by Bianca D'Arc
“It is as real as I am.” Qwila’s head lowered so she could look into Silla’s eyes. The dragon seemed completely serious. “You are the woman the Mother of All has chosen for our knights. For our family. You can hear us!” She seemed particularly impressed by that fact. “Do you know how rare that is?”
“Um…no. Is it?” Silla felt unsure.
“Rarer than diamonds, my dear doubter,” Phelan piped in, his head still reclining on his forelegs and his eyes still closed. “We know you are the one. Our knights know it. It is only for you to understand and agree.”
“You make it sound so simple.” Finished with her work on his wound, she stepped back so she could see both of the dragons at once while they continued their conversation.
“It is simple. Search your heart,” Qwila advised. “You know that deep down, you are already joined to them both. It is only for you to accept the connection and allow it to open wider so that it will never be closed. Through your bond to our knights, you will connect with us as well and our magic will sustain you for many, many years.”
“It seems incredible,” Silla whispered, dropping her gaze. She felt at sea, lost to all the change that had come to her life in such a short time.
“It’s real,” Brodie’s voice came to her from behind as he moved in and tugged her back against him. His arms held her, making her feel safe in the sea of confusion that had surrounded her in the past hours since arriving in Bayberry Heath.
He kissed her temple, his arms around her waist. “I feel more in my heart for you, Silla, than I ever have for any other woman. Knights know their mate almost immediately. You are mine. And Geoff’s. The fact that you can talk to these two only confirms it.” Humor laced his tone as he referred to the dragons. “If you give us a chance, we will convince you that you truly belong with us for all time. As you know, we can be very persuasive.” He turned her in his arms and the joy she found in his expression was enchanting.
Geoff walked up as Brodie let her go, and saying nothing, he took her into his arms, rocking her gently from side to side as he hugged her. Enfolding her in his tallness, his power, his strength. Far from being overwhelmed, she found she loved the sensation.
Almost as much as she loved him? Could she really love him—and Brodie—in so short an acquaintance?
Geoff’s hug changed as he drew back and lowered his face to match his lips to hers in a sweet, gentle, unexpected kiss. When he drew back, she saw an unaccountable brightness in his eyes, as if he was almost overcome with emotion.
“I pushed you far last night. I did not believe love at first sight was real, even though many tales speak of such things between knights and their mates. Forgive me? I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are the missing piece to our family. With you—and only you, dear Silla—can we all be happy. Will you do that for us? Will you make us the happiest of men, and allow our dragon partners to be together once more?”
“But what of my work?” She asked the first thing that popped into her mind. She didn’t know what to say. The wild part of her heart wanted to jump into their arms and never look back, but her practical side was casting doubts. She had never been lucky in marriage before. She had resigned herself to living a life of service and solitude. Why should things change so drastically for her now?
Geoff smiled. “Your skills will be much in demand in the Lair. In fact, we will be lucky to see you at all once everyone knows you are a Temple-trained healer. Such things are rare in the outlying Lairs.”
“And what about Hero? What’s to become of him?”
“Hero? Who is that?” Geoff asked, clearly puzzled.
“My horse.” But the old gelding was more than that. He was her friend, confidant, and had been her constant companion these past few years. She didn’t want to leave him to the care of strangers.
“You named that old nag Hero?” Brodie chuckled from the side.
“He’s not a nag. He’s my friend, and I won’t leave him behind.”
“You won’t have to, my love,” Geoff assured her with a little squeeze. “He will have oats and hay and a warm place to live out his life. There is a stable built into the Lair for the beasts of burden we use to cart supplies. He will live there and you can see him every day.”
“And my brother, Osric, will make things right with the Temple,” Brodie put in, moving closer. Geoff stepped to her right to allow Brodie room on her left. They both took one of her hands. Geoff kept his arm around her shoulder, while Brodie looped one loosely around her waist. “The Temple’s loss will be our gain. And if we haven’t said it before, be assured Geoff and I will never harm you. We will never stray from you. You will be our touchstone and our guiding light. You are the woman we have been searching for. Only you, Silla, until the Mother calls us all home to Her Light.”
Tears filled Silla’s eyes as his words calmed her fears and made her hope. Did she dare trust these men? These knights of the realm?
Everyone knew there were no better men in the realm of Draconia than the noble knights who were chosen for their honor as much as their skill by magical dragons who could see into their very soul. Why did she doubt, when both Brodie and Geoff had already proven their worth simply by being chosen as knights?
They would not hurt her. They would not scorn her. They would never throw her out into the street. And everyone knew there was no such thing as divorce among knights and their mates.
Her fears laid to rest, Silla did the only thing she could do. She kissed each of her knights on the cheek and whispered the word that all four beings waited to hear.
“Yes.”
About the Author
Bianca D’Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of Manhattan, studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.
Bianca loves to hear from readers and can be reached through Facebook, her Yahoo group or through the various links on her website.
