be that kind to her and set her free.

The one who wielded the blade dropped the torch in order to hold the weapon with both hands. The flaming light burned low and sputtered behind him or her, though she sensed whoever had brought her here was male by his leather, un-flowery scent and by the strength he possessed holding the heavy, brutal blade. Shadows concealing her summoner remained, and his deep, ragged breaths spoke of anger and despair.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?” he asked, his voice gruff.

“You summoned me.” She remained guarded, the cold metal still caressing her neck, but excitement fluttered in her stomach at the significance of this unusual summoning.

The silence was palpable, broken only by his now heavy and uneasy breathing. After a few moments, he growled, “If that is so, then you are not what I asked for.”

Desperation, frustration, and anguish filled his voice. She was in the true place. All she knew was death and misery and sorrow.

“I came because I was summoned.”

“Just go away.” He removed the blade from her neck, picked up the fallen, smoking torch, and retreated through the low, narrow opening toward the beckoning glimmers of light from a far away chamber.

She followed him and stepped forward toward the opening. Another dim chamber filled with dust and cobwebs greeted her. Glancing back at the black, unpleasantly cold space she’d landed in, she suppressed a shudder and then ducked into the other brighter, small chamber. Piles of dusty blankets, a war shield, and dull-looking bronze plate armor filled one corner. Nothing about the solemn room looked familiar to her. She walked past uneven rock walls like the ones found in caves. An earthy scent like that of dark, damp places permeated the air. Caves were for creatures like her that roamed in the shadows, the unseen realm between life and death, the place she called the Land of Sorrows, not for humans that had no need of darkness.

This summoning wasn’t true. Only one man could call her forth from the Shadowlands. Was she finally free of her tormentor? No, the bond to her master remained, lingering like a loose tether, but she also sensed she couldn’t travel too far from this stranger. Did this unusual event have anything to do with her constant yearning for the life that had been stolen from her? She could reclaim all she’d lost if she found a champion to kill her creator and master. It had seemed impossible.

Until now…

****

Multi-published author Kelley Heckart lives in Arizona with her musician husband, dog and a number of backyard “pets.” Her stories reflect her passion for ancient and medieval time periods, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic, and romance. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and practices target archery. She can be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth, magic & romance.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

https://www.facebook.com/kelleyheckartauthor

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C

Monday Musings: Sharing an excerpt from The Bear Goddess

Resting her head against the edge of the tub, she stared at the sky. Kasin, the Zeus lover, surprisingly treated her gently. She had expected to be brutalized or worse. With the fair skin and height of those imposing men from the northern mountains, he looked like those who worshipped the Sky god above the goddesses, yet he also possessed a temperate manner unlike those brutal, warlike people. She couldn’t imagine living under the rule of the vile centaurs. 

Her skin prickled in response to the cooling water. “I am ready to get out now.”

He appeared, holding his hand over his eyes, and tripped over a branch.

She giggled.

Regaining his balance, he said with some annoyance, “I am glad you find that so amusing.”

“You do not have to close your eyes. Just refrain from staring at anything worth staring at.” She laughed, not sure why she told him that. He made her feel giddy, something that had never happened to her before now in the presence of this man.

Opening his eyes, he kept his gaze lowered as he helped her stand. Keeping his eyes fixed on her lower legs, he wrapped a large cloth around her and then lifted her out of the tub.

Her body didn’t ache as badly as it had before the bath. Gradually, her body was healing.

“How was the bath?” He helped her put on her tunic, which covered her upper body to her mid-thigh.

“It was quite enjoyable. You can look up now if you wish.”

His gaze swept up her body in a way that made her face and body flush. She was entering into a dangerous game, but her vow didn’t seem to apply here so far away from Artemis.

With his help, she pulled on her leggings. His hands felt hot each time he brushed against her bare skin. Her skin tingled beneath his seemingly innocent touch. He hesitated, holding on to her hips a moment longer than was necessary.

The air between them felt like the aftermath of a lightning storm. She had no idea what was happening, but she knew it wasn’t what she should be feeling when in the presence of a man.

****

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Monday Musings: Coming soon--The Wolf Queen

The second book in my Arcadia Series is due to be published by the end of the year. The edits are finished. My editor is tough. LOL I just have to give it another read through and get it formatted. I might have someone else do the formatting this time. I hate doing it.

