I"m celebrating the release of
DRAGON WITCH today at
Ellora's Cave with a few fun DRAGON trivia—not necessarily facts. And a sexy excerpt at the end. Content warning: Over 18 years of age please!
Dragon Stone- Is a precious stone said to be found in the brain of dragon.
Dragon Scales- Dragons are covered by tough, shiny scales that are shaped like a tear drop.
Dragon Colors- A wide varied of colors are found in mythology. From dark blue-black to mother of pearl, to all hues of red, and every shade of green, brown, and yellow.
Fire Breathers- A dragon’s weapon said to store phosphor (P4) when expelled to the air combusts into fire. There are also
Frost/Cold Breathers- Supposed to be composed of Nitrogen (N2). And
Acid Breathers-secreting gastric acid probably hydrochloric (HCL). Eeeks.
Dragon Slide-The mating process for dragons where they flying high in the air, embrace and free-fall during the brief coupling. Apparently, the mating is over before they crash. I suppose the thrill is the speed and risk?
Live Span- Can be as long as five hundred years or even a thousand if they don’t die during their mating ritual.
Dragons and Treasure- In some folklore, dragons are hoarders or guards of treasure even obsessively. These treasures are usually hidden within caves.
Do you have any fun Dragon trivia to share?
ISBN: 9781419929717
BLURB: Biologist and witch, Jaida Chel combines nature magick with herbal science to protect Kai, the last shapeshifting dragon on her world of Somerled. But when Captain Brayden Stokes reenters her life, not only is Kai’s life at stake, but so is Jaida’s secured position in the colony. Brayden and Jaida can’t resist the sexual heat between them, even though she knows a relationship would be doomed. Fleet pilots don’t stay planetside for long.
Jaida is torn between Brayden and her dragon and companion, Kai. When Kai morphs into a human twice a year, his sex drive is ravenous. He must mate for twenty-four hours or die. Unrestrained passion between Kai and Jaida temps Brayden into a forbidden encounter. With Jaida’s sassy, wicked ways, the three cross boundaries, exploring eroticism beyond their imagination. When secrets and betrayals are revealed, Brayden must risk everything for one last chance at love.
EXCERPT (WARNING: Over 18 years old only, Please): Jaida Chel slipped off her raw silk sarong and flung it over the hook on her kitchen wall. Now naked and cooler, she rushed back to the bubbling pot of blue-green slurry on her stove and waved her applewood wand over the steaming brew, reciting a blessing as she stirred.
Oh, guardians of this distant land,
protectors where the sargassia dwell,
Infuse no ill or bane for Somerled.
I ask you charge my magic spell.
After lighting a candle and white sage incense on the counter next to the stove, she took a quick sip from her glass of lialade. The afternoon sun streamed in through her wide windows and open door raising the heat in her tiny adobe cottage.
Outside the warm breeze rustled the leaves of her citrus trees and abundant garden of grapes, vegetables and herbs. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the sweet-scented breeze and enjoyed the brief swirling coolness on her bare skin. Her nipples tightened and hardened to the gentle touch of air, like a lover’s breath. It had been much too long since she’d had made love—half a year on Somerled.
What if she took a lover from town? Nothing permanent, just a casual affair. After three years on this planet, the colonists had forgiven her for her devastating mistake at the last settlement. Most agreed this was a more hospitable planet even if it wasn’t their first choice. It was all her fault they had to relocate here. The colonists had made the adjustment. If only she could forgive herself.
She might find a willing partner now. Nothing permanent, just a casual affair. She doubted there would be a man from the colony willing to ostracize himself and be her life mate, but she might find a secret lover. A few ideas came to mind on how she might accomplish such a plan. The only concerns were to keep the other colonists from finding out and making Kai understand her needs. Kai could be very difficult and jealous at times.
She glanced at her shelves containing jars and bottles of elixirs, teas and ointments that she sold or bartered with the colonists. Her Dragon Tear Elixir, the most prized product on Somerled for its medicinal purposes, was nearly out. To make more she had to travel to the coast for the sargassia harvest, the elixir’s key ingredient. Mmmm. The twice a year harvest had its other benefits too—seeing Trent again. She smiled and felt her pussy clench.
