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    Romance Sampler: The First Chapters
    Romance Sampler: The First Chapters
    Romance Sampler: The First Chapters
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    Romance Sampler: The First Chapters

    By Renee Vincent

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    About this ebook

    This Romance Sampler contains the first chapters from the following Renee Vincent books: 
     
    *** HISTORICAL VIKING ROMANCE *** 
    Sunset Fire

    Vikings of Honor Series
    Chapters 1 - 4

     

    *** CONTEMPORARY COWBOY ROMANCE *** 
    Longing For Langston (Brody & Liv) 
    Mavericks of Meeteetse Series
    Chapters 1 - 5

     

    *** CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE ***
    Something's Bound To Happen

    Jamett & Joseph Series

    Chapters 1 - 4

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRenee Vincent
    Release dateNov 12, 2016
    ISBN9781944484040
    Romance Sampler: The First Chapters

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      Book preview

      Romance Sampler - Renee Vincent

      Romance Sampler

      The First Chapters

      Renee Vincent

      www.reneevincent.com

      ROMANCE SAMPLER: The First Chapters

      Copyright © 2016, Renee Vincent

      Digital ISBN: 978-1-944484-04-0

      Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-944484-03-3

      Cover Art Design by Renee Vincent

      Stock Art by BigStock.com

      Digital Release: November, 2016

      Trade Paperback Release: November, 2016

      Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work, in whole or part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, is illegal and forbidden, without the written permission of the author.

      This is a work of fiction. Characters, settings, names, and occurrences are a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, places, settings or occurrences is purely coincidental.

      Table of Contents

      Sunset Fire

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Longing For Langston (Brody & Liv)

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Something’s Bound To Happen

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      About Renee Vincent

      Books By Series

      Mailing List

      RENEE VINCENT BOOKS

      ~

      Historical Romance

      Sunset Fire

      Vikings of Honor, Book One

      Chapter One

      CONNACHT, IRELAND AD 916

      I shall marry this woman, Dægan Ræliksen decided. It had been over a fortnight since he first followed her through the green meadows to the waters of the River Shannon, watching her with intent. Observing her gave him great pleasure, and every day he anticipated her arrival, secretly longing to hold her in his arms. Only lately did he grow impatient with his desire for her, and this day, he settled on, would finally be the day he’d put his suffering to an end and make her his wife.

      She stood amid the knee-high grasses and flowers in a white flowing tunic, hemmed with an embroidery of vibrant gold at the ankles and wrists. The sleeves were long and tapered. The bodice mildly followed the curves of her dainty torso, blooming into a tasteful neckline that allowed just a slight hint of cleavage to show before a single jeweled brooch fastened a matching cloak at her shoulders.

      In days past, her tunics included colors of deep crimson, indigo, and sometimes an earthy beige. But today’s choice was his favorite. She embodied the very likeness of a beautiful Valkyrie, save for her lack of weapons and fair hair. Her long russet curls were distinctly dark with shades of auburn glistening like radiant sunlight. Her skin was as smooth as fresh buttermilk, and her smile like a cool drink of water. She stood no taller than his shoulders, but she’d easily filled the empty space in his heart and the entire expanse of his mind for the past weeks.

      By her attire, Dægan could only guess her to be an Irish maiden of wealthy descent. This too excited him, for in contrast to her apparent nature, she was rugged and spirited, riding her stallion as well as any of his mounted hirdmen to this specific place every day, yet still looking elegant upon it.

      In the hours she spent alone, no man had ever summoned or demanded her presence. He found this quite odd, for she was old enough for bedding and young enough for bearing healthy sons. She came and went as she pleased, heedless to the fact that she was the object of another’s longing. Instead, she’d often sing, tickling his heart with her exuberant voice and an Irish ballad that danced in his soul.

      He was unexpectedly mesmerized by her, chained to the very thought that she could be his if he only dared to make his presence known. That in itself would prove to be the most difficult. He dreaded that his countrymen’s reputation as savage foreigners would precede any valiant attempt at meeting civilly. He was a handsome man with a persuasive charm, or at least he was told so by other women who had fancied him. Yet he knew an effective come-hither approach would not be enough to sway the innocent soul before him.

