Warrior Rogue (The Drift Lords Series) (41 page)
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
Facebook:
http://bit.ly/c3YchC
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 its 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?
Her head spinning, she wondered how a few cocktails could affect her so strongly. She’d been better able to hold her liquor in the past. Was there something else in those fruity drinks that made her so amenable?
Ignoring the warning bells in her mind, she scraped back her chair. Her knees wobbled when she stood. Magnor rose and steadied her with a firm grasp on her elbow.
“I accept your offer,” she told him with bravado. “If we lose, at least we’ll be ahead by several credits. And it might be fun.”
“We should seal the deal if we are to play an engaged couple,” Magnor said, closing the distance between them.
His head descended before she could protest, and his lips met hers. The pressure of his mouth electrified her and left her breathless. When he stepped away, she staggered.
He gripped her arm and guided her to their destiny.
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