Excerpt and contest by Katalina Leon
Maeve
stood alone in the elegant room. She glanced around, thinking that
many of the objects in the suite belonged in a treasure house. There
was so much to look at and explore that she doubted she’d get much
sleep.
Like
a magnet, the portrait of Lord O’Griofa drew her. She stood in
front of it staring at the man’s broad chest and ropey arms with
admiration. He seemed to be a powerful man who took charge of his
world and appeared completely capable of decimating anyone who stood
in his path.
Maeve
caught herself daydreaming about being confronted by a man who could
so easily take what he wanted. Lord O’Griofa looked determined
enough to seize any woman of his choice, throw her over his shoulder
and march off with her. And would that be such a bad thing?
She
wondered what it would feel like to be ravished at the hands of a
lustful man who couldn’t be stopped. Not harmed by a brute, but
carried off and forced to surrender to a man like the fiery-eyed
O’Griofa. A heated thrill raced to her core.
A
long-denied part of her admitted that even though the desire was
politically incorrect, the prospect of being captured by a man like
that sounded totally hot.
Ravished
war prize.
The
words slid across the surface of her thoughts like raindrops on a
windowpane. She gave herself butterflies just thinking about it.
Conqueror.
Claimed. Surrender.
Her
face warmed. Lord O’Griofa seemed to embody all the exciting
qualities of a mythical hero, which she also imagined could go wildly
astray in the modern world. Still, the thought of lying prone beneath
a passionate man intent on taking her for his lover was an exciting
one. Shivers skittered across her skin.
She
abruptly turned her back to the portrait to avoid the overwrought
thoughts from hijacking her. “I must be jet-lagged,” she mumbled.
Maeve
kneeled, unzipped her luggage and rummaged through it halfheartedly,
knowing that the act of brushing her teeth and changing out of her
clothes would require colossal effort. With her head nodding from
exhaustion, she sought a vinyl bag of toiletries and a whisper-soft
pair of flannel pajamas.
A
faint clink in
the corridor caused her look up and again the portrait drew her
attention. This time she noticed a faint scar on O’Griofa’s chin
and a slight crook in the bridge of his nose, as if it had once been
broken. She now saw that he was not the fresh youth as she had first
thought. Now he displayed the weathering of a man in his prime who
faced the elements and lived an active life.
She
moved closer to the portrait to make sure she wasn’t imagining the
changes. She wasn’t—the changes were real. It was as if the
portrait was becoming more lifelike before her eyes. Why hadn’t she
noticed those distinct details before? The tiny flaws were
interesting, personal details that she assumed many vain men would
have omitted from an idealized portrait of their youthful exploits.
Overall,
the fierce lines of O’Griofa’s handsome face were breathtaking.
The flattering angle of the portrait not only showed off his strong
jaw and dimpled chin, it also made it appear as if he had just turned
his head toward the viewer and was now studying them intently from
beneath stormy brows.
She
wondered how the hell she could get undressed and fall asleep with
that hunky character shouting a battle cry over the bed.
After
gazing at Lord O’Griofa for several minutes she decided it might be
easier to get undressed in the bathroom and make a mad dash for the
bed. This self-conscious hesitation was so unlike her, and she
wondered why she was tormenting herself over a portrait. She knew she
should make an effort and jump into the shower to rinse away the many
gritty hassles of her long journey. With toothbrush and leopard-print
pajamas in hand, she stood with the intention of heading toward the
bathroom.
Lord
O’Griofa’s dark gaze seemed to follow her across the room.
Maeve
hurried toward the bathroom, slammed the door and locked it. “Damn.”
She sighed with relief. The portrait was too much to deal with in her
highly strung state of mind. She considered that maybe a night in the
O’Griofa suite wasn’t such a treat after all. Part of her felt as
if she’d been abandoned in the presence of an intense man and
forced to cope with it.
“I’m
being ridiculous.” She stared at the bathroom’s gleaming marble
floors and claw-foot bathtub with admiration. The creamy marble walls
and countertops with golden fixtures looked like they belonged in a
palace. The calming thought occurred, why not spend some time in here
and enjoy a luxurious soak? She plugged the drain, turned on the
faucet and watched steaming water tumble into the tub.
She
stripped her clothing away, grateful to be rid of it, and brushed her
teeth. She gathered her shoulder-length dark hair, twisted it into a
topknot and pinned it into place with a plastic clip.
A
crystal dish filled with artfully molded miniature cakes of soap
caught her eye. The beribboned and colorful foil-wrapped ovals of
soap resembled marzipan candies from the finest confectioner’s
boutique. It was all she could do to resist licking them. She chose a
cake encased in emerald-green foil. When she tore the wrapping away
it released the light lemony scent of white roses. A pleased sigh
crossed her lips.
She
turned off the faucet and stepped into the bath, stirring the water
with her toes. The soft splash echoed against the marble walls. She
sank into the massive tub. As the warm water embraced her, all cares
and concerns faded. Worries fled. She’d reached her goal. It was
over. She was safe at her destination. The divorce was final and the
business had been sold—as it should have been long ago. Her house
was on the market and she was free of a man who’d wished she’d
been a tall, cool blonde with lots of money and a shared taste for
quality vodka.
(
The moment Maeve relaxes in the bathtub, guess what? The real fun and
the time travel begin. Maeve’s finds herself in mortal danger in a
burning medieval castle under siege. She’ll need to be rescued.
Thank God for Lord O’Griofa and his long, thick broad sword!)
Katalina Leon
Genre: Paranormal romance
shape-shifter
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Date of Publication: July
10, 2013
ISBN: 9781419945397
Number of pages: 114
Word Count: 50k
Cover Artist: Syneca
http://www.ellorascave.com/lord-griffin-s-prize.html
Book Description:
Part of the Emerald
Isles Fantasies series
Tullamore Castle Ireland
is an enchanted place where the unexpected happens. Phantom lovers
materialize in haunted beds and a lonely griffin patrols the ramparts
waiting to reclaim its mate. And that’s just the beginning.
For the adventure of a
lifetime Maeve de’Burgo visits Tullamore to study genealogy.
Through a magical act and time travel she becomes embroiled in a
dangerous medieval romance and the unfinished life of her ancestor.
Maeve gets thrown back in time to be captured, ravished and cherished
as a war chief’s prize.
Ronan O’Griofa is a
griffin-shifter, the most loyal of creatures. He’s been trapped in
limbo as the avenging guardian of Tullamore since 1332 AD and longs
to be free. When the soul of his wife returns to the castle he’s
granted the privilege of becoming a man for one day to be her lover,
win her heart and remind Maeve of a bond strong enough to last an
eternity.
About
the Author:
I’m an artist, an
author, mother and wife. I write for Ellora’s Cave, Loose Id
Publishing and a couple new publishers to be announced soon. I try to
bring a touch of the mystical and a big sense of adventure to
everything I write because I believe there’s a bold, kick-ass
heroine inside all of us who wants to take a wild ride with a strong
worthy hero.
Ellora’s Cave:
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