CHAPTER ONE
Scotland, long ago and far away
Never look at the moon as you reach for the stars…
Displaying herself half naked had never been part of the plan. Especially not in a see-through scarlet dress, in the middle of a raging snowstorm. But Lord Ewen McDunnagh was handsome so a plan could change.
It was unfortunate it should change so soon when he was also a drunk with a reputation for hiking the skirts of all women between the ages of fifteen and fifty and she’d still to gain entry to Lochalpin, but then again a knife jabbed her throat–his. So why not?
Show herself fully naked either? Well? Wasn’t she meant to be alluring, despite the fact it killed her to the fossilized back ends of her chattering teeth?
“Lady McGurkie.”
Behind her, Kendrick—who else?—sounded as if he was hunched in abject despair over his palfrey.
When it later came to him describing her behavior, slut and she has learned nothing weren’t words her bastarding, old father would exactly want to hear. But the stars could only be reached in Lochalpin. That place no stranger had set foot in in five years. Alive anyway. Here she was on the doorstep.
So the first thing wasn’t to ignore the way the snowflakes glistening in Lord Ewen’s umber colored hair, had just caused her jaw to drop when he first rode through the curtain of snow, the fact he was hard strength in worn leather and his voice when he’d told her to stop in his name, was richer than winter blackberries, too. The first thing was to get over it at all costs. The doorstep that was. That she’d been told to expect a troll and this wasn’t a troll wasn’t even secondary.
What exactly was Lord Ewen going to do if she didn’t shut her cloak which, actually, it had killed her to open? Send her back down the pass with her father’s men? Hardly. If it was his brother, the terror of her glen, perhaps. But it had been agreed he wouldn’t be here today.
Fisting the reins to control her nickering mount, she raised her chin.
“Thank you, Kendrick but I do think I’m capable of handling this. Lord Ewen, sir. I’m your bride, here at last after an arduous journey through the storm. So … so if you would just be so kind, so good …” Good was not something he looked like he was much accustomed to being. Except perhaps in bed? So maybe being good was something she should skip over, “as to remove … “
“My bride?”
“Yes. To be, that is, sir. Because of course, we are not wed … yet.”
“Hmm …”
His sea-green glare said yet would be a long time coming–if at all–that he found her left nostril more appealing. Thankfully him wanting her was optional. In fact, if five years in her father’s dungeon had destroyed her allegedly famous allure, think of the hassle it saved her if he didn’t when she’d been expecting a troll and this wasn’t a troll.
There were shores she’d once danced on. This wasn’t one.
“Lady Kara—” Kendrick muttered again.
“Yes. Lady Kara McGurkie, my lord. Will you please stop interrupting me Kendrick, thank you? Chief … Chief Ian Dhub’s oldest daughter, in case you’ve somehow forgotten.”
Lord Ewen lowered his gaze, edged his lip with his tongue. The faintly rueful smile was the first, tiniest crack in his veneer.
Good. It would be a disaster if every piece of tittle-tattle ever to slip past his brother, Callm the Black Wolf, was just that and he’d changed his mind about this wedding.
Or he thought there was something untoward about her, sitting here dressed like this. But she could relax. Finally the glen beckoned.
“The tinker chief bastard’s daughter, my bride?” He thrust the dagger back in his belt, displaying an inch of hardened stomach muscle. “Don’t you just love learning something new in life every day, Princess?”
Yes, she did. Particularly that she was not going to have to fight him off until that ring sat on her finger. Obviously his brother wasn’t the only one who didn’t like strangers in his precious glen. It made her even more generously disposed towards him.
“Already my lord likes his little joke, I see.”
“Damn right I do.”
“Then I shall be sure to see—“
He leaned closer. It was only the brush of breath against her cheek. Yet the shock of the contact travelled the length of her body, the one she’d been dead inside of for five years. “Because where you’re concerned, you can count on it splitting my sides.” Before she could open her mouth he turned to the mob surrounding him, on foot and horseback. “Well, can’t she, lads?”