Here is a sneak peek from The Wolf Queen:

A tormented wolf man… A mysterious girl with a secret…

Alara, a princess from a foreign land, is forced to wed the sorcerer-king Aramon, a power-hungry warlord, who discovers her dark secret and wants to use her to create an invincible army. When she meets Lycaon, she must decide whether to trust the cursed, tormented man wolf who she realizes might be her true mate.

Lycaon, once a great king until he was cursed by Zeus to be a werewolf, is drawn to the mysterious princess and torn between helping Alara escape and using her to gain power over those who despise him.

Secrets abound and old enemies are reunited to battle Aramon before his terrible plan is unleashed on Arcadia. With only a short time left before the dark moon, time is running out. Soon, Arcadia will be overrun with an unstoppable, vicious army unless Aramon can be defeated. To prevent Aramon’s victory, the cost is high. As his affection for Alara grows, it becomes more difficult for him to decide which to save: Arcadia or her.

Later that day, Lycaon stood with his motley but highly skilled warrior band and faced Aramon’s heavily armed warriors at the southeastern edge of his territory. Their armor was meant to intimidate. He sneered at their matching high-peaked helmets, short red cloaks, black leather scale armor tunics, and light brown loose-fitting wool leggings with bold blood-red stripes emblazoned on the sides. Aramon’s insignia of a lightning bolt erupting from a sword gleamed in polished silver against black leather.

Lycaon was well-acquainted with Aramon’s power. A grim smile played at the corners of his mouth. Aramon’s warriors facing him now were dressed the same as the ones he’d encountered 330 years ago except the gleaming bronze helmets, swords, and bronze plates sewn into their leather tunics were replaced by the cold gray glint of iron.

He straightened to his full, towering height and addressed Aramon’s commander, a hawk-nosed man named Veritus. “I have an agreement with your king so you’d best have a good reason for entering my lands.” From within the hood he wore to hide most of his face, Lycaon sent the commander an unyielding glare.

Veritus regarded Lycaon’s warriors with a curled upper lip, disdain darkening his eyes. “A slave has escaped and was seen heading in this direction.”

He was sure the commander looked down on his warriors who lacked the discipline of Aramon’s uniformed warriors, but he decided to ignore his slight this time. “I knew not that your king kept his slaves so close to my lands.”

“He travels with his personal slaves. It was one of his personal slaves that escaped.” The commander spoke through tight lips.

Lycaon shrugged. “A slave is a slave. Why not just imprison another?”

The commander cleared his throat. “This slave is valuable to the king.”

“How valuable?” Lycaon moved his hand to rub his stubbly chin and smiled when Veritus flinched.

“Very.”

“Well, if I find this slave, I will be certain to let you know.” He sensed Beleg tense next to him. “But I would not be too hopeful that she is still alive. This forest has many dangers.”

“I will let King Aramon know, but he will be greatly displeased we have returned without her.” Veritus’s expression hardened.

The veiled warning did not go unnoticed. He wouldn’t have much time to decide what to do with Alara. “Give him my deepest regrets.”

The commander ordered his men to return to the camp just outside Lycaon’s borders.

He waited until the unwelcome warriors left his territory. “I want men guarding this entrance day and night. Tantaus, you are in charge.”

Tantaus nodded, looking intently at Lycaon with his one good eye. “Those cocky bastards will never cross this border on my watch.”

Beleg watched Lycaon with interest. “I thought you were going to turn her over to Aramon.”

“I changed my mind.”

Beleg glanced toward the border. “They will be back.”

“I know.”

“Have you grown fond of the spirited girl? She is quite comely.” Beleg smiled.

His friend’s words were said in jest, but Lycaon considered them. Something about Alara did raise his interest, but anything beyond that seemed impossible. He was a danger to any human. Until he could get a reward for her, she was a thorn in his side and nothing more. “She is nothing but a bartering means for me.”

Beleg shifted his spear to his other hand. “Why do you suppose Aramon wants her?”

“That is a mystery I intend to solve.” The girl was hiding something from him, and he doubted she was a slave. She could have stolen the fine clothing and the sword with the gold hilt, but her proud bearing pointed to noble blood. In that way, she reminded him of himself.

