What? He only wanted her as a business partner? Her heart sank. Had she misinterpreted his intent?
“Y-you want me to work for you?”
He tapped her nose. “No, leera, I want you as my mate. I’ve made good income at my job, enough so that we won’t have to worry about money. And if I sell my Morata estate, it’ll bring in more. We can have a grand wedding that will make your parents proud.”
Jen’s eyes widened as hope swelled within her. “You space rogue. Are you asking me to marry you? You’d really settle on Earth?”
His mouth curved in a sexy, dimpled grin. “If you’re willing to take a chance on me, Jennifer Dyhr, the answer is yes. Together, we’ll bring progress to the stars.”
She arched her eyebrows. “You already make me see stars when I’m with you. I’ll go anywhere you want to take me.” To demonstrate her response, she wrapped her arms around him. “I accept your offer, Paz Hadar, my own warrior.”
GLOSSARY
ACTUATORS: Engine parts.
AESIR: The warrior Gods in Norse mythology.
ALAMIR: A battle during the border dispute with the Morano Confederation.
ANRIAT: A planet with an unsavory underworld of criminals and desperadoes.
ASGARD: The celestial abode of the Aesir Gods.
BERMUDA TRIANGLE: Also called the Devil’s Triangle, this area in the Atlantic Ocean ranges from Bermuda to Puerto Rico to Miami. It is the site of anomalies where ships and planes disappear and radios and compasses stop working.
BOGGER: Derogatory Trollek term for a female.
BORATUS WORMS: A creature that bores into nerve ganglia.
CARONA: Karrellian term of endearment.
CAVENDII TWO: A military base of the Star Empire under command of Colonel Yaloom.
CORS PARTICLES: Matter produced at the event horizon of a dimensional rift.
DAZLITE: A thumb-sized pushbutton light.
DISRUPTOR: A hand weapon with two settings: stun and kill. Disrupts neural pathways. Used by planetary patrols and local military units for crowd control. Class One military use restricted armament.
DOKTER: Trollek word for doctor.
DONIK: Curse word equivalent to bastard.
DONJON: Tower.
DRAGON’S TRIANGLE: Also called the Devil’s Sea, this is an area in the Pacific basin southeast of Japan between Iwo Jima and Marcus Island that is the site of anomalies where ships and planes disappear and radios and compasses stop working.
DRIFT LORD: A warrior who has the special ability to sniff cors particles and who is trained to fight Trollek incursions.
DRIFT WORLD: An adult role-playing theme park in Orlando, FL. “A place where your fantasy job becomes reality. Whatever part you want to play, it’s yours for a day.”
DROTT: Trollek military form of address for superior officer.
DWARFS: Short-statured men who live underground. They have pale faces and long beards. Skilled metalworkers and goldsmiths who craft magical items for the gods. Greedy fellows, they can make themselves invisible. Weakness: Their power is woven into their hair.
DYTHIUM CHARGES: Explosive compound.
EDDA: An epic of Germanic origins.
ELVES: Nocturnal beings who live in the water, woods, or mountains. They enjoy dancing and gambling, but men who dance with them must be wary.
EVENT HORIZON: Rift caused when dimensional plates grind against each other.
FAFNIR: A giant disguised as a dragon to guard his treasure.
FARARRA: A pleasure planet with resorts, emporiums, eateries, and entertainment complexes.
FENRIR: A son of Loki and a fire giant disguised as a wolf. He killed Odin at Ragnarok.
FOUNTAIN OF WISDOM: A source of water under the roots of the giant World Tree. Guarded by the god, Mimir.
GATEKEEPERS: Allies of the Drift Lords, these shapeshifters help protect humanity during Trollek incursions on Earth.
GIANT: According to Norse mythology, giants were the first living creatures. They have the gift of disguise. Two types: Fire Giants and Frost Giants.
GLITTER BUG: A lightning bug type insect on Paz’s homeworld.
GRAND MARSHAL: Governor of Trollek towns. Addressed as “Your Eminence”.
HAGRET: A bird with outstretched wings.
HAS’PUTE: A Karellian curse word.
