A wizard, a curse, a fated love…
Rolf's Quest
A Medieval Encounter #1
Aubrey Wynne
Releasing Feb 1st, 2017
Plato Publishing
A wizard, a curse, a fated love…
When Rolf finally discovers the woman who can end the curse that has plagued his family for centuries, she is already betrothed. Time is running out for the royal wizard of King Henry II. If he cannot find true love without the use of magic, his line will end.
Melissa is intrigued by the mystical, handsome man who haunts her by night and tempts her by day. His bizarre tale of Merlin, enchantments, and finding genuine love has her questioning his sanity and her heart.
From the moment Melissa stepped from his dreams and into his arms, Rolf knew she was his destiny. Now, he will not only battle against time and a powerful duke, but defy his king and the gods to save her.
England 1154
The surrounding mist
climbed Melissa’s boots and swirled in and around her legs like an affectionate
cat. Gentle but firm, it pushed her inside the magical forest. The stillness of
the place struck her. The kind of hush that fell over a room when something
significant was about to happen. Her heart raced in anticipation. In front of
her towered a massive Hawthorne tree with charred branches that seemed to
welcome her. Between the gnarled limbs was a large blackened hole that filled
the center of the trunk.
“I have been waiting for
you.” She jumped at the sound of an old man’s voice. She screamed as a face
appeared in the tree. “I do not mean to frighten you, child. I admire your
courage. It’s a quality essential to your future.”
“Why am I here?” Melissa
asked.
“To meet your Fate,”
answered the raspy voice. The distant sound of hoof beats distracted the
ghost–like image. “And he has arrived.”
Melissa turned toward the
forest opening in confusion. “The mist...”
“Yea, it conceals our home
from trespassers on the outside but does not impede our view from within.” The
elderly man chuckled. “Rolf did not exaggerate your beauty.”
“Rolf?”
The hammering of hooves
grew nearer.
“Ah.” The old man shook
his head, regret in his eyes. “I must go.”
Horse and rider burst
through the tree line. A presence enveloped her, an aura she recognized… The man
on the hill. The same man that entered her mind each night. And his name was
Rolf.
The great black beast came
to a stop before her; an agitated snort escaped his flared nostrils. The
stranger dismounted in a swirl of black cloak and raw strength. His eyes—glittering
like gilded gold—fastened upon her, stealing her breath. In one fluid motion,
he wrapped a powerful arm around her waist and pulled her hard against his
chest.
He spoke only one word.
“Melissa.”
Her body’s response to him
frightened her—already she gave in to his demands willingly. The nearness of
him sent Melissa’s blood pounding through her ears. “Rolf?” she whispered,
clinging to him, afraid to raise her eyes.
His fingers lightly
stroked her cheek and sent a shudder through her body. He lifted her chin, bent
his head, and then paused. Uncertain, she found the courage to look up, her
mouth half–open in a silent question. The intensity and passion in those
hawk-like eyes told her he now claimed her as his own. Their breath mingled for
a moment before his lips brushed hers. Then she threw back her head,
surrendered to the sheer pleasure of his kiss, and her world shattered.
The soft touch of his
mouth sent a shiver through her soul that made her knees buckle. His chest was
hard beneath her palms. He buried his fingers in her hair and forced her head
back, demanding more. She clutched at his surcoat to keep herself upright.
“I must have you,” he
murmured as his teeth nipped her earlobe. His breath tickled and teased her
neck. One hand roamed the length of her back, sending waves of heat to her
core. His manhood pushed against her skirt.
Melissa struggled to free
herself from this spell, this desire that brought with it a hunger she’d never
known. Her betrothed waited somewhere beyond the trees, and she knew
instinctively this meeting would cause them both grief. Even as her mind told
her to run, her heart kept her rooted in place. She stopped resisting, leaned
into him, and gave way to pure passion.
But as her mouth opened to
return the kiss, he slipped away. Her eyes flew open, and his image wavered
then faded into the darkness. “Come back to me. Do not leave me like this,” she
cried.
Melissa awoke, the tears
wet upon her cheeks. Emptiness burned in her stomach. She wrapped her arms
around herself and curled into a tight ball to shield her body from the pain.
She should not have hesitated.
Bestselling
and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest
with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary
teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by
night. Obsessions include history, travel, trail riding and all things
Christmas.
Her
short stories Merry Christmas, Henry and Pete’s Mighty
Purty Privies won the Preditors & Editors Reader’s Choice in 2013
and 2014. Dante’s Gift, the first in A Chicago Christmas series,
received the 2016 Golden Quill, Aspen Gold and Heart of Excellence awards.
Her
upcoming series “A Vintage Romance” was inspired by tales of her stepfather,
who served for the British Air Force in WWII. Wynne’s medieval fantasy series
“Medieval Encounters” will launch in 2017 with Rolf’s Quest.
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