He looked toward the northern part of his territory. Beyond his woodlands, high, sheer rock barriers surrounded Artemis’s forest. How did the mysterious gray-eyed beauty manage to make it through unscathed? Only those invited by the goddess, which was very rare, or animals could safely enter her sacred lands. The shadows stirred, the leaves ringing in the wake of a sudden, unnatural icy gust. A warning.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

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Monday Musings: Retelling the Greek myth of Callisto

There are a couple of different versions of the Greek myth about Callisto, the nymph who betrayed Artemis, but ancient writers seemed to agree on some facts: Zeus seduced Callisto, she was changed into a bear and bore a son named Arcas, was hunted down as a beast and then placed among the stars as the constellation Ursa Major. In some stories she is the daughter of King Lycaon while in other, older versions she is simply another incarnation of Artemis as the bear.

I came into this with an open mind, using what I knew from the various myths and what I discovered from other sources on Greek mythology and history. Since I was writing a series set in Arcadia, Artemis’s realm, Callisto’s story had to be part of that series, but I had to figure out how to make this myth into my own story. I focused on the one common thread of the myth—Callisto betrayed Artemis whether she meant to or not. Who can say that when you fall in love you can fight those feelings? I wanted to make Callisto flawed like a human with real problems—even though she was a nymph, like the rest of us she wasn’t perfect.

The next thing I decided was that my nymphs were not going to be innocent and vulnerable. I did discover that the Oreades, the mountain nymphs, were known as great huntresses, they were tall and fierce. So my nymphs were going to be dangerous and quite capable of defending their goddess’s forest. I created The Guardians, an elite group of nymphs who could fight as good as any male warrior.

I also created an honored station among the nymphs, the Bear Goddess, who would act in Artemis’s stead when she wasn’t present and keep the barriers around the goddess’s forest strong. Only the Bear Goddess could take the form of a bear and the other nymphs could take the shape of other forest animals.

I actually ended up changing quite a bit. Zeus doesn’t seduce Callisto, but one of his followers does—a centaur who can take human shape. I had this idea of a forbidden love theme since the original versions hint at this. In my version she is the daughter of Lycaon and the nymph Maia. While my story may differ from the original myths, it stays true to the main theme—betrayal. And despite Callisto’s flaws, she possesses bravery and conviction, two traits I admire and hopefully readers will too.

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Short excerpt from The Bear Goddess:

Kasin stared at the line of nymphs, a formidable wall of gold and black leather-clad Guardians flanked by brown-clad nymphs and satyrs. Artemis’s powerful symbol of a full moon and crossed arrows taunted him from the unyielding line of small round shields his opponents held in steady grips.

He waited for the nymphs to make the first move. He would give them a chance to negotiate his terms and, if fortune favored him, avoid a battle.

Davona stepped into place next to him. “That is their merciless leader, Maia, the one who called for my death. She is also Callisto’s mother.”

Kasin looked closer at the nymph at the head of their army. She had dark red hair that almost looked black, an unusual color among the brown and fair hair of the other nymphs, and she had been among those that captured him.

“Callisto’s mother is a fire nymph. They are a particularly nasty kind of nymph.” He felt a twinge of sympathy for Callisto for it seemed her mother was as difficult as was his armor-hearted father.

“If she will allow her own daughter to die…” Davona stared fiercely at the leader of the nymphs. “She will not be easy to negotiate with.” 

 Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

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My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

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Monday Musings: Bears in mythology and in relation to Artemis

Due to their strength and dominance, bears are the rulers of the forest. Fast, big and powerful hunters, they are one of the most feared and respected of the woodland animals.

In mythology, since bears hibernate in caves, and caves are associated with the goddess’s womb, they appear to die in winter and are reborn in spring. Because of their association with death and rebirth, they are believed to have the ability to communicate and travel to other worlds, the dream and spirit realms.

In her aspect as Bear Goddess, Artemis is fierce—queen of the forest—protector and destroyer, nurturer and hunter. Of all the animals in the forest, she-bears are fiercely protective of their young. Just like the bear, Artemis is a protector of mothers, children and those giving birth—human and animal. She rules her forest, defending what is hers and destroying any threats. She is mother, hunter, and guardian.

In The Bear Goddess, one nymph is chosen for the honored position of Bear Goddess. She safeguards the barriers surrounding Artemis’s forest, can travel in the dream realms and acts in the goddess’s stead when she is away. All nymphs can take the shape of forest animals, but only the Bear Goddess can take the shape of a bear. Just like in the original myth of Callisto, a bear plays an important part in my story.