HEL: Goddess ruler of Niflheim; Loki’s daughter.
HERIS: Form of address for a Trollek landowner, second in rank to a Grand Marshal.
HYPERSPACE: Faster than speed of light travel via a distortion of the space-time continuum.
IMMOBILIZER: Stun weapon, used by Star Empire military units in covert ops. Class Two restricted armament.
JADLOK: Elvin liege of the lakes region.
JAK’TAR: The Trollek home world.
JAWANI: A standard universal language.
JORG: King of the Trolleks.
JORGONAUTS: Followers of the Trollek King Jorg.
KABAK: Trollek who commands a confounded human.
KAG: Man who likes boys.
KARRELL: Home world of Zohar Thorald and training ground for the Drift Lords.
KASH: A Trollek dice game.
KEWA STONES: Diamonds.
KIMMLEBUSH: A curse word in Dwarf language.
KNESTA: “Beloved” in Lord Magnor’s tongue; term of endearment.
LASER CARBINE: RAD-4 Rifle with enhanced infrared scanner; used by military troops.
LAVA BOMB: Explosive device, like a grenade.
LEERA: A term of endearment in Paz’s native language.
LIEMA: A long-necked animal that moves with grace, native to Paz’s home world.
LEY LINES: An energy grid intersects Earth at twelve distinct geographic points called Vile Vortices. Ley lines are the lines connecting these points of the electromagnetic field.
LEYTNANT: Officer in Trollek military force.
LOKI: Loki is a mischievous trickster and shapeshifter who was banished to an underground prison by the Norse Gods. He is a malevolent being bent on revenge and galactic domination.
LOXOTAN: A painkiller.
LYTHIX SERUM: Truth serum used by the Trolleks.
MALNATIUM: A volatile but powerful energy producing compound.
MAUG: A curse word used as an adjective; a derogatory term.
MENIG: Lowest enlisted rank in Trollek military force.
MIDGARD: The middle land occupied by mankind in Norse mythology.
MIMIR: God who guards the Fountain of Wisdom.
MIMIR’S WELL: The Fountain of Wisdom guarded by the God, Mimir. This water supplies one of the roots of the great World Tree.
MIN DROTT: Trollek form of address for superior officer.
MINGLING: Sexual intimacy.
MJOLLNIR: Thor’s magic hammer, forged by the dwarfs. When thrown, it returns like a boomerang.
MODGUD: Giantess and guardian of the bridge over the river Gjoll in Niflheim.
MORABI NERVE JAB: A hand chop to a sensitive bundle of nerves.
MORANO CONFEDERATION: An alliance bordering the Star Empire.
MORATA: Paz’s home world, a desert planet in the Zood System.
NEUTRINO: A small elementary particle that carries no electric charge. Created by nuclear reactions like the Sun, neutrinos pass through matter almost undisturbed.
NIDHOG: Dragon who gnaws on a root of the World Tree and guards the spring Hvergelmir.
NID RUNE: A curse.
NIFLHEIM: The realm of the dead, ruled by the Goddess, Hel.
NORNS: Three Goddesses of Fate who guard the Urd Well.
ODIN: Ruler of the Norse gods.
ORIGINALS: Early sentient beings who inhabited Earth.
PAMADORE: A type of poultry consumed on Karrell.
PFRELL: Flying creatures with sharp talons and spear-like beaks; a hunter species native to the Trollek world.
PHASE GUN: Type of energy weapon. The Drift Lords carry Monix T-6 laser pistols. This gun has three settings: stun, kill, vaporize. Spare power pack
s are carried in their utility belt pouches. Older model, T-4, has to be reloaded more often. This model is more commonly used by the general populace. Energy bolts can penetrate body armor.
PHASE RIFLE: Long-range version of above.
PIP: Portable Intel Platform; handheld data unit with sensors and scanning capability.
POLARIZE: The means by which Drift Lords protect themselves from the Trollek spell.
PURPURA BLOSSOMS: A sweet scented flower on Karrell.
RAGEESH: Honorary form of address for the Crown Prince of the Star Empire.
RAGNAROK: End of the world and destruction of the multiverse.
RIFF: Karellian term for a lowlife or thug.
