Naked Dragon Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  FORTY-ONE

  FORTY-TWO

  FORTY-THREE

  FORTY-FOUR

  FORTY-FIVE

  FORTY-SIX

  FORTY-SEVEN

  FORTY-EIGHT

  FORTY-NINE

  FIFTY

  FIFTY-ONE

  FIFTY-TWO

  FIFTY-THREE

  FIFTY-FOUR

  FIFTY-FIVE

  FIFTY-SIX

  FIFTY-SEVEN

  FIFTY-EIGHT

  FIFTY-NINE

  Teaser chapter

  BLOOD MAGIC

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Praise for the work of Annette Blair NEVER BEEN WITCHED

  “A superb tale . . . Whimsical but heart wrenching . . . Magician Annette Blair provides a terrific finish to an entertaining saga.”

  —Alternative Worlds

  “The author combines magic and love in such a way that even a statue would find its heart moved . . . A perfect ending to a witchy trilogy. Annette Blair’s writing is pure magic! Highly recommended!”

  —Darque Reviews

  “A wonderful tale of love, understanding, and forgiveness told with passion and humor. The reader will be captivated from the first page and will find it difficult to put this enchanting story down . . . [Never Been Witched includes] a good amount of hilarity and eroticism tossed in as only Ms. Blair can do.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “The last of Annette Blair’s witch trilogy is definitely, in this reviewer’s opinion, the greatest, and that is saying a lot as the two preceding tales are superb . . . There is mayhem and humor by the truckload in this very sexy and highly entertaining story. At the same time Never Been Witched is a tender love story of two extraordinary souls looking for the way to a happily ever after. Wow!”

  —Reader to Reader Reviews

  “A wonderful conclusion to a funny and enjoyable series.”

  —Romance Junkies

  “I simply could not put this book down . . . The pacing of her books is absolutely perfect. They’re fast, intense, and suck the reader in with a vengeance . . . The sweet paranormal touches, humorous language, and snappy dialogue are superb. Blair is setting a high bar for herself and future works, and I have no doubt she will rise to the challenge. This book rocked the house! Grade: A+”

  —Penelope’s Romance Reviews

  “I highly recommend this series and especially this third book of the trilogy to anyone who loves magic, humor, and romance mixed together with delightful characters guaranteed to keep you entertained and charmed!”

  —Fallen Angel Reviews

  GONE WITH THE WITCH

  “Yet another fun romp for Annette Blair!”

  —Fallen Angel Reviews

  “A spellbinding story that totally knocked my socks off!”

  —Huntress Reviews (5 stars)

  “Wonderful characters, a riveting story line, and a sensuous undercurrent are just a few of the things that made this such a phenomenal story.”

  —Romance Junkies

  “This story tugged at the heart . . . A definite addition to my keeper shelf.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “I’ve read all of the ‘witchy’ tales from Ms. Blair, and found this to stand on its own, but [was] made even better [by] having known many of the characters previously. I would recommend them all for your reading pleasure.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “Annette Blair’s second contribution to her triplet trilogy should come with oven mitts as it is hot, hot, hot . . . This is one road trip you do not want to miss!”

  —Reader to Reader Reviews

  SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH

  “Sassy, sexy, and sizzling!”

  —Reader to Reader Reviews

  “Ms. Blair’s humor and wit is evident in many ways . . . A delight [that] will bring chuckles.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “A sexy, hilarious, romantic tale with fun characters, snappy writing, and some super-spooky moments. I’ve looked forward to this story since the introduction of the triplets in The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and it was well worth the wait!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “More hot scenes . . . spine chills . . . outrageous stunts . . . A witchy climax that will warm your very soul. I can hardly wait until the next Cartwright triplet spins her spell. Out-Freaking-Standing!”

  —Huntress Reviews

  THE SCOT, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

  “Sassy dialogue, rich sexual tension, and plenty of laughs make this an immensely satisfying return to Blair’s world of witchcraft. Fans will welcome back familiar characters in supporting roles, but newcomers will take to it just as well.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Snappy dialogue can’t disguise the characters’ true insecurities, giving depth to Blair’s otherwise breezy, lighthearted tale.”

