Description:
In a world divided by prejudice and hatred, only love can bridge the chasm.
Prologue
Thousands of years ago, Radomis, the dragon king of the North, took flight on the last full moon of winter. Beating great, black wings, he soared away from his mountainous kingdom, lured by some unknown force to the sultry lands in the west where humans dwelled. Dragons and humans had always lived apart.
On this same night, Princess Morga honored the fertility rite of bathing under the full moon the night before her wedding. As she stepped from the natural steaming pool, rivulets of water glistened over milk-pale skin, ebony hair slicked over her breasts and down her back. The dragon king saw her. Instant desire ensnared his beastly heart. He descended.
Shifting into human form, a man of might and beauty, he murdered her guards and handmaidens. Horrified, Morga could do nothing when the dragon king took her in his arms, hard lust in cold eyes. The moment his tongue licked into her mouth, she felt the burning of soulfire—the dragon elixir meant for his one and only mate. Golden heat melted through blood and bone, filling her with euphoric pleasure, bonding her to him forever.
Radomis took her on the ground among bloody bodies and moon-shadows, intent to sate his hunger. One night would never be enough. Shifting into dragon form, he carried her in his claws back to his kingdom. She would be his queen, trapped in a gilded cage of opulence as the object of his endless desire.
From their union, a child was born—an abomination. A human body with dragon wings and dragon strength. The boy, Larkos, was outcast among dragonkind, including his father. Only Morga showed him any love.
When Larkos reached manhood, he wielded his rage with an avenging sword, tracking and killing all of dragonkind. Even in beast form, his father could not match him, finally falling to the forgotten son’s sword. What Larkos did not know was that soulfire bonded his loving mother to the beast in such a way that when his dragon-heart stopped beating, so did hers.
This is the tale I’d been told when my body began changing from child to woman, a warning for young girls to beware of Morgon men.
“Never stray from your own kind, Jessen,” my mother would say, “or you could end up like Princess Morga, a slave and outcast to be abhorred.”
The problem was, I’d never been a very obedient daughter. Never the one to do exactly as I was told. And fairy tales have no meaning when the stars align and Fortune spins her wheel, weaving her own story for your heart.
Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories.
Tensions are rising in the Gladium Province. The boundary between humans and Morgons has begun to blur. While the human aristocracy strives to maintain distance between their daughters and the dragon-hybrid race, fate has other plans.
As the daughter of the corporate king, Jessen Cade is duty-bound to honor her arranged marriage to a man she detests. Feeling trapped by family duty and a loveless future, she longs for more, straying to the Morgon side of the city.
Lucius Nightwing is the eldest son of the powerful Morgon clan, and the greatest enemy of Jessen’s father. When a bar-room brawl thrusts Jessen into his arms, his dragon roars to the surface, craving to sate his carnal hunger in the brown-eyed beauty. The beast in Lucius recognizes her as his own, even if the man refuses to admit the truth.
GUEST POST
Where Urban Fantasy Began
When I consider the origins of urban fantasy, I’m constantly drawn to the idea that this modern sub-genre is a combination of the classic epic fantasy with supernatural and magical elements (aka, Tolkien) and Gothic romance with its windswept moors, moonlit nights, and mysterious, brooding hero (Bronte and Shelley). Of course, there is the added edgy setting of the gritty city in urban fantasy, but let’s take a look at some similarities in theme and setting.
In addition to the supernatural, there is an inevitable element of darkness and romance in the landscape, writing style, characters, and plot of both epic fantasy and modern urban fantasy. Tolkien’s dark wizards with the power to destroy the world, like Sauron and his ring of power, translate easily in comparison to the supernatural heroes and villains of urban fantasy. For example, in Nalini Singh’s Guildhunter series, the vampires wield seductive power for good and evil, depending on their allegiance. The same goes for the supernatural angels who rule this powerful world Singh has created.
Classic Gothic literature set the stage for the dark, brooding hero to take the stage. The setting is typically a mysterious castle or estate with long and twisting corridors leading to dark secrets. In my favorite classic, Jane Eyre, Thornfield Hall plays a vital role in shrouding our heroine in secrets she must unveil. Likewise, urban fantasy usually holds dark secrets our hero or heroine must reveal in order to save the day. And while urban fantasy is by definition set in the city, there is still the same element of darkness as there is in the forbidding castles. The winding streets and dark alleys have replaced the winding corridors and dark niches of the fortress.
