Stained-Glass Windows and Ancient Curses.

I've always loved the beauty of stained-glass windows. There's something alluring about the jewel-like effect of watery colours cascading over stone walls and floors, illuminating, what would otherwise be, a dark interior. It's mesmerising, and many have found that, too, over the centuries. In the medieval period, people flocked into the magnificent gothic cathedrals to gaze in awe at the coloured lights, feeling themselves lifted above the the squalor in which they lived and drawn into the glories of heaven. And like books, those rich windows told stories, teaching a largely illiterate population biblical and moral lessons, and reminding them of the glorious world beyond this one.

The Abbey in Annandale, NSW, Australia

In the Victorian era, when the tax on glass had long been lifted, stained-glass windows became a status symbol with the newly established upper-middle classes. Their neo-gothic mansions boasted enormous windows of coloured glass, displaying the source of their wealth and their newly established coats-of-arms. It was meant to impress. One such Victorian mansion, near where I live, became the inspiration for the D'Antonville window in my books. But unlike those in the houses of the nouveau riche, mine displayed the sad history of a cursed family. As in a church, it told a story.
The stained glass window from St Alban's Episcopal Church in Hertfordshire in the UK (pictured here), was how I envisioned its central character, Marcus Antonius Pulcher, to appear.

http://st-albans-church.org/the-story-of-saint-alban/

      Here's how I describe it in my book, BloodGifted:

      I wandered through the downstairs hall and came upon another set of stone steps leading up to a half-landing from which streamed a beam of coloured watery light. Curious, I followed them up and came face-to-face with the image of an ancient Roman soldier.
     I sat on the topmost step and leaned my back against the wall for a better look.
     Within the confines of an exquisite lead-lined window, the soldier - whom I recognised from last night's ceremony as Marcus Antonius - stood at attention. One hand rested on a large rectangular shield at his feet, the other held a spear. The shield carried the image of a sword flanked by two coiled serpents, whose glowing red eyes were shaped like teardrops.
     My breath caught in my chest. It was the same image as on my ring.
     Hovering on either side of Marcus were eight smaller figures in Roman military uniform. I looked closer and recognised the faces of Alec's friends - Terens, Sam, Cal, Jake and four others I didn't know.
     A soft thud sounded behind me. I turned to see Luc coming up the stairs.
     "You forgot these." He handed me half a breadstick and a fresh mug of coffee.
     I blinked and refocused as I gratefully took the food, the window temporarily forgotten. Luc sat on the step next to me, leaned his back against the stone balustrade and watched me eat the breadstick. I thought I heard him murmur, ma petite, ma fille, once or twice.
     "Yes, that's him - Marcus Antonius Pulcher." He pointed at the window. "Your ancestor, my Laura."
     I stared at the image with renewed interest, barely registering the way he called me "my" Laura.
     "What you see on the shield - the two serpents - represent his children, twins: a boy Lucius Antonius and a girl, Antonia."
     I was taken aback. Kids could be difficult sometimes, but it was a bit harsh to show them as snakes. Either he was a mind reader or my face betrayed my thoughts, for he gave a faint smile. "The serpent was not regarded as evil among the ancients. It was seen as a symbol of immortality, for it shed its wrinkled old skin and grew a healthy new one."
     "Oh." What woman on the planet wouldn't want to do that?
     "You are directly descended from Antonia. I was hoping I'd get the chance to tell you the story while you were here."
     "Please do."
     Luc smiled and turning back to the window, recounted Marcus's story. I felt myself drawn back all those centuries, like a silent witness to a long ago scene as he described Marcus's ride into the village, the failed attempt to rescue Roman captives, the massacre of the villagers and the witch's curse turning him and his men into vampires. But his last words haunted me....

Want to read more? Get it here Amazon
    

I Always Knew Rasputin Was a Vampire.

When choosing an antagonist for my books, being a historian, I naturally veered toward an infamous character from history. And what a huge playground that is in which to roam. With such a plethora of interesting villains it was hard to know who to choose. Psychopathic Roman emperors such as Nero and Caligula; murderous conquerors like Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane? Or more recent notorious individuals who still haunt the popular imagination, like Grigory Rasputin, the Mad Monk and confident of the last royal house of Russia - the Romanovs?
Decisions, decisions....
Characters like these make great choices for fictional villains. For one thing, they're all dead so can't sue you for character assassination! Perfect.
Why did I decide on Rasputin? He's a mysterious, fascinating and controversial figure considered evil by some sources and a saint by others. All depends on who you read. Many consider him responsible for the demise of the Romanovs, and much has been written on his strange relationship with the Czarina, Alexandra Fedorovna, wife of Nicholas II. Almost all the sources are in agreement that he had some form of hypnotic influence over the Czar's family. The fact that he was so hard to kill - poisoned, shot, bludgeoned and thrown into a freezing river to drown (he eventually died of hypothermia) - was a spur to my already-overactive imagination. What else could he be but a vampire?
It was to good to resist.

