Surrender to the Chase
Under Realm Assassins
Book 2
Amanda J. Greene
Genre: paranormal romance
Date of Publication: 5/26/15
ASIN: B00Y9JE3DS
Number of pages: 117
Word Count: 33,500
Cover Artist: Kim Killion
Book
Description:
A year after the tragic
death of his close friend and fellow assassin, Ethan Halstead is
ready to take up his sniper rifle once more. But his first assignment
is nothing he ever expected. Ethan must hunt and retrieve a
beautiful, spirited, alluring werewolf.
Knowing no other way to
escape an arranged marriage, Fraya flees from her pack. As she
contemplates slipping across the border and heading to South America,
she is captured by a dangerously seductive vampire who plans on
escorting her back to her family. Even as Fraya vows to make Ethan's
mission as difficult as possible, she can't resist the riotous desire
he sparks within her.
But Ethan isn't the only
predator that peruses Fraya. A powerful rival pack's alpha wants to
make her his mate. Will Ethan be able to keep Fraya safe and return
her to her pack? Or will he surrender to temptation and claim Fraya
as his own?
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Excerpt:
Lightning splintered the
sky. Thunder shook the earth beneath his feet. Damp heat thickened
the air. Any moment, the winds would kick up and the red hued clouds
would release a torrent of rain.
Ethan loved summer storms
and treasured Arizona for its monsoon season. It was only during the
madness of the storm that he found peace. In those rare, precious
moments, the world reflected the chaos that roiled inside him and he
felt… as if he belonged.
Closing his eyes, he took
in a deep breath and savored the soothing scent of the desert. To his
disappointment, he would not be able to appreciate the beauty of
nature’s fury. Clearing his mind, Ethan unleashed his senses. His
mark was close. He could feel her. Crossing the street, he headed for
the quaint coffee shop he frequently sped past. She was here, which
meant he could call an end to this pointless job.
Ethan was an assassin, not
a damn babysitter. He was an expert tracker and sniper, yet the Under
Realm Syndicate had him chasing after a spoiled little she-wolf. He
had been tasked with fetching the runaway and returning her to her
pack – a complete waste of his time and talents. He couldn’t
believe he had let Cole talk him into this. The fact was this case
should’ve never made the list. Why the Syndicate decided to get
involved was beyond his understanding. This wasn’t a kidnapping or
a hostage situation. The female wasn’t a criminal. She wasn’t a
threat to the human world or Under Realm society.
His annoyed growl blended
with the booming thunder. Cole had insisted Ethan accept this
assignment, “You should be grateful the Syndicate is willing to
give you a second chance. You’ve been out of practice.”
Who could argue with that
logic? Ethan had been off the map for a year. Most within the
Syndicate believed he had been killed on his last mission.
I should have been.
Shaking his head, he dispelled the thought. He refused to take sober
trips down memory lane. He needed to focus on his task.
The aroma of freshly
ground coffee was overwhelming. Ethan reigned in his supernatural
senses as he stepped inside the shop. The door closed and the
torrential rain began to fall. He did a quick, nonchalant sweep of
the café, careful not to meet anyone’s gaze. Eye contact
encouraged conversation, and he was here on business not pleasure. He
would grab the werewolf, take her back home, and detain her until he
could make arrangements with her father. Simple.
Ethan walked to the
counter. After the blonde and brunette baristas finished arguing over
who would help him, he ordered and received a black coffee. The cup
had both girl’s names and numbers written on it. He thanked them
with a smile. They batted their lashes and insisted he stop by a
college party later that night.
Ethan’s shoulders shook
with a light laugh. Naïve mortals.
Turning, he headed up the
winding iron staircase that led to the second floor loft area. The
walls were made almost entirely of glass, providing a glorious view
of the storm. Students sat at the tables working on their laptops
while groups lounged on the sofas discussing the world of social
media.
