A Look At 'The Lost Mercenary' by Elyzabeth M. VaLey ( @ElyzabethVaLey @evernightpub #SO )

Today we have author Elyzabeth M. VaLey visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?

* I’m not very good at making bio’s, but so you can get an idea about me, here we go:
* In love with love, Elyzabeth M. VaLey leads a double life. By day, she is a journalism graduate searching for her big break while working as a switchboard operator. When she is out of the office, she enjoys walking her quirky 11-year-old boxer and 1 year old obsessed-with-playing Labrador. Finally, at night, when the rest of the world sleeps, she gathers her notes, dons her glasses and brings to life her stories of romance, magic and fantasy.

What book are you going to tell us about today? Is it part of a series? If so, what's the order the books should be read in?
I’m going to tell you about The Lost Mercenary. This book is part 3 of the series titled The Mercenary Tales. Although they can be read as separate titles, the order they follow is:
1. The Mercenary Knight Available at Evernight Publishing
2. The Mercenary Slave Available at Evernight Publishing
3. The Lost Mercenary (Buy link available below)

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
Initially, when I wrote The Mercenary Knight, this was not going to be a series. However, one evening while I was out with my dogs, Wybert and Gregorii started demanding I tell their stories. It came to me quite suddenly and when I got home I wrote it down in the first piece of paper I found. The stories changed quite a bit after that, but the series was officially born.
This piece of

cardboard was where I first scribbled the idea for the stories. I still didn’t have the pretty notebook that lies below when inspiration struck.

Describe the hero in five words.
Sexy, kind, chivalrous, dreamer and kinky.

Describe the heroine in five words.
Strong, beautiful, dangerous, brave and scared.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
Although I love Gregorii with all my heart, I’m going to pick Emmeline, the heroine. She was a difficult character to build. She had to give the appearance of a dainty maiden but in truth, she was much more. In addition, her deep dark secret switched a few times from the moment I outlined the story to the actual final draft. She’s part of something quite big and it took me some time to get things right.

What's your favorite line in the story?
I have more than one, but I like this one a lot, uttered by Emmeline: “Destiny might play some of our cards, but we are the choices we make, Gregorii. [...]”

A look into the story The Lost Mercenary

~ Blurb ~ * All he ever wanted was a family and some land for farming. Instead, his dreams were ripped at the seams by a ruthless king. Choosing to become a mercenary, Gregorii has roamed the land clinging to a past he thought long gone until Emmeline stumbled onto his path. Now, his dreams resurface and hope re-emerges. The only problem is Emmeline’s defiance.
* Emmeline has a secret. An important secret. A dangerous secret. Few know her mission. Fewer know her past. When Gregorii turns up in her life, past, present and future unite and her whole world threatens to crumble.
* How long will she be able to hide the truth from him? How long will her heart resist the inevitable?
~ Excerpt ~ * Sharply taking hold of her hands, he tied her wrists together. Pulling her to her feet, he bound her to the lowest branch, forcing her to almost stand on her tiptoes. Her face was flushed, her eyes bright and her hair disheveled, the taut braid she wore earlier practically gone. Gregorii swept his gaze over her body and he felt his cock ooze in appreciation. She was truly gorgeous. Curvy, with toned legs and breasts with large hard nipples begging to be touched and tasted.
* “Grearióus, release me or I will kill you,” she threatened in a low murmur.
* He lifted his eyes to her face and licked his lips. He was anxious to kiss her again, yet he knew it would not be an easy task at the moment. “I believe your position is not exactly one of ease for killing, though I do not doubt your capabilities. You have a nasty right hook,” he said, rubbing his shoulder. “And incredibly strong legs, not to mention a delicious tasting pussy. No wonder you became mistress of the brothel.”
* Emmeline spat at his feet and he grinned.
* “Tell me what I want to know and I will release you and no one will know the better. We can even have a peaceful fuck afterwards. I know you want it as much as I do.” He glanced into her eyes, but she spat again, this time the dribble landing on his face. Chuckling, he brushed it off like a bothersome fly.
* “I’ve been submitted to worst torture than this. You don’t have it in you to hurt me. You were never good at hurting others.”
* “It’s been ten years, Avalina, I have changed.”
* “No, you haven’t. You are still the gentleman, the kind hearted soul who will help maidens in distress. You might be a mercenary, but that is only on the outside. Inside, you are still that playful boy with a heart of gold. I have seen you fight before and it was not what we just did here. You didn’t want to hurt me,” she accused.
* “You didn’t want to hurt me too badly, either. You killed that man in the woods without contemplation. Right now, you doubted your moves or we would both be very badly injured. In truth, you’re still that vulnerable child challenging everyone because she’s scared of the world.”
* “No.”
* “No?”
* “No, Grearióus. I lost my vulnerability the moment Ragnahall burned down. I admit I am scared of the world. You have no idea what is out there, Gregorii,” she whispered anxiously. “But now, I challenge for survival.”
* “You don’t always have to fight against everything, Ava,” he murmured. “You don’t have to fight me.”
* He watched Emmeline carefully as she lowered her lashes and chewed on her bottom lip, mulling on his words. In two strides, he stood inches away from her, his fists clenched at his sides so he wouldn’t touch her. She glanced up at him with large brown eyes full of fear, causing his heart to flutter nervously. “Why won’t you tell me why you’re really going to Karpathian?” he asked softly.
* Emmeline squared her jaw, her lips thinning and her eyes growing hard. “There is nothing to tell, Gregorii.”
* “I think there is.”
* She shook her head, lose strands of her long hair falling over her face, framing the pink lips he itched to kiss.
* “You will tell me.”
* “Like I said,”—she lifted her cool gaze to his eyes—“there is nothing to tell.”
* “I will torture you for information.”
* “I am no stranger to pain.”
* Gregorii grinned and laughed. Reaching out, he roughly cupped her jaw. She inhaled sharply. “The torture I have in mind for you, Emmeline, my sweet Avalina, is quite different.” Dropping his head, he captured her lips in a searing kiss. She hesitated for a fraction of a second before opening her mouth to him and allowing his tongue to brush hungrily against hers. Gregorii pressed the length of his body against hers, wanting her to feel the need between his legs. He dropped his hands to her ass, caressing and squeezing the firm, round globes. Emmeline whimpered, the sound fueling his desire to new heights. His fingers brushed against the apex between her thighs, the heat there blazing. Panting slightly, he pulled away.
* “I am no stranger to sex,” she said huskily.
* Gregorii grinned. “I know, but I believe that like most whores, you are a stranger to soul weakening desire. The kind of attraction we feel for each other is as strange to you as it is to me.”

Buy The Lost Mercenary here...
Evernight Publishing

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Thank you for joining us here today, Elyzabeth! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your work.