Serpent's Kiss (Elder Races series: Book 3)
Thea Harrison
Dragon Bound
“Black Dagger Brotherhood readers will love [this book]! Dragon Bound has it all: a smart heroine, a sexy alpha hero and a dark, compelling world. I’m hooked!”
—J. R. Ward, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“I absolutely loved Dragon Bound! Once I started reading, I was mesmerized to the very last page. Thea Harrison is a master storyteller, and she transported me to a fascinating world I want to visit again and again. It’s a fabulous, exciting read that paranormal romance readers will love.”
—Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“I loved this book so much I didn’t want it to end. Smoldering sensuality, fascinating characters and an intriguing world—Dragon Bound kept me glued to the pages. Thea Harrison has a new fan in me!”
—Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author
“Thea Harrison has created a truly original urban fantasy romance . . . When the shapeshifting dragon locks horns with his very special heroine, sparks fly that any reader will enjoy. Buy yourself an extra-large cappuccino, sit back and enjoy the decadent fun!”
—Angela Knight, New York Times bestselling author
“Thea Harrison is definitely an author to watch. Sexy and action packed, Dragon Bound features a strong, likable heroine, a white-hot luscious hero and an original and intriguing world that swallowed me whole. This novel held me transfixed from beginning to end! I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for the next book in this series.”
—Anya Bast, New York Times bestselling author
“Full of tense action, toe-curling love scenes and intriguing characters that will stay with you long after the story is over. All that is wrapped inside a colorful, compelling world with magic so real, the reader can feel it. Thea Harrison is a fantastic new talent who will soon be taking the world of paranormal romance by storm.”
—Shannon K. Butcher, national bestselling author
“Fun, feral and fiercely exciting—I can’t get enough! Thea Harrison supplies deliciously addictive paranormal romance, and I’m already jonesing for the next hit.”
—Ann Aguirre, national bestselling author
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Once again, I have a lot of people to thank:
To Luann Reed-Siegel, who has done an amazing job on copy-editing.
To publicist Erin Galloway at Penguin, who has been friendly, patient, informative, prompt, dedicated, and enthusiastic.
To Janet and Don, who offered.
To my beta readers Shawn, Kristin, Anne, and Fran for their prompt, intelligent feedback. You guys are awesome!
To Lorene and Carol, as always.
To Matt, for his continuing goodhearted, generous work on the website.
To my editor, Cindy Hwang, and my agent, Amy Boggs. Thank you again, for everything you do.
And last but most important, to you, the readers. Without you, none of this would be happening. I’m eternally grateful.
Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.
The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
For the Elder Races, this generally involves bloodshed of some sort and a spate of funerals.
—AMBROSE BIERCE ON REVISING THE DEVIL’S DICTIONARY
ONE
“I am a bad woman, of course,” said Carling Severan, the Vampyre sorceress, in an absent tone of voice. “It is a fact that I made peace with many centuries ago. I calibrate everything I do, even the most generous-seeming gesture, in terms of how it may serve me.”
Carling sat in her favorite armchair by a spacious window. The chair’s butter-soft leather had long ago molded to the contours of her body. Outside the window lay a lush, well-tended garden that was ornamented with the subtle hues of the moonlit night. Her gaze was trained on the scene, but, like her face, the expression in her long almond-shaped eyes was blank.
“Why would you say such a thing?” Rhoswen asked. There were tears in the younger Vampyre’s voice as she knelt beside the armchair, her blonde head turned up to Carling like a flower’s to a midnight sun. “You’re the most wonderful person in the world.”
“That is very sweet of you.” Carling kissed Rhoswen’s forehead, since the other woman seemed to need it. Although the distance in Carling’s gaze lessened, it did not entirely disappear. “But those are rather disturbing words. If you believe that of someone such as I, you must acquire more discernment.”
Her servant’s tears spilled over and streaked down a cameo-perfect face. Rhoswen threw her arms around Carling with a sob.
Carling’s sleek eyebrows rose. “What is this?” she asked, her tone weary. “What have I said to upset you?”