by Carmen Caine
The words sounded so preposterous that I stepped out of the circle of his arms.
“A fireblood. A dragon,” he whispered in wonder, drawing me to one of the hammocks under the streetlight.
A strange shiver rippled through me at the look in his eyes, then over Strix’s shoulder, I caught sight of a great white snow owl, sweeping down from the sky to glide low over our heads. Lord Lucian Rowle landed in a blur of white feathers, shedding the body of a bird in favor of a tall, elegantly lean, dark-haired man wearing a leather designer jacket and stylish jeans.
I blinked, surprised. So, Lord Rowle was a shifter as well as a warlock? I hadn’t thought such a thing possible.
Lord Rowle stepped forward as Ricky, still as a hulking and dangerous elite, began to collapse in on himself, melting in a swirl of smoke to his more familiar, smoky eight-inch form.
Lord Rowle’s jaw dropped.
“Well, look who decided to pop in for a look,” the imp tossed the astonished warlock a cheesy grin. “I trust you can keep a secret, guvna?” At Lord Rowle’s slow nod, Ricky turned to me and adopted a much more formal tone. Bowing deeply, he intoned, “Richard Thaddeus Mavromoustafakis, Elite Imp of the First Order, will forever stand in your debt, Naz Beauchene, Dragon Shifter. We shall never forget what you have done here.” He crossed his arms over his chest and then rose to his feet, pulling Olivia close in a fatherly hug.
I knelt on one knee and looked into her big, wide eyes. “It’s ok, kiddo,” I promised, reaching over to chuck her under the chin—as much as one can chuck smoke anyway.
She nodded solemnly in reply. It hurt my heart to see her so serious, but then, she was a chip off the old block. No doubt, she’d be up to her old tricks by morning.
“Then we’ll be off, duck,” Ricky saluted to us all and holding his daughter close, vanished in a puff of smoke, before the words, “Toodaloo and cheerio,” had even faded away.
“Well, I must say, that was quite the surprise,” Lord Rowle murmured when they had gone. “And not much can surprise me anymore.”
“Truly,” Strix agreed at my side. “Who knew the fabled elite imps truly existed?”
“Or dragons,” I whispered hoarsely, still in shock over the idea.
Lord Rowle glanced over at me, and I saw his eyes then, highly unusual eyes with light blue irises threaded in a glowing silver. “I came as soon as I could,” he said, in a deep, slightly British-accented voice. “But it appears I am no longer needed. I must say, it is quite the pleasure to meet you, Naz.”
I nodded distractedly and frowned. “I don’t understand,” I said with a rush, for the first time acknowledging the thoughts that had been rattling in my head from the moment the first growl had erupted from my lips. “How can I be a dragon? I’m not even a shifter, and even more importantly, dragons don’t exist anymore. They died out ages ago.”
“Apparently not,” Strix inserted mildly from my side.
Lord Rowle laughed. “You are quite right, they did not,” he replied, peering down at me with his stunning eyes dancing in delight. “They went into hiding in order to survive, and they have slept for centuries. You are the first to awake.”
“Fledgling,” I whispered. “They called me a fledgling.” I shuddered. And then his words sunk in. “The first? I don’t understand. Awake from what?”
But before he could answer, a mental light bulb turned on and the answer blazed through my thoughts.
“The duds,” I gasped. It all made sense now. “The family duds that pop up every so often in all shifter bloodlines. They’re not duds at all, are they?” I shivered at the thought.
“Correct,” Lord Rowle agreed, his penetrating stare skewering my soul.
“They were all dragons,” I whispered, feeling a mixture of wonder and sorrow. Dragons. Each one had lived their lives, thinking themselves powerless, a dud, a misfit, just as I had. “Why am I different? Why did I wake up?”
“A dragon’s heart stirs when it meets its other half, its soul mate,” Lord Rowle murmured softly, his eyes crinkling at the sides. “If you but recall when your change began, then you have your answer, my dear. Nothing else can unlock a fireblood’s soul other than its missing piece.”
