Thank you
for having me as your guest! I'm thrilled to talk about my new fantasy romance The Captive Shifter, due out April 3rd,
and share my beautiful cover from Fiona Jayde, the blurb and an excerpt with
your readers!
The story:
Concealing
her own considerable magical powers, Caitlyn enters the service of the northern
Witch Queen masquerading as a simple healer. Under order from her goddess,
she’s searching for a magical gem stolen long ago from her own people, believed
to be hidden in the massive castle. The task is daunting but Caitlyn is sure
she can locate the gem and escape, bringing the prize back to the temple where
it belongs. Until she meets the captive shifter and her loyalties become
dangerously divided.
In payment
for her past services to his people, Kyler the leopard shifter has entered into
a life of servitude far from his forest home, allowing the Witch Queen to tap
his magic to power her ever darker spells. Factions at Court are threatening to
turn the Queen to the Shadow. Her increasing demands for magic will cut short
his nearly immortal lifespan. Kyler’s resigned to his fate until the day he
crosses paths with the new arrival, whose secrets and magic entice and attract
both man and leopard. Has he met his mate at last?
The Queen
will never willingly release him from captivity. Caitlyn’s goddess refuses to
grant her any delay in accomplishing her own task. Can they locate the magical
gem, fight the Shadow and win free of the Witch Queen to earn the right to be
together?
The excerpt:
Caitlyn let
the caravan master do the arguing on her behalf, although she wanted to reach
through the bars of the city gate, grab the officious man standing in her way
and shake him. Such a simple request—open the gate, glance at her papers and
let her go on my way. It lacked but half an hour till sunset and the
captain of the guard at the ancient city’s portal wasn’t inclined to allow a
long caravan to pass so late in the day.
Lazy
bastard. She eyed
him, tempted to use some of her magic to influence him but inner caution held
her back. This was the city of witches and magic. She needed to go slowly
displaying her abilities. Calm down, breathe. None of this will go as
I hope if I let myself show anger. Caitlyn sucked in a deep breath of the
damp air and stood straighter, adjusting her hood to keep the autumn drizzle
off her face.
“Camp on the
meadow across the river,” the captain said from the other side of the gate,
addressing the caravan master. “Return in the morning.”
Glancing at
Caitlyn, the old man shook his head. “I’ve told you, one of my passengers is an
applicant, identified by the queen’s Searchers. She must be at the palace
tonight, for the welcoming ceremony. She can’t wait until morning or risk
losing her place in this year’s Trial.”
As she edged
closer to the arched entryway to get out of the increasing rain, impatience
burned along Caitlyn’s nerves. Why did a petty tyrant have to be her final
obstacle after the long journey? The caravan master was right; she did
have to be at the palace tonight. After three weeks of slow travel from her
home in the South it was especially galling to be so close to missing the
deadline. To literally stand on the threshold of her destination and be refused
entry was unbelievably frustrating. All right, honeyed words first, then
there’s nothing for it but to unleash a taste of magic on him. Pasting a smile on her lips, she
stepped forward, allowing her cape to fall open, deliberately swaying her hips
a bit. “Please, captain, I’m sure the Witch Queen would appreciate your extra
efforts to let me arrive on time. The Searchers told me every woman with power
is greatly needed this year,” Caitlyn said, in an effort to cajole him. “How
about permitting me past the gate by myself tonight? Admit the entire caravan
tomorrow?”
Grinning
like a cat toying with a mouse, the officer shook his head emphatically,
shaking a finger at her. “Against the rules. We do the entire group or none.
Now come back in the morning!”
The caravan
master took her elbow, probably to escort her to the waiting wagons. Caitlyn
jerked her arm free, ready to summon energy to bespell the officer into giving
her entry. Folly to risk using power so soon in this place but he left her no
choice. She pushed aside the next worry, about finding her way through the unknown
city to the castle.
A new voice
entered the conversation. “Is there a problem here?”
Behind the
blustering captain, the other soldiers had snapped to respectful attention and
were saluting two newcomers. The first gentleman walked forward into the torchlight
at the gate proper. He was older than she, dressed in black and burgundy
garments projecting a subtle message of wealth and power. Attractive, if one
was looking for a bedmate, which she wasn’t. As the second man came into the
light Caitlyn took a step back, blinking.
She’d never
seen his like before. A shapeshifter? Why would such a rare creature of magic
be here? The power surrounding him was palpable to one with her gifts,
yet didn’t flare in her second sight as it should. As if the magic was restrained
but how could such a thing be possible? Dressed in a uniform similar to the
officious gatekeeper’s, this man was clearly a warrior – muscular, handsome,
high cheekbones, piercing green eyes, long, unbound sandy blond hair. But why
would a shapeshifter be in this dank, gray city? His people ran in the massive
forests of the North, where their kind ruled and humans walked at their peril.
A city, much less a Court with all its ritual and routine, would be the last
place to find such a wild and free spirit.
He returned
her gaze with open appreciation. Caitlyn lowered her eyes first.
***********************************************************
Book’s Availability:
Still waiting for Kobo but the other buy links
are live!
Author Bio and Links:
Best Selling
Science Fiction, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters”
columnist for the USA Today Happy Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a
house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient
history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything.
When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
Seven
time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in
Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA
Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She
recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook
production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor
Thank you for having me as your guest today! Much appreciated...
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