Wiser Than Serpents

“Susie writes a delightful story…A few hours of reading doesn’t get better.”

—Dee Henderson, CBA bestselling author of the O’Malley series

“Susan May Warren is an exciting…writer whose delightful stories weave the joy of romantic devotion together with the truth of God’s love.”

—Catherine Palmer, bestselling author of Thread of Deceit

“A nail-biting, fast-paced chase through the wilds of Russia. A deft combination of action and romance provides superb balance. Spectacular descriptions place the reader in the center of the intriguing setting.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on In Sheep’s Clothing

“A well-structured romantic thriller with absorbing characters trying to deal with dire circumstances while staying true to their own faith and purpose. Warren skillfully balances the action with a second chance at romance.”

—Library Journal on Sands of Time

For your glory, Lord!

I had just tossed the magazine in my growing TBR pile, not sure when I would read it, if ever. My husband happened to pick it up, captured by the title on the cover: The Global Slave Trade. “Hey,” he said, “did you read this?”

I sat down with the article and everything inside me tightened as I read about the epidemic of slave trade around the world today. From women and girls held in captivity to children and men in labor bondage, it’s a horrific situation. 600,000–800,000 people are trafficked internationally each year. Approximately 80% of them are women and children. And it happens in the United States, right under our noses.

One of the organizations trying to do something about it is the International Justice Mission. Think: a team of real-life Jack Bauers rescuing victims caught in the web of slavery. Lawyers, criminal investigators, social workers and volunteers from all walks of life who live Micah 6:8 daily: To seek justice for the oppressed. And they don’t just rescue victims (sometimes at the cost of their own lives!) but they also provide care and counseling, pursue legal justice and fight to prevent it from happening again.

The writer inside me was captured by this idea; the woman inside me ached for the girls forced into sexual slavery, and the Christian inside me said, “Do something!” Suddenly my adventures in Taiwan flooded back to me. We’d gone there for a month of recovery following a traumatic experience in Russia, and after reading the statistics on how so many people are transported through Asia, I knew Taiwan would make the perfect setting for this novel.

David, my American hero, was just the guy to fight this battle. Moreover, with so many of these victims being Russian, I just had to get Yanna involved, also.

Human trafficking is real. It’s an abomination. And must be stopped.

You can help:

Sign up to be a regular prayer partner with IJM, and receive weekly e-mails highlighting prayer requests.

Keep your eyes open to the world around you, and care enough to pay attention to possible illegal abuses of power, even slavery, right in your own backyard.

Finally, give financially to help IJM fight slavery. Over the past ten years, their lawyers, investigators and social workers around the world have rescued thousands of victims of sex trafficking and other forms of abuse and oppression.

I also want to help, and I’ll be donating 15% of the royalties from this book to support this cause. Thank you for helping me help them. For more information, visit www.ijm.org.

Thank you for reading Wiser Than Serpents. I pray it makes you wise, and aware of the serpents in our world.

In His grace,

Susan May Warren

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Questions for Discussion

My deepest thanks go Krista Stroever and Joan Marlow Golan for their wisdom and willingness to take on this project. Also to Ellen Tarver, whose insights and comments made the story readable. Finally, thanks to my family, who traveled through Taiwan with me, and prayed for me as I wrote this book. You all are great blessings in my life.

Out of all FSB agent Yanna Andrevka’s bright ideas, masquerading as a mail-order bride ranked among the most stupid. This thought took root as she blinked against the sudden flood of sunlight and stared at her groom-to-be, Kwan, as he’d so kindly introduced himself—five foot nine of cut, Asian muscle, a scar running from his chin to his ear, an eyebrow pierced with a curved barbell, and eyes that looked like they could spear through her and take out her heart.

Here comes the bride. Only this bride felt disheveled and grimy, her long hair hanging in strings over her face, her body stiff after being locked in a pitch-black storage room alone for what seemed like an eternity. That things were about to get worse seemed apparent as her captors/hosts/groomsmen dragged her blindfolded from the belly of wherever they’d stashed her, led her to Kwan’s office, sat her down in a chair and handcuffed her arms behind her. She’d had the presence of mind to fist her hands as they secured them, allowing for jangle room on her wrists. She twisted her hands, keeping the circulation pumping, fearing it might take her longer than she hoped to get out of them.