UFI welcomes Author Claire Ashgrove . Thanks for Joining us!!
Excerpt from Immortal Protector
Excerpt from Immortal Protector
Long after they had finished dinner and the drive to Atchison had concluded, Iain still chewed
over the glimpse of Catherine’s childhood he had witnessed. ’Twas no wonder he
recognized that look of fear when the man she had collided with reached for her.
’Twas the exact same reason Ella cringed each time a man moved too fast. And he
experienced the same, violent desire to do harm to the man who had put his
fists to Catherine as he had with Ella’s abuser. Even now, though their
conversation had shifted to more pleasant subjects, and he had laughed with her
uncountable times, fierce protective instincts surged beyond his control.
“Iain?”
Sweet sacred Mary, he
loved the sound of his name on her lips. “Aye?” he answered hoarsely, struck
once more by something even more intense than the urge to keep her safe. Desire
barreled through his bloodstream, hot and unwanted, craving far more than his
name on her lips and the feel of her hand against his.
He wanted more
intimacy than that of conversation. And yet, he could not allow the craving to
know freedom. The abbey rose before them. Even if he ignored her dedication to
the Church, there would be no privacy to be found long enough to sate the fire
that simmered in his veins.
Her words tumbled out
in a rush. “Iain, I’m not ready to go home.”
As if she had thrust
the pommel of a sword into his gut, his diaphragm constricted. Nor was he ready
to part. But if he did not deliver her to the abbey, he could not trust himself
to recall his determination to refrain from swaying her convictions. He opened
his mouth to offer a plausible excuse before want of her could override logic.
“It’s a beautiful
night. Would you walk with me in the garden for a while?” As she looked at him,
she tipped her head, and her hair tumbled over her shoulder. In the moonlight,
it shone like lengths of silver that he ached to draw his fingers through.
Iain groaned
inwardly. Nay. Nay. He could not. Perhaps another night, when he had not seen
her with a student and witnessed a side of Catherine that was so compelling he
yearned to somehow be part of it, of her.
“I do not think such
would be wise,” he answered with difficulty as he pulled into the abbey’s
parking lot.
Puzzlement creased
her brow. “Because of the sisters? It’s after midnight, they are all sound
asleep.”
Sighing heavily, he braked to a stop
in front of the main entrance. “Nay, Catherine.” He dropped his head against
the headrest and closed his eyes. Excuses did her a disservice—she deserved
better. “There are things I want from you, you cannot give.”
For more about The
Curse of the Templars, discover all the books at Claire’s Templar Webpage
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She is an active member of Romance Writers of America, and her local RWA chapters, Heartland Romance Authors, Midwest Romance Writers, and North Texas Romance Writers of America.
Claire lives in Missouri with her two young sons and too-many horses, cats, and dogs. In her "free" time, she enjoys cooking, studying Ancient Civilizations, and spending downtime with her children and the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.
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Find Clair and her books
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Immortal ProtectorThe Curse of the Templars Companion
After the brutal murder of his seraph, Iain Donnelly's salvation is eternally lost. Damned to become a dark knight of Azazel, he can no longer embrace his immortal purpose as a Templar Knight. When the archangels send him on Sabbatical to find his faith once more, his quest leads him straight into the forbidden arms of a Benedictine Sister, whom Azazel is threatening. But this woman arouses far more than his protective instincts. He wants her as he's wanted no other woman, and he's willing to provoke the archangels’ fury to keep her safe.
Catherine Grady has devoted herself to the fellowship of faith and forged a path of eternal dedication to a higher calling. But when a traffic accident forces her to accept Iain's aid, she discovers that her chosen path is not what her heart craves. Iain awakens a buried yearning to be needed and loved in a way her broken childhood denied her. As she struggles to reconcile her desires, she stumbles into the truth about her heritage, ancient secrets, and unholy danger. Iain's immortality is all that can protect her.
For Iain, it's an impossible choice. The archangels have decreed if he walks away from the Templar, they will reclaim his soul. Yet returning to the Order only guarantees his inevitable death…
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
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