Dark Warrior

by Rebecca York

In the first century BC, Ionian Priestesses made a bargain with cursed warriors called the Minot. When the truce fell apart, the Minot remained cursed, and the Ionians remained mistrustful of men. In modern-day Arizona, Jason Tyrone, son of a Minot and an outcast Ionian, has come to reclaim his heritage.At the Seven Sisters Spa, where the Ionian women live and hide their true identity, Jason falls in love with the beautiful Sophia Thalia-and their passion will re-ignite a conflict that could destroy the Ionians.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2011

About the author

Ruth Glick (born 1942) is a best-selling author of healthy cookbooks and has also written dozens of romantic suspense romance novels under the pen name Rebecca York.

Ruth earned a B.A. in American Thought and Civilization from George Washington University and an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Maryland. Although she always wanted to become a writer, Glick was convinced that her lack of spelling skills meant that her goal was unattainable. As a stay-at-home mother, she took a community college course to help her choose a career. The course made it very clear that writing was her primary interest. Glick began writing articles for newspapers and magazines, but after several years decided to try writing fiction. Her first book, a kids' science fiction book, was finally purchased by Scholastic Inc..

Since then, Glick has become a highly successful author of over 50 romantic suspense and paranormal novels. Many of her novels are published under the Harlequin Intrigue line, and in June 2003, she became one of the first authors published under Berkley's new Sensation imprint. Before 1997, she often collaborated with Eileen Buckholtz and Kathryn Jenson.

Glick also is a highly regarded author of cookbooks focusing on healthy eating. She sometimes hires trained chefs to test the recipes that she creates, and makes sure that every recipe is tested at least three times before it appears in one of her cookbooks.

Glick is the head of the Columbia Writers Workshop. She and her husband, Norman Glick, live in Columbia, Maryland, where Ruth collects rocks, and enjoys cooking, walking, reading, gardening, travel, and Mozart operas. They have two grown children, Elissa and Ethan, and two grandsons (Jesse and Leo).

Reviews

[Kathy]

Setting: spa along Blissful Canyon Road, Sedona desert – with its desert vortexes that intensified the Ionian power; secluded, warded home in mountains above Santa Barbara;

Theme: change that benefits two peoples; fulfillment of promise of ancient, powerful people; love;

Characters:
Ionian Sisterhood: Practice the ancient art s brought from Greece; in ceremonies, wore the white gowns that transformed thebe dominatedm form women of the modern world into their real personas, descendants; have powers of spell casting, telepathy, a few seers… live apart, sexually free, but no relationships with men – only to be enjoyed – and to , only have female infants; a few have left their colony and therefore cutoff; currently wealthy with business investments and run a spa; age slowly, are long lived, and beautiful;
Minot: men who hounded the Ionians through the ages, since they made a pact 2,000 years earlier – to defeat the barbarians and escorted the Ionians to Albania, to safety; but their dominant/aggressive nature rankled the Ioanians, who duped and separated from them, establishing wards to keep them away; cursed to failed lives – in power and love – reincarnated over and over again to failure; hope that in the Ionians the curse might be broken – if in fact they overcome their penchant for control;

Sophia Thalia: Ionanian, approaching her thirties; though raised Ionian, and embraces the way of life, a small part of her wonders if there is something more – something with more choice;

Dr. Jason Tyron: Minot; plagued with nightmares of failed, previous lives; born of an Ioanion woman and Minot father, who loved each other deeply; is convinced that release from curse is man by man, with the love of an Ioanian woman; has developed self discipline, and deep understanding of Ioanian ways – their need for dominance; became veterinarian with expectation of being hired to doctor their spa horses, bought property near Sedonia 10 years earlier, studied the women on the internet; getting ready to make his move;

Cynthia and Matthew Layden: another book for their story? She is high priestess, but is spending more time in her quarters with her lover Matthew – making exceptions of the rules for him; some of her decisions are defensive as she protects that relationship and strives to be seen as strong. hmmmm

Eugenia: 2nd to the High Priestess, may challenge her; raised Sophia and Tessa when their mother died;

