Forged In Fire by C J Bahr is a Paranormal and Paranormal Romance Event pick #pnr #paranormalromance #mustread #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Title: Forged In Fire
Author: C J Bahr
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb:
Beth Leighton moved to Scotland to marry the love of her life. But then he betrays her and she is fatally shot. However, the Archangel Remiel interferes, and she awakes to find herself in 18th century England. Alive but confused and lost, she wants to go home. Despite a roguish and handsome highwayman.
Christopher “Kit” Locke is haunted by his past mistakes and lives on danger’s edge, not caring if he lives or dies. He will leave that choice to Fate. Intrigued by the spirited Beth, he is drawn from his spiraling descent and is enlisted to help steal an evil artifact, the Viper’s Eye, a demonic soul-stealing jewel.
While the Archangel and the Duke of Hell battle it out, both Beth and Kit must also fight evil. When the stone seeks Kit's soul can Beth's love keep him from falling victim to the Viper's Eye or will she lose Kit to Hell's fire?
Excerpt:
The warmth of his breath caressed her ear, giving her the only warning before he spoke, low and quiet.
“So…” he drew the single word out.
She shivered. He was taller than her, but almost everyone was. He had to bend to whisper in her ear, his body enveloping her.
“What are you doing out alone in the woods, this dark and dreary night?” his soft words tickled her ear. “Dressed as you are?” He slowly removed one hand from his horse. The hand came to rest on her waist, just above her jeans. She felt a light caressing of his thumb on her cotton T-shirt. “So soft, “ he murmured.
Beth wasn’t sure if she was meant to hear his last remark. His hand began to stroke upward until she felt the light brush of his fingertips against the side of her breast.
“Hey!” Beth spun in his embrace so she now faced him, plastered against his front with the warmth of his horse seeping into her back. “Knock it off! I’m a married woman.” She held up her left hand and showed him her wedding rings.
He chuckled and grabbed her hand and started to slide off her rings.
“Stop!” She yanked her hand from his grasp. “What in the world do you think you’re doing?”
“What I am very, very, good at,” he replied from behind his mask while reaching for her hand again.
Beth whipped her hand behind her back. “You can’t have my rings.”
“Think of them as payment for services rendered.”
“I…no…you can’t…”
“Here now, give me your rings. I do not want to hurt you.”
“I won’t. They’re mine. I won’t give them up.”
“Now, luv,” he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I am sure your husband will understand, especially one who lets his wife wander the woods dressed so…” He deliberately drew his gaze leisurely down her body, then back up to meet her own gaze. His eyes shadowed under his tricorne hat.
His hat was pulled low on his brow, and the dratted black mask covered his mouth and nose. All Beth could see in the dark was the glint of his eyes. She couldn’t even make out their color. Why was he dressed like some highwayman from one of the historical romance novels she loved to read? She couldn’t have interrupted a film shoot. After all, it’s not like she’d seen any cameras, but maybe it was one of those unlicensed gorilla films? Cameras were so small these days she could have missed them. But then why had he left the set? They had ridden for a while. At least thirty minutes, probably longer. The ants she left behind in Sinclair House started crawling over her skin again. She was so lost.
“The rings, please.” He straightened to his full height. The top of her head just reached his shoulders. Beth always felt short so it was hard to judge height accurately, but he was somewhere around six-foot, was her best guess, only slightly taller than Grant. Thinking of her husband caused her stomach to clench. She needed to get back to Cleitmuir, find Grant, and dear God, Laurel. She had to stop MacKenzie. Any port in the storm. Decision made, Beth pulled her hand from behind her back and tugged at her rings. She had to twist and pry to get them past her knuckle, but eventually the bands, one a plain white gold, and the other a simple one carat oval cut diamond dropped into her hand, and she closed her fist around them before meeting his eyes.
They seemed to laugh at her, probably just her imagination, or maybe not. He raised a gloved hand and opened it palm flat. With a grimace, Beth unclasped her fingers, held above his hand, and let her rings drop into his leather embrace.
With a nod, he slipped his hand into his coat pocket, depositing his ill-gotten gains somewhere in its dark depths. He took a step away from her and made a sweeping courtly bow.
“It has been my pleasure doing business with you. But alas, the hour has grown late and the weather worsens. Fare you well, my lady.” He tipped his hat and walked to the head of his horse, taking the reins, and started walking away.
“Hey, wait! You can’t leave me!” Beth called out to him and jogged to his side. For her efforts all she received was a disdainful glance, and then he lengthened his stride.
She kept pace. “What’s your name?”
He snorted. “I think not, madam. Most unwise, at least on my behalf, and I do always look after myself, first.”
“But—”
“If you must,” he interrupted. “You can tell everyone you have met the Knightmare and survived.”
“The Nightmare?” She laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
He tossed her what she suspected was a dirty look.
“I mean, why not use Mysterio, or better yet, Nightmask, if you’re going all Marvel?” This was ridiculous. Maybe he was mentally unstable? After all, he was out in the woods in costume, but then again, he did just rob her, so who was crazier?
They reached a turn from the main path, and he led his horse onto a narrow off branch, forcing her to fall behind, since it was barely wide enough for the horse. Abruptly he stopped, and Beth slammed into his horse’s hind end. Luckily the well-mannered equine didn’t kick her. She quickly rebalanced herself and stared at the masked man who disappeared in the dark woods with his black clothing, only his eyes glinting like a cat’s in the slim light available.
“I would not follow me if I were you,” his voice dropped into a menacing octave.
“Really? How dramatic of you.” Beth brushed her.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mB2vnA
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2v0q57s
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forged-in-fire-c-j-bahr/1127178070?ean=9781509217878
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Enchanting. Time-travel, a dash of magic, a sexy highway man and a feisty sass mouth heroine, what’s not to love!
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Author Biography:
First published in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s “Sword & Sorceress” anthology, CJ was bitten by the writer’s bug and hasn’t stopped since. Her award winning first novel, “Walking Through Fire”, a Scottish ghost romance, is published by The Wild Rose Press.
She is currently working on third book in the standalone The Fire Chronicles series, as well as a new Urban Fantasy starring a kick-ass Time Enforcer. When her pen isn’t scribing, you can find her busily cutting and tracking music for film and television. With over twenty years of music editing experience, her credits range from “Northern Exposure” and “The Muppets Christmas Carol”, to “The Kill Point”, “The Following”, and ABC’s hit comedy, “The Middle”.
In her downtime, you’ll find her curled up with a cup of tea, her cats and a great book in Tarzana, California.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bahrcj
Twitter: @cjbahr (http://twitter.com/cjbahr)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjbahr.author/
Website/Newsletter Signup: https://www.cjbahr.com
Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/y3mo5j6m
Amazon Author: https://tinyurl.com/y33quq49