The Reluctant Sacrifice by Kerr-Ann Dempster
Release Date: August 7th 2015
Pages: 263
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Centuries ago, sibling rivalry tore Aramith apart. As punishment, the losers were stripped of their immortal birthright and banished to Earth. There, they wasted away from old age and diseases. However, there is hope…
If a Shaw child, born on the 12th day of the 12th month offers her soul in a public sacrifice, then the exiles will be forgiven and welcomed home to Aramith.
Aubrey Shaw is that child, but dying for the exiles is not on her to-do list. Using her gift as a Jumper, Aubrey leaps between bodies to escape relentless shape-shifting hunters. Only, shedding her skin is not enough. Not when Joshua, her best-friend-turned-hunter, is hell-bent on dragging her to the altar.
Will Aubrey’s love for Joshua change his mind?
Or, will she have to trust the scarred stranger who shows up out of the blue cloaked in lies and secrets? Doing so means giving up on Joshua. But betting on Joshua's love could do more than break her heart.
It could kill her.
{EXCERPT}
Majestic wings slapped the air. With beaks pointed toward the ground, the hawks plunged into the market. Shrieking, the shoppers covered their heads and ducked. But the hawks did not attack. With a burst of feathers, they transformed into naked, muscular men and women. Wings and tails billowed out like smoke, and then formed hooded, feathered cloaks around their bodies.
The crowd heaved a collective gasp. I did not. I could do nothing but stare at Joshua Kaito. He stood twenty feet in front of me. Hair as black as soot spilled down to his chin, and sunlight bounced off the crystal in the gold medallion at his throat. Shape- shifting had hardened his features, sharpening them in a way that made him beautiful, but also terrifying to look at. A whirlwind of emotions whipped through me.
Did his lips recall mine? “Please remember,” I whispered.
Joshua’s head swung to the left. I followed his gaze. My heart plunged when I saw Mom. She was hard to miss since she was the only one moving. Making no effort at stealth, she shouldered her way toward the gate.
Joshua’s narrowed eyes clouded with doubt, but then blazed with purpose when Mom flipped him off. “Over there,” he hollered, pointing to Mom.
Mom bolted. Joshua dashed after her like a comet. His fellow hunters followed, jabbing elbows and knees into those who blocked their paths. Panic rolled through the crowd. Fear screamed at me to go with the tide of bodies to safety, but instincts—or stupidity—screamed at me to stay.
I planted my feet, but I was no match for the crowd. I crashed to the ground, skinning my palms on the pavement. Using my backpack as leverage, I pushed my body upright.
No sooner had I stood than a leg the size of a tree trunk struck me in the stomach. Pain ripped through my chest, threatening to split my heart in two. The ground tilted up to kiss my cheek. Shades of gold danced beneath my eyelids. Then the world turned to black.
AUTHOR BIO:
Kerr-Ann Dempster lives in Michigan where she is often found with her nose in a book, knee-deep in snow, and online fan-girling over fictional characters and fellow authors. She is a graduate of Loyola University, Chicago where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. After working in Visual Communications and as a Flight Attendant, Kerr-Ann decided that life was best spent being happy. With that in mind, she published her first novel, Beneath Scarlett Valley, in August 2014. She then published her second novel, The Reluctant Sacrifice, in August 2015.
To learn more about Kerr-Ann, connect with her on: Instagram (author.kerr), Twitter (@annk3rr), Facebook and Goodreads. If you live in Michigan, you may also find her in line at Moomers purchasing homemade ice cream.
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