Sneak-Peek-Sunday slips back to the past in THE BELTANE CHOICE.

I don't know about you, but last week just flew past for me and now it's time for another 6 paragraphs for our Sneak-Peek-Sunday hop.

I've chosen today's excerpt from my historical romance - THE BELTANE CHOICE - set in Celtic/Roman Britain AD 71.


This is from Chapter One when Lorcan of the Brigantes first encounters Nara of the Selgovae, their respective tribes having been long time enemies. Nara's not happy about being Lorcan's prisoner and tries to flee...

Twww…aaa…nnng! The humming of the reverberating spear blocking her passage was deafening, having missed her by a hair’s breadth. The clattering noise of a weapon dropping was surpassed by the roar of the warrior when he leapt upon her, easily subduing her struggles and cries. Her knees ground into the forest floor before he whirled her face-up, his fingers encircling her throat poised to throttle. The speed of his attack, and the dead-weight of him fully atop her, should have brought forth the blood-rage of battle, but…it did not.
 

From neither her, nor him.

Yet again their gazes locked and lingered. Nara panted, but not because he was stifling the breath out of her. He looked dismayed; maybe even guilty. She was not convinced which emotion he felt most, but though his hands remained in place, the tension in his fingers relaxed. His thumbs gentled the skin they had just pressed upon while he, too, fought hard for his breath, his glowing brown eyes sliding down to stare at her neck.

She was so aware of the virile scent of him and of his harsh face now squashed against her own. His voice grit against her ear. “You are not going to escape from me, Nara.”

“Your spear did not hit its mark…” Nara gasped, struggling under him to no avail, the hilts of his weapon hoard digging deep into her stomach.

“My spear hit exactly where I wanted it to. If I had wanted to fell you, I would be walking past your lifeless body right now.”

Blurb:


Can the Celtic Tribes repel the Roman army? AD 71

 Banished from the nemeton, becoming a priestess is no longer the future for Nara, a princess of the Selgovae tribe. Now charged with choosing a suitable mate before Beltane, her plan is thwarted by Lorcan, an enemy Brigante prince, who captures her and takes her to his hill fort. Despite their tribes fighting each other, Nara feels drawn to her captor, but time runs out for her secret quest.

As armies of the Roman Empire march relentlessly northwards, Lorcan intends to use Nara as a marriage bargain, knowing all Celtic tribes must unite to be strong enough to repel imminent Roman attack. Nara’s father, Callan, agrees to a marriage alliance between Selgovae and Brigante, but has impossible stipulations. Lorcan is torn between loyalty to his tribe and growing love for Nara.  

                                             

When danger and death arrive in the form of the mighty Roman forces, will Nara be able to choose her Beltane lover?

The Beltane Choice 

Amazon.com ebook only    http://amzn.to/UdT8v0

Amazon.co.uk ebook only    http://amzn.to/Rqg7yY

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/221383

I hope you enjoyed my excerpt. Please hop on over now to the work of the other authors in the Sneak-Peek-Sunday hop.  

Slainth!