FireDrake

Will the fire within burn them all to cinders?

Years ago, Drake left everything behind for a life in the shadows. While it broke his heart to leave his grieving dragon behind, serving his land as head of a network of spies suited him better. Far better than never quite measuring up to Mace, the “perfect” knight his father wished he could have been.

Mace has always done his duty. Drake, his childhood friend and rival, had been the charmer who effortlessly stole every woman who caught Mace’s eye. Some things never change—not one day back in town, and Drake’s already putting the moves on Krysta, the woman Mace has been courting.

The three of them take on the dangerous task of rescuing a kidnapped prince. Each day that passes on their perilous journey, Krysta sinks deeper into the complicated relationship between the two men and their meddling, matchmaking dragons. Mace is clearly the safer choice as a mate, yet Drake tantalizes her with that unpredictable gleam in his eye. When the three of them come together, any sense of torn loyalty burns away in their fiery passion.

The safety of the stolen prince hanging in the balance, Krysta accepts the challenge to unite two strong men—and their dragons—into a real family.

CHAPTER ONE

Drake felt the weight of responsibility settling around his shoulders as he made his way to the throne room in the royal castle of Draconia. He’d sent the messenger at the last possible moment, but he knew the king would be expecting him. Drake wanted to make this visit as brief as possible. He didn’t want to see anyone other than the king, if he could avoid it.
Coming back to Draconia after all these years was quite possibly the hardest thing he’d ever done, but it was necessary. Nothing less than the safety of the land, its people and dragons could have made him break his vow never to set foot in his homeland again, but it had come down to that, at the last.
Drake had a message to deliver that was too urgent to wait. It had to be him, much as he wished otherwise. He’d been closest to the borders of Draconia and there was no time to find another trusted operative to deliver the warning. This had to be done as quickly and covertly as possible so as not to alert their enemies.
The giant doors to the throne room were open, and he could hear the soft murmur of voices from within. He’d hoped to catch the king alone, but it was not to be. Drake took a deep breath for courage and resigned himself before stepping through the dragon-sized portal.
Nico was there, closest to the doorway in the huge room. Drake sketched him a saucy bow as he caught the new king of the Jinn’s eye. Nico smiled and started toward him. They met in the center of the large chamber, exchanging a firm handclasp and a short, pounding hug of true welcome.
“Drake! You’re here sooner than I expected. Your messenger only arrived yesterday.”
Drake stepped back, his grin genuine, if a bit sheepish. “That was by design.”
“Ah. Just enough time to recall Roland if he was elsewhere and not enough time for word to spread too far. You’re a cagey one, Drake. Always were.”
“Has word spread? I mean, does my family know I’m here?” He felt like a fool for asking, but he had to know, and Nico was as close as a brother to him, though he was in fact his liege lord twice over—once as Prince and Spymaster of Draconia, and again as King-Consort of the Jinn.
“You mean, does your blood-father know?” Nico cut to the heart of the matter. “If he does, he didn’t hear it from me.”
That should have set his mind at ease, but Drake knew Nico too well. His careful words were too vague for Drake’s comfort, but he didn’t have time to wrangle with the Prince of Spies about it. Roland had spotted them.
Few had the nerve to keep King Roland of Draconia waiting. Nico, of course, did but he was his brother. Drake, while having grown up alongside the royal princes, still couldn’t claim that kind of kinship. And Roland was king now, after all.
Drake walked toward Roland, Nico beside him. When Drake would have fallen to one knee in respect for his king, Roland stopped him, grasping his hand and giving him a back-thumping hug, much as Nico had done.
“It’s good to see you back home, Drake. We’ve missed you.” Roland stepped back and nodded. That simple gesture of approval said more than mere words to Drake, who’d known Roland and his understated ways since they were both youngsters. “Your work on our land’s behalf has not gone unnoticed, and I thank you.”
Drake stood back, amazed by the welcome. He hadn’t left under the best of circumstances, but all he’d done in the years he’d been away had been for the safety and security of the dragons and people of Draconia. Apparently Nico had told his older brother a bit about Drake’s work as head of the Jinn Brotherhood’s network of informants and spies. He didn’t know quite what to do with praise of this kind. He’d heard so little of it in his life.
Drake bowed to the king. Roland’s opinion mattered more to him than that of almost any man alive. Roland had been forced to assume the throne at a young age after the murder of his parents and had always been a steady, solid influence on Drake while growing up. After Roland had become king, Drake had been there, part of the royal court, younger than Roland, but not by much. He’d admired the young king as a friend and a leader even back then. Drake suddenly realized he’d missed Roland’s strong personality and the influence of his presence in the years he’d been gone.
“It’s good to be home, my liege.” Drake knew he had never spoken truer words.
A scuffle from behind caught all their attention as heavy, hurried, dragonish footsteps sounded through the large throne room. Drake’s back was to the doorway, but he knew the sound of those particular dragon feet. He’d grown up hearing them and would never forget the rhythmic click of this dragon’s claws on stone. A feeling of mixed dread and delight stirred in the pit of his stomach, and he steeled himself before turning to face his destiny.
“Drake!”
The feel of her voice in his mind caused Drake’s knees to weaken. It felt so good, so right. Drake had denied himself this feeling for far too long.
The peach-colored dragon approached him at full speed, her wings outstretched as she landed with a bounce in front of him. Without pause, she swept him into her wings and pulled him in against her smooth, scaled neck.
Jenet had grown since the last time he’d seen her. She was almost full size now, and so beautiful it made his heart ache.
“Sweetheart.” Drake hugged her close, allowing himself the luxury of burying his head against her sinuous neck for a short moment. Jenet had been born when Drake was very small, and they’d grown up together. They were closer than brother and sister. They loved each other deeply though they were of different species. “It’s good to see you again.”
Drake felt the tightness behind his eyes that he refused to humor. He had to keep firm control of his emotions here. He’d learned the hard way over the years he’d been gone to temper his feelings—for good or ill. His hot temper had cost him his family and home once before. He had learned a hard lesson then and had never let his emotions get the better of him again.
Jenet stepped back, her wings withdrawing as Drake stood facing her. Her fiery jewel eyes focused on him as she sent her thoughts out to all in the room. “I claim you, Drake, as my knight partner—”
But Drake cut her off. “We’ll have none of that, Jen. I told you before I left it’s just not meant to be. I’m no knight.”