Soul mate? I opened my mouth, intending to laugh, but the dragon lurking inside me wouldn’t allow it. It stirred, confirming the warlock’s words to be true. I blinked, startled. So, when had I begun to change? Just when had all the strangeness started? The heat I’d felt bursting through my skin was surely part of it, along with the condensation on the windows. And hadn’t Strix awakened me once, telling me I’d been growling in my sleep? And the book in the cabin—the one I’d been able to decipher despite not being a sorcerer—perhaps Strix had placed it out of my reach lest I inadvertently cast the spells within. Some scholars claimed such characters had roots in the dragon realms. I guess they were right.
So what had been the first incident? I began sifting through my memories, but the answer suddenly leapt out at me. Edna. She’d understood it all from the very beginning, from the moment Strix had crashed through the door. In my mind’s eye, I saw myself kneeling over him, shocked, as he lay on the floor with Edna barking orders at us all. She’d grinned at me. I didn’t see that coming, dawwwling, not at all.
Well, neither had I.
Startled, I glanced up at Strix.
He stood there, tall and striking, looking down at me with a shocked kind of wonder. He knew. I could tell by the way he lowered his lashes that he knew he was the one who’d awakened my dragon soul.
Suddenly shy, I glanced away.
“Until this day, I thought the Fallen Ones feared no one,” Lord Rowle said. “But now, I know they fear dragons. Why is this so? A dragon’s fire cannot harm them. It must be something else.”
“It must be,” Strix confirmed quietly.
“Then it is time,” Lord Rowle. “We can wait no longer. The time for an alliance with the Terzi has come.”
Strix nodded in silent agreement.
Lord Rowle turned to me then and bowed. “We shall meet again and very soon,” he promised. “Wait for me at the Imp Haven, the both of you.”
“Right,” I agreed, a bit numbly. It was all so strange and happening so fast.
Numb, I watched the warlock shift, launching himself into the night sky, once again assuming the shape of a snowy white owl, and after circling the air above us a few times, he flew off in the direction of the city.
And then it was just the two of us. I stood alone with Strix at my side, squinting at the lights of the city across the bay.
“Strange day,” I managed to mutter, my throat feeling oddly dry.
Strix looked down at me, his gray eyes filled with sympathy and understanding. “I’m sure it’s overwhelming.
“Yeah, and then some,” I muttered in agreement. “I feel somewhat…underprepared. I mean, I don’t know the slightest thing about shifting to begin with, but now that I know I’m a fireblood—” I paused, wondering just how to control the strong, powerful beast lurking inside me. I glanced up at him, suddenly worried. “What if I make a mistake and accidentally shift in Times Square or—”
His easy laugh warmed my soul. “It’s New York, Naz,” he interrupted lightly. “There’s little to worry about.”
I gave a humph of a laugh. He was probably right. New Yorkers would just presume it to be part of some epic publicity stunt. I searched his face. He looked better, but still ill. “Can we call Dr. Kip now?” I asked, reaching up to place the back of my hand against his forehead. I’d meant to check if he had a fever, but the moment my skin touched his, I thought of other things.
He knew. I could tell by the expression in his eyes.
“Let’s get back to Edna’s first,” he replied, holding out his hand for me to join him. “If we hurry, we should be able to just make the last ferry. I’d rather rest up a bit before trying to open the gates.”
“Sure,” I agreed.
The light touch of his fingers skimmed across my b
ack as I stepped forward to join him, and a silly smile crawled across my face.
No wonder he felt so familiar. He was.
It would take time to process the events of the night, to really understand what it meant to be a shifter, a fireblood, and the responsibilities that came with it, but it would take even longer for me to wrap my head around the fact that I’d found my one true soul mate. The whole concept felt so foreign to me.
I slid a sideways glance over at the Nether Reach Keeper stalking quietly by my side, and the familiar comfortableness washed over me once again.
Maybe it wasn’t all so foreign after all. Maybe everything would just fall into place. I didn’t know, but I already knew one thing for certain, from the very bottom of my soul: I was going to have a blast finding out.
Strix and Naz’s story continues in the “Cassidy Edwards” series as well as the new upcoming “Daywalker” series.
