Between The Pages: Excerpt and Review Dark Devotion by Lauren Dawes

Title: Dark Devotion

Author: Lauren Dawes

Series: Dark Series #3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Momentum (Pan Macmillan)

Release Date: Feb 25 2016

Edition/Formats: eBook

Blurb/Synopsis:

The time of Odin is over. The Aesir gods now live among the humans in their bustling modern cities. Their brutal dominion over the other gods and their eradication of the entire dark elf race may have ended, but their actions have not been forgotten.

Beneath Rhys's skin lies a legendary and feared beast. Rhys is tormented by his daily struggle to contain the ruthless, cold-blooded creature sharing his body. But when his best friend Galen disappears, Rhys's careful restraint and self-control are finally broken. Fueled with a desire to find Galen, Rhys strikes an unlikely alliance with the only god who knows the truth about his dark past.

Taer has found her revenge, yet she's still not happy. There's something missing from her life, but still she fights what her heart is telling her. It's only when the incredibly infuriating and dangerously sexy Aubrey goes missing that she can admit her true feelings for him. Taer's racing against time to rescue Aubrey, but when will she finally allow him into her heart?

Featuring myth's original antagonist, Loki, Dark Devotion is perfect for fans of Gina Showalter and Patricia Briggs.

Review

Okay this was my first read by Lauren Dawes and she hooked me I will be going back for the first 2 installments the character dynamics are amazing the world setting intriguing. Lauren Dawes Keep Me Sitting on the Edge of My Seat and than left me wanting more. I love how the love stories are woven throughout. If you're looking for a paranormal read to sate your appetite for something that is fresh and unique check out Dark Devotion.

Excerpt

Asgard – 500 AD

Bored, Fenrir snarled, the message reverberating through Loki’s mind with as much vehemency and irritation as if the words had been spoken out loud. Hot, viscous saliva oozed from Fenrir’s jaws, dripping from his gums and onto the stone floor beneath him.

Loki sighed, reaching up to touch his son’s jet-black muzzle. “I know you are. And it’s Odin’s doing.”

Fenrir growled at the mention of the All-Father’s name, the sound vibrating through his throat. Loki was starting to see why his son hated Odin. For too long, Fenrir had been confined to Asgard. For too long he had been subjected to the controlling rule of the All-Father. For too long he had been tethered to the social conventions of the Aesirean fuckers who had kept him there because of their fear.

Loki grinned as an idea formed. What could Fenrir do if he were released upon the Nine Worlds?

Whatever it was, he knew it would be disastrous and destructive and oh, so satisfying. He gazed into Fenrir’s blazing, golden eyes, seeing his face reflected back at him. “How would you like to have your freedom, son?”

Freedom, Fenrir replied, his voice a guttural growl in Loki’s mind.

He nodded. “Freedom.”

As a wolf, Fenrir stood five times taller than an ice giant. His rough fur was as dense and black as tar, his fangs as sharp as a newly forged blade. But as a man . . .

As a man, he was magnificent.

His inky hair hung over his forehead, his jaw was strong, his aristocratic nose straight and narrow. His eyes were the only thing that couldn’t be changed. They were still that brilliant gold – dangerous and menacing to look at. But that was the limitation of the magic Loki had used to transform him from a wolf to a man. He had needed to use a great deal of power, and had no way of knowing how long Fenrir would remain in this new form.

“How do you feel?” Loki asked, staring into Fenrir’s hard eyes.

His son flexed his hands into fists. “Small,” Fenrir said. “Weak.”

Loki smiled. “I can guarantee you are not weak, Fenrir. Now, what would you like to do? In this form, you can leave Asgard and the Aesir would never know . . . Odin would never know.”

“Experience . . .” Fenrir managed to say, swallowing hard, “everything.”

Yes, Loki wanted to see how Fenrir would experience everything there was in the Nine Worlds. “Come with me and I will take you to a place where you can truly experience everything you want to. I will make sure this opportunity is not wasted.”

Loki led the way, fading them both to a marketplace on Alfheim – the land of the light elves. All around, tall, lithe and beautiful beings strolled past them, going about their daily lives, completely unaware of the destruction and devastation that walked among them. The stalls of the market were filled with fruits and vegetables native to Alfheim, as well as fresh fish and meats, all filling the air with a mix of tantalizing aromas.

As the pair moved through the crowd, Loki took delight in the way the elves looked at them – their curious expressions slowly morphing into fear as they started to feel the menace rolling off Fenrir’s body in thick, choking waves. Harried whispers broke out around them, females picking up their young children and taking them out of harm’s way.

If only they knew just how much harm they were really in.

Born in South Africa and raised in Sydney, Lauren Dawes is an urban fantasy/paranormal romance writer and the author of the Dark Series.

In 2009, she quit her full-time job teaching English as a Second Language to finally begin writing "that book", letting her over-active imagination pour out onto the digital pages, much to everyone's horror. The catch phrase "I didn't know you had such a dark imagination" only fueled her to write more, where her love for Norse mythology and gods finally got the spotlight.

She currently lives with her husband and daughter in whatever city they happen to be posted to, and her cat, Oscar, who has inspired more than one character quirk or scene in her books.

To find out more, visit www.authorlaurendawes.com

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