Classic Gothic literature set the stage for the dark, brooding hero to take the stage. The setting is typically a mysterious castle or estate with long and twisting corridors leading to dark secrets. In my favorite classic, Jane Eyre, Thornfield Hall plays a vital role in shrouding our heroine in secrets she must unveil. Likewise, urban fantasy usually holds dark secrets our hero or heroine must reveal in order to save the day. And while urban fantasy is by definition set in the city, there is still the same element of darkness as there is in the forbidding castles. The winding streets and dark alleys have replaced the winding corridors and dark niches of the fortress.
Another similarity between classic Gothic and urban fantasy is the strong heroine and the brooding hero. The snarky banter between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester establishes them as equals when it comes to intelligence and wit. This makes for an exciting love story. The characters arouse a playful side as well as the intensity of new romance in the classic Gothic genre, very similar to the love interests in urban fantasy. For example, take a look at Barrons and Mac Lane from KMM’s Fever series. Their sassy banter can light the pages on fire without them ever even touching one another.
While epic fantasy and Gothic romance have their own special appeals for readers, urban fantasy is definitely for the modern reader who craves the dark and gritty setting, an even darker hero, and the strong heroine to fight as an equal alongside her tough alpha male.
Thank you, Mythical Books, for having me here today! It’s been fun to explore the origins of urban fantasy.
EXCERPT
Prologue
Thousands of years ago, Radomis, the dragon king of the North, took flight on the last full moon of winter. Beating great, black wings, he soared away from his mountainous kingdom, lured by some unknown force to the sultry lands in the west where humans dwelled. Dragons and humans had always lived apart.
On this same night, Princess Morga honored the fertility rite of bathing under the full moon the night before her wedding. As she stepped from the natural steaming pool, rivulets of water glistened over milk-pale skin, ebony hair slicked over her breasts and down her back. The dragon king saw her. Instant desire ensnared his beastly heart. He descended.
Shifting into human form, a man of might and beauty, he murdered her guards and handmaidens. Horrified, Morga could do nothing when the dragon king took her in his arms, hard lust in cold eyes. The moment his tongue licked into her mouth, she felt the burning of soulfire—the dragon elixir meant for his one and only mate. Golden heat melted through blood and bone, filling her with euphoric pleasure, bonding her to him forever.
Radomis took her on the ground among bloody bodies and moon-shadows, intent to sate his hunger. One night would never be enough. Shifting into dragon form, he carried her in his claws back to his kingdom. She would be his queen, trapped in a gilded cage of opulence as the object of his endless desire.
From their union, a child was born—an abomination. A human body with dragon wings and dragon strength. The boy, Larkos, was outcast among dragonkind, including his father. Only Morga showed him any love.
When Larkos reached manhood, he wielded his rage with an avenging sword, tracking and killing all of dragonkind. Even in beast form, his father could not match him, finally falling to the forgotten son’s sword. What Larkos did not know was that soulfire bonded his loving mother to the beast in such a way that when his dragon-heart stopped beating, so did hers.
This is the tale I’d been told when my body began changing from child to woman, a warning for young girls to beware of Morgon men.
“Never stray from your own kind, Jessen,” my mother would say, “or you could end up like Princess Morga, a slave and outcast to be abhorred.”
The problem was, I’d never been a very obedient daughter. Never the one to do exactly as I was told. And fairy tales have no meaning when the stars align and Fortune spins her wheel, weaving her own story for your heart.
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About the author:
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.
Author's Giveaway
6 comments:
Thanks again for having me on today. LOVE your dark, misty website. ;)
Hello Juliette, your novel Soulfire sounds like a great fantasy i would enjoy reading about. Thank you
Hi, Linda! So happy to hear. Well, it's my favorite genre to read, so of course that's what I write. Haha! I'd love to hear what you think if/when you get the chance to read. :)
I have been following the tour a bit and the more I read about Soulfire, the more I want to read it. Thank you for sharing with us today and for the treat of a giveaway opportunity :)
I love the excerpt, I really want to read it. Thank you for the giveaway.
Hi, Denise and Katherine. I wish you both luck in winning a copy! Thanks for following the tour a bit. :)
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