Valiant Heart Excerpt and Giveaway

Do you like to read about women who kick ass? Or what about heroines who don’t need a man to rescue them? Maybe you’re the kind of reader who likes things a little less gushy and a little more real. If you are, then you might be a reader who prefers non-traditional romance.
 
What is non-traditional romance? It’s the kind of romance that strays away from the norms and tropes of HEA (happily ever after) romance to some degree. It’s a little light on the mush and heavy on the ups and downs of getting to know a person…when the stakes are high and the lust is pumping, sometimes romance is slow to build. It’s the kind of romance I prefer…too much lovey dovey makes me cringe these days and sometimes it’s just not what really needs to happen between two people when there’s a war raging all around. My next Order of the Wolf book, Valiant Heart has a lot of hot and heavy, plenty of kick ass females, and a relationship that is stoking high on hormones, emotions, and a realistic idea of what happens when fate decides to gift you with a mate that you never planned on claiming. Sometimes love doesn’t come easy, but it’s always worth fighting for.

If you’re ready for a bit of a tease, I’ve got an excerpt below from Valiant Heart.
 
 
Excerpt
 
He did go to the barracks though. Not because he wanted to find Ariana—or to assuage the nagging feeling of mistrust, jealousy, whatever, at the thought of her maybe entertaining herself with one of his Hunter brothers—but because the noise was rising throughout the house. A full-fledged house party happening down below that had him feeling like the responsible parent needing to dole out some discipline.
 
What he found actually shocked him, letting him know just how isolated and conservative he’d become since joining the Order as a young teen.
 
It wasn’t just the unmated Hunters at the party—it was some of the scholars, young and old in attendance. And it wasn’t just loud music and booze, it was a full on orgy of hedonism. There were bodies everywhere, pockets of one-on-one, Hunter, Huntress, Huntress and Huntress. Groups of tangled limbs, naked bodies, sweat, moans, screams of pleasure. The aroma of sex, the sweet smell of alcohol, the sound of ecstasy being reached, the euphoria. It made him hard, his cock aching, his heart racing, searching for the one that he really wanted to sink into, to lose himself in.
 
My Huntress.
 
And then she was there. Watching him from across the room. Fully clothed, seemingly unfazed by all the tangled bodies, the display of flesh, the satisfied groans.
 
Hands on his crotch, popping the button of his jeans, tugging on the zipper had him lazily looking down, somehow expecting to see Ariana there on her knees once again despite the fact that she was across the room. But it wasn’t Ariana. It was some other Huntress, her long dark hair a mess, makeup streaked, lips open, ready to devour him. He swatted her hands away and snapped his gaze back up to see Ariana walk away.
 
Cut her off at the pass. He pushed backward, away from the grabbing hands coming for him, the bodies threatening to pull him in. Unlatching himself from that possibility, he freed his legs, which had somehow become tangled up in the mess, and pushed through the doors to the hall.
 
Fresh air assaulted him, clearing his brain from all the sex. He gave his head a shake then took off down the side hall toward the second entrance of the barracks, knowing by the pulse of his tattoo that he’d find Ariana there. Or not quite there but down the stairs and outside, staring at the forest surrounding the property, arms crossed, breath frosting on the exhale.
 
“I didn’t.” He wasn’t sure why he was reassuring her, but he felt like she needed to know. “I wouldn’t have touched any of them.”
 
“Why not?” She shrugged without looking at him. “I would have.”
 
It was a slap, or more like a kick in the balls once again, but before he could speak she’d turned on him, finger in his face, anger flaring.
 
“I told you I won’t bond with you. I told you that! Why did you do it?” She rubbed her chest where he’d tried to mark her. “We were having a good time.”
 
“A good time?” He frowned, the ache in his gut sliding away, replaced by anger. “That’s all this is to you? You find your Hunter, the one man who is supposed to stand by you, make you stronger, partner with you for eternity, bolster you, guide you, be your best friend and all you want is to have a good time?”
 
“I don’t need any of those things. I don’t need you,” she snarled. “No man will control me, Hunter or not. I don’t need anyone.”
 