Lads? Do pardon her for thinking she’d seen better-looking corpses. But to a man they whistled, catcalled and stuck out their tongues, so obviously they were as alive as her, for the time being anyway.
This wasn’t going quite as well as she’d like and if Kendrick complained again it might go even less. What exactly was Lord Ewen going to do if she didn’t shut her cloak? Send her back—remember? At least she hoped she did. Because that would not be a good choice for her.
“Oh, I think you’ll find when we’re wed, sir, I shall count on anything.”
“My lips are wet already.” He curved them in a deep grin. “With what you’re showing me here.”
“Good.”
Because frankly—damn him–the time had come to stop sitting here showing him it in the perishing cold, the snow piling up in her hood and do what she’d come to do. She removed her gloved hand from the reins. “Because you agreed to put an end to the war between our clans by wedding Chief Ian Dhub’s daughter, Lady Kara McGurkie, did you not? And I am Lady Kara McGurkie. Yes. My credentials are right here should you wish to see them.”
An armory clinked. Claymores, dirks, and axes. All glinting in the snow-lit dusk. All leveled at her. His men were good all right. Far better than her father’s stretched on horseback along the narrow pass behind her. Imagine the wedding night if they did that around the bed.
“Jesus.” The sloping, three-legged, shaggy beast at his side—what it was she’d no idea, except that it had fangs and it yowled, as his boot hit its backside. “Hell, Dug. Shut up, will you?”
Dug? She swallowed. He called the dog, Dug? How basic. What would he call his children when he had them? Child? Bairn? You? Son …
Her ribs tightened.
God, her mind whispered, don’t waylay me on the road to perdition. You can’t win. But there it was in that same moment. A vision, a boy, sitting right there on Lord Ewen’s shoulder, pale as the snowflakes dusting it, ethereal as the roiling mist. The eyes blue as the sky on a sunny day. The same soft hair. Her boy, her son, Arland.
Children’s names?
Wedding nights?
Was she completely, ragingly insane?
There weren’t going to be any children. And there wasn’t going to be any wedding night.
Because, after the wedding feast, there wasn’t going to be any groom.
Desiring her could be murder.
To love, honor, and betray…
To get back her son, she will stop at nothing…
Dire circumstances have forced Kara McGurkie to forget she’s a woman. Dire circumstances force her to swear to love and honor, to help destroy a clan, in order to get back her son. But when dire circumstances force her to seduce her fiancé’s brother on the eve of the wedding, will the dark secrets she holds and her greatest desire be enough to save her from his powerful allure?
To save his people, neither will he…
Since his wife’s murder, Callm McDunnagh, the Black Wolf of Lochalpin, ruthlessly guards heart and glen from dangerous intruders. But from the moment he first sees Kara he knows he must possess her, even though surrendering to his passion may prove the most dangerous risk of all.
She has nothing left to fear except love itself…
Now only Kara can decide what passion can save or destroy, and who will finally learn the truth of the words… Till death do us part.Releasing December 7th. Now available on pre-order for (99 p?!1.29 cents..limited time, pre-order only. Also coming on print. Just need to sort that with the er.. dudes….
jeanleesworld said:
That is one smexy cover! And I can relate on so many levels, from the tears to the contentment with a new plot. Sometimes we do need to be driven to start over to find a stronger narrative, but EVERYTHING needs to fit that new narrative properly, so I’m glad you finally got to ensure your heroine fits perfectly at last. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
shehannemoore said:
Yep. I never changed the plot. The original plot was the one I was given two weeks to change, because they didn’t want two books back to back where the heroine wasn’t who she said, although really Fury had been this other woman for so long and had the means to deal with anyone who said otherwise, it wasn’t important to the story, whereas in this book, the story revolved round that. And I did just think about reverting to the original manuscript when I got my rights back BUT on reflection this is a stronger personal conflict driven plot. So I kept it BUT I have totally rewritten Kara cos I never had the time to make her fit this plot before. You are right, everything does need to fit. So I feel finally I can be proud of this book and yeah I went for the smexy cover. LOL! For me it is the essence of the story. Ahem…..