About the Author
Click this link for a list of Carmen's books on Amazon
Like many of us on this planet, USA Today Bestselling and Multiple Award-Winning author Carmen Caine is from another world. She spends every moment she can scribbling stories on sticky notes that her kids find posted all over the car, house, and barn. When she’s not busy working as a software engineer or writing stories, she spends her time texting her kids on an insanely small, Keebler-Elf-sized keyboard (yes, she hates cell phones), trying to convince her Doberman that being jealous of the new Frenchton puppy just isn’t worth it (no luck so far), and tending to the barn full of animal misfits, including a runt lamb who sneaks inside the house and a rescue llama with a bad attitude.
Carmen is very terrible at tweeting and even worse about posting on Facebook (although she does make a New Year’s Resolution to improve every year). However, she would like to have you as a friend, please find her at the following places:
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Carmen’s Other Books
Monster – Cassidy Edwards, Book 1
The Bestselling Cassidy Edwards Series, Book 1
Revenge. It’s all I've lived for. Revenge against those who stacked the cards against me from the start. But I’m changing the deck now. I’m getting even. Born to a vampire, I wasn’t supposed to survive—but I did. My name is Cassidy. Cassidy Edwards. And I’m the first of my kind.
The Job: Trapping a sixteenth-century Scottish Highlander of a vampire who just might be seduction itself.
The Team: A firedrake with an attitude, a werewolf with a problem, and an imp in dire need of rehab.
The Boss: A dangerously powerful warlock as handsome as sin.
My Problem: Bluffing my way into a job, my first mission into the Charmed world opens a Pandora's box of betrayal and secrets ... along with attractions of the most lethal kind.
Spellfinder – Cassidy Edwards, Book 2
Revenge. Until now, my revenge was more of an idea. A fantasy. A mere whisper of what revenge should be. But it was a seed—and it was time for it to sprout. My name is Cassidy. Cassidy Edwards. And I'm the first of my kind.
The Job: Hunting a mysterious force attacking the House of Rowle with spells of the most malevolent, arachnid kind.
The Players: A wickedly handsome warlock-of-a-boss, a hostile Nether Reach Keeper hell-bent on my arrest, and a vampire who just might believe that he’s my father.
My Problem: As my new Spellfinding gig plunges me deeper into the world of the Charmed Mafia, destiny presents the king of all conflicts … forcing me to walk a tightrope of lust and betrayal as the monster inside me awakens.
Mindbreaker – Cassidy Edwards, Book 3
Revenge. After my first taste, I find I like it. But as I maneuver my way through danger, my idea of revenge is turned on its head. My name is Cassidy. Cassidy Edwards. And I'm the first of my kind.
The Job: Finding just who broke Dorian Ramsey's puppet curse and set the powerful vampire free. Only I've got a personal conflict of interest this time--it was me.
The Team: A Drake itching for any excuse to pin the crime on me--guilty or not. A Keeper wanting to pitch me in a Nether Reach prison--just for existing. A Warlock I barely recognize.
The Curve Ball: Dancing my way through the evidence, I uncover an avalanche of answers regarding my past and discover nothing is truly what it seems.
Latchling Blood Moon – A Cassidy Edwards Novella, Book 3.5
Fate picked me to face an ancient evil. As a powerful Latchling of the Stonehenge Druids, I, Lady Elizabeth Rowle, walked the path of my destiny. I lived life battle-ready, training continually, and spending my days delving into the arcane, seeking any and all knowledge that might aid my quest. At last, I felt ready to face the evil haunting my dreams. But there was one thing I hadn’t prepared for. Love
Scotland, Fourteenth Century: When Lady Elizabeth Rowle discovers the ancient evil of the Mindbreaker has reawakened, she knows her time has come. Finding unexpected allies in the Scottish Highlander, Dorian Ramsey, and the French Devil of a vampire, Jacques LeBeau, she fights the battle of her life—only to discover that fate has other plans.
Highland Blood Moon – A Cassidy Edwards Short Story, Book 3.6
A message summons Dorian Ramsey home to discover his village ravaged by a mysterious Night Viper and his sister caught in web of treachery. To save her, he must make a choice—a choice that alters his destiny forever.
