HUNTER (Magio-Earth Novella)

To love and protect…across worlds.

Nineteen-year-old Lieska Alura, a Dralion warrior from the planet Magio, calls an Australian Outback station her home away from home. Hounded by her skilled hunter senses, she is on a mission to track down one man, her soul-bound mate.

Peacian protector and hunter, Cole Cyrano, is driven by his soul’s demand to find his mated one, a woman he knows is his enemy. Dralion and Peacio are at war, and he ignores his soul’s call. Except Lieska shows up during a fierce training session inside his protectors’ arena, and his soul demands he protect her.

Completely, yet impossibly matched, they decide to renounce their bond, only not all goes as planned when Lieska receives word bushfires rage across her Outback station. She leaves, and now nothing can keep Cole from the hunt. He joins Lieska in driving the station’s cattle toward the mighty river, and the chase is on…against both nature and each other. Can the mated pair find their place together in a world at war?

A Young Adult, New Adult Fantasy Romance

~ooOOoo~

HUNTER
Free 28^th, 29^th, 30^th January 2014
(Tell all your friends to grab a copy)

Free at: Amazon Kindle

~ooOOoo~

Hi, and thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Mae.

HUNTER is a story which will take you deep into the Australian Outback and across those great plains. This is a stand-alone novella within my fast-paced YA/NA fantasy romance line, where across worlds, soul-bound mates battle against both love and land.

I brought my heroine from HUNTER with me today. Lieska’s a warrior hunter from Dralion, and is soul-bound to Cole, a protector from the enemy nation.

Joanne: Hey, Lieska. Thanks so much for taking the time to come and sit with me over here at Mae’s. So, I’ve got to ask. You and Cole? How is it being soul-mated with him?

Lieska: Since he’s a hunter like me, it’s been a blast of who can out-chase the other first. He’s super speedy, but I love every minute of our hunts. Cole’s incredibly smart, funny, caring, sexy— Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have said all that. His hunter senses will be on fire if he catches a whiff of any of this stuff. No one here at Mae’s can whisper a word of what I just said. *smiles nicely at everyone*

Joanne: Gotcha. I’m sure we can all do that. So, looking back at that first day you met Cole inside his protectors’ arena, do you have any regrets about walking in? And what about confronting him?

Lieska: I just wish I could have kicked some protector butt before I met Cole. That would have been fun. And confronting Cole? I’ll never regret that. Heck, he kisses like a—

Cole: *marches in and runs his gaze over Lieska* My ears are burning. I wondered where you’d gotten to.

Lieska: I see you hunted me down again.

Cole: I found something of yours to track you with, and I couldn’t help myself. I love the chase. *pops a kiss on her nose as he sits* So, what are we all up to?

Joanne: We’re just hanging here at Mae’s. She said we could drop by, so we have. Not sure where she’s gotten to though, probably work. You wanna track her down for us, Cole?

Cole: Hah. You just want to get rid of me so you two can keep nattering. Nope, I’m staying. *crosses his arms*

Lieska: Stubborn hunter. *tweaks Cole’s chin*

Joanne: Alrighty then, well if you’re staying, then let me ask you a question, Cole. What’s it like being soul-bound to your sworn enemy?

Cole: It’s agonizing to keep the secrets I have to. Most of my fellow protectors would slice and dice me if they ever found out I’d accepted the mated bond with Lieska, but we’ve got Hope and Silas on our side, and Faith and Davio. They’re mated enemies like us, and it helps they know exactly what we’re going through. And being soul-bound with Lieska is incredible. I can’t give her up, not now, not even with all the problems we’ve still to face.

Joanne: Those guys are great. In the next book in this series they’re right there in the mix with Silvie and Guy as they undertake their journey. Things get pretty heated, but— Um, I probably shouldn’t go on about Enchanter since the third book doesn’t release until the summer. I better zip my lips.

Lieska: Gee, you are such a tease. You’ve gotta tell us what happens.

Joanne: Nope, I’m not spilling another word. Go and hunt down Hope and Faith if you want more goss. They’re in the story. They know it all.

Lieska: Oooh, did you just dare me? We hunters love a dare. *tugs Cole to his feet* Come with me. I’ll need your extra senses to catch them.

Cole: *grinning* See, this is why I love you. Let’s hunt. *they teleport away*

Joanne: Hey, come back here you two. We’re in the middle of an interview. Unbelievable. Oh, well I guess that’s it from us. Thanks for joining in. I hope you race out and grab your FREE copy of HUNTER and track down Lieska and Cole and discover more about their story.

HUNTER is the perfect short story to get you started on the series, and likely hooked. Full-length novels, PROTECTOR and WARRIOR are available, and ENCHANTER (book three) is coming real soon.