jeanleesworld said:
Too right–you gotta go where the conflict’s stronger. xxxxxx That cover is hot’n’lush–it’s perfect! Don’t let the dudes eat it!
shehannemoore said:
Well my dear… I have never had quite such a hot cover. Now I am my own master that way I look for something that gives me the book at a glance. So I was looking hard and initially for a Highland look but I saw nothing, and given that his clothes aren’t actually that Highland, I went looking elsewhere and then I saw this and I thought….. Hmmmm. finally I think we have the book at a glance. YOu bet the dudes ain’t gittin’ near it.
koolkosherkitchen said:
Sounds fantastic! Good luck with this book, Shey!
shehannemoore said:
Dolly xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I feel finally I have this book, perhaps not the way it was originally written…I could easily have just pulled that original one out, but in a way I am now proud of x
koolkosherkitchen said:
Certainly have something to be proud of!
shehannemoore said:
Aw Dolly… thank you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
pjlazos said:
Oooo la la, Shey, life is good and the story sounds so very delish. Fingers crossed for a grand opening! oxo
shehannemoore said:
I feel I have finally got this book where I want it. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
pjlazos said:
Ah, a relief, that.
Also, I’m 3/4s is the way through the mister’s book so maybe think about guest hosting on my site soon and we can showcase the lot of the Moore family endeavors. 😘
shehannemoore said:
Pam you are an angel you know xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
jolliffe01 said:
Another cover that captures the essence of the story. I’m gong to review all of the books on my blog in December.Lots of luck with the latest one. X
shehannemoore said:
Jane, you are lovely truly. Let me send you the revised copy. I have done the most rewriting on this book out of the four. And yes, I feel the cover does now give me the essence of this story. xxxxxxxxxxxxx Hope all is good with your move. Looks fabx
Kate Furnivall said:
Huge congrats, Shey! Making Kara’s story totally your own must be sooo satisfying after all you went through, though reshaping a plot can be tough work. Wishing you and Black Wolf stunning success. Have pre-ordered. xx
shehannemoore said:
Kate, thank YOU so very very much. This book previously for me was a shoot in the foot from the original cover to the content. I have stuck here to the plot that was in the previous book. In many ways the conflict and the biggest thing she’s keeping from him is not about her, her past and what she’s come to do, and it makes for a stronger personal story. but what was wrong before, I felt, was the pressure to rewrite a plot meant that I never really changed the characters. The original Kara worked with the version I sold but not with what went out there. So what I have done this time round is rewrite her, so she’s much more of what we might think of as a small time hustler. She just sees the bit in front of her, cos that is what she must deal with, that is how she has learned to survive, not the entire picture.
You will note Bobby B was not here much. that is cos he is busy brushing up his whiskers for your interview this week. I actually nearly dropped when Amazon, put this up within an hour of me uploading it, usually it takes them days. I then thought PANIC get a post up. xxxxxxx
Kate Furnivall said:
Shey, I’ll be really interested to see how you’ve changed Kara. It must have been a lot of work but well worth it to make her your own again. As for BB, can’t wait to see those whiskers!
shehannemoore said:
Aw Kate xxxxx It has been a lot of work. But hey we all put the work in in this biz. oh BB will be quite the thing xxxxx
MichaelStephenWills said:
Is it time to pull out the Christmas decorations, already? We are cleaning house, in preparation. Congrats on the book, Shehanne.