Here's how he first appears in BloodPledge, Bk2 in my Dantonville Legacy series:

     By the time I got to the top of the stairs, Kari was already at the bottom with a group of men. As I joined her, five faces turned to look at me - Marcus Antonius, Jake and Terens, and two men I didn't recognise. One stood an inch or so taller than the rest, with deep, penetrating eyes that seemed to bore into my soul.
     "Ah, our little Ingenii," he drawled. "How I was looking forward to meeting you." If a voice could drip evil, his did. Hypnotic eyes. Strange warmth crept over me.
     "Lower your eyes snake," Marcus Antonius snarled. I was vaguely aware of him pushing the man onto his knees.
     I blinked and gripped the marble bannister as Kari stepped in front of me, blocking him from my view. "Go back upstairs, Laura," she whispered over her shoulder.
     "Control your pet, Timur," Alec said from behind me as he came down the stairs, His voice held a lethal tone.
     Kari glanced up at him, smiled then stepped aside and went to stand next to Jake. Hie whispered something to her I couldn't catch; his mouth was a hard line, jaw clenched.
     Alec joined me and took my hand. He was formally dressed in a lead-coloured suit with black lapels and matching shirt, and a lavender tie that set off the brilliance of his eyes. The cut of the suit, in particular, emphasised the width of his shoulders and nearly took my breath away. It was a stunning contrast to my ivory dress and for a moment I wondered if he'd listened in on my conversation with Kari.
     ... The man rose, his gaze locked on the ground, the knuckles of his clenched fists white as they hung by his side. It seemed the very air around him crackled with suppressed rage. Had the others felt it? As Jake led him away - Kari by his side - I breathed a sigh of relief and hoped I would never have to meet the man with the penetrating eyes any time soon.
     Alec's gaze followed him until they were out of sight.
     "Who are they?" I asked.
     "Count Timur Szechenyi and Grigory Rasputin." Marcus Antonius answered in his deep baritone voice. He'd remained standing in the hallway, sword sheathed.
     "The Rasputin? The mad monk who got the Russian royal family killed?"
     "The same."
     "No wonder they couldn't kill him." From what I remembered of my high school history, he was supposedly poisoned, shot, bludgeoned and his body thrown into a frozen river by Russian aristocrats trying to protect the Czar's family. Obviously, they were unsuccessful.

Want to read more? Just click any of the links.

Universal link   Amazon  Apple  Kobo  Nook  

Until next time,
Happy reading.

An Amazing Year for The Dantonville Legacy Series.

Was 2015 memorable? You bet it was. Fabulous book sales and recognition in various awards made it my best year yet. And that's all thanks to my wonderful readers who gave this little-known indie author a chance, bought my books, left lovely reviews and pushed Bloodgifted into the Top 100 in gothic romance on Amazon. It reached as high as #3, and at the time of writing this post, it sits at #11. Who could not be happy?

It's three years since Bloodgifted was released, and in that time I also released Bloodpledge and BloodVault. Now there's only Bloodwish to come before the series is complete. But that doesn't mean it's the end. I have Terens, Jake, Cal and Sam each nudging me to write their stories. How could I disappoint them?
And the recognition? I was honoured to have been either runner-up or awarded third place in several awards this year. Here they are in order:

I can't say thank you enough to all who voted for me and The Dantonville Legacy series. Without you, my books would be languishing somewhere in the bottomless sea of books that is Amazon. I've been overwhelmed by the number of readers who've personally messaged me on facebook and twitter, and even sent emails to let me know how much they've enjoyed reading Alec and Laura's story. As a writer, there's no greater thrill than hearing how much my readers are invested in the story. And for those who want more, especially on Terens... it's coming. *wink*

 Until then, happy reading.

Win an Early Copy of The Dantonville Legacy's BloodVault.