This novella also includes the short story: Bonepicker
My name is Raven. They call me a Bonepicker—a lone wolf, a wolf without a pack—but I’m no ordinary wolf. I’m a wolf of the Mists and I feed on carrion of a special kind, the Carrion of the Reaches. There’s not a Reach I can’t break into nor a place I can’t escape—in spite of having so many prices on my head, they’d confuse a calculator.
Christmas is a holiday I'd rather forget, but then I accept a job from Lord Lucian Rowle and everything changes.
Rebel – Cassidy Edwards, Book 4
Revenge. I understand it now. The ice-cold soul. The single-minded focus. The strength it provides.
My name is Cassidy. Cassidy Edwards. And I'm the first of my kind.
Mindgames – Cassidy Edwards, Book 5: Coming out later in 2017
The Glass Wall Series (Complete four-book set)
What if humans were more powerful than they thought? What if an alien race had a reason to keep humanity entrenched in fear? And what if ancient beings that we've met before were still trying to protect us? And just what if the fate of Earth depended upon an average 17-year-old girl with a few secrets of her own?
Would she discover that the power of love was truly the strongest of all?
Heather House: Witch of the Moors (IPPY Gold, Ben Franklin Gold, Readers’ Favorite Gold)
Scotland, 1589 - As the spare for the heir, Alec Montgomery devoted his time to the pursuit of pleasure.
Lighthearted and fiercely loyal, Alec spent his days as his brother's right-hand man while avidly thwarting the king’s matchmaking attempts and his mother's desire that he join the priesthood. But on one stormy night, a mysterious crone and a chance meeting on the moors bring his fate full circle.
To escape a Montgomery raid as a wee lass, Sorcha Cunningham and her mother fled into the forest and stumbled upon the refuge of Heather House with its ancient stone circle. The dreams came to Sorcha that night, dreams that would portend the horrors of her future, forcing her to face a destiny written in the stars.
As the age-old feud between the Montgomery and Cunningham clans ignite, Alec and Sorcha walk a precipice of desire and danger as King James VI of Scotland ushers in the age of witch-hunting and the North Berwick Witch Trials threaten to rip them apart.
The Highland Heather and Hearts Scottish Award-Winning Romance Collection
The Kindling Heart - (Scotland, 1478) - Ruan MacLeod was through with women. They were nothing but trouble.
Leaving the rash life of his youth behind, he returned to Skye, seeking peace. He never meant to split the clan or start a war with the MacDonald of Duntulm. He certainly never foresaw an arranged marriage to the most scandalous woman in Scotland. Even though she was twice his age, the size of a horse and mother to more than one illegitimate child, he agreed to secure his sister's freedom.
However, even that plan goes drastically awry. On his wedding day, he finds himself faced instead with an enticing, green-eyed lass named Bree. A walking disaster, his bride immediately turns his world into chaos and threatens to melt his resolve never to love again.
IPPY Silver Award-Winning Novel: The Bedeviled Heart - (Scotland, 1479) Cameron Malcolm Stewart, Earl of Lennox, had made his peace with destiny. It was not his fate to love as other men.
Each of his politically arranged marriages had ended in disaster. And though he had never touched a one of his wives, he had come to believe that sharing his name would consign a woman to an early grave. So, on the sunny spring day Cameron encounters a delightfully devious, bright-eyed lass selling charmed stones in one of Stirling's alehouses, he tosses her a shilling, thinking only to steal a kiss. But it is a kiss that will change his life forever.
IPPY Bronze Award-Winning Novel: The Daring Heart - (Scotland, 1482) - To the scandalous Lord Julian Gray, marriage is a malady and nothing more.
How can a man even court a lass longer than a fortnight when there are so many pouting lips to kiss? Roaming the courts of Europe, Julian appears to spend his time drinking wine, wagering gold, and dandling willing lasses upon his knee. But no one knows the man behind the mask. No one knows that he is Le Marin--Europe's most daring and brazen spy.