shehannemoore said:
Well I …ahem… put out rather a lot. Large treesin two of the rooms and one on the landing… Then there’s the ..er..smaller trees and all and then we do Christmas Day and it is quite a party day in a way. So I do start now and just do a wee bit every day, given that with one thing and another, I am quite busy. Thank you for your kind congratulations. Hoping this book will do itself justice this time round x
Ravindra Nayak said:
Wow! Amazing beautiful description! Great beautiful flow of sketch cartoon as well …. lovely cover and wonderful story inside it…. Congratulations! 🌹🌹🌹
shehannemoore said:
Ravindra xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. I have had my work cut out getting this book my way and last week after the glitch with the kindle formatting, I tell you now, I nearly binned it. So your kind, kind words, have made me glad I didn’t. xxxxxxxxx
Ravindra Nayak said:
My Pleasure always my friend! Great to see your great artistic imagination and beauty within the every pages of book! Keep up the great work! Sunshine your way, cheers 💐❤️💐
shehannemoore said:
Aw, thank you so much. You avhe made the sun shine here. Been raining all day. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PaulAndruss said:
Really hot cover Shey.
It is ideally thematically related to your other new covers.
You have a tight brand vision that grabs the readers’ imaginations even before they become readers.Take any of your new book covers off the shelf and you would have a hard time putting them back.They scream BUY ME! READ ME!
Excellent simmering first chapter, full of boiling undercurrents and barely restrained animal passion. The sexual tension is palpable. You get the feeling it could as easily break into violence as lovemaking (lovemaking is too tame a word to describe how these two would be tearing at each other given half a chance).
Right from the onset your characters come across as tough but brittle and wholely delicious. You want to eat them up. Even though you get the feeling they would be the ones spitting out your bones.
Am I the only one thinking there is some dark hidden secret these two share?
Can’t wait to find out if I’m right.
Pxx
shehannemoore said:
It is a book of dark secrets and yep simmering….boiling… unrestrained animal passion, with their pasts horribly bound together although they have never met before.And that was what I chose for the book at a glance cover .I am not just having n a half naked fellah there for the hell of it! But this is one that needs them both on that cover.
And this pair would spit you out. Yep. Pail, I am truly thrilled you see all this. I am fair tickled as the next chapter has the lines. ‘ she’d a horrible prescience if she struck him, he was the kind to cherish it. Cherish it? He’d view it as sexual foreplay.’ So this comment means a lot to me xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Resa said:
Yes, a very smexy cover, and the gown is gorgeous. I think the guy is like a totally hot studdo, and that the gown is more gorgeous than him. The girl in the gown should always be best.
Your first chapter intrigues.
Resa
xoxo
shehannemoore said:
I wanted to say to you….I have another gown But I thought I should shut it. I knew you would love it. And cos she never wears that colour I had to change turquoise to green in the book. I don’t usually have ..ahem..a cover like this.. but he is right, they are right, dynamic wise and I do believe in a cover giving the book at a glance. Glad you were intrigued. There’s rather a lot of intrigue in this one. xxxxxxx
Resa said:
Sounds good! The gown is stunning, and definitely worth a colour change.
xxxxxxooooooxxxxx
shehannemoore said:
I just should have photoshopped the gown on the cover before I gave it to the designer. BUT hey, just change the color in the book eh?
dgkaye said:
Oh Shey, that’s fab having say over your own books, isn’t it glorious? So happy for you girlfriend!!!! And you dudes did a fab job. ❤ xxx
shehannemoore said:
I am really happy about this one. xxxxxx
dgkaye said:
As you should be! xxxxxx
mikesteeden said:
I suspect I’ve been locked in a cupboard for months on end with your hamsters. I’m finding thoughts of raw carrot and cabbage filling my cheeks for safe keeping has a certain appeal. I’ve been like this since Svetlana was deported.
shehannemoore said:
Ha ha Mike . We must get her back here vor you. Ve vill speak to Vlad hamster and see vit can be done. xxxx
Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and commented:
Shehanne Moore has released another of her books under her own publishing banner.. with an amazing new cover.. His Judas Bride..with a hot enticement from Incy Black to buy.. oh my…
shehannemoore said:
Sally, thank you so much. Always so kind. I of course chose the cover ..ahem… all joking aside and seriously because it gives me the book at a glance. xxx
Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Great cover and you could take Incy’s little blurb everywhich way…..xxx♥
shehannemoore said:
It was from a review Incy wrote for this book first time round. And I am going to sue it on the back cover for the print ed which I will get to asap. x
cath said:
Phew, you’ve raised the temperature of Arkwright, my trusty laptop, he’s getting all unnecessary with his programmes.
