HER REBEL SPIRIT DEFIED HIS OUTSIDERS SOUL...
She was velvet and silk, eyes the color of a summer storm. Victoria
DeMontville, because of a promise and a codicil to her father's will, was
forced to marry one man to protect her from another.
EXCERPT: Rebel Heart
Early summer, 2585
Victoria
She loved to come to the lake. Nowhere else on earth was so
beautiful and cool. Sunlight shimmered on the water and played chase with the
golden ripples that dipped behind the shadows cast by stately redwood trees,
only to emerge a heartbeat later and begin its game once again. The trees
surrounding the lake were ancient now, born before the two thousand year wars.
Perhaps it was her father who made this place seem special,
who created the magic. He was wonderful and good. He cared deeply for his
family and his friends. But more than that, he worked hard to uphold the laws
of the cities and to bring understanding between the City Dwellers and the
outsiders.
He had promised her, had obtained the passes needed to go
outside the perimeter of the virus-free bubble that protected them. She had
been so proud when he handed her the permit.
"Victoria, I'm giving you this for safe keeping,"
he'd told her. "Now, don't lose the pass. Without this little piece of
paper both you and Vanessa will have to stay home and I'll be forced to swim
alone."
But her father was a busy and important man. Minutes before
they meant to depart for the lake, he was called away on something vital,
matters of state that had to be taken care of immediately.
She and Vanessa watched him leave. Yet they had the
treasured passes in hand. There was no reason Tori could think of that she and
her twin should stay home. They left the sterile confines of the City to swim
and play, just as they had planned.
Oh, and it was such a beautiful day. Vanessa's giggle
slipped across the deep blue surface and seemed to dive beneath, as if
following her twin in a careless display of frivolity. Nessa's dark blond curls
broke the surface of the water. She shook her head. Droplets flew into the air
then shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. They caught rainbows of light and
melded with their source. Laughter rippled again.
Tori dove then quickly emerged from the mysterious depths;
with strokes synchronized perfectly, they swam to the farthest point of land.
Reaching shallow water, they waded ashore, oblivious to everything except the
beauty of the day.
"I wish father had been here." Nessa's small
breathy voice lost itself in the towering trees and thick foliage.
"He had important business." Something was about
to happen. Tori sensed it--some sudden stillness in the air, something that
warned her.
Nessa DeMontville cast an exasperated glance at her twin who
moved past her toward a huge granite rock that loomed almost ten feet above the
earth. Another boulder soared higher.
"He promised us, and it has been so long."
"Sometimes he doesn't have a choice." To Tori, the
forest had suddenly turned quiet--too quiet.
"Are you sure it was alright for us to come without
him?"
"We have the passes," Tori said, scarcely able to
breathe.
Nessa shook her head. "Yes, but..."
"I rest my case." She crossed her arms in front of
her.
"But father..."
Tori patted the rock next to her. "I promise as soon as
we dry off, we'll go home. Come on, join me."
Nessa looked from her clothes to the sun-warmed rock. After
a few seconds, her gaze drifted back to her sister. Nessa trembled, and Tori
knew her sister was afraid.
"I suppose we'll have to sneak in through the tower
window," Nessa said.
"Only because it's so much fun," Tori replied.
The tower she spoke of stood guard over Tower City, an
ancient reminder of a time long past. It looked over a larger arm of the lake
they now enjoyed. A small, hidden door located at the tower's base enabled the
girls to escape the stifling confines of the City.
No one had the freedom to come and go from the City, as they
pleased; no one except physicians. Since the last outbreak of the deadly signe
virus, most travel was forbidden and permits were given only to a chosen few.
Tori lifted her face to the sun, intent on the precious
moments she had left.
"I'm sorry Nessa, truly I am. If I'd realized you
didn't want to go, I wouldn't have asked. Now that you're here, you have two
choices; go up the ladder or walk through the gates. But then Father will know
within minutes."
"So he will be angry?" Nessa asked.
"I don't know. Why did you agree to come with me?"
Nessa's head shot up. Her grey eyes clouded. "I
couldn't let you go alone. What if something happened to you?"
Tori smiled tenderly then just as suddenly sobered.
"You worry too much. Remember, we have passes and Father did approve this
outing."
"But that's because he planned to be here."
