Excerpt: Dragon’s Lair by Denise Lynn
Chapter One
U.S.A. – Mid-October, Current Year
Alexia Reve-Drake pressed her spine more tightly against the broad trunk of the tree, hoping that the tree and the darkness would hide her from the men seeking to harm her.
She forced herself to breathe slowly, trying hard to listen over the rapid pounding of her heart. A light breeze shuffled fallen maple and oak leaves, rustling them across the museum’s parking lot. From a distance, the sound of traffic on the expressway hummed. It was long past rush hour, and no squeal of tires or blare of horns broke the steady whir of passing cars.
“Where’d she go?”
Alexia held the breath she’d just inhaled and fought the hysteria urging her to scream.
While the entire day had been one confusing event after another, she hadn’t expected it to end like this.
“Alexia.”
She swallowed the terrified cry threatening to escape. This wasn’t the first time today she’d heard her name whispered.
A hushed crooning that came from nowhere to beat against the inside of her head. Even though she had never mastered the skill of telepathy, she had learned how to protect her mind from others.
But right now, she couldn’t concentrate hard enough to call up even an iota of protection. She was too rattled by the men after her. And this intruder was stronger, his will more powerful than any she’d encountered before.
Stronger and–not quite human. She sensed the raw, predatory power of a beast–a power that had touched her once before, sending her life into chaos. This intruder was a lethal enemy who could easily slip through her visualization of a wall closing off her thoughts to others.
“I think we lost her.” Leaves crunched underfoot as the three men continued their search. She shivered, certain the masked trio would never give up their hunt.
“Alexia.”
Her shivers turned to tremors of fear. She took a chance and glanced around the tree. Overhead lights glared, casting eerie shadows onto the pavement of the museum’s nearly empty south-side parking lot. At this time of night only two cars remained–hers and a pale grey sedan.
The night maintenance crew and security guard parked in the lot on the other side of the building. Maintenance wouldn’t reach her end of the museum for another three or four hours. And Bill, the young night security guard, would most likely be on his cell phone with his new wife.
Unless some miracle occurred, nobody would be aware that she was still here, let alone in danger.
“Alexia.”
Unable to control her fear and suddenly growing anger, she silently screamed, “What? What do you want?”
The intruder laughed. A harsh, evil sound that nearly sucked the breath from her. Finally, he answered, “The grimoire.”
Publisher: Silhouette Nocturne
Buy It Link: www.amazon.com/Dragons-Lair-Silhouette-Nocturne-Denise/dp/0373618050/
Release Month&Year: February 2009
This post was submitted by Denise Lynn.
Tags: Dragons, Nocturne, paranormal, Romance novel, Silhouette, Wizards
