Every young woman in the kingdom would faint away with the bliss at having caught Kornelius’s eye. Yet not Saphyre. Kornelius was vastly handsome, strong, and perfect in manner—a bit too perfect in Saphyre’s opinion. There was nothing unique about his perfectly pressed, perfectly flawless attire, nothing overly masculine in his perfect posture and perfect behavior. Yes, he was perfectly comely—tall, broad-shouldered, square-jawed, with the lightest fair hair and darkest green eyes. Still, he did not appeal to Saphyre’s heart, and she was sickened as she wandered through her discomfited dreams that Kornelius should be the suitor her father had chosen for her.
Saphyre next dreamt she was standing in a forest, sunlight radiating warm and happy. Kornelius stood before her, beckoning her to come to him. But Saphyre did not wish to go to him and instead turned to find herself staring into the gaunt, angular face of the huntsman! He stood before her dressed in the green of a huntsman’s cloak, his eyes narrowed and his appearance being overall that of a roughened man to meddle not with. Oh, the expression he wore spoke of concern—guilt, fear, and self-loathing. But the knife in his hand—the knife stained and dripping with blood—told of his true intent. The fact he had released Saphyre—shouted at her to run, to run for her life and never to return to the kingdom and father she loved so—his freeing her did not atone for his initial intention.
In her dreams, Saphyre turned back toward Kornelius, but he was gone. In his place was only the darkness of the forest. The trees themselves seemed to threaten harm. Yet there was no choice given the princess Saphyre Snow—no choice but to run—to enfold herself in the uncaring embrace of wooded darkness.
In her dreams, the huntsman continued to shout at her as she ran—shout at her as he truly had. “Run, Princess! Run away!” he called. “Never to return! For returning will find you slaughtered like an unsuspecting deer, your heart cut out, and the beasts of the forests feasting on your flesh! Run!”
Saphyre gasped, her heart pounding with remembered fear. She sat up, screaming at the first sight her waking eyes beheld! At first she thought she was yet dreaming, still lost in the nightmare with the huntsman. Quickly, however, she realized she was fully awake—though another nightmare was upon her then. There, crouching before her, was a man—at least a thing that had once been a man. The beast before her glared at her through blue eyes—chilling blue eyes. Yet it was not his eyes that held captive Saphyre’s attention. It was not his eyes that caused her to cry out in terror. Rather it was the immense deformity on his face. The blue-eyed man glaring at her owned only hollows where his nose should have been…
My everlasting admiration, gratitude, and love…
To my husband, Kevin…
For being just enough of a “Bad Boy”
to make life truly exciting!
I Love You!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books—including The Visions of Ransom Lake, A Crimson Frost, The Pirate Ruse, and most recently The Chimney Sweep Charm—has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”
Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine
A Better Reason to Fall in Love
Born for Thorton’s Sake
The Chimney Sweep Charm
A Crimson Frost
Daydreams
Desert Fire
Divine Deception
Dusty Britches
The Fragrance of her Name
The Haunting of Autumn Lake
The Heavenly Surrender
The Highwayman of Tanglewood
Kissing Cousins
The Light of the Lovers’ Moon
Love Me
An Old-Fashioned Romance
The Pirate Ruse
The Prairie Prince
The Rogue Knight
Romantic Vignettes-The Anthology of Premiere Novellas
Saphyre Snow
Shackles of Honor
Sudden Storms
Sweet Cherry Ray
Take a Walk With Me
The Tide of the Mermaid Tears
The Time of Aspen Falls
To Echo the Past
The Touch of Sage
The Trove of the Passion Room
The Visions of Ransom Lake
Weathered Too Young
The Whispered Kiss
The Windswept Flame