Although it's only 9 days until the release of BloodVault, I've decided to give one lucky person the chance to win an early copy of The Dantonville Legacy's BloodVault. I'll be drawing the winner Monday November 23rd, Australian time.

If you'd like to be in the running to win, here's what you have to do.

Which key would you use?

Option 1 The Gold Key 

This opens a door which allows you to enter the world of Dantonville and swap places with any character for a day.

Who would you choose?

Option 2 The Silver Key

This opens a door into the bloodvault allowing you to drink an elixir of immortality. 

Would you drink it? Or would you leave it on the shelf?

The Rules:

1. Tell me (a) which key you would choose AND (b) answer the relevant question. Post your answer in the comments section of this post or on the relevant post on my Facebook page.

2. Only ONE entry per person.

3. The winner will be chosen using Random.org

4. No entries will be accepted after Monday 23rd. November.

Good luck and have fun.  

* BloodVault is the third book in the series. I would suggest you read the first two Dantonville Legacy books before commencing this one.

* If you're a book blogger and would like to do a review - which I would absolutely love - please contact me.

The Dantonville Legacy Series Top 100 on Amazon in Gothic Romance

It's not everyday that both books from my Dantonville Legacy series get to rank in three different countries within a few days. I'm thrilled to pieces! Bloodgifted and Bloodpledge were in Amazon's Top 100 in Gothic Romance in Britain, Canada and the USA. What is even more wonderful, is that I hadn't done any paid promotions in months. It's all thanks to my wonderful street team - The Dantonville Devotees - who spread word about my books everywhere. Where would I be without them? I love you ladies! 
It's such a great incentive to see readers enjoying my books, especially as Book 3, BloodVault, is currently with my editor (the dreaded first lot of edits is soon to arrive), and Book 4, BloodWish is on its way - the opening chapter is written.

So thank you to Canada, Britain and America for liking Dantonville.

Bloodgifted #36 in Gothic Romance in Canada

Bloodgifted #82 in Gothic Romance in the USA

Bloodpledge #82 in the UK

Bloodpledge #85 in Gothic Romance in the UK

Please excuse me for revelling in these figures as I don't know when this will happen again.
In the meantime, over the next few days, The Dantonville Legacy series is being featured on the fabulous book blog, Book Friends Forever. The lovely Dzintra Sullivan is displaying my book banner in place of her regular one, and each day people will see a different feature either about me or my books, including soon-to-be-released BloodVault. 
smile emoticon

Sunday Snippet, BloodVault Teaser

It's time again for another little teaser as I near the end of this third book in my gothic romance series - The Dantonville Legacy. Laura's grandfather, Marcus, is showing her around the ancient theatre in Orange, France (pronouned O-ronje). The original Villa of the Antonii was located near here, the name corrupted over time into the Gallic, D'Antonville (Dantonville in English).
Enjoy!
Just a reminder, this is an unedited extract. It goes to my editor at the end of September.

It took my breath away. Set into the side of a hill, the semi-circular tiered seating faced a massive stage edifice that would have once been covered with slender marble columns and frescoed panels. Only a few now remained, their fading and chipped surfaces a sad reminder of its past glory.

‘Wow!’

‘In its day, it was stunning,’ Marcus said.

How had it survived so long, through the rise and fall of empires and history’s most tumultuous events. If only these walls could speak. I glanced at Marcus’s profile, at the sad little smile tugging at his mouth, as he stared at the stage. He was living history.

‘What are you remembering?’

‘My father first brought me here when I received my toga virilis. I was sixteen. The play … I don’t recall the name anymore, but it had a young actress. She appeared naked on stage.’ He laughed and shook his head. ‘My father thought it was about time I got acquainted with the female sex.’

‘Oh my!’ I laughed with him.

‘Come, I’ll show you something.’ We wandered down to the front rows of seats. At the beginning of the third row, Marcus pointed. ‘Take a look.’

Carved into the stone were letters and numbers, EQ GIII. ‘What does it stand for?’

‘ “Equites Row 3.” This row was reserved for the cavalry unit stationed here.’

‘Front row seats? Why were they so lucky?’

Marcus pursed his lips. ‘Mmm … let me see. We defended the empire, kept the city safe, built the roads and aqueducts….’

‘Okay, okay, I get it,’ I laughed. I’d forgotten Marcus had been a military commander of a cavalry unit. Had he sat here? Had he known some of the men?

‘Move along four seats and look closely.’

