Caught
Sea Temptress Series
Book One
Kimberley Cale
Genre: Fantasy romance
ISBN: 978-1-7772821-0-3
ASIN: B08D7T8YSK
Number of pages: 155
Word Count: 58127
Cover Artist: Sharko Studios cover model Taylor Walker
Tagline: She was just supposed to be a myth. He was just supposed to be a stupid pirate. Who knew?
Book Description:
A vengeful pirate…
Ruthless pirate captain Quinn O’Connor is bent on getting revenge on the creatures who wrecked his ship and killed his crew. When he claims their leader as his captive, he doesn’t expect the scorching consequences that come with being stranded with her on a mysterious island.
A beautiful sea temptress…
Lorelei, a daughter of Poseidon, is willing to bargain with the dangerous pirate who captured her in order to save the ones she loves. He believes the worst of her and her kind, and when he drags her onto dry land, turning her beautiful tail into a pair of unsteady legs, she’s not sure if she’ll be able to return home—and soon she starts to wonder if she really wants to.
Magic and mayhem bring them together…
With each smoldering kiss, each heated touch, their desire blazes higher. Can they overcome misunderstandings and monstrous enemies seeking to tear them apart? Will a mermaid challenge her fate for the love of a pirate? Will the vengeful pirate give up his revenge and take on a god to save his mermaid?
Excerpt Two for Caught
Qunn ran his hand over his face.
When he’d gone to the ridge for her and found her skin red and her lips dry and
colorless, he’d told himself sternly he’d not grant her freedom. When her
scales had loosened and fallen like teardrops onto the sandy ground as he
trotted down the ridge, he had to remind himself of her treacherous nature.
When he stood with her in his arms at the edge of the beach where the sea met
the shore, while she’d lain lifeless, all that lovely fire gone, he’d bit his
tongue and resisted the urge to carry her into the sea and let her go.
When he’d gone to the ridge for her and found her skin red and her lips dry and
colorless, he’d told himself sternly he’d not grant her freedom. When her
scales had loosened and fallen like teardrops onto the sandy ground as he
trotted down the ridge, he had to remind himself of her treacherous nature.
When he stood with her in his arms at the edge of the beach where the sea met
the shore, while she’d lain lifeless, all that lovely fire gone, he’d bit his
tongue and resisted the urge to carry her into the sea and let her go.
He’d been imprisoned once himself, years back. Wrongfully, in that instance—not
that he hadn’t deserved it for other offenses—but in that particular case, he
was innocent. So when he was questioned for the name of his accomplices, it
wasn’t loyalty but ignorance that had stayed his tongue. As no amount of
threats or beatings had worked, his jailors—frustrated and tired of blooding
their knuckles—had thrown him into a pit to rot. Slop had been thrown down to
him when they thought to feed him. It hadn’t been the shivering cold, nor the
gnawing hunger pains that had been the worst of it. It had been the unrelenting
anxiety that had clawed its way into his heart—the fear of being forgotten and
left to die.
that he hadn’t deserved it for other offenses—but in that particular case, he
was innocent. So when he was questioned for the name of his accomplices, it
wasn’t loyalty but ignorance that had stayed his tongue. As no amount of
threats or beatings had worked, his jailors—frustrated and tired of blooding
their knuckles—had thrown him into a pit to rot. Slop had been thrown down to
him when they thought to feed him. It hadn’t been the shivering cold, nor the
gnawing hunger pains that had been the worst of it. It had been the unrelenting
anxiety that had clawed its way into his heart—the fear of being forgotten and
left to die.
He didn’t know how long he’d been locked away in that muddy hell, but
he was two stones lighter when his captain and crew had finally snuck in and
sprung him. If Captain Black Jack and the crew of The Devil’s Own hadn’t
had his loyalty before that night, they’d earned it in spades thereafter. When
he’d escaped that prison hell, he’d thought he’d gotten over it. There’d only
been the odd night terror to bring him back every now and again.
he was two stones lighter when his captain and crew had finally snuck in and
sprung him. If Captain Black Jack and the crew of The Devil’s Own hadn’t
had his loyalty before that night, they’d earned it in spades thereafter. When
he’d escaped that prison hell, he’d thought he’d gotten over it. There’d only
been the odd night terror to bring him back every now and again.
