Ultimate Prey
Book 3 Ultimate CORE
by Kristine
Mason
BLURB:
When
the hunter becomes the hunted…who will become the ultimate prey?
CORE
agent Lola Tam has two things on her mind, quitting her job as a criminal
investigator and baking a frozen pie for Thanksgiving dinner without burning
it. But a midnight call forces a change of plans. Her boss and future
stepfather, Ian Scott, has been kidnapped from his Florida vacation
rental—along with her mother. The kidnapper’s plan? Drop Ian and her mom in the
Everglades and hunt them like animals. Terrified for her mom, Lola takes the
bait and travels to Everglade City, Florida where she’s determined to end the
hunt before it begins.
Ryan
Monahan, former Navy SEAL turned airboat captain is used to taking tourists
through the Everglades, not guiding a sexy agent on a rescue mission. After
spending years dealing with a past filled with guilt and regret, he needs a
little action and adventure in his life—he needs to prove he could still be a
hero. What he doesn’t need? Falling for a woman he has no business wanting,
especially when the hunt takes a deadly turn…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
From Lola’s point of view:
Lola stopped and looked toward Ryan, who pulled off his pack
as he jumped to the last root. His easy smile had disappeared. His face had
grown tense, his eyes filled with alarm.
Terrified by his sudden change, she swallowed hard and
glanced down at her boots, expecting a python or gator to be inches from her
feet. When she didn’t see anything but vines, dead leaves and dirt, she decided
she’d rather be closer to Ryan, than whatever might be behind her. Gaze on him,
she took a step forward.
“No,” he yelled, and rushed forward in a leap, just as her
boot snagged against a thin, wire.
She landed on her back, Ryan’s arms cushioning her fall. She
squeezed her eyes tight and burrowed against his hard body, fisting his shirt
and waiting for the inevitable. Seconds passed. His heart pounded against her
chest and his breath came in ragged bursts along the side of her face.
He raised his head, but kept his body flush to hers and held
her tight. “Are you okay?”
She met Ryan’s gaze, saw the concern in his eyes, then
quickly let go of his shirt and wrapped her arms around his broad back. She
might not know this man but she didn’t want anything to happen to him. He’d
assumed the worst and selflessly shielded her body. That he would give his life
to save hers amazed and humbled her.
He hugged her back. His warm breath caressed her ear as he let
out a sigh. “Promise me the next time I tell you not to move, you’ll listen?”
She let out a shaky chuckle. “I promise.”
He lifted his head, then used his arm to brace himself above
her. The sunlight haloed his dark blond head, and with the way the shadows
played across his face, his eyes took on a gunmetal shade of gray. He moved his
hand from beneath her, then smoothed the hair that had escaped from her
ponytail away from her cheek. “I’m going to blame every new gray hair on you,”
he said with a grin.
He dipped his head, and for a split second she thought he
might kiss her. But then he simply pressed his forehead against hers. She might
have met him less than six hours ago, but she would have welcomed a kiss. She
wanted to be reminded that she was alive. That she wasn’t living a nightmare
alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kristine Mason
is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies C.O.R.E.
Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E
Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas—all to be
released in 2015.
Although
Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of
her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of
dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance.
She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her
depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and
heroines to overcome.
Kristine has a
degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio
with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s
chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean
chocolate chip cookie!
Connect with
Kristine on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads. And be sure to sign up for her
newsletter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KristineMason7
Website:
http://www.kristinemason.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giveaway:
Kristine will be awarding a $10
Amazon/BN GC to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Follow the tour HERE
Thanks for hosting!
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