by Cindy Dees
And in that moment Amanda knew. He was going to be okay. Together, they’d find their way to lasting peace. To forgiveness of self. To hope. And most important, to life—and love—everlasting.
The End
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Page Ahead for an Excerpt From:
Hot Zone
Hot Zone
Danger in Arms, Book 3
A roar went up. Many of the otherwise occupied guests disengaged, to make their way toward the woman. With an excellent sense of theatrical timing, the brunette waited until the noise died down and the musicians had been waved to silence.
When every eye in the place was firmly fixed on her, she called with grand dramatic flair, “Bring forth my magician! I, Queen Artemesia, present to you the shape-shifter of Halicarnassus!”
Artemesia! Tessa stood up eagerly to get a better look at the legendary woman who’d ruled the seafaring kingdom of Halicarnassus single-handedly and with great success. How incredible to have read about this Persian noble in Herodotus’s histories and now to be standing before her in the flesh.
Delia McCowan, a colleague back in Arizona and a time-travel veteran, had warned her of how strange it could be finding oneself in the midst of living history. But this…this was beyond amazing.
Artemesia was speaking again. Something about a man who could become a beast before their very eyes.
Tessa raised a skeptical brow. She didn’t for a moment doubt the existence of psychic skills—hers were formidable—but shape-shifting? This she had to see.
She looked across the crowd at the heavy curtain behind Artemesia. One of the advantages of being five foot seven in ancient Persia was that in this assemblage, she was taller than all of the women and many of the men.
The curtain behind Artemesia swept open.
A tall man stepped forward—tall even by modern standards. Such was the arrogance of his demeanor that, had he not already been identified otherwise, Tessa would have pegged him as Xerxes. His skin was bronze, but more as if tanned than genetic. Dark brown hair flowed in a mane about his shoulders. His eyes were blacker than any depravity this room could hold, snapping with disdain for the mere mortals at his feet.
No wonder folks in this time period believed in gods, if men like this walked among them!
His features were classic—strong jaw, high cheekbones, smooth brow. His nose was as arrogant as he was. A slave ran up and unlatched the man’s cloak, whisking away the scarlet wool with a flourish.
A sigh went up from the assemblage. The sorcerer was naked above the waist, his lower body draped in little more than a linen towel held in place around his hips with a jeweled belt. And what a body. It was as perfect as his face. His shoulders were broad and powerful, his arms wreathed in corded muscles.
Artemesia stepped close to him and ran her hand possessively across his belly. The sorcerer’s stomach muscles contracted into a six-pack a bodybuilder would envy. The queen’s long fingernails left four red trails across his skin.
Tessa’s gut tightened, as well. There was something…primal about this man. Almost animal. Raw and sexual.
Artemesia looked toward the far end of the room and called out, “Majesty, perhaps you would honor us by choosing a beast for this display!”
Tessa craned her head to see who the woman addressed, but a large cluster of guards crowded around whoever answered. A male voice shouted back, “Let us have an elephant!”
A cheer went up and all eyes fastened on the sorcerer.
Tessa watched with interest as the magician raised his hands chest high, his palms facing outward toward the crowd. He closed his eyes and released a slow breath.
Several women screamed. People in the first few rows of the audience cringed back in terror. A collective gasp rose around her.
Tessa glanced around, startled. Everyone was staring at the sorcerer, mouths agape.
Quickly, she glanced back at him. What was going on? He looked fine to her, just standing there with his hands out.
His contemptuous gaze raked across the crowd, passed over her, then jerked back.
Across the heads of the assemblage, the two of them locked gazes. His black eyes drilled into hers with an intelligence, a razor sharpness, that stripped her bare. And she had plenty to hide.
As the stare stretched out, it was as if he willed her to come to him and submit to him. But she was no wilting lily to be so easily intimidated. She was a military officer, a combat veteran who’d braved the mostly male ranks of the U.S. Army and earned the grudging respect of men determined to despise her. At least until they’d discovered her little secret. It turned out that the army rank and file weren’t quite ready for psychics to command them.
The sorcerer was staring at her as if he already knew about her gift—or curse, as it were. His hands fell heedlessly to his sides, his gaze still locked on hers.
Another gasp went up from the crowd, and then cheers and wild applause erupted, along with shouts to do it again.
Still he stared at her.
Okay, he was starting to creep her out, here.
“A monster! A monster!” the crowd shouted. “Make yourself into a monster!”
Tessa took a step back, then another. An intense need to get away from this man and his sledgehammer charisma overwhelmed her.
He took an aggressive step forward, but Artemesia grabbed him by the arm and pulled.
Impatiently, he shook off the queen’s hand, still staring at Tessa.
Thankfully, he didn’t pursue her as she backed away from the fireplace. From him.
Clearly irritated, he glanced down at his queen, who was saying something inaudible to him.
Tessa seized upon his momentary distraction. Turned. And fled like a big dog from the Sorcerer of Halicarnassus.
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Also by Cindy Dees
The Danger in Arms Series
Fever Zone
Kill Zone
Hot Zone
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty books, 2-time RITA winner and five-time RITA finalist, Cindy Dees writes military romance and romantic suspense. A former U.S. Air Force pilot and part-time spy, she draws upon real-life experience to fuel her stories of love on the edge. When she’s not heavily caffeinated and typing like a maniac, she can be found walking her Doberman Pinscher named Waffles, sweating through hot yoga, reading, gardening, and traveling. She loves to chat with readers, and her all social media links are at www.cindydees.com