Website:
www.biancadarc.com
Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BiancaDArc/join
Look for these titles by Bianca D’Arc
Now Available:
Brotherhood of Blood
One & Only
Rare Vintage
Phantom Desires
Sweeter Than Wine
Forever Valentine
Wolf Hills
Tales of the Were
Lords of the Were
Inferno
Dragon Knights
Maiden Flight
Border Lair
The Ice Dragon
Prince of Spies
Wings of Change
FireDrake
Dragon Storm
Keeper of the Flame
Resonance Mates
Hara’s Legacy
Davin’s Quest
Jaci’s Experiment
Grady’s Awakening
Gifts of the Ancients
Warrior’s Heart
String of Fate
Cat’s Cradle
StarLords
Hidden Talent
Print Anthologies
Ladies of the Lair
I Dream of Dragons Vol. 1
Brotherhood of Blood
Caught by Cupid
Coming Soon:
Brotherhood of Blood
Wolf Quest
Dragon Knights
Master at Arms
Will the fire within burn them all to cinders?
FireDrake
© 2012 Bianca D’Arc
Dragon Knights, Book 5
Years ago, Drake left everything behind for a life in the shadows. While it broke his heart to leave his grieving dragon behind, s
erving his land as head of a network of spies suited him better. Far better than never quite measuring up to Mace, the “perfect” knight his father wished he could have been.
Mace has always done his duty. Drake, his childhood friend and rival, had been the charmer who effortlessly stole every woman who caught Mace’s eye. Some things never change—not one day back in town, and Drake’s already putting the moves on Krysta, the woman Mace has been courting.
The three of them take on the dangerous task of rescuing a kidnapped prince. Each day that passes on their perilous journey, Krysta sinks deeper into the complicated relationship between the two men and their meddling, matchmaking dragons. Mace is clearly the safer choice as a mate, yet Drake tantalizes her with that unpredictable gleam in his eye. When the three of them come together, any sense of torn loyalty burns away in their fiery passion.
The safety of the stolen prince hanging in the balance, Krysta accepts the challenge to unite two strong men—and their dragons—into a real family.
Warning: Features an intensely magical ménage between two former rivals and a woman bold enough to take them on. Heated bickering and explosive love scenes may cause your senses to ignite.
Enjoy the following excerpt for FireDrake:
“Is this seat taken?”
The feminine voice was strong and not at all flirtatious, but Drake almost dreaded turning to find another of the cooing maids at his side. That the female had been able to sneak up on him at all was a testament to his distraction. With an inward sigh, Drake turned to face the woman.
And stopped short.
This was no maid. This was a warrior woman, in the gray uniform tunic of the Castleton Guard. She was an enforcer of the law, a keeper of the peace, and she was clearly on duty, though apparently on her dinner break.
She looked tired. There were circles under her pretty gray eyes and a weary set to her shoulders.
“I was saving it just for you, milady.” Drake’s charm was automatic and the fire that entered her eyes was his reward. It wasn’t a spark of interest, but rather of battle. Drake was intrigued. He looked at her more closely as she sat next to him at the now-crowded bar.
Her jaw was set in a stubborn line, and her features were strong. Some might say her features were unfeminine, but Drake would not. No, he’d always preferred strong-willed women over the more meek style many men seemed to favor. This girl was beautiful in a harsh sort of way that appealed to him greatly. Sleek muscles moved under her close-fitting tunic, and she wore her badge of office with clear efficiency and pride.
She wasn’t armed that he could see, but then that didn’t mean much. Each of the town’s Guards was armed in some way, carrying the weapon or weapons of their choice. For some, that was a sword or even a bow, but others had different specialties. He wondered idly what hers was while he finished off his meal.
The serving girl who’d replaced Devyn behind the bar greeted the woman with a friendly, familiar smile. Apparently this Guardswoman was known to the people in Devyn’s employ and welcomed by them. That spoke volumes for her character, as far as Drake was concerned. Jinn didn’t usually accept outsiders easily, and Drake read not only acceptance, but genuine friendship, in the serving girl’s words and actions toward the other woman as she served up a healthy portion of stew and a lighter beer that would leave the Guard with a clear head after her hearty dinner.
Drake observed, not intruding on the bundle of feminine power sitting next to him while he finished his own meal. She ate with neat manners, though it appeared she was used to rough living, as most warriors were. Often, women didn’t choose professions where they would be in the thick of a fight, though there were a good number of female Guards who worked in administrative ways or who dealt specifically with domestic issues and violence against women or female prisoners. This woman, however, showed every sign of being a patrolling Guard—one of the most dangerous of the Guard jobs.
“Quiet night so far?” Drake asked conversationally when it looked like she was finishing up her meal. It had been far smaller than his own, considering her much more petite size compared to him. She was trim and lithely muscular in a way that made his mouth water.
