Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with RENA MARKS!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, RENA MARKS, and her favorite recipe for MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD!!
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BETRAYED
The Blue Barbarian Series Book 6
BY RENA MARKS
Blurb
A Drurian spacecraft that specialized in kidnapping females snuck into Earth’s atmosphere. Their mission? To sell a dozen abducted females to other galaxies.
Now those dozen women have integrated with the Blaedonians. When another tribe is discovered deep in the underground of the planet, there yet one more culture to integrate.
Series order:
Abducted – Book 1
Stranded – Book 2
Taken – Book 3
Captive – Book 4
Stolen – Book 5
Betrayed – Book 6
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BETRAYED
The Blue Barbarian Series Book 6
BY RENA MARKS
Excerpt
I head out into the main area to find Shen’robi waiting. She hands me a filled waterskin and a small bag with straps that I can tie around my waist or back, hence the reason I wore a high-waisted skirt. Carefully I inspect the bag, expecting trickery. Perhaps supplies missing for first aid. Or not enough food. Inside the satchel is an assortment of dried meat and roots, some berries. There are also extra leathers to use as bandaging, healing salve, braided rope.
Despite my misgivings, I can find nothing wrong with her packing. It appears she has nothing up her sleeve. Nodding, I tie it up and hook it to my waist and the straps of my halter on my back, ready to get this over with.
We climb the vines up the entrance and slip out of the hidden tree into the dark forest. It is the only spot where the skies are muted with shadow though it is nothing like the ink of night. The forest is a dark, eerie spot, but the world clears of clouds as soon as we leave the shaded branches of the trees, and soon we are on the trail heading up the mountain.
“Thank you for coming with me,” Shen’robi says, and it is baiting rather than sincere.
I snort, a rather unladylike sound and not at all fit for royalty. “You’re aware I wanted to go nowhere with you. I do not trust you.”
She smiles, unperturbed. “I know. But I meant what I said. It is more beneficial for us to show solidarity among our people, isn’t it?” She hands me a skin of water, then opens her own, taking a deep swallow.
I follow. It is hot out.
“Soon enough, you will have another pleasure mating with Atan and Diont. You should not mind sparing a couple of hours for someone else in the tribe.”
“I choose them. They choose me. It should be as simple as that.”
“But it is not. It does not look good in the eyes of our people. You and I can work together for change.”
Just on the other side of the winding mountain trail, the land opens up to fields. Wildflowers are scattered throughout the brush, dotting the land with bits of color.
I stumble, catching myself just as Shen’robi reaches out to steady me.
“Careful,” she snaps. “Don’t twist an ankle. We have a long way to walk.”
She takes another swig of her water, and so I do the same. The water tastes sweet—a bit sweeter than usual, and I guzzle a good amount.
She looks strangely satisfied. “Come on. The herbs that I saw are still quite a bit away.”
We begin trekking forward, the sun high in the sky. No cause for alarm should the dark hit unexpectedly because I still don’t trust her. But in case she does plan to trick me, I am glad my mates had me wear my belly chain of glow rocks beneath my skirt. In case Shen’robi has any qualms about deserting me. Not that I think a single strand of glow rocks could hold off massive amounts of night monsters, but it should be able to buy me time to find a place to hide. Perhaps start a fire and tuck in for the night. She’ll be surprised when I show up in the morning and accuse her of my death.
My arms and legs tingle as we walk further. I glance over at Shen’robi, puzzled. She seems to be going strong, despite the unusual warmth in the air. I’m not sure why I’m feeling odd in this higher elevation, but I seem to have worked up a sweat.
“Not much further,” she says. “I love the height of this mountain. The clearing at the top. It’s flat and free of most shrubbery.”
“The sun is stronger than I thought,” I mutter. “I’m not feeling so great.”
I open the waterskin and drink the last of the water.
“It is not you,” she says calmly. “It is the root of anrukis that I simmered in the water overnight.”
My mouth drops. Anrukis is an herb that brings about relaxation. Too much tends to paralyze the limbs. We use it in cases of extreme anxiety.
“Why?”
“Because the last two times we fought, you bested me. And I am not risking it again.”
“You wish to fight?”
