Prince of Spies

by Bianca D'Arc

  Riki greeted the young dragon, amazed by the sparkling sight of him. He was gorgeous…and just a baby, though he was huge.

  “You fly just like Lana did in the beginning. I can show you how to land better if you want.”

  His youthful eagerness touched her heart and she smiled at him, but Nico came up behind her, in human form now, and caught her around the waist. He laughed up at Tor, apparently well familiar with the young dragon.

  “Have pity on her, Tor. She only learned how to fly yesterday.”

  “Yesterday?” A new male voice entered the conversation and Riki looked up at the tall man holding her sister’s hand. He looked a lot like Nico, but his eyes were emerald-green.

  “I didn’t know I could shift until yesterday.” Riki looked at the happiness in her sister’s eyes as she snuggled up to the tall man. “You must be Roland.”

  He nodded, pulling Lana back against him much the way Nico held her. “And you’re Arikia. Welcome home.”

  Riki’s heart was so full, her eyes welled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She was too happy to mar the moment with tears.

  “Roland is my husband,” Lana clarified.

  “Yes, I heard. Congratulations to you both,” Riki answered, thankful for Nico’s warm body at her back. “I married Nico the day before yesterday.”

  Lana’s smile was wide and genuine. “Yes, I heard that too. Congratulations to you both, but, Riki, are you sure you know what you’re getting into? The Prince of Spies is more than a handful, from all accounts.”

  The teasing question made her laugh. “Oh, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Epilogue

  As it turned out, a small contingent of Jinn were on hand just inside the circle of trees to greet their brethren. Magda had insisted on accompanying Roland and Lana to meet with Nico and Riki. Roland brought his own men with him as well, so there were a couple of dragons and knights along with the Jinn, guarding their king and queen from a respectful distance.

  They made camp for the day, the soldiers among them guarding while the family caught up with all the news. Roland was troubled by Nico and Riki’s accounts of Lucan’s transformation and his ability to direct the skiths. He was also astounded by the idea that his younger brother was not only married, but also now King-Consort of the Jinn Brotherhood.

  They crossed the lake after dark and arrived in the Northern Lair a few hours before dawn. As expected, the arrival of so many black dragons raised eyebrows all over the Lair. The dragons of the Lair saw the blacks’ arrival as a sign of great hope, trumpeting their joy to the sky and setting up quite a stir.

  Roland was glad to leave the arrangements for housing all the visitors to Sir Hal, Sir Jures and the Lady Candis, leaders of the Northern Lair, while he sought a bedchamber for himself and Lana. But a surprise awaited him when Hal found a moment of privacy. The knight handed Roland a letter, his eyes grave.

  “This came from the witch Loralie, for you, my liege. It arrived last night, though how she knew you’d be here today, I have no idea.”

  Roland accepted the letter, his eyes narrowed. “She is a witch, after all.”

  “I’ll be standing by if you need me, sire.” Hal nodded once and moved off.

  Roland stole a moment away from his family to read the letter. He didn’t want to ruin their arrival home with this just yet. First he would read it and see what the letter contained. Only then would he decide what was to be done. Still, he knew, coming from Loralie, it couldn’t be good news.

  Roland sat on the edge of Tilden and Rue’s wallow. As the elder dragons of the Northern Lair, they were highly ranked and sat on the Dragon Council. Roland had known and respected them both all his life. They watched, silently supporting him as he read the letter.

  The contents of it weighed heavy on his mind, but he didn’t want to ruin Lana’s reunion with her twin just yet. First, he had to sort through what Loralie’s letter might truly mean. He didn’t trust the North Witch. Not at all.

  “Have you ever heard of the Wizard Skir?” Roland asked the dragons.

  Tilden reared back and smoke issued from his throat to drift toward the vents in the ceiling. Roland could clearly see his agitation.

  “That name is not spoken among dragonkind, sire. He is cursed for all time for his evil.” Rue spoke calmly, but her voice was adamant in Roland’s mind.

  “Loralie claims he is imprisoned in a place called the Citadel and it is this place Lucan means to go, to free him.”

  Both dragons reared back at this news, clearly upset. “This cannot be allowed!” Tilden thundered, anger and fear mixed in his tone along with grim determination.

  Roland watched the dragons’ reactions carefully, weighing their response against Loralie’s words and whatever she wished to accomplish by her missive. He didn’t trust her, but the true fear he witnessed in two of the oldest and most respected dragons in his land was not to be discounted.

  “Why? What did Skir do to earn eternal imprisonment from his peers? Few of the wizards had any high moral standards if the old tales are to be believed. Why single out this one to lock away forever in ice?”