Rafe Garrison: a Minot who wants to kidnap, seduce, and impregnate an Ionian, and then kill off her sisters; has a couple of human spies at the spa, and an older Minot who seems to support him in his plans; has studied, and developed an arsenal of drugs to use against the Ionians;

Tessa Thalia: Sophia’s younger sister; more unsure of herself than most Ionians; targeted by both Rafe and Jason as a weaker link, and vulnerable to their plans – though Jason open to what comes his way;

Julia and Paul Castle: Jason parents; though deeply in love, Julia could never reconcile herself to the loss of her sisters, and eventually gave up on living with the resultant melancholy; Paul left soonafter, allowing his son believe he followed his wife in death, not wanting to ‘infect’ Jason with his anger towards his mother’s people; at least in philosophical league with Rafe, until realizes he is moving against his son, then he positions himself to aid his son;

Summary:
Rafe targets Tessa as she returns from a late meeting in Sedonia, before she reaches the sanctuary/protection of the spa… not knowing that Sophia had taken her place; he runs her off the road, and when she begins to walk to the spa, he confronts her, and sprays her with a drug that makes unable to move away from him, allowing him to touch her; just as she thinks he will rape her (even though she is responding to him), Jason (who has been watching the walls, getting ready for his own advance) intervenes – sending Rafe off, and saving Sophia; he pushes her car back on the road, shares a kiss with her, and realizes she is the woman to save him, watches over her as she gains some self control, following her until she is safely back in the compound;

And in the backdrop of the politics of the Ionians, and Rafe and Jason trying to discover something about the other, Jason gets himself hired on as the spa vet – and Sophia begins a dance of forward and retreat – her Ionian rules running counter for her growing feeling for Jason; she has sex with him in the hayloft before she hires him… then keeps her distance for a few days… knowing the Ionian need for control, Jason keeps himself open and available, but lets her set the pace…

Another attempt by Rafe to take Tessa makes Jason a hero as he goes into the smoky/burning spa to rescue one of the elderly customers, and then acts quickly when Sophia ‘hears’ Tessa’s call for help as she is being put in a truck to be kidnapped; Jason talks her into spending time with him… she takes him to a sacred place that has good memories for her – a cave… and to test his commitment to not control – taking handcuffs, stakes, and a whip to test his resolve… and he passes with flying colors, and there is a mind sharing at mutual climax – that again scares Sophia a bit… then Tessa takes off, realizing that she is the target, and is putting her sisters at risk… but she is captured, and somehow her psychic link to Sophia is strongest when Sophia and Jason are sexually heightened – which keeps them together…

She (and the sisters) become aware of his hope/plan to mate with an Ionian, and after sharing his pain in reliving fruitless lives over and over, she embraces him, and his true deep feelings for him…

They rescue Tessa, his father had been helping her subtly and then overtly to get his son in… and the Ionian sisters arrive to save Tessa, hisfather takes a bullet for him (and in his dying breath, explains what he did and why, and that now he was going to be with his wife … and they allow Jason and Sophia to be together, but off spa property… though not ostracized from the spa/temple… ahhh

Memorable scenes:

[Bookaholics]

Dark Warrior by Rebecca York
Paranormal Romance -Sept. 6th, 2011
4 stars

In Dark Warrior, priestesses with psychic powers fiercely try to protect and defend themselves against the dark and violent Minot warriors who crave to possess them.

Sophia Thalia is part of a secret group of psychic Ionian priestesses. On the way back to the family spa, Sophia’s SUV is pushed off the road. Without a working cell phone she decides to walk the rest of the way home. However, she is soon accosted by a darkly handsome man and finds herself attracted and paralyzed by a mysterious drug. Even as his sensuality pulls at her, Sophia tries to escape him. For an Ionian vows to bow to no man. Sophia soon realizes this man is an evil Minot.