SCREEN (verb): To hide from sight.
SHAPESHIFTER: Beings who can alter their form.
SHELL SHEDDER: Old-fashioned gunpowder projectile weapons. DL’s lightweight clothing armor protects against these pistols and lightweight rifles.
SHIRAJO MANOR: Trollek stronghold on Togura Island.
SHOCK STICK: Rod-like punishment device used by Trolleks for slave control, it delivers a painful electric shock.
SIRE: Honorary form of address for royalty on Karrell.
SIRA: Honorary form of address for noble ladies on Karrell.
SKAP: Slang term for a Viden.
SLOGG: Trollek word for slave.
SMARK: A curse word in Paz’s native tongue.
SNIPELING: A reptilian creature that lives in rock crevices. Poisonous venom.
SONIC GRENADE: Weapon used by Star Empire troops, it causes a blast of sonic waves.
SPATIAL SHIFT: Instantaneous transport from one place to another.
STAR EMPIRE: An alliance of sentient planets ruled by a hereditary Emperor.
TEECAHT: A derogatory name for a Trollek woman who steps out of bounds.
TENT TEN: Site of Trollek medical experiments on humans.
THOR: Warrior god of Norse legend, he carried Mjollnir, a magic hammer.
THOR’S HAMMER: Thor’s magical weapon that returns to its thrower.
TROLLEK: Intelligent creatures derived from the Originals, the Trolleks revere nature, despise humans for chasing them from their land, and believe in taking by force what suits their needs.
VECTOR: An invisible line on the time-space continuum.
VECTOR SHIFT: See spatial shift.
YMIR: The first Giant in Norse mythology.
UGRON: A grizzly bear-like creature.
URD WELL: Fountain of Youth protected by the Norns, its spring feeds the root on the World Tree that supports Midgard.
VALHALLA: Odin’s hall where dead warriors lived in honor and prepared for Ragnarok.
VALKYRIES: Virgin warriors of the god Odin, they carried warriors who died in battle to Valhalla. They have swan plumage and can fly. Also called Shieldmaidens.
VANIR: Norse gods who were farmers and merchants.
VEILED: Shielded from view.
VIDENS: Faction of Trolleks who support science instead of conquest as a solution to their problems.
VILE VORTICES: An energy grid intersects the globe at twelve distinct geographic points called Vile Vortices. These are often sites of anomalous activity. The lines connecting these points on the electromagnetic field are termed ley lines. Five each of these vortices are at an equal distance above and below the equator. Two are located at the north and south poles.
WAGMIRE: A type of rodent.
WIGONK: A domesticated canine on Karrell.
WONK: Trollek slang term for male appendage.
WORLD TREE: The great ash tree that connects all realms of the universe. Also called Yggdrasil.
A word about the author...
Nancy J. Cohen is an award-winning author who writes romance and mysteries. Her humorous Bad Hair Day mystery series features hairdresser Marla Shore, who solves crimes with wit and style under the sultry Florida sun. Several of these titles have made the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association bestseller list. Shear Murder is the tenth book in this series and her sixteenth title.
Nancy’s imaginative romances have also proven popular with fans. Her first title in this genre won the HOLT Medallion award, while Silver Serenade won Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews.
Active in the writing community and a featured speaker at libraries and conferences, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who’s Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets. When she’s not busy writing, Nancy enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and outlet shopping.
Follow Nancy Online:
Website: http://nancyjcohen.com
Blog: http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nancyjcohen
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Books by Nancy J. Cohen
From The Wild Rose Press
Silver Serenade
The Drift Lords Series
Warrior Prince
Warrior Rogue
Coming Next: Warrior Lord
Keep going for a sneak preview.
WARRIOR LORD
Book Three in the Drift Lords Series
Where else but Las Vegas could a bearded man wearing a cape and sword swagger inside a casino without drawing attention?
Erika Sherwood stared at the man who peered around, a bewildered look on his face until his gaze slammed into hers.
Her heart slowed, as though the world had frozen in that moment. Despite the bells ringing and people chattering and roulette wheels spinning, her awareness narrowed. She couldn’t drag her eyes away from his searing glance.