The delicate scent of
wildflowers drifted through the air, drawing his sharp gaze to the
far corner. There was nothing remarkable about her presence. She
appeared to fit in perfectly with the scene, as if she were just
another co-ed. She wore a pair of skinny jeans and a crimson
sweatshirt. She sat with her feet tucked under her crisscrossed.
Leaning over the table, her long dark brown hair tumbled forward,
blocking his view of her face. Ethan noted the worn, tattered
condition of the book she read. Her frame was small. She seemed
fragile, but he knew better. She was strong, fast, and intelligent.
His mark appeared to be ‘normal’ by human standards, but she was
the wolf he was looking for.
Hoping everything would go
smoothly, he advanced. This was a delicate situation. The female
could freak out on him. She could cause a scene, and he loathed drama
just as much as he loathed this particular job. It was not a search
and rescue mission. No, it was a
track-down-a-spoiled-brat-and-take-her-home mission. A simpleton
could do it. Why it had to be done was beyond him. At twenty-four,
she was an adult. She had a degree in biology and was a werewolf; she
was more than capable of taking care of herself.
Who cares? Grab the girl
and go.
Ethan quickly reminded
himself of the two basic rules: never become personally involved with
your mark and strike first, ask questions later – if you cared
about asking question at all.
As he approached the
woman, he felt a slight tremor in the air. A warning? A threat?
Someone was watching them. He set his senses loose once more,
scanning the café for the source of the violent energy, but it had
vanished just as quickly as it had arrived.
The girl must have felt
the glimmer of danger. Her gaze snapped up and met his. Her warm,
honey colored eyes were round with surprise. Her tempting red lips
parted with a silent gasp. Ethan froze. She was… more than
beautiful.
She blinked up at him. Her
gaze innocently seductive, her mouth violently tempting, and her wild
flower scent was overwhelming. His body reacted instantly. It had
been years since he’d felt such a strong, instant attraction.
He watched her lick her
lips; lust shot through him like a lightning strike. Oh, yes. The
wolf was alluring and, to his surprise, he was disappointed that she
was his mark.
“Hi,” she said with a
nervous lilt to her voice.
Ethan mentally shook
himself and crossed over to stand at the chair opposite her. “Hi,”
he replied.
Thunder rumbled; the force
shook the glass walls. The girl flinched and her gaze fell from his.
For a soundless moment, she sat with her hands clasped in her lap,
her head tilted down. The mortals gasped and laughed as another boom
shook the windows.
“You may sit,” she
said, her voice low, barely audible.
Ethan could smell the
fear that sparked within her. Was she frightened of the storm, or
what possibly lurked outside? An overwhelming sense of protectiveness
settled over him and he frowned. He didn’t like it. He wasn’t the
protective type. He was a killer not a savior.
Focus and get this over
with.
“Not a fan of
thunderstorms?” he asked as he claimed the chair.
She straightened and fixed
her gaze on him once more. Her expression was bland, her cute
stubborn chin titled up, her shoulders back. She looked regal and
refined. Every bit the aristocrat she was.
“I’m accustomed to
snow storms.”
“Really? Where are you
from?”
“Minnesota,” she
answered with a hint of hesitation.
He smiled and was shocked
he didn’t have to fake it. “You’re a long way from home.”
She shrugged and returned
her attention to her book.
Ethan took a sip of the
surprisingly good coffee and relaxed in his seat. He picked up a golf
magazine, which rested on the table beside them, and began flipping
through the pages. He wasn’t at all interested in golf. Being a
vampire, he preferred keeping out of the sun. Although, contrary to
popular lore, he wouldn’t burst into flame or turn to ash. He could
work on his tan, he just preferred not to.
He casually glanced over
at the werewolf and inwardly groaned. She was reading a list of the
top ten hot spots in Chile. It appeared she was interested in
sunbathing and he couldn’t stop the image of her in a bikini from
cropping up in his mind even if he’d wanted to. And he certainly
did not want to erase the image.
