Excerpt & Giveaway! Vanquished by S.E. Green

(Warning: For mature audiences only)

For a price, the world’s most powerful people can explore their darkest desires. On a private island hidden in the ocean they may hunt humans for game, attend gladiator-style fights, participate in elaborate orgies, and freely indulge in all the deadly sins within the cosplay of ancient times.

Abducted from their life in Miami, Valoria and her younger sister wake up in this secret society, wherein Valoria is condemned to the fights and her sister is taken away to become a sex slave.

Now “property” of a sadistic tyrant, Valoria joins other men and women captives who are forced to fight and maim for others’ enjoyment, to run in their hunts, and participate in deviant fantasies. And she’s under the cold, watchful eye of Alexior, a hired trainer with his own agenda for being involved in the twisted decadence.

After surviving several near-death ordeals, a defiant Valoria focuses on her training and against all odds soon becomes a favorite. But she fights for one thing and one thing only—to be reunited with her sister and to be freed.

But promises of freedom are sometimes just manipulative lies . . .

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~*~

The warriors and the recruits go to stand along the perimeter of the training ground, leaving me and Sera alone in the courtyard. Alexior hands a wooden practice sword to Sera first and then brings one to me.

“She’s a stronger opponent,” he quietly tells me. “Do not allow advantage to your back. You are small. Use that to your benefit. Draw her to you then use her strength against her.” With that, he backs off, leaving me to wonder how exactly I’m supposed to execute what he just said.

“I would like them to use real weapons,” someone calls out, and I snap my eyes up to the terrace.

Bareket is there now, standing off by herself, staring her beady eyes right at me.

Every single one of my tendons and muscles tense in fiery anger.

Dominus lets out a nervous laugh. “Bareket—”

“It’s what I want.” She flings her jeweled hand through the air. “If it’s their lives you’re worried about, I’ll reimburse you double should one perish.”

My mouth goes completely dry. I can’t help myself from looking over at Sera who seems as stunned as I am.

Dominus nods. “As you wish.” He looks down at Alexior. “Let them choose their weapon.”

My feet stay rooted to the dirt as frenzied blood throbs through me. I’m going to die. My world tilts, then everything mutes. I’m going to pass out.

Alexior appears again in front of me. He peels my fingers off of the wooden sword and hands me a smaller spear than the one I just practiced with. This one has a blade attached to the end.

“Look at me,” he commands.

I bring my dazed eyes up to his.

“Focus. Think of your sister. Neither you nor Sera have to die. When it comes time to surrender, do so with the show of an index finger.” He wraps my hand around the spear and goes to stand with the others around the perimeter of the training ground.

“Begin!” Dominus commands from the terrace.“Valoria!” Sera shouts. “You will die here in this dirt.”

~*~

S. E. Green (aka Shannon Greenland) is the award winning author of the teen thriller, Killer Instinct, a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers; the teen spy series, The Specialists, an ALA Popular Paperback and a National Reader’s Choice recipient; and the YA romance, The Summer My Life Began, winner of the Beverly Hills Book Award. Her books have been translated into several languages and are currently on numerous state reading lists. Vanquished is her debut novel for adults.

Shannon grew up in Tennessee where she dreaded all things reading and writing. She didn’t even read her first book for enjoyment until she was twenty-five. After that she was hooked! When she’s not writing, she works as an adjunct math professor and lives on the coast in Florida with her very grouchy dog. Find her online everywhere @segreenauthor.

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