An unhappy shape shifter can be a dangerous companion....
Sneak Peek Sunday is a new (at least for me) hop that shares excerpts. Since I love to share, I thought I would participate. What we're doing is sharing six paragraphs from a published work or a WIP (work in progress).
My submission for this week is from my 2nd book, Deadly Enchantment. A shapeshifting wizard romance set in Victorian England published by New Concepts Publishing,
In this excerpt, which occurs near the end of the first Chapter and immediately follows my March 31st Sneak Peek Sunday, Dominic Westcroft has returned from London to discover his sister has invited several young women to his home, so he can select a new bride. Except, Dominic has no intention of ever marrying again.
* * * * *
“And what
future would that be, my dear?” Dominic inquired, his voice a soft purr of
menace. “Have you turned psychic all of
a sudden?”
“You know I
haven’t,” Regina replied with a slight grimace at his barb, “but it appears that I
have a better memory than your own.” She
leaned forward slightly. “Weren’t you
the one who said that you needed a virgin wife by your thirtieth birthday to
complete your powers? According to my
rather rudimentary math skills, that leaves you less than a year to find a
suitable lady and marry her. Since you
did not seem so inclined to do this for yourself, I simply made the
arrangements for you.”
“I but told
you what Zaltasar informed me, I didn’t say I believed it.”
“Oh? You don’t believe your mentor’s prediction
regarding your powers, but you have no difficulty believing that you may have
killed your wife in a fit of passion and anger when you found her and Terrence
together in your wedding chamber?”
Dominic’s
anger slithered out of him in a deadly-hot tendril of green smoke. Briefly closing his eyes, he directed the
sentient tentacle toward the window and away from his sister. “I didn’t say that, but it’s possible,
yes. It’s not what I want to believe,
but the evidence clearly seems to indicate I was responsible.”
“Really? And isn’t it due to that very same evidence
that you were found innocent of the crime?” she countered, barely acknowledging
the snake-like trail of green rage that sought a convenient target to unleash
its wrath upon.
* * * * *
Though Dominic loves his sister dearly, at the moment he'd like nothing better than to wring her lovely neck.
Though Dominic loves his sister dearly, at the moment he'd like nothing better than to wring her lovely neck.
M/F, Shape shifting wizards.in Victorian England.
Read the first three chapters at: Deadly Enchantment
Available at NCP, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ARe
Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and want more. Please click the link below to continue your hop Sneak Peek Sunday Wishing you a wonderful journey.
I really like the sound of this one! great snippet, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove the excerpt and especially the description of the --- Dominic’s anger slithered out of him in a deadly-hot tendril of green smoke -- that's an incredible line.
ReplyDeleteI loved the green smoke. This sounds great :)
ReplyDeleteI loved this book it was so good!
ReplyDelete