Children of the Moon 04 - Dragon's Moon

lady, Caelis. Stop and think.”
    But Caelis appeared beyond reason, his aggression not lessening one iota. And Shona did not understand it. In no scenario that she might ever have imagined about thismoment would she have considered him laying claim to her…or was it her daughter?
    None of this made any sense.
    Marjory chose that moment to awaken, squirming to sit up. “Mama! Want down.”
    Caelis jerked as if pierced by an arrow, his gaze landing on the little girl in Shona’s arms. Some great emotion twisted his features, and then his blue eyes, so like their son’s, locked with hers, the accusation in them unmistakable.
    She stared back, defiant, furious like she had not been since the night he told her it was over.
    All the fear she’d felt over the past months, the anger she’d experienced at the perfidy of men since his betrayal, followed by others, bolstered her fury so that—if it were possible—she would have burned him to ash with her gaze.
    His head snapped back, surprise again showing on his handsome features, this time mixed with confusion. Though what he had to be confused about she didn’t know. Did he think that just because he didn’t want her that no other man would ever want to wed her?
    Arrogant blackguard.
    “Mummy?” Eadan’s worried voice rose from where he stood beside Niall.
    She needed to tell her son all was well, but she could not look away from Caelis’s face as he got his first look at the son they had made.
    The child he had told her would never happen.

Dear Reader,
I so hope you’ve enjoyed the excerpt from my next full-length Children of the Moon novel, Warrior’s Moon. One of my more emotional and sexier stories, I’m really hoping readers connect as strongly to the characters as I did.
Following is an excerpt from the novella, Ecstasy Under the Moon, which will be released in a summer 2013 anthology with Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day and Meljean Brook. It will open up the world of the Éan living in the forest for my readers and introduce you to two very special characters: Bryant and Una. Una is one of the very rare eagle shifters, haunted by an experience with the Fearghall that has left her nervous of touch, particularly by large men who shift into wolves. Bryant immediately recognizes Una’s scent as that of his mate, but convincing the reticent woman to come within five feet of him, much less accept him as a mate? Not a job for the faint of heart or conviction. Luckily for both of these special Chrechte, Bryant is neither.
Let me know what you think of both excerpts!
Hugs and happy reading,
Lucy
http://lucymonroe.com/contactmail.htm

The Forests of the Éan, Highlands of Scotland
1144 AD , Reign of Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim, King of Scots and the Reign of Prince Eirik Taran Gra Gealach, Ruler of the Éan
    U na stood in shock, terror coursing through her like fire in her veins, burning away reason, destroying the façade of peace she had worked so hard to foster for the past five years.
    Her eagle screamed to be released. She wanted to take to the skies and fly as far as her wings could carry her until the sun sank over the waters and the moon rose and set again in the sky.
    The high priestess, Anya Gra, smiled on the assembled Éan like she had not just made a pronouncement that could well spell their doom.
    Faol were coming here? To the forest of the Éan? To their homeland kept secret for generations? Kept secret for very good reason.
    Reason Una had learned to appreciate to the very marrow of her bones five years before.
    “No,” she whispered into air laden with smoke from the feast’s cooking fires. “This cannot be.”
    Other noises of dissent sounded around her, but her mind could not take them in. It was too busy replaying images she’d tried to bury under years of proper and obedient behavior. Years of not taking chances and staying far away from the human clans that had once intrigued her so.
    She’d even avoided Lais, one of the few other eagle shifters among her people. Because he’d come from the outside. From the clan of the Donegal, the clan that spawned devils who called themselves men.
    She’d not spoken to him once in the three years he’d lived among their people.
    The grumbling around Una grew to such a level, even her own tormented thoughts could not keep it out.
    For the first time in her memory, the Éan of their tribe looked on their high priestess with disfavor. Many outright glared at the woman whose face might be lined with age,