She sighed, closed the
book, and tucked it away in her backpack, which hung off the back of
her chair. She took up her latte and settled her gaze on him. Her
lips turned up with a sweet smile.
“You don’t strike me
as the golfing type.”
He raised a brow and
tossed the magazine down on the table between them. “No?”
She shook her head, her
long dark curls waving around her shoulders. “Not at all. You look
like you’d rather go to a shooting range than work on your golf
swing.”
Ethan couldn’t argue
with that. He’d had his basement converted into an indoor gun
range.
“Very observant,” he
said. “What about you? What’s your hobby?”
She bit her bottom lip as
she contemplated. Ethan wanted to bite it for her. “Traveling. It’s
something I’ve always wanted to do. You know, see the world, and
experience different cultures.”
“Is that what your trip
to Arizona is all about?” he asked.
“More or less,” she
answered with a shrug.
“Well, South America is
beautiful.”
Her eyes grew wide. She
leaned forward, placing her hands on the table. Excitement laced her
voice, “You’ve been?”
Ethan shifted closer and
reached for her hand. The air trembled with another flicker of danger
just before the lights went out. Darkness flooded the café.
His mark shoved away from
the table, snatched her backpack, and darted toward the stairs. Ethan
was right behind her. The mortals grumbled complaints, some laughed,
while others stumbled through the dark.
She was about to reach the
exit when the door flew open, crashing against the wall. Humans
screamed and shouted in alarm. The girl froze, and Ethan cursed.
Clearly, he hadn’t been the only one searching for her. He could
sense the alpha’s presence and, judging by his target’s reaction,
so could she.
Ethan grabbed her wrist.
She swung around. Her fist raised, her honey colored eyes glowed, and
her fangs bared. Shadows of a wolf’s fierce visage flickered over
the fine features of her face. Her fierce growl vibrated her entire
body. Ethan ignored the warning and tugged on her arm, pulling her
toward the emergency exit at the back of the coffee shop.
He pushed the door open.
His mark tried to twist free of his hold, but he held her firm.
“Let go of me,” she
demanded, her voice roughened by her partial transformation.
“Not a chance,
sweetheart.”
She growled and fought
harder. He wasn’t surprised by her strength and knew she was still
holding back. So was he.
Pushing her now soaked and
tangled hair from her face, she snarled, “What’s going on?”
“I thought it was
obvious,” he said.
“That you’re
attempting to kidnap me?”
Ethan shook his head. “No.
That you have an alpha hunting your ass.”
Her stare was one of
confusion, awe, and horror. She stopped, and he paused. Literally
dragging her across the street would draw unwanted attention. He
reluctantly released her wrist. She was soft and warm while he was
hard and cold. A frown creased his brow when the sharp sense of loss
pricked his long dead heart. On some level, he’d enjoyed the feel
of her.
She blinked up at him. Her
large, honey eyes sparkled with fear. “W-what did you say?”
His chest rose and fell
with a heavy sigh. “I’ll explain. For now, come with me.”
She shook her head.
Ethan glanced over his
shoulder, scanning the parking lot for any sign of the alpha. He
could sense the wolf was close.
“We don’t have much
time. We need to go.”
The woman fell back a step
and Ethan’s body tensed. His instincts flared. She retreated
another step. Would she run? A part of him wished she would. He loved
the chase. The hunt. His heart began to pound, his pupils dilated,
and his fangs began to sharpen, all in anticipation.
“Don’t
About
the Author:
Amanda J. Greene is a
paranormal romance author. When she is not writing, she can be found
playing the role of a university student who also works full time.
She lives in Southern California with her very supportive husband and
their two dogs. Doing all the above and being a military wife is not
easy, but rewarding! Of course, she accomplishes everything with a
strong cup of coffee in her hand.
Amanda is also an
associate reviewer on The Book Nympho blog.
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Under Realm Assassin series
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