BATTLE CRY to be released on Dec. 18th, 2014
Book #2 in the Loki's
Wolves series
Melissa Snark
Genre: Norse
folklore fantasy
Word Count: 96,000
approximately
Cover Artist:
Farah Evers
One
man dares defy Fate.
Survival demands sacrifices; healing requires forgiveness.
Men revere him; monsters fear him. Jake Barrett, the notorious
Hunter King, values loyalty to family and followers above all else. When the
daughter of his closest ally murders Daniel, his oldest son, it sets off a
chain reaction of violence and destruction that claims the lives of both wolves
and hunters. Determined to avenge his son, Jake seeks the truth at any cost.
After losing her lover
and then her mate, Victoria Storm simply wants to get on with building a new
life in Sierra Pines, California. A vengeful Jake Barrett and his organization
aren't going to make that easy, especially with the unwelcome attraction
between her and the Hunter King's second son. Perils beyond the mortal coil
plague Victoria. When the Norse Fates predict Victoria will destroy the world,
her duties as a priestess of Freya come into conflict with her responsibilities
as a Valkyrie of Odin. When they tell her she will do it to save her unborn
child, she's not so sure they are wrong.
Sawyer Barrett has been
trying to kill Victoria for so long, he doesn't know whether he loves her or
hates her. Desperate to end the war, he's willing to take chances with
everything–except his heart. The hunter harbors a deadly secret he can't reveal
without risking the ceasefire and his life. At Sawyer's urging, Victoria agrees
to peace talks with Jake. All the while, an ancient vampire plots the
destruction of wolves and hunters alike. If the embittered rivalry between
hunters and wolves doesn't end—and fast—there is no hope for Victoria's pack...
or for their world.
Attribution: Norns weaving destiny, by Arthur Rackham (1912). Public domain.
Excerpt:
Shade enshrouded Skuld,
and her voice manifested upon the air, thick and oppressive, closing in from
all sides. "Your daughter will not grow to adulthood in Midgard."
Victoria's heart slammed
against her breastbone. Her breath expelled in a horrified gust. The bowl
dropped from her hands and flew to protect her abdomen. "What do you mean?"
"Your daughter will
be taken from you on the eve of her third birthday," Skuld said. "The
one you trust most, a member of your own pack, will give the child over to your
greatest enemy."
A growl trembled in
Victoria's throat, and her entire body shook under the dual assault of fear and
rage. The suggestion of betrayal from within her own pack filled her with
disbelief to the core of her being. It was unthinkable. Gritting her teeth, she
sought a solution, refusing to dwell on it. "How am I to prevent this?"
"We speak of what
will come to pass," Verðandi said in a sympathetic tone.
"Your predictions
are not carved in stone," Victoria said. Arguing with Fate was a foolish
endeavor, but she refused to accept their prophecy.
The old woman, Urðr,
smiled with a frightening gleam in her eyes. "Predictions, carved into the
trunk of the World Tree, carved into the spiritual fabric of the world."
Stubborn determination
settled over Victoria like armor. Her mother had taught her there was no
absolute fate, just as there was no absolute free will. Life consisted of a
wide range of possibilities between the two extremes. She refused to allow her
daughter to die at three years of age. She would move worlds, alter fate, slay
gods.
Whatever it took.
"Do you wish to
save your child?" Skuld asked.
Victoria answered
without thought. "Yes. I'll do anything. Tell me. Please."
"The final days are
upon us," Verðandi said.
Skuld took over
speaking. "To save your daughter, you will side with Loki against the
Aesir. You will use your enchanted dagger to cut the binding of the great wolf
Fenrir. You will be responsible for freeing the beast that kills Odin."
Victoria's stomach
turned. Her head shook in automatic denial. "When the gods imprisoned
Fenrir, my people pledged fealty to the Aesir. We have served them loyally ever
since. Even when we were driven from the homeland, almost a millennium ago, we
remained faithful. I will never cut Fenrir's bonds. To do so would end the
world we live in and doom us all."
Skuld's gaze held steady.
"You will."
Victoria snarled her
denial. "No. I will never become the servant of the Trickster or willingly
take part in bringing about Odin's death."
Skuld turned her head
and pinned Victoria with one black eye that rolled in its socket like a liquid
marble. "To save your daughter, you will."
Battle Cry buy links:
Battle Cry buy links:
Fast Facts About Melissa Snark:
- Melissa
Snark is published with The Wild Rose Press & as an Indie author with
five unique titles: A CAT'S TALE, THE MATING GAME, LEARNING TO FLY, THE
CHILD THIEF, and HUNGER MOON.
- Her Loki's
Wolves series includes THE CHILD THIEF, HUNGER MOON and BATTLE CRY.
- She lives
in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children and a
glaring of cats.
- She is a
professional cat herder and unrepentant satirist who blogs about books and
writing on The
Snarkology.
Connect with
Melissa Snark:
Email: melissasnark at gmail.com
Twitter: @MelissaSnark
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