Flashfire
| Flashfire | |
| Dragonfire [7] | |
| Deborah Cooke | |
| Signet (2012) | |
| Rating: | **** |
| Tags: | Romance, Fantasy |
Master illusionist Lorenzo wants nothing to do with the Pyr. His dragon nature is just another secret to hide and another detail to juggle, like ensuring that each of his Las Vegas magic shows is a true spectacle. Until he feels the burn of his firestorm and his whole world shifts.... Cassie Redmond is tired of photographing celebrities. She wants to pursue her dream of serious photography—despite the lucrative offer for a shot of a dragon shifter. Las Vegas is the last place she wants to be, but Lorenzo arouses more than her curiosity when he shifts shape as the finale of his show. Instead of forcing him to reveal his secrets, Cassie gets swept away by this illusionist’s masterful touch. Lorenzo wants to satisfy the firestorm and put it behind him. But Cassie is hard to forget—and he can’t ignore the danger when Slayers target the mate Lorenzo didn’t believe he wanted....
Praise for the
Dragonfire Novels
Darkfire Kiss
“Deborah Cooke’s Dragonfire novels are impossible to put down.
Darkfire Kiss
is no exception. I dare any reader to skim any part of this terrific story!” —Romance Reviews Today
Whisper Kiss
“Deborah Cooke has again given readers a truly dynamic story in her Dragonfire chronicles.” —Fresh Fiction
“This is a terrific Kiss urban romantic fantasy. . . . The author has ‘Cooked’ another winner with the tattoo artist and the dragon shape-shifter.” —Alternative Worlds
“A great addition to the
Pyr
story line . . . I recommend Deborah Cooke to those who like dragons and love; this one will be a keeper for your shelves and a reread as you pick up the next book in the line.” —Night Owl Romance
“
Whisper Kiss
by Deborah Cooke is now my unofficial official favorite! . . . Bursting with emotions, passion, and even a real fire or four, I count myself lucky not to have spontaneously combusted! Don’t miss this sizzling addition to Deborah Cooke’s Dragonfire series—it is marvelous!” —Romance Junkies
“Cooke introduces her most unconventional and inspiring heroine to date with tattoo artist Rox. . . . Cooke aces another one!” —
Romantic Times
(4½ stars)
Winter Kiss
“A beautiful and emotionally gripping fourth novel,
Winter Kiss
is compelling and will keep readers riveted in their seats and breathing a happy sigh at the love shared between Delaney and Ginger. . . . Sizzling hot love scenes and explosive emotions make
Winter Kiss
a must read!” —Romance Junkies
“A terrific novel!” —Romance Reviews Today
“All the
Pyr
and their mates from the previous three books in this exciting series are included in this final confrontation with Magnus and his evil Dragon’s Blood Elixir. It’s another stellar addition to this dynamic paranormal saga with the promise of more to come.” —Fresh Fiction
Kiss of Fate
“An intense ride. Ms. Cooke has a great talent. . . . If you love paranormal romance in any way, this is a series you should be following.” —Night Owl Romance (reviewer top pick)
“Second chances are a key theme in this latest Dragonfire adventure. Cooke keeps the pace intense and the emotions raging in this powerful new read. She’s top-notch, as always.” —
Romantic Times
Kiss of Fury
“Those sexy dragons are back in the second chapter of Cooke’s exciting paranormal series, Dragonfire. The intriguing characters continue to grow and offer terrific opportunities for story expansion. Balancing a hormone-driven romance with high-stakes action can be difficult, but Cooke manages with ease. Visiting this world is a pleasure.” —
Romantic Times
“This second book in Deborah Cooke’s phenomenal Dragonfire series expertly sets the stage for the next thrilling episode.” —Fresh Fiction
“Entertaining and imaginative . . . a must read for paranormal fans.” —BookLoons
“Riveting. . . . Deborah Cooke delivers a fiery tale of love and passion.” —Wild on Books
“Epic battles, suspense, ecological concerns, humor, and romance are highlights that readers can expect in this tale. Excellent writing, a smart story, and exceptional characters earn this novel the RRT Perfect 10 Rating. Don’t miss the very highly recommended
Kiss of Fury
.” —Romance Reviews Today
“Combustible . . . extremely fascinating . . . Deborah Cooke has only touched the surface about these wonderful men called the