      He’d pondered his options last night over a scanty dinner of roasted rabbit and had come up with the idea of saving her from the rampant run of a conveniently spooked steed. It could be done easily enough, assuredly changing her views of a savage foreigner to that of a hero, and quite possibly obtaining the affable encounter for which he so wished.

      But now, by midmorning, the idea seemed utterly ridiculous. There were too many opportunities for things to go wrong. The horse might not even spook to begin with. Or if it did flee, he could have difficulties catching up with it. Or worse, the horse could rear and topple her from its back, gravely injuring her in the process.

      Discouraged, Dægan continued to gaze through the trees and brush at his enchanting maiden, wanting desperately to step out and make himself known. Even though he could boast smooth-tonguing a few endearments in the beautiful lilting Gaeilge, he knew this woman only had to look at him to know he was not Irish. So how could he show his face without frightening her?

      Every idea, no matter how promising it seemed, had its pitfall. He could only close his eyes and pretend to exist in a different world. And how grand a world he could envision behind closed lids; a place where they could meet without apprehension, smile without pause, and converse without falsehoods. What he wouldn’t give to make that world a reality...

      As Dægan opened his eyes in weary disappointment, he caught his breath to find her walking closer to him. His body became rigid, his heart raced, and only then did he notice just how fiery his blood could run through his veins. The distance between them diminished slowly with each of her steps, and he’d not a plan to remedy this turn of events.

      Fleeting ideas swarmed his brain like dancing bees. ’Tis too soon in the day for pilfering and much too foolish to be thinking it. The only halfway respectable idea that came to mind was to lie down and fake an injury. Perhaps he could say he’d fallen from his own horse, appearing helpless and in dire need of care. But for some reason, he did not drop to his back and put that plan into motion. He sat frozen, only staring as she stopped a few feet from him to peer blindly into the thicket.

      Who’s there?

      Her voice was like springtime, genuinely sweet, with a pleasant, melodic tone that could warm a chilled soul after a long daily Erin rain. It was with this thought that he drew in a slow breath, catching her airy spiced scent that sifted between the summer-green leaves of the hedge plant separating them. He wondered if Valkyries smelled as good as she did.

      Suddenly, from behind her, Dægan saw several dark figures emerging on the shores of the River Shannon. Although their distance was too far, he managed to make out that they were not alone. Coming closer were three more longboats flaunting red and white sails. He didn’t recognize the men, but he knew from the shape and adornments on the prow that they were like him, Norse.

      By this time, the first vessel had run aground and the men were descending from each side in large numbers. Sizeable fleets weren’t usually merchants, but hirdmen who were following their chieftain into a devastating raid for booty or war.

      Dægan reacted with lightning speed and pulled the Irish maiden to the ground before she could say another word. Without much effort, he stifled her screams of terror with a simple hardened hand to her mouth and pinned her to the ground as easily as battling a child. But a helpless child she was not.

      She threw wide her mouth and bit his palm. When he retracted his hand, she launched her forehead into his nose, jarring him into a dazed state of mind. Everything around him went black and spun.

      Despite that, he still felt her thrashing beneath him. He tightened his grasp as if his very will to stay coherent were cinched around her fragile little wrists. The only thing that kept him from passing out was his own agony, for it had now become his only thought. He forgot the woman, her sweet alluring voice, her carefree mornings, and her lighthearted dances amid the tall flowers of the Erin meadow. All he knew now was the pain in his face.

      He heard her sudden intake of breath and assumed she finally saw what he’d seen—more men coming ashore. You shall not die this day, he wanted to say to her. You shall not die. But he hadn’t the ability to reassure her or stop the flow of blood from his nostrils now soiling her dress.

      Trying to be considerate, he wiped his upper lip on the bear cloak that hung from his shoulders, although it was a prized possession, a trophy from the animal he’d killed in his bygone youth. He wouldn’t have that bearskin at all had it not been for his father’s words: a man who slights caution presumes his death. How foolish he was to dismiss those important words now just because his opponent was a woman and not a growling beast of muscle, claws, and teeth. However innocent her semblance was, his bloodstained fur was a painful reminder of his mistake. He vowed never to underestimate her again, starting with this unusually quiet moment. She was far too passive, and

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