Dark Awakening

Blurb

For two centuries the New World Order has used the church to persecute and control the masses, creating a perfectly behaved, genetically ideal society. But not everyone embraces the Order’s tyrannical and oppressive rule. Heavily outnumbered, the rising Templar faction desperately seeks an advantage that will end the war and win their freedom. Abducting the reckless and magically-gifted Caitriona Sinclair, Commander Duncan MacKinnon, leader of the Templar rebellion, soon finds himself in a dangerous game of hide and seek to keep Caitriona safe and out of the Order’s clutches before the Templars are ready to openly defend themselves against the Order’s savage attack.

Through it all, Caitriona and Duncan fall in a desperate and deep love, struggling not to give in to their passions. But with Caitriona bound to another, her ‘handler’ Nicolas, and Duncan bound to his oath to protect and free his people, love, it seems, cannot always conquer all.

Bio

Karlene Cameron lives in the Pacific Northwest where she practices and teaches marketing, chases sunshine, and dallies in wine, whiskey and coffee. Karlene has written several articles for national publications including Appaloosa Journal, Performance Horse magazine and several newspapers. She blames her conspiracy theory obsession on her sister who, to this day, swears we never sent a man to the moon. When not writing, Karlene can be found plunking away at the piano, rafting the white water of the Wenatchee river, or enjoying a good cup of coffee (or wine) depending on the hour. She is currently working on the next book in the Dark World series, Dark Gathering.

Excerpt

Caitriona Sinclair knew how she was going to die. She had seen her death countless times since she was a young girl. Each time the vision splashed violently across her mind, she trembled and broke out in a cold sweat. But it wasn’t just the images that disturbed her; the loneliness and heartache that ripped through her left her gasping and afraid.

Her death wasn’t peaceful, nor was it a sacrifice for someone she loved. Her death was violent and bloody, perpetrated at the hands of a dark, powerful stranger and the blade he so skillfully maneuvered.

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and reached up to smooth a stray strand of reddish-brown hair from her pale heart-shaped face, blinking several times to clear the remaining imprints from her mind. As with all the other times she’d witnessed her death, she felt unsettled. She had no idea who the stranger was and, more importantly, why he wanted her dead. His face was always shrouded by darkness. The only real discerning characteristic was the tattooed Celtic knot that circled his left upper arm. A chill ran across her body and she began to shiver uncontrollably. She knew the headache wouldn’t be far behind – a horrendous parting gift from a vision she was all too familiar with.

Caitriona sank back in the cold, unyielding office chair that had been a permanent fixture in the old building long before she had been promoted to the rather small office. She ran her hand through her long hair, pushing away the nostalgia that threatened to consume her day. Having lost her mother and older sister in a violent car accident when she was only thirteen years old, Caitriona had been raised by her mother’s widowed sister. While neither abusive nor uncaring, the woman had seldom shown any great degree of love or affection toward Caitriona. Her aunt was devoted to Christ and had raised Caitriona as only a good Christian woman could; with hours of religious study, prayer and service to others. Once, Caitriona had tried to talk to her aunt about the nightmares and visions that haunted her. Her aunt’s horrified expression, along with ensuing hours of prayer and scripture, reaffirmed Caitriona’s belief that it was best to remain silent.

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