Excerpt - Shadow Fire By: Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Title: Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1)
Author: Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Publisher: Astraea Press, 310 Pages (February 24th, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK, Kobo, Smashwords, iTunes

Synopsis: Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power. All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire - adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Excerpt:

          The sound of metal clashing echoes through the air on deck. In the center of the ship Zane and Taranis are sparring while the crew watches from a safe distance.Neither man seems to be holding back. Skirting around the fighting men, I reach the stairs up to the helm and scale them. Several pirates are leaning up against the railing overlooking the deck. When I appear they move aside to make a space for me in the middle.

          "How long have they been at it?" I ask the group of men.

          "Half an hour or so," a red-haired pirate replies. "You want in on the betting pool? It's not too late."

          "I'll pass thanks."

          Only a moron would bet against Zane. Although I have to admit, it appears Taranis is putting up a good fight. He rushes at Zane with a series of furious swings, which are all parried with ease. When he leaps away, Zane charges him. Taranis manages to parry all but one swing. This one he blocks with the large silver gauntlet on his left forearm. Zane takes a step back and lowers his sword.

          "Had enough yet, pirate?" he asks laughing.

          Taranis is staring at him in cool silence, but his breathing is a bit labored. When the captain rushes him, Zane drops to the ground and knocks him down with a leg sweep. Taranis sprawls on the deck but doesn't lose his sword. Zane leaps to his feet and moves to place his sword at the rogue's throat. Taranis manages to block the strike with his gauntlet before leaping back to his feet.

          "I guess not," Zane observes.

          Taranis gazes up at me with a leer and a wicked smirk. I don't even have time to gulp before he vaults over the rail to seize me around the waist. My shriek is somewhere between a cry of surprise and a laugh when Taranis pulls me against his side, pointing his sword at Zane.

          "Drop your sword, mercenary," he commands.

          "Why would I do that?" Zane asks scowling. He's obviously not happy with the direction of the fight. For my part, I lean against Taranis, trying hard not to laugh.

          "I have your woman," Taranis declares. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to see her harmed."

          "I know you won't hurt her, pirate," Zane says, exasperation apparent in his eyes and his voice.

          With a smirk, I glance up at the pirate's jubilant face. I have to agree with Zane. Taranis is as harmless as a puppy.

          "Now either get back down here or surrender," Zane yells.

          "What if I do this?" Taranis asks, pulling on my braid and baring my neck to him.

          His lips start trailing feather light kisses up my neck. I'm too shocked to do anything but stand in his embrace.

          "Oh, that's it!" Zane shouts, running toward us. "You're a dead man!"

          "Sorry, my gorgeous beauty," Taranis says laughing, "gotta go!" He leaps off the railing just as Zane reaches my side.

          "Are you all right?" Zane asks, cupping my cheek. I try to keep it in but to no avail. My laughter rings out, and I'm doubled over by the force of it. "I'll take that as a yes," he mumbles before he takes off running after Taranis. "You may as well surrender, pirate! Where are you going to run? This is a ship!"

Praise

"This book contains monsters, magic, majestic creatures, and a evil guy that wants to destroy the world. If you love hot guys.....Zane is all that plus a few tricks up his sleeve. Just read it!" Venture ~Amazon Reviewer

"Adventure, magical creatures, fun characters, and romance make this book a perfect read for all ages." James ~Amazon Reviewer

"I thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written." Lisa Temple ~ Goodreads

"Oh, I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy, sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it down." Sasha Hibbs ~ Amazon Reviewer

"It is a beautiful love story surrounded by mystery, adventure, and magic." Christy ~ Amazon Reviewer

Favorite Quotes

The villagers will be awaiting my return, skulking in the shadows, desperate to catch a glimpse of the walking dead girl. ~Ashlyn

After all, love conquers nothing but fools. ~Delistaire

Perhaps you shouldn’t have chased the poor pirate all over the ship shooting light daggers at him. ~Zane

How would you like a tour of this grand vessel, my angelic beauty? I’ll show you my favorite trysting spots. ~Taranis

About the Author:

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America.
She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety.

Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)

Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in theLight Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming August 2014.

Find Kimber Online:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Facebook Book Page | Pinterest