  —Booklist

  MY FAVORITE WITCH

  “Sexy.”

  —Booklist

  “Annette Blair will make your blood sizzle with this magical tale . . . A terrific way to start the new year!”

  —Huntress Reviews

  “This warmhearted story is a delight, filled with highly appealing characters sure to touch your heart. The magic in the air spotlights the humor that’s intrinsic to the story. A definite charmer!”

  —Romantic Times

  THE KITCHEN WITCH

  “A fun and sexy romp.”

  —Booklist

  “Magic. The Kitchen Witch sizzles. Ms. Blair’s writing is as smooth as a fine Kentucky bourbon. Sexy, fun, top-notch entertainment.”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  “Bewitching! Full of charm, humor, sensuality . . . An easy-reading, reader-pleasing story that makes you feel good all over.”

  —Reader to Reader Reviews

  Berkley Sensation Titles by Annette Blair

  THE KITCHEN WITCH

  MY FAVORITE WITCH

  THE SCOT, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

  SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH

  GONE WITH THE WITCH

  NEVER BEEN WITCHED

  NAKED DRAGON

  Berkley Prime Crime Titles by Annette Blair

  A VEILED DECEPTION

  LARCENY AND LACE

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  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.)

  Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England


  Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand

  (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196,

  South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  NAKED DRAGON

  A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / January 2010

  Copyright © 2010 by Annette Blair.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-19545-1

  BERKLEY® SENSATION

  Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  BERKLEY® SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  http://us.penguingroup.com

  Dedicated with love to:

  Patricia Grasso,

  Goddess, Author, and Friend.

  Thanks for my daily laugh, Ducky.

  And especially for passing the crown.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  I took literary license with Salem, Massachusetts, in order to give my magickal supernatural ancients a place in the life of one of my favorite cities. Imagine that Collins Cove is barely cut into Salem, and that extra piece of land is a community known as Salem’s End. McKenna’s property is there, fronting the water. What’s left of the cove is what I refer to as the old harbor. The caves where people hid during the Witch Trials, and survived, do exist, but they’re in Framingham. I moved them to McKenna’s land for the purposes of my story.

  A SLIVER OF HOPE

  On the Island of Stars, on a plane beyond ours, a Roman legion exists.

  Cursed for performing their duty with spirit and might.

  Banished and exiled by Killian, Crone of Chaos and black-magick blight.

  Warriors still, breathing fire for sport

  Casting shadows on the ground from the air, wings spread,

  Bearing scales of gold, some silver, some red.

  Dragons who hoped to be blessed with unlikely redress,

  Humanity returned and put to the test.

  But trapped by an endless lava sea, this army of dragons seems doomed not to be.

  One sliver of hope, a risk: bound moons shade white magick from black.

  One dragon per phase might be turned and sent back,

  But who could be spared to make way for the rest? Who best?

  The alpha, stepped up to save his clan.

  Andra, Goddess of Hope, chanted her white-magick plan:

  “Shed horns, spines, claws, and webbed wings. Shrink scales, spade, and tail—”

  Killian’s counter spell struck like a fiery bolt. Bastian roared as he took the jolt.

  But aborting now would mean certain death. No wasting time, not even a breath.

  “Warrior to beast, now back again. Send this man to the plane he began.”

  Bastian roared as he twisted to shift from dragon to man in the steam from the rift,

  Blessed by Whyzind the elder with a dragon tear, a magick so rare,

  Hope grew, despite the scent of death in the air.

  ONE

  In a body that seemed too small to contain him, Bastian tumbled endlessly through bouts of darkness and spirals of light, hailstorms and lightning, surcease and fright.

  She who cared for him and his brother dragons on the island appeared to him. “Killian failed to stop us with her counter spell,” Andra said telepathically. “She will never forgive you for getting away, or me for casting the spell that released you. Be vigilant; her vengeance knows no bounds. She is an eternal, universal scourge on her enemies.”

  “Is there no hope for my brothers, then?”

