Today, I've got Ashe Barker on our guest couch to talk about her newest Viking romance, "Her Dark Viking." Before we get directly into the story, Ashe had a few words to share about this, the second book in her series about the daunting raiders.
I have always
been fascinated by Vikings. Strong, sexy warriors, ruthless, dominant and
determined – what’s not to like? It was only a matter of time before I wove a
story around these fierce raiders who rampaged through Scotland and England for
over three centuries, eventually settling and leaving their indelible mark on
our history.
A Viking raid was
indeed a ferocious affair. They relied on what would nowadays probably be
termed ‘shock and awe’ swooping in from the sea on their fast dragon ships to
attack with vicious and deadly effect. The Nordic raiders would be gone almost
as swiftly as they arrived, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The
modern equivalent would be a helicopter attack on a sleepy rural village by
SWAT teams armed with automatic weapons– the local people would hardly know
what hit them.
I have employed a
certain amount of poetic license, but in writing this series of stories I have
been determined to recreate the Viking era to the best of my ability – their
homes, their clothing, what they ate, how they lived. I hope readers will be as
entranced as I am by these creative and charismatic raiders, and perhaps
forgive them their more outrageous little foibles.
So, tell us a bit more about Gunnar. His
appearance is fearsome, but is he a softie at heart?
I wouldn’t
exactly call Gunnar soft, but he picks his battles and he is gentle with those
weaker than himself. He is fascinated by Mairead from the moment he sets eyes
on her but she doesn’t know that so she has every reason to fear him when he
carries her off as a slave.
Why do you enjoy writing historical fiction?
History was my
favourite lesson at school, though some periods are more fascinating to me than
others. I always preferred the medieval or even earlier times, though the
Victorians were an interesting bunch too. But the Viking era is my current
favourite and Her Dark Viking is the second in a series the three linked
novels set among these Nordic warriors and the sassy Celts who bring them to
their knees.
In many ways life
was simpler in the past, if a lot more brutal, and of course some of the moral
issues we would have to deal with in a contemporary setting don’t apply.
Inequality was the norm. Women were expected to obey – or else. A spanking
author can have a field day.
Excerpt:
Would a
spanking hurt as much as his belt had? Did he perhaps intend to use his belt
again? He had not said, she simply assumed he would--
"Lie
across my lap and lift up your sark."
He
interrupted her musings with his curt instruction. Gunnar had seated himself on
the edge of the bed, where just a few moments ago Donald had sat. The Viking
regarded her over his shoulder, his eyes as dark as she had ever seen them and
his expression stern.
She had
questions, her head brimmed with them, but she supposed all would be answered
soon enough. He kept his belt on, which was a relief she supposed. Mairead
slipped from the bed and came around to stand before him.
"Shall
I take this off?" She plucked at the fabric at the front of her
undershirt.
"No.
I want you to get in position then raise the sark for me. You will get yourself
ready, bare your bottom for me to spank."
Oh, sweet Jesu.
Something coiled and tingled between her legs, and she sensed a fluttering
within which she could not quite name but she knew her most private places were
dampening at his words. It would have been difficult to remove her clothing for
him, but she had done it once and could manage again. This different approach
of his was more intense, more humiliating. She was to aid in her own punishment
by arranging herself just so.
"Mairead,
do not keep me waiting."
"No,
Jarl." She almost flung herself across his thighs, her head dangling down
by his boot and her hair sweeping the floor. She dreaded what she must do next
but wanted to get it over with so she reached back to grab the hem of her linen
shirt and hastily pulled it up to her waist, then tucked the bulk of the
material under her stomach to ensure it remained in place. She was horribly
embarrassed, prayed that no one would see fit to open the curtain and see her
thus. Had Aigneis managed to get Donald out of the longhouse in time?
"What
are you thinking?" His tone was soft, and she took courage from that.
"I
am afraid someone will hear, or come in."
"They
might, but there is nothing you can do about any of that now. None of what is
to happen to you is under your control so you might as well let it go. Relax,
if you can, and surrender."
"I
do not mean to fight you, Jarl. Or to struggle."
"I
know that." He laid one warm, solid palm on her bottom and rubbed a large
circle around her left cheek. "I was thinking more of what is happening in
your head. You need only to feel this, not think overmuch about it."
"I...
I will try, Jarl." Her voice fell to a breathy whisper. Her bottom was
still tender from yesterday and as he pressed her delicate skin those
sensations returned. How much more punishment could she take?
"You
know why this is happening." It was a statement, not a question.
"I
disobeyed you."
"Yes,
though I now rather think you misunderstood my instruction rather than
deliberately disobeyed. You should have checked, asked me to clarify."
"I
will, Jarl. Next time."
"I
shall make sure of it. So, are you ready?"
"Yes,"
she breathed. "Yes, I am ready."