Minots are fierce warriors who the Ionian's made a brief bargain to mate with when they protected them from invading barbarians. But their bargain did not last long as the Minots were controlling and even violent and the Ionians valued their independence. Sophia knows she must break free from the spell that the Minot has cast upon her but is frustrated by hers own helpless. But she is saved when another man appears and comes to her rescue. As they battle, she is finally able to break free from the drug but Sophia is wary of the man who has aided her especially since she finds herself even more attracted to him! And he is also a Minot. When her family comes under further attack, Sophia must decide if she can trust a man when she has been brought up to think of the Minots as the enemy.

Jason Tyron is a Minot but his mother was Ionian. He knows that only by mating with the another priestess will he finally find peace and happiness like his parents had. He has been watching their spa and planning on meeting and marry one of his own. When he spies one of them being attacked, he rushes to help her and is instantly smitten. But can he get past her distrust and will she and her sister come to accept his aid before it is too late?

This was an exciting read as the other 'evil' Minot is very wealthy, powerful and ruthless. He has actually been stalking Sophia's sister, Tessa and wants her at any cost. AsJason and Sophia work together, the stakes increases as there is a saboteur in their midst. The tension and instant passion between the two was enjoyable to read and I really liked the surprising ending. The only pall on the story was that I got a little tired of Sophia's distrust and how she kept making Jason prove himself worthy enough. I understand her fear but after a while I just wanted her to give the poor guy a break. Jason was the perfect hero and certainly an alpha male but he tries to rein in his need to take charge for Sophia.

I have to admit that I am really fascinated by the Minot. They all have tortured pasts which I would love to read more about. (perhaps a new series?!) The Ionian priestesses also reminded me of the mythical Amazons except with psychic powers- very cool. I would love to read more about future Minot and Ionian romances, especially the warmhearted sister Tessa who is the source of the other Minot's obsession and gets caught up in some extreme danger. While not my favorite in the author’s paranormal romances this is definitively in the top five.

Amazon priestess and dark tortured heroes make for thrilling reading. Paranormal fans will be thrilled at Rebecca York's latest.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[Paranormal Romance]

As a member of an ancient sisterhood who've kept their traditions and beliefs secret from the outside world for hundreds of years, the heroine has never once doubted they ways of her sisters but one night changes everything. Attacked by a Minot, a male witch who's been the mortal enemy of her people. But the strange thing happens when she's then saved from another male. She never sees his face and he disappears before she can get his name. Comforted by the company of her sisters, the heroine only wants to forget the attack but her savior still haunts her dreams. Then she finds herself face to face with the man once again. The hero has lived his life by his mothers teaching. She was one of the heroine's people and when she fell in love with the hero's father, a Minot, she left her sisterhood. She told her son about the curse that plagued the Minots, making them die horrible deaths and be reborn over and over again until they write the wrongs done to the sisterhood. So he learned everything he can about them and planned everything done to a fine point to get inside the walls of their world and break the curse. Though she doesn't trust him, the heroine is drawn to him. He fights to prove himself to her in every way he can and when the heroine's sister is kidnapped, he's the only one willing to help her get the woman back.

I felt a very strong disconnect with this story and with the characters. I disliked the heroine and he lack of backbone and wishy washy trust in the man who's shown he's the only person she can trust. She can see his thoughts and feelings and knows that he's been nothing but honest with her but she insists on doubting him. She's better than her sisters who are still so self centered and weighed down by their traditions and stubborn tether to the ways of their people though not by much. These women were so concerned with allowing a man, any man, gain even the tiniest control of them. But the high priestess herself has a boyfriend whom it's clear she feels something deeper for. Yet she's a horrible hypocrite and stubbornly refuses to accept that the hero could be anything other then the enemy. Another part of this story I disliked was the fact that a lot of the book was split from the central hero and heroine to focus on the heroine's kidnapped sister. That coupled with a very unbelievable love affair and a boring and lifeless dialogue, I can't wait to be finished with this book.