Bears are awesome, magical creatures. It’s no wonder Artemis has a close relationship with them.

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Excerpt from The Bear Goddess:

The bear roared, this time an enraged growl, and paced from side to side.

Kasin’s grip tightened around the end of the spear, his body coiled, ready for the bear to charge.

The bear remained in the same place, growling at him in an unusual way. He must be going mad because he was certain the bear was yelling at him.

And then he remembered: Callisto had told him only the Bear Goddess could change into a bear.

“Callisto?”

The bear stopped growling for a moment and stared hard at him.

He lowered his spear. Using caution, he took one step forward, keeping his gaze on the bear, prepared to throw his spear if necessary.

The bear calmly watched him.

Taking a deep breath, he took another step forward. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, calling on his faith, hoping it was Callisto standing before him and not a hungry she-bear. He also prepared himself for a deathblow to his head from a swipe with one of her huge sharp-clawed paws.

He looked the bear straight in the eyes. There was no emotion or other sign in its beastly gaze indicating the bear was Callisto. He had to believe it to be true or he knew he would die. I am either a fool or I have a death wish. He dropped his spear.

He could feel the heat of the bear’s breath, and he could hear the animal’s ragged breathing. Closing his eyes again, he imagined Callisto, her quiet beauty, her compassion. Slowly, he reached out to stroke her head. He waited for the pain of the deathblow. The pain never came. His fingers touched soft hair, not animal fur.

He opened his eyes. “It is you.” His voice came out sounding rough with emotion.

Her sorrowful eyes glistened. “I almost killed you. If you had not said my name…”

He pulled her against him. “You are quite frightening as a bear.”

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

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Monday Musings: Game of Thrones: Lessons from The Red Wedding episode

The Rains of Castamere, the ninth episode of the third season, was one of the most disturbing one for me, and apparently for many others considering the large number of shocked comments on social media. It’s been widely referred to as “The Red Wedding” and for good reason: it’s a massacre, and I think the bloodiest episode to date.

It disturbed me for two reasons. The first one is because I really liked Rob Stark (though he did screw up by breaking his vow to Walder Frey) and the second one is because of the extremely deceitful and callous manner of the massacre.

There is also some great storytelling in this episode. So, in some ways it is one of my favorite episodes and also the most shocking.

The way Walder Frey went about his revenge is a terrible crime in the eyes of the old gods in the Game of Thrones realm and in our ancient world. Just about every culture has a story about the gods disguising themselves as travelers to test humans on their hospitality. Those who treat a traveler well are richly rewarded, while those who do not are gravely punished. The stories I remember are from Greek mythology and the lesson was: never harm a guest under your roof.

That’s why what Walder Frey did was so terrible. Why is this so unforgivable in the gods’ eyes? Is it because it’s such a treacherous act to welcome someone in with the promise of food and shelter, allow them to let down their guard, only to harm them? Maybe. It is pretty cruel and devious. And the old gods apparently didn’t like this sort of behavior.

In this episode, the story Bran tells his companions in the abandoned castle where they spend the night reflects this. He tells them about the king the gods turned into a large white rat, not for killing someone, but for killing someone under his roof. This is a foreshadowing of what is about to happen (and a great storytelling technique).

In our modern world we don’t really think about an ancient rule that forbids harming a person under our roof. But back in ancient times there were few, if any, hotels and restaurants, and it was dangerous to travel into unknown territories. Without a hospitality rule, strangers could be killed or captured in a foreign land. This is probably why the Greek guest-friendship ‘xenia’ was formed, which allowed people to travel into other territories and receive a place to stay and something to eat while not having to worry about being harmed. In fact, the Trojan War was started because of a violation of the xenia act—Paris kidnapped his gracious host’s wife, Helen.

It does seem strange to condone killing but not if it’s done to a houseguest. I mean, murder is still murder. However, it does seem especially cold-hearted to welcome someone in and then kill them. And that’s what bothered me so much when Rob Stark, his wife, unborn baby, mother, and all of his men were so callously slaughtered when they thought they were safe and among allies. What’s even worse is the act was committed during a wedding to join their houses. That’s doubly cruel. And it takes a special kind of evil to be able to do something like that. I still shudder thinking about the look on Rob’s face as he watches his wife being killed, and I’m guessing Walder Frey has a special kind of punishment from the gods coming his way. At least I hope so.
 
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
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