Along one side of the stone seating, smoothed over by age was a barely visible scratching: MAR. ANT. PUL. I gasped. It could only be the abbreviated letters of Marcus’s name. ‘Your seat?’

He nodded. ‘I got bored during one pantomime. A few days later I was assigned as commander to the Frisian Cohort in Britain.’

And his whole life changed.

I blinked up at him. ‘Do you wish you never received that command?’

‘No. The only regret I have is that one particular day.’

He fell silent. As the wind howled through the columns, I fancied I heard the whispered voices of long ago—the excitement of the crowd, voices calling out greetings; the shuffling of feet on the stone steps, their centres worn by the weight of thousands over the centuries; the laughter and banter of the soldiers in the front rows. All beneath a statue of the emperor, whose sightless eyes surveyed the crowd from his niche above the stage.

(copyright Tima Maria Lacoba)

A Tasty Little BloodVault Teaser.

Yes, it's Teaser Tuesday, and what better excuse to provide my readers with another little snippet from BloodVault. My word count is growing daily, so hopefully book 3 of The Dantonville Legacy saga will be completed by the end of this month.
In the meantime, enjoy.

My stomach growled. Through the open door, I spied the tray of delicacies Madame Thierry had prepared. The mini baguette I had earlier had been delicious.

The bed bounced as I bounded toward the tray. That’s when I heard it—a shrill keening, like a soul in torment. It made the hairs on my arm stand on end. It didn’t seem to be coming from anywhere within the chateau. A night bird? I stuffed another mini-baguette into my mouth and padded over to the window. Tree branches obscured most of my view, but there appeared to be a solitary figure, in white, standing on the boundary wall at the far end of the estate.

Mesmerised, I stood there. Was it a ghost, or some local nutter who liked to climb walls in the dead of night to wail at the half moon? I peered closer but the wind whipped up the tree branches and I lost sight of the figure. When the wind dropped the figure was gone. Every nerve ending tingled. If vampires existed—I’d only learnt their existence a couple of weeks ago—then why not ghosts? This chateau was hundreds of years old, maybe more. Who knows how many people died here in that time? Vampires weren’t the only inhabitants.

I continued to stare out the window. There it was again—arms upraised, the same high pitched wailing. A chill shot through me, and I jumped back drawing the curtains together, tightly bunching the folds of the fabric.

The Serpent Ring on my finger glowed scarlet. Whatever the figure was, it posed no threat. I took a deep breath and slowly peered through the curtain again. The ghostly form was still there.

I slipped on my boots, threw on a coat and stepped out into the empty hallway. All the lights were on and I could hear voices, none familiar. It was probably the Brethren servants. I paused at Jenny’s door. She slept, her slow heartbeat and steady breathing was quiet and peaceful. I didn’t have the heart to wake her. Other human heartbeats came from different ends of the house. I assumed the sleeping one, directly above my room, belonged to Judy. But there was another, slightly faster, heartbeat also coming from above, so close to Judy’s they could’ve been in the same room. Who? One of the staff? But there were no human staff on duty yet.

If you enjoyed this snippet, catch up on the story by reading the first two books in the series before Book 3 is released later this year.  
Amazon Apple iBooks Nook  Kobo

 

Dantonville Legacy Banner

I've been showing-off this new banner almost everywhere except on my blog. Well here it is - the up-to-date Dantonville Legacy banner featuring my soon-to-be-released book, BloodVault.

When Book 4 (BloodWish) comes out, I'll have to re-arrange everything to fit them all. It's a nice dilemma to have.
I'm nearly two-thirds of the way through writing BloodVault - 55,000 words down, another 40,000 to go. If things go according to plan, I should have this book completed by mid July. Then, it's off to my editor.
The countdown begins. I'm smiling.

BloodVault - Cover Reveal. Book 3 in The Dantonville Legacy Series.

I'm so excited to share with you all the full cover for BloodVault, Bk 3 in The Dantonville Legacy Series. My cover artist has, again, created the most amazing image that captures the essence of the story.
I love the colours and the mysterious gothic atmosphere it evokes. But that's Dantonville.
Not long to go now before the release of BloodVault in August.

 

In the meanwhile, for those not yet familiar with the series, here's your chance to catch up with books 1 and 2—Bloodgifted and Bloodpledge—before the release of book 3.

Go ONE CLICK it now and happy reading.

 

Amazon Smashwords Nook iBooks Kobo

Scorching Authors Summer Giveaway.