  “There is always hope. Never forget that. Every battle Killian loses, like this one, weakens her, as my losses weaken me. Every battle each of us wins strengthens us. But Killian toils for the dark and hopeless aspect of spirit, and I for the bright and hopeful. By virtue of your transformation, you are now one of my emissaries.”

  “And one of Killian’s enemies. Where are you sending me? What do you ask of me?”

  “You will understand in time.” Andra vanished as Bastian’s tumble through the ether continued.

  Time passed. Gnashing teeth drowned sweet, soothing whispers.

  Andra returned, her cloak of stars dimmer. “On earth, you will be both powerful and powerless. You will retain the gift of fire, but do not flaunt it.”

  Sleep came. Dreams: Bastian rode a swirl of stars, until lightning struck and his inner dragon rose up to rebel. He fought a darkness of spirit that angered him, and his dragon nearly rose up to take over his being.

  The scent of rose poppies, Andra’s scent, calmed him. “Fight your dragon’s attempts to regain control,” she whispered. “For Killian’s counter spell may have altered your ability to shift back into a man, and that inability could destroy you and all you hold dear.”

  This time, Andra disappeared as fast as she’d arrived.

  Toothy gargoyles took to nipping at his hind end while pixies screamed in his ears. He fought a horde of charging creatures. Flying ogres, smoke-winged and dark, licked his cheeks with slurp-slimy tongues. Goblins, with pointed ears, stink-burped in his face. After an eternity of torture, his transgressors were sucked into an icy darkness, leaving Bastian exhausted, his vigilance weak.

  Andra returned, paler, smaller. “You are charged to find one particular earth woman, one whose hope you must strive to replenish. That is how we work, by spreading hope wherever we can, one creature at a time. That creature will in turn spread a contagious hope to the next. This woman you seek is your fate. Her heart is a mate to yours. She will be spirited and often alone. She may have rivers flowing from her eyes and seem shunned by men. She will not like who she is or how she looks. You can change that. But her heart will be pure and beautiful. Make her lifequest your own. She is the key to fulfilling your destiny and continuing my work.”

  “How will I know her?”

  “Her heart will speak to yours, however much she fights you.”

  “She fights?” Anticipation rushed Bastian but he checked himself. “If I fail in this quest?”

  “You will perish. As will your brother dragons. If you succeed, I will send them to you, one by one, each man-dragon with his own assignment.”

  Bastian hated to see Andra leave this time. She seemed to be fading away.

  Alarm disturbed his dreams . . . or his reality. Color and light swirled to mighty winds that rippled his skin and shivered his teeth. He saw eyes and talons, sharp as double-edged swords. Night shifted to d
ay and back again.

  Andra’s light grew dim, her scent, too, her hand against his brow a frail blessing. “I invested my magick in you,” she whispered. “Succeed, and you return it thrice over. Fail and I will be too weak to save your brothers. Your destiny lies at the sign of the crowned dragon. Only your heart mate can lead you there. You will give her hope and she will give you life.”

  As her words faded, so did Andra, until she was nothing but a winged wisp; then she vanished.

  When he woke, Bastian journeyed, still, toward a bright, distant light filled with rainbow wishes, vague dreams, and nightmare prospects.

  As he spiraled toward an unknown destiny, he hoped the turbulence would not turn him inside out or jelly his brain before his arrival.

  TWO

  He landed naked upon a sword bush in a circle of chanting women.

  Bastian roared and shot to his feet. Dreadful notion on his part, because he had retained his dragon leap. After cracking his man skull and downing one poor tree, he ended flat on his back, bones rattling, the fading scream of circle-chanters floating back to him from a growing distance.

  Pain teased his inner beast to the point that it tried to overtake him, a test of strength so powerful, shadow claws formed on his hands before Bastian stifled his inner rebellion and his claws receded.

  After centuries of waiting, he’d nearly lost his humanity in less than a blink.

  To keep Andra and his brother dragons safe, he must keep himself in check.

  Bastian flexed his man hands as the scent of vegetation, of earth and its creatures—blessedly lacking the stench of lava smoke—filled his senses while awareness settled in. He had landed in an isolated spot, except for an amused banquet of birds on the limb above him, cawing and sprinkling him with scorn.