Amber Heat Wave

To coincide with Amber Quill Press’s promotion of the upcoming Amber Heat Wave Contest for 2006, many of the Heat Wave authors are posting excerpts and anecdotes about their contest winning stories.

Renna’s Sacrifice [originally titled, The Sacrifice when it was submitted] was my entry in the 2006 Amber Heat Wave Contest. It was only the second steamy sci-fi story I’d written and I had no expectations whatsoever that it would be chosen as one of nineteen winners by Amber Quill’s editorial staff.

Renna’s has a shock-your-socks-off cover and hopefully a surprise ending [at least it surprised me when I wrote it.]

Here’s a short excerpt to commemorate the Heat Wave 2006 kickoff and hopefully encourage other writers out there to strut their stuff to Amber Quill Press:

He shook his head. "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you."

He smirked at her quick response. "What brings you out here each night?" he asked.

"At first it was to escape the rules of the Refuge for a while. Now, I come to look for you."

"It's the same with me," he said. "Are you a Priestess?"

"No. A ward. They took me in as a child and I live their life, but I'm not one of them. Are you a disciple of the Sun God?"

He nodded.

"What is this place? I never knew it was here."

"This is a sacred pool," he said. "On certain nights, if you stare into the reflection in the water, you may see visions."

Renna's eyes widened. She'd never known someone who saw visions. "What visions have you seen?"

"You."

Renna gasped. His voice sent shivers down her spine. Beneath her shift, her flesh pebbled at his revelation. She let her cautious glance skim down his body and back up to his handsome face. "You saw me?"

"Many times, even before you found this place. I've wondered when I would meet you."

Renna crossed her arms over her breasts to combat the ache she felt there when he looked at her. "Why would I be in your visions?" She cocked one eyebrow at him and grinned.

"I don't know. I suppose over time, I will find out."