Pyr
and their battle with the evil dragons. . . . I am dying for more.” —Romance Junkies
Kiss of Fire
“Cooke, aka bestseller Claire Delacroix, dips into the paranormal realm with her sizzling new Dragonfire series. With a self-described loner as a hero, this heroine has to adjust to her new role in the supernatural and establish bonds of trust. Efficient plotting moves the story at a brisk pace and paves the way for more exciting battles to come.” —
Romantic Times
“Wow, what an innovative and dazzling world Ms. Cooke has built with this new Dragonfire series. Her smooth and precise writing quickly draws the reader in and has you believing it could almost be real. . . . I can’t wait for the next two books.” —Fresh Fiction
“Deborah Cooke has definitely made me a fan. I am now lying in wait for the second book in this extremely exciting series.” —Romance Junkies
“Paranormal fans with a soft spot for shape-shifting dragons will definitely enjoy
Kiss of Fire
, a story brimming with sexy heroes, evil villains threatening mayhem, death and world domination, ancient prophesies, and an engaging love story. . . . An intriguing mythology and various unanswered plot threads set the stage for plenty more adventure to come in future Dragonfire stories.” —BookLoons
Also by Deborah Cooke
The Dragonfire Novels
Kiss of Fire
Kiss of Fury
Kiss of Fate
Winter Kiss
Whisper Kiss
Darkfire Kiss
The Dragon Diaries Novels
Flying Blind
Winging It
FLASHFIRE
A Dragonfire Novel
Deborah Cooke
SIGNET ECLIPSE
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
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80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
First published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
First Printing, January 2012
Copyright © Deborah A. Cooke, 2012
All rights reserved
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Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
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For Kon,
as always.
Prologue
Hale’iwa, Hawai’i
January 19, 2011
T
he
Slayer
Chen settled into a corner table at a ramshackle beach bar on the north shore of Oahu. Here, the surfing season was in full fury, and the waves were high enough to set records.
On this night, the moon would be full. The timing was perfect to move his plan one step closer to fruition.
Next year, 2012, would be the year of the dragon, and time was slipping away. Chen had been compelled to accept that he’d made a slight miscalculation in loosing the darkfire—that potent and disruptive force, legendary among the
Pyr
, and known to turn all assumptions upside down when released. Chen had deliberately chosen to break one of the three crystals that held darkfire captive, and had done so to disrupt the last major firestorm of the
Pyr
. Unfortunately, he’d failed to anticipate that the darkfire could also impact his own situation.
He’d assumed himself immune to such factors.
In fact, “impact” was an understatement. The darkfire had broken his special tool, the brand he used to enslave
Pyr
and
Slayers
. Although he’d reforged the iron brand, it wasn’t the same—and he distrusted the blue-green flame of darkfire that periodically danced around its rim. He wasn’t entirely sure what it would do when used, for ancient magic was most unpredictable.
And apparently most susceptible to darkfire’s touch.
Instead of working alone, Chen had decided to take on reinforcements. He knew that he needed to have each of the four elements accounted for in order to enact his plan. He himself had an affinity for fire and for earth. He had mastered some ability to control air and water, but had intended to enslave other dragon shifters with those affinities. Time was passing, though, and the darkfire was loose—Chen was doubling up the options to ensure his own triumph. He’d build a small army, reliant upon him, beholden to him, magically bound to him, and guarantee that nothing would fail.
Chen had discovered, to his own surprise, that he rather liked having minions. It was pleasant to sit back, pull the strings, and let others do his dirty work for a change. Viv Jason, for example, was pledged to gather the
Pyr
with an affinity for air, the one Chen had been unable to snatch so far himself.
The party animal who called himself Thorolf.
Chen looked forward to that delivery with anticipation.