Once again, I'm thrilled that Bloodgifted is part of a fantastic Summer giveaway (if you're in the northern hemisphere), along with thirty other amazing authors. Not only will readers have the chance to win books and other prizes, but also a Kindle Fire HD 6 Tablet loaded with each author's books—a complete summer read that covers fantasy, paranormal romance, thrillers, mysteries, suspense and adventure.
It's a brilliant prize.
For those readers in the southern hemisphere (like me), these books are the perfect winter reads to curl up with in front of a cosy fire - or electric heater.

To take part, click on the Rafflecopter and good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Do You Like Dragons? Meet My Special Guest - Jane Hunt

I love dragons. Actually, I believe they once existed. Can all those myths and legends from around the world be wrong? They're even mentioned in the Bible. Just read the last few chapters of the Book of Job. And even if you're a sceptic, I'm sure my special guest this week, the lovely Jane Hunt, author of The Dragon Legacy and The Revenge Masquerade, will have you believing.

 

1. Why did you choose to write in your genre?

Writing a romantic fantasy wasn't a conscious decision. My first novels that never saw the light of day were a historical romance and a contemporary romance.

I got the idea for The Dragon Legacy when I started writing full time in mid 2012. I saw it, as a paranormal romance with elements of mystery but readers perceived it, more as a quirky fantasy romance. I guess some of the concepts in it are from the realms of fantasy. :-)

2. How many books do you plan to write in this series?

If I'm honest I wrote 'The Dragon Legacy' as a standalone novel. When my critique partner read the story, she loved Zane and Jasmine, who were secondary characters. Other readers agreed. So I wrote the wolf and witch's story in 'The Revenge Masquerade'.

There are two more stories in the series;' Egyptian Chaos', which is about Lorenzo who we meet in 'The Revenge Masquerade' and book 4 ' Searching For Her Dragon Soul', which is Larna's story, again a character from 'The Revenge Masquerade'.

3. Why dragons? Post a pic of your favourite dragon.

I love legends and mystical creatures. Dragons are the most iconic of them all; maligned in western legends and fairy stories, although revered in eastern culture. I wanted to show dragons as guardians of the world and those who live within it.

This is a favourite picture of mine from my Pinterest board 'The Dragon Legacy' https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/476185360570459056/

4. What scene in your book(s) do you like the best?

It's hard to choose. Both are full of action and romance.

I guess in 'The Dragon Legacy'. I like the scene close to the end between Xavier and Fleur. She is so courageous, even though her chances of overcoming the demon are slight.

I think the love scene in the Venetian garden between Zane and Jasmine is my favourite. They took so long to reach this point and the scene is full of atmosphere and sensuality.

5. Which actors would you like to play the lead characters if a film was made of your book?

The Dragon Legacy:

Lukas - Goran Visnjic 

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/476185360570368790/

Fleur - Evanna Lynch

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/476185360576576351/

The Revenge Masquerade:

Zane- Ciao Vaz (OK he's a model :-))

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/476185360572513050/

Jasmine- Karen Gillian

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/476185360576576399/

6. Which one of your characters would you like to be?

There's a little of me in both the female leads:

Fleur (The Dragon Legacy), when I was young and naive. Jasmine (The Revenge Masquerade), when I was young and wiser.

Also Grace, Jasmine's mother who is in both books, bits of me now.

7. What song would you choose as the theme song of your book?

I didn't listen to music when I wrote the first two books of The Dragon Legacy series and so they don't have a theme song. Maybe I should write one?

'The Dangerous Gift ''s playlist reflects parts of the book and what helped me to write the story. http://jolliffe01.com/2014/07/28/the-dangerous-gift-playlist/

8. Who is your favourite character, and why?

Like most authors I love the characters that I am writing about at the time, most. If I had to choose. In 'The Dragon Legacy', Fleur because she experiences a life changing journey and survives. I like survivors. In 'The Revenge Masquerade', Jasmine, again she experiences so much as the story progresses but her acceptance of her duty and power is spine tingling for me.

9. If not the Lake District, where would you like to set your next book?

The setting of the story is usually one of the first things to inspire me to write. I choose places I have been, or would like to go, or in the case of 'Egyptian Chaos', the choice is obvious because of the events in The Revenge Masquerade, set in Italy partly due to its association with masque balls.