  Cold silence met his question until finally Rue stepped forward, her jeweled eyes grim, her voice in Roland’s mind laced with seething anger and incomprehensible distress.

  “The Wizard Skir is the one who created the skiths. To destroy all dragons.”

  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

  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:

  Dragon Knights

  Keeper of the Flame

  She is the kingdom’s only hope… and the king’s one chance at love.

  The Ice Dragon

  © 2012 Bianca D’Arc

  Dragon Knights, Book 3

  When a royal black dragon falls under enemy fire, only the wild Northern Ice Dragon and his unlikely female rider can save him. Half wild, like the baby Ice Dragon she calls friend, Lana is a rare and powerful dragon healer. She saves the life of the royal black, only to learn this most sacred of dragons is half-man, able to shift from one form to the other at will.

  Roland is king of all dragons and humans in his land
, but he’s far from home, mortally wounded, and his only refuge is the incredible woman who has saved his life and her young wild dragon friend. Lana is the purest form of magic to him, heaven to his senses in both dragon and human form. He knows almost from the first moment that he wants her for his very own.

  But a warlord plots in the north, seeking to kill the dragons, who protect the northern border, and overrun Roland’s peaceful kingdom. Lana and her incredibly skilled Ice Dragon friend are the only ray of hope for the knights and fighting dragons of the Northern Lair. Just as Lana is the only love Roland will ever know. He can reunite her with her lost family, but can he win her heart and make her his queen?

  Warning: This book may feature an Ice Dragon, but the hero is smoking hot in either of his forms. We recommend keeping a fan handy in case you experience a sudden need to cool down.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for The Ice Dragon:

  Roland woke Lana just before dawn when the pearly gray light grew bright enough for human eyes to see. Tor was still fast asleep some distance away and Roland knew the young dragon would sleep on for at least an hour or more. When they were that young, very little could wake them before sunrise short of an earthquake. Now came the moment of truth for Roland…and his lady.

  “Lana? Sweetheart, wake up. There’s something I have to tell you.”

  “Is it morning yet?” She yawned, answering him in the quiet of her mind as she rubbed her eyes, coming awake slowly like a newborn kitten. He loved that about her. Her innocent femininity was just one of the many facets of her that inspired new, tender emotions in his heart.

  “Nearly. Lana, there’s something important you have to know.”

  She looked over at him and he knew she was coming fully awake.

  “What is it? Is something wrong?”

  “No, nothing’s wrong. There’s just a secret I need to share with you and you can’t tell Tor. He’s too young yet to keep this secret, and secret it must remain—at least for now.”

  Tor’s head and neck were curled around the other side of his body, some distance away. Even if he woke, he wouldn’t see anything unless he roused himself enough to stand up. The slightest movement of his large body would alert Roland in plenty of time to stop the youngster from seeing anything he shouldn’t see.

  Lana’s expression grew troubled. “I don’t hide things from Tor.”

  “For the safety of my kingdom, you must hold this one secret close to your heart for a short while. More than just my own life depends on it.”

  “Then why in the world do you want to tell me?”

  “You’ll understand when you see...” He blew out a hot, frustrated breath. “Oh hells, just watch.”

  Lana gaped in awe as the black wing around her transformed into a muscular, human arm. She nearly shrieked when, instead of a black dragon, she was being held close to the hot body of a tall warrior clad in tight-fitting, black leather breeches and little else.

  “Sweet Mother of All!” Her whispered words were caught by powerful, male lips as he captured her mouth with his in the first kiss she had ever known. It was hot and sweet, faintly smoky and pure. Something inside her shifted as the incredibly handsome man laid her back on the soft grass, hovering over her small body with his large, muscular form.

  “Do you understand now?” His words sounded near her ear as he pulled slightly back. Dark green human eyes watched her carefully, a slight smile playing about the hard lips that had just kissed her breathless.

  “Roland?”

  He nodded. “In the flesh.”

  “But how?”

  “I’m of the royal bloodline, Lana. All the males of my line are both human and dragon. Black dragons, to be precise. Only the royal blacks can change form from human to dragon at will. It’s part of our heritage, part of our birthright, part of the agreement between human and dragonkind to peacefully coexist as they coexist in the males of my line.”

  She ran one hand over the sharp angles of his face, marveling at how the dragon resembled the man. Though in completely different form, she recognized him. He was not a stranger to her. And he was so good-looking, he took her breath away.

  His green eyes sparkled just like the emerald dragon eyes she had come to know so well over the past days. The arch of his eyebrow was so similar in shape and angle to the eye ridge of the dragon. The curve of his cheek was in the same proportion as the angular jaw of the dragon.