~ooOOoo~

HUNTER
Free 28^th, 29^th, 30^th January 2014
(Tell all your friends to grab a copy)

 Free at: Amazon Kindle

~ooOOoo~

Here’s an excerpt from Hunter to tempt you:

Chains cranked, and the solid paneled iron gates at the entrance rolled open. This was what I’d been waiting for. Finally I’d be able to see inside the three-story high open-aired arena. It was a beauty with its ancient circular architecture.

“Wow. Do you see that?” Hope whispered to me from where we hid in a bush.

I shoved the brush farther aside, and we both poked our noses in. The protectors’ arena was close in size to our fighting force’s in Dralion. Their blocked seats were layered back and up and able to hold thousands of spectators. Groups of protectors trained on the central sandy floor with swords and spears and axes, with likely more beyond. Some of the men wore red tunics with leather-flapped skirts, and they lunged and parried, as accurate with their brutally sharp weapons as any warrior would be. The women trained in their battle leathers. So close. This was the chance I’d been waiting for. It had definitely been right to bring Hope. Hopefully she’d be able to help me keep a level head.

“Let’s go.” I gripped Hope’s hand and ’ported us. Everything darkened as I made the short jump through space.

Hope wobbled as we arrived near the wall. “Lieska, what the heck are you doing?”

“You saw the gate open. It’s an invitation I can’t turn down.” I plucked the sides of my hip-hugging black leather pants. “Look at us. I’m dressed no differently to any of the protector women, and you’re completely unassuming in jeans and a t-shirt. Except for this. The Stetson has to go. It screams Earth.” I nabbed it and tossed it behind a flax bush growing beside the wall. “Now no one’s going to suspect we’re from Dralion unless we announce it. We’ll be normal people, not catching a second glance.”

“Geez, I hate how my own words come back to bite me.” She shook her head. “Just make sure you don’t announce our arrival your way. No throwing any daggers at the protectors, because that would be announcing it, in case you weren’t aware.”

“I’m aware, and I’ll try and keep them sheathed, maybe.” I couldn’t stop from rubbing my hands together. Finally I’d have a chance to sort this problem. The hunt was on. I strode in and the breeze lifted my long brown locks and swept strands across my face. Two men battled close by and one of the men’s blade’s struck flesh and bone. Blood spurted in a wide arc. My blood thrummed to join the fight. Oh yeah. I wish I’d been the one to inflict that wound. The injured man grasped his arm, holding the edges closed. His blood ceased running and his skin began to knit together. A fast-healer. Damn. What a shame.

“Ew.” Hope puffed as she caught up. “Are your senses still on fire?”

“Burning bright. So stay close in case I need to ’port us out of here quick.” I followed the safety rail around the perimeter. My senses flared. There. A man in black jeans stretched as if readying himself for training. The denim molded his butt. Mm-mmm.

He selected a two-handed sword from the rack and twirled it in a precise figure eight. Slowly he built up speed, and moved through a series of fluid training moves. He held the battle skills, and only those who had such an affinity for their weapon did.

“Is that him? The one you’re after?” Hope hauled me to a stop.

“Yes, and it appears he needs a battling partner. Wait here.”

“I’ll wait provided you agree not to kill anyone.”

“We’ll see, just don’t draw any attention to yourself.”

“Huh, I can’t believe you’re telling me not to draw attention to myself. Hello. Give yourself your own pep talk.” With a harrumph, she snuck under the railing. She plopped onto the wooden bench and grasped the edge under her knees, squishing her knuckles.

“I would take my own advice, except I don’t think I’m up for listening. That’s why I have you.” She was one of my best friends, even though she’d accepted a protector as her mate. I could deal.

Stroking the hilt of my ever-present side sword, I walked toward the one my senses had flared on.

-~ooOOoo~

Look for JOANNE WADSWORTH at the following haunts:
AUTHOR WEBSITE & BLOG
AMAZON PAGE (For books)
BARNES & NOBLE PAGE (For books)
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
TWITTER
GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO:

JOANNE WADSWORTH
Where Romance Meets Fantasy and Adventure…

Reading romance books captivated Joanne Wadsworth as a teenager, particularly when she tucked herself into bed at night and continued to dream those stories as she slept. She’d visualize the direction, taking the hero and heroine on an adventure unparalleled to what she’d read. Today she is devoted to writing romance, bringing her imagination to life within the lines of young adult, contemporary, and historical Highlander.

Born in New Zealand, Joanne works both as a writer and a financial controller, all while keeping up with her four energetic children and dreamy husband.

Visit Joanne Wadsworth at http://www.joannewadsworth.com