Warrior of the Ages (Warriors of the Ages)

Immortality means one thing to Kahtar. Duty.

For millennia the ancient immortal warrior has returned to guard his people from the outside world. This time, Kahtar must moonlight as a cop to guard the entrance to paradise.

Beth White is drawn to the idyllic little village of Willowyth, Ohio, unaware there is a terrifying reason for her unnatural attraction. She soon learns a place full of secrets is nowhere to hide her own.

When a man’s duty is to protect his kind from outsiders, what happens when he discovers one of his own living in the wrong world?

Where is truth and honor when worlds collide?

S.R. Karfelt’s
Warrior of the Ages
presents a fascinating twist on immortality that opens the doors for deep philosophical ponderings and wildly intriguing storylines—doors through which Karfelt boldly and masterfully charges. Add fully fleshed-out characters worthy of cheering or booing and you have a story that’s impossible to put down. Warrior of the Ages is a wonderful tale, brilliantly told.

~ Robert Liparulo, author of the Dreamhouse Kings,

The 13th Tribe and The Judgment Stone ~

Gritty characters and a compelling story. S. R. Karfelt is a fabulous new voice in the paranormal genre.

~ Heather Burch, bestselling author of the Halflings Series ~

A well crafted story that captures your imagination from page one. A story arc designed to snatch you and whisk you through the portal into the ever place of the
Warrior of the Ages
. Well developed characters are the heart and soul of this tale, these people will become your friends as you cheer them on. Swords, bombs, cars, intrigue, rival clans, love, this story has it all. The ending was satisfying and unpredictable. I found myself luxuriating in the final words, soaking up every last detail. A wild ride left me craving more.

~ LaDonna Cole, author of ImmortalPortals and

Heartwork Village Stories ~

What is there to say about S.R. Karfelt’s
Warrior of the Ages
? Sheer genius, that’s what…Falling deeply in love with the characters was something I didn’t know to expect. I ping-ponged between Kahtar—our immortal hero—and Beth—the woman who would ruin everything he’s worked for. Several times I stopped to ask myself “Whose side am I on, anyway?” only to dive back in for more.

~ Kelsey Rae Keating, blogger, author of Monstrosity, Land In Between and Shieldmaiden for Hire ~

This was the fourth time that I have read
Warrior of the Ages
all the way through…and it still moves me…I am still fascinated by the background to the book, the Covenant Keepers, Old Guard, ilu, Orphans, and so on… (hard to realise that this is Karfelt’s first book, it seems so skillfully done) but the characters, the plot, the themes, are all quite mature. Ultimately, the result for me is that this book definitely meets my criterion of success, and has been a pleasure to read.

~ Elsie Wilson, reviewer, Elsie’s Stuff and Nonsense ~

S.R. Karfelt pushes the boundaries and makes you question your very way of living. With
Warrior of the Ages
, I was immediately immersed in an intense, wild ride, cheering and weeping with Kahtar and Beth. Gasping for air, the ending came all too soon!

~ Robin Harnist, editor ~

With a seasoned writer’s prowess, the author sets up the conflict…immediately and escalates the tension with every scene. I hardly ever read a trade-length book in two days, but I confess this one had me at first encounter…. Look for more from this emerging and talented…author.

~ Kathleen L. Maher, historical romance writer ~

Warrior of the Ages

Copyright © 2013 S.R. Karfelt

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Published by

Votadini Publishing/Horace Tupper Books

ISBN-13: 978-0-9895347-0-3

ISBN-10: 0-9895347-0-7

For

The Ragged Edge Writers for telling me I could,

Bailey for telling me I should,

And Lindsay, for being the first to say I had.

IMMORTALITY PROBABLY MADE a man patient. Part-time immortality, the kind that Kahtar had been inflicted with, didn’t. Crammed inside his squad car in what was possibly the hottest May Day in his existence reminded him of being locked inside an iron maiden. Except those weapons of torture had been wooden coffins, not metal, though if memory served they had better ventilation.

Across a clearing framed by spindly trees, his rookie sat inside a second patrol car. Kahtar watched Honor Monroe gaze at himself in the rearview mirror, both hands twisting his spiky hairdo to perfection, and paying no attention to his surroundings. The kid had no idea how close he was to being shaved bald. Not that there was anything dangerous around for miles, but still.

Closing his eyes to shut out the visual of Honor now picking at his teeth, Kahtar gripped the steering wheel and stilled. Military crew-cut almost flush with the ceiling, it brushed against the fabric with each breath. His mind sharpened and focused, flying outward like a stealth aircraft, scanning with a precision beyond the capability of any man-made radar. The beating wings of buzzing insects, larvae crawling through rotting wood, the clear air rife with invisible particles filled his senses. His scan moved up through the blossoming trees before plunging down, far beneath the mulch of last year’s fallen leaves. Kahtar forced his mind through the forest floor. It took years to learn to identify what was in the ground, but he’d had plenty of time to perfect the skill.

Abruptly pulled from the depths of the earth by another warrior’s scan crossing into his, it felt like a shard of glass plunged deep into his brain. Pressing his fingers against his skull he tried to ease the dark shadow. The interfering scan lifted as the culprit approached.

“Hoy!” His entirely too enthusiastic rookie rounded the patrol car, hair artfully arranged, teeth apparently picked. “Sorry about that! Not used to being around my own kind anymore!”

A tour of duty in the Middle East might have made the man forget his manners, but it hadn’t dimmed his chipper demeanor. Honor Monroe approached police work with the same animation he gave a game of stickball. His hand smacked against the windshield, and the kid peered at him, shouting through the glass.

“Chief? We’re partners today. Real cops sit in the same car with their partners.”

Kahtar glared into Honor Monroe’s bright eyes. “Monroe, I doubt your own mother would sit in a car with you all day.” For emphasis Kahtar rolled the window up. Honor wisely hurried towards his own squad car. The kid had a lot to learn. It was very tempting to scan right through his head, but Kahtar resisted the impulse to make him cry on his first day playing cops.