I thought I would stop by my own blog and treat y'all to an excerpt from SMOKE, Clan of Dragons, Book #2:
The odor of the
dragon’s breath overpowered the scent of pine and fresh-fallen snow. Kera ran a
hand down her leg, and didn’t feel any blood, but the limb throbbed. When heavy
footsteps grew closer, a momentary wish to dip her body into the nearest fairy
pool disappeared. How foolish. The urge to escape beneath its cool, clear
water, or feel the massaging action of a cascading waterfall, was not strong
enough to forget her current predicament, or the wintry weather.
The dragon moved
toward her as it circled the tree. Its long white fangs glistened, and its hot
breath melted the snow at her feet. Kera searched the area for a weapon.
Unfortunately, the snow around the tree was heavy, and had covered everything.
Gazing upward,
she thought to grab a limb and climb to safety, but she stopped when an odd
voice said, “I apologize.” Who spoke
to her in the presence of a dragon? Curiosity would be her downfall someday,
but she peered from behind the tree and saw the green dragon, and only the
dragon.
“Did you…say
something?”
I be speaking to a dragon? Did I hit me head as well?
“Aye, lass,” the
dragon said. “I apologized. I did not mean to throw you so hard, but your wolf
form surprised me. There be friends of mine nearby whom I wish to protect. I
can…ahh…see you be not only a wolf.”
With her secret
out, a weight lifted from her shoulders. “I, also, apologize. I hope I did not
hurt you by walking on your head. I heard something fall from the mountain,
then I smelled you and…I was too curious for me own good.”
“You have a
lovely smile, but I see pain in your eyes. Be you injured?”
She nodded, then
immediately wondered if admitting her vulnerability made her a target. While
contemplating her next move, the dragon leaned closer and sniffed her hip.
“No blood. You
should come with me.”
Before she could
answer with a resounding nay, a roar
shook the tree, and dumped snow from the branches above them, onto their heads.
The cold blanket of white powder stole her breath, and the ground rumbled
beneath her feet. She clasped the tree’s trunk to stay on her feet. Pain sliced
along her leg, and brought tears to her eyes.
Kera gained her
balance, and peeked again. Another dragon had joined the first, and he looked
angry. Smoke curled from his nostrils, and his red scales glistened like
fresh-spilled blood. His black wings flapped, sending waves of cold wind
directly at her, and the tree.
“Calm yourself,
brother. The lass be injured, and not a threat to anyone.” The green dragon
moved closer, and shielded Kera with his white wings.
“I smell wolf
and human. You know how I feel about humans!”
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