Out of the corner of one eye, Tori watched her sister slip
out of her swimsuit and struggle into her clothes. Nessa pulled on the
form-fitting black body suit, wriggling to get into it. After that, she tugged
at the bodice until the material flattened all her newly blossomed curves. Her
dark blue tunic slithered over her head and rested an inch above her knees.
Nessa buckled the wide silver belt she always wore before she buttoned the two
remaining buttons, fastening them securely below her chin.
Nessa waited and tapped her foot impatiently. To Tori, it
looked as if Nessa waited for her to climb from the rock and dress, but Tori
didn't want to leave.
"Are you coming?" Nessa asked finally.
"Another minute. The sun feels so warm and..."
"Tori."
"What?"
Thunder boomed in the mountains far to the east and
instantly the sky sizzled, turning the air sultry. Clouds billowed over the
mountains and formed huge dark figures. The noise from the burgeoning summer
storm eclipsed all other sounds.
Something awful was about to happen. Suddenly anxious to be
home, Tori rose.
She slid off her sunny perch and scrambled into her clothes.
Loose fitting breeches and a lightweight cotton shirt slipped over clean fresh
skin, a sharp contrast to her sister's attire. She quickly tugged on her boots,
hobbling on one foot then the other. When she finished, she straightened,
brushing dusty hands on her pants.
"Race you to the cross roads." Tori started across
the stream. One foot landed in the bubbling creek with a loud splash, the other
landed squarely on the other side. The exhilaration left her breathless, and
she gave no heed to the racket she caused, racing across the summer-dried
forest.
A sharp cry pierced the woods. The scream was followed by
the sharp report of a bullet. Both girls fell to the ground and froze. After
several terrifying seconds passed without another shot, they raced for cover.
Lightning scorched across the sky. Rain threatened. Black
clouds filled the horizon, blocking out the sun.
Annie for Euro Reviews
writes:
Rebel Heart is a well-written futuristic novel of
a time that very possibly could come to pass, when viral plagues have laid the
planet waste, and life is lived either in the sterile confines of domed
habitats, or as pariahs in the outside wilderness. The world-building is
excellent, vivid, and true-to-life. The characters will quickly catch and hold
the reader's sympathies. The plot is quick, and takes time to examine many
valid social, economic, class, and political issues as well. Christine Young delivers a winner which
will capture the interest of futuristic/science fiction fans as well as the
general reader.
Jasmina Vallombrosa for TCM
Reviews writes:
Filled with drama and suspense, this book will draw
you into the mysteries of science fiction. I was pleasantly surprised by Ms.
Young’s storytelling talents as she wove not only a wonderful futuristic
adventure, but also that of a passionate love story. I loved the main
characters as they came to life on the pages. The plot was quite suspenseful
and deliciously entertaining. As a result, I had no choice but to keep flipping
the pages as I raced to the end. Bravo Ms.Young for such an extraordinary book
from cover to cover!
ALSO BY CHRISTINE YOUNG
Funny and Sweet
Imagine, if
you can, our hero, sound asleep and dreaming a delightful, erotic dream.
Suddenly he is awakened by an almost naked, sexy woman, walking into his
bedroom accompanied by her pet skunk.
And that is how Safari Moon begins. I chuckled to myself as I continued
reading. It seemed that he, a wild life photographer, put an ad in the paper
for an assistant, but somehow his Grandfather changed the ad and it now stated
that he was desperately in need of a wife. Immediately our handsome, confirmed
bachelor is surrounded by a bevy of giggling, panting, eager women wanting to
marry him.
How he plans his escape from all the desperate women involves an old friend he
gets to help him. Since the friend is presently engaged to someone else and
doesn't really want to get involved, it's more than a little complicated. They
arrive in Alaska, planning on pretending they are an item. Then Grandfather and
Grandmother arrive. The story continues with much laughing on my part, and many
misunderstandings, especially when the fiancé shows up.
The story is funny and complicated due to the fact that each of the two main
characters are trying to pretend that they really don't care about each other.
And since neither is able to keep his or her hands off the other, the story
becomes hilarious.
Safari Moon is not your typical romance, and I really loved it.
BLURB:
Safari Moon
Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer,
is preparing for a trip to Alaska.
Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home
and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at
him. Solo doesn't know why, and he has
no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women. He finally decides to beg a favor of his best
buddy Nyssa Harrington.
