He’s an alien Viking.
She has no intentions of being his captive.

Njal enjoys the life of a ruthless Vikingr captain: eat, drink and pillage to his heart’s content. Then he and his crew of warriors get the worst possible news: their planet is destroyed.

If their species is to survive, they must claim females to breed offspring. Luckily, scientists at the Intergalactic University discovered that women on a backwater planet called Earth are compatible. And what does a Vikingr do once he’s found his mate? Right, he abducts her.

Steff is terrified of the huge blue alien who’s kidnapped her. He’s wild, loud, and has never heard of table manners. But is there pain and vulnerability behind his bluster? Perhaps she can help him and his men. Not by becoming his mate, no way. By adding them to the roster of her dating agency. Maybe he won’t hold her hostage if she finds him another bride…

The prologue of this book takes place two years prior when Njal the Bloodthirsty and his crew are stricken with the pain of the knowledge that their planet is gone and with it everyone and everything they’ve always known.

Hot Tatties Dating Agency is a success thanks to the Albyans. They’ve made sucessful matches and the native females are starting to wake. There is however an exclusive contract in place. As her day is winding down Steff gets a strange phone call asking if Peritans are compatible with him. She instructs the caller leave genetic sample with the Intergalactic University (IGU) to find out.

Njal secretly contacted the IGU and got a list of compatible species, the thing is although the Peritans are on it they were crossed off. Apparently, they are now under intergalactic protection. With IGU and Intergalactic Authority satellites orbiting the planet he knows they are breaking all sorts of laws but he doesn’t care. Njal has a purpose and he won’t be deterred or kept waiting, he’s going to kidnap a woman.

Steff is almost home after an exhausting day at Hot Tatties when she’s accosted by a man. The next thing she knows, she’s waking in a dark room. Realizing she’s been kidnapped she decides she’s not going to be a victim here. She’s going to get out of this. She’s also fortunate to have a translator implant.

This is a favorite scene.

He wore heavy combat boots, black as the night, the style completely at odds with his shirtless chest.   As if he’d been in battle and forgotten to put on his armour. Or used his naked torso to distract his enemies.

“Like what you see?” He grinned wolfishly. His lips were midnight blue, but the teeth flashing between were a pale pink. His incisors were too sharp for human standards. Did his species bite?  

I looked him straight into his cobalt eyes, refusing to feel guilty for checking him out. A, don’t walk around half-naked if you don’t want to be stared at, and B, he’d abducted me and I had every right to observe who’d kidnapped me. Plus C, I had ovaries. No straight woman could look at this guy without feeling a slight flutter in her nether regions. He oozed masculinity.

“Who are you and why did you abduct me?” I demanded. “This planet is under the IGU’s protection.”

He seemed taken aback. “You know about the IGU? I thought Peritans didn’t know about life beyond their planet.”

I grinned at him, hoping to unsettle him with my display of confidence. I hoped he couldn’t see the slight tremble of my hands as I faced off my abductor.  

“I deal with Albyans and the IGU on a daily basis. You chose the wrong woman to abduct. I repeat, why did you kidnap me and who the fuck are you?”

He pushed back his shoulders, all pride and bravado. “I am Njal the Bloodthirsty, captain of the Valkyr. I am a Vikingr – if you’ve heard of Albyans, I’m sure you’ll know of the great Vikingr race. We are feared and admired across the galaxy.”

Arrogant much? What an arse.  

“Well, I’ve never heard of you. And if you have to give yourself a scary title, that’s only proof that you’re not as fearsome as you think. Now answer my bloody question before I get angry.”

My drama teacher would have been proud of my performance. Inside, I was scared shitless, but he didn’t have to know that. Once I was back home, I’d send my alma mater’s drama department some flowers.  

Njal continued to grin at me, but his gaze had turned from curious to appreciative.  

“Peritan females really are as strong as I’d hoped. That’s excellent news. The IGU scientists were sure that we’re compatible on a physical level, but a true Vikingr would never accept a soft female as their mate, even if he could breed her.”

Breed. The word echoed in my mind and I suddenly felt very cold. This wasn’t an alien like the Albyans – honourable, decent, kind. Albyans didn’t use words like breeding. They conducted sacred rituals as their version of marriage, which gave a human woman the same rights as her alien husband. Women weren’t seen as walking wombs like I’d heard other alien species treated their females.

Why couldn’t I have been abducted by a nice alien?

“You’re not going to breed me,” I hissed.

The door behind him was still ajar. I could try and run. But where to?  

“Perfect,” Njal muttered, his gaze still roaming my body. “My crew will be pleased.”  

Crew. Multiple aliens. He was going to give me to them.

My knees wobbled with fear, but I pushed past it. I had to show strength. So I ran at him and jammed my knee right up his crotch.
Skye MacKinnon. Vikingr (Kindle Locations 311-337). Peryton Press.

Steff’s first attempt at escape is thwarted by Njal and fortunately for him she had been heading in the direction of his cabin. He’s determined to get to know this female and see if they were compatible in ways other than just science.

I truly enjoyed the way this book plays out, there’s laughter, tears, frustration, sizzle and so much more!

I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series.

5 Contented Purrs for Skye!

Skye MacKinnon

Skye MacKinnon is a USA Today & International Bestselling Author whose books are filled with strong heroines who don’t have to choose.

She embraces her Scottishness with fantastical Scottish settings and a dash of mythology, no matter if she’s writing about Celtic gods, cat shifters, or the streets of Edinburgh.

When she’s not typing away at her favourite cafe, Skye loves dried mango, as much exotic tea as she can squeeze into her cupboards and being covered in pet hair by her two bunnies, Emma and Darwin.