Oath
of a Scottish Warrior
The
MacLomain Series
Later
Years
Book
3
Sky
Purington
Genre:
Time-travel Fantasy Romance
Date
of Publication: February 23, 2016
ASIN:
B018GRRH5O
Number
of pages: 280
Word
Count: 90,000
Cover
Artist: Tamra Westberry
Book
Description:
Haunted
by childhood memories and the fact she is likely going mute, Erin
embraces a quiet life in Vermont away from all the mistakes she has
made and the people she’s hurt. A peaceful existence with her
horses. A cynic by nature, she doesn’t buy into what she soon
learns. Apparently she’s part of an unending connection between
twenty-first century Broun women and medieval MacLomain men. When a
Claddagh ring crosses her path, she’s compelled to steal it. A bad
move because the ring is meant to find true love. Something Erin
feels she stopped deserving a long time ago.
Of
dragon blood, Chieftain Rònan MacLeod is by birth, half MacLomain.
While raised to protect the future King of Scotland, he lives life
with an open mind. The idea of a ring binding him to one lass seems
far-fetched. However, when a woman named Jackie calls to him from the
dark edges of the Celtic Otherworld, he swears an oath to save her.
That means traveling to the future to protect her before she’s
taken by the enemy. The only problem? She is not where she should be.
Instead, he finds a beautiful, defiant lass named Erin. Now he must
make a choice. Continue seeking out Jackie or protect the one he’s
with.
Thrust
back in time to ninth-century Scandinavia, Rònan and Erin find
sanctuary with his Viking ancestors. With help from not only King
Naðr Véurr Sidgir but his offspring, they learn more than
anticipated. Something that will either damn them or set them free.
Drawn to one another, heat flares. A fire neither could have
imagined. Scorching. Searing. Unavoidable. One they must fight if
they want to save those they care for most.
Will
they be able to protect wee Robert the Bruce from evil when they end
up back in Scotland? Or will their repressed feelings be their
ultimate doom? After all, it’s supposed to take the oath of a
Scottish warrior to save a future king. Not the oath of a warrior who
ended up forsaking all because he lost his heart along the way.
Excerpt:
Erin
almost overfilled the mug as she watched him out of the corner of her
eye. Damn, he was hot as hell. Desire flared as she eyed his snug
leather pants, and broad, muscled, tattooed chest and arms. She
swallowed. Maybe leaving him outside would have been a smarter move.
Rònan
inhaled sharply then released a long, slow breath as he closed his
eyes, shook his head, and whispered, “Gods give me strength, you
smell good.”
Doing
her best to keep her eyes averted, she held out a mug. “Here,
drink. It’ll help warm you.”
“Many
thanks.” He took the mug. “Will you not look at me then? You did
so outside and we managed through.”
“Likely
because I had a blade to your neck,” she reminded.
“If
I’ve the strength to look at you then you’ve the same strength,
lass,” he said. “Please.”
“Not
gonna lie. I’m too damned aroused.” She shook her head and turned
away. “Drink your ale and warm yourself, Rònan.”
He
growled in frustration. “We need to push past this if we’re to
protect the Bruce as we should.”
“We
don’t need to look at each other to protect Robert.”
“Aye,
but we do.” He downed the ale in a few gulps. “Especially if
we’re to battle alongside one another. Eye contact is important.”
She
hated to admit it but he was right. “I’ll get there. Promise. It
just doesn’t look like it’ll be happening right now.” Though it
was about the last thing she wanted to say for more reasons than one,
she said, “Why aren’t you still with the redhead? After you warm
up, it might be best if you rejoin her.”
“Nay.”
He refilled his mug and handed her one as well. “While she was
pleasant enough, I couldnae seem to muster desire for her.”
Erin
almost cursed when a rush of satisfaction blew through her. “You
two seemed to be doing just fine dancing.”
“Only
because I meant to make you jealous,” he whispered. “Because I
felt the same when I saw you with Darach and the Vikings.”
Though
she should have been surprised by his bluntness, she wasn’t. Like
her, he accepted what simmered between them for what it was. Simple
lust based on dragon blood.
“Well,
you’ve got nothing to be jealous of because Darach and I are just
friends and me and my Viking posse have an understanding.” She took
several sips as she navigated around him to the fire without meeting
his eyes. “All that aside, we both need to remember that not only
is what we’re feeling nothing more than a dragon thing but that
Jackie’s out there somewhere waiting for you.”
“Viking
posse?” he murmured. “Is that what you’re calling Tait and
Bjorn?”
“Yup.”
“Why
did you not take Tait tonight?” Rònan’s question was a deep
rumble close to her ear as he moved behind her. “I know he offered
and I know you were tempted to accept.”
Right.
Because their thoughts mingled.
“You
know the answer to that,” she said softly because she didn’t
trust her vocal chords.
“Aye,”
he said. “You think it would have complicated things had you taken
Tait to your bed but I dinnae ken that. Mayhap it would have eased
the ache you suffer now? Would easing that ache not make it easier to
focus on what lies ahead?”
She
was tempted to turn and confront him but stayed put. “Not if I
ended up having stronger feelings for him because of it. Who knows,
there’s a good chance I wouldn’t want to leave here if I did.”
“I
saw how you were with the wee Bruce earlier,” he said. “So I
dinnae doubt you would do whatever was needed to protect him.”
“How
did you see?” she started then shook her head. “You never really
left with the redhead did you?”
“I
dinnae want the redhead,” he murmured, words still close to her
ear, his body a warm wall at her back. “I want you, lass.”
Erin
closed her eyes and focused on breathing evenly. “No, you want
Jackie.”
“Aye,
part of me,” he admitted. “But it feels more like desiring a
figment of my imagination. ‘Tis nothing like what I feel now.
Here.” His hand fell on her shoulder. “With you.”
Hell,
this was pure torture.
Blood
rushed through her veins so rapidly she grew lightheaded.
“I
can’t.” She shook her head but couldn’t manage to step away,
could not get her feet to work. “What if you and Jackie are meant
for one another? I love that woman to death and would hate myself
if…”
Save
for the crackling fire and howling wind, the room grew quiet as her
unsaid words hung in the air. As if his feet were as glued to the
floor as hers, Rònan didn’t move for several long moments. Yet he
eventually stepped away, his voice soft. “You’re right, lass.
‘Twould not be right.”
About
the Author:
Sky
Purington is the best-selling author of over twenty novels and
several novellas. A New Englander born and bred, Sky was raised
hearing stories of folklore, myth and legend. When combined with a
love for nature, romance and time-travel, elements from the stories
of her youth found release in her books.
Purington
loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at
Sky@SkyPurington.com. Interested in keeping up with Sky's latest news
and releases? Visit Sky's website, http://www.skypurington.com to
download her free App on iTunes and Android or sign up for her
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Twitter:
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ReplyDeleteI love historical fiction, especially of this era. Thank you for the excerpt. I will look for the first book!
ReplyDeleteDeborah
Your The MacLomain Series sounds interesting. I'd like to start reading it!
ReplyDeletenikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com