  “You are Roland.” Her voice was a breathless whisper of awe as her eyes lit up with discovery. She gasped as another thought occurred. “Sweet Mother! Are you a prince or something?”

  His smile deepened, revealing sexy dimples. “Or something. You’ll find out all the grisly details when we get to the palace and meet my family, I’m sure.”

  “You’re taking me to the palace?” The thought struck fear into her heart.

  “If I’m right, you too are a member of one of the royal bloodlines. You must learn about your heritage and claim your birthright, Lana. By right of your birth, you’re also part of the royal court.”

  “Are we related?” Apprehension filled her.

  Roland nodded, confirming her fears. “Yes, sweet, but only very distantly. The House of Kent, to which I suspect you belong, and my line are quite far apart, but both our lines breed true. Which means you’re half-dragon too. It’s your gift to heal dragons, as do most of the women of the royal lines.”

  “Half-dragon?”

  He chuckled, kissing her nose. “Yes, little one. It’s probably the only reason you were able to claim and tame a great Northern Ice Dragon. Such a feat is not easily done. Did you never wonder why you were the only person in Salomar’s household who could speak with your dragonet?”

  “But I wasn’t the only one.”

  “What?” His dark eyes grew alert, his expression questioning.

  “He has a witch.” Lana’s heart pounded as she remembered the evil woman. “Her name is Loralie. She’s tried to lure Tor from me many times. She’s the one who sent his mother away with no memory of the egg she left behind.”

  “When we get to the palace, you must tell my brothers everything you know about this witch.”

  She nodded, sensing how important this was to him. “I’ll gladly tell you everything I know about Salomar’s household if it will help you defeat him.”

  “Defeat him? What do you know of his plans?” A cunning smile broke over his face.

  She smiled back. “I didn’t spend all my time languishing in dark, cold caves. As much as his men hunted us, Tor and I harried them. We intercepted messengers and waylaid enough scouts to know he plans to bring war on a kingdom to the south with his allies in the east. I can only guess that the kingdom he intends to move against is yours.”

  Roland drew back from her, rising to sit back on his haunches, his expression hard. “I suspected as much, which is why I flew north. I wanted to do a little reconnaissance. Instead I almost died.”

  “You didn’t know about the weapons he’s developed to fight dragons.”

  He turned back to her with a bright light in his eyes. “But you do. You know all about his tactics and his weapons. He’s been testing and perfecting them on you and Tor.”

  She sat up, nodding slowly as she realized what he was getting at. “Yes, you’re probably right.” She took his hand in hers. “We’ll tell you everything we know and though I can’t speak for Tor, I will fight with you against Salomar to the best of my ability. If ever a man deserved to die, it’s him. Deliberately orphaning a beautiful baby like Tor is just one of his crimes, but that’s the one that hurts me the most.”

  Roland reached out with his muscular arms and pulled her close. “You have a kind and brave heart, Lana. We’ll keep Tor safe and see he grows up strong and true. He’ll be protected and loved by all the dragons of my land. I can assure you of that. And he’ll be respected as he grows. Ice Dragons are not to be trifled with and he’ll grow into that responsibility with our guidance.”

  Roland pulled h
er close and kissed her long and hard, his hot tongue sweeping into her mouth and lighting a fire in her belly she’d never felt before. His strong hands swept up her smooth legs, rubbing beneath the hem of her tunic and up the curves of her ass as she struggled mindlessly to get closer to him. She’d never felt such passion, such heady delight.

  Someone wants her. And someone else wants her…dead.

  Savage Betrayal

  © 2012 Shelli Stevens

  Savage, Book 2

  If life as a not-fully-human has taught Agent Grace Masterson anything, it’s that she’ll never again be anyone’s sitting duck. Whoever is deftly evading the traps around her remote sanctuary outside Seattle, she intends to shove his easily sensed self-confidence way, way up where the sun don’t shine.

  When she comes face to face—and body to body—with Darrius Hilliard, relief and lingering guilt over past choices weaken her knees. Plus something bad. Really bad. A surprising, intense desire for her fellow agent.

  Darrius knows what Grace needs, and it’s not the kid-glove treatment. If she’s ever to overcome her past trauma and return to full active duty status with the P.I.A, she needs a strong shoulder. Yet he’s shocked at how quickly he’s become physically and emotionally entwined with her.

  Fighting their growing attraction to one another becomes secondary, though, when it becomes clear that someone not only isn’t thrilled at Grace’s return, they want her gone. Maybe even dead…

  Warning: This book contains an alpha male who likes to take control, federal agents that can be a little primal, sex that’s steaming, lives at risks, and nearly orgasmic maple bars.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Savage Betrayal:

  Someone was on her property.