Romance authors love to write about falling in love. The rush of newness, the promise of passion and happily ever after, and the exhilarating but sometimes frustrating “getting to know each other” phase are aspects most romance readers love to hear about. Today, I don’t want to talk about any of those. I want to talk about how people in love…stay in love.
It’s hard to keep the romance alive in our busy worlds. We have obligations to work, kids, friends, and our community. What we often forget is we also have a responsibility to the person we love. This is especially important when the world seems out to get us. No matter how good our life is, bad stuff happens. We can’t stop it all. We deal with it, right? It’s how we face our challenges that sometimes gets us in trouble with our partners, but those with a solid base built on love have the best chance of surviving. Yeah, basic. Sometimes that’s easier said than done.
Arawn and Minerva, the characters in Hunter Sacrificed, face those same struggles, only on a more divine and far-reaching level. Their love is challenged, and the Wild Hunt series is their story. It begins and ends with their epic tale of love, betrayal, forgiveness and hope. (And you get to step into their journey for free! Read on for the links.)
For the rest of us, our relationship hardships can be lessened if we take the time to keep love alive. It doesn’t need to be a huge undertaking every day. Little things matter. Here’s my list of the top three ways my husband and I remind each other that we’re in life together:
- Taking a few minutes every day to talk about something outside of the three big ones: work, family and money. For the hubby and I, this can be anything from science (yes, we’re both geeks) to the newest action movie.
- Silly, random texts. We might not be able to respond, but it’s nice to pick up our phones and see each other’s profile pic.
- Holding each other. Hugs are good for the soul.
So what do you do to express your love? I’d love to hear about your special ways!
Hunter Sacrificed, Wild Hunt book 0.5 Blurb
His vow to save mankind turns him into the father of the damned.
Arawn, Lord of the Underworld, is faced with the hardest decision of his long life. Because of his neglect, humans are suffering…but his vow to make things right could cost him everything he holds dear.
Minerva, the Goddess of Love, holds his heart and soul, but the act he must now commit might very well destroy their love.
His sacrifice doesn’t go far enough to end the humans’ agony. It compounds it—and turns him into a pawn. He cannot renege on his deal with the Triad, but he can avenge those he’s wronged.
To do that, he’ll need every one of his Huntsmen to win the greatest game of all time—the Wild Hunt.
Warning: Goodness and light vs. sacrifice and darkness. Seriously, what could possibly go wrong?
Excerpt #1
Hands clenched at his sides to stop himself from pulling her into his embrace, he motioned toward her with a jerk of his chin. “Turn. I want to see all of you.”
The order he’d given to her all those years ago brought back the memory of their first time together. He embraced the recollection, allowing it to guide him into what might be their final night together.
She raised a brow.
He growled. “If you have not realized where you are, this is Hell. I rule here, and my commands are to be obeyed immediately. Now, turn.”
With her lower lip caught between her teeth, she dropped her gaze and complied with his demand, slowly spinning on her heel. The ends of her silver hair swayed. A tinkling sound accompanied the move, and the flickering lights from the candles illuminating the room reflected on the strands, making her appear as if she carried her own inner light. The sight entranced him. He allowed the spell she wove to mesmerize him for another moment before shifting his focused stare to her rounded bottom. The ends of her hair caressed her ass cheeks. Soft yet firm, she was made for loving.
Made for me.
She wasn’t. He knew that. It didn’t stop the wonder he experienced in her presence from seizing him.
He closed the distance between them but didn’t touch her. He curled his hands until his nails dug into his palm. Head bent, he buried his nose in the fall of her hair. A deep inhale satisfied his craving for her scent. She smelled of life and goodness.
Everything I am not.
Mouth at her ear, he whispered, “You tempt me, goddess.”
“How? I have not spoken.” She repeated the response she’d given him all those years ago.
Pleased she picked up on his prompting, he captured her earlobe between his teeth and nibbled on her tender flesh until her air escaped on a slow exhale, and her body relaxed against his.
He released her lobe, then pressed his lips to her neck. “You stand before me naked and aroused.”
“You too are naked and aroused, my dark lord. The fact that I am should please you.”
“It does not.”
She turned her head, and her glowing gray eyes filled his vision. “And why not?”
He ran his hand over her hair. His fingers itched with the desire to wrap her shimmering locks around his palm. He dropped his arm.
“You make me want things I shouldn’t.”
Excerpt #2
“Arawn, Lord of the Underworld, it is about time you came.”
The Triad’s voice surrounded Arawn. He cracked his eyelids, but only the endless expanse of white clouds greeted him. “You’ve been expecting me?”
Why he asked, he didn’t know. The answer seemed important, however. Doubt had hovered in his mind ever since Minerva had first appeared to him. Learning about her deal with Lucifer had compounded it. Arawn couldn’t help but feel…played.
“Not played. Led.” The Triad responded to his unspoken thought, proving it could easily read Arawn’s mind.
The deity’s intrusion didn’t anger him. Its words did. Arawn remembered the games among the other gods in the early days of the world. He’d hated it. The isolation of the Underworld had been part of the reason he’d accepted the role he’d been offered. The segregation from the heavens hadn’t offered him peace, however.
He’d entered his eternal hell.
And Minerva saved me from it.
Arawn ground his jaw. “Manipulated, you mean.”
“No. You cannot be controlled. Even the gods have free will.”
“But you can take all my choices away save one, can’t you?”
Silence answered him.
“Well?” He knew better than to argue with the Triad. The tortured look in Minerva’s eyes pushed him to demand the truth.
“You always have two choices, Arawn god of Hell.”
Of course I do. He worked his jaw back and forth. “The right one and the wrong one.”
“Exactly. Which have you chosen?”
GET THE BOOK FOR ***FREE*** AT:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/1KlRZvK
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hunter-sacrificed/id1021881938
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-huntersacrificed-1867244-340.html
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A little about Nancy…
A true romantic at heart, Nancy Corrigan is convinced there’s a knight in shining armor for every woman (or man), but you won’t find damsels in distress in her stories. She adores pairing alpha heroes with women strong enough to match them and bring them to their knees. She also enjoys flipping the traditional roles in romances because her motto is—love and people should never be forced to conform to anyone’s norm.
She holds a degree in chemistry and has worked in research but now focuses on ensuring quality. She considers it the perfect outlet for her as she’s the first to admit she has some OCD tendencies. It carries over into her writing life too. While engrossed in a novel, she has a habit of forgetting to eat and sleep. Fortunately, she’s married to her own knight in shining armor who understands her oddities and loves her anyway. They reside in Pennsylvania with their three children, dog, snake and guinea pigs. Her other interests include tattoos, animals, classic cars and all things spooky and sexy.
