Excerpt from THUNDER GAME by Christine Feehan
Leila became aware of sound first. Insects droning. She registered that was a good thing but she was disoriented and at first couldn’t figure out why. Her head pounded and her abdomen felt on fire. She was afraid to move. Breathing hurt. She reached for the weapons Diego had promised would be close, just to reassure herself that she wouldn’t be taken a second time. She’d never felt so vulnerable.
It took another few minutes, or at least it felt that way, to pry her eyes open. Despite finding herself hooked up to a needle with what appeared to be an empty bag of fluids, her entire body felt dry, and her eyes and mouth were desperate for fluids.
She turned her head, and for one moment, her heart accelerated. She slowed the beat immediately and took in the man who had most likely saved her life. He hadn’t left her or given up. He’d treated her with respect, telling her step-by-step what he had to do. He’d left supplies and weapons for her, giving her every chance for survival.
Light filtered through the branches and brush covering the small den where they sheltered. The early morning rays fell across Diego’s face, illuminating the sharp angles and planes of his cheekbones and jaw. His face was a perfect sculpture of masculine beauty. She had never seen a man so gorgeous. Everything about his features appealed to her. But . . . Her heart sank. Was he breathing?
Her heart sped up in alarm, and once again, she deliberately slowed her pulse. It wouldn’t do any good to have both of them dead. She couldn’t do more than turn her head, fearing that moving around would destroy all the work Diego had done. She felt as if she’d had an operation, her insides sore, but feeling different from when she’d gone under.
The scent of blood was disturbing. She knew that many of the predators in the forest would be attracted to their shelter. Leila tightened her fingers around the gun. She would have to be ready to defend them. First though, she had to determine if Diego was alive.
His body lay very close to hers. Thighs touching. She began to feel around for his arm or hand. She had to stay very still, that was what he’d said, but she was uncomfortable. Her clothes were a mess and felt sticky against her skin. That wasn’t the only problem. She couldn’t get up to use the bathroom, not that there was one. Diego hadn’t thought of that. Or had he? She hadn’t looked around for a bucket. He said he’d put everything she needed within her reach so she wouldn’t have to move. She wasn’t wearing her trousers, just her bloodstained, very tattered shirt. He’d had to take off her trousers and underwear to operate on her.
She lay there unmoving, feeling exhausted, scared, with tears leaking out of her eyes. It took several more minutes to get the courage to continue exploring for Diego’s arm. She didn’t dare try to turn on her side to face him. She wasn’t even certain she could. Finally, after moving her palm along his thigh, up his hip and rib cage, she brushed his arm with her fingers. One arm was down along his side.
Leila traced a path to his wrist and settled her fingers over his pulse. She found herself holding her breath. Waiting. He had to be alive. It was as necessary as her next breath. For a moment, she couldn’t see or hear anything but her own wild heartbeat thudding in reaction. Then she felt it: a faint, fluttery beat that sent her emotions soaring. The relief was overwhelming.
His wrist and that heartbeat acted like some kind of a security blanket for her. She lay there beside him, just breathing, grateful that he was alive. She was more grateful for his life than her own.
From THUNDER GAME published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2025 by Christine Feehan.
GhostWalker #20
Two broken souls find a love worth fighting for in this captivating GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.
Diego Campos has come home to die. The GhostWalker is tired of walking a dark path shaped by countless losses. There has never been a moment of good in his life that wasn’t followed by something bad. But as he makes his way to his family’s homestead in the Appalachian Mountains, his plans are interrupted by a violent ambush that sets his life on a new course.
In between fighting off a small army of assailants, Diego is struck by a beautiful, brutal warrior woman unlike anyone he’s encountered before. Compelled to rescue her, Diego uses his psychic gifts to make Leila’s broken body whole again and save her from certain death. With each new breath she regains her strength, showcasing her humor, intelligence and courage as she reveals the truths of her past and inspires feelings Diego never thought his heart could experience.
After a lifetime alone, in the middle of firefight, Diego has finally found a light to guide him through the darkness—and one brief touch is enough to set them both aflame.
Romance Paranormal [Berkley, On Sale: May 6, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9780593819630 / eISBN: 9780593819654]
Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven different series including the ongoing Carpathian series, GhostWalker series, Leopard series, Shadow series, Torpedo Ink series, and two stand-alone romantic suspense novels. Learn more online on her website.
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