She smiles. “Always.”
“What happened with the whole need-to-band-together-for-our-people ruse?”
She shrugs. “I lied. I have big plans for you, Eretar.”
“Everyone knows I left with you. Do you think you can drug me and leave me out for the night creatures? Do you think no one will come searching when we are not back before dinner? Or if you show up alone?”
“Night creatures?” She laughs. “It’s a far cry from being dark, isn’t it?”
I am confused. What else is she up to?
She leans in. “When you’re gone, I’m going to forcibly mate your males. I’m going to tie them up and lick them until they’re hard. Then I’m going to sit on them and have my way. Once I’m impregnated, I’ll finally release them to go home to their own village.”
I’d love to smack her across the face, but my arm is so heavy.
“You think the surface people won’t come after their own when Atan and Diont don’t show up?”
She shrugs. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll let them go by then to keep the peace between the tribes. But their babies will live on inside of me…the babies that should be yours. Instead, they’ll be mine.” She leans in, and the glimmer in her eyes looks evil.
“So where will I be?” I ask carefully.
Just then, the air around us begins to whir.
At first, I think it is a trick of my drugged mind. I’m about to rub my eyes clear when my mouth drops as the air shimmers with a red glow despite the daylight. The wind kicks up our braids to whip around our faces.
Shen’robi whistles and raises an arm toward the sky, waving wildly. “Here! Right here!”
The red light condenses into a beam which shines near us, roving back and forth as if it searches.
“Great Goddess! Are those the aliens who abducted our people once before?” I have to yell to be heard over the noisy wind. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. There’s no possible way Shen’robi can be manipulating this. It must be trickery of some kind.
“Yes. They’ve so kindly agreed to take you. People will weep over the loss and without you here, your brother will be tossed from leadership. The line will fall to me, especially as I will have offspring soon. I thought about using Hekran’s seed, but this is my chance to have the offspring that should belong to you.”
“Are you crazy? How the hell are you going to explain my disappearance?”
“Trust me. Your crazy surface people are probably tracking it right now. No one will doubt my story that you have been abducted by aliens.”
Then the bitch grabs me by the arms and pushes me into the light beam.
Links to Rena’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vMNTwB
To follow her on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Rena-Marks-701102223366677/
Keep up to date with Rena Marks new releases, sneak peeks and cover reveals! Sign up for her newsletter here: http://renamarks.com/newsletter
web: renamarks.com
I hope you enjoy the recipe Rena is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 420 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
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MEXICAN FRUIT COCKTAIL
[Courtesy of Ree Drummond]
Note from Rena Marks: My favorite recipe is Ree Drummond’s Mexican Fruit Cocktail, in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
Total: 15 min
Active: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Level: Easy
Ingredients:
Sweet LimeYogurt:
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk Zest of 1/2 lime plus juice of 1 lime
Fruit Cocktail:
Zest and juice of 2 large limes 1 cup sugar
1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes 1 small bunch green grapes, cut in half
1 small jar maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half
1/2 pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 honeydew melon, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
Directions:
- For the sweet lime yogurt: Mix together the yogurt, sweetened condensed milk and lime zest and juice in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the fruit cocktail: Add the lime zest and juice to a pitcher with the sugar and 1 cup water. Stir until the sugar dissolves–you’ll know this has happened when the liquid turns from cloudy to clear.
- Add the mango, papaya, grapes, maraschino cherries, pineapple and melon toa large bowl. Gently mix the fruit with some of the lime syrup, adding more until it is as sweet as you would like it. (The lime syrup will keep for 1 month refrigerated.)
- Serve with the sweet lime yogurt.
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Thanks, Rena, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
The Mexican fruit salad sounds really delicious. I’m going to copy down the recipe. I’d like to try it someday. Thanks for sharing it, Rena.
Both you and Karen have a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day!
Wowsers! A twofer!
The recipe is brand new to me and sounds delightful and I’m going to give it a go!
Thanks, Karen and Rena!
Good morning, Rena, and welcome back to Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. I’m intrigued by both the book and the recipe. I love your writing. Can’t wait to read this story. I’ll be trying the recipe as well. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with us today!