Waking the Dragon (Vale of Stars #1) by Juliette Cross
The Gladium Province is on the
verge of civil unrest as humans and Morgons, the dragon-hybrid race, clash once
more. But amid disorder can also arise passion…
When the bodies of three human
women are discovered in Morgon territory—with the DNA of several Morgon men on
the victims—it’s just a matter of time before civil unrest hits the Province.
But for ambitious reporter Moira Cade, it’s more than just a story, and it may
mean risking her own life.
Descending into the dark
underworld of Morgon society, Moira is paired with Kol Moonring, Captain of the
Morgon Guard, for her protection. Fiercely independent, Moira bristles at his
dominance, and defies his will at every turn. Yet resistance proves futile when
passion flares between them, awakening powerful emotions within both, body and
soul. But as the killings continue, can their fiery newfound bond survive an
even greater evil—one that threatens all of humanity, Morgonkind, and Moira’s
very soul?...
From
the moment I tapped the icon on for Waking the Dragon in my Kindle app ‘til the
very end I was completely captivated. There’s a gristly murder case with dead
girls popping up everywhere and an impressively strong reporter with the drive
and determination to figure out what the local enforcement has not. That would
be Moira Cade. She has connections in high places and a foot in both the human
and Morgon territories.
Kol
Moonring is relegated the lovely task of keeping Moira safe. Captain of the
Morgon Guard, he is everything he should be. Powerful, dominating, and fiercely
in control. I gotta say the push/pull between these two is amazing. Neither
will bend in their fierceness and both want the same outcome.
“You want to be possessed, but not
controlled. You want to be protected, but not smothered. You want to be
dominated, but only in one way.”
Moira
and Kol are going down as one of my all time favorite couples. It’s the words
shared between them throughout Waking the Dragon that has truly moved me to
highlight with abandon.
“Tragedy changes us all, Moira. We get to
choose how much. Some survive with a few bumps and bruises. Others wear their
scars forever and build walls to block the world out.”
“Life was too short to waste, harboring bitterness against family and cherishing loneliness like it was his own precious pet. Life was too short to waste on ambition alone, pretending it was enough for me. I wanted more. I wanted Kol. I wanted…love.”
“Life was too short to waste, harboring bitterness against family and cherishing loneliness like it was his own precious pet. Life was too short to waste on ambition alone, pretending it was enough for me. I wanted more. I wanted Kol. I wanted…love.”
In
all sincerity, it’s Cross’ best book to date in this reviewers humble opinion.
Waking the Dragon had everything a good read needs to become great: action,
adventure, love, lust, fight, determination and mind blowing tension that leads
to an explosive coupling.
“I’m burning for you, Moira. An inferno
flares inside every time you come near me.” He traced his tongue over my bottom
lip. “I won’t go up in flames alone.” He ground out the words. “You’re going to
burn with me.”
What
more can I say? I loved it.
T~
*ARC provided by Lyrical Press/Kensington Books
Purchase Waking the Dragon on Amazon
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The beautiful
blonde froze.
Silence.
She peered down
the darkened corridor of the cellar beneath the Vaengar Stadium. No one.
The Morgon with
black hair and black eyes at the bar had told her the restroom was this way.
The only sound was the wafting crackle of the torches. The only sight was long
shadows cast by flickering flame. An eerie tendril of fear snaked up her spine.
Even half-drunk, something primitive warned her of danger, like the innate
foreboding a deer senses when the tiger stalks unseen from the trees.
She shook it
off, flipped her long hair over one shoulder, and walked on, knowing the
restroom must be just around the bend up ahead.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
She stopped
again and spun around, unable to tell from which direction the sound came.
“Bennett? Is
that you?” A hollow echo of her voice reverberated down the empty corridor.
“Stop it! You’re scaring me.” The last came out a faint whisper. A
presence—corporeal, malevolent, and drawing closer—plunged her into icy fear.
Her pulse quickened. A hiss of wind pressed the thin fabric of her mini-dress
to her thighs. The flame on the wall guttered to nothing, then relit anew.
Tick.
Tick.
Directly behind
her. She whirled and stared up at a massive Morgon man who stood only feet
away. A behemoth silhouetted by the flambeau. His pointed wings, half-open and
huge, kept the rest of him in shadow, as if the light itself repelled him. She
could see nothing but his eyes—amber orbs with serpentine slits, bright as the
torch-flame. Her breath hitched in her throat. She fell back against cold
stone, scraping her bare shoulders against the rough cavern wall.
He passed near a
sconce, the light illuminating hard, angular planes, the ancestral lines of the
dragon sculpting his face in stark relief—more beast than man. Her heart
thrashed against her ribcage.
“I—I lost my
way, I think. I should go.” She gestured in the direction she had come, inching
along the wall.
He moved with
lethal grace, angling closer in slow, even steps.
Tick.
Her gaze dropped
to his large hand. Claw-tipped fingers spread wide, the sharp nail of the index
tapping the stone. She bolted left, only to find a wall of six Morgon men
blocking her exit. They’d materialized out of the shadows in silent stealth.
Unmoving, watching. Backing against the wall, she swiveled her head from those
blocking her path to their master stalking closer.
“What—what do
you want from me?” Her voice cracked, primal fear ripping through her gut.
By now, she’d
reached the pinnacle of terror, petrified in place. Tangible evil seeped into
her skin as the sinister creature loomed, enveloping her in his shadow.
Something screamed for her to run, while a compelling power rolling from the
beast kept her pinned in place. It was as if his very presence demanded
obedience, subservience.
The beast braced
one arm next to her head, her panic filling up the confines of their space. He
inhaled a deep breath, drinking her fear in like the sweetest nectar.
“Will she serve,
my lord?” A voice of authority from one of the Morgons in shadow—sultry but
edged like a razor.
Her chest rose
and fell, drawing the beast’s gaze. He leaned closer, trailing one claw lightly
over her swelling breasts. Viper-swift, he clamped her mouth with his other
hand, stifling her screams, and continued his exploration of her naked skin
with the blade-like nail. Her rapid pulse beat frantically at the base of her
neck.
“Perhaps.” One
word, grating and broken. The voice of a monster.
He snaked his
claw across the bottom of her throat, then down the line of her cleavage,
pressing just enough to scrape the skin, a thin line of red rushing to the
surface. Keeping her immobile with his crushing weight, he scraped a drop of
blood from her breasts. He opened his mouth, revealing a row of sharpened
teeth, the canines most prominent. Reeking of menace and power, he licked the
tip of his claw.
“Perhaps.”
His voice fell
to a raspy whisper. A rumbling growl rattled her bones. A flash of flame and
shadow and all was black.
Juliette calls lush, moss-laden
Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating
mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from
Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to
study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love
of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works.
From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the
Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines,
and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set
in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.
Juliette is a multi-published
author, including her Nightwing series with Kensington Publishing and The
Vessel Trilogy with Samhain Publishing.
Hi, ladies! Well, you know you're in my top favorites, so thank you for having me on your wonderful blog. So happy you enjoyed this one, T. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Juliette! We are big fans... :)
DeleteSounds like an interesting book. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, ShainaJo! :)
DeleteThank you, ShainaJo! :)
DeleteI cannot wait to delve into the wonderful world of the Morgans. I would love to have a morgon man for myself ;-)
ReplyDeleteHaha! Thanks so much, Michele! So would I. ;) Hope you enjoy this one.
DeleteHaha! Thanks so much, Michele! So would I. ;) Hope you enjoy this one.
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