The
first volley of spanks were light, teasing almost. Gunnar rained slaps down on
both her buttocks, covering the sensitive globes and causing her to clench and
writhe on his lap, but not to cry out. It was painful, but not overly so and
there was pleasure in it too, especially when he paused to caress her smarting
skin. Now she moaned, but in startled delight rather than pain.
"You
like that?"
She
nodded, but then realised he may not have seen her. "Yes, Jarl."
"Will
you spread your legs for me?"
"Of
course." On one level, she had no choice, he would make her do as he
wanted though he did phrase the command most politely. But on another this was
exactly what she desired, what she had hoped for. Punishment, submission,
sensuality – these were a heady mix and she no longer knew quite how to
separate them, or even if she wished to. So she parted her thighs and lay
still.
"So
pretty, and so wet." He slid his hand between her thighs and stroked her
soaking folds. Mairead tensed under the sudden wave of lust which seemed to
engulf her. "Did I hurt you?" His voice was soft now, and achingly
seductive.
"No,
it was ... more pleasant than I remembered."
"I
see. And this?" Now he toyed with the pleasure nub he had awakened
yesterday. Mairead stuffed her fist in her mouth in an attempt not to squeal
out loud.
"Answer
me. Is this nice."
"Mmmmm."
Her
muffled response clearly did not suffice. He dropped two hard slaps, one on each
buttock. "I expect you to talk to me, to answer if I ask you a question.
If you do not understand what I want of you, you may tell me that since I know
our tongue is still new to you."
"It
is very nice, Jarl." She blurted the reply out fast, fearing another
onslaught of slaps and craving them at the same time.
"And
this?" Now he circled her entrance with his finger tip.
"That
too, Jarl. It feels so good..."
"This?"
His finger entered her, just to the first knuckle she thought. "Any
pain?"
"No,
it feels wonderful. Perhaps you might... I mean, maybe a little more?"
"Can
I trust you to tell me if I hurt you?"
"You
have hurt me. You are spanking me, Jarl. It is meant to hurt, is it not?"
"The
spanking, yes. Not this." He swirled his finger between the swollen,
sensitive lips. "You only gave birth a month ago."
"I
am healed, truly I am. The birth was easy, and... oh! Ooooh." She let out
a sob as he slid his whole finger into her.
"Tell
me, Mairead. Is this painful?"
"No.
No, it is ... wonderful. Please do not stop."
"Greedy
wench. You will take your spanking; then, if I am satisfied you have learnt
better manners, I will give you what you desire."
Blurb:
After she is captured by Viking
raiders, twenty-five-year-old Mairead is left with no choice but to depend on
Gunnar Freysson, the battle-hardened leader of the Norsemen, to protect her and
her young children. Though he makes it clear that she is his property to do
with as he pleases, Gunnar shows remarkable concern for Mairead’s wellbeing,
and when she risks her life in a dangerous attempt at escape he does not
hesitate to strip her bare and spank her soundly.
The strict punishment leaves Mairead
thoroughly ashamed yet helplessly aroused, and when Gunnar takes her in his
arms and claims her properly she cannot deny her body’s response to his
dominant lovemaking. As the days pass, Mairead realizes that Gunnar cares for
her deeply, and despite her situation she finds herself falling in love with
the stern, handsome warrior. But can she truly give her heart to the man who
took her from her home?
Publisher’s Note: Her Dark Viking is a stand-alone sequel
to Her Rogue Viking. It
includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please
don’t buy this book.
Buy Links:
About the Author:
USA Today
best-selling author Ashe Barker has been an avid reader of fiction for many
years, erotic and other genres. She still loves reading, the hotter the better.
But now she has a good excuse for her guilty pleasure – research.
Ashe tends to
draw on her own experience to lend colour, detail and realism to her plots and
characters. An incident here, a chance remark there, a bizarre event or quirky
character, any of these can spark a story idea.
Ashe lives in the
North of England, on the edge of the Brontë moors and enjoys the occasional
flirtation with pole dancing and drinking Earl Grey tea. When not writing –
which is not very often these days - her time is divided between her role as
taxi driver for her teenage daughter, and caring for a menagerie of dogs,
tortoises. And a very grumpy cockatiel.
At the last count
Ashe had over forty titles on general release with publishers on both sides of
the Atlantic, and several more in the pipeline. She writes M/f, M/M, and
occasionally rings the changes with a little M/M/f. Ashe’s books invariably
feature BDSM. She writes explicit stories, always hot, but offering far more
than just sizzling sex. Ashe likes to read about complex characters, and to
lose herself in compelling plots, so that’s what she writes too.
Ashe has a pile
of story ideas still to work through, and keeps thinking of new ones at the
most unlikely moments, so you can expect to see a lot more from her.
Ashe loves to hear from readers. Here are
her social media links:
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