“It’s the most sacred of bonds.”
“To you maybe. To the Order absolutely. But not to me.”
 
“You and your Amazons, you have a warped idea of what we’re offering.” Lance pushed her finger aside, sick of it in his face. “We aren’t after control. I’ve trained for you. I’ve prepared my body, my knowledge, honed my mending skill for you. I’ve devoted myself to the idea of you, my Huntress. There was nothing selfish in that. It was all for you.”
 
“You men are all the same,” she scoffed. “The protectors, the hero. What makes you think I need all that? Why are you so sure that I’m weak without you?”
 
“I didn’t say you were weak,” he growled. “I’ve seen you use your magic. I know what you’re capable of. But I can give you more. Make you stronger, better.”
 
She cocked her eyebrows, crossed her arms. “Make me better?” She shook her head. “Like I said, you men are all the same. I’m a wolf slayer. A favorite to my queen. A skilled mender. Once day soon I’ll be a commander, a leader of a team. And all this without even knowing you existed.”
 
Lance wanted to grab her, shake sense into her, kiss her, wrap her in his arms, make love to her on the grass under the light of the stars and moon. To give her everything he had, everything he’d been waiting to give to his one true soul mate. She didn’t need him, fine, but he sure as hell needed her.
 
“I would be good to you. I would take care of you.” Lance hated that he sounded so weak, begging for his Huntress to feel something for him.
 
She flinched. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. Ever.” Took a step back. “The only thing I’ve ever gotten from men has been pain.”
 
Lance didn’t like the sound of that. It made him growl. It made him want to go out there and find whoever had hurt her, rip his throat out and grind his skull to pulp.
 
“I’m not seeking your pity. I’m stating a fact so that you’ll understand. I don’t trust men. Just because you’re marked as a Hunter doesn’t mean you’re any different.”
 
“But I am different. I’m your Hunter and you are my Huntress. Soul mates, partners, bonded. That’s the way it has always been.” He reached out to her. “I’d never do anything to hurt you.”
 
She stepped back from his hand, pain flashing across her face before she turned from him. “I’ve heard that before,” she murmured as she walked away from him, once again not looking back.
 
Copyright © 2015 Angela Addams
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
 
 
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Bio
 
Every day is Halloween for author Angela Addams. Enthralled by the paranormal at an early age, Angela spends most of her time thinking up new story ideas that involve supernatural creatures in everyday situations. She has also been known to dabble in dark thrillers. She believes that the written word is an amazing tool for crafting the most erotic of scenarios.
 
She is an avid tattoo collector, a total book hoarder and loves anything covered in chocolate…except for bugs.
 
She lives in Ontario, Canada in an old, creaky house, with her husband and children.
 
Connect with Angela Online: Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Goodreads
 
 

 
When the choice is love or loyalty, no matter what she chooses the heart will bleed.
 
The Order of the Wolf, Book 6
 
Slay the beasts. Save the day. Such is Ariana’s role in her first mission for the Queen. She has no reason to think the rest will be any different…until, in the heat of battle, she uses her powers to heal an injured Order Huntress.
 
Her gift doesn’t go unnoticed. Lance, her very own Hunter, zeroes in, and a different battle is on. Lance is hot and very attentive, but this Amazon is determined to stay independent.
 
Lance has prepared his whole life to battle alongside his mate. Now that he’s found her, nothing and no one else matters. He’s not letting her go.
 
For the Queen’s second mission—bring the Oracle into the tribe—Ariana risks taking Lance’s bond to get more power. She never expected her body to crave more pleasure, her heart to lower its defenses.
 
As the battle rages on between Huntresses and beasts, there’s a foul plan in play that will force Ariana to decide where her loyalty lies. The cost of her choice could be a life.
 
Product Warnings
 
Contains a squirm-worthy love triangle, plus some scenes of debatable consent between a take-no-crap Huntress and a super-hot playboy with a come-hither smile and a come-multiple-times tongue.
 
Buy it here: Samhain | Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes