About the book
The exciting prequel to Beyond the Veil! Read how the young Malik was torn from his lover, Robert, and how he was forced into a life of pain, fear and violence following his capture by the Corsairs until he became the pirate captain who attacked the Windjammer!
EXCERPT:
Malik was dragged over to the centre of the main deck and shoved into line with the other survivors. The passengers were mixed up with the crew as they were gathered together. As far as he knew only Robert and Aram had escaped from among the passengers. However, he had seen the body of Mr. Holmes lying crumpled up near the steps to the upper deck where he had fallen. It had been chilling to see a sword slice into the man as he tried to keep his teenage son safe, but it had perhaps been more chilling to watch as the poor man’s corpse was unceremoniously dumped into the sea along with the dead sailors; Corsair fallen along with the English dead.
Malik glanced over to where young Ernest Holmes was now huddled, arms wrapped around himself, pale and shaking, eyes darting from one pirate to the next. Malik wished he could do something to comfort the boy but there were half a dozen men between Malik and Ernest. Most of them were sailors who were older than he was, let alone young Ernest, yet no one seemed to think about comforting the lad whose father had just been murdered in front of him. It seemed that only the few ladies on board were considered worthy of that kind thought. Perhaps it was his own recent abandonment, as necessary as it had been, but at that moment Malik admitted to himself that he wouldn’t have refused a little comfort if it were offered. With that thought in mind, he edged backwards a step behind the man next to him and then moved slowly but steadily towards the lad.
He had almost reached the boy, his hand snaking out to touch Ernest’s arm, when a sharp voice demanded, “And where do you think you’re going?”
A large hand shot out and grabbed Malik by the shoulder and yanked him forward. He looked up into just about one of the ugliest faces he had ever seen; it was a pity that Malik had seen him before when he had forced Malik’s head back with his arm across his throat. His had been the last face Malik saw before his sight dimmed. Not a nice sight, he mused, when it might have been his last.
“Captain, I think you might find this one of interest,” the pirate said in a particularly snide voice.
A man approached, swathed almost completely in dark green robes edged with silver thread. His veil trailed across his shoulder so his face was visible and the scar cutting across his face from lower left jaw to just below his left eye lent his visage a cruel air. He was not as tall as Malik but he was of a heavier build. His eyes were dark, and Malik got the distinct impression the darkness was more than merely the colour of his pupils, it was a darkness of his soul.Stevie
BEYOND THE VEIL, historical m/m novel, in eBook and Print
I received my first Review for Drawing the Veil from Literary Nymphs. I was very pleased with the 4.5 stars they gave me, but even more pleased with such a thoughtful receptive review.
If you are considering buying any of my Phaze releases now is the time!
I was aware that Phaze Books were going to release CONFLICT in print at the end of September, good news in itself, but Phaze has also just taken over the contract of CANE and plan to release a revised version in both eBook and Print at the end of the year! It is fantastic news!
I’m taking part in the Rainbow Review Extravaganza – my day being 24th August, the release date for DRAWING THE VEIL, the prequel by my successful novel, BEYOND THE VEIL.