Quinn looked out at the endless ocean with nothing but the sound of
the tide washing against a deserted shore. Unease closed in on him. He was
alone here in the middle of nowhere—isolated—again. That same sick dread tried
to crawl its way back into his head. It was humbling to know he had nothing but
this mercenary mermaid in his arms to keep his demons at bay.
the tide washing against a deserted shore. Unease closed in on him. He was
alone here in the middle of nowhere—isolated—again. That same sick dread tried
to crawl its way back into his head. It was humbling to know he had nothing but
this mercenary mermaid in his arms to keep his demons at bay.
He looked down at her, even the thought of setting her free left him
with that edgy, jittery feeling. His fingers felt twitchy with need for a
bottle of rum, just like the times when unwanted memories of the pit came back
to haunt him.
with that edgy, jittery feeling. His fingers felt twitchy with need for a
bottle of rum, just like the times when unwanted memories of the pit came back
to haunt him.
One minute he was determined that if he had to keep this wild sea
creature here to help him keep his inner demons at bay, it was the least she
could do for her crimes. But looking at her now, he decided he’d only give One
Ear’s word on the matter consideration for only a wee bit longer.
creature here to help him keep his inner demons at bay, it was the least she
could do for her crimes. But looking at her now, he decided he’d only give One
Ear’s word on the matter consideration for only a wee bit longer.
Maybe it was because for all her treachery, she reminded him of his
beloved sea—wild and untamed. Maybe she couldn’t be expected to act in any way
other than what was in her nature. Whatever the reason, the thought of her
death gave him no satisfaction at all. If she worsened, he knew he’d find
himself carrying her back to sea. His mood darkened at the thought, and he
couldn’t ignore the rush of relief that loosened his tense muscles when her
long, dark lashes fluttered open.
beloved sea—wild and untamed. Maybe she couldn’t be expected to act in any way
other than what was in her nature. Whatever the reason, the thought of her
death gave him no satisfaction at all. If she worsened, he knew he’d find
himself carrying her back to sea. His mood darkened at the thought, and he
couldn’t ignore the rush of relief that loosened his tense muscles when her
long, dark lashes fluttered open.
“Ugh, it’s you pirate,” she said, her voice was a mite better but
still a little raspy. He liked it. “I thought you were naught but a bad dream.”
still a little raspy. He liked it. “I thought you were naught but a bad dream.”
“No, wee siren,” he grinned. “Lucky for you, I’m not, because I
brought your scaly arse some food.”
brought your scaly arse some food.”
About the Author:
Kimberley Cale writes fantasy romance and is the author of the Sea Temptress Series and the epic Tales of Terraron. She has been a reading addict for as long as she can remember. While she enjoys reading anything and everything from historical, paranormal to contemporary novels, she has found her passion bringing her feisty heroines together with their bad boy heroes and adding a spark of magic to create fantastic page turning romance.
After visiting over half of the United States, Mexico, The Dominican, Europe and parts of Canada, she can honestly say the experience has broadened her perspective on other cultures and enlivened her already overactive imagination.
Her family will tell you that from the time she was a child she has rarely been without a journal in hand building worlds for her characters to live in and exciting obsoletes for them to overcome.
With a few college and online writing courses under her belt, Kimberley is constantly learning how to improve her writing craft online, While she worked for an insurance company, part of her job involved writing letters to claimants. These were sad tales that should have started with sorry for your loss. Later she worked in the safety industry and wrote many a safety manual for different companies. Unfortunately not one manual included an ounce of romance in it. Finally after years of research, which involved reading a great variety of romance novels well into the night, she decided to pursue her writing passion.
Kimberley’s other loves besides her awesome family include, trying unsuccessfully to keep the weeds out of her garden. So far verbal threats and hand gestures haven’t worked; still it’s a war she intends to win. She’s also obsessed with a streaming cup of hot chocolate; well chocolate of any kind really, there’s been talk amongst family and friends about an intervention. When she’s not writing you will find her snuggled next to her hubby searching Netflix for the latest epic movies.
More than anything else she loves hearing from her readers and makes it a priority to respond to any and all who are willing to take the time to send her a line.
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Neat cover, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHappy Labor Day weekend! Do you have any specific reading or writing plans for the weekend?
ReplyDeleteLove the cover!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover
ReplyDeletethe cover looks beautiful
ReplyDeleteI LOVE MERMAIDS!!! They are my favorite mythical creature.
ReplyDelete