I have also written a romantic suspense novel - The Dangerous Gift, set in Texas. Past Shadows my current work-in-progress, set in Regency Derbyshire.

10. Do you believe dragons ever existed? Why or why not?

Yes I do and maybe still do, in a parallel existence. Most things are possible and physical evidence is not a requirement for me to believe in them. This is probably why I thought my story was an urban paranormal tale and others saw it as fantasy. It's a matter of perspective and belief and everyone's is unique.

11. Do you write full time for a living, or do you have another daytime job?

In theory, I write full time but as everyone who has a family knows, there are so many calls on your time. My writing has to compete but it's what I truly want to do.

12. Are any of your characters based on real people?

My female characters have elements of my personality, at certain life stages but mainly like my male characters; a creation of my mind and experiences.

13. What advice would you give to new or aspiring writers?

I still consider myself a new writer and each day is a learning experience for me. So I would say be open to new ideas and advice but remain true to yourself and your beliefs about your stories. Ultimately they are a reflection of you and that is priceless.

Thanks Jane J

Book Description

Zane Lupus, the wolf shifter who loved and left Jasmine broken-hearted, is in danger. Haunted by nightmares, Jasmine risks her fragile heart and travels to Venice to find her one-time friend and lover, hoping she can save him and rekindle their passion. Abducted by Lorenzo, a passionate dragon, Jasmine is tempted away from her quest to find her wolf.

Zane is confronted with what he suspects is an enemy from his past. He tries in vain to warn the dragon lord, Lukas, about the threat to the infant dragon. The horror beneath The Revenge Masquerade is ancient and terrible and determined to capture the infant dragon for its own ends.

 The Dragon Legacy faces its greatest test. Is Jasmine, empowered by the guardian witch's snake ring, strong enough to restore the natural balance? Or will the sacrifice she must endure destroy her before she embraces her destiny?

Extract

Present day Venice, Italy.  

Zane slowed his pace. His nostrils twitched. No humans in the immediate vicinity. The Piazzetta San Marco with its decorative, lit archways appeared deserted in the predawn light. Zane padded across the square enjoying the breeze, which ruffled his silver fur. He kept to the shadows conscious he must remain hidden from the city's early risers; lovers enjoying the romantic Venetian dawn and the gondoliers who wouldn't pass up on a chance of an early fare. His keen silvery-blue eyes scanned the network of narrow streets for the secluded spot he used to shift into his wolf the previous night.

His wolf persona made a greater impact on the city's shifter community. His keen wolf's gaze identified the darkened corner where two houses met; the presence of his distinctive leather boots and other clothing confirmed this was the place. Mindful of discovery he shifted quickly. Moans he couldn't suppress echoed around the tunnel like street, as muscle ripped and bones cracked until he became outwardly human again. Breathing heavily he looked around. No-one disturbed him.  

Zane emerged from the darkness into the warmth of the dawn sun. He pulled up the hood of his cotton hoodie and put on his designer sunglasses, compulsory attire for the fashionable in Venice or so his friend Larna insisted. Larna so quintessentially Italian; beautiful, fashionable and fiery yet despite her undoubted attributes he only saw Lukas' kid sister. He smiled at this misnomer, still everything was relative even in the paranormal world and at eight hundred years old she was the baby of his dragon friend's family. He jogged along the narrow streets and alongside the canals, which defined Venice until he reached a spectacular palazzo resplendent with gothic arches decorated with Moorish and Byzantine designs.

His Cuban heeled boots clattered on the polished ceramic floor, which stretched the length of the grand entrance. He pushed back his hood and took off his shades; no need for disguise here among friends, the last step of his mission to alert the supernatural world about the fate of the infant dragon. Zane gagged, as the stench reached him at the bottom of the elaborate staircase. He recognized it immediately but sniffed again because he wanted to be wrong. The last time he smelled the putrid odor was in England when he fought with Lukas, the dragon lord, against the demon to save the last dragon egg. The dragon destroyed the demon snake and its demonic essence, but the smell was so similar... Every step on the stone staircase resonated as he hurried towards the galleried landing. The priceless art he usually loved to linger over passed in a blur. All his senses focused on the danger ahead. He stopped. The smell wasn't as strong here. He retraced his steps until the elaborate carving of the drawing room door imprinted his back. The door was uncharacteristically shut. His hackles rose as his hand made contact with the marbled knob, it shimmered with radiated heat. He ignored the warmth and twisted the knob. The door creaked as it opened…   

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