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FEEL THE BURN
Dragon Kin #8
G.A. Aiken
Released Nov 24th, 2015
Zebra Imprint
War makes strange bedfellows.
I, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, know that better than most, since I have to fight off half my ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order here in my lands. But I never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman.
Kachka is beautiful, if you like them fierce—and of course I do. But she keeps complaining about how spoiled and decadent I am, and how a feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. I think she likes my eye patch, though. It is quite dashing. With death always at our tails, we take our passion like we take our allies. As they say, love the barbarian you’re with…
Excerpt
#8
*****
Gaius
walked into the palace that now belonged to him and his twin. The original
palace, the one his cousin Vateria and her father, Overlord Thracius, had ruled
from, had been torn down. It had been partially destroyed during his sister
Aggie’s rescue; then Gaius and a few chosen dragon friends had ripped apart the
rest of it. He would never let that palace stand, no matter how many of his kin
had lived and ruled there. Not after his sister had been held captive in that
place by the bitch Vateria. They had been raised with their cousin Vateria, but
from the beginning they’d never been close with her. Never trusted her.
Definitely never liked her. And then, when their father was murdered by his own
brother, Gaius had made it his goal to one day challenge Thracius for the
throne. But, when he was old enough—and strong enough— to make that challenge,
that’s when Vateria, always so very smart, had captured Aggie and held her
hostage in the old palace. She knew it was the one way to control Gaius. To
“keep him in his place,” as she liked to say. It had worked, too. And Aggie had
been in a tolerable situation, as she was still royal born and niece of
Thracius. But then Thracius went to war with the Southlanders, taking on the
Dragon Queen, leaving his bitch daughter alone with Aggie. For five long,
painful years.
Aggie
refused to talk about what had happened, but some nights she woke up screaming.
Some nights she didn’t sleep at all.
And
yes, Gaius blamed himself, although he knew Aggie never did. But how could he
not blame himself? His poor, weak, defenseless sister trapped in the web of
that evil—
“You!”
Aggie gripped Gaius’s throat, causing him to gag before yanking him into
another room. “Excuse us, Lætitia,” she told their aunt before slamming the
door in Lætitia’s stunned face.
“What
have you done?” his sister demanded.
“That’s
vague.”
“There
are Mì-runach in our throne room. Why?”
“Mì-runach?”
Warriors who answered to absolutely no one but the Dragon Queen herself? “Are
you sure?”
“Of
course I’m sure. Now why are they here?”
“I
don’t . . . oh.” Gaius cringed. “Oh.”
“What
have you done?”
“I
had your best interests at heart.”
“You
idiot,” Aggie sighed out just as Lætitia knocked on the door and quickly
entered.
She
closed the door, turned to her niece and nephew, and announced, “There are
peasants in your throne room. Southland peasants!”
“They’re
Mì-runach,” Aggie told her and gestured to Gaius. “That this idiot requested.”
“Gaius!”
“I
did not request them.”
“Then
what did you do?” his sister demanded.
“I
requested help from the Dragon Queen, but . . .”
“But?”
“But
I thought she’d send Cadwaladrs.” The Cadwaladrs were a Southland clan of Low
Born dragons trained from hatching in the ways of war and defense of the Dragon
Queen’s territories. They might not be respected, but they were greatly feared.
And with reason.
“Why
would you want those pit dogs here any more than you’d want the Mì-runach?”
“You need protection.”
Aggie
suddenly stood tall, her spine straight, her long steel-colored hair reaching
down her back in intricate braids and curls. She looked amazingly regal, which
was how she always looked when she was getting defensive. “Why would I need
protection?”
“Because
he’s going off on a fool’s errand, that’s why.”
Gaius
briefly closed his eyes. “Lætitia,” he sighed.
“What?
I’m not lying. Tell me I’m lying,” she ordered. “Tell me.”
If
Lætitia hoped to get Aggie on her side, she’d just failed because now the twins
were giggling. Like they used to when they were hatchlings.
“The
two of you! I swear by the gods.”
Aggie
cleared her throat. “Aunt Lætitia, could you excuse us?”
“You’re
sending me back out there? With those plebeians?”
“Or
you could just go to your room. But you need to go . . . you know . . . away.”
Lætitia
snatched the door open, gazed back at her niece and nephew. “Hmmph!” she
snapped before walking out, making sure she slammed the door in the process.
“Mind
telling me what’s going on?” Aggie asked. “You know I hate when Lætitia knows
more than me. It gives her way too much enjoyment. And we both know that I
can’t allow that.”
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Originally from Long Island, New York Times bestselling author
G.A. Aiken has resigned herself to West Coast living, which involves healthy
food, mostly sunny days, and lots of guys not wearing shirts when they really
should be. Writing as Shelly Laurenston, she is also the creator of the
wickedly funny Pride series for Brava. For more info about G.A. Aiken’s
dangerously and arrogantly sexy dragons, go to www.gaaiken.com.
Review Copy Provided By:
NetGalley
This is very good! I love her books. They always make me laugh!
ReplyDeleteThese are just laugh out loud funny. I miss her Pride books, but these just about make up for it.
ReplyDelete