Then he’d have to figure out what Viv Jason truly wanted of him. He knew her pledge to bring him Thorolf was but an introductory move in what would surely be a battle for supremacy between them.
Chen smiled at the promise of that.
All in all, he felt that his new scheme was moving toward its culmination like clockwork.
Chen sat with his back to the wall in the bar, the corner table allowing him an unobstructed view of the beach. He was in human form, in the guise of an older Chinese man. He liked this form, as people tended to underestimate him when he used it. He ordered a glass of juice from the pretty waitress, ensuring that his English was faulty, then waited.
He felt a thrill when he saw his prey jump out of a convertible, hauling his surfboard and shouting to his friends. This young
Pyr
—powerful, tanned, and confident—was the perfect target.
It was a bonus that Brandon was estranged from his father, unknown by the other
Pyr
, and ignorant of his abilities. None of the
Pyr
even suspected this young one’s affinity to the earth.
Chen adored how useful Brandon would be to him.
Never mind how responsive the young dragon was to the Dragon Bone Powder. Chen would bait the trap a little more before harvesting this prey.
Brandon was in his early twenties, his age difficult to guess given his rumpled good looks. His hair was dark auburn and tangled. There was a day’s growth of stubble on his chin, and his body was tanned to a deep gold. His smile flashed white, his blue eyes twinkling. He wore only shorts and a Hawaiian shirt that was unfastened, the wind whipping at the fabric and revealing glimpses of his collection of tattoos.
More than one woman watched him walk toward the bar where Chen sat. Brandon smiled only for a dark-haired girl who got out of the same car as he did. She flicked the barest glance at him, then turned away to join her friends. Disappointment crossed Brandon’s features.
Brandon leaned his surfboard against the outside of the wooden bar with care, then ducked into the shadows, heading straight for Chen. “Hey, Chen, good to see you.” The young
Pyr
’s words carried a subtle hint of Australia, although he sounded more American the longer he remained in Hawai’i.
“I am pleased also to see you again.” Chen bowed his head slightly.
“Still into the pineapple juice?”
“You must be my guest,” Chen said, knowing that his prey was notoriously short of cash. “I insist.” He beckoned to the waitress, then indicated Brandon.
Brandon grinned at the waitress, unaware of his easy charm or his affect upon her. “A beer for me. Thanks, Chen.” He leaned over the table then, his expression turning serious as his voice dropped. “You don’t have any more of that
stuff
, do you, Chen?”
Chen pretended not to understand, although inwardly he was delighted. Everything was falling perfectly into place.
“You know. Ancient Chinese remedy.” Brandon winked. His gaze trailed away to the dark-haired girl he’d smiled at. She was chatting with her friends on the beach, so pointedly ignoring Brandon that Chen knew the attraction was mutual.
The boy had no need of Chen’s powder to make this conquest, but Chen would not be the one to tell him so.
“She is very pretty,” Chen said, although he thought she was less than remarkable.
“Only here one more day.” Brandon grimaced. “Time is of the essence, you know.” The hope in his eyes made Chen dizzy. To think that his prey would be so eager to step into the trap. It was beyond expectation.
He had chosen the bait well.
“I have only a little bit of the powder,” he admitted. “And you know I rely upon it myself.”
“Aren’t you going home, soon, though? Can’t you get more?”
“Tomorrow, yes. I also remain only one more day.”
“So . . . ?”
Chen nodded. “So I can help a friend once more.”
“Excellent!” Brandon’s grin flashed. His beer came, frost on the bottle, and he drained half of it immediately.
“The usual price,” Chen said softly.
Brandon met his gaze, his smile fading. “Again?”
Chen spread his hands, as if the terms were not his to negotiate.
Brandon winced. He eyed the girl. He finished his beer. Then he squared his shoulders and nodded. “Just give me a minute. Watch the board for me, huh?”
Chen inclined his head and Brandon left the table. He heard the young
Pyr
lock himself in the men’s room and smiled at the ripple of energy he felt when Brandon shifted shape. Chen closed his eyes and savored the sensation. Soon the young dragon would be completely in his thrall, unable to make the shift without Chen’s permission.