[Robin Priddy]

The Ionia's are a group of women from ancient Greece. When the group of women were attacked by barbarians, the Ionian priestesse makes a deal with a group of warriors called the Minot. After the barabrians are defeated the priestesse takes a Minot warrior to mate. But when the warriors try to dominate the women they end the truce and flee. Even after fifteen hundred years the Ionians are still hiding from the Minot. The sisterhood have finally settled in Sendona, Arizona where they run a moden day spa called The Seven Sisters spa. Sophia Thalia is part of the sisterhood and she also works there taking care of the books. Her sister is suppose to go the the meeting at the Sedona Business Association but when something happens and Sophia goes in her place. While on the way home her car runs off the road when something runs in front of her. When she gets out of the car and starts to walk back to the spa, she is attacked by a strange man. He sprays some type of gas in her face and Sophia finds herself unable to call out for help and it also gives everything she sees a strange darkness. Another man comes and fights the one who is attacking Sophia. Then he helps Sophia get her car back on the road. Sophia knows that both men are Minot warriors.

Jason Tryron applies for a job at the Seven Sisters spa as a vet. Jason has another reason to want to work at the spa. His father was a Minot warrior and his mother a Ionian. When Jason's mother fell in love with his father, she went to the high priestesse to ask for her lover to be welcomed. But the priestesse gave her a choice, she could stay with her sisters or be with her lover, but she could not have both. Jason wants the type of relationship that his parents had. His mother taught him the values of the sisterhood and this has tempered his Minot side. Jason is in the right place at the right time to save Sophia from the rouge warrior. This warrior wants to capture one of the women, then use her to breed a race with psychic powers. Then he will destroy the Ionian sisters. In order to save her sisters, Sophia will have to overcome a lifetime of teaching that said all of the warriors are evil. Jason and Sophia will have to bound together to be strong enough to save not only the sisterhood but also their selves

[Darcy]

I think that I like the idea of these different races more than what I actually read in the book.

I love the idea of the Ionian, a group of strong women with special powers. They seem to just want to live by themselves and worship their goddesses. What I hated about them is what can happen to any group, they get set in their ways and the people in power become corrupt. The high priestess is starting to edge over that line. I also found myself very disturbed by how they initial young women into coming into their sexual identities. For me there is so much wrong with it I hardly know where to start.

I also liked the idea of the Minot, but it seems like they let testosterone go to their heads. When their curse is revealed I felt even more sorry for them.

I think if these two races could understand each other better things for both would be better. It seems like in the past they had that.

I don't know if this book is to be part of a series or not. If so it would be interesting to see how both races go forward with all the changes and breaking of barriers they are experiencing.

[Kagama-the Literaturevixen]

I have never read anything by this author before,but liked how the plot sounded.

Then I read it.

The heroines apperance is described as blond and willowy,so are all the other Ionian sisters. Also theyre gifted with if not immortality, at least youthful bodies way into their seventies. And they originally came from Greece where they were the only blond people in a sea of darkhaired people.Thats was a sign of their "specialness"!

Hating them already? Theres more...

They only want to give birth to girl children,use men for sexual gratification and reprodution only and "are one with the universe">_<
...but only use their power for themselves.

They must be the good guys for sure!

Yep, I pretty much disliked the heroine and her sisters from the beginning. And the hero and other men in the story are pretty much cutouts.

Plotlines are suddenly dropped on us,supporting characters one-dimensional,H and h falls into instant lust/love.

Didnt like.

[Julia Taylor]

Yawn. The idea was intriguing, but the execution was lackluster. I found the female characters thoroughly irritating. I kept hearing about how psychically and emotionally powerful they were, but they acted like the 7 dwarfs of dysfunction: Whiny, Horny, Petty, Clingy, Bitchy, Stodgy, and Phobic. Worse yet, they couldn't settle on one personality, and the resulting mood swings gave me whiplash. There were some good steamy sex scenes, but also some dubious consent sex, and one scene that brushes the boundaries of child exploitation. It fits the story, but reading about a 16 year old girl going to her substitute mother figure, her religious leader, and two other trusted women to ritually bring her to orgasm and remove her virginity (so that no man could have it) was icky.

[Paris (kerbytejas)]

I liked the book - the ending was a bit quick, could have been developed a bit more

[DJ]

Interesting species; look forward to reading more of this series.

[Matthew]

a little bit boring