Noticing the layer of green slime on the surface of the bubbling mixture, she quickly skimmed it off with a flat spoon. The aquasam had to be poured into the containers before it jelled or she’d have one hell of a mess.
The warning bells clanged, signaling a guest approaching her house. The bells were her magical guard dog. The garden gate squeaked as heavy footsteps trod up her stone walkway. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and sighed. Mr. Moretti. Forgawdsake.
She eyed her blue tunic hanging on the hook out of reach and then at the pot of aquasam that she dared not stop preparing. As the last of the thick skin was removed, she picked up the pot and began pouring it into the small jars.
Caught naked in her kitchen again. Was Mr. Moretti making a habit of arriving early on pick-up days, or was it her imagination? He distributed her wares in the village store since most colonists dared not visit her, and she avoided trips into the village unless absolutely necessary. “Mr. Moretti, you’re early. Could you wait outside? I’m almost finished.”
He didn’t answer, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure standing in her doorway. The dazzling sun peered into the house behind him, only allowing her to see his silhouette. She felt his gaze travel over every inch of her.
She dribbled a little of the blue-green syrup down one of the jars and groaned. “Grant me power,” she mumbled, then called out to him. “You can leave my delivery at the door while I pack up your order.”
Still no answer.
Nudity wasn’t uncommon among the settlers—Somerled was a tropical planet most of the year—but it wasn’t exactly proper for a married man to be alone with a single woman, especially when she was naked.
Then she heard two thunks outside her door—her bags of rice and flour. “Great. Have yourself a seat under the lia lia trees, and I’ll get you something to drink in just a minute.” Already the solution was darkening and getting thick and hard to pour.
But the shadow remained, leaning casually in her doorway, arms crossed. She felt herself flush and a shiver crept up her body. Mr. Moretti was a stout man and at least fifteen years her senior, not her type. And it was not like him to be so bold and impolite.
Finishing her chore, she turned to face him, a bit annoyed with his rudeness. But the man leaning casually in her doorway was not Mr. Moretti. He was tall, broad in the chest, with well-defined muscular arms and dark hair cut short. With the sun so low in the sky Jaida could not see the man’s face. Nor could she guess who he might be.
She swallowed, took a step back as her mind raced trying to recall the other settlers in the village who could fit the dimensions of this man but couldn’t. A twinge of fear shot through her at the thought of space raids, but she hadn’t heard the sirens. “Are...are you here to pick up Mr. Moretti’s order?” she stammered. Who was this man? She glanced at her sarong, suddenly feeling exposed but hesitated to grab it because she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing her discomfort.
“Did another freighter or shuttle arrive today?” she asked with her power voice, the confident tone used to evoke the goddess and nature spirits on this planet to do her spells.
The man chuckled. A familiar, sexy laugh. “Hello, Jaida.”
Her stomach twirled with excitement, her nipples tightened and her body ached with need, all from the sound of his voice.
Damn you, Captain Brayden Stokes. Her heart ached too, although she thought she’d put that part of their brief encounter all behind her. She breathed in the white sage, burning in a censer, in an attempt to block the erotic memories of Brayden that flooded her mind—his mouth, his hands pleasuring her. Closing her eyes, her thoughts drifted to many hot, passion-filled hours, making full use of every spare inch of his tiny, private bunk. An involuntary throb began between her thighs, remembering his hard cock plunging deep inside her. The sage did nothing to ease her desire. Already, she felt dampness and a swelling in her clit. She was clean shaven. If Brayden glanced down would he see the evidence that betrayed her desire? Crossing her arms over her waist in a casual pose, she then turned on an angle and crossed one ankle over the other in an attempt to hide her pussy. She glared at his silhouette. “Hello, Brayden. What brings you planetside?” she asked coolly.
Now, it’s a different story. New sub-genres keep appearing: Urban fantasy, Futuristic, Paranormal, Historic Paranormal, Steampunk, Magical Realism, etc. There are so many vampire books out there they could be considered a sub-genre now, not to mention the “demon” and “shapeshifter” books. Those aren’t quite a sub-genre, not yet anyway. And I do love good vampire, demon, shapeshifter books!
