Title: Heart of the Betrayed
Author: Angela Verdenius
Published in August 2003 by Wings ePress
Genre: Futuristic/Sci-Fi Romance
IBSN: 1-59088-195-8
Related Books: (1) Heart of an Outlaw • (2) Soul of a Mercenary • (4) Love's Sweet Assassin • (5) Soul of a Hunter • (6) Love's Bewitching Thief • (7) Heart of the Forsaken • (8) Soul of a Witch • (9) Heart of a Traitor • (10) Soul of the Forgotten • (11) Love's Beguiling Healer • (12) Heart of a Peacekeeper • (13) Soul of a Predator • (14) Love's Winsome Warrior • (15) Heart of a Smuggler • (16) Soul of a Guardian •
Her latest mission was completed, and thankfully the leader, the Imperial Ravnor of Rashmar was safe. Time was easily spent now, she had been well paid, and the service was concluded. Dana was pleased with the last effort. Although it had been a bit nip and tuck, she realizes that once again she has stood before Death, and defeated him. There is one problem with that scenario though. It doesn't make her happy, keep her warm, or provide her with comfort. She is very good at her job, and she is very well compensated to do it, but it is no longer as fulfilling as it used to be. She still enjoys a good fight, it keeps her skills honed, and she cannot afford to let her guard down. She needs to stay sharp, because even though they are no longer outlawed, she is still Reeka, and she has made enemies that truly would kill her without a second thought. Now, however, all she wants is some time to relax. She has an appointment with another client later, for now, she can lay back for a short while, but she still has to be somewhat on guard. What she doesn't need is that darn Daamen trader!
Whatever she does, Garret has not been far from her mind, but he is off limits. It is friendship that she feels for him, and nothing more. She knows the truth about men, and only friendship is allowed. They will leave you when you need them most, they will betray you the first chance they get, and she would never let a man do that to her again. She was only a child when she watched her mother die of a broken heart, watched as she withered away leaving Dana alone. No man was going to have the chance to do that to her. Her proud Reeka heat could not stand the betrayal again. Her father left them when they needed him most, left them to their fate. Their men were being systematically wiped out, and he chose to abandon them. He took her brother, and deserted them as they were being persecuted, and hunted. If not for the others, she would have died along with her mother, but her sister warriors took her in, completed her training, and shaped her into the awesome warrior she had become. She would not let some brown-haired, grey-eyed, smooth-talking Daamen tie her down, only to leave her. She just had to realize that she was not the marrying kind. Love was only a fleeting thing, and no man knew the meaning of forever.
Garret was not surprised to see the familiar face when he walked into the bar. He had been hoping to run into the tall, blonde, hazel-eyed Reeka Warrior somewhere on this trip, and as his luck was holding, there she was in all her glory. She looks a tad peeved to see him, but dirty looks never stopped Garret from acquiring what he wanted, and he wants Dana. He has wanted her since he first set eyes on her. Well, maybe not at very first, for she is a tart-tongued wench, but he respects her skills and her talents. He grew to like her, and then the attraction changed, and there will be no other for him. He knows that she will be hard to convince, but he feels that he will certainly be up to the challenge. As far as taming the wench, well, he isn't so tame himself, and he likes her just the way she is. It is her strength, loyalty, intelligence, beauty, and stamina that attracted him in the first place. To try to "tame" her would sap much of who and what she is, and that would change her, and drain the life from her. That is the last thing Garret wants.
He now faces the ultimate challenge, and he wil soon find himself deep in something, that is if he knows his Reeka as well as he thinks he does, and he is right. Before he knows it, he is once again hauling a very disorderly Reeka Warrior back to his ship, patching her up, and discovering all over again exactly why she is the only woman for him. Dana has been through a lot, but this new crisis in her life is one that neither are prepared for, and for her it means the pain of rememberance. For Garret, it is an opportunity to be there for her again, and if she needs him to help, he will assist her in what ever way he can. He knows that she may just need him before all is said and done, but what he hasn't counted on is the loyalty his crew feels for her as well. Even though she is reluctant to tell him about the problem, the coldness, the hatred, and the anger radiates off of her, and Garret knows that things are not what they seem. Once more his Reeka Warrior leads him into an adventure that he almost regrets. The thing is, he would do anything for her, even be her slave if necessary.
Angela Verdenius revisits her Reeka Warriors, and this time tells us the story of Garret and Dana. The problem with Dana, is that she doesn't think she can be mated. She is dealing with some pretty heavy abandonment issues and her general mistrust of men. She hasn't fared well when she has been in a man's hands, and that, added to the scars from her childhood make here very wary at best. At worst, she is downright impossible, but in Garret she has met her match. Heart of the Betrayed gives you a look into Dana's life and why she feels as she does about life, men, and marriage. It takes you along on her voyage of discovery, a trip in which she learns that love doesn't have to hurt, and that it can be forever. Garret has told her many times that family is important, and that she is important to him, but it takes his enslavement to begin to open her eyes.
The trials and tribulations that the pair face are things that will either draw them together or tear them apart. Through it all, Garret is determined to have Dana as his mate. Heart of the Betrayed is another superbly crafted story from the the author who brought you Heart of the Outlaw and Soul of a Mercenary . Angela sweeps you along in a tale that will keep you riveted from one page to the next. The action is fast, the romance hot, and the characters are unforgettable. She has a way of drawing you deep into the story and letting you experience the emotion for yourself. You want to shake them, holler at them, but you ultimately have to love them no matter their stubborn natures, and the mistakes they make. Due out in August, Heart of the Betrayed is another must buy from Angela Verdenius.
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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