He could hardly wait.
Brandon returned moments later, something in his hand.
He laid the scale flat on the table, his hand over it. His fingers were shaking slightly. “Some bitch getting these loose,” he said with a cautious grin.
Chen smiled. He glanced around the bar, but no one was paying attention to either of them. The waitress was polishing glasses, her back to them. The bartender was frowning over his inventory. Everyone else was watching the surf.
Chen opened the vial of Dragon Bone Powder over the table and tipped a bit of it into his palm. He blew so that the fine powder took flight and Brandon closed his eyes, inhaling it. He visibly shimmered, so aroused that he was on the cusp of change again.
Chen watched for a moment, transfixed by the power of the powder over the
Pyr
. He felt the pulse of sexual desire as well, but the effect seemed magnified for those dragon shifters who had not yet turned
Slayer
. Brandon’s arousal made Chen feel old, in a way, numb.
While Brandon’s attention was diverted, Chen seized the scale and hid it away from prying eyes.
“Shit, that’s good stuff,” Brandon whispered, his doubts dismissed. He opened his eyes and they were bright with anticipation. “And it won’t hurt her, either, right?”
“It merely opens the mind to possibilities. You have seen this before.”
“Oh yeah.”
Chen handed him the vial with a flourish.
Brandon glanced down, clearly intending to pass over the scale. He looked at Chen in confusion. “How’d you do that?”
“Sometimes the hand is quicker than the eye,” Chen said with a smile.
Brandon laughed. “Well, have a good trip home, Chen, if I don’t see you again.”
“Oh, I will,” Chen said and shook hands with the
Pyr
who would soon be his to command.
There was no doubt that they would see each other again.
All in good time.
Brandon headed toward his surfboard, whistling. He brushed shoulders with another man on the threshold of the bar, a man in his thirties with dark blond hair and sunglasses. That man eyed Brandon with curiosity before coming to join Chen.
“Fraternizing with the enemy?” Jean-Pierre asked as he took a seat, only the most faint French accent clinging to his words.
“Recruiting,” Chen corrected, and smiled. JP looked as if he would ask more, but Chen wasn’t interested in sharing all of his plans with his newest acolyte.
JP was merely a pawn in Chen’s game, although he was foolish enough to imagine his role to be more significant than that.
Of course, Chen had lied to him to encourage that view. What was important about JP was that he would bring Chen the
Pyr
with the strongest affinity to water.
First, Lorenzo and his link to water.
Then Brandon and his link to earth.
Then Thorolf and his link to air.
Chen would take care of fire himself.
JP shimmered slightly, on the cusp of change himself. Chen was delighted to see the effect of the Dragon Bone Powder, even on the
Slayer
. He would need to replenish his stores soon.
“Something in the air here,” JP said, that blue shimmer dancing around his body. He glanced at the beach. “All these kids. Raw testosterone.”
“Not quite,” Chen said, smiling into his pineapple juice.
JP watched him for a moment. “So, you said you needed me to capture Lorenzo and persuade him to join you,” he said, removing his sunglasses. “You haven’t told me why it will be worth my while to help.”
“The
Pyr
owe you a debt for the murder of your brother.”
“That was Quinn and Donovan who cut down Lucien.” JP frowned. “I don’t see what Lorenzo has to do with it.”
Chen smiled. “It is often better to work from the inside. I find the idea of turning one
Pyr
against the others appealing—and potentially very effective.”
JP studied the older
Slayer
for a long moment. “Why me?”
“You are the ideal
Slayer
to aid me in this quest, because you appreciate the necessity of stealth,” he said, watching JP’s gaze brighten. “Have you not watched Quinn and Donovan for years, awaiting the perfect moment for vengeance?”
JP appeared to be uncomfortable. “I thought no one knew that.”
Chen smiled again. “Today, we negotiate your compensation.” With those few words, Chen knew that he had this
Slayer’
s undivided attention.
Perfect.
