Frost and Flame(Gods of War #2)
by Gena Showalter
ebook, 384 pages
Published September 17th 2019 by HQN Books
ISBN1488085919
From Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author of the Lords of the Underworld saga, comes Frost and Flame , the second book in the scorching paranormal romance series Gods of War.
Bane of Adwaeweth is the most feared immortal warrior in All War history. Possessed by a bloodthirsty beast, he will stop at nothing to win. Then he meets irresistible Nola Lee. He hates the power she wields over him, but she alone can rain vengeance upon his wife’s killer.
Unaware of her destiny to rule as queen of beasts, Nola battles illness, addiction and vulnerability. With Bane, however, she experiences pleasure for the first time, and only wants more. But being with him comes with a terrible price.
With enemies lurking around every corner, Bane and Nola must fight to survive. But time is running out, and neither can resist the sizzling attraction blazing between them. Will their romance save the beast and his beauty, or destroy everything they’ve come to love?
Excerpt:
Nolalee flitted from ice pillar to pillar before stopping in front of Zion—the one who’d supposedly impregnated her with a glance. She traced a heart over the male’s chest, and every muscle in Bane’s body knotted. If he had not been trapped in a pillar of ice himself, he would have killed Zion and run away with the girl.
Why did she focus on the male? The enemy. If she bore an attraction to him...
Unacceptable! Bane required her cooperation and loyalty.
“We survived,” she said to the female she’d arrived with. Survived what? “We’re close to civilization, rescue a probability.”
Rescue? She visited the ice prison by accident?
He’d known the day she was born, had felt it deep in his bones. He’d known the day she reached adulthood and they established a psychic link, weakening his ties to his queen, Aveline.
Right now, he served both females. The moment he permanently aligned with Nolalee, pledging a blood oath to protect and obey her, his link to Aveline would dissolve completely. But Aveline would sense his loss. So, he could make no pledges to Nolalee until the bitch arrived to claim ownership of Terra.
Bane pushed his voice into Nolalee’s head. —Return to me, princess.— A demand.
To his surprise, she obeyed—dragging her feet. She looked him over, whispering, “I know you’re real. At least, I think you are. Maybe. But I don’t know who or what you are, or why you keep talking inside my head. Just...tell me what’s going on. I want to help.”
A command. A royal command. As a hybrid princess, she was powerful, yes, but too weak to fully control a warrior in his prime. After the Blood Rite, however...
“Or don’t tell me,” she said, still whispering. “You’re probably a delusion. Yeah, definitely a delusion.”
Shock had left her addled. Noted. He—
Tingles erupted at the ends of his fingers, frozen nerve endings coming back to life. New, sharper pains shot up his arms, radiating through his torso and down his legs. Even his toes tingled.
Hope warmed his blood and thawed his insides, adrenaline coursing to his muscles.
Must get the princess to safety. As Bane continued to rock and ram his body against the ice with more force, the width of the cracks increased, and his hope sharpened into anticipation. Rock. Ram.
Any warriors outside the females’ sight lines fought their prisons, too. Those within their sight lines waited until the pair turned away, not wanting humans to know about the war, even now. They had no idea Bane communicated with Nolalee.
The first to escape would decide her fate.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” the other female asked. “We’ll have the celebration dinner of the year!”
The two discussed folded napkins, middle fingers, fish and vomit before vanishing around the corner, leaving the “lady-boner figurines” behind, seemingly forgotten. Nolalee’s laugh drifted through the cavern, as sweet as a lullaby, and another growl rumbled in Bane’s chest. Before she vanished, she cast a final glance in Bane’s direction.
He made a vow: I’m coming for you, princess.
Nolalee flitted from ice pillar to pillar before stopping in front of Zion—the one who’d supposedly impregnated her with a glance. She traced a heart over the male’s chest, and every muscle in Bane’s body knotted. If he had not been trapped in a pillar of ice himself, he would have killed Zion and run away with the girl.
Why did she focus on the male? The enemy. If she bore an attraction to him...
Unacceptable! Bane required her cooperation and loyalty.
“We survived,” she said to the female she’d arrived with. Survived what? “We’re close to civilization, rescue a probability.”
Rescue? She visited the ice prison by accident?
He’d known the day she was born, had felt it deep in his bones. He’d known the day she reached adulthood and they established a psychic link, weakening his ties to his queen, Aveline.
Right now, he served both females. The moment he permanently aligned with Nolalee, pledging a blood oath to protect and obey her, his link to Aveline would dissolve completely. But Aveline would sense his loss. So, he could make no pledges to Nolalee until the bitch arrived to claim ownership of Terra.
Bane pushed his voice into Nolalee’s head. —Return to me, princess.— A demand.
To his surprise, she obeyed—dragging her feet. She looked him over, whispering, “I know you’re real. At least, I think you are. Maybe. But I don’t know who or what you are, or why you keep talking inside my head. Just...tell me what’s going on. I want to help.”
A command. A royal command. As a hybrid princess, she was powerful, yes, but too weak to fully control a warrior in his prime. After the Blood Rite, however...
“Or don’t tell me,” she said, still whispering. “You’re probably a delusion. Yeah, definitely a delusion.”
Shock had left her addled. Noted. He—
Tingles erupted at the ends of his fingers, frozen nerve endings coming back to life. New, sharper pains shot up his arms, radiating through his torso and down his legs. Even his toes tingled.
Hope warmed his blood and thawed his insides, adrenaline coursing to his muscles.
Must get the princess to safety. As Bane continued to rock and ram his body against the ice with more force, the width of the cracks increased, and his hope sharpened into anticipation. Rock. Ram.
Any warriors outside the females’ sight lines fought their prisons, too. Those within their sight lines waited until the pair turned away, not wanting humans to know about the war, even now. They had no idea Bane communicated with Nolalee.
The first to escape would decide her fate.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” the other female asked. “We’ll have the celebration dinner of the year!”
The two discussed folded napkins, middle fingers, fish and vomit before vanishing around the corner, leaving the “lady-boner figurines” behind, seemingly forgotten. Nolalee’s laugh drifted through the cavern, as sweet as a lullaby, and another growl rumbled in Bane’s chest. Before she vanished, she cast a final glance in Bane’s direction.
He made a vow: I’m coming for you, princess.
And don't miss...
About the Author:
Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.
Tour-Wide Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
congrats and cant wait for this one
ReplyDeleteHow can u not like anything from Showalter!😍
ReplyDeleteSounds great! Congratulations on your release!
ReplyDelete