Kidding aside, well done. This looks like it’s going to be one heck of a journey. What an opening.
shehannemoore said:
Cath xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. You know I had such agony with the formatting of this book forsome reason. It was like the gremlins had crept from the hills and mountains of Lochalpin to stop me. And it is the one I basically would have ben better writing another book than trying to sort the heroine. It took me a while to find that cover. So last week with the formatting carry on I thought…in it. Truly. just bin it. Move on. But comments like this make me glad I didn’t. I mean that. Please give Arkwright a pat for me and tell him I am sending an icepack. xxxxx
Adele Marie said:
Reblogged this on firefly465 and commented:
The Dudes and Shehanne give us a taste of His Judas Bride.
shehannemoore said:
Adele, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx you. I left a message to say, I have been working on your book, I just had gremlins literally in the formatting of this. one. BUT just final proofing it so I can make the deadline for this pre-order and then..then all will be well again xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
inesephoto said:
Oh, what a gorgeous cover, Shehanne! Can’t wait to read the new story. It must be very different, and if I were to judge it by the cover, I would say – beyond hot 🙂 Congratulations, and best of luck! xx
shehannemoore said:
Well..it is the same plot as I was asked to do cos I feel the conflict is strong BUT yes I have changed her so she matches that plot which I never felt she did before and I never got time to fix. It is hot… And I am thrilled that cover is going down well. It’s the sumexiest one I’ve ever had. But I did seriously choose it as I have my other two now I have my rights, to give the book at a glance. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
inesephoto said:
Free to choose ! 🙂 Isn’t it a great feeling.
It is interesting to know her after she has/was changed. As a reader, I didn’t see any flaw in her. Curious 🙂 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
shehannemoore said:
Inese xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. I just never felt she quite fitted the different plot that I had to get out there in two weeks. She struck me as still being this woman who was impersonating this other woman with a small window to operate in, and who could be found out as that other woman at any point as opposed to her being who she says she is. I have kept him the same and the scenes the same but I feel I have had time to look at her in terms of the plot now. And she’s more get into something without thinking any of it through at every turn. Tomorrow is time not yet spent. I think in today’s terms she’d be a kind of grafter, hustler. And she’s always been this disappointment, trouble from day one.
Carol Balawyder said:
I understand why the hammies cannot look at the cover of your recent book. It is not for innocent eyes but it is also fabulously sexy! Liked that you stuck, Shey, to how you want the plot to go and admire your patience to rework your character. 😊
shehannemoore said:
OOOOOOOH. I am so thrilled you like the cover Carol. All joking aside I wanted the essence of this story this time round. And truly that is their dynamic. I could have changed the plot back to the original but I have stuck with what I rewrote and worked her differently instead so yeah, I am happy now with this book in ways I wasn’t before. I have not quite had a cover like this or chosen one either and I was a bit apprehensive –I know that sounds nutz but — so to hear you say fabulously sexy? It’s made my day xxx
nananoyz said:
Great cover! Intriguing first chapter! It’s going to be quite a ride!
shehannemoore said:
Leslie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
skd said:
You can definitely ‘tell this book by it’s cover’. It is smoldering hot just like the content. It looks promising and irresistible to put down once you get a hold of it. You know it really irritates me when the characters on the cover page do not match my imagination as I read the book. But this book looks like a complete winner cover,content,characterization and all. Congrats Sheh!!
And it is time the hammies grow up. Maybe take a look with one eye lol 😉
shehannemoore said:
Ha ha!! Lol yeah. I will get them a telescope. Never a truer word spoke re characters NOT matching your imagination. I had af oot shooter on this before. They weren’t even dressed right so I was determined now the ball is in my court re my backlist that this time round this book would not be sold short. So thank you THANK YOU for this lovely comment. x