Her pulse jumped when the man strode purposefully in her direction, his cape flapping behind him. With his powerful physique and resolute jawline, he looked like a superhero come to life. She supposed he’d bought that fabulous costume at a store along the Strip.
He claimed the empty seat beside her, exchanged a few words with the blackjack dealer, and set out a pile of chips. Tension charged the air around him. Her sideways glance absorbed his longish black hair and trim beard and the wide breadth of his shoulders. She pulled her skirt down, aware it had hiked up indecently, but his gaze didn’t go there. Instead, his dark eyes fixated on her wristwatch.
“Miss?” The dealer’s questioning glance fell upon her.
“Oh. Hit me, please.” She grimaced at the eight of spades she’d drawn. Drat, now she was over the limit.
“Not having any luck?” The newcomer nodded at her diminishing pile of chips. “Maybe this isn’t your game.”
“Excuse me, mister…?”
“My name is Magnor.” He quirked an eyebrow when the waitress came by with another round of free drinks.
Erika lifted her third Viking Volcano from the tray. Who could resist? The fruity drinks were on the house, a popular ploy to keep gamblers in their casino.
She raised her glass in a friendly gesture before taking a sip. “Is Magnor your first name or your last name?”
“It’s my only name.” His mouth curved as he watched her reaction.
“O-kay.” She wasn’t in the mood to challenge him. Those drinks had already gone to her head, making her happy to accept his remark along with his blatant stare. Probably half the people in Vegas used false names anyway.
“Do you work here?” she asked, realizing his outfit matched the resort’s Nordic theme.
He stiffened. “I should say not. I am a guest, like you.”
“Sorry to have asked, but you fit the part.”
“It is my customary attire as a warrior of the Tsuran.”
“I see,” she said in a noncommittal tone. Maybe he was an actor deep into his role. He could be taking a break from a movie set. Were they filming a sequel to Thor in the area?
“Nice timepiece you’re wearing.” He nodded at the object of his scrutiny.
Erika slid her hand under the table. “It was a gift.”
Her parents had given her the watch for her sixteenth birthday with the caveat that she ask no questions about i
ts unusual properties. It ran with no visible mechanism and no battery and had a peculiar symbol engraved on its face.
Her forehead wrinkled. Why had Magnor chosen to comment on her watch when most men would offer a line about her flaming red hair or her flashy clothes?
Come on, Erika, why do you care what he thinks? You came here for the art show, remember, and not to meet men?
It must be the alcohol causing that peculiar buzzing sound in her ears and not his imposing presence.
“This announcement is for all of our engaged couples out there,” blared a loudspeaker voice. “It’s the last call if you want to enter our exciting contest. The lucky winners will be married on live television, after which they’ll receive a complimentary stay in our honeymoon suite, fifty thousand dollars, and a new car. Entries are being accepted in the Green Room all day Friday until four o’clock!”
“Fifty thousand dollars,” Erika muttered. “Man, could I use that money!”
Magnor nudged her, a grin on his face. “Why don’t we enter the contest together?”
The smile transformed his features, making her want to study the craggy lines and furrows that made his visage so interesting.
“What?” she said when his words finally registered.
“I need a room, and the hotel is full. If we win, that will solve my problem. You can keep the car and the cash.”
“B-But the winners have to get married. On live television.”
He waved a hand. “Oh, that. Las Vegas is all about fantasy, isn’t it?”
Her eyes widened. “You mean, it’s filmed like a reality show but it isn’t real?”
He winked at her. “All of the contestants get bonus credits on their club cards. What have we got to lose?”
Erika stared at her diminished pile of chips. She’d lost two hundred dollars in less than an hour.
She scooped the remaining credits into her purse while considering the man’s outrageous suggestion.
In her earlier days, she’d have accepted his proposal without a second thought. Back then nothing had mattered except her plants, her pottery, and her own pleasure.
Eventually, she’d erected an armor of self-discipline around herself so she could accomplish her goals. However, this resolve had evaporated under the influence of the drinks and the man’s piercing gaze. Who wouldn’t want a hunk like him as her fake fiancé?
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