She looked at him with resignation, and Drake got the distinct impression she’d rather be left alone. Too bad. He had no intention of leaving the puzzling beauty to her own devices. He wanted to get to know her and then he wanted to bed her. It was that simple.
Suddenly, learning the feel of her body beneath his became of paramount importance. He had little doubt he could charm his way into her bed. He’d perfected his art over five lands, so why should his homeland be any different?
“It was a quiet day,” she said with the beginnings of annoyance in her tone. “We’ve yet to see about the night.”
“You’ve been on duty all day?” Drake was surprised and more than a little alarmed. No wonder she looked so tired. He felt a crazy impulse to protect her from the long and potentially dangerous night ahead.
She nodded wearily. “We’re shorthanded with all the new sectors to patrol. Excuse me.” Her gaze brightened as she slid from the stool and headed over to the far corner of the big tent. Drake followed her movements, his gaze glued to the enticing roll of her hips. She had a great ass from what he could see, and he looked forward to seeing it bare and ready for his desire.
He was so entranced by the way she moved, he almost missed the action going on across the tent. A drunk was getting a little too forward with one of the serving girls. She was struggling to free herself from his groping hands, to no avail. Drake was on his feet and moving across the crowded room before he thought about his actions.
But by the time he got there, the Guardswoman already had the serving girl free and was escorting the unruly drunk outside. Drake followed hot on her heels. He didn’t like the look of that drunkard and feared the man might not go peacefully on his way.
He was right. The ruffian was putting up a fight, but his attempts to knock the Guardswoman out were met by neat blocks and counterstrikes meant to disable the big man. But he was drunk and stronger than he ought to be with the pain-deadening effects of strong ale running through his system.
Drake stepped forward, into the man’s line of sight. The woman’s back was to him as he made sure to get the drunkard’s attention with a quick flash of steel. Drake always had a blade or two hidden on his person for situations just like this.
“Clear off, man. This is your last warning.” Drake used his trained voice to advantage, projecting to the drunk who’d seemed to give up the fight suddenly. The man’s jaw went slack and his eyes grew round with fear as he stumbled away with nary a flicker of complaint.
Drake smiled in satisfaction as the drunk let the Guardswoman be. He felt smug as the woman turned to him, a trace of annoyed respect on her face. Then her eyes widened as she stepped forward.
Drake didn’t quite understand why he apparently looked particularly fearsome tonight, but he wasn’t asking questions. Whatever it was about him had scared off one ruffian and had the little Guardswoman looking at him with new respect as she moved closer. Moving closer was good. It was, in fact, much better than having her move away. He wanted to get much closer to her before the night was through.
She stopped a few yards from him and raised her gaze upward as Drake’s stomach sank. What a fool he’d been!
“Friend of yours?” Her eyes lit with humor as she stared at a spot well above his head.
Drake followed the woman’s gaze upward though he could very well guess what he’d find waiting over his shoulder—or rather who.
“Jenet.” He tried to inject sternness into the thoughts he projected to the dragon, but it was no use. “I thought we agreed I could handle this night’s work on my own.”
“You said that nonsense, but I never agreed.”
Drake sighed with exasperation, looking back at the beautiful woman still awaiting an answer.
“Lady Jenet.” He made the introductions. “And what is your na
me, my lovely?”
The Guardswoman snorted with laughter, her easy manner delighting him anew. She looked up at the dragon and bowed low, though there was a smile on her full lips and her gaze never lowered.
“I’m Krysta of the Wayfarer Clan. It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Jenet.”
So she was Jinn. No wonder she’d been welcomed in Devyn’s so easily. But what was she doing working as a Guard? Those answers would come later. He’d make certain of it.
Krysta scored big points with Jenet, Drake could tell, by her respectful words and actions. Dragons dwelt on tradition and respect, and favored humans who showed the same thoughtfulness, whether they could communicate with dragonkind or not.
“She is very pretty for a human, isn’t she, Drake?”
Drake let the observation pass without comment. Jenet had sounded just a bit too hopeful there—almost like his mother when she was trying to matchmake.
“Wayfarer Clan?” Drake addressed the woman. “I had dealings with Rulu, the old clan leader, several seasons past, but I heard he retired in favor of his daughter, Malin.”
“You heard right. Malin is gathering the remainder of our clan and sending them here. Rulu is already in residence though. He set up camp on the Southern boundary.”
“I haven’t gotten that far yet,” Drake admitted with what he hoped was just the right amount of sorrow. “I only arrived today and haven’t had a chance to explore yet.” He moved a step closer, encouraged when she held her ground. “Perhaps you could give me a personal tour?”
The female of the species is more deadly...
Diana’s Hound
© 2013 Moira Rogers
Bloodhounds, Book 4
Nate Powell lived one full life as a world-class inventor before a disaster born of magic and science returned him to his prime—and turned him into a half-vampire, half-bloodhound abomination.
