DARK WARRIOR UNBROKEN
by Alexis Morgan
ISBN-13: 978-1416563440
Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: August, 2009

Lena Wilson was a woman with regrets. Her shoulders sagged as the day's heat and her high heels made the short walk even harder than expected. She'd worn dress clothes out of respect, but her usual jeans and boots might have been a smarter choice. Lord knows, the person she was going to see wouldn't have cared.

Pausing at the top of a rise, she pulled out the simple map the caretaker had given her. She was almost there.

"One, two, three..."

She counted off the headstones to alleviate the oppressive silence, her footsteps slowing as she approached the end of the row, her goal but a few feet away. She crossed that last painful distance and sank to her knees on the cool grass.

Her hand reached out to trace the inscription on the polished granite marker: a name, a couple of dates, a Bible verse, a fireman's badge. Not nearly enough to define the man who was buried there. Maynard Cooper had been her friend, her father figure, her conscience.

At long last the tears came, flowing down her cheeks in hot streaks.

"Coop, I'm so sorry."

Her throat closed, damming up the flood of apologies she owed to the man who'd been laid to rest on the pastoral hillside overlooking his beloved city. As the tears tapered off and her breathing eased, peace slowly stole over her. Coop had never judged her as harshly as she judged herself, but the self-forgiveness she needed would have to be earned.

That she'd missed his funeral hadn't been her fault, but missing out on the chance to heal the breach between them was. She placed her palm over his name, needing that small connection as she contemplated her next step.

If she couldn't make peace with her old friend, she would do the one thing no one else had been able to: avenge his death.

With a new sense of purpose, Lena rose to her feet and walked away, making plans. Somewhere in this city there was a killer with Maynard Cooper's blood on his hands. She wouldn't rest until the bastard was brought to justice.

The shrill ringing of a phone was Sandor Kearn's least favorite way to wake up, especially when he'd been up late. He didn't know which half of his job he hated more: the frustrating search for the Grand Dame's lost relatives, or his new role as chief enforcer for the Talion warriors Kerry commanded. He covered his eyes with his forearm to block out the sunshine and groped for the phone with his other hand.

When he finally found it, he growled "What?" into the receiver.

Kerry's voice was a mixture of good humor and business. "Sorry, Sandor, did I wake you up?"

"Yeah, you did. Put your husband on the line so I can take my bad mood out on him. When I'm able to be civil, Ranulf can give the phone back to you."

His Dame giggled. He was tempted to point out how undignified that was for the ruler of their people, but that would only encourage her.

"If it's not an emergency, can I call you back in a few?" he said instead. "Right now I won't remember anything you tell me."

"Please tell me you weren't up half the night working again. We've talked about that before, Sandor. You're my Talion, not my slave." She sounded reproachful.

"All right, I won't tell you."

She sighed. "Get up and eat breakfast. Make that lunch -- it's almost noon. When you're feeling human again, come see me."

"Okay. See you in an hour or so." He yawned loudly. "And by the way, I'm not human, and neither are you."

"I'll try to remember that. And an hour will be fine."

When she disconnected the call, he tossed his phone at the table. As it bounced onto the floor, he threw back the covers, then went into the bathroom and cranked the shower on hot. Leaning against the cool tile wall, he let the water pour over him, clearing out the cobwebs better than a cup of coffee.

Kerry knew that he already had a lot on his plate, so whatever was worrying her had to be serious. Well, he'd find out soon enough what it was.

He pulled on jeans and a casual sports shirt, then threw together a sandwich and grabbed a cola to drink on the way. After tossing his briefcase onto the passenger seat, he reached for his sunglasses.

Traffic was light, and he soon reached the gates to her driveway. He punched in his security number, waited as they swung open, then pulled into his usual parking space, alongside an unfamiliar car. Hughes, the butler, opened the front door before Sandor reached the top step. Inside, he headed for the living room, then stopped. Kerry hadn't mentioned the fact that anyone else would be there, so the unfamiliar woman was probably another Kyth who had dropped in to meet the new Dame.

Sandor waited impatiently in the foyer for the visitor to leave. Who was she anyway? He would have remembered meeting someone built like that -- honey blond hair, long legs, narrow waist, and all the right curves. If she was anywhere near as stunning from the front, he might just start drooling. When she finally turned to leave, her piercing blue eyes swept past him, then snapped back to stare into his.

And time stood still.

DARK WARRIOR UNBROKEN is magically adventurous and fervently romantic, where every scene is portrayed with profound feelings. - Singletitles.com

Their attraction is flammable, their distrust of each other riveting and the romance enchanting. You Gotta Read this one. - You Gotta Read Reviews

“Whew! A unique paranormal storyline that sizzles with every page.” - Fresh Fiction

“Multitalented Morgan serves up . . . a most engaging entry in her evolving world and series.” - Romantic Times (four stars)